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Boucher JC, Shrestha B, Vishwasrao P, Leick M, Cervantes EV, Ghafoor T, Reid K, Spitler K, Yu B, Betts BC, Guevara-Patino JA, Maus MV, Davila ML. Bispecific CD33/CD123 targeted chimeric antigen receptor T cells for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2023; 31:100751. [PMID: 38075241 PMCID: PMC10701585 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2023.100751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
CD33 and CD123 are expressed on the surface of human acute myeloid leukemia blasts and other noncancerous tissues such as hematopoietic stem cells. On-target off-tumor toxicities may limit chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies that target both CD33 and CD123. To overcome this limitation, we developed bispecific human CD33/CD123 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells with an "AND" logic gate. We produced novel CD33 and CD123 scFvs from monoclonal antibodies that bound CD33 and CD123 and activated T cells. Screening of CD33 and CD123 CAR T cells for cytotoxicity, cytokine production, and proliferation was performed, and we selected scFvs for CD33/CD123 bispecific CARs. The bispecific CARs split 4-1BB co-stimulation on one scFv and CD3ζ on the other. In vitro testing of cytokine secretion and cytotoxicity resulted in selecting bispecific CAR 1 construct for in vivo analysis. The CD33/CD123 bispecific CAR T cells were able to control acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in a xenograft AML mouse model similar to monospecific CD33 and CD123 CAR T cells while showing no on-target off-tumor effects. Based on our findings, human CD33/CD123 bispecific CAR T cells are a promising cell-based approach to prevent AML and support clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin C. Boucher
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Division of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Bishwas Shrestha
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Division of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Paresh Vishwasrao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
- Department of Hematology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mark Leick
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program. Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | | | | | - Kayla Reid
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Division of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Kristen Spitler
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Division of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Bin Yu
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Division of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Brian C. Betts
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplant, Department of Medicine, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | | | - Marcela V. Maus
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program. Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Marco L. Davila
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Division of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
- Department of Medicine and Immunology, Roswell Park Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
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Roselli E, Boucher JC, Li G, Kotani H, Spitler K, Reid K, Cervantes EV, Bulliard Y, Tu N, Lee SB, Yu B, Locke FL, Davila ML. 4-1BB and optimized CD28 co-stimulation enhances function of human mono-specific and bi-specific third-generation CAR T cells. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:jitc-2021-003354. [PMID: 34706886 PMCID: PMC8552146 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Co-stimulatory signals regulate the expansion, persistence, and function of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Most studies have focused on the co-stimulatory domains CD28 or 4-1BB. CAR T cell persistence is enhanced by 4-1BB co-stimulation leading to nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling, while resistance to exhaustion is enhanced by mutations of the CD28 co-stimulatory domain. Methods We hypothesized that a third-generation CAR containing 4-1BB and CD28 with only PYAP signaling motif (mut06) would provide beneficial aspects of both. We designed CD19-specific CAR T cells with either 4-1BB or mut06 together with the combination of both and evaluated their immune-phenotype, cytokine secretion, real-time cytotoxic ability and polyfunctionality against CD19-expressing cells. We analyzed lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (LCK) recruitment by the different constructs by immunoblotting. We further determined their ability to control growth of Raji cells in NOD scid gamma (NSG) mice. We also engineered bi-specific CARs against CD20/CD19 combining 4-1BB and mut06 and performed repeated in vitro antigenic stimulation experiments to evaluate their expansion, memory phenotype and phenotypic (PD1+CD39+) and functional exhaustion. Bi-specific CAR T cells were transferred into Raji or Nalm6-bearing mice to study their ability to eradicate CD20/CD19-expressing tumors. Results Co-stimulatory domains combining 4-1BB and mut06 confers CAR T cells with an increased central memory phenotype, expansion, and LCK recruitment to the CAR. This enhanced function was dependent on the positioning of the two co-stimulatory domains. A bi-specific CAR targeting CD20/CD19, incorporating 4-1BB and mut06 co-stimulation, showed enhanced antigen-dependent in vitro expansion with lower exhaustion-associated markers. Bi-specific CAR T cells exhibited improved in vivo antitumor activity with increased persistence and decreased exhaustion. Conclusion These results demonstrate that co-stimulation combining 4-1BB with an optimized form of CD28 is a valid approach to optimize CAR T cell function. Cells with both mono-specific and bi-specific versions of this design showed enhanced in vitro and in vivo features such as expansion, persistence and resistance to exhaustion. Our observations validate the approach and justify clinical studies to test the efficacy and safety of this CAR in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Roselli
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Justin C Boucher
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Gongbo Li
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Hiroshi Kotani
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Kristen Spitler
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Kayla Reid
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | | | | | - Nhan Tu
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Sae Bom Lee
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA.,University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.,Cancer Biology PhD Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Bin Yu
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Frederick L Locke
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Marco L Davila
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
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Boucher JC, Li G, Kotani H, Cabral ML, Morrissey D, Lee SB, Spitler K, Beatty NJ, Cervantes EV, Shrestha B, Yu B, Kazi A, Wang X, Sebti SM, Davila ML. CD28 Costimulatory Domain-Targeted Mutations Enhance Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Function. Cancer Immunol Res 2020; 9:62-74. [PMID: 33188139 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-20-0253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
An obstacle to the development of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells is the limited understanding of CAR T-cell biology and the mechanisms behind their antitumor activity. We and others have shown that CARs with a CD28 costimulatory domain drive high T-cell activation, which leads to exhaustion and shortened persistence. This work led us to hypothesize that by incorporating null mutations of CD28 subdomains (YMNM, PRRP, or PYAP), we could optimize CAR T-cell costimulation and enhance function. In vivo, we found that mice given CAR T cells with only a PYAP CD28 endodomain had a significant survival advantage, with 100% of mice alive after 62 days compared with 50% for mice with an unmutated endodomain. We observed that mutant CAR T cells remained more sensitive to antigen after ex vivo antigen and PD-L1 stimulation, as demonstrated by increased cytokine production. The mutant CAR T cells also had a reduction of exhaustion-related transcription factors and genes such as Nfatc1, Nr42a, and Pdcd1 Our results demonstrated that CAR T cells with a mutant CD28 endodomain have better survival and function. This work allows for the development of enhanced CAR T-cell therapies by optimizing CAR T-cell costimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin C Boucher
- Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Division of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida
| | - Gongbo Li
- Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Division of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida
| | - Hiroshi Kotani
- Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Division of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida
| | - Maria L Cabral
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Dylan Morrissey
- Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida Health, Tampa, Florida
| | - Sae Bom Lee
- Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Division of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida.,Cancer Biology Ph.D. Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Kristen Spitler
- Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Division of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida
| | - Nolan J Beatty
- Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Division of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida.,Cancer Biology Ph.D. Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Estelle V Cervantes
- Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida Health, Tampa, Florida
| | - Bishwas Shrestha
- Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Division of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida
| | - Bin Yu
- Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Division of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida
| | - Aslamuzzaman Kazi
- Drug Discovery Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida
| | - Xuefeng Wang
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida
| | - Said M Sebti
- Drug Discovery Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida
| | - Marco L Davila
- Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Division of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida. .,Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida Health, Tampa, Florida
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Boucher JC, Cervantes EV, Lee SB, Spitler K, Reid K, Davila ML. Optimization of CAR T cell co-stimulation reduces to MDSC suppression. The Journal of Immunology 2020. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.204.supp.170.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
A major obstacle for continued development of CARs is their suppression by the tumor microenvironment. Clinical data from our lab shows patients that have increased myeloid cells have poorer outcomes to CAR T cell therapy. Based on this we examined MDSC suppression of CARs.
First, we examined the effect of MDSCs on CAR T cell production. We found gene transfer was lower for m1928z CAR T cells co-cultured with MDSCs compared to those that were not (24.1% vs 39.1%). There was also a reduction in total T cell counts for m1928z after MDSC co-culture (88%). We also investigated the effect of MDSCs on CAR T cells when present during antigen stimulation. Co-culture with MDSCs in vitro showed significant reductions in CAR T cell mediated killing and IFNγ secretion. Additionally, CAR T cells stimulated in the presence of MDSCs had lower expression of activation markers PD1 and LAG3. This suggests that MDSCs reduce CAR T cell gene transfer, activation, killing, and cytokine production.
To evaluate if we could create a CAR T cell resistant to MDSC suppression null mutations of YMNM and PRRP were incorporated into a CD28 CAR leaving only PYAP active (mut06). When mut06 and MDSCs were co-cultured there was a reduction in gene transfer (21% vs 38%) and T cell counts (80% vs 88%) compared to m1928z. We also found when in the presence of MDSCs mut06 was significantly better at killing compared to m1928z. To examine this in vivo we co-injected mice with CAR T cells and MDSCs. We found mice given m1928z with MDSCs had reduced CAR T cell function while mut06 was not affected by MDSCs. Overall our data shows that MDSCs can suppress CAR T cell function when present during production as well as CAR stimulation and optimizing CD28 CAR signaling creates CAR T cells that are more resistant to MDSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Kayla Reid
- 1H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr. and Res. Inst
| | - Marco L Davila
- 1H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr. and Res. Inst
- 2Univ. of South Florida Morsani Col. of Med
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