Ex vivo drug response heterogeneity reveals personalized therapeutic strategies for patients with multiple myeloma

Nat Cancer. 2023 May;4(5):734-753. doi: 10.1038/s43018-023-00544-9. Epub 2023 Apr 20.

Abstract

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy defined by complex genetics and extensive patient heterogeneity. Despite a growing arsenal of approved therapies, MM remains incurable and in need of guidelines to identify effective personalized treatments. Here, we survey the ex vivo drug and immunotherapy sensitivities across 101 bone marrow samples from 70 patients with MM using multiplexed immunofluorescence, automated microscopy and deep-learning-based single-cell phenotyping. Combined with sample-matched genetics, proteotyping and cytokine profiling, we map the molecular regulatory network of drug sensitivity, implicating the DNA repair pathway and EYA3 expression in proteasome inhibitor sensitivity and major histocompatibility complex class II expression in the response to elotuzumab. Globally, ex vivo drug sensitivity associated with bone marrow microenvironmental signatures reflecting treatment stage, clonality and inflammation. Furthermore, ex vivo drug sensitivity significantly stratified clinical treatment responses, including to immunotherapy. Taken together, our study provides molecular and actionable insights into diverse treatment strategies for patients with MM.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bone Marrow / pathology
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy
  • Multiple Myeloma* / drug therapy
  • Multiple Myeloma* / genetics
  • Multiple Myeloma* / pathology
  • Plasma Cells / pathology
  • Proteasome Inhibitors / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Proteasome Inhibitors