Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07K—PEPTIDES
  • C07K14/00—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
  • C07K14/435—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans
  • C07K14/705—Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants
  • C07K14/71—Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants for growth factors; for growth regulators
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07K—PEPTIDES
  • C07K14/00—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
  • C07K14/435—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans
  • C07K14/705—Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants
  • C07K14/715—Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants for cytokines; for lymphokines; for interferons
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K40/00—Cellular immunotherapy
  • A61K40/10—Cellular immunotherapy characterised by the cell type used
  • A61K40/11—T-cells, e.g. tumour infiltrating lymphocytes [TIL] or regulatory T [Treg] cells; Lymphokine-activated killer [LAK] cells
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K40/00—Cellular immunotherapy
  • A61K40/30—Cellular immunotherapy characterised by the recombinant expression of specific molecules in the cells of the immune system
  • A61K40/31—Chimeric antigen receptors [CAR]
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K40/00—Cellular immunotherapy
  • A61K40/40—Cellular immunotherapy characterised by antigens that are targeted or presented by cells of the immune system
  • A61K40/41—Vertebrate antigens
  • A61K40/42—Cancer antigens
  • A61K40/4202—Receptors, cell surface antigens or cell surface determinants
  • A61K40/4203—Receptors for growth factors
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K40/00—Cellular immunotherapy
  • A61K40/40—Cellular immunotherapy characterised by antigens that are targeted or presented by cells of the immune system
  • A61K40/41—Vertebrate antigens
  • A61K40/42—Cancer antigens
  • A61K40/4202—Receptors, cell surface antigens or cell surface determinants
  • A61K40/4203—Receptors for growth factors
  • A61K40/4204—Epidermal growth factor receptors [EGFR]
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K40/00—Cellular immunotherapy
  • A61K40/40—Cellular immunotherapy characterised by antigens that are targeted or presented by cells of the immune system
  • A61K40/41—Vertebrate antigens
  • A61K40/42—Cancer antigens
  • A61K40/4202—Receptors, cell surface antigens or cell surface determinants
  • A61K40/4214—Receptors for cytokines
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P35/00—Antineoplastic agents
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P43/00—Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07K—PEPTIDES
  • C07K14/00—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
  • C07K14/435—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans
  • C07K14/705—Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants
  • C07K14/70503—Immunoglobulin superfamily
  • C07K14/7051—T-cell receptor (TcR)-CD3 complex
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07K—PEPTIDES
  • C07K16/00—Immunoglobulins [IG], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies
  • C07K16/18—Immunoglobulins [IG], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies against material from animals or humans
  • C07K16/22—Immunoglobulins [IG], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies against material from animals or humans against growth factors ; against growth regulators
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
  • C12N15/00—Mutation or genetic engineering; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification; Use of hosts therefor
  • C12N15/09—Recombinant DNA-technology
  • C12N15/63—Introduction of foreign genetic material using vectors; Vectors; Use of hosts therefor; Regulation of expression
  • C12N15/79—Vectors or expression systems specially adapted for eukaryotic hosts
  • C12N15/85—Vectors or expression systems specially adapted for eukaryotic hosts for animal cells
  • C12N15/86—Viral vectors
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
  • C12N5/00—Undifferentiated human, animal or plant cells, e.g. cell lines; Tissues; Cultivation or maintenance thereof; Culture media therefor
  • C12N5/06—Animal cells or tissues; Human cells or tissues
  • C12N5/0602—Vertebrate cells
  • C12N5/0634—Cells from the blood or the immune system
  • C12N5/0636—T lymphocytes
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07K—PEPTIDES
  • C07K2317/00—Immunoglobulins specific features
  • C07K2317/60—Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by non-natural combinations of immunoglobulin fragments
  • C07K2317/62—Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by non-natural combinations of immunoglobulin fragments comprising only variable region components
  • C07K2317/622—Single chain antibody (scFv)
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07K—PEPTIDES
  • C07K2319/00—Fusion polypeptide
  • C07K2319/01—Fusion polypeptide containing a localisation/targetting motif
  • C07K2319/03—Fusion polypeptide containing a localisation/targetting motif containing a transmembrane segment
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07K—PEPTIDES
  • C07K2319/00—Fusion polypeptide
  • C07K2319/70—Fusion polypeptide containing domain for protein-protein interaction
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
  • C12N2510/00—Genetically modified cells
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
  • C12N2740/00—Reverse transcribing RNA viruses
  • C12N2740/00011—Details
  • C12N2740/10011—Retroviridae
  • C12N2740/15011—Lentivirus, not HIV, e.g. FIV, SIV
  • C12N2740/15041—Use of virus, viral particle or viral elements as a vector
  • C12N2740/15043—Use of virus, viral particle or viral elements as a vector viral genome or elements thereof as genetic vector

Definitions

• the .txt file contains a sequence listing entitled “AT-030_03WO_SL.txt” created on August 27, 2020, and having a size of 576,780 bytes.
• the sequence listing contained in this .txt file is part of the specification and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
• BACKGROUND [0003] Adoptive transfer of immune cells (e.g. T-cells) genetically modified to recognize malignancy-associated antigens is showing promise as a new approach to treating cancer.
• T-cells can be genetically modified to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), which are fusion proteins comprised of an antigen recognition moiety and T-cell activation domains.
• CARs chimeric antigen receptors
• T-cell proliferation, cytotoxic potency and persistence is driven by signal transduction pathways.
• Conventional CAR designs provide two signals – CD3zeta activation (Signal 1) and co-stimulation (Signal 2, e.g. via 4-1BB, OX40, and/or CD28 expression).
• a third signal (Signal 3), cytokine-induced cytokine receptor signaling (e.g. cytokine support for immune potentiation), may be desirable.
• Approaches to provide Signal 3 have however been met with significant limitations.
• One approach to provide cytokine support includes combining CAR-T-cell therapy with systemic infusions of recombinant cytokines/cytokine mimetics, and engineering CAR- T-cells to secrete/express cytokines extracellularly.
• cytokines have pleiotropic effects and can also impact the function of other cell types
• the systemic administration or production of immune-potentiating cytokines by CAR-T-cells have at least two major drawbacks: (i) these approaches can cause systemic toxicity in humans, and (ii) in the context of allogeneic CAR- T-cell therapy, these approaches may cause bystander host immune-activation that could accelerate the rejection of allogeneic CAR-T-cells, thereby compromising therapeutic efficacy.
• Another approach to provide cytokine support was based on introducing a constitutively activated dimerized cytokine receptor, an IL-7Ra – this limits the nature (IL-7 signaling only) and magnitude of signaling output.
• TGF-b-driven chimeric cytokine receptors active when engaged with a ligand of the transforming growth factor beta cytokine family (TGF-b ligands, e.g., TGF-b1, TGF-b2, and TGF-b3) or activation with an anti-TGF-b-receptor antibody.
• TGF-b ligands e.g., TGF-b1, TGF-b2, and TGF-b3
• an anti-TGF-b-receptor antibody e.g., TGF-b1, TGF-b2, and TGF-b3
• CAR chimeric antigen receptor
• such receptors allow for increased cytokine receptor signaling (Signal 3), leading to increased immune cell activation, proliferation, persistence, and/or potency of the CAR-bearing immune cells.
• the chimeric cytokine receptors of the disclosure allow for cytokine signals to be transmitted into the immune cell with endogenous TGF-b ligands, whereby blocking their immune-suppressive signals, and converting them into immune-potentiating signals that can work in concert with, or synergize, CAR-driven activity.
• endogenous TGF-b ligands whereby blocking their immune-suppressive signals, and converting them into immune-potentiating signals that can work in concert with, or synergize, CAR-driven activity.
• anti-TGF-b receptor antibodies can cluster and activate the chimeric cytokine receptors of the disclosures
• patients treated with anti-TGF-b receptor may benefit not only from the blockage of the endogenous TGF-b signaling, but from also the activation of cytokine signaling in cells bearing the chimeric cytokine receptors.
• TGF-b-driven of TGF-b binding domain -containing chimeric cytokine receptors are also provided herein; such receptors continue to signal in the absence of an inducer, but can be further induced or can exhibit further improved properties or activities, for example, in the presence of a TGF-b ligand or an anti-TGF-bR antibody.
• the TGF-bR is TGF-bR2
• the antibody is an anti-TGF-bR2 antibody.
• TGF-beta is used interchangeably with “TGF- b.”
• a chimeric cytokine receptor comprising: (a) a binding domain comprising an extracellular portion of a TGF-b receptor, or a TGF-b antigen binding domain; (b) a transmembrane domain; (c) a Janus Kinase (JAK)- binding domain; and (d) a recruiting domain.
• extracellular portion refers to any portion of an extracellular domain of a TGF-b receptor.
• a polynucleotide encoding any one of the chimeric cytokine receptors of the disclosure, and an expression vector comprising such a polynucleotide.
• the polynucleotide further encodes for a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), wherein the CAR binds to a target of interest.
• the target of interest can be any molecule of interest, including, for example, without limitation any one or more of those presented in Table 8.
• an engineered immune cell comprising at least one chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure.
• an engineered immune cell comprising at least one chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and at least one chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure.
• the immune cell is a T-cell.
• the immune cell is an allogeneic immune cell.
• the immune cell is an autologous immune cell.
• the immune cell may be selected from the group consisting of: T-cell, dendritic cell, killer dendritic cell, mast cell, NK-cell, macrophage, monocyte, B-cell and an immune cell derived from a stem cell.
• a pharmaceutical composition comprising any of the engineered immune cells of the disclosure, and a kit comprising such a pharmaceutical composition.
• FIG.1 shows a schematic of the inducible chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure.
• FIG.2A shows a schematic of the lentiviral vector used to co-express the dominant negative truncations of the TGFbR1 or TGFbR2 cytokine receptor with the 2 nd generation EGFRvIII CAR.
• FIG.2B shows the inhibition of the TGF-b signaling by expression of either the TGFbR1 DN or TGFbR2 DN.
• FIG.3 shows a general schematic of the lentiviral vector used to co-express the TGFbR2 cytokine receptor with the 2 nd generation EGFRvIII CAR.
• FIG.4A shows a schematic of the prototypic lentiviral vector used, bearing the IL7R(316-459) and the IL12Rb2(775-825) recruiting domains to mimic IL7 and IL12 signaling in CAR-T-cells.
• FIG.4B shows TGF-b signaling activity determined by a luciferase reporter assay.
• FIG.4C shows the activation of the chimeric cytokine receptors of FIG.4A in the presence of TGF-b.
• FIG.5A shows a schematic of the prototypic lentiviral vector used, having truncations in the binding domain.
• FIG.5B shows TGF-b signaling activity determined by a luciferase reporter assay.
• FIG.5C shows the activation of the chimeric cytokine receptors of FIG.5A in the presence of TGF-b.
• FIG.6A shows a schematic of the modification introduced into the TGFbR2 cassette.
• FIG.6B shows that the TGFbR2DN25 chimeric cytokine receptors still retained the ability to inhibit TGF-b signaling.
• FIG.6C shows the activation of the chimeric cytokine receptors of FIG.6A, evaluated by the STAT reporter activity.
• FIG.7 shows a schematic of the constitutively active chimeric cytokine receptor.
• FIG.8A shows a schematic of the modification introduced into the TGFbR2 cassette.
• FIG.8B shows the inhibition of TGF-b signaling by the expression of the chimeric cytokine receptors of FIG.8A.
• FIG.8C shows the activation of cytokine signaling via the chimeric cytokine receptors of FIG.8A, measured by the STAT5 reporter activity.
• FIGS.9A-9B show the amino acid sequences for the wild type TPOR and the various transmembrane deletion or insertion variants.
• FIGS.9A-B disclose SEQ ID NOS 235-246, 235, and 247-254, respectively, in order of appearance.
• FIG.10A shows the amino acid sequences for the wild type TPOR and additional transmembrane variants.
• FIG.10B shows the inhibition of endogenous TGF-b signaling as determined by luciferase assay by the overexpression of TGF-b-driven chimeric cytokine receptors shown in FIG.10A, in the presence of different concentrations of TGF-b.
• FIG.10C shows the activation of chimeric cytokine receptors in the presence of TGF-b at various concentrations.
• FIG.10A discloses SEQ ID NOS 235 and 255-271, respectively, in order of appearance.
• FIG.11A shows schematics of chimeric cytokine receptor (CCR) CAR expression construct where the expression of the CCR and the EGFRvIII CAR are linked by a P2A peptide.
• CCR chimeric cytokine receptor
• FIGs.11B-11C are bar graphs depicting the yield of CAR+ T cells expressing various CCRs.
• FIGs.11D-11E show results of STAT5 phosphorylation in CAR T cells expressing various CCR or controls.
• FIGs.11F-11G depict CAR T cells phenotype at Day 14 of production.
• FIG.11H shows results of total TGF-bR2 extracellular staining on CAR T cells.
• FIG.11I depicts results of inhibition of TGF-bR2 signaling in CAR T cells expressing different CCRs in the presence of different concentrations of TGF-b.
• FIG.12A exhibits results of cytotoxicity assay of CAR T cells expressing various CCRs against U87-EGFRvIII cells in the absence of exogenous TGFb.
• FIGs.12B-12C showresults of cytotoxicity assay of CAR T cells expressing various CCRs at different concentrations of TGFb.
• FIG.13A shows STAT5 phosphorylation and FIG.13B depicts the T cell phenotype of CAR T cells expressing CCRs with the S505N/W515K with or without the K553R/K573R substitutions in the TOPR/MPLR and JAK binding domain.
• FIGs.14A-14B show results of long-term cell killing assay of CAR T cells expressing various CCRs in the absence (FIG.14A) or presence (FIG.14B) of 5ng/ml TGFb.
• FIGs.15A-15C show results of activation of STAT5 signaling (FIG.15A), inhibition of TGFb signaling (FIG.15B), and long-term cell killing assay (FIG.15C) of CAR T cells expressing various CCRs, some of which have reduced affinity for TGFb (e.g., D32A, E119A and/or I53A substitutions in the ECD of TGFbR2).
• FIGs.16A-16B compare the effects of TGFbR2 chimeric cytokine receptors with or without the degradation-resistant K533R/K573R substitutions on STAT5 signaling (FIG. 16A) and long-term cell killing (FIG.16B).
• chimeric cytokine receptors comprising TGF-b binding domains.
• inducible chimeric cytokine receptors active when engaged with TGF-b ligands (e.g. TGF-b1, TGF-b2, and/or TGF-b3) or activation with an anti-TGF- b-receptor antibody.
• constitutively active chimeric cytokine receptors comprising TGF-b binding domains.
• CAR-I-cells e.g.
• the constitutively active chimeric cytokine receptors exhibit improved properties or activities when engaged with a TGF-b ligand or activation with an anti-TGF-b-receptor antibody, as compared with constitutively active chimeric cytokine receptors without a TGF-b binding domain. Also provided herein are methods of making and using the chimeric cytokine receptors. I.
• TGF-b-Bearing Chimeric Cytokine Receptors activate signaling upon binding of a TGF-b ligand (for example, TGF-b1, TGF-b2, and/or TGF-b3), or an anti-TGF-b-receptor antibody. These receptors activate signaling when monomers of the receptor cluster and/or dimerize.
• TGF-b ligand for example, TGF-b1, TGF-b2, and/or TGF-b3
• anti-TGF-b-receptor antibody activate signaling when monomers of the receptor cluster and/or dimerize.
• the chimeric cytokine receptors of the disclosure are dual-function chimeric cytokine receptors which can simultaneously neutralize the immune-suppressive effects of a TGF-b ligand, and mimic the transmission of an immune-potentiating cytokine signal.
• a monomer of the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises: (a) a binding domain capable of binding a TGF-b ligand or an anti- TGF-b-receptor antibody; (b) a transmembrane domain; (c) a Janus Kinase (JAK)-binding domain; and; (d) a STAT-recruiting domain (e.g. from the cytoplasmic domain of a receptor; e.g. from a cytokine receptor). Each domain can be linked either directly or via one or more peptide linkers.
• a monomer of the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises: (a) a binding domain capable of binding a TGF-b ligand or an anti- TGF-b-receptor antibody; (b) a transmembrane domain; (c) a Janus Kinase (JAK)-binding domain; and; (d) a recruiting domain (e.g. from the cytoplasmic domain of a receptor; e.g. from a cytokine receptor).
• the recruiting domain can be a STAT-recruiting domain, an AP1—recruiting domain, a Myc/Max recruiting domain; or a NFkB-recruiting domain.
• the chimeric cytokine receptors are clustered and activated when they bind to TGF-b ligands, and/or are clustered and activated with an anti-TGF-b-receptor antibody.
• the chimeric cytokine receptors activate signaling upon for example binding a TGF-b ligand, and/or a TGF-b-receptor antibody.
• the TGF-b receptor antibody is, without limitation, PF-03446962 or LY3022859.
• the chimeric cytokine receptors are constitutively clustered or dimerized.
• TGF-b ligand refers to TGF-b1, TGF-b2, and TGF-b3, and isoforms and derivatives thereof. It should be understood that “TGF-b ligand” and “TGF-b” are used interchangeably herein.
• A. Binding Domains [0041] The chimeric cytokine receptors of the disclosure comprise a binding domain capable of binding a TGF-b ligand or an anti-TGF-b-receptor antibody. As referred to herein, a binding domain is the domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor that extends into the extracellular space.
• the binding domain binds and sequesters TGF-b away from the endogenous TGF-b receptor, thereby preventing or reducing TGF-b-induced immune- suppression.
• the binding domains of the disclosure bind with TGF-b ligands and anti-TGF-b- receptor antibodies, leading to binding-induced signal transduction.
• the binding domain comprises an extracellular portion of a TGF-b receptor, for example the extracellular portion of TGFbR1 or TGFbR2.
• the binding domain comprises an extracellular portion of a wild type TGFb receptor.
• the TGF-b receptor comprises one or more mutations that enhance or alter the affinity to the binding to the TGFb ligands.
• the binding domain comprises the extracellular portion of a wild type TGFbR1 or TGFbR2; in some embodiments, the binding domain comprises the extracellular portion of a wild type TGFbR1 or TGFbR2 and comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOS: 2 or 3, respectively. [0045] In some embodiments, the binding domain comprises mutations to the extracellular portion of a wild type TGF-b receptor. In some embodiments, the binding domain comprises mutations to the extracellular portion of a wild type TGF-b receptor, and comprises the amino acid sequences of any one of SEQ ID NO: 4 to SEQ ID NO: 20.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises a binding domain that is at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, or 99%, or 100% identical to any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 4- 20.
• the binding domain does not comprise a signal sequence.
• Table 1 shows exemplary binding domain amino acid sequences of the disclosure. It is noted that the expression and extracellular location of the exemplary binding domain sequences, such as TGF-b receptor amino acid sequences, can be achieved with the use of a signal sequence.
• a CD8 signal sequence (CD8SS) MALPVTALLLPLALLLHAARP (SEQ ID NO: 1) is utilized.
• the binding domain comprises the extracellular domain of wild type TGFbR2 comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:159.
• the signal sequence is the endogenous signal sequence of human TGF-bR2. Table 1: Exemplary Binding Domain Sequences
• the chimeric cytokine receptor is a dominant negative (DN) wherein the binding domain of the TGF-b receptor is expressed, but the chimeric cytokine receptor does not comprise an intracellular signaling domain - the chimeric cytokine receptor can bind TGF-b but does not transmit a positive signal (DN chimeric cytokine receptor).
• the TGF-b receptor is TGFbR1 (dominant-negative TGFbR1, or TGFbR1 DN) and comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.
• the TGF-b receptor is TGFbR2 (dominant-negative TGFbR2, or TGFbR2 DN) and comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3.
• TGF-b receptor dominant negative sequences may be expressed with the aid of a signal sequence, e.g. a CD8SS signal sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.
• a signal sequence e.g. a CD8SS signal sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.
• Example schematics of a DN chimeric cytokine receptor are shown in FIG. 2A.
• the binding domain comprises a TGF-b antigen binding domain.
• antigen binding domains include, but are not limited to, a single chain variable fragment (scFv) that can bind the TGF-b ligands, and single domain antibodies (nanobodies).
• scFvs and single domain antibodies may include commercially available scFvs and single domain antibodies, and those derived from, for example, camelid and shark antibodies.
• the binding domain comprises a TGF-b antigen binding domain, wherein the antigen binding domain comprises a Fab fragment.
• B. Transmembrane Domains [0050]
• the chimeric cytokine receptors of the disclosure comprise transmembrane domains. Such transmembrane domains are coupled to the extracellular binding domain on the N-terminus, and to additional intracellular/cytoplasmic domains on the C-terminus. In some embodiments, the coupling is achieved optionally through a linker.
• the transmembrane domains are capable of insertion into the membrane of a cell in which it is expressed.
• the transmembrane domains of the disclosure span a cellular membrane, and comprise an extracellular portion, and/or an intracellular portion.
• the transmembrane domains of the disclosure are engineered and do not resemble any naturally occurring transmembrane domain, e.g. they are non- naturally occurring.
• the transmembrane domains of the disclosure are derived from naturally occurring receptors.
• the transmembrane and/or JAK domains of the disclosure are derived from, for example, one or more of the following receptors: erythropoietin receptor (EpoR), Interleukin 6 signal transducer (GP130 or IL6ST), prolactin receptor (PrlR), growth hormone receptor (GHR), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor (GCSFR), and thrombopoietin receptor/ myeloproliferative leukemia protein receptor (TPOR/MPLR).
• EpoR erythropoietin receptor
• GP130 or IL6ST Interleukin 6 signal transducer
• PrlR prolactin receptor
• GHR growth hormone receptor
• GCSFR granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor
• TPOR/MPLR thrombopoietin receptor/ myeloproliferative leukemia protein receptor
• the entire receptor, or the entire transmembrane sequence of the receptor may not be necessary to effectuate constitutive activation and constitutive JAK binding/activation on the intracellular portion. Accordingly fragments of naturally occurring receptors may be utilized. Furthermore, certain mutations may be introduced into the transmembrane domains derived from naturally occurring receptors, to further tune the downstream JAK-dependent signaling.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises a portion or a fragment of a naturally occurring receptor, e.g., the transmembrane and/or JAK binding/activation domain of the naturally occurring receptor, optionally comprising one or more mutations therein (e.g., one or more deletions, insertions and/or substitutions).
• the transmembrane and/or JAK domains of the disclosure is derived from the naturally occurring EpoR receptor.
• the transmembrane and/or JAK domains of the disclosure is derived from the naturally occurring GP130 receptor.
• the transmembrane and/or JAK domains of the disclosure is derived from the naturally occurring PrlR receptor. [0058] In some embodiments, the transmembrane and/or JAK domains of the disclosure is derived from the naturally occurring GHR receptor. [0059] In some embodiments, the transmembrane and/or JAK domains of the disclosure is derived from the naturally occurring GCSF receptor. [0060] In some embodiments, the transmembrane and/or JAK domains of the disclosure is derived from the naturally occurring TPOR receptor.
• the TPOR transmembrane domain assumes a permissive homodimeric conformation, such as in response to a ligand or forced activation resulting from the introduction of engineered modifications, it is capable of activating downstream cytokine signaling in a JAK2-dependent fashion.
• the introduction of various modifications to the TPOR transmembrane domain can result in the following: the immune-potentiating cytokine signal may either be (a) quiescent until induced to activate in the presence of extracellular TGF-b, or (b) constitutively active regardless of TGF-b availability.
• Table 2 provides exemplary full length sequences of naturally occurring receptors provided in the disclosure, from which the transmembrane and/or JAK domains are derived. Table 2: Exemplary Naturally Occurring Receptors
• the transmembrane domain of the disclosure is derived from a truncated, or otherwise modified version of the naturally occurring TPOR/MPLR receptor shown in Table 2.
• FIGS.9A-9B and 10A show the amino acid sequences for the wild type TPOR and the various transmembrane deletion (FIGs.9A, 10A) or insertion (FIG.9B) variants.
• Table 3 shows exemplary transmembrane amino acid sequences, coupled to intracellular JAK2 binding domain sequences.
• the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27.
• the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 29. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 30. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 31. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 32.
• the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 36. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 37.
• the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 38. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 39. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 40. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 41. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 42.
• the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 43. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 44. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 45. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 46. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 47.
• the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 48. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 49. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 50. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52.
• the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 53. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 54. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 55. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 56. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 57.
• the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 58. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 59. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 60. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 61. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 62.
• the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 63. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 64. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 65. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 66. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 67.
• the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 68. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 69. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 70. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 71. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 72.
• the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 73. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 74. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 75. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 76. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 77.
• the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 78. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 79. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 160. In some embodiments, the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 217.
• the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 218, SEQ ID NO: 219, SEQ ID NO: 220, SEQ ID NO: 221, SEQ ID NO: 222, SEQ ID NO: 223, SEQ ID NO: 224, SEQ ID NO: 225, SEQ ID NO: 226, SEQ ID NO: 227, SEQ ID NO: 228, SEQ ID NO: 229, SEQ ID NO: 230, SEQ ID NO: 231, SEQ ID NO: 232, SEQ ID NO: 233, or SEQ ID NO: 234.
• the transmembrane domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, or 99%, or 100% identical to the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 27- 79, 160, and 217-234.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, 4 or 159, and the transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 64, 69, or 70.
• the CCR is inducible.
• the CCR comprises the binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, 4 or 159, and the transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 38, 39, 40 or 53. In some embodiments, the CCR comprises the binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, 4 or 159, and the transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 59, 60, 160, or 217. In some embodiments, the CCR is constitutively active. In some embodiments, the constitutively active CCR of the disclosure dimerizes without a TGF- b ligand. Table 3: Exemplary Transmembrane + JAK2 Binding Domain Sequences
• the chimeric cytokine receptors of the disclosure comprise intracellular JAK- binding domains.
• the JAK-binding domain is coupled to the C-terminus of the transmembrane domain, either directly, or via a linker.
• the JAK-binding domain is coupled to the transmembrane domain on the intracellular side of the chimeric cytokine receptor.
• the JAK-binding domain is a JAK-1-binding domain, a JAK- 2 binding domain, a JAK-3 binding domain, or a TYK2 binding domain.
• the JAK-binding domains of the chimeric cytokine receptors of the disclosure are naturally occurring, and derived from a naturally occurring receptor. [0070] In some embodiments, the JAK-binding domains of the chimeric cytokine receptors of the disclosure are synthetic. [0071] In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain that is at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98% or 99%, or 100% identical to any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 27-79, 160 and 217-234.
• the transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprises one or more mutations, e.g., one or more deletions, insertions and/or substitutions of the wild type sequences.
• the transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprises one or more substitutions at amino acid positions H499, S505 and W515 of the wild type TPOR/MPLR sequence. See Table 3.
• the transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprises one or more substitutions at the amino acid positions K533 and K573 of the wild type TPOR/MPLR sequence.
• the transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain may be combined with a TGFbR2 ectodomain as disclosed herein, e.g., in Table 1, or a PD-1 ectodomain (such as a high affinity PD-1 ectodomain, as indicated in SEQ ID NO: 274 or 275 in Table 6) and a recruiting domain to form a chimeric cytokine receptor.
• the transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain may be combined with a recruiting domain to form a chimeric cytokine receptor without an ectodomain, see e.g., SEQ ID NOs: 272 or 273.
• the chimeric cytokine receptors of the disclosure comprise cytoplasmic domains comprising recruiting domains (which may also be referred to as “signaling domains”).
• the recruiting domain can be a STAT-recruiting domain, an AP1—recruiting domain, a Myc/Max recruiting domain; or an NFkB-recruiting domain.
• the recruiting domain is a Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT)--recruiting (Stat-activating) domains from receptor tails (cytotails) or from cytokine receptor tails.
• STAT Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription
• cytotails receptor tails
• cytokine receptor tails cytokine receptor tails
• STAT-activating domains from receptor tails (cytotails) or from cytokine receptor tails.
• STAT Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription
• cytotails receptor tails
• cytokine receptor tails cytokine receptor tails
• These intracellular recruiting domains of the chimeric cytokine receptors of the disclosure allow for the propagation of Signal 3 in an immune cell comprising a CAR and a chimeric cytokine receptor (e.g. a CAR-T-cell with a chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure).
• the immune-potentiation is homeostatic, e.g. signaling gives rise to increase in immune cells bearing the CAR.
• the immune-potentiation is inflammatory, e.g. signaling gives rise to increase in the potency of the immune cells bearing the CAR.
• the immune- potentiation prevents exhaustion, e.g. signaling maintains the long-term functionality of immune cells bearing the CAR.
• the recruiting domains of the disclosure are synthetic, and do not resemble any naturally occurring receptor fragment.
• the Stat-recruiting domains of the disclosure are synthetic, and do not resemble any naturally occurring receptor fragment.
• the Stat-recruiting domains of the disclosure are derived from cytoplasmic tails of naturally occurring receptors, e.g. derived from naturally occurring cytokine receptors.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises a portion or a fragment of a naturally occurring receptor, e.g., the intracellular Stat-recruiting domain of the naturally occurring receptor, optionally with one or more mutations therein (e.g., one or more deletions, insertions and/or substitutions).
• These cytoplasmic tails of naturally occurring receptors may be the regions downstream of the JAK-activating domains of the transmembrane domain of the receptor.
• the Stat-recruiting domains of the chimeric cytokine receptors comprise at least one STAT-recruiting domain from at least one receptor.
• the Stat-recruiting domain comprises at least one STAT1-recruiting domain.
• the Stat-recruiting domain comprises at least one STAT2- recruiting domain.
• the Stat-recruiting domain comprises at least one STAT3-recruiting domain.
• the Stat-recruiting domain comprises at least one STAT4-recruiting domain.
• the Stat-recruiting domain comprises at least one STAT5-recruiting domain.
• the STAT-recruiting domain comprises at least one STAT6-recruiting domain.
• the Stat- recruiting domain comprises at least one STAT7-recruiting domain.
• the naturally occurring receptor from which the STAT- recruiting domain is derived is a not a cytokine receptor.
• the naturally occurring receptor from which the Stat- recruiting domain is derived is a cytokine receptor.
• Exemplary cytokine receptors through which T-cell-immune potentiating cytokines signal include, but are not limited to IL-2 receptor, IL-7 receptor, IL-15 receptor, IL12 receptor, and IL-21 receptor.
• the cytokine receptor from which the STAT-recruiting domain is derived contains phosphorylatable tyrosine residues downstream of the cognate JAK-binding motifs, and one or more signaling domains of interest may be fused downstream of the transmembrane domain to generate single or multiple signaling outputs.
• the receptor from which the Stat-recruiting domain is derived is not a cytokine receptor. By choosing the Stat-recruiting domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor, the receptor can be redirected to signaling of choice.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises two or more Stat-recruiting domains from more than one receptor.
• the two or more Stat-recruiting domains are linked with or without a peptide linker.
• Table 4 provides exemplary receptors from which Stat-recruiting domains (signaling domains) of the chimeric cytokine receptors of the disclosure are derived.
• Table 5a provides exemplary amino acid sequences of recruiting domains of the disclosure.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 80.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 81.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT- recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 82. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 83. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 84. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 85.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT- recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 86. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 87. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 88. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 89.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT- recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 90. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 91. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 92. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 93.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT- recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 94. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 95. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 96. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 97.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT- recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 98. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 99. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 100. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 101.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 102. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 103. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 104. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 105.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 106. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 107. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 108. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 109.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 110. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 111. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 112. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 113.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 114. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 115. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 116. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 117.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 118. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 119. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 120. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 121.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 122. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of the STAT-recruiting domain of SEQ ID NO: 161. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises a recruiting domain that comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, or 99%, or 100% identical to any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 80-122 and SEQ ID NO: 161. Table 4: Recruiting domain sources Table 5a: Recruiting Domain Sequences (Cytotail Sequences)
• the Stat-recruiting domain of a chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises a STAT-recruiting domain from one receptor.
• one or more STAT-recruiting domains may be joined in tandem to mimic signaling from one or more cytokines.
• the STAT-recruiting domain comprises portions of more than one receptor, e.g. comprising more than one STAT-recruiting domain. In such embodiments, a tandem cytokine signaling domain is provided, allowing for enhanced signaling.
• the STAT-recruiting domain of a monomer of the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the STAT-recruiting domains from more than one receptor, e.g. comprises the STAT-recruiting domains from two, three, four, five, or even six receptors.
• STAT-recruiting domains can be linked in tandem to stimulate multiple pathways (e.g., the IL7R(316-459)- IL12Rb2(775-825) fragment fusion for pro-persistence STAT5 and pro-inflammatory STAT4; IL7R(316-459)-IL2Rbsmall(393-433,518-551) for pro-persistence; IL7R(316-459)- EGFR(1122-1165) for pro-persistence and anti-exhaustion; IL2Rbsmall(393-433,518-551)- EGFR(1122-1165) for pro-persistence and anti-exhaustion).
• multiple pathways e.g., the IL7R(316-459)- IL12Rb2(775-825) fragment fusion for pro-persistence STAT5 and pro-inflammatory STAT4; IL7R(316-459)-IL2Rbsmall(393-433,518-551) for pro-persistence; IL7R
• a JAK-protein (JAK1, JAK2, JAK3, or TYK2) is bound to a chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure (comprising a binding domain, a transmembrane domain, a JAK-binding domain, and a recruiting domain).
• the chimeric cytokine receptor clusters and allows for the two bound JAK-proteins to become activated, which in turn phosphorylate tyrosine residues on the recruiting domain of the chimeric receptor.
• the phosphorylated recruiting domains are then capable of binding the recruited proteins (e.g. a phosphorylated STAT- recruiting domain binds a STAT-protein), which in turn effectuate transcription events in the nucleus.
• Context-dependent chimeric cytokine receptors of the disclosure may be expressed with a signal sequence, e.g. a CD8SS of SEQ ID NO: 1.
• Table 6 shows exemplary context- dependent cytokine receptor sequences of the disclosure.
• the receptors may be expressed with a signal sequence, e.g. a CD8SS of SEQ ID NO: 1.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises a TGF-b binding domain comprising an amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 3-20, and 159, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising an amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 27-79, 160 and 217-234, and a recruiting domain comprising an amino acid sequences of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 80-122 and 161.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor does not comprise a signal sequence.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises a TGF-b binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 3, 4, and 159, a TPOR/MPLR transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 38, 39, 40, 53, 59, 60, 61, 64, 69, 70, 160 and 217-234, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 80, 99, 111, 112, and 161.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises a signal sequence that comprises for example the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, 4 or 159, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 64, 69, or 70, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor is inducible.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, 4 or 159, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 38, 39, 40 or 53, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, 4 or 159, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 59, 60, 160, or 217, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor is constitutively active.
• the constitutively active chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure dimerizes without binding to a TGFb ligand or an anti-TGFbR antibody.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure inhibits TGFbR-mediated signaling and/or activates STAT-mediated signaling, either constitutively or induced by TGF-b, or an anti-TGFbR antibody.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor is constitutively active and/or exhibits further enhanced activities or properties in the presence of a TGF-bR ligand, e.g., TGF-b, or an anti-TGF-bR antibody.
• the TGF-bR is TGF-bR2, and the antibody is an anti-TGF- bR2 antibody.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor does not comprise a signal sequence.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises the TGFbR2 endogenous signal sequence or a signal sequence that comprise, e.g., the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 123.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 124.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 125.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 126.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 127. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 128. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 129. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 130. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 131. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 132.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 133. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 134. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 135. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 136. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 137. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 138.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 139. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 140. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 141. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 142. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 143. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 144.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 145. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 146. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 147. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 148. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 149. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 150.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 151. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 162. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 163. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 164. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:165. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:166.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:167. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:168. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:169. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:170. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:171. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:172.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:173. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:174. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:175. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:176. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:177. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:178.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:179. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:180. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:181. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:182. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:183. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:184.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:185. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:186. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:187. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:188. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:189. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:190.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:191. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:192. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:193. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:194. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:195. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:196.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:197. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:198. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:199. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:200. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:201. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:202.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:203. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:204. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:205. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:206. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:207. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:208.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:209. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:210. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:211. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:212. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:213. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:214.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:215. In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:216. [0092] In some embodiments, the chimeric cytokine receptor (CCR) comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 159, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 40, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the CCR comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 159, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 53, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the CCR comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 38, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the CCR comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 39, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the CCR comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 40, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the CCR comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 53, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the CCR comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 159, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 70, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the CCR comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 159, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 69, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the CCR comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 64, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the CCR comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 69, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the CCR comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 70, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the CCR comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 159, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 160 or 219, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the CCR comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 159, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 223, 224, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the CCR comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 159, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 225 or 226, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the CCR comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 60 or 160, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the CCR comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 223, 224, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161.
• the CCR comprises a binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, a transmembrane and JAK2 binding domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 225 or 226, and a recruiting domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80, 99, 111, 112, or 161 [0093]
• the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:272, SEQ ID NO:273, SEQ ID NO:274, or SEQ ID NO:275.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, or 99%, or 100% identical to any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 123-216 and SEQ ID NOs: 272-275.
• Table 6 Exemplary chimeric cytokine receptor sequences (assembled inducible or constitutively active TGF-b receptor chimeric cytokine receptors): *The underlined LE and SR indicate exemplary peptide linkers.
• F. Expression of chimeric cytokine receptors [0094] Provided herein are polynucleotides encoding any one of the chimeric cytokine receptors provided herein.
• the vector is a viral vector. In some embodiments, the vector is not a viral vector.
• the vector comprises a polynucleotide encoding a chimeric cytokine receptor, and a polynucleotide expressing a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR).
• CAR chimeric antigen receptor
• expression of the chimeric cytokine receptor and the CAR are expressed as a single polypeptide chain, separated by a linker.
• FIGS.2A, 3, 4A, 5A, 6A, 8A, and 11A show schematics of a vector that can be used to co-express the chimeric cytokine receptor and CAR of the disclosure.
• One or more STAT-recruiting domains may be joined in tandem to mimic signaling from one or more cytokines.
• CAR-bearing Immune Cells [0097] Provided herein are engineered immune cells comprising a polynucleotide encoding a chimeric antigen receptor and a chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure; and provided herein are engineered immune cells expressing a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-I cell) and a chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure.
• CAR-I cell chimeric antigen receptor
• immune cells examples include T-cells, e.g., alpha/beta T-cells and gamma/delta T-cells, B cells, natural killer (NK) cells, natural killer T (NKT) cells, invariant NKT cells, mast cells, myeloid-derived phagocytes, dendritic cells, killer dendritic cells, macrophages, and monocytes.
• Immune cells also refer to cells derived from, for example without limitation, a stem cell.
• the stem cells can be adult stem cells, non-human embryonic stem cells, more particularly non-human stem cells, cord blood stem cells, progenitor cells, bone marrow stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, totipotent stem cells or hematopoietic stem cells.
• CAR-T cells comprising a chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure.
• a CAR can comprise an extracellular ligand-binding domain (e.g., a single chain variable fragment (scFv)), a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular signaling domain.
• the extracellular ligand-binding domain, transmembrane domain, and intracellular signaling domain are in one polypeptide, i.e., in a single chain. Multichain CARs and polypeptides are also provided herein.
• the multichain CARs comprise: a first polypeptide comprising a transmembrane domain and at least one extracellular ligand-binding domain, and a second polypeptide comprising a transmembrane domain and at least one intracellular signaling domain, wherein the polypeptides assemble together to form a multichain CAR.
• the extracellular ligand-binding domain of a CAR specifically binds to a target of interest.
• the target of interest can be any molecule of interest, including, for example, without limitation any one or more of those presented in Table 8. Table 8: List of targets of interest
• the extracellular ligand-binding domain of a CAR comprises an scFv comprising the light chain variable (VL) region and the heavy chain variable (VH) region of a target antigen specific monoclonal antibody joined by a flexible linker.
• Single chain variable region fragments are made by linking light and/or heavy chain variable regions by using a short linking peptide (Bird et al., Science 242:423-426, 1988) (e.g. glycine-serine containing linkers).
• linkers can be short, flexible polypeptides and are generally comprised of about 20 or fewer amino acid residues. Linkers can in turn be modified for additional functions, such as attachment of drugs or attachment to solid supports.
• the single chain variants can be produced either recombinantly or synthetically.
• an automated synthesizer can be used for synthetic production of scFv.
• a suitable plasmid containing polynucleotide that encodes the scFv can be introduced into a suitable host cell, either eukaryotic, such as yeast, plant, insect or mammalian cells, or prokaryotic, such as E. coli.
• a suitable host cell either eukaryotic, such as yeast, plant, insect or mammalian cells, or prokaryotic, such as E. coli.
• Polynucleotides encoding the scFv of interest can be made by routine manipulations such as ligation of polynucleotides.
• the resultant scFv can be isolated using standard protein purification techniques known in the art.
• the intracellular signaling domain of a CAR is responsible for intracellular signaling following the binding of extracellular ligand-binding domain to the target resulting in the activation of the immune cell and immune response (Signals 1 and/or 2).
• the intracellular signaling domain has the ability to activate at least one of the normal effector functions of the immune cell in which the CAR is expressed.
• the effector function of a T cell can be a cytolytic activity or helper activity including the secretion of cytokines.
• an intracellular signaling domain for use in a CAR can be the cytoplasmic sequences of, for example without limitation, the T cell receptor and co- receptors that act in concert to initiate signal transduction following antigen receptor engagement, as well as any derivative or variant of these sequences and any synthetic sequence that has the same functional capability.
• Intracellular signaling domains comprise two distinct classes of cytoplasmic signaling sequences: those that initiate antigen-dependent primary activation, and those that act in an antigen-independent manner to provide a secondary or co-stimulatory signal.
• Primary cytoplasmic signaling sequences can comprise signaling motifs which are known as immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs of ITAMs.
• ITAMs are well defined signaling motifs found in the intracytoplasmic tail of a variety of receptors that serve as binding sites for syk/zap70 class tyrosine kinases.
• ITAM used in the invention can include as non-limiting examples those derived from TCRz, FcRg, FcRb, FcRe, CD3g, CD3d, CD3e, CD5, CD22, CD79a, CD79b and CD66d.
• the intracellular signaling domain of the CAR can comprise the CD3z signaling domain.
• the intracellular signaling domain of the CAR of the invention comprises a domain of a co-stimulatory molecule.
• the intracellular signaling domain of a CAR of the invention comprises a part of co-stimulatory molecule selected from the group consisting of fragment of 41BB (GenBank: AAA53133.) and CD28 (NP_006130.1).
• CARs are expressed on the surface membrane of the cell.
• the CAR comprises a transmembrane domain.
• Suitable transmembrane domains for a CAR disclosed herein have the ability to (a) be expressed at the surface of a cell, preferably an immune cell such as, for example without limitation, lymphocyte cells or Natural killer (NK) cells, and (b) interact with the ligand-binding domain and intracellular signaling domain for directing cellular response of immune cell against a predefined target cell.
• the transmembrane domain can be derived either from a natural or from a synthetic source.
• the transmembrane domain can be derived from any membrane-bound or transmembrane protein.
• the transmembrane polypeptide can be a subunit of the T cell receptor such as a, b, g or d, polypeptide constituting CD3 complex, IL-2 receptor p55 (a chain), p75 (b chain) or g chain, subunit chain of Fc receptors, in particular Fcg receptor III or CD proteins.
• the transmembrane domain can be synthetic and can comprise predominantly hydrophobic residues such as leucine and valine.
• said transmembrane domain is derived from the human CD8a chain (e.g., NP_001139345.1).
• the transmembrane domain can further comprise a stalk domain between the extracellular ligand-binding domain and said transmembrane domain.
• a stalk domain may comprise up to 300 amino acids, preferably 10 to 100 amino acids and most preferably 25 to 50 amino acids.
• Stalk region may be derived from all or part of naturally occurring molecules, such as from all or part of the extracellular region of CD8, CD4, or CD28, or from all or part of an antibody constant region.
• the stalk domain may be a synthetic sequence that corresponds to a naturally occurring stalk sequence, or may be an entirely synthetic stalk sequence.
• said stalk domain is a part of human CD8a chain (e.g., NP_001139345.1).
• said transmembrane and hinge domains comprise a part of human CD8a chain.
• CARs disclosed herein can comprise an extracellular ligand-binding domain that specifically binds BCMA, CD8a human hinge and transmembrane domains, the CD3z signaling domain, and 4-1BB signaling domain.
• a CAR can be introduced into an immune cell as a transgene via a plasmid vector.
• the plasmid vector can also contain, for example, a selection marker which provides for identification and/or selection of cells which received the vector.
• Table 7 provides exemplary sequences of CAR components that can be used in the CARs disclosed herein.
• the CAR-immune cell (e.g., CAR-T cell) of the disclosure comprises a polynucleotide encoding a suicide polypeptide, such as for example RQR8. See, e.g., WO2013153391A, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
• a suicide polypeptide is expressed on the surface of the cell.
• a suicide polypeptide is included in the CAR construct.
• a suicide polypeptide is not part of the CAR construct.
• the extracellular domain of any one of CARs disclosed herein may comprise one or more epitopes specific for (specifically recognized by) a monoclonal antibody. These epitopes are also referred to herein as mAb-specific epitopes. Exemplary mAb-specific epitopes are disclosed in International Patent Publication No. WO 2016/120216, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
• the extracellular domains of the CARs comprise antigen binding domains that specifically bind to a target of interest and one or more epitopes that bind to one or more monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).
• CARs comprising the mAb-specific epitopes can be single-chain or multi-chain.
• the inclusion of epitopes specific for monoclonal antibodies in the extracellular domain of the CARs described herein allows sorting and depletion of engineered immune cells expressing the CARs. In some embodiments, allowing for depletion provides a safety switch in case of deleterious effects, e.g., upon administration to a subject.
• Methods of preparing immune cells for use in immunotherapy are also provided herein. In some embodiments, the methods comprise introducing a chimeric cytokine receptor and a CAR into immune cells, and expanding the cells.
• the invention relates to a method of engineering an immune cell comprising: providing a cell and expressing a chimeric cytokine receptor, and expressing at the surface of the cell at least one CAR.
• the method comprises: transfecting the cell with at least one polynucleotide encoding a chimeric cytokine receptor, and at least one polynucleotide encoding a CAR, and expressing the polynucleotides in the cell.
• the method comprises: transfecting the cell with at least one polynucleotide encoding a chimeric cytokine receptor, at least one polynucleotide encoding a CAR, and expressing the polynucleotides in the cell.
• the chimeric cytokine receptor and the CAR reside on one polynucleotide.
• the one or more polynucleotides encoding the chimeric cytokine receptor and CAR are present in one or more expression vectors for stable expression in the cells.
• the polynucleotides are present in viral vectors for stable expression in the cells.
• the one or more polynucleotides are inserted into the cellular genome by random integration, and in other embodiments, inserted into specific locations of the cellular genome by site-specific integration.
• the viral vectors may be for example, lentiviral vectors or adenoviral vectors.
• the one or more polynucleotides are present in non-viral vectors.
• polynucleotides encoding polypeptides according to the present disclosure can be mRNA which is introduced directly into the cells, for example by electroporation.
• CytoPulse electroporation technology such as PulseAgile
• PulseAgile can be used to transiently permeabilize living cells for delivery of material into the cells (e.g. US 6,078,490; PCT/US2011/000827; and PCT/US2004/005237). Parameters can be modified in order to determine conditions for high transfection efficiency with minimal mortality.
• methods of transfecting an immune cell e.g a T-cell.
• the method comprises: contacting a T-cell with RNA and applying to the T-cell an agile pulse sequence.
• a method of transfecting an immune cell e.g.
• the method can further comprise a step of genetically modifying a cell by inactivating at least one gene expressing, for example without limitation, a component of the TCR, a target for an immunosuppressive agent, an HLA gene, and/or an immune checkpoint protein such as, for example, PDCD1 or CTLA-4.
• a gene expressing, for example without limitation, a component of the TCR, a target for an immunosuppressive agent, an HLA gene, and/or an immune checkpoint protein such as, for example, PDCD1 or CTLA-4.
• the gene to be inactivated is selected from the group consisting of, for example without limitation, TCRa, TCRb, CD52, GR, deoxycytidine kinase (DCK), TGF-B, and CTLA-4.
• the method comprises inactivating one or more genes by introducing into the cells a rare-cutting endonuclease able to selectively inactivate a gene by selective DNA cleavage.
• the rare-cutting endonuclease can be, for example, a transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALE-nuclease) or CRISPR-based endonuclease (e.g Cas-9 or Cas12a).
• a step of genetically modifying cells can comprise: modifying immune cells (e.g. T-cells) by inactivating at least one gene expressing a target for an immunosuppressive agent, and; expanding the cells, optionally in presence of the immunosuppressive agent.
• the engineered immune cells (e.g. T-cells) provided herein exhibit improved cytotoxicity, increased expansion, and/or increased levels of memory phenotype markers upon contact with a TGF-b ligand or anti-TGF-b-receptor antibody that binds to the binding domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor relative to engineered immune cells that do not express the chimeric cytokine receptor.
• the engineered immune cells e.g. T-cells
• exhibit i) increased in vivo persistence, (ii) increased STAT activation, (iii) increased cytotoxicity, (iv) increased levels of memory phenotype markers, (v) increased expansion (proliferation), or combinations of these functional features, upon contact with a TGF-b ligand or anti-TGF-b-receptor antibody that binds to the binding domain of the chimeric cytokine receptor relative to engineered immune cells that do not express the chimeric cytokine receptor.
• the improvement in the one or more functional features described herein is dose-dependent, i.e., the functional activity of the immune cell comprising the chimeric cytokine receptors increases upon contact with increasing doses of the PD-L1/PD-L2/TGF-B or an antibody to the respective receptor.
• STATs activated by the engineered immune cell comprising one or more chimeric cytokine receptors disclosed are STAT1, STAT2, STAT3, STAT4, STAT5, STAT6, or combinations thereof.
• memory phenotype markers that are increased or maintained by the immune cell comprising the chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure include stem cell memory (Tscm) markers and central memory (Tcm) markers.
• the improvement in one or more functional features exhibited by an engineered immune cell comprising a chimeric cytokine receptor provided herein is at least about 2 fold, 2.5 fold, 3 fold, 3.5 fold, 4 fold, 4.5 fold, 5 fold, 6 fold, 7 fold, 8 fold, 9 fold, 10 fold, 15 fold, 20 fold, 25 fold, 30 fold, 40 fold, 50 fold, 60 fold, 70 fold, 80 fold, 90 fold, 100 fold, 125 fold, 150 fold, 200 fold, 250 fold, 300 fold, 350 fold, 400 fold, 450 fold, or even about 10-500 fold, including values and ranges therebetween, compared to an immune cell that does not express the chimeric cytokine receptor.
• the improvement in one or more functional features exhibited by an engineered immune cell comprising a chimeric cytokine receptor provided herein is at least about 10%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 90%, 100%, 125%, 150%, 200%, 250%, 300%, 350%, 400%, or even about 80%- 500%, including values and ranges therebetween, compared to an engineered immune cell that does not express the chimeric cytokine receptor.
• Therapeutic Methods Provided herein are pharmaceutical compositions comprising cells bearing the chimeric cytokine receptors and CARs of the disclosure.
• Engineered chimeric cytokine receptor-bearing and CAR-bearing immune cells obtained by the methods described above, or cell lines derived from such engineered immune cells, can be used as a medicament.
• a medicament can be used for treating a disorder such as for example a viral disease, a bacterial disease, a cancer, an inflammatory disease, an immune disease, or an aging- associated disease.
• the cancer is a solid cancer. In some embodiments the cancer is a liquid cancer.
• the cancer can be selected from the group consisting of gastric cancer, sarcoma, lymphoma, leukemia, head and neck cancer, thymic cancer, epithelial cancer, salivary cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, thyroid cancer, lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, glioma, glioblastoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer, cervical cancer, choriocarcinoma, colon cancer, oral cancer, skin cancer, and melanoma.
• the subject is a previously treated adult subject with locally advanced or metastatic melanoma, squamous cell head and neck cancer (SCHNC), ovarian carcinoma, sarcoma, or relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (cHL).
• engineered immune cells, or cell line derived from the engineered immune cells can be used in the manufacture of a medicament for treatment of a disorder in a subject in need thereof.
• the disorder can be, for example, a cancer, an autoimmune disorder, or an infection.
• Also provided herein are methods for treating subjects in need of such treatment.
• the term “subject” refers to any vertebrate including, without limitation, humans and other primates (e.g., chimpanzees, cynomologous monkeys, and other apes and monkey species), farm animals (e.g., cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and horses), domestic mammals (e.g., dogs and cats), laboratory animals (e.g., rabbits, rodents such as mice, rats, and guinea pigs), and birds (e.g., domestic, wild and game birds such as chickens, turkeys and other gallinaceous birds, ducks, geese, and the like).
• the subject is a mammal.
• the subject is a human.
• the method comprises providing immune cells of the disclosure, bearing the chimeric cytokine receptors and CARs described herein to a subject in need thereof.
• chimeric cytokine receptor and CAR-bearing T-cells of the invention can undergo robust in vivo T-cell expansion and can persist for an extended amount of time.
• Methods of treatment of the invention can be ameliorating, curative or prophylactic.
• the method of the invention may be either part of an autologous immunotherapy or part of an allogenic immunotherapy treatment.
• the invention provides a method of inhibiting tumor growth or progression in a subject who has a tumor, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of chimeric cytokine receptor-expressing and CAR-expressing immune cells as described herein.
• the invention provides a method of inhibiting or preventing metastasis of cancer cells in a subject, comprising administering to the subject in need thereof an effective amount of engineered immune cells as described herein.
• the invention provides a method of inducing tumor regression in a subject who has a tumor, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of engineered immune cells as described herein.
• the subject is further administered with an anti-TGF-bR antibody, in particular, an anti-TGF-bR2 antibody.
• the engineered T-cells herein can be administered parenterally in a subject. In some embodiments, the engineered T-cells disclosed herein can be administered intravenously in a subject. [0131] Also provided is the use of any of the engineered T-cells provided herein in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of cancer or for inhibiting tumor growth or progression in a subject in need thereof. [0132] In some embodiments, treatment can be administrated into subjects undergoing an immunosuppressive treatment.
• the invention preferably relies on cells or population of cells, which have been made resistant to at least one immunosuppressive agent due to the inactivation of a gene encoding a receptor for such immunosuppressive agent.
• the immunosuppressive treatment should help the selection and expansion of the T-cells according to the invention within the subject.
• the administration of the cells or population of cells according to the invention may be carried out in any convenient manner, including by aerosol inhalation, injection, ingestion, transfusion, implantation or transplantation.
• the compositions described herein may be administered to a subject subcutaneously, intradermally, intratumorally, intranodally, intramedullary, intramuscularly, by intravenous or intralymphatic injection, or intraperitoneally.
• Cells bearing the chimeric cytokine receptors and/or CARs of the disclosure or the pharmaceutical compositions thereof may be administered via one or more of the following routes of administration: intravenous, intraocular, intravitreal, intramuscular, subcutaneous, topical, oral, transdermal, intraperitoneal, intraorbital, by implantation, by inhalation, intrathecal, intraventricular, via the ear, or intranasal.
• routes of administration intravenous, intraocular, intravitreal, intramuscular, subcutaneous, topical, oral, transdermal, intraperitoneal, intraorbital, by implantation, by inhalation, intrathecal, intraventricular, via the ear, or intranasal.
• the administration of the cells or population of cells can comprise administration of, for example, about 10 4 to about 10 9 cells per kg body weight including all integer values of cell numbers within those ranges.
• the administration of the cells or population of cells can comprise administration of about 10 4 to 10 5 cells per kg body weight, 10 5 to 10 6 cells per kg body weight, 10 6 to 10 7 cells per kg body weight, 10 7 to 10 8 cells per kg body weight, or 10 8 to 10 9 cells per kg body weight.
• the cells or population of cells can be administrated in one or more doses.
• said effective amount of cells can be administrated as a single dose.
• said effective amount of cells can be administrated as more than one dose over a period time. Timing of administration is within the judgment of managing physician and depends on the clinical condition of the subject.
• the cells or population of cells may be obtained from any source, such as a blood bank or a donor.
• an effective amount means an amount which provides a therapeutic or prophylactic benefit.
• the dosage administrated will be dependent upon the age, health and weight of the recipient, kind of concurrent treatment, if any, frequency of treatment and the nature of the effect desired.
• an effective amount of cells or composition comprising those cells are administrated parenterally.
• administration can be an intravenous administration.
• administration can be directly done by injection within a tumor.
• the methods can further comprise administering one or more agents to a subject prior to administering the engineered immune cells bearing a CAR and a chimeric cytokine receptor provided herein.
• the agent is a lymphodepleting (preconditioning) regimen.
• methods of lymphodepleting a subject in need of such therapy comprise administering to the subject specified beneficial doses of cyclophosphamide (between 200 mg/m 2 /day and 2000 mg/m 2 /day, about 100 mg/m 2 /day and about 2000 mg/m 2 /day; e.g., about 100 mg/m 2 /day, about 200 mg/m 2 /day, about 300 mg/m 2 /day, about 400 mg/m 2 /day, about 500 mg/m 2 /day, about 600 mg/m 2 /day, about 700 mg/m 2 /day, about 800 mg/m 2 /day, about 900 mg/m 2 /day, about 1000 mg/m 2 /day, about 1500 mg/m 2 /day or about 2000 mg/m 2 /day) and specified doses of fludarabine (between 20 mg/m 2 /day and 900 mg/m 2 /day, between about 10 mg/m 2 /day and about 900 mg/m 2 /day) and
• An exemplary dosing regimen involves treating a subject comprising administering daily to the patient about 300 mg/m 2 /day of cyclophosphamide in combination or before or after administering about 30 mg/m 2 /day of fludarabine for three days prior to administration of a therapeutically effective amount of engineered immune cells to the patient.
• lymphodepletion further comprises administration of an anti-CD52 antibody, such as alemtuzumab.
• the CD52 antibody is administered at a dose of about 1- 20 mg/day IV, e.g., about 13 mg/day IV for 1, 2, 3 or more days.
• kits comprising any one or more of the chimeric cytokine receptors and chimeric cytokine receptor-bearing cells described herein, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof.
• the present disclosure also provides articles of manufacture comprising any one or more of the chimeric cytokine receptors and chimeric cytokine receptors-bearing CAR-I-cells described herein, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and kits described herein.
• articles of manufacture comprising any one or more of the chimeric cytokine receptors and chimeric cytokine receptors-bearing CAR-I-cells described herein, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and kits described herein.
• FIG.1 shows a schematic of the inducible chimeric cytokine receptor of the disclosure.
• a chimeric cytokine receptor was constructed, composed of the following modules: (i) a binding domain comprising an extracellular portion of a TGF-b receptor, or a TGF-b antigen binding domain; (ii) a transmembrane domain with an intracellular portion having a JAK2-activating domain and (iii) STAT-recruiting domains comprising STAT-recruiting (STAT-activating) domains from cytokine receptor tails (cytotails).
• the binding domain comprises the extracellular domain of TGFbR2.
• a HEK293T cell reporter assay was used to test the inducibility and magnitude of cytokine signaling using chimeric cytokine receptors for either neutralizing the TGF-b signaling or activating the STAT response, which can be used as a surrogate measurement for the cytokine ICD activation and cytokine signaling. Briefly, 20,000 HEK293T-cells were plated into each well of a poly-L-lysine-coated 96-well flat-bottom plate and cultured overnight at 37 °C with 5% CO 2 .
• a chimeric cytokine receptor-CAR construct (2.5 ng), a TGF-b or STAT-response element that drives Firefly Luciferase (100 ng; Promega), and Renilla Luciferase control reporter vector (1 ng; Promega) were mixed to a final volume of 5 ⁇ l in Opti-MEM (Gibco) (“DNA mix”).
• Opti-MEM Opti-MEM
• TGFbR2 DN A dominant negative truncation of TGFbR2 (“TGFbR2 DN”) and a dominant negative truncation of TGFb1 (“TGFbR1 DN”) were also constructed as additional controls to examine dominant negative effects in the absence of an intracellular cytokine signal.
• TGFbR2 DN A dominant negative truncation of TGFbR2
• TGFbR1 DN a dominant negative truncation of TGFb1
• TGF-b TGF-b1 ligand
• TGF-b TGF-b1 ligand
• STAT5 reporter activity was evaluated using the Dual-Glo Luciferase Assay System (Promega). Fold induction of TGF-b or STAT5 reporter activity was normalized to that of HEK293T cells that were transfected with only a reporter vector, and left untreated.
• FIG.2A shows a schematic of the lentiviral vector used to co-express the dominant negative truncations of the TGFbR1 or TGFbR2 chimeric cytokine receptor with the 2 nd generation EGFRvIII CAR.
• FIG.2B shows the inhibition of the TGF-b signaling by expression of either the TGFbR1 DN or TGFbR2 DN (shown by FIG.2A, and comprising the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NOs 2 and 3, respectively).
• TGFbR2 DN chimeric cytokine receptor inhibits TGF-b signaling induced by the TGF-b ligand (up to 100 ng/ml), with higher efficacy than the TGFbR1 DN. This is likely due to the higher affinity of TGFbR2 binding to the TGF-b ligand in comparison to the binding affinity of TGFbR1 binding to the TGF-b ligand (described in Groppe et al., 2008, Mol. Cell, 29(2):157-68). Consequentially, the designs of the following examples focus on the chimeric cytokine receptors having the binding domain of TGFbR2.
• Example 2 Designs and testing of inducible chimeric cytokine receptors using TGFbR2 [0145]
• a chimeric cytokine receptor was constructed, as briefly described when referring to FIG.1, having a binding domain derived from TGFbR2 (“TGFbR2 chimeric cytokine receptor”).
• TGFbR2 chimeric cytokine receptor having a binding domain derived from TGFbR2 (“TGFbR2 chimeric cytokine receptor”).
• TGFbR2 chimeric cytokine receptor To investigate the utility of the TGFbR2 chimeric cytokine receptor in the context of CAR-T cells, variants of TGFbR2 extracellular domains (ECD) and variants of TPOR transmembrane (TM) domains were constructed.
• ECD extracellular domains
• TM TPOR transmembrane
• each TGFbR2 ECD variant, each TPOR TM domain variant, and the intracellular domains (ICD) of desired cytokine receptors were cloned into a lentiviral vector encoding a 2 nd generation EGFRvIII-specific CAR (2173scFv; described in Sci Transl Med.2015 Feb 18; 7(275): 275ra22), and the activity of these receptor variants was tested.
• a 2 nd generation EGFRvIII-specific CAR 2173scFv; described in Sci Transl Med.2015 Feb 18; 7(275): 275ra22
• both genes were linked via a P2A peptide (“chimeric cytokine receptor-CAR construct”).
• FIG.3 shows a general schematic of the lentiviral vector used to co-express the TGFbR2 chimeric cytokine receptor with the 2 nd generation EGFRvIII CAR.
• One or more cytotails or recruiting domains may be joined in tandem to mimic signaling from one or more cytokines.
• FIGS.4A-4C show the inhibition of TGF-b signaling by the overexpression of chimeric cytokine receptors constructed using TGFbR2.
• the lentiviral vectors used were constructed similarly as described in Example 1.
• FIG.4A shows a schematic of the prototypic lentiviral vector used, bearing the IL7R(316-459) and the IL12Rb2(775-825) cytotail or recruiting domains to mimic IL7 and IL12 signaling in CAR-T-cells.
• a variety of truncations in the transmembrane domain of the TpoR cassette were designed (as shown in Table 3). The capacity of these truncations to regulate cytokine signaling was determined.
• FIG.4B shows TGF-b signaling activity determined by a luciferase reporter assay.
• FIG.4C shows the activation of the chimeric cytokine receptors of FIG.4A in the presence of TGF-b.
• the activation of the chimeric cytokine receptor is measured by STAT reporter activity.
• FIGS.5A-5C show the inhibition of TGF-b signaling by the overexpression of additional chimeric cytokine receptors constructed using TGFbR2.
• the lentiviral vectors used were constructed similarly as described when referring to FIGS.4A-4C, and Example 1.
• FIG. 5A shows a schematic of the prototypic lentiviral vector used, having truncations in the binding domain.
• FIG.5B shows TGF-b signaling activity determined by a luciferase reporter assay. Most of the chimeric cytokine receptors tested were shown to be able to inhibit TGF-b signaling (other than the N-12, N-13, N-14 TM truncations, which show less extent of inhibition).
• FIG.5C shows the activation of the chimeric cytokine receptors of FIG.5A in the presence of TGF-b.
• the activation of the chimeric cytokine receptors is measured by the STAT reporter activity.
• STAT reporter activity Several variants were identified to have the ability to induce cytokine signaling by a TGF-b ligand.
• the amino acid sequences of the transmembrane domains listed in the X-axes of FIGS.5B-5C are SEQ ID NOs: 29, 38, 53, SEQ ID NO: 40 to SEQ ID NO: 44, and SEQ ID NO: 61 to SEQ ID NO: 72, presented in Table 3.
• Example 3 Modifications of the chimeric cytokine receptor binding domain and testing of the constructed chimeric cytokine receptors [0150]
• TGFbR1 interacts with the TGF-b ligand with very low affinity.
• the binary complex has an extended interface to efficiently recruit TGFbR1 to form the ternary complex.
• the engineered TGFbR2 chimeric cytokine receptor can also engage endogenous TGFbR1, which may sterically intervene the intended signaling though the cytokine receptor ICDs.
• FIGS.6A-6C show the inhibition of TGF-b signaling by the expression of chimeric cytokine receptors constructed with TGFbR2 having modifications.
• FIG.6A shows a schematic of the modification introduced into the TGFbR2 cassette.
• the lentiviral vectors used were constructed similarly as described in Example 1.
• TGFbR2DN25 a truncation (DN25) was introduced into the TGFbR2 binding domain based on the previous constructs described when referring to FIGS.6A-6C (“TGFbR2DN25”), and the inhibition of TGF-b signaling was tested by a TGF-b reporter assay.
• FIG.6B shows that the TGFbR2DN25 chimeric cytokine receptors still retained the ability to inhibit TGF-b signaling.
• FIG.6C shows the activation of the chimeric cytokine receptors of FIG.6A, evaluated by the STAT reporter activity.
• the amino acid sequences of the transmembrane domains listed in the X-axes of FIGS.6B-6C are SEQ ID NOs: 29, 38, 39, 40, and 53, with a binding domain sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 or SEQ ID NO: 3, presented in Tables 1 and 3.
• SEQ ID NO: 4 or SEQ ID NO: 3 presented in Tables 1 and 3.
• FIG.7 shows a schematic of the constitutively active chimeric cytokine receptor.
• the binding domain comprises the extracellular portion of TGFbR2; exemplary transmembrane domains may comprise the SEQ ID NOs 29, 40, 53 or 60.
• FIGS.8A-8C show the design and tested function of the constitutively active chimeric cytokine receptors.
• the lentiviral vectors used were constructed similarly as described in Example 1.
• a double mutant (S505N, W515K) was introduced into the TPOR cassette to enforce the dimerization and activation of the receptors, in combination with variants that had shown the most promising functionality (e.g. TGFbR2DN25, N-9 and N+4 truncations in the TPOR cassette).
• FIG.8A shows a schematic of the modification introduced into the TGFbR2 cassette.
• FIG.8B shows the inhibition of TGF-b signaling by the expression of the chimeric cytokine receptors of FIG.8A.
• FIG.8C shows the activation of cytokine signaling via the chimeric cytokine receptors of FIG.8A, measured by the STAT5 reporter activity in 293 cells.
• TGFbR2_TpoR, TGFbR2_TpoR_N- 9, and TGFbR2_TpoR_N+4 receptors with the S505N and W515K mutations display substantial cytokine signaling (e.g.
• FIG.10A shows additional design of inducible TGF-b-driven chimeric cytokine receptors.
• FIG.10B shows the inhibition of endogenous TGF-b signaling as determined by luciferase assay by the overexpression of TGF-b-driven chimeric cytokine receptors shown in FIG.10A in 293 cells in the presence of different concentrations of TGF-b.
• Some of the constructs also carry the DN25 deletion in the ECD domain (“TGF-bR2DN25”). All TGF-b-driven chimeric cytokine receptors in FIG.10B inhibited the endogenous TGF-b signaling, although clones with the DN25 deletion showed slightly decreased inhibition of the TGF-b signaling.
• FIG. 10C show the activation of chimeric cytokine receptors in the presence of TGF-b at various concentrations.
• FIG.11A shows schematics of the lentiviral vectors used to co- express in CAR T cells the TGF-bR2 chimeric cytokine receptors with the EGFRvIII-specific CAR (2173scFv).
• IL2YY refers to IL2Rb (393-433, 518-551)
• IL7IL12 refers to IL7R(316-459) and IL12Rb2(775-825) joined in tandem.
• CAR T cells were also produced, expressing a dominant negative truncation of TGF-bR2 (“TGF-bR2.DN”), constitutive chimeric cytokine receptor without the TGF-bR2 ECD (“IL7IL12”, “IL2YY”) or a BFP protein.
• TGF-bR2.DN constitutive chimeric cytokine receptor without the TGF-bR2 ECD
• IL7IL12 constitutive chimeric cytokine receptor without the TGF-bR2 ECD
• BFP protein BFP protein
• FIGs.11D and 11E show results of assessing STAT 5 phosphorylation in the CAR T cells co-expressing either the various chimeric cytokine receptors or controls.
• CAR T cells with constitutive chimeric cytokine receptor with an TGF-bR2 ECD i.e., TGF- bR2.IL7IL12 or TGF-bR2.IL2YY exhibited higher level of STAT5 phosphorylation, even in the absence of TGFb, as compared to IL2YY and IL7IL12, i.e., constitutive chimeric cytokine receptors without a TGF-bR2 ECD, indicating stronger cytokine signaling with a TGF-bR2 ECD domain.
• FIGs.11F and 11G show that the chimeric cytokine receptors regulated the differentiation of CAR T cells at Day 14 of CAR T production.
• CD62L and CD45RO staining was conducted using the antibodies from BioLegned (#304822) and BioLegand (#304234), respectively.
• CAR T cells expressing the TGF-bR2.IL7IL12 chimeric cytokine receptor largely differentiated into central memory T cells (CD62L hi CD45RO hi ) – a result likely due to strong IL12Rb signaling, while CAR T cells expressing the TGFbR2.IL2YY or IL2YY chimeric cytokine receptor exhibited an enriched population of stem cell-like (stem) memory T cell (CD62L hi CD45RO low ), a desirable T cell phenotype that has been associated with better clinical outcome.
• TGF-bR2 chimeric cytokine receptor was compared to the expression of endogenous TGF-bR2 by measuring total surface ECD by flow cytometry using an anti-human TGF-bR2 polyclonal antibody (R&D Systems, FAB2411A100).
• the results in FIG.11H show an MFI of the ECD staining at about 1400-2300 resulting from the endogenous TGF-bR2 in the CAR T cells expressing the IL7IL12 or IL2YY chimeric cytokine receptor and CAR T cells expressing BFP.
• FIG.11I shows the level of SMAD phosphorylation within CAR T cells expressing different chimeric cytokine receptors or controls when exposed to various concentrations of TGFb.
• the antibody used for detecting phosphorylated SMAD was from BD Biosciences (BDB562586).
• CAR T cells were incubated with 10,000 target cells at E: T ratio of 1:2 in 200 ul of RPMI medium with 10% of FBS, and TGF-b at various concentrations of 0, 5, and 20 ng/ml. After one week of co-culture with target cells, the CAR T cells in 100 ul supernatant were transferred into new target cells (10,000) with the same TGFb concentrations as the previous week. The cytotoxicity of the CAR T cells in the second week without added TGF-b was assessed and the results are shown in FIG.12A.
• CAR T cells expressing TGF-bR2 chimeric cytokine receptors showed the most persistent cytotoxicity, with most of the target cells killed by the CAR T cells.
• CAR T cells expressing chimeric cytokine receptors without the TGF-bR2 ECD also exhibited considerable cytotoxicity and inhibited the growth of the U87 cells till the second week.
• CAR T cells with BFP or TGF-bR2.DN lost the activity and failed to inhibit the growth of the U87 cells (FIG.12A).
• TGF-bR2 chimeric cytokine receptors enable more persistent cytotoxicity against the target cells.
• the activity of CAR T cells without expressing a chimeric cytokine receptor with a TGFbR2 ECD was inhibited to various levels by TGF-b, likely the effect of signal transduction via the endogenous TGF-b receptors (FIGs.12B-12C).
• CAR T cells expressing TGF-bR2 chimeric cytokine receptors were resistant to TGF-b inhibition and were able to maintain strong cytotoxicity in conditions up to 20 ng/ml of TGF-b (FIGs.12B, 12C).
• TGF-bR2 chimeric cytokine receptor in CAR T cells.
• constitutive TGFbR2.IL7IL12 chimeric cytokine receptor having the S505N/W515K substitutions in the TPOR/MPLR transmembrane domain and the IL7Ra/IL12Rb recruiting domains e.g., SEQ ID NO:163
• the IL12 cytokine signaling has been implicated in the differentiation of memory T cells, we designed the TGF-bR2.IL7 chimeric cytokine receptor that eliminates the IL12 signaling.
• TGF-bR2 chimeric cytokine receptors showed higher levels of STAT5 signaling as determined by STAT5 phosphorylation than the chimeric cytokine receptors without the TGF-bR2 ECD domain (both the IL7IL12 and IL7 chimeric cytokine receptor constructs contain the S505N/W515K substitutions) (FIG.13A).
• CAR T cells expressing chimeric cytokine receptors without the IL12R recruiting domain TGF-bR2.IL7, TGF-bR2.IL7_RR, and IL7 showed an increased proportion of stem memory T cell than their counterparts with the IL12R recruiting domain (FIG.13B).
• CAR T cells were evaluated in long-term killing assay.
• CAR T cells expressing different chimeric cytokine receptor were mixed with 10,000 U87-EGFRvIII cancer cells at an E:T ratio of 1:1, in 200 ul RPMI medium with 10% FBS, with or without 5 ng/ml of TGFb.
• TGF-bR2 chimeric cytokine receptors with various recruiting domains, for example, TGF-bR2.IL2YY, TGF- bR2.IL7, or TGF-bR2.IL2YYY(IL2Rb(339-379,393-433,518-551)) all conferred more potent and durable cytotoxicity than CAR T cells expressing chimeric cytokine receptors without the TGF-bR2 ECD, confirming the previous observations that the TGF-bR2 ECD domain enhanced the chimeric cytokine receptor signaling (FIG.14A).
• CAR T cells expressing the TGF-bR2 chimeric cytokine receptor maintained more potent and persistent cytotoxicity than CAR T cells with or without expressing a chimeric cytokine receptor without a TGF-bR2 ECD (FIG.14B).
• the chimeric cytokine receptors tested all contain the S505N/W515K substitutions, and the TGFbR2.IL2YYY and IL2YYY constructs have the additional H499L substitution in the TOPR/MPLR transmembrane domain.
• TGF-bR2.IL2YY_RR chimeric cytokine receptor SEQ ID NO: 166
• TM region S505N, W515K
• K553R and K573R degradation-resistant mutations
• FIG.15A shows the analysis of STAT5 signaling in the CAR T cells, in which all the TGF-bR2 chimeric cytokine receptors led to strong STAT5 phosphorylation in CAR T cells, comparing to the T cells expressing only the CAR.
• TGF-bR2.IL2YY_RR with the wildtype TGF b binding domain exhibited a decreased level of SMAD phosphorylation, indicating that the endogenous TGFb signaling was successfully inhibited by the TGF-bR2 chimeric cytokine receptor with a wildtype, functional ligand binding domain (FIG.15B).
• FIG. 15C The long-term cytotoxicity of CAR T cells expressing different TGF-bR2 chimeric cytokine receptor against cancer cells in the presence of 5ng/ml TGFb was shown in FIG. 15C.
• TGF-bR2 chimeric cytokine receptors with impaired ability to bind to TGFb (D32A.E119A and D32A.E119A.I53A) also showed a faster decline in the cytotoxicity assay than CAR T cells expressing the TGF-bR2.IL2YY_RR chimeric cytokine receptor with a wildtype TGFb binding ECD.
• results in FIGs.16A-B show that the degradation-resistant mutations, K553R and K573R, can further improve the functionality of the constitutive TGF-bR2 chimeric cytokine receptors.
• CAR T cells expressing TGF-bR2 chimeric cytokine receptors with or without the degradation-resistant mutations were evaluated for the strength of the cytokine signaling as well as the long-term cytotoxicity assay against U87- EGFRvIII in the medium with 5 ng/ml of TGFb ligand.
• TGF-bR2 chimeric cytokine receptor with the K533R and K573R substitutions consistently display a stronger STAT5 phosphorylation (FIG.16A) and a more durable capability to kill the target cells (FIG.16B).

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Genetics & Genomics (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Epidemiology (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Immunology (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Bioinformatics & Cheminformatics (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• Biotechnology (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Cell Biology (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Proteomics, Peptides & Aminoacids (AREA)
• Toxicology (AREA)
• Gastroenterology & Hepatology (AREA)
• Microbiology (AREA)
• Hematology (AREA)
• Pharmacology & Pharmacy (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Virology (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Plant Pathology (AREA)
• Peptides Or Proteins (AREA)
• Micro-Organisms Or Cultivation Processes Thereof (AREA)
• Developmental Biology & Embryology (AREA)
• Medicines That Contain Protein Lipid Enzymes And Other Medicines (AREA)
• Medicines Containing Antibodies Or Antigens For Use As Internal Diagnostic Agents (AREA)

Priority Applications (9)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=72521701

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (11)

Cited By (10)

Families Citing this family (4)

Citations (7)

Family Cites Families (38)

• 2020
  • 2020-08-28 US US17/005,757 patent/US12528856B2/en active Active
  • 2020-08-28 CN CN202080061119.3A patent/CN114341193A/zh active Pending
  • 2020-08-28 BR BR112022003553A patent/BR112022003553A2/pt unknown
  • 2020-08-28 CA CA3145614A patent/CA3145614A1/en active Pending
  • 2020-08-28 EP EP20772464.2A patent/EP4021582A1/en active Pending
  • 2020-08-28 AU AU2020336131A patent/AU2020336131B2/en active Active
  • 2020-08-28 JP JP2022505440A patent/JP2022545167A/ja active Pending
  • 2020-08-28 MX MX2022002297A patent/MX2022002297A/es unknown
  • 2020-08-28 WO PCT/US2020/048402 patent/WO2021041806A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2020-08-28 KR KR1020227004538A patent/KR20220052919A/ko active Pending
• 2022
  • 2022-02-27 IL IL290960A patent/IL290960A/en unknown

Patent Citations (7)

Non-Patent Citations (8)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events