@phdthesis{Aumueller2014,
  author    = {Aum{\"u}ller, Ruth Inge},
  title     = {CD40-restringierte Aktivierung der TRAIL-Todesrezeptoren durch bifunktionelle rekombinante Proteine},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-106813},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Der Ligand TRAIL wurde 1997 aufgrund seiner hohen Sequenzhomolgie ge-gen{\"u}ber dem TNFL CD95L entdeckt (28 \%). Allerdings besitzt TRAIL, anders als die Liganden CD95L und TNF, die bemerkenswerte Eigenschaft vor allem in ver{\"a}nderten Zellen Apoptose zu induzieren, w{\"a}hrend gesunde Zellen davor bewahrt werden. Die TRAIL-induzierte Apoptose wird durch die apoptoseinduzierenden Todesrezeptoren TRAILR1 und TRAILR2 vermittelt. Allerdings bindet und aktiviert l{\"o}sliches TRAIL haupts{\"a}chlich den Todesrezeptor TRAILR1, w{\"a}hrend membrangebundes TRAIL sowohl TRAILR1 als auch TRAILR2 gut aktiviert. In den letzten Jahren wurden verschiedene Methoden entwickelt, um die Bioaktivit{\"a}t l{\"o}slicher TNFL zu steigern. Hierzu z{\"a}hlen z.B.: Stabilisierung der trimeren Molek{\"u}lanordnung {\"u}ber die TNC-Dom{\"a}ne, Oligomerisierung des Flag-getaggten Liganden mithilfe des monoklonalen Antik{\"o}rpers M2, sowie Generierung einer artifiziellen, antigenabh{\"a}ngigen Membranst{\"a}ndigkeit. In dieser Arbeit wurde der Oberfl{\"a}chenrezeptor CD40 zur Immobilisierung des generierten Fusionsproteins scFv:CD40-Flag-TNC-TRAIL genutzt. In verschieden Experimenten konnten mit scFv:CD40-Flag-TNC-TRAIL in CD40-exprimierenden Zellen starke Apoptoseinduktion ermittelt werden. Charakteris-tische Kennzeichen und Spaltprodukte der Apoptose konnten ausschließlich in CD40-positiven Tumorzellen detektiert werden. Dabei wurde in allen Versuchen die f{\"u}r die Apoptoseinduktion ben{\"o}tigte Konzentration des Konstrukts mithilfe des Proteinsyntheseinhibitors CHX um das 10- bis 100-fache verringert. Es konnte auch gezeigt werden, dass in CD40-positiven Zellen, nach Stimulation mit scFv:CD40-Flag-TNC-TRAIL, nicht-apoptotische Signalwege verst{\"a}rkt aktiviert werden. Dies war auf die agonistische Aktivit{\"a}t des monoklonalen Antik{\"o}rperfragments scFv:CD40 zur{\"u}ckzuf{\"u}hren. Die Antik{\"o}rperdom{\"a}ne war folglich nicht nur zur effizienten Aktivierung der TRAIL-Todesrezeptoren mittels Immobilisierung f{\"a}hig, sondern konnte zus{\"a}tzlich zur Stimulation des Immunsystems genutzt werden. Zusammenfassend konnte gezeigt werden, dass der l{\"o}sliche, schwach aktive Ligand TRAIL mittels Oberfl{\"a}chenimmobilisierung {\"u}ber Antigen-Antik{\"o}rper-Wechselwirkungen in einen hochaktiven Liganden mit lokal begrenzter Toxizit{\"a}t {\"u}berf{\"u}hrt werden kann. Mithilfe dieses Fusionsproteins ist es somit m{\"o}glich die selektive Toxizit{\"a}t von TRAIL durch Steigerung seiner Aktivit{\"a}t effizient zu nutzen. Zus{\"a}tzlich kann durch die Antigenbindung der Wirkungsbereich weiter eingegrenzt werden (CD40-positive Tumoren), wodurch unerw{\"u}nschte Nebenwirkungen reduziert oder sogar ausgeschaltet werden k{\"o}nnen. Das in Tumoren oft heruntergefahrene Immunsystem kann CD40-abh{\"a}ngig stimuliert werden, um somit auch Tumorzellen in apoptoseresistenten Stadien zu eliminieren. Basierend auf diesen Ergebnissen k{\"o}nnen in der Zukunft weitere Studien zur Therapie von TRAIL-resistenten, CD40-exprimierenden Tumoren fortgef{\"u}hrt werden.},
  subject      = {Tumor-Nekrose-Faktor / Rekombinantes Protein},
  language  = {de}
}
@article{CarmonaAranaSeherNeumannetal.2014,
  author    = {Carmona Arana, Jos{\´e} Antonio and Seher, Axel and Neumann, Manfred and Lang, Isabell and Siegmund, Daniela and Wajant, Harald},
  title     = {TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 1 is a Major Target of Soluble TWEAK},
  series = {Frontiers in Immunology},
  volume    = {5},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Immunology},
  number    = {63},
  issn      = {1664-3224},
  doi       = {10.3389/fimmu.2014.00063},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-120620},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Soluble tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), in contrast to membrane TWEAK and TNF, is only a weak activator of the classical NFκB pathway. We observed that soluble TWEAK was regularly more potent than TNF with respect to the induction of TNF receptor-associated factor 1 (TRAF1), a NFκB-controlled signaling protein involved in the regulation of inflammatory signaling pathways. TNF-induced TRAF1 expression was efficiently blocked by inhibition of the classical NFκB pathway using the IKK2 inhibitor, TPCA1. In contrast, in some cell lines, TWEAK-induced TRAF1 production was only partly inhibited by TPCA1. The NEDD8-activating enzyme inhibitor MLN4924, however, which inhibits classical and alternative NFκB signaling, blocked TNF- and TWEAK-induced TRAF1 expression. This suggests that TRAF1 induction by soluble TWEAK is based on the cooperative activity of the two NFκB signaling pathways. We have previously shown that oligomerization of soluble TWEAK results in ligand complexes with membrane TWEAK-like activity. Oligomerization of soluble TWEAK showed no effect on the dose response of TRAF1 induction, but potentiated the ability of soluble TWEAK to trigger production of the classical NFκB-regulated cytokine IL8. Transfectants expressing soluble TWEAK and membrane TWEAK showed similar induction of TRAF1 while only the membrane TWEAK expressing cells robustly stimulated IL8 production. These data indicate that soluble TWEAK may efficiently induce a distinct subset of the membrane TWEAK-targeted genes and argue again for a crucial role of classical NFκB pathway-independent signaling in TWEAK-induced TRAF1 expression. Other TWEAK targets, which can be equally well induced by soluble and membrane TWEAK, remain to be identified and the relevance of the ability of soluble TWEAK to induce such a distinct subset of membrane TWEAK-targeted genes for TWEAK biology will have to be clarified in future studies.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ElMeseryTrebingSchaferetal.2013,
  author    = {El-Mesery, M. and Trebing, J. and Schafer, V. and Weisenberger, D. and Siegmund, D. and Wajant, H.},
  title     = {CD40-directed scFv-TRAIL fusion proteins induce CD40-restricted tumor cell death and activate dendritic cells},
  series = {Cell Death \& Disease},
  volume    = {4},
  journal   = {Cell Death \& Disease},
  number    = {e916},
  doi       = {10.1038/cddis.2013.402},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-128777},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {Targeted cancer therapy concepts often aim at the induction of adjuvant antitumor immunity or stimulation of tumor cell apoptosis. There is further evidence that combined application of immune stimulating and tumor apoptosis-inducing compounds elicits a synergistic antitumor effect. Here, we describe the development and characterization of bifunctional fusion proteins consisting of a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) domain derived from the CD40-specific monoclonal antibody G28-5 that is fused to the N-terminus of stabilized trimeric soluble variants of the death ligand TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). As shown before by us and others for other cell surface antigen-targeted scFv-TRAIL fusion proteins, scFv:G28-TRAIL displayed an enhanced capacity to induce apoptosis upon CD40 binding. Studies with scFv:G28 fusion proteins of TRAIL mutants that discriminate between the two TRAIL death receptors, TRAILR1 and TRAILR2, further revealed that the CD40 binding-dependent mode of apoptosis induction of scFv:G28-TRAIL is operable with each of the two TRAIL death receptors. Binding of scFv:G28-TRAIL fusion proteins to CD40 not only result in enhanced TRAIL death receptor signaling but also in activation of the targeted CD40 molecule. In accordance with the latter, the scFv:G28-TRAIL fusion proteins triggered strong CD40-mediated maturation of dendritic cells. The CD40-targeted TRAIL fusion proteins described in this study therefore represent a novel type of bifunctional fusion proteins that couple stimulation of antigen presenting cells and apoptosis induction.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Strohm2013,
  author    = {Strohm, Corinna Andrea},
  title     = {Entwicklung CD40/DC-stimulierender rekombinanter Proteine mit Tumorantigen-restringierter Aktivit{\"a}t},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-72525},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {Dendritische Zellen (DC) sind spezielle Antigen-pr{\"a}sentierende Zellen und daher oft auch in die k{\"o}rpereigene Bek{\"a}mpfung von Tumoren involviert. {\"U}ber das CD40-CD40L-System stellen sie ein Ziel in der Tumorimmuntherapieforschung dar. CD40-spezifische Antik{\"o}rper bewirken jedoch aufgrund der systemischen CD40-Aktivierung schwere Nebenwirkungen. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es deshalb, mit Hilfe von Tumor-spezifischen scFvs (antigenbindenden Einzelkettenfragmenten) Fusionsproteine zu generieren, die ausschließlich bzw. stark bevorzugt Tumor-lokalisiert dendritische Zellen aktivieren. In dieser Arbeit wurde anhand von Kokulturen von Tumorantigen-positiven Tumorzellen mit dendritischen Zellen gezeigt, dass dies m{\"o}glich ist. Das hierf{\"u}r generierte Fusionsprotein anti-CD20-Flag-CD40L f{\"u}hrte CD20-restringiert, d.h. bei gleichzeitiger Bindung von CD20-positiven Tumorzelllinien (B-Zelllinien) zu einer deutlich verst{\"a}rkten Aktivierung der DC. Mit einem solchen Fusionsprotein ist nun grunds{\"a}tzlich die M{\"o}glichkeit vorhanden, DCs Tumorantigen-abh{\"a}ngig, das heißt im Tumorgewebe selbst verst{\"a}rkt zu stimulieren. Die auf diese Weise aktivierten DCs k{\"o}nnen nun aufgrund der induzierten Ver{\"a}nderungen (IL-12-Produktion, Hochregulation kostimulierender Molek{\"u}le) Tumor-lokalisiert eine lokale, auf den Tumor begrenzte Immunantwort ausl{\"o}sen. Auf diese Weise sollte es m{\"o}glich werden, Nebenwirkungen einer systemischen CD40-Aktivierung zu vermeiden bzw. zu reduzieren. Zudem stellt der Einsatz von anti-CD20-Flag-CD40L m{\"o}glicherweise sogar eine Option zur Behandlung maligner B-Zell-Lymphome sowie Rituximab-resistenter Lymphome dar.},
  subject      = {Antigen CD40},
  language  = {de}
}
@article{LangZaitsevaWajant2022,
  author    = {Lang, Isabell and Zaitseva, Olena and Wajant, Harald},
  title     = {FcγRs and their relevance for the activity of anti-CD40 antibodies},
  series = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
  volume    = {23},
  journal   = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
  number    = {21},
  issn      = {1422-0067},
  doi       = {10.3390/ijms232112869},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-290458},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Simple Summary Targeting of CD40 with antibodies attracts significant translational interest. While inhibitory CD40 targeting appears particularly attractive in the field of organ transplantation and for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, stimulatory CD40 targeting is the aim in tumor immunotherapy and vaccination against infectious pathogens. It turned out that lack of FcγR-binding is the crucial factor for the development of safe and well-tolerated inhibitory anti-CD40 antibodies. In striking contrast, FcγR-binding is of great importance for the CD40 stimulatory capacity of the majority of anti-CD40 antibodies. Typically, anti-CD40 antibodies only robustly stimulate CD40 when presented by FcγRs. However, FcγR-binding of anti-CD40 antibodies also triggers unwanted activities such as destruction of CD40 expressing cells by ADCC or ADCP. Based on a brief discussion of the mechanisms of CD40 activation, we give an overview of the ongoing activities in the development of anti-CD40 antibodies under special consideration of attempts aimed at the development of anti-CD40 antibodies with FcγR-independent agonism or FcγR subtype selectivity. Abstract Inhibitory targeting of the CD40L-CD40 system is a promising therapeutic option in the field of organ transplantation and is also attractive in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. After early complex results with neutralizing CD40L antibodies, it turned out that lack of Fcγ receptor (FcγR)-binding is the crucial factor for the development of safe inhibitory antibodies targeting CD40L or CD40. Indeed, in recent years, blocking CD40 antibodies not interacting with FcγRs, has proven to be well tolerated in clinical studies and has shown initial clinical efficacy. Stimulation of CD40 is also of considerable therapeutic interest, especially in cancer immunotherapy. CD40 can be robustly activated by genetically engineered variants of soluble CD40L but also by anti-CD40 antibodies. However, the development of CD40L-based agonists is biotechnologically and pharmacokinetically challenging, and anti-CD40 antibodies typically display only strong agonism in complex with FcγRs or upon secondary crosslinking. The latter, however, typically results in poorly developable mixtures of molecule species of varying stoichiometry and FcγR-binding by anti-CD40 antibodies can elicit unwanted side effects such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) or antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) of CD40 expressing immune cells. Here, we summarize and compare strategies to overcome the unwanted target cell-destroying activity of anti-CD40-FcγR complexes, especially the use of FcγR type-specific mutants and the FcγR-independent cell surface anchoring of bispecific anti-CD40 fusion proteins. Especially, we discuss the therapeutic potential of these strategies in view of the emerging evidence for the dose-limiting activities of systemic CD40 engagement.},
  language  = {en}
}