Broadly reactive anti-VHH antibodies for characterizing, blocking, or activating nanobody-based CAR-T cells

Production of chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapies depends on antibody reagents to label, isolate, and expand T cell products. We sought to create antibody tools specific for the variable domain of heavy-chain only antibodies (VHHs), also known as nanobodies, used in some CARs.

We immunized a mouse with VHH and selected two murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that bind to distinct epitopes in conserved framework regions of llama-derived VHHs, and not to human VH domains. Anti-VHH mAbs were characterized by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, surface plasmon resonance, and hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry; were then tested for cell/tissue labeling and for modulating cellular activity in VHH-CAR-T cells.

We produced a high-quality dual-clonal anti-VHH antibody product and confirmed reactivity to over 98% of VHH proteins regardless of their antigenic specificity, with no reactivity to human or mouse IgG and reduced reactivity to conventional llama or alpaca IgG. Anti-VHH binding did not disrupt VHH/antigen interaction, and thus was appropriate for secondary labeling to assess cellular or tissue reactivity of VHH molecules. Despite not interfering with antigen binding, anti-VHH antibodies (Abs) potently blocked VHH-CAR-T activation and cytolytic killing of target cells. When immobilized, anti-VHH Abs induced strong activation and expansion of VHH CAR-T cells; with 730-fold mean expansion, >94% CAR purity, and retained CD8/CD4 heterogeneity. Functionally, anti-VHH antibody-expanded CAR-T cells maintained strong antigen-specific activity without functional exhaustion.

Overall, these data identify useful anti-VHH mAbs that can be applied to better understand and manipulate VHH-based CAR-T cells or other VHH-based immunotherapies.