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Jiang C, Li J, Zhang W, Zhuang Z, Liu G, Hong W, Li B, Zhang X, Chao CC. Potential association factors for developing effective peptide-based cancer vaccines. Front Immunol 2022; 13:931612. [PMID: 35967400 PMCID: PMC9364268 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.931612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptide-based cancer vaccines have been shown to boost immune systems to kill tumor cells in cancer patients. However, designing an effective T cell epitope peptide-based cancer vaccine still remains a challenge and is a major hurdle for the application of cancer vaccines. In this study, we constructed for the first time a library of peptide-based cancer vaccines and their clinical attributes, named CancerVaccine (https://peptidecancervaccine.weebly.com/). To investigate the association factors that influence the effectiveness of cancer vaccines, these peptide-based cancer vaccines were classified into high (HCR) and low (LCR) clinical responses based on their clinical efficacy. Our study highlights that modified peptides derived from artificially modified proteins are suitable as cancer vaccines, especially for melanoma. It may be possible to advance cancer vaccines by screening for HLA class II affinity peptides may be an effective therapeutic strategy. In addition, the treatment regimen has the potential to influence the clinical response of a cancer vaccine, and Montanide ISA-51 might be an effective adjuvant. Finally, we constructed a high sensitivity and specificity machine learning model to assist in designing peptide-based cancer vaccines capable of providing high clinical responses. Together, our findings illustrate that a high clinical response following peptide-based cancer vaccination is correlated with the right type of peptide, the appropriate adjuvant, and a matched HLA allele, as well as an appropriate treatment regimen. This study would allow for enhanced development of cancer vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chongming Jiang
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX, United States
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Chongming Jiang, ; Cheng-Chi Chao,
| | - Jianrong Li
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX, United States
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Wei Zhang
- Institute of Super Cell, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | | | - Geng Liu
- Institute of Super Cell, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wei Hong
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX, United States
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Bo Li
- Institute of Super Cell, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiuqing Zhang
- Institute of Super Cell, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Cheng-Chi Chao
- Department of Pipeline Development, Biomap, Inc, San Francisco, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Chongming Jiang, ; Cheng-Chi Chao,
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2
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Development of Peptide-Based Vaccines for Cancer. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:9749363. [PMID: 35342400 PMCID: PMC8941562 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9749363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Peptides cancer vaccines are designed based on the epitope peptides that can elicit humoral and cellular immune responses targeting tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) or tumor-specific antigens (TSAs). In order to develop a clinically safe and more effective vaccine for the future, several issues need to be addressed, and these include the selection of optimal antigen targets, adjuvants, and immunization regimens. Another emerging approach involves the use of personalized peptide-based vaccines based on neoantigens to enhance antitumor response. Rationally designed combinatorial therapy is currently being investigated with chemotherapeutic drugs or immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies to improve the efficacy. This review discusses an overview of the development of peptide-based vaccines, the role of adjuvants, and the delivery systems for peptide vaccines as well as combinatorial therapy as potential anticancer strategies.
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3
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Rahat MA. Targeting Angiogenesis With Peptide Vaccines. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1924. [PMID: 31440262 PMCID: PMC6694838 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Most cancer peptide vaccinations tested so far are capable of eliciting a strong immune response, but demonstrate poor clinical benefits. Since peptide vaccination is safe and well-tolerated, and several indications suggest that it has clear potential advantages over other modalities of treatment, it is important to investigate the reasons for these clinical failures. In this review, the current state of the art in targeting angiogenic proteins via peptide vaccines is presented, and the underlying reasons for both the successes and the failures are analyzed. The review highlights a number of areas critical for future success, including choice of target antigens, types of peptides used, delivery methods and use of proper adjuvants, and suggests ways to achieve better clinical results in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal A Rahat
- Immunotherapy Laboratory, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.,The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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4
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Huang A, Ma J, Huang L, Yang F, Cheng P. Mechanisms for enhanced antitumor immune responses induced by irradiated hepatocellular carcinoma cells engineered to express hepatitis B virus X protein. Oncol Lett 2018; 15:8505-8515. [PMID: 29928322 PMCID: PMC6004658 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.8430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor associated antigen (TAA) induces both humoral immunity and cellular immunity. The T cell-mediated immune response has an important role in the immune response induced by TAA. The hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) sequence is mapped with Custer of differentiation (CD)8+ T cell (CTL) epitopes, while a large number of studies have indicated that HBx may enhance the autophagy. In our previous study, a novel hepatocellular carcinoma vaccine was designed that was an irradiated HBx modified hepatocellular carcinoma cell vaccine in autophagic form, which significantly induced antitumor immune responses in vivo. However, the mechanism by which this vaccine contributes to enhancing antitumor immune responses have yet to be fully elucidated. In the present study, we examined how autophagy was induced by this vaccine's influence on the generation of the ‘danger signal’ by hepatoma tumor cells and the subsequent activation of the immunoresponse. The data showed that the vaccine induced phenotypic maturation of DCs, which leads to efficient cross-presentation and a specific response. Both CD8+ and CD4+ T lymphocytes were involved in the antitumor immune response, as reflected by IFN-γ secretion. In addition, damage-associated molecular pattern molecules (DAMPs) were significantly elevated in the vaccine, and the elevation of DAMPs was autophagy-dependent. Furthermore, the antitumor activity was achieved by adoptive transfer of lymphocytes but not serum. The present findings indicated that this vaccine enhanced antitumor immune responses, which was in accordance with our previous study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anliang Huang
- Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China.,Department of Abdominal Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Jinhu Ma
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Liyan Huang
- Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Ping Cheng
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
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5
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Vykoukal J, Sun N, Aguilar-Bonavides C, Katayama H, Tanaka I, Fahrmann JF, Capello M, Fujimoto J, Aguilar M, Wistuba II, Taguchi A, Ostrin EJ, Hanash SM. Plasma-derived extracellular vesicle proteins as a source of biomarkers for lung adenocarcinoma. Oncotarget 2017; 8:95466-95480. [PMID: 29221141 PMCID: PMC5707035 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.20748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Exosomes and other extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been implicated as mediators of intercellular communication. Their release into the circulation has the potential to inform about tumor status. In-depth proteomic characterization of plasma-derived EVs has been limited by challenges in isolating EVs from protein-abundant biological fluids. We implemented a novel single-step density gradient flotation workflow for efficient and rapid isolation of highly enriched circulating EVs from plasma. Mass-spectrometry analysis of plasma EVs from subjects with lung adenocarcinoma and matched controls resulted in the identification of 640 proteins. A total of 108 proteins exhibited significant (p<0.05) differential expression in vesicle preparations derived from lung adenocarcinoma case plasmas compared to controls, of which 43 were also identified in EVs from lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Four top performing EV-associated proteins that distinguished adenocarcinoma cases from controls, SRGN, TPM3, THBS1 and HUWE1, yielded a combined area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.90 (95% CI = 0.76-1). Our findings support the potential of EV derived proteins as a source of biomarkers that complement other approaches for tumor assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jody Vykoukal
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA.,McCombs Institute for the Early Detection and Treatment of Cancer, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Nan Sun
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Clemente Aguilar-Bonavides
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Hiroyuki Katayama
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Ichidai Tanaka
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Johannes F Fahrmann
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Michela Capello
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Junya Fujimoto
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Mitzi Aguilar
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Ignacio I Wistuba
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Ayumu Taguchi
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Edwin J Ostrin
- Department of General Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Samir M Hanash
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA.,Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA.,McCombs Institute for the Early Detection and Treatment of Cancer, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
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6
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Simanovich E, Brod V, Rahat MM, Drazdov E, Walter M, Shakya J, Rahat MA. Inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis by EMMPRIN multiple antigenic peptide (MAP) vaccination is mediated by immune modulation. Oncoimmunology 2016; 6:e1261778. [PMID: 28197388 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2016.1261778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Revised: 11/13/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Previously, we have identified a new epitope in EMMPRIN, a multifunctional protein that mediates tumor cell-macrophage interactions and induces both MMP-9 and VEGF. Here, we synthesized this epitope as an octa-branched multiple antigenic peptide (MAP) to vaccinate mice implanted with subcutaneous syngeneic colon (CT26), prostate (TRAMP-C2) or renal (RENCA) cell line carcinomas. Vaccination inhibited, and sometimes regressed, tumor growth in a dose-dependent manner, reaching 94%, 71% and 72% inhibition, respectively, at a 50 μg dose (p < 0.01). Mice with regressed tumors demonstrated immune memory, preventing tumor recurrence upon re-implantation (p < 0.001). When tumor cells were administered through the tail vein to generate lung metastases, vaccination reduced the number of metastatic foci (by 15- and 23-folds, p < 0.001), and increased the median survival time by 25% and 53% in RENCA and CT26 metastases, respectively (p < 0.01) relative to scrambled-MAP controls. No significant adverse responses were observed in all experiments. We show that the tumor microenvironment was immune modulated, as vaccination induced production of EMMPRIN-specific antibodies, increased CD8+ T cells infiltration and cytotoxicity, alleviated immune suppression by decreasing TGFβ concentrations, reduced angiogenesis and cell proliferation, and enhanced apoptosis. Thus, our successful active peptide vaccination strategy differs from previous, unsuccessful attempts, both in the selected target (the EMMPRIN epitope) and in the use of a modified, MAP configuration, and demonstrates that this may be an efficient approach for the treatment and prevention of some types of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elina Simanovich
- Immunotherapy Lab, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel; The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Vera Brod
- Immunotherapy Lab, Carmel Medical Center , Haifa, Israel
| | - Maya M Rahat
- Immunotherapy Lab, Carmel Medical Center , Haifa, Israel
| | - Ella Drazdov
- Immunotherapy Lab, Carmel Medical Center , Haifa, Israel
| | - Miriam Walter
- Immunotherapy Lab, Carmel Medical Center , Haifa, Israel
| | - Jivan Shakya
- Immunotherapy Lab, Carmel Medical Center , Haifa, Israel
| | - Michal A Rahat
- Immunotherapy Lab, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel; The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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7
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Huang HN, Rajanbabu V, Pan CY, Chan YL, Wu CJ, Chen JY. A cancer vaccine based on the marine antimicrobial peptide pardaxin (GE33) for control of bladder-associated tumors. Biomaterials 2013; 34:10151-9. [PMID: 24075482 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2013.09.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2013] [Accepted: 09/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The marine antimicrobial peptide (AMP) GE33, also known as pardaxin, possesses antimicrobial and anticancer properties, and modulates host signaling. GE33 has cytotoxic effects on murine bladder carcinoma (MBT-2) cells. Here, we investigated the potential of GE33 combined with inactivated MBT-2 as a cancer vaccine. The presence of up to 12.5 μg of GE33 did not inhibit the proliferation or endogenous nitrous oxide (NO) levels of RAW264.7 cells. However, the secretion of MCP-1, IL-6, and IL-12 by RAW264.7 cells was affected by GE33. We proceeded to test the effectiveness of the vaccine by immunizing mice at 7, 14, and 21 days of age, and injecting live MBT-2 cells on the 28th day. Tumor growth by the 58th day was attenuated in mice treated with the vaccine, as compared to the control group. Induction of MBT-2 specific-tumor antigens was increased in mice immunized with our vaccine. Furthermore, activation of T-cell receptors, cytotoxic T-cells, and NK cells was enhanced, and these showed high specificity for targeting tumor cells. Finally, immunization controlled excess recruitment of monocytes, lymphocytes, T-helper cells, and NK cells, and decreased the expression of VEGF. This report provides empirical evidence that our GE33-based vaccine enhances antitumor immunity in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Ning Huang
- Department of Food Science, National Taiwan Ocean University, 2, Pei-Ning Road, Keelung, Taiwan
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8
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Buhrman JD, Slansky JE. Improving T cell responses to modified peptides in tumor vaccines. Immunol Res 2013; 55:34-47. [PMID: 22936035 DOI: 10.1007/s12026-012-8348-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Immune recognition and elimination of cancerous cells is the primary goal of cancer immunotherapy. However, obstacles including immune tolerance and tumor-induced immunosuppression often limit beneficial immune responses. Vaccination is one proposed intervention that may help to overcome these issues and is an active area of study in cancer immunotherapy. Immunizing with tumor antigenic peptides is a promising, straight-forward vaccine strategy hypothesized to boost preexisting antitumor immunity. However, tumor antigens are often weak T cell agonists, attributable to several mechanisms, including immune self-tolerance and poor immunogenicity of self-derived tumor peptides. One strategy for overcoming these mechanisms is vaccination with mimotopes, or peptide mimics of tumor antigens, which alter the antigen presentation and/or T cell activation to increase the expansion of tumor-specific T cells. Evaluation of mimotope vaccine strategies has revealed that even subtle alterations in peptide sequence can dramatically alter antigen presentation and T cell receptor recognition. Most of this research has been performed using T cell clones, which may not be accurate representations of the naturally occurring antitumor response. The relationship between clones generated after mimotope vaccination and the polyclonal T cell repertoire is unclear. Our work with mimotopes in a mouse model of colon carcinoma has revealed important insights into these issues. We propose that the identification of mimotopes based on stimulation of the naturally responding T cell repertoire will dramatically improve the efficacy of mimotope vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D Buhrman
- Integrated Department of Immunology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USA
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9
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Kalli F, Machiorlatti R, Battaglia F, Parodi A, Conteduca G, Ferrera F, Proietti M, Tardito S, Sanguineti M, Millo E, Fenoglio D, De Palma R, Inghirami G, Filaci G. Comparative analysis of cancer vaccine settings for the selection of an effective protocol in mice. J Transl Med 2013; 11:120. [PMID: 23663506 PMCID: PMC3659084 DOI: 10.1186/1479-5876-11-120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2012] [Accepted: 05/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer vaccines are considered a promising therapeutic approach. However, their clinical results are not yet satisfactory. This may be due to the the difficulty of selection of an efficient tumor associated antigen (TAA) and immunization protocol. Indeed, the weak antigenicity of many TAA impairs the design of robust procedures, therefore a systematic analysis to identify the most efficient TAA is mandatory. Here, we performed a study to compare different gp100 vaccination strategies to identify the best strategy to provide a 100% protection against experimental melanoma in a reproducible manner. Methods C57BL/6J mice were challenged subcutaneously with B16F10 melanoma cells, after vaccination with: a) mouse or human gp10025-33 peptide plus CpG adjuvant; b) mouse or human gp100 gene; c) mouse or human gp10025-33 peptide-pulsed dendritic cells (DC). Alternatively, a neutralizing anti-IL-10 monoclonal antibody (mAb) was subcutaneously administered at the site of tumor challenge to counteract regulatory cells. Finally, combinatorial treatment was performed associating human gp10025-33 peptide-pulsed DC vaccination with administration of the anti-IL-10 mAb. Results Vaccination with human gp10025-33 peptide-pulsed DC was the most effective immunization protocol, although not achieving a full protection. Administration of the anti-IL-10 mAb showed also a remarkable protective effect, replicated in mice challenged with a different tumor, Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma. When immunization with gp10025-33 peptide-pulsed DC was associated with IL-10 counteraction, a 100% protective effect was consistently achieved. The analysis on the T-cell tumor infiltrates showed an increase of CD4+granzyme+ T-cells and a decreased number of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg elements from mice treated with either gp10025-33 peptide-pulsed DC vaccination or anti-IL-10 mAb administration. These data suggest that processes of intratumoral re-balance between effector and regulatory T cell subpopulations may play a critical protective role in immunotherapy protocols. Conclusions Here we demonstrate that, in the setting of a cancer vaccine strategy, a comparative analysis of different personalized approaches may favour the unveiling of the most effective protocol. Moreover, our findings suggest that counteraction of IL-10 activity may be critical to revert the intratumoral environment promoting Treg polarization, thus increasing the effects of a vaccination against selected TAA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Kalli
- Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV n. 7, 16132, Genoa, Italy
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10
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Haen SP, Rammensee HG. The repertoire of human tumor-associated epitopes--identification and selection of antigens and their application in clinical trials. Curr Opin Immunol 2013; 25:277-83. [PMID: 23619309 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2013.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2012] [Revised: 03/14/2013] [Accepted: 03/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In cancer patients, active immunotherapy has gained significant importance in recent years by implementation of novel substances into standard clinical care. These new drugs represent strategies which either use defined cancer associated antigens as vaccines or induce tumor-directed immune responses through generation of a general inflammatory state which has extensive autoinflammatory side effects by induction of autoreactive immune cells. Hence, the definition of suitable target antigens for immunotherapy remains a major challenge. These antigens should ideally be specific markers for individual tumors or should be at least structures overexpressed on the tumor as compared to normal cells. Recent approaches have defined algorithms and refined analytical methods for antigen identification and immunological validation that have already been evaluated in clinical studies. This article summarizes recent developments in tissue analysis on genome, transcriptome and HLA-ligandome levels and of antigen application in recent clinical vaccination trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian P Haen
- Medizinische Universitätsklinik Tübingen, Abteilung II für Onkologie, Hämatologie, Immunologie, Rheumatologie und Pulmologie, Otfried Müller Str. 10, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
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11
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Campos-Perez J, Rice J, Escors D, Collins M, Paterson A, Savelyeva N, Stevenson FK. DNA fusion vaccine designs to induce tumor-lytic CD8+ T-cell attack via the immunodominant cysteine-containing epitope of NY-ESO 1. Int J Cancer 2013; 133:1400-7. [PMID: 23494538 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.28156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2012] [Accepted: 03/01/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The cancer/testis antigen NY-ESO-1 contains an immunodominant HLA-A2-binding peptide (SLLMWITQC), designated S9C, an attractive target for vaccination against several human cancers. As cysteine contains a reactive -SH, the oxidation status of exogenous synthetic peptide is uncertain. We have designed tolerance-breaking DNA fusion vaccines incorporating a domain of tetanus toxin fused to tumor-derived peptide sequences (p.DOM-peptide), placed at the C-terminus for optimal immunogenicity. In a "humanized" HLA-A2 preclinical model, p.DOM-S9C primed S9C-specific CD8+ T cells more effectively than adjuvanted synthetic peptide. A DNA vaccine encoding the full NY-ESO-1 sequence alone induced only weak S9C-specific responses, amplified by addition of DOM sequence. The analog peptide (SLLMWITQL) also primed peptide-specific CD8+ T cells, again increased by DNA delivery. Importantly, T cells induced by S9C-encoding DNA vaccines killed tumor cells expressing endogenous NY-ESO-1. Only a fraction of T cells induced by the S9L-encoding DNA vaccines was able to recognize S9C and kill tumor cells. These data indicate that DNA vaccines mimic posttranslational modifications of -SH-containing peptides expressed by tumor cells. Instability of synthetic peptides and the potential dangers of analog peptides contrast with the ability of DNA vaccines to induce high levels of tumor-lytic peptide-specific CD8+ T cells. These findings encourage clinical exploration of this vaccine strategy to target NY-ESO-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Campos-Perez
- Genetic Vaccine Group, Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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12
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Filipazzi P, Pilla L, Mariani L, Patuzzo R, Castelli C, Camisaschi C, Maurichi A, Cova A, Rigamonti G, Giardino F, Di Florio A, Asioli M, Frati P, Sovena G, Squarcina P, Maio M, Danielli R, Chiarion-Sileni V, Villa A, Lombardo C, Tragni G, Santinami M, Parmiani G, Rivoltini L. Limited induction of tumor cross-reactive T cells without a measurable clinical benefit in early melanoma patients vaccinated with human leukocyte antigen class I-modified peptides. Clin Cancer Res 2012; 18:6485-96. [PMID: 23032742 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-12-1516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The progressive immune dysfunctions that occur in patients with advanced melanoma make them unlikely to efficiently respond to cancer vaccines. A multicenter randomized phase II trial was conducted to test whether immunization with modified HLA class I tumor peptides in the context of adjuvant therapy results in better immunologic responses and improved clinical outcomes in patients with early melanoma (stages IIB/C-III). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Forty-three patients were enrolled to undergo vaccination (n = 22) or observation (n = 21). The vaccine included four HLA-A*0201-restricted modified peptides (Melan-A/MART-1([27L]), gp100([210M]), NY-ESO-1([165V]), and Survivin([97M])) emulsified in Montanide ISA51 and injected subcutaneously in combination with cyclophosphamide (300 mg/m(2)) and low-dose IL-2 (3 × 10(6) IU). The immune responses were monitored using ex vivo IFN-γ-ELISpot, HLA/multimer staining, and in vitro short-term peptide sensitization assays. RESULTS Vaccination induced a rapid and persistent increase in specific effector memory CD8(+) T cells in 75% of the patients. However, this immunization was not associated with any significant increase in disease-free or overall survival as compared with the observation group. An extensive immunologic analysis revealed a significantly reduced cross-recognition of the corresponding native peptides and, most importantly, a limited ability to react to melanoma cells. CONCLUSIONS Adjuvant setting is an appealing approach for testing cancer vaccines because specific CD8(+) T cells can be efficiently induced in most vaccinated patients. However, the marginal antitumor activity of the T cells induced by modified peptides in this study largely accounts for the observed lack of benefit of vaccination. These findings suggest reconsidering this immunization strategy, particularly in early disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Filipazzi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
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13
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Chauvin JM, Larrieu P, Sarrabayrouse G, Prévost-Blondel A, Lengagne R, Desfrançois J, Labarrière N, Jotereau F. HLA anchor optimization of the melan-A-HLA-A2 epitope within a long peptide is required for efficient cross-priming of human tumor-reactive T cells. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2012; 188:2102-10. [PMID: 22291187 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1101807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The uptake and long-term cross-presentation of tumor Ag long peptides (LP) by dendritic cells (DC) make them attractive cancer vaccine candidates. However, it remains to be established whether LP can prime long-lived tumor-reactive CTL and whether other cell types are able to cross-present them. Using HLA-A2 healthy donor and melanoma patient-derived PBMC, we studied the in vitro cross-priming potential of Melan-A 16-40 LP bearing the HLA-A2-restricted epitope 26-35 or its analog 26-35(A27L) and compared it to the priming capacity of the short analog. We then addressed LP priming capacity in vivo using HLA-A2 mice. We also studied LP cross-presentation by monocyte-derived DC, plasmacytoid DC, monocytes, and B cells. We showed that the modified LP gave rise to high and sustained cross-presentation by monocyte-derived DC. This led to cross priming in vitro and in vivo and to expansion of long-lived tumor-reactive cytotoxic T cells. In contrast, the LP containing the natural 26-35 epitope primed specific T cells poorly, despite its long-lived cross-presentation, and T cells primed against the short analog were short-lived. We further showed that LP cross-presentation is restricted to monocytes and conventional DC. These results document for the first time, to our knowledge, the strong immunogenicity of a human tumor Ag LP. Of note, they underscore that this property is critically dependent on sufficient HLA binding affinity and/or TCR ligand potency of the cross-presented epitope. We conclude that LP fulfilling this requirement should be used as tumor vaccines, together with DC maturating agents, especially the Melan-A 16-40(A27L) LP, for the treatment of HLA-A2(+) melanoma patients.
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Butterfield LH, Palucka AK, Britten CM, Dhodapkar MV, Håkansson L, Janetzki S, Kawakami Y, Kleen TO, Lee PP, Maccalli C, Maecker HT, Maino VC, Maio M, Malyguine A, Masucci G, Pawelec G, Potter DM, Rivoltini L, Salazar LG, Schendel DJ, Slingluff CL, Song W, Stroncek DF, Tahara H, Thurin M, Trinchieri G, van Der Burg SH, Whiteside TL, Wigginton JM, Marincola F, Khleif S, Fox BA, Disis ML. Recommendations from the iSBTc-SITC/FDA/NCI Workshop on Immunotherapy Biomarkers. Clin Cancer Res 2011; 17:3064-76. [PMID: 21558394 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-10-2234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To facilitate development of innovative immunotherapy approaches, especially for treatment concepts exploiting the potential benefits of personalized therapy, there is a need to develop and validate tools to identify patients who can benefit from immunotherapy. Despite substantial effort, we do not yet know which parameters of antitumor immunity to measure and which assays are optimal for those measurements. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN The iSBTc-SITC (International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer-Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer), FDA (Food and Drug Administration), and NCI (National Cancer Institute) partnered to address these issues for immunotherapy of cancer. Here, we review the major challenges, give examples of approaches and solutions, and present our recommendations. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Although specific immune parameters and assays are not yet validated, we recommend following standardized (accurate, precise, and reproducible) protocols and use of functional assays for the primary immunologic readouts of a trial; consideration of central laboratories for immune monitoring of large, multi-institutional trials; and standardized testing of several phenotypic and functional potential potency assays specific to any cellular product. When reporting results, the full QA (quality assessment)/QC (quality control) should be conducted and selected examples of truly representative raw data and assay performance characteristics should be included. Finally, to promote broader analysis of multiple aspects of immunity, and gather data on variability, we recommend that in addition to cells and serum, RNA and DNA samples be banked (under standardized conditions) for later testing. We also recommend that sufficient blood be drawn to allow for planned testing of the primary hypothesis being addressed in the trial, and that additional baseline and posttreatment blood is banked for testing novel hypotheses (or generating new hypotheses) that arise in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa H Butterfield
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA
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15
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Zhou FL, Meng S, Zhang WG, Wei YC, Cao XM, Bai GG, Wang BY. Peptide-based immunotherapy for multiple myeloma: current approaches. Vaccine 2010; 28:5939-46. [PMID: 20619381 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.06.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2010] [Revised: 06/12/2010] [Accepted: 06/28/2010] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a clonal B-cell malignancy with many fatal clinical sequelae. Despite extensive therapeutic approaches, cures remain rare exceptions. A recent promising area of investigation is the development of immunotherapeutic approaches that target and eliminate myeloma cells more selectively. Because of its potential to promote the destruction of cancerous cells via cytotoxic T-cell responses, peptide-based immunotherapy is one of these strategies to have attracted considerable attention. Furthermore, many studies were carried out to identify the best epitope peptides, the optimal vaccine formulation and schedule, and the preferable clinical situation for vaccination. Based on these results, various epitope peptides have been identified that may be selectively targeted by host immunity, and various approaches have been used to enhance the immune responses of peptides. This chapter focuses on reviewing previous immunotherapy trials, describing the current strategies for peptide-based immunotherapy, and discussing the achievable prospects in MM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Ling Zhou
- Department of Clinical Hematology, The Affiliated No. 2 Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, The West Five Road, No. 157, Xi'an 710004, PR China.
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16
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Chen JL, Morgan AJ, Stewart-Jones G, Shepherd D, Bossi G, Wooldridge L, Hutchinson SL, Sewell AK, Griffiths GM, van der Merwe PA, Jones EY, Galione A, Cerundolo V. Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum of NY-ESO-1-specific T cells is modulated by the affinity of TCR and by the use of the CD8 coreceptor. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2010; 184:1829-1839. [PMID: 20053942 PMCID: PMC4222200 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0902103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Although several cancer immunotherapy strategies are based on the use of analog peptides and on the modulation of the TCR affinity of adoptively transferred T cells, it remains unclear whether tumor-specific T cell activation by strong and weak TCR stimuli evoke different Ca(2+) signatures from the Ca(2+) intracellular stores and whether the amplitude of Ca(2+) release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) can be further modulated by coreceptor binding to peptide/MHC. In this study, we combined functional, structural, and kinetic measurements to correlate the intensity of Ca(2+) signals triggered by the stimulation of the 1G4 T cell clone specific to the tumor epitope NY-ESO-1(157-165). Two analogs of the NY-ESO-1(157-165) peptide, having similar affinity to HLA-A2 molecules, but a 6-fold difference in binding affinity for the 1G4 TCR, resulted in different Ca(2+) signals and T cell activation. 1G4 stimulation by the stronger stimulus emptied the ER of stored Ca(2+), even in the absence of CD8 binding, resulting in sustained Ca(2+) influx. In contrast, the weaker stimulus induced only partial emptying of stored Ca(2+), resulting in significantly diminished and oscillatory Ca(2+) signals, which were enhanced by CD8 binding. Our data define the range of TCR/peptide MHC affinities required to induce depletion of Ca(2+) from intracellular stores and provide insights into the ability of T cells to tailor the use of the CD8 coreceptor to enhance Ca(2+) release from the ER. This, in turn, modulates Ca(2+) influx from the extracellular environment, ultimately controlling T cell activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Li Chen
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, OX3 9DS, Oxford
| | - Anthony J. Morgan
- Dept of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3QT, UK
| | - Guillaume Stewart-Jones
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Dawn Shepherd
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, OX3 9DS, Oxford
| | - Giovanna Bossi
- Immunocore, Limited, 57c Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RX, UK
| | - Linda Wooldridge
- Dept of Infection, Immunity and Biochemistry, The Henry Wellcome Building, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, CF14 4XN
| | | | - Andrew K. Sewell
- Dept of Infection, Immunity and Biochemistry, The Henry Wellcome Building, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, CF14 4XN
| | - Gillian M. Griffiths
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, PO Box 139, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | | | - E. Yvonne Jones
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Antony Galione
- Dept of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3QT, UK
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17
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Li F, Yang D, Wang Y, Liu B, Deng Y, Wang L, Shang X, Tong W, Ni B, Wu Y. Identification and modification of an HLA-A*0201-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitope from Ran antigen. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2009; 58:2039-49. [PMID: 19430788 PMCID: PMC11030261 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-009-0712-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2009] [Accepted: 04/14/2009] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Ran is considered to be a promising target for tumor-specific immunotherapy because its protein is exclusively expressed in tumor tissues, though its mRNA can be expressed in most normal tissues. In our study, we obtained four candidate wild-type epitopes designated Ran1, Ran2, Ran3, and Ran4, derived from the Ran antigen with the highest predicted affinity with MHC-I, indicated by affinity prediction plots and molecular dynamics simulation. However, in vitro affinity assays of these epitopes showed only a moderate affinity with MHC-I. Thus, we designed altered peptide ligands (APLs) derived from Ran wild-type epitopes with preferred primary and auxiliary HLA-A*0201 molecule anchor residue replacement. Of the eight tested peptides, the 1Y analog had the strongest binding-affinity and lowest-dissociation rate to HLA-A*0201. Additionally, we investigated the CTLs activities induced by Ran wild-type peptides and the APLs in human PBMCs and in HLA-A*0201/K(b) transgenic mice. Ran1 1Y was superior to other APLs and wild-type peptides in eliciting epitope-specific CTL immune responses both in vitro and in vivo. In summary, a wild-type epitope of the tumor-specific antigen Ran, expressed broadly in many tumors, was identified and designated Ran1. An APL of Ran1, Ran1 1Y, was further designed and verified in vitro and in vivo and found to elicit a stronger Ran-specific CTL response, indicating a potential anti-tumor application in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Li
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, 400038 Chongqing, China
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, 400042 Chongqing, China
| | - Di Yang
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, 400038 Chongqing, China
| | - Yiqin Wang
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, 400038 Chongqing, China
- Department of Nephrology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, 400037 Chongqing, China
| | - Baohua Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, 400042 Chongqing, China
| | - Yijing Deng
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, 400038 Chongqing, China
- Department of Geriatric Gastroenterology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, 28 FuXing Street, 100853 Beijing, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, 400038 Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoyun Shang
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, 400038 Chongqing, China
| | - Weidong Tong
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, 400042 Chongqing, China
| | - Bing Ni
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, 400038 Chongqing, China
| | - Yuzhang Wu
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, 400038 Chongqing, China
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Bowerman NA, Crofts TS, Chlewicki L, Do P, Baker BM, Christopher Garcia K, Kranz DM. Engineering the binding properties of the T cell receptor:peptide:MHC ternary complex that governs T cell activity. Mol Immunol 2009; 46:3000-8. [PMID: 19595460 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2009.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2009] [Accepted: 06/16/2009] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The potency of a T cell is determined in large part by two interactions, binding of a cognate peptide to the MHC, and binding of the T cell receptor (TCR) to this pepMHC. Various studies have attempted to assess the relative importance of these interactions, and to correlate the corresponding binding parameters with the level of T cell activity mediated by the peptide. To further examine the properties that govern optimal T cell activity, here we engineered both the peptide:MHC interaction and the TCR:pepMHC interaction to generate improved T cell activity. Using a system involving the 2C TCR and its allogeneic pepMHC ligand, QL9-L(d), we show that a peptide substitution of QL9 (F5R), increased the affinity and stability of the pep-L(d) complex (e.g. cell surface t(1/2)-values of 13 min for QL9-L(d) versus 87 min for F5R-L(d)). However, activity of peptide F5R for 2C T cells was not enhanced because the 2C TCR bound with very low affinity to F5R-L(d) compared to QL9-L(d) (K(D)=300 microM and K(D)=1.6 microM, respectively). To improve the affinity, yeast display of the 2C TCR was used to engineer two mutant TCRs that exhibited higher affinity for F5R-L(d) (K(D)=1.2 and 6.3 microM). T cells that expressed these higher affinity TCRs were stimulated by F5R-L(d) in the absence of CD8, and the highest affinity TCR exhibited enhanced activity for F5R compared to QL9. The results provide a guide to designing the explicit binding parameters that govern optimal T cell activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie A Bowerman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Ave., Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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Bowerman NA, Colf LA, Garcia KC, Kranz DM. Different strategies adopted by K(b) and L(d) to generate T cell specificity directed against their respective bound peptides. J Biol Chem 2009; 284:32551-61. [PMID: 19755422 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m109.040501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Mouse T cell clone 2C recognizes two different major histocompatibility (MHC) ligands, the self MHC K(b) and the allogeneic MHC L(d). Two distinct peptides, SIY (SIYRYYGL) and QL9 (QLSPFPFDL), act as strong and specific agonists when bound to K(b) and L(d), respectively. To explore further the mechanisms involved in peptide potency and specificity, here we examined a collection of single amino acid peptide variants of SIY and QL9 for 1) T cell activity, 2) binding to their respective MHC, and 3) binding to the 2C T cell receptor (TCR) and high affinity TCR mutants. Characterization of SIY binding to MHC K(b) revealed significant effects of three SIY residues that were clearly embedded within the K(b) molecule. In contrast, QL9 binding to MHC L(d) was influenced by the majority of peptide side chains, distributed across the entire length of the peptide. Binding of the SIY-K(b) complex to the TCR involved three SIY residues that were pointed toward the TCR, whereas again the majority of QL9 residues influenced binding of TCRs, and thus the QL9 residues had impacts on both L(d) and TCR binding. In general, the magnitude of T cell activity mediated by a peptide variant was influenced more by peptide binding to MHC than by binding the TCR, especially for higher affinity TCRs. Findings with both systems, but QL9-L(d) in particular, suggest that many single-residue substitutions, introduced into peptides to improve their binding to MHC and thus their vaccine potential, could impair T cell reactivity due to their dual impact on TCR binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie A Bowerman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
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