Targeting CSF1R Alone or in Combination with PD1 in Experimental Glioma

Targeting CSF1R Alone or in Combination with PD1 in Experimental Glioma
Przystal JM, Becker H, Canjuga C, Tsiami F, Anderle N, Keller A, Pohl A, Ries CH, Schmittnaegel M, Korinetska N, Koch M, Schittenhelm J, Tatagiba M, Schmees C, Beck SC, Tabatabai G
Cancers 2021, 13(10), 2400; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13102400

Glioblastoma is an aggressive primary tumor of the central nervous system. Targeting the immunosuppressive glioblastoma-associated microenvironment is an interesting therapeutic approach. Tumor-associated macrophages represent an abundant population of tumor-infiltrating host cells with tumor-promoting features. The colony stimulating factor-1/ colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1/CSF1R) axis plays an important role for macrophage differentiation and survival. We thus aimed at investigating the anti-glioma activity of CSF1R inhibition alone or in combination with blockade of programmed death (PD) 1. We investigated combination treatments of anti-CSF1R alone or in combination with anti-PD1 antibodies in an orthotopic syngeneic glioma mouse model, evaluated post-treatment effects and assessed treatment-induced cytotoxicity in a co-culture model of patient-derived microtumors (PDM) and autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) ex vivo. Anti-CSF1R monotherapy increased the latency until the onset of neurological symptoms. Combinations of anti-CSF1R and anti-PD1 antibodies led to long-term survivors in vivo. Furthermore, we observed treatment-induced cytotoxicity of combined anti-CSF1R and anti-PD1 treatment in the PDM/TILs co-cultures ex vivo. Our results identify CSF1R as a promising therapeutic target for glioblastoma, potentially in combination with PD1 inhibition.