Evaluation of current cancer immunotherapy: hemato-oncology

Transfer of Cellular Content from the Allogeneic Cell-Based Cancer Vaccine DCP-001 to Host Dendritic Cells Hinges on Phosphatidylserine and Is Enhanced by CD47 Blockade

DCP-001 is a cell-based cancer vaccine generated by differentiation and maturation of cells from the human DCOne myeloid leukemic cell line. This results in a vaccine comprising a broad array of endogenous tumor antigens combined with a mature dendritic cell (mDC) costimulatory profile, functioning as a local inflammatory adjuvant when injected into an allogeneic recipient. Intradermal DCP-001 vaccination has been shown to be safe and feasible as a post-remission therapy in acute myeloid leukemia. In the current study, the mode of action of DCP-001 was further characterized by static and dynamic analysis of the interaction between labelled DCP-001 and host antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Direct cell-cell interactions and uptake of DCP-001 cellular content by APCs were shown to depend on DCP-001 cell surface expression of calreticulin and phosphatidylserine, while blockade of CD47 enhanced the process. Injection of DCP-001 in an ex vivo human skin model led to its uptake by activated skin-emigrating DCs. These data suggest that, following intradermal DCP-001 vaccination, local and recruited host APCs capture tumor-associated antigens from the vaccine, become activated and migrate to the draining lymph nodes to subsequently (re)activate tumor-reactive T-cells. The improved uptake of DCP-001 by blocking CD47 rationalizes the possible combination of DCP-001 vaccination with CD47 blocking therapies.

Accumulation of CD45RO+CD8+ T cells is a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma is characterized by high immunogenicity and infiltration of immune cells. CD45RO+CD8+ T cells are well known as a critical role in host defense of the immune environment. However, their role in clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC) remains unknown. To elucidate the clinical importance of CD45RO+CD8+ T cells in ccRCC as well as its underlying mechanism, we analyzed several types of peripheral immune cells from 274 patients with ccRCC who have received radical or partial nephrectomy and 350 healthy people. Flow cytomety assays showed there was no significant difference in the proportions of CD8+ T cells and its subtypes other than CD45RO+/CD45RA+CD8+ cells. Both gene and protein expression levels of CD45RO in ccRCC tissues were decreased. CD45RO+CD8+ T cells showed increased proliferative abilities but decreased apoptotic abilities through MAPK signaling activation in ccRCC. High expression level of CD45RO+CD8+ T cells inhibited ccRCC progression, including proliferation, invasion, as well as autophagy of ccRCC through many signaling pathways. Bioinformatics and immunohistochemical chip analysis measured gene and protein levels of CD45RO and other related proteins. The combination of UCHL1, HMGB3, and CD36 has diagnostic value in ccRCC and is able to predict prognosis. Collectively, CD45RO+CD8+ T cells play a critical role in ccRCC progression and may be regarded as clinical indicators.

Inflammation in cancer and depression: a starring role for the kynurenine pathway

Depression is a common comorbidity in cancer cases, but this is not only due to the emotional distress of having a life-threatening disease. A common biological mechanism, involving a dysregulated immune system, seems to underpin this comorbidity. In particular, the activation of the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan degradation due to inflammation may play a key role in the development and persistence of both diseases. As a consequence, targeting enzymes involved in this pathway offers a unique opportunity to develop new strategies to treat cancer and depression at once. In this work, we provide a systematic review of the evidence up to date on the kynurenine pathway role in linking depression and cancer and on clinical implications of this evidence. In particular, complications due to chemotherapy are discussed, as well as the potential antidepressant efficacy of novel immunotherapies for cancer.

Resistance to anticancer immunity in cancer patients: potential strategies to reverse resistance

In the 1990s, the application of immunotherapy approaches to target cancer cells resulted in significant clinical responses in patients with advanced malignancies who were refractory to conventional therapies. While early immunotherapeutics were focused on T cell-mediated cytotoxic activity, subsequent efforts were centered on targeted antibody-mediated anticancer therapy. The initial success with antibody therapy encouraged further studies and, consequently, there are now more than 25 FDA-approved antibodies directed against a range of targets. Although both T cell and antibody therapies continue to result in significant clinical responses with minimal toxicity, a significant subset of patients does not respond to immunotherapy and another subset develops resistance following an initial response. This review is focused on describing examples showing that cancer resistance to immunotherapies indeed occurs. In addition, it reviews the mechanisms being used to overcome the resistance to immunotherapies by targeting the tumor cell directly and/or the tumor microenvironment.

Novel Antigen Targets for Immunotherapy of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was the first malignancy for which immunotherapy, in the form of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), was integrated into the standard of care. Allo-HSCT however is an imperfect therapy associated with significant morbidity and mortality while offering only incomplete prevention of AML clinical relapse. These limitations have motivated the search for AML-related antigens that might be used as more specific and effective targets of immunotherapy. While historically such investigations have focused on protein targets expressed uniquely in AML or at significantly higher levels than in normal tissues, this article will review recent discoveries which have identified a novel selection of potential antigen targets for AML immunotherapy, such as non-protein targets including lipids and carbohydrates, neo-antigens created from genetic somatic mutations or altered splicing and post-translational modification of protein targets, together with innovative ways to target overexpressed protein targets presented by cell surface peptide-MHC complexes. These novel antigens represent promising candidates for further development as targets of AML immunotherapy.

Impaired B cell immunity in acute myeloid leukemia patients after chemotherapy

Background

Changes in adaptive immune cells after chemotherapy in adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) may have implications for the success of immunotherapy. This study was designed to determine the functional capacity of the immune system in adult patients with AML who have completed chemotherapy and are potential candidates for immunotherapy.

Methods

We used the response to seasonal influenza vaccination as a surrogate for the robustness of the immune system in 10 AML patients in a complete remission post-chemotherapy and performed genetic, phenotypic, and functional characterization of adaptive immune cell subsets.

Results

Only 2 patients generated protective titers in response to vaccination, and a majority of patients had abnormal frequencies of transitional and memory B-cells. B-cell receptor sequencing showed a B-cell repertoire with little evidence of somatic hypermutation in most patients. Conversely, frequencies of T-cell populations were similar to those seen in healthy controls, and cytotoxic T-cells demonstrated antigen-specific activity after vaccination. Effector T-cells had increased PD-1 expression in AML patients least removed from chemotherapy.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that while some aspects of cellular immunity recover quickly, humoral immunity is incompletely reconstituted in the year following intensive cytotoxic chemotherapy for AML. The observed B-cell abnormalities may explain the poor response to vaccination often seen in AML patients after chemotherapy. Furthermore, the uncoupled recovery of B-cell and T-cell immunity and increased PD-1 expression shortly after chemotherapy might have implications for the success of several modalities of immunotherapy.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12967-017-1252-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Immunological effects of hypomethylating agents

INTRODUCTION

Epigenetic changes resulting from aberrant methylation patterns are a recurrent observation in hematologic malignancies. Hypomethylating agents have a well-established role in the management of patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myeloid leukemia. In addition to the direct effects of hypomethylating agents on cancer cells, there are several lines of evidence indicating a role for immune-mediated anti-tumor benefits from hypomethylating therapy. Areas covered: We reviewed the clinical and basic science literature for the effects of hypomethylating agents, including the most commonly utilized therapeutics azacitidine and decitabine, on immune cell subsets. We summarized the effects of hypomethylating agents on the frequency and function of natural killer cells, T cells, and dendritic cells. In particular, we highlight the effects of hypomethylating agents on expression of immune checkpoint inhibitors, leukemia-associated antigens, and endogenous retroviral elements. Expert commentary: In vitro and ex vivo studies indicate mixed effects on the function of natural killer, dendritic cells and T cells following treatment with hypomethylating agents. Clinical correlates of immune function have suggested that hypomethylating agents have immunomodulatory functions with the potential to synergize with immune checkpoint therapy for the treatment of hematologic malignancy, and has become an active area of clinical research.

A multigene array for measurable residual disease detection in AML patients undergoing SCT

AML is a diagnosis encompassing a diverse group of myeloid malignancies. Heterogeneous genetic etiology, together with the potential for oligoclonality within the individual patient, have made the identification of a single high-sensitivity marker of disease burden challenging. We developed a multiple gene measurable residual disease (MG-MRD) RQ-PCR array for the high-sensitivity detection of AML, retrospectively tested on 74 patients who underwent allo-SCT at the NHLBI in the period 1994-2012. MG-MRD testing on peripheral blood samples prior to transplantation demonstrated excellent concordance with traditional BM-based evaluation and improved risk stratification for post-transplant relapse and OS outcomes. Pre-SCT assessment by MG-MRD predicted all clinical relapses occurring in the first 100 days after allo-SCT compared with 57% sensitivity using WT1 RQ-PCR alone. Nine patients who were negative for WT1 prior to transplantation were correctly reclassified into a high-risk MG-MRD-positive group, associated with 100% post-transplant mortality. This study provides proof of principle that a multiple gene approach may be superior to the use of WT1 expression alone for AML residual disease detection.

Current Approaches in the Treatment of Relapsed and Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia

The limited sensitivity of the historical treatment response criteria for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has resulted in a different paradigm for treatment compared with most other cancers presenting with widely disseminated disease. Initial cytotoxic induction chemotherapy is often able to reduce tumor burden to a level sufficient to meet the current criteria for "complete" remission. Nevertheless, most AML patients ultimately die from their disease, most commonly as clinically evident relapsed AML. Despite a variety of available salvage therapy options, prognosis in patients with relapsed or refractory AML is generally poor. In this review, we outline the commonly utilized salvage cytotoxic therapy interventions and then highlight novel investigational efforts currently in clinical trials using both pathway-targeted agents and immunotherapy based approaches. We conclude that there is no current standard of care for adult relapsed or refractory AML other than offering referral to an appropriate clinical trial.

Evaluation of cytolytic activity and phenotypic changes of circulating blood immune cells in patients with colorectal cancer by a simple preparation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Purpose

This study aimed to assess the cytolytic activity and the phenotype of circulating blood immune cells in cancer patients by using a simple preparation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

Methods

Peripheral blood was obtained from 94 diagnosed colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and 112 healthy donors. PBMCs were cocultured with K562 cells for 2 hours and lactate dehydrogenase released from the dead K562 cells was measured by using a spectrophotometer. Meanwhile, PBMCs were stained with fluorescence conjugated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and analyzed by flow cytometry.

Results

The cytolytic activity of PBMCs were significantly different between CRC patient and healthy groups (8.82% ± 3.84% vs. 17.51% ± 8.57%; P < 0.001). However, no significant difference in the cytolytic activity was observed after surgery in the CRC patient group (before surgery, 8.82% ± 3.84% vs. after surgery, 9.95% ± 4.94%; P = 0.326). In addition, the percentage of peripheral blood natural killer cells was significantly higher in the preoperative patient group than in the healthy group (19.97% ± 11.51% vs. 15.60% ± 5.77%, P = 0.041). In contrast, the percentage of peripheral blood lymphocytes was lower in the preoperative patient group than in the healthy group (28.41% ± 8.31% vs. 36.4% ± 8.6%, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

These results demonstrate that circulating blood immune cells of CRC patients are functionally impaired and undergo an immunophenotypic perturbation, and show that a simple preparation of PBMCs can be useful to evaluate cellular immunity in cancer.

Induction of high-titer IgG antibodies against multiple leukemia-associated antigens in CML patients with clinical responses to K562/GVAX immunotherapy

The ability to target myeloid leukemia with immunotherapy would represent a significant therapeutic advance. We report here immunological analysis of clinical trials of primary and secondary vaccination with K562/GM-CSF immunotherapy in adult chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia patients (CML-CP) with suboptimal responses to imatinib mesylate. Using serological analysis of recombinant cDNA expression libraries of K562 with autologous vaccinated patient serum, we have identified 12 novel chronic myeloid leukemia-associated antigens (LAAs). We show that clinical responses following K562/GM-CSF vaccination are associated with induction of high-titer antibody responses to multiple LAAs. We observe markedly discordant patterns of baseline and induced antibody responses in these identically vaccinated patients. No single antigen was recognized in all responses to vaccination. We demonstrate that an additional 'booster' vaccination series can be given safely to those with inadequate responses to initial vaccination, and is associated with more frequent induction of IgG responses to antigens overexpressed in K562 vaccine compared with primary CML-CP. Finally, those with induced immune responses to the same LAAs often shared HLA subtypes and patients with clinical responses following vaccination recognized a partially shared but non-identical spectrum of antigens; both findings have potentially significant implications for cancer vaccine immunotherapy.

Minimal residual disease in acute myeloid leukaemia

Technological advances in the laboratory have led to substantial improvements in clinical decision making through the introduction of pretreatment prognostic risk stratification factors in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Unfortunately, similar progress has not been made in treatment response criteria, with the definition of 'complete remission' in AML largely unchanged for over half a century. Several clinical trials have demonstrated that high-sensitivity measurements of residual disease burden during or after treatment can be performed, that results are predictive for clinical outcome and can be used to improve outcomes by guiding additional therapeutic intervention to patients in clinical complete remission, but at increased relapse risk. We review these recent trials, the characteristics and challenges of the modalities currently used to detect minimal residual disease (MRD), and outline opportunities to both refine detection and improve clinical use of MRD measurements. MRD measurement is already the standard of care in other myeloid malignancies, such as chronic myelogenous leukaemia and acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL). It is our belief that response criteria for non-APL AML should be updated to include assessment for molecular complete remission and recommendations for post-consolidation surveillance should include regular monitoring for molecular relapse as standard of care.

Towards curative cancer immunotherapy: overcoming posttherapy tumor escape

The past decade has witnessed the evolvement of cancer immunotherapy as an increasingly effective therapeutic modality, evidenced by the approval of two immune-based products by the FDA, that is, the cancer vaccine Provenge (sipuleucel-T) for prostate cancer and the antagonist antibody against cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) ipilimumab for advanced melanoma. In addition, the clinical evaluations of a variety of promising immunotherapy drugs are well under way. Benefiting from more efficacious immunotherapeutic agents and treatment strategies, a number of recent clinical studies have achieved unprecedented therapeutic outcomes in some patients with certain types of cancers. Despite these advances, however, the efficacy of most cancer immunotherapies currently under clinical development has been modest. A recurring scenario is that therapeutic maneuvers initially led to measurable antitumor immune responses in cancer patients but ultimately failed to improve patient outcomes. It is increasingly recognized that tumor cells can antagonize therapy-induced immune attacks through a variety of counterregulation mechanisms, which represent a fundamental barrier to the success of cancer immunotherapy. Herein we summarize the findings from some recent preclinical and clinical studies, focusing on how tumor cells advance their survival and expansion by hijacking therapy-induced immune effector mechanisms that would otherwise mediate their destruction.