RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), known for its aggressiveness and limited treatment options, presents a significant challenge. Adoptive cell transfer, involving the ex vivo generation of antigen-specific T cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), emerges as a promising approach. The overexpression of mesothelin (MSLN) and nucleolin (NCL) in TNBC samples underscores their potential as targets for T cell therapy. This study explored the efficacy of multi-peptide pulsing of PBMCs to generate MSLN/NCL-specific T cells targeting MSLN+/NCL+ TNBC cells. METHODS: TNBC patient samples were confirmed for both MSLN and NCL expression via immunohistochemistry. Synthesized MSLN and NCL peptides were combined and administered to activate PBMCs from healthy donors. The cancer-killing ability of the resultant T cells was assessed using crystal violet staining, and their subtypes and cytotoxic cytokines were characterized through flow cytometry and cytokine bead array. RESULTS: Findings showed that 85.3% (127/149) of TNBC cases were positive for either MSLN or NCL, or both; with single positivity rates for MSLN and NCL of 14.1% and 28.9%, respectively. MSLN and NCL peptides, with high binding affinity for HLA-A*02, were combined and introduced to activated PBMCs from healthy donors. The co-pulsed PBMCs significantly induced TEM and TEMRA CD3+/CD8+ T cells and IFN-γ production, compared to single-peptide pulsed or unpulsed conditions. Notably, MSLN/NCL-specific T cells successfully induced cell death in MSLN+/NCL+ MDA-MB-231 cells, releasing key cytotoxic factors such as perforin, granzymes A and B, Fas ligand, IFN-γ, and granulysin. CONCLUSIONS: These findings serve as a proof-of-concept for using multiple immunogenic peptides as a novel therapeutic approach in TNBC patients.
Asunto(s)
Proteínas Ligadas a GPI , Mesotelina , Nucleolina , Fosfoproteínas , Proteínas de Unión al ARN , Neoplasias de la Mama Triple Negativas , Humanos , Neoplasias de la Mama Triple Negativas/inmunología , Proteínas de Unión al ARN/inmunología , Femenino , Péptidos , Línea Celular Tumoral , Linfocitos T/inmunología , Persona de Mediana Edad , Leucocitos Mononucleares/inmunología , Leucocitos Mononucleares/metabolismo , Inmunoterapia Adoptiva/métodos , Adulto , Citocinas/metabolismoRESUMEN
The benefits of treating several types of cancers using immunotherapy have recently been established. The overexpression of nucleolin (NCL) in a number of types of cancer provides an attractive antigen target for the development of novel anticancer immunotherapeutic treatments. NCL is a multifunctional protein abundantly distributed in the nucleus, cytoplasm and cell membrane. It influences carcinogenesis, and the proliferation, survival and metastasis of cancer cells, leading to cancer progression. Additionally, the metaanalysis of total and cytoplasmic NCL overexpression indicates a poor prognosis of patients with breast cancer. The AS1411 aptamers currently appear to have therapeutic action in the phase II clinical trial. The authors' research group has recently explored the anticancer function of NCL through the activation of T cells by dendritic cellbased immunotherapy. The present review describes and discusses the mechanisms through which the multiple functions of NCL can participate in the progression of cancer. In addition, the studies that define the utility of NCLdependent anticancer therapies are summarized, with specific focus being paid to cancer immunotherapeutic approaches.