Tumor immunotherapy: cytokines and antigen presentation

 Increasing the ability of tumor-reactive T cells to mediate tumor regression in vivo has been a major goal of tumor immunologists. Progress toward this goal has been aided by the identification of tumor-associated antigens on both experimental mouse tumors and human tumors. However, the self-like nature and low immunogenicity of these antigens has made it clear that other measures to enhance the effectiveness of the T cells reactive to these antigens are essential if immunotherapy is to be clinically effective. An increased understanding of antigen processing and presentation is an important step in this process, as is the use of cytokines to increase immune responsiveness. Despite recent advances, there is still much to be learned before the specificity of the immune system is safely harnessed to halt malignant cell growth effectively. Received: 10 October 1997 / Accepted: 12 January 1998     

Role of TAP-1 and/or TAP-2 antigen presentation defects in tumorigenicity of mouse melanoma

Mutations in transporters associated with antigen processing (TAP-1 and -2) required for the transport of cytosolic endogenous peptides to the endoplasmic reticulum correlate with increased metastatic potential and reduced host survival in several malignancies. To address the possible function of TAP as a tumor suppressor gene, we show that correction of TAP-1 and/or TAP-2 defects in B16 mouse melanoma enhanced the cell surface expression of MHC class I molecules and significantly reduced the rate of subcutaneous tumor growth and pulmonary metastatic burden. Cytotoxic assays confirmed increased sensitivity of TAP-1 and/or TAP-2 transfected clones of B16 melanoma to cytotoxic T lymphocytes. These results indicate that the expression of TAP limits the malignant potential of tumors with implications for CD8(+) T cell-based immunotherapy in controlling growth of certain TAP-deficient malignancies.     

Preserved MHC-II antigen processing and presentation function in chronic HCV infection

Individuals with chronic HCV infection have impaired response to vaccine, though the etiology remains to be elucidated. Dendritic cells (DC) and monocytes (MN) provide antigen uptake, processing, presentation, and costimulatory functions necessary to achieve optimal immune responses. The integrity of antigen processing and presentation function within these antigen presenting cells (APC) in the setting of HCV infection has been unclear. We used a novel T cell hybridoma system that specifically measures MHC-II antigen processing and presentation function of human APC. Results demonstrate MHC-II antigen processing and presentation function is preserved in both myeloid DC (mDC) and MN in the peripheral blood of chronically HCV-infected individuals, and indicates that an alteration in this function does not likely underlie the defective HCV-infected host response to vaccination.     

MHC class II expression and antigen presentation by human endometrial cells

It has been demonstrated previously that mixed cell suspensions from the female reproductive tract consisting of human epithelial and stromal cells were capable of presenting foreign antigen to autologous T cells. There have been, however, no reported studies examining antigen presentation by isolated epithelial cells from the human female reproductive tract. It is now shown that freshly isolated epithelial cells from the uterine endometrium constitutively express MHC class II antigen and that class II was upregulated on cultured epithelium by interferon gamma (IFNγ). Using a highly purified preparation, it was demonstrated that these epithelial cells were able to process and present tetanus toxoid recall antigen driving autologous T cell proliferation. Cells isolated from the basolateral sub-epithelium stroma were also potent antigen presenting cells in this model system. Thus, isolated endometrial epithelial cells were able to directly process and present antigen to T cells and may be responsible for the transcytosis and delivery of antigen to professional antigen presenting cells found in the sub-epithelial stroma.     

Regulation of antigen presentation machinery in human dendritic cells by recombinant adenovirus

Recombinant adenoviral vectors (AdV) are potent vehicles for antigen engineering of dendritic cells (DC). DC engineered with AdV to express full length tumor antigens are capable stimulators of antigen-specific polyclonal CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. To determine the impact of AdV on the HLA class I antigen presentation pathway, we investigated the effects of AdV transduction on antigen processing machinery (APM) components in human DC. Interactions among AdV transduction, maturation, APM regulation and T cell activation were investigated. The phenotype and cytokine profile of DC transduced with AdV was intermediate, between immature (iDC) and matured DC (mDC). Statistically significant increases in expression were observed for peptide transporters TAP-1 and TAP-2, and HLA class I peptide-loading chaperone ERp57, as well as co-stimulatory surface molecule CD86 due to AdV transduction. AdV transduction enhanced the expression of APM components and surface markers on mDC, and these changes were further modulated by the timing of DC maturation. Engineering of matured DC to express a tumor-associated antigen stimulated a broader repertoire of CD8+ T cells, capable of recognizing immunodominant and subdominant epitopes. These data identify molecular changes in AdV-transduced DC (AdV/DC) that could influence T cell priming and should be considered in design of cancer vaccines.     

Accelerated antigen presentation and elicitation of humoral response in vivo by FcgammaRIIB- and FcgammaRI/III-mediated immune complex uptake

It is well established that activating-type Fc receptors for IgG (FcgammaR), such as FcgammaRI and FcgammaRIII, are essential for inducing inflammatory responses, whereas a unique inhibitory FcgammaR, FcgammaRIIB, inhibits intracellular signaling upon ligation of IgG-immune complexes, and can suppress inflammation and autoimmunity. Although antigen presentation is a crucial step for evoking inflammatory responses, the contribution of FcgammaRIIB to antigen presentation is controversial as to whether it regulates antigen-presenting cells (APC), particularly dendritic cells (DC), positively or negatively. In the present report, we show that the antigen targeting to both activating-type FcgammaRs, FcgammaRI/III, and inhibitory FcgammaRIIB on bone marrow-derived DC and macrophages and primary epidermal Langerhans' cells augmented T cell proliferation in vitro and elicited humoral responses upon adoptive transfer of the antigen-pulsed DC. The DC lacking FcgammaRIIB showed a reduction in IC-uptake ability and a decreased T-cell stimulation, and induced less efficient IgG production than those of DC from wild-type mice. On the other hand, the DC lacking FcR common gamma subunit, which only expresses FcgammaRIIB, showed significant up-regulations of IC-uptake, T-cell proliferation, and IgG production compared to those of FcgammaR null DC, demonstrating a positive regulation of FcgammaRIIB for the efficient antigen presentation of IgG-complexed antigens. These results support the therapeutic benefits of antigen-targeting to FcgammaR on APC in the various inflammatory disorders.     

Employing proteomics in the study of antigen presentation: an update

Introduction: Our immune system discriminates self from non-self by examining the peptide cargo of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules displayed on the cell surface. Successful recognition of HLA-bound non-self peptides can induce T cell responses leading to, for example, the destruction of infected cells. Today, largely due to advances in technology, we have an unprecedented capability to identify the nature of these presented peptides and unravel the true complexity of antigen presentation.

Areas covered: In addition to conventional linear peptides, HLA molecules also present post-translationally modified sequences comprising a wealth of chemical and structural modifications, including a novel class of noncontiguous spliced peptides. This review focuses on these emerging themes in antigen presentation and how mass spectrometry in particular has contributed to a new view of the antigenic landscape that is presented to the immune system.

Expert Commentary: Advances in the sensitivity of mass spectrometers and use of hybrid fragmentation technologies will provide more information-rich spectra of HLA bound peptides leading to more definitive identification of T cell epitopes. Coupled with improvements in sample preparation and new informatics workflows, studies will access novel classes of peptide antigen and allow interrogation of rare and clinically relevant samples.     

Human peripheral blood monocyte-derived interleukin-10-induced semi-mature dendritic cells induce anergic CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells via presentation of the internalized soluble antigen and cross-presentation of the phagocytosed necrotic cellular fragments

We examined the ability of human monocyte-derived interleukin (IL)-10-induced semi-mature dendritic cells (semi-mDCs) that had been pulsed with soluble protein and necrotic cellular fragments to induce an antigen (Ag)-specific anergy in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells. IL-10 converted normal immature DCs (iDCs) into semi-mDCs during the maturation. In contrast to normal iDCs and mature DCs, IL-10-induced semi-mDCs as well as IL-10-treated iDCs not only had reduced their allogeneic T cell-stimulatory capacity, but also induced an allogeneic Ag-specific anergy in T cells. Normal mDCs that had been pulsed with tetanus toxin (TT) or allogeneic necrotic cellular fragments caused further activation of TT-specific CD4(+) T cells or allogeneic fibroblast-specific CD8(+) T cells, Ag-pulsed IL-10-induced semi-mDCs induced an anergic state in both cell types. Thus, our results suggest that IL-10-induced semi-mDCs induce an Ag-specific anergy in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells via presentation of the internalized protein and cross-presentation of the phagocytosed cellular fragments.     

Sphingosine 1-phosphate promotes antigen processing and presentation to CD4+ T cells in Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected monocytes

It was previously shown that cells die with increased cytosolic ATP after stimulation with apoptotic inducers including staurosporine (STS). To identify the source of apoptotic ATP elevation, we monitored, in real time, the cytosolic ATP level in luciferase-expressing HeLa cells. A mitochondrial uncoupler or a respiration chain inhibitor was found to decrease cytosolic ATP by about 50%. However, even when mitochondrial ATP synthesis was suppressed, STS induced a profound elevation of intracellular ATP. In contrast, the STS-induced ATP increase was prevented by any of three inhibitors of the glycolytic pathway: 2-deoxyglucose, iodoacetamide, and NaF. The STS effect strongly depended on intracellular calcium and was mimicked by a calcium ionophore. We conclude that Ca(2+)-dependent activation of anaerobic glycolysis, but not aerobic mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, is responsible for the STS-induced elevation of ATP in apoptotic HeLa cells.     

A deterministic model for the processing and presentation of bacteria-derived antigenic peptides

The amount and the dynamics of antigen supply to the cellular antigen processing and presentation machinery differ largely among diverse microbial antigens and various types of antigen presenting cells. The precise influence, however, of antigen supply on the antigen presentation pattern of cells is not known. Here, we provide a basic deterministic mathematical model of antigen processing and presentation of microbial antigens. The model predicts that different types of antigen presenting cells e.g. cells presenting or cross-presenting exogenous antigens, cells infected with replicating microbes, or cells in which microbial antigen synthesis is blocked after a certain period of time have inherently different antigen presentation patterns which are defined by the kinetics of antigen supply. The reevaluation of existing experimental data [Sijts, A.J., Pamer, E.G., 1997. Enhanced intracellular dissociation of major histocompatibility complex class I-associated peptides: a mechanism for optimizing the spectrum of cell surface-presented cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes. J. Exp. Med. 185, 1403-1411] describing the processing and presentation of two antigenic peptides derived from the p60 proteins of the facultatively intracellular bacterium Listeria monocytogenes shows that p60 proteins accumulating intracellularly during bacterial infection of cells play no measurable role as substrate for the cytosolic antigen presentation pathway.     

Characterization of the peptide-binding specificity of the chimpanzee class I alleles A*0301 and A*0401 using a combinatorial peptide library

Chimpanzees represent important models for studying several human pathogens. In the present study, we utilized a combinatorial peptide library to characterize the binding specificities of the chimpanzee class I molecules Patr A 0301 and A 0401, both of which are present in about 17% of chimpanzees. Patr A 0301 was found to recognize peptides using the canonical position 2/C-terminus spacing, with the small residues S, T, and A being the most preferred in position 2, and the positively charged residues R and K preferred at the C terminus. Patr A 0401 was found to recognize a more complex motif where the C terminus and then the residue in positions 1 and/or 5 are the primary anchors. Like A 0301, the C-terminal preference of A 0401 is for positively charged residues. At positions 1 and 5, positively charged and large residues are the most preferred, respectively. Coefficient values derived from the combinatorial library proved to be an efficient means for predicting A 0301 and A 0401 binders. The present data provide detailed information to facilitate the identification of potential T cell epitopes recognized in the context of two common chimpanzee class I alleles, and further validate the combinatorial library approach as an efficient method to characterize class I binding specificities.     

Uptake and transport of intact macromolecules in the intestinal epithelium of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) and the possible immunological implications

Summary Two protein antigens, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and ferritin, have been administered to the digestive tract of carp. Electron-microscopical observations reveal considerable absorption of both antigens in the second segment of the gut (from 70 to 95% of the total length) and also, although to a lesser extent, in the first segment (from 0 to 70% of the total length). Even when administered physiologically with food, a large amount of ferritin is absorbed by enterocytes in the second gut segment.HRP and ferritin are processed by enterocytes in different ways. HRP seems to adhere to the apical cell membrane, probably by binding to receptors, and is transported in vesicles to branched endings of lamellar infoldings of the lateral and basal cell membrane. Consequently, most of the HRP is released in the intercellular space where it contacts intra-epithelial lymphoid cells. Only small amounts of HRP become localized in secondary lysosomes of enterocytes. Ferritin does not bind to the apical cell membrane; after uptake by pinocytosis, it is present in small vesicles or vacuoles that appear to fuse with lysosome-like-bodies. In the second segment, intact ferritin ends up in the large supranuclear vacuoles (after 8 h), where it is digested slowly. Although no ferritin is found in the intercellular space, ferritin-containing macrophages are present between the epithelial cells, in the lamina propria and also to a small extent in the spleen. The transport of antigens from the intestinal lumen, through enterocytes, to intra-epithelial lymphoid cells or macrophages may have immunological implications, such as induction of a local immune response and prospectives for oral vaccination.     

Structural plasticity and the evolution of antibody affinity and specificity

The germline precursor to the ferrochelatase antibody 7G12 was found to bind the polyether jeffamine in addition to its cognate hapten N-methylmesoporphyrin. A comparison of the X-ray crystal structures of the ligand-free germline Fab and its complex with either hapten or jeffamine reveals that the germline antibody undergoes significant conformational changes upon the binding of these two structurally distinct ligands, which lead to increased antibody-ligand complementarity. The five somatic mutations introduced during affinity maturation lead to enhanced binding affinity for hapten and a loss in affinity for jeffamine. Moreover, a comparison of the crystal structures of the germline and affinity-matured antibodies reveals that somatic mutations not only fix the optimal binding site conformation for the hapten, but also introduce interactions that interfere with the binding of non-hapten molecules. The structural plasticity of this germline antibody and the structural effects of the somatic mutations that result in enhanced affinity and specificity for hapten likely represent general mechanisms used by the immune response, and perhaps primitive proteins, to evolve high affinity, selective receptors for so many distinct chemical structures.     

Molecular cloning and expression in Escherichia coli K-12 of chromosomal genes determining the O antigen of an E. coli O2: K1 strain

Abstract: The rfb gene cluster which determines the biosynthesis of the O2 O antigen has been cloned from an Escherichia coli O2: K1 strain isolated from a case of septicaemia in chickens. The region required for expression of the O antigen in E. coli K-12 was localised to a 10.7 to 14.15-kb segment which was shown to be chromosomal in origin with a close linkage to the gnd and his genetic loci.     

Fine surface structure of enterotoxemic Escherichia coli O139:K12 strains associated with swine edema disease

The fine structure of the cell surface of seven enterotoxemic Escherichia coli (ETEEC) O139:K12 strains isolated from piglets with edema disease were examined electron microscopically using both the negative-staining method and the freeze-substitution fixation method. Densely packed, fine fibers were observed; they consisted of a capsule layer approximately 25 nm thick around the cell surfaces of strains 107/86, IW-2, ED-3, ED-43, and ED-61, all of which have a capacity to adhere strongly to HEp-2 cells. In contrast, no such structure was observed on the surface of strains RK-O139 or ED-1, both of which adhere only weakly to HEp-2 cells. These results suggest that the capsule structure might be associated with the ability to adhere to HEp-2 cells and, as a result, also potentially play some role in ETEEC infection. Received: 29 April 1996 / Accepted: 13 August 1996     

Direct visualization of actin nematic network formation and dynamics

Various actin assemblies within the cell regulate many cellular processes such as cell shape and motility. The mechanical properties of these networks are challenging to measure in vivo. They have been studied in solution by indirect observation methods, such as multiple ball tracking. However, little is known about the behavior of such networks near the crowded cell membrane. Here we used in vitro TIRF microscopy to directly probe the formation of actin networks in real-time near a hydrophilic surface in the presence of crowding agents. We find that under these conditions actin does not form a mesh like network, but either textured nematic liquid crystals or a bundled network. We are directly able to follow the thermal fluctuations of actin filaments within these networks. Prearranged parallel networks of actin filaments near the crowded cell membrane could play a role in the rapid formation of stress fibers or microvilli.     

Invariant chain modulates HLA class II protein recycling and peptide presentation in nonprofessional antigen presenting cells

The expression of MHC class II molecules and the invariant chain (Ii) chaperone, is coordinately regulated in professional antigen presenting cells (APC). Ii facilitates class II subunit folding as well as transit and retention in mature endosomal compartments rich in antigenic peptides in these APC. Yet, in nonprofessional APC such as tumors, fibroblasts and endocrine tissues, the expression of class II subunits and Ii may be uncoupled. Studies of nonprofessional APC indicate class II molecules access antigenic peptides by distinct, but poorly defined pathways in the absence of Ii. Here, investigations demonstrate that nonprofessional APC such as human fibroblasts lacking Ii internalize antigenic peptides prior to the binding of these ligands to recycling class II molecules. By contrast, fibroblast lines expressing Ii favor exogenous peptides binding directly to cell surface class II molecules without a need for ligand internalization. Endocytosis of class II molecules was enhanced in cells lacking Ii compared with Ii-expressing APC. These results suggest enhanced reliance on the endocytic recycling pathway for functional class II presentation in nonprofessional APC.     

Comparison of the murine humoral immune response to recombinant simian virus 40 large tumor antigen: Epitope specificity and idiotype expression

Baculovirus-derived recombinant simian virus 40 (SV40) large tumor antigen (SV40 T-Ag) was used to immunize inbred strains of mice to compare the humoral immune responses. Specifically we examined the epitope specificities and idiotype (Id) expression on anti-(SV40 T-Ag) responses induced in BALB/c and C57BL/6 inbred strains of mice. The predominant SV40 T-Ag epitopes recognized by the anti-(SV40 T-Ag) responses appeared to differ between these two inbred strains, this being based on the ability of sera to inhibit the binding of several murine monoclonal antibodies specific for SV40 T-Ag. In addition, anti-(SV40 T-Ag) responses produced in C57BL/6 mice failed to express a previously described cross-reactive Id expressed in the anti-(SV40 T-Ag) response in BALB/c mice. This cross-reactive Id is detected by a mouse monoclonal anti-Id, designated 58D, which has been shown to represent a potential focal point for manipulating the humoral immune response to SV40-induced tumors in BALB/c mice. Together, these data indicate that the functional duality of the humoral immune response, as assessed by epitope recognition and Id expression, differs between these two inbred strains of mice when immunized with a recombinant SV40 T-Ag.