Amplification of CD20 Cross-Linking in Rituximab-Resistant B-Lymphoma Cells Enhances Apoptosis Induction by Drug-Free Macromolecular Therapeutics

Although the CD20-targeted monoclonal antibody rituximab (RTX) has revolutionized the therapeutic landscape for B-cell malignancy, relapsed and refractory disease due to RTX resistance continue to constitute major challenges, illustrating the need for better therapies. Here, we apply drug-free macromolecular therapeutics (DFMT) that amplifies CD20 cross-linking to enhance apoptosis in RTX-resistant cells. Bispecific engager (anti-CD20 Fab' conjugated with oligonucleotide1) pretargets CD20 and the deletion of Fc-region minimizes its premature endocytosis in resistant cells that rapidly internalize and consume CD20/RTX complexes. Second-step delivery of multivalent polymeric effector (linear copolymer conjugated with multiple copies of complementary oligonucleotide 2) simultaneously hybridizes multiple CD20-bound engagers and strengthens CD20 ligation. Moreover, the restoration of CD20 expression by the pretreatment of cells with a polymer-gemcitabine conjugate, a CD20 expression enhancer, unleashes the full potential of DFMT in the CD20-deficient resistant cells. Hence, amplification of CD20 cross-linking is achieved by (1) the enhancement of surface CD20 accessibility, (2) the increase in CD20 expression, and (3) multimeric CD20 binding, which ultimately translates into the amplified activation of a wide range of innate apoptotic responses. We demonstrated that the altered molecular signaling pathway that originally results in RTX resistance could be circumvented and compensated by other DFMT-augmented pathways. Of note, our preliminary data provide proof-of-concept that CD20 cross-linking amplification emerges as an important strategy for overcoming RTX resistance.