CD8+ T Cells Expressing an HLA-DR1 Chimeric Antigen Receptor Target Autoimmune CD4+ T Cells in an Antigen-Specific Manner and Inhibit the Development of Autoimmune Arthritis

Abstract

Ag-specific immunotherapy is a long-term goal for the treatment of autoimmune diseases; however developing a means of therapeutically targeting autoimmune T cells in an Ag-specific manner has been difficult. Through the engineering of an HLA-DR1 chimeric Ag receptor (CAR), we have produced CD8⁺ CAR T cells that target CD4⁺ T cells in an Ag-specific manner and tested their ability to inhibit the development of autoimmune arthritis in a mouse model. The DR1 CAR molecule was engineered to contain CD3ζ activation and CD28 signaling domains and a covalently linked autoantigenic peptide from type II collagen (CII; DR1-CII) to provide specificity for targeting the autoimmune T cells. Stimulation of the DR1-CII CAR T cells by an anti-DR Ab induced cytokine production, indicating that the DR1-CAR functions as a chimeric molecule. In vitro CTL assays using cloned CD4⁺ T cells as target cells demonstrated that the DR1-CII CAR T cells efficiently recognize and kill CD4⁺ T cells that are specific for the CII autoantigen. The CTL function was highly specific, as no killing was observed using DR1-restricted CD4⁺ T cells that recognize other Ags. When B6.DR1 mice, in which autoimmune arthritis had been induced, were treated with the DR1-CII CAR T cells, the CII-specific autoimmune CD4⁺ T cell response was significantly decreased, autoantibody production was suppressed, and the incidence and severity of the autoimmune arthritis was diminished. These data demonstrate that HLA-DR CAR T cells have the potential to provide a highly specific therapeutic approach for the treatment of autoimmune disease.