Retargeting NK-92 for anti-melanoma activity by a TCR-like single-domain antibody

Immunol Cell Biol. 2013 Nov-Dec;91(10):615-24. doi: 10.1038/icb.2013.45. Epub 2013 Oct 8.

Abstract

The efficacy of immunotherapy based on natural killer (NK) cells is hampered by intrinsic non-specific cytotoxicity and insufficient activation of NK cells. Here, we confer the T-cell receptor-like (TCR-like) specificity on NK cells, taking advantage of both the innate and adaptive immune arms of the immune response to generate enhanced anti-melanoma activity. The TCR-like antibody (Ab) GPA7 was selected against melanoma-associated gp100/human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2 complex and then fused to intracellular domain of CD3-ζ chain. This fusion construct was incorporated into NK-92MI cell line and expressed as a chimeric antigen receptor on the surface of the cell. The anti-tumour activity of the transgenic NK-92MI-GPA7-ζ cell line was assessed against melanoma in vitro and in vivo. The engineered NK-92MI-GPA7-ζ cells could recognize melanoma cells in the context of HLA-A2 and showed enhanced killing of both melanoma cell lines and primary melanoma. Furthermore, adoptively transferred NK-92MI-GPA7-ζ cells significantly suppressed the growth of human melanoma in a xenograft model in mice. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the TCR-like Ab, GPA7, could redirect NK cells to target the intracellular antigen gp100 and enhance anti-melanoma activity, providing a promising immunotherapeutic strategy to prevent and treat melanoma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibody Specificity / immunology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
  • Humans
  • Melanoma / immunology*
  • Melanoma / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred NOD
  • Mice, SCID
  • Protein Multimerization
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / immunology*
  • Single-Domain Antibodies / immunology*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • Single-Domain Antibodies