Abstract 2964: Immuno-reactive cancer organoid models to examine microbiome metabolite effects on immune checkpoint blockade efficacy

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: As the number of available immunotherapies for solid tumors increase, their prevalence in the clinic continues to rise as well. While the results are promising, and immunotherapies have benefits over traditional chemotherapeutics, a sizable percentage of patients are non-responders to all types of immunotherapy. These differences in sensitivity can be either innate or acquired. Yet, there has been limited 3D in vitro models to assess tumor immune-reactivity. These systems are ideal for isolating specific molecular mechanisms that dictate cell behavior and interactions. Our goal was to create an organoid model containing cancer cells paired with cytotoxic T-cells to model immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) efficacy. This model could then be used to examine novel microbiome-ICB interactions shown by recent research to alter therapeutic response levels in patients. Methods: We created tumor organoids consisting of tumor and immune cells, embedded in extracellular matrix (ECM)-like hydrogels. Organoids were treated with therapeutic equivalent doses of anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 or single dose of anti-CD-47 and cell viability assays, flow cytometry, RT-qPCR, and immunohistochemistry staining were performed to determine the effects of ICB. Physiologic concentrations of metabolites derived from likely effector bacterial species were then evaluated for their effects on genetic expression and immunotherapy efficacy. Results and Discussion: We showed that ICB therapy stimulated internally localizing T-cells, inducing T-cell-mediated tumor cell killing. ICB treated samples resulted significant loss of viability with corroborating readings from the other methods of characterization. RT-qPCR resulted in some elucidation of potential cellular changes due to bacterial metabolites with further quantification ongoing. Conclusion: We have created an ex-vivo tumor immune-reactive organoid model for studying immunotherapy. We can now continue to change individual microenvironment factors, such as microbiome metabolites, and observe their impacts on immunotherapy efficacy to better understand what conditions are conducive or detrimental to successful ICB treatment. Citation Format: Ethan Shelkey, David Soto-Pantoja, Yong Lu, Shay Soker. Immuno-reactive cancer organoid models to examine microbiome metabolite effects on immune checkpoint blockade efficacy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 2964.