Lenalidomide enhances anti-myeloma cellular immunity

Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2013 Jan;62(1):39-49. doi: 10.1007/s00262-012-1308-3. Epub 2012 Jun 24.

Abstract

Lenalidomide is an effective therapeutic agent for multiple myeloma that exhibits immunomodulatory properties including the activation of T and NK cells. The use of lenalidomide to reverse tumor-mediated immune suppression and amplify myeloma-specific immunity is currently being explored. In the present study, we examined the effect of lenalidomide on T-cell activation and its ability to amplify responses to a dendritic cell-based myeloma vaccine. We demonstrate that exposure to lenalidomide in the context of T-cell expansion with direct ligation of CD3/CD28 complex results in polarization toward a Th1 phenotype characterized by increased IFN-γ, but not IL-10 expression. In vitro exposure to lenalidomide resulted in decreased levels of regulatory T cells and a decrease in T-cell expression of the inhibitory marker, PD-1. Lenalidomide also enhanced T-cell proliferative responses to allogeneic DCs. Most significantly, lenalidomide treatment potentiated responses to the dendritic cell/myeloma fusion vaccine, which were characterized by increased production of inflammatory cytokines and increased cytotoxic lymphocyte-mediated lysis of autologous myeloma targets. These findings indicate that lenalidomide enhances the immunologic milieu in patients with myeloma by promoting T-cell proliferation and suppressing inhibitory factors, and thereby augmenting responses to a myeloma-specific tumor vaccine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cancer Vaccines / immunology*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects*
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular / drug effects*
  • Immunoblotting
  • Lenalidomide
  • Lymphocyte Activation / drug effects
  • Multiple Myeloma / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Thalidomide / analogs & derivatives*
  • Thalidomide / pharmacology

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Thalidomide
  • Lenalidomide