Project description:The discovery of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) within the tumor tissues provides a promising avenue to promote the response rate of cancer immunotherapy. Yet, the lack of effective strategies to promote TLS formation poses a substantial obstacle. Thus, the exploration of potential inducers for TLS formation is of great interest but remains challenging. Here, inspired by the mechanism of artificially cultivated pearls, a covalent organic frameworks (COFs) was employed to promote the formation of TLS. Single-cell sequencing analysis revealed that this was achieved by promoting the cytokine hypersecretion to facilitate the maturation, proliferation, and migration of T and B cells, critical for trigger TLS formation. Furthermore, the high efficacy of COF-mediated phototherapy in inducing TLS formation was validated in both the MC38 and 4MOSC1 tumor models. Moreover, an efficient synergism between COF-mediated phototherapy and αCTLA-4 was observed, which was able to effectively eradicate both primary and distant tumors, and inhibit tumor recurrence. This study underscores a new approach of boosting cancer immunotherapy through COF triggered TLS formation.
Project description:The formation of TLSs induced by oncolytic virus treatment can enhance the anti-tumor response of oral cancer. Therefore, oncolytic virotherapy in vivo is a good strategy. To understand the mechanism of post-treatment changes, we collected oHSV-treated tumors for RNA-seq.
Project description:The presence of B cells in tumors have been recently reported to predict the better prognosis of patients with cancer. B cells were found primarily in so-called tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) in tumor. TLSs are ectopic lymphoid aggregates that form at sites of micro-secondary lymphoid organs, including a B cell follicle with a network of follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) surrounded by T cell zone composed of CD4+ T follicular helper (Tfh) cells and CD8+ T cells and high endothelial venules (HEVs). The presence of TLS is associated with positive outcomes in several human malignancie and More importantly, TLSs enriched in B cells have been proven beneficial for response to ICB in multiple types of cancer. Here, we establish tobacco-associated HNSCC mouse model with TLS enrichment by overexpression of LIGHT in tumor to evaluate the TLS influence in HPV- HNSCC and immunotherapy in HPV- HNSCC.
Project description:Immunotherapy provides an alternative approach for cancer treatment. However, in-depth analyses of the effects of immunotherapy on the tumor microenvironment (TME) have not been conducted in non-melanoma tumors. Here we describe changes in the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) TME following immunotherapy treatment, and show for the first time that vaccine-based immunotherapy directly alters the TME, inducing neogenesis of tertiary lymphoid structures that convert immunologically quiescent tumors into immunologically active tumors. Alterations in five pathways important for immune modulation and lymphoid structure development (TH17/Treg, NFkB, Ubiquitin-proteasome, Chemokines/chemokine receptors, and Integrins/adhesion molecules) in vaccine-induced intratumoral lymphoid aggregates were associated with improved post-vaccination responses. Additional studies in other cancers and patients treated with other forms of immunotherapy are warranted to further develop signatures defined in intratumoral lymphoid structures into biomarkers that predict effective anti-tumor immune responses. These signatures may also expose therapeutic targets for promoting more robust antitumor immune responses in the TME. Between July 2008 and September 2012, 59 patients were enrolled into an ongoing study of an irradiated, allogeneic GM-CSF-secreting pancreatic tumor vaccine (GVAX) administered intradermally either alone or in combination with immune modulatory doses of cyclophophamide (Cy) as neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment for patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Patients were randomized 1:1:1 to 3 treatment arms. In Arm A, patients received GVAX alone; in Arm B, patients received GVAX plus a single intravenous dose of Cy at 200 mg/m2 1 day prior to each vaccination; in Arm C, patients received GVAX plus oral Cy at 100 mg once daily for 1 week on and 1 week off. Up to 6 GVAX treatments were administered and all of the patients remained in their initial treatment arms throughout the duration of the study. All 59 of the patients received the 1st GVAX treatment 2 weeks +/-4 days prior to surgery. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks of surgically resected PDAC were obtained from the pathology archive. FFPE tissue blocks from each subject were stained by H&E immediately before the vaccine therapy-induced lymphoid aggregates were microdissected . To better understand the functional status of these vaccine therapy induced lymphoid aggregate structures, gene microarray analysis on RNA isolated from microdissected lymphoid aggregates was performed. Gene expression was compared among samples grouped according to patient overall survival, post-vaccination induction of enhanced mesothelin-specific T cell responses in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), and the intratumoral CD8+ T effector to FoxP3+ Treg ratio. Post-vaccination induction of enhanced mesothelin-specific T cell responses has been reported to correlate with longer survival in patients treated with Panc GVAX.
Project description:Immunotherapy provides an alternative approach for cancer treatment. However, in-depth analyses of the effects of immunotherapy on the tumor microenvironment (TME) have not been conducted in non-melanoma tumors. Here we describe changes in the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) TME following immunotherapy treatment, and show for the first time that vaccine-based immunotherapy directly alters the TME, inducing neogenesis of tertiary lymphoid structures that convert immunologically quiescent tumors into immunologically active tumors. Alterations in five pathways important for immune modulation and lymphoid structure development (TH17/Treg, NFkB, Ubiquitin-proteasome, Chemokines/chemokine receptors, and Integrins/adhesion molecules) in vaccine-induced intratumoral lymphoid aggregates were associated with improved post-vaccination responses. Additional studies in other cancers and patients treated with other forms of immunotherapy are warranted to further develop signatures defined in intratumoral lymphoid structures into biomarkers that predict effective anti-tumor immune responses. These signatures may also expose therapeutic targets for promoting more robust antitumor immune responses in the TME.
Project description:Tertiary lymphoid structures are immune cell aggregates linked with cancer outcomes, but their interactions with tumour cell aggregates are unclear. Using nasopharyngeal carcinoma as a model, we analyse single-cell transcriptomes of 343,829 cells from 77 biopsy and blood samples and spatially-resolved transcriptomes of 31,316 spots from 15 tumours to decipher their components and interactions with tumour cell aggregates. We identify essential cell populations in tertiary lymphoid structure, including CXCL13+ cancer-associated fibroblasts, stem-like CXCL13+CD8+ T cells, and B and T follicular helper cells. Our study shows that germinal centre reaction matures plasma cells. These plasma cells intersperse with tumour cell aggregates, promoting apoptosis of EBV-related malignant cells and enhancing immunotherapy response. CXCL13+ cancer-associated fibroblasts promote B cell adhesion and antibody production, activating CXCL13+CD8+ T cells that become exhausted in tumour cell aggregates. Tertiary lymphoid structure-related cell signatures correlate with prognosis and PD-1 blockade response, offering insights for therapeutic strategies in cancers.
Project description:Glioblastomas (GBM) are aggressive primary brain tumors with an inherent resistance to T cell-centric immunotherapy imparted to their low mutational burden and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Examination of the GBM TME dynamics following fractionated RT revealed a 10-fold increase in T cell content, an enrichment also observed by spatial imaging mass cytometry in matched primary and recurrent human GBM. Implementation of a-PD-1 treatment at the peak of T cell infiltration results in a modest, albeit distinct survival benefit compared to concurrent a-PD-1 administration in GBM-bearing mice. CD103+ Tregs presenting increased cholesterol pathway activity are recruited to the GBM TME in response to a-PD-1 therapy, suggestive of their ability to restrain the response to immune checkpoint blockade. Targeting of Tregs elicits the formation of tertiary lymphoid structures, enhanced CD8 T cell content and activation and enables the therapeutic efficacy of radio-immunotherapy. These results support the rational design of therapeutic regimens limiting the induction of immunosuppressive feedback pathways in order to unleash the efficacy of T-cell centric immunotherapy in glioblastoma.