Tumor-Targeting Immune System Engagers (ISErs) Activate Human Neutrophils after Binding to Cancer Cells

Immune system engagers (ISErs) make up a new class of immunotherapeutics against cancer. They comprise two or more tumor-targeting peptides and an immune-stimulating effector peptide connected by inert polymer linkers. They are produced by solid phase peptide synthesis and share the specific targeting activities of antibodies (IgGs) but are much smaller in size and exploit a different immune-stimulating mechanism. Two ISErs (Y-9 and Y-59) that bind to the cancer cell markers integrin α3 and EphA2, respectively, are analyzed here with respect to their immune cell stimulation. We have previously shown that they activate formyl peptide receptors on myeloid immune cells and induce respiratory burst in neutrophils and myeloid chemotaxis in solution. It remained, however, unclear whether these molecules can stimulate immune cells while bound to tumor cells, an essential step in the hypothesized mode of action. Here, we demonstrate that ISEr Y-9 induced respiratory burst and caused a change in the shape of neutrophils when bound to the surface of protein A beads as a model of tumor cells. More importantly, tumor cell lines carrying receptor-bound Y-9 or Y-59 also activated neutrophils, evidenced by a significant change in shape. Interestingly, similar activation was induced by the supernatants of the cells incubated with ISEr, indicating that ISErs released from tumor cells, intact or degraded into fragments, significantly contributed to immune stimulation. These findings provide new evidence for the mode of action of ISErs, namely by targeting cancer cells and subsequently provoking an innate immune response against them.