scholarly journals 200 TGFβ-armoring boosts potency and persistence of engineered TCR T cells, unlocking superior efficacy against HPV-positive solid tumors

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A211-A211
Author(s):  
Gail Turner ◽  
Gabriela Diaz ◽  
Andreia Costa ◽  
Yeonjoo Oh ◽  
Jianguo Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Solid Tumors ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Mouse Tumor ◽  
Functional Evaluation ◽  
Ribonucleoprotein Complexes

BackgroundAdoptive transfer of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-expressing T cells targeting cell surface antigens has shown remarkable success in hematological malignancies. However, only limited success has been achieved to date with CAR T cells, or their engineered T cell receptor (eTCR) counterparts, in the context of solid tumors. This is largely due to: 1) challenges in identifying highly expressed, tumor-specific antigens and; 2) the immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment mediated by cellular and secreted factors such as TGFβ, known to suppress intra-tumoral immunity and notably elevated in many human cancers, including in human papilloma virus (HPV)-associated cancers (e.g. head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and cervical cancers).Here, we describe the generation of highly potent, TGFβ-armored, engineered T cells expressing a novel fully human, natural TCRαβ sequence that is HLA-A*02:01-restricted, CD8 coreceptor-independent and targets the tumor-restricted HPV-16 E7(11–19) onco-peptide.MethodsDonor-derived T cells were genetically engineered using high efficiency CRISPR-Cas9 editing as follows: 1) TRAC domain knock-out (KO) to prevent endogenous TCR expression; 2) knock-in of an HPV-specific eTCR at the TRAC locus; and 3) KO of TGFBR2 to prevent TGFβ signaling. Functional evaluation of edited T cells was performed in vitro using 3D serial spheroid stimulation as well as in vivo using NSG mouse tumor xenografts and against two cancer lines, SCC-152 and CasKi.ResultsUnder chronic antigen stimulation and in the presence of high TGFβ at optimal effector-to-target (E:T) ratio, HPV eTCR WT (control) and HPV eTCR TGFBR2 KO cells demonstrated robust and comparable cytotoxic functions in vitro. However, when tested at suboptimal E:T ratio, HPV eTCR TGFBR2 KO cells demonstrated superior expansion (>5-fold difference), cytotoxicity and an improved functional phenotype, suggesting that TGFβ-Armoring may decouple T cell expansion and the onset of exhaustion. In vivo studies demonstrated significant inhibition of tumor growth (p <0.0001) and survival advantage (p <0.05) in HPV eTCR TGFBR2 KO treated NSG mice when compared to HPV eTCR WT treated animals at a suboptimal dose of eTCR-positive cells. Additionally, in all conditions tested, T cell expression of CD103 (a pharmacodynamic marker of TGFβ-induced signaling) was ablated in TGFBR2 KO groups. Both in vitro and in vivo data robustly reproduced across donors and tumor models.ConclusionsPharmacology studies demonstrate that the HPV eTCR armoring strategy aimed at overcoming TGFβ-mediated immune-suppression is highly effective in suboptimal conditions. Additionally, TGFβ-armored eTCR cells presented with improved pharmacodynamic and phenotypic characteristics, paving the way for effective clinical applications in solid tumors.AcknowledgementsRibonucleoprotein complexes designed specifically for the editing of human TRAC and TGFBR2 loci were provided by Editas Medicine.

CAR-T cells to deliver engineered peptide antigens and reprogram antigen specific T cell responses against solid tumors.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 2530-2530
Author(s):  
Daniel Lee ◽  
Andy J Minn ◽  
Lexus R Johnson
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Solid Tumors ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Peptide Antigens ◽  
Car T Cells ◽  
Car T

2530 Background: Neoantigen depleted malignancies such as colorectal cancer demonstrate primary resistance to immune checkpoint blockade, and solid tumors in general have shown resistance to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy. However, CAR-T cells have been shown to be capable of delivering various therapeutic molecules in a targeted fashion to the tumor microenvironment, in some cases through extracellular vesicles (EVs). In vivo studies have shown that the presentation of foreign viral peptides by solid tumors can reprogram bystander virus-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) against tumor cells. In this study, we demonstrate that CAR-T cells can deliver engineered peptide antigens to solid tumors, leading to presentation on tumor cells and anti-tumor response. Methods: Second generation CAR-T cells (41BB endodomain) targeting human CD19 (19BBz) or human mesothelin (M5BBz) were generated via retroviral and lentiviral transduction respectively. CAR-T cells were engineered to co-express peptides such as SIINFEKL of ovalbumin and NLVPMVATV of CMV pp65 among others. Peptides were isolated from EVs via ultracentrifugation. For in vivo studies, C57BL/6 or NSG mice were injected on the flank with relevant tumors and treated with peptide-CAR-T cells. In vitro studies utilized flow cytometry and xCELLigence killing assays. Results: Murine 19BBz CAR-T cells expressing the SIINFEKL peptide of ovalbumin (ova-19BBz) were found to transfer SIINFEKL peptide to tumor cells via EVs in vitro and in vivo, leading to peptide presentation on MHC-I of tumor cells. This resulted in significantly delayed tumor growth in tumor bearing mice transfused with OT-I T cells to mimic an existing antigen specific T cell pool. We expanded on these findings by isolating EVs from human M5BBz CAR-T cells expressing CMV viral peptides. Peptide-CAR-T EVs were co-cultured with human ovarian cancer cells to assess presentation to Jurkat T cells. Finally, we utilized primary human T cells from CMV+ healthy donors to assess the clinical feasibility of our peptide delivery approach. Conclusions: CAR-T cells can be engineered to deliver peptides to tumor cells for presentation and subsequent targeting by antigen specific CTLs. This represents a novel strategy for the treatment of non-immunogenic tumors.

Enhanced In Vivo activation of Adoptively Transferred Genetically Targeted T Cells Following Cyclophosphamide Chemotherapy: Initial Results From a Phase I Clinical Trial Treating CLL Patients with Autologous CD19-Targeted T Cells.

Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 3436-3436
Author(s):  
Renier J. Brentjens ◽  
Daniel Hollyman ◽  
Jae Park ◽  
Elmer Santos ◽  
Raymond Yeh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Lymphocytic Leukemia ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Autologous Tumor

Abstract Abstract 3436 Poster Board III-324 Patient T cells may be genetically modified to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) targeted to antigens expressed on tumor cells. We have initiated a clinical trial treating chemotherapy-refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients with autologous T cells modified to express the 19-28z CAR targeted to the CD19 antigen expressed on most B cell malignancies. In the first cohort of this trial, patients were infused with the lowest planned dose of modified T cells alone. All patients treated in this cohort experienced low-grade fevers following modified T cell infusion, and 2 of 3 treated patients exhibited subjective and laboratory evidence of transient reductions in tumor burden. The first patient treated on the second cohort of this study received prior cyclophophamide chemotherapy followed by the same dose of modified T cells administered to the first cohort of patients. This patient experienced persistent fevers, dyspnea, hypotension, renal failure, and died 44 hours following modified T cell infusion, likely secondary to sepsis. Modified T cells were not detectable in the peripheral blood of treated patients at 1 hour following completion of T cell infusion. However, post mortem analyses revealed a rapid infiltration of targeted T cells into anatomical sites of tumor involvement. Serum levels of the inflammatory cytokines IL-5, IL-8, and GM-CSF, but not TNFα, markedly and rapidly increased following infusion of genetically targeted T cells in this patient, mirroring the in vitro cytokine secretion profile of this patient's T cells, and consistent with marked in vivo activation of the modified T cells. Similar cytokine signatures were not found in patients from the first cohort. Significantly, serum cytokine analyses from the second cohort patient revealed a marked increase in the pro-proliferative cytokines IL-2, IL-7, IL-12, and IL-15 following cyclophosphamide therapy, in contrast to the baseline levels found in the first cohort. This report demonstrates the high efficiency trafficking of CD19-targeted T cells and in vivo activation of T cells encoding a second generation CD28/zeta chain-based chimeric antigen receptor. Furthermore, these data highlight mechanisms whereby cyclophosphamide may generate an in vivo milieu that enhances the anti-tumor efficacy of autologous tumor targeted T cells. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Development of a System To Study CD4+-T-Cell Responses to Transgenic Ovalbumin-Expressing Toxoplasma gondii during Toxoplasmosis

2004 ◽  
Vol 72 (12) ◽  
pp. 7240-7246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marion Pepper ◽  
Florence Dzierszinski ◽  
Amy Crawford ◽  
Christopher A. Hunter ◽  
David Roos
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Cell Receptor ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Ifn Γ

ABSTRACT The study of the immune response to Toxoplasma gondii has provided numerous insights into the role of T cells in resistance to intracellular infections. However, the complexity of this eukaryote pathogen has made it difficult to characterize immunodominant epitopes that would allow the identification of T cells with a known specificity for parasite antigens. As a consequence, analysis of T-cell responses to T. gondii has been based on characterization of the percentage of T cells that express an activated phenotype during infection and on the ability of these cells to produce cytokines in response to complex mixtures of parasite antigens. In order to study specific CD4+ T cells responses to T. gondii, recombinant parasites that express a truncated ovalbumin (OVA) protein, in either a cytosolic or a secreted form, were engineered. In vitro and in vivo studies reveal that transgenic parasites expressing secreted OVA are able to stimulate T-cell receptor-transgenic OVA-specific CD4+ T cells to proliferate, express an activated phenotype, and produce gamma interferon (IFN-γ). Furthermore, the adoptive transfer of OVA-specific T cells into IFN-γ−/− mice provided enhanced protection against infection with the OVA-transgenic (but not parental) parasites. Together, these studies establish the utility of this transgenic system to study CD4+-T-cell responses during toxoplasmosis.

173 An in vivo CRISPR/Cas9 screening platform to identify T cell enhancing edits in distinct solid tumor microenvironments

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A187-A187
Author(s):  
Amy Becker ◽  
Troy Luster ◽  
Ishina Balwani ◽  
Nachiket Shevale ◽  
Jingwei Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Solid Tumors ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Mouse Tumor ◽  
Target Discovery ◽  
Knock Out ◽  
Cell Therapies ◽  
Screening Platform

BackgroundChimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-based T cell therapy and other forms of adoptive cell therapies (ACTs) have shown remarkable success in the treatment of hematologic malignancies; however, reports of clinical activity in solid tumors are limited to date. One key therapeutic challenge presented by solid tumors is the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Adding to the complexity, it is becoming increasingly clear that TMEs are heterogeneous (broadly classified as ‘inflamed,’ ‘immune excluded’ and ‘immune dessert’), utilizing different mechanisms of immunosuppression. Instrumental to overcoming the barriers presented by solid tumors will be the development of T cells with immune- enhancing edits that improve penetration, potency and persistence, while also preventing exhaustion in hostile TMEs. T cells with these properties may help in the development of ACTs in solid tumors.MethodsCRISPR/Cas9-based functional genetic screens in T cells can enable prioritization of known targets and uncover novel targets to improve the design of genetically reprogrammed cell therapies, in an unbiased fashion. Most CRISPR screens to date have been performed in vitro with tumor cells due to the complexity of setting up CRISPR screens in primary T cells, particularly for in vivo target discovery. Here, we describe the development and careful optimization of an in vivo mouse CRISPR-screening platform to identify knock-out targets in primary T cells, with the goal of increasing T cell abundance and persistence in tumors with different TMEs. Using a mouse retroviral system to express single-guide RNA (sgRNA) libraries in T cells from Cas9 transgenic mice, we performed in vivo screens in syngeneic, fully immune-competent mouse tumor models.ResultsWe identified both known and potential novel regulators of T cell activation and persistence. Importantly, we have discovered knock-out targets that accumulate in multiple, distinct TMEs and other targets that are TME-specific. The use of sub-genomic- focused libraries allowed us to rapidly screen in multiple tumor model systems and reproducibly identify hits across individual mice.ConclusionsWe have developed a fully optimized an in vivo genetic screen, which could be a rich source for target discovery, and can enable identification of functional regulators of T cells for rapid incorporation into CRISPR-engineered T cell therapies for different solid TMEs.

Small Molecule Inhibitor of ITK Disrupts TCR Signaling and Demonstrates Anti-Tumor Efficacy

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 3932-3932
Author(s):  
Mary Faris ◽  
Uriel M Malyankar ◽  
Qingping Zeng ◽  
Gary A Flynn ◽  
Gerold Feuer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cytokine Production ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
T Cell Malignancies ◽  
Dose Dependent ◽  
Leukemias And Lymphomas

Abstract Abstract 3932 ITK (Interluekin-2 Inducible Tyrosine Kinase) is a member of the TEC family of intracellular protein tyrosine kinases. ITK is highly expressed in T cells and NK cells, with expression detected in mast cells. ITK plays a key role in several aspects of T cell biology, including T cell development, differentiation, migration, proliferation and activation. The function of ITK in immunity and allergy is well documented. T cells from ITK knock out mice show several developmental and functional defects, including defective signal transduction, altered CD4+ to CD8+ T cells ratios, reduced Th2 lineage differentiation, diminished IL4 and IL2 production and reduced T cell proliferation. Importantly ITK deficient mice fail to mount an immune response to infection and show reduced allergic asthma reactions. In contrast to its well described role in immune function, ITK's function in cancer biology is still emerging. Recent studies had reported enhanced ITK expression and activation of the ITK pathway in several types of leukemias and lymphomas. In addition, the dependence of T cell malignancies on an ITK-regulated pathway, namely the IL2/IL2R (CD25) pathway, has also been observed. Taken together, this information indicates that ITK is a therapeutic target, with applicability in leukemias and lymphomas. MannKind scientists have developed a series of selective small molecule ITK inhibitors, including the orally available tool compound described within, and evaluated their activity in enzyme, cell-based and in vivo studies. In cellular assays, the compounds showed significant inhibition of the T cell-receptor mediated activation of the ITK pathways and related downstream cytokine production. In addition to inhibiting the phosphorylation of ITK and its downstream mediator, PLCg, our tool compounds inhibited the production of IL2 and expression of CD25 in a dose dependent manner. Importantly, our compound regulated the in vitro growth of tumor T cells but not that of unrelated control cells. In vivo studies revealed that the tool compounds inhibited the growth and progression of patient derived ATL tumors in a xenograft pre-clinical model, and prolonged the survival of treated mice in a dose dependent manner, in addition to regulating cytokine production in vivo. In summary, our team has identified ITK selective compounds with demonstrated on-target and anti-tumor activity in vitro and preclinical T cell tumor models, and validated this pathway relative to T cell malignancies. This effort provides a platform for further compound optimization and evaluation for hematologic malignancies. Disclosures: Faris: MannKind Corp: Employment. Malyankar:MannKind Corp: Employment. Zeng:MannKind Corp: Employment. Kertesz:Mannkind Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Vuga:MannKind Corp.: Employment. Rosario:MannKind Corp: Employment. Bot:MannKind Corp: Employment.

scholarly journals 714 PD1 x TGFβR2 bispecifics selectively block TGFβR2 on PD1-positive T cells, promote T cell activation, and elicit an anti-tumor response in solid tumors

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A756-A756
Author(s):  
Gregory Moore ◽  
Suzanne Schubbert ◽  
Christine Bonzon ◽  
Kendra Avery ◽  
Rumana Rashid ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Solid Tumors ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Tumor Response ◽  
Nsg Mice ◽  
Pd1 Blockade ◽  
Anti Tumor Activity

BackgroundTGFβ production by solid tumors and their microenvironment is a major mechanism used by tumors to avoid immunosurveillance. Blockade of TGFβ has been shown to promote an anti-tumor response; however, systemic blockade of TGFβ has also been associated with toxicity. We hypothesized that a PD1 x TGFβR2 bispecific antibody could selectively block the suppressive activity of TGFβ on tumor T cells and enhance their anti-tumor activity while avoiding the toxicity associated with systemic blockade.MethodsWe engineered bispecific antibodies that simultaneously engage PD1 and TGFβR2 using Xencor’s XmAb platform. The anti-TGFβR2 arm was tuned for optimal activity by introducing affinity-modulating amino acid substitutions. The activity of PD1 x TGFβR2 bispecifics was evaluated in vitro using a signaling assay to measure phosphorylated SMAD (pSMAD) by flow cytometry with exogenous TGFβ in unactivated and activated PBMC. In vivo activity was evaluated by monitoring the engraftment of human PBMC in NSG mice (huPBMC-NSG). Anti-tumor activity was assessed in huPBMC-NSG mice engrafted with established human cancer cell lines. Antibodies against other T cell targets were also incorporated into TGFβR2 bispecifics, and similarly evaluated in vitro and in vivo.ResultsPD1 x TGFβR2 bispecifics were confirmed to bind PD1 and block binding of TGFβ to TGFβR2. In vitro, we found that T cells from activated, serum-deprived PBMC exhibited robust induction of pSMAD in response to TGFβ, and PD1 x TGFβR2 bispecifics selectively inhibited pSMAD induction in PD1-positive T cells as demonstrated by over a 100-fold potency increase compared to an untargeted anti-TGFβR2 control. Additionally, we saw an enhancement of potency when evaluating blocking activity in activated (PD1-high) vs. unactivated (PD1-low) T cells. Similar selectivity was measured when comparing inhibition of pSMAD induction for activated T cells versus other PD1-negative, TGFβ-responsive immune cells. Intriguingly, TGFβR2 bispecifics incorporating antibodies against other T cell targets allowed for the targeting of a broader population of T cells while still conferring potent selectivity against target-negative cells. In vivo, treatment of huPBMC-NSG mice with TGFβR2 bispecifics promoted superior T cell engraftment and combined additively with PD1 blockade. Furthermore, TGFβR2 bispecific treatment of huPBMC-NSG mice containing established MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer tumors promoted an anti-tumor response that was also augmented with PD1 blockade.ConclusionsMultiple PD1 x TGFβR2 bispecifics were engineered to selectively block TGFβR2 on PD1-positive T cells and evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Compelling activity, including additivity with PD1 blockade, suggests that clinical development is warranted for the treatment of human malignancies.

scholarly journals Fully human antibody VH domains to generate mono and bispecific CAR to target solid tumors

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. e002173
Author(s):  
Guanmeng Wang ◽  
Xin Zhou ◽  
Giovanni Fucà ◽  
Elena Dukhovlinova ◽  
Peishun Shou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Solid Tumors ◽  
Antigen Expression ◽  
Human Antibody ◽  
Single Chain ◽  
Car T Cells ◽  
Car T

BackgroundChimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are effective in B-cell malignancies. However, heterogeneous antigen expression and antigen loss remain important limitations of targeted immunotherapy in solid tumors. Therefore, targeting multiple tumor-associated antigens simultaneously is expected to improve the outcome of CAR-T cell therapies. Due to the instability of single-chain variable fragments, it remains challenging to develop the simultaneous targeting of multiple antigens using traditional single-chain fragment variable (scFv)-based CARs.MethodsWe used Humabody VH domains derived from a transgenic mouse to obtain fully human prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) VH and mesothelin (MSLN) VH sequences and redirect T cell with VH based-CAR. The antitumor activity and mode of action of PSMA VH and MSLN VH were evaluated in vitro and in vivo compared with the traditional scFv-based CARs.ResultsHuman VH domain-based CAR targeting PSMA and MSLN are stable and functional both in vitro and in vivo. VH modules in the bispecific format are capable of binding their specific target with similar affinity as their monovalent counterparts. Bispecific CARs generated by joining two human antibody VH domains can prevent tumor escape in tumor with heterogeneous antigen expression.ConclusionsFully human antibody VH domains can be used to generate functional CAR molecules, and redirected T cells elicit antitumoral responses in solid tumors at least as well as conventional scFv-based CARs. In addition, VH domains can be used to generate bispecific CAR-T cells to simultaneously target two different antigens expressed by tumor cells, and therefore, achieve better tumor control in solid tumors.

scholarly journals Development of a CD8 co-receptor independent T-cell receptor specific for tumor-associated antigen MAGE-A4 for next generation T-cell-based immunotherapy

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. e002035
Author(s):  
Kathrin Davari ◽  
Tristan Holland ◽  
Laura Prassmayer ◽  
Giulia Longinotti ◽  
Kenneth P Ganley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Receptor ◽  
Cell Receptor ◽  
T Cell Subsets ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
High Avidity ◽  
Cell Repertoire

BackgroundThe cancer-testis antigen MAGE-A4 is an attractive target for T-cell-based immunotherapy, especially for indications with unmet clinical need like non-small cell lung or triple-negative breast cancer.MethodsAn unbiased CD137-based sorting approach was first used to identify an immunogenic MAGE-A4-derived epitope (GVYDGREHTV) that was properly processed and presented on human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2 molecules encoded by the HLA-A*02:01 allele. To isolate high-avidity T cells via subsequent multimer sorting, an in vitro priming approach using HLA-A2-negative donors was conducted to bypass central tolerance to this self-antigen. Pre-clinical parameters of safety and activity were assessed in a comprehensive set of in vitro and in vivo studies.ResultsA MAGE-A4-reactive, HLA-A2-restricted T-cell receptor (TCR) was isolated from primed T cells of an HLA-A2-negative donor. The respective TCR-T-cell (TCR-T) product bbT485 was demonstrated pre-clinically to have a favorable safety profile and superior in vivo potency compared with TCR-Ts expressing a TCR derived from a tolerized T-cell repertoire to self-antigens. This natural high-avidity TCR was found to be CD8 co-receptor independent, allowing effector functions to be elicited in transgenic CD4+ T helper cells. These CD4+ TCR-Ts supported an anti-tumor response by direct killing of MAGE-A4-positive tumor cells and upregulated hallmarks associated with helper function, such as CD154 expression and release of key cytokines on tumor-specific stimulation.ConclusionThe extensive pre-clinical assessment of safety and in vivo potency of bbT485 provide the basis for its use in TCR-T immunotherapy studies. The ability of this non-mutated high-avidity, co-receptor-independent TCR to activate CD8+ and CD4+ T cells could potentially provide enhanced cellular responses in the clinical setting through the induction of functionally diverse T-cell subsets that goes beyond what is currently tested in the clinic.

scholarly journals 137 Development of anti-Mucin1 CAR-T against solid tumors

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A146-A146
Author(s):  
Jihyun Lee ◽  
Areum Park ◽  
Jungwon Choi ◽  
Dae Gwan Yi ◽  
Hee Jung Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Solid Tumors ◽  
Cell Therapies ◽  
Car T Cells ◽  
Car T Cell ◽  
Car T ◽  
Anti Tumor Activity

BackgroundChimeric antigen receptor (CAR) -T cell therapies have proven to be effective against various liquid tumors. However, the development of CAR-T against solid tumors has been challenging due to insufficient efficacy and potential on-target off-tumor toxicities caused by low expression of tumor antigens on normal tissues. Testing various affinities of CARs has demonstrated that lower affinity CARs maintain its anti-tumor effect while minimizing safety concerns (1). In order to develop a CAR-T against solid tumors expressing Mucin1, we have screened for Mucin1 binding antibodies and tested their anti-tumor effect in vitro and in vivo. The potential of on-target off-tumor toxicity was also measured in vitro.MethodsAnti-Mucin1 human single chain variable fragments (scFv) were obtained via screening against a scFv display library. Anti-Mucin1 scFvs were incorporated into CARs and in vitro, in vivo functions against various tumor cells expressing Mucin1 were tested. For in vivo studies, tumor bearing NOG mice (HCC1954 cells) received anti-Mucin1 CAR-T cells. Therapeutic efficacy was evaluated by measuring tumor volumes. Potential on-target off-tumor toxicity against Mucin1 on normal cells was tested by investigating the killing effect of anti-Mucin1 CAR-T against cancer cell line (HCC70) and non-tumorigenic breast epithelial cell line (MCF-10A) in co-culture systemsResultsIn vitro activity of anti-Mucin1 CAR-T cells that displayed a range of affinities for Mucin1 (27nM to 320nM) showed similar cytokine secretion levels and cytotoxicity against Mucin-1 expressing tumor cell lines (HCC70 and T47D). Robust anti-tumor activity was also demonstrated in vivo against large tumors (400~500 mm3) with relatively small numbers of CAR-T cells (0.5 x 106 CAR-T cells per mouse). In vivo expansion of CAR-T cells were observed in all scFv-CAR-T cases and accompanied by close to complete regression of tumors within 25 days post CAR-T cell injection. Of the 4 scFv CAR-Ts, 2H08 (with a Kd of 94nM) was tested for activity against normal breast epithelial cells. When 2H08-CAR-T was cocultured with a mixture of HCC70 and MCF-10A cells, they preferentially killed only the Mucin1 overexpressing HCC70 cells leaving MCF-10 cells intact.ConclusionsOur study demonstrates anti-tumor activity of a novel scFv-derived CAR-T recognizing Mucin1 and its effectiveness in large pre-established tumors in vivo. We also demonstrate that 2H08-CAR-T can distinguish between target overexpressing cancer cells and normal epithelial cells, which suggests that by toning down the affinity of CAR against antigen one can improve the safety profile of solid tumor antigen targeting CAR-T cell therapies.ReferenceCastellarin M, Sands C, Da T, Scholler J, Graham K, Buza E, Fraietta J, Zhao Y, June C. A rational mouse model to detect on-target, off-tumor CAR T cell toxicity. JCI Insight 2020; 5:e136012Ethics ApprovalAll experiments were done under protocols approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) (Study#LGME21-011).ConsentWritten informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this abstract and any accompanying images. A copy of the written consent is available for review by the Editor of this journal.

scholarly journals Efficient CRISPR/Cas9 gene ablation in uncultured naïve mouse T cells for in vivo studies

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Nüssing ◽  
Imran G. House ◽  
Conor J. Kearney ◽  
Stephin J. Vervoort ◽  
Paul A. Beavis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Gene Function ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Gene Deletion ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Knock Out

AbstractCRISPR/Cas9 technologies have revolutionised our understanding of gene function in complex biological settings, including T cell immunology. Current CRISPR-mediated gene deletion strategies in T cells require in vitro stimulation or culture that can both preclude studies of gene function within unmanipulated naïve T cells and can alter subsequent differentiation. Here we demonstrate highly efficient gene deletion within uncultured primary naïve murine CD8+ T cells by electroporation of recombinant Cas9/sgRNA ribonucleoprotein immediately prior to in vivo adoptive transfer. Using this approach, we generated single and double gene knock-out cells within multiple mouse infection models. Strikingly, gene deletion occurred even when the transferred cells were left in a naïve state, suggesting that gene deletion occurs independent of T cell activation. This protocol thus expands CRISPR-based probing of gene function beyond models of robust T cell activation, to encompass both naïve T cell homeostasis and models of weak activation, such as tolerance and tumour models.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document