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
5760 - Landscape of PD-L1 expression status in Chinese solid tumor patients.
Presenter: Yi Zhong
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3733 - Anti-cancer and immunomodulatory effects of cobimetinib in triple negative breast cancer
Presenter: Chun-Yu Liu
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
4426 - Differential expression of immunoregulatory molecules and highly-associated cancer genes may provide novel insights into strategic trial design for therapeutics
Presenter: Jacob Adashek
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2752 - Insights into the Tumor Immune Microenvironment using Tissue Phenomics to Drive Cancer Immunotherapy
Presenter: Martin Groher
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
5713 - Immune competent somatic mosaic model of colorectal cancer
Presenter: Stefania Napolitano
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
1898 - Genomic correlates of response to anti-PDL1 Atezolizumab in non-small-cell lung cancer OAK and POPLAR trials
Presenter: Hari Singhal
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3246 - Erdafitinib (erda) versus available therapies in advanced urothelial cancer: A matching adjusted indirect comparison
Presenter: Yohann Loriot
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3311 - High level of activity of Nivolumab anti-PD-1 immunotherapy and favorable outcome in metastatic/refractory MSI-H non-colorectal cancer: Results of the MSI cohort from the French AcSé program
Presenter: Christophe Tournigand
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2314 - TP53 and ATM Co-mutation Predicts Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Presenter: Yu Chen
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
4692 - Immune cell biomarkers on neo-adjuvant chemo-immunotherapy treatment for resectable stage IIIA NSCLC patients
Presenter: Raquel Laza-Briviesca
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract