1
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Huang AL, He YZ, Yang Y, Pang M, Zheng GP, Wang HL. Exploring the potential of the TCR repertoire as a tumor biomarker (Review). Oncol Lett 2024; 28:413. [PMID: 38988449 PMCID: PMC11234811 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2024.14546] [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: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
T cells play an important role in adaptive immunity. Mature T cells specifically recognize antigens on major histocompatibility complex molecules through T-cell receptors (TCRs). As the TCR repertoire is highly diverse, its analysis is vital in the assessment of T cells. Advances in sequencing technology have provided convenient methods for further investigation of the TCR repertoire. In the present review, the TCR structure and the mechanisms by which TCRs function in tumor recognition are described. In addition, the potential value of the TCR repertoire in tumor diagnosis is reviewed. Furthermore, the role of the TCR repertoire in tumor immunotherapy is introduced, and the relationships between the TCR repertoire and the effects of different tumor immunotherapies are discussed. Based on the reviewed literature, it may be concluded that the TCR repertoire has the potential to serve as a biomarker for tumor prognosis. However, a wider range of cancer types and more diverse subjects require evaluation in future research to establish the TCR repertoire as a biomarker of tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- An-Li Huang
- Institute of Cancer Biology, Basic Medical Sciences Center, School of Basic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Jinzhong, Shanxi 030600, P.R. China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Shanxi Medical University, Jinzhong, Shanxi 030600, P.R. China
| | - Yan-Zhao He
- Institute of Cancer Biology, Basic Medical Sciences Center, School of Basic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Jinzhong, Shanxi 030600, P.R. China
| | - Yong Yang
- Institute of Cancer Biology, Basic Medical Sciences Center, School of Basic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Jinzhong, Shanxi 030600, P.R. China
| | - Min Pang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Pneumoconiosis, Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, P.R. China
| | - Guo-Ping Zheng
- Centre for Transplantation and Renal Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2145, Australia
| | - Hai-Long Wang
- Institute of Cancer Biology, Basic Medical Sciences Center, School of Basic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Jinzhong, Shanxi 030600, P.R. China
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2
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Vincent CA, Remeseiro S. The immune response behind peptide vaccination in diffuse midline glioma. Mol Oncol 2024. [PMID: 38880657 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13686] [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: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
A first-in-human trial demonstrated that a vaccine targeting the histone mutation H3K27M can induce an immune response, in a mutation-specific manner, in patients with diffuse midline glioma. In a recent study by Boschert et al., the same group now dissects the functional immune response triggered after effective vaccination of one of the patients, who has been in remission for over 3 years. The H3K27M peptide vaccine, named H3-vac, induces a CD4+ T-cell-specific immune response in this patient and expands the repertoire of polyclonal H3K27M-specific T-cell receptors. A clonal H3K27M-reactive B-cell population was also detected in the patient's cerebrospinal fluid. Importantly, the immune response is induced across various human leukocyte antigen alleleotypes, indicating the potential efficacy of the vaccine in diverse populations. By exploring in detail the immune response linked to this patient's long-term survival, the authors prove peptide vaccinations as a viable therapeutic approach. This paves the way for personalised therapies harnessing immunogenic T- and B-cell responses against different tumour types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig A Vincent
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Section of Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine (WCMM), Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Silvia Remeseiro
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Section of Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine (WCMM), Umeå University, Sweden
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3
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Linsley PS, Nakayama M, Balmas E, Chen J, Barahmand-Pour-Whitman F, Bansal S, Bottorff T, Serti E, Speake C, Pugliese A, Cerosaletti K. Germline-like TCR-α chains shared between autoreactive T cells in blood and pancreas. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4971. [PMID: 38871688 PMCID: PMC11176301 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48833-w] [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: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Human type 1 diabetes (T1D) is caused by autoimmune attack on the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells by islet antigen-reactive T cells. How human islet antigen-reactive (IAR) CD4+ memory T cells from peripheral blood affect T1D progression in the pancreas is poorly understood. Here, we aim to determine if IAR T cells in blood could be detected in pancreas. We identify paired αβ (TRA/TRB) T cell receptors (TCRs) in IAR T cells from the blood of healthy, at-risk, new-onset, and established T1D donors, and measured sequence overlap with TCRs in pancreata from healthy, at risk and T1D organ donors. We report extensive TRA junction sharing between IAR T cells and pancreas-infiltrating T cells (PIT), with perfect-match or single-mismatch TRA junction amino acid sequences comprising ~29% total unique IAR TRA junctions (942/3,264). PIT-matched TRA junctions were largely public and enriched for TRAV41 usage, showing significant nucleotide sequence convergence, increased use of germline-encoded versus non-templated residues in epitope engagement, and a potential for cross-reactivity. Our findings thus link T cells with distinctive germline-like TRA chains in the peripheral blood with T cells in the pancreas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter S Linsley
- Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Maki Nakayama
- Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Elisa Balmas
- Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Janice Chen
- Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Shubham Bansal
- Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ty Bottorff
- Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Cate Speake
- Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Alberto Pugliese
- Department of Diabetes Immunology & The Wanek Family Project for Type 1 Diabetes, Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
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4
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Hao Q, Li R, Li H, Rui S, You L, Zhang L, Zhao Y, Li P, Li Y, Kong X, Chen H, Zou X, Liu F, Wang X, Zhou J, Zhang W, Huang L, Shu Y, Liu J, Sun R, Li C, Zhu J, Jiang Y, Wei T, Qian K, Bai B, Hu Y, Peng Y, Dai L, Caulin C, Xu H, Li Z, Park J, Luo H, Ying B. Dynamics of The Γδtcr Repertoires During The Dedifferentiation Process and Pilot Implications for Immunotherapy of Thyroid Cancer. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2306364. [PMID: 38286670 PMCID: PMC10987121 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202306364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
γδ T cells are evolutionarily conserved T lymphocytes that manifest unique antitumor efficacy independent of tumor mutation burden (TMB) and conventional human leukocyte antigen (HLA) recognition. However, the dynamic changes in their T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire during cancer progression and treatment courses remain unclear. Here, a comprehensive characterization of γδTCR repertoires are performed in thyroid cancers with divergent differentiation states through cross-sectional studies. The findings revealed a significant correlation between the differentiation states and TCR repertoire diversity. Notably, highly expanded clones are prominently enriched in γδ T cell compartment of dedifferentiated patients. Moreover, by longitudinal investigations of the γδ T cell response to various antitumor therapies, it is found that the emergence and expansion of the Vδ2neg subset may be potentially associated with favorable clinical outcomes after post-radiotherapeutic immunotherapy. These findings are further validated at single-cell resolution in both advanced thyroid cancer patients and a murine model, underlining the importance of further investigations into the role of γδTCR in cancer immunity and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Hao
- Department of Laboratory MedicineWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China HospitalSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation CenterChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Ruicen Li
- Health Promotion CenterWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Hancong Li
- Division of Thyroid Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Laboratory of Thyroid and Parathyroid DiseaseFrontiers Science Center for Disease‐Related Molecular NetworkChengdu610041China
- Department of General Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Shu Rui
- Division of Thyroid Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Laboratory of Thyroid and Parathyroid DiseaseFrontiers Science Center for Disease‐Related Molecular NetworkChengdu610041China
- Department of General Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Liting You
- Department of Laboratory MedicineWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Lingyun Zhang
- School of Biomedical SciencesThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong SAR999077China
| | - Yue Zhao
- Division of Thyroid Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Laboratory of Thyroid and Parathyroid DiseaseFrontiers Science Center for Disease‐Related Molecular NetworkChengdu610041China
- Department of General Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Peiheng Li
- Division of Thyroid Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Laboratory of Thyroid and Parathyroid DiseaseFrontiers Science Center for Disease‐Related Molecular NetworkChengdu610041China
- Department of General Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Yuanmin Li
- Division of Thyroid Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Laboratory of Thyroid and Parathyroid DiseaseFrontiers Science Center for Disease‐Related Molecular NetworkChengdu610041China
- Key Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease Related Molecular Network, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengdu610041China
| | - Xinagyu Kong
- Division of Thyroid Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Laboratory of Thyroid and Parathyroid DiseaseFrontiers Science Center for Disease‐Related Molecular NetworkChengdu610041China
- Department of General Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Haining Chen
- Colorectal Cancer Center, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Xiuhe Zou
- Division of Thyroid Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Laboratory of Thyroid and Parathyroid DiseaseFrontiers Science Center for Disease‐Related Molecular NetworkChengdu610041China
- Department of General Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Feng Liu
- Division of Thyroid Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Laboratory of Thyroid and Parathyroid DiseaseFrontiers Science Center for Disease‐Related Molecular NetworkChengdu610041China
- Department of General Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Xiaofei Wang
- Division of Thyroid Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Laboratory of Thyroid and Parathyroid DiseaseFrontiers Science Center for Disease‐Related Molecular NetworkChengdu610041China
- Department of General Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Juan Zhou
- Department of Laboratory MedicineWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Weihan Zhang
- Gastric Cancer Center, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Libing Huang
- Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Yang Shu
- Gastric Cancer Center, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - JiaYe Liu
- Division of Thyroid Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Laboratory of Thyroid and Parathyroid DiseaseFrontiers Science Center for Disease‐Related Molecular NetworkChengdu610041China
- Department of General Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Ronghao Sun
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Cancer Hospital, Sichuan Cancer Institute, Sichuan Cancer Prevention and Treatment CenterCancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology School of MedicineChengdu610041China
| | - Chao Li
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Cancer Hospital, Sichuan Cancer Institute, Sichuan Cancer Prevention and Treatment CenterCancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology School of MedicineChengdu610041China
| | - Jingqiang Zhu
- Division of Thyroid Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Laboratory of Thyroid and Parathyroid DiseaseFrontiers Science Center for Disease‐Related Molecular NetworkChengdu610041China
- Department of General Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Yong Jiang
- Division of Pathology, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Tao Wei
- Division of Thyroid Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Laboratory of Thyroid and Parathyroid DiseaseFrontiers Science Center for Disease‐Related Molecular NetworkChengdu610041China
- Department of General Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Kun Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, School of Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Medical Robotics and Med‐X Research InstituteShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai200230China
| | - Bing Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and TechnologyYunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical ResearchKunmingYunnan650500China
| | - Yiguo Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China HospitalSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation CenterChengduSichuan610041China
- Division of Thyroid Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Laboratory of Thyroid and Parathyroid DiseaseFrontiers Science Center for Disease‐Related Molecular NetworkChengdu610041China
| | - Yong Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China HospitalSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation CenterChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Lunzhi Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China HospitalSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation CenterChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Carlos Caulin
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery and University of Arizona Cancer CenterUniversity of ArizonaTucsonAZ85721USA
| | - Heng Xu
- Department of Laboratory MedicineWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China HospitalSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation CenterChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Zhihui Li
- Division of Thyroid Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Laboratory of Thyroid and Parathyroid DiseaseFrontiers Science Center for Disease‐Related Molecular NetworkChengdu610041China
- Department of General Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Jihwan Park
- School of Life SciencesGwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST)Gwangju61005Republic of Korea
| | - Han Luo
- Department of Laboratory MedicineWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Division of Thyroid Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Laboratory of Thyroid and Parathyroid DiseaseFrontiers Science Center for Disease‐Related Molecular NetworkChengdu610041China
- Department of General Surgery, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Sichuan Clinical Research Center for laboratory medicineChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Binwu Ying
- Department of Laboratory MedicineWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Sichuan Clinical Research Center for laboratory medicineChengduSichuan610041China
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5
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Früh SP, Früh MA, Kaufer BB, Göbel TW. Unraveling the chicken T cell repertoire with enhanced genome annotation. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1359169. [PMID: 38550579 PMCID: PMC10972964 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1359169] [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: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire sequencing has emerged as a powerful tool for understanding the diversity and functionality of T cells within the host immune system. Yet, the chicken TCR repertoire remains poorly understood due to incomplete genome annotation of the TCR loci, despite the importance of chickens in agriculture and as an immunological model. Here, we addressed this critical issue by employing 5' rapid amplification of complementary DNA ends (5'RACE) TCR repertoire sequencing with molecular barcoding of complementary DNA (cDNA) molecules. Simultaneously, we enhanced the genome annotation of TCR Variable (V), Diversity (D, only present in β and δ loci) and Joining (J) genes in the chicken genome. To enhance the efficiency of TCR annotations, we developed VJ-gene-finder, an algorithm designed to extract VJ gene candidates from deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences. Using this tool, we achieved a comprehensive annotation of all known chicken TCR loci, including the α/δ locus on chromosome 27. Evolutionary analysis revealed that each locus evolved separately by duplication of long homology units. To define the baseline TCR diversity in healthy chickens and to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach, we characterized the splenic α/β/γ/δ TCR repertoire. Analysis of the repertoires revealed preferential usage of specific V and J combinations in all chains, while the overall features were characteristic of unbiased repertoires. We observed moderate levels of shared complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3) clonotypes among individual birds within the α and γ chain repertoires, including the most frequently occurring clonotypes. However, the β and δ repertoires were predominantly unique to each bird. Taken together, our TCR repertoire analysis allowed us to decipher the composition, diversity, and functionality of T cells in chickens. This work not only represents a significant step towards understanding avian T cell biology, but will also shed light on host-pathogen interactions, vaccine development, and the evolutionary history of avian immunology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon P. Früh
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Virology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Thomas W. Göbel
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
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6
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Boschert T, Kromer K, Lerner T, Lindner K, Haltenhof G, Tan CL, Jähne K, Poschke I, Bunse L, Eisele P, Grassl N, Mildenberger I, Sahm K, Platten M, Lindner JM, Green EW. H3K27M neoepitope vaccination in diffuse midline glioma induces B and T cell responses across diverse HLA loci of a recovered patient. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadi9091. [PMID: 38306431 PMCID: PMC10836722 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi9091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
H3K27M, a driver mutation with T and B cell neoepitope characteristics, defines an aggressive subtype of diffuse glioma with poor survival. We functionally dissect the immune response of one patient treated with an H3K27M peptide vaccine who subsequently entered complete remission. The vaccine robustly expanded class II human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-restricted peripheral H3K27M-specific T cells. Using functional assays, we characterized 34 clonally unique H3K27M-reactive T cell receptors and identified critical, conserved motifs in their complementarity-determining region 3 regions. Using detailed HLA mapping, we further demonstrate that diverse HLA-DQ and HLA-DR alleles present immunogenic H3K27M epitopes. Furthermore, we identified and profiled H3K27M-reactive B cell receptors from activated B cells in the cerebrospinal fluid. Our results uncover the breadth of the adaptive immune response against a shared clonal neoantigen across multiple HLA allelotypes and support the use of class II-restricted peptide vaccines to stimulate tumor-specific T and B cells harboring receptors with therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Boschert
- CCU Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology (HI-TRON Mainz) - A Helmholtz Institute of the DKFZ, Mainz, Germany
| | - Kristina Kromer
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- BioMed X GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Katharina Lindner
- CCU Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Immune Monitoring Unit, DKFZ and National Center for Tumour Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gordon Haltenhof
- CCU Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Chin Leng Tan
- CCU Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kristine Jähne
- CCU Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Isabel Poschke
- CCU Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Immune Monitoring Unit, DKFZ and National Center for Tumour Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lukas Bunse
- CCU Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, MCTN Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Philipp Eisele
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, MCTN Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Niklas Grassl
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, MCTN Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Iris Mildenberger
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, MCTN Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Katharina Sahm
- CCU Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, MCTN Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Michael Platten
- CCU Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology (HI-TRON Mainz) - A Helmholtz Institute of the DKFZ, Mainz, Germany
- Immune Monitoring Unit, DKFZ and National Center for Tumour Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, MCTN Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- DKFZ Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center Mannheim, Mannheim Germany
| | | | - Edward W Green
- CCU Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, MCTN Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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7
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Elster C, Ommer-Bläsius M, Lang A, Vajen T, Pfeiler S, Feige M, Yau Pang T, Böttenberg M, Verheyen S, Lê Quý K, Chernigovskaya M, Kelm M, Winkels H, Schmidt SV, Greiff V, Gerdes N. Application and challenges of TCR and BCR sequencing to investigate T- and B-cell clonality in elastase-induced experimental murine abdominal aortic aneurysm. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1221620. [PMID: 38034381 PMCID: PMC10686233 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1221620] [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: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a life-threatening cardiovascular disease. Although its pathogenesis is still poorly understood, recent evidence suggests that AAA displays autoimmune disease characteristics. Particularly, T cells responding to AAA-related antigens in the aortic wall may contribute to an initial immune response. Single-cell RNA (scRNA) T cell receptor (TCR) and B cell receptor (BCR) sequencing is a powerful tool for investigating clonality. However, difficulties such as limited numbers of isolated cells must be considered during implementation and data analysis, making biological interpretation challenging. Here, we perform a representative single-cell immune repertoire analysis in experimental murine AAA and show a reliable bioinformatic processing pipeline highlighting opportunities and limitations of this approach. Methods We performed scRNA TCR and BCR sequencing of isolated lymphocytes from the infrarenal aorta of male C57BL/6J mice 3, 7, 14, and 28 days after AAA induction via elastase perfusion of the aorta. Sham-operated mice at days 3 and 28 and non-operated mice served as controls. Results Comparison of complementarity-determining region (CDR3) length distribution of 179 B cells and 796 T cells revealed neither differences between AAA and control nor between the disease stages. We found no clonal expansion of B cells in AAA. For T cells, we identified several clones in 11 of 16 AAA samples and one of eight control samples. Immune receptor repertoire comparison indicated that only a few clones were shared between the individual AAA samples. The most frequently used V-genes in the TCR beta chain in AAA were TRBV3, TRBV19, and the splicing variant TRBV12-2 + TRBV13-2. Conclusion We found no clonal expansion of B cells but evidence for clonal expansion of T cells in elastase-induced AAA in mice. Our findings imply that a more precise characterization of TCR and BCR distribution requires a more extensive number of lymphocytes to prevent undersampling and potentially detect rare clones. Thus, further experiments are necessary to confirm our findings. In summary, this paper examines TCR and BCR sequencing results, identifies limitations and pitfalls, and offers guidance for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Elster
- Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology, and Vascular Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Miriam Ommer-Bläsius
- Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology, and Vascular Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Alexander Lang
- Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology, and Vascular Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Tanja Vajen
- Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology, and Vascular Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Susanne Pfeiler
- Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology, and Vascular Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Milena Feige
- Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology, and Vascular Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Tin Yau Pang
- Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology, and Vascular Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Biology, Institute for Computer Science, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Marius Böttenberg
- Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology, and Vascular Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sarah Verheyen
- Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology, and Vascular Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Khang Lê Quý
- Department of Immunology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Maria Chernigovskaya
- Department of Immunology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Malte Kelm
- Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology, and Vascular Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Düsseldorf (CARID), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Holger Winkels
- Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Susanne V. Schmidt
- Institute of Innate Immunity, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Bonn, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Victor Greiff
- Department of Immunology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Norbert Gerdes
- Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology, and Vascular Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Düsseldorf (CARID), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
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8
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Azulay M, Shahar M, Shany E, Elbaz E, Lifshits S, Törngren M, Friedmann A, Kramer R, Hedlund G. Tumor-targeted superantigens produce curative tumor immunity with induction of memory and demonstrated antigen spreading. J Transl Med 2023; 21:222. [PMID: 36967382 PMCID: PMC10041807 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04064-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: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite remarkable progress, the immunotherapies currently used in the clinic, such as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy, still have limited efficacy against many types of solid tumors. One major barrier to effective treatment is the lack of a durable long-term response. Tumor-targeted superantigen (TTS) therapy may overcome this barrier to enhance therapeutic efficacy. TTS proteins, such as the clinical-stage molecule naptumomab estafenatox (NAP), increase tumor recognition and killing by both coating tumor cells with bacterial-derived superantigens (SAgs) and selectively expanding T-cell lineages that can recognize them. The present study investigated the efficacy and mechanism of action of repeated TTS (C215Fab-SEA) treatments leading to a long-term antitumor immune response as monotherapy or in combination with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in murine tumor models. METHODS We used syngeneic murine tumor models expressing the human EpCAM target (C215 antigen) to assess the efficacy and mechanism of action of repeated treatment with TTS C215Fab-SEA alone or with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies. Tumor draining lymph nodes (TDLNs) and tumor tissues were processed and analyzed by immunophenotyping and immunohistochemistry. Isolated RNA from tumors was used to analyze gene expression and the TCR repertoire. Tumor rechallenge and T-cell transfer studies were conducted to test the long-term antitumor memory response. RESULTS TTS therapy inhibited tumor growth and achieved complete tumor rejection, leading to a T-cell-dependent long-term memory response against the tumor. The antitumor effect was derived from inflammatory responses converting the immunosuppressive TME into a proinflammatory state with an increase in T-cell infiltration, activation and high T-cell diversity. The combination of TTS with ICB therapy was significantly more effective than the monotherapies and resulted in higher tumor-free rates. CONCLUSIONS These new results indicate that TTSs not only can turn a "cold" tumor into a "hot" tumor but also can enable epitope spreading and memory response, which makes TTSs ideal candidates for combination with ICB agents and other anticancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Eti Elbaz
- NeoTX Therapeutics LTD, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | | | - Adam Friedmann
- NeoTX Therapeutics LTD, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Genetics, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | - Gunnar Hedlund
- NeoTX Therapeutics LTD, Rehovot, Israel
- ImmunoPoint Consulting AB, Lund, Sweden
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9
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Pan M, Li B. T cell receptor convergence is an indicator of antigen-specific T cell response in cancer immunotherapies. eLife 2022; 11:e81952. [PMID: 36350695 PMCID: PMC9683788 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
T cells are potent at eliminating pathogens and playing a crucial role in the adaptive immune response. T cell receptor (TCR) convergence describes T cells that share identical TCRs with the same amino acid sequences but have different DNA sequences due to codon degeneracy. We conducted a systematic investigation of TCR convergence using single-cell immune profiling and bulk TCRβ-sequence (TCR-seq) data obtained from both mouse and human samples and uncovered a strong link between antigen-specificity and convergence. This association was stronger than T cell expansion, a putative indicator of antigen-specific T cells. By using flow-sorted tetramer+ single T cell data, we discovered that convergent T cells were enriched for a neoantigen-specific CD8+ effector phenotype in the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, TCR convergence demonstrated better prediction accuracy for immunotherapy response than the existing TCR repertoire indexes. In conclusion, convergent T cells are likely to be antigen-specific and might be a novel prognostic biomarker for anti-cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyao Pan
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - Bo Li
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
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