Review
Immunology
Timothy N. J. Bullock
Summary: Advances in checkpoint blockade immunotherapies have led to an expansion in methods for promoting T cell access to the tumor microenvironment, with dendritic cells playing a crucial role in the immune response to tumor antigens. The role of CD40 as a master regulator of dendritic cell activation in cancer vaccines and other immune-oncology approaches is highlighted and evaluated.
CELLULAR & MOLECULAR IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Yue Liu, Joanna Pagacz, Donald J. Wolfgeher, Kenneth D. Bromerg, Jacob Gorman, Stephen J. Kron
Summary: Antigen presentation may be the limiting factor in the low immune response to radiation therapy, and combining immune checkpoint blockade does not restore cytotoxic T lymphocytes function. Therapeutic vaccines based on senescent tumor cells or SnC-activated dendritic cells have the potential to enhance immune therapies and limit recurrence or metastasis.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xuedan He, Shiqi Zhou, Wei-Chiao Huang, Amal Seffouh, Moustafa T. Mabrouk, M. Thomas Morgan, Joaquin Ortega, Scott Abrams, Jonathan F. Lovell
Summary: A new vaccine adjuvant system was developed to induce strong cellular immune responses against multiple tumor cell lines, demonstrating durable immunity. The system showed the importance of stable particle formation for effective immune response induction and could control local and metastatic disease in a therapeutic setting.
Review
Immunology
Sarah I. M. Sutherland, Xinsheng Ju, L. G. Horvath, Georgina J. Clark
Summary: Despite the success of using checkpoint inhibitors to reprim T cells to recognize tumors in certain malignancies, including melanoma, lung, and renal cell carcinoma, many tumors, such as prostate cancer, remain resistant to such treatment. DC-based immunotherapy, such as Sipuleucel-T, has shown improved overall survival in prostate cancer, but further research into DC vaccines has been limited. Understanding the immunosuppressive environment of prostate cancer and developing new vaccine strategies that can overcome this environment is essential for future success in immunotherapy.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yunkai Yang, Xiaohan Guo, Bo Hu, Peng He, Xiaowu Jiang, Zuohuan Wang, Huaxing Zhu, Lina Hu, Minghua Yu, Meiqing Feng
Summary: The fusion protein SNU containing SecPen and ubiquitin-fused NY-ESO-1 loaded onto dendritic cells can elicit stronger and specific T cell immune responses, resulting in increased cytotoxicity towards MC38(NY-ESO-1) tumor cells.
ACTA PHARMACEUTICA SINICA B
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lisa G. M. Huis In 't Veld, Nataschja Ho, Melisssa Wassink, Martijn H. den Brok, Gosse J. Adema
Summary: Saponin-based adjuvants (SBAs) are a promising new type of adjuvant that can enhance dendritic cell-mediated antigen cross-presentation and activate CD8 + T cells by inducing lipid bodies. The study reveals that SBAs specifically induce the PERK pathway and depend on its activation for dendritic cell cross-presentation. Additionally, the MHCII(lo)CD11b(hi) subset of dendritic cells shows the highest responsiveness to SBAs.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Kazuhiko Matsuo, Osamu Yoshie, Kosuke Kitahata, Momo Kamei, Yuta Hara, Takashi Nakayama
Summary: Cancer immunotherapy has gained considerable attention recently, particularly in the development of dendritic cell-based vaccines. Targeted delivery to cross-presenting dendritic cells can induce CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocytes against exogenous antigens, offering a new hope for cancer treatment.
Review
Oncology
Alexandre Poirier, Michel L. Tremblay
Summary: Dendritic cells have the ability to mount T cell responses against tumors, but their effectiveness in vaccination against established malignancies is limited. New insights into signaling cascades and targeted strategies have been found to enhance dendritic cell activity and promote anti-tumor therapy.
CANCER IMMUNOLOGY IMMUNOTHERAPY
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Xi Zhang, Tianhui He, Yuan Li, Ling Chen, Hongyu Liu, Yu Wu, Hongyan Guo
Summary: Ovarian cancer is characterized by uncertain presentation and poor outcomes, with surgery and chemotherapy being the current basis of treatment. However, there are limitations due to advanced stage at diagnosis and high recurrence rate. The use of anti-VEGF agents, PARP inhibitors, and immunotherapies are being explored to enhance treatment outcomes, but the population that can benefit from these treatments remains limited.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Zsofia Penzes, Shahrzad Alimohammadi, Dorottya Horvath, Attila Olah, Balazs Istvan Toth, Attila Bacsi, Attila Gabor Szollosi
Summary: Extracts and compounds from hemp are gaining popularity in the treatment of various diseases, with topical formulations for dermatological conditions leading the way. This study investigates the effects of different phytocannabinoids on human dendritic cells, and shows that CBD achieves its anti-inflammatory effect by reprogramming cells during long-term treatment.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luis Mejias Sosa, Alvaro Lopez-Janeiro, Alicia Cordoba Iturriagagoitia, Pablo Sala, Belen P. Solans, Laura Hato, Susana Inoges, Ascension Lopez-Diaz de Cerio, Francisco Guillen-Grima, Jaime Espinos, Susana De la Cruz, Maria Dolores Lozano, Miguel A. Idoate, Marta Santisteban
Summary: This study found that the addition of dendritic cell vaccines (DCV) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) led to a slight increase in the proportion of CD8 cells in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) samples, but the increase was not statistically significant. However, a higher CD8 cell proportion was associated with pathological complete response in the vaccinated group. Overall, stimulating the antitumor immune system using DCV and NAC may be beneficial for TNBC patients.
Article
Oncology
Courtney T. Stump, Gregory Ho, Chenkai Mao, Frank A. Veliz, Veronique Beiss, Jennifer Fields, Nicole F. Steinmetz, Steven Fiering
Summary: Ovarian cancer has poor survival rates, with a significant need for treatments that prevent relapse. Research suggests that using personalized vaccines during remission could be an effective strategy. This study demonstrates the potential of using irradiated tumor tissue and immune adjuvants as a feasible treatment option for ovarian cancer.
Article
Oncology
Philippa Meiser, Moritz A. Knolle, Anna Hirschberger, Gustavo P. de Almeida, Felix Bayerl, Sebastian Lacher, Anna-Marie Pedde, Sophie Flommersfeld, Julian Hoenninger, Leonhard Stark, Fabian Stoegbauer, Martina Anton, Markus Wirth, Dirk Wohlleber, Katja Steiger, Veit R. Buchholz, Barbara Wollenberg, Christina E. Zielinski, Rickmer Braren, Daniel Rueckert, Percy A. Knolle, Georgios Kaissis, Jan P. Boettcher
Summary: A study found that the clustering of immune cells within tumors, orchestrated by a specific type of immune cell called cDC1, is a unique feature associated with effective anti-cancer immunity. These clusters promote the activation and expansion of stem-like CD8+ T cells, which play a crucial role in cancer immune control. This finding has important implications for cancer therapy.
Article
Cell Biology
Dylan Kwart, Jing He, Subhashini Srivatsan, Clarissa Lett, Jacquelynn Golubov, Erin M. Oswald, Patrick Poon, Xuan Ye, Janelle Waite, Arielle Glatman Zaretsky, Sokol Haxhinasto, Elsa Au-Yeung, Namita T. Gupta, Joyce Chiu, Christina Adler, Samvitha Cherravuru, Evangelia Malahias, Nicole Negron, Kathryn Lanza, Angel Coppola, Min Ni, Hang Song, Yi Wei, Gurinder S. Atwal, Lynn Macdonald, Nicole Stokes Oristian, William Poueymirou, Vladimir Jankovic, Matthew Fury, Israel Lowy, Andrew J. Murphy, Matthew A. Sleeman, Bei Wang, Dimitris Skokos
Summary: This study identifies endogenous cancer cell-derived type I interferons (IFNs) as regulators of monocyte functional polarization, which in turn influences the efficacy of immunotherapies. By analyzing single-cell transcriptomic data from human and mouse tumors, the researchers distinguish and separate immunostimulatory from immunosuppressive tumor monocytes based on surface marker expression. They show that cancer cell-derived IFNs regulated by cGAS-STING pathway can polarize immunostimulatory monocytes and demonstrate that immunosuppressive monocytes can convert into immunostimulatory monocytes upon cancer cell-intrinsic cGAS-STING activation. Moreover, the study finds that human cancer cells can produce type I IFNs that polarize monocytes, and the immunostimulatory monocyte gene signature is enriched in patient tumors that respond to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.
Review
Immunology
Olga Zimmermannova, Ines Caiado, Alexandra G. Ferreira, Carlos-Filipe Pereira
Summary: The development of cancer immunotherapy is based on advances in understanding the interaction between cancer cells and the immune system, with cell fate reprogramming providing new alternatives for personalized immunotherapy. Technologies such as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) enable the study and generation of clinically useful immune cells, offering potential for enhancing anti-tumor properties and addressing challenges in cellular immunotherapy. Advances in in vivo reprogramming and gene delivery mechanisms are opening exciting avenues for direct manipulation of immune or tumor cells in situ, providing new tools for overcoming obstacles in cancer immunotherapy.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
