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Zur RT, Adler G, Shamalov K, Tal Y, Ankri C, Cohen CJ. Adoptive T-cell Immunotherapy: Perfecting Self-Defenses. EXPERIENTIA SUPPLEMENTUM (2012) 2022; 113:253-294. [PMID: 35165867 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-91311-3_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
As an important part of the immune system, T lymphocytes exhibit undoubtedly an important role in targeting and eradicating cancer. However, despite these characteristics, their natural antitumor response may be insufficient. Numerous clinical trials in terminally ill cancer patients testing the design of novel and efficient immunotherapeutic approaches based on the adoptive transfer of autologous tumor-specific T lymphocytes have shown encouraging results. Moreover, this also led to the approval of engineered T-cell therapies in patients. Herein, we will expand on the development and the use of such strategies using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes or genetically engineered T-cells. We will also comment on the requirements and potential hurdles encountered when elaborating and implementing such treatments as well as the exciting prospects for this kind of emerging personalized medicine therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaëlle Toledano Zur
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Galit Adler
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Katerina Shamalov
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Yair Tal
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Chen Ankri
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Cyrille J Cohen
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
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Bräunlein E, Lupoli G, Füchsl F, Abualrous ET, de Andrade Krätzig N, Gosmann D, Wietbrock L, Lange S, Engleitner T, Lan H, Audehm S, Effenberger M, Boxberg M, Steiger K, Chang Y, Yu K, Atay C, Bassermann F, Weichert W, Busch DH, Rad R, Freund C, Antes I, Krackhardt AM. Functional analysis of peripheral and intratumoral neoantigen-specific TCRs identified in a patient with melanoma. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:jitc-2021-002754. [PMID: 34518289 PMCID: PMC8438848 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-002754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neoantigens derived from somatic mutations correlate with therapeutic responses mediated by treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Neoantigens are therefore highly attractive targets for the development of therapeutic approaches in personalized medicine, although many aspects of their quality and associated immune responses are not yet well understood. In a case study of metastatic malignant melanoma, we aimed to perform an in-depth characterization of neoantigens and respective T-cell responses in the context of immune checkpoint modulation. Methods Three neoantigens, which we identified either by immunopeptidomics or in silico prediction, were investigated using binding affinity analyses and structural simulations. We isolated seven T-cell receptors (TCRs) from the patient’s immune repertoire recognizing these antigens. TCRs were compared in vitro by multiparametric analyses including functional avidity, multicytokine secretion, and cross-reactivity screenings. A xenograft mouse model served to study in vivo functionality of selected TCRs. We investigated the patient’s TCR repertoire in blood and different tumor-related tissues over 3 years using TCR beta deep sequencing. Results Selected mutated peptide ligands with proven immunogenicity showed similar binding affinities to the human leukocyte antigen complex and comparable disparity to their wild-type counterparts in molecular dynamic simulations. Nevertheless, isolated TCRs recognizing these antigens demonstrated distinct patterns in functionality and frequency. TCRs with lower functional avidity showed at least equal antitumor immune responses in vivo. Moreover, they occurred at high frequencies and particularly demonstrated long-term persistence within tumor tissues, lymph nodes and various blood samples associated with a reduced activation pattern on primary in vitro stimulation. Conclusions We performed a so far unique fine characterization of neoantigen-specific T-cell responses revealing defined reactivity patterns of neoantigen-specific TCRs. Our data highlight qualitative differences of these TCRs associated with function and longevity of respective T cells. Such features need to be considered for further optimization of neoantigen targeting including adoptive T-cell therapies using TCR-transgenic T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Bräunlein
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin III, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Gaia Lupoli
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin III, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Franziska Füchsl
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin III, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Esam T Abualrous
- Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Niklas de Andrade Krätzig
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, TUM School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), TUM School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Dario Gosmann
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin III, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Lukas Wietbrock
- TUM School of Life Sciences and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Sebastian Lange
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, TUM School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), TUM School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,Department of Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, TUM School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Thomas Engleitner
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, TUM School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), TUM School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Huan Lan
- Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Audehm
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin III, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Manuel Effenberger
- Institute for Medical Microbiology Immunology and Hygiene, Technische Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Melanie Boxberg
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,MRI-TUM-Biobank at the Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Katja Steiger
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,Core Facility Experimental Pathology, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner-site Munich, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yinshui Chang
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin III, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Kai Yu
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin III, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Cigdem Atay
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin III, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner-site Munich, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Florian Bassermann
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin III, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), TUM School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner-site Munich, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Wilko Weichert
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,MRI-TUM-Biobank at the Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,Core Facility Experimental Pathology, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner-site Munich, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk H Busch
- Institute for Medical Microbiology Immunology and Hygiene, Technische Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Roland Rad
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, TUM School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), TUM School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,Department of Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, TUM School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner-site Munich, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Freund
- Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Iris Antes
- TUM School of Life Sciences and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Angela M Krackhardt
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin III, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany .,Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), TUM School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner-site Munich, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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3
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de Sousa E, Lérias JR, Beltran A, Paraschoudi G, Condeço C, Kamiki J, António PA, Figueiredo N, Carvalho C, Castillo-Martin M, Wang Z, Ligeiro D, Rao M, Maeurer M. Targeting Neoepitopes to Treat Solid Malignancies: Immunosurgery. Front Immunol 2021; 12:592031. [PMID: 34335558 PMCID: PMC8320363 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.592031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful outcome of immune checkpoint blockade in patients with solid cancers is in part associated with a high tumor mutational burden (TMB) and the recognition of private neoantigens by T-cells. The quality and quantity of target recognition is determined by the repertoire of ‘neoepitope’-specific T-cell receptors (TCRs) in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), or peripheral T-cells. Interferon gamma (IFN-γ), produced by T-cells and other immune cells, is essential for controlling proliferation of transformed cells, induction of apoptosis and enhancing human leukocyte antigen (HLA) expression, thereby increasing immunogenicity of cancer cells. TCR αβ-dependent therapies should account for tumor heterogeneity and availability of the TCR repertoire capable of reacting to neoepitopes and functional HLA pathways. Immunogenic epitopes in the tumor-stroma may also be targeted to achieve tumor-containment by changing the immune-contexture in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Non protein-coding regions of the tumor-cell genome may also contain many aberrantly expressed, non-mutated tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) capable of eliciting productive anti-tumor immune responses. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) and/or RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) of cancer tissue, combined with several layers of bioinformatic analysis is commonly used to predict possible neoepitopes present in clinical samples. At the ImmunoSurgery Unit of the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown (CCU), a pipeline combining several tools is used for predicting private mutations from WES and RNA-Seq data followed by the construction of synthetic peptides tailored for immunological response assessment reflecting the patient’s tumor mutations, guided by MHC typing. Subsequent immunoassays allow the detection of differential IFN-γ production patterns associated with (intra-tumoral) spatiotemporal differences in TIL or peripheral T-cells versus TIL. These bioinformatics tools, in addition to histopathological assessment, immunological readouts from functional bioassays and deep T-cell ‘adaptome’ analyses, are expected to advance discovery and development of next-generation personalized precision medicine strategies to improve clinical outcomes in cancer in the context of i) anti-tumor vaccination strategies, ii) gauging mutation-reactive T-cell responses in biological therapies and iii) expansion of tumor-reactive T-cells for the cellular treatment of patients with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric de Sousa
- ImmunoSurgery Unit, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana R Lérias
- ImmunoSurgery Unit, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Antonio Beltran
- Department of Pathology, Champalimaud Clinical Centre, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Carolina Condeço
- ImmunoSurgery Unit, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Jéssica Kamiki
- ImmunoSurgery Unit, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Nuno Figueiredo
- Digestive Unit, Champalimaud Clinical Centre, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carlos Carvalho
- Digestive Unit, Champalimaud Clinical Centre, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Zhe Wang
- Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute (JITRI), Applied Adaptome Immunology Institute, Nanjing, China
| | - Dário Ligeiro
- Lisbon Centre for Blood and Transplantation, Instituto Português do Sangue e Transplantação (IPST), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Martin Rao
- ImmunoSurgery Unit, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Markus Maeurer
- ImmunoSurgery Unit, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal.,I Medical Clinic, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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Robu S, Richter A, Gosmann D, Seidl C, Leung D, Hayes W, Cohen D, Morin P, Donnelly DJ, Lipovšek D, Bonacorsi SJ, Smith A, Steiger K, Aulehner C, Krackhardt AM, Weber WA. Synthesis and Preclinical Evaluation of a 68Ga-Labeled Adnectin, 68Ga-BMS-986192, as a PET Agent for Imaging PD-L1 Expression. J Nucl Med 2021; 62:1228-1234. [PMID: 33517324 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.120.258384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Blocking the interaction of the immune checkpoint molecule programmed cell death protein-1 and its ligand, PD-L1, using specific antibodies has been a major breakthrough for immune oncology. Whole-body PD-L1 expression PET imaging may potentially allow for a better prediction of response to programmed cell death protein-1-targeted therapies. Imaging of PD-L1 expression is feasible by PET with the adnectin protein 18F-BMS-986192. However, radiofluorination of proteins such as BMS-986192 remains complex and labeling yields are low. The goal of this study was therefore the development and preclinical evaluation of a 68Ga-labeled adnectin protein (68Ga-BMS-986192) to facilitate clinical trials. Methods: 68Ga labeling of DOTA-conjugated adnectin (BXA-206362) was performed in NaOAc-buffer at pH 5.5 (50°C, 15 min). In vitro stability in human serum at 37°C was analyzed using radio-thin layer chromatography and radio-high-performance liquid chromatography. PD-L1 binding assays were performed using the transduced PD-L1-expressing lymphoma cell line U-698-M and wild-type U-698-M cells as a negative control. Immunohistochemical staining studies, biodistribution studies, and small-animal PET studies of 68Ga-BMS-986192 were performed using PD-L1-positive and PD-L1-negative U-698-M-bearing NSG mice. Results: 68Ga-BMS-986192 was obtained with quantitative radiochemical yields of more than 97% and with high radiochemical purity. In vitro stability in human serum was at least 95% after 4 h of incubation. High and specific binding of 68Ga-BMS-986192 to human PD-L1-expressing cancer cells was confirmed, which closely correlates with the respective PD-L1 expression level determined by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry staining. In vivo, 68Ga-BMS-986192 uptake was high at 1 h after injection in PD-L1-positive tumors (9.0 ± 2.1 percentage injected dose [%ID]/g) and kidneys (56.9 ± 9.2 %ID/g), with negligible uptake in other tissues. PD-L1-negative tumors demonstrated only background uptake of radioactivity (0.6 ± 0.1 %ID/g). Coinjection of an excess of unlabeled adnectin reduced tumor uptake of PD-L1 by more than 80%. Conclusion: 68Ga-BMS-986192 enables easy radiosynthesis and shows excellent in vitro and in vivo PD-L1-targeting characteristics. The high tumor uptake combined with low background accumulation at early imaging time points demonstrates the feasibility of 68Ga-BMS-986192 for imaging of PD-L1 expression in tumors and is encouraging for further clinical applications of PD-L1 ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Robu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany;
| | - Antonia Richter
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Dario Gosmann
- School of Medicine, Clinic and Policlinic for Internal Medicine III, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Christof Seidl
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - David Leung
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Wendy Hayes
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Daniel Cohen
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Paul Morin
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - David J Donnelly
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Daša Lipovšek
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, Princeton, New Jersey
| | | | - Adam Smith
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Katja Steiger
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium, Munich, Germany, and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany; and
| | - Christina Aulehner
- School of Medicine, Clinic and Policlinic for Internal Medicine III, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Angela M Krackhardt
- School of Medicine, Clinic and Policlinic for Internal Medicine III, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium, Munich, Germany, and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany; and
| | - Wolfgang A Weber
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium, Munich, Germany, and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany; and.,TranslaTUM (Zentralinstitut für translationale Krebsforschung der Technischen Universität München), Munich, Germany
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5
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Jones HF, Molvi Z, Klatt MG, Dao T, Scheinberg DA. Empirical and Rational Design of T Cell Receptor-Based Immunotherapies. Front Immunol 2021; 11:585385. [PMID: 33569049 PMCID: PMC7868419 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.585385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of T cells reactive with intracellular tumor-associated or tumor-specific antigens has been a promising strategy for cancer immunotherapies in the past three decades, but the approach has been constrained by a limited understanding of the T cell receptor’s (TCR) complex functions and specificities. Newer TCR and T cell-based approaches are in development, including engineered adoptive T cells with enhanced TCR affinities, TCR mimic antibodies, and T cell-redirecting bispecific agents. These new therapeutic modalities are exciting opportunities by which TCR recognition can be further exploited for therapeutic benefit. In this review we summarize the development of TCR-based therapeutic strategies and focus on balancing efficacy and potency versus specificity, and hence, possible toxicity, of these powerful therapeutic modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather F Jones
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States.,Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Zaki Molvi
- Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States.,Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Martin G Klatt
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Tao Dao
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - David A Scheinberg
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States.,Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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Spear TT, Evavold BD, Baker BM, Nishimura MI. Understanding TCR affinity, antigen specificity, and cross-reactivity to improve TCR gene-modified T cells for cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2019; 68:1881-1889. [PMID: 31595324 PMCID: PMC11028285 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-019-02401-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Adoptive cell transfer (ACT) using T cell receptor (TCR) gene-modified T cells is an exciting and rapidly evolving field. Numerous preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated various levels of feasibility, safety, and efficacy using TCR-engineered T cells to treat cancer and viral infections. Although evidence suggests their use can be effective, to what extent and how to improve these therapeutics are still matters of investigation. As TCR affinity has been generally accepted as the central role in defining T cell specificity and sensitivity, selection for and generation of high affinity TCRs has remained a fundamental approach to design more potent T cells. However, traditional methods for affinity-enhancement by random mutagenesis can induce undesirable cross-reactivity causing on- and off-target adverse events, generate exhausted effectors by overstimulation, and ignore other kinetic and cellular parameters that have been shown to impact antigen specificity. In this Focussed Research Review, we comment on the preclinical and clinical potential of TCR gene-modified T cells, summarize our contributions challenging the role TCR affinity plays in antigen recognition, and explore how structure-guided design can be used to manipulate antigen specificity and TCR cross-reactivity to improve the safety and efficacy of TCR gene-modified T cells used in ACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy T Spear
- Department of Surgery, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Chicago, 2160 S. 1st Ave, Bldg 112, Room 308, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA.
| | - Brian D Evavold
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Brian M Baker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46530, USA
| | - Michael I Nishimura
- Department of Surgery, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Chicago, 2160 S. 1st Ave, Bldg 112, Room 308, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
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