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Cancer clinical trial eligibility criteria may create patient populations studied in trials that do not reflect the patient populations treated in the real-world setting. Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an indolent lymphoma with heterogeneous presentations across a broad range of individuals, resulting in many acceptable management strategies. We evaluated how first-line clinical trial eligibility criteria impacted the demographic makeup and outcomes of patients with FL for whom systemic therapy might be considered. We compared the characteristics of 196 patients with FL from a single institution to eligibility criteria from 10 first-line FL trials on clinicaltrials.gov. Next, we tabulated eligibility criteria from 24 first-line FL protocols and evaluated their impact on 1198 patients with FL with stages II to IV disease from the prospective Molecular Epidemiology Resource (MER) and Lymphoma Epidemiology of Outcomes (LEO) cohort studies. We found that 39.8% and 52.7% of patients with FL might be excluded from clinical trials based on eligibility criteria derived from clinicaltrials.gov and protocol documents, respectively. Patients excluded because of renal function, prior malignancy, and self-reported serious health conditions tended to be older. Expanding stage requirement from III-IV to II-IV, and platelet requirement from ≥150 000 to ≥75 000 increased population size by 21% and 8%, respectively, in MER and by 16% and 13%, respectively, in LEO, without impacting patient demographics or outcomes. These data suggest that management of older individuals with FL may not be fully informed by recent clinical trials. Moreover, liberalizing stage and platelet criteria might expand the eligible population and allow for quicker trial accrual without impacting outcomes.

Complex bidirectional crosstalk between adipocytes and adipose tissue immune cells plays an important role in regulating adipose function, inflammation, and insulin responsiveness. Adipocytes secrete the pleiotropic cytokine IL-6 in response to both inflammatory and catabolic stimuli. Previous studies suggest that IL-6 secretion from adipocytes in obesity may promote adipose tissue inflammation. Here we investigated catabolic stimulation of adipocyte IL-6 secretion and its impact on adipose tissue immune cells. In obesity, catecholamine resistance reduces cAMP-driven adipocyte IL-6 secretion in response to catabolic signals. By restoring adipocyte catecholamine sensitivity in obese adipocytes, amlexanox stimulates adipocyte-specific IL-6 secretion. Here we report that in this context, adipocyte secreted IL-6 activates local macrophage STAT3 to promoteIl4raexpression, thereby sensitizing them to IL-4 signaling, and promoting an anti-inflammatory gene expression pattern. Supporting a paracrine adipocyte to macrophage mechanism, these effects could be recapitulated using adipocyte conditioned media to pretreat bone marrow derived macrophages prior to polarization with IL-4. The effects of IL-6 signaling in the adipose tissue are complex and context specific. These results suggest that cAMP driven IL-6 secretion from adipocytes sensitizes adipose tissue macrophages to IL-4 signaling.

Renal arginine vasopressin receptor 2 (AVPR2) plays a crucial role in osmoregulation. Engagement of ligand with AVPR2 results in aquaporin 2 movement to the apical membrane and water reabsorption from the urinary filtrate. Despite this essential role, little is known about transcriptional regulation of Avpr2. Here, we identify novel roles for PAX2, a transcription factor crucial for kidney development, and its adaptor protein, Pax transcription interacting protein (PTIP), for epigenetic regulation of Avpr2 and thus body water balance. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) from murine inner medulla cells (IMCD-3) identified the minimal DNA-binding region of PAX2 on the Avpr2 promoter. Regulation of Avpr2 by PAX2 was confirmed using a heterologous DNA expression system. PAX2 recruits the adaptor protein PTIP and its associated histone methyltransferase (HMT) complex to Avpr2 promoter, imposing epigenetic marks on this region and throughout the coding sequence that modulate Avpr2 gene transcription. Reduction of PAX2 or PTIP protein levels by siRNA prevented histone lysine methylation and expression of Avpr2. ChIP using mouse or human kidneys determined that PAX2 is highly enriched in the AVPR2 promoter alongside PTIP and HMT proteins, leading to high levels of histone H3 lysine trimethylation within the promoter and throughout the gene. In conclusion, PAX2 provides locus specificity for PTIP, allowing the HMT complex to impart epigenetic changes at the Avpr2 locus and regulate Avpr2 transcription. These finding have major implications for understanding regulation of body water balance.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The transcription factor PAX2 plays an indispensable role in kidney development. In the adult kidney, we identified the first described protein this protein regulates. PAX2 and its interacting partner Pax transcription interacting protein recruit a histone methyltransferase complex to the promoter and epigentically regulate the expression of arginine vasopressin receptor 2, a protein that plays a crucial role in osmoregulation in the distal tubule.

Objective Weight regain after weight loss is common, and there is evidence to suggest negative effects on health because of weight cycling. This study sought to investigate the impact of weight regain in formerly obese mice on adipose tissue architecture and stromal cell function. Methods A diet-switch model was employed for obesity induction, weight loss, and weight regain in mice. Flow cytometry quantified adipose tissue leukocytes in adipose tissue. Liver and adipose tissue depots were compared to determine tissue-specific effects of weight cycling. Results Epididymal white adipose tissue of formerly obese mice failed to expand in response to repeat exposure to high-fat diet and retained elevated numbers of macrophages and T cells. Weight regain was associated with disproportionally elevated liver mass, hepatic triglyceride content, serum insulin concentration, and serum transaminase concentration. These effects occurred despite an extended 6-month weight loss cycle and they demonstrate that formerly obese mice maintain durable alterations in their physiological response to weight regain. Conditioned media from epididymal adipose tissue of formerly obese mice inhibited adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, suggesting a potential mechanism to explain failed epididymal adipose tissue expansion during weight regain. Conclusions Metabolic abnormalities related to defects in adipose tissue expansion and ongoing dysfunction manifest in formerly obese mice during weight regain.

BACKGROUND: Clinical trials are often an important component of cancer care but are misunderstood by many patients. Few studies have examined age differences in clinical trial understanding in older versus younger adults, especially among patients with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a slowly progressive and not typically curable cancer diagnosed primarily in older adults. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Participants aged ≥21 years with a diagnosis of NHL were recruited from a single academic medical center in an urban setting. Age was dichotomized as

Mutations in the kinase binding domain of BTK at position C481 are associated with resistance to BTK inhibitor (BTKi) therapy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Nearly half of patients manifesting clinical progression with these alterations exhibit a subclonal burden of resistance. Intriguingly, measured BTKC481 variant allelic fractions (VAF) are commonly lower than 10% [Ahn et al, Blood 2017]. This raises the important question of how BTKC481-mutated (MUT) and wildtype (WT) cells differ in their response to therapeutic challenge, and how low-burden MUT subclones facilitate escape from therapy. While the admixture of MUT and WT cells within the same individual presents an opportunity to directly study the downstream effects of subclonal resistance mutations, these cells cannot be separated through sorting. To overcome this limitation, we utilized Genotyping of Transcriptomes (GoT)-a strategy to jointly capture genotyping of a locus of interest together with whole transcriptomes at the single cell level (Fig. 1A). Importantly, GoT eliminates patient-specific and technical confounders, enabling direct linkage of BTK genotypes to transcriptional phenotypes. We applied GoT to 64,099 CD19+ cells across a cohort of seven patients with clinically progressive CLL found to have low-burden BTKC481 subclones (Fig. 1B). Samples were obtained at the time of progression and were screened for mutations in PLCG2. We genotyped 33.3% of cells, consistent with 34.0% of cells expressing BTK in whole transcriptome data. Clustering of the gene expression profiles showed that MUT and WT clones did not segregate by genotype in most (6/7) patients (Fig. 1C), implying a large degree of transcriptional similarity between MUT and WT cells, and further highlighting the need for multi-omics single-cell sequencing to directly link genotype to phenotype in this context. We note that the single exception with distinct genotypic clustering (CLL06, Fig. 1D) was driven by co-occurring large chromosomal aberrations within the MUT cells, including del(8p), which is associated with BTKi resistance [Burger et al, Nat Comm 2016]. CLL cells are known to cycle between the peripheral blood and protective microenvironmental niches, which is a process modulated by BTKi. We applied CXCR4/CD5 expression as a read out to these migration patterns [Chen et al, Leukemia 2016], and observed that MUT cells were comparatively enriched in CXCR4lowCD5hi CLL, which is associated with recent emigration from the stromal niche and increased BCR signaling (Fig. 1E). Conversely, WT cells were the majority of CXCR4hiCD5low CLL, which is associated with a resting peripheral cellular state and BCR downregulation, suggesting WT quiescence with limited stromal support. To explore the phenotypic changes associated with BTK mutations, we first measured the activity of reported BTKi response expression signatures. WT cells showed higher mean response scores compared to MUT (Fig. 1F), demonstrating that the WT cells preserve BTKi responsiveness. To unbiasedly interrogate transcriptional differences, we applied a set of 336 predefined gene modules representing B-cell cellular functions and processes. Enriched modules in MUT cells implicated restoration of B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling and recovery of CLL cell identity (NF-kB, IRF4, CD40, Fig. 1G), a finding also supported by de novo differential gene expression analysis (Fig. 1H), and gene set enrichment of differentially expressed genes (Fig. 1I). In contrast, WT cells showed increases in modules related to quiescence, hypoxia, cellular stress (HIF-1α, XBP1) and terminal B-cell development (Blimp-1). Intriguingly, changes in gene targets associated with restoration of NOTCH1 and IL4 activity were also observed. As these pathways are impaired in patients responding to BTKi and implicated in resistance [Del Papa et al, CCR 2019; Chen et al, ASH 2019], their re-emergence may reflect a cytoprotective strategy. In summary, we utilized multi-omics single-cell sequencing to identify the distinct transcriptional programs of admixed MUT and WT cells in subclonal BTKC481 progression. MUT cells showed robust escape from BTKi inhibition via increased immune receptor signaling and restoration of CLL cell identity program, while WT cells demonstrated a signature of hypoxia and stress response, with NOTCH1 and IL4 activation implicated as mechanisms of clonal persistence. Disclosures Trisal: Celgene: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Gandhi:Celgene: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Wiestner:Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company, Acerta, Merck, Nurix, Verastem, and Genmab: Research Funding; NIH: Patents & Royalties: NIH. Allan:Acerta, Genentech, Abbvie, Sunesis, Ascentage, Pharmacyclics, Janssen, AstraZeneca, BeiGene: Consultancy; Celgene, Genentech, Janssen, TG Therapeutics: Research Funding; Abbvie, Janssen, AstraZeneca, Pharmacyclics: Honoraria. Furman:Genentech: Consultancy; Beigene: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Research Funding; Acerta: Consultancy; Verastem: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy; TG Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Oncotarget: Consultancy; Loxo Oncology: Consultancy; Abbvie: Consultancy; Sunesis: Consultancy. Landau:Bristol Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Illumina: Research Funding.

The Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) initiative, a common approach to implementing the federal School Breakfast Program, is advocated as a method to improve students' academic performance. However, the influences of BIC on academic outcomes are unclear.To examine the effect of a BIC initiative which provided free, universal BIC on attendance and standardized test performance over 2.5 years, vs free universal breakfast served in the cafeteria before school, among students in an urban school district serving a low-income population.Secondary analysis of data from a cluster randomized controlled trial conducted between 2013 and 2016; 16 kindergarten through eighth-grade public schools in Philadelphia, PA, were enrolled and randomized to condition. Baseline data for 1,362 fourth- through sixth-grade students were provided by the school district. Midpoint data were collected after 1.5 years and endpoint data after 2.5 years.Schools were eligible in the case that ≥50% of students qualified for free or reduced-priced meals, did not offer BIC, and received programming as part of the US Department of Agriculture Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Parents consented for their children to participate.Intervention schools provided BIC and breakfast-related nutrition-promotion activities. Control schools provided breakfast in the cafeteria before the school day.Student attendance and standardized exam scores.Weighted generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate differences in outcomes between conditions at midpoint and endpoint.The BIC initiative did not influence attendance (β ± standard error = .004 ± .06; P = 0.94) or standardized reading exam scores (β ± standard error = .02 ± .06; P = 0.79) after 2.5 years. Students in BIC initiative schools had lower standardized math exam scores than those in control schools, although this difference was small (β ± standard error = -.20 ± .07; P = 0.005).BIC did not improve academic outcomes among students attending low-income, urban schools.

Background Doxorubicin carries a risk of congestive heart failure (CHF). Black race has been suggested as a risk factor for doxorubicin-related cardiotoxicity, but data are limited. We assessed whether HF occurs at higher rates in Black patients compared to White patients who receive doxorubicin for DLBCL, and evaluated race as an independent risk factor for the development of HF after adjusting for known risk factors. Patients and Methods We used SEER-Medicare to identify patients 66 years and older with DLBCL. We excluded patients with CHF documented prior to diagnosis with DLBCL. We assessed for hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, and arrhythmias prior to diagnosis with DLBCL. The primary outcome was documented CHF at any point following DLBCL diagnosis. Secondary outcomes included CHF in the first year following diagnosis and death. We performed analyses additionally stratified by cumulative dose of doxorubicin. Results Our study population consisted of 8,604 patients (White 96.8%, Black 3.2%). In both Kaplan-Meier and competing risk analyses, we observed no significant difference in the incidence of CHF between Black and White patients, both before and after adjusting for covariates. Finally, we observed no significant differences in the incidence of CHF by race after stratification by cumulative doxorubicin dose. Conclusions CHF is common following doxorubicin chemotherapy for DLBCL in older patients. No association was observed between Black race and the onset of heart failure in this setting. Rigorous screening for known clinical risk factors is likely more relevant than race in treatment selection and optimization.

Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) has become the primary modality for staging in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), whereas the role of staging bone marrow biopsy (BMB) has become less clear. In this analysis, we included 7,005 DLBCL patients in SEER-Medicare who received either PET-CT without BMB (PET-CT w/o BMB), CT with BMB (CT w/ BMB), or both PET-CT and BMB (PET-CT w/ BMB). The proportion of patients undergoing PET-CT increased across years of diagnosis, while the proportion undergoing CT or BMB decreased. In a fully adjusted Cox proportional hazards model, PET-CT w/ BMB was associated with a marginally superior OS compared to PET-CT w/o BMB. Notably, the association between PET-CT w/ BMB and OS was strongest in patients ≤70 years, but was not present when looking at individual stage of diagnosis. Overall, these data do not provide sufficient support to eliminate staging BMB in patients who undergo PET-CT.

Background and objectivesT cell mediated rejection (TCMR) is the most frequent type of acute rejection and is associated with kidney allograft failure. Almost 40% of TCMR episodes fail to respond to anti-rejection therapy. FOXP3 is a specification factor for regulatory T cells and our single center study of 83 kidney allograft recipients showed that urinary cell FOXP3 mRNA level is diagnostic of TCMR and predicts TCMR reversibility and allograft survival. The objective of the current study is to determine whether our original findings could be replicated in an independent cohort of 480 kidney allograft recipients enrolled in the multicenter Clinical Trials of Organ Transplantation (CTOT)-04.Design, setting, participants, and measurementsWe measured levels of FOXP3 mRNA and levels of mRNA for CD25, CD3E, and perforin, and 18S rRNA in 3559 urines from 480 kidney allograft recipients prospectively enrolled in CTOT-04. RNA was isolated from the urinary cells and preamplification-enhanced real-time quantitative PCR assays were used to measure mRNAs.Results18S rRNA normalized levels of mRNA for FOXP3 (P=0.01, Kruskal-Wallis test), CD25 (P=0.01), CD3E (PPP=0.008). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that FOXP3 mRNA level remains predictive after adjustment for potential cofounders. Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that FOXP3 mRNA level (P=0.0306) but not the levels of mRNA for CD25, CD3E, or perforin, is associated with kidney allograft survival.ConclusionIn the independent CTOT-04 cohort, we demonstrate that urinary cell level of FOXP3 mRNA is diagnostic of TCMR, predicts its reversibility, and is prognostic of kidney allograft survival following an episode of TCMR.

Background: Differences in outcomes between clinical trial and real-world populations in follicular lymphoma (FL) may be partially explained by differences in characteristics between clinical trial and real-world patients. We hypothesized that certain eligibility criteria may be responsible for populations with distinct demographic/clinical characteristics. In this study, we compiled a list of eligibility criteria from front-line FL trials and evaluated their impact on the potentially eligible FL patients derived from two national cohort studies. We also evaluated whether criteria were duplicative and whether liberalizing criteria might enlarge the pool of eligible patients. Methods: Eligibility criteria were abstracted from 21 first-line clinical trials in FL in the FLASH database. We identified FL patients in two prospective cohort studies: Molecular Epidemiology Resource (MER) and Lymphoma Epidemiology of Outcomes (LEO). Descriptive statistics were used to characterize patients included and excluded by various eligibility criteria. Chi-square tests and two-sample t-tests were used to compare categorical and continuous variables, respectively. To study the relative impact of individual criteria, we used a step-wise approach to quantify the number of additional patients excluded with each individual criterion after applying other criteria. Results: Eligibility criteria included in at least one-third of studies included stage (present in all 21 trials), renal function (18), HIV/AIDS status (17), performance status (16), history of other malignancies (16), hepatic function (16), and cardiac function (15), other serious health conditions (13), pregnancy status (10), neuro/psych function (10), age (10), metabolic disease status (9), CNS involvement (9), birth control (8), pulmonary function (8), WBC count (8), HBV status (8), platelet count (7), measurable disease (7), HCV status (7), active infection status (7), and CD20 status (7). We included 738 patients with newly diagnosed FL undergoing first-line therapy from MER and 703 patients from LEO. In MER, the median age was 60 years; 87% were White vs 2% non-White, 80% were non-Hispanic vs 2% Hispanic, and 68% were stage III/IV. In LEO, the median age was 60 years; 88% were White vs 11% non-White, 87% were non-Hispanic vs 11% Hispanic, and 67% were stage III/IV. Exclusion criteria impacting more than 10% of patients included stage (31 in LEO vs 29% in MER), self-reported serious health conditions (17 vs 31%), prior cancer diagnosis (14 vs 11%), performance status (10%), and platelet count (10%). Patients excluded due to the following criteria tended to be older: renal function (median 70 vs 60 years in MER), prior malignancy (67 vs 58 years), and self-reported serious health conditions (66 vs 58 years). This pattern was consistent in LEO (Table). No eligibility criteria significantly impacted race/ethnicity. Given the potential for multiple eligibility criteria to exclude the same patients, we used a step-wise approach to evaluate the impact of individual criteria on patients remaining after exclusion by the larger group of criteria, and whether liberalizing criteria impacted patient numbers and/or demographics. We found that only self-reported serious health conditions significantly impacted numbers (excluding 43% of patients), whereas hematologic parameters and performance status excluded only 5 and 1% of patients, respectively, with no impact on age or race/ethnicity. We also found that liberalizing stage requirement from III-IV to II-IV could increase enrollment by 14% in MER (12% in LEO), and liberalizing platelet requirement from ≥150,000 to ≥100,000 could increase enrollment by 11% (15% in LEO). Moreover, liberalizing eligibility criteria had no impact on age or race/ethnicity of the patient pool or on EFS (Figure). Conclusions: We found that excluding patients with prior malignancies, poor renal function, and self-reported serious health conditions appears to inadvertently exclude older patients. Other serious health conditions appeared to exclude a significant number of patients but did not impact patient demographics. Liberalizing certain criteria, including stage and platelet requirement, could potentially increase trial accrual, but would not likely correct the older patient deficit. These findings may serve in developing consensus eligibility criteria for future first-line FL trials. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Flowers: Bayer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; National Cancer Institute: Research Funding; Allogene: Research Funding; Biopharma: Consultancy; Cellectis: Research Funding; EMD: Research Funding; Genentech/Roche: Consultancy, Research Funding; Epizyme, Inc.: Consultancy; Genmab: Consultancy; Iovance: Research Funding; Guardant: Research Funding; Burroughs Wellcome Fund: Research Funding; Sanofi: Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding; Spectrum: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy, Research Funding; Amgen: Research Funding; Xencor: Research Funding; Nektar: Research Funding; SeaGen: Consultancy; Ziopharm: Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Research Funding; 4D: Research Funding; Acerta: Research Funding; Denovo: Consultancy; Novartis: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group: Research Funding; Morphosys: Research Funding; Adaptimmune: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics/Janssen: Consultancy; Karyopharm: Consultancy; BeiGene: Consultancy; AbbVie: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kite: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas: CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding. Link: MEI: Consultancy; Novartis, Jannsen: Research Funding; Genentech/Roche: Consultancy, Research Funding. Friedberg: Acerta: Other: DSMC ; Bayer: Other: DSMC ; Novartis: Other: DSMC . Cohen: Genentech, Takeda, BMS/Celgene, BioInvent, LAM, Astra Zeneca, Novartis, Loxo/Lilly: Research Funding; Janssen, Adaptive, Aptitude Health, BeiGene, Cellectar, Adicet, Loxo/Lilly, AStra ZenecaKite/Gilead: Consultancy. Kahl: AbbVie, Acerta, ADCT, AstraZeneca, BeiGene, Genentech: Research Funding; AbbVie, Adaptive, ADCT, AstraZeneca, Bayer, BeiGene, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Genentech, Incyte, Janssen, Karyopharm, Kite, MEI, Pharmacyclics, Roche, TG Therapeutics, and Teva: Consultancy. Lossos: Lymphoma Research Foundation: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Stanford University: Patents & Royalties; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy; NCI: Research Funding; Verastem: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; NIH grants: Research Funding; University of Miami: Current Employment. Nastoupil: Bayer: Honoraria; Gilead/Kite: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Honoraria; IGM Biosciences: Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria, Other: DSMC, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Genentech: Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Honoraria, Research Funding; Epizyme: Honoraria, Research Funding; Denovo Pharma: Other: DSMC; Caribou Biosciences: Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb/Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; MorphoSys: Honoraria. Maurer: Nanostring: Research Funding; Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Kite Pharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Morphosys: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; BMS: Research Funding. Cerhan: NanoString: Research Funding; Celgene/BMS: Other: Connect Lymphoma Scientific Steering Committee, Research Funding; Regeneron Genetics Center: Other: Research Collaboration; Genentech: Research Funding. Martin: ADCT: Consultancy.

Background: Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) has become the primary modality for initial staging in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) [Barrington et al, J Clin Oncol 2014; Cheson et al, J Clin Oncol 2014]. Recently, the role of a staging bone marrow biopsy (BMB) has become less clear. A meta-analysis suggested that PET-CT can miss bone marrow involvement [Adams et al, Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2014], but recent guidelines on staging suggested that BMB should be optional. We analyzed temporal trends in use of different screening modalities and evaluated the association between patient outcomes and staging modality (PET-CT with BMB compared to either PET-CT without BMB or CT with BMB) in patients with DLBCL in SEER-Medicare. We hypothesized that use of PET-CT as screening would increase over time and that use of BMB would decrease over time. We also hypothesized that use of BMB would not be associated with an improvement in overall survival in patients staged with PET-CT. Methods: 70,858 patients diagnosed with DLBCL in SEER-Medicare were identified with ICD-O-3 SEER histology codes 9680 and 9684. In this analysis, we included 7,159 patients who were diagnosed between 2002 and 2015, were treated with first-line rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and doxorubicin chemotherapy regimens, and had claims for PET-CT and/or BMB within 30 days on either side of diagnosis. The patients were divided into screening categories of patients receiving PET-CT without BMB (PET-CT w/o BMB), patients receiving BMB with CT (i.e., no PET-CT) (CT w/ BMB), and patients receiving both screening modalities (PET-CT w/ BMB). Overall survival (OS) was calculated from date of diagnosis to death. Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves were used to estimate survival probabilities across screening categories and log-rank tests (LRT) were used to statistically evaluate differences between OS curves. Cox proportional hazards (CoxPH) models were used to estimate hazard ratios prior to and following adjustment for confounders. Results: 2,059 patients received PET-CT w/o BMB, 1,539 received CT w/ BMB, and 3,561 received PET-CT w/ BMB. Proportions of patients receiving PET-CT w/ BMB and PET-CT w/o BMB increased across years of diagnosis (36.7 to 51.9% and 17.4 to 36.1%, respectively, between 2002-2005 and 2013-2015), while the proportion of patients receiving CT w/ BMB decreased across years of diagnosis (45.8 to 12.0%) (Table 1). Similarly, the proportion of patients receiving BMB independent of imaging modality also decreased (28.8% to 16.8%). In bivariate analyses, categories of screening were significantly associated with age category, sex, year of diagnosis, race, stage, nodal status, poor performance status, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), number of first-line cycles, and geographic classification, with receipt of PET-CT w/ BMB being more common in patients who are younger, male, diagnosed in later years in urban settings, and received >4 first-line cycles, with earlier stage at diagnosis, nodal disease, good performance status, and lower CCI (Table 1). In unadjusted KM analysis, median survival among patients receiving PET-CT w/ BMB was 8.7 years, compared to 8.1 and 7.6 years among patients receiving PET-CT w/o BMB and CT w/ BMB, respectively (LRT P Conclusions: In this SEER-Medicare cohort of 7,159 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL, we found temporal trends supporting increased use of pretreatment staging PET-CT and decreased use of BMB. We also found that use of PET-CT w/ BMB did not provide a survival benefit as compared to use of PET-CT w/o BMB. These data would suggest that use of BMB could be spared in patients newly diagnosed with DLBCL over the age of 65, unless otherwise clinically indicated. Interestingly, the finding of no OS benefit across years of diagnosis suggests that improvements in outcomes in recent trials may be due to patient selection. Given the limitations associated with registry data, the study warrants replication in more complete DLBCL data sets. Disclosures Rutherford: Genentech/Roche: Research Funding; Karyopharm: Consultancy, Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy; Kite: Consultancy; Dova: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Consultancy; LAM Therapeutics: Research Funding; Heron: Consultancy; Juno: Consultancy. Leonard:Miltenyi: Consultancy; Karyopharm: Consultancy; Gilead/Kite: Consultancy; Sutro: Consultancy; Bayer: Consultancy; BMS/Celgene: Consultancy; MEI Pharma: Consultancy; Epizyme: Consultancy; Roche/Genentech: Consultancy; Regeneron: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; GenMab: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Consultancy. Martin:Kite: Consultancy; Morphosys: Consultancy; Regeneron: Consultancy; Karyopharm: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy; Sandoz: Consultancy; I-MAB: Consultancy; Bayer: Consultancy; Incyte: Consultancy; Cellectar: Consultancy; Beigene: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Teneobio: Consultancy.

Background: Daratumumab (DARA) is a monoclonal antibody which targets CD38 on plasma cells and B cell progenitors. DARA has been effectively combined with other therapies in newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM), while DARA-based induction regimens in transplant-eligible patients (pts) are increasingly being used in clinical practice. Given that hematopoietic stem cells also express CD38, DARA may potentially affect stem cell mobilization and hematopoietic reconstitution following autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). Although no clinically significant impact of DARA on stem cell mobilization or hematopoietic recovery was described in large phase 3 trials of triplet induction regimens +/- DARA in newly diagnosed MM, stem cell yields were lower and plerixafor more commonly used in the DARA-containing arms [Moreau et al, Lancet 2019; Voorhees et al, Blood 2020]. Significantly longer time to neutrophil (PMN) engraftment was also reported in pts receiving DARA-based induction who underwent upfront ASCT [Al Saleh et al, Am J Hematol 2020]. In this study, we examine the impact of timing of DARA administration pre-mobilization on day 4 pre-harvest peripheral blood CD34 cell count, stem cell apheresis yield, and post-ASCT engraftment. Methods: Between 1/1/2016 and 12/31/2019, newly diagnosed and RRMM pts receiving DARA-based induction regimens with ≥1 dose of DARA administered within 1 month prior to stem cell mobilization were identified retrospectively and compared to matched controls receiving similar induction regimens without DARA. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was administered per institutional standards and plerixafor added based on day 4 pre-harvest peripheral blood CD34 counts. PMN and platelet engraftment post-ASCT was defined as the first of 3 consecutive days with sustained PMN count >500 x 106/L and independence from platelet transfusion in the preceding 7 days with a count >20 x 109/L, respectively. Pre-harvest peripheral blood CD34 counts and stem cell apheresis yields were obtained from the Cellular Therapy Laboratory at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. The study was approved by the Weill Cornell Medicine IRB. Results: We identified 16 pts who received DARA-based induction with ≥1 dose of DARA administered within 1 month of apheresis (DARA group) and 16 non-DARA-containing regimen-matched controls (non-DARA group). Demographics of the DARA and non-DARA groups were well matched (Table 1). DARA pts received their last dose of DARA a mean of 17.3 days prior to the first day of apheresis, with 8 pts receiving their last dose within 2 weeks and the remaining 8 pts between 2 weeks and 1 month prior. Overall, mobilization outcomes were inferior in the DARA group (Table 2). DARA pts had significantly lower day 4 pre-harvest peripheral blood CD34 counts compared to non-DARA pts (17.2 vs 35.4 cells/µL; P=0.0146). Institutional algorithm required plerixafor to be given for day 4 CD34 count ≤40 cells/µL. Fifteen of the 16 DARA pts received plerixafor vs. 11 non-DARA pts (P=0.07). Additionally, DARA pts required significantly more apheresis days (2.4 vs 1.6 days; P=0.0279). Differences in stem cell yield were not significant (8 vs 10 x106cells/kg; P=0.1391). Hematopoietic recovery post-ASCT was not affected by DARA administered in the month preceding mobilization. Conclusions: In summary, we report lower day 4 pre-harvest peripheral blood CD34 count, increased requirement for plerixafor, and longer apheresis duration in newly diagnosed and RRMM pts receiving DARA within 1 month ofstem cell mobilization. These limitations are largely overcome by plerixafor usage which, combined with G-CSF, resulted in successful stem cell collection in all patients. Limitations in our study include small sample sizes, retrospective control selection, and fewer pts in the DARA group achieving ≥VGPR prior to mobilization. Nevertheless, our findings are consistent with inferior mobilization outcomes reported in the DARA-containing arms of phase 3 trials of triplet induction +/- DARA and highlight the nearly universal requirement for plerixafor usage when DARA is administered within a month prior to apheresis. Prospective study of day 4 pre-harvest peripheral blood CD34 counts and other predictors of stem cell yield should be incorporated into future clinical trials of CD38 monoclonal antibody-based induction regimens for transplant-eligible MM pts. Disclosures Rossi: Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Niesvizky:GSK: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; Karyopharm: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria. Rosenbaum:Amgen: Research Funding; GlaxoSmithKline: Research Funding; Akcea: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Janssen: Research Funding.

Obesity causes dramatic proinflammatory changes in the adipose tissue immune environment, but relatively little is known regarding how this inflammation responds to weight loss (WL). To understand the mechanisms by which meta-inflammation resolves during WL, we examined adipose tissue leukocytes in mice after withdrawal of a high-fat diet. After 8 weeks of WL, mice achieved similar weights and glucose tolerance values as age-matched lean controls but showed abnormal insulin tolerance. Despite fat mass normalization, total and CD11c+ adipose tissue macrophage (ATM) content remained elevated in WL mice for up to 6 months and was associated with persistent fibrosis in adipose tissue. ATMs in formerly obese mice demonstrated a proinflammatory profile, including elevated expression of interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1β. T-cell–deficient Rag1−/− mice showed a degree of ATM persistence similar to that in WT mice, but with reduced inflammatory gene expression. ATM proliferation was identified as the predominant mechanism by which ATMs are retained in adipose tissue with WL. Our study suggests that WL does not completely resolve obesity-induced ATM activation, which may contribute to the persistent adipose tissue damage and reduced insulin sensitivity observed in formerly obese mice.

Background: Animal models have shown that adipose-derived palmitoleic acid may act as a lipokine by conferring resistance to diet-induced obesity; however, human epidemiologic studies investigating this relationship thus far have not provided data in support of this hypothesis. Because metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease are intricately linked with the former being a major risk factor for the latter, we hypothesized that adipose-derived palmitoleic acid may be inversely associated with myocardial infarction. Objective: We examined whether adipose tissue palmitoleic acid was associated with nonfatal acute myocardial infarction in a representative population of Costa Rican adults. Methods: Odds ratios of nonfatal acute myocardial infarction by quintiles of adipose tissue palmitoleic acid were calculated using conditional logistic regression in a case-control study of 1,828 cases and 1,828 controls matched by age, sex, and area of residence. Results: We observed an inverse relationship between nonfatal acute myocardial infarction and adipose tissue palmitoleic acid (OR for highest quintile compared to lowest quintile of palmitoleic acid: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.37, 0.79; P for trend: 0.0007). We additionally observed a significant positive association between adipose tissue palmitoleic acid and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, an important cardiometabolic risk factor for myocardial infarction. Conclusions: These data support the conclusion that adipose-derived palmitoleic acid may behave as a lipokine in the context of human myocardial infarction. This protective association may be partially explained by the increase in HDL cholesterol across quartiles of palmitoleic acid in our population of Costa Rican adults.

Pax genes encode developmental regulatory proteins that specify cell lineages and tissues in metazoans. Upon binding to DNA through the conserved paired domain, Pax proteins can recruit both activating and repressing complexes that imprint distinct patterns of histone methylation associated with either gene activation or silencing. How the switch from Pax-mediated activation to repression is regulated remains poorly understood. In this report, we identify the phosphatase PPM1B as an essential component of the Groucho4 repressor complex that is recruited by Pax2 to chromatin. PPM1B can dephosphorylate the Pax2 activation domain and displace the adaptor protein PTIP, thus inhibiting H3K4 methylation and gene activation. Loss of PPM1B prevents Groucho-mediated gene repression. Thus, PPM1B helps switch Pax2 from a transcriptional activator to a repressor protein. This can have profound implications for developmental regulation by Pax proteins and suggests a model for imprinting specific epigenetic marks depending on the availability of co-factors.

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) remains incurable with eventual relapse and death occurring despite multiple lines of chemotherapy. Standard frontline therapy for MM has traditionally consisted of combinations of immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), proteasome inhibitors (PIs), and dexamethasone followed by consolidation with high-dose melphalan and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). A randomized trial using IMiD and PI-based induction demonstrated significant progression-free survival (PFS) benefit with upfront ASCT in consolidation compared to ASCT in second-line at relapse, but no OS benefit (Attal et al, NEJM, 2017). Delay of ASCT to second-line or beyond may in part be due to the aforementioned lack of OS benefit shown with upfront ASCT and increase of sustained deep responses, including MRD negativity, to novel frontline 3 and 4-drug regimens and continuation of therapy in the frontline. We performed a chart review comparing PFS1, PFS2, and overall survival (OS) of patients who underwent upfront ASCT as consolidation to those who received ASCT in the second-line after one relapse ('delayed ASCT'). The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Weill Cornell Medical College. Methods: 124 MM patients who underwent ASCT either as consolidation in first-line or delayed ASCT after relapsing on one prior treatment between 2010-2016 were included. Demographics and clinical parameters were extracted from the electronic medical record. PFS1, PFS2, and OS were calculated from date of diagnosis to first relapse, second relapse, and death, respectively. Patients were censored if lost to follow-up prior to experiencing the relevant event. PFS1, PFS2, and OS of patients receiving upfront ASCT were compared to those of patients receiving delayed ASCT. Log-rank tests were used to statistically evaluate differences between Kaplan-Meier PFS/OS curves. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) using upfront ASCT as the reference treatment. Results: Among the 124 patients, 93 underwent upfront ASCT as consolidation and 31 underwent delayed ASCT after relapsing on one prior line of therapy (Table 1). Induction regimens and pre-transplant therapies received are detailed in Table 1. Of the delayed group patients, 6 underwent ASCT directly without second-line induction and 25 as consolidation after second-line therapy. Patients receiving upfront ASCT had significantly longer median PFS1 compared to patients who received delayed ASCT (6.45 vs 1.25 years; P Conclusions: In this cohort of 124 MM patients undergoing ASCT as consolidation in the upfront setting or delayed ASCT in second-line after relapse, upfront ASCT was associated with significantly improved PFS1 and PFS2, similar to findings by Attal et al. However, in that study, no difference in OS was seen between upfront and delayed groups, while our data, with longer follow-up, showed median OS trending towards significance. This has important implications as with use of novel induction regimens and maintenance therapy, ASCT is more commonly being delayed to early relapse in second-line or beyond. If transplant is intended to be used in the first few lines of therapy, our data show that delaying ASCT even to second-line has a significant negative impact on PFS. In addition, a shorter OS with delayed transplant was suggested although did not reach statistical significance, possibly due to small numbers or more patients with high-risk MM in the delayed group. It is also important to note the lack of daratumumab-based regimens which may have improved PFS/OS in either or both arms. Thus, our findings should be prospectively validated in a larger trial of ASCT as consolidation in first-line vs second-line or beyond using novel, monoclonal antibody-based regimens. Disclosures Rosenbaum: Janssen: Research Funding; Honoraria Akcea: Other: Accordant Health. Coleman:Gilead, Bayer, Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Kite Pharmaceuticals: Equity Ownership; Merck: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Speakers Bureau. Van Besien:Miltenyi Biotec: Research Funding. Niesvizky:Takeda, Amgen, BMS, Janssen, Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding.

Background: Light chain (AL) amyloidosis is characterized by deposition of misfolded monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains leading to organ dysfunction. AL amyloidosis has traditionally been treated with agents used in multiple myeloma, primarily alkylators, proteasome inhibitors (PIs), immunomodulatory agents (IMiDs), and high-dose melphalan/autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). A retrospective study comparing patients with AL amyloidosis who underwent ASCT as frontline therapy ('upfront ASCT') to those undergoing ASCT following induction ('deferred ASCT') revealed that deferred ASCT was associated with prolonged overall survival (OS) compared to upfront ASCT (Afrough et al, Biol Blood Marrow Transplant, 2018). Given the number of effective new therapies for AL amyloidosis, the potential to delay ASCT after one or more lines of therapy ('salvage ASCT') is feasible. To our knowledge, transplant outcomes of AL amyloidosis patients undergoing deferred vs salvage ASCT following at least one relapse have not been reported. A retrospective chart review was conducted to compare AL amyloidosis patients receiving deferred vs salvage ASCT for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Weill Cornell Medical College. Methods: Twenty-four patients with AL amyloidosis who underwent deferred or salvage ASCT between 2000-2018 were included in the analysis. Patients who underwent upfront ASCT without induction chemotherapy were excluded. Demographics and clinical parameters were extracted from the electronic medical record. PFS was calculated from date of ASCT to first relapse and OS was calculated both from date of diagnosis and date of ASCT to death. Patients were censored if lost to follow-up prior to experiencing the relevant event. PFS as well as OS of patients who underwent deferred vs salvage ASCT were compared. Log-rank tests were used to statistically evaluate differences between Kaplan-Meier PFS/OS curves. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) using deferred ASCT as the reference treatment. Results: Among the 24 patients included in this analysis, 13 underwent deferred ASCT with 1 prior line of chemotherapy (e.g., induction), and 11 underwent salvage ASCT with a median of 3 prior lines (Table 1). Ten patients had cardiac amyloidosis, 15 had renal amyloidosis, and 6 had multi-organ involvement. Induction regimens received in the deferred group are included in Table 1. Neither PFS nor OS was significantly different between patients receiving deferred vs salvage ASCT. After median follow-up of 2.9 years, median PFS in patients who received deferred ASCT was 6.5 years and not reached in those who received salvage ASCT (P=0.47), with a HR of 1.74 (95% CI, 0.38-7.85) (Figure 1A). Median OS from date of ASCT was not reached in either group after a median follow-up of 2.8 years (P=0.52), with a HR of 2.16 (95% CI, 0.19-24.04) (Figure 1B). Similarly, median OS calculated from date of diagnosis was not significantly different between deferred vs salvage ASCT (P=0.79) (Figure 1C). Conclusions: In this cohort of 24 AL amyloidosis patients, no significant differences in PFS or OS were seen between patients undergoing deferred ASCT following induction vs salvage ASCT following multiple lines of therapy. Unlike the superior OS seen with deferred vs upfront ASCT, our findings show that either deferred or salvage ASCT may be associated with comparable outcomes and suggest similar OS despite timing of transplant. However, it is important to note the small sample size and that none of our patients received daratumumab-based regimens which may have improved PFS/OS in either or both groups. There were also small differences between groups in use of maintenance (1 vs 3 patients in the deferred and salvage groups, respectively) and proportion of patients receiving higher doses of melphalan 200mg/m2 vs 140 mg/m2 (69% vs 55% in deferred and salvage groups, respectively). Nevertheless, the lack of difference seen in PFS and OS between the two groups suggests that eventual hematologic relapse and organ progression with death occur at similar time intervals despite timing of ASCT. This speaks to the point that in newly diagnosed AL amyloidosis as well as later in the disease, achieving deep responses to prevent organ progression and death regardless of timing of ASCT remains an important treatment goal. Disclosures Van Besien: Miltenyi Biotec: Research Funding. Coleman:Kite Pharmaceuticals: Equity Ownership; Pharmacyclics: Speakers Bureau; Merck: Research Funding; Gilead, Bayer, Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Niesvizky:Takeda, Amgen, BMS, Janssen, Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding. Rosenbaum:Janssen: Research Funding; Honoraria Akcea: Other: Accordant Health.

Obesity causes dramatic changes to the adipose tissue immune environment including the recruitment and activation of macrophages. The inflammatory polarization of these cells is thought to play a critical role in the severity of insulin resistance associated with obesity. Weight loss can improve insulin resistance, but little is known concerning the effects of weight loss on immune activity in adipose. Diet switch from a 60% high-fat diet to 13% normal-fat diet was used to induce weight loss in diet-induced obese C57Bl/6 mice. Adipose tissue structural changes were evaluated by histology. Leukocyte populations were analyzed by flow cytometry, including sorting and comparing cytokine expression of adipose tissue macrophages before and after weight loss. Weight loss improved glucose tolerance and reduced serum insulin. However, extensive adipose fibrosis developed during weight loss and was associated with macrophage accumulation. Analysis of adipose macrophages after weight loss showed they retained an inflammatory gene expression profile similar to those found during obesity. These macrophages were derived primarily from older cells present during obesity. These macrophages were maintained though high proliferation and low apoptosis. The data indicate that inflammatory activation of adipose macrophages is not sufficient for whole body metabolic dysfunction, but the retained macrophages may promote adipose tissue fibrosis while impacting adipocyte health and function.