Plasma from 245 patients with advanced NSCLC who received nivolumab as second-line therapy was collected and analyzed. EV-miRnome was profiled on 174/245 patients by microarray platform and selected EV-miRs were validated by qPCR. A prognostic model combining EV-miR and clinical variables was built using stepwise Cox regression analysis and tested on an independent patient cohort (71/245). EV-PD-L1 gene copy number was assessed by digital PCR. For 54 patients with disease control, EV-miR changes at best response versus baseline were investigated by microarray and validated by qPCR. EV-miRNome profiling at baseline identified two EV-miR (miR-181a-5p, miR-574-5p) that, combined with performance status, are capable of discriminating patients unlikely from those that are likely to benefit from immunotherapy (median overall survival of 4 months or higher than 9 months, respectively). EV-PD-L1 digital evaluation reported higher baseline copy number in patients at increased mortality risk, without improving the prognostic score. Best response EV-miRNome profiling selected six deregulated EV-miRs (miR19a-3p, miR-20a-5p, miR-142-3p, miR-1260a, miR-1260b, miR-5100) in responding patients. Their longitudinal monitoring highlighted a significant downmodulation already in the first treatment cycles, which lasted more than six months.
Grantee: Simona Coco Grantor: Italian Ministry of Health Grant ID: CO-2016-02361470 Grant Title: Exosomal miRNA signature as prognostic marker in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with Nivolumab
Overall design
174 plasma Exososome miRNAs were profiled comparing short survivors (patients with an overall survival lower than 9 months) versus long survivors ( patients with an OS higher than 9 months). 108 plasma exosome miRNAs derived from 54 NSCLC patients reporting disease control (i.e., 31 stable disease and 23 Partial Response; based on RECIST criteria) after treatment with nivolumab. For each patient, plasma samples were collected at baseline and at the best response time. The entire exosome miRNome was profiled comparing the changes from baseline to the best response.