RESUMEN
The challenges generated by insufficient T cell activation and infiltration have constrained the application of immunotherapy. Making matters worse, the complex tumor microenvironment (TME), resistance to apoptosis collectively poses obstacles for cancer treatment. The carrier-free small molecular self-assembly strategy is a current research hotspot to overcome these challenges. This strategy can transform multiple functional agents into sustain-released hydrogel without the addition of any excipients. Herein, a coordination and hydrogen bond mediated tricomponent hydrogel (Cel hydrogel) composed of glycyrrhizic acid (GA), copper ions (Cu2+) and celastrol (Cel) was initially constructed. The hydrogel can regulate TME by chemo-dynamic therapy (CDT), which increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) in conjunction with GA and Cel, synergistically expediting cellular apoptosis. What's more, copper induced cuproptosis also contributes to the anti-tumor effect. In terms of regulating immunity, ROS generated by Cel hydrogel can polarize tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) into M1-TAMs, Cel can induce T cell proliferation as well as activate DC mediated antigen presentation, which subsequently induce T cell proliferation, elevate T cell infiltration and enhance the specific killing of tumor cells, along with the upregulation of PD-L1 expression. Upon co-administration with aPD-L1, this synergy mitigated both primary and metastasis tumors, showing promising clinical translational value.
Asunto(s)
Cobre , Hidrogeles , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico , Inmunoterapia , Activación de Linfocitos , Triterpenos Pentacíclicos , Especies Reactivas de Oxígeno , Linfocitos T , Microambiente Tumoral , Triterpenos Pentacíclicos/farmacología , Hidrogeles/química , Animales , Linfocitos T/efectos de los fármacos , Linfocitos T/inmunología , Inmunoterapia/métodos , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Ratones , Activación de Linfocitos/efectos de los fármacos , Cobre/química , Microambiente Tumoral/efectos de los fármacos , Especies Reactivas de Oxígeno/metabolismo , Línea Celular Tumoral , Humanos , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Ácido Glicirrínico/farmacología , Ácido Glicirrínico/química , Femenino , Triterpenos/farmacología , Triterpenos/químicaRESUMEN
Metastasis stands as the primary contributor to mortality associated with tumors. Chemotherapy and immunotherapy are frequently utilized in the management of metastatic solid tumors. Nevertheless, these therapeutic modalities are linked to serious adverse effects and limited effectiveness in preventing metastasis. Here, we report a novel therapeutic strategy named starvation-immunotherapy, wherein an immune checkpoint inhibitor is combined with an ultra-long-acting L-asparaginase that is a fusion protein comprising L-asparaginase (ASNase) and an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP), termed ASNase-ELP. ASNase-ELP's thermosensitivity enables it to generate an in-situ depot following an intratumoral injection, yielding increased dose tolerance, improved pharmacokinetics, sustained release, optimized biodistribution, and augmented tumor retention compared to free ASNase. As a result, in murine models of oral cancer, melanoma, and cervical cancer, the antitumor efficacy of ASNase-ELP by selectively and sustainably depleting L-asparagine essential for tumor cell survival was substantially superior to that of ASNase or Cisplatin, a first-line anti-solid tumor medicine, without any observable adverse effects. Furthermore, the combination of ASNase-ELP and an immune checkpoint inhibitor was more effective than either therapy alone in impeding melanoma metastasis. Overall, the synergistic strategy of starvation-immunotherapy holds excellent promise in reshaping the therapeutic landscape of refractory metastatic tumors and offering a new alternative for next-generation oncology treatments.
Asunto(s)
Asparaginasa , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico , Inmunoterapia , Animales , Asparaginasa/uso terapéutico , Asparaginasa/farmacología , Asparaginasa/química , Inmunoterapia/métodos , Femenino , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Ratones , Humanos , Línea Celular Tumoral , Sinergismo Farmacológico , Elastina/química , Elastina/metabolismo , Metástasis de la Neoplasia , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Ratones Endogámicos BALB C , Neoplasias/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias/patología , Distribución TisularRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has made remarkable achievements, but newly identified armored and cold tumors cannot respond to ICB therapy. The high prevalence of concomitant medications has huge impact on immunotherapeutic responses, but the clinical effects on the therapeutic outcome of armored and cold tumors are still unclear. METHODS: In this research, using large-scale transcriptomics datasets, the expression and potential biological functions of angiotensin II receptor 1 (AGTR1), the target of angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), were investigated. Next, the roles of ARB in tumor cells and tumor microenvironment cells were defined by a series of in vitro and in vivo assays. In addition, the clinical impacts of ARB on ICB therapy were assessed by multicenter cohorts and meta-analysis. RESULTS: AGTR1 was overexpressed in armored and cold tumors and associated with poor response to ICB therapy. ARB, the inhibitor for AGTR1, only suppressed the aggressiveness of tumor cells with high AGTR1 expression, which accounted for a very small proportion. Further analysis revealed that AGTR1 was always highly expressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and ARB inhibited type I collagen expression in CAFs by suppressing the RhoA-YAP axis. Moreover, ARB could also drastically reverse the phenotype of armored and cold to soft and hot in vivo, leading to a higher response to ICB therapy. In addition, both our in-house cohorts and meta-analysis further supported the idea that ARB can significantly enhance ICB efficacy. CONCLUSION: Overall, we identify AGTR1 as a novel target in armored and cold tumors and demonstrate the improved therapeutic efficacy of ICB in combination with ARB. These findings could provide novel clinical insight into how to treat patients with refractory armored and cold tumors.
Asunto(s)
Antagonistas de Receptores de Angiotensina , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico , Humanos , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Antagonistas de Receptores de Angiotensina/uso terapéutico , Antagonistas de Receptores de Angiotensina/farmacología , Animales , Ratones , Neoplasias/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias/inmunología , Receptor de Angiotensina Tipo 1/metabolismo , Receptor de Angiotensina Tipo 1/genética , Microambiente Tumoral , Línea Celular Tumoral , FemeninoRESUMEN
Neoantigen-based immunotherapy is an attractive potential treatment for previously intractable tumors. To effectively broaden the application of this approach, stringent biomarkers are crucial to identify responsive patients. ARID1A, a frequently mutated subunit of SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, has been reported to determine tumor immunogenicity in some cohorts; however, mutations and deletions of ARID1A are not always linked to clinical responses to immunotherapy. In this study, we investigated immunotherapeutic responses based on ARID1A status in targeted therapy-resistant cancers. Mouse and human BRAFV600E melanomas with or without ARID1A expression were transformed into resistant to vemurafenib, an FDA-approved specific BRAFV600E inhibitor. Anti-PD-1 antibody treatment enhanced antitumor immune responses in vemurafenib-resistant ARID1A-deficient tumors but not in ARID1A-intact tumors or vemurafenib-sensitive ARID1A-deficient tumors. Neoantigens derived from accumulated somatic mutations during vemurafenib resistance were highly expressed in ARID1A-deficient tumors and promoted tumor immunogenicity. Furthermore, the newly generated neoantigens could be utilized as immunotherapeutic targets by vaccines. Finally, targeted therapy resistance-specific neoantigen in experimental human melanoma cells lacking ARID1A were validated to elicit T-cell receptor responses. Collectively, the classification of ARID1A-mutated tumors based on vemurafenib resistance as an additional indicator of immunotherapy response will enable a more accurate prediction to guide cancer treatment. Furthermore, the neoantigens that emerge with therapy resistance can be promising therapeutic targets for refractory tumors. Significance: Chemotherapy resistance promotes the acquisition of immunogenic neoantigens in ARID1A-deficient tumors that confer sensitivity to immune checkpoint blockade and can be utilized for developing antitumor vaccines, providing strategies to improve immunotherapy efficacy.
Asunto(s)
Antígenos de Neoplasias , Proteínas de Unión al ADN , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos , Melanoma , Factores de Transcripción , Vemurafenib , Animales , Humanos , Factores de Transcripción/genética , Factores de Transcripción/inmunología , Ratones , Proteínas de Unión al ADN/genética , Proteínas de Unión al ADN/inmunología , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos/inmunología , Antígenos de Neoplasias/inmunología , Antígenos de Neoplasias/genética , Vemurafenib/farmacología , Vemurafenib/uso terapéutico , Melanoma/inmunología , Melanoma/tratamiento farmacológico , Melanoma/genética , Melanoma/terapia , Inmunoterapia/métodos , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas B-raf/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas B-raf/inmunología , Línea Celular Tumoral , Femenino , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Mutación , Terapia Molecular Dirigida/métodos , Ratones Endogámicos C57BLRESUMEN
Dysregulation of master regulator c-MYC (MYC) plays a central role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and other cancers but remains an elusive target for therapeutic intervention. MYC expression is epigenetically modulated within naturally occurring DNA loop structures, Insulated Genomic Domains (IGDs). We present a therapeutic approach using an epigenomic controller (EC), a programmable epigenomic mRNA medicine, to precisely modify MYC IGD sub-elements, leading to methylation of MYC regulatory elements and durable downregulation of MYC mRNA transcription. Significant antitumor activity is observed in preclinical models of HCC treated with the MYC-targeted EC, as monotherapy or in combination with tyrosine kinase or immune checkpoint inhibitors. These findings pave the way for clinical development of MYC-targeting epigenomic controllers in HCC patients and provide a framework for programmable epigenomic mRNA therapeutics for cancer and other diseases.
Asunto(s)
Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Metilación de ADN , Regulación hacia Abajo , Epigenómica , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas c-myc , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/genética , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patología , Humanos , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas c-myc/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas c-myc/metabolismo , Animales , Ratones , Línea Celular Tumoral , Regulación hacia Abajo/genética , Epigenómica/métodos , Epigénesis Genética , Ensayos Antitumor por Modelo de Xenoinjerto , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Transcripción Genética , ARN Mensajero/genética , ARN Mensajero/metabolismoRESUMEN
Tumor cell-originated events prevent efficient antitumor immune response and limit the application of anti-PD1 checkpoint immunotherapy. We show that syndecan-1 (SDC1) has a critical role in the regulation of T cell-mediated control of tumor growth. SDC1 inhibition increases the permeation of CD8+ T cells into tumors and triggers CD8+ T cell-mediated control of tumor growth, accompanied by increased proportions of progenitor-exhausted and effector-like CD8+ T cells. SDC1 deficiency alters multiple signaling events in tumor cells, including enhanced IFN-γ-STAT1 signaling, and augments antigen presentation and sensitivity to T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Combinatory inhibition of SDC1 markedly potentiates the therapeutic effects of anti-PD1 in inhibiting tumor growth. Consistently, the findings are supported by the data from human tumors showing that SDC1 expression negatively correlates with T cell presence in tumor tissues and the response to immune checkpoint blockade therapy. Our findings suggest that SDC1 inhibits antitumor immunity, and that targeting SDC1 may promote anti-PD1 response for cancer treatment.
Asunto(s)
Linfocitos T CD8-positivos , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico , Inmunoterapia , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1 , Sindecano-1 , Sindecano-1/metabolismo , Animales , Ratones , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/antagonistas & inhibidores , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/metabolismo , Humanos , Inmunoterapia/métodos , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Linfocitos T CD8-positivos/inmunología , Linfocitos T CD8-positivos/metabolismo , Línea Celular Tumoral , Neoplasias/inmunología , Neoplasias/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias/terapia , Neoplasias/patología , Neoplasias/metabolismo , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Ratones Endogámicos C57BLRESUMEN
Lymphocyte activation gene (Lag)-3 is an inhibitory co-receptor and target of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy for cancer. The dynamic behavior of Lag-3 was analyzed at the immune synapse upon T-cell activation to elucidate the Lag-3 inhibitory mechanism. Lag-3 formed clusters and co-localized with T-cell receptor microcluster (TCR-MC) upon T-cell activation similar to PD-1. Lag-3 blocking antibodies (Abs) inhibited the co-localization between Lag-3 and TCR-MC without inhibiting Lag-3 cluster formation. Lag-3 also inhibited MHC-II-independent stimulation and Lag-3 Ab, which did not block MHC-II binding could still block Lag-3's inhibitory function, suggesting that the Lag-3 Ab blocks the Lag-3 inhibitory signal by dissociating the co-assembly of TCR-MC and Lag-3 clusters. Consistent with the combination benefit of PD-1 and Lag-3 Abs to augment T-cell responses, bispecific Lag-3/PD-1 antagonists effectively inhibited both cluster formation and co-localization of PD-1 and Lag-3 with TCR-MC. Therefore, Lag-3 inhibits T-cell activation at TCR-MC, and the target of Lag-3 ICI is to dissociate the co-localization of Lag-3 with TCR-MC.
Asunto(s)
Antígenos CD , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico , Proteína del Gen 3 de Activación de Linfocitos , Activación de Linfocitos , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfocitos T , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfocitos T/inmunología , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfocitos T/metabolismo , Antígenos CD/inmunología , Antígenos CD/metabolismo , Humanos , Activación de Linfocitos/efectos de los fármacos , Activación de Linfocitos/inmunología , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/antagonistas & inhibidores , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/metabolismo , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/inmunología , Linfocitos T/inmunología , Linfocitos T/metabolismo , AnimalesRESUMEN
With the revolutionary progress of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in non-small cell lung cancer, identifying patients with cancer who would benefit from ICIs has become critical and urgent. Here, we report protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type T (PTPRT) loss as a precise and convenient predictive marker independent of PD-L1 expression for anti-PD-1/PD-L1 axis therapy. Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 axis treatment markedly increased progression-free survival in patients with PTPRT-deficient tumors. PTPRT-deficient tumors displayed cumulative DNA damage, increased cytosolic DNA release, and higher tumor mutation burden. Moreover, the tyrosine residue 240 of STING was identified as a direct substrate of PTPRT. PTPRT loss elevated phosphorylation of STING at Y240 and thus inhibited its proteasome-mediated degradation. PTPRT-deficient tumors released more IFN-ß, CCL5, and CXCL10 by activation of STING pathway and increased immune cell infiltration, especially of CD8 T cells and natural killer cells, ultimately enhancing the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy in multiple subcutaneous and orthotopic tumor mouse models. The response of PTPRT-deficient tumors to anti-PD-1 therapy depends on the tumor-intrinsic STING pathway. In summary, our findings reveal the mechanism of how PTPRT-deficient tumors become sensitive to anti-PD-1 therapy and highlight the biological function of PTPRT in innate immunity. Considering the prevalence of PTPRT mutations and negative expression, this study has great value for patient stratification and clinical decision-making.
Asunto(s)
Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas , Neoplasias Pulmonares , Proteínas de la Membrana , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1 , Transducción de Señal , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/patología , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/metabolismo , Humanos , Animales , Proteínas de la Membrana/metabolismo , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Pulmonares/patología , Neoplasias Pulmonares/metabolismo , Neoplasias Pulmonares/genética , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/metabolismo , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/antagonistas & inhibidores , Ratones , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Línea Celular Tumoral , Fosforilación , FemeninoRESUMEN
The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) remains a major obstacle to tumor control and causes suboptimal responses to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Thus, developing feasible therapeutic strategies that trigger inflammatory responses in the TME could improve the ICB efficacy. Mitochondria play an essential role in inflammation regulation and tumor immunogenicity induction. Herein, we report the discovery and characterization of a class of small molecules that can recapitulate aqueous self-assembly behavior, specifically target cellular organelles (e.g., mitochondria), and invigorate tumor cell immunogenicity. Mechanistically, this nanoassembly platform dynamically rewires mitochondria, induces endoplasmic reticulum stress, and causes apoptosis/paraptosis-associated immunogenic cell death. After treatment, stressed and dying tumor cells can act as prophylactic or therapeutic cancer vaccines. In preclinical mouse models of cancers with intrinsic or acquired resistance to PD-1 blockade, the local administration of nanoassemblies inflames the immunologically silent TME and synergizes with ICB therapy, generating potent antitumor immunity. This chemically programmed small-molecule immune enhancer acts distinctly from regular cytotoxic therapeutics and offers a promising strategy for synchronous and dynamic tailoring of innate immunity to achieve traceless cancer therapy and overcome immunosuppression in cancers.
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Mitocondrias , Neoplasias , Microambiente Tumoral , Animales , Mitocondrias/efectos de los fármacos , Mitocondrias/metabolismo , Ratones , Microambiente Tumoral/efectos de los fármacos , Microambiente Tumoral/inmunología , Humanos , Línea Celular Tumoral , Neoplasias/inmunología , Neoplasias/tratamiento farmacológico , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Estrés del Retículo Endoplásmico/efectos de los fármacos , Estrés del Retículo Endoplásmico/inmunología , Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Femenino , Muerte Celular Inmunogénica/efectos de los fármacos , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Nanopartículas/química , Vacunas contra el Cáncer/inmunología , Vacunas contra el Cáncer/administración & dosificación , Inmunoterapia/métodosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The main challenge against patients with cancer to derive benefits from immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1/PD-L1 appears to be the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), in which IL-33/ST2 signal fulfills critical functions. However, whether IL-33 limits the therapeutic efficacy of anti-PD-L1 remains uncertain. METHODS: Molecular mechanisms of IL-33/ST2 signal on anti-PD-L1 treatment lewis lung carcinoma tumor model were assessed by RNA-seq, ELISA, WB and immunofluorescence (IF). A sST2-Fc fusion protein was constructed for targeting IL-33 and combined with anti-PD-L1 antibody for immunotherapy in colon and lung tumor models. On this basis, bifunctional fusion proteins were generated for PD-L1-targeted blocking of IL-33 in tumors. The underlying mechanisms of dual targeting of IL-33 and PD-L1 revealed by RNA-seq, scRNA-seq, FACS, IF and WB. RESULTS: After anti-PD-L1 administration, tumor-infiltrating ST2+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) were elevated. Blocking IL-33/ST2 signal with sST2-Fc fusion protein potentiated antitumor efficacy of PD-L1 antibody by enhancing T cell responses in tumor models. Bifunctional fusion protein anti-PD-L1-sST2 exhibited enhanced antitumor efficacy compared with combination therapy, not only inhibited tumor progression and extended the survival, but also provided long-term protective antitumor immunity. Mechanistically, the superior antitumor activity of targeting IL-33 and PD-L1 originated from reducing immunosuppressive factors, such as Tregs and exhausted CD8+ T cells while increasing tumor-infiltrating cytotoxic T lymphocyte cells. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we demonstrated that IL-33/ST2 was involved in the immunosuppression mechanism of PD-L1 antibody therapy, and blockade by sST2-Fc or anti-PD-L1-sST2 could remodel the inflammatory TME and induce potent antitumor effect, highlighting the potential therapeutic strategies for the tumor treatment by simultaneously targeting IL-33 and PD-L1.
Asunto(s)
Inmunoterapia , Interleucina-33 , Microambiente Tumoral , Animales , Ratones , Inmunoterapia/métodos , Humanos , Antígeno B7-H1/antagonistas & inhibidores , Antígeno B7-H1/metabolismo , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Proteína 1 Similar al Receptor de Interleucina-1/metabolismo , Línea Celular TumoralRESUMEN
The programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1, CD279) is an important therapeutic target in many oncological diseases. This checkpoint protein inhibits T lymphocytes from attacking other cells in the body and thus blocking it improves the clearance of tumor cells by the immune system. While there are already multiple FDA-approved anti-PD-1 antibodies, including nivolumab (Opdivo® from Bristol-Myers Squibb) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda® from Merck), there are ongoing efforts to discover new and improved checkpoint inhibitor therapeutics. In this study, we present multiple anti-PD-1 antibody fragments that were derived computationally using protein diffusion and evaluated through our scalable, in silico pipeline. Here we present nine synthetic Fv structures that are suitable for further empirical testing of their anti-PD-1 activity due to desirable predicted binding performance.
Asunto(s)
Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1 , Humanos , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/antagonistas & inhibidores , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/inmunología , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Inteligencia Artificial , Descubrimiento de Drogas , Neoplasias/metabolismo , Neoplasias/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias/inmunología , Unión ProteicaRESUMEN
Programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) and its ligand, programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) are essential molecules that are key in modulating immune responses. PD-L1 is constitutively expressed on various immune cells, epithelial cells, and cancer cells, where it functions as a co-stimulatory molecule capable of impairing T-cell mediated immune responses. Upon binding to PD-1 on activated T-cells, the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction triggers signaling pathways that can induce T-cell apoptosis or anergy, thereby facilitating the immune escape of tumors. In urological cancers, including bladder cancer (BCa), renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and prostate cancer (PCa), the upregulation of PD-L1 has been demonstrated. It is linked to poor prognosis and enhanced tumor immune evasion. Recent studies have highlighted the significant role of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis in the immune escape mechanisms of urological cancers. The interaction between PD-L1 and PD-1 on T-cells further contributes to immunosuppression by inhibiting T-cell activation and proliferation. Clinical applications of PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors have shown promising efficacy in treating advanced urological cancers, significantly improving patient outcomes. However, resistance to these therapies, either intrinsic or acquired, remains a significant challenge. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the role of the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway in urological cancers. We summarize the regulatory mechanism underlying PD-1 and PD-L1 expression and activity, including genetic, epigenetic, post-transcriptional, and post-translational modifications. Additionally, we discuss current clinical research on PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, their therapeutic potential, and the challenges associated with resistance. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing new strategies to overcome therapeutic limitations and enhance the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy.
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Antígeno B7-H1 , Inmunoterapia , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1 , Neoplasias Urológicas , Humanos , Antígeno B7-H1/metabolismo , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/metabolismo , Inmunoterapia/métodos , Neoplasias Urológicas/terapia , Neoplasias Urológicas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Urológicas/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Urológicas/inmunología , Neoplasias Urológicas/etiología , Neoplasias Urológicas/patología , Animales , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Escape del TumorRESUMEN
Immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment landscape of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. He et al. present the final results of the randomized phase 3 ESCORT-1st trial, confirming positive survival outcomes when adding the anti-PD1 inhibitor camrelizumab to first-line chemotherapy treatment in Chinese patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer.1.
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Anticuerpos Monoclonales Humanizados , Neoplasias Esofágicas , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Esófago , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico , Humanos , Neoplasias Esofágicas/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Esofágicas/patología , Neoplasias Esofágicas/inmunología , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Esófago/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Esófago/patología , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Esófago/inmunología , Anticuerpos Monoclonales Humanizados/uso terapéutico , Ensayos Clínicos Controlados Aleatorios como Asunto , Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/uso terapéuticoRESUMEN
Anti-angiogenic agents elicit considerable immune modulatory effects within the tumor microenvironment, underscoring the rationale for synergistic clinical development of VEGF and immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Early phase studies involving Asian patients demonstrated encouraging anti-tumor efficacies. We report the results of the REGOMUNE phase II study, in which Caucasian patients were administered regorafenib, a multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in combination with avelumab, a PD-L1-targeting monoclonal antibody. This therapeutic regimen resulted in deep and durable responses in 19% of patients, with the median duration of response not yet reached. Notwithstanding, a significant proportion of AGC patients exhibited no therapeutic advantage, prompting investigations into mechanisms of inherent resistance. Comprehensive biomarker profiling elucidated that non-responders predominantly exhibited an augmented presence of M2 macrophages within the tumor microenvironment and a marked overexpression of S100A10 by neoplastic cells, a protein previously implicated in macrophage chemotaxis. Additionally, peripheral biomarker assessments identified elevated levels of cytokines, including CSF-1, IL-4, IL-8, and TWEAK, correlating with adverse clinical outcomes, thereby accentuating the role of macrophage infiltration in mediating resistance. These insights furnish an invaluable foundation for elucidating, and potentially circumventing, resistance mechanisms in current AGC therapeutic paradigms, emphasizing the integral role of tumor microenvironmental dynamics and immune modulation.
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Antígeno B7-H1 , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos , Proteómica , Neoplasias Gástricas , Microambiente Tumoral , Humanos , Microambiente Tumoral/efectos de los fármacos , Neoplasias Gástricas/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Gástricas/genética , Neoplasias Gástricas/patología , Neoplasias Gástricas/metabolismo , Proteómica/métodos , Antígeno B7-H1/metabolismo , Antígeno B7-H1/genética , Biomarcadores de Tumor , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Inhibidores de la Angiogénesis/farmacología , Inhibidores de la Angiogénesis/uso terapéutico , Femenino , Masculino , Transcriptoma , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/metabolismo , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/antagonistas & inhibidores , Persona de Mediana Edad , Perfilación de la Expresión GénicaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: While small extracellular vesicles (sEVs)-derived circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been emerged as significant players in cancer, the function and underlying mechanism of sEVs-derived circRNAs in anti-cancer immunity remain unclear. METHODS: Gastric cancer (GC)-derived circRNAs were identified using RNA-seq data from GEO datasets and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), RNA immunoprecipitation, dual-luciferase assay, and bioinformatics analysis were performed to investigate the regulatory axis. Transwell assay, wound healing assay, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and xenograft models were used to evaluate its role in GC progression in vivo and in vitro. The delivery of specific circRNAs into sEVs were verified through electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and fuorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Flow cytometric analysis and immunohistochemical staining were conducted to find out how specific circRNAs mediated CD8+ T cell exhaustion and resistant to anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) therapy. RESULTS: We identified that circ_0001947, packaged by GC-derived sEVs, was obviously elevated in GC and was associated with poor clinical outcome. High circ0001947 level augmented the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells. Mechanistically, circ0001947 sponged miR-661 and miR-671-5p to promote the expression of CD39, which further facilitated CD8+ T cell exhaustion and immune resistance. Conversely, blocking circ_0001947 attenuated CD8+ T cell exhaustion and increased the response to anti-PD-1 therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our study manifested the therapeutic potential of targeting sEVs-transmitted circ_0001947 to prohibit CD8+ T cell exhaustion and immune resistance in GC.
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Linfocitos T CD8-positivos , Vesículas Extracelulares , ARN Circular , Neoplasias Gástricas , Neoplasias Gástricas/patología , Neoplasias Gástricas/inmunología , ARN Circular/genética , Humanos , Vesículas Extracelulares/metabolismo , Animales , Linfocitos T CD8-positivos/inmunología , Ratones , Línea Celular Tumoral , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/metabolismo , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/genética , Progresión de la Enfermedad , Ratones Desnudos , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Femenino , Ratones Endogámicos BALB C , Masculino , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Agotamiento de Células TRESUMEN
This study aimed to identify hub genes involved in regulatory T cell (Treg) function and migration, offering insights into potential therapeutic targets for cancer immunotherapy. We performed a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis using three gene expression microarray datasets from the GEO database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified to pathway enrichment analysis to explore their functional roles and potential pathways. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed to identify hub genes critical for Treg activity. We further evaluated the co-expression of these hub genes with immune checkpoint proteins (PD-1, PD-L1, CTLA4) and assessed their prognostic significance. Through this comprehensive analysis, we identified CCR8 as a key player in Treg migration and explored its potential synergistic effects with ICIs. Our findings suggest that CCR8-targeted therapies could enhance cancer immunotherapy outcomes, with breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA) emerging as a promising indication for combination therapy. This study highlights the potential of CCR8 as a biomarker and therapeutic target, contributing to the development of targeted cancer treatment strategies.
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Biología Computacional , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico , Inmunoterapia , Mapas de Interacción de Proteínas , Linfocitos T Reguladores , Humanos , Biología Computacional/métodos , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Inmunoterapia/métodos , Linfocitos T Reguladores/inmunología , Linfocitos T Reguladores/metabolismo , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica/efectos de los fármacos , Movimiento Celular/genética , Neoplasias/genética , Neoplasias/terapia , Neoplasias/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias/inmunología , Perfilación de la Expresión Génica , Pronóstico , Redes Reguladoras de Genes , Receptores CCR8/genética , Receptores CCR8/metabolismo , Biomarcadores de Tumor/genéticaRESUMEN
Predictive biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in solid tumors such as melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), colorectal cancer (CRC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), endometrial carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma (RCC), or urothelial carcinoma (UC) include programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, tumor mutational burden (TMB), defective deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) mismatch repair (dMMR), microsatellite instability (MSI), and the tumor microenvironment (TME). Over the past decade, several types of ICIs, including cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) inhibitors, anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) antibodies, anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibodies, and anti-lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3) antibodies have been studied and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with ongoing research on others. Recent studies highlight the critical role of the gut microbiome in influencing a positive therapeutic response to ICIs, emphasizing the importance of modeling factors that can maintain a healthy microbiome. However, resistance mechanisms can emerge, such as increased expression of alternative immune checkpoints, T-cell immunoglobulin (Ig), mucin domain-containing protein 3 (TIM-3), LAG-3, impaired antigen presentation, and alterations in the TME. This review aims to synthesize the data regarding the interactions between microbiota and immunotherapy (IT). Understanding these mechanisms is essential for optimizing ICI therapy and developing effective combination strategies.
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Biomarcadores de Tumor , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico , Neoplasias , Humanos , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Neoplasias/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias/metabolismo , Neoplasias/inmunología , Biomarcadores de Tumor/metabolismo , Microambiente Tumoral/efectos de los fármacos , Microambiente Tumoral/inmunologíaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: While guidelines recommend immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) rechallenge as second-line therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), data supporting this remain limited, particularly regarding a standard regimen for first- and second-line treatments. Tremelimumab/durvalumab was recently approved but data on ICI rechallenge are lacking. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the early efficacy and safety of tremelimumab/durvalumab for HCC as an ICI rechallenge following initial ICI therapy with atezolizumab/bevacizumab. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This multicenter retrospective study included patients with HCC who underwent treatment with tremelimumab/durvalumab, with relevant available clinical information. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of tremelimumab/durvalumab as ICI rechallenge following initial treatment with atezolizumab/bevacizumab. We analyzed the outcomes in patients who underwent tremelimumab/durvalumab as an ICI rechallenge and those who received tremelimumab/durvalumab as their initial ICI therapy RESULT: A total of 45 patients treated with tremelimumab/durvalumab were included, with 55.6% (25/45) undergoing ICI rechallenge. The objective-response and disease-control rates in patients who underwent ICI rechallenge were 14.3% (3/21) and 47.6% (10/21), respectively, similar to those in patients initially treated with tremelimumab/durvalumab. All patients (n = 3) who experienced the best response to progressive disease (PD) with initial atezolizumab/bevacizumab experienced PD during ICI rechallenge. The incidence rates of adverse events were similar between patient groups treated with tremelimumab/durvalumab as ICI rechallenge and initial ICI. Among patients experiencing immune-related adverse events (irAEs) with atezolizumab/bevacizumab, 75% (3/4) encountered similar irAEs during ICI rechallenge. CONCLUSION: Early safety and efficacy profiles of durvalumab/tremelimumab as ICI rechallenge are satisfactory.
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Anticuerpos Monoclonales Humanizados , Anticuerpos Monoclonales , Bevacizumab , Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Humanos , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamiento farmacológico , Anticuerpos Monoclonales Humanizados/uso terapéutico , Anticuerpos Monoclonales Humanizados/farmacología , Masculino , Femenino , Bevacizumab/uso terapéutico , Bevacizumab/farmacología , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Estudios Retrospectivos , Anciano , Persona de Mediana Edad , Anticuerpos Monoclonales/uso terapéutico , Anticuerpos Monoclonales/farmacología , Adulto , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/uso terapéutico , Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/farmacologíaRESUMEN
Tumor reliance on glycolysis is a hallmark of cancer. Immunotherapy is more effective in controlling glycolysis-low tumors lacking lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) due to reduced tumor lactate efflux and enhanced glucose availability within the tumor microenvironment (TME). LDH inhibitors (LDHi) reduce glucose uptake and tumor growth in preclinical models, but their impact on tumor-infiltrating T cells is not fully elucidated. Tumor cells have higher basal LDH expression and glycolysis levels compared with infiltrating T cells, creating a therapeutic opportunity for tumor-specific targeting of glycolysis. We demonstrate that LDHi treatment (a) decreases tumor cell glucose uptake, expression of the glucose transporter GLUT1, and tumor cell proliferation while (b) increasing glucose uptake, GLUT1 expression, and proliferation of tumor-infiltrating T cells. Accordingly, increasing glucose availability in the microenvironment via LDH inhibition leads to improved tumor-killing T cell function and impaired Treg immunosuppressive activity in vitro. Moreover, combining LDH inhibition with immune checkpoint blockade therapy effectively controls murine melanoma and colon cancer progression by promoting effector T cell infiltration and activation while destabilizing Tregs. Our results establish LDH inhibition as an effective strategy for rebalancing glucose availability for T cells within the TME, which can enhance T cell function and antitumor immunity.
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Glucosa , L-Lactato Deshidrogenasa , Microambiente Tumoral , Animales , Ratones , Glucosa/metabolismo , Microambiente Tumoral/inmunología , Microambiente Tumoral/efectos de los fármacos , L-Lactato Deshidrogenasa/metabolismo , L-Lactato Deshidrogenasa/antagonistas & inhibidores , L-Lactato Deshidrogenasa/inmunología , Humanos , Transportador de Glucosa de Tipo 1/metabolismo , Transportador de Glucosa de Tipo 1/antagonistas & inhibidores , Transportador de Glucosa de Tipo 1/inmunología , Transportador de Glucosa de Tipo 1/genética , Línea Celular Tumoral , Linfocitos T Reguladores/inmunología , Linfocitos T Reguladores/efectos de los fármacos , Melanoma Experimental/inmunología , Melanoma Experimental/patología , Melanoma Experimental/tratamiento farmacológico , Melanoma Experimental/metabolismo , Glucólisis/efectos de los fármacos , Femenino , Linfocitos Infiltrantes de Tumor/inmunología , Linfocitos Infiltrantes de Tumor/efectos de los fármacos , Neoplasias del Colon/inmunología , Neoplasias del Colon/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias del Colon/patología , Neoplasias del Colon/metabolismo , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/farmacología , Inmunoterapia , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéuticoRESUMEN
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has emerged as a promising therapeutic option for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but resistance to ICB occurs and patient responses vary. Here, we uncover protein arginine methyltransferase 3 (PRMT3) as a driver for immunotherapy resistance in HCC. We show that PRMT3 expression is induced by ICB-activated T cells via an interferon-gamma (IFNγ)-STAT1 signaling pathway, and higher PRMT3 expression levels correlate with reduced numbers of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells and poorer response to ICB. Genetic depletion or pharmacological inhibition of PRMT3 elicits an influx of T cells into tumors and reduces tumor size in HCC mouse models. Mechanistically, PRMT3 methylates HSP60 at R446 to induce HSP60 oligomerization and maintain mitochondrial homeostasis. Targeting PRMT3-dependent HSP60 methylation disrupts mitochondrial integrity and increases mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) leakage, which results in cGAS/STING-mediated anti-tumor immunity. Lastly, blocking PRMT3 functions synergize with PD-1 blockade in HCC mouse models. Our study thus identifies PRMT3 as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target to overcome immunotherapy resistance in HCC.