Immunotherapy
Antibodies and Fc receptors in autoimmunedisease, infections and cancer
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Jeanette LeusenThe Immunotherapy group studies the working mechanisms of therapeutic antibodies and the biology of Fc receptors. As therapy for cancer, monoclonal antibodies are used that specifically target tumor cells, leading to disruption of cancer cell activities or to enhancement of the immune response against the cancer. In the clinic, an antibody called rituximab (rituxan) is used for patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, trastuzumab (herceptin) for treatment of certain breast cancers, and bevacizumab (avastin) for colorectal cancer and other metastatic cancers. Although clinical results are promising, therapeutic responses to antibody therapy remain heterogeneous. It is crucial to better understand the in vivo action of therapeutic antibodies.
Previous work showed clinical responses induced by cancer therapeutic antibodies to critically depend on immune cell Fc receptor interaction. Fc receptors bind the constant part or Fc part of antibodies. Fc receptors are expressed on immune cells and induce phagocytosis, cellular cytotoxicity and facilitate antigen presentation: in mice lacking Fc receptors, cancer therapeutic antibodies lose their effect on tumor growth, and in cancer patients FcR polymorphisms directly impact therapeutic responses to antibodies like rituxan.
At present, the immunotherapy group investigates the underlying mechanisms of Fc-mediated therapeutic antibody function on two levels: 1) signaling required from Fc receptors 'outside-in' killer immune cells, and 2) 'inside-out' control of Fc receptors.
We recently developed a unique transgenic mouse, which is selectively deficient in Fc receptor signaling. In a panel of tumormodels we plan to address the first issue. The second issue will be studied with novel tools that we plan to develop to selectively monitor whether Fc receptors are "on" or "off", in vitro, and in vivo in mouse models. The signaling of FcγRI and FcαRI is studied in more detail.
Members
- Peter Boross, Post doc
- Saskia Meyer, PhD student
- Shamir Jacobino, PhD student
- Marco Jansen, technician
- Maaike Nederend, technician
- Arianne Brandsma, master-student
The in vivo mechanism of action of CD20 monoclonal antibodies depends on local tumor burden.
P. Boross, M.J.H. Jansen, S. de Haij, F.J. Beurskens, C.E. van der Poel, L. Bevaart, M. Nederend, J. Golay, J.G.J. van de Winkel, P.W. Parren, J.H.W. Leusen.
Haematologica. 2011 Aug 31. [Epub ahead of print].
Functional Characteristics of the High Affinity IgG Receptor, FcgammaRI.
C.E. van der Poel, R.M. Spaapen, J.G.J. van de Winkel, J.H.W. Leusen.
J Immunol. 2011 Mar 1;186(5):2699-704.
Expression of CD64 (FcγRI) in skin of patients with acute GVHD.
A. van Royen-Kerkhof, V. Walraven, E.A. Sanders, R. de Weger, D.F. van Wichen, E. de Koning, T. Thepen, J.G.J. van de Winkel, J.H.W. Leusen.
Bone Marrow Transplant. 2011 Jan 17
Cytokine induced immune complex binding to the high affinity IgG receptor, FcγRI, in the presence of monomeric IgG.
C.E. van der Poel, R.A. Karssemeijer, P. Boross, J.A. van der Linden, M. Blokland, J.G.J. van de Winkel, J.H.W. Leusen
Blood. 2010 Dec 9;116(24):5327-33. Epub 2010 Aug 30.
c-Jun activating binding protein 1 binds to the IgA receptor and modulates protein levels of FcalphaRI and FcRgamma-chain.
J.E. Bakema, I.H.Hiemstra, , J. Bakker, S. de Haij, Y. Kok, G. Adema, M. van Egmond, P.J. Coffer, J.G.J. van de Winkel, and J.H.W. Leusen.
Eur. J. Immunol. 2010 40:2035-2040 In vivo cytotoxicity of type I CD20 antibodies critically depends on Fc receptor ITAM signaling.
S. de Haij, J.H.M. Jansen, P. Boross, F.J. Beurskens, J.E. Bakema, D.L. Bos, A. Martens, J. S. Verbeek, P.W.H.I. Parren, J.G.J. van de Winkel and J.H.W. Leusen.
Cancer Research. 2010 70:3209-17 Inside-out regulation of Fc alpha RI (CD89) depends on PP2A
J.E. Bakema, A. Bakker, S. de Haij, H. Honing, M. Bracke, L. Koenderman, G. Vidarsson, J.G.J. van de Winkel, J.H.W. Leusen
J Immunol. 2008 Sep 15;181(6):4080-8Filamin A stabilizes FcgRI surface expression and prevents its lysosomal routing.
J.M. Beekman, C.E. van der Poel, J. van der Linden, D.L.C. van den Berg, P.V.E. van den Berghe, J.M. Griffith, M.J. Kleijmeer, J.G.J. van de Winkel, and J.H.W. Leusen.
J. Immunol., 2008 180:3938-45
Signaling through mutants of the IgA receptor, CD89, and consequences for FcR g-chain interaction.
J.E. Bakema, S.de Haij, C.F.den Hartog-Jager, J.Bakker, G.Vidarsson, M. van Egmond, J.G.J. van de Winkel, and J.H.W. Leusen.
J. Immunol., 2006 Mar; 176: 3603 - 3610 The high affinity IgG receptor, FcgRI, plays a central role in antibody therapy of experimental melanoma.
L. Bevaart, M.J.H. Jansen, M.J. van Vugt, J.S. Verbeek, J.G.J. van de Winkel, and J.H.W. Leusen.
Cancer Research, 2006 Feb 1;66(3):1261-4 Direct interaction between FcgammaRI (CD64) and periplakin controls receptor endocytosis and ligand binding capacity.
J.M. Beekman, J.E. Bakema, J.G.J. van de Winkel, J.H.W. Leusen
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2004 101:10392-7 2006-2012
Financial support from Genmab
'Contribution of ADCC to tumor therapy in vivo'
'Improved immunization method for antibody production'
2010-2012
Synthon financial support
‘Kinetics of antibodies in vivo’
‘Improved therapeutic antibodies’
2011-2012
IICU Seeding Grant, shared with Dr. R. Wubbolts, DGK UU
‘Fc receptor regulated antigen presentation by dendritic cells’
2011-2014
AICR grant 11-012
‘IgA as new therapeutic antibody’
2011- 2015
UU ERC stimuleringssubsidie
‘Immunoglobulin A as new therapeutic antibody for Influenza’
2011 – 2015
Synthon BV financial support
‘Improved therapeutic antibodies’