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Ma P, Jiang Y, Zhao G, Wang W, Xing S, Tang Q, Miao H, Fang H, Sun C, Fang Y, Jiang N, Huang H, Wang S, Xie X, Li N. Toward a comprehensive solution for treating solid tumors using T-cell receptor therapy: A review. Eur J Cancer 2024; 209:114224. [PMID: 39067370 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2024.114224] [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: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
T-cell receptor therapy (TCR-T) has demonstrated efficacy, durability, and safety advantages in certain solid tumors (such as human papillomavirus-related tumors, synovial sarcoma, and melanoma). This study aimed to provide careful considerations for developing TCR-T for solid tumors. Therefore, in this review, we have summarized the current clinical application, advantage of TCR-T modalities and explored efficacy/safety-related parameters, particularly avidity, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, and indications, for solid tumors. Furthermore, we have investigated critical factors related to avidity, including antigen selection, T-cell receptor acquisition, optimization, and co-receptor engagement. Moreover, we have re-examined the expression of tumor antigens for a potentially higher coverage rate of solid tumors based on the current RNA-seq datasets. Finally, we have discussed the current limitations and future directions of TCR-Ts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiwen Ma
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Yale Jiang
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Guo Zhao
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Wenbo Wang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Shujun Xing
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Qiyu Tang
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Huilei Miao
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Hong Fang
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Chao Sun
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Yuan Fang
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Ning Jiang
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Huiyao Huang
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Shuhang Wang
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
| | - Xingwang Xie
- Building 1, Bohui innovation building, yard 9, Sheng Life Garden Road, Changping District, Beijing, China.
| | - Ning Li
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
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2
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Wermke M, Holderried TAW, Luke JJ, Morris VK, Alsdorf WH, Wetzko K, Andersson BS, Wistuba II, Parra ER, Hossain MB, Grund-Gröschke S, Aslan K, Satelli A, Marisetty A, Satam S, Kalra M, Hukelmann J, Kursunel MA, Pozo K, Acs A, Backert L, Baumeister M, Bunk S, Wagner C, Schoor O, Mohamed AS, Mayer-Mokler A, Hilf N, Krishna D, Walter S, Tsimberidou AM, Britten CM. First-in-human dose escalation trial to evaluate the clinical safety and efficacy of an anti-MAGEA1 autologous TCR-transgenic T cell therapy in relapsed and refractory solid tumors. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008668. [PMID: 39038917 PMCID: PMC11268062 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008668] [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] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE OF THE TRIAL Although the use of engineered T cells in cancer immunotherapy has greatly advanced the treatment of hematological malignancies, reaching meaningful clinical responses in the treatment of solid tumors is still challenging. We investigated the safety and tolerability of IMA202 in a first-in-human, dose escalation basket trial in human leucocyte antigen A*02:01 positive patients with melanoma-associated antigen A1 (MAGEA1)-positive advanced solid tumors. TRIAL DESIGN The 2+2 trial design was an algorithmic design based on a maximally acceptable dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) rate of 25% and the sample size was driven by the algorithmic design with a maximum of 16 patients. IMA202 consists of autologous genetically modified cytotoxic CD8+ T cells expressing a T cell receptor (TCR), which is specific for a nine amino acid peptide derived from MAGEA1. Eligible patients underwent leukapheresis, T cells were isolated, transduced with lentiviral vector carrying MAGEA1-specific TCR and following lymphodepletion (fludarabine/cyclophosphamide), infused with a median of 1.4×109 specific T cells (range, 0.086×109-2.57×109) followed by interleukin 2. SAFETY OF IMA202: No DLT was observed. The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were cytopenias, that is, neutropenia (81.3%), lymphopenia (75.0%), anemia (50.0%), thrombocytopenia (50.0%) and leukopenia (25.0%). 13 patients experienced cytokine release syndrome, including one grade 3 event. Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome was observed in two patients and was grade 1 in both. EFFICACY OF IMA202: Of the 16 patients dosed, 11 (68.8%) patients had stable disease (SD) as their best overall response (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors V.1.1). Five patients had initial tumor shrinkage in target lesions and one patient with SD experienced continued shrinkage in target lesions for 3 months in total but had to be classified as progressive disease due to progressive non-target lesions. IMA202 T cells were persistent in peripheral blood for several weeks to months and were also detectable in tumor tissue. Peak persistence was higher in patients who received higher doses. CONCLUSION In conclusion, IMA202 had a manageable safety profile, and it was associated with biological and potential clinical activity of MAGEA1-targeting genetically engineered TCR-T cells in a poor prognosis, multi-indication solid tumor cohort. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS NCT04639245, NCT05430555.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Wermke
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, Dresden, Germany
| | - Tobias A W Holderried
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Immunooncology, Stem Cell Transplantation, and Rheumatology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jason John Luke
- Cancer Immunotherapeutics Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Van K Morris
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Division of Cancer Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Winfried H Alsdorf
- Department of Oncology, Hematology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Katrin Wetzko
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany
| | - Borje S Andersson
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ignacio I Wistuba
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Edwin R Parra
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | | | - Katrin Aslan
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Tuebingen, Germany
| | | | | | - Swapna Satam
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Tuebingen, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Andreas Acs
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Tuebingen, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Norbert Hilf
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Tuebingen, Germany
| | | | | | - Apostolia M Tsimberidou
- Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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3
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Ercilla-Rodríguez P, Sánchez-Díez M, Alegría-Aravena N, Quiroz-Troncoso J, Gavira-O'Neill CE, González-Martos R, Ramírez-Castillejo C. CAR-T lymphocyte-based cell therapies; mechanistic substantiation, applications and biosafety enhancement with suicide genes: new opportunities to melt side effects. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1333150. [PMID: 39091493 PMCID: PMC11291200 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1333150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has made significant strides in cancer treatment with strategies like checkpoint blockade antibodies and adoptive T cell transfer. Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T) have emerged as a promising approach to combine these strategies and overcome their limitations. This review explores CAR-T cells as a living drug for cancer treatment. CAR-T cells are genetically engineered immune cells designed to target and eliminate tumor cells by recognizing specific antigens. The study involves a comprehensive literature review on CAR-T cell technology, covering structure optimization, generations, manufacturing processes, and gene therapy strategies. It examines CAR-T therapy in haematologic cancers and solid tumors, highlighting challenges and proposing a suicide gene-based mechanism to enhance safety. The results show significant advancements in CAR-T technology, particularly in structure optimization and generation. The manufacturing process has improved for broader clinical application. However, a series of inherent challenges and side effects still need to be addressed. In conclusion, CAR-T cells hold great promise for cancer treatment, but ongoing research is crucial to improve efficacy and safety for oncology patients. The proposed suicide gene-based mechanism offers a potential solution to mitigate side effects including cytokine release syndrome (the most common toxic side effect of CAR-T therapy) and the associated neurotoxicity.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/adverse effects
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/genetics
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/immunology
- Genes, Transgenic, Suicide
- Neoplasms/therapy
- Neoplasms/immunology
- Neoplasms/genetics
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- Animals
- Genetic Therapy/adverse effects
- Genetic Therapy/methods
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marta Sánchez-Díez
- ETSIAAB, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Laboratorio Cancer Stem Cell, HST group, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nicolás Alegría-Aravena
- Grupo de Biología y Producción de Cérvidos, Instituto de Desarrollo Regional, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
- Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (AECC)-Fundación Científica AECC, Albacete, Spain
| | - Josefa Quiroz-Troncoso
- ETSIAAB, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Laboratorio Cancer Stem Cell, HST group, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Clara E. Gavira-O'Neill
- Laboratorio Cancer Stem Cell, HST group, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Sección de Oncología, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel González-Martos
- ETSIAAB, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Laboratorio Cancer Stem Cell, HST group, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Ramírez-Castillejo
- ETSIAAB, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Laboratorio Cancer Stem Cell, HST group, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Sección de Oncología, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
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4
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Lo Presti V, Meringa A, Dunnebach E, van Velzen A, Moreira AV, Stam RW, Kotecha RS, Krippner-Heidenreich A, Heidenreich OT, Plantinga M, Cornel A, Sebestyen Z, Kuball J, van Til NP, Nierkens S. Combining CRISPR-Cas9 and TCR exchange to generate a safe and efficient cord blood-derived T cell product for pediatric relapsed AML. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008174. [PMID: 38580329 PMCID: PMC11002379 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008174] [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] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is an effective treatment for pediatric patients with high-risk, refractory, or relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, a large proportion of transplanted patients eventually die due to relapse. To improve overall survival, we propose a combined strategy based on cord blood (CB)-HCT with the application of AML-specific T cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cell therapy derived from the same CB graft. METHODS We produced CB-CD8+ T cells expressing a recombinant TCR (rTCR) against Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) while lacking endogenous TCR (eTCR) expression to avoid mispairing and competition. CRISPR-Cas9 multiplexing was used to target the constant region of the endogenous TCRα (TRAC) and TCRβ (TRBC) chains. Next, an optimized method for lentiviral transduction was used to introduce recombinant WT1-TCR. The cytotoxic and migration capacity of the product was evaluated in coculture assays for both cell lines and primary pediatric AML blasts. RESULTS The gene editing and transduction procedures achieved high efficiency, with up to 95% of cells lacking eTCR and over 70% of T cells expressing rWT1-TCR. WT1-TCR-engineered T cells lacking the expression of their eTCR (eTCR-/- WT1-TCR) showed increased cell surface expression of the rTCR and production of cytotoxic cytokines, such as granzyme A and B, perforin, interferon-γ (IFNγ), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), on antigen recognition when compared with WT1-TCR-engineered T cells still expressing their eTCR (eTCR+/+ WT1-TCR). CRISPR-Cas9 editing did not affect immunophenotypic characteristics or T cell activation and did not induce increased expression of inhibitory molecules. eTCR-/- WT1-TCR CD8+ CB-T cells showed effective migratory and killing capacity in cocultures with neoplastic cell lines and primary AML blasts, but did not show toxicity toward healthy cells. CONCLUSIONS In summary, we show the feasibility of developing a potent CB-derived CD8+ T cell product targeting WT1, providing an option for post-transplant allogeneic immune cell therapy or as an off-the-shelf product, to prevent relapse and improve the clinical outcome of children with AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vania Lo Presti
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Angelo Meringa
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ester Dunnebach
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alice van Velzen
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Ronald W Stam
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rishi S Kotecha
- Department of Clinical Haematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Perth Children's Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | | | | | - Maud Plantinga
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Annelisa Cornel
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Zsolt Sebestyen
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jurgen Kuball
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Niek P van Til
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Child Neurology, Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam Neuroscience, Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - S Nierkens
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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5
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Rosenberg AM, Ayres CM, Medina-Cucurella AV, Whitehead TA, Baker BM. Enhanced T cell receptor specificity through framework engineering. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1345368. [PMID: 38545094 PMCID: PMC10967027 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1345368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Development of T cell receptors (TCRs) as immunotherapeutics is hindered by inherent TCR cross-reactivity. Engineering more specific TCRs has proven challenging, as unlike antibodies, improving TCR affinity does not usually improve specificity. Although various protein design approaches have been explored to surmount this, mutations in TCR binding interfaces risk broadening specificity or introducing new reactivities. Here we explored if TCR specificity could alternatively be tuned through framework mutations distant from the interface. Studying the 868 TCR specific for the HIV SL9 epitope presented by HLA-A2, we used deep mutational scanning to identify a framework mutation above the mobile CDR3β loop. This glycine to proline mutation had no discernable impact on binding affinity or functional avidity towards the SL9 epitope but weakened recognition of SL9 escape variants and led to fewer responses in a SL9-derived positional scanning library. In contrast, an interfacial mutation near the tip of CDR3α that also did not impact affinity or functional avidity towards SL9 weakened specificity. Simulations indicated that the specificity-enhancing mutation functions by reducing the range of loop motions, limiting the ability of the TCR to adjust to different ligands. Although our results are likely to be TCR dependent, using framework engineering to control TCR loop motions may be a viable strategy for improving the specificity of TCR-based immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron M. Rosenberg
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
| | - Cory M. Ayres
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
| | | | - Timothy A. Whitehead
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Brian M. Baker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
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6
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Nayak V, Patra S, Singh KR, Ganguly B, Kumar DN, Panda D, Maurya GK, Singh J, Majhi S, Sharma R, Pandey SS, Singh RP, Kerry RG. Advancement in precision diagnosis and therapeutic for triple-negative breast cancer: Harnessing diagnostic potential of CRISPR-cas & engineered CAR T-cells mediated therapeutics. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 235:116573. [PMID: 37437865 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth, disrupted regulatory pathways, and the accumulation of genetic mutations. These mutations across different types of cancer lead to disruptions in signaling pathways and alterations in protein expression related to cellular growth and proliferation. This review highlights the AKT signaling cascade and the retinoblastoma protein (pRb) regulating cascade as promising for novel nanotheranostic interventions. Through synergizing state-of-the-art gene editing tools like the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-Cas system with nanomaterials and targeting AKT, there is potential to enhance cancer diagnostics significantly. Furthermore, the integration of modified CAR-T cells into multifunctional nanodelivery systems offers a promising approach for targeted cancer inhibition, including the eradication of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Within the context of highly aggressive and metastatic Triple-negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), this review specifically focuses on devising innovative nanotheranostics. For both pre-clinical and post-clinical TNBC detection, the utilization of the CRISPR-Cas system, guided by RNA (gRNA) and coupled with a fluorescent reporter specifically designed to detect TNBC's mutated sequence, could be promising. Additionally, a cutting-edge approach involving the engineering of TNBC-specific iCAR and syn-Notch CAR T-cells, combined with the co-delivery of a hybrid polymeric nano-liposome encapsulating a conditionally replicative adenoviral vector (CRAdV) against CSCs, could present an intriguing intervention strategy. This review thus paves the way for exciting advancements in the field of nanotheranostics for the treatment of TNBC and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinayak Nayak
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research- National Institute on Foot and Mouth Disease- International Center for Foot and Mouth Disease, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Sushmita Patra
- Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Navi-Mumbai 410210, India
| | - Kshitij Rb Singh
- Graduate School of Life Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, 2-4 Hibikino, Wakamatsu, Kitakyushu, Japan.
| | - Bristy Ganguly
- Fish Health Management Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Das Nishant Kumar
- PG Department of Biotechnology, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Deepak Panda
- PG Department of Biotechnology, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Ganesh Kumar Maurya
- Zoology Section, Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Jay Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sanatan Majhi
- PG Department of Biotechnology, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Rohit Sharma
- Department of Rasa Shastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Shyam S Pandey
- Graduate School of Life Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, 2-4 Hibikino, Wakamatsu, Kitakyushu, Japan.
| | - Ravindra Pratap Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, India.
| | - Rout George Kerry
- PG Department of Biotechnology, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
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7
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Pruitt HC, Guan Y, Liu H, Carey AE, Brennen WN, Lu J, Joshu C, Weeraratna A, Lotan TL, Karin Eisinger-Mathason TS, Gerecht S. Collagen VI deposition mediates stromal T cell trapping through inhibition of T cell motility in the prostate tumor microenvironment. Matrix Biol 2023; 121:90-104. [PMID: 37331435 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2023.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The tumor extracellular matrix (ECM) is a barrier to anti-tumor immunity in solid tumors by disrupting T cell-tumor cell interaction underlying the need for elucidating mechanisms by which specific ECM proteins impact T cell motility and activity within the desmoplastic stroma of solid tumors. Here, we show that Collagen VI (Col VI) deposition correlates with stromal T cell density in human prostate cancer specimens. Furthermore, motility of CD4+ T cells is completely ablated on purified Col VI surfaces when compared with Fibronectin and Collagen I. Importantly, T cells adhered to Col VI surfaces displayed reduced cell spreading and fibrillar actin, indicating a reduction in traction force generation accompanied by a decrease in integrin β1 clustering. We found that CD4+ T cells largely lack expression of integrin α1 in the prostate tumor microenvironment and that blockade of α1β1 integrin heterodimers inhibited CD8+ T cell motility on prostate fibroblast-derived matrix, while re-expression of ITGA1 improved motility. Taken together, we show that the Col VI-rich microenvironment in prostate cancer reduces the motility of CD4+ T cells lacking integrin α1, leading to their accumulation in the stroma, thus putatively inhibiting anti-tumor T cell responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hawley C Pruitt
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ya Guan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Hudson Liu
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alexis E Carey
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - W Nathaniel Brennen
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jiayun Lu
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Corrine Joshu
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ashani Weeraratna
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tamara L Lotan
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - T S Karin Eisinger-Mathason
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sharon Gerecht
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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8
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Rappazzo CG, Fernández-Quintero ML, Mayer A, Wu NC, Greiff V, Guthmiller JJ. Defining and Studying B Cell Receptor and TCR Interactions. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2023; 211:311-322. [PMID: 37459189 PMCID: PMC10495106 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
BCRs (Abs) and TCRs (or adaptive immune receptors [AIRs]) are the means by which the adaptive immune system recognizes foreign and self-antigens, playing an integral part in host defense, as well as the emergence of autoimmunity. Importantly, the interaction between AIRs and their cognate Ags defies a simple key-in-lock paradigm and is instead a complex many-to-many mapping between an individual's massively diverse AIR repertoire, and a similarly diverse antigenic space. Understanding how adaptive immunity balances specificity with epitopic coverage is a key challenge for the field, and terms such as broad specificity, cross-reactivity, and polyreactivity remain ill-defined and are used inconsistently. In this Immunology Notes and Resources article, a group of experimental, structural, and computational immunologists define commonly used terms associated with AIR binding, describe methodologies to study these binding modes, as well as highlight the implications of these different binding modes for therapeutic design.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andreas Mayer
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Nicholas C. Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Victor Greiff
- Department of Immunology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, 0372 Oslo, Norway
| | - Jenna J. Guthmiller
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045
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9
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Chen YJ, Chen M, Cheng TL, Tsai YS, Wang CH, Chen CY, Wu TY, Tzou SC, Wang KH, Cheng JJ, Kao AP, Lin SY, Chuang KH. A non-genetic engineering platform for rapidly generating and expanding cancer-specific armed T cells. J Biomed Sci 2023; 30:35. [PMID: 37259079 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-023-00929-z] [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: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer-specific adoptive T cell therapy has achieved successful milestones in multiple clinical treatments. However, the commercial production of cancer-specific T cells is often hampered by laborious cell culture procedures, the concern of retrovirus-based gene transfection, or insufficient T cell purity. METHODS In this study, we developed a non-genetic engineering technology for rapidly manufacturing a large amount of cancer-specific T cells by utilizing a unique anti-cancer/anti-CD3 bispecific antibody (BsAb) to directly culture human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The anti-CD3 moiety of the BsAb bound to the T cell surface and stimulated the differentiation and proliferation of T cells in PBMCs. The anti-cancer moiety of the BsAb provided these BsAb-armed T cells with the cancer-targeting ability, which transformed the naïve T cells into cancer-specific BsAb-armed T cells. RESULTS With this technology, a large amount of cancer-specific BsAb-armed T cells can be rapidly generated with a purity of over 90% in 7 days. These BsAb-armed T cells efficiently accumulated at the tumor site both in vitro and in vivo. Cytotoxins (perforin and granzyme) and cytokines (TNF-α and IFN-γ) were dramatically released from the BsAb-armed T cells after engaging cancer cells, resulting in a remarkable anti-cancer efficacy. Notably, the BsAb-armed T cells did not cause obvious cytokine release syndrome or tissue toxicity in SCID mice bearing human tumors. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, the BsAb-armed T cell technology represents a simple, time-saving, and highly safe method to generate highly pure cancer-specific effector T cells, thereby providing an affordable T cell immunotherapy to patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Jou Chen
- Graduate Institute of Pharmacognosy, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Michael Chen
- Graduate Institute of Pharmacognosy, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tian-Lu Cheng
- Drug Development and Value Creation Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Shan Tsai
- Master Program in Clinical Genomics and Proteomics, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chang-Hung Wang
- Ph.D. Program in Clinical Drug Development of Herbal Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Che-Yi Chen
- Ph.D. Program in Clinical Drug Development of Herbal Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tung-Yun Wu
- Ph.D. Program in Clinical Drug Development of Herbal Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shey-Cherng Tzou
- Departmet of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Hung Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Kuo General Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Jing-Jy Cheng
- National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Shyr-Yi Lin
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Medical University Hospital, 252 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Department of General Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Kuo-Hsiang Chuang
- Graduate Institute of Pharmacognosy, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Drug Development and Value Creation Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
- Master Program in Clinical Genomics and Proteomics, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Ph.D. Program in Clinical Drug Development of Herbal Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Traditional Herbal Medicine Research Center of Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Ph.D Program in Biotechnology Research and Development, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- The Ph.D. Program of Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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10
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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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11
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Grailer J, Cheng ZJ, Hartnett J, Slater M, Fan F, Cong M. A Novel Cell-based Luciferase Reporter Platform for the Development and Characterization of T-Cell Redirecting Therapies and Vaccine Development. J Immunother 2023; 46:96-106. [PMID: 36809225 PMCID: PMC9988225 DOI: 10.1097/cji.0000000000000453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
T-cell immunotherapies are promising strategies to generate T-cell responses towards tumor-derived or pathogen-derived antigens. Adoptive transfer of T cells genetically modified to express antigen receptor transgenes has shown promise for the treatment of cancer. However, the development of T-cell redirecting therapies relies on the use of primary immune cells and is hampered by the lack of easy-to-use model systems and sensitive readouts to facilitate candidate screening and development. Particularly, testing T-cell receptor (TCR)-specific responses in primary T cells and immortalized T cells is confounded by the presence of endogenous TCR expression which results in mixed alpha/beta TCR pairings and compresses assay readouts. Herein, we describe the development of a novel cell-based TCR knockout (TCR-KO) reporter assay platform for the development and characterization of T-cell redirecting therapies. CRISPR/Cas9 was used to knockout the endogenous TCR chains in Jurkat cells stably expressing a human interleukin-2 promoter-driven luciferase reporter gene to measure TCR signaling. Reintroduction of a transgenic TCR into the TCR-KO reporter cells results in robust antigen-specific reporter activation compared with parental reporter cells. The further development of CD4/CD8 double-positive and double-negative versions enabled low-avidity and high-avidity TCR screening with or without major histocompatibility complex bias. Furthermore, stable TCR-expressing reporter cells generated from TCR-KO reporter cells exhibit sufficient sensitivity to probe in vitro T-cell immunogenicity of protein and nucleic acid-based vaccines. Therefore, our data demonstrated that TCR-KO reporter cells can be a useful tool for the discovery, characterization, and deployment of T-cell immunotherapy.
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12
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Current Trends in Neoantigen-Based Cancer Vaccines. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16030392. [PMID: 36986491 PMCID: PMC10056833 DOI: 10.3390/ph16030392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapies are treatments that use drugs or cells to activate patients’ own immune systems against cancer cells. Among them, cancer vaccines have recently been rapidly developed. Based on tumor-specific antigens referred to as neoantigens, these vaccines can be in various forms such as messenger (m)RNA and synthetic peptides to activate cytotoxic T cells and act with or without dendritic cells. Growing evidence suggests that neoantigen-based cancer vaccines possess a very promising future, yet the processes of immune recognition and activation to relay identification of a neoantigen through the histocompatibility complex (MHC) and T-cell receptor (TCR) remain unclear. Here, we describe features of neoantigens and the biological process of validating neoantigens, along with a discussion of recent progress in the scientific development and clinical applications of neoantigen-based cancer vaccines.
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13
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Shevyrev DV, Tereshchenko VP, Sennikov SV. The Enigmatic Nature of the TCR-pMHC Interaction: Implications for CAR-T and TCR-T Engineering. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314728. [PMID: 36499057 PMCID: PMC9740949 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The interaction of the T-cell receptor (TCR) with a peptide in the major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) plays a central role in the adaptive immunity of higher chordates. Due to the high specificity and sensitivity of this process, the immune system quickly recognizes and efficiently responds to the appearance of foreign and altered self-antigens. This is important for ensuring anti-infectious and antitumor immunity, in addition to maintaining self-tolerance. The most common parameter used for assessing the specificity of TCR-pMHC interaction is affinity. This thermodynamic characteristic is widely used not only in various theoretical aspects, but also in practice, for example, in the engineering of various T-cell products with a chimeric (CAR-T) or artificial (TCR-engineered T-cell) antigen receptor. However, increasing data reveal the fact that, in addition to the thermodynamic component, the specificity of antigen recognition is based on the kinetics and mechanics of the process, having even greater influence on the selectivity of the process and T lymphocyte activation than affinity. Therefore, the kinetic and mechanical aspects of antigen recognition should be taken into account when designing artificial antigen receptors, especially those that recognize antigens in the MHC complex. This review describes the current understanding of the nature of the TCR-pMHC interaction, in addition to the thermodynamic, kinetic, and mechanical principles underlying the specificity and high sensitivity of this interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. V. Shevyrev
- Laboratory of molecular Immunology, Research Institute for Fundamental and Clinical Immunology, 630099 Novosibirsk, Russia
- Center for Cell Technology and Immunology, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-9231345505
| | - V. P. Tereshchenko
- Laboratory of molecular Immunology, Research Institute for Fundamental and Clinical Immunology, 630099 Novosibirsk, Russia
- Center for Cell Technology and Immunology, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - S. V. Sennikov
- Laboratory of molecular Immunology, Research Institute for Fundamental and Clinical Immunology, 630099 Novosibirsk, Russia
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14
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Kim GB, Fritsche J, Bunk S, Mahr A, Unverdorben F, Tosh K, Kong H, Maldini CR, Lau C, Srivatsa S, Jiang S, Glover J, Dopkin D, Zhang CX, Schuster H, Kowalewski DJ, Goldfinger V, Ott M, Fuhrmann D, Baues M, Boesmueller H, Schraeder C, Schimmack G, Song C, Hoffgaard F, Roemer M, Tsou CC, Hofmann M, Treiber T, Hutt M, Alten L, Jaworski M, Alpert A, Missel S, Reinhardt C, Singh H, Schoor O, Walter S, Wagner C, Maurer D, Weinschenk T, Riley JL. Quantitative immunopeptidomics reveals a tumor stroma-specific target for T cell therapy. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabo6135. [PMID: 36044599 PMCID: PMC10130759 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abo6135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
T cell receptor (TCR)-based immunotherapy has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of patients with solid cancers. Identifying peptide-human leukocyte antigen (pHLA) complexes highly presented on tumors and rarely expressed on healthy tissue in combination with high-affinity TCRs that when introduced into T cells can redirect T cells to eliminate tumor but not healthy tissue is a key requirement for safe and efficacious TCR-based therapies. To discover promising shared tumor antigens that could be targeted via TCR-based adoptive T cell therapy, we employed population-scale immunopeptidomics using quantitative mass spectrometry across ~1500 tumor and normal tissue samples. We identified an HLA-A*02:01-restricted pan-cancer epitope within the collagen type VI α-3 (COL6A3) gene that is highly presented on tumor stroma across multiple solid cancers due to a tumor-specific alternative splicing event that rarely occurs outside the tumor microenvironment. T cells expressing natural COL6A3-specific TCRs demonstrated only modest activity against cells presenting high copy numbers of COL6A3 pHLAs. One of these TCRs was affinity-enhanced, enabling transduced T cells to specifically eliminate tumors in vivo that expressed similar copy numbers of pHLAs as primary tumor specimens. The enhanced TCR variants exhibited a favorable safety profile with no detectable off-target reactivity, paving the way to initiate clinical trials using COL6A3-specific TCRs to target an array of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria B Kim
- Department of Microbiology, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jens Fritsche
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Bunk
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Andrea Mahr
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Felix Unverdorben
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Kevin Tosh
- Department of Microbiology, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Hong Kong
- Department of Microbiology, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Colby R Maldini
- Department of Microbiology, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Chui Lau
- Department of Microbiology, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sriram Srivatsa
- Department of Microbiology, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Shuguang Jiang
- Department of Microbiology, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Joshua Glover
- Department of Microbiology, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Derek Dopkin
- Department of Microbiology, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Carolyn X Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Heiko Schuster
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Daniel J Kowalewski
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | | | - Martina Ott
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - David Fuhrmann
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Maike Baues
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Hans Boesmueller
- Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, Eberhard Karls University, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Schraeder
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Gisela Schimmack
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Colette Song
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Franziska Hoffgaard
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Michael Roemer
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Chih-Chiang Tsou
- Immatics US, 2201 W. Holcombe Blvd., Suite 205, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Martin Hofmann
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Treiber
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Meike Hutt
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Leonie Alten
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Maike Jaworski
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Amir Alpert
- Immatics US, 2201 W. Holcombe Blvd., Suite 205, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sarah Missel
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Carsten Reinhardt
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Harpreet Singh
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.,Immatics US, 2201 W. Holcombe Blvd., Suite 205, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Oliver Schoor
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Steffen Walter
- Immatics US, 2201 W. Holcombe Blvd., Suite 205, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Claudia Wagner
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Dominik Maurer
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Toni Weinschenk
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 15, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.,Immatics US, 2201 W. Holcombe Blvd., Suite 205, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - James L Riley
- Department of Microbiology, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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15
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Li Q, Hu W, Liao B, Song C, Li L. Natural high-avidity T-cell receptor efficiently mediates regression of cancer/testis antigen 83 positive common solid cancers. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-004713. [PMID: 35798537 PMCID: PMC9263944 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND T-cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-Ts) have achieved encouraging success in anticancer clinical trials. The antigenic targets, however, were primarily focused on human leukocyte antigen (HLA) A*02:01 restricted epitopes from a few cancer/testis antigens (CTAs) which are not widely expressed in common solid cancers; the tested T-cell receptors (TCRs) were frequently from tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes of old patients and were not assured to have higher avidity. Here, we propose the isolation of high-avidity TCRs against CTAs that are frequently expressed in common solid cancers. METHODS We selected the CT83 protein, which is frequently expressed in common solid cancers, as a model antigen for screening of its specific TCR. The predicted CT83 epitopes with strong or weak binding to HLA-I molecules, popular in the Chinese population, were integrated into three synthetic long peptides. CT83 reactive CD8+ T cells were stimulated with peptide-loaded dendritic cells (DCs) and sorted using the CD137 biomarker for single-cell sequencing to obtain the paired TCRαβ sequence. The higher frequency TCRs were reconstructed for characterization of the CT83 epitope and for assessment of in vitro and in vivo antitumor activities. RESULTS CT83 reactive T cells from young healthy donors (YHDs) were generated by repeated stimulation with DCs and peptides. The single-cell TCR sequencing results of reactive T cells indicated that a single TCR clonotype dominated the paired TCRs. T cells engineered with this dominant TCR led to HLA-A*11:01-restricted recognition of the CT8314-22 epitope, with higher avidity. Functional assays showed powerful cytotoxicity in vitro against the targets of several CT83-positive solid cancer cell lines. Furthermore, TCR-Ts showed therapeutic efficacy in three xenograft solid tumor models. The meta-analysis of gene expression of 92 CTAs indicated that most CTAs did not or at low levels in the thymus, which suggested that those CTAs may experience incomplete thymic central tolerance. CONCLUSIONS High-avidity TCR against CT83 could be isolated from YHDs and efficiently mediate regression of well-established xenograft common solid tumors. The high-avidity TCR repertoire in the peripheral blood of some donors for CT83 and other CTAs provides the basis for the efficient isolation of high-avidity TCRs to target numerous solid cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyang Li
- Department of Clinical Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Hu
- T Cell Immune Technology Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, China
| | - Baoyi Liao
- Department of Clinical Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chanchan Song
- Department of Clinical Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liangping Li
- Department of Clinical Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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16
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Zhang Y, Cui Q, Xu M, Liu D, Yao S, Chen M. Current Advances in PD-1/PD-L1 Blockade in Recurrent Epithelial Ovarian Cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:901772. [PMID: 35833132 PMCID: PMC9271774 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.901772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapies have revolutionized the treatment of a variety of cancers. Epithelial ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy, and the rate of advanced tumor progression or recurrence is as high as 80%. Current salvage strategies for patients with recurrent ovarian cancer are rarely curative. Recurrent ovarian cancer is a “cold tumor”, predominantly due to a lack of tumor antigens and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. In trials testing programmed death-1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) blockade as a monotherapy, the response rate was only 8.0-22.2%. In this review, we illustrate the status of cold tumors in ovarian cancer and summarize the existing clinical trials investigating PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in recurrent ovarian cancer. Increasing numbers of immunotherapy combination trials have been set up to improve the response rate of EOC. The current preclinical and clinical development of immunotherapy combination therapy to convert an immune cold tumor into a hot tumor and their underlying mechanisms are also reviewed. The combination of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 with other immunomodulatory drugs or therapies, such as chemotherapy, antiangiogenic therapies, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors, adoptive cell therapy, and oncolytic therapy, could be beneficial. Further efforts are merited to transfer these results to a broader clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuedi Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiulin Cui
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Manman Xu
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Duo Liu
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuzhong Yao
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Ming Chen, ; Shuzhong Yao,
| | - Ming Chen
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Ming Chen, ; Shuzhong Yao,
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17
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Dialogue among Lymphocytes and Microglia in Glioblastoma Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14112632. [PMID: 35681612 PMCID: PMC9179556 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14112632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In this review, we summarize in vitro and in vivo studies related to glioblastoma models and human patients to outline the symbiotic bidirectional interaction between microglia, lymphocytes, and tumor cells that develops during tumor progression. Particularly, we highlight the current experimental therapeutic approaches that aim to shape these interplays, such as adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery and CAR-T and -NK cell infusion, and to modulate the tumor microenvironment in an anti-tumoral way, thus counteracting glioblastoma growth. Abstract Microglia and lymphocytes are fundamental constituents of the glioblastoma microenvironment. In this review, we summarize the current state-of-the-art knowledge of the microglial role played in promoting the development and aggressive hallmarks of this deadly brain tumor. Particularly, we report in vitro and in vivo studies related to glioblastoma models and human patients to outline the symbiotic bidirectional interaction between microglia, lymphocytes, and tumor cells that develops during tumor progression. Furthermore, we highlight the current experimental therapeutic approaches that aim to shape these interplays, such as adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery and CAR-T and -NK cell infusion, and to modulate the tumor microenvironment in an anti-tumoral way, thus counteracting glioblastoma growth.
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18
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Engineering the T cell receptor for fun and profit: Uncovering complex biology, interrogating the immune system, and targeting disease. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2022; 74:102358. [PMID: 35344834 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2022.102358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
T cell receptors (TCRs) orchestrate cellular immunity by recognizing peptide antigens bound and presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins. Due to the TCR's central role in immunity and tight connection with human health, there has been significant interest in modulating TCR properties through protein engineering methods. Complicating these efforts is the complexity and vast diversity of TCR-peptide/MHC interfaces, the interdependency between TCR affinity, specificity, and cross-reactivity, and the sophisticated relationships between TCR binding properties and T cell function, many aspects of which are not well understood. Here we review TCR engineering, starting with a brief historical overview followed by discussions of more recent developments, including new efforts and opportunities to engineer TCR affinity, modulate specificity, and develop novel TCR-based constructs.
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19
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Shafer P, Kelly LM, Hoyos V. Cancer Therapy With TCR-Engineered T Cells: Current Strategies, Challenges, and Prospects. Front Immunol 2022; 13:835762. [PMID: 35309357 PMCID: PMC8928448 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.835762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
To redirect T cells against tumor cells, T cells can be engineered ex vivo to express cancer-antigen specific T cell receptors (TCRs), generating products known as TCR-engineered T cells (TCR T). Unlike chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), TCRs recognize HLA-presented peptides derived from proteins of all cellular compartments. The use of TCR T cells for adoptive cellular therapies (ACT) has gained increased attention, especially as efforts to treat solid cancers with ACTs have intensified. In this review, we describe the differing mechanisms of T cell antigen recognition and signal transduction mediated through CARs and TCRs. We describe the classes of cancer antigens recognized by current TCR T therapies and discuss both classical and emerging pre-clinical strategies for antigen-specific TCR discovery, enhancement, and validation. Finally, we review the current landscape of clinical trials for TCR T therapy and discuss what these current results indicate for the development of future engineered TCR approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Shafer
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Program in Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Lauren M. Kelly
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Program in Cancer & Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Valentina Hoyos
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
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20
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Du Y, Liu Y, Wang D, Bai H, Wang Z, He X, Zhang P, Tian J, Wang J. Peptidic microarchitecture-trapped tumor vaccine combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor or PI3Kγ inhibitor can enhance immunogenicity and eradicate tumors. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2021-003564. [PMID: 35217574 PMCID: PMC8883272 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background With the rapid development of immune checkpoint inhibitors and neoantigen (NeoV)-based personalized tumor vaccines, tumor immunotherapy has shown promising therapeutic results. However, the limited efficacy of available tumor vaccines impedes the development of personalized tumor immunotherapy. In this study, we developed a novel tumor vaccine system and proposed combined therapeutic strategies for improving treatment effects. Methods We developed a novel tumor vaccine system comprising a newly synthesized peptidic microarchitecture (PMA) with high assembly efficacy. The PMA-trapped neoantigen vaccine was developed to codeliver tumor neoantigen and the Toll-like receptor 9 agonist CpG (NeoV), abbreviated as PMA-NeoV. A microfluidic chip was used to produce PMA particles in a uniform and precise manner. Vaccine effectiveness was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. The combined immunotherapeutic effect of PMA-NeoV with anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 antibody (aPD-L1) or with the phosphatidylinositol 3‑kinase γ (PI3Kγ) inhibitor IPI-549 was further tested in MC38 mouse tumor model. Results PMA-NeoV not only promoted codelivery of the tumor vaccine but also potentiated vaccine immunogenicity. Moreover, compared with free NeoV, PMA-NeoV significantly increased the number of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, promoted the neoantigen-specific systemic immune response, and suppressed murine colon MC38 tumor growth. Furthermore, PMA-NeoV increased the expression of programmed cell death receptor-1 on T lymphocytes, and in combination with aPD-L1 eradicated seven of eight MC38 tumors by rescuing exhausted T lymphocytes. Moreover, we combined the PMA-NeoV with the IPI-549, a molecular switch that controls immune suppression, and found that this combination significantly suppressed tumor growth and eradicated five of eight inoculated tumors, by switching suppressive macrophages to their active state and activating T cells to prime a robust tumor immune microenvironment. Conclusions We developed a tumor vaccine delivery system and presented a promising personalized tumor vaccine-based therapeutic regimen in which a tumor vaccine delivery system is combined with an aPD-L1 or PI3Kγ inhibitor to improve tumor immunotherapy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Du
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, the State Key Laboratory of Management and Control for Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ye Liu
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China
| | - Di 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, Beijing, China
| | - Hua Bai
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhijie 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, Beijing, China
| | - Xiran He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, the State Key Laboratory of Management and Control for Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Pei Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, the State Key Laboratory of Management and Control for Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Tian
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, the State Key Laboratory of Management and Control for Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China .,The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, School of Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jie 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, Beijing, China
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21
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Liu Y, Sun B, Wang J, Sun H, Lu Z, Chen L, Lan M, Xu J, Pan J, Shi J, Sun Y, Zhang X, Wang J, Jiang D, Yang K. In silico analyses and experimental validation of the MHC class-I restricted epitopes of Ebolavirus GP. Int Immunol 2022; 34:313-325. [PMID: 35192720 DOI: 10.1093/intimm/dxac006] [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: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ebolavirus (EBOV) causes an extremely high mortality and prevalence disease called Ebola virus disease (EVD). There is only one glycoprotein (GP) on the virus particle surface, which mediates entry into the host cell. MHC class-I restricted CD8 + T cell responses are important antiviral immune responses. Therefore, it is of great importance to understand EBOV GP-specific MHC class-I restricted epitopes within immunogenicity. In this study, computational approaches were employed to predict the dominant MHC class-I molecule epitopes of EBOV GP for mouse H2 and major alleles of HLA class-I supertypes. Our results yielded 42 dominant epitopes in H2 haplotypes and 301 dominant epitopes in HLA class-I haplotypes. After validation by ELISpot assay, in-depth analyses to ascertain their nature of conservation, immunogenicity, and docking with the corresponding MHC class-I molecules were undertaken. Our study predicted MHC class-I restricted epitopes that may aid the advancement of anti-EBOV immune responses. And the integrated strategy of epitope prediction, validation, and comparative analyses were postulated, promising for epitope-based immunotherapy development and application to viral epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China.,Shaanxi Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Baozeng Sun
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Jiawei Wang
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Hao Sun
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China.,Tangshan Sannvhe Airport, Tangshan, Hebei, P.R. China
| | - Zhenhua Lu
- Department of Epidemiology, Public Health School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Longyu Chen
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Mingfu Lan
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Jiahao Xu
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Jingyu Pan
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Jingqi Shi
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Yuanjie Sun
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Xiyang Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Dongbo Jiang
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Kun Yang
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
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22
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Lahman MC, Schmitt TM, Paulson KG, Vigneron N, Buenrostro D, Wagener FD, Voillet V, Martin L, Gottardo R, Bielas J, McElrath JM, Stirewalt DL, Pogosova-Agadjanyan EL, Yeung CC, Pierce RH, Egan DN, Bar M, Hendrie PC, Kinsella S, Vakil A, Butler J, Chaffee M, Linton J, McAfee MS, Hunter DS, Bleakley M, Rongvaux A, Van den Eynde BJ, Chapuis AG, Greenberg PD. Targeting an alternate Wilms' tumor antigen 1 peptide bypasses immunoproteasome dependency. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabg8070. [PMID: 35138909 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abg8070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Designing effective antileukemic immunotherapy will require understanding mechanisms underlying tumor control or resistance. Here, we report a mechanism of escape from immunologic targeting in an acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patient, who relapsed 1 year after immunotherapy with engineered T cells expressing a human leukocyte antigen A*02 (HLA-A2)-restricted T cell receptor (TCR) specific for a Wilms' tumor antigen 1 epitope, WT1126-134 (TTCR-C4). Resistance occurred despite persistence of functional therapeutic T cells and continuous expression of WT1 and HLA-A2 by the patient's AML cells. Analysis of the recurrent AML revealed expression of the standard proteasome, but limited expression of the immunoproteasome, specifically the beta subunit 1i (β1i), which is required for presentation of WT1126-134. An analysis of a second patient treated with TTCR-C4 demonstrated specific loss of AML cells coexpressing β1i and WT1. To determine whether the WT1 protein continued to be processed and presented in the absence of immunoproteasome processing, we identified and tested a TCR targeting an alternative, HLA-A2-restricted WT137-45 epitope that was generated by immunoproteasome-deficient cells, including WT1-expressing solid tumor lines. T cells expressing this TCR (TTCR37-45) killed the first patients' relapsed AML resistant to WT1126-134 targeting, as well as other primary AML, in vitro. TTCR37-45 controlled solid tumor lines lacking immunoproteasome subunits both in vitro and in an NSG mouse model. As proteasome composition can vary in AML, defining and preferentially targeting these proteasome-independent epitopes may maximize therapeutic efficacy and potentially circumvent AML immune evasion by proteasome-related immunoediting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda C Lahman
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Thomas M Schmitt
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Kelly G Paulson
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Nathalie Vigneron
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.,de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Denise Buenrostro
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Felecia D Wagener
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Valentin Voillet
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Hutchinson Centre Research Institute of South Africa, Cape Town 8001, South Africa
| | - Lauren Martin
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Raphael Gottardo
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Jason Bielas
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98115, USA.,Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Julie M McElrath
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98115, USA.,Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Derek L Stirewalt
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | | | - Cecilia C Yeung
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98115, USA.,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Robert H Pierce
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Daniel N Egan
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Merav Bar
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Paul C Hendrie
- University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Sinéad Kinsella
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Aesha Vakil
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Jonah Butler
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Mary Chaffee
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Jonathan Linton
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Megan S McAfee
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Daniel S Hunter
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Marie Bleakley
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Anthony Rongvaux
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Benoit J Van den Eynde
- de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK.,Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), 1300 Wavre, Belgium
| | - Aude G Chapuis
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98115, USA.,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Philip D Greenberg
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98115, USA.,Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
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23
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Dhusia K, Su Z, Wu Y. A structural-based machine learning method to classify binding affinities between TCR and peptide-MHC complexes. Mol Immunol 2021; 139:76-86. [PMID: 34455212 PMCID: PMC10811653 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2021.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The activation of T cells is triggered by the interactions of T cell receptors (TCRs) with their epitopes, which are peptides presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on the surfaces of antigen presenting cells (APC). While each TCR can only recognize a specific subset from a large repertoire of peptide-MHC (pMHC) complexes, it is very often that peptides in this subset share little sequence similarity. This is known as the specificity and cross-reactivity of T cells, respectively. The binding affinities between different types of TCRs and pMHC are the major driving force to shape this specificity and cross-reactivity in T cell recognition. The binding affinities, furthermore, are determined by the sequence and structural properties at the interfaces between TCRs and pMHC. Fortunately, a wealth of data on binding and structures of TCR-pMHC interactions becomes publicly accessible in online resources, which offers us the opportunity to develop a random forest classifier for predicting the binding affinities between TCR and pMHC based on the structure of their complexes. Specifically, the structure and sequence of a given complex were projected onto a high-dimensional feature space as the input of the classifier, which was then trained by a large-scale benchmark dataset. Based on the cross-validation results, we found that our machine learning model can predict if the binding affinity of a given TCR-pMHC complex is stronger or weaker than a predefined threshold with an overall accuracy approximately around 75 %. The significance of our prediction was estimated by statistical analysis. Moreover, more than 60 % of binding affinities in the ATLAS database can be successfully classified into groups within the range of 2 kcal/mol. Additionally, we show that TCR-pMHC complexes with strong binding affinity prefer hydrophobic interactions between amino acids with large aromatic rings instead of electrostatic interactions. Our results therefore provide insights to design engineered TCRs which enhance the specificity for their targeted epitopes. Taken together, this method can serve as a useful addition to a suite of existing approaches which study binding between TCR and pMHC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalyani Dhusia
- Department of Systems and Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, United States
| | - Zhaoqian Su
- Department of Systems and Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, United States
| | - Yinghao Wu
- Department of Systems and Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, United States.
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24
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Alonso JA, Smith AR, Baker BM. Tumor rejection properties of gp100 209-specific T cells correlate with T cell receptor binding affinity towards the wild type rather than anchor-modified antigen. Mol Immunol 2021; 135:365-372. [PMID: 33990005 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2021.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Although there are exceptions and outliers, T cell functional responses generally correlate with the affinity of a TCR for a peptide/MHC complex. In one recently described outlier case, the most promising clinical candidate in a series of TCRs specific for the gp100209 melanoma antigen bound with the weakest solution affinity and produced the least amount of cytokine in vitro. Hypotheses for this outlier behavior included unusual cytokine expression patterns arising from an atypical TCR binding geometry. Studying this instance in more detail, we found here that outlier behavior is attributable not to unusual cytokine patterns or TCR binding, but the use of a position 2 anchor-modified peptide variant in in vitro experiments instead of the wild type antigen that is present in vivo. Although the anchor-modified variant has been widely used in basic and clinical immunology as a surrogate for the wild type peptide, prior work has shown that TCRs can clearly distinguish between the two. We show that when this differential recognition is accounted for, the functional properties of gp100209-specific TCRs track with their affinity towards the peptide/MHC complex. Beyond demonstrating the correlates with T cell function for a clinically relevant TCR, our results provide important considerations for selection of TCRs for immunotherapy and the use of modified peptides in immunology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesus A Alonso
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Angela R Smith
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Brian M Baker
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
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25
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A biomimetic five-module chimeric antigen receptor ( 5MCAR) designed to target and eliminate antigen-specific T cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:28950-28959. [PMID: 33139567 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2012495117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
T cells express clonotypic T cell receptors (TCRs) that recognize peptide antigens in the context of class I or II MHC molecules (pMHCI/II). These receptor modules associate with three signaling modules (CD3γε, δε, and ζζ) and work in concert with a coreceptor module (either CD8 or CD4) to drive T cell activation in response to pMHCI/II. Here, we describe a first-generation biomimetic five-module chimeric antigen receptor (5MCAR). We show that 1) chimeric receptor modules built with the ectodomains of pMHCII assemble with CD3 signaling modules into complexes that redirect cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) specificity and function in response to the clonotypic TCRs of pMHCII-specific CD4+ T cells, and 2) surrogate coreceptor modules enhance the function of these complexes. Furthermore, we demonstrate that adoptively transferred 5MCAR-CTLs can mitigate type I diabetes by targeting autoimmune CD4+ T cells in NOD mice. This work provides a framework for the construction of biomimetic 5MCARs that can be used as tools to study the impact of particular antigen-specific T cells in immune responses, and may hold potential for ameliorating diseases mediated by pathogenic T cells.
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26
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Singh NK, Alonso JA, Harris DT, Anderson SD, Ma J, Hellman LM, Rosenberg AM, Kolawole EM, Evavold BD, Kranz DM, Baker BM. An Engineered T Cell Receptor Variant Realizes the Limits of Functional Binding Modes. Biochemistry 2020; 59:4163-4175. [PMID: 33074657 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
T cell receptors (TCRs) orchestrate cellular immunity by recognizing peptides presented by a range of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins. Naturally occurring TCRs bind the composite peptide/MHC surface, recognizing peptides that are structurally and chemically compatible with the TCR binding site. Here we describe a molecularly evolved TCR variant that binds the human class I MHC protein HLA-A2 independent of the bound peptide, achieved by a drastic perturbation of the TCR binding geometry that places the molecule far from the peptide binding groove. This unique geometry is unsupportive of normal T cell signaling. A substantial divergence between affinity measurements in solution and in two dimensions between proximal cell membranes leads us to attribute the lack of signaling to steric hindrance that limits binding in the confines of a cell-cell interface. Our results provide an example of how receptor binding geometry can impact T cell function and provide further support for the view that germline-encoded residues in TCR binding loops evolved to drive productive TCR recognition and signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishant K Singh
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Jesus A Alonso
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Daniel T Harris
- Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Scott D Anderson
- Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Jiaqi Ma
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Lance M Hellman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Aaron M Rosenberg
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Elizabeth M Kolawole
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Brian D Evavold
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - David M Kranz
- Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Brian M Baker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
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27
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Structural dissimilarity from self drives neoepitope escape from immune tolerance. Nat Chem Biol 2020; 16:1269-1276. [PMID: 32807968 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-020-0610-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
T-cell recognition of peptides incorporating nonsynonymous mutations, or neoepitopes, is a cornerstone of tumor immunity and forms the basis of new immunotherapy approaches including personalized cancer vaccines. Yet as they are derived from self-peptides, the means through which immunogenic neoepitopes overcome immune self-tolerance are often unclear. Here we show that a point mutation in a non-major histocompatibility complex anchor position induces structural and dynamic changes in an immunologically active ovarian cancer neoepitope. The changes pre-organize the peptide into a conformation optimal for recognition by a neoepitope-specific T-cell receptor, allowing the receptor to bind the neoepitope with high affinity and deliver potent T-cell signals. Our results emphasize the importance of structural and physical changes relative to self in neoepitope immunogenicity. Considered broadly, these findings can help explain some of the difficulties in identifying immunogenic neoepitopes from sequence alone and provide guidance for developing novel, neoepitope-based personalized therapies.
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28
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Xu H, Hamburger AE, Mock JY, Wang X, Martin AD, Tokatlian T, Oh J, Daris ME, Negri KR, Gabrelow GB, Wu ML, Nampe DP, Asuelime GE, McElvain ME, Sandberg ML, Kamb A. Structure-function relationships of chimeric antigen receptors in acute T cell responses to antigen. Mol Immunol 2020; 126:56-64. [PMID: 32768859 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2020.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) and their parent signaling molecule, the T cell receptor (TCR), are fascinating proteins of increasing relevance to disease therapy. Here we use a collection of 1221 pMHC-directed CAR constructs representing 10 pMHC targets to study aspects of CAR structure-activity relationships (SAR), with particular focus on the extracellular and transmembrane structural components. These experiments that involve pMHC targets whose number/cell can be manipulated by peptide dosing in vitro enable systematic analysis of the SAR of CARs in carefully controlled experimental situations (Harris and Kranz, 2016). We find that CARs tolerate a wide range of structural variation, with the ligand-binding domains (LBDs) dominating the SAR of CAR antigen sensitivity. Notwithstanding the critical role of the LBD, CAR antigen-binding on the cell surface, measured by pMHC tetramer staining, is not an effective predictor of functional sensitivity. These results have important implications for the design and testing of CARs aimed toward the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Xu
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA, 91301, United States
| | - Agnes E Hamburger
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA, 91301, United States
| | - Jee-Young Mock
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA, 91301, United States
| | - Xueyin Wang
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA, 91301, United States
| | - Aaron D Martin
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA, 91301, United States
| | - Talar Tokatlian
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA, 91301, United States
| | - Julyun Oh
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA, 91301, United States
| | - Mark E Daris
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA, 91301, United States
| | - Kathleen R Negri
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA, 91301, United States
| | - Grant B Gabrelow
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA, 91301, United States
| | - Ming Lun Wu
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA, 91301, United States
| | - Daniel P Nampe
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA, 91301, United States
| | - Grace E Asuelime
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA, 91301, United States
| | - Michele E McElvain
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA, 91301, United States
| | - Mark L Sandberg
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA, 91301, United States
| | - Alexander Kamb
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA, 91301, United States.
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The Quest for the Best: How TCR Affinity, Avidity, and Functional Avidity Affect TCR-Engineered T-Cell Antitumor Responses. Cells 2020; 9:cells9071720. [PMID: 32708366 PMCID: PMC7408146 DOI: 10.3390/cells9071720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past decades, adoptive transfer of T cells has revolutionized cancer immunotherapy. In particular, T-cell receptor (TCR) engineering of T cells has marked important milestones in developing more precise and personalized cancer immunotherapies. However, to get the most benefit out of this approach, understanding the role that TCR affinity, avidity, and functional avidity play on how TCRs and T cells function in the context of tumor-associated antigen (TAA) recognition is vital to keep generating improved adoptive T-cell therapies. Aside from TCR-related parameters, other critical factors that govern T-cell activation are the effect of TCR co-receptors on TCR–peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) stabilization and TCR signaling, tumor epitope density, and TCR expression levels in TCR-engineered T cells. In this review, we describe the key aspects governing TCR specificity, T-cell activation, and how these concepts can be applied to cancer-specific TCR redirection of T cells.
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30
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Rath JA, Arber C. Engineering Strategies to Enhance TCR-Based Adoptive T Cell Therapy. Cells 2020; 9:E1485. [PMID: 32570906 PMCID: PMC7349724 DOI: 10.3390/cells9061485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
T cell receptor (TCR)-based adoptive T cell therapies (ACT) hold great promise for the treatment of cancer, as TCRs can cover a broad range of target antigens. Here we summarize basic, translational and clinical results that provide insight into the challenges and opportunities of TCR-based ACT. We review the characteristics of target antigens and conventional αβ-TCRs, and provide a summary of published clinical trials with TCR-transgenic T cell therapies. We discuss how synthetic biology and innovative engineering strategies are poised to provide solutions for overcoming current limitations, that include functional avidity, MHC restriction, and most importantly, the tumor microenvironment. We also highlight the impact of precision genome editing on the next iteration of TCR-transgenic T cell therapies, and the discovery of novel immune engineering targets. We are convinced that some of these innovations will enable the field to move TCR gene therapy to the next level.
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MESH Headings
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cell Engineering
- Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy/adverse effects
- Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy/methods
- Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy/trends
- Gene Editing
- Genetic Therapy
- Humans
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/adverse effects
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/trends
- Lymphocyte Activation
- Molecular Targeted Therapy
- Neoplasms/genetics
- Neoplasms/immunology
- Neoplasms/therapy
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/immunology
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/immunology
- Safety
- Synthetic Biology
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/transplantation
- Translational Research, Biomedical
- Tumor Microenvironment/genetics
- Tumor Microenvironment/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Caroline Arber
- Department of oncology UNIL CHUV, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland;
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31
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Moritz A, Anjanappa R, Wagner C, Bunk S, Hofmann M, Pszolla G, Saikia A, Garcia-Alai M, Meijers R, Rammensee HG, Springer S, Maurer D. High-throughput peptide-MHC complex generation and kinetic screenings of TCRs with peptide-receptive HLA-A*02:01 molecules. Sci Immunol 2020; 4:4/37/eaav0860. [PMID: 31324691 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.aav0860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules present short peptide ligands on the cell surface for interrogation by cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. MHC class I complexes presenting tumor-associated peptides such as neoantigens represent key targets of cancer immunotherapy approaches currently in development, making them important for efficacy and safety screenings. Without peptide ligand, MHC class I complexes are unstable and decay quickly, making the production of soluble monomers for analytical purposes labor intensive. We have developed a disulfide-stabilized HLA-A*02:01 molecule that is stable without peptide but can form peptide-MHC complexes (pMHCs) with ligands of choice in a one-step loading procedure. We illustrate the similarity between the engineered mutant and the wild-type molecule with respect to affinity of wild-type or affinity-matured T cell receptors (TCRs) and present a crystal structure corroborating the binding kinetics measurements. In addition, we demonstrate a high-throughput binding kinetics measurement platform to analyze the binding characteristics of bispecific TCR (bsTCR) molecules against diverse pMHC libraries produced with the disulfide-stabilized HLA-A*02:01 molecule. We show that bsTCR affinities for pMHCs are indicative of in vitro function and generate a bsTCR binding motif to identify potential off-target interactions in the human proteome. These findings showcase the potential of the platform and the engineered HLA-A*02:01 molecule in the emerging field of pMHC-targeting biologics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Moritz
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. .,Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Ankur Saikia
- Department of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Jacobs University, Bremen, Germany
| | - Maria Garcia-Alai
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg Outstation, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Rob Meijers
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg Outstation, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hans-Georg Rammensee
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Springer
- Department of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Jacobs University, Bremen, Germany
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32
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High-affinity oligoclonal TCRs define effective adoptive T cell therapy targeting mutant KRAS-G12D. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:12826-12835. [PMID: 32461371 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1921964117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Complete cancer regression occurs in a subset of patients following adoptive T cell therapy (ACT) of ex vivo expanded tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). However, the low success rate presents a great challenge to broader clinical application. To provide insight into TIL-based immunotherapy, we studied a successful case of ACT where regression was observed against tumors carrying the hotspot mutation G12D in the KRAS oncogene. Four T cell receptors (TCRs) made up the TIL infusion and recognized two KRAS-G12D neoantigens, a nonamer and a decamer, all restricted by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) C*08:02. Three of them (TCR9a, 9b, and 9c) were nonamer-specific, while one was decamer-specific (TCR10). We show that only mutant G12D but not the wild-type peptides stabilized HLA-C*08:02 due to the formation of a critical anchor salt bridge to HLA-C. Therapeutic TCRs exhibited high affinities, ranging from nanomolar to low micromolar. Intriguingly, TCR binding affinities to HLA-C inversely correlated with their persistence in vivo, suggesting the importance of antigenic affinity in the function of therapeutic T cells. Crystal structures of TCR-HLA-C complexes revealed that TCR9a to 9c recognized G12D nonamer with multiple conserved contacts through shared CDR2β and CDR3α. This allowed CDR3β variation to confer different affinities via a variable HLA-C contact, generating an oligoclonal response. TCR10 recognized an induced and distinct G12D decamer conformation. Thus, this successful case of ACT included oligoclonal TCRs of high affinity recognizing distinct conformations of neoantigens. Our study revealed the potential of a structural approach to inform clinical efforts in targeting KRAS-G12D tumors by immunotherapy and has general implications for T cell-based immunotherapies.
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33
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Trowitzsch S, Tampé R. Multifunctional Chaperone and Quality Control Complexes in Adaptive Immunity. Annu Rev Biophys 2020; 49:135-161. [PMID: 32004089 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-121219-081643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The fundamental process of adaptive immunity relies on the differentiation of self from nonself. Nucleated cells are continuously monitored by effector cells of the immune system, which police the peptide status presented via cell surface molecules. Recent integrative structural approaches have provided insights toward our understanding of how sophisticated cellular machineries shape such hierarchical immune surveillance. Biophysical and structural achievements were invaluable for defining the interconnection of many key factors during antigen processing and presentation, and helped to solve several conundrums that persisted for many years. In this review, we illuminate the numerous quality control machineries involved in different steps during the maturation of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) proteins, from their synthesis in the endoplasmic reticulum to folding and trafficking via the secretory pathway, optimization of antigenic cargo, final release to the cell surface, and engagement with their cognate receptors on cytotoxic T lymphocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Trowitzsch
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biocenter, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; ,
| | - Robert Tampé
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biocenter, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; ,
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34
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Targeting mutant p53-expressing tumours with a T cell receptor-like antibody specific for a wild-type antigen. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5382. [PMID: 31772160 PMCID: PMC6879612 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13305-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of mutant p53 proteins is frequently found in a wide range of cancers. While conventional antibodies fail to target intracellular proteins, proteosomal degradation results in the presentation of p53-derived peptides on the tumour cell surface by class I molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Elevated levels of such p53-derived peptide-MHCs on tumour cells potentially differentiate them from healthy tissues. Here, we report the engineering of an affinity-matured human antibody, P1C1TM, specific for the unmutated p53125-134 peptide in complex with the HLA-A24 class I MHC molecule. We show that P1C1TM distinguishes between mutant and wild-type p53 expressing HLA-A24+ cells, and mediates antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity of mutant p53 expressing cells in vitro. Furthermore, we show that cytotoxic PNU-159682-P1C1TM drug conjugates specifically inhibit growth of mutant p53 expressing cells in vitro and in vivo. Hence, p53-associated peptide-MHCs are attractive targets for the immunotherapy against mutant p53 expressing tumours. Several cancers harbour mutant p53 and express higher levels of p53-derived peptide-MHCs. Here, the authors report affinity matured human antibody, P1C1TM, specific for the p53125-134 peptide in complex with the HLA-A24 class I MHC molecule and show its efficacy and specificity for mutant p53 expressing tumours.
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35
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Rapid selection and identification of functional CD8 + T cell epitopes from large peptide-coding libraries. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4553. [PMID: 31591401 PMCID: PMC6779888 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12444-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytotoxic CD8+ T cells recognize and eliminate infected or malignant cells that present peptide epitopes derived from intracellularly processed antigens on their surface. However, comprehensive profiling of specific major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-bound peptide epitopes that are naturally processed and capable of eliciting a functional T cell response has been challenging. Here, we report a method for deep and unbiased T cell epitope profiling, using in vitro co-culture of CD8+ T cells together with target cells transduced with high-complexity, epitope-encoding minigene libraries. Target cells that are subject to cytotoxic attack from T cells in co-culture are isolated prior to apoptosis by fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and characterized by sequencing the encoded minigenes. We then validate this highly parallelized method using known murine T cell receptor/peptide-MHC pairs and diverse minigene-encoded epitope libraries. Our data thus suggest that this epitope profiling method allows unambiguous and sensitive identification of naturally processed and MHC-presented peptide epitopes.
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36
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Sádio F, Stadlmayr G, Stadlbauer K, Gräf M, Scharrer A, Rüker F, Wozniak-Knopp G. Stabilization of soluble high-affinity T-cell receptor with de novo disulfide bonds. FEBS Lett 2019; 594:477-490. [PMID: 31552676 PMCID: PMC7027902 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Soluble T‐cell receptors (TCRs) have recently gained visibility as target‐recognition units of anticancer immunotherapeutic agents. Here, we improved the thermal stability of the well‐expressed high‐affinity A6 TCR by introducing pairs of cysteines in the invariable parts of the α‐ and β‐chain. A mutant with a novel intradomain disulfide bond in each chain also tested superior to the wild‐type in the accelerated stability assay. Binding of the mutant to the soluble cognate peptide (cp)–MHC and to the peptide‐loaded T2 cell line was equal to the wild‐type A6 TCR. The same stabilization motif worked efficiently in TCRs with different specificities, such as DMF5 and 1G4. Altogether, the biophysical properties of the soluble TCR molecule could be improved, without affecting its expression level and antigen‐binding specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flávio Sádio
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Immunotherapeutics, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerhard Stadlmayr
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Immunotherapeutics, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina Stadlbauer
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Immunotherapeutics, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Maximilian Gräf
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Immunotherapeutics, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Agnes Scharrer
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Immunotherapeutics, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Florian Rüker
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Immunotherapeutics, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Gordana Wozniak-Knopp
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Immunotherapeutics, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
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37
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Sharma P, Harris DT, Stone JD, Kranz DM. T-cell Receptors Engineered De Novo for Peptide Specificity Can Mediate Optimal T-cell Activity without Self Cross-Reactivity. Cancer Immunol Res 2019; 7:2025-2035. [PMID: 31548259 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-19-0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Despite progress in adoptive T-cell therapies, the identification of targets remains a challenge. Although chimeric antigen receptors recognize cell-surface antigens, T-cell receptors (TCR) have the advantage that they can target the array of intracellular proteins by binding to peptides associated with major histocompatibility complex (MHC) products (pepMHC). Although hundreds of cancer-associated peptides have been reported, it remains difficult to identify effective TCRs against each pepMHC complex. Conventional approaches require isolation of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells, followed by TCRαβ gene isolation and validation. To bypass this process, we used directed evolution to engineer TCRs with desired peptide specificity. Here, we compared the activity and cross-reactivity of two affinity-matured TCRs (T1 and RD1) with distinct origins. T1-TCR was isolated from a melanoma-reactive T-cell line specific for MART-1/HLA-A2, whereas RD1-TCR was derived de novo against MART-1/HLA-A2 by in vitro engineering. Despite their distinct origins, both TCRs exhibited similar peptide fine specificities, focused on the center of the MART-1 peptide. In CD4+ T cells, both TCRs mediated activity against MART-1 presented by HLA-A2. However, in CD8+ T cells, T1, but not RD1, demonstrated cross-reactivity with endogenous peptide/HLA-A2 complexes. Based on the fine specificity of these and other MART-1 binding TCRs, we conducted bioinformatics scans to identify structurally similar self-peptides in the human proteome. We showed that the T1-TCR cross-reacted with many of these self-peptides, whereas the RD1-TCR was rarely cross-reactive. Thus, TCRs such as RD1, generated de novo against cancer antigens, can serve as an alternative to TCRs generated from T-cell clones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois.
| | - Daniel T Harris
- Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Jennifer D Stone
- Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
| | - David M Kranz
- Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois.
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38
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Bentzen AK, Hadrup SR. T-cell-receptor cross-recognition and strategies to select safe T-cell receptors for clinical translation. IMMUNO-ONCOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY 2019; 2:1-10. [PMID: 35036898 PMCID: PMC8741623 DOI: 10.1016/j.iotech.2019.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Adoptive transfer of T-cell-receptor (TCR)-transduced T cells has shown promising results for cancer treatment, but has also produced severe immunotoxicities caused by on-target as well as off-target TCR recognition. Off-target toxicities are related to the ability of a single T cell to cross-recognize and respond to several different peptide–major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) antigens; a property that is essential for providing broad antigenic coverage despite a confined number of unique TCRs in the human body. However, this degeneracy makes it incredibly difficult to account for the range of targets that any TCR might recognize, which represents a major challenge for the clinical development of therapeutic TCRs. The prospect of using affinity-optimized TCRs has been impeded due to observations that affinity enhancement might alter the specificity of a TCR, thereby increasing the risk that it will cross-recognize endogenous tissue. Strategies for selecting safe TCRs for the clinic have included functional assessment after individual incubations with tissue-derived primary cells or with peptides substituted with single amino acids. However, these strategies have not been able to predict cross-recognition sufficiently, leading to fatal cross-reactivity in clinical trials. Novel technologies have emerged that enable extensive characterization of the exact interaction points of a TCR with pMHC, which provides a foundation from which to make predictions of the cross-recognition potential of individual TCRs. This review describes current advances in strategies for dissecting the molecular interaction points of TCRs, focusing on their potential as tools for predicting cross-recognition of TCRs in clinical development. T-cell-receptor (TCR) degeneracy plays a fundamental role in the capacity of our immune systems to recognize foreign antigens. TCR cross-reactivity provides an inherent risk in TCR–gene transfer cell therapies. Advances in description of TCR cross-recognition can guide the selection process for TCRs into clinical use.
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39
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Tebentafusp: T Cell Redirection for the Treatment of Metastatic Uveal Melanoma. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11070971. [PMID: 31336704 PMCID: PMC6679206 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11070971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastatic disease from uveal melanoma occurs in almost 50% of patients suffering from this ocular tumour, with median survival from development of symptoms being around 1 year. In contrast to cutaneous melanoma, kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors are usually ineffective in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma. Tebentafusp is a novel form of immunotherapy based on the immune-mobilising monoclonal T cell receptor against cancer (ImmTAC) platform, which comprises a soluble T cell receptor that is fused to an anti-CD3 single-chain variable fragment. The T cell receptor domain of tebentafusp targets cells present a human leukocyte antigen-A*02:01 complexed with a peptide derived from the melanoma-associated antigen gp100, which is expressed strongly by melanoma cells, weakly by normal melanocytes and minimally by other tissues. The anti-CD3 domain recruits CD3+ T cells (and, indirectly, other immune cells), redirecting these to the melanoma cells. The most common adverse events with tebentafusp are manageable and usually transient. Early survival data in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma are promising when considered alongside historical data. Based on these encouraging results, a randomised study comparing tebentafusp to investigator’s choice of therapy in metastatic uveal melanoma is ongoing.
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40
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Chapuis AG, Egan DN, Bar M, Schmitt TM, McAfee MS, Paulson KG, Voillet V, Gottardo R, Ragnarsson GB, Bleakley M, Yeung CC, Muhlhauser P, Nguyen HN, Kropp LA, Castelli L, Wagener F, Hunter D, Lindberg M, Cohen K, Seese A, McElrath MJ, Duerkopp N, Gooley TA, Greenberg PD. T cell receptor gene therapy targeting WT1 prevents acute myeloid leukemia relapse post-transplant. Nat Med 2019; 25:1064-1072. [PMID: 31235963 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-019-0472-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 220] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is the leading cause of death in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) entering HCT with poor-risk features1-3. When HCT does produce prolonged relapse-free survival, it commonly reflects graft-versus-leukemia effects mediated by donor T cells reactive with antigens on leukemic cells4. As graft T cells have not been selected for leukemia specificity and frequently recognize proteins expressed by many normal host tissues, graft-versus-leukemia effects are often accompanied by morbidity and mortality from graft-versus-host disease5. Thus, AML relapse risk might be more effectively reduced with T cells expressing receptors (TCRs) that target selected AML antigens6. We therefore isolated a high-affinity Wilms' Tumor Antigen 1-specific TCR (TCRC4) from HLA-A2+ normal donor repertoires, inserted TCRC4 into Epstein-Bar virus-specific donor CD8+ T cells (TTCR-C4) to minimize graft-versus-host disease risk and enhance transferred T cell survival7,8, and infused these cells prophylactically post-HCT into 12 patients ( NCT01640301 ). Relapse-free survival was 100% at a median of 44 months following infusion, while a concurrent comparative group of 88 patients with similar risk AML had 54% relapse-free survival (P = 0.002). TTCR-C4 maintained TCRC4 expression, persisted long-term and were polyfunctional. This strategy appears promising for preventing AML recurrence in individuals at increased risk of post-HCT relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aude G Chapuis
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Daniel N Egan
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Merav Bar
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Thomas M Schmitt
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Megan S McAfee
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kelly G Paulson
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Valentin Voillet
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Raphael Gottardo
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Gunnar B Ragnarsson
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Landspítali Háskólasjúkrahús, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Marie Bleakley
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Cecilia C Yeung
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Hieu N Nguyen
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Alpine Biotech, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lara A Kropp
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Therapeutic Products Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Luca Castelli
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Therapeutic Products Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Felecia Wagener
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Daniel Hunter
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Marcus Lindberg
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Kristen Cohen
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Aaron Seese
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - M Juliana McElrath
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.,Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Natalie Duerkopp
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ted A Gooley
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Philip D Greenberg
- Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA. .,Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA. .,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA. .,Departments of Immunology and Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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41
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Feins S, Kong W, Williams EF, Milone MC, Fraietta JA. An introduction to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapy for human cancer. Am J Hematol 2019; 94:S3-S9. [PMID: 30680780 DOI: 10.1002/ajh.25418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 301] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy represents a major advancement in personalized cancer treatment. In this strategy, a patient's own T cells are genetically engineered to express a synthetic receptor that binds a tumor antigen. CAR T cells are then expanded for clinical use and infused back into the patient's body to attack and destroy chemotherapy-resistant cancer. Dramatic clinical responses and high rates of complete remission have been observed in the setting of CAR T-cell therapy of B-cell malignancies. This resulted in two recent FDA approvals of CAR T cells directed against the CD19 protein for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Thus, CAR T cells are arguably one of the first successful examples of synthetic biology and personalized cellular cancer therapy to become commercially available. In this review, we introduce the concept of using CAR T cells to break immunological tolerance to tumors, highlight several challenges in the field, discuss the utility of biomarkers in the context of predicting clinical responses, and offer prospects for developing next-generation CAR T cell-based approaches that will improve outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Feins
- Department of MicrobiologyPerelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicinePerelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
- Center for Cellular ImmunotherapiesUniversity of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
| | - Weimin Kong
- Department of MicrobiologyPerelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicinePerelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
- Center for Cellular ImmunotherapiesUniversity of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
| | - Erik F. Williams
- Department of MicrobiologyPerelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicinePerelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
- Center for Cellular ImmunotherapiesUniversity of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
| | - Michael C. Milone
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicinePerelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
- Center for Cellular ImmunotherapiesUniversity of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
- Abramson Cancer CenterUniversity of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
- Parker Institute for Cancer ImmunotherapyUniversity of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
| | - Joseph A. Fraietta
- Department of MicrobiologyPerelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicinePerelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
- Center for Cellular ImmunotherapiesUniversity of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
- Abramson Cancer CenterUniversity of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
- Parker Institute for Cancer ImmunotherapyUniversity of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
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42
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Abstract
The past decade has seen enormous progress in cancer immunotherapy. Checkpoint inhibitors are a class of immunotherapy that act to recruit endogenous T cells of a patient's immune system against cancer-associated peptide- MHC antigens. In this process, mutated antigenic peptides referred to as neoantigens often serve as the target on cancer cells that are recognized by the T cell receptor (TCR) on endogenous T cells. Another successful immunotherapy has involved adoptive T cell therapy, where therapeutic doses of T cells expressing a gene for an anti-cancer receptor are delivered to a patient. This approach has been used primarily against hematopoietic cancers using synthetic receptors called chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). CARs typically contain an antibody fragment (single-chain Fv, scFv) against a cancer cell surface antigen such as the B cell molecule CD19. While therapeutic CARs (and full antibodies) target antigens expressed on cell surfaces, TCRs can target a much larger array of intracellular proteins by binding to any cellular peptide associated with an MHC product. These cancer targets include self-peptides from aberrantly expressed/overexpressed proteins or neoantigens. In this review, we discuss the use of TCRs in adoptive T cell therapy and their target antigens. We focus on two properties that impact sensitivity, potency, and possible toxic cross-reactivity of TCR-mediated therapy: (1) the affinity of the TCR for the target antigen, and (2) the density of the target antigen. Finally, we provide a comprehensive listing of the current clinical trials that involve TCRs in adoptive T cell cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
| | - David M. Kranz
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
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43
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Xiang SD, Wilson KL, Goubier A, Heyerick A, Plebanski M. Design of Peptide-Based Nanovaccines Targeting Leading Antigens From Gynecological Cancers to Induce HLA-A2.1 Restricted CD8 + T Cell Responses. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2968. [PMID: 30631324 PMCID: PMC6315164 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Gynecological cancers are a leading cause of mortality in women. CD8+ T cell immunity largely correlates with enhanced survival, whereas inflammation is associated with poor prognosis. Previous studies have shown polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs) are biocompatible, do not induce inflammation and when used as vaccine carriers for model peptides induce CD8+ T cell responses. Herein we test the immunogenicity of 24 different peptides, from three leading vaccine target proteins in gynecological cancers: the E7 protein of human papilloma virus (HPV); Wilms Tumor antigen 1 (WT1) and survivin (SV), in PSNP conjugate vaccines. Of relevance to vaccine development was the finding that a minimal CD8+ T cell peptide epitope from HPV was not able to induce HLA-A2.1 specific CD8+ T cell responses in transgenic humanized mice using conventional adjuvants such as CpG, but was nevertheless able to generate strong immunity when delivered as part of a specific longer peptide conjugated to PSNPs vaccines. Conversely, in most cases, when the minimal CD8+ T cell epitopes were able to induce immune responses (with WT1 or SV super agonists) in CpG, they also induced responses when conjugated to PSNPs. In this case, extending the sequence around the CD8+ T cell epitope, using the natural protein context, or engineering linker sequences proposed to enhance antigen processing, had minimal effects in enhancing or changing the cross-reactivity pattern induced by the super agonists. Nanoparticle approaches, such as PSNPs, therefore may offer an alternative vaccination strategy when conventional adjuvants are unable to elicit the desired CD8+ T cell specificity. The findings herein also offer sequence specific insights into peptide vaccine design for nanoparticle-based vaccine carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sue D Xiang
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,PX Biosolutions Pty Ltd., South Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Kirsty L Wilson
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Anne Goubier
- PX Biosolutions Pty Ltd., South Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Arne Heyerick
- PX Biosolutions Pty Ltd., South Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Magdalena Plebanski
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,PX Biosolutions Pty Ltd., South Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
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44
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Hellman LM, Foley KC, Singh NK, Alonso JA, Riley TP, Devlin JR, Ayres CM, Keller GLJ, Zhang Y, Vander Kooi CW, Nishimura MI, Baker BM. Improving T Cell Receptor On-Target Specificity via Structure-Guided Design. Mol Ther 2018; 27:300-313. [PMID: 30617019 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2018.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
T cell receptors (TCRs) have emerged as a new class of immunological therapeutics. However, though antigen specificity is a hallmark of adaptive immunity, TCRs themselves do not possess the high specificity of monoclonal antibodies. Although a necessary function of T cell biology, the resulting cross-reactivity presents a significant challenge for TCR-based therapeutic development, as it creates the potential for off-target recognition and immune toxicity. Efforts to enhance TCR specificity by mimicking the antibody maturation process and enhancing affinity can inadvertently exacerbate TCR cross-reactivity. Here we demonstrate this concern by showing that even peptide-targeted mutations in the TCR can introduce new reactivities against peptides that bear similarity to the original target. To counteract this, we explored a novel structure-guided approach for enhancing TCR specificity independent of affinity. Tested with the MART-1-specific TCR DMF5, our approach had a small but discernible impact on cross-reactivity toward MART-1 homologs yet was able to eliminate DMF5 cross-recognition of more divergent, unrelated epitopes. Our study provides a proof of principle for the use of advanced structure-guided design techniques for improving TCR specificity, and it suggests new ways forward for enhancing TCRs for therapeutic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lance M Hellman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Kendra C Foley
- Department of Surgery and the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University of Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Nishant K Singh
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Jesus A Alonso
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Timothy P Riley
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Jason R Devlin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Cory M Ayres
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Grant L J Keller
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Yuting Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Craig W Vander Kooi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Michael I Nishimura
- Department of Surgery and the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University of Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Brian M Baker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
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45
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Riley TP, Baker BM. The intersection of affinity and specificity in the development and optimization of T cell receptor based therapeutics. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2018; 84:30-41. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Revised: 10/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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46
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Preclinical Strategies to Identify Off-Target Toxicity of High-Affinity TCRs. Mol Ther 2018; 26:1206-1214. [PMID: 29567312 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2018.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive transfer of T cells engineered with a cancer-specific T cell receptor (TCR) has demonstrated clinical benefit. However, the risk for off-target toxicity of TCRs remains a concern. Here, we examined the cross-reactive profile of T cell clone (7B5) with a high functional sensitivity for the hematopoietic-restricted minor histocompatibility antigen HA-2 in the context of HLA-A*02:01. HA-2pos Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B lymphoblastic cell lines (EBV-LCLs) and primary acute myeloid leukemia samples, but not hematopoietic HA-2neg samples, are effectively recognized. However, we found unexpected off-target recognition of human fibroblasts and keratinocytes not expressing the HA-2 antigen. To uncover the origin of this off-target recognition, we performed an alanine scanning approach, identifying six out of nine positions to be important for peptide recognition. This indicates a low risk for broad cross-reactivity. However, using a combinatorial peptide library scanning approach, we identified a CDH13-derived peptide activating the 7B5 T cell clone. This was confirmed by recognition of CDH13-transduced EBV-LCLs and cell subsets endogenously expressing CDH13, such as proximal tubular epithelial cells. As such, we recommend the use of a combinatorial peptide library scan followed by screening against additional cell subsets to validate TCR specificity and detect off-target toxicity due to cross-reactivity directed against unrelated peptides before selecting candidate TCRs for clinical testing.
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47
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Spear TT, Wang Y, Smith TW, Simms PE, Garrett-Mayer E, Hellman LM, Baker BM, Nishimura MI. Altered Peptide Ligands Impact the Diversity of Polyfunctional Phenotypes in T Cell Receptor Gene-Modified T Cells. Mol Ther 2018; 26:996-1007. [PMID: 29503203 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2018.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2017] [Revised: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of T cell receptor (TCR) gene-modified T cells in adoptive cell transfer has had promising clinical success, but often, simple preclinical evaluation does not necessarily accurately predict treatment efficacy or safety. Preclinical studies generally evaluate one or a limited number of type 1 cytokines to assess antigen recognition. However, recent studies have implicated other "typed" T cells in effective anti-tumor/viral immunity, and limited functional evaluations may underestimate cross-reactivity. In this study, we use an altered peptide ligand (APL) model and multi-dimensional flow cytometry to evaluate polyfunctionality of TCR gene-modified T cells. Evaluating six cytokines and the lytic marker CD107a on a per cell basis revealed remarkably diverse polyfunctional phenotypes within a single T cell culture and among peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) donors. This polyfunctional assessment identified unexpected phenotypes, including cells producing both type 1 and type 2 cytokines, and highlighted interferon γneg (IFNγneg) antigen-reactive populations overlooked in our previous studies. Additionally, APLs skewed functional phenotypes to be less polyfunctional, which was not necessarily related to changes in TCR-peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) affinity. A better understanding of gene-modified T cell functional diversity may help identify optimal therapeutic phenotypes, predict clinical responses, anticipate off-target recognition, and improve the design and delivery of TCR gene-modified T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy T Spear
- Department of Surgery, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
| | - Yuan Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Thomas W Smith
- Department of Surgery, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Patricia E Simms
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility, Office of Research Services, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, 60153 USA
| | - Elizabeth Garrett-Mayer
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29415, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29415, USA
| | - Lance M Hellman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Brian M Baker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Michael I Nishimura
- Department of Surgery, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
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48
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Schmitt TM, Aggen DH, Ishida-Tsubota K, Ochsenreither S, Kranz DM, Greenberg PD. Generation of higher affinity T cell receptors by antigen-driven differentiation of progenitor T cells in vitro. Nat Biotechnol 2017; 35:1188-1195. [PMID: 29106410 PMCID: PMC5722674 DOI: 10.1038/nbt.4004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Many promising targets for T-cell-based cancer immunotherapies are self-antigens. During thymic selection, T cells bearing T cell receptors (TCRs) with high affinity for self-antigen are eliminated. The affinity of the remaining low-avidity TCRs can be improved to increase their antitumor efficacy, but conventional saturation mutagenesis approaches are labor intensive, and the resulting TCRs may be cross-reactive. Here we describe the in vitro maturation and selection of mouse and human T cells on antigen-expressing feeder cells to develop higher-affinity TCRs. The approach takes advantage of natural Tcrb gene rearrangement to generate diversity in the length and composition of CDR3β. In vitro differentiation of progenitors transduced with a known Tcra gene in the presence of antigen drives differentiation of cells with a distinct agonist-selected phenotype. We purified these cells to generate TCRβ chain libraries pre-enriched for target antigen specificity. Several TCRβ chains paired with a transgenic TCRα chain to produce a TCR with higher affinity than the parental TCR for target antigen, without evidence of cross-reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M Schmitt
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - David H Aggen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Sebastian Ochsenreither
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumor Immunology, Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
| | - David M Kranz
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Philip D Greenberg
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Departments of Immunology and Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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49
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Singh NK, Riley TP, Baker SCB, Borrman T, Weng Z, Baker BM. Emerging Concepts in TCR Specificity: Rationalizing and (Maybe) Predicting Outcomes. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2017; 199:2203-2213. [PMID: 28923982 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1700744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
T cell specificity emerges from a myriad of processes, ranging from the biological pathways that control T cell signaling to the structural and physical mechanisms that influence how TCRs bind peptides and MHC proteins. Of these processes, the binding specificity of the TCR is a key component. However, TCR specificity is enigmatic: TCRs are at once specific but also cross-reactive. Although long appreciated, this duality continues to puzzle immunologists and has implications for the development of TCR-based therapeutics. In this review, we discuss TCR specificity, emphasizing results that have emerged from structural and physical studies of TCR binding. We show how the TCR specificity/cross-reactivity duality can be rationalized from structural and biophysical principles. There is excellent agreement between predictions from these principles and classic predictions about the scope of TCR cross-reactivity. We demonstrate how these same principles can also explain amino acid preferences in immunogenic epitopes and highlight opportunities for structural considerations in predictive immunology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishant K Singh
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556.,Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556; and
| | - Timothy P Riley
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556.,Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556; and
| | - Sarah Catherine B Baker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556.,Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556; and
| | - Tyler Borrman
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605
| | - Zhiping Weng
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605
| | - Brian M Baker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556; .,Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556; and
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50
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Development of T-cell immunotherapy for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients at risk of leukemia relapse. Blood 2017; 131:108-120. [PMID: 29051183 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2017-07-791608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Leukemia relapse remains the major cause of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) failure, and the prognosis for patients with post-HCT relapse is poor. There is compelling evidence that potent selective antileukemic effects can be delivered by donor T cells specific for particular minor histocompatibility (H) antigens. Thus, T-cell receptors (TCRs) isolated from minor H antigen-specific T cells represent an untapped resource for developing targeted T-cell immunotherapy to manage post-HCT leukemic relapse. Recognizing that several elements may be crucial to the efficacy and safety of engineered T-cell immunotherapy, we developed a therapeutic transgene with 4 components: (1) a TCR specific for the hematopoietic-restricted, leukemia-associated minor H antigen, HA-1; (2) a CD8 coreceptor to promote function of the class I-restricted TCR in CD4+ T cells; (3) an inducible caspase 9 safety switch to enable elimination of the HA-1 TCR T cells in case of toxicity; and (4) a CD34-CD20 epitope to facilitate selection of the engineered cell product and tracking of transferred HA-1 TCR T cells. The T-cell product includes HA-1 TCR CD4+ T cells to augment the persistence and function of the HA-1 TCR CD8+ T cells and includes only memory T cells; naive T cells are excluded to limit the potential for alloreactivity mediated by native TCR coexpressed by HA-1 TCR T cells. We describe the development of this unique immunotherapy and demonstrate functional responses to primary leukemia by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells transduced with a lentiviral vector incorporating the HA-1 TCR transgene construct.
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