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Mo G, Lu X, Wu S, Zhu W. Strategies and rules for tuning TCR-derived therapy. Expert Rev Mol Med 2023; 26:e4. [PMID: 38095091 PMCID: PMC11062142 DOI: 10.1017/erm.2023.27] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Manipulation of T cells has revolutionized cancer immunotherapy. Notably, the use of T cells carrying engineered T cell receptors (TCR-T) offers a favourable therapeutic pathway, particularly in the treatment of solid tumours. However, major challenges such as limited clinical response efficacy, off-target effects and tumour immunosuppressive microenvironment have hindered the clinical translation of this approach. In this review, we mainly want to guide TCR-T investigators on several major issues they face in the treatment of solid tumours after obtaining specific TCR sequences: (1) whether we have to undergo affinity maturation or not, and what parameter we should use as a criterion for being more effective. (2) What modifications can be added to counteract the tumour inhibitory microenvironment to make our specific T cells to be more effective and what is the safety profile of such modifications? (3) What are the new forms and possibilities for TCR-T cell therapy in the future?
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoheng Mo
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinyu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sha Wu
- Department of Immunology/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Proteomics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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2
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Park JA, Cheung NKV. Overcoming tumor heterogeneity by ex vivo arming of T cells using multiple bispecific antibodies. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2021-003771. [PMID: 35086947 PMCID: PMC8796264 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumorous heterogeneity is a hallmark of tumor evolution and cancer progression, being a longstanding challenge to targeted immunotherapy. Ex vivo armed T cells (EATs) using IgG-(L)-scFv bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) are potent tumor-specific cytotoxic effectors. To improve the anti-tumor efficacy of EATs against heterogeneous solid tumors, we explored multi-antigen targeting approaches. METHODS Ex vivo expanded T cells were armed with BsAbs built on the IgG-(L)-scFv platform, where an anti-CD3 (huOKT3) scFv was attached to the carboxyl end of both light chains of a tumor specific IgG. Multispecificity was created by combining monospecific EATs, combining BsAbs on the same T cell, or combining specificities on the same antibody. Three multi-antigens targeting EAT strategies were tested: (1) pooled-EATs (EATs each with unique specificity administered simultaneously) or alternate-EATs (EATs each with unique specificity administered in an alternating schedule), (2) dual-EATs or multi-EATs (T cells simultaneously armed with ≥2 BsAbs), and (3) TriAb-EATs (T cells armed with BsAb specific for two targets besides CD3 (TriAb)). The properties and efficiencies of these three strategies were evaluated by flow cytometry, in vitro cytotoxicity, cytokine release assays, and in vivo studies performed in BALB-Rag2 -/-IL-2R-γc-KO (BRG) mice xenografted with cancer cell line (CDX) or patient-derived tumor (PDX). RESULTS Multi-EATs retained target antigen specificity and anti-tumor potency. Cytokine release with multi-EATs in the presence of tumor cells was substantially less than when multiple BsAbs were mixed with unarmed T cells. When tested against CDXs or PDXs, dual-EATs or multi-EATs effectively suppressed tumor growth without clinical toxicities. Most importantly, dual-EATs or multi-EATs were highly efficient in preventing clonal escape while mono-EATs or TriAb- EATs were not as effective. CONCLUSIONS Multi-EATs have the potential to increase potency, reduce toxicity, and overcome tumor heterogeneity without excessive cytokine release. Arming T cells with multiple BsAbs deserves further exploration to prevent or to treat cancer resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong A Park
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Inha University Hospital, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Nai-Kong V Cheung
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
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3
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Park JA, Santich BH, Xu H, Lum LG, Cheung NKV. Potent ex vivo armed T cells using recombinant bispecific antibodies for adoptive immunotherapy with reduced cytokine release. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:e002222. [PMID: 33986124 PMCID: PMC8126293 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-002222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND T cell-based immunotherapies using chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) or bispecific antibodies (BsAb) have produced impressive responses in hematological malignancies. However, major hurdles remained, including cytokine release syndrome, neurotoxicity, on-target off-tumor effects, reliance on autologous T cells, and failure in most solid tumors. BsAb armed T cells offer a safe alternative. METHODS We generated ex vivo armed T cells (EATs) using IgG-[L]-scFv-platformed BsAb, where the anti-CD3 (huOKT3) scFv was attached to the light chain of a tumor-binding IgG. BsAb density on EAT, in vitro cytotoxicity, cytokine release, in vivo trafficking into tumors, and their antitumor activities were evaluated in multiple cancer cell lines and patient-derived xenograft mouse models. The efficacy of EATs after cryopreservation was studied, and gamma delta (γδ) T cells were investigated as unrelated alternative effector T cells. RESULTS The antitumor potency of BsAb armed T cells was substantially improved using the IgG-[L]-scFv BsAb platform. When compared with separate BsAb and T cell injection, EATs released less TNF-α, and infiltrated tumors faster, while achieving robust antitumor responses. The in vivo potency of EAT therapy depended on BsAb dose for arming, EAT cell number per injection, total number of EAT doses, and treatment schedule intensity. The antitumor efficacy of EATs was preserved following cryopreservation, and EATs using γδ T cells were safe and as effective as αβ T cell-EATs. CONCLUSIONS EATs exerted potent antitumor activities against a broad spectrum of human cancer targets with remarkable safety. The antitumor potency of EATs depended on BsAb dose, cell number and total dose, and schedule. EATs were equally effective after cryopreservation, and the feasibility of third-party γδ-EATs offered an alternative for autologous T cell sources.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies, Bispecific/genetics
- Antibodies, Bispecific/immunology
- Antibodies, Bispecific/metabolism
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cell Movement
- Coculture Techniques
- Cytokines/metabolism
- Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
- Humans
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive
- Intraepithelial Lymphocytes/immunology
- Intraepithelial Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Intraepithelial Lymphocytes/transplantation
- Lymphocyte Activation
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/immunology
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/metabolism
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/transplantation
- Male
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Mice, Knockout
- Neoplasms/genetics
- Neoplasms/immunology
- Neoplasms/metabolism
- Neoplasms/therapy
- Phenotype
- Tumor Microenvironment
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
- Mice
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong A Park
- Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Brian H Santich
- Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Hong Xu
- Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lawrence G Lum
- Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Nai-Kong V Cheung
- Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
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4
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Achilli S, Monteiro JT, Serna S, Mayer-Lambertz S, Thépaut M, Le Roy A, Ebel C, Reichardt NC, Lepenies B, Fieschi F, Vivès C. TETRALEC, Artificial Tetrameric Lectins: A Tool to Screen Ligand and Pathogen Interactions. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E5290. [PMID: 32722514 PMCID: PMC7432041 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
C-type lectin receptor (CLR)/carbohydrate recognition occurs through low affinity interactions. Nature compensates that weakness by multivalent display of the lectin carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) at the cell surface. Mimicking these low affinity interactions in vitro is essential to better understand CLR/glycan interactions. Here, we present a strategy to create a generic construct with a tetrameric presentation of the CRD for any CLR, termed TETRALEC. We applied our strategy to a naturally occurring tetrameric CRD, DC-SIGNR, and compared the TETRALEC ligand binding capacity by synthetic N- and O-glycans microarray using three different DC-SIGNR constructs i) its natural tetrameric counterpart, ii) the monomeric CRD and iii) a dimeric Fc-CRD fusion. DC-SIGNR TETRALEC construct showed a similar binding profile to that of its natural tetrameric counterpart. However, differences observed in recognition of low affinity ligands underlined the importance of the CRD spatial arrangement. Moreover, we further extended the applications of DC-SIGNR TETRALEC to evaluate CLR/pathogens interactions. This construct was able to recognize heat-killed Candida albicans by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy, a so far unreported specificity of DC-SIGNR. In summary, the newly developed DC-SIGNR TETRALEC tool proved to be useful to unravel novel CLR/glycan interactions, an approach which could be applied to other CLRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Achilli
- Institut de Biologie Structurale, CEA, CNRS, University of Grenoble Alpes, F-38000 Grenoble, France; (S.A.); (M.T.); (A.L.R.); (C.E.); (F.F.)
| | - João T. Monteiro
- Immunology Unit & Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses (RIZ), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (J.T.M.); (S.M.-L.); (B.L.)
| | - Sonia Serna
- Glycotechnology Laboratory, Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), CIBER-BBN, Paseo Miramón 182, 20014 San Sebastian, Spain; (S.S.); (N.-C.R.)
| | - Sabine Mayer-Lambertz
- Immunology Unit & Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses (RIZ), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (J.T.M.); (S.M.-L.); (B.L.)
| | - Michel Thépaut
- Institut de Biologie Structurale, CEA, CNRS, University of Grenoble Alpes, F-38000 Grenoble, France; (S.A.); (M.T.); (A.L.R.); (C.E.); (F.F.)
| | - Aline Le Roy
- Institut de Biologie Structurale, CEA, CNRS, University of Grenoble Alpes, F-38000 Grenoble, France; (S.A.); (M.T.); (A.L.R.); (C.E.); (F.F.)
| | - Christine Ebel
- Institut de Biologie Structurale, CEA, CNRS, University of Grenoble Alpes, F-38000 Grenoble, France; (S.A.); (M.T.); (A.L.R.); (C.E.); (F.F.)
| | - Niels-Christian Reichardt
- Glycotechnology Laboratory, Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), CIBER-BBN, Paseo Miramón 182, 20014 San Sebastian, Spain; (S.S.); (N.-C.R.)
| | - Bernd Lepenies
- Immunology Unit & Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses (RIZ), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (J.T.M.); (S.M.-L.); (B.L.)
| | - Franck Fieschi
- Institut de Biologie Structurale, CEA, CNRS, University of Grenoble Alpes, F-38000 Grenoble, France; (S.A.); (M.T.); (A.L.R.); (C.E.); (F.F.)
| | - Corinne Vivès
- Institut de Biologie Structurale, CEA, CNRS, University of Grenoble Alpes, F-38000 Grenoble, France; (S.A.); (M.T.); (A.L.R.); (C.E.); (F.F.)
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5
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How the avidity of polymerase binding to the -35/-10 promoter sites affects gene expression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:13340-13345. [PMID: 31196959 PMCID: PMC6613100 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1905615116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the key promoter elements necessary to drive transcription in Escherichia coli have long been understood, we still cannot predict the behavior of arbitrary novel promoters, hampering our ability to characterize the myriad sequenced regulatory architectures as well as to design new synthetic circuits. This work builds upon a beautiful recent experiment by Urtecho et al. [G. Urtecho, et al, Biochemistry, 68, 1539-1551 (2019)] who measured the gene expression of over 10,000 promoters spanning all possible combinations of a small set of regulatory elements. Using these data, we demonstrate that a central claim in energy matrix models of gene expression-that each promoter element contributes independently and additively to gene expression-contradicts experimental measurements. We propose that a key missing ingredient from such models is the avidity between the -35 and -10 RNA polymerase binding sites and develop what we call a multivalent model that incorporates this effect and can successfully characterize the full suite of gene expression data. We explore several applications of this framework, namely, how multivalent binding at the -35 and -10 sites can buffer RNA polymerase (RNAP) kinetics against mutations and how promoters that bind overly tightly to RNA polymerase can inhibit gene expression. The success of our approach suggests that avidity represents a key physical principle governing the interaction of RNA polymerase to its promoter.
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6
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Yousefi OS, Günther M, Hörner M, Chalupsky J, Wess M, Brandl SM, Smith RW, Fleck C, Kunkel T, Zurbriggen MD, Höfer T, Weber W, Schamel WW. Optogenetic control shows that kinetic proofreading regulates the activity of the T cell receptor. eLife 2019; 8:42475. [PMID: 30947807 PMCID: PMC6488296 DOI: 10.7554/elife.42475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The immune system distinguishes between self and foreign antigens. The kinetic proofreading (KPR) model proposes that T cells discriminate self from foreign ligands by the different ligand binding half-lives to the T cell receptor (TCR). It is challenging to test KPR as the available experimental systems fall short of only altering the binding half-lives and keeping other parameters of the interaction unchanged. We engineered an optogenetic system using the plant photoreceptor phytochrome B (PhyB) as a ligand to selectively control the dynamics of ligand binding to the TCR by light. This opto-ligand-TCR system was combined with the unique property of PhyB to continuously cycle between the binding and non-binding states under red light, with the light intensity determining the cycling rate and thus the binding duration. Mathematical modeling of our experimental datasets showed that indeed the ligand-TCR interaction half-life is the decisive factor for activating downstream TCR signaling, substantiating KPR.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Sascha Yousefi
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Günther
- Division of Theoretical Systems Biology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.,BioQuant Center, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maximilian Hörner
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Julia Chalupsky
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, Medical Center Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Maximilian Wess
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Simon M Brandl
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Robert W Smith
- Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Christian Fleck
- Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Tim Kunkel
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Matias D Zurbriggen
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Institute of Synthetic Biology and Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Thomas Höfer
- Division of Theoretical Systems Biology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.,BioQuant Center, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Wilfried Weber
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wa Schamel
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
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7
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Hickey JW, Isser AY, Vicente FP, Warner SB, Mao HQ, Schneck JP. Efficient magnetic enrichment of antigen-specific T cells by engineering particle properties. Biomaterials 2018; 187:105-116. [PMID: 30312851 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Revised: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Magnetic particles can enrich desired cell populations to aid in understanding cell-type functions and mechanisms, diagnosis, and therapy. As cells are heterogeneous in ligand type, location, expression, and density, careful consideration of magnetic particle design for positive isolation is necessary. Antigen-specific immune cells have low frequencies, which has made studying, identifying, and utilizing these cells for therapy a challenge. Here we demonstrate the importance of magnetic particle design based on the biology of T cells. We create magnetic particles which recognize rare antigen-specific T cells and quantitatively investigate important particle properties including size, concentration, ligand density, and ligand choice in enriching these rare cells. We observe competing optima among particle parameters, with 300 nm particles functionalized with a high density of antigen-specific ligand achieving the highest enrichment and recovery of target cells. In enriching and then activating an endogenous response, 300 nm aAPCs generate nearly 65% antigen-specific T cells with at least 450-fold expansion from endogenous precursors and a 5-fold increase in numbers of antigen-specific cells after only seven days. This systematic study of particle properties in magnetic enrichment provides a case study for the engineering design principles of particles for the isolation of rare cells through biological ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W Hickey
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Institute for Cell Engineering, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Translational Tissue Engineering Center, Baltimore, MD, USA; Institute for Nanobiotechnology, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ariel Y Isser
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Institute for Cell Engineering, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Fernando P Vicente
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Samuel B Warner
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hai-Quan Mao
- Translational Tissue Engineering Center, Baltimore, MD, USA; Institute for Nanobiotechnology, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan P Schneck
- Institute for Cell Engineering, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Institute for Nanobiotechnology, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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8
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Martin-Blanco N, Blanco R, Alda-Catalinas C, Bovolenta ER, Oeste CL, Palmer E, Schamel WW, Lythe G, Molina-París C, Castro M, Alarcon B. A window of opportunity for cooperativity in the T Cell Receptor. Nat Commun 2018; 9:2618. [PMID: 29976994 PMCID: PMC6033938 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05050-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) is pre-organised in oligomers, known as nanoclusters. Nanoclusters could provide a framework for inter-TCR cooperativity upon peptide antigen-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) binding. Here we have used soluble pMHC oligomers in search for cooperativity effects along the plasma membrane plane. We find that initial binding events favour subsequent pMHC binding to additional TCRs, during a narrow temporal window. This behaviour can be explained by a 3-state model of TCR transition from Resting to Active, to a final Inhibited state. By disrupting nanoclusters and hampering the Active conformation, we show that TCR cooperativity is consistent with TCR nanoclusters adopting the Active state in a coordinated manner. Preferential binding of pMHC to the Active TCR at the immunological synapse suggests that there is a transient time frame for signal amplification in the TCR, allowing the T cells to keep track of antigen quantity and binding time. T cells can be activated by a small, two-digit, number of antigen peptide molecules even though the receptor for antigen (TCR) is of low affinity. Here the authors present evidence that all TCRs within a nanocluster can become activated when only a subset is bound to antigen.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Martin-Blanco
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - R Blanco
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - C Alda-Catalinas
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - E R Bovolenta
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - C L Oeste
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - E Palmer
- University Hospital Basel, Hebelstrasse 20, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - W W Schamel
- Faculty of Biology, Institute Biology III, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Signalling Studies (BIOSS), University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.,Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Center Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - G Lythe
- School of Mathematics, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - C Molina-París
- School of Mathematics, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
| | - M Castro
- School of Mathematics, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK. .,Grupo Interdisciplinar de Sistemas Complejos (GISC), Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Alberto Aguilera25, 28015, Madrid, Spain.
| | - B Alarcon
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain.
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9
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Takeda K, Kitaura K, Suzuki R, Owada Y, Muto S, Okabe N, Hasegawa T, Osugi J, Hoshino M, Tsunoda T, Okumura K, Suzuki H. Quantitative T-cell repertoire analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from lung cancer patients following long-term cancer peptide vaccination. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2018; 67:949-964. [PMID: 29568993 PMCID: PMC11028142 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-018-2152-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Therapeutic cancer peptide vaccination is an immunotherapy designed to elicit cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses in patients. A number of therapeutic vaccination trials have been performed, nevertheless there are only a few reports that have analyzed the T-cell receptors (TCRs) expressed on tumor antigen-specific CTLs. Here, we use next-generation sequencing (NGS) to analyze TCRs of vaccine-induced CTL clones and the TCR repertoire of bulk T cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from two lung cancer patients over the course of long-term vaccine therapy. In both patients, vaccination with two epitope peptides derived from cancer/testis antigens (upregulated lung cancer 10 (URLC10) and cell division associated 1 (CDCA1)) induced specific CTLs expressing various TCRs. All URLC10-specific CTL clones tested showed Ca2+ influx, IFN-γ production, and cytotoxicity when co-cultured with URLC10-pulsed tumor cells. Moreover, in CTL clones that were not stained with the URLC10/MHC-multimer, the CD3 ζ chain was not phosphorylated. NGS of the TCR repertoire of bulk PBMCs demonstrated that the frequency of vaccine peptide-specific CTL clones was near the minimum detectable threshold level. These results demonstrate that vaccination induces antigen-specific CTLs expressing various TCRs at different time points in cancer patients, and that some CTL clones are maintained in PBMCs during long-term treatment, including some with TCRs that do not bind peptide/MHC-multimer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuyoshi Takeda
- Division of Cell Biology, Biomedical Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Hongo 2-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.
- Department of Biofunctional Micribiota, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.
| | - Kazutaka Kitaura
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Clinical Research Center for Allergy and Rheumatology, Sagamihara National Hospital, National Hospital Organization, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0392, Japan
| | - Ryuji Suzuki
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Clinical Research Center for Allergy and Rheumatology, Sagamihara National Hospital, National Hospital Organization, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0392, Japan
| | - Yuki Owada
- Department of Chest Surgery, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Satoshi Muto
- Department of Chest Surgery, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Naoyuki Okabe
- Department of Chest Surgery, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Takeo Hasegawa
- Department of Chest Surgery, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Jun Osugi
- Department of Chest Surgery, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Mika Hoshino
- Department of Chest Surgery, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Takuya Tsunoda
- Department of Clinical Immuno-oncology, Showa University, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8577, Japan
| | - Ko Okumura
- Department of Biofunctional Micribiota, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
- Atopy (Allergy) Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Suzuki
- Department of Chest Surgery, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
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10
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Andargachew R, Martinez RJ, Kolawole EM, Evavold BD. CD4 T Cell Affinity Diversity Is Equally Maintained during Acute and Chronic Infection. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 201:19-30. [PMID: 29777029 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1800295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
TCR affinity for peptide MHC dictates the functional efficiency of T cells and their propensity to differentiate into effectors and form memory. However, in the context of chronic infections, it is unclear what the overall profile of TCR affinity for Ag is and if it differs from acute infections. Using the comprehensive affinity analysis provided by the two-dimensional micropipette adhesion frequency assay and the common indirect affinity evaluation methods of MHC class II tetramer and functional avidity, we tracked IAb GP61-80-specific cells in the mouse model of acute (Armstrong) and chronic (clone 13) lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection. In each response, we show CD4 T cell population affinity peaks at the effector phase and declines with memory. Of interest, the range and average relative two-dimensional affinity was equivalent between acute and chronic infection, indicating chronic Ag exposure did not skew TCR affinity. In contrast, functional and tetramer avidity measurements revealed divergent results and lacked a consistent correlation with TCR affinity. Our findings highlight that the immune system maintains a diverse range in TCR affinity even under the pressures of chronic Ag stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakieb Andargachew
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Ryan J Martinez
- School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322; and
| | - Elizabeth M Kolawole
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
| | - Brian D Evavold
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
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11
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Harris DT, Hager MV, Smith SN, Cai Q, Stone JD, Kruger P, Lever M, Dushek O, Schmitt TM, Greenberg PD, Kranz DM. Comparison of T Cell Activities Mediated by Human TCRs and CARs That Use the Same Recognition Domains. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2017; 200:1088-1100. [PMID: 29288199 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1700236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Accepted: 11/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Adoptive T cell therapies have achieved significant clinical responses, especially in hematopoietic cancers. Two types of receptor systems have been used to redirect the activity of T cells, normal heterodimeric TCRs or synthetic chimeric Ag receptors (CARs). TCRs recognize peptide-HLA complexes whereas CARs typically use an Ab-derived single-chain fragments variable that recognizes cancer-associated cell-surface Ags. Although both receptors mediate diverse effector functions, a quantitative comparison of the sensitivity and signaling capacity of TCRs and CARs has been limited due to their differences in affinities and ligands. In this study we describe their direct comparison by using TCRs that could be formatted either as conventional αβ heterodimers, or as single-chain fragments variable constructs linked to CD3ζ and CD28 signaling domains or to CD3ζ alone. Two high-affinity TCRs (KD values of ∼50 and 250 nM) against MART1/HLA-A2 or WT1/HLA-A2 were used, allowing MART1 or WT1 peptide titrations to easily assess the impact of Ag density. Although CARs were expressed at higher surface levels than TCRs, they were 10-100-fold less sensitive, even in the absence of the CD8 coreceptor. Mathematical modeling demonstrated that lower CAR sensitivity could be attributed to less efficient signaling kinetics. Furthermore, reduced cytokine secretion observed at high Ag density for both TCRs and CARs suggested a role for negative regulators in both systems. Interestingly, at high Ag density, CARs also mediated greater maximal release of some cytokines, such as IL-2 and IL-6. These results have implications for the next-generation design of receptors used in adoptive T cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel T Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Marlies V Hager
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Sheena N Smith
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Qi Cai
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Jennifer D Stone
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Philipp Kruger
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, United Kingdom
| | - Melissa Lever
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, United Kingdom
| | - Omer Dushek
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas M Schmitt
- Division of Clinical Research, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109; and
| | - Philip D Greenberg
- Division of Clinical Research, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109; and.,Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109
| | - David M Kranz
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801;
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12
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Sharma P, Kranz DM. Subtle changes at the variable domain interface of the T-cell receptor can strongly increase affinity. J Biol Chem 2017; 293:1820-1834. [PMID: 29229779 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.814152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Revised: 12/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Most affinity-maturation campaigns for antibodies and T-cell receptors (TCRs) operate on the residues at the binding site, located within the loops known as complementarity-determining regions (CDRs). Accordingly, mutations in contact residues, or so-called "second shell" residues, that increase affinity are typically identified by directed evolution involving combinatorial libraries. To determine the impact of residues located at a distance from the binding site, here we used single-codon libraries of both CDR and non-CDR residues to generate a deep mutational scan of a human TCR against the cancer antigen MART-1·HLA-A2. Non-CDR residues included those at the interface of the TCR variable domains (Vα and Vβ) and surface-exposed framework residues. Mutational analyses showed that both Vα/Vβ interface and CDR residues were important in maintaining binding to MART-1·HLA-A2, probably due to either structural requirements for proper Vα/Vβ association or direct contact with the ligand. More surprisingly, many Vα/Vβ interface substitutions yielded improved binding to MART-1·HLA-A2. To further explore this finding, we constructed interface libraries and selected them for improved stability or affinity. Among the variants identified, one conservative substitution (F45βY) was most prevalent. Further analysis of F45βY showed that it enhanced thermostability and increased affinity by 60-fold. Thus, introducing a single hydroxyl group at the Vα/Vβ interface, at a significant distance from the TCR·peptide·MHC-binding site, remarkably affected ligand binding. The variant retained a high degree of specificity for MART-1·HLA-A2, indicating that our approach provides a general strategy for engineering improvements in either soluble or cell-based TCRs for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Sharma
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - David M Kranz
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801
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13
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Harris DT, Wang N, Riley TP, Anderson SD, Singh NK, Procko E, Baker BM, Kranz DM. Deep Mutational Scans as a Guide to Engineering High Affinity T Cell Receptor Interactions with Peptide-bound Major Histocompatibility Complex. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:24566-24578. [PMID: 27681597 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.748681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Revised: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins are often engineered to have higher affinity for their ligands to achieve therapeutic benefit. For example, many studies have used phage or yeast display libraries of mutants within complementarity-determining regions to affinity mature antibodies and T cell receptors (TCRs). However, these approaches do not allow rapid assessment or evolution across the entire interface. By combining directed evolution with deep sequencing, it is now possible to generate sequence fitness landscapes that survey the impact of every amino acid substitution across the entire protein-protein interface. Here we used the results of deep mutational scans of a TCR-peptide-MHC interaction to guide mutational strategies. The approach yielded stable TCRs with affinity increases of >200-fold. The substitutions with the greatest enrichments based on the deep sequencing were validated to have higher affinity and could be combined to yield additional improvements. We also conducted in silico binding analyses for every substitution to compare them with the fitness landscape. Computational modeling did not effectively predict the impacts of mutations distal to the interface and did not account for yeast display results that depended on combinations of affinity and protein stability. However, computation accurately predicted affinity changes for mutations within or near the interface, highlighting the complementary strengths of computational modeling and yeast surface display coupled with deep mutational scanning for engineering high affinity TCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel T Harris
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801 and
| | - Ningyan Wang
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801 and
| | - Timothy P Riley
- the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana 46557
| | - Scott D Anderson
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801 and
| | - Nishant K Singh
- the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana 46557
| | - Erik Procko
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801 and
| | - Brian M Baker
- the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana 46557
| | - David M Kranz
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801 and.
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14
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Martinez RJ, Evavold BD. Lower Affinity T Cells are Critical Components and Active Participants of the Immune Response. Front Immunol 2015; 6:468. [PMID: 26441973 PMCID: PMC4564719 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2015.00468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Kinetic and biophysical parameters of T cell receptor (TCR) and peptide:MHC (pMHC) interaction define intrinsic factors required for T cell activation and differentiation. Although receptor ligand kinetics are somewhat cumbersome to assess experimentally, TCR:pMHC affinity has been shown to predict peripheral T cell functionality and potential for forming memory. Multimeric forms of pMHC monomers have often been used to provide an indirect readout of higher affinity T cells due to their availability and ease of use while allowing simultaneous definition of other functional and phenotypic characteristics. However, multimeric pMHC reagents have introduced a bias that underestimates the lower affinity components contained in the highly diverse TCR repertoires of all polyclonal T cell responses. Advances in the identification of lower affinity cells have led to the examination of these cells and their contribution to the immune response. In this review, we discuss the identification of high- vs. low-affinity T cells as well as their attributed signaling and functional differences. Lastly, mechanisms are discussed that maintain a diverse range of low- and high-affinity T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J. Martinez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Brian D. Evavold
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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15
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Hsu H, Chen C, Nenninger A, Holz L, Baldwin CL, Telfer JC. WC1 is a hybrid γδ TCR coreceptor and pattern recognition receptor for pathogenic bacteria. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 194:2280-8. [PMID: 25632007 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1402021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
WC1 proteins are uniquely expressed on γδ T cells and belong to the scavenger receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) superfamily. While present in variable, and sometimes high, numbers in the genomes of mammals and birds, in cattle there are 13 distinct genes (WC1-1 to WC1-13). All bovine WC1 proteins can serve as coreceptors for the TCR in a tyrosine phosphorylation dependent manner, and some are required for the γδ T cell response to Leptospira. We hypothesized that individual WC1 receptors encode Ag specificity via coligation of bacteria with the γδ TCR. SRCR domain binding was directly correlated with γδ T cell response, as WC1-3 SRCR domains from Leptospira-responsive cells, but not WC1-4 SRCR domains from Leptospira-nonresponsive cells, bound to multiple serovars of two Leptospira species, L. borgpetersenii, and L. interrogans. Three to five of eleven WC1-3 SRCR domains, but none of the eleven WC1-4 SRCR domains, interacted with Leptospira spp. and Borrelia burgdorferi, but not with Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus. Mutational analysis indicated that the active site for bacterial binding in one of the SRCR domains is composed of amino acids in three discontinuous regions. Recombinant WC1 SRCR domains with the ability to bind leptospires inhibited Leptospira growth. Our data suggest that WC1 gene arrays play a multifaceted role in the γδ T cell response to bacteria, including acting as hybrid pattern recognition receptors and TCR coreceptors, and they may function as antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoting Hsu
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003; and Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Chuang Chen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003; and Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Ariel Nenninger
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003; and
| | - Lauren Holz
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003; and
| | - Cynthia L Baldwin
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003; and Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Janice C Telfer
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003; and Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003
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16
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Smith SN, Harris DT, Kranz DM. T Cell Receptor Engineering and Analysis Using the Yeast Display Platform. Methods Mol Biol 2015; 1319:95-141. [PMID: 26060072 PMCID: PMC5562502 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2748-7_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The αβ heterodimeric T cell receptor (TCR) recognizes peptide antigens that are transported to the cell surface as a complex with a protein encoded by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). T cells thus evolved a strategy to sense these intracellular antigens, and to respond either by eliminating the antigen-presenting cell (e.g., a virus-infected cell) or by secreting factors that recruit the immune system to the site of the antigen. The central role of the TCR in the binding of antigens as peptide-MHC (pepMHC) ligands has now been studied thoroughly. Interestingly, despite their exquisite sensitivity (e.g., T cell activation by as few as 1-3 pepMHC complexes on a single target cell), TCRs are known to have relatively low affinities for pepMHC, with K D values in the micromolar range. There has been interest in engineering the affinity of TCRs in order to use this class of molecules in ways similar to now done with antibodies. By doing so, it would be possible to harness the potential of TCRs as therapeutics against a much wider array of antigens that include essentially all intracellular targets. To engineer TCRs, and to analyze their binding features more rapidly, we have used a yeast display system as a platform. Expression and engineering of a single-chain form of the TCR, analogous to scFv fragments from antibodies, allow the TCR to be affinity matured with a variety of possible pepMHC ligands. In addition, the yeast display platform allows one to rapidly generate TCR variants with diverse binding affinities and to analyze specificity and affinity without the need for purification of soluble forms of the TCRs. The present chapter describes the methods for engineering and analyzing single-chain TCRs using yeast display.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David M. Kranz
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, 600 S. Matthews Ave., Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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17
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Eisen HN. Affinity enhancement of antibodies: how low-affinity antibodies produced early in immune responses are followed by high-affinity antibodies later and in memory B-cell responses. Cancer Immunol Res 2014; 2:381-92. [PMID: 24795350 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-14-0029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The antibodies produced initially in response to most antigens are high molecular weight (MW) immunoglobulins (IgM) with low affinity for the antigen, while the antibodies produced later are lower MW classes (e.g., IgG and IgA) with, on average, orders of magnitude higher affinity for that antigen. These changes, often termed affinity maturation, take place largely in small B-cell clusters (germinal center; GC) in lymphoid tissues in which proliferating antigen-stimulated B cells express the highly mutagenic cytidine deaminase that mediates immunoglobulin class-switching and sequence diversification of the immunoglobulin variable domains of antigen-binding receptors on B cells (BCR). Of the large library of BCR-mutated B cells thus rapidly generated, a small minority with affinity-enhancing mutations are selected to survive and differentiate into long-lived antibody-secreting plasma cells and memory B cells. BCRs are also endocytic receptors; they internalize and cleave BCR-bound antigen, yielding peptide-MHC complexes that are recognized by follicular helper T cells. Imperfect correlation between BCR affinity for antigen and cognate T-cell engagement may account for the increasing affinity heterogeneity that accompanies the increasing average affinity of antibodies. Conservation of mechanisms underlying mutation and selection of high-affinity antibodies over the ≈200 million years of evolution separating bird and mammal lineages points to the crucial role of antibody affinity enhancement in adaptive immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herman N Eisen
- Authors' Affiliations: Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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18
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Reiser JB, Legoux F, Gras S, Trudel E, Chouquet A, Léger A, Le Gorrec M, Machillot P, Bonneville M, Saulquin X, Housset D. Analysis of relationships between peptide/MHC structural features and naive T cell frequency in humans. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 193:5816-26. [PMID: 25392532 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1303084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The structural rules governing peptide/MHC (pMHC) recognition by T cells remain unclear. To address this question, we performed a structural characterization of several HLA-A2/peptide complexes and assessed in parallel their antigenicity, by analyzing the frequency of the corresponding Ag-specific naive T cells in A2(+) and A2(-) individuals, as well as within CD4(+) and CD8(+) subsets. We were able to find a correlation between specific naive T cell frequency and peptide solvent accessibility and/or mobility for a subset of moderately prominent peptides. However, one single structural parameter of the pMHC complexes could not be identified to explain each peptide antigenicity. Enhanced pMHC antigenicity was associated with both highly biased TRAV usage, possibly reflecting favored interaction between particular pMHC complexes and germline TRAV loops, and peptide structural features allowing interactions with a broad range of permissive CDR3 loops. In this context of constrained TCR docking mode, an optimal peptide solvent exposed surface leading to an optimal complementarity with TCR interface may constitute one of the key features leading to high frequency of specific T cells. Altogether our results suggest that frequency of specific T cells depends on the fine-tuning of several parameters, the structural determinants governing TCR-pMHC interaction being just one of them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Baptiste Reiser
- Université de Grenoble Alpes, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France; Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, Direction des sciences du vivant, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France; Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France
| | - François Legoux
- Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Unité mixte de recherche 892, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie Nantes Angers, F-44000 Nantes, France; and
| | - Stéphanie Gras
- Université de Grenoble Alpes, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France; Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, Direction des sciences du vivant, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France; Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Eric Trudel
- Université de Grenoble Alpes, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France; Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, Direction des sciences du vivant, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France; Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Anne Chouquet
- Université de Grenoble Alpes, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France; Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, Direction des sciences du vivant, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France; Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Alexandra Léger
- Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Unité mixte de recherche 892, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie Nantes Angers, F-44000 Nantes, France; and
| | - Madalen Le Gorrec
- Université de Grenoble Alpes, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France; Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, Direction des sciences du vivant, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France; Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Paul Machillot
- Université de Grenoble Alpes, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France; Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, Direction des sciences du vivant, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France; Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Marc Bonneville
- Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Unité mixte de recherche 892, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie Nantes Angers, F-44000 Nantes, France; and
| | - Xavier Saulquin
- Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Unité mixte de recherche 892, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie Nantes Angers, F-44000 Nantes, France; and Université de Nantes, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Dominique Housset
- Université de Grenoble Alpes, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France; Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, Direction des sciences du vivant, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France; Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044 Grenoble, France;
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19
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Salem Fourati I, Grenier AJ, Jolette É, Merindol N, Ovetchkine P, Soudeyns H. Development of an IFN-γ ELISpot assay to assess varicella-zoster virus-specific cell-mediated immunity following umbilical cord blood transplantation. J Vis Exp 2014. [PMID: 25046399 DOI: 10.3791/51643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality following umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT). For this reason, antiherpetic prophylaxis is administrated systematically to pediatric UCBT recipients to prevent complications associated with VZV infection, but there is no strong, evidence based consensus that defines its optimal duration. Because T cell mediated immunity is responsible for the control of VZV infection, assessing the reconstitution of VZV specific T cell responses following UCBT could provide indications as to whether prophylaxis should be maintained or can be discontinued. To this end, a VZV specific gamma interferon (IFN-γ) enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay was developed to characterize IFN-γ production by T lymphocytes in response to in vitro stimulation with irradiated live attenuated VZV vaccine. This assay provides a rapid, reproducible and sensitive measurement of VZV specific cell mediated immunity suitable for monitoring the reconstitution of VZV specific immunity in a clinical setting and assessing immune responsiveness to VZV antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Insaf Salem Fourati
- Unité d'Immunopathologie Virale, Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, Department of Microbiology, Infectiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal
| | - Anne-Julie Grenier
- Unité d'Immunopathologie Virale, Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, Department of Microbiology, Infectiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal
| | - Élyse Jolette
- Unité d'Immunopathologie Virale, Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, Department of Microbiology, Infectiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal
| | - Natacha Merindol
- Unité d'Immunopathologie Virale, Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, Department of Microbiology, Infectiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal
| | - Philippe Ovetchkine
- Infectious Diseases Service, CHU Sainte-Justine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal; Department of Paediatrics, Université de Montréal
| | - Hugo Soudeyns
- Unité d'Immunopathologie Virale, Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, Department of Microbiology, Infectiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal; Department of Paediatrics, Université de Montréal;
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20
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Castro M, van Santen HM, Férez M, Alarcón B, Lythe G, Molina-París C. Receptor Pre-Clustering and T cell Responses: Insights into Molecular Mechanisms. Front Immunol 2014; 5:132. [PMID: 24817867 PMCID: PMC4012210 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2014.00132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2013] [Accepted: 03/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
T cell activation, initiated by T cell receptor (TCR) mediated recognition of pathogen-derived peptides presented by major histocompatibility complex class I or II molecules (pMHC), shows exquisite specificity and sensitivity, even though the TCR-pMHC binding interaction is of low affinity. Recent experimental work suggests that TCR pre-clustering may be a mechanism via which T cells can achieve such high sensitivity. The unresolved stoichiometry of the TCR makes TCR-pMHC binding and TCR triggering, an open question. We formulate a mathematical model to characterize the pre-clustering of T cell receptors (TCRs) on the surface of T cells, motivated by the experimentally observed distribution of TCR clusters on the surface of naive and memory T cells. We extend a recently introduced stochastic criterion to compute the timescales of T cell responses, assuming that ligand-induced cross-linked TCR is the minimum signaling unit. We derive an approximate formula for the mean time to signal initiation. Our results show that pre-clustering reduces the mean activation time. However, additional mechanisms favoring the existence of clusters are required to explain the difference between naive and memory T cell responses. We discuss the biological implications of our results, and both the compatibility and complementarity of our approach with other existing mathematical models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Castro
- Grupo de Dinámica No-Lineal and Grupo Interdisciplinar de Sistemas Complejos (GISC), Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería (ICAI), Universidad Pontificia Comillas , Madrid , Spain
| | - Hisse M van Santen
- Departamento de Biología Celular e Inmunología, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , Madrid , Spain
| | - María Férez
- Departamento de Biología Celular e Inmunología, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , Madrid , Spain
| | - Balbino Alarcón
- Departamento de Biología Celular e Inmunología, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , Madrid , Spain
| | - Grant Lythe
- Department of Applied Mathematics, School of Mathematics, University of Leeds , Leeds , UK
| | - Carmen Molina-París
- Department of Applied Mathematics, School of Mathematics, University of Leeds , Leeds , UK
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21
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Avalos AM, Bilate AM, Witte MD, Tai AK, He J, Frushicheva MP, Thill PD, Meyer-Wentrup F, Theile CS, Chakraborty AK, Zhuang X, Ploegh HL. Monovalent engagement of the BCR activates ovalbumin-specific transnuclear B cells. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 211:365-79. [PMID: 24493799 PMCID: PMC3920557 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20131603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Monovalent engagement can trigger BCR signal transduction, and fine-tuning of BCR-ligand recognition can lead to B cell nonresponsiveness, activation, or inhibition. Valency requirements for B cell activation upon antigen encounter are poorly understood. OB1 transnuclear B cells express an IgG1 B cell receptor (BCR) specific for ovalbumin (OVA), the epitope of which can be mimicked using short synthetic peptides to allow antigen-specific engagement of the BCR. By altering length and valency of epitope-bearing synthetic peptides, we examined the properties of ligands required for optimal OB1 B cell activation. Monovalent engagement of the BCR with an epitope-bearing 17-mer synthetic peptide readily activated OB1 B cells. Dimers of the minimal peptide epitope oriented in an N to N configuration were more stimulatory than their C to C counterparts. Although shorter length correlated with less activation, a monomeric 8-mer peptide epitope behaved as a weak agonist that blocked responses to cell-bound peptide antigen, a blockade which could not be reversed by CD40 ligation. The 8-mer not only delivered a suboptimal signal, which blocked subsequent responses to OVA, anti-IgG, and anti-kappa, but also competed for binding with OVA. Our results show that fine-tuning of BCR-ligand recognition can lead to B cell nonresponsiveness, activation, or inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M Avalos
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142
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22
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Vincent K, Hardy MP, Trofimov A, Laumont CM, Sriranganadane D, Hadj-Mimoune S, Salem Fourati I, Soudeyns H, Thibault P, Perreault C. Rejection of leukemic cells requires antigen-specific T cells with high functional avidity. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2013; 20:37-45. [PMID: 24161924 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2013.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2013] [Accepted: 10/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
In a context where injection of antigen (Ag)-specific T cells probably represents the future of leukemia immunotherapy, identification of optimal target Ags is crucial. We therefore sought to discover a reliable marker for selection of the most potent Ags. To this end, (1) we immunized mice against 8 individual Ags: 4 minor histocompatibility Ags (miHAs) and 4 leukemia-associated Ags (LAAs) that were overexpressed on leukemic relative to normal thymocytes; (2) we assessed their ability to reject EL4 leukemic cells; and (3) we correlated the properties of our Ags (and their cognate T cells) with their ability to induce protective antileukemic responses. Overall, individual miHAs instigated more potent antileukemic responses than LAAs. Three features had no influence on the ability of primed T cells to reject leukemic cells: (1) MHC-peptide affinity; (2) the stability of MHC-peptide complexes; and (3) epitope density at the surface of leukemic cells, as assessed using mass spectrometry. The cardinal feature of successful Ags is that they were recognized by high-avidity CD8 T cells that proliferated extensively in vivo. Our work suggests that in vitro evaluation of functional avidity represents the best criterion for selection of Ags, which should be prioritized in clinical trials of leukemia immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystel Vincent
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marie-Pierre Hardy
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Assya Trofimov
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Céline M Laumont
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Dev Sriranganadane
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sarah Hadj-Mimoune
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Insaf Salem Fourati
- Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Hugo Soudeyns
- Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Pierre Thibault
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Claude Perreault
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
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23
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Blanchfield JL, Shorter SK, Evavold BD. Monitoring the Dynamics of T Cell Clonal Diversity Using Recombinant Peptide:MHC Technology. Front Immunol 2013; 4:170. [PMID: 23840195 PMCID: PMC3699728 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2013.00170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2013] [Accepted: 06/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The capacity to probe antigen specific T cells within the polyclonal repertoire has been revolutionized by the advent of recombinant peptide:MHC (pMHC) technology. Monomers and multimers of pMHC molecules can enrich for and identify antigen specific T cells to elucidate the contributions of T cell frequency, localization, and T cell receptor (TCR) affinity during immune responses. Two-dimensional (2D) measurements of TCR–pMHC interactions are at the forefront of this field because the biological topography is replicated such that TCR and pMHC are membrane anchored on opposing cells, allowing for biologically pertinent measures of TCR antigen specificity and diversity. 2D measurements of TCR-pMHC kinetics have also demonstrated increased fidelity compared to three-dimensional surface plasmon resonance data and are capable of detecting T cell affinities that are below the detection level of most pMHC multimers. Importantly, 2D techniques provide a platform to evaluate T cell affinity and antigen specificity against multiple protein epitopes within the polyclonal repertoire directly ex vivo from sites of ongoing immune responses. This review will discuss how antigen specific pMHC molecules, with a focus on 2D technologies, can be used as effective tools to evaluate the range of TCR affinities that comprise an immune response and more importantly how the breadth of affinities determine functional outcome against a given exposure to antigen.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Lori Blanchfield
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA , USA
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24
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Low JL, Naidoo A, Yeo G, Gehring AJ, Ho ZZ, Yau YH, Shochat SG, Kranz DM, Bertoletti A, Grotenbreg GM. Binding of TCR multimers and a TCR-like antibody with distinct fine-specificities is dependent on the surface density of HLA complexes. PLoS One 2012; 7:e51397. [PMID: 23251518 PMCID: PMC3519586 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2012] [Accepted: 10/31/2012] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Class I Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules evolved to sample degraded protein fragments from the interior of the cell, and to display them at the surface for immune surveillance by CD8+ T cells. The ability of these lymphocytes to identify immunogenic peptide-MHC (pMHC) products on, for example, infected hepatocytes, and to subsequently eliminate those cells, is crucial for the control of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Various protein scaffolds have been designed to recapitulate the specific recognition of presented antigens with the aim to be exploited both diagnostically (e.g. to visualize cells exposed to infectious agents or cellular transformation) and therapeutically (e.g. for the delivery of drugs to compromised cells). In line with this, we report the construction of a soluble tetrameric form of an αβ T cell receptor (TCR) specific for the HBV epitope Env183–191 restricted by HLA-A*02:01, and compare its avidity and fine-specificity with a TCR-like monoclonal antibody generated against the same HLA target. A flow cytometry-based assay with streptavidin-coated beads loaded with Env183–191/HLA-A*02:01 complexes at high surface density, enabled us to probe the specific interaction of these molecules with their cognate pMHC. We demonstrate that the TCR tetramer has similar avidity for the pMHC as the antibody, but they differ in their fine-specificity, with only the TCR tetramer being capable of binding both natural variants of the Env183–191 epitope found in HBV genotypes A/C/D (187Arg) and genotype B (187Lys). Collectively, the results highlight the promiscuity of our soluble TCR, which could be an advantageous feature when targeting cells infected with a mutation-prone virus, but that binding of the soluble oligomeric TCR relies considerably on the surface density of the presented antigen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianrong L. Low
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science Technology and Research, (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Anneta Naidoo
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science Technology and Research, (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gladys Yeo
- Department of Microbiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore
- Immunology Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Adam J. Gehring
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science Technology and Research, (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zi Zong Ho
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science Technology and Research, (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yin Hoe Yau
- Nanyang Technological University (NTU), School of Biological Sciences, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Susana G. Shochat
- Nanyang Technological University (NTU), School of Biological Sciences, Singapore, Singapore
| | - David M. Kranz
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Antonio Bertoletti
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science Technology and Research, (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gijsbert M. Grotenbreg
- Department of Microbiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore
- Immunology Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore
- * E-mail:
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25
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Currie J, Castro M, Lythe G, Palmer E, Molina-París C. A stochastic T cell response criterion. J R Soc Interface 2012; 9:2856-70. [PMID: 22745227 PMCID: PMC3479899 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2012.0205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The adaptive immune system relies on different cell types to provide fast and coordinated responses, characterized by recognition of pathogenic challenge, extensive cellular proliferation and differentiation, as well as death. T cells are a subset of the adaptive immune cellular pool that recognize immunogenic peptides expressed on the surface of antigen-presenting cells by means of specialized receptors on their membrane. T cell receptor binding to ligand determines T cell responses at different times and locations during the life of a T cell. Current experimental evidence provides support to the following: (i) sufficiently long receptor–ligand engagements are required to initiate the T cell signalling cascade that results in productive signal transduction and (ii) counting devices are at work in T cells to allow signal accumulation, decoding and translation into biological responses. In the light of these results, we explore, with mathematical models, the timescales associated with T cell responses. We consider two different criteria: a stochastic one (the mean time it takes to have had N receptor–ligand complexes bound for at least a dwell time, τ, each) and one based on equilibrium (the time to reach a threshold number N of receptor–ligand complexes). We have applied mathematical models to previous experiments in the context of thymic negative selection and to recent two-dimensional experiments. Our results indicate that the stochastic criterion provides support to the thymic affinity threshold hypothesis, whereas the equilibrium one does not, and agrees with the ligand hierarchy experimentally established for thymic negative selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Currie
- Department of Applied Mathematics, School of Mathematics, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
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26
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Edwards LJ, Zarnitsyna VI, Hood JD, Evavold BD, Zhu C. Insights into T cell recognition of antigen: significance of two-dimensional kinetic parameters. Front Immunol 2012; 3:86. [PMID: 22566966 PMCID: PMC3342060 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2012.00086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2012] [Accepted: 04/03/2012] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The T cell receptor (TCR) interacts with peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) to enable T cell development and trigger adaptive immune responses. For this reason, TCR:pMHC interactions have been intensely studied for over two decades. However, the details of how various binding parameters impact T cell activation remain elusive. Most measurements were made using recombinant proteins by surface plasmon resonance, a three-dimensional (3D) technique in which fluid-phase receptors and ligands are removed from their cellular environment. This approach found TCR:pMHC interactions with relatively low affinities and slow off-rates for agonist peptides. Newer generation techniques have analyzed TCR:pMHC interactions in two dimensions (2D), with both proteins anchored in apposing plasma membranes. These approaches reveal in situ TCR:pMHC interaction kinetics that are of high affinity and exhibit rapid on- and off-rates upon interaction with agonist ligands. Importantly, 2D binding parameters correlate better with T cell functional responses to a spectrum of ligands than 3D measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay J Edwards
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University Atlanta, GA, USA
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