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Botta C, Mendicino F, Martino EA, Vigna E, Ronchetti D, Correale P, Morabito F, Neri A, Gentile M. Mechanisms of Immune Evasion in Multiple Myeloma: Open Questions and Therapeutic Opportunities. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3213. [PMID: 34203150 PMCID: PMC8268448 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13133213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematologic malignancy, characterized by a multi-step evolutionary path, which starts with an early asymptomatic stage, defined as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) evolving to overt disease in 1% of cases per year, often through an intermediate phase known as "smoldering" MM (sMM). Interestingly, while many genomic alterations (translocation, deletions, mutations) are usually found at early stages, they are not sufficient (alone) to determine disease evolution. The latter, indeed, relies on significant "epigenetic" alterations of different normal cell populations within the bone marrow (BM) niche, including the "evasion" from immune-system control. Additionally, MM cells could "educate" the BM immune microenvironment (BM-IM) towards a pro-inflammatory and immunosuppressive phenotype, which ultimately leads to disease evolution, drug resistance, and patients' worse outcome. Indeed, it is not a case that the most important drugs for the treatment of MM include immunomodulatory agents (thalidomide, lenalidomide, and pomalidomide) and monoclonal antibodies (daratumumab, isatuximab, and elotuzumab). On these bases, in this review, we describe the most recent advances in the comprehension of the role of the different cells composing the BM-IM, and we discuss the potential molecular targets, which could represent new opportunities to improve current treatment strategies for MM patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cirino Botta
- Hematology Unit, Annunziata Hospital of Cosenza, 87100 Cosenza, Italy; (F.M.); (E.A.M.); (E.V.)
- Unit of Hematology, Department of Health Promotion, Maternal-Infant, Internal and Specialized Medicine of Excellence G. D’Alessandro, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesco Mendicino
- Hematology Unit, Annunziata Hospital of Cosenza, 87100 Cosenza, Italy; (F.M.); (E.A.M.); (E.V.)
| | - Enrica Antonia Martino
- Hematology Unit, Annunziata Hospital of Cosenza, 87100 Cosenza, Italy; (F.M.); (E.A.M.); (E.V.)
| | - Ernesto Vigna
- Hematology Unit, Annunziata Hospital of Cosenza, 87100 Cosenza, Italy; (F.M.); (E.A.M.); (E.V.)
| | - Domenica Ronchetti
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (D.R.); (A.N.)
| | - Pierpaolo Correale
- Medical Oncology Unit, Grand Metropolitan Hospital “Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli”, 89124 Reggio Calabria, Italy;
| | - Fortunato Morabito
- Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Hemato-Oncology Department, Augusta Victoria Hospital, East Jerusalem 91191, Israel;
- Biothecnology Research Unit, AO of Cosenza, 87100 Cosenza, Italy
| | - Antonino Neri
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (D.R.); (A.N.)
- Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milano, Italy
| | - Massimo Gentile
- Hematology Unit, Annunziata Hospital of Cosenza, 87100 Cosenza, Italy; (F.M.); (E.A.M.); (E.V.)
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Flem-Karlsen K, Fodstad Ø, Nunes-Xavier CE. B7-H3 Immune Checkpoint Protein in Human Cancer. Curr Med Chem 2020; 27:4062-4086. [PMID: 31099317 DOI: 10.2174/0929867326666190517115515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [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: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
B7-H3 belongs to the B7 family of immune checkpoint proteins, which are important regulators of the adaptive immune response and emerging key players in human cancer. B7-H3 is a transmembrane protein expressed on the surface of tumor cells, antigen presenting cells, natural killer cells, tumor endothelial cells, but can also be present in intra- and extracellular vesicles. Additionally, B7-H3 may be present as a circulating soluble isoform in serum and other body fluids. B7-H3 is overexpressed in a variety of tumor types, in correlation with poor prognosis. B7-H3 is a promising new immunotherapy target for anti-cancer immune response, as well as a potential biomarker. Besides its immunoregulatory role, B7-H3 has intrinsic pro-tumorigenic activities related to enhanced cell proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, metastatic capacity and anti-cancer drug resistance. B7-H3 has also been found to regulate key metabolic enzymes, promoting the high glycolytic capacity of cancer cells. B7-H3 receptors are still not identified, and little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying B7-H3 functions. Here, we review the current knowledge on the involvement of B7-H3 in human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Flem-Karlsen
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway.,Institute for Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Øystein Fodstad
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway.,Institute for Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Caroline E Nunes-Xavier
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway
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