Prior corticosteroid treatment alters cPBMC composition and IFNγ response to immunotherapy in canine cancer

BackgroundImmunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represents a promising therapeutic approach for canine cancer patients. Similar to human cancer patients, the concurrent use of corticosteroids may attenuate the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in dogs. In this study, we eval...

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Main Authors: Anna Barbara Emilia Zimmermann, Betül Taskoparan, Daniel Fuchs, Stanislav Pantelyushin, Mathischan Maheswaran, Manuela Schnyder, Sonja Hartnack, Carla Rohrer Bley, Johannes vom Berg
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Immunology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1544949/full
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author Anna Barbara Emilia Zimmermann
Anna Barbara Emilia Zimmermann
Betül Taskoparan
Daniel Fuchs
Daniel Fuchs
Stanislav Pantelyushin
Mathischan Maheswaran
Manuela Schnyder
Sonja Hartnack
Carla Rohrer Bley
Johannes vom Berg
author_facet Anna Barbara Emilia Zimmermann
Anna Barbara Emilia Zimmermann
Betül Taskoparan
Daniel Fuchs
Daniel Fuchs
Stanislav Pantelyushin
Mathischan Maheswaran
Manuela Schnyder
Sonja Hartnack
Carla Rohrer Bley
Johannes vom Berg
author_sort Anna Barbara Emilia Zimmermann
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundImmunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represents a promising therapeutic approach for canine cancer patients. Similar to human cancer patients, the concurrent use of corticosteroids may attenuate the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in dogs. In this study, we evaluated the impact of corticosteroid therapy on canine peripheral blood mononuclear cell (cPBMC) composition and the in vitro response to Programmed Death-1/Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) axis blockade and recombinant human Interleukin-12 (rhIL-12) stimulation. MethodscPBMC samples were collected from 24 healthy, 44 cancer-bearing untreated, and 33 cancer-bearing corticosteroid pre-treated dogs. Lymphocytes were polyclonally stimulated with Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB) and either atezolizumab, a cross-functional anti-PD-L1 ICI, or rhIL-12. We analyzed the absolute and relative changes in canine interferon-gamma (cIFNɣ) production. Stimulation with gilvetmab, a recently developed canine anti-PD-1 ICI, revealed comparable results to atezolizumab. Moreover, we assessed the influence of corticosteroid pre-treatment on cPBMC composition by flow cytometry. ResultsCorticosteroid treatment significantly affected the immune profile, primarily the monocytic compartment, and functional cIFNɣ response of cPBMCs. Nevertheless, responses to immunotherapy appeared to be highly individual. ConclusionsOverall, we observed trends suggesting that prior corticosteroid therapy may compromise the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 axis blockade and IL-12 in dogs with cancer. While the dose and timing of corticosteroid administration in this study reflected clinical reality and would not justify withholding this emerging therapeutic option, corticosteroid pretreatment may be a confounder for PD-1/PD-L1 axis blockade or IL-12 therapy in canine oncology.
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spelling doaj-art-7f7663ba81e943c7838ea6603f2678682025-08-20T02:12:35ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242025-04-011610.3389/fimmu.2025.15449491544949Prior corticosteroid treatment alters cPBMC composition and IFNγ response to immunotherapy in canine cancerAnna Barbara Emilia Zimmermann0Anna Barbara Emilia Zimmermann1Betül Taskoparan2Daniel Fuchs3Daniel Fuchs4Stanislav Pantelyushin5Mathischan Maheswaran6Manuela Schnyder7Sonja Hartnack8Carla Rohrer Bley9Johannes vom Berg10Clinic for Radiation Oncology and Medical Oncology, University Animal Hospital, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute of Laboratory Animal Science, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Schlieren, SwitzerlandInstitute of Laboratory Animal Science, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Schlieren, SwitzerlandClinic for Radiation Oncology and Medical Oncology, University Animal Hospital, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute of Laboratory Animal Science, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Schlieren, SwitzerlandInstitute of Laboratory Animal Science, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Schlieren, SwitzerlandInstitute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandSection of Epidemiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandClinic for Radiation Oncology and Medical Oncology, University Animal Hospital, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute of Laboratory Animal Science, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Schlieren, SwitzerlandBackgroundImmunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represents a promising therapeutic approach for canine cancer patients. Similar to human cancer patients, the concurrent use of corticosteroids may attenuate the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in dogs. In this study, we evaluated the impact of corticosteroid therapy on canine peripheral blood mononuclear cell (cPBMC) composition and the in vitro response to Programmed Death-1/Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) axis blockade and recombinant human Interleukin-12 (rhIL-12) stimulation. MethodscPBMC samples were collected from 24 healthy, 44 cancer-bearing untreated, and 33 cancer-bearing corticosteroid pre-treated dogs. Lymphocytes were polyclonally stimulated with Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB) and either atezolizumab, a cross-functional anti-PD-L1 ICI, or rhIL-12. We analyzed the absolute and relative changes in canine interferon-gamma (cIFNɣ) production. Stimulation with gilvetmab, a recently developed canine anti-PD-1 ICI, revealed comparable results to atezolizumab. Moreover, we assessed the influence of corticosteroid pre-treatment on cPBMC composition by flow cytometry. ResultsCorticosteroid treatment significantly affected the immune profile, primarily the monocytic compartment, and functional cIFNɣ response of cPBMCs. Nevertheless, responses to immunotherapy appeared to be highly individual. ConclusionsOverall, we observed trends suggesting that prior corticosteroid therapy may compromise the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 axis blockade and IL-12 in dogs with cancer. While the dose and timing of corticosteroid administration in this study reflected clinical reality and would not justify withholding this emerging therapeutic option, corticosteroid pretreatment may be a confounder for PD-1/PD-L1 axis blockade or IL-12 therapy in canine oncology.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1544949/fullimmunotherapyimmune checkpoint inhibitorcanceratezolizumabgilvetmabcorticosteroid
spellingShingle Anna Barbara Emilia Zimmermann
Anna Barbara Emilia Zimmermann
Betül Taskoparan
Daniel Fuchs
Daniel Fuchs
Stanislav Pantelyushin
Mathischan Maheswaran
Manuela Schnyder
Sonja Hartnack
Carla Rohrer Bley
Johannes vom Berg
Prior corticosteroid treatment alters cPBMC composition and IFNγ response to immunotherapy in canine cancer
Frontiers in Immunology
immunotherapy
immune checkpoint inhibitor
cancer
atezolizumab
gilvetmab
corticosteroid
title Prior corticosteroid treatment alters cPBMC composition and IFNγ response to immunotherapy in canine cancer
title_full Prior corticosteroid treatment alters cPBMC composition and IFNγ response to immunotherapy in canine cancer
title_fullStr Prior corticosteroid treatment alters cPBMC composition and IFNγ response to immunotherapy in canine cancer
title_full_unstemmed Prior corticosteroid treatment alters cPBMC composition and IFNγ response to immunotherapy in canine cancer
title_short Prior corticosteroid treatment alters cPBMC composition and IFNγ response to immunotherapy in canine cancer
title_sort prior corticosteroid treatment alters cpbmc composition and ifnγ response to immunotherapy in canine cancer
topic immunotherapy
immune checkpoint inhibitor
cancer
atezolizumab
gilvetmab
corticosteroid
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1544949/full
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