scholarly journals Combination of tucatinib and neural stem cells secreting anti-HER2 antibody prolongs survival of mice with metastatic brain cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 119 (1) ◽  
pp. e2112491119
Author(s):  
Alex Cordero ◽  
Matthew D. Ramsey ◽  
Deepak Kanojia ◽  
Jawad Fares ◽  
Edgar Petrosyan ◽  
...  

Brain metastases are a leading cause of death in patients with breast cancer. The lack of clinical trials and the presence of the blood–brain barrier limit therapeutic options. Furthermore, overexpression of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) increases the incidence of breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM). HER2-targeting agents, such as the monoclonal antibodies trastuzumab and pertuzumab, improved outcomes in patients with breast cancer and extracranial metastases. However, continued BCBM progression in breast cancer patients highlighted the need for novel and effective targeted therapies against intracranial metastases. In this study, we engineered the highly migratory and brain tumor tropic human neural stem cells (NSCs) LM008 to continuously secrete high amounts of functional, stable, full-length antibodies against HER2 (anti-HER2Ab) without compromising the stemness of LM008 cells. The secreted anti-HER2Ab impaired tumor cell proliferation in vitro in HER2+ BCBM cells by inhibiting the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and resulted in a significant benefit when injected in intracranial xenograft models. In addition, dual HER2 blockade using anti-HER2Ab LM008 NSCs and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor tucatinib significantly improved the survival of mice in a clinically relevant model of multiple HER2+ BCBM. These findings provide compelling evidence for the use of HER2Ab-secreting LM008 NSCs in combination with tucatinib as a promising therapeutic regimen for patients with HER2+ BCBM.

2009 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 570-575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyeung Min Joo ◽  
In H Park ◽  
Ji Y Shin ◽  
Juyoun Jin ◽  
Bong Gu Kang ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi276-vi276
Author(s):  
Wulin Jiang ◽  
Alison Mercer-Smith ◽  
Juli Bago ◽  
Simon Khagi ◽  
Carey Anders ◽  
...  

Abstract INTRODUCTION Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and breast cancer are the most common cancers that metastasize to the brain. New therapies are needed to target and eradicate metastases. We have developed genetically-engineered induced neural stem cells (hiNSCs) derived from human fibroblasts that selectively home to tumors and release the cytotoxic protein TRAIL. Building on these results, we explored the efficacy of hiNSC therapy delivered via intracerebroventricular (ICV) injections for the treatment of metastatic foci in the brain for the first time. METHODS We performed in vitro efficacy and migration assays in conjunction with in vivo studies to determine the migration, persistence, and efficacy of therapeutic hiNSCs against H460 NSCLC and triple-negative breast cancer MB231-Br tumors in the brain. Following the establishment of tumors in the brains of nude mice, hiNSCs were injected directly into the tumor or the ventricle contralateral to the tumor. The migration and persistence of hiNSCs were investigated by following the bioluminescence of the hiNSCs. The therapeutic efficacy of the hiNSCs was determined by following the bioluminescence of the tumor. RESULTS/ CONCLUSION Co-culture results demonstrated that hiNSC therapy reduced the viability of H460 and MB231-Br up to 75% and 99.8% respectively compared to non-treated controls. In vitro migration assays showed significant directional migration toward both lung and breast cancer cells within 4 days. ICV-administered hiNSC serial imaging shows that cells persisted for >1 week in the brain. Fluorescent analysis of tissue sections showed that hiNSCs co-localized with lateral and contralateral tumors within 7 days. Using H460 and MB231-Br models, kinetic tracking of intracranial tumor volumes showed intratumoral or ICV-injected therapeutic hiNSCs suppressed the growth rate of brain tumors by 31-fold and 3-fold, respectively. This work demonstrates for the first time that we can effectively deliver personalized cytotoxic tumor-homing cells through the ventricles to target brain metastases.


Stem Cells ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (10) ◽  
pp. 2985-2994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepak Kanojia ◽  
Irina V. Balyasnikova ◽  
Ramin A. Morshed ◽  
Richard T. Frank ◽  
Dou Yu ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. ii88-ii88
Author(s):  
Alison Mercer-Smith ◽  
Wulin Jiang ◽  
Alain Valdivia ◽  
Juli Bago ◽  
Scott Floyd ◽  
...  

Abstract INTRODUCTION Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common cancer to form brain metastases. Radiation treatment is standard-of-care, but recurrence is still observed in 40% of patients. An adjuvant treatment is desperately needed to track down and kill tumor remnants after radiation. Tumoritropic neural stem cells (NSCs) that can home to and deliver a cytotoxic payload offer potential as such an adjuvant treatment. Here we show the transdifferentiation of human fibroblasts into tumor-homing induced neural stem cells (hiNSCs) that secrete the cytotoxic protein TRAIL (hiNSC-TRAIL) and explore the use of hiNSC-TRAIL to treat NSCLC brain metastases. METHODS To determine the migratory capacity of hiNSCs, hiNSCs were infused intracerebroventricularly (ICV) into mice bearing established bilateral NSCLC H460 brain tumors. hiNSC accumulation at tumor foci was monitored using bioluminescent imaging and post-mortem fluorescent analysis. To determine synergistic effects of radiation with TRAIL on NSCLC, we performed in vitro co-culture assays and isobologram analysis. In vivo, efficacy was determined by tracking the progression and survival of mice bearing intracranial H460 treated with hiNSC-TRAIL alone or in combination with 2 Gy radiation. RESULTS/CONCLUSION Following ICV infusion, hiNSCs persisted in the brain for > 1 week and migrated from the ventricles to colocalize with bilateral tumor foci. In vitro, viability assays and isobologram analysis revealed the combination treatment of hiNSC-TRAIL and 2 Gy radiation induced synergistic killing (combination index=0.64). In vivo, hiNSC-TRAIL/radiation combination therapy reduced tumor volumes > 90% compared to control-treated animals while radiation-only and hiNSC-TRAIL-only treated mice showed 21% and 52% reduced volumes, respectively. Dual-treatment extended survival 40%, increasing survival from a median of 20 days in controls to 28 days in the treatment group. These results suggest hiNSC-TRAIL can improve radiation therapy for NSCLC brain metastases and could potentially improve outcomes for patients suffering from this aggressive form of cancer.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (10) ◽  
pp. 731-744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Sontag ◽  
Hal X. Nguyen ◽  
Noriko Kamei ◽  
Nobuko Uchida ◽  
Aileen J. Anderson ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 5214
Author(s):  
Inês Figueira ◽  
Joana Godinho-Pereira ◽  
Sofia Galego ◽  
Joana Maia ◽  
János Haskó ◽  
...  

Triple negative breast cancer presents higher mortality and poorer survival rates than other breast cancer (BC) types, due to the proneness to brain metastases formation, which are usually diagnosed at advanced stages. Therefore, the discovery of BC brain metastases (BCBM) biomarkers appears pivotal for a timely intervention. With this work, we aimed to disclose microRNAs (miRNAs) and extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the circulation as biomarkers of BCBM formation. Using a BCBM animal model, we analyzed EVs in plasma by nanoparticle tracking analysis and ascertained their blood-brain barrier (BBB) origin by flow cytometry. We further evaluated circulating miRNAs by RT-qPCR and their brain expression by in situ hybridization. In parallel, a cellular model of BCBM formation, combining triple negative BC cells and BBB endothelial cells, was used to differentiate the origin of biomarkers. Established metastases were associated with an increased content of circulating EVs, particularly of BBB origin. Interestingly, deregulated miRNAs in the circulation were observed prior to BCBM detection, and their brain origin was suggested by matching alterations in brain parenchyma. In vitro studies indicated that miR-194-5p and miR-205-5p are expressed and released by BC cells, endothelial cells and during their interaction. These results highlight miRNAs and EVs as biomarkers of BCBM in early and advanced stages, respectively.


2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (suppl_6) ◽  
pp. vi49-vi49
Author(s):  
Franziska Ippen ◽  
Christopher Alvarez-Breckenridge ◽  
Benjamin Kuter ◽  
Alexandria Fink ◽  
Ivanna Bihun ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 1625-1636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brunilde Gril ◽  
Debbie Wei ◽  
Alexandra S Zimmer ◽  
Christina Robinson ◽  
Imran Khan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Brain metastases of HER2+ breast cancer persist as a clinical challenge. Many therapeutics directed at human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) are antibodies or antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and their permeability through the blood–tumor barrier (BTB) is poorly understood. We investigated the efficacy of a biparatopic anti-HER2 antibody-tubulysin conjugate (bHER2-ATC) in preclinical models of brain metastases. Methods The compound was evaluated in 2 hematogenous HER2+ brain metastasis mouse models, SUM190-BR and JIMT-1-BR. Endpoints included metastasis count, compound brain penetration, cancer cell proliferation, and apoptosis. Results Biparatopic HER2-ATC 3 mg/kg prevented metastasis outgrowth in the JIMT-1-BR model. At 1 mg/kg bHER2-ATC, a 70% and 92% reduction in large and micrometastases was observed. For the SUM190-BR model, an 85% and 53% reduction, respectively, in large and micrometastases was observed at 3 mg/kg, without statistical significance. Proliferation was reduced in both models at the highest dose. At the endpoint, bHER2-ATC uptake covered a median of 4–6% and 7–17% of metastasis area in the JIMT-1-BR and SUM190-BR models, respectively. Maximal compound uptake in the models was 19% and 86% in JIMT-1-BR and SUM190-BR, respectively. Multiple lesions in both models demonstrated ADC uptake in the absence or low diffusion of Texas Red Dextran, a marker of paracellular permeability. Using in vitro BTB assays, the ADC was endocytosed into brain endothelial cells, identifying a potentially new mechanism of antibody permeability. Conclusions Biparatopic HER2-ATC significantly prevented JIMT-1-BR brain metastasis outgrowth and showed activity in the SUM190-BR model. The bHER2-ATC penetration into metastases that are impermeable to fluorescent dye suggested an endocytic mechanism of brain penetration.


2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 1316-1322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pan Yang ◽  
Yun-Qian Guan ◽  
Ya-Li Li ◽  
Li Zhang ◽  
Lan Zhang ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (14) ◽  
pp. 899-909 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra S Zimmer ◽  
Seth M Steinberg ◽  
Dee Dee Smart ◽  
Mark R Gilbert ◽  
Terri S Armstrong ◽  
...  

Brain metastases occur in up to 25–55% of patients with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. Standard treatment has high rates of recurrence or progression, limiting survival and quality of life in most patients. Temozolomide (TMZ) is known to penetrate the blood–brain barrier and is US FDA approved for treatment of glioblastoma. Our group has demonstrated that low doses of TMZ administered in a prophylactic, metronomic fashion can significantly prevent development of brain metastases in murine models of breast cancer. Based on these findings, we initiated a secondary-prevention clinical trial with oral TMZ given to HER2-positive breast cancer patients with brain metastases after recent local treatment in combination with T-DM1 for systemic control of disease. Primary end point is freedom from new brain metastases at 1 year. (NCT03190967).


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