A pan inhibitor of DASH family enzymes induces immunogenic modulation and sensitizes murine and human carcinoma cells to antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte killing: implications for combination therapy with cancer vaccines

Abstract

Recent studies have suggested that pan inhibitors of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 activity and/or structure homologs (DASH), including ARI-4175, can mediate tumor regression by immune-mediated mechanisms. This study assessed the potential of combining ARI-4175 with cancer vaccines. We evaluated ARI-4175's effect on immunogenic modulation, ability to sensitize tumor cells to antigen-specific CTL killing, effect on immune-cell subsets and function, and antitumor activity in 2 tumor models, both as a monotherapy and in combination with a recombinant viral or dendritic cell (DC)-based tumor-cell vaccine.ARI-4175's effects on the growth, surface phenotype, and antigen-specific CTL-mediated lysis of murine and human carcinoma cell lines were assessed in vitro. In vivo, C57BL-6 mice were treated orally with ARI-4175, after which splenocytes were assessed by flow cytometry and functional assays. Antitumor studies were performed in murine models of colon carcinoma (MC38-CEA+ in CEA-transgenic C57BL-6 mice) and rhabdomyosarcoma (M3-9-M in C57BL-6 mice). Mice received oral ARI-4175 alone or in combination with a vaccine consisting of recombinant vaccinia/fowlpox CEA-TRICOM (colon model) or a DC-based tumor-cell vaccine (rhabdomyosarcoma model).Exposure to ARI-4175 had no effect on the proliferation or viability of carcinoma cells in vitro; however, it did alter tumor phenotype, making murine and human tumor cells more sensitive to antigen-specific CTL killing. Assessment of immune-cell subsets and function indicated that ARI-4175 increased levels of natural killer cells and DCs. Detrimental immune effects, including reduced T effector cells and increased immunosuppressive cells (Tregs, MDSCs), were normalized when treatment stopped, suggesting that scheduling is critical when combining this agent with vaccine. As a monotherapy, ARI-4175 had potent antitumor activity in both tumor models, and had even greater effects when combined with a vaccine (either DC-based or poxviral vector based). These findings provide the rationale for the combined use of cancer immunotherapy with DASH enzyme inhibitors such as ARI-4175.