Site-specific pegylated IL2 mutein with biased IL2 receptor binding for cancer immunotherapy.

ABSTRACT

While Interleukin 2 (IL2) has the capability to activate both NK and T cells robustly, its limited in vivo half-life, considerable toxicity, and tendency to boost Treg cells pose significant challenges, restricting its widespread application in cancer therapy. In this investigation, we engineered a novel IL2 variant (IL2-4M-PEG) with reduced CD25 binding activity and an extended half-life by substituting amino acids associated with CD25 binding and implementing site-directed PEGylation. IL2-4M-PEG notably amplifies effector cells over Treg cells. Furthermore, our findings reveal that IL2-4M-PEG, characterized by an extended half-life, exhibits anti-tumor effects in a mouse model. Consequently, this innovative IL2 holds the potential for enhancing combined cancer therapies in the future.