Localized radiotherapy (RT) induces an immunogenic antitumor response that is in part counterbalanced by activation of immune evasive and tissue remodeling processes, e.g., via upregulation of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β). We report that a bifunctional fusion protein that simultaneously inhibits TGF-β and PD-L1, bintrafusp alfa (BA), effectively synergizes with radiotherapy, leading to superior survival in multiple therapy-resistant murine tumor models with poor immune infiltration. The BA + RT (BART) combination increases tumor-infiltrating leukocytes, reprograms the tumor microenvironment, and attenuates RT-induced fibrosis, leading to reconstitution of tumor immunity and regression of spontaneous lung metastases. Consistently, the beneficial effects of BART are in part reversed by depletion of cytotoxic CD8⁺ T cells. Intriguingly, targeting of the TGF-β trap to PD-L1⁺ endothelium and the M2/lipofibroblast-like cell compartment by BA attenuated late-stage RT-induced lung fibrosis. Together, the results suggest that the BART combination has the potential to eradicate therapy-resistant tumors while sparing normal tissue, further supporting its clinical translation.

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Cellular morphology has the capacity to serve as a surrogate for cellular state and functionality. However, primary cardiomyocytes, the standard model in cardiovascular research, are highly heterogeneous cells and therefore impose methodological challenges to analysis. Hence, we aimed to devise a robust methodology to deconvolute cardiomyocyte morphology on a single-cell level: C-MORE (cellular morphology recognition) is a workflow from bench to data analysis tailored for heterogeneous primary cells using our R package cmoRe. We demonstrate its utility in proof-of-principle applications such as modulation of canonical hypertrophy pathways and linkage of genotype-phenotype in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). In our pilot study, exposure of cardiomyocytes to blood plasma prior to versus after aortic valve replacement allows identification of a disease fingerprint and reflects partial reversibility following therapeutic intervention. C-MORE is a valuable tool for cardiovascular research with possible fields of application in basic research and personalized medicine.

In transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA), misfolded transthyretin accumulates in the myocardium, leading to wall thickening and interstitial fibrosis. Recently published in vitro studies revealed direct effects of transthyretin on the structure, function, and gene expression of cardiac fibroblasts. Therefore, we hypothesized that biomarkers known to modulate myocardial remodeling might be clinically valuable in ATTR-CA and may improve risk stratification in ATTR-CA. To analyze this hypothesis, we evaluated 14 fibrosis-related biomarkers (EN-RAGE, IGFBP-1, -2, -3, -4, -6, FGF-23, MMP-2, -7, -9, -13, TIMP-2, -4, and RAGE-AGE) in 125 patients using Luminex multiplex assays. The study cohort consists of 14 asymptomatic gene carriers (ATTRv-asymp), 47 symptomatic hereditary (ATTRv-CA), 43 wild-type Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRwt) patients, and 21 were healthy controls (ctrl). Associations of fibrotic biomarkers and clinical routine data with clinical outcomes—cardiac decompensation (DMP) and transplantation/death (HTX)—were assessed via hierarchical cluster analysis, regression, and prediction modeling. We found that ATTR-CA patients showed distinct biomarker profiles compared to controls. Several markers (e.g., MMP-7, RAGE-AGE, IGFBP-1, FGF-23, TIMP-2) were significantly associated with both endpoints. Cluster analysis identified a high-risk phenotype (Cluster 2) with worse renal function, greater myocardial thickening, and elevated NT-proBNP, hsTNT. Prediction modeling revealed IGFPB-1, -3, -4 and -6 as well as FGF-23, TIMP-2, and RAGE/AGE as the best predictive parameters for cluster assignment. Taken together, these findings confirm our hypothesis that fibrosis-related biomarkers are associated with adverse outcomes in ATTR-CM. Profibrotic mediators such as IGFBP-1, FGF-23, and TIMP-2 may, therefore, provide additional prognostic information beyond established cardiac biomarkers and may reflect underlying fibrotic remodeling pathways.

Circulating heart-reactive autoantibodies (aAbs) detected in a variety of heart diseases (e.g., myocarditis, dilated cardiomyopathy, and myocardial infarction) have been associated with the progression of heart failure and a poor prognosis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. We investigated the effects of murine plasma containing aAbs against cardiac troponin I (cTnI) on neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs). An autoimmune response to cTnI in A/J mice was induced, and anti-cTnI-aAbs were quantified. After 21 days, cardiac function, inflammation, fibrosis, and apoptosis were evaluated. In complementary in vitro liquid biopsy experiments, NRCMs were incubated with murine plasma containing high anti-cTnI-aAb levels or corresponding controls. Morphological phenotyping was performed using the C-MORE fluorescent image-based analysis workflow. Immunization with cTnI resulted in high anti-cTnI-aAb production, followed by myocardial inflammation, fibrosis, and impaired ejection fraction. NRCMs exposed to anti-cTnI-aAb-containing plasma showed reduced cell size, altered shape and radius, and elevated rate of dead cells in cell cycle analysis (p < 0.01, for 20% plasma). Together, these findings suggest a direct interaction of anti-cTnI-aAbs on cardiomyocytes, likely promoting adverse myocardial remodeling in vivo.