An IL12-IL2-antibody fusion protein targeting Hodgkin's lymphoma cells potentiates activation of NK and T cells for an anti-tumor attack

PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e44482. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044482. Epub 2012 Sep 18.

Abstract

Successful immunotherapy of Hodgkin's disease is so far hampered by the striking unresponsiveness of lymphoma infiltrating immune cells. To mobilize both adoptive and innate immune cells for an anti-tumor attack we fused the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL2 and IL12 to an anti-CD30 scFv antibody in a dual cytokine fusion protein to accumulate both cytokines at the malignant CD30(+) Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg cells in the lymphoma lesion. The tumor-targeted IL12-IL2 fusion protein was superior in activating resting T cells to amplify and secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines compared to targeted IL2 or IL12 alone. NK cells were also activated by the dual cytokine protein to secrete IFN-γ and to lyse target cells. The tumor-targeted IL12-IL2, when applied by i.v. injection to immune-competent mice with established antigen-positive tumors, accumulated at the tumor site and induced tumor regression. Data demonstrate that simultaneous targeting of two cytokines in a spatial and temporal simultaneous fashion to pre-defined tissues is feasible by a dual-cytokine antibody fusion protein. In the case of IL12 and IL2, this produced superior anti-tumor efficacy implying the strategy to muster a broader immune cell response in the combat against cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Hodgkin Disease / immunology*
  • Hodgkin Disease / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-12 / genetics
  • Interleukin-12 / immunology*
  • Interleukin-12 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-2 / genetics
  • Interleukin-2 / immunology*
  • Interleukin-2 / metabolism
  • Ki-1 Antigen / immunology
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, SCID
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / immunology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Single-Chain Antibodies / genetics
  • Single-Chain Antibodies / immunology
  • Single-Chain Antibodies / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*

Substances

  • Interleukin-2
  • Ki-1 Antigen
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Single-Chain Antibodies
  • Interleukin-12

Grants and funding

The study was funded through the “Deutsche Krebshilfe”, Bonn, and the “Köln Fortune” program of the Medical Faculty University of Cologne. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.