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Multicenter Study
. 2023 Feb 10;4(2):113-129.e7.
doi: 10.1016/j.medj.2022.12.007. Epub 2023 Jan 23.

Immune signatures predict development of autoimmune toxicity in patients with cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

Nicolas Gonzalo Nuñez  1 , Fiamma Berner  2 , Ekaterina Friebel  1 , Susanne Unger  1 , Nina Wyss  3 , Julia Martinez Gomez  4 , Mette-Triin Purde  2 , Rebekka Niederer  3 , Maximilian Porsch  5 , Christa Lichtensteiger  2 , Rafaela Kramer  6 , Michael Erdmann  6 , Christina Schmitt  7 , Lucie Heinzerling  8 , Marie-Therese Abdou  2 , Julia Karbach  9 , Dirk Schadendorf  10 , Lisa Zimmer  10 , Selma Ugurel  10 , Niklas Klümper  11 , Michael Hölzel  12 , Laura Power  1 , Stefanie Kreutmair  1 , Mariaelena Capone  13 , Gabriele Madonna  13 , Lacin Cevhertas  14 , Anja Heider  15 , Teresa Amaral  16 , Omar Hasan Ali  17 , David Bomze  18 , Florentia Dimitriou  4 , Stefan Diem  19 , Paolo Antonio Ascierto  13 , Reinhard Dummer  4 , Elke Jäger  9 , Christoph Driessen  19 , Mitchell Paul Levesque  4 , Willem van de Veen  15 , Markus Joerger  19 , Martin Früh  20 , Burkhard Becher  21 , Lukas Flatz  22
Affiliations
Free article
Multicenter Study

Immune signatures predict development of autoimmune toxicity in patients with cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

Nicolas Gonzalo Nuñez et al. Med. .
Free article

Abstract

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are among the most promising treatment options for melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). While ICIs can induce effective anti-tumor responses, they may also drive serious immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Identifying biomarkers to predict which patients will suffer from irAEs would enable more accurate clinical risk-benefit analysis for ICI treatment and may also shed light on common or distinct mechanisms underpinning treatment success and irAEs.

Methods: In this prospective multi-center study, we combined a multi-omics approach including unbiased single-cell profiling of over 300 peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples and high-throughput proteomics analysis of over 500 serum samples to characterize the systemic immune compartment of patients with melanoma or NSCLC before and during treatment with ICIs.

Findings: When we combined the parameters obtained from the multi-omics profiling of patient blood and serum, we identified potential predictive biomarkers for ICI-induced irAEs. Specifically, an early increase in CXCL9/CXCL10/CXCL11 and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) 1 to 2 weeks after the start of therapy are likely indicators of heightened risk of developing irAEs. In addition, an early expansion of Ki-67+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and Ki-67+ CD8+ T cells is also likely to be associated with increased risk of irAEs.

Conclusions: We suggest that the combination of these cellular and proteomic biomarkers may help to predict which patients are likely to benefit most from ICI therapy and those requiring intensive monitoring for irAEs.

Funding: This work was primarily funded by the European Research Council, the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Swiss Cancer League, and the Forschungsförderung of the Kantonsspital St. Gallen.

Keywords: Translation to patients; biomarkers for immunotherapy; cancer immunotherapy; checkpoint blockade; immune-related adverse events.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interests L.F. has/had advisory roles for Novartis, Sanofi, Philogen, and Bristol-Myers Squibb, all which took place outside the submitted work. P.A.A. has/had consultant/advisory roles for Bristol-Myers Squibb, Roche-Genentech, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, Array BioPharma, Merck Serono, Pierre Fabre, Incyte, MedImmune, AstraZeneca, Syndax, Sun Pharma, Sanofi, Idera, Ultimovacs, Sandoz, Immunocore, 4SC, Alkermes, Italfarmaco, Nektar, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Eisai, Regeneron, Daiichi Sankyo, Pfizer, Oncosec, Nouscom, Takis, Lunaphore Technologies, Seattle Genetics, ITeos Therapeutics, Medicenna, Bio-Al Health, and ValoTx; he also received research funding from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Roche-Genentech, Array, Sanofi, and Pfizer, as well as travel support from Merck Sharp & Dhome and Pfizer, all which was outside the submitted work. T.A. served as consultant to Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, and CeCaVa; received travel support from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Novartis; received speaker fees from Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pierre Fabre, and CeCaVa; received institutional funding from Neracare, Novartis, Sanofi, and SkylineDX; and received institutional research grants from Novartis outside the submitted work. R.D. has intermittent, project-focused consulting and/or advisory relationships with Novartis, Merck Sharp & Dhome, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Roche, Amgen, Takeda, Pierre Fabre, Sun Pharma, Sanofi, Catalym, Second Genome, Regeneron, Alligator, T3 Pharma, MaxiVAX SA, Pfizer, and touchIME, all which took place outside the submitted work. W.v.d.V. declares research support from the Novartis research foundation and the PROMEDICA Stiftung and serves as a consultant for Mabylon outside the submitted work. S.U. declares research support from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck Serono; speakers and advisory board honoraria from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Merck Serono, Novartis, and Roche; and travel support from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dohme, and Pierre Fabre outside the submitted work. L.Z. declares speakers and advisory board honoraria from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, Pierre Fabre, Sanofi, and Sunpharma; research support from Novartis; and travel support from Merck Sharp & Dohme, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pierre Fabre, Sanofi, Sunpharma, and Novartis outside the submitted work. F.D. receives/received honoraria and travel support from Merck Sharp & Dohme, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Sun Pharma outside the submitted work. L.H. declares research support from Therakos and speakers and advisory board honoraria from Amgen, BiomeDx, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Curevac, Merck, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Myoncare, Novartis, Pierre Fabre, Sanofi, SUN, and Roche, outside the submitted work. M.E. declares honoraria and travel support from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Immunocore, and Novartis outside the submitted work. R.K. declares travel support from Pierre Fabre and Sun Pharma outside the submitted work. M.J. declares advisory roles (institutional) for Novartis, AstraZeneca, Basilea Pharmaceutica, Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Debiopharm, Merck Sharp & Dhome, Roche, and Sanofi; research funding from Swiss Cancer Research; and travel grants from Roche, Sanofi, and Takeda. D.S. has/had consultant/advisory roles in the last 3 years for Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, Array, Merck Serono, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre, Sun Pharma, Sanofi, Regeneron, Ultimovacs, Sandoz, Immunocore, 4SC, Neracare, Nektar, Daiichi Sankyo, Oncosec, Amgen, BioCon, Immatics, InFlarX, Innovent, Labcorp, Replimune, and Haystack; his institution also received research funding from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Roche-Genentech, Array, and Merck Sharp & Dhome, all of which took place outside the submitted work. N.K. received personal fees, travel costs, and speaker’s honoraria from Astellas, Novartis, Ipsen, and Photocure, all of which took place outside the submitted work. M.P.L. has received project-specific research funding from Roche, Novartis, Molecular Partners, and Oncobit.

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