51
|
Cepeda S, Cantu C, Orozco S, Xiao Y, Brown Z, Semwal MK, Venables T, Anderson MS, Griffith AV. Age-Associated Decline in Thymic B Cell Expression of Aire and Aire-Dependent Self-Antigens. Cell Rep 2018; 22:1276-1287. [PMID: 29386114 PMCID: PMC5813500 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Although autoimmune disorders are a significant source of morbidity and mortality in older individuals, the mechanisms governing age-associated increases in susceptibility remain incompletely understood. Central T cell tolerance is mediated through presentation of self-antigens by cells constituting the thymic microenvironment, including epithelial cells, dendritic cells, and B cells. Medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) and B cells express distinct cohorts of self-antigens, including tissue-restricted self-antigens (TRAs), such that developing T cells are tolerized to antigens from peripheral tissues. We find that expression of the TRA transcriptional regulator Aire, as well as Aire-dependent genes, declines with age in thymic B cells in mice and humans and that cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic mechanisms contribute to the diminished capacity of peripheral B cells to express Aire within the thymus. Our findings indicate that aging may diminish the ability of thymic B cells to tolerize T cells, revealing a potential mechanistic link between aging and autoimmunity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Cepeda
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Carolina Cantu
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Stephanie Orozco
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Yangming Xiao
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Zoe Brown
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Manpreet K Semwal
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Thomas Venables
- Immunology and Microbial Sciences, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Mark S Anderson
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Ann V Griffith
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
52
|
Zhang G, Gao R, Wang Y, Liu Y, Li J, Jia X, Liang Y, Yang A. Hyperplastic thymus with increased angiogenesis is correlated with elevated serum thyroglobulin level in differentiated thyroid cancer patients with TENIS syndrome. Oncotarget 2017; 9:3406-3416. [PMID: 29423055 PMCID: PMC5790472 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.23281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims To investigate the association between angiogenetic activity of hyperplastic thymus and serum thyroglobulin (Tg) level in differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients with thyroglobulin (Tg)-elevated Negative Iodine Scintigraphy (TENIS) Syndrome. Methods A cohort of 30 consecutive patients who underwent total thyroidectomy followed by radioiodine ablation and had TENIS syndrome received integrin αvβ3 targeted imaging with 99mTc-HYNIC-PEG4-E[PEG4-c(RGDfk)]2 (99mTc-3PRGD2). The correlation of angiogenetic activity of the thymus and the serum Tg levels was evaluated in patients with enlarged thymus. Results Enlarged thymus was detected in 9 out of the 30 TENIS patients and all hyperplastic thymus showed an increased accumulation of the tracer (median tumor/background ratio: 2.8). Five of them had only mediastinal uptake and surgical removal of the mediastinal mass in one provided histopathologic evidence of thymic tissue. The other four were not assigned further treatment and were free of disease in the follow-up, though their stimulated Tg levels consistently increased. Four out of the 9 patients showed 99mTc-3PRGD2 uptake outside the mediastinum were assigned surgery followed by radioiodine treatment. Their stimulated Tg levels decreased after iodine ablation, but not drop back to normal. A significant linear correlation was observed between serum Tg levels and the degree of angiogenesis in the hyperplastic thymus. Conclusions The angiogenetic activity in hyperplastic thymus was related with the consistently elevated serum Tg levels in TENIS syndrome patients. Based on the existing literature and current data, we propose further intervention for patients with RGD uptake outside thymus, while close follow-up for patients with only mediastinal uptake.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guangjian Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Rui Gao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Yuanbo Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Juan Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Xi Jia
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Yiqian Liang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Aimin Yang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| |
Collapse
|
53
|
Michel C, Miller CN, Küchler R, Brors B, Anderson MS, Kyewski B, Pinto S. Revisiting the Road Map of Medullary Thymic Epithelial Cell Differentiation. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2017; 199:3488-3503. [PMID: 28993517 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1700203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The basic two-step terminal differentiation model of the medullary thymic epithelial cell (mTEC) lineage from immature MHC class II (MHCII)lo to mature MHCIIhi mTECs has recently been extended to include a third stage, namely the post-Aire MHCIIlo subset as identified by lineage-tracing models. However, a suitable surface marker distinguishing the phenotypically overlapping pre- from the post-Aire MHCIIlo stage has been lacking. In this study, we introduce the lectin Tetragonolobus purpureas agglutinin (TPA) as a novel cell surface marker that allows for such delineation. Based on our data, we derived the following sequence of mTEC differentiation: TPAloMHCIIlo → TPAloMHCIIhi → TPAhiMHCIIhi → TPAhiMHCIIlo Surprisingly, in the steady-state postnatal thymus TPAloMHCIIlo pre-Aire rather than terminally differentiated post-Aire TPAhiMHCIIlo mTECs were marked for apoptosis at an exceptionally high rate of ∼70%. Hence, only the minor cycling fraction of the MHCIIlo subset (<20%) potentially qualified as mTEC precursors. FoxN1 expression inversely correlated with the fraction of slow cycling and apoptotic cells within the four TPA subsets. TPA also further subdivided human mTECs, although with different subset distribution. Our revised road map emphazises close parallels of terminal mTEC development with that of skin, undergoing an alternative route of cell death, namely cornification rather than apoptosis. The high rate of apoptosis in pre-Aire MHCIIlo mTECs points to a "quality control" step during early mTEC differentiation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Michel
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Corey N Miller
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Rita Küchler
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Benedikt Brors
- Division of Applied Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg 69120, Germany; and
- German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Mark S Anderson
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Bruno Kyewski
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg 69120, Germany;
| | - Sheena Pinto
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg 69120, Germany;
| |
Collapse
|
54
|
Gut dysbiosis breaks immunological tolerance toward the central nervous system during young adulthood. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E9318-E9327. [PMID: 29078267 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1615715114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease targeting the central nervous system (CNS) mainly in young adults, and a breakage of immune tolerance to CNS self-antigens has been suggested to initiate CNS autoimmunity. Age and microbial infection are well-known factors involved in the development of autoimmune diseases, including MS. Recent studies have suggested that alterations in the gut microbiota, referred to as dysbiosis, are associated with MS. However, it is still largely unknown how gut dysbiosis affects the onset and progression of CNS autoimmunity. In this study, we investigated the effects of age and gut dysbiosis on the development of CNS autoimmunity in humanized transgenic mice expressing the MS-associated MHC class II (MHC-II) gene, HLA-DR2a, and T-cell receptor (TCR) genes specific for MBP87-99/DR2a that were derived from an MS patient. We show here that the induction of gut dysbiosis triggers the development of spontaneous experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) during adolescence and early young adulthood, while an increase in immunological tolerance with aging suppresses disease onset after late young adulthood in mice. Furthermore, gut dysbiosis induces the expression of complement C3 and production of the anaphylatoxin C3a, and down-regulates the expression of the Foxp3 gene and anergy-related E3 ubiquitin ligase genes. Consequently, gut dysbiosis was able to trigger the development of encephalitogenic T cells and promote the induction of EAE during the age window of young adulthood.
Collapse
|
55
|
Bakhru P, Zhu ML, Wang HH, Hong LK, Khan I, Mouchess M, Gulati AS, Starmer J, Hou Y, Sailer D, Lee S, Zhao F, Kirkwood JM, Moschos S, Fong L, Anderson MS, Su MA. Combination central tolerance and peripheral checkpoint blockade unleashes antimelanoma immunity. JCI Insight 2017; 2:93265. [PMID: 28931755 PMCID: PMC5621898 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.93265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Blockade of immune checkpoint proteins (e.g., CTLA-4, PD-1) improves overall survival in advanced melanoma; however, therapeutic benefit is limited to only a subset of patients. Because checkpoint blockade acts by "removing the brakes" on effector T cells, the efficacy of checkpoint blockade may be constrained by the limited pool of melanoma-reactive T cells in the periphery. In the thymus, autoimmune regulator (Aire) promotes deletion of T cells reactive against self-antigens that are also expressed by tumors. Thus, while protecting against autoimmunity, Aire also limits the generation of melanoma-reactive T cells. Here, we show that Aire deficiency in mice expands the pool of CD4+ T cells capable of melanoma cell eradication and has additive effects with anti-CTLA-4 antibody in slowing melanoma tumor growth and increasing survival. Moreover, pharmacologic blockade of central T cell tolerance and peripheral checkpoint blockade in combination enhanced antimelanoma immunity in a synergistic manner. In melanoma patients treated with anti-CTLA-4 antibody, clinical response to therapy was associated with a human Aire polymorphism. Together, these findings suggest that Aire-mediated central tolerance constrains the efficacy of peripheral checkpoint inhibition and point to simultaneous blockade of Aire and checkpoint inhibitors as a novel strategy to enhance antimelanoma immunity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pearl Bakhru
- Department of Pediatrics and Microbiology/Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Meng-Lei Zhu
- Department of Pediatrics and Microbiology/Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Hsing-Hui Wang
- Department of Pediatrics and Microbiology/Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lee K. Hong
- Department of Pediatrics and Microbiology/Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Imran Khan
- Diabetes Center, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Ajay S. Gulati
- Department of Pediatrics and Microbiology/Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, and
| | - Joshua Starmer
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Yafei Hou
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - David Sailer
- Department of Pediatrics and Microbiology/Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sandra Lee
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Melanoma Committee, ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group, and
| | - Fengmin Zhao
- Department of Pediatrics and Microbiology/Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - John M. Kirkwood
- Melanoma Committee, ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group, and
- Melanoma and Skin Cancer Program, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Stergios Moschos
- Melanoma Committee, ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group, and
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, and
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lawrence Fong
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Maureen A. Su
- Department of Pediatrics and Microbiology/Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| |
Collapse
|
56
|
Vigneron N, Abi Habib J, Van den Eynde BJ. Learning from the Proteasome How To Fine-Tune Cancer Immunotherapy. Trends Cancer 2017; 3:726-741. [PMID: 28958390 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2017.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has recently emerged as a forefront strategy to fight cancer. Key players in antitumor responses are CD8+ cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs) that can detect tumor cells that carry antigens, in other words, small peptides bound to surface major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. The success and safety of cancer immunotherapy strategies depends on the nature of the antigens recognized by the targeted T cells, their strict tumor specificity, and whether tumors and antigen-presenting cells can efficiently process the peptide. We review here the nature of the tumor antigens and their potential for the development of immunotherapeutic strategies. We also discuss the importance of proteasome in the production of these peptides in the context of immunotherapy and therapeutic cancer vaccines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Vigneron
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Brussels, Belgium; de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Joanna Abi Habib
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Brussels, Belgium; de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Benoit J Van den Eynde
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Brussels, Belgium; de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; WELBIO (Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology), Brussels, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
57
|
Rodríguez JA. HLA-mediated tumor escape mechanisms that may impair immunotherapy clinical outcomes via T-cell activation. Oncol Lett 2017; 14:4415-4427. [PMID: 29085437 PMCID: PMC5649701 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.6784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2016] [Accepted: 03/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the immune system provides protection from cancer by means of immunosurveillance, which serves a major function in eliminating cancer cells, it may also lead to cancer immunoediting, molding tumor immunogenicity. Cancer cells exploit several molecular mechanisms to thwart immune-mediated death by disabling cellular components of the immune system associated with tumor recognition and rejection. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules are mandatory for the immune recognition and subsequent killing of neoplastic cells by the immune system, as tumor antigens must be presented in an HLA-restricted manner to be recognized by T-cell receptors. Impaired HLA-I expression prevents the activation of cytotoxic immune mechanisms, whereas impaired HLA-II expression affects the antigen-presenting capability of antigen presenting cells. Aberrant HLA-G expression by cancer cells favors immune escape by inhibiting the activities of virtually all immune cells. The development of cancer therapies based on T-cell activation must consider these HLA-associated immune evasion mechanisms, as alterations in their expression occur early and frequently in the majority of types of cancer, and have an adverse impact on the clinical response to immunotherapy. Herein, the concept of altered HLA expression as a mechanism exploited by tumors to escape immune control and induce an immunosuppressive environment is reviewed. A number of novel clinical immunotherapeutic approaches used for cancer treatment are also reviewed, and strategies for overcoming the limitations of these immunotherapeutic interventions are proposed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Josefa A Rodríguez
- Cancer Biology Research Group, National Cancer Institute of Colombia, 111511 Bogotá, Colombia
| |
Collapse
|
58
|
Fishman D, Kisand K, Hertel C, Rothe M, Remm A, Pihlap M, Adler P, Vilo J, Peet A, Meloni A, Podkrajsek KT, Battelino T, Bruserud Ø, Wolff ASB, Husebye ES, Kluger N, Krohn K, Ranki A, Peterson H, Hayday A, Peterson P. Autoantibody Repertoire in APECED Patients Targets Two Distinct Subgroups of Proteins. Front Immunol 2017; 8:976. [PMID: 28861084 PMCID: PMC5561390 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
High titer autoantibodies produced by B lymphocytes are clinically important features of many common autoimmune diseases. APECED patients with deficient autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene collectively display a broad repertoire of high titer autoantibodies, including some which are pathognomonic for major autoimmune diseases. AIRE deficiency severely reduces thymic expression of gene-products ordinarily restricted to discrete peripheral tissues, and developing T cells reactive to those gene-products are not inactivated during their development. However, the extent of the autoantibody repertoire in APECED and its relation to thymic expression of self-antigens are unclear. We here undertook a broad protein array approach to assess autoantibody repertoire in APECED patients. Our results show that in addition to shared autoantigen reactivities, APECED patients display high inter-individual variation in their autoantigen profiles, which collectively are enriched in evolutionarily conserved, cytosolic and nuclear phosphoproteins. The APECED autoantigens have two major origins; proteins expressed in thymic medullary epithelial cells and proteins expressed in lymphoid cells. These findings support the hypothesis that specific protein properties strongly contribute to the etiology of B cell autoimmunity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dmytro Fishman
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Quretec Ltd., Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kai Kisand
- Institute of Biomedical and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | | | | | - Anu Remm
- Institute of Biomedical and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Maire Pihlap
- Institute of Biomedical and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Priit Adler
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Quretec Ltd., Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jaak Vilo
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Quretec Ltd., Tartu, Estonia
| | - Aleksandr Peet
- Children's Clinic of Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Antonella Meloni
- Pediatric Clinic II, Ospedale Microcitemico, Cagliari, Italy.,Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Katarina Trebusak Podkrajsek
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tadej Battelino
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Øyvind Bruserud
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Anette S B Wolff
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Eystein S Husebye
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Nicolas Kluger
- Department of Dermatology, Allergology and Venereology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Helsinki, Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kai Krohn
- Department of Dermatology, Allergology and Venereology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Helsinki, Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Annamari Ranki
- Department of Dermatology, Allergology and Venereology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Helsinki, Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hedi Peterson
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Quretec Ltd., Tartu, Estonia
| | - Adrian Hayday
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, King's College, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pärt Peterson
- Institute of Biomedical and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| |
Collapse
|
59
|
St John LS, Wan L, He H, Garber HR, Clise-Dwyer K, Alatrash G, Rezvani K, Shpall EJ, Bollard CM, Ma Q, Molldrem JJ. PR1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes are relatively frequent in umbilical cord blood and can be effectively expanded to target myeloid leukemia. Cytotherapy 2017; 18:995-1001. [PMID: 27378343 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2016.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS PR1 is an HLA-A2 restricted leukemia-associated antigen derived from neutrophil elastase and proteinase 3, both of which are normally stored in the azurophil granules of myeloid cells but overexpressed in myeloid leukemic cells. PR1-specific cytotoxic lymphocytes (PR1-CTLs) have activity against primary myeloid leukemia in vitro and in vivo and thus could have great potential in the setting of adoptive cellular therapy (ACT). Adult peripheral blood-derived PR1-CTLs are infrequent but preferentially lyse myeloid leukemia cells. We sought to examine PR1-CTLs in umbilical cord blood (UCB) because UCB units provide a rapidly available cell source and a lower risk of graft-versus-host disease, even in the setting of mismatched human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci. METHODS We first determined the frequency of PR1-CTLs in HLA-A2(+) UCB units and then successfully expanded them ex vivo using repeated stimulation with PR1 peptide-pulsed antigen-presenting cells (APCs). After expansion, we assessed the PR1-CTL phenotype (naive, effector, memory) and function against PR1-expressing target cells. RESULTS PR1-CTLs are detected at an average frequency of 0.14% within the CD8(+) population of fresh UCB units, which is 45 times higher than in healthy adult peripheral blood. UCB PR1-CTLs are phenotypically naive, consistent with the UCB CD8(+) population as a whole. In addition, the cells can be expanded by stimulation with PR1 peptide-pulsed APCs. Expansion results in an increased frequency of PR1-CTLs, up to 4.56%, with an average 20-fold increase in total number. After expansion, UCB PR1-CTLs express markers consistent with effector memory T cells. Expanded UCB PR1-CTLs are functional in vitro as they are able to produce cytokines and lyse PR1-expressing leukemia cell lines. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first report to show that T cells specific for a leukemia-associated antigen are found at a significantly higher frequency in UCB than adult blood. Our results also demonstrate specific cytotoxicity of expanded UCB-derived PR1-CTLs against PR1-expressing targets. Together, our data suggest that UCB PR1-CTLs could be useful to prevent or treat leukemia relapse in myeloid leukemia patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa S St John
- Section of Transplantation Immunology, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Liping Wan
- Department of Hematology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated First People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong He
- Section of Transplantation Immunology, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Haven R Garber
- Section of Transplantation Immunology, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Karen Clise-Dwyer
- Section of Transplantation Immunology, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Gheath Alatrash
- Section of Transplantation Immunology, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Katayoun Rezvani
- Section of Transplantation Immunology, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Shpall
- Section of Transplantation Immunology, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Catherine M Bollard
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children's Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Qing Ma
- Section of Transplantation Immunology, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jeffrey J Molldrem
- Section of Transplantation Immunology, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
60
|
Kunert A, Obenaus M, Lamers CHJ, Blankenstein T, Debets R. T-cell Receptors for Clinical Therapy: In Vitro Assessment of Toxicity Risk. Clin Cancer Res 2017. [PMID: 28645940 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-17-1012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Adoptive therapy with T-cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cells has shown promising results in the treatment of patients with tumors, and the number of TCRs amenable for clinical testing is expanding rapidly. Notably, adoptive therapy with T cells is challenged by treatment-related side effects, which calls for cautious selection of target antigens and TCRs that goes beyond their mere ability to induce high T-cell reactivity. Here, we propose a sequence of in vitro assays to improve selection of TCRs and exemplify risk assessments of on-target as well as off-target toxicities using TCRs directed against cancer germline antigens. The proposed panel of assays covers parameters considered key to safety, such as expression of target antigen in healthy tissues, determination of a TCR's recognition motif toward its cognate peptide, and a TCR's cross-reactivity toward noncognate peptides. Clin Cancer Res; 23(20); 6012-20. ©2017 AACR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andre Kunert
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Matthias Obenaus
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Immunology, Charité Campus Buch, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cor H J Lamers
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Thomas Blankenstein
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Immunology, Charité Campus Buch, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Reno Debets
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
61
|
Hoyne GF, Elliott H, Mutsaers SE, Prêle CM. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and a role for autoimmunity. Immunol Cell Biol 2017; 95:577-583. [DOI: 10.1038/icb.2017.22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2016] [Revised: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gerard F Hoyne
- School of Health Sciences, University of Notre Dame Australia Fremantle Western Australia Australia
- Institute of Health Research, University of Notre Dame Fremantle Western Australia Australia
- Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, University of Western Australia Nedlands Western Australia Australia
| | - Hannah Elliott
- School of Health Sciences, University of Notre Dame Australia Fremantle Western Australia Australia
- Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, University of Western Australia Nedlands Western Australia Australia
| | - Steven E Mutsaers
- Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, University of Western Australia Nedlands Western Australia Australia
- Institute for Respiratory Health, Centre for Respiratory Health, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia Nedlands Western Australia Australia
| | - Cecilia M Prêle
- Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, University of Western Australia Nedlands Western Australia Australia
- Institute for Respiratory Health, Centre for Respiratory Health, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia Nedlands Western Australia Australia
| |
Collapse
|
62
|
Bianchi F, Sommariva M, De Cecco L, Triulzi T, Romero-Cordoba S, Tagliabue E, Sfondrini L, Balsari A. Expression and prognostic significance of the autoimmune regulator gene in breast cancer cells. Cell Cycle 2016; 15:3220-3229. [PMID: 27753538 PMCID: PMC5176139 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2016.1241918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Revised: 09/09/2016] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The autoimmune regulator gene (AIRE) plays a fundamental role in tolerance by promoting the expression of tissue-specific antigens in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs). Recently, AIRE expression was detected also in human keratinocytes and in tumors originating in stratified epithelia. Here, we tested whether AIRE is expressed in cancer cells. We analyzed AIRE expression in cancer cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) RNA-seq dataset and we found association with better outcome. AIRE protein expression was verified by immunohistochemistry in a cohort of 39 human breast cancer specimens and its prognostic relevance was confirmed in microarray-based gene expression data set NKI-295 and KM-Plotter. Both in the RNA-seq and gene expression datasets analyzed, AIRE expression was an independent strong prognostic factor for relapse-free survival (RFS), particularly in estrogen receptor-positive tumors. Enrichment of translation-related pathways was observed in AIRE-expressing tumors by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and a significant increase of cells in G1 phase and activation of caspase cascades was induced by AIRE transfection in breast cancer luminal cell lines, suggesting that AIRE-induced over-translation of proteins lead to cycle arrest and apoptosis. These data are the first to identify AIRE expression in breast cancer and an association with prognosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Bianchi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Sommariva
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Loris De Cecco
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Functional Genomics Core Facility, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Tiziana Triulzi
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Sandra Romero-Cordoba
- Oncogenomics Laboratory, National Institute of Genomics Medicine, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Elda Tagliabue
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Lucia Sfondrini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Balsari
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
63
|
Conteduca G, Fenoglio D, Parodi A, Battaglia F, Kalli F, Negrini S, Tardito S, Ferrera F, Salis A, Millo E, Pasquale G, Barra G, Damonte G, Indiveri F, Ferrone S, Filaci G. AIRE polymorphism, melanoma antigen-specific T cell immunity, and susceptibility to melanoma. Oncotarget 2016; 7:60872-60884. [PMID: 27563821 PMCID: PMC5308622 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.11506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
AIRE is involved in susceptibility to melanoma perhaps regulating T cell immunity against melanoma antigens (MA). To address this issue, AIRE and MAGEB2 expressions were measured by real time PCR in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) from two strains of C57BL/6 mice bearing either T or C allelic variant of the rs1800522 AIRE SNP. Moreover, the extent of apoptosis induced by mTECs in MAGEB2-specific T cells and the susceptibility to in vivo melanoma B16F10 cell challenge were compared in the two mouse strains.The C allelic variant, protective in humans against melanoma, induced lower AIRE and MAGEB2 expression in C57BL/6 mouse mTECs than the T allele. Moreover, mTECs expressing the C allelic variant induced lower extent of apoptosis in MAGEB2-specific syngeneic T cells than mTECs bearing the T allelic variant (p < 0.05). Vaccination against MAGEB2 induced higher frequency of MAGEB2-specific CTL and exerted higher protective effect against melanoma development in mice bearing the CC AIRE genotype than in those bearing the TT one (p < 0.05). These findings show that allelic variants of one AIRE SNP may differentially shape the MA-specific T cell repertoire potentially influencing susceptibility to melanoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniela Fenoglio
- Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS AOU San Martino – IST, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessia Parodi
- Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Florinda Battaglia
- Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesca Kalli
- Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Simone Negrini
- Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Samuele Tardito
- Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesca Ferrera
- Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Annalisa Salis
- Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Enrico Millo
- Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pasquale
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Giusi Barra
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Gianluca Damonte
- Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesco Indiveri
- Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Soldano Ferrone
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gilberto Filaci
- Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS AOU San Martino – IST, Genoa, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
64
|
Salmaninejad A, Zamani MR, Pourvahedi M, Golchehre Z, Hosseini Bereshneh A, Rezaei N. Cancer/Testis Antigens: Expression, Regulation, Tumor Invasion, and Use in Immunotherapy of Cancers. Immunol Invest 2016; 45:619-40. [DOI: 10.1080/08820139.2016.1197241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
|
65
|
Influence of Repressive Histone and DNA Methylation upon D4Z4 Transcription in Non-Myogenic Cells. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0160022. [PMID: 27467759 PMCID: PMC4965136 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
We looked at a disease-associated macrosatellite array D4Z4 and focused on epigenetic factors influencing its chromatin state outside of the disease-context. We used the HCT116 cell line that contains the non-canonical polyadenylation (poly-A) signal required to stabilize somatic transcripts of the human double homeobox gene DUX4, encoded from D4Z4. In HCT116, D4Z4 is packaged into constitutive heterochromatin, characterized by DNA methylation and histone H3 tri-methylation at lysine 9 (H3K9me3), resulting in low basal levels of D4Z4-derived transcripts. However, a double knockout (DKO) of DNA methyltransferase genes, DNMT1 and DNMT3B, but not either alone, results in significant loss of DNA and H3K9 methylation. This is coupled with upregulation of transcript levels from the array, including DUX4 isoforms (DUX4-fl) that are abnormally expressed in somatic muscle in the disease Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) along with DUX4 protein, as indicated indirectly by upregulation of bondafide targets of DUX4 in DKO but not HCT116 cells. Results from treatment with a chemical inhibitor of histone methylation in HCT116 suggest that in the absence of DNA hypomethylation, H3K9me3 loss alone is sufficient to facilitate DUX4-fl transcription. Additionally, characterization of a cell line from a patient with Immunodeficiency, Centromeric instability and Facial anomalies syndrome 1 (ICF1) possessing a non-canonical poly-A signal and DNA hypomethylation at D4Z4 showed DUX4 target gene upregulation in the patient when compared to controls in spite of retention of H3K9me3. Taken together, these data suggest that both DNA methylation and H3K9me3 are determinants of D4Z4 silencing. Moreover, we show that in addition to testis, there is appreciable expression of spliced and polyadenylated D4Z4 derived transcripts that contain the complete DUX4 open reading frame (ORF) along with DUX4 target gene expression in the thymus, suggesting that DUX4 may provide normal function in this somatic tissue.
Collapse
|
66
|
Zhao F, Sucker A, Horn S, Heeke C, Bielefeld N, Schrörs B, Bicker A, Lindemann M, Roesch A, Gaudernack G, Stiller M, Becker JC, Lennerz V, Wölfel T, Schadendorf D, Griewank K, Paschen A. Melanoma Lesions Independently Acquire T-cell Resistance during Metastatic Latency. Cancer Res 2016; 76:4347-58. [PMID: 27261508 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-16-0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma often recurs after a latency period of several years, presenting a T cell-edited phenotype that reflects a role for CD8(+) T cells in maintaining metastatic latency. Here, we report an investigation of a patient with multiple recurrent lesions, where poorly immunogenic melanoma phenotypes were found to evolve in the presence of autologous tumor antigen-specific CD8(+) T cells. Melanoma cells from two of three late recurrent metastases, developing within a 6-year latency period, lacked HLA class I expression. CD8(+) T cell-resistant, HLA class I-negative tumor cells became clinically apparent 1.5 and 6 years into stage IV disease. Genome profiling by SNP arrays revealed that HLA class I loss in both metastases originated from a shared chromosome 15q alteration and independently acquired focal B2M gene deletions. A third HLA class I haplotype-deficient lesion developed in year 3 of stage IV disease that acquired resistance toward dominant CD8(+) T-cell clonotypes targeting stage III tumor cells. At an early stage, melanoma cells showed a dedifferentiated c-Jun(high)/MITF(low) phenotype, possibly associated with immunosuppression, which contrasted with a c-Jun(low)/MITF(high) phenotype of T cell-edited tumor cells derived from late metastases. In summary, our work shows how tumor recurrences after long-term latency evolve toward T-cell resistance by independent genetic events, as a means for immune escape and immunotherapeutic resistance. Cancer Res; 76(15); 4347-58. ©2016 AACR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fang Zhao
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Antje Sucker
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Susanne Horn
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Christina Heeke
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Nicola Bielefeld
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Barbara Schrörs
- Internal Medicine III, University Cancer Center (UCT) and Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center (UMC), Johannes Gutenberg University and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt/Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Anne Bicker
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Genetic Engineering Research and Consulting, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Monika Lindemann
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Alexander Roesch
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Gustav Gaudernack
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital-Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mathias Stiller
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Jürgen C Becker
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Volker Lennerz
- Internal Medicine III, University Cancer Center (UCT) and Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center (UMC), Johannes Gutenberg University and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt/Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Wölfel
- Internal Medicine III, University Cancer Center (UCT) and Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center (UMC), Johannes Gutenberg University and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt/Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Dirk Schadendorf
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Klaus Griewank
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Annette Paschen
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
67
|
Abstract
Islet autoantibodies are the main markers of pancreatic autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Islet autoantibodies recognize insulin (IAA), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA), protein phosphatase-like IA-2 (IA-2A), and ZnT8 (ZnT8A), all antigens that are found on secretory granules within pancreatic beta cells. Islet antibodies, measured by sensitive and specific liquid phase assays, are the key parameters of the autoimmune response monitored for diagnostics or prognostics in patients with T1D or for disease prediction in at-risk individuals before T1D onset. Islet autoantibodies have been the main tool used to explore the natural history of T1D; this review summarizes the current knowledge about the autoantigens and the phenotype of islets autoantibodies acquired in large prospective studies from birth in children at risk of developing T1D.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vito Lampasona
- Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milano, Italy.
- Diabetes Research Institute, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milano, Italy.
| | - Daniela Liberati
- Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milano, Italy
- Diabetes Research Institute, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milano, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
68
|
Control of leukemia relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: integrating transplantation with genetically modified T cell therapies. Curr Opin Hematol 2016; 22:489-96. [PMID: 26335421 DOI: 10.1097/moh.0000000000000177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Leukemia relapse remains a significant cause of failure after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Although it is widely accepted that immunological components of the stem cell graft play a critical role in promoting leukemia eradication (graft versus leukemia effect), it is also evident that their efficacy is frequently inadequate and leukemia relapse still occurs. This article reviews recent insights into T cell-based posttransplant immunotherapy approaches aimed at preventing or controlling leukemia relapse. RECENT FINDINGS Donor lymphocyte infusion with T cells genetically modified with safety switches improves the patient's immune reconstitution while offering appropriate control of graft versus host disease. T lymphocytes engineered with artificial tumor-specific receptors such as αβT-cell receptor chains or chimeric antigen receptors are major players in promoting antileukemia effects after allogeneic HSCT. SUMMARY The landscape of adoptive T cell therapies after allogeneic HSCT has seen significant achievements with the introduction of T cell engineering. Gene transfer grants the generation of T cell products characterized by standardizable specificity and functionality. This aspect is critical for scalable and reproducible approaches for application in large clinical studies. The clinical results so far reported are encouraging and multicenter studies conducted by pharmaceutical companies will provide definitive conclusions on the clinical impact of these new methodologies.
Collapse
|
69
|
Oncogenic cancer/testis antigens: prime candidates for immunotherapy. Oncotarget 2016; 6:15772-87. [PMID: 26158218 PMCID: PMC4599236 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.4694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent developments have set the stage for immunotherapy as a supplement to conventional cancer treatment. Consequently, a significant effort is required to further improve efficacy and specificity, particularly the identification of optimal therapeutic targets for clinical testing. Cancer/testis antigens are immunogenic, highly cancer-specific, and frequently expressed in various types of cancer, which make them promising candidate targets for cancer immunotherapy, including cancer vaccination and adoptive T-cell transfer with chimeric T-cell receptors. Our current understanding of tumor immunology and immune escape suggests that targeting oncogenic antigens may be beneficial, meaning that identification of cancer/testis antigens with oncogenic properties is of high priority. Recent work from our lab and others provide evidence that many cancer/testis antigens, in fact, have oncogenic functions, including support of growth, survival and metastasis. This novel insight into the function of cancer/testis antigens has the potential to deliver more effective cancer vaccines. Moreover, immune targeting of oncogenic cancer/testis antigens in combination with conventional cytotoxic therapies or novel immunotherapies such as checkpoint blockade or adoptive transfer, represents a highly synergistic approach with the potential to improve patient survival.
Collapse
|
70
|
Vormehr M, Diken M, Boegel S, Kreiter S, Türeci Ÿ, Sahin U. Mutanome directed cancer immunotherapy. Curr Opin Immunol 2016; 39:14-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2015.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2015] [Revised: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/02/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|
71
|
Abstract
More than 15 years ago, mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene were identified as the cause of autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (APS1). It is now clear that this transcription factor has a crucial role in promoting self-tolerance in the thymus by regulating the expression of a wide array of self-antigens that have the commonality of being tissue-restricted in their expression pattern in the periphery. In this Review, we highlight many of the recent advances in our understanding of the complex biology that is related to AIRE, with a particular focus on advances in genetics, molecular interactions and the effect of AIRE on thymic selection of regulatory T cells. Furthermore, we highlight new areas of biology that are potentially affected by this key regulator of immune tolerance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maureen A. Su
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
- Department of Microbiology/Immunology, School of Medicine, and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Mark S. Anderson
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
| |
Collapse
|
72
|
Hickman ES, Lomax ME, Jakobsen BK. Antigen Selection for Enhanced Affinity T-Cell Receptor-Based Cancer Therapies. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 21:769-85. [PMID: 26993321 DOI: 10.1177/1087057116637837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2015] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Evidence of adaptive immune responses in the prevention of cancer has been accumulating for decades. Spontaneous T-cell responses occur in multiple indications, bringing the study of de novo expressed cancer antigens to the fore and highlighting their potential as targets for cancer immunotherapy. Circumventing the immune-suppressive mechanisms that maintain tumor tolerance and driving an antitumor cytotoxic T-cell response in cancer patients may eradicate the tumor or block disease progression. Multiple strategies are being pursued to harness the cytotoxic potential of T cells clinically. Highly promising results are now emerging. The focus of this review is the target discovery process for cancer immune therapeutics based on affinity-matured T-cell receptors (TCRs). Target cancer antigens in the context of adoptive cell transfer technologies and soluble biologic agents are discussed. To appreciate the impact of TCR-based technology and understand the TCR discovery process, it is necessary to understand key differences between TCR-based therapy and other immunotherapy approaches. The review first summarizes key advances in the cancer immunotherapy field and then discusses the opportunities that TCR technology provides. The nature and breadth of molecular targets that are tractable to this approach are discussed, together with the challenges associated with finding them.
Collapse
|
73
|
Wurz GT, Kao CJ, DeGregorio MW. Novel cancer antigens for personalized immunotherapies: latest evidence and clinical potential. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2016; 8:4-31. [PMID: 26753003 DOI: 10.1177/1758834015615514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinical success of monoclonal antibody immune checkpoint modulators such as ipilimumab, which targets cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), and the recently approved agents nivolumab and pembrolizumab, which target programmed cell death receptor 1 (PD-1), has stimulated renewed enthusiasm for anticancer immunotherapy, which was heralded by Science as 'Breakthrough of the Year' in 2013. As the potential of cancer immunotherapy has been recognized since the 1890s when William Coley showed that bacterial products could be beneficial in cancer patients, leveraging the immune system in the treatment of cancer is certainly not a new concept; however, earlier attempts to develop effective therapeutic vaccines and antibodies against solid tumors, for example, melanoma, frequently met with failure due in part to self-tolerance and the development of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Increased knowledge of the mechanisms through which cancer evades the immune system and the identification of tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) and negative immune checkpoint regulators have led to the development of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies targeting specific tumor antigens and immune checkpoints such as CTLA-4 and PD-1. This review first discusses the established targets of currently approved cancer immunotherapies and then focuses on investigational cancer antigens and their clinical potential. Because of the highly heterogeneous nature of tumors, effective anticancer immunotherapy-based treatment regimens will likely require a personalized combination of therapeutic vaccines, antibodies and chemotherapy that fit the specific biology of a patient's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gregory T Wurz
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Chiao-Jung Kao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, Davis Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Michael W DeGregorio
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Davis, 4501 X Street Suite 3016, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| |
Collapse
|
74
|
Hesnard L, Legoux F, Gautreau L, Moyon M, Baron O, Devilder MC, Bonneville M, Saulquin X. Role of the MHC restriction during maturation of antigen-specific human T cells in the thymus. Eur J Immunol 2015; 46:560-9. [DOI: 10.1002/eji.201545951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Revised: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
|
75
|
Abstract
The autoimmune regulator (Aire) was initially identified as the gene causing multiorgan system autoimmunity in humans, and deletion of this gene in mice also resulted in organ-specific autoimmunity. Aire regulates the expression of tissue-specific antigens (TSAs) in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs), which play a critical role in the negative selection of autoreactive T cells and the generation of regulatory T cells. More recently, the role of Aire in the development of mTECs has helped elucidate its ability to present the spectrum of TSAs needed to prevent autoimmunity. Molecular characterization of the functional domains of Aire has revealed multiple binding partners that assist Aire's function in altering gene transcription and chromatin remodeling. These recent advances have further highlighted the importance of Aire in central tolerance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Chan
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Mark S. Anderson
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| |
Collapse
|
76
|
Thaxton JE, Li Z. To affinity and beyond: harnessing the T cell receptor for cancer immunotherapy. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2015; 10:3313-21. [PMID: 25483644 DOI: 10.4161/21645515.2014.973314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
T cell adoptive therapies for immune-mediated regression of cancers have attracted a great deal of recent attention. Clinical results are glamorous, yet much remains to be uncovered behind the basic science that allows us to engineer T cells and T cell receptors (TCRs) for clinical use. We discuss the development of TCRs for therapeutic use in the context of thymic selection toward central tolerance and we review therapies based on tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), endogenous antigen specific TCRs, and engineered TCRs. Further we discuss the development of low and high affinity TCRs and the extent to which each challenges central tolerance. Current results suggest that adaptation of TCR engineering of moderate affinity TCRs coupled with co-regulatory and stimulatory molecules may be the safest and most efficacious road for TCR development aimed at tumor abolition.
Collapse
Key Words
- AIRE, autoimmune regulator
- CDR, complementarity determining region
- CTA, cancer testis antigen
- MHC, major histocompatibility complex
- SLEC, short-lived effector cell
- T cell receptor
- TAA, tumor-associated antigen
- TCR, T cell receptor
- TIL, tumor infiltrating lymphocyte
- TSA, tissue-specific self-antigen
- adoptive cell therapy
- affinity
- cancer
- co-receptor
- mTEC, medullary thymic epithelial cell
- tumor
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica E Thaxton
- a Department of Microbiology and Immunology; Hollings Cancer Center ; Medical University of South Carolina ; Charleston , SC USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
77
|
The Attenuated Live Yellow Fever Virus 17D Infects the Thymus and Induces Thymic Transcriptional Modifications of Immunomodulatory Genes in C57BL/6 and BALB/C Mice. Autoimmune Dis 2015; 2015:503087. [PMID: 26457200 PMCID: PMC4589579 DOI: 10.1155/2015/503087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2015] [Revised: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymus is involved in induction of self-tolerance in T lymphocytes, particularly due to Aire activity. In peripheral tissues, Treg cells and immunomodulatory molecules, like the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class Ib molecules, are essential for maintenance of autotolerance during immune responses. Viral infections can trigger autoimmunity and modify thymic function, and YFV17D immunization has been associated with the onset of autoimmunity, being contraindicated in patients with thymic disorders. Aiming to study the influence of YFV17D immunization on the transcriptional profiles of immunomodulatory genes in thymus, we evaluated the gene expression of AIRE, FOXP3, H2-Q7 (Qa-2/HLA-G), H2-T23 (Qa-1/HLA-E), H2-Q10, and H2-K1 following immunization with 10,000 LD50 of YFV17D in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice. The YFV17D virus replicated in thymus and induced the expression of H2-Q7 (Qa-2/HLA-G) and H2-T23 (Qa-1/HLA-E) transcripts and repressed the expression of AIRE and FOXP3. Transcriptional expression varied according to tissue and mouse strain analyzed. Expression of H2-T23 (Qa-1/HLA-E) and FOXP3 was induced in thymus and liver of C57BL/6 mice, which exhibited defective control of viral load, suggesting a higher susceptibility to YFV17D infection. Since the immunization with YFV17D modulated thymus gene expression in genetically predisposed individuals, the vaccine may be related to the onset of autoimmunity disorders.
Collapse
|
78
|
Brennecke P, Reyes A, Pinto S, Rattay K, Nguyen M, Küchler R, Huber W, Kyewski B, Steinmetz LM. Single-cell transcriptome analysis reveals coordinated ectopic gene-expression patterns in medullary thymic epithelial cells. Nat Immunol 2015; 16:933-41. [PMID: 26237553 PMCID: PMC4675844 DOI: 10.1038/ni.3246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Expression of tissue-restricted self antigens (TRAs) in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) is essential for the induction of self-tolerance and prevents autoimmunity, with each TRA being expressed in only a few mTECs. How this process is regulated in single mTECs and is coordinated at the population level, such that the varied single-cell patterns add up to faithfully represent TRAs, is poorly understood. Here we used single-cell RNA sequencing and obtained evidence of numerous recurring TRA-co-expression patterns, each present in only a subset of mTECs. Co-expressed genes clustered in the genome and showed enhanced chromatin accessibility. Our findings characterize TRA expression in mTECs as a coordinated process that might involve local remodeling of chromatin and thus ensures a comprehensive representation of the immunological self.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip Brennecke
- 1] Department of Genetics, Stanford University, School of Medicine, California, USA. [2] Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, California, USA
| | - Alejandro Reyes
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sheena Pinto
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kristin Rattay
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michelle Nguyen
- 1] Department of Genetics, Stanford University, School of Medicine, California, USA. [2] Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, California, USA
| | - Rita Küchler
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Huber
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bruno Kyewski
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lars M Steinmetz
- 1] Department of Genetics, Stanford University, School of Medicine, California, USA. [2] Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, California, USA. [3] European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
79
|
Passos GA, Mendes-da-Cruz DA, Oliveira EH. The Thymic Orchestration Involving Aire, miRNAs, and Cell-Cell Interactions during the Induction of Central Tolerance. Front Immunol 2015; 6:352. [PMID: 26236310 PMCID: PMC4500981 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2015.00352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Developing thymocytes interact sequentially with two distinct structures within the thymus: the cortex and medulla. Surviving single-positive and double-positive thymocytes from the cortex migrate into the medulla, where they interact with medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs). These cells ectopically express a vast set of peripheral tissue antigens (PTAs), a property termed promiscuous gene expression that is associated with the presentation of PTAs by mTECs to thymocytes. Thymocyte clones that have a high affinity for PTAs are eliminated by apoptosis in a process termed negative selection, which is essential for tolerance induction. The Aire gene is an important factor that controls the expression of a large set of PTAs. In addition to PTAs, Aire also controls the expression of miRNAs in mTECs. These miRNAs are important in the organization of the thymic architecture and act as posttranscriptional controllers of PTAs. Herein, we discuss recent discoveries and highlight open questions regarding the migration and interaction of developing thymocytes with thymic stroma, the ectopic expression of PTAs by mTECs, the association between Aire and miRNAs and its effects on central tolerance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Geraldo Aleixo Passos
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo , Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo , Brazil ; Disciplines of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Department of Morphology, Physiology and Basic Pathology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo , Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Daniella Arêas Mendes-da-Cruz
- Laboratory on Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation , Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro , Brazil
| | - Ernna Hérida Oliveira
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo , Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo , Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
80
|
Haghighatafshar M, Farhoudi F. Incidentally Visualization of the Thymus on Whole-Body Iodine Scintigraphy: Report of 2 Cases and Review of the Latest Insights. Medicine (Baltimore) 2015; 94:e1015. [PMID: 26131804 PMCID: PMC4504571 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000001015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Radioiodine uptake is not commonly seen by the thymus gland. On the contrary, the gland is slowly replaced by fat after puberty. Herein, we present 2 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma, follicular variant, and cervical lymph node involvement. After total/near-total thyroidectomy, the patients received I for ablation therapy. On posttreatment radioiodine scintigraphy, mediastinal I uptake was noted that finally was histologically/anatomically diagnosed as thymus gland uptake. It should be borne in mind as a potential cause of false-positive whole-body I scintigraphy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahdi Haghighatafshar
- From the Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Research Center (MH, FF), Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | | |
Collapse
|
81
|
Human Tumor Antigens and Cancer Immunotherapy. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:948501. [PMID: 26161423 PMCID: PMC4487697 DOI: 10.1155/2015/948501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
With the recent developments of adoptive T cell therapies and the use of new monoclonal antibodies against the immune checkpoints, immunotherapy is at a turning point. Key players for the success of these therapies are the cytolytic T lymphocytes, which are a subset of T cells able to recognize and kill tumor cells. Here, I review the nature of the antigenic peptides recognized by these T cells and the processes involved in their presentation. I discuss the importance of understanding how each antigenic peptide is processed in the context of immunotherapy and vaccine delivery.
Collapse
|
82
|
Human thymic epithelial primary cells produce exosomes carrying tissue-restricted antigens. Immunol Cell Biol 2015; 93:727-34. [PMID: 25776846 PMCID: PMC4575951 DOI: 10.1038/icb.2015.33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2014] [Revised: 01/23/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Exosomes are nano-sized vesicles released by cells into the extracellular space and have been shown to be present in thymic tissue both in mice and in humans. The source of thymic exosomes is however still an enigma and hence it is not known whether thymic epithelial cells (TECs) are able to produce exosomes. In this work, we have cultured human TECs and isolated exosomes. These exosomes carry tissue-restricted antigens (TRAs), for example, myelin basic protein and desmoglein 3. The presence of TRAs indicates a possible role for thymic epithelium-derived exosomes in the selection process of thymocytes. The key contribution of these exosomes could be to disseminate self-antigens from the thymic epithelia, thus making them more accessible to the pool of maturing thymocytes. This would increase the coverage of TRAs within the thymus, and facilitate the process of positive and negative selection.
Collapse
|
83
|
Obenaus M, Leitão C, Leisegang M, Chen X, Gavvovidis I, van der Bruggen P, Uckert W, Schendel DJ, Blankenstein T. Identification of human T-cell receptors with optimal affinity to cancer antigens using antigen-negative humanized mice. Nat Biotechnol 2015; 33:402-7. [PMID: 25774714 DOI: 10.1038/nbt.3147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Identifying T-cell receptors (TCRs) that bind tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) with optimal affinity is a key bottleneck in the development of adoptive T-cell therapy of cancer. TAAs are unmutated self proteins, and T cells bearing high-affinity TCRs specific for such antigens are commonly deleted in the thymus. To identify optimal-affinity TCRs, we generated antigen-negative humanized mice with a diverse human TCR repertoire restricted to the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) A*02:01 (ref. 3). These mice were immunized with human TAAs, for which they are not tolerant, allowing induction of CD8⁺ T cells with optimal-affinity TCRs. We isolate TCRs specific for the cancer/testis (CT) antigen MAGE-A1 (ref. 4) and show that two of them have an anti-tumor effect in vivo. By comparison, human-derived TCRs have lower affinity and do not mediate substantial therapeutic effects. We also identify optimal-affinity TCRs specific for the CT antigen NY-ESO. Our humanized mouse model provides a useful tool for the generation of optimal-affinity TCRs for T-cell therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Xiaojing Chen
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Pierre van der Bruggen
- 1] Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and WELBIO, Brussels, Belgium. [2] De Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Wolfgang Uckert
- 1] Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany. [2] Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Thomas Blankenstein
- 1] Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany. [2] Institute of Immunology, Charité Campus Buch, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
84
|
Héninger E, Krueger TEG, Lang JM. Augmenting antitumor immune responses with epigenetic modifying agents. Front Immunol 2015; 6:29. [PMID: 25699047 PMCID: PMC4316783 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2015.00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 01/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic silencing of immune-related genes is a striking feature of the cancer genome that occurs in the process of tumorigenesis. This phenomena impacts antigen processing and antigen presentation by tumor cells and facilitates evasion of immunosurveillance. Further modulation of the tumor microenvironment by altered expression of immunosuppressive cytokines impairs antigen-presenting cells and cytolytic T-cell function. The potential reversal of immunosuppression by epigenetic modulation is therefore a promising and versatile therapeutic approach to reinstate endogenous immune recognition and tumor lysis. Pre-clinical studies have identified multiple elements of the immune system that can be modulated by epigenetic mechanisms and result in improved antigen presentation, effector T-cell function, and breakdown of suppressor mechanisms. Recent clinical studies are utilizing epigenetic therapies prior to, or in combination with, immune therapies to improve clinical outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erika Héninger
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center , Madison, WI , USA
| | | | - Joshua M Lang
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center , Madison, WI , USA ; Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin , Madison, WI , USA
| |
Collapse
|
85
|
Macedo C, Oliveira EH, Almeida RS, Donate PB, Fornari TA, Pezzi N, Sakamoto-Hojo ET, Donadi EA, Passos GA. Aire-dependent peripheral tissue antigen mRNAs in mTEC cells feature networking refractoriness to microRNA interaction. Immunobiology 2015; 220:93-102. [PMID: 25220732 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2014.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2014] [Revised: 08/11/2014] [Accepted: 08/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The downregulation of PTA genes in mTECs is associated with the loss of self-tolerance, and the role of miRNAs in this process is not fully understood. Therefore, we studied the expression of mRNAs and miRNAs in mTECs from autoimmune NOD mice during the period when loss of self-tolerance occurs in parallel with non-autoimmune BALB/c mice. Although the expression of the transcriptional regulator Aire was unchanged, we observed downregulation of a set of PTA mRNAs. A set of miRNAs was also differentially expressed in these mice. The reconstruction of miRNA-mRNA interaction networks identified the controller miRNAs and predicted the PTA mRNA targets. Interestingly, the known Aire-dependent PTAs exhibited pronounced refractoriness in the networking interaction with miRNAs. This study reveals the existence of a new mechanism in mTECs, and this mechanism may have importance in the control of self-tolerance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Macedo
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Ernna H Oliveira
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Renata S Almeida
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Paula B Donate
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Thaís A Fornari
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Nicole Pezzi
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Elza T Sakamoto-Hojo
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Eduardo A Donadi
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Geraldo A Passos
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; Department of Morphology, Physiology and Basic Pathology, Disciplines of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
86
|
|
87
|
Abstract
T-cell receptor affinity for self-antigen has an important role in establishing self-tolerance. Three transgenic mouse strains expressing antigens of variable affinity for the OVA transgenic-I T-cell receptor were generated to address how TCR affinity affects the efficiency of negative selection, the ability to prime an autoimmune response, and the elimination of the relevant target cell. Mice expressing antigens with an affinity just above the negative selection threshold exhibited the highest risk of developing experimental autoimmune diabetes. The data demonstrate that close to the affinity threshold for negative selection, sufficient numbers of self-reactive T cells escape deletion and create an increased risk for the development of autoimmunity.
Collapse
|
88
|
Proteasome subtypes and regulators in the processing of antigenic peptides presented by class I molecules of the major histocompatibility complex. Biomolecules 2014; 4:994-1025. [PMID: 25412285 PMCID: PMC4279167 DOI: 10.3390/biom4040994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2014] [Revised: 10/02/2014] [Accepted: 10/29/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The proteasome is responsible for the breakdown of cellular proteins. Proteins targeted for degradation are allowed inside the proteasome particle, where they are cleaved into small peptides and released in the cytosol to be degraded into amino acids. In vertebrates, some of these peptides escape degradation in the cytosol, are loaded onto class I molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and displayed at the cell surface for scrutiny by the immune system. The proteasome therefore plays a key role for the immune system: it provides a continued sampling of intracellular proteins, so that CD8-positive T-lymphocytes can kill cells expressing viral or tumoral proteins. Consequently, the repertoire of peptides displayed by MHC class I molecules at the cell surface depends on proteasome activity, which may vary according to the presence of proteasome subtypes and regulators. Besides standard proteasomes, cells may contain immunoproteasomes, intermediate proteasomes and thymoproteasomes. Cells may also contain regulators of proteasome activity, such as the 19S, PA28 and PA200 regulators. Here, we review the effects of these proteasome subtypes and regulators on the production of antigenic peptides. We also discuss an unexpected function of the proteasome discovered through the study of antigenic peptides: its ability to splice peptides.
Collapse
|
89
|
Vujanovic L, Shi J, Kirkwood JM, Storkus WJ, Butterfield LH. Molecular mimicry of MAGE-A6 and Mycoplasma penetrans HF-2 epitopes in the induction of antitumor CD8 + T-cell responses. Oncoimmunology 2014; 3:e954501. [PMID: 25960935 DOI: 10.4161/21624011.2014.954501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A promising vaccine strategy for the treatment of cancer involves the use of vaccines incorporating tumor antigen-derived synthetic peptides that can be coordinately recognized by specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. Previously, we reported that a MAGE-A6-derived peptide (MAGE-A6172-187) and its highly-immunogenic and cross-reactive homolog derived from Mycoplasma penetrans HF-2 permease (HF-2216-229) are promiscuously presented by multiple HLA-DR alleles to responder CD4+ T-cells obtained from healthy donors and melanoma patients. Here, we investigated whether these same peptides could concomitantly stimulate cross-reactive MAGE-A6-specific CD8+ T-cell responses in vitro using cells isolated from HLA-A*0201 (HLA-A2)+ healthy individuals and patients with melanoma. We now show that MAGE-A6172-187 and, even more so, HF-2216-229, induce memory CD8+ T cells that recognize HLA-A2+ MAGE-A6+ tumor target cells. The immunogenicity of these peptides was at least partially attributed to their embedded MAGE-A6176-185 and HF-2220-229 "homologous" sequences. The functional avidity of HF-2216-229 peptide-primed CD8+ T cells for the MAGE-A6172-187 peptide was more than 100-fold greater than that of CD8+ T cells primed with the corresponding MAGE-A6 peptide. Additionally, these 2 peptides were recognized in interferon γ (IFNγ) and granzyme B ELISPOT assays by CD8+ T-cell clones displaying variable T-cell receptor (TCR) Vβ usage. These data suggest that the immune cross-reactivity of the MAGE-A6172-187 and HF-2216-229 peptides extends to CD8+ T cells, at least in HLA-A2+ donors, and supports the potential translational utility of these epitopes in clinical vaccine formulations and for immunomonitoring of cancer patients.
Collapse
Key Words
- APC, antigen presenting cell
- AdV, recombinant adenoviral vector
- CD8+ T-cell
- CTL, cytotoxic T lymphocyte
- EBV, Epstein-Barr virus
- FBS, fetal bovine serum
- HD, healthy donor
- HLA, human leukocyte antigen
- HPLC, high-performance liquid chromatography
- IVS, in vitro stimulation
- MACS, Magnetic-Activated Cell Sorting
- MAGE-A6
- MOI, multiplicity of infection
- Mycoplasma penetrans
- PBMC, peripheral blood mononuclear cell
- PFU, plaque forming units
- RT-PCR, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
- TAA, tumor associated antigen
- TCM, T cell media
- TCR, T-cell receptor
- epitope mimic
- iDC, immature dendritic cells
- mDC, mature dendritic cells
- melanoma
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lazar Vujanovic
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute ; Pittsburgh, PA USA ; University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Department of Medicine ; Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - Jian Shi
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute ; Pittsburgh, PA USA ; University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Department of Medicine ; Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - John M Kirkwood
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute ; Pittsburgh, PA USA ; University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Department of Medicine ; Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - Walter J Storkus
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute ; Pittsburgh, PA USA ; University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Department of Immunology ; Pittsburgh, PA USA ; University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Department of Dermatology ; Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - Lisa H Butterfield
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute ; Pittsburgh, PA USA ; University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Department of Medicine ; Pittsburgh, PA USA ; University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Department of Immunology ; Pittsburgh, PA USA ; University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Department of Surgery ; Pittsburgh, PA USA
| |
Collapse
|
90
|
Romero P, Speiser DE, Rufer N. Deciphering the unusual HLA-A2/Melan-A/MART-1-specific TCR repertoire in humans. Eur J Immunol 2014; 44:2567-70. [PMID: 25154881 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201445004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2014] [Revised: 07/30/2014] [Accepted: 08/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The Melan-A/MART-1(26-35) antigenic peptide is one of the best studied human tumor-associated antigens. It is expressed in healthy melanocytes and malignant melanoma and is recognized by CD8(+) T cells in the context of the MHC class I molecule HLA-A*0201. While an unusually large repertoire of CD8(+) T cells specific for this antigen has been documented, the reasons for its generation have remained elusive. In this issue of the European Journal of Immunology, Pinto et al. [Eur. J. Immunol. 2014. 44: 2811-2821] uncover one important mechanism by comparing the thymic expression of the Melan-A gene to that in the melanocyte lineage. This study shows that medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) dominantly express a truncated Melan-A transcript, the product of misinitiation of transcription. Consequently, the protein product in mTECs lacks the immunodominant epitope spanning residues 26-35, thus precluding central tolerance to this antigen. In contrast, melanocytes and melanoma tumor cells express almost exclusively the full-length Melan-A transcript, thus providing the target antigen for efficient recognition by HLA-A2-restricted CD8(+) T cells. The frequency of these alternative gene transcription modes may be more common than previously appreciated and may represent an important factor modulating the efficiency of central tolerance induction in the thymus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Romero
- Ludwig Cancer Research Center, Department of Oncology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
91
|
Warren BD, Kinsey WK, McGinnis LK, Christenson LK, Jasti S, Stevens AM, Petroff BK, Petroff MG. Ovarian autoimmune disease: clinical concepts and animal models. Cell Mol Immunol 2014; 11:510-21. [PMID: 25327908 PMCID: PMC4220844 DOI: 10.1038/cmi.2014.97] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2014] [Revised: 09/11/2014] [Accepted: 09/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The ovary is not an immunologically privileged organ, but a breakdown in tolerogenic mechanisms for ovary-specific antigens has disastrous consequences on fertility in women, and this is replicated in murine models of autoimmune disease. Isolated ovarian autoimmune disease is rare in women, likely due to the severity of the disease and the inability to transmit genetic information conferring the ovarian disease across generations. Nonetheless, autoimmune oophoritis is often observed in association with other autoimmune diseases, particularly autoimmune adrenal disease, and takes a toll on both society and individual health. Studies in mice have revealed at least two mechanisms that protect the ovary from autoimmune attack. These mechanisms include control of autoreactive T cells by thymus-derived regulatory T cells, as well as a role for the autoimmune regulator (AIRE), a transcriptional regulator that induces expression of tissue-restricted antigens in medullary thymic epithelial cells during development of T cells. Although the latter mechanism is incompletely defined, it is well established that failure of either results in autoimmune-mediated targeting and depletion of ovarian follicles. In this review, we will address the clinical features and consequences of autoimmune-mediated ovarian infertility in women, as well as the possible mechanisms of disease as revealed by animal models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bryce D Warren
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - William K Kinsey
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Lynda K McGinnis
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Lane K Christenson
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Susmita Jasti
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Anne M Stevens
- Research Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies, Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, and Division of Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Brian K Petroff
- 1] Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA [2] Present address: Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Margaret G Petroff
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| |
Collapse
|
92
|
Pugliese A, Vendrame F, Reijonen H, Atkinson MA, Campbell-Thompson M, Burke GW. New insight on human type 1 diabetes biology: nPOD and nPOD-transplantation. Curr Diab Rep 2014; 14:530. [PMID: 25142715 PMCID: PMC4174350 DOI: 10.1007/s11892-014-0530-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Network for Pancreatic Organ Donors with Diabetes (JDRF nPOD) was established to obtain human pancreata and other tissues from organ donors with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in support of research focused on disease pathogenesis. Since 2007, nPOD has recovered tissues from over 100 T1D donors and distributed specimens to approximately 130 projects led by investigators worldwide. More recently, nPOD established a programmatic expansion that further links the transplantation world to nPOD, nPOD-Transplantation; this effort is pioneering novel approaches to extend the study of islet autoimmunity to the transplanted pancreas and to consent patients for postmortem organ donation directed towards diabetes research. Finally, nPOD actively fosters and coordinates collaborative research among nPOD investigators, with the formation of working groups and the application of team science approaches. Exciting findings are emerging from the collective work of nPOD investigators, which covers multiple aspects of islet autoimmunity and beta cell biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Pugliese
- Diabetes Research Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1450 NW 10th Avenue, Miami, FL, 33136, USA,
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
93
|
Skogberg G, Lundberg V, Lindgren S, Gudmundsdottir J, Sandström K, Kämpe O, Annerén G, Gustafsson J, Sunnegårdh J, van der Post S, Telemo E, Berglund M, Ekwall O. Altered expression of autoimmune regulator in infant down syndrome thymus, a possible contributor to an autoimmune phenotype. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2014; 193:2187-95. [PMID: 25038256 PMCID: PMC4135177 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1400742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2014] [Accepted: 06/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS), caused by trisomy of chromosome 21, is associated with immunological dysfunctions such as increased frequency of infections and autoimmune diseases. Patients with DS share clinical features, such as autoimmune manifestations and specific autoantibodies, with patients affected by autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1. Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 is caused by mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene, located on chromosome 21, which regulates the expression of tissue-restricted Ags (TRAs) in thymic epithelial cells. We investigated the expression of AIRE and TRAs in DS and control thymic tissue using quantitative PCR. AIRE mRNA levels were elevated in thymic tissue from DS patients, and trends toward increased expression of the AIRE-controlled genes INSULIN and CHRNA1 were found. Immunohistochemical stainings showed altered cell composition and architecture of the thymic medulla in DS individuals with increased frequencies of AIRE-positive medullary epithelial cells and CD11c-positive dendritic cells as well as enlarged Hassall's corpuscles. In addition, we evaluated the proteomic profile of thymic exosomes in DS individuals and controls. DS exosomes carried a broader protein pool and also a larger pool of unique TRAs compared with control exosomes. In conclusion, the increased AIRE gene dose in DS could contribute to an autoimmune phenotype through multiple AIRE-mediated effects on homeostasis and function of thymic epithelial cells that affect thymic selection processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Skogberg
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden;
| | - Vanja Lundberg
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Susanne Lindgren
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Judith Gudmundsdottir
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Pediatrics at the Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 416 86 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Kerstin Sandström
- Department of Pediatric Anesthesia and Intensive Care at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 416 86 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Olle Kämpe
- Centre of Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine (Solna), Karolinska Institutet, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden; Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 750 03 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Göran Annerén
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jan Gustafsson
- Department of Women's and Children´s Health, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden; and
| | - Jan Sunnegårdh
- Department of Pediatrics at the Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 416 86 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sjoerd van der Post
- Proteomics Core Facility at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 413 90 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Esbjörn Telemo
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Martin Berglund
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Olov Ekwall
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Pediatrics at the Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 416 86 Gothenburg, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
94
|
Abstract
Although 'self-nonself' and 'danger' theories have improved our understanding of the immune system, successful immunotherapy of cancer and many autoimmune diseases still remain far from reach. This indicates that our knowledge of how the immune system decides to respond effectively or ineffectively is limited. Emerging evidence suggest that decision-making during the immune response is not solely determined by 'nonself' entity of the antigen or damage-associated 'danger' signals. This article provides an overview of the 'self-nonself' and 'danger' models, and suggests that 'adaptation' signals are needed to guarantee immunological tolerance that has been observed during the immune response toward 'self', 'nonself' or even 'danger'. This should be facilitated by dynamic expression of adapting receptors (ARs) and adapting ligands on cells of the immune system and other somatic cells. Any alterations in the expression of ARs on certain tissues would result in tissue-specific autoimmune diseases or spontaneous regression of cancer. Identification of such ARs and their nominal adapting ligands could lead to the discovery of currently unknown receptors and their implications in the treatment of cancer, solid organ transplantation and autoimmune diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masoud H Manjili
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Massey Cancer Center, Box 980035, 401 College Street, Richmond, VA 23298, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
95
|
Pinto S, Sommermeyer D, Michel C, Wilde S, Schendel D, Uckert W, Blankenstein T, Kyewski B. Misinitiation of intrathymic MART-1 transcription and biased TCR usage explain the high frequency of MART-1-specific T cells. Eur J Immunol 2014; 44:2811-21. [PMID: 24846220 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201444499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2014] [Revised: 04/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Immunity to tumor differentiation antigens, such as melanoma antigen recognized by T cells 1 (MART-1), has been comprehensively studied. Intriguingly, CD8(+) T cells specific for the MART-1(26(27)-35) epitope in the context of HLA-A0201 are about 100 times more abundant compared with T cells specific for other tumor-associated antigens. Moreover, MART-1-specific CD8(+) T cells show a highly biased usage of the Vα-region gene TRAV12-2. Here, we provide independent support for this notion, by showing that the combinatorial pairing of different TCRα- and TCRβ- chains derived from HLA-A2-MART-1(26-35) -specific CD8(+) T-cell clones is unusually permissive in conferring MART-1 specificity, provided the CDR1α TRAV12-2 region is used. Whether TCR bias alone accounts for the unusual abundance of HLA-A2-MART-1(26-35) -specific CD8(+) T cells has remained conjectural. Here, we provide an alternative explanation: misinitiated transcription of the MART-1 gene resulting in truncated mRNA isoforms leads to lack of promiscuous transcription of the MART-1(26-35) epitope in human medullary thymic epithelial cells and, consequently, evasion of central self-tolerance toward this epitope. Thus, biased TCR usage and leaky central tolerance might act in an independent and additive manner to confer high frequency of MART-1(26-35) -specific CD8(+) T cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sheena Pinto
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
96
|
Su MA, Anderson MS. Breaking through the central tolerance ceiling to unleash anticancer immune responses. Oncoimmunology 2014; 3:e950169. [PMID: 25610739 DOI: 10.4161/21624011.2014.950169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Central thymic tolerance mechanisms create a formidable barrier against the generation of self-reactive T cells. While preventing autoimmunity, this barrier also limits an effective antitumor immunological response. We recently reported that anti-RANKL blocking antibody breaches this central tolerance barrier, thus increasing the repertoire of melanoma reactive T cells. Thus, central tolerance blockade may be an effective therapeutic strategy to enhance anticancer immunity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maureen A Su
- Department of Pediatrics/Microbiology and Immunology; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ; Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | - Mark S Anderson
- Diabetes Center; University of California ; San Francisco, CA USA
| |
Collapse
|
97
|
Halkias J, Melichar HJ, Taylor KT, Robey EA. Tracking migration during human T cell development. Cell Mol Life Sci 2014; 71:3101-17. [PMID: 24682469 PMCID: PMC11113765 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-014-1607-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2013] [Revised: 02/21/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Specialized microenvironments within the thymus are comprised of unique cell types with distinct roles in directing the development of a diverse, functional, and self-tolerant T cell repertoire. As they differentiate, thymocytes transit through a number of developmental intermediates that are associated with unique localization and migration patterns. For example, during one particular developmental transition, immature thymocytes more than double in speed as they become mature T cells that are among the fastest cells in the body. This transition is associated with dramatic changes in the expression of chemokine receptors and their antagonists, cell adhesion molecules, and cytoskeletal components to direct the maturing thymocyte population from the cortex to medulla. Here we discuss the dynamic changes in behavior that occur throughout thymocyte development, and provide an overview of the cell-intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms that regulate human thymocyte migration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Halkias
- Division of Immunology and Pathogenesis, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 142 Life Sciences Addition, #3200, Berkeley, CA, 94720-3200, USA,
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
98
|
Andrews MC, Woods K, Cebon J, Behren A. Evolving role of tumor antigens for future melanoma therapies. Future Oncol 2014; 10:1457-68. [DOI: 10.2217/fon.14.84] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT: Human tumor rejection antigens recognized by T lymphocytes were first defined in the early 1990s and the identification of shared tumor-restricted antigens sparked hopes for the development of a therapeutic vaccination to treat cancer, including melanoma. Despite decades of intense preclinical and clinical research, the success of anticancer vaccines based on these antigens has been limited. While melanoma is a highly immunogenic tumor, the ability to prime immunity with vaccines has not generally translated into objective disease regression. However, with the development of small molecules targeting oncogenic proteins, such as V600-mutated BRAF, and immune checkpoint inhibitors with demonstrable long-lasting clinical benefit, new opportunities for antigen-targeted directed therapies are emerging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miles C Andrews
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd, Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Centre, Cancer Immunobiology, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
- Medical Oncology, Joint Ludwig–Austin Oncology Unit, Austin Health, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katherine Woods
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd, Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Centre, Cancer Immunobiology, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
| | - Jonathan Cebon
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd, Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Centre, Cancer Immunobiology, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
- Medical Oncology, Joint Ludwig–Austin Oncology Unit, Austin Health, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andreas Behren
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd, Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Centre, Cancer Immunobiology, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
99
|
Klein L, Kyewski B, Allen PM, Hogquist KA. Positive and negative selection of the T cell repertoire: what thymocytes see (and don't see). Nat Rev Immunol 2014; 14:377-91. [PMID: 24830344 PMCID: PMC4757912 DOI: 10.1038/nri3667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 875] [Impact Index Per Article: 87.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The fate of developing T cells is specified by the interaction of their antigen receptors with self-peptide-MHC complexes that are displayed by thymic antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Various subsets of thymic APCs are strategically positioned in particular thymic microenvironments and they coordinate the selection of a functional and self-tolerant T cell repertoire. In this Review, we discuss the different strategies that these APCs use to sample and process self antigens and to thereby generate partly unique, 'idiosyncratic' peptide-MHC ligandomes. We discuss how the particular composition of the peptide-MHC ligandomes that are presented by specific APC subsets not only shapes the T cell repertoire in the thymus but may also indelibly imprint the behaviour of mature T cells in the periphery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ludger Klein
- Institute for Immunology, Ludwig Maximilians University, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Bruno Kyewski
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paul M Allen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Kristin A Hogquist
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, USA
| |
Collapse
|
100
|
Cameron BJ, Gerry AB, Dukes J, Harper JV, Kannan V, Bianchi FC, Grand F, Brewer JE, Gupta M, Plesa G, Bossi G, Vuidepot A, Powlesland AS, Legg A, Adams KJ, Bennett AD, Pumphrey NJ, Williams DD, Binder-Scholl G, Kulikovskaya I, Levine BL, Riley JL, Varela-Rohena A, Stadtmauer EA, Rapoport AP, Linette GP, June CH, Hassan NJ, Kalos M, Jakobsen BK. Identification of a Titin-derived HLA-A1-presented peptide as a cross-reactive target for engineered MAGE A3-directed T cells. Sci Transl Med 2014; 5:197ra103. [PMID: 23926201 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3006034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 488] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
MAGE A3, which belongs to the family of cancer-testis antigens, is an attractive target for adoptive therapy given its reactivation in various tumors and limited expression in normal tissues. We developed an affinity-enhanced T cell receptor (TCR) directed to a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*01-restricted MAGE A3 antigen (EVDPIGHLY) for use in adoptive therapy. Extensive preclinical investigations revealed no off-target antigen recognition concerns; nonetheless, administration to patients of T cells expressing the affinity-enhanced MAGE A3 TCR resulted in a serious adverse event (SAE) and fatal toxicity against cardiac tissue. We present a description of the preclinical in vitro functional analysis of the MAGE A3 TCR, which failed to reveal any evidence of off-target activity, and a full analysis of the post-SAE in vitro investigations, which reveal cross-recognition of an off-target peptide. Using an amino acid scanning approach, a peptide from the muscle protein Titin (ESDPIVAQY) was identified as an alternative target for the MAGE A3 TCR and the most likely cause of in vivo toxicity. These results demonstrate that affinity-enhanced TCRs have considerable effector functions in vivo and highlight the potential safety concerns for TCR-engineered T cells. Strategies such as peptide scanning and the use of more complex cell cultures are recommended in preclinical studies to mitigate the risk of off-target toxicity in future clinical investigations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Cameron
- Immunocore Ltd., 57c Milton Park, Jubilee Avenue, Abingdon, OX14 4RX, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|