Treg depletion in non-human primates using a novel diphtheria toxin-based anti-human CCR4 immunotoxin

Regulatory T cells (Treg) play an important role in modulating the immune response and has attracted increasing attention in diverse fields such as cancer treatment, transplantation and autoimmune diseases. CC chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4) is expressed on the majority of Tregs, especially on effector Tregs. Recently we have developed a diphtheria-toxin based anti-human CCR4 immunotoxin for depleting CCR4⁺ cells in vivo. In this study, we demonstrated that the anti-human CCR4 immunotoxin bound and depleted monkey CCR4⁺ cells in vitro. We also demonstrated that the immunotoxin bound to the CCR4⁺Foxp3⁺ monkey Tregs in vitro. In vivo studies performed in two naive cynomolgus monkeys revealed 78-89% CCR4⁺Foxp3⁺ Treg depletion in peripheral blood lasting approximately 10 days. In lymph nodes, 89-96% CCR4⁺Foxp3⁺ Tregs were depleted. No effect was observed in other cell populations including CD8⁺ T cells, other CD4⁺ T cells, B cells and NK cells. To our knowledge, this is the first agent that effectively depleted non-human primate (NHP) Tregs. This immunotoxin has potential to deplete effector Tregs for combined cancer treatment.