Article
Immunology
Md Masud Alam, Timothy Gower, Mengmeng Jiang, Joost J. Oppenheim, De Yang
Summary: TheraVac vaccine can cure multiple large tumors but not melanoma. Addition of cGAMP synergizes with TheraVac to activate DCs and enhance immune response. Treatment with cGAMP and TheraVac eradicates 60-80% of melanoma tumors and provides long-term protective immunity.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Ronan Talty, Kelly Olino
Summary: Both cancer cells and immune cells rely on specific metabolic programs for survival and function, with immune cells having the capability to either enhance or suppress the antitumor immune response based on metabolic changes. The shared microenvironment within tumors affects the metabolism of immune cells and can impact the efficacy of immunotherapies, highlighting the importance of understanding the interplay between metabolism, immune response, and cancer progression.
Article
Oncology
S. P. Lau, L. Klaase, M. Vink, J. Dumas, K. Bezemer, A. van Krimpen, R. van der Breggen, L. V. Wismans, M. Doukas, W. de Koning, A. P. Stubbs, D. A. M. Mustafa, H. Vroman, R. Stadhouders, J. B. Nunes, C. Stingl, N. F. C. C. de Miranda, T. M. Luider, S. H. van der Burg, J. G. Aerts, C. H. J. van Eijck
Summary: This study demonstrates the feasibility and safety of using allogeneic lysated dendritic cell vaccine in patients with resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The vaccine induces immune reactivity to PDAC expressed antigens and has the potential to prevent disease recurrence and progression.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Nohelly Derosiers, William Aguilar, David A. DeGaramo, Avery D. Posey
Summary: Despite the success in treating hematological malignancies, the effectiveness of chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy against solid tumors is still limited due to the engagement of immune checkpoint molecules and glycoimmune interactions in the tumor microenvironment. This review discusses strategies to overcome the inhibitory PD-L1/PD-1 axis and highlights the importance of glycan-binding proteins in modulating T cell immunosuppression.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fotis Nikolos, Kazukuni Hayashi, Xen Ping Hoi, Mark Ellie Alonzo, Qianxing Mo, Armine Kasabyan, Hideki Furuya, Jane Trepel, Dolores Di Vizio, Jlenia Guarnerio, Dan Theodorescu, Charles Rosser, Andrea Apolo, Matthew Galsky, Keith Syson Chan
Summary: Chemoimmunotherapy has shown limited clinical benefit in bladder cancer patients and the reasons for this are not well understood. This study reveals that platinum-based chemotherapy hinders the infiltration and activity of CD8+ T cells in mouse models of muscle-invasive bladder cancer. The release of prostaglandin E-2 (PGE(2)) from dying cancer cells is identified as a mechanism that inhibits dendritic cell maturation. By blocking PGE(2) release, CD8+ T cells regain their tumoricidal activity and infiltrate the tumor site. Blocking PGE(2) release synergizes with chemotherapy and enhances the response to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. These findings highlight the potential of targeting the COX-2/PGE2 axis in chemoimmunotherapy for bladder cancer.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Mireia Bachiller, Lorena Perez-Amill, Anthony Matthew Battram, Sebastian Ciro Carne, Amer Najjar, Els Verhoeyen, Manel Juan, Alvaro Urbano-Ispizua, Beatriz Martin-Antonio
Summary: This study demonstrates the important immunoregulatory role of CB-NK collaborating with CAR-T cells to enhance their antitumor activity. Combinatorial treatment based on CAR-T and CAR-NK cells or CB-NK and CAR-T cells showed that CB-NK required high doses for effectiveness, while a low number of CB-NK in the CAR-T product promoted early activation of CAR-T cells and enhanced anti-MM efficacy.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Bronte Manouk Verhoeven, Shenglin Mei, Thale Kristin Olsen, Karin Gustafsson, Anders Valind, Axel Lindstrom, David Gisselsson, Shahrzad Shirazi Fard, Catharina Hagerling, Peter Kharchenko, Per Kogner, John Inge Johnsen, Ninib Baryawno
Summary: Understanding the immune cell composition of human neuroblastoma is important for developing immunotherapeutics. In this study, single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on 19 neuroblastoma samples, revealing a comprehensive landscape of immune cells and identifying potential therapeutic targets and interactions.
CELL REPORTS MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yueyang Sun, Jiajia Sun, Mingshu Xiao, Wei Lai, Li Li, Chunhai Fan, Hao Pei
Summary: This study used DNA origami nanostructures as scaffolds to construct high-effective nanosized artificial antigen-presenting cells (aAPCs) for in vivo adoptive cell therapy. The quantitative analysis of ligand-receptor interactions in T cell activation was enabled by the DNA origami scaffold, leading to important insights into the rational design of molecular vaccines for cancer immunotherapy. The optimized DNA origami-based aAPCs showed effective tumor growth inhibiting capability in both in vitro and in vivo assays.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Katerina Kalkusova, Sindija Smite, Elea Darras, Pavla Taborska, Dmitry Stakheev, Luca Vannucci, Jirina Bartunkova, Daniel Smrz
Summary: The immune checkpoint inhibitors are crucial in cancer immunotherapy, but their efficacy is limited in solid tumors. Mast cells and dendritic cells play important roles in the tumor immune microenvironment and controlling these cells may help overcome the resistance of solid tumors to immunotherapy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Kele Cui, Shouxin Hu, Xinyu Mei, Min Cheng
Summary: The review discusses recent progress in research on innate immune cells in the esophageal cancer microenvironment, highlighting potential directions for the development of new biomarkers and effective intervention targets. Understanding the innate immunological mechanisms involved in esophageal mucosa carcinogenesis is crucial for clinical immunotherapy and prognosis prediction for patients with EC.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shengyuan Zhao, Samy L. Habib, Alireza G. Senejani, Manu Sebastian, Dawit Kidane
Summary: Innate immunity is crucial for recognizing and eliminating pathogens and inhibiting cancer cell growth. Dysregulation of innate immune systems can lead to inflammatory diseases and affect genomic integrity. DNA damage caused by oxidative stress is predominantly repaired by base excision repair (BER). Mutations in BER genes can result in impaired DNA repair function and insufficient genomic integrity. Accumulation of DNA damage may activate innate immune signaling and impact the interaction between cancer cells and innate immune cells.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Ying-Hua Guan, Na Wang, Zhen-Wei Deng, Xi-Guang Chen, Ya Liu
Summary: Dendritic cells (DCs) play a critical role in regulating immune response and anti-tumor process. However, immunosuppressive cells and factors in the tumor microenvironment pose challenges to DC function. Therefore, designing nanomaterials to regulate DC autophagy is important for enhancing immune function.
Article
Oncology
Bhuwan Giri, Prateek Sharma, Tejeshwar Jain, Anthony Ferrantella, Utpreksha Vaish, Siddharth Mehra, Bharti Garg, Srikanth Iyer, Vrishketan Sethi, Zoe Malchiodi, Rossana Signorelli, Harrys K. C. Jacob, John George, Preeti Sahay, Ejas P. Bava, Rajinder Dawra, Sundaram Ramakrishnan, Ashok Saluja, Vikas Dudeja
Summary: The absence of Hsp70 in the tumor microenvironment inhibits tumor growth through immune cells, and Hsp70(-/-) dendritic cells inhibit tumor growth by enhancing the immune response.
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Da Qian, Jialu Li, Mingyao Huang, Qiuxia Cui, Xiaozhen Liu, Kailv Sun
Summary: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Immunotherapy, including tumor vaccine, has shown great success in treating breast cancer. Dendritic cells are important antigen-presenting cells that play a role in immune responses. DC-based treatments, particularly DC vaccines, have demonstrated significant anti-tumor effects in clinical studies and are undergoing trials. This review summarizes the immunomodulatory effects of DC vaccines in breast cancer, discusses related mechanisms, and presents possible challenges and future directions.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jan-Gowth Chang, Siang-Jyun Tu, Chung-Ming Huang, Yu-Chia Chen, Hui-Shan Chiang, Ya-Ting Lee, Ju-Chen Yen, Chia-Li Lin, Chin-Chun Chung, Ta-Chih Liu, Ya-Sian Chang
Summary: This study uses single-cell RNA sequencing and bioinformatic tools to reveal cell subpopulations and their gene signatures in the blood and synovial fluid of gout patients. It identifies specific cell types that are enriched or more abundant in patients with acute gout compared to healthy subjects, and evaluates the inflammatory and energy levels of these subpopulations. The study also detects specific cell-cell interactions in the cells of patients with acute gout.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Hematology
Barbara Depreter, Karin E. Weening, Karl Vandepoele, Magnus Essand, Barbara De Moerloose, Maria Themeli, Jacqueline Cloos, Diana Hanekamp, Ine Moors, Inge D'hont, Barbara Denys, Anne Uyttebroeck, An Van Damme, Laurence Dedeken, Sylvia Snauwaert, Glenn Goetgeluk, Stijn De Munter, Tessa Kerre, Bart Vandekerckhove, Tim Lammens, Jan Philippe
Article
Cell Biology
Jing Ma, Mohanraj Ramachandran, Chuan Jin, Clara Quijano-Rubio, Miika Martikainen, Di Yu, Magnus Essand
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2020)
Article
Immunology
Jinar Rostami, Grammatiki Fotaki, Julien Sirois, Ropafadzo Mzezewa, Joakim Bergstrom, Magnus Essand, Luke Healy, Anna Erlandsson
JOURNAL OF NEUROINFLAMMATION
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Siyuan Deng, Alessandra Iscaro, Giorgia Zambito, Yimin Mijiti, Marco Minicucci, Magnus Essand, Clemens Lowik, Munitta Muthana, Roberta Censi, Laura Mezzanotte, Piera Di Martino
Summary: A redox responsive nanohydrogel based on hyaluronic acid was developed as a delivery system for oncolytic viruses, showing rapid degradation in a reductive environment and good oncolytic activity. Due to its hydrophilic and porous nature, the nanohydrogel is considered a promising carrier for viral drugs.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Evelina Vagesjo, Kristel Parv, David Ahl, Cedric Seignez, Carmen Herrera Hidalgo, Antoine Giraud, Catarina Leite, Olle Korsgren, Hakan Wallen, Greta Juusola, Harri H. Hakovirta, Helene Rundqvist, Magnus Essand, Lena Holm, Randall S. Johnson, Charlotte Thalin, Petra Korpisalo, Gustaf Christoffersson, Mia Phillipson
Summary: This study reveals a novel role of macrophages in regulating blood flow by releasing iNOS in ischemic muscles to improve tissue perfusion and repair. Depletion of iNOS in macrophages compromised blood flow regulation and exacerbated ischemic damage in the muscles.
CIRCULATION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Luuk van Hooren, Alessandra Vaccaro, Mohanraj Ramachandran, Konstantinos Vazaios, Sylwia Libard, Tiarne van de Walle, Maria Georganaki, Hua Huang, Ilkka Pietilae, Joey Lau, Maria H. Ulvmar, Mikael C. I. Karlsson, Maria Zetterling, Sara M. Mangsbo, Asgeir S. Jakola, Thomas Olsson Bontell, Anja Smits, Magnus Essand, Anna Dimberg
Summary: This study demonstrates that the use of immunostimulatory CD40 antibodies in glioma models promotes the formation of tertiary lymphoid structures but does not improve survival and impairs the response to immune checkpoint blockade.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Tiarne van de Walle, Alessandra Vaccaro, Mohanraj Ramachandran, Ilkka Pietila, Magnus Essand, Anna Dimberg
Summary: Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain tumor with a low prevalence of tumor-reactive T cells, and recent data suggest that naive T cells may be activated within brain tumor-associated tertiary lymphoid structures. Promoting tertiary lymphoid structures could enhance priming of tumor antigen-targeted T cells and sensitize glioblastomas to cancer immunotherapy.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Miika Martikainen, Mohanraj Ramachandran, Roberta Lugano, Jing Ma, Minttu-Maria Martikainen, Anna Dimberg, Di Yu, Andres Merits, Magnus Essand
Summary: The study constructed an IFN-I-resistant SFV-AM6 virus that induced immunogenic apoptosis in GL261 cells and showed therapeutic potency against glioma. Additionally, combination therapy with SFV-AM6-124T and antiPD1 immunotherapy promoted an inflammatory response and increased tumor-reactive CD8(+) cells in the GL261 glioma model.
MOLECULAR THERAPY-ONCOLYTICS
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Alessandra Iscaro, Christian Jones, Neil Forbes, Amina Mughal, Faith Nutter Howard, Haider Al Janabi, Secil Demiral, Yvonne Perrie, Magnus Essand, Aleksandra Weglarz, Luis J. Cruz, Claire E. Lewis, Munitta Muthana
Summary: This study demonstrates that encapsulating oncolytic adenovirus into CCL2-coated liposomes can effectively target tumors by recruiting circulating monocytes expressing CCR2. The nanomedicine approach significantly reduces tumor size and metastasis, providing a potential strategy for treating inaccessible tumors.
NANOMEDICINE-NANOTECHNOLOGY BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mohiemen Anwar, Maja-Louise Arendt, Mohanraj Ramachandran, Anette Carlsson, Magnus Essand, Goran Akusjarvi, Ghasan Alusi, Daniel Oberg
Summary: This research describes a novel oncolytic adenovirus, Ixovex-1, which selectively replicates within cancer cells by modulating the level of expression of different E1B mRNA isoforms. The study demonstrates the characteristics and anti-tumor efficacy of Ixovex-1 in both in vitro and in vivo experiments, showing its superiority compared to other viruses with multiple deletions.
CANCER GENE THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Chuan Jin, Jing Ma, Mohanraj Ramachandran, Di Yu, Magnus Essand
Summary: CAR T cells expressing NAP from Helicobacter pylori can trigger endogenous bystander T-cell responses against solid cancers, improving tumor growth and survival rates.
NATURE BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Chuan Jin, Arwa Ali, Alexandros Iskantar, Grammatiki Fotaki, Hai Wang, Magnus Essand, Alex Karlsson-Parra, Di Yu
Summary: This study demonstrates that a combination treatment involving intratumoral administration of pro-inflammatory allogeneic dendritic cells (AlloDCs) and systemic treatment with alpha CTLA-4 can significantly enhance the anti-tumor efficacy compared to alpha CTLA-4 monotherapy. The combination treatment leads to an immune-inflamed tumor microenvironment characterized by increased infiltration of activated endogenous antigen-presenting dendritic cells and CD8(+) T cells with a tissue-resident memory phenotype. This study highlights the potential of this combination therapy for improving the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Article
Oncology
Maria Georganaki, Mohanraj Ramachandran, Sander Tuit, Nicolas Gonzalo Nunez, Alexandros Karampatzakis, Grammatiki Fotaki, Luuk van Hooren, Hua Huang, Roberta Lugano, Thomas Ulas, Aura Kaunisto, Eric C. Holland, Peter Ellmark, Sara M. Mangsbo, Joachim Schultze, Magnus Essand, Sonia Tugues, Anna Dimberg