Antibody-mediated targeting of the Orai1 calcium channel inhibits T cell function

PLoS One. 2013 Dec 23;8(12):e82944. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082944. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Despite the attractiveness of ion channels as therapeutic targets, there are no examples of monoclonal antibodies directed against ion channels in clinical development. Antibody-mediated inhibition of ion channels could offer a directed, specific therapeutic approach. To investigate the potential of inhibiting ion channel function with an antibody, we focused on Orai1, the pore subunit of the calcium channel responsible for store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) in T cells. Effector T cells are key drivers of autoimmune disease pathogenesis and calcium signaling is essential for T cell activation, proliferation, and cytokine production. We show here the generation of a specific anti-human Orai1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) against an extracellular loop of the plasma membrane-spanning protein. The anti-Orai1 mAb binds native Orai1 on lymphocytes and leads to cellular internalization of the channel. As a result, T cell proliferation, and cytokine production is inhibited in vitro. In vivo, anti-Orai1 mAb is efficacious in a human T cell-mediated graft-versus host disease (GvHD) mouse model. This study demonstrates the feasibility of antibody-mediated inhibition of Orai1 function and, more broadly, reveals the possibility of targeting ion channels with biologics for the treatment of autoimmunity and other diseases.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / biosynthesis
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / isolation & purification
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / pharmacology*
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / isolation & purification
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / metabolism
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / pharmacology*
  • Calcium Channels / genetics*
  • Calcium Channels / immunology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • Graft vs Host Disease / immunology
  • Graft vs Host Disease / metabolism
  • Graft vs Host Disease / pathology
  • Graft vs Host Disease / prevention & control*
  • Humans
  • Hybridomas / immunology
  • Ion Transport
  • Jurkat Cells
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / cytology
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / drug effects*
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / immunology
  • Mice
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • ORAI1 Protein
  • Primary Cell Culture

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Calcium Channels
  • ORAI1 Protein
  • ORAI1 protein, human
  • Calcium

Grants and funding

All authors are current employees or collaborators of Novo Nordisk and have no additional conflicting financial interests. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.