Targeting the lymphotoxin-beta receptor with agonist antibodies as a potential cancer therapy

Cancer Res. 2006 Oct 1;66(19):9617-24. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-06-0217.

Abstract

The lymphotoxin-beta receptor (LT beta R) is a tumor necrosis factor receptor family member critical for the development and maintenance of various lymphoid microenvironments. Herein, we show that agonistic anti-LT beta R monoclonal antibody (mAb) CBE11 inhibited tumor growth in xenograft models and potentiated tumor responses to chemotherapeutic agents. In a syngeneic colon carcinoma tumor model, treatment of the tumor-bearing mice with an agonistic antibody against murine LT beta R caused increased lymphocyte infiltration and necrosis of the tumor. A pattern of differential gene expression predictive of cellular and xenograft response to LT beta R activation was identified in a panel of colon carcinoma cell lines and when applied to a panel of clinical colorectal tumor samples indicated 35% likelihood a tumor response to CBE11. Consistent with this estimate, CBE11 decreased tumor size and/or improved long-term animal survival with two of six independent orthotopic xenografts prepared from surgical colorectal carcinoma samples. Targeting of LT beta R with agonistic mAbs offers a novel approach to the treatment of colorectal and potentially other types of cancers.

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / drug therapy
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Adenocarcinoma / therapy*
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / pharmacology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use*
  • Camptothecin / analogs & derivatives
  • Camptothecin / therapeutic use
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Colonic Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Colonic Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Drug Synergism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin G / therapeutic use
  • Immunoglobulin M / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin M / therapeutic use
  • Irinotecan
  • Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / immunology
  • Lymphotoxin beta Receptor / agonists*
  • Lymphotoxin beta Receptor / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Random Allocation
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / immunology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / therapeutic use
  • Single-Blind Method
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / pathology
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Ltbr protein, mouse
  • Lymphotoxin beta Receptor
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Irinotecan
  • Camptothecin