Mitotane treatment of adrenocortical carcinoma induces tumoural secretion of GDF-15: impact on poor prognosis and impaired responsiveness to immunotherapy.

PURPOSE: Treatment options for adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), where mitotane remains a mainstay of therapy, are unsatisfactory. Response rates of ACC to immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) are disappointing, and immune cells are scarce in ACC. Growth/differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is a cytokine impairing tumoural immune infiltration. We here aimed to assess the value of serum GDF-15 for the prognosis of ACC and as a predictor of response to ICI.

METHODS

GDF-15 was measured in serum samples of 151 patients and correlated with clinical data. Serum GDF-15 was analysed in a second cohort of 46 ACC patients who received ICI, including 14 responders. mRNA expression of GDF15 and genes related to immune response was quantified in 58 ACC tumour samples.

RESULTS

We found GDF-15 induction in ACC cells and patients upon mitotane treatment. In ACC patients, serum GDF-15 concentration below the median was associated with significantly longer patient survival. GDF-15 levels in responders to ICI were significantly lower than in non-responders (P = .0379), and patients with low GDF-15 levels had a significant longer progression-free survival than patients with higher GDF-15 serum levels (P = .036). Expression of pro-inflammatory immune-related genes was lower in ACC tissue with GDF-15 expression above the median.

CONCLUSIONS

Mitotane increases GDF-15 levels and is associated with poor response to ICI. GDF-15 may mediate reduced infiltration with immune cells in ACC.