[Effect of a mobile room air filter on the aerosol burden in surgical examination rooms against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic]. / Effekt eines mobilen Raumluftfilters auf die Aerosolbelastung in chirurgischen Untersuchungsräumen vor dem Hintergrund der COVID-19-Pandemie.

Due to the airborne transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19) via aerosols or microdroplets, this study investigated the effect of a mobile air filter system in a surgical examination room. The use of the air filter system led to a significant reduction of aerosols in the room. Therefore the use of a high efficiency air filtration device, in examination rooms with poor ventilation, e.g. lack of windows or local exhaust, is mandatory.

Periprosthetic joint infection--effect on quality of life.

PURPOSE: Relatively little is known about the extent to which periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) affect the patient's long-term quality of life (QoL). Our study aim was to assess the effect of a periprosthetic infection on our patients' QoL. METHODS: We collected data retrospectively of patients who had undergone surgery in our institution between 2006 and 2011. To capture their overall QoL, we telephoned the patients who could be reached and asked them the questions on the SF-12 questionnaire. RESULTS: In 84 patients (53 male, 31 female, 43 TKA and 41 THA), 88 % of the hip infections and 62 % of the knee infections had been successfully treated. The hip infections' cure rate was significantly higher than that of the knee joint infections. The average SF-12 score was 36.2 points on the physical scale and 52 on the mental scale. The difference in QoL between patients with and without successful infection therapy was not significant, nor did the site of the infection (knee or hip) influence QoL significantly. Comparison of our patients' QoL data to that from the general population revealed a significant difference in the physical scale but not the mental scale. CONCLUSION: From these results QoL is substantially reduced after a prosthetic infection. We did however observe that post-Girdelstone procedure patients or those with an arthrodesis attained an acceptable QoL, and that those methods remain therapeutic alternatives as far as patient-perceived QoL is concerned.

Novel endoscopic sacroiliac screw removal technique: reduction of intraoperative radiation exposure.

OBJECTIVE: We report in the following on our technique of endoscopic sacroiliacal screw removal as a new extra-articular endoscopic method in soft tissue surgery, aimed at the reduction of radiation exposure for both the patient and the surgical teams. Patients who underwent endoscopic implant removal from the dorsal pelvic ring (Group A) were retrospectively compared with a control group, in which the screws were removed via the conventional approach (Group B). The parameters of interest were the extent of x-ray exposure in seconds and surgical duration in minutes as well as approach related peri- and postoperative complications. RESULTS: 34 screws were removed endoscopically from 28 patients in group A and 35 screws from 29 patients in group B. The mean skin-to-skin time in group A was 36.1 (15-111) min and 32.7 (12-114) min in group B. The difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The average radiation time in group A was 5.7 ± 3.2 s (range, 0-101 s), while in group B the radiation time was significantly longer (52.6 ± 23 s (range, 0-239 s); p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic screw removal from the posterior pelvic ring reduces the intraoperative radiation time whereas the skin-to-skin times do not differ from the conventional procedure. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Case-control study, Level III.

Inhibition of insulin-like growth factors increases production of CXCL9/10 by macrophages and fibroblasts and facilitates CD8+ cytotoxic T cell recruitment to pancreatic tumours.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal malignancy with an urgent unmet clinical need for new therapies. Using a combination of in vitro assays and in vivo preclinical models we demonstrate that therapeutic inhibition of the IGF signalling axis promotes the accumulation of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells within the tumour microenvironment of PDAC tumours. Mechanistically, we show that IGF blockade promotes macrophage and fibroblast production of the chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10 to facilitate CD8+ T cell recruitment and trafficking towards the PDAC tumour. Exploring this pathway further, we show that IGF inhibition leads to increased STAT1 transcriptional activity, correlating with a downregulation of the AKT/STAT3 signalling axis, in turn promoting Cxcl9 and Cxcl10 gene transcription. Using patient derived tumour explants, we also demonstrate that our findings translate into the human setting. PDAC tumours are frequently described as "immunologically cold", therefore bolstering CD8+ T cell recruitment to PDAC tumours through IGF inhibition may serve to improve the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors which rely on the presence of CD8+ T cells in tumours.

Mediation of antitumor activity by AZD4820 oncolytic vaccinia virus encoding IL-12.

Oncolytic viruses are engineered to selectively kill tumor cells and have demonstrated promising results in early-phase clinical trials. To further modulate the innate and adaptive immune system, we generated AZD4820, a vaccinia virus engineered to express interleukin-12 (IL-12), a potent cytokine involved in the activation of natural killer (NK) and T cells and the reprogramming of the tumor immune microenvironment. Testing in cultured human tumor cell lines demonstrated broad in vitro oncolytic activity and IL-12 transgene expression. A surrogate virus expressing murine IL-12 demonstrated antitumor activity in both MC38 and CT26 mouse syngeneic tumor models that responded poorly to immune checkpoint inhibition. In both models, AZD4820 significantly upregulated interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) relative to control mice treated with oncolytic vaccinia virus (VACV)-luciferase. In the CT26 study, 6 of 10 mice had a complete response after treatment with AZD4820 murine surrogate, whereas control VACV-luciferase-treated mice had 0 of 10 complete responders. AZD4820 treatment combined with anti-PD-L1 blocking antibody augmented tumor-specific T cell immunity relative to monotherapies. These findings suggest that vaccinia virus delivery of IL-12, combined with immune checkpoint blockade, elicits antitumor immunity in tumors that respond poorly to immune checkpoint inhibitors.

DACT1, an antagonist to Wnt/ß-catenin signaling, suppresses tumor cell growth and is frequently silenced in breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Aberrant activation of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling plays an important role in the pathogenesis of breast cancer. DACT1 (Dapper/Frodo) has been identified as involved in antagonizing Wnt/ß-catenin signaling through interacting with Dishevelled (Dvl), a central mediator of Wnt signaling, whereas its role in breast tumorigenesis remains unclear. METHODS: We examined DACT1 expression in breast cancer cell lines and primary tumors with semiquantitative or quantitative RT-PCR and immunochemistry, and further evaluated the promoter methylation of DACT1 with methylation-specific PCR (MSP). We also explored the tumor-suppressive functions of DACT1 in vivo and in vitro, and its related mechanism in breast cancer. RESULTS: We identified DACT1 as a methylated target in our breast cancer epigenome study. Here, we further investigated DACT1 expression in multiple breast cell lines and primary tumors, and further studied its function and molecular mechanisms. We found that DACT1 expression was silenced in eight (88.9%) of nine breast cancer cell lines, and its protein levels were obviously reduced in breast tumors compared with paired surgical-margin tissues. Promoter CpG methylation of DACT1 was detected in five (55.6%) of nine breast cancer cell lines and 40 (29.9%) of 134 primary tumors, but not in surgical-margin tissues and normal breast tissues. Demethylation treatment of breast cancer cell lines restored DACT1 expression along with promoter demethylation, suggesting that an epigenetic mechanism mediates DACT1 silencing in breast cancer. Functional assays showed that ectopic expression of DACT1 could inhibit breast tumor cell proliferation in vivo and in vitro through inducing apoptosis, and further suppress tumor cell migration through antagonizing the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that DACT1 could function as a tumor suppressor but was frequently downregulated in breast cancer.

Internal fixation of dorsally comminuted fractures of the distal part of the radius: a biomechanical analysis of volar plate and intramedullary nail fracture stability.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of the present study was to carry out biomechanical testing of "new generation" volar plates and an intramedullary nail. METHODS: Four volar locking plates (Column Plate, VariAx distal radius, 2.4 mm-LCP and 3.5 mm-LCP) and the intramedullary nail, Targon-DR, were implanted in biomechanically validated artificial bones after simulation of a wedge osteotomy with total transection of the volar cortex to mimic a type 23 A3-fracture according to the AO-classification. Axial load (250 Newton [N]) and volar and dorsal bending loads (both 50 N) were applied. Axial load was increased to fixation failure. Gap motion was measured three-dimensionally directly at the fracture gap. The 3.5 mm-LCP was used for comparison as it currently represents an established locking implant that has been well tested biomechanically. RESULTS: In this experimental setting, the 2.4 mm-LCP showed the lowest resistance under all three loading modi and, consequently, the highest level of motion at the osteotomy gap in comparison to all other implants (p < 0.05). Under axial loading, there were no significant differences between the other four implants. Under dorsal bending, the Targon-DR-nail and the VariAx-plate showed less gap displacement in comparison to the 3.5 mm-LCP (p < 0.05). Under volar bending, only the Targon-nail showed greater resistance than the 3.5 mm-LCP (p < 0.05) with no other significant differences between the Column Plate, the VariAx and the 3.5 mm-LCP. CONCLUSION: In this experimental setting, all "new generation" implants for distal radius fractures with the exception of the 2.4 mm-LCP showed identical or higher stability compared to the 3.5 mm-LCP. The 2.4 mm-LCP showed the lowest resistance and this must be taken into consideration when planning postoperative functional therapy.

The effect of intramedullary bone endoscopy on the endosteal blood supply in long bones. An experimental study in sheep.

This study investigated whether the Intramedullary Bone Endoscopy (IBE) procedure within the cavity of an intact long bone will interfere with the local endosteal blood supply. In a sheep model, 10 animals underwent the IBE procedure with complete perioperative anaesthesiology monitoring. After the femora were harvested, histological analysis was performed to examine destruction of the endosteum and consecutive reduction in perfusion. Only one animal showed evidence of detachment of the endosteum with destruction of several microns of the endosteum, although this did not interfere with the cortical perfusion. None of the vessels were occluded by fat or other causes of occlusion, e.g. blood coagulation. Our findings indicate that with the IBE procedure under visual control there is a potential risk to damage the endosteum. However, the interference was limited to a small part of the endosteum and did not lead to a reduction in the cortical perfusion. Clinical use could be in localized intramedullary lesions such as osteomyelitis or benign bone tumours.

Trajectory Inspection: A Method for Iterative Clinician-Driven Design of Reinforcement Learning Studies.

Reinforcement learning (RL) has the potential to significantly improve clinical decision making. However, treatment policies learned via RL from observational data are sensitive to subtle choices in study design. We highlight a simple approach, trajectory inspection, to bring clinicians into an iterative design process for model-based RL studies. We identify where the model recommends unexpectedly aggressive treatments or expects surprisingly positive outcomes from its recommendations. Then, we examine clinical trajectories simulated with the learned model and policy alongside the actual hospital course. Applying this approach to recent work on RL for sepsis management, we uncover a model bias towards discharge, a preference for high vasopressor doses that may be linked to small sample sizes, and clinically implausible expectations of discharge without weaning off vasopressors. We hope that iterations of detecting and addressing the issues unearthed by our method will result in RL policies that inspire more confidence in deployment.

HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugate induces host immunity against cancer stem cells.

We previously tested HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in immunocompromised (SCID) mice, precluding evaluation of host immunity, impact on cancer stem cells (CSCs), and potential benefit when combined with PD-L1 blockade. In this study, we tested HER2-targeted ADC in two immunocompetent mouse tumor models. HER2-targeted ADC specifically inhibited the growth of HER2-expressing tumors, prolonged animal survival, and reduced HER2+ and PD-L1+ cells. ADC + anti-PD-L1 antibody augmented therapeutic efficacy, modulated immune gene signatures, increased the number and function of CD3+ and CD19+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), induced tumor antigen-specific immunological memory, stimulated B cell activation, differentiation, and IgG1 production both systemically and in the tumor microenvironment. In addition, ADC therapy modulated T cell subsets and their activation in TILs. Furthermore, HER2-targeted ADC reduced the number and tumorigenicity of ALDHhi CSCs. This study demonstrates that HER2-targeted ADC effectively targets ALDHhi CSCs and this effect is augmented by co-administration of anti-PD-L1 antibody.

Distinct Biomarker Profiles and TCR Sequence Diversity Characterize the Response to PD-L1 Blockade in a Mouse Melanoma Model.

Only a subset of patients responds to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in melanoma. A preclinical model recapitulating the clinical activity of ICB would provide a valuable platform for mechanistic studies. We used melanoma tumors arising from an Hgftg;Cdk4R24C/R24C genetically engineered mouse (GEM) model to evaluate the efficacy of an anti-mouse PD-L1 antibody similar to the anti-human PD-L1 antibodies durvalumab and atezolizumab. Consistent with clinical observations for ICB in melanoma, anti-PD-L1 treatment elicited complete and durable response in a subset of melanoma-bearing mice. We also observed tumor growth delay or regression followed by recurrence. For early treatment assessment, we analyzed gene expression profiles, T-cell infiltration, and T-cell receptor (TCR) signatures in regressing tumors compared with tumors exhibiting no response to anti-PD-L1 treatment. We found that CD8+ T-cell tumor infiltration corresponded to response to treatment, and that anti-PD-L1 gene signature response indicated an increase in antigen processing and presentation, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity. TCR sequence data suggest that an anti-PD-L1-mediated melanoma regression response requires not only an expansion of the TCR repertoire that is unique to individual mice, but also tumor access to the appropriate TCRs. Thus, this melanoma model recapitulated the variable response to ICB observed in patients and exhibited biomarkers that differentiate between early response and resistance to treatment, providing a valuable platform for prediction of successful immunotherapy. IMPLICATIONS: Our melanoma model recapitulates the variable response to anti-PD-L1 observed in patients and exhibits biomarkers that characterize early antibody response, including expansion of the TCR repertoire.

Resistance to Durvalumab and Durvalumab plus Tremelimumab Is Associated with Functional STK11 Mutations in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Is Reversed by STAT3 Knockdown.

Mutations in the STK11 (LKB1) gene regulate resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. This study evaluated this association in patients with nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) enrolled in three phase I/II trials. STK11 mutations were associated with resistance to the anti-PD-L1 antibody durvalumab (alone/with the anti-CTLA4 antibody tremelimumab) independently of KRAS mutational status, highlighting STK11 as a potential driver of resistance to checkpoint blockade. Retrospective assessments of tumor tissue, whole blood, and serum revealed a unique immune phenotype in patients with STK11 mutations, with increased expression of markers associated with neutrophils (i.e., CXCL2, IL6), Th17 contexture (i.e., IL17A), and immune checkpoints. Associated changes were observed in the periphery. Reduction of STAT3 in the tumor microenvironment using an antisense oligonucleotide reversed immunotherapy resistance in preclinical STK11 knockout models. These results suggest that STK11 mutations may hinder response to checkpoint blockade through mechanisms including suppressive myeloid cell biology, which could be reversed by STAT3-targeted therapy. SIGNIFICANCE: Patients with nonsquamous STK11-mutant (STK11mut) NSCLC are less likely than STK11 wild-type (STK11wt) patients to respond to anti-PD-L1 ± anti-CTLA4 immunotherapies, and their tumors show increased expression of genes and cytokines that activate STAT3 signaling. Preclinically, STAT3 modulation reverses this resistance, suggesting STAT3-targeted agents as potential combination partners for immunotherapies in STK11mut NSCLC.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 2659.

Activity of murine surrogate antibodies for durvalumab and tremelimumab lacking effector function and the ability to deplete regulatory T cells in mouse models of cancer.

Preclinical studies of PD-L1 and CTLA-4 blockade have relied heavily on mouse syngeneic tumor models with intact immune systems, which facilitate dissection of immunosuppressive mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment. Commercially developed monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting human PD-L1, PD-1, and CTLA-4 may not demonstrate cross-reactive binding to their mouse orthologs, and surrogate anti-mouse antibodies are often used in their place to inhibit these immune checkpoints. In each case, multiple choices exist for surrogate antibodies, which differ with respect to species of origin, affinity, and effector function. To develop relevant murine surrogate antibodies for the anti-human PD-L1 mAb durvalumab and the anti-human CTLA-4 mAb tremelimumab, rat/mouse chimeric or fully murine mAbs engineered for reduced effector function were developed and compared with durvalumab and tremelimumab. Characterization included determination of target affinity, in vivo effector function, pharmacokinetic profile, and anti-tumor efficacy in mouse syngeneic tumor models. Results showed that anti-PD-L1 and anti-CTLA-4 murine surrogates with pharmacologic properties similar to those of durvalumab and tremelimumab demonstrated anti-tumor activity in a subset of commonly used mouse syngeneic tumor models. This activity was not entirely dependent on antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis effector function, or regulatory T-cell depletion, as antibodies engineered to lack these features showed activity in models historically sensitive to checkpoint inhibition, albeit at a significantly lower level than antibodies with intact effector function.

Activation of the RalGEF/Ral pathway promotes prostate cancer metastasis to bone.

A hallmark of metastasis is organ specificity; however, little is known about the underlying signaling pathways responsible for the colonization and growth of tumor cells in target organs. Since tyrosine kinase receptor activation is frequently associated with prostate cancer progression, we have investigated the role of a common signaling intermediary, activated Ras, in prostate cancer metastasis. Three effector pathways downstream of Ras, Raf/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and Ral guanine nucleotide exchange factors (RalGEFs), were assayed for their ability to promote the metastasis of a tumorigenic, nonmetastatic human prostate cancer cell line, DU145. Oncogenic Ras promoted the metastasis of DU145 to multiple organs, including bone and brain. Activation of the Raf/ERK pathway stimulated metastatic colonization of the brain, while activation of the RalGEF pathway led to bone metastases, the most common organ site for prostate cancer metastasis. In addition, loss of RalA in the metastatic PC3 cell line inhibited bone metastasis but did not affect subcutaneous tumor growth. Loss of Ral appeared to suppress expansive growth of prostate cancer cells in bone, whereas homing and initial colonization were less affected. These data extend our understanding of the functional roles of the Ral pathway and begin to identify signaling pathways relevant for organ-specific metastasis.

A decision algorithm to promote outpatient antimicrobial stewardship for uncomplicated urinary tract infection.

Antibiotic resistance is a major cause of treatment failure and leads to increased use of broad-spectrum agents, which begets further resistance. This vicious cycle is epitomized by uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI), which affects one in two women during their life and is associated with increasing antibiotic resistance and high rates of prescription for broad-spectrum second-line agents. To address this, we developed machine learning models to predict antibiotic susceptibility using electronic health record data and built a decision algorithm for recommending the narrowest possible antibiotic to which a specimen is susceptible. When applied to a test cohort of 3629 patients presenting between 2014 and 2016, the algorithm achieved a 67% reduction in the use of second-line antibiotics relative to clinicians. At the same time, it reduced inappropriate antibiotic therapy, defined as the choice of a treatment to which a specimen is resistant, by 18% relative to clinicians. For specimens where clinicians chose a second-line drug but the algorithm chose a first-line drug, 92% (1066 of 1157) of decisions ended up being susceptible to the first-line drug. When clinicians chose an inappropriate first-line drug, the algorithm chose an appropriate first-line drug 47% (183 of 392) of the time. Our machine learning decision algorithm provides antibiotic stewardship for a common infectious syndrome by maximizing reductions in broad-spectrum antibiotic use while maintaining optimal treatment outcomes. Further work is necessary to improve generalizability by training models in more diverse populations.

Predicting human health from biofluid-based metabolomics using machine learning.

Biofluid-based metabolomics has the potential to provide highly accurate, minimally invasive diagnostics. Metabolomics studies using mass spectrometry typically reduce the high-dimensional data to only a small number of statistically significant features, that are often chemically identified-where each feature corresponds to a mass-to-charge ratio, retention time, and intensity. This practice may remove a substantial amount of predictive signal. To test the utility of the complete feature set, we train machine learning models for health state-prediction in 35 human metabolomics studies, representing 148 individual data sets. Models trained with all features outperform those using only significant features and frequently provide high predictive performance across nine health state categories, despite disparate experimental and disease contexts. Using only non-significant features it is still often possible to train models and achieve high predictive performance, suggesting useful predictive signal. This work highlights the potential for health state diagnostics using all metabolomics features with data-driven analysis.

Computer-navigated iliosacral screw insertion reduces malposition rate and radiation exposure.

UNLABELLED: Insertion of percutaneous iliosacral screws with fluoroscopic guidance is associated with a relatively high screw malposition rate and long radiation exposure. We asked whether radiation exposure was reduced and screw position improved in patients having percutaneous iliosacral screw insertion using computer-assisted navigation compared with patients having conventional fluoroscopic screw placement. We inserted 26 screws in 24 patients using the navigation system and 35 screws in 32 patients using the conventional fluoroscopic technique. Two subgroups were analyzed, one in which only one iliosacral screw was placed and another with additional use of an external fixator. We determined screw positions by computed tomography and compared operation time, radiation exposure, and screw position. We observed no difference in operative times. Radiation exposure was reduced for the patients and operating room personnel with computer assistance. The postoperative computed tomography scan showed better screw position and fewer malpositioned screws in the three-dimensional navigated groups. Computer navigation reduced malposition rate and radiation exposure. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, therapeutic study.

Anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody MEDI0680 in a phase I study of patients with advanced solid malignancies.

BACKGROUND: The safety, efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of the anti-programmed cell death-1 antibody MEDI0680 were evaluated in a phase I, multicenter, dose-escalation study in advanced solid malignancies. METHODS: MEDI0680 was administered intravenously once every 2 weeks (Q2W) or once every 3 weeks at 0.1, 0.5, 2.5, 10 or 20 mg/kg. Two cohorts received 20 mg/kg once a week for 2 or 4 weeks, then 20 mg/kg Q2W. All were treated for 12 months or until progression. The primary endpoint was safety. Secondary endpoints were efficacy and pharmacokinetics. Exploratory endpoints included pharmacodynamics. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients were treated. Median age was 62.5 years and 81% were male. Most had kidney cancer (n = 36) or melanoma (n = 9). There were no dose-limiting toxicities. Treatment-related adverse events occurred in 83% and were grade ≥ 3 in 21%. Objective clinical responses occurred in 8/58 patients (14%): 5 with kidney cancer, including 1 with a complete response, and 3 with melanoma. The relationship between dose and serum levels was predictable and linear, with apparent receptor saturation at 10 mg/kg Q2W and all 20 mg/kg cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: MEDI0680 induced peripheral T-cell proliferation and increased plasma IFNγ and associated chemokines regardless of clinical response. CD8+ T-cell tumor infiltration and tumoral gene expression of IFNG, CD8A, CXCL9, and granzyme K (GZMK) were also increased following MEDI0680 administration. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02013804 ; date of registration December 12, 2013.

TDAG51 is an ERK signaling target that opposes ERK-mediated HME16C mammary epithelial cell transformation.

INTRODUCTION: Signaling downstream of Ras is mediated by three major pathways, Raf/ERK, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K), and Ral guanine nucleotide exchange factor (RalGEF). Ras signal transduction pathways play an important role in breast cancer progression, as evidenced by the frequent over-expression of the Ras-activating epidermal growth factor receptors EGFR and ErbB2. Here we investigated which signal transduction pathways downstream of Ras contribute to EGFR-dependent transformation of telomerase-immortalized mammary epithelial cells HME16C. Furthermore, we examined whether a highly transcriptionally regulated ERK pathway target, PHLDA1 (TDAG51), suggested to be a tumor suppressor in breast cancer and melanoma, might modulate the transformation process. METHODS: Cellular transformation of human mammary epithelial cells by downstream Ras signal transduction pathways was examined using anchorage-independent growth assays in the presence and absence of EGFR inhibition. TDAG51 protein expression was down-regulated by interfering small hairpin RNA (shRNA), and the effects on cell proliferation and death were examined in Ras pathway-transformed breast epithelial cells. RESULTS: Activation of both the ERK and PI3K signaling pathways was sufficient to induce cellular transformation, which was accompanied by up-regulation of EGFR ligands, suggesting autocrine EGFR stimulation during the transformation process. Only activation of the ERK pathway was sufficient to transform cells in the presence of EGFR inhibition and was sufficient for tumorigenesis in xenografts. Up-regulation of the PHLDA1 gene product, TDAG51, was found to correlate with persistent ERK activation and anchorage-independent growth in the absence or presence of EGFR inhibition. Knockdown of this putative breast cancer tumor-suppressor gene resulted in increased ERK pathway activation and enhanced matrix-detached cellular proliferation of Ras/Raf transformed cells. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that multiple Ras signal transduction pathways contribute to mammary epithelial cell transformation, but that the ERK signaling pathway may be a crucial component downstream of EGFR activation during tumorigenesis. Furthermore, persistent activation of ERK signaling up-regulates TDAG51. This event serves as a negative regulator of both Erk activation as well as matrix-detached cellular proliferation and suggests that TDAG51 opposes ERK-mediated transformation in breast epithelial cells.

Potent Immune Modulation by MEDI6383, an Engineered Human OX40 Ligand IgG4P Fc Fusion Protein.

Ligation of OX40 (CD134, TNFRSF4) on activated T cells by its natural ligand (OX40L, CD252, TNFSF4) enhances cellular survival, proliferation, and effector functions such as cytokine release and cellular cytotoxicity. We engineered a recombinant human OX40L IgG4P Fc fusion protein termed MEDI6383 that assembles into a hexameric structure and exerts potent agonist activity following engagement of OX40. MEDI6383 displayed solution-phase agonist activity that was enhanced when the fusion protein was clustered by Fc gamma receptors (FcγRs) on the surface of adjacent cells. The resulting costimulation of OX40 on T cells induced NFκB promoter activity in OX40-expressing T cells and induced Th1-type cytokine production, proliferation, and resistance to regulatory T cell (Treg)-mediated suppression. MEDI6383 enhanced the cytolytic activity of tumor-reactive T cells and reduced tumor growth in the context of an alloreactive human T cell:tumor cell admix model in immunocompromised mice. Consistent with the role of OX40 costimulation in the expansion of memory T cells, MEDI6383 administered to healthy nonhuman primates elicited peripheral blood CD4 and CD8 central and effector memory T-cell proliferation as well as B-cell proliferation. Together, these results suggest that OX40 agonism has the potential to enhance antitumor immunity in human malignancies. Mol Cancer Ther; 17(5); 1024-38. ©2018 AACR.