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Basnet A, Landreth KM, Nohoesu R, Santiago SP, Geldenhuys WJ, Boone BA, Liu TW. Targeting myeloperoxidase limits myeloid cell immunosuppression enhancing immune checkpoint therapy for pancreatic cancer. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2024; 73:57. [PMID: 38367056 PMCID: PMC10874341 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-024-03647-z] [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: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a devastating disease characterized by an extreme resistance to current therapies, including immune checkpoint therapy. The limited success of immunotherapies can be attributed to a highly immunosuppressive pancreatic cancer microenvironment characterized by an extensive infiltration of immune suppressing myeloid cells. While there are several pathways through which myeloid cells contribute to immunosuppression, one important mechanism is the increased production of reactive oxygen species. Here, we evaluated the contribution of myeloperoxidase, a myeloid-lineage restricted enzyme and primary source of reactive oxygen species, to regulate immune checkpoint therapy response in preclinical pancreatic cancer models. We compared treatment outcome, immune composition and characterized myeloid cells using wild-type, myeloperoxidase-deficient, and myeloperoxidase inhibitor treated wild-type mice using established subcutaneous pancreatic cancer models. Loss of host myeloperoxidase and pharmacological inhibition of myeloperoxidase in combination with immune checkpoint therapy significantly delayed tumor growth. The tumor microenvironment and systemic immune landscape demonstrated significant decreases in myeloid cells, exhausted T cells and T regulatory cell subsets when myeloperoxidase was deficient. Loss of myeloperoxidase in isolated myeloid cell subsets from tumor-bearing mice resulted in decreased reactive oxygen species production and T cell suppression. These data suggest that myeloperoxidase contributes to an immunosuppressive microenvironment and immune checkpoint therapy resistance where myeloperoxidase inhibitors have the potential to enhance immunotherapy response. Repurposing myeloperoxidase specific inhibitors may provide a promising therapeutic strategy to expand therapeutic options for pancreatic cancer patients to include immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angisha Basnet
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, 64 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Kaitlyn M Landreth
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, 64 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Remi Nohoesu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, 64 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Stell P Santiago
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Laboratory Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Werner J Geldenhuys
- WVU Cancer Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Brian A Boone
- WVU Cancer Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Tracy W Liu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, 64 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA.
- WVU Cancer Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA.
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Liu TW, Gammon ST, Yang P, Ma W, Wang J, Piwnica-Worms D. Inhibition of myeloperoxidase enhances immune checkpoint therapy for melanoma. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:jitc-2022-005837. [PMID: 36805920 PMCID: PMC9944647 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The presence of a highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment has limited the success of immune checkpoint therapy (ICT). Immune suppressing myeloid cells with increased production of reactive oxygen species are critical drivers of this immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Strategies to limit these immune suppressing myeloid cells are needed to enhance response to ICT. METHODS To evaluate the contribution of myeloperoxidase (MPO), a myeloid lineage-restricted enzyme and a major source of reactive oxygen species, to mediating ICT response, we compared treatment outcome and immune composition in wild-type, MPO-deficient (MPO -/- ), and MPO inhibitor-treated wild-type mice using established primary melanoma models. RESULTS Tumor growth and survival studies demonstrated that either host deficiency (MPO -/- ) or pharmacological inhibition of MPO enhanced ICT response in two preclinical models of established primary melanoma in aged animals. The tumor microenvironment and systemic immune landscape underwent striking changes in infiltration of myeloid cells, T cells, B cells, and dendritic cells in MPO -/- mice; furthermore, a significant increase in myeloid cells was observed in ICT non-responders. The contribution of CD4+ T cells and NK cells during ICT response also changed in MPO -/- mice. Interestingly, MPO enzymatic activity, but not protein, was increased in CD11b+Ly6G+ myeloid cells isolated from marrow, spleen, and peritoneal cavities of mice bearing untreated melanoma, indicating systemic activation of innate immunity. Notably, repurposing MPO-specific inhibitors (verdiperstat, AZD5904) in combination with ICT pointedly enhanced response rates above ICT alone. Indeed, long-term survival was 100% in the YUMM3.3 melanoma model on treatment with verdiperstat plus ICT. CONCLUSION MPO contributes to ICT resistance in established melanoma. Repurposing MPO-specific inhibitors may provide a promising therapeutic strategy to enhance ICT response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy W Liu
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA,Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Seth T Gammon
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ping Yang
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Wencai Ma
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - David Piwnica-Worms
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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Gonzalez C, Williamson S, Gammon ST, Glazer S, Rhee JH, Piwnica-Worms D. TLR5 agonists enhance anti-tumor immunity and overcome resistance to immune checkpoint therapy. Commun Biol 2023; 6:31. [PMID: 36635337 PMCID: PMC9837180 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04403-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary and adaptive resistance to immune checkpoint therapies (ICT) represent a considerable obstacle to achieving enhanced overall survival. Innate immune activators have been actively pursued for their antitumor potential. Herein we report that a syngeneic 4T1 mammary carcinoma murine model for established highly-refractory triple negative breast cancer showed enhanced survival when treated intra-tumorally with either the TLR5 agonist flagellin or CBLB502, a flagellin derivative, in combination with antibodies targeting CTLA-4 and PD-1. Long-term survivor mice showed immunologic memory upon tumor re-challenge and a distinctive immune activating cytokine profile that engaged both innate and adaptive immunity. Low serum levels of G-CSF and CXCL5 (as well as high IL-15) were candidate predictive biomarkers correlating with enhanced survival. CBLB502-induced enhancement of ICT was also observed in poorly immunogenic B16-F10 melanoma tumors. Combination immune checkpoint therapy plus TLR5 agonists may offer a new therapeutic strategy to treat ICT-refractory solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb Gonzalez
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Sarah Williamson
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Seth T. Gammon
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Sarah Glazer
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Joon Haeng Rhee
- grid.14005.300000 0001 0356 9399Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - David Piwnica-Worms
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
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A Photolysis-Assist Molecular Communication for Tumor Biosensing. SENSORS 2022; 22:s22072495. [PMID: 35408108 PMCID: PMC9003473 DOI: 10.3390/s22072495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Molecular communication (MC) is a promising bioinspired paradigm for exchanging molecule information among nanomachines. In this paper, we propose a synchronization-assist photolysis MC system that aims to transmit the biosensing signal of the tumor microenvironment, facilitated by mitigating redundant molecules for improved bit error rate (BER) performance. Benefits from biocompatible MC, biosensors could transmit biosensing signals of the tumor in vivo instead of converting them to electrical signals. Due to diffusion motion’s slow and stochastic nature, intersymbol interference (ISI), resulting from previous symbols’ residual information molecules, inevitably occurs in diffusion-based MC. ISI is one of the challenges in diffusion-based MC, which significantly impacts signal detection. Inspired by on–off keying (OOK) modulation, the proposed modulation implements a switch of molecules and light alternatively. The light emitted is triggered by a synchronization signal, and the photolysis reactions could reduce the redundant molecules. An expression for the relevant channel impulse response (CIR) is derived from a hybrid channel model of diffusion and photolysis reaction. In this paper, we implement the maximum posterior estimation scheme to find the optimal decision threshold and analysis the BER performance in terms of different time intervals of the system. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the proposed method can improve the channel capacity and BER performance. We believe that our work may pave the way for MC application in biosensing.
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Multi-Modal Multi-Spectral Intravital Microscopic Imaging of Signaling Dynamics in Real-Time during Tumor-ImmuneInteractions. Cells 2021; 10:cells10030499. [PMID: 33652682 PMCID: PMC7996937 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Intravital microscopic imaging (IVM) allows for the study of interactions between immune cells and tumor cells in a dynamic, physiologically relevant system in vivo. Current IVM strategies primarily use fluorescence imaging; however, with the advances in bioluminescence imaging and the development of new bioluminescent reporters with expanded emission spectra, the applications for bioluminescence are extending to single cell imaging. Herein, we describe a molecular imaging window chamber platform that uniquely combines both bioluminescent and fluorescent genetically encoded reporters, as well as exogenous reporters, providing a powerful multi-plex strategy to study molecular and cellular processes in real-time in intact living systems at single cell resolution all in one system. We demonstrate that our molecular imaging window chamber platform is capable of imaging signaling dynamics in real-time at cellular resolution during tumor progression. Importantly, we expand the utility of IVM by modifying an off-the-shelf commercial system with the addition of bioluminescence imaging achieved by the addition of a CCD camera and demonstrate high quality imaging within the reaches of any biology laboratory.
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Liu TW, Gammon ST, Fuentes D, Piwnica-Worms D. Multi-Modal Multi-Spectral Intravital Macroscopic Imaging of Signaling Dynamics in Real Time during Tumor-Immune Interactions. Cells 2021; 10:489. [PMID: 33668735 PMCID: PMC7996138 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A major obstacle in studying the interplay between cancer cells and the immune system has been the examination of proposed biological pathways and cell interactions in a dynamic, physiologically relevant system in vivo. Intravital imaging strategies are one of the few molecular imaging techniques that can follow biological processes at cellular resolution over long periods of time in the same individual. Bioluminescence imaging has become a standard preclinical in vivo optical imaging technique with ever-expanding versatility as a result of the development of new emission bioluminescent reporters, advances in genomic techniques, and technical improvements in bioluminescence imaging and processing methods. Herein, we describe an advance of technology with a molecular imaging window chamber platform that combines bioluminescent and fluorescent reporters with intravital macro-imaging techniques and bioluminescence spectral unmixing in real time applied to heterogeneous living systems in vivo for evaluating tumor signaling dynamics and immune cell enzyme activities concurrently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy W. Liu
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (T.W.L.); (S.T.G.)
| | - Seth T. Gammon
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (T.W.L.); (S.T.G.)
| | - David Fuentes
- Department of Imaging Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - David Piwnica-Worms
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (T.W.L.); (S.T.G.)
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