1
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Atar D, Ruoff L, Mast AS, Krost S, Moustafa-Oglou M, Scheuermann S, Kristmann B, Feige M, Canak A, Wolsing K, Schlager L, Schilbach K, Zekri L, Ebinger M, Nixdorf D, Subklewe M, Schulte J, Lengerke C, Jeremias I, Werchau N, Mittelstaet J, Lang P, Handgretinger R, Schlegel P, Seitz CM. Rational combinatorial targeting by adapter CAR-T-cells (AdCAR-T) prevents antigen escape in acute myeloid leukemia. Leukemia 2024; 38:2183-2195. [PMID: 39095503 PMCID: PMC11436361 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-024-02351-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Targeting AML by chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR-T) is challenging due to the promiscuous expression of AML-associated antigens in healthy hematopoiesis and high degree of inter- and intratumoral heterogeneity. Here, we present single-cell expression data of AML-associated antigens in 30 primary pediatric AML samples. We identified CD33, CD38, CD371, IL1RAP and CD123 as the most frequently expressed. Notably, high variability was observed not only across the different patient samples but also among leukemic cells of the same patient suggesting the necessity of multiplexed targeting approaches. To address this need, we utilized our modular Adapter CAR (AdCAR) platform, enabling precise qualitative and quantitative control over CAR-T-cell function. We show highly efficient and target-specific activity for newly generated adapter molecules (AMs) against CD33, CD38, CD123, CD135 and CD371, both in vitro and in vivo. We reveal that inherent intratumoral heterogeneity in antigen expression translates into antigen escape and therapy failure to monotargeted CAR-T therapy. Further, we demonstrate in PDX models that rational combinatorial targeting by AdCAR-T-cells can cure heterogenic disease. In conclusion, we elucidate the clinical relevance of heterogeneity in antigen expression in pediatric AML and present a novel concept for precision immunotherapy by combinatorial targeting utilizing the AdCAR platform.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/immunology
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/therapy
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/pathology
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/immunology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/metabolism
- Animals
- Mice
- Child
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
- Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Atar
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Lara Ruoff
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Anna-Sophia Mast
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Simon Krost
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Moustafa Moustafa-Oglou
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Sophia Scheuermann
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
- Excellence cluster iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", Tübingen, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Beate Kristmann
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Maximilian Feige
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Aysegül Canak
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Kathrin Wolsing
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Lennart Schlager
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Karin Schilbach
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Latifa Zekri
- Clinical Collaboration Unit Translational Immunology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Immunology, IFIZ Institute for Cell Biology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Martin Ebinger
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniel Nixdorf
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital, LMU, Munich, Germany
- Laboratory for Translational Cancer Immunology, LMU Gene Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Marion Subklewe
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital, LMU, Munich, Germany
- Laboratory for Translational Cancer Immunology, LMU Gene Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Schulte
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Lengerke
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology, and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Irmela Jeremias
- Research Unit Apoptosis in Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Helmholtz Center Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Niels Werchau
- R&D Department, Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & CO. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Joerg Mittelstaet
- R&D Department, Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & CO. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Peter Lang
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
- Excellence cluster iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", Tübingen, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rupert Handgretinger
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Patrick Schlegel
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Christian M Seitz
- Department of General Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany.
- Excellence cluster iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", Tübingen, Germany.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
- Hopp-Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Immunology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
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2
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Anderson GSF, Chapman MA. T cell-redirecting therapies in hematological malignancies: Current developments and novel strategies for improved targeting. Mol Ther 2024; 32:2856-2891. [PMID: 39095991 PMCID: PMC11403239 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.07.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
T cell-redirecting therapies (TCRTs), such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) or T cell receptor (TCR) T cells and T cell engagers, have emerged as a highly effective treatment modality, particularly in the B and plasma cell-malignancy setting. However, many patients fail to achieve deep and durable responses; while the lack of truly unique tumor antigens, and concurrent on-target/off-tumor toxicities, have hindered the development of TCRTs for many other cancers. In this review, we discuss the recent developments in TCRT targets for hematological malignancies, as well as novel targeting strategies that aim to address these, and other, challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael A Chapman
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK; Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK; Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge Universities Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK.
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3
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Lin H, Yang X, Ye S, Huang L, Mu W. Antigen escape in CAR-T cell therapy: Mechanisms and overcoming strategies. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 178:117252. [PMID: 39098176 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.117252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy has shown promise in treating hematological malignancies and certain solid tumors. However, its efficacy is often hindered by negative relapses resulting from antigen escape. This review firstly elucidates the mechanisms underlying antigen escape during CAR-T cell therapy, including the enrichment of pre-existing target-negative tumor clones, antigen gene mutations or alternative splicing, deficits in antigen processing, antigen redistribution, lineage switch, epitope masking, and trogocytosis-mediated antigen loss. Furthermore, we summarize various strategies to overcome antigen escape, evaluate their advantages and limitations, and propose future research directions. Thus, we aim to provide valuable insights to enhance the effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haolong Lin
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Xiuxiu Yang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Shanwei Ye
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Liang Huang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China; Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 301600, China.
| | - Wei Mu
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China; Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
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4
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Zhang C, Li W, Liu L, Li M, Sun H, Zhang C, Zhong L, Huang J, Li T. DDB2 promotes melanoma cell growth by transcriptionally regulating the expression of KMT2A and predicts a poor prognosis. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23735. [PMID: 38860936 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202302040r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Identification of potential key targets of melanoma, a fatal skin malignancy, is critical to the development of new cancer therapies. Lysine methyltransferase 2A (KMT2A) promotes melanoma growth by activating the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) signaling pathway; however, the exact mechanism remains elusive. This study aimed to reveal new molecular targets that regulate KMT2A expression and melanoma growth. Using biotin-streptavidin-agarose pull-down and proteomics, we identified Damage-specific DNA-binding protein 2 (DDB2) as a KMT2A promoter-binding protein in melanoma cells and validated its role as a regulator of KMT2A/hTERT signaling. DDB2 knockdown inhibited the expression of KMT2A and hTERT and inhibited the growth of melanoma cells in vitro. Conversely, overexpression of DDB2 activated the expression of KMT2A and promoted the growth of melanoma cells. Additionally, we demonstrated that DDB2 expression was higher in tumor tissues of patients with melanoma than in corresponding normal tissues and was positively correlated with KMT2A expression. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a poor prognosis in patients with high levels of DDB2 and KMT2A. Overall, our data suggest that DDB2 promotes melanoma cell growth through the transcriptional regulation of KMT2A expression and predicts poor prognosis. Therefore, targeting DDB2 may regulate the effects of KMT2A on melanoma growth and progression, providing a new potential therapeutic strategy for melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changlin Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, Pelvic Floor Disorders Center, Scientific Research Center, Department of Dermatovenereology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weizhao Li
- Department of Gynecology, Pelvic Floor Disorders Center, Scientific Research Center, Department of Dermatovenereology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lixiang Liu
- Department of Gynecology, Pelvic Floor Disorders Center, Scientific Research Center, Department of Dermatovenereology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Miao Li
- Department of Gynecology, Pelvic Floor Disorders Center, Scientific Research Center, Department of Dermatovenereology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haohui Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, Pelvic Floor Disorders Center, Scientific Research Center, Department of Dermatovenereology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Li Zhong
- Department of Gynecology, Pelvic Floor Disorders Center, Scientific Research Center, Department of Dermatovenereology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiajia Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tian Li
- Department of Gynecology, Pelvic Floor Disorders Center, Scientific Research Center, Department of Dermatovenereology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
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5
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Iyer K, Ivanov J, Tenchov R, Ralhan K, Rodriguez Y, Sasso JM, Scott S, Zhou QA. Emerging Targets and Therapeutics in Immuno-Oncology: Insights from Landscape Analysis. J Med Chem 2024; 67:8519-8544. [PMID: 38787632 PMCID: PMC11181335 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
In the ever-evolving landscape of cancer research, immuno-oncology stands as a beacon of hope, offering novel avenues for treatment. This study capitalizes on the vast repository of immuno-oncology-related scientific documents within the CAS Content Collection, totaling over 350,000, encompassing journals and patents. Through a pioneering approach melding natural language processing with the CAS indexing system, we unveil over 300 emerging concepts, depicted in a comprehensive "Trend Landscape Map". These concepts, spanning therapeutic targets, biomarkers, and types of cancers among others, are hierarchically organized into eight major categories. Delving deeper, our analysis furnishes detailed quantitative metrics showcasing growth trends over the past three years. Our findings not only provide valuable insights for guiding future research endeavors but also underscore the merit of tapping the vast and unparalleled breadth of existing scientific information to derive profound insights.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Julian Ivanov
- CAS,
A Division of the American Chemical Society, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Rumiana Tenchov
- CAS,
A Division of the American Chemical Society, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | | | - Yacidzohara Rodriguez
- CAS,
A Division of the American Chemical Society, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Janet M. Sasso
- CAS,
A Division of the American Chemical Society, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Sabina Scott
- CAS,
A Division of the American Chemical Society, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
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6
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Graff Z, Wachter F, Eapen M, Lehmann L, Cooper T. Navigating Treatment Options and Communication in Relapsed Pediatric AML. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 2024; 44:e438690. [PMID: 38862135 DOI: 10.1200/edbk_438690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Despite improved outcomes in newly diagnosed pediatric AML, relapsed disease remains a therapeutic challenge. Factors contributing to slow progress in improving outcomes include inherent challenges in pediatric clinical trial accrual and the scarcity of novel targeted/immunotherapy agents available for pediatric development. This paradigm is changing, however, as international collaboration grows in parallel with the development of promising targeted agents. In this review, we discuss the therapeutic landscape of relapsed pediatric AML, including conventional chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and the challenges of drug approvals in this patient population. We highlight current efforts to improve communication among academia, industry, and regulatory authorities and discuss the importance of international collaboration to improve access to new therapies. Among the therapeutic options, we highlight the approach to second hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and discuss which patients are most likely to benefit from this potentially curative intervention. Importantly, we acknowledge the challenges in providing these high-risk interventions to our patients and their families and the importance of shared communication and decision making when considering early-phase clinical trials and second HSCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Graff
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology, Oncology, and BMT, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | - Franziska Wachter
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Mary Eapen
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | - Leslie Lehmann
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Todd Cooper
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA
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7
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Naik S, Velasquez MP, Gottschalk S. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy in childhood acute myeloid leukemia: how far are we from a clinical application? Haematologica 2024; 109:1656-1667. [PMID: 38832421 PMCID: PMC11141645 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2023.283817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Recurrent and/or refractory (R/R) pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains a recalcitrant disease with poor outcomes. Cell therapy with genetically modified immune effector cells holds the promise to improve outcomes for R/R AML since it relies on cytotoxic mechanisms that are distinct from chemotherapeutic agents. While T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CAR T cells) showed significant anti-AML activity in preclinical models, early phase clinical studies have demonstrated limited activity, irrespective of the targeted AML antigen. Lack of efficacy is most likely multifactorial, including: (i) a limited array of AML-specific targets and target antigen heterogeneity; (ii) the aggressive nature of R/R AML and heavy pretreatment of patients; (iii) T-cell product manufacturing, and (iv) limited expansion and persistence of the CAR T cells, which is in part driven by the immunosuppressive AML microenvironment. Here we review the results of early phase clinical studies with AML-specific CAR T cells, and avenues investigators are exploring to improve their effector function.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/therapy
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/immunology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/immunology
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Child
- Clinical Trials as Topic
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Treatment Outcome
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/immunology
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
- Tumor Microenvironment/immunology
- Animals
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Stephen Gottschalk
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
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8
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Wu MH, Valenca-Pereira F, Cendali F, Giddings EL, Pham-Danis C, Yarnell MC, Novak AJ, Brunetti TM, Thompson SB, Henao-Mejia J, Flavell RA, D'Alessandro A, Kohler ME, Rincon M. Deleting the mitochondrial respiration negative regulator MCJ enhances the efficacy of CD8 + T cell adoptive therapies in pre-clinical studies. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4444. [PMID: 38789421 PMCID: PMC11126743 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48653-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial respiration is essential for the survival and function of T cells used in adoptive cellular therapies. However, strategies that specifically enhance mitochondrial respiration to promote T cell function remain limited. Here, we investigate methylation-controlled J protein (MCJ), an endogenous negative regulator of mitochondrial complex I expressed in CD8 cells, as a target for improving the efficacy of adoptive T cell therapies. We demonstrate that MCJ inhibits mitochondrial respiration in murine CD8+ CAR-T cells and that deletion of MCJ increases their in vitro and in vivo efficacy against murine B cell leukaemia. Similarly, MCJ deletion in ovalbumin (OVA)-specific CD8+ T cells also increases their efficacy against established OVA-expressing melanoma tumors in vivo. Furthermore, we show for the first time that MCJ is expressed in human CD8 cells and that the level of MCJ expression correlates with the functional activity of CD8+ CAR-T cells. Silencing MCJ expression in human CD8 CAR-T cells increases their mitochondrial metabolism and enhances their anti-tumor activity. Thus, targeting MCJ may represent a potential therapeutic strategy to increase mitochondrial metabolism and improve the efficacy of adoptive T cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Han Wu
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Felipe Valenca-Pereira
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Francesca Cendali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Emily L Giddings
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Medicine, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Catherine Pham-Danis
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Michael C Yarnell
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Amanda J Novak
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Tonya M Brunetti
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Scott B Thompson
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jorge Henao-Mejia
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Transplant Immunology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Richard A Flavell
- Department of Immunobiology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Angelo D'Alessandro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - M Eric Kohler
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - Mercedes Rincon
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Medicine, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA.
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9
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Macečková D, Vaňková L, Holubová M, Jindra P, Klieber R, Jandová E, Pitule P. Current knowledge about FLT3 gene mutations, exploring the isoforms, and protein importance in AML. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:521. [PMID: 38625438 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09452-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a complex haematological malignancy characterised by diverse genetic alterations leading to abnormal proliferation of myeloid precursor cells. One of the most significant genetic alterations in AML involves mutations in the FLT3 gene, which plays a critical role in haematopoiesis and haematopoietic homeostasis. This review explores the current understanding of FLT3 gene mutations and isoforms and the importance of the FLT3 protein in AML. FLT3 mutations, including internal tandem duplications (FLT3-ITD) and point mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain (FLT3-TKD), occur in 25-30% in AML and are associated with poor prognosis. FLT3-ITD mutations lead to constitutive activation of the FLT3 signalling pathway, promoting cell survival and proliferation. FLT3-TKD mutations affect the tyrosine kinase domain and affect AML prognosis in various ways. Furthermore, FLT3 isoforms, including shorter variants, contribute to the complexity of FLT3 biology. Additionally, nonpathological polymorphisms in FLT3 are being explored for their potential impact on AML prognosis and treatment response. This review also discusses the development of molecular treatments targeting FLT3, including first-generation and next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors, highlighting the challenges of resistance that often arise during therapy. The final chapter describes FLT3 protein domain rearrangements and their relevance to AML pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Macečková
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology and Immunotherapy Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Alej Svobody 76, Pilsen, 32300, Czechia.
| | - Lenka Vaňková
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czechia
| | - Monika Holubová
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology and Immunotherapy Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Alej Svobody 76, Pilsen, 32300, Czechia
- Department of Haematology and Oncology, University Hospital Pilsen, Pilsen, Czechia
| | - Pavel Jindra
- Department of Haematology and Oncology, University Hospital Pilsen, Pilsen, Czechia
| | - Robin Klieber
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology and Immunotherapy Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Alej Svobody 76, Pilsen, 32300, Czechia
- Department of Haematology and Oncology, University Hospital Pilsen, Pilsen, Czechia
| | - Eliška Jandová
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology and Immunotherapy Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Alej Svobody 76, Pilsen, 32300, Czechia
| | - Pavel Pitule
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology and Immunotherapy Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Alej Svobody 76, Pilsen, 32300, Czechia
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czechia
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10
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Stevens AM, Terrell M, Rashid R, Fisher KE, Marcogliese AN, Gaikwad A, Rao P, Vrana C, Krueger M, Loken M, Menssen AJ, Cook JA, Keogh N, Alozie M, Oviedo H, Gonzalez AK, Ilangovan T, Kim J, Sandhu S, Redell MS. Addressing a Pre-Clinical Pipeline Gap: Development of the Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenograft Program at Texas Children's Hospital at Baylor College of Medicine. Biomedicines 2024; 12:394. [PMID: 38397996 PMCID: PMC10886789 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12020394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The survival rate of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (pAML) is currently around 60%. While survival has slowly increased over the past few decades, the development of novel agents likely to further improve survival for this heterogeneous patient population has been limited by gaps in the pAML pre-clinical pipeline. One of the major hurdles in evaluating new agents for pAML is the lack of pAML patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Unlike solid tumors and other types of leukemias, AML is notoriously hard to establish in mouse models, likely due in part to the need for specific human microenvironment elements. Our laboratory at TCH/BCM addressed this gap by establishing a systematic PDX workflow, leveraging advanced immunodeficient hosts and capitalizing on our high volume of pAML patients and close coordination between labs and clinical sections. Patients treated at TCH are offered the chance to participate in specimen banking protocols that allow blood and bone marrow collection as well as the collection of relevant clinical data. All patients who consent and have samples available are trialed for PDX development. In addition, samples from the Children's Oncology Group (COG) are also trialed for PDX generation. Serially transplanting PDX models are validated using short tandem repeat (STR) and characterized using both targeted DNA/RNA next generation sequencing and RNAseq. As of March 2023, this systematic approach has resulted in 26 serially transplanting models. Models have been shared with requesting labs to facilitate external pAML pre-clinical studies. Available PDX models can be located through the BCM PDX Portal. We expect our growing PDX resource to make a significant contribution to expediting the testing of promising novel therapeutics for pAML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M. Stevens
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates St, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77030, USA (M.S.R.)
| | - Maci Terrell
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates St, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77030, USA (M.S.R.)
| | - Raushan Rashid
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates St, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77030, USA (M.S.R.)
| | - Kevin E. Fisher
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Genomic Medicine Division, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Andrea N. Marcogliese
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Laboratory Medicine Division, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Amos Gaikwad
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates St, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77030, USA (M.S.R.)
| | - Pulivarthi Rao
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates St, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77030, USA (M.S.R.)
| | - Chelsea Vrana
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates St, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77030, USA (M.S.R.)
| | - Michael Krueger
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates St, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77030, USA (M.S.R.)
| | | | | | | | - Noah Keogh
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates St, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77030, USA (M.S.R.)
| | - Michelle Alozie
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates St, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77030, USA (M.S.R.)
| | - Hailey Oviedo
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates St, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77030, USA (M.S.R.)
| | - Alan K. Gonzalez
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates St, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77030, USA (M.S.R.)
| | - Tamilini Ilangovan
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates St, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77030, USA (M.S.R.)
| | - Julia Kim
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates St, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77030, USA (M.S.R.)
| | - Sohani Sandhu
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates St, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77030, USA (M.S.R.)
| | - Michele S. Redell
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates St, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77030, USA (M.S.R.)
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11
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Al-Antary ET, Gupte A, Ravindranath Y. Targeted Therapies in Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia - Evolving Therapeutic Landscape. Indian J Pediatr 2024; 91:176-183. [PMID: 37450248 DOI: 10.1007/s12098-023-04741-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) accounts for 25% of all leukemia diagnosis and is characterized by distinct cytogenetic and molecular profile. Advances in the understanding of the causative driver mutations, risk-based therapy and better supportive care have led to an overall improvement in survival with frontline therapy. Despite these improvements, a significant number fail either because of primary refractory disease to the conventional 7+3 combination of anthracyclines and cytosine arabinoside (Cytarabine; Ara-C) or experience relapse post remission. Salvage therapy is complicated by the cardiotoxicity driven limitations on the reuse of anthracyclines and development of resistance to cytarabine. In this chapter authors will review the recent studies with targeted agents for refractory AML including targets for immunotherapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eman T Al-Antary
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center, Detroit, MI, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Mt Clemons, MI, USA.
| | - Avanti Gupte
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Mt Clemons, MI, USA
| | - Yaddanapudi Ravindranath
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
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12
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Cruz-Miranda GM, Olarte-Carrillo I, Bárcenas-López DA, Martínez-Tovar A, Ramírez-Bello J, Ramos-Peñafiel CO, García-Laguna AI, Cerón-Maldonado R, May-Hau D, Jiménez-Morales S. Transcriptome Analysis in Mexican Adults with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1750. [PMID: 38339034 PMCID: PMC10855968 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) represents around 25% of adult acute leukemias. Despite the increasing improvement in the survival rate of ALL patients during the last decade, the heterogeneous clinical and molecular features of this malignancy still represent a major challenge for treatment and achieving better outcomes. To identify aberrantly expressed genes in bone marrow (BM) samples from adults with ALL, transcriptomic analysis was performed using Affymetrix Human Transcriptome Array 2.0 (HTA 2.0). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (±2-fold change, p-value < 0.05, and FDR < 0.05) were detected using the Transcriptome Analysis Console. Gene Ontology (GO), Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID), and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) were employed to identify gene function and define the enriched pathways of DEGs. The protein-protein interactions (PPIs) of DEGs were constructed. A total of 871 genes were differentially expressed, and DNTT, MYB, EBF1, SOX4, and ERG were the top five up-regulated genes. Meanwhile, the top five down-regulated genes were PTGS2, PPBP, ADGRE3, LUCAT1, and VCAN. An association between ERG, CDK6, and SOX4 expression levels and the probability of relapse and death was observed. Regulation of the immune system, immune response, cellular response to stimulus, as well as apoptosis signaling, inflammation mediated by chemokines and cytokines, and T cell activation were among the most altered biological processes and pathways, respectively. Transcriptome analysis of ALL in adults reveals a group of genes consistently associated with hematological malignancies and underscores their relevance in the development of ALL in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Marisol Cruz-Miranda
- Programa de Doctorado, Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (G.M.C.-M.)
- Laboratorio de Innovación en Medicina de Precisión Núcleo A, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City 14610, Mexico;
| | - Irma Olarte-Carrillo
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Servicio de Hematología, Hospital General de México Dr. Eduardo Liceaga, Mexico City 06720, Mexico; (I.O.-C.); (A.M.-T.)
| | - Diego Alberto Bárcenas-López
- Programa de Doctorado, Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (G.M.C.-M.)
- Laboratorio de Innovación en Medicina de Precisión Núcleo A, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City 14610, Mexico;
| | - Adolfo Martínez-Tovar
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Servicio de Hematología, Hospital General de México Dr. Eduardo Liceaga, Mexico City 06720, Mexico; (I.O.-C.); (A.M.-T.)
| | - Julian Ramírez-Bello
- Subdirección de Investigación Clínica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | | | - Anel Irais García-Laguna
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Servicio de Hematología, Hospital General de México Dr. Eduardo Liceaga, Mexico City 06720, Mexico; (I.O.-C.); (A.M.-T.)
| | - Rafael Cerón-Maldonado
- Programa de Doctorado, Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (G.M.C.-M.)
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Servicio de Hematología, Hospital General de México Dr. Eduardo Liceaga, Mexico City 06720, Mexico; (I.O.-C.); (A.M.-T.)
| | - Didier May-Hau
- Laboratorio de Innovación en Medicina de Precisión Núcleo A, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City 14610, Mexico;
| | - Silvia Jiménez-Morales
- Laboratorio de Innovación en Medicina de Precisión Núcleo A, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City 14610, Mexico;
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13
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Graff Z, Burke MJ, Gossai N. Novel therapies for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Curr Opin Pediatr 2024; 36:64-70. [PMID: 37991046 DOI: 10.1097/mop.0000000000001316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review summarizes the current novel therapy landscape in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), with a focus on key clinical trials which will shape the future direction of care for these children. RECENT FINDINGS Recent landmark immunotherapy trials in B-ALL have demonstrated significant benefit for children, adolescents, and young adults with relapsed/refractory high-risk leukemia. Due to these successes, current trials are asking the question as to whether immunotherapy can be successfully incorporated upfront. Additionally, therapies targeting novel antigens or molecular pathways are being developed, providing new options for children previously thought to have incurable leukemia. SUMMARY As survival for ALL has relatively plateaued with maximizing intensity through conventional chemotherapy, continued preclinical and clinical study of novel immunotherapeutic and targeted agents is crucial to further improve outcomes in childhood leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Graff
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Michael J Burke
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Nathan Gossai
- Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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14
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Talleur AC, Naik S, Gottschalk S. Preventing relapse after CD19 CAR T-cell therapy for pediatric ALL: the role of transplant and enhanced CAR T cells. HEMATOLOGY. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HEMATOLOGY. EDUCATION PROGRAM 2023; 2023:91-96. [PMID: 38066941 PMCID: PMC10727085 DOI: 10.1182/hematology.2023000424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has become an integral part of our treatment armamentarium for pediatric patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). However, despite initial remission rates of greater than 80%, durable remission occurs in only 40% to 50% of patients. In this review we summarize our current knowledge of the role of consolidative hematopoietic cell transplantation in the management of pediatric patients who achieved a minimal residual disease-negative complete response post CD19 CAR T-cell therapy. In addition, we review approaches to enhance effector function CD19 CAR T cells, focusing on how to improve persistence and prevent the emergence of CD19- B-ALL blasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimee C Talleur
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Swati Naik
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Stephen Gottschalk
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
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15
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Marone R, Landmann E, Devaux A, Lepore R, Seyres D, Zuin J, Burgold T, Engdahl C, Capoferri G, Dell’Aglio A, Larrue C, Simonetta F, Rositzka J, Rhiel M, Andrieux G, Gallagher DN, Schröder MS, Wiederkehr A, Sinopoli A, Do Sacramento V, Haydn A, Garcia-Prat L, Divsalar C, Camus A, Xu L, Bordoli L, Schwede T, Porteus M, Tamburini J, Corn JE, Cathomen T, Cornu TI, Urlinger S, Jeker LT. Epitope-engineered human hematopoietic stem cells are shielded from CD123-targeted immunotherapy. J Exp Med 2023; 220:e20231235. [PMID: 37773046 PMCID: PMC10541312 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20231235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted eradication of transformed or otherwise dysregulated cells using monoclonal antibodies (mAb), antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), T cell engagers (TCE), or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) cells is very effective for hematologic diseases. Unlike the breakthrough progress achieved for B cell malignancies, there is a pressing need to find suitable antigens for myeloid malignancies. CD123, the interleukin-3 (IL-3) receptor alpha-chain, is highly expressed in various hematological malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, shared CD123 expression on healthy hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) bears the risk for myelotoxicity. We demonstrate that epitope-engineered HSPCs were shielded from CD123-targeted immunotherapy but remained functional, while CD123-deficient HSPCs displayed a competitive disadvantage. Transplantation of genome-edited HSPCs could enable tumor-selective targeted immunotherapy while rebuilding a fully functional hematopoietic system. We envision that this approach is broadly applicable to other targets and cells, could render hitherto undruggable targets accessible to immunotherapy, and will allow continued posttransplant therapy, for instance, to treat minimal residual disease (MRD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Romina Marone
- Department of Biomedicine, Basel University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Transplantation Immunology and Nephrology, Basel University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Emmanuelle Landmann
- Department of Biomedicine, Basel University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Transplantation Immunology and Nephrology, Basel University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anna Devaux
- Department of Biomedicine, Basel University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Transplantation Immunology and Nephrology, Basel University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rosalba Lepore
- Department of Biomedicine, Basel University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Transplantation Immunology and Nephrology, Basel University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
- Cimeio Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland
- Ridgeline Discovery GmbH, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Denis Seyres
- Department of Biomedicine, Basel University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Transplantation Immunology and Nephrology, Basel University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jessica Zuin
- Department of Biomedicine, Basel University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Transplantation Immunology and Nephrology, Basel University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Burgold
- Department of Biomedicine, Basel University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Transplantation Immunology and Nephrology, Basel University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Corinne Engdahl
- Department of Biomedicine, Basel University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Transplantation Immunology and Nephrology, Basel University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Giuseppina Capoferri
- Department of Biomedicine, Basel University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Transplantation Immunology and Nephrology, Basel University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alessandro Dell’Aglio
- Department of Biomedicine, Basel University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Transplantation Immunology and Nephrology, Basel University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Clément Larrue
- Translational Research Centre in Onco-Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, and Swiss Cancer Center Leman, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Federico Simonetta
- Division of Hematology, Department of Oncology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine, Translational Research Center for Onco-Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julia Rositzka
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Manuel Rhiel
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Geoffroy Andrieux
- Institute of Medical Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Danielle N. Gallagher
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Markus S. Schröder
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Anna Haydn
- Ridgeline Discovery GmbH, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Anna Camus
- Cimeio Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Liwen Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lorenza Bordoli
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Torsten Schwede
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthew Porteus
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jérôme Tamburini
- Department of Medicine, Translational Research Center for Onco-Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jacob E. Corn
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Toni Cathomen
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tatjana I. Cornu
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Urlinger
- Cimeio Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland
- Ridgeline Discovery GmbH, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lukas T. Jeker
- Department of Biomedicine, Basel University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Transplantation Immunology and Nephrology, Basel University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
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16
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Guarnera L, Bravo-Perez C, Visconte V. Immunotherapy in Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Literature Review of Emerging Strategies. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:1228. [PMID: 37892958 PMCID: PMC10604866 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10101228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last twenty years, we have witnessed a paradigm shift in the treatment and prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), thanks to the introduction of new efficient drugs or approaches to refine old therapies, such as Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin, CPX 3-5-1, hypomethylating agents, and Venetoclax, the optimization of conditioning regimens in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and the improvement of supportive care. However, the long-term survival of non-M3 and non-core binding factor-AML is still dismal. For this reason, the expectations for the recently developed immunotherapies, such as antibody-based therapy, checkpoint inhibitors, and chimeric antigen receptor strategies, successfully tested in other hematologic malignancies, were very high. The inherent characteristics of AML blasts hampered the development of these treatments, and the path of immunotherapy in AML has been bumpy. Herein, we provide a detailed review of potential antigenic targets, available data from pre-clinical and clinical trials, and future directions of immunotherapies in AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Guarnera
- Department of Translational Hematology & Oncology Research, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; (C.B.-P.); (V.V.)
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Carlos Bravo-Perez
- Department of Translational Hematology & Oncology Research, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; (C.B.-P.); (V.V.)
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, University of Murcia, IMIB-Pascual Parrilla, CIBERER—Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 30005 Murcia, Spain
| | - Valeria Visconte
- Department of Translational Hematology & Oncology Research, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; (C.B.-P.); (V.V.)
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17
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Egan G, Tasian SK. Relapsed pediatric acute myeloid leukaemia: state-of-the-art in 2023. Haematologica 2023; 108:2275-2288. [PMID: 36861399 PMCID: PMC10483345 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2022.281106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Although outcomes of children and adolescents with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have improved significantly over the past two decades, more than one-third of patients continue to relapse and experience suboptimal long-term outcomes. Given the small numbers of patients with relapsed AML and historical logistical barriers to international collaboration including poor trial funding and drug availability, the management of AML relapse has varied among pediatric oncology cooperative groups with several salvage regimens utilized and a lack of universally defined response criteria. The landscape of relapsed pediatric AML treatment is changing rapidly, however, as the international AML community harnesses collective knowledge and resources to characterize the genetic and immunophenotypic heterogeneity of relapsed disease, identify biological targets of interest within specific AML subtypes, develop new precision medicine approaches for collaborative investigation in early-phase clinical trials, and tackle challenges of universal drug access across the globe. This review provides a comprehensive overview of progress achieved to date in the treatment of pediatric patients with relapsed AML and highlights modern, state-of-the-art therapeutic approaches under active and emerging clinical investigation that have been facilitated by international collaboration among academic pediatric oncologists, laboratory scientists, regulatory agencies, pharmaceutical partners, cancer research sponsors, and patient advocates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Egan
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto; Toronto, Ontario
| | - Sarah K Tasian
- Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and Abramson Cancer Center; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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18
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Zarychta J, Kowalczyk A, Krawczyk M, Lejman M, Zawitkowska J. CAR-T Cells Immunotherapies for the Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia-Recent Advances. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15112944. [PMID: 37296906 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15112944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In order to increase the effectiveness of cancer therapies and extend the long-term survival of patients, more and more often, in addition to standard treatment, oncological patients receive also targeted therapy, i.e., CAR-T cells. These cells express a chimeric receptor (CAR) that specifically binds an antigen present on tumor cells, resulting in tumor cell lysis. The use of CAR-T cells in the therapy of relapsed and refractory B-type acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) resulted in complete remission in many patients, which prompted researchers to conduct tests on the use of CAR-T cells in the treatment of other hematological malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). AML is associated with a poorer prognosis compared to ALL due to a higher risk of relapse caused by the development of resistance to standard treatment. The 5-year relative survival rate in AML patients was estimated at 31.7%. The objective of the following review is to present the mechanism of action of CAR-T cells, and discuss the latest findings on the results of anti-CD33, -CD123, -FLT3 and -CLL-1 CAR-T cell therapy, the emerging challenges as well as the prospects for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Zarychta
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Adrian Kowalczyk
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Milena Krawczyk
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Monika Lejman
- Independent Laboratory of Genetic Diagnostics, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Joanna Zawitkowska
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
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Suematsu M, Yagyu S, Yoshida H, Osone S, Nakazawa Y, Sugita K, Imamura T, Iehara T. Targeting FLT3-specific chimeric antigen receptor T cells for acute lymphoblastic leukemia with KMT2A rearrangement. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2023; 72:957-968. [PMID: 36214866 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-022-03303-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR T) immunotherapy is used to treat B-cell malignancies. However, antigen-escape mediated relapse following CAR T therapy has emerged as a major concern. In some relapsed cases, especially KMT2A rearrangement-positive B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (KMT2A-r B-ALL), most of the B-cell antigens are lost via lineage conversion to the myeloid phenotype, rendering multi-B-cell-antigen-targeted CAR T cell therapy ineffective. Fms-related tyrosine kinase-3 (FLT3) is highly expressed in KMT2A-r B-ALL; therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the antitumor efficacy of CAR T cells targeting both CD19 and FLT3 in KMT2A-r B-ALL cells. We developed piggyBac transposon-mediated CAR T cells targeting CD19, FLT3, or both (dual) and generated CD19-negative KMT2A-r B-ALL models through CRISPR-induced CD19 gene-knockout (KO). FLT3 CAR T cells showed antitumor efficacy against CD19-KO KMT2A-r B-ALL cells both in vitro and in vivo; dual-targeted CAR T cells showed cytotoxicity against wild-type (WT) and CD19-KO KMT2A-r B-ALL cells, whereas CD19 CAR T cells demonstrated cytotoxicity only against WT KMT2A-r B-ALL cells in vitro. Therefore, targeting FLT3-specific CAR T cells would be a promising strategy for KMT2A-r B-ALL cells even with CD19-negative relapsed cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaya Suematsu
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kawaramachihirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Shigeki Yagyu
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kawaramachihirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
| | - Hideki Yoshida
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kawaramachihirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Shinya Osone
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kawaramachihirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Yozo Nakazawa
- Department of Pediatrics, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Kanji Sugita
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Chuo, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Imamura
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kawaramachihirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Tomoko Iehara
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kawaramachihirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
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