Preconditioning of the tumor microenvironment with oncolytic reovirus converts CD3-bispecific antibody treatment into effective immunotherapy

Background T-cell-engaging CD3-bispecific antibodies (CD3-bsAbs) are promising modalities for cancer immunotherapy. Although this therapy has reached clinical practice for hematological malignancies, the absence of sufficient infiltrating T cells is a major barrier for efficacy in solid tumors. In t...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rob C Hoeben, Sjoerd H van der Burg, Thorbald van Hall, Christianne Groeneveldt, Priscilla Kinderman, Diana J M van den Wollenberg, Ruben L van den Oever, Jim Middelburg, Dana A M Mustafa, Nadine van Montfoort
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2020-10-01
Series:Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
Online Access:https://jitc.bmj.com/content/8/2/e001191.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849221753481461760
author Rob C Hoeben
Sjoerd H van der Burg
Thorbald van Hall
Christianne Groeneveldt
Priscilla Kinderman
Diana J M van den Wollenberg
Ruben L van den Oever
Jim Middelburg
Dana A M Mustafa
Nadine van Montfoort
author_facet Rob C Hoeben
Sjoerd H van der Burg
Thorbald van Hall
Christianne Groeneveldt
Priscilla Kinderman
Diana J M van den Wollenberg
Ruben L van den Oever
Jim Middelburg
Dana A M Mustafa
Nadine van Montfoort
author_sort Rob C Hoeben
collection DOAJ
description Background T-cell-engaging CD3-bispecific antibodies (CD3-bsAbs) are promising modalities for cancer immunotherapy. Although this therapy has reached clinical practice for hematological malignancies, the absence of sufficient infiltrating T cells is a major barrier for efficacy in solid tumors. In this study, we exploited oncolytic reovirus as a strategy to enhance the efficacy of CD3-bsAbs in immune-silent solid tumors.Methods The mutant p53 and K-ras induced murine pancreatic cancer model KPC3 resembles human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas with a desmoplastic tumor microenvironment, low T-cell density and resistance to immunotherapy. Immune-competent KPC3 tumor-bearing mice were intratumorally injected with reovirus type 3 Dearing strain and the reovirus-induced changes in the tumor microenvironment and spleen were analyzed over time by NanoString analysis, quantitative RT-PCR and multicolor flow cytometry. The efficacy of reovirus in combination with systemically injected CD3-bsAbs was evaluated in immune-competent mice with established KPC3 or B16.F10 tumors, and in the close-to-patient human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)+ breast cancer model BT474 engrafted in immunocompromised mice with human T cells as effector cells.Results Replication-competent reovirus induced an early interferon signature, followed by a strong influx of natural killer cells and CD8+ T cells, at the cost of FoxP3+ Tregs. Viral replication declined after 7 days and was associated with a systemic activation of lymphocytes and the emergence of intratumoral reovirus-specific CD8+ T cells. Although tumor-infiltrating T cells were mostly reovirus-specific and not tumor-specific, they served as non-exhausted effector cells for the subsequently systemically administered CD3-bsAbs. Combination treatment of reovirus and CD3-bsAbs led to the regression of large, established KPC3, B16.F10 and BT474 tumors. Reovirus as a preconditioning regimen performed significantly better than simultaneous or early administration of CD3-bsAbs. This combination treatment induced regressions of distant lesions that were not injected with reovirus, and systemic administration of both reovirus and CD3-bsAbs also led to tumor control. This suggests that this therapy might also be effective for metastatic disease.Conclusions Oncolytic reovirus administration represents an effective strategy to induce a local interferon response and strong T-cell influx, thereby sensitizing the tumor microenvironment for subsequent CD3-bsAb therapy. This combination therapy warrants further investigation in patients with non-inflamed solid tumors.
format Article
id doaj-art-c3d20f94ac3d4a76b0d4b7271cb48045
institution Kabale University
issn 2051-1426
language English
publishDate 2020-10-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
spelling doaj-art-c3d20f94ac3d4a76b0d4b7271cb480452024-11-10T15:55:08ZengBMJ Publishing GroupJournal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer2051-14262020-10-018210.1136/jitc-2020-001191Preconditioning of the tumor microenvironment with oncolytic reovirus converts CD3-bispecific antibody treatment into effective immunotherapyRob C Hoeben0Sjoerd H van der Burg1Thorbald van Hall2Christianne Groeneveldt3Priscilla Kinderman4Diana J M van den Wollenberg5Ruben L van den Oever6Jim Middelburg7Dana A M Mustafa8Nadine van Montfoort96Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands1 Oncode institute, Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands1 Medical Oncology, Oncode institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Medical Oncology, Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands3 Department of Medical Oncology, Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands2 Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands3 Department of Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Medical Oncology, Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Pathology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsBackground T-cell-engaging CD3-bispecific antibodies (CD3-bsAbs) are promising modalities for cancer immunotherapy. Although this therapy has reached clinical practice for hematological malignancies, the absence of sufficient infiltrating T cells is a major barrier for efficacy in solid tumors. In this study, we exploited oncolytic reovirus as a strategy to enhance the efficacy of CD3-bsAbs in immune-silent solid tumors.Methods The mutant p53 and K-ras induced murine pancreatic cancer model KPC3 resembles human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas with a desmoplastic tumor microenvironment, low T-cell density and resistance to immunotherapy. Immune-competent KPC3 tumor-bearing mice were intratumorally injected with reovirus type 3 Dearing strain and the reovirus-induced changes in the tumor microenvironment and spleen were analyzed over time by NanoString analysis, quantitative RT-PCR and multicolor flow cytometry. The efficacy of reovirus in combination with systemically injected CD3-bsAbs was evaluated in immune-competent mice with established KPC3 or B16.F10 tumors, and in the close-to-patient human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)+ breast cancer model BT474 engrafted in immunocompromised mice with human T cells as effector cells.Results Replication-competent reovirus induced an early interferon signature, followed by a strong influx of natural killer cells and CD8+ T cells, at the cost of FoxP3+ Tregs. Viral replication declined after 7 days and was associated with a systemic activation of lymphocytes and the emergence of intratumoral reovirus-specific CD8+ T cells. Although tumor-infiltrating T cells were mostly reovirus-specific and not tumor-specific, they served as non-exhausted effector cells for the subsequently systemically administered CD3-bsAbs. Combination treatment of reovirus and CD3-bsAbs led to the regression of large, established KPC3, B16.F10 and BT474 tumors. Reovirus as a preconditioning regimen performed significantly better than simultaneous or early administration of CD3-bsAbs. This combination treatment induced regressions of distant lesions that were not injected with reovirus, and systemic administration of both reovirus and CD3-bsAbs also led to tumor control. This suggests that this therapy might also be effective for metastatic disease.Conclusions Oncolytic reovirus administration represents an effective strategy to induce a local interferon response and strong T-cell influx, thereby sensitizing the tumor microenvironment for subsequent CD3-bsAb therapy. This combination therapy warrants further investigation in patients with non-inflamed solid tumors.https://jitc.bmj.com/content/8/2/e001191.full
spellingShingle Rob C Hoeben
Sjoerd H van der Burg
Thorbald van Hall
Christianne Groeneveldt
Priscilla Kinderman
Diana J M van den Wollenberg
Ruben L van den Oever
Jim Middelburg
Dana A M Mustafa
Nadine van Montfoort
Preconditioning of the tumor microenvironment with oncolytic reovirus converts CD3-bispecific antibody treatment into effective immunotherapy
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
title Preconditioning of the tumor microenvironment with oncolytic reovirus converts CD3-bispecific antibody treatment into effective immunotherapy
title_full Preconditioning of the tumor microenvironment with oncolytic reovirus converts CD3-bispecific antibody treatment into effective immunotherapy
title_fullStr Preconditioning of the tumor microenvironment with oncolytic reovirus converts CD3-bispecific antibody treatment into effective immunotherapy
title_full_unstemmed Preconditioning of the tumor microenvironment with oncolytic reovirus converts CD3-bispecific antibody treatment into effective immunotherapy
title_short Preconditioning of the tumor microenvironment with oncolytic reovirus converts CD3-bispecific antibody treatment into effective immunotherapy
title_sort preconditioning of the tumor microenvironment with oncolytic reovirus converts cd3 bispecific antibody treatment into effective immunotherapy
url https://jitc.bmj.com/content/8/2/e001191.full
work_keys_str_mv AT robchoeben preconditioningofthetumormicroenvironmentwithoncolyticreovirusconvertscd3bispecificantibodytreatmentintoeffectiveimmunotherapy
AT sjoerdhvanderburg preconditioningofthetumormicroenvironmentwithoncolyticreovirusconvertscd3bispecificantibodytreatmentintoeffectiveimmunotherapy
AT thorbaldvanhall preconditioningofthetumormicroenvironmentwithoncolyticreovirusconvertscd3bispecificantibodytreatmentintoeffectiveimmunotherapy
AT christiannegroeneveldt preconditioningofthetumormicroenvironmentwithoncolyticreovirusconvertscd3bispecificantibodytreatmentintoeffectiveimmunotherapy
AT priscillakinderman preconditioningofthetumormicroenvironmentwithoncolyticreovirusconvertscd3bispecificantibodytreatmentintoeffectiveimmunotherapy
AT dianajmvandenwollenberg preconditioningofthetumormicroenvironmentwithoncolyticreovirusconvertscd3bispecificantibodytreatmentintoeffectiveimmunotherapy
AT rubenlvandenoever preconditioningofthetumormicroenvironmentwithoncolyticreovirusconvertscd3bispecificantibodytreatmentintoeffectiveimmunotherapy
AT jimmiddelburg preconditioningofthetumormicroenvironmentwithoncolyticreovirusconvertscd3bispecificantibodytreatmentintoeffectiveimmunotherapy
AT danaammustafa preconditioningofthetumormicroenvironmentwithoncolyticreovirusconvertscd3bispecificantibodytreatmentintoeffectiveimmunotherapy
AT nadinevanmontfoort preconditioningofthetumormicroenvironmentwithoncolyticreovirusconvertscd3bispecificantibodytreatmentintoeffectiveimmunotherapy