Project description:Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most lethal malignancies in the United States with poor survival and high recurrence rates, suggesting the need for approaches targeting the most important molecular drivers of tumor growth. Here, we aimed to simultaneously target oncomiRs 10b and 21, which have been reported to drive the aggressive growth and invasiveness of GBM. We designed short (8-mer bases) gamma-(g)-modified peptide nucleic acids (sPNAs), which target the seed region of oncomiRs 10b and 21 with high affinity. We entrapped these anti-miR sgPNAs in nanoparticles (NPs) formed from a block copolymer of poly(lactic acid) and hyperbranched polyglycerol (PLA-HPG). The surfaces of the NPs were functionalized with aldehydes to produce bioadhesive NPs: we have previously shown that these bioadhesive NPs (BNPs) produce superior transfection efficiency, with a tropism for tumor cells. The sgPNA BNPs showed superior anti-miR efficacy in comparison to the regular full length PNA BNPs in vitro. When combined with temozolomide, sgPNABNPs administered via convection-enhanced delivery (CED) inhibited the growth of intracranial tumors and significantly improved the survival of animals (>120 days). RNA sequencing analysis revealed the downregulation of multiple genes associated with PI3-Akt, focal adhesion, and hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) pathway to inhibit GBM progression after simultaneous inhibition of oncomiRs 10b and 21. Hence, we established that BNPs loaded with anti-seed sgPNAstargeting multiple oncomiRs is a promising approach to improve the treatment of GBM, with a potential to personalize treatment based on tumor specific oncomiRs.
Project description:Intracranial B16 melanoma tumors isolated from C57Bl6 mice were analyzed by mRNAseq. Four experimental groups were analyzed: (1) Mice with intracranial tumors receiving IgG; (2) Mice with intracranial tumors receiving anti-PD-1 plus anti-CTLA-4 therapy; (3) Mice with intracranial plus extracranial tumors receiving IgG; (4) Mice with intracranial plus extracranial tumors receiving anti-PD-1 plus anti-CTLA-4 therapy. Taggart et al., PNAS 2018;
Project description:Comparing Neoantigen Cancer Vaccines and Immune Checkpoint Therapy Unveils an Effective Vaccine and Anti-TREM2 Macrophage-Targeting Dual Therapy [neoAgSpCD8Tcells]
Project description:Comparing Neoantigen Cancer Vaccines and Immune Checkpoint Therapy Unveils an Effective Vaccine and Anti-TREM2 Macrophage-Targeting Dual Therapy [CD45]
Project description:The goal of therapeutic cancer vaccines and immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) is to eliminate cancer by expanding and/or sustaining T cells with anti-tumor capabilities. Here, we compared effective therapeutic tumor-specific mutant neoantigen (NeoAg) synthetic long peptide (SLP) cancer vaccines with anti-CTLA-4 and/or anti-PD-1 ICT in preclinical models. Effective NeoAg SLP vaccines and ICT required both CD8 and CD4 T cells. Both NeoAg SLP vaccines and ICT induce expansion of intratumoral NeoAg-specific CD8 T cells, though the degree of expansion and acquisition of effector activity was much more substantial following NeoAg SLP vaccination. Further, we found that NeoAg SLP vaccines are particularly adept at inducing proliferating and stem-like NeoAg-specific CD8 T cells. While NeoAg SLP vaccines and anti-PD-1 affected the CD4 T cell compartment, it was to less of an extent than observed with anti-CTLA-4, which notably induced ICOS+Bhlhe40+ Th1-like CD4 T cells. Although effective NeoAg SLP vaccines or ICT expanded intratumoral M1-like iNOS+ macrophages, NeoAg SLP vaccines maintained, rather than suppressed as observed with ICT, M2-like CX3CR1+CD206+ macrophages expressing the TREM2 receptor. While combining NeoAg SLP vaccination with ICT induced superior efficacy compared to either therapy in isolation, we also assessed a novel combination of NeoAg SLP vaccination and anti-TREM2, demonstrating enhanced efficacy of this combination associated with a decrease in intratumoral CX3CR1+CD206+ macrophages and promotion of IFN-g+ NeoAgspecific CD8 T cells. These findings highlight the utility of combining NeoAg SLP vaccines with ICT, as well as novel combinatorial therapy targeting the myeloid compartment via TREM2 blockade to enhance NeoAg SLP vaccine efficacy.
Project description:The goal of therapeutic cancer vaccines and immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) is to eliminate cancer by expanding and/or sustaining T cells with anti-tumor capabilities. Here, we compared effective therapeutic tumor-specific mutant neoantigen (NeoAg) synthetic long peptide (SLP) cancer vaccines with anti-CTLA-4 and/or anti-PD-1 ICT in preclinical models. Effective NeoAg SLP vaccines and ICT required both CD8 and CD4 T cells. Both NeoAg SLP vaccines and ICT induce expansion of intratumoral NeoAg-specific CD8 T cells, though the degree of expansion and acquisition of effector activity was much more substantial following NeoAg SLP vaccination. Further, we found that NeoAg SLP vaccines are particularly adept at inducing proliferating and stem-like NeoAg-specific CD8 T cells. While NeoAg SLP vaccines and anti-PD-1 affected the CD4 T cell compartment, it was to less of an extent than observed with anti-CTLA-4, which notably induced ICOS+Bhlhe40+ Th1-like CD4 T cells. Although effective NeoAg SLP vaccines or ICT expanded intratumoral M1-like iNOS+ macrophages, NeoAg SLP vaccines maintained, rather than suppressed as observed with ICT, M2-like CX3CR1+CD206+ macrophages expressing the TREM2 receptor. While combining NeoAg SLP vaccination with ICT induced superior efficacy compared to either therapy in isolation, we also assessed a novel combination of NeoAg SLP vaccination and anti-TREM2, demonstrating enhanced efficacy of this combination associated with a decrease in intratumoral CX3CR1+CD206+ macrophages and promotion of IFN-g+ NeoAgspecific CD8 T cells. These findings highlight the utility of combining NeoAg SLP vaccines with ICT, as well as novel combinatorial therapy targeting the myeloid compartment via TREM2 blockade to enhance NeoAg SLP vaccine efficacy.
Project description:Transcriptome analysis of RNA samples from human PBMCs of anti-CD20 therapy in multiple sclerosis patients. Anti-CD20 is a highly effective therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease with multiple abnormalities in function of B and T cells and innate immune cells. Anti-CD20 therapy depletes B cells, which alters antibody production and has diverse effects on B cell immunity. These changes potentially affect immunity beyond B cells in MS. We determined if anti-CD20 therapy effects non-B-cell, as well as B-cell, gene expression and serum protein levels. We found anti-CD20 therapy reduced expression of 413 total genes and 185 B-cell-regulated genes at 2 weeks vs. pre-therapy. Expression of 19 (15%) of these B cell genes returned towards baseline by 6 months, including genes for the B cell activation protein, CD79A, and for immunoglobulin A, D, and G heavy chains. Expression pathways for Th17 and CD4 regulatory T cell (Treg) development, differentiation, and proliferation also quieted. In contrast, expression increased in Th1 and myeloid cell antiviral, pro-inflammatory, and toll-like receptor (TLR) gene pathways.
Project description:Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a non T cell-inflamed cancer characterized by an immunosuppressive microenvironment that impedes dendritic cell maturation and T cell cytotoxicity. The alleviation of immunosuppression might be a prerequisite for succesful immune checkpoint therapy in GBM. We here combine anti-angiogenic and immune checkpoint therapy and demonstrate improved therapeutic efficacy in syngeneic, orthotopic GBM models. We observed that blockade of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) significantly extended survival compared to vascular targeting alone. In the GBM microenvironment, triple therapy increased the numbers of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes that inversely correlated with myeloid-derived suppressor and regulatory T cells. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis of GBM microvessels indicates a global vascular normalization that was highest after triple therapy. Our results propose a rationale to overcome limitations of VEGF monotherapy by integrating the synergistic effects of VEGF/Ang-2 and PD-1 blockade to reinforce anti-tumor immunity through a normalized vasculature.