Review
Immunology
Laurent Schmied, Petter Hoglund, Stephan Meinke
Summary: The interactions between platelets and cancer cells play a significant role in supporting tumor metastasis by promoting vascular evasion and establishing solid tumor metastasis, as well as contributing to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Platelets are a major source of TGF-beta, which is crucial in immunosuppression. While the interactions between platelets and solid tumors are well-studied, their physiological relevance in hematological malignancies requires further research.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Hematology
Amir Asgari, Gabriela Lesyk, Erika Poitras, Natasha Govindasamy, Kara Terry, Rachel To, Valentina Back, Jan K. Rudzinski, John D. Lewis, Paul Jurasz
Summary: Platelets promote cancer cell immunoevasion by increasing PD-L1 expression, while common anti-platelet drugs inhibit this process and enhance immune response, indicating a potential role for anti-platelet drugs as adjuvant therapy in cancer treatment.
JOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Noah M. Chernosky, Ilaria Tamagno
Summary: The overall survival of cancer patients depends on the success of therapy, with therapy failure linked to enhanced metastasis and recurrence. The innate immune system has been shown to play a key role in cancer cell communication and control of dormancy. New therapies targeting dormant cancer cells may hold promise for improving patient outcomes.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Katarzyna Aneta Pankowska, Grazyna Ewa Bedkowska, Joanna Chociej-Stypulkowska, Malgorzata Rusak, Milena Dabrowska, Joanna Osada
Summary: Ovarian cancer is a highly lethal gynecological cancer due to its rapid metastasis and drug resistance. The immune system and immune cells such as T cells, NK cells, and dendritic cells play a crucial role in the tumor microenvironment of ovarian cancer. However, ovarian tumor cells have various mechanisms to evade immune surveillance and recruit immune-suppressive cells, promoting disease progression. Platelets are also involved in immune evasion and tumor growth by interacting with tumor cells and secreting growth factors and cytokines. This review discusses the role of immune cells and platelets in the tumor microenvironment, as well as their potential prognostic significance in early detection and disease outcome prediction of ovarian cancer.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Xin Chen, Lei Jiang, Xuesong Liu
Summary: This review discusses the contributions of natural killer (NK) cells in cancer treatment, explores the current strategies at harnessing NK cells for cancer treatment, and highlights the importance of NK cell-mediated therapies in the next wave of cancer immunotherapy.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Joshua Choi, Ellie Choi, Dongwon Choi
Summary: Lymphatic vessels not only serve as a vehicle for tumor metastasis but also play a role in suppressing cancer development through immune surveillance and fluid pressure drainage.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Yanlin Yu
Summary: Innate immune natural killer (NK) cells can directly kill metastatic cancer cells without activation. The cytotoxicity and immune regulation of NK cells are controlled by a balance of activating and inhibitory receptors on the cells, while metastatic tumor cells have strategies to evade immune cell attacks. This review focuses on the critical role of NK cells in metastasis and the recent development of effective NK cell-based immunotherapies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Reza Haschemi, Dennis Kobelt, Elisabeth Steinwarz, Martin Schlesinger, Ulrike Stein, Gerd Bendas
Summary: The study revealed that MACC1 modulates platelet activation through IGFBP2, promoting cell migration and invasiveness, with IGFBP2 playing a key role in metastatic spread in vivo.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Feifei Guo, Yi Zhang, Ling Bai, Jiuwei Cui
Summary: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small group of cancer cells with stem cell-like properties, which can be used for identifying malignant tumor phenotypes and patients with poor prognosis. Targeting CSCs has been shown to improve the effectiveness of cancer therapies. However, CSCs are resistant to conventional treatment methods such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, hence the need for more effective anti-CSC therapies.
Article
Biophysics
Hongmei Yang, Hao Jia, Qi Zhao, Kathy Qian Luo
Summary: Tumor immunotherapy, especially NK cell-based therapy, has gained attention due to its effectiveness with fewer side effects. This study establishes a 3D coculture model using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and zebrafish, allowing real-time visualization of the interaction and killing process of NK cells against cancer cells at single-cell resolution. The findings demonstrate the potential of NK cell therapy and provide a valuable in vivo tool for its development and evaluation.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zu-Jun Que, Jia-Liang Yao, Zhi-Yi Zhou, Pan Yu, Bin Luo, He-Gen Li, Jia-Xiang Liu, Hong-Xi Xu, Jian-Hui Tian
Summary: Jinfukang may prevent lung cancer metastasis by enhancing the clearance of CTCs in the peripheral blood by NK cells, providing evidence for the anti-metastasis effect of Jinfukang.
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Muxin Yu, Hong Pan, Nan Che, Li Li, Cong Wang, Yue Wang, Ge Ma, Mengjia Qian, Jiawei Liu, Mingjie Zheng, Hui Xie, Lijun Ling, Yi Zhao, Xiaoxiang Guan, Qiang Ding, Wenbin Zhou, Shui Wang
Summary: Microwave ablation (MWA) of primary breast cancer activates NK cells, inhibiting lung metastasis and improving survival. NK cells exhibit enhanced cytotoxic functions post-MWA, playing a pivotal role in this process.
CELLULAR & MOLECULAR IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Yiwen Chen, Yuhang Zhou, Ziyang Yan, Peilin Tong, Qiang Xia, Kang He
Summary: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a deadly and common human malignancy with poor prognosis due to high recurrence and metastasis rates. The tumor microenvironment (TME) has been found to play an important role in tumor progression and metastasis. This review summarizes the development of HCC and the role of TME components, particularly tumor-infiltrating immune cells, in HCC metastasis. It also discusses potential therapeutic targets and future prospects in targeting the TME.
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Junfeng Chu, Fengcai Gao, Meimei Yan, Shuang Zhao, Zheng Yan, Bian Shi, Yanyan Liu
Summary: This article summarizes the recent advances and clinical applications of natural killer (NK) cell immunotherapy, focusing on the biology and function of NK cells, different types of NK cell therapy, and clinical trials and future perspectives of NK cell therapy.
JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Daphne N. Pariser, Zachary T. Hilt, Sara K. Ture, Sara K. Blick-Nitko, Mark R. Looney, Simon J. Cleary, Estheany Roman-Pagan, Jerry Saunders, Steve N. Georas, Janelle Veazey, Ferralita Madere, Laura Tesoro Santos, Allison Arne, Nguyen P. T. Huynh, Alison C. Livada, Selena M. Guerrero-Martin, Claire Lyons, Kelly A. Metcalf-Pate, Kathleen E. McGrath, James Palis, Craig N. Morrell
Summary: Platelets, previously known as cellular mediators of thrombosis, are also immune cells that interact with immune cells, impacting their activation and differentiation. Lung megakaryocytes (Mk(L)) have gene expression patterns similar to antigen-presenting cells, and have key immune regulatory roles influenced by the tissue environment. This indicates the plasticity of the immune phenotype of Mk(L) and their ability to induce T cell activation.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jonas S. Heitmann, Tatjana Bilich, Claudia Tandler, Annika Nelde, Yacine Maringer, Maddalena Marconato, Julia Reusch, Simon Jaeger, Monika Denk, Marion Richter, Leonard Anton, Lisa Marie Weber, Malte Roerden, Jens Bauer, Jonas Rieth, Marcel Wacker, Sebastian Hoerber, Andreas Peter, Christoph Meisner, Imma Fischer, Markus W. Loeffler, Julia Karbach, Elke Jaeger, Reinhild Klein, Hans-Georg Rammensee, Helmut R. Salih, Juliane S. Walz
Summary: The study showed that CoVac-1 vaccine has a favorable safety profile, inducing broad, potent T cell responses that are independent of SARS-CoV-2 variants, supporting its ongoing evaluation in a phase II trial for patients with B cell or antibody deficiency.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Annika Nelde, Lea Floetotto, Lara Juergens, Laura Szymik, Elvira Hubert, Jens Bauer, Christoph Schliemann, Torsten Kessler, Georg Lenz, Hans-Georg Rammensee, Juliane S. Walz, Klaus Wethmar
Summary: This study provides experimental evidence for the translational regulation of cancer-associated genes through uORFs, and demonstrates the frequent expression and occasional specific localization of uORF-derived peptides. Immunopeptidome analysis identified a set of naturally presented uORF-derived peptides, some of which are tumor-associated and capable of inducing multifunctional T cell responses. These findings suggest a potentially widespread function of uORFs and uPeptides in cancer biology.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Simon Wabitsch, Justin D. McCallen, Olena Kamenyeva, Benjamin Ruf, John C. McVey, Juraj Kabat, Juliane S. Walz, Yaron Rotman, Kylynda C. Bauer, Amanda J. Craig, Marie Pouzolles, Ira Phadke, Vanessa Catania, Benjamin L. Green, Claude Fu, Laurence P. Diggs, Bernd Heinrich, Xin Wei Wang, Chi Ma, Tim F. Greten
Summary: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) negatively affects the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study reveals that NASH alters the metabolism, function, and motility of hepatic CD8+ T cells, leading to reduced responsiveness to anti-PD-1 treatment. The efficacy can be rescued by metformin treatment.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Daniel Junker, Matthias Becker, Teresa R. Wagner, Philipp D. Kaiser, Sandra Maier, Tanja M. Grimm, Johanna Griesbaum, Patrick Marsall, Jens Gruber, Bjoern Traenkle, Constanze Heinzel, Yudi T. Pinilla, Jana Held, Rolf Fendel, Andrea Kreidenweiss, Annika Nelde, Yacine Maringer, Sarah Schroeder, Juliane S. Walz, Karina Althaus, Gunalp Uzun, Marco Mikus, Tamam Bakchoul, Katja Schenke-Layland, Stefanie Bunk, Helene Haeberle, Siri Goepel, Michael Bitzer, Hanna Renk, Jonathan Remppis, Corinna Engel, Axel R. Franz, Manuela Harries, Barbora Kessel, Berit Lange, Monika Strengert, Gerard Krause, Anne Zeck, Ulrich Rothbauer, Alex Dulovic, Nicole Schneiderhan-Marra
Summary: Using a large diverse cohort, this study found that the Omicron variant can bind to ACE2 more efficiently than inhibitory antibodies. Antibodies elicited by infection or immunization showed reduced binding capacities and ACE2 binding inhibition compared to wild type. Both Omicron variants are able to evade control by preexisting antibodies.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Fiamma Berner, David Bomze, Christa Lichtensteiger, Vincent Walter, Rebekka Niederer, Omar Hasan Ali, Nina Wyss, Jens Bauer, Lena Katharina Freudenmann, Ana Marcu, Eva-Maria Wolfschmitt, Sebastian Haen, Thorben Gross, Marie-Therese Abdou, Stefan Diem, Stella Knopefli, Tobias Sinnberg, Kathrin Hofmeister, Hung-Wei Cheng, Marieta Toma, Niklas Kluemper, Mette-Triin Purde, Oltin Tiberiu Pop, Ann-Kristin Jochum, Steve Pascolo, Markus Joerger, Martin Frueh, Wolfram Jochum, Hans-Georg Rammensee, Heinz Laeubli, Michael Hoelzel, Jacques Neefjes, Juliane Walz, Lukas Flatz
Summary: This study successfully identified self-antigens that likely mediate effective antitumor T cell responses in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using the DITAS method. Napsin A was identified as a self-antigen that elicited strong CD8(+) T cell responses. These findings may contribute to understanding the immune-related adverse events induced by immune checkpoint blockade therapy.
SCIENCE IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Annika Nelde, Jonas Rieth, Malte Roerden, Marissa L. Dubbelaar, Naomi Hoenisch Gravel, Jens Bauer, Reinhild Klein, Tobias Hoheisel, Hartmut Mahrhofer, Siri Goepel, Michael Bitzer, Sebastian Hoerber, Andreas Peter, Jonas S. Heitmann, Juliane S. Walz
Summary: Levels of soluble HLA molecules (sHLA) are significantly increased in COVID-19 patients and convalescent individuals, positively correlating with SARS-CoV-2-directed cellular immunity. Severe COVID-19 cases show reduced sHLA levels. The soluble immunopeptidome in COVID-19 patients exhibits increased diversity of HLA-presented peptides, and a SARS-CoV-2-derived peptide from the viral nucleoprotein is identified. Levels of sHLA directly correlate with the diversity of the soluble immunopeptidome.
Article
Oncology
Lena Muehlenbruch, Tsima Abou-Kors, Marissa L. L. Dubbelaar, Leon Bichmann, Oliver Kohlbacher, Martin Bens, Jaya Thomas, Jasmin Ezic, Johann M. M. Kraus, Hans A. A. Kestler, Adrian von Witzleben, Joannis Mytilineos, Daniel Fuerst, Daphne Engelhardt, Johannes Doescher, Jens Greve, Patrick J. J. Schuler, Marie-Nicole Theodoraki, Cornelia Brunner, Thomas K. K. Hoffmann, Hans-Georg Rammensee, Juliane S. S. Walz, Simon Laban
Summary: HLA-presented peptides in OPSCC tumour tissue were identified through mass spectrometry analysis. A peptide warehouse of OPSCC-associated peptides was established, which can be used for immunogenicity testing and peptide-based immunotherapy.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Sarah M. Schroeder, Annika Nelde, Juliane S. Walz
Summary: T-cell immunity is crucial for controlling viral infections, and it involves the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. The viral T-cell epitopes, which are viral peptides presented by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) on virus-infected cells, are essential for T cell recognition of infected cells. Understanding viral T-cell epitopes not only offers a diagnostic tool to study protective T-cell responses in the human population, but also provides potential prophylactic and therapeutic options, such as vaccination and transfer of virus-specific T cells. These approaches have demonstrated effectiveness against various viral infections, especially in immunocompromised patients with insufficient antibody-based immune responses.
SEMINARS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Christopher Hackenbruch, Yacine Maringer, Christian M. Tegeler, Juliane S. Walz, Annika Nelde, Jonas S. Heitmann
Summary: A study found that post-COVID syndrome is associated with increased antibody levels in COVID-19 convalescents. Convalescents with multiple post-infectious symptoms have higher antibody levels. These findings can help identify individuals at higher risk for post-COVID syndrome.
Meeting Abstract
Oncology
M. Wacker, G. Medici, M. Dubbelaar, J. Bauer, A. Nelde, L. Regli, M. Weller, H. R. Salih, H. -G Rammensee, M. C. Neidert, J. S. Walz
ONCOLOGY RESEARCH AND TREATMENT
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Oncology
Honisch N. Gravel, L. Muehlenbruch, M. L. Dubbelaar, A. Nelde, J. Bauer, H. -G Rammensee, M. C. Neidert, J. S. Walz
ONCOLOGY RESEARCH AND TREATMENT
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Oncology
S. Habringer, G. Medici, M. Dubbelaar, J. Bauer, A. Nelde, L. Regli, M. Weller, H. R. Salih, H. G. Rammensee, M. C. Neidert, J. S. Walz
ONCOLOGY RESEARCH AND TREATMENT
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Oncology
C. Hackenbruch, J. S. Heitmann, J. S. Walz, M. Pfluegler, M. Marconato, C. M. Tegeler, J. Reusch, J. Labrenz, R. F. Schlenk, G. Jung, H. R. Salih
ONCOLOGY RESEARCH AND TREATMENT
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Oncology
J. Heitmann, C. Tandler, M. Marconato, T. Habibzade, S. M. Rittig, C. M. Tegeler, A. Nelde, Y. Maringer, S. Jaeger, M. Denk, M. Richter, M. T. Oezbek, K. H. Wiesmueller, J. Bauer, J. Rieht, M. Wacker, S. Schroeder, S. Hoerber, A. Peter, C. Meisner, I. Fischer, M. W. Loeffler, C. A. Peuker, S. Habringer, T. O. Goetze, E. Jaeger, H. G. Rammensee, H. R. Salih, J. S. Walz
ONCOLOGY RESEARCH AND TREATMENT
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Ricky Sinharay, Andreas Neerincx, Arwen Altenburg, Jens Bauer, Mark R. Wills, Juliane S. Walz, Will Gelson, Louise H. Boyle
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2022)
