TNFRSF receptor-specific antibody fusion proteins with targeting controlled FcγR-independent agonistic activity

Cell Death Dis. 2019 Mar 4;10(3):224. doi: 10.1038/s41419-019-1456-x.

Abstract

Antibodies specific for TNFRSF receptors that bind soluble ligands without getting properly activated generally act as strong agonists upon FcγR binding. Systematic analyses revealed that the FcγR dependency of such antibodies to act as potent agonists is largely independent from isotype, FcγR type, and of the epitope recognized. This suggests that the sole cellular attachment, achieved by Fc domain-FcγR interaction, dominantly determines the agonistic activity of antibodies recognizing TNFRSF receptors poorly responsive to soluble ligands. In accordance with this hypothesis, we demonstrated that antibody fusion proteins harboring domains allowing FcγR-independent cell surface anchoring also act as strong agonist provided they have access to their target. This finding defines a general possibility to generate anti-TNFRSF receptor antibodies with FcγR-independent agonism. Moreover, anti-TNFRSF receptor antibody fusion proteins with an anchoring domain promise superior applicability to conventional systemically active agonists when an anchoring target with localized disease associated expression can be addressed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigen-Antibody Reactions
  • Epitopes / immunology
  • HEK293 Cells
  • HT29 Cells
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments / metabolism
  • Jurkat Cells
  • Mice
  • Receptors, IgG / immunology*
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / immunology*
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / metabolism

Substances

  • Epitopes
  • Fcgr2b protein, mouse
  • Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments
  • Receptors, IgG
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor