Abstract A41: Automated immunohistochemistry of phosphobiomarkers: Case study of MTOR (MLN0128) and PI3Kα (MLN1117) investigational inhibitors, single agent and in combination, on xenografts and mouse skin
Authors: Kreshock Anna , Iartchouk Natalia , Cao Yueying , Szwaya Jeffrey , Gao Feng , Simpson Christopher , Luongo Evan , Burke Kristine , Gangolli Esha , Kuida Keisuke , Brake Rachael , Tirrell Stephen , Shinde Vaishali 
Published: October 2015

Background: Immunohistochemistry provides visual context to protein modulation and is relied upon to elucidate mechanism of action, marker translocation and pharmacodynamics (PD) in drug discovery. Markers of the PI3K-MTOR pathway have been monitored in this way to aid in the clinical development of various inhibitors targeting this pathway. Here, assays were developed using preclinical xenograft PD studies to explore the feasibility of automated staining of pAKT 473, pS6, p4EBP1 and pRb. In preparation for clinical assessment of these markers in human skin samples; these markers were also examined in normal mouse skin. p4EBP1 was selected to examine the reproducibility of these automated assays and to explore the correlation between pathway inhibition in PD xenograft tissues and murine skin tissues. The automated staining technique was coupled with whole slide scanning and digital image analysis for quantitative comparison.

Methods: Assays were chosen for evaluation based on known biology. FFPE PTEN-null breast cancer primary human tumor xenografts with high, medium and low biomarker expression, with companion skin samples, were selected for feasibility and reproducibility testing. Whole slide scanning and reproducibility analysis was executed using Aperio Scanscope XT and Spectrum software. Statistical analysis methods of mixed effect linear models and two sample t-tests were applied. Xenograft and skin samples from NCI-H1048 tumor bearing Nude mice treated with MTOR (MLN0128)and PI3Kα (MLN1117) investigational inhibitors were immunohistochemically stained for p4EBP1. Definiens object-based imaging software was used to isolate and analyze viable tumor area and exclude necrotic and stromal components in xenografts. A customized Definiens® algorithm was used on skin to identify the epithelial layer for analysis.

Results: After evaluation, baseline biomarker expression in the xenograft and skin samples determined marker selection for future steps. Baseline p4EBP1 levels were high in both xenograft and skin. The reproducibility testing yielded consistent results in both xenograft and skin, validating autostaining use for PD studies. Phosphomarker p4EBP1 expression was inhibited after MLN0128 administration, with increased reduction after combination with MLN1117. Development of a novel analysis solution using Definiens software for skin samples permitted the area of interest to be restricted to the epithelial layer and excluded other epidermal features with similar morphometric characteristics. The p4EBP1 modulation was concordant between skin and tumor though more pronounced in skin, indicating that skin is a suitable surrogate tissue for determining modulation of this PI3K-MTOR pathway marker.

Conclusions: Autostaining platforms provide reproducible results and stain consistently for PI3K-MTOR phosphomarkers on both xenografts and mouse skin samples. Utilizing p4EBP1, target effect was observed after MTOR and PI3Kα administration. This development and evaluation of the phosphobiomarker using automated staining technology and advanced image analysis supports preclinical PD assessment and combination clinical trials as well as influenced timepoint selection for clinical assessment.

Citation Format: Anna Kreshock, Natalia Iartchouk, Yueying Cao, Jeffrey Szwaya, Feng Gao, Christopher Simpson, Evan Luongo, Kristine Burke, Esha Gangolli, Keisuke Kuida, Rachael Brake, Stephen Tirrell, Vaishali Shinde. Automated immunohistochemistry of phosphobiomarkers: Case study of MTOR (MLN0128) and PI3Kα (MLN1117) investigational inhibitors, single agent and in combination, on xenografts and mouse skin. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Targeting the PI3K-mTOR Network in Cancer; Sep 14-17, 2014; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(7 Suppl):Abstract nr A41.