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Kumaresan PR, Wurster S, Bavisi K, da Silva TA, Hauser P, Kinnitt J, Albert ND, Bharadwaj U, Neelapu S, Kontoyiannis DP. A novel lentiviral vector-based approach to generate chimeric antigen receptor T cells targeting Aspergillus fumigatus. mBio 2024; 15:e0341323. [PMID: 38415653 PMCID: PMC11005356 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03413-23] [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: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a common and deadly mold infection in immunocompromised patients. As morbidity and mortality of IA are primarily driven by poor immune defense, adjunct immunotherapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, are direly needed. Here, we propose a novel approach to generate Aspergillus fumigatus (AF)-CAR T cells using the single-chain variable fragment domain of monoclonal antibody AF-269-5 and a lentiviral vector system. These cells successfully targeted mature hyphal filaments of representative clinical and reference AF isolates and elicited a potent release of cytotoxic effectors and type 1 T cell cytokines. Furthermore, AF-CAR T cells generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of four healthy human donors and expanded with either of three cytokine stimulation regimens (IL-2, IL-2 + IL-21, or IL-7 + IL-15) significantly suppressed mycelial growth of AF-293 after 18 hours of co-culture and synergized with the immunomodulatory antifungal agent caspofungin to control hyphal growth for 36 hours. Moreover, cyclophosphamide-immunosuppressed NSG mice with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis that received two doses of 5 million AF-CAR T cells (6 and 48 hours after AF infection) showed significantly reduced morbidity on day 4 post-infection (P < 0.001) and significantly improved 7-day survival (P = 0.049) compared with mice receiving non-targeting control T cells, even without concomitant antifungal chemotherapy. In conclusion, we developed a novel lentiviral strategy to obtain AF-CAR T cells with high targeting efficacy, yielding significant anti-AF activity in vitro and short-term protection in vivo. Our approach could serve as an important steppingstone for future clinical translation of antifungal CAR T-cell therapy after further refinement and thorough preclinical evaluation.IMPORTANCEInvasive aspergillosis (IA) remains a formidable cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with hematologic malignancies and those undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Despite the introduction of several new Aspergillus-active antifungals over the last 30 years, the persisting high mortality of IA in the setting of continuous and profound immunosuppression is a painful reminder of the major unmet need of effective antifungal immune enhancement therapies. The success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in cancer medicine has inspired researchers to translate this approach to opportunistic infections, including IA. Aiming to refine anti-Aspergillus CAR T-cell therapy and improve its feasibility for future clinical translation, we herein developed and validated a novel antibody-based CAR construct and lentiviral transduction method to accelerate the production of CAR T cells with high targeting efficacy against Aspergillus fumigatus. Our unique approach could provide a promising platform for future clinical translation of CAR T-cell-based antifungal immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pappanaicken R. Kumaresan
- Department of Hematopoietic Biology & Malignancy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Lymphoma & Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Sebastian Wurster
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Karishma Bavisi
- Department of Lymphoma & Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Paul Hauser
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jordan Kinnitt
- Department of Lymphoma & Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Nathaniel D. Albert
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Uddalak Bharadwaj
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Sattva Neelapu
- Department of Lymphoma & Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Dimitrios P. Kontoyiannis
- Department of Lymphoma & Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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Guo Y, Wang Y, Xu X, Niu D, Qing Q, Wang L, Zhu J. Effects of Cold Plasma Pretreatment on the Synthesis of Polysaccharide from Pleurotus ostreatus. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2024; 196:1977-1991. [PMID: 37458939 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-023-04662-z] [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] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Fungal polysaccharides have attracted wide attention because of their medical pharmaceutical and health care value. So far, many efforts have been made in strain improvement to produce polysaccharides on a large scale at low cost. Here, a novel cold plasma-induced strain improvement technology was employed to pretreat Pleurotus ostreatus CGMCC 5.374 by radio-frequency (RF) low-vacuum cold plasma (LVCP) for the purpose of obtaining a high-yield polysaccharide strain. The optimum pretreatment conditions including discharge power, treatment time, and working pressure were determined by single factor and orthogonal experiment in succession. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis was conducted to study the effects of RF-LVCP on cell metabolism and proliferation. Results showed that under the optimal condition of discharge power of 130 W, treatment time of 25 s and working pressure of 140 Pa, polysaccharide content in mycelium was increased by 3.16% after 6 days in comparison to the original strain. Transcriptome analysis showed that RF-LVCP is helpful for specific gene transcription profiles, Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathways, of which the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly involve with the up-regulation of polysaccharide transport, physiology, synthesis and metabolism, as well as the down-regulation of polysaccharide hydrolysis and macromolecular degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Guo
- School of Pharmacy, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, Jiangsu, China
| | - Youjun Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoyan Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dongze Niu
- Institute of Urban & Rural Mining, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qing Qing
- School of Pharmacy, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, Jiangsu, China
| | - Liqun Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jie Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, Jiangsu, China.
- Institute of Urban & Rural Mining, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, Jiangsu, China.
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Liu Z, Lei W, Wang H, Liu X, Fu R. Challenges and strategies associated with CAR-T cell therapy in blood malignancies. Exp Hematol Oncol 2024; 13:22. [PMID: 38402232 PMCID: PMC10893672 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-024-00490-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Cellular immunotherapy, particularly CAR-T cells, has shown potential in the improvement of outcomes in patients with refractory and recurrent malignancies of the blood. However, achieving sustainable long-term complete remission for blood cancer remains a challenge, with resistance and relapse being expected outcomes for many patients. Although many studies have attempted to clarify the mechanisms of CAR-T cell therapy failure, the mechanism remains unclear. In this article, we discuss and describe the current state of knowledge regarding these factors, which include elements that influence the CAR-T cell, cancer cells as a whole, and the microenvironment surrounding the tumor. In addition, we propose prospective approaches to overcome these obstacles in an effort to decrease recurrence rates and extend patient survival subsequent to CAR-T cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoyun Liu
- Department of Hematology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154 Anshan Street, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, PR China.
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Bone Marrow Failure and Malignant Hemopoietic Clone46Control, Tianjin, 300052, P. R. China.
| | - Wenhui Lei
- Department of Hematology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154 Anshan Street, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, PR China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Bone Marrow Failure and Malignant Hemopoietic Clone46Control, Tianjin, 300052, P. R. China
- Department of Nephrology, Lishui Municipal Central Hospital, Lishui, Zhejiang, 323000, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Hematology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154 Anshan Street, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, PR China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Bone Marrow Failure and Malignant Hemopoietic Clone46Control, Tianjin, 300052, P. R. China
| | - Xiaohan Liu
- Department of Hematology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154 Anshan Street, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, PR China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Bone Marrow Failure and Malignant Hemopoietic Clone46Control, Tianjin, 300052, P. R. China
| | - Rong Fu
- Department of Hematology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154 Anshan Street, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, PR China.
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Bone Marrow Failure and Malignant Hemopoietic Clone46Control, Tianjin, 300052, P. R. China.
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Zhou J, Shi F, Luo X, Lei B, Shi Z, Huang C, Zhang Y, Li X, Wang H, Li XY, He X. The persistence and antitumor efficacy of CAR-T cells are modulated by tonic signaling within the CDR. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 126:111239. [PMID: 37979453 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.111239] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has demonstrated remarkable clinical efficacy, but challenges related to relapse and CAR-T cell exhaustion persist. One contributing factor to this exhaustion is CAR tonic signaling, where CAR-T cells self-activate without antigen stimulation, leading to reduced persistence and impaired antitumor activity. To address this issue, we conducted a preclinical study evaluating tonic signaling using nanobody-derived CAR-T cells. Our investigation revealed that specific characteristics of the complementary determining regions (CDRs), including low solubility, polarity, positive charge, energy, and area of ionic and positive CDR patches of amino acids, were associated with low antigen-independent tonic signaling. Significantly, we observed that stronger tonic signaling directly impacted CAR-T cell proliferation in vitro, consequently leading to CAR-T cell exhaustion and diminished persistence and effectiveness in vivo. Our findings provide compelling preclinical evidence and lay the foundation for the clinical assessment of CAR-T cells with distinct tonic signaling patterns. Understanding the role of CDRs in modulating tonic signaling holds promise for advancing the development of more efficient and durable CAR-T cell therapies, thereby enhancing the treatment of cancer and addressing the challenges of relapse in CAR-T cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jincai Zhou
- R&D Department, OriCell Therapeutics Co. Ltd., 1227 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Feifei Shi
- R&D Department, OriCell Therapeutics Co. Ltd., 1227 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xinran Luo
- R&D Department, OriCell Therapeutics Co. Ltd., 1227 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Bixia Lei
- R&D Department, OriCell Therapeutics Co. Ltd., 1227 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Zhongjun Shi
- R&D Department, OriCell Therapeutics Co. Ltd., 1227 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Chenyu Huang
- R&D Department, OriCell Therapeutics Co. Ltd., 1227 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yuting Zhang
- R&D Department, OriCell Therapeutics Co. Ltd., 1227 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xiaopei Li
- R&D Department, OriCell Therapeutics Co. Ltd., 1227 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Huajing Wang
- R&D Department, OriCell Therapeutics Co. Ltd., 1227 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xian-Yang Li
- R&D Department, OriCell Therapeutics Co. Ltd., 1227 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Xiaowen He
- R&D Department, OriCell Therapeutics Co. Ltd., 1227 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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Machado MP, dos Santos MH, Guimarães JG, de Campos GY, Oliveira Brito PKM, Ferreira CMG, Rezende CP, Frota NF, Soares SG, Kumaresan PR, Lourenzoni MR, da Silva TA. GXMR-CAR containing distinct GXM-specific single-chain variable fragment (scFv) mediated the cell activation against Cryptococcus spp. And had difference in the strength of tonic signaling. Bioengineered 2023; 14:2281059. [PMID: 37978838 PMCID: PMC10761124 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2023.2281059] [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: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus spp. has a polysaccharide capsule composed of glucuronoxylomannan-GXM, a major virulence factor that can prevent the recognition of fungi by immune cells. Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) redirects T cells to target Cryptococcus spp. as previously demonstrated by a CAR specific to GXM, GXMR-CAR. The current study evaluated the strength of the signal transduction triggered by GXMR-CAR, composed of a distinct antigen-binding domain sourced from a single-chain variable fragment (scFv). GXM-specific scFv derived from mAbs 2H1 and 18B7, 2H1-GXMR-CAR and 18B7-GXMR-CAR, respectively, were designed to express CD8 molecule as hinge/transmembrane, and the costimulatory molecule CD137 (4-1BB) coupled to CD3ζ. The 2H1-GXMR-CAR or 18B7-GXMR-CAR Jurkat cells recognized soluble GXM from C. gattii and C. neoformans, and the levels of IL-2 released by the modified cells did not differ between the GXMR-CAR constructs after exposure to Cryptococcus spp. 18B7-GXMR-CAR triggered tonic signaling was more pronounced in modified Jurkat cells, and a protein kinase inhibitor of the Src family (dasatinib) significantly reduced GXMR-CAR tonic signaling and inhibited cell activation against ligands. 18B7 scFv showed a structural modification of the variable heavy (VH) chain that clarified the difference in the strength of tonic signaling and the level of cell activation between 2H1-GXMR-CAR and 18B7-GXMR-CAR. GXMR-CAR constructs induced T-cell activation against clinical isolates of Cryptococcus spp. and serum from patients with cryptococcosis induced high levels of IL-2, mainly in cells modified with 18B7-GXMR-CAR. Thus, 18B7-GXMR-CAR and 2H1-GXMR-CAR mediated T cell activation against Cryptococcus spp. and 18B7 and 2H1 scFv influenced the strength of tonic signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Procópio Machado
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Matheus Henrique dos Santos
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Júlia Garcia Guimarães
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Yamazaki de Campos
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Camilly Melo Garcia Ferreira
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Caroline Patini Rezende
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Pappanaicken R. Kumaresan
- Department of Hematopoietic Biology and Malignancy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Marcos Roberto Lourenzoni
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz Ceará (Fiocruz-CE), Research Group on Protein Engineering and Health Solutions (GEPeSS), Eusébio, Ceara, Brazil
| | - Thiago Aparecido da Silva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Araraquara, Sao Paulo State University, Araraquara, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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