Abstract 3733
Background
Immune check point inhibitor therapy has shown efficacy in Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), highlighting the immune-responsive microenvironment of TNBC. Recently, anti-cancer therapeutics have been shown to induce immunogenic cell death (ICD). MEK/ERK cascade mediates T cell receptor signaling and involves in immune response. MEK inhibitor cobimetinib is approved for advanced melanoma and is studied in several clinical trials including breast cancer. Here, we aimed to explore the anti-tumor and immunomodulatory effects of cobimetinib in TNBC.
Methods
Damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), cell-surface translocation of calreticulin (CRT), extracellular release of ATP, and increase in high-mobility group box protein B1 (HMGB1) release from dying tumor cells, were examined by immunoblotting and flow cytometric analysis. The pan-caspase inhibitor z-VAD-FMK was used to validate cobimetinib-induced signaling. The immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice were conducted to investigate the efficacy of cobimetinib.
Results
Cobimetinib significantly induced cell apoptosis and DAMPs in TNBC cells (human MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, and murine 4T1 cells). Cobimetinib downregulated p-ERK and activated caspase-8, in association with increased DAMPs such as HMGB1 and CRT. Cobimetinib-induced CRT was attenuated by ectopic ERK expression. Moreover, cobimetinib-induced cell apoptosis and increased CRT expressions were restored by the pan-caspase inhibitor. The anti-tumor activity of cobimetinib was superior in immunocompetent than in immunodeficient mice. DAMPs and caspase-8 cascade were upregulated in cobimetinib-treated 4T1 xenografts. Interestingly, the immunomodulation of cobimetinib in 4T1-bearing mice were different from that in non-tumor bearing immunocompetent mice. Importantly, cobimetinib-treated 4T1-bearing immunocompetent mice exhibited increased total number of CD8+ T cells, effector CD4+ T cells, regulatory T cells and reduced the number of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, compared to vehicle-treated mice.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that the MEK inhibitor cobimetinib acts as an ICD-inducer and exerts immunomodulatory effects in TNBC.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
Chun-Yu Liu.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Resources from the same session
1908 - Androgen Receptor (AR) Aberrations in Patients (Pts) With Metastatic Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer (mCSPC) Treated With Apalutamide (APA) Plus Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) in TITAN
Presenter: Kim Chi
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
4058 - 68Ga-PSMA guided bone biopsies for molecular diagnostics in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer patients
Presenter: Anouk de Jong
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2226 - Spatial-Temporal Change in Quantitative Total Bone Imaging (QTBI) and Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC) Treated With Enzalutamide (ENZA)
Presenter: Glenn Liu
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
5795 - Efficacy of Enzalutamide in Hormone-sensitive Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Clinical Utility of 18F-Choline PET and Whole Body MRI.
Presenter: Susanne Osanto
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
899 - Urine extracellular vesicle GATA2 mRNA alone and in a multigene test predicts initial prostate biopsy result
Presenter: Jungreem Woo
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3094 - Circulating tumor cell (CTC) genomic landscape in neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) by single cell copy number analysis
Presenter: Vincenza Conteduca
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2527 - Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC) count and Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) response measures in metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC) patients (pts) treated with Docetaxel (Doc)
Presenter: Rebeca Lozano Mejorada
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
6106 - Assessing the clinical relevance of drug–drug interactions (DDI) with darolutamide (DARO)
Presenter: Christian Zurth
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2237 - KEYNOTE-921: phase 3 study of pembrolizumab (pembro) plus docetaxel and prednisone for enzalutamide (enza)- or abiraterone (abi)-pretreated patients (pts) with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).
Presenter: Daniel Petrylak
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2241 - KEYNOTE-641: Phase 3 Study of Pembrolizumab (pembro) Plus Enzalutamide for Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC)
Presenter: Julie Graff
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract