Rationale: The ability of patients with central hypoventilation syndrome (CHS) to produce and process mechanoreceptor signals is unknown.

Objectives: Children with CHS hypoventilate during sleep, although they generally breathe adequately during wakefulness. Previous studies suggest that they have compromised central integration of afferent stimuli, rather than abnormal sensors or receptors. Cortical integration of afferent mechanical stimuli caused by respiratory loading or upper airway occlusion can be tested by measuring respiratory-related evoked potentials (RREPs). We hypothesized that patients with CHS would have blunted RREP during both wakefulness and sleep.

Methods: RREPs were produced with multiple upper airway occlusions and were obtained during wakefulness, stage 2, slow-wave, and REM sleep. Ten patients with CHS and 20 control subjects participated in the study, which took place at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Each patient was age- and sex-matched to two control subjects. Wakefulness data were collected from 9 patients and 18 control subjects.

Measurements and Main Results: During wakefulness, patients demonstrated reduced Nf and P300 responses compared with control subjects. During non-REM sleep, patients demonstrated a reduced N350 response. In REM sleep, patients had a later P2 response.

Conclusions: CHS patients are able to produce cortical responses to mechanical load stimulation during both wakefulness and sleep; however, central integration of the afferent signal is disrupted during wakefulness, and responses during non-REM are damped relative to control subjects. The finding of differences between patients and control subjects during REM may be due to increased intrinsic excitatory inputs to the respiratory system in this state.

Background

Genz644282 is a novel non-camptothecin topoisomerase I poison that is in clinical development.

Procedures

Genz644282 was tested against the PPTP in vitro panel (0.1 nM–1 μM), and in vivo using three times per week × 2 schedule repeated at day 21 at its maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of 4 mg/kg. Subsequently Genz644282 was tested at 4, 3, 2 and 1 mg/kg in 3 models to assess the dose response relationship. mRNA gene signatures predictive for Genz644282 response in vitro were applied to select 15 tumor models that were evaluated prospectively.

Results

In vitro, Genz644282 demonstrated potent cytotoxic activity with a median IC50 of 1.2 nM (range 0.2–21.9 nM). In vivo, Genz644282 at its MTD (4 mg/kg) induced maintained complete responses (MCR) in 6/6 evaluable solid tumor models. At 2 mg/kg Genz644282 induced CR or MCR in 3/3 tumor models relatively insensitive to topotecan, but there were no objective responses at 1 mg/kg. Further testing at 2 mg/kg showed that Genz644282 induced objective regressions in 7 of 17 (41%) models. There was a significant correlation between predictive response scores based on Affymetrix U133Plus2 baseline tumor expression profiles and the observed in vivo responses to Genz644282.

Conclusions

Genz644282 was highly active within a narrow dose range (2–4 mg/kg), typical of other topoisomerase I poisons.. As with other topoisomerase I poisons, how accurately these data will translate to clinical activity will depend upon the drug exposures that can be achieved in children treated with this agent.

Purpose. 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) is used for the diagnostic evaluation of neuroblastoma. We evaluated the relationship between norepinephrine transporter (NET) expression and clinical MIBG uptake. Methods. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (N = 82) and immunohistochemistry (IHC; N = 61) were performed for neuroblastoma NET mRNA and protein expression and correlated with MIBG avidity on diagnostic scans. The correlation of NET expression with clinical features was also performed. Results. Median NET mRNA expression level for the 19 MIBG avid patients was 12.9% (range 1.6–73.7%) versus 5.9% (range 0.6–110.0%) for the 8 nonavid patients (P = 0.31). Median percent NET protein expression was 50% (range 0–100%) in MIBG avid patients compared to 10% (range 0–80%) in nonavid patients (P = 0.027). MYCN amplified tumors had lower NET protein expression compared to nonamplified tumors (10% versus 50%; P = 0.0002). Conclusions. NET protein expression in neuroblastoma correlates with MIBG avidity. MYCN amplified tumors have lower NET protein expression.

Background

PG11047 is a novel conformationally restricted analog of the natural polyamine spermine that lowers cellular endogenous polyamine levels and competitively inhibits natural polyamine functions leading to cancer cell growth inhibition. The activity of PG11047 was evaluated against the PPTP’s in vitro and in vivo panels.

Procedures

PG11047 was evaluated against the PPTP in vitro panel using 96 hour exposure at concentrations ranging from 10 nM to 100 μM. It was tested against the PPTP in vivo panels at a dose of 100 mg/kg administered by the intraperitoneal (IP) route weekly for 6 weeks.

Results

In vitro PG11047 demonstrated a concentration-response pattern consistent with cytostatic activity. The median relative IC50 for PG11047 was 71 nM. Cell lines of the Ewing sarcoma panel had a lower median relative IC50 value compared to the remaining cell lines in the panel, while cell lines of the neuroblastoma panel had a higher median relative IC50 value. In vivo PG11047 induced significant differences in EFS distribution compared to control in 5 of 32 (15.6%) of the evaluable solid tumor xenografts and in 0 of 7 (0%) of the evaluable ALL xenografts. The single case of tumor regression occurred in an ependymoma xenograft.

Conclusions

Further pediatric development of PG11047 will require better defining a target population and identifying combinations for which there is a tumor-selective cytotoxic effect. The regression observed for an ependymoma xenograft and the exquisite sensitivity of some Ewing sarcoma cell lines to the antiproliferative effects of PG11047 provide leads for further preclinical investigations.

Activating mutations in the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene were recently discovered in neuroblastoma, a cancer of the developing autonomic nervous system that is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in the first year of life. The most frequent ALK mutations in neuroblastoma cause amino acid substitutions (F1174L and R1275Q) in the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain of the intact ALK receptor. Identification of ALK as an oncogenic driver in neuroblastoma suggests that crizotinib (PF-02341066), a dual-specific inhibitor of the ALK and Met tyrosine kinases, will be useful in treating this malignancy. Here, we assessed the ability of crizotinib to inhibit proliferation of neuroblastoma cell lines and xenografts expressing mutated or wild-type ALK. Crizotinib inhibited proliferation of cell lines expressing R1275Q-mutated ALK and a cell line with amplified and overexpressed wild-type ALK. By contrast, cell lines harboring F1174L-mutated ALK were relatively resistant to crizotinib. Biochemical analyses revealed that this reduced susceptibility of F1174L-mutated ALK to crizotinib inhibition results from an increased ATP-binding affinity (as also seen in acquired resistance to EGFR inhibitors), and should be surmountable with higher doses of crizotinib and/or with higher affinity inhibitors.

Background

131I-Metaiodobenzylguanidine (131I-MIBG) provides targeted radiotherapy for children with neuroblastoma, a malignancy of the sympathetic nervous system. Dissociated radioactive iodide may concentrate in the thyroid, and MIBG is concentrated in the liver after MIBG therapy. The aim of our study was to analyze the effects of 131I-MIBG therapy on thyroid and liver function.

Procedure

Pre and post therapy thyroid and liver functions were reviewed in a total of 194 neuroblastoma patients treated with 131I-MIBG therapy. The cumulative incidence over time was estimated for both thyroid and liver toxicities. The relationship to cumulative dose/kg, number of treatments, time from treatment to follow-up, sex, and patient age was examined.

Results

In patients who presented with Grade 0 or Grade 1 thyroid toxicity at baseline, 12±4% experienced onset or worsening to Grade 2 hypothyroidism and one patient developed Grade 2 hyperthyroidism by two years after 131I-MIBG therapy. At two years post 131I-MIBG therapy, 76±4% patients experienced onset or worsening of hepatic toxicity to any grade, and 23±5% experienced onset of or worsening to Grade 3 or 4 liver toxicity. Liver toxicity usually was transient asymptomatic transaminase elevation, frequently confounded by disease progression and other therapies.

Conclusion

The prophylactic regimen of potassium iodide and potassium perchlorate with 131I-MIBG therapy resulted in a low rate of significant hypothyroidism. Liver abnormalities following 131I-MIBG therapy were primarily reversible and did not result in late toxicity. 131I-MIBG therapy is a promising treatment for children with relapsed neuroblastoma with a relatively low rate of symptomatic thyroid or hepatic dysfunction.

Purpose

This phase II study was conducted to determine the response rate associated with use of irinotecan and temozolomide for children with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma.

Patients and Methods

Patients with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma measurable by cross-sectional imaging (stratum 1) or assessable by bone marrow aspirate/biopsy or metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scan (stratum 2) received irinotecan (10 mg/m2/dose 5 days a week for 2 weeks) and temozolomide (100 mg/m2/dose for 5 days) every 3 weeks. Response was assessed after three and six courses using International Neuroblastoma Response Criteria. Of the first 25 evaluable patients on a given stratum, five or more patients with complete or partial responses were required to conclude that further study would be merited.

Results

Fifty-five eligible patients were enrolled. The objective response rate was 15%. Fourteen patients (50%) on stratum 1 and 15 patients (56%) on stratum 2 had stable disease. Objective responses were observed in three of the first 25 evaluable patients on stratum 1 and five of the first 25 evaluable patients on stratum 2. Less than 6% of patients experienced ≥ grade 3 diarrhea. Although neutropenia was observed, less than 10% of patients developed evidence of infection while neutropenic.

Conclusion

The combination of irinotecan and temozolomide was well tolerated. The objective response rate of 19% in stratum 2 suggests that this combination may be effective for patients with neuroblastoma detectable by MIBG or marrow analysis. Although fewer objective responses were observed in patients with disease measurable by computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging, patients in both strata seem to have derived clinical benefit from this therapy.

Background

GSK690693 is a small molecule ATP-competitive inhibitor of the pro-survival kinase Akt. Since Akt regulates multiple downstream targets including transcription factors, glycogen synthase 3, the pro-apoptotic protein Bad, as well as MDM2 and mTORC1, it was tested against the in vitro and in vivo panels of the Pediatric Preclinical Testing Program (PPTP).

Procedures

GSK690693 was tested in vitro at concentrations from 1 nM to 10 μM, and against the in vivo panel of xenografts at a dose of 30 mg/kg daily x 5 for 6 consecutive weeks. Three measures of in vivo antitumor activity were used: 1) an objective response measure modeled after the clinical setting; 2) a treated to control (T/C) tumor volume measure; and 3) a time to event measure based on the median event-free survival (EFS) of treated and control animals for each xenograft.

Results

GSK690693 inhibited cell growth in vitro with IC50 values between 6.5 nM and >10 μM. In vivo, GSK690693 significantly increased EFS in 11 of 34 (32%) solid tumor xenografts, most notably in all 6 osteosarcoma models, but not in any of the 8 ALL xenografts tested. No objective responses were observed and only one solid tumor met EFS T/C criteria for intermediate activity.

Conclusions

GSK690693 demonstrated broad activity in vitro, however our results against both the solid tumor and ALL PPTP in vivo panels demonstrate that, as single agent at the dose and schedule used, GSK690693 has only modest antitumor activity.

BACKGROUND

The survival rate among patients with intermediate-risk neuroblastoma who receive dose-intensive chemotherapy is excellent, but the survival rate among patients who receive reduced doses of chemotherapy for shorter periods of time is not known.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective, phase 3, nonrandomized trial to determine whether a 3-year estimated overall survival of more than 90% could be maintained with reductions in the duration of therapy and drug doses, using a tumor biology-based therapy assignment. Eligible patients had newly diagnosed, intermediate-risk neuroblastoma without MYCN amplification; these patients included infants (<365 days of age) who had stage 3 or 4 disease, children (≥365 days of age) who had stage 3 tumors with favorable histopathological features, and infants who had stage 4S disease with a diploid DNA index or unfavorable histopathological features. Patients who had disease with favorable histopathological features and hyperdiploidy were assigned to four cycles of chemotherapy, and those with an incomplete response or either unfavorable feature were assigned to eight cycles.

RESULTS

Between 1997 and 2005, a total of 479 eligible patients were enrolled in this trial (270 patients with stage 3 disease, 178 with stage 4 disease, and 31 with stage 4S disease). A total of 323 patients had tumors with favorable biologic features, and 141 had tumors with unfavorable biologic features. Ploidy, but not histopathological features, was significantly predictive of the outcome. Severe adverse events without disease progression occurred in 10 patients (2.1%), including secondary leukemia (in 3 patients), death from infection (in 3 patients), and death at surgery (in 4 patients). The 3-year estimate (±SE) of overall survival for the entire group was 96±1%, with an overall survival rate of 98±1% among patients who had tumors with favorable biologic features and 93±2% among patients who had tumors with unfavorable biologic features.

CONCLUSIONS

A very high rate of survival among patients with intermediate-risk neuroblastoma was achieved with a biologically based treatment assignment involving a substantially reduced duration of chemotherapy and reduced doses of chemotherapeutic agents as compared with the regimens used in earlier trials. These data provide support for further reduction in chemotherapy with more refined risk stratification. (Funded by the National Cancer Institute; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00003093.)

Background

AZD6244 (ARRY-142886) is a potent small molecule inhibitor of MEK1/2 that is in phase 2 clinical development.

Procedures

AZD6244 was tested against the PPTP in vitro panel (1 nM-10μM). In vivo AZD6244 was tested at a dose of 100 mg/kg administered orally twice daily five days per week for 6 weeks. Subsequently, AZD6244 was evaluated against two juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma (JPA) xenografts using once and twice daily dosing schedules. Phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was used as a surrogate for in vivo inhibition of MEK1/2 was determined by immunoblotting.

Results

At the highest concentration used in vitro (10 μM) AZD6244 only inhibited growth by 50% in 5 of the 23 cell lines. Against the in vivo tumor panels, AZD6244 induced significant differences in EFS distribution in 10 of 37 (27%) solid tumor models and 0 of 6 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) models. There were no objective responses. Pharmacodynamic studies indicated at this dose and schedule AZD6244 completely inhibited ERK1/2 phosphorylation. AZD6244 was evaluated against two JPA xenografts, BT-35 (wild type BRAF) and BT-40 (mutant [V600E] BRAF). BT-40 xenografts were highly sensitive to AZD6244, whereas BT-35 xenografts progressed on AZD6244 treatment.

Conclusions

At the dose and schedule of administration used, AZD6244 as a single agent had limited in vitro and in vivo activity against the PPTP tumor panels despite inhibition of MEK1/2 activity. However, AZD6244 was highly active against BT-40 JPA xenografts that harbor constitutively activated BRAF, causing complete regressions.

Background

The International Neuroblastoma Pathology Classification (INPC) was the first to clearly define prognostic subgroups in ganglioneuroma (GN) and ganglioneuroblastoma (GNB).

Procedure

Histopathology and tumor resectability of 552 GN/GNB cases from the CCG (Children’s Cancer Group) and COG (Children’s Oncology Group) neuroblastoma studies were reviewed. The results were analyzed along with clinical information and biological data of the cases.

Results

According to the INPC, 300 tumors were classified into the Favorable Histology (FH) group and 252 were into the Unfavorable Histology (UH) group. Tumors in the FH group included 43 ganglioneuroma-maturing (GN-M), 198 ganglioneuroblastoma-intermixed (GNB-I), and 59 ganglioneuroblastoma-nodular, favorable subset (GNB-N-FS), and were often (91%) resected completely by single or multiple surgical procedures. Patients with the FH tumors had an excellent prognosis with no tumor-related deaths. The UH group included ganglioneuroblastoma-nodular, unfavorable subset (GNB-N-US) tumors. Patients with the UH tumors had a high incidence (53%) of distant metastasis at the time of diagnosis, and their prognosis significantly depended on clinical stage (5-year EFS: 80.1% for non-stage 4 patients; 16.7% for stage 4 patients): Complete primary tumor resection was not beneficial to those GNB-N-US patients, regardless of whether metastasis was present or not. MYCN amplification was detected in 4 tumors in the FH group and 6 tumors in the UH group. The majority (160/191, 84%) of GN-M and GNB-I tumors had a diploid pattern determined by flow cytometry.

Conclusions

Stringent application of the INPC along with clinical staging was critical for prognostic evaluation of the patients with this group of tumors.

Background

Seneca Valley virus (NTX-010) is a non-recombinant, replication competent RNA virus that is undergoing phase 1 clinical trials in adults for tumors with neuroendocrine characteristics. Here we have evaluated the antitumor activity of NTX-010 administered systemically.

Procedures

In vitro NTX-010 was tested against 23 cell lines exposed for 96 hours at 1 × 10−4 to 104 viral particles (vp)/cell. In vivo NTX-010 was administered intravenously once at 3 × 1012 vp/kg. Three measures of antitumor activity were used: 1) an objective response measure modeled after the clinical setting; 2) a treated to control (T/C) tumor volume measure; and 3) a time to event (4-fold increase in tumor volume for solid tumor models), measure based on the median event-free survival (EFS) of treated and control animals for each xenograft.

Results

In vitro NTX-010 demonstrated a marked cytotoxic effect in a subset of the cell lines from the neuroblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma panels. In vivo the most consistent activity was observed for the rhabdomyosarcoma and the neuroblastoma panels, with all four of the alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma xenografts and 4 of 5 neuroblastoma xenografts achieving CR or maintained CR. Objective responses were also observed in the rhabdoid tumor, Wilms tumor, and glioblastoma panels.

Conclusions

NTX-010 demonstrated a high level of activity both in vitro and in vivo. Further analysis of existing testing and molecular characterization data may help define the biological characteristics of cancer cells that are associated with response to NTX-010.

Background

MLN8237 is a small molecule inhibitor of Aurora Kinase A (AURKA) that is currently in early phase clinical testing. AURKA plays a pivotal role in centrosome maturation and spindle formation during mitosis.

Procedures

MLN8237 was tested against the Pediatric Preclinical Testing Program (PPTP) in vitro panel at concentrations ranging from 1.0 nM to 10 μM and was tested against the PPTP in vivo panels at a dose of 20 mg/kg administered orally twice daily × 5 days. Treatment duration was 6 weeks for solid tumor xenografts and 3 weeks for ALL xenografts.

Results

MLN8237 had a median IC50 of 61 nM against the PPTP in vitro panel. The ALL cell lines were more sensitive and the rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines less sensitive than the remaining PPTP cell lines. In vivo, MLN8237 induced significant differences in event-free survival (EFS) distributions compared to controls in 32/40 (80%) solid tumor models and all (6/6) ALL models. Maintained complete responses (CRs) were observed in 3 of 7 neuroblastoma xenografts, and all 6 evaluable ALL xenografts achieved CR (n=4) or maintained CR (n=2) status. Maintained CRs were observed among single xenografts in other panels, including the Wilms tumor, rhabdoid tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, osteosarcoma, and medulloblastoma.

Conclusions

The in vivo activity observed against the neuroblastoma panel far exceeds that observed for standard agents evaluated against the panel by the PPTP. High levels of in vivo activity were also observed against the ALL xenograft panel. These data support expedited clinical development of MLN8237 in childhood cancer.

Background

Many childhood malignancies including sarcomas, neuroblastoma and Wilms tumor show the presence of both, active, type-1-insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R), and the autocrine production of its ligands IGF-1/IGF-2. IMC-A12 is a fully human IgG1 antibody that prevents ligand binding to the IGF-1R.

Procedures

IMC-A12 was evaluated against the 23 cell lines of the Pediatric Preclinical Testing Program (PPTP) in vitro panel using 96 hour exposure at concentrations ranging from 0.01 nM to 0.1 μM. IMC-A12 was tested in vivo at a dose of 1 mg/mouse administered intraperitoneally twice weekly for six weeks.

Results

In vitro, IMC-A12 induced T/C values less than 50% in only three cell lines, a rhabdomyosarcoma cell line (Rh41) and two Ewing sarcoma cell lines (TC-71 and CHLA-9). In vivo, IMC-A12 induced significant differences in EFS distribution compared to control in 24 of 34 (71%) evaluable solid tumor xenografts. Using the PPTP “time to event” activity measure, IMC-A12 induced intermediate (n=13) or high (n=1) activity in 33 xenografts evaluable for this activity measure, including 6 of 6 rhabdomyosarcoma xenografts, 3 of 5 osteosarcoma xenografts, 2 of 5 neuroblastoma xenografts, and 1 of 5 Ewing sarcoma xenografts. The only objective response observed was observed in a rhabdomyosarcoma xenograft (Rh28) that achieved a maintained complete response.

Conclusions

IMC-A12 demonstrated broad antitumor activity against the PPTP’s in vivo solid tumor panels, with the activity primarily being tumor growth inhibition rather than tumor regression. IMC-A12 showed its greatest activity in vivo against the PPTP’s rhabdomyosarcoma xenografts.

In human neuroblastoma, amplification of the MYCN gene predicts poor prognosis and resistance to therapy. Because hypoxia contributes to aggressive tumor phenotypes, predominantly via two structurally related hypoxia inducible factors, HIF-1α and HIF-2α, we examined hypoxia responses in MYCN amplified neuroblastoma cells. We demonstrate here that HIF-1α, but not HIF-2α, is preferentially expressed in both MYCN amplified neuroblastoma cells and primary tumors in comparison to samples without MYCN amplification. Our results showed that interplay between N-Myc and HIF-1α plays critical roles in neuroblastoma. For example, high levels of N-Myc override HIF-1α inhibition of cell cycle progression, enabling continued proliferation under hypoxia. Furthermore, both HIF-1α and N-Myc are essential for the Warburg effect (aerobic glycolysis) in neuroblastomas by activating the transcription of multiple glycolytic genes. Of note, expression of Phosphoglycerate Kinase 1 (PGK1), Hexokinase 2 (HK2) and Lactate Dehydrogenase A (LDHA), were each significantly higher in MYCN amplified neuroblastomas compared to tumors without MYCN amplification. Interestingly, MYCN amplified neuroblastoma cells are “addicted” to LDHA enzymatic activity, as its depletion completely inhibits tumorigenesis in vivo. Thus, our results provide mechanistic insights explaining how MYCN amplified neuroblastoma cells contend with hypoxic stress and paradoxically how hypoxia contributes to neuroblastoma aggressiveness through combinatorial effects of N-Myc and HIF-1α. These results also suggest LDHA represents a novel, pharmacologically tractable target for neuroblastoma therapeutics.

Background

Topotecan is a small molecule DNA topoisomerase I poison, that has been successful in clinical trials against pediatric solid tumors and leukemias. Topotecan was evaluated against the PPTP tumor panels as part of a validation process for these preclinical models.

Procedures

In vivo three measures of antitumor activity were used: 1) an objective response measure modeled after the clinical setting; 2) a treated to control (T/C) tumor volume measure; and 3) a time to event (4-fold increase in tumor volume for solid tumor models, or ≥25% human CD45+ cells in the peripheral blood for ALL models) measure based on the median event-free survival (EFS) of treated and control animals for each xenograft.

Results

Topotecan inhibited cell growth in vitro with IC50 values between 0.71 nM and 489 nM. Topotecan significantly increased EFS in 32 of 37 (87%) solid tumor xenografts and in all 8 of the ALL xenografts. Seventy five percent of solid tumors met EFS T/C activity criteria for intermediate (n=17) or high activity (n=7). Objective responses were noted in 8 solid tumor xenografts (Wilms, rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, neuroblastoma). Among the 6 neuroblastomas, three achieved a PR. For the ALL panel, two maintained CRs, three CRs, and two PRs were observed.

Conclusions

Topotecan demonstrated broad activity in vitro and in vivo against both the solid tumor and ALL panels, with significant tumor growth delay generated in all the panels. These results further demonstrate the validity of the PPTP panel for preclinical testing of new drugs.

Cancer genomic studies that rely on analysis of biopsies from primary tumors may not fully identify the molecular events associated with tumor progression. We hypothesized that characterizing the transcriptome during tumor progression in the TH-MYCN transgenic model would identify oncogenic drivers that would be targetable therapeutically. We quantified expression of 32,381 murine genes in 9 hyperplastic ganglia harvested at 3 time points, and 4 tumor cohorts of progressively larger size in mice homozygous for the TH-MYCN transgene. We found 93 genes that showed a linearly increasing or decreasing pattern of expression from the preneoplastic ganglia to end stage tumors. Cross-species integration identified 24 genes that were highly expressed in human MYCN amplified neuroblastomas. The genes prioritized were not exclusively driven by increasing Myc transactivation or proliferative rate. We prioritized 3 targets (Cenpe, Gpr49, Impdh2) with previously determined roles in cancer. Using siRNA knockdown in human neuroblastoma cell lines, we further prioritized CENPE due to inhibition of cellular proliferation. Targeting CENPE with the small molecular inhibitor GSK923295 showed inhibition of in vitro proliferation of 19 neuroblastoma cell lines (median IC50=41 nM; range 27–266 nM), and delayed tumor growth in 3 xenograft models (p-values ranged from p<0.0001 to p=0.018). We provide preclinical validation that serial transcriptome analysis of a transgenic mouse model followed by cross-species integration is a useful method to identify therapeutic targets, and identify CENPE as a novel therapeutic candidate in neuroblastoma.

Purpose

To gain a greater understanding of the potential of the Aurora kinase A inhibitor MLN8237 in the treatment of pediatric malignancies.

Methods

The activity of MLN8237 was evaluated against 28 neuroblastoma and Ewing sarcoma cell lines, and its in vivo efficacy was studied over a range of doses against 12 pediatric tumor xenograft models. Pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and genomic studies were undertaken.

Results

In vitro neuroblastoma cell lines were generally more sensitive to MLN8237 than Ewing sarcoma lines. MLN8237 demonstrated significant activity in vivo against solid tumor models at the maximum tolerated dose (MTD); however, only 2 of 6 neuroblastoma models had objective responses at 0.25MTD. In contrast, MLN8237 induced objective responses at its MTD and at 0.5MTD in three ALL models and in two out of three at 0.25MTD. Pharmacokinetic studies at 0.5MTD demonstrated a Tmax of 0.5 h, Cmax of 24.8 μM, AUC(0–24) of 60.3 μM h, and 12 h trough level of 1.2 μM. Mitotic indices increased 6–12 h after MLN8237 administration. AURKA copy number variation was frequent in xenografts, and expression was highly correlated with copy number.

Conclusions

Objective responses were more frequent in tumors with decreased AURKA copy number (5/8) compared to those with increased gene copy number (2/14). This report confirms the significant activity against both solid tumor and ALL xenografts at the MTD, with a steep dose response. These data support clinical development of MLN8237 in childhood cancer. Because of the steep dose–response relationship, such studies should target achieving trough levels of 1 μM or higher for sustained periods of treatment.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00280-011-1618-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Purpose

Neuroblastoma, a common pediatric tumor of the sympathetic nervous system, is characterized by clinical heterogeneity, and the Trk family neurotrophin receptors play an important role in this behavior. Expression of TrkA is associated with favorable clinical features and outcome, whereas TrkB expression is associated with an unfavorable prognosis. We wanted to determine if the Trk-selective inhibitor Lestaurtinib had therapeutic efficacy in a preclinical neuroblastoma model.

Experimental Design

We performed intervention trials of Lestaurtinib alone or in combination with other agents in TrkB-overexpressing neuroblastoma xenograft models.

Results

Lestaurtinib alone significantly inhibited tumor growth compared to vehicle-treated animals (p=0.0004 for tumor size, p=0.011 for EFS). Lestaurtinib also enhanced the anti-tumor efficacy of the combinations of topotecan plus cyclophosphamide (p<0.0001 for size, p<0.0001 for EFS), or irinotecan plus temozolomide (p=0.011 for size; p=0.012 for EFS). There was no additive benefit of combining either 13-cis-retinoic acid or fenretinide with Lestaurtinib compared to Lestaurtinib alone. There was dramatic growth inhibition combining Lestaurtinib with Bevacizumab (p<0.0001), but this combination had substantial systemic toxicity.

Conclusions

We show that Lestaurtinib can inhibit growth of neuroblastoma both in vitro and in vivo, and it can substantially enhance the efficacy of conventional chemotherapy, presumably by inhibition of the Trk/BDNF autocrine survival pathway. It may also enhance the efficacy of selected biological agents, but further testing is required to rule out unanticipated toxicities. Our data support the incorporation of Trk inhibitors like Lestaurtinib in clinical trials of neuroblastoma or other tumors relying on Trk signaling pathways for survival.

Mapatumumab (HGS-ETR1) is a fully human IgG1 agonistic monoclonal antibody that exclusively targets and activates tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptor 1 (TRAIL-R1). It was tested in vitro at concentrations from 0.01 to 100 μg/ml and in vivo at a dose of 10 mg/kg administered intraperitoneally using a twice-weekly schedule. Mapatumumab demonstrated limited activity against the 23 cell lines of the PPTP in vitro panel with no lines achieving 50% growth inhibition. Mapatumumab induced significant differences in event-free survival distribution compared to controls in 9 of 37 evaluable solid tumor xenografts tested, but in none of the 8 ALL xenografts.

Purpose

Rapamycin demonstrated broad-spectrum tumor growth inhibition activity against the in vivo panels of childhood tumors used in the Pediatric Preclinical Testing Program (PPTP). Here we have evaluated rapamycin combined with agents used frequently in the treatment of childhood malignancies.

Experimental Design

Rapamycin was tested in vitro against 23 cell lines alone or in combination with melphalan, cisplatin, vincristine, or dexamethasone (leukemic models only). In vivo, the impact of combining rapamycin with a cytotoxic agent was evaluated using two measures: 1) the “therapeutic enhancement” measure, and 2) a linear regression model for time-to-event to formally evaluate for sub- and supra-additivity for the combination compared to the agents used alone.

Results

Combining rapamycin with cytotoxic agents in vitro gave predominantly sub-additive or additive effects, except for dexamethasone in leukemia models for which supra-additive activity was observed. In vivo testing demonstrated that therapeutic enhancement was common for rapamycin in combination with cyclophosphamide and occurred for 4 of 11 evaluable xenografts for the rapamycin and vincristine combination. The combinations of rapamycin with either cyclophosphamide or vincristine were significantly more effective than the respective standard agents used alone at their MTDs for most evaluable xenografts. The combination of rapamycin and cisplatin produced excessive toxicity requiring cisplatin dose reductions, and therapeutic enhancement was not observed for this combination.

Conclusion

Addition of rapamycin to either cyclophosphamide or vincristine at their respective MTDs appears promising, as these combinations are relatively well tolerated and as many of the pediatric preclinical models evaluated demonstrated therapeutic enhancement for these combinations.

Background

ABT-751, an orally bioavailable sulfonamide, binds β-tubulin to inhibit microtubule polymerization. To describe response and event free survival (EFS) in children with neuroblastoma and other solid tumors receiving ABT-751, assess in vitro cytotoxicity of ABT-751 and evaluate the effect of ABT-751 on tubulin polymerization in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and pediatric tumor cell lines.

Procedure

Patients with neuroblastoma (n=50) or other solid tumors (n=26) enrolled on the ABT-751 pediatric phase I and pilot trials were reviewed. The sulforhodamine B (SRB) and ACEA Real-Time Cell Electronic Sensing (RT-CES) assays were used to determine the in vitro cytotoxicity. Pharmacodynamic effects on tubulin polymerization/depolymerization were assessed by western blot and confocal microscopy using antibodies specific for post-translational modifications of polymerized tubulin.

Results

Forty-five patients with neuroblastoma were evaluated for anti-tumor response. No complete or partial responses were documented. The median EFS was 9.3 weeks for children with neuroblastoma and 3.3 weeks for children other solid tumors (P<0.0001). The ABT-751 IC50 was 0.6–2.6 mcM in neuroblastoma and 0.7–4.6 mcM in other solid tumor cell lines. Following drug exposure, polymerized tubulin decreased in a concentration and time dependent manner in cell lines.

Conclusions

In children treated with ABT-751, the EFS is longer in children with neuroblastoma as compared to other diagnoses. In vitro, ABT-751 was cytotoxic at concentrations tolerable in children. Effects of ABT-751 on polymerization and microtubule structure were time and dose-dependent but not dependent on tumor type.

Background

Ispinesib is a highly specific inhibitor of kinesin spindle protein (KSP, HsEg5), a mitotic kinesin required for separation of the spindle poles. Here we report the activity of ispinesib against the in vitro and in vivo panels of the Pediatric Preclinical Testing Program (PPTP).

Procedures

Ispinesib was tested against the PPTP in vitro panel cell lines at concentrations from 0.1 nM to 1 μM and against the in vivo tumor panel xenografts by intraperitoneal administration (5 or 10 mg/kg) every 4 days for 3 doses repeated at day 21.

Results

Ispinesib was highly potent against the PPTP’s in vitro cell lines with a median IC50 of 4.1 nM. Ispinesib (10 mg/kg) induced unexplained toxicity in mice bearing osteosarcoma xenografts and exceeded the MTD in 12 of 40 non-osteosarcoma xenografts. Ispinesib induced significant tumor growth delay in 88% (23/26) of evaluable xenografts. Using a time to event measure of efficacy, ispinesib had intermediate and high levels of activity against 4 (21%) and 5 (26%) of the 19 evaluable solid tumor xenografts, respectively. Ispinesib induced maintained complete responses (CR) in a rhabdoid tumor, a Wilms tumor and a Ewing sarcoma xenograft. Ispinesib (5 mg/kg) produced 2 complete and 2 partial responses among 6 evaluable xenografts in the ALL panel. The in vivo pattern of activity was distinctive from that previously reported for vincristine.

Conclusions

Ispinesib demonstrated broad in vivo antitumor activity, including maintained complete responses for several xenografts, although with high toxicity rates at the doses studied.

Background:

Lapatinib is a small molecule reversible tyrosine kinase inhibitor of EGFR and ErbB2 that shows in vitro and in vivo activity against a range of EGFR and ErbB2-dependent adult cancer cell lines and that has clinical efficacy against ErbB2-overexpressing breast cancer.

Methods:

Lapatinib was tested against the cell lines of the PPTP in vitro panel at concentrations ranging from 1.0 nM to 10.0 μM. Lapatinib was tested against the xenografts of the PPTP in vivo panels using a twice-daily oral administration schedule for six weeks (5-days on, 2-days off) at a dose of 160 mg/kg (320 mg/kg/day). Lapatinib pharmacokinetic parameters were determined in scid−/− mice.

Results:

The median IC50 value for lapatinib against the entire PPTP cell line panel was 6.84 μM (range, 2.08 μM to > 10.0 μM). Lapatinib was well tolerated in vivo, with toxicity in only 1.5% of the treated animals. Lapatinib induced significant differences in EFS distribution compared to controls in 1 of 41 xenografts tested. No objective responses were observed in any of the solid tumor panels or in the ALL panel. Lapatinib systemic exposure was consistent with previously observed values.

Conclusions:

Lapatinib has little activity against the xenografts of the PPTP's in vivo panel, and its in vitro activity occurs at concentrations above those associated with specific EGFR/ErbB2 inhibition. These results likely reflect lack of ErbB2 overexpression in the models studied and suggest that adult and pediatric cancers may fundamentally differ in the applicability of EGFR family members as therapeutic targets.