Enhanced potency of immune checkpoint inhibitors against poorly immunological solid tumors by immune stimulatory oncolytic adenoviruses-mediated remodeling of the tumor microenvironment

Abstract Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) have shown promising results against a variety of solid tumors across clinical trials. However, ICI monotherapy is often ineffective in patients with non-immunogenic tumors that exhibit high level of immunosuppression and low level of tumor infiltrating lym...

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Main Authors: Hyo Min Ahn, Bo-Kyeong Jung, JinWoo Hong, Dayoung Hong, A-Rum Yoon, Chae-Ok Yun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:Molecular Medicine
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-025-01223-4
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author Hyo Min Ahn
Bo-Kyeong Jung
JinWoo Hong
Dayoung Hong
A-Rum Yoon
Chae-Ok Yun
author_facet Hyo Min Ahn
Bo-Kyeong Jung
JinWoo Hong
Dayoung Hong
A-Rum Yoon
Chae-Ok Yun
author_sort Hyo Min Ahn
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) have shown promising results against a variety of solid tumors across clinical trials. However, ICI monotherapy is often ineffective in patients with non-immunogenic tumors that exhibit high level of immunosuppression and low level of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. To address these limitations, we have investigated a combination of ICIs [anti-PD-1 antibody (αPD-1), anti-PD-L1 antibody (αPD-L1), or anti-CTLA-4 antibody (αCTLA-4)] with several different immune stimulatory oncolytic adenoviruses (Ads) expressing different combinations of antitumor cytokines or immune modulatory factors [e.g., (1) interleukin (IL)-12 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF; RdB/IL12/GMCSF), (2) IL-12 and short hairpin ribonucleic acid (shRNA) targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (RdB/IL12/shVEGF), (3) IL-12 and decorin (RdB/IL12/DCN), (4) GM-CSF, and thymidine kinase (RdB/IL12/GMCSF-TK), or (5) IL-12, GM-CSF, and relaxin (RdB/IL12/GMCSF-RLX)] to overcome tumor-induced immunosuppression. Through comparative evaluation of combination therapy regimens, our findings have identified αPD-1 as the optimal ICI candidate to synergize with different oncolytic Ads to induce potent antitumor immune response against poorly immunological solid tumors.
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spelling doaj-art-aadbd973dd1241b9846f2dca0513a9b52025-08-20T03:09:19ZengBMCMolecular Medicine1528-36582025-05-0131112110.1186/s10020-025-01223-4Enhanced potency of immune checkpoint inhibitors against poorly immunological solid tumors by immune stimulatory oncolytic adenoviruses-mediated remodeling of the tumor microenvironmentHyo Min Ahn0Bo-Kyeong Jung1JinWoo Hong2Dayoung Hong3A-Rum Yoon4Chae-Ok Yun5GeneMedicine Co., LtdGeneMedicine Co., LtdGeneMedicine Co., LtdDepartment of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang UniversityDepartment of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang UniversityDepartment of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang UniversityAbstract Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) have shown promising results against a variety of solid tumors across clinical trials. However, ICI monotherapy is often ineffective in patients with non-immunogenic tumors that exhibit high level of immunosuppression and low level of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. To address these limitations, we have investigated a combination of ICIs [anti-PD-1 antibody (αPD-1), anti-PD-L1 antibody (αPD-L1), or anti-CTLA-4 antibody (αCTLA-4)] with several different immune stimulatory oncolytic adenoviruses (Ads) expressing different combinations of antitumor cytokines or immune modulatory factors [e.g., (1) interleukin (IL)-12 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF; RdB/IL12/GMCSF), (2) IL-12 and short hairpin ribonucleic acid (shRNA) targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (RdB/IL12/shVEGF), (3) IL-12 and decorin (RdB/IL12/DCN), (4) GM-CSF, and thymidine kinase (RdB/IL12/GMCSF-TK), or (5) IL-12, GM-CSF, and relaxin (RdB/IL12/GMCSF-RLX)] to overcome tumor-induced immunosuppression. Through comparative evaluation of combination therapy regimens, our findings have identified αPD-1 as the optimal ICI candidate to synergize with different oncolytic Ads to induce potent antitumor immune response against poorly immunological solid tumors.https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-025-01223-4Checkpoint inhibitorsOncolytic adenovirusProgrammed cell death protein 1Programmed death-ligand 1Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4Combination therapy
spellingShingle Hyo Min Ahn
Bo-Kyeong Jung
JinWoo Hong
Dayoung Hong
A-Rum Yoon
Chae-Ok Yun
Enhanced potency of immune checkpoint inhibitors against poorly immunological solid tumors by immune stimulatory oncolytic adenoviruses-mediated remodeling of the tumor microenvironment
Molecular Medicine
Checkpoint inhibitors
Oncolytic adenovirus
Programmed cell death protein 1
Programmed death-ligand 1
Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4
Combination therapy
title Enhanced potency of immune checkpoint inhibitors against poorly immunological solid tumors by immune stimulatory oncolytic adenoviruses-mediated remodeling of the tumor microenvironment
title_full Enhanced potency of immune checkpoint inhibitors against poorly immunological solid tumors by immune stimulatory oncolytic adenoviruses-mediated remodeling of the tumor microenvironment
title_fullStr Enhanced potency of immune checkpoint inhibitors against poorly immunological solid tumors by immune stimulatory oncolytic adenoviruses-mediated remodeling of the tumor microenvironment
title_full_unstemmed Enhanced potency of immune checkpoint inhibitors against poorly immunological solid tumors by immune stimulatory oncolytic adenoviruses-mediated remodeling of the tumor microenvironment
title_short Enhanced potency of immune checkpoint inhibitors against poorly immunological solid tumors by immune stimulatory oncolytic adenoviruses-mediated remodeling of the tumor microenvironment
title_sort enhanced potency of immune checkpoint inhibitors against poorly immunological solid tumors by immune stimulatory oncolytic adenoviruses mediated remodeling of the tumor microenvironment
topic Checkpoint inhibitors
Oncolytic adenovirus
Programmed cell death protein 1
Programmed death-ligand 1
Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4
Combination therapy
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-025-01223-4
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