Di Pilato, M.* ; Gao, Y.* ; Sun, Y.* ; Fu, A.* ; Grass, C. ; Seeholzer, T. ; Feederle, R. ; Mazo, I.* ; Kazer, S.W.* ; Litchfield, K.* ; von Andrian, U.H.* ; Mempel, T.R.* ; Jenkins, R.W.* ; Krappmann, D. ; Keller, P.*
Translational studies using the MALT1 inhibitor (S)-mepazine to induce Treg fragility and potentiate immune checkpoint therapy in cancer.
J. Immunother. Precis. Oncol. 6, 61-73 (2023)
INTRODUCTION: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a critical role in the maintenance of immune homeostasis but also protect tumors from immune-mediated growth control or rejection and pose a significant barrier to effective immunotherapy. Inhibition of MALT1 paracaspase activity can selectively reprogram immune-suppressive Tregs in the tumor microenvironment to adopt a proinflammatory fragile state, which offers an opportunity to impede tumor growth and enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint therapy (ICT). METHODS: We performed preclinical studies with the orally available allosteric MALT1 inhibitor (S)-mepazine as a single-agent and in combination with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) ICT to investigate its pharmacokinetic properties and antitumor effects in several murine tumor models as well as patient-derived organotypic tumor spheroids (PDOTS). RESULTS: (S)-mepazine demonstrated significant antitumor effects and was synergistic with anti-PD-1 therapy in vivo and ex vivo but did not affect circulating Treg frequencies in healthy rats at effective doses. Pharmacokinetic profiling revealed favorable drug accumulation in tumors to concentrations that effectively blocked MALT1 activity, potentially explaining preferential effects on tumor-infiltrating over systemic Tregs. CONCLUSIONS: The MALT1 inhibitor (S)-mepazine showed single-agent anticancer activity and presents a promising opportunity for combination with PD-1 pathway-targeted ICT. Activity in syngeneic tumor models and human PDOTS was likely mediated by induction of tumor-associated Treg fragility. This translational study supports ongoing clinical investigations (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04859777) of MPT-0118, (S)-mepazine succinate, in patients with advanced or metastatic treatment-refractory solid tumors.
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Publikationstyp
Artikel: Journalartikel
Dokumenttyp
Wissenschaftlicher Artikel
Typ der Hochschulschrift
Herausgeber
Schlagwörter
Malt1 ; Cancer Immunotherapy ; Fragile Tregs ; Interferon-γ ; Regulatory T Cells
Keywords plus
Sprache
englisch
Veröffentlichungsjahr
2023
Prepublished im Jahr
0
HGF-Berichtsjahr
2023
ISSN (print) / ISBN
2666-2345
e-ISSN
2590-017X
ISBN
Bandtitel
Konferenztitel
Konferzenzdatum
Konferenzort
Konferenzband
Quellenangaben
Band: 6,
Heft: 2,
Seiten: 61-73
Artikelnummer: ,
Supplement: ,
Reihe
Verlag
Innovative Healthcare Institute
Verlagsort
Tag d. mündl. Prüfung
0000-00-00
Betreuer
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Topic
Hochschule
Hochschulort
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Veröffentlichungsdatum
0000-00-00
Anmeldedatum
0000-00-00
Anmelder/Inhaber
weitere Inhaber
Anmeldeland
Priorität
Begutachtungsstatus
Peer reviewed
Institut(e)
Research Unit Signaling and Translation (SAT)
CF Monoclonal Antibodies (CF-MAB)
POF Topic(s)
30203 - Molecular Targets and Therapies
30201 - Metabolic Health
Forschungsfeld(er)
Enabling and Novel Technologies
Helmholtz Diabetes Center
PSP-Element(e)
G-509800-002
G-502210-001
Förderungen
Copyright
Erfassungsdatum
2023-10-06