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Oya Y, Tanaka Y, Nakazawa T, Matsumura R, Glass DD, Nakajima H, Shevach EM. Polyclonally Derived Alloantigen-Specific T Regulatory Cells Exhibit Target-Specific Suppression and Capture MHC Class II from Dendritic Cells. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2024; 212:1891-1903. [PMID: 38683146 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Foxp3+ T regulatory (Treg) cells prevent allograft rejection and graft-versus-host disease. Although polyclonal Tregs have been used both in animal models and in humans, the fine specificity of their suppressive function is poorly defined. We have generated mouse recipient-derived alloantigen-specific Tregs in vitro and explored the fine specificity of their suppressive function and their mechanism of action in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, when alloantigen and peptide Ag were both presented on the same dendritic cell, both responses were suppressed by iTregs specific either for the alloantigen or for the peptide Ag. In vivo, iTreg suppression was limited to the cognate Ag, and no bystander suppression was observed when both allo-antigen and peptide Ag were present on the same dendritic cell. In vitro, alloantigen-specific Tregs captured cognate MHC but failed to capture noncognate MHC. Our results demonstrate that a polyclonal population of iTregs generated from naive T cells can mediate highly specific function in vivo and support the view that Treg therapy, even with unselected polyclonal populations, is likely to be target antigen-specific and that bystander responses to self-antigens or to infectious agents are unlikely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiro Oya
- Laboratory of Autoimmune Diseases, Department of Clinical Research, National Hospital Organization Chibahigashi National Hospital, Chiba City, Chiba, Japan
- Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
- Department of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, National Hospital Organization Chibahigashi National Hospital, Chiba City, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yasuyo Tanaka
- Laboratory of Autoimmune Diseases, Department of Clinical Research, National Hospital Organization Chibahigashi National Hospital, Chiba City, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takuya Nakazawa
- Department of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, National Hospital Organization Chibahigashi National Hospital, Chiba City, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ryutaro Matsumura
- Department of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, National Hospital Organization Chibahigashi National Hospital, Chiba City, Chiba, Japan
| | - Deborah D Glass
- Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Hiroshi Nakajima
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba City, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ethan M Shevach
- Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
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2
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Pacini CP, Soares MVD, Lacerda JF. The impact of regulatory T cells on the graft-versus-leukemia effect. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1339318. [PMID: 38711496 PMCID: PMC11070504 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1339318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (allo-HSCT) is the only curative therapy for many hematologic malignancies, whereby the Graft-versus-Leukemia (GVL) effect plays a pivotal role in controlling relapse. However, the success of GVL is hindered by Graft-versus-Host Disease (GVHD), where donor T cells attack healthy tissues in the recipient. The ability of natural regulatory T cells (Treg) to suppress immune responses has been exploited as a therapeutical option against GVHD. Still, it is crucial to evaluate if the ability of Treg to suppress GVHD does not compromise the benefits of GVL. Initial studies in animal models suggest that Treg can attenuate GVHD while preserving GVL, but results vary according to tumor type. Human trials using Treg as GVHD prophylaxis or treatment show promising results, emphasizing the importance of infusion timing and Treg/Tcon ratios. In this review, we discuss strategies that can be used aiming to enhance GVL post-Treg infusion and the proposed mechanisms for the maintenance of the GVL effect upon the adoptive Treg transfer. In order to optimize the therapeutic outcomes of Treg administration in allo-HSCT, future efforts should focus on refining Treg sources for infusion and evaluating their specificity for antigens mediating GVHD while preserving GVL responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina P. Pacini
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria V. D. Soares
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - João F. Lacerda
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Serviço de Hematologia e Transplantação de Medula, Hospital de Santa Maria, ULS Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal
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3
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Dittmar DJ, Pielmeier F, Strieder N, Fischer A, Herbst M, Stanewsky H, Wenzl N, Röseler E, Eder R, Gebhard C, Schwarzfischer-Pfeilschifter L, Albrecht C, Herr W, Edinger M, Hoffmann P, Rehli M. Donor regulatory T cells rapidly adapt to recipient tissues to control murine acute graft-versus-host disease. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3224. [PMID: 38622133 PMCID: PMC11018811 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47575-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The adoptive transfer of regulatory T cells is a promising strategy to prevent graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Here, we use a major histocompatibility complex-mismatched mouse model to follow the fate of in vitro expanded donor regulatory T cells upon migration to target organs. Employing comprehensive gene expression and repertoire profiling, we show that they retain their suppressive function and plasticity after transfer. Upon entering non-lymphoid tissues, donor regulatory T cells acquire organ-specific gene expression profiles resembling tissue-resident cells and activate hallmark suppressive and cytotoxic pathways, most evidently in the colon, when co-transplanted with graft-versus-host disease-inducing conventional T cells. Dominant T cell receptor clonotypes overlap between organs and across recipients and their relative abundance correlates with protection efficacy. Thus, this study reveals donor regulatory T cell selection and adaptation mechanisms in target organs and highlights protective features of Treg to guide the development of improved graft-versus-host disease prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Dittmar
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
- BioNTech SE, 82061, Neuried, Germany
| | - Franziska Pielmeier
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Alexander Fischer
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Michael Herbst
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, Research Unit Tumorimmunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hanna Stanewsky
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Niklas Wenzl
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Eveline Röseler
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Eder
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Claudia Gebhard
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Christin Albrecht
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Herr
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Edinger
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Petra Hoffmann
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Michael Rehli
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
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Kean LS, Blazar BR. Major breakthroughs in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and future challenges in clinical implementation. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e179944. [PMID: 38618950 PMCID: PMC11014654 DOI: 10.1172/jci179944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Leslie S. Kean
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bruce R. Blazar
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Blood & Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapy, and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Sligar C, Reilly E, Cuthbertson P, Vine KL, Bird KM, Elhage A, Alexander SI, Sluyter R, Watson D. Graft-versus-leukaemia immunity is retained following treatment with post-transplant cyclophosphamide alone or combined with tocilizumab in humanised mice. Clin Transl Immunology 2024; 13:e1497. [PMID: 38495918 PMCID: PMC10941522 DOI: 10.1002/cti2.1497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives Donor haematopoietic stem cell transplantation treats leukaemia by inducing graft-versus-leukaemia (GVL) immunity. However, this benefit is often mitigated by graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which is reduced by post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) alone or combined with tocilizumab (TOC) in humanised mice. This study established a preclinical humanised mouse model of GVL and investigated whether PTCy alone or combined with TOC impacts GVL immunity. Methods NOD-scid-IL2Rγnull mice were injected with 2 × 107 human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMCs) on day 0 and with 1 × 106 THP-1 acute myeloid leukaemia cells on day 14. In subsequent experiments, mice were also injected with PTCy (33 mg kg-1) or Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline (PBS) on days 3 and 4, alone or combined with TOC or control antibody (25 mg kg-1) twice weekly for 28 days. Clinical signs of disease were monitored until day 42. Results Mice with hPBMCs from three different donors and THP-1 cells showed similar survival, clinical score and weight loss. hCD33+ leukaemia cells were minimal in mice reconstituted with hPBMCs from two donors but present in mice with hPBMCs from a third donor, suggesting donor-specific GVL responses. hPBMC-injected mice treated with PTCy alone or combined with TOC (PTCy + TOC) demonstrated prolonged survival compared to control mice. PTCy alone and PTCy + TOC-treated mice with hPBMCs showed minimal hepatic hCD33+ leukaemia cells, indicating sustained GVL immunity. Further, the combination of PTCy + TOC reduced histological damage in the lung and liver. Conclusion Collectively, this research demonstrates that PTCy alone or combined with TOC impairs GVHD without compromising GVL immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Sligar
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular BioscienceUniversity of WollongongWollongongNSWAustralia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research InstituteWollongongNSWAustralia
| | - Ellie Reilly
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular BioscienceUniversity of WollongongWollongongNSWAustralia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research InstituteWollongongNSWAustralia
| | - Peter Cuthbertson
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular BioscienceUniversity of WollongongWollongongNSWAustralia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research InstituteWollongongNSWAustralia
| | - Kara L Vine
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular BioscienceUniversity of WollongongWollongongNSWAustralia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research InstituteWollongongNSWAustralia
| | - Katrina M Bird
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular BioscienceUniversity of WollongongWollongongNSWAustralia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research InstituteWollongongNSWAustralia
| | - Amal Elhage
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular BioscienceUniversity of WollongongWollongongNSWAustralia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research InstituteWollongongNSWAustralia
| | | | - Ronald Sluyter
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular BioscienceUniversity of WollongongWollongongNSWAustralia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research InstituteWollongongNSWAustralia
| | - Debbie Watson
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular BioscienceUniversity of WollongongWollongongNSWAustralia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research InstituteWollongongNSWAustralia
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Singh V, Nandi S, Ghosh A, Adhikary S, Mukherjee S, Roy S, Das C. Epigenetic reprogramming of T cells: unlocking new avenues for cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024; 43:175-195. [PMID: 38233727 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-024-10167-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
T cells, a key component of cancer immunotherapy, undergo a variety of histone modifications and DNA methylation changes since their bone marrow progenitor stages before developing into CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. These T cell types can be categorized into distinct subtypes based on their functionality and properties, such as cytotoxic T cells (Tc), helper T cells (Th), and regulatory T cells (Treg) as subtypes for CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. Among these, the CD4+ CD25+ Tregs potentially contribute to cancer development and progression by lowering T effector (Teff) cell activity under the influence of the tumor microenvironment (TME). This contributes to the development of therapeutic resistance in patients with cancer. Subsequently, these individuals become resistant to monoclonal antibody therapy as well as clinically established immunotherapies. In this review, we delineate the different epigenetic mechanisms in cancer immune response and its involvement in therapeutic resistance. Furthermore, the possibility of epi-immunotherapeutic methods based on histone deacetylase inhibitors and histone methyltransferase inhibitors are under investigation. In this review we highlight EZH2 as the principal driver of cancer cell immunoediting and an immune escape regulator. We have addressed in detail how understanding T cell epigenetic regulation might bring unique inventive strategies to overcome drug resistance and increase the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vipin Singh
- Biophysics and Structural Genomics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata, 700064, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, 400094, India
| | - Sandhik Nandi
- Biophysics and Structural Genomics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata, 700064, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, 400094, India
| | - Aritra Ghosh
- Biophysics and Structural Genomics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata, 700064, India
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Santanu Adhikary
- Biophysics and Structural Genomics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata, 700064, India
- Structural Biology & Bio-Informatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata, 700032, India
| | - Shravanti Mukherjee
- Biophysics and Structural Genomics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata, 700064, India
| | - Siddhartha Roy
- Structural Biology & Bio-Informatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata, 700032, India
| | - Chandrima Das
- Biophysics and Structural Genomics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata, 700064, India.
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, 400094, India.
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Becker M, Dirschl SM, Scherm MG, Serr I, Daniel C. Niche-specific control of tissue function by regulatory T cells-Current challenges and perspectives for targeting metabolic disease. Cell Metab 2024; 36:229-239. [PMID: 38218187 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Tissue regulatory T cells (Tregs) exert pivotal functions in both immune and metabolic regulation, maintaining local tissue homeostasis, integrity, and function. Accordingly, Tregs play a crucial role in controlling obesity-induced inflammation and supporting efficient muscle function and repair. Depending on the tissue context, Tregs are characterized by unique transcriptomes, growth, and survival factors and T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires. This functional specialization offers the potential to selectively target context-specific Treg populations, tailoring therapeutic strategies to specific niches, thereby minimizing potential side effects. Here, we discuss challenges and perspectives for niche-specific Treg targeting, which holds promise for highly efficient and precise medical interventions to combat metabolic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maike Becker
- Research Division Type 1 Diabetes Immunology, Helmholtz Diabetes Center at Helmholtz Zentrum München, 80939 Munich, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum für Diabetesforschung (DZD), 85764 Munich, Germany
| | - Sandra M Dirschl
- Research Division Type 1 Diabetes Immunology, Helmholtz Diabetes Center at Helmholtz Zentrum München, 80939 Munich, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum für Diabetesforschung (DZD), 85764 Munich, Germany
| | - Martin G Scherm
- Research Division Type 1 Diabetes Immunology, Helmholtz Diabetes Center at Helmholtz Zentrum München, 80939 Munich, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum für Diabetesforschung (DZD), 85764 Munich, Germany
| | - Isabelle Serr
- Research Division Type 1 Diabetes Immunology, Helmholtz Diabetes Center at Helmholtz Zentrum München, 80939 Munich, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum für Diabetesforschung (DZD), 85764 Munich, Germany
| | - Carolin Daniel
- Research Division Type 1 Diabetes Immunology, Helmholtz Diabetes Center at Helmholtz Zentrum München, 80939 Munich, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum für Diabetesforschung (DZD), 85764 Munich, Germany; Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80336 Munich, Germany.
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8
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Thiolat A, Pilon C, Caudana P, Moatti A, To NH, Sedlik C, Leclerc M, Maury S, Piaggio E, Cohen JL. Treg-targeted IL-2/anti-IL-2 complex controls graft- versus-host disease and supports anti-tumor effect in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Haematologica 2024; 109:129-142. [PMID: 37706355 PMCID: PMC10772500 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2022.282653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Modulating an immune response in opposite directions represents the holy grail in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) to avoid insufficient reactivity of donor T cells and hematologic malignancy relapse while controlling the potential development of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), in which donor T cells attack the recipient's tissues. IL-2/anti-IL-2 complexes (IL-2Cx) represent a therapeutic option to selectively accentuate or dampen the immune response. In dedicated experimental models of allo-HSCT, including also human cells injected in immunodeficient NSG mice, we evaluated side-by-side the therapeutic effect of two IL-2Cx designed either to boost regulatory T cells (Treg) or alternatively to activate effector T cells (Teff), on GVHD occurrence and tumor relapse. We also evaluated the effect of the complexes on the phenotype and function of immune cells in vivo. Unexpectedly, both pro-Treg and pro-Teff IL-2Cx prevented GVHD development. They both induced Treg expansion and reduced CD8+ T-cell numbers, compared to untreated mice. However, only mice treated with the pro-Treg IL-2Cx, showed a dramatic reduction of exhausted CD8+ T cells, consistent with a potent anti-tumor effect. When evaluated on human cells, pro-Treg IL-2Cx also preferentially induced Treg expansion in vitro and in vivo, while allowing the development of a potent anti-tumor effect in NSG mice. Our results demonstrate the clinical relevance of using a pro-Treg, but not a pro-Teff IL2Cx to modulate alloreactivity after HSCT, while promoting a graft-versus-leukemia effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allan Thiolat
- Univ Paris Est Créteil, INSERM U955, IMRB, F-94010 Créteil
| | - Caroline Pilon
- Univ Paris Est Créteil, INSERM U955, IMRB, F-94010 Créteil, France; AP-HP, Groupe hospitalo-universitaire Chenevier Mondor, Centre d'Investigation Clinique Biothérapie, Fédération hospitalo-Universitaire TRUE, F-94010 Créteil
| | - Pamela Caudana
- INSERM U932, PSL Research University, Institute Curie Research Center, Paris, France; Department of Translational Research, PSL Research University, Institut Curie Research Center, Paris
| | - Audrey Moatti
- Univ Paris Est Créteil, INSERM U955, IMRB, F-94010 Créteil
| | - Nhu Hanh To
- Univ Paris Est Créteil, INSERM U955, IMRB, F-94010 Créteil
| | - Christine Sedlik
- INSERM U932, PSL Research University, Institute Curie Research Center, Paris, France; Department of Translational Research, PSL Research University, Institut Curie Research Center, Paris
| | - Mathieu Leclerc
- Univ Paris Est Créteil, INSERM U955, IMRB, F-94010 Créteil, France; AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalo-Universitaire Chenevier Mondor, Service d'Hématologie Clinique, F-94010 Créteil
| | - Sébastien Maury
- Univ Paris Est Créteil, INSERM U955, IMRB, F-94010 Créteil, France; AP-HP, Groupe hospitalo-universitaire Chenevier Mondor, Centre d'Investigation Clinique Biothérapie, Fédération hospitalo-Universitaire TRUE, F-94010 Créteil, France; AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalo-Universitaire Chenevier Mondor, Service d'Hématologie Clinique, F-94010 Créteil
| | - Eliane Piaggio
- INSERM U932, PSL Research University, Institute Curie Research Center, Paris, France; Department of Translational Research, PSL Research University, Institut Curie Research Center, Paris
| | - José L Cohen
- Univ Paris Est Créteil, INSERM U955, IMRB, F-94010 Créteil, France; AP-HP, Groupe hospitalo-universitaire Chenevier Mondor, Centre d'Investigation Clinique Biothérapie, Fédération hospitalo-Universitaire TRUE, F-94010 Créteil.
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Guarnera L, Santinelli E, Galossi E, Cristiano A, Fabiani E, Falconi G, Voso MT. Microenvironment in acute myeloid leukemia: focus on senescence mechanisms, therapeutic interactions, and future directions. Exp Hematol 2024; 129:104118. [PMID: 37741607 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a disease with a dismal prognosis, mainly affecting the elderly. In recent years, new drugs have improved life expectancy and quality of life, and a better understanding of the genetic-molecular nature of the disease has shed light on previously unknown aspects of leukemogenesis. In parallel, increasing attention has been attracted to the complex interactions between cells and soluble factors in the bone marrow (BM) environment, collectively known as the microenvironment. In this review, we discuss the central role of the microenvironment in physiologic and pathologic hematopoiesis and the mechanisms of senescence, considered a fundamental protective mechanism against the proliferation of damaged and pretumoral cells. The microenvironment also represents a fertile ground for the development of myeloid malignancies, and the leukemic niche significantly interacts with drugs commonly used in AML treatment. Finally, we focus on the role of the microenvironment in the engraftment and complications of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the only curative option in a conspicuous proportion of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Guarnera
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Santinelli
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
| | - Elisa Galossi
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Cristiano
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Emiliano Fabiani
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy; Saint Camillus International, University of Health Sciences, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Falconi
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Voso
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy; Neuro-Oncohematology Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
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10
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Baron KJ, Turnquist HR. Clinical Manufacturing of Regulatory T Cell Products For Adoptive Cell Therapy and Strategies to Improve Therapeutic Efficacy. Organogenesis 2023; 19:2164159. [PMID: 36681905 PMCID: PMC9870008 DOI: 10.1080/15476278.2022.2164159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Based on successes in preclinical animal transplant models, adoptive cell therapy (ACT) with regulatory T cells (Tregs) is a promising modality to induce allograft tolerance or reduce the use of immunosuppressive drugs to prevent rejection. Extensive work has been done in optimizing the best approach to manufacture Treg cell products for testing in transplant recipients. Collectively, clinical evaluations have demonstrated that large numbers of Tregs can be expanded ex vivo and infused safely. However, these trials have failed to induce robust drug-free tolerance and/or significantly reduce the level of immunosuppression needed to prevent solid organ transplant (SOTx) rejection. Improving Treg therapy effectiveness may require increasing Treg persistence or orchestrating Treg migration to secondary lymphatic tissues or places of inflammation. In this review, we describe current clinical Treg manufacturing methods used for clinical trials. We also highlight current strategies being implemented to improve delivered Treg ACT persistence and migration in preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kassandra J. Baron
- Departments of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA,Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA,Department of Infectious Disease and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Hēth R. Turnquist
- Departments of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA,Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA,Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA,McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA,CONTACT Hēth R. Turnquist Departments of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute 200 Lothrop Street, BST W1542, PittsburghPA 15213, USA
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11
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Tuomela K, Salim K, Levings MK. Eras of designer Tregs: Harnessing synthetic biology for immune suppression. Immunol Rev 2023; 320:250-267. [PMID: 37522861 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Since their discovery, CD4+ CD25hi FOXP3hi regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been firmly established as a critical cell type for regulating immune homeostasis through a plethora of mechanisms. Due to their immunoregulatory power, delivery of polyclonal Tregs has been explored as a therapy to dampen inflammation in the settings of transplantation and autoimmunity. Evidence shows that Treg therapy is safe and well-tolerated, but efficacy remains undefined and could be limited by poor persistence in vivo and lack of antigen specificity. With the advent of new genetic engineering tools, it is now possible to create bespoke "designer" Tregs that not only overcome possible limitations of polyclonal Tregs but also introduce new features. Here, we review the development of designer Tregs through the perspective of three 'eras': (1) the era of FOXP3 engineering, in which breakthroughs in the biological understanding of this transcription factor enabled the conversion of conventional T cells to Tregs; (2) the antigen-specificity era, in which transgenic T-cell receptors and chimeric antigen receptors were introduced to create more potent and directed Treg therapies; and (3) the current era, which is harnessing advanced genome-editing techniques to introduce and refine existing and new engineering approaches. The year 2022 marked the entry of "designer" Tregs into the clinic, with exciting potential for application and efficacy in a wide variety of immune-mediated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karoliina Tuomela
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kevin Salim
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Megan K Levings
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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12
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Chiad Z, Chojecki A. Graft versus Leukemia in 2023. Best Pract Res Clin Haematol 2023; 36:101476. [PMID: 37611995 DOI: 10.1016/j.beha.2023.101476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is commonly utilized in the management of leukemia across multiple subtypes. Graft versus leukemia (GVL) is a critical component of successful transplantation and involves donor cells eradicating residual leukemia within the recipient. Graft versus host disease (GVHD) by contrast is a common complication of the transplantation process in which donor cells identify the recipient's various organ systems as foreign, thereby leading to a multitude of organ toxicities that can be described as autoimmune in nature. As both GVL and GVHD are mediated by a similar mechanism, these processes are felt to occur in tandem with one another. Here, we review the allogeneic HCT process in the context of GVL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zane Chiad
- 1021 Morehead Medical Drive, Building 2, Charlotte, NC, 28204, USA.
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13
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Larson JH, Jin S, Loschi M, Bolivar Wagers S, Thangavelu G, Zaiken MC, McDonald-Hyman C, Saha A, Aguilar EG, Koehn B, Osborn MJ, Panoskaltsis-Mortari A, Macdonald KPA, Hill GR, Murphy WJ, Serody JS, Maillard I, Kean LS, Kim SV, Littman DR, Blazar BR. Enforced gut homing of murine regulatory T cells reduces early graft-versus-host disease severity. Am J Transplant 2023; 23:1102-1115. [PMID: 36878433 PMCID: PMC10475494 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajt.2023.01.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
Damage to the gastrointestinal tract following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a significant contributor to the severity and perpetuation of graft-versus-host disease. In preclinical models and clinical trials, we showed that infusing high numbers of regulatory T cells reduces graft-versus-host disease incidence. Despite no change in in vitro suppressive function, transfer of ex vivo expanded regulatory T cells transduced to overexpress G protein-coupled receptor 15 or C-C motif chemokine receptor 9, specific homing receptors for colon or small intestine, respectively, lessened graft-versus-host disease severity in mice. Increased regulatory T cell frequency and retention within the gastrointestinal tissues of mice that received gut homing T cells correlated with lower inflammation and gut damage early post-transplant, decreased graft-versus-host disease severity, and prolonged survival compared with those receiving control transduced regulatory T cells. These data provide evidence that enforced targeting of ex vivo expanded regulatory T cells to the gastrointestinal tract diminishes gut injury and is associated with decreased graft-versus-host disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jemma H Larson
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Sujeong Jin
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Michael Loschi
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Sara Bolivar Wagers
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Govindarajan Thangavelu
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Michael C Zaiken
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Cameron McDonald-Hyman
- Division of Hematology/Oncology/Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Asim Saha
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ethan G Aguilar
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Brent Koehn
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Mark J Osborn
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Kelli P A Macdonald
- Infection and Inflammation Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Immunology Department, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Geoffrey R Hill
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA; Division of Medical Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - William J Murphy
- Department of Dermatology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA; Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Jonathan S Serody
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Computational Medicine Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ivan Maillard
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Leslie S Kean
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sangwon V Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Dan R Littman
- Molecular Pathogenesis Program, The Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine of the Skirball Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Bruce R Blazar
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
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14
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Zhang MM, Hu Y, Xu J, Liu L, Lv LL. The Impact of Cellular Therapies on Gastrointestinal Diseases: Applications and Challenges. THE TURKISH JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF TURKISH SOCIETY OF GASTROENTEROLOGY 2023; 34:782-794. [PMID: 37485563 PMCID: PMC10544052 DOI: 10.5152/tjg.2023.23137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Gastrointestinal diseases are highly prevalent, and their burden significantly impacts the quality of life of affected individuals. Inflammatory and immune-mediated intestinal diseases usually have a chronic course without adequate therapeutic modalities. Although much has been reported to comprehend these diseases, many remain resistant and refractory to conventional treatment approaches. Therefore, recent approaches to cellular therapy using stem cells, like hematopoietic stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells, and other cellular immunosuppressive modalities, like T-regulatory cells, were introduced and investigated in treating gastrointestinal diseases. We aimed to conduct a literature review to discuss the applications and challenges of cellular therapeutics in gastrointestinal diseases. Evidence from published clinical trials supports the safety and efficacy of cellular treatment in different immune-mediated and inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases. They can offer a longer duration of remission, being able to adjust the dysregulated immune system. However, there are various challenges to be considered by future trials, including the limitations of current clinical trials, challenges in retrieval and application of these therapeutics, and their mutagenesis potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Meng Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hangzhou Shangcheng District People’s Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University Faculty of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yan Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hangzhou Shangcheng District People’s Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University Faculty of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jing Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hangzhou Shangcheng District People’s Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University Faculty of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Ling Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hangzhou Shangcheng District People’s Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University Faculty of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Lu-Lu Lv
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shengzhou People’s Hospital (the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University Shengzhou Branch), Zhejiang University, Shengzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
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15
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Barreras H, Copsel SN, Bader CS, Ding Y, Wolf D, Cash C, Stacey CJ, Benjamin C, Seavey MM, Wolf J, Jasuja RR, Pfeiffer B, Hill GR, Komanduri KV, Jurecic R, Malek TR, Levy RB. Regulatory T Cell Amelioration of Graft-versus-Host Disease following Allogeneic/Xenogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Using Mobilized Mouse and Human Peripheral Blood Donors. Transplant Cell Ther 2023; 29:341.e1-341.e9. [PMID: 36804930 PMCID: PMC10149591 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtct.2023.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
The present studies examined experimental transplant outcomes using mobilized peripheral blood from mice and humans together with FoxP3+Treg cells. Donor mice were treated with filgrastim and / or plerixafor and their peripheral blood (PB) displayed significant elevations in hematopoietic stem and progenitor populations. Some of these PB donors were concurrently administered a Treg expansion strategy consisting of a TL1A-Ig fusion protein low dose rIL-2. A significant increase (4-5x) in the frequency Tregs occurred during mobilization. C3H.SW PB was collected from mobilized and Treg unexpanded ("TrUM") or mobilized and Treg expanded ("TrEM") donors and transplanted into MHC-matched B6 (H2b) recipients. Recipients of TrEM, exhibited significantly reduced weight loss and clinical GVHD scores compared to recipients of TrUM. Notably, recipients of TrEM exhibited comparable GVL activity to TrUM recipients against leukemia levels. Next, huTregs (CD4+CD25+CD127lo) from a healthy human PB mobilized donor were expanded ex-vivo prior to transplant into NSG/ NOD-scid IL2Rgammanull mice. We found that treatment with ex-vivo expanded huTregs resulted in significant reduction of lethality and clinical xGVHD scores. Notably, post-transplant, PB huTregs levels remained elevated and the frequency of huCD4+Tconv and CD8+ cells was diminished supporting the improved xGVHD outcomes. These findings demonstrated that the use of mPB containing elevated Treg levels significantly reduced GVHD following "MUD" and MHC-mismatched mouse HSCT without loss of GVL activity. Moreover, utilizing ex-vivo expanded huTregs from a mobilized PB donor and added back to donor PB ameliorated xGVHD. In total, these studies support the notion that in vivo or ex-vivo manipulation of donor Tregs together with mobilized peripheral blood could provide therapeutic approaches to improve aHSCT outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Barreras
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Sabrina N Copsel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Cameron S Bader
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Ying Ding
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Dietlinde Wolf
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Charles Cash
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Caleb J Stacey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Cara Benjamin
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Mathew M Seavey
- NightHawk Biosciences Inc/Pelican Therapeutics, Inc, Morrisville, North Carolina
| | - Jeffrey Wolf
- NightHawk Biosciences Inc/Pelican Therapeutics, Inc, Morrisville, North Carolina
| | - Rahul R Jasuja
- NightHawk Biosciences Inc/Pelican Therapeutics, Inc, Morrisville, North Carolina
| | - Brent Pfeiffer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | | | - Krishna V Komanduri
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida; Division of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Roland Jurecic
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Thomas R Malek
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Robert B Levy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
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16
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Fiyouzi T, Pelaez-Prestel HF, Reyes-Manzanas R, Lafuente EM, Reche PA. Enhancing Regulatory T Cells to Treat Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24097797. [PMID: 37175505 PMCID: PMC10177847 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) control immune responses and are essential to maintain immune homeostasis and self-tolerance. Hence, it is no coincidence that autoimmune and chronic inflammatory disorders are associated with defects in Tregs. These diseases have currently no cure and are treated with palliative drugs such as immunosuppressant and immunomodulatory agents. Thereby, there is a great interest in developing medical interventions against these diseases based on enhancing Treg cell function and numbers. Here, we give an overview of Treg cell ontogeny and function, paying particular attention to mucosal Tregs. We review some notable approaches to enhance immunomodulation by Tregs with therapeutic purposes including adoptive Treg cell transfer therapy and discuss relevant clinical trials for inflammatory bowel disease. We next introduce ways to expand mucosal Tregs in vivo using microbiota and dietary products that have been the focus of clinical trials in various autoimmune and chronic-inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Fiyouzi
- Laboratory of Immunomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Complutense of Madrid, Ave Complutense S/N, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Hector F Pelaez-Prestel
- Laboratory of Immunomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Complutense of Madrid, Ave Complutense S/N, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel Reyes-Manzanas
- Laboratory of Immunomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Complutense of Madrid, Ave Complutense S/N, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Esther M Lafuente
- Laboratory of Immunomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Complutense of Madrid, Ave Complutense S/N, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pedro A Reche
- Laboratory of Immunomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Complutense of Madrid, Ave Complutense S/N, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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17
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Bittner S, Hehlgans T, Feuerer M. Engineered Treg cells as putative therapeutics against inflammatory diseases and beyond. Trends Immunol 2023; 44:468-483. [PMID: 37100644 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2023.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Regulatory T (Treg) cells ensure tolerance against self-antigens, limit excessive inflammation, and support tissue repair processes. Therefore, Treg cells are currently attractive candidates for the treatment of certain inflammatory diseases, autoimmune disorders, or transplant rejection. Early clinical trials have proved the safety and efficacy of certain Treg cell therapies in inflammatory diseases. We summarize recent advances in engineering Treg cells, including the concept of biosensors for inflammation. We assess Treg cell engineering possibilities for novel functional units, including Treg cell modifications influencing stability, migration, and tissue adaptation. Finally, we outline perspectives of engineered Treg cells going beyond inflammatory diseases by using custom-designed receptors and read-out systems, aiming to use Treg cells as in vivo diagnostic tools and drug delivery vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Bittner
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Division of Immunology, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Hehlgans
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Division of Immunology, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; Chair for Immunology, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Markus Feuerer
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Division of Immunology, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; Chair for Immunology, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
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18
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Ramos TL, Bolivar-Wagers S, Jin S, Thangavelu G, Simonetta F, Lin PY, Hirai T, Saha A, Koehn B, Su LL, Picton LK, Baker J, Lohmeyer JK, Riddle M, Eide C, Tolar J, Panoskaltsis-Mortari A, Wagner JE, Garcia KC, Negrin RS, Blazar BR. Prevention of acute GVHD using an orthogonal IL-2/IL-2Rβ system to selectively expand regulatory T cells in vivo. Blood 2023; 141:1337-1352. [PMID: 36564052 PMCID: PMC10082364 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2022018440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a curative option for patients with hematological disorders and bone marrow (BM) failure syndromes. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a leading cause of morbidity posttransplant. Regulatory T cell (Treg) therapies are efficacious in ameliorating GVHD but limited by variable suppressive capacities and the need for a high therapeutic dose. Here, we sought to expand Treg in vivo by expressing an orthogonal interleukin 2 receptor β (oIL-2Rβ) that would selectively interact with oIL-2 cytokine and not wild-type (WT) IL-2. To test whether the orthogonal system would preferentially drive donor Treg expansion, we used a murine major histocompatibility complex-disparate GVHD model of lethally irradiated BALB/c mice given T cell-depleted BM from C57BL/6 (B6) mice alone or together with B6Foxp3+GFP+ Treg or oIL-2Rβ-transduced Treg at low cell numbers that typically do not control GVHD with WT Treg. On day 2, B6 activated T cells (Tcons) were injected to induce GVHD. Recipients were treated with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or oIL-2 daily for 14 days, then 3 times weekly for an additional 14 days. Mice treated with oIL-2Rβ Treg and oIL-2 compared with those treated with PBS had enhanced GVHD survival, in vivo selective expansion of Tregs, and greater suppression of Tcon expansion in secondary lymphoid organs and intestines. Importantly, oIL-2Rβ Treg maintained graft-versus-tumor (GVT) responses in 2 distinct tumor models (A20 and MLL-AF9). These data demonstrate a novel approach to enhance the efficacy of Treg therapy in allo-HSCT using an oIL-2/oIL-2Rβ system that allows for selective in vivo expansion of Treg leading to GVHD protection and GVT maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa L. Ramos
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Sara Bolivar-Wagers
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Sujeong Jin
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Govindarajan Thangavelu
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Federico Simonetta
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
- Translational Research Center for Oncohematology, Department of Internal Medicine Specialties, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Po-Yu Lin
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Toshihito Hirai
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
- Department of Urology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Asim Saha
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Brent Koehn
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Leon L. Su
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Department of Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Lora K. Picton
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Department of Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Jeanette Baker
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Juliane K. Lohmeyer
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Megan Riddle
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Cindy Eide
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Jakub Tolar
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - John E. Wagner
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - K. Christopher Garcia
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Department of Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Robert S. Negrin
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Bruce R. Blazar
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
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19
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Riether C. Regulation of hematopoietic and leukemia stem cells by regulatory T cells. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1049301. [PMID: 36405718 PMCID: PMC9666425 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1049301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult bone marrow (BM) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are maintained in a quiescent state and sustain the continuous production of all types of blood cells. HSCs reside in a specialized microenvironment the so-called HSC niche, which equally promotes HSC self-renewal and differentiation to ensure the integrity of the HSC pool throughout life and to replenish hematopoietic cells after acute injury, infection or anemia. The processes of HSC self-renewal and differentiation are tightly controlled and are in great part regulated through cellular interactions with classical (e.g. mesenchymal stromal cells) and non-classical niche cells (e.g. immune cells). In myeloid leukemia, some of these regulatory mechanisms that evolved to maintain HSCs, to protect them from exhaustion and immune destruction and to minimize the risk of malignant transformation are hijacked/disrupted by leukemia stem cells (LSCs), the malignant counterpart of HSCs, to promote disease progression as well as resistance to therapy and immune control. CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are substantially enriched in the BM compared to other secondary lymphoid organs and are crucially involved in the establishment of an immune privileged niche to maintain HSC quiescence and to protect HSC integrity. In leukemia, Tregs frequencies in the BM even increase. Studies in mice and humans identified the accumulation of Tregs as a major immune-regulatory mechanism. As cure of leukemia implies the elimination of LSCs, the understanding of these immune-regulatory processes may be of particular importance for the development of future treatments of leukemia as targeting major immune escape mechanisms which revolutionized the treatment of solid tumors such as the blockade of the inhibitory checkpoint receptor programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) seems less efficacious in the treatment of leukemia. This review will summarize recent findings on the mechanisms by which Tregs regulate stem cells and adaptive immune cells in the BM during homeostasis and in leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Riether
- Department of Medical Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland,Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland,*Correspondence: Carsten Riether,
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20
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McGovern J, Holler A, Thomas S, Stauss HJ. Forced Fox-P3 expression can improve the safety and antigen-specific function of engineered regulatory T cells. J Autoimmun 2022; 132:102888. [PMID: 36049437 PMCID: PMC10570926 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Treg) are potent inhibitors of autoreactive T cells. The intracellular transcription factor FoxP3 controls the expression levels of a diverse set of genes and plays a critical role in programming functional Tregs. Although, antigen-specific Tregs are more potent than polyclonal Tregs in treating ongoing autoimmunity, phenotype plasticity associated with loss of FoxP3 expression in Tregs can lead to the conversion into antigen-specific effector T cells which might exacerbate autoimmune pathology. In this study, we designed a retroviral vector driving the expression of FoxP3 and a human HLA-DR-restricted TCR from the same promoter. Transduction of purified human Tregs revealed that all TCR-positive cells had elevated levels of FoxP3 expression, increased CD25 and CTLA4 expression and potent suppressive function. Elevated FoxP3 expression did not impair the in vitro expansion of engineered Tregs. Adoptive transfer into HLA-DR transgenic mice revealed that FoxP3+TCR engineered Tregs showed long-term persistence with stable FoxP3 and TCR expression. In contrast, adoptive transfer of Tregs engineered with TCR only resulted in the accumulation of TCR-positive, FoxP3-negative T cells which displayed antigen-specific effector function when stimulated with the TCR-recognised peptides. Our data indicate that forced expression of FoxP3 can prevent accumulation of antigen-specific effector T cells without impairing the engraftment and persistence of engineered Tregs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny McGovern
- Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK; Quell Therapeutics, 84 Wood Lane, London, UK
| | - Angelika Holler
- Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK
| | - Sharyn Thomas
- Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK
| | - Hans J Stauss
- Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK.
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21
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Copsel SN, Wolf D, Pfeiffer B, Barreras H, Perez VL, Levy RB. Recipient Tregs: Can They Be Exploited for Successful Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Outcomes? Front Immunol 2022; 13:932527. [PMID: 35799783 PMCID: PMC9253768 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.932527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Human and mouse CD4+FoxP3+ T cells (Tregs) comprise non-redundant regulatory compartments which maintain self-tolerance and have been found to be of potential therapeutic usefulness in autoimmune disorders and transplants including allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). There is substantial literature interrogating the application of donor derived Tregs for the prevention of graft versus host disease (GVHD). This Mini-Review will focus on the recipient's Tregs which persist post-transplant. Although treatment in patients with low dose IL-2 months post-HSCT are encouraging, manipulating Tregs in recipients early post-transplant is challenging, in part likely an indirect consequence of damage to the microenvironment required to support Treg expansion of which little is understood. This review will discuss the potential for manipulating recipient Tregs in vivo prior to and after HSCT (fusion proteins, mAbs). Strategies that would circumvent donor/recipient peripheral blood harvest, cell culture and ex-vivo Treg expansion will be considered for the translational application of Tregs to improve HSCT outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina N. Copsel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Dietlinde Wolf
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Brent Pfeiffer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Henry Barreras
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Victor L. Perez
- Foster Center for Ocular Immunology, Duke Eye Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Robert B. Levy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States,Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States,Department of Ophthalmology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States,*Correspondence: Robert B. Levy,
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22
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Bolivar-Wagers S, Larson JH, Jin S, Blazar BR. Cytolytic CD4 + and CD8 + Regulatory T-Cells and Implications for Developing Immunotherapies to Combat Graft-Versus-Host Disease. Front Immunol 2022; 13:864748. [PMID: 35493508 PMCID: PMC9040077 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.864748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T-cells (Treg) are critical for the maintenance of immune homeostasis and tolerance induction. While the immunosuppressive mechanisms of Treg have been extensively investigated for decades, the mechanisms responsible for Treg cytotoxicity and their therapeutic potential in regulating immune responses have been incompletely explored and exploited. Conventional cytotoxic T effector cells (Teffs) are known to be important for adaptive immune responses, particularly in the settings of viral infections and cancer. CD4+ and CD8+ Treg subsets may also share similar cytotoxic properties with conventional Teffs. Cytotoxic effector Treg (cyTreg) are a heterogeneous population in the periphery that retain the capacity to suppress T-cell proliferation and activation, induce cellular apoptosis, and migrate to tissues to ensure immune homeostasis. The latter can occur through several cytolytic mechanisms, including the Granzyme/Perforin and Fas/FasL signaling pathways. This review focuses on the current knowledge and recent advances in our understanding of cyTreg and their potential application in the treatment of human disease, particularly Graft-versus-Host Disease (GVHD).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Bruce R. Blazar
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Blood & Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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23
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Schreeb K, Culme-Seymour E, Ridha E, Dumont C, Atkinson G, Hsu B, Reinke P. Study Design: HLA-A*02-Chimeric Antigen Receptor Regulatory T Cells in Renal Transplantation. Kidney Int Rep 2022; 7:1258-1267. [PMID: 35694562 PMCID: PMC9174048 DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2022.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cell therapy with regulatory T cells (Tregs) in solid organ transplantation is a promising approach for the prevention of graft rejection and induction of immunologic tolerance. Previous clinical studies have demonstrated the safety of Tregs in renal transplant recipients. Antigen-specific Tregs, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-Tregs, are expected to be more efficacious than polyclonal Tregs in homing to the target antigen. We have developed an autologous cell therapy (TX200-TR101) where a human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecule A∗02 (HLA-A∗02)-CAR is introduced into autologous naive Tregs from a patient with HLA-A∗02-negative end-stage renal disease (ESRD) awaiting an HLA-A∗02-positive donor kidney. Methods This article describes the design of the STEADFAST study, a first-in-human, phase I/IIa, multicenter, open-label, single-ascending dose, dose-ranging study to assess TX200-TR101 in living-donor renal transplant recipients. Up to 15 transplant recipients will receive TX200-TR101 and will be followed up for a total of 84 weeks post-transplant, alongside a control cohort of up to 6 transplant recipients. All transplant recipients will receive a standard of care immunosuppressive regimen, with the intent of intensified tapering of the regimen in the TX200-TR101 cohort. Results The primary end point is the incidence and severity of treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) within 28 days post–TX200-TR101 infusion. Other end points include additional safety parameters, clinical and renal outcome parameters, and the evaluation of biomarkers. Conclusion The STEADFAST study represents the next frontier in adoptive cell therapies. TX200-TR101 holds great potential to prevent immune-mediated graft rejection and induce immunologic tolerance after HLA-A∗02-mismatched renal transplantation.
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24
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Campe J, Ullrich E. T Helper Cell Lineage-Defining Transcription Factors: Potent Targets for Specific GVHD Therapy? Front Immunol 2022; 12:806529. [PMID: 35069590 PMCID: PMC8766661 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.806529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) represents a potent and potentially curative treatment for many hematopoietic malignancies and hematologic disorders in adults and children. The donor-derived immunity, elicited by the stem cell transplant, can prevent disease relapse but is also responsible for the induction of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The pathophysiology of acute GVHD is not completely understood yet. In general, acute GVHD is driven by the inflammatory and cytotoxic effect of alloreactive donor T cells. Since several experimental approaches indicate that CD4 T cells play an important role in initiation and progression of acute GVHD, the contribution of the different CD4 T helper (Th) cell subtypes in the pathomechanism and regulation of the disease is a central point of current research. Th lineages derive from naïve CD4 T cell progenitors and lineage commitment is initiated by the surrounding cytokine milieu and subsequent changes in the transcription factor (TF) profile. Each T cell subtype has its own effector characteristics, immunologic function, and lineage specific cytokine profile, leading to the association with different immune responses and diseases. Acute GVHD is thought to be mainly driven by the Th1/Th17 axis, whereas Treg cells are attributed to attenuate GVHD effects. As the differentiation of each Th subset highly depends on the specific composition of activating and repressing TFs, these present a potent target to alter the Th cell landscape towards a GVHD-ameliorating direction, e.g. by inhibiting Th1 and Th17 differentiation. The finding, that targeting of Th1 and Th17 differentiation appears more effective for GVHD-prevention than a strategy to inhibit Th1 and Th17 cytokines supports this concept. In this review, we shed light on the current advances of potent TF inhibitors to alter Th cell differentiation and consecutively attenuate GVHD. We will focus especially on preclinical studies and outcomes of TF inhibition in murine GVHD models. Finally, we will point out the possible impact of a Th cell subset-specific immune modulation in context of GVHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Campe
- Experimental Immunology, Children's University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Children's University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Evelyn Ullrich
- Experimental Immunology, Children's University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Children's University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung (DKTK)), Partner Site Frankfurt/Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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25
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Mature naive B cells regulate the outcome of murine acute graft-versus-host disease in an IL-10 independent manner. Transplant Cell Ther 2022; 28:181.e1-181.e9. [PMID: 35032717 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtct.2022.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is the main complication of bone marrow transplantation (BMT). T CD4+ lymphocytes are the main effector cells for disease development but other cell types can determine disease outcome through cytokine production and antigen presentation. B cells are abundant in BMT products and are involved in chronic GVHD immunopathogenesis. However, their role in acute GVHD is still unclear. Here, we studied the role of donor resting B cells in a model of acute GVHD. Animals receiving transplants depleted of B cells presented a more severe disease, indicating a protective role for B cells. Mice transplanted with IL-10 KO B cells developed GVHD as severe as those receiving WT B cells. Besides that, mice transplanted with MHC II deficient B cells and as so, unable to present antigen to CD4+ T cells, developed as severe GVHD as animals transplanted without B cells. This result suggests that protection provided by mature naive B cells depends on antigen presentation and not IL-10 production by B cells. In the absence of donor B cells, transplanted mice exhibited disorganized lymphoid splenic tissue. Additionally, donor B cell depletion diminished the follicular T (Tfh)/T effector (Teff) ratio suggesting that protection was correlated with a shift to Tfh differentiation, reducing the number of effector T cells. Importantly, the Tfh/Teff shift impacts disease outcome since observed proinflammatory cytokine levels and tissue damage in target organs were consistent with disease protection. The role of transplanted B cells in the outcome of BMT and the development of acute GVHD should be carefully studied, since these cells are abundant in BMT products and are potent modulator and effector cells in allogeneic response. Extended Abstract Background: B cells are widely known for their ability to produce antibodies. In addition, B cells can act efficiently as antigen-presenting cells, implying the mutual regulation of both T and B lymphocyte subsets. T cell help for B cells has been known for more than 50 years; however, B cell help for T cells, especially regarding the modulation of follicular and regulatory phenotypes, had only lately been explored. Here, we studied the role of resting B cells in a model of systemic inflammatory disease mediated by T cells, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which is the main complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Objetive: The objective of this paper is to investigate the role of donor B cells in acute Graft-versus-Host Disease. STUDY DESIGN To investigate the role of donor B cells in aGVHD, we used a full MHC-mismatched bone marrow transplantation model. We infused C57BL/6 BM cells along with splenocytes depleted or not of B220+ cells into lethally irradiated BALB/c mice. We also used B cells from IL-10 KO mice to investigate the role of IL-10 produced by donor B cells and B cells from mice which cannot express MHC-II (CIITA KO) to investigate the role of cognate interaction between donor B and T cells. RESULTS Animals receiving transplants depleted of B cells presented a more severe disease, showing the existence of B cell-dependent protection. This protection was dependent on the T cell-B cell cognate interaction but not on IL-10 or Treg induction. In the absence of donor B cells, transplanted mice exhibited fewer GCs and a lower follicular T (Tfh)/T effector (Teff) ratio than mice transplanted in the presence of B cells. Protection was correlated with a shift to Tfh differentiation, reducing the number of effector cells. Importantly, the Tfh/Teff shift impacts disease outcome with less T cell-mediated disease due to more B cell-dependent Tfh generation with fewer effector T cells and lower proinflammatory cytokine levels detected in target organs. CONCLUSION We show that B-cell depleted bone marrow transplantation leads to a more severe disease, with earlier mortality related to increased organ damage. Such differences depend on cognate interactions between T cells and B cells, are IL-10 independent and are related to a shift in the differentiation of lymphocytes from the follicular helper phenotype to the effector phenotype. Therefore, Teffs, which are circulating cells, become relatively more numerous and can reach and damage the target tissues. These results point to caution in the early posttransplantation elimination of donor B cells. It is not a matter of eliminating only antibody-forming cells or cells that mediate Tfh generation but of B cells, which interact and modulate T cell activity, impacting a disease that is not antibody mediated.
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26
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Namdari H, Hosseini M, Yazdanifar M, Farajifard H, Parvizpour F, Karamigolbaghi M, Hamidieh AA, Rezaei F. Protective and pathological roles of regulatory immune cells in human cytomegalovirus infection following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Rev Med Virol 2021; 32:e2319. [PMID: 34914147 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.2319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is ubiquitously prevalent. Immune system in healthy individuals is capable of controlling HCMV infection; however, HCMV can be life-threatening for immunocompromised individuals, such as transplant recipients. Both innate and adaptive immune systems are critically involved in the HCMV infection. Recent studies have indicated that regulatory immune cells which play essential roles in maintaining a healthy immune environment are closely related to immune response in HCMV infection. However, the exact role of regulatory immune cells in immune regulation and homoeostasis during the battle between HCMV and host still requires further research. In this review, we highlight the protective and pathological roles of regulatory immune cells in HCMV infection following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).
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Affiliation(s)
- Haideh Namdari
- Iranian Tissue Bank and Research Center, Gene, Cell and Tissue Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Hosseini
- Pediatric Cell and Gene Therapy Research Center, Gene, Cell and Tissue Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahboubeh Yazdanifar
- Department of Pediatrics, Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Hamid Farajifard
- Iranian Tissue Bank and Research Center, Gene, Cell and Tissue Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farzad Parvizpour
- Iranian Tissue Bank and Research Center, Gene, Cell and Tissue Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Karamigolbaghi
- Iranian Tissue Bank and Research Center, Gene, Cell and Tissue Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Ali Hamidieh
- Pediatric Cell and Gene Therapy Research Center, Gene, Cell and Tissue Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farhad Rezaei
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Zhu X, Tang B, Sun Z. Umbilical cord blood transplantation: Still growing and improving. Stem Cells Transl Med 2021; 10 Suppl 2:S62-S74. [PMID: 34724722 PMCID: PMC8560197 DOI: 10.1002/sctm.20-0495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) has been performed in the clinic for over 30 years. The biological and immunological characteristics of umbilical cord blood (UCB) have been re-recognized in recent years. UCB, previously considered medical waste, is rich in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which are naïve and more energetic and more easily expanded than other stem cells. UCB has been identified as a reliable source of HSCs for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). UCBT has several advantages over other methods, including no harm to mothers and donors, an off-the-shelf product for urgent use, less stringent HLA match, lower incidence and severity of chronic graft-vs-host disease (GVHD), and probably a stronger graft-vs-leukemia effect, especially for minimal residual disease-positive patients before transplant. Recent studies have shown that the outcome of UCBT has been improved and is comparable to other types of allo-HSCT. Currently, UCBT is widely used in malignant, nonmalignant, hematological, congenital and metabolic diseases. The number of UCB banks and transplantation procedures increased exponentially before 2013. However, the number of UCBTs increased steadily in Asia and China but decreased in the United States and Europe year-on-year from 2013 to 2019. In this review, we focus on the development of UCBT over the past 30 years, the challenges it faces and the strategies for future improvement, including increasing UCB numbers, cord blood unit selection, conditioning regimens and GVHD prophylaxis for UCBT, and management of complications of UCBT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Zhu
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and MedicineUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiPeople's Republic of China
- Blood and Cell Therapy Institute, Division of Life Sciences and MedicineUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiPeople's Republic of China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Blood Research and ApplicationsHefeiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Baolin Tang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and MedicineUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiPeople's Republic of China
- Blood and Cell Therapy Institute, Division of Life Sciences and MedicineUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiPeople's Republic of China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Blood Research and ApplicationsHefeiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Zimin Sun
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and MedicineUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiPeople's Republic of China
- Blood and Cell Therapy Institute, Division of Life Sciences and MedicineUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiPeople's Republic of China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Blood Research and ApplicationsHefeiPeople's Republic of China
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28
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Jiang H, Fu D, Bidgoli A, Paczesny S. T Cell Subsets in Graft Versus Host Disease and Graft Versus Tumor. Front Immunol 2021; 12:761448. [PMID: 34675938 PMCID: PMC8525316 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.761448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is an essential therapeutic modality for patients with hematological malignancies and other blood disorders. Unfortunately, acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) remains a major source of morbidity and mortality following allo-HCT, which limits its use in a broader spectrum of patients. Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) also remains the most common long-term complication of allo-HCT, occurring in reportedly 30-70% of patients surviving more than 100 days. Chronic GVHD is also the leading cause of non-relapse mortality (NRM) occurring more than 2 years after HCT for malignant disease. Graft versus tumor (GVT) is a major component of the overall beneficial effects of allogeneic HCT in the treatment of hematological malignancies. Better understanding of GVHD pathogenesis is important to identify new therapeutic targets for GVHD prevention and therapy. Emerging data suggest opposing roles for different T cell subsets, e.g., IFN-γ producing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (Th1 and Tc1), IL-4 producing T cells (Th2 and Tc2), IL-17 producing T cells (Th17 and Tc17), IL-9 producing T cells (Th9 and Tc9), IL-22 producing T cells (Th22), T follicular helper cells (Tfh), regulatory T-cells (Treg) and tissue resident memory T cells (Trm) in GVHD and GVT etiology. In this review, we first summarize the general description of the cytokine signals that promote the differentiation of T cell subsets and the roles of these T cell subsets in the pathogenesis of GVHD. Next, we extensively explore preclinical findings of T cell subsets in both GVHD/GVT animal models and humans. Finally, we address recent findings about the roles of T-cell subsets in clinical GVHD and current strategies to modulate T-cell differentiation for treating and preventing GVHD in patients. Further exploring and outlining the immune biology of T-cell differentiation in GVHD that will provide more therapeutic options for maintaining success of allo-HCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Jiang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Denggang Fu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Alan Bidgoli
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Sophie Paczesny
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
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Hefazi M, Bolivar-Wagers S, Blazar BR. Regulatory T Cell Therapy of Graft-versus-Host Disease: Advances and Challenges. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:9676. [PMID: 34575843 PMCID: PMC8469916 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Immunomodulation using regulatory T cells (Tregs) offers an exciting option to prevent and/or treat GVHD as these cells naturally function to maintain immune homeostasis, can induce tolerance following HSCT, and have a tissue reparative function. Studies to date have established a clinical safety profile for polyclonal Tregs. Functional enhancement through genetic engineering offers the possibility of improved potency, specificity, and persistence. In this review, we provide the most up to date preclinical and clinical data on Treg cell therapy with a particular focus on GVHD. We discuss the different Treg subtypes and highlight the pharmacological and genetic approaches under investigation to enhance the application of Tregs in allo-HSCT. Lastly, we discuss the remaining challenges for optimal clinical translation and provide insights as to future directions of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehrdad Hefazi
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA;
| | - Sara Bolivar-Wagers
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA;
| | - Bruce R. Blazar
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA;
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30
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Delia M, Carluccio P, Mestice A, Chiusolo P, Metafuni E, Bellesi S, Arpinati M, Milone GA, Martino M, Mazza P, Ingrosso C, Vacca A, Saporiti G, Zallio F, Attolico I, Pastore D, Specchia G, Albano F, Musto P. The Impact of Graft CD3 Cell/Regulatory T Cell Ratio on Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease and Post-Transplantation Outcome: A Prospective Multicenter Study of Patients with Acute Leukemia Undergoing Allogeneic Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation. Transplant Cell Ther 2021; 27:918.e1-918.e9. [PMID: 34403789 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtct.2021.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Although it is well known that tumor site- or bone marrow-infiltrating regulatory T cells (Tregs) might be correlated with worse outcomes in solid tumors and acute leukemias by promoting immune surveillance escape, their contribution to the immediate post-allogeneic transplantation phase by peripheral blood (PB) allografts remains unclear. Moreover, the Treg content in stem cells harvested from PB has been suggested to be correlated with acute graft versus-host-disease (aGVHD) and immunologic recovery after allogeneic PB stem cell transplantation (allo-PBSCT). This study aimed to investigate the impact of the graft content of Tregs, as graft CD3+/Tregs ratio (gCD3/TregsR), on acute GVHD and post-allo-PBSCT outcomes. We prospectively enrolled 94 consecutive patients at 9 Italian centers of the Gruppo Italiano Trapianto di Midollo Osseo (GITMO) with acute myelogenous (n = 71; 75%) or lymphoblastic (n = 23; 25%) leukemia in complete remission who underwent matched related donor (n = 35; 37%) or unrelated donor (n = 59; 63%) allo-PBSCT. The median graft CD3+ cell, Treg, and gCD3/TregsR values were 196 × 106/kg body weight (range, 17 to 666 × 106/kg), 3 × 106/kg (range, 0.1 to 35 × 106/kg), and 71 (range, 1 to 1883), respectively. The discriminatory power of the gCD3/TregsR value to predict grade ≥II aGVHD was assessed by estimating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). Any grade and grade ≥II aGVHD occurred in 24 (26%) and 17 (18%) allo-PBSCT recipients, respectively. By ROC analysis, AUC (0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.608 to 0.866; P = .002) identified 70 as the optimal gCD3/TregsR cutoff value predicting the appearance of grade ≥II aGVHD with 76% sensitivity and 71% specificity. Patients were subdivided into a high (ROC curve value ≥70) gCD3/TregsR group (HR; n = 48) and a low (ROC curve value <70) gCD3/TregsR group (LR; n = 46). The incidence of grade II-IV aGVHD was lower in the LR group compared with the HR group (9% [4 of 46] versus 27% [13 of 48]) in both univariate analysis (odds ratio [OR], 4.8; 95% CI, 1.44 to 16.17; P = .015) and multivariate analysis (OR, 5.0; 95% CI, 1.34 to 18.93; P = .017), whereas no differences were documented taking into account aGVHD of any grade. The overall survival, disease-free survival, nonrelapse mortality, and relapse rates at 2 and 3 years were 61% and 54%, 62% and 55%, 15% and 23%, and 27% and 30%, respectively. Of note, gCD3/TregsR did not significantly correlate with relapse (P = .135). Taken together, our data from this prospective multicenter study confirm the value of Tregs in preventing aGVHD while maintaining the graft-versus-leukemia effect. © 2021 American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Delia
- Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, AOUC Policlinico, Bari, Italy.
| | - Paola Carluccio
- Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, AOUC Policlinico, Bari, Italy
| | - Anna Mestice
- Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, AOUC Policlinico, Bari, Italy; Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Aldo Moro University School of Medicine, Bari, Italy
| | - Patrizia Chiusolo
- Hematology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Silvia Bellesi
- Hematology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Arpinati
- Hematology and BMT, AOU Policlinico S Orsola Malpighi IRCCS, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giulio Antonio Milone
- Metropolitan Hematopoietic Transplantation Program, Azienda Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, Catania, Italy
| | - Massimo Martino
- Bone Marrow Transplantation, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Bianchi Melacrino Morelli, Reggio Calabria, Italy
| | - Patrizio Mazza
- Hematology and BMT Unit, Ospedale S. G. Moscati, Taranto, Italy
| | | | - Adriana Vacca
- Hematology and BMT, Presidio Ospedaliero A. Businco, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giorgia Saporiti
- Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano-Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Zallio
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, Ospedale SS Biagio e Arrigo, Alessandria, Italy
| | - Immacolata Attolico
- Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, AOUC Policlinico, Bari, Italy
| | | | | | - Francesco Albano
- Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, AOUC Policlinico, Bari, Italy; Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Aldo Moro University School of Medicine, Bari, Italy
| | - Pellegrino Musto
- Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, AOUC Policlinico, Bari, Italy; Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Aldo Moro University School of Medicine, Bari, Italy
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31
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Guo WW, Su XH, Wang MY, Han MZ, Feng XM, Jiang EL. Regulatory T Cells in GVHD Therapy. Front Immunol 2021; 12:697854. [PMID: 34220860 PMCID: PMC8250864 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.697854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Graft versus host disease (GVHD) is a common complication and the leading cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Pharmacological immunosuppression used in GVHD prophylaxis and treatment lacks specificity and can increase the likelihood of infection and relapse. Regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs) play a vital role in restraining excessive immune responses and inducing peripheral immune tolerance. In particular, clinical trials have demonstrated that Tregs can prevent and treat GVHD, without increasing the risk of relapse and infection. Hence, adoptive transfer of Tregs to control GVHD using their immunosuppressive properties represents a promising therapeutic approach. To optimally apply Tregs for control of GVHD, a thorough understanding of their biology is necessary. In this review, we describe the biological characteristics of Tregs, including how the stability of FOXP3 expression can be maintained. We will also discuss the mechanisms underlying Tregs-mediated modulation of GVHD and approaches to effectively increase Tregs’ numbers. Finally, we will examine the developing trends in the use of Tregs for clinical therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Wen Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Hematology and Hospital of Blood Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiu-Hua Su
- School of Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Ming-Yang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Hematology and Hospital of Blood Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Ming-Zhe Han
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Hematology and Hospital of Blood Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiao-Ming Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Hematology and Hospital of Blood Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Er-Lie Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Hematology and Hospital of Blood Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
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32
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Regulatory T cells promote alloengraftment in a model of late-gestation in utero hematopoietic cell transplantation. Blood Adv 2021; 4:1102-1114. [PMID: 32203584 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2019001208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In utero hematopoietic cell transplantation (IUHCT) has the potential to cure congenital hematologic disorders including sickle cell disease. However, the window of opportunity for IUHCT closes with the acquisition of T-cell immunity, beginning at approximately 14 weeks gestation, posing significant technical challenges and excluding from treatment fetuses evaluated after the first trimester. Here we report that regulatory T cells can promote alloengraftment and preserve allograft tolerance after the acquisition of T-cell immunity in a mouse model of late-gestation IUHCT. We show that allografts enriched with regulatory T cells harvested from either IUHCT-tolerant or naive mice engraft at 20 days post coitum (DPC) with equal frequency to unenriched allografts transplanted at 14 DPC. Long-term, multilineage donor cell chimerism was achieved in the absence of graft-versus-host disease or mortality. Decreased alloreactivity among recipient T cells was observed consistent with donor-specific tolerance. These findings suggest that donor graft enrichment with regulatory T cells could be used to successfully perform IUHCT later in gestation.
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33
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Longhi MS, Mieli-Vergani G, Vergani D. Regulatory T cells in autoimmune hepatitis: an updated overview. J Autoimmun 2021; 119:102619. [PMID: 33652348 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2021.102619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Regulatory T-cells (Tregs) are key players in the maintenance of immune homeostasis by preventing immune responses to self-antigens. Defects in Treg frequency and/or function result in overwhelming CD4 and CD8 T cell immune responses participating in the autoimmune attack. Perpetuation of autoimmune damage is also favored by Treg predisposition to acquire effector cell features upon exposure to a proinflammatory challenge. Treg impairment plays a permissive role in the initiation and perpetuation of autoimmune liver diseases, namely autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. In this Review, we outline studies reporting the role of Treg impairment in the pathogenesis of these conditions and discuss methods to restore Treg number and function either by generation/expansion in the test tube or through in vivo expansion upon administration of low dose IL-2. Challenges and caveats of these potential therapeutic strategies are also reviewed and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Serena Longhi
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| | - Giorgina Mieli-Vergani
- Institute of Liver Studies, MowatLabs, Department of Inflammation Biology, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, Faculty of Liver Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Diego Vergani
- Institute of Liver Studies, MowatLabs, Department of Inflammation Biology, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, Faculty of Liver Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
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34
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Jacobsen N, Frisch T, Keiding N, Heilmann C, Sengeløv H, Madsen HO, Marquart H, Dickmeiss E, Andersen MK, Christiansen CB, Ryder LP. High preharvest donor Foxp3 mRNA level predicts late relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Eur J Haematol 2021; 106:643-653. [PMID: 33527553 PMCID: PMC8248440 DOI: 10.1111/ejh.13591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Objectives The curative effect of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for acute leukaemia is due in part to the donor T cell–mediated graft‐versus‐leukaemia immune reaction (GvL). Several studies have suggested that donor CD25+CD4+Foxp3+regulator T cells (Tregs) may decrease graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD) without abrogating GVL. This notion may need modification in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Methods Foxp3 mRNA level was measured by qPCR in preharvest donor blood CD4+ T cells. The study comprised 45 patients with ALL in 1st or 2nd CR who received myeloablative HSCT using T‐replete bone marrow grafts. Results Relapse occurred in 17 patients median 363 days after HSCT. The relapse risk was estimated by Cox univariate and multivariate proportional hazard regression. The proportionality assumption was met by analysing the preharvest donor Foxp3 mRNA level as a time‐dependent covariate. Early relapse was not modified by the Foxp3 mRNA level. However, a higher Foxp3 mRNA level was associated with a significantly increased relapse risk after day 363 after transplantation, compatible with inhibition of GvL. In contrast, a higher preharvest donor CD4+ T‐cell concentration was associated with reduced relapse risk. Conclusion A higher preharvest donor Foxp3 mRNA level may be predictive of late ALL relapse after HSCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Jacobsen
- Department of Haematology, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tina Frisch
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tissue Typing Laboratory, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Niels Keiding
- Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Health Sci, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carsten Heilmann
- Paediatric and Adolescence Medicine, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Henrik Sengeløv
- Department of Haematology, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hans O Madsen
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tissue Typing Laboratory, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hanne Marquart
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tissue Typing Laboratory, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ebbe Dickmeiss
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tissue Typing Laboratory, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mette K Andersen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Claus B Christiansen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lars P Ryder
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tissue Typing Laboratory, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
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35
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Mukhatayev Z, Ostapchuk YO, Fang D, Le Poole IC. Engineered antigen-specific regulatory T cells for autoimmune skin conditions. Autoimmun Rev 2021; 20:102761. [PMID: 33476816 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2021.102761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a subset of T cells responsible for the regulation of immune responses, thereby maintaining immune homeostasis and providing immune tolerance to both self and non-self-antigens. An increasing number of studies revealed Treg numbers and functions in a variety of autoimmune diseases. Treg deficiency can cause the development of several autoimmune skin diseases including vitiligo, alopecia areata, pemphigoid and pemphigus, psoriasis, and systemic sclerosis. Many clinical trials have been performed for autoimmune conditions using polyclonal Tregs, but efficiency can be significantly improved using antigen-specific Tregs engineered using T cell receptor (TCR) or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) constructs. In this review, we systematically reviewed altered frequencies, impaired functions, and phenotypic features of Tregs in autoimmune skin conditions. We also summarized new advances in TCR and CAR based antigen-specific Tregs tested both in animal models and in clinics. The advantages and limitations of each approach were carefully discussed emphasizing possible clinical relevance to patients with autoimmune skin diseases. Moreover, we have reviewed potential approaches for engineering antigen-specific Tregs, and strategies for overcoming possible hurdles in clinical applications. Thereby, antigen-specific Tregs can be infused using autologous adoptive cell transfer to restore Treg numbers and to provide local immune tolerance for autoimmune skin disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhussipbek Mukhatayev
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan; M.A. Aitkhozhin's Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | | | - Deyu Fang
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - I Caroline Le Poole
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
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36
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Naserian S, Leclerc M, Shamdani S, Uzan G. Current Preventions and Treatments of aGVHD: From Pharmacological Prophylaxis to Innovative Therapies. Front Immunol 2020; 11:607030. [PMID: 33391276 PMCID: PMC7773902 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.607030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Graft versus host disease (GVHD) is one of the main causes of mortality and the reason for up to 50% of morbidity after hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (HSCT) which is the treatment of choice for many blood malignancies. Thanks to years of research and exploration, we have acquired a profound understanding of the pathophysiology and immunopathology of these disorders. This led to the proposition and development of many therapeutic approaches during the last decades, some of them with very promising results. In this review, we have focused on the recent GVHD treatments from classical chemical and pharmacological prophylaxis to more innovative treatments including gene therapy and cell therapy, most commonly based on the application of a variety of immunomodulatory cells. Furthermore, we have discussed the advantages and potentials of cell-free therapy as a newly emerging approach to treat GVHD. Among them, we have particularly focused on the implication of the TNFα-TNFR2 axis as a new immune checkpoint signaling pathway controlling different aspects of many immunoregulatory cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Naserian
- INSERM UMR-S-MD 1197, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Villejuif, France
- Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
- CellMedEx, Saint Maur Des Fossés, France
| | - Mathieu Leclerc
- Service d’Hématologie Clinique et de Thérapie Cellulaire, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Créteil, France
- INSERM U955, Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, Créteil, France
- Faculté de Médecine de Créteil, Université Paris-Est, Créteil, France
| | - Sara Shamdani
- INSERM UMR-S-MD 1197, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Villejuif, France
- Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
- CellMedEx, Saint Maur Des Fossés, France
| | - Georges Uzan
- INSERM UMR-S-MD 1197, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Villejuif, France
- Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
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37
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Khan S, Khan RS, Newsome PN. Cellular therapies for the treatment of immune-mediated GI and liver disease. Br Med Bull 2020; 136:127-141. [PMID: 33290518 DOI: 10.1093/bmb/ldaa035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Immune-mediated liver and gastrointestinal diseases are chronic conditions that lack curative treatments. Despite advances in the understanding and treatment of these conditions, they frequently remain refractory to treatment and represent a significant unmet need. Cellular therapies are an emerging option and hold the potential to have a major impact. DATA SOURCES A literature review was carried out using Pubmed. Keywords used for search were 'ATMP', 'immune mediated', 'autoimmune liver disease' and 'immune mediated gastrointestinal conditions', 'cell therapy', 'MSC', 'HSCT', 'Regulatory T cells', 'GVHD', 'Coeliac disease' 'IBD', 'PSC', 'AIH', 'PBC'. No new data were generated or analysed in support of this review. AREAS OF AGREEMENT There is substantial evidence from clinical trials to support the use of cell therapies as a treatment for immune-mediated liver and gastrointestinal conditions. Cellular therapy products have the ability to 'reset' the dysregulated immune system and this in turn can offer a longer term remission. There are ongoing clinical trials with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and other cells to evidence their efficacy profile and fill the gaps in current knowledge. Insights gained will inform future trial designs and subsequent therapeutic applications. AREAS OF CONTROVERSY There remains some uncertainty around the extrapolation of results from animal studies to clinical trials. Longevity of the therapeutic effects seen after the use of cell therapy needs to be scrutinized further. Heterogeneity in the selection of cells, source, methods of productions and cell administration pose challenges to the interpretation of the data. GROWING POINTS MSCs are emerging as a key therapeutic cells in immune-mediated liver and gastrointestinal conditions. Ongoing trials with these cells will provide new insights and a better understanding thus informing future larger scale studies. AREAS TIMELY FOR DEVELOPING RESEARCH Larger scale clinical trials to build on the evidence from small studies regarding safety and efficacy of cellular therapy are still needed before cellular therapies can become off the shelf treatments. Alignment of academia and industry to standardize the processes involved in cell selection, manipulation and expansion and subsequent use in clinical trials is an important avenue to explore further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheeba Khan
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.,Centre for Liver Research, Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.,Liver Unit, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Reenam S Khan
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.,Centre for Liver Research, Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.,Liver Unit, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Philip N Newsome
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.,Centre for Liver Research, Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.,Liver Unit, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
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38
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Mukhatayev Z, Dellacecca ER, Cosgrove C, Shivde R, Jaishankar D, Pontarolo-Maag K, Eby JM, Henning SW, Ostapchuk YO, Cedercreutz K, Issanov A, Mehrotra S, Overbeck A, Junghans RP, Leventhal JR, Le Poole IC. Antigen Specificity Enhances Disease Control by Tregs in Vitiligo. Front Immunol 2020; 11:581433. [PMID: 33335528 PMCID: PMC7736409 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.581433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin disease characterized by melanocyte destruction. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are greatly reduced in vitiligo skin, and replenishing peripheral skin Tregs can provide protection against depigmentation. Ganglioside D3 (GD3) is overexpressed by perilesional epidermal cells, including melanocytes, which prompted us to generate GD3-reactive chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) Tregs to treat vitiligo. Mice received either untransduced Tregs or GD3-specific Tregs to test the hypothesis that antigen specificity contributes to reduced autoimmune reactivity in vitro and in vivo. CAR Tregs displayed increased IL-10 secretion in response to antigen, provided superior control of cytotoxicity towards melanocytes, and supported a significant delay in depigmentation compared to untransduced Tregs and vehicle control recipients in a TCR transgenic mouse model of spontaneous vitiligo. The latter findings were associated with a greater abundance of Tregs and melanocytes in treated mice versus both control groups. Our data support the concept that antigen-specific Tregs can be prepared, used, and stored for long-term control of progressive depigmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhussipbek Mukhatayev
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.,Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.,Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan.,Laboratory of Molecular immunology and Immunobiotechnology, M.A. Aitkhozhin's Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Emilia R Dellacecca
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.,Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Cormac Cosgrove
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.,Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Rohan Shivde
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.,Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Dinesh Jaishankar
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.,Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | | | - Jonathan M Eby
- Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University, Maywood, IL, United States
| | - Steven W Henning
- Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University, Maywood, IL, United States
| | - Yekaterina O Ostapchuk
- Laboratory of Molecular immunology and Immunobiotechnology, M.A. Aitkhozhin's Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Kettil Cedercreutz
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Alpamys Issanov
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
| | - Shikhar Mehrotra
- Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Andreas Overbeck
- Department for Surgery of Pigment Disorders, Lumiderm, Madrid, Spain
| | - Richard P Junghans
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Boston University, Boston MA, United States
| | - Joseph R Leventhal
- Comprehensive Transplant Center, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - I Caroline Le Poole
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.,Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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39
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Abstract
Immune regulation is critically important in health and disease. These immune effects have direct relevance in the setting of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), principally for the control of aberrant immune reactions, such as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Murine models have been critically important to evaluate the potential of two of the most potent immune regulatory cells CD4+CD25+FoxP+ regulatory T cells (Treg) and invariant natural killer T cells (iNKT cells). These cells have been shown to be remarkably effective in murine models to control GVHD and allow for the maintenance of graft-versus-tumor (GVT) effects. Interestingly, there are critical interactions between these different cell populations. Future studies are aimed at exploring the biology of these important regulatory cells and to translate these concepts to the clinic that holds promise for controlling some of the major challenges of allogeneic HCT.
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40
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Dissecting the biology of allogeneic HSCT to enhance the GvT effect whilst minimizing GvHD. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2020; 17:475-492. [PMID: 32313224 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-020-0356-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) was the first successful therapy for patients with haematological malignancies, predominantly owing to graft-versus-tumour (GvT) effects. Dramatic methodological changes, designed to expand eligibility for allo-HSCT to older patients and/or those with comorbidities, have led to the use of reduced-intensity conditioning regimens, in parallel with more aggressive immunosuppression to better control graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Consequently, disease relapse has become the major cause of death following allo-HSCT. Hence, the prevention and treatment of relapse has come to the forefront and remains an unmet medical need. Despite >60 years of preclinical and clinical studies, the immunological requirements necessary to achieve GvT effects without promoting GvHD have not been fully established. Herein, we review learnings from preclinical modelling and clinical studies relating to the GvT effect, focusing on mechanisms of relapse and on immunomodulatory strategies that are being developed to overcome disease recurrence after both allo-HSCT and autologous HSCT. Emphasis is placed on discussing current knowledge and approaches predicated on the use of cell therapies, cytokines to augment immune responses and dual-purpose antibody therapies or other pharmacological agents that can control GvHD whilst simultaneously targeting cancer cells.
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41
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Raffin C, Vo LT, Bluestone JA. T reg cell-based therapies: challenges and perspectives. Nat Rev Immunol 2020; 20:158-172. [PMID: 31811270 PMCID: PMC7814338 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-019-0232-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 377] [Impact Index Per Article: 94.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Cellular therapies using regulatory T (Treg) cells are currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, transplant rejection and graft-versus-host disease. In this Review, we discuss the biology of Treg cells and describe new efforts in Treg cell engineering to enhance specificity, stability, functional activity and delivery. Finally, we envision that the success of Treg cell therapy in autoimmunity and transplantation will encourage the clinical use of adoptive Treg cell therapy for non-immune diseases, such as neurological disorders and tissue repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Raffin
- Sean N. Parker Autoimmune Research Laboratory, Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Linda T Vo
- Sean N. Parker Autoimmune Research Laboratory, Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Bluestone
- Sean N. Parker Autoimmune Research Laboratory, Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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42
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Le HT, Keslar K, Nguyen QT, Blazar BR, Hamilton BK, Min B. Interleukin-27 Enforces Regulatory T Cell Functions to Prevent Graft-versus-Host Disease. Front Immunol 2020; 11:181. [PMID: 32117306 PMCID: PMC7028690 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) remains a significant complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), associated with significant morbidity and mortality. GvHD is characterized by dysregulated immune responses and resulting tissue damage of target organs. Recent investigations have focused on Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) as a therapeutic tool, based on its regulatory functions in GvHD pathogenesis and their instrumental role in mitigating GvHD severity while preserving graft-versus-leukemia (GvL) activity. There are several challenges to its clinical application, including their paucity, impaired suppressive activity, and instability in vivo. Herein, we report that IL-27 pre-stimulation enhances suppressive functions of both mouse and human Tregs. In a complete MHC mismatched murine bone marrow transplant model, IL-27 pre-stimulated polyclonal iTregs diminish acute (a)GvHD lethality, while preserving the GvL effect. Allo-antigen specificity further improves suppressive functions when combined with IL-27 pre-stimulation. In a xenogeneic (human to mouse) GvHD model, IL-27 pre-stimulated human iTregs are superior in protecting recipients from GvHD. Lastly, we compared gene expression profiles of circulating Tregs isolated from HCT recipients with and without aGvHD and found that Tregs from aGvHD patients express distinct gene signatures enriched in immune activation and inflammation. Therefore, these results highlight a novel function of IL-27 in enforcing Treg functions to prevent aGvHD mediated lethality, proposing the hypothesis that dysregulated Treg functions may account for the potential mechanisms underlying GvHD development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongnga T Le
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Karen Keslar
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Quang Tam Nguyen
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Bruce R Blazar
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Betty K Hamilton
- Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, Hematology and Medical Oncology, Taussig Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Booki Min
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, United States
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Whangbo JS, Antin JH, Koreth J. The role of regulatory T cells in graft-versus-host disease management. Expert Rev Hematol 2020; 13:141-154. [PMID: 31874061 DOI: 10.1080/17474086.2020.1709436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Despite improvements in human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching algorithms and supportive care, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains the leading cause of non-relapse morbidity and mortality following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Acute GVHD, typically occurring in the first 100 days post-HSCT, is mediated by mature effector T cells from the donor (graft) that become activated after encountering alloantigens in the recipient (host). Chronic GVHD, characterized by aberrant immune responses to both autoantigens and alloantigens, occurs later and arises from a failure to develop tolerance after HSCT. CD4+ CD25+ CD127- FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) function to suppress auto- and alloreactive immune responses and are key mediators of immune tolerance.Areas covered: In this review, authors discuss the biologic and therapeutic roles of Tregs in acute and chronic GVHD, including in vivo and ex vivo strategies for Treg expansion and adoptive Treg cellular therapy.Expert opinion: Although they comprise only a small subset of circulating CD4 + T cells, Tregs play an important role in establishing and maintaining immune tolerance following allogeneic HSCT. The development of GVHD has been associated with reduced Treg frequency or numbers. Consequently, the immunosuppressive properties of Tregs are being harnessed in clinical trials for GVHD prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer S Whangbo
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA and Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph H Antin
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Division of Hematologic Malignancies, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John Koreth
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Division of Hematologic Malignancies, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
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44
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Iamsawat S, Tian L, Daenthanasanmak A, Wu Y, Nguyen HD, Bastian D, Yu XZ. Vitamin C stabilizes CD8+ iTregs and enhances their therapeutic potential in controlling murine GVHD and leukemia relapse. Blood Adv 2019; 3:4187-4201. [PMID: 31856270 PMCID: PMC6929397 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2019000531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Adoptive transfer of induced regulatory T cells (iTregs) can ameliorate graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). CD4+ iTregs can effectively prevent GVHD but impair the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect, whereas CD8+ iTregs preserve the GVL effect but have limited efficacy in GVHD control because of their instability under inflammatory conditions. Thus, we aimed to stabilize CD8+ iTregs via treatment with vitamin C (Vit C) to improve their efficacy in controlling GVHD. We found that addition of Vit C significantly improved the stability of forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) expression in CD8+ iTregs. Moreover, Vit C-treated CD8+ iTregs exhibited high efficacy in attenuating acute and chronic GVHD. The mechanistic study revealed that addition of Vit C to CD8+ iTreg culture markedly increased DNA demethylation in the conserved noncoding sequence 2 region and, hence, maintained higher Foxp3 expression levels compared with untreated controls. In acute GVHD, Vit C-treated CD8+ iTregs were able to inhibit pathogenic T-cell expansion and differentiation while reducing thymus damage and B-cell activation in cGVHD. Importantly, in contrast to CD4+ iTregs, Vit C-treated CD8+ iTregs retained the ability to control tumor relapse. These results provide a strong rationale to use Vit C in the clinic to stabilize CD8+ iTregs for the control of GVHD and preservation of GVL after allo-HCT.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Linlu Tian
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and
| | | | - Yongxia Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and
| | | | | | - Xue-Zhong Yu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
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45
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Mancusi A, Piccinelli S, Velardi A, Pierini A. CD4 +FOXP3 + Regulatory T Cell Therapies in HLA Haploidentical Hematopoietic Transplantation. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2901. [PMID: 31921162 PMCID: PMC6927932 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Since their discovery CD4+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) represented a promising tool to induce tolerance in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Preclinical models proved that adoptive transfer of Tregs or the use of compounds that can favor their function in vivo are effective for prevention and treatment of graft-vs.-host disease (GvHD). Following these findings, Treg-based therapies have been employed in clinical trials. Adoptive immunotherapy with Tregs effectively prevents GvHD induced by alloreactive T cells in the setting of one HLA haplotype mismatched hematopoietic transplantation. The absence of post transplant pharmacologic immunosuppression unleashes T-cell mediated graft-vs.-tumor (GvT) effect, which results in an unprecedented, almost complete control of leukemia relapse in this setting. In the present review, we will report preclinical studies and clinical trials that demonstrate Treg ability to promote donor engraftment, protect from GvHD and improve GvT effect. We will also discuss new strategies to further enhance in vivo efficacy of Treg-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Mancusi
- Hematology and Clinical Immunology and Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Sara Piccinelli
- Hematology and Clinical Immunology and Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Andrea Velardi
- Hematology and Clinical Immunology and Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Antonio Pierini
- Hematology and Clinical Immunology and Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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Riegel C, Boeld TJ, Doser K, Huber E, Hoffmann P, Edinger M. Efficient treatment of murine acute GvHD by in vitro expanded donor regulatory T cells. Leukemia 2019; 34:895-908. [PMID: 31719679 PMCID: PMC7214258 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-019-0625-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) is a frequent complication after allogeneic bone marrow/stem cell transplantation (BMT/SCT) induced by co-transplanted alloreactive conventional donor T cells. We previously demonstrated that the adoptive transfer of donor CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) at the time of BMT prevents aGvHD in murine models. Yet, the therapeutic potential of donor Treg for the treatment of established aGvHD has not yet been studied in detail. We now used in vitro expanded phenotypically and functionally stable murine Treg to explore their therapeutic efficacy in haploidentical aGvHD models. Upon transfer donor Treg ameliorate clinical and histologic signs of aGvHD and significantly improve survival. They migrate to lymphoid as well as aGvHD target organs, predominantly the gastrointestinal tract, where they inhibit the proliferation of conventional T cells, reduce the influx of myeloid cells, and the accumulation of inflammatory cytokines. Successfully treated animals restore aGvHD-induced tissue damage in target organs and lymphoid tissues, thereby supporting lymphocyte reconstitution. The therapeutically applied Treg population survives long term without conversion into pathogenic effector T cells. These results demonstrate that donor Treg not only prevent aGvHD, but are also efficacious for the treatment of this life-threatening BMT complication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Riegel
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Tina J Boeld
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Kristina Doser
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Huber
- Institute of Pathology, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.,Pathology Department, Red Cross Hospital, Munich, Germany
| | - Petra Hoffmann
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.,Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Edinger
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany. .,Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology, Regensburg, Germany.
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47
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Gu G, Yang JZ, Zhang JQ, Sun LX. Regulatory T cells in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: From the lab to the clinic. Cell Immunol 2019; 346:103991. [PMID: 31607390 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2019.103991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2019] [Revised: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a curable strategy for the treatment of hematological malignancies and nonmalignant diseases. However, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and relapse are still two major causes of morbidity and mortality after allo-HSCT, and both restrict the improvement of transplant outcomes. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) has been successfully used in allo-SCT settings. In this review, we summarize recent advances in experimental studies that have evaluated the roles played by Tregs in the establishment of novel transplant modalities, the prevention of GVHD and the enhancement of immune reconstitution. We also discuss the application of Tregs in clinical to prevent acute GVHD, treat chronic GVHD, as well as enhance immune reconstitution and decrease leukemia relapse, all of which lead to improving transplant outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang Gu
- Department of Rheumatology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jian-Zhu Yang
- Department of Pathology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jin-Qiao Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Li-Xia Sun
- Department of Hematology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
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48
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Elias S, Rudensky AY. Therapeutic use of regulatory T cells for graft-versus-host disease. Br J Haematol 2019; 187:25-38. [PMID: 31418827 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.16157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Treg cells) represent a CD4+ T-cell lineage that plays a critical role in restraining immune responses to self and foreign antigens and associated inflammation. Due to the suppressive function of Treg cells, inhibition or ablation of these cells can be used to boost the immunity against malignant cells. On the other hand, augmenting the activity of Treg cells can be employed for the treatment of inflammatory or autoimmune diseases and allogeneic conflicts associated with transplantation. Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In this review, we describe basic biological properties of Treg cells and their role in GvHD. We focus on the application of adoptive transfer of Treg cells and the therapeutic modulation of their activity for the prevention and treatment of GvHD in pre-clinical models and in clinical settings. We also discuss the main obstacles to applying Treg cell-based therapies for GvHD in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shlomo Elias
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Immunology Program and Ludwig Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexander Y Rudensky
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Immunology Program and Ludwig Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
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49
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Copsel S, Wolf D, Komanduri KV, Levy RB. The promise of CD4 +FoxP3 + regulatory T-cell manipulation in vivo: applications for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Haematologica 2019; 104:1309-1321. [PMID: 31221786 PMCID: PMC6601084 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2018.198838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
CD4+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a non-redundant population critical for the maintenance of self-tolerance. Over the past decade, the use of these cells for therapeutic purposes in transplantation and autoimmune disease has emerged based on their capacity to inhibit immune activation. Basic science discoveries have led to identifying key receptors on Tregs that can regulate their proliferation and function. Notably, the understanding that IL-2 signaling is crucial for Treg homeostasis promoted the hypothesis that in vivo IL-2 treatment could provide a strategy to control the compartment. The use of low-dose IL-2 in vivo was shown to selectively expand Tregs versus other immune cells. Interestingly, a number of other Treg cell surface proteins, including CD28, CD45, IL-33R and TNFRSF members, have been identified which can also induce activation and proliferation of this population. Pre-clinical studies have exploited these observations to prevent and treat mice developing autoimmune diseases and graft-versus-host disease post-allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. These findings support the development of translational strategies to expand Tregs in patients. Excitingly, the use of low-dose IL-2 for patients suffering from graft-versus-host disease and autoimmune disease has demonstrated increased Treg levels together with beneficial outcomes. To date, promising pre-clinical and clinical studies have directly targeted Tregs and clearly established the ability to increase their levels and augment their function in vivo. Here we review the evolving field of in vivo Treg manipulation and its application to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Krishna V Komanduri
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology.,Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.,Division of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine
| | - Robert B Levy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology .,Division of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine.,Department of Ophthalmology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, FL, USA
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50
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Claiborne J, Bandyopathyay D, Roberts C, Hawks K, Aziz M, Simmons G, Wiedl C, Chung H, Clark W, McCarty J, Toor A. Managing post allograft relapse of myeloid neoplasms: azacitidine and donor lymphocyte infusions as salvage therapy. Leuk Lymphoma 2019; 60:2733-2743. [DOI: 10.1080/10428194.2019.1605066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- John Claiborne
- Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Dipankar Bandyopathyay
- Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Catherine Roberts
- Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Kelly Hawks
- Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - May Aziz
- Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Gary Simmons
- Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Christina Wiedl
- Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Harold Chung
- Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - William Clark
- Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - John McCarty
- Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Amir Toor
- Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
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