Characterization of Natural Killer cells infiltrating irradiated murine tumors through flow cytometry.

The radiation-induced immune response is increasingly well documented. However, some aspects remain unclear, notably the role of Natural Killer (NK) cells, a subgroup of innate lymphoid cells involved in the antitumor response, in the response to RT. It therefore seems necessary to better characterize NK cells infiltrating irradiated tumors in order to better understand the mechanisms of action of RT, enabling its subsequent optimization and combination with other immunomodulatory treatments. A key technology for studying intratumoral immune cells is flow cytometry, which can simultaneously quantify and analyze the phenotype of numerous cells. Here, we propose a method for phenotyping intratumoral NK cells through flow cytometry in mice bearing colorectal tumors treated with radiotherapy. This procedure can also be used to study the radiation-induced NK cell response in a wide range of solid tumors.

Targeting two radiation-induced immunosuppressive pathways to improve the efficacy of normofractionated radiation therapy in a preclinical colorectal cancer model.

PURPOSE: We have previously demonstrated in a murine colorectal cancer model that normofractionated RT (normoRT: 18 × 2 Gy) induced MDSC infiltration and PD-L1 expression, while hypofractionated RT (hypoRT: 3 × 8 Gy) induced Treg. Here, we wanted to assess whether the association of normoRT with treatments that target two radiation-induced immunosuppressive pathways (MDSC and PD-L1) could improve tumor control. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Subcutaneous tumors were induced using colon tumor cells (CT26) in immunocompetent mice (BALB/c) and were treated with RT alone (18 × 2 Gy or 3 × 8 Gy), or concomitantly with 5-Fluorouracil (5FU) (10 mg/kg) to deplete MDSC, and/or anti-PD-L1 (10 mg/kg). We assessed the impact of these combinations on tumor growth and immune cells infiltration by flow cytometry. In addition, we performed tumor rechallenge experiments and IFN-γ ELISpots to study the long-term memory response. RESULTS: Even though tumor growth was significantly delayed in the RT + 5FU compared to 5FU and untreated groups (p < .05), there was no significant difference between RT + 5FU (CRT) and RT alone. The rate of MDSC increased significantly 1 week after the end of normoRT (8.09% ± 1.03%, p < .05) and decreased with the addition of 5FU (3.39% ± 0.69%, p < .05). PD-L1 expressing tumor cells were increased after treatment. Adding anti-PD-L1 significantly delayed tumor growth, achieved the highest complete response rate, and induced a long-lasting protective specific anti-tumor immunity. CONCLUSIONS: These results tend to demonstrate the interest of inhibiting two radiation-induced immunosuppressive mechanisms. In patients, the combination of normoRT with 5FU is already the standard of care in locally advanced rectal cancer. Adding an anti-PD-L1 to this treatment could show promising results.

About the Influence of PEG Spacers on the Cytotoxicity of Titanate Nanotubes-Docetaxel Nanohybrids against a Prostate Cancer Cell Line.

The association between chemotherapeutic drugs and metal oxide nanoparticles has sparked a rapidly growing interest in cancer nanomedicine. The elaboration of new engineered docetaxel (DTX)-nanocarriers based on titanate nanotubes (TiONts) was reported. The idea was to maintain the drug inside cancer cells and avoid multidrug resistance mechanisms, which often limit drug efficacy by decreasing their intracellular concentrations in tumor cells. HS-PEGn-COOH (PEG: polyethylene glycol, n = 3000, 5000, 10,000) was conjugated, in an organic medium by covalent linkages, on TiONts surface. This study aimed to investigate the influence of different PEG derivatives chain lengths on the TiONts colloidal stability, on the PEGn density and conformation, as well as on the DTX biological activity in a prostate cancer model (human PC-3 prostate adenocarcinoma cells). In vitro tests highlighted significant cytotoxicities of the drug after loading DTX on PEGn-modified TiONts (TiONts-PEGn-DTX). Higher grafting densities for shorter PEGylated chains were most favorable on DTX cytotoxicity by promoting both colloidal stability in biological media and cells internalization. This promising strategy involves a better understanding of nanohybrid engineering, particularly on the PEGylated chain length influence, and can thus become a potent tool in nanomedicine to fight against cancer.

Impact of proton therapy on antitumor immune response.

Radiotherapy delivered using photons induces an immune response that leads to modulation of the tumor microenvironment. Clinical studies are ongoing to evaluate immune checkpoint inhibitors in association with photon radiotherapy. At present, there is no publication on the radio-induced immune response after proton therapy. Balb/c mice bearing subcutaneous CT26 colon tumors were irradiated by a single fraction of 16.4 Gy using a proton beam extracted from a TR24 cyclotron. RNA sequencing analysis was assessed at 3 days post-treatment. Proton therapy immune response was monitored by flow cytometry using several panels (lymphoid, myeloid cells, lymphoid cytokines) at 7 and 14 days post-irradiation. RNA-Seq functional profiling identified a large number of GO categories linked to "immune response" and "interferon signaling". Immunomonitoring evaluation showed induced tumor infiltration by immune cells. This is the first study showing the effect of proton therapy on immune response. These interesting results provide a sound basis to assess the efficacy of a combination of proton therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Radiotherapy Scheme Effect on PD-L1 Expression for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.

In locally advanced rectal cancer, radiotherapy (RT) followed by surgery have improved locoregional control, but distant recurrences remain frequent. Although checkpoint inhibitors have demonstrated objective response in several cancers, the clinical benefit of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade remains uncertain in rectal cancer. We collected data from biopsies and surgical specimens in 74 patients. The main objective was to evaluate the impact of neoadjuvant RT and fractionation on PD-L1 expression. Secondary objectives were to study the relation between PD-L1 expression and tumor regression grade (TRG), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and CD8 TILs infiltration. Median rates of cells expressing PD-L1 pre- and post-RT were 0.15 (range, 0-17) and 0.5 (range, 0-27.5), respectively (p = 0.0005). There was no effect of RT fractionation on PD-L1+ cell rates. We found no relation between CD8+ TILs infiltration and PD-L1 expression and no difference between high-PD-L1 or low-PD-L1 expression and TRG. High-to-high PD-L1 expression profile had none significant higher OS and PFS compared to all other groups (p = 0.06). Median OS and PFS were higher in biopsies with >0.08 PD-L1+ cells. High-to-high PD-L1 profile and ypT0-2 were significantly associated with higher OS and PFS. This study did not show the differential induction of PD-L1 expression according to fractionation.

Optimized fractionated radiotherapy with anti-PD-L1 and anti-TIGIT: a promising new combination.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE: Radiotherapy (RT) induces an immunogenic antitumor response, but also some immunosuppressive barriers. It remains unclear how different fractionation protocols can modulate the immune microenvironment. Clinical studies are ongoing to evaluate immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in association with RT. However, only few trials aim to optimize the RT fractionation to improve efficacy of these associations. Here we sought to characterize the effect of different fractionation protocols on immune response with a view to associating them with ICI. MATERIALS/METHODS: Mice bearing subcutaneous CT26 colon tumors were irradiated using a SARRP device according to different radiation schemes with a same biologically effective dose. Mice were monitored for tumor growth. The radiation immune response (lymphoid, myeloid cells, lymphoid cytokines and immune checkpoint targets) was monitored by flow cytometry at different timepoints after treatment and by RNA sequencing analysis (RNAseq). The same radiation protocols were performed with and without inhibitors of immune checkpoints modulated by RT. RESULTS: In the absence of ICI, we showed that 18x2Gy and 3x8Gy induced the longest tumor growth delay compared to 1×16.4Gy. While 3x8Gy and 1×16.4Gy induced a lymphoid response (CD8+ T-cells, Regulators T-cells), 18x2Gy induced a myeloid response (myeloid-derived suppressor cells, tumor-associated macrophages 2). The secretion of granzyme B by CD8+ T cells was increased to a greater extent with 3x8Gy. The expression of PD-L1 by tumor cells was moderately increased by RT, but most durably with 18x2Gy. T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT) expression by CD8+ T-cells was increased with 3x8Gy, but decreased with 18x2Gy. These results were also observed with RNAseq. RT was dramatically more effective with 3x8Gy compared to all the other treatments schemes when associated with anti-TIGIT and anti-PD-L1 (9/10 mice in complete response). The association of anti-PD-L1 and RT was also effective in the 18x2Gy group (8/12 mice in complete response). CONCLUSION: Each fractionation scheme induced different lymphoid and myeloid responses as well as various modulations of PD-L1 and TIGIT expression. Furthermore, 3x8Gy was the most effective protocol when associated with anti-PD-L1 and anti-TIGIT. This is the first study combining RT and anti-TIGIT with promising results; further studies are warranted.