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IMMUNOMONITORING OF CD19. CAR T-CELLS IN LARGE B-CELL LYMPHOMA- A TWO-CENTER EXPERIENCE

Blumenberg V, Völkl S, Busch G, Baumann S, Winkelmann M, Tast B, Nixdorf D, Haenel G, Froelich L, Schmidt C, Jitschin R, Vettermann F, Kunz W, Mougiakakos D, Von Bergwelt M, Buecklein V, Mackensen A, Subklewe M (2021)

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Publication Type: Conference contribution

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Publisher: BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP

City/Town: LONDON

Pages Range: A16-A16

Conference Proceedings Title: JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER

DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-ITOC8.30

Abstract

Background: CD19. CAR T-cells for the treatment of relapsed and refractory (r/r) Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) demonstrated complete responses in 40%-58% of the patients. Recently, others could associate high tumor volume and low CAR T-cell expansion in vivo with poor outcome. We hypothesize, that the expansion and immunphenotype of (CAR) T cells in vivo determine treatment response and depend on patient- and disease associated factors. Materials and Methods Patients with r/r DLBCL (n=34) were treated with either Axi-cel or Tisa-cel at the University Hospitals of Erlangen and Munich (LMU). The CAR T-cell product and peripheral blood were collected on day 0, 4, 7, 14, 30, 60 and 90 post transfusion. CAR T-cells were detected through flow cytometry utilizing a two step-staining with a biotinylated CD19 protein. Effector:Target (E:T) Ratios were estimated as absolute peak expansion of CAR T-cells (/ul) per tumorvolume (cm3). Responder (R, complete or partial remission) were compared to Non-Responder (NR, table or progressive disease) according to response assessment with PET-CT three months after transfusion.

Results: CAR T-cell expansion peaked between day 7 and day 14 after transfusion with a greater expansion of CD8+compared to CD8- CAR T-cells on day 14 (59.27% vs 37.42%, p=0.021). The ratio of CD8+ and CD8- CAR T-cells did not differ between R and NR, however R exhibited higher E:T ratios of CD3+ CAR T-cells compared to NR (20.94 vs 12.81, p=0.015) and an increased E:T ratio of CD8+ CAR T-cells correlated with better progression-free survival (p=0.033). Interestingly, high CRP and ferritin levels at baseline were inversely associated with the E:T ratio (p=0.048 and p=0.017). CD3+ CAR T-cells of R showed earlier peak expression of PD-1 than NR (day 7 vs day 21). Further, peak expansion of CD3+ CAR T-cells correlated with higher PD-1 expression in R but not in NR (p=0.003 vs p=0.12). In addition, R revealed an increased relative frequency of effector memory differentiated CD3+ CAR T-cells (CCR7-CD45RA-, p=0.02), whereas CAR T-cells in NR showed an increased relative frequency of a naïve phenotype (CCR7+CD45RA+, p=0.001) on day 7 post infusion.

Conclusions: Flow-based immunomonitoring with longitudinal characterization of CAR T-cells demonstrated a correlation of the E:T ratio with treatment response and survival. Increased inflammatory conditions at baseline correlated with diminished E:T ratios. Notably, in R CAR peak expansion was positively associated with higher PD-1 expression suggestive for superior CAR T-cell activation. In addition, greater memory differentiation was associated with efficacy during the time of peak expansion. Multiparameter analysis with other clinical covariates will show, whether CAR T-cell expansion and immunphenotypes can predict patient outcome.

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How to cite

APA:

Blumenberg, V., Völkl, S., Busch, G., Baumann, S., Winkelmann, M., Tast, B.,... Subklewe, M. (2021). IMMUNOMONITORING OF CD19. CAR T-CELLS IN LARGE B-CELL LYMPHOMA- A TWO-CENTER EXPERIENCE. In JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER (pp. A16-A16). LONDON: BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP.

MLA:

Blumenberg, V., et al. "IMMUNOMONITORING OF CD19. CAR T-CELLS IN LARGE B-CELL LYMPHOMA- A TWO-CENTER EXPERIENCE." Proceedings of the JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER LONDON: BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP, 2021. A16-A16.

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