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Butler SE, Hartman CJ, Huang YH, Ackerman ME. Toward high-throughput engineering techniques for improving CAR intracellular signaling domains. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1101122. [PMID: 37051270 PMCID: PMC10083361 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1101122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) are generated by linking extracellular antigen recognition domains with one or more intracellular signaling domains derived from the T-cell receptor complex or various co-stimulatory receptors. The choice and relative positioning of signaling domains help to determine chimeric antigen receptors T-cell activity and fate in vivo. While prior studies have focused on optimizing signaling power through combinatorial investigation of native intracellular signaling domains in modular fashion, few have investigated the prospect of sequence engineering within domains. Here, we sought to develop a novel in situ screening method that could permit deployment of directed evolution approaches to identify intracellular domain variants that drive selective induction of transcription factors. To accomplish this goal, we evaluated a screening approach based on the activation of a human NF-κB and NFAT reporter T-cell line for the isolation of mutations that directly impact T cell activation in vitro. As a proof-of-concept, a model library of chimeric antigen receptors signaling domain variants was constructed and used to demonstrate the ability to discern amongst chimeric antigen receptors containing different co-stimulatory domains. A rare, higher-signaling variant with frequency as low as 1 in 1000 could be identified in a high throughput setting. Collectively, this work highlights both prospects and limitations of novel mammalian display methods for chimeric antigen receptors signaling domain discovery and points to potential strategies for future chimeric antigen receptors development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savannah E. Butler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Colin J. Hartman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Yina H. Huang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Margaret E. Ackerman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
- *Correspondence: Margaret E. Ackerman,
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Zhang W, Auguste A, Liao X, Walterskirchen C, Bauer K, Lin YH, Yang L, Sayedian F, Fabits M, Bergmann M, Binder C, Corrales L, Vogt AB, Hudson LJ, Barnes MP, Bisht A, Giragossian C, Voynov V, Adam PJ, Hipp S. A Novel B7-H6-Targeted IgG-Like T Cell-Engaging Antibody for the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:5190-5201. [PMID: 36166004 PMCID: PMC9713360 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-2108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Advanced-stage gastrointestinal cancers represent a high unmet need requiring new effective therapies. We investigated the antitumor activity of a novel T cell-engaging antibody (B7-H6/CD3 ITE) targeting B7-H6, a tumor-associated antigen that is expressed in gastrointestinal tumors. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Membrane proteomics and IHC analysis identified B7-H6 as a tumor-associated antigen in gastrointestinal tumor tissues with no to very little expression in normal tissues. The antitumor activity and mode of action of B7-H6/CD3 ITE was evaluated in in vitro coculture assays, in humanized mouse tumor models, and in colorectal cancer precision cut tumor slice cultures. RESULTS B7-H6 expression was detected in 98% of colorectal cancer, 77% of gastric cancer, and 63% of pancreatic cancer tissue samples. B7-H6/CD3 ITE-mediated redirection of T cells toward B7-H6-positive tumor cells resulted in B7-H6-dependent lysis of tumor cells, activation and proliferation of T cells, and cytokine secretion in in vitro coculture assays, and infiltration of T cells into tumor tissues associated with tumor regression in in vivo colorectal cancer models. In primary patient-derived colorectal cancer precision-cut tumor slice cultures, treatment with B7-H6/CD3 ITE elicited cytokine secretion by endogenous tumor-infiltrating immune cells. Combination with anti-PD-1 further enhanced the activity of the B7-H6/CD3 ITE. CONCLUSION These data highlight the potential of the B7-H6/CD3 ITE to induce T cell-redirected lysis of tumor cells and recruitment of T cells into noninflamed tumor tissues, leading to antitumor activity in in vitro, in vivo, and human tumor slice cultures, which supports further evaluation in a clinical study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cancer Immunology & Immune Modulation, Ridgefield, Connecticut
| | - Aurélie Auguste
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma, GmbH & Co KG, Translational Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Xiaoyun Liao
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Oncology Translational Science, Ridgefield, Connecticut
| | | | - Kathrin Bauer
- Boehringer Ingelheim RCV, GmbH & Co KG., Cancer Immunology & Immune Modulation, Vienna, Austria
| | - Yu-Hsi Lin
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cancer Immunology & Immune Modulation, Ridgefield, Connecticut
| | - Ling Yang
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cancer Immunology & Immune Modulation, Ridgefield, Connecticut
| | | | - Markus Fabits
- Medical University of Vienna, Division of Visceral Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Bergmann
- Medical University of Vienna, Division of Visceral Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Vienna, Austria
| | - Carina Binder
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Leticia Corrales
- Boehringer Ingelheim RCV, GmbH & Co KG., Cancer Immunology & Immune Modulation, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anne B. Vogt
- Boehringer Ingelheim RCV, GmbH & Co KG., Cancer Immunology & Immune Modulation, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Arnima Bisht
- Oxford BioTherapeutics, Inc., San Jose, California
| | - Craig Giragossian
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Biotherapeutics Discovery, Ridgefield, Connecticut
| | - Vladimir Voynov
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Biotherapeutics Discovery, Ridgefield, Connecticut
| | - Paul J. Adam
- Boehringer Ingelheim RCV, GmbH & Co KG., Cancer Immunology & Immune Modulation, Vienna, Austria
| | - Susanne Hipp
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cancer Immunology & Immune Modulation, Ridgefield, Connecticut.,Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Translational Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Ridgefield, Connecticut.,Corresponding Author: Susanne Hipp, Translational Medicine & Clinical Pharmacology, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 900 Ridgebury Road, P.O. Box 368, Ridgefield, CT 06877-0368. Phone: 203-798-4567; E-mail:
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3
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Peipp M, Klausz K, Boje AS, Zeller T, Zielonka S, Kellner C. Immunotherapeutic targeting of activating natural killer cell receptors and their ligands in cancer. Clin Exp Immunol 2022; 209:22-32. [PMID: 35325068 PMCID: PMC9307233 DOI: 10.1093/cei/uxac028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells exert an important role in cancer immune surveillance. Recognition of malignant cells and controlled activation of effector functions are facilitated by the expression of activating and inhibitory receptors, which is a complex interplay that allows NK cells to discriminate malignant cells from healthy tissues. Due to their unique profile of effector functions, the recruitment of NK cells is attractive in cancer treatment and a key function of NK cells in antibody therapy is widely appreciated. In recent years, besides the low-affinity fragment crystallizable receptor for immunoglobulin G (FcγRIIIA), the activating natural killer receptors p30 (NKp30) and p46 (NKp46), as well as natural killer group 2 member D (NKG2D), have gained increasing attention as potential targets for bispecific antibody-derivatives to redirect NK cell cytotoxicity against tumors. Beyond modulation of the receptor activity on NK cells, therapeutic targeting of the respective ligands represents an attractive approach. Here, novel therapeutic approaches to unleash NK cells by engagement of activating NK-cell receptors and alternative strategies targeting their tumor-expressed ligands in cancer therapy are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Peipp
- Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, Christian Albrechts University and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Katja Klausz
- Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, Christian Albrechts University and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Ammelie Svea Boje
- Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, Christian Albrechts University and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Tobias Zeller
- Division of Transfusion Medicine, Cell Therapeutics and Haemostaseology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christian Kellner
- Correspondence: Christian Kellner, Division of Transfusion Medicine, Cell Therapeutics and Haemostaseology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
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Mohammadi A, Najafi S, Amini M, Mansoori B, Baghbanzadeh A, Hoheisel JD, Baradaran B. The potential of B7-H6 as a therapeutic target in cancer immunotherapy. Life Sci 2022; 304:120709. [PMID: 35697295 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120709] [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: 02/26/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoints are vital molecules that regulate T-cell function by activation or inhibition. Among the immune checkpoint molecules, the B7-family proteins are significantly involved in the immune escape of tumor cells. By binding to inhibitory receptors, they can suppress T-cell-mediated immunity. B7-family proteins are found at various stages of tumor microenvironment formation and promote tumorigenesis and tumor progression. B7-H6 (encoded by gene NCR3LG1) is a prominent member of the family. It has unique immunogenic properties and is involved in natural killer (NK) cell immunosurveillance by binding to the NKp30 receptor. High B7-H6 expression in certain tumor types and shortage of or low expression in healthy cells - except in cases of inflammatory or microbial stimulation - have made the protein an attractive target of research activities in recent years. The avoidance of NK-mediated B7-H6 detection is a mechanism through which tumor cells escape immune surveillance. The stimulation of tumorigenesis occurs by suppressing caspase cascade initiation and anti-apoptosis activity stimulation via the STAT3 pathway. The B7-H6-NKp30 complex on the tumor membrane activates the NK cells and releases both tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ). B7-H6 is highly expressed in a wide range of tumor cells, including glioma, hematologic malignant tumors, and breast cancer cells. Clinical examination of cancer patients indicated that the expression of B7-H6 is related to distant metastasis status and permits postoperative prognosis. Because of its unique properties, B7-H6 has a high potential be utilized as a biological marker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis, as well as a target for novel treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaleh Mohammadi
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran; Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Souzan Najafi
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Amini
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Behzad Mansoori
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Amir Baghbanzadeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Jörg D Hoheisel
- Division of Functional Genome Analysis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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5
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Bulter SE, Brog RA, Chang CH, Sentman CL, Huang YH, Ackerman ME. Engineering a natural ligand-based CAR: directed evolution of the stress-receptor NKp30. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2022; 71:165-176. [PMID: 34046711 PMCID: PMC8626535 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-021-02971-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
B7H6, a stress-induced ligand which binds to the NK cell receptor NKp30, has recently emerged as a promising candidate for immunotherapy due to its tumor-specific expression on a broad array of human tumors. NKp30 can function as a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) extracellular domain but exhibits weak binding with a fast on and off rate to B7H6 compared to the TZ47 anti-B7H6 single-chain variable fragment (scFv). Here, directed evolution using yeast display was employed to isolate novel NKp30 variants that bind to B7H6 with higher affinity compared to the native receptor but retain its fast association and dissociation profile. Two variants, CC3 and CC5, were selected for further characterization and were expressed as soluble Fc-fusion proteins and CARs containing CD28 and CD3ς intracellular domains. We observed that Fc-fusion protein forms of NKp30 and its variants were better able to bind tumor cells expressing low levels of B7H6 than TZ47, and that the novel variants generally exhibited improved in vitro tumor cell killing relative to NKp30. Interestingly, CAR T cells expressing the engineered variants produced unique cytokine signatures in response to multiple tumor types expressing B7H6 compared to both NKp30 and TZ47. These findings suggest that natural CAR receptors can be fine-tuned to produce more desirable signaling outputs while maintaining evolutionary advantages in ligand recognition relative to scFvs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savannah E. Bulter
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Rachel A. Brog
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Cheryl H. Chang
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Charles L. Sentman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Yina H. Huang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Margaret E. Ackerman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA,Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA,Corresponding author: Margaret E. Ackerman, Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, 14 Engineering Dr, Hanover, NH 03755 USA, (ph) 603 646 9922,
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6
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Kalousková B, Skořepa O, Cmunt D, Abreu C, Krejčová K, Bláha J, Sieglová I, Král V, Fábry M, Pola R, Pechar M, Vaněk O. Tumor Marker B7-H6 Bound to the Coiled Coil Peptide-Polymer Conjugate Enables Targeted Therapy by Activating Human Natural Killer Cells. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9111597. [PMID: 34829829 PMCID: PMC8615638 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9111597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted cancer immunotherapy is a promising tool for restoring immune surveillance and eradicating cancer cells. Hydrophilic polymers modified with coiled coil peptide tags can be used as universal carriers designed for cell-specific delivery of such biologically active proteins. Here, we describe the preparation of pHPMA-based copolymer conjugated with immunologically active protein B7-H6 via complementary coiled coil VAALEKE (peptide E) and VAALKEK (peptide K) sequences. Receptor B7-H6 was described as a binding partner of NKp30, and its expression has been proven for various tumor cell lines. The binding of B7-H6 to NKp30 activates NK cells and results in Fas ligand or granzyme-mediated apoptosis of target tumor cells. In this work, we optimized the expression of coiled coil tagged B7-H6, its ability to bind activating receptor NKp30 has been confirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry, and the binding stoichiometry of prepared chimeric biopolymer has been characterized by analytical ultracentrifugation. Furthermore, this coiled coil B7-H6-loaded polymer conjugate activates NK cells in vitro and, in combination with coiled coil scFv, enables their targeting towards a model tumor cell line. Prepared chimeric biopolymer represents a promising precursor for targeted cancer immunotherapy by activating the cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Kalousková
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 2030, 12840 Prague, Czech Republic; (B.K.); (O.S.); (D.C.); (C.A.); (K.K.); (J.B.)
| | - Ondřej Skořepa
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 2030, 12840 Prague, Czech Republic; (B.K.); (O.S.); (D.C.); (C.A.); (K.K.); (J.B.)
| | - Denis Cmunt
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 2030, 12840 Prague, Czech Republic; (B.K.); (O.S.); (D.C.); (C.A.); (K.K.); (J.B.)
| | - Celeste Abreu
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 2030, 12840 Prague, Czech Republic; (B.K.); (O.S.); (D.C.); (C.A.); (K.K.); (J.B.)
| | - Kateřina Krejčová
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 2030, 12840 Prague, Czech Republic; (B.K.); (O.S.); (D.C.); (C.A.); (K.K.); (J.B.)
| | - Jan Bláha
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 2030, 12840 Prague, Czech Republic; (B.K.); (O.S.); (D.C.); (C.A.); (K.K.); (J.B.)
| | - Irena Sieglová
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic; (I.S.); (V.K.); (M.F.)
| | - Vlastimil Král
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic; (I.S.); (V.K.); (M.F.)
| | - Milan Fábry
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic; (I.S.); (V.K.); (M.F.)
| | - Robert Pola
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovského nám. 2, 16206 Prague, Czech Republic; (R.P.); (M.P.)
| | - Michal Pechar
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovského nám. 2, 16206 Prague, Czech Republic; (R.P.); (M.P.)
| | - Ondřej Vaněk
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 2030, 12840 Prague, Czech Republic; (B.K.); (O.S.); (D.C.); (C.A.); (K.K.); (J.B.)
- Correspondence:
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7
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Thomas PL, Groves SM, Zhang YK, Li J, Gonzalez-Ericsson P, Sivagnanam S, Betts CB, Chen HC, Liu Q, Lowe C, Chen H, Boyd KL, Kopparapu PR, Yan Y, Coussens LM, Quaranta V, Tyson DR, Iams W, Lovly CM. Beyond Programmed Death-Ligand 1: B7-H6 Emerges as a Potential Immunotherapy Target in SCLC. J Thorac Oncol 2021; 16:1211-1223. [PMID: 33839362 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2021.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint inhibitors, atezolizumab and durvalumab, have received regulatory approval for the first-line treatment of patients with extensive-stage SCLC. Nevertheless, when used in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy, these PD-L1 inhibitors only improve overall survival by 2 to 3 months. This may be due to the observation that less than 20% of SCLC tumors express PD-L1 at greater than 1%. Evaluating the composition and abundance of checkpoint molecules in SCLC may identify molecules beyond PD-L1 that are amenable to therapeutic targeting. METHODS We analyzed RNA-sequencing data from SCLC cell lines (n = 108) and primary tumor specimens (n = 81) for expression of 39 functionally validated inhibitory checkpoint ligands. Furthermore, we generated tissue microarrays containing SCLC cell lines and patient with SCLC specimens to confirm expression of these molecules by immunohistochemistry. We annotated patient outcomes data, including treatment response and overall survival. RESULTS The checkpoint protein B7-H6 (NCR3LG1) exhibited increased protein expression relative to PD-L1 in cell lines and tumors (p < 0.05). Higher B7-H6 protein expression correlated with longer progression-free survival (p = 0.0368) and increased total immune infiltrates (CD45+) in patients. Furthermore, increased B7-H6 gene expression in SCLC tumors correlated with a decreased activated natural killer cell gene signature, suggesting a complex interplay between B7-H6 expression and immune signature in SCLC. CONCLUSIONS We investigated 39 inhibitory checkpoint molecules in SCLC and found that B7-H6 is highly expressed and associated with progression-free survival. In addition, 26 of 39 immune checkpoint proteins in SCLC tumors were more abundantly expressed than PD-L1, indicating an urgent need to investigate additional checkpoint targets for therapy in addition to PD-L1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Portia L Thomas
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Physiology, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee; School of Graduate Studies & Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Sarah M Groves
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Yun-Kai Zhang
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Paula Gonzalez-Ericsson
- Breast Cancer Research Program, Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Shamilene Sivagnanam
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon; Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Courtney B Betts
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon; Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Hua-Chang Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Cindy Lowe
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Heidi Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Kelli L Boyd
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Prasad R Kopparapu
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Yingjun Yan
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Lisa M Coussens
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon; Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Vito Quaranta
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Darren R Tyson
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Wade Iams
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Christine M Lovly
- School of Graduate Studies & Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee; Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
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8
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Obajdin J, Davies DM, Maher J. Engineering of chimeric natural killer cell receptors to develop precision adoptive immunotherapies for cancer. Clin Exp Immunol 2020; 202:11-27. [PMID: 32544282 PMCID: PMC7488126 DOI: 10.1111/cei.13478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate immune effectors which play a crucial role in recognizing and eliminating virally infected and cancerous cells. They effectively distinguish between healthy and distressed self through the integration of signals delivered by germline‐encoded activating and inhibitory cell surface receptors. The frequent up‐regulation of stress markers on genetically unstable cancer cells has prompted the development of novel immunotherapies that exploit such innate receptors. One prominent example entails the development of chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) that detect cell surface ligands bound by NK receptors, coupling this engagement to the delivery of tailored immune activating signals. Here, we review strategies to engineer CARs in which specificity is conferred by natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) or other NK receptor types. Multiple preclinical studies have demonstrated the remarkable ability of chimeric NK receptor‐targeted T cells and NK cells to effectively and specifically eliminate cancer cells and to reject established tumour burdens. Importantly, such systems act not only acutely but, in some cases, they also incite immunological memory. Moreover, CARs targeted with the NKG2D ligand binding domain have also been shown to disrupt the tumour microenvironment, through the targeting of suppressive T regulatory cells, myeloid‐derived suppressor cells and tumour vasculature. Collectively, these findings have led to the initiation of early‐phase clinical trials evaluating both autologous and allogeneic NKG2D‐targeted CAR T cells in the haematological and solid tumour settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Obajdin
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, CAR Mechanics Laboratory, Guy's Cancer Centre, King's College London, London, UK
| | - D M Davies
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, CAR Mechanics Laboratory, Guy's Cancer Centre, King's College London, London, UK
| | - J Maher
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, CAR Mechanics Laboratory, Guy's Cancer Centre, King's College London, London, UK.,Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,Department of Immunology, Eastbourne Hospital, Eastbourne, UK.,Leucid Bio Ltd, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
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9
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Finding the Keys to the CAR: Identifying Novel Target Antigens for T Cell Redirection Immunotherapies. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21020515. [PMID: 31947597 PMCID: PMC7014258 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21020515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Oncology immunotherapy has been a significant advancement in cancer treatment and involves harnessing and redirecting a patient’s immune response towards their own tumour. Specific recognition and elimination of tumour cells was first proposed over a century ago with Paul Erlich’s ‘magic bullet’ theory of therapy. In the past decades, targeting cancer antigens by redirecting T cells with antibodies using either bispecific T cell engagers (BiTEs) or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has achieved impressive clinical responses. Despite recent successes in haematological cancers, linked to a high and uniformly expressed CD19 antigen, the efficacy of T cell therapies in solid cancers has been disappointing, in part due to antigen escape. Targeting heterogeneous solid tumours with T cell therapies will require the identification of novel tumour specific targets. These targets can be found among a range of cell-surface expressed antigens, including proteins, glycolipids or carbohydrates. In this review, we will introduce the current tumour target antigen classification, outline existing approaches to discover novel tumour target antigens and discuss considerations for future design of antibodies with a focus on their use in CAR T cells.
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Jia Y, Ren P, Duan S, Zeng P, Xie D, Zeng F. An optimized yeast display strategy for efficient scFv antibody selection using ribosomal skipping system and thermo resistant yeast. Biotechnol Lett 2019; 41:1067-1076. [PMID: 31300936 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-019-02710-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Establish a method to restrict unexpected fragments including stop codons in scFv library and generate a thermo resistant strain for screening of thermal stable scFv sequences. RESULTS Here, we have constructed a T2A-Leu2 system for selection of yeast surface display libraries that blocks amplification of "stop codon" plasmids within the library, thereby increasing the quality of the library and efficiency of the selection screen. Also, we generated a temperature-resistant yeast strain, TR1, and validated its combined use with T2A-Leu2 for efficient screening. Thus, we developed a general approach for a fast and efficient screening of scFv libraries using a ribosomal skipping system and thermo-resistant yeast. CONCLUSIONS The method highlights the utility of the T2A-Leu2-based ribosomal skipping strategy for increasing the quality of the input library for selection, along with an optimized selection protocol based on thermo-resistant yeast cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanrong Jia
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, Hebei, China
| | - Ping Ren
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Shixin Duan
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, Hebei, China
| | - Pei Zeng
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, Hebei, China
| | - Debao Xie
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, Hebei, China
| | - Fanli Zeng
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, Hebei, China.
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Barrow AD, Martin CJ, Colonna M. The Natural Cytotoxicity Receptors in Health and Disease. Front Immunol 2019; 10:909. [PMID: 31134055 PMCID: PMC6514059 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 219] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The Natural Cytotoxicity Receptors (NCRs), NKp46, NKp44, and NKp30, were some of the first human activating Natural Killer (NK) cell receptors involved in the non-MHC-restricted recognition of tumor cells to be cloned over 20 years ago. Since this time many host- and pathogen-encoded ligands have been proposed to bind the NCRs and regulate the cytotoxic and cytokine-secreting functions of tissue NK cells. This diverse set of NCR ligands can manifest on the surface of tumor or virus-infected cells or can be secreted extracellularly, suggesting a remarkable NCR polyfunctionality that regulates the activity of NK cells in different tissue compartments during steady state or inflammation. Moreover, the NCRs can also be expressed by other innate and adaptive immune cell subsets under certain tissue conditions potentially conferring NK recognition programs to these cells. Here we review NCR biology in health and disease with particular reference to how this important class of receptors regulates the functions of tissue NK cells as well as confer NK cell recognition patterns to other innate and adaptive lymphocyte subsets. Finally, we highlight how NCR biology is being harnessed for novel therapeutic interventions particularly for enhanced tumor surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander David Barrow
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Claudia Jane Martin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Marco Colonna
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
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Gacerez AT, Hua CK, Ackerman ME, Sentman CL. Chimeric antigen receptors with human scFvs preferentially induce T cell anti-tumor activity against tumors with high B7H6 expression. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2018; 67:749-759. [PMID: 29453518 PMCID: PMC11028385 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-018-2124-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
B7H6 is emerging as a promising tumor antigen that is known to be expressed on a wide array of tumors and is reported to stimulate anti-tumor responses from the immune system. As such, B7H6 presents a good target for tumor-specific immunotherapies. B7H6-specific chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) based on a murine antibody showed successful targeting and elimination of tumors expressing B7H6. However, mouse single chain variable fragments (scFvs) have the potential to induce host anti-CAR responses that may limit efficacy, so human scFvs specific for B7H6 were selected by yeast surface display. In this study, we validate the functionality of these human scFvs when formatted into chimeric antigen receptors. The data indicate that T cells expressing these B7H6-specific human scFvs as CARs induced potent anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo against tumors expressing high amounts of B7H6. Importantly, these human scFv-based CARs are sensitive to changes in B7H6 expression which may potentially spare non-tumor cells that express B7H6 and provides the foundation for future clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert T Gacerez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA
- Center for Synthetic Immunity, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA
| | - Casey K Hua
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Margaret E Ackerman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Charles L Sentman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA.
- Center for Synthetic Immunity, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA.
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