Targeting B cell receptor signaling with ibrutinib in diffuse large B cell lymphoma

Nat Med. 2015 Aug;21(8):922-6. doi: 10.1038/nm.3884. Epub 2015 Jul 20.

Abstract

The two major subtypes of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL)--activated B cell-like (ABC) and germinal center B cell-like (GCB)--arise by distinct mechanisms, with ABC selectively acquiring mutations that target the B cell receptor (BCR), fostering chronic active BCR signaling. The ABC subtype has a ∼40% cure rate with currently available therapies, which is worse than the rate for GCB DLBCL, and highlights the need for ABC subtype-specific treatment strategies. We hypothesized that ABC, but not GCB, DLBCL tumors would respond to ibrutinib, an inhibitor of BCR signaling. In a phase 1/2 clinical trial that involved 80 subjects with relapsed or refractory DLBCL, ibrutinib produced complete or partial responses in 37% (14/38) of those with ABC DLBCL, but in only 5% (1/20) of subjects with GCB DLBCL (P = 0.0106). ABC tumors with BCR mutations responded to ibrutinib frequently (5/9; 55.5%), especially those with concomitant myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MYD88) mutations (4/5; 80%), a result that is consistent with in vitro cooperation between the BCR and MYD88 pathways. However, the highest number of responses occurred in ABC tumors that lacked BCR mutations (9/29; 31%), suggesting that oncogenic BCR signaling in ABC does not require BCR mutations and might be initiated by non-genetic mechanisms. These results support the selective development of ibrutinib for the treatment of ABC DLBCL.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00849654 NCT01325701.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase I
  • Clinical Trial, Phase II
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenine / analogs & derivatives
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Base Sequence
  • CD79 Antigens / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / drug therapy*
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / genetics
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / mortality
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 / genetics
  • Piperidines
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Pyrazoles / pharmacology*
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacology*
  • Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*

Substances

  • CD79 Antigens
  • CD79A protein, human
  • MYD88 protein, human
  • Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88
  • Piperidines
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyrazoles
  • Pyrimidines
  • Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell
  • ibrutinib
  • Adenine

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT00849654
  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT01325701