Stimulation of lymphoid cells from normal and immune mice by syngeneic BALB/c plasma cell tumors.

Lymphoid cells from normal and immunized BALB/c mice could be stimulated in vitro by syngeneic PCT contrasted with an absence of response to a number of other tumors. Maximal responses of normal cells to PCT were found to occur 5 days after the initiation of the cultures at an optimal responding:stimulation cell ratio of 1:2. MLTI activity of normal cells could not be blocked or enhanced by PCT myeloma protein products indicating that MLTI reactivity was directed against non-idiotypec cell surface determinants. Lymphoid cells from immunized mice demonstrated increased MLTI responses to cells of the immunizing tumor but not to other PCT, indicating that the post-immunization MLTI responses were primarily to individual rather than shared tumor cell surface antigens. Activity of both normal and immunized spleen cells was found to involve thymus-derived lymphocytes. The persistence of residual MLTI activity after treatment with anti-theta serum and complement, however, implicated participation of non-theta antigen-bearing cells in MLTI reactivity. From these data, we conclude that lymphoid cells from un-immunized mice are capable of T cell-dependent reactivity to syngeneic PCT-associated antigens and that elevations in these reactivities after immunization may reflect specific cellular immune responses.     

Analysis of the cellular immune response to and adoptive immunotherapy of a BALB/c lymphoma that cross-reacts with normal DBA/2 cells

Summary We have previously shown that YC8, a Moloney virus-induced BALB/c lymphoma, is susceptible to lysis by BALB/c anti-DBA/2 effector cells. To further evaluate the relationship between non-H-2 antigens of DBA/2 background and tumor-associated determinants, we investigated the pattern of cytotoxic and proliferative responses induced in BALB/c mice by immunization with YC8 lymphoma. Spleen cells from tumor-immunized animals were restimulated in vitro with YC8 cells and tested for cytotoxicity on target cells of different strains and haplotypes. Cytotoxicity was observed only against YC8, DBA/2 blasts, and P815 (a DBA/2 mastocytoma). BALB/c anti-YC8 effectors were equally blocked by unlabeled YC8 and P815 cells when assayed on YC8 labeled targets. A clonal analysis, however, revealed the existence of at least two types of effectors, one lytic for both P815 and YC8 cells, the other lytic for YC8 cells only. BALB/c anti-YC8 cells proliferate when stimulated both with YC8 and DBA/2 cells in the presence of accessory cells. When tested in an adoptive transfer assay, anti-YC8 cells given i.v. cured 100% of i.v. and 75% of i. p. tumor-injected mice, respectively. When given i. p. anti-YC8 effectors cured 100% of i. p. tumor-injected animals. These results confirm the expression of non-H-2, DBA/2-like antigens on the BALB/c lymphoma YC8 and reveal the presence of additional tumor-associated determinants; both sets of antigens may induce a cellular immune response and elicit immune lymphocytes which can eradicate YC8 cells in an adoptive immunotherapy assay.     

Adoptive immunotherapy of a newly induced sarcoma: immunologic characteristics of effector cells

A newly induced syngeneic transplantable sarcoma, MCA 105, was used for studies of the biologic characteristics of fresh noncultured and secondarily in vitro sensitized (IVS) cells with antitumor reactivity. Fresh spleen cells harvested from mice immunized to the MCA 105 tumor by a mixture of viable tumor cells and Corynebacterium parvum exhibited no detectable cytotoxic activity to MCA 105 tumor targets in a 4-hr chromium-release assay, and adoptive transfer of these cells mediated the specific regression of established MCA 105 tumors. Phenotypic analysis of fresh, noncultured immune cells revealed that the therapeutically effective cells expressed both the Lyt-1 and the Lyt-2 T cell differentiation antigens. The therapeutic efficacy of fresh noncultured immune cells was not augmented by the concomitant administration of exogeneous interleukin 2 (IL 2). Secondary IVS of fresh immune cells with irradiated MCA 105 tumor stimulator cells resulted in the generation of tumor-specific cytotoxic effector cells. The generation of cytotoxic effector cells required Lyt-1+, 2+ cytotoxic precursor cells. Effective adoptive immunotherapy with these IVS immune cells, unlike fresh noncultured immune cells, depended on the concomitant administration of IL 2. Furthermore, the generation of therapeutically effective cells did not require the specific stimulation by MCA 105 tumor cells, because cultures of MCA 105 immune spleen cells with FBL-3 lymphoma cells in vitro also contained in vivo functional immune effector cells. These cells, however, possessed no detectable MCA 105 cytotoxic activity in vitro. Although this observation suggests that a noncytotoxic cell population is sufficient to initiate tumor regression in vivo, it does not exclude the possibility that cytolytic cells are generated in vivo after adoptive transfer of these cells. As a whole, our results indicate that secondary IVS functional immune effector cells are characteristically distinct from freshly harvested immune cells.     

Characterization of a new spontaneously developed murine mammary adenocarcinoma in syngeneic BALB/c hosts

Summary A mouse mammary tumor cell line, desingated JC, has been established from a spontaneously developed primary adenocarcinoma of an aged virgin female BALB/c mouse. Isoenzyme analyses including glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, and peptidase proved that this cell line is of murine origin and devoid of contamination from other species. Karyotyping revealed that the number of chromosome ranged from 26 to 100, with a modal number of 40. Electron microscopic examination detected the presence of tonofilament and desmosomes confirming its epithelial nature. In addition, no type B or C virus particle was detected, although intracysternal A particle was observed occasionally. Tumorigenicity in immunocompetent syngeneic hosts was easily established by s.c., i.p., and i.v. injection of viable JC tumor cells. A very weak immunogenicity of the JC tumor was demonstrated through its immunization-challenging on syngeneic immunocompetent hosts. Although no rejection of JC tumor was noted, a significant prolongation for the incubation period before an obvious and palpable tumor growth was detected between the experimental and the control animals. Development of a concomitant immunity was also detected. The JC tumor represents a valuable murine mammary tumor model which is different from other available models because of its unique origin, absence of virus particles, very weak immunogenicity, and high tumorigenicity in syngeneic hosts. The cell line has been maintained for more than 5 yr and has been used for experimental immunotherapy in our laboratory. This work was supported by a research grant IM-416, awarded by the American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia.     

Defective T helper activity in the spleen of BALB/c mice immune to a syngeneic fibrosarcoma

Summary BALB/c mice were immunized with the syngeneic 3-methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcoma CA-2 by the growth and excision method. When lymphoid cells from different organs of these tumor-free mice were tested in a direct ⁵¹Cr-release assay, peritoneal exudate cells but not spleen cells displayed specific cytotoxicity against the syngeneic tumor target. A cytotoxic response could be obtained by tumor-immune spleen cells when cultured in a mixed lymphocyte tumor cell culture (MLTC) at high but not low density although at the same effector/stimulator ratio. Lack of cytotoxic activity in low density MLTC was not due to an impairment of cytotoxic precursors since cytotoxicity was rescued by adding exogenous interleukin-2 in experimental conditions in which no lymphokine-activated killer cells could develop relevant anti-CA-2 lysis. When low density MLTC were supplemented with either 800 R-irradiated cells or nonirradiated, negatively selected Lyt 1⁺ cells from the same immune mice, induction of a cytotoxic response against CA-2 occurred and interleukin-2 production became detectable. Additional studies indicated that spleen cells of CA-2-immune mice were also impaired in their ability to provide help to syngeneic thymocytes for the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes against C57BL/6J alloantigens. Dilution effect of helper cells due to immunization procedures was excluded since spleen cells of mice immunized against another BALB/c tumor, the YC8 lymphoma, or against DBA/2 minor histocompatibility antigens provided good help to thymocytes against the same alloantigens. These results indicate that tumor-immune animals may also have selective T helper defects in an important lymphoid organ like spleen.     

Induction of an autoimmune response against syngeneic lymphoma cells by immunogenic 64-kDa protein isolated from normal blast cells of BALB/c mice

Immunogenic proteins with identical molecular mass (64kDa) were purified from a syngeneic spontaneous T cell leukaemia line, designated LB3, and lymphoblast extracts both derived from BALB/c mice. The 64-kDa protein was purified by a sequence of biochemical steps from cell extracts containing protease inhibitors. The following steps were included in the purification pathway: Sephadex G-100 gel filtration, anion-exchange chromatography, concanavalin A (ConA) affinity chromatography, and preparative gel electrophoresis. The immunogenic fraction isolated in each step was subjected to the next step along the purification pathway. The immunogenicity of the separated fractions was measured by a lymph-node proliferation assay, which is indicative of delayed-type hypersensitivity. The final 64-kDa isolated protein of blast cells induced in BALB/c mice an efficient lymphnode proliferation response, which was detected in the regional lymph node after challenge with the final isolated protein of LB3 cells and vice versa. In addition to their identical molecular mass, both proteins were eluted from an anion exchange column with the same NaCl concentration (0.57 M) and both expressed affinity to the ConA-Sepharose column, suggesting that they are glycosylated. The specificity of the immunological responses induced or elicited with the various isolated proteins was also shown. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Characterization of T-cell-soluble factors modulating the expression of Ia and H-2 antigens on BALB/c B lymphoma cell lines

The effect of supernatants of concanavalin A-activated spleen cells (CAS) on the expression of various antigens, especially Ia antigens, on BALB/c B lymphoid cells, was examined. This study demonstrates the following: (i) CAS enhanced the expression of Ia antigens on four out of five BALB/c lymphoid cell lines. (ii) CAS selectively modulates the expression of Ia and H-2D, but not sIgM or viral gp70 expression, on X16C 8.5 tumor cells. The enhanced levels of Ia expression on B lymphoid tumor cells were also detected by using anti-Ia monoclonal antibodies. (iii) The molecular weight of soluble factor(s) affecting Ia and H-2 was approximately 40,000 estimated by gel filtration on a Sephadex G-200 column. (iv) Type 1 interferon but not interleukin 1, interleukin 2, or T-cell-replacing factor enhanced the expressions of Ia and H-2D antigens. (v) The activity of CAS-modulating Ia and H-2 antigens was eliminated by acidic treatment. It was concluded from this study that at least one of the factor(s) in CAS, modulating the antigenic expression of B-lymphoid cells, was interferon-like in nature. From our findings, a possible immunoregulatory mechanism by interferon was suggested: T cells, after stimulation of mitogens or antigens, secrete interferons which modulate the expression of Ia and H-2 on B cells. Then B cells, whose Ia and H-2 were modulated selectively by T-soluble factors(s), might interact with T cells much more efficiently.     

Adoptive immunotherapy of syngeneic murine leukemia is enhanced by the combination of recombinant IFN-gamma and a tumor-specific cytotoxic T cell clone

Mice with an established syngeneic T cell tumor (RBL5) received short term adoptive chemoimmunotherapy with CTL clone 1.B6 and murine rIFN-gamma. In comparison with treatment with either agent alone, the combination of 1.B6 and rIFN-gamma was associated with a dramatic increase in long term survival. No direct effects of rIFN-gamma on tumor cell proliferation, MHC Ag expression, or susceptibility to CTL-mediated lysis could be demonstrated to explain the prolongation of survival. However, rIFN-gamma induced a distinct increase in broad-spectrum cytolytic capacity of peritoneal exudate cells and further increased class II MHC expression on peritoneal macrophages. The explanation for enhanced adoptive chemoimmunotherapy after combined short term administration of a CTL clone and rIFN-gamma is uncertain. Potential mechanisms include direct tumor lysis by activated cells, indirect tumor lysis via sensitization to other lymphokines or monokines, improved Ag-specific activation of transferred CTL clones, and/or more effective development of de novo host anti-tumor immunity.     

Characterization of the suppressor cell(s) responsible for anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID) induced in BALB/c mice by P815 cells

Anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID) is a complex set of immune responses induced by the inoculation of antigens into the anterior chamber of the eye. Histocompatibility antigens, tumor-specific antigens, reactive haptens, and viral antigens have been shown to induce this phenomenon, which comprises the following specific host responses: high titer humoral antibodies, primed cytotoxic T cells, but specifically, impaired skin graft rejection and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH). Using the model system of ACAID induced by inoculation of P815 mastocytoma cells into the anterior chambers of H-2-compatible, but minor H-incompatible, BALB/c mice, we demonstrate that the impaired capacity of these animals to develop and express DTH is due to the activation of suppressor T cells. Generation of these cells requires an intact spleen, is not inhibited by cyclophosphamide pretreatment, and is abrogated by systemic treatment of the host with anti-I-J monoclonal antibodies. This splenic suppressor cell(s) can transfer suppression of DTH adoptively to naive syngeneic mice. One suppressor cell is Thy-1.2, Lyt-2.2, and I-Jd positive. A minority of these cells (or a second population of suppressor cells) also expresses the L3T4 surface marker. Suppression is exerted on the efferent limb of DTH expression, although afferent suppression is not excluded. P815-induced ACAID suppressor cells resemble similar cells induced by haptenated spleen cells inoculated into the anterior chamber of the eye. We propose that induction of these suppressor cells, whose target of action is selective for T DTH cells, but not for other types of T cells, is responsible for the phenomenon of immune privilege in the anterior chamber of the eye.     

Potentiation of the in vitro cytotoxic response to syngeneic lymphoma cells by soluble products of tuberculin-sensitive lymphoid cells stimulated with PPD

Spleen cells from rats immunized with the syngeneic (C58NT)D Gross virus induced lymphoma have previously been shown to differentiate into cytotoxic effector cells following restimulation with tumor cells in vitro. Previous work has also demonstrated that the addition of PPD-primed syngeneic spleen cells and PPD to cultures of (C58NT)D-primed spleen cells will potentiate the in vitro cytotoxic response to tumor antigens. In the studies presented here, the potentiating effect was found to be mediated by a soluble factor(s) released by nonadherent cells from BCG-primed rats. The release of this immunopotentiating factor(IPF) required the presence of PPD and varied with the concentration of PPD added. IPF was produced by BCG-primed spleen, lymph node, and thymus cells. Maximal production of IPF in PPD-stimulated cultures was obtained after 6–12 hr of incubation. Supernatants obtained after 30 hr of incubation lacked apparent IPF activity when tested initially, but activity was recovered after mild heat treatment. Recovery of IPF activity after heat exposure is best explained by the presence of a heat-labile inhibitor. IPF itself is stable to heat treatment to 56 °C for 40 min. IPF was also shown to be capable of enhancing immune responses to histocompatibility antigens in vitro.     

Adoptive immunotherapy of a syngeneic murine leukemia with a tumor-specific cytotoxic T cell clone and recombinant human interleukin 2: correlation with clonal IL 2 receptor expression

The successful adoptive immunotherapy of the syngeneic Friend virus-induced murine leukemia FBL-3 was mediated by a proliferative MHC-restricted, tumor-specific CTL clone in combination with recombinant human IL 2. This clone was previously shown to express the L3T4-, Lyt-1+, Lyt-2+ surface phenotype. Activation of the clone for 48 hr in vitro with irradiated tumor cells induced the expression of IL 2 receptors and markedly increased clonal proliferation in response to recombinant IL 2. Intravenous injection of 2 X 10(7) 48 hr in vitro-activated cloned cells, followed by 6 days of systemic (i.p.) administration of IL 2 resulted in the complete regression of tumors and the cure of 50% of the treated mice. IL 2 alone had no effect on tumor growth, whereas the injection of nonactivated (resting) clone plus IL 2 or activated clone without IL 2 had small but insignificant effects on tumor growth and survival. These results indicated that the in vivo effector functions of cloned T cells may be markedly enhanced by the concurrent systemic administration of recombinant IL 2 and by the induction of optimal IL 2 receptor expression on the cloned T cells at the time of cell administration.     

Taenia crassiceps antigens induce a Th2 immune response and attenuate injuries experimentally induced by neurotoxoplasmosis in BALB/c mice

Toxoplasma gondii is a pathogenic agent responsible for causing both systemic and local disease which elicits a typically pro-inflammatory, Th1 immune response. Taenia crassiceps antigen induces a Th2 immune response that immunomodulates Th1 based infections. Therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate whether T. crassiceps cysticerci antigens are able to modulate the inflammatory response triggered in experimental neurotoxoplasmosis (NT). BALB/c mice were inoculated with T. gondii cysts and/or cysticerci antigens and euthanized at 60 and 90 days after inoculation (DAI). The histopathology of the brains and cytokines produced by spleen cells culture were performed. The animals from the NT group, 90DAI (NT90), presented greater intensity of lesions such as vasculitis, meningitis and microgliosis and cytokines from Th1 profile characterized by high levels of IFN-gamma. While in the T. crassiceps antigens group, 60DAI, there were more discrete lesions and high levels of IL-4, a Th2 cytokine. In the NT co-inoculated with cysticerci antigens group the parenchyma lesions were more discrete with lower levels of IFN-gamma and higher levels of IL-4 when compared to NT90. Therefore the inoculation of T. crassiceps antigens attenuated the brain lesions caused by T. gondii inducing a Th2 immune response.     

The role of B cells in the development of CD4 effector T cells during a polarized Th2 immune response

Previous studies have suggested that B cells promote Th2 cell development by inhibiting Th1 cell differentiation. To examine whether B cells are directly required for the development of IL-4-producing T cells in the lymph node during a highly polarized Th2 response, B cell-deficient and wild-type mice were inoculated with the nematode parasite, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. On day 7, in the absence of increased IFN-gamma, IL-4 protein and gene expression from CD4 T cells in the draining lymph nodes were markedly reduced in B cell-deficient mice and could not be restored by multiple immunizations. Using a DO11.10 T cell adoptive transfer system, OVA-specific T cell IL-4 production and cell cycle progression, but not cell surface expression of early activation markers, were impaired in B cell-deficient recipient mice following immunization with N. brasiliensis plus OVA. Laser capture microdissection and immunofluorescent staining showed that pronounced IL-4 mRNA and protein secretion by donor DO11.10 T cells first occurred in the T cell:B cell zone of the lymph node shortly after inoculation of IL-4-/- recipients, suggesting that this microenvironment is critical for initial Th2 cell development. Reconstitution of B cell-deficient mice with wild-type naive B cells, or IL-4-/- B cells, substantially restored Ag-specific T cell IL-4 production. However, reconstitution with B7-1/B7-2-deficient B cells failed to rescue the IL-4-producing DO11.10 T cells. These results suggest that B cells, expressing B7 costimulatory molecules, are required in the absence of an underlying IFN-gamma-mediated response for the development of a polarized primary Ag-specific Th2 response in vivo.     

Genetic dissection of systemic lupus erythematosus pathogenesis: evidence for functional expression of Sle3/5 by non-T cells

On the non-autoimmune C57BL/6 (B6) background, the chromosome 7-derived lupus susceptibility loci Sle3 and Sle5 have been shown to mediate an elevated CD4:CD8 ratio with an increase in activated CD4(+) T cells, decreased susceptibility to apoptosis, and a break in humoral tolerance. Development of subcongenic strains has subsequently shown that the elevated CD4:CD8 ratio is due to Sle3 but that both loci contribute to the development of autoantibodies. To elucidate the functional expression patterns of these loci, adoptive transfer experiments were conducted. All possible combinations of bone marrow reconstitution, including syngenic, were conducted between the congenic B6 and B6.Sle3/5 strains. It was found that the Sle3/5 locus was functionally expressed by bone marrow-derived cells, but not by host cells, and that the elevated CD4:CD8 phenotype could be reconstituted in radiation chimeras. Using Ly5-marked congenic strains and B6 host mice, additional experiments surprisingly demonstrated that the elevated CD4:CD8 ratio was neither an intrinsic property of the T cells nor of single positive thymocytes. Allotype-marked chimeras indicated that autoantibody production by B cells was also an extrinsic property, as shown by the fact that B cells without the Sle3/5 interval contributed to autoantibody production. These experiments strongly suggest that a gene within the B6.Sle3/5 interval was expressed by a bone marrow-derived, nonlymphocyte population in the thymus and periphery and was affecting T cell selection and/or survival.     

Anti-tumor activity of chemokine is affected by both kinds of tumors and the activation state of the host's immune system: implications for chemokine-based cancer immunotherapy

In this study, we screened the anti-tumor activity of murine chemokines including CCL17, CCL19, CCL20, CCL21, CCL22, CCL27, XCL1, and CX3CL1 by inoculating murine B16BL6, CT26, or OV-HM tumor cells, all of which were transfected with chemokine-expressing fiber-mutant adenovirus vector, into immunocompetent mice. A tumor-suppressive effect was observed in mice inoculated with CCL19/B16BL6 and XCL1/B16BL6, and CCL22/OV-HM showed considerable retardation in tumor growth. In the cured mice inoculated with CCL22/OV-HM, a long-term specific immune protection against parental tumor was developed. However, we were unable to identify the chemokine that had a suppressive activity common to all three tumor models. Furthermore, an experiment using chemokine-transfected B16BL6 cells was also performed on mice sensitized with melanoma-associated antigen. A drastic enhancement of the frequency of complete rejection was observed in mice inoculated with CCL17-, CCL19-, CCL22-, and CCL27-transfected B16BL6. Altogether, our results suggest that the tumor-suppressive activity of chemokine-gene immunotherapy is greatly influenced by the kind of tumor and the activation state of the host's immune system.     

Allograft cytotoxicity: critical role for adherent T cells in effector mechanism of the peritoneal population.

C57BL10 (H-2^b) mice were immunized intraperitoneally with the P815 (H-2^d) mastocytoma. Cytolytic activity measured by the ⁵¹Cr-release assay and cytostatic activity measured by ¹²⁵I-labeled UdR incorporation were assessed in the peritoneal population 12 days after tumor inoculation. Both antitumor effects were immunologically specific and totally dependent on T cells. In the adherent fraction of the immune peritoneal population cytostasis was quantitatively of greater significance than cytolysis. Despite the predominance of macrophages as identified functionally and morphologically, cytostatic activity of the adherent fraction appeared to depend on a small proportion (<13%) of adherent T cells. In addition, a macrophage of highly characteristic morphology was identified in the adherent population. This cell was relatively large and packed with large osmophilic granules.     

CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells limit effector T cells and favor the progression of brucellosis in BALB/c mice

Brucellosis is one of the most common bacterial zoonoses worldwide. Infection is usually chronic and sometimes lifelong. Different mechanisms can be postulated as to the basis for the induction of the chronic status of brucellosis, but a comprehensive knowledge is still lacking. Here, we carried out a series of experiments in order to assess if the persistence of Brucella abortus could be ascribed to the effect of a down regulation of the immune response due to activity of regulatory T cells. We demonstrate that CD4 + CD25 + T regulatory cells are able to limit the effectiveness of CD4 + T cells and are able to favor the maintenance and the progression of B. abortus infection.     

Toxoplasma gondii: Effect of maternal infection in the development of lymphoid organs of BALB/c neonates

Toxoplasmosis is one of the worldwide parasitic zoonoses. Alterations in the lymphopoietic system are still poorly studied. We analyzed lymphoid organs of BALB/c mice neonates from Toxoplasma gondii-intraperitoneally-infected mothers on 19th day of gestation, with 30 tachyzoites of strain RH. Normal non-infected pregnant females were used as controls. At 7 days after birth, animals were classified as neonates from infected (NIM) and neonates from non-infected mothers (NNIM). Weight of the thymus and number of thymic cells in NIM were decreased, percentage of apoptosis was significantly increased. Decrease in lymphocytes and monocytes and an increase of plasma cells were observed in bone marrow of NIM. Peripheral blood of NIM showed an increase of monocytes and neutrophils and a decrease in lymphocytes. Infection of the mother during the last day of gestation provokes in the neonates changes in the lymphoid organs that could explain survival of 75% of them.