ABSTRACT
To systematically define molecular features in human tumor cells that determine their degree of sensitivity to human allogeneic natural killer (NK) cells, we quantified the NK cell responsiveness of hundreds of molecularly annotated 'DNA-barcoded' solid tumor cell lines in multiplexed format and applied genome-scale CRISPR-based gene-editing screens in several solid tumor cell lines, to functionally interrogate which genes in tumor cells regulate the response to NK cells. In these orthogonal studies, NK cell-sensitive tumor cells tend to exhibit 'mesenchymal-like' transcriptional programs; high transcriptional signature for chromatin remodeling complexes; high levels of B7-H6 (NCR3LG1); and low levels of HLA-E/antigen presentation genes. Importantly, transcriptional signatures of NK cell-sensitive tumor cells correlate with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) resistance in clinical samples. This study provides a comprehensive map of mechanisms regulating tumor cell responses to NK cells, with implications for future biomarker-driven applications of NK cell immunotherapies.
Subject(s)
Cytotoxicity, Immunologic/genetics , Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/genetics , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/pharmacology , Killer Cells, Natural/physiology , Allogeneic Cells/physiology , Animals , B7 Antigens/genetics , Cell Line, Tumor , Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly/physiology , Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic/methods , Cytotoxicity, Immunologic/physiology , Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/drug effects , Female , Genome, Human , Histocompatibility Antigens Class I/genetics , Histocompatibility Antigens Class I/immunology , Humans , Mice, Inbred NOD , Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays , HLA-E AntigensABSTRACT
The present behavioural investigation evaluates the antidepressant potential of ondansetron (OND), a widely used (in management of cancer chemotherapy-induced nausea and emesis) 5-HT3 receptor antagonist. Separate groups of mice received acute or chronic treatment of OND (0.005-1000 microg/kg), and were subjected to spontaneous locomotor activity test or antidepressant assays, namely, the forced swim and tail suspension tests. Interaction studies with fluoxetine, venlafaxine, desipramine and 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino) tetralin were conducted in the forced swim test. The effect of OND (0.01-1000 microg/kg) in combination with paroxetine (10 mg/kg, for 14 days) on the behaviour of male bulbectomized or sham-operated rats was also assessed. The postbulbectomy behavioural analysis included exploration in the open field and elevated plus maze. OND exhibited a biphasic dose-response profile, with antidepressant-like effects peaking at 0.1 microg/kg, in the forced swim and tail suspension tests. None of the tested doses influenced spontaneous locomotor activity. Chronic OND pretreatment augmented the antidepressant effects of fluoxetine and venlafaxine but did not influence the effects of desipramine or 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino) tetralin. Chronic OND (10 microg/kg) reversed hyperactivity in the open field, and decreased the percentage entry and time spent in open arms in the elevated plus maze. Summing up, it is observed that OND exhibits antidepressant-like effects, possibly mediated through postsynaptic 5-HT3 receptors.
