Open Access
The multi-specific VH-based Humabody CB213 co-targets PD1 and LAG3 on T cells to promote anti-tumour activity
(Springer Nature, 2021) Edwards, Carolyn J.; Sette, Angelica; Cox, Carl; Di Fiore, Barabara; Wyre, Chris; Sydoruk, Daniela; Yadin, David; Hayes, Philip; Stelter, Szymon; Bartlett, Phillip D.; Zuazo Ibarra, Miren; García Granda, María Jesús; Benedetti, Giovanni; Fiaska, Stratonik; Birkett, Neil R.; Teng, Yumin; Enever, Carrie; Arasanz Esteban, Hugo; Bocanegra Gondán, Ana Isabel; Chocarro de Erauso, Luisa; Fernández Hinojal, Gonzalo; Vera García, Ruth; Archer, Bethan; Osuch, Isabelle; Lewandowska, Martyna; Surani, Yasmin M.; Kochan, Grazyna; Escors Murugarren, David; Legg, James; Pierce, Andrew J.; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
Background: improving cancer immunotherapy long-term clinical benefit is a major priority. It has become apparent that multiple axes of immune suppression restrain the capacity of T cells to provide anti-tumour activity including signalling through PD1/PD-L1 and LAG3/MHC-II. Methods: CB213 has been developed as a fully human PD1/LAG3 co-targeting multi-specific Humabody composed of linked VH domains that avidly bind and block PD1 and LAG3 on dual-positive T cells. We present the preclinical primary pharmacology of CB213: biochemistry, cell-based function vs. immune-suppressive targets, induction of T cell proliferation ex vivo using blood obtained from NSCLC patients, and syngeneic mouse model anti-tumour activity. CB213 pharmacokinetics was assessed in cynomolgus macaques. Results: CB213 shows picomolar avidity when simultaneously engaging PD1 and LAG3. Assessing LAG3/MHC-II or PD1/PD-L1 suppression individually, CB213 preferentially counters the LAG3 axis. CB213 showed superior activity vs. αPD1 antibody to induce ex vivo NSCLC patient T cell proliferation and to suppress tumour growth in a syngeneic mouse tumour model, for which both experimental systems possess PD1 and LAG3 suppressive components. Non-human primate PK of CB213 suggests weekly clinical administration. Conclusions: CB213 is poised to enter clinical development and, through intercepting both PD1 and LAG3 resistance mechanisms, may benefit patients with tumours escaping front-line immunological control.
Open Access
PD1 signal transduction pathways in T cells
(Impact Journals, 2017) Arasanz Esteban, Hugo; Gato Cañas, María; Zuazo Ibarra, Miren; Ibañez Vea, María; Breckpot, Karine; Kochan, Grazyna; Escors Murugarren, David; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of cancer is revolutionizing oncology. Amongst these therapeutic agents, antibodies that block PD-L1/PD1 interactions between cancer cells and T cells are demonstrating high efficacies and low toxicities. Despite all the recent advances, very little is yet known on the molecular intracellular signaling pathways regulated by either PD-L1 or PD1. Here we review the current knowledge on PD1-dependent intracellular signaling pathways, and the consequences of disrupting PD1 signal transduction.
Open Access
Understanding LAG-3 Signaling
(MDPI, 2021) Chocarro de Erauso, Luisa; Blanco, Ester; Zuazo Ibarra, Miren; Arasanz Esteban, Hugo; Bocanegra Gondán, Ana Isabel; Fernández Rubio, Leticia; Morente Sancho, Pilar; Fernández Hinojal, Gonzalo; Echaide Górriz, Míriam; Garnica, Maider; Ramos, Pablo; Vera García, Ruth; Kochan, Grazyna; Escors Murugarren, David; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
Lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG-3) is a cell surface inhibitory receptor with multiple biological activities over T cell activation and effector functions. LAG-3 plays a regulatory role in immunity and emerged some time ago as an inhibitory immune checkpoint molecule comparable to PD-1 and CTLA-4 and a potential target for enhancing anti-cancer immune responses. LAG-3 is the third inhibitory receptor to be exploited in human anti-cancer immunotherapies, and it is considered a potential next-generation cancer immunotherapy target in human therapy, right next to PD-1 and CTLA-4. Unlike PD-1 and CTLA-4, the exact mechanisms of action of LAG-3 and its relationship with other immune checkpoint molecules remain poorly understood. This is partly caused by the presence of non-conventional signaling motifs in its intracellular domain that are different from other conventional immunoregulatory signaling motifs but with similar inhibitory activities. Here we summarize the current understanding of LAG-3 signaling and its role in LAG-3 functions, from its mechanisms of action to clinical applications.
Open Access
A proteomic atlas of lineage and cancer-polarized expression modules in myeloid cells modeling immunosuppressive tumor-infiltrating subsets
(MDPI, 2021) Blanco, Ester; Ibañez Vea, María; Hernández, Carlos; Drici, Lylia; Martínez de Morentin Iribarren, Xabier; Gato Cañas, María; Ausín, Karina; Bocanegra Gondán, Ana Isabel; Zuazo Ibarra, Miren; Chocarro de Erauso, Luisa; Arasanz Esteban, Hugo; Fernández Hinojal, Gonzalo; Fernández Irigoyen, Joaquín; Smerdou, Cristian; Garnica, Maider; Echaide Górriz, Míriam; Fernández Rubio, Leticia; Morente Sancho, Pilar; Ramos-Castellanos, Pablo; Llopiz, Diana; Santamaría Martínez, Enrique; Larsen, Martin R.; Escors Murugarren, David; Kochan, Grazyna; Osasun Zientziak; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB; Ciencias de la Salud; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
Monocytic and granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells together with tumor-infiltrating macrophages constitute the main tumor-infiltrating immunosuppressive myeloid populations. Due to the phenotypic resemblance to conventional myeloid cells, their identification and purification from within the tumors is technically difficult and makes their study a challenge. We differentiated myeloid cells modeling the three main tumor-infiltrating types together with uncommitted macrophages, using ex vivo differentiation methods resembling the tumor microenvironment. The phenotype and proteome of these cells was compared to identify linage-dependent relationships and cancer-specific interactome expression modules. The relationships between monocytic MDSCs and TAMs, monocytic MDSCs and granulocytic MDSCs, and hierarchical relationships of expression networks and transcription factors due to lineage and cancer polarization were mapped. Highly purified immunosuppressive myeloid cell populations that model tumor-infiltrating counterparts were systematically analyzed by quantitative proteomics. Full functional interactome maps have been generated to characterize at high resolution the relationships between the three main myeloid tumor-infiltrating cell types. Our data highlights the biological processes related to each cell type, and uncover novel shared and differential molecular targets. Moreover, the high numbers and fidelity of ex vivo-generated subsets to their natu-ral tumor-shaped counterparts enable their use for validation of new treatments in high-throughput experiments.
Open Access
Systemic blood immune cell populations as biomarkers for the outcome of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies
(MDPI, 2020) Hernández, Carlos; Arasanz Esteban, Hugo; Chocarro de Erauso, Luisa; Bocanegra Gondán, Ana Isabel; Zuazo Ibarra, Miren; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
The development of cancer immunotherapy in the last decade has followed a vertiginous rhythm. Nowadays, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) which include anti-CTLA4, anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 antibodies are in clinical use for the treatment of numerous cancers. However, approximately only a third of the patients benefit from ICI therapies. Many efforts have been made for the identification of biomarkers allowing patient stratification into potential responders and progressors before the start of ICI therapies or for monitoring responses during treatment. While much attention is centered on biomarkers from the tumor microenvironment, in many cases biopsies are not available. The identification of systemic immune cell subsets that correlate with responses could provide promising biomarkers. Some of them have been reported to influence the response to ICI therapies, such as proliferation and activation status of CD8 and CD4 T cells, the expression of immune checkpoints in peripheral blood cells and the relative numbers of immunosuppressive cells such as regulatory T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. In addition, the profile of soluble factors in plasma samples could be associated to response or tumor progression. Here we will review the cellular subsets associated to response or progression in different studies and discuss their accuracy in diagnosis.
Open Access
TNF-α-secreting tumor-infiltrated monocytes play a pivotal role during anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy
(Frontiers Media, 2022) Zuazo Ibarra, Miren; Ridder, Kirsten de; Locy, Hanne; Piccioni, Elisa; Awad, Robin Maximilian; Verhulst, Stefaan; Van Bulck, Mathias; Vlaeminck, Yannick de; Lecoq, Quentin; Reijimen, Eva; Mey, Wout de; Beck, Lien de; Ertveldt, Thomas; Pintelon, Isabel; Timmermans, Jean-Pierre; Escors Murugarren, David; Keyaerts, Marleen; Breckpot, Karine; Goyvaerts, Cleo; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) of the PD-1 pathway revolutionized the survival forecast for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Yet, the majority of PD-L1+ NSCLC patients are refractory to anti-PD-L1 therapy. Recent observations indicate a pivotal role for the PD-L1+ tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells in therapy failure. As the latter comprise a heterogenous population in the lung tumor microenvironment, we applied an orthotopic Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC) model to evaluate 11 different tumor-residing myeloid subsets in response to anti-PD-L1 therapy. While we observed significantly reduced fractions of tumor-infiltrating MHC-IIlow macrophages and monocytes, serological levels of TNF-a restored in lung tumor-bearing mice. Notably, we demonstrated in vivo and in vitro that anti-PD-L1 therapy mediated a monocytespecific production of, and response to TNF-a, further accompanied by their significant upregulation of CD80, VISTA, LAG-3, SIRP-a and TIM-3. Nevertheless, co-blockade of PD-L1 and TNF-a did not reduce LLC tumor growth. A phenomenon that was partly explained by the observation that monocytes and TNF-a play a Janus-faced role in anti-PD-L1 therapy-mediated CTL stimulation. This was endorsed by the observation that monocytes appeared crucial to effectively boost T cell-mediated LLC killing in vitro upon combined PD-L1 with LAG-3 or SIRP-a blockade. Hence, this study enlightens the biomarker potential of lung tumor-infiltrated monocytes to define more effective ICB combination strategies.
Open Access
Contribution of systemic T cell immunity to clinical efficacy of anti-PD-L1/PD-1 immunotherapies in lung cancer
(2020) Zuazo Ibarra, Miren; Escors Murugarren, David; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
Un alto porcentaje de pacientes con cáncer de pulmón resistentes a terapias convencionales son refractarios a la inmunoterapia con anticuerpos bloqueadores de la interacción PD-L1/PD-1. En la presente tesis doctoral se ha demostrado que la cuantificación de la proporción de linfocitos T CD4 altamente diferenciados (THD) en sangre periférica antes de comenzar el tratamiento identifica a potenciales respondedores a la inmunoterapia anti-PD-L1/PD-1. En efecto, una alta proporción de CD4 THD (>40%) pretratamiento es un indicador de la funcionalidad sistémica CD4 que resulta ser un factor diferencial para obtener respuestas clínicas. En estos pacientes, las células T CD4 son funcionales a nivel de capacidades proliferativas y presentan una baja co-expresión de PD-1/LAG-3 bajo estimulación, además de ser receptivos al bloqueo de PD-1 ex vivo e in vivo. Además, la cuantificación de los linfocitos T CD4 altamente diferenciados en combinación con la expresión positiva de PD-L1 tumoral identifica a un grupo de pacientes con una tasa de respuesta alrededor del 70%. En cambio, los pacientes con porcentajes bajos de CD4 THD (<40%) antes de comenzar el tratamiento no respondieron al bloqueo anti-PD-L1/PD-1, a pesar de presentar linfocitos T específicos de cáncer de pulmón. Aunque las células T CD4 en estos pacientes son competentes a la hora de producir de citoquinas, son disfuncionales a nivel de proliferación, co-expresan altos niveles de PD-1/LAG-3 y son refractarios al monobloqueo de PD-1. Así, la inmunidad sistémica CD8 solo pudo ser revertida a través del bloqueo de PD-L1/PD-1 en aquellos pacientes que presentaban una inmunidad CD4 basal funcional. En cambio, la disfuncionalidad proliferativa observada en las células T de pacientes refractarios a la inmunoterapia anti-PD-L1/PD-1 pudo revertirse a través del doble bloqueo de PD-1/LAG‐3. De esta manera, mediante los presentes datos se ha confirmado que la co-expresión de PD-1/LAG-3 contribuye a la disfuncionalidad de las células T en pacientes con cáncer de pulmón resistentes a terapias convencionales. Estos resultados proporcionan el fundamento experimental para la combinación de las terapias bloqueadoras de PD-L1/PD-1 y LAG-3 en pacientes que manifiestan una inmunidad CD4 basal disfuncional.
Open Access
PD-L1 in systemic immunity: unraveling its contribution to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade immunotherapy
(MDPI, 2020) Bocanegra Gondán, Ana Isabel; Blanco, Ester; Fernández Hinojal, Gonzalo; Chocarro de Erauso, Luisa; Zuazo Ibarra, Miren; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
The use of monoclonal antibodies targeting PD-1/PD-L1 axis completely changed anticancer treatment strategies. However, despite the significant improvement in overall survival and progression-free survival of patients undergoing these immunotherapy treatments, the only clinically accepted biomarker with some prediction capabilities for the outcome of the treatment is PD-L1 expression in tumor biopsies. Nevertheless, even when having PD-L1-positive tumors, numerous patients do not respond to these treatments. Considering the high cost of these therapies and the risk of immune-related adverse events during therapy, it is necessary to identify additional biomarkers that would facilitate stratifying patients in potential responders and non-responders before the start of immunotherapies. Here, we review the utility of PD-L1 expression not only in tumor cells but in immune system cells and their influence on the antitumor activity of immune cell subsets.
Open Access
Early detection of hyperprogressive disease in non-small cell lung cancer by monitoring of systemic T cell dynamics
(MDPI, 2020) Arasanz Esteban, Hugo; Zuazo Ibarra, Miren; Bocanegra Gondán, Ana Isabel; Gato Cañas, María; Martínez Aguillo, Maite; Morilla Ruiz, Idoia; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Hyperprogressive disease (HPD) is an adverse outcome of immunotherapy consisting of an acceleration of tumor growth associated with prompt clinical deterioration. The definitions based on radiological evaluation present important technical limitations. No biomarkers have been identified yet. In this study, 70 metastatic NSCLC patients treated with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy after progression to platinum-based therapy were prospectively studied. Samples from peripheral blood were obtained before the first (baseline) and second cycles of treatment. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated and differentiation stages of CD4 lymphocytes quantified by flow cytometry and correlated with HPD as identified with radiological criteria. A strong expansion of highly differentiated CD28− CD4 T lymphocytes (CD4 THD) between the first and second cycle of therapy was observed in HPD patients. After normalizing, the proportion of posttreatment/pretreatment CD4 THD was significantly higher in HPD when compared with the rest of patients (median 1.525 vs. 0.990; p = 0.0007), and also when stratifying by HPD, non-HPD progressors, and responders (1.525, 1.000 and 0.9700 respectively; p = 0.0025). A cutoff value of 1.3 identified HPD with 82% specificity and 70% sensitivity. An increase of CD28− CD4 T lymphocytes ≥ 1.3 (CD4 THD burst) was significantly associated with HPD (p = 0.008). The tumor growth ratio (TGR) was significantly higher in patients with expansion of CD4 THD burst compared to the rest of patients (median 2.67 vs. 0.86, p = 0.0049), and also when considering only progressors (median 2.67 vs. 1.03, p = 0.0126). A strong expansion of CD28− CD4 lymphocytes in peripheral blood within the first cycle of therapy is an early differential feature of HPD in NSCLC treated with immune-checkpoint inhibitors. The monitoring of T cell dynamics allows the early detection of this adverse outcome in clinical practice and complements radiological evaluation.
Open Access
PDL1 signals through conserved sequence motifs to overcome interferon-mediated cytotoxicity
(Elsevier, 2017) Gato Cañas, María; Zuazo Ibarra, Miren; Arasanz Esteban, Hugo; Ibañez Vea, María; Lorenzo, Laura; Fernández Hinojal, Gonzalo; Vera García, Ruth; Smerdou, Cristian; Martisova, Eva; Arozarena Martinicorena, Imanol; Wellbrock, Claudia; Llopiz, Diana; Ruiz, Marta; Sarobe, Pablo; Breckpot, Karine; Kochan, Grazyna; Escors Murugarren, David; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
PDL1 blockade produces remarkable clinical responses, thought to occur by T cell reactivation through prevention of PDL1-PD1 T cell inhibitory interactions. Here, we find that PDL1 cell-intrinsic signaling protects cancer cells from interferon (IFN) cytotoxicity and accelerates tumor progression. PDL1 inhibited IFN signal transduction through a conserved class of sequence motifs that mediate crosstalk with IFN signaling. Abrogation of PDL1 expression or antibody-mediated PDL1 blockade strongly sensitized cancer cells to IFN cytotoxicity through a STAT3/caspase-7-dependent pathway. Moreover, somatic mutations found in human carcinomas within these PDL1 sequence motifs disrupted motif regulation, resulting in PDL1 molecules with enhanced protective activities from type I and type II IFN cytotoxicity. Overall, our results reveal a mode of action of PDL1 in cancer cells as a first line of defense against IFN cytotoxicity.