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Kur IM, Weigert A. Phosphatidylserine externalization as immune checkpoint in cancer. Pflugers Arch 2024:10.1007/s00424-024-02948-7. [PMID: 38573347 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-024-02948-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality worldwide. Despite recent advances in cancer treatment including immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors, new unconventional biomarkers and targets for the detection, prognosis, and treatment of cancer are still in high demand. Tumor cells are characterized by mutations that allow their unlimited growth, program their local microenvironment to support tumor growth, and spread towards distant sites. While a major focus has been on altered tumor genomes and proteomes, crucial signaling molecules such as lipids have been underappreciated. One of these molecules is the membrane phospholipid phosphatidylserine (PS) that is usually found at cytosolic surfaces of cellular membranes but can be rapidly and massively shuttled to the extracellular leaflet of the plasma membrane during apoptosis to serve as a limiting factor for immune responses. These immunosuppressive interactions are exploited by tumor cells to evade the immune system. In this review, we describe mechanisms of immune regulation in tumors, discuss if PS may constitute an inhibitory immune checkpoint, and describe current and future strategies for targeting PS to reactivate the tumor-associated immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan-Maximiliano Kur
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry I, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andreas Weigert
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry I, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60596, Frankfurt, Germany.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site, Frankfurt, Germany.
- Cardiopulmonary Institute (CPI), 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
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Haist M, Kaufmann J, Kur IM, Zimmer S, Grabbe S, Schmidberger H, Weigert A, Mayer A. Response to primary chemoradiotherapy of locally advanced oropharyngeal carcinoma is determined by the degree of cytotoxic T cell infiltration within tumor cell aggregates. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1070203. [PMID: 37187729 PMCID: PMC10175951 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1070203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Effective anti-tumor immune responses are mediated by T cells and require organized, spatially coordinated interactions within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Understanding coordinated T-cell-behavior and deciphering mechanisms of radiotherapy resistance mediated by tumor stem cells will advance risk stratification of oropharyngeal cancer (OPSCC) patients treated with primary chemoradiotherapy (RCTx). Methods To determine the role of CD8 T cells (CTL) and tumor stem cells for response to RCTx, we employed multiplex immunofluorescence stains on pre-treatment biopsy specimens from 86 advanced OPSCC patients and correlated these quantitative data with clinical parameters. Multiplex stains were analyzed at the single-cell level using QuPath and spatial coordination of immune cells within the TME was explored using the R-package Spatstat. Results Our observations demonstrate that a strong CTL-infiltration into the epithelial tumor compartment (HR for overall survival, OS: 0.35; p<0.001) and the expression of PD-L1 on CTL (HR: 0.36; p<0.001) were both associated with a significantly better response and survival upon RCTx. As expected, p16 expression was a strong predictor of improved OS (HR: 0.38; p=0.002) and correlated with overall CTL infiltration (r: 0.358, p<0.001). By contrast, tumor cell proliferative activity, expression of the tumor stem cell marker CD271 and overall CTL infiltration, regardless of the affected compartment, were not associated with response or survival. Conclusion In this study, we could demonstrate the clinical relevance of the spatial organization and the phenotype of CD8 T cells within the TME. In particular, we found that the infiltration of CD8 T cells specifically into the tumor cell compartment was an independent predictive marker for response to chemoradiotherapy, which was strongly associated with p16 expression. Meanwhile, tumor cell proliferation and the expression of stem cell markers showed no independent prognostic effect for patients with primary RCTx and thus requires further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Haist
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center of the Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Maximilian Haist,
| | - Justus Kaufmann
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Radiotherapy, University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ivan-Maximiliano Kur
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Stefanie Zimmer
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Stephan Grabbe
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center of the Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Heinz Schmidberger
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Radiotherapy, University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany
| | - Andreas Weigert
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Arnulf Mayer
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
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von der Grün J, Winkelmann R, Burck I, Martin D, Rödel F, Wild PJ, Bankov K, Weigert A, Kur IM, Brandts C, Filmann N, Issing C, Thönissen P, Tanneberger AM, Rödel C, Ghanaati S, Balermpas P. Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for Oral Cavity Cancer: Predictive Factors for Response and Interim Analysis of the Prospective INVERT-Trial. Front Oncol 2022; 12:817692. [PMID: 35402268 PMCID: PMC8988145 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.817692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundTo study neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) and potential predictive factors for response in locally advanced oral cavity cancer (LA-OCC).MethodsThe INVERT trial is an ongoing single-center, prospective phase 2, proof-of-principle trial. Operable patients with stage III-IVA squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity were eligible and received nCRT consisting of 60 Gy with concomitant cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil. Surgery was scheduled 6-8 weeks after completion of nCRT. Explorative, multiplex immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on pretreatment tumor specimen, and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) was conducted prior to, during nCRT (day 15), and before surgery to identify potential predictive biomarkers and imaging features. Primary endpoint was the pathological complete response (pCR) rate.ResultsSeventeen patients with stage IVA OCC were included in this interim analysis. All patients completed nCRT. One patient died from pneumonia 10 weeks after nCRT before surgery. Complete tumor resection (R0) was achieved in 16/17 patients, of whom 7 (41%, 95% CI: 18-67%) showed pCR. According to the Clavien-Dindo classification, grade 3a and 3b complications were found in 4 (25%) and 5 (31%) patients, respectively; grade 4-5 complications did not occur. Increased changes in the apparent diffusion coefficient signal intensities between MRI at day 15 of nCRT and before surgery were associated with better response (p=0.022). Higher abundances of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) positive cytotoxic T-cells (p=0.012), PD1+ macrophages (p=0.046), and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs, p=0.036) were associated with incomplete response to nCRT.ConclusionnCRT for LA-OCC followed by radical surgery is feasible and shows high response rates. Larger patient cohorts from randomized trials are needed to further investigate nCRT and predictive biomarkers such as changes in DW-MRI signal intensities, tumor infiltrating immune cells, and CAFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens von der Grün
- Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt a. M., Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute (FCI), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- *Correspondence: Jens von der Grün,
| | - Ria Winkelmann
- Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Iris Burck
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Daniel Martin
- Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt a. M., Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute (FCI), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Franz Rödel
- Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt a. M., Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute (FCI), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Peter Johannes Wild
- Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Katrin Bankov
- Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andreas Weigert
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ivan-Maximiliano Kur
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Christian Brandts
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt a. M., Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute (FCI), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Natalie Filmann
- Institute of Biostatistics and Mathematical Modelling, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Christian Issing
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute (FCI), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Philipp Thönissen
- Department of Oral, Maxillofacial and Facial Plastic Surgery, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Anna Maria Tanneberger
- Department of Oral, Maxillofacial and Facial Plastic Surgery, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Claus Rödel
- Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt a. M., Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute (FCI), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Shahram Ghanaati
- Department of Oral, Maxillofacial and Facial Plastic Surgery, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Panagiotis Balermpas
- Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Tirado-Gonzalez I, Descot A, Soetopo D, Nevmerzhitskaya A, Schaffer A, Kur IM, Czlonka E, Wachtel C, Tsoukala I, Muller L, Schafer AL, Weitmann M, Dinse P, Alberto E, Buck MC, Landry JJM, Baying B, Slotta-Huspenina J, Roesler J, Harter PN, Kubasch AS, Meinel J, Elwakeel E, Strack E, Tran Quang C, Abdel-Wahab O, Schmitz M, Weigert A, Schmid T, Platzbecker U, Benes V, Ghysdael J, Bonig H, Gotze KS, Rothlin CV, Ghosh S, Medyouf H. AXL inhibition in macrophages stimulates host-versus-leukemia immunity and eradicates naive and treatment resistant leukemia. Cancer Discov 2021; 11:2924-2943. [PMID: 34103328 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-20-1378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Acute leukemias are systemic malignancies associated with a dire outcome. Due to low immunogenicity, leukemias display a remarkable ability to evade immune control and are often resistant to checkpoint blockade. Here, we discover that leukemia cells actively establish a suppressive environment to prevent immune attacks by co-opting a signaling axis that skews macrophages towards a tumor promoting tissue repair phenotype, namely the GAS6/AXL axis. Using aggressive leukemia models, we demonstrate that ablation of the AXL receptor specifically in macrophages, or its ligand GAS6 in the environment, stimulates anti-leukemic immunity and elicits effective and lasting NK- and T-cell dependent immune response against naive and treatment resistant leukemia. Remarkably, AXL deficiency in macrophages also enables PD1 checkpoint blockade in PD1-refractory leukemias. Lastly, we provide proof-of-concept that a clinical grade AXL inhibitor can be used in combination with standard of care therapy to cure established leukemia, regardless on AXL expression in malignant cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arnaud Descot
- Cell Biology and Tumor Biology Program, German Cancer Research Center
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Luise Muller
- Institute of Immunology, Medical Faculty, TU Dresden
| | | | | | | | | | - Michele C Buck
- Department of Medicine III, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München (TUM)
| | | | | | | | - Jenny Roesler
- Institute of Neurology (Edinger Institute), Goethe-University
| | | | - Anne-Sophie Kubasch
- Department of Hematology, Cellular Therapy and Hemostaseology, University Hospital Leipzig
| | - Jörn Meinel
- Department of Pathology, University of Cologne
| | | | | | | | | | - Marc Schmitz
- Institute of Immunology, Medical Faculty, TU Dresden
| | | | - Tobias Schmid
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Goethe University Frankfurt
| | - Uwe Platzbecker
- Med. Klinik und Poliklinik I, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus
| | - Vladimir Benes
- GeneCore, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany, Genomics Core Facility
| | | | - Halvard Bonig
- Medicine/Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Goethe University
| | - Katharina S Gotze
- Department of Medicine III, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München (TUM)
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Kur IM, Prouvot PH, Fu T, Fan W, Müller-Braun F, Das A, Das S, Deller T, Roeper J, Stroh A, Momma S. Neuronal activity triggers uptake of hematopoietic extracellular vesicles in vivo. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000643. [PMID: 32176686 PMCID: PMC7075544 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Communication with the hematopoietic system is a vital component of regulating brain function in health and disease. Traditionally, the major routes considered for this neuroimmune communication are by individual molecules such as cytokines carried by blood, by neural transmission, or, in more severe pathologies, by the entry of peripheral immune cells into the brain. In addition, functional mRNA from peripheral blood can be directly transferred to neurons via extracellular vesicles (EVs), but the parameters that determine their uptake are unknown. Using varied animal models that stimulate neuronal activity by peripheral inflammation, optogenetics, and selective proteasome inhibition of dopaminergic (DA) neurons, we show that the transfer of EVs from blood is triggered by neuronal activity in vivo. Importantly, this transfer occurs not only in pathological stimulation but also by neuronal activation caused by the physiological stimulus of novel object placement. This discovery suggests a continuous role of EVs under pathological conditions as well as during routine cognitive tasks in the healthy brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan-Maximiliano Kur
- Institute of Neurology (Edinger Institute), University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Pierre-Hugues Prouvot
- Institute of Pathophysiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ting Fu
- Institute of Pathophysiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Wei Fan
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz, Germany
| | - Felicia Müller-Braun
- Institute of Neurophysiology, Neuroscience Center, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Avash Das
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Saumya Das
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Thomas Deller
- Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, Neuroscience Center, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jochen Roeper
- Institute of Neurophysiology, Neuroscience Center, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Albrecht Stroh
- Institute of Pathophysiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz, Germany
| | - Stefan Momma
- Institute of Neurology (Edinger Institute), University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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