Abstract 6348: Unveiling diverse trimeric forms of STEAP1 in human prostate cancer cells: Exploring STEAP1-STEAP2 interdependence for expression and plasma membrane localization
Authors: Li Cong , Liang Lingming , Park Joonhee , Pryshchep Olga , Staley Binnaz , Li Peng , Alba Ben , Liu Xuan , Li Fei , Moore Gregory L. , Bernett Matthew J. , Muchhal Umesh , Desjarlais John , Coxon Angela , Bailis Julie M. 
Published: March 2024

Six-Transmembrane Epithelial Antigen of the Prostate 1 (STEAP1) is an emerging therapeutic target that is a member of the STEAP1-4 family of metalloreductases. We recently reported the preclinical characterization of xaluritamig (AMG 509), a STEAP1 XmAb® 2+1 T-cell engager molecule that is being developed for the treatment of prostate cancer (Nolan-Stevaux et al, 2023). Xaluritamig is designed to preferentially target tumor cells that express high levels of STEAP1. However, prostate tumor cells also express high levels of STEAP2. Here, we characterize the interactions between STEAP1 and STEAP2 in prostate cancer cell lines and the impact to xaluritamig activity. Bulk mRNA as well as single-cell gene expression data (scRNAseq) reveal a strong correlation between STEAP1 and STEAP2 expression in human prostate cancer, suggesting that the STEAP proteins may form both homotrimers and heterotrimers in prostate tumors. To test this idea, we investigated the structural behavior of STEAP1/2 trimers in human prostate cancer cell lines that endogenously express STEAP1 and STEAP2. Using xaluritamig and the parental anti-STEAP1 antibody, we show that STEAP1 primarily forms heterotrimers with STEAP2 in prostate cancer cells but can also assemble as homotrimers in the absence of STEAP2. Both STEAP1/2 heterotrimers and STEAP1 homotrimers can be targeted by xaluritamig, leading to T cell-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Similarly, we found that anti-STEAP2 antibodies detected STEAP2 homotrimers when STEAP1 expression was ablated in cells, and that both STEAP1/2 heterotrimers and STEAP2 homotrimers were targeted by a STEAP2-specific T-cell engager molecule. We also demonstrate that neither STEAP1 nor STEAP2 significantly influences the mRNA or protein expression of the other. Our data elucidates the versatility of STEAP family members in forming both homotrimers and heterotrimers on the plasma membrane of human prostate cancer cells and the potential for therapeutic targeting with STEAP1/2-directed therapies. Characterizing the capability of existing STEAP1 or STEAP2 targeting therapeutics to bind their respective targets, whether within a homotrimer or heterotrimer, is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the therapeutic potential of these drugs. Further research will help delineate the mechanism underlying the formation of STEAP1/2 trimers in cancer cells and continue advancing our understanding of this intriguing biological relationship.

Citation Format: Cong Li, Lingming Liang, Joonhee Park, Olga Pryshchep, Binnaz Staley, Peng Li, Ben Alba, Xuan Liu, Fei Li, Gregory L. Moore, Matthew J. Bernett, Umesh Muchhal, John Desjarlais, Angela Coxon, Julie M. Bailis. Unveiling diverse trimeric forms of STEAP1 in human prostate cancer cells: Exploring STEAP1-STEAP2 interdependence for expression and plasma membrane localization [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 6348.