Enhancing the abscopal effect of radiation and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies with magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia in a model of metastatic breast cancer

• Main Authors: Arlene L. Oei, Preethi Korangath, Kathleen Mulka, Mikko Helenius, Jonathan B. Coulter, Jacqueline Stewart, Esteban Velarde, Johannes Crezee, Brian Simons, Lukas J. A. Stalpers, H. Petra Kok, Kathleen Gabrielson, Nicolaas A. P. Franken, Robert Ivkov
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2019-11-01
• Series: International Journal of Hyperthermia
• Subjects: magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia; triple negative breast cancer; immune checkpoint therapy; ionizing radiation; metastatic cancer
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02656736.2019.1685686
• ISSN: 0265-6736; 1464-5157

Purpose: Enhancing immune responses in triple negative breast cancers (TNBCs) remains a challenge. Our study aimed to determine whether magnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (MION) hyperthermia (HT) can enhance abscopal effects with radiotherapy (RT) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (IT) in a metastatic TNBC model. Methods: One week after implanting 4T1-luc cells into the mammary glands of BALB/c mice, tumors were treated with RT (3 × 8 Gy)±local HT, mild (HTM, 43 °C/20 min) or partially ablative (HTAbl, 45 °C/5 min plus 43 °C/15 min),±IT with anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies (both 4 × 10 mg/kg, i.p.). Tumor growth was measured daily. Two weeks after treatment, lungs and livers were harvested for histopathology evaluation of metastases. Results: Compared to untreated controls, all treatment groups demonstrated a decreased tumor volume; however, when compared against surgical resection, only RT + HTM+IT, RT + HTAbl+IT and RT + HTAbl had similar or smaller tumors. These cohorts showed more infiltration of CD3+ T-lymphocytes into the primary tumor. Tumor growth effects were partially reversed with T-cell depletion. Combinations that proved most effective for primary tumors generated modest reductions in numbers of lung metastases. Conversely, numbers of lung metastases showed potential to increase following HT + IT treatment, particularly when compared to RT. Compared to untreated controls, there was no improvement in survival with any treatment. Conclusions: Single-fraction MION HT added to RT + IT improved local tumor control and recruitment of CD3+ T-lymphocytes, with only a modest effect to reduce lung metastases and no improvement in overall survival. HT + IT showed potential to increase metastatic dissemination to lungs.