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Agorku DJ, Bosio A, Alves F, Ströbel P, Hardt O. Colorectal cancer-associated fibroblasts inhibit effector T cells via NECTIN2 signaling. Cancer Lett 2024; 595:216985. [PMID: 38821255 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216985] [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: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts play a crucial role within the tumor microenvironment. However, a comprehensive characterization of CAF in colorectal cancer (CRC) is still missing. We combined scRNA-seq and spatial proteomics to decipher fibroblast heterogeneity in healthy human colon and CRC at high resolution. Analyzing nearly 23,000 fibroblasts, we identified 11 distinct clusters and verified them by spatial proteomics. Four clusters, consisting of myofibroblastic CAF (myCAF)-like, inflammatory CAF (iCAF)-like and proliferating fibroblasts as well as a novel cluster, which we named "T cell-inhibiting CAF" (TinCAF), were primarily found in CRC. This new cluster was characterized by the expression of immune-interacting receptors and ligands, including CD40 and NECTIN2. Co-culture of CAF and T cells resulted in a reduction of the effector T cell compartment, impaired proliferation, and increased exhaustion. By blocking its receptor interaction, we demonstrated that NECTIN2 was the key driver of T cell inhibition. Analysis of clinical datasets showed that NECTIN2 expression is a poor prognostic factor in CRC and other tumors. In conclusion, we identified a new class of immuno-suppressive CAF with features rendering them a potential target for future immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Agorku
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany; University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), Institute of Pathology, Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
| | - Andreas Bosio
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Frauke Alves
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany; University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Translational Molecular Imaging, Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
| | - Philipp Ströbel
- University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), Institute of Pathology, Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
| | - Olaf Hardt
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany.
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2
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Gurbatri CR, Radford GA, Vrbanac L, Im J, Thomas EM, Coker C, Taylor SR, Jang Y, Sivan A, Rhee K, Saleh AA, Chien T, Zandkarimi F, Lia I, Lannagan TRM, Wang T, Wright JA, Kobayashi H, Ng JQ, Lawrence M, Sammour T, Thomas M, Lewis M, Papanicolas L, Perry J, Fitzsimmons T, Kaazan P, Lim A, Stavropoulos AM, Gouskos DA, Marker J, Ostroff C, Rogers G, Arpaia N, Worthley DL, Woods SL, Danino T. Engineering tumor-colonizing E. coli Nissle 1917 for detection and treatment of colorectal neoplasia. Nat Commun 2024; 15:646. [PMID: 38245513 PMCID: PMC10799955 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44776-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Bioengineered probiotics enable new opportunities to improve colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, prevention and treatment. Here, first, we demonstrate selective colonization of colorectal adenomas after oral delivery of probiotic E. coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) to a genetically-engineered murine model of CRC predisposition and orthotopic models of CRC. We next undertake an interventional, double-blind, dual-centre, prospective clinical trial, in which CRC patients take either placebo or EcN for two weeks prior to resection of neoplastic and adjacent normal colorectal tissue (ACTRN12619000210178). We detect enrichment of EcN in tumor samples over normal tissue from probiotic-treated patients (primary outcome of the trial). Next, we develop early CRC intervention strategies. To detect lesions, we engineer EcN to produce a small molecule, salicylate. Oral delivery of this strain results in increased levels of salicylate in the urine of adenoma-bearing mice, in comparison to healthy controls. To assess therapeutic potential, we engineer EcN to locally release a cytokine, GM-CSF, and blocking nanobodies against PD-L1 and CTLA-4 at the neoplastic site, and demonstrate that oral delivery of this strain reduces adenoma burden by ~50%. Together, these results support the use of EcN as an orally-deliverable platform to detect disease and treat CRC through the production of screening and therapeutic molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candice R Gurbatri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Georgette A Radford
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Laura Vrbanac
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Jongwon Im
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Elaine M Thomas
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Courtney Coker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Samuel R Taylor
- Weill Cornell-Rockefeller-Sloan Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD program, New York, NY, USA
| | - YoungUk Jang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Ayelet Sivan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Kyu Rhee
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anas A Saleh
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tiffany Chien
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | | | - Ioana Lia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Tamsin R M Lannagan
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Tongtong Wang
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Josephine A Wright
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Hiroki Kobayashi
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Jia Q Ng
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Matt Lawrence
- Colorectal Unit, Department of Surgery, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Tarik Sammour
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- Colorectal Unit, Department of Surgery, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Michelle Thomas
- Colorectal Unit, Department of Surgery, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Mark Lewis
- Colorectal Unit, Department of Surgery, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Lito Papanicolas
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, 5042, Australia
| | - Joanne Perry
- Colorectal Unit, Department of Surgery, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Tracy Fitzsimmons
- Colorectal Unit, Department of Surgery, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Patricia Kaazan
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Amanda Lim
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | | | - Dion A Gouskos
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Julie Marker
- Cancer Voices SA, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Cheri Ostroff
- University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia
| | - Geraint Rogers
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, 5042, Australia
| | - Nicholas Arpaia
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Daniel L Worthley
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- Colonoscopy Clinic, Spring Hill, 4000, Queensland, Australia
| | - Susan L Woods
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.
| | - Tal Danino
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
- Data Science Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
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3
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Naumov SS, Krakhmal NV, Tashireva LA, Vtorushin SV. [Expression of immune checkpoints PD-L1, CTLA4, LAG3 in the microenvironment of colon adenocarcinoma depending on MMR status]. Arkh Patol 2024; 86:6-13. [PMID: 38591901 DOI: 10.17116/patol2024860216] [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] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Study of the features of expression of immune checkpoint proteins PD-L1, CTLA4 and LAG3 in the microenvironment of colon adenocarcinoma depending on MMR status. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study group consisted of 32 patients with a morphologically confirmed diagnosis of colon cancer; all of them underwent surgical treatment in the form of hemicolonectomy or resection. The work assessed samples of tumor tissue obtained as a result of surgery, the study was carried out in 3 stages: morphological examination of histological slides of colon tumors at the light-optical level, immunohistochemistry examination of tumor samples to determine the dMMR/pMMR status of carcinoma using a panel of antibodies to proteins of the unpaired nucleotide repair system MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2, multiplex analysis of PD-L1, CTLA4, LAG3, CD3+, CD8+, CD163+ markers using the Vectra 3.0.3 tissue scanning system (Perkin Elmer, USA). RESULTS Significant differences in the expression of PD-L1, CTLA4, LAG3 in the area of the invasive tumor margin were revealed between the dMMR and pMMR groups of colon adenocarcinomas in patients comparable in clinical and morphological characteristics and treatment. In the group of tumors with dMMR status, an increase in the expression of all studied markers was noted. The number of CD3+ TILs was also significantly higher in the invasive margin of tumors with dMMR status. Similarly, in this group of colon carcinomas, a large number of CD163+ macrophages were noted both in the center and in the invasive margin zone. No statistically significant differences were found in the expression of immune checkpoints and the composition of TILs in the central zone of tumors with different MMR status. CONCLUSION A study using multiplex immunohistochemical analysis showed that MMR-deficient colon adenocarcinomas are characterized by more pronounced immune infiltration and increased expression of immune checkpoints in microenvironmental cells, mainly in the area of invasive tumor growth. The data obtained may be important for understanding the mechanisms of immune-mediated control of tumor growth and the choice of immunotherapy tactics depending on MMR status.
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Affiliation(s)
- S S Naumov
- Siberian State Medical University, Tomsk, Russia
| | - N V Krakhmal
- Siberian State Medical University, Tomsk, Russia
- Cancer Research Institute - Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk, Russia
| | - L A Tashireva
- Cancer Research Institute - Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk, Russia
| | - S V Vtorushin
- Siberian State Medical University, Tomsk, Russia
- Cancer Research Institute - Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk, Russia
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Han L, Zhang Y, Li L, Zhang Q, Liu Z, Niu H, Hu J, Ding Z, Shi X, Qian X. Exploring the Expression and Prognosis of Mismatch Repair Proteins and PD-L1 in Colorectal Cancer in a Chinese Cohort. Cancer Manag Res 2023; 15:791-801. [PMID: 37575316 PMCID: PMC10417781 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s417470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Exploring the expression and prognosis of mismatch repair proteins and PD-L1 in colorectal cancer. Patients and Methods A total of 272 patients with surgically resected CRC were enrolled in the study from January 2018 to May 2022 at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital (The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School). Surgically resected samples were collected from patients along with general, clinicopathological, and imaging data for each patient. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect expression of MSH2, MSH6, MLH1, and PMS2 proteins in tumor tissue. X-squared (X2) testing was performed to investigate the correlation between expression of MMR proteins and PD-L1 in CRC tumor tissues and clinicopathological characteristics. Correlation analysis was also used to compare the deletion of four MMR proteins in CRC tumor tissues. A survival curve and Log rank test were used to investigate the relationship between the expression of MMR proteins and PD-L1 with regard to CRC patient prognosis and survival. Results MMR protein expression deletion was correlated with tumor location, the degree of tissue differentiation, and TNM stage (P<0.05). PD-L1 expression was correlated with TNM stage (P<0.05). Correlation analysis of deletion of MMR protein isoform expression found that PMS2 deletion was significantly correlated with MLH1 deletion (P<0.05). Similarly, MSH2 deletion was significantly correlated with MSH6 deletion (P<0.05). PMS2 deletion was also found to be correlated with PD-L1 expression (P<0.05). Progression-free survival was found to be significantly longer in mismatch repair-proficient (pMMR) patients compared with mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) patients. Conclusion Deletion of MMR proteins and expression of PD-L1 are closely related to clinicopathological characteristics and overall prognosis of CRC patients. This suggests the relevance of MMR and PD-L1 as potential biomarkers for treatment of CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Han
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yaping Zhang
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Pathology, The First People’s Hospital of Yangzhou, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Li Li
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qun Zhang
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhihao Liu
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haiqing Niu
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jing Hu
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhou Ding
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiao Shi
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoping Qian
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
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5
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Gurbatri CR, Radford G, Vrbanac L, Coker C, Im JW, Taylor SR, Jang Y, Sivan A, Rhee K, Saleh AA, Chien T, Zandkarimi F, Lia I, Lannagan TR, Wang T, Wright JA, Thomas E, Kobayashi H, Ng JQ, Lawrence M, Sammour T, Thomas M, Lewis M, Papanicolas L, Perry J, Fitzsimmons T, Kaazan P, Lim A, Marker J, Ostroff C, Rogers G, Arpaia N, Worthley DL, Woods SL, Danino T. Colorectal cancer detection and treatment with engineered probiotics. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.03.535370. [PMID: 37066243 PMCID: PMC10104002 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.03.535370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Bioengineered probiotics enable new opportunities to improve colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, prevention and treatment strategies. Here, we demonstrate the phenomenon of selective, long-term colonization of colorectal adenomas after oral delivery of probiotic E. coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) to a genetically-engineered murine model of CRC predisposition. We show that, after oral administration, adenomas can be monitored over time by recovering EcN from stool. We also demonstrate specific colonization of EcN to solitary neoplastic lesions in an orthotopic murine model of CRC. We then exploit this neoplasia-homing property of EcN to develop early CRC intervention strategies. To detect lesions, we engineer EcN to produce a small molecule, salicylate, and demonstrate that oral delivery of this strain results in significantly increased levels of salicylate in the urine of adenoma-bearing mice, in comparison to healthy controls. We also assess EcN engineered to locally release immunotherapeutics at the neoplastic site. Oral delivery to mice bearing adenomas, reduced adenoma burden by ∼50%, with notable differences in the spatial distribution of T cell populations within diseased and healthy intestinal tissue, suggesting local induction of robust anti-tumor immunity. Together, these results support the use of EcN as an orally-delivered platform to detect disease and treat CRC through its production of screening and therapeutic molecules.
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