Combination beta-adrenergic blockade and immunotherapy for the treatment of primary and metastatic brain cancer.

Abstract

e14017 Background: Brain tumors present a unique challenge to immunotherapeutic success, as immune responses in patients with brain tumors are suppressed both within the tumor microenvironment and peripherally. The systemic immunosuppression observed in brain tumor patients limits the capacity of the immune system to respond to immunotherapy. Brain tumor patients, particularly those with primary brain tumors like glioblastoma, represent a population in dire need of more thoughtful, targeted treatment approaches. Through this work we present an immunosuppressive axis specifically activated in the context of intracranial malignancies that inhibits immunotherapeutic success in these patients. We demonstrate that overactive adrenergic signaling is a major barrier to immunotherapeutic success. More specifically, beta-adrenergic signaling is known to suppress immune responses in various contexts. Our data indicate that combining beta-adrenergic blockade with immunotherapy provides a survival benefit in the setting of brain tumors, where immunotherapy alone has proven ineffective. Methods: Using the SEER Medicaid database, we retrospectively examined outcomes in patients with melanoma and lung adenocarcinoma brain metastasis who received checkpoint blockade therapy alone vs those concurrently on beta-blocker therapy. Results: We found that patients receiving combination therapy showed increased overall survival compared to those receiving checkpoint blockade alone. We then validated these findings in preclinical models of both glioma and melanoma brain metastases, demonstrating that combining immunotherapy and propranolol, a highly-prescribed FDA-approved beta-blocker, extended survival. Conclusions: Moving forward, we suggest that combination therapy with propranolol and immunotherapy, particularly checkpoint blockade, represents a promising translational treatment platform for patients with primary or metastatic intracranial malignancies.