scholarly journals Modulation of lactate-lysosome axis in dendritic cells by clotrimazole potentiates antitumor immunity

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. e002155
Author(s):  
Zining Wang ◽  
Feifei Xu ◽  
Jie Hu ◽  
Hongxia Zhang ◽  
Lei Cui ◽  
...  

BackgroundDendritic cells (DCs) play a critical role in antitumor immunity, but the therapeutic efficacy of DC-mediated cancer vaccine remains low, partly due to unsustainable DC function in tumor antigen presentation. Thus, identifying drugs that could enhance DC-based antitumor immunity and uncovering the underlying mechanism may provide new therapeutic options for cancer immunotherapy.MethodsIn vitro antigen presentation assay was used for DC-modulating drug screening. The function of DC and T cells was measured by flow cytometry, ELISA, or qPCR. B16, MC38, CT26 tumor models and C57BL/6, Balb/c, nude, and Batf3−/− mice were used to analyze the in vivo therapy efficacy and impact on tumor immune microenvironment by clotrimazole treatment.ResultsBy screening a group of small molecule inhibitors and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs, we identified that clotrimazole, an antifungal drug, could promote DC-mediated antigen presentation and enhance T cell response. Mechanistically, clotrimazole acted on hexokinase 2 to regulate lactate metabolic production and enhanced the lysosome pathway and Chop expression in DCs subsequently induced DC maturation and T cell activation. Importantly, in vivo clotrimazole administration induced intratumor immune infiltration and inhibited tumor growth depending on both DCs and CD8+ T cells and potentiated the antitumor efficacy of anti-PD1 antibody.ConclusionsOur findings showed that clotrimazole could trigger DC activation via the lactate-lysosome axis to promote antigen cross-presentation and could be used as a potential combination therapy approach to improving the therapeutic efficacy of anti-PD1 immunotherapy.

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 2) ◽  
pp. A38.1-A38
Author(s):  
S Schmitt ◽  
A Lohner ◽  
K Deiser ◽  
A Maiser ◽  
M Rothe ◽  
...  

BackgroundDendritic cells (DCs) are antigen-presenting cells that induce antigen-specific T-cell responses. Therefore, they are used as tools and targets for anti-tumor vaccination. In contrast to T-cell based immunotherapies, that are often limited to surface antigens, DC-based vaccination strategies open up new therapeutic options by utilizing highly abundant intracellular tumor antigens as a target source. Among those, recent interest has been focused on the identification of neoantigens derived from tumor-specific mutations. Especially mutated Nucleophosmin 1 (ΔNPM1) is a considered candidate for targeted therapy in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We developed a multifunctional antibody construct consisting of a peptide domain including a variable T-cell epitope that is fused to an αCD40 single chain variable fragment (scFv) with agonistic function to target and activate dendritic cells in vivo. To potentiate therapeutic efficacy, toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists can be attached as co-stimulatory domains, thereby aiming to enhance cross-presentation of conjugated (neo)antigens to CD8+ T cells.Materials and MethodsFlow cytometry and microscopy-based binding and internalization experiments were performed using monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs). Upregulation of surface markers (CD80, CD83, CD86, HLA-DR) as well as cytokine secretion (IL-6 and IL-12) indicated DC maturation. To validate peptide processing and presentation, moDCs were co-cultured with autologous as well as allogeneic T cells. IFN-γ and TNF-α secretion served as a readout for T-cell activation, peptide-MHC multimer staining for T-cell proliferation.ResultsFor proof-of-principle experiments, the multispecific antibody derivative was developed by fusing the αCD40 scFv to a cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific peptide. The αCD40.CMV construct bound CD40 agonistically and showed efficient internalization into early endosomal compartments on immature moDCs. In co-cultures of immature and mature moDCs with autologous or allogeneic T cells, αCD40.CMV induced a significantly increased T-cell activation and proliferation compared to the control. The co-administration of αCD40.CMV with various TLR agonists as vaccine adjuvants resulted in a significant upregulation of DC maturation markers in comparison to αCD40.CMV only. Interestingly, not all adjuvants were able to enhance the T-cell response. To translate this principle to the AML setting, the CMV peptide sequence was replaced with the ΔNPM1-derived and HLA-A*02:01-binding neoantigen CLAVEEVSL. Cross-presentation to CD8+ T cells transduced with a ΔNPM1-specific T-cell receptor was proven by IFN-γ and TNF-α secretion in co-cultures with moDCs that have been pre-incubated with αCD40.ΔNPM1. The optimal vaccine adjuvant has yet to be identified.ConclusionsWe successfully demonstrated the development of a multifunctional antibody construct that specifically targets and stimulates DCs by an agonistic αCD40 scFv. It simultaneously delivers a T cell-specific peptide with a vaccine adjuvant to induce an efficient T-cell response. As neoantigens are promising targets and under intense investigaton, the αCD40.ΔNPM1 fusion protein is of high therapeutic interest. Thus, our approach displays a promising DC vaccination option for the treatment of AML.Disclosure InformationS. Schmitt: None. A. Lohner: None. K. Deiser: None. A. Maiser: None. M. Rothe: None. C. Augsberger: None. A. Moosmann: None. H. Leonhardt: None. N. Fenn: None. M. Griffioen: None. K. Hopfner: None. M. Subklewe: None.


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1284
Author(s):  
Natalia Trempolec ◽  
Charline Degavre ◽  
Bastien Doix ◽  
Davide Brusa ◽  
Cyril Corbet ◽  
...  

For poorly immunogenic tumors such as mesothelioma there is an imperious need to understand why antigen-presenting cells such as dendritic cells (DCs) are not prone to supporting the anticancer T cell response. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is thought to be a major contributor to this DC dysfunction. We have reported that the acidic TME component promotes lipid droplet (LD) formation together with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in cancer cells through autocrine transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2) signaling. Since TGF-β is also a master regulator of immune tolerance, we have here examined whether acidosis can impede immunostimulatory DC activity. We have found that exposure of mesothelioma cells to acidosis promotes TGF-β2 secretion, which in turn leads to LD accumulation and profound metabolic rewiring in DCs. We have further documented how DCs exposed to the mesothelioma acidic milieu make the anticancer vaccine less efficient in vivo, with a reduced extent of both DC migratory potential and T cell activation. Interestingly, inhibition of TGF-β2 signaling and diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase (DGAT), the last enzyme involved in triglyceride synthesis, led to a significant restoration of DC activity and anticancer immune response. In conclusion, our study has identified that acidic mesothelioma milieu drives DC dysfunction and altered T cell response through pharmacologically reversible TGF-β2-dependent mechanisms.


1998 ◽  
Vol 187 (10) ◽  
pp. 1611-1621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Townsend ◽  
Christopher C. Goodnow

Antigen-specific B cells are implicated as antigen-presenting cells in memory and tolerance responses because they capture antigens efficiently and localize to T cell zones after antigen capture. It has not been possible, however, to visualize the effect of specific B cells on specific CD4+ helper T cells under physiological conditions. We demonstrate here that rare T cells are activated in vivo by minute quantities of antigen captured by antigen-specific B cells. Antigen-activated B cells are helped under these conditions, whereas antigen-tolerant B cells are killed. The T cells proliferate and then disappear regardless of whether the B cells are activated or tolerant. We show genetically that T cell activation, proliferation, and disappearance can be mediated either by transfer of antigen from antigen-specific B cells to endogenous antigen-presenting cells or by direct B–T cell interactions. These results identify a novel antigen presentation route, and demonstrate that B cell presentation of antigen has profound effects on T cell fate that could not be predicted from in vitro studies.


1992 ◽  
Vol 175 (5) ◽  
pp. 1345-1352 ◽  
Author(s):  
J C Guéry ◽  
A Sette ◽  
J Leighton ◽  
A Dragomir ◽  
L Adorini

Draining lymph node cells (LNC) from mice immunized with hen egg white lysozyme (HEL) display at their surface antigen-MHC complexes able to stimulate, in the absence of any further antigen addition, HEL peptide-specific, class II-restricted T cell hybridomas. Chloroquine addition to these LNC cultures fails to inhibit antigen presentation, indicating that antigenic complexes of class II molecules and HEL peptides are formed in vivo. MHC class II restriction of antigen presentation by LNC from HEL-primed mice was verified by the use of anti-class II monoclonal antibodies. Coinjection of HEL and the I-Ak-binding peptide HEL 112-129 in mice of H-2k haplotype inhibits the ability of LNC to stimulate I-Ak-restricted, HEL 46-61-specific T cell hybridomas. Similar results are obtained in mice coinjected with the HEL peptides 46-61 and 112-129. Inhibition of T hybridoma activation can also be observed using as antigen-presenting cells irradiated, T cell-depleted LNC from mice coinjected with HEL 46-61 and HEL 112-129, ruling out the possible role of either specific or nonspecific suppressor T cells. Inhibition of T cell proliferation is associated with MHC-specific inhibition of antigen presentation and with occupancy by the competitor of class II binding sites, as measured by activation of peptide-specific T cell hybridomas. These results demonstrate that administration of MHC class II binding peptide competitors selectively inhibits antigen presentation to class II-restricted T cells, indicating competitive blockade of class II molecules in vivo.


2011 ◽  
Vol 208 (5) ◽  
pp. 1041-1053 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean O. Ryan ◽  
Jason A. Bonomo ◽  
Fan Zhao ◽  
Brian A. Cobb

N-linked glycans are thought to protect class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules (MHCII) from proteolytic cleavage and assist in arranging proteins within the immune synapse, but were not thought to directly participate in antigen presentation. Here, we report that antigen-presenting cells (APCs) lacking native complex N-glycans showed reduced MHCII binding and presentation of the T cell activating glycoantigen (GlyAg) polysaccharide A from Bacteroides fragilis but not conventional peptides. APCs lacking native N-glycans also failed to mediate GlyAg-driven T cell activation but activated T cells normally with protein antigen. Mice treated with the mannosidase inhibitor kifunensine to prevent the formation of complex N-glycans were unable to expand GlyAg-specific T cells in vivo upon immunization, yet adoptive transfer of normally glycosylated APCs into these animals overcame this defect. Our findings reveal that MHCII N-glycosylation directly impacts binding and presentation of at least one class of T cell–dependent antigen.


Author(s):  
Kazuhiro Mochizuki ◽  
Shogo Kobayashi ◽  
Nobuhisa Takahashi ◽  
Kotaro Sugimoto ◽  
Hideki Sano ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Cancer vaccines that induce endogenous antitumor immunity represent an ideal strategy to overcome intractable cancers. However, doing this against a pre-established cancer using autologous immune cells has proven to be challenging. “Allogeneic effects” refers to the induction of an endogenous immune response upon adoptive transfer of allogeneic lymphocytes without utilizing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. While allogeneic lymphocytes have a potent ability to activate host immunity as a cell adjuvant, novel strategies that can activate endogenous antitumor activity in cancer patients remain an unmet need. In this study, we established a new method to destroy pre-developed tumors and confer potent antitumor immunity in mice using alloantigen-activated CD4+ (named AAA-CD4+) T cells. Methods AAA-CD4+ T cells were generated from CD4+ T cells isolated from BALB/c mice in cultures with dendritic cells (DCs) induced from C57BL/6 (B6) mice. In this culture, allogeneic CD4+ T cells that recognize and react to B6 mouse-derived alloantigens are preferentially activated. These AAA-CD4+ T cells were directly injected into the pre-established melanoma in B6 mice to assess their ability to elicit antitumor immunity in vivo. Results Upon intratumoral injection, these AAA-CD4+ T cells underwent a dramatic expansion in the tumor and secreted high levels of IFN-γ and IL-2. This was accompanied by markedly increased infiltration of host-derived CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, DCs, and type-1 like macrophages. Selective depletion of host CD8+ T cells, rather than NK cells, abrogated this therapeutic effect. Thus, intratumoral administration of AAA-CD4+ T cells results in a robust endogenous CD8+ T cell response that destroys pre-established melanoma. This locally induced antitumor immunity elicited systemic protection to eliminate tumors at distal sites, persisted over 6 months in vivo, and protected the animals from tumor re-challenge. Notably, the injected AAA-CD4+ T cells disappeared within 7 days and caused no adverse reactions. Conclusions Our findings indicate that AAA-CD4+ T cells reinvigorate endogenous cytotoxic T cells to eradicate pre-established melanoma and induce long-term protective antitumor immunity. This approach can be immediately applied to patients with advanced melanoma and may have broad implications in the treatment of other types of solid tumors.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Dai ◽  
Xiaopei Huang ◽  
Yiping Yang

Vaccinia virus (VV) is the most studied member of the poxvirus family, is responsible for the successful elimination of smallpox worldwide, and has been developed as a vaccine vehicle for infectious diseases and cancer immunotherapy. We have previously shown that the unique potency of VV in the activation of CD8+ T cell response is dependent on efficient activation of the innate immune system through Toll-like receptor (TLR)-dependent and -independent pathways. However, it remains incompletely defined what regulate CD8+ T cell response to VV infection. In this study, we showed that gammadelta T cells play an important role in promoting CD8+ T cell response to VV infection. We found that gammadelta T cells can directly present viral antigens in the context MHC-I for CD8+ T cell activation to VV in vivo, and we further demonstrated that cell-intrinsic MyD88 signaling in gammadelta T cells is required for activation of gammadelta T cells and CD8+ T cells. These results illustrate a critical role for gammadelta T cells in the regulation of adaptive T cell response to viral infection and may shed light on the design of more effective vaccine strategies based on manipulation of gammadelta T cells.


Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 518-518
Author(s):  
Tadafumi Iino ◽  
Hiromi Iwasaki ◽  
Kentaro Kohno ◽  
Shin-ichi Mizuno ◽  
Yojiro Arinobu ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 518 PU.1, a hematopoietic transcription factor, is indispensable for development of conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) from hematopoietic stem cells. However, the function of PU.1 in mature cDC remains unclear. To test the possible role of PU.1 in mature cDCs, we developed mice lacking PU.1 selectively in mature cDCs (DC-PU.1D/D mice) by crossing a PU.1flox mouse line with a transgenic Itgax (CD11c)-Cre strain. In these mice, cDCs were dramatically reduced in spleen, thymus, lymph node, and skin, down to <40%, <25%, <10% and <5% of DCs in control mice respectively, whereas bone marrow cDCs and common dendritic cells progenitors (CDPs) were not affected. Surprisingly, T cell numbers were significantly decreased in DC-PU.1D/D mice, whereas thymic T cell development was normal, suggesting that maintenance of mature T cell pool might be impaired, presumably by dysfunction of PU.1D/D cDCs. In fact, PU.1D/D cDCs failed to efficiently induce ovalbumin-specific T cell response and to produce inflammatory cytokines in response to Toll like receptor (TLR) stimulation both in vitro and in vivo. The intravenous transfer of spleen PU.1D/D cDCs failed to repopulate the spleen of recipient mice, suggesting their poor survival in vivo. Furthermore, the expression of critical molecules for inflammatory responses was downregulated in PU.1D/D cDCs as compared to normal cDCs. These molecules included Myd88 and NFkB that are downstream molecules of TLR signaling, CD86 that is required for T cell stimulation, and CCR7 that is required for cDC migration. These results clearly show that PU.1 is required for development of the functional cDC pool, and the cDC pool plays a critical role in T cell homeostasis. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2001 ◽  
Vol 194 (6) ◽  
pp. 769-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Hawiger ◽  
Kayo Inaba ◽  
Yair Dorsett ◽  
Ming Guo ◽  
Karsten Mahnke ◽  
...  

Dendritic cells (DCs) have the capacity to initiate immune responses, but it has been postulated that they may also be involved in inducing peripheral tolerance. To examine the function of DCs in the steady state we devised an antigen delivery system targeting these specialized antigen presenting cells in vivo using a monoclonal antibody to a DC-restricted endocytic receptor, DEC-205. Our experiments show that this route of antigen delivery to DCs is several orders of magnitude more efficient than free peptide in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) in inducing T cell activation and cell division. However, T cells activated by antigen delivered to DCs are not polarized to produce T helper type 1 cytokine interferon γ and the activation response is not sustained. Within 7 d the number of antigen-specific T cells is severely reduced, and the residual T cells become unresponsive to systemic challenge with antigen in CFA. Coinjection of the DC-targeted antigen and anti-CD40 agonistic antibody changes the outcome from tolerance to prolonged T cell activation and immunity. We conclude that in the absence of additional stimuli DCs induce transient antigen-specific T cell activation followed by T cell deletion and unresponsiveness.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (50) ◽  
pp. eabd1631
Author(s):  
Weijing Yang ◽  
Hongzhang Deng ◽  
Shoujun Zhu ◽  
Joseph Lau ◽  
Rui Tian ◽  
...  

Artificial antigen-presenting cells (aAPCs) can stimulate CD8+ T cell activation. While nanosized aAPCs (naAPCs) have a better safety profile than microsized (maAPCs), they generally induce a weaker T cell response. Treatment with aAPCs alone is insufficient due to the lack of autologous antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. Here, we devised a nanovaccine for antigen-specific CD8+ T cell preactivation in vivo, followed by reactivation of CD8+ T cells via size-transformable naAPCs. naAPCs can be converted to maAPCs in tumor tissue when encountering preactivated CD8+ T cells with high surface redox potential. In vivo study revealed that naAPC’s combination with nanovaccine had an impressive antitumor efficacy. The methodology can also be applied to chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy. Our findings provide a generalizable approach for using size-transformable naAPCs in vivo for immunotherapy in combination with nanotechnologies that can activate CD8+ T cells.


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