Project description:The first clinical trial testing the combination of targeted therapy with a BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib and immunotherapy with a CTLA-4 antibody ipilimumab was terminated early due to significant liver toxicities, possibly due to paradoxical activation of the MAPK pathway by BRAF inhibitors in tumors with wild type BRAF. MEK inhibitors can potentiate the MAPK inhibition in tumor, while potentially alleviating the unwanted paradoxical MAPK activation. With a mouse model of syngeneic BRAFV600E driven melanoma (SM1), we tested whether the addition of the MEK inhibitor trametinib would enhance the immunosensitization effects of the BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib. Combination of dabrafenib and trametinib with pmel-1 adoptive cell transfer (ACT) showed complete tumor regression. Bioluminescent imaging and tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) phenotyping showed increased effector infiltration to tumors with dabrafenib, trametinib or dabrafenib plus trametinib with pmel-1 ACT combination. Intracellular IFN gamma staining of the TILs and in vivo cytotoxicity studies showed trametinib was not detrimental to the effector functions in vivo. Dabrafenib increased tumor associated macrophages and T regulatory cells (Tregs) in the tumors, which can be overcome by addition of trametinib. Microarray analysis revealed increased melanoma antigen, MHC expression, and global immune-related gene upregulation with the triple combination therapy. Given the up-regulation of PD-L1 seen with dabrafenib and/or trametinib combined with antigen specific ACT, we tested the triple combination of dabrafenib, trametinib with anti-PD1 therapy, and observed superior anti-tumor effect to SM1 tumors. Our findings support the testing of these combinations in patients with BRAFV600E mutant metastatic melanoma. SM1 tumors were implanted into C57BL/6 mice. Mice were treated by ACT of pmel-1 splenocytes or C57BL/6 splenocytes as control. Pmel-1 treated mice were additionally treated with either vehicle, dabrafenib, trametinib, or combination of both drugs and control mice were treated with vehicle or combination of both drugs.
Project description:The A375, human BRAFV600E mutant melanoma, cell line (wildtype), two PTEN-null, BRAFV600E cell lines (KO5 and KO11), and PI3K overexpression cells (WT and PI3K H1047R mutant) were treated with small molecule inhibitors (dabrafenib, BRAF inhibitor; trametinib, MEK inhibitor alone and in combination for 0, 1 and 7 days
Project description:Rapid resistance to BRAF inhibitors in BRAFV600-mutant metastatic melanoma has produced an urgent need for new treatment options. BRAF inhibitor resistance commonly involves reactivation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling and yet inhibition of downstream kinases has not circumvented resistance, partly because MAPK is regulated via a complex network of feedback mechanisms that influence pathway rebound. To examine the transcriptome responses of melanoma cells to MAPK inhibition, a panel of 11 BRAFV600-mutant melanoma cell lines were treated with control (DMSO), 100nM dabrafenib alone (i.e BRAF inhibitor monotherapy) or 100nM dabrafenib + 10nM trametinib (i.e combination BRAF + MEK inhibition) for 24h.
Project description:The first clinical trial testing the combination of targeted therapy with a BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib and immunotherapy with a CTLA-4 antibody ipilimumab was terminated early due to significant liver toxicities, possibly due to paradoxical activation of the MAPK pathway by BRAF inhibitors in tumors with wild type BRAF. MEK inhibitors can potentiate the MAPK inhibition in tumor, while potentially alleviating the unwanted paradoxical MAPK activation. With a mouse model of syngeneic BRAFV600E driven melanoma (SM1), we tested whether the addition of the MEK inhibitor trametinib would enhance the immunosensitization effects of the BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib. Combination of dabrafenib and trametinib with pmel-1 adoptive cell transfer (ACT) showed complete tumor regression. Bioluminescent imaging and tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) phenotyping showed increased effector infiltration to tumors with dabrafenib, trametinib or dabrafenib plus trametinib with pmel-1 ACT combination. Intracellular IFN gamma staining of the TILs and in vivo cytotoxicity studies showed trametinib was not detrimental to the effector functions in vivo. Dabrafenib increased tumor associated macrophages and T regulatory cells (Tregs) in the tumors, which can be overcome by addition of trametinib. Microarray analysis revealed increased melanoma antigen, MHC expression, and global immune-related gene upregulation with the triple combination therapy. Given the up-regulation of PD-L1 seen with dabrafenib and/or trametinib combined with antigen specific ACT, we tested the triple combination of dabrafenib, trametinib with anti-PD1 therapy, and observed superior anti-tumor effect to SM1 tumors. Our findings support the testing of these combinations in patients with BRAFV600E mutant metastatic melanoma.
Project description:Inhibitors of the MAPKs, BRAF and MEK, induce tumor regression in the majority of patients with BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma. The clinical benefit of MAPK inhibitors is restricted by the development of acquired resistance with half of those who benefit having progressed by 6-7 months and long-term responders uncommon. There remains no agreed treatment strategy on disease progression in these patients. Without published evidence, fears of accelerated disease progression on inhibitor withdrawal have led to the continuation of drugs beyond formal disease progression. We now demonstrate that treatment with MAPK inhibitors beyond disease progression can provide significant clinical benefit, and the withdrawal of these inhibitors led to a marked increase in the rate of disease progression in two patients. We also show that MAPK inhibitors retain partial activity in acquired resistant melanoma by examining drug-resistant clones generated to dabrafenib, trametinib or the combination of these drugs. All resistant sublines displayed a markedly slower rate of proliferation when exposed to MAPK inhibitors, and this coincided with a reduction in MAPK signalling, decrease in BrdU incorporation and S-phase inhibition. This cytostatic effect was also associated diminished levels of cyclin D1 and p-pRb.. Two short-term melanoma cultures generated from resistant tumour biopsies also responded to MAPK inhibition with comparable inhibitory changes in proliferation and MAPK signalling. These data provide a rationale for the continuation of BRAF and MEK inhibitors after disease progression and support the development of clinical trials to examine this strategy. Total RNA obtained from melanooma cell lines treated for 24h with dabrafenib, trametinib or combination of dabrafenib and trametinib
Project description:Transcriptional profiles were examined in SKMEL2 melanoma cells treated with vehicle (DMSO), dabrafenib+trametinib (DT, MAPKi), entinostat (E, HDACi) or all 3 agents (DTE) at 24 hours, prior to the commencement of cell death, to investigate the molecular mechamism by which these drugs and their combinations are functioning.
Project description:Transcriptional profiles were examined in Hs695T melanoma cells treated with vehicle (DMSO), dabrafenib+trametinib (DT, MAPKi), entinostat (E, HDACi) or all 3 agents (DTE) at 24 hours, prior to the commencement of cell death, to investigate the molecular mechamism by which these drugs and their combinations are functioning.
Project description:Transcriptional profiles were examined in A2058 melanoma cells treated with vehicle (DMSO), dabrafenib+trametinib (DT, MAPKi), entinostat (E, HDACi) or all 3 agents (DTE) at 24 hours, prior to the commencement of cell death, to investigate the molecular mechamism by which these drugs and their combinations are functioning.
Project description:Importance: Autophagy has been identified as a resistance mechanism to BRAF and MEK inhibition in BRAF mutant melanoma. In the BAMM trial, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) was used to inhibit autophagy in combination with dabrafenib and trametenib in BRAF mutant melanoma patients. Objective: To a) determine safety and maximal tolerated dose (MTD) of hydroxychloroquine when combined with dabrafenib and trametinib and b) determine antitumor activity of the combination. Design: Open label non-randomized phase I/II clinical trial Setting: Prospective therapeutic clinical trial conducted in 4 centers Participants: Unresectable Stage III or Stage IV BRAF mutant melanoma patients Intrevention: HCQ twice daily, dabrafenib 150 mg twice daily and trametinib 2 mg daily (D+T) Main Outcome: Primary outcomes were safety and 1-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate Results: Between December 2014 and January 2020, 50 patients were screened, 38 patients were enrolled and evaluable for toxicity and 34 patients were evaluable for 1-year PFS rate. Patient demographics were: 29% were ECOG PS 1, 47% had elevated LDH, 52% were Stage IV M1c or M1d and 53% had previously received therapy for advanced melanoma. In the phase I trial there was no dose limiting toxicity of HCQ at either 400 (n=3) or 600 (MTD) mg po bid combined with D+T. For the entire study population, the 1-year PFS rate was 41% (95% CI = ), median PFS was 11.9 months (95% CI = ), overall response rate (ORR) was 85% (95% exact CI=64-95%)and complete response rate of 41% (95% exact CI=25-59%). In a prespecificed subgroup analysis in 18 patients with elevated LDH, the ORR was 88% and median PFS was 8 months Conlusion and Relevance: The combination of HCQ, dabrafenib and trametinib was well tolerated and produced a high response rate but did not meet the prespecified criteria for success with respect to the 1-year PFS rate. In patients with elevated LDH , the response rate and PFS were encouraging. A randomized placebo controlled trial of dabrafenib and trametinib with/without HCQ in advanced BRAF mutant melanoma patients with elevated LDH and previously treated with immunotherapy is being conducted through the National Clinical Trial Network.
Project description:One third of BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma patients treated with combined BRAF and MEK inhibition progress within six months. Treatment options for these patients remain limited. Here we analyse twenty BRAFV600 mutant melanoma metastases derived from 10 patients treated with the combination of debrafenib and trametinib for resistance mechanisms and genetic correlates of response. Resistance mechanisms are identified in 9/11 progressing tumors and MAPK reactivation occurred in 9/10 tumors, commonly via BRAF amplification and mutations activating NRAS and MEK2. Our data confirming that MEK2C125S, but not the synonymous MEK1C121S protein confers resistance to combination therapy, highlight the functional differences between these kinases and the preponderance of MEK2 mutations in combination therapy-resistant melanomas. Exome sequencing did not identify additional progression-specific resistance candidates. Nevertheless, most melanomas carried additional oncogenic mutations at baseline (e.g. RCA1 and AKT3) that activate the MAPK and P13K pathways and are thus predicted to diminish response to MAPK inhibitors. Total RNA obtained from fresh frozen melanoma tumors treated with a combination of dabrafenib and trametinib