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She T, Yang F, Chen S, Yang H, Tao Z, Xing H, Chen J, Chang H, Lu H, Su T, Jin Y, Zhong Y, Cheng J, Zhu H, Lu X. Snoopligase-catalyzed molecular glue enables efficient generation of hyperoligomerized TRAIL variant with enhanced antitumor effect. J Control Release 2023; 361:856-870. [PMID: 37516318 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.07.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Clinical application of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is predominantly limited by its inefficient apoptosis induction in tumor cells, which might be improved by using molecular superglue-mediated hyperoligomerization to increase its valency. Here, the minimal superglue peptide pairs, including Snoopligase-catalyzed SnoopTagJr/SnoopDogTag and SpyStapler-catalyzed SpyTag/SpyBDTag, were individually fused at the N- or C-terminus of the TRAIL promoter to produce superglue-fusion TRAIL variants. Similar to native trivalent TRAIL, these superglue-fusion TRAIL variants were highly expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) and spontaneously trimerized. In the presence of Snoopligase or SpyStapler, the trivalent superglue-fusion TRAIL variants were predominantly crosslinked into hexavalent TRAIL variants. Nevertheless, Snoopligase was more efficient than SpyStapler in the production of hexavalent TRAIL variants. In particular, Snoopligase-catalyzed trivalent TRAIL variants with N-terminal fusion of SnoopTagJr/SnoopDogTag produced hexavalent SnHexaTR with the highest yield (∼70%). The in vitro cytotoxicity of SnHexaTR was 10-40 times greater than that of TRAIL in several tumor cells. In addition, compared to trivalent TRAIL, hexavalent SnHexaTR showed a longer serum half-life and greater tumor uptake, which resulted in eradication of 50% of tumor xenografts of TRAIL-sensitive COLO 205. In mice bearing TRAIL-resistant HT-29 tumor xenografts, hexavalent SnHexaTR combined with bortezomib encapsulated in liposomes also showed robust tumor growth suppression, indicating that hyperoligomerization mediated by minimal molecular superglue significantly increased the cytotoxicity and antitumor effect of TRAIL. As a novel anticancer agent candidate, the hexavalent SnHexaTR has great potential for clinical application in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianshan She
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, NHC Key Lab of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Fen Yang
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, NHC Key Lab of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Shiyuan Chen
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, NHC Key Lab of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hao Yang
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, NHC Key Lab of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Sichuan Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Pathology in Clinical Application, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Institutes for Systems Genetics, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Ze Tao
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, NHC Key Lab of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Sichuan Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Pathology in Clinical Application, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Institutes for Systems Genetics, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Huimin Xing
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, NHC Key Lab of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, NHC Key Lab of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Huansheng Chang
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, NHC Key Lab of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hongyu Lu
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, NHC Key Lab of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Tao Su
- Institutes for Systems Genetics, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Youmei Jin
- Institutes for Systems Genetics, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yi Zhong
- Institutes for Systems Genetics, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jingqiu Cheng
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, NHC Key Lab of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Sichuan Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Pathology in Clinical Application, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Institutes for Systems Genetics, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hong Zhu
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Xiaofeng Lu
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, NHC Key Lab of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Sichuan Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Pathology in Clinical Application, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Institutes for Systems Genetics, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
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Stringhini M, Mock J, Fontana V, Murer P, Neri D. Antibody-mediated delivery of LIGHT to the tumor boosts natural killer cells and delays tumor progression. MAbs 2021; 13:1868066. [PMID: 33404287 PMCID: PMC7808322 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2020.1868066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
LIGHT is a member of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily, which has been claimed to mediate anti-tumor activity on the basis of cancer cures observed in immunocompetent mice bearing transgenic LIGHT-expressing tumors. The preclinical development of a LIGHT-based therapeutic has been hindered by the lack of functional stability exhibited by this protein. Here, we describe the cloning, expression, and characterization of five antibody-LIGHT fusion proteins, directed against the alternatively spliced extra domain A of fibronectin, a conserved tumor-associated antigen. Among the five tested formats, only the sequential fusion of the F8 antibody in single-chain diabody format, followed by the LIGHT homotrimer expressed as a single polypeptide, yielded a protein (termed "F8-LIGHT") that was not prone to aggregation. A quantitative biodistribution analysis in tumor-bearing mice, using radio-iodinated protein preparations, confirmed that F8-LIGHT was able to preferentially accumulate at the tumor site, with a tumor-to-blood ratio of ca. five to one 24 hours after intravenous administration. Tumor therapy experiments, performed in two murine tumor models (CT26 and WEHI-164), featuring different levels of lymphocyte infiltration into the neoplastic mass, revealed that F8-LIGHT could significantly reduce tumor-cell growth and was more potent than a similar fusion protein (KSF-LIGHT), directed against hen egg lysozyme and serving as negative control of irrelevant specificity in the mouse. At a mechanistic level, the activity of F8-LIGHT was mainly due to an intratumoral expansion of natural killer cells, whereas there was no evidence of expansion of CD8 + T cells, neither in the tumor, nor in draining lymph nodes. Abbreviations: CTLA-4: Cytotoxic T-lymphocytes-associated protein 4; EGFR: Epidermal growth factor receptor; HVEM: Herpesvirus entry mediator; IFNγ: Interferon-gamma; LIGHT: Lymphotoxin, exhibits inducible expression and competes with HSV glycoprotein D for binding to herpesvirus entry mediator, a receptor expressed on T lymphocytes; LTβR: Lymphotoxin beta receptor; NF-κB: Nuclear factor "kappa-light-chain-enhancer" of activated B cells; NK: Natural killer cells; PD-1: Programmed cell death protein 1; PD-L1: Programmed death-ligand 1; TNF: Tumor necrosis factor.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/genetics
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/immunology
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/metabolism
- CHO Cells
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cricetinae
- Cricetulus
- Disease Progression
- Humans
- Killer Cells, Natural/drug effects
- Killer Cells, Natural/immunology
- Lymphocyte Activation/drug effects
- Lymphocyte Activation/immunology
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Neoplasms/immunology
- Neoplasms/metabolism
- Recombinant Fusion Proteins/immunology
- Recombinant Fusion Proteins/pharmacokinetics
- Recombinant Fusion Proteins/pharmacology
- Tissue Distribution
- Tumor Burden/drug effects
- Tumor Burden/immunology
- Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14/genetics
- Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14/immunology
- Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14/metabolism
- Mice
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Stringhini
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jacqueline Mock
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Vanessa Fontana
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Patrizia Murer
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Dario Neri
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
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Fischer R, Kontermann RE, Pfizenmaier K. Selective Targeting of TNF Receptors as a Novel Therapeutic Approach. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:401. [PMID: 32528961 PMCID: PMC7264106 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a central regulator of immunity. Due to its dominant pro-inflammatory effects, drugs that neutralize TNF were developed and are clinically used to treat inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis. However, despite their clinical success the use of anti-TNF drugs is limited, in part due to unwanted, severe side effects and in some diseases its use even is contraindicative. With gaining knowledge about the signaling mechanisms of TNF and the differential role of the two TNF receptors (TNFR), alternative therapeutic concepts based on receptor selective intervention have led to the development of novel protein therapeutics targeting TNFR1 with antagonists and TNFR2 with agonists. These antibodies and bio-engineered ligands are currently in preclinical and early clinical stages of development. Preclinical data obtained in different disease models show that selective targeting of TNFRs has therapeutic potential and may be superior to global TNF blockade in several disease indications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Fischer
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Roland E Kontermann
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Klaus Pfizenmaier
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
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Hartung F, Krüwel T, Shi X, Pfizenmaier K, Kontermann R, Chames P, Alves F, Pardo LA. A Novel Anti-Kv10.1 Nanobody Fused to Single-Chain TRAIL Enhances Apoptosis Induction in Cancer Cells. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:686. [PMID: 32528281 PMCID: PMC7246340 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibody-based therapies hold promise for a safe and efficient treatment of cancer. The identification of target tumor cells through a specific antigen enriched on their surface and the subsequent delivery of the therapeutic agent only to those cells requires, besides the efficacy of the therapeutic agent itself, the identification of an antigen enriched on the surface of tumor cells, the generation of high affinity antibodies against that antigen. We have generated single-domain antibodies (nanobodies) against the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv10.1, which outside of the brain is detectable almost exclusively in tumor cells. The nanobody with highest affinity was fused to an improved form of the tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand TRAIL, to target this cytokine to the surface of tumor cells. The resulting construct, VHH-D9-scTRAIL, shows rapid and strong apoptosis induction in different tumor models in cell culture. The construct combines two sources of specificity, the expression of the antigen restricted to tumor cells and the tumor selectivity of TRAIL. Such specificity combined with the high affinity obtained through nanobodies make the novel agent a promising concept for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Hartung
- Oncophysiology Group, Max Planck, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Krüwel
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Xiaoyi Shi
- Oncophysiology Group, Max Planck, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Klaus Pfizenmaier
- Institut für Zellbiologie und Immunologie, Universität Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Roland Kontermann
- Institut für Zellbiologie und Immunologie, Universität Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Patrick Chames
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Inserm, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, CRCM, Marseille, France
| | - Frauke Alves
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Translational Molecular Imaging Group, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Luis A Pardo
- Oncophysiology Group, Max Planck, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
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Stöhr D, Jeltsch A, Rehm M. TRAIL receptor signaling: From the basics of canonical signal transduction toward its entanglement with ER stress and the unfolded protein response. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 351:57-99. [PMID: 32247582 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2020.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a member of the large TNF superfamily that can trigger apoptosis in transformed or infected cells by binding and activating two receptors, TRAIL receptor 1 (TRAILR1) and TRAIL receptor 2 (TRAILR2). Compared to other death ligands of the same family, TRAIL induces apoptosis preferentially in malignant cells while sparing normal tissue and has therefore been extensively investigated for its suitability as an anti-cancer agent. Recently, it was noticed that TRAIL receptor signaling is also linked to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR). The role of TRAIL receptors in regulating cellular apoptosis susceptibility therefore is broader than previously thought. Here, we provide an overview of TRAIL-induced signaling, covering the core signal transduction during extrinsic apoptosis as well as its link to alternative outcomes, such as necroptosis or NF-κB activation. We discuss how environmental factors, transcriptional regulators, and genetic or epigenetic alterations regulate TRAIL receptors and thus alter cellular TRAIL susceptibility. Finally, we provide insight into the role of TRAIL receptors in signaling scenarios that engage the unfolded protein response and discuss how these findings might be translated into new combination therapies for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Stöhr
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, Stuttgart, Germany; University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart Research Center Systems Biology, Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Albert Jeltsch
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Markus Rehm
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, Stuttgart, Germany; University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart Research Center Systems Biology, Stuttgart, Germany; University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart Centre for Simulation Science, Stuttgart, Germany
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Puca E, Probst P, Stringhini M, Murer P, Pellegrini G, Cazzamalli S, Hutmacher C, Gouyou B, Wulhfard S, Matasci M, Villa A, Neri D. The antibody-based delivery of interleukin-12 to solid tumors boosts NK and CD8 + T cell activity and synergizes with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Int J Cancer 2019; 146:2518-2530. [PMID: 31374124 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
We describe the cloning and characterization of a novel fusion protein (termed L19-mIL12), consisting of murine interleukin-12 in single-chain format, sequentially fused to the L19 antibody in tandem diabody format. The fusion protein bound avidly to the cognate antigen (the alternatively spliced EDB domain of fibronectin), retained the activity of the parental cytokine and was able to selectively localize to murine tumors in vivo, as shown by quantitative biodistribution analysis. L19-mIL12 exhibited a potent antitumor activity in immunocompetent mice bearing CT26 carcinomas and WEHI-164 sarcomas, which could be boosted by combination with checkpoint blockade, leading to durable cancer eradication. L19-mIL12 also inhibited tumor growth in mice with Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC), but in this case, cancer cures could not be obtained, both in monotherapy and in combination. A microscopic analysis and a depletion experiment of tumor-infiltrating leukocytes illustrated the contribution of NK cells and CD8+ T cells for the anticancer activity observed in both tumor models. Upon L19-mIL12 treatment, the density of regulatory T cells (Tregs) was strongly increased in LLC, but not in CT26 tumors. A FACS analysis also revealed that the majority of CD8+ T cells in CT26 tumors were specific to the retroviral AH1 antigen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele Puca
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Probst
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Marco Stringhini
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Patrizia Murer
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Giovanni Pellegrini
- Laboratory for Animal Model Pathology, Universität Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Cornelia Hutmacher
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | - Dario Neri
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
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Abstract
Single-chain formats of TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (scTRAIL) can serve as effector components of tumour-associated antigen-targeted as well as non-targeted fusion proteins, being characterized by high tumour cell-specific induction of apoptosis through death receptor activation. We studied the suitability of immunoglobulin G as a scaffold for oligovalent and bispecific TRAIL fusion proteins. Thus, we developed novel targeted hexa- and dodecavalent IgG-scTRAIL molecules by fusing scTRAIL to the C-terminus of either light (LC-scTRAIL) or heavy immunoglobulin chain (HC-scTRAIL), or to both ends (LC/HC-scTRAIL) of the anti-EGFR IgG antibody hu225. The binding specificity to EGFR and death receptors was retained in all IgG-scTRAIL formats and translated into high antigen-specific bioactivity on EGFR-positive Colo205, HCT116 and WM1366 tumour cell lines, with or without sensitization to apoptosis by bortezomib. In vivo, therapeutic potential was assessed for one of the targeted variants, HC-scTRAIL, compared to the non-targeted Fc-scTRAIL. Both molecules showed a significant reduction of tumour volume and synergism with a Smac mimetic in a Colo205 xenograft tumour model. The IgG-scTRAIL format allows directing a defined, highly bioactive form of TRAIL to a wide variety of tumour antigens, enabling customized solutions for a patient-specific targeted cancer therapy with a reduced risk of side effects.
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