Tumor-selective cytotoxic effects of murine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in organ culture of B16 melanoma cells and heart tissue

Distinctive role of integrin-mediated adhesion in TNF-induced PKB/Akt and NF-κB activation and endothelial cell survival

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine exerting pleiotropic effects on endothelial cells. Depending on the vascular context it can induce endothelial cell activation and survival or death. The microenvironmental cues determining whether endothelial cells will survive or die, however, have remained elusive. Here we report that integrin ligation acts permissive for TNF-induced protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) but not nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB activation. Concomitant activation of PKB/Akt and NF-kappaB is essential for the survival of endothelial cells exposed to TNF. Active PKB/Akt strengthens integrin-dependent endothelial cell adhesion, whereas disruption of actin stress fibers abolishes the protective effect of PKB/Akt. Integrin-mediated adhesion also represses TNF-induced JNK activation, but JNK activity is not required for cell death. The alphaVbeta3/alphaVbeta5 integrin inhibitor EMD121974 sensitizes endothelial cells to TNF-dependent cytotoxicity and active PKB/Akt attenuates this effect. Interferon gamma synergistically enhanced TNF-induced endothelial cell death in all conditions tested. Taken together, these observations reveal a novel permissive role for integrins in TNF-induced PKB/Akt activation and prevention of TNF-induced death distinct of NF-kappaB, and implicate the actin cytoskeleton in PKB/Akt-mediated cell survival. The sensitizing effect of EMD121974 on TNF cytotoxicity may open new perspectives to the therapeutic use of TNF as anticancer agent.

Antiinvasive effect of xanthohumol, a prenylated chalcone present in hops (Humulus lupulus L.) and beer

The female inflorescences of the hop plant (Humulus lupulus L.) are essential during brewing to add taste and flavor to beer and to stabilize beer foam. Xanthohumol, the main prenylated chalcone in hops, was investigated for its antiinvasive activity on human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and T47-D) in vitro. Xanthohumol was able to inhibit the invasion of MCF-7/6 cells at 5 microM in the chick heart invasion assay and of T47-D cells in the collagen invasion assay. Xanthohumol inhibited growth of MCF-7/6 and T47-D cells, but not of chick heart cells. Moreover, it induced apoptosis of these tumor cells as demonstrated by the cleavage of nuclear PARP after 48 hr treatment. To probe the mechanism of the antiinvasive effect of xanthohumol, involvement of the E-cadherin/catenin invasion-suppressor complex was investigated. An aggregation assay demonstrated stimulation of aggregation of MCF-7/6 cells in the presence of 5 microM xanthohumol and this could be completely inhibited by an antibody against E-cadherin. Xanthohumol upregulates the function of the E-cadherin/catenin complex and inhibits invasion in vitro, indicating a possible role as an antiinvasive agent in vivo as well.

Regulation of the expression and processing of caspase-12

Phylogenetic analysis clusters caspase-12 with the inflammatory caspases 1 and 11. We analyzed the expression of caspase-12 in mouse embryos, adult organs, and different cell types and tested the effect of interferons (IFNs) and other proinflammatory stimuli. Constitutive expression of the caspase-12 protein was restricted to certain cell types, such as epithelial cells, primary fibroblasts, and L929 fibrosarcoma cells. In fibroblasts and B16/B16 melanoma cells, caspase-12 expression is stimulated by IFN-gamma but not by IFN-alpha or -beta. The effect is increased further when IFN-gamma is combined with TNF, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or dsRNA. These stimuli also induce caspase-1 and -11 but inhibit the expression of caspase-3 and -9. In contrast to caspase-1 and -11, no caspase-12 protein was detected in macrophages in any of these treatments. Transient overexpression of full-length caspase-12 leads to proteolytic processing of the enzyme and apoptosis. Similar processing occurs in TNF-, LPS-, Fas ligand-, and thapsigargin (Tg)-induced apoptosis. However, B16/B16 melanoma cells die when treated with the ER stress-inducing agent Tg whether they express caspase-12 or not.

Synthesis, characterization and in vitro anti-invasive activity screening of polyphenolic and heterocyclic compounds

Invasion is the hallmark of malignant tumors, and is responsible for the bad prognosis of the untreated cancer patients. The search for anti-invasive treatments led us to screen compounds of different classes for their effect in an assay for invasion. Thirty-nine new compounds synthesized in the present study along with 56 already reported compounds belonging mainly to the classes of lactones, pyrazoles, isoxazoles, coumarins, desoxybenzoins, aromatic ketones, chalcones, chromans, isoflavanones have been tested against organotypic confronting cultures of invasive human MCF-7/6 mammary carcinoma cells with embryonic chick heart fragments in vitro. Three of them (a pyrazole derivative, an isoxazolylcoumarin and a prenylated desoxybenzoin) inhibited invasion at concentrations as low as 1 microM; instead of occupying and replacing the heart tissue within 8 days, the MCF-7/6 cells grew around the heart fragments and left it intact, when treated with these compounds. At the anti-invasive concentration of 1 microM, the three compounds did not affect the growth of the MCF-7/6 cells, as shown in the sulforhodamine B assay. Aggregate formation on agar was not stimulated by any of the three anti-invasive compounds, making an effect on the E-cadherin/catenin complex improbable. This is an invasion suppressor that can be activated in MCF-7/6 cells by a number of other molecules. Our data indicate that some polyphenolic and heterocyclic compounds are anti-invasive without being cytotoxic for the cancer cells.

Tumor-specific Tc1, but not Tc2, cells deliver protective antitumor immunity

We investigated whether secretion of multiple cytokines by CD8+ T cells is associated with improved protection against tumor challenge. We show that antitumor immunity induced by immunization with dendritic cells and a MHC class I-binding tumor peptide are dependent on secretion of IFN-gamma but not IL-4 or IL-5 by host cells. To further address the role of IL-4 and IL-5 in antitumor immunity, tumor-specific TCR-transgenic CD8+ T cells were activated in vitro to generate cytotoxic T (Tc) 1 cells that secrete high IFN-gamma and no IL-4 or IL-5 or Tc2 cells that secrete IL-4, IL-5, and some IFN-gamma. Both cell types killed target cells in vitro. Tc1 and Tc2 cells were adoptively transferred into syngeneic hosts, and their ability to protect against tumor challenge was compared. Tc1 cells were able to significantly delay tumor growth, whereas Tc2 cells or Tc2 cells from IFN-gamma(-/-) donors had no effect. This was due to neither the inability of Tc2 cells to survive in vivo or to migrate to the tumor site nor their inability to secrete IL-4 and/or IL-5 in the presence of limiting amounts of anti-CD3. However, IFN-gamma secretion by Tc2 cells was triggered inefficiently by restimulation with Ag compared with anti-CD3. We conclude that the ability to secrete "type 2" cytokines, and cytotoxic ability, have a limited role in antitumor immune responses mediated by CD8+ T cells, whereas the capacity to secrete high amounts of IFN-gamma remains the most critical antitumor effector mechanism in vivo.

Intratumoral IL-18 gene transfer improves therapeutic efficacy of antibody-targeted superantigen in established murine melanoma

Antibody-targeted superantigen C215Fab-SEA is a fusion protein of staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) and the Fab region of the tumor-reactive C215 mAb. It can trigger CTL against C215 antigen-positive tumor cells and induce tumor-suppressive cytokines. However, the antitumor effect of C215Fab-SEA is not satisfactory because of suboptimal production of Th1 cytokines after repeated administration. Interleukin 18 (IL-18) is a novel cytokine with profound effects on Th1 cellular response. In this study, we showed that adenovirus-mediated intratumoral IL-18 gene transfer strongly improved the therapeutic efficacy of C215Fab-SEA in the pre-established C215 antigen-expressing B16 melanoma murine model. More significant tumor inhibition and prolonged survival time were observed in tumor-bearing mice received combined therapy of C215Fab-SEA and Ad IL-18 than those of mice treated with C215Fab-SEA or AdIL-18 alone. Combination therapy augmented NK and CTL activities of tumor-bearing mice more markedly. The production of IL-2 and IFN-gamma also increased more significantly. More potent antitumor effect of combined therapy was observed in IL-10 KO mice with enhanced Th1 response. Our data demonstrated that the antitumor effect of C215Fab-SEA immunotherapy could be potentiated significantly by combination with intratumoral IL-18 gene transfer through more efficient activation of Th1 immune responses.

Lectin-deficient TNF mutants display comparable anti-tumour but reduced pro-metastatic potential as compared to the wild-type molecule

In this study, we characterised the anti-tumour as well as the pro-metastatic activities of TNF mutants deficient in their lectin-like activity.1619 We report that, despite reduced systemic toxicity as compared to wild-type (wt) mTNF, a (T104A) and a (T104A-E106A-E109A) mTNF mutant (triple mTNF) retained most of their necrotic and tumouristatic activities, as measured in a CFS-1 fibrosarcoma and a B16BL6 melanoma tumour model, respectively. These mutants also conserved their anti-angiogenic activity, as measured in an in vitro endothelial morphogenesis assay.26 In contrast, the pro-metastatic activity of the T104A and the triple mTNF mutants in the CFS-1 fibrosarcoma and the 3LL-R Lewis lung carcinoma tumour model was significantly lower than that of the wt molecule. These results thus indicate that the lectin-like domain of TNF is not implicated in its necrotic, tumouristatic and anti-angiogenic activities, but that it can contribute to the pro-metastatic effect of the cytokine. In conclusion, in view of their reduced systemic toxicity and pro-metastatic capacity, but their retained anti-tumour activities, lectin-deficient TNF mutants might prove to be therapeutically interesting alternatives to wt TNF.

Long-term survival and complete cures of B16 melanoma-carrying animals after therapy with tumor-targeted IL-2 and SEA

The bacterial superantigen (SAg) staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) is a potent inducer of CTL activity and cytokine production in vivo. To engineer SAg for cancer immunotherapy, we genetically fused SEA to a Fab fragment of the C215 tumor-reactive antibody. Strong reduction of lung metastasis was seen in mice carrying established lung metastases of the poorly immunogenic B16-C215 melanoma after Fab-SEA therapy. However, important anti-tumor effector functions, such as IFN-gamma secretion and CTL activity, gradually declined during therapy. In this study, we show that Fab-SEA immunotherapy is strongly potentiated by Fab-IL-2 co-administration. Combined Fab-IL-2 and Fab-SEA therapy prolongs the immune response in vivo, limits the development of immunological unresponsiveness and promotes maximal anti-tumor effects. Significantly prolonged survival was noted in tumor-carrying animals treated with Fab-SEA/Fab-IL-2 as compared with Fab-SEA or Fab-IL-2 alone. Combination therapy resulted in complete cure in 90% of tumor-bearing animals, whereas only 10% long-term survival was seen in Fab-SEA or Fab-IL-2-treated animals. Single Fab-SEA therapy induced a hyporesponsive state after 2 cycles of treatment. In contrast, the immune response after combination therapy was characterized by substantially augmented IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha production and strong CTL activity. Our data demonstrate that combined Fab-SEA and Fab-IL-2 therapy prolongs the immune response in vivo and induced long-term survival of more than 90% of the animals carrying the highly aggressive B16 melanoma.

Perforin and IFN-γ Are Involved in the Antitumor Effects of Antibody-Targeted Superantigens

The bacterial superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) is a potent inducer of cytokine production and cytotoxic T cell responses. To target a T cell attack against tumor cells we have genetically engineered a fusion protein of SEA and the Fab part of the tumor-reactive mAb C215. Injection of this Fab-SEA fusion protein to mice carrying lung metastases of the poorly immunogenic B16 melanoma transfected with the C215 Ag resulted in infiltration of cytokine-producing T cells, perforin-containing CTL, and a marked tumor elimination. Fab-SEA therapy induced substantial levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α in serum. In the present study we have characterized the molecular mechanisms of the antitumor effect induced by Fab-SEA treatment in vivo. Neutralization of cytokines by specific Abs demonstrated a major role for IFN-γ in the suppression of tumor growth. In addition, a minor contribution of TNF-α was recorded. Injections of Fab-SEA into normal mice induced strong CTL activity but failed to promote cytotoxic function in perforin knockout mice. Also, a markedly reduced therapy was noted in perforin knockout mice, implicating a role for CTL in Fab-SEA-mediated tumor eradication. The data suggest that Fab-SEA-targeted T cells may suppress tumor growth by both perforin-dependent cytotoxicity and local release of cytokines such as IFN-γ. The latter mechanism may have an important role in cytostatic effects against Ag-negative bystander tumor cells.

Repeated treatment with antibody-targeted superantigens strongly inhibits tumor growth

Superantigens (SAg) are microbial proteins with the capacity to activate a large proportion of T cells. We have developed a novel approach for cancer immunotherapy by genetically fusing the SAg staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) to a Fab-fragment of a tumor-specific antibody. Repeated exposure to SEA induces a state of unresponsiveness including cell deletion and functional hyporesponsiveness, i.e., anergy. In this study we have developed improved therapeutic schedules to allow repeated injections of Fab-SEA, limit development of immunological unresponsiveness and promote maximal anti-tumor response. Four daily injections of Fab-SEA to mice carrying B 16-C215 lung metastases resulted in 90-95% reduction in the number of metastases. However, the animals did retain a minimal residual tumor disease. The immune system was in a hyporesponsive state after 4 daily Fab-SEA injections, and further injections did not improve therapy. Two repeated cycles, each comprising 4 daily injections of Fab-SEA, significantly prolonged the survival and resulted in complete cure of a fraction of the animals. A rest period of 10 days between the cycles was required to mount an efficient secondary anti-tumor response. This secondary immune response was characterized by partial recovery of cytokine production i.e., interleukin-2, interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Strong CTL activity was detected in animals that had rested for 8 weeks between the 2 cycles. Interestingly, irrespective of the resting period, the CD4+ SEA-reactive T cells expanded in response to all 4 additional Fab-SEA injections both locally and in spleen. In contrast, only marginal expansion of CD8+ T cells was seen if restimulation was given within 1 month. Our data show that potent anti-tumor effector functions can be induced after repeated stimulation cycles with a SAg-monoclonal antibody fusion protein resulting in a CD4+ T cell-dependent cytokine release, prolonged survival and induction of complete cures.

Anti-invasive activity of alkaloids and polyphenolics in vitro

Invasiveness, the ability of certain tumour cells to migrate beyond their natural tissue boundaries, often leads to metastasis, and usually determines the fatal outcome of cancer. The need for anti-invasive agents has led us to search for possibly active compounds among alkaloids and polyphenolics. One hundred compounds were screened in an assay based on the confrontation of invasive human MCF-7/6 mammary carcinoma cells with fragments of normal embryonic chick heart in vitro. Anti-invasive activity was frequently found among chalcones having a prenyl group. Six compounds were found to inhibit invasion when added to the culture medium at concentrations as low as 1 microM. For at least three of them the anti-invasive effect could be associated with a cytotoxic effect on the MCF-7/6 cells, but not on the heart tissue. This selective cytotoxicity was substantiated by different methods, such as histology and growth assays (volume measurements, cell counts, MTT and sulforhodamine B assays). The anti-invasive effects of the compounds could neither be ascribed to induction of apoptosis nor to the promotion of cell-cell adhesion. Our data indicate that among the alkaloids and polyphenolics a number of molecules can inhibit growth and invasion of human mammary cancer cells via selective cytotoxicity.

Immune response during tumor therapy with antibody-superantigen fusion proteins

To engineer superantigens (SAg) to express tumor reactivity, we genetically fused the Fab-part of the tumor-reactive MAb C215 and the bacterial SAg staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA). Treatment of mice carrying established lung micrometastases of the C215-transfected syngeneic B16 melanoma with 3-4 daily injections of C215Fab-SEA resulted in strong antitumor effects, while only moderate effects were seen when treatment was given every 4th day (intermittent treatment). High serum levels of IL-2, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and strong induction of CTLs (cytotoxic T lymphocytes) were noted after priming with the fusion protein. T cells responded well to 3 daily injections of C215Fab-SEA and then gradually entered a hyporesponsive state, characterized by a reduced ability to produce IL-2, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma and failure to mediate cytotoxicity in vitro. Intermittent treatment was characterized by increased levels of IL-10, concomitant with accentuated loss of IL-2, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma production. A 10-fold increase in SEA-reactive TCR V(beta)3+ CD4+ cells was observed in the spleen, while a loss of TCR V(beta)3+ CD8+ and V(beta)11+ CD8+ cells was noted. This is in striking contrast to injections of native SEA which induced a marked deletion of TCR V(beta)3+ CD4+ T cells, but not of CD8+ cells. Recovery of the TH1 cytokine profile occurred within 1-2 weeks, while restoration of cytotoxicity required several months and correlated with recovery of TCR V(beta)3+ CD8+ and TCR V(beta)11+ CD8+ T cells. These results show that the temporal relationship of SAg stimulations dictates the cytokine profile. Moreover, different mechanisms appear to regulate hyporesponsiveness in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.

Antibody-targeted superantigens are potent inducers of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes in vivo

Recruitment of antigen-specific tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is a major goal for immunotherapy of malignant tumours. We now describe that T-cell-activating superantigens targeted to a tumor by monoclonal antibodies induced large numbers of pseudospecific TILs and eradication of micrometastases. As a model for tumor micrometastases, syngeneic B16 melanoma cells transfected with the human colon carcinoma antigen C215 were injected intravenously into C57BL/6 mice and therapy with an anti-C215 Fab fragment-staphylococcal enterotoxin A (C215Fab-SEA) fusion protein reacting with the C215 antigen was initiated when visible lung metastases were established. More than 90% reduction of the number of lung metastases was observed when mice carrying 5-day-old established lung metastases were treated with C215Fab-SEA. The antitumor effect of C215Fab-SEA was shown to be T-cell-dependent since no therapeutic effect was seen in T-cell-deficient nude mice. Depletion of T-cell subsets by injection of monoclonal antibody demonstrated that CD8+ cells were the most prominent effector cells although some contribution from CD4+ cells was also noted. C215Fab-SEA treatment induced massive tumor infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, while only scattered T cells were observed in untreated tumors. SEA treatment alone induced a slight general inflammatory response in the lung parenchyme, but no specific accumulation of T cells was seen in the tumor. TILs induced by C215Fab-SEA were mainly CD8+ but a substantial number of CD4+ cells were also present. Immunohistochemical analysis showed strong production of the tumoricidal cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha and interferon gamma in the tumor. Thus, the C215Fab-SEA fusion protein targets effector T lymphocytes to established tumors in vivo and provokes a strong local antitumor immune response.

Role of the host tissue in the anti-invasive activity of the alkyllysophospholipid, ET-18-OCH3, in vitro

The alkyllysophospholipid, racemic-l-O-octadecyl-2-O-methylglycero-3- phosphocholine (ET-18-OCH3) was previously shown to inhibit invasion of malignant cells into precultured heart fragments (PHF) in vitro. In particular, pretreatment of PHF with 10 micrograms ET-18-OCH3 for 48 h was sufficient to induce in the host tissue resistance towards invasion by mouse MO4 cells. Resistance was obvious when MO4 cells were confronted either immediately (the pretreatment experiment) or after withdrawal of the drug 7 days prior to confrontation (the reversibility experiment). In the present study, the survival of PHF cells in the pretreatment and reversibility experiments was similar to that of untreated PHF cells as determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test and by the PHF explantation test. The effective anti-invasive concentration was 6 micrograms/ml in the pretreatment experiment while 3 micrograms/ml was sufficient to inhibit invasion in the reversibility experiment. Induction of resistance towards invasion in pretreated PHF was shown to occur not only with MO4 cells but also with mouse LLC-H61 Lewis lung carcinoma and mouse BW-O-Li1 T-lymphoma cells. The increase in molecular weight of N-linked cell surface glycosylpeptides (N-GP) of PHF was apparent in the pretreatment experiment and was enhanced in the reversibility experiment. This effect was completely abolished in cells obtained from pretreated PHF which were converted into a cell suspension and further cultured as a monolayer on tissue culture plastic without drug for 7 days. The results reported here provide additional evidence for the causal involvement of N-GP of the PHF host tissue in the anti-invasive activity of ET-18-OCH3 in vitro.

Tumour cells which develop resistance to cytolysis by tumour necrosis factor have a different glycoform of a 105-kDa glycoprotein and lose the capacity to invade and metastasize

A plastic-adherent variant of human myelomonocytic leukaemia cells (U937) is highly susceptible to direct TNF cytolysis in vitro. Previously, we found that a subline selected for resistance to TNF cytolysis (U937/R) was much less motile and more plastic-adherent than the parental line. In the present study we show that U937 and U937/R cells have different glycoforms of a 105-kDa cell-surface glycoprotein. This protein is predominantly N-glycosylated and has the physicochemical properties of the LAMP-I glycoprotein. In nude mice, U937 cells are highly malignant whereas U937/R cells form a benign, encapsulated tumour. Therefore, possession of a different glycoform of the 105-kDa glycoprotein by U937/R cells correlates not only with loss of TNF susceptibility but also with reduced invasiveness and metastasis.