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H. Moreno



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    MA09 - Immunotherapy Combinations (ID 390)

    • Event: WCLC 2016
    • Type: Mini Oral Session
    • Track: Chemotherapy/Targeted Therapy/Immunotherapy
    • Presentations: 1
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      MA09.01 - Dual Blockade of PD-1 and C5a/C5aR Synergistically Protects against Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Tumor Growth (ID 5261)

      14:20 - 14:26  |  Author(s): H. Moreno

      • Abstract
      • Presentation
      • Slides

      Background:
      Immunotherapy based on PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors has emerged as a powerful tool for the treatment of lung cancer. To further enhance the antitumor efficacy of individual treatments, numerous ongoing studies are trying to identify synergistic combinations that simultaneously block more than one immunomodulatory pathway. C5aR1 is a G protein-coupled receptor activated by C5a, an anaphylatoxin released during the activation of the complement system, a major component of innate immunity. We have previously shown in a murine model of lung cancer that pharmacological blockade of C5aR1 reduces cancer progression by reversing the immunosuppressive microenvironment. Thus, we hypothesized that a combined inhibition of C5aR1 and PD-1 may have a synergistic effect in the treatment of lung cancer.

      Methods:
      We characterized the immunosuppressive activity of C5aR1 and evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of the dual administration of PD-1 and C5a/C5aR1 antagonists in syngeneic non-small cell lung cancer mouse models. The RMP1-14 monoclonal antibody was used to block PD-1, and a PEG-modified L-aptamer, which binds to complement C5 and C5a, was used to inhibit the C5a/C5aR1 interaction.

      Results:
      Kras[G12D/+] mice deficient for C5aR (Kras[G12D/+];C5aR1[Δ/Δ]) had a lower lung tumor burden and survived longer than Kras[G12D/+];C5aR1[wt/wt] littermates. Interestingly, Kras[G12D/+];C5aR1[Δ/Δ] mice showed a significant reduction of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), a subpopulation of immune cells that profoundly influences the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapies. We therefore evaluated whether C5a/C5aR blockade may enhance the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy by reversing the immunosuppressive microenvironment. In the Kras/Tp53 mutant 393P syngeneic lung cancer model, the combination of C5a and PD-1 blockade dramatically reduced in vivo tumor growth, as compared to the effect of each treatment alone. Similarly, this combination showed a remarkable synergistic antitumor effect in Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL)-bearing mice. Survival analysis confirmed the benefit of the combined treatment. Finally, the therapeutic combination significantly diminished the in vivo metastatic capacity of the highly aggressive Lacun3 lung cancer cell line in syngeneic BALB/c mice, as compared to the effect of anti-PD-1 or anti-C5a drugs as monotherapy.

      Conclusion:
      Our study supports the notion that the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy is limited by the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. In this context, C5a/C5aR1 blockade concomitant to anti-PD1 therapy obliterates the resistance mechanisms mediated by MDSCs, improving antitumor immune responses. These findings provide a framework for the clinical evaluation of this therapeutic strategy.

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