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Heremans J, Maximilian Awad R, Bridoux J, Ertveldt T, Caveliers V, Madder A, Hoogenboom R, Devoogdt N, Ballet S, Hernot S, Breckpot K, Martin C. Sustained release of a human PD-L1 single-domain antibody using peptide-based hydrogels. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2024; 196:114183. [PMID: 38246566 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2024.114183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the immune checkpoint axis, which contains the programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) and its ligand PD-L1, revolutionized the field of oncology. Unfortunately, the large size of mAbs and the presence of an Fc fraction limit their tumor penetrative capacities and support off-target effects, potentially resulting in unresponsive patients and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) respectively. Single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) are ten times smaller than conventional mAbs and represent an emerging antibody subclass that has been proposed as next generation immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapeutics. They demonstrate favorable characteristics, such as an excellent stability, high antigen-binding affinity and an enhanced tumor penetration. Because sdAbs have a short half-life, methods to prolong their presence in the circulation and at the target site might be necessary in some cases to unfold their full therapeutic potential. In this study, we investigated a peptide-based hydrogel as an injectable biomaterial depot formulation for the sustained release of the human PD-L1 sdAb K2. We showed that a hydrogel composed of the amphipathic hexapeptide hydrogelator H-FQFQFK-NH2 prolonged the in vivo release of K2 after subcutaneous (s.c.) injection, up to at least 72 h, as monitored by SPECT/CT and fluorescence imaging. Additionally, after encapsulation in the hydrogel and s.c. administration, a significantly extended systemic presence and tumor uptake of K2 was observed in mice bearing a melanoma tumor expressing human PD-L1. Altogether, this study describes how peptide hydrogels can be exploited to provide the sustained release of sdAbs, thereby potentially enhancing its clinical and therapeutic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Heremans
- Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Robin Maximilian Awad
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jessica Bridoux
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Thomas Ertveldt
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Vicky Caveliers
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Annemieke Madder
- Organic and Biomimetic Chemistry Research Group, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Richard Hoogenboom
- Supramolecular Chemistry Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry (CMaC), Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nick Devoogdt
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Steven Ballet
- Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sophie Hernot
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Karine Breckpot
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Charlotte Martin
- Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
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Awad RM, De Vlaeminck Y, Meeus F, Ertveldt T, Zeven K, Ceuppens H, Goyvaerts C, Verdonck M, Salguero G, Raes G, Devoogdt N, Breckpot K. In vitro modelling of local gene therapy with IL-15/IL-15Rα and a PD-L1 antagonist in melanoma reveals an interplay between NK cells and CD4 + T cells. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18995. [PMID: 37923822 PMCID: PMC10624833 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45948-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Blockade of the immune checkpoint axis consisting of programmed death-1 (PD-1) and its ligand PD-L1 alleviates the functional inhibition of tumor-infiltrating lymphoid cells yet weakly induces their expansion. Exogenous cytokines could further expand lymphoid cells and thus synergize with αPD-L1 therapy. However, systemic delivery of most cytokines causes severe toxicity due to unspecific expansion of immune cells in the periphery. Here, we modelled local delivery of cytokines and αPD-L1 therapeutics to immune cell-containing in vitro melanoma tumors. Three-dimensional tumor models consisting of 624-MEL cells were co-cultured with human peripheral blood lymphoid cells (PBLs) in presence of the cytokines IL-2, IL-7, IL-15, IL-21 and IFN-γ. To model local gene therapy, melanoma tumors were modified with lentiviral vectors encoding IL-15 fused to IL-15Rα (IL-15/IL-15Rα) and K2-Fc, a fusion of a human PD-L1 specific single domain antibody to immunoglobulin (Ig)G1 Fc. To evaluate the interplay between PBL fractions, NK cells, CD4+ T cells or CD8+ T cells were depleted. Tumor cell killing was followed up using real time imaging and immune cell expansion and activation was evaluated with flow cytometry. Among the tested cytokines, IL-15 was the most potent cytokine in stimulating tumor cell killing and expanding both natural killer (NK) cells and CD8+ T cells. Gene-based delivery of IL-15/IL-15Rα to tumor cells, shows expansion of NK cells, activation of NK cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and killing of tumor spheroids. Both NK cells and CD8+ T cells are necessary for tumor cell killing and CD4+ T-cell activation was reduced without NK cells. Co-delivery of K2-Fc improved tumor cell killing coinciding with increased activation of NK cells, which was independent of bystander T cells. CD4+ or CD8+ T cells were not affected by the co-delivery of K2-Fc even though NK-cell activation impacted CD4+ T-cell activation. This study demonstrates that gene-based delivery of IL-15/IL-15Rα to tumor cells effectively mediates anti-tumor activity and sensitizes the tumor microenvironment for therapy with αPD-L1 therapeutics mainly by impacting NK cells. These findings warrant further investigation of gene-based IL-15 and K2-Fc delivery in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Maximilian Awad
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT), Department of Biomedical Sciences (BMWE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103/E, 1090, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Yannick De Vlaeminck
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT), Department of Biomedical Sciences (BMWE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103/E, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Fien Meeus
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT), Department of Biomedical Sciences (BMWE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103/E, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Thomas Ertveldt
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT), Department of Biomedical Sciences (BMWE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103/E, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Katty Zeven
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Department of Medical Imaging, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Hannelore Ceuppens
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT), Department of Biomedical Sciences (BMWE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103/E, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Cleo Goyvaerts
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT), Department of Biomedical Sciences (BMWE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103/E, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Magali Verdonck
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT), Department of Biomedical Sciences (BMWE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103/E, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Gustavo Salguero
- Advanced Therapies Unit, Instituto Distrital de Ciencia Biotecnología e Innovación en Salud-IDCBIS, 111611, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Geert Raes
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Department of Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Immunology, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratory of Dendritic Cell Biology and Cancer Immunotherapy, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nick Devoogdt
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Department of Medical Imaging, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Karine Breckpot
- Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT), Department of Biomedical Sciences (BMWE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103/E, 1090, Brussels, Belgium.
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