Associations of PD-L1, PD-L2, and HLA class I expression with responses to immunotherapy in patients with advanced sarcoma: post hoc analysis of a phase 1/2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Although immunotherapy is thought to be a promising cancer treatment, most patients do not respond to immunotherapy. In this post hoc analysis of a phase 1/2 study, associations of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), PD-L2, and HLA class I expressions with responses to dendritic cells (DCs)-based immunotherapy were investigated in patients with advanced sarcoma. METHODS: This study enrolled 35 patients with metastatic and/or recurrent sarcomas who underwent DC-based immunotherapy. The associations of PD-L1, PD-L2, and HLA class I expressions in tumor specimens, which were resected before immunotherapy, with immune responses (increases of IFN-γ and IL-12) and oncological outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Patients who were PD-L2 (+) showed lower increases of IFN-γ and IL-12 after DC-based immunotherapy than patients who were PD-L2 (-). The disease control (partial response or stable disease) rates of patients who were PD-L1 (+) and PD-L1 (-) were 0% and 22%, respectively. Disease control rates of patients who were PD-L2 (+) and PD-L2 (-) were 13% and 22%, respectively. Patients who were PD-L1 (+) tumors had significantly poorer overall survival compared with patients who were PD-L1 (-). No associations of HLA class I expression with the immune response or oncological outcomes were observed. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that PD-L1 and PD-L2 are promising biomarkers of DC-based immunotherapy, and that addition of immune checkpoint inhibitors to DC-based immunotherapy may improve the outcomes of DC-based immunotherapy.

Characterization of tumour virus proteins. I. Radioimmunoassay of the P27 protein of avian viruses.

The major structural protein of avian oncornaviruses, a core component of about 27000 daltons, has been measured by radioimmunoassay. The purified protein was labelled with 125Iodine by chloramine-T method. The immune serum titer was defined as the highest serum dilution able to precipitate 50% of the labelled antigen present in the system. Standard competition curve was constructed in order to determine the equivalents of protein, in a system with limiting antibody concentration. In the experimental conditions used, 0.14 ng of AMV-P27 inhibited 50% of 125I-AMV-P27 (1.0 ng) precipitation. The 125I-AMV-P27 vs anti-AMV-P27 system was used to study the competition of normal cells, purified virus suspension, productive cells and supernatant fluids. Most of the chicken embryo fibroblasts showed expression of this viral component. The phenomena of cell transformation, the increase in total protein, and the expression of P27 were studied in rapid transformation of CEF by RSV-SRA.

Characterization of tumour virus proteins. II. Expression of the protein P30 in transformed productive and non-productive Ki/NRK cells.

The structural protein of murine tumour virus P30 has been measured by radioimmunoassay. The titer of each serum was determined by using as antigen the purified Rauscher viral protein labeled with 125iodine. Standard competition curve was constructed in order to determine the equivalent of protein to inhibit the precipitation reaction under limited antibody concentration. Competition by purifed Kirsten virus suspension, normal rat kidney cells, transformed-productive and transformed non-productive cells were measured in homologous and heterologous system. Type, group and interspecies determinants were characterized using the proper antigen-antibody system. Once the proteins have interspecie determinants, it is possible that we might be able to use some mammalian virus protein as tool to determine the presence of viral protein in human processes.