T cells, the MHC, and function

Regulation of the tumor immune microenvironment by cancer-derived circular RNAs

Circular RNA (circRNAs) is a covalently closed circular non-coding RNA formed by reverse back-splicing from precursor messenger RNA. It is found widely in eukaryotic cells and can be released to the surrounding environment and captured by other cell types. This, circRNAs serve as connections between different cell types for the mediation of multiple signaling pathways. CircRNAs reshape the tumor microenvironment (TME), a key factor involved in all stages of cancer development, by regulating epithelial-stromal transformation, tumor vascularization, immune cell function, and inflammatory responses. Immune cells are the most abundant cellular TME components, and they have profound toxicity to cancer cells. This review summarizes circRNA regulation of immune cells, including T cells, natural killer cells, and macrophages; highlights the impact of circRNAs on tumor progression, treatment, and prognosis; and indicates new targets for tumor immunotherapy.

Immunophenotypic features of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes from mammary carcinomas in female dogs associated with prognostic factors and survival rates

Background

The immune system plays an important role in the multifactorial biologic system during the development of neoplasias. However, the involvement of the inflammatory response in the promotion/control of malignant cells is still controversial, and the cell subsets and the mechanisms involved are poorly investigated. The goal of this study was to characterize the clinical-pathological status and the immunophenotyping profile of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and their association with the animal survival rates in canine mammary carcinomas.

Methods

Fifty-one animals with mammary carcinomas, classified as carcinomas in mixed tumors-MC-BMT = 31 and carcinomas-MC = 20 were submitted to systematic clinical-pathological analysis (tumor size; presence of lymph node and pulmonary metastasis; clinical stage; histological grade; inflammatory distribution and intensity as well as the lymphocytic infiltrate intensity) and survival rates. Twenty-four animals (MC-BMT = 16 and MC = 8) were elected to the immunophenotypic study performed by flow cytometry.

Results

Data analysis demonstrated that clinical stage II-IV and histological grade was I more frequent in MC-BMT as compared to MC. Univariate analysis demonstrated that the intensity of inflammation (moderate/intense) and the proportion of CD4⁺ (≥ 66.7%) or CD8⁺ T-cells (<33.3%) were not associated with worse survival rate. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that only lymphocytic infiltrate intensity ≥ 600 (P = 0.02) remained as independent prognostic factor. Despite the clinical manifestation, the lymphocytes represented the predominant cell type in the tumor infiltrate. The percentage of T-cells was higher in animals with MC-BMT without metastasis, while the percentage of B-lymphocytes was greater in animals with metastasized MC-BMT (P < 0.05). The relative percentage of CD4⁺ T-cells was significantly greater in metastasized tumors (both MC-BMT and MC), (P < 0.05) while the proportion of CD8⁺ T-cells was higher in MC-BMT without metastasis. Consequently, the CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio was significantly increased in both groups with metastasis. Regardless of the tumor type, the animals with high proportions of CD4⁺ and low CD8⁺ T-cells had decreased survival rates.

Conclusion

The intensity of lymphocytic infiltrate and probably the relative abundance of the CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes may represent important survival prognostic biomarkers for canine mammary carcinomas.

Spectrofluorimetric and image recordings of spontaneous and lectin-induced cytosolic calcium oscillations in Jurkat T cells

Intracellular variations in Ca2+ concentrations have been measured in single Jurkat T lymphocyte variants (77 6.8 and E6.1) using Fura-2 as a probe. Under basal conditions, the cytosolic Ca2+ level is stable but some cells show spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations (frequency, 0.30 +/- 0.06 Hz). These oscillations are sensitive to the external concentration of Ca2+ since they can no longer be observed when the bathing solution is replaced (superfusion) with a Ca(2+)-free medium or when a Ca2+ chelator (EGTA) is added. Various changes in the cytosolic concentration of Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) can be observed when the cells are exposed to the mitogenic lectin phytohemagglutinin (PHA, 80 nM). For instance, in the case of non-oscillating cells, the lectin induces either a rapid increase in [Ca2+]i that is followed by a sustained response (plateau) or it triggers Ca2+ spikes. In the case of experiments done in Ca(2+)-free medium, only the initial spike was observed. In the case of spontaneously oscillating cells, PHA induces a rapid increase in [Ca2+]i that is followed by a plateau where oscillations are absent. In every case, the PHA-dependent Ca2+ response is abrogated in a Ca(2+)-free medium. Computer simulations based on the model of Goldbeter et al. [27] show that the various Ca2+ responses of Jurkat cells are related to the cytosolic level of free Ca2+. Video imaging analyses show that the cellular Ca2+ responses are not homogeneous whether the observations are made in spontaneously oscillating Jurkat cells or when they are exposed to PHA.

Effects of modulators of adenylyl cyclase on interleukin-2 production, cytosolic Ca2+ elevation, and K+ channel activity in Jurkat T cells

We have studied the effects of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and cholera toxin, two modulators of adenylyl cyclase, and 8-bromo cAMP (8-BrcAMP) on various parameters of lymphocyte activation using the human T cell line Jurkat. Our results show that PGE2 and cholera toxin inhibit, in a dose-related manner, the phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-dependent production of interleukin 2 by these cells. The data are consistent with the interpretation that the inhibition is due to an intracellular increase in cAMP, since the metabolically stable 8-BrcAMP analog produced the same inhibitory effect. However, PGE2 or 8-BrcAMP did not interfere with the PHA-induced elevation in the cytosolic concentration of Ca2+, suggesting that changes in the intracellular concentration of cAMP does not affect the internal release or the influx of Ca2+. In contrast, cholera toxin prevented the Ca2+ response of Jurkat cells to PHA. We studied the effects of PGE2, cholera toxin, and 8-BrcAMP on the amplitude of the K+ outward current using the patch clamp technique in the whole cell configuration. Results showed that PGE2, 8-BrcAMP, and cholera toxin inhibited K+ channel activity. For instance, the amplitude of the outward K+ current was reduced to 43 +/- 19%, 50 +/- 26%, and 46 +/- 16% of control values in the case of cells perfused in the presence of PGE2, 8-BrcAMP, and cholera toxin, respectively. Blocking K+ channels with tetraethylammonium ions did not prevent the characteristic Jurkat Ca2+ response to PHA. Our observations that cAMP inhibits K+ channel activity in a T cell line provide an additional explanation for its reported inhibition of lymphocyte activation. Increasing the intracellular concentration of cAMP may result in reduction of K+ movements and in negative modulation of signal transduction via G-proteins as previously suggested. These two effects could act in synergy to impair signal transduction.

Expression of the adhesion molecule ICAM-1 and major histocompatibility complex class I antigens on human tumor cells is required for their interaction with autologous lymphocytes in vitro

In a group of 30 human tumors, comprising 12 lung, 14 ovarian, 2 breast carcinomas, 1 hypernephroma and 1 mid-gut carcinoid, the expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules and the intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (CAM-1, CD54) was found to vary independently. Some tumors expressed both or neither of these molecules. Among 9/13 ICAM-1+ tumors, in which greater than 50% cells reacted with the anti-ICAM-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) (LB-2), the class I antigen was also detected on greater than 50% of the cells. Only 2 ICAM-1+ tumors were class-I-. In 5/17 cases the tumors were MHC-class-I+ and ICAM-1-. Lymphocytes collected from the blood or from the tumor site were assayed for recognition on the tumor cells in the auto-tumor cytotoxicity test and in mixed lymphocyte tumor cell culture (MLTC). Positive results were obtained only with the MHC-class-I+/ICAM-1+ tumors. In vitro treatment of the tumor cell suspensions with interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) induced or enhanced the ICAM-1 and/or class I antigen expression in 8/12 cases. Of the tumor samples treatged, 8/9 acquired stimulatory capacity and 3/10 became susceptible to lysis by the lymphocytes. In 6/6 MLTC performed with the cytokine-treated tumor cells, cytotoxicity against the autologous tumor was generated. Three of these MLTC lymphocytes also lysed the untreated targets. mAb directed to class I antigens or to ICAM-1 inhibited both the stimulation by and the lysis of tumor cells when confronted with fresh lymphocytes. The cytotoxicity generated in the MLTC was also inhibited. If, however, the cytotoxic function was induced in MTLC containing interleukin-2 (5 U/ml), inhibition was obtained only by pretreatment of the targets with mAb against ICAM-1. The results show thus (a) that the lymphocytes react in vitro with tumor cells only if these express both MHC class I molecules and ICAM-1; (b) that expression of these molecules can be induced by interferon alpha and TNF alpha; (c) that cytotoxic effectors generated in the MLTC with cytokine-treated tumors can also act on the untreated tumor cells. The requirement of the two surface moieties for the interaction with lymphocytes was also substantiated by blockade with relevant mAb.

Immunobiology of brain tumors

In summary, many actual interactions between tumors in the CNS and the immune system have been demonstrated. The normal brain does not possess a lymphatic system and is partially hidden from the systemic immune system by the BBB, furthermore brain cells do not express MHC antigens which are necessary for the initiation of an immune response. In pathological conditions however, immunocompetent cells may find their way through transformed endothelial cells. Microglia and astrocytes may function as antigen presenting cells. Glioma cells when stimulated by cytokines such as IFN gamma can be induced to express MHC class I and class II antigens, thus making them more susceptible to an immune attack. In addition glioma cells are capable of secreting several cytokines including IL 1, IL 3 and IL 6 also involved in the generation of an immune response. Indeed, a functional analysis of lymphocytes infiltrating gliomas has revealed the accumulation at the tumor site of cytotoxic T lymphocytes as well as NK cells. However host-immune responses against gliomas seem to be weak in comparison to other cancers. Glioma cells are known to secrete TGF beta 2 and PGE 2 which may in part be responsible for this lack of immune response, thus shielding themselves from immune attack. In order to be recognized by the immune system the tumor cells must express TAA in addition to MHC antigens, and such TAA have been identified by MAbs. These MAbs can be used for "targeted" therapy when coupled to toxic agents or radionuclides. Preclinical studies have shown that, after intravenous or intracarotid injection, there is specific accumulation of the MAb in the tumor but in insufficient amounts for therapeutic use. The relatively small amount of MAb binding to the tumor in vivo can be due to several factors: not all the cells in a single tumor express a given tumor-associated antigens, the MAb may have a low affinity for the antigen, the BBB may hinder the passage of the MAb. Attempts have been made to overcome these drawbacks by opening the BBB for example. In addition MAbs can readily be used for the treatment of carcinomatous meningitis. There has been little success in the development of immunotherapy with IFN beta 1 and even less with adoptive immunotherapy using LAK cells plus IL 2. TIL as well as LAK cells can be expanded in vitro with IL2 and it is feasible to reinject these cells into the tumor site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Membrane structures involved in auto-tumor recognition

Tumor patients' blood lymphocytes have the capacity to recognize autologous tumor cells in vitro. A consequence of this recognition is the proliferation of small-size, high-density, resting T cells. Both helper (CD4+) and cytotoxic/suppressor (CD8+) T lymphocytes proliferate in the mixed lymphocyte-tumor cell cultures. In contrast to the autologous mixed lymphocyte cultures, both the auto-erythrocyte rosetting and non-rosetting (AE+ and AE-) T cells participate in the auto-tumor response. In contrast to stimulation by virus-infected or hapten-modified cells, DR antigen expression is not essential for stimulation by autologous tumor cells. In a proportion of cancer patients, blood lymphocytes have the capacity to lyse the patients' own tumor cells in vitro. There are two populations of lymphocytes with auto-tumor cytotoxic function. The first is characterized by low buoyant density and by non-adaptive cytotoxicity. In contrast to the recognition of hapten-modified or virus-infected target cells by the CTL, recognition of autologous tumor cells by the cytotoxic LD cells occurs even when the MHC class I antigens are blocked by mAb. The CD3 complex is also not involved in LD-mediated lysis. The other population with auto-tumor cytotoxic function comprises high-density, resting T cells. Recognition of autologous tumor cells by cytotoxic HD lymphocytes shares the characteristics of CTLs, i.e., their function is abrogated by pretreatment of the effectors with mAbs directed to the T3 receptor complex and by preincubation of the targets with mAb to the MHC class I antigens. Cytotoxicity of HD cells is restricted to the autologous tumor cells. This selectivity and the characteristics shared with CTL suggest that the auto-tumor reactivity of HD lymphocytes reflects an immune response against the autologous tumor.

Immunogenetics

The 1985 Catalog of Mapped Genes (Human Gene Mapping 8; 33) has been used to pick out the known, immunologically important genes; these are then discussed in the following order: genes controlling organs, tissues and cells of the immune apparatus, genes determining 'self' structures, genes determining the structures of immunological specificity, genes determining substances with immunoregulatory and effector properties. The symbols for the genes and the biological functions of their products are explained. The genetics of the ABO blood groups, of the HLA-system and of antibody formation are given in rather more detail.