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Nanobodies specific for Vβ11 enable detection and noninvasive imaging of antigen-specific T cells in vivo

Item Type:Article
Title:Nanobodies specific for Vβ11 enable detection and noninvasive imaging of antigen-specific T cells in vivo
Creators: Scharmann, Stephanie D. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5347-228X, Faber, Francisca, Hoorens van Heyningen, Lauren, Reljić, Mirna, Huisman, Brooke D., Faas, Priscilla P.M., Medhi, Himadri, Meyer, Manpreet ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5700-8529, Gall, Camille Le, Sahay, Ishani, Suresh, Pavana, van Dalen, Floris J., Becht, Nanette, Ludwig, Leif S. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2916-2164, Birnbaum, Michael E. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2281-3518, Ploegh, Hidde L. and Pishesha, Novalia ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8124-1265
Abstract:Through screening of a VHH phage display library constructed from an alpaca immunized with the recombinantly expressed murine myelin oligodendrocyte (MOG)-specific 2D2 T cell receptor (TCR), we identified nanobodies that reduced antigen-driven 2D2 T cell activation in vitro. Immunoblotting and staining confirmed TCRβ chain reactivity and Vβ11-associated recognition in polyclonal T cell populations. Site-specific sortase-mediated conjugation with desferrioxamine and 89Zr enabled nanobody-based immuno-PET/CT. In vivo imaging showed tracer accumulation in secondary lymphoid organs in settings enriched for Vβ11-expressing 2D2 T cells. In mice symptomatic for experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis that had received MOG-specific 2D2 T cells, we observed a spinal cord-associated signal. This corresponded to accumulation of transferred Vβ11-expressing 2D2 T cells within inflamed spinal cord tissue. Compared with full-length immunoglobulins and multimeric peptide-MHC reagents that primarily support ex vivo detection of antigen-specific T cells, TCR-specific nanobodies show rapid clearance and improved tissue penetration that favor high-contrast immuno-PET/CT imaging of defined T cell populations in vivo.
Keywords:Antigen-Specific T Cells, Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis, Immuno-PET Imaging, Nanobody, TCR Variable Region, Animals, Mice
Source:Journal of Immunology
ISSN:0022-1767
Publisher:American Association of Immunologists
Volume:215
Number:9
Page Range:vkag237
Date:September 2026
Official Publication:https://doi.org/10.1093/jimmun/vkag237
PubMed:View item in PubMed

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