scholarly journals DNA-mediated assembly of multi-specific antibodies for T cell engaging and tumor killing

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liqiang Pan ◽  
Chan Cao ◽  
Changqing Run ◽  
Liujuan Zhou ◽  
James J. Chou
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Single Chain ◽  
Dna Oligomers ◽  
Dna Conjugates ◽  
Tumor Killing ◽  
Single Chain Variable Fragments ◽  
Rapid Generation ◽  
Modular Nature

Targeting T-cells against cancer cells is a direct means of treating cancer, and already showed great responses in clinical treatment of B-cell malignancies. A simple way to redirect T-cells to cancer cells is using multi-specific antibody (MsAb) that contains different arms for specifically “grabbing” the T-cells and cancer cells; as such, the T-cells are activated upon target engagement and the killing begins. Here, a Nucleic Acid mediated Protein-Protein Assembly (NAPPA) approach is implemented to construct a MsAb for T-cell engaging and tumor killing. Anti -CD19 and -CD3 single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) each are conjugated to different L-DNAs with sequences that form the Holliday junction, thus allowing spontaneous assembly of homogeneous protein-DNA oligomers containing two anti-CD19 and one anti-CD3 scFvs. The new MsAb shows strong efficacy in inducing Raji tumor cell cytotoxicity in the presence of T-cells with EC50 ~ 0.2 nM; it also suppresses tumor growth in the Raji xenograft mouse model. The data indicate that MsAbs assembled from protein-DNA conjugates are effective macromolecules for directing T-cells for tumor killing. The modular nature of the NAPPA platform allows rapid generation of complex MsAbs from simple antibody fragments, while offering a general solution for preparing antibodies with high-order specificity.

The synthesis of amphiphilic polyethyleneimine/calcium phosphate composites for bispecific T-cell engager based immunogene therapy

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 633-641 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pingzhang Chen ◽  
Yunhong Liu ◽  
Jing Zhao ◽  
Xiaojuan Pang ◽  
Peifa Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Calcium Phosphate ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Immunotherapy ◽  
Surface Antigen ◽  
Single Chain ◽  
Immunogene Therapy ◽  
Single Chain Variable Fragments ◽  
Bispecific T Cell Engager

Bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs) are single chain variable fragments, which could connect the surface antigen on cancer cells and CD3 ligands on T cells, and then engage the T cells for cancer immunotherapy.

scholarly journals Cross-presentation of a TAP-independent signal peptide induces CD8 T immunity to escaped cancers but necessitates anchor replacement

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koen A. Marijt ◽  
Lisa Griffioen ◽  
Laura Blijleven ◽  
Sjoerd. H. van der Burg ◽  
Thorbald van Hall
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
Antigen Processing ◽  
Signal Sequence ◽  
Cell Repertoire ◽  
Cross Presentation ◽  
Normal Tissues ◽  
Cell Immunity

AbstractCancer cells frequently display defects in their antigen-processing pathway and thereby evade CD8 T cell immunity. We described a novel category of cancer antigens, named TEIPP, that emerge on cancers with functional loss of the peptide pump TAP. TEIPPs are non-mutated neoantigens despite their ‘self’ origin by virtue of their absence on normal tissues. Here, we describe the development of a synthetic long peptide (SLP) vaccine for the most immunogenic TEIPP antigen identified thus far, derived from the TAP-independent LRPAP1 signal sequence. LRPAP121–30-specific CD8 T cells were present in blood of all tested healthy donors as well as patients with non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma. SLPs with natural flanking, however, failed to be cross-presented by monocyte-derived dendritic cells. Since the C-terminus of LRPAP121–30 is an unconventional and weakly binding serine (S), we investigated if replacement of this anchor would result in efficient cross-presentation. Exchange into a valine (V) resulted in higher HLA-A2 binding affinity and enhanced T cell stimulation. Importantly, CD8 T cells isolated using the V-variant were able to bind tetramers with the natural S-variant and respond to TAP-deficient cancer cells. A functional screen with an array of N-terminal and C-terminal extended SLPs pointed at the 24-mer V-SLP, elongated at the N-terminus, as most optimal vaccine candidate. This SLP was efficiently cross-presented and consistently induced a strong polyclonal LRPAP121–30-specific CD8 T cells from the endogenous T cell repertoire. Thus, we designed a TEIPP SLP vaccine from the LRPAP1 signal sequence ready for validation in clinical trials.

scholarly journals A modular and controllable T cell therapy platform for acute myeloid leukemia

Leukemia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed-Reda Benmebarek ◽  
Bruno L. Cadilha ◽  
Monika Herrmann ◽  
Stefanie Lesch ◽  
Saskia Schmitt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Acute Myeloid Leukemia ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cell Therapy ◽  
Myeloid Leukemia ◽  
Tumor Antigens ◽  
Adoptive T Cell Therapy ◽  
Single Chain ◽  
T Cell Therapy ◽  
Acute Myeloid

AbstractTargeted T cell therapy is highly effective in disease settings where tumor antigens are uniformly expressed on malignant cells and where off-tumor on-target-associated toxicity is manageable. Although acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has in principle been shown to be a T cell-sensitive disease by the graft-versus-leukemia activity of allogeneic stem cell transplantation, T cell therapy has so far failed in this setting. This is largely due to the lack of target structures both sufficiently selective and uniformly expressed on AML, causing unacceptable myeloid cell toxicity. To address this, we developed a modular and controllable MHC-unrestricted adoptive T cell therapy platform tailored to AML. This platform combines synthetic agonistic receptor (SAR) -transduced T cells with AML-targeting tandem single chain variable fragment (scFv) constructs. Construct exchange allows SAR T cells to be redirected toward alternative targets, a process enabled by the short half-life and controllability of these antibody fragments. Combining SAR-transduced T cells with the scFv constructs resulted in selective killing of CD33+ and CD123+ AML cell lines, as well as of patient-derived AML blasts. Durable responses and persistence of SAR-transduced T cells could also be demonstrated in AML xenograft models. Together these results warrant further translation of this novel platform for AML treatment.

600 In vitro anticancer and immunomodulatory activities of NBT-167, a dimer of resveratrol

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A635-A635
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Zhang ◽  
Everett Henry ◽  
L Harris Zhang ◽  
Wanying Zhang
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Cell ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Cell Killing ◽  
Gamma Delta T Cells ◽  
Gamma Delta ◽  
Raw264.7 Macrophages

BackgroundResveratrol (3,4’,5-trihydroxystilbene), a stilbenoid isolated from many species of plants, is widely known for its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and anticancer activities. Recently, novel resveratrol oligomers have been isolated from various plants; their diverse structures are characterized by the polymerization of two or more resveratrol units. Little is known regarding the anticancer and immunomodulating activities of these oligomers. In this study, we designed in vitro models to compare resveratrol side by side with its natural dimer NBT-167 for their anticancer and immunological activities.MethodsWe isolated resveratrol and its dimer (NBT-167) from plants. The potency of the compounds was compared side by side using cancer cell survival assays and immunological assays with various types of human cells including cancer cell lines, PBMCs and enriched NK, gamma delta T cells, THP-1 monocytic cells, HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells as well as mouse RAW264.7 macrophages.ResultsNBT-167 was found to be more potent than resveratrol in inhibiting growth of various cancer cells and modulation of cytokine production from anti-IgM, LPS, PHA or SEB stimulated PBMC. Both compounds similarly enhanced IL-2 stimulated NK and gamma delta T cell killing activity against K562 cells and modulated nitric oxide production from LPS/IFN-g induced RAW264.7 macrophages and phagocytotic activity of HL-60 cells. NBT-167 was slightly more potently than resveratrol in inhibiting chemotaxis of HL-60 cells and blocking cell cycle of THP-1 and HL-60 cells at G1/S transition. In addition, NBT-167, but not resveratrol, could increase IL-2 production and T cell proliferation stimulated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 and synergize with anti-PD-1 antibody to increase IL-2 and IFN-gamma production in co-culture of allotypic T cells and dendric cells (MLR).ConclusionsOur data showed that NBT-167, a dimer of resveratrol, had anticancer and immunomodulatory activities such as modulation of expression of cytokines in immune cells and induction of cancer cell-killing activities of NK and gamma delta T cells. Generally, NBT-167 appeared to have higher activities than resveratrol in modulating immune cells and inhibiting cancer cells. NBT-167 could be a promising cancer immunotherapeutic agent targeting both cancer cells and immune cells.

Activating T cells with asparagine

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (668) ◽  
pp. eabg8244
Author(s):  
Wei Wong
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Cell Responses

Extracellular asparagine stimulates Lck to promote T cell responses to cancer cells and infection.

scholarly journals Recent advances in T-cell engineering for use in immunotherapy

F1000Research ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 2344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Preeti Sharma ◽  
David M. Kranz
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Complex Molecule ◽  
Major Histocompatibility Complex Molecule ◽  
Human Leukocyte ◽  
Cell Receptor ◽  
Single Chain ◽  
Cell Therapies ◽  
Recent Advances

Adoptive T-cell therapies have shown exceptional promise in the treatment of cancer, especially B-cell malignancies. Two distinct strategies have been used to redirect the activity of ex vivo engineered T cells. In one case, the well-known ability of the T-cell receptor (TCR) to recognize a specific peptide bound to a major histocompatibility complex molecule has been exploited by introducing a TCR against a cancer-associated peptide/human leukocyte antigen complex. In the other strategy, synthetic constructs called chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that contain antibody variable domains (single-chain fragments variable) and signaling domains have been introduced into T cells. Whereas many reviews have described these two approaches, this review focuses on a few recent advances of significant interest. The early success of CARs has been followed by questions about optimal configurations of these synthetic constructs, especially for efficacy against solid tumors. Among the many features that are important, the dimensions and stoichiometries of CAR/antigen complexes at the synapse have recently begun to be appreciated. In TCR-mediated approaches, recent evidence that mutated peptides (neoantigens) serve as targets for endogenous T-cell responses suggests that these neoantigens may also provide new opportunities for adoptive T-cell therapies with TCRs.

scholarly journals TCR β chain–directed bispecific antibodies for the treatment of T cell cancers

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (584) ◽  
pp. eabd3595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suman Paul ◽  
Alexander H. Pearlman ◽  
Jacqueline Douglass ◽  
Brian J. Mog ◽  
Emily Han-Chung Hsiue ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
B Cell ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cell Cancer ◽  
Bispecific Antibodies ◽  
Target Antigen ◽  
Human T Cell ◽  
Selective Targeting ◽  
Β Chain

Immunotherapies such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells and bispecific antibodies redirect healthy T cells to kill cancer cells expressing the target antigen. The pan-B cell antigen–targeting immunotherapies have been remarkably successful in treating B cell malignancies. Such therapies also result in the near-complete loss of healthy B cells, but this depletion is well tolerated by patients. Although analogous targeting of pan-T cell markers could, in theory, help control T cell cancers, the concomitant healthy T cell depletion would result in severe and unacceptable immunosuppression. Thus, therapies directed against T cell cancers require more selective targeting. Here, we describe an approach to target T cell cancers through T cell receptor (TCR) antigens. Each T cell, normal or malignant, expresses a unique TCR β chain generated from 1 of 30 TCR β chain variable gene families (TRBV1 to TRBV30). We hypothesized that bispecific antibodies targeting a single TRBV family member expressed in malignant T cells could promote killing of these cancer cells, while preserving healthy T cells that express any of the other 29 possible TRBV family members. We addressed this hypothesis by demonstrating that bispecific antibodies targeting TRBV5-5 (α-V5) or TRBV12 (α-V12) specifically lyse relevant malignant T cell lines and patient-derived T cell leukemias in vitro. Treatment with these antibodies also resulted in major tumor regressions in mouse models of human T cell cancers. This approach provides an off-the-shelf, T cell cancer selective targeting approach that preserves enough healthy T cells to maintain cellular immunity.

scholarly journals A Long-Acting Pharmacological Grade Interleukin-7 Molecule Logarithmically Accelerates Ucart Proliferation, Differentiation, and Tumor Killing

Blood ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 132 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 2199-2199
Author(s):  
Matt L Cooper ◽  
Karl W. Staser ◽  
Julie Ritchey ◽  
Jessica Niswonger ◽  
Byung Ha Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cell Lymphoma ◽  
B Cell Lymphoma ◽  
Effector Memory ◽  
Photon Flux ◽  
Interleukin 7 ◽  
Tumor Killing ◽  
Long Acting

Abstract Background: Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CART) therapy is revolutionizing modern cancer therapy, with two anti-CD19 CARTs FDA-approved for relapsed/refractory B cell lymphoma/leukemia and many other CARTs for solid and liquid tumors currently undergoing clinical trials. Our group recently demonstrated multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing of anti-CD7 CARTs to produce CD7 and T cell receptor alpha constant (TRAC)-deleted "off-the-shelf" universal (U)CART7s that effectively kill CD7+ T cell lymphoma in vivo without causing GVHD or fratricide (Cooper et al, Leukemia, 2018). However, in current clinical practice, suboptimal CART persistence and tumor killing permit tumor cell escape and, ultimately, disease relapse. Reasoning that a pro-lymphoid growth factor could promote CART efficacy, we supplemented UCART infusion with subcutaneous injections of the long-acting form of recombinant human interleukin-7 fused with hybrid Fc (rhIL-7-hyFc, NT-I7) in vivo using a CD19+ lymphoma xenograft model. Methods: To create anti-CD19 universal CARTs (UCART19), we activated human T cells on CD3/CD28 beads, electroporated the T cells with Cas9 mRNA and a TRAC-targeted gRNA, and virally transduced an anti-CD19 scFv 3rd generation CAR containing a peptidase 2A-cleaved human CD34 construct for both purification and tracking in vivo. Residual TRAC+ cells were depleted using magnetic selection. For xenograft tumor modeling in vivo, we injected NOD-scid IL2Rgammanull (NSG) mice with 5x105 RamosCBR-GFP cells four days prior to UCART19 (2x106 cells). Mice were treated with NT-I7 (10mg/kg SC) on days +1, +15 and +29 post UCART19 infusion. Results:RamosCBR-GFP mice receiving NT-I7 without UCART19 (NT-I7 only group) survived marginally longer (24 day med survival) than mice receiving RamosCBR-GFP cells alone (No tx group) (21 day medium survival, p=0.018, NT-I7 only vs. No Tx). While RamosCBR-GFP mice treated with UCART19 alone (UCART19 group) survived 33 days, 100% of RamosCBR-GFP mice treated with UCART19 and NT-I7 (UCART19+NT-I7 group) were alive at 80 days (Fig 1a), with no mouse showing signs of xenogeneic GVHD (p<0.0001, UCART19+NT-I7 vs. UCART19). At three weeks post UCART19 infusion, bioluminescent imaging (BLI) revealed minimal tumor signal in UCART19+NT-I7 treated mice (108 vs. 1010 photon flux/s, p<0.05, UCART19+NT-I7 vs. UCART19) and near-undetectable photon flux/s at four weeks (107 vs 1011 photon flux/s, p<0.0001, UCART19+NT-I7 vs. UCART19). Quantitative 17-parameter flow cytometric analyses of the blood, bone marrow, and spleens revealed an up to ~8000-fold increase in UCART19 cells in NT-I7-treated mice four weeks post UCART19 infusion (Fig 1a). These UCART19 cells demonstrated a predominantly effector and effector memory phenotype. Discussion: CARTs engineered to express interleukin-7 and CCL19 showed increased migration to and killing of solid tumors (Adachi et al, Nature Biotechnology, 2018). However, genetically engineered potentiation strategies lack "off-switches" and may preclude additional genetic enhancements required for universal "off-the-shelf" CART development. Here, we demonstrate that a pharmacological grade long-acting interleukin-7 agonist can potentiate adoptive cellular therapies. Specifically, NT-I7 can dramatically enhance gene modified T cell proliferation, persistence and tumor killing in vivo, resulting in enhanced survival, providing a tunable clinic-ready adjuvant for reversing suboptimal CART activity in vivo. Disclosures Cooper: WUGEN: Consultancy, Equity Ownership. Lee:NeoImmuneTech: Employment. Park:NeoImmuneTech: Employment.

Differentiated activity profile for the PD-1 inhibitor balstilimab.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 5529-5529
Author(s):  
Cailin Joyce ◽  
Dhan Chand ◽  
Benjamin Duckless ◽  
Manuel Hidalgo ◽  
Joseph Elan Grossman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cervical Cancer ◽  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Culture System ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Objective Response ◽  
Activity Profile ◽  
Double Positive ◽  
Programmed Death

5529 Background: The development and clinical application of immune checkpoint inhibitors has transformed the therapeutic landscape for cancer treatment in recent years. Balstilimab (AGEN2034) is a fully human, monoclonal IgG4 antibody that binds with high affinity to programmed death 1 (PD-1), thus preventing the interaction between this receptor and its ligands programmed death ligand 1 and 2 (PD-L1, PD-L2). Emerging evidence suggests that balstilimab exhibits a differentiated activity profile compared to currently approved anti-PD-1 agents, including pembrolizumab and nivolumab. Methods: Balstilimab as monotherapy was evaluated in a large phase 2 study in patients (pts) with recurrent/metastatic cervical cancer who had relapsed after a platinum-based treatment regimen for advanced disease. Pts were dosed at 3 mg/kg once every 2 weeks for up to 24 months and antitumor activity was assessed using RECIST v1.1. The tumor cell killing activity of balstilimab was evaluated preclinically in a human co-culture system of (1) primary T cells engineered to recognize NY-ESO-1 and (2) NY-ESO-1+ cancer cell lines, including PD-L1 and/or PD-L2-deficient engineered lines. The co-culture system was maintained for ̃ two weeks to drive partial T cell exhaustion; a state where cytotoxicity is compromised but recoverable with PD-1 blockade. Cytotoxicity of these partially exhausted T cells was quantified against PD-L1/L2 double positive, single positive, or double negative cancer cells in the presence or absence of PD-(L)1 antibodies. Results: In the second-line treatment setting for pts with advanced cervical cancer, balstilimab showed a numerically higher objective response rate (ORR) in subjects with PD-L1+, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) tumors (21%, 95% CI, 12.7-32.6%) than those reported for pembrolizumab. Unlike pembrolizumab, balstilimab showed activity in PD-L1(-) pts, and irrespective of tumor histology (ORR 7.9%, 95% CI, 2.7-20.8%). Despite lower overall PD-L1 positivity compared to SCC (41.7 v 72.9%), an ORR of 12.5% (95% CI, 5.9-24.7%) was observed in the subset of pts with a poorer prognosis, those with cervical adenocarcinoma. Concordant with clinical observations, balstilimab demonstrated superior rescue of antigen-specific T cell cytotoxicity in vitro relative to pembrolizumab, nivolumab, or atezolizumab. Balstilimab also induced cytotoxicity against PD-L1 and/or PD-L2 deficient target cancer cells. Conclusions: Taken together, these data suggest functional differentiation of balstilimab from other PD-1 inhibitors with potentially important implications for extending the therapeutic reach of anti-PD-1 therapy. Investigation of the underlying mechanistic basis for these findings is ongoing. Clinical trial information: NCT03104699.

An Update on Adoptive T-Cell Therapy and Neoantigen Vaccines

2019 ◽  
pp. e70-e78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick A. Ott ◽  
Gianpietro Dotti ◽  
Cassian Yee ◽  
Stephanie L. Goff
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cell Therapy ◽  
Adoptive Cell Therapy ◽  
Adoptive T Cell Therapy ◽  
Clinical Activity ◽  
Single Chain ◽  
T Cell Therapy ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Mhc Molecules

Adoptive T-cell therapy using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) has demonstrated long-lasting antitumor activity in select patients with advanced melanoma. Cancer vaccines have been used for many decades and have shown some promise but overall relatively modest clinical activity across cancers. Technological advances in genome sequencing capabilities and T-cell engineering have had substantial impact on both adoptive cell therapy and the cancer vaccine field. The ability to identify neoantigens—a class of tumor antigens that is truly tumor specific and encoded by tumor mutations through rapid and relatively inexpensive next-generation sequencing—has already demonstrated the critical importance of these antigens as targets of antitumor-specific T-cell responses in the context of immune checkpoint blockade and other immunotherapies. Therapeutically targeting these antigens with either adoptive T-cell therapy or vaccine approaches has demonstrated early promise in the clinic in patients with advanced solid tumors. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, which are engineered by fusing an antigen-specific, single-chain antibody (scFv) with signaling molecules of the T-cell receptor (TCR)/CD3 complex creating an antibody-like structure on T cells that recognizes antigens independently of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, have demonstrated remarkable clinical activity in patients with advanced B-cell malignancies, leading to several approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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