Dataset Information

TCR T cells overexpressing c-Jun have better functionality with improved tumor infiltration and persistence in hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The overall 5-year survival rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a major form of liver cancer, is merely 20%, underscoring the need for more effective therapies. We recently identified T cell receptors (TCR) specific for the HLA-A2/alpha fetoprotein amino acids 158-166 (AFP₁₅₈) and showed that these TCR engineered T cells could control HCC xenografts in NSG mice. However, their efficacy was limited by poor expansion, loss of function, and short persistence of the TCR T cells. Here, we studied whether overexpression of c-Jun, a transcription factor required for T cell activation, in the TCR T cells could enhance their expansion, function, and persistence in HCC tumor models.

Methods

Recombinant lentiviral vectors (lv), expressing either the HLA-A2/AFP₁₅₈-specific TCR or both the TCR and c-Jun (TCR-JUN), were constructed and used to transduce primary human T cells to generate the TCR or TCR-JUN T cells, respectively. We compared the expansion, effector function, and exhaustion status of the TCR and TCR-JUN T cells in vitro after HCC tumor stimulation. Additionally, we studied the persistence and antitumor effects of the TCR and TCR-JUN T cells using the HCC xenografts in NSG mice.

Results

We could effectively transduce primary human T cells to express both TCR and c-Jun. Compared to the HLA-A2/AFP₁₅₈ TCR T cells, the TCR-JUN T cells have better expansion potential in culture, with enhanced functional capacity against HCC tumor cells. In addition, the TCR-JUN T cells were less apoptotic and more resistant to exhaustion after HepG2 tumor stimulation. In the HCC xenograft tumor model, c-Jun overexpression enhanced the TCR T cell expansion and increased the overall survival rate of the treated mice. Importantly, the TCR-JUN T cells were less exhausted in the tumor lesions and demonstrated enhanced tumor infiltration, functionality, and persistence.

Conclusion

c-Jun overexpression can enhance the expansion, function, and persistence of the A2/AFP₁₅₈ TCR engineered T cells. The c-Jun gene co-delivery has the potential to enhance the antitumor efficacy of AFP specific TCR T cells when treating patients with HCC.

SUBMITTER: Hussein MS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10192869 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

TCR T cells overexpressing c-Jun have better functionality with improved tumor infiltration and persistence in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hussein Mohamed S MS Li Qi Q Mao Rui R Peng Yibing Y He Yukai Y

Frontiers in immunology 20230504

<h4>Background</h4>The overall 5-year survival rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a major form of liver cancer, is merely 20%, underscoring the need for more effective therapies. We recently identified T cell receptors (TCR) specific for the HLA-A2/alpha fetoprotein amino acids 158-166 (AFP<sub>158</sub>) and showed that these TCR engineered T cells could control HCC xenografts in NSG mice. However, their efficacy was limited by poor expansion, loss of function, and short persistence of the ...[more]

PMID: 37215108

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundTumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 3 (TRAF3)-interacting protein 3 (TRAF3IP3) expressed in various tumor cell. However, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was unclear. We aimed to demonstrate the relationship between TRAF3IP3 and HCC and explore the potential role of TRAF3IP3 in HCC.MethodsThe Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), KM-Plotter, University of Alabama at Birmingham Cancer data analysis Portal (UALCAN), and Xiantao Academic Online Website were utilized for the systematic analysis of TRAF3IP3. This analysis included mRNA expression, protein expression, prognostic value, enrichment analysis, and immune cell infiltration in HCC. Subsequently, immunohistochemistry was performed to assess the expression levels of TRAF3IP3 in both cancer and non-cancer tissues of patients with HCC.ResultsAnalysis of public databases and immunohistochemical staining on 20 pairs of samples confirmed a decrease in TRAF3IP3 expression in HCC. Both the TCGA database and GSE14520 indicated that patients with high TRAF3IP3 expression had a more favorable prognosis in terms of overall survival (OS) and progression-free interval (PFI), as shown by KM curve results. Multivariate Cox regression analysis further demonstrated that high TRAF3IP3 expression was an independent protective factor for HCC prognosis (hazard ratio (HR): 0.619, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.399-0.959]; p < 0.05). In the high TRAF3IP3 expression group, various immune response-related molecular pathways, particularly B lymphocyte-mediated pathways, were activated. The level of TRAF3IP3 expression showed a significant correlation with the presence of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells. Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between immunophenoscore (IPS) and TRAF3IP3 expression. Notably, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs, such as lapatinib and mitomycin, was inversely associated with TRAF3IP3 expression in HCC patients.ConclusionTRAF3IP3 may be as a novel and promising biomarker for prognosis prediction and immunological evaluation of HCC.

Project description:Background: Increasing evidence supports that competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) and tumor immune infiltration act as pivotal players in tumor progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nonetheless, comprehensive analysis focusing on ceRNAs and immune infiltration in HCC is lacking. Methods: RNA and miRNA sequencing information, corresponding clinical annotation, and mutation data of HCC downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma (TCGA-LIHC) project were employed to identify significant differentially expressed mRNAs (DEMs), miRNAs (DEMis), and lncRNAs (DELs) to establish a ceRNA regulatory network. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene ontology (GO) enrichment pathways were analyzed to functionally annotate these DEMs. A multigene-based risk signature was developed utilizing least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method (LASSO) algorithm. Moreover, survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were applied for prognostic value validation. Seven algorithms (TIMER, XCELL, MCPcounter, QUANTISEQ, CIBERSORT, EPIC, and CIBERSORT-ABS) were utilized to characterize tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Finally, the mutation data were analyzed by employing "maftools" package. Results: In total, 136 DELs, 128 DEMis, and 2,028 DEMs were recognized in HCC. A specific lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network consisting of 3 lncRNAs, 12 miRNAs, and 21 mRNAs was established. A ceRNA-based prognostic signature was established to classify samples into two risk subgroups, which presented excellent prognostic performance. In additional, prognostic risk-clinical nomogram was delineated to assess risk of individual sample quantitatively. Besides, risk score was significantly associated with contexture of TIME and immunotherapeutic targets. Finally, potential interaction between risk score with tumor mutation burden (TMB) was revealed. Conclusion: In this work, comprehensive analyses of ceRNAs coexpression network will facilitate prognostic prediction, delineate complexity of TIME, and contribute insight into precision therapy for HCC.

Dataset Information

TCR T cells overexpressing c-Jun have better functionality with improved tumor infiltration and persistence in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

TCR T cells overexpressing c-Jun have better functionality with improved tumor infiltration and persistence in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets