scholarly journals Detection of JC Virus-Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes in Healthy Individuals

2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (18) ◽  
pp. 10206-10210 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Du Pasquier ◽  
J. E. Schmitz ◽  
J. Jean-Jacques ◽  
Y. Zheng ◽  
J. Gordon ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The polyomavirus JC (JCV) infects 85% of healthy individuals, and its reactivation in a limited number of immunosuppressed people causes progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a severe demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. We hypothesized that JCV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) might control JCV replication in healthy individuals, blocking the evolution of PML. Using 51Cr release and tetramer staining assays, we show that 8 of 11 HLA-A*0201+ healthy subjects (73%) harbor detectable JCV-specific CD8+ CTLs that recognize one or two epitopes of JCV VP1 protein, the HLA-A*0201-restricted VP1p36 and VP1p100 epitopes. We determined that the frequency of JCV VP1 epitope-specific CTLs varied from less than 1/100,000 to 1/2,494 peripheral blood mononuclear cells. More individuals had JCV VP1-specific than cytomegalovirus-specific CTLs (8 of 11 subjects [73%] versus 2 of 10 subjects [20%], respectively). These results show that a CD8+-T-cell response against JCV is commonly found in immunocompetent people and suggest that these cells might protect against the development of PML.

2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (7) ◽  
pp. 3483-3487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor J. Koralnik ◽  
Renaud A. Du Pasquier ◽  
Norman L. Letvin

ABSTRACT Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system caused by a reactivation of the polyomavirus JC (JCV) within a setting of immunosuppression. The nature of the immune response that contains replication of this virus is unknown. We have explored JCV-specific cellular immune responses in patients with PML and control subjects. JCV antigen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of four human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients who were survivors of PML and one HIV-uninfected patient recently diagnosed with PML lysed autologous B-lymphoblastoid cell lines expressing either the JCV T regulatory protein or the VP1 major capsid protein. This lysis was mediated by CD8+ T lymphocytes and was major histocompatibility complex class I restricted. These cells were therefore cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). JCV-specific CTL could not be detected in PBMC of three HIV-infected PML patients who had progressive neurologic disease and an eventual fatal outcome. These data suggest that the JCV-specific cellular immune response may play a crucial role in the containment of PML. This finding may also prove useful as a favorable prognostic marker in the clinical management of these patients.


Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 107 (4) ◽  
pp. 1476-1483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuansheng Sun ◽  
Stefan Stevanović ◽  
Mingxia Song ◽  
Astrid Schwantes ◽  
C. James Kirkpatrick ◽  
...  

Antigen-specific cancer immunotherapy directed toward tumor-nourishing angiogenic blood vessels holds the promise of high efficacy, low toxicity, and ease of application. To evaluate whether the human angiogenic kinase insert domain-containing receptor (KDR) can serve as a target for cellular immunotherapy, 19 peptide sequences with HLA-A*0201 motifs were selected by computer-based algorithms. Five peptides (KDR82-90, KDR288-297, KDR766-774, KDR1093-1101, KDR1035-1044) stimulated specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) from peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 3 HLA-A*0201 donors. The decapeptide KDR288-297 was efficient in sensitizing target cells for recognition by a CTL clone at a concentration of 10 nM. More important, KDR288-297 - specific CTLs lysed target cells transfected with HLA-A2/KDR cDNAs and a range of HLA-matched KDR+ angiogenic endothelial cells (aECs) and also recognized CD34+ endothelial progenitor cells. The specificity of CTLs was further confirmed by tetramer assay and cold-target inhibition assay. In addition, ex vivo exposure of aECs to the inflammatory cytokines enhanced CTL reactivity, which is in keeping with up-regulated KDR and HLA class 1 expression. In Matrigel assays, recognition of aECs by specific CTLs triggered an antivascular effect. These findings provide the first proof of the antigenic property of KDR protein and may be useful for devising new immunotherapeutic approaches to human cancers.


Blood ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 73 (7) ◽  
pp. 1909-1914 ◽  
Author(s):  
RA Koup ◽  
JL Sullivan ◽  
PH Levine ◽  
D Brettler ◽  
A Mahr ◽  
...  

Abstract Major histocompatibility (MHC)-restricted, human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1)-specific, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) were detected in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HIV-1-infected individuals. Using a system of autologous B and T lymphoblastoid cell lines infected with recombinant vaccinia vectors (VVs) expressing HIV-1 gene products, we were able to detect HIV-1-specific cytolytic responses in the PBMCs of 88% of HIV-1-seropositive hemophiliac patients in the absence of in vitro stimulation. These cytolytic responses were directed against both HIV-1 envelope and gag gene products. The responses were resistant to natural killer (NK) cell depletion and were inhibited by monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) to the T cell receptor, CD8 surface antigens, and MHC class I antigens, suggesting a classical MHC class I restricted, virus-specific CTL response.


Blood ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 176-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Kobata ◽  
H Ikeda ◽  
Y Ohnishi ◽  
N Urushibara ◽  
TA Takahashi ◽  
...  

The alloreactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) were generated by coculturing peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with allogeneic Sa cells (an Epstein-Barr virus [EBV]-transformed B-cell line). The CTL did not proliferate in response to UV-B-irradiated Sa cells unless exogenous interleukin-2 (IL-2) was present, although they could kill the UV-B-irradiated Sa cells. The results indicate that UV-B-irradiated Sa cells do not provide sufficient signals for the proliferation of the CTL while they can be recognized by CTL and induce high-affinity IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) expression on them. The alloreactive CTL could be rendered anergic by previous exposure to UV-B-irradiated Sa cells. The alloreactive CTL previously stimulated with UV-B-irradiated Sa cells failed to proliferate in response to nontreated Sa cells. Proliferation of the anergic CTL could not be restored by Sa cells and exogenous IL-2 but by the combination of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and calcium ionophore (A23187). The anergic CTL showed a considerably low cytotoxic activity against Sa target cells. The expression of TCR on the anergic CTL was downregulated while expression of high-affinity IL- 2R was upregulated. Their CD28 and CD8 expression were unchanged. In addition, the proliferative response and cytotoxicity of the anergic CTL to Sa cells could be restored after the cells had been rested for 7 days to allow reexpression of TCR. These results suggest that downregulation of T-cell receptor (TCR) and impairment in the post-IL- 2/IL-2R signaling pathway are relevant to the clonal anergy induced in the alloreactive CTL by stimulation of UV-B-irradiated Sa cells.


1998 ◽  
Vol 187 (3) ◽  
pp. 277-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shigeki Shichijo ◽  
Masanobu Nakao ◽  
Yasuhisa Imai ◽  
Hideo Takasu ◽  
Mayumi Kawamoto ◽  
...  

Except for melanomas, tumor antigens recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are yet unidentified. We have identified a gene encoding antigenic peptides of human squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) recognized by human histocompatibility leukocyte antigens (HLA)- A2601–restricted CTLs. This gene showed no similarity to known sequences, and encoded two (125- and 43-kilodalton [kD]) proteins. The 125-kD protein with the leucine zipper motif was expressed in the nucleus of the majority of proliferating cells tested, including normal and malignant cells. The 43-kD protein was expressed in the cytosol of most SCCs from various organs and half of lung adenocarcinomas, but was not expressed in other cancers nor in a panel of normal tissues. The three nonapeptides shared by the two proteins were recognized by the KE4 CTLs, and one of the peptides induced in vitro from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) the CTLs restricted to the autologous tumor cells. The 43-kD protein and this nonapeptide (KGSGKMKTE) may be useful for the specific immunotherapy of HLA-A2601+ epithelial cancer patients.


Blood ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 1007-1014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Persis J. Amrolia ◽  
Steven D. Reid ◽  
Liquan Gao ◽  
Beate Schultheis ◽  
Gianpietro Dotti ◽  
...  

Abstract Recent advances have made haploidentical transplantation for leukemia feasible, but the rigorous T-cell depletion used contributes to the high relapse rates observed. We have attempted to improve the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect by generating allorestricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) directed against human CD45. Such CTLs should recognize patient hematopoietic cells including leukemia, enhancing donor cell engraftment and improving the GVL effect, but they should not recognize host nonhematopoietic tissues or donor cells from the graft. Using the T2 binding assay, 4 CD45-derived peptides were found to bind HLA-A2 molecules. These peptides were used to generate cytotoxic T-cell lines from HLA-A2− donors by sequential stimulation with peptide-pulsed HLA-A2+ stimulators, and the lines obtained were screened for peptide-specific cytotoxicity. Using one of these peptides (P1218), it was possible to generate peptide-specific, allorestricted CTLs in 3 of 7 responders. P1218-specific CTL lines show potent cytotoxicity against hematopoietic cell lines coexpressing HLA-A2 and CD45 but not CD45 loss variants. Studies with stable transfectants of 293 cells demonstrated recognition by P1218-specific CTLs of endogenously expressed CD45. Likewise P1218-specific CTLs recognized peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from HLA-A2+ patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and leukemic blasts in HLA-A2+ patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but they were unable to lyse HLA-A2+ fibroblasts or HLA-A2− normal PBMCs. Coculture of CD34+ PBMCs and bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) with P1218-specific CTL significantly inhibited colony-forming unit–granulocyte macrophage (CFU-GM) formation in HLA-A2+healthy controls and CML patients but resulted in no significant inhibition in HLA-A2− healthy controls. These studies demonstrate that P1218-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) have potent activity against leukemic progenitors and suggest that adoptive immunotherapy with allorestricted CTLs directed against CD45 epitopes may be useful in restoring the GVL effect after HLA-A2–mismatched haploidentical transplantation. Further, because P1218-specific CTLs also recognize healthy HLA-A2+ progenitors, such CTLs could also contribute to host myeloablation and enhance donor cell engraftment.


2003 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 3272-3279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren M. Staska ◽  
Travis C. McGuire ◽  
Christopher J. Davies ◽  
Harris A. Lewin ◽  
Timothy V. Baszler

ABSTRACT Cattle infected with Neospora caninum readily experience transplacental parasite transmission, presumably after maternal parasitemia, leading to abortion or birth of congenitally infected calves. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are important mediators of protective immunity against Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular apicomplexan protozoan closely related to N. caninum. In this study, N. caninum-specific CTL expanded from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of two major histocompatibility complex-mismatched, experimentally infected cattle were identified by using a 51Cr release cytotoxicity assay. Enrichment and blocking of CD4+- and CD8+-T-lymphocyte effector subsets indicated that CD4+ CTL killed N. caninum-infected, autologous target cells and that killing was mediated through a perforin/granzyme pathway. Detection and characterization of CTL responses to N. caninum in the natural, outbred, bovine host will facilitate identification of immunogens and design of immunization strategies to induce parasite-specific CTL against transplacental N. caninum transmission in cattle.


Blood ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 73 (7) ◽  
pp. 1909-1914 ◽  
Author(s):  
RA Koup ◽  
JL Sullivan ◽  
PH Levine ◽  
D Brettler ◽  
A Mahr ◽  
...  

Major histocompatibility (MHC)-restricted, human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1)-specific, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) were detected in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HIV-1-infected individuals. Using a system of autologous B and T lymphoblastoid cell lines infected with recombinant vaccinia vectors (VVs) expressing HIV-1 gene products, we were able to detect HIV-1-specific cytolytic responses in the PBMCs of 88% of HIV-1-seropositive hemophiliac patients in the absence of in vitro stimulation. These cytolytic responses were directed against both HIV-1 envelope and gag gene products. The responses were resistant to natural killer (NK) cell depletion and were inhibited by monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) to the T cell receptor, CD8 surface antigens, and MHC class I antigens, suggesting a classical MHC class I restricted, virus-specific CTL response.


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