Membrane-bound TRAIL-armoring augments CAR-T cells in mesothelin-positive solid malignancies

Mesothelin (MSLN)-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy shows an effective and long-lasting response in high MSLN-expressing tumors, but fails to treat tumors with heterogeneous levels of antigen expression. Here we describe an innovative approach where a stable tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) chimera, referred to as membrane-bound (MB)-TRAIL, is expressed on the cell surface of MSLN-specific (M28z) CAR-T cells. This potentiates their overall anticancer activity by overcoming heterogeneous antigen expression in tumor lesions.

We engineered MB-TRAIL-armored MSLN-directed M28z CAR-T cells and assessed their in vitro toxicity using flow cytometry against tumor target cells with heterogeneous MSLN expression. Triple-multiplex bioluminescence imaging using three different reporter genes enabled simultaneous in vivo non-invasive and longitudinal assessment of CAR-T cell dynamics, as well as MSLN+ and MSLN- tumor responses in xenograft models of MSTO-211H pleural mesothelioma (PM) and A549 non-small cell-lung cancer (NSCLC) with heterogeneous antigen expression. We further tested the therapeutic benefit of combining MB-TRAIL-armored CAR-T cells with the clinically used TRAIL sensitizer, doxorubicin, in an A549 xenograft model.

MB-TRAIL M28z CAR-T cell therapy provides pro-apoptotic stimuli to both MSLN+ and MSLN- tumors, significantly improving survival in models of MSTO-211H PM and A549 NSCLC with heterogeneous antigen expression. We also demonstrated that our treatment confers sustained protection against metastatic spread in the MSTO-211H model, whereas doxorubicin overcomes TRAIL resistance rendering the A549 model more susceptible to MB-TRAIL M28z CAR-T cell therapy and reducing metastatic growth.

Our strategy confers superior antitumor efficacy relative to clinically trialed M28z CAR-T cells by directly targeting heterogeneous tumor antigen expression. These results constitute the foundation for developing a new class of clinically translatable TRAIL-armored CAR-T cell immunotherapies for the treatment of a wider range of malignancies.