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Zenere G, Wu C, Midkiff CC, Johnson NM, Grice CP, Wimley WC, Kaur A, Braun SE. Extracellular domain, hinge, and transmembrane determinants affecting surface CD4 expression of a novel anti-HIV chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) construct. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0293990. [PMID: 39133676 PMCID: PMC11318886 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells have demonstrated clinical potential, but current receptors still need improvements to be successful against chronic HIV infection. In this study, we address some requirements of CAR motifs for strong surface expression of a novel anti-HIV CAR by evaluating important elements in the extracellular, hinge, and transmembrane (TM) domains. When combining a truncated CD4 extracellular domain and CD8α hinge/TM, the novel CAR did not express extracellularly but was detectable intracellularly. By shortening the CD8α hinge, CD4-CAR surface expression was partially recovered and addition of the LYC motif at the end of the CD8α TM fully recovered both intracellular and extracellular CAR expression. Mutation of LYC to TTA or TTC showed severe abrogation of CAR expression by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Additionally, we determined that CD4-CAR surface expression could be maximized by the removal of FQKAS motif at the junction of the extracellular domain and the hinge region. CD4-CAR surface expression also resulted in cytotoxic CAR T cell killing of HIV Env+ target cells. In this study, we identified elements that are crucial for optimal CAR surface expression, highlighting the need for structural analysis studies to establish fundamental guidelines of CAR designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Zenere
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America
- BioMedical Sciences Program, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Chengxiang Wu
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Cecily C. Midkiff
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Nathan M. Johnson
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America
- BioMedical Sciences Program, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Christopher P. Grice
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America
- BioMedical Sciences Program, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - William C. Wimley
- Department of BioChemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Amitinder Kaur
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Stephen E. Braun
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
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Eichholz K, Fukazawa Y, Peterson CW, Haeseleer F, Medina M, Hoffmeister S, Duell DM, Varco-Merth BD, Dross S, Park H, Labriola CS, Axthelm MK, Murnane RD, Smedley JV, Jin L, Gong J, Rust BJ, Fuller DH, Kiem HP, Picker LJ, Okoye AA, Corey L. Anti-PD-1 chimeric antigen receptor T cells efficiently target SIV-infected CD4+ T cells in germinal centers. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e169309. [PMID: 38557496 PMCID: PMC10977982 DOI: 10.1172/jci169309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) is an immune checkpoint marker commonly expressed on memory T cells and enriched in latently HIV-infected CD4+ T cells. We engineered an anti-PD-1 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) to assess the impact of PD-1 depletion on viral reservoirs and rebound dynamics in SIVmac239-infected rhesus macaques (RMs). Adoptive transfer of anti-PD-1 CAR T cells was done in 2 SIV-naive and 4 SIV-infected RMs on antiretroviral therapy (ART). In 3 of 6 RMs, anti-PD-1 CAR T cells expanded and persisted for up to 100 days concomitant with the depletion of PD-1+ memory T cells in blood and tissues, including lymph node CD4+ follicular helper T (TFH) cells. Loss of TFH cells was associated with depletion of detectable SIV RNA from the germinal center (GC). However, following CAR T infusion and ART interruption, there was a marked increase in SIV replication in extrafollicular portions of lymph nodes, a 2-log higher plasma viremia relative to controls, and accelerated disease progression associated with the depletion of CD8+ memory T cells. These data indicate anti-PD-1 CAR T cells depleted PD-1+ T cells, including GC TFH cells, and eradicated SIV from this immunological sanctuary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karsten Eichholz
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Yoshinori Fukazawa
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, USA
| | - Christopher W. Peterson
- Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and
| | - Francoise Haeseleer
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Manuel Medina
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, USA
| | - Shelby Hoffmeister
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, USA
| | - Derick M. Duell
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, USA
| | - Benjamin D. Varco-Merth
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, USA
| | - Sandra Dross
- Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC), Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Haesun Park
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, USA
| | - Caralyn S. Labriola
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, USA
| | - Michael K. Axthelm
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, USA
| | - Robert D. Murnane
- Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC), Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jeremy V. Smedley
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, USA
| | - Lei Jin
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jiaxin Gong
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Blake J. Rust
- Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Deborah H. Fuller
- Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC), Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Hans-Peter Kiem
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Louis J. Picker
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, USA
| | - Afam A. Okoye
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, USA
| | - Lawrence Corey
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Corey D, Haeseleer F, Hou J, Corey L. Novel engineered chimeric engulfment receptors trigger T cell effector functions against SIV-infected CD4+ T cells. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 28:1-10. [PMID: 36514789 PMCID: PMC9720250 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2022.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Adoptive therapy with genetically engineered T cells offers potential for infectious disease treatment in immunocompromised persons. HIV/simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected cells express phosphatidylserine (PS) early post infection. We tested whether chimeric engulfment receptor (CER) T cells designed to recognize PS-expressing cells could eliminate SIV-infected cells. Lentiviral CER constructs composed of the extracellular domain of T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain containing 4 (TIM-4), the PS receptor, and engulfment signaling domains were transduced into primary rhesus macaque (RM) T cells. We measured PS binding and T cell engulfment of RM CD4+ T cells infected with SIV expressing GFP and in vitro, TIM-4 CER CD4+ T cells effectively killed SIV-infected cells, which was dependent on TIM-4 binding to PS. Enhanced killing of SIV-infected CD4+ T cells by CER and chimeric antigen receptor T cell combinations was also observed. This installation of innate immune functions into T cells presents an opportunity to enhance elimination of SIV-infected cells, and studies to evaluate their effect in vivo are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Corey
- CERo Therapeutics, 201 Haskins Way, Suite 230, San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Francoise Haeseleer
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Joe Hou
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Lawrence Corey
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
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Davey BC, Pampusch MS, Cartwright EK, Abdelaal HM, Rakasz EG, Rendahl A, Berger EA, Skinner PJ. Development of an anti-CAR antibody response in SIV-infected rhesus macaques treated with CD4-MBL CAR/CXCR5 T cells. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1032537. [PMID: 36582226 PMCID: PMC9793449 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1032537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
T cells expressing a simian immunodeficiency (SIV)-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and the follicular homing molecule, CXCR5, were infused into antiretroviral therapy (ART) suppressed, SIV-infected rhesus macaques to assess their ability to localize to the lymphoid follicle and control the virus upon ART interruption. While the cells showed evidence of functionality, they failed to persist in the animals beyond 28 days. Development of anti-CAR antibodies could be responsible for the lack of persistence. Potential antigenic sites on the anti-SIV CAR used in these studies included domains 1 and 2 of CD4, the carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) of mannose-binding lectin (MBL), and an extracellular domain of the costimulatory molecule, CD28, along with short linker sequences. Using a flow cytometry based assay and target cells expressing the CAR/CXCR5 construct, we examined the serum of the CD4-MBL CAR/CXCR5-T cell treated animals to determine that the animals had developed an anti-CAR antibody response after infusion. Binding sites for the anti-CAR antibodies were identified by using alternative CARs transduced into target cells and by preincubation of the target cells with a CD4 blocking antibody. All of the treated animals developed antibodies in their serum that bound to CD4-MBL CAR/CXCR5 T cells and the majority were capable of inducing an ADCC response. The CD4 antibody-blocking assay suggests that the dominant immunogenic components of this CAR are the CD4 domains with a possible additional site of the CD28 domain with its linker. This study shows that an anti-drug antibody (ADA) response can occur even when using self-proteins, likely due to novel epitopes created by abridged self-proteins and/or the self-domain of the CAR connection to a small non-self linker. While in our study, there was no statistically significant correlation between the ADA response and the persistence of the CD4-MBL CAR/CXCR5-T cells in rhesus macaques, these findings suggest that the development of an ADA response could impact the long-term persistence of self-based CAR immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna C. Davey
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
| | - Mary S. Pampusch
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
| | - Emily K. Cartwright
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
| | - Hadia M. Abdelaal
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
| | - Eva G. Rakasz
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Aaron Rendahl
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
| | - Edward A. Berger
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Pamela J. Skinner
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States,*Correspondence: Pamela J. Skinner,
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Kreider EF, Bar KJ. HIV-1 Reservoir Persistence and Decay: Implications for Cure Strategies. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 2022; 19:194-206. [PMID: 35404007 PMCID: PMC10443186 DOI: 10.1007/s11904-022-00604-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Despite suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART), a viral reservoir persists in individuals living with HIV that can reignite systemic replication should treatment be interrupted. Understanding how HIV-1 persists through effective ART is essential to develop cure strategies to induce ART-free virus remission. RECENT FINDINGS The HIV-1 reservoir resides in a pool of CD4-expressing cells as a range of viral species, a subset of which is genetically intact. Recent studies suggest that the reservoir on ART is highly dynamic, with expansion and contraction of virus-infected cells over time. Overall, the intact proviral reservoir declines faster than defective viruses, suggesting enhanced immune clearance or cellular turnover. Upon treatment interruption, rebound viruses demonstrate escape from adaptive and innate immune responses, implicating these selective pressures in restriction of virus reactivation. Cure strategies employing immunotherapy are poised to test whether host immune pressure can be augmented to enhance reservoir suppression or clearance. Alternatively, genomic engineering approaches are being applied to directly eliminate intact viruses and shrink the replication-competent virus pool. New evidence suggests host immunity exerts selective pressure on reservoir viruses and clears HIV-1 infected cells over years on ART. Efforts to build on the detectable, but insufficient, reservoir clearance via empiric testing in clinical trials will inform our understanding of mechanisms of viral persistence and the direction of future cure strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward F Kreider
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Stemmler Hall Room 130-150, 3450 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6073, USA
| | - Katharine J Bar
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 502D Johnson Pavilion, 3610 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA, 19104‑0673, USA.
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