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Goutakoli P, Papadaki G, Repa A, Avgoustidis N, Kalogiannaki E, Flouri I, Bertsias A, Zoidakis J, Samiotaki M, Bertsias G, Semitekolou M, Verginis P, Sidiropoulos P. A Peripheral Blood Signature of Increased Th1 and Myeloid Cells Combined with Serum Inflammatory Mediators Is Associated with Response to Abatacept in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients. Cells 2023; 12:2808. [PMID: 38132128 PMCID: PMC10741898 DOI: 10.3390/cells12242808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Abatacept (CTLA4-Ig)-a monoclonal antibody which restricts T cell activation-is an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Nevertheless, only 50% of RA patients attain clinical responses, while predictors of response are rather limited. Herein, we aimed to investigate for early biomarkers of response to abatacept, based on a detailed immunological profiling of peripheral blood (PB) cells and serum proteins. We applied flow cytometry and proteomics analysis on PB immune cells and serum respectively, of RA patients starting abatacept as the first biologic agent. After 6 months of treatment, 34.5% of patients attained response. At baseline, Th1 and FoxP3+ T cell populations were positively correlated with tender joint counts (p-value = 0.047 and p-value = 0.022, respectively). Upon treatment, CTLA4-Ig effectively reduced the percentages of Th1 and Th17 only in responders (p-value = 0.0277 and p-value = 0.0042, respectively). Notably, baseline levels of Th1 and myeloid cell populations were significantly increased in PB of responders compared to non-responders (p-value = 0.009 and p-value = 0.03, respectively). Proteomics analysis revealed that several inflammatory mediators were present in serum of responders before therapy initiation and strikingly 10 amongst 303 serum proteins were associated with clinical responses. Finally, a composite index based on selected baseline cellular and proteomics' analysis could predict response to abatacept with a high sensitivity (90%) and specificity (88.24%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiota Goutakoli
- Laboratory of Rheumatology, Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Garyfalia Papadaki
- Laboratory of Rheumatology, Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Argyro Repa
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71003 Heraklion, Greece; (A.R.); (N.A.); (I.F.)
| | - Nestor Avgoustidis
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71003 Heraklion, Greece; (A.R.); (N.A.); (I.F.)
| | - Eleni Kalogiannaki
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71003 Heraklion, Greece; (A.R.); (N.A.); (I.F.)
| | - Irini Flouri
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71003 Heraklion, Greece; (A.R.); (N.A.); (I.F.)
| | - Antonios Bertsias
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71003 Heraklion, Greece; (A.R.); (N.A.); (I.F.)
| | - Jerome Zoidakis
- Department of Biotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | - Martina Samiotaki
- Protein Chemistry Facility, Biomedical Sciences Research Center “Alexander Fleming”, 16672 Athens, Greece;
| | - George Bertsias
- Laboratory of Rheumatology, Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71003 Heraklion, Greece; (A.R.); (N.A.); (I.F.)
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Maria Semitekolou
- Laboratory of Rheumatology, Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
- Laboratory of Cellular Immunology Division of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Panayotis Verginis
- Laboratory of Immune Regulation and Tolerance, Division of Basic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Prodromos Sidiropoulos
- Laboratory of Rheumatology, Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71003 Heraklion, Greece; (A.R.); (N.A.); (I.F.)
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Greece
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Mardomi A, Mohammadi N, Ahmadzadeh F, Abediankenari S. CTLA4-Ig alleviates the allogeneic immune responses against insulin-producing cells in a murine model of cell transplantation. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2023; 396:3195-3206. [PMID: 37231171 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-023-02527-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The adoptive transfer of insulin-producing cells (IPCs) is one of the promising treatments for insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. While the use of allogeneic cell resources is inevitable in the case of a series of patients, alloimmune responses are a major barrier ahead of the successful implementation of allogeneic therapeutic cells. This study is aimed at evaluating the potential of CTLA4-Ig, as an approved immunomodulatory biologic, in protecting the IPCs against allogeneic immune responses. The C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice were used to establish a murine model of allogeneic cell transplantation. The mouse bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells were in vitro differentiated into IPCs, and the in vitro as well as the in vivo immune responses against IPCs were evaluated in the presence and absence of CTLA4-Ig. The allogeneic IPCs induced the in vitro activation of CD4+ T-cells, IFN-γ release, and the proliferation of lymphocytes, which all were controlled by CTLA4-Ig. Upon in vivo transfer of IPC into an allogeneic host, the splenic CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells exhibited a significant activation, and there was a significant donor-specific antibody response. Either of the mentioned cellular and humoral responses were modulated by a CTLA4-Ig regimen. This regimen also reduced the infiltration of CD3+ T-cells into the IPC injection site along with the improved overall survival of diabetic mice. CTLA4-Ig could be a complementary therapy for improving the efficacy of allogeneic IPC therapy through modulating the cellular and humoral responses that can lead to prolonged durability of IPCs within an allogeneic host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Mardomi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences and Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tabriz Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Nabiallah Mohammadi
- Immunogenetics Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Ahmadzadeh
- Immunogenetics Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Saeid Abediankenari
- Immunogenetics Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
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Chhun S, Trauchessec M, Melicine S, Nicolas F, Miele A, Lukic S, Vilain E, Amrouche L, Lebert D, Anglicheau D, Tartour E, Zuber J. A Validated LC-MS/MS Method for Performing Belatacept Drug Monitoring in Renal Transplantation. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2955. [PMID: 38001955 PMCID: PMC10669563 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11112955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Belatacept, a CTLA4-Ig, was designed to prevent rejection and graft loss in kidney transplant recipients. This immunotherapy showed a long-term clinical benefit mainly on renal function and better glycemic control but was also associated with a higher number of severe infectious diseases, particularly CMV disease, and lymphoproliferative disease. Therapeutic drug monitoring usually guides the benefit-risk assessment of long-term immunosuppression. In this study, an analytical method by LC-MS/MS was developed in 20 microL of plasma for the belatacept quantification. Intra- and inter-assay precision and accuracy were lower than 20% for the limit of quantification, and 15% for higher concentrations. The method was implemented in our lab and provided data about the inter-variability (N = 108) and intra-variability (N = 33) of belatacept concentrations in kidney transplant recipients with a stable renal function, after conversion from a CNI- to a belatacept-based regimen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Chhun
- Laboratory of Immunology, Georges Pompidou European Hospital and Necker Hospital, AP-HP, F-75015 Paris, France (E.T.)
- Faculty of Medecine, Université Paris-Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; (D.A.); (J.Z.)
| | | | - Sophie Melicine
- Laboratory of Immunology, Georges Pompidou European Hospital and Necker Hospital, AP-HP, F-75015 Paris, France (E.T.)
| | - Frédéric Nicolas
- Department of Kidney and Metabolic Diseases, Transplantation and Clinical Immunology, Necker Hospital, AP-HP, F-75015 Paris, France (L.A.)
| | - Agathe Miele
- Promise Proteomics, F-38040 Grenoble, France (D.L.)
| | - Srboljub Lukic
- Laboratory of Immunology, Georges Pompidou European Hospital and Necker Hospital, AP-HP, F-75015 Paris, France (E.T.)
| | - Estelle Vilain
- Department of Kidney and Metabolic Diseases, Transplantation and Clinical Immunology, Necker Hospital, AP-HP, F-75015 Paris, France (L.A.)
| | - Lucile Amrouche
- Department of Kidney and Metabolic Diseases, Transplantation and Clinical Immunology, Necker Hospital, AP-HP, F-75015 Paris, France (L.A.)
| | | | - Dany Anglicheau
- Faculty of Medecine, Université Paris-Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; (D.A.); (J.Z.)
- Department of Kidney and Metabolic Diseases, Transplantation and Clinical Immunology, Necker Hospital, AP-HP, F-75015 Paris, France (L.A.)
| | - Eric Tartour
- Laboratory of Immunology, Georges Pompidou European Hospital and Necker Hospital, AP-HP, F-75015 Paris, France (E.T.)
- Faculty of Medecine, Université Paris-Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; (D.A.); (J.Z.)
| | - Julien Zuber
- Faculty of Medecine, Université Paris-Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; (D.A.); (J.Z.)
- Department of Kidney and Metabolic Diseases, Transplantation and Clinical Immunology, Necker Hospital, AP-HP, F-75015 Paris, France (L.A.)
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Kuppan P, Wong J, Kelly S, Lin J, Worton J, Castro C, Paramor J, Seeberger K, Cuesta-Gomez N, Anderson CC, Korbutt GS, Pepper AR. Long-Term Survival and Induction of Operational Tolerance to Murine Islet Allografts by Co-Transplanting Cyclosporine A Microparticles and CTLA4-Ig. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2201. [PMID: 37765170 PMCID: PMC10537425 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15092201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
One strategy to prevent islet rejection is to create a favorable immune-protective local environment at the transplant site. Herein, we utilize localized cyclosporine A (CsA) delivery to islet grafts via poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles to attenuate allograft rejection. CsA-eluting PLGA microparticles were prepared using a single emulsion (oil-in-water) solvent evaporation technique. CsA microparticles alone significantly delayed islet allograft rejection compared to islets alone (p < 0.05). Over 50% (6/11) of recipients receiving CsA microparticles and short-term cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4-Ig (CTLA4-Ig) therapy displayed prolonged allograft survival for 214 days, compared to 25% (2/8) receiving CTLA4-Ig alone. CsA microparticles alone and CsA microparticles + CTLA4-Ig islet allografts exhibited reduced T-cell (CD4+ and CD8+ cells, p < 0.001) and macrophage (CD68+ cells, p < 0.001) infiltration compared to islets alone. We observed the reduced mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, INF-γ, and TNF-α; p < 0.05) and chemokines (CCL2, CCL5, CCL22, and CXCL10; p < 0.05) in CsA microparticles + CTLA4-Ig allografts compared to islets alone. Long-term islet allografts contained insulin+ and intra-graft FoxP3+ T regulatory cells. The rapid rejection of third-party skin grafts (C3H) in islet allograft recipients suggests that CsA microparticles + CTLA4-Ig therapy induced operational tolerance. This study demonstrates that localized CsA drug delivery plus short-course systemic immunosuppression promotes an immune protective transplant niche for allogeneic islets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Purushothaman Kuppan
- Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada; (P.K.); (J.W.); (S.K.); (J.L.); (J.W.); (C.C.); (J.P.); (K.S.); (N.C.-G.); (C.C.A.)
- Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Jordan Wong
- Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada; (P.K.); (J.W.); (S.K.); (J.L.); (J.W.); (C.C.); (J.P.); (K.S.); (N.C.-G.); (C.C.A.)
- Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Sandra Kelly
- Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada; (P.K.); (J.W.); (S.K.); (J.L.); (J.W.); (C.C.); (J.P.); (K.S.); (N.C.-G.); (C.C.A.)
- Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Jiaxin Lin
- Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada; (P.K.); (J.W.); (S.K.); (J.L.); (J.W.); (C.C.); (J.P.); (K.S.); (N.C.-G.); (C.C.A.)
- Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Jessica Worton
- Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada; (P.K.); (J.W.); (S.K.); (J.L.); (J.W.); (C.C.); (J.P.); (K.S.); (N.C.-G.); (C.C.A.)
- Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Chelsea Castro
- Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada; (P.K.); (J.W.); (S.K.); (J.L.); (J.W.); (C.C.); (J.P.); (K.S.); (N.C.-G.); (C.C.A.)
- Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Joy Paramor
- Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada; (P.K.); (J.W.); (S.K.); (J.L.); (J.W.); (C.C.); (J.P.); (K.S.); (N.C.-G.); (C.C.A.)
- Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Karen Seeberger
- Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada; (P.K.); (J.W.); (S.K.); (J.L.); (J.W.); (C.C.); (J.P.); (K.S.); (N.C.-G.); (C.C.A.)
- Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Nerea Cuesta-Gomez
- Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada; (P.K.); (J.W.); (S.K.); (J.L.); (J.W.); (C.C.); (J.P.); (K.S.); (N.C.-G.); (C.C.A.)
- Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Colin C. Anderson
- Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada; (P.K.); (J.W.); (S.K.); (J.L.); (J.W.); (C.C.); (J.P.); (K.S.); (N.C.-G.); (C.C.A.)
- Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Gregory S. Korbutt
- Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada; (P.K.); (J.W.); (S.K.); (J.L.); (J.W.); (C.C.); (J.P.); (K.S.); (N.C.-G.); (C.C.A.)
- Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Andrew R. Pepper
- Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada; (P.K.); (J.W.); (S.K.); (J.L.); (J.W.); (C.C.); (J.P.); (K.S.); (N.C.-G.); (C.C.A.)
- Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2E1, Canada
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Jin L, Shen N, Wen X, Wang W, Lim SW, Yang CW. CTLA4-Ig protects tacrolimus-induced oxidative stress via inhibiting the AKT/FOXO3 signaling pathway in rats. Korean J Intern Med 2023; 38:393-405. [PMID: 37157174 PMCID: PMC10175874 DOI: 10.3904/kjim.2022.293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Although the conversion from tacrolimus (TAC) to cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4-immunoglobulin (CTLA4-Ig) is effective in reducing TAC-induced nephrotoxicity, it remains unclear whether CTLA4-Ig has a direct effect on TAC-induced renal injury. In this study, we evaluated the effects of CTLA4-Ig on TAC-induced renal injury in terms of oxidative stress. METHODS In vitro study was performed to assess the effect of CTLA4-Ig on TAC-induced cell death, reactive oxygen species (ROS), apoptosis, and the protein kinase B (AKT)/forkhead transcription factor (FOXO) 3 pathway in human kidney 2 cells. In the in vivo study, the effect of CTLA4-Ig on TAC-induced renal injury was evaluated using renal function, histopathology, markers of oxidative stress (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine) and metabolites (4-hydroxy-2-hexenal, catalase, glutathione S-transferase, and glutathione reductase), and activation of the AKT/FOXO3 pathway with insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). RESULTS CTLA4-Ig significantly decreased cell death, ROS, and apoptosis caused by TAC. TAC treatment increased apoptotic cell death and apoptosis-related proteins (increased Bcl-2-associated X protein and caspase-3 and decreased Bcl-2), but it was reversed by CTLA4-Ig treatment. The activation of p-AKT and p-FOXO3 by TAC decreased with CTLA4-Ig treatment. TAC-induced renal dysfunction and oxidative marker levels were significantly improved by CTLA4-Ig in vivo. Concomitant IGF-1 treatment abolished the effects of CTLA4-Ig. CONCLUSION CTLA4-Ig has a direct protective effect on TAC-induced renal injury via the inhibition of AKT/FOXO3 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Jin
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
- Department of Nephrology, Air Force Medical Center,Air Force Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Nan Shen
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xinyu Wen
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Weidong Wang
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Sun Woo Lim
- Transplant Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
- Convergent Research Consortium for Immunologic Disease, Seoul, Korea
| | - Chul Woo Yang
- Transplant Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
- Convergent Research Consortium for Immunologic Disease, Seoul, Korea
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
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Elisa G, Tolusso B, Petricca L, Di Mario C, Gigante MR, Ferraccioli G, Alivernini S. Peripheral blood CD4 posCD25 posFoxP3 pos cells and inflammatory cytokines as biomarkers of response in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with CTLA4-Ig. Arthritis Res Ther 2022; 24:143. [PMID: 35706043 PMCID: PMC9199213 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-022-02827-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prognostic biomarkers of treatment response to distinct biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (b-DMARDs) are still lacking within the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS Thirty-four b-DMARDs naive RA patients, divided by disease duration into early (cohort 1) and long standing (cohort 2), received CTLA4-Ig. At study entry, and every 3 months for 1 year, each patient underwent peripheral blood (PB)-derived CD4pos cell subpopulation assessment by flow cytometry, STAT3 and STAT5 expression by RT-PCR and IL-6, IL-12p70, TGFβ, and IL-10 serum levels by ELISA. The DAS and CDAI remission was assessed at 6 and 12 months. RESULTS DAS- and CDAI-defined remission within 12 months was achieved by 16 (47.1%) and 8 (23.5%) RA patients, respectively. Considering the whole RA cohort, CTLA4-Ig induced a significant decrease of IL-6 serum levels from baseline to 6 and 12 months, as well as of PB CD4posCD25posFoxP3pos cells at 6 and 12 months, and of CD4posIL17pos cells after 12 months. PB CD4pos cells of RA patients showed higher STAT3 and STAT5 expression than healthy controls, which remained unchanged within 12 months of treatment. At study entry, RA patients achieving DAS remission had significantly lower IL-6 serum levels than RA patients not achieving this outcome. In particular, having baseline IL-6 serum levels ≤ 8.4 pg/ml, significantly identified naïve to b-DMARDs RA patients more likely to achieve DAS-remission under CTLA4-Ig at 6 months (66.7%) compared to RA patients with baseline IL-6 serum levels > 8.4 pg/ml [15.4%, OR (95%Cis) 11.00 (1.75-55.82)]. Moreover, having CD4posCD25posFoxP3pos cells rate ≥ 6.0% significantly identifies naïve to b-DMARDs early RA patients more likely to achieve DAS remission at 6 months (83.3%) compared to RA patients with baseline CD4posCD25posFoxP3pos cells < 6.0% [16.7%, OR (95% Cis) 25.00 (1.00-336.81)]. CONCLUSIONS Baseline IL-6 serum levels and peripheral blood-derived CD4pos subpopulations are putative novel prognostic biomarkers of CTLA4-Ig response in RA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gremese Elisa
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Via Giuseppe Moscati 31, 00168, Rome, Italy. .,Immunology Core Facility, Gemelli Science Technological Park, GSTeP, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy. .,Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
| | - Barbara Tolusso
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Via Giuseppe Moscati 31, 00168, Rome, Italy.,Immunology Core Facility, Gemelli Science Technological Park, GSTeP, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Petricca
- Division of Rheumatology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Clara Di Mario
- Immunology Core Facility, Gemelli Science Technological Park, GSTeP, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.,Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Rita Gigante
- Division of Rheumatology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Stefano Alivernini
- Immunology Core Facility, Gemelli Science Technological Park, GSTeP, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy. .,Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy. .,Division of Rheumatology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 1, 00168, Rome, Italy.
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Zhong C, Chen Z, Xia Y, Wu J, Zhang F, Cheng C, Wu X, Zhuang Y, Xiao X. Treatment of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis using AAV gene therapy by blocking T cell costimulatory pathways. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2022; 25:461-75. [PMID: 35615707 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2022.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS), characterized by inflammation and demyelination. Presently, repeated relapses of MS necessitate long-term immune-regulatory therapy. Blocking the CD28-B7 and CD40-CD40L costimulatory pathways is an effective and synergistic method for the prevention and amelioration of clinical symptoms of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of MS. In this study, to explore the efficacy and safety of MS gene therapy, we used adeno-associated virus (AAV) as a vector to deliver CTLA4-immunoglobulin (Ig) or CD40-Ig on the EAE induced by myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG). Our results showed that a single administration of AAV8-CTLA4-Ig, either alone or with AAV8-CD40-Ig, protected mice from EAE and reversed disease progression. Decreased CD4+ and CD8+ T cell infiltration, inhibition of MOG antibody response, and downregulation of neuroinflammation were observed in mice receiving AAV, suggesting that autoimmunity was suppressed in EAE pathology. Moreover, no hematological or hepatic toxicity was observed in AAV-treated mice. Thus, compared with treatment with recombinant CTLA4-Ig (belatacept), AAV gene therapy could effectively control clinical symptoms and suppress autoimmunity in the long term. In summary, our study provides a potential therapeutic method for blocking T cell costimulation for the treatment of MS via gene therapy.
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Cutolo M, Soldano S, Gotelli E, Montagna P, Campitiello R, Paolino S, Pizzorni C, Sulli A, Smith V, Tardito S. CTLA4-Ig treatment induces M1-M2 shift in cultured monocyte-derived macrophages from healthy subjects and rheumatoid arthritis patients. Arthritis Res Ther 2021; 23:306. [PMID: 34952630 PMCID: PMC8709961 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-021-02691-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), macrophages play an important role in modulating the immunoinflammatory response through their polarisation into “classically” (M1) or “alternatively activated” (M2) phenotypes. In RA, CTLA4-Ig (abatacept) reduces the inflammatory activity of macrophages by interacting with the costimulatory molecule CD86. The study aimed to investigate the efficacy of CTLA4-Ig treatment to induce an M2 phenotype both in M1-polarised monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) obtained from healthy subjects (HS) and in cultured MDMs obtained from active RA patients. Methods Cultured MDMs were obtained from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 7 active RA patients and from 10 HS after stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate (5 ng/mL) for 24 h. HS-MDMs were then stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 mg/mL) for 4 h to induce M1-MDMs. M1-MDMs and RA-MDMs were treated with CTLA4-Ig (100 μM and 500 μM) for 3, 12, 24, and 48 h. The gene expression of CD80, CD86, and TLR4 (M1 markers); CD163, CD204, and CD206 (surface M2 markers); and MerTK (functional M2 marker) was evaluated by qRT-PCR. The protein synthesis of surface M2 markers was investigated by Western blotting. The statistical analysis was performed by the Wilcoxon t-test. Results In LPS-induced HS-M1-MDMs, CTLA4-Ig 100 μM and 500 μM significantly downregulated the gene expression of M1 markers (3 h p<0.01 for all molecules; 12 h p<0.05 for TLR4 and CD86) and significantly upregulated that of M2 markers, primarily after 12 h of treatment (CD163: p < 0.01 and p < 0.05; CD206: p < 0.05 and p < 0.01; CD204: p < 0.05 by 100 mg/mL). Moreover, in these cells, CTLA4-Ig 500 μM increased the protein synthesis of surface M2 markers (p < 0.05). Similarly, in RA-MDMs, the CTLA4-Ig treatment significantly downregulated the gene expression of M1 markers at both concentrations primarily after 12 h (p < 0.05). Furthermore, both concentrations of CTLA4-Ig significantly upregulated the gene expression of CD206 (after 3 h of treatment; p < 0.05), CD163, and MerTK (after 12 h of treatment, p < 0.05), whereas CD204 gene expression was significantly upregulated by the high concentration of CTLA4-Ig (p < 0.05). The protein synthesis of all surface markers was increased primarily by CTLA4-Ig 500 μM, significantly for CD204 and CD206 after 24 h of treatment (p < 0.05). Conclusions CTLA4-Ig treatment seems to induce the in vitro shift from M1 to M2 macrophages, of both HS-M1-MDMs and RA-MDMs, as observed by the significant downregulation exerted on selected M1 markers and the upregulation of selected M2 markers suggesting an additional mechanism for its modulation of the RA inflammatory process. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13075-021-02691-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Cutolo
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Stefano Soldano
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Emanuele Gotelli
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paola Montagna
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Rosanna Campitiello
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Sabrina Paolino
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Carmen Pizzorni
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alberto Sulli
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Vanessa Smith
- Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Unit for Molecular Immunology and Inflammation, VIB Inflammation Research Center (IRC), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Samuele Tardito
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
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Xue ZX, Gao YS, Wu XL. Suppression of the CD28/B7 pathway reduces the occurrence and development of myasthenia gravis and cytokine levels. Int J Neurosci 2021; 131:854-863. [PMID: 32419569 DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2020.1759587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an antibody-mediated, autoimmune neuromuscular disease. Reports have indicated that the CD28/B7 ligand interactions play a crucial role during primary immune responses. Hence, the aim of the present study was to investigate the possible effects of the CD28/B7 pathway on the occurrence and development of MG and its associated cytokine factors. METHODS An experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) was initially established by immunization of Lewis rats with acetylcholine receptor (AChR) α97-116 peptide. Then the rats were treated with dexamethasone and CTLA4-Ig (used for inhibiting the CD28/B7 pathway). Serum levels of AChR IgG and AChR IgG2b were then detected using ELISA. The clinical features, muscle contraction function, AChR content, expression of CD28, CTLA4, B7.1 and B7.2 in mononuclear cells of peripheral blood and the secretion of cytokines (INF-γ, IL-2, IL-10 and IL-12) in serum of rats were measured. Finally, lymphocyte proliferation upon CTLA4 IgG treatment was examined in vitro. RESULTS Inhibition of the CD28/B7 pathway and dexamethasone were found to significantly improve clinical symptoms of EAMG rats, reduce serum levels of AChR IgG, AChR IgG2b, INF-γ, IL-2, IL-10 and IL-12, the expression of CD28, CTLA4, B7.1 and B7.2 in mononuclear cells of peripheral blood, and enhance muscle contraction function and AChR content in the muscle in vivo. Meanwhile, CTLA4 IgG could abolish the increased lymphocyte proliferation following AChR stimulation in vitro. CONCLUSION Overall, the suppression of the CD28/B7 pathway by CTLA4-Ig can have the potential to retard the occurrence and development of MG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhan-Xia Xue
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, P. R. China
| | - Yong-Shan Gao
- Department of Thoracic-Cardiac Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, P. R. China
| | - Xue-Liang Wu
- Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, P. R. China
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Mahdizadeh H, Salimian J, Noormohammadi Z, Amani J, Halabian R, Panahi Y. Structure Prediction and Expression of Modified r CTLA4-Ig as a Blocker for B7 Molecules. Iran J Pharm Res 2021; 19:329-348. [PMID: 33680034 PMCID: PMC7757981 DOI: 10.22037/ijpr.2020.112959.14040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
CTLA4-Ig (Abatacept) has been produced to suppress immune response by inhibition of T cells functions in autoimmune disease. A new drug, which is called belatacept, has recently been recently developed that is more efficient. The development has been occurred by two substitutions (A29Y, L104E) in the extracellular domain of CTLA4. In the present study, the bioinformatics analysis was used in order to make a new structure that has a better function in comparison with belatacept. Firstly, eight different structures were designed. Thereafter, the secondary and 3D structures, mRNA structure, docking of chimeric proteins with CD80/CD86, antigenicity and affinity of designed chimeric molecules were predicted. Based on the criteria, a new candidate molecule was selected and its gene synthesized. The gene was cloned and expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) successfully. The purified rCTLA4-Ig was analyzed by SDS-PAGE, western blotting, and ELISA. Circular dichroism analysis (CD analysis) was used for characterization of the rCTLA4-Ig. Affinity of rCTLA4-Ig was also evaluated by the flow cytometry method. Finally, its biological activity was determined by T cell inhibition test. The results showed rCTLA4-Ig and the belatacept protein have some similarities in structure and function. In addition, rCTLA4-Ig was able to bind CD80/CD86 and inhibit T cell function. Although flow cytomery results showed that the standard protein (CTLA4-Ig), represented better affinity than rCTLA4-Ig, the recombinant protein was able to inhibit T cell proliferation as well as CTLA4-Ig.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Mahdizadeh
- Department of Biology, Science and Research branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jafar Salimian
- Chemical Injuries Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Noormohammadi
- Department of Biology, Science and Research branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jafar Amani
- Applied Microbiology Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Raheleh Halabian
- Applied Microbiology Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yunes Panahi
- Chemical Injuries Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Fischer A, Manske K, Seissler J, Wohlleber D, Simm N, Wolf-van Buerck L, Knolle P, Schnieke A, Fischer K. Cytokine-inducible promoters to drive dynamic transgene expression: The "Smart Graft" strategy. Xenotransplantation 2020; 27:e12634. [PMID: 32808410 DOI: 10.1111/xen.12634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ubiquitous expression of T-cell regulatory transgenes such as the cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA4) or the high-affinity variant LEA29Y improves xeno graft survival. Such donor pigs are however immunocompromised and susceptible to infection. Continous high expression of CTLA4 or LEA29Y in the graft could also compromise the health status of recipients. The novel "Smart Graft" strategy is likely to avoid these problems by controlling the expression of T-cell regulatory transgenes as and when required. METHODS Candidate promoters inducible by inflammatory cytokines were identified by in silico screening for potential NF-κB binding sites. Basal promoter levels and responsiveness to TNFα and IL1ß were quantified by expression of secreted embryonic alkaline phosphatase in cultured cells. Promoters were modified to increase responsiveness by removing regulatory elements or adding SP-1 or NF-κB binding sites and again tested in vitro. The most promising promoters were then assessed in vivo. Porcine cells expressing inducible Renilla luciferase constructs were transplanted into immunodeficient NOD-Scid-IL2 receptor gammanull (NSG) mice. Following engraftment, the recipient's immune system was reconstituted by splenocyte transfer raising an immune response to the porcine xenograft. The resulting induction of promoter activity was detected by in vivo bioimaging. RESULTS Three human (hTNFAIP1, hVCAM1 and hCCL2), and one porcine promoter (pA20) were chosen for in vitro tests. In all experiments, the semi-synthetic and inducible ELAM promoter as well as the CAG promoter were used as references. In contrast to hTNFAIP1 and hVCAM1 the ELAM, hCCL2 and pA20 promoters showed significant induction after cytokine challenge. The hCCL2 and pA20 promoters were further optimized, resulting in increased responsiveness to TNFα and IL1ß. Cytokine-dependent upregulation of promoter activity was tested in vivo, where the ELAM and the optimized hCCL2 promoters showed a 2-fold upregulation, while one of the improved A20 promoters showed almost 10-fold upregulation. Our results also revealed more than 4-fold cytokine inducibility of the CAG promoter. CONCLUSION This is the first in vivo comparison of existing and newly designed cytokine-inducible promoters. Optimization of promoter structure resulted in almost 10-fold inducibility of promoter activity. Such a rapid and dynamically regulated response to inflammation and cell damage could reduce initial graft rejection, making the "Smart Graft" approach a useful means of modulating the expression of immune regulatory transgenes to avoid deleterious effects on porcine and human health. Expressing transgenes in this fashion could provide a safer organ for transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Fischer
- Livestock Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Katrin Manske
- Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Jochen Seissler
- Diabetes Center, Medizinische Klinik und Polyklinik IV, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Dirk Wohlleber
- Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Nina Simm
- Livestock Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Lelia Wolf-van Buerck
- Diabetes Center, Medizinische Klinik und Polyklinik IV, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Percy Knolle
- Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Angelika Schnieke
- Livestock Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Konrad Fischer
- Livestock Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
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Abstract
Introduction: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that results from the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas; it leads to the under or nonproduction of insulin. T1D is associated with numerous life-threatening micro- and macro-vascular complications and early deaths, hence the development of preventative strategies is a priority for research.Areas covered: The authors outline the drawbacks of available treatments for T1D and assess the three key strategies for prevention, including immunomodulatory therapies which hold the most potential. This article examines CTLA4-Ig and its efficacy and safety profiles. Finally, the pharmacokinetic parameters and pharmacodynamic markers of abatacept are shown in vivo and in clinical trials, guiding dosage regimen recommendations for future investigational studies.Expert opinion: Immunomodulation is one of the promising strategies for decelerating the progression of beta-cell destruction after the onset of T1D. It holds the advantage of specific immune modulation without systemic general immunosuppression. Preclinical and clinical studies have yielded promising data on the use of CTLA4-Ig in T1D. Variations in response to CTLA4-Ig might be partially explained by the existence of multiple T1D subtypes with varying baseline innate inflammatory/regulatory bias and the rate of C-peptide decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ousama Rachid
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Aisha Osman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Reza Abdi
- Transplantation Research Center, Renal Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yousef Haik
- Sustainable Development, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
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Yamamoto T, Li Q, Hara H, Wang L, Zhou H, Li J, Eckhoff DE, Joseph Tector A, Klein EC, Lovingood R, Ezzelarab M, Ayares D, Wang Y, Cooper DKC, Iwase H. B cell phenotypes in baboons with pig artery patch grafts receiving conventional immunosuppressive therapy. Transpl Immunol 2018; 51:12-20. [PMID: 30092338 PMCID: PMC6249078 DOI: 10.1016/j.trim.2018.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Revised: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the pig-to-baboon artery patch model with no immunosuppressive therapy, a graft from an α1,3-galactosyltransferase gene-knockout (GTKO) pig elicits a significant anti-nonGal IgG response, indicating sensitization to the graft. A costimulation blockade-based regimen, e.g., anti-CD154mAb or anti-CD40mAb, prevents sensitization. However, neither of these agents is currently FDA-approved. The aim of the present study was to determine the efficacy of FDA-approved agents on the T and B cell responses. METHODS Artery patch xenotransplantation in baboons was carried out using GTKO/CD46 pigs with (n = 2) or without (n = 1) the mutant transgene for CIITA-knockdown. Immunosuppressive therapy consisted of induction with ATG and anti-CD20mAb, and maintenance with different combinations of CTLA4-Ig, tacrolimus, and rapamycin. In addition, all 3 baboons received daily corticosteroids, the IL-6R blocker, tocilizumab, at regular intervals, and the TNF-α blocker, etanercept, for the first 2 weeks. Recipient blood was monitored for anti-nonGal antibody levels by flow cytometry (using GTKO/CD46 pig aortic endothelial cells), and mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). CD22+B cell profiles (naïve [IgD+/CD27-], non-switched memory [IgD+/CD27+], and switched memory [IgD-/CD27+] B cell subsets) were measured by flow cytometry. At 6 months, the baboons were euthanized and the grafts were examined histologically. RESULTS No elicited anti-pig antibodies developed in any baboon. The frequency of naïve memory B cells increased significantly (from 34% to 90%, p = 0.0015), but there was a significant decrease in switched memory B cells (from 17% to 0.5%, p = 0.015). MLR showed no increase in the proliferative T cell response in those baboons that had received CTLA4-Ig (n = 2). Histological examination showed few or no features of rejection in any graft. CONCLUSIONS The data suggest that immunosuppressive therapy with only FDA-approved agents may be adequate to prevent an adaptive immune response to a genetically-engineered pig graft, particularly if CTLA4-Ig is included in the regimen, in part because the development of donor-specific memory B cells is inhibited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayuki Yamamoto
- Xenotransplantation Program, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Qi Li
- Xenotransplantation Program, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Second Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, Hengyang City, Hunan, China
| | - Hidetaka Hara
- Xenotransplantation Program, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Liaoran Wang
- Xenotransplantation Program, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Second Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, Hengyang City, Hunan, China
| | - Hongmin Zhou
- Xenotransplantation Program, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Juan Li
- Xenotransplantation Program, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Second Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, Hengyang City, Hunan, China
| | - Devin E Eckhoff
- Xenotransplantation Program, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - A Joseph Tector
- Xenotransplantation Program, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Edwin C Klein
- Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ray Lovingood
- Kirklin Clinic Pharmacy, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Mohamed Ezzelarab
- Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Yi Wang
- Second Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, Hengyang City, Hunan, China
| | - David K C Cooper
- Xenotransplantation Program, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Hayato Iwase
- Xenotransplantation Program, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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Cabrera SM, Engle S, Kaldunski M, Jia S, Geoffrey R, Simpson P, Szabo A, Speake C, Greenbaum CJ, Chen YG, Hessner MJ. Innate immune activity as a predictor of persistent insulin secretion and association with responsiveness to CTLA4-Ig treatment in recent-onset type 1 diabetes. Diabetologia 2018; 61:2356-2370. [PMID: 30167736 PMCID: PMC6182660 DOI: 10.1007/s00125-018-4708-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS The study aimed to determine whether discrete subtypes of type 1 diabetes exist, based on immunoregulatory profiles at clinical onset, as this has significant implications for disease treatment and prevention as well as the design and analysis of clinical trials. METHODS Using a plasma-based transcriptional bioassay and a gene-ontology-based scoring algorithm, we examined local participants from the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and conducted an ancillary analysis of TrialNet CTLA4-Ig trial (TN-09) participants. RESULTS The inflammatory/regulatory balance measured during the post-onset period was highly variable. Notably, a significant inverse relationship was identified between baseline innate inflammatory activity and stimulated C-peptide AUC measured at 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months post onset among placebo-treated individuals (p ≤ 0.015). Further, duration of persistent insulin secretion was negatively related to baseline inflammation (p ≤ 0.012) and positively associated with baseline abundance of circulating activated regulatory T cells (CD4+/CD45RA-/FOXP3high; p = 0.016). Based on these findings, data from participants treated with CTLA4-Ig were stratified by inflammatory activity at onset; in this way, we identified pathways and transcripts consistent with inhibition of T cell activation and enhanced immunoregulation. Variance among baseline plasma-induced signatures of TN-09 participants was further examined with weighted gene co-expression network analysis and related to clinical metrics. Four age-independent subgroups were identified that differed in terms of baseline innate inflammatory/regulatory bias, rate of C-peptide decline and response to CTLA4-Ig treatment. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION These data support the existence of multiple type 1 diabetes subtypes characterised by varying levels of baseline innate inflammation that are associated with the rate of C-peptide decline. DATA AVAILABILITY Gene expression data files are publicly available through the National Center for Biotechnology Information Gene Expression Omnibus (accession number GSE102234).
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne M Cabrera
- Max McGee Research Center for Juvenile Diabetes, Children's Research Institute of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Endocrinology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Samuel Engle
- Max McGee Research Center for Juvenile Diabetes, Children's Research Institute of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Endocrinology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Mary Kaldunski
- Max McGee Research Center for Juvenile Diabetes, Children's Research Institute of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Endocrinology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Shuang Jia
- Max McGee Research Center for Juvenile Diabetes, Children's Research Institute of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Endocrinology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Rhonda Geoffrey
- Max McGee Research Center for Juvenile Diabetes, Children's Research Institute of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Endocrinology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Pippa Simpson
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Quantitative Health Sciences, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Aniko Szabo
- Division of Biostatistics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Cate Speake
- Diabetes Clinical Research Program, Benaroya Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Carla J Greenbaum
- Diabetes Clinical Research Program, Benaroya Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Yi-Guang Chen
- Max McGee Research Center for Juvenile Diabetes, Children's Research Institute of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Endocrinology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Martin J Hessner
- Max McGee Research Center for Juvenile Diabetes, Children's Research Institute of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Endocrinology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA.
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Watanabe M, Kumagai-Braesch M, Yao M, Thunberg S, Berglund D, Sellberg F, Jorns C, Enoksson SL, Henriksson J, Lundgren T, Uhlin M, Berglund E, Ericzon BG. Ex Vivo Generation of Donor Antigen-Specific Immunomodulatory Cells: A Comparison Study of Anti-CD80/86 mAbs and CTLA4-lg Costimulatory Blockade. Cell Transplant 2018; 27:1692-1704. [PMID: 30261751 PMCID: PMC6299197 DOI: 10.1177/0963689718794642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive transfer of alloantigen-specific immunomodulatory cells generated ex vivo with anti-CD80/CD86 mAbs (2D10.4/IT2.2) holds promise for operational tolerance after transplantation. However, good manufacturing practice is required to allow widespread clinical application. Belatacept, a clinically approved cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4-immunoglobulin that also binds CD80/CD86, could be an alternative agent for 2D10.4/IT2.2. With the goal of generating an optimal cell treatment with clinically approved reagents, we evaluated the donor-specific immunomodulatory effects of belatacept- and 2D10.4/IT2.2-generated immunomodulatory cells. Immunomodulatory cells were generated by coculturing responder human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) (50 × 106 cells) with irradiated donor PBMCs (20 × 106 cells) from eight human leukocyte antigen-mismatched responder–donor pairs in the presence of either 2D10.4/IT2.2 (3 μg/106 cells) or belatacept (40 μg/106 cells). After 14 days of coculture, the frequencies of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and natural killer cells as well as interferon gamma (IFN-γ) production in the 2D10.4/IT2.2- and belatacept-treated groups were lower than those in the control group. The percentage of CD19+ B cells was higher in the 2D10.4/IT2.2- and belatacept-treated groups than in the control group. The frequency of CD4+CD25+CD127lowFOXP3+ T cells increased from 4.1±1.0% (preculture) to 7.1±2.6% and 7.3±2.6% (day 14) in the 2D10.4/IT2.2- and belatacept-treated groups, respectively (p<0.05). Concurrently, delta-2 FOXP3 mRNA expression increased significantly. Compared with cells derived from the no-antibody treated control group, cells generated from both the 2D10.4/IT2.2- and belatacept-treated groups produced lower IFN-γ and higher interleukin-10 levels in response to donor-antigens, as detected by enzyme-linked immunospot. Most importantly, 2D10.4/IT2.2- and belatacept-generated cells effectively impeded the proliferative responses of freshly isolated responder PBMCs against donor-antigens. Our results indicate that belatacept-generated donor-specific immunomodulatory cells possess comparable phenotypes and immunomodulatory efficacies to those generated with 2D10.4/IT2.2. We suggest that belatacept could be used for ex vivo generation of clinical grade alloantigen-specific immunomodulatory cells for tolerance induction after transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Watanabe
- Division of Transplantation Surgery, CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Makiko Kumagai-Braesch
- Division of Transplantation Surgery, CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - M Yao
- Division of Transplantation Surgery, CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - S Thunberg
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - D Berglund
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Section of Clinical Immunology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - F Sellberg
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Section of Clinical Immunology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - C Jorns
- Division of Transplantation Surgery, CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - S Lind Enoksson
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - J Henriksson
- Division of Transplantation Surgery, CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - T Lundgren
- Division of Transplantation Surgery, CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - M Uhlin
- Division of Transplantation Surgery, CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Immunology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - E Berglund
- Division of Transplantation Surgery, CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - B-G Ericzon
- Division of Transplantation Surgery, CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
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16
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Cutolo M, Soldano S, Montagna P, Trombetta AC, Contini P, Ruaro B, Sulli A, Scabini S, Stratta E, Paolino S, Pizzorni C, Smith V, Brizzolara R. Effects of CTLA4-Ig treatment on circulating fibrocytes and skin fibroblasts from the same systemic sclerosis patients: an in vitro assay. Arthritis Res Ther 2018; 20:157. [PMID: 30053831 PMCID: PMC6062881 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-018-1652-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by vasculopathy and progressive fibrosis. CTLA4-Ig (abatacept) is able to interact with the cell surface costimulatory molecule CD86 and downregulate the target cell. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in-vitro effects of CTLA4-Ig treatment on circulating fibrocytes and skin fibroblasts isolated from the same SSc patient. Methods Circulating fibrocytes and skin fibroblasts were obtained from eight SSc patients with “limited” cutaneous involvement and from four healthy subjects (HSs). Samples were analyzed by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis (FACS) at baseline (T0) and after 8 days of culture (T8) for CD45, collagen type I (COL I), CXCR4, CD14, CD86, and HLA-DRII expression. Circulating fibrocytes were treated for 3 h and skin fibroblasts for 24/48 h with CTLA4-Ig (10, 50, 100, 500 μg/ml). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed for CD86, COL I, FN, TGFβ, αSMA, S100A4, CXCR2, CXCR4, CD11a, and Western blotting was performed for COL I and FN. Results Using qRT-PCR, the T8-cultured SSc circulating fibrocytes which had not been treated with CTLA4-Ig showed higher gene expression for CD86, αSMA, S100A4, TGFβ, and COL I compared with HS circulating fibrocytes. Interestingly, αSMA/COL I gene expression was significantly lower only in the SSc circulating fibrocytes treated with CTLA4-Ig for 3 h (p < 0.01, p < 0.05). On the contrary, no effects were observed for either SSc or HS skin fibroblasts after CTLA4-Ig treatment. COL I and FN protein expression was unchanged in both SSc and HS skin fibroblasts by Western blot. Conclusions Circulating fibrocytes seem to be more responsive to CTLA4-Ig treatment than skin fibroblasts from the same SSc patient, likely due to their higher expression of CD86. CTLA4-Ig treatment might downregulate the fibrotic process in SSc patients by downregulating the fibrocytes, circulating progenitor cells. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13075-018-1652-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Cutolo
- Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Viale Benedetto XV, 616132, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Stefano Soldano
- Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Viale Benedetto XV, 616132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paola Montagna
- Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Viale Benedetto XV, 616132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Amelia Chiara Trombetta
- Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Viale Benedetto XV, 616132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paola Contini
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Barbara Ruaro
- Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Viale Benedetto XV, 616132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alberto Sulli
- Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Viale Benedetto XV, 616132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Stefano Scabini
- Oncologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic, Genoa, Italy
| | - Emanuela Stratta
- Oncologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic, Genoa, Italy
| | - Sabrina Paolino
- Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Viale Benedetto XV, 616132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Carmen Pizzorni
- Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Viale Benedetto XV, 616132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Vanessa Smith
- Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Renata Brizzolara
- Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Viale Benedetto XV, 616132, Genoa, Italy
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17
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Abstract
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of joints, tendon sheaths, and entheses affecting patients with established skin psoriasis, or, less frequently, patients without a personal history of psoriasis with a positive familial history. Many treatment options are now available to deal with the different aspects of the disease, including traditional and biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and the recently released targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. However, ~40% of patients still fail to achieve a meaningful clinical response to first-line biologic therapy advocating the development of novel medications. It is now well accepted that T-cells participate in the immunopathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases. For this reason, the potential intervention on T-cells represented an attractive therapeutic target for a long time, becoming a clinical reality with the development of abatacept. Abatacept is a biologic agent selectively targeting the T-cell costimulatory signal delivered through the CD80/86-CD28 pathway and was approved in December 2005 by the US Food and Drug Administration and in May 2007 by European Medicines Agency for the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in combination with methotrexate. Based on the relevant role of T-cells in PsA pathogenesis and following the positive results obtained in a phase III clinical trial, abatacept recently received approval for treatment of patients with PsA. In this review, we will focus on the current knowledge about the emerging role of abatacept in treatment of PsA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ursini
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italy.,Associazione Calabrese per la Ricerca in Reumatologia, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Emilio Russo
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | | | - Salvatore D'Angelo
- Rheumatology Department of Lucania, Rheumatology Institute of Lucania (IReL), Potenza Italy.,Basilicata Ricerca Biomedica (BRB), Potenza, Italy
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18
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Young JS, Khiew SHW, Yang J, Vannier A, Yin D, Sciammas R, Alegre ML, Chong AS. Successful Treatment of T Cell-Mediated Acute Rejection with Delayed CTLA4-Ig in Mice. Front Immunol 2017; 8:1169. [PMID: 28970838 PMCID: PMC5609110 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical observations that kidney transplant recipients receiving belatacept who experienced T cell-mediated acute rejection can be successfully treated and subsequently maintained on belatacept-based immunosuppression suggest that belatacept is able to control memory T cells. We recently reported that treatment with CTLA4-Ig from day 6 posttransplantation successfully rescues allografts from acute rejection in a BALB/c to C57BL/6 heart transplant model, in part, by abolishing B cell germinal centers and reducing alloantibody titers. Here, we show that CTLA4-Ig is additionally able to inhibit established T cell responses independently of B cells. CTLA4-Ig inhibited the in vivo cytolytic activity of donor-specific CD8+ T cells, and the production of IFNγ by graft-infiltrating T cells. Delayed CTLA4-Ig treatment did not reduce the numbers of graft-infiltrating T cells nor prevented the accumulation of antigen-experienced donor-specific memory T cells in the spleen. Nevertheless, delayed CTLA4-Ig treatment successfully maintained long-term graft acceptance in the majority of recipients that had experienced a rejection crisis, and enabled the acceptance of secondary BALB/c heart grafts transplanted 30 days after the first transplantation. In summary, we conclude that delayed CTLA4-Ig treatment is able to partially halt ongoing T cell-mediated acute rejection. These findings extend the functional efficacy of CTLA4-Ig therapy to effector T cells and provide an explanation for why CTLA4-Ig-based immunosuppression in the clinic successfully maintains long-term graft survival after T cell-mediated rejection.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S Young
- Department of Surgery, Section of Transplantation, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Stella H-W Khiew
- Department of Surgery, Section of Transplantation, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Jinghui Yang
- Department of Surgery, Section of Transplantation, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.,Department of Organ Transplantation, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Augustin Vannier
- Department of Surgery, Section of Transplantation, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Dengping Yin
- Department of Surgery, Section of Transplantation, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Roger Sciammas
- Center for Comparative Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Maria-Luisa Alegre
- Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Anita S Chong
- Department of Surgery, Section of Transplantation, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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19
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Zhu T, Keirns J, Howieson C, Kaibara A, Goldwater R, Kivitz AJ, Chindalore V, Cohen S, Santos V, Akinlade B, Kernstock R, Delgado-Herrera L, Blahunka PC, Karrer EE, Garg JP, Samberg N, Zeiher BG. Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, Safety, and Tolerability of ASP2408, a Potent Selective T-Cell Costimulation Modulator After Single and Multiple Ascending Doses in Healthy Volunteers and RA Patients. Clin Pharmacol Drug Dev 2016; 5:408-25. [PMID: 27410490 DOI: 10.1002/cpdd.251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Revised: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
ASP2408 is a next-generation anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 fusion protein engineered for improved CD86 binding affinity as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In 72 healthy subjects (n = 6/treatment), ASP2408 was administered as single ascending doses intravenously at 0.003 to 10.0 mg/kg or subcutaneously at 0.3 to 3.0 mg/kg. It showed decreased clearance and prolonged half-life with increasing doses, consistent with target-mediated disposition. The apparent bioavailability was 36.3%-56.7% across single subcutaneous doses. Sixteen RA patients (n = 8/treatment) on stable methotrexate received 3 × 3.0 mg/kg subcutaneously every 4 weeks or every 2 weeks. Similar to single-dose treatment, ASP2408 concentrations peaked 2 to 3 days postdose, with a median t1/2 of approximately 8 days. Using CD86 receptor occupancy (RO) as a mechanistic biomarker, ASP2408 demonstrated dose-dependent binding to its target. ASP2408 3.0 mg/kg subcutaneously every 4 weeks and every 2 weeks led to a mean %CD86 RO ≥ 74.7% and ≥ 81.5%, respectively, within each dosing interval. ASP2408 was well tolerated across studies with no evidence of dose-limiting toxicity or clinically significant changes in clinical laboratory test results, vital signs, or 12-lead electrocardiograms. ASP2408 elicited antidrug antibodies in the majority of patients, but with no clinical sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Zhu
- Astellas Pharma Global Development, Northbrook, IL, USA.
| | - James Keirns
- Astellas Pharma Global Development, Northbrook, IL, USA
| | | | | | | | - Alan J Kivitz
- Altoona Center for Clinical Research, Duncansville, PA, USA
| | | | | | - Vicki Santos
- Astellas Pharma Global Development, Northbrook, IL, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Erik E Karrer
- Astellas Drug Discovery Research, Northbrook, IL, USA
| | - Jay P Garg
- Astellas Pharma Global Development, Northbrook, IL, USA
| | - Nancy Samberg
- Astellas Pharma Global Development, Northbrook, IL, USA
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20
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Abstract
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease in the Western world. Standard treatments have ultimately proven ineffective in blocking DKD progression, thus necessitating the design of new therapies to complement glycaemic and blood pressure control. High glucose levels upregulate the immune-related molecule B7-1 in podocytes, and such an event may play a relevant role in DKD onset, suggesting that B7-1 is a suitable therapeutic target for DKD. CTLA4-Ig is a clinically available fusion protein, approved for the treatment of some autoimmune diseases, which binds B7-1 and blocks its signalling. We have previously demonstrated that CTLA4-Ig restores the physiological structure and cellular motility of podocytes challenged with high glucose in vitro and abrogates the onset of proteinuria in murine models of DKD in vivo. Notably, these beneficial effects occurred independently of any systemic immunological effects of CTLA4-Ig. While the expression of B7-1 on podocytes raises questions regarding the very nature of the podocyte as we know it, the preliminary positive effect of CTLA4-Ig on proteinuria in preclinical models and the evidence of B7-1 expression in kidney biopsies of diabetic individuals suggest a potential novel indication for CTLA4-Ig in DKD. Nonetheless, recent reports of problems with detecting podocyte B7-1 and of inconsistent therapeutic efficacy of CTLA4-Ig in proteinuric patients highlight the necessity to establish uniformly accepted protocols for the detection of B7-1 and underline the need for randomised trials with CTLA4-Ig in kidney diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Bassi
- Division of Nephrology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave., Enders Building, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Transplant Medicine, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessia Fornoni
- Peggy and Harold Katz Family Drug Discovery Center, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Alessandro Doria
- Section on Genetics and Epidemiology, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Paolo Fiorina
- Division of Nephrology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave., Enders Building, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Transplant Medicine, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
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21
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Salant DJ. Podocyte Expression of B7-1/CD80: Is it a Reliable Biomarker for the Treatment of Proteinuric Kidney Diseases with Abatacept? J Am Soc Nephrol 2015; 27:963-5. [PMID: 26400567 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2015080947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David J Salant
- Renal Section and Department of Medicine, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
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22
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Ville S, Poirier N, Blancho G, Vanhove B. Co-Stimulatory Blockade of the CD28/CD80-86/CTLA-4 Balance in Transplantation: Impact on Memory T Cells? Front Immunol 2015; 6:411. [PMID: 26322044 PMCID: PMC4532816 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2015.00411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
CD28 and CTLA-4 are prototypal co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory cell surface signaling molecules interacting with CD80/86, known to be critical for immune response initiation and regulation, respectively. Initial “bench-to-beside” translation, two decades ago, resulted in the development of CTLA4-Ig, a biologic that targets CD80/86 and prevents T-cell costimulation. In spite of its proven effectiveness in inhibiting allo-immune responses, particularly in murine models, clinical experience in kidney transplantation with belatacept (high-affinity CTLA4-Ig molecule) reveals a high incidence of acute, cell-mediated rejection. Originally, the etiology of belatacept-resistant graft rejection was thought to be heterologous immunity, i.e., the cross-reactivity of the pool of memory T cells from pathogen-specific immune responses with alloantigens. Recently, the standard view that memory T cells arise from effector cells after clonal contraction has been challenged by a “developmental” model, in which less differentiated memory T cells generate effector cells. This review delineates how this shift in paradigm, given the differences in co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory signal depending on the maturation stage, could profoundly affect our understanding of the CD28/CD80-86/CTLA-4 blockade and highlights the potential advantages of selectively targeting CD28, instead of CD80/86, to control post-transplant immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Ville
- Unité Mixte de Recherche, UMR_S 1064, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale , Nantes , France ; Institut de Transplantation Urologie Néphrologie (ITUN), Université de Nantes , Nantes , France
| | - Nicolas Poirier
- Unité Mixte de Recherche, UMR_S 1064, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale , Nantes , France ; Institut de Transplantation Urologie Néphrologie (ITUN), Université de Nantes , Nantes , France ; Effimune SAS , Nantes , France
| | - Gilles Blancho
- Unité Mixte de Recherche, UMR_S 1064, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale , Nantes , France ; Institut de Transplantation Urologie Néphrologie (ITUN), Université de Nantes , Nantes , France
| | - Bernard Vanhove
- Unité Mixte de Recherche, UMR_S 1064, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale , Nantes , France ; Institut de Transplantation Urologie Néphrologie (ITUN), Université de Nantes , Nantes , France ; Effimune SAS , Nantes , France
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23
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Ward FJ, Dahal LN, Khanolkar RC, Shankar SP, Barker RN. Targeting the alternatively spliced soluble isoform of CTLA-4: prospects for immunotherapy? Immunotherapy 2015; 6:1073-84. [PMID: 25428646 DOI: 10.2217/imt.14.73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
CTLA-4 is an inhibitory protein that contributes to immune homeostasis and tolerance, a role that has led to its exploitation as a therapeutic in several clinical settings including cancer and autoimmune disease. Development of CTLA-4 therapies focused largely on the full-length receptor isoform but other CTLA-4 isoforms are also expressed, including a secretable form of CTLA-4 (soluble CTLA-4 [sCTLA-4]). The contribution of sCTLA-4 to immune regulation has been less well studied, primarily because it was identified some years after the original description of CTLA-4. Here, we examine how sCTLA-4 might contribute to immune regulation and ask whether it might be a biomarker to inform current CTLA-4 therapies or represent a novel CTLA-4 target for future therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank J Ward
- Section of Immunology & Infection, Division of Applied Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
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24
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Iwase H, Ekser B, Satyananda V, Zhou H, Hara H, Bajona P, Wijkstrom M, Bhama JK, Long C, Veroux M, Wang Y, Dai Y, Phelps C, Ayares D, Ezzelarab MB, Cooper DKC. Initial in vivo experience of pig artery patch transplantation in baboons using mutant MHC (CIITA-DN) pigs. Transpl Immunol 2015; 32:99-108. [PMID: 25687023 PMCID: PMC4368496 DOI: 10.1016/j.trim.2015.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Revised: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the pig-to-nonimmunosuppressed baboon artery patch model, a graft from an α1,3-galactosyltransferase gene-knockout pig transgenic for human CD46 (GTKO/CD46) induces a significant adaptive immune response (elicited anti-pig antibody response, increase in T cell proliferation on MLR, cellular infiltration of the graft), which is effectively prevented by anti-CD154mAb-based therapy. METHODS As anti-CD154mAb is currently not clinically applicable, we evaluated whether it could be replaced by CD28/B7 pathway blockade or by blockade of both pathways (using belatacept + anti-CD40mAb [2C10R4]). We further investigated whether a patch from a GTKO/CD46 pig with a mutant human MHC class II transactivator (CIITA-DN) gene would allow reduction in the immunosuppressive therapy administered. RESULTS When grafts from GTKO/CD46 pigs were transplanted with blockade of both pathways, a minimal or insignificant adaptive response was documented. When a GTKO/CD46/CIITA-DN graft was transplanted, but no immunosuppressive therapy was administered, a marked adaptive response was documented. In the presence of CD28/B7 pathway blockade (abatacept or belatacept), there was a weak adaptive response that was diminished when compared with that to a GTKO/CD46 graft. Blockade of both pathways prevented an adaptive response. CONCLUSION Although expression of the mutant MHC CIITA-DN gene was associated with a reduced adaptive immune response when immunosuppressive therapy was inadequate, when blockade of both the CD40/CD154 and CD28/B7 pathways was present, the response even to a GTKO/CD46 graft was suppressed. This was confirmed after GTKO/CD46 heart transplantation in baboons.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Iwase
- Thomas E Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - B Ekser
- Thomas E Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Surgery, Transplantation and Advanced Technologies, Vascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, University Hospital of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - V Satyananda
- Thomas E Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - H Zhou
- Thomas E Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Kidney Transplantation, Second Affiliated Hospital of the University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - H Hara
- Thomas E Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - P Bajona
- Thomas E Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - M Wijkstrom
- Thomas E Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - J K Bhama
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - C Long
- Thomas E Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - M Veroux
- Department of Surgery, Transplantation and Advanced Technologies, Vascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, University Hospital of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Y Wang
- Center for Kidney Transplantation, Second Affiliated Hospital of the University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Y Dai
- Revivicor, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | | | | | - M B Ezzelarab
- Thomas E Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - D K C Cooper
- Thomas E Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Yazdanpanah-Samani M, Mahmoudi Maymand E, Jahangeerfam T, Ghaderi A. Construction of CTLA-4-Ig Fusion Gene in pBudCE4.1 Expression Vector. Avicenna J Med Biotechnol 2015; 7:179-81. [PMID: 26605013 PMCID: PMC4629461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND CTLA-4 inhibitory signals prevent cell cycle progression and IL-2 production, leading to a halt on an ongoing immune response. CTLA4-Ig fusion proteins contain the extracellular domain of CTLA-4 and Fc fragment of human IgG antibody. In this study we aimed to fuse the ctla-4 gene encoding the extracellular domain of CTLA-4 molecule with igg1 gene encoding Fc region of human IgG. METHODS After primer design, PCR reaction was performed using pfu polymerase enzyme and specific primers. PCR amplified fragment was ligated into the vector containing the human igg1 gene. The resulting fusion fragment of ctla-4 and human igg1 genes was ligated to pBudCE4.1 expression vector. RESULTS Extracellular domain of ctla-4 gene was ligated to igg1 gene and then ctla4-ig fragment was cloned into pBudCE4.1 vector. Construction of the expression vector was confirmed by restriction pattern analysis and sequencing. CONCLUSION By confirming the construct, in the next step, the recombinant DNA will be used to produce CTLA4-Ig recombinant protein for the clinical uses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahsa Yazdanpanah-Samani
- Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Elham Mahmoudi Maymand
- Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Tayebeh Jahangeerfam
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Abbas Ghaderi
- Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran,Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran,Corresponding author: Abbas Ghaderi, Ph.D., Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research (ICR), Faculty of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran, Tel: +98 71 32303687, E-mail:
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Vitalone MJ, Ganguly B, Hsieh S, Latek R, Kulbokas EJ, Townsend R, Sarwal MM. Transcriptional profiling of belatacept and calcineurin inhibitor therapy in renal allograft recipients. Am J Transplant 2014; 14:1912-21. [PMID: 24954576 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.12746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2013] [Revised: 02/28/2014] [Accepted: 03/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) use may lead to allograft injury and compromised renal function. Gene expression profiles of 12-month kidney biopsies from a Phase 3 study of belatacept and a CNI comparator, cyclosporine (CsA), were compared with expression profiles of a set of historical, demographically matched, preimplantation control biopsies. Gene set enrichment analysis was used to test each set of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for the enrichment of an in vitro-derived CNI toxicity (CNIT) gene set and published gene sets associated with chronic allograft injury (CAI), immune modulation and tissue remodeling. The unique set of genes differentially expressed in CNI biopsies compared with preimplantation controls was enriched for genes associated with fibrosis, early tubulointerstitial damage and in vitro CNIT. The DEGs from belatacept biopsies were not enriched for the CNIT genes but, instead, exhibited enrichment for gene sets associated with immune response and tissue remodeling. A combined analysis of DEGs across both treatment groups identified select solute transporter and cellular differentiation genes whose expression at 12 months correlated with renal function at 36 months. These results provide mechanistic insights into the reduced CAI and higher renal function observed in belatacept- versus CsA-treated patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Vitalone
- Transplant Division, California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, California Pacific Medical Center, Sutter Health Care, San Francisco, CA; Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
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Bernett MJ, Chu SY, Leung I, Moore GL, Lee SH, Pong E, Chen H, Phung S, Muchhal US, Horton HM, Lazar GA, Desjarlais JR, Szymkowski DE. Immune suppression in cynomolgus monkeys by XPro9523: an improved CTLA4-Ig fusion with enhanced binding to CD80, CD86 and neonatal Fc receptor FcRn. MAbs 2013; 5:384-96. [PMID: 23549103 PMCID: PMC4169032 DOI: 10.4161/mabs.23976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The CTLA4-Ig fusion proteins abatacept and belatacept are clinically proven immunosuppressants used for rheumatoid arthritis and renal transplant, respectively. Given that both biologics are typically administered chronically by infusion, a need exists for a next-generation CTLA4-Ig with more convenient dosing. We used structure-based protein engineering to optimize the affinity of existing CTLA4-Ig therapeutics for the ligands CD80 and CD86, and for the neonatal Fc receptor, FcRn. From a rationally designed library, we identified four substitutions that enhanced binding to human CD80 and CD86. Coupled with two IgG1 Fc substitutions that enhanced binding to human FcRn, these changes comprise the novel CTLA4-Ig fusion protein, XPro9523. Compared with abatacept, XPro9523 demonstrated 5.9-fold, 23-fold, and 12-fold increased binding to CD80, CD86, and FcRn, respectively; compared with belatacept, CD80, CD86, and FcRn binding increased 1.5-fold, 7.7-fold, and 11-fold, respectively. XPro9523 and belatacept suppressed human T cell proliferation and IL-2 production more potently than abatacept. XPro9523 also suppressed inflammation in the mouse collagen-induced arthritis model. In cynomolgus monkeys, XPro9523 saturated CD80 and CD86 more effectively than abatacept and belatacept, potently inhibited IgM and IgG immunization responses, and demonstrated longer half-life. Pharmacokinetic modeling of its increased potency and persistence suggests that, in humans, XPro9523 may demonstrate superior efficacy and dosing convenience compared with abatacept and belatacept.
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