Sleep-like concentrations of growth hormone and cortisol modulate type1 and type2 in-vitro cytokine production in human T cells

BackgroundNeuroendocrine tumors (NET), including small cell lung cancer (SCLC), have poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. AMG 757 is an HLE BiTE® immune therapy designed to redirect T cell cytotoxicity to NET cells by binding to Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3) expressed on the tumor cell surface and CD3 on T cells.MethodsWe evaluated activity of AMG 757 in NET cells in vitro and in mouse models of neuroendocrine cancer in vivo. In vitro, co-cultures of NET cells and human T cells were treated with AMG 757 in a concentration range and T cell activation, cytokine production, and tumor cell killing were assessed. In vivo, AMG 757 antitumor efficacy was evaluated in xenograft NET and in orthotopic models designed to mimic primary and metastatic SCLC lesions. NSG mice bearing established NET were administered human T cells and then treated once weekly with AMG 757 or control HLE BiTE molecule; tumor growth inhibition was assessed. Pharmacodynamic effects of AMG 757 in tumors were also evaluated in SCLC models following a single administration of human T cells and AMG 757 or control HLE BiTE molecule.ResultsAMG 757 induced T cell activation, cytokine production, and potent T cell redirected killing of DLL3-expressing SCLC, neuroendocrine prostate cancer, and other DLL3-expressing NET cell lines in vitro. AMG 757-mediated redirected lysis was specific for DLL3-expressing cells. In patient-derived xenograft and orthotopic models of SCLC, single-dose AMG 757 effectively engaged human T cells administered systemically, leading to a significant increase in the number of human CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in primary and metastatic tumor lesions. Weekly administration of AMG 757 induced significant tumor growth inhibition of SCLC (figure 1) and other NET, including complete regression of established tumors and clearance of metastatic lesions. These findings warranted evaluation of AMG 757 (NCT03319940); the phase 1 study includes dose exploration (monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab) and dose expansion (monotherapy) in patients with SCLC (figure 2). A study of AMG 757 in patients with neuroendocrine prostate cancer is under development based on emerging data from the ongoing phase 1 study.Abstract 627 Figure 1AMG 757 Significantly reduced tumor growth in orthotopic SCLC mouse modelsAbstract 627 Figure 2AMG 757 Phase 1 study designConclusionsAMG 757 engages and activates T cells to kill DLL3-expressing SCLC and other NET cells in vitro and induces significant antitumor activity against established xenograft tumors in mouse models. These preclinical data support evaluation of AMG 757 in clinical studies of patients with NET.Ethics ApprovalAll in vivo work was conducted under IACUC-approved protocol #2009-00046.

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CRYAB modulates the activation of CD4+ T cells from relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis patients

Multiple Sclerosis Journal ◽

10.1177/1352458513489853 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 19 (14) ◽

pp. 1867-1877 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Que Lan Quach ◽

Luanne M Metz ◽

Jenna C Thomas ◽

Jonathan B Rothbard ◽

Lawrence Steinman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

T Cells ◽

Cytokine Production ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Relapsing Remitting ◽

Remitting Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Multiple Sclerosis Patients ◽

Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Background: Suppression of activation of pathogenic CD4+ T cells is a potential therapeutic intervention in multiple sclerosis (MS). We previously showed that a small heat shock protein, CRYAB, reduced T cell proliferation, pro-inflammatory cytokine production and clinical signs of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, a model of MS. Objective: We assessed whether the ability of CRYAB to reduce the activation of T cells translated to the human disease. Methods: CD4+ T cells from healthy controls and volunteers with MS were activated in vitro in the presence or absence of a CRYAB peptide (residues 73–92). Parameters of activation (proliferation rate, cytokine secretion) and tolerance (anergy, activation-induced cell death, microRNAs) were evaluated. Results: The secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines by CD4+ T cells was decreased in the presence of CRYAB in a subset of relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) participants with mild disease severity while no changes were observed in healthy controls. Further, there was a correlation for higher levels of miR181a microRNA, a marker upregulated in tolerant CD8+ T cells, in CD4+ T cells of MS patients that displayed suppressed cytokine production (responders). Conclusion: CRYAB may be capable of suppressing the activation of CD4+ T cells from a subset of RRMS patients who appear to have less disability but similar age and disease duration.

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107 Effects of IL-2 and IL-15 on the proliferative and antitumor capacities of allogeneic CD20 CAR-engineered γδ T cells in a 3D B cell lymphoma spheroid assay

Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer ◽

10.1136/jitc-2020-sitc2020.0107 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽

pp. A119-A119

Author(s):

Lu Bai ◽

Kevin Nishimoto ◽

Mustafa Turkoz ◽

Marissa Herrman ◽

Jason Romero ◽

...

Keyword(s):

T Cells ◽

T Cell ◽

B Cell ◽

T Cell Activation ◽

Cell Activation ◽

Cytokine Production ◽

Γδ T Cells ◽

Γδ T Cell ◽

Car T

BackgroundAutologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have been shown to be efficacious for the treatment of B cell malignancies; however, widespread adoption and application of CAR T cell products still face a number of challenges. To overcome these challenges, Adicet Bio is developing an allogeneic γδ T cell-based CAR T cell platform, which capitalizes on the intrinsic abilities of Vδ1 γδ T cells to recognize and kill transformed cells in an MHC-unrestricted manner, to migrate to epithelial tissues, and to function in hypoxic conditions. To gain a better understanding of the requirements for optimal intratumoral CAR Vδ1 γδ T cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation, we developed a three-dimensional (3D) tumor spheroid assay, in which tumor cells acquire the structural organization of a solid tumor and establish a microenvironment that has oxygen and nutrient gradients. Moreover, through the addition of cytokines and/or tumor stromal cell types, the spheroid microenvironment can be modified to reflect hot or cold tumors. Here, we report on the use of a 3D CD20+ Raji lymphoma spheroid assay to evaluate the effects of IL-2 and IL-15, positive regulators of T cell homeostasis and differentiation, on the proliferative and antitumor capacities of CD20 CAR Vδ1 γδ T cells.MethodsMolecular, phenotypic, and functional profiling were performed to characterize the in vitro dynamics of the intraspheroid CD20 CAR Vδ1 γδ T cell response to target antigen in the presence of IL-2, IL-15, or no added cytokine.ResultsWhen compared to no added cytokine, the addition of IL-2 or IL-15 enhanced CD20 CAR Vδ1 γδ T cell activation, proliferation, survival, and cytokine production in a dose-dependent manner but were only able to alter the kinetics of Raji cell killing at low effector to target ratios. Notably, differential gene expression analysis using NanoString nCounter® Technology confirmed the positive effects of IL-2 or IL-15 on CAR-activated Vδ1 γδ T cells as evidenced by the upregulation of genes involved in activation, cell cycle, mitochondrial biogenesis, cytotoxicity, and cytokine production.ConclusionsTogether, these results not only show that the addition of IL-2 or IL-15 can potentiate CD20 CAR Vδ1 γδ T cell activation, proliferation, survival, and differentiation into antitumor effectors but also highlight the utility of the 3D spheroid assay as a high throughput in vitro method for assessing and predicting CAR Vδ1 γδ T cell activation, proliferation, survival, and differentiation in hot and cold tumors.

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Growth of Human T-Cells Following in vitro Allograft Sensitization

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology - Macrophages and Lymphocytes ◽

10.1007/978-1-4684-8914-9_25 ◽

1980 ◽

pp. 269-273 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

J. L. Strausser ◽

A. Rosenberg

Keyword(s):

T Cells ◽

Human T Cells

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Human Milk–Derived Oligosaccharides and Plant-Derived Oligosaccharides Stimulate Cytokine Production of Cord Blood T-Cells In Vitro

Pediatric Research ◽

10.1203/01.pdr.0000139411.35619.b4 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 56 (4) ◽

pp. 536-540 ◽

Cited By ~ 129

Author(s):

Thomas Eiwegger ◽

Bernd Stahl ◽

Joachim Schmitt ◽

Günther Boehm ◽

Marianne Gerstmayr ◽

...

Keyword(s):

T Cells ◽

Human Milk ◽

Cord Blood ◽

Cytokine Production

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An allergen-fused dendritic cell-binding peptide enhances in vitro proliferation of equine T-cells and cytokine production

Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology ◽

10.1016/j.vetimm.2021.110351 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 110351

Author(s):

Anja Ziegler ◽

Judith Olzhausen ◽

Eman Hamza ◽

Ana Stojiljkovic ◽

Michael H. Stoffel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

T Cells ◽

Dendritic Cell ◽

Cytokine Production ◽

Cell Binding ◽

In Vitro Proliferation ◽

Binding Peptide

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173 Expression of a membrane-tethered IL-15/IL-15 receptor fusion protein enhances the persistence of MSLN-targeted TRuC-T cells

Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer ◽

10.1136/jitc-2021-sitc2021.173 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (Suppl 3) ◽

pp. A185-A185

Author(s):

Michelle Fleury ◽

Derrick McCarthy ◽

Holly Horton ◽

Courtney Anderson ◽

Amy Watt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

T Cells ◽

T Cell ◽

Fusion Protein ◽

T Cell Receptor ◽

Cytokine Production ◽

Cell Receptor ◽

Great Promise ◽

And Function

BackgroundAdoptive cell therapies have shown great promise in hematological malignancies but have yielded little progress in the context of solid tumors. We have developed T cell receptor fusion construct (TRuC®) T cells, which are equipped with an engineered T cell receptor that utilizes the full complement of TCR signaling subunits and recognizes tumor-associated antigens independent of HLA. In clinical trials, mesothelin (MSLN)-targeting TRuC-T cells (TC-210 or gavo-cel) have shown unprecedented results in patients suffering from advanced mesothelioma and ovarian cancer. To potentially increase the depth of response, we evaluated strategies that can promote intra-tumoral T cell persistence and function. Among the common ??-chain cytokines, IL-15 uniquely supports the differentiation and maintenance of memory T cell subsets by limiting terminal differentiation and conferring resistance to IL-2 mediated activation-induced cell death (AICD). In the studies described here, we evaluated the potential of IL-15 as an enhancement to TRuC-T cell phenotype, persistence and function against MSLN+ targets.MethodsPrimary human T cells were activated and transduced with a lentiviral vector encoding an anti-MSLN binder fused to CD3ε alone or co-expressed with a membrane-tethered IL-15rα/IL-15 fusion protein (IL-15fu). Transduced T cells were expanded for 9 days and characterized for expression of the TRuC, IL-15rα and memory phenotype before subjecting them to in vitro functional assays to evaluate cytotoxicity, cytokine production, and persistence. In vivo efficacy was evaluated in MHC class I/II deficient NSG mice bearing human mesothelioma xenografts.ResultsIn vitro, co-expression of the IL-15fu led to similar cytotoxicity and cytokine production as TC-210, but notably enhanced T-cell expansion and persistence upon repeated stimulation with MSLN+ cell lines. Furthermore, the IL-15fu-enhanced TRuC-T cells sustained a significantly higher TCF-1+ population and retained a stem-like phenotype following activation. Moreover, the IL-15fu-enhanced TRuCs demonstrated robust in vivo expansion and intra-tumoral accumulation as measured by ex vivo analysis of TRuC+ cells in the tumor and blood, with a preferential expansion of CD8+ T cells. Finally, IL-15fu-enhanced TRuC-T cells could be observed in the blood long after the tumors were cleared.ConclusionsThese pre-clinical studies suggest that the IL-15fu can synergize with TC-210 to increase the potency and durability of response in patients with MSLN+ tumors.Ethics ApprovalAll animal studies were approved by the respective Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees.

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