Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Labeling of Bone Marrow Stromal (Mesenchymal) Cells Does Not Affect Their “Stemness”

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) are increasingly used to label human bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs, also called “mesenchymal stem cells”) to monitor their fate by in vivo MRI, and by histology after Prussian blue (PB) staining. SPION-labeling appears to be safe as assessed by in vitro differentiation of BMSCs, however, we chose to resolve the question of the effect of labeling on maintaining the “stemness” of cells within the BMSC population in vivo. Assays performed include colony forming efficiency, CD146 expression, gene expression profiling, and the “gold standard” of evaluating bone and myelosupportive stroma formation in vivo in immuncompromised recipients. SPION-labeling did not alter these assays. Comparable abundant bone with adjoining host hematopoietic cells were seen in cohorts of mice that were implanted with SPION-labeled or unlabeled BMSCs. PB+ adipocytes were noted, demonstrating their donor origin, as well as PB+ pericytes, indicative of self-renewal of the stem cell in the BMSC population. This study confirms that SPION labeling does not alter the differentiation potential of the subset of stem cells within BMSCs

Follicular Lymphoma Organoids for Investigating the Tumor Microenvironment

Background: Current in vitro lymphoma models, including three-dimensional organoids, generally contain exclusively neoplastic lymphocytes and require artificial reconstitution to recapitulate the tumor microenvironment (TME). The co-culture of syngeneic tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) alongside endogenous primary malignant lymphocytes could be useful for modeling complex interactions in the TME, and for immunological maneuvers and therapies relying on TILs. However, such conditions for maintaining lymphomas in their syngeneic TME as a cohesive unit have remained elusive. Methods: We adapted an air-liquid interface (ALI) method that we previously described (Neal JT et al 2019 Cell) for propagating patient-derived organoids (PDOs) from primary human follicular lymphomas. Surgically excised lymphoma samples were tested for the ability to maintain lymphoma cell viability in vitro using a lymph node organoid technique. Lymph nodes containing lymphoma cells (and in one case, a PBMC sample including circulating lymphoma cells) were processed into a single cell suspension and frozen until use. Samples were thawed and prepared into immune organoids (see figure). We assessed cell composition by flow cytometry on day 7, and in a subset of samples, up to 21 days post-thaw. Results: A total of 6 patients were profiled for PDO formation, PDO composition and stability, and PDO longevity. 4 of 6 samples showed good cell viability at day 7 post-culture and in a subset of samples, up to 21 days post-culture. Cell composition was well-maintained over time, with presence of lymphoma cells (CD19+ CD10+ CD5-) easily detectable and maintenance of supporting cells of the lymph node such as T follicular helper cells (CD3+ CD4+ CXCR5+ PD-1+) and non-B, non-T cells. Supporting lymph node cells were not detected in the PBMC sample, suggesting the cell composition is related to the initial composition and not due to differentiation in vitro. Genotyping, gene expression phenotyping, and T-cell/B-cell receptor profiling data will be presented at the meeting, including accuracy of PDOs for preserving the original spectrum of these indices. Conclusions: Propagation of PDOs of primary lymphomas with endogenous immune stroma is feasible and maintains cohesive elements of the TME. This system should allow immunoncology investigations within the TME and to facilitate personalized immunotherapy testing. Fig 1: Human lymphoma organoid cultures as a model to study tumor microenvironments and immune responses in vitro. (A) Experimental schema for preparing lymphoma organoids from tumor explants. In an adapted workflow optimized for ex vivo culture of human tonsillar germinal centers (Wagar L et al, submitted), we subject cryopreserved FL samples to organoid culture. (B) An example of follicular lymphoma organoid reorganization in vitro after four days in culture. (C) Total cell viability in FL organoids for up to 21 days in culture. Six samples were tested. (D) Frequency of major cell types in FL samples after organoid culture. Although there is variation among donors' samples, an individual's cell composition is well maintained for at least 14 days in most organoids. Figure 1 Disclosures Khodadoust: Corvus Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Davis:Vir Biotechnology: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Honoraria; PACT Bio: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Honoraria; Adicet Inc: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Honoraria; Chuga Pharmabody: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Atreca: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Honoraria; Juno: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Honoraria. Alizadeh:Pfizer: Research Funding; Chugai: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy; Genentech: Consultancy; Roche: Consultancy. </jats:sec

Clinical Presentation and Treatment Responses In IgM-Related AL Amyloidosis

Abstract AL amyloidosis is a multiorgan disease due to deposition of misfolded monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains. AL amyloidosis associated with IgM paraproteinemia is a rare variant of this disease, constituting approximately 6% of AL amyloidosis cases in the literature. The clonal cell of origin may be a plasma cell or a lymphoplasmacytic cell, and treatments targeting each of these populations have been employed. This study defines the clinical and laboratory characteristics of IgM-related AL amyloidosis patients as well as their response to different therapeutic regimens. We identified 94 patients with IgM-related AL amyloidosis evaluated at the BUMC Amyloidosis Center from 2003 through 2012 for which data was available on 50 who completed treatment. The median age at diagnosis was 65 years (range: 42-79 years) with 31 (62 %) males. The most commonly involved organ was the kidney (59%) followed by heart (37%) and GI tract (22%). The mean IgM was 1049 g/dL (range: 29-9130). The clonal population had lambda light chain restriction in 34 (68%) of patients. Patients were categorized into 5 treatment groups: high-dose melphalan/stem cell transplant (HDM/SCT), bortezomib-based, non-transplant alkylating agents based (melphalan or cyclophosphamide), immunomodulatory agents (IMiDs), and rituximab-based. This grouping was not mutually exclusive. The highest hematologic response rate was observed with HDM/SCT (10/10: 100%), followed by non-transplant alkylating agents (16/22: 73%), bortezomib (7/10: 70%) rituximab (9/13: 69%) then by IMiDs (2/4: 50%). We did not observe an association between positive response to treatment and organ involvement, sex or age at diagnosis. In conclusion, IgM-related ALamyloidosis is an unusual variant of AL amyloidosis. Multiple active therapies with different mechanisms of action exist; treatment should be tailored based upon clinicopathologic and patient-specific factors. Disclosures: Sloan: Millenium: Consultancy. </jats:sec

Clinical Presentation and Treatment Responses in IgM AL Amyloidosis, a Series of 106 Patients

Abstract Objective: AL amyloidosis is a multiorgan disease due to deposition of misfolded monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains. AL amyloidosis with IgM paraproteinemia is a rare variant of this disease; accounting for approximately 6% of AL amyloidosis cases. The clonal cell of origin may be a plasma cell or lymphoplasmacytic cell, and treatments targeting each have been employed. This study describes clinical and laboratory features of IgM AL amyloidosis patients and their response to different therapeutic regimens. Methods: 106 patients with IgM-related AL amyloidosis were evaluated at the BUMC Amyloidosis Center during 1996-2012. Treatment and response information was available on 46 treated after 2003, during the era of new agents for plasma cell diseases. In this cohort, there were 5 treatment groups: high-dose melphalan/stem cell transplant (HDM/SCT); bortezomib-based regimens; standard doses of the alkylating agents melphalan or cyclophosphamide; immunomodulatory agents (IMiDs); and rituximab-based regimens. Treatment regimens were assigned by bone marrow pathology and patient-specific factors. Results: For the 106 patients, the median age at diagnosis was 67 years (range: 38-89 years) with 52 (56%) males. The kidney was the most commonly involved organ (51%) followed by heart (41%) and GI tract (23%). Median IgM was 590 g/dL (range: 29-9130). The clonal population had lambda light chain restriction in 69% of patients. For the 46 patients treated after 2003, overall response rates and rates of very good partial or complete responses were were 100% and 80% respectively, with HDM/SCT; 82% and 30% with bortezomib-containing regimens; 80% and 25% with regimens that included rituximab; 75% and 0% with regimens in which an IMiD was included; and 63% and 20% with other alkylator regimens. There was no association between treatment response and organ involvement, sex, or age. Disclosures Sloan: Millenium: Consultancy. </jats:sec

Molecular profile of clonal strains of human skeletal stem/progenitor cells with different potencies

AbstractBone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs, also known as bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells) are fibroblastic reticular cells, a subset of which is composed of multipotent skeletal stem cells (SSCs). SSCs/BMSCs are able to recreate a bone/marrow organ in vivo. To determine differences between clonogenic multipotent SSCs and similarly clonogenic but non-multipotent BMSCs, we established single colony-derived strains (SCDSs, initiated by individual Colony Forming Unit-Fibroblasts) and determined their differentiation capacity by vivo transplantation. In this series of human SCDSs (N=24), 20.8% formed fibrous tissue (F), 66.7% formed bone (B), and 12.5% formed a bone/marrow organ, and thus were multipotent (M). RNA isolated from 12 SCDSs just prior to transplantation was analyzed by microarray. Although highly similar, there was variability from one SCDS to another, and SCDSs did not strictly segregate into the three functional groups (F, B or M) by unsupervised hierarchical clustering. We then compared 3 F-SCDSs to 3 M-SCDSs that did segregate. Genes associated with skeletogenesis, osteoblastogeneis, hematopoiesis, and extracellular matrix were over-represented in M-SCDSs compared with F-SCDSs. These results highlight the heterogeneity of SSCs/BMSCs, even between functionally similar SCDSs, but also indicate that differences can be detected that may shed light on the character of the SSC

Secreted frizzled related-protein 2 (Sfrp2) deficiency decreases adult skeletal stem cell function in mice

AbstractIn a previous transcriptomic study of human bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs, also known as bone marrow-derived “mesenchymal stem cells”), SFRP2 was highly over-represented in a subset of multipotent BMSCs (skeletal stem cells, SSCs), which recreate a bone/marrow organ in an in vivo ectopic bone formation assay. SFRPs modulate WNT signaling, which is essential to maintain skeletal homeostasis, but the specific role of SFRP2 in BMSCs/SSCs is unclear. Here, we evaluated Sfrp2 deficiency on BMSC/SSC function in models of skeletal organogenesis and regeneration. The skeleton of Sfrp2-deficient (KO) mice is overtly normal; but their BMSCs/SSCs exhibit reduced colony-forming efficiency, reflecting low SSC self-renewal/abundancy. Sfrp2 KO BMSCs/SSCs formed less trabecular bone than those from WT littermates in the ectopic bone formation assay. Moreover, regeneration of a cortical drilled hole defect was dramatically impaired in Sfrp2 KO mice. Sfrp2-deficient BMSCs/SSCs exhibited poor in vitro osteogenic differentiation as measured by Runx2 and Osterix expression and calcium accumulation. Interestingly, activation of the Wnt co-receptor, Lrp6, and expression of Wnt target genes, Axin2, C-myc and Cyclin D1, were reduced in Sfrp2-deficient BMSCs/SSCs. Addition of recombinant Sfrp2 restored most of these activities, suggesting that Sfrp2 acts as a Wnt agonist. We demonstrate that Sfrp2 plays a role in self-renewal of SSCs and in the recruitment and differentiation of adult SSCs during bone healing. SFRP2 is also a useful marker of BMSC/SSC multipotency, and a factor to potentially improve the quality of ex vivo expanded BMSC/SSC products.</jats:p