Background Recently, therapeutic antibodies against programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) have exerted potent anticancer effect in a variety of tumors. However, blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 axis alone is not sufficient to restore normal immune response. Other negative regulators of antitumor immunity, like TGF-beta and VEGFA, are also involved in immune escape of tumor cells and induce immunotherapy resistance. Methods We developed a novel anti-TGF-beta/VEGF bispecific antibody Y332D based on the Nano-YBODYT technology platform. The CCK-8, flow cytometry, SBE4 luciferase reporter assay, western blotting and transwell assays were used to measure the biological activities of the anti-TGF-beta moiety. The NFAT luciferase reporter assay, luminescent cell viability assay and tube formation assay were used to measure the biological activities of the anti-VEGF moiety. The in vivo anticancer efficacy of Y332D alone or in combination with PD-1 blockade was evaluated in H22, EMT-6, 4T1, and AKT/Ras- driven murine hepatocellular carcinoma tumor models. Immunofluorescent staining, flow cytometry, RNA-seq and quantitative RT-PCR were adopted to analyze the alterations in the tumor microenvironment. Results Y332D could maintain specific binding affinities for TGF-beta and VEGFA. Y332D almost entirely counteracted the in vitro biological functions of TGF-beta and VEGFA, including immunosuppression, activated TGF-beta signaling, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), activated VEGF/VEGFR signaling, HUVEC proliferation and tube formation. The in vivo experiment data demonstrated that Y332D was more effective in inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis than anti-TGF-beta and anti-VEGF monotherapies. In combination therapies, Y332D plus PD-1 blockade exhibited the most potent and durable anticancer effect. Mechanistically, Y332D plus PD-1 blockade upregulated the density and function of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and exerted reinvigorated antitumor immunity. Conclusion Y332D could simultaneously block TGF-beta and VEGF signalings. In comparison with the monotherapies, Y332D combined with PD-1 blockade exerts superior antitumor effect through improving immune microenvironment.
基金:
National Natural Science Foundation of China [82272794, 82073370, 62131009]; China Postdoctoral Science Foundation [2022M722766]
第一作者单位:[1]Huazhong Univ Sci & Technol, Tongji Hosp, Dept Oncol, Tongji Med Coll, Wuhan 430030, Peoples R China
通讯作者:
通讯机构:[1]Huazhong Univ Sci & Technol, Tongji Hosp, Dept Oncol, Tongji Med Coll, Wuhan 430030, Peoples R China[5]Shanxi Med Univ, Shanxi Bethune Hosp, Tongji Shanxi Hosp, Hosp 3,Shanxi Acad Med Sci,Canc Ctr, Taiyuan 030032, Peoples R China[6]Huazhong Univ Sci & Technol, Tongji Med Coll, Canc Ctr, Tongji Hosp, Wuhan 430030, Peoples R China
推荐引用方式(GB/T 7714):
Niu Mengke,Yi Ming,Wu Yuze,et al.Synergistic efficacy of simultaneous anti-TGF-beta/VEGF bispecific antibody and PD-1 blockade in cancer therapy[J].JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY & ONCOLOGY.2023,16(1):doi:10.1186/s13045-023-01487-5.
APA:
Niu, Mengke,Yi, Ming,Wu, Yuze,Lyu, Lijuan,He, Qing...&Wu, Kongming.(2023).Synergistic efficacy of simultaneous anti-TGF-beta/VEGF bispecific antibody and PD-1 blockade in cancer therapy.JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY & ONCOLOGY,16,(1)
MLA:
Niu, Mengke,et al."Synergistic efficacy of simultaneous anti-TGF-beta/VEGF bispecific antibody and PD-1 blockade in cancer therapy".JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY & ONCOLOGY 16..1(2023)