1
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Tran JC, Kuffner CJ, Marzilli AM, Miller RE, Silfen ZE, McMahan JB, Sloas DC, Chen CS, Ngo JT. Fluorescein-Based SynNotch Adaptors for Regulating Gene Expression Responses to Diverse Extracellular Cues. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.12.598538. [PMID: 38915575 PMCID: PMC11195177 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.12.598538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
We introduce an adaptor-based strategy for regulating fluorescein-binding synthetic Notch (SynNotch) receptors using ligands based on conjugates of fluorescein isomers and analogs. To develop a versatile system, we evaluated the surface expression and activities of multiple constructs containing distinct extracellular fluorescein-binding domains. Using an optimized receptor, we devised ways to regulate signaling via fluorescein-based chemical transformations, including an approach based on a bio-orthogonal chemical ligation and a spatially controllable strategy via the photo-patterned uncaging of an o -nitrobenzyl-caged fluorescein conjugate. We further demonstrate that fluorescein-conjugated extracellular matrix (ECM)-binding peptides can regulate SynNotch activity depending on the folding state of collagen-based ECM networks. Treatment with these conjugates enabled cells to distinguish between folded versus denatured collagen proteins and enact dose-dependent gene expression responses depending on the nature of the signaling adaptors presented. To demonstrate the utility of these tools, we applied them to control the myogenic conversion of fibroblasts into myocytes with spatial and temporal precision and in response to denatured collagen-I, a biomarker of multiple pathological states. Overall, we introduce an optimized fluorescein-binding SynNotch as a versatile tool for regulating transcriptional responses to extracellular ligands based on the widely used and clinically-approved fluorescein dye.
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2
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Edwards JP, Swers JS, Buonato JM, Zaritskaya L, Mu CJ, Gupta A, Shachar S, LaFleur DW, Richman LK, Tice DA, Hilbert DM. Controlling CAR-T cell activity and specificity with synthetic SparX adapters. Mol Ther 2024; 32:1835-1848. [PMID: 38659225 PMCID: PMC11184337 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.04.027] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
While conventional chimeric antigen-receptor (CAR)-T therapies have shown remarkable clinical activity in some settings, they can induce severe toxicities and are rarely curative. To address these challenges, we developed a controllable cell therapy where synthetic D-domain-containing proteins (soluble protein antigen-receptor X-linker [SparX]) bind one or more tumor antigens and mark those cells for elimination by genetically modified T cells (antigen-receptor complex [ARC]-T). The chimeric antigen receptor was engineered with a D-domain that specifically binds to the SparX protein via a unique TAG, derived from human alpha-fetoprotein. The interaction is mediated through an epitope on the TAG that is occluded in the native alpha-fetoprotein molecule. In vitro and in vivo data demonstrate that the activation and cytolytic activity of ARC-T cells is dependent on the dose of SparX protein and only occurs when ARC-T cells are engaged with SparX proteins bound to antigen-positive cells. ARC-T cell specificity was also redirected in vivo by changing SparX proteins that recognized different tumor antigens to combat inherent or acquired tumor heterogeneity. The ARC-SparX platform is designed to expand patient and physician access to cell therapy by controlling potential toxicities through SparX dosing regimens and enhancing tumor elimination through sequential or simultaneous administration of SparX proteins engineered to bind different tumor antigens.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/metabolism
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/immunology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/genetics
- Animals
- Mice
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology
- Antigens, Neoplasm/metabolism
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/metabolism
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/immunology
- Neoplasms/therapy
- Neoplasms/immunology
- Neoplasms/metabolism
- Protein Binding
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3
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Abudureheman T, Zhou H, Yang LT, Huang XS, Jing JJ, Duan CW, Chen KM. Construction of Switch Modules for CAR-T Cell Treatment Using a Site-Specific Conjugation System. Bioconjug Chem 2024; 35:604-615. [PMID: 38661725 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.4c00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T cell) therapy has become a promising treatment option for B-cell hematological tumors. However, few optional target antigens and disease relapse due to loss of target antigens limit the broad clinical applicability of CAR-T cells. Here, we conjugated an antibody (Ab) fusion protein, consisting of an Ab domain and a SpyCatcher domain, with the FITC-SpyTag (FITC-ST) peptide to form a bispecific safety switch module using a site-specific conjugation system. We applied the safety switch module to target CD19, PDL1, or Her2-expressing tumor cells by constructing FMC63 (anti-CD19), antiPDL1, or ZHER (anti-Her2)-FITC-ST, respectively. Those switch modules significantly improved the cytotoxic effects of anti-FITC CAR-T cells on tumor cells. Additionally, we obtained the purified CD8+ T cells by optimizing a shorter version of the CD8-binding aptamer to generate anti-FITC CD8-CAR-T cells, which combined with the CD4-FITC-ST switch module (anti-CD4) to eliminate the CD4-positive tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Overall, we established a novel safety switch module by site-specific conjugation to enhance the antitumor function of universal CAR-T cells, thereby expanding the application scope of CAR-T therapy and improving its safety and efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuersunayi Abudureheman
- Pediatric Translational Medicine Institute, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Hang Zhou
- Pediatric Translational Medicine Institute, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise 533000, China
| | - Li-Ting Yang
- Pediatric Translational Medicine Institute, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Xiu-Song Huang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise 533000, China
| | - Jun-Jie Jing
- Fujian Branch of Shanghai Children's Medical Center Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, and Fujian Children's Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China
| | - Cai-Wen Duan
- Pediatric Translational Medicine Institute, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise 533000, China
- Fujian Branch of Shanghai Children's Medical Center Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, and Fujian Children's Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China
| | - Kai-Ming Chen
- Pediatric Translational Medicine Institute, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise 533000, China
- Fujian Branch of Shanghai Children's Medical Center Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, and Fujian Children's Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China
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4
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Lin H, Li C, Zhang W, Wu B, Wang Y, Wang S, Wang D, Li X, Huang H. Synthetic Cells and Molecules in Cellular Immunotherapy. Int J Biol Sci 2024; 20:2833-2859. [PMID: 38904025 PMCID: PMC11186374 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.94346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Cellular immunotherapy has emerged as an exciting strategy for cancer treatment, as it aims to enhance the body's immune response to tumor cells by engineering immune cells and designing synthetic molecules from scratch. Because of the cytotoxic nature, abundance in peripheral blood, and maturation of genetic engineering techniques, T cells have become the most commonly engineered immune cells to date. Represented by chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy, T cell-based immunotherapy has revolutionized the clinical treatment of hematological malignancies. However, serious side effects and limited efficacy in solid tumors have hindered the clinical application of cellular immunotherapy. To address these limitations, various innovative strategies regarding synthetic cells and molecules have been developed. On one hand, some cytotoxic immune cells other than T cells have been engineered to explore the potential of targeted elimination of tumor cells, while some adjuvant cells have also been engineered to enhance the therapeutic effect. On the other hand, diverse synthetic cellular components and molecules are added to engineered immune cells to regulate their functions, promoting cytotoxic activity and restricting side effects. Moreover, novel bioactive materials such as hydrogels facilitating the delivery of therapeutic immune cells have also been applied to improve the efficacy of cellular immunotherapy. This review summarizes the innovative strategies of synthetic cells and molecules currently available in cellular immunotherapies, discusses the limitations, and provides insights into the next generation of cellular immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haikun Lin
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Haining, China
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
| | - Chentao Li
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering Thrust, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Wanying Zhang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Haining, China
| | - Boxiang Wu
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Haining, China
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Haining, China
| | - Shimin Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongrui Wang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Haining, China
| | - Xia Li
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Haining, China
| | - He Huang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Haining, China
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5
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Guo QR, Cao YJ. Applications of genetic code expansion technology in eukaryotes. Protein Cell 2024; 15:331-363. [PMID: 37847216 PMCID: PMC11074999 DOI: 10.1093/procel/pwad051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Unnatural amino acids (UAAs) have gained significant attention in protein engineering and drug development owing to their ability to introduce new chemical functionalities to proteins. In eukaryotes, genetic code expansion (GCE) enables the incorporation of UAAs and facilitates posttranscriptional modification (PTM), which is not feasible in prokaryotic systems. GCE is also a powerful tool for cell or animal imaging, the monitoring of protein interactions in target cells, drug development, and switch regulation. Therefore, there is keen interest in utilizing GCE in eukaryotic systems. This review provides an overview of the application of GCE in eukaryotic systems and discusses current challenges that need to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao-ru Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomic, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yu J Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomic, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China
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6
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Stepanov AV, Xie J, Zhu Q, Shen Z, Su W, Kuai L, Soll R, Rader C, Shaver G, Douthit L, Zhang D, Kalinin R, Fu X, Zhao Y, Qin T, Baran PS, Gabibov AG, Bushnell D, Neri D, Kornberg RD, Lerner RA. Control of the antitumour activity and specificity of CAR T cells via organic adapters covalently tethering the CAR to tumour cells. Nat Biomed Eng 2024; 8:529-543. [PMID: 37798444 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-023-01102-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
On-target off-tumour toxicity limits the anticancer applicability of chimaeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Here we show that the tumour-targeting specificity and activity of T cells with a CAR consisting of an antibody with a lysine residue that catalytically forms a reversible covalent bond with a 1,3-diketone hapten can be regulated by the concentration of a small-molecule adapter. This adapter selectively binds to the hapten and to a chosen tumour antigen via a small-molecule binder identified via a DNA-encoded library. The adapter therefore controls the formation of a covalent bond between the catalytic antibody and the hapten, as well as the tethering of the CAR T cells to the tumour cells, and hence the cytotoxicity and specificity of the cytotoxic T cells, as we show in vitro and in mice with prostate cancer xenografts. Such small-molecule switches of T-cell cytotoxicity and specificity via an antigen-independent 'universal' CAR may enhance the control and safety profile of CAR-based cellular immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey V Stepanov
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Jia Xie
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Wenji Su
- WuXi AppTec Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | | | | | - Christoph Rader
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, UF Scripps Biomedical Research, University of Florida, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Geramie Shaver
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Lacey Douthit
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ding Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Roman Kalinin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Xiang Fu
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yingying Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Tian Qin
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Phil S Baran
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alexander G Gabibov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - David Bushnell
- Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Dario Neri
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roger D Kornberg
- Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Richard A Lerner
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
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7
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Zhang Q, Wu L, Zhang Y, Wang D, Sima Y, Wang Z, Yin Z, Wu H, Zhuo Y, Zhang Y, Wang L, Chen Y, Liu Y, Qiu L, Tan W. Aptamer-Based Nongenetic Reprogramming of CARs Enables Flexible Modulation of T Cell-Mediated Tumor Immunotherapy. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2024; 10:813-822. [PMID: 38680567 PMCID: PMC11046454 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.3c01511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Innovating the design of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) beyond conventional structures would be necessary to address the challenges of efficacy, safety, and applicability in T cell-based cancer therapy, whereas excessive genetic modification might complicate CAR design and manufacturing, and increase gene editing risks. In this work, we used aptamers as the antigen-recognition unit to develop a nongenetic CAR engineering strategy for programming the antitumor activity and specificity of CAR T cells. Our results demonstrated that aptamer-functionalized CAR (Apt-CAR) T cells could be directly activated by recognizing target antigens on cancer cells, and then impart a cytotoxic effect for cancer elimination in vitro and in vivo. The designable antigen recognition capability of Apt-CAR T cells allows for easy modulation of their efficacy and specificity. Additionally, multiple features, e.g., tunable antigen-binding avidity and the tumor microenvironment responsiveness, could be readily integrated into Apt-CAR design without T cell re-engineering, offering a new paradigm for developing adaptable immunotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Zhang
- Molecular
Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of
Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan
Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
| | - Limei Wu
- Molecular
Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of
Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan
Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Molecular
Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of
Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan
Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
| | - Dan Wang
- The
Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics,
Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, P. R. China
| | - Yingyu Sima
- Molecular
Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of
Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan
Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
| | - Zhimin Wang
- Molecular
Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of
Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan
Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
| | - Zhiwei Yin
- Molecular
Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of
Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan
Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
| | - Hui Wu
- Molecular
Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of
Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan
Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
| | - Yuting Zhuo
- Molecular
Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of
Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan
Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
| | - Yutong Zhang
- Molecular
Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of
Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan
Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
| | - Linlin Wang
- Molecular
Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of
Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan
Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
| | - Yong Chen
- NHC
Key Laboratory of Birth Defect for Research and Prevention, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha 410000, P. R. China
| | - Yanlan Liu
- Molecular
Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of
Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan
Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
| | - Liping Qiu
- Molecular
Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of
Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan
Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
- The
Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics,
Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, P. R. China
| | - Weihong Tan
- The
Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics,
Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, P. R. China
- Institute
of Molecular Medicine (IMM), Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
School of Medicine, and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
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8
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Chen T, Wang M, Chen Y, Liu Y. Current challenges and therapeutic advances of CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:133. [PMID: 38622705 PMCID: PMC11017638 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03315-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The application of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in the management of hematological malignancies has emerged as a noteworthy therapeutic breakthrough. Nevertheless, the utilization and effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy in solid tumors are still limited primarily because of the absence of tumor-specific target antigen, the existence of immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, restricted T cell invasion and proliferation, and the occurrence of severe toxicity. This review explored the history of CAR-T and its latest advancements in the management of solid tumors. According to recent studies, optimizing the design of CAR-T cells, implementing logic-gated CAR-T cells and refining the delivery methods of therapeutic agents can all enhance the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy. Furthermore, combination therapy shows promise as a way to improve the effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy. At present, numerous clinical trials involving CAR-T cells for solid tumors are actively in progress. In conclusion, CAR-T cell therapy has both potential and challenges when it comes to treating solid tumors. As CAR-T cell therapy continues to evolve, further innovations will be devised to surmount the challenges associated with this treatment modality, ultimately leading to enhanced therapeutic response for patients suffered solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Mingzhao Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yanchao Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yutao Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China.
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9
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Hou R, Zhang X, Wang X, Zhao X, Li S, Guan Z, Cao J, Liu D, Zheng J, Shi M. In vivo manufacture and manipulation of CAR-T cells for better druggability. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024:10.1007/s10555-024-10185-8. [PMID: 38592427 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-024-10185-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
The current CAR-T cell therapy products have been hampered in their druggability due to the personalized preparation required, unclear pharmacokinetic characteristics, and unpredictable adverse reactions. Enabling standardized manufacturing and having clear efficacy and pharmacokinetic characteristics are prerequisites for ensuring the effective practicality of CAR-T cell therapy drugs. This review provides a broad overview of the different approaches for controlling behaviors of CAR-T cells in vivo. The utilization of genetically modified vectors enables in vivo production of CAR-T cells, thereby abbreviating or skipping the lengthy in vitro expansion process. By equipping CAR-T cells with intricately designed control elements, using molecule switches or small-molecule inhibitors, the control of CAR-T cell activity can be achieved. Moreover, the on-off control of CAR-T cell activity would yield potential gains in phenotypic remodeling. These methods provide beneficial references for the future development of safe, controllable, convenient, and suitable for standardized production of CAR-T cell therapy products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Hou
- College of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoxue Zhang
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Center of Clinical Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xuan Zhao
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Center of Clinical Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Sijin Li
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Center of Clinical Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhangchun Guan
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Center of Clinical Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiang Cao
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dan Liu
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
- Center of Clinical Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Junnian Zheng
- Center of Clinical Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Ming Shi
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
- Center of Clinical Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
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10
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Qiu Y, Xiao Q, Wang Y, Cao Y, Wang J, Wan Z, Chen X, Liu W, Ma L, Xu C. Mechanical force determines chimeric antigen receptor microclustering and signaling. Mol Ther 2024; 32:1016-1032. [PMID: 38327049 PMCID: PMC11163199 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.02.006] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are activated to trigger the lytic machinery after antigen engagement, and this has been successfully applied clinically as therapy. The mechanism by which antigen binding leads to the initiation of CAR signaling remains poorly understood. Here, we used a set of short double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) tethers with mechanical forces ranging from ∼12 to ∼51 pN to manipulate the mechanical force of antigen tether and decouple the microclustering and signaling events. Our results revealed that antigen-binding-induced CAR microclustering and signaling are mechanical force dependent. Additionally, the mechanical force delivered to the antigen tether by the CAR for microclustering is generated by autonomous cell contractility. Mechanistically, the mechanical-force-induced strong adhesion and CAR diffusion confinement led to CAR microclustering. Moreover, cytotoxicity may have a lower mechanical force threshold than cytokine generation. Collectively, these results support a model of mechanical-force-induced CAR microclustering for signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Qiu
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, Department of Biotechnology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Qingyue Xiao
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, Department of Biotechnology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yucai Wang
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, Department of Biotechnology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yichen Cao
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, Department of Biotechnology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Zhengpeng Wan
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Xiangjun Chen
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, China; School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Wanli Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Li Ma
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, Department of Biotechnology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
| | - Chenguang Xu
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, Department of Biotechnology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
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11
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Russell GC, Hamzaoui Y, Rho D, Sutrave G, Choi JS, Missan DS, Reckard GA, Gustafson MP, Kim GB. Synthetic biology approaches for enhancing safety and specificity of CAR-T cell therapies for solid cancers. Cytotherapy 2024:S1465-3249(24)00576-0. [PMID: 38639669 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2024.03.484] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
CAR-T cell therapies have been successful in treating numerous hematologic malignancies as the T cell can be engineered to target a specific antigen associated with the disease. However, translating CAR-T cell therapies for solid cancers is proving more challenging due to the lack of truly tumor-associated antigens and the high risk of off-target toxicities. To combat this, numerous synthetic biology mechanisms are being incorporated to create safer and more specific CAR-T cells that can be spatiotemporally controlled with increased precision. Here, we seek to summarize and analyze the advancements for CAR-T cell therapies with respect to clinical implementation, from the perspective of synthetic biology and immunology. This review should serve as a resource for further investigation and growth within the field of personalized cellular therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace C Russell
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Yassin Hamzaoui
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Daniel Rho
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Gaurav Sutrave
- The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Department of Haematology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia; Immuno & Gene Therapy Committee, International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Joseph S Choi
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Dara S Missan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Gabrielle A Reckard
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Michael P Gustafson
- Immuno & Gene Therapy Committee, International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy, Vancouver, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Gloria B Kim
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
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12
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Nagy L, Mezősi-Csaplár M, Rebenku I, Vereb G, Szöőr Á. Universal CAR T cells targeted to HER2 with a biotin-trastuzumab soluble linker penetrate spheroids and large tumor xenografts that are inherently resistant to trastuzumab mediated ADCC. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1365172. [PMID: 38562932 PMCID: PMC10982377 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1365172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
CAR T cell therapies face challenges in combating solid tumors due to their single-target approach, which becomes ineffective if the targeted antigen is absent or lost. Universal CAR T cells (UniCAR Ts) provide a promising solution by utilizing molecular tags (linkers), such as biotin conjugated to monoclonal antibodies, enabling them to target a variety of tumor antigens. Recently, we showed that conventional CAR T cells could penetrate the extracellular matrix (ECM) of ADCC-resistant tumors, which forms a barrier to therapeutic antibodies. This finding led us to investigate whether UniCAR T cells, targeted by soluble antibody-derived linkers, could similarly tackle ADCC-resistant tumors where ECM restricts antibody penetration. We engineered UniCAR T cells by incorporating a biotin-binding monomeric streptavidin 2 (mSA2) domain for targeting HER2 via biotinylated trastuzumab (BT). The activation and cytotoxicity of UniCAR T cells in the presence or absence of BT were evaluated in conventional immunoassays. A 3D spheroid coculture was set up to test the capability of UniCAR Ts to access ECM-masked HER2+ cells. For in vivo analysis, we utilized a HER2+ xenograft model in which intravenously administered UniCAR T cells were supplemented with intraperitoneal BT treatments. In vitro, BT-guided UniCAR T cells showed effective activation and distinct anti-tumor response. Upon target recognition, IFNγ secretion correlated with BT concentration. In the presence of BT, UniCAR T cells effectively penetrated HER2+ spheroids and induced cell death in their core regions. In vivo, upon intravenous administration of UniCAR Ts, circulating BT linkers immediately engaged the mSA2 domain and directed effector cells to the HER2+ tumors. However, these co-treated mice died early, possibly due to the lung infiltration of UniCAR T cells that could recognize both native biotin and HER2. Our results suggest that UniCAR T cells guided with soluble linkers present a viable alternative to conventional CAR T cells, especially for patients resistant to antibody therapy and those with solid tumors exhibiting high antigenic variability. Critical to their success, however, is the choice of an appropriate binding domain for the CAR and the corresponding soluble linker, ensuring both efficacy and safety in therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lőrinc Nagy
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Marianna Mezősi-Csaplár
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - István Rebenku
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - György Vereb
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- HUN-REN-UD Cell Biology and Signaling Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Árpád Szöőr
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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13
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Cho Y, Laird M, Bishop T, Li R, Ruffo E, Lohmueller J, Zervantonakis IK. CAR T cell infiltration and cytotoxic killing within the core of 3D breast cancer spheroids under control of antigen sensing in microwell arrays. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.14.585033. [PMID: 38654820 PMCID: PMC11037865 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.14.585033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in blood cancers has intensified efforts to develop CAR T therapies for solid cancers. In the solid tumor microenvironment, CAR T cell trafficking and suppression of cytotoxic killing represent limiting factors for therapeutic efficacy. Here, we present a microwell platform to study CAR T cell interactions with 3D tumor spheroids and determine predictors of anti-tumor CAR T cell function. To precisely control antigen sensing by CAR T cells, we utilized a switchable adaptor CAR system, that instead of directly binding to an antigen of interest, covalently attaches to co-administered antibody adaptors that mediate tumor antigen recognition. Following addition of an anti-HER2 adaptor antibody, primary human CAR T cells exhibited higher infiltration and clustering compared to the no adaptor control. By tracking CAR T cell killing at the individual spheroid level, we showed the suppressive effects of spheroid size and identified the initial CAR T cell : spheroid area ratio as a predictor of cytotoxicity. Spatiotemporal analysis revealed lower CAR T cell numbers and cytotoxicity in the spheroid core compared to the periphery. Finally, increasing CAR T cell seeding density, resulted in higher CAR T cell infiltration and cancer cell elimination in the spheroid core. Our findings provide new quantitative insights into CAR T cell-mediated killing of HER2+ breast tumor cells. Given the miniaturized nature and live imaging capabilities, our microfabricated system holds promise for discovering cell-cell interaction mechanisms that orchestrate antitumor CAR T cell functions and screening cellular immunotherapies in 3D tumor models.
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14
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Shi Y, Bashian EE, Hou Y, Wu P. Chemical immunology: Recent advances in tool development and applications. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:S2451-9456(24)00080-1. [PMID: 38508196 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2024.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Immunology was one of the first biological fields to embrace chemical approaches. The development of new chemical approaches and techniques has provided immunologists with an impressive arsenal of tools to address challenges once considered insurmountable. This review focuses on advances at the interface of chemistry and immunobiology over the past two decades that have not only opened new avenues in basic immunological research, but also revolutionized drug development for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. These include chemical approaches to understand and manipulate antigen presentation and the T cell priming process, to facilitate immune cell trafficking and regulate immune cell functions, and therapeutic applications of chemical approaches to disease control and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Shi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Eleanor E Bashian
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Yingqin Hou
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Peng Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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15
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Li G, Wang H, Meftahpour V. Overall review of curative impact and barriers of CAR-T cells in osteosarcoma. EXCLI JOURNAL 2024; 23:364-383. [PMID: 38655095 PMCID: PMC11036068 DOI: 10.17179/excli2023-6760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Osteosarcoma (OS) is a rare form of cancer and primary bone malignancy in children and adolescents. Current therapies include surgery, chemotherapy, and amputation. Therefore, a new therapeutic strategy is needed to dramatically change cancer treatment. Recently, chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) have been of considerable interest as it has provided auspicious results and patients suffering from low side effects after injection that resolve with current therapy. However, there are reports that cytokine release storm (CRS) can be observed in some patients. In addition, as researchers have faced problems that limit and suppress T cells, further studies are required to resolve these problems. In addition, to maximize the therapeutic benefit of CAR-T cell therapy, researchers have suggested that combination therapy could be better used to treat cancer by overcoming any problems and reducing side effects as much as possible. This review summarizes these problems, barriers, and the results of some studies on the evaluation of CAR-T cells in patients with osteosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilin Li
- Xinyang Vocational and Technical College, Xinyang Henan 464000 China
| | - Hong Wang
- Xinyang Vocational and Technical College, Xinyang Henan 464000 China
| | - Vafa Meftahpour
- Medical Immunology, Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
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16
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Ohkura T, Burns AJ, Hotta R. Updates and Challenges in ENS Cell Therapy for the Treatment of Neurointestinal Diseases. Biomolecules 2024; 14:229. [PMID: 38397466 PMCID: PMC10887039 DOI: 10.3390/biom14020229] [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: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurointestinal diseases represent a significant challenge in clinical management with current palliative approaches failing to overcome disease and treatment-related morbidity. The recent progress with cell therapy to restore missing or defective components of the gut neuromusculature offers new hope for potential cures. This review discusses the progress that has been made in the sourcing of putative stem cells and the studies into their biology and therapeutic potential. We also explore some of the practical challenges that must be overcome before cell-based therapies can be applied in the clinical setting. Although a number of obstacles remain, the rapid advances made in the enteric neural stem cell field suggest that such therapies are on the near horizon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Ohkura
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA; (T.O.); (A.J.B.)
| | - Alan J. Burns
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA; (T.O.); (A.J.B.)
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Ryo Hotta
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA; (T.O.); (A.J.B.)
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17
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Ho M, Zanwar S, Paludo J. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy in hematologic malignancies: Successes, challenges, and opportunities. Eur J Haematol 2024; 112:197-210. [PMID: 37545132 DOI: 10.1111/ejh.14074] [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: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The success of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy in hematologic malignancies has realized a longstanding effort toward harnessing the immune system to fight cancer in a truly personalized fashion. Second generation chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) incorporating co-stimulatory molecules like 4-1BB or CD28 were able to overcome some of the hindrances with initial CAR constructs resulting in efficacious products. Many second-generation CAR-T products have been approved in the treatment of relapsed/refractory hematologic malignancies including multiple myeloma (MM), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, challenges remain in optimizing the manufacturing, timely access, limiting the toxicity from CAR-T infusions and improving sustainability of responses derived with CAR-T therapy. Here, we summarize the clinical trial data leading to approval CAR-T therapies in MM and NHL, discuss the limitations with current CAR-T therapy strategies and review emerging strategies for overcoming these limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Ho
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Saurabh Zanwar
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jonas Paludo
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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18
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Teng F, Cui T, Zhou L, Gao Q, Zhou Q, Li W. Programmable synthetic receptors: the next-generation of cell and gene therapies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:7. [PMID: 38167329 PMCID: PMC10761793 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01680-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell and gene therapies hold tremendous promise for treating a range of difficult-to-treat diseases. However, concerns over the safety and efficacy require to be further addressed in order to realize their full potential. Synthetic receptors, a synthetic biology tool that can precisely control the function of therapeutic cells and genetic modules, have been rapidly developed and applied as a powerful solution. Delicately designed and engineered, they can be applied to finetune the therapeutic activities, i.e., to regulate production of dosed, bioactive payloads by sensing and processing user-defined signals or biomarkers. This review provides an overview of diverse synthetic receptor systems being used to reprogram therapeutic cells and their wide applications in biomedical research. With a special focus on four synthetic receptor systems at the forefront, including chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) and synthetic Notch (synNotch) receptors, we address the generalized strategies to design, construct and improve synthetic receptors. Meanwhile, we also highlight the expanding landscape of therapeutic applications of the synthetic receptor systems as well as current challenges in their clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Teng
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China.
| | - Tongtong Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Li Zhou
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Qingqin Gao
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Qi Zhou
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Wei Li
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, 100101, China.
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19
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Stock S, Klüver AK, Fertig L, Menkhoff VD, Subklewe M, Endres S, Kobold S. Mechanisms and strategies for safe chimeric antigen receptor T-cell activity control. Int J Cancer 2023; 153:1706-1725. [PMID: 37350095 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.34635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
The clinical application of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has rapidly changed the treatment options for terminally ill patients with defined blood-borne cancer types. However, CAR T-cell therapy can lead to severe therapy-associated toxicities including CAR-related hematotoxicity, ON-target OFF-tumor toxicity, cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). Just as CAR T-cell therapy has evolved regarding receptor design, gene transfer systems and production protocols, the management of side effects has also improved. However, because of measures taken to abrogate adverse events, CAR T-cell viability and persistence might be impaired before complete remission can be achieved. This has fueled efforts for the development of extrinsic and intrinsic strategies for better control of CAR T-cell activity. These approaches can mediate a reversible resting state or irreversible T-cell elimination, depending on the route chosen. Control can be passive or active. By combination of CAR T-cells with T-cell inhibiting compounds, pharmacologic control, mostly independent of the CAR construct design used, can be achieved. Other strategies involve the genetic modification of T-cells or further development of the CAR construct by integration of molecular ON/OFF switches such as suicide genes. Alternatively, CAR T-cell activity can be regulated intracellularly through a self-regulation function or extracellularly through titration of a CAR adaptor or of a priming small molecule. In this work, we review the current strategies and mechanisms to control activity of CAR T-cells reversibly or irreversibly for preventing and for managing therapy-associated toxicities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Stock
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Munich, Germany
- Department of Medicine III, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Anna-Kristina Klüver
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Luisa Fertig
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Vivien D Menkhoff
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Marion Subklewe
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
- Laboratory for Translational Cancer Immunology, LMU Gene Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Endres
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
- Einheit für Klinische Pharmakologie (EKLiP), Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (HMGU), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kobold
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
- Einheit für Klinische Pharmakologie (EKLiP), Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (HMGU), Neuherberg, Germany
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20
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Kvorjak M, Ruffo E, Tivon Y, So V, Parikh A, Deiters A, Lohmueller J. Conditional Control of Universal CAR T Cells by Cleavable OFF-Switch Adaptors. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:2996-3007. [PMID: 37791909 PMCID: PMC10594876 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
As living drugs, engineered T cell therapies are revolutionizing disease treatment with their unique functional capabilities. However, they suffer from limitations of potentially unpredictable behavior, toxicities, and nontraditional pharmacokinetics. Engineering conditional control mechanisms responsive to tractable stimuli such as small molecules or light is thus highly desirable. We and others previously developed "universal" chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that interact with coadministered antibody adaptors to direct target cell killing and T cell activation. Universal CARs are of high therapeutic interest due to their ability to simultaneously target multiple antigens on the same disease or different diseases by combining with adaptors to different antigens. Here, we further enhance the programmability and potential safety of universal CAR T cells by engineering OFF-switch adaptors that can conditionally control CAR activity, including T cell activation, target cell lysis, and transgene expression, in response to a small molecule or light stimulus. Moreover, in adaptor combination assays, OFF-switch adaptors were capable of orthogonal conditional targeting of multiple antigens simultaneously, following Boolean logic. OFF-switch adaptors represent a robust new approach for the precision targeting of universal CAR T cells with potential for enhanced safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kvorjak
- UPMC
Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232, United States
- Division
of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232, United States
- Department
of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center
for Systems Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Elisa Ruffo
- UPMC
Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232, United States
- Division
of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232, United States
- Department
of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center
for Systems Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Yaniv Tivon
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Victor So
- UPMC
Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232, United States
- Division
of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232, United States
- Department
of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center
for Systems Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Avani Parikh
- UPMC
Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232, United States
- Division
of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232, United States
- Department
of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center
for Systems Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Alexander Deiters
- Center
for Systems Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Jason Lohmueller
- UPMC
Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232, United States
- Division
of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232, United States
- Department
of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center
for Systems Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
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21
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Thomas BC, Staudt DE, Douglas AM, Monje M, Vitanza NA, Dun MD. CAR T cell therapies for diffuse midline glioma. Trends Cancer 2023; 9:791-804. [PMID: 37541803 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2023.07.007] [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: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Diffuse midline glioma (DMG) is a fatal pediatric cancer of the central nervous system (CNS). The location and infiltrative nature of DMG prevents surgical resection and the benefits of palliative radiotherapy are temporary; median overall survival (OS) is 9-11 months. The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) is 'cold', and has a dominant immunosuppressive myeloid compartment with low levels of infiltrating lymphocytes and proinflammatory molecules. Because survival statistics have been stagnant for many decades, and therapies targeting the unique biology of DMG are urgently needed, this has prompted the clinical assessment of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies in this setting. We highlight the current landscape of CAR T cell therapy for DMG, the role the TIME may play in the response, and strategies to overcome treatment obstacles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryce C Thomas
- Cancer Signalling Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, College of Health, Medicine, and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia; Precision Medicine Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Dilana E Staudt
- Cancer Signalling Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, College of Health, Medicine, and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia; Precision Medicine Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Alicia M Douglas
- Cancer Signalling Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, College of Health, Medicine, and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia; Precision Medicine Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Michelle Monje
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas A Vitanza
- Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA; Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Matthew D Dun
- Cancer Signalling Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, College of Health, Medicine, and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia; Precision Medicine Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia; Paediatric Theme, Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research, College of Health, Medicine, and Wellbeing, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
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22
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Chang Y, Jin G, Luo W, Luo Q, Jung J, Hummel SN, Torregrosa-Allen S, Elzey BD, Low PS, Lian XL, Bao X. Engineered human pluripotent stem cell-derived natural killer cells with PD-L1 responsive immunological memory for enhanced immunotherapeutic efficacy. Bioact Mater 2023; 27:168-180. [PMID: 37091063 PMCID: PMC10113709 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2023.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Adoptive chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered natural killer (NK) cells have shown promise in treating various cancers. However, limited immunological memory and access to sufficient numbers of allogenic donor cells have hindered their broader preclinical and clinical applications. Here, we first assess eight different CAR constructs that use an anti-PD-L1 nanobody and/or universal anti-fluorescein (FITC) single-chain variable fragment (scFv) to enhance antigen-specific proliferation and anti-tumor cytotoxicity of NK-92 cells against heterogenous solid tumors. We next genetically engineer human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) with optimized CARs and differentiate them into functional dual CAR-NK cells. The tumor microenvironment responsive anti-PD-L1 CAR effectively promoted hPSC-NK cell proliferation and cytotoxicity through antigen-dependent activation of phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3) and pSTAT5 signaling pathways via an intracellular truncated IL-2 receptor β-chain (ΔIL-2Rβ) and STAT3-binding tyrosine-X-X-glutamine (YXXQ) motif. Anti-tumor activities of PD-L1-induced memory-like hPSC-NK cells were further boosted by administering a FITC-folate bi-specific adapter that bridges between a programmable anti-FITC CAR and folate receptor alpha-expressing breast tumor cells. Collectively, our hPSC CAR-NK engineering platform is modular and could constitute a realistic strategy to manufacture off-the-shelf CAR-NK cells with immunological memory-like phenotype for targeted immunotherapy.
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23
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Neeser A, Ramasubramanian R, Wang C, Ma L. Engineering enhanced chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapy for solid tumors. IMMUNO-ONCOLOGY TECHNOLOGY 2023; 19:100385. [PMID: 37483659 PMCID: PMC10362352 DOI: 10.1016/j.iotech.2023.100385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
The early clinical success and subsequent US Food and Drug Administration approval of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy for leukemia and lymphoma affirm that engineered T cells can be a powerful treatment for hematologic malignancies. Yet this success has not been replicated in solid tumors. Numerous challenges emerged from clinical experience and well-controlled preclinical animal models must be met to enable safe and efficacious CAR-T cell therapy in solid tumors. Here, we review recent advances in bioengineering strategies developed to enhance CAR-T cell therapy in solid tumors, focusing on targeted single-gene perturbation, genetic circuits design, cytokine engineering, and interactive biomaterials. These bioengineering approaches present a unique set of tools that synergize with CAR-T cells to overcome obstacles in solid tumors and achieve robust and long-lasting therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Neeser
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - R. Ramasubramanian
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - C. Wang
- The Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia
| | - L. Ma
- The Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
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24
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Zhang AQ, Hostetler A, Chen LE, Mukkamala V, Abraham W, Padilla LT, Wolff AN, Maiorino L, Backlund CM, Aung A, Melo M, Li N, Wu S, Irvine DJ. Universal redirection of CAR T cells against solid tumours via membrane-inserted ligands for the CAR. Nat Biomed Eng 2023; 7:1113-1128. [PMID: 37291434 PMCID: PMC10504084 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-023-01048-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The effectiveness of chimaeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies for solid tumours is hindered by difficulties in the selection of an effective target antigen, owing to the heterogeneous expression of tumour antigens and to target antigen expression in healthy tissues. Here we show that T cells with a CAR specific for fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) can be directed against solid tumours via the intratumoural administration of a FITC-conjugated lipid-poly(ethylene)-glycol amphiphile that inserts itself into cell membranes. In syngeneic and human tumour xenografts in mice, 'amphiphile tagging' of tumour cells drove tumour regression via the proliferation and accumulation of FITC-specific CAR T cells in the tumours. In syngeneic tumours, the therapy induced the infiltration of host T cells, elicited endogenous tumour-specific T cell priming and led to activity against distal untreated tumours and to protection against tumour rechallenge. Membrane-inserting ligands for specific CARs may facilitate the development of adoptive cell therapies that work independently of antigen expression and of tissue of origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Q Zhang
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alexander Hostetler
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Laura E Chen
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Vainavi Mukkamala
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Wuhbet Abraham
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lucia T Padilla
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alexandra N Wolff
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Laura Maiorino
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Aereas Aung
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mariane Melo
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Na Li
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Shengwei Wu
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Darrell J Irvine
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Ragon Institute of MIT, MGH, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
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25
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Zhang P, Zhang G, Wan X. Challenges and new technologies in adoptive cell therapy. J Hematol Oncol 2023; 16:97. [PMID: 37596653 PMCID: PMC10439661 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-023-01492-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapies (ACTs) have existed for decades. From the initial infusion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes to the subsequent specific enhanced T cell receptor (TCR)-T and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies, many novel strategies for cancer treatment have been developed. Owing to its promising outcomes, CAR-T cell therapy has revolutionized the field of ACTs, particularly for hematologic malignancies. Despite these advances, CAR-T cell therapy still has limitations in both autologous and allogeneic settings, including practicality and toxicity issues. To overcome these challenges, researchers have focused on the application of CAR engineering technology to other types of immune cell engineering. Consequently, several new cell therapies based on CAR technology have been developed, including CAR-NK, CAR-macrophage, CAR-γδT, and CAR-NKT. In this review, we describe the development, advantages, and possible challenges of the aforementioned ACTs and discuss current strategies aimed at maximizing the therapeutic potential of ACTs. We also provide an overview of the various gene transduction strategies employed in immunotherapy given their importance in immune cell engineering. Furthermore, we discuss the possibility that strategies capable of creating a positive feedback immune circuit, as healthy immune systems do, could address the flaw of a single type of ACT, and thus serve as key players in future cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengchao Zhang
- Center for Protein and Cell-based Drugs, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Guizhong Zhang
- Center for Protein and Cell-based Drugs, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaochun Wan
- Center for Protein and Cell-based Drugs, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China.
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26
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Zhu I, Piraner DI, Roybal KT. Synthesizing a Smarter CAR T Cell: Advanced Engineering of T-cell Immunotherapies. Cancer Immunol Res 2023; 11:1030-1043. [PMID: 37429007 PMCID: PMC10527511 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-22-0962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
The immune system includes an array of specialized cells that keep us healthy by responding to pathogenic cues. Investigations into the mechanisms behind immune cell behavior have led to the development of powerful immunotherapies, including chimeric-antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Although CAR T cells have demonstrated efficacy in treating blood cancers, issues regarding their safety and potency have hindered the use of immunotherapies in a wider spectrum of diseases. Efforts to integrate developments in synthetic biology into immunotherapy have led to several advancements with the potential to expand the range of treatable diseases, fine-tune the desired immune response, and improve therapeutic cell potency. Here, we examine current synthetic biology advances that aim to improve on existing technologies and discuss the promise of the next generation of engineered immune cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iowis Zhu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Dan I. Piraner
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Kole T. Roybal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA 8Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Gladstone UCSF Institute for Genetic Immunology, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA
- UCSF Cell Design Institute, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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27
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Hidalgo L, Somovilla-Crespo B, Garcia-Rodriguez P, Morales-Molina A, Rodriguez-Milla MA, Garcia-Castro J. Switchable CAR T cell strategy against osteosarcoma. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2023; 72:2623-2633. [PMID: 37062034 PMCID: PMC10361906 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-023-03437-z] [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: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy with chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR T) cells has changed the treatment of hematological malignances, but they are still a challenge for solid tumors, including pediatric sarcomas. Here, we report a switchable CAR T cell strategy based on anti-FITC CAR T cells and a switch molecule conjugated with FITC for targeting osteosarcoma (OS) tumors. As a potential target, we analyzed the expression of B7-H3, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, in OS cell lines. In addition, we evaluate the capacity of an anti-B7-H3 monoclonal antibody conjugated with FITC (anti-B7-H3-FITC mAb) to control the antitumor activity of anti-FITC CAR T cells. The effector functions of anti-FITC CAR T cells against OS, measured in vitro by tumor cell killing activity and cytokine production, are dependent on the presence of the anti-B7-H3-FITC mAb switch. Moreover, OS cells stimulate anti-FITC CAR T cells migration. In vivo, anti-B7-H3 mAb penetrates in the tumor and binds 143B OS tumor cells. Furthermore, anti-FITC CAR T cells reach tumor region and exert antitumor effect in an OS NSG mouse model only in the presence of the switch molecule. We demonstrate that anti-B7-H3-FITC mAb redirects the cytotoxic activity of anti-FITC CAR T cells against OS tumors suggesting that switchable CAR T cell platforms might be a plausible strategy against OS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Hidalgo
- Cellular Biotechnology Unit, Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28220, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Beatriz Somovilla-Crespo
- Cellular Biotechnology Unit, Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28220, Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Garcia-Rodriguez
- Cellular Biotechnology Unit, Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28220, Madrid, Spain
- Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), 28015, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alvaro Morales-Molina
- Cellular Biotechnology Unit, Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28220, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Angel Rodriguez-Milla
- Cellular Biotechnology Unit, Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28220, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Garcia-Castro
- Cellular Biotechnology Unit, Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28220, Madrid, Spain.
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28
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Kvorjak M, Ruffo E, Tivon Y, So V, Parikh AB, Deiters A, Lohmueller J. Conditional control of universal CAR T cells by cleavable OFF-switch adaptors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.22.541664. [PMID: 37292935 PMCID: PMC10245878 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.22.541664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
As living drugs, engineered T cell therapies are revolutionizing disease treatment with their unique functional capabilities. However, they suffer from limitations of potentially unpredictable behavior, toxicities, and non-traditional pharmacokinetics. Engineering conditional control mechanisms responsive to tractable stimuli such as small molecules or light is thus highly desirable. We and others previously developed "universal" chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that interact with co-administered antibody adaptors to direct target cell killing and T cell activation. Universal CARs are of high therapeutic interest due to their ability to simultaneously target multiple antigens on the same disease or different diseases by combining with adaptors to different antigens. Here, we further enhance the programmability and potential safety of universal CAR T cells by engineering OFF-switch adaptors that can conditionally control CAR activity, including T cell activation, target cell lysis, and transgene expression, in response to a small molecule or light stimulus. Moreover, in adaptor combination assays, OFF-switch adaptors were capable of orthogonal conditional targeting of multiple antigens simultaneously following Boolean logic. OFF-switch adaptors represent a robust new approach for precision targeting of universal CAR T cells with potential for enhanced safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kvorjak
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- University of Pittsburgh, Center for Systems Immunology, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
| | - Elisa Ruffo
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- University of Pittsburgh, Center for Systems Immunology, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
| | - Yaniv Tivon
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Chemistry, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Victor So
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- University of Pittsburgh, Center for Systems Immunology, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
| | - Avani B. Parikh
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- University of Pittsburgh, Center for Systems Immunology, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
| | - Alexander Deiters
- University of Pittsburgh, Center for Systems Immunology, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Chemistry, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Jason Lohmueller
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- University of Pittsburgh, Center for Systems Immunology, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
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29
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Wang H, Tang L, Kong Y, Liu W, Zhu X, You Y. Strategies for Reducing Toxicity and Enhancing Efficacy of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy in Hematological Malignancies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119115. [PMID: 37298069 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy in hematologic malignancies has made great progress, but there are still some problems. First, T cells from tumor patients show an exhaustion phenotype; thus, the persistence and function of the CAR-Ts are poor, and achieving a satisfactory curative effect is difficult. Second, some patients initially respond well but quickly develop antigen-negative tumor recurrence. Thirdly, CAR-T treatment is not effective in some patients and is accompanied by severe side effects, such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity. The solution to these problems is to reduce the toxicity and enhance the efficacy of CAR-T therapy. In this paper, we describe various strategies for reducing the toxicity and enhancing the efficacy of CAR-T therapy in hematological malignancies. In the first section, strategies for modifying CAR-Ts using gene-editing technologies or combining them with other anti-tumor drugs to enhance the efficacy of CAR-T therapy are introduced. The second section describes some methods in which the design and construction of CAR-Ts differ from the conventional process. The aim of these methods is to enhance the anti-tumor activity of CAR-Ts and prevent tumor recurrence. The third section describes modifying the CAR structure or installing safety switches to radically reduce CAR-T toxicity or regulating inflammatory cytokines to control the symptoms of CAR-T-associated toxicity. Together, the knowledge summarized herein will aid in designing better-suited and safer CAR-T treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haobing Wang
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Ling Tang
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Yingjie Kong
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Wen Liu
- Department of Pain Treatment, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Xiaojian Zhu
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yong You
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
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30
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Yan X, Liu X, Zhao C, Chen GQ. Applications of synthetic biology in medical and pharmaceutical fields. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:199. [PMID: 37169742 PMCID: PMC10173249 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01440-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic biology aims to design or assemble existing bioparts or bio-components for useful bioproperties. During the past decades, progresses have been made to build delicate biocircuits, standardized biological building blocks and to develop various genomic/metabolic engineering tools and approaches. Medical and pharmaceutical demands have also pushed the development of synthetic biology, including integration of heterologous pathways into designer cells to efficiently produce medical agents, enhanced yields of natural products in cell growth media to equal or higher than that of the extracts from plants or fungi, constructions of novel genetic circuits for tumor targeting, controllable releases of therapeutic agents in response to specific biomarkers to fight diseases such as diabetes and cancers. Besides, new strategies are developed to treat complex immune diseases, infectious diseases and metabolic disorders that are hard to cure via traditional approaches. In general, synthetic biology brings new capabilities to medical and pharmaceutical researches. This review summarizes the timeline of synthetic biology developments, the past and present of synthetic biology for microbial productions of pharmaceutics, engineered cells equipped with synthetic DNA circuits for diagnosis and therapies, live and auto-assemblied biomaterials for medical treatments, cell-free synthetic biology in medical and pharmaceutical fields, and DNA engineering approaches with potentials for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Yan
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Liu
- PhaBuilder Biotech Co. Ltd., Shunyi District, Zhaoquan Ying, 101309, Beijing, China
| | - Cuihuan Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Guo-Qiang Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China.
- Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China.
- MOE Key Lab for Industrial Biocatalysis, Dept Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China.
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31
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Ruffo E, Butchy AA, Tivon Y, So V, Kvorjak M, Parikh A, Adams EL, Miskov-Zivanov N, Finn OJ, Deiters A, Lohmueller J. Post-translational covalent assembly of CAR and synNotch receptors for programmable antigen targeting. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2463. [PMID: 37160880 PMCID: PMC10169838 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37863-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) and synthetic Notch (synNotch) receptors are engineered cell-surface receptors that sense a target antigen and respond by activating T cell receptor signaling or a customized gene program, respectively. Here, to expand the targeting capabilities of these receptors, we develop "universal" receptor systems for which receptor specificity can be directed post-translationally via covalent attachment of a co-administered antibody bearing a benzylguanine (BG) motif. A SNAPtag self-labeling enzyme is genetically fused to the receptor and reacts with BG-conjugated antibodies for covalent assembly, programming antigen recognition. We demonstrate that activation of SNAP-CAR and SNAP-synNotch receptors can be successfully targeted by clinically relevant BG-conjugated antibodies, including anti-tumor activity of SNAP-CAR T cells in vivo in a human tumor xenograft mouse model. Finally, we develop a mathematical model to better define the parameters affecting universal receptor signaling. SNAP receptors provide a powerful strategy to post-translationally reprogram the targeting specificity of engineered cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Ruffo
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Center for Systems Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Adam A Butchy
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yaniv Tivon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Victor So
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Center for Systems Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Michael Kvorjak
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Center for Systems Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Avani Parikh
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Center for Systems Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Eric L Adams
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Center for Systems Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Natasa Miskov-Zivanov
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Olivera J Finn
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Alexander Deiters
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jason Lohmueller
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Center for Systems Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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32
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Si W, Fan YY, Qiu SZ, Li X, Wu EY, Ju JQ, Huang W, Wang HP, Wei P. Design of diversified chimeric antigen receptors through rational module recombination. iScience 2023; 26:106529. [PMID: 37102149 PMCID: PMC10123334 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106529] [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: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells have shown great promise in cancer therapy. However, the anti-tumor efficiency is limited due to the CAR-induced T cell apoptosis or exhaustion. The intracellular domain of CAR comprised of various signaling modules orchestrates CAR-T cell behaviors. The modularity of CAR signaling domain functions as the "mainboard" to assemble diversified downstream signaling components. Here, we implemented the modular recombination strategy to construct a library of CARs with synthetic co-signaling modules adopted from immunoglobin-like superfamily (IgSF) and tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF). We quantitatively characterized the signaling behaviors of these recombinants by both NFAT and NF-κB reporter, and identified a set of new CARs with diverse signaling behaviors. Specifically, the 28(NM)-BB(MC) CAR-T cells exhibited improved cytotoxicity and T cell persistence. The synthetic approach can promote our understanding of the signaling principles of CAR molecule, and provide a powerful tool box for CAR-T cell engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Si
- Center for Cell and Gene Circuit Design, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Center for Quantitative Biology and Peking-Tsinghua Joint Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Ying-Ying Fan
- Center for Cell and Gene Circuit Design, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Center for Quantitative Biology and Peking-Tsinghua Joint Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shi-Zhen Qiu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Xin Li
- Center for Cell and Gene Circuit Design, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Er-Yi Wu
- Center for Cell and Gene Circuit Design, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Center for Quantitative Biology and Peking-Tsinghua Joint Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jian-Qi Ju
- Center for Quantitative Biology and Peking-Tsinghua Joint Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Wen Huang
- Center for Quantitative Biology and Peking-Tsinghua Joint Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Hao-Peng Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Ping Wei
- Center for Cell and Gene Circuit Design, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Center for Quantitative Biology and Peking-Tsinghua Joint Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Corresponding author
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33
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Segaliny AI, Jayaraman J, Chen X, Chong J, Luxon R, Fung A, Fu Q, Jiang X, Rivera R, Ma X, Ren C, Zimak J, Hedde PN, Shang Y, Wu G, Zhao W. A high throughput bispecific antibody discovery pipeline. Commun Biol 2023; 6:380. [PMID: 37029216 PMCID: PMC10082157 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04746-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) represent an emerging class of immunotherapy, but inefficiency in the current discovery has limited their broad clinical availability. Here we report a high throughput, agnostic, single-cell-based functional screening pipeline, comprising molecular and cell engineering for efficient generation of BsAb library cells, followed by functional interrogation at the single-cell level to identify and sort positive clones and downstream sequence identification and functionality characterization. Using a CD19xCD3 bispecific T cell engager (BiTE) as a model, we demonstrate that our single-cell platform possesses a high throughput screening efficiency of up to one and a half million variant library cells per run and can isolate rare functional clones at a low abundance of 0.008%. Using a complex CD19xCD3 BiTE-expressing cell library with approximately 22,300 unique variants comprising combinatorially varied scFvs, connecting linkers and VL/VH orientations, we have identified 98 unique clones, including extremely rare ones (~ 0.001% abundance). We also discovered BiTEs that exhibit novel properties and insights to design variable preferences for functionality. We expect our single-cell platform to not only increase the discovery efficiency of new immunotherapeutics, but also enable identifying generalizable design principles based on an in-depth understanding of the inter-relationships between sequence, structure, and function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jayapriya Jayaraman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Xiaoming Chen
- Amberstone Biosciences, Inc., Irvine, CA, 92618, USA
| | | | - Ryan Luxon
- Amberstone Biosciences, Inc., Irvine, CA, 92618, USA
| | - Audrey Fung
- Amberstone Biosciences, Inc., Irvine, CA, 92618, USA
| | - Qiwei Fu
- Amberstone Biosciences, Inc., Irvine, CA, 92618, USA
| | - Xianzhi Jiang
- Amberstone Biosciences, Inc., Irvine, CA, 92618, USA
| | | | - Xiaoya Ma
- Amberstone Biosciences, Inc., Irvine, CA, 92618, USA
| | - Ci Ren
- Amberstone Biosciences, Inc., Irvine, CA, 92618, USA
| | - Jan Zimak
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Per Niklas Hedde
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Yonglei Shang
- Amberstone Biosciences, Inc., Irvine, CA, 92618, USA
| | - George Wu
- Amberstone Biosciences, Inc., Irvine, CA, 92618, USA.
| | - Weian Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Edwards Life Sciences Center for Advanced Cardiovascular Technology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
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34
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Celichowski P, Turi M, Charvátová S, Radhakrishnan D, Feizi N, Chyra Z, Šimíček M, Jelínek T, Bago JR, Hájek R, Hrdinka M. Tuning CARs: recent advances in modulating chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell activity for improved safety, efficacy, and flexibility. J Transl Med 2023; 21:197. [PMID: 36922828 PMCID: PMC10015723 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04041-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapies utilizing genetically engineered T cells have emerged as powerful personalized therapeutic agents showing dramatic preclinical and clinical results, particularly in hematological malignancies. Ectopically expressed chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) reprogram immune cells to target and eliminate cancer. However, CAR T cell therapy's success depends on the balance between effective anti-tumor activity and minimizing harmful side effects. To improve CAR T cell therapy outcomes and mitigate associated toxicities, scientists from different fields are cooperating in developing next-generation products using the latest molecular cell biology and synthetic biology tools and technologies. The immunotherapy field is rapidly evolving, with new approaches and strategies being reported at a fast pace. This comprehensive literature review aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the latest developments in controlling CAR T cell activity for improved safety, efficacy, and flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Celichowski
- Department of Haematooncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Department of Haematooncology, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Marcello Turi
- Department of Haematooncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Department of Haematooncology, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Sandra Charvátová
- Department of Haematooncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Department of Haematooncology, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Dhwani Radhakrishnan
- Department of Haematooncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Department of Haematooncology, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Neda Feizi
- Department of Internal Clinical Sciences, Anesthesiology and Cardiovascular Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Zuzana Chyra
- Department of Haematooncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Department of Haematooncology, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Šimíček
- Department of Haematooncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Department of Haematooncology, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Jelínek
- Department of Haematooncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Department of Haematooncology, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Juli Rodriguez Bago
- Department of Haematooncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Department of Haematooncology, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Roman Hájek
- Department of Haematooncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Department of Haematooncology, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Matouš Hrdinka
- Department of Haematooncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.
- Department of Haematooncology, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.
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35
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Yang Z, Zhang J, Wu FG, Lin F. Structural Characterization, Functional Profiling, and Mechanism Study of Four Antimicrobial Peptides for Antibacterial and Anticancer Applications. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:2161-2170. [PMID: 36730301 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c02526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are potent compounds for treating bacterial infection and cancer, drawing ever-increasing interest. However, the function and mechanism of most AMPs remain to be explored. In this research, we focused on investigating the antibacterial and anticancer activities of four AMPs (Dhvar4, Lasioglossin-III, Macropin 1, and Temporin La) and the possible corresponding mechanisms. All four AMPs are cationic α-helical with moderate hydrophobicity and high helicity. They have broad-spectrum antibacterial capacities, among which the antibacterial activities of Dhvar4 and Temporin La are not as effective as Lasioglossin-III and Macropin 1. Macropin 1 exhibited the highest antibacterial effect with a pretty low minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2-8 μM. Meanwhile, Lasioglossin-III exhibited the strongest anticancer activities, displaying the IC50 of 26.36 μM for A549 and 7.75 μM for HepG2. Although Dhvar4 possessed the highest positive charge and entered the bacterial and animal cells in large amounts, it displayed the lowest bactericidal and anticancer activities which might be ascribed to its lowest hydrophobicity and thus the weakest cell membrane damage capability. It seems that the positive charge and cell internalization play a supporting rather than a determined role in antibacterial and anticancer activities of AMPs. All the four AMPs damaged the bacterial cell membrane with Macropin 1 damaging the cell membrane of Escherichia coli the most and Lasioglossin-III destroying the cell membrane of Staphylococcus aureus the worst. In addition, the animal cellular internalization of the four peptides was temperature-dependent and mainly mediated by caveolae-mediated endocytosis, and they were distributed in lysosomes once inside the cells. These findings expand our knowledge on the function and mechanism of AMPs, laying the fundamental theoretical basis for designing and engineering AMPs for infection and cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihuayuan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Fu-Gen Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Fengming Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
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36
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Lee D, Kim MK, Choi JI. Development of Orthogonal Aminoacyl tRNA Synthetase Mutant with Enhanced Incorporation Ability with Para-azido-L-phenylalanine. BIOTECHNOL BIOPROC E 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s12257-022-0252-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
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37
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Labanieh L, Mackall CL. CAR immune cells: design principles, resistance and the next generation. Nature 2023; 614:635-648. [PMID: 36813894 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05707-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 135.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
The remarkable clinical activity of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapies in B cell and plasma cell malignancies has validated the use of this therapeutic class for liquid cancers, but resistance and limited access remain as barriers to broader application. Here we review the immunobiology and design principles of current prototype CARs and present emerging platforms that are anticipated to drive future clinical advances. The field is witnessing a rapid expansion of next-generation CAR immune cell technologies designed to enhance efficacy, safety and access. Substantial progress has been made in augmenting immune cell fitness, activating endogenous immunity, arming cells to resist suppression via the tumour microenvironment and developing approaches to modulate antigen density thresholds. Increasingly sophisticated multispecific, logic-gated and regulatable CARs display the potential to overcome resistance and increase safety. Early signs of progress with stealth, virus-free and in vivo gene delivery platforms provide potential paths for reduced costs and increased access of cell therapies in the future. The continuing clinical success of CAR T cells in liquid cancers is driving the development of increasingly sophisticated immune cell therapies that are poised to translate to treatments for solid cancers and non-malignant diseases in the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louai Labanieh
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Crystal L Mackall
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. .,Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA. .,Division of Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. .,Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapy, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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38
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Singh AK, Awasthi R, Malviya R. Bioinspired microrobots: Opportunities and challenges in targeted cancer therapy. J Control Release 2023; 354:439-452. [PMID: 36669531 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.01.042] [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: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Chemotherapy is still the most effective technique to treat many forms of cancer. However, it also carries a high risk of side effects. Numerous nanomedicines have been developed to avoid unintended consequences and significant negative effects of conventional therapies. Achieving targeted drug delivery also has several challenges. In this context, the development of microrobots is receiving considerable attention of formulation scientists and clinicians to overcome such challenges. Due to their mobility, microrobots can infiltrate tissues and reach tumor sites more quickly. Different types of microrobots, like custom-made moving bacteria, microengines powered by small bubbles, and hybrid spermbots, can be designed with complex features that are best for precise targeting of a wide range of cancers. In this review, we mainly focus on the idea of how microrobots can quickly target cancer cells and discuss specific advantages of microrobots. A brief summary of the microrobots' drug loading and release behavior is provided in this manuscript. This manuscript will assist clinicians and other medical professionals in diagnosing and treating cancer without surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Kumar Singh
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medical and Allied Sciences, Galgotias University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Rajendra Awasthi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences & Technology, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Energy Acres, P.O. Bidholi, Via-Prem Nagar, Dehradun 248 007, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Rishabha Malviya
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medical and Allied Sciences, Galgotias University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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39
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Kalinin RS, Shipunova VO, Rubtsov YP, Ukrainskay VM, Schulga A, Konovalova EV, Volkov DV, Yaroshevich IA, Moysenovich AM, Belogurov AA, Telegin GB, Chernov AS, Maschan MA, Terekhov SS, Knorre VD, Khurs E, Gnuchev NV, Gabibov AG, Deyev SM. Barnase-barstar Specific Interaction Regulates Car-T Cells Cytotoxic Activity toward Malignancy. DOKL BIOCHEM BIOPHYS 2023; 508:17-20. [PMID: 36653580 PMCID: PMC10042900 DOI: 10.1134/s1607672922700041] [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: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The development of CAR-T specific therapy made a revolution in modern oncology. Despite the pronounced therapeutic effects, this novel approach displayed several crucial limitations caused by the complications in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics controls. The presence of the several severe medical complications of CAR-T therapy initiated a set of attempts aimed to regulate their activity in vivo. We propose to apply the barnase-barstar system to control the cytotoxic antitumor activity of CAR-T cells. To menage the regulation targeting effect of the system we propose to use barstar-modified CAR-T cells together with barnase-based molecules. Barnase was fused with designed ankyrin repeat proteins (DARPins) specific to tumor antigens HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) The application of the system demonstrates the pronounced regulatory effects of CAR-T targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- R S Kalinin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
| | - V O Shipunova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Y P Rubtsov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - V M Ukrainskay
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.,Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
| | - A Schulga
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - E V Konovalova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - D V Volkov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | - A A Belogurov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.,Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - G B Telegin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - A S Chernov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - M A Maschan
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
| | - S S Terekhov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.,Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - V D Knorre
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - E Khurs
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - N V Gnuchev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - A G Gabibov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.,Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - S M Deyev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.,National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
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40
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Kang HY, Lee SY, Kim HM, Lee SU, Lee H, Cho MY, Oh SC, Kim SM, Park HS, Han EH, Kim SE, Kim H, Yoon SR, Doh J, Chung J, Hong KS, Choi I, Kim TD. A modifiable universal cotinine-chimeric antigen system of NK cells with multiple targets. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1089369. [PMID: 36713381 PMCID: PMC9880444 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1089369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are immune effector cells with outstanding features for adoptive immunotherapy. Immune effector cells with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) are promising targeted therapeutic agents for various diseases. Because tumor cells exhibit heterogeneous antigen expression and lose cell surface antigen expression during malignant progression, many CARs fixed against only one antigen have limited efficacy and are associated with tumor relapse. To expand the utility of CAR-NK cells, we designed a split and universal cotinine-CAR (Cot-CAR) system, comprising a Cot-conjugator and NK92 cells (α-Cot-NK92 cells) engineered with a CAR containing an anti-Cot-specific single-chain variable fragment and intracellular signaling domain. The efficacy of the Cot-CAR system was assessed in vitro using a cytolysis assay against various tumor cells, and its single- or multiple- utility potential was demonstrated using an in vivo lung metastasis model by injecting A549-Red-Fluc cells. The α-Cot-NK92 cells could switch targets, logically respond to multiple antigens, and tune cytolytic activation through the alteration of conjugators without re-engineering. Therefore the universal Cot-CAR system is useful for enhancing specificity and diversity of antigens, combating relapse, and controlling cytolytic activity. In conclusion, this universal Cot-CAR system reveals that multiple availability and controllability can be generated with a single, integrated system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hee Young Kang
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Yun Lee
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Min Kim
- Research Center for Bioconvergence Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungcheonbuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Su Ui Lee
- Natural Medicine Research Center, KRIBB, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunseung Lee
- Research Center for Bioconvergence Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungcheonbuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi Young Cho
- Research Center for Bioconvergence Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungcheonbuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Se-Chan Oh
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea,Department of Functional Genomics, KRIBB School of Bioscience, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Min Kim
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea,Department of Functional Genomics, KRIBB School of Bioscience, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Sun Park
- Research Center for Bioconvergence Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungcheonbuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Hee Han
- Research Center for Bioconvergence Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungcheonbuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Eun Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyori Kim
- Convergence Medicine Research Center, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk Ran Yoon
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea,Department of Functional Genomics, KRIBB School of Bioscience, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Junsang Doh
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials (RIAM), Institute of Engineering Research, Bio-MAX institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Junho Chung
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwan Soo Hong
- Research Center for Bioconvergence Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungcheonbuk-do, Republic of Korea,Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea,*Correspondence: Tae-Don Kim, ; Inpyo Choi, ; Kwan Soo Hong,
| | - Inpyo Choi
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea,Department of Functional Genomics, KRIBB School of Bioscience, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea,*Correspondence: Tae-Don Kim, ; Inpyo Choi, ; Kwan Soo Hong,
| | - Tae-Don Kim
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea,Department of Functional Genomics, KRIBB School of Bioscience, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea,Biomedical Mathematics Group, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, Republic of Korea,Department of Biopharmaceutical Convergence, School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea,*Correspondence: Tae-Don Kim, ; Inpyo Choi, ; Kwan Soo Hong,
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Daei Sorkhabi A, Mohamed Khosroshahi L, Sarkesh A, Mardi A, Aghebati-Maleki A, Aghebati-Maleki L, Baradaran B. The current landscape of CAR T-cell therapy for solid tumors: Mechanisms, research progress, challenges, and counterstrategies. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1113882. [PMID: 37020537 PMCID: PMC10067596 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1113882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The successful outcomes of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in treating hematologic cancers have increased the previously unprecedented excitement to use this innovative approach in treating various forms of human cancers. Although researchers have put a lot of work into maximizing the effectiveness of these cells in the context of solid tumors, few studies have discussed challenges and potential strategies to overcome them. Restricted trafficking and infiltration into the tumor site, hypoxic and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), antigen escape and heterogeneity, CAR T-cell exhaustion, and severe life-threatening toxicities are a few of the major obstacles facing CAR T-cells. CAR designs will need to go beyond the traditional architectures in order to get over these limitations and broaden their applicability to a larger range of malignancies. To enhance the safety, effectiveness, and applicability of this treatment modality, researchers are addressing the present challenges with a wide variety of engineering strategies as well as integrating several therapeutic tactics. In this study, we reviewed the antigens that CAR T-cells have been clinically trained to recognize, as well as counterstrategies to overcome the limitations of CAR T-cell therapy, such as recent advances in CAR T-cell engineering and the use of several therapies in combination to optimize their clinical efficacy in solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Daei Sorkhabi
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Aila Sarkesh
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Amirhossein Mardi
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Ali Aghebati-Maleki
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Leili Aghebati-Maleki
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- *Correspondence: Leili Aghebati-Maleki, ; Behzad Baradaran,
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- *Correspondence: Leili Aghebati-Maleki, ; Behzad Baradaran,
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Li W, Zhu X, Xu Y, Chen J, Zhang H, Yang Z, Qi Y, Hong J, Li Y, Wang G, Shen J, Qian C. Simultaneous editing of TCR, HLA-I/II and HLA-E resulted in enhanced universal CAR-T resistance to allo-rejection. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1052717. [PMID: 36532006 PMCID: PMC9757162 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1052717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The major challenge for universal chimeric antigen receptor T cell (UCAR-T) therapy is the inability to persist for a long time in patients leading to inferior efficacy clinically. The objective of this study was to design a novel UCAR-T cell that could avoid the occurrence of allo-rejection and provide effective resistance to allogeneic Natural Killer (NK) cell rejection, together with the validation of its safety and efficacy ex vivo and in vivo. Methods We prepared T-cell receptor (TCR), Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-I/II triple-edited (TUCAR-T) cells and evaluated the anti-tumor efficacy ex vivo and in vivo. We measured the resistance of exogenous HLA-E expressing TUCAR-T (ETUCAR-T) to NK rejection by using an enhanced NK. Furthermore, we established the safety and efficacy of this regimen by treating Nalm6 tumor-bearing mice with a repeated high-dose infusion of ETUCAR-T. Moreover, we analyzed the effects of individual gene deficiency CAR-T on treated mice and the changes in the transcriptional profiles of different gene-edited T cells via RNA-Seq. Results Data showed that HLA-II editing didn't impair the anti-tumor efficacy of TUCAR-T ex vivo and in vivo and we found for the first time that HLA-II deficiency could facilitate the persistence of CAR-T. Contrastively, as the most commonly eliminated target in UCAR-T, TCR deficiency was found to be a key disadvantageous factor for the shorter-term anti-tumor efficacy in vivo. Our study demonstrated ETUCAR-T could effectively resist allogeneic NK rejection ex vivo and in vivo. Discussion Our research provided a potential and effective strategy for promoting the persistence of UCAR-T cells in clinical application. And it reveals the potential key factors of the poor persistence of UCAR-T along with new insights for future development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wuling Li
- Key Laboratory for Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- Center for Precision Medicine of Cancer, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiuxiu Zhu
- Key Laboratory for Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- Center for Precision Medicine of Cancer, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Yanmin Xu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Gene and Cell Therapy, Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Gene and Cell Therapy, Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Hongtao Zhang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Gene and Cell Therapy, Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Zhi Yang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Gene and Cell Therapy, Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Yanan Qi
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Gene and Cell Therapy, Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Juan Hong
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Gene and Cell Therapy, Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Yunyan Li
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Gene and Cell Therapy, Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Guixue Wang
- Key Laboratory for Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory for Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Vascular Implants, Bioengineering College of Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Junjie Shen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Gene and Cell Therapy, Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Cheng Qian
- Key Laboratory for Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- Center for Precision Medicine of Cancer, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
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Adachi K, Tamada K. Paving the road to make chimeric antigen receptor-T-cell therapy effective against solid tumors. Cancer Sci 2022; 113:4020-4029. [PMID: 36047968 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The three major standard therapies, that is, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy have conventionally been applied to the treatments for cancers and have saved many patients. In addition, for intractable, refractory, or advanced malignancies that cannot be cured by the three standard therapies, immunotherapy is an important subject of basic and clinical researches. Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy (ICI) has shown significant therapeutic efficacies on some types of tumors in large-scale randomized clinical trials, making a major impact on clinical oncology by scientifically proving and establishing the effectiveness of an immunotherapy. In 2018, ICI was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, and immunotherapy is now becoming the "fourth" standard therapy for cancers. Recently, adoptive cell therapies, in which genetically modified T cells with enhanced reactivity against tumors are infused into the patients, have been attracting considerable attention as a hopeful immunotherapy following ICI. Particularly, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cell therapies demonstrate marked therapeutic efficacies against some hematologic malignancies, and have been approved in many countries. However, current CAR-T-cell therapy is considered to be little effective against solid tumors, which is one of the challenging issues to be overcome in CAR-T-cell therapy. In this review, we at first introduce CAR and CAR-T cell, and then focus on the recent progress of CAR-T-cell therapy against solid tumors as well as the novel concept on a role of CAR-T cells, aiming to further understandings of the novel cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keishi Adachi
- Department of Immunology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Koji Tamada
- Department of Immunology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan
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Zang H, Siddiqui M, Gummuluru S, Wong WW, Reinhard BM. Ganglioside-Functionalized Nanoparticles for Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Activation at the Immunological Synapse. ACS NANO 2022; 16:18408-18420. [PMID: 36282488 PMCID: PMC9815837 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c06516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has proven to be an effective strategy against hematological malignancies but persistence and activity against solid tumors must be further improved. One emerging strategy for enhancing efficacy is based on directing CAR T cells to antigen presenting cells (APCs). Activation of CAR T cells at the immunological synapse (IS) formed between APC and T cell is thought to promote strong, persistent antigen-specific T cell-mediated immune responses but requires integration of CAR ligands into the APC/T-cell interface. Here, we demonstrate that CAR ligand functionalized, lipid-coated, biodegradable polymer nanoparticles (NPs) that contain the ganglioside GM3 (GM3-NPs) bind to CD169 (Siglec-1)-expressing APCs and localize to the cell contact site between APCs and CAR T cells upon initiation of cell conjugates. The CD169+ APC/CAR T-cell interface is characterized by a strong optical colocalization of GM3-NPs and CARs, enrichment of F-actin, and recruitment of ZAP-70, indicative of integration of GM3-NPs into a functional IS. Ligands associated with GM3-NPs localized to the APC/T-cell contact site remain accessible to CARs and result in robust T-cell activation. Overall, this work identifies GM3-NPs as a potential antigen delivery platform for active targeting of CD169 expressing APCs and enhancement of CAR T-cell activation at the NP-containing IS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Zang
- Departments of Chemistry and The Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, United States
| | - Menna Siddiqui
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Suryaram Gummuluru
- Department of Microbiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, United States
| | - Wilson W. Wong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Björn M. Reinhard
- Departments of Chemistry and The Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, United States
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Stepanov AV, Kalinin RS, Shipunova VO, Zhang D, Xie J, Rubtsov YP, Ukrainskaya VM, Schulga A, Konovalova EV, Volkov DV, Yaroshevich IA, Moysenovich AM, Belogurov AA, Zhang H, Telegin GB, Chernov AS, Maschan MA, Terekhov SS, Wu P, Deyev SM, Lerner RA, Gabibov AG, Altman S. Switchable targeting of solid tumors by BsCAR T cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2210562119. [PMID: 36343224 PMCID: PMC9674235 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2210562119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has become a critical milestone in modern oncotherapy. Despite the remarkable in vitro effectiveness, the problem of safety and efficacy of CAR T cell therapy against solid tumors is challenged by the lack of tumor-specific antigens required to avoid on-target off-tumor effects. Spatially separating the cytotoxic function of CAR T cells from tumor antigen recognition provided by protein mediators allows for the precise control of CAR T cell cytotoxicity. Here, the high affinity and capability of the bacterial toxin-antitoxin barnase-barstar system were adopted to guide CAR T cells to solid tumors. The complementary modules based on (1) ankyrin repeat (DARPin)-barnase proteins and (2) barstar-based CAR (BsCAR) were designed to provide switchable targeting to tumor cells. The alteration of the DARPin-barnase switches enabled the targeting of different tumor antigens with a single BsCAR. A gradual increase in cytokine release and tunable BsCAR T cell cytotoxicity was achieved by varying DARPin-barnase loads. Switchable BsCAR T cell therapy was able to eradicate the HER2+ ductal carcinoma in vivo. Guiding BsCAR T cells by DARPin-barnase switches provides a universal approach for a controlled multitargeted adoptive immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey V. Stepanov
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Roman S. Kalinin
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Victoria O. Shipunova
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Ding Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Jia Xie
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Yuri P. Rubtsov
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Valeria M. Ukrainskaya
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Alexey Schulga
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Elena V. Konovalova
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Dmitry V. Volkov
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Igor A. Yaroshevich
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Anastasiia M. Moysenovich
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Alexey A. Belogurov
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Hongkai Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Georgij B. Telegin
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Alexandr S. Chernov
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Mikhail A. Maschan
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Stanislav S. Terekhov
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Peng Wu
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Sergey M. Deyev
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Richard A. Lerner
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Alexander G. Gabibov
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Sidney Altman
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287
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Lee S, Khalil AS, Wong WW. Recent progress of gene circuit designs in immune cell therapies. Cell Syst 2022; 13:864-873. [PMID: 36395726 PMCID: PMC9681026 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2022.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy against hematological cancers has convincingly demonstrated the potential of using genetically engineered cells as therapeutic agents. Although much progress has been achieved in cell therapy, more beneficial capabilities have yet to be fully explored. One of the unique advantages afforded by cell therapies is the possibility to implement genetic control circuits, which enables diverse signal sensing and logical processing for optimal response in the complex tumor microenvironment. In this perspective, we will first outline design considerations for cell therapy control circuits that address clinical demands. We will compare and contrast key design features in some of the latest control circuits developments and conclude by discussing potential future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seunghee Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ahmad S Khalil
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Wilson W Wong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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Li HS, Wong NM, Tague E, Ngo JT, Khalil AS, Wong WW. High-performance multiplex drug-gated CAR circuits. Cancer Cell 2022; 40:1294-1305.e4. [PMID: 36084652 PMCID: PMC9669166 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2022.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells can revolutionize cancer medicine. However, overactivation, lack of tumor-specific surface markers, and antigen escape have hampered CAR T cell development. A multi-antigen targeting CAR system regulated by clinically approved pharmaceutical agents is needed. Here, we present VIPER CARs (versatile protease regulatable CARs), a collection of inducible ON and OFF switch CAR circuits engineered with a viral protease domain. We established their controllability using FDA-approved antiviral protease inhibitors in a xenograft tumor and a cytokine release syndrome mouse model. Furthermore, we benchmarked VIPER CARs against other drug-gated systems and demonstrated best-in-class performance. We showed their orthogonality in vivo using the ON VIPER CAR and OFF lenalidomide-CAR systems. Finally, we engineered several VIPER CAR circuits by combining various CAR technologies. Our multiplexed, drug-gated CAR circuits represent the next progression in CAR design capable of advanced logic and regulation for enhancing the safety of CAR T cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Shan Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicole M Wong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elliot Tague
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John T Ngo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ahmad S Khalil
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wilson W Wong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
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Liu D, Qi X, Wei X, Zhao L, Wang X, Li S, Wang Z, Shi L, Xu J, Hong M, Liu Z, Zhao L, Wang X, Zhang B, Zhang Y, Wang F, Cao YJ. A Novel Her2/VEGFR2/CD3 trispecific antibody with an optimal structural design showed improved T-cell-redirecting antitumor efficacy. Am J Cancer Res 2022; 12:7788-7803. [PMID: 36451856 PMCID: PMC9706591 DOI: 10.7150/thno.75037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale: T-cell-redirecting bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) and trispecific antibodies (tsAbs) designed to recognize different epitopes or antigens have emerged as promising cancer therapies. Current approaches are all designed to include another antibody specific to the site of the primary antibody, and the molecular structures are generally established. However, the dimensions of target molecule and epitope location play a key role in the efficiency of the immunological synapse (IS) formation and subsequent T-cell-redirecting activities, therefore the connection flexibility of these antibodies determines the geometries of different formats of these molecules and will have a major impact on the efficacy. Methods: We describe a novel recombination strategy using various linker designs to site-specifically fuse anti-Her2 (2Rs15) or anti-VEGFR2 (3VGR19) nanobodies to different positions of the anti-CD3 antibody fragment (Fab, SP34). Based on the comparison among the various antigen-specific bsAbs, we could determine the desired fusion site of each nanobody to SP34, and further ensure the optimal structure of tsAbs with synergistic dual-antigen enhanced T-cell-redirecting activities. Results: This approach allows precise control of the formation of IS between Her2- and/or VEGFR2-expressing cancer cells and T cells, to obtain the optimal structure of the Her2/VEGFR2/CD3 tsAb without the need to map antibody-binding epitopes. Optimization of Her2/VEGFR2/CD3 tsAb results in enhanced T-cell-redirecting in vitro and in vivo antitumor efficacy compared with the corresponding bsAbs alone or in combination, and the potency to overcome tumor relapse due to antigen escape or resistance to Herceptin and Cyramza therapy. Conclusion: The novel design strategy for developing tsAbs using a site-specific recombination approach represents a promising platform for immuno-oncology and in applications other than cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Xuexiu Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Xiaoyi Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Lijun Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Xuechun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Shuhong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Zhidong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Licai Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Jiean Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Mei Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Zhong Liu
- Lunan Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd, Feixian County, Shandong, 273400, China
| | - Lili Zhao
- National Engineering Laboratory of High Level Expression in Mammalian Cells, Feixian County, Shandong, 273400, China.,✉ Corresponding authors: ;
| | - Xiankun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China.,Institute of Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518132, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China.,Institute of Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518132, China
| | - Yuhan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceuticals, Beijing Translational Center for Biopharmaceuticals Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100101, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceuticals, Beijing Translational Center for Biopharmaceuticals Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yu J. Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China.,Institute of Chemical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518132, China.,✉ Corresponding authors: ;
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A novel CD19/CD22/CD3 trispecific antibody enhances therapeutic efficacy and overcomes immune escape against B-ALL. Blood 2022; 140:1790-1802. [PMID: 35981465 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2022016243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE) blinatumomab against CD19 and CD3 has emerged as the most successful bispecific antibody (bsAb) to date; however, a significant proportion of patients do not respond to the treatments or eventually experience relapse after an initial response, and the recurrence rate increases significantly due to escape or downregulation of the CD19 antigen. To enhance antitumor efficacy and overcome potential immune escape, we developed a novel approach to design a CD19/CD22/CD3 trispecific antibody (tsAb) by site-specifically fusing anti-CD19 scFv (FMC63) and anti-CD22 nanobody (Nb25) to the defined sites of the CD3 antigen-binding fragment (Fab, SP34). This strategy allows for the optimal formation of immune synapses mediated by CD19/CD22/CD3 between target cells and T cells. Optimized tsAb can be superior for inducing T-cell-specific cytotoxicity and cytokine production against CD19+ and/or CD22+ tumor cells compared to other tsAb formats, and demonstrated significantly enhanced antitumor efficacy and the ability to overcome immune escape compared with the corresponding bsAbs alone or in combination, as well as with blinatumomab. In addition, tsAb treatment can lead to the long-term elimination of primary B-ALL patient samples in the PDX model and significantly prolong survival. This novel approach provides unique insight into the structural optimization of T-cell-redirected multispecific antibodies using site-specific recombination, and may be broadly applicable to heterogeneous and resistant tumor populations as well as solid tumors.
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Qu C, Zhang H, Cao H, Tang L, Mo H, Liu F, Zhang L, Yi Z, Long L, Yan L, Wang Z, Zhang N, Luo P, Zhang J, Liu Z, Ye W, Liu Z, Cheng Q. Tumor buster - where will the CAR-T cell therapy 'missile' go? Mol Cancer 2022; 21:201. [PMID: 36261831 PMCID: PMC9580202 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-022-01669-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell (CAR-T cell) therapy based on gene editing technology represents a significant breakthrough in personalized immunotherapy for human cancer. This strategy uses genetic modification to enable T cells to target tumor-specific antigens, attack specific cancer cells, and bypass tumor cell apoptosis avoidance mechanisms to some extent. This method has been extensively used to treat hematologic diseases, but the therapeutic effect in solid tumors is not ideal. Tumor antigen escape, treatment-related toxicity, and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) limit their use of it. Target selection is the most critical aspect in determining the prognosis of patients receiving this treatment. This review provides a comprehensive summary of all therapeutic targets used in the clinic or shown promising potential. We summarize CAR-T cell therapies’ clinical trials, applications, research frontiers, and limitations in treating different cancers. We also explore coping strategies when encountering sub-optimal tumor-associated antigens (TAA) or TAA loss. Moreover, the importance of CAR-T cell therapy in cancer immunotherapy is emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunrun Qu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hui Cao
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province, The Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China.,The School of Clinical Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Lanhua Tang
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Haoyang Mo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Fangkun Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Liyang Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhenjie Yi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Lifu Long
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Luzhe Yan
- XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zeyu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,One-third Lab, College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Peng Luo
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zaoqu Liu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Weijie Ye
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhixiong Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Quan Cheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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