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Rahman NAA, Fuaad AAHA, Azami NAM, Amin MCIM, Azmi F. Next-generation Dengue Vaccines: Leveraging Peptide-Based Immunogens and Advanced Nanoparticles as Delivery Platforms. J Pharm Sci 2024; 113:2044-2054. [PMID: 38761864 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2024.05.010] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Dengue, caused by the dengue virus (DENV), is a prevalent arthropod-borne disease in humans and poses a significant burden on public health. Severe cases of dengue can be life-threatening. Although a licensed dengue vaccine is available, its efficacy varies across different virus serotypes and may exacerbate the disease in some seronegative recipients. Developing a safe and effective vaccine against all DENV serotypes remains challenging and requires continued research. Conventional approaches in dengue vaccine development, using live or attenuated microorganisms or parts of them often contain unnecessary epitopes, risking allergenic or autoimmune reactions. To address these challenges, innovative strategies such as peptide vaccines have been explored. Peptide vaccines offer a safer alternative by inducing specific immune responses with minimal immunogenic fragments. Chemical modification strategies of peptides have revolutionized their design, allowing for the incorporation of multi-epitope presentation, self-adjuvanting features, and self-assembling properties. These modifications enhance the antigenicity of the peptides, leading to improved vaccine efficacy. This review outlines advancements in peptide-based dengue vaccine development, leveraging nanoparticles as antigen-displaying platforms. Additionally, key immunological considerations for enhancing efficacy and safety against DENV infection have been addressed, providing insight into the next-generation of dengue vaccine development leveraging on peptide-nanoparticle technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur Adilah Abdul Rahman
- Centre for Drug Delivery Technology and Vaccine (CENTRIC), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Abdullah Al-Hadi Ahmad Fuaad
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nor Azila Muhammad Azami
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 56000 Cheras, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Cairul Iqbal Mohd Amin
- Centre for Drug Delivery Technology and Vaccine (CENTRIC), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Fazren Azmi
- Centre for Drug Delivery Technology and Vaccine (CENTRIC), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Dai J, Ashrafizadeh M, Aref AR, Sethi G, Ertas YN. Peptide-functionalized, -assembled and -loaded nanoparticles in cancer therapy. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:103981. [PMID: 38614161 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.103981] [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: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
The combination of peptides and nanoparticles in cancer therapy has shown synergistic results. Nanoparticle functionalization with peptides can increase their targeting ability towards tumor cells. In some cases, the peptides can develop self-assembled nanoparticles, in combination with drugs, for targeted cancer therapy. The peptides can be loaded into nanoparticles and can be delivered by other drugs for synergistic cancer removal. Multifunctional types of peptide-based nanoparticles, including pH- and redox-sensitive classes, have been introduced in cancer therapy. The tumor microenvironment remolds, and the acceleration of immunotherapy and vaccines can be provided by peptide nanoparticles. Moreover, the bioimaging and labeling of cancers can be mediated by peptide nanoparticles. Therefore, peptides can functionalize nanoparticles in targeted cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyuan Dai
- School of Computer Science and Information Systems, Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, MO, USA
| | - Milad Ashrafizadeh
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Digestive System Tumors, Carson International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China; International Association for Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China; Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Amir Reza Aref
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology and NUS Centre for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Yavuz Nuri Ertas
- ERNAM-Nanotechnology Research and Application Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri 38039, Turkey; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
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3
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Lin L, Zou X, Nong W, Ge Y, Li F, Luo B, Zhang Q, Xie X. The potential value of cancer-testis antigens in ovarian cancer: Prognostic markers and targets for immunotherapy. Immun Inflamm Dis 2024; 12:e1284. [PMID: 38896069 PMCID: PMC11186301 DOI: 10.1002/iid3.1284] [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: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor immunotherapy has become an important adjuvant therapy after surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. In recent years, the role of tumor-associated antigen (TAA) in tumor immunotherapy has become increasingly prominent. Cancer-testis antigen (CTA) is a kind of TAA that is highly restricted in a variety of tumors and can induce an immune response. AIMS This review article aimed to evaluate the role of CTA on the progression of ovarian cancer, its diagnostic efficacy, and the potential for immunotherapy. METHODS We analyzed publications and outlined a comprehensive of overview the regulatory mechanism, immunogenicity, clinical expression significance, tumorigenesis, and application prospects of CTA in ovarian cancer, with a particular focus on recent progress in CTA-based immunotherapy. RESULTS The expression of CTA affects the occurrence, development, and prognosis of ovarian cancer and is closely related to tumor immunity. CONCLUSION CTA can be used as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of ovarian cancer and is an ideal target for antitumor immunotherapy. These findings provide novel insights on CTA in the improvement of diagnosis and treatment for ovarian cancer. The successes, current challenges and future prospects were also discussed to portray its significant potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Lin
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine ScienceGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople's Republic of China
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoqiong Zou
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine ScienceGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Weixia Nong
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine ScienceGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Yingying Ge
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine ScienceGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine ScienceGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Bin Luo
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine ScienceGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople's Republic of China
- Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous RegionKey Laboratory of Basic Research on Regional Diseases (Guangxi Medical University)NanningGuangxiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Qingmei Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine ScienceGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople's Republic of China
- Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous RegionKey Laboratory of Basic Research on Regional Diseases (Guangxi Medical University)NanningGuangxiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoxun Xie
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine ScienceGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople's Republic of China
- Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous RegionKey Laboratory of Basic Research on Regional Diseases (Guangxi Medical University)NanningGuangxiPeople's Republic of China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment of Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University)NanningGuangxiPeople's Republic of China
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Zahedipour F, Jamialahmadi K, Zamani P, Reza Jaafari M. Improving the efficacy of peptide vaccines in cancer immunotherapy. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 123:110721. [PMID: 37543011 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110721] [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: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Peptide vaccines have shown great potential in cancer immunotherapy by targeting tumor antigens and activating the patient's immune system to mount a specific response against cancer cells. However, the efficacy of peptide vaccines in inducing a sustained immune response and achieving clinical benefit remains a major challenge. In this review, we discuss the current status of peptide vaccines in cancer immunotherapy and strategies to improve their efficacy. We summarize the recent advancements in the development of peptide vaccines in pre-clinical and clinical settings, including the use of novel adjuvants, neoantigens, nano-delivery systems, and combination therapies. We also highlight the importance of personalized cancer vaccines, which consider the unique genetic and immunological profiles of individual patients. We also discuss the strategies to enhance the immunogenicity of peptide vaccines such as multivalent peptides, conjugated peptides, fusion proteins, and self-assembled peptides. Although, peptide vaccines alone are weak immunogens, combining peptide vaccines with other immunotherapeutic approaches and developing novel approaches such as personalized vaccines can be promising methods to significantly enhance their efficacy and improve the clinical outcomes for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Zahedipour
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Nanotechnology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Nanotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Khadijeh Jamialahmadi
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Parvin Zamani
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mahmoud Reza Jaafari
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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Stump CT, Ho G, Mao C, Veliz FA, Beiss V, Fields J, Steinmetz NF, Fiering S. Remission-Stage Ovarian Cancer Cell Vaccine with Cowpea Mosaic Virus Adjuvant Prevents Tumor Growth. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:627. [PMID: 33562450 PMCID: PMC7915664 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecological malignancy. Though most patients enter remission following initial interventions, relapse is common and often fatal. Accordingly, there is a substantial need for ovarian cancer therapies that prevent relapse. Following remission generated by surgical debulking and chemotherapy, but prior to relapse, resected and inactivated tumor tissue could be used as a personalized vaccine antigen source. The patient's own tumor contains relevant antigens and, when combined with the appropriate adjuvant, could generate systemic antitumor immunity to prevent relapse. Here, we model this process in mice to investigate the optimal tumor preparation and vaccine adjuvant. Cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) has shown remarkable efficacy as an immunostimulatory cancer therapy in ovarian cancer mouse models, so we use CPMV as an adjuvant in a prophylactic vaccine against a murine ovarian cancer model. Compared to its codelivery with tumor antigens prepared in three other ways, we show that CPMV co-delivered with irradiated ovarian cancer cells constitutes an effective prophylactic vaccine against a syngeneic model of ovarian cancer in C57BL/6J mice. Following two vaccinations, 72% of vaccinated mice reject tumor challenges, and all those mice survived subsequent rechallenges, demonstrating immunologic memory formation. This study supports remission-stage vaccines using irradiated patient tumor tissue as a promising option for treating ovarian cancer, and validates CPMV as an antitumor vaccine adjuvant for that purpose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney T. Stump
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA;
| | - Gregory Ho
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA; (G.H.); (C.M.)
| | - Chenkai Mao
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA; (G.H.); (C.M.)
| | - Frank A. Veliz
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
| | - Veronique Beiss
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (V.B.); (N.F.S.)
| | - Jennifer Fields
- Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA;
| | - Nicole F. Steinmetz
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (V.B.); (N.F.S.)
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Steven Fiering
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA; (G.H.); (C.M.)
- Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA;
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Chan Y, Jazayeri SD, Ramanathan B, Poh CL. Enhancement of Tetravalent Immune Responses to Highly Conserved Epitopes of a Dengue Peptide Vaccine Conjugated to Polystyrene Nanoparticles. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8030417. [PMID: 32722368 PMCID: PMC7563452 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8030417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccination remains the major approach to the prevention of dengue. Since the only licensed live attenuated vaccine (LAV) lacked efficacy against all four serotypes, other vaccine platforms, such as synthetic peptide vaccines, should be explored. In this study, four multi-epitope peptides (P1-P4) were designed by linking a universal T-helper epitope (PADRE or TpD) to the highly conserved CD8 T cell epitope and B cell epitope (B1 or B2) against all four DENV serotypes. The multi-epitope peptides were conjugated to polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs) and four nanovaccines (NP1-NP4) were constructed. Mice immunized with NP1-NP4 elicited significantly higher titers of IgG and neutralizing antibodies when compared to immunization with naked P1-P4. The immune responses in mice immunized with peptide vaccines were compared with nanovaccines using ELISA, ELISPOT, and a neutralization test based on FRNT50. Among the four conjugated peptide nanovaccines, NP3 comprising the TpD T-helper epitope linked to the highly conserved B1 epitope derived from the E protein was able to elicit significant levels of IFN-γ and neutralizing antibodies to all four dengue serotypes. NP3 is a promising tetravalent synthetic peptide vaccine, but the selection of a more effective CD8+ T cell epitope and adjuvants to further improve the immunogenicity is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqi Chan
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia; (Y.C.); (S.D.J.)
| | - Seyed Davoud Jazayeri
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia; (Y.C.); (S.D.J.)
| | - Babu Ramanathan
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia;
| | - Chit Laa Poh
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia; (Y.C.); (S.D.J.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +60-3-74918622
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7
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Functional Recognition by CD8+ T Cells of Epitopes with Amino Acid Variations Outside Known MHC Anchor or T Cell Receptor Recognition Residues. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21134700. [PMID: 32630213 PMCID: PMC7369715 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptide-based vaccines can be safer and more cost effective than whole organism vaccines. Previous studies have shown that inorganic polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs) covalently conjugated to the minimal immunodominant peptide epitope from murine liver stage malaria (SYIPSAEKI) induced potent CD8+ T cell responses. Many pathogens, including malaria, have polymorphic T cell epitope regions. Amino acid changes in positions that are contact residues for the T cell receptor (TCR) often alter the specific cross-reactivity induced by the peptide antigen, and it is largely assumed that changes outside of these residues have little impact. Herein, each amino acid residue (except major histocompatibility complex (MHC) anchors) was systematically changed to an alanine. Peptide epitopes with altered amino acids outside T cell contact residues were still recognized by T cells induced by PSNPs-SYIPSAEKI (KI) vaccines, albeit at lower levels, except for the variant SYIPSAAKI (A7). PSNPs-SYIPSAAKI vaccines further elicited high responses to the index KI peptide. None of the epitopes displayed altered peptide ligand (APL) antagonism in vitro, and re-stimulating SYIPSAEKI and SYIPSAAKI together synergistically enhanced IFN-γ production by the T cells. These results show epitope variation in non-TCR recognition residues can have effects on T cell reactivity, suggesting that such natural variation may also be driven by immune pressure. Additionally, when re-modelling peptides to enhance the cross-reactivity of vaccines, both TCR recognition and non-recognition residues should be considered.
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Tornesello AL, Tagliamonte M, Tornesello ML, Buonaguro FM, Buonaguro L. Nanoparticles to Improve the Efficacy of Peptide-Based Cancer Vaccines. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E1049. [PMID: 32340356 PMCID: PMC7226445 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12041049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanoparticles represent a potent antigen presentation and delivery system to elicit an optimal immune response by effector cells targeting tumor-associated antigens expressed by cancer cells. Many types of nanoparticles have been developed, such as polymeric complexes, liposomes, micelles and protein-based structures such as virus like particles. All of them show promising results for immunotherapy approaches. In particular, the immunogenicity of peptide-based cancer vaccines can be significantly potentiated by nanoparticles. Indeed, nanoparticles are able to enhance the targeting of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and trigger cytokine production for optimal T cell response. The present review summarizes the categories of nanoparticles and peptide cancer vaccines which are currently under pre-clinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Lucia Tornesello
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS “Fondazione G. Pascale”, via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (M.L.T.); (F.M.B.)
| | - Maria Tagliamonte
- Innovative Immunological Models, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS “Fondazione G. Pascale”, via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Maria Lina Tornesello
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS “Fondazione G. Pascale”, via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (M.L.T.); (F.M.B.)
| | - Franco M. Buonaguro
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS “Fondazione G. Pascale”, via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (M.L.T.); (F.M.B.)
| | - Luigi Buonaguro
- Innovative Immunological Models, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS “Fondazione G. Pascale”, via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy;
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Xie K, Fu C, Wang S, Xu H, Liu S, Shao Y, Gong Z, Wu X, Xu B, Han J, Xu J, Xu P, Jia X, Wu J. Cancer-testis antigens in ovarian cancer: implication for biomarkers and therapeutic targets. J Ovarian Res 2019; 12:1. [PMID: 30609934 PMCID: PMC6318940 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-018-0475-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer remains the most fatal gynecologic malignancy worldwide due to delayed diagnosis as well as recurrence and drug resistance. Thus, the development of new tumor-related molecules with high sensitivity and specificity to replace or supplement existing tools is urgently needed. Cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) are exclusively expressed in normal testis tissues but abundantly found in several types of cancers, including ovarian cancer. Numerous novel CTAs have been identified by high-throughput sequencing techniques, and some aberrantly expressed CTAs are associated with ovarian cancer initiation, clinical outcomes and chemotherapy resistance. More importantly, CTAs are immunogenic and may be novel targets for antigen-specific immunotherapy in ovarian cancer. In this review, we attempt to characterize the expression of candidate CTAs in ovarian cancer and their clinical significance as biomarkers, activation mechanisms, function in malignant phenotypes and applications in immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaipeng Xie
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210004, China.
| | - Chenyang Fu
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210004, China
| | - Suli Wang
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210004, China
| | - Hanzi Xu
- Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Siyu Liu
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210004, China
| | - Yang Shao
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210004, China
| | - Zhen Gong
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210004, China
| | - Xiaoli Wu
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210004, China
| | - Bo Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Jing Han
- Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Juan Xu
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210004, China
| | - Pengfei Xu
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210004, China
| | - Xuemei Jia
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210004, China.
| | - Jiangping Wu
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210004, China.
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10
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Gao Q, Xiang SD, Wilson K, Madondo M, Stephens AN, Plebanski M. Sperm Protein 17 Expression by Murine Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Cells and Its Impact on Tumor Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2018; 10:cancers10080276. [PMID: 30127274 PMCID: PMC6115966 DOI: 10.3390/cancers10080276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The cancer testis antigen sperm protein 17 (Sp17) is a promising antigenic target in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) vaccine development. However, its role in ovarian cancer is unclear. We isolated and expanded Sp17+ and Sp17− clones from the murine EOC cell line ID8, and compared their in-vitro cell growth characteristics and in-vivo tumorigenicity. We also examined the potential co-expression of molecules that may influence cancer cell survival and interaction with immune cells. These include stimulatory and immunosuppressive molecules, such as major histocompatibility class I molecules (MHC I), MHC II, cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4), CD73, CD39, tumor necrosis factor receptor II (TNFRII), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). Whilst the presence of Sp17 was not correlated with the ID8 cell proliferation/growth capacity in vitro, it was critical to enable progressive tumor formation in vivo. Flow cytometry revealed that Sp17+ ID8 cells displayed higher expression of both STAT3 and PD-L1, whilst MHC II expression was lower. Moreover, Sp17high (PD-L1+MHCII−) cell populations showed significantly enhanced resistance to Paclitaxel-induced cell death in vitro compared to Sp17low (PD-L1−MHCII+) cells, which was associated in turn with increased STAT3 expression. Together, the data support Sp17 as a factor associated with in-vivo tumor progression and chemo-resistance, validating it as a suitable target for vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Gao
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
| | - Sue D Xiang
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.
- Centre for Cancer Research, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia.
- Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia.
| | - Kirsty Wilson
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.
| | - Mutsa Madondo
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.
| | - Andrew N Stephens
- Centre for Cancer Research, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia.
- Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia.
| | - Magdalena Plebanski
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia.
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Sp17 Protein Expression and Major Histocompatibility Class I and II Epitope Presentation in Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma Patients. Adv Hematol 2017; 2017:6527306. [PMID: 29204156 PMCID: PMC5674480 DOI: 10.1155/2017/6527306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Improved therapies are urgently needed for patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Success using immune checkpoint inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor T cell technology has fuelled demand for validated cancer epitopes. Immunogenic cancer testis antigens (CTAs), with their widespread expression in many tumours but highly restricted normal tissue distribution, represent attractive immunotherapeutic targets that may improve treatment options for DLBCL and other malignancies. Sperm protein 17 (Sp17), a CTA reported to be immunogenic in ovarian cancer and myeloma patients, is expressed in DLBCL. The aim of the present study was to investigate Sp17 epitope presentation via the presence of a cytotoxic T cell (CTL) and a CD4 T-helper (Th) response in DLBCL patients. A significant γ-interferon CTL response was detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 13/31 DLBCL patients following short-term cell stimulation with two novel HLA-A⁎0201 peptides and one previously reported HLA-A⁎0101-restricted nine-mer Sp17 peptide. No significant responses were detected in the HLA-A⁎0201-negative DLBCL patients or four healthy subjects. A novel immunogenic 20-mer CD4 Th Sp17 peptide was detected in 8/17 DLBCL patients. This is the first report of a CTL and a CD4 Th response to Sp17 in DLBCL and supports Sp17 as a potential immunotherapeutic target for DLBCL.
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Abstract
Several modes of vaccine delivery have been developed in the last 25 years, which induce strong immune responses in pre-clinical models and in human clinical trials. Some modes of delivery include, adjuvants (aluminum hydroxide, Ribi formulation, QS21), liposomes, nanoparticles, virus like particles, immunostimulatory complexes (ISCOMs), dendrimers, viral vectors, DNA delivery via gene gun, electroporation or Biojector 2000, cell penetrating peptides, dendritic cell receptor targeting, toll-like receptors, chemokine receptors and bacterial toxins. There is an enormous amount of information and vaccine delivery methods available for guiding vaccine and immunotherapeutics development against diseases.
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