Abstract 5860
Background
Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial solid tumor in infancy. Some germline and somatic mutations associated with NB have been identified as activating mutations of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) oncogene. Because of the nature of NB, which can occur in the early post-natal life or even during fetal life, we evaluated the efficacy of a DNA vaccine against ALK in a spontaneous preclinical model of NB, harboring ALKF1174L mutation in association with MYCN amplification (ALKF1174L/MYCN mice) by means of maternal immunization (MI).
Methods
MYCN transgenic females were immunized against ALK by DNA vaccination by using a plasmid coding for the extracellular and trans-membrane domains of human ALK (ALK-ECTM) followed by electroporation, and then they were mated with an ALKF1174L-transgenic male. In ALKF1174L/MYCN offspring, the presence of abdominal, cervical and paraspinal tumors has been evaluated and quantified by Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The humoral immune response induced against ALK in the mothers and their offspring, as well as the presence of immune-complexes containing ALK, have been evaluated by ELISA. ALK expression in tumor tissue was assessed by Western blot.
Results
Pre-birth immunization against ALK leads to an extended survival time and to a lower tumor growth kinetic in ALKF1174L/MYCN offspring born from ALK-ECTM-vaccinated mothers (ALK-ECTM offspring) as compared to controls born from control empty vector-vaccinated mothers. Maternally derived anti-ALK antibodies were successfully transferred from mothers to newborns. Moreover, anti-ALK IgM were found in the sera of five- and six-week old ALK-ECTM offspring, suggesting the induction of the pups’ own immune response against ALK. This effect could be due to the breast milk-mediated transfer of immune-complexes containing ALK, found in the milk of vaccinated mothers and in their offspring sera. Finally, MI against ALK induces a decrease in ALK expression in ALK-ECTM offspring’ tumor tissue.
Conclusions
Overall, these results indicate that MI against ALK induces an active immunization against this oncoantigen in the offspring, impairing tumor development and enhancing survival time in a preclinical model of NB.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences.
Funding
Associazione Italiana per la ricerca sul Cancro.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Resources from the same session
3664 - Longitudinal changes in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) methylation levels identify early non-responders to treatment in advanced solid tumors
Presenter: Andrew Davis
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3212 - Multigene panel testing results for hereditary breast cancer in 1325 individuals: implications for gene selection and considerations for guidelines.
Presenter: Georgios Tsaousis
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2591 - PIK3R5 genetic predictors of hypertension induced by VEGF-pathway inhibitors
Presenter: Julia Quintanilha
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
4377 - ERBB2 mRNA as a predictor in HER2-positive (HER2+)/hormone receptor-positive (HR+) metastatic breast cancer (BC) treated with HER2 blockade in combination with endocrine therapy (ET): a retrospective analysis of the ALTERNATIVE and SOLTI-PAMELA trials.
Presenter: Nuria Chic
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3439 - Early on-treatment vs pre-treatment tumor transcriptomes as predictors of response to neoadjuvant therapy for HER2-positive inflammatory breast cancer
Presenter: Sonia Pernas
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2512 - AXL expression predicts poor prognosis and lack of efficacy of anti-angiogenic and anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) agents in patients (pts) with RAS wild type (WT) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC)
Presenter: Claudia Cardone
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
4061 - Prevalence of EGFR mutations and its correlation with Egyptian patients’ human kinetics (PEEK Study)
Presenter: Adel Ibrahim
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2547 - Evaluation of tumor microenvironment identifies immune correlates of response to combination immunotherapy with margetuximab (M) and pembrolizumab (P) in HER2+ gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEA)
Presenter: Sergio Rutella
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
4671 - Clinicopathological and molecular criteria assessment for the screening of hypermutated proficient mismatch repair (pMMR) colorectal cancers (CRC) with exonucleasic domain POLE (edPOLE) mutations (mt).
Presenter: Benoit Rousseau
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3862 - Tumor mutation burden and microsatellite instability in colorectal cancer
Presenter: Francesca Fenizia
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract