Harnessing the cytotoxic granule exocytosis to augment the efficacy of T-cell-engaging bispecific antibody therapy

Autor: Mika Casey, Carol Lee, Sharon M. Hoyte, Rebecca L. Johnston, Wing Yu Kwok, Soi Cheng Law, Maher K Gandhi, Simon J Harrison, Kyohei Nakamura
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Haematologica, Vol 999, Iss 1 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 0390-6078
1592-8721
DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2023.284435
Popis: T-cell-engaging bispecific antibody (T-BsAb, also known as BiTE) therapy has emerged as a powerful therapeutic modality against multiple myeloma. Given that T-BsAb therapy redirects endogenous T cells to eliminate tumor cells, reinvigorating dysfunctional T cells may be a potential approach to improve the efficacy of T-BsAb. While various immunostimulatory cytokines can potentiate effector T-cell functions, the optimal cytokine treatment for T-BsAb therapy is yet to be established, partly due to a concern of cytokine release syndrome driven by aberrant interferon (IFN)-γ production. Here, we functionally screen immunostimulatory cytokines to determine an ideal combination partner for T-BsAb therapy. This approach reveals IL-21 as a potential immunostimulatory cytokine with the ability to augment T-BsAb-mediated release of granzyme B and perforin, without increasing IFN-γ release. Transcriptome profiling and functional characterization strongly support that IL-21 selectively targets the cytotoxic granule exocytosis pathway, but not pro-inflammatory responses. Notably, IL-21 modulates multiple steps of cytotoxic effector functions including upregulation of co-activating CD226 receptor, increasing cytotoxic granules, and promoting cytotoxic granule delivery at the immunological synapse. Indeed, T-BsAb-mediated myeloma-killing is cytotoxic granule-dependent, and IL-21 priming significantly augments cytotoxic activities. Furthermore, in vivo IL-21 treatment induces cytotoxic effector reprogramming in bone marrow T cells, showing synergistic anti-myeloma effects in combination with T-BsAb therapy. Together, harnessing the cytotoxic granule exocytosis pathway by IL-21 may be a potential approach to achieve better responses by T-BsAb therapy.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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