2024
TIGIT expression in renal cell carcinoma infiltrating T cells is variable and inversely correlated with PD-1 and LAG3
Perales O, Jilaveanu L, Adeniran A, Su D, Hurwitz M, Braun D, Kluger H, Schoenfeld D. TIGIT expression in renal cell carcinoma infiltrating T cells is variable and inversely correlated with PD-1 and LAG3. Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy 2024, 73: 192. PMID: 39105820, PMCID: PMC11303630, DOI: 10.1007/s00262-024-03773-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRenal cell carcinomaRenal cell carcinoma tumorsT cellsTIGIT expressionCheckpoint inhibitorsPD-1Likelihood of response to therapyTumor-infiltrating T cellsCD3+ T cellsRenal cell carcinoma metastasisTreatment of renal cell carcinomaImmune checkpoint inhibitorsInfiltrating T cellsPurposeImmune checkpoint inhibitorsResponse to therapyT cell immunoglobulinCD3+ levelsMetastatic RCC specimensAdjacent normal renal tissuesNormal renal tissuesQuantitative immunofluorescence analysisCell carcinomaResistant diseasePotential therapeutic targetTissue microarrayGP100 expression is variable in intensity in melanoma
Mann J, Hasson N, Su D, Adeniran A, Smalley K, Djureinovic D, Jilaveanu L, Schoenfeld D, Kluger H. GP100 expression is variable in intensity in melanoma. Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy 2024, 73: 191. PMID: 39105816, PMCID: PMC11303354, DOI: 10.1007/s00262-024-03776-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGp100 expressionCutaneous melanomaTreatment of cutaneous melanomaAdvanced cutaneous melanomaT-cell engagersImprove patient selectionMetastatic melanomaUveal melanomaMetastatic samplesPatient selectionClinical trialsMelanomaQuantitative immunofluorescence methodGp100Improve outcomesImmunofluorescence methodTherapeutic intentDrugCellular productsExpressionTebentafuspImmunohistochemistryMelanocortin-1 Receptor Expression as a Marker of Progression in Melanoma
Su D, Djureinovic D, Schoenfeld D, Marquez-Nostra B, Olino K, Jilaveanu L, Kluger H. Melanocortin-1 Receptor Expression as a Marker of Progression in Melanoma. JCO Precision Oncology 2024, 8: e2300702. PMID: 38662983, PMCID: PMC11513442, DOI: 10.1200/po.23.00702.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMC1R expressionMelanoma progressionAssociated with shorter survivalStages of melanoma progressionCases of benign neviChronic sun exposureMarkers of progressionHuman melanoma tissuesBreslow thicknessMelanocortin-1Metastatic melanomaOverall survivalPrimary melanomaMetastatic tumorsMelanoma cohortReceptor expressionPredictive biomarkersAggressive melanomaPrimary lesionTissue microarrayShorter survivalMale sexQuantitative immunofluorescenceBenign neviClinical trialsVascular mimicry as a facilitator of melanoma brain metastasis
Provance O, Oria V, Tran T, Caulfield J, Zito C, Aguirre-Ducler A, Schalper K, Kluger H, Jilaveanu L. Vascular mimicry as a facilitator of melanoma brain metastasis. Cellular And Molecular Life Sciences 2024, 81: 188. PMID: 38635031, PMCID: PMC11026261, DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05217-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVascular mimicryBrain metastasesMouse model of metastatic melanomaIncreased risk of metastasisAssociated with tumor volumeMelanoma brain metastasesRisk of metastasisSurvival of miceFuture treatment regimensCell line modelsTumor suppressor pathwayMetastatic melanomaTumor volumeSolid tumorsTreatment regimensTumor typesPoor prognosisHippo tumor suppressor pathwayIncreased riskMouse modelDownstream targets YAPMelanomaMetastasisSuppressor pathwayTumorDigital spatial proteomic profiling reveals immune checkpoints as biomarkers in lymphoid aggregates and tumor microenvironment of desmoplastic melanoma
Su D, Schoenfeld D, Ibrahim W, Cabrejo R, Djureinovic D, Baumann R, Rimm D, Khan S, Halaban R, Kluger H, Olino K, Galan A, Clune J. Digital spatial proteomic profiling reveals immune checkpoints as biomarkers in lymphoid aggregates and tumor microenvironment of desmoplastic melanoma. Journal For ImmunoTherapy Of Cancer 2024, 12: e008646. PMID: 38519058, PMCID: PMC10961546, DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008646.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCTLA-4 expression levelsCancer-associated fibroblastsAssociated with worse survivalExpression of immune checkpointsLAG-3 expressionDesmoplastic melanomaLymphoid aggregatesCTLA-4PD-1Immune checkpointsIntratumoral leukocytesLAG-3Tumor compartmentsWorse survivalCD20+B cellsIncreased expression of immune checkpointsProgrammed cell death protein 1Macrophage/monocyte markerSentinel lymph node positivityCell death protein 1Associated with poor prognosisLymph node positivityDense fibrous stromaPotential prognostic significanceCore of tumors
2023
A bedside to bench study of anti-PD-1, anti-CD40, and anti-CSF1R indicates that more is not necessarily better
Djureinovic D, Weiss S, Krykbaeva I, Qu R, Vathiotis I, Moutafi M, Zhang L, Perdigoto A, Wei W, Anderson G, Damsky W, Hurwitz M, Johnson B, Schoenfeld D, Mahajan A, Hsu F, Miller-Jensen K, Kluger Y, Sznol M, Kaech S, Bosenberg M, Jilaveanu L, Kluger H. A bedside to bench study of anti-PD-1, anti-CD40, and anti-CSF1R indicates that more is not necessarily better. Molecular Cancer 2023, 22: 182. PMID: 37964379, PMCID: PMC10644655, DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01884-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsStable diseasePartial responseMacrophage populationsThree-drug regimenUnconfirmed partial responsePhase I trialLimited treatment optionsMonocyte/macrophage populationNon-classical monocytesMurine melanoma modelTreatment-related changesResultsThirteen patientsWorse survivalI trialInflammatory tumorPatient populationTreatment optionsImmune cellsDisease progressionMurine studiesPreclinical modelsResistant melanomaAntigen presentationMurine modelCyTOF analysisDigital spatial profiling of melanoma shows CD95 expression in immune cells is associated with resistance to immunotherapy
Martinez-Morilla S, Moutafi M, Fernandez A, Jessel S, Divakar P, Wong P, Garcia-Milian R, Schalper K, Kluger H, Rimm D. Digital spatial profiling of melanoma shows CD95 expression in immune cells is associated with resistance to immunotherapy. OncoImmunology 2023, 12: 2260618. PMID: 37781235, PMCID: PMC10540659, DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2023.2260618.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDigital spatial profilingImmune checkpoint inhibitor therapyShorter progression-free survivalQuantitative immunofluorescenceCheckpoint inhibitor therapyProgression-free survivalMetastatic melanoma patientsPre-treatment specimensIndependent validation cohortMetastatic melanoma casesAdjuvant settingNanoString GeoMxMultivariable adjustmentAdverse eventsImmunotherapy cohortInhibitor therapyPD-L1Immune markersMelanoma patientsUnivariable analysisValidation cohortImmune cellsMelanoma casesMultiplex immunofluorescenceCD95 expressionLeptomeningeal disease in melanoma: An update on the developments in pathophysiology and clinical care
Smalley I, Boire A, Brastianos P, Kluger H, Hernando‐Monge E, Forsyth P, Ahmed K, Smalley K, Ferguson S, Davies M, Oliva I. Leptomeningeal disease in melanoma: An update on the developments in pathophysiology and clinical care. Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research 2023, 37: 51-67. PMID: 37622466, DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.13116.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchImmune dysfunction revealed by digital spatial profiling of immuno-oncology markers in progressive stages of renal cell carcinoma and in brain metastases
Schoenfeld D, Moutafi M, Martinez S, Djureinovic D, Merkin R, Adeniran A, Braun D, Signoretti S, Choueiri T, Parisi F, Hurwitz M, Rimm D, Wei W, Jilaveanu L, Kluger H. Immune dysfunction revealed by digital spatial profiling of immuno-oncology markers in progressive stages of renal cell carcinoma and in brain metastases. Journal For ImmunoTherapy Of Cancer 2023, 11: e007240. PMID: 37586773, PMCID: PMC10432651, DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007240.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRenal cell carcinomaBrain metastasesPrimary tumorTumor microenvironmentDigital spatial profilingCell carcinomaActivation protein expressionInflammatory macrophage markersRCC brain metastasesInnate immune activatorsNormal kidney samplesProgressive stagesExtracranial metastasesTim-3Immune checkpointsImmune dysfunctionImmune activationRCC metastasisLonger survivalImmune activatorsMacrophage markersTreatment responseSeparate cohortTissue microarrayMetastatic samplesScRNA-seq defines dynamic T-cell subsets in longitudinal colon and peripheral blood samples in immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced colitis
Mann J, Lucca L, Austin M, Merkin R, Robert M, Al Bawardy B, Raddassi K, Aizenbud L, Joshi N, Hafler D, Abraham C, Herold K, Kluger H. ScRNA-seq defines dynamic T-cell subsets in longitudinal colon and peripheral blood samples in immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced colitis. Journal For ImmunoTherapy Of Cancer 2023, 11: e007358. PMID: 37586769, PMCID: PMC10432652, DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007358.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsImmune checkpoint inhibitorsT cell subsetsCheckpoint inhibitorsImmune environmentImmune checkpoint inhibitor-induced colitisCheckpoint inhibitor-induced colitisPeripheral immune environmentsStages of colitisTreatment of colitisMerkel cell carcinomaT cell populationsPeripheral blood samplesCourse of progressionT cell receptorMultiple tumor typesAlternative cancer therapyCommon toxicitiesICI colitisTreatment discontinuationAdverse eventsBiologic therapyImmune suppressionCell carcinomaColitisBlood samplesA Phase II Trial of the CD40 Agonist Sotigalimab (APX005M) in Combination with Nivolumab in Subjects with Metastatic Melanoma with Disease Progression on Anti-PD-1
Weiss S, Sznol M, Shaheen M, Berciano-Guerrero M, Muñoz-Couselo E, Rodríguez-Abreu D, Boni V, Schuchter L, Cao M, Fernandez A, Wei W, Ganti A, Hauke R, Berrocal A, Iannotti N, Hsu F, Kluger H. A Phase II Trial of the CD40 Agonist Sotigalimab (APX005M) in Combination with Nivolumab in Subjects with Metastatic Melanoma with Disease Progression on Anti-PD-1. Clinical Cancer Research 2023, 30: 74-81. PMID: 37535056, PMCID: PMC10767304, DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-0475.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsObjective response ratePhase II trialAdverse eventsPartial responseDisease progressionII trialGrade 3 adverse eventsAnti PD-1CD40 agonist antibodyElevated liver functionTreatment-related SAEsCommon adverse eventsActivation of CD40Subset of patientsFavorable safety profileAntigen presenting cellsStable diseaseMedian durationAdvanced melanomaAdditional patientsLiver functionSafety profileMetastatic melanomaPreclinical dataPresenting cellsSociety for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) checkpoint inhibitor resistance definitions: efforts to harmonize terminology and accelerate immuno-oncology drug development
Tawbi H, Sullivan R, Feltquate D, LaVallee T, Rizvi N, Sharon E, Sosman J, Kluger H. Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) checkpoint inhibitor resistance definitions: efforts to harmonize terminology and accelerate immuno-oncology drug development. Journal For ImmunoTherapy Of Cancer 2023, 11: e007309. PMID: 37487665, PMCID: PMC10373737, DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007309.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCombinatorial Immunotherapy with Agonistic CD40 Activates Dendritic Cells to Express IL12 and Overcomes PD-1 Resistance.
Krykbaeva I, Bridges K, Damsky W, Pizzurro G, Alexander A, McGeary M, Park K, Muthusamy V, Eyles J, Luheshi N, Turner N, Weiss S, Olino K, Kaech S, Kluger H, Miller-Jensen K, Bosenberg M. Combinatorial Immunotherapy with Agonistic CD40 Activates Dendritic Cells to Express IL12 and Overcomes PD-1 Resistance. Cancer Immunology Research 2023, 11: 1332-1350. PMID: 37478171, DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-22-0699.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPD-1 resistanceDendritic cellsTumor regressionAnti-PD-1 resistanceActivates Dendritic CellsCytokine secretion profilingSystemic cytokine profileTriple therapy combinationInnate immune activationAdaptive immune responsesComplete tumor regressionMajority of miceSignificant clinical challengeMouse melanoma modelT cell activationAgonistic CD40Checkpoint inhibitorsDC subsetsTriple therapyCytokine profileImmune activationCombinatorial immunotherapyTherapy combinationsT cellsClinical challengeIL-7R licenses a population of epigenetically poised memory CD8+ T cells with superior antitumor efficacy that are critical for melanoma memory
Micevic G, Daniels A, Flem-Karlsen K, Park K, Talty R, McGeary M, Mirza H, Blackburn H, Sefik E, Cheung J, Hornick N, Aizenbud L, Joshi N, Kluger H, Iwasaki A, Bosenberg M, Flavell R. IL-7R licenses a population of epigenetically poised memory CD8+ T cells with superior antitumor efficacy that are critical for melanoma memory. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2023, 120: e2304319120. PMID: 37459511, PMCID: PMC10372654, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2304319120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIL-7R expressionT cellsIL-7RAntitumor memorySuperior antitumor efficacyCell-based therapiesTumor-specific T cellsAntigen-specific T cellsAntitumor efficacyPowerful antitumor immune responseMarkers of exhaustionTumor-specific CD8Antitumor immune responseIndependent prognostic factorAntitumor immune memoryMemory T cellsMajor risk factorSuperior antitumor activityFunctional CD8Memory CD8Prognostic factorsSurgical resectionAdvanced melanomaLymph nodesNaive miceDeterminants of overall survival in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma
Demkowicz P, Pointdujour‐Lim R, Miguez S, Lee Y, Jones B, Barker C, Bosenberg M, Abramson D, Shoushtari A, Kluger H, Francis J, Sznol M, Bakhoum M. Determinants of overall survival in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma. Cancer 2023, 129: 3275-3286. PMID: 37382208, PMCID: PMC11149607, DOI: 10.1002/cncr.34927.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAnti-PD-1 therapyMetastatic uveal melanomaDeath hazard ratioImmune checkpoint inhibitorsOverall survivalHazard ratioUveal melanomaSurvival outcomesFemale sexCheckpoint inhibitorsECOG scoreValidation cohortEastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status scaleGood baseline performance statusMetastatic uveal melanoma patientsMetastatic UM patientsImproved overall survivalMedian overall survivalBaseline performance statusBetter survival outcomesImproved survival outcomesPotential of immunotherapyWorse survival outcomesImmune checkpoint therapyKaplan-Meier analysisResponse to "NLRC5 germline variants and their potential role in eliciting an immune response in patients with cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors" by Xiang-Yu Meng
Aizenbud L, Schoenfeld D, Caulfield J, Mann J, Austin M, Perdigoto A, Herold K, Kluger H. Response to "NLRC5 germline variants and their potential role in eliciting an immune response in patients with cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors" by Xiang-Yu Meng. Journal For ImmunoTherapy Of Cancer 2023, 11: e007397. PMID: 37349129, PMCID: PMC10314693, DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007397.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSubsets of IFN Signaling Predict Response to Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Patients with Melanoma.
Horowitch B, Lee D, Ding M, Martinez-Morilla S, Aung T, Ouerghi F, Wang X, Wei W, Damsky W, Sznol M, Kluger H, Rimm D, Ishizuka J. Subsets of IFN Signaling Predict Response to Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Patients with Melanoma. Clinical Cancer Research 2023, 29: 2908-2918. PMID: 37233452, PMCID: PMC10524955, DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-0215.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsImmune checkpoint inhibitorsHuman melanoma cell linesMelanoma cell linesPD-L1Validation cohortYale-New Haven HospitalCombination of ipilimumabPD-L1 markersImmune checkpoint blockadePD-L1 biomarkerNew Haven HospitalSTAT1 levelsCell linesWestern blot analysisCheckpoint inhibitorsCheckpoint blockadeClinical responseOverall survivalImproved survivalResistance of cancersMetastatic melanomaMelanoma responsePredict responseTreatment responseDistinct patternsSociety for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) consensus definitions for resistance to combinations of immune checkpoint inhibitors with targeted therapies
Atkins M, Ascierto P, Feltquate D, Gulley J, Johnson D, Khushalani N, Sosman J, Yap T, Kluger H, Sullivan R, Tawbi H. Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) consensus definitions for resistance to combinations of immune checkpoint inhibitors with targeted therapies. Journal For ImmunoTherapy Of Cancer 2023, 11: e005923. PMID: 36918225, PMCID: PMC10016252, DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005923.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsImmune checkpoint inhibitorsConsensus definitionCheckpoint inhibitorsAntiangiogenic therapySingle-agent immune checkpoint inhibitorsConsensus clinical definitionSolid tumor settingTumor immune microenvironmentImmunotherapy of cancerDurable disease controlClinical trial designSignal transduction inhibitorsICI combinationsEndometrial cancerImproved survivalRandomized trialsImmune microenvironmentMechanisms of resistanceHepatocellular carcinomaClinical definitionKidney cancerImmunotherapyTumor settingsCombination treatmentTrial designSociety for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) consensus definitions for resistance to combinations of immune checkpoint inhibitors with chemotherapy
Rizvi N, Ademuyiwa F, Cao Z, Chen H, Ferris R, Goldberg S, Hellmann M, Mehra R, Rhee I, Park J, Kluger H, Tawbi H, Sullivan R. Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) consensus definitions for resistance to combinations of immune checkpoint inhibitors with chemotherapy. Journal For ImmunoTherapy Of Cancer 2023, 11: e005920. PMID: 36918220, PMCID: PMC10016262, DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005920.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsImmune checkpoint inhibitorsConsensus definitionCheckpoint inhibitorsAddition of ICIsAnti-programmed cell death protein 1Combination of ICIsCell death protein 1Consensus clinical definitionProfound clinical benefitDeath protein 1Immunotherapy of cancerSolid tumor indicationsClinical trial designICI combinationsImmunotherapy combinationsRecurrent diseaseUpfront treatmentClinical benefitLung cancerMechanisms of resistanceTargeted therapyClinical definitionTumor indicationsTrial designUS FoodSociety for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) consensus definitions for resistance to combinations of immune checkpoint inhibitors
Kluger H, Barrett J, Gainor J, Hamid O, Hurwitz M, LaVallee T, Moss R, Zappasodi R, Sullivan R, Tawbi H, Sharon E. Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) consensus definitions for resistance to combinations of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Journal For ImmunoTherapy Of Cancer 2023, 11: e005921. PMID: 36918224, PMCID: PMC10016305, DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005921.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsImmune checkpoint inhibitorsCheckpoint inhibitorsAnti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitorTrial designConsensus definitionConsensus clinical definitionExtended disease controlNew combination regimensImmunotherapy of cancerStandard of careLong-term survivalClinical trial designICI combinationsInitial immunotherapyMetastatic settingTreatment discontinuationDurable responsesTreatment landscapeCombination regimensMechanisms of resistancePerioperative settingPrimary resistanceClinical definitionDefinition of resistanceImmunotherapy