Invariant NKT cells dictate antitumor immunity elicited by a bispecific antibody cotargeting CD3 and BCMA

CD3-engaging bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) have emerged as powerful therapeutic approaches by their ability to redirect T cells to eliminate tumor cells in a major histocompatibility complex-independent manner. However, how we can potentiate the efficacy of BsAbs remains largely unknown. To address this question, we investigated immunological mechanisms of action of a BsAb cotargeting CD3 and B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) in syngeneic preclinical myeloma models. Treatment with the CD3/BCMA BsAb stimulated multiple CD3-expressing T-cell subsets and natural killer (NK) cells in the myeloma bone marrow (BM), highlighting its broad immunostimulatory effect. Notably, the BsAb-mediated immunostimulatory and antitumor effects were abrogated in mice lacking invariant NKT (iNKT) cells. Mechanistically, activation of iNKT cells and interleukin-12 production from dendritic cells (DCs) were crucial upstream events for triggering effective antitumor immunity by the BsAb. Myeloma progression was associated with a reduced number of BM iNKT cells. Importantly, the therapeutic efficacy of a single dose of CD3/BCMA BsAb was remarkably augmented by restoring iNKT cell activity, using adoptive transfer of α-galactosylceramide-loaded DCs. Together, these results reveal iNKT cells as critical players in the antitumor activity of CD3 engaging BsAbs and have important translational implications.