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2B4 (CD244) Signaling by Recombinant Antigen-specific Chimeric Receptors Costimulates Natural Killer Cell Activation to Leukemia and Neuroblastoma Cells

2009; American Association for Cancer Research; Volume: 15; Issue: 15 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-08-2810

1557-3265

Bianca Altvater, Silke Landmeier, Sibylle Pscherer, Jaane Temme, Katharina Schweer, Sareetha Kailayangiri, Dario Campana, Heribert Juergens, Martin Pulé, Claudia Rössig,

T-cell and B-cell Immunology

Abstract Purpose: Novel natural killer (NK) cell–directed strategies in cancer immunotherapy aim at specifically modulating the balance between NK cell receptor signals toward tumor-specific activation. The signaling lymphocyte activation molecule–related receptor 2B4 (CD244) is an important regulator of NK cell activation. We investigated whether 2B4-enhanced activation signals can redirect the cytolytic function of human NK cells to NK cell–resistant and autologous leukemia and tumor targets. Experimental Design: In vitro–stimulated NK cells from healthy donors and pediatric leukemia patients were gene modified with CD19 or GD2-specific chimeric receptors containing either the T-cell receptor ζ or 2B4 endodomain alone or combined. Results: Chimeric 2B4 signaling alone failed to induce interleukin-2 receptor up-regulation and cytokine secretion but triggered a specific degranulation response. Integration of the 2B4 endodomain into T-cell receptor ζ chimeric receptors significantly enhanced all aspects of the NK cell activation response to antigen-expressing leukemia or neuroblastoma cells, including CD25 up-regulation, secretion of IFN-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α, release of cytolytic granules, and growth inhibition, and overcame NK cell resistance of autologous leukemia cells while maintaining antigen specificity. Conclusion: These data indicate that the 2B4 receptor has a potent costimulatory effect in NK cells. Antigen-specific 2B4ζ-expressing NK cells may be a powerful new tool for adoptive immunotherapy of leukemia and other malignancies.