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Nie F, Chen Y, Hu Y, Huang P, Shi X, Cai J, Qiu M, Wang E, Lu K, Sun M. TREM1/DAP12 based novel multiple chain CAR-T cells targeting DLL3 show robust anti-tumour efficacy for small cell lung cancer. Immunology 2024; 172:362-374. [PMID: 38469682 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC), recognized as the most aggressive subtype of lung cancer, presents an extremely poor prognosis. Currently, patients with small cell lung cancer face a significant dearth of effective alternative treatment options once they experience recurrence and progression after first-line therapy. Despite the promising efficacy of immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and various other tumours, its impact on significantly enhancing the prognosis of SCLC patients remains elusive. DLL3 has emerged as a compelling target for targeted therapy in SCLC due to its high expression on the membranes of SCLC and other neuroendocrine carcinoma cells, with minimal to no expression in normal cells. Our previous work led to the development of a novel multiple chain chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) leveraging the TREM1 receptor and DAP12, which efficiently activated T cells and conferred potent cell cytotoxicity. In this study, we have developed a DLL3-TREM1/DAP12 CAR-T (DLL3-DT CAR-T) therapy, demonstrating comparable anti-tumour efficacy against SCLC cells in vitro. In murine xenograft and patient-derived xenograft models, DLL3-DT CAR-T cells exhibited a more robust tumour eradication efficiency than second-generation DLL3-BBZ CAR-T cells. Furthermore, we observed elevated memory phenotypes, induced durable responses, and activation under antigen-presenting cells in DLL3-DT CAR-T cells. Collectively, these findings suggest that DLL3-DT CAR-T cells may offer a novel and potentially effective therapeutic strategy for treating DLL3-expressing SCLC and other solid tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengqi Nie
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuli Chen
- Suzhou Cancer Center Core Laboratory, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yanming Hu
- Suzhou Cancer Center Core Laboratory, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
| | - Peng Huang
- Suzhou Cancer Center Core Laboratory, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xuefei Shi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital, Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Huzhou Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment in Respiratory Diseases, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jingsheng Cai
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
- Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Mantang Qiu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
- Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Enxiu Wang
- Nanjing CART Medical Technology Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China
| | - Kaihua Lu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ming Sun
- Suzhou Cancer Center Core Laboratory, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
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Stucchi A, Maspes F, Montee-Rodrigues E, Fousteri G. Engineered Treg cells: The heir to the throne of immunotherapy. J Autoimmun 2024; 144:102986. [PMID: 36639301 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Recently, increased interest in the use of Tregs as adoptive cell therapy for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and transplant rejection had led to several advances in the field. However, Treg cell therapies, while constantly advancing, indiscriminately suppress the immune system without the permanent stabilization of certain diseases. Genetically modified Tregs hold great promise towards solving these problems, but, challenges in identifying the most potent Treg subtype, accompanied by the ambiguity involved in identifying the optimal Treg source, along with its expansion and engineering in a clinical-grade setting remain paramount. This review highlights the recent advances in methodologies for the development of genetically engineered Treg cell-based treatments for autoimmune, inflammatory diseases, and organ rejection. Additionally, it provides a systematized guide to all the recent progress in the field and informs the readers of the feasibility and safety of engineered adoptive Treg cell therapy, with the aim to provide a framework for researchers involved in the development of engineered Tregs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Stucchi
- Diabetes Research Institute, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Maspes
- Diabetes Research Institute, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Ely Montee-Rodrigues
- Diabetes Research Institute, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; Cambridge Epigenetix, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Georgia Fousteri
- Diabetes Research Institute, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
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Albelda SM. CAR T cell therapy for patients with solid tumours: key lessons to learn and unlearn. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2024; 21:47-66. [PMID: 37904019 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-023-00832-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have been approved for use in patients with B cell malignancies or relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma, yet efficacy against most solid tumours remains elusive. The limited imaging and biopsy data from clinical trials in this setting continues to hinder understanding, necessitating a reliance on imperfect preclinical models. In this Perspective, I re-evaluate current data and suggest potential pathways towards greater success, drawing lessons from the few successful trials testing CAR T cells in patients with solid tumours and the clinical experience with tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes. The most promising approaches include the use of pluripotent stem cells, co-targeting multiple mechanisms of immune evasion, employing multiple co-stimulatory domains, and CAR ligand-targeting vaccines. An alternative strategy focused on administering multiple doses of short-lived CAR T cells in an attempt to pre-empt exhaustion and maintain a functional effector pool should also be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M Albelda
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Zhang X, Guo H, Chen J, Xu C, Wang L, Ke Y, Gao Y, Zhang B, Zhu J. Highly proliferative and hypodifferentiated CAR-T cells targeting B7-H3 enhance antitumor activity against ovarian and triple-negative breast cancers. Cancer Lett 2023; 572:216355. [PMID: 37597651 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell immunotherapy is highly effective against hematological neoplasms. However, owing to tumor variability, low antigen specificity, and impermanent viability of CAR-T cells, their use in the treatment of solid tumors is limited. Here, a novel CAR-T cell targeting B7-H3 and incorporating a 4-1BB costimulatory molecule with STAT3-and STAT5-related activation motifs was constructed using lentivirus transduction. B7-H3, a tumor-associated antigen, and its scFv antibody endowed CAR-T cells with tumor-specific targeting capabilities. Moreover, the integration of the trIL2RB and YRHQ motifs stimulated STAT5 and STAT3 in an antigen-dependent manner, inducing a remarkable increase in the proliferation and survival of CAR-T cells via the activation of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Besides, the proportion of less-differentiated T cells increased among BB-trIL2RB-z(YRHQ) CAR-T cells. Moreover, BB-trIL2RB-z(YRHQ) effectively inhibited ovarian cancer (OC) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in vivo at low doses, without high serum levels of inflammatory cytokines and organ toxicity. Therefore, our study proposes a combination of elements for the construction of superior pluripotent CAR-T cells to provide an effective strategy for the treatment of intractable solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoshuai Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody, MOE, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Haiyan Guo
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Jecho Biopharmaceutical Institute, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Chenxiao Xu
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody, MOE, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody, MOE, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Yong Ke
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody, MOE, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Yang Gao
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody, MOE, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Baohong Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody, MOE, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
| | - Jianwei Zhu
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody, MOE, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China; Jecho Biopharmaceutical Institute, Shanghai, 200240, China
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Hadiloo K, Tahmasebi S, Esmaeilzadeh A. CAR-NKT cell therapy: a new promising paradigm of cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Cell Int 2023; 23:86. [PMID: 37158883 PMCID: PMC10165596 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-02923-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Today, cancer treatment is one of the fundamental problems facing clinicians and researchers worldwide. Efforts to find an excellent way to treat this illness continue, and new therapeutic strategies are developed quickly. Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) is a practical approach that has been emerged to improve clinical outcomes in cancer patients. In the ACT, one of the best ways to arm the immune cells against tumors is by employing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) via genetic engineering. CAR equips cells to target specific antigens on tumor cells and selectively eradicate them. Researchers have achieved promising preclinical and clinical outcomes with different cells by using CARs. One of the potent immune cells that seems to be a good candidate for CAR-immune cell therapy is the Natural Killer-T (NKT) cell. NKT cells have multiple features that make them potent cells against tumors and would be a powerful replacement for T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. NKT cells are cytotoxic immune cells with various capabilities and no notable side effects on normal cells. The current study aimed to comprehensively provide the latest advances in CAR-NKT cell therapy for cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaveh Hadiloo
- Student Research Committee, Department of immunology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Safa Tahmasebi
- Student Research Committee, Department of immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Abdolreza Esmaeilzadeh
- Department of Immunology, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
- Cancer Gene Therapy Research Center (CGRC), Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
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Novel scFv against Notch Ligand JAG1 Suitable for Development of Cell Therapies toward JAG1-Positive Tumors. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13030459. [PMID: 36979394 PMCID: PMC10046313 DOI: 10.3390/biom13030459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The Notch signaling ligand JAG1 is overexpressed in various aggressive tumors and is associated with poor clinical prognosis. Hence, therapies targeting oncogenic JAG1 hold great potential for the treatment of certain tumors. Here, we report the identification of specific anti-JAG1 single-chain variable fragments (scFvs), one of them endowing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells with cytotoxicity against JAG1-positive cells. Anti-JAG1 scFvs were identified from human phage display libraries, reformatted into full-length monoclonal antibodies (Abs), and produced in mammalian cells. The characterization of these Abs identified two specific anti-JAG1 Abs (J1.B5 and J1.F1) with nanomolar affinities. Cloning the respective scFv sequences in our second- and third-generation CAR backbones resulted in six anti-JAG1 CAR constructs, which were screened for JAG1-mediated T-cell activation in Jurkat T cells in coculture assays with JAG1-positive cell lines. Studies in primary T cells demonstrated that one CAR harboring the J1.B5 scFv significantly induced effective T-cell activation in the presence of JAG1-positive, but not in JAG1-knockout, cancer cells, and enabled specific killing of JAG1-positive cells. Thus, this new anti-JAG1 scFv represents a promising candidate for the development of cell therapies against JAG1-positive tumors.
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Wu P, Han J, Gong Y, Liu C, Yu H, Xie N. Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery Systems Targeting Tumor Microenvironment for Cancer Immunotherapy Resistance: Current Advances and Applications. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14101990. [PMID: 36297426 PMCID: PMC9612242 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14101990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has shown impressive anti-tumor activity in patients with advanced and early-stage malignant tumors, thus improving long-term survival. However, current cancer immunotherapy is limited by barriers such as low tumor specificity, poor response rate, and systemic toxicities, which result in the development of primary, adaptive, or acquired resistance. Immunotherapy resistance has complex mechanisms that depend on the interaction between tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME). Therefore, targeting TME has recently received attention as a feasibility strategy for re-sensitizing resistant neoplastic niches to existing cancer immunotherapy. With the development of nanotechnology, nanoplatforms possess outstanding features, including high loading capacity, tunable porosity, and specific targeting to the desired locus. Therefore, nanoplatforms can significantly improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy while reducing its toxic and side effects on non-target cells that receive intense attention in cancer immunotherapy. This review explores the mechanisms of tumor microenvironment reprogramming in immunotherapy resistance, including TAMs, CAFs, vasculature, and hypoxia. We also examined whether the application of nano-drugs combined with current regimens is improving immunotherapy clinical outcomes in solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peijie Wu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jun Han
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China
| | - Yanju Gong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China
| | - Chao Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China
| | - Han Yu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China
- Correspondence: (H.Y.); (N.X.); Tel.:+86-158-8455-5293 (N.X.)
| | - Na Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
- Correspondence: (H.Y.); (N.X.); Tel.:+86-158-8455-5293 (N.X.)
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