A novel anti-pd-l1 antibody exhibits antitumor effects on multiple myeloma in murine models via antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity

Multiple myeloma is a malignant cancer of plasma cells. Despite recent progress with immunomodulatory drugs and proteasome inhibitors, it remains an incurable disease that requires other strategies to overcome its recurrence and non-response. Based on the high expression levels of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in human multiple myeloma isolated from bone marrow and the murine myeloma cell lines, NS-1 and MOPC-315, we propose PD-L1 molecule as a target of anti-multiple myeloma therapy. We developed a novel anti-PD-L1 antibody containing a murine immunoglobulin G subclass 2a (IgG2a) fragment crystallizable (Fc) domain that can induce antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. The newly developed anti-PD-L1 antibody showed significant antitumor effects against multiple myeloma in mice subcutaneously, intraperitoneally, or intravenously inoculated with NS-1 and MOPC-315 cells. The anti-PD-L1 effects on multiple myeloma may be related to a decrease in the immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), but there were no changes in the splenic MDSCs after combined treatment with lenalidomide and the anti-PD-L1 antibody. Interestingly, the newly developed anti-PD-L1 antibody can induce antibody-dependent cellular cyto-toxicity in the myeloma cells, which differs from the existing anti-PD-L1 antibodies. Collectively, we have developed a new anti-PD-L1 antibody that binds to mouse and human PD-L1 and demonstrated the antitumor effects of the antibody in several syngeneic murine myeloma models. Thus, PD-L1 is a promising target to treat multiple myeloma, and the novel anti-PD-L1 antibody may be an effective anti-myeloma drug via antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity effects.