1. Academic Validation
  2. The IAP antagonist birinapant enhances chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy for glioblastoma by overcoming antigen heterogeneity

The IAP antagonist birinapant enhances chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy for glioblastoma by overcoming antigen heterogeneity

  • Mol Ther Oncolytics. 2022 Nov 15;27:288-304. doi: 10.1016/j.omto.2022.11.004.
Edward Z Song 1 2 3 Xin Wang 3 4 Benjamin I Philipson 1 2 Qian Zhang 1 2 Radhika Thokala 1 2 3 Logan Zhang 2 3 5 Charles-Antoine Assenmacher 6 Zev A Binder 2 3 5 Guo-Li Ming 3 4 7 8 9 Donald M O'Rourke 2 3 5 Hongjun Song 3 4 7 8 10 Michael C Milone 1 2 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, PCAM SPE 8-101, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
  • 2 Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, PCAM SPE 8-101, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
  • 3 Glioblastoma Translational Center of Excellence, Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, PCAM SPE 8-101, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
  • 4 Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
  • 5 Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
  • 6 Comparative Pathology Core, Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
  • 7 Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
  • 8 Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
  • 9 Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
  • 10 The Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Abstract

Antigen heterogeneity that results in tumor antigenic escape is one of the major obstacles to successful chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies in solid tumors including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). To address this issue and improve the efficacy of CAR T cell therapy for GBM, we developed an approach that combines CAR T cells with inhibitor of Apoptosis protein (IAP) antagonists, a new class of small molecules that mediate the degradation of IAPs, to treat GBM. Here, we demonstrated that the IAP antagonist birinapant could sensitize GBM cell lines and patient-derived primary GBM organoids to Apoptosis induced by CAR T cell-derived cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor. Therefore, birinapant could enhance CAR T cell-mediated bystander death of antigen-negative GBM cells, thus preventing tumor antigenic escape in antigen-heterogeneous tumor models in vitro and in vivo. In addition, birinapant could promote the activation of NF-κB signaling pathways in antigen-stimulated CAR T cells, and with a birinapant-resistant tumor model we showed that birinapant had no deleterious effect on CAR T cell functions in vitro and in vivo. Overall, we demonstrated the potential of combining the IAP antagonist birinapant with CAR T cells as a novel and feasible approach to overcoming tumor antigen heterogeneity and enhancing CAR T cell therapy for GBM.

Keywords

CAR T cell; IAP antagonist; antigen heterogeneity; birinapant; glioblastoma.

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