Tumor Microenvironment-Activated Nanoparticles Loaded with an Iron-Carbonyl Complex for Chemodynamic Immunotherapy of Lung Metastasis of Melanoma In Vivo

Background: Targeting exhausted T (Tex) cells is a promising strategy for anti-tumour treatment. Previously, we demonstrated that Hirsutella sinensis fungus (HSF) could significantly increase T cell infiltration and the effector T cell ratio in the tumor microenvironment, activating systemic immune responses. However, we do not know how HSF regulates Tex cells in the tumor microenvironment. Here, we explored the mechanism underlying HSF inhibition of Tex cells and tumor growth and metastasis in breast cancer.Methods: We examined the effects of HSF on various tumor mouse models using in vivo imaging technology. Lung metastasis was detected by H&E staining and the T cell subsets in the tumor microenvironment were assayed with flow cytometry. The in vitro proliferation, function and apoptosis of CD8+ T cells were measured, as well as the T-bet and PD-1 mRNA expressions.Results: HSF inhibited tumor growth and lung metastasis in the mice, and had significantly higher CD44LowCD62LHi and CD44HiCD62LLowpopulations in the tumour-infiltrating CD8+ T cells. However, HSF significantly reduced levels of inhibitory receptors, such as PD-1, TIGIT, CTLA-4, and regulatory T cells. In vitro, HSF inhibited the CD8+ T cell apoptosis rate, and promoted CD8+ T cell proliferation and secretion of interferon (IFN)-γ and granzyme B. Furthermore, HSF treatment both in vivo and in vitro significantly increased Eomes expression, while decreasing T-bet expression.Conclusion: HSF exerted anti-tumour effects mainly through the immune system, by promoting effector/memory T cells and reducing Tex cell production in the tumor microenvironment. The specific mechanisms involved inhibiting T-bet and promoting Eomes to decrease the expression of immune inhibitor receptors and enhance the T cell function, respectively.

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Tumor-associated macrophages: potential therapeutic strategies and future prospects in cancer

Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer ◽

10.1136/jitc-2020-001341 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. e001341

Author(s):

Chunxiao Li ◽

Xiaofei Xu ◽

Shuhua Wei ◽

Ping Jiang ◽

Lixiang Xue ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tumor Microenvironment ◽

Tumor Progression ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Poor Prognosis ◽

Tumor Immunotherapy ◽

Therapeutic Strategies ◽

Preclinical Studies ◽

Future Prospects ◽

Tumor Associated Macrophages

Macrophages are the most important phagocytes in vivo. However, the tumor microenvironment can affect the function and polarization of macrophages and form tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Usually, the abundance of TAMs in tumors is closely associated with poor prognosis. Preclinical studies have identified important pathways regulating the infiltration and polarization of TAMs during tumor progression. Furthermore, potential therapeutic strategies targeting TAMs in tumors have been studied, including inhibition of macrophage recruitment to tumors, functional repolarization of TAMs toward an antitumor phenotype, and other therapeutic strategies that elicit macrophage-mediated extracellular phagocytosis and intracellular destruction of cancer cells. Therefore, with the increasing impact of tumor immunotherapy, new antitumor strategies to target TAMs are now being discussed.

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C4b-binding protein α-chain enhances antitumor immunity by facilitating the accumulation of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment in pancreatic cancer

Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research ◽

10.1186/s13046-021-02019-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kosuke Sasaki ◽

Shigetsugu Takano ◽

Satoshi Tomizawa ◽

Yoji Miyahara ◽

Katsunori Furukawa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

T Cell ◽

Tumor Microenvironment ◽

Binding Protein ◽

Combined Treatment ◽

Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes ◽

Pdac Cell ◽

Α Chain ◽

Infiltrating Lymphocytes

Abstract Background Recent studies indicate that complement plays pivotal roles in promoting or suppressing cancer progression. We have previously identified C4b-binding protein α-chain (C4BPA) as a serum biomarker for the early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, its mechanism of action remains unclear. Here, we elucidated the functional roles of C4BPA in PDAC cells and the tumor microenvironment. Methods We assessed stromal C4BPA, the C4BPA binding partner CD40, and the number of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in resected human PDAC tissues via immunohistochemical staining. The biological functions of C4BPA were investigated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and human PDAC cell lines. Mouse C4BPA (mC4BPA) peptide, which is composed of 30 amino acids from the C-terminus and binds to CD40, was designed for further in vitro and in vivo experiments. In a preclinical experiment, we assessed the efficacy of gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GnP), dual immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs), and mC4BPA peptide in a mouse orthotopic transplantation model. Results Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that high stromal C4BPA and CD40 was associated with favorable PDAC prognosis (P=0.0005). Stromal C4BPA strongly correlated with the number of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (P=0.001). In in vitro experiments, flow cytometry revealed that recombinant human C4BPA (rhC4BPA) stimulation increased CD4+ and CD8+ T cell numbers in PBMCs. rhC4BPA also promoted the proliferation of CD40-expressing PDAC cells. By contrast, combined treatment with gemcitabine and rhC4BPA increased PDAC cell apoptosis rate. mC4BPA peptide increased the number of murine T lymphocytes in vitro and the number of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes surrounding PDAC tumors in vivo. In a preclinical study, GnP/ICBs/mC4BPA peptide treatment, but not GnP treatment, led to the accumulation of a greater number of CD8+ T cells in the periphery of PDAC tumors and to greater tumor regression than did control treatment. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that the combination of GnP therapy with C4BPA inhibits PDAC progression by promoting antitumor T cell accumulation in the tumor microenvironment.

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TAMI-06. PRECLINICAL MODELS REVEAL BRAIN-MICROENVIRONMENT SPECIFIC METABOLIC DEPENDENCIES IN GLIOBLASTOMA

Neuro-Oncology ◽

10.1093/neuonc/noaa215.895 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. ii214-ii214

Author(s):

Jenna Minami ◽

Nicholas Bayley ◽

Christopher Tse ◽

Henan Zhu ◽

Danielle Morrow ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tumor Microenvironment ◽

Cultured Cells ◽

Tumor Biology ◽

Metabolic Reprogramming ◽

Neoplastic Progression ◽

Extracellular Milieu ◽

Metabolic Defects ◽

Metabolic Heterogeneity

Abstract Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer, and malignant cells must acquire metabolic adaptations to fuel neoplastic progression. Mutations or changes in metabolic gene expression can impose nutrient dependencies in tumors, and even in the absence of metabolic defects, cancer cells can become auxotrophic for particular nutrients or metabolic byproducts generated by other cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Conventional cell lines do not recapitulate the metabolic heterogeneity of glioblastoma (GBM), while primary cultured cells do not account for the influences of the microenvironment and the blood brain barrier on tumor biology. Additionally, these systems are under strong selective pressure divergent from that in vivo, leading to reduced heterogeneity between cultured tumor cells. Here, we describe a biobank of direct-from-patient derived orthotopic xenografts (GliomaPDOX) and gliomaspheres that reveal a subset of gliomas that, while able to form in vivo, cannot survive in vitro. RNA sequencing of tumors that can form both in vivo and in vitro (termed “TME-Indifferent”) compared to that of tumors that can only form in vivo (termed “TME-Dependent”) revealed transcriptional changes associated with altered nutrient availability, emphasizing the unique metabolic programs impacted by the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, TME-dependent tumors lack metabolic signatures associated with nutrient biosynthesis, thus indicating a potential dependency of these tumors on scavenging specific nutrients from the extracellular milieu. Collectively, these data emphasize the metabolic heterogeneity within GBM, and reveal a subset of gliomas that lack metabolic plasticity, indicating a potential brain-microenvironment specific metabolic dependency that can be targeted for therapy.

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Targeting Erbin in B cells for therapy of lung metastasis of colorectal cancer

Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy ◽

10.1038/s41392-021-00501-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Tong Shen ◽

Jing-Lin Liu ◽

Chu-Yi Wang ◽

Youlutuziayi Rixiati ◽

Shi Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

B Cells ◽

Lung Metastasis ◽

Lung Metastases ◽

Pdz Domain ◽

Clinical Samples ◽

Key Factors ◽

Combined Use ◽

Iga Production

AbstractThe mechanisms and key factors involved in tumor environments for lung metastasis of CRC are still unclear. Here, using clinical samples from lung metastases of CRC patients, we found that intestinal immune network for IgA production was significantly dysregulated in lung metastases of CRC. Single-cell RNA sequencing discovered a subtype of B cells positive for Erbin, one member of the leucine-rich repeat and PDZ domain (LAP) family, was involved in the lung metastases. Erbin deletion in B cells suppressed lung metastasis of CRC in vivo. And, deletion of Erbin in B cells enhanced the killing effects of CD8+ T cells on tumor cells. Mechanistically, Erbin knockout attenuated TGFβ-mediated suppression of migration of CXCR5+ IgA+ cells and STAT6-mediated PD1 expression. Our study uncovered a key role of Erbin in regulating PD1+ IgA+ B cells in lung metastasis of CRC. Targeting Erbin as well as combined use of neutralizing B cells and antibodies neutralizing PD1 suppresses lung metastasis of CRC in mice, suggesting the potential option for treatment of lung metastasis of CRC.

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The Potential Role of IL1RAP on Tumor Microenvironment-Related Inflammatory Factors in Stomach Adenocarcinoma

Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment ◽

10.1177/1533033821995282 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. 153303382199528

Author(s):

Qing Lv ◽

Qinghua Xia ◽

Anshu Li ◽

Zhiyong Wang

Keyword(s):

Tumor Microenvironment ◽

Interleukin 1 ◽

Mrna Level ◽

Inflammatory Factors ◽

Stomach Carcinoma ◽

Downstream Target ◽

Volume Weight

This study was performed to investigate the role of interleukin-1 receptor accessory protein (IL1RAP) in stomach carcinoma in vitro and in vivo, determine whether IL1RAP knockdown could regulate the development of stomach carcinoma, and elucidate the relationship between IL1RAP knockdown and inflammation by tumor microenvironment-related inflammatory factors in stomach carcinoma. We first used TCGA and GEPIA systems to predict the potential function of IL1RAP. Second, western blot and RT-PCR were used to analyze the expression, or mRNA level, of IL1RAP at different tissue or cell lines. Third, the occurrence and development of stomach carcinoma in vitro and in vivo were observed by using IL1RAP knockdown lentivirus. Finally, the inflammation of stomach carcinoma in vitro and in vivo was observed. Results show that in GEPIA and TCGA systems, IL1RAP expression in STAD tumor tissue was higher than normal, and high expression of IL1RAP in STAD patients had a worse prognostic outcome. Besides, GSEA shown IL1RAP was negative correlation of apopopsis, TLR4 and NF-κB signaling pathway. We also predicted that IL1RAP may related to IL-1 s, IL-33, and IL-36 s in STAD. The IL1RAP expression and mRNA level in tumor, or MGC803, cells were increased. Furthermore, IL1RAP knockdown by lentivirus could inhibit stomach carcinoma development in vitro and in vivo through weakening tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion, therefore reducing tumor volume, weight, and biomarker levels, and increasing apoptotic level. Finally, we found IL1RAP knockdown could increase inflammation of tumor microenvironment-related inflammatory factors of stomach carcinoma, in vitro and in vivo. Our study demonstrates that IL1RAP is possibly able to regulate inflammation and apoptosis in stomach carcinoma. Furthermore, TLR4, NF-κB, IL-1 s, IL-33, and IL-36 s maybe the downstream target factor of IL1RAP in inflammation. These results may provide a new strategy for stomach carcinoma development by regulating inflammation.

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Reduced Lamin A/C does Not Facilitate Cancer Cell Transendothelial Migration but Compromises Lung Metastasis

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13102383 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (10) ◽

pp. 2383

Author(s):

Francesco Roncato ◽

Ofer Regev ◽

Sara W. Feigelson ◽

Sandeep Kumar Yadav ◽

Lukasz Kaczmarczyk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cancer Cells ◽

Lung Metastasis ◽

Metastatic Cancer ◽

Nuclear Lamina ◽

Transendothelial Migration ◽

Soft Agar ◽

Lamin A ◽

And Migration

The mechanisms by which the nuclear lamina of tumor cells influences tumor growth and migration are highly disputed. Lamin A and its variant lamin C are key lamina proteins that control nucleus stiffness and chromatin conformation. Downregulation of lamin A/C in two prototypic metastatic lines, B16F10 melanoma and E0771 breast carcinoma, facilitated cell squeezing through rigid pores, and reduced heterochromatin content. Surprisingly, both lamin A/C knockdown cells grew poorly in 3D spheroids within soft agar, and lamin A/C deficient cells derived from spheroids transcribed lower levels of the growth regulator Yap1. Unexpectedly, the transendothelial migration of both cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, through lung capillaries, was not elevated by lamin A/C knockdown and their metastasis in lungs was even dramatically reduced. Our results are the first indication that reduced lamin A/C content in distinct types of highly metastatic cancer cells does not elevate their transendothelial migration (TEM) capacity and diapedesis through lung vessels but can compromise lung metastasis at a post extravasation level.

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Differentiated glioblastoma cells accelerate tumor progression by shaping the tumor microenvironment via CCN1-mediated macrophage infiltration

Acta Neuropathologica Communications ◽

10.1186/s40478-021-01124-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Atsuhito Uneda ◽

Kazuhiko Kurozumi ◽

Atsushi Fujimura ◽

Kentaro Fujii ◽

Joji Ishida ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tumor Microenvironment ◽

Tumor Progression ◽

Tumor Cells ◽

In Silico ◽

Tumor Tissue ◽

The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽

Macrophage Infiltration ◽

Macrophage Migration

AbstractGlioblastoma (GBM) is the most lethal primary brain tumor characterized by significant cellular heterogeneity, namely tumor cells, including GBM stem-like cells (GSCs) and differentiated GBM cells (DGCs), and non-tumor cells such as endothelial cells, vascular pericytes, macrophages, and other types of immune cells. GSCs are essential to drive tumor progression, whereas the biological roles of DGCs are largely unknown. In this study, we focused on the roles of DGCs in the tumor microenvironment. To this end, we extracted DGC-specific signature genes from transcriptomic profiles of matched pairs of in vitro GSC and DGC models. By evaluating the DGC signature using single cell data, we confirmed the presence of cell subpopulations emulated by in vitro culture models within a primary tumor. The DGC signature was correlated with the mesenchymal subtype and a poor prognosis in large GBM cohorts such as The Cancer Genome Atlas and Ivy Glioblastoma Atlas Project. In silico signaling pathway analysis suggested a role of DGCs in macrophage infiltration. Consistent with in silico findings, in vitro DGC models promoted macrophage migration. In vivo, coimplantation of DGCs and GSCs reduced the survival of tumor xenograft-bearing mice and increased macrophage infiltration into tumor tissue compared with transplantation of GSCs alone. DGCs exhibited a significant increase in YAP/TAZ/TEAD activity compared with GSCs. CCN1, a transcriptional target of YAP/TAZ, was selected from the DGC signature as a candidate secreted protein involved in macrophage recruitment. In fact, CCN1 was secreted abundantly from DGCs, but not GSCs. DGCs promoted macrophage migration in vitro and macrophage infiltration into tumor tissue in vivo through secretion of CCN1. Collectively, these results demonstrate that DGCs contribute to GSC-dependent tumor progression by shaping a mesenchymal microenvironment via CCN1-mediated macrophage infiltration. This study provides new insight into the complex GBM microenvironment consisting of heterogeneous cells.

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