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Sanz L, Ibáñez-Pérez R, Guerrero-Ochoa P, Lacadena J, Anel A. Antibody-Based Immunotoxins for Colorectal Cancer Therapy. Biomedicines 2021; 9:1729. [PMID: 34829955 PMCID: PMC8615520 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9111729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are included among the treatment options for advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). However, while these mAbs effectively target cancer cells, they may have limited clinical activity. A strategy to improve their therapeutic potential is arming them with a toxic payload. Immunotoxins (ITX) combining the cell-killing ability of a toxin with the specificity of a mAb constitute a promising strategy for CRC therapy. However, several important challenges in optimizing ITX remain, including suboptimal pharmacokinetics and especially the immunogenicity of the toxin moiety. Nonetheless, ongoing research is working to solve these limitations and expand CRC patients' therapeutic armory. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of targets and toxins employed in the design of ITX for CRC and highlight a wide selection of ITX tested in CRC patients as well as preclinical candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sanz
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, 28222 Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel Ibáñez-Pérez
- Apoptosis, Immunity and Cancer Group, Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS-Aragón), University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; (R.I.-P.); (P.G.-O.)
| | - Patricia Guerrero-Ochoa
- Apoptosis, Immunity and Cancer Group, Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS-Aragón), University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; (R.I.-P.); (P.G.-O.)
| | - Javier Lacadena
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Anel
- Apoptosis, Immunity and Cancer Group, Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS-Aragón), University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; (R.I.-P.); (P.G.-O.)
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2
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Gotte G, Menegazzi M. Biological Activities of Secretory RNases: Focus on Their Oligomerization to Design Antitumor Drugs. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2626. [PMID: 31849926 PMCID: PMC6901985 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Ribonucleases (RNases) are a large number of enzymes gathered into different bacterial or eukaryotic superfamilies. Bovine pancreatic RNase A, bovine seminal BS-RNase, human pancreatic RNase 1, angiogenin (RNase 5), and amphibian onconase belong to the pancreatic type superfamily, while binase and barnase are in the bacterial RNase N1/T1 family. In physiological conditions, most RNases secreted in the extracellular space counteract the undesired effects of extracellular RNAs and become protective against infections. Instead, if they enter the cell, RNases can digest intracellular RNAs, becoming cytotoxic and having advantageous effects against malignant cells. Their biological activities have been investigated either in vitro, toward a number of different cancer cell lines, or in some cases in vivo to test their potential therapeutic use. However, immunogenicity or other undesired effects have sometimes been associated with their action. Nevertheless, the use of RNases in therapy remains an appealing strategy against some still incurable tumors, such as mesothelioma, melanoma, or pancreatic cancer. The RNase inhibitor (RI) present inside almost all cells is the most efficacious sentry to counteract the ribonucleolytic action against intracellular RNAs because it forms a tight, irreversible and enzymatically inactive complex with many monomeric RNases. Therefore, dimerization or multimerization could represent a useful strategy for RNases to exert a remarkable cytotoxic activity by evading the interaction with RI by steric hindrance. Indeed, the majority of the mentioned RNases can hetero-dimerize with antibody derivatives, or even homo-dimerize or multimerize, spontaneously or artificially. This can occur through weak interactions or upon introducing covalent bonds. Immuno-RNases, in particular, are fusion proteins representing promising drugs by combining high target specificity with easy delivery in tumors. The results concerning the biological features of many RNases reported in the literature are described and discussed in this review. Furthermore, the activities displayed by some RNases forming oligomeric complexes, the mechanisms driving toward these supramolecular structures, and the biological rebounds connected are analyzed. These aspects are offered with the perspective to suggest possible efficacious therapeutic applications for RNases oligomeric derivatives that could contemporarily lack, or strongly reduce, immunogenicity and other undesired side-effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Gotte
- Biological Chemistry Section, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Marta Menegazzi
- Biological Chemistry Section, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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3
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Targeted human cytolytic fusion proteins at the cutting edge: harnessing the apoptosis-inducing properties of human enzymes for the selective elimination of tumor cells. Oncotarget 2019; 10:897-915. [PMID: 30783518 PMCID: PMC6368230 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Patient-specific targeted therapy represents the holy grail of anti-cancer therapeutics, allowing potent tumor depletion without detrimental off-target toxicities. Disease-specific monoclonal antibodies have been employed to bind to oncogenic cell-surface receptors, representing the earliest form of immunotherapy. Targeted drug delivery was first achieved by means of antibody-drug conjugates, which exploit the differential expression of tumor-associated antigens as a guiding mechanism for the specific delivery of chemically-conjugated chemotherapeutic agents to diseased target cells. Biotechnological advances have expanded the repertoire of immunology-based tumor-targeting strategies, also paving the way for the next intuitive step in targeted drug delivery: the construction of recombinant protein drugs consisting of an antibody-based targeting domain genetically fused with a cytotoxic peptide, known as an immunotoxin. However, the most potent protein toxins have typically been derived from bacterial or plant virulence factors and commonly feature both off-target toxicity and immunogenicity in human patients. Further refinement of immunotoxin technology thus led to the replacement of monoclonal antibodies with humanized antibody derivatives, including the substitution of non-human toxic peptides with human cytolytic proteins. Preclinically tested human cytolytic fusion proteins (hCFPs) have proven promising as non-immunogenic combinatory anti-cancer agents, however they still require further enhancement to achieve convincing candidacy as a single-mode therapeutic. To date, a portfolio of highly potent human toxins has been established; ranging from microtubule-associated protein tau (MAP tau), RNases, granzyme B (GrB) and death-associated protein kinase (DAPk). In this review, we discuss the most recent findings on the use of these apoptosis-inducing hCFPs for the treatment of various cancers.
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Human Granzyme B Based Targeted Cytolytic Fusion Proteins. Biomedicines 2018; 6:biomedicines6020072. [PMID: 29925790 PMCID: PMC6027395 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines6020072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy aims to selectively target and kill tumor cells whilst limiting the damage to healthy tissues. Controlled delivery of plant, bacterial and human toxins or enzymes has been shown to promote the induction of apoptosis in cancerous cells. The 4th generation of targeted effectors are being designed to be as humanized as possible—a solution to the problem of immunogenicity encountered with existing generations. Granzymes are serine proteases which naturally function in humans as integral cytolytic effectors during the programmed cell death of cancerous and pathogen-infected cells. Secreted predominantly by cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells, granzymes function mechanistically by caspase-dependent or caspase-independent pathways. These natural characteristics make granzymes one of the most promising human enzymes for use in the development of fusion protein-based targeted therapeutic strategies for various cancers. In this review, we explore research involving the use of granzymes as cytolytic effectors fused to antibody fragments as selective binding domains.
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Jordaan S, Akinrinmade OA, Nachreiner T, Cremer C, Naran K, Chetty S, Barth S. Updates in the Development of ImmunoRNases for the Selective Killing of Tumor Cells. Biomedicines 2018; 6:biomedicines6010028. [PMID: 29510557 PMCID: PMC5874685 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines6010028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted cancer therapy includes, amongst others, antibody-based delivery of toxic payloads to selectively eliminate tumor cells. This payload can be either a synthetic small molecule drug composing an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) or a cytotoxic protein composing an immunotoxin (IT). Non-human cytotoxic proteins, while potent, have limited clinical efficacy due to their immunogenicity and potential off-target toxicity. Humanization of the cytotoxic payload is essential and requires harnessing of potent apoptosis-inducing human proteins with conditional activity, which rely on targeted delivery to contact their substrate. Ribonucleases are attractive candidates, due to their ability to induce apoptosis by abrogating protein biosynthesis via tRNA degradation. In fact, several RNases of the pancreatic RNase A superfamily have shown potential as anti-cancer agents. Coupling of a human RNase to a humanized antibody or antibody derivative putatively eliminates the immunogenicity of an IT (now known as a human cytolytic fusion protein, hCFP). However, RNases are tightly regulated in vivo by endogenous inhibitors, controlling the ribonucleolytic balance subject to the cell’s metabolic requirements. Endogenous inhibition limits the efficacy with which RNase-based hCFPs induce apoptosis. However, abrogating the natural interaction with the natural inhibitors by mutation has been shown to significantly enhance RNase activity, paving the way toward achieving cytolytic potency comparable to that of bacterial immunotoxins. Here, we review the immunoRNases that have undergone preclinical studies as anti-cancer therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Jordaan
- Medical Biotechnology and Immunotherapy Group, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa.
| | - Olusiji A Akinrinmade
- South African Research Chair in Cancer Biotechnology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa.
| | - Thomas Nachreiner
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Immunotherapy, Institute for Applied Medical Engineering, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52056 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Christian Cremer
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Immunotherapy, Institute for Applied Medical Engineering, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52056 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Krupa Naran
- Medical Biotechnology and Immunotherapy Group, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa.
- South African Research Chair in Cancer Biotechnology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa.
| | - Shivan Chetty
- Medical Biotechnology and Immunotherapy Group, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa.
- South African Research Chair in Cancer Biotechnology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa.
| | - Stefan Barth
- Medical Biotechnology and Immunotherapy Group, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa.
- South African Research Chair in Cancer Biotechnology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa.
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6
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Tyshchuk O, Völger HR, Ferrara C, Bulau P, Koll H, Mølhøj M. Detection of a phosphorylated glycine-serine linker in an IgG-based fusion protein. MAbs 2016; 9:94-103. [PMID: 27661266 PMCID: PMC5240648 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2016.1236165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular mass determination by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of a recombinant IgG-based fusion protein (mAb1-F) produced in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells demonstrated the presence of a dominant +79 Da product variant. Using LC-MS tryptic peptide mapping analysis and collision-induced dissociation (CID) and electron-transfer/higher-energy collision dissociation fragmentations, the modification was localized to the C-terminal serine residue of a glycine-serine linker [(G4S)2] of a fused heavy chain containing in total 2 (G4S)2-linkers. The modification was identified as a phosphorylation (+79.97 Da) by the presence of a 98 Da neutral loss reaction with CID, by spiking a synthetic phosphoserine peptide, and by dephosphorylation with alkaline phosphatase. A thermolysin digest combined with higher-energy collision dissociation (HCD) positioned the phosphoserine to one specific glycine-serine linker of the fused heavy chain, and the relative level of phosphorylated linker was determined to be 11.3% and 0.4% by LC-MS when the fusion protein was transiently expressed in HEK or in stably transformed Chinese hamster ovary cells, respectively. This observation demonstrates that fusions with glycine-serine linker sequences should be carefully evaluated during drug development to prevent the introduction of a phosphorylation site in therapeutic fusion proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oksana Tyshchuk
- a Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Roche Diagnostics GmbH , Penzberg , Germany
| | - Hans Rainer Völger
- a Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Roche Diagnostics GmbH , Penzberg , Germany
| | - Claudia Ferrara
- b Oncology Discovery & Translational Area, Roche Innovation Center Zurich , Schlieren , Switzerland
| | - Patrick Bulau
- c Roche Pharma Technical Development Penzberg, Roche Diagnostics GmbH , Penzberg , Germany
| | - Hans Koll
- a Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Roche Diagnostics GmbH , Penzberg , Germany
| | - Michael Mølhøj
- a Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Roche Diagnostics GmbH , Penzberg , Germany
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Cremer C, Braun H, Mladenov R, Schenke L, Cong X, Jost E, Brümmendorf TH, Fischer R, Carloni P, Barth S, Nachreiner T. Novel angiogenin mutants with increased cytotoxicity enhance the depletion of pro-inflammatory macrophages and leukemia cells ex vivo. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2015; 64:1575-86. [PMID: 26472728 PMCID: PMC11028715 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-015-1763-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/29/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Immunotoxins are fusion proteins that combine a targeting component such as an antibody fragment or ligand with a cytotoxic effector component that induces apoptosis in specific cell populations displaying the corresponding antigen or receptor. Human cytolytic fusion proteins (hCFPs) are less immunogenic than conventional immunotoxins because they contain human pro-apoptotic enzymes as effectors. However, one drawback of hCFPs is that target cells can protect themselves by expressing endogenous inhibitor proteins. Inhibitor-resistant enzyme mutants that maintain their cytotoxic activity are therefore promising effector domain candidates. We recently developed potent variants of the human ribonuclease angiogenin (Ang) that were either more active than the wild-type enzyme or less susceptible to inhibition because of their lower affinity for the ribonuclease inhibitor RNH1. However, combining the mutations was unsuccessful because although the enzyme retained its higher activity, its susceptibility to RNH1 reverted to wild-type levels. We therefore used molecular dynamic simulations to determine, at the atomic level, why the affinity for RNH1 reverted, and we developed strategies based on the introduction of further mutations to once again reduce the affinity of Ang for RNH1 while retaining its enhanced activity. We were able to generate a novel Ang variant with remarkable in vitro cytotoxicity against HL-60 cells and pro-inflammatory macrophages. We also demonstrated the pro-apoptotic potential of Ang-based hCFPs on cells freshly isolated from leukemia patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Cremer
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Immunotherapy, Institute for Applied Medical Engineering, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Hanna Braun
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Immunotherapy, Institute for Applied Medical Engineering, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Radoslav Mladenov
- Department of Pharmaceutical Product Development, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Forckenbeckstr. 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Lea Schenke
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Immunotherapy, Institute for Applied Medical Engineering, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Xiaojing Cong
- Department of Computational Biophysics, German Research School for Simulation Sciences (Joint Venture of RWTH Aachen University and Forschungszentrum Jülich), 52428, Jülich, Germany
- Institute for Advanced Simulations IAS-5, Computational Biomedicine, Forschungszentrum, Jülich, Germany
| | - Edgar Jost
- Department of Hematology and Oncology (Internal Medicine IV), University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Tim H Brümmendorf
- Department of Hematology and Oncology (Internal Medicine IV), University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Rainer Fischer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Product Development, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Forckenbeckstr. 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 1, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Paolo Carloni
- Department of Computational Biophysics, German Research School for Simulation Sciences (Joint Venture of RWTH Aachen University and Forschungszentrum Jülich), 52428, Jülich, Germany
- Institute for Advanced Simulations IAS-5, Computational Biomedicine, Forschungszentrum, Jülich, Germany
| | - Stefan Barth
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Immunotherapy, Institute for Applied Medical Engineering, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- South African Research Chair in Cancer Biotechnology, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa
| | - Thomas Nachreiner
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Immunotherapy, Institute for Applied Medical Engineering, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
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8
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Kiesgen S, Arndt MAE, Körber C, Arnold U, Weber T, Halama N, Keller A, Bötticher B, Schlegelmilch A, Liebers N, Cremer M, Herold-Mende C, Dyckhoff G, Federspil PA, Jensen AD, Jäger D, Kontermann RE, Mier W, Krauss J. An EGF receptor targeting Ranpirnase-diabody fusion protein mediates potent antitumour activity in vitro and in vivo. Cancer Lett 2014; 357:364-373. [PMID: 25434798 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2014.11.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2014] [Revised: 11/19/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Cytotoxic ribonucleases such as the leopard frog derivative Ranpirnase (Onconase(®)) have emerged as a valuable new class of cancer therapeutics. Clinical trials employing single agent Ranpirnase in cancer patients have demonstrated significant clinical activity and surprisingly low immunogenicity. However, dose-limiting toxicity due to unspecific uptake of the RNase into non-cancerous cells is reached at relatively low concentrations of > 1 mg/m(2). We have in the present study generated a dimeric anti-EGFR Ranpirnase-diabody fusion protein capable to deliver two Ranpirnase moieties per molecule to EGFR-positive tumour cells. We show that this compound mediated far superior efficacy for killing EGFR-positive tumour cells than a monomeric counterpart. Most importantly, cell killing was restricted to EGFR-positive target cells and no dose-limiting toxicity of Ranpirnase-diabody was observed in mice. These data indicate that by targeted delivery of Ranpirnase non-selective toxicity can be abolished and suggests Ranpirnase-diabody as a promising new drug for therapeutic interventions in EGFR-positive cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Kiesgen
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Michaela A E Arndt
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg 69120, Germany; Immunotherapy Program, National Center for Tumor Diseases, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Christoph Körber
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 307, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Ulrich Arnold
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, Halle 06120, Germany
| | - Tobias Weber
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Niels Halama
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Armin Keller
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Benedikt Bötticher
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Anne Schlegelmilch
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Nora Liebers
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Martin Cremer
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Christel Herold-Mende
- Division of Experimental Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, Heidelberg 69120, Germany; Molecular Cell Biology Group, ENT Department, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Gerhard Dyckhoff
- Molecular Cell Biology Group, ENT Department, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Philippe A Federspil
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Alexandra D Jensen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, Heidelberg 69120, Germany; Heidelberg Ion Therapy Center (HIT), Im Neuenheimer Feld 450, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Roland E Kontermann
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, Allmandring 31, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
| | - Walter Mier
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krauss
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
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9
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Fernández-Ulibarri I, Hammer K, Arndt MAE, Kaufmann JK, Dorer D, Engelhardt S, Kontermann RE, Hess J, Allgayer H, Krauss J, Nettelbeck DM. Genetic delivery of an immunoRNase by an oncolytic adenovirus enhances anticancer activity. Int J Cancer 2014; 136:2228-40. [PMID: 25303768 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.29258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2014] [Accepted: 09/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Antibody therapy of solid cancers is well established, but suffers from unsatisfactory tumor penetration of large immunoglobulins or from low serum retention of antibody fragments. Oncolytic viruses are in advanced clinical development showing excellent safety, but suboptimal potency due to limited virus spread within tumors. Here, by developing an immunoRNase-encoding oncolytic adenovirus, we combine viral oncolysis with intratumoral genetic delivery of a small antibody-fusion protein for targeted bystander killing of tumor cells (viro-antibody therapy). Specifically, we explore genetic delivery of a small immunoRNase consisting of an EGFR-binding scFv antibody fragment fused to the RNase Onconase (ONC(EGFR)) that induces tumor cell death by RNA degradation after cellular internalization. Onconase is a frog RNase that combines lack of immunogenicity and excellent safety in patients with high tumor killing potency due to its resistance to the human cytosolic RNase inhibitor. We show that ONC(EGFR) expression by oncolytic adenoviruses is feasible with an optimized, replication-dependent gene expression strategy. Virus-encoded ONC(EGFR) induces potent and EGFR-dependent bystander killing of tumor cells. Importantly, the ONC(EGFR)-encoding oncolytic adenovirus showed dramatically increased cytotoxicity specifically to EGFR-positive tumor cells in vitro and significantly enhanced therapeutic activity in a mouse xenograft tumor model. The latter demonstrates that ONC(EGFR) is expressed at levels sufficient to trigger tumor cell killing in vivo. The established ONC(EGFR)-encoding oncolytic adenovirus represents a novel agent for treatment of EGFR-positive tumors. This viro-antibody therapy platform can be further developed for targeted/personalized cancer therapy by exploiting antibody diversity to target further established or emerging tumor markers or combinations thereof.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Fernández-Ulibarri
- Oncolytic Adenovirus Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 242, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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10
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Wen D, Foley SF, Hronowski XL, Gu S, Meier W. Discovery and Investigation of O-Xylosylation in Engineered Proteins Containing a (GGGGS)n Linker. Anal Chem 2013; 85:4805-12. [DOI: 10.1021/ac400596g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dingyi Wen
- Analytical Biochemistry, Department
of Biologics Drug
Discovery, Biogen Idec, 12 Cambridge Center,
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Susan F. Foley
- Analytical Biochemistry, Department
of Biologics Drug
Discovery, Biogen Idec, 12 Cambridge Center,
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Xiaoping L. Hronowski
- Analytical Biochemistry, Department
of Biologics Drug
Discovery, Biogen Idec, 12 Cambridge Center,
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Sheng Gu
- Analytical Biochemistry, Department
of Biologics Drug
Discovery, Biogen Idec, 12 Cambridge Center,
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Werner Meier
- Analytical Biochemistry, Department
of Biologics Drug
Discovery, Biogen Idec, 12 Cambridge Center,
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
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11
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12
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Andrady C, Sharma SK, Chester KA. Antibody-enzyme fusion proteins for cancer therapy. Immunotherapy 2011; 3:193-211. [PMID: 21322759 DOI: 10.2217/imt.10.90] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in biomolecular technology have allowed the development of genetically fused antibody-enzymes. Antibody-enzyme fusion proteins have been used to target tumors for cancer therapy in two ways. In one system, an antibody-enzyme is pretargeted to the tumor followed by administration of an inactive prodrug that is converted to its active form by the pretargeted enzyme. This system has been described as antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy. The other system uses antibody-enzyme fusion proteins as direct therapeutics, where the enzyme is toxic in its own right. The key feature in this approach is that the antibody is used to internalize the toxic enzyme into the tumor cell, which activates cell-death processes. This antibody-enzyme system has been largely applied to deliver ribonucleases. This article addresses these two antibody-enzyme targeting strategies for cancer therapy from concept to (pre)clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carima Andrady
- Cancer Research UK Targeting & Imaging Group, Department of Oncology, UCL Cancer Institute, Paul O'Gorman Building, University College London, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1E6BT, UK.
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Krauss J, Exner E, Mavratzas A, Seeber S, Arndt MAE. High-level production of a humanized immunoRNase fusion protein from stably transfected myeloma cells. Methods Mol Biol 2009; 525:471-xiv. [PMID: 19252845 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-59745-554-1_24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
ImmunoRNases represent a highly attractive alternative to conventional immunotoxins for cancer therapy. Quantitative production of immunoRNases in appropriate expression systems, however, remains a major challenge for further clinical development of these novel compounds. Here we describe a method for high-level production and purification of a fully functional immunoRNase fusion protein from supernatants of stably transfected mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Krauss
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Schirrmann T, Krauss J, Arndt MAE, Rybak SM, Dübel S. Targeted therapeutic RNases (ImmunoRNases). Expert Opin Biol Ther 2008; 9:79-95. [DOI: 10.1517/14712590802631862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Abstract
AbstractTargeted RNases (TRs) are immunoenzymes with ribonucleases as cytotoxic effector domains, which are less immunogenic as plant or bacterial toxin components of classical immunotoxins. In this study, we show the generation and production of the first entirely human TR (huTR) directed against CD30+ lymphomas. The scFv-Fc-RNase construct was produced in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293T cells, yielding up to 4 mg/L soluble protein after purification by protein A affinity chromatography. Size exclusion chromatography revealed a homodimer of the predicted molecular mass. Surface plasmon resonance analysis revealed an affinity to CD30 of KD of less than 1 nM for both the scFv-Fc and the scFv-Fc-RNase proteins. Internalization of the scFv-Fc-RNase protein by CD30+ Karpas-299 cells was demonstrated by confocal microscopy. Proliferation of the CD30+ lymphoma cell line Karpas-299 was strongly inhibited by CD30-specific huTR protein (IC50 = 3.3 nM). The huTR is a promising candidate for the immunotherapy of CD30+ lymphomas because of its expected low immunogenicity, good production yields, and potent effector function upon target cell binding and internalization. Its modular design is set to target other internalizing tumor antigens using different antibody domains.
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Abstract
Immunotherapy, based on mAbs specifically directed against cancer cells, is considered a precious strategy in the fight against cancer because of its selectivity and lack of multidrug resistant effects. However, there are obstacles to the complete success of current immunotherapy such as immune responses to nonhuman or even humanized antibodies and the large size of the antibodies, which hinders their diffusion into bulky tumors. Fully human, small immunoagents, capable of inhibiting tumor growth may overcome these problems and provide safe, highly selective and effective antitumor drugs. An attractive target for immunotherapy is ErbB2, a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor, overexpressed on tumor cells of different origin, with a key role in the development of malignancy. An anti-ErbB2 humanized monoclonal (Herceptin) is currently used with success for breast cancer therapy; however, it can engender cardiotoxicity and a high proportion of breast cancer patients are resistant to Herceptin treatment. Anti-ErbB2 immunoagents of human origin, with potentially no or very low immunogenicity have been engineered to assemble 'compact', i.e. reduced size, antibodies, one consisting of a human single-chain antibody fragment (scFv) fused to a human RNase to construct an immunoRNase and the other made up of two human scFv molecules fused to the Fc region of a human IgG1. By choosing a human antibody fragment as the immune moiety and a human RNase as the effector moiety, an immunoRNase would be both nonimmunogenic and nontoxic, as it becomes toxic only when the scFv promotes its internalization by target cells. The alternative strategy of compact antibodies was aimed at producing therapeutic agents with an increased half-life, prolonged tumor retention and the ability to recruit host effector functions. Moreover, the bivalency of compact antibodies can be exploited to construct bispecific antibodies, as well as for other therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia De Lorenzo
- Dipartimento di Biologia Strutturale e Funzionale, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy.
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Shi J, Liu Y, Zheng Y, Guo Y, Zhang J, Cheung PT, Xu R, Zheng D. Therapeutic Expression of an Anti-Death Receptor 5 Single-Chain Fixed-Variable Region Prevents Tumor Growth in Mice. Cancer Res 2006; 66:11946-53. [PMID: 17178893 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-06-1227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The clinical use of the single-chain fixed-variable (scFv) fragments of recombinant monoclonal antibodies as credible alternatives for classic therapeutic antibodies has two limitations: rapid blood clearance and inefficient local expression of functional molecules. In attempt to address these issues, we have developed a novel gene therapy protocol in which the anti-death receptor 5 (DR5) scFv fragments were either in vitro expressed in several tumor cell lines, or in vivo expressed in mice, using recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV)-mediated gene transfer. Viral transduction using the rAAV-S3C construct, which encodes a scFv molecule (S3C scFv) specific to DR5, led to stable expression in tumor cell lines and showed apoptosis-inducing activity in vitro, which could be inhibited by recombinant DR5 but not by DR4. A single i.m. injection of rAAV-S3C virus in nude mice resulted in stable expression of DR5-binding S3C scFv proteins in mouse sera for at least 240 days. Moreover, the expression of S3C scFv was associated with significant suppression of tumor growth and the increase of tumor cell apoptosis in previously established s.c. human lung LTEP-sml and liver Hep3B tumor xenografts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Shi
- National Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Schrama D, Reisfeld RA, Becker JC. Antibody targeted drugs as cancer therapeutics. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2006; 5:147-59. [PMID: 16424916 DOI: 10.1038/nrd1957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 545] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of cancer is a double-edged sword: it should be as aggressive as possible to completely destroy the tumour, but it is precisely this aggressiveness which often causes severe side effects - a reason why some promising therapeutics can not be applied systemically. In addition, therapeutics such as cytokines that physiologically function in a para- or autocrine fashion require a locally enhanced level to exert their effect appropriately. An elegant way to accumulate therapeutic agents at the tumour site is their conjugation/fusion to tumour-specific antibodies. Here, we discuss recent preclinical and clinical data for antibody-drug conjugates and fusion proteins with a special focus on drug components that exert their antitumour effects through normal biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Schrama
- University of Wuerzburg, Dermatology, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
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