Biological stability and activity of siRNA in ionic liquids.

We report substantially enhanced biological stability of siRNA in a hydrated ionic liquid (IL) based on buffered choline dihydrogen phosphate (CDP). The results show that hydrated CDP IL substantially prolongs the shelf-life of siRNA for up to three months in the presence of RNase A. Remarkably, siRNA stored in the IL remained active and eGFP siRNA exhibited clear gene knockdown effects in eGFP-expressing HeLa cells.

Blockade of A2A receptors potently suppresses the metastasis of CD73+ tumors.

CD73 inhibits antitumor immunity through the activation of adenosine receptors expressed on multiple immune subsets. CD73 also enhances tumor metastasis, although the nature of the immune subsets and adenosine receptor subtypes involved in this process are largely unknown. In this study, we revealed that A2A/A2B receptor antagonists were effective in reducing the metastasis of tumors expressing CD73 endogenously (4T1.2 breast tumors) and when CD73 was ectopically expressed (B16F10 melanoma). A2A(-/-) mice were strongly protected against tumor metastasis, indicating that host A2A receptors enhanced tumor metastasis. A2A blockade enhanced natural killer (NK) cell maturation and cytotoxic function in vitro, reduced metastasis in a perforin-dependent manner, and enhanced NK cell expression of granzyme B in vivo, strongly suggesting that the antimetastatic effect of A2A blockade was due to enhanced NK cell function. Interestingly, A2B blockade had no effect on NK cell cytotoxicity, indicating that an NK cell-independent mechanism also contributed to the increased metastasis of CD73(+) tumors. Our results thus revealed that CD73 promotes tumor metastasis through multiple mechanisms, including suppression of NK cell function. Furthermore, our data strongly suggest that A2A or A2B antagonists may be useful for the treatment of metastatic disease. Overall, our study has potential therapeutic implications given that A2A/A2B receptor antagonists have already entered clinical trials in other therapeutic settings.

CD73-deficient mice are resistant to carcinogenesis.

CD73 is a cell surface 5'-nucleotidase that converts AMP to adenosine, an immune suppressive molecule. CD73 may promote immune escape in cancer by contributing to the degradation of extracellular ATP released by dying cancer cells in hypoxic tumors or following chemotherapy. However, whether CD73 exerts a critical oncogenic function during tumorigenesis is unknown. In this study, we used genetically deficient mice to investigate its contribution to autochthonous tumor formation. CD73 deficiency suppressed the development of 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA)-induced fibrosarcomas through a mechanism relying upon IFN-γ, natural killer (NK) cells, and CD8(+) T cells. Similarly, CD73 deficiency also suppressed prostate tumorigenesis in TRAMP transgenic mice. Importantly, treatment with an anti-CD73 monoclonal antibody effectively suppressed growth of established MCA-induced tumors or TRAMP-C1 prostate tumors and inhibited the development of TRAMP-C1 lung metastases. The therapeutic activity of anti-CD73 monoclonal antibody against primary tumors was dependent on CD8(+) T cells, whereas its antimetastatic activity was dependent on host CD73 expression independent of T cells or NK cells. Taken together, our findings indicate that CD73 is a critical factor in tumorigenesis and that anti-CD73 antibodies may offer a novel generalized strategy to blunt immune escape and treat cancer.

Anti-ErbB-2 mAb therapy requires type I and II interferons and synergizes with anti-PD-1 or anti-CD137 mAb therapy.

Trastuzumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2/ErbB-2), has become the mainstay of treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer. Nevertheless, its exact mechanism of action has not been fully elucidated. Although several studies suggest that Fc receptor-expressing immune cells are involved in trastuzumab therapy, the relative contribution of lymphocyte-mediated cellular cytotoxicity and antitumor cytokines remains unknown. We report here that anti-ErbB-2 mAb therapy is dependent on the release of type I and type II IFNs but is independent of perforin or FasL. Our study thus challenges the notion that classical antibody-dependent, lymphocyte-mediated cellular cytotoxicity is important for trastuzumab. We demonstrate that anti-ErbB-2 mAb therapy of experimental tumors derived from MMTV-ErbB-2 transgenic mice triggers MyD88-dependent signaling and primes IFN-γ-producing CD8+ T cells. Adoptive cell transfer of purified T cell subsets confirmed the essential role of IFN-γ-producing CD8+ T cells. Notably, anti-ErbB-2 mAb therapy was independent of IL-1R or IL-17Ra signaling. Finally, we investigated whether immunostimulatory approaches with antibodies against programmed death-1 (PD-1) or 41BB (CD137) could be used to capitalize on the immune-mediated effects of trastuzumab. We demonstrate that anti-PD-1 or anti-CD137 mAb can significantly improve the therapeutic activity of anti-ErbB-2 mAb in immunocompetent mice.

CD73-deficient mice have increased antitumor immunity and are resistant to experimental metastasis.

CD73 is a cell-surface enzyme that suppresses immune responses by producing extracellular adenosine. In this study, we employed CD73 gene-targeted mice to investigate the role of host-derived CD73 on antitumor immunity and tumor cell metastasis. We found that CD73 ablation significantly suppressed the growth of ovalbumin-expressing MC38 colon cancer, EG7 lymphoma, AT-3 mammary tumors, and B16F10 melanoma. The protective effect of CD73 deficiency on primary tumors was dependent on CD8(+) T cells and associated with an increased frequency of antigen-specific CD8(+) T cells in peripheral blood and tumors and increased antigen-specific IFN-γ production. Replicate studies in bone marrow chimeras established that both hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic expression of CD73 was important to promote tumor immune escape. Using adoptive reconstitution of T regulatory cell (Treg)-depleted DEREG (depletion of regulatory T cells) mice, we demonstrated that part of the protumorigenic effect of Tregs was dependent on their expression of CD73. CD73-deficient mice were also protected against pulmonary metastasis of B16F10 melanoma cells after intravenous injection. Unexpectedly, we found that the prometastatic effect of host-derived CD73 was dependent on CD73 expression on nonhematopoietic cells. CD73 expression on nonhematopoietic cells, most likely endothelial cells, was critical for promoting lung metastasis in a manner independent from immunosuppressive effects. Notably, in vivo blockade of CD73 with a selective inhibitor or anti-CD73 monoclonal antibody significantly reduced tumor growth and metastasis of CD73-negative tumors. Taken together, our findings indicate that CD73 may be targeted at multiple levels to induce anticancer effects including at the level of tumor cells, Tregs, and nonhematopoietic cells.

Anti-CD73 antibody therapy inhibits breast tumor growth and metastasis.

Extracellular adenosine is a potent immunosuppressor that accumulates during tumor growth. We performed proof-of-concept studies investigating the therapeutic potential and mechanism of action of monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based therapy against CD73, an ecto-enzyme overexpressed on breast-cancer cells that catalyzes the dephosphorylation of adenosine monophosphates into adenosine. We showed that anti-CD73 mAb therapy significantly delayed primary 4T1.2 and E0771 tumor growth in immune-competent mice and significantly inhibited the development of spontaneous 4T1.2 lung metastases. Notably, anti-CD73 mAb therapy was essentially dependent on the induction of adaptive anti-tumor immune responses. Knockdown of CD73 in 4T1.2 tumor cells confirmed the tumor-promoting effects of CD73. In addition to its immunosuppressive effect, CD73 enhanced tumor-cell chemotaxis, suggesting a role for CD73-derived adenosine in tumor metastasis. Accordingly, administration of adenosine-5'-N-ethylcarboxamide to tumor-bearing mice significantly enhanced spontaneous 4T1.2 lung metastasis. Using selective adenosine-receptor antagonists, we showed that activation of A2B adenosine receptors promoted 4T1.2 tumor-cell chemotaxis in vitro and metastasis in vivo. In conclusion, our study identified tumor-derived CD73 as a mechanism of tumor immune escape and tumor metastasis, and it also established the proof of concept that targeted therapy against CD73 can trigger adaptive anti-tumor immunity and inhibit metastasis of breast cancer.

Immobilization and surface characterization of NeutrAvidin biotin-binding protein on different hydrogel interlayers.

For a number of potential applications, it is desirable to immobilize avidin class molecules onto solid supports and exploit their ability to bind biotinylated molecules with high affinity. NeutrAvidin molecules were surface immobilized in various ways. In this study, NeutrAvidin was covalently attached by carbodiimide chemistry onto carboxyl groups of polyacrylic acid and carboxymethyl-dextran hydrogel interlayers. A third strategy involved the affinity "docking" of NeutrAvidin onto a biotinylated poly(ethylene glycol) interlayer. These three interlayers were selected for their low nonspecific binding of proteins, which was expected to minimize surface binding of NeutrAvidin by nonspecific interfacial adsorption. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses allowed detailed characterization of the multilayer fabrication steps. An ELISA assay was used to measure NeutrAvidin activity, which varied with the surface immobilization route. Atomic force microcopy (AFM) force measurements showed that the hydrogel interlayer contributed to a repulsive force and verified the specific interaction between biotinylated AFM tips and the NeutrAvidin surfaces. When a solution of free biotin was injected into the AFM liquid cell, the force curve changed substantially and became identical to that recorded between surfaces carrying no NeutrAvidin, indicating that the free solution biotin had displaced NeutrAvidin proteins off the PEG-biotin layer.