The in vivo clearance of Ha-ras transformants by natural killer cells

The experiments in this study were designed to test the hypothesis that natural killer (NK) cells play a role in host surveillance against early neoplastic changes in the malignant process. C3H 10T1/2 mouse fibroblasts were transfected with a pSV2-neo plasmid vector which contains EJ, the mutated c-Ha-ras, regulated by its own promoter. Control cells were transfected with pSV2-neo alone and did not contain the ras gene. Oncogene-transfected cells were compared with control cells for lung colony formation following tail vein injection into C3H mice. Intravenous injection of ras-transfected 10T1/2 cells induced marked lung colony formation in vivo, whereas C3H 10T1/2 parental lines or 10T1/2 cells transfected with pSV2-neo alone induced no lung colonies in C3H mice. The colonising potential of ras transfectants could be decreased by augmentation of NK activity by injection of polyinosinic cytidylic acid and increased by depletion of NK effectors with anti-asialo GM₁. Experiments with beige mice demonstrated that the mortality of syngeneic, NK-deficient C3H-bg/bg mice injected with ras tranfectants was significantly greater than similarly treated NK-normal C3H-+/bg littermate controls. The results support the view that NK cells are capable in vivo of recognizing early defined stages in the neoplastic process initiated by oncogenes.     

Memory T cells of a patient with follicular thyroid carcinoma recognize peptides derived from mutated p21 ras (Gln-->Leu61).

Point mutations in ras genes resulting in substitutions of amino acid Gly in positions 12 and 13, and Gln in position 61 of the ras gene product p21, are commonly found in human tumors. Peptides derived from aberrant p21 may elicit a tumor specific T cell response, provided that these peptides can bind to HLA molecules of the tumor and the patient has T cells able to recognize the corresponding peptide-HLA complex. Here we report that CD4+ T cells of memory type (CD45RO+) from a patient with a follicular thyroid carcinoma respond against a synthetic peptide derived from aberrant p21 ras having a Gln-->Leu substitution at position 61. Such responses were not observed when T cells from healthy volunteers or cancer patients where this mutation does not usually occur were stimulated with this peptide. The responding T cells did not cross-react with the corresponding peptide derived from native p21 ras nor did they recognize peptides carrying other substitutions in position 61. T cells clones were generated which recognized this Leu61 peptide when presented by HLA-DQ8 molecules. These T cell clones also recognized the corresponding intact p21 ras protein. By using several different synthetic peptides, a peptide with optimal stimulatory capacity was defined. Performing polymerase chain reaction and oligonucleotide probing we were, however, not able to detect the p21 ras gene encoding the Gln-->Leu substitution in DNA from tumor biopsies from the patient. This may indicate that tumor cells harboring the mutation leading to the Gln-->Leu substitution had been eliminated and that tumor progression was due to cells that had deleted the mutated ras gene. The finding that ras derived peptides and recombinant mutated p21 ras are immunogenic in man may form the basis for the development of cancer immunotherapy based on synthetic oncogene derived peptides.     

IL-2 signalling in T and natural killer (NK) cells associated with their class I-non-restricted killing activity

The signal transduction of IL-2 in NK cells and T cells was compared. On 5 min incubation of these cells with IL-2, we observed tyrosine phosphorylation of 105-kD and 110-kD proteins in NK cells and of 95-kD and 110-kD proteins in T cells. The phosphorylation reached maximal levels in 15 min in both NK and T cells, but the levels were higher in NK cells, which showed superior killing against Daudi cells. With this phosphorylation, p52^shc was also tyrosine-phosphorylated and p21^ras was activated by the short term (10 min) treatment of NK and T cells with IL-2. These signals were completely suppressed by anti-IL-2Rβ MoAb, but only slightly suppressed by anti-IL-2Rα MoAb, correlated with the suppression of the class-I-non-restricted cytotoxic activity of NK and T cells by these MoAbs. When tyrosine phosphorylation was inhibited by herbimycin A and genistein, the cytotoxic activities of NK and T cells were nearly completely suppressed. In addition, the tyrosine phosphorylation of JAK3 by IL-2 was more prominent in NK cells than in T cells, but JAK1, JAK2, STAT1α, STAT2 and STAT3 were not phosphorylated. These results indicate that the IL-2 signal flows downstream via both ras-dependent and ras-independent pathways and that the superior killing activity of NK cells depends on their high susceptibility to protein tyrosine phosphorylation by IL-2.     

Limitations to the expression of parvoviral nonstructural proteins may determine the extent of sensitization of EJ-ras-transformed rat cells to minute virus of mice

The FR3T3 and NRK rat cell lines and their human EJ Ha-ras-1 oncogene-transformed derivatives, termed FREJ and NREJ, were compared for their susceptibility to the parvovirus MVMp. For a similar production of p21ras protein, FREJ clones are markedly sensitized to killing by MVMp, whereas the NREJ cells are not. Such a contrasting effect of ras transformation on the sensitivity of cells of different origins to MVMp can be traced back to their respective abilities to support the parvoviral life cycle. The FR3T3 line produces a substantial amount of viral DNA whose expression in the form of the nonstructural protein NS-1 is stimulated in its transformed derivatives. Conversely, NRK cells offer an early block to parvoviral DNA replication and expression that appears to persist in the ras-transformed clones. Thus, at least two intracellular restrictions can protect normal rat cells against MVMp infection, and transformation by ras relieves one of them at the level of parvoviral gene expression. A fair correlation was also found between the degree of sensitivity of the various lines to MVMp-induced killing and their capacity to synthesize the nonstructural viral proteins, suggesting a possible role of parvoviral nonstructural proteins in cytotoxicity.     

Interleukin (IL)-2 activation of p21ras in murine myeloid cells transfected with human IL-2 receptor beta chain.

The T cell growth factor interleukin-2 (IL-2) induces p21ras activation in T lymphocytes. To determine whether the IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) can regulate p21ras when expressed in a non-T cell environment we have examined the ability of IL-2 to activate p21ras in 32D murine myeloid progenitor cells transduced with human IL-2R beta chains. These cells are denoted beta 53 cells. 32D cells normally proliferate in response to IL-3 but the expression of the IL-2R beta chain confers IL-2 responsiveness to the cells. Our data show that IL-3 is able to activate p21ras in the parental 32D cells and both IL-2 and IL-3 can stimulate p21ras in the IL-2R-expressing beta 53 clone of 32D. In T lymphocytes, activation of protein kinase C (PKC) with phorbol esters is sufficient to stimulate p21ras. However, in 32D and beta 53 cells activation of PKC with phorbol esters does not result in p21ras activation even though these cells express functional PKC. It appears, therefore, that a PKC-mediated pathway for p21ras regulation exists in T lymphocytes but not in 32D cells. The IL-2R can couple to p21ras independently of the concomitant presence of the PKC pathway for p21ras regulation. These data imply that multiple intracellular mechanisms may exist to regulate p21ras and that cells of different lineages may differ with regard to p21ras regulation.     

Preliminary study on mouse interleukin-21 application in tumor gene therapy

lnterleukin-21(IL-21)is a recently characterized T cell-derived cytokine with a significant homology to IL-2,IL-4 and IL-15.To determine whether IL-21 has broad immunoregulatory activity and can stimulate durableantitumour responses,we constructed mouse IL-21(mIL-21) recombinant plasmid and evaluated its antitumorefficacy.Mouse IL-21 cDNA was amplified from Con A-activated mouse T cells by RT-PCR.RecombinantpcDNA3.1/mIL-21 was constructed and transfected into Sp2/0 cells.Mouse IL-21 expression was analyzed byWestern blotting and its activities were detected by ~3H-TdR incorporation and MTT assay.The recombinantpcDNA3.1/mIL-21 was injected s.c.into tumor lump.Tumor size,weight,the activities of CTLs,NK cells andLAK cells and serum IFN-γ,level were measured for evaluating mIL-21 mediated antitumor responses.Theresults indicated that mIL-21 was correctly expressed in Sp2/0 cells and it can improve the proliferation of Tcells and B cells,and enhance NK cytotoxic activity in vitro.The activities of CTL and NK cells,and serumIFN-γlevel were significantly improved,furthermore the tumor growth was obviously suppressed inpcDNA3.1/mIL-21 treated mice.However,the LAK activity did not alter significantly.Taken together,thisstudy suggests that the injection with recombinant plasmid containing mIL-21 is a potential approach fortumor gene therapy.Cellular & Molecular Immunology.2004;1(6):461-466.     

Class I (H-2Kb) gene transfection reduces susceptibility of YAC-1 lymphoma targets to natural killer cells

A "hybrid gene" (MTKb) comprised of the human metallothionein IIA promoter ligated to the genomic sequence of the major histocompatibility complex class I (H-2Kb) gene was subcloned into the expression vector pSV2neo and transfected into the natural killer (NK) cell-sensitive YAC-1 lymphoma. The Kb gene product was readily detectable on the cell surface of G418-resistant transfectants using both Kb-specific monoclonal antibodies and H-2b-specific cytolytic T cells. Unlike control pSV2neo transfectants, MTKb-pSV2neo transfectants were relatively resistant to lysis by NK cells from H-2a, H-2b, H-2k or H-2 (a x b)F1 haplotype mice. These data strongly suggest that the effects of MHC expression on susceptibility to NK cells can be mediated by a single and well-defined class I molecule, Kb.     

hMIP-1β基因转染小鼠结肠腺癌CT26细胞对免疫细胞的体内外趋化作用

探讨转染人巨噬细胞炎性蛋白1β(human macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta,hMIP-1β)基因的小鼠结肠腺癌CT26细胞的生物学特性、致瘤性及对免疫细胞的体内外趋化作用。利用重组腺病毒载体携带hMIP-1β基因(AdhMIP-1β)转染CT26细胞。X-gal染色法检测基因转染效率;ELISA法检测基因转染CT26细胞培养上清中hMIP-1β的含量;Boyden趋化小室法检测培养上清对CD4+T细胞、CD8+T细胞、NK细胞及未成熟树突状细胞(immature dendritic cell,imDC)的趋化作用。小鼠皮下接种转染hMIP-1β基因的CT26细胞,观察其体内致瘤性和对免疫细胞的趋化作用。结果显示,腺病毒载体可携带hMIP-1β基因转染CT26细胞并高效表达hMIP-1β(P<0.01),培养上清含hMIP-1β且对免疫细胞有明显趋化作用。转染hMIP-1β基因的CT26细胞皮下接种后成瘤率降低,肿瘤生长速度减慢,肿瘤内可见明显坏死灶,坏死灶内和周围可见较多淋巴细胞浸润。提示hMIP-1β基因转染CT26细胞后,通过分泌hMIP-1β趋化淋巴细胞等免疫细胞到肿瘤局部发挥有效的抗肿瘤作用,从而为肿瘤的免疫治疗提供新的思路和策略。     

The regulation and function of p21ras in T cells.

In T cells, activation of the guanine-nucleotide-binding proteins encoded by the p21ras proto-oncogenes is a common response to triggering of the T-cell antigen receptor, the adhesion molecule CD2 and the receptor for the cytokine interleukin 2. This article by Julian Downward and colleagues describes the mechanisms of p21ras regulation and the potential function of p21ras in T cells, and discusses the evidence that multiple intracellular pathways may be involved in the coupling of cell surface receptors to p21ras.     

小鼠白细胞介素21 cDNA的克隆及真核表达质粒的构建

目的：克隆小鼠自细胞介素2l(IL-21)基因，构建真核表达质粒，用以进行肿瘤的基因治疗。方法：用RT-PCR法。从ConA活化的小鼠T细胞中扩增IL-21 cDNA。克隆人哺乳动物细胞高效表达质粒pcDNA3．1中，构建重组mIL-21真核表达质粒。重组体用载体上的通用引物和PCR下游引物为测序引物，鉴定克隆的正确性。将已鉴定的重组质粒用脂质体法转染Sp2／0细胞，用RT-PCR法鉴定转染细胞中IL-21基因的表达，用MTT比色法检测表达的mIL-21诱导的NK细胞杀伤活性的增强。结果：正确构建了重组真核表达质粒pcDNA3．1／mIL-21，并在转染的细胞中检测出IL-2l的表达，表达的mIL-21可在体外增强NK细胞的杀伤活性：结论：成功地构建了重组真核表达质粒pcDNA3．1／mIL-21，为进一步在肿瘤动物模型中进行IL-21基因治疗及疗效观察奠定了基础.     

Optimal preservation of p21 ras immunoreactivity and morphology in paraffin-embedded tissue

Specific immunostaining of p21 ras protein by the well-characterized pan-ras antibody Y13-259 is achieved in paraffin sections of human and animal tissues fixed in periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde-dichromate (PLPD). Intensity of staining is as good as in cryostat sections, with superior histological detail. Localization to plasma membrane is demonstrated in rodent cells genetically manipulated to express abundant p21 ras (the FHO5T1 cell line), both in preparations suspended in agar after culture in vitro and in those growing as tumour in vivo. Strong positive staining is observed in neoplasms of human breast and colon, tissues in which there is independent evidence of elevated ras gene expression. The superior morphology afforded by this technique allows clear characterization of p21 ras expression in small premalignant lesions for which other methods of detection of oncogene expression are not appropriate.     

ras p21 oncoprotein expression in human colonic neoplasia—an immunohistochemical study with monoclonal antibody RAP-5

Expression of the ras oncogene product p21 (ras p21) in benign and malignant human colonic tissues was studied using the monoclonal antibody RAP-5 and the avidin-biotin-peroxidase technique. Histologically normal colonic mucosa and hyperplastic mucosa adjacent to carcinomas (transitional mucosa) were found, in most cases, to be negative for reactivity with the antibody or showed weak staining of a few epithelial cells. Similar findings were observed in hyperplastic and juvenile polyps. Of the 145 adenomas studied, 47 (32.4%) showed detectable levels of ras p21 expression. RAP-5 immunohistochemical staining was significantly associated with the degree of epithelial dysplasia (P less than 0.01) and the size of adenoma (P less than 0.05), but not with the histological type. Fifty-four of 70 primary adenocarcinomas (77.1%) were reactive with RAP-5 and usually demonstrated a higher percentage of stained cells and more intense cytoplasmic staining than that observed in adenomas. Although metastases often displayed a similar or even higher levels of ras p21 expression compared with the primary carcinomas, in 10 cases one or more metastatic lesions showed lower levels of ras p21. These results suggest that enhanced ras p21 expression may, at times, occur in the early stages of human colon carcinogenesis but are probably not associated with metastatic tumour progression.     

Induction in transgenic mice of HLA-A2.1-restricted cytotoxic T cells specific for a peptide sequence from a mutated p21ras protein.

Cytotoxic T cells (CTL) recognize short peptides that are derived from the proteolysis of endogenous cellular proteins and presented on the cell surface as a complex with MHC class I molecules. CTL can recognize single amino acid substitutions in proteins, including those involved in malignant transformation. The mutated sequence of an oncogene may be presented on the cell surface as a peptide, and thus represents a potential target antigen for tumour therapy. The p21ras gene is mutated in a wide variety of tumours and since the transforming mutations result in amino acid substitutions at positions 12, 13 and 61 of the protein, a limited number of ras peptides could potentially be used in the treatment of a wide variety of malignancies. A common substitution is Val for Gly at position 12 of p21ras. In this study, we show that the peptide sequence from position 5 to position 14 with Val at position 12-ras p5-14 (Val-12)-has a motif which allows it to bind to HLA-A2.1. HLA-A2.1-restricted ras p5-14 (Val-12)-specific CTL were induced in mice transgenic for both HLA-A2.1 and human beta2-microglobulin after in vivo priming with the peptide. The murine CTL could recognize the ras p5-14 (Val-12) peptide when they were presented on both murine and human target cells bearing HLA-A2.1. No cross-reactivity was observed with the native peptide ras p5-14 (Gly-12), and this peptide was not immunogenic in HLA-A2.1 transgenic mice. This represents an interesting model for the study of an HLA-restricted CD8 cytotoxic T cell response to a defined tumour antigen in vivo.     

Activation of K-p21ras and N-p21ras, but not H-p21ras, is necessary for mitogen-induced human airway smooth-muscle proliferation

Ras proteins (H-, K-, and N-p21ras) play critical roles in the control of normal and neoplastic cell growth. To date, however, little is known about the role of p21ras in regulating mitogen-induced smooth muscle and, specifically, human airway smooth-muscle (HASM) cell growth. We postulate that p21ras is a critical signaling event regulating mitogen-induced HASM cell proliferation. Growth-arrested, confluent HASM cells were treated for 1 h with 10 ng/ml epidermal growth factor (EGF), 1 U/ml thrombin, or 5 microM bradykinin, then cell lysates were immunoprecipitated using anti-p21ras antibody. Immunoblot analysis using a pan p21ras antibody, which recognizes H-, K-, and N-p21ras, found no significant difference in p21ras expression in HASM after stimulation with either agent, as compared with control. In parallel experiments, we characterized that HASM cells express K- and N-p21ras, but not H-p21ras. Further, there was no difference between the levels of each p21ras isoform after stimulation with any of the agonists. The time course of p21ras activation, however, was markedly different among agonists. EGF rapidly activated p21ras within 30 s and was sustained for up to 30 min. Although thrombin also induced a rapid rise in p21ras activity after 2.5 min, the activation was transient. In contrast, bradykinin, which is nonmitogenic for HASM cells, did not activate p21ras. Using single-cell microinjection, the role of p21ras activation in modulating mitogen-induced HASM DNA synthesis was determined by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and anti-BrdU immunofluorescent staining. Thrombin- and EGF-induced DNA synthesis in cells microinjected with Y13-259, a neutralizing p21ras antibody, was significantly inhibited as compared with those microinjected with isotype-matched rat immunoglobulin G(1) or a vehicle control. These data suggest that activation of p21ras appears to be necessary for EGF and thrombin-induced HASM cell proliferation and that activation of K- and N-p21ras, but not H-p21ras, mediates smooth-muscle cell growth.     

Natural killer susceptibility of brain tumor cell lines inversely correlates with the degree of cell differentiation and not with the level of human histocompatibility antigen expression

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the natural killer (NK) sensitivity of 15 cell lines derived from human brain tumors expressing different levels of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens. Although it has recently been reported that NK susceptibility varies inversely with target cell class-I human leukocyte antigen (HLA) expression, our results show no correlation between class-I HLA, class-II HLA or beta 2-microglobulin expression on target cells and NK sensitivity, whereas a significant inverse correlation between NK susceptibility and the degree of tumor cell differentiation has been found. Thus, poorly differentiated tumor cells are highly susceptible to NK lysis, whereas well-differentiated ones are NK resistant. These results suggest that sensitivity to lysis by NK cells of cell lines derived from human brain tumors is primarily determined by the stage of differentiation and not by the level of MHC antigen expression on target cell.     

超极化激活环化核苷酸门控通道2基因转染后293T细胞中目的基因的表达

背景：研究证实超极化激活环化核苷酸门控通道电流在调控心脏的自发搏动中起着非常重要的作用。 目的：观察超极化激活环化核苷酸门控通道2基因重组质粒转染后293T细胞中目的基因在核酸和蛋白质水平的表达。 方法：采用脂质体转染试剂Lipofectamine2000将含全长超极化激活环化核苷酸门控通道2基因的质粒CMV-hHCN2-3xHA-IRES-EGFP转染至293T细胞中。 结果与结论：用脂质体转染试剂Lipofectamine2000成功地将质粒CMV-hHCN2-3xHA-IRES-EGFP转染至293T细胞中。反转录PCR定性地检测到在100-250 bp处可见高度特异DNA的条带,与携带超极化激活环化核苷酸门控通道2基因的质粒扩增出的片段位置相同。经过RT-PCR、Western-blot方法检测提示超极化激活环化核苷酸门控通道2基因在mRNA和蛋白水平都有高表达。表明质粒CMV-hHCN2-3xHA-IRES-EGFP成功转染后的293T细胞中超极化激活环化核苷酸门控通道2基因可以在核酸和蛋白水平表达。     

Intracellular expression of MICA in activated CD4 T lymphocytes and protection from NK cell-mediated MICA-dependent cytotoxicity

MICA is a stress-regulated molecule recognized by the NK cell-activating receptor NKG2D. Previously, we demonstrated that MICA is induced on activated T cells but regulation by mitogenic cytokines and its biological consequences remain unexplored. Here, we show that IL-2, IL-4, and IL-15 but not TNF-alpha or IFN-alpha induced MICA expression in T lymphocytes present in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), as assessed by Western blot. IL-2 effect involved Jak3/STAT5, p38 MAPK, p70(56) kinase, Lck/fyn kinases, and NF-kappaB. MICA expression was also observed in Th1 and Th2 cells. However, surface expression was not detected. T lymphocytes present in PBMCs and isolated CD4+ T lymphocytes stimulated with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate and ionomycin also induced MICA expression as assessed by Western blot, but only low levels were expressed at the cell surface. Activated but not resting CD4+ T lymphocytes were lysed by IL-15- or IL-2-stimulated NK cells, and susceptibility was increased when HLA class I molecules were blocked. Also, cytokine-stimulated NK cells produced more IFN-gamma after culture with activated CD4+ T lymphocytes. However, the participation of MICA in these responses, if any, was marginal. Confocal microscopy revealed that MICA is retained mostly inside activated CD4+ T cells. Our results suggest that low surface expression of MICA on activated CD4+ T lymphocytes might be a safeguard mechanism to protect them from NK cells in an inflammatory, virus-infected, or tumor microenvironment, where NK and activated CD4+ T cells are recruited.     

Biochemical and biological comparison of HIV-1 NEF and ras gene products

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) NEF protein has been reported to share certain biochemical and structural properties with known oncoproteins like src or rats. To determine whether this is a general property of NEF from various HIV isolates, three different NEF proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli using a thermoinducible expression system previously exploited to overproduce functionally active p21 ras proteins. ras and NEF proteins expressed in this manner were evaluated in parallel to compare their biochemical and biological properties. In contrast to ras, our NEF protein preparations had no detectable GTP binding but showed autophosphorylation activity when incubated in the presence of either GTP or ATP. This putative autokinase activity was higher in NEF proteins containing threonine at position 15 than in those carrying alanine at that position. Two different NEF genes also failed to induce oncogenic transformation of permanently transfected NIH 3T3 cells under conditions that led to oncogenic transformation using activated ras genes. Also, unlike ras, the NEF gene products failed to induce meiotic maturation when injected into fully grown Xenopus oocytes.     

Constitutive active p21ras enhances primary T cell responsiveness to Ca2+ signals without interfering with the induction of clonal anergy

Chronic engagement of the T cell receptor mediates the induction of T lymphocyte unresponsiveness called clonal anergy. The development of such unresponsiveness has been suggested as one of the mechanisms that regulate peripheral tolerance to self-antigens and hamper the capacity of tumor antigen-specific T cells to eliminate cancerous cells. In the attempt to enhance the effector function of CD4(+) T lymphocytes and their resistance to clonal anergy induction, we have transduced primary T cells with a retroviral vector encoding active p21(ras) (Ras(Leu61)). Here we show that Ras(Leu61) elicited TCR-independent activation of the Ras-Raf-ERK pathway and conferred primary T cells with the ability to secrete IL-2 in response to stimulation with a Ca(2+) ionophore alone, without altering antigen-, CD3/CD28- and PMA/ionomycin-driven IL-2 secretion and T cell proliferation in vitro. However, chronic engagement of the TCR onthe surface of Ras(Leu61) T cells still led to an inability of the cells to produce IL-2 upon restimulation. These results indicate that enforced p21(ras) functionality enhances primary T cells responses to calcium-generated signals, but is insufficient to prevent TCR-driven T cell unresponsiveness and suggest that additional biochemical mechanisms, independent of p21(ras), negatively regulate IL-2 production in unresponsive T cells.