RESUMO
T cells directed against mutant neo-epitopes drive cancer immunity. However, spontaneous immune recognition of mutations is inefficient. We recently introduced the concept of individualized mutanome vaccines and implemented an RNA-based poly-neo-epitope approach to mobilize immunity against a spectrum of cancer mutations. Here we report the first-in-human application of this concept in melanoma. We set up a process comprising comprehensive identification of individual mutations, computational prediction of neo-epitopes, and design and manufacturing of a vaccine unique for each patient. All patients developed T cell responses against multiple vaccine neo-epitopes at up to high single-digit percentages. Vaccine-induced T cell infiltration and neo-epitope-specific killing of autologous tumour cells were shown in post-vaccination resected metastases from two patients. The cumulative rate of metastatic events was highly significantly reduced after the start of vaccination, resulting in a sustained progression-free survival. Two of the five patients with metastatic disease experienced vaccine-related objective responses. One of these patients had a late relapse owing to outgrowth of ß2-microglobulin-deficient melanoma cells as an acquired resistance mechanism. A third patient developed a complete response to vaccination in combination with PD-1 blockade therapy. Our study demonstrates that individual mutations can be exploited, thereby opening a path to personalized immunotherapy for patients with cancer.
Assuntos
Vacinas Anticâncer/genética , Vacinas Anticâncer/imunologia , Melanoma/imunologia , Melanoma/terapia , Mutação/genética , Medicina de Precisão/métodos , RNA/genética , Anticorpos Monoclonais/farmacologia , Anticorpos Monoclonais/uso terapêutico , Antígeno B7-H1/imunologia , Antígenos CD8/imunologia , Vacinas Anticâncer/uso terapêutico , Epitopos/genética , Epitopos/imunologia , Humanos , Imunoterapia/métodos , Melanoma/genética , Metástase Neoplásica , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia/prevenção & controle , Nivolumabe , Receptor de Morte Celular Programada 1/antagonistas & inibidores , Linfócitos T/imunologia , Vacinação , Microglobulina beta-2/deficiênciaRESUMO
Dendritic cells (DC) develop from hematopoietic stem cells, which is guided by instructive signals through cytokines. DC development progresses from multipotent progenitors (MPP) via common DC progenitors (CDP) into DC. Flt3 ligand (Flt3L) signaling via the Flt3/Stat3 pathway is of pivotal importance for DC development under steady state conditions. Additional factors produced during steady state or inflammation, such as TGF-ß1 or GM-CSF, also influence the differentiation potential of MPP and CDP. Here, we studied how gp130, GM-CSF and TGF-ß1 signaling influence DC lineage commitment from MPP to CDP and further into DC. We observed that activation of gp130 signaling promotes expansion of MPP. Additionally, gp130 signaling inhibited Flt3L-driven DC differentiation, but had little effect on GM-CSF-driven DC development. The inflammatory cytokine GM-CSF induces differentiation of MPP into inflammatory DC and blocks steady state DC development. Global transcriptome analysis revealed a GM-CSF-driven gene expression repertoire that primes MPP for differentiation into inflammatory DC. Finally, TGF-ß1 induces expression of DC-lineage affiliated genes in MPP, including Flt3, Irf-4 and Irf-8. Under inflammatory conditions, however, the effect of TGF-ß1 is altered: Flt3 is not upregulated, indicating that an inflammatory environment inhibits steady state DC development. Altogether, our data indicate that distinct cytokine signals produced during steady state or inflammation have a different outcome on DC lineage commitment and differentiation.