Monoclonal TCR-redirected tumor cell killing

Nat Med. 2012 Jun;18(6):980-7. doi: 10.1038/nm.2764.

Abstract

T cell immunity can potentially eradicate malignant cells and lead to clinical remission in a minority of patients with cancer. In the majority of these individuals, however, there is a failure of the specific T cell receptor (TCR)–mediated immune recognition and activation process. Here we describe the engineering and characterization of new reagents termed immune-mobilizing monoclonal TCRs against cancer (ImmTACs). Four such ImmTACs, each comprising a distinct tumor-associated epitope-specific monoclonal TCR with picomolar affinity fused to a humanized cluster of differentiation 3 (CD3)-specific single-chain antibody fragment (scFv), effectively redirected T cells to kill cancer cells expressing extremely low surface epitope densities. Furthermore, these reagents potently suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Thus, ImmTACs overcome immune tolerance to cancer and represent a new approach to tumor immunotherapy.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic*
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Memory
  • Immunotherapy
  • Interferon-gamma / biosynthesis
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Mice
  • Mice, SCID
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / immunology
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / therapy*
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / physiology*

Substances

  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • Interferon-gamma