1. Intratumoral DNA-based delivery of checkpoint-inhibiting antibodies and interleukin 12 triggers T cell infiltration and anti-tumor response
- Author
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Paul Declerck, Kevin Hollevoet, Lidia Yshii, Steffie Junius, Liesl Jacobs, Adrian Liston, and Nick Geukens
- Subjects
Cancer Research ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Genetic enhancement ,Gene electrotransfer ,Research & Experimental Medicine ,ANTI-CTLA-4 ,REGULATORY T ,Downregulation and upregulation ,medicine ,Molecular Biology ,Genetics & Heredity ,Science & Technology ,biology ,business.industry ,Electroporation ,B16 MELANOMA ,Cytokine ,Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology ,Oncology ,Medicine, Research & Experimental ,Cancer research ,biology.protein ,Interleukin 12 ,Molecular Medicine ,ELECTROPORATION ,Antibody ,business ,Life Sciences & Biomedicine ,CD8 - Abstract
To improve the anti-tumor efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors, numerous combination therapies are under clinical evaluation, including with IL-12 gene therapy. The current study evaluated the simultaneous delivery of the cytokine and checkpoint-inhibiting antibodies by intratumoral DNA electroporation in mice. In the MC38 tumor model, combined administration of plasmids encoding IL-12 and an anti-PD-1 antibody induced significant anti-tumor responses, yet similar to the monotherapies. When treatment was expanded with a DNA-based anti-CTLA-4 antibody, this triple combination significantly delayed tumor growth compared to IL-12 alone and the combination of anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies. Despite low drug plasma concentrations, the triple combination enabled significant abscopal effects in contralateral tumors, which was not the case for the other treatments. The DNA-based immunotherapies increased T cell infiltration in electroporated tumors, especially of CD8+ T cells, and upregulated the expression of CD8+ effector markers. No general immune activation was detected in spleens following either intratumoral treatment. In B16F10 tumors, evaluation of the triple combination was hampered by a high sensitivity to control plasmids. In conclusion, intratumoral gene electrotransfer allowed effective combined delivery of multiple immunotherapeutics. This approach induced responses in treated and contralateral tumors, while limiting systemic drug exposure and potentially detrimental systemic immunological effects. ispartof: CANCER GENE THERAPY vol:29 issue:7 pages:984-992 ispartof: location:England status: published
- Published
- 2021