Immune cell control of ovarian cancer

NIH Pandemic-Era Grants

Pandemic Era Grants

2022

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Principal Investigator: Christina  Annunziata
Organization: DIVISION OF BASIC SCIENCES - NCI
Fiscal Year: 2022
Award: $605,550
Funding agency: National Cancer Institute

Goal 1: Monocytes It has been shown in mouse models of chemically induced cancer that      Interferons (IFNs) are important in the immune-surveillance and immune-editing of tumors.      While IFNs alpha (IFNa) and gamma (IFNg) have been shown to have potent anti-neoplastic and      anti-proliferative properties in vitro, they have shown little efficacy in the clinic. Our      observations that IFNs play an important role in killing tumor cells in the presence of      monocytes suggests that combination therapy of monocytes and IFNs may have a more potent      effect than IFNs alone. We and others have shown that IFNs are more potent anti-cancer agents      when used in combination with monocytes isolated from the peripheral blood. Based on these      studies we have completed a Phase 1 clinical trial of immune cell therapy using autologous      transfer of ex vivo monocytes stimulated with IFNs into the peritoneal cavity of patients who      have resistant disease. We are now in the process of defining the mechanism of IFN-induced      monocyte killing of ovarian cancer cells. we found that IFNs induce a unique set of genes      regulated in monocytes that occurs only with the combination of IFNa and IFNg, and this      signature may be driven by the TNF/TRAIL pathway. I have the ability to examine tissue and      peritoneal fluid samples from women on our phase 1 trial receiving intraperitoneal autologous      monocytes stimulated with IFNs, providing another platform for defining dual-IFN induced      mechanisms of monocyte activity in the context of the complete immune response. Goal 2: ADCC A      monoclonal antibody was developed against a semi-purified human membrane protein preparation      derived from cancer tissues. The protein preparation was used in previous clinical trials for      use as a cancer vaccine, where it was demonstrated to be safe and efficacious. The antibody,      NEO201, was shown to react with the immunizing antigen preparation, as well as several human      tumor cell lines and tissues from colorectal, pancreas, lung, and ovarian cancer patients.      NEO201did not cross-react significantly with normal human tissues, thus representing a      potential therapeutic product. The target of NEO201was studied and shown to be related to      CEACAM-5/6, a member of the carcinoembryonic antigen family of proteins, which has been shown      to be associated with several cancer types. Endometrial, breast and ovarian cancer have      specifically been found to have increased expression in human tumor samples. In endometrial      cancer, 45/88 (51%) of tissue samples show reactivity through immunohistochemistry, 38/72      (53%) of breast, and although 16/129 (12%) of ovarian cancer specimens stain positive in this      series, two subtypes, mucinous 15/22 (68%)and signet cell 2/2 (100%) ovarian cancers, shows      significant reactivity (50%) in an IHC of ovarian cancer tissue arrays representing over      600 samples. Our phase 1 clinical trial is completed, demonstrating safety and preliminary      activity of the NEO201 in patients with solid tumors likely to express the target. The phase      2A expansion is ongoing, testing NEO201 in combination with pembrolizumab in cervical,      endometrial, lung, and head/neck cancers. Goal 3: T cells Mesothelin (MESO) is a 41-kD cell      surface glycoprotein that is highly expressed in many human cancers, including high grade      serous adenocarcinoma of the ovary (75%), pancreatic adenocarcinoma (85%), triple negative      breast cancer (66%), epitheliod mesothelioma (95%) of patients with MESO-expressing      malignancies. While the function of MESO on normal cells is non-essential, the expression of      MESO on cancer cells may contribute to the pathology of cancer, with higher expression      associated with poorer prognosis, increased metastatic spread, and activation of cell growth      pathways. A tremendously innovative immunotherapeutic approach is the use of chimeric antigen      receptor-modified T cells (CAR). CAR T-cell therapy relies on re-engineering autologous T      cells to express a receptor that allows the T cells to recognize tumor cells. A CAR is a      recombinant receptor composed of an extracellular antigen-binding domain and an intracellular      T-cell signaling domain. When expressed in T cells, CARs redirect the T cells to target the      cancer cells that express the targeted antigen in a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-independent      manner. The most widely used method for T-cell modification is viral transduction, integration      and expression of a genetic construct that expresses the chimeric receptor. Another approach      to the generation of CAR T-cell therapies that may provide potent anti-tumor activity and      improve safety and product preparation involves the use of mRNA to modify T-cells. Using mRNA      to re-engineer a patient's T-cells to express a tumor-antigen targeted CAR T-cell can be      accomplished in a few hours, allowing on-site preparation and deployment to multiple treatment      locations. mRNA CAR T-cells have the safety factor of a limited lifespan, with half-life times      similar to antibody therapeutics, and lack of rapid immune activation and proliferation,      limiting the risk for severe cytokine release side effects. Meso-targeted CAR T-cells using      mRNA have demonstrated significant promise in preclinical studies and clinical studies by      intratumoral, intraperitoneal and intravenous of routes of administration. We completed a      phase 1 clinical trial testing the safety of intraperitoneal administration of the CARMA      MCY-M11 in women with ovarian cancer and peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Terms: <(IFN) α><(IFN)-α><(IFN)α><(TNF)-α><APO2L><Alferon><Anti-Cancer Agents><Antibodies><Antigen Targeting><Antigens><Antineoplastic Agents><Antineoplastic Drugs><Antineoplastic Vaccine><Antineoplastics><Apo-2L><Ascitic Fluid><Autologous><Blood monocyte><Body Tissues><Breast><Breast Cancer><CAR T cell therapy><CAR T cells><CAR T therapy><CAR modified T cells><CEA Family Protein><Cachectin><Cancer Drug><Cancer Patient><Cancer Vaccines><Cancers><Carcinoembryonic Antigen Family Protein><Carcinomatosis><Cell Body><Cell Communication and Signaling><Cell Signaling><Cell Surface Glycoproteins><Cells><Cellular Expansion><Cellular Growth><Cellular immunotherapy><Cervical><Chemical Models><Clinic><Clinical><Clinical Research><Clinical Study><Clinical Treatment Moab><Clinical Trials><Colo-rectal Cancer><Colorectal Cancer><Combined Modality Therapy><Cytotoxic cell><Disease Resistance><Early-Stage Clinical Trials><Endometrial><Endometrial Cancer><Endometrial Carcinoma><Endometrium Cancer><Endometrium Carcinoma><Engineering><Gamma interferon><Generations><Genes><Genetic><Goals><Greater sac of peritoneum><HL-A Antigens><HLA Antigens><Half-Life><Head and Neck Cancer><Hour><Human><Human Leukocyte Antigens><IFN><IFN Alpha><IFN α><IFN-Gamma><IFN-g><IFN-α><IFN-γ><IFNG><IFNa><IFNα><IFNγ><Immune><Immune Cell Activation><Immune Interferon><Immune Surveillance><Immune response><Immune system><Immunes><Immunize><Immunohistochemistry><Immunohistochemistry Cell/Tissue><Immunohistochemistry Staining Method><Immunologic Surveillance><Immunologic Surveillances><Immunological Surveillance><Immunological Surveillances><Immunological response><Immunosurveillance><Immunotherapeutic agent><In Vitro><Innate Immunity><Interferon Alfa-n3><Interferon Gamma><Interferon Type II><Interferon-alpha><Interferon-gamma><Interferon-α><Interferons><Intracellular Communication and Signaling><Intravenous><K lymphocyte><Keytruda><Length of Life><Leukocyte Antigens><Leukocyte Interferon><Location><Longevity><Lung><Lung Respiratory System><Lymphoblast Interferon><Lymphoblastoid Interferon><Macrophage-Derived TNF><Malignant Cell><Malignant Head and Neck Neoplasm><Malignant Neoplasms><Malignant Ovarian Neoplasm><Malignant Ovarian Tumor><Malignant Pancreatic Neoplasm><Malignant Tumor><Malignant Tumor of the Lung><Malignant Tumor of the Ovary><Malignant neoplasm of lung><Malignant neoplasm of ovary><Malignant neoplasm of pancreas><Marrow monocyte><Membrane Glycoproteins><Membrane Protein Gene><Membrane Proteins><Membrane-Associated Proteins><Mesothelioma><Messenger RNA><Methods><Modern Man><Modification><Monoclonal Antibodies><Monocyte-Derived TNF><Mucinous><Multimodal Therapy><Multimodal Treatment><NK Cells><Native Immunity><Natural Immunity><Natural Killer Cells><Neoplasm Vaccines><Neoplastic Disease Chemotherapeutic Agents><Non-Specific Immunity><Nonspecific Immunity><Normal Cell><Ovarian Serous Adenocarcinoma><Ovarian Serous Carcinoma><Ovary Cancer><Pancreas Adenocarcinoma><Pancreas Cancer><Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma><Pancreatic Cancer><Pathology><Pathway interactions><Patients><Peritoneal><Peritoneal Cavity><Peritoneal Effusion><Peritoneal Fluid><Phase><Phase 1 Clinical Trials><Phase I Clinical Trials><Play><Preparation><Process><Prognosis><Property><Proteins><Pulmonary Cancer><Pulmonary malignant Neoplasm><Receptor Protein><Recombinants><Relapse><Research Specimen><Risk><Role><Route><Safety><Sampling><Series><Serous><Serous Adenocarcinoma of the Ovary><Serous Carcinoma of the Ovary><Signal Transduction><Signal Transduction Systems><Signaling><Site><Solid Neoplasm><Solid Tumor><Soluble Mpf/Mesothelin-Related Protein><Specimen><Staining method><Stains><Surface Glycoproteins><Surface Proteins><T cells for CAR><T-Cells><T-Lymphocyte><TL2><TNBC><TNF><TNF A><TNF Alpha><TNF gene><TNF-α><TNFA><TNFSF10><TNFSF10 gene><TNFα><TRAIL><Testing><Therapeutic><Therapeutic antibodies><Time><Tissue Arrays><Tissue Chip><Tissue Microarray><Tissue Sample><Tissues><Tumor Antigens><Tumor Cell><Tumor Cell Line><Tumor Necrosis Factor><Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha><Tumor Vaccines><Tumor-Associated Antigen><Tumor-Specific Treatment Agents><Viral><Woman><adaptive immunity><allergic/immunologic body system><allergic/immunologic organ system><anti-cancer drug><anti-tumor vaccine><anticancer agent><anticancer drug><antigen binding><antigen bound><antitumor vaccine><base><biological signal transduction><cancer antigens><cancer cell><cancer initiation><cancer type><cell growth><cell-based immunotherapy><chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy><chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells><chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy><chimeric antigen receptor T cells><chimeric antigen receptor modified T cells><combination therapy><combined modality treatment><combined treatment><cytokine><design><designing><extracellular><fighting><head/neck cancer><host response><human tissue><immune activation><immune cell therapy><immune drugs><immune system response><immune-based therapeutics><immunogen><immunologic preparation><immunologic therapeutics><immunoresponse><immunotherapeutics><immunotherapy agent><improved><innovate><innovation><innovative><intraperitoneal><lFN-Gamma><life span><lifespan><lung cancer><mAbs><mRNA><malignancy><malignant breast neoplasm><malignant breast tumor><malignant head and neck tumor><member><mesothelin><monocyte><mouse model><multi-modal therapy><multi-modal treatment><murine model><neo-antigen><neo-epitopes><neoantigens><neoepitopes><neoplasm/cancer><neoplastic cell><novel><ovarian cancer><pancreatic malignancy><pathway><pembrolizumab><peripheral blood><phase 1 trial><phase I protocol><phase I trial><pre-clinical study><preclinical study><pulmonary><receptor><resistance to disease><resistant disease><resistant to disease><safety testing><side effect><social role><synergism><thymus derived lymphocyte><triple-negative breast cancer><triple-negative invasive breast carcinoma><tumor><tumor-specific antigen><vaccine for cancer>