The biological activity of bispecific trastuzumab/pertuzumab plant biosimilars may be drastically boosted by disulfiram increasing formaldehyde accumulation in cancer cells

Sci Rep. 2019 Nov 7;9(1):16168. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-52507-9.

Abstract

Studies of breast cancer therapy have examined the improvement of bispecific trastuzumab/pertuzumab antibodies interacting simultaneously with two different epitopes of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Here, we describe the creation and production of plant-made bispecific antibodies based on trastuzumab and pertuzumab plant biosimilars (bi-TPB-PPB). Using surface plasmon resonance analysis of bi-TPB-PPB antibodies binding with the HER2 extracellular domain, we showed that the obtained Kd values were within the limits accepted for modified trastuzumab and pertuzumab. Despite the ability of bi-TPB-PPB antibodies to bind to Fcγ receptor IIIa and HER2 oncoprotein on the cell surface, a proliferation inhibition assay did not reveal any effect until α1,3-fucose and β1,2-xylose in the Asn297-linked glycan were removed. Another approach to activating bi-TPB-PPB may be associated with the use of disulfiram (DSF) a known aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) inhibitor. We found that disulfiram is capable of killing breast cancer cells with simultaneous formaldehyde accumulation. Furthermore, we investigated the capacity of DSF to act as an adjuvant for bi-TPB-PPB antibodies. Although the content of ALDH2 mRNA was decreased after BT-474 cell treatment with antibodies, we only observed cell proliferation inhibiting activity of bi-TPB-PPB in the presence of disulfiram. We concluded that disulfiram can serve as a booster and adjuvant for anticancer immunotherapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized* / chemistry
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized* / pharmacology
  • Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals* / chemistry
  • Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals* / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects*
  • Disulfiram* / chemistry
  • Disulfiram* / pharmacology
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Formaldehyde / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy*
  • Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Trastuzumab* / chemistry
  • Trastuzumab* / pharmacology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals
  • Formaldehyde
  • pertuzumab
  • Trastuzumab
  • Disulfiram