Donor Requirements For CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Regulatory T Cells Capable Of Suppressing CD4+ and CD8+ Conventional T Cell Proliferation and Graft Versus Host Disease

Blood ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 122 (21) ◽  
pp. 4484-4484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Pierini ◽  
Lucrezia Colonna ◽  
Maite Alvarez ◽  
Dominik Schneidawind ◽  
Byung-Su Kim ◽  
...  

Adoptive transfer of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) prevents graft versus host disease (GvHD) in several animal models and following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in clinical trials. In these models donor derived Tregs have been mainly used as they share the same major histocompatibility complex (MHC) with conventional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (Tcons) that are primarily responsible for GvHD onset and persistence. Third-party derived Tregs are a promising alternative tool for cellular therapy as they can be prepared in advance, screened for pathogens and activity and banked. In this study we explored MHC disparities between Tregs and Tcons in HCT to evaluate the impact of these different cell populations in GvHD prevention and survival after transplant. Methods and Results We evaluated the ability of highly purified Treg to suppress proliferation of C57BL/6 (H-2b) Tcons following exposure to irradiated splenocytes from BALB/C (H-2d) mice in vitro in a mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Either donor derived C57BL/6 (H-2b) or third party FVB (H-2q) Tregs suppressed Tcon proliferation at the Treg/Tcon ratios of 1:2 and 1:4. The same Treg population effectively suppressed different MHC derived Tcons where BALB/C (H-2d) or FVB (H-2q, third-party) Tcons were incubated with irradiated splenocytes from C57BL/6 (H-2b) mice and were effectively suppressed with BALB/C (H-2d) Tregs. In the MLR, third-party Tregs present the same activation molecule expression patterns as MHC matched Tregs: CTLA4 and LAG3 expression is enhanced after stimulation with interleukin-2 (IL-2) and anti-CD3/CD28 beads, while MHC class II molecule expression is increased after 3-4 days of culture with Tcons and irradiated splenocytes. Furthermore third-party and MHC matched Tregs express the same levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10). We translated these results to in vivo studies in animal models. In these studies T cell depleted bone marrow (TCD BM) from C57BL/6 (H-2b) mice was injected into lethally irradiated (total body irradiation, 8 Gy) BALB/C (H-2d) recipient mice. 2 days later GvHD was induced by injecting luc+ donor derived Tcons (1x106/mouse). Using this model GvHD was evaluated following the adoptive transfer of freshly isolated CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Tregs derived from BALB/C (H-2d, host type), C57BL/6 (H-2b, donor type), FVB (H-2q, third-party) or BALB/B (H-2b, minor mismatched with the donor, major mismatched with the host) mice at the different Treg/Tcon ratios of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:4. As expected, donor Tregs exerted the strongest dose dependent GvHD protection (p = 0.028), while host Tregs did not improve mouse survival (p = 0.58). Third-party and minor mismatched with the donor Tregs improved mouse survival (third-party and minor mismatched with the donor respectively, p = 0.028 and p = 0.17) but mice had worse GvHD score profiles (both p< 0.001) and could not recover their weight as well as mice treated with donor Tregs (both p< 0.001). In vivoTcon bioluminescent imaging confirmed these results showing a reduced Tcon proliferation in mice treated with donor, third-party and minor mismatched with the donor Tregs, the first exerting the strongest effect (after 6 weeks of observation, p< 0.001). Conclusions Our studies indicate that MHC disparities between Tregs and Tcons do not represent an insurmountable barrier for Treg function. In vitro and in vivo data strongly suggest that Tregs can suppress Tcon proliferation without requiring MHC matching. In vivo GvHD prevention efficiency was affected by MHC disparities with donor derived Treg being the most effective, however, third party Treg also resulted in GvHD attenuation. These studies indicate that both donor and third party Treg could be effective in clinical application raising the possibility of screening and banking Treg for use. Further, these studies highlight the need for activation of the Treg on host tissues to effectively suppress conventional T cell proliferation and GvHD induction. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 3045-3045
Author(s):  
Yoshinobu Maeda ◽  
Pavan Reddy ◽  
Chen Liu ◽  
D. Keith Bishop ◽  
James L.M. Ferrara

Abstract Large numbers of T cells bearing γd T cell receptors are present in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) target tissues. We investigated the potential role of host γd T cells during acute GVHD in a well-characterized GVHD model following full intensity conditioning (11 Gy TBI). BM and spleen T cells from BALB/c (H2d) donors were transplanted into wild type (wt) B6, aß T cell deficient B6 (aß −/−) or γd T cell deficient B6 (γd −/−) hosts. γd −/− hosts demonstrated significantly better day 35 survival (85%) than wt (40%) or aß−/− hosts (18%) (P&lt;0.05). Reconstitution of γd −/− B6 hosts with B6 type γd T cells 24 hr prior to BMT restored lethal GVHD (50 % day 35 survival). In vivo, γd −/− B6 hosts demonstrated at least a five fold reduction in donor T cell expansion and cytokine production. In vitro, T cells proliferated less when co-cultured with allogeneic γd −/− dendritic cells (DCs) than with wt DCs (40,127 ± 1634 vs. 72,503 ± 1296, P&lt;0.05). BM-derived DCs cultured with γd T cells caused greater proliferation of allogeneic T cells than DCs cultured with aß T cells (15.1 ± 21 x 104 vs. 5.1 ± 1.2 x 104, P&lt;0.05). We next tested the effect of γd T cells on host DCs in vivo using a model system in which only the DCs injected prior to BMT expressed the alloantigen that stimulated the GVHD reaction. MHC Class II −/− B6 mice that had been depleted of γd T cells were given 11 Gy TBI and injected one day prior to BMT with B6 DCs that had been co-cultured either with γd T cells or with medium. On day 0 both groups of recipient mice were injected with BM plus splenic T cells from allogeneic bm12 donors. On day +5, CD4+ donor T cells expanded four times more in recipients of DCs co-cultured with γd T cells than in recipients of control DCs and serum levels of TNF-a were significantly higher (36.7 + 6.8 vs. 21.3 + 3.7 pg/ml, P&lt;0.05). Together these data demonstrate that γd T cells amplify the stimulatory function of host DCs and increase the severity of GVHD, suggesting that a new therapeutic target for the prevention of the major BMT toxicity.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 2424-2424
Author(s):  
Yiming Huang ◽  
Larry D Bozulic ◽  
Thomas Miller ◽  
Hong Xu ◽  
Yujie Wen ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 2424 Poster Board II-401 We previously reported that CD8+TCR- facilitating cells (FC) induce the generation of chimeric regulatory T cells (Treg) in vivo. Transplantation of a mixture of CD8+/TCR- FC and hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) into ablated recipients results in chimerism and tolerance. Treg harvested from the spleen of chimeras (chimeric Treg) potently increase long-term donor chimerism in secondary NOD recipient mice. Here, we evaluated whether chimeric Treg enhance engraftment of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in an antigen-specific manner. To prepare mixed chimeras (B6 → NOD), NOD recipients were conditioned with 950 cGy TBI and transplanted with 10,000 B6 HSC and 1,000 NOD HSC plus 45,000 CD8+TCR- B6 FC. At 5 weeks, CD8-CD4+CD25bright chimeric Treg were sorted from spleens of the mixed chimeras (B6 → NOD). 100,000 chimeric Treg were then mixed with 10,000 B6 HSC (donor-specific) + 10,000 B10.BR HSC (third-party) and transplanted into conditioned NOD recipients in competitive repopulation assays. NOD mice given HSC plus nonchimeric naïve B6 Treg or HSC alone served as controls. Two of the four animals that received HSC alone engrafted and exhibited an average of 6.7% donor B6 chimerism at 30 days, 11.2% at 60 days, and 10.6% at 90 days. Three of five animals given HSC plus naïve B6 Treg engrafted with 21.3% donor B6 chimerism at 30 days, 28.8% at 60 days, and 28.9% at 90 days. In contrast, eight of nine recipients of HSC + chimeric Treg engrafted. These animals exhibited a significantly higher level of donor B6 chimerism, ranging from 56.3% at 30 days, 75.4% at 60 days to 85% at 90 days (P = 0.034). None of the recipients engrafted with the MHC-disparate third-party B10.BR HSC. We then assessed the suppressive function of chimeric Tregin vitro by using MLR suppressor cell assays. CD8-/CD4+/CD25bright Treg were sorted from chimeric spleens 5 wks to 12 wks after HSC + FC transplantation. As shown in the Figure 1, Treg from naïve B6 mice resulted in 1.9 fold; 1.3 fold and 1.1 fold inhibition of proliferation at 1:1, 1:0.25, 1:0.125 responder/Treg ratios (n = 3). In contrast, chimeric Treg potently suppressed T cell proliferation by 10.5 fold; 3.2 fold; and 1.7 fold at responder/Treg ratios of 1:1, 1:0.25, 1:0.125 (n = 4). Chimeric Treg significantly suppressed T cell proliferation at responder/Treg ratios of 1:1 and 1:0.25 compared with naïve B6 Treg (P < 0.05). NOD responder splenocytes remained hypoproliferative in response to B6 stimulator and chimeric Treg compared with stimulator plus B6 Treg, suggesting that chimeric Treg are significantly more potent than naïve B6 Treg in suppressing effector T cell proliferation in vitro. These data show that chimeric Treg enhance donor B6 HSC engraftment but not third-party B10.BR HSC, demonstrating that chimeric Treg function in vivo in an antigen-specific fashion. These data also show that the mechanism of FC function in vivo is associated with the establishment of an antigen-specific regulatory feedback loop. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures: Bozulic: Regenerex: Employment. Ildstad:Regenerex: Equity Ownership.


Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 1972-1972
Author(s):  
Gerald P. Morris ◽  
Geoffrey L Uy ◽  
David L Donermeyer ◽  
Paul M Allen ◽  
John F. DiPersio

Abstract Abstract 1972 The nature of the T cell repertoire mediating pathologic in vivo alloreactivity is an important question for understanding the development of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) following clinical allogeneic transplantation. We have previously demonstrated that the small proportion of T cells that naturally express 2 T cell receptors (TCR) as a consequence of incomplete TCRa allelic exclusion during thymic development contribute disproportionately to the alloreactive T cell repertoire, both in vitro and in vivo in a mouse model of graft versus host disease (GvHD) (J. Immunol., 182:6639, 2009). Here, we extend these findings to human biology, examining dual TCR T cells from healthy volunteer donors (n = 12) and patients who have undergone allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) (n = 19). Peripheral blood was collected at day 30 post-HSCT or at the time of presentation with symptomatic acute GvHD. Dual TCR T cells were measured in peripheral blood by pair-wise staining with 3 commercially-available and 2 novel TCRa mAbs. Dual TCR T cells were consistently and significantly expanded in patients with symptomatic aGvHD, representing 5.3±3.8 % of peripheral T cells, compared to 1.7±0.8 % of T cells in healthy controls (p < 0.005) (Figure 1). There was no correlation between dual TCR T cell frequency and GvHD severity. Furthermore, sequential analysis of peripheral blood in 2 patients demonstrated expansion of dual TCR T cells concurrent with the development of aGvHD (Figure 2). Dual TCR T cells from patients with symptomatic aGvHD demonstrated increased expression of CD69 as compared to T cells expressing a single TCR, indicative of preferential activation of dual TCR T cells during aGvHD. Similarly, dual TCR T cells isolated from patients with symptomatic aGvHD demonstrate increased production of IFN-g ex vivo, indicative of the ability to mediate pathogenic alloreactive responses. Dual TCR T cell clones isolated from healthy donors and patients post-HSCT by single cell FACS sorting demonstrate alloreactive responses against a range of allogeneic cell lines in vitro. We propose that the increased alloreactivity of dual TCR T cells results from the less stringent thymic selection for secondary TCR, and thus provides a link between thymic selection, the TCR repertoire, and alloreactivity. These findings may lead to simple ways of phenotypically identifying specific T cells predisposed to inducing aGvHD for subsequent examination of T cell repertoires and functional studies. Furthermore, these data suggest that dual TCR T cells represent a potential predictive biomarker for aGvHD and a potential target for selective T cell depletion in HSCT. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Aras Toker

<p>Glatiramer acetate (GA) is approved for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), and can suppress experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a murine model of human MS. GA treatment is associated with the induction of anti-inflammatory TH2 responses and with the antigen specific expansion of regulatory T cells that counteract or inhibit pathogenic events in MS and EAE. These T cell mediated mechanisms of protection are considered to be a result of modulation of antigen presenting cells (APCs) by GA, rather than direct effects on T cells. However, it is unknown if GA preferentially targets a specific APC subset or can act through multiple APCs in vivo. In addition, GA-modulated innate cells may also exhibit direct antigen non-specific suppression of autoreactive cells. One objective of this study was to identify the in vivo target cell population of GA and to assess the potential of the target cells to antigen non-specifically suppress immune responses. Fluorophor-labelled GA bound to monocytes after intravenous injections, suggesting that monocytes may be the primary target of GA in vivo. In addition, intravenous GA treatment enhanced the intrinsic ability of monocytes to suppress T cell proliferation, both in vitro and in vivo. The findings of this study therefore suggest that GA-induced monocytes may contribute to GA therapy through direct mechanisms of antigen non-specific T cell immunosuppression. A further objective of this work was to investigate the potential of an in vivo drug targeting approach. This approach was hypothesised to increase the uptake of GA by the target cells and substantially improve GA treatment through antigen specific mechanisms such as induction of TH2 or regulatory T cells. Targeting antigens to professional APCs with an anti-MHC class II antibody resulted in significantly enhanced T cell proliferation in vitro. However, no EAE suppression occurred when GA was targeted to MHC class II in vivo. In addition, targeting GA specifically to monocytes also failed to suppress EAE. These findings suggest that GA treatment may selectively modulate monocytes to enhance their ability to inhibit autoreactive T cells, which could be part of the mechanism by which GA ameliorates MS. Targeting GA to a specific cell type may not be a powerful approach to improve treatment, because increased proliferation of GA specific T cells is not sufficient for disease suppression, and conjugation to antibodies may functionally reduce GA to a mere antigen devoid of immunomodulatory capacity.</p>


Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 1311-1311
Author(s):  
Corinna Leng ◽  
Cuiling Li ◽  
Judy Ziegler ◽  
Anna Lokshin ◽  
Suzanne Lentzsch ◽  
...  

Abstract Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have been shown to reduce development of graft versus host disease [GVHD] following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation [BMT]. Administration of the HDAC inhibitor suberonylanilide hydroxamic acid [SAHA] resulted in a significantly reduced GVHD-dependent mortality following fully MHC-mismatched allogeneic BMT. Median Survival Time (MST) for vehicle and SAHA-treated mice were 7.5 days and 38 days respectively. However, SAHA treatment did not affect T cell activation nor T cell expansion in vitro and in vivo as determined by MLR assays, phenotypic analysis of donor T cells with regard to expression of the CD25 activation antigen and calculation of donor CD4+ and CD8+ T cell numbers on days +3 and +6 post-BMT. Thus, SAHA treatment was not able to inhibit the strong upregulation of CD25 antigen on CD8+ T cells observed during induction of GVHD on days +3 and +6 post-BMT. We therefore focused on the effects of SAHA treatment on efferent immune effects including cytokine secretion and intracellular signaling events in vitro and in vivo following GVHD induction. SAHA treatment broadly inhibited lipopolysaccharide [LPS] and allo-antigen-induced cytokine/chemokine secretion in vitro like MIP-1-α, IP-10, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-6 and led also to a significant decrease in IFN-γ and TNF-α levels in vivo following induction of GVHD. Concomitantly, SAHA treatment inhibited phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3 in response to LPS and allo-activation in vitro. Furthermore, analysis of liver tissue and spleens from SAHA-treated animals with GVHD showed a significant decrease in phosphorylated STAT1. In contrast SAHA treatment had only moderate effects on p38 or ERK1,2 Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathway underscoring the relevance of the inhibition of the STAT1 pathway. In conclusion, GVHD is associated with a strong induction of phosphorylation of STAT1 in the liver and spleen and SAHA-dependent reduction of GVHD is associated with systemic and local inhibition of pSTAT1 and modulation of the inflammatory cytokine milieu during the efferent immune response.


Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 2537-2537
Author(s):  
Jaebok Choi ◽  
Julie Ritchey ◽  
Jessica Su ◽  
Julie Prior ◽  
Edward Ziga ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 2537 Introduction: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been shown to mitigate graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) while preserving the beneficial graft-versus-leukemia (GvL) effect in animal models of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). However, three major obstacles prevent their use in human clinical trials: the low numbers of Tregs, loss of suppressor activity following in vitro expansion, and the lack of Treg-specific markers to purify expanded Tregs. The locus of the Foxp3 gene, the master regulator of Tregs, is unmethylated and expressed only in Tregs. We have recently reported that the hypomethylating agent azacitidine (AzaC) induces FOXP3 expression in non-Tregs, converting them into Tregs in vitro and in vivo when administered after allogeneic BMT completely mitigating GvHD without abrogating GvL (Choi, et al Blood 2010). Three possible mechanisms for these effects include: 1) AzaC induces FOXP3+ Tregs, which in turn mitigate GvHD without abrogating GvL by regulating alloreactive donor T cells, 2) AzaC directly suppresses the proliferation of alloreactive donor T cells reducing GvHD, 3) AzaC alters donor T cell trafficking to GvHD target organs to prevent GvHD without altering interaction of donor T cells with recipient leukemia or trafficking of leukemic cells. Methods: Balb/c (CD45.2+, H-2Kd) were lethally irradiated one day prior to injection of T cell-depleted BM cells isolated from B6 (CD45.1+, H-2Kb) and luciferase-expressing A20 leukemia cells derived from Balb/c. Allogeneic donor T cells isolated from B6 (CD45.2+, H-2Kb) were given 11 days after BMT. AzaC (2 mg/kg) was administrated subcutaneously every other day (4 doses total) starting 4 days after T cell injection. In vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI) was performed to assess leukemia cell localization. For T cell proliferation/trafficking analyses, Balb/c were lethally irradiated one day prior to injection of T cell-depleted BM cells isolated from B6 (CD45.1+). Allogeneic donor T cells isolated from B6 (CD45.2+) were transduced with Click Beetle Red luciferase and were given 11 days after BMT, followed by AzaC treatment as described above. BLI was performed to track the donor T cells. Results: While neither T cell or leukemia cell trafficking was affected by the AzaC treatment, proliferation of donor T cells was significantly reduced compared to mice treated with PBS. The observed reduced T cell proliferation is not likely due to the direct effect of AzaC on T cells since the AzaC treatment preserved GvL activity comparable with the PBS control group. In addition, T cells isolated from both AzaC and PBS groups were equally reactive against third party antigen presenting cells, based on mixed lymphocyte reactions and cytotoxic T lymphocyte killing assays. These data along with our previous report demonstrating that the AzaC treatment increases Tregs in vivo strongly suggest that the therapeutic effect of AzaC on GvHD and GvL are mediated by the AzaC-induced Tregs which preferentially target alloreactive T cells while preferentially sparing anti-tumor T cells. Currently, secondary transplantation of Treg-depleted/replete T cells isolated from AzaC/PBS-treated recipient mice is underway to further confirm that donor T cells in the AzaC-treated mice are fully functional and that alloresponses of donor T cells are regulated by AzaC-induced Tregs. Conclusions: In vivo administration of AzaC after donor T cell infusion mitigates GvHD while preserving GvL via peripheral conversion of alloreactive donor T cells to FOXP3+ Tregs that preferentially inhibit alloreactive T cells while sparing anti-tumor T cells. These data provides the foundation for future clinical trials using epigenetic therapy aimed at mitigating GvHD without abrogating GvL and overcoming HLA barriers. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cuiping Guan ◽  
Qingtian Li ◽  
Xiuzu Song ◽  
Wen Xu ◽  
Liuyu Li ◽  
...  

Antroquinonol was investigated as antioxidant and inhibition of inflammatory responses. Our study was to evaluate its immunosuppressive effect on CD8+ T cells and protective effect on depigmentation. CD8+ T cells were treated with antroquinonol in vitro, and C57BL/6 mice were treated with antroquinonol with or without H2O2 in vivo for 50 consecutive days. We found antroquinonol could inhibit proliferation of CD8+ T cells and suppress the production of cytokines IL-2 and IFN-γ and T cell activation markers CD69 and CD137 in vitro. H2O2 treatment induced depigmentation and reduced hair follicle length, skin thickness, and tyrosinase expression in vivo. Whereas, antroquinonol obviously ameliorated depigmentation of mice skin and resisted the reduction of hair follicle length, skin thickness, and tyrosinase expression induced by H2O2. Antroquinonol decreased CD8+ T cell infiltration in mice skin, inhibited the production of IL-2 and IFN-γ, and decreased the expression of CXCL10 and CXCR3. Summarily, our data shows antroquinonol inhibits CD8+ T cell proliferation in vitro. It also reduces CD8+ T cell infiltration and proinflammatory cytokine secretion and suppresses the thinning of epidermal layer in vivo. Our findings suggest that antroquinonol exerts immunosuppressive effects on CD8+ T cell proliferation and activation to resist depigmentation induced by H2O2.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (4) ◽  
pp. 1094-1099 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allan B. Dietz ◽  
Lina Souan ◽  
Gaylord J. Knutson ◽  
Peggy A. Bulur ◽  
Mark R. Litzow ◽  
...  

Abstract Imatinib mesylate (STI571, imatinib) inhibited DNA synthesis in primary human T cells stimulated with allogeneic mature dendritic cells or phytohemagglutinin (PHA) but did not induce apoptosis. The values for the concentration that inhibits 50% (IC50) of T-cell proliferation stimulated by dendritic cells and PHA were 3.9 μM and 2.9 μM, respectively, that is, within the concentration range found in patients treated with imatinib mesylate. Interestingly, imatinib mesylate did not inhibit expression of T-cell activation markers CD25 and CD69, although it reduced the levels of activated nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and changed phosphorylation or protein levels of Lck, ERK1/2, retinoblastoma protein, and cyclin D3. When T cells were washed free of imatinib mesylate, they proliferated in response to PHA, demonstrating that inhibition is reversible. Treatment with imatinib mesylate led to accumulation of the cells in G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. The in vitro observations were confirmed in vivo in a murine model of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH). In mice treated with imatinib mesylate, DTH was reduced in comparison to sham-injected controls. However, the number of splenic T cells was not reduced showing that, similarly to in vitro observations, imatinib mesylate inhibited T-cell response, but did not cause apoptosis. These findings indicate that long-term administration of high-dose imatinib mesylate might affect immunity.


Author(s):  
Xiang Li ◽  
Liang Dong ◽  
Jiejie Liu ◽  
Chunmeng Wang ◽  
Yan Zhang ◽  
...  

BackgroundCD4+ T cells play multiple roles in controlling tumor growth and increasing IFN-γ+ T-helper 1 cell population could promote cell-mediated anti-tumor immune response. We have previously showed that low-dose DNA demethylating agent decitabine therapy promotes CD3+ T-cell proliferation and cytotoxicity; however, direct regulation of purified CD4+ T cells and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.MethodsThe effects of low-dose decitabine on sorted CD4+ T cells were detected both in vitro and in vivo. The activation, proliferation, intracellular cytokine production and cytolysis activity of CD4+ T cells were analyzed by FACS and DELFIA time-resolved fluorescence assays. In vivo ubiquitination assay was performed to assess protein degradation. Moreover, phosphor-p65 and IκBα levels were detected in sorted CD4+ T cells from solid tumor patients with decitabine-based therapy.ResultsLow-dose decitabine treatment promoted the proliferation and activation of sorted CD4+ T cells, with increased frequency of IFN-γ+ Th1 subset and enhanced cytolytic activity in vitro and in vivo. NF-κB inhibitor, BAY 11-7082, suppressed decitabine-induced CD4+ T cell proliferation and IFN-γ production. In terms of mechanism, low-dose decitabine augmented the expression of E3 ligase β-TrCP, promoted the ubiquitination and degradation of IκBα and resulted in NF-κB activation. Notably, we observed that in vitro low-dose decitabine treatment induced NF-κB activation in CD4+ T cells from patients with a response to decitabine-primed chemotherapy rather than those without a response.ConclusionThese data suggest that low-dose decitabine potentiates CD4+ T cell anti-tumor immunity through enhancing IκBα degradation and therefore NF-κB activation and IFN-γ production.


2007 ◽  
Vol 204 (8) ◽  
pp. 1803-1812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daisuke Kamimura ◽  
Michael J. Bevan

An optimal CD8+ T cell response requires signals from the T cell receptor (TCR), co-stimulatory molecules, and cytokines. In most cases, the relative contribution of these signals to CD8+ T cell proliferation, accumulation, effector function, and differentiation to memory is unknown. Recent work (Boyman, O., M. Kovar, M.P. Rubinstein, C.D. Surh, and J. Sprent. 2006. Science. 311:1924–1927; Kamimura, D., Y. Sawa, M. Sato, E. Agung, T. Hirano, and M. Murakami. 2006. J. Immunol. 177:306–314) has shown that anti–interleukin (IL) 2 monoclonal antibodies that are neutralizing in vitro enhance the potency of IL-2 in vivo. We investigated the role of IL-2 signals in driving CD8+ T cell proliferation in the absence of TCR stimulation by foreign antigen. IL-2 signals induced rapid activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 in all CD8+ T cells, both naive and memory phenotype, and promoted the differentiation of naive CD8+ T cells into effector cells. IL-2–anti–IL-2 complexes induced proliferation of naive CD8+ T cells in an environment with limited access to self–major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and when competition for self-MHC ligands was severe. After transfer into wild-type animals, IL-2–activated CD8+ T cells attained and maintained a central memory phenotype and protected against lethal bacterial infection. IL-2–anti–IL-2 complex–driven memory-like CD8+ T cells had incomplete cellular fitness compared with antigen-driven memory cells regarding homeostatic turnover and cytokine production. These results suggest that intense IL-2 signals, with limited contribution from the TCR, program the differentiation of protective memory-like CD8+ cells but are insufficient to guarantee overall cellular fitness.


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