Cardiac allograft rejection as a complication of PD-1 checkpoint blockade for cancer immunotherapy: a case report

Abstract

Introduction: The increased availability of immunotherapeutic agents for the treatment of a wide array of cancer in the general oncology practice setting will reveal rare and unique toxicities. Materials and methods: The mechanism of cardiac allograft rejection in the context of PD-1 antibody therapy was explored in a patient with cutaneous squamous cell cancer complicating long-standing cardiac allograft. Immune cell infiltrate in the myocardium and peripheral blood lymphocyte repertoire were assessed using myocardial biopsy and temporal analysis of peripheral blood samples. The efficacy of high-intensity immunosuppression to reverse graft rejection was explored. Results: Endomyocardial biopsy showed acute moderate diffuse cellular rejection with a predominant population of CD3+, CD8+ and CD4+ infiltrating lymphocytes; peripheral blood circulating lymphocytes showed a high frequency of proliferating and activated CD8+ T cells expressing PD-1 compared to a normal control. There was no difference in the activation and proliferation of CD4+ T cells compared to a normal control. Cardiac function improved following high-intensity immunosuppression and patient survived for up to 7 months after discontinuation of nivolumab. Conclusions: Immune checkpoint inhibitors should be avoided in allograft recipients but high-intensity immunosuppression is effective to salvage allograft rejection induced by these agents.