Inducible expression of interleukin-12 augments the efficacy of affinity-tuned chimeric antigen receptors in murine solid tumor models

Autor: Yanping Yang, Huan Yang, Yago Alcaina, Janusz Puc, Alyssa Birt, Yogindra Vedvyas, Michael Gallagher, Srinija Alla, Maria Cristina Riascos, Jaclyn E. McCloskey, Karrie Du, Juan Gonzalez-Valdivieso, Irene M. Min, Elisa de Stanchina, Matt Britz, Eric von Hofe, Moonsoo M. Jin
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Nature Communications, Vol 14, Iss 1, Pp 1-13 (2023)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2041-1723
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37646-y
Popis: Abstract The limited number of targetable tumor-specific antigens and the immunosuppressive nature of the microenvironment within solid malignancies represent major barriers to the success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies. Here, using epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) as a model antigen, we used alanine scanning of the complementarity-determining region to fine-tune CAR affinity. This allowed us to identify CARs that could spare primary epithelial cells while still effectively targeting EpCAMhigh tumors. Although affinity-tuned CARs showed suboptimal antitumor activity in vivo, we found that inducible secretion of interleukin-12 (IL-12), under the control of the NFAT promoter, can restore CAR activity to levels close to that of the parental CAR. This strategy was further validated with another affinity-tuned CAR specific for intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Only in affinity-tuned CAR-T cells was NFAT activity stringently controlled and restricted to tumors expressing the antigen of interest at high levels. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of specifically gearing CAR-T cells towards recognition of solid tumors by combining inducible IL-12 expression and affinity-tuned CAR.
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