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Vakrakou AG, Kourepini E, Skordos I, Nieto N, Panoutsakopoulou V, Paschalidis N. Osteopontin Regulates Treg Cell Stability and Function with Implications for Anti-Tumor Immunity and Autoimmunity. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2952. [PMID: 39272810 PMCID: PMC11393878 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16172952] [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: 07/29/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Foxp3-expressing regulatory T (Treg) cells represent the most highly immunosuppressive cell in the tumor microenvironment (TME) that halts effective anti-tumor immunity. Osteopontin (Opn), an extracellular matrix (ECM) glycophosphoprotein, plays key roles in many types of immune-related diseases and is associated with cancer aggressiveness when expressed by tumor cells. However, its role in Foxp3Treg heterogeneity, function, and stability in the TME is poorly defined. We generated mice with a Foxp3-specific deletion of Opn and assessed the ability of Opn-deficient Tregs to suppress inflammation. As these mice aged, they developed a scurfy-like syndrome characterized by aberrant and excessive activation of effector T cells. We evaluated and further confirmed the reduced suppressive capacity of Opn-deficient Tregs in an in vivo suppression assay of colitis. We also found that mice with Opn-deficient Foxp3+ Tregs have enhanced anti-tumor immunity and reduced tumor burden, associated with an unstable Treg phenotype, paralleled by reduced Foxp3 expression in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Finally, we observed reduced Foxp3 and Helios expression in Opn-deficient Tregs compared to wild-type controls after in vitro activation. Our findings indicate that targeting Opn in Tregs reveals vigorous and effective ways of promoting Treg instability and dysfunction in the TME, facilitating anti-tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aigli G Vakrakou
- Laboratory of Neuroimmunology, First Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian, University of Athens, 21 Papadiamantopoulou, Ilisia, 11528 Athens, Greece
| | - Evangelia Kourepini
- Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efessiou Street, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Skordos
- Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efessiou Street, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Natalia Nieto
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Vily Panoutsakopoulou
- Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efessiou Street, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Paschalidis
- Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efessiou Street, 11527 Athens, Greece
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2
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WANG ZHENGYI, ZHOU LIANG, WU XIAOYING. Influencing factors and solution strategies of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) cell immunotherapy. Oncol Res 2024; 32:1479-1516. [PMID: 39220130 PMCID: PMC11361912 DOI: 10.32604/or.2024.048564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cesll therapy (CAR-T) has achieved groundbreaking advancements in clinical application, ushering in a new era for innovative cancer treatment. However, the challenges associated with implementing this novel targeted cell therapy are increasingly significant. Particularly in the clinical management of solid tumors, obstacles such as the immunosuppressive effects of the tumor microenvironment, limited local tumor infiltration capability of CAR-T cells, heterogeneity of tumor targeting antigens, uncertainties surrounding CAR-T quality, control, and clinical adverse reactions have contributed to increased drug resistance and decreased compliance in tumor therapy. These factors have significantly impeded the widespread adoption and utilization of this therapeutic approach. In this paper, we comprehensively analyze recent preclinical and clinical reports on CAR-T therapy while summarizing crucial factors influencing its efficacy. Furthermore, we aim to identify existing solution strategies and explore their current research status. Through this review article, our objective is to broaden perspectives for further exploration into CAR-T therapy strategies and their clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- ZHENGYI WANG
- Department of Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - LIANG ZHOU
- Department of Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - XIAOYING WU
- Ministry of Education and Training, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu, China
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Herrera-Quintana L, Vázquez-Lorente H, Hinojosa-Nogueira D, Plaza-Diaz J. Relationship between Infant Feeding and the Microbiome: Implications for Allergies and Food Intolerances. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:1030. [PMID: 39201963 PMCID: PMC11353207 DOI: 10.3390/children11081030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024]
Abstract
Childhood is a critical period for immune system development, which is greatly influenced by the gut microbiome. Likewise, a number of factors affect the gut microbiome composition and diversity, including breastfeeding, formula feeding, and solid foods introduction. In this regard, several studies have previously demonstrated that breastfeeding promotes a favorable microbiome. In contrast, formula feeding and the early incorporation of certain solid foods may adversely affect microbiome development. Additionally, there is increasing evidence that disruptions in the early microbiome can lead to allergic conditions and food intolerances. Thus, developing strategies to promote optimal infant nutrition requires an understanding of the relationship between infant nutrition and long-term health. The present review aims to examine the relationship between infant feeding practices and the microbiome, as well as its implications on allergies and food intolerances in infants. Moreover, this study synthesizes existing evidence on how different eating habits influence the microbiome. It highlights their implications for the prevention of allergies and food intolerances. In conclusion, introducing allergenic solid foods before six months, alongside breastfeeding, may significantly reduce allergies and food intolerances risks, being also associated with variations in gut microbiome and related complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes Herrera-Quintana
- Department of Physiology, Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain; (L.H.-Q.); (H.V.-L.)
- Biomedical Research Center, Health Sciences Technology Park, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Héctor Vázquez-Lorente
- Department of Physiology, Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain; (L.H.-Q.); (H.V.-L.)
- Biomedical Research Center, Health Sciences Technology Park, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Daniel Hinojosa-Nogueira
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Laboratorio del Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Hospital Universitario de Málaga (Virgen de la Victoria), 29590 Málaga, Spain;
| | - Julio Plaza-Diaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, School of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria IBS, GRANADA, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Granada, 18014 Granada, Spain
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
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4
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Akimova T, Wang L, Bartosh Z, Christensen LM, Eruslanov E, Singhal S, Aishwarya V, Hancock WW. Antisense targeting of FOXP3+ Tregs to boost anti-tumor immunity. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1426657. [PMID: 39234236 PMCID: PMC11371716 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1426657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Our goal is to improve the outcomes of cancer immunotherapy by targeting FOXP3+ T-regulatory (Treg) cells with a next generation of antisense oligonucleotides (ASO), termed FOXP3 AUMsilence ASO. We performed in vitro experiments with human healthy donor PBMC and clinical samples from patients with lung cancer, mesothelioma and melanoma, and tested our approach in vivo using ASO FOXP3 in syngeneic murine cancer models and in humanized mice. ASO FOXP3 had no effects on cell viability or cell division, did not affect expression of other FOXP members, but decreased expression of FOXP3 mRNA in PBMC by 54.9% and in cancer samples by 64.7%, with corresponding 41.0% (PBMC) and 60.0% (cancer) decreases of Treg numbers (all p<0.0001). Hence, intratumoral Treg were more sensitive to the effects of ASO FOXP3 than peripheral blood Tregs. Isolated human Treg, incubated with ASO FOXP3 for 3.5 hours, had significantly impaired suppressive function (66.4%) versus Scramble control. In murine studies, we observed a significant inhibition of tumor growth, while 13.6% (MC38) to 22% (TC1) of tumors were completely resorbed, in conjunction with ~50% decrease of Foxp3 mRNA by qPCR and decreased numbers of intratumoral Tregs. In addition, there were no changes in FOXP3 mRNA expression or in the numbers of Tregs in draining lymph nodes and in spleens of tumor bearing mice, confirming that intratumoral Treg had enhanced sensitivity to ASO FOXP3 in vivo compared to other Treg populations. ASO FOXP3 Treg targeting in vivo and in vitro was accompanied by significant downregulation of multiple exhaustion markers, and by increased expression of perforin and granzyme-B by intratumoral T cells. To conclude, we report that targeting the key Treg transcription factor FOXP3, with ASO FOXP3, has a powerful anti-tumoral effect and enhances T cell response in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Akimova
- Division of Transplant Immunology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- AUM Biotech, LLC., Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Liqing Wang
- Division of Transplant Immunology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Zhanna Bartosh
- Division of Transplant Immunology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- AUM Biotech, LLC., Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Lanette M Christensen
- Division of Transplant Immunology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Evgeniy Eruslanov
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Sunil Singhal
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Wayne W Hancock
- Division of Transplant Immunology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Bhattacharya S, Paraskar G, Jha M, Gupta GL, Prajapati BG. Deciphering Regulatory T-Cell Dynamics in Cancer Immunotherapy: Mechanisms, Implications, and Therapeutic Innovations. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2024; 7:2215-2236. [PMID: 39144553 PMCID: PMC11320738 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.4c00156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
This Review explores how tumor-associated regulatory cells (Tregs) affect cancer immunotherapy. It shows how Tregs play a role in keeping the immune system in check, how cancers grow, and how well immunotherapy work. Tregs use many ways to suppress the immune system, and these ways are affected by the tumor microenvironment (TME). New approaches to cancer therapy are showing promise, such as targeting Treg checkpoint receptors precisely and using Fc-engineered antibodies. It is important to tailor treatments to each patient's TME in order to provide personalized care. Understanding Treg biology is essential for creating effective cancer treatments and improving the long-term outcomes of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sankha Bhattacharya
- School
of Pharmacy and Technology Management, SVKM’S
NMIMS Deemed-to-be University, Shirpur, Maharashtra 425405, India
| | - Gaurav Paraskar
- School
of Pharmacy and Technology Management, SVKM’S
NMIMS Deemed-to-be University, Shirpur, Maharashtra 425405, India
| | - Megha Jha
- School
of Pharmacy and Technology Management, SVKM’S
NMIMS Deemed-to-be University, Shirpur, Maharashtra 425405, India
| | - Girdhari Lal Gupta
- School
of Pharmacy and Technology Management, SVKM’S
NMIMS Deemed-to-be University, Shirpur, Maharashtra 425405, India
| | - Bhupendra G. Prajapati
- Shree.
S. K. Patel College of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Ganpat University, Kherva, Gujarat 384012, India
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom 73000, Thailand
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Meyiah A, Elkord E. What is the relevance of FoxP3 in the tumor microenvironment and cancer outcomes? Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2024; 20:803-809. [PMID: 38512803 DOI: 10.1080/1744666x.2024.2334258] [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: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) transcription factor plays critical roles in controlling immune responses and cancer progression in different cancers. FoxP3 expression within the tumor microenvironment (TME) may influence clinical outcomes negatively or positively, and it could play dual roles in cancer, either by promoting or inhibiting tumor development and progression. Some studies reported that high levels of FoxP3 could be associated with tumor progression and worse prognosis, while others reported contradictory results. AREAS COVERED In this special report, we present a brief account on the role and function of FoxP3 in the TME, and its contribution to the clinical outcomes of cancer patients. Importantly, we give insights on the potential factors that could contribute to different clinical outcomes in cancer patients. EXPERT OPINION Different studies showed that FoxP3 expression can be associated with bad prognoses in cancer patients. However, FoxP3 could have opposing roles by enhancing cancer progression or regression. Location and expression of FoxP3 in T cells or tumor cells can have different impacts on cancer prognoses. Different factors should be considered to establish FoxP3 as a more robust prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for enhancing anti-tumor immunity and improving clinical outcomes of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdo Meyiah
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Eyad Elkord
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Biomedical Research Center, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Manchester, UK
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Brooks A, Zhang Y, Chen J, Zhao CX. Cancer Metastasis-on-a-Chip for Modeling Metastatic Cascade and Drug Screening. Adv Healthc Mater 2024; 13:e2302436. [PMID: 38224141 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202302436] [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: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Microfluidic chips are valuable tools for studying intricate cellular and cell-microenvironment interactions. Traditional in vitro cancer models lack accuracy in mimicking the complexities of in vivo tumor microenvironment. However, cancer-metastasis-on-a-chip (CMoC) models combine the advantages of 3D cultures and microfluidic technology, serving as powerful platforms for exploring cancer mechanisms and facilitating drug screening. These chips are able to compartmentalize the metastatic cascade, deepening the understanding of its underlying mechanisms. This article provides an overview of current CMoC models, focusing on distinctive models that simulate invasion, intravasation, circulation, extravasation, and colonization, and their applications in drug screening. Furthermore, challenges faced by CMoC and microfluidic technologies are discussed, while exploring promising future directions in cancer research. The ongoing development and integration of these models into cancer studies are expected to drive transformative advancements in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Brooks
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
| | - Yali Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
| | - Jiezhong Chen
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
| | - Chun-Xia Zhao
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
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8
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Xu J, Gao Y, Ding Y, Feng Y, Chen J, Zhang S, Song X, Qiao S. Correlation between Tregs and ICOS-induced M2 macrophages polarization in colorectal cancer progression. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1373820. [PMID: 39104717 PMCID: PMC11298335 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1373820] [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: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective To explore the mechanism by which Tregs promote the progression of colorectal cancer by inducing tumor-associated macrophages to polarize into M2 type via ICOS. Methods Postoperative pathological tissues and clinical pathological data of 268 colorectal cancer patients who underwent initial surgery were collected. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect the expression levels of ICOS, CD163 (a marker for M2 macrophages), and Foxp3 (a marker for Tregs) in cancerous, adjacent non-tumorous, and normal tissues. The relationship of ICOS, M2 macrophages, and Tregs in CRC with clinical pathological characteristics and pre-surgical tumor markers (such as CEA and CA199) was explored. Results The expression levels of M2 macrophages and Tregs increased with tumor progression, while ICOS expression showed a decreasing trend. Compared to adjacent and normal tissues, the expression levels of ICOS, M2 macrophages, and Tregs were higher in CRC tissues. The expression levels of M2 macrophages and Tregs were significantly positively correlated with tumor markers, while ICOS expression was significantly negatively correlated. Conclusion Tumor-associated m2 macrophages induced by Tregs and ICOS participate in the dynamic balance of the colorectal cancer tumor microenvironment, and their interaction affects colorectal carcinogenesis and progression. High levels of ICOS are associated with better long-term survival rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Xu
- The Second Ward of Colorectal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China
| | - Yu Gao
- Computer Teaching and Research Section, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China
| | - Yuting Ding
- Department of Ultrasound, Anshan Central Hospital, Anshan, Liaoning, China
| | - Yunpeng Feng
- The Second Ward of Colorectal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China
| | - Jie Chen
- The Second Ward of Colorectal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China
| | - Shenshen Zhang
- The Second Ward of Colorectal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China
| | - Xiaoyu Song
- The Second Ward of Colorectal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China
| | - Shifeng Qiao
- The Second Ward of Colorectal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China
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Wang Y, Li J, Nakahata S, Iha H. Complex Role of Regulatory T Cells (Tregs) in the Tumor Microenvironment: Their Molecular Mechanisms and Bidirectional Effects on Cancer Progression. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7346. [PMID: 39000453 PMCID: PMC11242872 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) possess unique immunosuppressive activity among CD4-positive T cells. Tregs are ubiquitously present in mammals and function to calm excessive immune responses, thereby suppressing allergies or autoimmune diseases. On the other hand, due to their immunosuppressive function, Tregs are thought to promote cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a multicellular system composed of many cell types, including tumor cells, infiltrating immune cells, and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Within this environment, Tregs are recruited by chemokines and metabolic factors and impede effective anti-tumor responses. However, in some cases, their presence can also improve patient's survival rates. Their functional consequences may vary across tumor types, locations, and stages. An in-depth understanding of the precise roles and mechanisms of actions of Treg is crucial for developing effective treatments, emphasizing the need for further investigation and validation. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the complex and multifaceted roles of Tregs within the TME, elucidating cellular communications, signaling pathways, and their impacts on tumor progression and highlighting their potential anti-tumor mechanisms through interactions with functional molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu 879-5593, Japan;
| | - Jiazhou Li
- Division of Biological Information Technology, Joint Research Center for Human Retrovirus Infection, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan;
- Division of HTLV-1/ATL Carcinogenesis and Therapeutics, Joint Research Center for Human Retrovirus Infection, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan;
| | - Shingo Nakahata
- Division of HTLV-1/ATL Carcinogenesis and Therapeutics, Joint Research Center for Human Retrovirus Infection, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan;
| | - Hidekatsu Iha
- Department of Microbiology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu 879-5593, Japan;
- Division of Pathophysiology, The Research Center for GLOBAL and LOCAL Infectious Diseases (RCGLID), Oita University, Yufu 879-5593, Japan
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Ahmad I, Altameemi KKA, Hani MM, Ali AM, Shareef HK, Hassan ZF, Alubiady MHS, Al-Abdeen SHZ, Shakier HG, Redhee AH. Shifting cold to hot tumors by nanoparticle-loaded drugs and products. Clin Transl Oncol 2024:10.1007/s12094-024-03577-3. [PMID: 38922537 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-024-03577-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Cold tumors lack antitumor immunity and are resistant to therapy, representing a major challenge in cancer medicine. Because of the immunosuppressive spirit of the tumor microenvironment (TME), this form of tumor has a low response to immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and also chemotherapy. Cold tumors have low infiltration of immune cells and a high expression of co-inhibitory molecules, such as immune checkpoints and immunosuppressive molecules. Therefore, targeting TME and remodeling immunity in cold tumors can improve the chance of tumor repression after therapy. However, tumor stroma prevents the infiltration of inflammatory cells and hinders the penetration of diverse molecules and drugs. Nanoparticles are an intriguing tool for the delivery of immune modulatory agents and shifting cold to hot tumors. In this review article, we discuss the mechanisms underlying the ability of nanoparticles loaded with different drugs and products to modulate TME and enhance immune cell infiltration. We also focus on newest progresses in the design and development of nanoparticle-based strategies for changing cold to hot tumors. These include the use of nanoparticles for targeted delivery of immunomodulatory agents, such as cytokines, small molecules, and checkpoint inhibitors, and for co-delivery of chemotherapy drugs and immunomodulatory agents. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of nanoparticles for enhancing the efficacy of cancer vaccines and cell therapy for overcoming resistance to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irfan Ahmad
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
| | | | - Mohaned Mohammed Hani
- Department of Medical Instrumentation Engineering Techniques, Imam Ja'afar Al-Sadiq University, Al Muthanna, Iraq
| | - Afaq Mahdi Ali
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Al-Turath University College, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Hasanain Khaleel Shareef
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, College of Science, Al-Mustaqbal University, Hilla, Iraq
- Biology Department, College of Science for Women, University of Babylon, Hilla, Iraq
| | | | | | | | | | - Ahmed Huseen Redhee
- Medical Laboratory Technique College, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
- Medical Laboratory Technique College, The Islamic University of Al Diwaniyah, Al Diwaniyah, Iraq
- Medical Laboratory Technique College, The Islamic University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq
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11
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Farhangnia P, Khorramdelazad H, Nickho H, Delbandi AA. Current and future immunotherapeutic approaches in pancreatic cancer treatment. J Hematol Oncol 2024; 17:40. [PMID: 38835055 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-024-01561-6] [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: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a major cause of cancer-related death, but despondently, the outlook and prognosis for this resistant type of tumor have remained grim for a long time. Currently, it is extremely challenging to prevent or detect it early enough for effective treatment because patients rarely exhibit symptoms and there are no reliable indicators for detection. Most patients have advanced or spreading cancer that is difficult to treat, and treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy can only slightly prolong their life by a few months. Immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of pancreatic cancer, yet its effectiveness is limited by the tumor's immunosuppressive and hard-to-reach microenvironment. First, this article explains the immunosuppressive microenvironment of pancreatic cancer and highlights a wide range of immunotherapy options, including therapies involving oncolytic viruses, modified T cells (T-cell receptor [TCR]-engineered and chimeric antigen receptor [CAR] T-cell therapy), CAR natural killer cell therapy, cytokine-induced killer cells, immune checkpoint inhibitors, immunomodulators, cancer vaccines, and strategies targeting myeloid cells in the context of contemporary knowledge and future trends. Lastly, it discusses the main challenges ahead of pancreatic cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooya Farhangnia
- Reproductive Sciences and Technology Research Center, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Immunology Board for Transplantation and Cell-Based Therapeutics (ImmunoTACT), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Khorramdelazad
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - Hamid Nickho
- Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali-Akbar Delbandi
- Reproductive Sciences and Technology Research Center, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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12
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Ma Y, Lv H, Xing F, Xiang W, Wu Z, Feng Q, Wang H, Yang W. Cancer stem cell-immune cell crosstalk in the tumor microenvironment for liver cancer progression. Front Med 2024; 18:430-445. [PMID: 38600350 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-023-1049-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] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Crosstalk between cancer cells and the immune microenvironment is determinant for liver cancer progression. A tumor subpopulation called liver cancer stem cells (CSCs) significantly accounts for the initiation, metastasis, therapeutic resistance, and recurrence of liver cancer. Emerging evidence demonstrates that the interaction between liver CSCs and immune cells plays a crucial role in shaping an immunosuppressive microenvironment and determining immunotherapy responses. This review sheds light on the bidirectional crosstalk between liver CSCs and immune cells for liver cancer progression, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms after presenting an overview of liver CSCs characteristic and their microenvironment. Finally, we discuss the potential application of liver CSCs-targeted immunotherapy for liver cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Ma
- Cancer Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Hongwei Lv
- Cancer Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 201805, China
- International Co-operation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Fuxue Xing
- Cancer Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Wei Xiang
- Cancer Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Zixin Wu
- Cancer Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Qiyu Feng
- Cancer Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Hongyang Wang
- Cancer Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 201805, China.
- International Co-operation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 200438, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepato-biliary Tumor Biology, Shanghai, 200438, China.
- Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200438, China.
| | - Wen Yang
- Cancer Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 201805, China.
- International Co-operation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 200438, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepato-biliary Tumor Biology, Shanghai, 200438, China.
- Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200438, China.
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13
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Na J, Engwerda C. The role of CD4 + T cells in visceral leishmaniasis; new and emerging roles for NKG7 and TGFβ. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1414493. [PMID: 38881737 PMCID: PMC11176485 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1414493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis is a potentially devastating neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan parasites Leishmania donovani and L. infantum (chagasi). These parasites reside in tissue macrophages and survive by deploying a number of mechanisms aimed at subverting the host immune response. CD4+ T cells play an important role in controlling Leishmania parasites by providing help in the form of pro-inflammatory cytokines to activate microbiocidal pathways in infected macrophages. However, because these cytokines can also cause tissue damage if over-produced, regulatory immune responses develop, and the balance between pro-inflammatory and regulatory CD4+ T cells responses determines the outcomes of infection. Past studies have identified important roles for pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IFNγ and TNF, as well as regulatory co-inhibitory receptors and the potent anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. More recently, other immunoregulatory molecules have been identified that play important roles in CD4+ T cell responses during VL. In this review, we will discuss recent findings about two of these molecules; the NK cell granule protein Nkg7 and the anti-inflammatory cytokine TGFβ, and describe how they impact CD4+ T cell functions and immune responses during visceral leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinrui Na
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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14
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Sun C, Wang S, Ma Z, Zhou J, Ding Z, Yuan G, Pan Y. Neutrophils in glioma microenvironment: from immune function to immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1393173. [PMID: 38779679 PMCID: PMC11109384 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1393173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Glioma is a malignant tumor of the central nervous system (CNS). Currently, effective treatment options for gliomas are still lacking. Neutrophils, as an important member of the tumor microenvironment (TME), are widely distributed in circulation. Recently, the discovery of cranial-meningeal channels and intracranial lymphatic vessels has provided new insights into the origins of neutrophils in the CNS. Neutrophils in the brain may originate more from the skull and adjacent vertebral bone marrow. They cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) under the action of chemokines and enter the brain parenchyma, subsequently migrating to the glioma TME and undergoing phenotypic changes upon contact with tumor cells. Under glycolytic metabolism model, neutrophils show complex and dual functions in different stages of cancer progression, including participation in the malignant progression, immune suppression, and anti-tumor effects of gliomas. Additionally, neutrophils in the TME interact with other immune cells, playing a crucial role in cancer immunotherapy. Targeting neutrophils may be a novel generation of immunotherapy and improve the efficacy of cancer treatments. This article reviews the molecular mechanisms of neutrophils infiltrating the central nervous system from the external environment, detailing the origin, functions, classifications, and targeted therapies of neutrophils in the context of glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Sun
- The Second Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Neurology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Siwen Wang
- The Second Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhen Ma
- The Second Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Neurology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jinghuan Zhou
- The Second Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Neurology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zilin Ding
- The Second Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Neurology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Guoqiang Yuan
- The Second Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Neurology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yawen Pan
- The Second Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Neurology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
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15
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Tada T, Norton TD, Leibowitz R, Landau NR. Checkpoint inhibitor-expressing lentiviral vaccine suppresses tumor growth in preclinical cancer models. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008761. [PMID: 38658032 PMCID: PMC11043704 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008761] [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] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While immunotherapy has been highly successful for the treatment of some cancers, for others, the immune response to tumor antigens is weak leading to treatment failure. The resistance of tumors to checkpoint inhibitor therapy may be caused by T cell exhaustion resulting from checkpoint activation. METHODS In this study, lentiviral vectors that expressed T cell epitopes of an experimentally introduced tumor antigen, ovalbumin, or the endogenous tumor antigen, Trp1 were developed. The vectors coexpressed CD40 ligand (CD40L), which served to mature the dendritic cells (DCs), and a soluble programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) microbody to prevent checkpoint activation. Vaccination of mice bearing B16.OVA melanomas with vector-transduced DCs induced the proliferation and activation of functional, antigen-specific, cytolytic CD8 T cells. RESULTS Vaccination induced the expansion of CD8 T cells that infiltrated the tumors to suppress tumor growth. Vector-encoded CD40L and PD-1 microbody increased the extent of tumor growth suppression. Adoptive transfer demonstrated that the effect was mediated by CD8 T cells. Direct injection of the vector, without the need for ex vivo transduction of DCs, was also effective. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that therapeutic vaccination that induces tumor antigen-specific CD8 T cells coupled with a vector-expressed checkpoint inhibitor can be an effective means to suppress the growth of tumors that are resistant to conventional immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Tada
- Department of Microbiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Thomas D Norton
- Department of Microbiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Rebecca Leibowitz
- Department of Microbiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nathaniel R Landau
- Department of Microbiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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16
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Wójcik M, Juhas U, Mohammadi E, Mattisson J, Drężek-Chyła K, Rychlicka-Buniowska E, Bruhn-Olszewska B, Davies H, Chojnowska K, Olszewski P, Bieńkowski M, Jankowski M, Rostkowska O, Hellmann A, Pęksa R, Kowalski J, Zdrenka M, Kobiela J, Zegarski W, Biernat W, Szylberg Ł, Remiszewski P, Mieczkowski J, Filipowicz N, Dumanski JP. Loss of Y in regulatory T lymphocytes in the tumor micro-environment of primary colorectal cancers and liver metastases. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9458. [PMID: 38658633 PMCID: PMC11043399 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60049-y] [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: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Male sex is a risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC) with higher illness burden and earlier onset. Thus, we hypothesized that loss of chromosome Y (LOY) in the tumor micro-environment (TME) might be involved in oncogenesis. Previous studies show that LOY in circulating leukocytes of aging men was associated with shorter survival and non-hematological cancer, as well as higher LOY in CD4 + T-lymphocytes in men with prostate cancer vs. controls. However, nothing is known about LOY in leukocytes infiltrating TME and we address this aspect here. We studied frequency and functional effects of LOY in blood, TME and non-tumorous tissue. Regulatory T-lymphocytes (Tregs) in TME had the highest frequency of LOY (22%) in comparison to CD4 + T-lymphocytes and cytotoxic CD8 + T-lymphocytes. LOY score using scRNA-seq was also linked to higher expression of PDCD1, TIGIT and IKZF2 in Tregs. PDCD1 and TIGIT encode immune checkpoint receptors involved in the regulation of Tregs function. Our study sets the direction for further functional research regarding a probable role of LOY in intensifying features related to the suppressive phenotype of Tregs in TME and consequently a possible influence on immunotherapy response in CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Wójcik
- 3P-Medicine Laboratory, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 7, 80-211, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Ulana Juhas
- 3P-Medicine Laboratory, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 7, 80-211, Gdańsk, Poland
- Department of Bioenergetics and Physiology of Exercise, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 1, 80-211, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Elyas Mohammadi
- 3P-Medicine Laboratory, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 7, 80-211, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Jonas Mattisson
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology and Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kinga Drężek-Chyła
- 3P-Medicine Laboratory, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 7, 80-211, Gdańsk, Poland
| | | | - Bożena Bruhn-Olszewska
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology and Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hanna Davies
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology and Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Katarzyna Chojnowska
- 3P-Medicine Laboratory, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 7, 80-211, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Paweł Olszewski
- 3P-Medicine Laboratory, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 7, 80-211, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Michał Bieńkowski
- Department of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Michał Jankowski
- Surgical Oncology, Ludwik Rydygier's Collegium Medicum, Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Oncology Center - Prof. Franciszek Łukaszczyk Memorial Hospital, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Olga Rostkowska
- Department of Oncological, Transplant and General Surgery, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Andrzej Hellmann
- Department of Oncological, Transplant and General Surgery, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Rafał Pęksa
- Department of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Jacek Kowalski
- Department of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Marek Zdrenka
- Department of Tumor Pathology and Pathomorphology, Oncology Center - Prof. Franciszek Łukaszczyk Memorial Hospital, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Jarek Kobiela
- Department of Oncological, Transplant and General Surgery, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Wojciech Zegarski
- Surgical Oncology, Ludwik Rydygier's Collegium Medicum, Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Oncology Center - Prof. Franciszek Łukaszczyk Memorial Hospital, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Wojciech Biernat
- Department of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Łukasz Szylberg
- Department of Tumor Pathology and Pathomorphology, Oncology Center - Prof. Franciszek Łukaszczyk Memorial Hospital, Bydgoszcz, Poland
- Department of Clinical Pathomorphology, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Piotr Remiszewski
- Department of Oncological, Transplant and General Surgery, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Jakub Mieczkowski
- 3P-Medicine Laboratory, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 7, 80-211, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Natalia Filipowicz
- 3P-Medicine Laboratory, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 7, 80-211, Gdańsk, Poland.
| | - Jan P Dumanski
- 3P-Medicine Laboratory, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 7, 80-211, Gdańsk, Poland.
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology and Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
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Chen M, He Z, Zhu J, Yang S, Gao S, Wu J, Ren H, Liang D, Jiang W, Zou Y, Yu X, Wu J. Hemorrhage profile associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: a systematic review and a real-world study based on the FAERS database. Expert Opin Drug Saf 2024; 23:497-511. [PMID: 38556702 DOI: 10.1080/14740338.2024.2327504] [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: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate the risk of hemorrhage associated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) and characterize its clinical features. METHODS We systematically reviewed randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of hemorrhage related to ICIs and calculated odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Pharmacovigilance studies were conducted by collecting ICIs-related hemorrhage cases from the FAERS database and assessing disproportionalities by reporting odds ratios (RORs) and information components (ICs). RESULTS A total of 79 RCTs involving 45,100 patients were finally included in the systematic review, with four published RCTs (n = 1965) and 75 unpublished RCTs (n = 43135). The primary analysis showed no significant difference in ICIs compared to the control group (OR 1.18 [95% CI 1.00-1.38], p = 0.05). In subgroup analyses, anti-PD-L1 combined with anti-CTLA-4 increased the risk of hemorrhage (OR 1.95, p = 0.03), and anti-CTLA-4 increased the risk of hemorrhage in the gastrointestinal system (OR 2.23, p = 0.04). 3555 cases of hemorrhage from the FAERS database were included in the disproportionate analysis, and the result suggested that ICIs increased the risk of hemorrhage (IC025 = 0.23). CONCLUSION Our study suggests that ICIs increase the risk of hemorrhage, and in particular, anti-CTLA-4 significantly increases the risk of hemorrhage in the gastrointestinal system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengting Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhichao He
- Department of Pharmacy, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianhong Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shan Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Siyuan Gao
- Department of Pharmacy, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huaying Ren
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dan Liang
- Department of Pharmacy, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Department of Pharmacy, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying Zou
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Liaobu Hospital, Dongguan, China
| | - Xiaoxia Yu
- Department of Pharmacy, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junyan Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, China
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18
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Ajith A, Merimi M, Arki MK, Hossein-khannazer N, Najar M, Vosough M, Sokal EM, Najimi M. Immune regulation and therapeutic application of T regulatory cells in liver diseases. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1371089. [PMID: 38571964 PMCID: PMC10987744 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1371089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
CD4+ CD25+ FOXP3+ T regulatory cells (Tregs) are a subset of the immunomodulatory cell population that can inhibit both innate and adaptive immunity by various regulatory mechanisms. In hepatic microenvironment, proliferation, plasticity, migration, and function of Tregs are interrelated to the remaining immune cells and their secreted cytokines and chemokines. In normal conditions, Tregs protect the liver from inflammatory and auto-immune responses, while disruption of this crosstalk between Tregs and other immune cells may result in the progression of chronic liver diseases and the development of hepatic malignancy. In this review, we analyze the deviance of this protective nature of Tregs in response to chronic inflammation and its involvement in inducing liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. We will also provide a detailed emphasis on the relevance of Tregs as an effective immunotherapeutic option for autoimmune diseases, liver transplantation, and chronic liver diseases including liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananya Ajith
- Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Makram Merimi
- Genetics and Immune Cell Therapy Unit, LBBES Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, University Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Morocco
| | - Mandana Kazem Arki
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nikoo Hossein-khannazer
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Najar
- Osteoarthritis Research Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Montreal Hospital Research Center (CRCHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Massoud Vosough
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Centre, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
- Experimental Cancer Medicine, Institution for Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Etienne Marc Sokal
- Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mustapha Najimi
- Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
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19
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Asadi M, Zarredar H, Zafari V, Soleimani Z, Saeedi H, Caner A, Shanehbandi D. Immune Features of Tumor Microenvironment: A Genetic Spotlight. Cell Biochem Biophys 2024; 82:107-118. [PMID: 37870699 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-023-01192-7] [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: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
A tumor represents a highly intricate tissue entity, characterized by an exceptionally complex microenvironment that starkly contrasts with the typical physiological surroundings of healthy tissues. Within this tumor microenvironment (TME), every component and factor assume paramount importance in the progression of malignancy and exerts a pivotal influence on a patient's clinical outcome. One of the remarkable aspects of the TME is its remarkable heterogeneity, not only across different types of cancers but even within the same histological category of tumors. In-depth research has illuminated the intricate interplay between specific immune cells and molecules and the dynamic characteristics of the TME. Recent investigations have yielded compelling evidence that several mutations harbored by tumor cells possess the capacity to instigate substantial alterations in the TME. These mutations, often acting as drivers of tumorigenesis, can orchestrate a cascade of events that remodel the TME, thereby influencing crucial aspects of cancer behavior, including its invasiveness, immune evasion, and response to therapies. It is within this nuanced context that the present study endeavors to provide a concise yet comprehensive summary of how specific mutations, within the genetic landscape of cancer cells, can instigate profound changes in TME features. By elucidating the intricate relationship between genetic mutations and the TME, this research aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of cancer biology. Ultimately, the knowledge gained from this study holds the potential to inform the development of more targeted and effective treatments, thereby offering new hope to patients grappling with the complexities of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Asadi
- Department of Basic Oncology, Health Institute of Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Habib Zarredar
- Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Venus Zafari
- Department of Basic Oncology, Health Institute of Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Zahra Soleimani
- Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hossein Saeedi
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Ayse Caner
- Department of Basic Oncology, Health Institute of Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.
- The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA.
| | - Dariush Shanehbandi
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Research Center, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran.
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20
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Nicolini A, Rossi G, Ferrari P. Experimental and clinical evidence in favour of an effective immune stimulation in ER-positive, endocrine-dependent metastatic breast cancer. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1225175. [PMID: 38332913 PMCID: PMC10850262 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1225175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
In ER+ breast cancer, usually seen as the low immunogenic type, the main mechanisms favouring the immune response or tumour growth and immune evasion in the tumour microenvironment (TME) have been examined. The principal implications of targeting the oestrogen-mediated pathways were also considered. Recent experimental findings point out that anti-oestrogens contribute to the reversion of the immunosuppressive TME. Moreover, some preliminary clinical data with the hormone-immunotherapy association in a metastatic setting support the notion that the reversion of immune suppression in TME is likely favoured by the G0-G1 state induced by anti-oestrogens. Following immune stimulation, the reverted immune suppression allows the boosting of the effector cells of the innate and adaptive immune response. This suggests that ER+ breast cancer is a molecular subtype where a successful active immune manipulation can be attained. If this is confirmed by a prospective multicentre trial, which is expected in light of the provided evidence, the proposed hormone immunotherapy can also be tested in the adjuvant setting. Furthermore, the different rationale suggests a synergistic activity of our proposed immunotherapy with the currently recommended regimen consisting of antioestrogens combined with cyclin kinase inhibitors. Overall, this lays the foundation for a shift in clinical practice within this most prevalent molecular subtype of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Nicolini
- Department of Oncology, Transplantations and New Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Rossi
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council and Gabriele Monasterio Foundation, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola Ferrari
- Department of Oncology, Transplantations and New Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Einhaus J, Gaudilliere DK, Hedou J, Feyaerts D, Ozawa MG, Sato M, Ganio EA, Tsai AS, Stelzer IA, Bruckman KC, Amar JN, Sabayev M, Bonham TA, Gillard J, Diop M, Cambriel A, Mihalic ZN, Valdez T, Liu SY, Feirrera L, Lam DK, Sunwoo JB, Schürch CM, Gaudilliere B, Han X. Spatial subsetting enables integrative modeling of oral squamous cell carcinoma multiplex imaging data. iScience 2023; 26:108486. [PMID: 38125025 PMCID: PMC10730356 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a prevalent and aggressive neoplasm, poses a significant challenge due to poor prognosis and limited prognostic biomarkers. Leveraging highly multiplexed imaging mass cytometry, we investigated the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) in OSCC biopsies, characterizing immune cell distribution and signaling activity at the tumor-invasive front. Our spatial subsetting approach standardized cellular populations by tissue zone, improving feature reproducibility and revealing TIME patterns accompanying loss-of-differentiation. Employing a machine-learning pipeline combining reliable feature selection with multivariable modeling, we achieved accurate histological grade classification (AUC = 0.88). Three model features correlated with clinical outcomes in an independent cohort: granulocyte MAPKAPK2 signaling at the tumor front, stromal CD4+ memory T cell size, and the distance of fibroblasts from the tumor border. This study establishes a robust modeling framework for distilling complex imaging data, uncovering sentinel characteristics of the OSCC TIME to facilitate prognostic biomarkers discovery for recurrence risk stratification and immunomodulatory therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Einhaus
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital and Comprehensive Cancer Center Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Dyani K. Gaudilliere
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Julien Hedou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Dorien Feyaerts
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michael G. Ozawa
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Masaki Sato
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Edward A. Ganio
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Amy S. Tsai
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ina A. Stelzer
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Karl C. Bruckman
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jonas N. Amar
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Maximilian Sabayev
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Thomas A. Bonham
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Joshua Gillard
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Maïgane Diop
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Amelie Cambriel
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Zala N. Mihalic
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tulio Valdez
- Division of Pediatrics, Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Stanley Y. Liu
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Division of Sleep Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Leticia Feirrera
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - David K. Lam
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - John B. Sunwoo
- Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Christian M. Schürch
- Department of Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital and Comprehensive Cancer Center Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies”, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Brice Gaudilliere
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Xiaoyuan Han
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA, USA
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22
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DeRyckere D, Huelse JM, Earp HS, Graham DK. TAM family kinases as therapeutic targets at the interface of cancer and immunity. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2023; 20:755-779. [PMID: 37667010 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-023-00813-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Novel treatment approaches are needed to overcome innate and acquired mechanisms of resistance to current anticancer therapies in cancer cells and the tumour immune microenvironment. The TAM (TYRO3, AXL and MERTK) family receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are potential therapeutic targets in a wide range of cancers. In cancer cells, TAM RTKs activate signalling pathways that promote cell survival, metastasis and resistance to a variety of chemotherapeutic agents and targeted therapies. TAM RTKs also function in innate immune cells, contributing to various mechanisms that suppress antitumour immunity and promote resistance to immune-checkpoint inhibitors. Therefore, TAM antagonists provide an unprecedented opportunity for both direct and immune-mediated therapeutic activity provided by inhibition of a single target, and are likely to be particularly effective when used in combination with other cancer therapies. To exploit this potential, a variety of agents have been designed to selectively target TAM RTKs, many of which have now entered clinical testing. This Review provides an essential guide to the TAM RTKs for clinicians, including an overview of the rationale for therapeutic targeting of TAM RTKs in cancer cells and the tumour immune microenvironment, a description of the current preclinical and clinical experience with TAM inhibitors, and a perspective on strategies for continued development of TAM-targeted agents for oncology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah DeRyckere
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Paediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Justus M Huelse
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Paediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - H Shelton Earp
- Department of Medicine, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Douglas K Graham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Department of Paediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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23
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Makhlouf S, Wahab N, Toss M, Ibrahim A, Lashen AG, Atallah NM, Ghannam S, Jahanifar M, Lu W, Graham S, Mongan NP, Bilal M, Bhalerao A, Snead D, Minhas F, Raza SEA, Rajpoot N, Rakha E. Evaluation of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes in luminal breast cancer using artificial intelligence. Br J Cancer 2023; 129:1747-1758. [PMID: 37777578 PMCID: PMC10667537 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02451-3] [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: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are a prognostic parameter in triple-negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer (BC). However, their role in luminal (oestrogen receptor positive and HER2 negative (ER + /HER2-)) BC remains unclear. In this study, we used artificial intelligence (AI) to assess the prognostic significance of TILs in a large well-characterised cohort of luminal BC. METHODS Supervised deep learning model analysis of Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E)-stained whole slide images (WSI) was applied to a cohort of 2231 luminal early-stage BC patients with long-term follow-up. Stromal TILs (sTILs) and intratumoural TILs (tTILs) were quantified and their spatial distribution within tumour tissue, as well as the proportion of stroma involved by sTILs were assessed. The association of TILs with clinicopathological parameters and patient outcome was determined. RESULTS A strong positive linear correlation was observed between sTILs and tTILs. High sTILs and tTILs counts, as well as their proximity to stromal and tumour cells (co-occurrence) were associated with poor clinical outcomes and unfavourable clinicopathological parameters including high tumour grade, lymph node metastasis, large tumour size, and young age. AI-based assessment of the proportion of stroma composed of sTILs (as assessed visually in routine practice) was not predictive of patient outcome. tTILs was an independent predictor of worse patient outcome in multivariate Cox Regression analysis. CONCLUSION AI-based detection of TILs counts, and their spatial distribution provides prognostic value in luminal early-stage BC patients. The utilisation of AI algorithms could provide a comprehensive assessment of TILs as a morphological variable in WSIs beyond eyeballing assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shorouk Makhlouf
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Noorul Wahab
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Michael Toss
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Histopathology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Asmaa Ibrahim
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Ayat G Lashen
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Nehal M Atallah
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Suzan Ghannam
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Histology and cell biology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | | | - Wenqi Lu
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Simon Graham
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Nigel P Mongan
- Biodiscovery Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine and Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Mohsin Bilal
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Abhir Bhalerao
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - David Snead
- University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, Coventry, UK
| | - Fayyaz Minhas
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | | | - Nasir Rajpoot
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
| | - Emad Rakha
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
- Department of Histopathology, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK.
- Department of Pathology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
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24
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Yang M, Qin C, Tao L, Cheng G, Li J, Lv F, Yang N, Xing Z, Chu X, Han X, Huo M, Yin L. Synchronous targeted delivery of TGF-β siRNA to stromal and tumor cells elicits robust antitumor immunity against triple-negative breast cancer by comprehensively remodeling the tumor microenvironment. Biomaterials 2023; 301:122253. [PMID: 37536040 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
The poor permeability of therapeutic drugs, limited T-cell infiltration, and strong immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) acts as a prominent barrier to the delivery of drugs and immunotherapy including programmed cell death ligand-1 antibody (anti-PD-L1). Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, an important cytokine produced by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and tumor cells contributes to the pathological vasculature, dense tumor stroma and strong immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Herein, a nanomedicine platform (HA-LSL/siTGF-β) employing dual-targeting, alongside hyaluronidase (HAase) and glutathione (GSH) triggered release was elaborately constructed to efficiently deliver TGF-β small interference RNA (siTGF-β). It was determined that this system was able to improve the efficacy of anti-PD-L1. The siTGF-β nanosystem efficiently silenced TGF-β-related signaling pathways in both activated NIH 3T3 cells and 4T1 cells in vitro and in vivo. This occurred firstly, through CD44-mediated uptake, followed by rapid escape mediated by HAase in endo/lysosomes and release of siRNA mediated by high GSH concentrations in the cytoplasm. By simultaneous silencing of TGF-β in stromal and tumor cells, HA-LSL/siTGF-β dramatically reduced stroma deposition, promoted the penetration of nanomedicines for deep remodeling of the TME, improved oxygenation, T cells infiltration and subsequent anti-PD-L1 deep penetration. The double suppression of TGF-β has been demonstrated to promote blood vessel normalization, inhibit an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and further modify the immunosuppressive TME, which was supported by an overall increase in the proportion of dendritic cells and cytotoxic T cells. Further, a reduction in the proportion of immunosuppression cells such as regulatory T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells was also observed in the TME. Based on the comprehensive remodeling of the tumor microenvironment by this nanosystem, subsequent anti-PD-L1 therapy elicited robust antitumor immunity. Specifically, this system was able to suppress the growth of both primary and distant tumor while preventing tumor metastasis to the lung. Therefore, the combination of the dual-targeted siTGF-β nanosystem, alongside anti-PD-L1 may serve as a novel method to enhance antitumor immunotherapy against stroma-rich TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmeng Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Chao Qin
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Linlin Tao
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Gang Cheng
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Jingjing Li
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Fangnan Lv
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Nan Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Zuhang Xing
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Xinyu Chu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Xiaopeng Han
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Meirong Huo
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Lifang Yin
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China; Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceutics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
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25
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Engku Abd Rahman ENS, Irekeola AA, Shueb RH, Mat Lazim N, Mohamud R, Chen X, Ghazali L, Awang NMSH, Haron A, Chan YY. Aberrant frequency of TNFR2-expressing CD4+ FoxP3+ regulatory T cells in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. Cytokine 2023; 170:156341. [PMID: 37657236 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2023.156341] [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: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
TNFR2 is a surface marker of highly suppressive subset of CD4+ FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) in humans and mice. This study examined the TNFR2 expression by Tregs of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients and healthy controls. The proliferation, migration, survival of TNFR2+ Tregs, and association with clinicopathological characteristics were assessed. The expression levels of selected cytokines were also determined. The results demonstrated that in both peripheral blood (PB) (10.45 ± 5.71%) and tumour microenvironment (TME) (54.38 ± 16.15%) of NPC patients, Tregs expressed TNFR2 at noticeably greater levels than conventional T cells (Tconvs) (3.91 ± 2.62%, p < 0.0001), akin to healthy controls. Expression of TNFR2 (1.06 ± 0.99%) was correlated better than CD25+ (0.40 ± 0.46%) and CD127-/low (1.00 ± 0.83% ) with FoxP3 expression in NPC PB (p = 0.0005). Though there was no significant association between TNFR2 expression with the functional capacity (proliferation, migration and survival) of Tregs (p > 0.05), the proportions of PB and TME TNFR2+ Tregs in NPC patients showed more proliferative, higher migration capacity, and better survival ability, as compared to those in healthy controls. Furthermore, TNFR2+ Tregs from NPC patients expressed significantly higher amounts of IL-6 (p = 0.0077), IL-10 (p = 0.0001), IFN-γ (p = 0.0105) and TNF-α (p < 0.0001) than those from healthy controls. Most significantly, TNFR2 expression in maximally suppressive Tregs population were linked to WHO Type III histological type, distant metastasis, progressive disease status, and poor prognosis for NPC patients. Hence, our research implies that TNFR2 expression by PB and TME Tregs may be a useful predictive indicator in NPC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Engku Nur Syafirah Engku Abd Rahman
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Ahmad Adebayo Irekeola
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia; Microbiology Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Summit University Offa, PMB 4412, Offa Kwara State, Nigeria
| | - Rafidah Hanim Shueb
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Norhafiza Mat Lazim
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia; Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Rohimah Mohamud
- Department of Immunology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia; Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Xin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, 999078 Macau
| | - Liyana Ghazali
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Nik Mohd Syahrul Hafizzi Awang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Ali Haron
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II, Jalan Hospital, 15200 Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Yean Yean Chan
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia; Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
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26
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Hosseinalizadeh H, Rabiee F, Eghbalifard N, Rajabi H, Klionsky DJ, Rezaee A. Regulating the regulatory T cells as cell therapies in autoimmunity and cancer. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1244298. [PMID: 37828948 PMCID: PMC10565010 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1244298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs), possess a pivotal function in the maintenance of immune homeostasis. The dysregulated activity of Tregs has been associated with the onset of autoimmune diseases and cancer. Hence, Tregs are promising targets for interventions aimed at steering the immune response toward the desired path, either by augmenting the immune system to eliminate infected and cancerous cells or by dampening it to curtail the damage to self-tissues in autoimmune disorders. The activation of Tregs has been observed to have a potent immunosuppressive effect against T cells that respond to self-antigens, thus safeguarding our body against autoimmunity. Therefore, promoting Treg cell stability presents a promising strategy for preventing or managing chronic inflammation that results from various autoimmune diseases. On the other hand, Tregs have been found to be overactivated in several forms of cancer, and their role as immune response regulators with immunosuppressive properties poses a significant impediment to the successful implementation of cancer immunotherapy. However, the targeting of Tregs in a systemic manner may lead to the onset of severe inflammation and autoimmune toxicity. It is imperative to develop more selective methods for targeting the function of Tregs in tumors. In this review, our objective is to elucidate the function of Tregs in tumors and autoimmunity while also delving into numerous therapeutic strategies for reprogramming their function. Our focus is on reprogramming Tregs in a highly activated phenotype driven by the activation of key surface receptors and metabolic reprogramming. Furthermore, we examine Treg-based therapies in autoimmunity, with a specific emphasis on Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-Treg therapy and T-cell receptor (TCR)-Treg therapy. Finally, we discuss key challenges and the future steps in reprogramming Tregs that could lead to the development of novel and effective cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Hosseinalizadeh
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Paramedicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Rabiee
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Negar Eghbalifard
- Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Hamid Rajabi
- Faculty of Medicine, ShahreKord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Daniel J. Klionsky
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Aryan Rezaee
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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27
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Roy AM, George S. Emerging resistance vs. losing response to immune check point inhibitors in renal cell carcinoma: two differing phenomena. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2023; 6:642-655. [PMID: 37842239 PMCID: PMC10571056 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2023.47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) has revolutionized the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and has dramatically improved the outcomes of patients. The use of monotherapy or combinations of ICIs targeting PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4, as well as the addition of ICIs with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, has significantly enhanced the overall survival of mRCC patients. Despite these promising results, there remains a subset of patients who either do not respond to treatment (primary resistance) or develop resistance to therapy over time (acquired resistance). Understanding the mechanisms underlying the development of resistance to ICI treatment is crucial in the management of mRCC, as they can be used to identify new targets for innovative therapeutic strategies. Currently, there is an unmet need to develop new predictive and prognostic biomarkers that can aid in the development of personalized treatment options for mRCC patients. In this review, we summarize several mechanisms of ICI resistance in RCC, including alterations in tumor microenvironment, upregulation of alternative immune checkpoint pathways, and genetic and epigenetic changes. Additionally, we highlight potential strategies that can be used to overcome resistance, such as combination therapy, targeted therapy, and immune modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Saby George
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
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28
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Chen M, Zhu X, Zhang L, Zhao D. COL5A2 is a prognostic-related biomarker and correlated with immune infiltrates in gastric cancer based on transcriptomics and single-cell RNA sequencing. BMC Med Genomics 2023; 16:220. [PMID: 37723519 PMCID: PMC10506210 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-023-01659-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is still a therapeutic challenge in treating gastric cancer (GC) due to its high incidence and poor prognosis. Collagen type V alpha 2 (COL5A2) is increased in various cancers, yet it remains unclear how it contributes to the prognosis and immunity of GC. METHODS The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets were used to download transcriptome profiling (TCGA-STAD; GSE84437), single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data (GSE167297) and clinical information. COL5A2 expression and its relationship with clinicopathological factors were analyzed. We conducted survival analysis and Cox regression analysis to evaluate the prognosis and independent factors of GC. Co-expressed analysis was also performed. To identify the underlying mechanism, we conducted analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and functional enrichment. The correlations between COL5A2 expression and immune cell infiltration levels and immune infiltrate gene marker sets were further explored. Additionally, we analyzed the association of COL5A2 expression with immunological checkpoint molecules. Furthermore, the relationship between COL5A2 expression and immunotherapy sensitivity was also investigated. RESULTS COL5A2 expression was elevated in GC. More than this, the scRNA-seq analysis revealed that COL5A2 expression had a spatial gradient. The upregulated COL5A2 was associated with worse overall survival. A significant correlation was found between COL5A2 overexpression and age, T classification and clinical stage in GC. COL5A2 was found to be an independent factor for the unfortunate outcome in Cox regression analysis. The co-expressed genes of COL5A2 were associated with tumor stage or poor survival. Enrichment analysis revealed that the DEGs were mainly associated with extracellular matrix (ECM)-related processes, PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, and focal adhesion. GSEA analyses revealed that COL5A2 was associated with tumor progression-related pathways. Meanwhile, COL5A2 expression was correlated with tumor-infiltrating immune cells. Moreover, immunophenoscore (IPS) analysis and PRJEB25780 cohorts showed that patients with low COL5A2 expression were highly sensitive to immunotherapy. CONCLUSIONS COL5A2 might act as a prognostic biomarker of GC prognosis and immune infiltration and may provide a therapeutic intervention strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiru Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, 050000, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hengshui People's Hospital, Hengshui, Hebei Province, 053000, China
| | - Xinying Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, 050000, China
| | - Lixian Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hengshui People's Hospital, Hengshui, Hebei Province, 053000, China
| | - Dongqiang Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, 050000, China.
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Dąbrowska A, Grubba M, Balihodzic A, Szot O, Sobocki BK, Perdyan A. The Role of Regulatory T Cells in Cancer Treatment Resistance. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14114. [PMID: 37762416 PMCID: PMC10531820 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814114] [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: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite tremendous progress in cancer treatment in recent years, treatment resistance is still a major challenge for a great number of patients. One of the main causes is regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs), which suppress excessive inflammatory responses via the secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines and upregulate the immune checkpoints. Their abundance causes an immunosuppressive reprogramming of the tumor environment, which is ideal for tumor growth and drug inefficiency. Hence, regiments that can regain tumor immunogenicity are a promising strategy to overcome Tregs-mediated drug resistance. However, to develop effective therapeutic regimens, it is essential to understand the molecular mechanisms of Treg-mediated resistance. In this article, we gathered a comprehensive summary of the current knowledge on molecular mechanisms and the role of Tregs in cancer treatment resistance, including cancer immunotherapy, targeted therapy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Dąbrowska
- Student Scientific Circle of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Magdalena Grubba
- Student Scientific Circle of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Amar Balihodzic
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Comprehensive Cancer Center Graz, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Olga Szot
- Student Scientific Circle of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Bartosz Kamil Sobocki
- Student Scientific Circle of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Adrian Perdyan
- 3P-Medicine Laboratory, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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30
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Muraro E, Brisotto G. Circulating tumor cells and host immunity: A tricky liaison. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 381:131-157. [PMID: 37739482 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2023.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
During their dissemination, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) steadily face the immune system, which is a key player in the whole metastatic cascade, from intravasation to the CTC colonization of distant sites. In this chapter, we will go through the description of immune cells involved in this controversial dialogue encompassing both the anti-tumor activity and the tumor-promoting and immunosuppressive function mediated by several circulating immune effectors as natural killer (NK) cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, T helper 17, regulatory T cells, neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, dendritic cells, and platelets. Then, we will report on the same interaction from the CTCs point of view, depicting the direct and indirect mechanisms of crosstalk with the above mentioned immune cells. Finally, we will report the recent literature evidence on the potential prognostic role of the integrated CTCs and immune cells monitoring in cancer patients management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Muraro
- Immunopathology and Cancer Biomarkers Units, Department of Translational Research, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Aviano, Italy
| | - Giulia Brisotto
- Immunopathology and Cancer Biomarkers Units, Department of Translational Research, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Aviano, Italy.
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31
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Exposito F, Redrado M, Houry M, Hastings K, Molero-Abraham M, Lozano T, Solorzano JL, Sanz-Ortega J, Adradas V, Amat R, Redin E, Leon S, Legarra N, Garcia J, Serrano D, Valencia K, Robles-Oteiza C, Foggetti G, Otegui N, Felip E, Lasarte JJ, Paz-Ares L, Zugazagoitia J, Politi K, Montuenga L, Calvo A. PTEN Loss Confers Resistance to Anti-PD-1 Therapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Increasing Tumor Infiltration of Regulatory T Cells. Cancer Res 2023; 83:2513-2526. [PMID: 37311042 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-3023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may be mediated by an immunosuppressive microenvironment, which can be shaped by the mutational landscape of the tumor. Here, we observed genetic alterations in the PTEN/PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and/or loss of PTEN expression in >25% of patients with NSCLC, with higher frequency in lung squamous carcinomas (LUSC). Patients with PTEN-low tumors had higher levels of PD-L1 and PD-L2 and showed worse progression-free survival when treated with immunotherapy. Development of a Pten-null LUSC mouse model revealed that tumors with PTEN loss were refractory to antiprogrammed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1), highly metastatic and fibrotic, and secreted TGFβ/CXCL10 to promote conversion of CD4+ lymphocytes into regulatory T cells (Treg). Human and mouse PTEN-low tumors were enriched in Tregs and expressed higher levels of immunosuppressive genes. Importantly, treatment of mice bearing Pten-null tumors with TLR agonists and anti-TGFβ antibody aimed to alter this immunosuppressive microenvironment and led to tumor rejection and immunologic memory in 100% of mice. These results demonstrate that lack of PTEN causes immunotherapy resistance in LUSCs by establishing an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment that can be reversed therapeutically. SIGNIFICANCE PTEN loss leads to the development of an immunosuppressive microenvironment in lung cancer that confers resistance to anti-PD-1 therapy, which can be overcome by targeting PTEN loss-mediated immunosuppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Exposito
- Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERONC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- IDISNA, Pamplona, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Miriam Redrado
- Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- IDISNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Maeva Houry
- Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Katherine Hastings
- Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Medicine (Section of Medical Oncology), Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Magdalena Molero-Abraham
- Department of Medical Oncology and Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy Research Group, 12 de Octubre Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Teresa Lozano
- Immunology and Immunotherapy Program, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Jose Luis Solorzano
- Anatomic Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, MD Anderson Cancer Center Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julian Sanz-Ortega
- Department of Pathology, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Vera Adradas
- Department of Medical Oncology and Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy Research Group, 12 de Octubre Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ramon Amat
- Thoracic Cancers Translational Genomics Unit, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Redin
- Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERONC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- IDISNA, Pamplona, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Sergio Leon
- Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Naroa Legarra
- Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Javier Garcia
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Diego Serrano
- Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- IDISNA, Pamplona, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Karmele Valencia
- Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERONC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Giorgia Foggetti
- Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Medicine (Section of Medical Oncology), Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Nerea Otegui
- Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Enriqueta Felip
- Thoracic Cancers Translational Genomics Unit, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan J Lasarte
- IDISNA, Pamplona, Spain
- Immunology and Immunotherapy Program, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Luis Paz-Ares
- CIBERONC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medical Oncology and Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy Research Group, 12 de Octubre Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jon Zugazagoitia
- CIBERONC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medical Oncology and Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy Research Group, 12 de Octubre Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Katerina Politi
- Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Medicine (Section of Medical Oncology), Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Luis Montuenga
- Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERONC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- IDISNA, Pamplona, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Alfonso Calvo
- Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERONC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- IDISNA, Pamplona, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
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Zhang L, Dou X, Zheng Z, Ye C, Lu TX, Liang HL, Wang L, Weichselbaum RR, He C. YTHDF2/m 6 A/NF-κB axis controls anti-tumor immunity by regulating intratumoral Tregs. EMBO J 2023; 42:e113126. [PMID: 37345898 PMCID: PMC10390869 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022113126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
N6 -methyladenosine (m6 A) in messenger RNA (mRNA) regulates immune cells in homeostasis and in response to infection and inflammation. The function of the m6 A reader YTHDF2 in the tumor microenvironment (TME) in these contexts has not been explored. We discovered that the loss of YTHDF2 in regulatory T (Treg) cells reduces tumor growth in mice. Deletion of Ythdf2 in Tregs does not affect peripheral immune homeostasis but leads to increased apoptosis and impaired suppressive function of Treg cells in the TME. Elevated tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling in the TME promotes YTHDF2 expression, which in turn regulates NF-κB signaling by accelerating the degradation of m6 A-modified transcripts that encode NF-κB-negative regulators. This TME-specific regulation of Treg by YTHDF2 points to YTHDF2 as a potential target for anti-cancer immunotherapy, where intratumoral Treg cells can be targeted to enhance anti-tumor immune response while avoiding Treg cells in the periphery to minimize undesired inflammations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Zhang
- Department of ChemistryThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Institute for Biophysical DynamicsThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteUniversity of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
| | - Xiaoyang Dou
- Department of ChemistryThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Institute for Biophysical DynamicsThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteUniversity of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
| | - Zhong Zheng
- Department of ChemistryThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Institute for Biophysical DynamicsThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteUniversity of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
| | - Chang Ye
- Department of ChemistryThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Institute for Biophysical DynamicsThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteUniversity of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
| | - Thomas X Lu
- Department of ChemistryThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Institute for Biophysical DynamicsThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Present address:
Southern Indiana PhysiciansIndiana University HealthBloomingtonINUSA
| | - Hua L Liang
- Department of Radiation and Cellular OncologyUniversity of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Ludwig Center for Metastasis ResearchUniversity of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
| | - Liangliang Wang
- Department of Radiation and Cellular OncologyUniversity of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Ludwig Center for Metastasis ResearchUniversity of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
| | - Ralph R Weichselbaum
- Department of Radiation and Cellular OncologyUniversity of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Ludwig Center for Metastasis ResearchUniversity of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
| | - Chuan He
- Department of ChemistryThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Institute for Biophysical DynamicsThe University of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteUniversity of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
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Lee J, Kim EH. Mechanisms underlying response and resistance to immune checkpoint blockade in cancer immunotherapy. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1233376. [PMID: 37614504 PMCID: PMC10443702 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1233376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapies targeting immune checkpoint pathways, such as programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4), have achieved unprecedented therapeutic success in treating various types of cancer. The prominent and persistent clinical responses to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy are currently constrained to a subset of patients. Owing to discrete individual tumor and immune heterogeneity, most patients fail to benefit from ICB treatment, demonstrating either primary or acquired resistance. A thorough comprehension of the mechanisms restricting the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is required to extend their clinical applicability to a broader spectrum of patients and cancer types. Numerous studies are presently investigating potential prognostic markers of responsiveness, the complex dynamics underlying the therapeutic and adverse effects of ICB, and tumor immune evasion throughout the course of immunotherapy. In this article, we have reviewed the extant literature elucidating the mechanisms underlying the response and resistance to ICB, with a particular emphasis on PD-1 and CTLA-4 pathway blockade in the context of anti-tumor immunity. Furthermore, we aimed to explore potential approaches to overcome cancer therapeutic resistance and develop a rational design for more personalized ICB-based combinational regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eui Ho Kim
- Viral Immunology Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
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Ahmad A, Khan P, Rehman AU, Batra SK, Nasser MW. Immunotherapy: an emerging modality to checkmate brain metastasis. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:111. [PMID: 37454123 PMCID: PMC10349473 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01818-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The diagnosis of brain metastasis (BrM) has historically been a dooming diagnosis that is nothing less than a death sentence, with few treatment options for palliation or prolonging life. Among the few treatment options available, brain radiotherapy (RT) and surgical resection have been the backbone of therapy. Within the past couple of years, immunotherapy (IT), alone and in combination with traditional treatments, has emerged as a reckoning force to combat the spread of BrM and shrink tumor burden. This review compiles recent reports describing the potential role of IT in the treatment of BrM in various cancers. It also examines the impact of the tumor microenvironment of BrM on regulating the spread of cancer and the role IT can play in mitigating that spread. Lastly, this review also focuses on the future of IT and new clinical trials pushing the boundaries of IT in BrM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aatiya Ahmad
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE-68198, USA
| | - Parvez Khan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE-68198, USA
| | - Asad Ur Rehman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE-68198, USA
| | - Surinder Kumar Batra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE-68198, USA
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE-68198, USA
| | - Mohd Wasim Nasser
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE-68198, USA.
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.
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35
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Mestrallet G, Brown M, Bozkus CC, Bhardwaj N. Immune escape and resistance to immunotherapy in mismatch repair deficient tumors. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1210164. [PMID: 37492581 PMCID: PMC10363668 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1210164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Up to 30% of colorectal, endometrial and gastric cancers have a deficiency in mismatch repair (MMR) protein expression due to either germline or epigenetic inactivation. Patients with Lynch Syndrome who inherit an inactive MMR allele have an up to 80% risk for developing a mismatch repair deficient (MMRd) cancer. Due to an inability to repair DNA, MMRd tumors present with genomic instability in microsatellite regions (MS). Tumors with high MS instability (MSI-H) are characterized by an increased frequency of insertion/deletions (indels) that can encode novel neoantigens if they occur in coding regions. The high tumor antigen burden for MMRd cancers is accompanied by an inflamed tumor microenvironment (TME) that contributes to the clinical effectiveness of anti-PD-1 therapy in this patient population. However, between 40 and 70% of MMRd cancer patients do not respond to treatment with PD-1 blockade, suggesting that tumor-intrinsic and -extrinsic resistance mechanisms may affect the success of checkpoint blockade. Immune evasion mechanisms that occur during early tumorigenesis and persist through cancer development may provide a window into resistance pathways that limit the effectiveness of anti-PD-1 therapy. Here, we review the mechanisms of immune escape in MMRd tumors during development and checkpoint blockade treatment, including T cell dysregulation and myeloid cell-mediated immunosuppression in the TME. Finally, we discuss the development of new therapeutic approaches to tackle resistance in MMRd tumors, including cancer vaccines, therapies targeting immunosuppressive myeloid programs, and immune checkpoint combination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Mestrallet
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hess Center for Science & Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Matthew Brown
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hess Center for Science & Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Cansu Cimen Bozkus
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hess Center for Science & Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Nina Bhardwaj
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hess Center for Science & Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Extramural member, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Fasching PA, Szeto C, Denkert C, Benz S, Weber K, Spilman P, Budczies J, Schneeweiss A, Stickeler E, Schmatloch S, Jackisch C, Karn T, Sinn HP, Warm M, van Mackelenbergh M, Rabizadeh S, Schem C, Heinmöller E, Mueller V, Marmé F, Soon-Shiong P, Nekljudova V, Untch M, Loibl S. Inferred Immune-Cell Activity Is an Independent Predictor of HER2-Negative Breast Cancer Prognosis and Response to Paclitaxel-Based Therapy in the GeparSepto Trial. Clin Cancer Res 2023; 29:2456-2465. [PMID: 37014668 PMCID: PMC10320466 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-2213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Tumor microenvironment (TME) immune markers have been correlated with both response to neoadjuvant therapy and prognosis in patients with breast cancer. Here, immune-cell activity of breast cancer tumors was inferred by expression-based analysis to determine if it is prognostic and/or predictive of response to neoadjuvant paclitaxel-based therapy in the GeparSepto (G7) trial (NCT01583426). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Pre-study biopsies from 279 patients with HER2-negative breast cancer in the G7 trial underwent RNA-seq-based profiling of 104 immune-cell-specific genes to assess inferred Immune Cell Activity (iICA) of 23 immune-cell types. Hierarchical clustering was used to classify tumors as iICA "hot," "warm," or "cold" by comparison of iICA in the G7 cohort relative to that of 1,467 samples from a tumor database established by Nantomics LLC. Correlations between iICA cluster, pathology-assessed tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), and hormone receptor (HR) status for pathologic complete response (pCR), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were determined. RESULTS iICA cluster correlated with TIL levels. The highest pCR rates were observed in hot cluster tumors, and those with relatively higher TILs. Greater inferred activity of several T-cell types was significantly associated with pCR and survival. DFS and OS were prolonged in patients with hot or warm cluster tumors, the latter particularly for HR negative tumors, even if TILs were relatively low. CONCLUSIONS Overall, TIL level better predicted pCR, but iICA cluster better predicted survival. Differences in associations between TILs, cluster, pCR, and survival were observed for HR-positive tumors versus HR-negative tumors, suggesting expanded study of the implication of these findings is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A. Fasching
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Erlangen, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Carsten Denkert
- Institute for Pathology, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Jan Budczies
- Institute for Pathology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Schneeweiss
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elmar Stickeler
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Christian Jackisch
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Sana Hospital Offenbach, Offenbach, Germany
| | - Thomas Karn
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Goethe University Frankfurt, UCT-Frankfurt-Marburg, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Hans Peter Sinn
- Division of Gynecopathology, Institute for Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Marion van Mackelenbergh
- University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Volkmar Mueller
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Frederik Marmé
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
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Wang Y, Yang W, Wang Q, Zhou Y. Mechanisms of esophageal cancer metastasis and treatment progress. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1206504. [PMID: 37359527 PMCID: PMC10285156 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1206504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Esophageal cancer is a prevalent tumor of the digestive tract worldwide. The detection rate of early-stage esophageal cancer is very low, and most patients are diagnosed with metastasis. Metastasis of esophageal cancer mainly includes direct diffusion metastasis, hematogenous metastasis, and lymphatic metastasis. This article reviews the metabolic process of esophageal cancer metastasis and the mechanisms by which M2 macrophages, CAF, regulatory T cells, and their released cytokines, including chemokines, interleukins, and growth factors, form an immune barrier to the anti-tumor immune response mediated by CD8+ T cells, impeding their ability to kill tumor cells during tumor immune escape. The effect of Ferroptosis on the metastasis of esophageal cancer is briefly mentioned. Moreover, the paper also summarizes common drugs and research directions in chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy for advanced metastatic esophageal cancer. This review aims to serve as a foundation for further investigations into the mechanism and management of esophageal cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusheng Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First People’s Hospital of Changzhou, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunshan, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qianyun Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunshan, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yong Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunshan, Jiangsu, China
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38
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Lasorsa F, Rutigliano M, Milella M, Ferro M, Pandolfo SD, Crocetto F, Tataru OS, Autorino R, Battaglia M, Ditonno P, Lucarelli G. Cellular and Molecular Players in the Tumor Microenvironment of Renal Cell Carcinoma. J Clin Med 2023; 12:3888. [PMID: 37373581 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12123888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Globally, clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) represents the most prevalent type of kidney cancer. Surgery plays a key role in the treatment of this cancer, although one third of patients are diagnosed with metastatic ccRCC and about 25% of patients will develop a recurrence after nephrectomy with curative intent. Molecular-target-based agents, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), are recommended for advanced cancers. In addition to cancer cells, the tumor microenvironment (TME) includes non-malignant cell types embedded in an altered extracellular matrix (ECM). The evidence confirms that interactions among cancer cells and TME elements exist and are thought to play crucial roles in the development of cancer, making them promising therapeutic targets. In the TME, an unfavorable pH, waste product accumulation, and competition for nutrients between cancer and immune cells may be regarded as further possible mechanisms of immune escape. To enhance immunotherapies and reduce resistance, it is crucial first to understand how the immune cells work and interact with cancer and other cancer-associated cells in such a complex tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Lasorsa
- Urology, Andrology and Kidney Transplantation Unit, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Monica Rutigliano
- Urology, Andrology and Kidney Transplantation Unit, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Martina Milella
- Urology, Andrology and Kidney Transplantation Unit, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Matteo Ferro
- Division of Urology, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 71013 Milan, Italy
| | - Savio Domenico Pandolfo
- Department of Neurosciences and Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Felice Crocetto
- Department of Neurosciences and Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Octavian Sabin Tataru
- Department of Simulation Applied in Medicine, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology, 540139 Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Riccardo Autorino
- Department of Urology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Michele Battaglia
- Urology, Andrology and Kidney Transplantation Unit, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Pasquale Ditonno
- Urology, Andrology and Kidney Transplantation Unit, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lucarelli
- Urology, Andrology and Kidney Transplantation Unit, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", 70124 Bari, Italy
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Marchenko S, Piwonski I, Hoffmann I, Sinn BV, Kunze CA, Monjé N, Pohl J, Kulbe H, Schmitt WD, Darb-Esfahani S, Braicu EI, von Brünneck AC, Sehouli J, Denkert C, Horst D, Jöhrens K, Taube ET. Prognostic value of regulatory T cells and T helper 17 cells in high grade serous ovarian carcinoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:2523-2536. [PMID: 35763108 PMCID: PMC10129928 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-022-04101-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE In recent years the tumor microenvironment and its interaction with the tumor has emerged into research focus with increased attention to the composition of Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. We wanted to quantify the composition of Regulatory T cells (Tregs) and T helper 17 cells (Th17 cells) and their prognostic impact in high-grade serous tubo-ovarian carcinoma. METHODS Tregs and Th17 cells were determined by immunohistochemical analysis of CD25 FoxP3 and RORγt, respectively on tissue microarrays of a cohort of 222 patients with reviewed histology and available clinical data. Expression was analyzed with Qupath for quantification and integration with clinical data enabled calculation of prognostic impact. For validation FOXP3 and RORC mRNA expression levels from 502 patients with HGSC in publicly available datasets were evaluated. RESULTS An average percentage of 0.93 Tregs and of 0.06 Th17 cells was detected per cells in overall tissue. Optimal cut-offs were determined and higher Tregs were associated with a better overall survival in stroma (p = 0.006), tumor area (p = 0.0012) and overall tissue (p = 0.02). After accounting for well-known prognostic factors age at diagnosis, residual tumor and FIGO stage, this association remained significant for stromal Tregs with overall survival (p = 0.02). Survival analysis for Th17 cells revealed no significant association with survival rates. Moreover, lower Th17/Treg ratios had a positive impact on patient overall survival (p = 0.025 tumor, p = 0.049 stroma and p = 0.016 overall tissue). CONCLUSION Our results outline a positive prognostic effect for higher Tregs but not for Th17 in high grade serous tubo-ovarian carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofya Marchenko
- Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Iris Piwonski
- Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Inga Hoffmann
- Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bruno Valentin Sinn
- Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Catarina Alisa Kunze
- Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nanna Monjé
- Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jonathan Pohl
- Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hagen Kulbe
- Tumorbank Ovarian Cancer Network, Berlin Institute of Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Gynecology, European Competence Center for Ovarian Cancer, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Daniel Schmitt
- Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Elena Ioana Braicu
- Tumorbank Ovarian Cancer Network, Berlin Institute of Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Gynecology, European Competence Center for Ovarian Cancer, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ann-Christin von Brünneck
- Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jalid Sehouli
- Tumorbank Ovarian Cancer Network, Berlin Institute of Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Gynecology, European Competence Center for Ovarian Cancer, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carsten Denkert
- Institute of Pathology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - David Horst
- Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Korinna Jöhrens
- Institute of Pathology, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Eliane Tabea Taube
- Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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Du F, Yang LH, Liu J, Wang J, Fan L, Duangmano S, Liu H, Liu M, Wang J, Zhong X, Zhang Z, Wang F. The role of mitochondria in the resistance of melanoma to PD-1 inhibitors. J Transl Med 2023; 21:345. [PMID: 37221594 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04200-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant melanoma is one of the most common tumours and has the highest mortality rate of all types of skin cancers worldwide. Traditional and novel therapeutic approaches, including surgery, targeted therapy and immunotherapy, have shown good efficacy in the treatment of melanoma. At present, the mainstay of treatment for melanoma is immunotherapy combined with other treatment strategies. However, immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as PD-1 inhibitors, are not particularly effective in the clinical treatment of patients with melanoma. Changes in mitochondrial function may affect the development of melanoma and the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors. To elucidate the role of mitochondria in the resistance of melanoma to PD-1 inhibitors, this review comprehensively summarises the role of mitochondria in the occurrence and development of melanoma, targets related to the function of mitochondria in melanoma cells and changes in mitochondrial function in different cells in melanoma resistant to PD-1 inhibitors. This review may help to develop therapeutic strategies for improving the clinical response rate of PD-1 inhibitors and prolonging the survival of patients by activating mitochondrial function in tumour and T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Du
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu-Han Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiao Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Jian Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Lianpeng Fan
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Suwit Duangmano
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
| | - Hao Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Minghua Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaolin Zhong
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Zhuo Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand.
| | - Fang Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand.
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Jani S, Church CD, Nghiem P. Insights into anti-tumor immunity via the polyomavirus shared across human Merkel cell carcinomas. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1172913. [PMID: 37287968 PMCID: PMC10242112 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1172913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding and augmenting cancer-specific immunity is impeded by the fact that most tumors are driven by patient-specific mutations that encode unique antigenic epitopes. The shared antigens in virus-driven tumors can help overcome this limitation. Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a particularly interesting tumor immunity model because (1) 80% of cases are driven by Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) oncoproteins that must be continually expressed for tumor survival; (2) MCPyV oncoproteins are only ~400 amino acids in length and are essentially invariant between tumors; (3) MCPyV-specific T cell responses are robust and strongly linked to patient outcomes; (4) anti-MCPyV antibodies reliably increase with MCC recurrence, forming the basis of a standard clinical surveillance test; and (5) MCC has one of the highest response rates to PD-1 pathway blockade among all solid cancers. Leveraging these well-defined viral oncoproteins, a set of tools that includes over 20 peptide-MHC class I tetramers has been developed to facilitate the study of anti-tumor immunity across MCC patients. Additionally, the highly immunogenic nature of MCPyV oncoproteins forces MCC tumors to develop robust immune evasion mechanisms to survive. Indeed, several immune evasion mechanisms are active in MCC, including transcriptional downregulation of MHC expression by tumor cells and upregulation of inhibitory molecules including PD-L1 and immunosuppressive cytokines. About half of patients with advanced MCC do not persistently benefit from PD-1 pathway blockade. Herein, we (1) summarize the lessons learned from studying the anti-tumor T cell response to virus-positive MCC; (2) review immune evasion mechanisms in MCC; (3) review mechanisms of resistance to immune-based therapies in MCC and other cancers; and (4) discuss how recently developed tools can be used to address open questions in cancer immunotherapy. We believe detailed investigation of this model cancer will provide insight into tumor immunity that will likely also be applicable to more common cancers without shared tumor antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saumya Jani
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Candice D. Church
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Paul Nghiem
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, United States
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42
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Chai Y, Huang Z, Shen X, Lin T, Zhang Y, Feng X, Mao Q, Liang Y. Microbiota Regulates Pancreatic Cancer Carcinogenesis through Altered Immune Response. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1240. [PMID: 37317214 PMCID: PMC10221276 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The microbiota is present in many parts of the human body and plays essential roles. The most typical case is the occurrence and development of cancer. Pancreatic cancer (PC), one of the most aggressive and lethal types of cancer, has recently attracted the attention of researchers. Recent research has revealed that the microbiota regulates PC carcinogenesis via an altered immune response. Specifically, the microbiota, in several sites, including the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, and pancreatic tissue, along with the numerous small molecules and metabolites it produces, influences cancer progression and treatment by activating oncogenic signaling, enhancing oncogenic metabolic pathways, altering cancer cell proliferation, and triggering chronic inflammation that suppresses tumor immunity. Diagnostics and treatments based on or in combination with the microbiota offer novel insights to improve efficiency compared with existing therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihan Chai
- Department of General Surgery, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Hangzhou 310016, China
| | - Zhengze Huang
- Department of General Surgery, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Hangzhou 310016, China
| | - Xuqiu Shen
- Department of General Surgery, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Hangzhou 310016, China
| | - Tianyu Lin
- Department of General Surgery, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Hangzhou 310016, China
| | - Yiyin Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Hangzhou 310016, China
| | - Xu Feng
- Department of General Surgery, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Hangzhou 310016, China
| | - Qijiang Mao
- Department of General Surgery, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Hangzhou 310016, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology, Hangzhou 310016, China
- Zhejiang Province Medical Research Center of Minimally Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment of Abdominal Diseases, Hangzhou 310028, China
| | - Yuelong Liang
- Department of General Surgery, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Hangzhou 310016, China
- Zhejiang Province Medical Research Center of Minimally Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment of Abdominal Diseases, Hangzhou 310028, China
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Deshpande A, Loth M, Sidiropoulos DN, Zhang S, Yuan L, Bell ATF, Zhu Q, Ho WJ, Santa-Maria C, Gilkes DM, Williams SR, Uytingco CR, Chew J, Hartnett A, Bent ZW, Favorov AV, Popel AS, Yarchoan M, Kiemen A, Wu PH, Fujikura K, Wirtz D, Wood LD, Zheng L, Jaffee EM, Anders RA, Danilova L, Stein-O'Brien G, Kagohara LT, Fertig EJ. Uncovering the spatial landscape of molecular interactions within the tumor microenvironment through latent spaces. Cell Syst 2023; 14:285-301.e4. [PMID: 37080163 PMCID: PMC10236356 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2023.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in spatial transcriptomics (STs) enable gene expression measurements from a tissue sample while retaining its spatial context. This technology enables unprecedented in situ resolution of the regulatory pathways that underlie the heterogeneity in the tumor as well as the tumor microenvironment (TME). The direct characterization of cellular co-localization with spatial technologies facilities quantification of the molecular changes resulting from direct cell-cell interaction, as it occurs in tumor-immune interactions. We present SpaceMarkers, a bioinformatics algorithm to infer molecular changes from cell-cell interactions from latent space analysis of ST data. We apply this approach to infer the molecular changes from tumor-immune interactions in Visium spatial transcriptomics data of metastasis, invasive and precursor lesions, and immunotherapy treatment. Further transfer learning in matched scRNA-seq data enabled further quantification of the specific cell types in which SpaceMarkers are enriched. Altogether, SpaceMarkers can identify the location and context-specific molecular interactions within the TME from ST data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atul Deshpande
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Melanie Loth
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dimitrios N Sidiropoulos
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shuming Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Long Yuan
- Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Immunology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alexander T F Bell
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Qingfeng Zhu
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Won Jin Ho
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Cesar Santa-Maria
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Daniele M Gilkes
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Alexander V Favorov
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Aleksander S Popel
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mark Yarchoan
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ashley Kiemen
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Pei-Hsun Wu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kohei Fujikura
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Denis Wirtz
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering, Baltimore, MD, USA; Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences - Oncology Center and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Laura D Wood
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lei Zheng
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Jaffee
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert A Anders
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ludmila Danilova
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Genevieve Stein-O'Brien
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Luciane T Kagohara
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Elana J Fertig
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Műzes G, Sipos F. Autoimmunity and Carcinogenesis: Their Relationship under the Umbrella of Autophagy. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11041130. [PMID: 37189748 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11041130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The immune system and autophagy share a functional relationship. Both innate and adaptive immune responses involve autophagy and, depending on the disease’s origin and pathophysiology, it may have a detrimental or positive role on autoimmune disorders. As a “double-edged sword” in tumors, autophagy can either facilitate or impede tumor growth. The autophagy regulatory network that influences tumor progression and treatment resistance is dependent on cell and tissue types and tumor stages. The connection between autoimmunity and carcinogenesis has not been sufficiently explored in past studies. As a crucial mechanism between the two phenomena, autophagy may play a substantial role, though the specifics remain unclear. Several autophagy modifiers have demonstrated beneficial effects in models of autoimmune disease, emphasizing their therapeutic potential as treatments for autoimmune disorders. The function of autophagy in the tumor microenvironment and immune cells is the subject of intensive study. The objective of this review is to investigate the role of autophagy in the simultaneous genesis of autoimmunity and malignancy, shedding light on both sides of the issue. We believe our work will assist in the organization of current understanding in the field and promote additional research on this urgent and crucial topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Györgyi Műzes
- Immunology Division, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Semmelweis University, 1088 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Sipos
- Immunology Division, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Semmelweis University, 1088 Budapest, Hungary
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Yang Z, Zhang W, Li L, Hu N, Dong X, Chen Y, Cai W, Yin L, Liu F, Tang D, Dai Y. The novel putative methyltransferase METTL7A as one prognostic biomarker potentially associated with immune infiltration in human renal cancer. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15371. [PMID: 37123902 PMCID: PMC10133759 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Among urological cancers, renal cancer has the highest fatality rate. In a previous pan-cancer study of the METTL family, we observed a stronger association between the METTL family members and the risk of renal cancer compared to other cancers. Among these members, METTL7A, a potential methyltransferase, was identified as a protective factor, although its role and mechanism in renal cancer remain unclear. In this study, we utilized public databases to examine the expression of METTL7A in renal cancer tissues and normal tissues and found that METTL7A expression was much lower in renal cancer tissues. We also noticed a link between low METTL7A expression and poor prognosis for patients. According to the results of our functional enrichment analysis, METTL7A may have a role in immunological functions in renal cancer. METTL7A expression was strongly linked with the degrees of immune cell infiltration and expression of numerous immunological components. METTL7A had significantly different effects on the survival times of renal cancer patients with high or low immune infiltration. Our findings suggest that METTL7A may be used as both a prognostic biomarker and an immunological target for kidney cancer. In conclusion, our study sheds light on the importance of METTL7A in renal cancer and emphasizes the potential of targeting METTL7A as a novel therapeutic strategy for kidney cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqian Yang
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518020, China
- Institute of Nephrology and Blood Purification, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518020, China
- Guangdong Fapon Biopharma Inc, Innovative Markers Department, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Lintai Li
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518020, China
- Guangdong Fapon Biopharma Inc, Innovative Markers Department, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Nan Hu
- Key Renal Laboratory of Shenzhen, Department of Nephrology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen 518020, China
| | - Xiangnan Dong
- Institute of Nephrology and Blood Purification, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yumei Chen
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518020, China
| | - Wanxia Cai
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518020, China
| | - Lianghong Yin
- Institute of Nephrology and Blood Purification, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Fanna Liu
- Institute of Nephrology and Blood Purification, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Corresponding author.
| | - Donge Tang
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518020, China
- Corresponding author.
| | - Yong Dai
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518020, China
- Institute of Nephrology and Blood Purification, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Key Renal Laboratory of Shenzhen, Department of Nephrology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen 518020, China
- Corresponding author. Clinical Medical Research Center, The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518020, China.
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Yang Y, Wang Q, Zou H, Chou CK, Chen X. Exosome-Modified Liposomes Targeted Delivery of Thalidomide to Regulate Treg Cells for Antitumor Immunotherapy. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15041074. [PMID: 37111560 PMCID: PMC10142880 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15041074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Thalidomide (THD), a synthetic derivative of glutamic acid, was initially used as a sedative and antiemetic until the 1960s, when it was found to cause devastating teratogenic effects. However, subsequent studies have clearly demonstrated the anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, and immunomodulatory properties of thalidomide, thus providing a rationale for its current use in the treatment of various autoimmune diseases and cancers. Our group found that thalidomide can suppress the regulatory T cells (Tregs), a minor subset of CD4+ T cells (~10%) with unique immunosuppressive activity that have been shown to accumulate in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and represent a major mechanism of tumor immune evasion. Due to the low solubility of thalidomide in its present form of administration, coupled with its lack of specificity for targeted delivery and controlled drug release, it is an urgent need to find potent delivery methods that can significantly enhance its solubility, optimize the desired site of drug action, and mitigate its toxicity. In this study, the isolated exosomes were incubated with synthetic liposomes to form hybrid exosomes (HEs) that carried THD (HE-THD) with uniform size distribution. The results demonstrated that HE-THD could significantly abrogate the expansion and proliferation of Tregs induced by TNF, and this might result from blocking TNF-TNFR2 interaction. By encapsulating THD in hybrid exosomes, our drug delivery system successfully increased the solubility of THD, laying a foundation for future in vivo experiments that validate the antitumor activity of HE-THD by reducing the Treg frequency within the tumor microenvironment.
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Dhawan M, Rabaan AA, Alwarthan S, Alhajri M, Halwani MA, Alshengeti A, Najim MA, Alwashmi ASS, Alshehri AA, Alshamrani SA, AlShehail BM, Garout M, Al-Abdulhadi S, Al-Ahmed SH, Thakur N, Verma G. Regulatory T Cells (Tregs) and COVID-19: Unveiling the Mechanisms, and Therapeutic Potentialities with a Special Focus on Long COVID. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11030699. [PMID: 36992283 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11030699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused havoc all around the world. The causative agent of COVID-19 is the novel form of the coronavirus (CoV) named SARS-CoV-2, which results in immune system disruption, increased inflammation, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). T cells have been important components of the immune system, which decide the fate of the COVID-19 disease. Recent studies have reported an important subset of T cells known as regulatory T cells (Tregs), which possess immunosuppressive and immunoregulatory properties and play a crucial role in the prognosis of COVID-19 disease. Recent studies have shown that COVID-19 patients have considerably fewer Tregs than the general population. Such a decrement may have an impact on COVID-19 patients in a number of ways, including diminishing the effect of inflammatory inhibition, creating an inequality in the Treg/Th17 percentage, and raising the chance of respiratory failure. Having fewer Tregs may enhance the likelihood of long COVID development in addition to contributing to the disease's poor prognosis. Additionally, tissue-resident Tregs provide tissue repair in addition to immunosuppressive and immunoregulatory activities, which may aid in the recovery of COVID-19 patients. The severity of the illness is also linked to abnormalities in the Tregs' phenotype, such as reduced expression of FoxP3 and other immunosuppressive cytokines, including IL-10 and TGF-beta. Hence, in this review, we summarize the immunosuppressive mechanisms and their possible roles in the prognosis of COVID-19 disease. Furthermore, the perturbations in Tregs have been associated with disease severity. The roles of Tregs are also explained in the long COVID. This review also discusses the potential therapeutic roles of Tregs in the management of patients with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish Dhawan
- Department of Microbiology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, India
- Trafford College, Altrincham, Manchester WA14 5PQ, UK
| | - Ali A Rabaan
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Public Health and Nutrition, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22610, Pakistan
| | - Sara Alwarthan
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mashael Alhajri
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad A Halwani
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Al Baha University, Al Baha 4781, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amer Alshengeti
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah 41491, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Hospital, National Guard Health Affairs, Al-Madinah 41491, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mustafa A Najim
- Department of Medical Laboratories Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Al-Madinah 41411, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ameen S S Alwashmi
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad A Alshehri
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh A Alshamrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bashayer M AlShehail
- Pharmacy Practice Department, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Garout
- Department of Community Medicine and Health Care for Pilgrims, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh Al-Abdulhadi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Riyadh 11942, Saudi Arabia
- Dr. Saleh Office for Medical Genetic and Genetic Counseling Services, The House of Expertise, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Dammam 32411, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shamsah H Al-Ahmed
- Specialty Paediatric Medicine, Qatif Central Hospital, Qatif 32654, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nanamika Thakur
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Mohali 140413, India
| | - Geetika Verma
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Biotechnology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh 160012, India
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Huynh D, Winter P, Märkl F, Endres S, Kobold S. Beyond direct killing-novel cellular immunotherapeutic strategies to reshape the tumor microenvironment. Semin Immunopathol 2023; 45:215-227. [PMID: 36167831 PMCID: PMC10121530 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-022-00962-4] [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: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The clinical use of cellular immunotherapies is gaining momentum and the number of approved indications is steadily increasing. One class of cellular therapies-chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells-has achieved impressive results in distinct blood cancer indications. These existing cellular therapies treating blood cancers face significant relapse rates, and their application beyond hematology has been underwhelming, especially in solid oncology. Major reasons for resistance source largely in the tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME in fact functionally suppresses, restricts, and excludes adoptive immune cells, which limits the efficacy of cellular immunotherapies from the onset. Many promising efforts are ongoing to adapt cellular immunotherapies to address these obstacles, with the aim of reshaping the tumor microenvironment to ameliorate function and to achieve superior efficacy against both hematological and solid malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duc Huynh
- Department of Medicine IV, Center of Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPS-M) and Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Klinikum der Universität München, LMU Lindwurmstrasse 2a, 80337, Munich, Germany
| | - Pia Winter
- Department of Medicine IV, Center of Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPS-M) and Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Klinikum der Universität München, LMU Lindwurmstrasse 2a, 80337, Munich, Germany
| | - Florian Märkl
- Department of Medicine IV, Center of Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPS-M) and Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Klinikum der Universität München, LMU Lindwurmstrasse 2a, 80337, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Endres
- Department of Medicine IV, Center of Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPS-M) and Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Klinikum der Universität München, LMU Lindwurmstrasse 2a, 80337, Munich, Germany
- Einheit Für Klinische Pharmakologie (EKLiP), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Research Center for Environmental Health (HMGU), Neuherberg, Germany
- German Center for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), partner site Munich, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kobold
- Department of Medicine IV, Center of Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPS-M) and Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Klinikum der Universität München, LMU Lindwurmstrasse 2a, 80337, Munich, Germany.
- Einheit Für Klinische Pharmakologie (EKLiP), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Research Center for Environmental Health (HMGU), Neuherberg, Germany.
- German Center for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), partner site Munich, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Hwang S, Lim J, Kang H, Jeong JY, Joung JG, Heo J, Jung D, Cho K, An HJ. Predictive biomarkers for the responsiveness of recurrent glioblastomas to activated killer cell immunotherapy. Cell Biosci 2023; 13:17. [PMID: 36694264 PMCID: PMC9875464 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-00961-4] [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: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly aggressive primary malignant brain tumor that is resistant to existing treatments. Recently, we reported that activated autologous natural killer (NK) cell therapeutics induced a marked increase in survival of some patients with recurrent GBM. METHODS To identify biomarkers that predict responsiveness to NK cell therapeutics, we examined immune profiles in tumor tissues using NanoString nCounter analysis and compared the profiles between 5 responders and 7 non-responders. Through a three-step data analysis, we identified three candidate biomarkers (TNFRSF18, TNFSF4, and IL12RB2) and performed validation with qRT-PCR. We also performed immunohistochemistry and a NK cell migration assay to assess the function of these genes. RESULTS Responders had higher expression of many immune-signaling genes compared with non-responders, which suggests an immune-active tumor microenvironment in responders. The random forest model that identified TNFRSF18, TNFSF4, and IL12RB2 showed a 100% accuracy (95% CI 73.5-100%) for predicting the response to NK cell therapeutics. The expression levels of these three genes by qRT-PCR were highly correlated with the NanoString levels, with high Pearson's correlation coefficients (0.419 (TNFRSF18), 0.700 (TNFSF4), and 0.502 (IL12RB2)); their prediction performance also showed 100% accuracy (95% CI 73.54-100%) by logistic regression modeling. We also demonstrated that these genes were related to cytotoxic T cell infiltration and NK cell migration in the tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSION We identified TNFRSF18, TNFSF4, and IL12RB2 as biomarkers that predict response to NK cell therapeutics in recurrent GBM, which might provide a new treatment strategy for this highly aggressive tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sohyun Hwang
- grid.410886.30000 0004 0647 3511Department of Pathology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, 13496 Korea ,grid.452398.10000 0004 0570 1076CHA Future Medicine Research Institute, CHA Bundang Medical Center, Seongnam, Korea
| | - Jaejoon Lim
- grid.410886.30000 0004 0647 3511Department of Neurosurgery, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, 13496 Korea
| | - Haeyoun Kang
- grid.410886.30000 0004 0647 3511Department of Pathology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, 13496 Korea
| | - Ju-Yeon Jeong
- grid.452398.10000 0004 0570 1076CHA Future Medicine Research Institute, CHA Bundang Medical Center, Seongnam, Korea
| | - Je-Gun Joung
- grid.452398.10000 0004 0570 1076CHA Future Medicine Research Institute, CHA Bundang Medical Center, Seongnam, Korea ,grid.410886.30000 0004 0647 3511Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam, Korea
| | - Jinhyung Heo
- grid.410886.30000 0004 0647 3511Department of Pathology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, 13496 Korea
| | - Daun Jung
- grid.410886.30000 0004 0647 3511Department of Pathology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, 13496 Korea
| | - Kyunggi Cho
- grid.410886.30000 0004 0647 3511Department of Neurosurgery, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, 13496 Korea
| | - Hee Jung An
- grid.410886.30000 0004 0647 3511Department of Pathology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, 13496 Korea ,grid.452398.10000 0004 0570 1076CHA Future Medicine Research Institute, CHA Bundang Medical Center, Seongnam, Korea
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The Immunosuppressive Effect of TNFR2 Expression in the Colorectal Cancer Microenvironment. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11010173. [PMID: 36672682 PMCID: PMC9856189 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11010173] [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: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents one of the most common causes of death among cancers worldwide. Its incidence has been increasing among the young population. Many risk factors contribute to the development and progression of CRC and about 70% of them are sporadic. The CRC microenvironment is highly heterogeneous and represents a very complex immunosuppressive platform. Many cytokines and their receptors are vital participants in this immunosuppressive microenvironment. Tumor necrosis factors (TNFs) and TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2) are critical players in the development of CRC. TNFR2 was observed to have increased the immunosuppressive activity of CRC cells via regulatory T cells (T regs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) in the CRC microenvironment. However, the exact mechanism of TNFR2 in regulating the CRC prognosis remains elusive. Here, we discuss the role of TNFR2 in immune escape mechanism of CRC in the immunosuppressive cells, including Tregs and MDSCs, and the complex signaling pathways that facilitate the development of CRC. It is suggested that extensive studies on TNFR2 downstream signaling must be done, since TNFR2 has a high potential to be developed into a therapeutic agent and cancer biomarker in the future.
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