Abstract 4010: Assessing impacts of tumor burden and CAR-T cell dosage on the toxicity and efficacy profile of CD19 CAR-T therapy in a PBMC-humanized mouse model
Authors: Lee Won , Rose Destanie , Keck James G. , Yang Jiwon 
Published: March 2024

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy is a significant advancement in treating hematological malignancies, yet it faces challenges due to its variable therapeutic responses and the risk of severe toxicities. This study delves into the effects of tumor burden and CAR-T cell doses on the toxicity profile of the therapy, employing a PBMC-humanized mouse model engrafted with luciferase-labeled Raji B cell lymphoma (Raji-luc). By exploring high vs. low tumor burden and high vs. low CAR-T dose scenarios, we aim to gain insights into the dynamic relationship between these factors and CAR-T-induced toxicity and efficacy. In the first experiment, we established PBMC humanized mouse models with a high tumor burden and a low tumor burden. 10 days (high burden) or 7 days (low burden) after the Raji-luc inoculation, mice were engrafted with 10M human PBMCs and dosed with CD19 autologous CAR-Ts. In mice with low tumor burden, CAR-T treatment demonstrated significant efficacy, as evidenced by IVIS imaging, while the high tumor burden model exhibited reduced efficacy. CAR-T treatment in Raji-bearing mice did not induce weight loss in either high or low burden models. CD19 CAR-T cells effectively reduced the target cell population in peripheral blood, with greater expansion observed in the higher tumor burden model. We also evaluated human cytokine levels post-CAR-T treatment, revealing higher cytokine induction in the high tumor burden model, peaking at 2 days post-treatment. Secondly, in a CAR-T dose-response study, we treated PBMC-humanized Raji-bearing mice with 10M, 15M, and 20M CAR-T cells. Higher CAR-T cell doses (15M and 20M) resulted in observable toxicity measured by body weight loss, while the 10M dose did not. All CAR-T doses effectively slowed tumor growth and induced significant CAR-T cell expansion. Selected human cytokines, such as IL-5 and RANTES, demonstrated a dose-response correlation with CAR-T treatment. Additionally, IL-6 and IL-10 were significantly correlated with tumor burden rather than CAR-T doses. The differential cytokine responses observed in our study provide valuable insights into the utility of the PBMC-humanized mouse model for investigating the biological responses associated with CD19 CAR-T therapy. Our findings underscore the utility of the PBMC-humanized mouse model in assessing variability in toxicity and cytokine responses to CAR-T therapy. This model offers valuable insights into the factors influencing CAR-T treatment outcomes and provides a platform for planning more precise treatment and enhancing the safety and efficacy of CAR-T therapy.

Citation Format: Won Lee, Destanie Rose, James G. Keck, Jiwon Yang. Assessing impacts of tumor burden and CAR-T cell dosage on the toxicity and efficacy profile of CD19 CAR-T therapy in a PBMC-humanized mouse model [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 4010.