Fusions of dendritic cells with breast carcinoma stimulate the expansion of regulatory T cells while concomitant exposure to IL-12, CpG oligodeoxynucleotides, and anti-CD3/CD28 promotes the expansion of activated tumor reactive cells

Vaccination of patients with dendritic cell (DC)/breast carcinoma fusions stimulated antitumor immune responses in a majority of patients with metastatic disease but only a subset demonstrate evidence of tumor regression. To define the factors that limit vaccine efficacy, we examined the biological characteristics of DC/breast carcinoma fusions as APCs and the nature of the vaccine-mediated T cell response. We demonstrate that fusion of DCs with breast carcinoma cells up-regulates expression of costimulatory and maturation markers and results in high levels of expression of IL-12 consistent with their role as activated APCs. Fusion cells also express the chemokine receptor CCR7, consistent with their ability to migrate to the draining lymph node. However, DC/breast cancer fusions stimulate a mixed T cell response characterized by the expansion of both activated and regulatory T cell populations, the latter of which is characterized by expression of CTLA-4, FOXP3, IL-10, and the suppression of T cell responses. Our results demonstrate that IL-12, IL-18, and TLR 9 agonist CpG oligodeoxynucleotides reduce the level of fusion-mediated regulatory T cell expansion. Our results also demonstrate that sequential stimulation with DC/breast carcinoma fusions and anti-CD3/CD28 results in the marked expansion of activated tumor-specific T cells. These findings suggest that DC/breast carcinoma fusions are effective APCs, but stimulate inhibitory T cells that limit vaccine efficacy. In contrast, exposure to TLR agonists, stimulatory cytokines, and anti-CD3/CD28 enhances vaccine efficacy by limiting the regulatory T cell response and promoting expansion of activated effector cells.     

Pretargeted radioimmunotherapy using 131I-labelled bivalent hapten-bearing peptides

Summary The advantages of bivalent hapten-bearing peptides for the detection of tumours pretargeted with bispecific antibodies have been demonstrated. This technology is now considered for radioimmunotherapy and bivalent haptens designed to target¹³¹I are needed. We thus synthesised a series of tyrosine-containing peptides bearing the histamine-hemisuccinate hapten. These molecules were tested for their ability to bind simultaneously two anti-hapten antibody molecules. One of these bivalent haptens, AG3.0, with a lysyl-d-tyrosyl-lysine connecting chain, was found to have optimal binding characteristics and was thus selected for further investigations. AG3.0 was shown to efficiently deliver radioactive iodine to human colorectal tumours grafted in nude mice using an anti-carcinoembryonic antigen×anti-histamine-hemisuccinate bispecific antibody. AG3.0 was also targeted to human B lymphoma cells pretargeted with a bispecific antibody specific for membrane IgM. In this system, bivalent ligands such as F(ab′)₂ or IgG are rapidly internalised and covalently linked radioactive iodine is released from target cells as a result of intracellular catabolism. With the pretargeted iodine-labelled bivalent hapten, a fivefold increase in the intracellular activity retention time as compared to¹²⁵I-labelled F(ab′)₂ and IgG was observed. The radiolabelled hapten did not undergo any degradation after internalisation. These results have been confirmed in vivo with an anti-BCL₁ IgM idiotype bispecific antibody and¹³¹I-labelled AG3.0. These reagents injected as a single 300 μCi dose, 7 days after inoculation of 10⁴ BCL₁ lymphoma cells in BALB/c mice, cured 14/16 of the animals and the treatment was well tolerated. Comparatively, the same dose of labelled IgG cured 13/16 of the mice but three mice died of haematologic toxicity. The same dose of labelled F(ab′)₂ or Fab′ was completely inefficient.¹³¹I-labelled bivalent haptens are now used in phase I radioimmunotherapy clinical trials.     

Birth of a Western Lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) following in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer

A 21-year-old multiparous female exhibiting 31–41 day menstrual cycles was given hFSH (225 IU/day, Metrodin 75, from cycle day 3 through 9 (menses = day 1) and hCG (10,000 IU, Profasi, on day 10 to stimulate follicular development. At 35 h after hCG, under isoflurane (AErrane) anesthesia, follicles were aspirated by controlled suction under transvaginal ultrasound guidance. Metaphase II oocyctes (n = 11) were placed in modified human tubal fluid (mHTF, 100 μl) medium under oil at 37°C in humidified 5% CO₂. Frozen semen, collected by voluntary ejaculation, was thawed (70°C H₂O bath, 6 sec), diluted slowly, centrifuged, and resuspended in mHTF, and 160,000 motile spermatozoa/ml were added at 6 h after oocyte recovery. At 21 h postinsemination (p.i.) eight oocytes were at the two-cell stage, five were cryopreserved, and three were cultured to the six- to eight-cell stage in mHTF with granulosa cells before transcervical uterine transfer at 47 h p.i. using a Teflon catheter. Micronized progesterone (400 mg/d) was orally administered for 10 weeks posttransfer (p.t.). Ultrasound examination revealed a single fetus at 15 weeks p.t., and unassisted delivery of a live 1.37 kg female infant occurred at 29 weeks. Am. J. Primatol. 41:247–260, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The effect of Trim5 polymorphisms on the clinical course of HIV-1 infection

The antiviral factor tripartite interaction motif 5alpha (Trim5alpha) restricts a broad range of retroviruses in a species-specific manner. Although human Trim5alpha is unable to block HIV-1 infection in human cells, a modest inhibition of HIV-1 replication has been reported. Recently two polymorphisms in the Trim5 gene (H43Y and R136Q) were shown to affect the antiviral activity of Trim5alpha in vitro. In this study, participants of the Amsterdam Cohort studies were screened for polymorphisms at amino acid residue 43 and 136 of the Trim5 gene, and the potential effects of these polymorphisms on the clinical course of HIV-1 infection were analyzed. In agreement with the reported decreased antiviral activity of Trim5alpha that contains a Y at amino acid residue 43 in vitro, an accelerated disease progression was observed for individuals who were homozygous for the 43Y genotype as compared to individuals who were heterozygous or homozygous for the 43H genotype. A protective effect of the 136Q genotype was observed but only after the emergence of CXCR4-using (X4) HIV-1 variants and when a viral load of 10(4.5) copies per ml plasma was used as an endpoint in survival analysis. Interestingly, naive CD4 T cells, which are selectively targeted by X4 HIV-1, revealed a significantly higher expression of Trim5alpha than memory CD4 T cells. In addition, we observed that the 136Q allele in combination with the -2GG genotype in the 5'UTR was associated with an accelerated disease progression. Thus, polymorphisms in the Trim5 gene may influence the clinical course of HIV-1 infection also underscoring the antiviral effect of Trim5alpha on HIV-1 in vivo.     

The linker-protein network: control of nucleosomal DNA accessibility.

Numerous studies have recently addressed the accessibility of nucleosomal DNA to protein factors. Two popular concepts - the histone code and chromatin remodeling - consider the nucleosome as a passive entity that 'waits' to be marked by histone modifications and is 'mobilized' by ATP-dependent remodelers. Here, we propose a holistic view of the nucleosome as an active, dynamic entity, the accessibility of which is controlled by binding of different linker proteins to the DNA entry/exit site. The linker proteins might directly compete for this binding site; alternatively, protein chaperones and/or chromatin remodelers might exchange one linker protein for another. Finally, according to our proposed model, the exchange factors are themselves controlled by post-translational modifications or binding of protein partners, to respond to the ever-changing intra- and extra-cellular environment.     

Meiotic Recombination in Human Oocytes

Studies of human trisomies indicate a remarkable relationship between abnormal meiotic recombination and subsequent nondisjunction at maternal meiosis I or II. Specifically, failure to recombine or recombination events located either too near to or too far from the centromere have been linked to the origin of human trisomies. It should be possible to identify these abnormal crossover configurations by using immunofluorescence methodology to directly examine the meiotic recombination process in the human female. Accordingly, we initiated studies of crossover-associated proteins (e.g., MLH1) in human fetal oocytes to analyze their number and distribution on nondisjunction-prone human chromosomes and, more generally, to characterize genome-wide levels of recombination in the human female. Our analyses indicate that the number of MLH1 foci is lower than predicted from genetic linkage analysis, but its localization pattern conforms to that expected for a crossover-associated protein. In studies of individual chromosomes, our observations provide evidence for the presence of “vulnerable” crossover configurations in the fetal oocyte, consistent with the idea that these are subsequently translated into nondisjunctional events in the adult oocyte.     

Enhanced transcytosis of R5-tropic human immunodeficiency virus across tight monolayer of polarized human endometrial cells under pro-inflammatory conditions

Most cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection worldwide occur following sexual contact, implying that the virus may breach the protective epithelial barrier lining the genital tract. HIV infection is known to preferentially occur when the genital epithelial integrity is altered, particularly when epithelial micro-ulcerations occur during heterosexual intercourse or ulcerations appear, due to sexually transmitted infections or else in the context of ectopy of the endocervical mucosa, which may leave the genital tissue. We report that R5-tropic infectious HIV-1 isolates are capable of in vitro transcytosis through a tight and polarized monolayer of human endometrial HEC-1 cells. Transcytosis of HIV particles was increased 2-fold within a pro-inflammatory micro-environment. Our findings suggest that transcytosis may be a relevant mechanism for the passage of virus through the genital mucosa in vivo, particularly when inflammatory cells and mediators are present in the vicinity of the mucosal surface.