Anthony Tanoto Tan1, Ninghan Yang2, Thinesh Lee Krishnamoorthy3, Vincent Oei1, Alicia Chua4, Xinyuan Zhao4, Hui Si Tan4, Adeline Chia1, Nina Le Bert1, Diana Low5, Hiang Keat Tan3, Rajneesh Kumar3, Farah Gillan Irani6, Zi Zong Ho4, Qi Zhang7, Ernesto Guccione5, Lu-En Wai8, Sarene Koh8, William Hwang9, Wan Cheng Chow3, Antonio Bertoletti10. 1. Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore. 2. Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Singapore. 3. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore. 4. Lion TCR Pte Ltd, Singapore. 5. Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Singapore. 6. Department of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore. 7. Department of Biotherapy, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guandong, China. 8. Lion TCR Pte Ltd, Singapore; Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Singapore. 9. Department of Haematology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore. 10. Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore; Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Singapore. Electronic address: antonio@duke-nus.edu.sg.
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Cells of most HBV-related HCCs contain HBV-DNA fragments that do not encode entire HBV antigens. We investigated whether these integrated HBV-DNA fragments encode epitopes that are recognized by T cells and whether their presence in HCCs can be used to select HBV-specific T-cell receptors (TCRs) for immunotherapy. METHODS: HCC cells negative for HBV antigens, based on immunohistochemistry, were analyzed for the presence of HBV messenger RNAs (mRNAs) by real-time polymerase chain reaction, sequencing, and Nanostring approaches. We tested the ability of HBV mRNA-positive HCC cells to generate epitopes that are recognized by T cells using HBV-specific T cells and TCR-like antibodies. We then analyzed HBV gene expression profiles of primary HCCs and metastases from 2 patients with HCC recurrence after liver transplantation. Using the HBV-transcript profiles, we selected, from a library of TCRs previously characterized from patients with self-limited HBV infection, the TCR specific for the HBV epitope encoded by the detected HBV mRNA. Autologous T cells were engineered to express the selected TCRs, through electroporation of mRNA into cells, and these TCR T cells were adoptively transferred to the patients in increasing numbers (1 × 104-10 × 106 TCR+ T cells/kg) weekly for 112 days or 1 year. We monitored patients' liver function, serum levels of cytokines, and standard blood parameters. Antitumor efficacy was assessed based on serum levels of alpha fetoprotein and computed tomography of metastases. RESULTS: HCC cells that did not express whole HBV antigens contained short HBV mRNAs, which encode epitopes that are recognized by and activate HBV-specific T cells. Autologous T cells engineered to express TCRs specific for epitopes expressed from HBV-DNA in patients' metastases were given to 2 patients without notable adverse events. The cells did not affect liver function over a 1-year period. In 1 patient, 5 of 6 pulmonary metastases decreased in volume during the 1-year period of T-cell administration. CONCLUSIONS: HCC cells contain short segments of integrated HBV-DNA that encodes epitopes that are recognized by and activate T cells. HBV transcriptomes of these cells could be used to engineer T cells for personalized immunotherapy. This approach might be used to treat a wider population of patients with HBV-associated HCC.
BACKGROUND & AIMS:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Cells of most HBV-related HCCs contain HBV-DNA fragments that do not encode entire HBV antigens. We investigated whether these integrated HBV-DNA fragments encode epitopes that are recognized by T cells and whether their presence in HCCs can be used to select HBV-specific T-cell receptors (TCRs) for immunotherapy. METHODS: HCC cells negative for HBV antigens, based on immunohistochemistry, were analyzed for the presence of HBV messenger RNAs (mRNAs) by real-time polymerase chain reaction, sequencing, and Nanostring approaches. We tested the ability of HBV mRNA-positive HCC cells to generate epitopes that are recognized by T cells using HBV-specific T cells and TCR-like antibodies. We then analyzed HBV gene expression profiles of primary HCCs and metastases from 2 patients with HCC recurrence after liver transplantation. Using the HBV-transcript profiles, we selected, from a library of TCRs previously characterized from patients with self-limited HBV infection, the TCR specific for the HBV epitope encoded by the detected HBV mRNA. Autologous T cells were engineered to express the selected TCRs, through electroporation of mRNA into cells, and these TCR T cells were adoptively transferred to the patients in increasing numbers (1 × 104-10 × 106 TCR+ T cells/kg) weekly for 112 days or 1 year. We monitored patients' liver function, serum levels of cytokines, and standard blood parameters. Antitumor efficacy was assessed based on serum levels of alpha fetoprotein and computed tomography of metastases. RESULTS: HCC cells that did not express whole HBV antigens contained short HBV mRNAs, which encode epitopes that are recognized by and activate HBV-specific T cells. Autologous T cells engineered to express TCRs specific for epitopes expressed from HBV-DNA in patients' metastases were given to 2 patients without notable adverse events. The cells did not affect liver function over a 1-year period. In 1 patient, 5 of 6 pulmonary metastases decreased in volume during the 1-year period of T-cell administration. CONCLUSIONS: HCC cells contain short segments of integrated HBV-DNA that encodes epitopes that are recognized by and activate T cells. HBV transcriptomes of these cells could be used to engineer T cells for personalized immunotherapy. This approach might be used to treat a wider population of patients with HBV-associated HCC.
Authors: Josep M Llovet; Florian Castet; Mathias Heikenwalder; Mala K Maini; Vincenzo Mazzaferro; David J Pinato; Eli Pikarsky; Andrew X Zhu; Richard S Finn Journal: Nat Rev Clin Oncol Date: 2021-11-11 Impact factor: 65.011
Authors: Katie Healy; Anna Pasetto; Michał J Sobkowiak; Chai Fen Soon; Markus Cornberg; Soo Aleman; Margaret Sällberg Chen Journal: Cells Date: 2020-06-16 Impact factor: 6.600