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Santhanam M, Kumar Pandey S, Shteinfer-Kuzmine A, Paul A, Abusiam N, Zalk R, Shoshan-Barmatz V. Interaction of SMAC with a survivin-derived peptide alters essential cancer hallmarks: Tumor growth, inflammation, and immunosuppression. Mol Ther 2024; 32:1934-1955. [PMID: 38582961 PMCID: PMC11184343 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.04.007] [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: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Second mitochondrial-derived activator of caspase (SMAC), also known as direct inhibitor of apoptosis-binding proteins with low pI (Diablo), is known as a pro-apoptotic mitochondrial protein released into the cytosol in response to apoptotic signals. We recently reported SMAC overexpression in cancers as essential for cell proliferation and tumor growth due to non-apoptotic functions, including phospholipid synthesis regulation. These functions may be associated with its interactions with partner proteins. Using a peptide array with 768 peptides derived from 11 selected SMAC-interacting proteins, we identified SMAC-interacting sequences. These SMAC-binding sequences were produced as cell-penetrating peptides targeted to the cytosol, mitochondria, or nucleus, inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis in several cell lines. For in vivo study, a survivin/baculoviral inhibitor of apoptosis repeat-containing 5 (BIRC5)-derived peptide was selected, due to its overexpression in many cancers and its involvement in mitosis, apoptosis, autophagy, cell proliferation, inflammation, and immune responses, as a target for cancer therapy. Specifically, a SMAC-targeting survivin/BIRC5-derived peptide, given intratumorally or intravenously, strongly inhibited lung tumor growth, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and inflammation, induced apoptosis, and remodeled the tumor microenvironment. The peptide promoted tumor infiltration of CD-8+ cells and increased cell-intrinsic programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, resulting in cancer cell self-destruction and increased tumor cell death, preserving immune cells. Thus, targeting the interaction between the multifunctional proteins SMAC and survivin represents an innovative therapeutic cancer paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manikandan Santhanam
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 0084105, Israel; The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 0084105, Israel
| | - Swaroop Kumar Pandey
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 0084105, Israel; The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 0084105, Israel
| | - Anna Shteinfer-Kuzmine
- The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 0084105, Israel
| | - Avijit Paul
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 0084105, Israel
| | - Nur Abusiam
- The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 0084105, Israel
| | - Ran Zalk
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 0084105, Israel
| | - Varda Shoshan-Barmatz
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 0084105, Israel; The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 0084105, Israel.
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Santoro A, Angelico G, Inzani F, Arciuolo D, d'Amati A, Addante F, Travaglino A, Scaglione G, D'Alessandris N, Valente M, Tinnirello G, Raffone A, Narducci N, Piermattei A, Cianfrini F, Bragantini E, Zannoni GF. The emerging and challenging role of PD-L1 in patients with gynecological cancers: An updating review with clinico-pathological considerations. Gynecol Oncol 2024; 184:57-66. [PMID: 38295614 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2024.01.032] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Over recent years, there has been significant progress in the development of immunotherapeutic molecules designed to block the PD-1/PD-L1 axis. These molecules have demonstrated their ability to enhance the immune response by prompting T cells to identify and suppress neoplastic cells. PD-L1 is a type 1 transmembrane protein ligand expressed on T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, and antigen-presenting cells and is considered a key inhibitory checkpoint involved in cancer immune regulation. PD-L1 immunohistochemical expression in gynecological malignancies is extremely variable based on tumor stage and molecular subtypes. As a result, a class of monoclonal antibodies targeting the PD-1 receptor and PD-L1, known as immune checkpoint inhibitors, has found successful application in clinical settings. In clinical practice, the standard method for identifying suitable candidates for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy involves immunohistochemical assessment of PD-L1 expression in neoplastic tissues. The most commonly used PD-L1 assays in clinical trials are SP142, 28-8, 22C3, and SP263, each of which has been rigorously validated on specific platforms. Gynecologic cancers encompass a wide spectrum of malignancies originating from the ovaries, uterus, cervix, and vulva. These neoplasms have shown variable response to immunotherapy which appears to be influenced by genetic and protein expression profiles, including factors such as mismatch repair status, tumor mutational burden, and checkpoint ligand expression. In the present paper, an extensive review of PD-L1 expression in various gynecologic cancer types is discussed, providing a guide for their pathological assessment and reporting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Santoro
- Unità Operativa Complessa Anatomia Patologica Generale, Dipartimento di scienze della salute della donna, del bambino e di sanità pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Roma, Italy; Istituto di Anatomia Patologica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Angelico
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Anatomic Pathology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Frediano Inzani
- Anatomic Pathology Unit, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia and Fondazione IRCCS San Matteo Hospital, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Damiano Arciuolo
- Unità Operativa Complessa Anatomia Patologica Generale, Dipartimento di scienze della salute della donna, del bambino e di sanità pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Antonio d'Amati
- Unità Operativa Complessa Anatomia Patologica Generale, Dipartimento di scienze della salute della donna, del bambino e di sanità pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Francesca Addante
- Unità Operativa Complessa Anatomia Patologica Generale, Dipartimento di scienze della salute della donna, del bambino e di sanità pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Antonio Travaglino
- Pathology Unit, Department of Medicine and Technological Innovation, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Giulia Scaglione
- Unità Operativa Complessa Anatomia Patologica Generale, Dipartimento di scienze della salute della donna, del bambino e di sanità pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Nicoletta D'Alessandris
- Unità Operativa Complessa Anatomia Patologica Generale, Dipartimento di scienze della salute della donna, del bambino e di sanità pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Michele Valente
- Unità Operativa Complessa Anatomia Patologica Generale, Dipartimento di scienze della salute della donna, del bambino e di sanità pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Giordana Tinnirello
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Anatomic Pathology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Antonio Raffone
- Gynecology and Obstetrics Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Nadine Narducci
- Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Alessia Piermattei
- Unità Operativa Complessa Anatomia Patologica Generale, Dipartimento di scienze della salute della donna, del bambino e di sanità pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Federica Cianfrini
- Unità Operativa Complessa Anatomia Patologica Generale, Dipartimento di scienze della salute della donna, del bambino e di sanità pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Emma Bragantini
- Department of Pathology, Santa Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy
| | - Gian Franco Zannoni
- Unità Operativa Complessa Anatomia Patologica Generale, Dipartimento di scienze della salute della donna, del bambino e di sanità pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Roma, Italy; Istituto di Anatomia Patologica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Roma, Italy.
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Saleh RO, Ibrahim FM, Pallathadka H, Kaur I, Ahmad I, Ali SHJ, Redhee AH, Ghildiyal P, Jawad MA, Alsaadi SB. Nucleic acid vaccines-based therapy for triple-negative breast cancer: A new paradigm in tumor immunotherapy arena. Cell Biochem Funct 2024; 42:e3992. [PMID: 38551221 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3992] [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: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Nucleic acid vaccines (NAVs) have the potential to be economical, safe, and efficacious. Furthermore, just the chosen antigen in the pathogen is the target of the immune responses brought on by NAVs. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) treatment shows great promise for nucleic acid-based vaccines, such as DNA (as plasmids) and RNA (as messenger RNA [mRNA]). Moreover, cancer vaccines offer a compelling approach that can elicit targeted and long-lasting immune responses against tumor antigens. Bacterial plasmids that encode antigens and immunostimulatory molecules serve as the foundation for DNA vaccines. In the 1990s, plasmid DNA encoding the influenza A nucleoprotein triggered a protective and targeted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response, marking the first instance of DNA vaccine-mediated immunity. Similarly, in vitro transcribed mRNA was first successfully used in animals in 1990. At that point, mice were given an injection of the gene encoding the mRNA sequence, and the researchers saw the production of a protein. We begin this review by summarizing our existing knowledge of NAVs. Next, we addressed NAV delivery, emphasizing the need to increase efficacy in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raed Obaid Saleh
- Department of Medical Laboratory Techniques, Al-Maarif University College, Al-Anbar, Iraq
| | - Fatma M Ibrahim
- Community Health Nursing, RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
- Geriatric Nursing, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | | | - Irwanjot Kaur
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetics, Jain (Deemed-to-be) University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
- Department of Allied Healthcare and Sciences, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Irfan Ahmad
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saad Hayif Jasim Ali
- Department of Medical Laboratory, College of Health and Medical Technololgy, Al-Ayen University, Thi-Qar, Iraq
| | - Ahmed Huseen Redhee
- Medical Laboratory Technique College, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
- Medical Laboratory Technique College, The Islamic University of Al Diwaniyah, Al Diwaniyah, Iraq
- Medical Laboratory Technique College, The Islamic University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq
| | - Pallavi Ghildiyal
- Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
| | | | - Salim B Alsaadi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Al-Hadi University College, Baghdad, Iraq
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Broggi G, Angelico G, Farina J, Tinnirello G, Barresi V, Zanelli M, Palicelli A, Certo F, Barbagallo G, Magro G, Caltabiano R. Tumor-associated microenvironment, PD-L1 expression and their relationship with immunotherapy in glioblastoma, IDH-wild type: A comprehensive review with emphasis on the implications for neuropathologists. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 254:155144. [PMID: 38277747 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Although novel knowledge has been acquired on the molecular landscape of glioblastoma (GBM), a relatively few steps forward have been made regarding its therapy. With the increasing use of novel immunotherapeutic drugs capable of stimulating the antitumor inflammatory response, in the last decades numerous studies aimed to characterize the tumor-associated microenvironment (TME) and its relationship with the immunogenicity of GBM. In this regard, although the tumor-associated microglia and macrophages (TAMs) and PD-L1/PD-1 axis have been emerged as one of the most relevant components of the GBM TME and one of the potential molecular pathways targetable with immunotherapy, respectively. It has been supposed that TAMs may acquire different phenotypes, switching from M1 to M2 phenotypes, with tumor-suppressive and tumor-stimulating role depending on the different surrounding conditions. PD-L1 is a type 1 transmembrane protein ligand expressed by T-cells, B-cells and antigen-presenting cells, with a main inhibitory checkpoint role on tumor immune regulation. While PD-L1 immunohistochemical expression has been extensively investigated in many cancers, its usefulness in the evaluation of GBM response rates to immunotherapy and its standardized evaluation by immunohistochemistry are still debated. The present review paper focuses on the current "state of the art" about the relationship between TME, PD-L1/PD-1 pathway and immunotherapy in GBM, also providing neuropathologists with an updated guide about the clinical trials conducted with PD-L1 and PD-1 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Broggi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Anatomic Pathology, University of Catania, Catania 95123, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe Angelico
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Anatomic Pathology, University of Catania, Catania 95123, Italy
| | - Jessica Farina
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Anatomic Pathology, University of Catania, Catania 95123, Italy
| | - Giordana Tinnirello
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Anatomic Pathology, University of Catania, Catania 95123, Italy
| | - Valeria Barresi
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Anatomic Pathology, University of Verona, Verona 37134, Italy
| | - Magda Zanelli
- Pathology Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia 42123, Italy
| | - Andrea Palicelli
- Pathology Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia 42123, Italy
| | - Francesco Certo
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Policlinico "G. Rodolico-S. Marco" University Hospital, Catania 95121, Italy; Interdisciplinary Research Center on Brain Tumors Diagnosis and Treatment, University of Catania, Catania 95123, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Barbagallo
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Policlinico "G. Rodolico-S. Marco" University Hospital, Catania 95121, Italy; Interdisciplinary Research Center on Brain Tumors Diagnosis and Treatment, University of Catania, Catania 95123, Italy
| | - Gaetano Magro
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Anatomic Pathology, University of Catania, Catania 95123, Italy
| | - Rosario Caltabiano
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Anatomic Pathology, University of Catania, Catania 95123, Italy
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