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Li W, Mei W, Jiang H, Wang J, Li X, Quan L, Diao Y, Ma Y, Fan S, Xie Z, Gong M, Zhu H, Bi D, Zhang F, Ma L, Zhang J, Gao Y, Paschalidis A, Lin H, Liu F, Liu K, Ye M, Zhao Z, Duan Y, Chen Z, Xu Y, Xiao W, Tao S, Zhu L, Li H. Blocking the PD-1 signal transduction by occupying the phosphorylated ITSM recognition site of SHP-2. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024:10.1007/s11427-024-2706-2. [PMID: 39235560 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-024-2706-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024]
Abstract
Targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis with small-molecular inhibitors is a promising approach for immunotherapy. Here, we identify a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid, Pygenic Acid A (PA), as a PD-1 signaling inhibitor. PA exerts anti-tumor activity in hPD-1 knock-in C57BL/6 mice and enhances effector functions of T cells to promote immune responses by disrupting the PD-1 signaling transduction. Furthermore, we identify SHP-2 as the direct molecular target of PA for inhibiting the PD-1 signaling transduction. Subsequently, mechanistic studies suggest that PA binds to a new druggable site in the phosphorylated PD-1 ITSM recognition site of SHP-2, inhibiting the recruitment of SHP-2 by PD-1. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that PA has a potential application in cancer immunotherapy and occupying the phosphorylated ITSM recognition site of SHP-2 may serve as an alternative strategy to develop PD-1 signaling inhibitors. In addition, our success in target recognition provides a paradigm of target identification and confirmation for natural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Wenyi Mei
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Hewei Jiang
- Shanghai Center for Systems Biomedicine, Key Laboratory of Systems Biomedicine (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Xiaoli Li
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research & Development of Natural Products, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Pharmacy and School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Lina Quan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Yanyan Diao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Yanni Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, National Chromatographic R & A Center, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Sisi Fan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Zhuwei Xie
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Mengdie Gong
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Huan Zhu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Dewen Bi
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research & Development of Natural Products, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Pharmacy and School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Lei Ma
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Yufeng Gao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Aris Paschalidis
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Honghuang Lin
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Fangfang Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Kangdong Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Mingliang Ye
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, National Chromatographic R & A Center, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Zhenjiang Zhao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Yajun Duan
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Zhuo Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Yufang Xu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Weilie Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research & Development of Natural Products, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Pharmacy and School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China.
| | - Shengce Tao
- Shanghai Center for Systems Biomedicine, Key Laboratory of Systems Biomedicine (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
| | - Lili Zhu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China.
| | - Honglin Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China.
- Innovation Center for AI and Drug Discovery, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China.
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 200031, China.
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2
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Mizuno T, Kato M, Tsukui T, Igase M. Development of an in vitro assay for screening programmed death receptor-1/programmed cell death ligand 1 monoclonal antibody therapy in dogs. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2024; 274:110792. [PMID: 38878679 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2024.110792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Immunomodulatory antibody drugs that modulate the function of immune checkpoint molecules, such as programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), have been established as new cancer treatments in human medicine. In recent years, there have also been reports on antibodies that inhibit immune checkpoint molecules in dogs, and clinical trials using such antibodies for canine cancer have been gradually increasing in number. Because inhibitory antibodies restore T-cell function by inhibiting the binding of PD-1 on T cells and its ligand PD-L1, the quality of antibody function has been evaluated using activated T cells or peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from healthy dogs; however, the assays and dogs used significantly vary. Therefore, in the present study, we developed a reporter gene assay using reporter cells (Jurkat/NFATluc/cPD1) and effector cells (CTAC/OKT3/cPDL1). Jurkat/NFATluc/cPD1 were generated by introducing both of the NFAT-responsive luciferase gene as a marker of T-cell signaling and canine PD-1, into a human T lymphoid cell line, Jurkat. CTAC/OKT3/cPDL1 were generated by introducing single-chain FV (scFV) of anti-human CD3 antibody (OKT3) and canine PD-L1 into a canine thyroid carcinoma cell line, CTAC. Ligation of PD-1 on Jurkat/NFATluc/cPD1 via binding of PD-L1 on CTAC/OKT3/cPDL1 suppressed NFAT luciferase activity induced by CD3 ligation by scFV of OKT3. The addition of anti-canine PD-1 and PD-L1 antibodies, both of which were previously developed in our laboratory, restored this suppression with high sensitivity, although the anti-human PD-L1 antibody atezolizumab induced a very weak restoration. This assay is an useful method for functionally evaluating the inhibition of canine PD-1 and PD-L1 binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Mizuno
- Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Therapeutics, Joint Graduate school of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan.
| | - Masahiro Kato
- Nippon Zenyaku Kogyo Co., Ltd., Koriyama, Fukushima, Japan
| | | | - Masaya Igase
- Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Therapeutics, Joint Graduate school of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan
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3
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Qin X, An Y, Li X, Huang F, Zhou Y, Pei D, Bi H, Shi X, Fan W, Ding Y, Li S, Li S, Wang J. Generation and utilization of endostatin-sensitive cell lines for assessing the biological activity of endostatin. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e506. [PMID: 38525110 PMCID: PMC10960727 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Recombinant proteins are gaining increasing popularity for treating human diseases. The clinical effectiveness of recombinant proteins is directly related to their biological activity, which is an important indicator in drug development and quality control. However, certain recombinant proteins have unclear or complex signal pathways, making detecting their activity in vitro difficult. For instance, recombinant human endostatin (endostatin), a new antitumor drug developed in China, lacks a sensitive and stable assay for its biological activity since being market approval. To address this issue, we performed a genome-wide screening of immortalized human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) using a CRISPR/Cas9 knockout library containing 20,000 targeted genes. We identified two potential endostatin-resistant genes, NEPSPP and UTS2, and successfully constructed a highly sensitive cell line, HUVEC-UTS2-3#, by knocking down the UTS2 gene. Based on the optimized parameters of HUVEC-UTS2-3# cells, we established a new method for detecting the biological activity of endostatin. The method was validated, and it produced results consistent with primary HUVEC cells but with higher sensitivity and more stable data. The use of gene-editing technology provides a novel solution for detecting the biological activity of recombinant proteins that other methods cannot detect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Qin
- National Institutes for Food and Drug ControlBeijingChina
- WHO Collaboration Centre for Biologicals Standardization and EvaluationBeijingChina
| | - Yifang An
- National Institutes for Food and Drug ControlBeijingChina
- WHO Collaboration Centre for Biologicals Standardization and EvaluationBeijingChina
| | - Xiang Li
- National Institutes for Food and Drug ControlBeijingChina
- WHO Collaboration Centre for Biologicals Standardization and EvaluationBeijingChina
| | - Fang Huang
- Department of Cell EngineeringBeijing Institute of BiotechnologyBeijingChina
| | - Yong Zhou
- National Institutes for Food and Drug ControlBeijingChina
- WHO Collaboration Centre for Biologicals Standardization and EvaluationBeijingChina
| | - Dening Pei
- National Institutes for Food and Drug ControlBeijingChina
- WHO Collaboration Centre for Biologicals Standardization and EvaluationBeijingChina
| | - Hua Bi
- National Institutes for Food and Drug ControlBeijingChina
- WHO Collaboration Centre for Biologicals Standardization and EvaluationBeijingChina
| | - Xinchang Shi
- National Institutes for Food and Drug ControlBeijingChina
- WHO Collaboration Centre for Biologicals Standardization and EvaluationBeijingChina
| | - Wenhong Fan
- National Institutes for Food and Drug ControlBeijingChina
- WHO Collaboration Centre for Biologicals Standardization and EvaluationBeijingChina
| | - Youxue Ding
- National Institutes for Food and Drug ControlBeijingChina
- WHO Collaboration Centre for Biologicals Standardization and EvaluationBeijingChina
| | - Shuang Li
- Sinovac Research & Development Co., Ltd.BeijingChina
| | - Shanhu Li
- Department of Cell EngineeringBeijing Institute of BiotechnologyBeijingChina
| | - Junzhi Wang
- National Institutes for Food and Drug ControlBeijingChina
- WHO Collaboration Centre for Biologicals Standardization and EvaluationBeijingChina
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4
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Domingo-Contreras E, Tormo JR, Gonzalez-Menendez V, Mackenzie TA, Martín-Serrano J, Magiera-Mularz K, Kitel R, Reyes F, Genilloud O, Fernández-Godino R, Ramos MC, Castillo F. Discovery of bioactive natural products of microbial origin as inhibitors of the PD-1/PD-L1 protein-protein interaction. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 264:130458. [PMID: 38423421 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
The PD-1/PD-L1 protein-protein interaction (PPI) controls an adaptive immune resistance mechanism exerted by tumor cells to evade immune responses. The large-molecule nature of current commercial monoclonal antibodies against this PPI hampers their effectiveness by limiting tumor penetration and inducing severe immune-related side effects. Synthetic small-molecule inhibitors may overcome such limitations and have demonstrated promising clinical translation, but their design is challenging. Microbial natural products (NPs) are a source of small molecules with vast chemical diversity that have proved anti-tumoral activities, but which immunotherapeutic properties as PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors had remained uncharacterized so far. Here, we have developed the first cell-based PD-1/PD-L1 blockade reporter assay to screen NPs libraries. In this study, 6000 microbial extracts of maximum biosynthetic diversity were screened. A secondary metabolite called alpha-cyclopiazonic acid (α-CPA) of a bioactive fungal extract was confirmed as a new PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor with low micromolar range in the cellular assay and in an additional cell-free competitive assay. Thermal denaturation experiments with PD-1 confirmed that the mechanism of inhibition is based on its stabilization upon binding to α-CPA. The identification of α-CPA as a novel PD-1 stabilizer proves the unprecedented resolution of this methodology at capturing specific PD-1/PD-L1 PPI inhibitors from chemically diverse NP libraries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Domingo-Contreras
- Fundación MEDINA, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento 34, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - José R Tormo
- Fundación MEDINA, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento 34, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Victor Gonzalez-Menendez
- Fundación MEDINA, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento 34, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Thomas A Mackenzie
- Fundación MEDINA, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento 34, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Jesús Martín-Serrano
- Fundación MEDINA, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento 34, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Katarzyna Magiera-Mularz
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa Str 2, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Radoslaw Kitel
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa Str 2, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Fernando Reyes
- Fundación MEDINA, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento 34, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Olga Genilloud
- Fundación MEDINA, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento 34, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Rosario Fernández-Godino
- Fundación MEDINA, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento 34, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Maria C Ramos
- Fundación MEDINA, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento 34, 18016 Granada, Spain.
| | - Francisco Castillo
- Fundación MEDINA, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento 34, 18016 Granada, Spain.
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5
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Qin Y, Meng X, Li L, Liu C, Gao F, Yuan X, Huang Y, Zhu Y. Develop a PD-1-blockade peptide to reinvigorate T-cell activity and inhibit tumor progress. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 960:176144. [PMID: 37866745 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.176144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors, particularly monoclonal antibodies blocking the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) pathway, have been successfully utilized in the clinic. However, certain drawbacks associated with antibodies, such as high immunogenicity and poor tissue penetration, need to be addressed for their broader clinical application. Peptides, as low molecular weight alternatives, have garnered increasing interest in this field. In this study, we employed bacterial surface display technology to identify a PD-1-binding peptide, PBP. The PBP peptide exhibited moderate affinity for human PD-1 (hPD-1) and displayed cross-reactivity with mouse PD-1 (mPD-1). Molecular docking analysis revealed that the interaction residues of the PBP peptide with PD-1 played crucial roles in the formation of the PD-1/PD-L1 complex. A competing binding assay demonstrated that the peptide could interfere the interaction of PD-1 and PD-L1. Moreover, in vitro experiments showed that the PBP peptide could reinvigorate T cells inhibited by PD-L1. In an in vivo mouse model of CT26, the PBP peptide effectively suppressed tumor growth by enhancing T cell function. In conclusion, our results suggest that the PBP peptide exerts an anti-tumor effect by impeding the interplay between PD-1 and PD-L1, highlighting its potential as an alternative for tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingzhou Qin
- School of Nano Technology and Nano Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Xiangzhou Meng
- School of Nano Technology and Nano Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Lin Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Cuijuan Liu
- School of Nano Technology and Nano Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Fan Gao
- School of Nano Technology and Nano Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Xin Yuan
- School of Nano Technology and Nano Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Ying Huang
- School of Nano Technology and Nano Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Yimin Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China.
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6
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Álvarez Freile J, Qi Y, Jacob L, Lobo MF, Lourens HJ, Huls G, Bremer E. A luminescence-based method to assess antigen presentation and antigen-specific T cell responses for in vitro screening of immunomodulatory checkpoints and therapeutics. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1233113. [PMID: 37559730 PMCID: PMC10407562 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1233113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Investigations into the strength of antigen-specific responses in vitro is becoming increasingly relevant for decision making in early-phase research of novel immunotherapeutic approaches, including adoptive cell but also immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based therapies. In the latter, antigen-specific rapid and high throughput tools to investigate MHC/antigen-specific T cell receptor (TCR) activation haven't been implemented yet. Here, we present a simple and rapid luminescence-based approach using the human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16) E711-20 peptide as model antigen and E7-TCR transgenic Jurkat.NFAT-luciferase reporter cells. Upon E7 peptide pulsing of HLA-A2+ cell lines and macrophages, an effector to target ratio dependent increase in luminescence compared to non-pulsed cells was observed after co-incubation with E7-TCR expressing Jurkat, but not with parental cells. Analogous experiments with cells expressing full-length HPV16 identified that E7-specific activation of Jurkat cells enabled detection of endogenous antigen processing and MHC-I presentation. As proof of concept, overexpression of established checkpoints/inhibitory molecules (e.g., PD-L1 or HLA-G) significantly reduced the E7-specific TCR-induced luminescence, an effect that could be restored after treatment with corresponding targeting antagonistic antibodies. Altogether, the luminescence-based method described here represents an alternative approach for the rapid evaluation of MHC-dependent antigen-specific T cell responses in vitro. It can be used as a rapid tool to evaluate the impact of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment or novel ICI in triggering effective T cell responses, as well as speeding up the development of novel therapeutics within the immune-oncology field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Edwin Bremer
- Department of Hematology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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7
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Lei Y, Yong Z, Junzhi W. Development and application of potency assays based on genetically modified cells for biological products. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2023; 230:115397. [PMID: 37079933 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2023.115397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Potency assays are key to the development, registration, and quality control of biological products. Although previously preferred for clinical relevance, in vivo bioassays have greatly diminished with the advent of dependent cell lines as well as due to ethical concerns. However, for some products, the development of in vitro cell-based assay is challenging, or existing method has limitations such as tedious procedure or low sensitivity. The generation of genetically modified (GM) cell line with improved response to the analyte provides a scientific and promising solution. Potency assays based on GM cell lines are currently used for the quality control of biological products including cytokines, hormones, therapeutic antibodies, vaccines and gene therapy products. In this review, we have discussed the general principles of designing and developing GM cells-based potency assays, including identification of cellular signaling pathways and detectable biological effects, generation of responsive cell lines and constitution of test systems, based on the current research progress. In addition, the applications of some novel technologies and the common concerns regarding GM cells have also been discussed. The research presented in this review provides insights for the development and application of novel GM cells-based potency assays for biological products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Lei
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 2, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Zhou Yong
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 2, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Wang Junzhi
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 2, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100050, China.
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8
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Ke H, Zhang F, Wang J, Xiong L, An X, Tu X, Chen C, Wang Y, Mao B, Guo S, Ju C, He X, Sun R, Zhang L, O'Connor OA, Li QX. HX009, a novel BsAb dual targeting PD1 x CD47, demonstrates potent anti-lymphoma activity in preclinical models. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5419. [PMID: 37012357 PMCID: PMC10070465 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32547-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Both PD1/PD-L1 and CD47 blockades have demonstrated limited activity in most subtypes of NHL save NK/T-cell lymphoma. The hemotoxicity with anti-CD47 agents in the clinic has been speculated to account for their limitations. Herein we describe a first-in-class and rationally designed bispecific antibody (BsAb), HX009, targeting PD1 and CD47 but with weakened CD47 binding, which selectively hones the BsAb for tumor microenvironment through PD1 interaction, potentially reducing toxicity. In vitro characterization confirmed: (1) Both receptor binding/ligand blockade, with lowered CD47 affinity; (2) functional PD1/CD47 blockades by reporter assays; (3) T-cell activation in Staphylococcal-enterotoxin-B-pretreated PBMC and mixed-lymphocyte-reaction. In vivo modeling demonstrated antitumor activity in Raji-B and Karpass-229-T xenograft lymphomas. In the humanized mouse syngeneic A20 B-lymphoma (huCD47-A20) HuGEMM model, which has quadruple knocked-in hPD1xhPD-L1xhCD47xhSIRPα genes and an intact autologous immune-system, a contribution of effect is demonstrated for each targeted biologic (HX008 targeting PD1 and SIRPα-Fc targeting CD47), which is clearly augmented by the dual targeting with HX009. Lastly, the expression of the immune-checkpoints PD-L1/L2 and CD47 seemed co-regulated among a panel of lymphoma-derived-xenografts, where HX009 maybe more effective in those with upregulated CD47. Our data warrants HX009's further clinical development for treating NHLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Ke
- Hanx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Hangzhou, China
| | | | | | | | - Xiaoyu An
- Crown Bioscience, Inc., San Diego, USA
| | | | - Cen Chen
- Hanx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Hangzhou, China
| | | | | | - Sheng Guo
- Crown Bioscience, Inc., San Diego, USA
| | | | - Xiangfei He
- Shanghai Model Organisms Center, Inc. (SMOC), Shanghai, China
| | - Ruilin Sun
- Shanghai Model Organisms Center, Inc. (SMOC), Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Hanx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Hangzhou, China
| | - Owen A O'Connor
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Virginia Cancer Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
| | - Qi-Xiang Li
- Hanx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Hangzhou, China.
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9
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Hirosaki H, Maeda Y, Takeyoshi M. Establishment of Cell-Based Assay System for Evaluating Cytotoxic Activity Modulated by the Blockade of PD-1 and PD-L1 Interactions with a Therapeutic Antibody. Immunol Invest 2023; 52:332-342. [PMID: 36731129 DOI: 10.1080/08820139.2023.2174442] [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] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Therapeutic antibodies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint are widely used in cancer therapy and are under active further development. Historically, the antitumor activity of PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors has been evaluated using in vivo and ex vivo test methods; however, a simple in vitro assay method to evaluate antitumor activity accurately is needed for the efficient development of new therapeutic agents. In the present study, we attempted to establish a simple cell-based assay system to evaluate the modulating effect of PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors on cytotoxic activity. METHODS We established a new natural killer (NK) cell line stably transfected with the PD-1 and IL-2 genes and a new NK-sensitive target cell line stably transfected with the PD-L1 gene. Then, the assay system was established by co-cultivation of the established cell lines and measurement of the cytotoxic activities using the europium release assay. To confirm the performance of the established assay system, model therapeutic antibodies to block the PD-1/PD-L1 signal, nivolumab and atezolizumab were added to the co-culture system and the modulating effect on the cytotoxic activities were evaluated. RESULTS Nivolumab and atezolizumab clearly showed a modulating effect on cytotoxic activity in a dose-dependent manner in our assay system, whereas a human IgG isotype control antibody did not show any modulating effect on the assay system. CONCLUSION The newly established cell-based assay system can quantitatively evaluate the modulating effect of PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors by measuring cytotoxic activity, playing an important role in antitumor effects as innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruka Hirosaki
- Chemicals Assessment and Research Center, Chemicals Evaluation and Research Institute, Japan
| | - Yosuke Maeda
- Chemicals Assessment and Research Center, Chemicals Evaluation and Research Institute, Japan
| | - Masahiro Takeyoshi
- Chemicals Assessment and Research Center, Chemicals Evaluation and Research Institute, Japan
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10
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Grindel BJ, Engel BJ, Ong JN, Srinivasamani A, Liang X, Zacharias NM, Bast RC, Curran MA, Takahashi TT, Roberts RW, Millward SW. Directed Evolution of PD-L1-Targeted Affibodies by mRNA Display. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:1543-1555. [PMID: 35611948 PMCID: PMC10691555 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies directed against PD-L1 (e.g., atezolizumab) disrupt PD-L1:PD-1 signaling and reactivate exhausted cytotoxic T-cells in the tumor compartment. Although anti-PD-L1 antibodies are successful as immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapeutics, there is still a pressing need to develop high-affinity, low-molecular-weight ligands for molecular imaging and diagnostic applications. Affibodies are small polypeptides (∼60 amino acids) that provide a stable molecular scaffold from which to evolve high-affinity ligands. Despite its proven utility in the development of imaging probes, this scaffold has never been optimized for use in mRNA display, a powerful in vitro selection platform incorporating high library diversity, unnatural amino acids, and chemical modification. In this manuscript, we describe the selection of a PD-L1-binding affibody by mRNA display. Following randomization of the 13 amino acids that define the binding interface of the well-described Her2 affibody, the resulting library was selected against recombinant human PD-L1 (hPD-L1). After four rounds, the enriched library was split and selected against either hPD-L1 or the mouse ortholog (mPD-L1). The dual target selection resulted in the identification of a human/mouse cross-reactive PD-L1 affibody (M1) with low nanomolar affinity for both targets. The M1 affibody bound with similar affinity to mPD-L1 and hPD-L1 expressed on the cell surface and inhibited signaling through the PD-L1:PD-1 axis at low micromolar concentrations in a cell-based functional assay. In vivo optical imaging with M1-Cy5 in an immune-competent mouse model of lymphoma revealed significant tumor uptake relative to a Cy5-conjugated Her2 affibody.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J. Grindel
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA, 77054
| | - Brian J. Engel
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA, 77054
| | - Justin N. Ong
- Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA, 90089
| | | | - Xiaowen Liang
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA, 77054
| | - Niki M. Zacharias
- Department of Urology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA, 77054
| | - Robert C. Bast
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA, 77054
| | - Michael A. Curran
- Department of Immunology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA, 77054
| | - Terry T. Takahashi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA, 90089
| | - Richard W. Roberts
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA, 90089
- Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA, 90089
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California, USA, 90089
| | - Steven W. Millward
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA, 77054
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11
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Kasichayanula S, Mandlekar S, Shivva V, Patel M, Girish S. Evolution of Preclinical Characterization and Insights into Clinical Pharmacology of Checkpoint Inhibitors Approved for Cancer Immunotherapy. Clin Transl Sci 2022; 15:1818-1837. [PMID: 35588531 PMCID: PMC9372426 DOI: 10.1111/cts.13312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has significantly advanced the treatment paradigm in oncology, with approvals of immuno‐oncology agents for over 16 indications, many of them first line. Checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) are recognized as an essential backbone for a successful anticancer therapy regimen. This review focuses on the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory approvals of major CPIs and the evolution of translational advances since their first approval close to a decade ago. In addition, critical preclinical and clinical pharmacology considerations, an overview of the pharmacokinetic and dose/regimen aspects, and a discussion of the future of CPI translational and clinical pharmacology as combination therapy becomes a mainstay of industrial immunotherapy development and in clinical practice are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Vittal Shivva
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, 94080, CA
| | - Maulik Patel
- AbbVie Inc., 1000 Gateway Blvd, South San Francisco, 94080, CA
| | - Sandhya Girish
- Gilead Sciences, 310 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, 94404, CA
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12
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A reporter gene assay for determining the biological activity of therapeutic antibodies targeting TIGIT. Acta Pharm Sin B 2021; 11:3925-3934. [PMID: 35024316 PMCID: PMC8727920 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
T cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain (TIGIT) is a novel immune checkpoint that has been considered as a target in cancer immunotherapy. Current available bioassays for measuring the biological activity of therapeutic antibodies targeting TIGIT are restricted to mechanistic investigations because donor primary T cells are highly variable. Here, we designed a reporter gene assay comprising two cell lines, namely, CHO-CD112-CD3 scFv, which stably expresses CD112 (PVRL2, nectin-2) and a membrane-bound anti-CD3 single-chain fragment variable (scFv) as the target cell, and Jurkat-NFAT-TIGIT, which stably expresses TIGIT as well as the nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) response element-controlled luciferase gene, as the effector cell. The anti-CD3 scFv situated on the target cells activates Jurkat-NFAT-TIGIT cells through binding and crosslinking CD3 molecules of the effector cell, whereas interactions between CD112 and TIGIT prevent activation. The presence of anti-TIGIT mAbs disrupts their interaction, which in turn reverses the inactivation and luciferase expression. Optimization and validation studies have demonstrated that this assay is superior in terms of specificity, accuracy, linearity, and precision. In summary, this reliable and effective reporter gene assay may potentially be utilized in lot release control, stability assays, screening, and development of novel TIGIT-targeted therapeutic antibodies.
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13
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Development and validation of a reporter gene assay to determine the bioactivity of anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibodies. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 101:108277. [PMID: 34773758 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.108277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
CTLA-4 is an important immune checkpoint for the regulation of T cell activation, and anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are being developed as mono- or combination therapy for various tumors with reliable clinical efficacy. Ipilimumab is the first approved inhibitor of immune checkpoint, and many other anti-CTLA-4 mAbs, including ipilimumab biosimilars, are in different stages of clinical trials. However, due to the immunomodulating nature of the mAbs targeting CTLA-4, mode of action (MoA) and cell-based bioassay to determine their bioactivities as the lot release or stability test has been a great challenge to quality control laboratories. In this study, we have developed and validated a reporter gene assay (RGA), in which two kinds of cell lines were engineered to measure the bioactivity of anti-CTLA-4 mAbs. Raji cells were stably transfected with the membrane-anchored anti-CD3 single chain antibody fragment (scFv) as antigen-presenting cells (APCs, Raji-CD3scFv cells), while Jurkat cells were stably transfected with CTLA-4 with Y201V mutation and NFAT controlled luciferase as the effector cells (Jurkat-CTLA-4-NFAT-luc cells). The ligation of CD80/CD86 on the APCs with CTLA-4 could reduce the luciferase expression accompanied with the activation of effector cells, while the anti-CTLA-4 mAb could reverse the reduction, which resulted in good dose response curve to determine its bioactivity. After optimizing various assay conditions, we performed full validation according to ICH-Q2 (R1), which demonstrated the excellent specificity, accuracy, precision, linearity, and the cell passage stability. The satisfied performance characteristics render the RGA a good bioassay in the bioactivity determination of anti-CTLA-4 mAbs, as applied in characterization, batch release control, stability study, and biosimilar assessment.
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14
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Xiong H, Luo F, Zhou P, Yi J. Development of a reporter gene method to measure the bioactivity of anti-CD38 × CD3 bispecific antibody. Antib Ther 2021; 4:212-221. [PMID: 34676357 PMCID: PMC8524643 DOI: 10.1093/abt/tbab022] [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] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background A T cell-redirecting bispecific antibody (bsAb) consisting of a tumor-binding unit and a T cell-binding unit is a large group of antibody-based biologics against death-causing cancer diseases. The anti-CD38 × anti-CD3 bsAb (Y150) is potential for treating multiple myeloma (MM). When developing a cell-based reporter gene bioassay to assess the activities of Y150, it was found that the expression of CD38 on the human T lymphocyte cells (Jurkat) caused the nonspecific activation, which interfered with the specific T cells activation of mediated by the Y150 and CD38(+) tumor cells. Methods Here, we first knocked-out the CD38 expression on Jurkat T cell line by CRISPR-Cas9 technology, then developed a stable monoclonal CD38(−) Jurkat T cell line with an NFAT-RE driving luciferase expressing system. Further based on the CD38(−) Jurkat cell, we developed a reporter gene method to assess the bioactivity of the anti-CD38 × anti-CD3 bsAb. Results Knocking out CD38 expression abolished the nonspecific self-activation of the Jurkat cells. The selected stable monoclonal CD38(−) Jurkat T cell line assured the robustness of the report genes assay for the anti-CD38 × anti-CD3 bsAb. The relative potencies of the Y150 measured by the developed reporter gene assay were correlated with those by the flow-cytometry-based cell cytotoxicity assay and by the ELISA-based binding assay. Conclusions The developed reporter gene assay was mechanism of action-reflective for the bioactivity of anti-CD38 × anti-CD3 antibody, and suitable for the quality control for the bsAb product.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Xiong
- Wuhan YZY Biopharma Co., Ltd, Biolake City C2-1, No. 666 Gaoxin Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430075, China
| | - Fengyan Luo
- Wuhan YZY Biopharma Co., Ltd, Biolake City C2-1, No. 666 Gaoxin Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430075, China
| | - Pengfei Zhou
- Wuhan YZY Biopharma Co., Ltd, Biolake City C2-1, No. 666 Gaoxin Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430075, China
| | - Jizu Yi
- Wuhan YZY Biopharma Co., Ltd, Biolake City C2-1, No. 666 Gaoxin Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430075, China
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15
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Yuan J, Li J, Yang L, Lv Y, Wang C, Jin Z, Ni X, Xia H. Development and validation of a novel reporter gene assay for determination of recombinant human thrombopoietin. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 99:107982. [PMID: 34333355 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.107982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Recombinant human thrombopoietin (rhTPO) was approved by the National Medical Products Administration in 2010 for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura and chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia. Nevertheless, no method for determining rhTPO bioactivity has been recorded in different national/regional pharmacopoeia. Novel methods for lot release and stability testing are needed that are simpler, quicker, and more accurate. Here, we developed a novel reporter gene assay (RGA) for rhTPO bioassay with Ba/F3 cell lines that stably expressed human TPO receptor and luciferase reporter driven by sis-inducible element, gamma response region, and gamma-interferon activated sequence. During careful optimization, the RGA method demonstrated high performance characteristics. According to the International Council for Harmonization Q2 (R1) guidelines and the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020 edition, the validation results demonstrated that this method is highly time-saving, sensitive, and robust for research, development, manufacture, and quality control of rhTPO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yuan
- School of Life Science and Biopharmaceuticals, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No. 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China; Shenyang Sunshine Pharmaceutical CO., Ltd, 1(st) 3, 10(th) Road, Economic and Technological Development Zone, Shenyang, Liaoning 110027, China
| | - Jia Li
- Shenyang Sunshine Pharmaceutical CO., Ltd, 1(st) 3, 10(th) Road, Economic and Technological Development Zone, Shenyang, Liaoning 110027, China
| | - Lihua Yang
- School of Life Science and Biopharmaceuticals, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No. 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China; Shenyang Sunshine Pharmaceutical CO., Ltd, 1(st) 3, 10(th) Road, Economic and Technological Development Zone, Shenyang, Liaoning 110027, China
| | - Yunying Lv
- School of Life Science and Biopharmaceuticals, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No. 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China; Shenyang Sunshine Pharmaceutical CO., Ltd, 1(st) 3, 10(th) Road, Economic and Technological Development Zone, Shenyang, Liaoning 110027, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Shenyang Sunshine Pharmaceutical CO., Ltd, 1(st) 3, 10(th) Road, Economic and Technological Development Zone, Shenyang, Liaoning 110027, China
| | - Zheng Jin
- Shenyang Sunshine Pharmaceutical CO., Ltd, 1(st) 3, 10(th) Road, Economic and Technological Development Zone, Shenyang, Liaoning 110027, China
| | - Xianpu Ni
- School of Life Science and Biopharmaceuticals, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No. 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China.
| | - Huanzhang Xia
- School of Life Science and Biopharmaceuticals, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No. 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China.
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16
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Jang S, Song J, Kim N, Bak J, Jung K, Park YW, Park BC, Kim HM. Development of an antibody-like T-cell engager based on VH-VL heterodimer formation and its application in cancer therapy. Biomaterials 2021; 271:120760. [PMID: 33774526 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2021.120760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Following the clinical success of immunotherapeutic antibodies, bispecific antibodies for cytotoxic effector cell redirection, tumor-targeted immunomodulation and dual immunomodulation, have received particular attentions. Here, we developed a novel bispecific antibody platform, termed Antibody-Like Cell Engager (ALiCE), wherein the Fc domain of each heavy chain of immunoglobulin G (IgG) is replaced by the VH and VL domains of an IgG specific to a second antigen while retaining the N-terminal Fab of the parent antibody. Because of specific interactions between the substituted VH and VL domains, the C-terminal stem Fv enables ALiCE to assemble autonomously into hetero-tetramers, thus simultaneously binding to two distinct antigens but with different avidities. This design strategy was used to generate ACE-05 (two anti-PD-L1 Fab × anti-CD3 Fv) and ACE-31 (two anti-CD3 Fab × anti-PD-L1 Fv), both of which bound PD-L1 and CD3. However, ACE-05 was more effective than ACE-31 in reducing off-target toxicity caused by the indiscriminate activation of T cells. Moreover, in cell-based assays and PBMC-reconstituted humanized mice harboring human non-small-cell lung cancer tumors, ACE-05 showed marked antitumor efficacy, causing complete tumor regression at a dose of 0.05 mg/kg body weight. The dual roles of ACE-05 in immune checkpoint inhibition and T-cell redirection, coupled with reduced off-target toxicity, suggest that ACE-05 may be a promising anti-cancer therapeutic agent. Moreover, the bispecific ALiCE platform can be further used for tumor-targeted or multiple immunomodulation applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seil Jang
- Biomedical Science and Engineering Interdisciplinary Program, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, South Korea; Y-BIOLOGICS, Inc., 17 Techno 4-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34013, South Korea; CTCELLS, Inc., R7, 333 Techno Jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu, 42988, South Korea
| | - Jaeho Song
- Y-BIOLOGICS, Inc., 17 Techno 4-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34013, South Korea
| | - NaYoung Kim
- Y-BIOLOGICS, Inc., 17 Techno 4-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34013, South Korea
| | - Jeonghyeon Bak
- Y-BIOLOGICS, Inc., 17 Techno 4-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34013, South Korea
| | - Keehoon Jung
- Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, South Korea
| | - Young Woo Park
- Y-BIOLOGICS, Inc., 17 Techno 4-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34013, South Korea
| | - Bum-Chan Park
- Y-BIOLOGICS, Inc., 17 Techno 4-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34013, South Korea.
| | - Ho Min Kim
- Biomedical Science and Engineering Interdisciplinary Program, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, South Korea; Graduate School of Medical Science & Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, South Korea; Center for Biomolecular & Cellular Structure, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34126, South Korea.
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17
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Li M, Zhao R, Chen J, Tian W, Xia C, Liu X, Li Y, Li S, Sun H, Shen T, Ren W, Sun L. Next generation of anti-PD-L1 Atezolizumab with enhanced anti-tumor efficacy in vivo. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5774. [PMID: 33707569 PMCID: PMC7952408 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85329-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
FDA-approved anti-PD-L1 antibody drug Atezolizumab is a human IgG1 without glycosylation by an N297A mutation. Aglycosylation of IgG1 has been used to completely remove the unwanted Fc-mediated functions such as antibody-dependent cytotoxicity (ADCC). However, aglycosylated Atezolizumab is very unstable and easy to form aggregation, which causes quick development of anti-drug antibody (ADA) in 41% of Atezolizumab-treated cancer patients, eventually leading to loss of efficacy. Here, we report the development of the anti-PD-L1 antibody drug Maxatezo, a glycosylated version of Atezolizumab, with no ADCC activity, better thermo-stability, and significantly improved anti-tumor activity in vivo. Using Atezolizumab as the starting template, we back-mutated A297N to re-install the glycosylation, and inserted a short, flexible amino acid sequence (GGGS) between G237 and G238 in the hinge region of the IgG1 heavy chain. Our data shows that insertion of GGGS, does not alter the anti-PD-L1's affinity and inhibitory activity, while completely abolishing ADCC activity. Maxatezo has a similar glycosylation profile and expression level (up to 5.4 g/L) as any normal human IgG1. Most importantly, Maxatezo's thermal stability is much better than Atezolizumab, as evidenced by dramatic increases of Tm1 from 63.55 °C to 71.01 °C and Tagg from 60.7 °C to 71.2 °C. Furthermore, the levels of ADA in mice treated with Maxatezo were significantly lower compared with animals treated with Atezolizumab. Most importantly, at the same dose (10 mg/kg), the tumor growth inhibition rate of Maxatezo was 98%, compared to 68% for Atezolizumab.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maohua Li
- AbMax BioPharmaceuticals Co., LTD, 99 Kechuang 14th Street, BDA, Beijing, 101111, China
| | | | | | - Wenzhi Tian
- ImmuneOnco Biopharma (Shanghai) Co., LTD, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenxi Xia
- AbMax BioPharmaceuticals Co., LTD, 99 Kechuang 14th Street, BDA, Beijing, 101111, China
| | - Xudong Liu
- AbMax BioPharmaceuticals Co., LTD, 99 Kechuang 14th Street, BDA, Beijing, 101111, China
| | - Yingzi Li
- AbMax BioPharmaceuticals Co., LTD, 99 Kechuang 14th Street, BDA, Beijing, 101111, China
| | - Song Li
- ImmuneOnco Biopharma (Shanghai) Co., LTD, Shanghai, China
| | - Hunter Sun
- AnyGo Technology Co., LTD, Beijing, China
| | - Tong Shen
- AbMax BioPharmaceuticals Co., LTD, 99 Kechuang 14th Street, BDA, Beijing, 101111, China
| | - Wenlin Ren
- AbMax BioPharmaceuticals Co., LTD, 99 Kechuang 14th Street, BDA, Beijing, 101111, China.
| | - Le Sun
- AbMax BioPharmaceuticals Co., LTD, 99 Kechuang 14th Street, BDA, Beijing, 101111, China.
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18
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Mondal T, Shivange GN, Tihagam RGT, Lyerly E, Battista M, Talwar D, Mosavian R, Urbanek K, Rashid NS, Harrell JC, Bos PD, Stelow EB, Stack MS, Bhatnagar S, Tushir‐Singh J. Unexpected PD-L1 immune evasion mechanism in TNBC, ovarian, and other solid tumors by DR5 agonist antibodies. EMBO Mol Med 2021; 13:e12716. [PMID: 33587338 PMCID: PMC7933954 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202012716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Lack of effective immune infiltration represents a significant barrier to immunotherapy in solid tumors. Thus, solid tumor-enriched death receptor-5 (DR5) activating antibodies, which generates tumor debulking by extrinsic apoptotic cytotoxicity, remains a crucial alternate therapeutic strategy. Over past few decades, many DR5 antibodies moved to clinical trials after successfully controlling tumors in immunodeficient tumor xenografts. However, DR5 antibodies failed to significantly improve survival in phase-II trials, leading in efforts to generate second generation of DR5 agonists to supersize apoptotic cytotoxicity in tumors. Here we have discovered that clinical DR5 antibodies activate an unexpected immunosuppressive PD-L1 stabilization pathway, which potentially had contributed to their limited success in clinics. The DR5 agonist stimulated caspase-8 signaling not only activates ROCK1 but also undermines proteasome function, both of which contributes to increased PD-L1 stability on tumor cell surface. Targeting DR5-ROCK1-PD-L1 axis markedly increases immune effector T-cell function, promotes tumor regression, and improves overall survival in animal models. These insights have identified a potential clinically viable combinatorial strategy to revive solid cancer immunotherapy using death receptor agonism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanmoy Mondal
- Laboratory of Novel BiologicsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular GeneticsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | - Gururaj N Shivange
- Laboratory of Novel BiologicsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular GeneticsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | - Rachisan GT Tihagam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular GeneticsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | - Evan Lyerly
- Laboratory of Novel BiologicsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular GeneticsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
- Undergraduate Research ProgramUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | - Michael Battista
- Laboratory of Novel BiologicsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular GeneticsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
- Undergraduate Research ProgramUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | - Divpriya Talwar
- Laboratory of Novel BiologicsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular GeneticsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
- Undergraduate Research ProgramUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | - Roxanna Mosavian
- Laboratory of Novel BiologicsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular GeneticsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
- Undergraduate Research ProgramUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | - Karol Urbanek
- Laboratory of Novel BiologicsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular GeneticsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | | | - J Chuck Harrell
- Department of PathologyMassey Cancer Center, VCURichmondVAUSA
| | - Paula D Bos
- Department of PathologyMassey Cancer Center, VCURichmondVAUSA
| | - Edward B Stelow
- Department of PathologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | - M Sharon Stack
- Harper Cancer Research InstituteUniversity of Notre DameNotre DameINUSA
| | - Sanchita Bhatnagar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular GeneticsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
- University of Virginia Cancer Center and Medical SchoolCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | - Jogender Tushir‐Singh
- Laboratory of Novel BiologicsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular GeneticsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
- University of Virginia Cancer Center and Medical SchoolCharlottesvilleVAUSA
- DoD Ovarian Cancer Academy Early Career InvestigatorCharlottesvilleVAUSA
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19
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Cheng H, Ma K, Zhang L, Li G. The tumor microenvironment shapes the molecular characteristics of exhausted CD8 + T cells. Cancer Lett 2021; 506:55-66. [PMID: 33662493 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The persistent antigen stimulation during chronic infections and cancer results in CD8+ T cell exhaustion. The exhausted T (Tex) cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) are characterized by increased expression of multiple co-inhibitory receptors simultaneously, progressive loss of effector function, poor proliferation and self-renewal capacity, and dysregulated metabolic activity. Emerging insights into molecular mechanisms underlying T cell exhaustion have proposed potential approaches to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy via restoring the effector function of Tex cells. In this review, we summarize the fundamental characteristics (e.g., inhibitory receptors and transcriptional factors) regarding Tex cell differentiation and discuss in particular how those exhaustion features are acquired and shaped by key factors within the TME. Additionally, we discuss the progress and limitations of current cancer immunotherapeutic strategies targeting Tex cells in clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongcheng Cheng
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China; Center for Systems Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100005, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kaili Ma
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China; Center for Systems Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100005, Beijing, China
| | - Lianjun Zhang
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China; Center for Systems Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100005, Beijing, China.
| | - Guideng Li
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China; Center for Systems Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100005, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
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20
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Zhang J, Huang Y, Xi G, Zhang F. HX008: a humanized PD-1 blocking antibody with potent antitumor activity and superior pharmacologic properties. MAbs 2021; 12:1724751. [PMID: 32106752 PMCID: PMC7153830 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2020.1724751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Through reactivating tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, therapeutics targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) demonstrate impressive clinical efficacy in the treatment of multiple cancers. In this report, we characterize HX008, a humanized IgG4S228P anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody with an engineered Fc domain, in a series of in vitro assays and in vivo studies. In vitro, HX008 binds to human PD-1 with high affinity and potently suppresses the interaction of PD-1 with PD-L1 and PD-L2. The lack of detectable binding to complement C1q and Fc gamma receptor III-a (FcγRIIIa) suggested that HX008 maintained reduced antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity. A comparable enhancement of cytokine production and NFAT-driven luciferase expression in cell-based assays confirmed that HX008 could promote T-cell function as effectively as Nivolumab. In vivo antitumor activity studies were carried out within two special tumor models: 1) the MiXeno model with an adoptive transfer of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells into HCC827 xenograft mice; and 2) HuGEMM with human PD-1 gene knock-in syngeneic MC38-bearing mice. In both models, HX008 significantly inhibits tumor growth and shows an effective antitumor response comparable to approved anti-PD-1 drugs. Furthermore, in a pharmacokinetics study performed in cynomolgus monkeys, HX008 induced no immune-related adverse events when administered at 10 mg/kg. Although some anti-drug antibody effects were observed in the primate PK study, the safety and favorable pharmacokinetics demonstrated in human clinical trials validate HX008 as a suitable candidate for cancer immunotherapy. Taken together, our studies provide a fairly thorough characterization of HX008 and strong support for its further clinical research and application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jibin Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Department of Research & Development, HanX Biopharmaceuticals, Inc, Wuhan, China
| | - Ying Huang
- Department of Research & Development, HanX Biopharmaceuticals, Inc, Wuhan, China
| | - Gan Xi
- Department of Research & Development, HanX Biopharmaceuticals, Inc, Wuhan, China
| | - Faming Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Department of Research & Development, HanX Biopharmaceuticals, Inc, Wuhan, China
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21
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Huang J, Wang L, Yu C, Fu Z, Liu C, Wu G, Guo L, Guo X, Chen S, Liu X, Wang J. Development of a robust bioassay of monoclonal antibodies and biosimilars against TNF-α by NF-κB-inducible lentiviral reporter gene. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 93:107418. [PMID: 33540248 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.107418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. Several therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and biosimilars against TNF-α have been developed to treat patients who suffer from inflammatory diseases caused by disordered expression of TNF-α. Hence, quality control of biopharmaceuticals is crucial during research and development. The high-order structure of these complex molecules cannot be entirely identified by physiochemical attributes; however, they can be inferred by observing biological activities. Thus, we developed a U937-based bioassay to determine the biological activities of mAbs and biosimilars against TNF-α using a low-basal NF-κB-inducible lentiviral reporter gene. The reporter gene assay (RGA) can be induced with a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in a short time by TNF-α. Validation of the RGA showed accuracy (% relative standard deviation [RSD] = 4.64%), linearity (r2 = 0.9856), and precision (Interday RSD = 4.6%, between analysts RSD = 3.51%) as well as reasonable specificity and robustness. The measured potency values of a biosimilar to adalimumab were between 90% and 110%. Results showed our RGA is suitable for mAb quality control and lot release, and for evaluation of the biological activity similarity of the biosimilar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Huang
- School of Life Science and Biopharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No. 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China; Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huatuo Road, Daxing District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Lan Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huatuo Road, Daxing District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Chuanfei Yu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huatuo Road, Daxing District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Zhihao Fu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huatuo Road, Daxing District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Chunyu Liu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huatuo Road, Daxing District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Gang Wu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huatuo Road, Daxing District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Luyun Guo
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huatuo Road, Daxing District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Xiao Guo
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huatuo Road, Daxing District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Shiyu Chen
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huatuo Road, Daxing District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Xumei Liu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huatuo Road, Daxing District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Junzhi Wang
- School of Life Science and Biopharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No. 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China; Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huatuo Road, Daxing District, Beijing 100050, China.
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22
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Li M, Wang L, Yu C, Wang J. Development of a robust reporter gene assay for measuring the bioactivity of OX40-targeted therapeutic antibodies. LUMINESCENCE 2021; 36:885-893. [PMID: 33382183 DOI: 10.1002/bio.4004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OX40 plays a prominent role in the onset and development of solid tumors, and OX40-targeted monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have entered clinical trials for various tumors. Bioactivity determination of therapeutic mAbs is of great significance in product quality, however, mechanism of action-based bioassays to determine the bioactivity of anti-OX40 mAbs is still lacking. Here, we established a reporter gene assay system based on two cell lines, namely Jurkat-OX40-NFκB-Luc which stably expresses NFκB-controlled luciferase, and Raji cells which inherently express FcγRs. In the model, FcγRs on Raji cells could crosslink the Fc of anti-OX40 mAbs, which leads to the further crosslinking between Fab of anti-OX40 mAbs and OX40 on Jurkat-OX40-NFκB-Luc cells. OX40 crosslinking could activate Jurkat-OX40-NFκB-Luc cells, and induce the expression of NFκB-controlled luciferase, the extent of which could reflect the bioactivity of anti-OX40 mAbs in a dose-dependent manner. After the optimization of various assay conditions, the validation of the cell-based bioassay showed good assay performance characteristics, including specificity, accuracy, precision, linearity, and stability. This innovative assay that is based on the OX40-NFκB pathway can be a powerful pool to measure the bioactivity of OX40-targeted mAbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Li
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Lan Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Chuanfei Yu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Junzhi Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
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23
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Chen FF, Li Z, Ma D, Yu Q. Small-molecule PD-L1 inhibitor BMS1166 abrogates the function of PD-L1 by blocking its ER export. Oncoimmunology 2020; 9:1831153. [PMID: 33110706 PMCID: PMC7567511 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2020.1831153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies against the PD-L1/PD-1 (programmed death ligand-1/programmed cell death protein-1) axis have achieved great successes in cancer treatments, but the development of small-molecule immunomodulators of the pathway has lagged far behind. We established a cellular coculture assay with two stable transfectant cell lines, a PD-L1-expressing tumor cell line PC9/PD-L1 and a PD-1-expressing T cell line Jurkat/PD-1. Western blotting analyses were used to monitor the PD-L1/PD-1 interaction and signaling. We analyzed PD-L1 glycosylation by lectin binding assay and glycosidase digestion, and examined subcellular localization of PD-L1 by immunocytochemical staining. Luciferase assay and real-time PCR were used to evaluate T cell activation in the coculture experiments. We found that coculturing of the PC9/PD-L1 cells with the Jurkat/PD-1 cells induced a lysosomal degradation of PD-1. A small-molecule PD-L1 inhibitor BMS1166 developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb inhibited the coculture-induced PD-1 degradation through a unique mechanism. BMS1166 specifically affected PD-L1 glycosylation and prevented transporting of the under-glycosylated form of PD-L1 from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to Golgi, leading to accumulation of PD-L1 in ER. In doing so, BMS1166 blocked PD-L1/PD-1 signaling. Coculturing PD-L1-expressing cells with PD-1-expressing cells induced degradation of PD-1, which could be used as a readout to identify inhibitors of PD-L1/PD-1 signaling. The small-molecule PD-L1 inhibitor BMS1166 abolished the glycosylation and maturation of PD-L1 by blocking its exporting from ER to Golgi. Our study discovered a new strategy to identify inhibitors of the PD-L1/PD-1 signaling pathway and to develop new drugs for the treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Fang Chen
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic & Natural Products Chemistry, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Dawei Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic & Natural Products Chemistry, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Yu
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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24
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Cao J, Wang L, Yu C, Wang K, Wang W, Yan J, Li Y, Yang Y, Wang X, Wang J. Development of an antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity reporter assay for measuring anti-Middle East Respiratory Syndrome antibody bioactivity. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16615. [PMID: 33024203 PMCID: PMC7538987 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73960-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a highly virulent pathogen that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Anti-MERS-CoV antibodies play an integral role in the prevention and treatment against MERS-CoV infections. Bioactivity is a key quality attribute of therapeutic antibodies, and high accuracy and precision are required. The major methods for evaluating the antiviral effect of antiviral antibodies include neutralization assays using live viruses or pseudoviruses are highly variable. Recent studies have demonstrated that the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity of antiviral antibodies is more consistent with the virus clearance effect in vivo than neutralization activity. However, no reports evaluating the ADCC activity of anti-MERS antibodies have been published to date. Here, we describe the development of a robust and reliable cell-based reporter gene assay for the determination of ADCC activity of anti-MERS antibodies using 293T/MERS cells stably expressing the spike protein of MERS-CoV (MERS-S) as target cells and the engineered Jurkat/NFAT-luc/FcγRIIIa stably expressing FcγRIIIA and NFAT reporter gene as effector cells. According to the ICH-Q2 analytical method guidelines, we carefully optimized the experimental conditions and assessed the performance of our assay. In addition, we found that the ADCC activity of afucosylated anti-MERS antibodies is higher than their fucosylated counterparts. The establishment of this ADCC determination system provides a novel method for evaluating the bioactivity of anti-MERS antibodies and improving ADCC activity through modification of N-glycosylation of the Fc segment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junxia Cao
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huotuo Road, Biomedical Base, Daxing District, Beijing, 102629, China.,Department of Physiology and Pathopysiology, Capital Medical University, Youanmen, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Lan Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huotuo Road, Biomedical Base, Daxing District, Beijing, 102629, China
| | - Chuanfei Yu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huotuo Road, Biomedical Base, Daxing District, Beijing, 102629, China
| | - Kaiqin Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huotuo Road, Biomedical Base, Daxing District, Beijing, 102629, China
| | - Wenbo Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huotuo Road, Biomedical Base, Daxing District, Beijing, 102629, China
| | - Jinghua Yan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yalan Yang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huotuo Road, Biomedical Base, Daxing District, Beijing, 102629, China
| | - Xiaomin Wang
- Department of Physiology and Pathopysiology, Capital Medical University, Youanmen, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, China.
| | - Junzhi Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huotuo Road, Biomedical Base, Daxing District, Beijing, 102629, China.
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25
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Application prospect of peptide-modified nano targeting drug delivery system combined with PD-1/PD-L1 based immune checkpoint blockade in glioblastoma. Int J Pharm 2020; 589:119865. [PMID: 32919004 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2020.119865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is a type of primary malignant brain tumor with low median survival time, high recurrence rate and poor prognosis. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the diffuse infiltration of invasive GBM cells lead to a lower efficacy of traditional treatment. Recently, nanocarriers have become a promising method of brain drug delivery due to their ability to effectively cross the BBB. Especially, the peptide-modified nanocarriers can enhance the permeability, targeting and efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents against GBM. Moreover, the clinical application of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy in cancer treatment has attracted increasing attention, and the programmed death-1 receptor (PD-1) and PD-ligand-1 (PD-L1) monoclonal antibodies are considered to be a possible therapy for GBM. Consequently, we review the advances both in peptide-modified nano targeted drug delivery system and PD-1/PD-L1 based ICB in GBM treatment, and propose a new strategy combining the two methods, which may provide a novel approach for GBM treatment.
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26
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Wang L, Yu C, Wang K, Wang J. A reporter gene assay for measuring the bioactivity of anti-LAG-3 therapeutic antibodies. LUMINESCENCE 2020; 35:1408-1415. [PMID: 32598535 DOI: 10.1002/bio.3905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Although enormous success has been achieved with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), their unsatisfactory response rate in cancer patients has been driving the research and development of novel immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Anti-LAG-3 mAbs, as one of the most promising candidates, are now being tested for various human cancers at different stages of clinical trials. Here, we describe the development and validation of a reporter gene assay (RGA) to measure the bioactivity of anti-LAG-3 mAbs. We established the bioassay based on parental Raji cells and a Jurkat cell line stably transfected with human LAG-3 gene and luciferase reporter elements controlled by nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT) from the IL-2 promoter. After optimization of key parameters, the established RGA showed excellent precision, specificity, accuracy, and stability. The mechanism of action (MOA) relatedness and the excellent assay performance make the RGA suitable for the characterization, lot release, and stability test of anti-LAG-3 mAbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huatuo Road, Biomedical Base,Daxing District, Beijing, China
| | - Chuanfei Yu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huatuo Road, Biomedical Base,Daxing District, Beijing, China
| | - Kaiqin Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huatuo Road, Biomedical Base,Daxing District, Beijing, China
| | - Junzhi Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31, Huatuo Road, Biomedical Base,Daxing District, Beijing, China
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27
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Zhang JY, Yan YY, Li JJ, Adhikari R, Fu LW. PD-1/PD-L1 Based Combinational Cancer Therapy: Icing on the Cake. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:722. [PMID: 32528284 PMCID: PMC7247431 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer has been a major global health problem due to its high morbidity and mortality. While many chemotherapy agents have been studied and applied in clinical trials or in clinic, their application is limited due to its toxic side effects and poor tolerability. Monoclonal antibodies specific to the PD-1 and PD-L1 immune checkpoints have been approved for the treatment of various tumors. However, the application of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors remains suboptimal and thus another strategy comes in to our sight involving the combination of checkpoint inhibitors with other agents, enhancing the therapeutic efficacy. Various novel promising approaches are now in clinical trials, just as icing on the cake. This review summarizes relevant investigations on combinatorial therapeutics based on PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Ye Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan-Yan Yan
- Institute of Respiratory and Occupational Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer, Medical College, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China
| | - Jia-Jun Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rameshwar Adhikari
- Research Centre for Applied Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Nepal
| | - Li-Wu Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
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28
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Development of reporter gene assays to determine the bioactivity of biopharmaceuticals. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 39:107466. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2019.107466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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29
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Development of a novel reporter gene assay for platelet-derived growth factor-BB bioactivity. Biologicals 2020; 63:68-73. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biologicals.2019.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
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30
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Doronin AN, Gordeev AA, Kozlov AE, Smirnova YA, Puchkova MY, Ekimova VM, Basovskiy YI, Solovyev VV. T-Cell Engagers Based Bioassay for Evaluation of PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors Activity. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2019; 84:711-719. [PMID: 31509723 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297919070034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PD-1/PD-L1-based therapy has been named a revolution in cancer treatment. By the end of 2018, more than 100 anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 antibodies were in various stages of development, and more than 2000 clinical trials with their use have been registered. Characterization of such antibodies requires a bioassay to determine their biological activity. In this study, we developed a cell-based bioassay for analyzing the activity of anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 antibodies. We chose reporter system consisting of two cell lines and compared several approaches for activation of effector cell line based on superantigens, soluble anti-CD3 antibodies, transmembrane anti-CD3 antibodies, chimeric antigenic receptors (CARs) and bispecific T-cell engager antibodies. The bispecific T-cell engager antibodies offer several advantages over the other approaches. We characterized the bioassay and demonstrated its applicability for analyzing the activity of anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 antibodies. The proposed bioassay can be useful in the development of new therapeutic agents and methods for their characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- A N Doronin
- BIOCAD, Lyubuchany, Moscow Region, 142380, Russia.,Pushchino State Institute of Natural Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia
| | - A A Gordeev
- BIOCAD, Lyubuchany, Moscow Region, 142380, Russia.,Pushchino State Institute of Natural Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia
| | - A E Kozlov
- BIOCAD, Lyubuchany, Moscow Region, 142380, Russia
| | | | - M Yu Puchkova
- BIOCAD, Lyubuchany, Moscow Region, 142380, Russia.,Pushchino State Institute of Natural Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia
| | - V M Ekimova
- BIOCAD, Lyubuchany, Moscow Region, 142380, Russia
| | - Yu I Basovskiy
- BIOCAD, Lyubuchany, Moscow Region, 142380, Russia.,Pushchino State Institute of Natural Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia
| | - V V Solovyev
- BIOCAD, Lyubuchany, Moscow Region, 142380, Russia. .,Pushchino State Institute of Natural Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia
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31
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Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has recently emerged as one of the hot research field since clinical successes achieved by antibody drugs of immune checkpoints, among which PD-1 and its ligand PD-L1 are the well established molecules. PD-1/PD-L1 pathway induces immune tolerance and immune evasion, especially in tumor microenvironment, cancer cell is capable to escape the immune surveillance by up-regulating the expression level of PD-1 or PD-L1. Blockade of PD-1/PD-L1 can unleash the anti-tumor activity, and the strategy shows great successes in the treatment of various cancer types in the late stage. Beside antibody drugs, many other molecules such as peptides, high affinity PD(L)-1 mutants, chemical compounds, and DNA aptamers are designed for inhibitors of PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. Each modulators show their pros and cons based on their own physiochemical properties. Here we introduced the methods for identifying low molecular weight inhibitors of PD-1/PD-L1 and mainly discussed the cell-based blocking test.
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32
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Qin X, Yao W, Shi X, Liu L, Huang F, Ding Y, Zhou Y, Yu L, Jia C, Li S, Rao C, Wang J. Responsive Cells for rhEGF bioassay Obtained through Screening of a CRISPR/Cas9 Library. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3780. [PMID: 30846752 PMCID: PMC6405917 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40381-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioassay of recombinant protein products is important tests to ensure protein effectiveness. Some recombinant protein products have no cells used in their bioassay but instead use animal models, while others have no suitable method. Here, we developed a method to obtain responsive cells used in bioassay of proteins. After screening of a CRISPR/Cas9 library, we obtained a responsive cell line that grew faster in the presence of rhEGF (recombinant human epidermal growth factor) than that of control cells. We used this cell line for bioassay of rhEGF. This cell line, compared with the control cells, had a 2 day shorter operation time and had lower interference. The responsive cell line is more suitable for use in bioassay of rhEGF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Qin
- Department of Recombinant Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Wenrong Yao
- Department of Recombinant Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Xinchang Shi
- Department of Recombinant Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Lan Liu
- Department of Recombinant Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Fang Huang
- Department of Cell Engineering, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Youxue Ding
- Department of Recombinant Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Yong Zhou
- Department of Recombinant Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Lei Yu
- Department of Recombinant Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Chuncui Jia
- Department of Recombinant Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Shanhu Li
- Department of Cell Engineering, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100850, China.
| | - Chunming Rao
- Department of Recombinant Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, 100050, China.
| | - Junzhi Wang
- Department of Recombinant Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, 100050, China.
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De Sousa Linhares A, Leitner J, Grabmeier-Pfistershammer K, Steinberger P. Not All Immune Checkpoints Are Created Equal. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1909. [PMID: 30233564 PMCID: PMC6127213 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibodies that block T cell inhibition via the immune checkpoints CTLA-4 and PD-1 have revolutionized cancer therapy during the last 15 years. T cells express additional inhibitory surface receptors that are considered to have potential as targets in cancer immunotherapy. Antibodies against LAG-3 and TIM-3 are currently clinically tested to evaluate their effectiveness in patients suffering from advanced solid tumors or hematologic malignancies. In addition, blockade of the inhibitory BTLA receptors on human T cells may have potential to unleash T cells to effectively combat cancer cells. Much research on these immune checkpoints has focused on mouse models. The analysis of animals that lack individual inhibitory receptors has shed some light on the role of these molecules in regulating T cells, but also immune responses in general. There are current intensive efforts to gauge the efficacy of antibodies targeting these molecules called immune checkpoint inhibitors alone or in different combinations in preclinical models of cancer. Differences between mouse and human immunology warrant studies on human immune cells to appreciate the potential of individual pathways in enhancing T cell responses. Results from clinical studies are not only highlighting the great benefit of immune checkpoint inhibitors for treating cancer but also yield precious information on their role in regulating T cells and other cells of the immune system. However, despite the clinical relevance of CTLA-4 and PD-1 and the high potential of the emerging immune checkpoints, there are still substantial gaps in our understanding of the biology of these molecules, which might prevent the full realization of their therapeutic potential. This review addresses PD-1, CTLA-4, BTLA, LAG-3, and TIM-3, which are considered major inhibitory immune checkpoints expressed on T cells. It provides summaries of our current conception of the role of these molecules in regulating T cell responses, and discussions about major ambiguities and gaps in our knowledge. We emphasize that each of these molecules harbors unique properties that set it apart from the others. Their distinct functional profiles should be taken into account in therapeutic strategies that aim to exploit these pathways to enhance immune responses to combat cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika De Sousa Linhares
- Division of Immune Receptors and T Cell Activation, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Judith Leitner
- Division of Immune Receptors and T Cell Activation, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina Grabmeier-Pfistershammer
- Division of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology, and Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Steinberger
- Division of Immune Receptors and T Cell Activation, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Fujii H, Tanaka Y, Nakazawa H, Sugiyama A, Manabe N, Shinoda A, Shimizu N, Hattori T, Hosokawa K, Sujino T, Ito T, Niide T, Asano R, Kumagai I, Umetsu M. Compact Seahorse‐Shaped T Cell–Activating Antibody for Cancer Therapy. ADVANCED THERAPEUTICS 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/adtp.201700031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroto Fujii
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering Graduate School of Engineering Tohoku University Aoba 6‐6‐11 Aramaki Aoba‐ku Sendai 980–8579 Japan
| | - Yoshikazu Tanaka
- Graduate School of Life Sciences Tohoku University 2‐1‐1 Katahira Aoba‐ku Sendai 980–8577 Japan
- JST PRESTO 2‐1‐1 Katahira Aoba‐ku Sendai 980–8577 Japan
| | - Hikaru Nakazawa
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering Graduate School of Engineering Tohoku University Aoba 6‐6‐11 Aramaki Aoba‐ku Sendai 980–8579 Japan
| | - Aruto Sugiyama
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering Graduate School of Engineering Tohoku University Aoba 6‐6‐11 Aramaki Aoba‐ku Sendai 980–8579 Japan
| | - Noriyoshi Manabe
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering Graduate School of Engineering Tohoku University Aoba 6‐6‐11 Aramaki Aoba‐ku Sendai 980–8579 Japan
| | - Akira Shinoda
- Faculty of Advanced Life Science Hokkaido University Sapporo 060–0810 Japan
| | - Nobutaka Shimizu
- Photon Factory Institute of Materials Structure Science High Energy Accelerator Research Organization 1‐1 Oho Tsukuba Ibaraki 305–0801 Japan
| | - Takamitsu Hattori
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering Graduate School of Engineering Tohoku University Aoba 6‐6‐11 Aramaki Aoba‐ku Sendai 980–8579 Japan
| | - Katsuhiro Hosokawa
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering Graduate School of Engineering Tohoku University Aoba 6‐6‐11 Aramaki Aoba‐ku Sendai 980–8579 Japan
| | - Takuma Sujino
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering Graduate School of Engineering Tohoku University Aoba 6‐6‐11 Aramaki Aoba‐ku Sendai 980–8579 Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Ito
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering Graduate School of Engineering Tohoku University Aoba 6‐6‐11 Aramaki Aoba‐ku Sendai 980–8579 Japan
| | - Teppei Niide
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering Graduate School of Engineering Tohoku University Aoba 6‐6‐11 Aramaki Aoba‐ku Sendai 980–8579 Japan
| | - Ryutaro Asano
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering Graduate School of Engineering Tohoku University Aoba 6‐6‐11 Aramaki Aoba‐ku Sendai 980–8579 Japan
| | - Izumi Kumagai
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering Graduate School of Engineering Tohoku University Aoba 6‐6‐11 Aramaki Aoba‐ku Sendai 980–8579 Japan
| | - Mitsuo Umetsu
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering Graduate School of Engineering Tohoku University Aoba 6‐6‐11 Aramaki Aoba‐ku Sendai 980–8579 Japan
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35
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Versteven M, Van den Bergh JMJ, Broos K, Fujiki F, Campillo-Davo D, De Reu H, Morimoto S, Lecocq Q, Keyaerts M, Berneman Z, Sugiyama H, Van Tendeloo VFI, Breckpot K, Lion E. A versatile T cell-based assay to assess therapeutic antigen-specific PD-1-targeted approaches. Oncotarget 2018; 9:27797-27808. [PMID: 29963238 PMCID: PMC6021243 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Blockade of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint receptor signaling is an established standard treatment for many types of cancer and indications are expanding. Successful clinical trials using monoclonal antibodies targeting PD-1 signaling have boosted preclinical research, encouraging development of novel therapeutics. Standardized assays to evaluate their bioactivity, however, remain restricted. The robust bioassays available all lack antigen-specificity. Here, we developed an antigen-specific, short-term and high-throughput T cell assay with versatile readout possibilities. A genetically modified T cell receptor (TCR)-deficient T cell line was stably transduced with PD-1. Transfection with messenger RNA encoding a TCR of interest and subsequent overnight stimulation with antigen-presenting cells, results in eGFP-positive and granzyme B-producing T cells for single cell or bulk analysis. Control antigen-presenting cells induced reproducible high antigen-specific eGFP and granzyme B expression. Upon PD-1 interaction, ligand-positive antigen-presenting immune or tumor cells elicited significantly lower eGFP and granzyme B expression, which could be restored by anti-PD-(L)1 blocking antibodies. This convenient cell-based assay shows a valuable tool for translational and clinical research on antigen-specific checkpoint-targeted therapy approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maarten Versteven
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Johan M J Van den Bergh
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Katrijn Broos
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Fumihiro Fujiki
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Diana Campillo-Davo
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Hans De Reu
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Soyoko Morimoto
- Department of Cancer Immunotherapy, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Quentin Lecocq
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marleen Keyaerts
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,Nuclear Medicine Department, UZ Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Zwi Berneman
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Division of Hematology, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Center for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Haruo Sugiyama
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Viggo F I Van Tendeloo
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Karine Breckpot
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Eva Lion
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Center for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Khedri M, Abnous K, Rafatpanah H, Ramezani M. An optimized protocol for the in vitro generation and functional analysis of human PD1/PD-L1 signal. J Recept Signal Transduct Res 2017; 38:31-36. [PMID: 29252078 DOI: 10.1080/10799893.2017.1414843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Programmed cell death-1 (PD1) is an inhibitory receptor expressed on the activated T and B cells. Binding of PD1 to its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2 has led to deliver an inhibitory signal into the activated T cells. Recently, blocking PD1/PD-L1 pathway has emerged as a new treatment paradigm across a broad spectrum of malignancies. Remarkable clinical responses of monoclonal antibodies specific for PD-1 or its ligands in patients with many different types of cancer, attracted several pharmaceutical companies and researchers to investigate the agents that block PD1/PD-L1 signal. The safety and efficacy of the agents are needed to examine in the preclinical studies. In this study, we optimized a facile and cost-effective protocol for in vitro generation and functional analysis of human PD1/PD-L1 pathway. Activation of CD8 + CD279 + T cell was performed by anti-CD3 and D28 antibodies and the recombinant PD-L1 was used for inactivation of T cells through PD1/PD-L1 pathway. In this protocol, T-cell cytokine production (IL-2 and IFN-γ) and proliferation assay confirmed that a measurable PD1/PD-L1 signal was generated. We expected that in vitro PD1/PD-L1 signal that has been optimized in this study will serve as a valuable protocol for preclinical studies involving PD1/PD-L1 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa Khedri
- a Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine , Mashhad University of Medical Sciences , Mashhad , Iran
| | - Khalil Abnous
- b Pharmaceutical Research Center , School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences , Mashhad , Iran
| | - Houshang Rafatpanah
- c Inflammation and Inflammatory Diseases Research Center, Faculty of Medicine , Mashhad University of Medical Sciences , Mashhad , Iran
| | - Mohammad Ramezani
- d Pharmaceutical Technology Institute , Mashhad University of Medical Sciences , Mashhad , Iran
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Qiu J, Qiu T, Huang Y, Cao Z. Identifying the Epitope Regions of Therapeutic Antibodies Based on Structure Descriptors. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:E2457. [PMID: 29186775 PMCID: PMC5751102 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18122457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Revised: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic antibodies are widely used for disease detection and specific treatments. However, as an exogenous protein, these antibodies can be detected by the human immune system and elicit a response that can lead to serious illnesses. Therapeutic antibodies can be engineered through antibody humanization, which aims to maintain the specificity and biological function of the original antibodies, and reduce immunogenicity. However, the antibody drug effect is synchronously reduced as more exogenous parts are replaced by human antibodies. Hence, a major challenge in this area is to precisely detect the epitope regions in immunogenic antibodies and guide point mutations of exogenous antibodies to balance both humanization level and drug effect. In this article, the latest dataset of immunoglobulin complexes was collected from protein data bank (PDB) to discover the spatial features of immunogenic antibody. Furthermore, a series of structure descriptors were generated to characterize and distinguish epitope residues from non-immunogenic regions. Finally, a computational model was established based on structure descriptors, and results indicated that this model has the potential to precisely predict the epitope regions of therapeutic antibodies. With rapid accumulation of immunoglobulin complexes, this methodology could be used to improve and guide future antibody humanization and potential clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxuan Qiu
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; (J.Q.); (Y.H.)
- School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Tianyi Qiu
- The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China;
| | - Yin Huang
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; (J.Q.); (Y.H.)
| | - Zhiwei Cao
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; (J.Q.); (Y.H.)
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Development of a robust reporter gene based assay for the bioactivity determination of IL-5-targeted therapeutic antibodies. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2017; 148:280-287. [PMID: 29059618 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2017.09.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 09/23/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Eosinophilic asthma is characterized by the eosinophilic inflammation with the allergen independent activation of Th2 lymphocytes. Since IL-5 plays an important role in the maturation, survival and migration of eosinophils, hence the pathogenesis of eosinophilic asthma, biotherapeutics targeting IL-5/IL-5Rα have been developed and/or marketed, including Mepolizumab, Reslizumab, and Benralizumab. Accurate determination of bioactivity is crucial for the safety and efficacy of therapeutic antibodies. The current mode of action (MOA) based method used in the quality control and stability tests for anti-IL-5 mAbs is anti-proliferation assay, which is tedious with long duration and high variation. We describe here the development and validation of a reporter gene assay (RGA), based on an IL-5-dependent TF-1 cell line variant we established that stably expresses the luciferase reporter under the control of STAT5 response elements. After careful optimization, we demonstrate the excellent specificity, precision, accuracy and linearity of the established RGA. Our study also proves that the assay is superior on precision, sensitivity and assay simplicity to the anti-proliferation assay. The established RGA is also applicable to another anti-IL-5Rα mAb. These results show for the first time that this novel RGA, based on the IL-5-IL-5R-STAT5 pathway, can be a valuable supplement to the anti-proliferation assay and employed in the bioactivity determination of anti-IL-5/anti-IL-5Rα biotherapeutics.
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