RESUMO
PURPOSE: The prevention and treatment of metastatic sarcoma are areas of significant unmet need. Immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy has shown little activity in sarcoma and there is great interest in identifying novel treatment combinations that may augment responses. In vitro and in vivo, we investigated the potential for an oncolytic vaccinia virus (GLV-1h68) delivered using isolated limb perfusion (ILP) to promote antitumor immune responses and augment response to PD-1 blockade in sarcoma.Experimental Design: In an established animal model of extremity sarcoma, we evaluated the potential of locoregional delivery of a vaccinia virus (GLV-1h68) alongside biochemotherapy (melphalan/TNFα) in ILP. Complementary in vitro assays for markers of immunogenic cell death were performed in sarcoma cell lines. RESULTS: PD-1 monotherapy had minimal efficacy in vivo, mimicking the clinical scenario. Pretreatment with GLV-1h68 delivered by ILP (viral ILP) significantly improved responses. Furthermore, when performed prior to surgery and radiotherapy, viral ILP and PD-1 blockade prevented both local and distant relapse, curing a previously treatment-refractory model. Enhanced therapy was associated with marked modulation of the tumor microenvironment, with an increase in the number and penetrance of intratumoral CD8+ T cells and expansion and activation of dendritic cells. GLV-1h68 was capable of inducing markers of immunogenic cell death in human sarcoma cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: Viral ILP augments the response to PD-1 blockade, transforming this locoregional therapy into a potentially effective systemic treatment for sarcoma and warrants translational evaluation.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos Imunológicos/farmacologia , Terapia Viral Oncolítica , Vírus Oncolíticos/genética , Receptor de Morte Celular Programada 1/antagonistas & inibidores , Vaccinia virus/genética , Animais , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Terapia Genética , Humanos , Imuno-Histoquímica , Imunofenotipagem , Linfócitos do Interstício Tumoral/imunologia , Linfócitos do Interstício Tumoral/metabolismo , Linfócitos do Interstício Tumoral/patologia , Camundongos , Sarcoma/etiologia , Sarcoma/metabolismo , Sarcoma/patologia , Sarcoma/terapia , Subpopulações de Linfócitos T/efeitos dos fármacos , Subpopulações de Linfócitos T/imunologia , Subpopulações de Linfócitos T/metabolismo , Resultado do Tratamento , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de XenoenxertoRESUMO
PURPOSE: ATR inhibitors (ATRi) are in early phase clinical trials and have been shown to sensitize to chemotherapy and radiotherapy preclinically. Limited data have been published about the effect of these drugs on the tumor microenvironment.Experimental Design: We used an immunocompetent mouse model of HPV-driven malignancies to investigate the ATR inhibitor AZD6738 in combination with fractionated radiation (RT). Gene expression analysis and flow cytometry were performed posttherapy. RESULTS: Significant radiosensitization to RT by ATRi was observed alongside a marked increase in immune cell infiltration. We identified increased numbers of CD3+ and NK cells, but most of this infiltrate was composed of myeloid cells. ATRi plus radiation produced a gene expression signature matching a type I/II IFN response, with upregulation of genes playing a role in nucleic acid sensing. Increased MHC I levels were observed on tumor cells, with transcript-level data indicating increased antigen processing and presentation within the tumor. Significant modulation of cytokine gene expression (particularly CCL2, CCL5, and CXCL10) was found in vivo, with in vitro data indicating CCL3, CCL5, and CXCL10 are produced from tumor cells after ATRi + RT. CONCLUSIONS: We show that DNA damage by ATRi and RT leads to an IFN response through activation of nucleic acid-sensing pathways. This triggers increased antigen presentation and innate immune cell infiltration. Further understanding of the effect of this combination on the immune response may allow modulation of these effects to maximize tumor control through antitumor immunity.