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Schmidt MW, Battista MJ, Schmidt M, Garcia M, Siepmann T, Hasenburg A, Anic K. Efficacy and Safety of Immunotherapy for Cervical Cancer—A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14020441. [PMID: 35053603 PMCID: PMC8773848 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14020441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose: To systematically review the current body of evidence on the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy for cervical cancer (CC). Material and Methods: Medline, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Web of Science were searched for prospective trials assessing immunotherapy in CC patients in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Full-text articles in English and German reporting outcomes of survival, response rates or safety were eligible. Results: Of 4655 screened studies, 51 were included (immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) n=20; therapeutic vaccines n = 25; adoptive cell transfer therapy n=9). Of these, one qualified as a phase III randomized controlled trial and demonstrated increased overall survival following treatment with pembrolizumab, chemotherapy and bevacizumab. A minority of studies included a control group (n = 7) or more than 50 patients (n = 15). Overall, response rates were low to moderate. No response to ICIs was seen in PD-L1 negative patients. However, few remarkable results were achieved in heavily pretreated patients. There were no safety concerns in any of the included studies. Conclusion: Strong evidence on the efficacy of strategies to treat recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer is currently limited to pembrolizumab in combination with chemotherapy and bevacizumab, which substantiates an urgent need for large confirmatory trials on alternative immunotherapies. Overall, there is sound evidence on the safety of immunotherapy in CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona W. Schmidt
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Centre Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (M.J.B.); (M.S.); (A.H.); (K.A.)
- Division of Health Care Sciences Center for Clinical Research and Management Education Dresden, Dresden International University, 01067 Dresden, Germany; (M.G.); (T.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-6131-17-0
| | - Marco J. Battista
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Centre Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (M.J.B.); (M.S.); (A.H.); (K.A.)
| | - Marcus Schmidt
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Centre Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (M.J.B.); (M.S.); (A.H.); (K.A.)
| | - Monique Garcia
- Division of Health Care Sciences Center for Clinical Research and Management Education Dresden, Dresden International University, 01067 Dresden, Germany; (M.G.); (T.S.)
- Department of Medicine, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais (PUC MG), Betim 32604-115, Brazil
| | - Timo Siepmann
- Division of Health Care Sciences Center for Clinical Research and Management Education Dresden, Dresden International University, 01067 Dresden, Germany; (M.G.); (T.S.)
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Annette Hasenburg
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Centre Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (M.J.B.); (M.S.); (A.H.); (K.A.)
| | - Katharina Anic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Centre Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (M.J.B.); (M.S.); (A.H.); (K.A.)
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Wolf GT, Moyer JS, Kaplan MJ, Newman JG, Egan JE, Berinstein NL, Whiteside TL. IRX-2 natural cytokine biologic for immunotherapy in patients with head and neck cancers. Onco Targets Ther 2018; 11:3731-3746. [PMID: 29988729 PMCID: PMC6029613 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s165411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is an immunosuppressive malignancy characterized by tumor-driven immune-system abnormalities that contribute to disease progression. For patients with surgically resectable HNSCC, treatment is often curative surgery followed by irradiation or chemoradiation in high-risk settings to reduce the risk of recurrence. Poor survival and considerable morbidity of current treatments suggest the need for new therapeutic modalities that can improve outcomes. Defects in antitumor immunity of HNSCC patients include suppressed dendritic cell (DC) maturation, deficient antigen-presenting cell function, compromised natural killer (NK)-cell cytotoxicity, increased apoptosis of activated T lymphocytes, and impaired immune-cell migration to tumor sites. Strategies for relieving immunosuppression and restoring antitumor immune functions could benefit HNSCC patients. IRX-2 is a primary cell-derived biologic consisting of physiologic levels of T-helper type 1 cytokines produced by stimulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells of normal donors with phytohemagglutinin. The primary active components in IRX-2 are IL2, IL1β, IFNγ, and TNFα. In vitro, IRX-2 acts on multiple immune-system cell types, including DCs, T cells, and NK cells, to overcome tumor-mediated immunosuppression. In clinical settings, IRX-2 is administered as part of a 21-day neoadjuvant regimen, which includes additional pharmacologic agents (low-dose cyclophosphamide, indomethacin, and zinc) to promote anticancer immunoresponses. In a Phase IIA trial in 27 patients with surgically resectable, previously untreated HNSCC, neoadjuvant IRX-2 increased infiltration of T cells, B cells, and DCs into tumors and was associated with radiological reductions in tumor size. Event-free survival was 64% at 2 years, and overall 5-year survival was 65%. Follow-up and data analysis are under way in the multicenter, randomized, Phase IIB INSPIRE trial evaluating the IRX-2 regimen as a stand-alone therapy for activating the immune system to recognize and attack tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory T Wolf
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI,
| | - Jeffrey S Moyer
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI,
| | - Michael J Kaplan
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA
| | - Jason G Newman
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | | | - Theresa L Whiteside
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Da Silva DM, Woodham AW, Naylor PH, Egan JE, Berinstein NL, Kast WM. Immunostimulatory Activity of the Cytokine-Based Biologic, IRX-2, on Human Papillomavirus-Exposed Langerhans Cells. J Interferon Cytokine Res 2015; 36:291-301. [PMID: 26653678 PMCID: PMC4854212 DOI: 10.1089/jir.2015.0115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Langerhans cells (LCs) are the antigen-presenting cells of the epithelial layer and are responsible for initiating immune responses against skin and mucosa-invading viruses. Human papillomavirus (HPV)-mediated suppression of LC function is a crucial mechanism of HPV immune evasion, which can lead to persistent infection and development of several human cancers, including cervical, anal, and head and neck cancers. The cell-derived cytokine-based biologic, IRX-2, consists of multiple well-defined cytokines and is broadly active on various immune cell subsets. In this study, we investigated primary human LC activation after exposure to HPV16, followed by treatment with IRX-2 in vitro, and evaluated their subsequent ability to induce HPV16-specific T cells. In contrast to its activity on dendritic cells, HPV16 alone is not sufficient to induce phenotypic and functional activation of LCs. However, IRX-2 induces a significant upregulation of antigen presentation and costimulatory molecules, T helper 1 (Th1)-associated cytokine release, and chemokine-directed migration of LCs pre-exposed to HPV16. Furthermore, LCs treated with IRX-2 after HPV16 exposure induced CD8+ T-cell responses against specific HLA-A*0201-binding HPV16 T-cell epitopes. The present study suggests that IRX-2 is an attractive immunomodulator for assisting the immune response in eradication of HPV-infected cells, thereby potentially preventing HPV-induced cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane M Da Silva
- 1 Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California.,2 Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California
| | - Andrew W Woodham
- 3 Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California
| | - Paul H Naylor
- 4 Department of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine , Detroit, Michigan
| | | | | | - W Martin Kast
- 1 Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California.,2 Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California.,3 Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California
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Hussain M, Javeed A, Ashraf M, Al-Zaubai N, Stewart A, Mukhtar MM. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, tumour immunity and immunotherapy. Pharmacol Res 2012; 66:7-18. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2012.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2012] [Accepted: 02/14/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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IRX-2, a novel immunotherapeutic, protects human T cells from tumor-induced cell death. Cell Death Differ 2009; 16:708-18. [PMID: 19180118 DOI: 10.1038/cdd.2008.197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
IRX-2 is a cytokine-based biologic agent that has the potential to enhance antitumor immune responses. We investigated whether IRX-2 can protect T cells from tumor-induced apoptosis. Tumor-derived microvesicles (MV) expressing FasL were purified from supernatants of tumor cells and incubated with activated CD8(+) T cells. MV induced significant CD8(+) T-cell apoptosis, as evidenced by Annexin binding (64.4+/-6.4%), caspase activation (58.1+/-7.6%), a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (82.9+/-3.9%) and DNA fragmentation. T-cell pretreatment with IRX-2 prevented apoptosis. IRX-2-mediated cytoprotection was dose and time dependent and was comparable to effects of IL-2, IL-7 or IL-15. IRX-2 prevented MV-induced downregulation of JAK3 and TCRzeta chain and induced STAT5 activation in T cells. IRX-2 prevented MV-induced Bax and Bim upregulation (P<0.005-0.05), prevented cytochrome c release and Bid cleavage, and concurrently restored the expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, FLIP and Mcl-1 (P<0.005-0.01) in T cells. In addition, IRX-2 reversed MV-induced inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway. An Akt inhibitor (Akti-1/2) abrogated protective effects of IRX-2, suggesting that Akt is a downstream target of IRX-2 signaling. Thus, ex vivo pretreatment of CD8(+) T cells with IRX-2 provided potent protection from tumor-induced apoptosis. IRX-2 application to future cancer biotherapies could improve their effectiveness by bolstering T-cell resistance to tumor-induced immunosuppression.
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Abstract
A 25-year-old white woman with a vaginal invasive epidermal carcinoma was treated with interferon-α 2b (3,000,000 U intralesional, every two days for a total of 18 applications). Follow-up with Papanicolaou and colposcopy showed complete regression of the vaginal lesion. After three years the patient got pregnant. The prenatal course was uneventful and a vaginal delivery was performed. She is currently in follow-up without any signs of recurrence.
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Kather A, Ferrara A, Nonn M, Schinz M, Nieland J, Schneider A, Dürst M, Kaufmann AM. Identification of a naturally processed HLA-A*0201 HPV18 E7 T cell epitope by tumor cell mediated in vitro vaccination. Int J Cancer 2003; 104:345-53. [PMID: 12569558 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.10940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy of HPV-associated disease such as cervical cancer is moving from preclinical investigation to clinical trials. The viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 are ideal target antigens because their expression is mandatory in HPV-transformed tumor cells. T cells are the most important effector cells for therapeutic vaccination strategies. Therefore, the identification and characterization of HPV E6 and E7 T cell epitopes is necessary. Methods to date rely on screening for immunogenicity of peptides predicted by algorithms. Presentation of the identified peptides on tumor cells, however, needs to be confirmed. In our study, we have improved the method to identify peptide epitopes of HPV18 E7 that are actually presented by tumor cells. We induced allogeneic T-cell lines by stimulation with HPV18-positive, CD80 and HLA-A*0201 transfected cervical cancer cells. Sensitized T cells were probed against an array of a HPV18 E7 20mer peptide-library. We found specific reactivity to one of the 20mer peptides. This sequence was then screened via algorithms for putative epitopes. One putative HLA-A2 restricted epitope was confirmed to bind to HLA-A2, to be immunogenic and to induce IFN gamma-release in ELISpot assays. Epitope-specific T cells were cytolytic toward autologous peptide pulsed targets and HPV18 transformed tumor cells. The identification of epitope-specific T cells in tumor infiltrating lymphocytes of a HPV18-positive HLA-matched cervical cancer patient suggests an in vivo relevance of the identified epitope. We suggest that our approach is advantageous over conventional methods, because it yields candidate peptides that are relevant CTL epitopes that are expressed, processed and presented by tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Kather
- Gynäkologische Molekularbiologie, Frauenklinik FSU Jena, Jena, Germany
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