TY - JOUR A1 - Munawar, Umair A1 - Zhou, Xiang A1 - Prommersberger, Sabrina A1 - Nerreter, Silvia A1 - Vogt, Cornelia A1 - Steinhardt, Maximilian J. A1 - Truger, Marietta A1 - Mersi, Julia A1 - Teufel, Eva A1 - Han, Seungbin A1 - Haertle, Larissa A1 - Banholzer, Nicole A1 - Eiring, Patrick A1 - Danhof, Sophia A1 - Navarro-Aguadero, Miguel Angel A1 - Fernandez-Martin, Adrian A1 - Ortiz-Ruiz, Alejandra A1 - Barrio, Santiago A1 - Gallardo, Miguel A1 - Valeri, Antonio A1 - Castellano, Eva A1 - Raab, Peter A1 - Rudert, Maximilian A1 - Haferlach, Claudia A1 - Sauer, Markus A1 - Hudecek, Michael A1 - Martinez-Lopez, J. A1 - Waldschmidt, Johannes A1 - Einsele, Hermann A1 - Rasche, Leo A1 - Kortüm, K. Martin T1 - Impaired FADD/BID signaling mediates cross-resistance to immunotherapy in Multiple Myeloma JF - Communications Biology N2 - The treatment landscape in multiple myeloma (MM) is shifting from genotoxic drugs to immunotherapies. Monoclonal antibodies, immunoconjugates, T-cell engaging antibodies and CART cells have been incorporated into routine treatment algorithms, resulting in improved response rates. Nevertheless, patients continue to relapse and the underlying mechanisms of resistance remain poorly understood. While Impaired death receptor signaling has been reported to mediate resistance to CART in acute lymphoblastic leukemia, this mechanism yet remains to be elucidated in context of novel immunotherapies for MM. Here, we describe impaired death receptor signaling as a novel mechanism of resistance to T-cell mediated immunotherapies in MM. This resistance seems exclusive to novel immunotherapies while sensitivity to conventional anti-tumor therapies being preserved in vitro. As a proof of concept, we present a confirmatory clinical case indicating that the FADD/BID axis is required for meaningful responses to novel immunotherapies thus we report impaired death receptor signaling as a novel resistance mechanism to T-cell mediated immunotherapy in MM. KW - immunotherapy KW - translational research Y1 - 2023 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-357609 VL - 6 ER - TY - THES A1 - Munawar, Umair T1 - Functional analysis of oncogenic lesions in multiple myeloma with potential significance for refractory disease T1 - Funktionelle Analyse onkogener Läsionen beim Multiplen Myelom mit potenzieller Bedeutung für einen refraktären Krankheitsverlauf N2 - Despite the advancement in the treatment from genotoxic drugs to more targeted therapies, multiple myeloma (MM) remains incurable. MM is known for its complex genetic heterogeneity as different genetic lesion accrue over the course of the disease. The current work focuses on the functional analysis of genetic lesions found at the time of diagnosis and relapse and their potential role regarding therapy response and refractory disease. Genetic lesions involving tumor suppressor gene TP53, are found at diagnosis and tend to accrue during disease progression. Different types of mono- and biallelic TP53 alterations were emulated in the AMO1 cell line model, were functionally characterized and tested for their potential role in therapy response. Both types of single hit TP53 alteration (deletion 17p and TP53 point mutations) were found to have similar adverse effects on the functionality of the p53 system and response to genotoxic drugs which were completely abolished in the case of double hit TP53 alterations (no p53 expression, or mutant overexpression in wild type TP53 deletion background). Whereas, sensitivity to proteasome inhibitors remained unaltered. Using the clonal competition assay (CCA), single TP53 hit clones were found to have a fitness advantage over wildtype cells. Proliferative cell fitness was further enhanced in double hit TP53 clones, as they dominated wildtype and single hit TP53 clones in the CCA. Presence of external selection pressure in the form of low dose melphalan expedited the intrinsic fitness advantage. Alterations found in CUL4B, a component of CRL4-CRBN protein complex, a target of immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), were also functionally analyzed in the current study. Hotspot mutations and mutations found in IMiDs refractory patients were modelized in L363 cells and their role in IMiDs sensitivity was studied. CUL4B mutations were found not to be involved in providing lenalidomide resistance to the cell, whereas knocking CUL4B out was observed to provide negative fitness to the cells in CCA. In the presence of external selection pressure, these clones showed fitness, which was lost in the case of lenalidomide withdrawal. This shows that some alterations may play a role in refractory patients only in the presence of therapy, and as soon as therapy is discontinued, these altered clones may disappear such as clones with alterations in CUL4B. On the other hand, some alterations provide drug-independent intrinsic positive fitness, however, be further enhanced by drug exposure, such as seen in case of TP53 altered clones. Therefore, close monitoring and functional analysis of evolving clones is desired during disease progression, as it can be helpful in therapeutic guidance to achieve a better outcome for patients. N2 - Das Multiple Myelom (MM) ist im Normalfall eine unheilbare Erkrankung, trotz etlicher Fortschritte hinsichtlich der Behandlung, angefangen von genotoxischen Medikamenten bis hin zu zielgerichteten Therapien. Eine komplexe genetische Heterogenität, bei der sich Läsionen im Verlauf der Krankheit ansammeln, ist typisch für das MM. Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der funktionellen Analyse von genetischen Läsionen zum Erstdiagnose-Zeitpunkt bzw. Rezidiv und ihrer potenziellen Bedeutung bezüglich des Ansprechens auf die Therapie und einer refraktären Verlaufsform. Genetische Veränderungen des Tumorsuppressorgens TP53 sind mitunter schon bei der Erst-Diagnose nachweisbar und nehmen im Krankheitsverlauf weiter zu. Deshalb wurden verschiedene mono- und biallelische TP53 Mutationen in AMO1 Zelllinien-Modellen nachgebildet, funktionell charakterisiert und auf ihre potenzielle Rolle im Therapie-Ansprechen getestet. Dabei wurden für beide Formen von single hit TP53 Alterationen (17p Deletionen und TP53 Punktmutationen) ähnlich nachteilige Effekte auf die Funktionalität des p53 Systems und das Ansprechen auf genotoxische Medikation gefunden. Im Falle von double hit TP53 Alterationen (keinerlei p53 Expression oder aber hohe Spiegel von mutiertem p53 bei TP53 wildtype deletierem Hintergrund) wurden diese Effekte noch weiter verstärkt. Die Sensitivität gegenüber Proteasom-Inhibitoren blieb indessen unbeeinträchtigt. Mithilfe des Clonal Competition Assays (CCA), wurde festgestellt, dass single hit TP53 Klone gegenüber wildtypischen Zellen einen Fitnessvorteil haben. In double hit TP53 Klonen war die proliferative Zell-Fitness zu dem gesteigert, sodass diese über wildtypische und single hit TP53 Klone im CCA dominierten. Die Anwesenheit eines externen Selektionsdrucks in Form von Niedrigdosis-Melphalan verstärkte zusätzlich den intrinsischen Fitnessvorteil. Aberrationen in CUL4B, einer Untereinheit des CRL4-CRBN Protein Komplexes, dem Angriffspunkt der Immunmodulatoren (IMiDs), wurden in dieser Studie ebenfalls funktionell analysiert. Hotspot Mutationen und solche Mutationen, die gehäuft in IMiD refraktären Patienten auftreten, wurden in L363 Zellen modelliert und hinsichtlich ihres Einflusses auf die IMiD Sensitivität untersucht. CUL4B Mutationen waren nicht in Lenalidomid-Resistenz involviert, ein Knockout von CUL4B äußerte sich aber in einer negativen Allgemeinzustand der Zellen im CCA. In Anwesenheit eines externen Selektionsdrucks, zeigten diese Klone einen Fitnessvorteil, der wieder verloren ging, wenn kein Lenalidomid mehr zugegeben wurde. Dies zeigt, dass manche Alterationen nur dann eine Rolle in refraktären Patienten zu spielen scheinen, wenn diese therapiert werden. Sobald die Therapie eingestellt oder unterbrochen wird, könnten solche Klone verschwinden wie z.B. CUL4B-Alterationen. Auf der anderen Seite bedingen manche Veränderungen wiederum einen Medikamenten-unabhängigen, intrinsisch Fitnessvorteil, der jedoch durch Medikamenten-Exposition noch zusätzlich verstärkt werden kann, wie beispielweise bei TP53 mutierten Klonen. Daher ist eine engmaschige Überwachung während der Krankheits-Progression sowie eine funktionelle Analyse der sich entwickelnden Klone wünschenswert. Dies könnte für die therapeutische Beratung hilfreich sein um somit ein besseres Behandlungsergebnis für die Patienten zu erzielen. KW - TP53 KW - Myeloma KW - Cul4b KW - MM KW - TP53 lesions KW - Clonal competition assay Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-216446 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Haertle, Larissa A1 - Buenache, Natalia A1 - Cuesta Hernández, Hipólito Nicolás A1 - Simicek, Michal A1 - Snaurova, Renata A1 - Rapado, Inmaculada A1 - Martinez, Nerea A1 - López-Muñoz, Nieves A1 - Sánchez-Pina, José María A1 - Munawar, Umair A1 - Han, Seungbin A1 - Ruiz-Heredia, Yanira A1 - Colmenares, Rafael A1 - Gallardo, Miguel A1 - Sanchez-Beato, Margarita A1 - Piris, Miguel Angel A1 - Samur, Mehmet Kemal A1 - Munshi, Nikhil C. A1 - Ayala, Rosa A1 - Kortüm, Klaus Martin A1 - Barrio, Santiago A1 - Martínez-López, Joaquín T1 - Genetic alterations in members of the proteasome 26S subunit, AAA-ATPase (PSMC) gene family in the light of proteasome inhibitor resistance in multiple myeloma JF - Cancers N2 - For the treatment of Multiple Myeloma, proteasome inhibitors are highly efficient and widely used, but resistance is a major obstacle to successful therapy. Several underlying mechanisms have been proposed but were only reported for a minority of resistant patients. The proteasome is a large and complex machinery. Here, we focus on the AAA ATPases of the 19S proteasome regulator (PSMC1-6) and their implication in PI resistance. As an example of cancer evolution and the acquisition of resistance, we conducted an in-depth analysis of an index patient by applying FISH, WES, and immunoglobulin-rearrangement sequencing in serial samples, starting from MGUS to newly diagnosed Multiple Myeloma to a PI-resistant relapse. The WES analysis uncovered an acquired PSMC2 Y429S mutation at the relapse after intensive bortezomib-containing therapy, which was functionally confirmed to mediate PI resistance. A meta-analysis comprising 1499 newly diagnosed and 447 progressed patients revealed a total of 36 SNVs over all six PSMC genes that were structurally accumulated in regulatory sites for activity such as the ADP/ATP binding pocket. Other alterations impact the interaction between different PSMC subunits or the intrinsic conformation of an individual subunit, consequently affecting the folding and function of the complex. Interestingly, several mutations were clustered in the central channel of the ATPase ring, where the unfolded substrates enter the 20S core. Our results indicate that PSMC SNVs play a role in PI resistance in MM. KW - Multiple Myeloma KW - drug resistance KW - proteasome inhibitors KW - immunoglobulin rearrangement KW - ATPase activity KW - PSMC2 Y1 - 2023 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-305013 SN - 2072-6694 VL - 15 IS - 2 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Da Vià, Matteo Claudio A1 - Solimando, Antonio Giovanni A1 - Garitano-Trojaola, Andoni A1 - Barrio, Santiago A1 - Munawar, Umair A1 - Strifler, Susanne A1 - Haertle, Larissa A1 - Rhodes, Nadine A1 - Vogt, Cornelia A1 - Lapa, Constantin A1 - Beilhack, Andreas A1 - Rasche, Leo A1 - Einsele, Hermann A1 - Kortüm, K. Martin T1 - CIC Mutation as a Molecular Mechanism of Acquired Resistance to Combined BRAF‐MEK Inhibition in Extramedullary Multiple Myeloma with Central Nervous System Involvement JF - The Oncologist N2 - Combined MEK‐BRAF inhibition is a well‐established treatment strategy in BRAF‐mutated cancer, most prominently in malignant melanoma with durable responses being achieved through this targeted therapy. However, a subset of patients face primary unresponsiveness despite presence of the activating mutation at position V600E, and others acquire resistance under treatment. Underlying resistance mechanisms are largely unknown, and diagnostic tests to predict tumor response to BRAF‐MEK inhibitor treatment are unavailable. Multiple myeloma represents the second most common hematologic malignancy, and point mutations in BRAF are detectable in about 10% of patients. Targeted inhibition has been successfully applied, with mixed responses observed in a substantial subset of patients mirroring the widespread spatial heterogeneity in this genomically complex disease. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement is an extremely rare, extramedullary form of multiple myeloma that can be diagnosed in less than 1% of patients. It is considered an ultimate high‐risk feature, associated with unfavorable cytogenetics, and, even with intense treatment applied, survival is short, reaching less than 12 months in most cases. Here we not only describe the first patient with an extramedullary CNS relapse responding to targeted dabrafenib and trametinib treatment, we furthermore provide evidence that a point mutation within the capicua transcriptional repressor (CIC) gene mediated the acquired resistance in this patient. KW - Multiple myeloma KW - Extramedullary disease KW - Capicua transcriptional repressor KW - Drug resistance KW - BRAF mutation Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-219549 VL - 25 IS - 2 ER -