The reparative immunologic consequences of stem cell transplantation as a cellular therapy for refractory Crohn's disease.

Background: Treatment strategies for Crohn's disease (CD) suppress diverse inflammatory pathways but many patients remain refractory to treatment. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) has emerged as a therapy for medically refractory CD. SCT was developed to rescue cancer patients from myelosuppressive chemotherapy but its use for CD and other immune diseases necessitates reimagining SCT as a cellular therapy that restores appropriately responsive immune cell populations from hematopoietic progenitors in the stem cell autograft (i.e. immune "reset"). Here we present a paradigm to understand SCT as a cellular therapy for immune diseases and reveal how SCT re-establishes cellular immunity utilizing high-dimensional cellular phenotyping and functional studies of the stem cell grafts. Methods: Immunophenotyping using CyTOF, single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing was performed on peripheral blood and intestinal tissue samples from refractory CD patients who underwent SCT. The stem cell graft from these patients was analyzed using flow cytometry and functionally interrogated using a murine model for engraftment. Results: Our study revealed a remodeling of intestinal macrophages capable of supporting mucosal healing that was independently validated using multimodal studies of immune reconstitution events including CyTOF and scRNA-seq. Functional interrogation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) using a xenograft model demonstrated that HSCs shape the timing of immune reconstitution, the selected reconstitution of specific cell lineages and potentially the clinical efficacy of SCT. Conclusions: These studies indicate that SCT serves as a myeloid-directed cellular therapy re-establishing homeostatic intestinal macrophages that support intestinal healing and suggest refractory CD evolves from impairment of restorative functions in myeloid cells. Furthermore, we report heterogeneity among HSCs from CD patients which may drive SCT outcomes and suggests an unrecognized impact of CD pathophysiology on HSC in the marrow niche.

Impact of gender representativeness in online symptom survey and clinical trial participation among patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) face chronic symptom burden. Online symptom assessment studies allow for recruitment of large numbers of motivated patients, but patient self-selection can lead to sampling bias. This study evaluated how gender representativeness in MPN symptom surveys and trials impacted symptom score mean estimates, using data from 4825 survey respondents and 291 trial participants with MPNs. The survey data showed that men participated at a rate roughly 50% less than what would be expected based on prevalence, and women reported higher scores than men on average for six of 10 symptoms. Together, this led to potential over estimation in six of 10 symptom score means (ranging from 5.8% to 15.3% overestimated). The trial data showed less gender-based sampling bias compared to the survey data. Studies utilizing online symptom surveys should implement study design features to recruit more men, assess for gender participation imbalances, and provide weighted estimates where appropriate.

Mapping genotypes to chromatin accessibility profiles in single cells.

In somatic tissue differentiation, chromatin accessibility changes govern priming and precursor commitment towards cellular fates1-3. Therefore, somatic mutations are likely to alter chromatin accessibility patterns, as they disrupt differentiation topologies leading to abnormal clonal outgrowth. However, defining the impact of somatic mutations on the epigenome in human samples is challenging due to admixed mutated and wild-type cells. Here, to chart how somatic mutations disrupt epigenetic landscapes in human clonal outgrowths, we developed genotyping of targeted loci with single-cell chromatin accessibility (GoT-ChA). This high-throughput platform links genotypes to chromatin accessibility at single-cell resolution across thousands of cells within a single assay. We applied GoT-ChA to CD34+ cells from patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms with JAK2V617F-mutated haematopoiesis. Differential accessibility analysis between wild-type and JAK2V617F-mutant progenitors revealed both cell-intrinsic and cell-state-specific shifts within mutant haematopoietic precursors, including cell-intrinsic pro-inflammatory signatures in haematopoietic stem cells, and a distinct profibrotic inflammatory chromatin landscape in megakaryocytic progenitors. Integration of mitochondrial genome profiling and cell-surface protein expression measurement allowed expansion of genotyping onto DOGMA-seq through imputation, enabling single-cell capture of genotypes, chromatin accessibility, RNA expression and cell-surface protein expression. Collectively, we show that the JAK2V617F mutation leads to epigenetic rewiring in a cell-intrinsic and cell type-specific manner, influencing inflammation states and differentiation trajectories. We envision that GoT-ChA will empower broad future investigations of the critical link between somatic mutations and epigenetic alterations across clonal populations in malignant and non-malignant contexts.

Myeloid neoplasms in inflammatory bowel disease: A case series and review of the literature.

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are exposed to chronic systemic inflammation and are at risk for secondary malignancies. Here we review the literature on the risk of myeloid neoplasms (MN) in IBD and present the disease profiles of patients at a single institution with IBD who later developed MN, comparing them to those in the literature. No IBD characteristic was found to associate with MN disease severity, including the previously-identified association between MNs and thiopurine exposure. Of the somatic mutations identified in out cohort's MN, mutations in TET2 were most prevalent, followed by FLT3-ITD, BCR-ABL, and NPM1 mutations.

Discontinuation Syndrome With JAK2 Selective Agents: Case Presentation and Mechanistic Insights.

We report the first case of pacritinib-withdrawal syndrome with in vitro elucidation of underlying mechanisms.

Clonal hematopoiesis and inflammation: A review of mechanisms and clinical implications.

Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) is defined by the presence of somatic mutations in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC). CH is associated primarily with advancing age and confers an elevated risk of progression to overt hematologic malignancy and cardiovascular disease. Increasingly, CH is associated with a wide range of diseases driven by, and sequelae of, inflammation. Accordingly, there is great interest in better understanding the pathophysiologic and clinical relationship between CH, aging, and disease. Both observational and experimental findings support the concept that CH is a potential common denominator in the inflammatory outcomes of aging. However, there is also evidence that local and systemic inflammatory states promote the growth and select for CH clones. In this review, we aim to provide an up-to-date summary of the nature of the relationship between inflammation and CH, which is central to unlocking potential therapeutic opportunities to prevent progression to myeloid malignancy.

Patient-Specific Pharmacokinetics and Dasatinib Nephrotoxicity.

BACKGROUND: Dasatinib has been associated with nephrotoxicity. We sought to examine the incidence of proteinuria on dasatinib and determine potential risk factors that may increase dasatinib-associated glomerular injury. METHODS: We examined glomerular injury through urine albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) in 82 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia who were on tyrosine-kinase inhibitor therapy for at least 90 days. t tests were used to compare mean differences in UACR, while regression analysis was used to assess the effects of drug parameters on proteinuria development while on dasatinib. We assayed plasma dasatinib pharmacokinetics using tandem mass spectroscopy and further described a case study of a patient who experienced nephrotic-range proteinuria while on dasatinib. RESULTS: Participants treated with dasatinib ( n =32) had significantly higher UACR levels (median 28.0 mg/g; interquartile range, 11.5-119.5) than participants treated with other tyrosine-kinase inhibitors ( n =50; median 15.0 mg/g; interquartile range, 8.0-35.0; P < 0.001). In total, 10% of dasatinib users exhibited severely increased albuminuria (UACR >300 mg/g) versus zero in other tyrosine-kinase inhibitors. Average steady-state concentrations of dasatinib were positively correlated with UACR ( ρ =0.54, P = 0.03) and duration of treatment ( P = 0.003). There were no associations with elevated BP or other confounding factors. In the case study, kidney biopsy revealed global glomerular damage with diffuse foot process effacement that recovered on termination of dasatinib treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to dasatinib was associated with a significant chance of developing proteinuria compared with other similar tyrosine-kinase inhibitors. Dasatinib plasma concentration significantly correlated with higher risk of developing proteinuria while receiving dasatinib. PODCAST: This article contains a podcast at https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/www.asn-online.org/media/podcast/CJASN/2023_09_08_CJN0000000000000219.mp3.

Dasatinib nephrotoxicity correlates with patient-specific pharmacokinetics.

Introduction: Dasatinib has been associated with nephrotoxicity. We sought to examine the incidence of proteinuria on dasatinib and determine potential risk factors that may increase dasatinib-associated glomerular injury. Methods: We examine glomerular injury via urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) in 101 chronic myelogenous leukemia patients who were on tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy for at least 90 days. We assay plasma dasatinib pharmacokinetics using tandem mass spectroscopy, and further describe a case study of a patient who experienced nephrotic-range proteinuria while on dasatinib. Results: Patients treated with dasatinib (n= 32) had significantly higher UACR levels (median 28.0 mg/g, IQR 11.5 - 119.5) than patients treated with other TKIs (n=50; median 15.0 mg/g, IQR 8.0 - 35.0; p < 0.001). In total, 10% of dasatinib users exhibited severely increased albuminuria (UACR > 300 mg/g) versus zero in other TKIs. Average steady state concentrations of dasatinib were positively correlated with UACR (ρ = 0.54, p = 0.03) as well as duration of treatment ( p =0.003). There were no associations with elevated blood pressure or other confounding factors. In the case study, kidney biopsy revealed global glomerular damage with diffuse foot process effacement that recovered upon termination of dasatinib treatment. Conclusions: Exposure to dasatinib is associated a significant chance of developing proteinuria compared to other similar TKIs. Dasatinib plasma concentration significantly correlates with increased risk of developing proteinuria while receiving dasatinib. Screening for renal dysfunction and proteinuria is strongly advised for all dasatinib patients.

An MDM2 degrader for treatment of acute leukemias.

In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), p53 tumor suppressor activity can be reduced due to enhanced expression of MDM2 which promotes the degradation of p53. In TP53 wild-type malignancies, therapy with small molecule antagonists of MDM2 results in antileukemic activity. Current treatment strategies, however, have been limited by poor tolerability and incomplete clinical activity. We have developed a proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) MS3227 that targets MDM2 by recruiting the E3 ligase Von Hippel-Lindau, resulting in proteasome-dependent degradation of MDM2. In WT TP53 leukemia cell lines, MS3227 led to activation of p53 targets p21, PUMA, and MDM2 and resulted in cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis, and decreased viability. The catalytic PROTAC MS3227 led to more potent activation when compared to a stoichiometric inhibitor, in part by dampening the negative feedback mechanism in the p53 - MDM2 circuit. The effectiveness of MS3227 was also observed in primary patient specimens with selectivity towards leukemic blasts. The addition of MS3227 enhanced the activity of other anti-leukemic agents including azacytidine, cytarabine, and venetoclax. In particular, MS3227 treatment was shown to downregulate MCL-1, a known mediator of resistance to venetoclax. A PROTAC-based approach may provide a means of improving MDM2 inhibition to gain greater therapeutic potential in AML.

JAK inhibitors in the treatment of myelofibrosis.

Myelofibrosis (MF) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm driven by constitutive activation of the JAK/STAT pathway, resulting in clonal hematopoiesis, fibrotic replacement of the bone marrow, extramedullary hematopoiesis, splenomegaly, and debilitating constitutional symptoms. The advent of JAK inhibitors has changed the landscape of treatment options for patients with MF, providing relatively tolerable drug options that control symptoms, reduce splenomegaly, and improve quality of life, but often at the expense of worsening cytopenias. JAK inhibitors do not appear to halt the progression of disease or prevent leukemic transformation, and their effect on survival is debated. Here, we review both the US Food and Drug Administration-approved JAK inhibitors and those in late-phase clinical trials, with a focus on clinical activity and unique adverse effects. We also provide a schema for choosing among these options for patients with MF.

Alternatives to intensive treatment in patients with AML.

A significant proportion of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are unable to tolerate standard induction chemotherapy regimens. This is particularly true for patients who are of advanced age, have a poor performance status, and/or have significant medical comorbidities. Recent advances in understanding the genetic and molecular properties of AML have led to a spate of new treatment options for patients considered ineligible for standard chemotherapy. Here, we discuss these new treatment options, provide an overview of the completed and ongoing trials of the new agents, and highlight promising future directions in the treatment of AML in patients ineligible for intensive induction chemotherapy.

Recent advances in prognostication and treatment of polycythemia vera.

Polycythemia vera (PV) is a BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasm marked by acquisition of an activating mutation of JAK2, which leads to not only erythrocytosis but also frequently to leukocytosis and thrombocytosis, and is associated with a high symptom burden and increased thrombotic risk. PV has the potential to progress to myelofibrosis or an aggressive form of acute myeloid leukemia. Mutational profiling of patients with PV has led to the development of risk stratification tools to determine an individual's risk of developing progressive disease. Although the current goals of PV treatment are to alleviate symptoms and reduce thrombotic risk, there are growing efforts to identify disease-modifying agents which will also prevent progression of disease. Here, we give an overview of the developing prognostic tools and therapeutic landscape for PV, focusing on four drug classes: pegylated interferon-alpha 2, MDM2 antagonists, hepcidin mimetics, and histone deacetylase inhibitors.

Safety and Efficacy: Clinical Experience of Venetoclax in Combination With Hypomethylating Agents in Both Newly Diagnosed and Relapsed/Refractory Advanced Myeloid Malignancies.

Hypomethylating agents (HMAs) in combination with venetoclax have been widely adopted as the standard of care for patients who cannot tolerate induction chemotherapy and for patients who have relapsed/refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This study retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of all patients with AML (n = 65) or myelodysplastic syndrome (n = 7) who received the combination of HMA and venetoclax at our institution. Outcomes measured included complete remission (CR) and CR with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi) rates, duration of response (DOR), and overall survival (OS). Patient mutational profiles and transfusion requirements were also assessed. Of 26 newly diagnosed AML patients, the CR/CRi rate was 53.8%. The median DOR and OS were 6.9 months and not reached, respectively. Of 39 R/R AML patients, the CR/CRi rate was 38.5%. The median DOR and OS were both 8.1 months. Responders to HMA and venetoclax were enriched for TET2, IDH1, and IDH2 mutations, while nonresponders were associated with FLT3 and RAS mutations. Adaptive resistance was observed through various mechanisms including acquired RAS pathway mutations. Of transfusion-dependent patients, 12.2% and 15.2% achieved red blood cell (RBC) and platelet transfusion independence, respectively, while 44.8% and 35.1% of RBC and platelet transfusion independent patients, respectively, became transfusion dependent. In total 59.1% of patients developed a ≥grade 3 infection and 46.5% neutropenic fever. HMA + venetoclax can lead to impressive response rates with moderately durable remissions and survival. However, the benefits of this combination are diminished by the significant toxicities from infection, persistent cytopenias, and transfusion requirements.

Clinical Course of Cancer Patients With COVID-19: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Complications in cancer patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have not been examined. This analysis aimed to compare characteristics of COVID-19 patients with and without cancer and assess whether cancer is associated with COVID-19 morbidity or mortality. Methods: COVID-19-positive patients with an inpatient or emergency encounter at the Mount Sinai Health System between March 1, 2020, and May 27, 2020, were included and compared across cancer status on demographics and clinical characteristics. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to model the associations of cancer with sepsis, venous thromboembolism, acute kidney injury, intensive care unit admission, and all-cause mortality. Results: There were 5556 COVID-19-positive patients included, 421 (7.6%) with cancer (325 solid, 96 nonsolid). Those with cancer were statistically significantly older, more likely to be non-Hispanic Black and to be admitted to the hospital during their encounter, and had more comorbidities than noncancer COVID-19 patients. Cancer patients were statistically significantly more likely to develop sepsis (adjusted odds ratio [ORadj] = 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06 to 1.61) and venous thromboembolism (ORadj = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.01 to 3.09); there was no statistically significant difference in acute kidney injury (ORadj = 1.10, 95% CI = 0.87 to 1.39), intensive care unit admissions (ORadj = 1.04, 95% CI = 0.80 to 1.34), or mortality (ORadj = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.81 to 1.29). Conclusions: COVID-19 patients with cancer may have a higher risk for adverse outcomes. Although there was no statistically significant difference in mortality, COVID-19 patients with cancer have statistically significantly higher risk of thromboembolism and sepsis. Further research is warranted into the potential effects of cancer treatments on inflammatory and immune responses to COVID-19 and on the efficacy of anticoagulant therapy in these patients.

Prevalence of Cytopenia in the General Population-A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cytopenia, a reduced count of blood cells manifesting as anemia, neutropenia, and/or thrombocytopenia is frequently associated with other medical conditions. However, a cytopenia may not be accompanied by a known determinant and in some of these cases, may be a precursor to pre-malignancies or hematologic cancers. Little is known about the prevalence of these unexplained cytopenias and their distribution in the population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2002 was used to identify those with a cytopenia in the general population. Those without an identifiable determinant in the NHANES were classified as having unexplained cytopenia. Weighted frequencies were examined to assess the prevalence of unexplained cytopenia in the population. Distribution of blood counts comparing those with unexplained cytopenia to the general population was examined. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to assess the association between unexplained cytopenia and demographic factors. RESULTS: Of the 7,962 people in the sample, 236 (2.0%) had any cytopenia and 86 (0.9%) had an unexplained cytopenia. Approximately 43% of all cytopenias were not accompanied by a clinical determinant. Unexplained cytopenia was more common in men (1.1%) than in women (0.7%) and in Non-Hispanic Black participants (3.4%). Among those with an unexplained cytopenia, the majority (74.8%) manifested as neutropenia. Compared to those with no cytopenia, those with unexplained cytopenia were significantly less likely to be female, have body mass index ≥30 kg/m2, and work in the service industry, and were significantly more likely to be non-Hispanic Black. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to examine the prevalence of unexplained cytopenia in a nationally representative sample and may serve as a baseline for comparison with other populations. Future research to identify risk factors for development of malignant hematological disorders among those with unexplained cytopenia is warranted.

Transient expansion of TP53 mutated clones in polycythemia vera patients treated with idasanutlin.

Activation of the P53 pathway through inhibition of MDM2 using nutlins has shown clinical promise in the treatment of solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. There is concern, however, that nutlin therapy might stimulate the emergence or expansion of TP53-mutated subclones. We recently published the results of a phase 1 trial of idasanutlin in patients with polycythemia vera (PV) that revealed tolerability and clinical activity. Here, we present data indicating that idasanutlin therapy is associated with expansion of TP53 mutant subclones. End-of-study sequencing of patients found that 5 patients in this trial harbored 12 TP53 mutations; however, only 1 patient had been previously identified as having a TP53 mutation at baseline. To identify the origin of these mutations, further analysis of raw sequencing data of baseline samples was performed and revealed that a subset of these mutations was present at baseline and expanded during treatment with idasanutlin. Follow-up samples were obtained from 4 of 5 patients in this cohort, and we observed that after cessation of idasanutlin, the variant allele frequency (VAF) of 8 of 9 TP53 mutations decreased. Furthermore, disease progression to myelofibrosis or myeloproliferative neoplasm blast phase was not observed in any of these patients after 19- to 32-month observation. These data suggest that idasanutlin treatment may promote transient TP53 mutant clonal expansion. A larger study geared toward high-resolution detection of low VAF mutations is required to explore whether patients acquire de novo TP53 mutations after idasanutlin therapy.

The Myelodepletive Phenotype in Myelofibrosis: Clinical Relevance and Therapeutic Implication.

Myelofibrosis (MF) is a BCR-ABL1- myeloproliferative neoplasm that arises from hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells frequently harboring a somatic driver mutation in 1 of 3 genes: JAK2, CALR, or MPL. The pathologic features of this hematologic malignancy include myeloproliferation, diffuse bone marrow fibrosis, and overactivation of the JAK-STAT pathway, resulting in enhanced inflammatory cytokine release. The common clinical manifestations of MF include systemic symptoms, abnormal peripheral blood count levels, and splenomegaly. However, it has become increasingly appreciated that significant clinical heterogeneity exists among patients with MF. Two distinct MF clinical phenotypes include the myeloproliferative and myelodepletive phenotype, with peripheral blood counts being the main discerning feature. Patients with the myeloproliferative phenotype will present with elevated peripheral blood counts and often experience significant constitutional symptoms and progressive splenomegaly. In contrast, patients with the myelodepletive phenotype will have low peripheral blood counts and will frequently require transfusion support. Current frontline therapies for MF, include ruxolitinib and fedratinib, which can exacerbate cytopenias and thereby pose an impediment to effective treatment of the myelodepletive patient. The present review discusses the clinical and prognostic implications of the myelodepletive phenotype and the therapeutic options and limitations for this subset of patients, representing an unmet clinical need.