Faecalibaterium prausnitzii strain EXL01 boosts efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Gut microbiota impacts responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). A high level of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii have been associated with a positive response to ICI in multiple cancer types. Here, based on fecal shotgun metagenomics data, we show in two independent cohorts of patients with non-small cell lung cancer and advanced melanoma that a high level of F. prausnitzii at baseline is positively associated with a better clinical response to ICI. In MCA205 tumor-bearing mice, administration of F. prausnitzii strain EXL01, already in clinical development for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, restores the anti-tumor response to ICI in the context of antibiotic-induced microbiota perturbation at clinical and tumor transcriptomics level. In vitro, EXL01 strain enhances T cell activation in the presence of ICI. Interestingly, oral administration of EXL01 strain did not induce any change in fecal microbiota diversity or composition, suggesting a direct effect on immune cells in the small intestine. F. prausnitzii strain EXL01 will be evaluated as an adjuvant to ICI in multiple cancers in the near future.

Characterizing the immune tumor microenvironment in ALK fusion-positive lung cancer: state-of-the-art and therapeutical implications.

INTRODUCTION: Approximately 5% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), exhibits anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements. EML4-ALK fusions account for over 90% of ALK rearrangements in NSCLC. The advent of treatment targeting ALK has significantly improved survival rates in patients with advanced ALK-positive NSCLC. However, the emergence of resistance mechanisms and the subsequent progression disease inevitably occurs. The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) plays a pivotal role in lung cancer, influencing disease development, patient's outcomes, and response to treatments. AREAS COVERED: The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive characterization of the TIME in ALK rearranged NSCLC and its intrinsic plasticity under treatment pressure. EXPERT OPINION: Recognizing the fundamental role of the TIME in cancer progression has shifted the paradigm from a tumor cell-centric perspective to the understanding of a complex tumor ecosystem. Understanding the intricate dynamics of the TIME, its influence on treatment response, and the potential of immunotherapy in patients with ALK-positive NSCLC are currently among the primary research objectives in this patient population.

Custom scoring based on ecological topology of gut microbiota associated with cancer immunotherapy outcome.

The gut microbiota influences the clinical responses of cancer patients to immunecheckpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, there is no consensus definition of detrimental dysbiosis. Based on metagenomics (MG) sequencing of 245 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient feces, we constructed species-level co-abundance networks that were clustered into species-interacting groups (SIGs) correlating with overall survival. Thirty-seven and forty-five MG species (MGSs) were associated with resistance (SIG1) and response (SIG2) to ICIs, respectively. When combined with the quantification of Akkermansia species, this procedure allowed a person-based calculation of a topological score (TOPOSCORE) that was validated in an additional 254 NSCLC patients and in 216 genitourinary cancer patients. Finally, this TOPOSCORE was translated into a 21-bacterial probe set-based qPCR scoring that was validated in a prospective cohort of NSCLC patients as well as in colorectal and melanoma patients. This approach could represent a dynamic diagnosis tool for intestinal dysbiosis to guide personalized microbiota-centered interventions.

Longitudinal gut microbiome changes in immune checkpoint blockade-treated advanced melanoma.

Multiple clinical trials targeting the gut microbiome are being conducted to optimize treatment outcomes for immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). To improve the success of these interventions, understanding gut microbiome changes during ICB is urgently needed. Here through longitudinal microbiome profiling of 175 patients treated with ICB for advanced melanoma, we show that several microbial species-level genome bins (SGBs) and pathways exhibit distinct patterns from baseline in patients achieving progression-free survival (PFS) of 12 months or longer (PFS ≥12) versus patients with PFS shorter than 12 months (PFS <12). Out of 99 SGBs that could discriminate between these two groups, 20 were differentially abundant only at baseline, while 42 were differentially abundant only after treatment initiation. We identify five and four SGBs that had consistently higher abundances in patients with PFS ≥12 and <12 months, respectively. Constructing a log ratio of these SGBs, we find an association with overall survival. Finally, we find different microbial dynamics in different clinical contexts including the type of ICB regimen, development of immune-related adverse events and concomitant medication use. Insights into the longitudinal dynamics of the gut microbiome in association with host factors and treatment regimens will be critical for guiding rational microbiome-targeted therapies aimed at enhancing ICB efficacy.

Influence of microbiota-associated metabolic reprogramming on clinical outcome in patients with melanoma from the randomized adjuvant dendritic cell-based MIND-DC trial.

Tumor immunosurveillance plays a major role in melanoma, prompting the development of immunotherapy strategies. The gut microbiota composition, influencing peripheral and tumoral immune tonus, earned its credentials among predictors of survival in melanoma. The MIND-DC phase III trial (NCT02993315) randomized (2:1 ratio) 148 patients with stage IIIB/C melanoma to adjuvant treatment with autologous natural dendritic cell (nDC) or placebo (PL). Overall, 144 patients collected serum and stool samples before and after 2 bimonthly injections to perform metabolomics (MB) and metagenomics (MG) as prespecified exploratory analysis. Clinical outcomes are reported separately. Here we show that different microbes were associated with prognosis, with the health-related Faecalibacterium prausnitzii standing out as the main beneficial taxon for no recurrence at 2 years (p = 0.008 at baseline, nDC arm). Therapy coincided with major MB perturbations (acylcarnitines, carboxylic and fatty acids). Despite randomization, nDC arm exhibited MG and MB bias at baseline: relative under-representation of F. prausnitzii, and perturbations of primary biliary acids (BA). F. prausnitzii anticorrelated with BA, medium- and long-chain acylcarnitines. Combined, these MG and MB biomarkers markedly determined prognosis. Altogether, the host-microbial interaction may play a role in localized melanoma. We value systematic MG and MB profiling in randomized trials to avoid baseline differences attributed to host-microbe interactions.

Gut microbiome predicts gastrointestinal toxicity outcomes from chemoradiation therapy in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Chemoradiation (CRT) in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) is associated with significant toxicities, including mucositis. The gut microbiome represents an emerging hallmark of cancer and a potentially important biomarker for CRT-related adverse events. This prospective study investigated the association between the gut microbiome composition and CRT-related toxicities in patients with HNSCC, including mucositis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Stool samples from patients diagnosed with locally advanced HNSCC were prospectively collected prior to CRT initiation and analyzed using shotgun metagenomic sequencing to evaluate gut microbiome composition at baseline. Concurrently, clinicopathologic data, survival outcomes and the incidence and grading of CRT-emergent adverse events were documented in all patients. RESULTS: A total of 52 patients were included, of whom 47 had baseline stool samples available for metagenomic analysis. Median age was 62, 83 % patients were men and 54 % had stage III-IV disease. All patients developed CRT-induced mucositis, including 42 % with severe events (i.e. CTCAE v5.0 grade ≥ 3) and 25 % who required enteral feeding. With a median follow-up of 26.5 months, patients with severe mucositis had shorter overall survival (HR = 3.3, 95 %CI 1.0-10.6; p = 0.02) and numerically shorter progression-free survival (HR = 2.8, 95 %CI, 0.8-9.6; p = 0.09). The gut microbiome beta-diversity of patients with severe mucositis differed from patients with grades 1-2 mucositis (p = 0.04), with enrichment in Mediterraneibacter (Ruminococcus gnavus) and Clostridiaceae family members, including Hungatella hathewayi. Grade 1-2 mucositis was associated with enrichment in Eubacterium rectale, Alistipes putredinis and Ruminococcaceae family members. Similar bacterial profiles were observed in patients who required enteral feeding. CONCLUSION: Patients who developed severe mucositis had decreased survival and enrichment in specific bacteria associated with mucosal inflammation. Interestingly, these same bacteria have been linked to immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance.

Melanoma and microbiota: Current understanding and future directions.

Over the last decade, the composition of the gut microbiota has been found to correlate with the outcomes of cancer patients treated with immunotherapy. Accumulating evidence points to the various mechanisms by which intestinal bacteria act on distal tumors and how to harness this complex ecosystem to circumvent primary resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Here, we review the state of the microbiota field in the context of melanoma, the recent breakthroughs in defining microbial modes of action, and how to modulate the microbiota to enhance response to cancer immunotherapy. The host-microbe interaction may be deciphered by the use of "omics" technologies, and will guide patient stratification and the development of microbiota-centered interventions. Efforts needed to advance the field and current gaps of knowledge are also discussed.

From mucosal infection to successful cancer immunotherapy.

The clinical management of advanced malignancies of the upper and lower urinary tract has been revolutionized with the advent of immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs). ICBs reinstate or bolster pre-existing immune responses while creating new T cell specificities. Immunogenic cancers, which tend to benefit more from immunotherapy than cold tumours, harbour tumour-specific neoantigens, often associated with a high tumour mutational burden, as well as CD8+ T cell infiltrates and ectopic lymphoid structures. The identification of beneficial non-self tumour antigens and natural adjuvants is the focus of current investigation. Moreover, growing evidence suggests that urinary or intestinal commensals, BCG and uropathogenic Escherichia coli influence long-term responses in patients with kidney or bladder cancer treated with ICBs. Bacteria infecting urothelium could be a prominent target for T follicular helper cells and B cells, linking innate and cognate CD8+ memory responses. In the urinary tract, commensal flora differ between healthy and tumoural mucosae. Although antibiotics can affect the prognosis of urinary tract malignancies, bacteria can have a major influence on cancer immunosurveillance. Beyond their role as biomarkers, immune responses against uropathogenic commensals could be harnessed for the design of future immunoadjuvants that can be advantageously combined with ICBs.

Fecal microbiota transplantation plus anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in advanced melanoma: a phase I trial.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) represents a potential strategy to overcome resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with refractory melanoma; however, the role of FMT in first-line treatment settings has not been evaluated. We conducted a multicenter phase I trial combining healthy donor FMT with the PD-1 inhibitors nivolumab or pembrolizumab in 20 previously untreated patients with advanced melanoma. The primary end point was safety. No grade 3 adverse events were reported from FMT alone. Five patients (25%) experienced grade 3 immune-related adverse events from combination therapy. Key secondary end points were objective response rate, changes in gut microbiome composition and systemic immune and metabolomics analyses. The objective response rate was 65% (13 of 20), including four (20%) complete responses. Longitudinal microbiome profiling revealed that all patients engrafted strains from their respective donors; however, the acquired similarity between donor and patient microbiomes only increased over time in responders. Responders experienced an enrichment of immunogenic and a loss of deleterious bacteria following FMT. Avatar mouse models confirmed the role of healthy donor feces in increasing anti-PD-1 efficacy. Our results show that FMT from healthy donors is safe in the first-line setting and warrants further investigation in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03772899 .

Defective Immunity Against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variants Despite Full Vaccination in Hematologic Malignancies.

SUMMARY: In patients with multiple myeloma, completion of mRNA-based vaccination schemes failed to yield detectable SARS-CoV-2 Omicron-neutralizing antibodies and S1-RBD-specific CD8+ T cells in approximately 60% and 80% of the cases, respectively. Patients who develop breakthrough infections exhibited very low levels of live-virus neutralizing antibodies and the absence of follicular T helper cells. See related article by Azeem et al., p. 106 (9). See related article by Chang et al., p. 1684 (10).

RBD- specific Th1 responses are associated with vaccine-induced protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with hematological malignancies.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still represents a threat for immunosuppressed and hematological malignancy (HM) bearing patients, causing increased morbidity and mortality. Given the low anti-SARSCoV-2 IgG titers post-vaccination, the COVID-19 threat prompted the prophylactic use of engineered anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies. In addition, potential clinical significance of T cell responses has been overlooked during the first waves of the pandemic, calling for additional in-depth studies. We reported that the polarity and the repertoire of T cell immune responses govern the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection in health care workers and solid cancer patients. Here, we longitudinally analyzed humoral and cellular immune responses at each BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine injection in 47 HM patients under therapy. Only one-third of HM, mostly multiple myeloma (MM) bearing patients, could mount S1-RBD-specific IgG responses following BNT162b2 mRNA vaccines. This vaccine elicited a S1-RBD-specific Th1 immune response in about 20% patients, mostly in MM and Hodgkin lymphoma, while exacerbating Th2 responses in the 10% cases that presented this recognition pattern at baseline (mostly rituximab-treated patients). Performing a third booster barely improved the percentage of patients developing an S1-RBD-specific Th1 immunity and failed to seroconvert additional HM patients. Finally, 16 patients were infected with SARS-CoV-2, of whom 6 developed a severe infection. Only S1-RBD-specific Th1 responses were associated with protection against SARS-CoV2 infection, while Th2 responses or anti-S1-RBD IgG titers failed to correlate with protection. These findings herald the paramount relevance of vaccine-induced Th1 immune responses in hematological malignancies.

Efficacy and Safety of Concomitant Proton Pump Inhibitor and Nivolumab in Renal Cell Carcinoma: Results of the GETUG-AFU 26 NIVOREN Multicenter Phase II Study.

INTRODUCTION: Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) may influence the gut microbiome and thus impact the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). The effect of PPIs on the outcomes of ICI has not been fully explored and investigated in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). METHODS: This retrospective analysis used prospectively collected data from the GETUG-AFU 26 NIVOREN (NCT03013335) phase II study which enrolled 729 mRCC patients of whom 720 were treated with nivolumab. The main objective of this analysis was to evaluate the impact of PPI on the efficacy and safety outcomes of mRCC patients. PPI use was defined as PPI administration on the day of ICI initiation. RESULTS: Of the 707 patients with mRCC analyzed in this study, 196 (27.7%) were PPI users. The majority of PPI users were males (80.6%), had an ECOG performance status of 0-1 (78.9%) and a nephrectomy (82.1%). Almost two-thirds of the patients had a favorable and intermediate IMDC risk category and 52% received nivolumab in the third line and beyond. PPI use did not correlate with PFS or OS (HR = 0.89, 95% CI 0.74-1.08 and HR = 1.24; 95% CI, 0.98-1.58, respectively). Grade 3-5 nivolumab-related adverse events were more common among PPI users (25.5% vs. 15.3%). CONCLUSIONS: This real-world study suggests that PPI use in patients with mRCC does not impact the efficacy outcomes but may influence the safety of nivolumab which warrants further investigations.

Escherichia coli-Specific CXCL13-Producing TFH Are Associated with Clinical Efficacy of Neoadjuvant PD-1 Blockade against Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer.

Biomarkers guiding the neoadjuvant use of immune-checkpoint blockers (ICB) are needed for patients with localized muscle-invasive bladder cancers (MIBC). Profiling tumor and blood samples, we found that follicular helper CD4+ T cells (TFH) are among the best therapeutic targets of pembrolizumab correlating with progression-free survival. TFH were associated with tumoral CD8 and PD-L1 expression at baseline and the induction of tertiary lymphoid structures after pembrolizumab. Blood central memory TFH accumulated in tumors where they produce CXCL13, a chemokine found in the plasma of responders only. IgG4+CD38+ TFH residing in bladder tissues correlated with clinical benefit. Finally, TFH and IgG directed against urothelium-invasive Escherichia coli dictated clinical responses to pembrolizumab in three independent cohorts. The links between tumor infection and success of ICB immunomodulation should be prospectively assessed at a larger scale. SIGNIFICANCE: In patients with bladder cancer treated with neoadjuvant pembrolizumab, E. coli-specific CXCL13 producing TFH and IgG constitute biomarkers that predict clinical benefit. Beyond its role as a biomarker, such immune responses against E. coli might be harnessed for future therapeutic strategies. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 2221.

Weight and skeletal muscle loss with cabozantinib in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Cabozantinib, a standard of care metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), may be associated with weight and muscle loss. These effects of new generation VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor on muscle mass loss are poorly described. METHODS: All cabozantinib-treated mRCC patients from January 2014 to February 2019 in our institution were included. Clinical data including weight were collected during therapy. Computed tomography images were centrally reviewed for response assessment, and axial sections at the third lumbar vertebrae were used to measure the total muscle area. Toxicities and cabozantinib outcomes were evaluated. Co-primary endpoints included skeletal muscle loss and weight loss (WL), longitudinally evaluated during treatment. WL has been classified according to CTCAEv5.0: Grade 1 (loss of 5 to <10% of baseline body weight), Grade 2 (loss of 10% to <20% of baseline body weight), and Grades 3-4 (loss >20% of baseline body weight). RESULTS: Patients were mostly men (70.3%), median age was 59.2 (range: 22.0-78.0) years, and median baseline body mass index was 25.0 (range: 16.4-49.3) kg/cm2 . Prognosis according to International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium score was good, intermediate, and poor for 13 (13.0%), 63 (63.0%), and 24 (24.0%) patients, respectively. Out of a total of 120 patients, 101 patients with a median follow-up of 22.3 months (range: 4.5-62.2) were eligible for analysis; 85 experienced muscle loss and muscle loss >10% increased during cabozantinib exposition, especially after 6 months of treatment. At cabozantinib baseline, 71 patients (70.3%) had sarcopenia, and 16/30 (53.3%) non-sarcopenic patients developed sarcopenia during treatment. Baseline sarcopenia was associated with lower response rates (P = 0.031) and higher grades 3-4 toxicities (P = 0.001). Out of 92 patients included in the WL analysis, 44 (47.8%) and 12 (13.0%) experienced grades 2 and 3 WL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We report a high incidence of grades 3-4 WL, fourth times higher than reported in prior pivotal trials, and half of the patients developed sarcopenia while on cabozantinib treatment. Weight and muscle mass loss with cabozantinib are underreported and may require further investigations and early management.

Therapeutic sequencing in the era of first-line immune checkpoint inhibitor combinations, a novel challenge in patients with metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor combinations have reshaped the treatment landscape of metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma. As four regimens are now approved in the first-line setting, including nivolumab plus ipilimumab in intermediate and poor-risk patients, and pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib, nivolumab plus cabozantinib and pembrolizumab plus axitinib in all-comers, the choice of subsequent therapies is becoming a novel challenge for physicians. Such choices now rely on several compounds used as monotherapy which have demonstrated sustained activity after previous immune checkpoint or tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Future strategies may lie in novel targets, including hypoxia-inducible factor inhibitors, as well as further exploration of combinations in more advanced settings. Here we review the current evidence regarding treatment activity after immune checkpoint inhibitor combinations, the underlying biological and clinical challenges that may impact patient selection and the optimal sequencing strategies for clinical practice.

Cross-cohort gut microbiome associations with immune checkpoint inhibitor response in advanced melanoma.

The composition of the gut microbiome has been associated with clinical responses to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment, but there is limited consensus on the specific microbiome characteristics linked to the clinical benefits of ICIs. We performed shotgun metagenomic sequencing of stool samples collected before ICI initiation from five observational cohorts recruiting ICI-naive patients with advanced cutaneous melanoma (n = 165). Integrating the dataset with 147 metagenomic samples from previously published studies, we found that the gut microbiome has a relevant, but cohort-dependent, association with the response to ICIs. A machine learning analysis confirmed the link between the microbiome and overall response rates (ORRs) and progression-free survival (PFS) with ICIs but also revealed limited reproducibility of microbiome-based signatures across cohorts. Accordingly, a panel of species, including Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum, Roseburia spp. and Akkermansia muciniphila, associated with responders was identified, but no single species could be regarded as a fully consistent biomarker across studies. Overall, the role of the human gut microbiome in ICI response appears more complex than previously thought, extending beyond differing microbial species simply present or absent in responders and nonresponders. Future studies should adopt larger sample sizes and take into account the complex interplay of clinical factors with the gut microbiome over the treatment course.