Monoclonal antibodies specific for H-2K and H-2D antigens on cytotoxic T cells can inhibit their function

Antibodies specific for murine major histocompatibility gene complex (MHC) class I H-2K and H-2D molecules present on cytotoxic T (Tc) cells have been shown to inhibit their function of target cell lysis. This could only be demonstrated by using a more sensitive assay for T-cell-mediated lysis, and many monoclonal antibodies of different Ig class, origin, and specificity can be shown to inhibit alloreactive as well as MHC-restricted Tc cells. These antibodies inhibit different activated T-cell populations to varying extents, and anti-H-2K but not anti-H-2D antibodies show a synergistic effect with anti-Lyt-2 antibodies. Data here suggest that MHC molecules may be located in or near the T-cell receptor complex on these cells.     

Interleukin-12 therapy of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma induces lesion regression and cytotoxic T-cell responses.

Progression of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is associated with profound defects in cell-mediated immunity and depressed production of cytokines, which support cell-mediated immunity. Because we have observed marked defects in interleukin-12 (IL-12) production in CTCL and because IL-12 is critical for antitumor cytotoxic T-cell responses, we initiated a phase I dose escalation trial with recombinant human IL-12 (rhIL-12) where patients received either 50, 100, or 300 ng/kg rhIL-12 twice weekly subcutaneously or intralesionally for up to 24 weeks. Ten patients were entered: 5 with extensive plaque, 3 with Sezary syndrome, and 2 with extensive tumors with large cell transformation. One patient with Sezary syndrome dropped out after 1 week for personal reasons. Subcutaneous dosing resulted in complete responses (CR) in 2 of 5 plaque and partial responses (PR) in 2 of 5 plaque, and 1 of 2 Sezary syndrome (overall response rate CR+PR 5 of 9, 56%). A minor response also occurred in 1 of 5 plaque patients. Intralesional dosing resulted in individual tumor regression in 2 of 2 patients. Biopsy of regressing lesions showed a significant decrease in the density of the infiltrate in all cases and complete resolution of the infiltrate among those with clinical lesion resolution. An increase in numbers of CD8-positive and/or TIA-1-positive T cells were observed on immunohistochemical analysis of skin biopsy specimens obtained from regressing skin lesions. Adverse effects of rhIL-12 on this regimen were minor and limited and included low-grade fever and headache. One patient discontinued rhIL-12 at week 6 because of depression. These results suggest that rhIL-12 may augment antitumor cytotoxic T-cell responses and may represent a potent and well-tolerated therapeutic agent for CTCL.     

Depression of virus-specific cytotoxic T-cell responses during murine malaria

Mice with self-limiting P. yoelii or fatal P. berghei infections exhibited a markedly impaired ability to mount specific splenic cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses to immunization with infectious ectromelia (EV), vaccinia (VAC), or lymphocytic choriomeningitis viruses (LCMV). Lymph node responsiveness, however, was not impaired. Primary CTL responses were depressed in mice immunized 7 days after P. berghei infection, while in P. yoelii-infected mice, depressed responses were detected only during the period corresponding with maximal parasitemia (days 9-12). Secondary VAC-specific CTL responses in vitro by spleen cells of mice previously immunized during P. yoelii infection were also depressed if UV-inactivated rather than infectious VAC was used for immunization. In addition, spleen cells of mice already immune to VAC failed to yield normal secondary CTL responses in vitro during the period of maximal P. yoelii parasitaemia. Collectively, these findings indicate that, during patent malaria infections, priming for and expression of virus-specific CTL responses may be inhibited.     

Sensory distinction between H-2b and H-2bm1 mutant mice.

Genetic polymorphism in the H-2:Qa:Tla region of chromosome 17 is associated with constitutive variation of bodily odor phenotypes which permit individual olfactory recognition among mice. To determine whether known genes in the H-2:Qa:Tla complex are concerned in the constitution of odor phenotypes, mice were tested for their ability to sense a difference between the B6/By (H-2b) and congeneic B6.C-H-2bm1 strains, which differ genetically by mutation of the H-2K gene. As in previous studies of the sensory discrimination of H-2:Qa:Tla phenotypes, mice were trained by reward in a Y maze to distinguish the odors of urine samples, and the successful distinctions of B6/By from B6.C-H-2bm1 were confirmed by transfer of training, without reward, to coded samples of urine from genetically equivalent urine donor mice which the trained mice had not previously encountered. Cosegregation of odor phenotype with H-2b and H-2bm1 was demonstrated by transfer of training to typed H-2b and H-2bm1 homozygous segregants of F2 generations of appropriate crosses. Although it is not excluded that the differences in odor phenotype which distinguish H-2b and H-2bm1 mice are directly related to the structure of the H-2b and H-2bm1 products, it is equally possible that H-2-related odor phenotypes arise from effects of H-2 genetic variation on metabolic pathways either directly, or indirectly through developmental polymorphism.     

Nanoparticle conjugation of antigen enhances cytotoxic T-cell responses in pulmonary vaccination

The ability of vaccines to induce memory cytotoxic T-cell responses in the lung is crucial in stemming and treating pulmonary diseases caused by viruses and bacteria. However, most approaches to subunit vaccines produce primarily humoral and only to a lesser extent cellular immune responses. We developed a nanoparticle (NP)-based carrier that, upon delivery to the lung, specifically targets pulmonary dendritic cells, thus enhancing antigen uptake and transport to the draining lymph node; antigen coupling via a disulfide link promotes highly efficient cross-presentation after uptake, inducing potent protective mucosal and systemic CD8(+) T-cell immunity. Pulmonary immunization with NP-conjugated ovalbumin (NP-ova) with CpG induced a threefold enhancement of splenic antigen-specific CD8(+) T cells displaying increased CD107a expression and IFN-γ production compared with immunization with soluble (i.e., unconjugated) ova with CpG. This enhanced response was accompanied by a potent Th17 cytokine profile in CD4(+) T cells. After 50 d, NP-ova and CpG also led to substantial enhancements in memory CD8(+) T-cell effector functions. Importantly, pulmonary vaccination with NP-ova and CpG induced as much as 10-fold increased frequencies of antigen-specific effector CD8(+) T cells to the lung and completely protected mice from morbidity following influenza-ova infection. Here, we highlight recruitment to the lung of a long-lasting pool of protective effector memory cytotoxic T-cells by our disulfide-linked antigen-conjugated NP formulation. These results suggest the reduction-reversible NP system is a highly promising platform for vaccines specifically targeting intracellular pathogens infecting the lung.     

An HIV-1 and HIV-2 cross-reactive cytotoxic T-cell epitope.

The HLA-B27-restricted HIV gag cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) epitope, 265-279, is highly conserved amongst HIV-1 isolates, only one, HIV-1ELI, having a single amino acid substitution. Over the same region HIV-2 differs by five amino acids. As a broadly cross-protective AIDS vaccine should protect against infection from all isolates of HIV-1 and HIV-2, we tested CTL specific for the HIV-1 265-279 epitope with peptide analogues from HIV-1ELI, HIV-2 and two simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) isolates, and with recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing the respective gag genes, to determine whether there was any cross-reactivity for this CTL epitope. CTL from the HIV-1-infected donor could recognize the HIV-1ELI peptide, the HIV-2 peptide and recombinant vaccinia virus-infected target and one of the two SIV peptide-treated targets. Epitopes that exhibit such cross-reactivity may be valuable in vaccine design.     

Induction of cytotoxic T-cell responses against immunoglobulin V region-derived peptides modified at human leukocyte antigen-A2 binding residues.

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses can be generated against peptides derived from the immunoglobulin (Ig) V region in some but not all patients. The main reason for this appears to be the low peptide-binding affinity of Ig-derived peptides to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules and their resulting low immunogenicity. This might be improved by conservative amino acid modifications at the MHC-binding residues of the peptides (heteroclitic peptides). In this study, it was found that in 18 Ig-derived peptides, that heteroclitic peptides from the Ig gene with improved binding to human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*0201 can be used to improve CTL responses. Amino acid substitution substantially increased predicted binding affinity, and there was a strong correlation between predicted and actual binding to HLA-A*0201. CTLs generated against the heteroclitic peptide had not only enhanced cytotoxicity against the heteroclitic peptide but also increased killing of antigen-presenting cells pulsed with the native peptide. Surprisingly, no difference was observed in the frequency of T cells detected by MHC class I peptide tetramers after stimulation with the heteroclitic peptide compared with the native peptide. CTLs generated against heteroclitic peptides could kill patients' tumor cells, showing that Ig-derived peptides can be presented by the tumor cell and that the failure to mount an immune response (among other reasons) likely results from the low immunogenicity of the native Ig-derived peptide. These results suggest that heteroclitic Ig-derived peptides can enhance immunogenicity, thereby eliciting immune responses, and that they might be useful tools for enhancing immunotherapy approaches to treating B-cell malignant diseases.     

乙型肝炎病毒核心区DNA疫苗接种后H-2d小鼠的特异性免疫应答

目的观察乙型肝炎病毒（ＨＢＶ）核心区ＤＮＡ疫苗接种后ＢＡＬＢ／ｃ（－２ｄ）小鼠的特异性免疫应答。方法构建ＨＢＶ核心区ＤＮＡ疫苗（ＰＪＷ４３０３／ＨＢｃ）;用基因枪法和肌肉注射祛将该ＤＮＡ疫苗接种ＢＡＬＢ／ｃ小鼠;ＥＬＩＳＡ法检测小鼠血清抗－ＨＢＣ（ＩｇＧ）及ＩｇＧ亚类（ＩｇＧ１,ＩｇＧ２ａ）;５１铬释放法检测小鼠脾细胞ＨＢｃＡｇ特异性ＣＴＬ活性。结果该ＤＮＡ疫苗在体外转染细胞中可良好表达ＨＢｃＡｇ。血清抗－ＨＢｃ终点滴度在ＤＮＡ疫苗基因枪组和肌肉注射接种组小鼠分别为１：３２８０５０和１：１０９３５０．两组小鼠的抗－ＨＢｃＩｇＧ亚类均以ＩｇＧ２ａ略占优势。两组小鼠的ＨＢＣＡｔｈｅ异性ＣＴＬ杀伤活性分别达到５１．１％和５５．２％。结论ＨＢＶ核心区ＤＮＡ疫苗在小鼠实验中具有良好的细胞免疫和体液免疫原性。     

IL-12及HBV基因疫苗共同免疫小鼠的效果

目的观察编码鼠IL-12的真核表达载体对HBV DNA疫苗诱导Balb/c小鼠免疫应答的影响.方法肌肉注射DNA疫苗,ELISA法检测小鼠血清抗HBs,4h51Cr释放法检测小鼠脾细胞CTL杀伤活性.结果免疫8wk后,注射pCR3.1组、注射pCR.1-S组及共注射IL-12真核表达载体的血清A(OD值)分别为0.04±0.01,0.87±0.1及1.67±0.15.CTL细胞杀伤活性分别为10.1%±6.4%,50.5%±6.4%及73.3%±8.8%,后两组与pCR3.1组比较均有显著差异(P＜0.01),后两组比较均有显著差异(P＜0.01).脾细胞悬液经抗CD4+单克隆抗体处理后分别为48.3%±5.9%,75.6%±9.1%,抗CD8+单克隆抗体处理后分别为10.6%±1.4%,16.9%±2.3%.结论 IL-12的真核表达载体能够提高小鼠对DNA疫苗的免疫应答,CTL细胞杀伤活性主要由CD8+执行.基因疫苗可能用于预防及治疗HBV感染.     

Newborn blood can engraft adult mice without inducing graft-versus-host disease across non H-2 antigens

Cells derived from human cord blood were recently used instead of bone marrow (BM) for transplantation. However, several questions concerning the potential of these cells to reconstitute the hematopoietic and immunologic system of the recipient and to induce a graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remain unanswered. Here we used newborn blood (NBB) cells from B10.D2 mice to engraft lethally irradiated (DBA/2 x B10.D2)F1 recipients incompatible for multiple non H-2 antigens. Few mature T cells were found in NBB as in adult BM and both contain around 10% to 20% SCA-1+ pluripotent progenitor cells. Yet numerous immature CD4+CD8+ TCR alpha/beta low Thy-1high T cells were present in NBB. In contrast, adult peripheral blood (PB) exhibits a mature T-cell phenotype and contains few progenitor cells. The injection of blood pooled from one to three newborn mice resulted in the engraftment of 71% to 86% of F1 recipients, which survived more than 100 days without clinical signs of GVHD. The injection of BM leads to 100% survival whereas the injection of adult PB resulted in rapid mortality, both without signs of GVHD. In NBB-engrafted F1 surviving mice, T-cell reconstitution preceded B-cell reconstitution, and the degree of donor cell chimerism increased progressively with time. Additionally, 2 to 4 months after transplantation, T cells from these mice were tolerant to host non H-2 antigens but kept reactivity against third-party Ags. Host specific tolerance in NBB-engrafted F1 mice was confirmed by in vivo transfer experiments. In conclusion, NBB cells were able to reconstitute the lymphohematopoietic system of lethally irradiated adult mice without inducing GVHD against incompatible non H-2 antigens. Thus, this experimental model in vivo may be relevant to the human cord blood transplantation.     

Secretion of a chimeric T-cell receptor-immunoglobulin protein.

To produce sufficient quantities of soluble T-cell receptor protein for detailed biochemical and biophysical analyses we have explored the use of immunoglobulin--T-cell receptor gene fusions. In this report we describe a chimeric gene construct containing a T-cell receptor alpha-chain variable (V) domain and the constant (C) region coding sequences of an immunoglobulin gamma 2a molecule. Cells transfected with the chimeric gene synthesize a stable protein product that expresses immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor antigenic determinants as well as protein A binding sites. We show that the determinant recognized by the anticlonotypic antibody A2B4.2 resides on the V alpha domain of the T-cell receptor. The chimeric protein associates with a normal lambda light chain to form an apparently normal tetrameric (H2L2, where H = heavy and L = light) immunoglobulin molecule that is secreted. Also of potential significance is the fact that a T-cell receptor V beta gene in the same construct is neither assembled nor secreted with the lambda light chain, and when expressed with a C kappa region it does not assemble with the chimeric V alpha C gamma 2a protein mentioned above. This indicates that not all T-cell receptor V regions are similar enough to immunoglobulin V regions for them to be completely interchangeable.     

Life-span, T-cell responses, and incidence of lymphomas in congenic mice.

Survival, T-cell functions, and postmortem histopathology were studied in H-2 congenic strains of mice bearing H-2b, H-2k, and H-2d haplotypes. Males lived longer than females in all homozygous and heterozygous combinations except for H-2d homozygotes, which showed no differences between males and females. Association of heterozygosity with longer survival was observed only with H-2b/H-2b and H-2b/H-2d mice. Analysis using classification and regression trees (CART) showed that both males and females of H-2b homozygous and H-2k/H-2b mice had the shortest life-span of the strains studied. In histopathological analyses, lymphomas were noted to be more frequent in females, while hemangiosarcomas and hepatomas were more frequent in males. Lymphomas appeared earlier than hepatomas or hemangiosarcomas. The incidence of lymphomas was associated with the H-2 haplotype--e.g., H-2b homozygous mice had more lymphomas than did mice of the H-2d haplotype. More vigorous T-cell function was maintained with age (27 months) in H-2d, H-2b/H-2d, and H-2d/H-2k mice as compared with H-2b, H-2k, and H-2b/H-2k mice, which showed a decline of T-cell responses with age.     

Naturally occurring cytotoxic human antibodies recognize H-2-controlled murine lymphocyte antigens.

Human sera contain cytotoxic naturally occurring (CyNa) antibodies which discriminate between lymph node cells from mice differing only at the H-2 complex. Sera from three healthy subjects (normal human sera, NH sera) and one serum from a patient with multiple sclerosis reacted with cells expressing Db, Kd, Kk, and Kp molecules, respectively. However, the following observations suggested that the binding specificity of these CyNa antibodies is to antigens that are distinct from the classical H-2 antigens: (i) the NH sera did not contain cytotoxic anti-HLA antibodies, (ii) redistribution (capping) of H-2 antigens did not induce resistance to lysis for CyNa antibodies, and (iii) individual variation was demonstrated in the expression of the murine lymphocyte antigens detected by the human CyNa antibodies. The reason for this variation appeared to be different for individual NH serum. A maternal effect influenced the expression of the murine lymphocyte antigen detected by one NH serum (anti-H-2b). The differences detected by another NH serum (anti-H-2p) appeared to be inherited, as shown by progeny testing. We hypothesize that the human CyNa antibodies may be directed against antigens controlled or modified by murine viruses (milk borne or endogenous), whose expression is under the influence of the H-2 complex, and that their production might have been stimulated by the products of human genes homologous to murine viruses.     

Developmental failure of chimeric embryos expressing high levels of H-2Dd transplantation antigens.

The absence of expression of class I products of the major histocompatibility complex at early stages of development is thought to play a key role in maternal tolerance of the fetal allograft. To test this, we developed a strategy that would allow us to describe the consequences of overexpression of the H-2Dd transplantation antigen in the developing embryo. A construct containing the H-2Dd gene under control of the human beta-actin promoter was transfected into pluripotent embryonic stem (ES) cells. Particularly in this case, since overexpression of major histocompatibility complex class I gene products may profoundly affect embryonic development, an important advantage of the ES cell system is the ability to analyze gene expression and study effects on cell growth and differentiation in vitro. ES cells do not constitutively express beta 2-microglobulin. Consistent with this, H-2Dd H chains expressed by ES cell transformants were not associated with beta 2-microglobulin or transported to the cell surface. Significant levels of beta 2-microglobulin and H-2Dd membrane glycoproteins were expressed following differentiation in vitro. H-2Dd-transfected ES cells gave rise to a wide range of differentiated cell types, and there was no evidence to suggest that expression of the introduced H-2Dd gene affects the differentiation abilities of ES cells in vitro. When introduced into blastocysts, H-2Dd-transfected ES cells extensively contribute to embryonic and extraembryonic tissues, but this results in the failure of chimeric conceptuses at midgestation. Considering that transgenic chimeras cannot be rescued by transfer into syngeneic foster females, it seems likely that nonimmunological mechanisms are responsible for these prenatal lethalities.     

Selective and unidirectional membrane redistribution of an H-2 antigen with an antibody-clustered viral antigen: relationship to mechanisms of cytotoxic T-cell interactions.

We have studied the co-redistribution of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) antigen and of individual H-2 antigens on the surfaces of mouse cells, and in parallel we have also used these VSV-infected cells as targets in cytotoxic T-cell killing experiments. Antibody-induced patching and capping of the VSV antigen caused an extensive co-patching and co-capping of the H-2Kb antigen but not of the H-2Db antigen. In reciprocal experiments, the antibody-induced patching of the H-2Kb or H-2Db antigen did not result in a co-patching of the VSV antigen. Radioimmunoassays showed that the relative numbers of H-2Kb, H-2Db, and VSV antigens on the surfaces of the cells exhibiting such nonreciprocal co-redistributions were closely similar. Furthermore, the H-2 restricted cytotoxic T-cell lysis of these target cells showed a marked preference for H-2Kb compared to H-2Db compatibility. We propose that the VSV and H-2 antigens are molecularly independent entities in the unpreturbed target cell membrane but that the antibody-induced clustering of the VSV antigen causes a selective and unidirectional co-redistribution (which we designate as syn-capping) of H-2Kb with the VSV antigen clusters. It is suggested that such a T-cell-induced syn-capping process involving an antigen and an H-2 molecule on the target cell may play a critical role in the mechanism of cytotoxic T-cell killing.     

Expression of urinary H-2 odortypes by infant mice.

The extended H-2 complex of genes in the mouse includes at least three loci that independently specify distinctive body odors, "odortypes," whose differential recognition influences mating choice and affects the maintenance of early pregnancy. A prime experimental method of identifying H-2 odortypes is the specially designed Y-maze in which mice are trained, by water deprivation and reward, to distinguish odors conducted to the arms of the maze from H-2-dissimilar mice or their urines. It is confirmed that H-2-dissimilar infant mice, unlike adult mice, are not distinguished by trained mice in the Y-maze. However, a previous conclusion that infant mice do not express H-2 odortypes is shown to be incorrect, because the urines of H-2-dissimilar infant mice, even at 1 day of age, were distinguished in the Y-maze. Thus urine, ingested by the mother, clearly could suffice for her to distinguish her own from other H-2-dissimilar pups. Further, urine would seem to be a unique source of H-2 odortypes. If, as we believe, H-2 odortypes represent mostly compound odors composed by H-2 genetic variation in the urinary output of odorous metabolites, as distinct from simple odors that depend on chemical differences of single odorants, then the kidney, which is not responsible for H-2 odortype specificity, may nevertheless impart a unique character to urinary odortypes by virtue of differential excretion/resorption processing of various constituent odorous metabolites. In that case, various organs and tissues, among which the hematopoietic/lymphoid system is known to contribute to H-2 odortype specificity, may exhibit tissue-specific varieties of H-2 odortypes, their products having not yet been subjected to renal processing.     

Human cytotoxic T-cell responses against Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigens demonstrated by using recombinant vaccinia viruses.

The potentially pathogenic effects of infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a B-lymphotropic agent with cell growth-transforming potential, are contained in healthy virus carriers by virus-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) surveillance. The target antigens against which such CTL responses are directed are yet undefined, but the antigens probably derived from one or more of the EBV "latent" proteins constitutively expressed in virus-transformed B cells. We have analyzed target specificity of CTL responses from two EBV-immune donors that are preferentially reactive against autologous cells transformed with type A but not with type B virus isolates. Coding sequences for four EBV latent proteins with allelic polymorphism between A and B virus types--namely, the EBV nuclear antigens (EBNAs) EBNA 2, EBNA 3a, EBNA 3c, and EBNA leader protein--have been introduced into vaccinia virus vectors under control of vaccinia promoter P7.5 and used to express relevant EBNA proteins in appropriate target cells. Thus the CTL response from one donor has been mapped to type A EBNA 2 protein and from a second donor to type A EBNA 3a protein. Thereafter, a series of recombinant vaccinia viruses were constructed that carried specific internal deletions within the EBNA 2 type A coding sequence; by using these vectors, the above EBNA 2 type A-specific CTL response was shown to be directed against an epitope within a 100-amino acid fragment near the N terminus of the protein. This work clearly shows human CTL recognition of virus-coded nuclear antigens in the EBV system; moreover, it establishes an experimental approach that can be extended to all EBV latent proteins and to the more common CTL responses that cross-react against type A and type B virus isolates.     

Localization of allodeterminants on H-2Kb antigens determined with monoclonal antibodies and H-2 mutant mice.

The topographic arrangement of antigenic determinants on the H-2Kb molecule was investigated by antibody competition studies with a series of monoclonal anti-Kb antibodies. For identification of amino acid residues participating in formation of allodeterminants H-2Kb mutant mice with defined amino acid substitutions were analyzed. The determinants were found to be located in at least two spatially separate clusters on the H-2Kb molecule. Determinants of one cluster are affected by mutations at amino acid positions 155 and 156, whereas determinants of a second cluster are modified by amino acid substitutions at positions 77 and 89. For a third cluster of determinants no relevant amino acid positions could be identified, but competition data indicate that this cluster is adjacent to the second one. The data suggest that the first two domains of H-2 antigens carry most allodeterminants.