Recurrent Immunogenic Neoantigens and Their Cognate T-cell Receptors in Treatment-Resistant Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Abstract New approaches that generate long-lasting therapeutic responses in patients with therapy-resistant metastatic cancer are urgently needed. To address this challenge, we developed Spot Neoantigens in Metastases (SpotNeoMet), a novel data-driven pipeline that systematically identifies recurrently presented neopeptides in treatment-resistant patients. We identified seven therapy resistance mutations predicted to produce neopeptides presented by common HLAs. Using HLA immunopeptidomics, we discovered three novel neopeptides derived from androgen receptor (AR) H875Y, a common metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) mutation. We validated these neoantigens as highly immunogenic and then isolated and characterized cognate T-cell receptors (TCR) from healthy donor peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We demonstrated that AR H875Y–specific TCRs are highly specific and kill prostate cancer cells presenting AR neopeptides in vitro and in vivo. Our new pipeline identifies novel immunotherapy targets and potential treatment options for patients with mCRPC. Moreover, SpotNeoMet offers a systematic route to identify “HLA–peptide” pairs and their cognate TCRs across treatment-resistant cancers. Significance: As the emergence of resistance to targeted treatments in patients with metastatic cancer, there is an urgent need for innovative therapeutic approaches for this population. Our study provides a new analytic framework to identify neoantigens from treatment-resistant mutations and a proof-of-concept T cell–based immunotherapy treatment for mCRPC.