Regulation of anti-tumor immunity by B7-H3 binding to Siglec-9 4287

Description B7-H3 is a member of the B7 superfamily, which includes co-inhibitory receptors such as B7-H1/PD-L1 and co-stimulatory receptors such as B7-1/CD80 and B7-2/CD86. B7-H3 is upregulated by almost all types of tumors and is associated with worse prognosis. However, the exact mechanism by which B7-H3 suppresses anti-tumor immune response remains to be discovered as its ligand has yet to be identified. Sialic acid modifications are also increased in many cancers and are similarly associated with poor outcome. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that sialylated B7-H3 binds to the immune inhibitory receptor Siglec-9. Siglec-9 is expressed on many immune cells, including NK cells and T cells. We have shown that B7-H3 expression on target cells reduces killing by Siglec-9 expressing NK cells in vitro. We then hypothesized that antibodies that block B7-H3 binding to Siglec-9 will be an effective intervention to boost anti-tumor immunity. We have generated a high affinity anti-B7-H3 monoclonal antibody, F7, which blocks B7-H3 binding to Siglec-9. F7 functions to enhance NK cell killing of B7-H3 expressing target cells in vitro. F7 also dramatically enhances CART19 mediated killing of B7-H3 expressing Nalm6 cells in a relapse model in NSG mice in vivo. In summary, our work has demonstrated that B7-H3 binds Siglec-9, and blockade of such interaction can enhance anti-tumor immunity. Funding Sources • Mayo Clinic Center for Biomedical Discovery • NIH Glycobiology Common Fund supplement to R01CA243545-01A1 to VSS Topic Categories Tumor Immunology: Checkpoints, Prevention, and Treatment (TIPT)