Engineering CAR-NK cells to secrete IL-15 sustains their anti-AML functionality but is associated with systemic toxicities

Background The prognosis of patients with recurrent/refractory acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) remains poor and cell-based immunotherapies hold promise to improve outcomes. Natural Killer (NK) cells can elicit an antileukemic response via a repertoire of activating receptors that bind AML surface ligands. NK-cell adoptive transfer is safe but thus far has shown limited anti-AML efficacy. Here, we aimed to overcome this limitation by engineering NK cells to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to boost their anti-AML activity and interleukin (IL)-15 to enhance their persistence. Methods We characterized in detail NK-cell populations expressing a panel of AML (CD123)-specific CARs and/or IL-15 in vitro and in AML xenograft models. Results CARs with 2B4.zeta or 4-1BB.zeta signaling domains demonstrated greater cell surface expression and endowed NK cells with improved anti-AML activity in vitro. Initial in vivo testing revealed that only 2B4.zeta Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-NK cells had improved anti-AML activity in comparison to untransduced (UTD) and 4-1BB.zeta CAR-NK cells. However, the benefit was transient due to limited CAR-NK-cell persistence. Transgenic expression of secretory interleukin (sIL)-15 in 2B4.zeta CAR and UTD NK cells improved their effector function in the setting of chronic antigen simulation in vitro. Multiparameter flow analysis after chronic antigen exposure identified the expansion of unique NK-cell subsets. 2B4.zeta/sIL-15 CAR and sIL-15 NK cells maintained an overall activated NK-cell phenotype. This was confirmed by transcriptomic analysis, which revealed a highly proliferative and activated signature in these NK-cell groups. In vivo, 2B4.zeta/sIL-15 CAR-NK cells had potent anti-AML activity in one model, while 2B4.zeta/sIL-15 CAR and sIL-15 NK cells induced lethal toxicity in a second model. Conclusion Transgenic expression of CD123-CARs and sIL-15 enabled NK cells to function in the setting of chronic antigen exposure but was associated with systemic toxicities. Thus, our study provides the impetus to explore inducible and controllable expression systems to provide cytokine signals to AML-specific CAR-NK cells before embarking on early-phase clinical testing.