Search bioRxiv⌕ Search

Biology subjects

Knorr, D. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Knorr, D. A..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

The Antitumor Activities of Anti-CD47 Antibodies Require Fc-FcγR interactions

While anti-CD47 antibodies hold promise for cancer immunotherapy, early phase clinical trials have shown limited signs of clinical benefit, suggesting that blockade of CD47 alone may not be sufficient for effective tumor control. Here, we investigate the contributions of the Fc domain of anti-CD47 antibodies required for optimal in vivo antitumor activity across multiple species-matched models, providing new insights into the mechanisms underlying the efficacy of this emerging class of therapeutic antibodies. Using a novel mouse model humanized for CD47, SIRP and Fc{gamma}Rs, we demonstrate that local administration of an Fc-engineered anti-CD47 antibody with enhanced binding to activating Fc{gamma}Rs modulates myeloid and T-cell subsets in the tumor microenvironment, resulting in improved long-term systemic antitumor immunity and minimal on-target off-tumor toxicity. Our results highlight the importance of Fc optimization in the development of effective anti-CD47 therapies and provide a novel approach for enhancing the antitumor activity of this promising immunotherapy. Highlights- Engagement of activating Fc{gamma}Rs augments the in vivo antitumor activity of CD47 blocking antibodies - Humanized mice for CD47, SIRP and Fc{gamma}Rs allow assessment of hFc{gamma}Rs contribution to the activity of anti-hCD47 Abs - Fc-optimized anti-hCD47 ab promotes systemic antitumor immunity with abscopal effect and minimal on-target toxicity Graphical Abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=158 SRC="FIGDIR/small/547082v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (29K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1c25202org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@960e84org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1930edforg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1b58fcd_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

immunology↗

FcyRIIB is a novel immune checkpoint in the tumor microenvironment limiting activity of Treg-targeting antibodies

Despite pre-clinical murine data supporting T regulatory (Treg) cell depletion as a major mechanism by which anti-CTLA-4 antibodies function in vivo, the two main antibodies tested in patients (ipilimumab and tremelimumab) have failed to demonstrate similar effects. We report analogous findings in an immunocompetent murine model humanized for CTLA-4 and Fcy receptors (hCTLA-4/hFcyR mice), where both ipilimumab and tremelimumab fail to show appreciable Treg depletion. Immune profiling of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in both mice and human samples revealed upregulation of the inhibitory Fcy receptor, FcyRIIB, which limits the ability of the antibody Fc fragment of human anti-CTLA-4 antibodies to induce effective antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicty/phagocytosis (ADCC/ADCP). Blocking FcyRIIB in humanized mice rescues Treg depleting capacity and anti-tumor activity of ipilimumab. For another target, CC motif chemokine receptor 8 (CCR8), which is selectively expressed on tumor infiltrating Tregs, we show that Fc engineering to enhance binding to activating Fc receptors, while limiting binding to the inhibitory Fc receptor, leads to consistent Treg depletion and single-agent activity across multiple tumor models, including B16, MC38 and MB49. These data reveal the importance of reducing engagement to the inhibitory Fc receptor to optimize Treg depletion by TME targeting antibodies. Our results define the inhibitory FcyRIIB receptor as a novel immune checkpoint limiting antibody-mediated Treg depletion in tumors, and demonstrate Fc variant engineering as a means to overcome this limitation and augment efficacy for a repertoire of antibodies currently in use or under clinical evaluation in oncology. Highlights- Fully human anti-CTLA-4 antibodies are limited in their capacity to deplete T regulatory cells and drive durable anti-tumor immunity in humanized FcyR/hCTLA-4 mice - The inhibitory Fcy receptor, FcyRIIB, is upregulated in the tumor microenvironment in patients and in humanized FcyR/hCTLA-4 mice - Blocking FcyRIIB leads to rescue of Treg depletion in humanized murine models - Fc engineering can improve the depleting capacity and in vivo anti-tumor activity of anti-CTLA and anti-CCR8 antibodies targeting tumor infiltrating Tregs

immunology↗