Abstract 685: GPC2 is an oncogene and immunotherapeutic target in high-risk neuroblastoma
Authors: Bosse Kristopher R. , Raman Pichai , Lane Maria , Sussman Robyn T. , Harenza Jo Lynne , Martinez Daniel , Heitzeneder Sabine , Zhu Zhongyu , Rathi Komal , Randall Michael , Donovan Laura , Morrissy Sorana , Zhelev Doncho V. , Feng Yang , Hwang Jennifer , Wang Yanping , Pawel Bruce , Bhatti Tricia , Santi Mariarita , Khan Javed , Taylor Michael , Dimitrov Dimiter S. , Mackall Crystal , Maris John M. 
Published: July 2017

Background: GD2-directed immunotherapeutic strategies have improved outcomes in neuroblastoma; however, the majority of patients treated suffer relapse and GD2 expression on pain fibers causes dose-limiting toxicities.

Methods: To identify alternative cell surface immunotherapeutic targets, we compared high-risk neuroblastoma (n=126 tumors) and normal tissue RNA sequencing data (GTEx; n=7859 samples from 31 normal tissues) and prioritized genes by differential and absolute expression and cell surface prediction. Genes were further surveyed for somatic copy number gain and correlative expression with MYCN amplification. Differential protein expression and localization were confirmed in neuroblastoma primary tumors (n=98), patient-derived xenografts (n=32; PDXs), cell lines (n=23), and normal pediatric tissues (n=36). Cell lines were subjected to candidate gene gain and loss of function studies (n=11). Additional pediatric tumor RNA sequencing data was surveyed followed by confirmatory immunohistochemistry (IHC). Finally, candidate specific antibodies were isolated from a human Fab phage library and utilized for antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) engineering followed by cytotoxicity studies.

Results: We identified 33 differentially expressed cell surface molecules from which we prioritized glypican-2 (GPC2) for validation given GPC2’s robust differential expression (log-fold change tumor vs. normal tissue = 1.71-9.22; p=1.99 x 10-9-1.88 x10-300), high-level absolute RNA expression (median FPKM=60), and frequent DNA copy number gain associated with higher GPC2 expression (35%, n=182 tumors; p&lt;0.005). GPC2 expression was also higher in MYCN amplified neuroblastomas (p&lt;0.05), MYCN binds the GPC2 promoter shown by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) sequencing and reporter assays, and MYCN depletion resulted in decreased GPC2 expression. Immunoblot, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, and IHC analysis of primary tumors, PDXs, and cell lines confirmed dense cell surface GPC2 expression. Medulloblastomas (n=62) were also found to have high GPC2 expression that positively correlated with MYC, MYCN, and GPC2 loci gain (p&lt;0.0001). Pediatric normal tissues had very restricted cell surface GPC2 expression, with only low levels found in the esophagus and skin. GPC2 depletion in neuroblastoma cell lines resulted in apoptosis and growth inhibition and GPC2 forced over-expression increased neuroblastoma cell proliferation (p&lt;0.001 for all assays). Finally, a human GPC2 antibody, D3-GPC2-Fab, was developed and shown to bind GPC2 with high affinity and specificity. D3-GPC2-IgG1 induced internalization of GPC2 and was conjugated to pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimers to form an ADC which induced potent and specific cytotoxicity to GPC2 expressing neuroblastoma cells (IC50 = 1.7-11 pM).

Conclusions: GPC2 is an oncogene and immunotherapeutic target in neuroblastoma and potentially other cancers.

Citation Format: Kristopher R. Bosse, Pichai Raman, Maria Lane, Robyn T. Sussman, Jo Lynne Harenza, Daniel Martinez, Sabine Heitzeneder, Zhongyu Zhu, Komal Rathi, Michael Randall, Laura Donovan, Sorana Morrissy, Doncho V. Zhelev, Yang Feng, Jennifer Hwang, Yanping Wang, Bruce Pawel, Tricia Bhatti, Mariarita Santi, Javed Khan, Michael Taylor, Dimiter S. Dimitrov, Crystal Mackall, John M. Maris. GPC2 is an oncogene and immunotherapeutic target in high-risk neuroblastoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 685. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-685