Patent Application
20190151437
The present disclosure relates to oncolytic viruses for inducing an immune response.
Oncolytic viruses (OVs) specifically infect, replicate in and kill malignant cells, leaving normal tissues unaffected. Several OVs have reached advanced stages of clinical evaluation for the treatment of various neoplasms (Russell S J. et al., (2012) Nat Biotechnol 30:658-670). Once approved, such viral agents could substitute or combine with standard cancer therapies and allow for reduced toxicity and improved therapeutic efficacy.
In addition to the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) (Stojdl D F. et al., (2000) Nat Med 6:821-825; Stojdl D F. et al., (2003) Cancer Cell 4:263-275), other rhabdoviruses displaying oncolytic activity have been described recently (Brun J. et al., (2010) Mol Ther 18:1440-1449; Mahoney D J. et al., (2011) Cancer Cell 20:443-456). Among them, the non-VSV Maraba virus showed the broadest oncotropism in vitro (WO 2009/016433). A mutant Maraba virus with improved tumor selectivity and reduced virulence in normal cells was engineered. The attenuated strain is a double mutant strain containing both G protein (Q242R) and M protein (L123W) mutations. In vivo, this attenuated strain, called MG1 or Maraba MG1, demonstrated potent anti-tumor activity in xenograft and syngeneic tumor models in mice, with superior therapeutic efficacy than the attenuated VSV, VSVΔM51 (WO 2011/070440).
Data accumulated over the past several years has revealed that anti-tumor efficacy of oncolytic viruses not only depends on their direct oncolysis but may also depend on their ability to stimulate anti-tumor immunity (Bridle B W. et al., (2010) Mol Ther 184:4269-4275). This immune-mediated tumor control seems to play a critical role in the overall efficacy of OV therapy. Indeed, tumor-specific adaptive immune cells can patrol the tissues and destroy tumor cells that have been missed by the OV. Moreover, their memory compartment can prevent tumor recurrence.
Various strategies have been developed to improve OV-induced anti-tumor immunity (Poi J. et al., (2012) Virus Adaptation and Treatment 4:1-21). Some groups have genetically engineered OV expressing immunomostimulatory cytokines. A herpes simplex and a vaccinia virus expressing Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) have respectively reached phase III and IIB of the clinical evaluation for cancer therapy while a VSV expressing IFN-β has just entered phase I.
Another strategy, defined as an oncolytic vaccine, consists of expressing a tumor antigen from the OV (Russell S J. et al., (2012) Nat Biotechnol 30:658-670). Previously, it has been demonstrated that VSV could also be used as a cancer vaccine vector (Bridle B W. et al., (2010) Mol Ther 184:4269-4275). When applied in a heterologous prime:boost setting to treat a murine melanoma model, a VSV-human dopachrome tautomerase (hDCT) oncolytic vaccine not only induced an increased tumor-specific immunity to DOT but also a concomitant reduction in antiviral adaptive immunity. As a result, the therapeutic efficacy was dramatically improved with an increase of both median and long term survivals (WO 2010/105347). Although VSV was shown to be effective using hDCT as a tumor associated antigen, there is no way to predict what tumor associated antigens will be effective in a heterologous prime:boost setting.
Three specific prime:boost combination therapies are disclosed in PCT Application No. PCT/CA2014/050118. The combination therapies include a lentivirus that encodes as an antigen: a Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) E6/E7 fusion protein, human Six-Transmembrane Epithelial Antigen of the Prostate (huSTEAP) protein, or Cancer Testis Antigen 1; and a Maraba MG1 virus that encodes the same antigen. PCT Application No. PCT/CA2014/050118 also discloses a prime:boost combination therapy using an adenovirus that encodes MAGEA3 as an antigen, and a Maraba MG1 virus that encodes the same antigen.
The following summary is intended to introduce the reader to one or more inventions described herein but not to define any one of them.
It is an object of the present disclosure to obviate or mitigate at least one disadvantage of previous anti-cancer vaccines.
The authors of the present disclosure have identified a combination prime:boost therapy that induces an immune response in a mammal. In contrast to the prime:boost combination therapy disclosed in PCT Application No. PCT/CA2014/050118, discussed above, which uses a lentivirus as the “prime”, the combination prime:boost therapy according to the present disclosure uses a recombinant adenovirus expressing the antigen as the priming virus. A recombinant Maraba MG1 virus expressing the antigen is used as the boosting virus. Exemplary combination therapies according to the present disclosure use HPV E6/E7 or STEAP as the antigen.
The results discussed herein show that a recombinant adenovirus provides at least one advantage over the recombinant lentivirus of the '118 POT application. These results are unexpected and not predictable because there is no way to predict if or how efficacy will be affected if the priming virus is changed. One would not have be able to predict which, if any, priming virus would provide a beneficial effect on the immune response in a prime:boost combination therapy.
In one aspect, there is provided a combination prime:boost therapy for use in inducing an immune response in a mammal. The combination therapy includes: an adenovirus that (a) expresses an antigenic protein and (b) is formulated to generate an immunity to the protein in the mammal. The combination therapy also includes a Maraba MG1 virus that (a) expresses an antigenic protein and (b) is formulated to induce the immune response in the mammal. The antigenic proteins expressed by the adenovirus and the Maraba MG1 virus are based on the same tumor associated antigen, but do not need to be identical in sequence.
In some examples of the combination therapy, the antigenic protein is a Human Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion protein. In other examples of the combination therapy, the antigen protein is a huSTEAP protein.
In other aspects, the present disclosure provides for uses of the combination of viruses, and methods of using the combination of viruses. The uses and methods may relate to: treatment or prevention of an HPV-derived cancer, such as a cancer caused by HPV16 or HPV18; increasing an immune response against E6 and/or E7 proteins; or combinations thereof.
Other aspects and features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached Figures.
The present disclosure provides a combination prime:boost therapy for use in inducing an immune response in a mammal. Prime:boost immunizations can be given with unmatched vaccine delivery methods while using the same antigen, in a ‘heterologous’ prime:boost format; or with matched vaccine delivery methods, in a ‘homologous’ prime:boost. Heterologous prime:boost methods are preferable when using vectored vaccine platforms as homologous vaccination would lead to boosting of responses to both the vector and the transgene in the secondary response. In contrast, a heterologous system focuses the secondary response (that is, the boosted response) on the antigen as responses against the first and the second vector are primary responses, and are therefore much less robust.
Generally, a combination prime:boost therapy of the present disclosure includes: (1) an adenovirus that is capable of expressing an antigenic protein and that is formulated to generate an immunity to the protein in the mammal; and (2) a Maraba MG1 virus that is capable of expressing an antigenic protein and that is formulated to induce the immune response in the mammal.
The antigenic protein expressed by the adenovirus and the antigenic protein expressed by the Maraba MG1 virus may be identical, or different. If different, the antigenic proteins are sufficiently similar that the immune response to the antigenic protein expressed by the Maraba MG1 virus is increased in comparison to an immune response induced in the absence of a priming virus.
In some exemplary combination therapies according to the present disclosure, the therapy may be used to activate the patient's immune system to kill tumour cells with reduced toxicity to normal tissues, for example by activating antibodies and/or lymphocytes against a tumor associated antigen on the tumour. In particular examples, the therapy may display both oncolytic activity and an ability to boost adaptive cell immunity.
In one aspect, the combination prime:boost therapy of the present disclosure includes: (1) an adenovirus that is capable of expressing a Human Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion protein as an antigenic protein and that is formulated to generate an immunity to the protein in the mammal; and (2) a Maraba MG1 virus that is capable of expressing a Human Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion protein as an antigenic protein and that is formulated to induce the immune response in the mammal. The antigenic protein expressed by the adenovirus and the antigenic protein expressed by the Maraba MG1 virus may be identical, or different.
In another aspect, the combination prime:boost therapy of the present disclosure includes: (1) an adenovirus that is capable of expressing a human Six-Transmembrane Epithelial Antigen of the Prostate (huSTEAP) protein as an antigenic protein and that is formulated to generate an immunity to the protein in the mammal; and (2) a Maraba MG1 virus that is capable of expressing a huSTEAP protein as an antigenic protein and that is formulated to induce the immune response in the mammal. The antigenic protein expressed by the adenovirus and the antigenic protein expressed by the Maraba MG1 virus may be identical, or different.
In the context of the present disclosure, the terms “priming adenovirus” and “boosting maraba virus” should be understood to refer to an adenovirus that is capable of expressing an antigenic protein, and a Maraba MG1 virus that is capable of expressing an antigenic protein, respectively. The terms “Ad-E6E7”, “Adenovirus E6E7”, and “Adenovirus encoding HPV E6/E7 protein” should all be understood to refer to an adenovirus that is capable of expressing a Human Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion protein as an antigenic protein; and the terms “MG1-E6E7”, “Maraba MG1 E6E7”, and “Maraba MG1 virus encoding HPV E6/E7 protein” should all be understood to refer to a Maraba MG1 virus that is capable of expressing a Human Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion protein. Similarly, the terms “Ad-huSTEAP”, “Adenovirus huSTEAP”, “Adenovirus encoding huSTEAP protein” and “priming adenovirus” should all be understood to refer to an adenovirus that is capable of expressing a huSTEAP protein as an antigenic protein; and the terms “MG1-huSTEAP”, “Maraba MG1 huSTEAP”, and “Maraba MG1 virus encoding huSTEAP” should all be understood to refer to a Maraba MG1 virus that is capable of expressing a huSTEAP protein.
Human Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion protein is one example of an antigenic protein that may be used in therapies and methods according to the present disclosure. HPV E6/E7 includes sequences corresponding to the E6 and E7 transforming proteins of both the HPV16 and HPV18 serotypes, resulting in a fusion protein that includes HPV16 E6, HPV18 E6, HPV16 E7 and HPV18 E7 protein domains. The four protein domains are linked by proteasomally degradable linkers that result in the separate HPV16 E6, HPV18 E6, HPV16 E7 and HPV18 E7 proteins once the fusion protein is in the proteasome. The proteasomally degradeable linkers in a fusion protein may be the same or different. The terms “HPV E6/E7 protein”, “HPV E6/E7 fusion protein”, and “therapeutic E6E7 construct” should all be understood to be synonymous with “Human Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion protein”.
One example of a Human Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion protein according to the present disclosure has an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 1. In SEQ ID NO: 1, the proteasomally degradable linkers have the sequence GGGGGAAY (SEQ ID NO: 2). Other proteasomally degradable linkers could alternatively be used.
To generate an HPV E6/E7 fusion protein according to SEQ ID NO: 1, the Maraba MG1 virus genome may include a reverse complement and RNA version of a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3. In specific examples, the Maraba MG1 virus genome may include a nucleotide sequence that is the reverse complement and RNA version of SEQ ID NO: 4.
To generate an HPV E6/E7 fusion protein according to SEQ ID NO: 1, the adenovirus may include a transgene comprising a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3. The transgene may additionally include a promoter, such as murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) IE promoter, preceding the HPV E6E7 encoding region. The transgene may additionally include, preferably in combination with the promoter, a region encoding a SV40 polyadenylation signal sequence after the HPV E6E7 encoding region.
Because the HPV16 E6, HPV18 E6, HPV16 E7 and HPV18 E7 proteins are separated from each other in the proteasome (due to the presence of the proteasomally degrabable linkers in the fusion protein), a Human Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion protein according to the present disclosure may have a sequence where the protein domains are rearranged in a different order than they are in SEQ ID NO: 1 and still provide the HPV16 E6, HPV18 E6, HPV16 E7 and HPV18 E7 proteins.
If the sequence of the HPV16 E6, HPV18 E6, HPV16 E7 and HPV18 E7 domains in SEQ ID NO: 1 corresponded to A, B, C, D, respectively, a Human Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion protein according to the present disclosure could have a sequence where the four domains were rearranged in any of the other 23 possible permutations, for example: ABDC, ACBD, ACDB, ADBC, ADCB, BACD, BACD, BADC, CABD, CADB, DACB, DCAB, DCBA, etc. Four specific examples of such rearrangements of SEQ ID NO: 1 are shown in SEQ ID NOs: 5-8, but it should be understood that the present disclosure also contemplates the other nineteen permutations, and that sequences of such permutations are readily derivable from the protein domains and the linkers disclosed in SEQ ID NOs: 1 and 5-8.
Although HPV E6/E7 fusion proteins according to the present disclosure may be formed from wild type sequences of the HPV16 E6, HPV18 E6, HPV16 E7 and HPV18 E7 proteins, it is desirable to modify the wild type sequences to prevent the formation of zinc fingers. If cells transduced with adenovirus HPV E6/E7 were to undergo an integration event with an E6E7 transgene that encoded a fusion protein that produced E6 and E7 proteins that could not form zinc fingers, the proteins produced would be unable to interfere with the functions of p53 or retinoblastoma, thereby reducing the possibility of a de novo neoplasm from forming.
In preferred examples, the sequences of one or more of the wild type HPV16 E6, HPV18 E6, HPV16 E7 and HPV18 E7 proteins may be modified to abrogate the ability of one or more CXXC motifs to form zinc fingers. The sequences of one or more of the wild type HPV16 E7 and HPV18 E7 proteins may additionally, or alternatively, be modified to abrogate the ability of a LXCXE sequence motif to bind to Retinoblastoma (Rb) protein. Preventing the formation of zinc fingers may be achieved, for example, by deleting one or both of the cysteines in a CXXC motif. Preventing the bind to Rb protein may be achieved, for example, by deleting one or more of the amino acids in a LXCXE sequence motif, such as deleting the CXE amino acids. In an alternative to deleting amino acids, replacing one or more of the amino acids in either the CXXC or LXCXE motifs with other amino acids, such as alanine, may prevent binding. Preferably, all four of the protein sequences are modified to prevent the separated E6 and E7 proteins from forming zinc fingers and/or from binding to Rb protein.
The sequences of HPV16 E6, HPV18 E6, HPV16 E7 and HPV18 E7 proteins which may be used in a Human Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion protein are shown in SEQ ID NOs: 9-12.
A Human Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion protein according to the present disclosure may be defined as a fusion protein that includes, in any order, four protein domains having sequences according to SEQ ID NOs: 9, 10, 11 and 12, where the protein domains are linked by proteasomally degradable linkers, which may be the same or different.
Preferably, at least one Xaa in each of SEQ ID NOs: 9, 10, 11 and 12 is absent. More preferably, sufficient Xaa's are absent to reduce zinc finger formation in the separated proteins that are generated in the proteasome. In some preferred examples, the Xaa's in the first CXXC motifs of both of SEQ ID NOs: 9 and 10 are absent.
The proteasomally degradable linkers are preferably amino acid linkers having the sequence: GGGGGAAY.
It should be understood that the definition above corresponds to SEQ ID NO: 1 when:
It should be understood that all the variables discussed above with respect to the HPV E6/E7 fusion protein (such as: the order of the protein domains, the sequence of the proteasomally degradable linkers, whether the proteasomally degradable linkers are the same or different, and whether the wildtype sequences are modified to prevent the formation of zinc fingers) can be used alone or in combination to generate protein sequences that would be considered an HPV E6/E7 fusion protein according to the present disclosure.
Another example of an antigenic protein that may be used in therapies and methods according to the present disclosure is Six-Transmembrane Epithelial Antigen of the Prostate (STEAP) protein. Human STEAP (huSTEAP) is overexpressed in prostate cancer and up-regulated in multiple cancer cell lines, including pancreas, colon, breast, testicular, cervical, bladder, ovarian, acute lyphocytic leukemia, and Ewing sarcoma (Hubert R S et al., (1999) Proc Natl Acad Sci 96: 14523-14528).
The STEAP gene encodes a protein with six potential membrane-spanning regions flanked by hydrophilic amino- and carboxyl-terminal domains. The huSTEAP protein was used by the authors of the present disclosure as the antigenic protein in both the priming adenovirus and the Maraba MG1 virus. In the present disclosure, the authors tested a codon-optimized sequence for expression in human and mouse that gives rise to a 341 amino acid protein (SEQ ID NO: 13). A negative sense RNA virus that expresses the protein of SEQ ID NO: 13 may include a reverse complement and RNA version of a polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 14. A DNA virus that expresses the protein of SEQ ID NO: 13 may include a sequence that is SEQ ID NO: 14.
Maraba MG1 was engineered to contain human Six-Transmembrane Epithelial Antigen of the Prostate transgene inserted between the G and L viral genes of the MG1 double mutant of Maraba virus (Brun J. et al., (2010) Mol Ther 8: 1440-1449). The transgene sequence was codon optimized for expression in mammalian cells. The resulting Maraba MG1 containing the huSTEAP protein is designated as “Maraba-MG1-huSTEAP” or “MG1-huSTEAP”. A modified Maraba MG1 backbone was used to facilitate cloning. A silent mutation was introduced into the L gene of the Maraba MG1 genome backbone to remove one of the MluI sites. The second MluI site was replaced with a BsiWI site at the cloning region between G and L. These modifications to the Maraba MG1 genome backbone allowed for a more direct cloning system than that described in the Brun et al. paper as it avoids using the shuttle plasmid pMRB-MG1/pNF. The huSTEAP transgene sequence was ligated into the modified Maraba MG1 genome backbone at its MluI and BsiWI site (at cloning region between G and L). The Maraba-MG1-huSTEAP was then rescued (as previously described in Brun J. et al., (2010) Mol Ther 18: 1440-1449), plaque purified once, and subjected to opti-prep purification. The Maraba-MG1-huSTEAP has a genomic sequence that is the reverse complement and RNA version of SEQ ID NO: 15.
An exemplary priming virus according to the present disclosure is adenovirus type 5 with E1/E3 deletion expressing huSTEAP or murine STEAP (muSTEAP). In tumour-free mice, huSTEAP immunization in tumour free animals using Ad-huSTEAP was successful in generating anti-STEAP immune responses. While the responses had a stronger reactivity to the human peptides, there was evidence of boosted immune responses directed towards epitopes present in the murine STEAP protein. Treatment with Ad:MG1-huSTEAP was able to generate anti-STEAP immune responses and significantly impaired tumour growth leading to significantly improved survival.
The adenovirus, the Maraba MG1 virus, or both, may be formulated for administration as isolated viruses. The adenovirus may be formulated, for example, in 10 mM Tris-Cl, pH 8.0, with 10% glycerol. The Maraba MG1 virus may be formulated, for example, in 10 mM HEPES, 0.15 M NaCl and 4% sucrose at an approximate pH of 7.5.
In combination prime:boost therapies according to the present disclosure, the two viruses may be capable of expressing antigenic proteins, such as HPV E6/E7 fusion proteins or huSTEAP proteins, that do not have identical sequences. For example, the adenovirus may be capable of expressing an HPV E6/E7 fusion protein that has the four protein domains in the order ABCD, while the Maraba MG1 virus may be capable of expressing an HPV E6/E7 fusion protein that has the four protein domains in the order BADC. In another example, the adenovirus may be capable of expressing an HPV E6/E7 fusion protein where the four protein domains are linked by proteasomally degradable linkers that are different from the proteasomally degradable linkers linking the four protein domains of the fusion protein expressed by the Maraba MG1 virus. In still another example, the adenovirus may be capable of expressing a huSTEAP protein according to SEQ ID NO: 13, while the Maraba MG1 virus may be capable of expressing a huSTEAP protein that is variant of SEQ ID NO: 13, such as a protein that is 90% identical to SEQ ID NO: 13.
The term “variant” should be understood to refer to a protein that is at least 70% identical to the sequence of the reference protein. Preferably, the variant will be at least 80% identical. More preferably, the variant will be at least 90% identical. Even more preferably, the variant will be at least 95% identical. In the context of a fusion protein of a specific sequence, such as SEQ ID NO: 1, a variant of the fusion protein would be understood to refer to a protein where each of the protein domains are at least 70% identical to the sequences of their corresponding domains in the reference protein. Preferably, the variant will be at least 80% identical. More preferably, the variant will be at least 90% identical. Even more preferably, the variant will be at least 95% identical. Variants with higher sequence identities have increased likelihood that the epitopes are presented in a similar 3-dimensional manner to the reference protein. Accordingly, in yet another example of combinations where the two viruses do not generate proteins with identical sequences, the adenovirus may be capable of expressing a protein according to SEQ ID NO: 1, while the Maraba MG1 virus may be capable of expressing a protein that is a variant of SEQ ID NO: 1, such as a fusion protein where each of the four protein domains are at least 90% identical to the sequences of their corresponding protein domains in SEQ ID NO: 1.
In the context of the present disclosure, it should be understood that all discussions of, and references to, a ‘protein expressed by a virus’ more exactly refer to a protein expressed by a cell infected with the virus since viruses do not themselves have the capability to express proteins. Similarly, all discussions of, and references to, a ‘virus that expresses a protein’ or ‘virus capable of expressing a protein’ more exactly refer to a virus that includes the genetic information necessary for the protein to be expressed by a cell infected with the virus (i.e. “encodes” the protein).
In the context of the present disclosure, a “combination prime:boost therapy” should be understood to refer to therapies where the adenovirus and the Maraba MG1 virus discussed herein are to be administered as a prime:boost treatment. The adenovirus and the Maraba MG1 virus need not be physically provided or packaged together since the adenovirus is to be administered first and the Maraba MG1 virus is to be administered only after an immune response has been generated in the mammal. In some examples, the combination is provided to a medical institute, such as a hospital or doctors office, in the form of a plurality of packages of the priming adenovirus, and a separate plurality of packages of the boosting Maraba MG1 virus. The packages of adenovirus and the packages of Maraba MG1 virus may be provided at different times. In other examples, the combination is provided to a medical institute, such as a hospital or doctors office, in the form of a package that includes both the priming adenovirus and the boosting Maraba MG1 virus.
The combination prime:boost therapy may additionally include an immune-potentiating compound, such as cyclophosphamide (CPA), that increases the prime immune response to the tumor associated antigenic protein generated in the mammal by administrating the first virus. Cyclophosphamide is a chemotherapeutic agent that may lead to enhanced immune responses against the tumor associated antigenic protein. In a synergistic murine melanoma tumor model, CPA administered prior to the priming vector significantly increased survival, while CPA administered prior to the boosting vector did not.
The therapeutic approach disclosed herein combines: (1) an adenoviral vaccine, and (2) a Maraba MG1 virus as an oncolytic viral vaccine, both expressing an antigenic protein, such as Human Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion protein or huSTEAP. Boosting with a oncolytic vaccine of the present disclosure may lead to both tumour debulking by the oncolytic virus and a large increase in the number of tumour-specific CTL (cytotoxic T-lymphocytes) in animals primed by the adenoviral vaccine. Paradoxically, this methodology actually generates larger anti-tumour responses in tumour-bearing animals, as compared to tumour-free animals, since the replication of oncolytic virus is amplified in the tumor-bearing animals, which leads to an increase in the number of antigen-specific Tumour Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs), when compared to the replication of oncolytic virus in the tumor-free animals and the associated number of antigen-specific Tumour Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs).
The expression products of the HPV gene are processed into peptides, which, in turn, are expressed on cell surfaces. This can lead to lysis of the tumour cells by specific CTLs. The T cell response to foreign antigens includes both cytolytic T lymphocytes and helper T lymphocytes. CD8+ cytotoxic or cytolytic T cells (CTLs) are T cells which, when activated, lyse cells that present the appropriate antigen presented by HLA class I molecules. CD4+ T helper cells are T cells which secrete cytokines to stimulate macrophages and antigen-producing B cells which present the appropriate antigen by HLA class II molecules on their surface.
The term “mammal” refers to humans as well as non-human mammals. The term “cancer” is used herein to encompass any cancer that expresses, as antigenic proteins, the proteins encoded by the prime and boost viruses, such as E6 and E7 proteins or huSTEAP protein. Examples of such a cancer include, but are not limited to: multiple epithelial malignancies such as cervical cancer, head and neck cancer, and other ano-genital cancers; prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, testicular cancer, cervical cancer, bladder cancer, ovarian cancer, acute lyphocytic leukemia, and Ewing sarcoma.
The adenovirus, the Maraba MG1 virus, or both may be independently administered to the mammal intravenously, intramuscularly, intraperitoneally, or intranasally. Following administration of the viruses, an immune response is generated by the mammal within an immune response interval, e.g. within about 4 days, and extending for months, years, or potentially life.
To establish an immune response to the antigenic protein, vaccination using the adenovirus and the Maraba MG1 virus may be conducted using well-established techniques. As one of skill in the art will appreciate, the amount of virus required to generate an immune response will vary with a number of factors, including, for example, the mammal to be treated, e.g. species, age, size, etc. In this regard, for example, intramuscular administration of at least about 107 PFU of Adenoviral vector encoding HPV E6/E7 protein to a mouse is sufficient to generate an immune response. A corresponding amount would be sufficient for administration to a human to generate an immune response.
Once an immune response has been generated in the mammal by administration of the adenovirus encoding the antigenic protein, Maraba MG1 virus encoding the antigenic protein is administered in an amount suitable for oncolytic viral therapy within a suitable immune response interval. A suitable immune response interval may be, for example, at least about 24 hours, preferably at least about 2-4 days or longer, e.g. at least about 1 week, or at least about 2 weeks. The amount of Maraba MG1 virus suitable for oncolytic viral therapy will vary with the mammal to be treated, as will be appreciated by one of skill in the art. For example, 108 PFU of Maraba MG1 virus encoding HPV E6/E7 protein administered IV to a mouse is sufficient for oncolytic therapy. A corresponding amount would be sufficient for use in a human.
Maraba MG1 virus encoding HPV E6/E7 protein may be prepared by incorporating a reverse complement of a transgene encoding the HPV E6/E7 protein into the Maraba MG1 virus using standard recombinant technology. For example, the reverse complement of the transgene may be incorporated into the genome of the Marama MG1 virus, or alternatively, may be incorporated into the virus using a plasmid incorporating the transgene. The transgene encoding the protein may be a codon optimized transgene.
An exemplary combination prime:boost therapy according to the present disclosure is shown in the examples to be capable of curing, in mice, the majority of advanced and bulky subcutaneous tumours with a mean volume of 250 mm3. The exemply combination prime:boost therapy is shown to induce tumour specific CD8+ T cell responses in mice with the potential to produce over fifty million E7-specific T cells in the mouse. Without wishing to be bound by theory, the authors of the present disclosure believe that a combination prime:boost therapy according to the present disclosure using HPV E6/E7 as the antigenic protein may be used in humans to treat an HPV-positive tumour.
While the TC1 tumour model used herein does not appear to be susceptible to direct oncolysis, the authors of the present disclosure believe that HPV positive human tumours will be selectively infected and killed by MG1 Maraba. In the absence of type I IFNs, Maraba is able lyse TC1 cells in vitro. However, the pre-treatment of TC1 cells with IFNβ protects these cells from viral oncolysis. The resultant protection by type I IFN explains the lack of efficacy when mice bearing established TC1 tumours are treated with MG1 Maraba encoding a non-specific transgene. Both E6 and E7 inhibit cellular responses to type I IFNs16 when integrated into the genomes of human cells (as is the case in high-grade HPV malignancies). The data from the G-deleted VSV assay (assay discussed below, data not shown) recapitulates this effect in a human epithelial cell line. By confirming the expression of E6 and E7 in the TC1 cell line the lack of susceptibility to viral oncolysis could be explained by the inability of E6 and E7 to interact with the type I IFN cascade in murine tissue, thus such an effect is specific to the adaptation of HPV to its host human organism. Without wishing to be bound by theory, the authors of the present disclosure believe that susceptibility of HPV positive human tumours may further bolster the potency of a combination prime:boost therapy according to the present disclosure.
As Maraba virus is a member of the rhabdovirus family it does not pose a risk of insertional mutagenesis due to the fact DNA is never manufactured in the virus's life cycle, which occurs entirely outside of the nucleus. The frequency of adenoviral integration into the host genome is low. If cells transduced with Ad-E6E7 were to undergo an integration event with an E6E7 transgene that encoded a protein with the optional mutations discussed above that prevent zinc finger formation, the protein produced would be unable to interfere with the functions of p53 or retinoblastoma thereby reducing the possibility of a de novo neoplasm from forming.
By including the full-length sequences of E6 and E7 from HPV 16 and HPV 18, a patient with an HPV associated cancer may be eligible for treatment with a combination prime:boost therapy according to the present disclosure. The combination therapy may be able to elicit responses against multiple potential epitopes.
The efficacy of a vaccine-based therapy in treating an infectious disease is believed to be related to the ability of protective T cells being able to produce multiple cytokines. An exemplary combination prime:boost therapy is shown herein to induce multiple different populations of T cells, defined by their pattern of cytokine production. In some examples, cytokine positive T cells are able to degranulate in the presence of an E7 peptide. The present disclosure illustrates that administration of Ad-E6E7 alone is able to induce multifunctional T cells, but that the numbers of these cells are increased when boosted with MG1-E6E7. Combination prime:boost therapies according to the present disclosure may be used to generate multi-functional T cells, which is believed to be beneficial for a therapeutic vaccine.
As illustrated by the experiments discussed herein, an exemplary combination prime:boost therapy according to the present disclosure may generate specific anti-tumour cytotoxic T cells, and depletion of such CD8+ T cells results in a loss in efficacy.
Without wishing to be bound by theory, the authors of the present disclosure believe that a combination therapy that is able to generate a sizeable specific immune response will result in a favourable clinical outcome, perhaps in the face of advanced disease. The authors of the present disclosure also believe that such a combination therapy may be useful for inducing specific E6 and/or E7 responses in patients that lacked such responses, and that treatment with such a combination therapy may improve a patient's prognosis. In mice cured of advanced TC1 tumours, the exemplary combination therapy tested herein shows marked and durable persistence of reactive CD8+ T cells with a relative expansion of central memory T cells with time. The lack of central memory T cells is considered one potential cause for failure of therapeutic cancer vaccinations. The results discussed herein shows that an exemplary combination therapy according to the present disclosure is capable of treating, in mice, a model of an advanced HPV positive tumour.
Mice
Six to eight week old female C57BL/6 mice were purchased from Charles River (Wilmington, Mass.) and housed in specific pathogen-free conditions. All animal studies were approved by McMaster University's Animal Research Ethics Board and complied with guidelines from the Canadian Council on Animal Care.
Recombinant Viruses
Codon optimised transgenes were specifically manufactured encoding the mutant attenuated E6E7 and WT E6E7 (GensScript, Piscataway, N.J.) sequences. Ad BHG and Ad E6E7 are human serotype 5 replicate deficient (E1/E3 deleted) adenoviruses. Ad BHG contains no transgene, AdE6E7 contains the transgene encoding the attenuated therapeutic E6E7 construct. The GFP or E6E7 transgenes were inserted between the G and L viral genes of the attenuated MG1 strain of Maraba virus to produce MG1 GFP and MG1 E6E7 respectively.
Cell Culture
Murine TC1 cells expressing E6 and E7 from HPV 16 were grown in RPMI containing 10% foetal bovine serum, 10 mmol/l HEPES, 2 mmol/l L-glutamine and 400 μg/ml G418 (Gold Biotechnology, St Lois, Mo.). Vero, L929 and A549 cells were all cultured in αMEM containing 8% foetal bovine serum and 2 mmol/l L-glutamine. SaOS2 cells were cultured in DMEM containing 10% foetal bovine serum and 2 mmol/l L-glutamine. Panc02 cells were cultured in RPMI containing 10% foetal bovine serum and 2 mmol/l L-glutamine.
In Vitro Infections
Six well plates containing confluent TC1 cells (approximately 1.5×106 per well) were infected at decreasing multiplicity of infection (from 10 to 0.001 as well as an uninfected control well) in 200 μl of culture medium for 45 minutes, following infection fresh medium was added and at 48 hours post-infection, cells were fixed with methanol and stained with 0.1% crystal violet (Sigma-Aldridge St Lois, Mo.) in 20% ethanol for viability.
Interferon β Response Test
The IFNβ responsive L929 and IFNβ resistant Panc02 cell lines were plated alongside TC1 cells in a 96 well plate and upon reaching confluence were treated with a dilution series of murine IFNβ overnight. The following day the cells were infected with 5×105 PFU per well of wild type VSV expressing GFP. Fluorescence was detected 24 hours after infection using a Typhoon Trio Variable Mode Imager (GE Healthcare, Buckinghamshire, U.K.).
G Deleted VSV Assay to Determine the Effect of E6 and E7 on Innate Antiviral Response in Human Epithelial Tumour Cells
A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells were seeded in a 96 well plate and co-transfected, using Lipofectamine 2000 (ThermoFisher Scientific, Waltham, Mass.), with a plasmid of interest in combination with a plasmid encoding the VSV glycoprotein (PSG5-G). Cells were subsequently infected with a G deleted VSV expressing GFP and supernatants were harvested. Supernatants containing any rescued viral progeny were collected and serial dilutions were used to infect confluent Vero cells in a 96 well plate and this was imaged for fluorescence. Only cells that were successfully transfected with PSG5-G and have inhibition of the anti-viral state by the transfected plasmid of interest are able to produce viral progeny as detected by fluorescence.
Transient Transfections
A549 cells plated were in 6 well plates and when 80% confluent, transfected with 2 μgs of wild type E6E7 from HPV 16 and 18, the attenuated E6E7 transgene or GFP in the pShuttle-CMV vector (Agilent, Santa Clara, Calif.) using Lipofectamine 2000 (ThermoFisher Scientific, Waltham, Mass.). SaOS2 cells were cotransfected with HA tagged retinoblastoma in pcDNA 3 (Gift from Joe Mymryk), GFP and one of WT E6E7, attenuated E6E7 or empty pShuttle-CMV. Cells were lysed in 100 μl of radioimmunoprecipitation assay buffer supplemented with Complete Mini protease inhibitor tablets (Roche, Mannheim, Germany) 24-48 hours after transfection.
Western Blotting and Antibodies
Equivalent amounts (20 or 30 μgs) of protein lysate were loaded per lane onto polyacrylamide gels and separated by SDS-PAGE, transferred to 0.45 μm nitrocellulose membrane. Membranes were blocked with either 5% fat-free milk in PBS or Odyssey Blocking Buffer (LI COR Biosciences, Lincoln, Nebr.) for 40 minutes at room temperature. Membranes were probed with antibodies raised against p53 (clone DO1, Santa Cruz, Dallas, Tex.), HA (clone F7, Santa Cruz, Dallas, Tex.), E7 (clone 8E2, Abcam, Cambridge, U.K.), β-actin (clone 13E5, Cell Signalling, Danvers, Mass.) and GFP (clone D5.1, Cell Signalling, Danvers, Mass.). Membranes were then probed with secondary IRDye (LI COR Biosciences, Lincoln, Nebr.) antibodies. Membranes were scanned and had fluorescence quantified using the LI COR Odyssey system (LI COR Biosciences, Lincoln, Nebr.).
Vaccination of Mice
Adenovirus was administered under gaseous general anaesthesia at a dose of 2×108 PFU in 100 μl of 0.9% NaCl for injection (Hospira, Lake Forest, Ill.), the dose was split in two and 50 μl was injected in the semimembranosus muscle of both hind limbs. For direct oncolysis of TC1 tumours Maraba MG1 GFP was injected intravenously at a dose of 5×108 PFU in 200 μl 0.9% NaCl in 3 doses given 48 hours apart. When used as a boost Maraba MG1 GFP or E6E7 was administered at a dose of 1×109 PFU in 200 μl 0.9% NaCl as a single dose 9 days after adenoviral vaccination.
Tumour Challenge
Mice were engrafted with 1×108 TC1 cells subcutaneously under gaseous general anaesthesia. The longest axis of the tumour (length) and the axis perpendicular (width) to this were measured every 2-3 days and tumour volume was calculated using the following formula:
Volume=4/3π(0.5 length×0.5 width2)
Treatment of tumour bearing mice was initiated when a mean tumour volume of 250 mm3 was reached in engrafted mice. Mice reached end point when tumours grew to a volume of 1500 mm3 or the mouse lost 20% of its body weight relative to weight recorded prior to tumour engraftment.
Peptides
Known immunodominant peptides from HPV serotype 16 were synthesised by Biomer Technologies (San Francisco, Calif.). The sequence of H-2Kb binding E6 peptide used was EVYDFAFRDL (SEQ ID NO: 16) and the sequence of the H-2Db binding E7 peptide used was RAHYNIVTF (SEQ ID NO: 17).
Intracellular Cytokine Staining and Antibodies
Blood samples were acquired 8 days after adenoviral vaccination and 5 days after Maraba MG1 treatment, spleens were also harvested 5 days post Maraba. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells and splenocytes were incubated in complete RPMI (containing 10% foetal bovine serum and 2 mmol/l L-glutamine) with 2 μg/ml peptide and anti CD107a (clone 1D4B, BD, Franklin Lakes, N.J.). Incubations were performed for a total of 5 hours in a 37° C., 5% CO2 incubator at 95% humidity, 1 μg/ml of brefeldin A (GolgiPlug, BD, Franklin Lakes, N.J.) was added for the last 4 hours. Cells were then incubated with anti CD16/CD32 (clone 2.4G2, Mouse BD Fc Block, BD, Franklin Lakes, N.J.). T cell surface staining was performed with antibodies against CD8a (clone 53-6.7, eBiosciences, Inc., San Diego, Calif.) and CD4 (clone RM4-5, eBiosciences, Inc., San Diego, Calif.). Cells were subsequently fixed and permeabilised (Cytofix/Cytoperm, BD, Franklin Lakes, N.J.). Intracellular cytokine staining was then performed using antibodies against IFNγ (clone XMG1.2, BD, Franklin Lakes, N.J.), TNFα (clone MP6-XT22, BD, Franklin Lakes, N.J.) and IL-2 (clone JES6-5H4, BD, Franklin Lakes, N.J.). Data were acquired using an LSRFORTESSA cytometer (BD, Franklin Lakes, N.J.) and analysed with FlowJo Mac software (Treestar, Ashland, Oreg.).
T Cell Counts
A known quantity of fluorescent beads (123count eBeads, eBiosciences, Inc., San Diego, Calif.) were added to 50 μl of whole blood which had been stained with antibodies against CD8a (clone 53-6.7, eBiosciences, Inc., San Diego, Calif.) and CD4 (clone RM4-5, eBiosciences, Inc., San Diego, Calif.) and fixed as well as lysed (1-step Fix/Lyse solution, eBiosciences, Inc., San Diego, Calif.). The cells and beads were re-suspended in FACS after 2 wash steps and absolute cell numbers were calculated. For enumeration of splenocytes, the entire spleen was processed and re-suspended in complete RPMI, 50 μl of the re-suspended splenocytes were then analysed as for peripheral blood. Total blood volume in μl was calculated by multiplying each mouse's body weight in grams by 70 thus allowing a total circulating count of T cells.
T Cell Memory Phenotype and Antibodies
PBMCs and splenocytes were incubated with anti CD16/CD32 (clone 2.4G2, Mouse BD Fc Block, BD, Franklin Lakes, N.J.). Cells were then stained with antibodies against CD8a (clone 53-6.7, eBiosciences, Inc., San Diego, Calif.), CD4 (clone RM4-5, eBiosciences, Inc., San Diego, Calif.), CD62L (clone MEL-14, BD, Franklin Lakes, N.J.), CD127 (clone SB/199, BD, Franklin Lakes, N.J.) and the HPV H-2Db E7 tetramer RAHYNIVTF (Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex.).
Depletion Antibodies
T cells were selectively depleted with 2 doses of anti-CD8a (2.43 clone) or anti-CD4 (GK1.5) clone given 48 hours apart. Mice were injected intra-peritoneally with 200 μgs antibody in 300 μls 0.9% NaCl. Depletions were assessed flow cytometrically from peripheral blood samples stained for CD8a and CD4.
Statistical Analysis
Data were graphically displayed and analysed using GraphPad Prism version 6 for Mac (GraphPad Software, San Diego, Calif.). Transfection and immune response data were plotted as column charts with mean and standard error of the mean displayed. Unpaired T-tests were used when comparing two groups and ANOVA tests were used to compare greater than two groups. Survivals were plotted using Kaplan-Meier curves and median survivals were compared using the log-rank tests. Statistical significance was defined as p≤0.05 (*p≤0.05, **p≤0.01, ***p≤0.001, ****p≤0.0001).
For clarity, the HPV E6E7 fusion protein encoded by the viruses in the following examples has a sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 1. It may be referred to as the “attenuated therapeutic E6E7 construct”.
An Attenuated E6E7 Transgene Does Not Degrade p53 or Retinoblastoma In Vitro
One example of an HPV E6/E7 fusion protein according to the present disclosure was designed and cloned into the adenoviral and Maraba MG1 viruses. The exemplary fusion protein was based on the E6 and E7 transforming proteins of the 16 and 18 serotypes of HPV. GGGGGAAY linkers were included between each of the four protein domains to promote proteasomal degradation and generate the HPV16 E6, HPV18 E6, HPV16 E7 and HPV18 E7 proteins. In both of the HPV16 and HPV18 E6 domains, deletion mutations were made to two of the four CXXC motifs which function to form zinc fingers mediating the degradation of p53. In both of the HPV16 E7 and HPV18 E7 domains of the mutated transgene a deletion was applied to one of the carboxy terminus CXXC motifs as well as deletions applied to the LXCXE sequences responsible for the dysfunction of retinoblastoma in HPV induced cancers. The exemplary mutated transgene has a sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 1, and is illustrated in
A549 cells containing wild type p53 were transfected with expression vectors containing wild type sequences of the E6E7 transgene, the mutated E6E7 transgene, or an irrelevant control plasmid (GFP) and subsequently levels of p53 were quantified by western blotting. Degradation of p53 was noted with the wild type transgene sequence. However, this activity was inhibited by the mutations introduced to the therapeutic transgene, discussed above, relative to the control (GFP) plasmid. The western blot data for the experiments associated with p53 levels is summarized in
In a parallel set of experiments, the retinoblastoma-null cell line SaOS2 was co-transfected with an expression plasmid encoding HA-tagged retinoblastoma (pRb) alongside a GFP encoding plasmid as well as one of the following three expression vectors encoding: the WT E6E7 transgene, the mutated therapeutic transgene, or a control plasmid. Following transfection, levels of HA-tagged retinoblastoma were quantified using western blot. A significant decrease in the WT E6E7 transfected cell lysates was observed whereas the control plasmid and the mutant E6E7 expression had no effect on steady-state pRb levels. A standardization graph illustrating the western blot data is shown in
In summary, deletions of specific amino acids in the wild type sequences prevent the transforming activity of the E6 and E7 proteins with relation to their interactions with the p53 and retinoblastoma tumour suppressor proteins respectively, reducing the carcinogenic potential of the vaccine vectors when used in vivo.
In an exemplary method according to the present disclosure, an oncolytic vaccination strategy was tested. The exemplary method used an adenoviral prime encoding the therapeutic E6E7 (Ad-E6E7) transgene followed by the MG1 Maraba virus boost (MG1-E6E7) encoding the same transgene. The viruses were administered to mice and immune responses were quantified using intracellular cytokine staining (ICS). For comparison sham prime (Ad-BHG) and boost (MG1-GFP) groups were also analysed.
As noted above in the materials and method section, Ad-BHG and Ad-E6E7 are human serotype 5 replicate deficient (E1/E3 deleted) adenoviruses. Ad BHG contains no transgene, Ad-E6E7 contains the transgene encoding the attenuated therapeutic E6E7 construct. The GFP or E6E7 transgenes were inserted between the G and L viral genes of the attenuated MG1 strain of Maraba virus to produce MG1-GFP and MG1-E6E7 respectively.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were re-stimulated with known E6 (EVYDFAFRDL) and E7 (RAHYNIVTF) C57BL/6 CD8+ epitopes. Blood samples after the Ad-E6E7 prime revealed that specific responses were generated against both the E6 and E7 epitopes by the production of interferon-γ (IFNγ) from CD8+ T cells. About 1% of CD8+ T cells secreted IFNγ on stimulation with the E6 epitope, and about 10% of CD8+ T cells secreted IFNγ on stimulation with the E7 epitope. No responses were seen after the sham prime. Small responses were seen after MG1 E6E7 was administered following the sham prime (mean frequency of 0.042% and 0.21% of CD8+ T cells producing IFNγ for the E6 and E7 peptides respectively). However, mice administered MG1 E6E7 following the Ad-E6E7 prime showed a significant increase in IFNγ+ T cell frequency. Again the E7 epitope appeared to be dominant with a mean frequency of 68.87% of CD8+ T cells producing IFNγ following restimulation with this peptide. These data are summarized in
In order to compare the true magnitude of the immune responses generated with AdE6E7 alone compared to the Ad-E6E7 prime: MG1-E6E7 boost, a subset of mice were sacrificed following the time boosting, ICS was again performed following restimulation with the E7 peptide and the number of peripheral blood and splenic CD8+ T cells were quantified using fluorescent microparticle beads specifically designed for enumerating cell numbers flow cytometrically.
The Ad-E6E7 prime: MG1-E6E7 boost induced a marked and highly significant expansion of total and E7 specific CD8+ T cell populations compared to the AdE6E7 alone, as illustrated in
The response kinetics was also measured for the exemplary combination prime:boost therapy. CD8+ T cell responses exceeding 50% of all peripheral CD8+ T cells at peak. At a later time point, greater than 20% of peripheral CD8+ T cells responded to the transgene, as measured against a single known C57/B6 epitope in E7. This data is illustrated in
Lentivirus expressing HPV E6/E7 was tested as a comparative priming virus.
The HPV transgene is a fusion of HPV serotype 16 full-length wild-type E6 (gi/4927720/gb/AAD33252.1/AF125673_1 E6 Human papillomavirus type 16) and E7 (gi/4927721/gb/AAD33253.1/AF125673_2 E7 Human papillomavirus type 16) sequences and HPV serotype 18 full-length wild-type E6 (gi/137758/sp/P06463.1/VE6_HPV18 RecName: Full=Protein E6) and E7 (gi/137792/sp/P06788.2/VE7_HPV18 RecName: Full=Protein E7) sequences with deletions in all 4 nucleotide sequences to remove zinc fingers required for Rb or p53 binding (removing oncogenic potential of the proteins). The resulting fusion protein has a flexible glycine linker plus AAY sequence (which serves as a proteasomal cleavage site to ensure that each antigen is proteolytically degraded to the peptides normally generated for antigen presentation). This codon-optimized fusion nucleotide sequence gives rise to a 527 amino acid HPV16/18 E6/E7 fusion protein (SEQ ID NO: 1).
Lentiviruses expressing Human Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion transgene were made using the pDY.EG.WS lentivirus vector. The modified HPV transgene was PCR amplified using primers containing the EcoRI restriction site (forward primer ACTGGAATTCATGCATCAGAAGCGAACTGC, SEQ ID NO: 18) and the BamHI restriction site (reverse primer ACTGGGATCCTCACTGCTGGGAGGCACAC, SEQ ID NO: 19). The HPV transgene PCR product was agarose gel purified. The pDY.EG.WS lentivirus vector was cut at the EcoRI and BamHI sites to remove eGFP, was agarose gel purified, and was subjected to dephosphorylation using CIAP (Invitrogen Catalogue 18009-019). The cut vector was then subjected to additional agarose gel purification. The HPV transgene PCR product was then ligated into the EcoRI/BamHI cut vector using T4 DNA ligase (Invitrogen). The ligation reaction was subjected to a transformation using competent cells, and plasmid DNA from positive colonies was subjected to mini-prep amplification. The pDY.EG.WS lentivirus vector expressing the modified HPV transgene was then subjected to maxi-prep amplification. The lentivirus expressing Human Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion transgene were rescued on 293T cells after transfection of 6.4 μg of each of three plasmids: the pDY.EG.WS lentivirus vector expressing the modified HPV transgene, the packaging pCMV-8.84 plasmid, and the envelope pMD2G plasmid. Virus supernatants were pooled, and filtered through a 0.45 μM filter and centrifuged for 120 minutes at 50,000×g at 16° C. The lentivirus expressing Human Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion transgene was resuspended in PBS, and stored at −80° C.
Maraba MG1 was engineered to contain a Papilloma Virus E6/E7 fusion transgene inserted between the G and L viral genes of the MG1 double mutant of Maraba virus (Brun J. et al., (2010) Mol Ther 18:1440-1449). The transgene sequence (SEQ ID NO: 2) was codon optimized for expression in mammalian cells. The resulting Maraba MG1 containing the HPV E6/E7 is designated, generally, “Maraba-MG1-HPV E6/E7”. A modified Maraba MG1 backbone was used to facilitate cloning. A silent mutation was introduced into the L gene of the Maraba MG1 genome backbone to remove one of the MluI sites. The second MluI site was replaced with a site at the cloning region between G and L. These modifications to the Maraba MG1 genome backbone allowed for a more direct cloning system than that described in the Brun et al. paper as it avoids using the shuttle plasmid pMRB-MG1/pNF. The HPV E6/E7 fused transgene sequence was ligated into the modified Maraba MG1 genome backbone at its MluI site and BsiWI site (at cloning region between G and L) The Maraba-MG1-HPV E6/E7 was then rescued (as previously described in Brun et al., (2010) Mol Ther 18:1440-1449), plaque purified once, and subjected to opti-prep purification.). The Maraba-MG1-HPV E6/E7 used in this example has a genomic sequence that is the reverse complement and RNA version of SEQ ID NO: 4.
Generally, animals were immunized by administration of the priming vector (lentivirus-HPV E6/E7+ poly I:C as an adjuvant) at day 0 and by administration of 1e9 PFU of the boosting vector (Maraba-MG1-HPV E6/E7) at day 14. Control animals were prime:boosted with viral vectors encoding GFP instead of the HPV E6/E7 transgene as a control non-immunogenic transgene insertion. Analysis of the prime response was conducted at day 14 and of the boost response at day 19. Each lentivirus-HPV E6/E7 preparation was made with 250 ug poly I:C added as an adjuvant to the priming virus and then split between 5 animals for each virus. Mice were anesthetized with isoflurane and 30 uL of lentivirus-HPV E6/E7/poly I:C was injected into each hind foot pad. The remaining virus was injected subcutaneously near the left inguinal lymph node. 14 days after prime, blood was collected and analyzed by flow cytometry. Mice were then boosted with 1×109 PFU MG1-HPV E6/E7 intravenously. 5 days following the boost, blood was drawn and immune responses were assessed by flow cytometry.
Immune analysis was performed as follows: Blood was collected via retro-orbital bleeding using heparinzied capillary tube and blood was collected into heparin. Red blood cells were then lysed using ACK lysis buffer and the resulting PBMCs were analyzed for immune responses to the tumour antigens. PBMCs were either incubated in the absence of peptide or stimulated with 2 ug/mL peptides (RAHYNIVTF) for a total of 5 hours with golgi plug added 1 hour into the stimulation. Following stimulation the PBMCs were stained for CD4, CD8 and IFNγ and analyzed on FACSCanto and FlowJo. Responding T-cells were detected after intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) for IFN-γ by flow cytometry. Values from unstimulated PBMCs were considered background and subtracted from values obtained from stimulated PBMCs. Data represents mean +/−SEM. In Table 2 it is demonstrated that the HPV E6/E7 peptides were able to stimulate IFN-γ production in CD8 cells indicating the existence of an immune response.
To further assess the quality of the generated T cell responses, multifunctional T cell analysis was performed on blood and splenic tissue of mice vaccinated with the Ad-E6E7 prime: MG1-E6E7 boost following restimulation with the E7 peptide. A group of mice receiving AdE6E7 alone was used for comparison.
Vaccination with AdE6E7 either alone or followed by the MG1-E6E7 was able to generate double positive (IFNγ and TNFα) and triple positive (IFNγ, TNFα and IL-2) CD8+ T cells found in the circulatory and splenic pools. These data are illustrated in
As illustrated by the data in
The C57BL/6 cell line TC1 was acquired as a murine model of HPV induced cancer and expression of the E6 and E7 antigens was confirmed by RT-PCR. Following subcutaneous engraftment, mice received the Ad-E6E7 prime when their tumours reached an advanced volume (250 mm3). Intracellular staining in tumour bearing animals revealed specific CD8+ T cell responses against both the E6 and E7 peptides. Moreover a significant expansion of E7 specific T cells was documented after boosting with MG1-E6E7 relative to all other groups. These data are shown in
Tumour free mice that received the same treatment therapy and control therapies exhibited similar results (data not shown).
Spontaneous immunity was not noted in untreated animals. Mice were sacrificed when either end-point volume was reached (1500 mm3) or they lost 20% of their body mass due to cachexia.
All untreated mice succumbed to tumour progression whereas treatment with either: sham Ad-BHG prime: MG1-E6E7 boost; or Ad-E6-E7 prime: sham MG1-GFP boost, delayed tumour progression but were infrequently curative. However, treatment of mice bearing advanced TC1 tumours with Ad-E6E7 prime followed by MG1-E6E7 boost resulted in durable cures in 75% of mice (n=12). The percent survival vs. time is illustrated in
In mice treated with the curative regimen, depletion of CD8+ T cells two days before boosting and subsequently forty days after the boost (“CD8”) resulted in loss of tumour control, no such effect was seen when CD8+ cells were depleted at the later time point alone (“CD8 late”), or when CD4+ cells were depleted two days prior to boosting (“CD4”). Controls included mice that were not treated with a combination prime:boost therapy, and mice that were treated with the exemplary combination prime:boost therapy but did not have CD8 or CD4 cells depleted during the treatment regimen. The percent survival vs. time is illustrated in
The exemplary combination prime:boost therapy using Ad-E6E7 as the prime and MG1-E6E7 as the boost is able to generate specific immunity against E6 and E7 antigens in a murine model of HPV with advanced measurable disease leading to durable cures in a CD8+ dependent manner.
A subset of the mice from Example 5 that were cured from advanced TC1 tumours had further immune analysis performed to assess CD8+ T cell memory phenotype. Circulatory and splenic T cells from cured mice were labelled with an E7 specific tetramer (RAHYNIVTF on H-2D(b)), staining was performed for CD62L and CD127 at 62 days and 117 days after MG1-E6E7 boosting.
Immune analysis revealed a significant persistence of E7 specific CD8+ T cells at both long-term time points in the blood and spleen. The majority of the specific cells were of the effector memory phenotype, with their distribution between blood and spleen illustrated in
The relative proportions of central memory T cells increased in concert with the interval between boosting and analysis (5.1% in blood and 9.4% in spleen at 62 days post boost compared to 11.8% in blood and 18.8% in spleen at 117 days post boost). The data is shown in Table 5.
Oncolytic E6E7 vaccination generates long lasting CD8+ immune memory in mice cured from advanced TC1 tumours.
Female C57BI/6 mice were administered Ad-huSTEAP at a total dose of 2e8 PFU i.m. (50 uL of 1e8 PFU given i.m. into each leg). MG1-huSTEAP was administered i.v. at a dose of 1e9 PFU according to the treatment schema illustrated in
Immune analyses were performed at day 13 (pre-boost) and day 19 (peak boost). Immune analyses were completed on PBMCs by ex vivo peptide re-stimulation and were stained for a panel of cytokines to assess the quantity of STEAP-specific CD8 T cells. All peptides listed in Table 1 were used individually to determine which peptides T cells were responding to and if they were human transgene specific or able to cross-react with mouse sequence.
Ad-huSTEAP immunization was able to prime immune responses. The largest response was observed in the hu327-335 peptide re-stimulation. There were also immune responses observed in the mu327 re-stimulation, as well as the conserved 186-193 and 5-13 re-stimulations. These data are illustrated in
Male C57BI/6 mice were engrafted with 2.5e6 TrampC2 cells s.q. on the left flank and tumours were allowed to grow for 33 days. Mice were assigned to one of the three groups shown in Table 2. Since male mice were used in this experiment, mice cannot be swapped in cages. To achieve optimal tumour volume starting point (mean and variance) two cages were combined into one group to achieve the desired mean tumour volume.
Ad-huSTEAP was administered at a total dose of 2e8 PFU i.m. (50 μL of 1e8 PFU given i.m. into each hind leg). MG1-huSTEAP was administered i.v. at a dose of 1e9. The treatment schema is illustrated in
Immune analyses were performed on day 8 (prime analysis) and day 14 (peak boost). Immune analyses were completed on PBMCs by ex vivo peptide re-stimulation and were stained for a panel of cytokines to assess the quantity of STEAP-specific CD8+ T cells. Re-stimulation of PBMCs was conducted using a pool of mouse specific peptides (186-193, mu327-335, 5-13, see Table 1).
Survival was recorded for all mice. Mice were considered at endpoint when tumour volumes reached 1500 mm3. To calculate tumour volumes, the following formula was utilized: Volume=(4/3)*3.14159*(L/2)*((W/2)2).
The mean immune response generated following Ad-huSTEAP was diminished compared to that of the tumour free studies (0.15% vs. 5%). However, following MG1-huSTEAP administration, the mean boost response of approximately 15% was closer to that observed in the tumour free experiment (approximately 17%). These data are illustrated in
The TrampC2 tumour growth was blunted by the Ad-huSTEAP within three days of Ad-huSTEAP administration, as illustrated in
In the preceding description, for purposes of explanation, numerous details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the examples. The above-described examples are intended to be exemplary only. Alterations, modifications and variations can be effected to the particular examples by those of skill in the art without departing from the scope, which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto.
LKFYSKISEYRHYCYSVYGTTLEQQYNKPLCDLLIR
QKPLCPEEKQRHLDKKQRFHNIR
IDFYSRIRELRHYSDSVYGDTLEKLTNTGLYNLLIR
QKPLNPAEKLRHLNEKRRFHNIAGHYRGQCHSCCNRARQERLQRRRETQVGGGGGAAYMHGDTP
XaaHKXaaIDFYSRIRELRHYSDSVYGDTLEKLTNTGLYNLLIRXaaLRXaaQKPLNPAEKLRHLNEK
This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/333,685 filed May 9, 2016, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/402,670 filed Sep. 30, 2016, which are hereby incorporated by reference.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2017/000622 | 5/9/2017 | WO | 00 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62402670 | Sep 2016 | US | |
| 62333685 | May 2016 | US |
