Drug‐specific T‐cell responses in patients with liver injury following treatment with the BACE inhibitor atabecestat

Background Atabecestat is an orally administered BACE inhibitor developed to treat Alzheimer's disease. Elevations in hepatic enzymes were detected in a number of in trial patients, which resulted in termination of the drug development programme. Immunohistochemical characterization of liver tissue from an index case of atabecestat-mediated liver injury revealed an infiltration of T-lymphocytes in areas of hepatocellular damage. This coupled with the fact that liver injury had a delayed onset suggests that the adaptive immune system may be involved in the pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to generate and characterize atabecestat(metabolite)-responsive T-cell clones from patients with liver injury. Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were cultured with atabecestat and its metabolites (diaminothiazine [DIAT], N-acetyl DIAT & epoxide) and cloning was attempted in a number of patients. Atabecestat(metabolite)-responsive clones were analysed in terms of T-cell phenotype, function, pathways of T-cell activation and cross-reactivity with structurally related compounds. Results CD4+ T-cell clones activated with the DIAT metabolite were detected in 5 out of 8 patients (up to 4.5% cloning efficiency). Lower numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ clones displayed reactivity against atabecestat. Clones proliferated and secreted IFN-γ, IL-13 and cytolytic molecules following atabecestat or DIAT stimulation. Certain atabecestat and DIAT-responsive clones cross-reacted with N-acetyl DIAT; however, no cross-reactivity was observed between atabecestat and DIAT. CD4+ clones were activated through a direct, reversible compound-HLA class II interaction with no requirement for protein processing. Conclusion The detection of atabecestat metabolite-responsive T-cell clones activated via a pharmacological interactions pathway in patients with liver injury is indicative of an immune-based mechanism for the observed hepatic enzyme elevations.