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Inhibition of TGF-?-receptor signaling augments the antitumor function of ROR1-specific CAR T-cells against triple-negative breast cancer.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Immunotherapy with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T-cells is effective in some hematologic tumors. In solid tumors, however, sustained antitumor responses after CAR T-cell therapy remain to be demonstrated both in the pre-clinical and clinical setting. A perceived barrier to the efficacy of CAR T-cell therapy in solid tumors is the hostile tumor microenvironment where immunosuppressive soluble factors like transforming growth factor (TGF)-? are thought to inhibit the cellular immune response. Here, we analyzed whether CAR T-cells specific for the receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) antigen, that is frequently expressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), are susceptible to inhibition by TGF-? and evaluated TGF-?-receptor signaling blockade as a way of neutralizing the inhibitory effect of this cytokine. METHODS:CD8+ and CD4+ ROR1-CAR T-cells were prepared from healthy donors and their antitumor function analyzed using the TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231 in vitro and in a microphysiologic 3D tumor model. Analyses were performed in co-culture assays of ROR1-CAR T-cells and MDA-MB-231 cells with addition of exogenous TGF-?. RESULTS:The data show that exposure to TGF-? engages TGF-?-receptor signaling in CD8+ and CD4+ ROR1-CAR T-cells as evidenced by phosphorylation of small mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 2. In the presence of TGF-?, the cytolytic activity, cytokine production and proliferation of ROR1-CAR T-cells in co-culture with MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells were markedly impaired, and the viability of ROR1-CAR T-cells reduced. Blockade of TGF-?-receptor signaling with the specific kinase inhibitor SD-208 was able to protect CD8+ and CD4+ ROR1-CAR T-cells from the inhibitory effect of TGF-?, and sustained their antitumor function in vitro and in the microphysiologic 3D tumor model. Combination treatment with SD-208 also led to increased viability and lower expression of PD-1 on ROR1-CAR T-cells at the end of the antitumor response. CONCLUSION:We demonstrate the TGF-? suppresses the antitumor function of ROR1-CAR T-cells against TNBC in preclinical models. Our study supports the continued preclinical development and the clinical evaluation of combination treatments that shield CAR T-cells from TGF-?, as exemplified by the TGF-?-receptor kinase inhibitor SD-208 in this study.

SUBMITTER: Stuber T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7204619 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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<b>Inhibition of TGF-</b>β-<b>receptor signaling augments the antitumor function of ROR1-specific CAR T-cells against triple-negative breast cancer</b>.

Stüber Tanja T Monjezi Razieh R Wallstabe Lars L Kühnemundt Johanna J Nietzer Sarah Louise SL Dandekar Gudrun G Wöckel Achim A Einsele Hermann H Wischhusen Jörg J Hudecek Michael M

Journal for immunotherapy of cancer 20200401 1

<h4>Background</h4>Immunotherapy with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T-cells is effective in some hematologic tumors. In solid tumors, however, sustained antitumor responses after CAR T-cell therapy remain to be demonstrated both in the pre-clinical and clinical setting. A perceived barrier to the efficacy of CAR T-cell therapy in solid tumors is the hostile tumor microenvironment where immunosuppressive soluble factors like transforming growth factor (TGF)-β are thought to inhibit t ...[more]

PMID: 32303620

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Project description:BackgroundRanpirnase (Rap) is an amphibian ribonuclease with reported antitumor activity, minimal toxicity, and negligible immunogenicity in clinical studies, but the unfavorable pharmacokinetics and suboptimal efficacy hampered its further clinical development. To improve the potential of Rap-based therapeutics, we have used the DOCK-AND-LOCK™ (DNL™) method to construct a class of novel IgG-Rap immunoRNases. In the present study, a pair of these constructs, (Rap)2-E1-(Rap)2 and (Rap)2-E1*-(Rap)2, comprising four copies of Rap linked to the CH3 and CK termini of hRS7 (humanized anti-Trop-2), respectively, were evaluated as potential therapeutics for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).MethodsThe DNL-based immunoRNases, (Rap)2-E1-(Rap)2 and (Rap)2-E1*-(Rap)2, were characterized and tested for biological activities in vitro on a panel of breast cancer cell lines and in vivo in a MDA-MB-468 xenograft model.Results(Rap)2-E1-(Rap)2 was highly purified (>95%), exhibited specific cell binding and rapid internalization in MDA-MB-468, a Trop-2-expressing TNBC line, and displayed potent in vitro cytotoxicity (EC50???1 nM) against diverse breast cancer cell lines with moderate to high expression of Trop-2, including MDA-MB-468, BT-20, HCC1806, SKBR-3, and MCF-7. In comparison, structural counterparts of (Rap)2-E1-(Rap)2, generated by substituting hRS7 with selective non-Trop-2-binding antibodies, such as epratuzumab (anti-CD22), were at least 50-fold less potent than (Rap)2-E1-(Rap)2 in MDA-MB-468 and BT-20 cells, both lacking the expression of the cognate antigen. Moreover, (Rap)2-E1-(Rap)2 was less effective (EC50 > 50 nM) in MDA-MB-231 (low Trop-2) or HCC1395 (no Trop-2), and did not show any toxicity to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In a mouse TNBC model, a significant survival benefit was achieved with (Rap)2-E1*-(Rap)2 when given the maximal tolerated dose.ConclusionsA new class of immunoRNases was generated with enhanced potency for targeted therapy of cancer. The promising results from (Rap)2-E1-(Rap)2 and (Rap)2-E1*-(Rap)2 support their further investigation as a potential treatment option for TNBC and other Trop-2-expressing cancers.

Project description:Tumor normalization strategies aim to improve tumor blood vessel functionality (i.e., perfusion) by reducing the hyper-permeability of tumor vessels or restoring compressed vessels. Despite progress in strategies to normalize the tumor microenvironment (TME), their combinatorial antitumor effects with nanomedicine and immunotherapy remain unexplored. Methods: Here, we re-purposed the TGF-? inhibitor tranilast, an approved anti-fibrotic and antihistamine drug, and combined it with Doxil nanomedicine to normalize the TME, increase perfusion and oxygenation, and enhance anti-tumor immunity. Specifically, we employed two triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) mouse models to primarily evaluate the therapeutic and normalization effects of tranilast combined with doxorubicin and Doxil. We demonstrated the optimized normalization effects of tranilast combined with Doxil and extended our analysis to investigate the effect of TME normalization to the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Results: Combination of tranilast with Doxil caused a pronounced reduction in extracellular matrix components and an increase in the intratumoral vessel diameter and pericyte coverage, indicators of TME normalization. These modifications resulted in a significant increase in tumor perfusion and oxygenation and enhanced treatment efficacy as indicated by the notable reduction in tumor size. Tranilast further normalized the immune TME by restoring the infiltration of T cells and increasing the fraction of T cells that migrate away from immunosuppressive cancer-associated fibroblasts. Furthermore, we found that combining tranilast with Doxil nanomedicine, significantly improved immunostimulatory M1 macrophage content in the tumorigenic tissue and improved the efficacy of the immune checkpoint blocking antibodies anti-PD-1/anti-CTLA-4. Conclusion: Combinatorial treatment of tranilast with Doxil optimizes TME normalization, improves immunostimulation and enhances the efficacy of immunotherapy.

Dataset Information

Inhibition of TGF-?-receptor signaling augments the antitumor function of ROR1-specific CAR T-cells against triple-negative breast cancer.

Publications

<b>Inhibition of TGF-</b>β-<b>receptor signaling augments the antitumor function of ROR1-specific CAR T-cells against triple-negative breast cancer</b>.

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