鼻咽癌病人和正常人群中EB病毒特异性T细胞对靶抗原的识别和应答

为探讨痘苗病毒表达的Eoskein-Barr病毒（EBV）核抗原1、4（EBNA1、4）和潜伏膜蛋白1、2（LMP1、2）,在不同人群的特异性T细胞杀伤9CTL）中的作用,采集EBV阴性正常人、未经治疗的鼻咽癌（NPC）病人的EBV－IgA/VCA阳性者各10人的周围血淋巴单核细胞（PBMC）,用EBV转化B淋巴细胞,建立类淋巴母细胞（LCL）,用LCL刺激自休的T淋巴细胞作为效应细胞,以LCL感染重组痘苗病毒表达的EBNA1、4和LMP1、2为靶细胞,以^51Cr释放法检测EBV特异性CTL所识别的靶抗原。结果表明,EBV－LMP1、2可能既是EBV特异性T细胞的刺激抗原,又是其识别的靶抗原。将采集的30例试验者的各5 单克隆T细胞株分别检测HLA-Ⅰ型（A、B、C）,按照不同型别寻找相对应的EBNA1、4和LMP1、2的不同合成肽,应用酶免疫吸附斑点法（Elispot）检测EBV特异性CD8^ 的CTL应答。结果显示：10例正常人中9人有特异的LMP2应答,4人有特异的EBNA4应答;10例未治疗的NPC病人中3人有特异的LMP2,2人有特异的EBNA1,3个有特异的EBNA4应答;10例未治疗的NPC病人中3人有特异的EBNA1,3人有特异的EBNA4应答,在10例EBV－IgA/VCAbj ntg k ,6人有特异的LMP2,5人有特异的EBNA4应答。所有的试验者均未发现LMP1的特异性应答。     

EB病毒BNLF—1基因研究的新进展

EB病毒广泛存在于人群中,它的潜伏感染与鼻咽癌的发生密切相关。EBV在潜伏感染的过程中表达一种潜伏膜蛋白1（LMP1）,具有致瘤性,因此编码LMP1的基因BNLF－1被认为是EBV的瘤基因。BNLF－1基因具有广泛的生物学功能,在鼻咽癌的发生发展过程中起重要作用。近年的研究表明,鼻咽癌来源的EBV与标准株EBV比较存在相当的变异,而鼻咽癌来源的LMP1在致瘤性上也明显强于标准株LMP1。本文将综述BNLF－1基因生物学功能研究方面的新进展,并简要介绍变异型LMP1研究的新成果。     

EB病毒编码的潜伏膜蛋白与泛素蛋白酶系统

EB病毒(Epstein-Barr virus,EBV)是人类疱疹病毒,与淋巴系统、上皮细胞肿瘤相关。其编码潜伏性膜蛋白(LMPl、LMP2A和LMP2B)特别是LMP1,由于它是众多EBV编码蛋白质中唯一被明确证明能恶性转化原代B细胞、鼠成纤维细胞和人上皮细胞的蛋白质,所以被列为癌基因。最近对潜伏膜蛋白的研究显示．潜伏膜蛋白与病毒利用泛素蛋白酶系统来达到逃避宿主免疫应答等机制有关,研究这个过程也许可以开发新的策略来防治EBV相关肿瘤。     

EB病毒疫苗的研究进展

EB病毒是一种感染最广泛的人类γ疱疹病毒,与传染性单核细胞增多症、鼻咽癌、Hodgkin’s淋巴瘤以及Burkitt淋巴瘤等发生密切相关。预防和治疗EB病毒相关疾病一直是研究的热点,预防性疫苗主要以病毒包膜糖蛋白gp350为靶点,刺激机体产生抗体以阻止病毒感染;已有多种疫苗进入临床试验,用于预防传染性单核细胞增多症和器官移植后淋巴增殖性紊乱等疾病,并取得良好的试验结果。治疗性疫苗则以病毒复制感染过程中表达的病毒核抗原(EBNAs)和潜伏膜蛋白(LMP1和LMP2)为免疫治疗靶点,刺激机体产生特异性细胞免疫应答,增强细胞毒性T细胞杀伤肿瘤作用。国内外均已有疫苗进入针对鼻咽癌等肿瘤免疫治疗的临床试验,试验结果表明疫苗兼具良好的安全性和免疫原性。本文还综述EB病毒疫苗研究的最新方法、策略和成果,并探讨其中可借鉴的技术和思路,为EB病毒疫苗的研究提供潜在可行的新途径。     

EB病毒及其癌基因LMP1对上皮细胞的转化作用

EB病毒(EBV)是一种人群感染率较高的致病性疱疹病毒,与伯基特氏淋巴瘤、鼻咽癌的关系最为明确。近年来EBV在上皮源性肿瘤发生、发展中的作用受到众多学的关注,而其癌基因LMP1在上皮源性肿瘤发病的病因学方面的作用更成为研究的热点。本综述就EBV进入上皮细胞、永生化上皮细胞的机制、LMP1的基本结构及其对上皮细胞的生物学功能作一较为详细的阐述。     

埃巴病毒潜伏膜蛋白的研究进展

埃巴病毒(Epstein-Barr Virus, EBV)是一种在人群中感染率高达90%的γ-疱疹病毒,其感染宿主细胞后常以潜伏形式存在并伴随终生,在一定条件诱导下,由潜伏感染转化为裂解感染,导致多种恶性肿瘤的发生。LMP1和LMP2是EBV编码的重要潜伏膜蛋白,它们锚定于细胞膜脂筏区,通过与宿主细胞内多种信号传递分子如TRAF家族蛋白、Caspase家族蛋白和STAT家族等相互作用,参与细胞内多条信号转导通路,进而影响细胞迁移与凋亡,与淋巴组织增生性疾病和恶性肿瘤的发生有着密切联系。本文阐述了LMP1和LMP2的结构特征,在宿主细胞内的基因表达调控及参与信号转导途径的机制等,旨在推进EBV发病机理研究及疫苗的研发等科研进展。     

携带EBV-LMP2基因的DNA疫苗、腺相关病毒疫苗和腺病毒疫苗免疫小鼠的特异性细胞免疫应答

细胞免疫应答, 尤其是CD3⁺CD8⁺细胞毒性T淋巴细胞(cytotoxic T lymphocyte, CTL), 在控制病毒感染中扮演着重要角色. 鼻咽癌(nasopharyngenl carcinoma, NPC)与EB病毒(epstein-barr virus, EBV)持续感染密切相关, 在鼻咽癌疫苗的研究中, 人们将研究重点放在增强特异性抗病毒CTL应答上. 本研究单独或联合使用表达EB病毒潜伏膜蛋白抗原2(epstein-barr virus latent membrane protein 2, EBV-LMP2)的DNA疫苗、腺相关病毒(adeno-associated virus, AAV)疫苗、非复制5型腺病毒疫苗(Ad5), 分别于0, 2, 4周肌肉注射免疫4~6周龄的雌性Balb/C小鼠, IFN-γ 免疫斑点法检测EBV-LMP2特异性细胞免疫应答水平. 疫苗诱导的特异性细胞应答水平与疫苗的免疫策略有关. 其中, 使用3种载体疫苗联合免疫的效果最好, 其次则是先使用DNA疫苗免疫两次, 再用腺病毒疫苗加强免疫一次的联合免疫方法. DNA疫苗和AAV疫苗单独免疫能够诱导出特异性的CTL, 但与联合免疫相比诱导的应答水平很低. 结果表明, 使用DNA, AAV和腺病毒载体疫苗联合免疫, 能够更好地诱导机体产生特异性细胞免疫应答, 为鼻咽癌的防治提供了很好的疫苗策略.     

实时定量PCR方法检测鼻咽癌病人全血EB病毒拷贝数的实验研究

EBV在多种肿瘤中存在,并在相关肿瘤的发病中起一定的作用。本文应用实时定量PCR方法检测鼻咽癌与健康对照全血EBV拷贝数。结果表明在73例鼻咽癌病人与83例正常对照中,NPC组中EBV阳性率为46.6%,对照组阳性率为13.3%。对照组平均EB病毒拷贝数为3.9×10~4拷贝/μgDNA,高于鼻咽癌组(1.7×10~5拷贝/μgDNA)。全血EBV的感染与鼻咽癌的发生相关,而裂解状态EBV在细胞转化过程中的作用可能更大。应用实时定量PCR进行全血EBV的检测可用于鼻咽癌的分子诊断。     

自身肽结合于HLA-A2分子上能够在体外诱导抗原肽特异性的同种T细胞

在同种反应性T细胞(同种T细胞)识别的配体中, 抗原肽的作用是免疫学长期争论的问题, 即同种T细胞识别是否具有抗原肽特异性. 为了证实通过长期混合淋巴细胞培养(LTMLC)方法能够诱生抗原肽/MHC复合物(pMHC)特异性的同种T细胞, 本研究利用仅表达HLA-A2, TAP缺陷的T2细胞, 将酪氨酸激酶来源的自身抗原肽(Tyr_369-377)和EB病毒来源的病毒抗原肽(LMP2A_426-434)分别加载到T2细胞上, 使T2细胞提呈单一的T细胞抗原识别表位, 并且选择4个HLA-A2阳性(HLA-A2+ve)与4个HLA-A2阴性(HLA-A2-ve)个体的PBL样本, 与加载上述抗原肽的T2细胞混合培养. 在此实验系统中, HLA-A2+ve PBL与加载病毒抗原肽的T2细胞(T2/LMP)混合培养代表T细胞对普通抗原的反应, 而HLA-A2-ve PBL与加载自身抗原肽的T2细胞(T2/Tyr)混合培养则为T细胞对同种抗原的反应. 利用特异性pMHC四聚体染色与特异性细胞毒试验检测LTMLC诱生CTL的特异性, 其中利用HIV抗原肽(Gag_77-85)作为对照. 结果显示: (ⅰ) T2/LMP与HLA-A2+ve个体的PBL混合培养产生CTL(CTL-T2/LMP), CTL-T2/LMP对T2/LMP的杀伤显著高于对照T2/HIV的杀伤(26.52%±3.72% vs 7.01%±0.87%, P<0.001); LMP四聚体对CTL-T2/LMP染色的阳性细胞数显著高于对照HIV四聚体 (0.98%±0.33% vs 0.05%±0.01%, P=0.0014); (ⅱ) 加载自身抗原肽的T2细胞(T2/Tyr)可诱导HLA-A2-ve个体的PBL产生CTL(CTL-T2/Tyr), CTL-T2/Tyr对T2/Tyr的杀伤显著高于对T2/HIV的杀伤(28.07%±2.58% vs 6.87±1.01%, P<0.001); Tyr四聚体对CTL-T2/Tyr染色的阳性细胞数显著高于HIV四聚体(0.88%±0.3% vs 0.06±0.03%, P=0.0018). 结果说明: 结合于自身MHC分子上的病毒抗原肽与结合于同种MHC分子上的自身抗原肽都能诱导产生抗原肽特异性的CTL; 在LTMLC诱生的同种CTL中, 有相当数量的CTL具有pMHC特异性, 这些同种CTL的识别机制与普通抗原反应性CTL一样, 识别的对象也是特异性的pMHC. 支持了同种抗原的pMHC种类繁多造成同种T细胞反应强度极高的假说. 利用LTMLC诱生抗原肽特异性同种T细胞方法对于T细胞过继治疗具有潜在的应用价值.     

CD4+T细胞在肿瘤免疫治疗中的作用

近年来,人们对CD4 T细胞在肿瘤免疫治疗中的作用给予了极大的关注,CD4 T细胞不仅可通过IFN-γ依赖性等机制直接杀伤肿瘤细胞,而且在CD8 T细胞的激活、记忆性的细胞毒性T细胞(CTL)应答的产生、维持以及促进其存活等过程中发挥着重要作用,同时激活CD4 T细胞和CD8 T细胞是免疫治疗的理想策略;另外,CD4 CD25 调节性T细胞(Treg细胞)可能被肿瘤表达的自身抗原所诱导,与肿瘤免疫耐受的维持和抗肿瘤应答的下调有关,被认为是免疫治疗失败的主要原因,抑制该细胞亚群可增强治疗性肿瘤疫苗的临床效果.现就CD4 T细胞在肿瘤免疫治疗中的作用的研究进展作一综述.     

Exosomes as potent cell-free peptide-based vaccine. I. Dendritic cell-derived exosomes transfer functional MHC class I/peptide complexes to dendritic cells

Current immunization protocols in cancer patients involve CTL-defined tumor peptides. Mature dendritic cells (DC) are the most potent APCs for the priming of naive CD8(+) T cells, eventually leading to tumor eradication. Because DC can secrete MHC class I-bearing exosomes, we addressed whether exosomes pulsed with synthetic peptides could subserve the DC function consisting in MHC class I-restricted, peptide-specific CTL priming in vitro and in vivo. The priming of CTL restricted by HLA-A2 molecules and specific for melanoma peptides was performed: 1) using in vitro stimulations of total blood lymphocytes with autologous DC pulsed with GMP-manufactured autologous exosomes in a series of normal volunteers; 2) in HLA-A2 transgenic mice (HHD2) using exosomes harboring functional HLA-A2/Mart1 peptide complexes. In this study, we show that: 1). DC release abundant MHC class I/peptide complexes transferred within exosomes to other naive DC for efficient CD8(+) T cell priming in vitro; 2). exosomes require nature's adjuvants (mature DC) to efficiently promote the differentiation of melanoma-specific effector T lymphocytes producing IFN-gamma (Tc1) effector lymphocytes in HLA-A2 transgenic mice (HHD2). These data imply that exosomes might be a transfer mechanism of functional MHC class I/peptide complexes to DC for efficient CTL activation in vivo.     

二硝基氟苯修饰的黑色素瘤细胞激活树突状细胞诱导特异性T细胞反应

目的:探索半抗原二硝基氟苯(DNP)修饰的恶性黑色素瘤细胞(恶黑)激活树突状细胞(DC)后,在体外诱导特异性T细胞反应的抗肿瘤效应。方法:采用DNP修饰恶黑细胞M3(H-2d),然后在体外激活BALB/c小鼠(H-2d)外周血来源的DC,用于激发自体的T细胞,观察对T细胞的增殖和特异性T细胞的杀伤功能。结果:经DNP修饰的M3细胞激活的DC,其诱发的T细胞增殖能力和对M3细胞的特异性杀伤效应均明显高于未修饰的M3细胞组和DC组。结论:DNP修饰M3所激活的DC可以诱导更强的恶黑特异性T细胞效应。     

Active suppression of host-vs-graft reaction in pregnant mice. VI. Soluble suppressor activity obtained from decidua of allopregnant mice blocks the response to IL 2

The mammalian fetus expresses a variety of antigens against which the maternal immune system can react and which in an allogeneic mating bears paternal transplantation antigens. Although these antigens may be expressed on the fetal trophoblast cells that contact maternal uterine decidua, the "fetal allograft" is not usually rejected. Previous studies have demonstrated the presence of nonspecific non-thymus-derived suppressor cells in the lymph nodes draining the uterus and in decidua of laboratory mice undergoing first allogeneic pregnancy. These suppressor cells appeared to be small lymphocyte cells that inhibit the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in vitro and in vivo and elaborate a nonspecific non-MHC-restricted soluble suppressor activity when cultured for 48 hours at 37 degrees C in vitro. We now report that soluble suppressor activity obtained from the decidua (DS) of allopregnant C3H/HeJ mice inhibits both the primary and secondary (memory) CTL response in vitro but does not inhibit lysis of target cells by preformed CTL. DS did not suppress the proliferation of YAC lymphoma cells, P-815 cells, or a C3H placental trophoblastoma line. Suppressor activity was obtained from anti-thy-1.2 + complement-resistant cells in the decidua, could also be obtained from the decidua of allopregnant CD1 nu/nu mice, and was associated with a single peak of activity of approximately 100,000 daltons on Sephacryl 200 chromatography. Suppression could not be overcome by adding either crude or HPLC-purified IL 2 to the mixed lymphocyte cultures in vitro, and both crude and column-purified suppressor factor inhibited the IL 2-dependent proliferation of H-Y cells (a cloned T cell line with NK activity). Furthermore, DS inhibited the IL 2-dependent generation of cytotoxic effector cells in vitro in the absence of allogeneic stimulator cells. Thus, a soluble suppressor factor obtained from non-T cells present in the decidua of successfully allopregnant mice could block the response to IL 2 and inhibit the generation of both specific and nonspecific cytotoxic effector cells. The significance of this inhibition with respect to survival of the "fetal allograft" is discussed.     

Cutting edge: TLR ligands are not sufficient to break cross-tolerance to self-antigens

Cross-presentation of peripheral self-Ags by dendritic cells (DC) can induce deletion of autoreactive CTL by a mechanism termed cross-tolerance. Activation of DC by microbial TLR ligands is thought to result in adaptive immunity. However, activation of tolerogenic DC may cause autoimmunity by stimulating instead of deleting autoreactive CTL. To investigate this scenario, we have monitored the response of autoreactive CTL in specific for the transgenic self Ag, OVA, expressed in pancreatic islets of RIP-mOVA mice injected with ligands of TLR2, 3, 4, and 9. This somewhat enhanced proliferation and cytokine production, and moderately reduced the CTL number able to induce autoimmunity. Nevertheless, physiological CTL numbers were deleted before disease ensued, unless specific CD4 T cell help was provided. In conclusion, DC activation by TLR ligands was insufficient to break peripheral cross-tolerance in the absence of specific CD4 T cell help, and triggered autoimmunity by stimulating the early effector phase of autoreactive CTL only when their precursor frequency was extremely high.     

Antigen presentation by an immature myeloid dendritic cell line does not cause CTL deletion in vivo, but generates CD8+ central memory-like T cells that can be rescued for full effector function

Immature dendritic cells (DC), in contrast to their mature counterparts, are incapable of mobilizing a CD8+ CTL response, and, instead, have been reported to induce CTL tolerance. We directly addressed the impact of immature vs mature DC on CTL responses by infusing adenovirus peptide-loaded DC (of the D1 cell line) into mice that had received adenovirus-specific naive TCR-transgenic CD8+ T cells. Whereas i.v. injection of mature DC triggered vigorous CTL expansion, immature DC elicited little proliferation involving only a minority of the TCR-transgenic CTL. Even though the latter CTL developed effector functions, including cytolytic activity and proinflammatory cytokine secretion, these cells differed significantly from CTL primed by mature DC in that they did not exhibit down-regulation of CD62L and CCR7, receptors involved in trapping of T cells in the lymphoid organs. Interestingly, adoptive transfer of CTL effector cells harvested after priming by either mature or immature DC into naive recipient mice, followed by exposure to adenovirus, yielded quantitatively and qualitatively indistinguishable CTL memory responses. Therefore, in vivo priming of naive CD8+ T cells by immature DC, although failing to induce a full-blown, systemic CTL response, resulted in the formation of central memory-like T cells that were able to expand and produce IFN-gamma upon secondary antigenic stimulation.     

Anti-tumor effects of fusion vaccine prepared by renal cell carcinoma 786-O cell line and peripheral blood dendritic cells of healthy volunteers in vitro and in human immune reconstituted SCID mice

Dendritic cells (DC), as professional antigen presenting cells, play the central role in the process of body initiating the anti-tumor immunity, and the study on DC anti-tumor vaccine has become heated in recent years. In this study, we used polyethylene glycol (PEG) to induce renal cell carcinoma (RCC) 786-O cell line fused with peripheral blood DC of healthy volunteers, and discuss the biological characteristics of fusion vaccine and its anti-tumor effects in vitro and in human immune reconstituted SCID mice model of RCC. The study found that PEG could effectively induce cell fusion, and the expressions of CD86 and HLA-DR in fusion vaccine group were significantly up-regulated compared with the DC control group; the secretion of IL-12 was much higher and longer than that of the control; the functions of dendritic cell-tumor fusion vaccine to stimulate the proliferation of allogenic T lymphocytes and to kill RCC786-O cells in vitro were significantly higher than those of the control group, and after the killing, apoptosis body was observed in the target cells; after the injection of fusion vaccine into human immune reconstituted SCID mice model of RCC786-O via vena caudalis, the volume of mice tumor was reduced significantly, proliferation index of tumor cells decreased obviously compared with that of the control group, and more hemorrhage and putrescence focuses presented, accompanying large quantity of lymphocytes soakage. The results of this experimental study shows that fusion vaccine of RCC786-O cell line and DC can significantly stimulate the proliferation of allogenic T cells and specifically inhibit and kill RCC cells in vitro and in vivo, which makes the DC-RCC786-O fusion vaccine a possible new way of effective RCC immunotherapy.     

Dendritic cell editing by activated natural killer cells results in a more protective cancer-specific immune response

Over the last decade, several studies have extensively reported that activated natural killer (NK) cells can kill autologous immature dendritic cells (DCs) in vitro, whereas they spare fully activated DCs. This led to the proposal that activated NK cells might select a more immunogenic subset of DCs during a protective immune response. However, there is no demonstration that autologous DC killing by NK cells is an event occurring in vivo and, consequently, the functional relevance of this killing remains elusive. Here we report that a significant decrease of CD11c(+) DCs was observed in draining lymph nodes of mice inoculated with MHC-devoid cells as NK cell targets able to induce NK cell activation. This in vivo DC editing by NK cells was perforin-dependent and it was functionally relevant, since residual lymph node DCs displayed an improved capability to induce T cell proliferation. In addition, in a model of anti-cancer vaccination, the administration of MHC-devoid cells together with tumor cells increased the number of tumor-specific CTLs and resulted in a significant increase in survival of mice upon challenge with a lethal dose of tumor cells. Depletion of NK cells or the use of perforin knockout mice strongly decreased the tumor-specific CTL expansion and its protective role against tumor cell challenge. As a whole, our data support the hypothesis that NK cell-mediated DC killing takes place in vivo and is able to promote expansion of cancer-specific CTLs. Our results also indicate that cancer vaccines could be improved by strategies aimed at activating NK cells.     

Induction of TNP-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte memory in vivo in the absence of T helper cell activity

The question of whether TH cells are required for the priming of CTL precursors (CTLp) in vivo was studied by using Txbm mice (Thymectomized, irradiated, and stem cell-reconstituted mice). In these mice, TNP-specific CTL could be induced in vitro with TNP-coupled spleen cells only if the cultures were supplemented with an IL 2-containing supernatant (ConAsup). In contrast to normal mice, TNP-specific Lyt-2-TH cells could not be induced by skin painting with trinitrochlorobenzene (TNCB) (as tested by the ability to help CTL formation from thymocyte or normal spleen precursors). These data confirm previous findings that Txbm mice possess CTLp but that their TH compartment is deficient. TNCB skin painting had, however, a clear priming effect on the CTLp population: spleen cells from TNCB-painted mice could give rise to specific CTL with a lower amount of ConAsup than spleen cells from unprimed mice. In addition to this, priming changed the CTLp so that stimulation with lightly coupled cells (0.1 mM trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid [TNBS] instead of 10 mM TNBS) became effective. These changes took place without a significant increase in the frequency of TNP-specific CTL precursors. The data obtained are consistent with the concept that at least with some antigens, CTLp proliferation (clonal expansion), which is probably caused by activated TH cells, is not required for the induction of immunologic memory in vivo.     

CD8+ T cell-dependent elimination of dendritic cells in vivo limits the induction of antitumor immunity

The fate of dendritic cells (DC) after they have initiated a T cell immune response is still undefined. We have monitored the migration of DC labeled with a fluorescent tracer and injected s.c. into naive mice or into mice with an ongoing immune response. DC not loaded with Ag were detected in the draining lymph node in excess of 7 days after injection with maximum numbers detectable approximately 40 h after transfer. In contrast, DC that had been loaded with an MHC class I-binding peptide disappeared from the lymph node with kinetics that parallel the known kinetics of activation of CD8+ T cells to effector function. In the presence of high numbers of specific CTL precursors, as in TCR transgenic mice, DC numbers were significantly decreased by 72 h after injection. The rate of DC disappearance was extremely rapid and efficient in recently immunized mice and was slower in "memory" mice in which memory CD8+ cells needed to reacquire effector function before mediating DC elimination. We also show that CTL-mediated clearance of Ag-loaded DC has a notable effect on immune responses in vivo. Ag-specific CD8+ T cells failed to divide in response to Ag presented on a DC if the DC were targets of a pre-existing CTL response. The induction of antitumor immunity by tumor Ag-loaded DC was also impaired. Therefore, CTL-mediated clearance of Ag-loaded DC may serve as a negative feedback mechanism to limit the activity of DC within the lymph node.