Altvater B, Landmeier S, Pscherer S, Temme J, Schweer K, Kailayangiri S, Campana D, Juergens H, Pule M, Rossig C. 2B4 (CD244) signaling by recombinant antigen-specific chimeric receptors costimulates natural killer cell activation to leukemia and neuroblastoma cells.
Clin Cancer Res 2009;
15:4857-66. [PMID:
19638467 PMCID:
PMC2771629 DOI:
10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-08-2810]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE
Novel natural killer (NK) cell-directed strategies in cancer immunotherapy aim at specifically modulating the balance between NK cell receptor signals toward tumor-specific activation. The signaling lymphocyte activation molecule-related receptor 2B4 (CD244) is an important regulator of NK cell activation. We investigated whether 2B4-enhanced activation signals can redirect the cytolytic function of human NK cells to NK cell-resistant and autologous leukemia and tumor targets.
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
In vitro-stimulated NK cells from healthy donors and pediatric leukemia patients were gene modified with CD19 or G(D2)-specific chimeric receptors containing either the T-cell receptor zeta or 2B4 endodomain alone or combined.
RESULTS
Chimeric 2B4 signaling alone failed to induce interleukin-2 receptor up-regulation and cytokine secretion but triggered a specific degranulation response. Integration of the 2B4 endodomain into T-cell receptor zeta chimeric receptors significantly enhanced all aspects of the NK cell activation response to antigen-expressing leukemia or neuroblastoma cells, including CD25 up-regulation, secretion of IFN-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, release of cytolytic granules, and growth inhibition, and overcame NK cell resistance of autologous leukemia cells while maintaining antigen specificity.
CONCLUSION
These data indicate that the 2B4 receptor has a potent costimulatory effect in NK cells. Antigen-specific 2B4zeta-expressing NK cells may be a powerful new tool for adoptive immunotherapy of leukemia and other malignancies.
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