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Willemen Y, Van den Bergh JMJ, Lion E, Anguille S, Roelandts VAE, Van Acker HH, Heynderickx SDI, Stein BMH, Peeters M, Figdor CG, Van Tendeloo VFI, de Vries IJ, Adema GJ, Berneman ZN, Smits ELJ. Engineering monocyte-derived dendritic cells to secrete interferon-α enhances their ability to promote adaptive and innate anti-tumor immune effector functions. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2015; 64:831-42. [PMID: 25863943 PMCID: PMC11028489 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-015-1688-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2014] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Dendritic cell (DC) vaccination has demonstrated potential in clinical trials as a new effective cancer treatment, but objective and durable clinical responses are confined to a minority of patients. Interferon (IFN)-α, a type-I IFN, can bolster anti-tumor immunity by restoring or increasing the function of DCs, T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. Moreover, type-I IFN signaling on DCs was found to be essential in mice for tumor rejection by the innate and adaptive immune system. Targeted delivery of IFN-α by DCs to immune cells could boost the generation of anti-tumor immunity, while avoiding the side effects frequently associated with systemic administration. Naturally circulating plasmacytoid DCs, major producers of type-I IFN, were already shown capable of inducing tumor antigen-specific T cell responses in cancer patients without severe toxicity, but their limited number complicates their use in cancer vaccination. In the present work, we hypothesized that engineering easily generated human monocyte-derived mature DCs to secrete IFN-α using mRNA electroporation enhances their ability to promote adaptive and innate anti-tumor immunity. Our results show that IFN-α mRNA electroporation of DCs significantly increases the stimulation of tumor antigen-specific cytotoxic T cell as well as anti-tumor NK cell effector functions in vitro through high levels of IFN-α secretion. Altogether, our findings mark IFN-α mRNA-electroporated DCs as potent inducers of both adaptive and innate anti-tumor immunity and pave the way for clinical trial evaluation in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Willemen
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerp, 2610, Belgium,
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Anguille S, Van Acker HH, Van den Bergh J, Willemen Y, Goossens H, Van Tendeloo VF, Smits EL, Berneman ZN, Lion E. Interleukin-15 Dendritic Cells Harness NK Cell Cytotoxic Effector Function in a Contact- and IL-15-Dependent Manner. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0123340. [PMID: 25951230 PMCID: PMC4423923 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The contribution of natural killer (NK) cells to the treatment efficacy of dendritic cell (DC)-based cancer vaccines is being increasingly recognized. Much current efforts to optimize this form of immunotherapy are therefore geared towards harnessing the NK cell-stimulatory ability of DCs. In this study, we investigated whether generation of human monocyte-derived DCs with interleukin (IL)-15 followed by activation with a Toll-like receptor stimulus endows these DCs, commonly referred to as "IL-15 DCs", with the capacity to stimulate NK cells. In a head-to-head comparison with "IL-4 DCs" used routinely for clinical studies, IL-15 DCs were found to induce a more activated, cytotoxic effector phenotype in NK cells, in particular in the CD56bright NK cell subset. With the exception of GM-CSF, no significant enhancement of cytokine/chemokine secretion was observed following co-culture of NK cells with IL-15 DCs. IL-15 DCs, but not IL-4 DCs, promoted NK cell tumoricidal activity towards both NK-sensitive and NK-resistant targets. This effect was found to require cell-to-cell contact and to be mediated by DC surface-bound IL-15. This study shows that DCs can express a membrane-bound form of IL-15 through which they enhance NK cell cytotoxic function. The observed lack of membrane-bound IL-15 on "gold-standard" IL-4 DCs and their consequent inability to effectively promote NK cell cytotoxicity may have important implications for the future design of DC-based cancer vaccine studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Anguille
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tumor Immunology Group (TIGR), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium
- Center for Cell Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Heleen H. Van Acker
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tumor Immunology Group (TIGR), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Johan Van den Bergh
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tumor Immunology Group (TIGR), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Yannick Willemen
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tumor Immunology Group (TIGR), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Herman Goossens
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tumor Immunology Group (TIGR), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Viggo F. Van Tendeloo
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tumor Immunology Group (TIGR), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Evelien L. Smits
- Center for Cell Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
- Center for Oncological Research, University of Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Zwi N. Berneman
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tumor Immunology Group (TIGR), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium
- Center for Cell Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Eva Lion
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tumor Immunology Group (TIGR), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium
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Ammi R, De Waele J, Willemen Y, Van Brussel I, Schrijvers DM, Lion E, Smits ELJ. Poly(I:C) as cancer vaccine adjuvant: knocking on the door of medical breakthroughs. Pharmacol Ther 2014; 146:120-31. [PMID: 25281915 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2014.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2014] [Accepted: 09/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Although cancer vaccination has yielded promising results in patients, the objective response rates are low. The right choice of adjuvant might improve the efficacy. Here, we review the biological rationale, as well as the preclinical and clinical results of polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid and its derivative poly-ICLC as cancer vaccine adjuvants. These synthetic immunological danger signals enhanced vaccine-induced anti-tumor immune responses and contributed to tumor elimination in animal tumor models and patients. Supported by these results, poly-ICLC-containing cancer vaccines are currently extensively studied in the ongoing trials, making it highly plausible that poly-ICLC will be part of the future approved cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachid Ammi
- Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, B-2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jorrit De Waele
- Center for Oncological Research, University of Antwerp, B-2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Yannick Willemen
- Tumor Immunology Group, Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, B-2650 Edegem, Belgium
| | - Ilse Van Brussel
- Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, B-2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Dorien M Schrijvers
- Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, B-2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Eva Lion
- Tumor Immunology Group, Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, B-2650 Edegem, Belgium; Center for Cell Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, B-2650 Edegem, Belgium
| | - Evelien L J Smits
- Center for Oncological Research, University of Antwerp, B-2610 Antwerp, Belgium; Tumor Immunology Group, Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, B-2650 Edegem, Belgium; Center for Cell Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, B-2650 Edegem, Belgium.
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Lion E, de Winde CM, Van Tendeloo VFI, Smits ELJM. Loading of acute myeloid leukemia cells with poly(I:C) by electroporation. Methods Mol Biol 2014; 1139:233-241. [PMID: 24619684 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-0345-0_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In this chapter, we describe the technique of electroporation as an efficient method to load primary leukemic cells with the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) analogue, polyriboinosinic polyribocytidylic acid (poly(I:C)), and detail on the delicate freezing and thawing procedure of primary leukemic cells.Electroporation is a non-viral gene transfer method by which short-term pores in the membrane of cells are generated by an electrical pulse, allowing molecules to enter the cell. RNA electroporation, a technique developed in our laboratory, is a widely used and versatile transfection method for efficient introduction of both coding RNA (messenger RNA) and non-coding RNA, e.g., dsRNA and small interfering (siRNA), into mammalian cells. Accurate cell processing and storage of patient material is essential for optimal recovery and quality of the cell product for downstream applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Lion
- Tumor Immunology Group, Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Lion E, Smits ELJM, Berneman ZN, Van Tendeloo VFI. NK cells: key to success of DC-based cancer vaccines? Oncologist 2012; 17:1256-70. [PMID: 22907975 DOI: 10.1634/theoncologist.2011-0122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The cytotoxic and regulatory antitumor functions of natural killer (NK) cells have become attractive targets for immunotherapy. Manipulation of specific NK cell functions and their reciprocal interactions with dendritic cells (DCs) might hold therapeutic promise. In this review, we focus on the engagement of NK cells in DC-based cancer vaccination strategies, providing a comprehensive overview of current in vivo experimental and clinical DC vaccination studies encompassing the monitoring of NK cells. From these studies, it is clear that NK cells play a key regulatory role in the generation of DC-induced antitumor immunity, favoring the concept that targeting both innate and adaptive immune mechanisms may synergistically promote clinical outcome. However, to date, DC vaccination trials are only infrequently accompanied by NK cell monitoring. Here, we discuss different strategies to improve DC vaccine preparations via exploitation of NK cells and provide a summary of relevant NK cell parameters for immune monitoring. We underscore that the design of DC-based cancer vaccines should include the evaluation of their NK cell stimulating potency both in the preclinical phase and in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Lion
- Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (Vaxinfectio), Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, TIGR, University of Antwerp (UA), Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), Wilrijkstraat 10, B-2650 Antwerp, Belgium.
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Hematological malignancies escape from NK cell innate immune surveillance: mechanisms and therapeutic implications. Clin Dev Immunol 2012; 2012:421702. [PMID: 22899948 PMCID: PMC3415262 DOI: 10.1155/2012/421702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2012] [Revised: 06/01/2012] [Accepted: 06/03/2012] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Hematological malignancies treatment improved over the last years resulting in increased achievement of complete or partial remission, but unfortunately high relapse rates are still observed. Therefore, sustainment of long-term remission is crucial. Immune system has a key role in tumor surveillance. Natural killer (NK) cells, at the frontier of innate and adaptive immune system, have a central role in tumor cells surveillance as demonstrated in the setting of allogenic stem cell transplantation. Nevertheless, tumor cells develop various mechanisms to escape from NK cells innate immune pressure. Abnormal NK cytolytic functions have been described in nearly all hematological malignancies. We present here various mechanisms involved in the escape of hematological malignancies from NK cells surveillance: NK cells quantitative deficiency and NK cell qualitative deficiency by increased inhibition signaling or decreased activating stimuli. A challenge of immunotherapy is to restore an efficient antitumor response. A combination of classical therapy plus immune modulation strategies will soon become a standard of care for hematological malignancies.
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Lion E, Anguille S, Berneman ZN, Smits ELJM, Van Tendeloo VFI. Poly(I:C) enhances the susceptibility of leukemic cells to NK cell cytotoxicity and phagocytosis by DC. PLoS One 2011; 6:e20952. [PMID: 21698118 PMCID: PMC3117863 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0020952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2011] [Accepted: 05/13/2011] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
α Active specific immunotherapy aims at stimulating the host's immune system to recognize and eradicate malignant cells. The concomitant activation of dendritic cells (DC) and natural killer (NK) cells is an attractive modality for immune-based therapies. Inducing immunogenic cell death to facilitate tumor cell recognition and phagocytosis by neighbouring immune cells is of utmost importance for guiding the outcome of the immune response. We previously reported that acute myeloid leukemic (AML) cells in response to electroporation with the synthetic dsRNA analogue poly(I:C) exert improved immunogenicity, demonstrated by enhanced DC-activating and NK cell interferon-γ-inducing capacities. To further invigorate the potential of these immunogenic tumor cells, we explored their effect on the phagocytic and cytotoxic capacity of DC and NK cells, respectively. Using single-cell analysis, we assessed these functionalities in two- and three-party cocultures. Following poly(I:C) electroporation AML cells become highly susceptible to NK cell-mediated killing and phagocytosis by DC. Moreover, the enhanced killing and the improved uptake are strongly correlated. Interestingly, tumor cell killing, but not phagocytosis, is further enhanced in three-party cocultures provided that these tumor cells were upfront electroporated with poly(I:C). Altogether, poly(I:C)-electroporated AML cells potently activate DC and NK cell functions and stimulate NK-DC cross-talk in terms of tumor cell killing. These data strongly support the use of poly(I:C) as a cancer vaccine component, providing a way to overcome immune evasion by leukemic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Lion
- Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (Vaxinfectio), Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
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Smits ELJ, Lee C, Hardwick N, Brooks S, Van Tendeloo VFI, Orchard K, Guinn BA. Clinical evaluation of cellular immunotherapy in acute myeloid leukaemia. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2011; 60:757-69. [PMID: 21519825 PMCID: PMC11029703 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-011-1022-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2010] [Accepted: 04/08/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy is currently under active investigation as an adjuvant therapy to improve the overall survival of patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) by eliminating residual leukaemic cells following standard therapy. The graft-versus-leukaemia effect observed following allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation has already demonstrated the significant role of immune cells in controlling AML, paving the way to further exploitation of this effect in optimized immunotherapy protocols. In this review, we discuss the current state of cellular immunotherapy as adjuvant therapy for AML, with a particular focus on new strategies and recently published results of preclinical and clinical studies. Therapeutic vaccines that are being tested in AML include whole tumour cells as an autologous source of multiple leukaemia-associated antigens (LAA) and autologous dendritic cells loaded with LAA as effective antigen-presenting cells. Furthermore, adoptive transfer of cytotoxic T cells or natural killer cells is under active investigation. Results from phase I and II trials are promising and support further investigation into the potential of cellular immunotherapeutic strategies to prevent or fight relapse in AML patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelien L J Smits
- Laboratory of Experimental Haematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650, Antwerp, Belgium.
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Abstract
Interferon-α (IFN-α), a type I IFN, is a well-known antitumoral agent. The investigation of its clinical properties in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has been prompted by its pleiotropic antiproliferative and immune effects. So far, integration of IFN-α in the therapeutic arsenal against AML has been modest in view of the divergent results of clinical trials. Recent insights into the key pharmacokinetic determinants of the clinical efficacy of IFN along with advances in its pharmaceutical formulation, have sparked renewed interest in its use. This paper reviews the possible applicability of IFN-α in the treatment of AML and provides a rational basis to re-explore its efficacy in clinical trials.
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Lion E, Smits ELJM, Berneman ZN, Van Tendeloo VFI. Quantification of IFN-gamma produced by human purified NK cells following tumor cell stimulation: comparison of three IFN-gamma assays. J Immunol Methods 2009; 350:89-96. [PMID: 19733573 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2009.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2009] [Revised: 08/25/2009] [Accepted: 08/26/2009] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Interferon (IFN)-gamma released by natural killer (NK) cells has become a subject of major interest, given its importance in bridging the innate and adaptive immune system. Interestingly, reports concerning tumor cell stimulation of NK cells show divergent data on which stimuli induce IFN-gamma production. Here, the question remains whether tumor cell recognition is sufficient to trigger IFN-gamma or whether a second signal is required such as type I IFN. While IFN-gamma detection methods are abundantly used with peripheral blood mononuclear cells or purified T cell fractions as responder populations, only limited data is available about comparison of these assays with purified NK cells. In this study, we assessed the relationship between stimulation of human purified resting peripheral blood NK cells with one (tumor cell or IFN-alpha) and two (tumor cell+IFN-alpha) signals by measuring IFN-gamma using three different assays. We performed the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay and intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) assay in parallel per donor and determined whether there was a correlation between these assays. Our results show that two-signal stimulation of human resting NK cells induces significantly more IFN-gamma as compared to one-signal stimulation, readily picked up by all assays. Moreover, statistical analysis points towards a positive correlation between these assays for IFN-gamma produced following two-signal stimulation. Importantly, we show that tumor cell stimulation alone is enough to trigger secretion of IFN-gamma, but this finding was only evidenced by ELISPOT. These results reveal that the choice of IFN-gamma detection method can markedly influence the outcome regarding induction of NK cell IFN-gamma by tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Lion
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, Antwerp B-2650, Belgium.
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