MAP7D2 reduces CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte infiltration through MYH9-HMGB1 axis in colorectal cancer

1. Download : Download high-res image (203KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

     

FOXP3 expression diversifies the metabolic capacity and enhances the efficacy of CD8 T cells in adoptive immunotherapy of melanoma

1. Download : Download high-res image (343KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

     

Results and challenges of immune checkpoint inhibitors in colorectal cancer

Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide and clinical outcome has improved substantially during the last two decades with targeted therapies. The immune system has a major role in cancers, especially the CD8 + T cells specific to tumor antigens. However, tumors can escape immune response by different mechanisms including upregulation of inhibitory immune checkpoint receptors, such as well-known Programmed cell Death protein-1 (PD-1)/Programmed cell Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) interaction, leading CD8 + T cells to a state of anergy. Immunotherapy, with the so-called immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs), has recently been approved in treatment of multiple cancers due to its prolonged disease control and acceptable toxicities. The recent groundbreaking success involving anti-PD-1 CPIs in metastatic CRC with deficient mismatch repair system (dMMR) is promising, with several trials ongoing. Major challenges are ahead in order to determine how, when and for which patients we should use these CPIs in CRC.

Areas covered: This review highlights some promises and challenges concerning personalized immunotherapy in CRC. First results and ongoing breakthrough trials are presented. The crucial role of biomarkers in selecting patient is also discussed.

Expert opinion: As of now, dMMR and POLE mutations (DNA polymerase ε) with ultramutator phenotype are the most powerful predictive biomarkers of CPI efficacy. The most challenging issue is pMMR mCRC and determination of how to convert a ‘nonimmunogenic’ neoplasm into an ‘immunogenic’ neoplasm, a combination of CPIs with radiation or MEK inhibitor probably being the most relevant strategy. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) assays to quantify mutational load could be more reliable predictive biomarkers of CPIs efficacy than PD-L1 expression or immune scores.     

Genetic and epigenetic strategies for advancing ovarian cancer immunotherapy

Introduction: Immuno-oncology is currently the most popular field of cancer research and development. The surge of interest in immuno-oncology stems from recent clinical approvals and successes in clinical trials with new immuno-therapeutics and parallels a global trending interest in immunology. Among the current immunotherapeutic modalities, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs) are some of the most prominent agents that strengthens the activity of our adaptive immune system, and has demonstrated success in treating different types of cancer. With significant promises in melanoma and other solid tumors, ICPIs have also been evaluated in ovarian cancer (OC). Contrary to expectations, their efficacy for treating OC is unfortunately very low.

Areas covered: In this review, immunotherapy response in OC will be evaluated in the context of disease genetics and epigenetics, with a focus on checkpoint blockade. Also, novel genetic and epigenetic therapies that show synergistic potential with current immunotherapies will be examined in detail.

Expert opinion: The low response rate of OC to current immune checkpoint therapies may be due to the highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) of the disease. The application of genetic and epigenetic agents can pave the way for overcoming this barrier in OC immunotherapy.     

Predictive molecular markers for the treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors and, hence, has become one of the most important public health issues in the world. Treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) successfully improves the survival rate of patients with melanoma, non‐small‐cell lung cancer, and other malignancies, and its application in metastatic colorectal cancer is being actively explored. However, a few patients develop drug resistance. Predictive molecular markers are important tools to precisely screen patient groups that can benefit from treatment with ICIs. The current article focused on certain important predictive molecular markers for ICI treatment in colorectal cancer, including not only some of the mature molecular markers, such as deficient mismatch repair (d‐MMR), microsatellite instability‐high (MSI‐H), tumor mutational burden (TMB), programmed death‐ligand‐1 (PD‐L1), tumor immune microenvironment (TiME), and tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), but also some of the novel molecular markers, such as DNA polymerase epsilon (POLE), polymerase delta 1 (POLD1), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), and consensus molecular subtypes (CMS). We have reviewed these markers in‐depth and presented the results from certain important studies, which suggest their applicability in CRC and indicate their advantages and disadvantages. We hope this article is helpful for clinicians and researchers to systematically understand these markers and can guide the treatment of colorectal cancer.     

多种炎性疾病患者外周血CD4＋和CD8＋T淋巴细胞的检测与临床意义分析

目的：探讨恶性肿瘤、肺结核、干燥综合征、葡萄膜炎等多种炎性疾病患者外周血CD4＋和CD8＋淋巴细胞的变化及其临床意义。方法应用BD FACSCanto II流式细胞仪检测上述疾病患者外周血CD4＋、CD8＋ T细胞并计算两者比值,同时检测健康者标本20例作为健康对照组,进行统计分析。结果与健康对照组比,恶性肿瘤组CD4＋ T淋巴细胞、CD4＋/CD8＋均明显降低,CD8＋ T淋巴细胞增高,差异有统计学意义（ P＜0．05）;全身炎性反应综合征组CD4＋ T淋巴细胞、CD4＋/CD8＋均明显降低,CD8＋ T 淋巴细胞增高,差异有统计学意义（ P＜0．05）;葡萄膜炎组CD8＋ T淋巴细胞增高,差异有统计学意义（P＜0．05）;肺结核组CD4＋ T淋巴细胞降低,差异有统计学意义（ P＜0．05）。结论患者的 CD4＋、CD8＋ T 淋巴细胞异常,表明机体细胞免疫功能异常。流式细胞仪检测CD4＋、CD8＋ T淋巴细胞可以作为患者临床免疫功能的初步诊断指标,辅助疾病治疗和病情观察。     

CD27 expression promotes long-term survival of functional effector-memory CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes in HIV-infected patients

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific CD8(+) T cells persist in high frequencies in HIV-infected patients despite impaired CD4(+) T helper response to the virus, but, unlike other differentiated effector cytotoxic T lymphocytes, most continue to express the tumor necrosis factor receptor family member CD27. Because the ligand for CD27 (CD70) is also overexpressed in HIV-infected hosts, we examined the nature of expression and potential functional consequences of CD27 expression on HIV-specific CD8(+) T cells. Analysis of CD27(+) and CD27(-) T cells derived from the same HIV-specific clone revealed that retention of CD27 did not interfere with acquisition of effector functions, and that after T cell receptor stimulation, CD27(+) cells that concurrently were triggered via CD27 exhibited more resistance to apoptosis, interleukin 2 production, and proliferation than CD27(-) T cells. After transfer back into an HIV-infected patient, autologous HIV-specific CD27(-) T cells rapidly disappeared, but CD27(+) T cells derived from the same clone persisted at high frequency. Our findings suggest that the CD27-CD70 interaction in HIV infection may provide CD27(+) CD8(+) T cells with a survival advantage and compensate for limiting or absent CD4(+) T help to maintain the CD8 response.     

Essential roles of CD8+CD122+ regulatory T cells in the maintenance of T cell homeostasis

Regulation of immune system is of paramount importance to prevent immune attacks against self-components. Mice deficient in the interleukin (IL)-2/IL-15 receptor beta chain, CD122, are model animals of such immune attacks and characteristically have a high number of abnormally activated T cells. Here, we show that the transfer of CD8+CD122+ cells into CD122-deficient neonates totally prevented the development of abnormal T cells. Furthermore, recombination activating gene-2-/- mice that received wild-type mice-derived CD8+CD122- cells died within 10 wk after cell transfer, indicating that normal CD8+CD122- cells become dangerously activated T cells in the absence of CD8+CD122+ T cells. CD8+CD122+ cells could control activated CD8+ or CD4+ T cells both in vivo and in vitro. Our results indicate that the CD8+CD122+ population includes naturally occurring CD8+ regulatory T cells that control potentially dangerous T cells.     

CD8(+) but not CD8(-) dendritic cells cross-prime cytotoxic T cells in vivo

Bone marrow-derived antigen-presenting cells (APCs) take up cell-associated antigens and present them in the context of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules to CD8(+) T cells in a process referred to as cross-priming. Cross-priming is essential for the induction of CD8(+) T cell responses directed towards antigens not expressed in professional APCs. Although in vitro experiments have shown that dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages are capable of presenting exogenous antigens in association with MHC class I, the cross-presenting cell in vivo has not been identified. We have isolated splenic DCs after in vivo priming with ovalbumin-loaded beta2-microglobulin-deficient splenocytes and show that they indeed present cell-associated antigens in the context of MHC class I molecules. This process is transporter associated with antigen presentation (TAP) dependent, suggesting an endosome to cytosol transport. To determine whether a specific subset of splenic DCs is involved in this cross-presentation, we negatively and positively selected for CD8(-) and CD8(+) DCs. Only the CD8(+), and not the CD8(-), DC subset demonstrates cross-priming ability. FACS((R)) studies after injection of splenocytes loaded with fluorescent beads showed that 1 and 0.6% of the CD8(+) and the CD8(-) DC subsets, respectively, had one or more associated beads. These results indicate that CD8(+) DCs play an important role in the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses specific for cell-associated antigens.     

调节性T细胞在胰腺癌免疫治疗中的作用机制与应用策略

免疫治疗在胰腺癌的临床试验中疗效欠佳,主要原因在于胰腺癌具有高度免疫抑制的肿瘤微环境（tumor microenvironment, TME）。调节性T细胞（regulatory T cells, Tregs）是一类控制自身免疫反应的T细胞亚群,也是免疫抑制性TME的主要组成成分之一。Tregs能调控机体免疫反应强度,抑制效应T细胞的功能和活性进而诱导免疫耐受,维持免疫应答稳态。在胰腺癌TME中,Tregs通过抑制机体免疫反应从而介导肿瘤细胞发生免疫逃逸,影响患者的疗效与预后。本综述总结Tregs在胰腺癌免疫微环境中的作用机制及在胰腺癌中的临床意义,以期为胰腺癌免疫治疗提供更多的新思路。     

SARS患者外周血CD4+CD8+T淋巴细胞的变化

目的 观察严重急性呼吸综合征(severe acute respiratory syndrome，SARS)患者外周血CD4^ 和CD8^ T淋巴细胞的变化，探讨SARS患者机体的免疫状况。方法 10位健康人(对照组)和13例确诊为SARS患者于发病第1、2、3、4周采静脉血，用流式细胞仪检测CD4^ 、CD8^ T淋巴细胞。结果 与对照组比较，SARS患者从发病1至4周外周血CD4^ 、CD8^ T淋巴细胞百分比均有不同程度的降低，以病程发展的2周左右为最明显。结论 SARS患者外周血CD4^ 、CD8^ T淋巴细胞有不同程度的降低，机体呈异常的免疫反应。     

CD8+T淋巴细胞联合治疗线数对晚期肺癌免疫治疗疗效的预测价值

目的基于临床特征和细胞免疫功能,分析晚期肺癌患者免疫检查点抑制剂治疗疗效预测指标。方法回顾性分析2017至2020年84例接受免疫检查点抑制剂治疗晚期肺癌患者临床资料,根据iRECIST标准进行疗效评估,分为治疗有效组和治疗无效组。采集患者临床资料、治疗前1周内细胞免疫功能,分析各指标与疗效的相关性。结果治疗有效组较治疗无效组患者有较高的一线治疗比例和淋巴细胞总效、CD3⁺T细胞数、CD8⁺T细胞数,以及较低的激素使用率和免疫调节细胞百分比。Logistic多因素分析显示后线治疗(P<0.001)及基线低CD8⁺T淋巴细胞(P=0.003)是治疗无效的独立危险因素。ROC曲线分析显示治疗线数和基线CD8⁺T淋巴细胞联合预测疗效的曲线下面积为0.853,敏感度0.882,特异度0.733。结论治疗线数联合基线CD8T淋巴细胞对于预测肺癌患者免疫检查点抑制剂疗效有一定的价值。     

CD3~+、CD4~+、CD8~+T细胞水平在胃癌患者外周血中的变化

目的探讨T淋巴细胞亚群CD3+、CD4+、CD8+和CD4+/CD8+比值水平在胃癌患者外周血中的表达及意义。方法采用血液分析仪技术,检测40例胃癌手术前患者(按临床分期为Ⅰ～Ⅱ级组18例,Ⅲ～Ⅳ级组22例)及25名正常对照组外周血CD3+、CD4+、CD8+细胞和CD4+/CD8+比值T细胞水平。结果胃癌患者外周血CD3+、CD4+细胞、CD4+/CD8+比值分别为0.78%±0.35%、0.37%±0.21%、0.61%±0.42%,明显低于正常对照组(P<0.05);胃癌Ⅲ～Ⅳ级组CD3+、CD4+细胞CD4+/CD8+比值分别为0.42%±0.27%、0.21%±0.17%、0.29%±0.25%,明显低于Ⅰ～Ⅱ级组(0.95%±0.35%、0.45%±0.19%、0.76%±0.30%,P<0.05)。结论检测胃癌患者手术前外周血CD3+、CD4+、CD8+细胞和CD4+/CD8+比值T细胞水平,可以初步评估胃癌患者机体免疫状态,也为肿瘤的免疫增强治疗提供了理论依据。     

视神经脊髓炎的CD4+和CD8+T细胞内细胞因子的分析

目的：探讨视神经脊髓炎（NMO）的免疫反应类型以及在疾病的复发期和缓解期其免疫反应类型的变化情况。方法：利用流式细胞仪并采用细胞内抗原染色的方法对22名临床诊断为NMO的患者（复发期患者8名;缓解期患者14名）进行CD4＋和CD8＋T细胞内细胞因子白介素（IL）-13I、L-5测定并加以分析。20名健康人为对照组。结果：与健康对照组比较,NMO组的CD4＋IL-13＋T细胞和CD8＋IL-13＋T细胞显著增加（P〈0.05）,但将复发期和缓解期分开来分析时发现仅仅在复发期显著增加,在缓解期无明显变化（P〉0.05）。CD4＋IL-5＋T细胞和CD8＋IL-5＋T细胞在复发期和缓解期均无显著变化（P〉0.05）。结论：NMO的发病及发病阶段与II型辅助性T细胞（Th2）和II型细胞毒性T细胞（Tc2）所分泌的IL-13有关,而与IL-5无关。同时也说明对T细胞内细胞因子进行测定在分析神经系统自身免疫性疾病的发病过程有一定的意义。     

Facing the future: challenges and opportunities in adoptive T cell therapy in cancer

Introduction: In recent years, immunotherapy for the treatment of solid cancer has emerged as a promising therapeutic alternative. Adoptive cell therapy (ACT), especially T cell-based, has been found to cause tumor regression and even cure in a percentage of treated patients. Checkpoint inhibitors further underscore the potential of the T cell compartment in the treatment of cancer. Not all patients respond to these treatments; however, many challenges remain.

Areas covered: This review covers the challenges and progress in tumor antigen target identification and selection, and cell product manufacturing for T cell ACT. Tumor immune escape mechanisms and strategies to overcome those in the context of T cell ACT are also discussed.

Expert opinion: The immunotherapy toolbox is rapidly expanding and improving, and the future promises further breakthroughs in the T cell ACT field. The heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment and the multiplicity of tumor immune escape mechanisms pose formidable challenges to successful T cell immunotherapy in solid tumors, however. Individualized approaches and strategies combining treatments targeting different immunotherapeutic aspects will be needed in order to expand the applicability and improve the response rates in future.     

CD8+ T Cells Impact Rising PSA in Biochemically Relapsed Cancer Patients Using Immunotherapy Targeting Tumor-Associated Antigens

1. Download : Download high-res image (129KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

     

Mesothelin-specific CD8(+) T cell responses provide evidence of in vivo cross-priming by antigen-presenting cells in vaccinated pancreatic cancer patients

Tumor-specific CD8(+) T cells can potentially be activated by two distinct mechanisms of major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted antigen presentation as follows: direct presentation by tumor cells themselves or indirect presentation by professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs). However, controversy still exists as to whether indirect presentation (the cross-priming mechanism) can contribute to effective in vivo priming of tumor-specific CD8(+) T cells that are capable of eradicating cancer in patients. A clinical trial of vaccination with granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor-transduced pancreatic cancer lines was designed to test whether cross-presentation by locally recruited APCs can activate pancreatic tumor-specific CD8(+) T cells. Previously, we reported postvaccination delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses to autologous tumor in 3 out of 14 treated patients. Mesothelin is an antigen demonstrated previously by gene expression profiling to be up-regulated in most pancreatic cancers. We report here the consistent induction of CD8(+) T cell responses to multiple HLA-A2, A3, and A24-restricted mesothelin epitopes exclusively in the three patients with vaccine-induced DTH responses. Importantly, neither of the vaccinating pancreatic cancer cell lines expressed HLA-A2, A3, or A24. These results provide the first direct evidence that CD8 T cell responses can be generated via cross-presentation by an immunotherapy approach designed to recruit APCs to the vaccination site.     

Atezolizumab in the treatment of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for approximately 10%-15% of all diagnosed breast cancers and is associated with an aggressive natural history and poor clinical outcomes. Immunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors has emerged as an effective therapeutic option for TNBC. The results of the IMpassion130 trial have recently led to the approval of the combination of atezolizumab and nab-paclitaxel in the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic, PD-L1-positive TNBC.     

Cellular liaisons of natural killer lymphocytes in immunology and immunotherapy of cancer

There is compelling evidence for the role of natural killer (NK) cells in tumor immunosurveillance and their beneficial effects on many experimentally successful immunotherapy strategies. NK cells mediate cell contact-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and produce pro-inflammatory cytokines, but do not rearrange antigen receptors. Their activation depends on various germline-encoded receptors, including CD16, which mediates recognition of antibody-coated target cells. NK cytotoxicity is checked by a repertoire of inhibitory receptors that scan adequate expression of major histocompatibility complex class I molecules on the potential target cell. Functional cross-talk of NK and dendritic cells suggests a critical role for NK cells in the initiation and regulation of cellular immunity. Considerable knowledge on the molecular basis of NK recognition/activation contrasts with a lack of successful translational research on these matters. However, there is plenty of opportunity for targeted intervention of inhibitory/activatory surface receptors and for adoptive cell therapy with autologous or allogeneic NK cells.     

CAR T cells and checkpoint inhibition for the treatment of glioblastoma

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly aggressive brain tumor and is one of the most lethal human cancers. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has markedly improved survival in previously incurable disease; however, this vanguard treatment still faces challenges in GBM. Likewise, checkpoint blockade therapies have not enjoyed the same victories against GBM. As it becomes increasingly evident that a mono-therapeutic approach is unlikely to provide anti-tumor efficacy, there evolves a critical need for combined treatment strategies.

Areas covered: This review highlights the clinical successes observed with CAR T cell therapy as well the current efforts to overcome its perceived limitations. The review also explores employed combinations of CAR T cell approaches with immune checkpoint blockade strategies, which aim to potentiate immunotherapeutic benefits while restricting the impact of tumor heterogeneity and T cell exhaustion.

Expert opinion: Barriers such as tumor heterogeneity and T cell exhaustion have exposed the weaknesses of various mono-immunotherapeutic approaches to GBM, including CAR T cell and checkpoint blockade strategies. Combining these potentially complementary strategies, however, may proffer a rational means of mitigating these barriers and advancing therapeutic successes against GBM and other solid tumors.