Immune-modulating effects of bevacizumab in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer patients

Cirino Botta, Gabriella Misso, Cirino Botta, Pierpaolo Pastina, Mg Cusi, Claudia Gandolfo, Ec Martino, Francesca Vanni, Lombardi, Pierpaolo Correale, Francesca Capone, Caraglia, Ulivieri, Pierfrancesco Tassone, Luigi Pirtoli, Pierosandro Tagliaferri, Susan Costantini

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

53 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The mPEBev is an anticancer regimen which combines a chemotherapy doublet, based on cisplatin and oral etoposide (mPE), with bevacizumab (mPEBev), a mAb targeting the vasculo-endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In previous studies, this regimen showed powerful anti-angiogenetic effects and significant antitumor activity in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) patients. We also recorded the best benefit in patients exhibiting low-systemic inflammatory profile at baseline. On these bases, we hypothesized that mPEBev antitumor activity could be partially related to bevacizumab-associated immunological effects. For this reason, we performed an immunological monitoring in 59 out of 120 stage IIIb-IV NSCLC patients enrolled in the BEVA2007 phase II trial, who received fractioned cisplatin (30 mg/sqm days 1-3q21) and oral etoposide (50 mg, days 1-15q21) (mPE doublet) ±bevacizumab. In this group of patients, 12 received the mPE doublet alone and 47 the doublet in combination with bevacizumab (5 mg/kg on the day 3q21; mPEBev regimen). Blood cell counts, serum analysis, multiplex cytokine assay and immunocytofluorimetric analysis, performed on baseline and post-treatment on blood samples from these patients, revealed that bevacizumab addition to the doublet decreased levels of pro-angiogenic (VEGF, Angiostatin-1 and Follistatin) and inflammatory cytokines (interferon (IFN)γ, IL4 and IL17), improved in vivo and in vitro cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) response and promoted dendritic cell activation. These results suggest that the mPEBev regimen improve the micro-environmental conditions for an efficient antigen-specific CTL response, making it a feasible candidate regimen to be assessed in combination with immune-checkpoint inhibitors in NSCLC patients.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages8
JournalCell Death Discovery
Publication statusPublished - 2016

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Immunology
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Cancer Research

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