NK cell heparanase controls tumor invasion and immune surveillance.

NK cells are highly efficient at preventing cancer metastasis but are infrequently found in the core of primary tumors. Here, have we demonstrated that freshly isolated mouse and human NK cells express low levels of the endo-ß-D-glucuronidase heparanase that increase upon NK cell activation. Heparanase deficiency did not affect development, differentiation, or tissue localization of NK cells under steady-state conditions. However, mice lacking heparanase specifically in NK cells (Hpsefl/fl NKp46-iCre mice) were highly tumor prone when challenged with the carcinogen methylcholanthrene (MCA). Hpsefl/fl NKp46-iCre mice were also more susceptible to tumor growth than were their littermate controls when challenged with the established mouse lymphoma cell line RMA-S-RAE-1ß, which overexpresses the NK cell group 2D (NKG2D) ligand RAE-1ß, or when inoculated with metastatic melanoma, prostate carcinoma, or mammary carcinoma cell lines. NK cell invasion of primary tumors and recruitment to the site of metastasis were strictly dependent on the presence of heparanase. Cytokine and immune checkpoint blockade immunotherapy for metastases was compromised when NK cells lacked heparanase. Our data suggest that heparanase plays a critical role in NK cell invasion into tumors and thereby tumor progression and metastases. This should be considered when systemically treating cancer patients with heparanase inhibitors, since the potential adverse effect on NK cell infiltration might limit the antitumor activity of the inhibitors.

Efficacy of an Fc-modified anti-CD123 antibody (CSL362) combined with chemotherapy in xenograft models of acute myelogenous leukemia in immunodeficient mice.

The prognosis of older patients with acute myelogenous leukemia is generally poor. The interleukin-3 receptor α-chain (CD123) is highly expressed on the surface of acute leukemia cells compared with normal hematopoietic stem cells. CSL362 is a fully humanized, CD123-neutralizing monoclonal antibody containing a modified Fc structure, which enhances human natural killer cell antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Six continuous acute myelogenous leukemia xenografts established from patient explants and characterized by cell and molecular criteria, produced progressively lethal disease 42-202 days after transplantation. CSL362 alone reduced engraftment of one of four and three of four acute myelogenous leukemia xenografts in the bone marrow and peripheral organs, respectively. A cytarabine and daunorubicin regimen was optimized using this model to identify potentially synergistic interactions with CSL362. Cytarabine/daunorubicin improved the survival of mice engrafted with four of four acute myelogenous leukemia xenografts by 31-41 days. Moreover, CSL362 extended the survival of cytarabine/daunorubicin-treated mice for two of two acute myelogenous leukemia xenografts, while augmentation of natural killer cell-deficient NSG mice with adoptively transferred human natural killer cells improved survival against a single xenograft. Interestingly, this enhanced CSL362 efficacy was lost in the absence of chemotherapy. This study shows that acute myelogenous leukemia xenografts provide a platform for the evaluation of new therapeutics, simulating complex in vivo interactions, and that the in vivo efficacy of CSL362 supports continued clinical development of this drug.

Histidine-rich glycoprotein binds heparanase and regulates its enzymatic activity and cell surface interactions.

Heparanase, an endo-beta-D-glucuronidase, is involved in numerous normal physiological and pathological processes, such as inflammation, wound healing and tumour metastasis/angiogenesis, through its ability to mediate the degradation of heparan sulfate, a key structural component of the extracellular matrix and on the surface of cells. Identifying endogenous molecules that can regulate heparanase activity will aid the understanding of its molecular function in health and disease and provide the potential for development of novel anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory therapeutics. The ability of the extracellular heparanase to tether onto cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans and other receptor(s), such as the cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor, is key to its activation, function and uptake into intracellular compartments. Here we describe experiments demonstrating that a relatively abundant plasma glycoprotein, histidine-rich glycoprotein, directly interacts with platelet-derived heparanase and enhances its enzymatic activity. The findings in this study also show that histidine-rich glycoprotein interferes with heparanase binding to cell surface receptors, particularly heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Thus, the interaction between histidine-rich glycoprotein and heparanase can potentially regulate the role of heparanase in a variety of physiological and pathological conditions.