scholarly journals Immunodiagnostic Biomarkers for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC): The First Step in Detection and Treatment

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 6139
Author(s):  
Mengtao Xing ◽  
Xinzhi Wang ◽  
Robert A. Kiken ◽  
Ling He ◽  
Jian-Ying Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Poor Prognosis ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Clinical Success ◽  
Host Immune System ◽  
Immune Organ ◽  
Car T Cells ◽  
Medical Need ◽  
Car T ◽  
The World

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) exerts huge effects on the health burden of the world because of its high mortality and poor prognosis. HCC is often clinically detected late in patients. If HCC could be detected and treated earlier, the survival rate of patients will be greatly improved. Therefore, identifying specific biomarkers is urgent and important for HCC. The liver is also recognized as an immune organ. The occurrence of HCC is related to exacerbation of immune tolerance and/or immunosurveillance escape. The host immune system plays an important role in the recognition and targeting of tumor cells in cancer immunotherapy, as can be seen from the clinical success of immune checkpoint inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Thus, there is a pressing medical need to discover immunodiagnostic biomarkers specific to HCC for understanding the pathological mechanisms of HCC, especially for immunotherapy targets. We have reviewed the existing literature to summarize the immunodiagnostic markers of HCC, including autoantibodies against tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) and exosomes, to provide new insights into HCC and early detection of this deadly cancer.

NEUROBLASTOMA IMMUNOTHERAPY

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-187
Author(s):  
Aleksandr Druy ◽  
Svetlana Kuleva
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Monoclonal Antibodies ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Innate And Adaptive Immunity ◽  
Car T Cells ◽  
Car T ◽  
Membrane Antigens ◽  
Theoretical Evidence ◽  
Blocking Antibodies

The recent data about innate and adaptive immunity against neuroblastoma are described in the article. The era of neuroblastoma immunotherapy started since the evidence of anti-GD2 monoclonal antibodies efficiency. Nowadays monoclonal antibodies against GD2 are introduced into schemes of maintenance therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma patients. Developing of T-cells expressing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-T cells) directed to membrane antigens is the perspective of neuroblastoma immunotherapy. PD1/PD-L1 blocking antibodies as immune checkpoint inhibitors have the theoretical evidence of potential effectiveness. Application of immunotherapeutic approaches in high-risk neuroblastoma patients together with conventional multimodal therapies requires further investigation.

109 Dominant-negative TGFβ receptor 2 enhances GPC3-targeting CAR-T cell efficacy against hepatocellular carcinoma

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A121-A121
Author(s):  
Nina Chu ◽  
Michael Overstreet ◽  
Ryan Gilbreth ◽  
Lori Clarke ◽  
Christina Gesse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Flow Cytometry ◽  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Car T Cells ◽  
Car T Cell ◽  
Car T

BackgroundChimeric antigen receptors (CARs) are engineered synthetic receptors that reprogram T cell specificity and function against a given antigen. Autologous CAR-T cell therapy has demonstrated potent efficacy against various hematological malignancies, but has yielded limited success against solid cancers. MEDI7028 is a CAR that targets oncofetal antigen glypican-3 (GPC3), which is expressed in 70–90% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but not in normal liver tissue. Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) secretion is increased in advanced HCC, which creates an immunosuppressive milieu and facilitates cancer progression and poor prognosis. We tested whether the anti-tumor efficacy of a GPC3 CAR-T can be enhanced with the co-expression of dominant-negative TGFβRII (TGFβRIIDN).MethodsPrimary human T cells were lentivirally transduced to express GPC3 CAR both with and without TGFβRIIDN. Western blot and flow cytometry were performed on purified CAR-T cells to assess modulation of pathways and immune phenotypes driven by TGFβ in vitro. A xenograft model of human HCC cell line overexpressing TGFβ in immunodeficient mice was used to investigate the in vivo efficacy of TGFβRIIDN armored and unarmored CAR-T. Tumor infiltrating lymphocyte populations were analyzed by flow cytometry while serum cytokine levels were quantified with ELISA.ResultsArmoring GPC3 CAR-T with TGFβRIIDN nearly abolished phospho-SMAD2/3 expression upon exposure to recombinant human TGFβ in vitro, indicating that the TGFβ signaling axis was successfully blocked by expression of the dominant-negative receptor. Additionally, expression of TGFβRIIDN suppressed TGFβ-driven CD103 upregulation, further demonstrating attenuation of the pathway by this armoring strategy. In vivo, the TGFβRIIDN armored CAR-T achieved superior tumor regression and delayed tumor regrowth compared to the unarmored CAR-T. The armored CAR-T cells infiltrated HCC tumors more abundantly than their unarmored counterparts, and were phenotypically less exhausted and less differentiated. In line with these observations, we detected significantly more interferon gamma (IFNγ) at peak response and decreased alpha-fetoprotein in the serum of mice treated with armored cells compared to mice receiving unarmored CAR-T, demonstrating in vivo functional superiority of TGFβRIIDN armored CAR-T therapy.ConclusionsArmoring GPC3 CAR-T with TGFβRIIDN abrogates the signaling of TGFβ in vitro and enhances the anti-tumor efficacy of GPC3 CAR-T against TGFβ-expressing HCC tumors in vivo, proving TGFβRIIDN to be an effective armoring strategy against TGFβ-expressing solid malignancies in preclinical models.Ethics ApprovalThe study was approved by AstraZeneca’s Ethics Board and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

scholarly journals Bispecific c-Met/PD-L1 CAR-T Cells Have Enhanced Therapeutic Effects on Hepatocellular Carcinoma

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Jiang ◽  
Tao Li ◽  
Jiaojiao Guo ◽  
Jingjing Wang ◽  
Lizhou Jia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
T Cells ◽  
Carcinoma Cells ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Single Chain ◽  
Antitumor Activities ◽  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells ◽  
Car T Cells ◽  
Car T

T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors, especially CD19 CAR-T cells have exhibited effective antitumor activities in B cell malignancies, but due to several factors such as antigen escape effects and tumor microenvironment, their curative potential in hepatocellular carcinoma has not been encouraging. To reduce the antigen escape risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, this study was to design and construct a bispecific CAR targeting c-Met and PD-L1. c-Met/PD-L1 CAR-T cells were obtained by lentiviral transfection, and the transfection efficiency was monitored by flow cytometry analysis. LDH release assays were used to elucidate the efficacy of c-Met/PD-L1 CAR-T cells on hepatocellular carcinoma cells. In addition, xenograft models bearing human hepatocellular carcinoma were constructed to detect the antitumor effect of c-Met/PD-L1 CAR-T cells in vivo. The results shown that this bispecific CAR was manufactured successfully, T cells modified with this bispecific CAR demonstrated improved antitumor activities against c-Met and PD-L1 positive hepatocellular carcinoma cells when compared with those of monovalent c-Met CAR-T cells or PD-L1 CAR-T cells but shown no distinct cytotoxicity on hepatocytes in vitro. In vivo experiments shown that c-Met/PD-L1 CAR-T cells significantly inhibited tumor growth and improve survival persistence compared with other groups. These results suggested that the design of single-chain, bi-specific c-Met/PD-L1 CAR-T is more effective than that of monovalent c-Met CAR-T for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma., and this bi-specific c-Met/PD-L1 CAR is rational and implementable with current T-cell engineering technology.

scholarly journals Early Investigations and Recent Advances in Intraperitoneal Immunotherapy for Peritoneal Metastasis

Vaccines ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anusha Thadi ◽  
Marian Khalili ◽  
William Morano ◽  
Scott Richard ◽  
Steven Katz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Peritoneal Metastasis ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Folate Receptor ◽  
Malignant Ascites ◽  
T Cell Response ◽  
Adoptive Cell Transfer ◽  
Car T Cells ◽  
Car T

Peritoneal metastasis (PM) is an advanced stage malignancy largely refractory to modern therapy. Intraperitoneal (IP) immunotherapy offers a novel approach for the control of regional disease of the peritoneal cavity by breaking immune tolerance. These strategies include heightening T-cell response and vaccine induction of anti-cancer memory against tumor-associated antigens. Early investigations with chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells), vaccine-based therapies, dendritic cells (DCs) in combination with pro-inflammatory cytokines and natural killer cells (NKs), adoptive cell transfer, and immune checkpoint inhibitors represent significant advances in the treatment of PM. IP delivery of CAR-T cells has shown demonstrable suppression of tumors expressing carcinoembryonic antigen. This response was enhanced when IP injected CAR-T cells were combined with anti-PD-L1 or anti-Gr1. Similarly, CAR-T cells against folate receptor α expressing tumors improved T-cell tumor localization and survival when combined with CD137 co-stimulatory signaling. Moreover, IP immunotherapy with catumaxomab, a trifunctional antibody approved in Europe, targets epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and has shown considerable promise with control of malignant ascites. Herein, we discuss immunologic approaches under investigation for treatment of PM.

Modeling and simulation of the “IL-36 cytokine” and CAR-T cells interplay in cancer onset

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khaled A. Al-Utaibi ◽  
Alessandro Nutini ◽  
Ayesha Sohail ◽  
Robia Arif ◽  
Sümeyye Tunc ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Adoptive Immunotherapy ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Antitumor Action ◽  
Adoptive Therapy ◽  
T Cell Therapy ◽  
Car T Cells ◽  
Car T Cell ◽  
Car T

Background: CAR-T cells are chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells; they are target-specific engineered cells on tumor cells and produce T cell-mediated antitumor responses. CAR-T cell therapy is the “first-line” therapy in immunotherapy for the treatment of highly clonal neoplasms such as lymphoma and leukemia. This adoptive therapy is currently being studied and tested even in the case of solid tumors such as osteosarcoma since, precisely for this type of tumor, the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors remained disappointing. Although CAR-T is a promising therapeutic technique, there are therapeutic limits linked to the persistence of these cells and to the tumor’s immune escape. CAR-T cell engineering techniques are allowed to express interleukin IL-36, and seem to be much more efficient in antitumoral action. IL-36 is involved in the long-term antitumor action, allowing CAR-T cells to be more efficient in their antitumor action due to a “cross-talk” action between the “IL-36/dendritic cells” axis and the adaptive immunity. Methods: This analysis makes the model useful for evaluating cell dynamics in the case of tumor relapses or specific understanding of the action of CAR-T cells in certain types of tumor. The model proposed here seeks to quantify the action and interaction between the three fundamental elements of this antitumor activity induced by this type of adoptive immunotherapy: IL-36, “armored” CAR-T cells (i.e., engineered to produce IL-36) and the tumor cell population, focusing exclusively on the action of this interleukin and on the antitumor consequences of the so modified CAR-T cells. Mathematical model was developed and numerical simulations were carried out during this research. The development of the model with stability analysis by conditions of Routh–Hurwitz shows how IL-36 makes CAR-T cells more efficient and persistent over time and more effective in the antitumoral treatment, making therapy more effective against the “solid tumor”. Findings: Primary malignant bone tumors are quite rare (about 3% of all tumors) and the vast majority consist of osteosarcomas and Ewing’s sarcoma and, approximately, the 20% of patients undergo metastasis situations that is the most likely cause of death. Interpretation: In bone tumor like osteosarcoma, there is a variation of the cellular mechanical characteristics that can influence the efficacy of chemotherapy and increase the metastatic capacity; an approach related to adoptive immunotherapy with CAR-T cells may be a possible solution because this type of therapy is not influenced by the biomechanics of cancer cells which show peculiar characteristics.

CAR T cells targeting CD99 as an approach to eradicate T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia without normal blood cells toxicity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiangzhou Shi ◽  
Zijian Zhang ◽  
Hong Cen ◽  
Han Wu ◽  
Shangkun Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Bone Marrow Cells ◽  
Clinical Success ◽  
Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Leukemia Cells ◽  
T Cell Therapy ◽  
Car T Cells ◽  
Car T ◽  
Pilot Clinical Study

Abstract CAR T cell therapy has shown dramatic clinical success in relapsed or refractory (r/r) B-ALL and other haematological malignancies. However, the loss of specific antigens, cell fratricide, T cell aplasia, and normal T cell separation are challenges in treating T cell leukemia/lymphoma with CAR T therapy. CD99 is a promising antigen to target T-ALL and AML as it is expressed on the majority of T-ALL and AML. Here, we isolated a low-affinity CD99 (12E7) antibody, which specifically recognizes leukemia cells over normal bone marrow cells. T cells transduced with an anti-CD99-specific CAR that contained the 12E7 scFv expanded with minor fratricide, maintained their cytotoxic function and mediated powerful antitumour effects. Subsequently, we conducted a pilot clinical study to evaluate the safety and feasibility of therapy with anti-CD99 CAR T cells in 4 patients with r/r T-LBL (n=1), AML (n=2) or myeloid sarcoma (MS) (n=1). The clinical overall response rate (ORR) was 50% (2/4 patients), and 1 patients (25%) achieved complete remission (CR) for 2 month. Mild cytokine release syndrome (CRS) occurred in 2 patients and the CRS no more than grade 2. Together, our results demonstrate that anti-CD99 CAR T cells specifically recognize and efficiently eliminate CD99+ leukemia cells.

scholarly journals Minicircle DNA-Mediated CAR T Cells Targeting CD44 Suppressed Hepatocellular Carcinoma Both in vitro and in vivo [Corrigendum]

2020 ◽  
Vol Volume 13 ◽  
pp. 5707-5708
Author(s):  
Hezhi Wang ◽  
Xueshuai Ye ◽  
Yi Ju ◽  
Ziqi Cai ◽  
Xiaoxiao Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
T Cells ◽  
Car T Cells ◽  
Car T ◽  
Minicircle Dna

scholarly journals Strategies to Circumvent the Side-Effects of Immunotherapy Using Allogeneic CAR-T Cells and Boost Its Efficacy: Results of Recent Clinical Trials

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergei Smirnov ◽  
Alexey Petukhov ◽  
Ksenia Levchuk ◽  
Sergey Kulemzin ◽  
Alena Staliarova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
T Cells ◽  
Hematological Malignancies ◽  
Host Immune System ◽  
Extensive Area ◽  
Graft Versus Host ◽  
Car T Cells ◽  
Results Of Treatment ◽  
Car T ◽  
Life Threatening

Despite the outstanding results of treatment using autologous chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) in hematological malignancies, this approach is endowed with several constraints. In particular, profound lymphopenia in some patients and the inability to manufacture products with predefined properties or set of cryopreserved batches of cells directed to different antigens in advance. Allogeneic CAR-T cells have the potential to address these issues but they can cause life-threatening graft-versus-host disease or have shorter persistence due to elimination by the host immune system. Novel strategies to create an “off the shelf” allogeneic product that would circumvent these limitations are an extensive area of research. Here we review CAR-T cell products pioneering an allogeneic approach in clinical trials.

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