1
|
Guo C, Dong M, Wang X, Yu J, Jin X, Cheng S, Cui F, Qian Y, Bao Q, Zhi L, Niu Z, Li M, Zhu W. A novel MICA/B-targeted chimeric antigen receptor augments the cytotoxicity of NK cells against tumor cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 710:149918. [PMID: 38598902 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149918] [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: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified immune cells have emerged as a promising approach for cancer treatment, but single-target CAR therapy in solid tumors is limited by immune escape caused by tumor antigen heterogeneity and shedding. Natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) is an activating receptor expressed in human NK cells, and its ligands, such as MICA and MICB (MICA/B), are widely expressed in malignant cells and typically absent from healthy tissue. NKG2D plays an important role in anti-tumor immunity, recognizing tumor cells and initiating an anti-tumor response. Therefore, NKG2D-based CAR is a promising CAR candidate. Nevertheless, the shedding of MICA/B hinders the therapeutic efficacy of NKG2D-CARs. Here, we designed a novel CAR by engineering an anti-MICA/B shedding antibody 1D5 into the CAR construct. The engineered NK cells exhibited significantly enhanced cytotoxicity against various MICA/B-expressing tumor cells and were not inhibited by NKG2D antibody or NKG2D-Fc fusion protein, indicating no interference with NKG2D-MICA/B binding. Therefore, the developed 1D5-CAR could be combined with NKG2D-CAR to further improve the obstacles caused by MICA/B shedding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Changjiang Guo
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China.
| | - Meng Dong
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Jie Yu
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Xinru Jin
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Shizhuang Cheng
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Feiyan Cui
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Yifan Qian
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Qianqian Bao
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Lingtong Zhi
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Zhiyuan Niu
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Mingfeng Li
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Wuling Zhu
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Guo C, Guo X, Li X, Dong M, Wang X, Cheng S, Zhi L, Niu Z, Zhu W. The SpyCatcher-SpyTag interaction mediates tunable anti-tumor cytotoxicity of NK cells. Mol Immunol 2024; 165:11-18. [PMID: 38128392 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2023.12.001] [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: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T and NK cell immunotherapy is a promising approach for cancer treatment. Due to the lack of tunability in anti-tumor activity, conventional CAR therapies have limited efficacy at low tumor antigen densities. To tune the CAR response to tumor cell surface antigens, we have developed a split CAR using the SpyCatcher-SpyTag system. The SpyCatcher serves as the ectodomain to constitute a SpyCatcher-CAR (SpyCAR), while SpyTag is attached to the antibodies that recognize tumor antigens. With dimerization mediated by SpyCatcher and SpyTag, the number and activation level of SpyCARs recruited by tumor antigens depends on the SpyTag number in the "antibody-SpyTag" fusion protein. The results demonstrated that the increasing number of SpyTags effectively enhanced the cytotoxicity of SpyCAR-NK92 cells against target cells. The development of SpyCAR with tunable cytotoxicity provides a novel strategy for CAR-based tumor immunotherapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Changjiang Guo
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China.
| | - Xiali Guo
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Xiaojuan Li
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Meng Dong
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Shizhuang Cheng
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Lingtong Zhi
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Zhiyuan Niu
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Wuling Zhu
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Aalikhani M, Alikhani M, Khajeniazi S, Khosravi A, Bazi Z, Kianmehr A. Positive effect of miR-2392 on fibroblast to cardiomyocyte-like cell fate transition: an in silico and in vitro study. Gene 2023; 879:147598. [PMID: 37393060 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147598] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Somatic cell fate transition is now gained great importance in tissue regeneration. Currently, research is focused on heart tissue regeneration by reprogramming diverse cells into cardiomyocyte-like cells. Here, we examined the possible effect of miRNAs on the transdifferentiation of fibroblasts into cardiomyocyte-like cells. METHODS First heart-specific miRNAs were identified by comparing the gene expression profiles of heart tissue to other body tissues using bioinformatic techniques. After identifying heart-specific miRNAs, their cellular and molecular functions were studied using the miRWalk and miRBase databases. Then the candidate miRNA was cloned into a lentiviral vector. Following, human dermal fibroblasts were cultured and treated with compounds forskolin, valproic acid, and CHIR99021. After 24 h, the lentivector harboring miRNA gene was transfected into the cells to initiate the transdifferentiation process. Finally, after a two-week treatment period, the efficiency of transdifferentiation was examined by inspecting the appearance of the cells and measuring the expression levels of cardiac genes and proteins using RT-qPCR and immunocytochemistry techniques. RESULTS Nine miRNAs were identified with higher expression in the heart. The miR-2392 was nominated as the candidate miRNA due to its function and specific expression in the heart. This miRNA has a direct connection with genes involved in cell growth and differentiation; e.g., MAPK and Wnt signaling pathways. According to in vitro results cardiac genes and proteins demonstrated an increase in expression in the fibroblasts that simultaneously received the three chemicals and miR-2392. CONCLUSION Considering the ability of miR-2392 to induce the expression of cardiac genes and proteins in fibroblast cells, it can induce fibroblasts to differentiate into cardiomyocyte-like cells. Therefore, miR-2392 could be further optimized for cardiomyocyte regeneration, tissue repair, and drug design studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahdi Aalikhani
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Mehrdad Alikhani
- Department of Cardiology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Safoura Khajeniazi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran; Stem Cell Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Ayyoob Khosravi
- Stem Cell Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran; Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Zahra Bazi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran; Stem Cell Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
| | - Anvarsadat Kianmehr
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran; Stem Cell Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|