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Dragon AC, Beermann LM, Umland M, Bonifacius A, Malinconico C, Ruhl L, Kehler P, Gellert J, Weiß L, Mayer-Hain S, Zimmermann K, Riese S, Thol F, Beutel G, Maecker-Kolhoff B, Yamamoto F, Blasczyk R, Schambach A, Hust M, Hudecek M, Eiz-Vesper B. CAR-Ts redirected against the Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen CD176 mediate specific elimination of malignant cells from leukemia and solid tumors. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1219165. [PMID: 37915564 PMCID: PMC10616308 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1219165] [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: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Chimeric antigen receptor-engineered T cells (CAR-Ts) are investigated in various clinical trials for the treatment of cancer entities beyond hematologic malignancies. A major hurdle is the identification of a target antigen with high expression on the tumor but no expression on healthy cells, since "on-target/off-tumor" cytotoxicity is usually intolerable. Approximately 90% of carcinomas and leukemias are positive for the Thomsen-Friedenreich carbohydrate antigen CD176, which is associated with tumor progression, metastasis and therapy resistance. In contrast, CD176 is not accessible for ligand binding on healthy cells due to prolongation by carbohydrate chains or sialylation. Thus, no "on-target/off-tumor" cytotoxicity and low probability of antigen escape is expected for corresponding CD176-CAR-Ts. Methods Using the anti-CD176 monoclonal antibody (mAb) Nemod-TF2, the presence of CD176 was evaluated on multiple healthy or cancerous tissues and cells. To target CD176, we generated two different 2nd generation CD176-CAR constructs differing in spacer length. Their specificity for CD176 was tested in reporter cells as well as primary CD8+ T cells upon co-cultivation with CD176+ tumor cell lines as models for CD176+ blood and solid cancer entities, as well as after unmasking CD176 on healthy cells by vibrio cholerae neuraminidase (VCN) treatment. Following that, both CD176-CARs were thoroughly examined for their ability to initiate target-specific T-cell signaling and activation, cytokine release, as well as cytotoxicity. Results Specific expression of CD176 was detected on primary tumor tissues as well as on cell lines from corresponding blood and solid cancer entities. CD176-CARs mediated T-cell signaling (NF-κB activation) and T-cell activation (CD69, CD137 expression) upon recognition of CD176+ cancer cell lines and unmasked CD176, whereby a short spacer enabled superior target recognition. Importantly, they also released effector molecules (e.g. interferon-γ, granzyme B and perforin), mediated cytotoxicity against CD176+ cancer cells, and maintained functionality upon repetitive antigen stimulation. Here, CD176L-CAR-Ts exhibited slightly higher proliferation and mediator-release capacities. Since both CD176-CAR-Ts did not react towards CD176- control cells, their response proved to be target-specific. Discussion Genetically engineered CD176-CAR-Ts specifically recognize CD176 which is widely expressed on cancer cells. Since CD176 is masked on most healthy cells, this antigen and the corresponding CAR-Ts represent a promising approach for the treatment of various blood and solid cancers while avoiding "on-target/off-tumor" cytotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Christina Dragon
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Luca Marie Beermann
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Melina Umland
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Agnes Bonifacius
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Chiara Malinconico
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Louisa Ruhl
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Katharina Zimmermann
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Sebastian Riese
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Felicitas Thol
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Gernot Beutel
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Britta Maecker-Kolhoff
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Rainer Blasczyk
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Hust
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Technical University of Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Hudecek
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital of Würzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Britta Eiz-Vesper
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
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Mondal UK, Barchi JJ. Isolipoic acid-linked gold nanoparticles bearing the thomsen friedenreich tumor-associated carbohydrate antigen: Stability and in vitro studies. Front Chem 2022; 10:1002146. [PMID: 36300019 PMCID: PMC9588967 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1002146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We have previously prepared gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) bearing the Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen disaccharide (TFag), a pan-carcinoma, Tumor-Associated Carbohydrate Antigen (TACA), as tools for various assays and biological applications. Conjugation to AuNPs typically involves the use of thiols due to the affinity of sulfur for the gold surface of the nanoparticle. While a use of a single thiol-containing ligand bound to the gold surface is standard practice, several studies have shown that ligands bearing multiple thiols can enhance the strength of the conjugation in a nearly linear fashion. (R)-(+)-α-Lipoic acid (LA), a naturally occurring disulfide-containing organic acid that is used as a cofactor in many enzymatic reactions, has been used as a linker to conjugate various molecules to AuNPs through its branched di-thiol system to enhance nanoparticle stability. We sought to use a similar system to increase nanoparticle stability that was devoid of the chiral center in (R)-(+)-α-lipoic acid. Isolipoic acid, an isomer of LA, where the exocyclic pentanoic acid chain is shifted by one carbon on the dithiolane ring to produce an achiral acid, was thought to act similarly as LA without the risk of any contaminating (L)-(−) isomer. We synthesized AuNPs with ligands of both serine and threonine glycoamino acids bearing the TFag linked to isolipoic acid and examined their stability under various conditions. In addition, these particles were shown to bind to Galectin-3 and inhibit the interaction of Galectin-3 with a protein displaying copies of the TFag. These agents should prove useful in the design of potential antimetastatic therapeutics that would benefit from achiral linkers that are geometrically linear and achiral.
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Sclerotium rolfsii lectin induces opposite effects on normal PBMCs and leukemic Molt-4 cells by recognising TF antigen and its variants as receptors. Glycoconj J 2020; 37:251-261. [PMID: 31900725 DOI: 10.1007/s10719-019-09905-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Sclerotium rolfsii lectin (SRL) exerts apoptotic effect against various cancer cells and an antitumor activity on mice with colon and breast cancer xenografts. The current study aimed to explore its exquisite carbohydrate specificity on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and leukemic T-cells. SRL, showed strong binding (>98%) to resting/activated PBMCs, leukemic Molt-4 and Jurkat cell lines. The glycans mediated binding to these cells was effectively blocked by mucin and fetuin, exhibiting 97% and 94% inhibition respectively. SRL showed mitogenic stimulation of PBMCs at 10 μg/ml as determined by thymidine incorporation assay. In contrast, lectin induced a dose dependent growth inhibition of Molt-4 cells with 58% inhibition at 25 μg/ml. Many common membrane receptors in activated PBMCs, Molt 4 and Jurkat cells were identified by lectin blotting. However, membrane receptors that are recognized by SRL in normal resting PBMCs were totally different and are high molecular weight glycoproteins. Treatment of membrane receptors with glycosidases prior to lectin probing, revealed that fucosylated Thomsen-Friedenreich(TF) antigen glycans are increasingly expressed on transformed Molt-4 leukemic cells compared to other cells. The findings highlight the opposite effects of SRL on transformed and normal hematopoietic cells by recognizing different glycan-receptors. SRL has promising potential for diagnostics and therapeutic applications in leukaemia.
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Pang X, Li H, Guan F, Li X. Multiple Roles of Glycans in Hematological Malignancies. Front Oncol 2018; 8:364. [PMID: 30237983 PMCID: PMC6135871 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The three types of blood cells (red blood cells for carrying oxygen, white blood cells for immune protection, and platelets for wound clotting) arise from hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in the adult bone marrow, and function in physiological regulation and communication with local microenvironments to maintain systemic homeostasis. Hematological malignancies are relatively uncommon malignant disorders derived from the two major blood cell lineages: myeloid (leukemia) and lymphoid (lymphoma). Malignant clones lose their regulatory mechanisms, resulting in production of a large number of dysfunctional cells and destruction of normal hematopoiesis. Glycans are one of the four major types of essential biological macromolecules, along with nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids. Major glycan subgroups are N-glycans, O-glycans, glycosaminoglycans, and glycosphingolipids. Aberrant expression of glycan structures, resulting from dysregulation of glycan-related genes, is associated with cancer development and progression in terms of cell signaling and communication, tumor cell dissociation and invasion, cell-matrix interactions, tumor angiogenesis, immune modulation, and metastasis formation. Aberrant glycan expression occurs in most hematological malignancies, notably acute myeloid leukemia, myeloproliferative neoplasms, and multiple myeloma, etc. Here, we review recent research advances regarding aberrant glycans, their related genes, and their roles in hematological malignancies. Our improved understanding of the mechanisms that underlie aberrant patterns of glycosylation will lead to development of novel, more effective therapeutic approaches targeted to hematological malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingchen Pang
- School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Hongjiao Li
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Feng Guan
- School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiang Li
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,Wuxi Medical School, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
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Tzeng SF, Tsai CH, Chao TK, Chou YC, Yang YC, Tsai MH, Cha TL, Hsiao PW. O-Glycosylation-mediated signaling circuit drives metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. FASEB J 2018; 32:fj201800687. [PMID: 29906246 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201800687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Disseminated castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a common disease in men that is characterized by limited survival and resistance to androgen-deprivation therapy. The increase in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) signaling contributes to androgen receptor activity in a subset of patients with CRPC; however, enigmatically, HER2-targeted therapies have demonstrated a lack of efficacy in patients with CRPC. Aberrant glycosylation is a hallmark of cancer and involves key processes that support cancer progression. Using transcriptomic analysis of prostate cancer data sets, histopathologic examination of clinical specimens, and in vivo experiments of xenograft models, we reveal in this study a coordinated increase in glycan-binding protein, galectin-4, specific glycosyltransferases of core 1 synthase, glycoprotein- N-acetylgalactosamine 3-β-galactosyltransferase 1 (C1GALT1) and ST3 beta-galactoside α-2,3-sialyltransferase 1 (ST3GAL1), and resulting mucin-type O-glycans during the progression of CRPC. Furthermore, galectin-4 engaged with C1GALT1-dependent O-glycans to promote castration resistance and metastasis by activating receptor tyrosine kinase signaling and cancer cell stemness properties mediated by SRY-box 9 (SOX9). This galectin-glycan interaction up-regulated the MYC-dependent expression of C1GALT1 and ST3GAL1, which altered cellular mucin-type O-glycosylation to allow for galectin-4 binding. In clinical prostate cancer, high-level expression of C1GALT1 and galectin-4 together predict poor overall survival compared with low-level expression of C1GALT1 and galectin-4. In summary, MYC regulates abnormal O-glycosylation, thus priming cells for binding to galectin-4 and downstream signaling, which promotes castration resistance and metastasis.-Tzeng, S.-F., Tsai, C.-H., Chao, T.-K., Chou, Y.-C., Yang, Y.-C., Tsai, M.-H., Cha, T.-L., Hsiao, P.-W. O-Glycosylation-mediated signaling circuit drives metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheue-Fen Tzeng
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Hsien Tsai
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Kuang Chao
- Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Ching Chou
- School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chih Yang
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Mong-Hsun Tsai
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Lung Cha
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Wen Hsiao
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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Liu J, Yi B, Zhang Z, Cao Y. CD176 single-chain variable antibody fragment inhibits the adhesion of cancer cells to endothelial cells and hepatocytes. Front Med 2016; 10:204-11. [PMID: 27090911 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-016-0443-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
CD176 (Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen) is a tumor-associated carbohydrate epitope (glycotope) functionally involved in blood spread and liver metastasis of cancer cells by mediating the adhesion of cancer cells to endothelial cells and hepatocytes, respectively. CD176 could be a promising target for antitumor immunotherapy. We applied B lymphocytes obtained from mice immunized with CD176 antigen and constructed a phage display library. A positive clone of CD176 single-chain variable antibody fragment (scFv) was successfully screened from this library. The CD176 scFv was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. The purified scFv can bind to the natural CD176 expressed on the surface of cancer cells. Furthermore, the CD176 scFv inhibits the adhesion of CD176(+) cancer cells to endothelial cells and hepatocytes. This CD176 scFv provides a basis for future development of recombinant CD176-specific antibodies that can be used in therapeutic application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangnan Liu
- Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Pathology, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China
| | - Bin Yi
- Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Pathology, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Pathology, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China
| | - Yi Cao
- Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Pathology, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China.
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Devarapu SK, Mamidi S, Plöger F, Dill O, Blixt O, Kirschfink M, Schwartz-Albiez R. Cytotoxic activity against human neuroblastoma and melanoma cells mediated by IgM antibodies derived from peripheral blood of healthy donors. Int J Cancer 2016; 138:2963-73. [PMID: 26830059 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.30025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2015] [Revised: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
A small percentage of healthy donors identified in the Western population carry antibodies in their peripheral blood which convey cytotoxic activity against certain human melanoma and neuroblastoma cell lines. We measured the cytotoxic activity of sera and plasmas from healthy donors on the human neuroblastoma cell line Kelly and various melanoma cell lines. Antibodies of IgM isotype, presumably belonging to the class of naturally occurring antibodies, exerted cytotoxic activity in a complement-dependent fashion. Apart from complement-dependent tumor cell lysis, we observed C3 opsonization in all tumor cell lines upon treatment with cytotoxic plasmas. Cell lines tested primarily expressed membrane complement regulatory proteins (mCRP) CD46, CD55 and CD59 to various extents. Blocking of mCRPs by monoclonal antibodies enhanced cell lysis and opsonization, though some melanoma cells remained resistant to complement attack. Epitopes recognized by cytotoxic antibodies were represented by gangliosides such as GD2 and GD3, as evidenced by cellular sialidase pretreatment and enhanced expression of distinct gangliosides. It remains to be clarified why only a small fraction of healthy persons carry these antitumor cytotoxic antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Srinivas Mamidi
- Institute of Immunology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Ola Blixt
- Center for Glycomics, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Zhan XX, Zhao B, Diao C, Cao Y, Cheng RC. Expression of MUC1 and CD176 (Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen) in papillary thyroid carcinomas. Endocr Pathol 2015; 26:21-6. [PMID: 25614211 DOI: 10.1007/s12022-015-9356-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The incidence of thyroid cancer has appeared as an increasing trend globally, especially in Asian countries. In this study, the expression of mucin-1 (MUC1) and Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen, Galβ1-3GalNAcα1-R (CD176) was investigated by immunohistochemistry in papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs), which accounts for approximately 80 % of all thyroid cancer. We found that 78 % of PTC overexpressed MUC1. Importantly, we observed firstly that CD176 was expressed in 63 % of PTC, but was faintly or not expressed in normal thyroid tissues and benign thyroid disease tissues, indicating that CD176 is also a tumour-associated antigen for PTCs. Moreover, expression of CD176 was strongly correlated with MUC1 by immunohistochemical staining in PTCs. Furthermore, we used the immunochemical method to confirm that MUC1 is a common and main carrier of CD176 in PTCs. Our data demonstrated that MUC1 and CD176 might be promising biomarkers for thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-xiang Zhan
- Thyroid Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, 295 Xichang Road, Kunming, 650031, Yunnan, China
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