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Mare SD, Nishri Y, Shai A, Efrati M, Deutsch L, Den RB, Kelson I, Keisari Y, Domankevich V. Diffusing Alpha-Emitters Radiation Therapy Promotes a Proimmunogenic Tumor Microenvironment and Synergizes With Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 Blockade. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2023; 115:707-718. [PMID: 36031029 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2022.08.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Diffusing alpha-emitters Radiation Therapy (DaRT) releases alpha-emitting atoms into the tumor microenvironment. The treatment effectively ablates human and mice xenografts and shows 100% response rates in skin or head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients. DaRT induces specific and systemic antitumor immune activation and synergizes with immune stimulation and modulation in mice. Here, the transcriptional profile activated by DaRT, and its potential to enhance responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibition by programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade were studied. METHODS AND MATERIALS Squamous cell carcinoma tumor- bearing BALB/C mice were treated with DaRT or inert seeds in combination with anti-PD-1 (aPD-1) or IgG control antibody. Sixteen days after seed insertion, tumors and spleens were subjected to immunophenotyping and immunohistochemical staining. Combination of DaRT and aPD-1 was tested for efficacy. Gene expression analysis was performed on mRNA extracted from tumors 7 days after DaRT or inert insertion using Nanostring PanCancer-IO-360 panel, and tumors and spleens were subjected to flow cytometry analysis. RESULTS DaRT in combination with aPD-1 delayed tumor development, induced CD3 and CD8 lymphocytes infiltration more efficiently than either monotherapy. The combined treatment reduced splenic polymorphonuclear myeloid derived suppressor cells more than aPD-1 therapy or control. Granzyme B release in the tumor was increased only in the combinational treatment and was correlated with T-lymphocyte infiltration. Gene expression and gene set enrichment analysis of mRNA levels 7 days after DaRT insertion indicated that DaRT upregulated apoptosis, p53 signaling, G1/S-related arrest, interferon signaling and myeloid related transcription, while downregulating DNA repair, cell proliferation, and notch-related transcription. Flow cytometry showed that DaRT increased dendritic cells activation and led to changes in MDSCs distribution. CONCLUSIONS DaRT promotes a "hot" tumor microenvironment and changes in immune suppression that lead to a potentiation of aPD-1 blockade induced effector T cell function and improved treatment efficacy. This study provides rationale for investigating DaRT and aPD-1 combination in patients with squamous cell carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Del Mare
- Translational Research Laboratory, Alpha Tau Medical Ltd., Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yossi Nishri
- Translational Research Laboratory, Alpha Tau Medical Ltd., Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Amit Shai
- Translational Research Laboratory, Alpha Tau Medical Ltd., Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Margalit Efrati
- Translational Research Laboratory, Alpha Tau Medical Ltd., Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Lisa Deutsch
- BioStats Statistical Consulting Ltd., Maccabim, Israel
| | - Robert B Den
- Translational Research Laboratory, Alpha Tau Medical Ltd., Jerusalem, Israel; Radiation Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Itzhak Kelson
- Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yona Keisari
- Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Vered Domankevich
- Translational Research Laboratory, Alpha Tau Medical Ltd., Jerusalem, Israel.
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Nishri Y, Vatarescu M, Luz I, Epstein L, Dumančić M, Del Mare S, Shai A, Schmidt M, Deutsch L, Den RB, Kelson I, Keisari Y, Arazi L, Cooks T, Domankevich V. Diffusing alpha-emitters radiation therapy in combination with temozolomide or bevacizumab in human glioblastoma multiforme xenografts. Front Oncol 2022; 12:888100. [PMID: 36237307 PMCID: PMC9552201 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.888100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [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: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is at present an incurable disease with a 5-year survival rate of 5.5%, despite improvements in treatment modalities such as surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy [e.g., temozolomide (TMZ)], and targeted therapy [e.g., the antiangiogenic agent bevacizumab (BEV)]. Diffusing alpha-emitters radiation therapy (DaRT) is a new modality that employs radium-224-loaded seeds that disperse alpha-emitting atoms inside the tumor. This treatment was shown to be effective in mice bearing human-derived GBM tumors. Here, the effect of DaRT in combination with standard-of-care therapies such as TMZ or BEV was investigated. In a viability assay, the combination of alpha radiation with TMZ doubled the cytotoxic effect of each of the treatments alone in U87 cultured cells. A colony formation assay demonstrated that the surviving fraction of U87 cells treated by TMZ in combination with alpha irradiation was lower than was achieved by alpha- or x-ray irradiation as monotherapies, or by x-ray combined with TMZ. The treatment of U87-bearing mice with DaRT and TMZ delayed tumor development more than the monotherapies. Unlike other radiation types, alpha radiation did not increase VEGF secretion from U87 cells in culture. BEV treatment introduced several days after DaRT implantation improved tumor control, compared to BEV or DaRT as monotherapies. The combination was also shown to be superior when starting BEV administration prior to DaRT implantation in large tumors relative to the seed size. BEV induced a decrease in CD31 staining under DaRT treatment, increased the diffusive spread of 224Ra progeny atoms in the tumor tissue, and decreased their clearance from the tumor through the blood. Taken together, the combinations of DaRT with standard-of-care chemotherapy or antiangiogenic therapy are promising approaches, which may improve the treatment of GBM patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yossi Nishri
- Translational Research Laboratory, Alpha Tau Medical, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Maayan Vatarescu
- Translational Research Laboratory, Alpha Tau Medical, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Ishai Luz
- Translational Research Laboratory, Alpha Tau Medical, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Lior Epstein
- Unit of Nuclear Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Radiation Protection Department, Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Yavne, Israel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Mirta Dumančić
- Unit of Nuclear Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Sara Del Mare
- Translational Research Laboratory, Alpha Tau Medical, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Amit Shai
- Translational Research Laboratory, Alpha Tau Medical, Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | - Lisa Deutsch
- Biostatistics Department, BioStats Statistical Consulting Ltd., Maccabim, Israel
| | - Robert B. Den
- Translational Research Laboratory, Alpha Tau Medical, Jerusalem, Israel
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Urology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Itzhak Kelson
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yona Keisari
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Lior Arazi
- Unit of Nuclear Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- *Correspondence: Lior Arazi, ; Tomer Cooks, ; Vered Domankevich,
| | - Tomer Cooks
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- *Correspondence: Lior Arazi, ; Tomer Cooks, ; Vered Domankevich,
| | - Vered Domankevich
- Translational Research Laboratory, Alpha Tau Medical, Jerusalem, Israel
- *Correspondence: Lior Arazi, ; Tomer Cooks, ; Vered Domankevich,
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Nishri Y, Fainstein N, Goldfarb S, Hampton D, Macrini C, Meinl E, Chandran S, Ben-Hur T. Modeling compartmentalized chronic immune-mediated demyelinating CNS disease in the Biozzi ABH mouse. J Neuroimmunol 2021; 356:577582. [PMID: 33910137 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2021.577582] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
We explored whether experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in Biozzi mice recapitulates temporal dynamics of tissue injury, immune-pathogenesis and CNS compartmentalization occurring in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). Chronic EAE exhibited relapsing and progressing disease, partial closure of BBB, reduced tissue inflammatory activity, and development of meningeal ectopic lymphoid tissue, directly opposing (potentially driving) spinal subpial demyelinated plaques. A T cell predominant disease during relapses transformed into a B cell predominant disease in late chronic EAE, with high serum anti-MOG reactivity. Thus, late chronic Biozzi EAE recapitulates essential features of progressive MS, and is suitable for developing disease modifying and regenerative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yossi Nishri
- Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel; The Department of Neurology, The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah - Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Nina Fainstein
- Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel; The Department of Neurology, The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah - Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Smadar Goldfarb
- Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel; The Department of Neurology, The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah - Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - David Hampton
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, MS Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Caterina Macrini
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Biomedical Center and University Hospitals, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Edgar Meinl
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Biomedical Center and University Hospitals, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Siddharthan Chandran
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, MS Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Tamir Ben-Hur
- Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel; The Department of Neurology, The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah - Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
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Lax N, Fainstein N, Nishri Y, Ben-Zvi A, Ben-Hur T. Systemic microbial TLR2 agonists induce neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease mice. J Neuroinflammation 2020; 17:55. [PMID: 32059733 PMCID: PMC7023749 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-020-01738-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accumulating data suggest a central role for brain microglia in mediating cortical neuronal death in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and for Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) in their toxic activation. Amyloid deposition in preclinical AD is associated with microglial activation but not directly with neurodegeneration. We examined in transgenic 5xFAD mice the hypothesis that systemic TLR2 agonists, derived from common infectious agents, may accelerate neurodegeneration in AD. METHODS Microbial wall-derived TLR2 agonists zymosan and lipoteichoic acid were administered intraperitoneally or intracerebroventricularly to 7-month-old wild-type or 5xFAD mice. Immunofluorescent stainings were used to quantify cortical neurons and evaluate tissue reaction. Microglial activation was assessed using functional assays, RNA expression, and FACS analysis. RESULTS Repeated low-dose systemic administration of zymosan or lipoteichoic acid killed cortical neurons in 5xFAD mice but not in wild-type mice. Direct CNS delivery of a selective TLR2 antagonist blocked the neurotoxicity of systemically administered zymosan, indicating that CNS TLR2 mediates this effect. Systemically administered zymosan crossed the disrupted blood-brain barrier in 5xFAD mice and entered brain parenchyma. By intracerebroventricular delivery, we found a dose- and exposure time-dependent acute neurotoxic effect of the microbial TLR2 agonist, killing cortical neurons. 5xFAD mice exhibited significantly increased vulnerability to TLR2 agonist-induced neuronal loss as compared to wild-type mice. Microbial TLR2-induced neurodegeneration was abolished by inhibiting microglia. The vulnerability of 5xFAD mice brains was mediated by an increase in number and neurotoxic phenotype of TLR2-expressing microglia. CONCLUSIONS We suggest that repeated exposure to microbial TLR2 agonists may facilitate neurodegeneration in AD by their microglial-mediated toxicity to the hyper-vulnerable environment of the AD brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neta Lax
- Department of Neurology, The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah - Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Nina Fainstein
- Department of Neurology, The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah - Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yossi Nishri
- Department of Neurology, The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah - Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ayal Ben-Zvi
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute of Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tamir Ben-Hur
- Department of Neurology, The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah - Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
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Leshem Y, Melamed-Book N, Cagnac O, Ronen G, Nishri Y, Solomon M, Cohen G, Levine A. Suppression of Arabidopsis vesicle-SNARE expression inhibited fusion of H2O2-containing vesicles with tonoplast and increased salt tolerance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2006; 103:18008-13. [PMID: 17101982 PMCID: PMC1693863 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0604421103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2006] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular vesicle trafficking performs essential functions in eukaryotic cells, such as membrane trafficking and delivery of molecules to their destinations. A major endocytotic route in plants is vesicle trafficking to the vacuole that plays an important role in plant salt tolerance. The final step in this pathway is mediated by the AtVAMP7C family of vesicle soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (v-SNAREs) that carry out the vesicle fusion with the tonoplast. Exposure to high-salt conditions causes immediate ionic and osmotic stresses, followed by production of reactive oxygen species. Here, we show that the reactive oxygen species are produced intracellularly, in endosomes that were targeted to the central vacuole. Suppression of the AtVAMP7C genes expression by antisense AtVAMP711 gene or in mutants of this family inhibited fusion of H2O2-containing vesicles with the tonoplast, which resulted in formation of H2O2-containing megavesicles that remained in the cytoplasm. The antisense and mutant plants exhibited improved vacuolar functions, such as maintenance of DeltapH, reduced release of calcium from the vacuole, and greatly improved plant salt tolerance. The antisense plants exhibited increased calcium-dependent protein kinase activity upon salt stress. Improved vacuolar ATPase activity during oxidative stress also was observed in a yeast system, in a DeltaVamp7 knockout strain. Interestingly, a microarray-based analysis of the AtVAMP7C genes showed a strong down-regulation of most genes in wild-type roots during salt stress, suggesting an evolutionary molecular adaptation of the vacuolar trafficking.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Olivier Cagnac
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616; and
| | - Gil Ronen
- Evogene Ltd., P.O. Box 2100, Rehovot 76121, Israel
| | - Yossi Nishri
- *Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, and
| | - Mazal Solomon
- *Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, and
| | - Gil Cohen
- Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat-Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Alex Levine
- *Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, and
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