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Lyu X, Zhao L, Chen S, Li Y, Yang Y, Liu H, Yang F, Li W, Sui J. Targeting TNFRSF25 by agonistic antibodies and multimeric TL1A proteins co-stimulated CD8 + T cells and inhibited tumor growth. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008810. [PMID: 39142717 PMCID: PMC11331879 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2024-008810] [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] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily 25 (TNFRSF25) is a T-cell co-stimulatory receptor. Expression of its ligand, TNF-like cytokine 1A (TL1A), on mouse tumor cells has been shown to promote tumor regression. This study aimed to develop TNFRSF25 agonists (both antibodies (Abs) and TL1A proteins) and to investigate their potential antitumor effects. METHODS Anti-mouse TNFRSF25 (mTNFRSF25) Abs and multimeric TL1A proteins were generated as TNFRSF25 agonists. Their agonism was assessed in luciferase reporter and T-cell co-stimulation assays, and their antitumor effects were evaluated in syngeneic mouse tumor models. TNFRSF25 expression within the tumor microenvironment and the effects of an anti-mTNFRSF25 agonistic Ab on tumor-infiltrating T cells were evaluated by flow cytometry. Cell depletion assays were used to identify the immune cell types that contribute to the antitumor effect of the anti-mTNFRSF25 Ab. The Fc gamma receptor (FcγR) dependence of TNFRSF25 agonists was assessed in an in vivo T-cell expansion model and a mouse tumor model using Fc variants and FcγR-deficient mice. RESULTS TNFRSF25 agonists exhibited antitumor effects in syngeneic mouse tumor models without causing observed side effects. We identified an anti-mTNFRSF25 agonistic Ab, 1A6-m1, which exhibited greater antitumor activity than a higher affinity anti-TNFRSF25 Ab which engages an overlapping epitope with 1A6-m1. 1A6-m1 activated CD8+ T cells and antigen-specific T cells, leading to tumor regression; it also induced long-term antitumor immune memory. Although activating TNFRSF25 by 1A6-m1 expanded splenic regulatory T (Treg) cells, it did not influence intratumoral Treg cells. Moreover, 1A6-m1's antitumor effects required the engagement of both inhibitory FcγRIIB and activating FcγRIII. Replacing 1A6-m1's CH1-hinge region with that of human IgG2 (h2) conferred enhanced antitumor effects. Finally, we also generated multimeric human and mouse TL1A fusion proteins as TNFRSF25 agonists, and they co-stimulated CD8+ T cells and reduced tumor growth, even in the absence of Fc-FcγR interactions. CONCLUSION Our data demonstrates the potential of activating TNFRSF25 by Abs and multimeric TL1A proteins for cancer immunotherapy and provides insights into their development astherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyuan Lyu
- Peking University-Tsinghua University-National Institute of Biological Sciences Joint Graduate Program, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Linlin Zhao
- Peking University-Tsinghua University-National Institute of Biological Sciences Joint Graduate Program, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Sijia Chen
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yulu Li
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yajing Yang
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huisi Liu
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Yang
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenhui Li
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
- Tsinghua Institute of Multidisciplinary Biomedical Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jianhua Sui
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
- Tsinghua Institute of Multidisciplinary Biomedical Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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2
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Imianowski CJ, Kuo P, Whiteside SK, von Linde T, Wesolowski AJ, Conti AG, Evans AC, Baird T, Morris BI, Fletcher NE, Yang J, Poon E, Lakins MA, Yamamoto M, Brewis N, Morrow M, Roychoudhuri R. IFNγ Production by Functionally Reprogrammed Tregs Promotes Antitumor Efficacy of OX40/CD137 Bispecific Agonist Therapy. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:2045-2057. [PMID: 38995700 PMCID: PMC11317917 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-23-0500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Treg) are highly enriched within many tumors and suppress immune responses to cancer. There is intense interest in reprogramming Tregs to contribute to antitumor immunity. OX40 and CD137 are expressed highly on Tregs, activated and memory T cells, and NK cells. In this study, using a novel bispecific antibody targeting mouse OX40 and CD137 (FS120m), we show that OX40/CD137 bispecific agonism induces potent antitumor immunity partially dependent upon IFNγ production by functionally reprogrammed Tregs. Treatment of tumor-bearing animals with OX40/CD137 bispecific agonists reprograms Tregs into both fragile Foxp3+ IFNγ+ Tregs with decreased suppressive function and lineage-instable Foxp3- IFNγ+ ex-Tregs. Treg fragility is partially driven by IFNγ signaling, whereas Treg instability is associated with reduced IL2 responsiveness upon treatment with OX40/CD137 bispecific agonists. Importantly, conditional deletion of Ifng in Foxp3+ Tregs and their progeny partially reverses the antitumor efficacy of OX40/CD137 bispecific agonist therapy, revealing that reprogramming of Tregs into IFNγ-producing cells contributes to the anti-tumor efficacy of OX40/CD137 bispecific agonists. These findings provide insights into mechanisms by which bispecific agonist therapies targeting costimulatory receptors highly expressed by Tregs potentiate antitumor immunity in mouse models. SIGNIFICANCE The bispecific antibody FS120, an immunotherapy currently being tested in the clinic, partially functions by inducing anti-tumor activity of Tregs, which results in tumor rejection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paula Kuo
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
- Immunology Programme, Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.
| | - Sarah K. Whiteside
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
| | - Teresa von Linde
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
| | | | - Alberto G. Conti
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
| | - Alexander C. Evans
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
| | - Tarrion Baird
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
| | - Benjamin I. Morris
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
| | - Nicole E. Fletcher
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
| | - Jie Yang
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
- Immunology Programme, Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.
| | - Edmund Poon
- F-Star Therapeutics, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.
| | - Matthew A. Lakins
- F-Star Therapeutics, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.
| | - Masahiro Yamamoto
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
| | - Neil Brewis
- F-Star Therapeutics, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.
| | - Michelle Morrow
- F-Star Therapeutics, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.
- invoX Pharma, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
| | - Rahul Roychoudhuri
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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3
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Osorio JC, Knorr DA, Weitzenfeld P, Yao N, Baez M, DiLillo M, Rahman J, Bromberg J, Postow MA, Ariyan C, Robson ME, Ravetch JV. Intratumoral Fc-optimized agonistic CD40 antibody induces tumor rejection and systemic antitumor immunity in patients with metastatic cancer. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4244833. [PMID: 38883779 PMCID: PMC11177954 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4244833/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
While CD40 agonism is an attractive approach for activating antigen-presenting cells and initiating antitumor responses, previous attempts have encountered limited clinical efficacy coupled with toxicity. We previously demonstrated that interactions between the antibody Fc domain and the inhibitory receptor FcγRIIB are critical for enhanced antitumor activity. Here, we present the results of a phase 1 study on intratumoral administration of an anti-CD40 agonistic antibody (2141-V11) Fc-engineered to enhance FcγRIIB binding. Primary endpoints included safety, maximum tolerated dose (MTD), and recommended phase 2 dose. Secondary objectives included preliminary clinical activity and correlative studies from biospecimens. 2141-V11 was well-tolerated without dose-limiting toxicities and MTD was not reached. In ten evaluable patients with metastatic cancer, the overall response rate was 20%, with complete responses in two patients (melanoma and breast carcinoma) and stable disease in six patients. 2141-V11 induced tumor regression in injected and non-injected lesions, with increased leukocyte infiltration and tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) formation in post-treatment biopsies. In a humanized mouse model for CD40 and FcγRs, 2141-V11 induced TLS formation in mice bearing orthotopic breast carcinoma, correlating with local and abscopal antitumor effects, systemic immune activation, and immune memory. These findings support the safety and efficacy of 2141-V11, warranting phase 2 studies and suggesting a unique mechanism of action for this Fc-enhanced immunotherapy (NCT04059588).
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan C. Osorio
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - David A. Knorr
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Current address: Regeneron, Inc., Tarrytown, NY, USA
| | - Polina Weitzenfeld
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Ning Yao
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Maria Baez
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Meghan DiLillo
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Jahan Rahman
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Jacqueline Bromberg
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Michael A. Postow
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Charlotte Ariyan
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Mark E. Robson
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Jeffrey V. Ravetch
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY
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4
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Zhu X, Feng Y, Fan P, Dong D, Yuan J, Chang C, Wang R. Increased co-expression of 4-1BB with PD-1 on CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes is associated with improved prognosis and immunotherapy response in cervical cancer. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1381381. [PMID: 38756662 PMCID: PMC11096482 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1381381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The combination of agonistic antibodies with immune checkpoint inhibitors presents a promising avenue for cancer immunotherapy. Our objective is to explore the co-expression of 4-1BB, ICOS, CD28, with PD-1 on CD8+ T cells in the peripheral blood and tumor tissue of cervical cancer(CC) patients, with a specific focus on the association between the co-expression levels of 4-1BB with PD-1 and clinical features, prognosis as well as immunotherapy response. The goal is to offer valuable insights into cervical cancer immunotherapy. Methods In this study, 50 treatment-naive patients diagnosed with CC were enrolled. Flow cytometry was used to detect PD-1/4-1BB, PD-1/ICOS and PD-1/CD28 co-expression on CD8+ T cells. Subsequent analysis aimed to investigate the differential co-expression between peripheral blood and cancer tissue, and also the correlation between co-expression and clinical features in these patients. Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort, The IMvigor210 cohort, The BMS038cohort and Immunophenoscores were utilized to investigate the correlation between PD-1/4-1BB and the immune microenvironment, prognosis, immunotherapy, and drug sensitivity in cervical cancer. Results The co-expression levels of PD-1/4-1BB, PD-1/ICOS, and PD-1/CD28 on CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were significantly higher in cervical cancer patients compared to those in peripheral blood. Clinical feature analysis reveals that on CD8+ TILs, the co-expression of PD-1/4-1BB is more closely correlated with clinical characteristics compared to PD-1/ICOS, PD-1/CD28, PD-1, and 4-1BB. Pseudo-time analysis and cell communication profiling reveal close associations between the subgroups harboring 4-1BB and PD-1. The prognosis, tumor mutation burden, immune landscape, and immunotherapy response exhibit statistically significant variations between the high and low co-expression groups of PD-1/4-1BB. The high co-expression group of PD-1/4-1BB is more likely to benefit from immunotherapy. Conclusion PD-1/4-1BB, PD-1/ICOS, and PD-1/CD28 exhibit elevated co-expression on CD8+TILs of cervical cancer, while demonstrating lower expression in circulating T cells. The co-expression patterns of PD-1/4-1BB significantly contributed to the prediction of immune cell infiltration characteristics, prognosis, and tailored immunotherapy tactics. PD-1/4-1BB exhibits potential as a target for combination immunotherapy in cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaonan Zhu
- The Third Department of Gynecology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Yaning Feng
- Key Laboratory of Oncology of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Peiwen Fan
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunotherapy and Radiotherapy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Danning Dong
- Department of Head and Neck Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Jianlin Yuan
- The Third Department of Gynecology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Cheng Chang
- Nuclear Medicine Department, Affiliated Tumor Hospital, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Ruozheng Wang
- Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Radiotherapy Clinical Research and Training Center, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
- Clinical Key Specialty of the Health Commission, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
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5
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Rubio-Pérez L, Frago S, Compte M, Navarro R, Harwood SL, Lázaro-Gorines R, Gómez-Rosel M, Hangiu O, Silva-Pilipich N, Vanrell L, Smerdou C, Álvarez-Vallina L. Characterization of a Trispecific PD-L1 Blocking Antibody That Exhibits EGFR-Conditional 4-1BB Agonist Activity. Antibodies (Basel) 2024; 13:34. [PMID: 38804302 PMCID: PMC11130918 DOI: 10.3390/antib13020034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade has changed the treatment paradigm for advanced solid tumors, but the overall response rates are still limited. The combination of checkpoint blockade with anti-4-1BB antibodies to stimulate tumor-infiltrating T cells has shown anti-tumor activity in human trials. However, the further clinical development of these antibodies has been hampered by significant off-tumor toxicities. Here, we generated an anti-4-1BB/EGFR/PD-L1 trispecific antibody consisting of a triple-targeting tandem trimerbody (TT) fused to an engineered silent Fc region. This antibody (IgTT-4E1-S) was designed to combine the blockade of the PD-L1/PD-1 axis with conditional 4-1BB costimulation specifically confined to the tumor microenvironment (TME). The antibody demonstrated simultaneous binding to purified EGFR, PD-L1, and 4-1BB in solution, effective blockade of the PD-L1/PD1 interaction, and potent 4-1BB-mediated costimulation, but only in the presence of EGFR-expressing cells. These results demonstrate the feasibility of IgTT-4E1-S specifically blocking the PD-L1/PD-1 axis and inducing EGFR-conditional 4-1BB agonist activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Rubio-Pérez
- Cancer Immunotherapy Unit (UNICA), Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario12 de Octubre (H12O), 28041 Madrid, Spain; (L.R.-P.); (R.L.-G.); (M.G.-R.); (O.H.)
- Immuno-Oncology and Immunotherapy Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041 Madrid, Spain
- H12O-CNIO Cancer Immunotherapy Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Chair for Immunology UFV/Merck, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV), Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Frago
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Leadartis SL, QUBE Technology Park, Tres Cantos, 28760 Madrid, Spain; (S.F.); (M.C.); (R.N.)
| | - Marta Compte
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Leadartis SL, QUBE Technology Park, Tres Cantos, 28760 Madrid, Spain; (S.F.); (M.C.); (R.N.)
| | - Rocío Navarro
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Leadartis SL, QUBE Technology Park, Tres Cantos, 28760 Madrid, Spain; (S.F.); (M.C.); (R.N.)
| | - Seandean L. Harwood
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark;
| | - Rodrigo Lázaro-Gorines
- Cancer Immunotherapy Unit (UNICA), Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario12 de Octubre (H12O), 28041 Madrid, Spain; (L.R.-P.); (R.L.-G.); (M.G.-R.); (O.H.)
- Immuno-Oncology and Immunotherapy Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041 Madrid, Spain
- H12O-CNIO Cancer Immunotherapy Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marina Gómez-Rosel
- Cancer Immunotherapy Unit (UNICA), Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario12 de Octubre (H12O), 28041 Madrid, Spain; (L.R.-P.); (R.L.-G.); (M.G.-R.); (O.H.)
- Immuno-Oncology and Immunotherapy Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041 Madrid, Spain
- H12O-CNIO Cancer Immunotherapy Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Oana Hangiu
- Cancer Immunotherapy Unit (UNICA), Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario12 de Octubre (H12O), 28041 Madrid, Spain; (L.R.-P.); (R.L.-G.); (M.G.-R.); (O.H.)
- Immuno-Oncology and Immunotherapy Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Leadartis SL, QUBE Technology Park, Tres Cantos, 28760 Madrid, Spain; (S.F.); (M.C.); (R.N.)
| | - Noelia Silva-Pilipich
- Division of DNA and RNA Medicine, Cima Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (N.S.-P.); (C.S.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdISNA) and CCUN, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Lucía Vanrell
- Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad ORT Uruguay, 11100 Montevideo, Uruguay;
- Nanogrow Biotech, Montevideo 11500, Uruguay
| | - Cristian Smerdou
- Division of DNA and RNA Medicine, Cima Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (N.S.-P.); (C.S.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdISNA) and CCUN, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Luis Álvarez-Vallina
- Cancer Immunotherapy Unit (UNICA), Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario12 de Octubre (H12O), 28041 Madrid, Spain; (L.R.-P.); (R.L.-G.); (M.G.-R.); (O.H.)
- Immuno-Oncology and Immunotherapy Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041 Madrid, Spain
- H12O-CNIO Cancer Immunotherapy Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Chair for Immunology UFV/Merck, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV), Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain
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6
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Na K, Lee S, Kim DK, Kim YS, Hwang JY, Kang SS, Baek S, Lee CY, Yang SM, Han YJ, Kim MH, Han H, Kim Y, Kim JH, Jeon S, Byeon Y, Lee JB, Lim SM, Hong MH, Pyo KH, Cho BC. CD81 and CD82 expressing tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in the NSCLC tumor microenvironment play a crucial role in T-cell activation and cytokine production. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1336246. [PMID: 38515751 PMCID: PMC10954780 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1336246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction To understand the immune system within the tumor microenvironment (TME) of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), it is crucial to elucidate the characteristics of molecules associated with T cell activation. Methods We conducted an in-depth analysis using single-cell RNA sequencing data obtained from tissue samples of 19 NSCLC patients. T cells were classified based on the Tumor Proportion Score (TPS) within the tumor region, and molecular markers associated with activation and exhaustion were analyzed in T cells from high TPS areas. Results Notably, tetraspanins CD81 and CD82, belonging to the tetraspanin protein family, were found to be expressed in activated T cells, particularly in cytotoxic T cells. These tetraspanins showed strong correlations with activation and exhaustion markers. In vitro experiments confirmed increased expression of CD81 and CD82 in IL-2-stimulated T cells. T cells were categorized into CD81highCD82high and CD81lowCD82low groups based on their expression levels, with CD81highCD82high T cells exhibiting elevated activation markers such as CD25 and CD69 compared to CD81lowCD82low T cells. This trend was consistent across CD3+, CD8+, and CD4+ T cell subsets. Moreover, CD81highCD82high T cells, when stimulated with anti-CD3, demonstrated enhanced secretion of cytokines such as IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2, along with an increase in the proportion of memory T cells. Bulk RNA sequencing results after sorting CD81highCD82high and CD81lowCD82low T cells consistently supported the roles of CD81 and CD82. Experiments with overexpressed CD81 and CD82 showed increased cytotoxicity against target cells. Discussion These findings highlight the multifaceted roles of CD81 and CD82 in T cell activation, cytokine production, memory subset accumulation, and target cell cytolysis. Therefore, these findings suggest the potential of CD81 and CD82 as promising candidates for co-stimulatory molecules in immune therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment within the intricate TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwangmin Na
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seul Lee
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Kwon Kim
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Seob Kim
- Yonsei New Il Han Institute for Integrative Lung Cancer Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Joon Yeon Hwang
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-San Kang
- JEUK Institute for Cancer Research, JEUK Co., Ltd., Gumi-City, Republic of Korea
| | - Sujeong Baek
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chai Young Lee
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Min Yang
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu Jin Han
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi Hyun Kim
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Heekyung Han
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngtaek Kim
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hwan Kim
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seunghyun Jeon
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngseon Byeon
- Yonsei New Il Han Institute for Integrative Lung Cancer Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jii Bum Lee
- Division of Medical Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Min Lim
- Division of Medical Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Hee Hong
- Division of Medical Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung-Ho Pyo
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Yonsei New Il Han Institute for Integrative Lung Cancer Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Medical Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Byoung Chul Cho
- Yonsei New Il Han Institute for Integrative Lung Cancer Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Medical Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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7
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Dadas O, Allen JD, Buchan SL, Kim J, Chan HTC, Mockridge CI, Duriez PJ, Rogel A, Crispin M, Al-Shamkhani A. Fcγ receptor binding is required for maximal immunostimulation by CD70-Fc. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1252274. [PMID: 37965342 PMCID: PMC10641686 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1252274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction T cell expressed CD27 provides costimulation upon binding to inducible membrane expressed trimeric CD70 and is required for protective CD8 T cell responses. CD27 agonists could therefore be used to bolster cellular vaccines and anti-tumour immune responses. To date, clinical development of CD27 agonists has focussed on anti-CD27 antibodies with little attention given to alternative approaches. Methods Here, we describe the generation and activity of soluble variants of CD70 that form either trimeric (t) or dimer-of-trimer proteins and conduct side-by-side comparisons with an agonist anti-CD27 antibody. To generate a dimer-of-trimer protein (dt), we fused three extracellular domains of CD70 to the Fc domain of mouse IgG1 in a 'string of beads' configuration (dtCD70-Fc). Results Whereas tCD70 failed to costimulate CD8 T cells, both dtCD70-Fc and an agonist anti-CD27 antibody were capable of enhancing T cell proliferation in vitro. Initial studies demonstrated that dtCD70-Fc was less efficacious than anti-CD27 in boosting a CD8 T cell vaccine response in vivo, concomitant with rapid clearance of dtCD70-Fc from the circulation. The accelerated plasma clearance of dtCD70-Fc was not due to the lack of neonatal Fc receptor binding but was dependent on the large population of oligomannose type glycosylation. Enzymatic treatment to reduce the oligomannose-type glycans in dtCD70-Fc improved its half-life and significantly enhanced its T cell stimulatory activity in vivo surpassing that of anti-CD27 antibody. We also show that whereas the ability of the anti-CD27 to boost a vaccine response was abolished in Fc gamma receptor (FcγR)-deficient mice, dtCD70-Fc remained active. By comparing the activity of dtCD70-Fc with a variant (dtCD70-Fc(D265A)) that lacks binding to FcγRs, we unexpectedly found that FcγR binding to dtCD70-Fc was required for maximal boosting of a CD8 T cell response in vivo. Interestingly, both dtCD70-Fc and dtCD70-Fc(D265A) were effective in prolonging the survival of mice harbouring BCL1 B cell lymphoma, demonstrating that a substantial part of the stimulatory activity of dtCD70-Fc in this setting is retained in the absence of FcγR interaction. Discussion These data reveal that TNFRSF ligands can be generated with a tunable activity profile and suggest that this class of immune agonists could have broad applications in immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osman Dadas
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, European University of Lefke, Lefke, Cyprus
| | - Joel D. Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah L. Buchan
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Jinny Kim
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - H. T. Claude Chan
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - C. Ian Mockridge
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick J. Duriez
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Rogel
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Max Crispin
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Aymen Al-Shamkhani
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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8
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Fromm G, de Silva S, Schreiber TH. Reconciling intrinsic properties of activating TNF receptors by native ligands versus synthetic agonists. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1236332. [PMID: 37795079 PMCID: PMC10546206 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1236332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The extracellular domain of tumor necrosis factor receptors (TNFR) generally require assembly into a homotrimeric quaternary structure as a prerequisite for initiation of signaling via the cytoplasmic domains. TNF receptor homotrimers are natively activated by similarly homo-trimerized TNF ligands, but can also be activated by synthetic agonists including engineered antibodies and Fc-ligand fusion proteins. A large body of literature from pre-clinical models supports the hypothesis that synthetic agonists targeting a diverse range of TNF receptors (including 4-1BB, CD40, OX40, GITR, DR5, TNFRSF25, HVEM, LTβR, CD27, and CD30) could amplify immune responses to provide clinical benefit in patients with infectious diseases or cancer. Unfortunately, however, the pre-clinical attributes of synthetic TNF receptor agonists have not translated well in human clinical studies, and have instead raised fundamental questions regarding the intrinsic biology of TNF receptors. Clinical observations of bell-shaped dose response curves have led some to hypothesize that TNF receptor overstimulation is possible and can lead to anergy and/or activation induced cell death of target cells. Safety issues including liver toxicity and cytokine release syndrome have also been observed in humans, raising questions as to whether those toxicities are driven by overstimulation of the targeted TNF receptor, a non-TNF receptor related attribute of the synthetic agonist, or both. Together, these clinical findings have limited the development of many TNF receptor agonists, and may have prevented generation of clinical data which reflects the full potential of TNF receptor agonism. A number of recent studies have provided structural insights into how different TNF receptor agonists bind and cluster TNF receptors, and these insights aid in deconvoluting the intrinsic biology of TNF receptors with the mechanistic underpinnings of synthetic TNF receptor agonist therapeutics.
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9
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Leitner J, Egerer R, Waidhofer-Söllner P, Grabmeier-Pfistershammer K, Steinberger P. FcγR requirements and costimulatory capacity of Urelumab, Utomilumab, and Varlilumab. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1208631. [PMID: 37575254 PMCID: PMC10413977 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1208631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Targeting costimulatory receptors of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily with agonistic antibodies is a promising approach in cancer immuno therapy. It is known that their efficacy strongly depends on FcγR cross-linking. Methods In this study, we made use of a Jurkat-based reporter platform to analyze the influence of individual FcγRs on the costimulatory activity of the 41BB agonists, Urelumab and Utomilumab, and the CD27 agonist, Varlilumab. Results We found that Urelumab (IgG4) can activate 41BB-NFκB signaling without FcγR cross-linking, but the presence of the FcγRs (CD32A, CD32B, CD64) augments the agonistic activity of Urelumab. The human IgG2 antibody Utomilumab exerts agonistic function only when crosslinked via CD32A and CD32B. The human IgG1 antibody Varlilumab showed strong agonistic activity with all FcγRs tested. In addition, we analyzed the costimulatory effects of Urelumab, Utomilumab, and Varlilumab in primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Interestingly, we observed a very weak capacity of Varlilumab to enhance cytokine production and proliferation of CD4 and CD8 T cells. In the presence of Varlilumab the percentage of annexin V positive T cells was increased, indicating that this antibody mediated FcγR-dependent cytotoxic effects. Conclusion Collectively, our data underscore the importance to perform studies in reductionist systems as well as in primary PBMC samples to get a comprehensive understanding of the activity of costimulation agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Leitner
- Division of Immune Receptors and T Cell Activation, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ricarda Egerer
- Division of Immune Receptors and T Cell Activation, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Petra Waidhofer-Söllner
- Institute of Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Peter Steinberger
- Division of Immune Receptors and T Cell Activation, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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10
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Melo V, Nelemans LC, Vlaming M, Lourens HJ, Wiersma VR, Bilemjian V, Huls G, de Bruyn M, Bremer E. EGFR-selective activation of CD27 co-stimulatory signaling by a bispecific antibody enhances anti-tumor activity of T cells. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1191866. [PMID: 37545491 PMCID: PMC10399592 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1191866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A higher density of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in the tumor microenvironment, particularly cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, is associated with improved clinical outcome in various cancers. However, local inhibitory factors can suppress T cell activity and hinder anti-tumor immunity. Notably, TILs from various cancer types express the co-stimulatory Tumor Necrosis Factor receptor CD27, making it a potential target for co-stimulation and re-activation of tumor-infiltrated and tumor-reactive T cells. Anti-cancer therapeutics based on exploiting CD27-mediated T cell co-stimulation have proven safe, but clinical responses remain limited. This is likely because current monoclonal antibodies fail to effectively activate CD27 signaling, as this receptor requires higher-order receptor cross-linking. Here, we report on a bispecific antibody, CD27xEGFR, that targets both CD27 and the tumor antigen, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). By targeting EGFR, which is commonly expressed on carcinomas, CD27xEGFR induced cancer cell-localized crosslinking and activation of CD27. The design of CD27xEGFR includes an Fc-silent domain, which is designed to minimize potential toxicity by reducing Fc gamma receptor-mediated binding and activation of immune cells. CD27xEGFR bound to both of its targets simultaneously and triggered EGFR-restricted co-stimulation of T cells as measured by T cell proliferation, T cell activation markers, cytotoxicity and IFN-γ release. Further, CD27xEGFR augmented T cell cytotoxicity in a panel of artificial antigen-presenting carcinoma cell line models, leading to Effector-to-Target ratio-dependent elimination of cancer cells. Taken together, we present the in vitro characterization of a novel bispecific antibody that re-activates T cell immunity in EGFR-expressing cancers through targeted co-stimulation of CD27.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinicio Melo
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Levi Collin Nelemans
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Martijn Vlaming
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Harm Jan Lourens
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Valerie R. Wiersma
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Vrouyr Bilemjian
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Gerwin Huls
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Marco de Bruyn
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Edwin Bremer
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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11
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Liu G, Luo P. Targeting CD137 (4-1BB) towards improved safety and efficacy for cancer immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1208788. [PMID: 37334375 PMCID: PMC10272836 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1208788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
T cells play a critical role in antitumor immunity, where T cell activation is regulated by both inhibitory and costimulatory receptor signaling that fine-tune T cell activity during different stages of T cell immune responses. Currently, cancer immunotherapy by targeting inhibitory receptors such as CTLA-4 and PD-1/L1, and their combination by antagonist antibodies, has been well established. However, developing agonist antibodies that target costimulatory receptors such as CD28 and CD137/4-1BB has faced considerable challenges, including highly publicized adverse events. Intracellular costimulatory domains of CD28 and/or CD137/4-1BB are essential for the clinical benefits of FDA-approved chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapies. The major challenge is how to decouple efficacy from toxicity by systemic immune activation. This review focuses on anti-CD137 agonist monoclonal antibodies with different IgG isotypes in clinical development. It discusses CD137 biology in the context of anti-CD137 agonist drug discovery, including the binding epitope selected for anti-CD137 agonist antibody in competition or not with CD137 ligand (CD137L), the IgG isotype of antibodies selected with an impact on crosslinking by Fc gamma receptors, and the conditional activation of anti-CD137 antibodies for safe and potent engagement with CD137 in the tumor microenvironment (TME). We discuss and compare the potential mechanisms/effects of different CD137 targeting strategies and agents under development and how rational combinations could enhance antitumor activities without amplifying the toxicity of these agonist antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guizhong Liu
- Adagene Inc., San Diego, CA, United States
- Adagene (Suzhou) Limited., Suzhou, China
| | - Peter Luo
- Adagene Inc., San Diego, CA, United States
- Adagene (Suzhou) Limited., Suzhou, China
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12
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Dadas O, Ertay A, Cragg MS. Delivering co-stimulatory tumor necrosis factor receptor agonism for cancer immunotherapy: past, current and future perspectives. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1147467. [PMID: 37180119 PMCID: PMC10167284 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1147467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor necrosis factor superfamily (TNFSF) and their receptors (TNFRSF) are important regulators of the immune system, mediating proliferation, survival, differentiation, and function of immune cells. As a result, their targeting for immunotherapy is attractive, although to date, under-exploited. In this review we discuss the importance of co-stimulatory members of the TNFRSF in optimal immune response generation, the rationale behind targeting these receptors for immunotherapy, the success of targeting them in pre-clinical studies and the challenges in translating this success into the clinic. The efficacy and limitations of the currently available agents are discussed alongside the development of next generation immunostimulatory agents designed to overcome current issues, and capitalize on this receptor class to deliver potent, durable and safe drugs for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osman Dadas
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Ayse Ertay
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Mark S. Cragg
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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13
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Cohen Saban N, Yalin A, Landsberger T, Salomon R, Alva A, Feferman T, Amit I, Dahan R. Fc glycoengineering of a PD-L1 antibody harnesses Fcγ receptors for increased antitumor efficacy. Sci Immunol 2023; 8:eadd8005. [PMID: 36867679 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.add8005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
FDA-approved anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) bear the IgG1 isotype, whose scaffolds are either wild-type (e.g., avelumab) or Fc-mutated and lacking Fcγ receptor (FcγR) engagement (e.g., atezolizumab). It is unknown whether variation in the ability of the IgG1 Fc region to engage FcγRs renders mAbs with superior therapeutic activity. In this study, we used humanized FcγR mice to study the contribution of FcγR signaling to the antitumor activity of human anti-PD-L1 mAbs and to identify an optimal human IgG scaffold for PD-L1 mAbs. We observed similar antitumor efficacy and comparable tumor immune responses in mice treated with anti-PD-L1 mAbs with wild-type and Fc-mutated IgG scaffolds. However, in vivo antitumor activity of the wild-type anti-PD-L1 mAb avelumab was enhanced by combination treatment with an FcγRIIB-blocking antibody, which was co-administered to overcome the suppressor function of FcγRIIB in the tumor microenvironment (TME). We performed Fc glycoengineering to remove the fucose subunit from the Fc-attached glycan of avelumab to enhance its binding to the activating FcγRIIIA. Treatment with the Fc-afucosylated version of avelumab also enhanced antitumor activity and induced stronger antitumor immune responses compared with the parental IgG. The enhanced effect by afucosylated PD-L1 antibody was dependent on neutrophils and associated with decreased frequencies of PD-L1+ myeloid cells and increased infiltration of T cells in the TME. Our data reveal that the current design of FDA-approved anti-PD-L1 mAbs does not optimally harness FcγR pathways and suggest two strategies to enhance FcγR engagement to optimize anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noy Cohen Saban
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Adam Yalin
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tomer Landsberger
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ran Salomon
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ajjai Alva
- University of Michigan Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Tali Feferman
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ido Amit
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Rony Dahan
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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14
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Claus C, Ferrara-Koller C, Klein C. The emerging landscape of novel 4-1BB (CD137) agonistic drugs for cancer immunotherapy. MAbs 2023; 15:2167189. [PMID: 36727218 PMCID: PMC9897756 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2023.2167189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The clinical development of 4-1BB agonists for cancer immunotherapy has raised substantial interest during the past decade. The first generation of 4-1BB agonistic antibodies entering the clinic, urelumab (BMS-663513) and utomilumab (PF-05082566), failed due to (liver) toxicity or lack of efficacy, respectively. The two antibodies display differences in the affinity and the 4-1BB receptor epitope recognition, as well as the isotype, which determines the Fc-gamma-receptor (FcγR) crosslinking activity. Based on this experience a very diverse landscape of second-generation 4-1BB agonists addressing the liabilities of first-generation agonists has recently been developed, with many entering clinical Phase 1 and 2 studies. This review provides an overview focusing on differences and their scientific rationale, as well as challenges foreseen during the clinical development of these molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Claus
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Ferrara-Koller
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Christian Klein
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), Schlieren, Switzerland
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15
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Hangiu O, Compte M, Dinesen A, Navarro R, Tapia-Galisteo A, Mandrup OA, Erce-Llamazares A, Lázaro-Gorines R, Nehme-Álvarez D, Domínguez-Alonso C, Harwood SL, Alfonso C, Blanco B, Rubio-Pérez L, Jiménez-Reinoso A, Díez-Alonso L, Blanco FJ, Sanz L, Howard KA, Álvarez-Vallina L. Tumor targeted 4-1BB agonist antibody-albumin fusions with high affinity to FcRn induce anti-tumor immunity without toxicity. iScience 2022; 25:104958. [PMID: 36072551 PMCID: PMC9441337 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Costimulation of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes by anti-4-1BB monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has shown anti-tumor activity in human trials, but can be associated with significant off-tumor toxicities involving FcγR interactions. Here, we introduce albumin-fused mouse and human bispecific antibodies with clinically favorable pharmacokinetics designed to confine 4-1BB costimulation to the tumor microenvironment. These Fc-free 4-1BB agonists consist of an EGFR-specific VHH antibody, a 4-1BB-specific scFv, and a human albumin sequence engineered for high FcRn binding connected in tandem (LiTCo-Albu). We demonstrate in vitro cognate target engagement, EGFR-specific costimulatory activity, and FcRn-driven cellular recycling similar to non-fused FcRn high-binding albumin. The mouse LiTCo-Albu exhibited a prolonged circulatory half-life and in vivo tumor inhibition, with no indication of 4-1BB mAb-associated toxicity. Furthermore, we show a greater therapeutic effect when used in combination with PD-1-blocking mAbs. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of tumor-specific LiTCo-Albu antibodies for safe and effective costimulatory strategies in cancer immunotherapy. Tumor targeted 4-1BB agonist antibody-albumin fusions with high affinity to FcRn Potent EGFR-specific 4-1BB costimulation and FcRn-driven cellular recycling Prolonged circulatory half-life and in vivo tumor inhibition, without toxicity Combination with an anti-PD-1 blocking antibody further enhanced anti-tumor activity
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16
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Simpson AP, Roghanian A, Oldham RJ, Chan HTC, Penfold CA, Kim HJ, Inzhelevskaya T, Mockridge CI, Cox KL, Bogdanov YD, James S, Tutt AL, Rycroft D, Morley P, Dahal LN, Teige I, Frendeus B, Beers SA, Cragg MS. FcγRIIB controls antibody-mediated target cell depletion by ITIM-independent mechanisms. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111099. [PMID: 35858562 PMCID: PMC9638011 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Many therapeutic antibodies deplete target cells and elicit immunotherapy by engaging activating Fc gamma receptors (FcγRs) on host effector cells. These antibodies are negatively regulated by the inhibitory FcγRIIB (CD32B). Dogma suggests inhibition is mediated through the FcγRIIB immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif (ITIM), negatively regulating immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM)-mediated signaling from activating FcγR. To assess this, we generated experimental models expressing human (h)FcγRIIB on targets or effectors, lacking or retaining ITIM signaling capacity. We demonstrate that signaling through the hFcγRIIB ITIM is dispensable for impairing monoclonal antibody (mAb)-mediated depletion of normal and malignant murine target cells through three therapeutically relevant surface receptors (CD20, CD25, and OX40) affecting immunotherapy. We demonstrate that hFcγRIIB competition with activating FcγRs for antibody Fc, rather than ITIM signaling, is sufficient to impair activating FcγR engagement, inhibiting effector function and immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander P Simpson
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Ali Roghanian
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK; Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Robert J Oldham
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - H T Claude Chan
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Christine A Penfold
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Hyung J Kim
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Tatyana Inzhelevskaya
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - C Ian Mockridge
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Kerry L Cox
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Yury D Bogdanov
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Sonya James
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Alison L Tutt
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Daniel Rycroft
- Biopharm Discovery, GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage SG1 2NY, UK
| | - Peter Morley
- Biopharm Discovery, GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage SG1 2NY, UK
| | - Lekh N Dahal
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Ingrid Teige
- BioInvent International AB, Sölvegatan 41, 22370 Lund, Sweden
| | - Björn Frendeus
- BioInvent International AB, Sölvegatan 41, 22370 Lund, Sweden.
| | - Stephen A Beers
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK.
| | - Mark S Cragg
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK; Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.
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17
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Salomon R, Dahan R. Next Generation CD40 Agonistic Antibodies for Cancer Immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2022; 13:940674. [PMID: 35911742 PMCID: PMC9326085 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.940674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinical use of anti-CD40 agonist monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is aimed at recruiting the immune system to fight the tumor cells. This approach has been demonstrated to be effective in various preclinical models. However, human CD40 Abs displayed only modest antitumor activity in cancer patients, characterized by low efficacy and dose-limiting toxicity. While recent studies highlight the importance of engineering the Fc region of human CD40 mAbs to optimize their agonistic potency, toxicity remains the main limiting factor, restricting clinical application to suboptimal doses. Here, we discuss the current challenges in realizing the full potential of CD40 mAbs in clinical practice, and describe novel approaches designed to circumvent the systemic toxicity associated with CD40 agonism.
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18
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Liu L, Wu Y, Ye K, Cai M, Zhuang G, Wang J. Antibody-Targeted TNFRSF Activation for Cancer Immunotherapy: The Role of FcγRIIB Cross-Linking. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:924197. [PMID: 35865955 PMCID: PMC9295861 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.924197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Co-stimulation signaling in various types of immune cells modulates immune responses in physiology and disease. Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF) members such as CD40, OX40 and CD137/4-1BB are expressed on myeloid cells and/or lymphocytes, and they regulate antigen presentation and adaptive immune activities. TNFRSF agonistic antibodies have been evaluated extensively in preclinical models, and the robust antitumor immune responses and efficacy have encouraged continued clinical investigations for the last two decades. However, balancing the toxicities and efficacy of TNFRSF agonistic antibodies remains a major challenge in the clinical development. Insights into the co-stimulation signaling biology, antibody structural roles and their functionality in immuno-oncology are guiding new advancement of this field. Leveraging the interactions between antibodies and the inhibitory Fc receptor FcγRIIB to optimize co-stimulation agonistic activities dependent on FcγRIIB cross-linking selectively in tumor microenvironment represents the current frontier, which also includes cross-linking through tumor antigen binding with bispecific antibodies. In this review, we will summarize the immunological roles of TNFRSF members and current clinical studies of TNFRSF agonistic antibodies. We will also cover the contribution of different IgG structure domains to these agonistic activities, with a focus on the role of FcγRIIB in TNFRSF cross-linking and clustering bridged by agonistic antibodies. We will review and discuss several Fc-engineering approaches to optimize Fc binding ability to FcγRIIB in the context of proper Fab and the epitope, including a cross-linking antibody (xLinkAb) model and its application in developing TNFRSF agonistic antibodies with improved efficacy and safety for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yi Wu
- Lyvgen Biopharma, Shanghai, China
| | - Kaiyan Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Meichun Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Guanglei Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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19
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Compte M, Sanz L, Álvarez-Vallina L. Applications of trimerbodies in cancer immunotherapy. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 369:71-87. [PMID: 35777865 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2022.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Trimerbodies, with their unique structural and functional properties, are the basis of a new generation of therapeutic antibodies, which due to their small size and plasticity are ideal for the generation of novel biological protein drugs with multiple competitive advantages over conventional full-length monoclonal antibodies. Since their emergence, trimerbodies have been used in preclinical cancer diagnosis and therapy. Trimerbodies are highly adaptable molecules, as they allow target-specific modulation of T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity to enhance preexisting responses or to generate de novo immune responses. In fact, a tumor-specific humanized 4-1BB-agonistic trimerbody has shown a rather impressive safety and efficacy profile in preclinical studies making it a realistic option for clinical development. Moreover, thanks to the avidity effect they are endowed with considerable therapeutic potential as carriers to deliver cytotoxic payloads to tumors. In addition, molecular imaging studies could benefit from some intermediate-sized trivalent trimerbodies as promising candidates for targeted therapy and tumor imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Compte
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Leadartis S.L., Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Sanz
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Álvarez-Vallina
- Cancer Immunotherapy Unit (UNICA), Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain; Immuno-Oncology and Immunotherapy Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain.
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20
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Thoreau F, Chudasama V. Enabling the next steps in cancer immunotherapy: from antibody-based bispecifics to multispecifics, with an evolving role for bioconjugation chemistry. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:140-169. [PMID: 35360884 PMCID: PMC8826860 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00082a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
In the past two decades, immunotherapy has established itself as one of the leading strategies for cancer treatment, as illustrated by the exponentially growing number of related clinical trials. This trend was, in part, prompted by the clinical success of both immune checkpoint modulation and immune cell engagement, to restore and/or stimulate the patient's immune system's ability to fight the disease. These strategies were sustained by progress in bispecific antibody production. However, despite the decisive progress made in the treatment of cancer, toxicity and resistance are still observed in some cases. In this review, we initially provide an overview of the monoclonal and bispecific antibodies developed with the objective of restoring immune system functions to treat cancer (cancer immunotherapy), through immune checkpoint modulation, immune cell engagement or a combination of both. Their production, design strategy and impact on the clinical trial landscape are also addressed. In the second part, the concept of multispecific antibody formats, notably MuTICEMs (Multispecific Targeted Immune Cell Engagers & Modulators), as a possible answer to current immunotherapy limitations is investigated. We believe it could be the next step to take for cancer immunotherapy research and expose why bioconjugation chemistry might play a key role in these future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabien Thoreau
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street London WC1H 0AJ UK
| | - Vijay Chudasama
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street London WC1H 0AJ UK
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21
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Blanco B, Domínguez-Alonso C, Alvarez-Vallina L. Bispecific Immunomodulatory Antibodies for Cancer Immunotherapy. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:5457-5464. [PMID: 34108185 PMCID: PMC9306338 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-3770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The recent advances in the field of immuno-oncology have dramatically changed the therapeutic strategy against advanced malignancies. Bispecific antibody-based immunotherapies have gained momentum in preclinical and clinical investigations following the regulatory approval of the T cell-redirecting antibody blinatumomab. In this review, we focus on emerging and novel mechanisms of action of bispecific antibodies interacting with immune cells with at least one of their arms to regulate the activity of the immune system by redirecting and/or reactivating effector cells toward tumor cells. These molecules, here referred to as bispecific immunomodulatory antibodies, have the potential to improve clinical efficacy and safety profile and are envisioned as a second wave of cancer immunotherapies. Currently, there are more than 50 bispecific antibodies under clinical development for a range of indications, with promising signs of therapeutic activity. We also discuss two approaches for in vivo secretion, direct gene delivery, and infusion of ex vivo gene-modified cells, which may become instrumental for the clinical application of next-generation bispecific immunomodulatory antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belén Blanco
- Cancer Immunotherapy Unit (UNICA), Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Immuno-Oncology and Immunotherapy Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Domínguez-Alonso
- Cancer Immunotherapy Unit (UNICA), Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Immuno-Oncology and Immunotherapy Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Alvarez-Vallina
- Cancer Immunotherapy Unit (UNICA), Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Immuno-Oncology and Immunotherapy Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain.,Corresponding Author: Luis Alvarez-Vallina, Cancer Immunotherapy Unit, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, 28041, Spain. E-mail:
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22
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Harrison AJ, Du X, von Scheidt B, Kershaw MH, Slaney CY. Enhancing co-stimulation of CAR T cells to improve treatment outcomes in solid cancers. IMMUNOTHERAPY ADVANCES 2021; 1:ltab016. [PMID: 35919743 PMCID: PMC9327106 DOI: 10.1093/immadv/ltab016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Co-stimulation is a fundamental component of T cell biology and plays a key role in determining the quality of T cell proliferation, differentiation, and memory formation. T cell-based immunotherapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell immunotherapy, are no exception. Solid tumours have largely been refractory to CAR T cell therapy owing to an immunosuppressive microenvironment which limits CAR T cell persistence and effector function. In order to eradicate solid cancers, increasingly sophisticated strategies are being developed to deliver these vital co-stimulatory signals to CAR T cells, often specifically within the tumour microenvironment. These include designing novel co-stimulatory domains within the CAR or other synthetic receptors, arming CAR T cells with cytokines or using CAR T cells in combination with agonist antibodies. This review discusses the evolving role of co-stimulation in CAR T cell therapies and the strategies employed to target co-stimulatory pathways in CAR T cells, with a view to improve responses in solid tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron J Harrison
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Xin Du
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bianca von Scheidt
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael H Kershaw
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Clare Y Slaney
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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23
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Nelke J, Medler J, Weisenberger D, Beilhack A, Wajant H. CD40- and CD95-specific antibody single chain-Baff fusion proteins display BaffR-, TACI- and BCMA-restricted agonism. MAbs 2021; 12:1807721. [PMID: 32840410 PMCID: PMC7531569 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2020.1807721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibodies that target a clinically relevant group of receptors within the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF), including CD40 and CD95 (Fas/Apo-1), also require binding to Fc gamma receptors (FcγRs) to elicit a strong agonistic activity. This FcγR dependency largely relies on the mere cellular anchoring through the antibody’s Fc domain and does not involve the engagement of FcγR signaling. The aim of this study was to elicit agonistic activity from αCD40 and αCD95 antibodies in a myeloma cell anchoring-controlled FcγR-independent manner. For this purpose, various antibody variants (IgG1, IgG1N297A, Fab2) against the TNFRSF members CD40 and CD95 were genetically fused to a single-chain-encoded B-cell activating factor (scBaff) trimer as a C-terminal myeloma-specific anchoring domain substituting for Fc domain-mediated FcγR binding. The antibody-scBaff fusion proteins were evaluated in binding studies and functional assays using tumor cell lines expressing one or more of the three receptors of Baff: BaffR, transmembrane activator and CAML interactor (TACI) and B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA). Cellular binding studies showed that the binding properties of the different domains within the fusion proteins remained fully intact in the antibody-scBaff fusion proteins. In co-culture assays of CD40- and CD95-responsive cells with BaffR, BCMA or TACI expressing anchoring cells, the antibody fusion proteins displayed strong agonism while only minor receptor stimulation was observed in co-cultures with cells without expression of Baff-interacting receptors. Thus, our CD40 and CD95 antibody fusion proteins display myeloma cell-dependent activity and promise reduced systemic side effects compared to conventional CD40 and CD95 agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Nelke
- Molecular Internal Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg , Würzburg, Germany
| | - Juliane Medler
- Molecular Internal Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg , Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Andreas Beilhack
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, University Hospital Würzburg , Würzburg, Germany
| | - Harald Wajant
- Molecular Internal Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg , Würzburg, Germany
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24
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Compte M, Harwood SL, Erce-Llamazares A, Tapia-Galisteo A, Romero E, Ferrer I, Garrido-Martin EM, Enguita AB, Ochoa MC, Blanco B, Oteo M, Merino N, Nehme-Álvarez D, Hangiu O, Domínguez-Alonso C, Zonca M, Ramírez-Fernández A, Blanco FJ, Morcillo MA, Muñoz IG, Melero I, Rodriguez-Peralto JL, Paz-Ares L, Sanz L, Alvarez-Vallina L. An Fc-free EGFR-specific 4-1BB-agonistic Trimerbody Displays Broad Antitumor Activity in Humanized Murine Cancer Models without Toxicity. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:3167-3177. [PMID: 33785484 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-4625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The induction of 4-1BB signaling by agonistic antibodies can drive the activation and proliferation of effector T cells and thereby enhance a T-cell-mediated antitumor response. Systemic administration of anti-4-1BB-agonistic IgGs, although effective preclinically, has not advanced in clinical development due to their severe hepatotoxicity. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Here, we generated a humanized EGFR-specific 4-1BB-agonistic trimerbody, which replaces the IgG Fc region with a human collagen homotrimerization domain. It was characterized by structural analysis and in vitro functional studies. We also assessed pharmacokinetics, antitumor efficacy, and toxicity in vivo. RESULTS In the presence of a T-cell receptor signal, the trimerbody provided potent T-cell costimulation that was strictly dependent on 4-1BB hyperclustering at the point of contact with a tumor antigen-displaying cell surface. It exhibits significant antitumor activity in vivo, without hepatotoxicity, in a wide range of human tumors including colorectal and breast cancer cell-derived xenografts, and non-small cell lung cancer patient-derived xenografts associated with increased tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells. The combination of the trimerbody with a PD-L1 blocker led to increased IFNγ secretion in vitro and resulted in tumor regression in humanized mice bearing aggressive triple-negative breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate the nontoxic broad antitumor activity of humanized Fc-free tumor-specific 4-1BB-agonistic trimerbodies and their synergy with checkpoint blockers, which may provide a way to elicit responses in most patients with cancer while avoiding Fc-mediated adverse reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Compte
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Leadartis SL, Madrid, Spain
| | - Seandean L Harwood
- Immunotherapy and Cell Engineering Laboratory, Department of Engineering, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Ainhoa Erce-Llamazares
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Leadartis SL, Madrid, Spain.,Cancer Immunotherapy Unit (UNICA), Department of Immunology, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Immuno-Oncology and Immunotherapy Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Tapia-Galisteo
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eduardo Romero
- Biomedical Applications and Pharmacokinetics Unit, Centro de investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Ferrer
- H12O-CNIO Lung Cancer Clinical Research Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), and Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Oncología (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva M Garrido-Martin
- H12O-CNIO Lung Cancer Clinical Research Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), and Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Oncología (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana B Enguita
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Pathology. Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria C Ochoa
- Department of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Belén Blanco
- Cancer Immunotherapy Unit (UNICA), Department of Immunology, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Immuno-Oncology and Immunotherapy Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Oteo
- Biomedical Applications and Pharmacokinetics Unit, Centro de investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Madrid, Spain
| | - Nekane Merino
- Structural Biology Unit, CIC bioGUNE, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, Derio, Spain
| | - Daniel Nehme-Álvarez
- Cancer Immunotherapy Unit (UNICA), Department of Immunology, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Immuno-Oncology and Immunotherapy Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Oana Hangiu
- Cancer Immunotherapy Unit (UNICA), Department of Immunology, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Immuno-Oncology and Immunotherapy Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Domínguez-Alonso
- Cancer Immunotherapy Unit (UNICA), Department of Immunology, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Immuno-Oncology and Immunotherapy Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuela Zonca
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Leadartis SL, Madrid, Spain
| | - Angel Ramírez-Fernández
- Cancer Immunotherapy Unit (UNICA), Department of Immunology, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Immuno-Oncology and Immunotherapy Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco J Blanco
- Structural and Chemical Biology Department, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, CIB-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel A Morcillo
- Biomedical Applications and Pharmacokinetics Unit, Centro de investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ines G Muñoz
- Crystallography and Protein Engineering Unit, Structural Biology Programme, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Melero
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Oncología (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Department of Immunology, University Clinic, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdISNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - José L Rodriguez-Peralto
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Oncología (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Pathology. Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.,Cutaneous Oncology Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Paz-Ares
- H12O-CNIO Lung Cancer Clinical Research Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), and Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Oncología (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Sanz
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Alvarez-Vallina
- Immunotherapy and Cell Engineering Laboratory, Department of Engineering, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. .,Cancer Immunotherapy Unit (UNICA), Department of Immunology, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Immuno-Oncology and Immunotherapy Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
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25
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Vukovic N, van Elsas A, Verbeek JS, Zaiss DMW. Isotype selection for antibody-based cancer therapy. Clin Exp Immunol 2021; 203:351-365. [PMID: 33155272 PMCID: PMC7874837 DOI: 10.1111/cei.13545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The clinical application of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has revolutionized the field of cancer therapy, as it has enabled the successful treatment of previously untreatable types of cancer. Different mechanisms play a role in the anti-tumour effect of mAbs. These include blocking of tumour-specific growth factor receptors or of immune modulatory molecules as well as complement and cell-mediated tumour cell lysis. Thus, for many mAbs, Fc-mediated effector functions critically contribute to the efficacy of treatment. As immunoglobulin (Ig) isotypes differ in their ability to bind to Fc receptors on immune cells as well as in their ability to activate complement, they differ in the immune responses they activate. Therefore, the choice of antibody isotype for therapeutic mAbs is dictated by its intended mechanism of action. Considering that clinical efficacy of many mAbs is currently achieved only in subsets of patients, optimal isotype selection and Fc optimization during antibody development may represent an important step towards improved patient outcome. Here, we discuss the current knowledge of the therapeutic effector functions of different isotypes and Fc-engineering strategies to improve mAbs application.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. Vukovic
- Institute of Immunology and Infection ResearchSchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of EdinburghAshworth LaboratoriesEdinburghUK
| | | | - J. S. Verbeek
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringToin University of YokohamaYokohamaJapan
| | - D. M. W. Zaiss
- Institute of Immunology and Infection ResearchSchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of EdinburghAshworth LaboratoriesEdinburghUK
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26
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Kucka K, Wajant H. Receptor Oligomerization and Its Relevance for Signaling by Receptors of the Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 8:615141. [PMID: 33644033 PMCID: PMC7905041 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.615141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
With the exception of a few signaling incompetent decoy receptors, the receptors of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF) are signaling competent and engage in signaling pathways resulting in inflammation, proliferation, differentiation, and cell migration and also in cell death induction. TNFRSF receptors (TNFRs) become activated by ligands of the TNF superfamily (TNFSF). TNFSF ligands (TNFLs) occur as trimeric type II transmembrane proteins but often also as soluble ligand trimers released from the membrane-bound form by proteolysis. The signaling competent TNFRs are efficiently activated by the membrane-bound TNFLs. The latter recruit three TNFR molecules, but there is growing evidence that this is not sufficient to trigger all aspects of TNFR signaling; rather, the formed trimeric TNFL–TNFR complexes have to cluster secondarily in the cell-to-cell contact zone for full TNFR activation. With respect to their response to soluble ligand trimers, the signaling competent TNFRs can be subdivided into two groups. TNFRs of one group, designated as category I TNFRs, are robustly activated by soluble ligand trimers. The receptors of a second group (category II TNFRs), however, failed to become properly activated by soluble ligand trimers despite high affinity binding. The limited responsiveness of category II TNFRs to soluble TNFLs can be overcome by physical linkage of two or more soluble ligand trimers or, alternatively, by anchoring the soluble ligand molecules to the cell surface or extracellular matrix. This suggests that category II TNFRs have a limited ability to promote clustering of trimeric TNFL–TNFR complexes outside the context of cell–cell contacts. In this review, we will focus on three aspects on the relevance of receptor oligomerization for TNFR signaling: (i) the structural factors which promote clustering of free and liganded TNFRs, (ii) the signaling pathway specificity of the receptor oligomerization requirement, and (iii) the consequences for the design and development of TNFR agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirstin Kucka
- Division of Molecular Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Harald Wajant
- Division of Molecular Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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27
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Zhang P, Tu GH, Wei J, Santiago P, Larrabee LR, Liao-Chan S, Mistry T, Chu MLH, Sai T, Lindquist K, Long H, Chaparro-Riggers J, Salek-Ardakani S, Yeung YA. Ligand-Blocking and Membrane-Proximal Domain Targeting Anti-OX40 Antibodies Mediate Potent T Cell-Stimulatory and Anti-Tumor Activity. Cell Rep 2020; 27:3117-3123.e5. [PMID: 31189099 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Agonistic antibodies targeting the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily of co-stimulatory receptors (TNFRSF) are progressing through various stages of clinical development for cancer treatment, but the desired and defining features of these agents for optimal biological activity remain controversial. One idea, based on recent studies with CD40, is that non-ligand-blocking antibodies targeting membrane-distal cysteine-rich domain 1 (CRD1) have superior agonistic activities compared with ligand-blocking antibodies targeting more membrane-proximal CRDs. Here, we determined the binding and functional characteristics of a panel of antibodies targeting CRDs 1-4 of OX40 (also known as TNFRSF4 or CD134). In striking contrast to CD40, we found that ligand-blocking CRD2-binding and membrane-proximal CRD4-binding anti-OX40 antibodies have the strongest agonistic and anti-tumor activities. These findings have important translational implications and further highlight that the relationship between epitope specificity and agonistic activity will be an important issue to resolve on a case-by-case basis when optimizing antibodies targeting different co-stimulatory tumor necrosis factor receptors (TNFRs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Zhang
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Oncology Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., 230 E. Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Guang Huan Tu
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Oncology Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., 230 E. Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Jie Wei
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Oncology Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., 230 E. Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Pamela Santiago
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Oncology Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., 230 E. Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Lance R Larrabee
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Oncology Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., 230 E. Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Sindy Liao-Chan
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Oncology Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., 230 E. Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Tina Mistry
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Oncology Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., 230 E. Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Matthew Ling-Hon Chu
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Oncology Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., 230 E. Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Tao Sai
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Oncology Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., 230 E. Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Kevin Lindquist
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Oncology Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., 230 E. Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Hua Long
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Oncology Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., 230 E. Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Javier Chaparro-Riggers
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Oncology Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., 230 E. Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Shahram Salek-Ardakani
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Oncology Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., 230 E. Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
| | - Yik Andy Yeung
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Oncology Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., 230 E. Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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28
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Claus C, Ferrara C, Xu W, Sam J, Lang S, Uhlenbrock F, Albrecht R, Herter S, Schlenker R, Hüsser T, Diggelmann S, Challier J, Mössner E, Hosse RJ, Hofer T, Brünker P, Joseph C, Benz J, Ringler P, Stahlberg H, Lauer M, Perro M, Chen S, Küttel C, Bhavani Mohan PL, Nicolini V, Birk MC, Ongaro A, Prince C, Gianotti R, Dugan G, Whitlow CT, Solingapuram Sai KK, Caudell DL, Burgos-Rodriguez AG, Cline JM, Hettich M, Ceppi M, Giusti AM, Crameri F, Driessen W, Morcos PN, Freimoser-Grundschober A, Levitsky V, Amann M, Grau-Richards S, von Hirschheydt T, Tournaviti S, Mølhøj M, Fauti T, Heinzelmann-Schwarz V, Teichgräber V, Colombetti S, Bacac M, Zippelius A, Klein C, Umaña P. Tumor-targeted 4-1BB agonists for combination with T cell bispecific antibodies as off-the-shelf therapy. Sci Transl Med 2020; 11:11/496/eaav5989. [PMID: 31189721 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aav5989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Endogenous costimulatory molecules on T cells such as 4-1BB (CD137) can be leveraged for cancer immunotherapy. Systemic administration of agonistic anti-4-1BB antibodies, although effective preclinically, has not advanced to phase 3 trials because they have been hampered by both dependency on Fcγ receptor-mediated hyperclustering and hepatotoxicity. To overcome these issues, we engineered proteins simultaneously targeting 4-1BB and a tumor stroma or tumor antigen: FAP-4-1BBL (RG7826) and CD19-4-1BBL. In the presence of a T cell receptor signal, they provide potent T cell costimulation strictly dependent on tumor antigen-mediated hyperclustering without systemic activation by FcγR binding. We could show targeting of FAP-4-1BBL to FAP-expressing tumor stroma and lymph nodes in a colorectal cancer-bearing rhesus monkey. Combination of FAP-4-1BBL with tumor antigen-targeted T cell bispecific (TCB) molecules in human tumor samples led to increased IFN-γ and granzyme B secretion. Further, combination of FAP- or CD19-4-1BBL with CEA-TCB (RG7802) or CD20-TCB (RG6026), respectively, resulted in tumor remission in mouse models, accompanied by intratumoral accumulation of activated effector CD8+ T cells. FAP- and CD19-4-1BBL thus represent an off-the-shelf combination immunotherapy without requiring genetic modification of effector cells for the treatment of solid and hematological malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Claus
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Ferrara
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Wei Xu
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Johannes Sam
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Sabine Lang
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Franziska Uhlenbrock
- University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine, Hebelstrasse 20, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rosmarie Albrecht
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Sylvia Herter
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Ramona Schlenker
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Tamara Hüsser
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Diggelmann
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - John Challier
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Ekkehard Mössner
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Ralf J Hosse
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Hofer
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Peter Brünker
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Catherine Joseph
- Roche Innovation Center Basel, pRED, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jörg Benz
- Roche Innovation Center Basel, pRED, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Ringler
- University of Basel, Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics (C-CINA), Biozentrum, Klingelbergstrasse 70, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Henning Stahlberg
- University of Basel, Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics (C-CINA), Biozentrum, Klingelbergstrasse 70, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Lauer
- Roche Innovation Center Basel, pRED, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mario Perro
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Stanford Chen
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Christine Küttel
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Preethi L Bhavani Mohan
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Valeria Nicolini
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Martina Carola Birk
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Amandine Ongaro
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Christophe Prince
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Reto Gianotti
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Gregory Dugan
- Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Christopher T Whitlow
- Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | | | - David L Caudell
- Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | | | - J Mark Cline
- Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Michael Hettich
- Roche Innovation Center Basel, pRED, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Maurizio Ceppi
- Roche Innovation Center Basel, pRED, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anna Maria Giusti
- Roche Innovation Center Basel, pRED, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Flavio Crameri
- Roche Innovation Center Basel, pRED, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Wouter Driessen
- Roche Innovation Center Basel, pRED, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Peter N Morcos
- Roche Innovation Center New York, pRED, 430 E 29th St, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Anne Freimoser-Grundschober
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Victor Levitsky
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Maria Amann
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Grau-Richards
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | | | - Stella Tournaviti
- Roche Innovation Center Munich, pRED, Nonnenwald 2, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Michael Mølhøj
- Roche Innovation Center Munich, pRED, Nonnenwald 2, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Tanja Fauti
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | | | - Volker Teichgräber
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Sara Colombetti
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Marina Bacac
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Alfred Zippelius
- University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine, Hebelstrasse 20, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Klein
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Pablo Umaña
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Wagistrasse 10, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland.
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Yu X, Chan HTC, Fisher H, Penfold CA, Kim J, Inzhelevskaya T, Mockridge CI, French RR, Duriez PJ, Douglas LR, English V, Verbeek JS, White AL, Tews I, Glennie MJ, Cragg MS. Isotype Switching Converts Anti-CD40 Antagonism to Agonism to Elicit Potent Antitumor Activity. Cancer Cell 2020; 37:850-866.e7. [PMID: 32442402 PMCID: PMC7280789 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2020.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Anti-CD40 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) comprise agonists and antagonists, which display promising therapeutic activities in cancer and autoimmunity, respectively. We previously showed that epitope and isotype interact to deliver optimal agonistic anti-CD40 mAbs. The impact of Fc engineering on antagonists, however, remains largely unexplored. Here, we show that clinically relevant antagonists used for treating autoimmune conditions can be converted into potent FcγR-independent agonists with remarkable antitumor activity by isotype switching to hIgG2. One antagonist is converted to a super-agonist with greater potency than previously reported highly agonistic anti-CD40 mAbs. Such conversion is dependent on the unique disulfide bonding properties of the hIgG2 hinge. This investigation highlights the transformative capacity of the hIgG2 isotype for converting antagonists to agonists to treat cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojie Yu
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Cancer Sciences Unit, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK.
| | - H T Claude Chan
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Cancer Sciences Unit, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
| | - Hayden Fisher
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Cancer Sciences Unit, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK; Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Christine A Penfold
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Cancer Sciences Unit, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
| | - Jinny Kim
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Cancer Sciences Unit, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
| | - Tatyana Inzhelevskaya
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Cancer Sciences Unit, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
| | - C Ian Mockridge
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Cancer Sciences Unit, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
| | - Ruth R French
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Cancer Sciences Unit, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
| | - Patrick J Duriez
- CRUK Protein Core Facility, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
| | - Leon R Douglas
- CRUK Protein Core Facility, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
| | - Vikki English
- Pre-clinical Unit, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
| | - J Sjef Verbeek
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Ann L White
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Cancer Sciences Unit, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
| | - Ivo Tews
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Martin J Glennie
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Cancer Sciences Unit, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
| | - Mark S Cragg
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Cancer Sciences Unit, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK; Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
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30
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Gaspar M, Pravin J, Rodrigues L, Uhlenbroich S, Everett KL, Wollerton F, Morrow M, Tuna M, Brewis N. CD137/OX40 Bispecific Antibody Induces Potent Antitumor Activity that Is Dependent on Target Coengagement. Cancer Immunol Res 2020; 8:781-793. [PMID: 32273279 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-19-0798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Following the success of immune checkpoint blockade therapy against cancer, agonistic antibodies targeting T-cell costimulatory pathways are in clinical trials. The TNF superfamily of receptors (TNFRSF) members CD137 and OX40 are costimulatory receptors that stimulate T-cell proliferation and activation upon interaction with their cognate ligands. Activating CD137 and OX40 with agonistic mAbs stimulates the immune system due to their broad expression on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and natural killer cells and has antitumor effects in preclinical models. Most TNFRSF agonist antibodies require crosslinking via Fcγ receptors (FcγR), which can limit their clinical activity. FS120 mAb2, a dual agonist bispecific antibody targeting CD137 and OX40, activated both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in an FcγR-independent mechanism, dependent on concurrent binding. A mouse surrogate version of the bispecific antibody displayed antitumor activity in syngeneic tumor models, independent of T regulatory cell depletion and of FcγR interaction, but associated with peripheral T-cell activation and proliferation. When compared with a crosslink-independent CD137 agonist mAb, the FS120 surrogate induced lower liver T-cell infiltration. These data support initiation of clinical development of FS120, a first-in-class dual agonist bispecific antibody for the treatment of human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John Pravin
- F-star Therapeutics Ltd., Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Neil Brewis
- F-star Therapeutics Ltd., Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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31
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Liu X, Zhao Y, Shi H, Zhang Y, Yin X, Liu M, Zhang H, He Y, Lu B, Jin T, Li F. Human immunoglobulin G hinge regulates agonistic anti-CD40 immunostimulatory and antitumour activities through biophysical flexibility. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4206. [PMID: 31562320 PMCID: PMC6765011 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12097-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Human immunoglobulin G (IgG) agonistic antibodies targeting costimulatory immunoreceptors represent promising cancer immunotherapies yet to be developed. Whether, and how, human IgG hinge and Fc impact on their agonistic functions have been disputed. Here, we show that different natural human IgGs confer divergent agonistic anti-CD40 immunostimulatory and antitumour activities in FcγR-humanized mice, including inactive IgG3 and superior IgG2. This divergence is primarily due to their CH1-hinges despite all human IgGs requiring Fc-FcγR binding for optimal agonistic activities. Unexpectedly, biophysical flexibility of these CH1-hinges inversely correlates with, and can modulate, their agonistic potency. Furthermore, IgG Fcs optimized for selective FcγR binding synergize with and still require IgG hinge, selected for rigidity, to confer improved anti-CD40 immunostimulatory and antitumour activities. These findings highlight the importance of both hinge rigidity and selective FcγR binding in antibody agonistic function, and the need for newer strategies to modulate antibody agonism for improved clinical application. Conserved regions of the antibody molecule impact its downstream biological effects. Here the authors show that a rigid hinge conformation increases the agonistic activity of CD40 and DR5 antibodies, distinctly from FcγR-binding, suggesting that the hinge and FcR binding regions can be separately modified to optimize therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Liu
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Basic Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.,Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Yingjie Zhao
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Basic Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.,Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Huan Shi
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Basic Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.,Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Basic Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.,Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Xueying Yin
- Laboratory of Structural Immunology, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | | | | | - Yongning He
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Center for Protein Science, Shanghai Science Research Center, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Boxun Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Biophysics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tengchuan Jin
- Laboratory of Structural Immunology, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Fubin Li
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Basic Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China. .,Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China. .,Collaborative Innovation Center of Systems Biomedicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
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32
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Richards DM, Marschall V, Billian-Frey K, Heinonen K, Merz C, Redondo Müller M, Sefrin JP, Schröder M, Sykora J, Fricke H, Hill O, Gieffers C, Thiemann M. HERA-GITRL activates T cells and promotes anti-tumor efficacy independent of FcγR-binding functionality. J Immunother Cancer 2019; 7:191. [PMID: 31324216 PMCID: PMC6642547 DOI: 10.1186/s40425-019-0671-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Glucocorticoid-induced TNFR-related protein (TNFRSF18, GITR, CD357), expressed by T cells, and its ligand (TNFSF18, GITRL), expressed by myeloid populations, provide co-stimulatory signals that boost T cell activity. Due to the important role that GITR plays in regulating immune functions, agonistic stimulation of GITR is a promising therapeutic concept. Multiple strategies to induce GITR signaling have been investigated. The limited clinical efficacy of antibody-based GITR agonists results from structural and functional characteristics of antibodies that are unsuitable for stimulating the well-defined trimeric members of the TNFRSF. Methods To overcome limitations of antibody-based TNFRSF agonists, we have developed HERA-GITRL, a fully human hexavalent TNF receptor agonist (HERA) targeting GITR and mimicking the natural signaling concept. HERA-GITRL is composed of a trivalent but single-chain GITRL-receptor-binding-domain (scGITRL-RBD) unit fused to an IgG1 derived silenced Fc-domain serving as dimerization scaffold. A specific mouse surrogate, mmHERA-GITRL, was also generated to examine in vivo activity in respective mouse tumor models. Results For functional characterization of HERA-GITRL in vitro, human immune cells were isolated from healthy-donor blood and stimulated with anti-CD3 antibody in the presence of HERA-GITRL. Consistently, HERA-GITRL increased the activity of T cells, including proliferation and differentiation, even in the presence of regulatory T cells. In line with these findings, mmHERA-GITRL enhanced antigen-specific clonal expansion of both CD4+ (OT-II) and CD8+ (OT-I) T cells in vivo while having no effect on non-specific T cells. In addition, mmHERA-GITRL showed single-agent anti-tumor activity in two subcutaneous syngeneic colon cancer models (CT26wt and MC38-CEA). Importantly, this activity is independent of its FcγR-binding functionality, as both mmHERA-GITRL with a functional Fc- and a silenced Fc-domain showed similar tumor growth inhibition. Finally, in a direct in vitro comparison to a bivalent clinical benchmark anti-GITR antibody and a trivalent GITRL, only the hexavalent HERA-GITRL showed full biological activity independent of additional crosslinking. Conclusion In this manuscript, we describe the development of HERA-GITRL, a true GITR agonist with a clearly defined mechanism of action. By clustering six receptor chains in a spatially well-defined manner, HERA-GITRL induces potent agonistic activity without being dependent on additional FcγR-mediated crosslinking. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s40425-019-0671-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Richards
- Research and Development, Apogenix AG, Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Katharina Billian-Frey
- Research and Development, Apogenix AG, Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Karl Heinonen
- Research and Development, Apogenix AG, Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Merz
- Research and Development, Apogenix AG, Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Julian P Sefrin
- Research and Development, Apogenix AG, Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matthias Schröder
- Research and Development, Apogenix AG, Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jaromir Sykora
- Research and Development, Apogenix AG, Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Oliver Hill
- Research and Development, Apogenix AG, Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Gieffers
- Research and Development, Apogenix AG, Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Meinolf Thiemann
- Research and Development, Apogenix AG, Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Molecular Mode of Action of TRAIL Receptor Agonists-Common Principles and Their Translational Exploitation. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11070954. [PMID: 31284696 PMCID: PMC6678900 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11070954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and its death receptors TRAILR1/death receptor 4 (DR4) and TRAILR2/DR5 trigger cell death in many cancer cells but rarely exert cytotoxic activity on non-transformed cells. Against this background, a variety of recombinant TRAIL variants and anti-TRAIL death receptor antibodies have been developed and tested in preclinical and clinical studies. Despite promising results from mice tumor models, TRAIL death receptor targeting has failed so far in clinical studies to show satisfying anti-tumor efficacy. These disappointing results can largely be explained by two issues: First, tumor cells can acquire TRAIL resistance by several mechanisms defining a need for combination therapies with appropriate sensitizing drugs. Second, there is now growing preclinical evidence that soluble TRAIL variants but also bivalent anti-TRAIL death receptor antibodies typically require oligomerization or plasma membrane anchoring to achieve maximum activity. This review discusses the need for oligomerization and plasma membrane attachment for the activity of TRAIL death receptor agonists in view of what is known about the molecular mechanisms of how TRAIL death receptors trigger intracellular cell death signaling. In particular, it will be highlighted which consequences this has for the development of next generation TRAIL death receptor agonists and their potential clinical application.
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Remer M, White A, Glennie M, Al-Shamkhani A, Johnson P. The Use of Anti-CD40 mAb in Cancer. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2019; 405:165-207. [PMID: 25651948 DOI: 10.1007/82_2014_427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Immunomodulatory monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy is at the forefront of developing cancer therapeutics with numerous targeted agents proving highly effective in selective patients at stimulating protective host immunity, capable of eradicating established tumours and leading to long-term disease-free states. The cell surface marker CD40 is expressed on a range of immune cells and transformed cells in malignant states whose signalling plays a critical role in modulating adaptive immune responses. Anti-CD40 mAb therapy acts via multiple mechanisms to stimulate anti-tumour immunity across a broad range of lymphoid and solid malignancies. A wealth of preclinical research in this field has led to the successful development of multiple anti-CD40 mAb agents that have shown promise in early-phase clinical trials. Significant progress has been made to enhance the engagement of antibodies with immune effectors through their interactions with Fcγ receptors (FcγRs) by the process of Fc engineering. As more is understood about how to best optimise these agents, principally through the fine-tuning of mAb structure and choice of synergistic partnerships, our ability to generate robust, clinically beneficial anti-tumour activity will form the foundation for the next generation of cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Remer
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
| | - Ann White
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Martin Glennie
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Aymen Al-Shamkhani
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Peter Johnson
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
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Optimization of 4-1BB antibody for cancer immunotherapy by balancing agonistic strength with FcγR affinity. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2141. [PMID: 31105267 PMCID: PMC6526162 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10088-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Costimulation of T cell responses with monoclonal antibody agonists (mAb-AG) targeting 4-1BB showed robust anti-tumor activity in preclinical models, but their clinical development was hampered by low efficacy (Utomilumab) or severe liver toxicity (Urelumab). Here we show that isotype and intrinsic agonistic strength co-determine the efficacy and toxicity of anti-4-1BB mAb-AG. While intrinsically strong agonistic anti-4-1BB can activate 4-1BB in the absence of FcγRs, weak agonistic antibodies rely on FcγRs to activate 4-1BB. All FcγRs can crosslink anti-41BB antibodies to strengthen co-stimulation, but activating FcγR-induced antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity compromises anti-tumor immunity by deleting 4-1BB+ cells. This suggests balancing agonistic activity with the strength of FcγR interaction as a strategy to engineer 4-1BB mAb-AG with optimal therapeutic performance. As a proof of this concept, we have developed LVGN6051, a humanized 4-1BB mAb-AG that shows high anti-tumor efficacy in the absence of liver toxicity in a mouse model of cancer immunotherapy. Agonistic 4-1BB antibodies developed for cancer immunotherapy have suffered from either hepatotoxicity or insufficient anti-cancer activity. Here the authors determine the contribution of FcγR binding and agonistic strength to these outcomes, and engineer a 4-1BB antibody with potent anti-tumor effect and no liver toxicity in mice.
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Medler J, Wajant H. Tumor necrosis factor receptor-2 (TNFR2): an overview of an emerging drug target. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2019; 23:295-307. [PMID: 30856027 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2019.1586886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor 2 (TNFR2) is one of two receptors of the cytokines, TNF and lymphotoxin-α. TNFR1 is a strong inducer of proinflammatory activities. TNFR2 has proinflammatory effects too, but it also elicits strong anti-inflammatory activities and has protective effects on oligodendrocytes, cardiomyocytes, and keratinocytes. The protective and anti-inflammatory effects of TNFR2 may explain why TNF inhibitors failed to be effective in diseases such as heart failure or multiple sclerosis, where TNF has been strongly implicated as a driving force. Stimulatory and inhibitory TNFR2 targeting hence attracts considerable interest for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancer. Areas covered: Based on a brief description of the pathophysiological importance of the TNF-TNFR1/2 system, we discuss the potential applications of TNFR2 targeting therapies. We also debate TNFR2 activation as a way forward in the search for TNFR2-specific agents. Expert opinion: The use of TNFR2 to target regulatory T-cells is attractive, but this approach is just one amongst many suitable targets. With respect to its preference for Treg stimulation and protection of non-immune cells, TNFR2 is more unique and thus offers opportunities for translational success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Medler
- a Division for Molecular Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine II , University Hospital Würzburg , Würzburg , Germany
| | - Harald Wajant
- a Division for Molecular Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine II , University Hospital Würzburg , Würzburg , Germany
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Medler J, Nelke J, Weisenberger D, Steinfatt T, Rothaug M, Berr S, Hünig T, Beilhack A, Wajant H. TNFRSF receptor-specific antibody fusion proteins with targeting controlled FcγR-independent agonistic activity. Cell Death Dis 2019; 10:224. [PMID: 30833543 PMCID: PMC6399339 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1456-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 02/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Antibodies specific for TNFRSF receptors that bind soluble ligands without getting properly activated generally act as strong agonists upon FcγR binding. Systematic analyses revealed that the FcγR dependency of such antibodies to act as potent agonists is largely independent from isotype, FcγR type, and of the epitope recognized. This suggests that the sole cellular attachment, achieved by Fc domain-FcγR interaction, dominantly determines the agonistic activity of antibodies recognizing TNFRSF receptors poorly responsive to soluble ligands. In accordance with this hypothesis, we demonstrated that antibody fusion proteins harboring domains allowing FcγR-independent cell surface anchoring also act as strong agonist provided they have access to their target. This finding defines a general possibility to generate anti-TNFRSF receptor antibodies with FcγR-independent agonism. Moreover, anti-TNFRSF receptor antibody fusion proteins with an anchoring domain promise superior applicability to conventional systemically active agonists when an anchoring target with localized disease associated expression can be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Medler
- Division of Molecular Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Auvera Haus Grombühlstraße 12, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Nelke
- Division of Molecular Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Auvera Haus Grombühlstraße 12, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Daniela Weisenberger
- Division of Molecular Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Auvera Haus Grombühlstraße 12, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tim Steinfatt
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital of Würzburg, Zinklesweg 10, 97078, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Moritz Rothaug
- Division of Molecular Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Auvera Haus Grombühlstraße 12, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Berr
- Institute of Virology and Immunobiology, University of Würzburg, Versbacher Str. 7, 97078, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Hünig
- Institute of Virology and Immunobiology, University of Würzburg, Versbacher Str. 7, 97078, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Beilhack
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital of Würzburg, Zinklesweg 10, 97078, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Harald Wajant
- Division of Molecular Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Auvera Haus Grombühlstraße 12, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.
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38
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van Beek AA, Zhou G, Doukas M, Boor PPC, Noordam L, Mancham S, Campos Carrascosa L, van der Heide-Mulder M, Polak WG, Ijzermans JNM, Pan Q, Heirman C, Mahne A, Bucktrout SL, Bruno MJ, Sprengers D, Kwekkeboom J. GITR ligation enhances functionality of tumor-infiltrating T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Cancer 2019; 145:1111-1124. [PMID: 30719701 PMCID: PMC6619339 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
No curative treatment options are available for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Anti-PD1 antibody therapy can induce tumor regression in 20% of advanced HCC patients, demonstrating that co-inhibitory immune checkpoint blockade has therapeutic potential for this type of cancer. However, whether agonistic targeting of co-stimulatory receptors might be able to stimulate anti-tumor immunity in HCC is as yet unknown. We investigated whether agonistic targeting of the co-stimulatory receptor GITR could reinvigorate ex vivo functional responses of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) freshly isolated from resected tumors of HCC patients. In addition, we compared GITR expression between TIL and paired samples of leukocytes isolated from blood and tumor-free liver tissues, and studied the effects of combined GITR and PD1 targeting on ex vivo TIL responses. In all three tissue compartments, CD4+ FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) showed higher GITR- expression than effector T-cell subsets. The highest expression of GITR was found on CD4+ FoxP3hi CD45RA- activated Treg in tumors. Recombinant GITR-ligand as well as a humanized agonistic anti-GITR antibody enhanced ex vivo proliferative responses of CD4+ and CD8+ TIL to tumor antigens presented by mRNA-transfected autologous B-cell blasts, and also reinforced proliferation, IFN-γ secretion and granzyme B production in stimulations of TIL with CD3/CD28 antibodies. Combining GITR ligation with anti-PD1 antibody nivolumab further enhanced tumor antigen-specific responses of TIL in some, but not all, HCC patients, compared to either single treatment. In conclusion, agonistic targeting of GITR can enhance functionality of HCC TIL, and may therefore be a promising strategy for single or combinatorial immunotherapy in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriaan A van Beek
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Guoying Zhou
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michail Doukas
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Patrick P C Boor
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lisanne Noordam
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Shanta Mancham
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lucia Campos Carrascosa
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marieke van der Heide-Mulder
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wojciech G Polak
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan N M Ijzermans
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Qiuwei Pan
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Carlo Heirman
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ashley Mahne
- Cancer Immunology Discovery Unit, Pfizer Inc., South San Francisco, CA
| | | | - Marco J Bruno
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dave Sprengers
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap Kwekkeboom
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Chen X, Song X, Li K, Zhang T. FcγR-Binding Is an Important Functional Attribute for Immune Checkpoint Antibodies in Cancer Immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2019; 10:292. [PMID: 30863404 PMCID: PMC6399403 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
T cells play critical roles in anti-tumor immunity. Up-regulation of immune checkpoint molecules (PD-1, PD-L1, CTLA-4, TIM-3, Lag-3, TIGIT, CD73, VISTA, B7-H3) in the tumor microenvironment is an important mechanism that restrains effector T cells from the anti-tumor activity. To date, immune checkpoint antibodies have demonstrated significant clinical benefits for cancer patients treated with mono- or combination immunotherapies. However, many tumors do not respond to the treatment well, and merely blocking the immune suppression pathways by checkpoint-regulatory antibodies may not render optimal tumor growth inhibition. Binding of the antibody Fc-hinge region to Fc gamma receptors (FcγRs) has been shown to exert a profound impact on antibody function and in vivo efficacy. Investigation of immune checkpoint antibodies regarding their effector functions and impact on therapeutic efficacy has gained more attention in recent years. In this review, we discuss Fc variants of antibodies against immune checkpoint targets and the potential mechanisms of how FcγR-binding could influence the anti-tumor activity of these antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chen
- BeiGene (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | | | - Kang Li
- BeiGene (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Tong Zhang
- BeiGene (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
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40
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Abstract
Immunoglobulins (Ig), a critical component of the adaptive immune system, are present in all jawed vertebrates and through sophisticated diversification mechanisms are able to recognize antigens of almost infinite diversity. During mammalian evolution, IgG has emerged as the predominant Ig isotype that is elicited upon antigenic challenge, representing the most abundant isotype present in circulation. Along with the IgG molecule, a family of specialized receptors has evolved in mammalian species that specifically recognize the Fc domain of IgG. These receptors, termed Fcγ receptors (FcγRs), are expressed on the surface of effector leukocytes and upon crosslinking by the IgG Fc domain mediate diverse immunomodulatory processes with profound impact on several aspects of innate and adaptive immunity. FcγRs share a high degree of sequence homology among mammalian species and the ancestral locus, where the genes that encode for FcγRs are mapped, can be traced back early in mammalian evolution. FcγRs also share a number of common structural and functional properties among mammalian species and utilize highly conserved motifs for transducing signals upon engagement. Despite the high homology of FcγRs in diverse mammalian species, human FcγRs exhibit unique features relating to the gene organization, expression pattern in the various leukocyte populations, as well as affinity for human IgGs. Such inter-species differences in FcγRs biology between humans and other mammalian species represents a major limitation for the interpretation of in vivo studies on human IgG function using conventional animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stylianos Bournazos
- The Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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41
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Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies can mediate antitumor activity by multiple mechanisms. They can bind directly to tumor receptors resulting in tumor cell death, or can bind to soluble growth factors, angiogenic factors, or their cognate receptors blocking signals required for tumor cell growth or survival. Monoclonal antibodies, upon binding to tumor cell, can also engage the host's immune system to mediate immune-mediated destruction of the tumor. The Fc portion of the antibody is essential in engaging the host immune system by fixing complement resulting in complement-mediated cytotoxicity (CDC) of the tumor, or by engaging Fc receptors for IgG (FcγR) expressed by leukocytes leading to antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) or antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) of tumor cells. Antibodies whose Fc portion preferentially engage activating FcγRs have shown greater inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis. Monoclonal antibodies can also stimulate the immune system by binding to targets expressed on immune cells. These antibodies may stimulate antitumor immunity by antagonizing a negative regulatory signal, agonizing a costimulatory signal, or depleting immune cells that are inhibitory. The importance of Fc:FcγR interactions in antitumor therapy for each of these mechanisms have been demonstrated in both mouse models and clinical trials and will be the focus of this chapter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert F Graziano
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - John J Engelhardt
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ, Redwood City, CA, USA.
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Knorr DA, Dahan R, Ravetch JV. Toxicity of an Fc-engineered anti-CD40 antibody is abrogated by intratumoral injection and results in durable antitumor immunity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:11048-11053. [PMID: 30297432 PMCID: PMC6205479 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1810566115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune stimulation has emerged as a promising approach to the treatment of neoplastic diseases. Currently approved therapeutics, such as anti-CTLA4 and anti-PD1, are primarily aimed at blocking inhibitory signaling by immune cells. An alternative and potentially synergistic approach would involve activation of immune pathways by agonism of stimulatory receptors, such as CD40. Agonistic antibodies, while promising in principle, have encountered significant barriers in clinical trials limited by the systemic toxicity of such approaches. Using a mouse model humanized for both Fc receptors and CD40, we previously demonstrated enhanced antitumor activity with an Fc-modified antibody. We now demonstrate that this model recapitulates the platelet and hepatic toxicities seen with anti-CD40 antibodies in patients, providing a predictive measure of the dose-limiting activity of this approach. We further show that such toxicity can be circumvented and durable systemic antitumor immunity achieved by intratumoral delivery of an Fc-engineered anti-CD40 agonistic antibody.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Knorr
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065
| | - Rony Dahan
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065
| | - Jeffrey V Ravetch
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065
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Thiemann M, Richards DM, Heinonen K, Kluge M, Marschall V, Merz C, Redondo Müller M, Schnyder T, Sefrin JP, Sykora J, Fricke H, Gieffers C, Hill O. A Single-Chain-Based Hexavalent CD27 Agonist Enhances T Cell Activation and Induces Anti-Tumor Immunity. Front Oncol 2018; 8:387. [PMID: 30298117 PMCID: PMC6160747 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 7 (TNFRSF7, CD27), expressed primarily by T cells, and its ligand CD27L (TNFSF7, CD70) provide co-stimulatory signals that boost T cell activation, differentiation, and survival. Agonistic stimulation of CD27 is therefore a promising therapeutic concept in immuno-oncology intended to boost and sustain T cell driven anti-tumor responses. Endogenous TNFSF/TNFRSF-based signal transmission is a structurally well-defined event that takes place during cell-to-cell-based contacts. It is well-established that the trimeric-trivalent TNFSF-receptor binding domain (TNFSF-RBD) exposed by the conducting cell and the resulting multi-trimer-based receptor clustering on the receiving cell are essential for agonistic signaling. Therefore, we have developed HERA-CD27L, a novel hexavalent TNF receptor agonist (HERA) targeting CD27 and mimicking the natural signaling concept. HERA-CD27L is composed of a trivalent but single-chain CD27L-receptor-binding-domain (scCD27L-RBD) fused to an IgG1 derived silenced Fc-domain serving as dimerization scaffold. The hexavalent agonist significantly boosted antigen-specific T cell responses while having no effect on non-specific T cells and was superior over stabilized recombinant trivalent CD27L. In addition, HERA-CD27L demonstrated potent single-agent anti-tumor efficacy in two different syngeneic tumor models, MC38-CEA and CT26wt. Furthermore, the combination of HERA-CD27L and an anti-PD-1 antibody showed additive anti-tumor effects highlighting the importance of both T cell activation and checkpoint inhibition in anti-tumor immunity. In this manuscript, we describe the development of HERA-CD27L, a true CD27 agonist with a clearly defined forward-signaling mechanism of action.
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Mosabbir AA, Qudrat A, Truong K. A monoclonal antibody acts as a migratory cue via Ca 2+ re-wiring. Integr Biol (Camb) 2018; 10:166-173. [PMID: 29504002 DOI: 10.1039/c7ib00203c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
As monoclonal antibodies have two epitopes for their target ligand, they should theoretically dimerize target receptors upon binding. In particular, the dimerization of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor 2 (VEGFR2) stimulates early events occurring within minutes (e.g. Ca2+ signal generation) and late events occurring over hours and days (e.g. cell migration in angiogenesis). Although studies have noted that antibodies targeting VEGFR2 (anti-VEGFR2) inhibited cell migration in angiogenesis, we show in this paper that an anti-VEGFR2 stimulus nevertheless triggered a Ca2+ signal in VEGFR2 expressing cells. This Ca2+ signal was then re-wired to promote cell migration by co-expressing an engineered Ca2+ activated RhoA (called CaRQ), thereby engineering the opposite anticipated effect of an anti-VEGFR2 antibody. In these cells, the anti-VEGFR2 antibody stimulus induced cellular blebbing, migration across a membrane, and in vitro scratch wound healing. This work expands the utility of monoclonal antibodies to induce tailored responses in engineered cells such as changes in cell fluorescence via Ca2+ reporters or migration patterns via CaRQ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah A Mosabbir
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Room 407, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9, Canada.
| | - Anam Qudrat
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Room 407, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9, Canada.
| | - Kevin Truong
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Room 407, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9, Canada. and Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, 10 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G4, Canada
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45
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Hutt M, Fellermeier-Kopf S, Seifert O, Schmitt LC, Pfizenmaier K, Kontermann RE. Targeting scFv-Fc-scTRAIL fusion proteins to tumor cells. Oncotarget 2018; 9:11322-11335. [PMID: 29541416 PMCID: PMC5834252 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Fusion proteins combining hexavalent TRAIL with antibody fragments allow for a targeted delivery and efficient apoptosis induction in tumor cells. Here, we analyzed scFv-Fc-scTRAIL molecules directed against EGFR, HER2, HER3, and EpCAM as well as an untargeted Fc-scTRAIL fusion protein for their potentials to induce cell death both in vitro and in a xenograft tumor model in vivo. The scFv-Fc-scTRAIL fusion protein directed against EGFR as well as the fusion protein directed against EpCAM showed targeting effects on the two tested colorectal carcinoma cell lines Colo205 and HCT116, while a fusion protein targeting HER3 was more effective than untargeted Fc-scTRAIL only on Colo205 cells. Interestingly, another anti-HER3 scFv-Fc-scTRAIL fusion protein exhibiting approximately 10-fold weaker antigen binding as well as the HER2-directed molecule were unable to increase cytotoxicity compared to Fc-scTRAIL. A comparison of EC50 values of cell death induction and antigen binding supports the assumption that high affinity antigen binding is one of the requirements for in vitro targeting effects. Furthermore, a minimal number of expressed target antigens might be required for increased cytotoxicity of targeted compared to non-targeted molecules. In a Colo205 s.c. xenograft tumor model, strongest antitumor activity was observed for the anti-HER3 scFv-Fc-scTRAIL fusion protein based on antibody 3-43, with complete tumor remissions after six twice-weekly injections. Surprisingly, a similar in vivo activity was also observed for untargeted Fc-scTRAIL in this tumor model, indicating that additional factors contribute to the potent efficacy of targeted as well as untargeted hexavalent Fc-scTRAIL fusion proteins in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike Hutt
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
| | - Sina Fellermeier-Kopf
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
| | - Oliver Seifert
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
| | - Lisa C. Schmitt
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
| | - Klaus Pfizenmaier
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
- Stuttgart Research Center Systems Biology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
| | - Roland E. Kontermann
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
- Stuttgart Research Center Systems Biology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
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46
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Roghanian A, Stopforth RJ, Dahal LN, Cragg MS. New revelations from an old receptor: Immunoregulatory functions of the inhibitory Fc gamma receptor, FcγRIIB (CD32B). J Leukoc Biol 2018; 103:1077-1088. [PMID: 29406570 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.2mir0917-354r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Revised: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The Fc gamma receptor IIB (FcγRIIB/CD32B) was generated million years ago during evolution. It is the sole inhibitory receptor for IgG, and has long been associated with the regulation of humoral immunity and innate immune homeostasis. However, new and surprising functions of FcγRIIB are emerging. In particular, FcγRIIB has been shown to perform unexpected activatory roles in both immune-signaling and monoclonal antibody (mAb) immunotherapy. Furthermore, although ITIM signaling is an integral part of FcγRIIB regulatory activity, it is now clear that inhibition/activation of immune responses can occur independently of the ITIM. In light of these new findings, we present an overview of the established and noncanonical functions of FcγRIIB and discuss how this knowledge might be exploited therapeutically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Roghanian
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Richard J Stopforth
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK
| | - Lekh N Dahal
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK
| | - Mark S Cragg
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK
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Naimi A, Movassaghpour AA, Hagh MF, Talebi M, Entezari A, Jadidi-Niaragh F, Solali S. TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) as the potential therapeutic target in hematological malignancies. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 98:566-576. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.12.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2017] [Revised: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
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48
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Zhang D, Whitaker B, Derebe MG, Chiu ML. FcγRII-binding Centyrins mediate agonism and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis when fused to an anti-OX40 antibody. MAbs 2018; 10:463-475. [PMID: 29359992 PMCID: PMC5916553 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2018.1424611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunostimulatory antibodies against the tumor necrosis factor receptors (TNFR) are emerging as promising cancer immunotherapies. The agonism activity of such antibodies depends on crosslinking to Fc gamma RIIB receptor (FcγRIIB) to enable the antibody multimerization that drives TNFR activation. Previously, Fc engineering was used to enhance the binding of such antibodies to Fcγ receptors. Here, we report the identification of Centyrins as alternative scaffold proteins with binding affinities to homologous FcγRIIB and FcγRIIA, but not to other types of Fcγ receptors. One Centyrin, S29, was engineered at distinct positions of an anti-OX40 SF2 antibody to generate bispecific and tetravalent molecules named as mAbtyrins. Regardless of the position of S29 on the SF2 antibody, SF2-S29 mAbtyrins could bind FcγRIIB and FcγRIIA specifically while maintaining binding to OX40 receptors. In a NFκB reporter assay, attachment of S29 Centyrin molecules at the C-termini, but not the N-termini, resulted in SF2 antibodies with increased agonism owing to FcγRIIB crosslinking. The mAbtyrins also showed agonism in T-cell activation assays with immobilized FcγRIIB and FcγRIIA, but this activity was confined to mAbtyrins with S29 specifically at the C-termini of antibody heavy chains. Furthermore, regardless of the position of the molecule, S29 Centyrin could equip an otherwise Fc-silent antibody with antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis activity without affecting the antibody's intrinsic antibody-dependent cell-meditated cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity. In summary, the appropriate adoption FcγRII-binding Centyrins as functional modules represents a novel strategy to engineer therapeutic antibodies with improved functionalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Zhang
- a Department of Biologics Research , Janssen R&D, LLC, Spring House , PA , USA
| | - Brian Whitaker
- a Department of Biologics Research , Janssen R&D, LLC, Spring House , PA , USA
| | - Mehabaw G Derebe
- a Department of Biologics Research , Janssen R&D, LLC, Spring House , PA , USA
| | - Mark L Chiu
- a Department of Biologics Research , Janssen R&D, LLC, Spring House , PA , USA
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Abstract
IgG antibodies mediate a diversity of immune functions by coupling of antigen specificity through the Fab domain to signal transduction via Fc-Fc receptor interactions. Indeed, balanced IgG signaling through type I and type II Fc receptors is required for the control of proinflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory processes. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms that govern IgG-Fc receptor interactions, highlighting the diversity of Fc receptor-mediated effector functions that regulate immunity and inflammation as well as determine susceptibility to infection and autoimmunity and responsiveness to antibody-based therapeutics and vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stylianos Bournazos
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York 10065;
| | - Taia T Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York 10065;
| | - Rony Dahan
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York 10065;
| | - Jad Maamary
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York 10065;
| | - Jeffrey V Ravetch
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York 10065;
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50
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Co-stimulation Agonists via CD137, OX40, GITR, and CD27 for Immunotherapy of Cancer. Oncoimmunology 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-62431-0_26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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