技术资料

AbstractBackgroundThe pro-inflammatory cytokine,interleukin-18 (IL-18),plays an instrumental role in bolstering anti-tumor immunity. However,the therapeutic application of IL-18 has been limited due to its susceptibility to neutralization by IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP),short in vivo half-life,and unfavorable physicochemical properties.MethodsIn order to overcome the poor drug-like properties of IL-18,we installed an artificial disulfide bond,removed the native,unpaired cysteines,and fused the stabilized cytokine to an IgG Fc domain. The stability,potency,pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties as well as efficacy of disulfide-stabilized IL-18 Fc-fusion (dsIL-18-Fc) were assessed via in vitro and in vivo studies.ResultsThe stability and mammalian host cell production yields of dsIL-18-Fc were improved,compared to the wild-type (WT) cytokine,while maintaining its biological potency and interactions with IL-18 receptor α (IL-18Rα) and IL-18BP. Recombinant fusion of the cytokine to an IgG Fc domain provided extended half-life. Notably,despite maintaining sensitivity to IL-18BP,dsIL-18-Fc was effective at activating both T and natural killer (NK) cells,and elicited a strong anti-tumor response,either as a single agent,or in conjunction with anti-programmed cell death-ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1) therapy.ConclusionsWe engineered IL-18 for reinforced stability,extended half-life,and improved manufacturability. The therapeutic benefit of dsIL-18-Fc,coupled with a more favorable manufacturability profile and enhanced drug-like properties,underscores the potential utility of this engineered cytokine in cancer immunotherapy. View Publication

Menopause not only affects fertility but also has widespread impact on systemic health. Yet,the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are not fully understood,partly due to the absence of robust,age-relevant preclinical models with comprehensive molecular and phenotypic characterization. To address this,we systematically compared three candidate mouse models of menopause: (1) intact aging,(2) chemical ovarian follicle depletion using 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD) administered at multiple ages,and (3) Foxl2 haploinsufficiency,a genetic model based on a transcription factor linked to human premature ovarian failure. Through histology,serum hormone profiling,single-cell transcriptomics and machine-learning approaches,we uncovered both shared and model-specific features of follicle loss,endocrine disruption,and transcriptional remodeling. The VCD and Foxl2 haploinsufficiency models revealed distinct patterns of hormonal and immune alterations not captured by intact aging alone. This comparative framework enables informed selection of context-appropriate preclinical rodent models to study menopause and the broader physiological consequences of ovarian aging. View Publication

Memory T cells are a highly heterogeneous collection of antigen-experienced cells that undergo dynamic adaptations upon antigen re-encounter and environmental signals. This heterogeneity hinders studies on memory T cell durability and age-related dysfunction. Using chronic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and barcode-enabled antigen tracing,we assess the influence of age on memory states at the level of single antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. In young adults (<40 years),EBV-specific CD8+ T cells recognizing different antigenic peptides assume divergent preferred differentiation phenotypes. In older adults (>65-years),antigen-specific cells show largely distinct phenotypic and transcriptomic aging trajectories. Common to many albeit not all antigen-specific populations are maintained TCR diversity,gained natural killer cell-like,innate signatures and lost stem-like features while no evidence is seen for cellular senescence or exhaustion. TCR avidity contributes to these phenotypic differences and aging-related changes. Collectively,our data uncover divergent antigen-guided aging shifts in memory T cell phenotypes,which are informative for antigen selection in optimizing vaccine design and adoptive T cell therapy. Homeostasis of memory T cells is modulated by each antigen encounter,thereby creating a heterogeneous population preventing precise tracking. Here,the authors use barcode-assisted tracing of Epstein-Barr virus-specific CD8+ memory T cells of young and older individuals to find antigen-guided,clonally divergent aging trajectories. View Publication

Imaging macrophage trafficking in solid tumors has major implications for cancer diagnosis,prognosis,and therapy. Here,we show that macrophage labeling with lipid-shelled microbubbles enables ultrasound imaging at single-cell level. Crucially,microbubble labeling and sonication at low mechanical indexes do not affect macrophage viability,migration,phenotype,and cytokine secretion profile,supporting the notion that ultrasound imaging can be used for nondestructive macrophage imaging. Despite the damping exerted on the microbubble oscillations by the cellular compartments,the microbubbles exhibit highly nonlinear behavior upon sonication,allowing for high specificity nonlinear US imaging under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Subsequently,we demonstrate that nonlinear ultrasound imaging can selectively monitor macrophage accumulation and extravasation in solid tumors in rodents for at least 8 h after intravenous administration. These findings establish ultrasound as a noninvasive platform for immune cell trafficking in solid tumors and highlight its potential to advance cancer diagnosis,monitoring,and therapy. Imaging macrophage trafficking in solid tumors has implications for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. by labeling macrophages with lipid-shelled microbubbles in combination with ultrasound,the authors here achieve nondestructive in vivo intravenously administrated macrophage imaging at single cell level with 100 µm resolution till 8 h in solid tumors in rodents. View Publication

Achieving a cure is an urgent need for patients with advanced solid tumors. Here,we discover that oncolytic virus (OV) infection enhances IL-18 receptor expression but fails to increase IL-18 ligand expression. Therefore,we engineer armed oncolytic alphavirus M1 expressing wild-type IL-18 (wtIL-18) or a mutant variant (mutIL-18) that evades IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP) while maintaining IL-18 receptor (IL-18R) binding. Intravenous administration of M1-mutIL-18 suppresses the growth of multiple advanced solid tumors in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mouse models and promotes long-term systemic immune memory. Mechanistically,armed M1-mutIL-18 enhances directed clonal expansion and differentiation of CD8+ T cells and sustains IFN-γ production. Thus,armed M1-mutIL-18 promotes dendritic cell (DC) activation,priming and activation of CD8+ T cells in lymphatic organs,and infiltration of IL-18R+ CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment,establishing a positive feedback loop. We further show that a PD-L1 inhibitor enhances the anti-tumor efficacy of mutIL-18 OVs. These results highlight the importance of the IL-18 pathway in oncolytic virus therapy and implicate reprogramming ligand-receptor interaction as an effective strategy for immunotherapy. Immunotherapy holds great potential,although strategies for durable responses against solid tumors are still needed. Here,the authors combine oncolytic virus (OV) engineering and reprogramming of the IL-18 pathway,showing that armed OVs expressing a decoy-resistant IL-18 elicit anti-tumor immunity and long-term immunological memory against multiple refractory tumors in mice. View Publication

Cytoplasmic stress granules (SG) assemble in response to stress-induced translational arrest and are key signaling hubs orchestrating cell fate and regulating various physiological and pathological processes. However,the role of SG formation in the progression of allergic diseases is incompletely understood. Here,by analyzing the nasal tissues of allergic rhinitis (AR) mouse models and AR patients,we find that SGs assemble specifically in the macrophages within the nasal mucosa and promote AR progression by restraining the efferocytotic ability of macrophages,ultimately resulting in reduced Mres generation and IL-10 production. Mechanistically,intracellular m7G-modified Lrp1 mRNA,encoding for a typical efferocytosis receptor,is transported by the m7G reader QKI7 into stress-induced SGs,where Lrp1 mRNA is sequestered away from the translation machinery,ultimately resulting in reduced macrophage efferocytosis. Therefore,SG assembly impairs macrophage efferocytosis and aggravates AR,and the inhibition of SGs bears considerable potential in the targeted therapy. Cytoplasmic stress granules (SG) regulate cell fate and are involved in several physiological and pathological processes. Here,using mouse models of allergic rhinitis (AR),the authors reveal the formation of SGs within macrophages of the nasal mucosa and implicate SGs in the regulation of Lrp1-mediated efferocytosis and Type 2 cytokine production,aggravating AR symptoms. View Publication

CD8+ T cell exhaustion (Tex) limits immune control of cancer,but the underlying molecular drivers are unclear. In the present study,we identified the prostaglandin I2 (prostacyclin) receptor PTGIR as a cell-intrinsic regulator of T cell exhaustion. Transcriptomic profiling of terminally exhausted (Ttex) CD8+ T cells revealed increased activation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) oxidative stress response pathway. Enhancing NRF2 activity (by conditional deletion of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1)) boosts glutathione production in CD8+ T cells but accelerates terminal exhaustion. NRF2 upregulates PTGIR expression in CD8+ T cells. Silencing PTGIR expression enhances T cell effector function (that is,interferon-γ and granzyme production) and limits Ttex cell development in chronic infection and cancer models. Mechanistically,PTGIR signaling impairs T cell metabolism and cytokine production while inducing transcriptional features of Tex cells. These findings identify PTGIR as a NRF2-dependent immune checkpoint that regulates balance between effector and exhausted CD8+ T cell states. Targeting CD8+ T cell exhaustion is a strategy to enhance immune checkpoint inhibition and to fight cancer. Here the authors show a NRF2-dependent role for the prostaglandin I2 receptor PTGIR in controlling T cell exhaustion. View Publication

Background: Virotherapy eradicates tumors by directly killing cancer cells and causing adjuvant effects. However,the mechanism by which non-replicating virotherapy exerts anti-tumor effects is unclear. Methods: In this study,we investigated the genes that mediate the anti-tumor effects of ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated Hemagglutinating Virus of Japan envelope (HVJ-E) using RNA sequencing,gene knockout,and a drug-inducible gene expression system. We examined the antitumor effects of Apolipoprotein d (Apod) using genome-wide CRISPR library screening,in situ biotinylation combined with mass spectrometry,flow cytometry,biochemistry,and tumor-bearing mouse models. Results: Here,we show that HVJ-E represses tumor growth via Irf7-induced Apod expression in tumor cells in vivo. Irf7 in B16F10 cells is a pivotal transcription factor for HVJ-E-induced anti-tumor effects. Apod substantially suppresses tumor growth even in HVJ-E-insensitive tumors. Apod is required to increase NKG2D-ligand genes in HVJ-E-treated tumors. Genome-wide CRISPR library screening and in situ biotinylation of Apod reveal an association of Apod with ERK2. Mechanistically,Apod prevents the nuclear translocation of ERK2 and Importin7,increasing NKG2D-ligands expression in B16F10 cells and attenuating tumor growth. Treating a local tumor with a combination therapy of Apod with the anti-OX40,T cell costimulatory molecule,antibody substantially repressed tumor growth in target and non-target lesions alongside T cell activation. Conclusion: Our findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of how HVJ-E induces anti-tumor effects and can aid the development of therapeutic strategies for eliciting anti-tumor immunity. View Publication

Iron is an irreplaceable co-factor for metabolism. Iron deficiency affects >1 billion people and decreased iron availability impairs immunity. Nevertheless,how iron deprivation impacts immune cell function remains poorly characterised. We interrogate how physiologically low iron availability affects CD8+ T cell metabolism and function,using multi-omic and metabolic labelling approaches. Iron limitation does not substantially alter initial post-activation increases in cell size and CD25 upregulation. However,low iron profoundly stalls proliferation (without influencing cell viability),alters histone methylation status,gene expression,and disrupts mitochondrial membrane potential. Glucose and glutamine metabolism in the TCA cycle is limited and partially reverses to a reductive trajectory. Previous studies identified mitochondria-derived aspartate as crucial for proliferation of transformed cells. Despite aberrant TCA cycling,aspartate is increased in stalled iron deficient CD8+ T cells but is not utilised for nucleotide synthesis,likely due to trapping within depolarised mitochondria. Exogenous aspartate markedly rescues expansion and some functions of severely iron-deficient CD8+ T cells. Overall,iron scarcity creates a mitochondrial-located metabolic bottleneck,which is bypassed by supplying inhibited biochemical processes with aspartate. These findings reveal molecular consequences of iron deficiency for CD8+ T cell function,providing mechanistic insight into the basis for immune impairment during iron deficiency. Iron has been shown to be necessary for the activation and differentiation of CD8+ T cells. Here the authors investigate changes in CD8+ T cell metabolism in iron limiting conditions and find that aspartate is increased yet downstream nucleotide synthesis is suppressed and addition of exogenous aspartate partially rescues T cell function. View Publication

ABSTRACTCytotoxicity is a cornerstone of immune defense,critical for combating tumors and infections. This process relies on the coordinated action of granzymes and pore‐forming proteins,with granzyme B (GZMB) and perforin (PRF1) being key markers and the most widely studied molecules pertaining to cytotoxicity. However,other human granzymes and cytotoxic components remain underexplored,despite growing evidence of their distinct,context‐dependent roles. Natural killer cell granule protein 7 (NKG7) has recently emerged as a crucial cytotoxicity regulator,yet its expression patterns and function are poorly understood. Using large publicly available single‐cell RNA sequencing atlases,we performed a comprehensive profiling of cytotoxicity across immune subsets and tissues. Our analysis highlights NKG7 expression as a strong marker of cytotoxicity,exhibiting a strong correlation with overall cytotoxic activity (r = 0.97) and surpassing traditional markers such as granzyme B and perforin in reliability. Furthermore,NKG7 expression is notably consistent across diverse immune subsets and tissues,reinforcing its versatility and robustness as a cytotoxicity marker. These findings position NKG7 as an invaluable tool for evaluating immune responses and a reliable indicator of cytotoxic functionality across biological and clinical contexts. Cytotoxicity‐associated genes exhibit heterogeneity at the cellular and tissue levels (left). NKG7 gene expression is strongly associated with a cytotoxic gene signature (middle). NKG7 expression is stable and consistently detected in cells across immunologically relevant tissues and within tumor‐infiltrating immune cells (right). Figure generated in collaboration with Susan Stone (https://www.sue‐stone.com). View Publication

BackgroundLymphatics provide a route for breast cancer cells to metastasize. Lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs),which form the structure of lymphatic vessels,play a key role in this process. Although LECs are pivotal in cancer progression,studies often rely on commercially available cell lines that may not accurately reflect the tumor microenvironment. Therefore,there is a pressing need to directly study patient-derived LECs to better understand their role in breast cancer.MethodsThis study developed a method to isolate and characterize LECs directly from human breast-to-axilla adipose tissue. We used magnetic cell separation to remove CD45 + leukocytes and fluorescence-activated cell sorting to isolate cells expressing CD31 and podoplanin. Isolated cells were cultured under conditions promoting endothelial cell growth and were characterized through various assays assessing proliferation,tube formation,and gene expression patterns.ResultsThe sorted CD31 + /PDPN + /CD45 − cell populations exhibited marked increases in proliferation upon VEGF-C stimulation and formed tubule structures on BME-coated dishes,confirming their LEC properties. Notably,isolated LECs showed distinct gene expression patterns depending on the presence of lymph node metastasis and lymphatic invasion.ConclusionsThe ability to isolate and characterize patient-derived LECs from mammary adipose tissue offers new insights into the cellular mechanisms underlying breast cancer metastasis. Significant gene expression variability related to disease state highlights the potential of these cells as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. This study emphasizes the importance of using patient-derived cells to accurately assess the tumor microenvironment,potentially leading to more personalized therapeutic approaches.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13058-025-02067-w. View Publication

Despite the success of chimeric antigen receptor T (CART) cell therapy in hematological malignancies,durable remissions remain low. Here,we report CART senescence as a potential resistance mechanism in 41BB-costimulated CART cell therapy. To mimic cancer relapse,we utilized an in vitro model with repeated CART cell activation cycles followed by rest periods. Using CD19-targeted CART cells with costimulation via 4-1BB-CD3ζ (BBζ) or CD28-CD3ζ (28ζ),we showed that CART cells undergo functional,phenotypical,and transcriptomic changes of senescence,which is more prominent in BBζ. We then utilized two additional independent strategies to induce senescence through MYC activation and irradiation. Induction of senescence impaired BBζ activity but improved 28ζ activity in preclinical studies. These findings were supported by analyses of independent patient data sets; senescence signatures in CART cell products were associated with non-response to BBζ but with improved clinical outcomes in 28ζ treatment. In summary,our study identifies senescence as a potential mechanism of failure predominantly in 41BB-costimulated CART cells.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12943-025-02371-1. SignificanceWe identified senescence as a cause of failure in CART cell therapy,predominantly in 4-1BB-costimulated CART cells.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12943-025-02371-1. View Publication