Biology subjects

Yamin, R.

Publications and source records attributed to Yamin, R..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

A pan-cancer atlas of T cell targets

T-cell-based immunotherapies have revolutionized cancer treatment, yet only a minority of patients are eligible for these approaches, significantly constrained by the limited knowledge of tumor-specific antigens. Here we present ImmunoVerse, a comprehensive map of T cell targets across 21 cancer types, revealing actionable tumor-specific targets in 89% of tumors analyzed. To define the repertoire of actionable T cell targets, we conducted an exhaustive pan-cancer analysis, integrating data from 7,188 RNA-Seq, 1,771 immunopeptidomes from 512 biological samples and 208 single-cell cancer datasets using novel AI methods, and compared these against 17,384 normal samples covering 51 tissues. Our analysis uncovered 62 viable surface protein targets and 28,446 tumor-specific HLA-presented antigens, deriving from 11 distinct molecular events, across 21 tumor types. Among these, we identified 5,928 previously uncharacterized neoantigens, new tumor self-antigens, peptides derived from tumor-specific cryptic ORFs, tumor-associated microbial targets and a novel splicing-derived PMEL peptide (sPMEL) with enhanced abundance and safety compared to the canonical clinical targets. We successfully expanded sPMEL-specific T cells, validating the therapeutic potential of these targets in functional assays. We highlight 153 promising new tumor targets and experimentally validate 19 targets representing six antigen classes. In addition to being the most comprehensive atlas of targets in scope, ImmunoVerse offers the most extensively annotated resource with key parameters for target selection, providing critical insights for therapeutic prioritization and clinical translation. To catalyze therapeutic development, we released our pan-cancer target atlas through an interactive web portal (https://www.immuno-verse.com) and made the accompanying toolkits available to the scientific community. This work redefines the landscape of therapeutic T cell targets and provides a foundational resource to unlock immunotherapy development across multiple cancers previously considered intractable.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Mechanism of glycoform specificity and protection against antibody dependent enhancement by an anti-afucosylated IgG nanobody

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies contain a single, complex N-glycan on each IgG heavy chain protomer embedded in the hydrophobic pocket between its C{gamma}2 domains. The presence of this glycan contributes to the structural organization of the Fc domain and determines its specificity for Fc{gamma} receptors, thereby determining distinct cellular responses. On the Fc, the variable construction of this glycan structure leads to a family of highly-related, but non-equivalent glycoproteins known as glycoforms. We previously reported the development of synthetic nanobodies that distinguish IgG glycoforms without cross-reactivity to off-target glycoproteins or free glycans. Here, we present the X-ray crystal structure of one such nanobody, X0, in complex with its specific binding partner, the Fc fragment of afucosylated IgG1. Two X0 nanobodies bind a single afucosylated Fc homodimer at the upper C{gamma}2 domain, making both protein-protein and protein-carbohydrate contacts and overlapping the binding site for Fc{gamma} receptors. Upon binding, the elongated CDR3 loop of X0 undergoes a conformational shift to access the buried N-glycan and acts as a glycan sensor, forming hydrogen bonds with the afucosylated IgG N-glycan that would otherwise be sterically hindered by the presence of a core fucose residue. Based on this structure, we designed X0 fusion constructs that disrupt pathogenic afucosylated IgG1-Fc{gamma}RIIIa interactions and rescue mice in a model of dengue virus infection.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2022

Human FcγRIIIa activation on splenic macrophages drives the in vivo pathogenesis of dengue disease

Although dengue virus (DENV) infection typically causes asymptomatic disease, DENV-infected patients can experience severe complications. A risk factor for symptomatic disease is pre-existing anti-DENV IgG antibodies. Cellular assays suggested that these antibodies can enhance viral infection of Fc{gamma} receptor (Fc{gamma}R)-expressing myeloid cells. Recent studies, however, revealed more complex interactions between anti-DENV antibodies and specific Fc{gamma}Rs by demonstrating that modulation of the IgG Fc glycan correlates with disease severity. To investigate the in vivo mechanisms of antibody-mediated dengue pathogenesis, we developed a mouse model for dengue disease that recapitulates the unique complexity of human Fc{gamma}Rs. Our studies reveal that the in vivo pathogenic activity of anti-DENV IgG antibodies is exclusively mediated through engagement of Fc{gamma}RIIIa expressed on splenic macrophages, resulting in inflammatory sequelae and mortality. These findings highlight the importance of IgG-Fc{gamma}RIIIa interactions in dengue disease, with important implications in the design of safer vaccination approaches and effective therapeutic strategies.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2020

Engineered ACE2 receptor traps potently neutralize SARS-CoV-2

An essential mechanism for SARS-CoV-1 and -2 infection begins with the viral spike protein binding to the human receptor protein angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2). Here we describe a stepwise engineering approach to generate a set of affinity optimized, enzymatically inactivated ACE2 variants that potently block SARS-CoV-2 infection of cells. These optimized receptor traps tightly bind the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the viral spike protein and prevent entry into host cells. We first computationally designed the ACE2-RBD interface using a two-stage flexible protein backbone design process that improved affinity for the RBD by up to 12-fold. These designed receptor variants were affinity matured an additional 14-fold by random mutagenesis and selection using yeast surface display. The highest affinity variant contained seven amino acid changes and bound to the RBD 170-fold more tightly than wild-type ACE2. With the addition of the natural ACE2 collectrin domain and fusion to a human Fc domain for increased stabilization and avidity, the most optimal ACE2 receptor traps neutralized SARS-CoV-2 pseudotyped lentivirus and authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) in the 10-100 ng/ml range. Engineered ACE2 receptor traps offer a promising route to fighting infections by SARS-CoV-2 and other ACE2-utilizing coronaviruses, with the key advantage that viral resistance would also likely impair viral entry. Moreover, such traps can be pre-designed for viruses with known entry receptors for faster therapeutic response without the need for neutralizing antibodies isolated or generated from convalescent patients.

bioengineering↗