Fcγ Receptor-Dependent Internalization and Off-Target Cytotoxicity of Antibody-Drug Conjugate Aggregates

© 2021. The Author(s)..

PURPOSE: Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), which are monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) conjugated with highly toxic payloads, achieve high tumor killing efficacy due to the specific delivery of payloads in accordance with mAbs' function. On the other hand, the conjugation of payloads often increases the hydrophobicity of mAbs, resulting in reduced stability and increased aggregation. It is considered that mAb aggregates have potential risk for activating Fcγ receptors (FcγRs) on immune cells, and are internalized into cells via FcγRs. Based on the mechanism of action of ADCs, the internalization of ADCs into target-negative cells may cause the off-target toxicity. However, the impacts of aggregation on the safety of ADCs including off-target cytotoxicity have been unclear. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxicity of ADC aggregates in target-negative cells.

METHODS: The ADC aggregates were generated by stirring stress or thermal stress. The off-target cytotoxicity of ADC aggregates was evaluated in several target-negative cell lines, and FcγR-activation properties of ADC aggregates were characterized using a reporter cell assay.

RESULTS: Aggregation of ADCs enhanced the off-target cytotoxicity in several target-negative cell lines compared with non-stressed ADCs. Notably, ADC aggregates with FcγR-activation properties showed dramatically enhanced cytotoxicity in FcγR-expressing cells. The FcγR-mediated off-target cytotoxicity of ADC aggregates was reduced by using a FcγR-blocking antibody or Fc-engineering for silencing Fc-mediated effector functions.

CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that FcγRs play an important role for internalization of ADC aggregates into non-target cells, and the aggregation of ADCs increases the potential risk for off-target toxicity.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2022

Erschienen:

2022

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:39

Enthalten in:

Pharmaceutical research - 39(2022), 1 vom: 27. Jan., Seite 89-103

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Aoyama, Michihiko [VerfasserIn]
Tada, Minoru [VerfasserIn]
Yokoo, Hidetomo [VerfasserIn]
Demizu, Yosuke [VerfasserIn]
Ishii-Watabe, Akiko [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Aggregation
Antibodies, Monoclonal
Antibody-drug conjugates
Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological
Fcγ receptors
Immunoconjugates
Journal Article
Off-target toxicity
Receptors, IgG

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 16.03.2022

Date Revised 31.05.2022

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1007/s11095-021-03158-x

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM334977584