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High-Content Screening Assay for the Identification of Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity Modifying Compounds
* These authors contributed equally
In This Article
Summary
This protocol presents an automated, image-based high-throughput technique to identify compounds modulating natural killer cell-mediated breast cancer cell killing in the presence of a therapeutic anti-HER-2 antibody.
Abstract
Immunotherapy with antigen-specific antibodies or immune checkpoint inhibitors has revolutionized the therapy of breast cancer. Breast cancer cells expressing the epidermal growth factor receptor HER2 can be targeted by the anti-HER-2 antibody trastuzumab. Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) is an important mechanism implicated in the antitumor action of HER-2. Trastuzumab bound to cancer cells can be recognized by the Fc receptors of ADCC effector cells (e.g., natural killer (NK) cells, macrophages, and granulocytes), triggering the cytotoxic activity of these immune cells leading to cancer cell death. We set out to develop an image-based assay for the quantification of ADCC to identify novel ADCC modulator compounds by high-content screening. In the assay, HER2 overexpressing JIMT-1 breast cancer cells are co-cultured with NK-92 cells in the presence of trastuzumab, and target cell death is quantified by automated microscopy and quantitative image analysis. Target cells are distinguished from effector cells based on their EGFP fluorescence. We show how compound libraries can be tested in the assay to identify ADCC modulator drugs. For this purpose, a compound library test plate was set up using randomly selected fine chemicals off the lab shelf. Three microtubule destabilizing compounds (colchicine, vincristine, podophyllotoxin) expected to interfere with NK cell migration and degranulation were also included in the test library. The test screen identified all three positive control compounds as hits proving the suitability of the method to identify ADCC-modifying drugs in a chemical library. With this assay, compound library screens can be performed to identify ADCC-enhancing compounds that could be used as adjuvant therapeutic agents for the treatment of patients receiving anticancer immunotherapies. In addition, the method can also be used to identify any undesirable ADCC-inhibiting side effects of therapeutic drugs taken by cancer patients for different indications.
Introduction
Immunotherapy with anticancer antibodies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, or chimeric antigen receptor-expressing T (CAR-T) cells represents a powerful approach to cancer treatment1,2,3. Trastuzumab is a humanized monoclonal anti-HER-2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) antibody used for treating HER-2 positive early stage or metastatic breast cancer, as well as HER-2 positive metastatic gastric cancer4,5,6. It primarily acts by inhibiting the proliferation stimulating effect o....
Protocol
NOTE: Key steps of the assay workflow are presented in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Workflow of the ADCC screen. JIMT-1-EGFP target cells seeded into 96 well HCS plates are treated with drugs of the compound library. In turn, unstained NK (effector) cells and trastuzumab are added, and the plate .......
Representative Results
To demonstrate how the assay works in real life, we created a test library of 16 compounds selected randomly from the lab shelves (Figure 3). In addition, DMSO was also included as a negative control, and three microtubule polymerization inhibitor compounds (colchicine, vincristine, and podophyllotoxin) as positive controls. The latter were expected to inhibit ADCC by interfering with NK cell migration to the cancer cells and NK cell degranulation. All test compounds and DMSO were placed ont.......
Discussion
The ADCC reaction has been described a relatively long time ago. Key molecular events of the process have also been described19. Methods for measuring ADCC range from the gold standard radioactive chromium release assay, cytoplasmic enzyme release assays to several fluorescence-based flow cytometry or microplate assays20. However, a common limitation of these assays is that they are not amenable to high-throughput applications. Previously, we developed an image-based HCS as.......
Acknowledgements
LV received funding from National Research, Development and Innovation Office grants GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00010 TUMORDNS", GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00048-STAYALIVE and OTKA K132193, K147482. CD16.176V.NK-92 cells were obtained from Dr. Kerry S. Campbell (Fox Chase Center, Philapedlphia, PA, on behalf of Brink Biologics, lnc. San Diego, CA), are protected by patents worldwide, and were licensed by Nantkwest, lnc. Authors are thankful to György Vereb and Árpád Szöőr for their help with the use of the NK-92 cell line and for technical advice.
....Materials
| Name | Company | Catalog Number | Comments |
| 5-fluorouracil | Applichem | A7686 | in compound library |
| 96-well Cell Carrier Ultra plate | PerkinElmer | LLC 6055302 | |
| Betulin | Sigma | B9757 | in compound library |
| CD16.176V.NK92 cells | Nankwest Inc. | ||
| Cerulenin | ChemCruz | sc-396822 | in compound library |
| Cisplatin | Santa Cruz Biotechnology | sc-200896 | in compound library |
| Colchicine | Sigma | C9754 | in compound library |
| Concanavalin-A | Calbiochem | 234567 | in compound library |
| Dexamethasone | Sigma | D4902 | in compound library |
| DMEM/F-12 medium | Sigma | D8437 | in JIMT-1 EGFP medium |
| DMSO | Sigma | D2650 | in compound library |
| Etoposide | Sigma | E1383 | E1383 |
| Fetal bovine serum (FBS) | Biosera | FB-1090/500 | JIMT-1 EGFP and NK medium |
| Fisetin | Sigma | F4043 | in compound library |
| Freedom EVO liquid handling robot | TECAN | ||
| Gallotannin | Fluka Chemical Corp. | 16201 | in compound library |
| Glutamine | Gibco | 35,050–061 | in NK medium |
| Harmony software | PerkinElmer | ||
| Humanized anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody (Herzuma) | EGIS Pharmaceuticals, Budapest Hungary | N/A | |
| Humulin R (insulin) | Eli Lilly | HI0219 | JIMT-1 EGFP medium |
| IL-2 | Novartis Hungária Kft. | PHC0026 | in NK medium |
| Isatin | Sigma | 114618 | in compound library |
| MEM Non-essential Amino Acids (MEM-NEAA) | Gibco | 11,140–050 | in NK medium |
| Na-pyruvate | Lonza | BE13-115E | in NK medium |
| Naringenin | Sigma | N5893 | in compound library |
| NQDI-1 | Sigma | SML0185 | in compound library |
| Opera Phenix High-Content Analysis equipment | PerkinElmer | ||
| Penicillin–streptomycin | Biosera | LM-A4118 | JIMT-1 EGFP and NK medium |
| Pentoxyfilline | Sigma | P1784 | in compound library |
| Phosphate buffered saline (PBS) | Lonza | BE17-517Q | to wash the cells |
| Podophyllotoxin | Sigma | P4405 | in compound library |
| Quercetin | Sigma | Q4951 | in compound library |
| Tannic acid | Sigma | T8406 | in compound library |
| Temozolomide | Sigma | T2577 | in compound library |
| Trypan blue 0.4% solution | Sigma | T8154 | for cell counting |
| Vincristine sulfate | Sigma | V0400000 | in compound library |
| α-MEM | Sigma | M8042 | in NK medium |
References
- Gupta, S. L., Basu, S., Soni, V., Jaiswal, R. K. Immunotherapy: an alternative promising therapeutic approach against cancers. Molecular Biology Reports. 49 (10), 9903-9913 (2022).
- Moretti, A., et al. The past, present, a....
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