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Hu S, Meng K, Wang T, Qu R, Wang B, Xi Y, Yu T, Yuan Z, Cai Z, Tian Y, Zeng C, Wang X, Zou W, Fu X, Li L. Lung cancer cell-intrinsic IL-15 promotes cell migration and sensitizes murine lung tumors to anti-PD-L1 therapy. Biomark Res 2024; 12:40. [PMID: 38637902 PMCID: PMC11027539 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-024-00586-w] [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: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND IL-15 plays a vital role in enhancing NK cell- and T-cell-mediated antitumor immune responses; however, the direct effect of IL-15 on tumor cells has not been fully elucidated. Herein, we investigated the effect of IL-15 on lung adenocarcinoma cells. METHODS Silencing and overexpression techniques were used to modify endogenous IL-15 expression in tumor cells. Transwell assays were used to assess tumor cell migration and invasion; a live-cell analysis system was used to evaluate cell motility; cellular morphological changes were quantified by confocal fluorescence microscopy; the molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of IL-15 on tumor cells were analyzed by western blotting; and RhoA and Cdc42 activities were evaluated by a pulldown assay. NCG and C57BL/6 mouse models were used to evaluate the functions of IL-15 in vivo. RESULTS Cancer cell-intrinsic IL-15 promoted cell motility and migration in vitro and metastasis in vivo via activation of the AKT-mTORC1 pathway; however, exogenous IL-15 inhibited cell motility and migration via suppression of the RhoA-MLC2 axis. Mechanistic analysis revealed that both the intracellular and extracellular IL-15-mediated effects required the expression of IL-15Rα by tumor cells. Detailed analyses revealed that the IL-2/IL-15Rβ and IL-2Rγ chains were undetected in the complex formed by intracellular IL-15 and IL-15Rα. However, when exogenous IL-15 engaged tumor cells, a complex containing the IL-15Rα, IL-2/IL-15Rβ, and IL-2Rγ chains was formed, indicating that the differential actions of intracellular and extracellular IL-15 on tumor cells might be caused by their distinctive modes of IL-15 receptor engagement. Using a Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) metastasis model, we showed that although IL-15 overexpression facilitated the lung metastasis of LLC cells, IL-15-overexpressing LLC tumors were more sensitive to anti-PD-L1 therapy than were IL-15-wild-type LLC tumors via an enhanced antitumor immune response, as evidenced by their increased CD8+ T-cell infiltration compared to that of their counterparts. CONCLUSIONS Cancer cell-intrinsic IL-15 and exogenous IL-15 differentially regulate cell motility and migration. Thus, cancer cell-intrinsic IL-15 acts as a double-edged sword in tumor progression. Additionally, high levels of IL-15 expressed by tumor cells might improve the responsiveness of tumors to immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaojie Hu
- Thoracic Surgery Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie Fang Avenue, 430030, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Kelin Meng
- Thoracic Surgery Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie Fang Avenue, 430030, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Tianlai Wang
- Thoracic Surgery Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie Fang Avenue, 430030, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Rirong Qu
- Thoracic Surgery Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie Fang Avenue, 430030, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Boyu Wang
- Thoracic Surgery Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie Fang Avenue, 430030, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yu Xi
- Thoracic Surgery Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie Fang Avenue, 430030, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Taiyan Yu
- Thoracic Surgery Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie Fang Avenue, 430030, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhiwei Yuan
- Thoracic Surgery Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie Fang Avenue, 430030, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zihao Cai
- Thoracic Surgery Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie Fang Avenue, 430030, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yitao Tian
- Thoracic Surgery Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie Fang Avenue, 430030, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chenxi Zeng
- Thoracic Surgery Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie Fang Avenue, 430030, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xue Wang
- Thoracic Surgery Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie Fang Avenue, 430030, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wenbin Zou
- Thoracic Surgery Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie Fang Avenue, 430030, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiangning Fu
- Thoracic Surgery Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie Fang Avenue, 430030, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
| | - Lequn Li
- Thoracic Surgery Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie Fang Avenue, 430030, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Chen X, Liao C, Zou X, Zhang B, Mo Z. A gene signature of cancer-associated fibroblasts predicts prognosis and treatment response in bladder cancer. Clin Transl Oncol 2024; 26:477-495. [PMID: 37594617 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-023-03270-x] [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: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Due to the pivotal role cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play in tumor progression, our study aimed to develop a signature of CAFs-related gene (CRG) to predict the survival outcomes and treatment response of bladder cancer (BLCA). METHODS The transcriptome data and relevant clinical information about BLCA were collected from publicly available databases, including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was utilized to uncover CAFs-associated hub genes, and subsequently, a risk model for survival prognosis was constructed using LASSO-Cox regression. The immune microenvironment, immune infiltration, immunotherapy response, and drug sensitivity were explored using ESTIMATE, CIBERSORT, TIDE, and oncoPredict algorithms. To verify the expression of the CRGs, additional analyses were performed using online databases (HPA, CCLE, TIMER, cBioPortal, and TISCH). RESULTS Our study developed a CRG signature and constructed a prognostic model. Significant differences in overall survival were observed between the two risk stratifications. The risk score increased with the infiltration of CAFs and tumor staging progression, while closely correlating with immune checkpoint expression and infiltration of CD8 T cells, follicular helper T cells, regulatory T cells, activated dendritic cells, M0 macrophages, M2 macrophages, and resting mast cells. Furthermore, a higher proportion of patients in the low-risk stratification exhibited responsiveness to immunotherapy, and significant variances in sensitivity to multiple chemotherapy medications were observed between the two risk stratifications. CONCLUSION The construction of the risk model based on the CRG signature offers new avenues for the prognosis evaluation and development of personalized treatment strategies for BLCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Chen
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Chunyan Liao
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550000, China
| | - Xiong Zou
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Bei Zhang
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550000, China.
| | - Zengnan Mo
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China.
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
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Chehelgerdi M, Chehelgerdi M. The use of RNA-based treatments in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:106. [PMID: 37420174 PMCID: PMC10401791 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01807-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past several decades, mRNA vaccines have evolved from a theoretical concept to a clinical reality. These vaccines offer several advantages over traditional vaccine techniques, including their high potency, rapid development, low-cost manufacturing, and safe administration. However, until recently, concerns over the instability and inefficient distribution of mRNA in vivo have limited their utility. Fortunately, recent technological advancements have mostly resolved these concerns, resulting in the development of numerous mRNA vaccination platforms for infectious diseases and various types of cancer. These platforms have shown promising outcomes in both animal models and humans. This study highlights the potential of mRNA vaccines as a promising alternative approach to conventional vaccine techniques and cancer treatment. This review article aims to provide a thorough and detailed examination of mRNA vaccines, including their mechanisms of action and potential applications in cancer immunotherapy. Additionally, the article will analyze the current state of mRNA vaccine technology and highlight future directions for the development and implementation of this promising vaccine platform as a mainstream therapeutic option. The review will also discuss potential challenges and limitations of mRNA vaccines, such as their stability and in vivo distribution, and suggest ways to overcome these issues. By providing a comprehensive overview and critical analysis of mRNA vaccines, this review aims to contribute to the advancement of this innovative approach to cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Chehelgerdi
- Novin Genome (NG) Lab, Research and Development Center for Biotechnology, Shahrekord, Iran.
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.
| | - Matin Chehelgerdi
- Novin Genome (NG) Lab, Research and Development Center for Biotechnology, Shahrekord, Iran
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
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Noh JY, Jung H. Natural Killer Cells and Immunotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108760. [PMID: 37240104 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate immune cells that demonstrate cytolytic activity against tumor cells, virus-infected cells and other physiologically stressed cells, such as senescent cells [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Yoon Noh
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Haiyoung Jung
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
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Zhou Y, Cheng L, Liu L, Li X. NK cells are never alone: crosstalk and communication in tumour microenvironments. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:34. [PMID: 36797782 PMCID: PMC9933398 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01737-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune escape is a hallmark of cancer. The dynamic and heterogeneous tumour microenvironment (TME) causes insufficient infiltration and poor efficacy of natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy, which becomes a key factor triggering tumour progression. Understanding the crosstalk between NK cells and the TME provides new insights for optimising NK cell-based immunotherapy. Here, we present new advances in direct or indirect crosstalk between NK cells and 9 specialised TMEs, including immune, metabolic, innervated niche, mechanical, and microbial microenvironments, summarise TME-mediated mechanisms of NK cell function inhibition, and highlight potential targeted therapies for NK-TME crosstalk. Importantly, we discuss novel strategies to overcome the inhibitory TME and provide an attractive outlook for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqiang Zhou
- grid.32566.340000 0000 8571 0482The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000 China ,grid.412643.60000 0004 1757 2902Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China ,Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lu Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lu Liu
- grid.412643.60000 0004 1757 2902Department of Pediatrics, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xun Li
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China. .,Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China. .,Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China.
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Versteven M, Flumens D, Campillo-Davó D, De Reu H, Van Bruggen L, Peeters S, Van Tendeloo V, Berneman Z, Dolstra H, Anguille S, Hobo W, Smits E, Lion E. Anti-Tumor Potency of Short-Term Interleukin-15 Dendritic Cells Is Potentiated by In Situ Silencing of Programmed-Death Ligands. Front Immunol 2022; 13:734256. [PMID: 35250967 PMCID: PMC8891487 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.734256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cell (DC) vaccines have proven to be a valuable tool in cancer immune therapy. With several DC vaccines being currently tested in clinical trials, knowledge about their therapeutic value has been significantly increased in the past decade. Despite their established safety, it has become clear that objective clinical responses are not yet robust enough, requiring further optimization. Improvements of this advanced therapy medicinal product encompass, among others, regulating their immune stimulating capacity by in situ gene engineering, in addition to their implementation in combination therapy regimens. Previously, we have reported on a superior monocyte-derived DC preparation, including interleukin-15, pro-inflammatory cytokines and immunological danger signals in the culture process. These so-called IL-15 DCs have already proven to exhibit several favorable properties as cancer vaccine. Evolving research into mechanisms that could further modulate the immune response towards cancer, points to programmed death-1 as an important player that dampens anti-tumor immunity. Aiming at leveraging the immunogenicity of DC vaccines, we hypothesized that additional implementation of the inhibitory immune checkpoint molecules programmed death-ligand (PD-L)1 and PD-L2 in IL-15 DC vaccines would exhibit superior stimulatory potential. In this paper, we successfully implemented PD-L silencing at the monocyte stage in the 3-day IL-15 DC culture protocol resulting in substantial downregulation of both PD-L1 and PD-L2 to levels below 30%. Additionally, we validated that these DCs retain their specific characteristics, both at the level of phenotype and interferon gamma secretion. Evaluating their functional characteristics, we demonstrate that PD-L silencing does not affect the capacity to induce allogeneic proliferation. Ultimately designed to induce a durable tumor antigen-specific immune response, PD-L silenced IL-15 DCs were capable of surpassing PD-1-mediated inhibition by antigen-specific T cells. Further corroborating the superior potency of short-term IL-15 DCs, the combination of immune stimulatory components during DC differentiation and maturation with in situ checkpoint inhibition supports further clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maarten Versteven
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Donovan Flumens
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Diana Campillo-Davó
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Hans De Reu
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Laura Van Bruggen
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Stefanie Peeters
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Viggo Van Tendeloo
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Zwi Berneman
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Division of Hematology, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
- Center for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Harry Dolstra
- Department of Laboratory Medicine – Laboratory of Hematology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Sébastien Anguille
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Division of Hematology, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
- Center for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Willemijn Hobo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine – Laboratory of Hematology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Evelien Smits
- Center for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Eva Lion
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Center for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Eva Lion,
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