Generation of NY-ESO-1-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells by a single peptide with dual MHC class I and class II specificities: a new strategy for vaccine design

The existence of overlapping CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell epitopes within certain tumor antigens provides an opportunity to test the hypothesis that relatively short peptides could be used to generate both CD8+ and CD4+ T cells against tumor. In this report, T-cell responses to a fragment of the tumor antigen NY-ESO-1 that contained an HLA-DP4-restricted helper T cell epitope as well as an HLA-A2-restricted cytotoxic T cell epitope were analyzed. One peptide, ESO:157-170 (SLLMWITQCFLPVF) was recognized by both NY-ESO-1-reactive CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell clones. Both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were efficiently generated from the peripheral blood of multiple melanoma patients after in vitro stimulations using ESO:157-170. Dual-specific peptides containing both cytotoxic T-cell and helper T-cell epitopes may represent an attractive strategy of vaccine design aimed at generating tumor-reactive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.     

Bone marrow contains melanoma-reactive CD8+ effector T cells and, compared with peripheral blood, enriched numbers of melanoma-reactive CD8+ memory T cells

Circulating melanoma-specific T cells can be frequently detected in patients with melanoma. Effective T-cell immunity and tumor surveillance, however, requires the presence of specific T cells in tissues populated by tumor cells. The bone marrow (BM) is a compartment frequently harboring micrometastatic tumor cells. Here, we compared directly ex vivo in peripheral blood (PB) and BM frequencies and differentiation phenotypes of T cells reactive with the melanoma-associated antigen tyrosinase and with autologous melanoma cells. Using intracellular cytokine and tetramer staining, we detected tyrosinase- and melanoma-reactive CD3+CD8+ T cells in the BM in similar or enhanced frequencies as in PB. Additional characterization of the differentiation subset using CD45RA and CCR7 revealed the presence of specific effector and memory T cells in the BM in all five patients analyzed. Remarkably, the frequency of tyrosinase- and melanoma-specific memory T cells was significantly increased in BM compared with PB. Thus, the BM may be an important compartment for tumor surveillance harboring a tumor-specific memory T-cell pool in addition to effector T cells.     

CD4+ T cells are able to promote tumor growth through inhibition of tumor-specific CD8+ T-cell responses in tumor-bearing hosts

Modulation of the immune response by established tumors may contribute to the limited success of therapeutic vaccination for the treatment of cancer compared with vaccination in a preventive setting. We analyzed the contribution of the CD4+ T-cell population to the induction or suppression of tumor-specific CD8+ T cells in a tumor model in which eradication of tumors crucially depends on CD8+ T cell-mediated immunity. Vaccine-mediated induction of protective antitumor immunity in the preventive setting (i.e., before tumor challenge) was CD4+ T cell dependent because depletion of this T-cell subset prevented CD8+ T-cell induction. In contrast, depletion of CD4+ cells in mice bearing established E1A+ tumors empowered the mice to raise strong CD8+ T-cell immunity capable of tumor eradication without the need for tumor-specific vaccination. Spontaneous eradication of tumors, which had initially grown out, was similarly observed in MHC class II-deficient mice, supporting the notion that the tumor-bearing mice harbor a class II MHC-restricted CD4+ T-cell subset capable of suppressing a tumor-specific CD8+ T-cell immune response. The deleterious effects of the presence of CD4+ T cells in tumor-bearing hosts could be overcome by CD40-triggering or injection of CpG. Together these results show that CD4+ T cells with a suppressive activity are rapidly induced following tumor development and that their suppressive effect can be overcome by agents that activate professional antigen-presenting cells. These observations are important for the development of immune interventions aiming at treatment of cancer.     

CD+4CD+25Foxp+3调节性T细胞在T细胞非霍奇金淋巴瘤中的研究进展

 CD+4 CD+25 调节性T细胞（CD+4 CD+25 Treg）是一个具有独特免疫调节功能的T细胞亚群, 天然的CD+4 CD+25 Treg起源于胸腺,获得性CD+4 CD+25 Treg可在外周由CD+4 CD-25 T细胞诱导产生,其分子表面表达特异性的转录抑制因子Foxp3,又可表达CD4、CD25、CTLA-4 （CD152） 、GITR等膜分子,主要功能具有免疫抑制性和免疫无能性。近年来研究发现,其在非霍奇金淋巴瘤（NHL）中存在表达异常,某些NHL外周血中或瘤内均存在CD+4 CD+25 Treg表达升高,且有研究表明其表达量随肿瘤增长和分期而增加。增加的CD+4 CD+25 Treg可加速肿瘤生长及再发,且可抑制自身效应性T细胞（CD+4 T／CD+8 T）功能,在肿瘤免疫逃逸机制中发挥一定作用。文章就CD+4 CD+25 Foxp3+调节性T细胞在T细胞非霍奇金淋巴瘤（T-NHL）（主要为皮肤T细胞淋巴瘤及成年人T细胞淋巴瘤）中的研究进展进行综述。     

Helper function of memory CD8+ T cells: heterologous CD8+ T cells support the induction of therapeutic cancer immunity

In contrast to the well-established efficacy of preventive vaccines, the effectiveness of therapeutic vaccines remains limited. To develop effective vaccination regimens against cancer, we have analyzed the effect of effector and memory CD8+ T cells on the ability of dendritic cells to mediate the immunologic and antitumor effects of vaccination. We show that in contrast to effector CD8+ T cells that kill antigen-carrying dendritic cells, IFNgamma-producing memory CD8+ T cells act as "helper" cells, supporting the ability of dendritic cells to produce interleukin-12 (IL-12) p70. Promoting the interaction of tumor antigen-carrying dendritic cells with memory-type "heterologous" (tumor-irrelevant) CD8+ T cells strongly enhances the IL-12p70-dependent immunogenic and therapeutic effects of vaccination in the animals bearing established tumors. Our data show that the suppressive and helper functions of CD8+ T cells are differentially expressed at different phases of CD8+ T-cell responses. Selective performance of helper functions by memory (in contrast to effector) CD8+ T cells helps to explain the phenomenon of immune memory and facilitates the design of effective therapeutic vaccines against cancer and chronic infections.     

Phenotype and functional characterization of long-term gp100-specific memory CD8+ T cells in disease-free melanoma patients before and after boosting immunization

PURPOSE: Effective cancer vaccines must both drive a strong CTL response and sustain long-term memory T cells capable of rapid recall responses to tumor antigens. We sought to characterize the phenotype and function of gp100 peptide-specific memory CD8+ T cells in melanoma patients after primary gp100(209-2M) immunization and assess the anamnestic response to boosting immunization. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Eight-color flow cytometry analysis of gp100-specific CD8+ T cells was done on peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected shortly after the primary vaccine regimen, 12 to 24 months after primary vaccination, and after boosting immunization. The anamnestic response was assessed by comparing the frequency of circulating gp100-specific T cells before and after boosting. Gp100 peptide-induced in vitro functional avidity and proliferation responses and melanoma-stimulated T-cell CD107 mobilization were compared for cells from all three time points for multiple patients. RESULTS: The frequency of circulating gp100-specific memory CD8+ T cells was comparable with cytomegalovirus-specific and FLU-specific T cells in the same patients, and the cells exhibited anamnestic proliferation after boosting. Their phenotypes were not unique, and individual patients exhibited one of two distinct phenotype signatures that were homologous to either cytomegalovirus-specific or FLU-specific memory T cells. Gp100-specific memory T cells showed some properties of competent memory T cells, such as heightened in vitro peptide-stimulated proliferation and increase in central memory (TCM) differentiation when compared with T-cell responses measured after the primary vaccine regimen. However, they did not acquire enhanced functional avidity usually associated with competent memory T-cell maturation. CONCLUSIONS: Although vaccination with class I-restricted melanoma peptides alone can break tolerance to self-tumor antigens, it did not induce fully competent memory CD8+ T cells--even in disease-free patients. Data presented suggest other vaccine strategies will be required to induce functionally robust long-term memory T cells.     

CD4+ T-cell help in the tumor milieu is required for recruitment and cytolytic function of CD8+ T lymphocytes

CD4 help for CD8(+) T lymphocytes prevents tolerance and promotes the survival of effector and memory CD8(+) T cells. Here, we describe additional helper functions that require CD4(+) T cells within the tumor environment. CD8(+) T-cell recruitment, proliferation, and effector function within the tumor were greatly enhanced by tumor-specific CD4(+) T cells. Recruitment of CD8(+) T cells was accelerated by IFN-γ-dependent production of chemokines. Production of interleukin-2 by tumor resident CD4(+) T cells enhanced CD8(+) T-cell proliferation and upregulated expression of granzyme B. These results highlight a novel role for tumor-specific CD4(+) T cells in promoting CD8(+) T-cell recruitment and cytolytic function, two previously unappreciated aspects of tumor-specific CD4 help.     

Antigen-specific CD4+ T-cell help is required to activate a memory CD8+ T cell to a fully functional tumor killer cell

Although the importance of CD4+ T-cell help for generation of an effective CD8+ effector cytotoxic T cell (CTL) response is well established, the role of T-cell help in the activation of memory T cells to become fully functional tumor killer cells is undefined. Using synthetic peptide immunizations corresponding to the major CTLs and T-helper epitopes of ovalbumin, adoptive transfers of ovalbumin-specific memory CTLs (mCTLs), and ovalbumin as the tumor-specific antigen in a mouse tumor model, we have determined that T help is essential for the activation of mCTLs to kill tumors. Our data show that T-helper cells specific for the tumor-associated antigen are required for the reactivation of mCTLs by antigen presented indirectly from tumor. In contrast, effector CTLs do not need T help to kill tumors. These results have implications for induction of tumor immunotherapy by immunization.     

Peptide-specific CD8+ T-cell evolution in vivo: response to peptide vaccination with Melan-A/MART-1

Monitoring of CD8+ T-cell responses in cancer patients during peptide vaccination is essential to provide useful surrogate markers and to demonstrate vaccine efficacy. We have longitudinally followed CD8+ T-cell responses in 3 melanoma patients who were immunized with peptides derived from Melan-A/MART-1. Recombinant HLA-A2 tetramers loaded with the naturally presented Melan-A/MART-1 nonamer peptide (AAGIGILTV) and the Melan-A/MART-1 analog (ELAGIGILTV) were used in combination with phenotypical analysis for different T-cell subsets including naive T cells, effector T cells, "true memory" T cells and "memory effector" T cells, based on CD45RA/RO and CCR7-expression. At least in a single patient, T cells binding to the AAGIGILTV epitope were detected in naive, precursor (CD45RA+/CCR7+) CD8+ T cells, and CD8+ T cells binding to the analog ELAGIGILTV peptide were identified in the terminally differentiated (CD45RA+/CCR7-) T-cell subset. Molecular and functional analysis of tetramer-binding T cells revealed that the T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire was oligo/polyclonal in AAGIGILTV-reactive T cells, but different and restricted to a few TCR clonotypes in ELAGIGILTV-reactive T cells prior to vaccination. The TCR repertoire reactive with Melan-A/MART-1 peptide epitopes was broadened during vaccination and exhibited a different profile of cytokine release after specific stimulation: tetramer-binding T cells from 2/3 patients secreted granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interferon-gamma but not interleukin-2 (IL-2) in response to Melan-A/MART-1 peptides. In the third patient, tetramer-binding T cells secreted IL-2 exclusively. Our results show that T-cell responses to peptide vaccination consist of different T-cell subsets associated with different effector functions. Complementary analysis for TCR CDR3 and cytokine profiles may be useful to define the most effective CD8+ T-cell population induced by peptide vaccination.     

Immune surveillance: both CD3+ CD4+ and CD3+ CD8+ T cells control in vivo growth of P815 mastocytoma.

The aim of this study was to examine whether a spontaneous immune response controls neoplastic growth in P815-bearing DBA/2 mice, and to characterize the cells involved in tumor resistance in vivo. Several cell lineages such as T-cell-receptor (TcR)-bearing T cells, NK cells and macrophages mediate some anti-tumor activity in vitro. P815 was chosen as a model because it is weakly immunogenic and is a good target both for tumor-specific, MHC-restricted CTL-mediated lysis and for MHC-unrestricted lysis exerted by long-term cultured lymphocytes or activated macrophages. Since most "NK-like activity" in freshly isolated populations appears to be associated with CD3- cells, whereas antigen-specific, MHC-restricted T cells mostly express CD3 determinants, CD3 was a good marker for evaluating the role of T cells and "NK" cells in tumor resistance in vivo. The survival of anti-CD3-treated animals that were inoculated with tumor cells was strongly reduced (mean survival time: 17 days vs. 40 days for the control group) and was associated with increased tumor growth rate. We followed the same approach to define the T-cell subset(s) that mediate(s) this immune response. Both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were required for induction of immune control on neoplastic growth. The approach used has revealed the important role of CD4+ T cells in immune responses that control in vivo growth of a class-I-positive, class-II-negative tumor and suggests that these cells may play a central role in tumor resistance. Since CD4+ cells are activated by soluble, exogenous proteins, this finding may have important implications for immunotherapy.     

CD4+T细胞与肿瘤免疫

在肿瘤免疫中细胞免疫发挥着重要作用,其中T细胞介导的特异性免疫应答反应更为重要.近年来CD4+T细胞在抗肿瘤免疫中的作用越来越受到重视.在肿瘤免疫中CD4+T细胞启动后可以通过多种机制启动细胞毒性T淋巴细胞(CTL),维持和加强CTL的抗肿瘤反应,并且可以作为效应细胞发挥抗肿瘤作用,CD4+T细胞中的一个亚群细胞CD4+ CD25+T调节细胞对肿瘤免疫有抑制作用.     

CD4+T细胞与肿瘤免疫

在肿瘤免疫中细胞免疫发挥着重要作用,其中T细胞介导的特异性免疫应答反应更为重要.近年来CD4+T细胞在抗肿瘤免疫中的作用越来越受到重视.在肿瘤免疫中CD4+T细胞启动后可以通过多种机制启动细胞毒性T淋巴细胞(CTL),维持和加强CTL的抗肿瘤反应,并且可以作为效应细胞发挥抗肿瘤作用,CD4+T细胞中的一个亚群细胞CD4+ CD25+T调节细胞对肿瘤免疫有抑制作用.     

Eradication of established tumors by vaccination with Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus replicon particles delivering human papillomavirus 16 E7 RNA.

The etiological role of human papillomaviruses (HPV) in cervical and other cancers suggests that therapeutic vaccines directed against requisite viral antigens may eradicate tumors or their precursors. A Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) alphavirus vector delivering the HPV16 E7 RNA was evaluated for antitumor efficacy using a murine E7+ tumor model. Vaccination with VEE replicon particles expressing E7 (E7-VRP) induced class I-restricted CD8+ T-cell responses as determined by IFN-gamma enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT), tetramer, and cytotoxicity assays. E7-VRP vaccination prevented tumor development in all of the mice and effectively eliminated 7-day established tumors in 67% of tumor-bearing mice. The induction of protective T-cell responses was dependent on CD8+, but not CD4+ T cells. Long-lasting T-cell memory responses developed in E7-VRP-vaccinated mice as determined by complete protection from tumor challenge 3 months after the final vaccination. These promising results highlight the potent CD8+ T-cell-mediated antitumor effects elicited by VEE replicon-based vectors and support their further development toward clinical testing against cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or carcinoma.     

CD4+CD25+ regulatory T-cell-inactivation in combination with adenovirus vaccines enhances T-cell responses and protects mice from tumor challenge

Cancer vaccines are a promising approach to treating tumors or preventing tumor relapse through induction of an immune response against tumor-associated antigens (TAA). One major obstacle to successful therapy is the immunological tolerance against self-antigens which limits an effective antitumor immune response. As a transient reduction of immunological tolerance may enable more effective vaccination against self-tumor antigens, we explored this hypothesis in a CEA tolerant animal model with an adenovirus expressing CEA vaccine in conjunction with inactivation of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells. This vaccination modality resulted in increased CEA-specific CD8(+), CD4(+) T cells and antibody response. The appearance of a CD4(+) T-cell response correlated with a stronger memory response. The combined CD25(+) inactivation and genetic vaccination resulted in significant tumor protection in a metastatic tumor model. Non-invasive tumor visualization showed that not only primary tumors were reduced, but also hepatic metastases. Our results support the viability of this cancer vaccine strategy as an adjuvant treatment to prevent tumor relapse in cancer patients.     

CD4+ T lymphocytes: a critical component of antitumor immunity

Both prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines targeting a wide variety of cancers are being developed. Because of the potency of cell-mediated immunity, many vaccine strategies are focused on activating tumor-specific cytotoxic CD8⁺ T lymphocytes. CD4⁺ T lymphocytes are a key element in optimal activation of CD8⁺ T cells and in the maintenance of immune memory, and therefore their activation is critical for cancer vaccine efficacy. This article reviews the mechanisms by which CD4⁺ T cells facilitate tumor immunity and the vaccine strategies that enhance CD4⁺ T cell activity.     

Fas-FasL-mediated CD4+ T-cell apoptosis following stem cell transplantation.

We report the preferential expression of Fas on CD4+ T cells and Fas ligand (FasL) on monocytes and their potential role in the selective loss of CD4+ T cells in breast cancer patients undergoing high-dose chemotherapy and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PSCT). A high frequency of apoptotic CD4+ T cells (28-51%) is observed during the first 100 days after PSCT concomitant with a significant increase in monocyte frequency and FasL expression (11.6-23%) on monocytes. The preferential expression of Fas on CD4+ T cells (73-92%) in the peripheral blood (PB) of these patients is associated with a significantly higher frequency of CD4+ T-cell apoptosis compared with CD8+ T cells (28-47%) and CD4+ T cells (46 +/- 5.7%) in normal PB. These data suggest that "primed" Fas+ CD4+ lymphocytes interact with activated monocytes that express FasL, resulting in apoptosis, leading to deletion of CD4+ T cells, an inversion in the CD4:CD8 T-cell ratio, and immune dysfunction. The prevention of CD4+ T-cell apoptosis and improved immune reconstitution by the manipulation of PB stem cell products, blockade of Fas-FasL interactions, or cytokine support after transplantation may be important adjuvant immunotherapeutic strategies in patients undergoing high-dose chemotherapy and PSCT.     

CD4~+ CD25~+调节性T细胞及其在肿瘤免疫治疗中的意义

CD4+CD25+调节性T细胞是具有独特免疫调节功能的T细胞亚群。近年来研究发现各种恶性肿瘤患者外周血及肿瘤环境中该细胞比例增加,去除CD4+CD25+调节性T细胞或封闭其抑制功能可以增强抗肿瘤免疫反应。CD4+CD25+调节性T细胞成为肿瘤免疫治疗的新靶点。     

Unmasking immunosurveillance against a syngeneic colon cancer by elimination of CD4+ NKT regulatory cells and IL-13

We have previously observed a novel role of natural killer T (NKT) cells in negative regulation of antitumor immune responses against an immunogenic regressor tumor expressing a transfected viral antigen. Here, we investigated whether hidden spontaneous antitumor immunosurveillance, in the absence of a vaccine, could be revealed by disruption of this negative regulatory pathway involving CD4+ NKT cells and interleukin-13 (IL-13), in a murine pulmonary metastasis model of a nontransfected, nonregressor, syngeneic tumor, the CT26 colon carcinoma. Lung metastases of CT26 were decreased in CD4+ T cell-depleted BALB/c mice, suggesting that CD4+ T cells were involved in negative regulation of antitumor responses. CD1-knock out (CD1-KO) mice, which have conventional CD4+ T cells and CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells but lack CD1-restricted CD4+ NKT cells, were significantly resistant to lung metastasis of CT26. The metastases were not further decreased in CD4+ T cell-depleted CD1-KO mice, implying that CD4+ NKT cells might be the primary negative regulator of antitumor immune responses in BALB/c mice. CD8+ T cells were found to act as effectors in antitumor immune responses, since the inhibition of lung metastases observed in naive CD1-KO or CD4+ T cell-depleted mice was abrogated by depletion of CD8+ T cells. Lung metastases were significantly decreased by treatment of mice with an IL-13 inhibitor, but not by deficiency or inhibition of IL-4. Thus, even for a nonregressor tumor, immunosurveillance exists but is negatively regulated via CD4+ NKT cells possibly mediated by IL-13, and can be unmasked by removal of these negative regulatory components.     

CD4＋CD25＋Foxp3＋Treg细胞调控肿瘤免疫抑制微环境的研究进展

目的： CD4＋CD25＋Foxp3＋调节性T细胞（ Treg ）是肿瘤免疫抑制微环境的主要组成部分,其在肿瘤的免疫抑制微环境中分泌IL－10、IL－35、TGF－β1和FGL2等细胞因子发挥免疫抑制作用。Treg细胞抑制CD4＋T、CD8＋T淋巴细胞和NK细胞,进而抑制特异性抗肿瘤免疫反应使肿瘤细胞更容易逃避免疫监视。进一步研究Treg细胞在肿瘤免疫中的作用机制,对深入了解恶性肿瘤的发病机制及免疫治疗具有重要的理论意义。此外,Treg细胞及其分泌的细胞因子在肿瘤治疗和预后评估等方面也具有广阔的临床应用前景。