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Konrad CV, Iversen EF, Gunst JD, Monrad I, Holleufer A, Hartmann R, Østergaard LJ, Søgaard OS, Schleimann MH, Tolstrup M. Redirector of Vaccine-induced Effector Responses (RoVER) for specific killing of cellular targets. EBioMedicine 2023; 96:104785. [PMID: 37672868 PMCID: PMC10485592 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In individuals with malignancy or HIV-1 infection, antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) often display an exhausted phenotype with impaired capacity to eliminate the disease. Existing cell-based immunotherapy strategies are often limited by the requirement for adoptive transfer of CTLs. We have developed an immunotherapy technology in which potent CTL responses are generated in vivo by vaccination and redirected to eliminate target cells using a bispecific Redirector of Vaccine-induced Effector Responses (RoVER). METHODS Following Yellow fever (YF) 17D vaccination of 51 healthy volunteers (NCT04083430), single-epitope YF-specific CTL responses were quantified by tetramer staining and multi-parameter flow cytometry. RoVER-mediated redirection of YF-specific CTLs to kill antigen-expressing Raji-Env cells, autologous CD19+ B cells or CD4+ T cells infected in vitro with a full-length HIV-1-eGFP was assessed in cell killing assays. Moreover, secreted IFN-γ, granzyme B, and TNF-α were analyzed by mesoscale multiplex assays. FINDINGS YF-17D vaccination induced strong epitope-specific CTL responses in the study participants. In cell killing assays, RoVER-mediated redirection of YF-specific CTLs to autologous CD19+ B cells or HIV-1-infected CD4+ cells resulted in 58% and 53% killing at effector to target ratio 1:1, respectively. INTERPRETATION We have developed an immunotherapy technology in which epitope-specific CTLs induced by vaccination can be redirected to kill antigen-expressing target cells by RoVER linking. The RoVER technology is highly specific and can be adapted to recognize various cell surface antigens. Importantly, this technology obviates the need for adoptive transfer of CTLs. FUNDING This work was funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation (Hallas Møller NNF10OC0054577).
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina V Konrad
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, 8200, Denmark
| | - Emma F Iversen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
| | - Jesper D Gunst
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, 8200, Denmark
| | - Ida Monrad
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, 8200, Denmark
| | - Andreas Holleufer
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
| | - Rune Hartmann
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
| | - Lars J Østergaard
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, 8200, Denmark
| | - Ole S Søgaard
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, 8200, Denmark
| | - Mariane H Schleimann
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, 8200, Denmark
| | - Martin Tolstrup
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, 8200, Denmark.
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Britsch I, van Wijngaarden AP, Helfrich W. Applications of Anti-Cytomegalovirus T Cells for Cancer (Immuno)Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3767. [PMID: 37568582 PMCID: PMC10416821 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) is highly prevalent in the general population and largely controlled by CD8pos T cells. Intriguingly, anti-CMV T cells accumulate over time to extraordinarily high numbers, are frequently present as tumor-resident 'bystander' T cells, and remain functional in cancer patients. Consequently, various strategies for redirecting anti-CMV CD8pos T cells to eliminate cancer cells are currently being developed. Here, we provide an overview of these strategies including immunogenic CMV peptide-loading onto endogenous HLA complexes on cancer cells and the use of tumor-directed fusion proteins containing a preassembled CMV peptide/HLA-I complex. Additionally, we discuss conveying the advantageous characteristics of anti-CMV T cells in adoptive cell therapy. Utilization of anti-CMV CD8pos T cells to generate CAR T cells promotes their in vivo persistence and expansion due to appropriate co-stimulation through the endogenous (CMV-)TCR signaling complex. Designing TCR-engineered T cells is more challenging, as the artificial and endogenous TCR compete for expression. Moreover, the use of expanded/reactivated anti-CMV T cells to target CMV peptide-expressing glioblastomas is discussed. This review highlights the most important findings and compares the benefits, disadvantages, and challenges of each strategy. Finally, we discuss how anti-CMV T cell therapies can be further improved to enhance treatment efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Wijnand Helfrich
- Department of Surgery, Translational Surgical Oncology, University of Groningen, UMC Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands; (I.B.)
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Fischer C, Munks MW, Hill AB, Kroczek RA, Bissinger S, Brand V, Schmittnaegel M, Imhof-Jung S, Hoffmann E, Herting F, Klein C, Knoetgen H. Vaccine-induced CD8 T cells are redirected with peptide-MHC class I-IgG antibody fusion proteins to eliminate tumor cells in vivo. MAbs 2020; 12:1834818. [PMID: 33151105 PMCID: PMC7668529 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2020.1834818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Simulating a viral infection in tumor cells is an attractive concept to eliminate tumor cells. We previously reported the molecular design and the in vitro potency of recombinant monoclonal antibodies fused to a virus-derived peptide MHC class I complex that bypass the peptide processing and MHC loading pathway and directly displays a viral peptide in an MHC class I complex on the tumor cell surface. Here, we show that a vaccination-induced single peptide-specific CD8 T cell response was sufficient to eliminate B16 melanoma tumor cells in vivo in a fully immunocompetent, syngeneic mouse tumor model when mice were treated with mouse pMHCI-IgGs fusion proteins targeting the mouse fibroblast activation protein. Tumor growth of small, established B16 lung metastases could be controlled. The pMHCI-IgG had similar potency as an analogous pan-CD3 T-cell bispecific antibody. In contrast to growth control of small tumors, none of the compounds controlled larger solid tumors of MC38 cancer cells, despite penetration of pMHCI-IgGs into the tumor tissue and clear attraction and activation of antigen-specific CD8 T cells inside the tumor. pMHCI-IgG can have a similar potency as classical pan-T-cell recruiting molecules. The results also highlight the need to better understand immune suppression in advanced solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Fischer
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich , Penzberg, Germany
| | - Michael W Munks
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University , Portland, OR, USA
| | - Ann B Hill
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University , Portland, OR, USA
| | | | - Stefan Bissinger
- Discovery Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Munich , Penzberg, Germany
| | - Verena Brand
- Discovery Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Munich , Penzberg, Germany
| | | | - Sabine Imhof-Jung
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich , Penzberg, Germany
| | - Eike Hoffmann
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich , Penzberg, Germany
| | - Frank Herting
- Discovery Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Munich , Penzberg, Germany
| | - Christian Klein
- Discovery Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Zurich , Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hendrik Knoetgen
- Therapeutic Modalities, Roche Innovation Center Basel , Basel, Switzerland
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Schmittnaegel M, Hoffmann E, Imhof-Jung S, Fischer C, Drabner G, Georges G, Klein C, Knoetgen H. A New Class of Bifunctional Major Histocompatibility Class I Antibody Fusion Molecules to Redirect CD8 T Cells. Mol Cancer Ther 2016; 15:2130-42. [PMID: 27353170 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-16-0207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Bifunctional antibody fusion proteins engaging effector T cells for targeted elimination of tumor cells via CD3 binding have shown efficacy in both preclinical and clinical studies. Different from such a polyclonal T-cell recruitment, an alternative concept is to engage only antigen-specific T-cell subsets. Recruitment of specific subsets of T cells may be as potent but potentially lead to fewer side effects. Tumor-targeted peptide-MHC class I complexes (pMHCI-IgGs) bearing known antigenic peptides complexed with MHC class I molecules mark tumor cells as antigenic and utilize the physiologic way to interact with and activate T-cell receptors. If, for example, virus-specific CD8(+) T cells are addressed, the associated strong antigenicity and tight immune surveillance of the effector cells could lead to efficacious antitumor treatment in various tissues. However, peptide-MHC class I fusions are difficult to express recombinantly, especially when fused to entire antibody molecules. Consequently, current formats are largely limited to small antibody fragment fusions expressed in bacteria followed by refolding or chemical conjugation. Here, we describe a new molecular format bearing a single pMHCI complex per IgG fusion molecule characterized by enhanced stability and expression yields. This molecular format can be expressed in a full immunoglobulin format and can be designed as mono- or bivalent antibody binders. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(9); 2130-42. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eike Hoffmann
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sabine Imhof-Jung
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Cornelia Fischer
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Georg Drabner
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Guy Georges
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Christian Klein
- Discovery Oncology, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hendrik Knoetgen
- Therapeutic Modalities, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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Noy R, Haus-Cohen M, Oved K, Voloshin T, Reiter Y. Recruitment of Oligoclonal Viral-Specific T cells to Kill Human Tumor Cells Using Single-Chain Antibody-Peptide-HLA Fusion Molecules. Mol Cancer Ther 2015; 14:1327-35. [PMID: 25852061 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-14-0467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Tumor progression is often associated with the development of diverse immune escape mechanisms. One of the main tumor escape mechanism is HLA loss, in which human solid tumors exhibit alterations in HLA expression. Moreover, tumors that present immunogenic peptides via class I MHC molecules are not susceptible to CTL-mediated lysis, because of the relatively low potency of the tumor-specific CLTs. Here, we present a novel cancer immunotherapy approach that overcomes these problems by using the high affinity and specificity of antitumor antibodies to recruit potent antiviral memory CTLs to attack tumor cells. We constructed a recombinant molecule by genetic fusion of a cytomegalovirus (CMV)-derived peptide pp65 (NLVPMVATV) to scHLA-A2 molecules that were genetically fused to a single-chain Fv Ab fragment specific for the tumor cell surface antigen mesothelin. This fully covalent fusion molecule was expressed in E. coli as inclusion bodies and refolded in vitro. The fusion molecules could specifically bind mesothelin-expressing cells and mediate their lysis by NLVPMVATV-specific HLA-A2-restricted human CTLs. More importantly, these molecules exhibited very potent antitumor activity in vivo in a nude mouse model bearing preestablished human tumor xenografts that were adoptively transferred along with human memory CTLs. These results represent a novel and powerful approach to immunotherapy for solid tumors, as demonstrated by the ability of the CMV-scHLA-A2-SS1(scFv) fusion molecule to mediate specific and efficient recruitment of CMV-specific CTLs to kill tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy Noy
- Cancer Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Maya Haus-Cohen
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Kfir Oved
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Tali Voloshin
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Yoram Reiter
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
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Schmittnaegel M, Levitsky V, Hoffmann E, Georges G, Mundigl O, Klein C, Knoetgen H. Committing Cytomegalovirus-Specific CD8 T Cells to Eliminate Tumor Cells by Bifunctional Major Histocompatibility Class I Antibody Fusion Molecules. Cancer Immunol Res 2015; 3:764-76. [PMID: 25691327 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-15-0037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 02/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Tumor cells escape immune eradication through multiple mechanisms, including loss of antigenicity and local suppression of effector lymphocytes. To counteract these obstacles, we aimed to direct the unique cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific immune surveillance against tumor cells. We developed a novel generation of fusion proteins composed of a tumor antigen-specific full immunoglobulin connected to a single major histocompatibility class I complex bearing a covalently linked virus-derived peptide (pMHCI-IgG). Here, we show that tumor antigen-expressing cancer cells, which are decorated with pMHCI-IgGs containing a HLA-A*0201 molecule associated with a CMV-derived peptide, are specifically eliminated through engagement of antigen-specific CD8(+) T cells isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cell preparations of CMV-infected humans. These CD8(+) T cells act without additional expansion, preactivation, or provision of costimulatory signals. Elimination of tumor cells is induced at similar concentrations and with similar time kinetics as those seen with bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTE). However, while BiTE-like reagents indiscriminately activate T cells through binding to the T-cell receptor complex, pMHCI-IgGs selectively engage antigen-specific, constantly renewable, differentiated effector cytotoxic T lymphocytes to tumor cells, thereby representing a novel class of anticancer immunotherapeutics with potentially improved safety and efficacy profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Schmittnaegel
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Penzberg, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Victor Levitsky
- Discovery Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Eike Hoffmann
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Penzberg, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Guy Georges
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Penzberg, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Olaf Mundigl
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Penzberg, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Christian Klein
- Discovery Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hendrik Knoetgen
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Penzberg, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Penzberg, Germany.
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Kotsiou E, Brzostek J, Gould KG. Properties and applications of single-chain major histocompatibility complex class I molecules. Antioxid Redox Signal 2011; 15:645-55. [PMID: 21126187 PMCID: PMC3125553 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2010.3694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Stable major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules at the cell surface consist of three separate, noncovalently associated components: the class I heavy chain, the β(2)-microglobulin light chain, and a presented peptide. These three components are assembled inside cells via complex pathways involving many other proteins that have been studied extensively. Correct formation of disulfide bonds in the endoplasmic reticulum is central to this process of MHC class I assembly. For a single specific peptide to be presented at the cell surface for possible immune recognition, between hundreds and thousands of peptide-containing precursor polypeptides are required, so the overall process is relatively inefficient. To increase the efficiency of antigen presentation by MHC class I molecules, and for possible therapeutic purposes, single-chain molecules have been developed in which the three, normally separate components have been joined together via flexible linker sequences in a single polypeptide chain. Remarkably, these single-chain MHC class I molecules fold up correctly, as judged by functional recognition by cells of the immune system, and more recently by X-ray crystallographic structural data. This review focuses on the interesting properties and potential of this new type of engineered MHC class I molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Kotsiou
- Department of Immunology, Wright-Fleming Institute, Imperial College London, London, England
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Li J, Weng X, Liang Z, Zhong M, Chen X, Lu S, Sun W, Song Y, Wu X, Shen G. Viral specific cytotoxic T cells inhibit the growth of TfR-expressing tumor cells with antibody targeted viral peptide/HLA-A2 complex. Cell Immunol 2010; 263:154-60. [PMID: 20406704 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2010.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2009] [Revised: 02/25/2010] [Accepted: 03/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
A fusion protein of single chain antibody (scFv) specific for transferrin receptor (TfR, CD71) and viral peptide/HLA-A2 complex was prepared in this study to redirect cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) of viral specificity to tumor cells by attaching the ligand of T cell receptor (TCR) to tumor cells via binding of TfR scFv to TfR. The results demonstrate that the fusion protein can attach the active virus-peptide/HLA-A2 complex to HLA class I-negative, TfR-expressing K562 cells through binding of TfR scFv to TfR, and mediate cytotoxicity of viral peptide-specific CTLs against K562 cells in vitro. In addition, the fusion protein can induce inhibition of solid tumor formation and improve survival time in tumor xenograft nude mouse with the injection of the sorted viral peptide-specific CTLs generated by co-culture of peripheral blood lymphocytes from HLA-A2 positive donors with inactivated T2 cells pulsed with the viral peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianan Li
- Department of Immunology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
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