Systemic IL-15 promotes allogeneic cell rejection in patients treated with natural killer cell adoptive therapy

Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa M Berrien-Elliott ◽  
Michelle Becker-Hapak ◽  
Amanda F. Cashen ◽  
Miriam T. Jacobs ◽  
Pamela Wong ◽  
...  

NK cells are a promising alternative to T cells for cancer immunotherapy. Adoptive therapies with allogeneic, cytokine-activated NK cells are being investigated in clinical trials. However, the optimal cytokine support after adoptive transfer to promote NK cell expansion, and persistence remains unclear. Correlative studies from two independent clinical trial cohorts treated with MHC-haploidentical NK cell therapy for relapsed/refractory AML revealed that cytokine support by systemic IL-15 (N-803) resulted in reduced clinical activity, compared to IL-2. We hypothesized that the mechanism responsible was IL-15/N-803 promoting recipient CD8 T cell activation that in turn accelerated donor NK cell rejection. This idea was supported by increased proliferating CD8+ T cell numbers in patients treated with IL-15/N-803, compared to IL2. Moreover, mixed lymphocyte reactions showed that IL-15/N-803 enhanced responder CD8 T cell activation and proliferation, compared to IL-2 alone. Additionally, IL-15/N-803 accelerated the ability of responding T cells to kill stimulator-derived ML NK cells, demonstrating that additional IL-15 can hasten donor NK cell elimination. Thus, systemic IL-15 used to support allogeneic cell therapy may paradoxically limit their therapeutic window of opportunity and clinical activity. This study indicates that stimulating patient CD8 T cell allo-rejection responses may critically limit allogeneic cellular therapy supported with IL-15.

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (17) ◽  
pp. 3238-3248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrico Lugli ◽  
Carolyn K. Goldman ◽  
Liyanage P. Perera ◽  
Jeremy Smedley ◽  
Rhonda Pung ◽  
...  

Abstract Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a cytokine with potential therapeutic application in individuals with cancer or immunodeficiency to promote natural killer (NK)– and T-cell activation and proliferation or in vaccination protocols to generate long-lived memory T cells. Here we report that 10-50 μg/kg IL-15 administered intravenously daily for 12 days to rhesus macaques has both short- and long-lasting effects on T-cell homeostasis. Peripheral blood lymphopenia preceded a dramatic expansion of NK cells and memory CD8 T cells in the circulation, particularly a 4-fold expansion of central memory CD8 T cells and a 6-fold expansion of effector memory CD8 T cells. This expansion is a consequence of their activation in multiple tissues. A concomitant inverted CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio was observed throughout the body at day 13, a result of preferential CD8 expansion. Expanded T- and NK-cell populations declined in the blood soon after IL-15 was stopped, suggesting migration to extralymphoid sites. By day 48, homeostasis appears restored throughout the body, with the exception of the maintenance of an inverted CD4/CD8 ratio in lymph nodes. Thus, IL-15 generates a dramatic expansion of short-lived memory CD8 T cells and NK cells in immunocompetent macaques and has long-term effects on the balance of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.


2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Hanna ◽  
Ofer Mandelboim

Initiation of the adaptive immune response is dependent on the priming of naive T cells by APCs. Proteomic analysis of unactivated and activated human NK cell membrane-enriched fractions demonstrated that activated NK cells can efficiently stimulate T cells, since they upregulate MHC class II molecules and multiple ligands for TCR costimulatory molecules. Furthermore, by manipulating antigen administration, we show that NK cells possess multiple independent unique pathways for antigen uptake. These results highlight NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity and specific ligand recognition by cell surface-activating receptors on NK cells as unique mechanisms for antigen capturing and presentation. In addition, we analyzed the T cell-activating potential of human NK cells derived from different clinical conditions, such as inflamed tonsils and noninfected and CMV-infected uterine decidual samples, and from transporter-associated processing antigen 2–deficient patients. This in vivo analysis revealed that proinflammatory, but not immune-suppressive, microenvironmental requirements can selectively dictate upregulation of T cell-activating molecules on NK cells. Taken together, these observations offer new and unexpected insights into the direct interactions between NK and T cells and suggest novel APC-like activating functions for human NK cells.


2008 ◽  
Vol 205 (13) ◽  
pp. 2965-2973 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Gilfillan ◽  
Christopher J. Chan ◽  
Marina Cella ◽  
Nicole M. Haynes ◽  
Aaron S. Rapaport ◽  
...  

Natural killer (NK) cells and CD8 T cells require adhesion molecules for migration, activation, expansion, differentiation, and effector functions. DNAX accessory molecule 1 (DNAM-1), an adhesion molecule belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily, promotes many of these functions in vitro. However, because NK cells and CD8 T cells express multiple adhesion molecules, it is unclear whether DNAM-1 has a unique function or is effectively redundant in vivo. To address this question, we generated mice lacking DNAM-1 and evaluated DNAM-1–deficient CD8 T cell and NK cell function in vitro and in vivo. Our results demonstrate that CD8 T cells require DNAM-1 for co-stimulation when recognizing antigen presented by nonprofessional antigen-presenting cells; in contrast, DNAM-1 is dispensable when dendritic cells present the antigen. Similarly, NK cells require DNAM-1 for the elimination of tumor cells that are comparatively resistant to NK cell–mediated cytotoxicity caused by the paucity of other NK cell–activating ligands. We conclude that DNAM-1 serves to extend the range of target cells that can activate CD8 T cell and NK cells and, hence, may be essential for immunosurveillance against tumors and/or viruses that evade recognition by other activating or accessory molecules.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e14565-e14565
Author(s):  
Amit Adhikari ◽  
Juliete Macauley ◽  
Yoshimi Johnson ◽  
Mike Connolly ◽  
Tim Coleman ◽  
...  

e14565 Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive form of brain cancer with a median survival of 15 months which has remained unchanged despite technological advances in the standard of care. GBM cells specifically express human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) proteins providing a unique opportunity for targeted therapy. Methods: We utilized our UNITE (UNiversal Intracellular Targeted Expression) platform to develop a multi-antigen DNA vaccine (ITI-1001) that codes for the HCMV proteins- pp65, gB and IE-1. The UNITE platform involves lysosomal targeting technology, fusing lysosome-associated protein 1 (LAMP1) with target antigens resulting in increased antigen presentation by MHC-I and II. ELISpot, flow cytometry and ELISA techniques were used to evaluate the vaccine immunogenicity and a syngeneic, orthotopic GBM mouse model that expresses HCMV proteins was used for efficacy studies. The tumor microenvironment studies were done using flow cytometry and MSD assay. Results: ITI-1001 vaccination showed a robust antigen-specific CD4 and CD8 T cell response in addition to a strong humoral response. Using GBM mouse model, therapeutic treatment of ITI-1001 vaccine resulted in ̃56% survival with subsequent long-term immunity. Investigating the tumor microenvironment showed significant CD4 T cell infiltration as well as enhanced Th1 and CD8 T cell activation. Regulatory T cells were also upregulated upon ITI-1001 vaccination and would be an attractive target to further improve this therapy. In addition, tumor burden negatively correlated with number of activated CD4 T cells (CD4 IFNγ+) reiterating the importance of CD4 activation in ITI-1001 efficacy and potentially identifying treatment responders and non-responders. Further characterization of these two groups showed high infiltration of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in responders compared with non- responders along with higher CD8 T cell activation. Conclusions: Thus, we show that vaccination with HCMV antigens using the ITI-1001-UNITE platform generates strong cellular and humoral immune responses, triggering significant anti-tumor activity that leads to enhanced survival in mice with GBM.


Hypertension ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Paradis ◽  
Antoine Caillon ◽  
Ernesto L Schiffrin

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Line Puiffe ◽  
Aurélie Dupont ◽  
Nouhoum Sako ◽  
Jérôme Gatineau ◽  
José L. Cohen ◽  
...  

IL4I1 is an immunoregulatory enzyme that inhibits CD8 T-cell proliferation in vitro and in the tumoral context. Here, we dissected the effect of IL4I1 on CD8 T-cell priming by studying the differentiation of a transgenic CD8 T-cell clone and the endogenous repertoire in a mouse model of acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection. Unexpectedly, we show that IL4I1 accelerates the expansion of functional effector CD8 T cells during the first several days after infection and increases the average affinity of the elicited repertoire, supporting more efficient LCMV clearance in WT mice than IL4I1-deficient mice. Conversely, IL4I1 restrains the differentiation of CD8 T-cells into long-lived memory precursors and favors the memory response to the most immunodominant peptides. IL4I1 expression does not affect the phenotype or antigen-presenting functions of dendritic cells (DCs), but directly reduces the stability of T-DC immune synapses in vitro, thus dampening T-cell activation. Overall, our results support a model in which IL4I1 increases the threshold of T-cell activation, indirectly promoting the priming of high-affinity clones while limiting memory T-cell differentiation.


Cell Reports ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-79.e4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren E. Holz ◽  
Julia E. Prier ◽  
David Freestone ◽  
Thiago M. Steiner ◽  
Kieran English ◽  
...  

Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 2171
Author(s):  
Isabel Valhondo ◽  
Fakhri Hassouneh ◽  
Nelson Lopez-Sejas ◽  
Alejandra Pera ◽  
Beatriz Sanchez-Correa ◽  
...  

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains a major clinical challenge due to poor overall survival, which is even more dramatic in elderly patients. TIGIT, an inhibitory receptor that interacts with CD155 and CD112 molecules, is considered as a checkpoint in T and NK cell activation. This receptor shares ligands with the co-stimulatory receptor DNAM-1 and with TACTILE. The aim of this work was to analyze the expression of DNAM-1, TIGIT and TACTILE in NK cells and T cell subsets in AML patients. Methods: We have studied 36 patients at the time of diagnosis of AML and 20 healthy volunteers. The expression of DNAM-1, TIGIT and TACTILE in NK cells and T cells, according to the expression of CD3 and CD56, was performed by flow cytometry. Results: NK cells, CD56− T cells and CD56+ T (NKT-like) cells from AML patients presented a reduced expression of DNAM-1 compared with healthy volunteers. An increased expression of TIGIT was observed in mainstream CD56− T cells. No differences were observed in the expression of TACTILE. Simplified presentation of incredibly complex evaluations (SPICE) analysis of the co-expression of DNAM-1, TIGIT and TACTILE showed an increase in NK and T cells lacking DNAM-1 and co-expressing TIGIT and TACTILE. Low percentages of DNAM-1−TIGIT+TACTILE+ NK cells and DNAM-1− TIGIT+TACTILE+ CD56− T cells were associated with a better survival of AML patients. Conclusions: The expression of DNAM-1 is reduced in NK cells and in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from AML patients compared with those from healthy volunteers. An increased percentage of NK and T cells lacking DNAM-1 and co-expressing TIGIT and TACTILE is associated with patient survival, supporting the role of TIGIT as a novel candidate for checkpoint blockade.


1999 ◽  
Vol 190 (9) ◽  
pp. 1275-1284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo Lefrançois ◽  
Sara Olson ◽  
David Masopust

The role of CD40 ligand (CD40L) in CD8 T cell activation was assessed by tracking antigen-specific T cells in vivo using both adoptive transfer of T cell receptor transgenic T cells and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I tetramers. Soluble antigen immunization induced entry of CD8 cells into the intestinal mucosa and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) differentiation, whereas CD8 cells in secondary lymphoid tissue proliferated but were not cytolytic. Immunization concurrent with CD40L blockade or in the absence of CD40 demonstrated that accumulation of CD8 T cells in the mucosa was CD40L dependent. Furthermore, activation was mediated through CD40L expressed by the CD8 cells, since inhibition by anti-CD40L monoclonal antibodies occurred after adoptive transfer to CD40L-deficient mice. However, mucosal CD8 T cells in normal and CD40−/− mice were equivalent killers, indicating that CD40L was not required for CTL differentiation. Appearance of virus-specific mucosal, but not splenic, CD8 cells also relied heavily on CD40–CD40L interactions. The mucosal CTL response of transferred CD8 T cells was MHC class II and interleukin 12 independent. The results established a novel pathway of direct CD40L-mediated CD8 T cell activation.


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