scholarly journals IMMU-07. CELLULAR IMMUNOTHERAPY TO OVERCOME TEMOZOLOMIDE INDUCED T CELL EXHAUSTION IN GLIOBLASTOMA

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi120-vi120
Author(s):  
Aida Karachi ◽  
Farhad Dastmalchi ◽  
Ashley O’Malley ◽  
Megan Saia ◽  
Duane Mitchell ◽  
...  

Abstract INTRODUCTION We have previously demonstrated that standard dose (SD) temozolomide results in T cell exhaustion in glioblastoma. In this study, we hypothesized that cellular immunotherapies will prevent T cell exhaustion. We tested temozolomide treatment with adoptive T cell transfer alone, dendritic cell (DC) vaccines alone and T cell transfer in combination with DC vaccines. METHOD GL-261-gp100 tumor-bearing mice were treated with SD (50 mg/kg for 5 days) or metronomic dose (MD) (25 mg/kg for 10 days) temozolomide. CD3+ T cells were isolated from Pmel mice and infused intravenously. Antigen-specific DC vaccines (gp-100) were given intradermally at the concentration of 50×104. Peripheral blood T cell populations were evaluated by flow cytometry. IFN-gamma secretion was measured for evaluation of T cells function. Survival was compared between groups. RESULTS Survival analysis demonstrated that naïve T cell transfer alone and DC vaccine alone add no survival benefit to temozolomide treatment for tumor-bearing animals. There were no significant differences in the expression of exhaustion markers of Tim-3 and Lag-3 on T cells of animals that received a combination of activated T cells and DC vaccines in the context of temozolomide therapy compared to the animals that just received temozolomide. Combination of activated T cell transfer and DC vaccines did not increase IFN-gamma secretion from T cells compared to temozolomide treated animals. Combination of naïve T cell transfer and two DC vaccines increased IFN-gamma secretion from T cells of GL-261 gp100 tumor-bearing animals. However, naïve T cell transfer and two DC vaccines in the context of temozolomide was not potent enough to extend the survival of these tumor-bearing animals. CONCLUSION Combinatorial treatment with naïve antigen-specific T cells and three dendritic cell vaccine boosters in the context of temozolomide is a promising approach to preserve T cell function and avoid T cell exhaustion.

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 7-9
Author(s):  
G R Healey ◽  
K Tsai ◽  
D Lisko ◽  
B Vallance ◽  
K Jacobson

Abstract Background Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN), a nutritionally complete fiber-free enteral formula, is the gold standard therapy for newly diagnosed children with Crohn’s disease (CD) but this therapy is not routinely used in pediatric ulcerative colitis patients due to lower efficacy in this subgroup. EEN therapy leads to high remission rates, however it also leads to a dysbiotic gut microbiota profile and disease relapse occurs in 60–80% of CD patients within 12 months of EEN discontinuation. Little is known about the mechanisms underlying the actions of EEN. Notably, previous studies have demonstrated that prebiotics, such as inulin-type fructans (IN), can beneficially modulate the gut microbiome, increase butyrate production and reduce inflammation by leading to anti-inflammatory T cell (i.e. FOXP3+IL10+ CD4+) expansion. To date, the effects of an IN enriched EEN (EEN IN) have not been studied. Aims To examine the effects of EEN vs EEN IN on colitis development, the gut microbiome and CD4+ T cell subsets using an adoptive T cell transfer model of colitis. Methods Mice were split into four groups: 1) Control – normal chow + PBS (n=13; negative control), 2) Chow – normal chow + naive T cell transfer (n=13; positive control), 3) EEN – Ensure Plus® + naive T cell transfer (n=13) and 4) EEN IN – Ensure Plus® with 3% IN + naive T cell transfer (n=13). Naïve T cells (or PBS) were transferred into TCR-b deficient mice and each group was started on their subsequent diets. The naïve T cells will expand into anti- or pro-inflammatory T cells subsets to either cause or suppress colitis in a gut microbiome dependent manner. Body weight and disease activity were monitored for 5-weeks. At the end of the experiment, spleen weights and colon lengths were recorded. Spleen and mesenteric/colonic lymph nodes (MLN) were collected for T cell subset analysis using flow cytometry. Gut microbiota differences were assessed using ddPCR. Short-chain fatty acid levels were analyzed using gas chromatography. The histopathology of the distal colon was scored. Results Mice fed EEN IN showed a reduction in colonic shortening (p<0.001) and histology scores (p=0.0088) compared to EEN mice, and reduced disease activity (p=0.0046) compared to Chow mice. Moreover, EEN IN mice showed a higher expansion of FOXP3+IL10+ CD4+ T cells in the MLN (p=0.0424) and spleen (p=0.0088). EEN IN also led to higher butyrate, Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides concentrations compared to EEN (p=0.0113, p=0.0063, p=0.0224; respectively) and Chow (p=0.0252, p=0.0042, p=0.0416; respectively). Conclusions EEN IN lead to superior outcomes compared to EEN and Chow. These results provide evidence to support undertaking a clinical trial utilizing EEN IN in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease patients. Funding Agencies Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariana N. Renrick ◽  
Menaka C. Thounaojam ◽  
Maria Teresa P. de Aquino ◽  
Evan Chaudhuri ◽  
Jui Pandhare ◽  
...  

Suppressive mechanisms operating within T cells are linked to immune dysfunction in the tumor microenvironment. We have previously reported using adoptive T cell immunotherapy models that tumor–bearing mice treated with a regimen of proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib - a dipeptidyl boronate, show increased antitumor lymphocyte effector function and survival. Here, we identify a mechanism for the improved antitumor CD8+ T cell function following bortezomib treatment. Intravenous administration of bortezomib at a low dose (1 mg/kg body weight) in wild-type or tumor-bearing mice altered the expression of a number of miRNAs in CD8+ T cells. Specifically, the effect of bortezomib was prominent on miR-155 - a key cellular miRNA involved in T cell function. Importantly, bortezomib–induced upregulation of miR-155 was associated with the downregulation of its targets, the suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) and inositol polyphosphate-5-phosphatase (SHIP1). Genetic and biochemical analysis confirmed a functional link between miR-155 and these targets. Moreover, activated CD8+ T cells treated with bortezomib exhibited a significant reduction in programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) expressing SHIP1+ phenotype. These data underscore a mechanism of action by which bortezomib induces miR-155–dependent downregulation of SOCS1 and SHIP1 negative regulatory proteins, leading to a suppressed PD-1–mediated T cell exhaustion. Collectively, data provide novel molecular insights into bortezomib–mediated lymphocyte–stimulatory effects that could overcome immunosuppressive actions of tumor on antitumor T cell functions. The findings support the approach that bortezomib combined with other immunotherapies would lead to improved therapeutic outcomes by overcoming T cell exhaustion in the tumor microenvironment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (18) ◽  
pp. eabd2710
Author(s):  
Chen Zhu ◽  
Karen O. Dixon ◽  
Kathleen Newcomer ◽  
Guangxiang Gu ◽  
Sheng Xiao ◽  
...  

T cell exhaustion has been associated with poor prognosis in persistent viral infection and cancer. Conversely, in the context of autoimmunity, T cell exhaustion has been favorably correlated with long-term clinical outcome. Understanding the development of exhaustion in autoimmune settings may provide underlying principles that can be exploited to quell autoreactive T cells. Here, we demonstrate that the adaptor molecule Bat3 acts as a molecular checkpoint of T cell exhaustion, with deficiency of Bat3 promoting a profound exhaustion phenotype, suppressing autoreactive T cell–mediated neuroinflammation. Mechanistically, Bat3 acts as a critical mTORC2 inhibitor to suppress Akt function. As a result, Bat3 deficiency leads to increased Akt activity and FoxO1 phosphorylation, indirectly promoting Prdm1 expression. Transcriptional analysis of Bat3−/− T cells revealed up-regulation of dysfunction-associated genes, concomitant with down-regulation of genes associated with T cell effector function, suggesting that absence of Bat3 can trigger T cell dysfunction even under highly proinflammatory autoimmune conditions.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0254243
Author(s):  
Meritxell Llorens-Revull ◽  
Maria Isabel Costafreda ◽  
Angie Rico ◽  
Mercedes Guerrero-Murillo ◽  
Maria Eugenia Soria ◽  
...  

Background & aims HCV CD4+ and CD8+ specific T cells responses are functionally impaired during chronic hepatitis C infection. DAAs therapies eradicate HCV infection in more than 95% of treated patients. However, the impact of HCV elimination on immune responses remain controversial. Here, we aimed to investigate whether HCV cure by DAAs could reverse the impaired immune response to HCV. Methods We analyzed 27 chronic HCV infected patients undergoing DAA treatment in tertiary care hospital, and we determined the phenotypical and functional changes in both HCV CD8+ and CD4+ specific T-cells before and after viral clearance. PD-1, TIM-3 and LAG-3 cell-surface expression was assessed by flow cytometry to determine CD4+ T cell exhaustion. Functional responses to HCV were analyzed by IFN-Ɣ ELISPOT, intracellular cytokine staining (IL-2 and IFN-Ɣ) and CFSE-based proliferation assays. Results We observed a significant decrease in the expression of PD-1 in CD4+ T-cells after 12 weeks of viral clearance in non-cirrhotic patients (p = 0.033) and in treatment-naive patients (p = 0.010), indicating a partial CD4 phenotype restoration. IFN-Ɣ and IL-2 cytokines production by HCV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells remained impaired upon HCV eradication. Finally, a significant increase of the proliferation capacity of both HCV CD4+ and CD8+ specific T-cells was observed after HCV elimination by DAAs therapies. Conclusions Our results show that in chronically infected patients HCV elimination by DAA treatment lead to partial reversion of CD4+ T cell exhaustion. Moreover, proliferative capacity of HCV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells is recovered after DAA’s therapies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weiqin Jiang ◽  
Yinjun He ◽  
Wenguang He ◽  
Guosheng Wu ◽  
Xile Zhou ◽  
...  

Tumor-specific CD8+T cells are exposed to persistent antigenic stimulation which induces a dysfunctional state called “exhaustion.” Though functioning to limit damage caused by immune response, T cell exhaustion leads to attenuated effector function whereby cytotoxic CD8+T cells fail to control tumor progression in the late stage. This pathway is a dynamic process from activation to “progenitor exhaustion” through to “terminally exhaustion” with distinct properties. With the rapid development of immunotherapy via enhancing T cell function, new studies are dissecting the mechanisms and identifying specific biomarkers of dynamic differentiation during the process of exhaustion. Further, although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have achieved great success in clinical practice, most patients still show limited efficacy to ICIs. The expansion and differentiation of progenitor exhausted T cells explained the success of ICIs while the depletion of the progenitor T cell pool and the transient effector function of terminally exhausted T cells accounted for the failure of immune monotherapy in the context of exorbitant tumor burden. Thus, combination strategies are urgent to be utilized based on the reduction of tumor burden or the expansion of the progenitor T cell pool. In this review, we aim to introduce the concept of homeostasis of the activated and exhausted status of CD8+T cells in the tumor immune microenvironment, and present recent findings on dynamic differentiation process during T cell exhaustion and the implications for combination strategies in immune therapy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A673-A673
Author(s):  
Rhodes Ford ◽  
Natalie Rittenhouse ◽  
Nicole Scharping ◽  
Paolo Vignali ◽  
Greg Delgoffe ◽  
...  

BackgroundCD8+ T cells are a fundamental component of the anti-tumor response; however, tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells (TIL) are rendered dysfunctional by the tumor microenvironment. CD8+ TIL display an exhausted phenotype with decreased cytokine expression and increased expression of co-inhibitory receptors (IRs), such as PD-1 and Tim-3. The acquisition of IRs mark the progression of dysfunctional TIL from progenitors (PD-1Low) to terminally exhausted (PD-1+Tim-3+). How the chromatin landscape changes during this progression has not been described.MethodsUsing a low-input ChIP-based assay called Cleavage Under Targets and Release Using Nuclease (CUT&RUN), we have profiled the histone modifications at the chromatin of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cell subsets to better understand the relationship between the epigenome and the transcriptome as TIL progress towards terminal exhaustion.ResultsWe have identified two epigenetic characteristics unique to terminally exhausted cells. First, we have identified a unique set of genes, characterized by active histone modifications that do not have correlated gene expression. These regions are enriched for AP-1 transcription factor motifs, yet most AP-1 family factors are actively downregulated in terminally exhausted cells, suggesting signals that promote downregulation of AP-1 expression negatively impacts gene expression. We have shown that inducing expression of AP-1 factors with a 41BB agonist correlates with increased expression of these anticorrelated genes. We have also found a substantial increase in the number of genes that exhibit bivalent chromatin marks, defined by the presence of both active (H3K4me3) and repressive (H3K27me3) chromatin modifications that inhibit gene expression. These bivalent genes in terminally exhausted T cells are not associated with plasticity and represent aberrant hypermethylation in response to tumor hypoxia, which is necessary and sufficient to promote downregulation of bivalent genes.ConclusionsOur study defines for the first time the roles of costimulation and the tumor microenvironment in driving epigenetic features of terminally exhausted tumor-infiltrating T cells. These results suggest that terminally exhausted T cells have genes that are primed for expression, given the right signals and are the basis for future work that will elucidate that factors that drive progression towards terminal T cell exhaustion at the epigenetic level and identify novel therapeutic targets to restore effector function of tumor T cells and mediate tumor clearance.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susetta Finotto ◽  
Patricia Haag ◽  
Darja Andreev ◽  
Nina Li ◽  
Alexander Kiefer ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Serum 25(OH)-Vitamin D3 (VitD3) deficiency during infancy has been associated with asthma. The potential therapeutic role of VitD3 given in the airways and its interference with the allergen and Rhinovirus was the objective of this study. Methods: In two cohorts of children with and without asthma, serum levels of the C-reactive protein (CRP) were correlated to Serum VitD3 and in peripheral blood T cell inhibitor marker Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) mRNA was analyzed. In a murine model, VitD3 was given intranasally in vivo and in vitro to lung cells with allergen and Rhinovirus. Results: In the cohorts of pre-school age children without (control) asthma, CRP and VitD3 levels inversely correlated. In preschool asthmatic children that did not receive VitD3 supplementation as infant had more episode of asthma exacerbation associated with high CRP serum level. In peripheral blood cells from control but not asthmatic children with higher serum levels of VitD3 had lower PD1 mRNA levels. In murine model, OVA intranasal challenge induced Innate Lymphoid Cells type 2 (ILC2)-associated markers and Eosinophils in BALF and VitD3 inhibited lung inflammation and ILC2 markers. Furthermore, VitD3 given intranasally, induced CD4+T cells and reduced PD1, T regulatory cells in the lung. Similarly, VitD3 had a suppressive role on CD4+PD1+ T cells involved in T cell exhaustion in the airways in the absence of ST2 after Rhinovirus infection. Conclusion: These data support an inhibitory role of VitD3 on T cell exhaustion after allergen and rhinovirus infection that is relevant for pediatric asthma.


2022 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. e003633
Author(s):  
Jiemiao Hu ◽  
Qing Yang ◽  
Wendong Zhang ◽  
Hongwei Du ◽  
Yuhui Chen ◽  
...  

BackgroundAdoptive T-cell transfer has become an attractive therapeutic approach for hematological malignancies but shows poor activity against large and heterogeneous solid tumors. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) exhibits potent antitumor efficacy against solid tumors, but its clinical application has been stalled because of toxicity. Here, we aimed to develop a safe approach to IL-12 T-cell therapy for eliminating large solid tumors.MethodsWe generated a cell membrane-anchored IL-12 (aIL12), a tumor-targeted IL-12 (ttIL12), and a cell membrane-anchored and ttIL-12 (attIL12) and a cell membrane-anchored and tumor-targeted ttIL-12 (attIL12) armed T cells, chimeric antigen receptor-T cells, and T cell receptor-T (TCR-T) cells with each. We compared the safety and efficacy of these armed T cells in treating osteosarcoma patient-derived xenograft tumors and mouse melanoma tumors after intravenous infusions of the armed T cells.ResultsattIL12-T cell infusion showed remarkable antitumor efficacy in human and mouse large solid tumor models. Mechanistically, attIL12-T cells targeted tumor cells expressing cell-surface vimentin, enriching effector T cell and interferon γ production in tumors, which in turn stimulates dendritic cell maturation for activating secondary T-cell responses and tumor antigen spreading. Both attIL12- and aIL12-T-cell transfer eliminated peripheral cytokine release and the associated toxic effects.ConclusionsThis novel approach sheds light on the safe application of IL-12-based T-cell therapy for large and heterogeneous solid tumors.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunmeng Bai ◽  
Meiling Hu ◽  
Zixi Chen ◽  
Jinfen Wei ◽  
Hongli Du

T-cell exhaustion is one of the main reasons of tumor immune escape. Using single-cell transcriptome data of CD8+ T cells in multiple cancers, we identified different cell types, in which Pre_exhaust and exhausted T cells participated in negative regulation of immune system process. By analyzing the coexpression network patterns and differentially expressed genes of Pre_exhaust, exhausted, and effector T cells, we identified 35 genes related to T-cell exhaustion, whose high GSVA scores were associated with significantly poor prognosis in various cancers. In the differentially expressed genes, RGS1 showed the greatest fold change in Pre_exhaust and exhausted cells of three cancers compared with effector T cells, and high expression of RGS1 was also associated with poor prognosis in various cancers. Additionally, RGS1 protein was upregulated significantly in tumor tissues in the immunohistochemistry verification. Furthermore, RGS1 displayed positive correlation with the 35 genes, especially highly correlated with PDCD1, CTLA4, HAVCR2, and TNFRSF9 in CD8+ T cells and cancer tissues, indicating the important roles of RGS1 in CD8+ T-cell exhaustion. Considering the GTP-hydrolysis activity of RGS1 and significantly high mRNA and protein expression in cancer tissues, we speculated that RGS1 potentially mediate the T-cell retention to lead to the persistent antigen stimulation, resulting in T-cell exhaustion. In conclusion, our findings suggest that RGS1 is a new marker and promoting factor for CD8+ T-cell exhaustion and provide theoretical basis for research and immunotherapy of exhausted cells.


Author(s):  
Fei Li ◽  
Huiling Liu ◽  
Dan Zhang ◽  
Bingdong Zhu

Recent studies have shown that T cell metabolism has become a key regulator of T cell function and even can determine T cell function at last. Naïve T cells use fatty acid oxidation (FAO) to meet their energetic demands. Effector T cells mainly rely on aerobic glycolysis to supply energy and synthesize intermediate products. Similar to naïve T cells, memory T cells primarily utilize FAO for energy. Exhausted T cells, which can be induced by continuous activation of T cells upon persistently chronic infections such as tuberculosis, mainly rely on glycolysis for energy. The prevention and treatment of T cell exhaustion is facing great challenges. Interfering T cell metabolism may achieve the goal of prevention and treatment of T cell exhaustion. In this review, we compiled the researches related to exhausted T cell metabolism and put forward the metabolic intervention strategies to reverse T cell exhaustion at different stages to achieve the purpose of preventing and treating T cell exhaustion.


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