Dataset Information

NKTR-255 is a polymer-conjugated IL-15 with unique mechanisms of action on T and natural killer cells.

ABSTRACT: NKTR-255 is a PEG conjugate of recombinant human IL-15 (rhIL-15) being examined as a potential cancer immunotherapeutic. Since IL-15 responses can be mediated by trans or cis presentation via IL-15Rα or soluble IL-15/IL-15Rα complexes, we investigated the role of IL-15Rα in driving NKTR-255 responses using defined naive and memory OVA-specific CD8+ T cells (OT-I) and NK cells in mice. NKTR-255 induced a 2.5- and 2.0-fold expansion of CD8+ T and NK cells, respectively, in WT mice. In adoptive transfer studies, proliferation of naive and memory WT OT-I T cells in response to NKTR-255 was not impaired in IL-15Rα-/- mice, suggesting trans presentation was not utilized by NKTR-255. Interestingly, naive IL-15Rα-/- OT-I cells had deficient responses to NKTR-255, while memory IL-15Rα-/- OT-I cell responses were partially impaired, suggesting that naive CD8+ T cells are more dependent on cis presentation of NKTR-255 than memory CD8+ T cells. In bone marrow chimera studies, IL-15Rα-/- and WT NK cells present in WT recipients had similar responses to NKTR-255, suggesting that cis presentation is not utilized by NK cells. NKTR-255 could form soluble complexes with IL-15Rα; binding to murine IL-15Rα generated superagonists that preferentially stimulated NK cells, showing that conversion to IL-15Rβ agonist biases the response toward NK cells. These findings highlight the ability of NKTR-255 to utilize IL-15Rα for cis presentation and act as an IL-15Rαβ agonist on CD8+ T cells.

SUBMITTER: Robinson TO

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8483758 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundNKTR-255 is a novel polyethylene glycol-conjugate of recombinant human interleukin-15 (rhIL-15), which was designed to retain all known receptor binding interactions of the IL-15 molecule. We explored the biologic and pharmacologic differences between endogenous IL-15 receptor α (IL-15Rα)-dependent (NKTR-255 and rhIL-15) and IL-15Rα-independent (precomplexed rhIL-15/IL-15Rα) cytokines.MethodsIn vitro pharmacological properties of rhIL-15, NKTR-255 and precomplex cytokines (rhIL-15/IL-15Rα and rhIL-15 N72D/IL-15Rα Fc) were investigated in receptor binding, signaling and cell function. In vivo pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic profile of the cytokines were evaluated in normal mice. Finally, immunomodulatory effect and antitumor activity were assessed in a Daudi lymphoma model.ResultsNKTR-255 and rhIL-15 exhibited similar in vitro properties in receptor affinity, signaling and leukocyte degranulation, which collectively differed from precomplexed cytokines. Notably, NKTR-255 and rhIL-15 stimulated greater granzyme B secretion in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells versus precomplexed cytokines. In vivo, NKTR-255 exhibited a PK profile with reduced clearance and a longer half-life relative to rhIL-15 and demonstrated prolonged IL-15R engagement in lymphocytes compared with only transient engagement observed for rhIL-15 and precomplexed rhIL-15 N72D/IL-15Rα Fc. As a consequent, NKTR-255 provided a durable and sustained proliferation and activation of natural killer (NK) and CD8+ T cells. Importantly, NKTR-255 is more effective than the precomplexed cytokine at inducing functionally competent, cytotoxic NK cells in the tumor microenvironment and the properties of NKTR-255 translated into superior antitumor activity in a B-cell lymphoma model versus the precomplexed cytokine.ConclusionsOur results show that the novel immunotherapeutic, NKTR-255, retains the full spectrum of IL-15 biology, but with improved PK properties, over rhIL-15. These findings support the ongoing phase 1 first-in-human trial (NCT04136756) of NKTR-255 in participants with relapsed or refractory hematologic malignancies, potentially advancing rhIL-15-based immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer.

Dataset Information

NKTR-255 is a polymer-conjugated IL-15 with unique mechanisms of action on T and natural killer cells.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets