Cancer Immunology Research

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are emerging as an effective antitumoral therapy. However, their therapeutic effects on solid tumors are limited due to their short survival time and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Memory T cells respond more vigorously and persist longer than their naive/effector counterparts. Therefore, promoting CAR T-cell development into memory T cells could further enhance their antitumoral effects. HI-TOPK-032 is a TOPK-specific inhibitor that moderately represses some types of tumors...

Sipuleucel-T (sip-T) is the only FDA-approved autologous cellular immunotherapy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). To elucidate parameters of the response profile to this therapy, we report high-dimensional analyses of sip-T using cytometry by time of flight (CyTOF) and show a lymphoid predominance, with CD3+ T cells constituting the highest proportion (median ~60%) of sip-T, followed by B cells, and natural killer (NK) and NKT cells. We hypothesized that treatment of sip-T with homeostatic cytokines known to activate/expand effector lymphocytes could augment efficacy against prostate tumors...

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) induce immunosuppression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). The interaction between LSCC cells and TAMs affects the progression of laryngeal cancer through exosomes, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. Proteomics analysis of TAMs isolated from human laryngeal tumor tissues obtained from patients with confirmed lymphatic metastasis revealed an upregulation of annexin A3 (ANXA3). In TAMs, ANXA3 promoted macrophages to polarize to an M2-like phenotype by activating the AKT-GSK3β-β-catenin pathway...

Solid tumors are dense three-dimensional (3D) multi-cellular structures that enable efficient receptor-ligand trans interactions via close cell-cell contact. Immunoglobulin-like transcript (ILT)2 and ILT4 are related immune suppressive receptors that play a role in the inhibition of myeloid cells within the tumor microenvironment. The relative contributions of ILT2 and ILT4 to immune inhibition in the context of solid tumor tissue has not been fully explored. We present evidence that both ILT2 and ILT4 contribute to myeloid inhibition...

Tumor molecular datasets are becoming increasingly complex, making it nearly impossible for humans alone to effectively analyze them. Here, we demonstrate the power of using machine learning (ML) to analyze a single-cell, spatial, and highly multiplexed proteomic dataset from human pancreatic cancer and reveal underlying biological mechanisms that may contribute to clinical outcome. We designed a multiplex immunohistochemistry antibody panel to compare T-cell functionality and spatial localization in resected tumors from treatment-naive patients with localized pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) with resected tumors from a second cohort of patients treated with neoadjuvant agonistic CD40 (anti-CD40) monoclonal antibody therapy...

In cancer, multiple factors converge upon receptor activator of nuclear factor κB (RANK) and its ligand (RANKL) signaling to promote the development of bone metastases; agents that inhibit RANKL signaling reduce skeletal-related events (SRE) in patients with cancer. In addition, RANKL signaling is important in augmenting the ability of dendritic cells (DC) to stimulate both naïve T-cell proliferation and the survival of RANK+ T cells. In this issue, Chang and colleagues using high-dimensional cytometry to evaluate immunomodulatory effects of denosumab in patients with advanced solid, observe early on treatment changes in multiple compartments, and greater effects in patients receiving concurrent chemotherapy or steroids...

Tools for genome-wide rapid identification of peptide-major histocompatibility complex targets of T-cell receptors (TCRs) are not yet universally available. We present a new antigen screening method, the T-synapse (Tsyn) reporter system, which includes antigen-presenting cells (APCs) with a Fas-inducible NF-κB reporter and T cells with a nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) reporter. To functionally screen for target antigens from a cDNA library, productively interacting T cell-APC aggregates were detected by dual reporter activity and enriched by flow sorting followed by antigen identification quantified by deep sequencing (Tsyn-seq)...

Neutrophils are the most abundant leukocytes in human blood and play a primary role in resistance against invading microorganisms and in the acute inflammatory response. However, their role in colitis and colitis-associated colorectal cancer is still under debate. This study aims to dissect the role of neutrophils in these pathological contexts by using a rigorous genetic approach. Neutrophil-deficient mice (Csf3r-/- mice) were used in classic models of colitis and colitis-associated colorectal cancer and the role of neutrophils was assessed by histological, cellular and molecular analyses coupled with adoptive cell transfer...

Allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies hold the potential to overcome many of the challenges associated with patient-derived (autologous) CAR T cells. Key considerations in the development of allogeneic CAR T-cell therapies include prevention of GvHD and suppression of allograft rejection. Here we describe preclinical data supporting the ongoing first-in-human clinical study, the CaMMouflage trial (NCT05722418), evaluating CB-011 in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. CB-011 is a hypoimmunogenic, allogeneic anti-B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) CAR T-cell therapy candidate...

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) can induce durable cancer remission. However, only a small subset of patients gains benefits. While tumor mutation burden (TMB) differentiates responders from nonresponders in some cases, it is a weak predictor in tumor types with low mutation rates. Thus, there is an unmet need to discover a new class of genetic aberrations that predict ICB responses in these tumor types. Here, we report analyses of pan-cancer whole genomes which revealed that intragenic rearrangement (IGR) burden is significantly associated with immune infiltration in breast, ovarian, esophageal, and endometrial cancers, particularly with increased M1 macrophage and CD8+ T-cell signatures...

Tumor neoantigens (nAgs) represent a promising target for cancer immunotherapy. The identification of nAgs that can generate T-cell responses and have therapeutic activity has been challenging. Here, we sought to unravel the features of nAgs required to induce tumor rejection. We selected clinically validated Great Ape-derived adenoviral vectors (GAds) as a nAg delivery system for differing numbers and combinations of nAgs. We assessed their immunogenicity and efficacy in murine models of low to high disease burden, comparing multi-epitope versus mono-epitope vaccines...

Recent research indicates that gut microbiota may be vital in the advancement of melanoma. In this study we found that melanoma patients exhibited a distinct gut mycobiota structure compared to healthy participants. Candida albicans, Candida dubliniensis, and Neurospora crassa were more abundant in samples from patients with melanoma, while Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Debaryomyces hansenii were less abundant. During anti-PD-1 treatment, the relative amount of Malassezia restricta and C. albicans increased...

Cancer prevention and early detection, the first two of the eight primary goals of the National Cancer Plan released in April 2023, are at the forefront of the nation's strategic efforts to reduce cancer incidence and mortality. The Division of Cancer Prevention (DCP) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is the federal government's principal component devoted to promoting and supporting innovative cancer prevention research. Recent advances in tumor immunology, cancer immunotherapy, and vaccinology strongly suggest that the host immune system can be effectively harnessed to elicit protective immunity against the development of cancer i...

The development of first-generation immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 ushered in a new era in anticancer therapy. While immune checkpoint blockade therapies have shown clinical success, a significant number of patients yet fail to benefit. According to recent reports, many studies are underway to discover next-generation immunotherapeutic targets. Here, we identified a novel immunotherapeutic target, IGSF1 (immunoglobulin superfamily member 1), by proteome analysis, a membrane glycoprotein proposed to regulate thyroid function...

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy for multiple myeloma (MM) targeting B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) induces high overall response rates. However, relapse still occurs and novel strategies for targeting MM cells using CAR-T are needed. SLAMF7 (also known as CS1) and CD38 on tumour plasma cells represent potential alternative targets for CAR-T in MM, but their expression on activated T cells and other hematopoietic cells raises concerns about the efficacy and safety of such treatments. Here, we used CRISPR/Cas9 deletion of the CD38 gene in T cells and developed DCAR, a double CAR system targeting CD38 and CS1 through activation and co-stimulation receptors, respectively...

Extensive infiltration by tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) in combination with myeloid-derived suppressor cells constitute the immunosuppressive microenvironment and promote the malignant phenotype of gliomas. The aggressive mesenchymal (MES)-subtype glioma stem cells (GSC) are prominent in the immunosuppressive microenvironment of gliomas. However, the underlying immune-suppressive mechanisms are still unknown. The current study showed that the antitumor immune microenvironment was activated in glioma in Nfat1-/- mice, suggesting induction of the immune-suppressive microenvironment by nuclear factor of activated T cells-1 (NFAT1)...

Denosumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL). It is routinely administered to cancer patients to reduce the incidence of new bone metastasis. RANK-RANKL interactions regulate bone turnover by controlling osteoclast recruitment, development, and activity. However, these interactions also can regulate immune cells including dendritic cells and medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs). Inhibition of the latter results in reduced thymic negative selection of T cells and could enhance the generation of tumor-specific T cells...

T-cell receptor (TCR)-modified T-cell therapies have shown promise against solid tumors, but overall therapeutic benefits have been modest due in part to suboptimal T-cell persistence and activation in vivo, alongside potential tumor antigen escape. In this study, we demonstrate an approach to enhance the in vivo persistence and function of TCR T cells through combination with Amphiphile (AMP) vaccination including cognate TCR T peptides. AMP modification improves lymph node targeting of conjugated tumor immunogens and adjuvants, thereby coordinating a robust T cell-activating endogenous immune response...

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CD4+CD25hiFOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) play major roles in the maintenance of immune tolerance, prevention of inflammation, and tissue homeostasis and repair. In contrast with these beneficial roles, Tregs are abundant in virtually all tumors and have been mechanistically linked to disease progression, metastases development, and therapy resistance. Tregs are thus recognized as a major target for cancer immunotherapy. Compared with other sites in the body, tumors harbor hyperactivated Treg subsets whose molecular characteristics are only beginning to be elucidated...