Intratumoral treatment of smaller mouse neuroblastoma tumors with a recombinant protein consisting of IL-2 linked to the hu14.18 antibody increases intratumoral CD8+ T and NK cells and improves survival

Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2013 Aug;62(8):1303-13. doi: 10.1007/s00262-013-1430-x. Epub 2013 May 10.

Abstract

Hu14.18-IL2 is an immunocytokine (IC) consisting of human IL-2 linked to hu14.18 mAb, which recognizes GD2 disialoganglioside. Phase II clinical trials of intravenous-hu14.18-IL2 (IV-IC) in neuroblastoma and melanoma are underway, and have already demonstrated activity in neuroblastoma. In our Phase II trial, lower neuroblastoma burden at the time of treatment was associated with a greater likelihood of clinical response to IV-IC. We have previously shown that intratumoral-hu14.18-IL2 (IT-IC) compared to IV-IC results in enhanced local and systemic antitumor activity in tumor-bearing mice. We utilized a mouse model to investigate the impact of tumor burden on hu14.18-IL2 treatment efficacy in IV- versus IT-treated animals. Studies presented here describe the analyses of tumor burden at the initiation of treatment and its effects on treatment efficacy, survival, and tumor-infiltrating leukocytes in A/J mice bearing subcutaneous NXS2 neuroblastoma. We show that smaller tumor burden at treatment initiation is associated with increased infiltration of NK and CD8+ T cells and increased overall survival. NXS2 tumor shrinkage shortly after completion of the 3 days of hu14.18-IL2 treatment is necessary for long-term survival. This model demonstrates that tumor size is a strong predictor of hu14.18-IL2-induced lymphocyte infiltration and treatment outcome.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / administration & dosage
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / genetics
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods
  • Interleukin-2 / administration & dosage
  • Interleukin-2 / genetics
  • Interleukin-2 / immunology*
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology*
  • Killer Cells, Natural / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K / immunology
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K / metabolism
  • Neuroblastoma / immunology*
  • Neuroblastoma / pathology
  • Neuroblastoma / therapy
  • Prognosis
  • Recombinant Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology
  • Survival Analysis
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tumor Burden / drug effects
  • Tumor Burden / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Interleukin-2
  • Klrk1 protein, mouse
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • lorukafusp alfa