Bispecific antibodies tethering innate receptors induce human tolerant-dendritic cells and regulatory T cells

There is an urgent need for alternative therapies targeting human dendritic cells (DCs) that could reverse inflammatory syndromes in many autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and organ transplantations. Here, we describe a bispecific antibody (bsAb) strategy tethering two pathogen-recognition receptors at the surface of human DCs. This cross-linking switches DCs into a tolerant profile able to induce regulatory T-cell differentiation. The bsAbs, not parental Abs, induced interleukin 10 and transforming growth factor β1 secretion in monocyte-derived DCs and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In addition, they induced interleukin 10 secretion by synovial fluid cells in rheumatoid arthritis and gout patients. This concept of bsAb-induced tethering of surface pathogen-recognition receptors switching cell properties opens a new therapeutic avenue for controlling inflammation and restoring immune tolerance.

Anticalin N- or C-Terminal on a Monoclonal Antibody Affects Both Production and In Vitro Functionality

Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) represent an important advance in innovative therapeutic strategies. Among the countless formats of BsAbs, fusion with molecules such as anticalins linked to a monoclonal antibody (mAb), represents an easy and low-cost way to obtain innovative molecules. We fused an anticalin against human fibronectin to a molecule biosimilar to trastuzumab (H0) or rituximab (R0), in four different positions, two on the N terminal region of heavy or light chains and two on the C terminal region. The eight BsAbs (H family (HF) 1 to 4 and R family (RF) 1 to 4) were produced and their affinity parameters and functional properties evaluated. The presence of anticalin did not change the glycosylation of the BsAb, shape or yield. The antigenic recognition of each BsAb family, Her2 for HF1 to 4 and CD20 for RF1 to 4, was slightly decreased (HF) or absent (RF) for the anticalin N-terminal in the light chain position. The anticalin recognition of FN was slightly decreased for the HF family, but a dramatic decrease was observed for RF members with lowest affinity for RF1. Moreover, functional properties of Abs, such as CD16 activation of NK, CD32-dependent phagocytosis and FcRn transcytosis, confirmed that this anticalin position leads to less efficient BsAbs, more so for RF than HF molecules. Nevertheless, all BsAbs demonstrated affinities for CD16, CD32 and FcRn, which suggests that more than affinity for FcRs is needed for a functioning antibody. Our strategy using anticalin and Abs allows for rapid generation of BsAbs, but as suggested by our results, some positions of anticalins on Abs result in less functionality.