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Celhar T, Li X, Zhao Y, Tay HC, Lee A, Liew HH, Shepherdson EK, Rajarethinam R, Fan Y, Mak A, Chan JKY, Singhal A, Takahashi T. Fetal liver CD34 + contain human immune and endothelial progenitors and mediate solid tumor rejection in NOG mice. Stem Cell Res Ther 2024; 15:164. [PMID: 38853275 PMCID: PMC11163708 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-024-03756-7] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transplantation of CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) into immunodeficient mice is an established method to generate humanized mice harbouring a human immune system. Different sources and methods for CD34+ isolation have been employed by various research groups, resulting in customized models that are difficult to compare. A more detailed characterization of CD34+ isolates is needed for a better understanding of engraftable hematopoietic and potentially non-hematopoietic cells. Here we have performed a direct comparison of CD34+ isolated from cord blood (CB-CD34+) or fetal liver (FL-CD34+ and FL-CD34+CD14-) and their engraftment into immunocompromised NOD/Shi-scid Il2rgnull (NOG) mice. METHODS NOG mice were transplanted with either CB-CD34+, FL-CD34+ or FL-CD34+CD14- to generate CB-NOG, FL-NOG and FL-CD14--NOG, respectively. After 15-20 weeks, the mice were sacrificed and human immune cell reconstitution was assessed in blood and several organs. Liver sections were pathologically assessed upon Haematoxylin and Eosin staining. To assess the capability of allogenic tumor rejection in CB- vs. FL-reconstituted mice, animals were subcutaneously engrafted with an HLA-mismatched melanoma cell line. Tumor growth was assessed by calliper measurements and a Luminex-based assay was used to compare the cytokine/chemokine profiles. RESULTS We show that CB-CD34+ are a uniform population of HSPC that reconstitute NOG mice more rapidly than FL-CD34+ due to faster B cell development. However, upon long-term engraftment, FL-NOG display increased numbers of neutrophils, dendritic cells and macrophages in multiple tissues. In addition to HSPC, FL-CD34+ isolates contain non-hematopoietic CD14+ endothelial cells that enhance the engraftment of the human immune system in FL-NOG mice. We demonstrate that these CD14+CD34+ cells are capable of reconstituting Factor VIII-producing liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) in FL-NOG. However, CD14+CD34+ also contribute to hepatic sinusoidal dilatation and immune cell infiltration, which may culminate in a graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) pathology upon long-term engraftment. Finally, using an HLA-A mismatched CDX melanoma model, we show that FL-NOG, but not CB-NOG, can mount a graft-versus-tumor (GVT) response resulting in tumor rejection. CONCLUSION Our results highlight important phenotypical and functional differences between CB- and FL-NOG and reveal FL-NOG as a potential model to study hepatic sinusoidal dilatation and mechanisms of GVT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teja Celhar
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #04-06, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore.
- Central Institute for Experimental Animals (CIEA), 3-25-12 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan.
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #05-13, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore.
| | - Xinyi Li
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #04-06, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore
- Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Yunqian Zhao
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #04-06, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore
| | - Hui Chien Tay
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #04-06, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore
| | - Andrea Lee
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #04-06, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #05-13, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore
| | - Hui Hua Liew
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, 229899, Republic of Singapore
| | - Edwin Kunxiang Shepherdson
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, 229899, Republic of Singapore
| | - Ravisankar Rajarethinam
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, 138673, Republic of Singapore
| | - Yiping Fan
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, 229899, Republic of Singapore
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology Academic Clinical Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, 169857, Republic of Singapore
- Experimental Fetal Medicine Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore, 117597, Republic of Singapore
| | - Anselm Mak
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Division of Rheumatology, University Medicine Cluster, National University Health System, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Jerry Kok Yen Chan
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, 229899, Republic of Singapore
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology Academic Clinical Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, 169857, Republic of Singapore
- Experimental Fetal Medicine Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore, 117597, Republic of Singapore
| | - Amit Singhal
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #04-06, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #05-13, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 636921, Republic of Singapore
| | - Takeshi Takahashi
- Central Institute for Experimental Animals (CIEA), 3-25-12 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan
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Gu A, Li J, Qiu S, Hao S, Yue ZY, Zhai S, Li MY, Liu Y. Pancreatic cancer environment: from patient-derived models to single-cell omics. Mol Omics 2024; 20:220-233. [PMID: 38414408 DOI: 10.1039/d3mo00250k] [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] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly malignant cancer characterized by poor prognosis, high heterogeneity, and intricate heterocellular systems. Selecting an appropriate experimental model for studying its progression and treatment is crucial. Patient-derived models provide a more accurate representation of tumor heterogeneity and complexity compared to cell line-derived models. This review initially presents relevant patient-derived models, including patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), patient-derived organoids (PDOs), and patient-derived explants (PDEs), which are essential for studying cell communication and pancreatic cancer progression. We have emphasized the utilization of these models in comprehending intricate intercellular communication, drug responsiveness, mechanisms underlying tumor growth, expediting drug discovery, and enabling personalized medical approaches. Additionally, we have comprehensively summarized single-cell analyses of these models to enhance comprehension of intercellular communication among tumor cells, drug response mechanisms, and individual patient sensitivities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ao Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, P. R. China.
| | - Jiatong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, P. R. China.
| | - Shimei Qiu
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, P. R. China
| | - Shenglin Hao
- Department of Functional Neurosurgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhu-Ying Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, P. R. China.
| | - Shuyang Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, P. R. China.
| | - Meng-Yao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, P. R. China.
| | - Yingbin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, P. R. China.
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3
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Smoots SG, Schreiber AR, Jackson MM, Bagby SM, Dominguez ATA, Dus ED, Binns CA, MacBeth M, Whitty PA, Diamond JR, Pitts TM. Overcoming doxorubicin resistance in triple-negative breast cancer using the class I-targeting HDAC inhibitor bocodepsin/OKI-179 to promote apoptosis. Breast Cancer Res 2024; 26:35. [PMID: 38429789 PMCID: PMC10908182 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-024-01799-5] [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: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast cancer subtype with a poor prognosis. Doxorubicin is part of standard curative therapy for TNBC, but chemotherapy resistance remains an important clinical challenge. Bocodepsin (OKI-179) is a small molecule class I histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor that promotes apoptosis in TNBC preclinical models. The purpose of this study was to investigate the combination of bocodepsin and doxorubicin in preclinical TNBC models and evaluate the impact on terminal cell fate, including apoptosis and senescence. METHODS TNBC cell lines were treated with doxorubicin and CellTiter-Glo was used to assess proliferation and determine doxorubicin sensitivity. Select cell lines were treated with OKI-005 (in vitro version of bocodepsin) and doxorubicin and assessed for proliferation, apoptosis as measured by Annexin V/PI, and cell cycle by flow cytometry. Immunoblotting was used to assess changes in mediators of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and senescence. Senescence was measured by the senescence-associated β-galactosidase assay. An MDA-MB-231 xenograft in vivo model was treated with bocodepsin, doxorubicin, or the combination and assessed for inhibition of tumor growth. shRNA knockdown of p53 was performed in the CAL-51 cell line and proliferation, apoptosis and senescence were assessed in response to combination treatment. RESULTS OKI-005 and doxorubicin resulted in synergistic antiproliferative activity in TNBC cells lines regardless of p53 mutation status. The combination led to increased apoptosis and decreased senescence. In vivo, the combination resulted in increased tumor growth inhibition compared to either single agent. shRNA knock-down of p53 led to increased doxorubicin-induced senescence that was decreased with the addition of OKI-005 in vitro. CONCLUSION The addition of bocodepsin to doxorubicin resulted in synergistic antiproliferative activity in vitro, improved tumor growth inhibition in vivo, and promotion of apoptosis which makes this a promising combination to overcome doxorubicin resistance in TNBC. Bocodepsin is currently in clinical development and has a favorable toxicity profile compared to other HDAC inhibitors supporting the feasibility of evaluating this combination in patients with TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen G Smoots
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue MS8117, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Anna R Schreiber
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue MS8117, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Marilyn M Jackson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue MS8117, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Stacey M Bagby
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue MS8117, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Adrian T A Dominguez
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue MS8117, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Evan D Dus
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue MS8117, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Cameron A Binns
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue MS8117, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Morgan MacBeth
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue MS8117, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Phaedra A Whitty
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue MS8117, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Jennifer R Diamond
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue MS8117, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Todd M Pitts
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue MS8117, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
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Chi CW, Lao YH, Ahmed AHR, He S, Merghoub T, Leong KW, Wang S. Enabling continuous immune cell recirculation on a microfluidic array to study immunotherapeutic interactions in a recapitulated tumour microenvironment. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:396-407. [PMID: 38180130 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00662j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
The effects of immunotherapeutics on interactions between immune and cancer cells are modulated by multiple components in the tumour microenvironment (TME), including endothelium and tumour stroma, which provide both a physical barrier and immunosuppressive stimuli. Herein, we report a recirculating chip to enable continuous immune cell recirculation through a microfluidic cell array to include these crucial players. This system consists of a three-layered cell array (μFCA) spatially emulating the TME, with tailored fluidic circuits establishing T cell recirculation. This platform enables the study of dynamics among the TME, immune cells in a circulatory system and cancer cell responses thereof. Through this system, we found that tumour endothelium hindered T cell infiltration into the reconstructed breast cancer tumour compartment. This negative effect was alleviated when treated with anti-human PD-L1 (programmed cell death ligand 1) antibody. Another key stromal component - cancer associated fibroblasts - attenuated T cell infiltration, compared against normal fibroblasts, and led to reduced apoptotic activity in cancer cells. These results confirm the capability of our tumour-on-a-chip system in identifying some key axes to target in overcoming barriers to immunotherapy by recapitulating immune cell interactions with the reconstructed TME. Our results also attest to the feasibility of scaling up this system for high-throughput cancer immunotherapeutic screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Wei Chi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, CUNY - City College of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
| | - Yeh-Hsing Lao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - A H Rezwanuddin Ahmed
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, CUNY - City College of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA.
| | - Siyu He
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Taha Merghoub
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Kam W Leong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Sihong Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, CUNY - City College of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA.
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5
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Luo W, Hoang H, Liao Y, Pan J, Ayello J, Cairo MS. A humanized orthotopic mouse model for preclinical evaluation of immunotherapy in Ewing sarcoma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1277987. [PMID: 37868989 PMCID: PMC10587429 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1277987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The advent of novel cancer immunotherapy approaches is revolutionizing the treatment for cancer. Current small animal models for most cancers are syngeneic or genetically engineered mouse models or xenograft models based on immunodeficient mouse strains. These models have been limited in evaluating immunotherapy regimens due to the lack of functional human immune system. Development of animal models for bone cancer faces another challenge in the accessibility of tumor engraftment sites. Here, we describe a protocol to develop an orthotopic humanized mouse model for a bone and soft tissue sarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, by transplanting fresh human cord blood CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells into young NSG-SGM3 mice combined with subsequent Ewing sarcoma patient derived cell engraftment in the tibia of the humanized mice. We demonstrated early and robust reconstitution of human CD45+ leukocytes including T cells, B cells, natural killer cells and monocytes. Ewing sarcoma xenograft tumors successfully orthotopically engrafted in the humanized mice with minimal invasive procedures. We validated the translational utility of this orthotopic humanized model by evaluating the safety and efficacy of an immunotherapy antibody, magrolimab. Treatment with magrolimab induces CD47 blockade resulting in significantly decreased primary tumor growth, decreased lung metastasis and prolonged animal survival in the established humanized model. Furthermore, the humanized model recapitulated the dose dependent toxicity associated with the CD47 blockade as observed in patients in clinical trials. In conclusion, this orthotopic humanized mouse model of Ewing sarcoma represents an improved platform for evaluating immunotherapy in bone and soft tissue sarcoma, such as Ewing sarcoma. With careful design and optimization, this model is generalizable for other bone malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Luo
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Hai Hoang
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Yanling Liao
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Jian Pan
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Janet Ayello
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Mitchell S. Cairo
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
- Department of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
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Chen A, Neuwirth I, Herndler-Brandstetter D. Modeling the Tumor Microenvironment and Cancer Immunotherapy in Next-Generation Humanized Mice. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:2989. [PMID: 37296949 PMCID: PMC10251926 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15112989] [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: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has brought significant clinical benefits to numerous patients with malignant disease. However, only a fraction of patients experiences complete and durable responses to currently available immunotherapies. This highlights the need for more effective immunotherapies, combination treatments and predictive biomarkers. The molecular properties of a tumor, intratumor heterogeneity and the tumor immune microenvironment decisively shape tumor evolution, metastasis and therapy resistance and are therefore key targets for precision cancer medicine. Humanized mice that support the engraftment of patient-derived tumors and recapitulate the human tumor immune microenvironment of patients represent a promising preclinical model to address fundamental questions in precision immuno-oncology and cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we provide an overview of next-generation humanized mouse models suitable for the establishment and study of patient-derived tumors. Furthermore, we discuss the opportunities and challenges of modeling the tumor immune microenvironment and testing a variety of immunotherapeutic approaches using human immune system mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dietmar Herndler-Brandstetter
- Center for Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna and Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.C.); (I.N.)
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Lin W, Singh V, Springer R, Choonoo G, Gupta N, Patel A, Frleta D, Zhong J, Owczarek T, Decker C, Macdonald L, Murphy A, Thurston G, Mohrs M, Ioffe E, Lu YF. Human CD4 cytotoxic T lymphocytes mediate potent tumor control in humanized immune system mice. Commun Biol 2023; 6:447. [PMID: 37185301 PMCID: PMC10130128 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04812-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancers can be limited by CD8 T cell dysfunction or HLA-I down-regulation. Tumor control mechanisms independent of CD8/HLA-I axis would overcome these limitations. Here, we report potent CD4 T cell-mediated tumor regression and memory responses in humanized immune system (HIS) mice implanted with HT-29 colorectal tumors. The regressing tumors showed increased CD4 cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) infiltration and enhanced tumor HLA-II expression compared to progressing tumors. The intratumoral CD4 T cell subset associated with tumor regression expressed multiple cytotoxic markers and exhibited clonal expansion. Notably, tumor control was abrogated by depletion of CD4 but not CD8 T cells. CD4 T cells derived from tumor-regressing mice exhibited HLA-II-dependent and tumor-specific killing ex vivo. Taken together, our study demonstrates a critical role of human CD4 CTLs in mediating tumor clearance independent of CD8 T cells and provides a platform to study human anti-tumor immunity in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Lin
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Varan Singh
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Raynel Springer
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Gabrielle Choonoo
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Namita Gupta
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Aditi Patel
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Davor Frleta
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Jun Zhong
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Tomasz Owczarek
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Corinne Decker
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Lynn Macdonald
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Andrew Murphy
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Gavin Thurston
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Markus Mohrs
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Ella Ioffe
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Yi-Fen Lu
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA.
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Saar M, Lavogina D, Lust H, Tamm H, Jaal J. Immune checkpoint inhibitors modulate the cytotoxic effect of chemotherapy in lung adenocarcinoma cells. Oncol Lett 2023; 25:152. [PMID: 36936028 PMCID: PMC10018276 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2023.13738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has significantly improved survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and ICIs are increasingly used in combination with cytotoxic treatments, such as chemotherapy. Although combined treatments are more effective, not all patients respond to the therapy; therefore, a detailed understanding of the effect of treatment combinations at the tumour level is needed. The present study aimed to explore whether ICIs could affect the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy on lung adenocarcinoma cell lines with different PD-L1 expression levels (high, HCC-44; low, A-549). Using the resazurin-based assay, the efficacy of seven chemotherapeutic agents (cisplatin, etoposide, gemcitabine, pemetrexed, vinorelbine, docetaxel and paclitaxel) was compared in the presence or absence of the individually chosen single doses of four ICIs (nivolumab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab and durvalumab). The results revealed that different ICIs can exhibit either potentiating or depotentiating effects, depending on the chemotherapy agent or lung adenocarcinoma cell line used. Durvalumab was the most promising ICI, which potentiated most chemotherapy agents in both cell lines, especially in the case of high PD-L1 expression. By contrast, nivolumab, exhibited depotentiating trends in several combinations. The immunostaining of γH2AX in treated cells confirmed that the potentiation of the chemotherapeutic cytotoxicity by durvalumab was at least partially mediated via increased DNA damage; however, this effect was strongly dependent on the chemotherapy agent and cell line used. Our future studies aim to address the specific mechanisms underlying the observed ICI-induced potentiation or depotentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marika Saar
- Pharmacy Department, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
- Pharmacy Institute, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
- Correspondence to: Ms. Marika Saar or Professor Jana Jaal, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, Puusepa 8, 50406 Tartu, Estonia, E-mail:
| | - Darja Lavogina
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Helen Lust
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Hannes Tamm
- Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
- Pathology Department, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jana Jaal
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Radiotherapy and Oncological Therapy, Haematology and Oncology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
- Correspondence to: Ms. Marika Saar or Professor Jana Jaal, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, Puusepa 8, 50406 Tartu, Estonia, E-mail:
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Chuprin J, Buettner H, Seedhom MO, Greiner DL, Keck JG, Ishikawa F, Shultz LD, Brehm MA. Humanized mouse models for immuno-oncology research. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2023; 20:192-206. [PMID: 36635480 PMCID: PMC10593256 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-022-00721-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 87.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising treatment paradigm for many malignancies and is transforming the drug development landscape. Although immunotherapeutic agents have demonstrated clinical efficacy, they are associated with variable clinical responses, and substantial gaps remain in our understanding of their mechanisms of action and specific biomarkers of response. Currently, the number of preclinical models that faithfully recapitulate interactions between the human immune system and tumours and enable evaluation of human-specific immunotherapies in vivo is limited. Humanized mice, a term that refers to immunodeficient mice co-engrafted with human tumours and immune components, provide several advantages for immuno-oncology research. In this Review, we discuss the benefits and challenges of the currently available humanized mice, including specific interactions between engrafted human tumours and immune components, the development and survival of human innate immune populations in these mice, and approaches to study mice engrafted with matched patient tumours and immune cells. We highlight the latest advances in the generation of humanized mouse models, with the aim of providing a guide for their application to immuno-oncology studies with potential for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Chuprin
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Hannah Buettner
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- Department of Surgery, The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Mina O Seedhom
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Dale L Greiner
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Michael A Brehm
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
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10
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Landuzzi L, Ruzzi F, Lollini PL, Scotlandi K. Synovial Sarcoma Preclinical Modeling: Integrating Transgenic Mouse Models and Patient-Derived Models for Translational Research. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030588. [PMID: 36765545 PMCID: PMC9913760 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Synovial sarcomas (SyS) are rare malignant tumors predominantly affecting children, adolescents, and young adults. The genetic hallmark of SyS is the t(X;18) translocation encoding the SS18-SSX fusion gene. The fusion protein interacts with both the BAF enhancer and polycomb repressor complexes, and either activates or represses target gene transcription, resulting in genome-wide epigenetic perturbations and altered gene expression. Several experimental in in vivo models, including conditional transgenic mouse models expressing the SS18-SSX fusion protein and spontaneously developing SyS, are available. In addition, patient-derived xenografts have been estab-lished in immunodeficient mice, faithfully reproducing the complex clinical heterogeneity. This review focuses on the main molecular features of SyS and the related preclinical in vivo and in vitro models. We will analyze the different conditional SyS mouse models that, after combination with some of the few other recurrent alterations, such as gains in BCL2, Wnt-β-catenin signaling, FGFR family, or loss of PTEN and SMARCB1, have provided additional insight into the mechanisms of synovial sarcomagenesis. The recent advancements in the understanding of SyS biology and improvements in preclinical modeling pave the way to the development of new epigenetic drugs and immunotherapeutic approaches conducive to new treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Landuzzi
- Experimental Oncology Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
- Correspondence: (L.L.); (P.-L.L.); Tel.: +39-051-2094796 (L.L.); +39-051-2094786 (P.-L.L.)
| | - Francesca Ruzzi
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biology of Metastasis, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Pier-Luigi Lollini
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biology of Metastasis, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Correspondence: (L.L.); (P.-L.L.); Tel.: +39-051-2094796 (L.L.); +39-051-2094786 (P.-L.L.)
| | - Katia Scotlandi
- Experimental Oncology Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
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11
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Lanis JM, Lewis MS, Strassburger H, Larsen K, Bagby SM, Dominguez ATA, Marín-Jiménez JA, Pelanda R, Pitts TM, Lang J. Testing Cancer Immunotherapeutics in a Humanized Mouse Model Bearing Human Tumors. J Vis Exp 2022:10.3791/64606. [PMID: 36591990 PMCID: PMC11167650 DOI: 10.3791/64606] [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] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Reversing the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor microenvironment is critical for the successful treatment of cancers with immunotherapy drugs. Murine cancer models are extremely limited in their diversity and suffer from poor translation to the clinic. To serve as a more physiological preclinical model for immunotherapy studies, this protocol has been developed to evaluate the treatment of human tumors in a mouse reconstituted with a human immune system. This unique protocol demonstrates the development of human immune system (HIS, "humanized") mice, followed by implantation of a human tumor, either a cell-line derived xenograft (CDX) or a patient derived xenograft (PDX). HIS mice are generated by injecting CD34+ human hematopoietic stem cells isolated from umbilical cord blood into neonatal BRGS (BALB/c Rag2-/- IL2RγC-/- NODSIRPα) highly immunodeficient mice that are also capable of accepting a xenogeneic tumor. The importance of the kinetics and characteristics of the human immune system development and tumor implantation is emphasized. Finally, an in-depth evaluation of the tumor microenvironment using flow cytometry is described. In numerous studies using this protocol, it was found that the tumor microenvironment of individual tumors is recapitulated in HIS-PDX mice; "hot" tumors exhibit large immune infiltration while "cold" tumors do not. This model serves as a testing ground for combination immunotherapies for a wide range of human tumors and represents an important tool in the quest for personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi M Lanis
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Matthew S Lewis
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Hannah Strassburger
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Kristina Larsen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Stacey M Bagby
- Division of Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Adrian T A Dominguez
- Division of Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Juan A Marín-Jiménez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO-L'Hospitalet)
| | - Roberta Pelanda
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Todd M Pitts
- Division of Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Julie Lang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus;
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12
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Lang J, Leal AD, Marín-Jiménez JA, Hartman SJ, Shulman J, Navarro NM, Lewis MS, Capasso A, Bagby SM, Yacob BW, MacBeth M, Freed BM, Eckhardt SG, Jordan K, Blatchford PJ, Pelanda R, Lieu CH, Messersmith WA, Pitts TM. Cabozantinib sensitizes microsatellite stable colorectal cancer to immune checkpoint blockade by immune modulation in human immune system mouse models. Front Oncol 2022; 12:877635. [PMID: 36419897 PMCID: PMC9676436 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.877635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been found to be effective in metastatic MSI-high colorectal cancers (CRC), however, have no efficacy in microsatellite stable (MSS) cancers, which comprise the majority of mCRC cases. Cabozantinib is a small molecule multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is FDA approved in advanced renal cell, medullary thyroid, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Using Human Immune System (HIS) mice, we tested the ability of cabozantinib to prime MSS-CRC tumors to enhance the potency of immune checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab. In four independent experiments, we implanted distinct MSS-CRC patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) into the flanks of humanized BALB/c-Rag2nullIl2rγnullSirpαNOD (BRGS) mice that had been engrafted with human hematopoietic stem cells at birth. For each PDX, HIS-mice cohorts were treated with vehicle, nivolumab, cabozantinib, or the combination. In three out of the four models, the combination had a lower tumor growth rate compared to vehicle or nivolumab-treated groups. Furthermore, interrogation of the HIS in immune organs and tumors by flow cytometry revealed increased Granzyme B+, TNFα+ and IFNγ+ CD4+ T cells among the human tumor infiltrating leukocytes (TIL) that correlated with reduced tumor growth in the combination-treated HIS-mice. Notably, slower growth correlated with increased expression of the CD4+ T cell ligand, HLA-DR, on the tumor cells themselves. Finally, the cabozantinib/nivolumab combination was tested in comparison to cobimetinib/atezolizumab. Although both combinations showed tumor growth inhibition, cabozantinib/nivolumab had enhanced cytotoxic IFNγ and TNFα+ T cells. This pre-clinical in vivo data warrants testing the combination in clinical trials for patients with MSS-CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Lang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Alexis D. Leal
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Juan A. Marín-Jiménez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO-L´Hospitalet), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sarah J. Hartman
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Jeremy Shulman
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Natalie M. Navarro
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Matthew S. Lewis
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Anna Capasso
- Department of Oncology, Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Stacey M. Bagby
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Bethlehem W. Yacob
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Morgan MacBeth
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Brian M. Freed
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - S. Gail Eckhardt
- Department of Oncology, Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Kimberly Jordan
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Patrick J. Blatchford
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Roberta Pelanda
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Christopher H. Lieu
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Wells A. Messersmith
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Todd M. Pitts
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
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13
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Budhwani KI, Patel ZH, Guenter RE, Charania AA. A hitchhiker's guide to cancer models. Trends Biotechnol 2022; 40:1361-1373. [PMID: 35534320 PMCID: PMC9588514 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.04.003] [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: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is a complex and uniquely personal disease. More than 1.7 million people in the United States are diagnosed with cancer every year. As the burden of cancer grows, so does the need for new, more effective therapeutics and for predictive tools to identify optimal, personalized treatment options for every patient. Cancer models that recapitulate various aspects of the disease are fundamental to making advances along the continuum of cancer treatment from benchside discoveries to bedside delivery. In this review, we use a thought experiment as a vehicle to arrive at four broad categories of cancer models and explore the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for each category in advancing our understanding of the disease and improving treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim I Budhwani
- CerFlux, Inc., Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Radiation Oncology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Physics, Coe College, Cedar Rapids, IA, USA.
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14
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Davis SL, Hartman SJ, Bagby SM, Schlaepfer M, Yacob BW, Tse T, Simmons DM, Diamond JR, Lieu CH, Leal AD, Cadogan EB, Hughes GD, Durant ST, Messersmith WA, Pitts TM. ATM kinase inhibitor AZD0156 in combination with irinotecan and 5-fluorouracil in preclinical models of colorectal cancer. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:1107. [PMID: 36309653 PMCID: PMC9617348 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-10084-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
AZD0156 is an oral inhibitor of ATM, a serine threonine kinase that plays a key role in DNA damage response (DDR) associated with double-strand breaks. Topoisomerase-I inhibitor irinotecan is used clinically to treat colorectal cancer (CRC), often in combination with 5-fluorouracil (5FU). AZD0156 in combination with irinotecan and 5FU was evaluated in preclinical models of CRC to determine whether low doses of AZD0156 enhance the cytotoxicity of irinotecan in chemotherapy regimens used in the clinic.
Methods
Anti-proliferative effects of single-agent AZD0156, the active metabolite of irinotecan (SN38), and combination therapy were evaluated in 12 CRC cell lines. Additional assessment with clonogenic assay, cell cycle analysis, and immunoblotting were performed in 4 selected cell lines. Four colorectal cancer patient derived xenograft (PDX) models were treated with AZD0156, irinotecan, or 5FU alone and in combination for assessment of tumor growth inhibition (TGI). Immunofluorescence was performed on tumor tissues. The DDR mutation profile was compared across in vitro and in vivo models.
Results
Enhanced effects on cellular proliferation and regrowth were observed with the combination of AZD0156 and SN38 in select models. In cell cycle analysis of these models, increased G2/M arrest was observed with combination treatment over either single agent. Immunoblotting results suggest an increase in DDR associated with irinotecan therapy, with a reduced effect noted when combined with AZD0156, which is more pronounced in some models. Increased TGI was observed with the combination of AZD0156 and irinotecan as compared to single-agent therapy in some PDX models. The DDR mutation profile was variable across models.
Conclusions
AZD0156 and irinotecan provide a rational and active combination in preclinical colorectal cancer models. Variability across in vivo and in vitro results may be related to the variable DDR mutation profiles of the models evaluated. Further understanding of the implications of individual DDR mutation profiles may help better identify patients more likely to benefit from treatment with the combination of AZD0156 and irinotecan in the clinical setting.
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15
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Kanikarla Marie P, Sorokin AV, Bitner LA, Aden R, Lam M, Manyam G, Woods MN, Anderson A, Capasso A, Fowlkes N, Overman MJ, Menter DG, Kopetz S. Autologous humanized mouse models to study combination and single-agent immunotherapy for colorectal cancer patient-derived xenografts. Front Oncol 2022; 12:994333. [PMID: 36212401 PMCID: PMC9532947 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.994333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Designing studies of immunotherapy is limited due to a lack of pre-clinical models that reliably predict effective immunotherapy responses. To address this gap, we developed humanized mouse models of colorectal cancer (CRC) incorporating patient-derived xenografts (PDX) with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Humanized mice with CRC PDXs were generated via engraftment of autologous (isolated from the same patients as the PDXs) or allogeneic (isolated from healthy donors) PBMCs. Human T cells were detected in mouse blood, tissues, and infiltrated the implanted PDXs. The inclusion of anti-PD-1 therapy revealed that tumor responses in autologous but not allogeneic models were more comparable to that of patients. An overall non-specific graft-vs-tumor effect occurred in allogeneic models and negatively correlated with that seen in patients. In contrast, autologous humanized mice more accurately correlated with treatment outcomes by engaging pre-existing tumor specific T-cell populations. As autologous T cells appear to be the major drivers of tumor response thus, autologous humanized mice may serve as models at predicting treatment outcomes in pre-clinical settings for therapies reliant on pre-existing tumor specific T-cell populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Kanikarla Marie
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Alexey V. Sorokin
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Lea A. Bitner
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Rebecca Aden
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Michael Lam
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Ganiraju Manyam
- Department of Bioinformatics & Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Melanie N. Woods
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Amanda Anderson
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Anna Capasso
- Department of Oncology, The University of Texas Health Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Natalie Fowlkes
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Michael J. Overman
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - David G. Menter
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Scott Kopetz
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Scott Kopetz,
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16
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Sitta J, Claudio PP, Howard CM. Virus-Based Immuno-Oncology Models. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10061441. [PMID: 35740462 PMCID: PMC9220907 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10061441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has been extensively explored in recent years with encouraging results in selected types of cancer. Such success aroused interest in the expansion of such indications, requiring a deep understanding of the complex role of the immune system in carcinogenesis. The definition of hot vs. cold tumors and the role of the tumor microenvironment enlightened the once obscure understanding of low response rates of solid tumors to immune check point inhibitors. Although the major scope found in the literature focuses on the T cell modulation, the innate immune system is also a promising oncolytic tool. The unveiling of the tumor immunosuppressive pathways, lead to the development of combined targeted therapies in an attempt to increase immune infiltration capability. Oncolytic viruses have been explored in different scenarios, in combination with various chemotherapeutic drugs and, more recently, with immune check point inhibitors. Moreover, oncolytic viruses may be engineered to express tumor specific pro-inflammatory cytokines, antibodies, and antigens to enhance immunologic response or block immunosuppressive mechanisms. Development of preclinical models capable to replicate the human immunologic response is one of the major challenges faced by these studies. A thorough understanding of immunotherapy and oncolytic viruses’ mechanics is paramount to develop reliable preclinical models with higher chances of successful clinical therapy application. Thus, in this article, we review current concepts in cancer immunotherapy including the inherent and synthetic mechanisms of immunologic enhancement utilizing oncolytic viruses, immune targeting, and available preclinical animal models, their advantages, and limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Sitta
- Department of Radiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA;
| | - Pier Paolo Claudio
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center & Research Institute, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA;
| | - Candace M. Howard
- Department of Radiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA;
- Correspondence:
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17
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Cogels MM, Rouas R, Ghanem GE, Martinive P, Awada A, Van Gestel D, Krayem M. Humanized Mice as a Valuable Pre-Clinical Model for Cancer Immunotherapy Research. Front Oncol 2021; 11:784947. [PMID: 34869042 PMCID: PMC8636317 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.784947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors opened new horizons in cancer treatment. Clinical trials for novel immunotherapies or unexplored combination regimens either need years of development or are simply impossible to perform like is the case in cancer patients with limited life expectancy. Thus, the need for preclinical models that rapidly and safely allow for a better understanding of underlying mechanisms, drug kinetics and toxicity leading to the selection of the best regimen to be translated into the clinic, is of high importance. Humanized mice that can bear both human immune system and human tumors, are increasingly used in recent preclinical immunotherapy studies and represent a remarkably unprecedented tool in this field. In this review, we describe, summarize, and discuss the recent advances of humanized mouse models used for cancer immunotherapy research and the challenges faced during their establishment. We also highlight the lack of preclinical studies using this model for radiotherapy-based research and argue that it can be a great asset to understand and answer many open questions around radiation therapy such as its presumed associated "abscopal effect".
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgane M. Cogels
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Oncology (LOCE), Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Redouane Rouas
- Laboratory of Cellular Therapy (UTCH), Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ghanem E. Ghanem
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Oncology (LOCE), Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Philippe Martinive
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ahmad Awada
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Oncology (LOCE), Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Dirk Van Gestel
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mohammad Krayem
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Oncology (LOCE), Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
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