Autoimmune diseases and immune-checkpoint inhibitors for cancer therapy: review of the literature and personalized risk-based prevention strategy.

Patients with cancer and with preexisting active autoimmune diseases (ADs) have been excluded from immunotherapy clinical trials because of concerns for high susceptibility to the development of severe adverse events resulting from exacerbation of their preexisting ADs. However, a growing body of evidence indicates that immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) may be safe and effective in this patient population. However, baseline corticosteroids and other nonselective immunosuppressants appear to negatively impact drug efficacy, whereas retrospective and case report data suggest that use of specific immunosuppressants may not have the same consequences. Therefore, we propose here a two-step strategy. First, to lower the risk of compromising ICI efficacy before their initiation, nonselective immunosuppressants could be replaced by specific selective immunosuppressant drugs following a short rotation phase. Subsequently, combining ICI with the selective immunosuppressant could prevent exacerbation of the AD. For the most common active ADs encountered in the context of cancer, we propose specific algorithms to optimize ICI therapy. These preventive strategies go beyond current practices and recommendations, and should be practiced in ICI-specialized clinics, as these require multidisciplinary teams with extensive knowledge in the field of clinical immunology and oncology. In addition, we challenge the exclusion from ICI therapy for patients with cancer and active ADs and propose the implementation of an international registry to study such novel strategies in a prospective fashion.

Melanoma antigens are biomarkers for ipilimumab response.

BACKGROUND: Novel immunotherapy modalities significantly improve survival of patients with metastatic melanoma. However, CTLA-4-blocking monoclonal antibody ipilimumab is effective only in a small proportion of patients. Biomarkers for prediction of treatment response are indispensably needed. OBJECTIVE: To determine the utility of multimarker detection of circulating melanoma cells as prognostic and pharmacodynamic biomarker in patients with metastatic melanoma treated with ipilimumab. METHODS: Patients (n = 62) with metastatic melanoma in unresectable stage III or metastatic stage IV treated with ipilimumab were recruited prospectively. The values of four melanoma markers on circulating cells Melan-A, gp100, MAGE-3 and melanoma inhibitory antigen prior to the treatment and within the therapy were compared to the data collected at baseline - after the melanoma surgery. RESULTS: The immunotherapy pretreatment marker level was found to be prognostic of overall survival; lower levels were linked to longer survival time. Moreover, longitudinal follow-up of melanoma markers in patients treated with ipilimumab correlates with therapy response. A decline of marker levels by >30% at week 6 (in 83% of the responding subjects) to week 9 (in all responders) of ipilimumab administration was associated with response to therapy. Elevation of the tumour markers during the treatment precedes clinical progression and gives an early warning of treatment failure. CONCLUSION: Melanoma circulating cells hold potential as predictive and pharmacodynamic biomarker of immunotherapy.

Skin toxicity and efficacy of sunitinib and sorafenib in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: a national registry-based study.

BACKGROUND: A retrospective, registry-based analysis to assess the outcomes of metastatic renal cell cancer (mRCC) patients treated with sunitinib and sorafenib who developed dermatologic adverse events was performed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data on mRCC patients treated with sunitinib or sorafenib were obtained from the Czech Clinical Registry of Renal Cell Cancer Patients. Outcomes of patients who developed hand-foot syndrome (HFS) of any grade and/or grade 3/4 rash during the treatment were compared with patients without HFS and no, mild, or moderate rash. RESULTS: The cohort included 705 patients treated with sunitinib and 365 patients treated with sorafenib. For sunitinib, the median overall survival (OS) was 43.0 months versus 31.0 months (P = 0.027) and median progression-free survival (PFS) 20.8 months versus 11.1 months (P = 0.007) for patients with versus without dermatologic toxicity, respectively. For sorafenib, the median OS and PFS were 27.9 and 24.6 months (P = 0.244), and 12.2 and 8.8 months (P = 0.050), respectively. In multivariable Cox regression, the skin toxicity was significantly associated with longer OS in the sunitinib cohort. CONCLUSION: The presence of skin toxicity is associated with improved OS and PFS in patients with mRCC treated with sunitinib.

[BRAF mutation: a novel approach in targeted melanoma therapy]. / Mutace BRAF: nový prístup k cílené lécbe melanomu.

The incidence of malignant melanoma is increasing worldwide, despite our best efforts in prevention and early detection. The locally advanced disease may be treated surgically with good results, however, metastatic melanoma is considered to be one of the most therapeutically challenging malignancies. The increasing knowledge of molecular changes in melanoma may change this picture. Malignant melanoma is not a singular, homogeneous disease but rather a mixture of subtypes characterized by specific mutations. Tumors with C-KIT mutation respond to therapy with C-KIT kinase inhibitor imatinib and the ones characterized by BRAF mutations respond to BRAF kinase inhibitor vemurafenib. Vemurafenib was approved by US FDA in 2011 and EMA in 2012 for therapy of patients with advanced melanoma, harboring mutation in BRAFV600E gene. Ipilimumab, an antibody to cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), was registered in 2011 by both US FDA and European Medicines Agency for treatment of metastatic melanoma. This therapy promotes the anti-tumor T-cell activity by blocking a CTLA-4 antigen, a key negative regulator of immune response.

Generation of lytic natural killer 1.1+, Ly-49- cells from multipotential murine bone marrow progenitors in a stroma-free culture: definition of cytokine requirements and developmental intermediates.

We have developed a stroma-free culture system in which mouse marrow or thymus cells, known to be enriched for lymphoid progenitors, can be driven to generate natural killer (NK) cells. Culture of lineage marker (Lin)-, c-kit+, Sca2+, interleukin (IL)-2/15Rbeta (CD122)- marrow cells in IL-6, IL-7, stem cell factor (SCF), and flt3 ligand (flt3-L) for 5-6 d followed by IL-15 alone for an additional 4-5 d expanded the starting population 30-40-fold and gave rise to a virtually pure population of NK1.1+, CD3- cells. Preculture in IL-6, IL-7, SCF, and flt3-L was necessary for inducing IL-15 responsiveness in the progenitors because the cells failed to significantly expand when cultured in IL-15 alone from the outset. Although culture of the sorted progenitors in IL-6, IL-7, SCF, and flt3-L for the entire 9-11-d culture period caused significant expansion, no lytic NK1.1+ cells were generated if IL-15 was not added, demonstrating a critical role for IL-15 in NK differentiation. Thus, two distinct populations of NK progenitors, IL-15 unresponsive and IL-15 responsive, have been defined. Similar results were obtained with Lin-, CD44+, CD25-, c-kit+ lymphoid progenitors obtained from adult thymus. The NK cells generated by this protocol lysed the NK-sensitive target YAC-1 and expressed markers of mature NK cells with the notable absence of Ly-49 major histocompatibility complex (MHC) receptors. However, despite the apparent lack of these inhibitory MHC receptors, the NK cells generated could distinguish MHC class I+ from class I- syngeneic targets, suggesting the existence of novel class I receptors.

Managing toxicities associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: consensus recommendations from the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Toxicity Management Working Group.

Cancer immunotherapy has transformed the treatment of cancer. However, increasing use of immune-based therapies, including the widely used class of agents known as immune checkpoint inhibitors, has exposed a discrete group of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Many of these are driven by the same immunologic mechanisms responsible for the drugs' therapeutic effects, namely blockade of inhibitory mechanisms that suppress the immune system and protect body tissues from an unconstrained acute or chronic immune response. Skin, gut, endocrine, lung and musculoskeletal irAEs are relatively common, whereas cardiovascular, hematologic, renal, neurologic and ophthalmologic irAEs occur much less frequently. The majority of irAEs are mild to moderate in severity; however, serious and occasionally life-threatening irAEs are reported in the literature, and treatment-related deaths occur in up to 2% of patients, varying by ICI. Immunotherapy-related irAEs typically have a delayed onset and prolonged duration compared to adverse events from chemotherapy, and effective management depends on early recognition and prompt intervention with immune suppression and/or immunomodulatory strategies. There is an urgent need for multidisciplinary guidance reflecting broad-based perspectives on how to recognize, report and manage organ-specific toxicities until evidence-based data are available to inform clinical decision-making. The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) established a multidisciplinary Toxicity Management Working Group, which met for a full-day workshop to develop recommendations to standardize management of irAEs. Here we present their consensus recommendations on managing toxicities associated with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

Alterations in osteoclast morphology following long-term 17beta-estradiol administration in the mouse.

BACKGROUND: Although the role of the osteoclast in bone resorption is becoming better understood, much remains to be learned about osteoclastogenesis and the exact mechanism of action of anti-resorbing agents such as 17beta-estradiol. This study investigated bone and morphologic osteoclast alterations following long-term estrogen administration to the B6D2F1 mouse. B6D2F1 mice aged 4-5 weeks were exposed to high levels of estrogen via implanted silastic tubing for at least 12 weeks; controls received empty tubing. Femurs of control and treated mice were assessed with radiology, quantitative histomorphometry and transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: After 8 weeks of treatment, there was radiologic evidence of severe osteosclerosis and 86% of femoral marrow space was replaced with bone. After 12 weeks histologic studies of treated animals revealed that osteoclasts were positive for tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase but showed markedly abnormal ultrastructure which prevented successful bone resorption. CONCLUSIONS: Findings extend our understanding of osteoclast structure and function in the mouse exposed in vivo to high doses of estrogen. Ultrastructural examination showed that osteoclasts from estrogen-treated mice were unable to seal against the bone surface and were unable to form ruffled borders.

Development of self-recognition systems in natural killer cells.

Differentiation of NK cells is bone marrow dependent. Although all the factors necessary for NK differentiation are yet to be fully characterized, IL-15 has emerged as the most likely candidate that drives terminal differentiation of NK cells. Other cytokines are needed for the expansion and maintenance of the progenitor population. Although the in vivo role for IL-15 cannot be established without the generation of either IL-15 or IL-15R alpha deficient mice, in vitro data suggests that it is responsible for the generation of lytic, NK1.1+ cells from immature progenitors. So far, it has not been possible to obtain Ly-49+ cells from marrow or fetal-derived progenitor cells in vitro. Stromal cells along with cytokines may be necessary to induce expression of Ly-49 on NK1.1+ cells. Expression of the NK receptors seems to be a sequential process with expression of IL-2/15R beta on progenitor cells occurring first followed by the expression of NK1.1 and then probably Ly-49. The same sequence seems to hold true in vivo as well, Ly-49 surface expression on splenic NK1.1+ cells is first detected 4-6 days after birth, and the frequency of cells expressing Ly-49 receptors reaches adult levels by days 20-24. Despite the lack of expression of Ly-49 receptors by fetal NK1.1+ as well as bone marrow derived NK1.1+ cells, they are able to distinguish between MHC class Ihi and class Ilo targets. This suggests that these NK1.1+Ly-49- cells express non-Ly-49 class I receptors. Efforts in the future need to be focused on elements responsible for the expression of Ly49 on these NK1.1+ cells in order to establish an in vitro system in which establishment of the Ly-49 repertoire can be studied.

IL-15 can substitute for the marrow microenvironment in the differentiation of natural killer cells.

NK cells require an intact bone marrow microenvironment to acquire lytic function. In mice rendered osteopetrotic by 17beta-estradiol treatment, NK1.1 positive cells are arrested in a nonlytic state. Culture with as little as 2 ng/ml of murine IL-15 (mIL-15), a cytokine produced by macrophages and stromal cells, causes these immature NK1.1+ cells to acquire lytic activity. By contrast, approximately 10- to 50-fold greater amount of mIL-2 was required to induce similar level of cytotoxicity. After culture with mIL-15, the relatively low expression of B220, CD11b, and Ly-49 molecules on immature NK1.1+ cells was increased to levels comparable to those of mature splenic NK1.1+ cells. mIL-15 also caused a greater expansion of NK1.1+CD3- cells as compared with NK1.1+CD3+ cells. We conclude that IL-15 is a specific maturation factor for NK cells and that it can mimic the marrow microenvironment in vitro.

Differentiation of NK1.1+, Ly49+ NK cells from flt3+ multipotent marrow progenitor cells.

To delineate factors involved in NK cell development, we established an in vitro system in which lineage marker (Lin)-, c-kit+, Sca2+ bone marrow cells differentiate into lytic NK1.1+ but Ly49- cells upon culture in IL-7, stem cell factor (SCF), and flt3 ligand (flt3L), followed by IL-15 alone. A comparison of the ability of IL-7, SCF, and flt3L to generate IL-15-responsive precursors suggested that NK progenitors express the receptor for flt3L. In support of this, when Lin-, c-kit+, flt3+ or Lin-, c-kit+, flt3- progenitors were utilized, 3-fold more NK cells arose from the flt3+ than from the flt3- progenitors. Furthermore, NK cells that arose from flt3- progenitors showed an immature NK1.1dim, CD2-, c-kit+ phenotype as compared with the more mature NK1.1bright, CD2+/-, c-kit- phenotype displayed by NK cells derived from flt3+ progenitors. Both progenitors, however, gave rise to NK cells that were Ly49 negative. To test the hypothesis that additional marrow-derived signals are necessary for Ly49 expression on developing NK cells, flt3+ progenitors were grown in IL-7, SCF, and flt3L followed by culture with IL-15 and a marrow-derived stromal cell line. Expression of Ly49 molecules, including those of which the MHC class I ligands were expressed on the stromal or progenitor cells, as well as others of which the known ligands were absent, was induced within 6-13 days. Thus, we have established an in vitro system in which Ly49 expression on developing NK cells can be analyzed and possibly experimentally manipulated.

Natural killer cell differentiation: insights from knockout and transgenic mouse models and in vitro systems.

In the last few years, the routine development of knockout and transgenic mice and the ease with which rare progenitor populations can be isolated from hematopoietic organs and cultured in vitro has facilitated significant advances in understanding the lineage and development of natural killer (NK) cells. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analyses have identified a common lymphoid progenitor capable of giving rise to NK, T, and B cells, confirming the lymphoid origin of NK cells. Knockout and transgenic mouse models have pointed to an absolutely critical role for signals sent through the interleukin (IL)-2/15 receptor beta (CD122) chain and common gamma (gamma c) chain for NK development. Such signals are likely relayed inside the cell by the tyrosine kinase Jak3, which associates with gamma c. Recently developed IL-15 and IL-15 receptor alpha knockout mice have pinpointed IL-15 as the mediator of this signal. Other mouse models have indicated an unexpected role for flt3 ligand in early NK-cell development as well as minor roles for stem cell factor and IL-7 in expanding NK-cell progenitor numbers. Finally, in vitro culture systems have proven useful in identifying the point in NK development at which each of these signals is critical.

[Clinical evaluation of the Glucophot reflecting photometer in determining glucose in whole blood]. / Klinicheskaia otsenka otrazhatel'nogo fotometra "Gliukofot" pri opredelenii gliukozy v tsel'noi krovi.

Clinical trials of the Glukofot reflecting photometer prototype for measuring the whole blood glucose in reagent strips have been carried out. The reproducibility has been assessed in various operations with different glucose concentrations. Attempts to estimate the calibration curve linearity and the accuracy with the control sera as against the glucose oxidase method have failed, probably because of the presence of stabilizers and inhibitors, and different viscosity of these substances as compared to whole blood viscosity. The rapid method has been compared to the universal methods and the neocuproin method for glucose measurements with the use of the AA autoanalyzer; the results obtained with these methods have coincided. The apparatus failures and approaches to improving its operation are discussed; it appears to be useful for blood glucose analysis in emergencies, at bedside, in ambulance cars, etc.