TNFRSF17 genomic profiling guides retreatment with alternative BCMA-directed immunotherapies in multiple myeloma.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Paola Neri.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
UNLABELLED: Genomic antigen loss is a recurring mechanism of resistance to chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) and T-cell engagers (TCE) in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). Yet, it remains unclear whether these events are acquired under treatment or merely selected from preexisting, undetectable clones. By leveraging chemotherapy mutational signatures as temporal barcodes within whole-genome sequencing data, we could time genomic antigen escape in 4 of 11 patients with RRMM. In all cases, the biallelic loss was driven by genomic events acquired after exposure to BCMA- and GPCR5D-targeted CAR-T/TCE and not present at baseline. Longitudinal digital PCR analysis corroborated that resistance mutations were undetectable at therapy initiation but emerged preceding relapse. Among 752 newly diagnosed patients, only 2.7% and 9% had monoallelic inactivation of TNFRSF17 and GPCR5D, respectively, with no biallelic loss. Our findings suggest limited utility of mutational screening prior to CAR-T/TCE while underscoring the importance of dynamic surveillance during therapy. SIGNIFICANCE: Multiple myeloma has been demonstrated to recurrently develop resistance to T-cell redirection via genomic antigen escape. By leveraging chemotherapy mutational signatures, we demonstrate that somatic antigen-escape mechanisms are uniformly acquired following treatment initiation and not selected from among preexisting clones, emphasizing the importance of dynamic longitudinal surveillance for their emergence. See related commentary by Kauer et al., p. 532.
Monoclonal antibodies targeting CD38 are a therapeutic mainstay in multiple myeloma (MM). Although they have contributed to improved outcomes, most patients still experience disease relapse, and little is known about tumor-intrinsic mechanisms of resistance to these drugs. Antigen escape has been implicated as a mechanism of tumor-cell evasion in immunotherapy. Yet, it is unknown whether MM cells can develop permanent resistance to anti-CD38 antibodies by acquiring genomic events leading to biallelic disruption of the CD38 gene locus. Here, we analyzed whole-genome and whole-exome sequencing data from patients 701 newly diagnosed MM, 67 patients at relapse with naivety to anti-CD38 antibodies, and 50 patients collected at relapse after anti-CD38 antibodies. We report a loss of CD38 in 10 of 50 patients (20%) after CD38 therapy, 3 of whom exhibited a loss of both copies. Two of these cases showed convergent evolution in which distinct subclones independently acquired similar advantageous variants. Functional studies on missense mutations involved in biallelic CD38 events revealed that 2 variants, L153H and C275Y, decreased binding affinity and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity of the commercial antibodies daratumumab and isatuximab. However, a third mutation, R140G, conferred selective resistance to daratumumab, while retaining sensitivity to isatuximab. Clinically, patients with MM are often rechallenged with CD38 antibodies after disease progression and these data suggest that next-generation sequencing may play a role in subsequent treatment selection for a subset of patients.