1
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Bardwell B, Bay J, Colburn Z. The clinical applications of immunosequencing. Curr Res Transl Med 2024; 72:103439. [PMID: 38447267 DOI: 10.1016/j.retram.2024.103439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Technological advances in high-throughput sequencing have opened the door for the interrogation of adaptive immune responses at unprecedented scale. It is now possible to determine the sequences of antibodies or T-cell receptors produced by individual B and T cells in a sample. This capability, termed immunosequencing, has transformed the study of both infectious and non-infectious diseases by allowing the tracking of dynamic changes in B and T cell clonal populations over time. This has improved our understanding of the pathology of cancers, autoimmune diseases, and infectious diseases. However, to date there has been only limited clinical adoption of the technology. Advances over the last decade and on the horizon that reduce costs and improve interpretability could enable widespread clinical use. Many clinical applications have been proposed and, while most are still undergoing research and development, some methods relying on immunosequencing data have been implemented, the most widespread of which is the detection of measurable residual disease. Here, we review the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic applications of immunosequencing for both infectious and non-infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Bardwell
- Department of Clinical Investigation, Madigan Army Medical Center, 9040 Jackson Ave, Tacoma, WA 98431, USA
| | - J Bay
- Department of Medicine, Madigan Army Medical Center, 9040 Jackson Ave, Tacoma, WA 98431, USA
| | - Z Colburn
- Department of Clinical Investigation, Madigan Army Medical Center, 9040 Jackson Ave, Tacoma, WA 98431, USA.
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2
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Gilfillan CB, Hebeisen M, Rufer N, Speiser DE. Constant regulation for stable CD8 T-cell functional avidity and its possible implications for cancer immunotherapy. Eur J Immunol 2021; 51:1348-1360. [PMID: 33704770 PMCID: PMC8252569 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202049016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The functional avidity (FA) of cytotoxic CD8 T cells impacts strongly on their functional capabilities and correlates with protection from infection and cancer. FA depends on TCR affinity, downstream signaling strength, and TCR affinity-independent parameters of the immune synapse, such as costimulatory and inhibitory receptors. The functional impact of coreceptors on FA remains to be fully elucidated. Despite its importance, FA is infrequently assessed and incompletely understood. There is currently no consensus as to whether FA can be enhanced by optimized vaccine dose or boosting schedule. Recent findings suggest that FA is remarkably stable in vivo, possibly due to continued signaling modulation of critical receptors in the immune synapse. In this review, we provide an overview of the current knowledge and hypothesize that in vivo, codominant T cells constantly "equalize" their FA for similar function. We present a new model of constant FA regulation, and discuss practical implications for T-cell-based cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connie B. Gilfillan
- Department of OncologyUniversity Hospital and University of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Michael Hebeisen
- Department of OncologyUniversity Hospital and University of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Nathalie Rufer
- Department of OncologyUniversity Hospital and University of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Daniel E. Speiser
- Department of OncologyUniversity Hospital and University of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
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3
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Xie J, Yuan S, Peng L, Li H, Niu L, Xu H, Guo X, Yang M, Duan F. Antitumor immunity targeting fibroblast activation protein-α in a mouse Lewis lung carcinoma model. Oncol Lett 2020; 20:868-876. [PMID: 32566014 PMCID: PMC7285819 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.11637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor stromal microenvironment is an integral part of the occurrence and development of tumor. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a key component of most tumor stromal microenvironments. The present study aimed to investigate the use of CAFs-targeted immunotherapy to fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP-α) expressed in CAFs. Recombinant adenoviral vectors containing the mouse FAP-α cDNA (rAd-FAP-α) were constructed. C57BL/6 mice were immunized with rAd-FAP-α infected dendritic cells (DCs) against FAP-α, which is overexpress in CAFs. The results demonstrated that mice vaccinated with rAd-FAP-α DCs gave rise to potent FAP-α-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes capable of lysing Lewis lung cancer (LLC) CAFs. Furthermore, mice vaccinated with rAd-FAP-α-transduced DCs induced an effective therapeutic or protective antitumor immunity to LLC in a subcutaneous model, and prolonged overall survival time compared with mice vaccinated with the control recombinant adenovirus-transduced DCs (rAd-c DCs) or DCs alone. The results of the present study suggested that FAP-α, which is preferentially expressed in CAFs, may be considered as a potential target for killing or destroying CAFs within the tumor stromal microenvironment, and may be exploited to develop immunogenic tumor vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junping Xie
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Shiyang Yuan
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Laishui Peng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Huanyu Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Linxia Niu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Hui Xu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Xiaolin Guo
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Mei Yang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Fengying Duan
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
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4
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Carretero-Iglesia L, Couturaud B, Baumgaertner P, Schmidt J, Maby-El Hajjami H, Speiser DE, Hebeisen M, Rufer N. High Peptide Dose Vaccination Promotes the Early Selection of Tumor Antigen-Specific CD8 T-Cells of Enhanced Functional Competence. Front Immunol 2020; 10:3016. [PMID: 31969886 PMCID: PMC6960191 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.03016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
CD8 T-cell response efficiency critically depends on the TCR binding strength to peptide-MHC, i.e., the TCR binding avidity. A current challenge in onco-immunology lies in the evaluation of vaccine protocols selecting for tumor-specific T-cells of highest avidity, offering maximal immune protection against tumor cells and clinical benefit. Here, we investigated the impact of peptide and CpG/adjuvant doses on the quality of vaccine-induced CD8 T-cells in relation to binding avidity and functional responses in treated melanoma patients. Using TCR-pMHC binding avidity measurements combined to phenotype and functional assays, we performed a comprehensive study on representative tumor antigen-specific CD8 T-cell clones (n = 454) from seven patients vaccinated with different doses of Melan-A/ELA peptide (0.1 mg vs. 0.5 mg) and CpG-B adjuvant (1–1.3 mg vs. 2.6 mg). Vaccination with high peptide dose favored the early and strong in vivo expansion and differentiation of Melan-A-specific CD8 T-cells. Consistently, T-cell clones generated from those patients showed increased TCR binding avidity (i.e., slow off-rates and CD8 binding independency) readily after 4 monthly vaccine injections (4v). In contrast, the use of low peptide or high CpG-B doses required 8 monthly vaccine injections (8v) for the enrichment of anti-tumor T-cells with high TCR binding avidity and low CD8 binding dependency. Importantly, the CD8 binding-independent vaccine-induced CD8 T-cells displayed enhanced functional avidity, reaching a plateau of maximal function. Thus, T-cell functional potency following peptide/CpG/IFA vaccination may not be further improved beyond a certain TCR binding avidity limit. Our results also indicate that while high peptide dose vaccination induced the early selection of Melan-A-specific CD8 T-cells of increased functional competence, continued serial vaccinations also promoted such high-avidity T-cells. Overall, the systematic assessment of T-cell binding avidity may contribute to optimize vaccine design for improving clinical efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Carretero-Iglesia
- Department of Oncology UNIL CHUV, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Couturaud
- Department of Oncology UNIL CHUV, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Petra Baumgaertner
- Department of Oncology UNIL CHUV, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Julien Schmidt
- Department of Oncology UNIL CHUV, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hélène Maby-El Hajjami
- Department of Oncology UNIL CHUV, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Daniel E Speiser
- Department of Oncology UNIL CHUV, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michael Hebeisen
- Department of Oncology UNIL CHUV, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Rufer
- Department of Oncology UNIL CHUV, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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5
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Neubert NJ, Schmittnaegel M, Bordry N, Nassiri S, Wald N, Martignier C, Tillé L, Homicsko K, Damsky W, Maby-El Hajjami H, Klaman I, Danenberg E, Ioannidou K, Kandalaft L, Coukos G, Hoves S, Ries CH, Fuertes Marraco SA, Foukas PG, De Palma M, Speiser DE. T cell-induced CSF1 promotes melanoma resistance to PD1 blockade. Sci Transl Med 2019; 10:10/436/eaan3311. [PMID: 29643229 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aan3311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 220] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Revised: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF1) is a key regulator of monocyte/macrophage differentiation that sustains the protumorigenic functions of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). We show that CSF1 is expressed in human melanoma, and patients with metastatic melanoma have increased CSF1 in blood compared to healthy subjects. In tumors, CSF1 expression correlated with the abundance of CD8+ T cells and CD163+ TAMs. Human melanoma cell lines consistently produced CSF1 after exposure to melanoma-specific CD8+ T cells or T cell-derived cytokines in vitro, reflecting a broadly conserved mechanism of CSF1 induction by activated CD8+ T cells. Mining of publicly available transcriptomic data sets suggested co-enrichment of CD8+ T cells with CSF1 or various TAM-specific markers in human melanoma, which was associated with nonresponsiveness to programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) checkpoint blockade in a smaller patient cohort. Combination of anti-PD1 and anti-CSF1 receptor (CSF1R) antibodies induced the regression of BRAFV600E -driven, transplant mouse melanomas, a result that was dependent on the effective elimination of TAMs. Collectively, these data implicate CSF1 induction as a CD8+ T cell-dependent adaptive resistance mechanism and show that simultaneous CSF1R targeting may be beneficial in melanomas refractory to immune checkpoint blockade and, possibly, other T cell-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie J Neubert
- Ludwig Cancer Research Center and Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Martina Schmittnaegel
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Natacha Bordry
- Ludwig Cancer Research Center and Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Sina Nassiri
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Noémie Wald
- Ludwig Cancer Research Center and Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Christophe Martignier
- Ludwig Cancer Research Center and Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Laure Tillé
- Ludwig Cancer Research Center and Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Krisztian Homicsko
- Ludwig Cancer Research Center and Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - William Damsky
- Departments of Dermatology and Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Hélène Maby-El Hajjami
- Ludwig Cancer Research Center and Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Irina Klaman
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Nonnenwald 2, D-82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Esther Danenberg
- Center of Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kalliopi Ioannidou
- Ludwig Cancer Research Center and Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Lana Kandalaft
- Center of Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - George Coukos
- Ludwig Cancer Research Center and Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.,Center of Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sabine Hoves
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Nonnenwald 2, D-82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Carola H Ries
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Nonnenwald 2, D-82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Silvia A Fuertes Marraco
- Ludwig Cancer Research Center and Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Periklis G Foukas
- Center of Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michele De Palma
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Daniel E Speiser
- Ludwig Cancer Research Center and Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.
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6
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Palermo B, Franzese O, Donna CD, Panetta M, Quintarelli C, Sperduti I, Gualtieri N, Foddai ML, Proietti E, Ferraresi V, Ciliberto G, Nisticò P. Antigen-specificity and DTIC before peptide-vaccination differently shape immune-checkpoint expression pattern, anti-tumor functionality and TCR repertoire in melanoma patients. Oncoimmunology 2018; 7:e1465163. [PMID: 30524882 PMCID: PMC6279427 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2018.1465163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
We have recently described that DNA-damage inducing drug DTIC, administered before peptide (Melan-A and gp100)-vaccination, improves anti-tumor CD8+ Melan-A-specific T-cell functionality, enlarges the Melan-A+ TCR repertoire and impacts the overall survival of melanoma patients. To identify whether the two Ags employed in the vaccination differently shape the anti-tumor response, herein we have carried out a detailed analysis of phenotype, anti-tumor functionality and TCR repertoire in treatment-driven gp100-specific CD8+ T cells, in the same patients previously analyzed for Melan-A. We found that T-cell clones isolated from patients treated with vaccination alone possessed an Early/intermediate differentiated phenotype, whereas T cells isolated after DTIC plus vaccination were late-differentiated. Sequencing analysis of the TCRBV chains of 29 treatment-driven gp100-specific CD8+ T-cell clones revealed an oligoclonal TCR repertoire irrespective of the treatment schedule. The high anti-tumor activity observed in T cells isolated after chemo-immunotherapy was associated with low PD-1 expression. Differently, T-cell clones isolated after peptide-vaccination alone expressed a high level of PD-1, along with LAG-3 and TIM-3, and were neither tumor-reactive nor polyfunctional. Blockade of PD-1 reversed gp100-specific CD8+ T-cell dysfunctionality, confirming the direct role of this co-inhibitory molecule in suppressing anti-tumor activity, differently from what we have previously observed for Melan-A+CD8+ T cells, expressing PD-1 but highly functional. These findings indicate that the functional advantage induced by combined chemo-immunotherapy is determined by the tumor antigen nature, T-cell immune-checkpoints phenotype, TCR repertoire diversity and anti-tumor T-cell quality and highlights the importance of integrating these parameters to develop effective immunotherapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belinda Palermo
- Unit of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics and Technological Innovation, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Ornella Franzese
- Department of Systems Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Cosmo Di Donna
- Unit of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics and Technological Innovation, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Mariangela Panetta
- Unit of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics and Technological Innovation, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Concetta Quintarelli
- Department of Pediatric Haematology and Oncology, IRCCS Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Novella Gualtieri
- Unit of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics and Technological Innovation, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Enrico Proietti
- Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome
| | | | | | - Paola Nisticò
- Unit of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics and Technological Innovation, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
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7
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Allard M, Hebeisen M, Rufer N. Assessing T Cell Receptor Affinity and Avidity Against Tumor Antigens. Oncoimmunology 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-62431-0_40] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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8
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Allard M, Couturaud B, Carretero-Iglesia L, Duong MN, Schmidt J, Monnot GC, Romero P, Speiser DE, Hebeisen M, Rufer N. TCR-ligand dissociation rate is a robust and stable biomarker of CD8+ T cell potency. JCI Insight 2017; 2:92570. [PMID: 28724801 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.92570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite influencing many aspects of T cell biology, the kinetics of T cell receptor (TCR) binding to peptide-major histocompatibility molecules (pMHC) remain infrequently determined in patient monitoring or for adoptive T cell therapy. Using specifically designed reversible fluorescent pMHC multimeric complexes, we performed a comprehensive study of TCR-pMHC off-rates combined with various functional assays on large libraries of self/tumor- and virus-specific CD8+ T cell clones from melanoma patients and healthy donors. We demonstrate that monomeric TCR-pMHC dissociation rates accurately predict the extent of cytotoxicity, cytokine production, polyfunctionality, cell proliferation, activating/inhibitory receptor expression, and in vivo antitumor potency of naturally occurring antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. Our data also confirm the superior binding avidities of virus-specific T cells as compared with self/tumor-specific T cell clonotypes (n > 300). Importantly, the TCR-pMHC off-rate is a more stable and robust biomarker of CD8+ T cell potency than the frequently used functional assays/metrics that depend on the T cell's activation state, and therefore show major intra- and interexperimental variability. Taken together, our data show that the monomeric TCR-pMHC off-rate is highly useful for the ex vivo high-throughput functional assessment of antigen-specific CD8+ T cell responses and a strong candidate as a biomarker of T cell therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Allard
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital Center (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Couturaud
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital Center (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Laura Carretero-Iglesia
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital Center (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Minh Ngoc Duong
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital Center (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Julien Schmidt
- Ludwig Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | | | - Pedro Romero
- Ludwig Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Daniel E Speiser
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital Center (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland.,Ludwig Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Michael Hebeisen
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital Center (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Rufer
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital Center (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland.,Ludwig Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
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9
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Mai T, Takano A, Suzuki H, Hirose T, Mori T, Teramoto K, Kiyotani K, Nakamura Y, Daigo Y. Quantitative analysis and clonal characterization of T-cell receptor β repertoires in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with cancer vaccine. Oncol Lett 2017; 14:283-292. [PMID: 28693166 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.6125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
With the development of cancer immunotherapy that may activate T cells, a practical and quantitative method to improve monitoring and/or prediction of immunological response of patients as a predictive biomarker is of importance. To examine possible biomarkers for a therapeutic cancer vaccine containing a mixture of three epitope peptides derived from cell division-associated 1, lymphocyte antigen 6 complex locus K and insulin-like growth factor-II mRNA-binding protein 3, T-cell receptor β (TCRβ) repertoires of blood samples from 24 patients with human leukocyte antigen-A*2402-positive non-small cell lung cancer were characterized prior to and following 8 weeks of the cancer vaccine treatment, by applying a next-generation sequencing method. It was identified that 14 patients with overall survival (OS) times of ≥12 months had significantly lower TCRβ diversity indexes in samples prior to treatment, compared with 10 patients who succumbed within 1 year (P=0.03). In addition, patients with a high level of activated CD8+ T cells that are defined by a high granzyme A/CD8 ratio had favorable OS rates (log-rank test, P=0.04). The TCRβ diversity index and immunogenic gene markers following vaccine administration may serve as predictive or monitoring biomarkers for cancer vaccine treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tu Mai
- Committee on Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenomics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.,Section of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Atsushi Takano
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga 520-2192, Japan.,Cancer Center, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga 520-2192, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Suzuki
- Department of Regenerative Surgery, Fukushima Medical University, School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Takashi Hirose
- Division of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Department of Internal Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan
| | - Takahiro Mori
- Tohoku Community Cancer Services Program, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8574, Japan
| | - Koji Teramoto
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga 520-2192, Japan.,Cancer Center, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga 520-2192, Japan
| | - Kazuma Kiyotani
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Yusuke Nakamura
- Committee on Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenomics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.,Section of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Yataro Daigo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga 520-2192, Japan.,Cancer Center, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga 520-2192, Japan
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10
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Rapid and Continued T-Cell Differentiation into Long-term Effector and Memory Stem Cells in Vaccinated Melanoma Patients. Clin Cancer Res 2016; 23:3285-3296. [DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-16-1708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2016] [Revised: 10/30/2016] [Accepted: 11/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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11
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Xue D, Liang Y, Duan S, He J, Su J, Zhu J, Hu N, Liu J, Zhao Y, Lu X. Enhanced anti-tumor immunity against breast cancer induced by whole tumor cell vaccines genetically modified expressing α-Gal epitopes. Oncol Rep 2016; 36:2843-2851. [PMID: 27666541 DOI: 10.3892/or.2016.5128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Whole tumor cell vaccines have shown much promise, but demonstrated poor efficiency in phase III trials. In this study, we modified MDA-MB‑231 tumor cells (MDA-MB‑231Gal+) to express α-1, 3-galactosyltransferase (α-1, 3-GT) protein, to potentially enhance antitumor effect of whole tumor cell vaccines. MDA-MB‑231 tumor cell vaccines were transfected with a reconstructed lentiviral containing α-1, 3-GT genes. Tumor growth, tumorigenesis and survival of Hu-NOD-SCID mice were observed when tumor-bearing mice were injected with tumor cell vaccines. Proliferation and apoptosis in MDA-MB‑231 tumor xenografts were observed by immunohistochemistry. The levels of cytokine secretion in the serum of mice were tested by ELISA. CD8+ T cells infiltrating tumors were assessed by flow cytometry. MDA-MB‑231Gal+ cells expressed active α-1, 3-GT and produced α-Gal in vitro. MDA-MB‑231Gal+ cell vaccines suppressed tumor growth and tumorigenesis in immunized Hu-NOD-SCID mice. Additionally, decrease of TGF-β, IL-10 and increase of INF-γ, IL-12 were observed in tumor cell vaccinated mice. Furthermore, the cell vaccines enhanced infiltration of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment of immunized mice. The MDA-MB‑231Gal+ cell vaccines modified α-1, 3-GT genes improved the antitumor effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dabing Xue
- National Center for International Research of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Ying Liang
- National Center for International Research of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Siliang Duan
- National Center for International Research of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Jian He
- National Center for International Research of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Jing Su
- National Center for International Research of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Jianmeng Zhu
- National Center for International Research of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Nan Hu
- National Center for International Research of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Jianming Liu
- Department of Respiratoy Diseases, The Third Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, P.R. China
| | - Yongxiang Zhao
- National Center for International Research of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoling Lu
- National Center for International Research of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
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12
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A whole-cell tumor vaccine modified to express fibroblast activation protein induces antitumor immunity against both tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Sci Rep 2015; 5:14421. [PMID: 26394925 PMCID: PMC4585784 DOI: 10.1038/srep14421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2014] [Accepted: 08/19/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are common components of the tumor-suppressive microenvironment, and are a major determinant of the poor outcome of therapeutic vaccination. In this study, we modified tumor cells to express the fibroblast activation protein (FAP), which is highly expressed by CAFs, to potentially improve whole-cell tumor vaccines by targeting both tumor cells and CAFs. Tumor cells were transfected with murine FAP plasmids bearing the cationic lipid DOTAP. Its antitumor effects were investigated in three established tumor models. Vaccination with tumor cells expressing FAP eliminated solid tumors and tumors resulting from hematogenous dissemination. This antitumor immune response was mediated by CD8+ T cells. Additionally, we found that CAFs were significantly reduced within the tumors. Furthermore, this vaccine enhanced the infiltration of CD8+ T lymphocytes, and suppressed the accumulation of immunosuppressive cells in the tumor microenvironment. Our results indicated that the FAP-modified whole-cell tumor vaccine induced strong antitumor immunity against both tumor cells and CAFs and reversed the immunosuppressive effects of tumors by decreasing the recruitment of immunosuppressive cells and enhancing the recruitment of effector T cells. This conclusion may have important implications for the clinical use of genetically modified tumor cells as cancer vaccines.
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13
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Gannon PO, Wieckowski S, Baumgaertner P, Hebeisen M, Allard M, Speiser DE, Rufer N. Quantitative TCR:pMHC Dissociation Rate Assessment by NTAmers Reveals Antimelanoma T Cell Repertoires Enriched for High Functional Competence. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 195:356-66. [PMID: 26002978 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1403145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Experimental models demonstrated that therapeutic induction of CD8 T cell responses may offer protection against tumors or infectious diseases providing that T cells have sufficiently high TCR/CD8:pMHC avidity for efficient Ag recognition and consequently strong immune functions. However, comprehensive characterization of TCR/CD8:pMHC avidity in clinically relevant situations has remained elusive. In this study, using the novel NTA-His tag-containing multimer technology, we quantified the TCR:pMHC dissociation rates (koff) of tumor-specific vaccine-induced CD8 T cell clones (n = 139) derived from seven melanoma patients vaccinated with IFA, CpG, and the native/EAA or analog/ELA Melan-A(MART-1)(26-35) peptide, binding with low or high affinity to MHC, respectively. We observed substantial correlations between koff and Ca(2+) mobilization (p = 0.016) and target cell recognition (p < 0.0001), with the latter independently of the T cell differentiation state. Our strategy was successful in demonstrating that the type of peptide impacted on TCR/CD8:pMHC avidity, as tumor-reactive T cell clones derived from patients vaccinated with the low-affinity (native) peptide expressed slower koff rates than those derived from patients vaccinated with the high-affinity (analog) peptide (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, we observed that the low-affinity peptide promoted the selective differentiation of tumor-specific T cells bearing TCRs with high TCR/CD8:pMHC avidity (p < 0.0001). Altogether, TCR:pMHC interaction kinetics correlated strongly with T cell functions. Our study demonstrates the feasibility and usefulness of TCR/CD8:pMHC avidity assessment by NTA-His tag-containing multimers of naturally occurring polyclonal T cell responses, which represents a strong asset for the development of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe O Gannon
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; and
| | - Sébastien Wieckowski
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; and
| | - Petra Baumgaertner
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michaël Hebeisen
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; and
| | - Mathilde Allard
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; and
| | - Daniel E Speiser
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; and Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Rufer
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; and Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
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14
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Abstract
The observation that a subset of cancer patients show evidence for spontaneous CD8+ T cell priming against tumor-associated antigens has generated renewed interest in the innate immune pathways that might serve as a bridge to an adaptive immune response to tumors. Manipulation of this endogenous T cell response with therapeutic intent-for example, using blocking antibodies inhibiting PD-1/PD-L1 (programmed death-1/programmed death ligand 1) interactions-is showing impressive clinical results. As such, understanding the innate immune mechanisms that enable this T cell response has important clinical relevance. Defined innate immune interactions in the cancer context include recognition by innate cell populations (NK cells, NKT cells, and γδ T cells) and also by dendritic cells and macrophages in response to damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Recent evidence has indicated that the major DAMP driving host antitumor immune responses is tumor-derived DNA, sensed by the stimulator of interferon gene (STING) pathway and driving type I IFN production. A deeper knowledge of the clinically relevant innate immune pathways involved in the recognition of tumors is leading toward new therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.
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15
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Cha E, Klinger M, Hou Y, Cummings C, Ribas A, Faham M, Fong L. Improved survival with T cell clonotype stability after anti-CTLA-4 treatment in cancer patients. Sci Transl Med 2015; 6:238ra70. [PMID: 24871131 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3008211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 306] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) blockade can promote antitumor T cell immunity and clinical responses. The mechanism by which anti-CTLA-4 antibodies induces antitumor responses is controversial. To determine the effects of CTLA-4 blockade on the T cell repertoire, we used next-generation deep sequencing to measure the frequency of individual rearranged T cell receptor β (TCRβ) genes, thereby characterizing the diversity of rearrangements, known as T cell clonotypes. CTLA-4 blockade in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and metastatic melanoma resulted in both expansion and loss of T cell clonotypes, consistent with a global turnover of the T cell repertoire. Overall, this treatment increased TCR diversity as reflected in the number of unique TCR clonotypes. The repertoire of clonotypes continued to evolve over subsequent months of treatment. Whereas the number of clonotypes that increased with treatment was not associated with clinical outcome, improved overall survival was associated with maintenance of high-frequency clones at baseline. In contrast, the highest-frequency clonotypes fell with treatment in patients with short overall survival. Stably maintained clonotypes included T cells having high-avidity TCR such as virus-reactive T cells. Together, these results suggest that CTLA-4 blockade induces T cell repertoire evolution and diversification. Moreover, improved clinical outcomes are associated with less clonotype loss, consistent with the maintenance of high-frequency TCR clonotypes during treatment. These clones may represent the presence of preexisting high-avidity T cells that may be relevant in the antitumor response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Cha
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | | | - Yafei Hou
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | | | - Antoni Ribas
- University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Malek Faham
- Sequenta, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Lawrence Fong
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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16
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Iancu EM, Gannon PO, Laurent J, Gupta B, Romero P, Michielin O, Romano E, Speiser DE, Rufer N. Persistence of EBV antigen-specific CD8 T cell clonotypes during homeostatic immune reconstitution in cancer patients. PLoS One 2013; 8:e78686. [PMID: 24205294 PMCID: PMC3808305 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0078686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2013] [Accepted: 09/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Persistent viruses are kept in check by specific lymphocytes. The clonal T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), once established following primary infection, exhibits a robust stability over time. However, the determinants contributing to this long-term persistence are still poorly characterized. Taking advantage of an in vivo clinical setting where lymphocyte homeostasis was transiently perturbed, we studied EBV antigen-specific CD8 T cells before and after non-myeloablative lympho-depleting chemotherapy of melanoma patients. Despite more advanced T cell differentiation, patients T cells showed clonal composition comparable to healthy individuals, sharing a preference for TRBV20 and TRBV29 gene segment usage and several co-dominant public TCR clonotypes. Moreover, our data revealed the presence of relatively few dominant EBV antigen-specific T cell clonotypes, which mostly persisted following transient lympho-depletion (TLD) and lymphocyte recovery, likely related to absence of EBV reactivation and de novo T cell priming in these patients. Interestingly, persisting clonotypes frequently co-expressed memory/homing-associated genes (CD27, IL7R, EOMES, CD62L/SELL and CCR5) supporting the notion that they are particularly important for long-lasting CD8 T cell responses. Nevertheless, the clonal composition of EBV-specific CD8 T cells was preserved over time with the presence of the same dominant clonotypes after non-myeloablative chemotherapy. The observed clonotype persistence demonstrates high robustness of CD8 T cell homeostasis and reconstitution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela M. Iancu
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital Center (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philippe O. Gannon
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital Center (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Julien Laurent
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital Center (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bhawna Gupta
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital Center (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pedro Romero
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital Center (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Michielin
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital Center (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Emanuela Romano
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital Center (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Daniel E. Speiser
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital Center (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Rufer
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital Center (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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17
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Perret R, Sierro SR, Botelho NK, Corgnac S, Donda A, Romero P. Adjuvants that improve the ratio of antigen-specific effector to regulatory T cells enhance tumor immunity. Cancer Res 2013; 73:6597-608. [PMID: 24048821 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-13-0875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Antitumor immunity is strongly influenced by the balance of tumor antigen-specific effector T cells (Teff) and regulatory T cells (Treg). However, the impact that vaccine adjuvants have in regulating the balance of antigen-specific T-cell populations is not well understood. We found that antigen-specific Tregs were induced following subcutaneous vaccination with either OVA or melanoma-derived peptides, with a restricted expansion of Teffs. Addition of the adjuvants CpG-ODN or Poly(I:C) preferentially amplified Teffs over Tregs, dramatically increasing the antigen-specific Teff:Treg ratios and inducing polyfunctional effector cells. In contrast, two other adjuvants, imiquimod and Quil A saponin, favored an expansion of antigen-specific Tregs and failed to increase Teff:Treg ratios. Following therapeutic vaccination of tumor-bearing mice, high ratios of tumor-specific Teffs:Tregs in draining lymph nodes were associated with enhanced CD8(+) T-cell infiltration at the tumor site and a durable rejection of tumors. Vaccine formulations of peptide+CpG-ODN or Poly(I:C) induced selective production of proinflammatory type I cytokines early after vaccination. This environment promoted CD8(+) and CD4(+) Teff expansion over that of antigen-specific Tregs, tipping the Teff to Treg balance to favor effector cells. Our findings advance understanding of the influence of different adjuvants on T-cell populations, facilitating the rational design of more effective cancer vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Perret
- Authors' Affiliation: Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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18
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Niquille M, Minocha S, Hornung JP, Rufer N, Valloton D, Kessaris N, Alfonsi F, Vitalis T, Yanagawa Y, Devenoges C, Dayer A, Lebrand C. Two specific populations of GABAergic neurons originating from the medial and the caudal ganglionic eminences aid in proper navigation of callosal axons. Dev Neurobiol 2013; 73:647-72. [PMID: 23420573 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2012] [Revised: 02/10/2013] [Accepted: 02/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The corpus callosum (CC) plays a crucial role in interhemispheric communication. It has been shown that CC formation relies on the guidepost cells located in the midline region that include glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons as well as glial cells. However, the origin of these guidepost GABAergic neurons and their precise function in callosal axon pathfinding remain to be investigated. Here, we show that two distinct GABAergic neuronal subpopulations converge toward the midline prior to the arrival of callosal axons. Using in vivo and ex vivo fate mapping we show that CC GABAergic neurons originate in the caudal and medial ganglionic eminences (CGE and MGE) but not in the lateral ganglionic eminence (LGE). Time lapse imaging on organotypic slices and in vivo analyses further revealed that CC GABAergic neurons contribute to the normal navigation of callosal axons. The use of Nkx2.1 knockout (KO) mice confirmed a role of these neurons in the maintenance of proper behavior of callosal axons while growing through the CC. Indeed, using in vitro transplantation assays, we demonstrated that both MGE- and CGE-derived GABAergic neurons exert an attractive activity on callosal axons. Furthermore, by combining a sensitive RT-PCR technique with in situ hybridization, we demonstrate that CC neurons express multiple short and long range guidance cues. This study strongly suggests that MGE- and CGE-derived interneurons may guide CC axons by multiple guidance mechanisms and signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Niquille
- Département des neurosciences fondamentales, University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 9, CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
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19
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Van Nuffel AMT, Benteyn D, Wilgenhof S, Corthals J, Heirman C, Neyns B, Thielemans K, Bonehill A. Intravenous and intradermal TriMix-dendritic cell therapy results in a broad T-cell response and durable tumor response in a chemorefractory stage IV-M1c melanoma patient. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2012; 61:1033-43. [PMID: 22159452 PMCID: PMC11028719 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-011-1176-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2011] [Accepted: 11/25/2011] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) electroporated with mRNA encoding CD70, CD40L and a constitutively active toll-like receptor 4 (TriMix-DC) have an increased T-cell stimulatory capacity. In a prospective phase IB clinical trial, we treated melanoma patients with intradermal and intravenous injections of autologous TriMix-DC co-electroporated with mRNA encoding full-length MAGE-A3, MAGE-C2, tyrosinase and gp100. We report here the immunological and clinical results obtained in one patient with a particularly favorable outcome. This patient had stage IV-M1c melanoma with documented progression during dacarbazine chemotherapy and received 5 TriMix-DC injections. Following DC therapy, a broad CD8(+) T-cell response against multiple epitopes derived from all four treatment antigens was found in the blood and among T cells derived from DTH biopsy. In addition, CD4(+) T cells recognizing different MAGE-A3-derived epitopes were detected in DTH-derived cells. A spontaneous anti-MAGE-C2 CD8(+) T-cell response was present prior to TriMix-DC therapy and increased during treatment. The tumor response was assessed with 18-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission/computed tomography. We documented a partial tumor response according to RECIST criteria with a marked reduction in (18)F-FDG-uptake by lung, lymph node and bone metastases. The patient remains free from progression after 12 months of follow-up. This case report indicates that administration of autologous TriMix-DC by the combined intradermal and intravenous route can mediate a durable objective tumor response accompanied by a broad T-cell response in a chemorefractory stage IV-M1c melanoma patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- An M. T. Van Nuffel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Immunology-Physiology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103/E235, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
- The Dendritic Cell Bank, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Daphné Benteyn
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Immunology-Physiology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103/E235, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
- The Dendritic Cell Bank, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sofie Wilgenhof
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Immunology-Physiology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103/E235, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
- The Dendritic Cell Bank, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- The Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jurgen Corthals
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Immunology-Physiology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103/E235, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
- The Dendritic Cell Bank, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Carlo Heirman
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Immunology-Physiology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103/E235, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
- The Dendritic Cell Bank, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bart Neyns
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Immunology-Physiology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103/E235, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
- The Dendritic Cell Bank, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- The Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kris Thielemans
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Immunology-Physiology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103/E235, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
- The Dendritic Cell Bank, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- The Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Aude Bonehill
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Immunology-Physiology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103/E235, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
- The Dendritic Cell Bank, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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20
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Lövgren T, Baumgaertner P, Wieckowski S, Devêvre E, Guillaume P, Luescher I, Rufer N, Speiser DE. Enhanced cytotoxicity and decreased CD8 dependence of human cancer-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes after vaccination with low peptide dose. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2012; 61:817-26. [PMID: 22080404 PMCID: PMC11029156 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-011-1140-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2011] [Accepted: 10/24/2011] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
In mice, vaccination with high peptide doses generates higher frequencies of specific CD8+ T cells, but with lower avidity compared to vaccination with lower peptide doses. To investigate the impact of peptide dose on CD8+ T cell responses in humans, melanoma patients were vaccinated with 0.1 or 0.5 mg Melan-A/MART-1 peptide, mixed with CpG 7909 and Incomplete Freund's adjuvant. Neither the kinetics nor the amplitude of the Melan-A-specific CD8+ T cell responses differed between the two vaccination groups. Also, CD8+ T cell differentiation and cytokine production ex vivo were similar in the two groups. Interestingly, after low peptide dose vaccination, Melan-A-specific CD8+ T cells showed enhanced degranulation upon peptide stimulation, as assessed by CD107a upregulation and perforin release ex vivo. In accordance, CD8+ T cell clones derived from low peptide dose-vaccinated patients showed significantly increased degranulation and stronger cytotoxicity. In parallel, Melan-A-specific CD8+ T cells and clones from low peptide dose-vaccinated patients expressed lower CD8 levels, despite similar or even stronger binding to tetramers. Furthermore, CD8+ T cell clones from low peptide dose-vaccinated patients bound CD8 binding-deficient tetramers more efficiently, suggesting that they may express higher affinity TCRs. We conclude that low peptide dose vaccination generated CD8+ T cell responses with stronger cytotoxicity and lower CD8 dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Lövgren
- Clinical Tumor Biology and Immunotherapy Unit, Ludwig Center of the University of Lausanne, Hôpital Orthopédique 05/1552, Av. Pierre-Decker 4, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Petra Baumgaertner
- Clinical Tumor Biology and Immunotherapy Unit, Ludwig Center of the University of Lausanne, Hôpital Orthopédique 05/1552, Av. Pierre-Decker 4, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sébastien Wieckowski
- University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Estelle Devêvre
- Clinical Tumor Biology and Immunotherapy Unit, Ludwig Center of the University of Lausanne, Hôpital Orthopédique 05/1552, Av. Pierre-Decker 4, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Guillaume
- Clinical Tumor Biology and Immunotherapy Unit, Ludwig Center of the University of Lausanne, Hôpital Orthopédique 05/1552, Av. Pierre-Decker 4, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Immanuel Luescher
- Clinical Tumor Biology and Immunotherapy Unit, Ludwig Center of the University of Lausanne, Hôpital Orthopédique 05/1552, Av. Pierre-Decker 4, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Rufer
- Clinical Tumor Biology and Immunotherapy Unit, Ludwig Center of the University of Lausanne, Hôpital Orthopédique 05/1552, Av. Pierre-Decker 4, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
- University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Daniel E. Speiser
- Clinical Tumor Biology and Immunotherapy Unit, Ludwig Center of the University of Lausanne, Hôpital Orthopédique 05/1552, Av. Pierre-Decker 4, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
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21
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Abstract
The discovery of the CpG motif in 1995 led to a change in the perception of the immune stimulatory effects of oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) from an unwanted nonspecific effect to a highly evolved immune defense that can be selectively triggered for a wide range of therapeutic applications. Over the last decade dozens of human clinical trials have been conducted with different CpG ODN in thousands of humans for applications ranging from vaccine adjuvant to immunotherapies for allergy, cancer, and infectious diseases. Along with many positive results have come some failures showing the limitations of several therapeutic approaches. This review summarizes these results to provide an overview of the clinical development of CpG ODN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur M Krieg
- RaNA Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02141, USA.
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22
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Berta GN, Sprio AE, Iezzi M, Spadaro M, Cappia S, Salamone P, Di Scipio F, Mognetti B, Papotti M, Musiani P, Forni G, Cavallo F. A DNA vaccine against ERBB2 impairs chemical carcinogenesis in random-bred hamsters. Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 2011; 4:994-1001. [PMID: 21733823 DOI: 10.1158/1940-6207.capr-10-0301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Vaccines against oncoantigens halt early neoplastic lesions in several cancer-prone, genetically engineered mouse models, whereas their ability to prevent chemical carcinogenesis has not been explored. This is a significant issue, as exposure to chemical mutagens is responsible for a substantial percentage of cancers worldwide. Here, we show that the archetypal oncoantigen ERBB2 is transiently overexpressed in Syrian hamsters during the early stages of 7,12-dimethylbenz[α]anthracene (DMBA)-induced oral carcinogenesis. Repeated DNA vaccinations against ERBB2 significantly reduce the number, size, and severity of oral lesions in a manner directly proportional to the anti-ERBB2 antibody response. These results support the prospects of vaccines as a fresh strategy in the management of individuals at risk for exposure to defined carcinogenic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni N Berta
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
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Hunger RE, Kernland Lang K, Markowski CJ, Trachsel S, Møller M, Eriksen JA, Rasmussen AM, Braathen LR, Gaudernack G. Vaccination of patients with cutaneous melanoma with telomerase-specific peptides. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2011; 60:1553-64. [PMID: 21681371 PMCID: PMC11029400 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-011-1061-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2010] [Accepted: 06/04/2011] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE A phase I study was conducted to investigate the safety, tolerability, and immunological responses to vaccination with a combination of telomerase-derived peptides GV1001 (hTERT: 611-626) and p540 (hTERT: 540-548) using granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or tuberculin as adjuvant in patients with cutaneous melanoma. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Ten patients with melanoma stages UICC IIb-IV were vaccinated 8 times intradermally with either 60 or 300 nmole of GV1001 and p540 peptide using GM-CSF as adjuvant. A second group of patients received only 300 nmole GV1001 in combination with tuberculin PPD23 injections. HLA typing was not used as an inclusion criterion. Peptide-specific immune responses were measured by delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions, in vitro T cell proliferation assays, and cytotoxicity (51-Chromium release) assays for a selected number of clones subsequently generated. RESULTS Vaccination was well tolerated in all patients. Peptide-specific immune response measured by DTH reactions and in vitro response could be induced in a dose-dependent fashion in 7 of 10 patients. Cloned T cells from the vaccinated patients showed proliferative responses against both vaccine peptides GV1001 and p540. Furthermore, T cell clones were able to specifically lyse p540-pulsed T2 target cells and various pulsed and unpulsed tumor cell lines. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate that immunity to hTERT can be generated safely and effectively in patients with advanced melanoma and therefore encourage further trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert E Hunger
- Department of Dermatology, University of Berne, Switzerland.
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Klein O, Schmidt C, Knights A, Davis ID, Chen W, Cebon J. Melanoma vaccines: developments over the past 10 years. Expert Rev Vaccines 2011; 10:853-73. [PMID: 21692705 DOI: 10.1586/erv.11.74] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Decades of preclinical evaluation and clinical trials into melanoma vaccines have yielded spectacular progress in our understanding of melanoma antigens and the immune mechanisms of tumor rejection. Key insights and the results of their clinical evaluation are reviewed in this article. Unfortunately, durable clinical benefit following vaccination remains uncommon. Two recent clinical advances that will impact on melanoma vaccine development are trials with inhibitors of CTLA-4 and oncogenic BRAF. Long-term therapeutic control of melanoma will require integration of specific active immunotherapy with these emerging successful therapies from the disparate fields of immune regulation and signal transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Klein
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Austin Branch, Austin Hospital, Studley Road, Heidelberg, Victoria, 3084, Australia
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25
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Single cell analysis reveals similar functional competence of dominant and nondominant CD8 T-cell clonotypes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011; 108:15318-23. [PMID: 21876175 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1105419108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune protection from infectious diseases and cancer is mediated by individual T cells of different clonal origin. Their functions are tightly regulated but not yet fully characterized. Understanding the contribution of each T cell will improve the prediction of immune protection based on laboratory assessment of T-cell responses. Here we developed techniques for simultaneous molecular and functional assessment of single CD8 T cells directly ex vivo. We studied two groups of patients with melanoma after vaccination with two closely related tumor antigenic peptides. Vaccination induced T cells with strong memory and effector functions, as found in virtually all T cells of the first patient group, and fractions of T cells in the second group. Interestingly, high functionality was not restricted to dominant clonotypes. Rather, dominant and nondominant clonotypes acquired equal functional competence. In parallel, this was also found for EBV- and CMV-specific T cells. Thus, the nondominant clonotypes may contribute similarly to immunity as their dominant counterparts.
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Baumgaertner P, Jandus C, Rivals JP, Derré L, Lövgren T, Baitsch L, Guillaume P, Luescher IF, Berthod G, Matter M, Rufer N, Michielin O, Speiser DE. Vaccination-induced functional competence of circulating human tumor-specific CD8 T-cells. Int J Cancer 2011; 130:2607-17. [PMID: 21796616 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.26297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2011] [Accepted: 06/10/2011] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
T-cells specific for foreign (e.g., viral) antigens can give rise to strong protective immune responses, whereas self/tumor antigen-specific T-cells are thought to be less powerful. However, synthetic T-cell vaccines composed of Melan-A/MART-1 peptide, CpG and IFA can induce high frequencies of tumor-specific CD8 T-cells in PBMC of melanoma patients. Here we analyzed the functionality of these T-cells directly ex vivo, by multiparameter flow cytometry. The production of multiple cytokines (IFNγ, TNFα, IL-2) and upregulation of LAMP-1 (CD107a) by tumor (Melan-A/MART-1) specific T-cells was comparable to virus (EBV-BMLF1) specific CD8 T-cells. Furthermore, phosphorylation of STAT1, STAT5 and ERK1/2, and expression of CD3 zeta chain were similar in tumor- and virus-specific T-cells, demonstrating functional signaling pathways. Interestingly, high frequencies of functionally competent T-cells were induced irrespective of patient's age or gender. Finally, CD8 T-cell function correlated with disease-free survival. However, this result is preliminary since the study was a Phase I clinical trial. We conclude that human tumor-specific CD8 T-cells can reach functional competence in vivo, encouraging further development and Phase III trials assessing the clinical efficacy of robust vaccination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Baumgaertner
- Clinical Tumor Immune-Biology Unit, Ludwig Center for Cancer Research of the University of Lausanne, Switzerland
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Profile of a serial killer: cellular and molecular approaches to study individual cytotoxic T-cells following therapeutic vaccination. J Biomed Biotechnol 2010; 2011:452606. [PMID: 21113290 PMCID: PMC2989374 DOI: 10.1155/2011/452606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2010] [Accepted: 09/29/2010] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
T-cell vaccination may prevent or treat cancer and infectious diseases, but further progress is required to increase clinical efficacy. Step-by-step improvements of T-cell vaccination in phase I/II clinical studies combined with very detailed analysis of T-cell responses at the single cell level are the strategy of choice for the identification of the most promising vaccine candidates for testing in subsequent large-scale phase III clinical trials. Major aims are to fully identify the most efficient T-cells in anticancer therapy, to characterize their TCRs, and to pinpoint the mechanisms of T-cell recruitment and function in well-defined clinical situations. Here we discuss novel strategies for the assessment of human T-cell responses, revealing in part unprecedented insight into T-cell biology and novel structural principles that govern TCR-pMHC recognition. Together, the described approaches advance our knowledge of T-cell mediated-protection from human diseases.
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Kraman M, Bambrough PJ, Arnold JN, Roberts EW, Magiera L, Jones JO, Gopinathan A, Tuveson DA, Fearon DT. Suppression of Antitumor Immunity by Stromal Cells Expressing Fibroblast Activation Protein-. Science 2010; 330:827-30. [PMID: 21051638 DOI: 10.1126/science.1195300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 884] [Impact Index Per Article: 63.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Kraman
- Wellcome Trust Immunology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Medical Research Council Centre, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QH, UK
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29
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Palermo B, Del Bello D, Sottini A, Serana F, Ghidini C, Gualtieri N, Ferraresi V, Catricalà C, Belardelli F, Proietti E, Natali PG, Imberti L, Nisticò P. Dacarbazine Treatment before Peptide Vaccination Enlarges T-Cell Repertoire Diversity of Melan-A–Specific, Tumor-Reactive CTL in Melanoma Patients. Cancer Res 2010; 70:7084-92. [DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-10-1326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Guillaume P, Baumgaertner P, Neff L, Rufer N, Wettstein P, Speiser DE, Luescher IF. Novel soluble HLA-A2/MELAN-A complexes selectively stain a differentiation defective subpopulation of CD8+ T cells in patients with melanoma. Int J Cancer 2010; 127:910-23. [PMID: 19998338 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.25099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Multimeric MHC I-peptide complexes containing phycoerythrin-streptavidin are widely used to detect and investigate antigen-specific CD8+ (and CD4+) T cells. Because such reagents are heterogeneous, we compared their binding characteristics with those of monodisperse dimeric, tetrameric and octameric complexes containing linkers of variable length and flexibility on Melan-A-specific CD8+ T cell clones and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from HLA-A*0201(+) melanoma patients. Striking binding differences were observed for different defined A2/Melan-A(26-35) complexes on T cells depending on their differentiation stage. In particular, short dimeric but not octameric A2/Melan-A(26-35) complexes selectively and avidly stained incompletely differentiated effector-memory T cells clones and populations expressing CD27 and CD28 and low levels of cytolytic mediators (granzymes and perforin). This subpopulation was found in PBMC from all six melanoma patients analyzed and proliferated on peptide stimulation with only modest phenotypic changes. By contrast influenza matrix(58-66) -specific CD8+ PBMC from nine HLA-A*0201(+) healthy donors were efficiently stained by A2/Flu matrix(58-61) multimers, but not dimer and upon peptide stimulation proliferated and differentiated from memory into effector T cells. Thus PBMC from melanoma patients contain a differentiation defective sub-population of Melan-A-specific CD8+ T cells that can be selectively and efficiently stained by short dimeric A2/Melan- A(26-35) complexes, which makes them directly accessible for longitudinal monitoring and further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Guillaume
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
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31
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Speiser DE, Romero P. Molecularly defined vaccines for cancer immunotherapy, and protective T cell immunity. Semin Immunol 2010; 22:144-54. [PMID: 20413326 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2010.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2010] [Accepted: 03/15/2010] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Malignant cells are frequently recognized and destroyed by T cells, hence the development of T cell vaccines against established tumors. The challenge is to induce protective type 1 immune responses, with efficient Th1 and CTL activation, and long-term immunological memory. These goals are similar as in many infectious diseases, where successful immune protection is ideally induced with live vaccines. However, large-scale development of live vaccines is prevented by their very limited availability and vector immunogenicity. Synthetic vaccines have multiple advantages. Each of their components (antigens, adjuvants, delivery systems) contributes specifically to induction and maintenance of T cell responses. Here we summarize current experience with vaccines based on proteins and peptide antigens, and discuss approaches for the molecular characterization of clonotypic T cell responses. With carefully designed step-by-step modifications of innovative vaccine formulations, T cell vaccination can be optimized towards the goal of inducing therapeutic immune responses in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Speiser
- Clinical Investigation Center, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd., Lausanne branch, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
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32
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de Vos van Steenwijk PJ, Heusinkveld M, Ramwadhdoebe TH, Löwik MJ, van der Hulst JM, Goedemans R, Piersma SJ, Kenter GG, van der Burg SH. An unexpectedly large polyclonal repertoire of HPV-specific T cells is poised for action in patients with cervical cancer. Cancer Res 2010; 70:2707-17. [PMID: 20233872 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-09-4299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The diversity and extent of the local tumor-specific T-cell response in a given individual is largely unknown. We have performed an in-depth study of the local T-cell repertoire in a selected group of patients with cervical cancer, by systematic analyses of the proportion, breadth, and polarization of human papillomavirus (HPV) E6/E7-specific T cells within the total population of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) and tumor-draining lymph node cells (TDLNC). Isolated T cells were stimulated with sets of overlapping E6 and E7 peptides and analyzed by multiparameter flow cytometry with respect to activation, cytokine production, and T-cell receptor Vbeta usage. HPV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses were detected in TIL and TDLNC and their relative contribution varied between <1% and 66% of all T cells. In general, these HPV-specific responses were surprisingly broad, aimed at multiple E6 and E7 epitopes and involved multiple dominant and subdominant T-cell receptor Vbetas per single peptide-epitope. In most patients, only few IFNgamma-producing T cells were found and the amount of IFNgamma produced was low, suggesting that these are poised T cells, rendered functionally inactive within the tumor environment. Importantly, stimulation of the TIL and TDLNC with cognate antigen in the presence of commonly used Toll-like receptor ligands significantly enhanced the effector T-cell function. In conclusion, our study suggests that within a given patient with HPV-specific immunity many different tumor-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are locally present and poised for action. This vast existing local T-cell population is awaiting proper stimulation and can be exploited for the immunotherapy of cancer.
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Ochsenreither S, Fusi A, Busse A, Letsch A, Haase D, Thiel E, Scheibenbogen C, Keilholz U. Long term presence of a single predominant tyrosinase-specific T-cell clone associated with disease control in a patient with metastatic melanoma. Int J Cancer 2010; 126:2497-502. [DOI: 10.1002/ijc.24939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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34
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Li Y, Liu S, Hernandez J, Vence L, Hwu P, Radvanyi L. MART-1-specific melanoma tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes maintaining CD28 expression have improved survival and expansion capability following antigenic restimulation in vitro. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2009; 184:452-65. [PMID: 19949105 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0901101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
We determined how CD8(+) melanoma tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) isolated from two distinct phases of expansion in preparation for adoptive T cell therapy respond to melanoma Ag restimulation. We found that TILs isolated after the rapid expansion protocol (REP) phase, used to generate the final patient TIL infusion product, were hyporesponsive to restimulation with MART-1 peptide-pulsed dendritic cells, with many CD8(+) T cells undergoing apoptosis. Telomere length was shorter post-REP, but of sufficient length to support further cell division. Phenotypic analysis revealed that cell-surface CD28 expression was significantly reduced in post-REP TILs, whereas CD27 levels remained unchanged. Tracking post-REP TIL proliferation by CFSE dilution, as well as sorting for CD8(+)CD28(+) and CD8(+)CD28(-) post-REP subsets, revealed that the few CD28(+) TILs remaining post-REP had superior survival capacity and proliferated after restimulation with MART-1 peptide. An analysis of different supportive cytokine mixtures during the REP found that a combination of IL-15 and IL-21 facilitated comparable expansion of CD8(+) TILs as IL-2, but prevented the loss of CD28 expression with improved responsiveness to antigenic restimulation post-REP. These results suggest that current expansion protocols using IL-2 for melanoma adoptive T cell therapy yields largely CD8(+) T cells unable to persist and divide in vivo following Ag contact. The few CD8(+)CD28(+) T cells that remain may be the only CD8(+) TILs that ultimately survive to repopulate the host and mediate long-term tumor control. A REP protocol using IL-15 and IL-21 may greatly increase the number of CD28(+) TILs capable of long-term persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufeng Li
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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35
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Køllgaard T, Duval L, Schmidt H, Kaltoft K, Seremet T, Andersen MH, Maase HVD, Straten PT, Hadrup SR. Longitudinal immune monitoring of patients receiving intratumoral injection of a MART-1 T-cell receptor-transduced cell line (C-Cure 709). Cytotherapy 2009; 11:631-41. [PMID: 19530030 DOI: 10.1080/14653240902923146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS Adoptive transfer of tumor-specific lymphocytes is a promising strategy in the treatment of cancer. We conducted intratumoral administration of an allogeneic irradiated continuous T-cell line (C-Cure 709) expressing an HLA-A2-restricted MART-1-specific T-cell receptor (TCR) into HLA-A2(+) melanoma patients. The C-Cure 709 cell line is cytotoxic against MART-1(+) HLA-A2(+) melanoma cell lines and secretes several immune stimulatory cytokines upon stimulation. METHODS Anti-tumor immune responses against the commonly expressed tumor antigen (Ag) MART-1 were longitudinally analyzed in peripheral blood by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) before and after intratumoral injection of C-Cure 709. RESULTS No treatment-induced increase in Ag-specific T-cell frequencies was observed in peripheral blood, and the phenotype of MART-1-specific T cells was very stable during the treatment. Interestingly, despite a very stable frequency of MART-1-specific T cells over the course of treatment, clonotype mapping revealed that the response was in fact highly diverse and dynamic, with new clonotypes emerging during treatment. Only a few clonotypes were recurrently detected in consecutive samples. One MART-1-specific T-cell clone disappearing from peripheral blood was later detected in a metastatic lesion. CONCLUSIONS Sequence analyzes of the CDR3 region revealed conserved structural characteristics in the MART-1-specific TCR used by T-cell clones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Køllgaard
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT), University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
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36
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Jandus C, Bioley G, Dojcinovic D, Derré L, Baitsch L, Wieckowski S, Rufer N, Kwok WW, Tiercy JM, Luescher IF, Speiser DE, Romero P. Tumor antigen-specific FOXP3+ CD4 T cells identified in human metastatic melanoma: peptide vaccination results in selective expansion of Th1-like counterparts. Cancer Res 2009; 69:8085-93. [PMID: 19808957 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-09-2226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We have previously shown that vaccination of HLA-A2 metastatic melanoma patients with the analogue Melan-A(26-35(A27L)) peptide emulsified in a mineral oil induces ex vivo detectable specific CD8 T cells. These are further enhanced when a TLR9 agonist is codelivered in the same vaccine formulation. Interestingly, the same peptide can be efficiently recognized by HLA-DQ6-restricted CD4 T cells. We used HLA-DQ6 multimers to assess the specific CD4 T-cell response in both healthy individuals and melanoma patients. We report that the majority of melanoma patients carry high frequencies of naturally circulating HLA-DQ6-restricted Melan-A-specific CD4 T cells, a high proportion of which express FOXP3 and proliferate poorly in response to the cognate peptide. Upon vaccination, the relative frequency of multimer+ CD4 T cells did not change significantly. In contrast, we found a marked shift to FOXP3-negative CD4 T cells, accompanied by robust CD4 T-cell proliferation upon in vitro stimulation with cognate peptide. A concomitant reduction in TCR diversity was also observed. This is the first report on direct ex vivo identification of antigen-specific FOXP3+ T cells by multimer labeling in cancer patients and on the direct assessment of the impact of peptide vaccination on immunoregulatory T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Jandus
- Division of Clinical Onco-Immunology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd, Lausanne Branch, Hôpital Orthopédique, Lausanne, Switzerland
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37
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Wieckowski S, Baumgaertner P, Corthesy P, Voelter V, Romero P, Speiser DE, Rufer N. Fine structural variations of alphabetaTCRs selected by vaccination with natural versus altered self-antigen in melanoma patients. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2009; 183:5397-406. [PMID: 19786555 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0901460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy of cancer is often performed with altered "analog" peptide Ags optimized for HLA class I binding, resulting in enhanced immunogenicity, but the induced T cell responses require further evaluation. Recently, we demonstrated fine specificity differences and enhanced recognition of naturally presented Ag by T cells after vaccination with natural Melan-A/MART-1 peptide, as compared with analog peptide. In this study, we compared the TCR primary structures of 1489 HLA-A*0201/Melan-A(26-35)-specific CD8 T cells derived from both cohorts of patients. Although a strong preference for TRAV12-2 segment usage was present in nearly all patients, usage of particular TRAJ gene segments and CDR3alpha composition differed slightly after vaccination with natural vs analog peptide. Moreover, TCR beta-chain repertoires were broader after natural than analog peptide vaccination. In all patients, we observed a marked conservation of the CDR3beta amino acid composition with recurrent sequences centered on a glycyl-leucyl/valyl/alanyl-glycyl motif. In contrast to viral-specific TCR repertoires, such "public" motifs were primarily expressed by nondominant T cell clonotypes, which contrasted with "private" CDR3beta signatures frequently found in T cell clonotypes that dominated repertoires of individual patients. Interestingly, no differences in functional avidity were observed between public and private T cell clonotypes. Collectively, our data indicate that T cell repertoires generated against natural or analog Melan-A peptide exhibited slightly distinct but otherwise overlapping and structurally conserved TCR features, suggesting that the differences in binding affinity/avidity of TCRs toward pMHC observed in the two cohorts of patients are caused by subtle structural TCR variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Wieckowski
- Division of Experimental Oncology, Multidisciplinary Oncology Center, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
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38
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Iancu EM, Corthesy P, Baumgaertner P, Devevre E, Voelter V, Romero P, Speiser DE, Rufer N. Clonotype selection and composition of human CD8 T cells specific for persistent herpes viruses varies with differentiation but is stable over time. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2009; 183:319-31. [PMID: 19542443 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0803647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Protection from reactivation of persistent herpes virus infection is mediated by Ag-specific CD8 T cell responses, which are highly regulated by still poorly understood mechanisms. In this study, we analyzed differentiation and clonotypic dynamics of EBV- and CMV-specific T cells from healthy adults. Although these T lymphocytes included all subsets, from early-differentiated (EM/CD28(pos)) to late-differentiated (EMRA/CD28(neg)) stages, they varied in the sizes/proportions of these subsets. In-depth clonal composition analyses revealed TCR repertoires, which were highly restricted for CMV- and relatively diverse for EBV-specific cells. Virtually all virus-specific clonotypes identified in the EMRA/CD28(neg) subset were also found within the pool of less differentiated "memory" cells. However, striking differences in the patterns of dominance were observed among these subsets, because some clonotypes were selected with differentiation while others were not. Late-differentiated CMV-specific clonotypes were mostly characterized by TCR with lower dependency on CD8 coreceptor interaction. Yet all clonotypes displayed similar functional avidities, suggesting a compensatory role of CD8 in the clonotypes of lower TCR avidity. Importantly, clonotype selection and composition of each virus-specific subset upon differentiation was highly preserved over time, with the presence of the same dominant clonotypes at specific differentiation stages within a period of 4 years. Remarkably, clonotypic distribution was stable not only in late-differentiated but also in less-differentiated T cell subsets. Thus, T cell clonotypes segregate with differentiation, but the clonal composition once established is kept constant for at least several years. These findings reveal novel features of the highly sophisticated control of steady state protective T cell activity in healthy adults.
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Serana F, Sottini A, Caimi L, Palermo B, Natali PG, Nisticò P, Imberti L. Identification of a public CDR3 motif and a biased utilization of T-cell receptor V beta and J beta chains in HLA-A2/Melan-A-specific T-cell clonotypes of melanoma patients. J Transl Med 2009; 7:21. [PMID: 19317896 PMCID: PMC2667493 DOI: 10.1186/1479-5876-7-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2009] [Accepted: 03/24/2009] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Assessment of T-cell diversity, besides giving insights about the molecular basis of tumor antigen recognition, has clinical implications since it provides criteria for evaluating antigen-specific T cells clinically relevant for spontaneous and vaccine-induced anti-tumor activity. Melan-A is one of the melanoma antigens most frequently recognized by peripheral and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in HLA-A2+ melanoma patients. Many clinical trials involving anti-tumor vaccination have been conducted using modified versions of this peptide. Methods We conducted an in-depth characterization of 210 T-cell receptor beta chain (TRB) clonotypes derived from T cells of HLA-A2+ melanoma patients displaying cytotoxic activity against natural and A27L-modified Melan-A peptides. One hundred and thirteen Melan-A-specific clonotypes from melanoma-free subjects, 199 clonotypes from T-cell clones from melanoma patients specific for melanoma antigens other than Melan-A, and 305 clonotypes derived from T cells of HLA-A2+ individuals showing unrelated specificities, were used as control. After sequence analysis, performed according to the IMGT definitions, TRBV and TRBJ usage, CDR3 length and amino acid composition were compared in the four groups of clonotypes. Results TRB sequences of Melan-A-specific clonotypes obtained from melanoma patients were highly heterogeneous, but displayed a preferential usage of few TRBV and TRBJ segments. Furthermore, they included a recurrent "public" amino acid motif (Glycine-Leucine-Glycine at positions 110-112-113 of the CDR3) rearranged with dominant TRBV and TRBJ segments and, in one case, associated with a full conservation of the entire TRB sequence. Conclusion Contrary to what observed for public anti-Melan-A T-cell receptor alpha motifs, which had been identified in several clonotypes of both melanoma patients and healthy controls, the unexpectedly high contribution of a public TRB motif in the recognition of a dominant melanoma epitope in melanoma patients may provide important information about the biology of anti-tumor T-cell responses and improve monitoring strategies of anti-tumor vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Serana
- Diagnostics Department, Spedali Civili di Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
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40
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Albertini MR, Macklin MD, Zuleger CL, Newton MA, Judice SA, Albertini RJ. Clonal expansions of 6-thioguanine resistant T lymphocytes in the blood and tumor of melanoma patients. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2008; 49:676-687. [PMID: 18712786 PMCID: PMC3037545 DOI: 10.1002/em.20417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The identification of specific lymphocyte populations that mediate tumor immune responses is required for elucidating the mechanisms underlying these responses and facilitating therapeutic interventions in humans with cancer. To this end, mutant hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) deficient (HPRT-) T-cells were used as probes to detect T-cell clonal amplifications and trafficking in vivo in patients with advanced melanoma. Mutant T-cells from peripheral blood were obtained as clonal isolates or in mass cultures in the presence of 6-thioguanine (TG) selection and from tumor-bearing lymph nodes (LNs) or metastatic melanoma tissues by TG-selected mass cultures. Nonmutant (wild-type) cells were obtained from all sites by analogous means, but without TG selection. cDNA sequences of the T-cell receptor (TCR) beta chains (TCR-beta), determined directly (clonal isolates) or following insertion into plasmids (mass cultures), were used as unambiguous biomarkers of in vivo clonality of mature T-cell clones. Clonal amplifications, identified as repetitive TCR-beta V-region, complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3), and J-region gene sequences, were demonstrated at all sites studied, that is, peripheral blood, LNs, and metastatic tumors. Amplifications were significantly enriched among the mutant compared with the wild-type T-cell fractions. Importantly, T-cell trafficking was manifested by identical TCR-beta cDNA sequences, including the hypervariable CDR3 motifs, being found in both blood and tissues in individual patients. The findings described herein indicate that the mutant T-cell fractions from melanoma patients are enriched for proliferating T-cells that infiltrate the tumor, making them candidates for investigations of potentially protective immunological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark R Albertini
- Medical Service, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, USA.
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41
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Kinetic analysis by real-time PCR of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific T cells in peripheral blood and liver after challenge with HCV. J Virol 2008; 82:10487-92. [PMID: 18715926 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00588-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrahepatic virus-specific CD8(+) T cells are thought to be important for the control of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, yet the precise kinetics for the expansion of epitope-specific T cells over the course of infection are difficult to determine with currently available methods. We used a real-time PCR assay to measure the frequency of clonotypic HCV-specific CD8(+) T cells in peripheral blood and snap-frozen liver biopsy specimens of two chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) with previously resolved HCV infection who were rechallenged with HCV. In response to rechallenge, the magnitude of each clonotypic response was 10-fold higher in the liver than in the blood, and the peak clonotype frequency was concurrent with the peak viral load. The higher frequency of HCV-specific clonotypes in the liver than in peripheral blood was maintained for at least 3 months after the clearance of viremia. After antibody-mediated CD8(+) T-cell depletion and another viral challenge, the rebound of these clonotypes was seen prior to an appreciable reconstitution of CD8(+) T-cell values and, again, at higher frequencies in the liver than in peripheral blood. These data demonstrate the importance of intrahepatic virus-specific CD8(+) T cells for the clearance of infection and the rapid kinetics of expansion after virus challenge.
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42
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Perret R, Ronchese F. Memory T cells in cancer immunotherapy: which CD8 T-cell population provides the best protection against tumours? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008; 72:187-94. [PMID: 18627571 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0039.2008.01088.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy strategies often fail because of immunosuppressive mechanisms present in the tumour-bearing host. Adoptive T-cell transfer therapy circumvents this problem by activating tumour-specific CD8(+) T cells in vitro and transferring them back into the patient. Classically, effector T cells have been used in these studies because of their potent anti-tumour activity. However, it is becoming apparent that highly activated effector cells may become terminally differentiated, display impaired proliferation and survival in vivo, and mediate short-term anti-tumour effects. In contrast to effector cells, memory cells have enhanced proliferative potential and survival, and the potential to provide more robust and enduring protection against tumours. Here, we discuss key studies in the field of adoptive T-cell transfer, along with some of our own results relating to this area. Based on the body of existing research, it is clear that CD8(+) T cells with memory potential are superior to terminally differentiated effectors in mediating successful tumour clearance. Opinions remain divided as to whether the central memory or effector memory T-cell subset is capable of providing the best protection against tumours. We propose that as these cell types have different but complementary benefits for the anti-tumour immune response, the ideal cell population to use for adoptive T-cell transfer should consist of a heterogeneous mixture of memory cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Perret
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand
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43
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Abstract
Much effort has been devoted to the design of vaccines that induce adaptive cellular immunity, in particular CD8+ T cells, which have a central role in the host response to viral infections and cancers. To date, however, the development of effective T cell vaccines remains elusive. This is due, in part, to the lack of clearly defined correlates of protection and the inherent difficulties that hinder full characterization of the determinants of successful T cell immunity in humans. Recent data from the disparate fields of infectious disease and tumor immunology have converged, with an emphasis on the functional attributes of individual antigen-specific T cell clonotypes, to provide a better understanding of CD8+ T cell efficacy. This new knowledge paves the way to the design of more effective T cell vaccines and highlights the importance of comprehensive immunomonitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Appay
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Institut Nationale de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U543, Avenir Group, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris 06, 91 Boulevard de l'hôpital, 75013 Paris, France.
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44
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Speiser DE, Baumgaertner P, Voelter V, Devevre E, Barbey C, Rufer N, Romero P. Unmodified self antigen triggers human CD8 T cells with stronger tumor reactivity than altered antigen. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008; 105:3849-54. [PMID: 18319339 PMCID: PMC2268830 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0800080105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2007] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cancer vaccines are often prepared with altered "analog" or "heteroclitic" antigens that have been optimized for HLA class I binding, resulting in enhanced immunogenicity. Here, we take advantage of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides as powerful vaccine adjuvants and demonstrate the induction of high T cell frequencies in melanoma patients, despite the use of natural (unmodified) tumor antigenic peptide. Compared with vaccination with analog peptide, natural peptide induced T cell frequencies that were approximately twofold lower. However, T cells showed superior tumor reactivity because of (i) increased functional avidity for natural antigen and (ii) enhancement of T cell activation and effector function. Thus, novel vaccine formulations comprising potent immune stimulators may allow to circumvent the need for modified antigens and can induce highly functional T cells with precise antigen specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Speiser
- Division of Clinical Onco-Immunology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and University of Lausanne, and Multidisciplinary Oncology Center, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, 1001 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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45
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Britten CM, Gouttefangeas C, Welters MJP, Pawelec G, Koch S, Ottensmeier C, Mander A, Walter S, Paschen A, Müller-Berghaus J, Haas I, Mackensen A, Køllgaard T, thor Straten P, Schmitt M, Giannopoulos K, Maier R, Veelken H, Bertinetti C, Konur A, Huber C, Stevanović S, Wölfel T, van der Burg SH. The CIMT-monitoring panel: a two-step approach to harmonize the enumeration of antigen-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes by structural and functional assays. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2008; 57:289-302. [PMID: 17721783 PMCID: PMC2150627 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-007-0378-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2007] [Accepted: 07/17/2007] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The interpretation of the results obtained from immunomonitoring of clinical trials is a difficult task due to the variety of methods and protocols available to detect vaccine-specific T-cell responses. This heterogeneity as well as the lack of standards has led to significant scepticism towards published results. In February 2005, a working group was therefore founded under the aegis of the Association for Immunotherapy of Cancer ("CIMT") in order to compare techniques and protocols applied for the enumeration of antigen-specific T-cell responses. Here we present the results from two consecutive phases of an international inter-laboratory testing project referred to as the "CIMT monitoring panel". A total of 13 centers from six European countries participated in the study in which pre-tested PBMC samples, synthetic peptides and PE-conjugated HLA-tetramers were prepared centrally and distributed to participants. All were asked to determine the number of antigen-specific T-cells in each sample using tetramer staining and one functional assay. The results of the first testing round revealed that the total number of cells analyzed was the most important determinant for the sensitive detection of antigen-specific CD8(+) T-cells by tetramer staining. Analysis by ELISPOT was influenced by a combination of cell number and a resting phase after thawing of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Therefore, the experiments were repeated in a second phase but now the participants were asked to change their protocols according to the new guidelines distilled from the results of the first phase. The recommendations improved the number of antigen-specific T-cell responses that were detected and decreased the variability between the laboratories. We conclude that a two-step approach in inter-laboratory testing allows the identification of distinct variables that influence the sensitivity of different T-cell assays and to formally show that a defined correction to the protocols successfully increases the sensitivity and reduces the inter-center variability. Such "two-step" inter-laboratory projects could define rational bases for accepted international guidelines and thereby lead to the harmonization of the techniques used for immune monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. M. Britten
- Department of Immunohaematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - C. Gouttefangeas
- Department of Immunology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - M. J. P. Welters
- Department of Immunohaematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - G. Pawelec
- Centre for Medical Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - S. Koch
- Centre for Medical Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - C. Ottensmeier
- Cancer Sciences Division, Southampton University Hospitals, Southampton, UK
| | - A. Mander
- Cancer Sciences Division, Southampton University Hospitals, Southampton, UK
| | - S. Walter
- Immatics Biotechnologies, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - A. Paschen
- Skin Cancer Unit of the German Cancer Research Centre, University Clinics of Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - I. Haas
- Department of Haematology and Oncology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - A. Mackensen
- Department of Haematology and Oncology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - T. Køllgaard
- Department of Haematology, Centre for Cancer Immune Therapy, Herlev, Denmark
| | - P. thor Straten
- Department of Haematology, Centre for Cancer Immune Therapy, Herlev, Denmark
| | - M. Schmitt
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - K. Giannopoulos
- Clinical Immunology Department, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - R. Maier
- Research Department, Kantonal Hospital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland
| | - H. Veelken
- Department of Haematology and Oncology, Freiburg University Medical Centre, Freiburg, Germany
| | - C. Bertinetti
- Department of Haematology and Oncology, Freiburg University Medical Centre, Freiburg, Germany
| | - A. Konur
- Third Medical Department, University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - C. Huber
- Third Medical Department, University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - S. Stevanović
- Department of Immunology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - T. Wölfel
- Third Medical Department, University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - S. H. van der Burg
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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46
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Derré L, Ferber M, Touvrey C, Devevre E, Zoete V, Leimgruber A, Romero P, Michielin O, Lévy F, Speiser DE. A novel population of human melanoma-specific CD8 T cells recognizes Melan-AMART-1 immunodominant nonapeptide but not the corresponding decapeptide. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2008; 179:7635-45. [PMID: 18025209 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.179.11.7635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
HLA-A2-restricted cytolytic T cells specific for the immunodominant human tumor Ag Melan-A(MART-1) can kill most HLA-matched melanoma cells, through recognition of two naturally occurring antigenic variants, i.e., Melan-A nonamer AAGIGILTV and decamer EAAGIGILTV peptides. Several previous studies have suggested a high degree of TCR cross-reactivity to the two peptides. In this study, we describe for the first time that some T cell clones are exclusively nonamer specific, because they are not labeled by A2/decamer-tetramers and do not recognize the decamer when presented endogenously. Functional assays with peptides gave misleading results, possibly because decamers were cleaved by exopeptidases. Interestingly, nonapeptide-specific T cell clones were rarely Valpha2.1 positive (only 1 of 19 clones), in contrast to the known strong bias for Valpha2.1-positive TCRs found in decamer-specific clones (59 of 69 clones). Molecular modeling revealed that nonapeptide-specific TCRs formed unfavorable interactions with the decapeptide, whereas decapeptide-specific TCRs productively created a hydrogen bond between CDR1alpha and glutamic acid (E) of the decapeptide. Ex vivo analysis of T cells from melanoma metastases demonstrated that both nonamer and decamer-specific T cells were enriched to substantial frequencies in vivo, and representative clones showed efficient tumor cell recognition and killing. We conclude that the two peptides should be regarded as distinct epitopes when analyzing tumor immunity and developing immunotherapy against melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Derré
- Division of Clinical Onco-Immunology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne, Switzerland
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47
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Booster vaccination of cancer patients with MAGE-A3 protein reveals long-term immunological memory or tolerance depending on priming. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008; 105:1650-5. [PMID: 18216244 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0707140104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously reported results of a phase II trial in which recombinant MAGE-A3 protein was administered with or without adjuvant AS02B to 18 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients after tumor resection. We found that the presence of adjuvant was essential for the development of humoral and cellular responses against selected MAGE-A3 epitopes. In our current study, 14 patients that still had no evidence of disease up to 3 years after vaccination with MAGE-A3 protein with or without adjuvant received an additional four doses of MAGE-A3 protein with adjuvant AS02B. After just one boost injection, six of seven patients originally vaccinated with MAGE-A3 protein plus adjuvant reached again their peak antibody titers against MAGE-A3 attained during the first vaccination. All seven patients subsequently developed even stronger antibody responses. Furthermore, booster vaccination widened the spectrum of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells against various new and known MAGE-A3 epitopes. In contrast, only two of seven patients originally vaccinated with MAGE-A3 protein alone developed high-titer antibodies to MAGE-A3, and all these patients showed very limited CD4(+) and no CD8(+) T cell reactivity, despite now receiving antigen in the presence of adjuvant. Our results underscore the importance of appropriate antigen priming using an adjuvant for generating persistent B and T cell memory and allowing typical booster responses with reimmunization. In contrast, absence of adjuvant at priming compromises further immunization attempts. These data provide an immunological rationale for vaccine design in light of recently reported favorable clinical responses in NSCLC patients after vaccination with MAGE-A3 protein plus adjuvant AS02B.
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48
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Iancu EM, Speiser DE, Rufer N. Assessing ageing of individual T lymphocytes: mission impossible? Mech Ageing Dev 2007; 129:67-78. [PMID: 18048082 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2007.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2007] [Revised: 10/15/2007] [Accepted: 10/23/2007] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Effector T lymphocytes are the progeny of a limited number of antigen-specific precursor cells and it has been estimated that clonotypic human T cells may expand million fold on their way reaching high cell numbers that are sufficient for immune protection. Moreover, memory T cell responses are characterized by repetitive expansion of antigen-specific T cell clonotypes, and limitations in the proliferative capacity could lead to immune senescence. Because telomeres progressively shorten as a function of cell division, telomere length is a powerful indicator of the replicative in vivo history of human T lymphocytes. In this review, we summarize observations made over the last decade on telomere length dynamics of well-defined T cell populations derived from healthy donors and patients with infectious disease or cancer. We focus on T cell differentiation, T cell ageing, and natural and vaccine induced immune responses. We also discuss the scientific evidence for in vivo replicative senescence of antigen-specific T cells, and evaluate the available methods for measuring telomere lengths and telomerase activity, and their potential and limitations to increase our understanding of T cell physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela M Iancu
- Division of Experimental Oncology, Multidisciplinary Oncology Center CePO, Avenue Pierre-Decker 4, CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
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49
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Salazar LG, Coveler AL, Swensen RE, Gooley TA, Goodell V, Schiffman K, Disis ML. Kinetics of tumor-specific T-cell response development after active immunization in patients with HER-2/neu overexpressing cancers. Clin Immunol 2007; 125:275-80. [PMID: 17913588 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2007.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2007] [Revised: 08/10/2007] [Accepted: 08/12/2007] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The ability of a cancer vaccine to elicit a specific measurable T-cell response is increasingly being used to prioritize immunization strategies for therapeutic development. Knowing the optimal time during a vaccine regimen to measure the development of tumor-specific immunity would greatly facilitate the assessment of T-cell responses. The purpose of this study was to overview the kinetics of HER-2/neu-specific T-cell immunity evolution during and after the administration of HER-2/neu peptide-based vaccination in the adjuvant setting. Furthermore, we questioned whether the presence of preexistent HER-2/neu T-cell immunity or the timing of immunity development over the course of active immunization influenced the intensity of the elicited HER-2/neu-specific T-cell immunity. Our findings demonstrate that maximal tumor-specific immune responses may occur toward the end of the vaccination regimen or even after the scheduled vaccines have been completed. Additionally, the presence of tumor antigen-specific immunity prior to vaccination is associated with greater magnitude immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lupe G Salazar
- Tumor Vaccine Group, Division of Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle 98109, USA.
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50
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Derré L, Bruyninx M, Baumgaertner P, Devevre E, Corthesy P, Touvrey C, Mahnke YD, Pircher H, Voelter V, Romero P, Speiser DE, Rufer N. In Vivo Persistence of Codominant Human CD8+ T Cell Clonotypes Is Not Limited by Replicative Senescence or Functional Alteration. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2007; 179:2368-79. [PMID: 17675498 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.179.4.2368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
T cell responses to viral epitopes are often composed of a small number of codominant clonotypes. In this study, we show that tumor Ag-specific T cells can behave similarly. In a melanoma patient with a long lasting HLA-A2/NY-ESO-1-specific T cell response, reaching 10% of circulating CD8 T cells, we identified nine codominant clonotypes characterized by individual TCRs. These clonotypes made up almost the entire pool of highly differentiated effector cells, but only a fraction of the small pool of less differentiated "memory" cells, suggesting that the latter serve to maintain effector cells. The different clonotypes displayed full effector function and expressed TCRs with similar functional avidity. Nevertheless, some clonotypes increased, whereas others declined in numbers over the observation period of 6 years. One clonotype disappeared from circulating blood, but without preceding critical telomere shortening. In turn, clonotypes with increasing frequency had accelerated telomere shortening, correlating with strong in vivo proliferation. Interestingly, the final prevalence of the different T cell clonotypes in circulation was anticipated in a metastatic lymph node withdrawn 2 years earlier, suggesting in vivo clonotype selection driven by metastases. Together, these data provide novel insight in long term in vivo persistence of T cell clonotypes associated with continued cell turnover but not replicative senescence or functional alteration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Derré
- Division of Clinical Onco-Immunology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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