Sustained activation and tumor targeting of iNKT cells via a CD1d-anti-HER2 scFV fusion protein

K Stirnemann, JF Romero, L Baldi, B Robert, V Cesson, Gurdyal Besra, M Zauderer, F Wurm, G Corradin, J-P Mach, HR MacDonald, A Donda

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

56 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Invariant NKT (iNKT) cells are potent activators of DCs, NK cells, and T cells, and their antitumor activity has been well demonstrated. A single injection of the high-affinity CD1d ligand alpha-galactosylceramide (alphaGalCer) leads to short-lived iNKT cell activation followed, however, by long-term anergy, limiting its therapeutic use. In contrast, we demonstrated here that when alphaGalCer was loaded on a recombinant soluble CD1d molecule (alphaGalCer/sCD1d), repeated injections led to sustained iNKT and NK cell activation associated with IFN-gamma secretion as well as DC maturation in mice. Most importantly, when alphaGalCer/sCD1d was fused to a HER2-specific scFv antibody fragment, potent inhibition of experimental lung metastasis and established s.c. tumors was obtained when systemic treatment was started 2-7 days after the injection of HER2-expressing B16 melanoma cells. In contrast, administration of free alphaGalCer at this time had no effect. The antitumor activity of the CD1d-anti-HER2 fusion protein was associated with HER2-specific tumor localization and accumulation of iNKT, NK, and T cells at the tumor site. Targeting iNKT cells to the tumor site thus may activate a combined innate and adaptive immune response that may prove to be effective in cancer immunotherapy.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)994-1005
Number of pages12
JournalJ. Clin. Invest
Volume118
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2008

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