Abstract A051: Liquid biopsy by apheresis: Molecular characterization of circulating tumor cells and their organoid culture reflects intrapatient heterogeneity and clonal evolution
Authors: Lambros Maryou B.K. , Gil Veronica , Crespo Mateus , Fontes Mariane S. , Mackay Alan , Folwer Gemma , Folwer Gemma , Ebbs Berni , Neves Rui , Flohr Penny , Miranda Susana , Sumanasuriya Semini , Rodrigues Daniel N. , Pereira Rita , Seed Geroge , Yuan Wei , Hunt Joanne , Moloney Deirdre , Ayanda Dionne , Mehra Niven , Goodall Jane , Bertan Claudia , Carreira Suzanne , Stoecklein Nikolas H. , Terstappen Leon W.M.M. , Boysen Gunther , Bono Joahnn S. De 
Published: February 2019

Liquid biopsy components from blood, such as cell free DNA (cfDNA) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs), are prognostic for overall survival in advanced prostate cancer patients and allow the study of clonal evolution. cfDNA is easily obtained and has been widely used for molecular characterization and reflects pooled genomic profiles in a patient, but has limitations regarding gene copy number calls. CTC single-cell genomic studies generate precise gene copy number calls and elucidate intrapatient intercellular genomic heterogeneity. The main limitation of CTC analyses has been the low CTC count found in many cancer patients. We elected to study whether liquid biopsy by apheresis in advanced prostate cancer patients increases the yield of CTC to study tumor genomics, intrapatient heterogeneity, and ex vivo organotypic 3D models.

Advanced metastatic prostate cancer patients being considered for clinical trials were invited to consent to apheresis. Apheresis CTC counts using CellSearchTM (Menarini) were acquired from 16 patients. The contents of the CellSearch cartridges were sorted into pure single cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting and subsequently assessed by array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH, Agilent Technology) for copy number aberrations (CNA). Exome and aCGH from tissue biopsies were compared to the single cell aCGH results. We generated patient-derived organoid (PDOs) cultures from apheresis products by preenrichment using density gradient (Lymphoprep) and subsequent CTC enrichment by EpCAM positive selection (EasySep StemCell Technologies). PDOs were characterized by immunofluorescence (IF) as DAPI+/CK+/EpCAM+ and CD45- cells and subsequently by aCGH for CNA.

All sixteen patients (median age of 70 years; range 60-77 years) tolerated apheresis without any adverse effects. CTC counts from peripheral blood (PB) prior to apheresis ranged from 13 to 711 (median = 96), and did not significantly change post apheresis. The estimated CTC yield per apheresis ranged from 660-35473 per apheresis product (median = 3351). This constitutes an increase of 102-fold when compared to median CTC capture from 7.5mL of PB. A total of 170 single CTCs from 15 apheresis patients were genomically profiled and the copy number aberration profiles confirmed prostate cancer with multiple genomic hallmarks including CNAs such as AR amplification, chromosome 8q gain (MYC locus), and PTEN, RB1, BRCA2, TP53, CHD1 loss. CNA profiles of PDOs showed similar genomic aberrations to same patient CTCs and also reflected intrapatient heterogeneity detected by single CTC analysis.

In conclusion, apheresis from advanced prostate cancer patients is a well-tolerated procedure and in our study increased the CTC yield by 102-fold when compared to PB. CTC and PDOs from apheresis products shared similar CNA profile compared with tissues biopsies and furthermore gave us an insight of the tumor heterogeneity and clonal evolution.

Citation Format: Maryou B.K. Lambros, Veronica Gil, Mateus Crespo, Mariane S. Fontes, Alan Mackay, Gemma Folwer, Gemma Folwer, Berni Ebbs, Rui Neves, Penny Flohr, Susana Miranda, Semini Sumanasuriya, Daniel N. Rodrigues, Rita Pereira, Geroge Seed, Wei Yuan, Joanne Hunt, Deirdre Moloney, Dionne Ayanda, Niven Mehra, Jane Goodall, Claudia Bertan, Suzanne Carreira, Nikolas H. Stoecklein, Leon W.M.M. Terstappen, Gunther Boysen, Joahnn S. De Bono. Liquid biopsy by apheresis: Molecular characterization of circulating tumor cells and their organoid culture reflects intrapatient heterogeneity and clonal evolution [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Prostate Cancer: Advances in Basic, Translational, and Clinical Research; 2017 Dec 2-5; Orlando, Florida. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(16 Suppl):Abstract nr A051.