RESUMEN
NF2/Merlin is an upstream regulator of hippo pathway, and it has two states: an auto-inhibited "closed" state and an active "open" form. Previous studies showed that Drosophila Merlin adopts a more closed conformation. However, the molecular mechanism of conformational regulation remains poorly understood. Here, we first confirmed the strong interaction between FERM and the C-terminal domain (CTD) of Merlin, and then determined the crystal structure of the FERM/CTD complex, which reveals the structural basis of Merlin adopting a more closed conformation compared to its human cognate NF2. Interestingly, we found that the conserved lipid-binding site of Merlin might be masked by a linker. Confocal analyses confirmed that all putative lipid-binding site are very important for the membranal location of Merlin. More, we found that the phosphomimic Thr616Asp mutation weakens the interaction between FERM and CTD of Merlin. Collectively, the crystal structure of the FERM/CTD complex not only provides a mechanistic explanation of functionally dormant conformation of Merlin may also serve as a foundation for revealing the mechanism of conformational regulation of Merlin.
Asunto(s)
Drosophila melanogaster/química , Neurofibromina 2/química , Neurofibromina 2/metabolismo , Multimerización de Proteína , Animales , Sitios de Unión , Drosophila melanogaster/genética , Lípidos , Modelos Moleculares , Mutación , Neurofibromina 2/genética , Fosfoinositido Fosfolipasa C/metabolismo , Unión Proteica , Dominios Proteicos , Multimerización de Proteína/genéticaRESUMEN
PURPOSE: CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy has shown impactful results in treatment of B-cell malignancies. However, immune recognition of the murine scFv may render subsequent infusion(s) ineffective. Also, nonselective expansion of both CAR-transduced and nontransduced T cells during the production stage affects the yield and purity of final products. Here, we aim to develop a humanized selective (hs) CD19 CAR to solve the above problems.Experimental Design: A CD19 hsCAR was designed, which incorporated a short selective domain between the humanized heavy chain and light chain. The CAR was examined for its property, and then trialed in 5 highly treated B-ALL patients. RESULTS: hsCAR possessed around 6-fold higher affinity to CD19 versus murine CAR (mCAR). Incubation with selective domain-specific mAbs (SmAb) selectively expanded CAR-transduced T cells, and led to a higher proportion of central memory T cells in the final products. SmAb-stimulated CD19 hsCAR-T cells exhibited superior antitumor cytotoxic functions in vitro and in vivo. Autologous (n = 2) and allogeneic donor (n = 3, with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation) hsCAR-T cells were infused into 5 patients who had relapsed after receiving mCAR-T treatments. Two patients received mCAR-T treatments twice previously but the second treatments were ineffective. In contrast, subsequent hsCAR-T treatments proved effective in all 5 patients and achieved complete molecular remission in four, including one with extramedullary disease with central nervous system involvement. CONCLUSIONS: hsCD19 CAR-T treatment shows efficacy in highly treated B-ALL patients who have relapsed after receiving CD19 mCAR-T therapies.
Asunto(s)
Inmunoterapia Adoptiva , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras B/inmunología , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras B/terapia , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfocitos T/metabolismo , Linfocitos T/inmunología , Linfocitos T/metabolismo , Animales , Línea Celular , Ensayos Clínicos Fase I como Asunto , Citocinas/metabolismo , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Femenino , Humanos , Ratones , Ratones Noqueados , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfocitos T/genética , Recurrencia , Retratamiento , Resultado del Tratamiento , Ensayos Antitumor por Modelo de XenoinjertoRESUMEN
Merlin functions as a tumor suppressor and suppresses malignant activity of cancer cells through multiple mechanisms. However, whether Serine 518 phosphorylation regulates the conformation of Merlin as well as the open-closed conformational changes affect Merlin's tumor inhibitory activity remain controversial. In this study, we used different mutants to mimic related conformational states of Merlin and investigated its physiological functions. Our results showed that the phosphorylation at Serine 518 has no influence on Merlin's conformation, subcellular localization, or cell proliferation inhibitory activity. As a fully closed conformational state, the A585W mutant loses the ability to recruit Lats2 to the cell membrane, but it does not affect its subcellular distribution or cell proliferation inhibitory activity. As a fully open conformational state, mimicking the conformation of Merlin isoform II, the ΔEL mutant has the same physiological function as the wild type Merlin isoform I. Collectively, we provide for the first time in vivo evidence that the function of Merlin, as a tumor suppressor is independent of its conformational change.
