tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
DDDR-28. SPHINGOSINE AND N,N-DIMETHYLSPHINGOSINE MODULATE CHOLESTEROL HOMEOSTASIS IN IDH1MUT GLIOMAS, CAUSING PRO-APOPTOTIC MEMBRANE DEGRADATION
Authors: Tyrone Dowdy, Helena Muley Vilamu, Adrian Lita, Aiguo Li, Lumin Zhang, Mark Gilbert, Mioara Larion
Journal: Neuro-Oncology (2024)

Abstract BACKGROUND Previous work in our team revealed a therapeutic potential for metabolic reprogramming along the sphingolipid pathway within IDH1mut gliomas. The dosing of various IDH1mut glioma subtypes with sphingosine and sphingosine kinase inhibitor (SphKi), N,N-dimethylsphingosine (NDMS) led to the enrichment of pro-apoptotic ceramides and sphingosines while suspending the proliferation of the IDH1mut neurospheres. However, the mechanism of drug action (MOA) was not well understood. We postulated that suppressing the production of S1P production with SphKi treatment combined with the global accumulation of sphingosine and certain ceramides triggers apoptotic membrane stress in highly susceptible IDH1mut gliomas. METHODS We cultured and treated IDH1mut (TS603, BT142 &amp; NCH1681) and IDH1wt (GSC923) glioma cell lines with a combination of NDMS and C17-sphingosine. We used a comprehensive multi-omics approach involving LC-MS lipidomic, RNA sequencing, immunoblotting, flow cytometry, and fluorescent microscopy. RESULTS Following combination treatment, a global increase in sphingosines, ceramides, and their derivatives was accompanied by a decline in cholesterol levels. The transcriptomic expression was elevated for NR1H3, MYLIP, ABCA1, and ABCG1, which regulate the trafficking and biosynthesis of membrane-associated cholesterol. In contrast, total gene expression for catalytic enzymes involved in cholesterol (and isoprenoid) biosynthesis was negatively impacted. In addition, early onset changes included an elevation in the expression of ROCK (a marker for apoptotic membrane blebbing). Moreover, fluorescent microscopy revealed that sphingosine and cholesterol tend to become associated within the cellular membranes. This interaction then saturates the plasma membrane (PM), causing apparent vesiculation, permeation, and disruption of membrane integrity. CONCLUSION The MOA involved concomitant attenuation of cholesterol metabolism and influx in response to membrane saturation with sphingosine-associated cholesterol. As a result, PM stress was incurred, leading to PM disintegration in a blebbing fashion. Our study revealed how reprogramming sphingolipid metabolism increases the susceptibility of IDHmut gliomas to sphingosine-associated cholesterol-induced blebbing and resulting cell death.
TMET-15. INVESTIGATING THE IL4I1-AHR AXIS IN GLIOBLASTOMA METABOLISM
Authors: Deepak Sayeeram, Pauline Holfelder, Mirja T Prentzell, Lorena Immler, Ivana Karabogdan, Peter Hau, Saskia Trump, Christiane A Opitz
Journal: Neuro-Oncology (2024)

Abstract Glioblastoma (GB) is the most frequent and malignant form of primary brain tumors in adults. Despite multi-modal therapy consisting of surgery, radio- and chemotherapy, tumors recur and overall survival remains poor. Previously, we identified that besides the classical tryptophan-catabolizing enzyme tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase (TDO2), the L-amino acid oxidase interleukin-4-induced 1 (IL4I1) is able to activate the transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) via production of downstream metabolites. Activation of the AHR in GB may promote tumor progression e.g. by inhibiting anti-tumor immune responses. In this study, we aim to elucidate further the specific effects of the metabolic enzyme IL4I1 and its metabolites on AHR activation in GB. Further, we set out to identify and validate novel AHR target genes downstream of IL4I1. Harnessing the IL4I1-AHR axis might lead to the development of novel therapy strategies helping to overcome resistance in GB in the future.
TMET-12. TARGETING AMINO ACID METABOLIC VULNERABILITIES IN GLIOMAS
Authors: Shigeo Ohba, Takao Teranishi, Akiyoshi Hirayama, Keisuke Hitachi, Hisateru Yamaguchi, Manabu Natsumeda, Kensuke Tateishi, Russell Pieper, Yuichi Hirose
Journal: Neuro-Oncology (2024)

Abstract Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wild-type gliomas and IDH mutant gliomas are similar in histologic appearance but differ in their genetic and metabolic backgrounds. This study aimed to reveal the difference in metabolites between IDH-wildtype glioma and IDH-mutant glioma, and to find the effective treatment according to the status of IDH in gliomas. Two artificial cell lines made from human astrocyte were used: NHAE6E7hTERTRas (IDH-wildtype) and NHAE6E7hTERTIDHmut (IDH-mutant). Using capillary electrophoresis- and ion chromatography–coupled mass spectrometry, the amount of asparagine was lower in NHAE6E7hTERTRas cells compared with NHAE6E7hTERTIDHmut cells, whereas the amount of glutamine, glutamate and 2-oxoglutarate in NHAE6E7hTERTIDHmut cells was lower than NHAE6E7hTERTRas cells. L-asparaginase, which converts asparagine into aspartate, was more effective in NHAE6E7hTERTRas cells than NHAE6E7hTERTIDHmut cells. L-asparaginase induced autophagy and inhibition of autophagy by 3-MA suppressed L-asparaginase-induced antitumor effect, which meant that the antitumor effect was at least partially due to the L-asparaginase-induced autophagy. Pharmacological or genetical inhibition of GLUD1 which converts glutamate to 2-oxoglutarate, suppressed proliferation of the cells by inducing ROS and apoptosis in NHAE6E7hTERTIDHmut cells. ROS inhibitor, NAC suppressed GLUD1 inhibitor-induced ROS, apoptosis, and cytotoxicity in NHAE6E7hTERTIDHmut cells, revealing that cytotoxicity by GLUD1 inhibitor was at least partially due to the inhibitor-induced ROS. The experiments using mutant IDH1 overexpressed glioma cell line showed similar sensitivity to GLUD1 inhibitor to NHAE6E7hTERTIDHmut, which suggested that the difference of sensitivity to GLUD1 inhibitor was due to the status of mutant IDH. In vivo experiments, L-asparaginase suppressed the growth of xenografted glioma cells without mutant IDH, whereas GLUD1 inhibitor inhibited the proliferation of xenografted glioma cells with overexpressed mutant IDH1. In conclusion, L-asparaginase and Glud1 inhibitor will be new therapeutic option for IDH-wildtype glioma and IDH-mutant glioma, respectively.
CTIM-17. INDIVIDUALIZED MULTIMODAL IMMUNOTHERAPY (IMI) FOR ADULTS WITH DIFFUSE MIDLINE GLIOMA OR DIFFUSE HEMISPHERIC GLIOMA
Authors: Stefaan Van Gool, Jennifer Kosmal, Peter Van de Vliet, Linde Kampers, Wilfried Stücker
Journal: Neuro-Oncology (2024)

Abstract Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG, H3K27 mutant) and Diffuse Hemispheric Glioma (DHG, H3G34 mutant) are rare malignant CNS tumors with dismal prognosis. We retrospectively searched in our database for adults (&amp;gt;18y) with molecularly define DMG/DHG, treated between May 2015 and 2024 with IMI as part of first-line treatment. Amongst 157 IMI-treated malignant glioma patients, four patients fit these restrictions, pointing to scarce experience of IMI for DMG/DHG adult patients. HM (M, 29y) was diagnosed with a DMG in the pons. He received radiochemotherapy, and continued after 2x TMZm with BRAF-MEK-inhibition therapy. He received one IO-Vac® dendritic cell vaccine but showed fast progression thereafter. He died 9 months after diagnosis. GJE (F, 28y) had a DMG at the corpus callosum. She received radiochemotherapy and 6x TMZm, followed by 2x IO-Vac® and 3x maintenance immunogenic cell death (ICD) immunotherapy (NDV injections, sessions of modulated electrohyperthermia), combined with WT1 and H3K27M long-peptide vaccines. She progressed after 20 months, for which a new IO-Vac® and an H3K27M short- and long-peptide vaccine were given. She died 5 months later. Overall Survival (OS) was 26 months after initial diagnosis. JD (F, 27y) was diagnosed with a DMG in C2-C6. She received radiochemotherapy followed by IMI alone, including 2x IO-Vac®, one ICD immunotherapy, and four doses of anti-PD1. She died 17 months later, making OS 27 months after diagnosis. VJ (F, 21y) had a DHG in the left cerebrum. She received radiochemotherapy and 12 cycles of maintenance TMZ (TMZm), between which ICD immunotherapy was inserted each time. Afterwards, she received two IO-Vac®. Finally, she received ICD immunotherapy (6x) combined with checkpoint inhibitors (4x anti-CTLA4, 10x anti-PD1). Thirty months after diagnosis, she is in remission with a stable Health Utility Index of 0.72. IMI might have contributed to a better OS in three out of four DMG/DHG patients, and should be explored further as part of the treatment for these patients.
TMOD-09. NEWLY DESIGNED TUMOR TREATING FIELDS (TTFIELDS) ARRAYS FOR THE MOUSE HEAD DEMONSTRATE EFFICACY FOR TREATMENT OF GLIOBLASTOMA
Authors: Sewar Zbidat, Roni Blatt, Mariell Sellevoll, Martin Gabay, Inbar Schlachet, Shay Cahal, Shiri Davidi, Itai Tzchori, Adi Haber, Moshe Giladi, Yoram Palti
Journal: Neuro-Oncology (2024)

Abstract Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) therapy is a cancer treatment modality based on continuous, non-invasive delivery of electric fields. TTFields therapy is approved for treatment of glioblastoma (GBM), delivered to the patient’s brain by two array pairs placed on the scalp. Further research in animals to expand the knowledge regarding TTFields treatment of GBM is limited, as this is mainly performed in mouse models and arrays for application of TTFields to the mouse head are lacking. The small dimensions and specific geometries of the mouse head make the development of such arrays challenging. The aim of this study was to design arrays that will allow efficient and stable delivery of TTFields to the mouse head. To overcome the small head size, we developed a layout with two arrays situated on the head of the mouse, each divided into two smaller disks, and positioned opposite two arrays on the torso. We identified a thin and transparent adhesive tape (facilitating correct array positioning) with good tackiness and easy removal (without leaving residual adhesive on the skin). The arrays met the minimum treatment requirements: current ≥ 50 mA, usage ≥ 75%, field intensity ≥ 1 V/cm RMS. We then conducted an efficacy study with the new arrays, using GL-261 GBM cells intracranially injected into C57BL/6 mice. Treatment with sham-heat (control) or TTFields was initiated 11 days following tumor inoculation and maintained continuously for 12 days. Efficacy was measured via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of tumor volume, showing a decrease of 31% at treatment end in TTFields-treated mice versus the control. Overall, the new arrays are flexible, strongly adherent, deliver TTFields at a sufficient intensity, and showed efficacy for treating GBM in mice.
DDDR-25. IBUDILAST AND ANTI-PD-L1 COMBINATION TREATMENT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVES SURVIVAL IN A SEX-DEPENDENT MANNER IN A MURINE MODEL OF GLIOBLASTOMA
Authors: Jakub Jarmula, Juyeun Lee, Andrew Kurlich, Kazuko Matsuda, Defne Bayik, Justin Lathia
Journal: Neuro-Oncology (2024)

Abstract INTRODUCTION Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor, and there remains a significant need for new treatments. Previous trials studying immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) as single agents have been negative. Ibudilast is a brain penetrant inhibitor of the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF)-CD74 interaction that sensitizes GBM to temozolomide in vitro and alters myeloid-derived suppressor cells in vitro and in vivo. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether ibudilast increases ICI efficacy in a murine model of GBM. METHODS 6-week-old male and female C57BL/6 mice were implanted with SB28 cells intracranially. One week after implantation, each group was randomized to receive intraperitoneal treatment with either: ibudilast (50 mg/kg), anti-PD-L1 (1mg/kg), combination, or vehicle control. Mice were euthanized at neurological endpoint. Survival was modeled with Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS Among females, there was a significant difference in survival among treatment groups (p=0.0002). Specifically, combination treatment led to significantly longer survival compared to ibudilast (p=0.004) and control (p=0.03), but not anti-PD-L1 (p=0.12). Among males, there was no significant difference in survival among groups (p=0.40). Males had significantly shorter median survival compared to females (overall: 18 versus 22 days, combination treatment: 20 days versus 32 days, anti-PD-L1: 14 versus 22 days, ibudilast: 17 versus 17 days, control: 18 versus 22 days, p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS Ibudilast with anti-PD-L1 is a promising combination treatment against GBM. Future research is needed to identify the mechanisms underlying this treatment regimen and its sex-dependent effect. These results may inform the development of a combination new clinical trial, as ibudilast is currently being evaluated in the newly-diagnosed and recurrent GBM setting with temozolomide.
DNAR-08. THY1 MEDIATES TREATMENT RESISTANCE IN GLIOBLASTOMA THROUGH RAPID REPAIR OF DNA DAMAGE
Authors: Safiulla Basha Syed, Arushi Tripathy, Visweswaran Ravikumar, Sahezeel Awadia, Sravya Palavalasa, Dah-Luen Huang, Arvind Rao, Daniel R Wahl, Alnawaz Rehemtulla, Wajd N Al-Holou
Journal: Neuro-Oncology (2024)

Abstract Glioblastoma (GBM) is a uniformly lethal primary intracranial neoplasm that inevitably recurs despite treatment by DNA damaging agents radiation (RT) and temozolomide (TMZ). Recurrence may be driven by inherently resistant glioma stem-like cells (GSCs). GSCs have been shown to have constitutive upregulation of DNA damage response (DDR) pathways, resulting from elevated DNA replication stress. This baseline elevated DDR has consequently been shown to confer inherent resistance to DNA damaging agents, TMZ/RT. However, factors mediating elevated replication stress and upregulated DDR in GSCs are poorly defined. Previously, we identified the cell-surface protein, THY1, as a mediator of GSC phenotype and treatment resistance in GBM. To determine mechanisms mediating treatment resistance in THY1+ cells, we engineered patient-derived neurosphere and organoid models, to either overexpress or silence THY1 expression. These models were treated with RT and collected at various time points to measure DNA repair efficiency by assessing the formation and resolution of yH2AX foci and ATM/ATR activation. In parallel, patient-derived GBM tissue from over 20 patients was analyzed using single cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics to assess pathways associated with THY1 expression. Interestingly, spatial transcriptomics and single cell RNA sequencing data demonstrates significant upregulation of GSC pathways, as well as constitutive upregulation of DDR pathways (p&amp;lt;2e-16) in THY1-high cells. Exploiting our patient-derived lines we determined that DNA repair activation was upregulated at baseline, measured using yH2AX foci and immunoblotting. We then measured DDR in response to radiation and found that high THY1 expression mediated rapid repair of DNA. Overall, we demonstrate that THY1 mediates therapy resistance by constitutively upregulating DDR, likely by upregulating DNA replication stress. We are now working to determine the mechanisms mediating the GSC phenotype and DNA replication stress in THY1 cells in hopes of future translation.
IMMU-63. MESSENGER RNA CHALLENGE PREDICTS CANCER IMMUNOGENICITY AND RESPONSE TO CHECKPOINT INHIBITORS
Authors: Paul Castillo, Elizabeth Ogando-Rivas, Hilary Geffrard, Alfonso Pepe, Duy Nguyen, Diego Pedro, Dingpeng Zhang, Anna DeVries, Sadeem Qdaisat, Adam Grippin, Maryam Rahman, Frances Weidert, Rowan Milner, Jianping Huang, Natalie Silver, John Ligon, Sheila Carrera-Justiz, Duane Mitchell, Hector Mendez-Gomez, Gregory Sawyer, Elias Sayour
Journal: Neuro-Oncology (2024)

Abstract BACKGROUND Checkpoint inhibition has emerged as a promising cancer therapeutic approach. Checkpoint inhibitors (CIs) function by overcoming the adaptive T cell exhaustion induced by solid tumor microenvironment including brain tumors, particularly in the neoadjuvant setting. Unfortunately, not every patient who receives CIs will unlock effective antitumor immunity. Objectives: Microsatellite instability and high mutational burden are considered key criteria to predict response to CIs. However, only a minority of patients will fulfill these criteria suggesting the need to develop innovative technologies to identify CI responsive patients. METHODS To determine whether glioma tumors will respond to CIs, we have developed a novel multilamellar mRNA-lipid particle tool to predict response ex vivo. Messenger RNA is complexed into multilamellar lipid particles to form aggregates (RNA-LPAs) to induce pathogen recognition receptor signaling in tumor cells to define an inflammatory profile as an indirect predictor to CI response. RESULTS In naïve mice, we found that multilamellar RNA-LPAs induce activation of Type I IFN system as supported by decreased secretion of IFN-α in MyD88 KO mice compared with wild type mice. We next selected murine glioma cell lines with known response profile to CIs (responders – GL261 and SMA560 vs non-responders – KR158b and CT2A). Prior to evaluation of cytokine profiling, successful uptake of RNA-LPAs was achieved in all cell lines. In 2D cell lines cultures and their corresponding 3D tumor spheroids, we demonstrated that treatment of CI responsive murine glioma models showed a differential cytokine signature (increased secretion of IFN-β/IL-6/CCL4 versus non-responsive models). CONCLUSION We identified a unique inflammatory signature after ex vivo RNA-LPAs challenge that correlates with checkpoint blockade activity. These findings allow for creation of a diagnostic assay to quickly assess tumor immunogenicity, allowing for informed immunotherapeutic treatment.
DNAR-07. ATR INHIBITORS IN COMBINATION WITH RADIATION AND TEMOZOLOMIDE INCREASE CELL DEATH OF PATIENT-DERIVED GLIOBLASTOMA CELLS
Authors: Mathew Lozinski, Nikola Bowden, Michael Fay, Moira Graves, Bryan Day, Brett Stringer, Paul Tooney
Journal: Neuro-Oncology (2024)

Abstract Glioblastoma is treated with surgery to remove as much as the tumour as possible then radiation therapy (RT) and temozolomide (TMZ) to cause extensive DNA damage in any remaining tumour cells, triggering cell death by apoptosis. However, glioblastoma cells respond by upregulating the DNA damage response (DDR) triggering DNA repair that contributes to treatment resistance. Progression then generally occurs rapidly leaving patients with a poor prognosis and survival. We previously showed that gartisertib, an inhibitor of ATM- and Rad3-Related protein (ATR), a serine/threonine kinase that triggers DNA repair, sensitises glioblastoma cells to TMZ and RT. We extend this investigation to brain-penetrant ATR inhibitors elimusertib (BAY1895344) and ceralasertib (AZD6738). Patient-derived glioblastoma cell lines were treated with a dose response of ATRi (elimusertib and ceralasertib) combined with a clinically relevant dose of TMZ (35uM) and/or RT (2Gy). A human astrocyte cell line was also treated with a dose response of single agent elimusertib and ceralasertib. Cells were incubated for 7 days and assessed for cell viability through an MTT assay or cell-cell Incucyte analysis. Both elimusertib and ceralasertib as single agents reduced glioblastoma cell growth, with elimusertib being more potent compared to ceralasertib. Elimusertib had greater potency in causing cell death of the glioblastoma cell lines than a human astrocyte cell line. However, there was less difference between glioblastoma and astrocyte cell death when treated with ceralasetib. When combined with RT and/or TMZ, elimusertib once again was more potent in reducing glioblastoma cell growth compared to ceralasertib. We have expanded our in vitro data showing that various ATR inhibitors (elimusertib, ceralasertib and previously gartisertib) are able to reduce the growth of glioblastoma cells in combination with RT and TMZ treatment. This provides further support for initiating a clinical trial of ATR inhibition in combination with standard treatment for patients with glioblastoma.
IMMU-45. MYELOID-ASSOCIATED WILD-TYPE IDH1 PROMOTES IMMUNOSUPPRESSION IN GLIOBLASTOMA
Authors: Corey Dussold, Shashwat Tripathi, Akanksha Mahajan, Serena Tommasini-Ghelfi, Lisa Hurley, Rachel Jarvis, Hinda Najem, Alexandra Chalastanis, Moloud Sooreshjani, Ruochen Du, Colin McCornack, David Giles, Jillyn Turunen, leah billingham, Seunghyun Kim, Wendy Broom, Tulin Dadali-Abel, Kevin Murnan, Craig Horbinski, Edward Thorp, Albert Kim, Yang Li, Jason Miska, Amy Heimberger, Alexander Stegh
Journal: Neuro-Oncology (2024)

Abstract Tumor-associated myeloid cells (TAMCs) promote immunosuppression in the GBM tumor microenvironment (TME) and resistance to immune checkpoint therapy (ICT). However, the metabolic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying TAMC activation and the therapeutic potential of fine-tuning TAMC activation remain largely unexplored. Our analyses of GBM patient single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) datasets demonstrated that in addition to tumor cells, wild-type isocitrate dehydrogenase (wt-IDH1) is also highly expressed in TAMCs. Using a murine model with myeloid cell-specific deletion of wt-IDH1 (LysM-cre-ERT2; wt-IDH1L/L), we demonstrated that the loss of wt-IDH1 promoted inflammatory myeloid phenotypes, increased CD8+ T cells in the TME, improved survival of GBM tumor-bearing mice, and enhanced anti-tumor effects of PD1 checkpoint blockade. Further, the pharmacological inhibition of wt-IDH1 using systemic administration of a first-in-class wt-IDH1-specific, brain-penetrant small molecule inhibitor or intrathecal delivery of siRNA targeted to wt-IDH1 mirrored the functional phenotype of wt-IDH1-deleted myeloid cells, overcame ICT resistance, and promoted long-term survival and anti-tumor immune memory. Mechanistically, in myeloid cells, the genetic or pharmacological inactivation of wt-IDH1 inhibited oxidative phosphorylation, reduced myeloid cell proliferation, increased their tumoricidal activity, and altered chromatin accessibility of key transcription factors implicated in the regulation of myeloid cell states, including AP-1, IRFs, STAT1/2, NFATs, and CEPBPs. These studies define wt-IDH1 as a metabolic checkpoint of myeloid cell activation and credential the inhibition of wt-IDH1 as a novel immunotherapeutic strategy to increase ICT efficacy for patients with GBM.