CD155: A Key Receptor Playing Diversified Roles

: Cluster of differentiation (CD155), formerly identified as poliovirus receptor (PVR) and later as immunoglobulin molecule involved in cell adhesion, proliferation, invasion and migration. It is a surface protein expressed mostly on normal and transformed malignant cells. The expression of the receptor varies based on the origin of tissue. The expression of the protein is determined by factors involved in sonic hedgehog pathway, Ras-MEK-ERK pathway and during stress conditions like DNA damage response. The protein uses alternate splicing mechanism, producing four isoforms - two being soluble (CD155β and CD155γ) and two being transmembrane protein (CD155α and CD155δ). Apart from being a viral receptor, researchers have identified CD155 having important roles in cancer research and cell signaling field. The receptor is recognized as biomarker for identifying cancerous tissue. The receptor interacts with molecules involved in cells defense mechanism. The immune-surveillance role of CD155 is being deciphered to understand the mechanistic approach it utilizes as onco-immunologic molecule. CD155 is a non-MHC-I ligand which helps in identifying non-self to NK cells via an inhibitory TIGIT ligand. The TIGIT–CD155 pathway is a novel MHC-I-independent education mechanism for cell tolerance and activation of NK cell. The receptor also has a role in metastasis of cancer and trans endothelial mechanism. In this review, authors discuss the virus-host interaction that occurs via single transmembrane receptor, the poliovirus infection pathway, which is being exploited as therapeutic pathway. The oncolytic virotherapy is now promising way for curing cancer.

Poliovirus receptor (PVR)-like protein cosignaling network: new opportunities for cancer immunotherapy

Immune checkpoint molecules, also known as cosignaling molecules, are pivotal cell-surface molecules that control immune cell responses by either promoting (costimulatory molecules) or inhibiting (coinhibitory molecules) a signal. These molecules have been studied for many years. The application of immune checkpoint drugs in the clinic provides hope for cancer patients. Recently, the poliovirus receptor (PVR)-like protein cosignaling network, which involves several immune checkpoint receptors, i.e., DNAM-1 (DNAX accessory molecule-1, CD226), TIGIT (T-cell immunoglobulin (Ig) and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM)), CD96 (T cell activation, increased late expression (TACLILE)), and CD112R (PVRIG), which interact with their ligands CD155 (PVR/Necl-5), CD112 (PVRL2/nectin-2), CD111 (PVRL1/nectin-1), CD113 (PVRL3/nectin-3), and Nectin4, was discovered. As important components of the immune system, natural killer (NK) and T cells play a vital role in eliminating and killing foreign pathogens and abnormal cells in the body. Recently, increasing evidence has suggested that this novel cosignaling network axis costimulates and coinhibits NK and T cell activation to eliminate cancer cells after engaging with ligands, and this activity may be effectively targeted for cancer immunotherapy. In this article, we review recent advances in research on this novel cosignaling network. We also briefly outline the structure of this cosignaling network, the signaling cascades and mechanisms involved after receptors engage with ligands, and how this novel cosignaling network costimulates and coinhibits NK cell and T cell activation for cancer immunotherapy. Additionally, this review comprehensively summarizes the application of this new network in preclinical trials and clinical trials. This review provides a new immunotherapeutic strategy for cancer treatment.

A Poliovirus Receptor (CD155)-Related Risk Signature Predicts the Prognosis of Bladder Cancer

BackgroundBladder cancer is an aggressive and heterogeneous disease associated with high morbidity and mortality. And poliovirus receptor (PVR or CD155) played crucial roles in tumor immune microenvironment and cancer development. However, their association remains obscure.MethodsA total of 797 patients from TCGA and GEO databases were employed in our study, in which 285 cases were set as the training cohort and 512 were defined as the validation cohort. Our own Xiangya cohort with 57 samples was also used for the validation. Survival differences were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis between groups. The immune infiltration was evaluated by ESTIMATE, TIMER, and CIBERSORT algorithms. The risk signature was constructed by LASSO Cox regression analysis. And a nomogram model was generated subsequent to the multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis to predict 3- and 5-year survival of patients with bladder cancer.ResultsPVR was overexpressed across various cancers including bladder cancer and related to poorer overall survival in bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA). Samples with higher World Health Organization (WHO) grade or higher tumor stage tended to express higher level of PVR. And PVR-related genes were involved in several immune processes and oncological pathways. When the patients were divided into low- and high-risk groups based on their risk scores, we found that patients in the high-risk group had shorter overall survival time. Besides, samples with high risk were consistently correlated with tumor hallmarks and higher abundance of immune infiltration. Additionally, chemotherapy showed potent efficacy in high-risk group. Moreover, a nomogram including clinicopathologic features and the established risk signature could predict 3- and 5-year survival in patients with bladder cancer.ConclusionOur study revealed that PVR was overexpressed and related to poor prognosis in bladder cancer. A risk signature and nomogram model based on PVR-related genes could predict the prognosis and therapeutic efficacy and were also associated with the immune infiltration in bladder cancer.

COM701 with or without nivolumab: Results of an ongoing phase 1 study of safety, tolerability and preliminary antitumor activity in patients with advanced solid malignancies (NCT03667716).

2504 Background: COM701 is a novel first in class humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody that binds with high affinity to poliovirus receptor related immunoglobulin domain containing (PVRIG), blocking its interaction with its ligand, PVRL2. Blocking of PVRIG leads to enhanced activation of T/NK cells and in mouse models inhibits tumor growth. We report new and updated results on safety/tolerability/pharmacokinetics and antitumor activity from this ongoing study including final results in dose escalation combination cohort, monotherapy expansion cohort (MEC). Methods: We enrolled a total of 51 DLT-evaluable pts: Arm A (COM701 mono dose escalation), 16 pts in 8 cohorts (0.01 – 20 mg/kg IV Q3/4 wks); Arm B (COM701 0.3 – 20 mg/kg + nivolumab (NIVO) 360 mg/480 mg IV Q3/Q4 wks), 15 pts in 5 cohorts; 20 pts in MEC (NSCLC, OVCA, breast, endometrial and CRC) at the recommended dose for expansion(RDFE), 20 mg/kg IV Q4 wks. Key inclusion criteria: Age ≥18 yrs, histologically confirmed metastatic solid malignancy, has exhausted available standard tx, ECOG 0-1, prior ICI permissible (except prior tx with a PVRIG inhibitor). Key exclusion criteria: active autoimmune disease requiring systemic tx, hx inflammatory lung disease. Primary objectives – safety/tolerability of COM701 ± NIVO (AEs, CTCAE v4.03), PK, RDFE. Key secondary/exploratory objectives - antitumor activity of COM701 ± NIVO (RECIST v1.1), evaluation of PVRL2 expression in tumor biopsy, blood cytokines and immunophenotyping. Results: No DLTs were reported in Arms A or B. COM701 PK profile similar in Arm A, 20 mg/kg IV Q4 wks (cohort 8) and Arm B cohort 5 (COM701 20 mg/kg + NIVO 480 mg; all IV Q4 wks). Frequency of TEAEs in safety population (N=54 pts): pts on COM701 mono (N=38)- No AE (4), Grade≤2 (21), G3 (11), G4 (1), G5 (1, PD), pts on combo (N=16) - Grade≤2 (8), G3 (7), G5 (1, PD). Serious TEAE: pts on COM701 mono 11/38, pts on combo 6/16. Most frequent AEs in Arm A: Grade ≤2 fatigue 12/38 pts (31%), nausea 9/38 (23%); Arm B: fatigue 7/16 pts (44%) and AST increased 4/16 pts (25%). Antitumor activity - in Arm A (cohort 8), a pt with platinum resistant primary peritoneal cancer had confirmed PR ongoing 14 months. In Arm B (COM701 10 mg/kg + NIVO 480 mg, all IV Q4 wks), a pt with anal SCCA; confirmed CR, ongoing 18 months, last tx with prior PD on NIVO. In addition, a pt with renal cell CA had confirmed SD [ongoing 13 months, COM701 0.3 mg/kg + NIVO 360mg; IV Q3 wks],] In MEC, 30% (6/20 pts) had best response of SD [1-endometrial, 3 NSCLC, 2 OVCA], 2 pts [NSCLC, OVCA] ongoing at 6/4 months. Overall 16pts had prior tx-refractory disease, 9(56%) had best response of ≥SD. Of 18 pts with prior tx with ICI, 13 (72%) had best response of ≥SD. Datacut 14Dec2020. Conclusions: COM701 ± NIVO well tolerated with no new safety signals. Encouraging signal of antitumor activity including in pts with prior tx with ICI or prior tx-refractory disease. Clinical trial information: NCT03667716..

Overexpression of PVR and PD-L1 and its association with prognosis in surgically resected squamous cell lung carcinoma

Targeting T-Cell Immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domain-poliovirus receptor (PVR) pathway is a potential therapeutic strategy in lung cancer. We analyzed the expression of PVR and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) in surgically resected squamous cell lung carcinoma (SQCC) and determined its prognostic significance. We collected archival surgical specimens and data of 259 patients with SQCC at Yonsei Cancer Center (1998–2020). Analysis of variance was used to analyze the correlations between PVR and PD-L1 expression and patient characteristics. Kaplan–Meier curves were used to estimate recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). Most patients were male (93%); the majority were diagnosed with stage 1 (47%), followed by stage 2 (29%) and stage 3 (21%). Overexpression of PVR resulted in a significantly shorter median RFS and OS (P = 0.01). PD-L1 expression was not significant in terms of prognosis. Patients were subdivided into four groups based on low and high PVR and PD-L1 expression. Those expressing high levels of PVR and PD-L1 had the shortest RFS (P = 0.03). PVR overexpression is associated with a poor prognosis in surgically resected SQCC. Inhibition of PVR as well as PD-L1 may help overcome the lack of response to immune checkpoint monotherapy.

Overexpression of PVR and PD-L1 and Its Association With Prognosis in Surgically Resected Squamous Cell Lung Carcinoma

Background: Targeting T-Cell Immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domain-poliovirus receptor (PVR) pathway is a potential therapeutic strategy in lung cancer. We analyzed the expression of PVR and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) in surgically resected squamous cell lung carcinoma (SQCC) and determined its prognostic significance.Methods: We collected archival surgical specimens of 259 patients with SQCC at Yonsei Cancer Center (1998–2020). Analysis of variance was used to analyze the correlations between PVR and PD-L1 expression and patient characteristics. Kaplan–Meier curves were used to estimate recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: Most patients were male (93%); the majority were diagnosed with stage 1 (47%), followed by stage 2 (29%) and stage 3 (21%). Overexpression of PVR resulted in a significantly shorter median RFS and OS (P = 0.01). PD-L1 expression was not significant in terms of prognosis. Patients were subdivided into four groups based on low and high PVR and PD-L1 expression. Those expressing high levels of PVR and PD-L1 had the shortest RFS (P = 0.03).Conclusions: PVR overexpression is associated with a poor prognosis in surgically resected SQCC. Inhibition of PVR as well as PD-L1 may help overcome the lack of response to immune checkpoint monotherapy.