RESUMO
Despite extensive studies on the chromatin landscape of exhausted T cells, the transcriptional wiring underlying the heterogeneous functional and dysfunctional states of human tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is incompletely understood. Here, we identify gene-regulatory landscapes in a wide breadth of functional and dysfunctional CD8+ TIL states covering four cancer entities using single-cell chromatin profiling. We map enhancer-promoter interactions in human TILs by integrating single-cell chromatin accessibility with single-cell RNA-seq data from tumor-entity-matching samples and prioritize cell-state-specific genes by super-enhancer analysis. Besides revealing entity-specific chromatin remodeling in exhausted TILs, our analyses identify a common chromatin trajectory to TIL dysfunction and determine key enhancers, transcriptional regulators, and deregulated genes involved in this process. Finally, we validate enhancer regulation at immunotherapeutically relevant loci by targeting non-coding regulatory elements with potent CRISPR activators and repressors. In summary, our study provides a framework for understanding and manipulating cell-state-specific gene-regulatory cues from human tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.
Assuntos
Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos , Neoplasias , Humanos , Neoplasias/genética , Sequências Reguladoras de Ácido Nucleico , Regulação da Expressão Gênica , Cromatina/genética , Linfócitos do Interstício Tumoral , Elementos Facilitadores GenéticosRESUMO
CD4+ effector T cells (Teff cells) and regulatory T cells (Treg cells) undergo metabolic reprogramming to support proliferation and immunological function. Although signaling via the lipid kinase PI(3)K (phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase), the serine-threonine kinase Akt and the metabolic checkpoint kinase complex mTORC1 induces both expression of the glucose transporter Glut1 and aerobic glycolysis for Teff cell proliferation and inflammatory function, the mechanisms that regulate Treg cell metabolism and function remain unclear. We found that Toll-like receptor (TLR) signals that promote Treg cell proliferation increased PI(3)K-Akt-mTORC1 signaling, glycolysis and expression of Glut1. However, TLR-induced mTORC1 signaling also impaired Treg cell suppressive capacity. Conversely, the transcription factor Foxp3 opposed PI(3)K-Akt-mTORC1 signaling to diminish glycolysis and anabolic metabolism while increasing oxidative and catabolic metabolism. Notably, Glut1 expression was sufficient to increase the number of Treg cells, but it reduced their suppressive capacity and Foxp3 expression. Thus, inflammatory signals and Foxp3 balance mTORC1 signaling and glucose metabolism to control the proliferation and suppressive function of Treg cells.
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Fatores de Transcrição Forkhead/metabolismo , Transportador de Glucose Tipo 1/metabolismo , Linfócitos T Auxiliares-Indutores/imunologia , Linfócitos T Reguladores/imunologia , Receptores Toll-Like/metabolismo , Animais , Diferenciação Celular , Proliferação de Células , Células Cultivadas , Transportador de Glucose Tipo 1/genética , Glicólise , Tolerância Imunológica , Alvo Mecanístico do Complexo 1 de Rapamicina , Metabolismo , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Camundongos Transgênicos , Complexos Multiproteicos/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais , Serina-Treonina Quinases TOR/metabolismoRESUMO
Tissue-resident memory CD8+ T (Trm) cells share core residency gene programs with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). However, the transcriptional, metabolic, and epigenetic regulation of Trm cell and TIL development and function is largely undefined. Here, we found that the transcription factor Bhlhe40 was specifically required for Trm cell and TIL development and polyfunctionality. Local PD-1 signaling inhibited TIL Bhlhe40 expression, and Bhlhe40 was critical for TIL reinvigoration following anti-PD-L1 blockade. Mechanistically, Bhlhe40 sustained Trm cell and TIL mitochondrial fitness and a functional epigenetic state. Building on these findings, we identified an epigenetic and metabolic regimen that promoted Trm cell and TIL gene signatures associated with tissue residency and polyfunctionality. This regimen empowered the anti-tumor activity of CD8+ T cells and possessed therapeutic potential even at an advanced tumor stage in mouse models. Our results provide mechanistic insights into the local regulation of Trm cell and TIL function.
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Fatores de Transcrição Hélice-Alça-Hélice Básicos/imunologia , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/imunologia , Proteínas de Homeodomínio/imunologia , Mitocôndrias/imunologia , Animais , Epigênese Genética/imunologia , Regulação da Expressão Gênica/imunologia , Linfócitos do Interstício Tumoral/imunologia , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Receptor de Morte Celular Programada 1/imunologiaRESUMO
D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D-2-HG) accumulates in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with mutated isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) and in other malignancies. D-2-HG suppresses antitumor T-cell immunity but little is known about potential effects on non-malignant myeloid cells. Here we show that D-2-HG impairs human but not murine dendritic cell differentiation, resulting in a tolerogenic phenotype with low major histocompatibility class II expression. In line with this, IDH-mutated AML blasts exhibited lower expression of HLA-DP and were less susceptible to lysis by HLA-DP-specific T cells. Interestingly, besides its expected impact on DNA demethylation, D-2-HG reprogrammed metabolism towards increased lactate production in dendritic cells and AML. Vitamin C accelerated DNA demethylation, but only the combination of vitamin C and glycolytic inhibition lowered lactate levels and supported major histocompatibility complex class II expression. Our results indicate an unexpected link between the immunosuppressive metabolites 2-HG and lactic acid and suggest a potentially novel therapeutic strategy with combinations of anti-glycolytic drugs and epigenetic modulators (hypomethylating agents) or other therapeutics for the treatment of AML.
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Células Dendríticas , Glutaratos , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II , Leucemia Mieloide Aguda , Humanos , Leucemia Mieloide Aguda/tratamento farmacológico , Leucemia Mieloide Aguda/metabolismo , Leucemia Mieloide Aguda/genética , Leucemia Mieloide Aguda/imunologia , Leucemia Mieloide Aguda/patologia , Células Dendríticas/imunologia , Células Dendríticas/metabolismo , Células Dendríticas/efeitos dos fármacos , Glutaratos/metabolismo , Glutaratos/farmacologia , Camundongos , Animais , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/genética , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/metabolismo , Fenótipo , Diferenciação Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Ácido Láctico/metabolismo , Tolerância Imunológica/efeitos dos fármacos , Isocitrato Desidrogenase/genéticaRESUMO
The "glycolytic switch" also known as the "Warburg effect" is a key feature of tumor cells and leads to the accumulation of lactate and protons in the tumor environment. Intriguingly, non-malignant lymphocytes or stromal cells such as tumor-associated macrophages and cancer-associated fibroblasts contribute to the lactate accumulation in the tumor environment, a phenomenon described as the "Reverse Warburg effect." Localized lactic acidosis has a strong immunosuppressive effect and mediates an immune escape of tumors. However, some tumors do not display the Warburg phenotype and either rely on respiration or appear as a mosaic of cells with different metabolic properties. Based on these findings and on the knowledge that T cell infiltration is predictive for patient outcome, we suggest a metabolic-tumor-stroma score to determine the likelihood of a successful anti-tumor immune response: (a) a respiring tumor with high T cell infiltration ("hot"); (b) a reverse Warburg type with respiring tumor cells but glycolytic stromal cells; (c) a mixed type with glycolytic and respiring compartments; and (d) a glycolytic (Warburg) tumor with low T cell infiltration ("cold"). Here, we provide evidence that these types can be independent of the organ of origin, prognostically relevant and might help select the appropriate immunotherapy approach.
Assuntos
Suscetibilidade a Doenças , Metabolismo Energético , Neoplasias/etiologia , Neoplasias/metabolismo , Animais , Fibroblastos Associados a Câncer/metabolismo , Tomada de Decisão Clínica , Gerenciamento Clínico , Humanos , Imunoterapia , Neoplasias/patologia , Neoplasias/terapia , Células Estromais/metabolismo , Microambiente Tumoral/genética , Microambiente Tumoral/imunologiaRESUMO
T effector cells promote inflammation in asthmatic patients, and both Th2 and Th17 CD4 T cells have been implicated in severe forms of the disease. The metabolic phenotypes and dependencies of these cells, however, remain poorly understood in the regulation of airway inflammation. In this study, we show the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of asthmatic patients had markers of elevated glucose and glutamine metabolism. Further, peripheral blood T cells of asthmatics had broadly elevated expression of metabolic proteins when analyzed by mass cytometry compared with healthy controls. Therefore, we hypothesized that glucose and glutamine metabolism promote allergic airway inflammation. We tested this hypothesis in two murine models of airway inflammation. T cells from lungs of mice sensitized with Alternaria alternata extract displayed genetic signatures for elevated oxidative and glucose metabolism by single-cell RNA sequencing. This result was most pronounced when protein levels were measured in IL-17-producing cells and was recapitulated when airway inflammation was induced with house dust mite plus LPS, a model that led to abundant IL-4- and IL-17-producing T cells. Importantly, inhibitors of the glucose transporter 1 or glutaminase in vivo attenuated house dust mite + LPS eosinophilia, T cell cytokine production, and airway hyperresponsiveness as well as augmented the immunosuppressive properties of dexamethasone. These data show that T cells induce markers to support metabolism in vivo in airway inflammation and that this correlates with inflammatory cytokine production. Targeting metabolic pathways may provide a new direction to protect from disease and enhance the effectiveness of steroid therapy.
Assuntos
Asma/tratamento farmacológico , Dexametasona/farmacologia , Transportador de Glucose Tipo 1/antagonistas & inibidores , Glutaminase/antagonistas & inibidores , Imunossupressores/farmacologia , Adulto , Alternaria/imunologia , Animais , Asma/sangue , Asma/imunologia , Biomarcadores/análise , Biomarcadores/metabolismo , Glicemia/metabolismo , Líquido da Lavagem Broncoalveolar/imunologia , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Células Cultivadas , Dexametasona/uso terapêutico , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Sinergismo Farmacológico , Feminino , Transportador de Glucose Tipo 1/metabolismo , Glutaminase/metabolismo , Glutamina/metabolismo , Voluntários Saudáveis , Humanos , Imunossupressores/uso terapêutico , Pulmão/citologia , Pulmão/efeitos dos fármacos , Pulmão/imunologia , Masculino , Camundongos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Cultura Primária de Células , Pyroglyphidae/imunologia , Células Th17/efeitos dos fármacos , Células Th17/imunologia , Células Th17/metabolismo , Células Th2/efeitos dos fármacos , Células Th2/imunologia , Células Th2/metabolismo , Adulto JovemRESUMO
In this issue, Lee et al. (2015) show that PKC directly phosphorylates the glucose transporter Glut1, in order to promote glucose uptake in response to growth factor signaling.
Assuntos
Erros Inatos do Metabolismo dos Carboidratos/genética , Transportador de Glucose Tipo 1/metabolismo , Proteínas de Transporte de Monossacarídeos/deficiência , Proteína Quinase C-alfa/fisiologia , Animais , HumanosRESUMO
In chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), acquired T-cell dysfunction impedes development of effective immunotherapeutic strategies, through as-yet unresolved mechanisms. We have previously shown that CD8+ T cells in CLL exhibit impaired activation and reduced glucose uptake after stimulation. CD8+ T cells in CLL patients are chronically exposed to leukemic B cells, which potentially impacts metabolic homeostasis resulting in aberrant metabolic reprogramming upon stimulation. Here, we report that resting CD8+ T cells in CLL have reduced intracellular glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) reserves, and have an altered mitochondrial metabolic profile as displayed by increased mitochondrial respiration, membrane potential, and levels of reactive oxygen species. This coincided with decreased levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1-α, and in line with that, CLL-derived CD8+ T cells showed impaired mitochondrial biogenesis upon stimulation. In search of a therapeutic correlate of these findings, we analyzed mitochondrial biogenesis in CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) CD8+ T cells prior to infusion in CLL patients (who were enrolled in NCT01747486 and NCT01029366 [https://clinicaltrials.gov]). Interestingly, in cases with a subsequent complete response, the infused CD8+ CAR T cells had increased mitochondrial mass compared with nonresponders, which positively correlated with the expansion and persistence of CAR T cells. Our findings demonstrate that GLUT1 reserves and mitochondrial fitness of CD8+ T cells are impaired in CLL. Therefore, boosting mitochondrial biogenesis in CAR T cells might improve the efficacy of CAR T-cell therapy and other emerging cellular immunotherapies.
Assuntos
Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/metabolismo , Imunoterapia Adotiva , Leucemia Linfocítica Crônica de Células B/metabolismo , Mitocôndrias/metabolismo , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Feminino , Humanos , Leucemia Linfocítica Crônica de Células B/terapia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Biogênese de Organelas , Receptores de Antígenos QuiméricosRESUMO
Heat-inactivation of sera is used to reduce possible disturbing effects of complement factors in cell-culture experiments, but it is controversially discussed whether this procedure is appropriate or could be neglected. Here, we report a strong impact of heat-inactivation of human sera on the activation and effector functions of human CD4+ T cells. While T cells cultured with native sera were characterized by a higher proliferation rate and higher expression of CD28, heat-inactivated sera shaped T cells towards on-blast formation, higher cytokine secretion (interferon γ, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin-17), stronger CD69 and PD-1 expression, and increased metabolic activity. Heat-inactivated sera contained reduced amounts of complement factors and regulators like C1 inhibitor, but increased concentrations of circulating immune complexes. Substitution of C1 inhibitor reduced the beneficial effect of heat-inactivation in terms of cytokine release, whereas surface-molecule expression was affected by the addition of complex forming anti-C1q antibody. Our data clearly demonstrate a beneficial effect of heat-inactivation of human sera for T cell experiments but indicate that beside complement regulators and immune complexes other components might be relevant. Beyond that, this study further underpins the strong impact of the complement system on T cell function.
Assuntos
Complexo Antígeno-Anticorpo/imunologia , Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/imunologia , Proteína Inibidora do Complemento C1/imunologia , Complexo Antígeno-Anticorpo/sangue , Antígenos CD/sangue , Antígenos CD/imunologia , Antígenos de Diferenciação de Linfócitos T/sangue , Antígenos de Diferenciação de Linfócitos T/imunologia , Antígenos CD28/sangue , Antígenos CD28/imunologia , Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/metabolismo , Proteína Inibidora do Complemento C1/metabolismo , Citocinas/sangue , Citocinas/imunologia , Temperatura Alta , Humanos , Lectinas Tipo C/sangue , Lectinas Tipo C/imunologia , Receptor de Morte Celular Programada 1/sangue , Receptor de Morte Celular Programada 1/imunologiaRESUMO
T cells have dramatic functional and proliferative shifts in the course of maintaining immune protection from pathogens and cancer. To support these changes, T cells undergo metabolic reprogramming upon stimulation and again after antigen clearance. Depending on the extrinsic cell signals, T cells can differentiate into functionally distinct subsets that utilize and require diverse metabolic programs. Effector T cells (Teff) enhance glucose and glutamine uptake, whereas regulatory T cells (Treg) do not rely on significant rates of glycolysis. The dependence of these subsets on specific metabolic programs makes T cells reliant on these signaling pathways and nutrients. Metabolic pathways, such as those regulated by mTOR and Myc, augment T cell glycolysis and glutaminolysis programs to promote T cell activity. These pathways respond to signals and control metabolism through both transcriptional or post-transcriptional mechanisms. Epigenetic modifications also play an important role by stabilizing the transcription factors that define subset specific reprogramming. In addition, circadian rhythm cycling may also influence energy use, immune surveillance, and function of T cells. In this review, we focus on the metabolic and nutrient requirements of T cells, and how canonical pathways of growth and metabolism regulate nutrients that are essential for T cell function.
Assuntos
Microambiente Celular , Metabolismo Energético , Subpopulações de Linfócitos T/imunologia , Subpopulações de Linfócitos T/metabolismo , Adaptação Fisiológica , Animais , Relógios Biológicos/genética , Relógios Biológicos/imunologia , Microambiente Celular/imunologia , Epigênese Genética , Regulação da Expressão Gênica , Glucose/metabolismo , Glutamina/metabolismo , Humanos , Linfócitos do Interstício Tumoral/imunologia , Linfócitos do Interstício Tumoral/metabolismo , Linfócitos do Interstício Tumoral/patologia , Neoplasias/imunologia , Neoplasias/metabolismo , Neoplasias/patologia , Transdução de SinaisRESUMO
T cell metabolism has a central role in supporting and shaping immune responses and may have a key role in antitumor immunity. T cell metabolism is normally held under tight regulation in an immune response of glycolysis to promote effector T cell expansion and function. However, tumors may deplete nutrients, generate toxic products, or stimulate conserved negative feedback mechanisms, such as through Programmed Cell Death 1 (PD-1), to impair effector T cell nutrient uptake and metabolic fitness. In addition, regulatory T cells are favored in low glucose conditions and may inhibit antitumor immune responses. Here, we review how the tumor microenvironment modifies metabolic and functional pathways in T cells and how these changes may uncover new targets and challenges for cancer immunotherapy and treatment.
Assuntos
Imunidade/imunologia , Neoplasias/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias/imunologia , Linfócitos T/imunologia , Linfócitos T/metabolismo , Animais , Antineoplásicos/imunologia , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos/uso terapêutico , Humanos , Neoplasias/patologia , Linfócitos T/patologiaRESUMO
Leukemia can promote T cell dysfunction and exhaustion that contributes to increased susceptibility to infection and mortality. The treatment-independent mechanisms that mediate leukemia-associated T cell impairments are poorly understood, but metabolism tightly regulates T cell function and may contribute. In this study, we show that B cell leukemia causes T cells to become activated and hyporesponsive with increased PD-1 and TIM3 expression similar to exhausted T cells and that T cells from leukemic hosts become metabolically impaired. Metabolic defects included reduced Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling, decreased expression of the glucose transporter Glut1 and hexokinase 2, and reduced glucose uptake. These metabolic changes correlated with increased regulatory T cell frequency and expression of PD-L1 and Gal-9 on both leukemic and stromal cells in the leukemic microenvironment. PD-1, however, was not sufficient to drive T cell impairment, as in vivo and in vitro anti-PD-1 blockade on its own only modestly improved T cell function. Importantly, impaired T cell metabolism directly contributed to dysfunction, as a rescue of T cell metabolism by genetically increasing Akt/mTORC1 signaling or expression of Glut1 partially restored T cell function. Enforced Akt/mTORC1 signaling also decreased expression of inhibitory receptors TIM3 and PD-1, as well as partially improved antileukemia immunity. Similar findings were obtained in T cells from patients with acute or chronic B cell leukemia, which were also metabolically exhausted and had defective Akt/mTORC1 signaling, reduced expression of Glut1 and hexokinase 2, and decreased glucose metabolism. Thus, B cell leukemia-induced inhibition of T cell Akt/mTORC1 signaling and glucose metabolism drives T cell dysfunction.
Assuntos
Transportador de Glucose Tipo 1/antagonistas & inibidores , Glucose/metabolismo , Leucemia Linfocítica Crônica de Células B/imunologia , Complexos Multiproteicos/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais , Linfócitos T/imunologia , Serina-Treonina Quinases TOR/metabolismo , Animais , Metabolismo dos Carboidratos , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Glucose/antagonistas & inibidores , Transportador de Glucose Tipo 1/genética , Glicólise , Humanos , Ativação Linfocitária , Alvo Mecanístico do Complexo 1 de Rapamicina , Camundongos , Baço/citologia , Baço/imunologiaRESUMO
Cellular therapies against solid tumors face three major barriers: low persistence, insufficient specificity, and high costs. In a recent study, Pal et al. tackle these challenges in kidney cancer by using novel, 'persistence-tuned' allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells directed against a stable antigen.
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Introduction: The discovery of immune checkpoints and the development of their specific inhibitors was acclaimed as a major breakthrough in cancer therapy. However, only a limited patient cohort shows sufficient response to therapy. Hence, there is a need for identifying new checkpoints and predictive biomarkers with the objective of overcoming immune escape and resistance to treatment. Having been associated with both, treatment response and failure, LDL seems to be a double-edged sword in anti-PD1 immunotherapy. Being embedded into complex metabolic conditions, the impact of LDL on distinct immune cells has not been sufficiently addressed. Revealing the effects of LDL on T cell performance in tumor immunity may enable individual treatment adjustments in order to enhance the response to routinely administered immunotherapies in different patient populations. The object of this work was to investigate the effect of LDL on T cell activation and tumor immunity in-vitro. Methods: Experiments were performed with different LDL dosages (LDLlow = 50 µg/ml and LDLhigh = 200 µg/ml) referring to medium control. T cell phenotype, cytokines and metabolism were analyzed. The functional relevance of our findings was studied in a HCT116 spheroid model in the context of anti-PD-1 blockade. Results: The key points of our findings showed that LDLhigh skewed the CD4+ T cell subset into a central memory-like phenotype, enhanced the expression of the co-stimulatory marker CD154 (CD40L) and significantly reduced secretion of IL-10. The exhaustion markers PD-1 and LAG-3 were downregulated on both T cell subsets and phenotypical changes were associated with a balanced T cell metabolism, in particular with a significant decrease of reactive oxygen species (ROS). T cell transfer into a HCT116 spheroid model resulted in a significant reduction of the spheroid viability in presence of an anti-PD-1 antibody combined with LDLhigh. Discussion: Further research needs to be conducted to fully understand the impact of LDL on T cells in tumor immunity and moreover, to also unravel LDL effects on other lymphocytes and myeloid cells for improving anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. The reason for improved response might be a resilient, less exhausted phenotype with balanced ROS levels.
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Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is frequently infiltrated by immune cells, a process which is governed by chemokines. CD8+ T cells in the RCC tumor microenvironment (TME) may be exhausted which most likely influence therapy response and survival. The aim of this study was to evaluate chemokine-driven T cell recruitment, T cell exhaustion in the RCC TME, as well as metabolic processes leading to their functional anergy in RCC. Eight publicly available bulk RCC transcriptome collectives (n=1819) and a single cell RNAseq dataset (n=12) were analyzed. Immunodeconvolution, semi-supervised clustering, gene set variation analysis and Monte Carlo-based modeling of metabolic reaction activity were employed. Among 28 chemokine genes available, CXCL9/10/11/CXCR3, CXCL13/CXCR5 and XCL1/XCR1 mRNA expression were significantly increased in RCC compared to normal kidney tissue and also strongly associated with tumor-infiltrating effector memory and central memory CD8+ T cells in all investigated collectives. M1 TAMs, T cells, NK cells as well as tumor cells were identified as the major sources of these chemokines, whereas T cells, B cells and dendritic cells were found to predominantly express the cognate receptors. The cluster of RCCs characterized by high chemokine expression and high CD8+ T cell infiltration displayed a strong activation of IFN/JAK/STAT signaling with elevated expression of multiple T cell exhaustion-associated transcripts. Chemokinehigh RCCs were characterized by metabolic reprogramming, in particular by downregulated OXPHOS and increased IDO1-mediated tryptophan degradation. None of the investigated chemokine genes was significantly associated with survival or response to immunotherapy. We propose a chemokine network that mediates CD8+ T cell recruitment and identify T cell exhaustion, altered energy metabolism and high IDO1 activity as key mechanisms of their suppression. Concomitant targeting of exhaustion pathways and metabolism may pose an effective approach to RCC therapy.
Assuntos
Carcinoma de Células Renais , Neoplasias Renais , Humanos , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos , Exaustão das Células T , Quimiocinas/genética , Quimiocina CXCL9/genética , Microambiente TumoralRESUMO
Fumarate hydratase (FH) - deficient renal cell carcinoma (FHdRCC) is a rare aggressive subtype of RCC caused by a germline or sporadic loss-of-function mutation in the FH gene. Here, we summarize how FH deficiency results in the accumulation of fumarate, which in turn leads to activation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) through inhibition of prolyl hydroxylases. HIF promotes tumorigenesis by orchestrating a metabolic switch to glycolysis even under normoxia, a phenomenon well-known as the Warburg effect. HIF activates the transcription of many genes, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Crosstalk between HIF and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has also been described as a tumor-promoting mechanism. In this review we discuss therapeutic options for FHdRCC with a focus on anti-angiogenesis and EGFR-blockade. We also address potential targets that arise within the metabolic escape routes taken by FH-deficient cells for cell growth and survival.
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Although the discovery of immune checkpoints was hailed as a major breakthrough in cancer therapy, generating a sufficient response to immunotherapy is still limited. Thus, the objective of this exploratory, hypothesis-generating study was to identify potentially novel peripheral biomarkers and discuss the possible predictive relevance of combining scarcely investigated metabolic and hormonal markers with immune subsets. Sixteen markers that differed significantly between responders and non-responders were identified. In a further step, the correlation with progression-free survival (PFS) and false discovery correction (Benjamini and Hochberg) revealed potential predictive roles for the immune subset absolute lymphocyte count (rs = 0.51; p = 0.0224 *), absolute basophil count (rs = 0.43; p = 0.04 *), PD-1+ monocytes (rs = -0.49; p = 0.04 *), hemoglobin (rs = 0.44; p = 0.04 *), metabolic markers LDL (rs = 0.53; p = 0.0224 *), free androgen index (rs = 0.57; p = 0.0224 *) and CRP (rs = -0.46; p = 0.0352 *). The absolute lymphocyte count, LDL and free androgen index were the most significant individual markers, and combining the immune subsets with the metabolic markers into a biomarker ratio enhanced correlation with PFS (rs = -0.74; p ≤ 0.0001 ****). In summary, in addition to well-established markers, we identified PD-1+ monocytes and the free androgen index as potentially novel peripheral markers in the context of immunotherapy. Furthermore, the combination of immune subsets with metabolic and hormonal markers may have the potential to enhance the power of future predictive scores and should, therefore, be investigated further in larger trials.
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Androgênios , Receptor de Morte Celular Programada 1 , Biomarcadores , Humanos , Fatores Imunológicos , ImunoterapiaRESUMO
The serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3 is accepted as marker for a person's vitamin D status but its role for the outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is controversially discussed. The impact of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 on HSCT outcome, however, has never been studied. In a discovery cohort of 143 HSCT patients we repeatedly (day -16 to 100) measured 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 and in comparison the well-established marker for serum vitamin D status 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3. Only lower 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 levels around HSCT (day -2 to 7, peritransplant) were significantly associated with higher 1-year treatment-related mortality (TRM) risk (Mann-Whitney U test, P = 0.001). This was confirmed by Cox-model regression without and with adjustment for baseline risk factors and severe acute Graft-versus-Host disease (aGvHD; unadjusted P = 0.001, adjusted P = 0.005). The optimal threshold for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 to identify patients at high risk was 139.5 pM. Also in three replication cohorts consisting of altogether 365 patients 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 levels below 139.5 pM had a 3.3-fold increased risk of TRM independent of severe aGvHD compared to patients above 139.5 pM (Cox-model unadjusted P < 0.0005, adjusted P = 0.001). Our data highlight peritransplant 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 levels but not the commonly monitored 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3 levels as potent predictor of 1-year TRM and suggest to monitor both vitamin D metabolites in HSCT patients.
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Doença Enxerto-Hospedeiro , Transplante de Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas , Biomarcadores , Calcifediol , Doença Enxerto-Hospedeiro/etiologia , Humanos , Vitamina DRESUMO
BACKGROUND: L-kynurenine is a tryptophan-derived immunosuppressive metabolite and precursor to neurotoxic anthranilate and quinolinate. We evaluated the stereoisomer D-kynurenine as an immunosuppressive therapeutic which is hypothesized to produce less neurotoxic metabolites than L-kynurenine. METHODS: L-/D-kynurenine effects on human and murine T cell function were examined in vitro and in vivo (homeostatic proliferation, colitis, cardiac transplant). Kynurenine effects on T cell metabolism were interrogated using [13C] glucose, glutamine and palmitate tracing. Kynurenine was measured in tissues from human and murine tumours and kynurenine-fed mice. FINDINGS: We observed that 1 mM D-kynurenine inhibits T cell proliferation through apoptosis similar to L-kynurenine. Mechanistically, [13C]-tracing revealed that co-stimulated CD4+ T cells exposed to L-/D-kynurenine undergo increased ß-oxidation depleting fatty acids. Replenishing oleate/palmitate restored effector T cell viability. We administered dietary D-kynurenine reaching tissue kynurenine concentrations of 19 µM, which is close to human kidney (6 µM) and head and neck cancer (14 µM) but well below the 1 mM required for apoptosis. D-kynurenine protected Rag1-/- mice from autoimmune colitis in an aryl-hydrocarbon receptor dependent manner but did not attenuate more stringent immunological challenges such as antigen mismatched cardiac allograft rejection. INTERPRETATION: Our dietary kynurenine model achieved tissue concentrations at or above human cancer kynurenine and exhibited only limited immunosuppression. Sub-suppressive kynurenine concentrations in human cancers may limit the responsiveness to indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase inhibition evaluated in clinical trials. FUNDING: The study was supported by the NIH, the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Foundation, Laffey McHugh foundation, and American Society of Nephrology.