Abstract 1785: Inhibition of the IDO-Kyn-AhR cascade optimizes virotherapy in glioblastoma and depends on CD4 T-cell activation
Authors: Nguyen Teresa T. , Shin Dong Ho , Jiang Hong , Wainwright Derek A. , Sohoni Sagar , Gupta Sumit , Ossimetha Ashley , Lang Frederick , Alonso Marta , Gomez-Manzano Candelaria , Fueyo Juan 
Published: July 2021

Immune enhancement of virotherapy by reshaping the tumor immune landscape may improve its success rates. IDO, an IFNγ inducible tryptophan catabolizing enzyme, is upregulated in glioblastoma, correlating with poor prognoses. IDO-mediated tryptophan depletion in the tumor-microenvironment decreases viral replication and diminishes cell proliferation and induces apoptosis of surrounding effector T-cells. Furthermore, kynurenine (kyn), a metabolite of tryptophan, induces T-cell differentiation into Tregs. Excess kynurenine also elicits AhR-mediated lymphocyte dysfunction and immunosuppression. The immune stimulating effect of oncolytic-virus, D24-RGDOX, clinically known as DNX-2440, triggers IFNγ production contributing to a positive IDO-Kyn-AhR feedback loop. Thus, we hypothesized that combining D24-RGDOX with IDO inhibitors will synergize to treat glioblastoma. We studied the IDO-Kyn-AhR cascade in response to D24-RGDOX infection in human and murine glioblastoma cells. Orthotopic syngeneic glioblastoma mouse models were used to determine efficacy and tumor immune effects of D24-RGDOX and IDO inhibitors as single agents or as a combination treatment. We characterized IDO and AhR in D24-RGDOX infected cancers using immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and flow cytometry and found increased expression of both proteins in vitro and in vivo compared to mock infected controls. D24-RGDOX also increased activity of AhR in cancer cells as indicated by an AhR responsive elements transcription assay. Furthermore, we showed that viral protein expression and viral activity was enhanced in D24-RGDOX infected cultures under IDO inhibition. To test the therapeutic efficacy of combining D24-RGDOX with IDO inhibitors, we used a murine immunocompetent glioblastoma model; the combination produced 30% more long-term survivors compared D24-RGDOX alone (P=0.03, log-rank test). Next, lymphocytic depletion studies illustrated that this anticancer effect was dependent on CD4+ T-cell activation. We observed 100% survival in the re-challenged long-term glioblastoma survivors, indicating the establishment of immune memory by the combination. Functional studies showed significant increases in anti-tumor activity of splenocytes from combination-treated mice compared to D24-RGDOX-treated mice (P=0.009, student t-test). Flow cytometry studies revealed that combination-treated mice yielded the highest levels of chronically activated T-cells and lowest levels of Tregs and MDSCs compared to D24-RGDOX alone (P≤0.05 in all populations, student t-test). This microenvironment remodeling correlated with complete tumor elimination. Altogether, D24-RGDOX activates the IDO-Kyn-AhR cascade in gliomas, identifying new targets, which when inhibited have the potential to enhance the anti-glioma effect of oncolytic-viruses by reversing tumor immunosuppression.

Citation Format: Teresa T. Nguyen, Dong Ho Shin, Hong Jiang, Derek A. Wainwright, Sagar Sohoni, Sumit Gupta, Ashley Ossimetha, Frederick Lang, Marta Alonso, Candelaria Gomez-Manzano, Juan Fueyo. Inhibition of the IDO-Kyn-AhR cascade optimizes virotherapy in glioblastoma and depends on CD4 T-cell activation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 1785.