bims-limsir 2022-11-20 papers

Issue of 2022‒11‒20
three papers selected by
Ivan V. Chernikov
Institute of Сhemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine of the SB RAS

Front Immunol. 2022 ;13 984864

Chimeric antigen receptor T cells applied to solid tumors.

Zhongguo Zhou, Can Tao, Jianting Li, Johnny Cheuk-On Tang, Albert Sun-Chi Chan, Yuanyuan Zhou.

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy is novel tumor immunotherapy that enables autologous T to express synthetic receptors to specifically recognize the surface tumor-associated antigens for exerting subsequent antitumor effects, and eliminating the resistance, metastases and recurrence of cancer. Although CAR T cells have exhibited success in eradicating hematologic malignancies, their applications to solid tumors has not yet been achieved due to obstacles such as the immune-suppressor tumor microenvironment and lack of tumor specific target antigens. In this review, we presented advancements in the development of CAR T cell therapy in solid tumors, and offered a brief summary of the challenges, as well as novel engineering and pharmaceutical interventions to overcome these barriers. Looking forward, we discussed the latest studies which are expected to reach the clinicals in the next few years, including CRISPR screens-based CAR modification and CAR T cells driven from progenitor-like T cells. Collectively, this review may inspire researchers and clinicians to develop clinical available strategies of CAR T cell therapies in solid tumor.

Keywords: CAR T cell therapy; antigenheterogeneity; crispr screens; neoantigen; progenitor-like T cell; solid tumor; tumor microenvironment

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2022.984864

Pharm Res. 2022 Nov 15.

CNS Delivery of Nucleic Acid Therapeutics: Beyond the Blood-Brain Barrier and Towards Specific Cellular Targeting.

Anisha D'Souza, Saeideh Nozohouri, Benjamin S Bleier, Mansoor M Amiji.

Nucleic acid-based therapeutic molecules including small interfering RNA (siRNA), microRNA(miRNA), antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), messenger RNA (mRNA), and DNA-based gene therapy have tremendous potential for treating diseases in the central nervous system (CNS). However, achieving clinically meaningful delivery to the brain and particularly to target cells and sub-cellular compartments is typically very challenging. Mediating cell-specific delivery in the CNS would be a crucial advance that mitigates off-target effects and toxicities. In this review, we describe these challenges and provide contemporary evidence of advances in cellular and sub-cellular delivery using a variety of delivery mechanisms and alternative routes of administration, including the nose-to-brain approach. Strategies to achieve subcellular localization, endosomal escape, cytosolic bioavailability, and nuclear transfer are also discussed. Ultimately, there are still many challenges to translating these experimental strategies into effective and clinically viable approaches for treating patients.

Keywords: CNS delivery; blood–brain barrier; cell-specificity; nucleic acid therapeutics

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-022-03433-5

Small. 2022 Nov 18. e2205318

Folate Receptor-Mediated Delivery of Cas9 RNP for Enhanced Immune Checkpoint Disruption in Cancer Cells.

Yi Lin, Ulrich Wilk, Jana Pöhmerer, Elisa Hörterer, Miriam Höhn, Xianjin Luo, Hongcheng Mai, Ernst Wagner, Ulrich Lächelt.

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system offers great opportunities for the treatment of numerous diseases by precise modification of the genome. The functional unit of the system is represented by Cas9/sgRNA ribonucleoproteins (RNP), which mediate sequence-specific cleavage of DNA. For therapeutic applications, efficient and cell-specific transport into target cells is essential. Here, Cas9 RNP nanocarriers are described, which are based on lipid-modified oligoamino amides and folic acid (FolA)-PEG to realize receptor-mediated uptake and gene editing in cancer cells. In vitro studies confirm strongly enhanced potency of receptor-mediated delivery, and the nanocarriers enable efficient knockout of GFP and two immune checkpoint genes, PD-L1 and PVR, at low nanomolar concentrations. Compared with non-targeted nanoparticles, FolA-modified nanocarriers achieve substantially higher gene editing including dual PD-L1/PVR gene disruption after injection into CT26 tumors in vivo. In the syngeneic mouse model, dual disruption of PD-L1 and PVR leads to CD8+ T cell recruitment and distinct CT26 tumor growth inhibition, clearly superior to the individual knockouts alone. The reported Cas9 RNP nanocarriers represent a versatile platform for potent and receptor-specific gene editing. In addition, the study demonstrates a promising strategy for cancer immunotherapy by permanent and combined immune checkpoint disruption.

Keywords: cellular delivery; clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/ clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-associated protein 9; folate receptors; gene editing; nanocarriers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202205318