Cellular immunotherapy targeting CLL-1 for juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia

Abstract Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a myeloproliferative disorder that predominantly affects infants and young children. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is standard of care, but post-HSCT relapse is common, highlighting the need for innovative therapies. While adoptive...

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Main Authors: Juwita Werner, Alex G. Lee, Chujing Zhang, Sydney Abelson, Sherin Xirenayi, Jose Rivera, Khadija Yousuf, Hanna Shin, Bonell Patiño-Escobar, Stefanie Bachl, Kamal Mandal, Abhilash Barpanda, Emilio Ramos, Adila Izgutdina, Sibapriya Chaudhuri, William C. Temple, Shubhmita Bhatnagar, Jackson K. Dardis, Julia Meyer, Carolina Morales, Soheil Meshinchi, Mignon L. Loh, Benjamin Braun, Sarah K. Tasian, Arun P. Wiita, Elliot Stieglitz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59040-6
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author Juwita Werner
Alex G. Lee
Chujing Zhang
Sydney Abelson
Sherin Xirenayi
Jose Rivera
Khadija Yousuf
Hanna Shin
Bonell Patiño-Escobar
Stefanie Bachl
Kamal Mandal
Abhilash Barpanda
Emilio Ramos
Adila Izgutdina
Sibapriya Chaudhuri
William C. Temple
Shubhmita Bhatnagar
Jackson K. Dardis
Julia Meyer
Carolina Morales
Soheil Meshinchi
Mignon L. Loh
Benjamin Braun
Sarah K. Tasian
Arun P. Wiita
Elliot Stieglitz
author_facet Juwita Werner
Alex G. Lee
Chujing Zhang
Sydney Abelson
Sherin Xirenayi
Jose Rivera
Khadija Yousuf
Hanna Shin
Bonell Patiño-Escobar
Stefanie Bachl
Kamal Mandal
Abhilash Barpanda
Emilio Ramos
Adila Izgutdina
Sibapriya Chaudhuri
William C. Temple
Shubhmita Bhatnagar
Jackson K. Dardis
Julia Meyer
Carolina Morales
Soheil Meshinchi
Mignon L. Loh
Benjamin Braun
Sarah K. Tasian
Arun P. Wiita
Elliot Stieglitz
author_sort Juwita Werner
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a myeloproliferative disorder that predominantly affects infants and young children. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is standard of care, but post-HSCT relapse is common, highlighting the need for innovative therapies. While adoptive immunotherapy with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has improved outcomes for patients with advanced lymphoid malignancies, it has not been comprehensively evaluated in JMML. In the present study, we use bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing, mass spectrometry, and flow cytometry to identify overexpression of CLL-1 (encoded by CLEC12A) on the cell surface of cells from patients with JMML. We develop immunotherapy with CLL-1 CAR T cells (CLL1CART) for preclinical testing and report in vitro and in vivo anti-leukemia activity. Notably, CLL1CART reduce the number of leukemic stem cells and serial transplantability in vivo. These preclinical data support the development and clinical investigation of CLL-1-targeting immunotherapy in children with relapsed/refractory JMML.
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spelling doaj-art-458e1fbae046420a84b88b1ef710a8d92025-08-20T03:53:32ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-04-0116112010.1038/s41467-025-59040-6Cellular immunotherapy targeting CLL-1 for juvenile myelomonocytic leukemiaJuwita Werner0Alex G. Lee1Chujing Zhang2Sydney Abelson3Sherin Xirenayi4Jose Rivera5Khadija Yousuf6Hanna Shin7Bonell Patiño-Escobar8Stefanie Bachl9Kamal Mandal10Abhilash Barpanda11Emilio Ramos12Adila Izgutdina13Sibapriya Chaudhuri14William C. Temple15Shubhmita Bhatnagar16Jackson K. Dardis17Julia Meyer18Carolina Morales19Soheil Meshinchi20Mignon L. Loh21Benjamin Braun22Sarah K. Tasian23Arun P. Wiita24Elliot Stieglitz25Department of Pediatrics, Benioff Children’s Hospitals, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Pediatrics, Benioff Children’s Hospitals, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Pediatrics, Benioff Children’s Hospitals, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Pediatrics, Benioff Children’s Hospitals, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Pediatrics, Benioff Children’s Hospitals, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Pediatrics, Benioff Children’s Hospitals, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Pediatrics, Benioff Children’s Hospitals, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Pediatrics, Benioff Children’s Hospitals, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Medicine, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, University of CaliforniaDivision of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of CaliforniaDivision of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Bone Marrow Transplant, University of CaliforniaDivision of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children’s Hospital of PhiladelphiaDivision of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children’s Hospital of PhiladelphiaDepartment of Pediatrics, Benioff Children’s Hospitals, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Pediatrics, Benioff Children’s Hospitals, University of CaliforniaClinical Research Division, Department of Pediatrics, Fred Hutchinson Cancer CenterSeattle Children’s Hospital, The Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research, University of WashingtonDepartment of Pediatrics, Benioff Children’s Hospitals, University of CaliforniaDivision of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children’s Hospital of PhiladelphiaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Pediatrics, Benioff Children’s Hospitals, University of CaliforniaAbstract Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a myeloproliferative disorder that predominantly affects infants and young children. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is standard of care, but post-HSCT relapse is common, highlighting the need for innovative therapies. While adoptive immunotherapy with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has improved outcomes for patients with advanced lymphoid malignancies, it has not been comprehensively evaluated in JMML. In the present study, we use bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing, mass spectrometry, and flow cytometry to identify overexpression of CLL-1 (encoded by CLEC12A) on the cell surface of cells from patients with JMML. We develop immunotherapy with CLL-1 CAR T cells (CLL1CART) for preclinical testing and report in vitro and in vivo anti-leukemia activity. Notably, CLL1CART reduce the number of leukemic stem cells and serial transplantability in vivo. These preclinical data support the development and clinical investigation of CLL-1-targeting immunotherapy in children with relapsed/refractory JMML.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59040-6
spellingShingle Juwita Werner
Alex G. Lee
Chujing Zhang
Sydney Abelson
Sherin Xirenayi
Jose Rivera
Khadija Yousuf
Hanna Shin
Bonell Patiño-Escobar
Stefanie Bachl
Kamal Mandal
Abhilash Barpanda
Emilio Ramos
Adila Izgutdina
Sibapriya Chaudhuri
William C. Temple
Shubhmita Bhatnagar
Jackson K. Dardis
Julia Meyer
Carolina Morales
Soheil Meshinchi
Mignon L. Loh
Benjamin Braun
Sarah K. Tasian
Arun P. Wiita
Elliot Stieglitz
Cellular immunotherapy targeting CLL-1 for juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia
Nature Communications
title Cellular immunotherapy targeting CLL-1 for juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia
title_full Cellular immunotherapy targeting CLL-1 for juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia
title_fullStr Cellular immunotherapy targeting CLL-1 for juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia
title_full_unstemmed Cellular immunotherapy targeting CLL-1 for juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia
title_short Cellular immunotherapy targeting CLL-1 for juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia
title_sort cellular immunotherapy targeting cll 1 for juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59040-6
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