MHC Class I Immunopeptidome: Past,Present, and Future

In the 35 years since the revelation that short peptides bound to major histocompatibility complex class I and II molecules are the secret of the major histocompatibility complex–restricted nature of T-cell recognition, there has been enormous progress in characterizing the immunopeptidome, the repertoire of peptide presented for immunosurveillance. Here, the major milestones in the journey are marked, the contribution of proteasome-mediated splicing to the immunopeptidome is discussed, and exciting recent findings relating the immunopeptidome to the translatome revealed by ribosome profiling (RiboSeq) is detailed. Finally, what is needed for continued progress is opined about, which includes the infusion of talented young scientists into the antigen-processing field, currently undergoing a renaissance; thanks in part to the astounding success of T-cell–based cancer immunotherapy.     

Frequent overexpression of CADM1/IGSF4 in lung adenocarcinoma

We reported comprehensive screening for antigens (Ags) overexpressed on various carcinomas via isolation of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that may be therapeutic in a previous paper (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105, 7287-7292, 2008). Twenty-one distinct Ags highly expressed on several carcinomas were identified and 356 mAbs with unique sequences turned out to bind to one of the 21 Ags. Among them CADM1/IGSF4 which had been originally referred to as tumor suppressor lung cancer 1 (TSLC1) was included. Therefore we examined the expression of CADM1 in lung cancers in this study. Eight different anti CADM1 mAbs were used for immunohistochemical analysis of 29 fresh lung cancer specimens. Staining patterns were categorized to six groups based on the extent of positive staining and the localization of stained portions. While overexpression of CADM1 was observed on the cell surface of adenocarcinomas at a high frequency, around 60%, positive stainings were rarely observed on that of other lung carcinomas including squamous cell carcinomas. Moreover, some clones among the eight mAbs gave different staining patterns from those by the other clones against the same fresh specimen, suggesting presence of variant forms of CADM1 differentiated by mAbs.     

血管生成素样蛋白4和Ⅱ型肺泡细胞表面抗原-6与急性呼吸窘迫综合征严重程度的关系及对预后的评估效能研究

摘要 目的：分析血管生成素样蛋白4(ANGPTL4)和Ⅱ型肺泡细胞表面抗原-6(KL-6)与急性呼吸窘迫综合征严重程度的关系及对预后的评估效能。方法：选择我院自2020年1月至2022年12月收治的120例急性呼吸窘迫综合征患者作为研究对象（观察组）,根据氧合指数（PaO₂/FiO₂）分为轻度组、中度组和重度组;另选120例非急性呼吸窘迫综合征患者作为对照组。检测所有患者血清ANGPTL4和KL-6的表达水平,分析血清ANGPTL4和KL-6与APACHE Ⅱ评分、PaO₂/FiO₂的关系,使用受试者工作特征曲线（ROC）下面积（AUC）评价血清ANGPTL4联合KL-6对急性呼吸窘迫综合征预后的评估效能。结果：对比对照组,观察组血清ANGPTL4、KL-6的表达水平均明显升高（P＜0.05）;血清ANGPTL4、KL-6的表达水平在轻度组、中度组和重度组中差异有统计学意义,且急性呼吸窘迫综合征越严重,升高越明显（P＜0.05）;经Pearson相关性分析,急性呼吸窘迫综合征患者血清ANGPTL4、KL-6的表达水平与PaO₂/FiO₂呈负相关,与APACHE Ⅱ评分呈正相关（P＜0.05）;经ROC曲线分析,血清ANGPTL4联合KL-6预测急性呼吸窘迫综合征患者入院28d内死亡的敏感度为90.14%、特异度为65.74%,AUC为0.900。结论：血清ANGPTL4、KL-6表达水平升高与急性呼吸窘迫综合征严重程度增大密切相关,两者联合在患者预后评估中具有一定价值,可作为判断病情及预后的辅助指标。     

CYFRA21-1、MMP-3及CEA 和细胞学联合检查对恶性胸腔积液的诊断价值分析

摘要 目的：探讨细胞角蛋白19片段（CYFRA21-1）、基质金属蛋白酶-3（MMP-3）及癌胚抗原（CEA） 和细胞学联合检查对恶性胸腔积液的诊断价值。方法：选择2020年1月至2023年1月我院接诊的100例胸腔积液患者进行研究,并根据病理结果分为实验组47例（病理检查结果恶性）,对照组53例（病理检查结果良性）,分析血清CYFRA21-1、MMP-3及CEA 和细胞学水平变化情况及其的诊断价值。结果：实验组患者血清血清CYFRA21-1、MMP-3及CEA水平显著高于对照组,差异显著（P＜0.05）;实验组患者CYFRA21-1、MMP-3及CEA 和细胞学阳性率均显著高于对照组,差异显著（P＜0.05）;CYFRA21-1诊断恶性胸腔积液的AUC为0.989,95%CI为0.977~1.000;MMP-3诊断恶性胸腔积液的AUC为0.979,95%CI为0.964~0.994;CEA 诊断恶性胸腔积液的AUC为0.982,95%CI为0.967~0.997;细胞学诊断恶性胸腔积液的AUC为0.823,95%CI为0.766~0.879,联合检测时AUC为0.995,95%CI为0.990~1.000,较单独检测曲线下面积比较显著差异;且特异度、准确度均较单独检测更高。结论：CYFRA21-1、MMP-3及CEA 和细胞学联合检查可有效提高诊断恶性胸腔积液的准确性,临床应用价值高。     

The restoration of the T-lymphoid system of nude mice: lower efficiency of nonlymphoid, epithelial thymus grafts.

The T-cell deficiency of nude mice is due to an abnormal differentiation of the thymus epithelium; it can be persistently corrected by grafting a neonatal thymus. However, grafted adult thymuses or epithelial thymuses are not repopulated by large numbers of host-derived lymphocytes, as is the case when a whole neonatal thymus is grafted. Furthermore, the repopulation of the spleen and lymph nodes by T cells is less pronounced than after whole neonatal thymus transplantation, and the restoration of the reactivity to T-cell mitogens is irregular. Therefore, the integrity and the age of the thymus graft are important for a good restoration of the T-lymphoid system of congenitally athymic animals.     

Large-scale expansion of Vγ9Vδ2 T cells with engineered K562 feeder cells in G-Rex vessels and their use as chimeric antigen receptor–modified effector cells

Vγ9Vδ2 T cells are a minor subset of lymphocytes in the peripheral blood that has been extensively investigated for their tolerability, safety and anticancer efficacy. A hindrance to the broad application of these cells for adoptive cellular immunotherapy has been attaining clinically appropriate numbers of Vγ9Vδ2 T cells. Furthermore, Vγ9Vδ2 T cells exist at low frequencies among cancer patients. We, therefore, sought to conceive an economical method that allows for a quick and robust large-scale expansion of Vγ9Vδ2 T cells. A two-step protocol was developed, in which peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors or cancer patients were activated with Zometa and interleukin (IL)-2, followed by co-culturing with gamma-irradiated, CD64-, CD86- and CD137L-expressing K562 artificial antigen-presenting cells (aAPCs) in the presence of the anti-CD3 antibody OKT3. We optimized the co-culture ratio of K562 aAPCs to immune cells, and migrated this method to a G-Rex cell growth platform to derive clinically relevant cell numbers in a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant manner. We further include a depletion step to selectively remove αβ T lymphocytes. The method exhibited high expansion folds and a specific enrichment of Vγ9Vδ2 T cells. Expanded Vγ9Vδ2 T cells displayed an effector memory phenotype with a concomitant down-regulated expression of inhibitory immune checkpoint receptors. Finally, we ascertained the cytotoxic activity of these expanded cells by using nonmodified and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)–engrafted Vγ9Vδ2 T cells against a panel of solid tumor cells. Overall, we report an efficient approach to generate highly functional Vγ9Vδ2 T cells in massive numbers suitable for clinical application in an allogeneic setting.     

Expression of protective antigen in transgenic plants: a step towards edible vaccine against anthrax

Protective antigen (PA) is the most potent molecule for vaccination against anthrax. In the present study, we have successfully integrated protective antigen gene in nuclear genome of tobacco plants by Agrobacterium mediated leaf-disc transformation method. Expression of protective antigen gene was detected by immunoblot analysis using antisera raised against purified PA. A distinct band of approximately 83kDa lighted up in the protein extracted from transformed plants while there was no such band in untransformed plants. The plant expressed PA showed biological activity just like native PA, which was demonstrated by cytolytic assay on macrophage like cell lines with lethal factor. This study establishes for the first time expression of PA gene in a plant system and thus marks the first milestone towards developing edible vaccine against anthrax.     

Trichinella spiralis: strong antibody response to a 49 kDa newborn larva antigen in infected rats

In this work, we analyzed the kinetics of anti-Trichinella spiralis newborn larva (NBL) antibodies (Ab) and the antigenic recognition pattern of NBL proteins and its dose effects. Wistar rats were infected with 0, 700, 2000, 4000 and 8000 muscle larvae (ML) and bled at different time intervals up to day 31 post infection (p.i.). Ab production was higher with 2000 ML dose and decreased with 8000, 4000 and 700 ML. Abs were not detected until day 10, peaked on day 14 for the 2000 ML dose and on day 19 for the other doses and thereafter declined slowly from 19 to 31 days p.i. In contrast, Abs to ML increased from day 10, peaked on day 19 and remained high until the end of the study. Abs bound strongly at least to three NBL components of 188, 205 and 49 kDa. NBL antigen of 188 and 205 kDa were recognized 10-26 days p.i. and that of 49 kDa from day 10 to day 31 p.i. A weak recognition towards antigens of 52, 54, 62 and 83 kDa was also observed during the infection. An early recognition of 31, 43, 45, 55, 68 and 85 kDa ML antigens was observed whereas the response to those of 43, 45, 48, 60, 64 and 97 kDa (described previously as TSL-1 antigens) occurred late in the infection. A follow-up of antigen recognition up to day 61 with the optimal immunization dose (2000 ML) evidenced a decline of Ab production to the 49 kDa NBL antigen 42 days p.i., which suggested antigenic differences with the previously reported 43 kDa ML antigen strongly recognized late in the infection. To analyze the stage-specificity of the 49 kDa NBL antigen, polyclonal antibodies (PoAb) were obtained in rats immunized with 49 kDa NBL antigen. PoAb reacted strongly with the 49 kDa NBL component in NBL total soluble extract but no reactivity was observed with soluble antigen of the other T. spiralis stages. Albeit with less intensity, the 49 kDa component was also recognized by PoAb together with other antigens of 53, 97 and 107 kDa, in NBL excretory-secretory products (NBL-ESP). Thus, our results reveal differences in the kinetics of anti-NBL and ML Ab responses. While anti-NBL Abs declined slowly from day 19 until the end of the experiment, Abs to ML antigen remained high in the same period. It is remarkable the optimal Ab response to NBL antigens with 2000 ML infective dose and the reduced number of NBL antigens identified throughout the experimental T. spiralis infection, standing out the immunodominant 49 kDa antigen. Interestingly, this antigen, which was prominently expressed in NBL somatic proteins, was also detected in NBL-ESP.     

Suppressed CD31 Expression in Sarcoma-180 Tumors after Injection with Toxoplasma gondii Lysate Antigen in BALB/c Mice

The anti-tumorigenic effects of Toxoplasma gondii (RH) antigens were studied in a murine sarcoma-180 tumor model. To determine the anti-tumor effects, the reduction in tumor size and expression of CD31 (an angiogenesis marker in the tumor tissue) were examined after injection of BALB/c mice with T. gondii lysate antigen (TLA) or formalin-fixed, proliferation-inhibited, T. gondii tachyzoites. Tumors were successfully produced by an intradermal injection of sarcoma-180 cells with plain Matrigel in the mid-backs of mice. After injection with TLA or formalin-fixed T. gondii tachyzoites, the increase in tumor size and weight nearly stopped while tumor growth continued in control mice that were injected with PBS. CD31 expression in TLA-treated or formalin-fixed T. gondii-injected mice was lower than the control mice. Accordingly, the present study shows that the treatment of mice with formalin-fixed T. gondii or TLA in the murine sarcoma-180 tumor model results in a decrease of both tumor size and CD31 expression.     

Serum free prostate-specific antigen and zinc levels in experimental acute pancreatitis

Serum free prostate-specific antigen (fPSA) is the most useful tumor marker for prostatic cancer screening. However, recently, fPSA has also been detected in sera from patients with pancreatic diseases. In addition, it has been shown that zinc (Zn) concentration might change in both serum and tissues in pancreatic disease. In the present study, we measured serum concentrations of fPSA and Zn as possible markers and prognostic factors in an experimental acute-pancreatitis model. Twenty-five female Wistar albino rats were divided into two groups: the control group (n=10) and the experimental group (n=15). Acute pancreatitis was induced by injection of ethyl alcohol into the common biliary duct. The animals were sacrificed 24 h later to detect the concentrations of serum fPSA and Zn. fPSA values were detected to be significantly higher in the experimental group p<0.001). There was also a significant decrease in the serum Zn level of the acute-pancreatitis group (p<0.001). In conclusion, these findings suggested that a combination of these parameters might represent a significant improvement on the diagnostic value of each of them separately and provide a powerful tool for differential diagnosis and prognosis in pancreatic diseases.