Multiple myeloma (MM) cells inhibit certain T-cell functions. We examined the expression of B7-H1 (PD-L1), a B7-related protein that inhibits T-cell responses, in CD138-purified plasma cells isolated from MM patients, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance patients, and healthy donors. We observed that B7-H1 was expressed in most MM plasma cells, but not cells isolated from monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance or healthy donors. This expression was increased or induced by IFN-γ and Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands in isolated MM plasma cells. Blocking the MEK/ERK pathway inhibited IFN-γ–mediated and TLR-mediated expression of B7-H1. Inhibition of the MyD88 and TRAF6 adaptor proteins of the TLR pathway blocked not only B7-H1 expression induced by TLR ligands but also that mediated by IFN-γ. IFN-γ–induced STAT1 activation, via MEK/ERK and MyD88/TRAF6, and inhibition of STAT1 reduced B7-H1 expression. MM plasma cells stimulated with IFN-γ or TLR ligands inhibited cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) generation and this immunosuppressive effect was inhibited by preincubation with an anti-B7-H1 antibody, the UO126 MEK inhibitor, or by transfection of a dominant-negative mutant of MyD88. Thus, B7-H1 expression by MM cells represents a possible immune escape mechanism that could be targeted therapeutically through inhibition of MyD88/TRAF6 and MEK/ERK/STAT1.

Patients with anemia and lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes in whom erythropoiesis-stimulating agent therapy is not effective generally become dependent on red-cell transfusions. Luspatercept, a recombinant fusion protein that binds transforming growth factor β superfamily ligands to reduce SMAD2 and SMAD3 signaling, showed promising results in a phase 2 study.

This phase 3, randomized, double-blind study assessed the efficacy and safety of lenalidomide in 205 red blood cell (RBC) transfusion-dependent patients with International Prognostic Scoring System Low-/Intermediate-1-risk del5q31 myelodysplastic syndromes. Patients received lenalidomide 10 mg/day on days 1-21 (n = 69) or 5 mg/day on days 1-28 (n = 69) of 28-day cycles; or placebo (n = 67). Crossover to lenalidomide or higher dose was allowed after 16 weeks. More patients in the lenalidomide 10- and 5-mg groups achieved RBC-transfusion independence (TI) for ≥ 26 weeks (primary endpoint) versus placebo (56.1% and 42.6% vs 5.9%; both P < .001). Median duration of RBC-TI was not reached (median follow-up, 1.55 years), with 60% to 67% of responses ongoing in patients without progression to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Cytogenetic response rates were 50.0% (10 mg) versus 25.0% (5 mg; P = .066). For the lenalidomide groups combined, 3-year overall survival and AML risk were 56.5% and 25.1%, respectively. RBC-TI for ≥ 8 weeks was associated with 47% and 42% reductions in the relative risks of death and AML progression or death, respectively (P = .021 and .048). The safety profile was consistent with previous reports. Lenalidomide is beneficial and has an acceptable safety profile in transfusion-dependent patients with Low-/Intermediate-1-risk del5q myelodysplastic syndrome. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00179621.

Purpose: Azacitidine (AZA) is the current standard of care for high-risk (ie, International Prognostic Scoring System high or intermediate 2) myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), but most patients will experience primary or secondary treatment failure. The outcome of these patients has not yet been described. Patients and Methods: Overall, 435 patients with high-risk MDS and former refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation (RAEB-T) were evaluated for outcome after AZA failure. The cohort of patients included four data sets (ie, AZA001, J9950, and J0443 trials and the French compassionate use program). Results: The median follow-up after AZA failure was 15 months. The median overall survival was 5.6 months, and the 2-year survival probability was 15%. Increasing age, male sex, high-risk cytogenetics, higher bone marrow blast count, and the absence of prior hematologic response to AZA were associated with significantly worse survival in multivariate analysis. Data on treatment administered after AZA failure were available for 270 patients. Allogeneic stem-cell transplantation and investigational agents were associated with a better outcome when compared with conventional clinical care. Conclusion: Outcome after AZA failure is poor. Our results should serve as a basis for designing second-line clinical trials in this population.

We analyzed the prognostic value of p53 mutations for response to chemotherapy and survival in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Mutations were detected by single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of exons 4 to 10 of the P53 gene, and confirmed by direct sequencing. A p53 mutation was found in 16 of 107 (15%) AML, 20 of 182 (11%) MDS, and 9 of 81 (11%) CLL tested. In AML, three of nine (33%) mutated cases and 66 of 81 (81%) nonmutated cases treated with intensive chemotherapy achieved complete remission (CR) (P = .005) and none of five mutated cases and three of six nonmutated cases treated by low-dose Ara C achieved CR or partial remission (PR) (P = .06). Median actuarial survival was 2.5 months in mutated cases, and 15 months in nonmutated cases (P < 10(-5)). In the MDS patients who received chemotherapy (intensive chemotherapy or low-dose Ara C), 1 of 13 (8%) mutated cases and 23 of 38 (60%) nonmutated cases achieved CR or PR (P = .004), and median actuarial survival was 2.5 and 13.5 months, respectively (P < 10(-5)). In all MDS cases (treated and untreated), the survival difference between mutated cases and nonmutated cases was also highly significant. In CLL, 1 of 8 (12.5%) mutated cases treated by chemotherapy (chlorambucil and/or CHOP and/or fludarabine) responded, as compared with 29 of 36 (80%) nonmutated cases (P = .02). In all CLL cases, survival from p53 analysis was significantly shorter in mutated cases (median 7 months) than in nonmutated cases (median not reached) (P < 10(-5)). In 35 of the 45 mutated cases of AML, MDS, and CLL, cytogenetic analysis or SSCP and sequence findings showed loss of the nonmutated P53 allele. Our findings show that p53 mutations are a strong prognostic indicator of response to chemotherapy and survival in AML, MDS, and CLL. The usual association of p53 mutations to loss of the nonmutated P53 allele, in those disorders, ie, to absence of normal p53 in tumor cells, suggests that p53 mutations could induce drug resistance, at least in part, by interfering with normal apoptotic pathways in tumor cells.