Development and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against canine PD-1 and PD-L1

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Immunology
• Cancer Immunotherapy
• Monoclonal Antibody Development

Background:

• The programmed death-1/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) pathway is a key target in cancer immunotherapy.
• Understanding the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in canine immune responses is crucial for developing veterinary cancer treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize monoclonal antibodies targeting canine PD-1 and PD-L1.
• To investigate the expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 on canine immune cells.
• To evaluate the functional impact of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade on canine T cells.

Main Methods:

• Development of monoclonal antibodies specific to canine PD-1 and PD-L1.
• Assessment of antibody binding to cells overexpressing PD-1 and PD-L1.
• Analysis of PD-1 and PD-L1 expression on activated T cells and immature dendritic cells from canine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).
• Measurement of Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production by activated T cells upon antibody treatment.

Main Results:

• Canine PD-1 and PD-L1 specific monoclonal antibodies were successfully developed.
• Antibodies demonstrated specific binding to target cells and inhibited PD-1/PD-L1 interactions.
• PD-1 and PD-L1 expression was confirmed on activated canine T cells; PD-L1 was also detected on immature dendritic cells.
• Treatment with anti-PD-1 and/or anti-PD-L1 antibodies significantly increased IFN-γ production by activated T cells.

Conclusions:

• The developed antibodies are effective tools for studying the canine immune system.
• These antibodies represent a potential first-in-class passive immunotherapy for canine cancer.
• Further research into PD-1/PD-L1 blockade could advance canine cancer treatment strategies.