Allogeneic Human Double Negative T Cells as a Novel Immunotherapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Its Underlying Mechanisms

Clin Cancer Res. 2018 Jan 15;24(2):370-382. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-17-2228. Epub 2017 Oct 26.

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the potential of ex vivo expanded healthy donor-derived allogeneic CD4 and CD8 double-negative cells (DNT) as a novel cellular immunotherapy for leukemia patients.Experimental Design: Clinical-grade DNTs from peripheral blood of healthy donors were expanded and their antileukemic activity and safety were examined using flow cytometry-based in vitro killing assays and xenograft models against AML patient blasts and healthy donor-derived hematopoietic cells. Mechanism of action was investigated using antibody-mediated blocking assays and recombinant protein treatment assays.Results: Expanded DNTs from healthy donors target a majority (36/46) of primary AML cells, including 9 chemotherapy-resistant patient samples in vitro, and significantly reduce the leukemia load in patient-derived xenograft models in a DNT donor-unrestricted manner. Importantly, allogeneic DNTs do not attack normal hematopoietic cells or affect hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell engraftment and differentiation, or cause xenogeneic GVHD in recipients. Mechanistically, DNTs express high levels of NKG2D and DNAM-1 that bind to cognate ligands preferentially expressed on AML cells. Upon recognition of AML cells, DNTs rapidly release IFNγ, which further increases NKG2D and DNAM-1 ligands' expression on AML cells. IFNγ pretreatment enhances the susceptibility of AML cells to DNT-mediated cytotoxicity, including primary AML samples that are otherwise resistant to DNTs, and the effect of IFNγ treatment is abrogated by NKG2D and DNAM-1-blocking antibodies.Conclusions: This study supports healthy donor-derived allogeneic DNTs as a therapy to treat patients with chemotherapy-resistant AML and also reveals interrelated roles of NKG2D, DNAM-1, and IFNγ in selective targeting of AML by DNTs. Clin Cancer Res; 24(2); 370-82. ©2017 AACR.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / metabolism
  • Biomarkers
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Graft vs Host Reaction / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive* / methods
  • Interferon-gamma / biosynthesis
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / immunology*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / metabolism
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / pathology
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / therapy*
  • Mice
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism
  • Transplantation, Homologous

Substances

  • Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte
  • Biomarkers
  • CD226 antigen
  • KLRK1 protein, human
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K
  • Interferon-gamma