Abstract 2881: Proper priming of T cells is crucial for the anti-tumor effect of mPTX-35, an anti-TNFRSF25 agonist antibody

Abstract

TNFRSF25, also known as Death Receptor 3 (DR3), is a cell surface receptor of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF) which is expressed on T cells, innate lymphoid cells, and B cells. Upon binding with TL1A ligand, this co-stimulatory molecule induces T cell activation, leading either to inflammation or cell death. Mouse PTX-35 (mPTX-35) is a TNFRSF25 functional agonist derived from a CDR that was humanized and affinity matured, then fused to a mouse IgG1-Fc backbone. Since costimulatory agonist antibodies have shown limited efficacy in clinical trials, our aims were to (i) determine the anti-tumor efficacy of mPTX-35, (ii) elucidate any mechanisms of resistance, and (iii) identify immune conditions that provide effective anti-tumor immune responses to mPTX-35 treatment. We studied the anti-tumor immune effects of mPTX-35 in both cold and hot tumor models. In a TC-1 cold tumor, we found that treatment with an anti-TNFRSF25 agonist antibody does not affect tumor growth or survival. In contrast, vaccination with an E7 antigen-specific vaccine leads to an environment that reverses primary resistance to the agonist antibody, inhibiting the tumor growth, and enhancing overall survival. Interestingly, we found that similar to other co-stimulatory agonist molecules, the immune effects of the anti-TNFRSF25 agonist are dose-dependent with lower (0.2 mg/kg) and higher (5 mg/kg) doses of mPTX-35 showing a reduced anti-tumor response than a dose of 1 mg/kg, resulting in a bell-shaped response in all tumor models. Similar immune-mediated anti-tumor effects of mPTX-35 were found in a CT26 (hot) tumor model. In conclusion, these results show that anti-TNFRSF25 agonist antibody demonstrates high anti-tumor efficacy in tumors that are infiltrated with T cells while the absence of properly antigen activated CD8 T cells (such as in cold tumors) incurs primary resistance to TNFRSF25 agonist that is reversed by proper priming of CD8 T cells. These results highlight the importance of optimal priming to limit primary resistance mechanisms and drive an efficacious immune response via the TNSFR25 axis. Citation Format: Dareen Sarhan, Lara Rabah, Vikas Tahiliani, Anh M. Trinh, Rahul R. Jasuja, Eric P. Dixon, Matthew Seavey, Vivek Verma, Seema Gupta, Samir N. Khleif. Proper priming of T cells is crucial for the anti-tumor effect of mPTX-35, an anti-TNFRSF25 agonist antibody [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 2881.