Intravenous Immunoglobulin to Suppress Progression in a Patient With Advanced Breast Cancer

Selective Recruitment of Antibodies to Cancer Cells and Immune Cell-mediated Killing via In Situ Click Chemistry

Many current cancer immunotherapies function by redirecting immune system components to recognize cancer biomarkers and initiate a cytotoxic attack. The lack of a universal tumor biomarker limits the therapeutic potential of these approaches. However, one feature characteristic of nearly all solid tumors is extracellular acidity. This inherent acidity provides the basis for targeted drug delivery via the pH-low insertion peptide (pHLIP), which selectively accumulates in tumors in vivo due to a pH-dependent membrane insertion propensity. Previously, we established that we could selectively decorate cancer cells with antigen-pHLIP conjugates to facilitate antibody recruitment and subsequent killing by engineered effector cells via antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Here, we present a novel strategy for opsonizing antibodies on target cell surfaces using click chemistry. We utilize pHLIP to facilitate selective tetrazine - trans-cyclooctene ligation of human IgGs to the cancer cell surface and induce ADCC. We demonstrate that our approach activates the primary ADCC signaling pathway via CD16a (FcγRIIIa) receptors on effector cells and induces the killing of cancer cell targets by engineered NK cells.

Neuroprotective Effect of Polyvalent Immunoglobulins on Mouse Models of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

The occurrence of neuropathic pain in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a major dose-limiting effect of many commonly-used anticancer agents. Polyvalent human immunoglobulins (hIg), used in the treatment of several peripheral neuropathies, may alleviate neuropathic pain. The aim of this project was to investigate the preventive effect of hIg in two mouse models of CIPN, induced by vincristine (VCR, 100 µg/kg/d) and oxaliplatin (OXP, 6 mg/kg/3d). Human Ig were administered one day before the first injection of chemotherapy. The onset of CIPN and effects of hIg were assessed via functional tests and morphological analyses of sensory nerves. To evaluate the effect of hIg on chemotherapy cytotoxicity, viability assays were performed using hIg (0 to 12 mg/mL) combined with anticancer agents on human cancer cell lines. The preventive treatment with hIg alleviated tactile hypersensitivity and nerve injuries induced by VCR. It also alleviated tactile/cold hypersensitivities and nerve injuries induced by OXP. Treatment with hIg did not affect the cytotoxicity of either chemotherapy. Furthermore, in combination with VCR, hIg potentiated chemo-induced cell death. In conclusion, hIg is a promising therapy to prevent the onset of CIPN and potentiate chemotherapy effect on cancer, reinforcing the interest in hIg in the management of CIPN.