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Sugiyarto G, Prossor D, Dadas O, Arcia-Anaya ED, Elliott T, James E. Protective low-avidity anti-tumour CD8+ T cells are selectively attenuated by regulatory T cells. IMMUNOTHERAPY ADVANCES 2021; 1:ltaa001. [PMID: 33748824 PMCID: PMC7958313 DOI: 10.1093/immadv/ltaa001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Regulatory T cells (Treg) play a major role in the suppression of protective anti-tumour T cell responses. In the CT26 BALB/c murine model of colorectal carcinoma, Tregs differentially suppress responses to two characterised CD8+ T epitopes, AH1 and GSW11, which results in an absence of detectable IFN-γ-producing GSW11-specific T cells in the spleen and lymph nodes of tumour challenged mice. Activation of GSW11-specific T cells correlates with protection against tumour progression. We wanted to examine the presence of non-functional GSW11-specific T cells in Treg replete and depleted mice, assess their phenotype and their affinity compared to AH1-specific T cells. Methods We used peptide-specific tetramers to identify tumour-specific CD8+ T cells and assessed the cell surface expression of markers associated with exhaustion (PD-1, Tim3 and Lag-3) and their function by IFN-g production using flow cytometry. We also assessed the T cell receptor (TcR) clonality of tumour-specific T cells. Tetramer competition assays were performed to determine the relative affinity of identified TcR. Results Here, we show that GSW11-specific T cells are in fact induced in Treg-replete, CT26-bearing mice, where they make up the majority of tumour-infiltrating CD8+ lymphocytes, but exhibit an ‘exhausted’ phenotype. This dysfunctional phenotype is induced early in the anti-tumour response in tumours. Depletion of Tregs prior to tumour challenge correlates with an altered T cell receptor (TcR) repertoire. Moreover, the avidity of GSW11-specific TcRs that expanded in the absence of Tregs was significantly lower compared with TcRs of CD8+populations that were diminished in protective anti-tumour responses. Conclusion Our results indicate that Tregs suppress the induction of protective anti-tumour T cell responses and may signify that low-avidity T cells play an important role in this protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gessa Sugiyarto
- Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - David Prossor
- Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Osman Dadas
- Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - E David Arcia-Anaya
- Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Tim Elliott
- Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK.,Institute for Life sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Edward James
- Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK.,Institute for Life sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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2
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Mikhaylova IN, Shubina IZ, Chkadua GZ, Petenko NN, Morozova LF, Burova OS, Beabelashvili RS, Parsunkova KA, Balatskaya NV, Chebanov DK, Pospelov VI, Nazarova VV, Vihrova AS, Cheremushkin EA, Molodyk AA, Kiselevsky MV, Demidov LV. Immunological monitoring for prediction of clinical response to antitumor vaccine therapy. Oncotarget 2018; 9:24381-24390. [PMID: 29849947 PMCID: PMC5966268 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has shown promising results in a variety of cancers, including melanoma. However, the responses to therapy are usually heterogeneous, and understanding the factors affecting clinical outcome is still not achieved. Here, we show that immunological monitoring of the vaccine therapy for melanoma patients may help to predict the clinical course of the disease. We studied cytokine profile of cellular Th1 (IL-2, IL-12, IFN-γ) and humoral Th2 (IL-4, IL-10) immune response, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFA), transforming growth factor-β 2 (TGF-β 2), S100 protein (S100A1B and S100BB), adhesion molecule CD44 and serum cytokines β2-microglobulin to analyze different peripheral blood mononuclear cell subpopuations of patients treated with dendritic vaccines and/or cyclophosphamide in melanoma patients in the course of adjuvant treatment. The obtained data indicate predominance of cellular immunity in the first adjuvant group of patients with durable time to progression and shift to humoral with low cellular immunity in patients with short-term period to progression (increased levels of IL-4 and IL- 10). Beta-2 microglobulin was differentially expressed in adjuvant subgroups: its higher levels correlated with shorter progression-free survival and the total follow-up time. Immunoregulatory index was overall higher in patients with disease progression compared to the group of patients with no signs of disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Olga S Burova
- N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center, Moscow, Russia
| | - Robert Sh Beabelashvili
- Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Experimental Cardiology, Russian Cardiological Research and Production Complex, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Natalia V Balatskaya
- Department of Immunology and Virology, Moscow Helmholtz Research Institute of Eye Diseases, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Lev V Demidov
- N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center, Moscow, Russia
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3
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Dhabhar FS. The short-term stress response - Mother nature's mechanism for enhancing protection and performance under conditions of threat, challenge, and opportunity. Front Neuroendocrinol 2018; 49:175-192. [PMID: 29596867 PMCID: PMC5964013 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2018.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Our group has proposed that in contrast to chronic stress that can have harmful effects, the short-term (fight-or-flight) stress response (lasting for minutes to hours) is nature's fundamental survival mechanism that enhances protection and performance under conditions involving threat/challenge/opportunity. Short-term stress enhances innate/primary, adaptive/secondary, vaccine-induced, and anti-tumor immune responses, and post-surgical recovery. Mechanisms and mediators include stress hormones, dendritic cell, neutrophil, macrophage, and lymphocyte trafficking/function and local/systemic chemokine and cytokine production. Short-term stress may also enhance mental/cognitive and physical performance through effects on brain, musculo-skeletal, and cardiovascular function, reappraisal of threat/anxiety, and training-induced stress-optimization. Therefore, short-term stress psychology/physiology could be harnessed to enhance immuno-protection, as well as mental and physical performance. This review aims to provide a conceptual framework and targets for further investigation of mechanisms and conditions under which the protective/adaptive aspects of short-term stress/exercise can be optimized/harnessed, and for developing pharmacological/biobehavioral interventions to enhance health/healing, and mental/cognitive/physical performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Firdaus S Dhabhar
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Mail Stop M877, 1550 NW 10th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136-1000, United States.
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4
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Heninger E, Krueger TEG, Thiede SM, Sperger JM, Byers BL, Kircher MR, Kosoff D, Yang B, Jarrard DF, McNeel DG, Lang JM. Inducible expression of cancer-testis antigens in human prostate cancer. Oncotarget 2018; 7:84359-84374. [PMID: 27769045 PMCID: PMC5341296 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.12711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune tolerance to self-antigens can limit robust anti-tumor immune responses in the use of tumor vaccines. Expression of novel tumor associated antigens can improve immune recognition and lysis of tumor cells. The cancer-testis antigen (CTA) family of proteins has been hypothesized to be an ideal class of antigens due to tumor-restricted expression, a subset of which have been found to induce antibody responses in patients with prostate disease. We demonstrate that CTA expression is highly inducible in five different Prostate Cancer (PC) cell lines using a hypomethylating agent 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5AZA) and/or a histone deacetylase inhibitor LBH589. These CTAs include NY-ESO1, multiple members of the MAGE and SSX families and NY-SAR35. A subset of CTAs is synergistically induced by the combination of 5AZA and LBH589. We developed an ex vivo organ culture using human PC biopsies for ex vivo drug treatments to evaluate these agents in clinical samples. These assays found significant induction of SSX2 in 9/9 distinct patient samples and NY-SAR35 in 7/9 samples. Further, we identify expression of SSX2 in circulating tumor cells (CTC) from patients with advanced PC. These results indicate that epigenetic modifying agents can induce expression of a broad range of neoantigens in human PC and may serve as a useful adjunctive therapy with novel tumor vaccines and checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Heninger
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.,University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Timothy E G Krueger
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Stephanie M Thiede
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.,University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Jamie M Sperger
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.,University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Brianna L Byers
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Madison R Kircher
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - David Kosoff
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.,University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Bing Yang
- Department of Urology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.,University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - David F Jarrard
- Department of Urology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.,University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Douglas G McNeel
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.,University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Joshua M Lang
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.,University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
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5
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Weiss GJ, Beck J, Braun DP, Bornemann-Kolatzki K, Barilla H, Cubello R, Quan W, Sangal A, Khemka V, Waypa J, Mitchell WM, Urnovitz H, Schütz E. Tumor Cell–Free DNA Copy Number Instability Predicts Therapeutic Response to Immunotherapy. Clin Cancer Res 2017; 23:5074-5081. [PMID: 28320758 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-17-0231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Revised: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Glen J Weiss
- Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Goodyear, Arizona.
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Walter Quan
- Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Goodyear, Arizona
| | - Ashish Sangal
- Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Goodyear, Arizona
| | - Vivek Khemka
- Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Goodyear, Arizona
| | - Jordan Waypa
- Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Goodyear, Arizona
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6
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Cancer acidity: An ultimate frontier of tumor immune escape and a novel target of immunomodulation. Semin Cancer Biol 2017; 43:74-89. [PMID: 28267587 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2017.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 360] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Revised: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The link between cancer metabolism and immunosuppression, inflammation and immune escape has generated major interest in investigating the effects of low pH on tumor immunity. Indeed, microenvironmental acidity may differentially impact on diverse components of tumor immune surveillance, eventually contributing to immune escape and cancer progression. Although the molecular pathways underlying acidity-related immune dysfunctions are just emerging, initial evidence indicates that antitumor effectors such as T and NK cells tend to lose their function and undergo a state of mostly reversible anergy followed by apoptosis, when exposed to low pH environment. At opposite, immunosuppressive components such as myeloid cells and regulatory T cells are engaged by tumor acidity to sustain tumor growth while blocking antitumor immune responses. Local acidity could also profoundly influence bioactivity and distribution of antibodies, thus potentially interfering with the clinical efficacy of therapeutic antibodies including immune checkpoint inhibitors. Hence tumor acidity is a central regulator of cancer immunity that orchestrates both local and systemic immunosuppression and that may offer a broad panel of therapeutic targets. This review outlines the fundamental pathways of acidity-driven immune dysfunctions and sheds light on the potential strategies that could be envisaged to potentiate immune-mediated tumor control in cancer patients.
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7
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Camisaschi C, Vallacchi V, Vergani E, Tazzari M, Ferro S, Tuccitto A, Kuchuk O, Shahaj E, Sulsenti R, Castelli C, Rodolfo M, Rivoltini L, Huber V. Targeting Immune Regulatory Networks to Counteract Immune Suppression in Cancer. Vaccines (Basel) 2016; 4:vaccines4040038. [PMID: 27827921 PMCID: PMC5192358 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines4040038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2016] [Revised: 09/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The onset of cancer is unavoidably accompanied by suppression of antitumor immunity. This occurs through mechanisms ranging from the progressive accumulation of regulatory immune cells associated with chronic immune stimulation and inflammation, to the expression of immunosuppressive molecules. Some of them are being successfully exploited as therapeutic targets, with impressive clinical results achieved in patients, as in the case of immune checkpoint inhibitors. To limit immune attack, tumor cells exploit specific pathways to render the tumor microenvironment hostile for antitumor effector cells. Local acidification might, in fact, anergize activated T cells and facilitate the accumulation of immune suppressive cells. Moreover, the release of extracellular vesicles by tumor cells can condition distant immune sites contributing to the onset of systemic immune suppression. Understanding which mechanisms may be prevalent in specific cancers or disease stages, and identifying possible strategies to counterbalance would majorly contribute to improving clinical efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. Here, we intend to highlight these mechanisms, how they could be targeted and the tools that might be available in the near future to achieve this goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Camisaschi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Viviana Vallacchi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Marcella Tazzari
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Simona Ferro
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Tuccitto
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Olga Kuchuk
- Mount Sinai Liver Cancer Program, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Eriomina Shahaj
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Roberta Sulsenti
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Chiara Castelli
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Licia Rivoltini
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Veronica Huber
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
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8
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Almeida JF, Breyner NM, Mahi M, Ahmed B, Benbouziane B, Boas PCBV, Miyoshi A, Azevedo V, Langella P, Bermúdez-Humarán LG, Chatel JM. Expression of fibronectin binding protein A (FnBPA) from Staphylococcus aureus at the cell surface of Lactococcus lactis improves its immunomodulatory properties when used as protein delivery vector. Vaccine 2016; 34:1312-8. [PMID: 26854905 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2015] [Revised: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A recombinant strain of Lactococcus lactis displaying a cell-surface anchored fibronectin binding protein A (FnBPA) from Staphylococcus aureus (LL-FnBPA) had been shown to be more efficient in delivering plasmid than its wild-type counterpart both in vitro and in vivo, and have the ability to orientate the immune response toward a Th2 profile in a context of a DNA vaccination. The aim of this work was to test whether this LL-FnBPA strain could shape the immune response after mucosal administration in mice. For this, we used a mouse model of human papilloma virus (HPV)-induced cancer and a L. lactis strain displaying at its cell surface both HPV-16-E7 antigen (LL-E7) and FnBPA (LL-E7+FnBPA). Our results revealed a more efficient systemic Th1 immune response with recombinant LL-E7+FnBPA. Furthermore, mice vaccinated with LL-E7+FnBPA were better protected when challenged with HPV-16-induced tumors. Altogether, the results suggest that FnBPA displays adjuvant properties when used in the context of mucosal delivery using L. lactis as a live vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana F Almeida
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France; UFMG, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Natalia M Breyner
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France; UFMG, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Miloud Mahi
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France; Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Biology Department, University of Nature, Life and Hearth Sciences, Theniat el Had Street, 44225 Khemis Miliana, Algeria
| | - Bensoltane Ahmed
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Biology Department, University of Nature, Life and Hearth Sciences, Theniat el Had Street, 44225 Khemis Miliana, Algeria
| | - Bouasria Benbouziane
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France; Laboratory of Beneficial Microorganisms, Functional Foods and Health, Department of Biology, University of Mostaganem, Lahcen Street, P.O. Box 300, Mostaganem 27000, Algeria
| | - Priscilla C B Vilas Boas
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France; UFMG, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Anderson Miyoshi
- UFMG, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Vasco Azevedo
- UFMG, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Philippe Langella
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Luis G Bermúdez-Humarán
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Jean-Marc Chatel
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France.
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9
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Everson RG, Jin RM, Wang X, Safaee M, Scharnweber R, Lisiero DN, Soto H, Liau LM, Prins RM. Cytokine responsiveness of CD8(+) T cells is a reproducible biomarker for the clinical efficacy of dendritic cell vaccination in glioblastoma patients. J Immunother Cancer 2014; 2:10. [PMID: 24883189 PMCID: PMC4039989 DOI: 10.1186/2051-1426-2-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2014] [Accepted: 03/31/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Immunotherapeutic approaches, such as dendritic cell (DC) vaccination, have emerged as promising strategies in the treatment of glioblastoma. Despite their promise, however, the absence of objective biomarkers and/or immunological monitoring techniques to assess the clinical efficacy of immunotherapy still remains a primary limitation. To address this, we sought to identify a functional biomarker for anti-tumor immune responsiveness associated with extended survival in glioblastoma patients undergoing DC vaccination. Methods 28 patients were enrolled and treated in two different Phase 1 DC vaccination clinical trials at UCLA. To assess the anti-tumor immune response elicited by therapy, we studied the functional responsiveness of pre- and post-vaccination peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) to the immunostimulatory cytokines interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) in 21 of these patients for whom we had adequate material. Immune responsiveness was quantified by measuring downstream phosphorylation events of the transcription factors, STAT-1 and STAT-5, via phospho-specific flow cytometry. Results DC vaccination induced a significant decrease in the half-maximal concentration (EC-50) of IL-2 required to upregulate pSTAT-5 specifically in CD3+CD8+ T lymphocytes (p < 0.045). Extended survival was also associated with an increased per cell phosphorylation of STAT-5 in cytotoxic T-cells following IL-2 stimulation when the median post/pre pSTAT-5 ratio was used to dichotomize the patients (p = 0.0015, log-rank survival; hazard ratio = 0.1834, p = 0.018). Patients whose survival was longer than two years had a significantly greater pSTAT-5 ratio (p = 0.015), but, contrary to our expectations, a significantly lower pSTAT-1 ratio (p = 0.038). Conclusions Our results suggest that monitoring the pSTAT signaling changes in PBL may provide a functional immune monitoring measure predictive of clinical efficacy in DC-vaccinated patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard G Everson
- Departments of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Richard M Jin
- Departments of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Michael Safaee
- Departments of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Rudi Scharnweber
- Departments of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Dominique N Lisiero
- Departments of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Horacio Soto
- Departments of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Linda M Liau
- Departments of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Robert M Prins
- Departments of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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10
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Dhabhar FS. Effects of stress on immune function: the good, the bad, and the beautiful. Immunol Res 2014; 58:193-210. [DOI: 10.1007/s12026-014-8517-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 452] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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11
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Immune monitoring in cancer vaccine clinical trials: critical issues of functional flow cytometry-based assays. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2013; 2013:726239. [PMID: 24195078 PMCID: PMC3806162 DOI: 10.1155/2013/726239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2013] [Accepted: 08/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The development of immune monitoring assays is essential to determine the immune responses against tumor-specific antigens (TSAs) and tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) and their possible correlation with clinical outcome in cancer patients receiving immunotherapies. Despite the wide range of techniques used, to date these assays have not shown consistent results among clinical trials and failed to define surrogate markers of clinical efficacy to antitumor vaccines. Multiparameter flow cytometry- (FCM-) based assays combining different phenotypic and functional markers have been developed in the past decade for informative and longitudinal analysis of polyfunctional T-cells. These technologies were designed to address the complexity and functional heterogeneity of cancer biology and cellular immunity and to define biomarkers predicting clinical response to anticancer treatment. So far, there is still a lack of standardization of some of these immunological tests. The aim of this review is to overview the latest technologies for immune monitoring and to highlight critical steps involved in some of the FCM-based cellular immune assays. In particular, our laboratory is focused on melanoma vaccine research and thus our main goal was the validation of a functional multiparameter test (FMT) combining different functional and lineage markers to be applied in clinical trials involving patients with melanoma.
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