Med-Diets supplemented with VOO or nuts down-regulate cellular and circulating inflammatory biomarkers related to atherogenesis in subjects at high risk of CVD. The results support the recommendation of the Med-Diet as a useful tool against CVD.
Purpose: T-cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domain (TIGIT) blockade could represent an alternative therapeutic option to release the immune response in patients with multiple myeloma. Here we analyzed the expression of TIGIT and its ligands poliovirus receptor (PVR) and nectin-2 in the bone marrow (BM) of patients with monoclonal gammopathies and the efficacy of TIGIT blockade activating antimyeloma immunity. Experimental Design: Expression levels of TIGIT and its ligands were characterized by flow cytometry and ELISA. TIGIT blockade was analyzed in in vitro functional assays with peripheral T cells. BM cells were studied with NanoString technology, real-time PCR, and ex vivo patient BM cell models. Results: TIGIT and its ligands are highly expressed in the BM of patients with multiple myeloma, suggesting that may play a role in restraining immune activation. TIGIT blockade depleted FoxP3 þ Tregs while increasing proliferation of IFNg-producing CD4 þ T cells from patients with multiple myeloma. PVR ligation inhibited CD8 þ T-cell signaling and cell proliferation which could be overcome with anti-TIGIT mAb. However, BM cells showed a remarkable heterogeneity in immune signature. Accordingly, functional ex vivo BM assays revealed that only some patients respond to checkpoint blockade. Thus, response to TIGIT blockade correlated with low frequency of TIGIT þ cells and high nectin-2 expression on malignant plasma cells. Conclusions: TIGIT blockade efficiently reinvigorated peripheral T cells from patients with multiple myeloma. However, in the BM, the efficacy of blocking anti-TIGIT mAb to achieve tumor cell death may depend on the expression of TIGIT and nectin-2, becoming potential predictive biomarkers for identifying patients who may benefit from TIGIT blockade. However, most of the patients will eventually relapse after treat-61 ment (9), underlying the need for basic and translational research to 62 achieve better therapeutic options. 63 Inhibitory immune checkpoints play an important role in tightly 64 regulating the immune response against tumor cells (10, 11). Thus, 65 blockade of coinhibitory receptors on immune cells or their ligands 66 highly expressed on tumor cells has recently become innovative 67 cancer immunotherapies. Antibodies targeting the negative 68 immune checkpoints CTLA-4 and PD-1 have been approved to 69 treat solid tumors and some hematologic malignancies (12-14). In 70 patients with multiple myeloma, levels of inhibitory receptors 71 CTLA-4, PD-1, LAG-3, and TIM-3 may indicate underlying 72 mechanisms of T-cell dysfunction such as T-cell exhaustion (15) 73 and immunosenescence that could be potentially reversible (16). 74 Although initial data supported the rationale for PD-1 blockade to 75 stimulate anti-multiple myeloma immunity, therapeutic antibody 76 nivolumab as a single agent did not shown a significant improve-77 ment in the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma (17-19)78 highlighting the need to investigate other immune regulatory path-79 ways relevant in multiple myelo...
Most patients with multiple myeloma treated with current therapies, including immunomodulatory drugs, eventually develop relapsed/refractory disease. Clinical activity of lenalidomide relies on degradation of Ikaros and the consequent reduction in IRF4 expression, both required for myeloma cell survival and involved in the regulation of MYC transcription. Thus, we sought to determine the combinational effect of an MYC-interfering therapy with lenalidomide/dexamethasone. We analyzed the potential therapeutic effect of the combination of the BET bromodomain inhibitor CPI203 with the lenalidomide/dexamethasone regimen in myeloma cell lines. CPI203 exerted a dose-dependent cell growth inhibition in cell lines, indeed in lenalidomide/dexamethasone-resistant cells (median response at 0.5 μM: 65.4%), characterized by G1 cell cycle blockade and a concomitant inhibition of MYC and Ikaros signaling. These effects were potentiated by the addition of lenalidomide/dexamethasone. Results were validated in primary plasma cells from patients with multiple myeloma co-cultured with the mesenchymal stromal cell line stromaNKtert. Consistently, the drug combination evoked a 50% reduction in cell proliferation and correlated with basal Ikaros mRNA expression levels (P=0.04). Finally, in a SCID mouse xenotransplant model of myeloma, addition of CPI203 to lenalidomide/dexamethasone decreased tumor burden, evidenced by a lower glucose uptake and increase in the growth arrest marker GADD45B, with simultaneous downregulation of key transcription factors such as MYC, Ikaros and IRF4. Taken together, our data show that the combination of a BET bromodomain inhibitor with a lenalidomide-based regimen may represent a therapeutic approach to improve the response in relapsed/refractory patients with multiple myeloma, even in cases with suboptimal prior response to immunomodulatory drugs.
Multiple myeloma (MM) remains incurable despite the number of novel therapies that have become available in recent years. Occasionally, a patient with MM will develop an amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis with organ dysfunction. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CART) therapy has become a promising approach in treating hematological malignancies. Our institution has developed a second-generation B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)–CART which is currently being tested in a clinical trial for relapsed/refractory MM.We present the first reported case, to our knowledge, of a patient with AL amyloidosis and renal involvement in the course of an MM, successfully treated with CART therapy targeting BCMA. The patient received a fractioned dose of 3×106/kg BCMA–CARTs after lymphodepletion. At 3 months from infusion, the patient had already obtained a deep hematological response with negative measurable residual disease by flow cytometry in the bone marrow. After 12 months, the patient remains in hematological stringent complete remission and has achieved an organ renal response with a decrease of 70% of proteinuria.This case suggests that concomitant AL amyloidosis in the setting of MM can benefit from CART therapy, even in patients in which predominant symptoms at the time of treating are caused by AL amyloidosis.
Mechanisms of immune regulation may control proliferation of aberrant plasma cells (PCs) in patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) preventing progression to active multiple myeloma (MM). We hypothesized that CD85j (), an inhibitory immune checkpoint for B cell function, may play a role in MM pathogenesis. In this study, we report that patients with active MM had significantly lower levels of CD85j and its ligand S100A9. Decreased CD85j expression could also be detected in the premalignant condition MGUS, suggesting that loss of CD85j may be an early event promoting tumor immune escape. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying CD85j functions, we next enforced expression of CD85j in human myeloma cell lines by lentiviral transduction. Interestingly, gene expression profiling of CD85j-overexpressing cells revealed a set of downregulated genes with crucial functions in MM pathogenesis. Furthermore, in vitro functional assays demonstrated that CD85j overexpression increased susceptibility to T cell- and NK-mediated killing. Consistently, ligation of CD85j decreased the number of PCs from individuals with MGUS but not from patients with MM. In conclusion, downregulation of inhibitory immune checkpoints on malignant PCs may provide a novel mechanism of immune escape associated with myeloma pathogenesis.
BACKGROUND: MYD88 L265P mutation is highly prevalent in IgM monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), smoldering Waldenström macroglobulinemia (SWM) and symptomatic WM. Allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) has been used routinely to assess MYD88 mutation; however, with the advent of more precise high-throughput technologies such as droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), absolute quantification can be achieved. There is no data regarding ddPCR applicability in asymptomatic IgM monoclonal gammopathies or as a prognostic biomarker. Here, we aimed to compare MYD88 quantification by ddPCR with clinical and laboratory features and to analyze the prognostic impact in a series of patients (pts) with IgM MGUS and SWM. METHODS: We analyzed bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) samples stored from pts diagnosed with IgM MGUS and SWM at our institution from 1980 to 2020. DNA extraction methods followed manufacturer instructions (Qiagen) to obtain genomic DNA from unsorted BM samples and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from PB. MYD88 L265P mutation was quantified by ddPCR using a Bio-Rad commercial assay (HEX-labeled wild-type allele; FAM-labeled mutant allele). We used OCI-Ly3 DLBCL ABC cell line, homozygous for MYD88 L265P, as a positive control. ddPCR was performed following Bio-Rad technical specifications using the QX200 droplet reader. Data was analyzed using QuantaSoft v.1.0 software (Bio-Rad). Absolute quantification of the mutation was expressed as percentage of fractional abundance. For survival analysis, we used a competing risk analysis to evaluate the prognostic impact of MYD88 mutation on progression to symptomatic WM. RESULTS: A total of 217 unsorted samples were analyzed (187 BM and 30 PB). Genomic DNA from unsorted BM samples was extracted from pts diagnosed with IgM MGUS (46%), SWM (44%), and symptomatic WM (10%). cfDNA was obtained from a subgroup of pts with IgM MGUS (52%) and SWM (48%). Median age at diagnosis was 68 (range 61 to 76). AS-PCR could detect the mutation in 22 (31%) pts with IgM MGUS and 49 (75%) with SWM. ddPCR improved precision detection up to 48 (55%) pts with IgM MGUS and 68 (83%) with SWM. All pts with symptomatic WM harbored the MYD88 mutation, as identified by both techniques. Median absolute quantification from BM was 2.3% and 7% for pts with IgM MGUS and SWM, respectively (p<0.001). Pearson correlation coefficients comparing BM MYD88 mutation quantification by ddPCR with serum M-protein size, IgM concentration, BM lymphoplasmacytic infiltration rate and BM CD19+ cells were 0.3, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.9 (p<0.0004), respectively. Similar coefficients were observed in symptomatic WM regarding BM infiltration rate (0.6; p=0.001) and BM CD19+ cells (0.9; p<0.0001). Spearman correlation coefficients comparing cfDNA MYD88 mutation quantification with BM lymphoplasmacytic infiltration rate and BM CD19+ cells were 0.4 and 0.5 (p<0.008), respectively. Agreement regarding MYD88 mutation detection by ddPCR in BM DNA and cfDNA samples was 82% (Cohen kappa index 0.6). With a median overall survival of 13 years in pts with IgM MGUS and SWM, 13% of them progressed to symptomatic WM while 22% died without progression. Cox univariate analysis using continuous values for MYD88 quantification (p=0.004), serum IgM (p<0.001), BM lymphoplasmacytic infiltration (p<0.001), and serum albumin (p=0.04) were significant. X-tile software was used to find the optimal cutoff point of MYD88 quantification as a biomarker. 4.5% was established for pts with IgM MGUS while 25% for SWM. Using the Fine and Gray regression model in a competing risk analysis taking death without progression as a competing event, higher MYD88 mutation burden negatively impacted the risk of progression of IgM MGUS (SHR 4.6; p=0.003) and SWM (SHR 6; p<0.001) (Figure 1). CONCLUSION: Quantification of the MYD88 L265P mutation by ddPCR has higher precision and sensitivity compared to AS-PCR; thus ddPCR could be used as a potential new and useful biomarker. MYD88 tumor burden correlated with well-known laboratory parameters used for diagnosis and risk stratification, whether using genomic DNA from unsorted BM samples or cfDNA. Risk of progression was higher in patients harboring an increased mutant allele burden. This is the first report showing the prognostic impact of MYD88 quantification in a series of patients with asymptomatic IgM gammopathy and long-term follow up. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Cibeira: Akcea: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Bladé Creixenti: Janssen, Celgene, Takeda, Amgen and Oncopeptides: Honoraria. Rosinol: Janssen, Celgene, Amgen and Takeda: Honoraria. Fernandez de Larrea: BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria, Research Funding; GSK: Honoraria; Sanofi: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding.
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