Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
Canonical α/β T-cell receptors (TCRs) bind to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) displaying antigenic peptides to elicit T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. TCR-engineered T-cell immunotherapies targeting cancer-specific peptide-HLA complexes (pHLA) are generating exciting clinical responses, but owing to HLA restriction they are only able to target a subset of antigen-positive patients. More recently, evidence has been published indicating that naturally occurring α/β TCRs can target cell surface proteins other than pHLA, which would address the challenges of HLA restriction. In this proof-of-concept study, we sought to identify and engineer so-called HLA-independent TCRs (HiTs) against the tumor-associated antigen mesothelin.Methods
Using phage display, we identified a HiT that bound well to mesothelin, which when expressed in primary T cells, caused activation and cytotoxicity. We subsequently engineered this HiT to modulate the T-cell response to varying levels of mesothelin on the cell surface.Results
The isolated HiT shows cytotoxic activity and demonstrates killing of both mesothelin-expressing cell lines and patient-derived xenograft models. Additionally, we demonstrated that HiT-transduced T cells do not require CD4 or CD8 co-receptors and, unlike a TCR fusion construct, are not inhibited by soluble mesothelin. Finally, we showed that HiT-transduced T cells are highly efficacious in vivo, completely eradicating xenografted human solid tumors.Conclusion
HiTs can be isolated from fully human TCR-displaying phage libraries against cell surface-expressed antigens. HiTs are able to fully activate primary T cells both in vivo and in vitro. HiTs may enable the efficacy seen with pHLA-targeting TCRs in solid tumors to be translated to cell surface antigens.
SUBMITTER: Hiscox MJ
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10994368 | biostudies-literature | 2024
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Hiscox Martyn J MJ Wasmuth Alexandra A Williams Chris L CL Foot Jaelle N JN Wiedermann Guy E GE Fadda Valeria V Boiani Sara S Cornforth Terri V TV Wikiert Karolina A KA Bruton Shaun S Cartwright Neil N Anderson Victoria Elizabeth VE Barnes Christopher S CS Vieira Joao V JV Birch-Machin Ian I Gerry Andrew B AB Miller Karen K Pumphrey Nicholas J NJ
PloS one 20240404 4
<h4>Background</h4>Canonical α/β T-cell receptors (TCRs) bind to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) displaying antigenic peptides to elicit T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. TCR-engineered T-cell immunotherapies targeting cancer-specific peptide-HLA complexes (pHLA) are generating exciting clinical responses, but owing to HLA restriction they are only able to target a subset of antigen-positive patients. More recently, evidence has been published indicating that naturally occurring α/β TCRs can target ce ...[more]