Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40660347›Full record

ArticleStem cell research & therapy2025

ARM-X: an adaptable mesenchymal stromal cell-based vaccination platform suitable for solid tumors.

Jean Pierre Bikorimana, Nehme El-Hachem, Gabrielle A Mandl, Daniela Stanga, Jamilah Abusarah, Roudy Farah, Marina P Gonçalves, Perla Matar, Malak Lahrichi, Sebastien Talbot and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Stem cell research & therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Jean Pierre BikorimanaDepartment of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, and Immunology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.
Nehme El-HachemSainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Gabrielle A MandlDepartment of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, and Immunology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.
Daniela StangaResearch and Development Branch, Defence Therapeutics Inc., Montréal, QC, Canada.
Jamilah AbusarahDepartment of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Roudy FarahDepartment of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, and Immunology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.
Marina P GonçalvesResearch and Development Branch, Defence Therapeutics Inc., Montréal, QC, Canada.
Perla MatarDepartment of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, and Immunology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.
Malak LahrichiMolecular Biology Program, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Sebastien TalbotDepartment of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Moutih RafeiDepartment of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, and Immunology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada. moutih.rafei.1@umontreal.ca.

Funding

Canadian Institute of Health Research PJT-186233Defence Therapeutics Research Contract RB080035Québec Consortium for Drug Discovery RQM00181
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn addition to triggering endosomal escape, the Accum® platform was recently reported for its ability to instill antigen cross-presentation properties in mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). Despite the promising results obtained with the first-generation vaccine using the A1 Accum® derivative (ARM vaccine), large quantities of cancer antigens were required to achieve meaningful therapeutic effects. Given this limitation, additional Accum® variants were engineered and tested for their ability to lower the need for large antigen quantities. A leading variant, AccuTOX®, was selected for that purpose.

methodsSeveral functional studies, including a series of antigen cross-presentation assays, were conducted using the SIINFEKL-specific T-cell clone B3Z. Analysis of endosomal escape and the effect of various anti-oxidant compounds were used to decipher the AccuTOX® mode of action in MSCs. The potency of the AccuTOX®-reprogramed MSCs (ARM-X) cells was evaluated in the context of therapeutic vaccination using immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice with three different pre-established solid tumor models. Various depletion studies were also conducted in animals to identify effector cells involved in the therapeutic response mediated by the ARM-X cells. Finally, the effect observed on murine ARM-X cells was validated on human MSCs along with an immunopeptidome study reflecting the cross-presentation potency of these reprogrammed human cells.

resultsAccuTOX® can indeed trigger MSCs to cross-present antigens, even if pulsed with low doses of tumor antigens while retaining most of the innate properties of A1, including increased antigen uptake and processing, production of reactive oxygen species, endosomal escape and induction of the unfolded protein response (UPR). When tested against melanoma, pancreatic and colon cancer, therapeutic administration of the ARM-X vaccine, in combination with anti-PD-1, impairs tumor growth. Mechanistically, the ARM-X vaccine relies on efferocytosis by endogenous phagocytes and requires both CD4

conclusionAltogether, this second-generation ARM-X vaccine represents a platform adaptable to multiple solid tumors. In addition, our data clearly allude to a direct link between AccuTOX®-mediated UPR activation and antigen cross-presentation by MSCs. The fact that these modulated MSCs become antigen-presenting cells via UPR stimulation opens-up a new line of investigation to search for additional agents capable of specifically activating this pathway to convert culture-adapted MSCs to a cellular vaccination tool adaptable to various cancer indications.

Indexed as

Cancer VaccinesMesenchymal Stem CellsNeoplasmsVaccinationAnimalsAntigens, NeoplasmFemaleHumansMiceMice, Inbred C57BLAntigens, NeoplasmCancer VaccinesAccuTOX®Allogeneic cell vaccineAntigen cross-presentationEndosomal escapeImmunopeptidomeMesenchymal stromal cellsReactive oxygen speciesUnfolded protein response

Identifiers

PMID40660347
PMCPMC12261777

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.