Functional screening of TCR-like antibodies for targeted cancer immunotherapy

Abstract

Although hybridomas and display technologies have long been used in antibody discovery, identifying TCR-like antibodies that recognize major histocompatibility (MHC)-presented neoantigens remains an inefficient process. Here, we present a functional screening approach for antibody discovery based on T cell-specific functionality. By constructing Synthetic T cell receptor and Antigen Receptor (STAR)-T cells expressing antibody libraries and co-culturing them with target cells, we observed distinct antigen-specific STAR endocytosis and T cell activation. These two indicators are combined into an E-A functional index, which we demonstrate as an effective screening strategy for identifying antibodies with strict antigen sensitivity and specificity. Using this E-A functional screening method, we successfully discovered antibodies or nanobodies targeting cell-surface tumor antigens and neoantigens presented by human leukocyte antigen (HLA). These antibodies exhibited potent anti-tumor efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, converting these antibodies into chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) and bispecific antibodies also induced T cell activation and tumor killing. In summary, our study establishes a robust functional screening strategy for identifying antibodies or TCR-like nanobodies targeting tumor-specific neoantigens, offering significant potential for advancing targeted cancer therapies.