Abstract
To target mechanisms critical for multiple myeloma (MM) plasma cell adaptations to genomic instabilities and further sustain MM cell killing, we here specifically trigger DNA damage response (DDR) in MM cells by a novel BCMA antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) delivering the DNA cross-linking PBD dimer tesirine, MEDI2228. MEDI2228, more effectively than its anti-tubulin MMAF-ADC homolog, induces cytotoxicity against MM cells regardless of drug resistance, BCMA levels, p53 status, and the protection conferred by bone marrow stromal cells and IL-6. Distinctly, prior to apoptosis, MEDI2228 activates DDRs in MM cells via phosphorylation of ATM/ATR kinases, CHK1/2, CDK1/2, and H2AX, associated with expression of DDR-related genes. Significantly, MEDI2228 synergizes with DDR inhibitors (DDRi s) targeting ATM/ATR/WEE1 checkpoints to induce MM cell lethality. Moreover, suboptimal doses of MEDI2228 and bortezomib (btz) synergistically trigger apoptosis of even drug-resistant MM cells partly via modulation of RAD51 and accumulation of impaired DNA. Such combination further induces superior in vivo efficacy than monotherapy via increased nuclear γH2AX-expressing foci, irreversible DNA damages, and tumor cell death, leading to significantly prolonged host survival. These results indicate leveraging MEDI2228 with DDRi s or btz as novel combination strategies, further supporting ongoing clinical development of MEDI2228 in patients with relapsed and refractory MM.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank the flow cytometry assistance from the flow cytometry facility at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. We thank all lab members and the clinical research coordinators of the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center and the LeBow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for support and help in providing primary tumor specimens for this study. We would also like to acknowledge Ryan Fleming of AstraZeneca for the preparation and characterization of ADCs used in this study.
Funding
This work was supported in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) P50 CA100707, P01CA155258, and RO1 CA 207237. This work was supported in part by Dr Miriam and Sheldon G Adelson Medical Research Foundation. KCA is an American Cancer Society Clinical Research Professor. This study was funded by AstraZeneca.
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Conception and design: Y-TT, KK, KCA; Development of methodology: LX, LL, TY, YL, JL, S-FC. Acquisition of data (provided reagents, facilities, etc.): LX, LLin, T Yu, Y Li, J Liu, S-FC, KW, PAH. Reagents and Materials: KK. Analysis and interpretation of data (statistical analysis, biostatistics analysis): LX, LL, TY, YL, S-FC, JL, KW, PAH, Y-TT. Provided and managed patients: NM, KCA. Writing, review, and/or revision of the paper: LX, KK, Y-TT, KCA. Study supervision: KCA, Y-TT
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KK is an employee of AstraZeneca and has stock and/or stock interests in AstraZeneca. NM serves on advisory boards to Millennium-Takeda, Celgene, and Novartis. KCA serves on advisory boards Celgene, Millennium-Takeda, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gilead Sciences, Janssen, and Sanofi-Aventis and is a Scientific founder of OncoPep and C4 Therapeutics. All other authors declare no competing financial interests.
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Xing, L., Lin, L., Yu, T. et al. A novel BCMA PBD-ADC with ATM/ATR/WEE1 inhibitors or bortezomib induce synergistic lethality in multiple myeloma. Leukemia 34, 2150–2162 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41375-020-0745-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41375-020-0745-9
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