Immunomodulatory effects of systemic low-dose recombinant interleukin-2 and lymphokine-activated killer cells in humans

Summary The adoptive immunotherapy of human cancer using lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells in combination with high-dose systemic recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) has been associated with global changes in several hematological and immunological parameters while imposing profound toxicity on patients. We have evaluated an alternative LAK cell therapy utilizing low-dose systemic rIL-2 in 27 consecutive patients with metastatic cancer. We report that the administration of systemic low-dose rIL-2 is also characterized by significant changes in immunological and hematological parameters, which are qualitatively similar to those induced by high-dose rIL-2. Low-dose systemic rIL-2, given by i.v. bolus, is cleared to baseline levels within 240 min of administration. The induction of lymphocytosis and eosinophilia, which has characterized other protocols, is also a feature of this protocol. In addition, low-dose systemic rIL-2/LAK cell immunotherapy results in increased peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) expression of T-cell activation markers such as OKIa, OKT10 and IL-2 receptor. PBMC sampled approximately 100 h after the final infusion of LAK cells demonstrated a statistically significant increase in their ability to kill natural killer (NK)-sensitive and NK-resistent cell lines such as K562 and Daudi compared to baseline values (P <.05). These data suggest that rIL-2-based immunotherapy using low-dose rIL-2 is capable of inducing quantitative hematological and immunological changes while (in combination with LAK cells) retaining the ability to mediate tumor regressionin vivo. Dr. Eberlein was a recipient of an American Cancer Society Career Development Award. This work is supported in part by NIH Grant CA-40555 and the Clinical Research Center Grant 20-9299     

Ca2+ Binding/Permeation via Calcium Channel,CaV1.1, Regulates the Intracellular Distribution of the Fatty Acid Transport Protein,CD36, and Fatty Acid Metabolism

Ca²⁺ permeation and/or binding to the skeletal muscle L-type Ca²⁺ channel (Ca_V1.1) facilitates activation of Ca²⁺/calmodulin kinase type II (CaMKII) and Ca²⁺ store refilling to reduce muscle fatigue and atrophy (Lee, C. S., Dagnino-Acosta, A., Yarotskyy, V., Hanna, A., Lyfenko, A., Knoblauch, M., Georgiou, D. K., Poché, R. A., Swank, M. W., Long, C., Ismailov, I. I., Lanner, J., Tran, T., Dong, K., Rodney, G. G., Dickinson, M. E., Beeton, C., Zhang, P., Dirksen, R. T., and Hamilton, S. L. (2015) Skelet. Muscle 5, 4). Mice with a mutation (E1014K) in the Cacna1s (α₁ subunit of Ca_V1.1) gene that abolishes Ca²⁺ binding within the Ca_V1.1 pore gain more body weight and fat on a chow diet than control mice, without changes in food intake or activity, suggesting that Ca_V1.1-mediated CaMKII activation impacts muscle energy expenditure. We delineate a pathway (Ca_v1.1→ CaMKII→ NOS) in normal skeletal muscle that regulates the intracellular distribution of the fatty acid transport protein, CD36, altering fatty acid metabolism. The consequences of blocking this pathway are decreased mitochondrial β-oxidation and decreased energy expenditure. This study delineates a previously uncharacterized Ca_V1.1-mediated pathway that regulates energy utilization in skeletal muscle.     

Ceruletide increases threshold and tolerance to experimentally induced pain in healthy man

Previous studies suggested that ceruletide might be endowed with analgesic and sedative properties. To investigate the effects of ceruletide on experimentally induced pain and on central nervous functions, two studies, each involving 24 healthy subjects, were carried out in random double-blind fashion. Every subject participated in three experiments one week apart. In study 1, 120 and 60 ng/kg/hr ceruletide IV increased threshold and tolerance to electrically and threshold to thermally induced cutaneous pain significantly more than saline (p<0.001), the higher dose being slightly more active. Only mild sedative effects occurred. Study 2 compared the effects of 60 and 6 ng/kg/hr ceruletide IV to those of 0.4 mg/kg/hr pentazocine IV and investigated whether these effects were naloxone reversible. Both ceruletide doses, 60 ng/kg/hr slightly more than 6 ng/kg/hr, elevated threshold and tolerance to electrically induced and threshold to thermally induced pain markedly, pentazocine acted stronger and longer than ceruletide (p<0.001). Naloxone reversed the effects of pentazocine but not of ceruletide. Conclusion: ceruletide (1) exerts potent naloxone resistant analgesic effects, which, however, are inferior to those of pentazocine, and (2) produces only mild sedation.     

Cholecystokinin octapeptide decreases intake of solid food in man

Cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-OP) was reported to decrease the intake of liquid food in lean and in obese man. This study investigated the effect of CCK-OP on the consumption of real life food, i.e., of standardized sandwiches. Sixteen young non-obese females and males participated, after an overnight fast, each in two experiments. After a basal 30 min, saline or CCK-OP, 1.5 or 3.0 Ivy Dog Units/kg body weight/15 min, was infused in random double blind fashion, while sandwiches were placed in front of the subjects. For the next three 15-min periods, the subjects were instructed to eat as much as they liked. In the first 15 min after 3.0 as well as 1.5 U CCK-OP/kg/15 min significantly fewer sandwiches (50 and 17 percent) were eaten than after saline (p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.05) and less hunger was reported (p less than 0.02 and p less than 0.05). Self-reported activation decreased only with 3.0 U CCK-OP (p less than 0.005). Reports of well-bring , electroencephalogram, heart rate, and respiration were not altered. The results support the notion that CCK is involved in the regulation of food intake.     

Interleukin-7 retroviruses transform pre-B cells by an autocrine mechanism not evident in Abelson murine.

In this study, we have constructed retroviral vectors expressing the interleukin-7 (IL-7) cDNA and have used infection with these retroviruses to express this cytokine endogenously in an IL-7-dependent pre-B-cell line. Infection with IL-7 retroviruses, but not with a control retrovirus, resulted in the conversion of the cells to IL-7 independence. The frequency at which this occurred, together with data on vector expression levels, indicated that secondary events were required for factor independence in this system. Southern analysis showed that the IL-7-dependent clones harbored unrearranged copies of the vector proviruses. The factor-independent cells produced variable quantities of IL-7 as measured by an IL-7-specific bioassay, and their proliferation could be substantially inhibited by a neutralizing antibody directed against IL-7, indicating that a classical autocrine-mechanism was responsible for their transformation. These IL-7-independent cells were tumorigenic, in contrast to the parental IL-7-dependent cells or those infected with a control vector. These results showed that IL-7 could participate in the malignant transformation of pre-B cells. However, neither of two Abelson murine leukemia virus (A-MuLV)-transformed pre-B-cell lines expressed detectable IL-7 mRNA, at a level of sensitivity corresponding to less than one molecule of mRNA per cell. Moreover, the proliferation of the A-MuLV transformants was unaffected by addition of the IL-7 antisera under conditions in which parallel experiments with IL-7 virus-infected cells resulted in greater than 70% growth inhibition. Thus, transformation of pre-B cells by A-MuLV was not associated with a demonstrable autocrine loop of IL-7 synthesis. These results show that IL-7 can participate in the malignant transformation of pre-B cells and suggest studies aimed at assessing the role of autocrine production of IL-7 in the generation of human leukemias and lymphomas.     

Dasatinib Inhibits DNA Repair after Radiotherapy Specifically in pSFK-Expressing Tumor Areas in Head and Neck Xenograft Tumors

Src family kinases (SFKs) have been implicated in resistance to both radiation and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibition. Therefore, we investigated whether inhibition of SFK through dasatinib (DSB) can enhance the effect of radiotherapy in two in vivo human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) models. Response to DSB and/or radiotherapy was assessed with tumor growth delay assays in two HNSCC xenograft models, SCCNij153 and SCCNij202. Effects on EGFR signaling were evaluated withWestern blot analysis, and effects on DNA repair, hypoxia, and proliferation were investigated with immunohistochemistry. DSB and radiotherapy induced a significant growth delay in both HNSCC xenograft models, although to a lesser extent in SCCNij202. DSB did not inhibit phosphorylated protein kinase B (pAKT) or phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (pERK1/2) but did inhibit (phosphorylated) DNA-dependent protein kinase. Moreover, DSB reduced repair of radiation-induced DNA double-strand breaks as shown by an increase of p53-binding protein 1 (53BP1) staining 24 hours after radiation. This effect on DNA repair was only observed in the cell compartment where phosphorylated SFK (pSFK) was expressed: for SCCNij153 tumors in both normoxic and hypoxic areas and for SCCNij202 tumors only in hypoxic areas. No consistent effects of DSB on hypoxia or proliferation were observed. In conclusion, DSB enhances the effect of radiotherapy in vivo by inhibition of radiation-induced DNA repair and is a promising way to improve outcome in HNSCC patients.