Mass Cytometry Analysis of the Tumour-Immune Landscape: the Role of Axl Receptor Kinase
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A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Mass cytometry analysis of the tumour-immune landscape: The role of Axl receptor kinase Sturla Magnus Grøndal Supervisor: Prof. James Bradley Lorens, Dept. of Biomedicine Co-supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Niels Aarsæther, Dept. of Biomedicine Bergen, November, 2018 I Abstract Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in Norway (2016) and worldwide. Despite the advent of new immunotherapies, malignant cancer demonstrates an intrinsic plasticity and is able to evade, adapt and suppress the immune system. An important driver for this malignant phenotype is the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program, characteristic of stem cells. Previous research showed a link between the AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (Axl) and EMT. The Axl receptor is further involved in immune suppression and could therefore serve as a potential target in immunotherapy and in combination with other cancer treatments. Chemotherapeutic treatment also shows evidence of immune involvement, and the immune system plays a vital role in all forms of cancer treatment. In this study, we evaluated current immunotherapy in combination the Axl kinase inhibitor, bemcentinib. Using single cell mass cytometry we conducted 30 parameter mapping of the immune system in an experimental murine tumour model. The data was analysed using dimensionality reduction and unsupervised clustering. By studying how the immune landscape changes during tumour development and immunotherapy treatment, important insights into how the immune system responds to tumour development and treatment was measured and a new treatment regime was evaluated. II Acknowledgements I would like to thank my family and friends for supporting me through my year of academic research and else in life and for allowing me to have a place outside of the university I can retreat to. In, addition I would like to thank my all my colleagues and supervisors for great input and academic discussions. Of notice, I would like to thank Stacey D’mello and Kjersti Davidsen for their outstanding support, Cara Wogsland whose office was always open whenever I had questions about mass cytometry and Jim, my main supervisor, for giving me the freedom to explore this field without boundaries and supporting me in going abroad to widen my knowledge. III Abbreviations BSA Bovine serum albumin CTL Cytotoxic T lymphocyte CTLA-4 Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 CVD Cardiovascular diseases CWB Cell washing buffer CyTOF Cytometry by time-of-flight DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid DOTA 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid DPBS Dulbecco’s PBS DTPA Polymeric pentetic acid EMP Epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity EMT Epithelial to mesenchymal transition ICB Immune checkpoint blockade MDSC Myeloid derived suppressor cell MHC Major histocompatibility complex NaAz Sodium Azide NK Natural Killer PBS Phosphate buffered saline PD-1 Programmed cell death protein 1 PP Polypropylene RCF Relative centrifugal force RF Radio frequency RT Room temperature TAM Tumour associated macrophage TCEP tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine TCR T cell receptor Th Helper T cell TIL Tumour infiltrating lymphocyte Treg T regulatory IV Glossary Angiogenesis Formation of new blood vessels from existing ones Anoikis Avoiding detachment-induced apoptosis Antigens A molecule that can be bound by an antibody and initiate an immune response. Apoptosis A form of nonimmunogenic controlled cell death. Cell differentiation When a cell goes from one cell type to another and quires different traits. Immunogenic A process capable of initiating an immune response. Immunotherapy The use of the immune system to treat cancer Intercalator A molecule that can be inserted between base pairs in DNA. Leukocytes White blood cells comprising the immune system. Mahalanobis distance A type of distance used in multivariate space to find the distance from the centroid to a given point. The centroid is the point where the means of all variables intersect. MilliQ A type of purified water. Mutation Permanent change in nucleotide sequence, either by insertion, deletion or substitution of a single nucleotide. Neoantigens New antigens. Push A single slice of the gas stream in the TOF chamber. Reading The integrated intensity of several pushes. Torr A unit of pressure that corresponds to 1/760 standard atmospheres. Contents Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... I Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... II Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................ III Glossary ..................................................................................................................................... IV Contents ..................................................................................................................................... 1 List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. 5 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Tumours on a population level .................................................................................... 1 1.2 Cancer development ................................................................................................... 2 1.2.1 Malignancy and EMT ............................................................................................ 2 1.2.2 Immunosuppression ............................................................................................. 4 1.3 Treatment of Breast Cancer ........................................................................................ 7 1.3.1 Anti-PD-1 and Anti-CTLA-4 ................................................................................... 8 1.3.2 Bemcentinib ......................................................................................................... 8 1.3.3 Combination of Bemcentinib and Immunotherapy ............................................. 9 1.4 Aims and Objectives .................................................................................................... 9 2 Methodological considerations ........................................................................................ 11 2.1 Mass cytometry ......................................................................................................... 11 2.1.2 Sample Preparation ............................................................................................ 17 2.1.3 Flow Cytometry as an Alternative ...................................................................... 21 2.2 Data analysis .............................................................................................................. 22 2.2.1 Normalisation ..................................................................................................... 22 2.2.2 Debarcoding ....................................................................................................... 22 2.2.3 Gating ................................................................................................................. 23 2.2.4 Dimensionality Reduction .................................................................................. 23 2.2.5 Clustering ............................................................................................................ 24 2.2.6 Cluster Characterisation ..................................................................................... 25 2.3 Reasons for the Approach ......................................................................................... 25 3 Materials and Methods ..................................................................................................... 26 3.1 General Overview ...................................................................................................... 26 3.1.1 Preparation of stock solutions ........................................................................... 29 3.2 Mice ........................................................................................................................... 30 3.2.1 Cell Culture ......................................................................................................... 31 3.2.2 Tumour Implantation ......................................................................................... 32 3.2.3 Preparation of Treatments ................................................................................. 32 3.2.4 Randomisation and Treatments ......................................................................... 33 3.2.5 Tissue Collection ................................................................................................. 34 3.3 Sample Preparation ................................................................................................... 34 3.3.1 Tissue Dissociation ............................................................................................. 34 3.3.2 Antibody Conjugation and Titration ................................................................... 35 3.3.3 Cell Staining ........................................................................................................ 37