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Liu K, Wu C, Zhu M, Xu J, Lin B, Lin H, Liu Z, Li M. Structural characteristics of alpha-fetoprotein, including N-glycosylation, metal ion and fatty acid binding sites. Commun Biol 2024; 7:505. [PMID: 38678117 PMCID: PMC11055904 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06219-0] [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: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), a serum glycoprotein, is expressed during embryonic development and the pathogenesis of liver cancer. It serves as a clinical tumor marker, function as a carcinogen, immune suppressor, and transport vehicle; but the detailed AFP structural information has not yet been reported. In this study, we used single-particle cryo-electron microscopy(cryo-EM) to analyze the structure of the recombinant AFP obtained a 3.31 Å cryo-EM structure and built an atomic model of AFP. We observed and identified certain structural features of AFP, including N-glycosylation at Asn251, four natural fatty acids bound to distinct domains, and the coordination of metal ions by residues His22, His264, His268, and Asp280. Furthermore, we compared the structural similarities and differences between AFP and human serum albumin. The elucidation of AFP's structural characteristics not only contributes to a deeper understanding of its functional mechanisms, but also provides a structural basis for developing AFP-based drug vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Liu
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, Hainan, PR China
| | - Cang Wu
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Mingyue Zhu
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, Hainan, PR China
| | - Junnv Xu
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, Hainan, PR China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 570023, Hainan, PR China
| | - Bo Lin
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, Hainan, PR China
| | - Haifeng Lin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 570023, Hainan, PR China
| | - Zhongmin Liu
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, PR China.
| | - Mengsen Li
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, Hainan, PR China.
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, PR China.
- Institution of Tumor, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 570102, Hainan, PR China.
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2
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Lu Y, Lin B, Li M. The role of alpha-fetoprotein in the tumor microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1363695. [PMID: 38660138 PMCID: PMC11039944 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1363695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent malignant cancer worldwide, characterized by high morbidity and mortality rates. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a glycoprotein synthesized by the liver and yolk sac during fetal development. However, the serum levels of AFP exhibit a significant correlation with the onset and progression of HCC in adults. Extensive research has demonstrated that the tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a crucial role in the malignant transformation of HCC, and AFP is a key factor in the TME, promoting HCC development. The objective of this review was to analyze the existing knowledge regarding the role of AFP in the TME. Specifically, this review focused on the effect of AFP on various cells in the TME, tumor immune evasion, and clinical application of AFP in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC. These findings offer valuable insights into the clinical treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Lu
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Bo Lin
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Mengsen Li
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan, China
- Institution of Tumor, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan, China
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3
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Yang D, Duan Z, Yuan P, Ding C, Dai X, Chen G, Wu D. How does TCR-T cell therapy exhibit a superior anti-tumor efficacy. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 687:149209. [PMID: 37944471 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.149209] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
TCR-engineered T cells have achieved great progress in solid tumor therapy, some of which have been applicated in clinical trials. Deep knowledge about the current progress of TCR-T in tumor therapy would be beneficial to understand the direction. Here, we classify tumor antigens into tumor-associated antigens, tumor-specific antigens, tumor antigens expressed by oncogenic viruses, and tumor antigens caused by abnormal protein modification; Then we detail the TCR-T cell therapy effects targeting those tumor antigens in clinical or preclinical trials, and propose that neoantigen specific TCR-T cell therapy is expected to be a promising approach for solid tumors; Furthermore, we summarize the optimization strategies, such as tumor microenvironment, TCR pairing and affinity, to improve the therapeutic effect of TCR-T. Overall, this review provides inspiration for the antigen selection and therapy strategies of TCR-T in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Yang
- Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Zhihui Duan
- Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Ping Yuan
- Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Chengming Ding
- Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Xiaoming Dai
- Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Guodong Chen
- Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China.
| | - Daichao Wu
- Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China.
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4
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Wu D, Li Y. Application of adoptive cell therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. Immunology 2023; 170:453-469. [PMID: 37435926 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a global health challenge. Novel treatment modalities are urgently needed to extend the overall survival of patients. The liver plays an immunomodulatory function due to its unique physiological structural characteristics. Therefore, following surgical resection and radiotherapy, immunotherapy regimens have shown great potential in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Adoptive cell immunotherapy is rapidly developing in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. In this review, we summarize the latest research on adoptive immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. The focus is on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells and T cell receptor (TCR) engineered T cells. Then tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), natural killer (NK) cells, cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells, and macrophages are briefly discussed. The main overview of the application and challenges of adoptive immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. It aims to provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the current status of HCC adoptive immunotherapy and offers some strategies. We hope to provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dengqiang Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Ningbo No. 6 Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Yujie Li
- Clinical Laboratory of Ningbo Medical Centre Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Zhejiang, Ningbo, China
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Foldvari Z, Knetter C, Yang W, Gjerdingen TJ, Bollineni RC, Tran TT, Lund-Johansen F, Kolstad A, Drousch K, Klopfleisch R, Leisegang M, Olweus J. A systematic safety pipeline for selection of T-cell receptors to enter clinical use. NPJ Vaccines 2023; 8:126. [PMID: 37607971 PMCID: PMC10444760 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-023-00713-y] [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: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy using T cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-Ts) represents a promising treatment option. However, technologies for pre-clinical safety assessment are incomplete or inaccessible to most laboratories. Here, TCR-T off-target reactivity was assessed in five steps: (1) Mapping target amino acids necessary for TCR-T recognition, followed by (2) a computational search for, and (3) reactivity screening against, candidate cross-reactive peptides in the human proteome. Natural processing and presentation of recognized peptides was evaluated using (4) short mRNAs, and (5) full-length proteins. TCR-Ts were screened for recognition of unintended HLA alleles, and as proxy for off-target reactivity in vivo, a syngeneic, HLA-A*02:01-transgenic mouse model was used. Validation demonstrated importance of studying recognition of full-length candidate off-targets, and that the clinically applied 1G4 TCR has a hitherto unknown reactivity to unintended HLA alleles, relevant for patient selection. This widely applicable strategy should facilitate evaluation of candidate therapeutic TCRs and inform clinical decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsofia Foldvari
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Precision Immunotherapy Alliance, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Cathrine Knetter
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Precision Immunotherapy Alliance, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Weiwen Yang
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Precision Immunotherapy Alliance, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Thea Johanne Gjerdingen
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Precision Immunotherapy Alliance, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ravi Chand Bollineni
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Precision Immunotherapy Alliance, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Trung The Tran
- Precision Immunotherapy Alliance, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Immunology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Fridtjof Lund-Johansen
- Precision Immunotherapy Alliance, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Immunology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Arne Kolstad
- Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kimberley Drousch
- Institute of Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Klopfleisch
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias Leisegang
- Institute of Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- David and Etta Jonas Center for Cellular Therapy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Berlin, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Johanna Olweus
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway.
- Precision Immunotherapy Alliance, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
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Ishii K, Davies JS, Sinkoe AL, Nguyen KA, Norberg SM, McIntosh CP, Kadakia T, Serna C, Rae Z, Kelly MC, Hinrichs CS. Multi-tiered approach to detect autoimmune cross-reactivity of therapeutic T cell receptors. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg9845. [PMID: 37494434 PMCID: PMC10371023 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg9845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
T cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cell therapy using high-affinity TCRs is a promising treatment modality for cancer. Discovery of high-affinity TCRs especially against self-antigens can require approaches that circumvent central tolerance, which may increase the risk of cross-reactivity. Despite the potential for toxicity, no standardized approach to screen cross-reactivity has been established in the context of preclinical safety evaluation. Here, we describe a practical framework to prospectively detect clinically prohibitive cross-reactivity of therapeutic TCR candidates. Cross-reactivity screening consisted of multifaceted series of assays including assessment of p-MHC tetramer binding, cell line recognition, and reactivity against candidate peptide libraries. Peptide libraries were generated using conventional contact residue motif-guided search, amino acid substitution matrix-based search unguided by motif information, and combinatorial peptide library scan-guided search. We demonstrate the additive nature of a layered approach, which efficiently identifies unsafe cross-reactivity including one undetected by conventional motif-guided search. These findings have important implications for the safe development of TCR-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazusa Ishii
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - John S. Davies
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Safety Assessment, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andrew L. Sinkoe
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kilyna A. Nguyen
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Scott M. Norberg
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Crystal P. McIntosh
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Tejas Kadakia
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Precigen, Germantown, MD, USA
| | - Carylinda Serna
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Oncology Department, Cell Therapy Unit, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Zachary Rae
- Single Cell Analysis Facility, CCR, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- 10x Genomics, Pleasanton, CA, USA
| | | | - Christian S. Hinrichs
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Duncan and Nancy MacMillan Center of Excellence in Cancer Immunotherapy and Metabolism, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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Fonseca AF, Antunes DA. CrossDome: an interactive R package to predict cross-reactivity risk using immunopeptidomics databases. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1142573. [PMID: 37377956 PMCID: PMC10291144 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1142573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
T-cell-based immunotherapies hold tremendous potential in the fight against cancer, thanks to their capacity to specifically targeting diseased cells. Nevertheless, this potential has been tempered with safety concerns regarding the possible recognition of unknown off-targets displayed by healthy cells. In a notorious example, engineered T-cells specific to MAGEA3 (EVDPIGHLY) also recognized a TITIN-derived peptide (ESDPIVAQY) expressed by cardiac cells, inducing lethal damage in melanoma patients. Such off-target toxicity has been related to T-cell cross-reactivity induced by molecular mimicry. In this context, there is growing interest in developing the means to avoid off-target toxicity, and to provide safer immunotherapy products. To this end, we present CrossDome, a multi-omics suite to predict the off-target toxicity risk of T-cell-based immunotherapies. Our suite provides two alternative protocols, i) a peptide-centered prediction, or ii) a TCR-centered prediction. As proof-of-principle, we evaluate our approach using 16 well-known cross-reactivity cases involving cancer-associated antigens. With CrossDome, the TITIN-derived peptide was predicted at the 99+ percentile rank among 36,000 scored candidates (p-value < 0.001). In addition, off-targets for all the 16 known cases were predicted within the top ranges of relatedness score on a Monte Carlo simulation with over 5 million putative peptide pairs, allowing us to determine a cut-off p-value for off-target toxicity risk. We also implemented a penalty system based on TCR hotspots, named contact map (CM). This TCR-centered approach improved upon the peptide-centered prediction on the MAGEA3-TITIN screening (e.g., from 27th to 6th, out of 36,000 ranked peptides). Next, we used an extended dataset of experimentally-determined cross-reactive peptides to evaluate alternative CrossDome protocols. The level of enrichment of validated cases among top 50 best-scored peptides was 63% for the peptide-centered protocol, and up to 82% for the TCR-centered protocol. Finally, we performed functional characterization of top ranking candidates, by integrating expression data, HLA binding, and immunogenicity predictions. CrossDome was designed as an R package for easy integration with antigen discovery pipelines, and an interactive web interface for users without coding experience. CrossDome is under active development, and it is available at https://github.com/AntunesLab/crossdome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dinler A. Antunes
- Antunes Lab, Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling (CNRCS), Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
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Lu X, Deng S, Xu J, Green BL, Zhang H, Cui G, Zhou Y, Zhang Y, Xu H, Zhang F, Mao R, Zhong S, Cramer T, Evert M, Calvisi DF, He Y, Liu C, Chen X. Combination of AFP vaccine and immune checkpoint inhibitors slows hepatocellular carcinoma progression in preclinical models. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e163291. [PMID: 37040183 PMCID: PMC10231990 DOI: 10.1172/jci163291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Many patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) do not respond to the first-line immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment. Immunization with effective cancer vaccines is an attractive alternative approach to immunotherapy. However, its efficacy remains insufficiently evaluated in preclinical studies. Here, we investigated HCC-associated self/tumor antigen, α-fetoprotein-based (AFP-based) vaccine immunization for treating AFP (+) HCC mouse models. We found that AFP immunization effectively induced AFP-specific CD8+ T cells in vivo. However, these CD8+ T cells expressed exhaustion markers, including PD1, LAG3, and Tim3. Furthermore, the AFP vaccine effectively prevented c-MYC/Mcl1 HCC initiation when administered before tumor formation, while it was ineffective against full-blown c-MYC/Mcl1 tumors. Similarly, anti-PD1 and anti-PD-L1 monotherapy showed no efficacy in this murine HCC model. In striking contrast, AFP immunization combined with anti-PD-L1 treatment triggered significant inhibition of HCC progression in most liver tumor nodules, while in combination with anti-PD1, it induced slower tumor progression. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that HCC-intrinsic PD-L1 expression was the primary target of anti-PD-L1 in this combination therapy. Notably, the combination therapy had a similar therapeutic effect in the cMet/β-catenin mouse HCC model. These findings suggest that combining the AFP vaccine and immune checkpoint inhibitors may be effective for AFP (+) HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinjun Lu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shanshan Deng
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jiejie Xu
- Department of Hearing and Speech Science, Guangzhou Xinhua University, Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Honghua Zhang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guofei Cui
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Yi Zhou
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hongwei Xu
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Liver Surgery, Center of Liver Transplantation, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Fapeng Zhang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rui Mao
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sheng Zhong
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Thorsten Cramer
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Matthias Evert
- Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Diego F. Calvisi
- Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Yukai He
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
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9
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Hussein MS, Li Q, Mao R, Peng Y, He Y. TCR T cells overexpressing c-Jun have better functionality with improved tumor infiltration and persistence in hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1114770. [PMID: 37215108 PMCID: PMC10192869 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1114770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The overall 5-year survival rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a major form of liver cancer, is merely 20%, underscoring the need for more effective therapies. We recently identified T cell receptors (TCR) specific for the HLA-A2/alpha fetoprotein amino acids 158-166 (AFP158) and showed that these TCR engineered T cells could control HCC xenografts in NSG mice. However, their efficacy was limited by poor expansion, loss of function, and short persistence of the TCR T cells. Here, we studied whether overexpression of c-Jun, a transcription factor required for T cell activation, in the TCR T cells could enhance their expansion, function, and persistence in HCC tumor models. Methods Recombinant lentiviral vectors (lv), expressing either the HLA-A2/AFP158-specific TCR or both the TCR and c-Jun (TCR-JUN), were constructed and used to transduce primary human T cells to generate the TCR or TCR-JUN T cells, respectively. We compared the expansion, effector function, and exhaustion status of the TCR and TCR-JUN T cells in vitro after HCC tumor stimulation. Additionally, we studied the persistence and antitumor effects of the TCR and TCR-JUN T cells using the HCC xenografts in NSG mice. Results We could effectively transduce primary human T cells to express both TCR and c-Jun. Compared to the HLA-A2/AFP158 TCR T cells, the TCR-JUN T cells have better expansion potential in culture, with enhanced functional capacity against HCC tumor cells. In addition, the TCR-JUN T cells were less apoptotic and more resistant to exhaustion after HepG2 tumor stimulation. In the HCC xenograft tumor model, c-Jun overexpression enhanced the TCR T cell expansion and increased the overall survival rate of the treated mice. Importantly, the TCR-JUN T cells were less exhausted in the tumor lesions and demonstrated enhanced tumor infiltration, functionality, and persistence. Conclusion c-Jun overexpression can enhance the expansion, function, and persistence of the A2/AFP158 TCR engineered T cells. The c-Jun gene co-delivery has the potential to enhance the antitumor efficacy of AFP specific TCR T cells when treating patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed S. Hussein
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Qi Li
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Rui Mao
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Yibing Peng
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Yukai He
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
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10
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Głowska-Ciemny J, Szymański M, Kuszerska A, Malewski Z, von Kaisenberg C, Kocyłowski R. The Role of Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) in Contemporary Oncology: The Path from a Diagnostic Biomarker to an Anticancer Drug. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032539. [PMID: 36768863 PMCID: PMC9917199 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
This article presents contemporary opinion on the role of alpha-fetoprotein in oncologic diagnostics and treatment. This role stretches far beyond the already known one-that of the biomarker of hepatocellular carcinoma. The turn of the 20th and 21st centuries saw a significant increase in knowledge about the fundamental role of AFP in the neoplastic processes, and in the induction of features of malignance and drug resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma. The impact of AFP on the creation of an immunosuppressive environment for the developing tumor was identified, giving rise to attempts at immunotherapy. The paper presents current and prospective therapies using AFP and its derivatives and the gene therapy options. We directed our attention to both the benefits and risks associated with the use of AFP in oncologic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Głowska-Ciemny
- PreMediCare New Med Medical Center, ul. Czarna Rola 21, 61-625 Poznań, Poland
- Correspondence: (J.G.-C.); (R.K.)
| | - Marcin Szymański
- PreMediCare New Med Medical Center, ul. Czarna Rola 21, 61-625 Poznań, Poland
| | - Agata Kuszerska
- PreMediCare New Med Medical Center, ul. Czarna Rola 21, 61-625 Poznań, Poland
| | - Zbyszko Malewski
- Department of Perinatology and Gynecology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-535 Poznań, Poland
| | - Constantin von Kaisenberg
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Rafał Kocyłowski
- PreMediCare New Med Medical Center, ul. Czarna Rola 21, 61-625 Poznań, Poland
- Correspondence: (J.G.-C.); (R.K.)
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11
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Nanobody-based CAR T cells targeting intracellular tumor antigens. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 156:113919. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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12
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Simister PC, Border EC, Vieira JF, Pumphrey NJ. Structural insights into engineering a T-cell receptor targeting MAGE-A10 with higher affinity and specificity for cancer immunotherapy. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-004600. [PMID: 35851311 PMCID: PMC9295655 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND T-cell receptor (TCR) immunotherapy is becoming a viable modality in cancer treatment with efficacy in clinical trials. The safety of patients is paramount, so innovative cell engineering methods are being employed to exploit adaptive immunity while controlling the factors governing antigen receptor (ie, TCR) specificity and cross-reactivity. We recently reported a TCR engineering campaign and selectivity profiling assay (X-scan) targeting a melanoma antigen gene (MAGE)-A10 peptide. This helped to distinguish between two well-performing TCRs based on cross-reactivity potential during preclinical drug evaluation, allowing one to be advanced to T-cell immunotherapeutic clinical trials. Here, we present three-dimensional structural information on those TCRs, highlighting engineering improvements and molecular mechanisms likely underpinning differential selectivity. METHODS Parental and engineered TCRs were purified and crystallized either alone or complexed to human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-A*02:01 presenting the MAGE-A10 9-mer peptide, GLYDGMEHL (pHLA/MAGE-A10-9). Using X-ray diffraction, we solved four high-resolution crystal structures and evaluated them relative to previously reported functional results. RESULTS The unligated parental TCR displayed similar complementarity-determining region (CDR) loop conformations when bound to pHLA/MAGE-A10-9; a rigid-body movement of TCR beta chain variable domain (TRBV) relative to TCR alpha chain variable domain helped optimal pHLA engagement. This first view of an HLA-bound MAGE-A10 peptide revealed an intrachain non-covalent 'staple' between peptide Tyr3 and Glu7. A subtle Glu31-Asp mutation in βCDR1 of the parental TCR generated a high-affinity derivative. Its pHLA-complexed structure shows that the shorter Asp leans toward the pHLA with resulting rigid-body TRBV shift, creating localized changes around the peptide's C-terminus. Structural comparison with a less selective TCR indicated that differential cross-reactivity to MAGE-A10 peptide variants is most readily explained by alterations in surface electrostatics, and the size and geometry of TCR-peptide interfacial cavities. CONCLUSIONS Modest changes in engineered TCRs targeting MAGE-A10 produced significantly different properties. Conformational invariance of TCR and antigen peptide plus more space-filling CDR loop sequences may be desirable properties for clinically relevant TCR-pHLA systems to reduce the likelihood of structurally similar peptide mimics being tolerated by a TCR. Such properties may partially explain why the affinity-enhanced, in vitro-selected TCR has been generally well tolerated in patients.
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13
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Shafer P, Kelly LM, Hoyos V. Cancer Therapy With TCR-Engineered T Cells: Current Strategies, Challenges, and Prospects. Front Immunol 2022; 13:835762. [PMID: 35309357 PMCID: PMC8928448 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.835762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
To redirect T cells against tumor cells, T cells can be engineered ex vivo to express cancer-antigen specific T cell receptors (TCRs), generating products known as TCR-engineered T cells (TCR T). Unlike chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), TCRs recognize HLA-presented peptides derived from proteins of all cellular compartments. The use of TCR T cells for adoptive cellular therapies (ACT) has gained increased attention, especially as efforts to treat solid cancers with ACTs have intensified. In this review, we describe the differing mechanisms of T cell antigen recognition and signal transduction mediated through CARs and TCRs. We describe the classes of cancer antigens recognized by current TCR T therapies and discuss both classical and emerging pre-clinical strategies for antigen-specific TCR discovery, enhancement, and validation. Finally, we review the current landscape of clinical trials for TCR T therapy and discuss what these current results indicate for the development of future engineered TCR approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Shafer
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Program in Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Lauren M. Kelly
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Program in Cancer & Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Valentina Hoyos
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
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14
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Hu X, Chen R, Wei Q, Xu X. The Landscape Of Alpha Fetoprotein In Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Where Are We? Int J Biol Sci 2022; 18:536-551. [PMID: 35002508 PMCID: PMC8741863 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.64537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and has been acknowledged as a leading cause of death among cirrhosis patients. Difficulties in early diagnosis and heterogeneity are obstacles to effective treatment, especially for advanced HCC. Liver transplantation (LT) is considered the best therapy for HCC. Although many biomarkers are being proposed, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), which was identified over 60 years ago, remains the most utilized. Recently, much hope has been placed in the immunogenicity of AFP to develop novel therapies, such as AFP vaccines and AFP-specific adoptive T-cell transfer (ACT). This review summarizes the performance of AFP as a biomarker for HCC diagnosis and prognosis, as well as its correlation with molecular classes. In addition, the role of AFP in LT is also described. Finally, we highlight the mechanism and application prospects of two immune therapies (AFP vaccine and ACT) for HCC. In general, our review points out the prevalence of AFP in HCC, accompanied by some controversies and novel directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Center for Integrated Oncology and Precision Medicine, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China.,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Ronggao Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Qiang Wei
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Center for Integrated Oncology and Precision Medicine, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Xiao Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Center for Integrated Oncology and Precision Medicine, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China.,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, 310003, China.,Institute of Organ Transplantation, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
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15
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Xu Y, Guo Q, Wei L. The Emerging Influences of Alpha-Fetoprotein in the Tumorigenesis and Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13205096. [PMID: 34680245 PMCID: PMC8534193 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide, and its mortality rate is the third-highest, after lung cancer and colorectal cancer. Currently, systematic targeted therapies for HCC mainly include multiple kinase inhibitors and immunotherapy. However, these drugs carry a black-box warning about the potential for inducing severe toxicity, and they do not significantly prolong the survival period of patients due to the highly heterogeneous characteristics of HCC etiology. In order to improve the prediction, effective treatment and prognosis of HCC, the tools and different biomarkers in clinical practices are recommended. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is the earliest and the most widely used serum marker in the detection of HCC. Interestingly, serum AFP and cytoplasmic AFP show different, even opposite, roles in the cancer progression of HCC. This review focuses on biological characteristics, regulatory mechanisms for gene expression, emerging influences of AFP in HCC and its possible implications in HCC-targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Libin Wei
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +86-25-83271055
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16
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Ni H, Xue J, Wang F, Sun X, Niu M. Nanomedicine Approach to Immunotherapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Biomed Nanotechnol 2021; 17:771-792. [PMID: 34082866 DOI: 10.1166/jbn.2021.3055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, the growing studies focused on the immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma and proved the preclinical and clinical promises of host antitumor immune response. However, there were still various obstacles in meeting satisfactory clinic need, such as low response rate, primary resistance and secondary resistance to immunotherapy. Tackling these barriers required a deeper understanding of immune underpinnings and a broader understanding of advanced technology. This review described immune microenvironment of liver and HCC which naturally decided the complexity of immunotherapy, and summarized recent immunotherapy focusing on different points. The ever-growing clues indicated that the instant killing of tumor cell and the subsequent relive of immunosuppressive microenvironment were both indis- pensables. The nanotechnology applied in immunotherapy and the combination with intervention technology was also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongbo Ni
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110000, China
| | - Jian Xue
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110000, China
| | - Fan Wang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110000, China
| | - Xiaohan Sun
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110000, China
| | - Meng Niu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110000, China
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Luo X, Cui H, Cai L, Zhu W, Yang WC, Patrick M, Zhu S, Huang J, Yao X, Yao Y, He Y, Ji Y. Selection of a Clinical Lead TCR Targeting Alpha-Fetoprotein-Positive Liver Cancer Based on a Balance of Risk and Benefit. Front Immunol 2020; 11:623. [PMID: 32425926 PMCID: PMC7203609 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer with a poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), an established clinical biomarker of HCC, has been employed as an attractive target for T cell-based immunotherapy against this disease given its high expression in the tumor and restricted expression in normal tissues. We have identified a number of T cell receptors (TCRs) recognizing the HLA-A*02:01 restricted AFP158-166 peptide FMNKFIYEI, providing a TCR candidate pool for identifying TCRs with optimal clinical benefit. To select the ideal AFP TCR for clinical use, we evaluated the efficacy and safety profile of 7 TCRs by testing their potency toward AFP-expressing HCC cells and their specificity based upon reactivity to normal and transformed cells covering a wide variety of primary cell types and HLA serotypes. Furthermore, we assessed their cross-reactivity to potential protein candidates in the human genome by an extensive alanine scan (X-scan). We first selected three TCR candidates based on the in vitro anti-tumor activity. Next we eliminated two potential cross-reactive TCRs based on their reactivity against normal and transformed cells covering a variety of primary cell types and HLA serotypes, respectively. We then excluded the potential cross-reactivity of the selected TCR with a protein candidate identified by X-scan. At present we have selected an AFP TCR with the optimal affinity, function, and safety profile, bearing properties that are expected to allow AFP TCR redirected T cells to specifically differentiate between AFP levels on tumor and normal tissues. An early phase clinical trial using T cells transduced with this TCR to treat HCC patients (NCT03971747) has been initiated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobing Luo
- Cellular Biomedicine Group Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Huijuan Cui
- Cellular Biomedicine Group Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Lun Cai
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Wei Zhu
- CodexSage LLC., Germantown, MD, United States
| | - Wei-Chih Yang
- Cellular Biomedicine Group Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Michael Patrick
- Cellular Biomedicine Group Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Shigui Zhu
- Cellular Biomedicine Group Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Jiaqi Huang
- Cellular Biomedicine Group Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Xin Yao
- Cellular Biomedicine Group Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Yihong Yao
- Cellular Biomedicine Group Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Yukai He
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Yun Ji
- Cellular Biomedicine Group Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, United States
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