scholarly journals Immuno-oncology: developing integrated approaches toward clinical success of biologics and small-molecule modulators

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. FDD23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shilina Roman ◽  
Sanne Holt ◽  
Julia Schueler
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Clinical Success ◽  
Cell Receptor ◽  
Cell Therapies ◽  
Under Performing ◽  
Small Molecule Modulators

Immuno-oncology (IO) therapy is an exciting emerging pillar of cancer treatment that embraces the concept of modulating the immune system to recognize tumor cells and target them for destruction by either harnessing the effects of the immune system or preventing the evasion of tumor cells from therapeutic targeting. However, our immune system is constantly in a delicate balance between under-performing immune cells failing to manage pathogens, infections or cancer and over-performing immune cells potentially causing autoimmune disorders or cytokine release storms. Over the last 30 years, IO has progressed considerably with approvals for the use of various IO therapeutics including vaccines, cytokines, tumor-directed monoclonal antibodies, immune checkpoint inhibitors as well as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and T-cell receptor (TCR) engineered T-cell therapies.

scholarly journals Rethinking immune checkpoint blockade: ‘Beyond the T cell’

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. e001460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiuting Liu ◽  
Graham D Hogg ◽  
David G DeNardo
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Antitumor Immunity ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Clinical Success ◽  
Immune Checkpoint Blockade ◽  
Checkpoint Blockade

The clinical success of immune checkpoint inhibitors has highlighted the central role of the immune system in cancer control. Immune checkpoint inhibitors can reinvigorate anti-cancer immunity and are now the standard of care in a number of malignancies. However, research on immune checkpoint blockade has largely been framed with the central dogma that checkpoint therapies intrinsically target the T cell, triggering the tumoricidal potential of the adaptive immune system. Although T cells undoubtedly remain a critical piece of the story, mounting evidence, reviewed herein, indicates that much of the efficacy of checkpoint therapies may be attributable to the innate immune system. Emerging research suggests that T cell-directed checkpoint antibodies such as anti-programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) or programmed death-ligand-1 (PD-L1) can impact innate immunity by both direct and indirect pathways, which may ultimately shape clinical efficacy. However, the mechanisms and impacts of these activities have yet to be fully elucidated, and checkpoint therapies have potentially beneficial and detrimental effects on innate antitumor immunity. Further research into the role of innate subsets during checkpoint blockade may be critical for developing combination therapies to help overcome checkpoint resistance. The potential of checkpoint therapies to amplify innate antitumor immunity represents a promising new field that can be translated into innovative immunotherapies for patients fighting refractory malignancies.

scholarly journals Whole-Body Imaging to Assess Cell-Based Immunotherapy: Preclinical Studies with an Update on Clinical Translation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriko Sato ◽  
Peter L. Choyke
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Cell Tracking ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Cell Receptor ◽  
Clinical Translation ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Whole Body Imaging ◽  
Body Imaging ◽  
Cell Therapies

AbstractIn the past decades, immunotherapies against cancers made impressive progress. Immunotherapy includes a broad range of interventions that can be separated into two major groups: cell-based immunotherapies, such as adoptive T cell therapies and stem cell therapies, and immunomodulatory molecular therapies such as checkpoint inhibitors and cytokine therapies. Genetic engineering techniques that transduce T cells with a cancer-antigen-specific T cell receptor or chimeric antigen receptor have expanded to other cell types, and further modulation of the cells to enhance cancer targeting properties has been explored. Because cell-based immunotherapies rely on cells migrating to target organs or tissues, there is a growing interest in imaging technologies that non-invasively monitor transferred cells in vivo. Here, we review whole-body imaging methods to assess cell-based immunotherapy using a variety of examples. Following a review of preclinically used cell tracking technologies, we consider the status of their clinical translation.

Measuring T-cell avidity and enrichment using acoustic force-based technology.

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e14010-e14010
Author(s):  
Leif Stefan Anderson ◽  
Rens Braster ◽  
Gerrit Sitters ◽  
Andrea Candelli ◽  
Ton N. Schumacher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
T Cell Receptor ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Cell Receptor ◽  
Flow Cell ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
High Avidity ◽  
Cell Therapies

e14010 Background: The key driver for effective immune cell therapies is the overall binding strength of the immune cell and the target cell (e.g. tumor cells). The overall strength is known as ‘avidity’, a parameter reflecting interaction efficiency. The key to success for immune cell therapies is generating effective and long-lasting immune responses. The avidity of an immune cell to its target is predicative of its function, but current techniques to measure avidity are low-throughput and ineffective. Herein, we describe the use of acoustic forces to discriminate immune cells based on their avidity to tumor cells. The force required to separate a cell from its target is called the ‘rupture force’, and in this study, we were able to identify the rupture forces of tumor specific and non-specific T cells and enrich these different populations for downstream characterization. Methods: T cells from a healthy donor were transduced with either a non-relevant, or a melanoma recognizing T cell receptor and selected with puromycin resistance. Melanoma cells were seeded in the flow cell and allowed to adhere overnight to form a monolayer. For confocal experiments CFSE and Cell Trace far red stained T cells were mixed in a 1:1 ratio before co-culturing them in the flow cell. An acoustic force ramp was applied within the flow cell and cell detachment was monitored. Results: T cells engineered with a melanoma antigen-recognizing T-cell receptor needed 6 times more force than non-specific T cells to be separated from the melanoma target cells. Furthermore, 1.4 to 3.6-fold enrichment of high-avidity T cells was obtained from a mixed population of specific and non-specific T cells using acoustic forces. Conclusions: These findings indicate that melanoma-specific T cells bind with a higher avidity than non-specific T cells and that they can be separated with this approach. In conclusion, we demonstrate a novel method to measure cell avidity and sort cells by utilizing acoustic forces.

scholarly journals Targeting T cell activation in immuno-oncology

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (S2) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. D. Saibil ◽  
P.S. Ohashi
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Clinical Success ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Tremendous Progress ◽  
Basic Biology

The years since 2009 have seen tremendous progress in unlocking the curative potential of the immune system for the treatment of cancer. Much of that revolution in immuno-oncology has been fueled by the clinical success of immune checkpoint inhibitors, particularly those targeting the PD-1 axis. Unfortunately, many patients still fail to benefit from checkpoint blockade or other immunotherapies. An inability to fully activate antitumour T cells contributes in part to the failure of those therapies. Here, we review the basic biology of T cell activation, with particular emphasis on the essential role of the dendritic cell and the innate immune system in T cell activation. The current understanding of the multiple factors that govern T cell activation and how they impinge on tumour immunotherapy are also discussed. Lastly, treatment strategies to potentially overcome barriers to T cell activation and to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy are addressed.

scholarly journals Immune and Inflammatory Cells in Thyroid Cancer Microenvironment

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (18) ◽  
pp. 4413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ferrari ◽  
Fallahi ◽  
Galdiero ◽  
Ruffilli ◽  
Elia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thyroid Cancer ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Diagnostic Procedures ◽  
Inflammatory Cells ◽  
Cytotoxic Lymphocytes ◽  
Cytokines And Chemokines

A hallmark of cancer is the ability of tumor cells to avoid immune destruction. Activated immune cells in tumor microenvironment (TME) secrete proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines which foster the proliferation of tumor cells. Specific antigens expressed by cancer cells are recognized by the main actors of immune response that are involved in their elimination (immunosurveillance). By the recruitment of immunosuppressive cells, decreasing the tumor immunogenicity, or through other immunosuppressive mechanisms, tumors can impair the host immune cells within the TME and escape their surveillance. Within the TME, cells of the innate (e.g., macrophages, mast cells, neutrophils) and the adaptive (e.g., lymphocytes) immune responses are interconnected with epithelial cancer cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells via cytokines, chemokines, and adipocytokines. The molecular pattern of cytokines and chemokines has a key role and could explain the involvement of the immune system in tumor initiation and progression. Thyroid cancer-related inflammation is an important target for diagnostic procedures and novel therapeutic strategies. Anticancer immunotherapy, especially immune checkpoint inhibitors, unleashes the immune system and activates cytotoxic lymphocytes to kill cancer cells. A better knowledge of the molecular and immunological characteristics of TME will allow novel and more effective immunotherapeutic strategies in advanced thyroid cancer.

scholarly journals ROS Cocktails as an Adjuvant for Personalized Antitumor Vaccination?

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 527
Author(s):  
Ramona Clemen ◽  
Sander Bekeschus
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Clinical Success ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Cell Activity ◽  
Cell Receptor ◽  
Tumor Control ◽  
Autologous Tumor ◽  
Tumor Vaccines ◽  
Receptor Repertoire

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Today, the critical role of the immune system in tumor control is undisputed. Checkpoint antibody immunotherapy augments existing antitumor T cell activity with durable clinical responses in many tumor entities. Despite the presence of tumor-associated antigens and neoantigens, many patients have an insufficient repertoires of antitumor T cells. Autologous tumor vaccinations aim at alleviating this defect, but clinical success is modest. Loading tumor material into autologous dendritic cells followed by their laboratory expansion and therapeutic vaccination is promising, both conceptually and clinically. However, this process is laborious, time-consuming, costly, and hence less likely to solve the global cancer crisis. Therefore, it is proposed to re-focus on personalized anticancer vaccinations to enhance the immunogenicity of autologous therapeutic tumor vaccines. Recent work re-established the idea of using the alarming agents of the immune system, oxidative modifications, as an intrinsic adjuvant to broaden the antitumor T cell receptor repertoire in cancer patients. The key novelty is the use of gas plasma, a multi-reactive oxygen and nitrogen species-generating technology, for diversifying oxidative protein modifications in a, so far, unparalleled manner. This significant innovation has been successfully used in proof-of-concept studies and awaits broader recognition and implementation to explore its chances and limitations of providing affordable personalized anticancer vaccines in the future. Such multidisciplinary advance is timely, as the current COVID-19 crisis is inexorably reflecting the utmost importance of innovative and effective vaccinations in modern times.

scholarly journals Mapping the immune environment in clear cell renal carcinoma by single-cell genomics

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Borcherding ◽  
Ajaykumar Vishwakarma ◽  
Andrew P. Voigt ◽  
Andrew Bellizzi ◽  
Jacob Kaplan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Clear Cell ◽  
Cell Receptor ◽  
Renal Tissue ◽  
High Response Rate ◽  
Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Tumor Mutational Burden ◽  
Macrophage Populations

AbstractClear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is one of the most immunologically distinct tumor types due to high response rate to immunotherapies, despite low tumor mutational burden. To characterize the tumor immune microenvironment of ccRCC, we applied single-cell-RNA sequencing (SCRS) along with T-cell-receptor (TCR) sequencing to map the transcriptomic heterogeneity of 25,688 individual CD45+ lymphoid and myeloid cells in matched tumor and blood from three patients with ccRCC. We also included 11,367 immune cells from four other individuals derived from the kidney and peripheral blood to facilitate the identification and assessment of ccRCC-specific differences. There is an overall increase in CD8+ T-cell and macrophage populations in tumor-infiltrated immune cells compared to normal renal tissue. We further demonstrate the divergent cell transcriptional states for tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells and identify a MKI67 + proliferative subpopulation being a potential culprit for the progression of ccRCC. Using the SCRS gene expression, we found preferential prediction of clinical outcomes and pathological diseases by subcluster assignment. With further characterization and functional validation, our findings may reveal certain subpopulations of immune cells amenable to therapeutic intervention.

scholarly journals Beyond the Lactate Paradox: How Lactate and Acidity Impact T Cell Therapies against Cancer

Antibodies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
Violet Y. Tu ◽  
Asma Ayari ◽  
Roddy S. O’Connor
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Lactic Acid ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Redox Balance ◽  
Hematologic Malignancies ◽  
Activated T Cells ◽  
Unique Challenge ◽  
Cell Therapies

T cell therapies, including CAR T cells, have proven more effective in hematologic malignancies than solid tumors, where the local metabolic environment is distinctly immunosuppressive. In particular, the acidic and hypoxic features of the tumor microenvironment (TME) present a unique challenge for T cells. Local metabolism is an important consideration for activated T cells as they undergo bursts of migration, proliferation and differentiation in hostile soil. Tumor cells and activated T cells both produce lactic acid at high rates. The role of lactic acid in T cell biology is complex, as lactate is an often-neglected carbon source that can fuel TCA anaplerosis. Circulating lactate is also an important means to regulate redox balance. In hypoxic tumors, lactate is immune-suppressive. Here, we discuss how intrinsic- (T cells) as well as extrinsic (tumor cells and micro-environmental)-derived metabolic factors, including lactate, suppress the ability of antigen-specific T cells to eradicate tumors. Finally, we introduce recent discoveries that target the TME in order to potentiate T cell-based therapies against cancer.

scholarly journals PD-1 suppresses TCR-CD8 cooperativity during T-cell antigen recognition

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaitao Li ◽  
Zhou Yuan ◽  
Jintian Lyu ◽  
Eunseon Ahn ◽  
Simon J. Davis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Clinical Success ◽  
Clinical Intervention ◽  
Cell Receptor ◽  
Cell Interaction ◽  
Antigen Recognition ◽  
Inhibitory Function ◽  
Src Homology

AbstractDespite the clinical success of blocking its interactions, how PD-1 inhibits T-cell activation is incompletely understood, as exemplified by its potency far exceeding what might be predicted from its affinity for PD-1 ligand-1 (PD-L1). This may be partially attributed to PD-1’s targeting the proximal signaling of the T-cell receptor (TCR) and co-stimulatory receptor CD28 via activating Src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatases (SHPs). Here, we report PD-1 signaling regulates the initial TCR antigen recognition manifested in a smaller spreading area, fewer molecular bonds formed, and shorter bond lifetime of T cell interaction with peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) in the presence than absence of PD-L1 in a manner dependent on SHPs and Leukocyte C-terminal Src kinase. Our results identify a PD-1 inhibitory mechanism that disrupts the cooperative TCR–pMHC–CD8 trimolecular interaction, which prevents CD8 from augmenting antigen recognition, explaining PD-1’s potent inhibitory function and its value as a target for clinical intervention.

721 AT1412, a patient-derived CD9 antibody in preclinical development promoting tumor immune infiltration and inducing tumor rejection

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A763-A763
Author(s):  
Remko Schotte ◽  
Julien Villaudy ◽  
Martijn Kedde ◽  
Wouter Pos ◽  
Daniel Go ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Immune System ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Tumor Rejection ◽  
Human Immune System ◽  
Preclinical Development ◽  
High Affinity ◽  
Human Immune ◽  
A375 Melanoma

BackgroundAdaptive immunity to cancer cells forms a crucial part of cancer immunotherapy. Recently, the importance of tumor B-cell signatures were shown to correlate with melanoma survival. We investigated whether tumor-targeting antibodies could be isolated from a patient that cured (now 13 years tumor-free) metastatic melanoma following adoptive transfer of ex vivo expanded autologous T cells.MethodsPatient‘s peripheral blood B cells were isolated and tested for the presence of tumor-reactive B cells using AIMM’s immmortalisation technology. Antibody AT1412 was identified by virtue of its differential binding to melanoma cells as compared to healthy melanocytes. AT1412 binds the tetraspanin CD9, a broadly expressed protein involved in multiple cellular activities in cancer and induces ADCC and ADCP by effector cells.ResultsSpontaneous immune rejection of tumors was observed in human immune system (HIS) mouse models implanted with CD9 genetically-disrupted A375 melanoma (A375-CD9KO) tumor cells, while A375wt cells were not cleared. Most notably, no tumor rejection of A375-CD9KO tumors was observed in NSG mice, indicating that blockade of CD9 makes tumor cells susceptible to immune rejection.CD9 has been described to regulate integrin signaling, e.g. LFA-1, VLA-4, VCAM-1 and ICAM-1. AT1412 was shown to modulate CD9 function by enhancing adhesion and transmigration of T cells to endothelial (HUVEC) cells. AT1412 was most potently enhancing transendothelial T-cell migration, in contrast to a high affinity version of AT1412 or other high affinity anti-CD9 reference antibodies (e.g. ALB6). Enhanced immune cell infiltration is also observed in immunodeficient mice harbouring a human immune system (HIS). AT1412 strongly enhanced CD8 T-cell and macrophage infiltration resulting in tumor rejection (A375 melanoma). PD-1 checkpoint blockade is further sustaining this effect. In a second melanoma model carrying a PD-1 resistant and highly aggressive tumor (SK-MEL5) AT1412 together with nivolumab was inducing full tumor rejection, while either one of the antibodies alone did not.ConclusionsThe safety of AT1412 has been assessed in preclinical development and is well tolerated up to 10 mg/kg (highest dose tested) by non human primates. AT1412 demonstrated a half-life of 8.5 days, supporting 2–3 weekly administration in humans. Besides transient thrombocytopenia no other pathological deviations were observed. No effect on coagulation parameters, bruising or bleeding were observed macro- or microscopically. The thrombocytopenia is reversible, and its recovery accelerated in those animals developing anti-drug antibodies. First in Human clinical study is planned to start early 2021.Ethics ApprovalStudy protocols were approved by the Medical Ethical Committee of the Leiden University Medical Center (Leiden, Netherlands).ConsentBlood was obtained after written informed consent by the patient.

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