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Jing Y, Kong Y, McGinty J, Blahnik-Fagan G, Lee T, Orozco-Figueroa S, Bettini ML, James EA, Bettini M. T-Cell Receptor/HLA Humanized Mice Reveal Reduced Tolerance and Increased Immunogenicity of Posttranslationally Modified GAD65 Epitope. Diabetes 2022; 71:1012-1022. [PMID: 35179565 PMCID: PMC9044133 DOI: 10.2337/db21-0993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence supports a critical role for posttranslationally modified (PTM) islet neoantigens in type 1 diabetes. However, our understanding regarding thymic development and peripheral activation of PTM autoantigen-reactive T cells is still limited. Using HLA-DR4 humanized mice, we observed that deamidation of GAD65115-127 generates a more immunogenic epitope that recruits T cells with promiscuous recognition of both the deamidated and native epitopes and reduced frequency of regulatory T cells. Using humanized HLA/T-cell receptor (TCR) mice, we observed that TCRs reactive to the native or deamidated GAD65115-127 led to efficient development of CD4+ effector T cells; however, regulatory T-cell development was reduced in mice expressing the PTM-reactive TCR, which was partially restored with exogenous PTM peptide. Upon priming, both the native-specific and the deamidated-specific T cells accumulated in pancreatic islets, suggesting that both specificities can recognize endogenous GAD65 and contribute to anti-β-cell responses. Collectively, our observations in polyclonal and single TCR systems suggest that while effector T-cell responses can exhibit cross-reactivity between native and deamidated GAD65 epitopes, regulatory T-cell development is reduced in response to the deamidated epitope, pointing to regulatory T-cell development as a key mechanism for loss of tolerance to PTM antigenic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Jing
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
- Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX
| | - Yuelin Kong
- Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX
| | - John McGinty
- Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA
| | | | - Thomas Lee
- Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX
| | - Stephanie Orozco-Figueroa
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Matthew L. Bettini
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
- Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX
| | - Eddie A. James
- Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA
| | - Maria Bettini
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
- Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX
- Corresponding author: Maria Bettini,
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Dahlman A, Nelson M, Bannink J, Johnson S, Werchau D, Nilsson A, Ljung L, Blahnik-Fagan G, Bader R, Deronic A, Ellmark P, Askmyr M, Hernandez-Hoyos G, McMahan C, Fritzell S. Abstract 2380: Preclinical safety and efficacy of a tumor-directed T cell activating 4-1BB x 5T4 ADAPTIR™ bispecific antibody. Cancer Res 2019. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2019-2380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The ability to induce potent anti-tumor activity by stimulating 4-1BB (CD137), a key co-stimulatory receptor, makes 4-1BB an attractive immunotherapeutic target. However, a clinically tested, 4-1BB targeting monospecific antibody has been hampered by dose-limiting hepatic toxicities. To improve safety of 4-1BB targeting therapies we have developed a 4-1BB x 5T4 bispecific antibody designed to direct tumor-specific T cell responses to the tumor by stimulating 4-1BB only when co-engaged with 5T4, a tumor-associated antigen. The preclinical dataset presented here provides an overview of the mechanism of action and the efficacy and safety profile of ALG.APV-527, supporting its advancement into the clinic. ALG.APV-527 was built using the ADAPTIR™ platform with binding domains from the ALLIGATOR-GOLD® human scFv library. Its 5T4-dependent agonistic function was assessed using primary CD8+ T cells or NK cells in the presence of 5T4-expressing cells. Secretion of IFN-γ or granzyme B was measured at 72 hrs using ELISA. To measure proliferation, PBMCs were labelled with Cell Trace™ and gated CD8+ T cells were analyzed using flow cytometry. For tumor inhibition studies, the human 5T4-expressing colon carcinoma HCT116 xenograft model was used. 5T4 expression was evaluated in normal human tissues and different human tumors by immunohistochemistry. The preclinical safety profile of ALG.APV-527 was evaluated in a single and repeated dose, dose-range finding toxicology study in non-human primates (NHP). The study design included all the standard repeated dose toxicity parameters and in addition, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, and pharmacodynamic end-points. ALG.APV-527 induces a 5T4-dependent increase in IFN-γ and granzyme B production and enhances proliferation of T cells and NK cells. Furthermore, ALG.APV-527 inhibits tumor growth in a human 5T4-expressing colon carcinoma xenograft model. 5T4 is overexpressed in multiple solid tumors, potentially directing the activity of 4-1BB induced by ALG.APV-527 to 5T4-expressing tumors, improving the risk/benefit profile. Four doses (administered once weekly) did not cause any adverse events in the NHP toxicity study. In conclusion, ALG.APV-527 induces potent CD8+ T cell and NK co-stimulation but only in the presence of 5T4. Based on its efficacy and preclinical safety profile, ALG.APV-527 is a promising anti-cancer therapeutic for the treatment of multiple 5T4-expressing solid tumors.
Citation Format: Anna Dahlman, Michelle Nelson, Jeannette Bannink, Starrla Johnson, Doreen Werchau, Anneli Nilsson, Lill Ljung, Gabriele Blahnik-Fagan, Robert Bader, Adnan Deronic, Peter Ellmark, Maria Askmyr, Gabriela Hernandez-Hoyos, Cathy McMahan, Sara Fritzell. Preclinical safety and efficacy of a tumor-directed T cell activating 4-1BB x 5T4 ADAPTIR™ bispecific antibody [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2380.
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Buitinga M, Callebaut A, Marques Câmara Sodré F, Crèvecoeur I, Blahnik-Fagan G, Yang ML, Bugliani M, Arribas-Layton D, Marré M, Cook DP, Waelkens E, Mallone R, Piganelli JD, Marchetti P, Mamula MJ, Derua R, James EA, Mathieu C, Overbergh L. Inflammation-Induced Citrullinated Glucose-Regulated Protein 78 Elicits Immune Responses in Human Type 1 Diabetes. Diabetes 2018; 67:2337-2348. [PMID: 30348823 PMCID: PMC6973547 DOI: 10.2337/db18-0295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The β-cell has become recognized as a central player in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes with the generation of neoantigens as potential triggers for breaking immune tolerance. We report that posttranslationally modified glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) is a novel autoantigen in human type 1 diabetes. When human islets were exposed to inflammatory stress induced by interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interferon-γ, arginine residue R510 within GRP78 was converted into citrulline, as evidenced by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. This conversion, known as citrullination, led to the generation of neoepitopes, which effectively could be presented by HLA-DRB1*04:01 molecules. With the use of HLA-DRB1*04:01 tetramers and ELISA techniques, we demonstrate enhanced antigenicity of citrullinated GRP78 with significantly increased CD4+ T-cell responses and autoantibody titers in patients with type 1 diabetes compared with healthy control subjects. Of note, patients with type 1 diabetes had a predominantly higher percentage of central memory cells and a lower percentage of effector memory cells directed against citrullinated GRP78 compared with the native epitope. These results strongly suggest that citrullination of β-cell proteins, exemplified here by the citrullination of GRP78, contributes to loss of self-tolerance toward β-cells in human type 1 diabetes, indicating that β-cells actively participate in their own demise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mijke Buitinga
- Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Aïsha Callebaut
- Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Inne Crèvecoeur
- Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | | | | | - Meghan Marré
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Dana P Cook
- Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Etienne Waelkens
- Laboratory of Protein Phosphorylation and Proteomics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- SyBioMa, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Roberto Mallone
- INSERM, U1016, CNRS, UMR8104, Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Cochin Institute, Paris, France
| | - Jon D Piganelli
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | | | | | - Rita Derua
- Laboratory of Protein Phosphorylation and Proteomics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- SyBioMa, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Chantal Mathieu
- Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lut Overbergh
- Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Blahnik-Fagan G, Uchtenhagen H, Chow IT, Kwok WW, James EA. Combinatorial ex vivo analysis of beta cell specific CD4+ T-cell responses reveals a predominance of proinsulin specific cells. The Journal of Immunology 2016. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.196.supp.186.12] [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: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
CD4+ T cell responses are thought to play a key role in the progression of type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, effective monitoring and characterization of T cells that respond to beta cell epitopes in subjects with T1D has been limited by technical obstacles, including the inherently low frequencies of autoreactive CD4+ T cells and the variable responsiveness of individual subjects to single epitopes. We have recently implemented a combinatorial staining approach that allows direct ex vivo characterization of multiple CD4+ T-cell specificities in a single sample. We applied this combinatorial HLA class II multimer assay to directly measure the frequency and phenotype of beta cell specific CD4+ T cells. For this work we utilized five peptides that were previously identified as naturally processed DRB1*04:01 restricted epitopes from proinsulin, GAD65, IA-2, and IGRP. Although responses to each of these peptides can be readily detected after in vitro expansion culture, our results indicated that only proinsulin specific T cells were consistently present at high frequencies in subjects with T1D. Phenotypic analysis of beta cell specific CD4+ T cells revealed that subjects with T1D had a higher frequency of proinsulin specific T cells with a memory phenotype than HLA matched controls. The majority of these memory cells were CXCR3 positive and an increased percentage were CCR7 negative, suggesting that Th1-like effector memory responses are present in subjects with T1D. Finally, this approach is compatible with combinatorial class I multimer analysis, facilitating the characterization of self-reactive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells using a single sample.
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