title: Masked Chimeric Antigen Receptor for Tumor-Specific Activation.
abstract: Adoptive cellular therapy based on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T (CAR-T) cells is a powerful form of cancer immunotherapy. CAR-T cells can be redirected to specifically recognize tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) and induce high levels of antitumor activity. However, they may also display "on-target off-tumor" toxicities, resulting from low-level expression of TAAs in healthy tissues. These adverse effects have raised considerable safety concerns and limited the clinical application of this otherwise promising therapeutic modality. To minimize such side effects, we have designed an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-specific masked CAR (mCAR), which consists of a masking peptide that blocks the antigen-binding site and a protease-sensitive linker. Proteases commonly active in the tumor microenvironment can cleave the linker and disengage the masking peptide, thereby enabling CAR-T cells to recognize target antigens only at the tumor site. In vitro mCAR showed dramatically reduced antigen binding and antigen-specific activation in the absence of proteases, but normal levels of binding and activity upon treatment with certain proteases. Masked CAR-T cells also showed antitumor efficacy in vivo comparable to that of unmasked CAR. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of improving the safety profile of conventional CARs and may also inspire future design of CAR molecules targeting broadly expressed TAAs.
authors.affiliation: Genetic, Molecular & Cellular Biology Program, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaolu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Bryson
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
authors.forename: Yifan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
authors.forename: Gunce E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Cinay
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
authors.forename: Si
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
authors.forename: Yunfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
authors.forename: Natnaree
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Siriwon
authors.affiliation: Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA. Electronic address: pinwang@usc.edu.
authors.forename: Pin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D023061:Gene Order; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000276:immunology; D059748:Proteolysis; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D016207:Cytokines; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins