Graft-versus-leukemia

Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

1) Leukemia antigens: Two antigens which induce powerful and leukemia-specific cytotoxic T cell responses have been extensively studied by our group: PR1, a nonapeptide sequence shared by proteinase-3 and human neutrophil elastase, first described in our laboratory, and peptide sequences from the tumor antigen Wilms tumor-1 (WT-1). We found low numbers of circulating antigen-specific T-cells recognizing WT-1 and PR1 in normal donors, higher numbers in patients and highest numbers in patients post-transplant. These T-cells are largely of memory phenotype implying that they have escaped central tolerance mechanisms and importantly represent a T cell population that has the potential to rapidly expand upon antigen stimulation. Following SCT, the higher numbers of such antigen-specific T-cells suggests that post-transplant conditions are favorable for expansion of T cells with potential GVL reactivity. We have developed combined WT-1 and PR1 peptide vaccine protocols to enhance the chance of an antileukemic response. A safety study to evaluate toxicity of a single dose of each vaccine has accrued 8 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome. Only local reactions to the vaccine were noted, and in all patients there was an immediate increase (doubling or greater) in the frequency of PR1 or WT1 tetramer specific T-cells as well as antigen-induced IFN-gamma producing T cells, together with a brief fall in WT-1 mRNA expression (used as a measure of disease burden). These encouraging results pave the way for a phase II study evaluating 6 two-weekly vaccinations in patients with hematological malignancies at risk from relapse or disease progression. Patients with more aggressive leukemias and those who relapse after SCT, are entered into a separate study exploring the use of WT-1 vaccine following fludarabine-induced lymphopenia and infusion of autologous lymphocytes (previously collected by apheresis). The trial will determine whether transfused lymphocytes boosted by vaccine expand more readily in a lymphopenic environment and provide better immune control of hematological malignancies.[unreadable] [unreadable] 2) Transfer of immunity from donor to recipient and lymphocyte recovery post-transplant: We found expansions of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and leukemia-specific T- cells early post-transplant indicating that the homeostatic drive from the lymphopenic environment can induce massive expansions of transplanted donor T cells. We found that higher donor regulatory T cell (TREG) frequencies were associated with significantly lower risks of severe GVHD. Therefore determining the TREG levels in the donor and manipulating TREG early after transplantation may provide a new approach to controlling GVHD but may also modulate GVL effects. To study immune recovery we explored the impact of the day 30 lymphocyte count on transplant outcome. In 54 patients transplanted for myeloid or lymphoid malignancies we found a favorable effect of above median day 30 natural killer (NK) cell count on transplant outcome. We found that occurrence in the donor of three killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genes: 2DLA5, 2DS1 and 3DS1 was also associated with significantly less relapse, less acute GVHD, and reduced TRM. Patients with these genotypes were also significantly more likely to have NK cell counts above the median. In a multivariate analysis, NK cell count was the only factor significant for outcome (survival, relapse, TRM). Our CMV pp65 vaccine trial provides the opportunity to test whether boosting donor immunity to CMV prior to transplantation results in transfer to the recipient of enhanced immunity to CMV. We gave three doses of CMV-pp65 (Sanofi-Pasteur, Lyon, France) vaccine to normal donors and measured CD4+ and CD8+ Tcell responses to a pp65 peptide library. Peak responses were seen 1-4 days after second vaccination. The vaccine was well-tolerated and induced pp65 cellular immunity in CMV-nave individuals as well as boosting responses in CMV-experienced individuals.[unreadable] [unreadable] 3) Translational research and clinical trials A long-term project of our group has been to develop a technique for the selective depletion (SD) from the graft of donor T cells recognizing GVHD-associated antigens to allow post-transplant reconstitution of immunity without GVHD, thereby avoiding the need for immunosuppression. The first SD study, completed in 2006, found a reduced risk of severe GVHD affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Lymphocyte recovery was prompt and TRM was low. Overall survival was 40%, associated with high disease relapse rates. This SD technique used had many limitations. We therefore developed an improved SD approach using photodepletion in collaboration with Kiadis Inc. (Amsterdam, Netherlands). This approach is now being tested in a clinical trial to develop an immunosuppression-free SCT. The study will evaluate the requirement for cyclosporine GVHD prophylaxis. We are also exploring the ability of T cell antigen-presenting cells (T-APC) to generate CMV-specific and leukemia-specific T cells for adoptive transfer after SCT. We have established a collaboration with MaxCyte, Gaithersburg, MD, to electroporate T-APC with viral and leukemia antigen- encoding DNA to generate T cells for clinical use. [unreadable] [unreadable] 4) Clinical trials with T cell depleted SCT from HLA identical sibling donors for patients with hematological malignancy. The current protocol, is designed to evaluate safety and efficacy of the Miltenyi CliniMACs system to achieve T cell depletion. The protocol will accrue up to 68 subjects aged 10-75 years. Subjects receive a conditioning regimen of cyclophosphamide, fludarabine and total body irradiation 1200cGy (or 400cGy if over 55 years), followed by an infusion of a selected CD34+ cells , low dose cyclosporine and a donor lymphocyte infusion on day 90. We also initiated a long-term follow-up protocol of our own transplant survivors in 2005. Over 100 patients transplanted 3-14 years ago are enrolled. The study has proved to be richly rewarding for new findings. Notably we found that osteopenia is extremely common in long-term survivors, pulmonary function defects persist and may worsen and more than 30% of patients have hypothyroidism.