{"title":"Enhanced anti-tumor activity mediated by combination chimeric antigen receptor T cells targeting GD2 and GPC2 in high-risk neuroblastoma.","authors":"Huantong Wu, Guangji Zhang, Zhongfeng Liu, Weihua Liu, Xuan Wang, Yu Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.jcyt.2024.05.023","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background aims: </strong>Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells targeting single antigens show limited activity against solid tumors due to poor T cell persistence, low efficiency infiltration, and exhaustion together with heterogeneous tumor-associated antigen (TAA) expression. This is also true in high-risk neuroblastoma (HRNB), a lethal pediatric extracranial malignancy. To overcome these obstacles, a combinational strategy using GD2-specific and GPC2-specific CAR-T cells was developed to improve immunotherapeutic efficacy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We individually developed GD2-specific and GPC2-specific CARs containing a selective domain (sCAR) which was a peptide of 10 amino acids derived from human nuclear autoantigen La/SS-B. These constructs allowed us to generate two different HRNB antigen-specific CAR-T cells with enhanced biological activity through stimulating sCAR-engrafted T cells via a selective domain-specific monoclonal antibody (SmAb). Binding affinity and stimulation of GD2- and GPC2-specific sCARs by SmAb were measured, and transient and persistent anti-tumor cytotoxicity of GD2sCAR-T and GPC2sCAR-T cells were quantified in neuroblastoma cell lines expressing different TAA levels. The anti-tumor pharmaceutical effects and cellular mechanisms mediated by single or combinational sCAR-T cells were evaluated in vitro and in vivo.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>GD2- and GPC2-specific sCARs had antigen-specific binding affinity similar to their parental counterparts and were recognized by SmAb. SmAb-mediated stimulation selectively activated sCAR-T proliferation and increased central memory T cells in the final products. SmAb-stimulated sCAR-T cells had enhanced transient cytolytic activity, and combination therapy extended long-term anti-tumor activity in vitro through TNF-α and IL-15 release. Stimulated sCAR-T cells overcame heterogeneous antigen expression in HRNB, and the multi-TAA-targeting strategy was especially efficacious in vivo, inducing apoptosis through the caspase-3/PARP pathway and inhibiting the release of several tumor-promoting cytokines.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These data suggest that combined targeting of multiple TAAs is a promising strategy to overcome heterogenous antigen expression in solid tumors and extend CAR-T cell persistence for HRNB immunotherapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":50597,"journal":{"name":"Cytotherapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Cytotherapy","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcyt.2024.05.023","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"BIOTECHNOLOGY & APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background aims: Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells targeting single antigens show limited activity against solid tumors due to poor T cell persistence, low efficiency infiltration, and exhaustion together with heterogeneous tumor-associated antigen (TAA) expression. This is also true in high-risk neuroblastoma (HRNB), a lethal pediatric extracranial malignancy. To overcome these obstacles, a combinational strategy using GD2-specific and GPC2-specific CAR-T cells was developed to improve immunotherapeutic efficacy.
Methods: We individually developed GD2-specific and GPC2-specific CARs containing a selective domain (sCAR) which was a peptide of 10 amino acids derived from human nuclear autoantigen La/SS-B. These constructs allowed us to generate two different HRNB antigen-specific CAR-T cells with enhanced biological activity through stimulating sCAR-engrafted T cells via a selective domain-specific monoclonal antibody (SmAb). Binding affinity and stimulation of GD2- and GPC2-specific sCARs by SmAb were measured, and transient and persistent anti-tumor cytotoxicity of GD2sCAR-T and GPC2sCAR-T cells were quantified in neuroblastoma cell lines expressing different TAA levels. The anti-tumor pharmaceutical effects and cellular mechanisms mediated by single or combinational sCAR-T cells were evaluated in vitro and in vivo.
Results: GD2- and GPC2-specific sCARs had antigen-specific binding affinity similar to their parental counterparts and were recognized by SmAb. SmAb-mediated stimulation selectively activated sCAR-T proliferation and increased central memory T cells in the final products. SmAb-stimulated sCAR-T cells had enhanced transient cytolytic activity, and combination therapy extended long-term anti-tumor activity in vitro through TNF-α and IL-15 release. Stimulated sCAR-T cells overcame heterogeneous antigen expression in HRNB, and the multi-TAA-targeting strategy was especially efficacious in vivo, inducing apoptosis through the caspase-3/PARP pathway and inhibiting the release of several tumor-promoting cytokines.
Conclusions: These data suggest that combined targeting of multiple TAAs is a promising strategy to overcome heterogenous antigen expression in solid tumors and extend CAR-T cell persistence for HRNB immunotherapy.
期刊介绍:
The journal brings readers the latest developments in the fast moving field of cellular therapy in man. This includes cell therapy for cancer, immune disorders, inherited diseases, tissue repair and regenerative medicine. The journal covers the science, translational development and treatment with variety of cell types including hematopoietic stem cells, immune cells (dendritic cells, NK, cells, T cells, antigen presenting cells) mesenchymal stromal cells, adipose cells, nerve, muscle, vascular and endothelial cells, and induced pluripotential stem cells. We also welcome manuscripts on subcellular derivatives such as exosomes. A specific focus is on translational research that brings cell therapy to the clinic. Cytotherapy publishes original papers, reviews, position papers editorials, commentaries and letters to the editor. We welcome "Protocols in Cytotherapy" bringing standard operating procedure for production specific cell types for clinical use within the reach of the readership.