Abstract 2828: Impact of sequencing of immune checkpoint blockade and targeted radionuclide therapy on murine tumor response
Authors: Kerr Caroline P. , Grudzinski Joseph J. , Ferreira Carolina A. , Adam David , Sheehan-Klenk Julia , Bates Amber M. , Jin Won Jong , Kwon Ohyun , Jagodinsky Justin C. , Powers Maria , Sriramaneni Raghava N. , Clark Paul A. , Zangl Luke , Nguyen Thanh Phuong T. , Pinchuk Anatoly N. , Choi Cynthia , Massey Christopher F. , Hernandez Reinier , Bednarz Bryan , Weichert Jamey P. , Morris Zachary S. 
Published: April 2023

Background: Sequencing of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for cancer treatment has been studied, but the optimal sequencing has yet to be determined. While some studies have noted therapeutic advantages of priming the tumor immune microenvironment with EBRT prior to ICI, others have described the benefit of modulating the tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) population with ICI before EBRT. Targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT) approaches allow investigation of how irradiation by a tumor-targeted radionuclide and differences in emission type, linear energy transfer, and dose rate affect optimal timing of ICI administration. NM600 is an alkylphosphocholine analog selectively taken up by tumors capable of chelating numerous radionuclides for comparative studies.

Objective: We use two immunologically cold tumor models, MOC2 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and B78 melanoma, to describe the influence of dose rate on type I interferon (IFN1) signaling and the effect of ICI and 90Y-, 177Lu-, and 225Ac-NM600 TRT sequences on tumor response.

Methods: 90Y, 177Lu, or 225Ac were added to culture media in activities estimated using GEANT4 Monte Carlo to deliver 12 Gy to the cell monolayer. qPCR was performed on cDNA from cells irradiated with EBRT, 90Y, 177Lu, or 225Ac, and harvested on days 1, 3, or 7. In vivo dosimetry was performed using the Monte Carlo-based RAPID platform utilizing serial PET/CT or SPECT/CT imaging and/or longitudinal biodistribution. Differences over time (days 4, 7, 14, 21, 28 after RT) in TIL and systemic immune cell populations were measured by flow cytometry following no treatment, 12 Gy EBRT, or 90Y-, 177Lu-, or 225Ac-NM600 in MOC2 tumors. Mice bearing B78 tumors received 1.5 Gy 90Y-, 177Lu-, or 225Ac-NM600, or no radiation on day 1 +/- ICI (anti-CTLA4 + anti-PDL1) on days -3/0/3 (early), 4/7/10 (middle), or 11/14/17 (late). Mice were monitored for tumor growth and survival.

Results: TRT and EBRT induced IFN1 responses in MOC2 cells. MOC2 cells treated every 24h with EBRT-matched 90Y/225Ac dose rates led to upregulation of IFN1-associated Ifnb1 and Mx1, mimicking radionuclide-induced responses. Increased tumor CD8/Treg ratios and decreased Tregs were observed at day 7 following all RT forms in MOC2 tumors. Long half-life 225Ac-NM600 (90Y: 65h; 177Lu: 161h; 225Ac: 240h) induced similar TIL changes at day 21. For 1.5 Gy 90Y-, 177Lu-, and 225Ac-NM600, B78 tumor growth delay and statistically significant overall survival benefit over respective TRT monotherapy and control groups was observed with early (day -3/0/3) dual ICI administration.

Conclusions: These studies demonstrate novel immunomodulatory effects of α- and β- emitting TRT and the capacity to achieve substantial antitumor responses with appropriate TRT + ICI sequencing. These results may inform clinical trial design of TRT + ICI regimens for patients with metastatic cancers.

Citation Format: Caroline P. Kerr, Joseph J. Grudzinski, Carolina A. Ferreira, David Adam, Julia Sheehan-Klenk, Amber M. Bates, Won Jong Jin, Ohyun Kwon, Justin C. Jagodinsky, Maria Powers, Raghava N. Sriramaneni, Paul A. Clark, Luke Zangl, Thanh Phuong T. Nguyen, Anatoly N. Pinchuk, Cynthia Choi, Christopher F. Massey, Reinier Hernandez, Bryan Bednarz, Jamey P. Weichert, Zachary S. Morris. Impact of sequencing of immune checkpoint blockade and targeted radionuclide therapy on murine tumor response [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 2828.