PURPOSE: The IMMUNOSARC trial combined an antiangiogenic agent (sunitinib) with a PD1 inhibitor (nivolumab) in advanced sarcomas. Here, we present the first correlative studies of the soft-tissue sarcoma cohort enrolled in this trial. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded and peripheral blood samples were collected at baseline and week 13. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples were used for transcriptomics and multiplex immunofluorescence, whereas peripheral blood samples were used for multiplexed immunoassays. Flow cytometry and Luminex assays were performed to validate translational findings in tumor-isolated cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells derived from patients. RESULTS: The density of intratumoral CD8+ T cells, measured by multiplexed immunophenotyping, was significantly increased after treatment. This augment was accompanied by the dynamic significant increase in the gene expressions of CD86, CHI3L1, CXCL10, CXCL9, LAG3, and VCAM1 and the decrease in the expression levels of NR4A1. In peripheral blood, 12 proteins were significantly modulated by treatment at week 13. A score integrating the dynamic expression of the 7 genes and the 12 soluble factors separated 2 groups with distinct progression-free survival (PFS): 4.1 months [95% confidence interval, 3.5-not reached (NR)] versus 17 months (95% confidence interval, 12.0-NR), P = 0.014. This molecular score was predictive of PFS when applied to the normalized data determined in the baseline samples. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with sunitinib and nivolumab inflamed the sarcoma microenvironment, increasing CD8+ T-cell density and the expression of several genes/proteins with relevance in the response to PD1 inhibitors. A molecular signature identified two groups of patients with distinct PFS for the combination of antiangiogenics plus PD1 inhibitor therapy.

• MeSH
• antigeny CD279 antagonisté a inhibitory   MeSH
• CD8-pozitivní T-lymfocyty imunologie   účinky léků   metabolismus   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• inhibitory angiogeneze terapeutické užití   aplikace a dávkování   MeSH
• inhibitory kontrolních bodů terapeutické užití   farmakologie   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádorové biomarkery MeSH
• nádorové mikroprostředí účinky léků   imunologie   MeSH
• nivolumab terapeutické užití   aplikace a dávkování   MeSH
• prognóza MeSH
• protokoly antitumorózní kombinované chemoterapie terapeutické užití   MeSH
• sarkom * farmakoterapie   patologie   genetika   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• tumor infiltrující lymfocyty imunologie   metabolismus   účinky léků   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH