Harnessing the Immune System Against Leukemia: Monoclonal Antibodies and Checkpoint Strategies for AML.
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common leukemia among adults and is associated with a poor prognosis, especially in patients with adverse prognostic factors, older age, or relapsed disease. The last decade has seen a surge in successful immune-based therapies in various solid tumors; however, the role of immune therapies in AML remains poorly defined. This chapter describes the rationale, clinical data, and toxicity profiles of immune-based therapeutic modalities in AML including naked and conjugated monoclonal antibodies, bispecific T-cell engager antibodies, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells, and checkpoint blockade via blockade of PD1/PDL1 or CTLA4. Monoclonal antibodies commonly used in AML therapy target highly expressed "leukemia" surface antigens and include (1) naked antibodies against common myeloid markers such as anti-CD33 (e.g., lintuzumab), (2) antibody-drug conjugates linked to either, (a) a highly potent toxin such as calicheamicin, pyrrolobenzodiazepine, maytansine, or others in various anti-CD33 (gemtuzumab ozogamicin, SGN 33A), anti-123 (SL-401), and anti-CD56 (lorvotuzumab mertansine) formulations, or (b) radioactive particles, such as131I,213Bi, or225Ac-labeled anti-CD33 or CD45 antibodies. Novel monoclonal antibodies that recruit and promote proximity-induced cytotoxicity of tumor cells by T cells (bispecific T-cell engager [BiTE] such as anti CD33/CD3, e.g., AMG 330) or block immune checkpoint pathways such as CTLA4 (e.g., ipilimumab) or PD1/PD-L1 (e.g., nivolumab) unleashing the patients T cells to fight leukemic cells are being evaluated in clinical trials in patients with AML. The numerous ongoing clinical trials with immunotherapies in AML will improve our understanding of the biology of AML and allow us to determine the best approaches to immunotherapy in AML.
Department of Leukemia, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Lucia
L
Masarova
Department of Leukemia, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Hagop
H
Kantarjian
Department of Leukemia, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Guillermo
G
Garcia-Mannero
Department of Leukemia, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Farhad
F
Ravandi
Immunotherapy Platform, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Padmanee
P
Sharma
Department of Leukemia, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. ndaver@mdanderson.org.
Naval
N
Daver
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000382:microbiology / Q000637:transplantation; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
Acute myeloid leukemia; Immune checkpoint blockade; Immunotherapy; Monoclonal antibody