Neoantigen and tumor antigen-specific immunity transferred from immunized donors is detectable early after allogeneic transplantation in myeloma patients

Abstract

To enhance the therapeutic index of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), we immunized ten HLA-matched sibling donors prior to stem cell collection with recipient-derived clonal myeloma immunoglobulin, idiotype (Id), as a tumor antigen, conjugated with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). Vaccinations were safe in donors and recipients. Donor-derived KLH- and Id-specific humoral and central and effector memory T cell responses were detectable by day 30 after HSCT and were boosted by post-transplant vaccinations at 3 months in most recipients. One patient died prior to booster vaccinations. Specifically, after completing treatment 8/9 myeloma recipients had persistent Id-specific immune responses and 5/9 had improvement in disease status. Although regulatory T cells increased after vaccination, they did not impact immune responses. At a median potential follow-up period of 74 months, six patients are alive, the 10 patients have a median progression-free survival of 28.5 months, and median overall survival has not been reached. Our results provide proof of principle that neoantigen and tumor antigen-specific humoral and cellular immunity could be safely induced in HSCT donors and passively transferred to recipients. This general strategy may be used to reduce relapse of malignancies and augment protection against infections after allogeneic HSCT.