CD2/LFA-3 or LFA-l/ICAM-1 but not CD28/B7 interactions can augment cytotoxicity by virus-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes

It is well established that adhesion molecules are required for interaction between cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and target cells. Two adhesion pathways, CD2/LFA-3 and LFA-l/ICAM-1 can support cytotoxicity by allospecific CD8+ CTL. In this study, it was investigated whether these adhesion pathways can be utilized independently by influenza virus-specific HLA-A2-restricted CTL clones. It was furthermore examined whether the CD28/B7 pathway can augment virus-specific CTL activity. To this end, seven CD8⁺ CTL clones were established that were specific for a peptide encompassing positions 59 to 68 (p[59-68]) of the influenza virus matrix protein. These seven clones apparently originated from different precursors, as they utilized different Vα and Vβ or Jα gene segments. Six of seven clones were able to lyse mouse L cells co-transfected with HLA-A2 and either LFA-3 (LA2/LFA-3) or ICAM-1 (LA2/ICAM-1) in the presence of p[59-68] but did not lyse Lcells that expressed only HLA-A2 and peptide. Three of the most cytotoxic clones were selected for further analysis. The cytotoxicity of the clones against LA2/LFA-3 cells was blocked by anti-LFA-3 and anti-CD2 monoclonal antibodies (mAb), while these antibodies did not affect cytotoxicity against LA2/ICAM-1 cells. Likewise, the activity against LA2/ICAM-1 was blocked only by anti-LFA-1 and ICAM-1 mAb. These clones were unable to lyse Lcells co-transfected with HLA-A2 and B7, the counter structure of CD28, despite the fact that these clones expressed CD28. These data indicate that CD8⁺ virus-specific CTL can utilize either the CD2/LFA-3 or the LFA-l/ICAM-1 adhesion pathway. The CD28/B7 pathway seems not to be required for cytotoxicity mediated by activated virus-specific CTL.     

Restoration of the LFA-3 adhesion pathway in Burkitt's lymphoma cells using an LFA-3 recombinant vaccinia virus: consequences for T cell recognition.

Conjugate formation between cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and target B cells, as observed in vitro, is mediated by interactions between adhesion molecules on the two cell surfaces rather than involving immune recognition through the T cell receptor. It is still not clear to what extent such adhesive contacts facilitate the process of immune recognition and target cell lysis. However, work on the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated malignancy Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) has suggested that down-regulation of one particular adhesion molecule, the lymphocyte function-associated antigen LFA-3, on the tumor cell surface is a key factor in allowing these target cells to escape EBV-specific T cell surveillance. To examine this directly, we used a cDNA for the full-length transmembrane form of LFA-3 to construct a recombinant vaccinia virus (Vacc-LFA 3), which is capable of restoring surface LFA-3 in adhesion molecule-negative BL cell lines to levels as high as seen in EBV-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL); biochemical studies confirmed expression of the authentic N-glycosylated protein. The recombinant vaccinia-encoded LFA-3 was functional as an adhesion molecule since BL cells acutely infected with Vacc-LFA-3 then acquired the ability to form conjugates with activated T cells in vitro. However, there was no clear dependence upon LFA-3 when such BL cell lines were tested as targets for cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Firstly, LFA-3- BL cells could be killed by allospecific CTL recognizing HLA class I alloantigens, in some cases as efficiently as the corresponding LCL. In other cases where lysis was slightly below that of the LCL, Vacc-LFA-3 infection of the BL cells increased lysis up to, but never beyond, LCL values. Secondly, we studied the sensitivity of BL to EBV-specific HLA class I-restricted CTL using a BL target line which was LFA-3- but which expressed the same spectrum of EBV target proteins as an LCL. This line was not recognized by appropriately HLA-matched effectors, even after restoration of LFA-3 expression. We conclude that the LFA-3 status of BL cells influences their conjugate forming ability in in vitro assays but not necessarily their sensitivity to immune T cell-mediated cytolysis.     

CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells enhance the allogeneic activity of endothelial-specific CD8+/CD28-CTL

Numerous data indicate that CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg cells) can attenuate alloresponses of conventional T lymphocytes against professional antigen-presenting cells and thus qualify for clinical use in various transplant settings. However, it is unknown whether Treg cells also influence T cell-endothelial cell interactions. CD8+ PBMC (CD8+ PBMC, CTL) from healthy human donors were stimulated for 7 days with an allogeneic microvascular endothelial cell line (CDC/EU. HMEC-1, an immortalized human microvascular endothelial cell line, further referred to as HMEC) and additional endothelial cell types and analysed for their lytic activity against these target cells in the presence or absence of Treg cells. Addition of Treg cells (1:1:1) to the CTL/HMEC co-cultures in the efferent immune phase (day -1 prior to the assay) led to an increased cytotoxicity against HMEC. In contrast, Treg cells alone did not lyse HMEC. Treg cell-mediated enhancement of CTL activity was endothelial cell specific since lysis of HLA-matched Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B lymphoblastoid cells (B-LCL) was not influenced by the addition of Treg cells. Further analysis of CD28-positive and CD28-negative CTL sub-populations revealed that only the CD28-negative CTL showed an increased activity against HMEC after Treg cell co-culture. Although there is no doubt about the potential therapeutic efficacy of Treg cells to ameliorate outcome of allogeneic transplants, the endothelium might require additional protective interventions to prevent endothelial cell type-specific alloreactivity.     

LFA-3 co-stimulates cytokine secretion by cytotoxic T lymphocytes by providing a TCR-independent activation signal

T cell activation is known to depend not only on efficient antigen recognition and subsequent signaling through TCR, but also on interactions involving multiple adhesion and accessory molecules such as CD28/B7, LFA-1/ICAM-1 and LFA-3/CD2. The present study dissects the role of LFA-3/CD2 interactions in the activation of melanoma-specific CD8⁺ T cell clones. To this end we analyzed the influence of LFA-3 density on melanoma cells on lysis and cytokine production (TNF, IL-2, IFN-γ) by T cells following activation by various amounts of antigenic peptides. Our results indicate that increasing LFA-3 density on melanoma cells variably affects their lysis susceptibility, but systematically and considerably enhances cytokine production by melanoma-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) clones. At any stimulatory antigen density, LFA-3 increased the fraction of responding cells and/or cytokine amounts produced by individual cells, without affecting TCR down-regulation. These results show that CD2 engagement increases cytokine gene activation essentially by providing to T cells a TCR-independent co-activation signal. From a practical point of view, our data demonstrate that the level of LFA-3 expressed on tumors critically affects cytokine production by specific CTL and thus the efficiency of specific immune reactions mediated by these cells.     

Functional evidence that intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is a ligand for LFA-1-dependent adhesion in T cell-mediated cytotoxicity

Although intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) has been implicated as a ligand in some LFA-1-dependent adhesion, its importance to T cell function has not been established. The present studies investigate the importance of ICAM-1 for human cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), both in their formation of antigen-independent conjugates (AIC) and in their lysis of targets. Analysis of monoclonal antibody (mAb) inhibition of AIC formation indicate that ICAM-1 mAb 1 blocks (a) AIC formation with some but not all targets; (b) the LFA-1 pathway but not the CD2/LFA-3 pathway of adhesion; (c) by binding to the target cell, not the T cell. In studies of cell-mediated lysis (CML) ICAM-1 mAb inhibited lysis of some targets, such as U-937, that use ICAM-1 predominantly in AIC formation; CML on some other targets is not inhibited by ICAM-1 mAb. These data indicate that ICAM-1 is a ligand for AIC formation, antigen-specific CTL recognition and cytolysis of particular target cells. The data also indicate that ICAM-1 is not used in LFA-1-dependent CTL interactions with all kinds of target cells, suggesting the existence of alternative ligands for LFA-1.     

Adhesion molecule-mediated signals regulate major histocompatibility complex-unrestricted and CD3/T cell receptor-triggered cytotoxicity.

Appropriate experimental conditions were devised to demonstrate that CD58 (LFA-3), CD54 (ICAM-1) and CD11a/CD18 (LFA-1) adhesion molecules are the source of signals that regulate nonspecific major histocompatibility complex-unrestricted and CD3/T cell receptor (TcR)-triggered cytotoxicity. Using anti-LFA-3 monoclonal antibody (mAb)-treated, interleukin-2 (IL-2)-cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) or cloned CD3+/CD8+ cells as lymphocyte-activated killer (LAK) effectors, and ligand (CD2)-negative tumor cell lines as targets, a down-regulation of CD3- and CD3+ cell-mediated LAK activity was consistently observed. Anti-LFA-3 mAb also down-regulated tumor cell lysis when T cell clones were triggered to kill P815 cells through stimulation of the CD3/TcR complex by an anti-CD3 mAb. The inhibitory effect of anti-LFA-3 mAb was not prevented by stimulatory anti-CD2 mAb. Anti-ICAM-1 mAb treatment of IL-2-cultured PBL consistently up-regulated LAK cytotoxicity against tumor target cells. However, this effect was only exerted on CD3- LAK effectors. Anti-LFA-1 mAb blocked conjugate formation between effector cells and tumor target cells, thus rendering this model unsuitable to evaluate the regulatory role of LFA-1. Therefore, a cytotoxicity model system was applied in which a hybrid anti-CD3/anti-human red blood cell (HuRBC) mAb triggers cytolytic T cells to lyse HuRBC. In these experiments, anti-LFA-1 mAb markedly up-regulated the lytic ability of IL-2-cultured PBL. We conclude that mAb against LFA-3, ICAM-1 and LFA-1 molecules deliver regulatory signals for LAK cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes. As these stimuli may be delivered by ligands expressed on tumor targets as well as on other immune competent and inflammatory cells, the present observations are relevant in the context of both the host's immune response against tumors and the general functioning of the immune system.     

CD4 binding to major histocompatibility complex class II antigens induces LFA-1-dependent and -independent homotypic adhesion of B lymphocytes.

T helper cells recognize processed antigen (Ag) in the context of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigens present on the surface of B cells and other Ag-presenting cells. This interaction is mediated through the T cell receptor complex with associate recognition of class II molecules by the CD4 molecule. In this study, the binding of a soluble recombinant CD4/Ig heavy chain fusion protein (CD4-gamma 3) or monoclonal antibody (mAb) to class II antigens on human B cells was shown to induce rapid and specific homotypic adhesion of B cells and most B lymphoblastoid cell lines. mAb reactive with CD4 inhibited CD4-gamma 3-induced adhesion and a mutant B lymphoblastoid cell line deficient in class II antigens failed to respond. Induction of homotypic adhesion was dependent on energy metabolism and a functional cytoskeleton, and class II+ pre-B cells did not exhibit adhesion in response to these stimuli, suggesting that cross-linking of class II molecules generated a transmembrane signal and did not simply aggregate cells. In addition, MHC class II-induced adhesion was Fc receptor independent, as 15 mAb of different Ig isotypes reactive with HLA-D or HLA-DQ gene products induced adhesion. Anti-class II mAb and CD4-gamma 3 were able to induce adhesion at concentrations as low as 10 ng/ml and 100 ng/ml, respectively. Suboptimal stimulation of B cell lines through HLA-D antigens induced homotypic adhesion that was dependent on the activation of LFA-1 (CD11a/CD18), and which could be blocked by specific mAb. However, at greater signal strengths, adhesion was not blocked by mAb against the known adhesion receptors, suggesting the induction of a novel adhesion pathway. Consistent with this, homotypic adhesion induced by engagement of MHC class II antigens was observed with LFA-1-deficient B cell lines, and was independent of CD49d or CD18 expression. Thus, the direct engagement of B cell class II antigens by CD4 is likely to generate transmembrane signals which trigger both LFA-1-dependent and LFA-1-independent adhesion pathways.     

Skewing to the LFA-3 adhesion pathway by influenza infection of antigen-presenting cells

The effect of influenza (FLU) infection on heterotypic conjugate formation between antigen-presenting cells and T lymphocytes has been studied with FLU-specific T cell clones and FLU-infected B-lymphoblastoid cells (B-LCL). Conjugate formation between FLU-infected B-LCL (FLU⁺ B-LCL) and T cells was found to be consistently enhanced in comparison with peptide-sensitized or uninfected B-LCL. Treatment of B-LCL with exogenous neuraminidase (NA-NAse) similarly enhanced conjugate formation indicating that increased conjugate formation may be mediated by the viral neuraminidase. Monoclonal antibody blocking experiments revealed that the contribution by CD2/LFA-3 is increased relative to that of LFA-l/ICAM-1 in conjugates between FLU⁺ B-LCL or NANAse-treated B-LCL and T cell clones. In contrast, both pathways of adhesion contributed equally to conjugate formation between peptide-sensitized B-LCL or control B-LCL and T cell clones. Thus, FLU infection causes increased conjugate formation between antigen-presenting cells and T cells and skews towards CD2/LFA-3-dependent adhesion, independent of T cell receptor signalling.     

Accessory molecules and antigen requirements for young and aging cytotoxic lymphocytes

In this study I have investigated whether young and aging alloreactive cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) have comparable antigen requirements, and whether the accessory molecules Ly2 and LFA-1 participate similarly in cytolysis mediated by young and old cells. Spleen and lymph node cells from young and aging, naive and primed mice were stimulated in bulk culture with allogeneic cells; cytotoxicity and proliferation were then measured. Additionally, lymph node cells were cultured under limiting dilution conditions, and the resultant clones here tested for cytotoxicity in the presence or absence of antibodies against Ly2 and LFA-1. I found that accessory molecules from naive and primed, young and aging splenic CTL participated similarly in cytolysis. However, both cytotoxic and proliferating splenic T-cells from aging mice required a greater alloantigen concentration for optimal response. Heterogeneous lymph node CTL from old mice demonstrated less cytotoxicity than young CTL, and, on the clonal level, old naive CTL clones were less active than young clones. Naive aging clones were more resistant than young clones to anti-Ly2 and anti-LFA-1. After priming, clone activity among the various age groups did not differ. These results suggest a qualitative difference between young and old cytolytic cells prior to alloantigen priming in vivo.     

Mapping functional epitopes of the human LFA-1 glycoprotein: monoclonal antibody inhibition of NK and CTL effectors

Anti-LFA-1 monoclonal antibody (MoAb) was originally identified by screening antibodies for their ability to inhibit cytolysis in the absence of complement. Anti-LFA-1 MoAb has been shown to inhibit both natural killer (NK) and cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) mediated cytolysis. To further define the utilization of this molecule in cell-mediated cytolysis, we used a panel of MoAb to functional epitopes on both the alpha and beta chains of the LFA-1 heterodimer. The panel was used to compare OKT3- NK effectors and OKT3+ CTL clones. As expected, function-associated MoAb to CTL antigens (T3, T8, LFA-2) and target cell antigens (HLA, LFA-3) blocked only CTL clones and not NK effectors. In contrast, anti-LFA-1 MoAb blocked both NK effectors and CTL clones. In addition, the panel of anti-LFA-1 MoAb demonstrated an identical hierarchy of functionally relevant LFA-1 epitopes. Given the similar utilization of LFA-1 in NK and CTL mediated cytotoxicity assays, we explored the ability of MoAb to different epitopes on LFA-1 to inhibit conjugate formation. Anti-LFA-1 MoAb inhibition of NK-target binding paralleled the inhibition of CTL-target binding. Thus, functional epitopes on the LFA-1 molecule have been defined for NK and CTL effectors. The identical hierarchy of functional epitopes indicates that the LFA-1 molecule is similarly utilized in NK and CTL mediated cytotoxicity and that the relevant epitopes are involved in effector-target conjugate formation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A monoclonal antibody to LFA-3, the CD2 ligand, specifically immobilizes major histocompatibility complex proteins

T cells are activated when the antigen-specific T cell receptor recognizes antigen in association with major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins. The T cell surface protein CD2 (T11, LFA-2, the T erythrocyte receptor) and its target or stimulator cell ligand, lymphocyte function-associated antigen-3 (LFA-3), are also involved in T cell adhesion and activation. The molecular mechanisms by which the CD2/LFA-3 interaction affects T cell adhesion and activation are unclear. The CD2/LFA-3 interaction may be modeled by the interaction between LFA-3 and anti-LFA-3 monoclonal antibody (mAb). We used the fluorescence photobleaching recovery technique to investigate the effect of anti-LFA-3 mAb on the lateral mobility of MHC proteins in plasma membranes of JY, a human Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B cell line. Anti-LFA-3 mAb induced immobilization of class I MHC proteins labeled with bivalent but not monovalent fluorescein-conjugated W6/32 mAb. Anti-LFA-3 mAb also caused immobilization of class II MHC proteins labeled with bivalent fluoresceinated LB3.1 mAb. In contrast, anti-LFA-3 mAb did not affect the mobilities of either a B cell membrane protein labeled with bivalent fluoresceinated anti-CD45 (human leukocyte antigen) mAb or a membrane lipid analogue. Unlike anti-LFA-3 mAb, anti-LFA-1 mAb did not affect class I MHC protein mobility. These results suggest that CD2 binding to LFA-3 may trigger a physiological response in which target cell MHC proteins, cross-linked by receptors on the T cell surface, are immobilized at and thereby localized to the T cell-target cell interface.     

Regulation of LFA-1-mediated T cell adhesion by CD4.

Heterotypic adhesion of T lymphocytes to monocytes, B lymphocytes, or other target cells is mainly mediated by LFA-1 and CD2 molecules. Low-affinity binding of resting T cells can be transiently up-regulated by cross-linking of CD3. We have previously found that binding of specific ligands to CD4 can down-regulate adhesion of resting T cells to B cells. We now show that the enhanced adhesiveness of CD4+ T cells induced by CD3 cross-linking using plastic-bound anti-CD3 antibody can also be inhibited by several CD4 ligands. i.e. anti-CD4 antibodies, the gp160 env protein of human immunodeficiency virus, as well as by putative CD4 ligands, i.e. synthetic peptides analogous to the gp160-binding site to CD4 (positions 418-434 and 449-464) and a 12-mer synthetic peptide (DR-12) analogous to positions 35-46 of HLA class II beta subunit and including the highly conserved Arg-Phe-Asp-Ser (RFDS) sequence. After CD3 cross-linking, maximal binding of T cells to HLA class II-positive and -negative B cells was similar, although binding to HLA class II-negative B cells was more prolonged. T cells that were passively induced to up-regulate adhesion by binding of a CD11a-specific antibody NKIL16, known to enhance LFA-1-dependent adhesiveness, were less sensitive to the inhibitory effect of the DR-12 peptide, whereas the inhibitory effects of gp160 were preserved. The kinetics of adhesion of NKIL16-pretreated T cells was not influenced by HLA class II expression at the B cell surface. Together, these results strongly suggest that CD4-HLA class II interaction may down-regulate low-affinity adhesion of resting T cells and, to some extent, high-affinity adhesion of T cells actively induced by CD3 cross-linking but not passively induced by an anti-CD11a antibody.     

Physical and functional association of LFA-1 with DNAM-1 adhesion molecule

Whereas ligation of the DNAM-1 adhesion molecule triggers cytotoxicity mediated by normal NK and T cells, this function was defective in NK cell clones from leukocyte adhesion deficiency syndrome. However, genetic reconstitution of cell surface expression of LFA-1 restored the ability of DNAM-1 to initiate anti-DNAM-1 mAb-induced cytotoxicity, indicating a functional relationship between DNAM-1 and LFA-1. Further studies demonstrated that LFA-1 physically associates with DNAM-1 in NK cells and anti-CD3 mAb stimulated T cells, for which serine phosphorylation of DNAM-1 plays a critical role. In addition, cross-linking of LFA-1 induces tyrosine phosphorylation of DNAM-1, for which the Fyn protein tyrosine kinase is responsible. These results indicate that DNAM-1 is involved in the LFA-1-mediated intracellular signals.     

Minor histocompatibility antigen DDX3Y induces HLA-DQ5-restricted T cell responses with limited TCR-Vbeta usage both in vivo and in vitro.

In vitro stimulation of human female T cells with male HLA-identical dendritic cells resulted in the generation of HLA-DQB1*0501/0502-restricted minor histocompatibility H-Y antigen-specific CD4(+) T cell clones. Two clones generated from different HLA-identical pairs were analyzed. Use of HLA-DQ5-expressing female Epstein-Barr virus transformed B lymphoblastoid cell lines transfected with various H-Y genes and loaded with overlapping peptides demonstrated that both T cell clones are specific for a peptide encoded by DDX3Y. Previously, an HLA-DQ5-restricted T cell clone specific for the same peptide was isolated from a patient with graft-versus-host disease. Thus, we compared the T cell receptor (TCR) rearrangements of the 2 in vitro generated T cell clones and the ex vivo isolated T cell clone. All 3 clones shared the same TCRBV5-4* gene segment and 2 of 3 clones also used similar TCR-Valpha segments. Our results suggest that T cells recognizing the HLA-DQ5/DDX3Y T cell epitope might be characterized by a relatively limited TCR-beta repertoire. The differences in the junctional TCR-beta region had no effect on the antigen specificity, but altered the capacity of the TCR to distinguish the HLA-DQ5/DDX3Y complex from its allelic counterpart. The results also demonstrate that in vitro stimulation of T cells with allogeneic HLA-identical dendritic cells may facilitate the characterization of in vivo, potentially relevant HLA class II-restricted minor H epitopes.     

Anti-CD81 activates LFA-1 on T cells and promotes T cell-B cell collaboration

CD81 is expressed on human T cells at all stages of development. CD81 is physically associated with CD4 and CD8 and antibodies against CD81 generate signals which influence thymocyte adhesion and proliferation. Here we evaluate the function of CD81 on mature T cells. We employ a system in which B cells present superantigen to autologous T cells and find that anti-CD81 promotes T cell-B cell collaboration. Anti-CD81 induces T cell-B cell adhesion of peripheral blood lymphocytes which is partially mediated by LFA-1. CD81 engagement promotes LFA-1-dependent T cell activation, IL-2 production and proliferation. The antibody 5A6 was uniquely potent in exerting these effects compared to another antibody to CD81 or to antibodies that react with other tetraspanins expressed on T cells, anti-CD53 or anti-CD82. CD81-derived signals rapidly induce high-avidity LFA-1 as measured by cell binding to recombinant ICAM-3-coated fluorescent microspheres or by cell adhesion to ICAM-3-coated plastic. 5A6 activation of LFA-1 does not expose the high-affinity conformation epitope recognized by monoclonal antibody 24.     

LFA-1-mediated leukocyte adhesion regulated by interaction of CD43 with LFA-1 and CD147

The activity of the lymphocyte-function associated antigen 1 (LFA-1; CD11a/CD18) must be tightly controlled during the onset of cellular immunity. It is well known that the sialoglycoprotein CD43 can influence LFA-1-mediated cell adhesion in an either anti- or pro-adhesive manner through mechanisms not well understood. By using a yeast-2-hybrid screen and co-immunoprecipitation we identified physical association of CD43 with two novel partners, LFA-1 itself and the Ig-family member CD147 (EMMPRIN, basigin), and characterized how these interactions are involved in LFA-1-mediated cell adhesion. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to both CD43 and CD147 induced similar homotypic cell aggregation and adhesion of Jurkat T cells and U937 myeloid cells. Both CD43 and CD147 mAbs induced dynamic co-capping of LFA-1 together with the CD43 and the CD147 molecule to cell contact zones. However, in contrast to CD43, we were not able to co-immunoprecipitate LFA-1 with CD147, which indicates that CD43 interacts with CD147 and LFA-1 in two distinct but similarly reorganized complexes. Co-transfection of CD43 interfered with the CD147-induced cell adhesion and aggregation, and siRNA-mediated knock down of CD43 in human T cells resulted in enhanced LFA-1 activation induced via CD147 and also the T cell antigen receptor. These results indicate that triggering CD43 and the underlying signaling pathways enhance LFA-1 adhesiveness while CD43 also negatively regulates LFA-1 induction via other receptors by dynamic interaction with either LFA-1 or CD147.     

Isolation of broadly reactive, tumor-specific, HLA Class-I restricted CTL from blood lymphocytes of a breast cancer patient

Blood lymphocytes of a HLA-A2 positive breast cancer patient were stimulated with either MCF-7 or MDA-MB-231, i.e., HLA-A2-matched allogeneic breast carcinoma cell lines. Several CD8⁺ CTL clones with reactivity against the stimulator cells but not against K562 were generated. Reactivity could be blocked with monoclonal antibody (mAb) W6/32, MA2.1, and/or BB7.2, indicating that the clones are HLA-class I and HLA-A2 restricted. The CTL clones generated following stimulation with MCF-7, recognized various other allogeneic HLA-A2⁺ tumor cell lines, including breast carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, and melanoma cell lines, but not HLA-A2⁻ tumor cell lines. The CTL clones did not recognize normal HLA-A2⁺ cells including breast epithelial cells, renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTEC), or EBV-transformed B cells including the autologous EBV cell line. In contrast to the CTL clones induced with MCF-7, the reactivity of the clones stimulated with MDA-MB-231, was limited to the stimulator cell MDA-MB-231. Cytotoxicity assays utilizing T2 cells loaded with peptides as target cells indicated that none of the examined CTL-epitopes derived from HER-2/neu, Muc-1, Ep-CAM-1, and p53 were recognized by the CTL clones generated. Our findings underscore that breast cancer is an immunogenic tumor and that HLA-class I-matched allogeneic tumor cells can be used as stimulator cells to generate tumor-specific CTL from peripheral blood of a breast cancer patient with specificity for an antigenic determinant that is broadly expressed on tumor cells from various origins or with specificity limited to the breast cancer stimulator cell.     

Overexpression of CD82 on human T cells enhances LFA-1 / ICAM-1-mediated cell-cell adhesion: functional association between CD82 and LFA-1 in T cell activation

We previously demonstrated that CD82, expressed on both T cells and antigen-presenting cells (APC), plays an important role as a co-stimulatory molecule especially in the early phase of T cell activation. We also showed that the CD82 expression level is up-regulated on activated T cells and memory T cells. This up-regulation enhances both T cell-T cell and T cell-APC interactions. In this study, we further investigated the mechanism of CD82-mediated cell-cell adhesion. The enhanced adhesion between CD82-overexpressing Jurkat cells was completely blocked by anti-ICAM-1 / LFA-1 monoclonal antibodies. Increased interaction of LFA-1 with ICAM-1 was further confirmed by enhanced adhesion of CD82-overexpressing Jurkat cells to immobilized ICAM-1-Ig. CD82 co-immunoprecipitated with LFA-1 from Jurkat cells and CD82 and LFA-1 colocalized at an adhesion foci. These results suggest that the T cell stimulation via anti-CD3 cross-linking or phorbol myristate acetate treatment up-regulates CD82 expression, leading to the colocalization of CD82 and LFA-1, and results in enhanced interaction between LFA-1 and ICAM-1. In addition, a blocking experiment using monoclonal antibodies suggested that CD82 and LFA-1 molecules on APC are also important for the optimal activation of T cells. This is the first report that describes the enhancement of cell-cell interaction through LFA-1 and ICAM-1 by the overexpression of another cell surface molecule, CD82.     

Defective T-lymphocyte signal transduction and function in leukocyte adhesion deficiency

The lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) molecule is a cell surface heterodimeric protein that directly mediates cellular adhesion. However, it remains unclear whether LFA-1 molecules are also involved in transmembrane signaling and in the subsequent regulation of cellular functions. Previous attempts to evaluate this issue have been hampered by (1) the ubiquitous expression of LFA-1 on normal lymphoid cells, (2) the limited availability of assays for cellular activation that are not affected by cellular adhesion, and (3) the difficulties in interpreting studies where anti-LFA-1 mAbs are used to alternatively block or stimulate this antigen. In order to avoid these pitfalls, we first isolated and cloned T lymphocytes from a patient with leukocyte adhesion deficiency (LAD), an inherited disorder in which the defective expression of leukocyte integrins results in the production of LFA-1^– T lymphocytes. Different T-cell lines from this patient and from normal individuals were then stimulated through their T-cell antigen receptor complex and were then tested for three aspects of cellular activation: (1) transmembrane signaling (i.e., phospho-inositide turnover), (2) lymphokine secretion (i.e., release of lymphotoxin), and (3) their capacity to mediate cellular cytotoxicity (using murine anti-CD3-producing hybridoma cells as targets). Using assay systems that did not involve LFA-1-mediated adhesion to antigen-presenting cells or target cells, the T-cell lines from the LAD patient were found to be intrinsically defective in all three of these parameters of T cell activation. However, the defects in transmembrane signaling and lymphokine secretion were relative rather than absolute, as the cells were fully responsive to the maximal receptor stimuli provided by immobilized anti-CD3 mAbs or phytohemagglutinin. Our findings suggest that the leukocyte integrins act not only as cellular adhesion molecules, but also directly affect transmembrane signaling during T-cell activation.