Citations

We analyzed 131 human brains (44 neurotypical, 19 with Tourette syndrome, 9 with schizophrenia, and 59 with autism) for somatic mutations after whole genome sequencing to a depth of more than 200×. Typically, brains had 20 to 60 detectable single-nucleotide mutations, but ~6% of brains harbored hundreds of somatic mutations. Hypermutability was associated with age and damaging mutations in genes implicated in cancers and, in some brains, reflected in vivo clonal expansions. Somatic duplications, likely arising during development, were found in ~5% of normal and diseased brains, reflecting background mutagenesis. Brains with autism were associated with mutations creating putative transcription factor binding motifs in enhancer-like regions in the developing brain. The top-ranked affected motifs corresponded to MEIS (myeloid ectopic viral integration site) transcription factors, suggesting a potential link between their involvement in gene regulation and autism.

Abstract Lysyl oxidase (LOX) is a copper‐dependent monoamine oxidase whose primary function is the covalent cross‐linking of collagen in the extracellular matrix (ECM). Evidence has shown that LOX is associated with cancer and some fibrotic conditions. We recently found that serum LOX is a potential diagnostic biomarker for renal fibrosis, but the mechanism by which LOX is regulated and contributes to renal fibrosis remains unknown. The current study demonstrates the following: (1) LOX expression was increased in fibrotic kidneys including ischemia‐reperfusion injury‐(IRI‐), unilateral ureteral obstruction‐(UUO‐), and folic acid‐ (FA‐) induced fibrotic kidneys as well as in the paraffin‐embedded sections of human kidneys from the patients with renal fibrosis. (2) The increasing deposition and cross‐linking of collagen induced by LOX was observed in IRI‐, UUO‐ and FA‐kidneys. (3) LOX was regulated by the β‐arrestin‐ERK‐STAT3 pathway in renal fibrosis. STAT3 was the downstream of AT1R‐β‐arrestin‐ERK, ERK entered the nucleus and activated STAT3‐pY705 but not STAT3‐pS727. (4) STAT3 nuclear subtranslocation and binding to the LOX promoter may be responsible for the upregulation of LOX expression. (5) Pharmacologic inhibition of LOX with BAPN in vivo inhibited the upregulation of LOX, decreased collagen over cross‐linking and ameliorated renal fibrosis after ischemic injury. Collectively, these observations suggest that LOX plays an essential role in the development of renal fibrosis by catalyzing collagen over cross‐linking. Thus, strategies targeting LOX could be a new avenue in developing therapeutics against renal fibrosis.

6080 Background: Alterations in RET are targetable oncogenic drivers in TC. Pralsetinib is a highly potent, selective RET inhibitor, with demonstrated efficacy in pts with RET-altered TC. In a previous analysis of the Phase I/II ARROW trial (NCT03037385; data cutoff: 22 May 2020), overall response rates [ORR; measurable-disease population] with pralsetinib at 400 mg once daily (QD) were 60% (33/55) and 71% (15/21) in pts with RET-mutant medullary TC ( RET-mutant MTC) who had received prior multikinase inhibitors cabozantinib and/or vandetanib (C/V), and those who were treatment naïve, respectively, and 89% (8/9) in pts with previously treated RET fusion-positive TC ( RET-fp TC). Here we report an updated analysis of these cohorts in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population. Methods: Adult pts with RET-altered locally advanced/metastatic TC who had enrolled in ARROW and initiated pralsetinib at 400 mg QD, were included. Phase II primary endpoints: ORR (by blinded independent central review, per RECIST v1.1) and safety. Efficacy endpoints for this analysis were assessed in the ITT population. Safety was assessed in all pts with RET-altered TC who initiated pralsetinib at 400 mg QD. Enrolment cutoff: 23 August 2020 for the ITT population; data cutoff: 12 April 2021. Results: The ITT population comprised 145 pts with RET-mutant MTC (with or without prior systemic therapy, including C/V) and 22 pts with RET-fp TC, 21 of whom had received prior systemic therapy (including multikinase inhibitor[s] and/or radioactive iodine). In pts with RET-mutant MTC who had received prior C/V (n = 67), ORR was 51% (34/67; 95% CI 38–63; 2 complete responses [CR]; 32 partial responses [PR]), median duration of response (DoR) was 25.8 months (95% CI 18.0–not reached [NR]) and median progression-free survival (PFS) was 24.9 months (95% CI 19.7–31.2). In treatment-naïve pts with RET-mutant MTC, ORR was 72% (48/67; 95% CI 59–82; 4 CR; 44 PR), and median DoR and median PFS were not reached. In pts with previously treated RET-fp TC, ORR was 86% (18/21; 95% CI 64–97; 3 CR; 15 PR), median DoR was 17.5 months (95% CI 16.0–NR) and median PFS was 19.4 months (95% CI 13.0–NR). Median overall survival (OS) was not reached in any of the cohorts. The safety population comprised 172 pts with RET-altered TC treated at 400 mg QD. The most common treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were increased aspartate aminotransferase (n = 67; 39%), anemia (n = 60; 35%), hypertension (n = 57; 33%) and decreased white blood cell count (n = 52; 30%). Serious TRAEs were reported in 27 pts (16%); the most frequent was pneumonitis (n = 5; 3%). Nine pts (5%) discontinued pralsetinib due to a TRAE and one patient ( < 1%) died due to a TRAE ( pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia) following 44 days ( < 3 cycles) on pralsetinib. Conclusions: In this updated analysis including more pts, pralsetinib continues to be efficacious with a manageable safety profile in pts with RET-altered TC. Clinical trial information: NCT03037385.

Abstract Contemporary approaches for vaccination and immunotherapy are often capable of eliciting strong T-cell responses against tumor antigens. However, such responses are not parallel to clinical tumor regression. The development of evasion mechanisms within tumor microenvironment may be responsible for poor therapeutic responses. We report here that constitutive or inducible expression of B7-H1, a B7 family molecule widely expressed by cancers, confers resistance to therapeutic anti-CD137 antibody in mice with established tumors. The resistance is accompanied with failure of antigen-specific CD8+ CTLs to destroy tumor cells without impairment of CTL function. Blockade of B7-H1 or PD-1 by specific monoclonal antibodies could reverse this resistance and profoundly enhance therapeutic efficacy. Our findings support that B7-H1/PD-1 forms a molecular shield to prevent destruction by CTLs and implicate new approaches for immunotherapy of human cancers.

Abstract Seven different anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies are now widely used in the US to treat a variety of cancer types, but there have been no clinical trials comparing them directly. Furthermore, because many of these antibodies do not cross react between mouse and human proteins, no preclinical models exist in which to consider these types of questions. Thus, we produced humanized PD-1 and PD-L1 mice in which the extracellular domains of both mouse PD-1 and PD-L1 were replaced with the corresponding human sequences. Using this new model, we sought to compare the strength of the immune response generated by FDA-approved antibodies. To do this, we performed an in vivo T cell priming assay in which anti-PD-1/L1 therapies were given at the time of T cell priming against surrogate tumor antigen (OVA), followed by subsequent B16-OVA tumor challenge. We found that anti-PD-1/L1-treated mice exhibited significantly better tumor rejection than controls, although both the control and antibody-treated mice generated comparable numbers of OVA-specific T cells at the time of priming. To determine what could mediate this strong antitumor immune response, we identified the increased production of CX3CR1+PD-1+CD8+ cytotoxic T cells in the anti-PD-1/L1-treated mice, the same subset of effector T cells known to increase in clinical responders to PD-1/L1 therapy. Thus, our model permits the direct comparison of FDA-approved anti-PD-1/L1 monoclonal antibodies and further correlates successful tumor rejection with the level of CX3CR1+PD-1+CD8 + T cells, making this model a critical tool for future studies to optimize and better utilize anti-PD-1/L1 therapeutics.

Skeletal muscle atrophy is commonly associated with aging, immobilization, muscle unloading, and congenital myopathies. Generation of mature muscle cells from skeletal muscle satellite cells (SCs) is pivotal in repairing muscle tissue. Exercise therapy promotes muscle hypertrophy and strength. Primary cilium is implicated as the mechanical sensor in some mammalian cells, but its role in skeletal muscle cells remains vague. To determine mechanical sensors for exercise-induced muscle hypertrophy, we established three SC-specific cilium dysfunctional mouse models— Myogenic factor 5 ( Myf5 ) -Arf-like Protein 3 ( Arl3 ) −/− , Paired box protein Pax-7 ( Pax7 )- Intraflagellar transport protein 88 homolog ( Ift88 ) −/− , and Pax7-Arl3 −/− —by specifically deleting a ciliary protein ARL3 in MYF5-expressing SCs, or IFT88 in PAX7-expressing SCs, or ARL3 in PAX7-expressing SCs, respectively. We show that the Myf5-Arl3 −/− mice develop grossly the same as WT mice. Intriguingly, mechanical stimulation-induced muscle hypertrophy or myoblast differentiation is abrogated in Myf5-Arl3 −/− and Pax7-Arl3 −/− mice or primary isolated Myf5-Arl3 −/− and Pax7-Ift88 −/− myoblasts, likely due to defective cilia-mediated Hedgehog (Hh) signaling. Collectively, we demonstrate SC cilia serve as mechanical sensors and promote exercise-induced muscle hypertrophy via Hh signaling pathway.