1
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Wu VH, Yung BS, Faraji F, Saddawi-Konefka R, Wang Z, Wenzel AT, Song MJ, Pagadala MS, Clubb LM, Chiou J, Sinha S, Matic M, Raimondi F, Hoang TS, Berdeaux R, Vignali DAA, Iglesias-Bartolome R, Carter H, Ruppin E, Mesirov JP, Gutkind JS. The GPCR-Gα s-PKA signaling axis promotes T cell dysfunction and cancer immunotherapy failure. Nat Immunol 2023; 24:1318-1330. [PMID: 37308665 PMCID: PMC10735169 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-023-01529-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) targeting PD-1 and CTLA-4 has revolutionized cancer treatment. However, many cancers do not respond to ICB, prompting the search for additional strategies to achieve durable responses. G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the most intensively studied drug targets but are underexplored in immuno-oncology. Here, we cross-integrated large singe-cell RNA-sequencing datasets from CD8+ T cells covering 19 distinct cancer types and identified an enrichment of Gαs-coupled GPCRs on exhausted CD8+ T cells. These include EP2, EP4, A2AR, β1AR and β2AR, all of which promote T cell dysfunction. We also developed transgenic mice expressing a chemogenetic CD8-restricted Gαs-DREADD to activate CD8-restricted Gαs signaling and show that a Gαs-PKA signaling axis promotes CD8+ T cell dysfunction and immunotherapy failure. These data indicate that Gαs-GPCRs are druggable immune checkpoints that might be targeted to enhance the response to ICB immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria H Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, UCSD Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Septerna, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bryan S Yung
- Department of Pharmacology, UCSD Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Farhoud Faraji
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Diego Health, La Jolla, CA, USA
- UCSD Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Robert Saddawi-Konefka
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Diego Health, La Jolla, CA, USA
- UCSD Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Zhiyong Wang
- UCSD Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alexander T Wenzel
- UCSD Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Miranda J Song
- UCSD Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Meghana S Pagadala
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Lauren M Clubb
- Department of Pharmacology, UCSD Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Joshua Chiou
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Studies Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Worldwide Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sanju Sinha
- Cancer Data Science Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Marin Matic
- Laboratorio di Biologia Bio@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Thomas S Hoang
- Department of Pharmacology, UCSD Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Rebecca Berdeaux
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School at UT Health Houston and CellChorus INC, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Dario A A Vignali
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Tumor Microenvironment Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ramiro Iglesias-Bartolome
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Hannah Carter
- UCSD Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Eytan Ruppin
- Cancer Data Science Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jill P Mesirov
- UCSD Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - J Silvio Gutkind
- Department of Pharmacology, UCSD Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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2
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Saddawi-Konefka R, O'Farrell A, Faraji F, Clubb L, Allevato MM, Jensen SM, Yung BS, Wang Z, Wu VH, Anang NA, Msari RA, Schokrpur S, Pietryga IF, Molinolo AA, Mesirov JP, Simon AB, Fox BA, Bui JD, Sharabi A, Cohen EEW, Califano JA, Gutkind JS. Lymphatic-preserving treatment sequencing with immune checkpoint inhibition unleashes cDC1-dependent antitumor immunity in HNSCC. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4298. [PMID: 35879302 PMCID: PMC9314425 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31941-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the promise of immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI), therapeutic responses remain limited. This raises the possibility that standard of care treatments delivered in concert may compromise the tumor response. To address this, we employ tobacco-signature head and neck squamous cell carcinoma murine models in which we map tumor-draining lymphatics and develop models for regional lymphablation with surgery or radiation. We find that lymphablation eliminates the tumor ICI response, worsening overall survival and repolarizing the tumor- and peripheral-immune compartments. Mechanistically, within tumor-draining lymphatics, we observe an upregulation of conventional type I dendritic cells and type I interferon signaling and show that both are necessary for the ICI response and lost with lymphablation. Ultimately, we provide a mechanistic understanding of how standard oncologic therapies targeting regional lymphatics impact the tumor response to immune-oncology therapy in order to define rational, lymphatic-preserving treatment sequences that mobilize systemic antitumor immunity, achieve optimal tumor responses, control regional metastatic disease, and confer durable antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Saddawi-Konefka
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA.
- Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Gleiberman Head and Neck Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Aoife O'Farrell
- Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Farhoud Faraji
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA
- Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Gleiberman Head and Neck Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Lauren Clubb
- Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Shawn M Jensen
- Earle A Chiles Research Institute, Robert W Franz Cancer Research Center, Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Bryan S Yung
- Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Zhiyong Wang
- Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Victoria H Wu
- Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Shiruyeh Schokrpur
- Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Gleiberman Head and Neck Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Jill P Mesirov
- Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, UC San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Aaron B Simon
- Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UC Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Bernard A Fox
- Earle A Chiles Research Institute, Robert W Franz Cancer Research Center, Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland, OR, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Jack D Bui
- Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, UC San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Sharabi
- Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Gleiberman Head and Neck Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Ezra E W Cohen
- Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Gleiberman Head and Neck Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Joseph A Califano
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA
- Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Gleiberman Head and Neck Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - J Silvio Gutkind
- Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Gleiberman Head and Neck Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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3
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Wang Z, Goto Y, Allevato MM, Wu VH, Saddawi-Konefka R, Gilardi M, Alvarado D, Yung BS, O'Farrell A, Molinolo AA, Duvvuri U, Grandis JR, Califano JA, Cohen EEW, Gutkind JS. Disruption of the HER3-PI3K-mTOR oncogenic signaling axis and PD-1 blockade as a multimodal precision immunotherapy in head and neck cancer. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2383. [PMID: 33888713 PMCID: PMC8062674 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22619-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has revolutionized head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treatment, but <20% of patients achieve durable responses. Persistent activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling circuitry represents a key oncogenic driver in HNSCC; however, the potential immunosuppressive effects of PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors may limit the benefit of their combination with ICB. Here we employ an unbiased kinome-wide siRNA screen to reveal that HER3, is essential for the proliferation of most HNSCC cells that do not harbor PIK3CA mutations. Indeed, we find that persistent tyrosine phosphorylation of HER3 and PI3K recruitment underlies aberrant PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in PIK3CA wild type HNSCCs. Remarkably, antibody-mediated HER3 blockade exerts a potent anti-tumor effect by suppressing HER3-PI3K-AKT-mTOR oncogenic signaling and concomitantly reversing the immune suppressive tumor microenvironment. Ultimately, we show that HER3 inhibition and PD-1 blockade may provide a multimodal precision immunotherapeutic approach for PIK3CA wild type HNSCC, aimed at achieving durable cancer remission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyong Wang
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yusuke Goto
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Michael M Allevato
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Victoria H Wu
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Robert Saddawi-Konefka
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Mara Gilardi
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Bryan S Yung
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Aoife O'Farrell
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alfredo A Molinolo
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Umamaheswar Duvvuri
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jennifer R Grandis
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Joseph A Califano
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Ezra E W Cohen
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - J Silvio Gutkind
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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4
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Schommer NN, Nguyen J, Yung BS, Schultheis K, Muthumani K, Weiner DB, Humeau L, Broderick KE, Smith TRF. Active Immunoprophylaxis and Vaccine Augmentations Mediated by a Novel Plasmid DNA Formulation. Hum Gene Ther 2020; 30:523-533. [PMID: 30860399 PMCID: PMC6479233 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2018.241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmid DNA (pDNA) gene delivery is a highly versatile technology that has the potential to address a multitude of unmet medical needs. Advances in pDNA delivery to host tissue with the employment of in vivo electroporation (EP) have led to significantly enhanced gene expression and the recent demonstration of clinical efficacy with the platform. Building upon this platform, this study reports that enzyme-mediated modification of the muscle tissue extracellular matrix structure at the site of pDNA delivery operates in a synergistic manner with EP to enhance both local and systemic gene expression further. Specifically, administration of chondroitinase ABC (Cho ABC) to the site of intramuscular delivery of pDNA led to transient disruption of chondroitin sulfate scaffolding barrier, permitting enhanced gene distribution and expression across the tissue. The employment of Cho ABC in combination with CELLECTRA® intramuscular EP resulted in increased gene expression by 5.5-fold in mice and 17.98-fold in rabbits. The study demonstrates how this protocol can be universally applied to an active prophylaxis platform to increase the in vivo production of functional immunoglobulin G, and to DNA vaccine protocols to permit drug dose sparing. The data indicate the Cho ABC formulation to be of significant value upon combination with EP to drive enhanced gene expression levels in pDNA delivery protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina N Schommer
- 1 Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania
| | - Jacklyn Nguyen
- 1 Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania
| | - Bryan S Yung
- 1 Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Kar Muthumani
- 2 The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - David B Weiner
- 2 The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Laurent Humeau
- 1 Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania
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5
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Wang Z, Wu VH, Allevato MM, Gilardi M, He Y, Luis Callejas-Valera J, Vitale-Cross L, Martin D, Amornphimoltham P, Mcdermott J, Yung BS, Goto Y, Molinolo AA, Sharabi AB, Cohen EEW, Chen Q, Lyons JG, Alexandrov LB, Gutkind JS. Syngeneic animal models of tobacco-associated oral cancer reveal the activity of in situ anti-CTLA-4. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5546. [PMID: 31804466 PMCID: PMC6895221 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13471-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Tobacco use is the main risk factor for HNSCC, and tobacco-associated HNSCCs have poor prognosis and response to available treatments. Recently approved anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors showed limited activity (≤20%) in HNSCC, highlighting the need to identify new therapeutic options. For this, mouse models that accurately mimic the complexity of the HNSCC mutational landscape and tumor immune environment are urgently needed. Here, we report a mouse HNSCC model system that recapitulates the human tobacco-related HNSCC mutanome, in which tumors grow when implanted in the tongue of immunocompetent mice. These HNSCC lesions have similar immune infiltration and response rates to anti-PD-1 (≤20%) immunotherapy as human HNSCCs. Remarkably, we find that >70% of HNSCC lesions respond to intratumoral anti-CTLA-4. This syngeneic HNSCC mouse model provides a platform to accelerate the development of immunotherapeutic options for HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyong Wang
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Victoria H Wu
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Michael M Allevato
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mara Gilardi
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yudou He
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Lynn Vitale-Cross
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Daniel Martin
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - James Mcdermott
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Bryan S Yung
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yusuke Goto
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alfredo A Molinolo
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Andrew B Sharabi
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ezra E W Cohen
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Qianming Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - J Guy Lyons
- Dermatology, Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
- Cancer Services, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
- Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Ludmil B Alexandrov
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - J Silvio Gutkind
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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6
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Schultheis K, Schaefer H, Pugh HM, Yung BS, Oh J, Nguyen J, Humeau L, Broderick KE, Smith TRF. Optimized Interferon-gamma ELISpot Assay to Measure T Cell Responses in the Guinea Pig Model after Vaccination. J Vis Exp 2019. [PMID: 30735179 DOI: 10.3791/58595] [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] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The guinea pig has played a pivotal role as a relevant small animal model in the development of vaccines for infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, influenza, diphtheria, and viral hemorrhagic fevers. We have demonstrated that plasmid-DNA (pDNA) vaccine delivery into the skin elicits robust humoral responses in the guinea pig. However, the use of this animal to model immune responses was somewhat limited in the past due to the lack of available reagents and protocols to study T cell responses. T cells play a pivotal role in both immunoprophylactic and immunotherapeutic mechanisms. Understanding T cell responses is crucial for the development of infectious disease and oncology vaccines and accommodating delivery devices. Here we describe an interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay for guinea pig peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The assay enables researchers to characterize vaccine-specific T-cell responses in this important rodent model. The ability to assay cells isolated from the peripheral blood provides the opportunity to track immunogenicity in individual animals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hubert Schaefer
- Mycotic and Parasitic Agents and Mycobacteria, Robert Koch Institute
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7
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Yung BS, Brand CS, Xiang SY, Gray CBB, Means CK, Rosen H, Chun J, Purcell NH, Brown JH, Miyamoto S. Selective coupling of the S1P 3 receptor subtype to S1P-mediated RhoA activation and cardioprotection. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2016; 103:1-10. [PMID: 28017639 PMCID: PMC5410967 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2016.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a bioactive lysophospholipid, is generated and released at sites of tissue injury in the heart and can act on S1P1, S1P2, and S1P3 receptor subtypes to affect cardiovascular responses. We established that S1P causes little phosphoinositide hydrolysis and does not induce hypertrophy indicating that it does not cause receptor coupling to Gq. We previously demonstrated that S1P confers cardioprotection against ischemia/reperfusion by activating RhoA and its downstream effector PKD. The S1P receptor subtypes and G proteins that regulate RhoA activation and downstream responses in the heart have not been determined. Using siRNA or pertussis toxin to inhibit different G proteins in NRVMs we established that S1P regulates RhoA activation through Gα13 but not Gα12, Gαq, or Gαi. Knockdown of the three major S1P receptors using siRNA demonstrated a requirement for S1P3 in RhoA activation and subsequent phosphorylation of PKD, and this was confirmed in studies using isolated hearts from S1P3 knockout (KO) mice. S1P treatment reduced infarct size induced by ischemia/reperfusion in Langendorff perfused wild-type (WT) hearts and this protection was abolished in the S1P3 KO mouse heart. CYM-51736, an S1P3-specific agonist, also decreased infarct size after ischemia/reperfusion to a degree similar to that achieved by S1P. The finding that S1P3 receptor- and Gα13-mediated RhoA activation is responsible for protection against ischemia/reperfusion suggests that selective targeting of S1P3 receptors could provide therapeutic benefits in ischemic heart disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan S Yung
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Cameron S Brand
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Sunny Y Xiang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Charles B B Gray
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | | | - Hugh Rosen
- Department of Chemical Physiology, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States
| | - Jerold Chun
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, Dorris Neuroscience Center, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States
| | - Nicole H Purcell
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Joan Heller Brown
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States.
| | - Shigeki Miyamoto
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States.
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8
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Schultheis K, Schaefer H, Yung BS, Oh J, Muthumani K, Humeau L, Broderick KE, Smith TRF. Characterization of guinea pig T cell responses elicited after EP-assisted delivery of DNA vaccines to the skin. Vaccine 2016; 35:61-70. [PMID: 27894716 PMCID: PMC5221502 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.11.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Revised: 11/03/2016] [Accepted: 11/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The skin is an ideal target tissue for vaccine delivery for a number of reasons. It is highly accessible, and most importantly, enriched in professional antigen presenting cells. Possessing strong similarities to human skin physiology and displaying a defined epidermis, the guinea pig is an appropriate model to study epidermal delivery of vaccine. However, whilst we have characterized the humoral responses in the guinea pig associated with skin vaccine protocols we have yet to investigate the T cell responses. In response to this inadequacy, we developed an IFN-γ ELISpot assay to characterize the cellular immune response in the peripheral blood of guinea pigs. Using a nucleoprotein (NP) influenza pDNA vaccination regimen, we characterized host T cell responses. After delivery of the DNA vaccine to the guinea pig epidermis we detected robust and rapid T cell responses. The levels of IFN-γ spot-forming units averaged approximately 5000 per million cells after two immunizations. These responses were broad in that multiple regions across the NP antigen elicited a T cell response. Interestingly, we identified a number of NP immunodominant T cell epitopes to be conserved across an outbred guinea pig population, a phenomenon which was also observed after immunization with a RSV DNA vaccine. We believe this data enhances our understanding of the cellular immune response elicited to a vaccine in guinea pigs, and globally, will advance the use of this model for vaccine development, especially those targeting skin as a delivery site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Schultheis
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 660W. Germantown Pike, Suite 110, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462, USA
| | - Hubert Schaefer
- Intracelluar Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, Nordufer 20, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Bryan S Yung
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 660W. Germantown Pike, Suite 110, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462, USA
| | - Janet Oh
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 660W. Germantown Pike, Suite 110, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462, USA
| | - Karuppiah Muthumani
- Vaccine Center, The Wistar Institute of Anatomy & Biology, 3601 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Laurent Humeau
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 660W. Germantown Pike, Suite 110, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462, USA
| | - Kate E Broderick
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 660W. Germantown Pike, Suite 110, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462, USA
| | - Trevor R F Smith
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 660W. Germantown Pike, Suite 110, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462, USA.
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9
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Yung BS, Xiang SY, Purcell N, Rosen H, Chun J, Heller Brown J, Miyamoto S. Abstract 424: Activation of the S1P3 Receptors is Responsible for S1P-mediated RhoA Activation and Cardioprotection. Circ Res 2015. [DOI: 10.1161/res.117.suppl_1.424] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Sphingosine-1-phoshpate (S1P) is a bioactive lysophospholipid, generated and released at sites of tissue injury. S1P signals through a variety of G-protein coupled receptor subtypes and there are three major sub-types, S1P
1
, S1P
2
, and S1P
3
, to mediate cardiovascular responses. S1P
2
and S1P
3
receptors couple to Gα
i
, Gα
12
, Gα
13
and Gα
q
and we first examined the contribution of S1P
2
and S1P
3
to cardiac hypertrophy using S1P
2
and S1P
3
knockout (KO) mice and found that there is no difference in hypertrophy induced by pressure-overload. We previously showed that S1P provides cardioprotection against oxidative stress such as ischemia/reperfusion in which RhoA activation and its downstream effector PKD1 play an important role. It has not, however, been determined which S1P receptor subtype is responsible for S1P mediated cardioprotection. We knocked down the three major S1P receptors using siRNA in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs) and assessed RhoA and PKD1 activation induced by S1P. Knockdown of S1P
3
abolished RhoA activation and largely attenuated phosphorylation of PKD1 while knockdown of S1P
1
and S1P
2
did not. Using siRNA or pertussis toxin to inhibit different G-proteins, we further established that S1P
regulates RhoA activation through Gα
13
, but not Gα
12
, Gα
q
,
or Gα
i
. To investigate the role of S1P
3
receptors in the adult heart, hearts were isolated from wild-type or S1P
3
KO adult mice, perfused in the Langendorff mode and subjected to ex vivo ischemia/reperfusion. As previously reported, S1P perfusion significantly reduced infarct size induced by ischemia/reperfusion in WT hearts (by 50%), but this protection was abolished in the S1P
3
KO mouse heart. To further confirm the role of S1P
3
in cardioprotection we perfused WT mouse hearts with an S1P
3
-specific agonist CYM-51736. We observed that CYM-51736 attenuated the infarct size to a similar degree as that observed with S1P. Our findings reveal that activation of the S1P
3
receptor coupling to Gα
13
and subsequent RhoA activation is responsible for cardioprotection against ischemia/reperfusion. Accordingly specific drug targeting of S1P
3
receptors could provide therapeutic benefits in ischemic heart disease without the undesirable effects of global activation of other cardiac S1P receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hugh Rosen
- The Scripps Rsch Institute, La Jolla, CA
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10
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Zhao X, Ding EY, Yu OM, Xiang SY, Tan-Sah VP, Yung BS, Hedgpeth J, Neubig RR, Lau LF, Brown JH, Miyamoto S. Induction of the matricellular protein CCN1 through RhoA and MRTF-A contributes to ischemic cardioprotection. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2014; 75:152-61. [PMID: 25106095 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2014.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2014] [Revised: 07/07/2014] [Accepted: 07/23/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Activation of RhoA, a low molecular-weight G-protein, plays an important role in protecting the heart against ischemic stress. Studies using non-cardiac cells demonstrate that the expression and subsequent secretion of the matricellular protein CCN1 is induced by GPCR agonists that activate RhoA. In this study we determined whether and how CCN1 is induced by GPCR agonists in cardiomyocytes and examined the role of CCN1 in ischemic cardioprotection in cardiomyocytes and the isolated perfused heart. In neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs), sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and endothelin-1 induced robust increases in CCN1 expression while phenylephrine, isoproterenol and carbachol had little or no effect. The ability of agonists to activate the small G-protein RhoA correlated with their ability to induce CCN1. CCN1 induction by S1P was blocked when RhoA function was inhibited with C3 exoenzyme or a pharmacological RhoA inhibitor. Conversely overexpression of RhoA was sufficient to induce CCN1 expression. To delineate the signals downstream of RhoA we tested the role of MRTF-A (MKL1), a co-activator of SRF, in S1P-mediated CCN1 expression. S1P increased the nuclear accumulation of MRTF-A and this was inhibited by the functional inactivation of RhoA. In addition, pharmacological inhibitors of MRTF-A or knockdown of MRTF-A significantly diminished S1P-mediated CCN1 expression, indicating a requirement for RhoA/MRTF-A signaling. We also present data indicating that CCN1 is secreted following agonist treatment and RhoA activation, and binds to cells where it can serve an autocrine function. To determine the functional significance of CCN1 expression and signaling, simulated ischemia/reperfusion (sI/R)-induced apoptosis was assessed in NRVMs. The ability of S1P to protect against sI/R was significantly reduced by the inhibition of RhoA, ROCK or MRTF-A or by CCN1 knockdown. We also demonstrate that ischemia/reperfusion induces CCN1 expression in the isolated perfused heart and that this functions as a cardioprotective mechanism, evidenced by the significant increase in infarct development in response to I/R in the cardiac specific CCN1 KO relative to control mice. Our findings implicate CCN1 as a mediator of cardioprotection induced by GPCR agonists that activate RhoA/MRTF-A signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Zhao
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0636, USA
| | - Eric Y Ding
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0636, USA
| | - Olivia M Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0636, USA
| | - Sunny Y Xiang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0636, USA
| | - Valerie P Tan-Sah
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0636, USA
| | - Bryan S Yung
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0636, USA
| | - Joe Hedgpeth
- CompleGen, Inc., 1124 Columbia Street, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
| | - Richard R Neubig
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, 1355 Bogue St./B440 Life Sciences, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Lester F Lau
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Medicine, 900 S Ashland, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Joan Heller Brown
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0636, USA
| | - Shigeki Miyamoto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0636, USA.
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11
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Xiang SY, Ouyang K, Yung BS, Miyamoto S, Smrcka AV, Chen J, Heller Brown J. PLCε, PKD1, and SSH1L transduce RhoA signaling to protect mitochondria from oxidative stress in the heart. Sci Signal 2013; 6:ra108. [PMID: 24345679 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.2004405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Activation of the small guanosine triphosphatase RhoA can promote cell survival in cultured cardiomyocytes and in the heart. We showed that the circulating lysophospholipid sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), a G protein (heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein)-coupled receptor (GPCR) agonist, signaled through RhoA and phospholipase Cε (PLCε) to increase the phosphorylation and activation of protein kinase D1 (PKD1). Genetic deletion of either PKD1 or its upstream regulator PLCε inhibited S1P-mediated cardioprotection against ischemia/reperfusion injury. Cardioprotection involved PKD1-mediated phosphorylation and inhibition of the cofilin phosphatase Slingshot 1L (SSH1L). Cofilin 2 translocates to mitochondria in response to oxidative stress or ischemia/reperfusion injury, and both S1P pretreatment and SSH1L knockdown attenuated translocation of cofilin 2 to mitochondria. Cofilin 2 associates with the proapoptotic protein Bax, and the mitochondrial translocation of Bax in response to oxidative stress was also attenuated by S1P treatment in isolated hearts or by knockdown of SSH1L or cofilin 2 in cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, SSH1L knockdown, like S1P treatment, increased cardiomyocyte survival and preserved mitochondrial integrity after oxidative stress. These findings reveal a pathway initiated by GPCR agonist-induced RhoA activation, in which PLCε signals to PKD1-mediated phosphorylation of cytoskeletal proteins to prevent the mitochondrial translocation and proapoptotic function of cofilin 2 and Bax and thereby promote cell survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunny Y Xiang
- 1Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
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