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Tang Y, Cui G, Liu H, Han Y, Cai C, Feng Z, Shen H, Zeng S. Converting "cold" to "hot": epigenetics strategies to improve immune therapy effect by regulating tumor-associated immune suppressive cells. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2024; 44:601-636. [PMID: 38715348 PMCID: PMC11194457 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12546] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Significant developments in cancer treatment have been made since the advent of immune therapies. However, there are still some patients with malignant tumors who do not benefit from immunotherapy. Tumors without immunogenicity are called "cold" tumors which are unresponsive to immunotherapy, and the opposite are "hot" tumors. Immune suppressive cells (ISCs) refer to cells which can inhibit the immune response such as tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), regulatory T (Treg) cells and so on. The more ISCs infiltrated, the weaker the immunogenicity of the tumor, showing the characteristics of "cold" tumor. The dysfunction of ISCs in the tumor microenvironment (TME) may play essential roles in insensitive therapeutic reaction. Previous studies have found that epigenetic mechanisms play an important role in the regulation of ISCs. Regulating ISCs may be a new approach to transforming "cold" tumors into "hot" tumors. Here, we focused on the function of ISCs in the TME and discussed how epigenetics is involved in regulating ISCs. In addition, we summarized the mechanisms by which the epigenetic drugs convert immunotherapy-insensitive tumors into immunotherapy-sensitive tumors which would be an innovative tendency for future immunotherapy in "cold" tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijia Tang
- Department of OncologyXiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaHunanP. R. China
| | - Guangzu Cui
- Department of OncologyXiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaHunanP. R. China
| | - Haicong Liu
- Department of OncologyXiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaHunanP. R. China
| | - Ying Han
- Department of OncologyXiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaHunanP. R. China
| | - Changjing Cai
- Department of OncologyXiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaHunanP. R. China
| | - Ziyang Feng
- Department of OncologyXiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaHunanP. R. China
| | - Hong Shen
- Department of OncologyXiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaHunanP. R. China
- National Clinical Resaerch Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityChangshaHunanChina
| | - Shan Zeng
- Department of OncologyXiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaHunanP. R. China
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Trnkova L, Buocikova V, Mego M, Cumova A, Burikova M, Bohac M, Miklikova S, Cihova M, Smolkova B. Epigenetic deregulation in breast cancer microenvironment: Implications for tumor progression and therapeutic strategies. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 174:116559. [PMID: 38603889 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116559] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer comprises a substantial proportion of cancer diagnoses in women and is a primary cause of cancer-related mortality. While hormone-responsive cases generally have a favorable prognosis, the aggressive nature of triple-negative breast cancer presents challenges, with intrinsic resistance to established treatments being a persistent issue. The complexity intensifies with the emergence of acquired resistance, further complicating the management of breast cancer. Epigenetic changes, encompassing DNA methylation, histone and RNA modifications, and non-coding RNAs, are acknowledged as crucial contributors to the heterogeneity of breast cancer. The unique epigenetic landscape harbored by each cellular component within the tumor microenvironment (TME) adds great diversity to the intricate regulations which influence therapeutic responses. The TME, a sophisticated ecosystem of cellular and non-cellular elements interacting with tumor cells, establishes an immunosuppressive microenvironment and fuels processes such as tumor growth, angiogenesis, and extracellular matrix remodeling. These factors contribute to challenging conditions in cancer treatment by fostering a hypoxic environment, inducing metabolic stress, and creating physical barriers to drug delivery. This article delves into the complex connections between breast cancer treatment response, underlying epigenetic changes, and vital interactions within the TME. To restore sensitivity to treatment, it emphasizes the need for combination therapies considering epigenetic changes specific to individual members of the TME. Recognizing the pivotal role of epigenetics in drug resistance and comprehending the specificities of breast TME is essential for devising more effective therapeutic strategies. The development of reliable biomarkers for patient stratification will facilitate tailored and precise treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenka Trnkova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Verona Buocikova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Michal Mego
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava 845 05, Slovakia; 2nd Department of Oncology, Comenius University, Faculty of Medicine & National Cancer Institute, Bratislava 83310, Slovakia
| | - Andrea Cumova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Monika Burikova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Martin Bohac
- 2nd Department of Oncology, Comenius University, Faculty of Medicine & National Cancer Institute, Bratislava 83310, Slovakia; Regenmed Ltd., Medena 29, Bratislava 811 01, Slovakia; Institute of Medical Biology, Genetics and Clinical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Sasinkova 4, Bratislava 811 08, Slovakia
| | - Svetlana Miklikova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Marina Cihova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Bozena Smolkova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava 845 05, Slovakia.
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Yuan X, Hao X, Chan HL, Zhao N, Pedroza DA, Liu F, Le K, Smith AJ, Calderon SJ, Lieu N, Soth MJ, Jones P, Zhang XHF, Rosen JM. CBP/P300 BRD Inhibition Reduces Neutrophil Accumulation and Activates Antitumor Immunity in TNBC. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.25.590983. [PMID: 38712292 PMCID: PMC11071628 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.25.590983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) have been shown to promote immunosuppression and tumor progression, and a high TAN frequency predicts poor prognosis in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Dysregulation of CREB binding protein (CBP)/P300 function has been observed with multiple cancer types. The bromodomain (BRD) of CBP/P300 has been shown to regulate its activity. In this study, we found that IACS-70654, a novel and selective CBP/P300 BRD inhibitor, reduced TANs and inhibited the growth of neutrophil-enriched TNBC models. In the bone marrow, CBP/P300 BRD inhibition reduced the tumor-driven abnormal differentiation and proliferation of neutrophil progenitors. Inhibition of CBP/P300 BRD also stimulated the immune response by inducing an IFN response and MHCI expression in tumor cells and increasing tumor-infiltrated CTLs. Moreover, IACS-70654 improved the response of a neutrophil-enriched TNBC model to docetaxel and immune checkpoint blockade. This provides a rationale for combining a CBP/P300 BRD inhibitor with standard-of-care therapies in future clinical trials for neutrophil-enriched TNBC. Summary In neutrophil-enriched triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) models, CREB binding protein (CBP)/P300 bromodomain (BRD) inhibition reduces tumor growth and systemic neutrophil accumulation while stimulating an antitumor immune response. This improves standard-of-care therapies, suggesting a potential therapeutic benefit of CBP/P300 BRD inhibitors for neutrophil-enriched TNBC.
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Stip MC, Teeuwen L, Dierselhuis MP, Leusen JHW, Krijgsman D. Targeting the myeloid microenvironment in neuroblastoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:337. [PMID: 38087370 PMCID: PMC10716967 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02913-9] [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: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Myeloid cells (granulocytes and monocytes/macrophages) play an important role in neuroblastoma. By inducing a complex immunosuppressive network, myeloid cells pose a challenge for the adaptive immune system to eliminate tumor cells, especially in high-risk neuroblastoma. This review first summarizes the pro- and anti-tumorigenic functions of myeloid cells, including granulocytes, monocytes, macrophages, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) during the development and progression of neuroblastoma. Secondly, we discuss how myeloid cells are engaged in the current treatment regimen and explore novel strategies to target these cells in neuroblastoma. These strategies include: (1) engaging myeloid cells as effector cells, (2) ablating myeloid cells or blocking the recruitment of myeloid cells to the tumor microenvironment and (3) reprogramming myeloid cells. Here we describe that despite their immunosuppressive traits, tumor-associated myeloid cells can still be engaged as effector cells, which is clear in anti-GD2 immunotherapy. However, their full potential is not yet reached, and myeloid cell engagement can be enhanced, for example by targeting the CD47/SIRPα axis. Though depletion of myeloid cells or blocking myeloid cell infiltration has been proven effective, this strategy also depletes possible effector cells for immunotherapy from the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, reprogramming of suppressive myeloid cells might be the optimal strategy, which reverses immunosuppressive traits, preserves myeloid cells as effectors of immunotherapy, and subsequently reactivates tumor-infiltrating T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjolein C Stip
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Loes Teeuwen
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jeanette H W Leusen
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Daniëlle Krijgsman
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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Ye L, Shi S, Chen W. Innate immunity in pancreatic cancer: Lineage tracing and function. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1081919. [PMID: 36726981 PMCID: PMC9884680 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1081919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasingly, patients with gastrointestinal tumors can benefit from immunotherapy, but not patients with pancreatic cancer. While this lack of benefit has been attributed to lower T-cell infiltration in pancreatic cancer, other studies have demonstrated the presence of numerous T cells in pancreatic cancer, suggesting another mechanism for the poor efficacy of immunotherapy. Single-cell RNA sequencing studies on the pancreatic cancer immune microenvironment have demonstrated the predominance of innate immune cells (e.g., macrophages, dendritic cells, mast cells, and innate immune lymphoid cells). Therefore, in-depth research on the source and function of innate immune lymphocytes in pancreatic cancer could guide pancreatic cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longyun Ye
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Saimeng Shi
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Institute of Clinical Medicine Research, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China,Cancer Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Wei Chen,
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