Antigens, Neoplasm ; metabolism ; Antigens, Surface ; metabolism ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; immunology ; pathology ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Trophoblasts ; immunology

T-cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cells are a novel option for adoptive cell therapy used for the treatment of several advanced forms of cancer. Work using TCR-engineered T cells began more than two decades ago, with numerous preclinical studies showing that such cells could mediate tumor lysis and eradication. The success of these trials provided the foundation for clinical trials, including recent clinical successes using TCR-engineered T cells to target New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (NY-ESO-1). These successes demonstrate the potential of this approach to treat cancer. In this review, we provide a perspective on the current and future applications of TCR-engineered T cells for the treatment of cancer. Our summary focuses on TCR activation and both pre-clinical and clinical applications of TCR-engineered T cells. We also discuss how to enhance the function of TCR-engineered T cells and prolong their longevity in the tumor microenvironment.
Animals ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; immunology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; immunology ; metabolism ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell ; genetics ; metabolism ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; metabolism

BackgroundDevelopment of innovative immunotherapy is imperative to improve the poor survival of the nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. In this study, we evaluated the T cell response to melanoma-associated antigen (MAGE)-A1, MAGE-A3, or synovial sarcoma X-2 (SSX-2) in the peripheral blood of treatment-naive NPC patients. The relationship of responses among the three proteins and the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A types were analyzed to provide evidence of designing novel therapy.

MethodsSixty-one NPC patients admitted into the Tumor Hospital affiliated to the Xinjiang Medical University between March 2015 and July 2016 were enrolled. Mononuclear cells were isolated from the peripheral blood before any treatment. HLA-A alleles were typed with Sanger sequence-based typing technique. The T cell response to the MAGE-A1, MAGE-A3, or SSX-2 was evaluated with the Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSpot assay. Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare the T cell responses from different groups. Spearman's rank correlation was used to analyze the relationship of T cell responses.

ResultsHLA-A*02:01, A*02:07, and A*24:02 were the three most frequent alleles (18.9%, 12.3%, and 11.5%, respectively) among the 22 detected alleles. 31.1%, 19.7%, and 16.4% of the patients displayed MAGE-A1, MAGE-A3, or SSX-2-specific T cell response, respectively. The magnitudes of response to the three proteins were 32.5, 38.0, and 28.7 SFC/10 peripheral blood mononuclear cells, respectively. The T cell response against the three proteins correlated with each other to different extent. The percentage of A*02:01 and A*24:02 carriers were significantly higher in patients responding to any of the three proteins compared to the nonresponders.

ConclusionMAGE-A1, MAGE-A3, or SSX-2-specific T cell responses were detectable in a subgroup of NPC patients, the frequency and magnitude of which were correlated.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alleles ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; immunology ; metabolism ; Carcinoma ; immunology ; metabolism ; Female ; HLA-A Antigens ; metabolism ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; immunology ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Sarcoma, Synovial ; immunology ; metabolism ; Young Adult

Exosomes are nanometer sized membrane vesicles, released in the extracellular milieu following the fusion of the external membrane of multivesicular body (MVB) with plasma membrane. They perform a certain function in immune regulation. Exosomes have been shown to be released by cells of hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic origin. Tumour-derived exosomes (TEX) exist in the supernatant of tumour cells, plasma and malignant effusions of tumour patients. They contain native candidate tumour associated antigen and are capable of transferring antigens to T lymphocytes, therefore efficiently promoting cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activation and producing antitumor immunity. However, recent evidence shows that tumor exosomes may induce immunologic tolerance and even activate immunosuppression which makes tumour escape from the immune surveillance of the host immune system. In addition, tumor exosomes may mediate a growth-promoting effect on tumor cells. These discrepancies are almost certainly due to differences in the phenotype of the exosomes.
Antigen-Presenting Cells ; immunology ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; immunology ; Cytoplasmic Vesicles ; immunology ; Endosomes ; immunology ; metabolism ; Exosomes ; immunology ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology ; Tumor Escape

Heat shock protein gp96 is a highly conserved and monomorphic glycoprotein in the endoplasmic reticulum. It functions as molecular chaperone and can associate with a variety of antigenic peptides noncovalently in vivo and in vitro. Recent studies have indicated that gp96 molecules participate in major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted antigen presentation pathway. Immunization of mice with gp96 preparations isolated from cancer cells can elicit a cancer-specific protective T cell immune response that is recallable, which is a prerequisite for gp96 as a therapeutic vaccine against cancers. The immunogenicity of gp96 molecules has been attributed to the antigenic peptides associated with them. These phenomena provide a new pathway for cancer immunotherapy. The mechanism that the gp96-peptide complex induces specific immune response and the explorations for gp96-peptide complex as a therapeutic cancer vaccine are reviewed.
Animals ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Cancer Vaccines ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; immunology ; metabolism ; Molecular Chaperones ; immunology ; Neoplasms ; immunology ; therapy ; Peptides ; immunology ; metabolism

Animals ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Breast Neoplasms ; immunology ; metabolism ; CD3 Complex ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural ; pathology ; Neoplasms ; immunology ; metabolism ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell ; immunology ; Stomach Neoplasms ; immunology ; metabolism ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; immunology ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of Mucin1 gene and tumor infiltrating dendritic cells(TIDC) in the tissues of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer.

METHODSMucin1 and TIDC were detected in 20 specimens of BPH and 30 specimens of prostate cancer by immunohistochemistry SP method.

RESULTSMUC1 expressed in both prostate cancer and BPH. The staining patterns were significantly associated with tumor pathological grade (P < 0.001). The number of TIDC was negatively correlated with tumor pathological grade, the higher the grade, the smaller the number of TIDC (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSThe expression pattern of MUC1 and the number of TIDC could be considered as useful markers to evaluate the malignant degree and prognosis of prostate cancer. The decrease of TIDC plays an important role in tumor immune evasion and immune tolerance. Highly expressed MUC1 could lead to the failure of hormonal treatment for prostate cancer, and contribute much to tumor infiltration and metastasis.

Antigens, Neoplasm ; biosynthesis ; Dendritic Cells ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating ; immunology ; Male ; Mucin-1 ; Mucins ; biosynthesis ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; immunology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; immunology ; metabolism ; pathology

Adjuvants, Immunologic ; biosynthesis ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Antigen Presentation ; immunology ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; metabolism ; Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Cancer Vaccines ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; immunology ; therapy ; Vaccines, Synthetic

The proliferative activity of gastric adenomas from 18 patients (42 endoscopic procedures) was compared with follow-up results. These cases were gastric adenomas proven by follow-up with repeated endoscopic procedures for more than 2 years, or were confirmed as gastric adenocarcinoma thereafter by histopathologic examination. Among the eighteen cases, nine showed carcinoma in the subsequent biopsies (group 1) and the remaining nine did not result in carcinoma (group 2). The proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) positivity rates of the two groups were significantly different (P < 0.01). The average PCNA positivity in group 1 was 33.1%, while it was 10.0% in group 2. The risk of developing carcinoma increased as the PCNA positivity increased: 0% in the low PCNA positivity group, 41% in the mid-positivity group and 89% in the high positivity group. We concluded that growth fraction could be taken into account as one of the most important prognostic factors for gastric adenoma, and accordingly repeated endoscopic biopsies with close follow-up should be carried out especially in the high PCNA positivity group.
Adenoma/*immunology ; Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology/*metabolism ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen/metabolism ; Cell Cycle ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastroscopy ; Humans ; Nuclear Proteins/*metabolism ; Prognosis ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Stomach Neoplasms/*immunology

Antigens ; immunology ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; drug effects ; immunology ; metabolism ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; immunology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; immunology ; Octamer Transcription Factor-3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured