Tumor control in a model of bone marrow transplantation and acute liver-infiltrating B-cell lymphoma: an unpredicted novel function of cytomegalovirus

Tumor relapse and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection are major concerns in the therapy of hematopoietic malignancies by bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Little attention so far has been given to a possible pathogenetic interplay between CMV and lymphomas. CMV inhibits stem cell engraftment and hematopoietic reconstitution. Thus, by causing maintenance of bone marrow aplasia and immunodeficiency, CMV could promote tumor relapse. Alternatively, CMV could aid tumor remission. One might think of cytopathogenic infection of tumor cells, induction of apoptosis or inhibitory cytokines, interference with tumor cell extravasation or tumor vascularization, or bystander stimulation of an antitumoral immune response. To approach these questions, the established model of experimental BMT and murine CMV infection was extended by the introduction of liver-infiltrating, highly tumorigenic variant clone E12E of BALB/c-derived B-cell lymphoma A20. We document a remarkable retardation of lymphoma progression. First-guess explanations were ruled out: (i) lymphoma cells were not infected; (ii) lymphoma cells located next to infected hepatocytes did not express executioner caspase 3 but were viable and proliferated; (iii) an inhibitory effect of virus on the formation of tumor nodules in the liver became apparent by day 7 after BMT, long before the reconstitution of immune cells; and (iv) recombinant tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) did not substitute for virus; accordingly anti-TNF-alpha did not prevent the inhibition. Notably, while the antitumoral effect required replicative virus, prevention of cytopathogenic infection of the liver by antiviral CD8 T cells did not abolish lymphoma control. These findings are paradigmatic for a novel virus-associated antitumoral mechanism distinct from oncolysis.     

Gender dimorphism of tumor growth: role of gonadal hormones in differential regulation of apoptosis of a murine T cell lymphoma

The present investigation was undertaken to study if a gender-dependent differential induction of tumor cell apoptosis is responsible for the manifestation of gender dimorphism observed in the growth of a transplantable murine T cell lymphoma, designated as Dalton’s lymphoma (DL). Tumor cell samples obtained from male tumor-bearing mice showed a higher number of cells with apoptotic morphology compared to that observed in female tumor-bearing mice. In this report we demonstrate that male hormone androgen and female hormone estrogen can differentially modulate tumor cell proliferation and apoptosis through alteration in the expression pattern of cell death regulating genes: p53 and CAD. DL cells were shown to express mRNA for androgen and estrogen receptors. Further these gonadal hormones also induced tumor cells to produce tumor growth regulating proteins: VEGF, TGF-β, IL-2, IL-2R, SOCS, Hsp-70 and IFN-γ which in turn either through autocrine action on tumor cells or via TAM-derived NO were observed to regulate tumor cell apoptosis leading to gender dimorphism of tumor growth. This study also discusses the possible mechanism involved. The study has clinical significance as these results will helps in understanding the mechanism of gender dimorphism with respect to the progression of T-cells tumors.     

Cytomegalovirus Inhibits the Engraftment of Donor Bone Marrow Cells by Downregulation of Hemopoietin Gene Expression in Recipient Stroma

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease after bone marrow (BM) transplantation is often associated with BM graft failure. There are two possible reasons for such a correlation. First, a poor hematopoietic reconstitution of unrelated etiology could promote the progression of CMV infection by the lack of immune control. Alternatively, CMV infection could interfere with the engraftment of donor BM cells in recipient BM stroma. Evidence for a causative role of CMV in BM aplasia came from studies in long-term BM cultures and from the murine in vivo model of CMV-induced aplastic anemia. A deficiency in the expression of essential stromal hemopoietins, such as stem cell factor (SCF), has indicated a functional insufficiency of the stromal microenvironment. It remained open to question whether CMV mediates a negative regulation of hemopoietin gene expression (the downregulation model) or whether it causes the default of a positive regulator (the lack-of-induction model). Further, even though implicitly assumed, it has never been formally documented that CMV directly interferes with the engraftment of a BM cell transplant. We addressed these problems in a murine model of CMV infection after experimental male-into-female BM transplantation. The data indicate that the downregulation model applies. Quantitation of the male-sex-determining gene tdy demonstrated an impaired engraftment of donor BM cells in the BM stroma of the female recipients. This graft failure was reflected by a diminished population of SCF-receptor-expressing hematopoietic progenitor cells and correlated with a reduced level of stromal SCF gene expression. Interestingly, high doses of BM cells protected against stromal insufficiency by a mechanism unrelated to control of infection.     

Age-adjusted antitumoral therapy based on the demonstration of increased apoptosis as a mechanism underlying the reduced malignancy of tumors in the aged

In view of the constant increase in the aged population, age-adjusted cancer therapy becomes an urgent target. Although cancer incidence rises with age, paradoxically, growth rate and metastasis often proceed at a slower rate in the aged. Determining the mechanism(s) underlying this reduced tumor progression in the old might have implications for a rational design of age-adjusted therapy. Thus far, decreased cell proliferation or immune response modifications were suggested as possible mechanisms. We show here that an increased tendency to apoptotic tumor cell death in the aged could constitute an additional mechanism. Based on this mechanism, we compared the therapeutic efficacy of two apoptosis inducers, hydrocortisone and adriamycin, on AKR lymphoma and B16 melanoma growth in young and old mice. Treatment with hydrocortisone acetate inhibited tumor growth practically only in old mice in the two tumor systems. Similar effects were obtained with adriamycin treatment of AKR lymphoma but opposite results were seen with B16 melanoma. We thus demonstrated, in three of the four tumor-therapeutic modality systems examined, an age-related antitumoral efficacy of two apoptosis-inducing agents, with tendency for a remarkably more pronounced effect in aged mice.     

Bone marrow failure by cytomegalovirus is associated with an in vivo deficiency in the expression of essential stromal hemopoietin genes.

Bone marrow (BM) failure associated with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a feared complication after clinical BM transplantation. Experiments in long-term BM cultures have indicated that BM stromal cells (BMSC) are targets of productive CMV infection, but an in situ infection of BM stroma remained to be documented, and the pathomechanism is open to question. Here we describe a murine in vivo model of lethal CMV aplastic anemia (CMV-AA). The reconstitution of hematopoietic progenitor cells expressing stem cell factor (SCF) receptor was found to be defective in CMV-AA. While murine CMV replication in permissive parenchymal tissues is cytolytic, the hematopoietic cord was found to be a site of very limited virus production with foci of reticular BMSC expressing the intranuclear viral IE1 protein, but with only a few BMSC positive for viral genome in the in situ hybridization. XX-XY BM chimeras were established in order to quantitate Y-chromosome-tagged BMSC by a PCR specific for the male-sex-determining gene Tdy. This approach revealed that murine CMV infection is not associated with a significant loss of BMSC. Despite the physical integrity of the stromal network, the functional integrity of the stroma was impaired. While housekeeping genes were expressed normally in BMSC of infected mice, the expression of genes encoding the essential hemopoietins SCF, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and interleukin-6 was markedly reduced. In conclusion, the mechanism of BM failure is not a stromal lesion but an insufficient stromal function. These findings explain CMV-AA as a manifestation of multiple hemopoietin deficiency.     

Immortalization of macrophages from mouse bone marrow and fetal liver

Fresh bone marrow (BM)-derived cells infected with the J2 recombinant retrovirus (carrying v-myc and v-raf/mil oncogenes) grow as immortal cell lines belonging to the monocytic lineage. BM cells cultured for 24 h in conventional medium are no longer able to grow following infection with the J2 virus. We investigated whether specific growth factors affected the proliferative response of BM cells to the J2 virus. If the BM cells were cultured for 24 h in the presence of concanavalin A or CSF-1 and then infected with the J2 virus, immortalization of BM cells was observed. Under these conditions, the cell lines that we obtained were shown to belong to the monocytic lineage. We investigated whether target cells for the J2 virus existed in other hematopoietic organs. We observed J2-induced proliferation in fetal liver (FL) but not in spleen or thymus. The cells proliferating in the FL had macrophage characteristics during the early passages. However, some macrophage markers were lost upon extensive in vitro culture. We conclude that we have identified conditions in which J2 virus consistently and selectively stimulates the growth of macrophages from murine bone marrow and a wider range of hematopoietic cells from fetal liver.     

Human T-cell leukemia virus infection of human hematopoietic progenitor cells: maintenance of virus infection during differentiation in vitro and in vivo.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-1) is the etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia and lymphoma and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy-tropical spastic paraparesis. We examined whether HTLV could productively infect human hematopoietic progenitor cells. CD34+ cells were enriched from human fetal liver cells and cocultivated with cell lines transformed with HTLV-1 and -2. HTLV-1 infection was established in between 10 and >95% of the enriched CD34+ cell population, as demonstrated by quantitative PCR analysis. HTLV-1 p19 Gag expression was also detected in infected hematopoietic progenitor cells. HTLV-1-infected hematopoietic progenitor cells were cultured in semisolid medium permissive for the development of erythbroid (BFU-E), myeloid (CFU-GM), and primitive progenitor (CFU-GEMM, HPP-CFC, or CFU-A) colonies. HTLV-1 sequences were detected in colonies of all hematopoietic lineages; furthermore, the ratio of HTLV genomes to the number of human cells in each infected colony was 1:1, consistent with each colony arising from a single infected hematopoietic progenitor cell. Severe combined immunodeficient mice engrafted with human fetal thymus and liver tissues (SCID-hu) develop a conjoint organ which supports human thymocyte differentiation and maturation. Inoculation of SCID-hu mice with HTLV-1-infected T cells or enriched populations of CD34+ cells established viral infection of thymocytes 4 to 6 weeks postreconstitution. Thymocytes from two mice with the greatest HTLV-1 proviral burdens showed increased expression of the CD25 marker and the interleukin 2 receptor alpha chain and perturbation of CD4+ and CD8+ thymocyte subset distribution profiles. Hematopoietic progenitor cells and thymuses may be targets for HTLV infection in humans, and these events may play a role in the pathogenesis associated with infection.     

Combined radiation therapy and dendritic cell vaccine for treating solid tumors with liver micro-metastasis

BACKGROUND: Tumor metastasis and relapse are major obstacles in combating human malignant diseases. Neither radiotherapy alone nor injection of dendritic cells (DCs) can successfully overcome this problem. Radiation induces tumor cell apoptosis and necrosis, resulting in the release of tumor antigen and danger signals, which are favorable for DC capturing antigens and maturation. Hence, the strategy of combined irradiation and DC vaccine may be a novel approach for treating human malignancies and early metastasis. METHODS: To develop an effective combined therapeutic approach, we established a novel concomitant local tumor and liver metastases model through subcutaneous (s.c.) and intravenous (i.v.) injection. We selected the optimal time for DC injection after irradiation and investigated the antitumor effect of combining irradiation with DC intratumoral injection and the related mechanism. RESULTS: Combined treatment with radiotherapy and DC vaccine could induce a potent antitumor immune response, resulting in a significant decrease in the rate of local tumor relapse and the numbers of liver metastases. The related mechanisms for this strong antitumor immunity of this combined therapy might be associated with the production of apoptotic and necrotic tumor antigens and heat shock proteins after irradiation, phagocytosis, migration and maturation of DCs, and induction of more efficient tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity through a cross-presentation pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Co-administration of local irradiation and intratumoral DC injection may be a promising strategy for treating radiosensitive tumors and eliminating metastasis in the clinic.     

Current advances and expectations in tumor immunology]

Natural killer (NK) cells and Interferon (IFN)-gamma have been implicated in immune surveillance against tumor. We demonstrated the critical role of perforin in NK cell-mediated cytotoxic activity and anti-tumor effect in IFN-gamma inducible IL-12. And, we recently reported that TRAIL is constitutively expressed on a substantial proportion of murine NK cells in the liver, and which is responsible for spontaneous cytotoxicity and the anti-metastatic activity against TRAIL-sensitive tumor cells along with perforin and Fas ligand. Interestingly, the TRAIL expression on liver NK cells appeared to be regulated by endogenously produced IFN-gamma. Consisting with this finding, IL-12 and NKT cell specific ligand, alpha-Galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer), induced TRAIL-mediated cytotoxcity and anti-tumor effect, and which was mediated by TRAIL expressed on IFN-gamma-activated NK cells. Tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a type II transmembrane protein belonging to the TNF family, which preferentially induces apoptotic cell death in various tumor cells in vitro. Preclinical studies in mice and nonhuman primates have shown that administration of recombinant soluble forms of TRAIL could suppress the growth of TRAIL-sensitive tumor xenografts with no apparent systemic toxicity. These studies suggested a potential utility of TRAIL as a cancer therapeutic, although TRAIL expression at protein levels and its physiological roles in tumor surveillance has remained unknown. Presented findings provide the first evidence for the physiological function of TRAIL as a tumor suppressor.     

Intra-tumoral injection of CpG results in the inhibition of tumor growth in murine Colon-26 and B-16 tumors

Direct tumor injections of CpG (ODN #1826) into murine tumors markedly suppressed the tumor growth and increased the survival of the mice. Tumor growth was reduced by 60–67% in Colon Tumor 26 (CT-26) and B-16 melanoma tumors treated with CpG as compared to untreated one. In CT-26 and B-16 tumors treated with CpG, the average survival of the animals were prolonged to 26 and 28 d as compared to 16 and 18 d in control respectively. Long-term surviving animals in CT-26 tumor groups were also protected from a subsequent injection of a lethal dose of tumor cells. In the present study, effect of CpG was mediated through CD8⁺ T cells, as their depletion resulted in the abrogation of the therapeutic effects of the CpG. It suggests that direct tumor injection might be a simple means of achieving a clinical response in cancer patients.     

Hematopoietic changes and altered reactivity to IL-17 in Syphacia obvelata-infected mice

Pinworm parasites commonly infect laboratory mice with high prevalence even in well-managed animal colonies. Although often considered as irrelevant, these parasites if undetected may significantly interfere with the experimental settings and alter the interpretation of final results. There are a few reports documenting the effects of pinworms on research and the effects of pinworms on the host hematopoiesis have not yet been investigated. In this study we examined the changes within various hematopoietic cell lineages in the bone marrow, spleen, peripheral blood and peritoneal space during naturally acquired Syphacia obvelata infection in inbred CBA mice. The data obtained showed significant hematopoietic alterations, characterized by increased myelopoiesis and erythropoiesis in S. obvelata-infected animals. In order to additionally evaluate if this pinworm infection modifies hematopoietic cells' reactivity, we examined the effect of murine interleukin-17, T cell-derived cytokine implicated in the regulation of hematopoiesis and inflammation, on the growth of bone marrow progenitor cells and demonstrated that bone marrow myeloid and erythroid progenitors from S. obvelata-infected mice displayed altered sensitivity to IL-17 when compared to non-infected controls. Taken together the alterations presented pointed out that this rodent pinworm is an important environmental agent that might significantly modify the hosts' hematopoietic response, and therefore interfere with the experimental settings and alter the interpretation of the final results. However, the results obtained also contributed new data concerning the activity of IL-17 on bone marrow hematopoietic cells, supporting our previous reports that depending on physiological/pathological status of the organism IL-17 exerts differential effects on the growth of progenitor cells.     

Insulin-like growth factor-I supports proliferation of autocrine thymic lymphoma cells with a pre-T cell phenotype

We have studied the phenotypic characteristics and growth properties of murine T lymphoma cell lines derived from primary x-ray-induced thymic lymphomas at the earliest stage at which they can be detected, and well before spreading to other organs has occurred. These cell lines serve as model systems for the earliest events in T cell lymphoma induction, before tumor cell progression and spreading to other organs. We find that primary x-ray-induced T cell lymphoma lines have phenotypic characteristics of thymic pre-T cells and show no proliferative response to any of the IL tested nor to other hematopoietic growth factors. However, they do proliferate in response to insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and to a small autocrine peptide distinct from IGF-I, which we term lymphoma growth factor. One of the earliest lesions in T cell lymphoma induction may therefore be an inhibition of differentiation at one of several specific points. In its early stages, T lymphoma cell growth may be restricted to an environment where local concentrations of specific growth factors such as IGF-I or lymphoma growth factor are sufficiently high.     

Parvovirus nonstructural proteins induce an epigenetic modification through histone acetylation in host genes and revert tumor malignancy to benignancy

Several malignant tumor cells become apoptotic and revert to the benign phenotype upon parvovirus infection. Recently, we demonstrated that the rat parvovirus RPV/UT also induces apoptosis in the rat thymic lymphoma cell line C58(NT)D. However, a minority of cells that escaped apoptosis showed properties different from the parental cells, such as resistance to apoptosis, enhanced cell adherence, and suppressed tumorigenicity. The present study was performed to determine the molecular mechanism of parvovirus-induced phenotypic modification, including oncosuppression. We demonstrated that the nonstructural (NS) proteins of RPV/UT induced apoptosis in C58(NT)D cells and suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Interestingly, NS proteins induced the expression of ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor alpha, which is up-regulated in revertant cell clones, and enhanced histone acetylation of its gene. These results indicate that parvoviral NS regulate host gene expression through histone acetylation, suggesting a possible mechanism of oncosuppression.     

Tumor growth retardation and chemosensitizing action of fatty acid synthase inhibitor orlistat on T cell lymphoma: Implication of reconstituted tumor microenvironment and multidrug resistance phenotype

Background

Orlistat, a fatty acid synthase (FASN) inhibitor, has been demonstrated to inhibit tumor cell survival. However, the mechanism(s) of its tumor growth retarding action against malignancies of hematological origin remains unclear. It is also not understood if the antitumor action of orlistat implicates modulated susceptibility of tumor cell to anticancer drugs. Therefore, the present investigation focuses to study the antitumor and chemosensitizing action of orlistat in a murine host bearing a progressively growing T cell lymphoma.

Methods

Tumor-bearing mice were administered with vehicle alone or containing orlistat followed by administration of PBS with or without cisplatin. Tumor progression and survival of tumor-bearing host were monitored along with analysis of tumor cell survival and apoptosis. Tumor ascitic fluid was examined for pH, NO and cytokines. Expression of genes and proteins was investigated by RT-PCR and western blot respectively. ROS was analyzed by DCFDA staining and FASN activity by spectrophotometry.

Results

Orlistat administration to tumor-bearing mice resulted in tumor growth retardation, prolonged life span, declined tumor cell survival and chemosensitization to cisplatin. It was accompanied by increased osmotic fragility, modulated acidosis, expression of ROS, NO, cytokines, MCT-1 and VH⁺ ATPase, Bcl2, Caspase-3, P53, inhibited FASN activity and declined expression of MDR and MRP-1 proteins.

Conclusion

Orlistat manifests antitumor and chemosensitizing action implicating modulated regulation of cell survival, reconstituted-tumor microenvironment and altered MDR phenotype.

General significance

These observations indicate that orlistat could be utilized as an adjunct regimen for improving antitumor efficacy of cisplatin.     

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and CCR2 interactions are required for IFN-alpha/beta-induced inflammatory responses and antiviral defense in liver

IFN-alpha/beta-mediated functions promote production of MIP-1alpha (or CCL3) by mediating the recruitment of MIP-1alpha-producing macrophages to the liver during early infection with murine CMV. These responses are essential for induction of NK cell inflammation and IFN-gamma delivery to support effective control of local infection. Nevertheless, it remains to be established if additional chemokine functions are regulated by IFN-alpha/beta and/or play intermediary roles in supporting macrophage trafficking. The chemokine MCP-1 (or CCL2) plays a distinctive role in the recruitment of macrophages by predominantly stimulating the CCR2 chemokine receptor. Here, we examine the roles of MCP-1 and CCR2 during murine CMV infection in liver. MCP-1 production preceded that of MIP-1alpha during infection and was dependent on IFN-alpha/beta effects for induction. Resident F4/80(+) liver leukocytes were identified as primary IFN-alpha/beta responders and major producers of MCP-1. Moreover, MCP-1 deficiency was associated with a dramatic reduction in the accumulation of macrophages and NK cells, as well as decreased production of MIP-1alpha and IFN-gamma in liver. These responses were also markedly impaired in mice with a targeted disruption of CCR2. Furthermore, MCP-1- and CCR2-deficient mice exhibited increased viral titers and elevated expression of the liver enzyme alanine aminotransferase in serum. These mice also had widespread virus-induced liver pathology and succumbed to infection. Collectively, these results establish MCP-1 and CCR2 interactions as factors promoting early liver inflammatory responses and define a mechanism for innate cytokines in regulation of chemokine functions critical for effective localized antiviral defenses.     

一种非洲猪瘟病毒假病毒细胞感染模型的建立及应用

目前国内外大多数针对非洲猪瘟病毒(African swine fever virus, ASFV)的研究须在生物安全三级实验室(biosafety level 3 laboratories, BSL-3 labs)中进行,因此针对该病毒的感染过程、中和抗体逃逸机制、药物研发等研究受到了一定限制。鉴于此,本研究选择ASFV包膜蛋白中与其进入细胞紧密相关的蛋白p12、CD2v、p30、p54和pE248R,构建表达这5种包膜蛋白的真核表达质粒,利用水疱性口炎病毒(vesicular stomatitis virus, VSV)假病毒包装体系,制备多种ASFV假病毒。以荧光素酶报告基因实验(luciferase assay)检测假病毒感染水平;选择1个包膜蛋白为代表,使用蛋白质印迹法(Western blot,WB)检测其在假病毒中的表达情况;采用芫花素检测其对所建立的ASFV假病毒(p30-pE248R-ASFV-PsV)的抑制活性。结果显示,VSV包装体系以及p30、pE248R包膜蛋白质粒的组合制备方法所包装出的假病毒具有较优的感染活性,适合用于建立细胞感染模型。ASFV的包膜蛋白pE248R被有效整合到VSV-ΔG rLuc颗粒中,并包装出ASFV假病毒。芫花素可浓度依赖性地抑制ASFV假病毒感染Vero细胞,其半数抑制浓度(half maximal inhibitory concentration, IC50)为4.05±0.88 μmol/L。本研究通过建立基于ASFV假病毒的细胞感染模型,筛选获得了1种可感染已报道的一些ASFV敏感细胞的假病毒。该假病毒无复制性,可在生物安全级别较低的实验室中进行操作,并且带有海肾荧光素酶报告基因,有望用于ASFV入侵抑制剂的高通量筛选及中和活性的初步评价,为研发抗ASFV药物提供了一个安全、方便的研究模型。     

Human cytomegalovirus escapes a naturally occurring neutralizing antibody by incorporating it into assembling virions

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common but difficult to treat infection of immunocompromised patients. MSL-109 is a human monoclonal IgG isolated from a CMV seropositive individual that recognizes the viral glycoprotein H (gH) surface antigen complexes that mediate entry. Although MSL-109 blocks CMV infection in?vitro, it lacked sufficient efficacy in human trials, and CMV isolated from treated patients suggested the evolution of MSL-109 resistance. To understand how CMV escapes MSL-109, we characterized a MSL-109-resistant CMV strain. Our results elucidate a nongenetic escape mechanism in which the antibody is selectively taken up by infected cells and incorporated into assembling virions in a dose-dependent manner. The resistant virus then utilizes the Fc domain of the incorporated antibody to infect naive nonimmune cells. This resistance mechanism may explain the clinical failure of MSL-109, illustrate a general mechanism of viral antibody escape, and inform antiviral vaccine and therapeutic development.     

ei24, a p53 response gene involved in growth suppression and apoptosis

DNA damage and/or hyperproliferative signals activate the wild-type p53 tumor suppressor protein, which induces a G(1) cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. Although the mechanism of p53-mediated cell cycle arrest is fairly well defined, the p53-dependent pathway regulating apoptosis is poorly understood. Here we report the functional characterization of murine ei24 (also known as PIG8), a gene directly regulated by p53, whose overexpression negatively controls cell growth and induces apoptotic cell death. Ectopic ei24 expression markedly inhibits cell colony formation, induces the morphological features of apoptosis, and reduces the number of beta-galactosidase-marked cells, which is efficiently blocked by coexpression of Bcl-X(L). The ei24/PIG8 gene is localized on human chromosome 11q23, a region frequently altered in human cancers. These results suggest that ei24 may play an important role in negative cell growth control by functioning as an apoptotic effector of p53 tumor suppressor activities.