scholarly journals Interleukin-15 Enhances Cytotoxicity, Receptor Expression, and Expansion of Neonatal Natural Killer Cells in Long-Term Culture

2004 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 879-888 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunwoong S. Choi ◽  
Vaninder S. Chhabra ◽  
Quoc H. Nguyen ◽  
Bonnie J. Ank ◽  
E. Richard Stiehm ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Newborn infants have a higher susceptibility to various pathogens due to developmental defects in their host defense system, including deficient natural killer (NK) cell function. In this study, the effects of interleukin-15 (IL-15) on neonatal NK cells was examined for up to 12 weeks in culture. The cytotoxicity of fresh neonatal mononuclear cells (MNC) as assayed by K562 cell killing is initially much less than that of adult MNC but increases more than eightfold after 2 weeks of culture with IL-15 to a level equivalent to that of adult cells. This high level of cytotoxicity was maintained for up to 12 weeks. In antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) assays using CEM cells coated with human immunodeficiency virus gp120 antigen, IL-15 greatly increased ADCC lysis by MNC from cord blood. IL-15 increased expression of the CD16+ CD56+ NK markers of cord MNC fivefold after 5 weeks of incubation. Cultures of neonatal MNC with IL-15 for up to 10 weeks resulted in a unique population of CD3− CD8+ CD56+ cells (more than 60%), which are not present in fresh cord MNC. These results show that IL-15 can stimulate neonatal NK cells and sustain their function for several weeks, which has implications for the clinical use of IL-15.

2018 ◽  
Vol 92 (12) ◽  
pp. e00235-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Garrido ◽  
Maria Abad-Fernandez ◽  
Marina Tuyishime ◽  
Justin J. Pollara ◽  
Guido Ferrari ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTCurrent efforts toward human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) eradication include approaches to augment immune recognition and elimination of persistently infected cells following latency reversal. Natural killer (NK) cells, the main effectors of the innate immune system, recognize and clear targets using different mechanisms than CD8+T cells, offering an alternative or complementary approach for HIV clearance strategies. We assessed the impact of interleukin 15 (IL-15) treatment on NK cell function and the potential for stimulated NK cells to clear the HIV reservoir. We measured NK cell receptor expression, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), cytotoxicity, interferon gamma (IFN-γ) production, and antiviral activity in autologous HIV replication systems. All NK cell functions were uniformly improved by IL-15, and, more importantly, IL-15-treated NK cells were able to clear latently HIV-infected cells after exposure to vorinostat, a clinically relevant latency-reversing agent. We also demonstrate that NK cells from HIV-infected individuals aviremic on antiretroviral therapy can be efficiently stimulated with IL-15. Our work opens a promising line of investigation leading to future immunotherapies to clear persistent HIV infection using NK cells.IMPORTANCEIn the search for an HIV cure, strategies to enhance immune function to allow recognition and clearance of HIV-infected cells following latency reversal are being evaluated. Natural killer (NK) cells possess characteristics that can be exploited for immunotherapy against persistent HIV infection. We demonstrate that NK cells from HIV-positive donors can be strongly stimulated with IL-15, improving their antiviral and cytotoxic potential and, more importantly, clearing HIV-infected cells after latency reversal with a clinically relevant drug. Our results encourage further investigation to design NK cell-based immunotherapies to achieve HIV eradication.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 842 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arum Park ◽  
Yunjeong Yang ◽  
Yunhee Lee ◽  
Mi Sun Kim ◽  
Young-Jun Park ◽  
...  

Natural killer (NK) cells are key players in the immune system. They use receptors on their cell surface to identify target cells. However, to escape being killed by the immune system, cancer cells such as thyroid cancer cells, use various methods to suppress the function of NK cells. Thus, this study aims to elucidate how thyroid cancer cells downregulate NK cell function in a co-culture system. We found that thyroid cancer cells suppress NK cell cytotoxicity and inhibit the expression of activating receptors, such as NKG2D and NKp46, by regulating indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). Also, thyroid cancer cells produce kynurenine using IDO, which causes NK cell dysfunction. Kynurenine enters NK cells via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) on the surfaces of the NK cells, which decreases NK cell function and NK receptor expression via the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 1 and STAT3 pathways. In addition, STAT1 and STAT3 directly regulated the expression of NKG2D and NKp46 receptors by binding to the promoter region. Conclusively, NK cell function may be impaired in thyroid cancer patients by IDO-induced kynurenine production. This implies that IDO can be used as a target for thyroid cancer therapeutics aiming at improving NK cell function.


1980 ◽  
Vol 151 (5) ◽  
pp. 1039-1048 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Haliotis ◽  
J Roder ◽  
M Klein ◽  
J Ortaldo ◽  
AS Fauci ◽  
...  

Natural-killer (NK)-cell function was profoundly depressed in donors homozygous for the Chediak-Steinbrinck-Higashi syndrome (C-HS) gene when compared with age- and sex-matched normals. This apparent defect was not simply a result of a delayed response because little cytolysis was evident in kinetics experiments even after 24 h of incubation. NK cells from C-HS donors failed to lyse adherent (MDA, CEM, and Alab) or nonadherent (K562 and Molt-4) tumor cell lines or nontransformed human fetal fibroblasts. Therefore, the apparent C-HS defect was not a result of a shift in target selectivities. In addition, the depressed reactivity did not appear to be a result of suppressor cells or factors because: (a) enriched NK populations (nonadherent lymphocytes bearing receptors for the Fc portion of IgG) from C-HS donors were low in NK-cell function, (b) C-HS mononuclear cells did not inhibit the cytotoxicity of normal cells in coculture experiments, and (c) cells from the C-HS donors remained poorly reactive even after culture for up to 7 d. The nature of the defective NK activity in C-HS patients is not clear but may lie within the lytic mechanism rather than at the level of the recognition structure or population size because the frequency of target-binding cells was normal. In vitro NK activity could be partially restored by interferon treatment. Combined with the results presented in the following paper (4), these observations suggest that the C-HS gene causes a selective immunodeficiency disorder, mainly involving NK cells. This finding, in conjunction with the high incidence of spontaneous possibly malignant, lymphoproliferative disorders in these patients, may have important implications regarding the theory of immune surveillance mediated by NK cells.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. e002193
Author(s):  
Sigrid P Dubois ◽  
Milos D Miljkovic ◽  
Thomas A Fleisher ◽  
Stefania Pittaluga ◽  
Jennifer Hsu-Albert ◽  
...  

BackgroundFull application of cytokines as oncoimmunotherapeutics requires identification of optimal regimens. Our initial effort with intravenous bolus recombinant human interleukin-15 (rhIL-15) was limited by postinfusional reactions. Subcutaneous injection and continuous intravenous infusion for 10 days (CIV-10) provided rhIL-15 with less toxicity with CIV-10 giving the best increases in CD8+ lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells. To ease rhIL-15 administration, we shortened time of infusion. Treatment with rhIL-15 at a dose of 3–5 µg/kg as a 5-day continuous intravenous infusion (CIV-5) had no dose-limiting toxicities while effector cell stimulation was comparable to the CIV-10 regimen.MethodsEleven patients with metastatic cancers were treated with rhIL-15 CIV-5, 3 µg (n=4), 4 µg (n=3), and 5 µg/kg/day (n=4) in a phase I dose-escalation study (April 6, 2012).ResultsImpressive expansions of NK cells were seen at all dose levels (mean 34-fold), including CD56bright NK cells (mean 144-fold for 4 µg/kg), as well as an increase in CD8+ T cells (mean 3.38-fold). At 5 µg/kg/day, there were no dose-limiting toxicities but pulmonary capillary leak and slower patient recovery. This led to our choice of the 4 µg/kg as CIV-5 dose for further testing. Cytolytic capacity of CD56bright and CD56dim NK cells was increased by interleukin-15 assayed by antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), natural cytotoxicity and natural killer group 2D-mediated cytotoxicity. The best response was stable disease.ConclusionsIL-15 administered as CIV-5 substantially expanded NK cells with increased cytotoxic functions. Tumor-targeting monoclonal antibodies dependent on ADCC as their mechanism of action including alemtuzumab, obinutuzumab, avelumab, and mogamulizumab could benefit from those NK cell expansions and provide a promising therapeutic strategy.Trial registration numbersNCT01572493, NCT03759184, NCT03905135, NCT04185220 and NCT02689453.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A230-A230
Author(s):  
Dima Yackoubov ◽  
Aviad Pato ◽  
Julia Rifman ◽  
Sherri Cohen ◽  
Astar Hailu ◽  
...  

BackgroundNicotinamide (NAM), an allosteric inhibitor of NAD-dependent enzymes, has been shown to preserve cell function and prevent differentiation in ex vivo cell culture. GDA-201 is an investigational natural killer (NK) cell immunotherapy derived from allogeneic donors and expanded using IL-15 and NAM. In previous preclinical studies, NAM led to increased homing and cytotoxicity, preserved proliferation, and enhanced tumor reduction of NK cells. In a phase I clinical trial, treatment with GDA-201 showed tolerability and clinical responses in patients with refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) (Bachanova, et. al., Blood 134:777, 2019). While NAM is known to affect cellular metabolism and participate in 510 enzymatic reactions −in 66 as an inhibitor or activator− its mechanism of action and role in GDA-201 cytotoxicity is unknown.MethodsIn order to define the network of intracellular interactions that leads to the GDA-201 phenotype, flow-cytometry, next generation sequencing (NGS), and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolite quantification were performed on NK cells cultured for 14 days with IL-15 and human serum in the presence or absence of NAM (7 mM). Artificial Intelligence (AI) machine learning analysis was applied by Pomicell in order to analyze the data using the Pomicell databases supporting data extracted from multiple origins including scientific articles organized using natural language processing tools. AI training was done using a combined algorithm designed to blindly explain and predict the transcriptomic and metabolomic (omics) profile.ResultsOmics analyses defined 1,204 differentially expressed genes, and 100 significantly modified metabolites in the presence of NAM. An in silico model was created that successfully predicted the experimental data in 83% of the cases. Upregulation of TIM-3 expression in GDA-201 was predicted to be mediated by inhibition of IL-10 and SIRT3, via CREB1/HLA-G signaling and adrenoceptor beta 2 (ADRB2) upregulation. Adenosine metabolite reduction supports this and suggests dopaminergic activation of NK cytotoxicity. Upregulation of CD62L in the presence of NAM was predicted to be mediated by transcription factor Dp-1 (TFDP1) via dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) activation and intracellular folic acid reduction. Interferon-gamma and CASP3 modulation (via JUN and MCL1, respectively), via PPARa inhibition, support that finding.ConclusionsIn conclusion, AI machine learning of transcriptome and metabolome data revealed multiple pleiotropic metabolic pathways modulated by NAM. These data serve to further elucidate the mechanism by which NAM enhances cell function, leading to the observed cytotoxicity and potency of GDA-201.Ethics ApprovalWe hereby declare that the collection of the Apheresis units in the three participating institutes (sites) has been done under an approved clinical study that meets the following requirements:1. Ethics approval has been obtained from the local EC at each of the sites, prior to any study related activities.2. The working procedures of the EC at the sites for conduct of clinical studies are in due compliance with local regulations (Israeli Ministry of Health) and provisions of Harmonized International Guidelines for Good Clinical Practice, namely: ICH-GCP.3. Sites follow EC conditions & requirements in terms of submissions, notifications, and approval renewals. 4. Participants gave Informed Consent (approved by the EC) before taking part in the study.5. Informed Consent has been approved by the ECs. The Israeli template of Informed Consent is in used and it includes study specific information (e.g. study goal, design, method, duration, risks, etc.). Name of the Institute Name of the EC/IRB EC Study No.Hadassah Medical Center Helsinki Committee 0483-16-HMORambam Health Care Campus Helsinki Committee 0641-18-RMBIchilov Sourasky Medical Center Tel-Aviv Helsinki Committee 0025-17-TLV


2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ondrej Venglar ◽  
Julio Rodriguez Bago ◽  
Benjamin Motais ◽  
Roman Hajek ◽  
Tomas Jelinek

Natural killer (NK) cells represent a subset of CD3- CD7+ CD56+/dim lymphocytes with cytotoxic and suppressor activity against virus-infected cells and cancer cells. The overall potential of NK cells has brought them to the spotlight of targeted immunotherapy in solid and hematological malignancies, including multiple myeloma (MM). Nonetheless, NK cells are subjected to a variety of cancer defense mechanisms, leading to impaired maturation, chemotaxis, target recognition, and killing. This review aims to summarize the available and most current knowledge about cancer-related impairment of NK cell function occurring in MM.


1996 ◽  
Vol 184 (6) ◽  
pp. 2119-2128 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.H. Mason ◽  
S.K. Anderson ◽  
W.M. Yokoyama ◽  
H.R.C. Smith ◽  
R. Winkler-Pickett ◽  
...  

Proteins encoded by members of the Ly-49 gene family are predominantly expressed on murine natural killer (NK) cells. Several members of this gene family have been demonstrated to inhibit NK cell lysis upon recognizing their class I ligands on target cells. In this report, we present data supporting that not all Ly-49 proteins inhibit NK cell function. Our laboratory has generated and characterized a monoclonal antibody (mAb) (12A8) that can be used to recognize the Ly-49D subset of murine NK cells. Transfection of Cos-7 cells with known members of the Ly-49 gene family revealed that 12A8 recognizes Ly-49D, but also cross-reacts with the Ly-49A protein on B6 NK cells. In addition, 12A8 demonstrates reactivity by both immunoprecipitation and two-color flow cytometry analysis with an NK cell subset that is distinct from those expressing Ly-49A, C, or G2. An Ly-49D+ subset of NK cells that did not express Ly49A, C, and G2 was isolated and examined for their functional capabilities. Tumor targets and concanovalin A (ConA) lymphoblasts from a variety of H2 haplotypes were examined for their susceptibility to lysis by Ly-49D+ NK cells. None of the major histocompatibility complex class I–bearing targets inhibited lysis of Ly-49D+ NK cells. More importantly, we demonstrate that the addition of mAb 12A8 to Ly-49D+ NK cells can augment lysis of FcγR+ target cells in a reverse antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity–type assay and induces apoptosis in Ly49D+ NK cells. Furthermore, the cytoplasmic domain of Ly-49D does not contain the V/IxYxxL immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif found in Ly-49A, C, or G2 that has been characterized in the human p58 killer inhibitory receptors. Therefore, Ly-49D is the first member of the Ly-49 family characterized as transmitting positive signals to NK cells, rather than inhibiting NK cell function.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi101-vi102
Author(s):  
Amber Kerstetter-Fogle ◽  
Folashade Otegbeye ◽  
David Soler ◽  
Peggy Harris ◽  
Alankrita Raghavan ◽  
...  

Abstract INTRODUCTION Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary central nervous system malignancy associated with a 12-15 month survival after surgery and radio-chemotherapy. Utilizing adoptive cellular immunotherapy using natural killer (NK) cells has developed over the past two decades for a variety of hematologic malignancies. This approach in solid malignancies is limited by questions of cell dose versus tumor burden, insufficient tumor infiltration, and a tumor microenvironment that suppresses NK cell function. METHODS We isolated NK cells from healthy volunteers and activated them using IL-2, -15, -12, -18, then perform cytotoxic assays in the presence of glioma stem cells. We also tested the efficacy of the NK cells with intracranial delivery in a pre-clinical murine model of glioma. We tested various concentrations of IL-2 and IL-15 on the cytokine culture platform. RESULTS In this study, we demonstrate human NK cells, activated using a cytokine cocktail of interleukins-2, -15, -12, and -18, exert strong cytotoxic events against glioma cell lines. To further examine the efficacy of activated NK cells in vitro, we utilized intracranially xenografted glioma lines and demonstrated a survival benefit with tumor bed injections of these cytokine-activated NK cells (p=0.0089). We were able to confirm that NK cells cultured with low doses (200u IL2; 50ng/ml IL15) of both cytokines are just as effective as higher doses. This is important, as in vivoexhaustion of NK cells stimulated with high doses of either cytokine has been well validated. We also found that low-dose irradiation (4Gy) of glioma cells prior to co-culture with cytokine-activated NK cells promoted increased targeted glioma cell killing within 4 hours(32% cell killing). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that in a clinical study, injection of cytokine-activated NK cells into the glioblastoma tumor bed could be used as adjuvant treatment following either stereotactic radiation or surgical resection.


Blood ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 841-846 ◽  
Author(s):  
MR Silva ◽  
R Hoffman ◽  
EF Srour ◽  
JL Ascensao

Abstract Human natural killer (NK) cells comprise 10% to 15% of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and have an important role in immune responses against tumors, viral infections, and graft rejection. NK cells originate in bone marrow (BM), but their progenitors and lineage development have not been completely characterized. We studied the generation of NK cells from purified CD34+HLADR- and CD34+HLADR+ BM progenitors and the influence of various cytokines on their production. We show that CD3-CD56+ cytotoxic NK cells can develop from both progenitors populations when interleukin-2 (IL-2) is present in an in vitro suspension culture system containing IL-1 alpha and stem cell factor. Up to 83.8% and 98.6% CD3-CD56+ cells were detected in CD34+HLADR- and CD34+DR+ cultures, respectively, after 5 weeks of culture; significant numbers of NK cells were first detected after 2 weeks. Cytotoxic activity paralleled NK cell numbers; up to 70% specific lysis at an effector:target ratio of 10:1 was observed at 5 weeks. IL-7 also triggered development of CD3-CD56+ cells from these immature progenitors (up to 24% and 55% appeared in CD34+HLADR- and CD34+HLADR+ cultures, respectively). Our data suggest that BM stromas are not necessary for NK cell development and that IL-2 remains essential for this lineage development and differentiation.


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