Enhanced tumor control and survival in preclinical models with adoptive cell therapy preceded by low-dose radiotherapy

Bibliographic Details
Title: Enhanced tumor control and survival in preclinical models with adoptive cell therapy preceded by low-dose radiotherapy
Authors: Nahum Puebla-Osorio, Natalie Wall Fowlkes, Hampartsoum B. Barsoumian, Kristina Xega, Gitika Srivastava, Claudia Kettlun-Leyton, Sara Nizzero, Tiffany Voss, Thomas S. Riad, Christina Wong, Ailing Huang, Yun Hu, Joylise Mitchell, Mingee Kim, Zahid Rafiq, Kewen He, Duygu Sezen, Ethan Hsu, Fatemeh Masrorpour, Aurian Maleki, Carola Leuschner, Maria Angelica Cortez, Philipp Oertle, Marko Loparic, Marija Plodinec, Janet L. Markman, James W. Welsh
Source: Frontiers in Oncology, Vol 14 (2024)
Publisher Information: Frontiers Media S.A., 2024.
Publication Year: 2024
Collection: LCC:Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens
Subject Terms: NSG, NOD-SCID-IL2R gamma mice, LDRT, low-dose radiotherapy, RT, radiotherapy, CAR-T cells, chimeric antigen receptor T cells, solid tumors, Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens, RC254-282
More Details: IntroductionEffective infiltration of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells into solid tumors is critical for achieving a robust antitumor response and improving therapeutic outcomes. While CAR-T cell therapies have succeeded in hematologic malignancies, their efficacy in solid tumors remains limited due to poor tumor penetration and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT) administered before T-cell therapy to enhance the antitumor effect by promoting CAR-T cell infiltration. We hypothesized that combining LDRT with T-cell therapy would improve tumor control and survival compared to either treatment alone.MethodsWe investigated this hypothesis using two NSG mouse models bearing GSU or CAPAN-2 solid tumors. The mice were treated with engineered CAR-T cells targeting guanyl cyclase-C (GCC) or mesothelin as monotherapy or in combination with LDRT. Additionally, we extended this approach to a C57BL/6 mouse model implanted with MC38-gp100+ cells, followed by adoptive transfer of pmel+ T cells before and after LDRT. Tumor growth and survival outcomes were monitored in all models. Furthermore, we employed atomic force microscopy (AFM) in a small cohort to assess the effects of radiotherapy on tumor stiffness and plasticity, exploring the role of tumor nanomechanics as a potential biomarker for treatment efficacy.ResultsOur results demonstrated enhanced tumor control and prolonged survival in mice treated with LDRT followed by T-cell therapy across all models. The combination of LDRT with CAR-T or pmel+ T-cell therapy led to superior tumor suppression and survival compared to monotherapy, highlighting the synergistic impact of the combined approach. Additionally, AFM analysis revealed significant changes in tumor stiffness and plasticity in response to LDRT, suggesting that the nanomechanical properties of the tumor may be predictive of therapeutic response.DiscussionThe findings of this study highlight the transformative potential of incorporating LDRT as a precursor to adoptive T-cell therapy in solid tumors. By promoting CAR-T and pmel+ T-cell infiltration into the tumor microenvironment, LDRT enhanced tumor control and improved survival outcomes, offering a promising strategy to overcome the challenges associated with CAR-T therapy in solid tumors. Additionally, the changes in tumor nanomechanics observed through AFM suggest that tumor stiffness and plasticity could be biomarkers for predicting treatment outcomes. These results support further investigation into the clinical application of this combined approach to improve the efficacy of cell-based therapies in patients with solid tumors.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2234-943X
Relation: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2024.1407143/full; https://doaj.org/toc/2234-943X
DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1407143
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/e15d8e28463245d5a2e2e3d70c939f5b
Accession Number: edsdoj.15d8e28463245d5a2e2e3d70c939f5b
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:2234943X
DOI:10.3389/fonc.2024.1407143
Published in:Frontiers in Oncology
Language:English