scholarly journals Neoadjuvant anti-OX40 (MEDI6469) therapy in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma activates and expands antigen-specific tumor-infiltrating T cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebekka Duhen ◽  
Carmen Ballesteros-Merino ◽  
Alexandra K. Frye ◽  
Eric Tran ◽  
Venkatesh Rajamanickam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Head And Neck ◽  
Squamous Cell ◽  
Primary Endpoint ◽  
Locally Advanced ◽  
Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Potential Biomarker

AbstractDespite the success of checkpoint blockade in some cancer patients, there is an unmet need to improve outcomes. Targeting alternative pathways, such as costimulatory molecules (e.g. OX40, GITR, and 4-1BB), can enhance T cell immunity in tumor-bearing hosts. Here we describe the results from a phase Ib clinical trial (NCT02274155) in which 17 patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) received a murine anti-human OX40 agonist antibody (MEDI6469) prior to definitive surgical resection. The primary endpoint was to determine safety and feasibility of the anti-OX40 neoadjuvant treatment. The secondary objective was to assess the effect of anti-OX40 on lymphocyte subsets in the tumor and blood. Neoadjuvant anti-OX40 was well tolerated and did not delay surgery, thus meeting the primary endpoint. Peripheral blood phenotyping data show increases in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell proliferation two weeks after anti-OX40 administration. Comparison of tumor biopsies before and after treatment reveals an increase of activated, conventional CD4+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in most patients and higher clonality by TCRβ sequencing. Analyses of CD8+ TIL show increases in tumor-antigen reactive, proliferating CD103+ CD39+ cells in 25% of patients with evaluable tumor tissue (N = 4/16), all of whom remain disease-free. These data provide evidence that anti-OX40 prior to surgery is safe and can increase activation and proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in blood and tumor. Our work suggests that increases in the tumor-reactive CD103+ CD39+ CD8+ TIL could serve as a potential biomarker of anti-OX40 clinical activity.

scholarly journals TIM-3 and CEACAM1 are Prognostic Factors in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fan Yang ◽  
Ziqing Zeng ◽  
Jing Li ◽  
Xiubao Ren ◽  
Feng Wei
Keyword(s):  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Head And Neck ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Squamous Cell ◽  
Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Tumor Tissues

Background: T-cell Immunoglobulin and Mucin domain-containing molecule-3 (TIM-3) is a new immune checkpoint molecule which plays important and complex roles in regulating immune responses and in inducing immune tolerance. TIM-3 is expressed on activated T cells and its signaling on cytotoxic T cells leads to T cell exhaustion which is mediated by carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1), another well-known molecule expressed on tumor tissues and/or tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs).Methods: In the present study, we investigated TIM-3 and CEACAM1 immunohistochemical expression in 80 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) specimens, linked to detailed outcome, clinic-pathological parameters. Here we reported scores and absolute counts of TIM-3+/CEACAM1+ TILs, and evaluated the expression of CEACAM1 on tumor tissues.Results: The results showed that more TIM-3+ TILs infiltration correlated with poorer overall survival (p < 0.001), as did the presence of CEACAM1 on cancer cells (p < 0.001) and CEACAM1+ TILs in tumor microenvironment (p = 0.015). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that high TIM-3+ TILs may be considered as an independent prognostic factor of poor disease outcome (hazard ratio, 2.066; 95% confidence interval, 1.027–4.159; p = 0.042), as well as cancer cells expressed CEACAM1 level (hazard ratio, 5.885; 95% confidence interval, 2.832–12.230; p < 0.001).Conclusion: Our results indicate that expression of TIM-3 and CEACAM1 may represent a highly dysfunctional population of T cells. Our current findings suggest both of them were valuable predicting markers that might provide help for clinicians to design effective immunotherapeutic regimen against head and neck carcinoma.

Circulating extracellular vesicle-associated TGFβ3 modulates response to cytotoxic therapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorival Mendes Rodrigues-Junior ◽  
Soon Sim Tan ◽  
Sai Kiang Lim ◽  
Hui Sun Leong ◽  
Matias Eliseo Melendez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Head And Neck ◽  
Squamous Cell ◽  
Locally Advanced ◽  
Specific Treatment ◽  
Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Cytotoxic Therapy ◽  
Potential Biomarker

Abstract Management of locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) requires a multi-prong approach comprising surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy, yet outcomes are limited. This is largely due to a paucity of biomarkers that can predict response to specific treatment modalities. Here, we evaluated TGFβ3 protein levels in extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by HNSCC cells as a predictor for response to chemoradiation therapy (CRT). To this end, specific EV-fractions were isolated from cell lines or HNSCC patient plasma, and TGFβ3 protein was quantified. In patients treated with CRT, TGFβ3 levels were found to be significantly higher in plasma EV-fractions or non-responders compared with responders. High levels of TGFβ3 levels in Annexin V-EVs were associated with the worst progression-free survival. In vitro experiments demonstrated that TGFβ3 silencing sensitized HNSCC cells to cytotoxic therapies, and this phenotype could be rescued by treatment with exogenous. In addition, specific EV-fractions shed by cisplatin-resistant cells were sufficient to transfer the resistant phenotype to sensitive cells through activation of TGFβ-signaling pathway. Therefore, our data show that TGFβ3 transmitted through EV plays a significant role in response to cytotoxic therapy, which can be exploited as a potential biomarker for CRT response in HNSCC patients treated with curative intent.

scholarly journals Cav1/EREG/YAP Axis in the Treatment Resistance of Cav1-Expressing Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 3038
Author(s):  
Mickaël Burgy ◽  
Aude Jehl ◽  
Ombline Conrad ◽  
Sophie Foppolo ◽  
Véronique Bruban ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Head And Neck ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Squamous Cell ◽  
Cell Cycle Progression ◽  
Locally Advanced ◽  
Treatment Resistance ◽  
Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Hnscc Cell

The EGFR-targeting antibody cetuximab (CTX) combined with radiotherapy is the only targeted therapy that has been proven effective for the treatment of locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC). Recurrence arises in 50% of patients with HNSCC in the years following treatment. In clinicopathological practice, it is difficult to assign patients to classes of risk because no reliable biomarkers are available to predict the outcome of HPV-unrelated HNSCC. In the present study, we investigated the role of Caveolin-1 (Cav1) in the sensitivity of HNSCC cell lines to CTX-radiotherapy that might predict HNSCC relapse. Ctrl- and Cav-1-overexpressing HNSCC cell lines were exposed to solvent, CTX, or irradiation, or exposed to CTX before irradiation. Growth, clonogenicity, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, metabolism and signaling pathways were analyzed. Cav1 expression was analyzed in 173 tumor samples and correlated to locoregional recurrence and overall survival. We showed that Cav1-overexpressing cells demonstrate better survival capacities and remain proliferative and motile when exposed to CTX-radiotherapy. Resistance is mediated by the Cav1/EREG/YAP axis. Patients whose tumors overexpressed Cav1 experienced regional recurrence a few years after adjuvant radiotherapy ± chemotherapy. Together, our observations suggest that a high expression of Cav1 might be predictive of locoregional relapse of LA-HNSCC.

scholarly journals Expression of placenta-specific 1 and its potential for eliciting anti-tumor helper T-cell responses in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 1856545
Author(s):  
Ryusuke Hayashi ◽  
Toshihiro Nagato ◽  
Takumi Kumai ◽  
Kenzo Ohara ◽  
Mizuho Ohara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Head And Neck ◽  
Squamous Cell ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Helper T Cell ◽  
Cell Responses

scholarly journals Disulfiram Acts as a Potent Radio-Chemo Sensitizer in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines and Transplanted Xenografts

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 517
Author(s):  
Wenhao Yao ◽  
Xu Qian ◽  
Sebastian Ochsenreither ◽  
Ferrone Soldano ◽  
Albert B. DeLeo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Head And Neck ◽  
Squamous Cell ◽  
Colony Formation ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
Locally Advanced ◽  
Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Tumor Xenograft

The poor prognosis of locally advanced and metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is primarily mediated by the functional properties of cancer stem cells (CSCs) and resistance to chemoradiotherapy. We investigated whether the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) inhibitor disulfiram (DSF) can enhance the sensitivity of therapy. Cell viability was assessed by the 1-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-3,5-diphenylformazan (MTT) and apoptosis assays, and the cell cycle and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were evaluated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). The radio-sensitizing effect was measured by a colony formation assay. The synergistic effects were calculated by combination index (CI) analyses. The DSF and DSF/Cu2+ inhibited the cell proliferation (inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) of DSF and DSF/Cu2+ were 13.96 μM and 0.24 μM). DSF and cisplatin displayed a synergistic effect (CI values were <1). DSF or DSF/Cu2+ abolished the cisplatin-induced G2/M arrest (from 52.9% to 40.7% and 41.1%), and combining irradiation (IR) with DSF or DSF/Cu2+ reduced the colony formation and attenuated the G2/M arrest (from 53.6% to 40.2% and 41.9%). The combination of cisplatin, DSF or DSF/Cu2+, and IR enhanced the radio-chemo sensitivity by inducing apoptosis (42.04% and 32.21%) and ROS activity (46.3% and 37.4%). DSF and DSF/Cu2+ enhanced the sensitivity of HNSCC to cisplatin and IR. Confirming the initial data from patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) supported a strong rationale to repurpose DSF as a radio-chemosensitizer and to assess its therapeutic potential in a clinical setting.

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