American Association for Cancer Research, Cancer Discovery, 2(11), p. 362-383, 2021
DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-20-0455
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Abstract The paucity of genetically informed, immunocompetent tumor models impedes evaluation of conventional, targeted, and immune therapies. By engineering mouse fallopian tube epithelial organoids using lentiviral gene transduction and/or CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis, we generated multiple high-grade serous tubo-ovarian cancer (HGSC) models exhibiting mutational combinations seen in patients with HGSC. Detailed analysis of homologous recombination (HR)–proficient (Trp53−/−;Ccne1OE;Akt2OE;KrasOE), HR-deficient (Trp53−/−;Brca1−/−;MycOE), and unclassified (Trp53−/−;Pten−/−;Nf1−/−) organoids revealed differences in in vitro properties (proliferation, differentiation, and “secretome”), copy-number aberrations, and tumorigenicity. Tumorigenic organoids had variable sensitivity to HGSC chemotherapeutics, and evoked distinct immune microenvironments that could be modulated by neutralizing organoid-produced chemokines/cytokines. These findings enabled development of a chemotherapy/immunotherapy regimen that yielded durable, T cell–dependent responses in Trp53−/−;Ccne1OE;Akt2OE;Kras HGSC; in contrast, Trp53−/−;Pten−/−;Nf1−/− tumors failed to respond. Mouse and human HGSC models showed genotype-dependent similarities in chemosensitivity, secretome, and immune microenvironment. Genotype-informed, syngeneic organoid models could provide a platform for the rapid evaluation of tumor biology and therapeutics. Significance: The lack of genetically informed, diverse, immunocompetent models poses a major barrier to therapeutic development for many malignancies. Using engineered fallopian tube organoids to study the cell-autonomous and cell-nonautonomous effects of specific combinations of mutations found in HGSC, we suggest an effective combination treatment for the currently intractable CCNE1-amplified subgroup. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 211