Bispecific Antibody Format and the Organization of Immunological Synapses in T Cell-Redirecting Strategies for Cancer Immunotherapy

Abstract

T cell-redirecting strategies have emerged as effective cancer immunotherapy approaches. Bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) are designed to specifically recruit T cells to the tumor microenvironment and induce the assembly of the immunological synapse (IS) between T cells and cancer cells or antigen-presenting cells. The way that the quality of the IS might predict the effectiveness of T cell-redirecting strategies, including those mediated by bsAbs or by chimeric antigen receptors (CAR)-T cells, is currently under discussion. Here we review the organization of the canonical IS assembled during natural antigenic stimulation through the T cell receptor (TCR) and to what extent different bsAbs induce T cell activation, canonical IS organization, and effector function. Then, we discuss how the biochemical parameters of different formats of bsAbs affect the effectivity of generating an antigen-induced canonical IS. Finally, the quality of the IS assembled by bsAbs and monoclonal antibodies or CAR-T cells are compared, and strategies to improve bsAb-mediated T cell-redirecting strategies are discussed.

Keywords

• IS
• T cell
• immunotherapy
• bsAb
• CAR
• TCR