Ayass Mohamad Ammar, Tripathi Trivendra, Griko Natalya, Okyay Tutku, Ramankutty Nair Ramya, Zhang Jin, Zhu Kevin, Melendez Kristen, Pashkov Victor, Abi-Mosleh Lina
Ayass Bioscience LLC, 8501 Wade Blvd, Bld 9, Frisco, TX 75034, USA.
Cancers (Basel). 2024 Mar 4;16(5):1041. doi: 10.3390/cancers16051041.
Recent strides in immunotherapy have illuminated the crucial role of CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 pathways in contemporary oncology, presenting both promises and challenges in response rates and adverse effects. This study employs a computational biology tool (in silico approach) to craft aptamers capable of binding to dual receptors, namely, inhibitory CTLA4 and NKG2A, thereby unleashing both T and NK cells and enhancing CD8 T and NK cell functions for tumor cell lysis. Computational analysis highlighted AYA22T-R2-13 with HADDOCK scores of -78.2 ± 10.2 (with CTLA4), -60.0 ± 4.2 (with NKG2A), and -77.5 ± 5.6 (with CD94/NKG2A). Confirmation of aptamer binding to targeted proteins was attained via ELISA and flow cytometry methods. In vitro biological functionality was assessed using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) cytotoxicity assay. Direct and competitive assays using ELISA and flow cytometry demonstrated the selective binding of AYA22T-R2-13 to CTLA4 and NKG2A proteins, as well as to the cell surface receptors of IL-2-stimulated T cells and NK cells. This binding was inhibited in the presence of competition from CTLA4 or NKG2A proteins. Remarkably, the blockade of CTLA4 or NKG2A by AYA22T-R2-13 augmented human CD8 T cell- and NK cell-mediated tumor cell lysis in vitro. Our findings highlight the precise binding specificity of AYA22T-R2-13 for CTLA4-B7-1/B7-2 (CD80/CD86) or CD94/NKG2A-HLA-E interactions, positioning it as a valuable tool for immune checkpoint blockade aptamer research in murine tumor models. These in vitro studies establish a promising foundation for further enhancing binding capacity and establishing efficacy and safety in animal models. Consequently, our results underscore the potential of AYA22T-R2-13 in cancer immunotherapy, offering high specificity, low toxicity, and the potential for cost-effective production.
免疫疗法的最新进展揭示了CTLA-4和PD-1/PD-L1通路在当代肿瘤学中的关键作用,在缓解率和不良反应方面既带来了希望,也带来了挑战。本研究采用一种计算生物学工具(计算机模拟方法)来设计能够结合双重受体的适体,即抑制性CTLA4和NKG2A,从而释放T细胞和NK细胞,并增强CD8 T细胞和NK细胞对肿瘤细胞的裂解功能。计算分析突出显示AYA22T-R2-13与CTLA4的HADDOCK评分为-78.2±10.2,与NKG2A的评分为-60.0±4.2,与CD94/NKG2A的评分为-77.5±5.6。通过ELISA和流式细胞术方法证实了适体与靶向蛋白的结合。使用乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)细胞毒性试验评估体外生物学功能。使用ELISA和流式细胞术的直接和竞争性试验证明AYA22T-R2-13对CTLA4和NKG2A蛋白以及对IL-2刺激的T细胞和NK细胞的细胞表面受体具有选择性结合。在存在CTLA4或NKG2A蛋白竞争的情况下,这种结合受到抑制。值得注意的是,AYA22T-R2-1阻断CTLA4或NKG2A增强了体外人CD8 T细胞和NK细胞介导的肿瘤细胞裂解。我们的研究结果突出了AYA22T-R2-13对CTLA4-B7-1/B7-2(CD80/CD86)或CD94/NKG2A-HLA-E相互作用的精确结合特异性,使其成为小鼠肿瘤模型中免疫检查点阻断适体研究的有价值工具。这些体外研究为进一步提高结合能力以及在动物模型中确定疗效和安全性奠定了有前景的基础。因此,我们的结果强调了AYA22T-R2-13在癌症免疫治疗中的潜力,具有高特异性、低毒性以及成本效益高的生产潜力。