Sintilimab treatment for chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection and Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in children.

Chronic active Epstein–Barr virus infection (CAEBV) Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) Epstein–Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (EBV-HLH) Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) Sintilimab

Journal

Orphanet journal of rare diseases
ISSN: 1750-1172
Titre abrégé: Orphanet J Rare Dis
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101266602

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
22 09 2023
Historique:
received: 22 12 2022
accepted: 20 08 2023
medline: 25 9 2023
pubmed: 22 9 2023
entrez: 22 9 2023
Statut: epublish

Résumé

Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) and Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (EBV-HLH) are rare but life-threatening progressive diseases triggered by EBV infection. Glucocorticoid/immunosuppressants treatment is temporarily effective; however, most patients relapse and/or progress. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potentially curative therapy; however, there are risks of transplantation-associated complications. Currently there is no standard treatment for CAEBV and EBV-HLH. Programmed death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors have achieved a high response in many EBV-related diseases. Sintilimab (a recombinant human IgG4 monoclonal antibody against PD-1) disrupts the interaction between PD-1 and its ligand, leading to T cell reinvigoration. A retrospective analysis was performed on three children with CAEBV or EBV-HLH in the Children's Hospital of Soochow University between 12 December 2020 and 28 November 2022. The efficacy of sintilimab was evaluated. Three patients, including two males and one female, were analyzed. Among them, two children were diagnosed with CAEBV with intermittent fever for more than four years, and one child was diagnosed with EBV-HLH. After sintilimab treatment and a mean follow-up of 17.1 months (range 10.0-23.3 months), patients 1 and 3 achieved a complete clinical response and patient 2 achieved a partial clinical response. All three children showed a > 50% decrease in EBV-DNA load in both blood and plasma. EBV-DNA copies in sorted T, B, and NK cells were also markedly decreased after sintilimab treatment. Our data supported the efficacy of PD-1 targeted therapy in certain patients with CAEBV and EBV-HLH, and suggested that sintilimab could provide a cure for these diseases, without HSCT. More prospective studies and longer follow-up are needed to confirm these conclusions.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND
Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) and Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (EBV-HLH) are rare but life-threatening progressive diseases triggered by EBV infection. Glucocorticoid/immunosuppressants treatment is temporarily effective; however, most patients relapse and/or progress. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potentially curative therapy; however, there are risks of transplantation-associated complications. Currently there is no standard treatment for CAEBV and EBV-HLH. Programmed death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors have achieved a high response in many EBV-related diseases. Sintilimab (a recombinant human IgG4 monoclonal antibody against PD-1) disrupts the interaction between PD-1 and its ligand, leading to T cell reinvigoration.
METHODS
A retrospective analysis was performed on three children with CAEBV or EBV-HLH in the Children's Hospital of Soochow University between 12 December 2020 and 28 November 2022. The efficacy of sintilimab was evaluated.
RESULTS
Three patients, including two males and one female, were analyzed. Among them, two children were diagnosed with CAEBV with intermittent fever for more than four years, and one child was diagnosed with EBV-HLH. After sintilimab treatment and a mean follow-up of 17.1 months (range 10.0-23.3 months), patients 1 and 3 achieved a complete clinical response and patient 2 achieved a partial clinical response. All three children showed a > 50% decrease in EBV-DNA load in both blood and plasma. EBV-DNA copies in sorted T, B, and NK cells were also markedly decreased after sintilimab treatment.
CONCLUSION
Our data supported the efficacy of PD-1 targeted therapy in certain patients with CAEBV and EBV-HLH, and suggested that sintilimab could provide a cure for these diseases, without HSCT. More prospective studies and longer follow-up are needed to confirm these conclusions.

Identifiants

pubmed: 37736751
doi: 10.1186/s13023-023-02861-9
pii: 10.1186/s13023-023-02861-9
pmc: PMC10514962
doi:

Substances chimiques

sintilimab 8FU7FQ8UPK
Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor 0

Types de publication

Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Pagination

297

Informations de copyright

© 2023. Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM).

Références

Cao Y, Xie L, Shi F, Tang M, Li Y, Hu J, et al. Targeting the signaling in Epstein–Barr virus-associated diseases: mechanism, regulation, and clinical study. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2021;6:15. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-020-00376-4 .
doi: 10.1038/s41392-020-00376-4 pubmed: 33436584 pmcid: 7801793
Kim WY, Montes-Mojarro IA, Fend F, Quintanilla-Martinez L. Epstein–Barr virus-associated T and NK-cell lymphoproliferative diseases. Front Pediatr. 2019;7:71. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2019.00071 .
doi: 10.3389/fped.2019.00071 pubmed: 30931288 pmcid: 6428722
Bollard CM, Cohen JI. How I treat T-cell chronic active Epstein–Barr virus disease. Blood. 2018;131:2899–905. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2018-03-785931 .
doi: 10.1182/blood-2018-03-785931 pubmed: 29712633 pmcid: 6024635
Yoon JH, Park SS, Jeon YW, Lee SE, Cho BS, Eom KS, et al. Treatment outcomes and prognostic factors in adult patients with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis not associated with malignancy. Haematologica. 2019;104:269–76. https://doi.org/10.3324/haematol.2018.198655 .
doi: 10.3324/haematol.2018.198655 pubmed: 30213834 pmcid: 6355492
Bergsten E, Horne A, Arico M, Astigarraga I, Egeler RM, Filipovich AH, et al. Confirmed efficacy of etoposide and dexamethasone in HLH treatment: long-term results of the cooperative HLH-2004 study. Blood. 2017;130:2728–38. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2017-06-788349 .
doi: 10.1182/blood-2017-06-788349 pubmed: 28935695 pmcid: 5785801
Tang Q, Chen Y, Li X, Long S, Shi Y, Yu Y, et al. The role of PD-1/PD-L1 and application of immune-checkpoint inhibitors in human cancers. Front Immunol. 2022;13:964442. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2022.964442 .
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.964442 pubmed: 36177034 pmcid: 9513184
Chen RY, Zhu Y, Shen YY, Xu QY, Tang HY, Cui NX, et al. The role of PD-1 signaling in health and immune-related diseases. Front Immunol. 2023;14:1163633. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1163633 .
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1163633 pubmed: 37261359 pmcid: 10228652
Patsoukis N, Duke-Cohan JS, Chaudhri A, Aksoylar HI, Wang Q, Council A, et al. Interaction of SHP-2 SH2 domains with PD-1 ITSM induces PD-1 dimerization and SHP-2 activation. Commun Biol. 2020;3:128. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-020-0845-0 .
doi: 10.1038/s42003-020-0845-0 pubmed: 32184441 pmcid: 7078208
Christofides A, Katopodi XL, Cao C, Karagkouni D, Aliazis K, Yenyuwadee S, et al. SHP-2 and PD-1-SHP-2 signaling regulate myeloid cell differentiation and antitumor responses. Nat Immunol. 2023;24:55–68. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-022-01385-x .
doi: 10.1038/s41590-022-01385-x pubmed: 36581713
Jubel JM, Barbati ZR, Burger C, Wirtz DC, Schildberg FA. The role of PD-1 in acute and chronic infection. Front Immunol. 2020;11:487. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2020.00487 .
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00487 pubmed: 32265932 pmcid: 7105608
Qin W, Hu L, Zhang X, Jiang S, Li J, Zhang Z, et al. The diverse function of PD-1/PD-L pathway beyond cancer. Front Immunol. 2019;10:2298. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2019.02298 .
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02298 pubmed: 31636634 pmcid: 6787287
Chatterjee B, Deng Y, Holler A, Nunez N, Azzi T, Vanoaica LD, et al. CD8+ T cells retain protective functions despite sustained inhibitory receptor expression during Epstein–Barr virus infection in vivo. Plos Pathog. 2019;15:e1007748. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1007748 .
doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007748 pubmed: 31145756 pmcid: 6542544
de Mel S, Tan JZ, Jeyasekharan AD, Chng WJ, Ng SB. Transcriptomic abnormalities in Epstein Barr virus associated T/NK lymphoproliferative disorders. Front Pediatr. 2018;6:405. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2018.00405 .
doi: 10.3389/fped.2018.00405 pubmed: 30705877
Sasaki S, Nishikawa J, Sakai K, Iizasa H, Yoshiyama H, Yanagihara M, et al. EBV-associated gastric cancer evades T-cell immunity by PD-1/PD-L1 interactions. Gastric Cancer. 2019;22:486–96. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10120-018-0880-4 .
doi: 10.1007/s10120-018-0880-4 pubmed: 30264329
Qin L, Li Y, He Y, Zeng R, Pan T, Zuo Y, et al. Successful treatment of primary CNS extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma with surgery and chemotherapy combined with sintilimab: a case report and literature review. Onco Targets Ther. 2022;15:1–11. https://doi.org/10.2147/OTT.S343400 .
doi: 10.2147/OTT.S343400 pubmed: 35023929 pmcid: 8747803
Zhang L, Mai W, Jiang W, Geng Q. Sintilimab: a promising anti-tumor PD-1 antibody. Front Oncol. 2020;10:594558. https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2020.594558 .
doi: 10.3389/fonc.2020.594558 pubmed: 33324564 pmcid: 7726413
Kwong YL, Chan T, Tan D, Kim SJ, Poon LM, Mow B, et al. PD1 blockade with pembrolizumab is highly effective in relapsed or refractory NK/T-cell lymphoma failing l-asparaginase. Blood. 2017;129:2437–42. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2016-12-756841 .
doi: 10.1182/blood-2016-12-756841 pubmed: 28188133
Kim ST, Cristescu R, Bass AJ, Kim KM, Odegaard JI, Kim K, et al. Comprehensive molecular characterization of clinical responses to PD-1 inhibition in metastatic gastric cancer. Nat Med. 2018;24:1449–58. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-018-0101-z .
doi: 10.1038/s41591-018-0101-z pubmed: 30013197
Hu B, Jacobs R, Ghosh N. Checkpoint inhibitors Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Curr Hematol Malig Rep. 2018;13:543–54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11899-018-0484-4 .
doi: 10.1007/s11899-018-0484-4 pubmed: 30338457
Liu P, Pan X, Chen C, Niu T, Shuai X, Wang J, et al. Nivolumab treatment of relapsed/refractory Epstein–Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in adults. Blood. 2020;135:826–33. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.2019003886 .
doi: 10.1182/blood.2019003886 pubmed: 31914172
You Y, Wang J, Wang Z. Programmed death 1 monoclonal antibody helped to treat mixed chimeric and reactivation of Epstein–Barr virus in a patient with adult-onset chronic active Epstein–Barr virus infection after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a case report. Medicine (Baltimore). 2022;101:e28542. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000028542 .
doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000028542 pubmed: 35029211
Ma Y, Zhang P, Bao Y, Luo H, Wang J, Huang L, et al. Outcomes of programmed death protein-1 inhibitors treatment of chronic active Epstein Barr virus infection: a single center retrospective analysis. Front Immunol. 2023;14:1093719. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1093719 .
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1093719 pubmed: 36969150 pmcid: 10036359
Song Y, Wang J, Wang Y, Wu L, You Y, Song D, et al. PD-1 blockade and lenalidomide combination therapy for chronic active Epstein–Barr virus infection. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2023;29:796–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2023.01.017 .
doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2023.01.017
Ma H, Zhang L, Wei A, Yang J, Wang D, Zhang Q, et al. Outcome of L-DEP regimen for treatment of pediatric chronic active Epstein–Barr virus infection. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2021;16:269. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13023-021-01909-y .
doi: 10.1186/s13023-021-01909-y pubmed: 34112210 pmcid: 8194054
Yonese I, Sakashita C, Imadome KI, Kobayashi T, Yamamoto M, Sawada A, et al. Nationwide survey of systemic chronic active EBV infection in Japan in accordance with the new WHO classification. Blood Adv. 2020;4:2918–26. https://doi.org/10.1182/bloodadvances.2020001451 .
doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2020001451 pubmed: 32598475 pmcid: 7362364
Arai A. Chronic active Epstein–Barr virus infection: the elucidation of the pathophysiology and the development of therapeutic methods. Microorganisms. 2021. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9010180 .
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9010180 pubmed: 33467742 pmcid: 7829705
Liu M, Wang R, Xie Z. T cell-mediated immunity during Epstein–Barr virus infections in children. Infect Genet Evol. 2023;112:105443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2023.105443 .
doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2023.105443 pubmed: 37201619
Chikuma S. Basics of PD-1 in self-tolerance, infection, and cancer immunity. Int J Clin Oncol. 2016;21:448–55. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-016-0958-0 .
doi: 10.1007/s10147-016-0958-0 pubmed: 26864303
Collins PJ, Fox CP, George L, Pearce H, Ryan G, De Santo C, et al. Characterizing EBV-associated lymphoproliferative diseases and the role of myeloid-derived suppressor cells. Blood. 2021;137:203–15. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.2020005611 .
doi: 10.1182/blood.2020005611 pubmed: 33443553
Kasahara Y, Yachie A, Takei K, Kanegane C, Okada K, Ohta K, et al. Differential cellular targets of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection between acute EBV-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and chronic active EBV infection. Blood. 2001;98:1882–8. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.v98.6.1882 .
doi: 10.1182/blood.v98.6.1882 pubmed: 11535525
Yang C, Zhu X, Zhang T, Ye Q. EBV-HLH children with reductions in CD4+ T cells and excessive activation of CD8+ T cells. Pediatr Res. 2017;82:952–7. https://doi.org/10.1038/pr.2017.178 .
doi: 10.1038/pr.2017.178 pubmed: 28738028
Liang W, Yi R, Wang W, Shi Y, Zhang J, Xu X, et al. Enhancing the antitumor immunity of t cells by engineering the lipid-regulatory site of the TCR/CD3 complex. Cancer Immunol Res. 2023;11:93–108. https://doi.org/10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-21-1118 .
doi: 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-21-1118 pubmed: 36265009
Chen L, Flies DB. Molecular mechanisms of T cell co-stimulation and co-inhibition. Nat Rev Immunol. 2013;13:227–42. https://doi.org/10.1038/nri3405 .
doi: 10.1038/nri3405 pubmed: 23470321 pmcid: 3786574
Zhang Y, Zheng J. Functions of immune checkpoint molecules beyond immune evasion. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020;1248:201–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3266-5_9 .
doi: 10.1007/978-981-15-3266-5_9 pubmed: 32185712
Lu J, Wu J, Mao L, Xu H, Wang S. Revisiting PD-1/PD-L pathway in T and B cell response: beyond immunosuppression. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 2022;67:58–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cytogfr.2022.07.003 .
doi: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2022.07.003 pubmed: 35850949
Baldanzi G. Immune checkpoint receptors signaling in T cells. Int J Mol Sci. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23073529 .
doi: 10.3390/ijms23073529 pubmed: 35955558 pmcid: 9369165
Bi XW, Wang H, Zhang WW, Wang JH, Liu WJ, Xia ZJ, et al. PD-L1 is upregulated by EBV-driven LMP1 through NF-kappaB pathway and correlates with poor prognosis in natural killer/T-cell lymphoma. J Hematol Oncol. 2016;9:109. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13045-016-0341-7 .
doi: 10.1186/s13045-016-0341-7 pubmed: 27737703 pmcid: 5064887
Green MR, Rodig S, Juszczynski P, Ouyang J, Sinha P, O’Donnell E, et al. Constitutive AP-1 activity and EBV infection induce PD-L1 in Hodgkin lymphomas and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders: implications for targeted therapy. Clin Cancer Res. 2012;18:1611–8. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-11-1942 .
doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-11-1942 pubmed: 22271878 pmcid: 3321508
Fang W, Zhang J, Hong S, Zhan J, Chen N, Qin T, et al. EBV-driven LMP1 and IFN-gamma up-regulate PD-L1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: Implications for oncotargeted therapy. Oncotarget. 2014;5:12189–202. https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.2608 .
doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.2608 pubmed: 25361008 pmcid: 4322961
Song TL, Nairismagi ML, Laurensia Y, Lim JQ, Tan J, Li ZM, et al. Oncogenic activation of the STAT3 pathway drives PD-L1 expression in natural killer/T-cell lymphoma. Blood. 2018;132:1146–58. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2018-01-829424 .
doi: 10.1182/blood-2018-01-829424 pubmed: 30054295 pmcid: 6148343
Yu L, Guan Y, Li L, Lu N, Zhang C. The transcription factor Eomes promotes expression of inhibitory receptors on hepatic CD8(+) T cells during HBV persistence. Febs J. 2022;289:3241–61. https://doi.org/10.1111/febs.16342 .
doi: 10.1111/febs.16342 pubmed: 34986510

Auteurs

Ruyue Chen (R)

Department of Nephrology and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, No.303 Jing De Road, Gusu District, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China.

Qiang Lin (Q)

Department of Nephrology and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, No.303 Jing De Road, Gusu District, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China.

Yun Zhu (Y)

Department of Nephrology and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, No.303 Jing De Road, Gusu District, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China.

Yunyan Shen (Y)

Department of Nephrology and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, No.303 Jing De Road, Gusu District, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China.

Qinying Xu (Q)

Department of Nephrology and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, No.303 Jing De Road, Gusu District, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China.

Hanyun Tang (H)

Department of Nephrology and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, No.303 Jing De Road, Gusu District, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China.

Ningxun Cui (N)

Department of Nephrology and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, No.303 Jing De Road, Gusu District, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China.

Lu Jiang (L)

Department of Nephrology and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, No.303 Jing De Road, Gusu District, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China.

Xiaomei Dai (X)

Department of Nephrology and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, No.303 Jing De Road, Gusu District, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China.

Weiqing Chen (W)

Department of Nephrology and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, No.303 Jing De Road, Gusu District, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China.

Xiaozhong Li (X)

Department of Nephrology and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, No.303 Jing De Road, Gusu District, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China. xiaozhonglicn@yeah.net.

Articles similaires

[Redispensing of expensive oral anticancer medicines: a practical application].

Lisanne N van Merendonk, Kübra Akgöl, Bastiaan Nuijen
1.00
Humans Antineoplastic Agents Administration, Oral Drug Costs Counterfeit Drugs

Smoking Cessation and Incident Cardiovascular Disease.

Jun Hwan Cho, Seung Yong Shin, Hoseob Kim et al.
1.00
Humans Male Smoking Cessation Cardiovascular Diseases Female
Humans United States Aged Cross-Sectional Studies Medicare Part C
1.00
Humans Yoga Low Back Pain Female Male

Classifications MeSH