Theranostics 2019; 9(26):8221-8238. doi:10.7150/thno.37513 This issue Cite

Research Paper

CD4+ and CD8a+ PET imaging predicts response to novel PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor: studies of Sym021 in syngeneic mouse cancer models

Lotte K. Kristensen1,2*, Camilla Fröhlich3, Camilla Christensen1,2, Maria C. Melander3, Thomas T. Poulsen3, Gunther R. Galler3, Johan Lantto3, Ivan D. Horak3, Michael Kragh3, Carsten H. Nielsen1,2, Andreas Kjaer2✉

1. Minerva Imaging, Copenhagen, Denmark
2. Dept. of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine & PET and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Rigshospitalet and University of Copenhagen, Denmark
3. Symphogen A/S, Ballerup, Denmark
*First author

Citation:
Kristensen LK, Fröhlich C, Christensen C, Melander MC, Poulsen TT, Galler GR, Lantto J, Horak ID, Kragh M, Nielsen CH, Kjaer A. CD4+ and CD8a+ PET imaging predicts response to novel PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor: studies of Sym021 in syngeneic mouse cancer models. Theranostics 2019; 9(26):8221-8238. doi:10.7150/thno.37513. https://www.thno.org/v09p8221.htm
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Abstract

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Predicting the outcome of immunotherapy is essential for efficient treatment. The recent clinical success of immunotherapy is increasingly changing the paradigm of cancer treatment. Accordingly, the development of immune-based agents is accelerating and the number of agents in the global immuno-oncology pipeline has grown 60-70% over the past year. However, despite remarkable clinical efficacy in some patients, only few achieve a lasting clinical response. Treatment failure can be attributed to poorly immunogenic tumors that do not attract tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Therefore, we developed positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracers for non-invasive detection of CD4+ and CD8a+ TILs in syngeneic mouse tumor models for preclinical studies.

Methods: Seven syngeneic mouse tumor models (B16F10, P815, CT26, MC38, Renca, 4T1, Sa1N) were quantified for CD4+ and CD8a+ TILs using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry (IHC), as well as for tumor growth response to Sym021, a humanized PD-1 antibody cross-reactive with mouse PD-1. Radiotracers were generated from F(ab)'2 fragments of rat-anti-mouse CD4 and CD8a antibodies conjugated to the p-SCN-Bn-Desferrioxamine (SCN-Bn-DFO) chelator and radiolabeled with Zirconium-89 (89Zr-DFO-CD4/89Zr-DFO-CD8a). Tracers were optimized for in vivo PET/CT imaging in CT26 tumor-bearing mice and specificity was evaluated by depletion studies and isotype control imaging. 89Zr-DFO-CD4 and 89Zr-DFO-CD8a PET/CT imaging was conducted in the panel of syngeneic mouse models prior to immunotherapy with Sym021.

Results: Syngeneic tumor models were characterized as “hot” or “cold” according to number of TILs determined by flow cytometry and IHC. 89Zr-DFO-CD4 and 89Zr-DFO-CD8a were successfully generated with a radiochemical purity >99% and immunoreactivity >85%. The optimal imaging time-point was 24 hours post-injection of ~1 MBq tracer with 30 µg non-labeled co-dose. Reduced tumor and spleen uptake of 89Zr-DFO-CD8a was observed in CD8a+ depleted mice and the uptake was comparable with that of isotype control (89Zr-DFO-IgG2b) confirming specificity. PET imaging in syngeneic tumor models revealed a varying maximum tumor-to-heart ratio of 89Zr-DFO-CD4 and 89Zr-DFO-CD8a across tumor types and in-between subjects that correlated with individual response to Sym021 at day 10 relative to start of therapy (p=0.0002 and p=0.0354, respectively). The maximum 89Zr-DFO-CD4 tumor-to-heart ratio could be used to stratify mice according to Sym021 therapy response and overall survival was improved in mice with a 89Zr-DFO-CD4 ratio >9 (p=0.0018).

Conclusion: We developed 89Zr-DFO-CD4 and 89Zr-DFO-CD8a PET radiotracers for specific detection and whole-body assessment of CD4+ and CD8a+ status. These radiotracers can be used to phenotype preclinical syngeneic mouse tumor models and to predict response to an immune checkpoint inhibitor. We foresee development of such non-invasive in vivo biomarkers for prediction and evaluation of clinical efficacy of immunotherapeutic agents, such as Sym021.

Keywords: Molecular imaging, positron emission tomography (PET), immune cell imaging, immunotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibition, PD-1, lymphocytes, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, T-cells, CD4, CD8.


Citation styles

APA
Kristensen, L.K., Fröhlich, C., Christensen, C., Melander, M.C., Poulsen, T.T., Galler, G.R., Lantto, J., Horak, I.D., Kragh, M., Nielsen, C.H., Kjaer, A. (2019). CD4+ and CD8a+ PET imaging predicts response to novel PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor: studies of Sym021 in syngeneic mouse cancer models. Theranostics, 9(26), 8221-8238. https://doi.org/10.7150/thno.37513.

ACS
Kristensen, L.K.; Fröhlich, C.; Christensen, C.; Melander, M.C.; Poulsen, T.T.; Galler, G.R.; Lantto, J.; Horak, I.D.; Kragh, M.; Nielsen, C.H.; Kjaer, A. CD4+ and CD8a+ PET imaging predicts response to novel PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor: studies of Sym021 in syngeneic mouse cancer models. Theranostics 2019, 9 (26), 8221-8238. DOI: 10.7150/thno.37513.

NLM
Kristensen LK, Fröhlich C, Christensen C, Melander MC, Poulsen TT, Galler GR, Lantto J, Horak ID, Kragh M, Nielsen CH, Kjaer A. CD4+ and CD8a+ PET imaging predicts response to novel PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor: studies of Sym021 in syngeneic mouse cancer models. Theranostics 2019; 9(26):8221-8238. doi:10.7150/thno.37513. https://www.thno.org/v09p8221.htm

CSE
Kristensen LK, Fröhlich C, Christensen C, Melander MC, Poulsen TT, Galler GR, Lantto J, Horak ID, Kragh M, Nielsen CH, Kjaer A. 2019. CD4+ and CD8a+ PET imaging predicts response to novel PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor: studies of Sym021 in syngeneic mouse cancer models. Theranostics. 9(26):8221-8238.

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