T Cell Responses Directed Against HLA A*0201-Restricted Epitopes Derived from WT1 Are Readily Identifiable in Patients with AML and CML, but Not in Patients with ALL.

Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 2526-2526
Author(s):  
Katayoun Rezvani ◽  
Jason Brenchley ◽  
David Price ◽  
Yasemin Kilical ◽  
Matthias Grube ◽  
...  

Abstract The WT1 gene contributes to leukemogenesis and all adult ALL, AML and CML express WT1 RNA by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) techniques. WT1 may therefore be a useful antigenic target for immunotherapy. Four HLA-A*0201-restricted WT1 T cell epitopes have been identified: Db126 (RMFPNAPYL), WH187 (SLGEQQYSV), WT37-45 (VLDFAPPGA) and WT235 (CMTWNQMNL), but only Db126 has been extensively studied in myeloid leukemias. Here, we sought CD8+ T cells directed against these epitopes in 12 healthy SCT donors, 6 patients with AML, 8 with, CML and 6 with ALL prior to SCT. All patients tested with myeloid or lymphoid leukemias expressed MHC class I, B7.1 and WT1. To detect very low frequencies of WT1-specific CD8+ T cells, we used qPCR for interferon-g (IFN-g) mRNA. After isolation, 106 CD8+ T cells were stimulated with C1R-A2 cells (MHC class I-defective LCL cells transfected with HLA-A*0201) loaded with test peptides at concentrations of 0.1, 1 and 10 mM to determine their functional avidity. CD8+ T cells were also stimulated with CMV pp65 (positive control) and gp100 (209-2M) (negative control) peptides. After 3 hr coculture, cells were harvested for RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis. qPCR was performed for IFN-g mRNA and normalized to copies of CD8 mRNA from the same sample. Parallel assays using tetramers demonstrated that the IFN-g copy number was linearly related to the frequency of tetramer-binding T cells, sensitive to frequencies of 1 responding CD8+ T cell/100 000 CD8+ T cells. A positive response was defined as a threshold of 100 or more IFN-g mRNA copies/104 CD8 copies and a stimulation index (SI) of 2 or more, where SI = IFN-g mRNA copies/104 CD8 copies in peptide pulsed/unpulsed cultures. Responses to at least one WT1 peptide were detected in 5/8 CML patients, 4/6 patients with AML and 7/12 healthy donors. Notably, a response was not elicited to WT1 in any of the 6 patients with ALL, despite evidence of immune competence as shown by a normal CMV response. Five of five CML responders and 3/4 AML responders recognized 2 or more WT1 epitopes, while the 7 healthy donors recognized only one WT1 epitope. The range of IFN-g mRNA copies/104 CD8 copies was 289–13584, 418–45891 and 160–2683 for CML, AML and healthy donors respectively. WT1-specific tetramer-positive CD8+ T cells displayed both central memory (CD45RO+CD27+CD57−) and terminally differentiated effector memory phenotypes (CD45RO-CD27−CD57+). As multiple WT1-derived epitopes can be targeted simultaneously, it is likely that T cell response to WT1 is polyclonal. These results are important because the presence of memory WT1 responses in patients with myeloid leukemias and healthy individuals should favor vaccination as a means to expand immune responses to leukemia in the autologous and allogeneic transplant setting. Furthermore, the presence of CD8+ T cell responses to multiple WT1 epitopes should favor robust polyclonal immune responses to leukemia. However, failure to detect CD8+ T cell responses to WT1 in ALL patients suggests that WT1 may not be a useful antigen to target for immunotherapeutic purposes in this patient group.

Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 124 (21) ◽  
pp. 552-552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey L. Rogers ◽  
Roland W Herzog

Abstract CD8+ T cell responses to the adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid have posed a significant barrier to transduction in clinical trials of AAV-mediated gene therapy for hemophilia B, as reactivation of a memory CTL response to the capsid is capable of eliminating transduced hepatocytes in the absence of immunosuppression. Recently, it has been suggested that innate immune responses induced by the toll-like receptor (TLR) pathway can influence the development of adaptive immune responses to AAV-mediated gene transfer. In particular, reports have implicated TLR2 (AAV capsid), TLR9 (AAV genome), and MyD88 (downstream signaling adaptor of both these TLRs). Herein, we have used a modified AAV2 with an insertion of the immunodominant MHC class I epitope of ovalbumin into the capsid (AAV2-SIINFEKL) to study the mechanism of CD8+ T cell responses to the AAV capsid. Using an H2-Kb-SIINFEKL tetramer reagent, we determined that anti-capsid CD8+ T cell responses depended on the TLR9-MyD88 pathway. While the frequency of circulating capsid-specific CD8+ T cells peaked around 7-10 days post-injection and subsided after about 21 days in wild type (WT) mice, tetramer-positive cells were not detected in TLR9-/- or MyD88-/- mice. The kinetics and magnitude of the response was unaltered in TLR2-/- mice. Mice deficient in STING, a downstream adaptor of multiple cytoplasmic DNA sensing pathways, also developed comparable capsid-specific CD8+ T cell frequencies to WT mice, suggesting that this is not a general effect of pattern recognition of DNA. Interestingly, the frequency of capsid-specific CD8+ T cells was not reduced in AP3-/- mice, which are deficient in type I IFN signaling downstream of TLR9. Adoptively transferred OVA-specific OT-1 T cells proliferated in WT but not TLR9-/- mice that received AAV2-SIINFEKL, confirming the importance of TLR9. The effect was antigen-specific, as OT-1 cells in WT mice that received AAV2 lacking SIINFEKL showed minimal proliferation comparable to TLR9-/- mice. In addition to pattern-recognition receptors, we also assessed the role of antigen-presenting cells in the CD8+ T cell response to capsid. The formation of capsid-specific CD8+ T cells was unaltered in mice that received gadolinium chloride to inactivate macrophages, or in B cell-deficient μMT mice. Depletion of B cells in WT mice prior to vector administration also failed to affect the anti-capsid CD8+ T cell response. However, transient depletion of dendritic cells (DCs) in CD11c-DTR mice resulted in a delayed development of capsid-specific CD8+ T cells. Seven days post-injection, DC-depleted mice had a significantly reduced frequency of tetramer-positive CD8+ T cells which recovered to normal by 10 days, likely due to the repopulation of DCs before the input capsid was completely cleared. Overall, our results show that TLR9 signaling, most likely in DCs, is required for the formation of de novo anti-capsid CD8+ T cell responses. Disclosures Herzog: Genzyme: AAV-FIX technology Patents & Royalties.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachariah P. Tritz ◽  
Robin C. Orozco ◽  
Courtney S. Malo ◽  
Lila T Yokanovich ◽  
Katayoun Ayasoufi ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTTheiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection of the central nervous system is rapidly cleared in C57BL/6 mice by an anti-viral CD8 T cell response restricted by the MHC class I molecule, H-2Db. While the CD8 T cell response against neurotropic viruses is well characterized, the identity and function of the antigen presenting cell(s) involved in this process is(are) less well defined. To address this gap in knowledge, we developed a novel C57BL/6 H-2Dbconditional knockout mouse that expresses an H-2Dbtransgene in which the transmembrane domain locus is flanked by LoxP sites. We crossed these H-2DbLoxP mice with MHC class I-deficient mice expressing Cre-recombinase under either the CD11c or LysM promoter in order to silence H-2Dbrestricted antigen presentation predominantly in dendritic cells or macrophages, respectively. Upon challenge with intracranial TMEV infection, we observe that CD11c+ APCs are critical for early priming of CD8 T cells against the immunodominant TMEV peptide VP2121-130 presented in the context of the H-2Dbmolecule. This stands in stark contrast to later time points post TMEV infection where CD11c+ APCs appear dispensable for the activation of antigen-specific T cells; the functionality of these late-arising antiviral CD8 T cells is reflected in the restoration of viral control at later time points. These late-arising CD8 T cells also retain their capacity to induce blood-brain barrier disruption. In contrast, when H-2Dbrestricted antigen presentation was selectively silenced in LysM+ APCs there was no overt impact on the priming of Db:VP2121-130 epitope-specific CD8 T cells, although a modest reduction in immune cell entry into the CNS was observed. This work establishes a model system which enables critical dissection of MHC class I restricted antigen presentation to T cells, revealing cell specific and temporal features involved in the generation of antiviral CD8 T cell responses. Employing this novel system, we established CD11c+ cells as a pivotal driver of acute, but not later-arising, antiviral CD8 T cell responses against the TMEV immunodominant epitope VP2121-130, with functional implications both for T cell-mediated viral control and immunopathology.


Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 2764-2764 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katayoun Rezvani ◽  
Stephan Mielke ◽  
Yasemin Kilical ◽  
Matthias Grube ◽  
Hiroshi Fujiwara ◽  
...  

Abstract Although several HLA-A*0201-restricted immunodominant peptides from the leukemia-restricted protein WT-1 are characterized, T cell responses to peptide sequences binding to other common class I and II epitopes of WT-1 remain almost completely unexplored. A more comprehensive definition of the WT-1 antigen would extend peptide antigen vaccines to individuals lacking HLA-A*0201 and *2402 and improve vaccine potency by recruiting both CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. Here we used a WT1 peptide library to identify WT-1 peptide sequences inducing CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses in normal individuals and patients with AML and other myeloid leukemias. Six cases were studied. The library consisted of 110 15mer peptides overlapping by 11aa covering the entire WT-1 protein in 21 pools. Monocytes were isolated by plastic adherence and pulsed with peptide pools for 3 hours. Autologous CD8+ and CD4+ T cells were then added. Pools of peptides were prepared in such a way that each peptide was represented in two different peptide pools, allowing the identification of the respective peptide by responses in the two corresponding pools. Cells were harvested for RNA extraction and reverse transcription. Real time PCR (RQ-PCR) was used to identify peptide-specific induction of IFN-γ and IL-2 in CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. The SYFPEITHI binding motif software was then used to predict the probable HLA restriction for the candidate epitopes. To confirm candidate peptide immunogenecity and HLA restriction, selected peptides were synthesized and tested individually. In addition to the known HLA-A*0201 peptides WT37, WT126, WT187 and WT235 we identified 20 new MHC class I and II epitopes of WT1. Four were restricted by more than one HLA allele, demonstrating the promiscuity of epitope binding. One epitope (VPGVAPTLV) was restricted to HLA-A*0201 and HLA-B*5101. One epitope (SGQFTGTAGACRYGP) was restricted by a class I HLA allele, namely HLA-*6801 and a class II HLA allele, DR*1501. Two epitopes (YGPFGPPPPSQASGQ and QKKFARSDELVRHHN) were restricted by multiple MHC class II alleles. The proliferative response of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells to candidate peptides was confirmed using CFSE labeling. We now plan to characterize the antileukemic effects of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells induced by these peptides with a view to designing broad-spectrum vaccines inducing leukemia-reactive T cells across a wide range of HLA types.


2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (15) ◽  
pp. 9419-9429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole E. Miller ◽  
Jennifer R. Bonczyk ◽  
Yumi Nakayama ◽  
M. Suresh

ABSTRACT Although it is well documented that CD8 T cells play a critical role in controlling chronic viral infections, the mechanisms underlying the regulation of CD8 T-cell responses are not well understood. Using the mouse model of an acute and chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection, we have examined the relative importance of peripheral T cells and thymic emigrants in the elicitation and maintenance of CD8 T-cell responses. Virus-specific CD8 T-cell responses were compared between mice that were either sham thymectomized or thymectomized (Thx) at ∼6 weeks of age. In an acute LCMV infection, thymic deficiency did not affect either the primary expansion of CD8 T cells or the proliferative renewal and maintenance of virus-specific lymphoid and nonlymphoid memory CD8 T cells. Following a chronic LCMV infection, in Thx mice, although the initial expansion of CD8 T cells was normal, the contraction phase of the CD8 T-cell response was exaggerated, which led to a transient but striking CD8 T-cell deficit on day 30 postinfection. However, the virus-specific CD8 T-cell response in Thx mice rebounded quickly and was maintained at normal levels thereafter, which indicated that the peripheral T-cell repertoire is quite robust and capable of sustaining an effective CD8 T-cell response in the absence of thymic output during a chronic LCMV infection. Taken together, these findings should further our understanding of the regulation of CD8 T-cell homeostasis in acute and chronic viral infections and might have implications in the development of immunotherapy.


2006 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 934-944 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Cornberg ◽  
Brian S. Sheridan ◽  
Frances M. Saccoccio ◽  
Michael A. Brehm ◽  
Liisa K. Selin

ABSTRACT Live vaccinia virus (VV) vaccination has been highly successful in eradicating smallpox. However, the mechanisms of immunity involved in mediating this protective effect are still poorly understood, and the roles of CD8 T-cell responses in primary and secondary VV infections are not clearly identified. By applying the concept of molecular mimicry to identify potential CD8 T-cell epitopes that stimulate cross-reactive T cells specific to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and VV, we identified after screening only 115 peptides two VV-specific immunogenic epitopes that mediated protective immunity against VV. An immunodominant epitope, VV-e7r130, did not generate cross-reactive T-cell responses to LCMV, and a subdominant epitope, VV-a11r198, did generate cross-reactive responses to LCMV. Infection with VV induced strong epitope-specific responses which were stable into long-term memory and peaked at the time virus was cleared, consistent with CD8 T cells assisting in the control of VV. Two different approaches, direct adoptive transfer of VV-e7r-specific CD8 T cells and prior immunization with a VV-e7r-expressing ubiquitinated minigene, demonstrated that memory CD8 T cells alone could play a significant role in protective immunity against VV. These studies suggest that exploiting cross-reactive responses between viruses may be a useful tool to complement existing technology in predicting immunogenic epitopes to large viruses, such as VV, leading to a better understanding of the role CD8 T cells play during these viral infections.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo Estrada ◽  
Didem Agac Cobanoglu ◽  
Aaron Wise ◽  
Robert Maples ◽  
Murat Can Cobanoglu ◽  
...  

Viral infections drive the expansion and differentiation of responding CD8+ T cells into variegated populations of cytolytic effector and memory cells. While pro-inflammatory cytokines and cell surface immune receptors play a key role in guiding T cell responses to infection, T cells are also markedly influenced by neurotransmitters. Norepinephrine is a key sympathetic neurotransmitter, which acts to suppress CD8 + T cell cytokine secretion and lytic activity by signaling through the beta2-adrenergic receptor (ADRB2). Although ADRB2 signaling is considered generally immunosuppressive, its role in regulating differentiation of effector T cells in response to infection has not been investigated. Using an adoptive transfer approach, we compared the expansion and differentiation of wild type (WT) to Adrb2-/- CD8 + T cells throughout the primary response to vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection in vivo. We measured the dynamic changes in transcriptome profiles of antigen-specific CD8 + T cells as they responded to VSV. Within the first 7 days of infection, WT cells out-paced the expansion of Adrb2-/- cells, which correlated with reduced expression of IL-2 and the IL-2Ralpha; in the absence of ADRB2. RNASeq analysis identified over 300 differentially expressed genes that were both temporally regulated following infection and selectively regulated in WT vs Adrb2-/- cells. These genes contributed to major transcriptional pathways including cytokine receptor activation, signaling in cancer, immune deficiency, and neurotransmitter pathways. By parsing genes within groups that were either induced or repressed over time in response to infection, we identified three main branches of genes that were differentially regulated by the ADRB2. These gene sets were predicted to be regulated by specific transcription factors involved in effector T cell development, such as Tbx21 and Eomes. Collectively, these data demonstrate a significant role for ADRB2 signaling in regulating key transcriptional pathways during CD8 + T cells responses to infection that may dramatically impact their functional capabilities and downstream memory cell development.


eLife ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandria C Wells ◽  
Keith A Daniels ◽  
Constance C Angelou ◽  
Eric Fagerberg ◽  
Amy S Burnside ◽  
...  

The differentiation of naive CD8 T cells into effector cytotoxic T lymphocytes upon antigen stimulation is necessary for successful antiviral, and antitumor immune responses. Here, using a mouse model, we describe a dual role for the let-7 microRNAs in the regulation of CD8 T cell responses, where maintenance of the naive phenotype in CD8 T cells requires high levels of let-7 expression, while generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes depends upon T cell receptor-mediated let-7 downregulation. Decrease of let-7 expression in activated T cells enhances clonal expansion and the acquisition of effector function through derepression of the let-7 targets, including Myc and Eomesodermin. Ultimately, we have identified a novel let-7-mediated mechanism, which acts as a molecular brake controlling the magnitude of CD8 T cell responses.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suhas Sureshchandra ◽  
Sloan A. Lewis ◽  
Brianna Doratt ◽  
Allen Jankeel ◽  
Izabela Ibraim ◽  
...  

mRNA based vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 have shown exceptional clinical efficacy providing robust protection against severe disease. However, our understanding of transcriptional and repertoire changes following full vaccination remains incomplete. We used single-cell RNA sequencing and functional assays to compare humoral and cellular responses to two doses of mRNA vaccine with responses observed in convalescent individuals with asymptomatic disease. Our analyses revealed enrichment of spike-specific B cells, activated CD4 T cells, and robust antigen-specific polyfunctional CD4 T cell responses in all vaccinees. On the other hand, CD8 T cell responses were both weak and variable. Interestingly, clonally expanded CD8 T cells were observed in every vaccinee, as observed following natural infection. TCR gene usage, however, was variable, reflecting the diversity of repertoires and MHC polymorphism in the human population. Natural infection induced expansion of larger CD8 T cell clones occupied distinct clusters, likely due to the recognition of a broader set of viral epitopes presented by the virus not seen in the mRNA vaccine. Our study highlights a coordinated adaptive immune response where early CD4 T cell responses facilitate the development of the B cell response and substantial expansion of effector CD8 T cells, together capable of contributing to future recall responses.


Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 119 (4) ◽  
pp. 967-977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agostinho Carvalho ◽  
Antonella De Luca ◽  
Silvia Bozza ◽  
Cristina Cunha ◽  
Carmen D'Angelo ◽  
...  

Abstract Aspergillus fumigatus is a model fungal pathogen and a common cause of severe infections and diseases. CD8+ T cells are present in the human and murine T-cell repertoire to the fungus. However, CD8+ T-cell function in infection and the molecular mechanisms that control their priming and differentiation into effector and memory cells in vivo remain elusive. In the present study, we report that both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells mediate protective memory responses to the fungus contingent on the nature of the fungal vaccine. Mechanistically, class I MHC-restricted, CD8+ memory T cells were activated through TLR3 sensing of fungal RNA by cross-presenting dendritic cells. Genetic deficiency of TLR3 was associated with susceptibility to aspergillosis and concomitant failure to activate memory-protective CD8+ T cells both in mice and in patients receiving stem-cell transplantations. Therefore, TLR3 essentially promotes antifungal memory CD8+ T-cell responses and its deficiency is a novel susceptibility factor for aspergillosis in high-risk patients.


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