title: Targeting of T lymphocytes to melanoma cells through chimeric anti-GD3 immunoglobulin T-cell receptors.
abstract: Immunoglobulin T-cell receptors (IgTCRs) combine the specificity of antibodies with the potency of cellular killing by grafting antibody recognition domains onto TCR signaling chains. IgTCR-modified T cells are thus redirected to kill tumor cells based on their expression of intact antigen on cell surfaces, bypassing the normal mechanism of activation through TCR-peptide-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) recognition. Melanoma is one of the most immunoresponsive of human cancers and has served as a prototype for the development of a number of immunotherapies. The target antigen for this study is the ganglioside GD3, which is highly expressed on metastatic melanoma with only minor immunologic cross-reaction with normal tissues. To determine an optimal configuration for therapy, four combinations of IgTCRs were prepared and studied: sFv-epsilon, sFv-zeta, Fab-epsilon, Fab-zeta. These were expressed on the surface of human T cells by retroviral transduction. IgTCR successfully redirected T-cell effectors in an MHC-unrestricted manner, in this case against a non-T-dependent antigen, with specific binding, activation, and cytotoxicity against GD3+ melanoma cells. Soluble GD3 in concentrations up to 100 microg/ml did not interfere with recognition and binding of membrane-bound antigen. Based on the outcomes of these structural and functional tests, the sFv-zeta construct was selected for clinical development. These results demonstrate key features that emphasize the potential of anti-GD3 IgTCR-modified autologous T cells for melanoma therapies.
authors.affiliation: Biotherapeutics Development Lab, Harvard Institute of Human Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: C O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Beecham
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Reisfeld
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Junghans
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D001665:Binding Sites; D002460:Cell Line; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000502:physiology*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000276:immunology*; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D007668:Kidney; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D005732:Gangliosides; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C061836:antigen T cell receptor, epsilon chain; C054979:antigen T cell receptor, zeta chain; C026226:ganglioside, GD3