Cytotoxic effector cells against HLA antigens in strong linkage disequilibrium: identification of a strong,new, CML determinant

Three sets of cytotoxic effector cells were generated against the A1, B8, DR3 haplotype using haptoidentical individuals in three different families. The three sets of effector cells generated against this haplotype showed excellent reproducibility testing, strong cytotoxicity against their specific targets, low autologous kill, and segregation with the sensitizing haplotype within the family. When tested against a panel of cells bearing all combinations the A1, B8. DR3 antigens, a hierarchy of contribution of the individual HLA antigens as CML target determinants was seen. A new strong target cell determinant was identified by cytotoxicity with one of the effector cells not explicable in terms of the A1, B8, DR3 antigens or known HLA cross-reactivity. A family study demonstrated that this determinant clearly segregates with HLA. The success of this approach in defining new CML determinants may result from the generation of effector cells across a single haplotype in strong linkage disequilibrium or from the presentation of CML determinants in the context of self.     

Mucosal immunization with PLGA-microencapsulated DNA primes a SIV-specific CTL response revealed by boosting with cognate recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara

Systemically administered DNA encoding a recombinant human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) derived immunogen effectively primes a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response in macaques. In this further pilot study we have evaluated mucosal delivery of DNA as an alternative priming strategy. Plasmid DNA, pTH.HW, encoding a multi-CTL epitope gene, was incorporated into poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) microparticles of less than 10 microm in diameter. Five intrarectal immunizations failed to stimulate a circulating vaccine-specific CTL response in 2 Mamu-A*01(+) rhesus macaques. However, 1 week after intradermal immunization with a cognate modified vaccinia virus Ankara vaccine MVA.HW, CTL responses were detected in both animals that persisted until analysis postmortem, 12 weeks after the final boost. In contrast, a weaker and less durable response was seen in an animal vaccinated with the MVA construct alone. Analysis of lymphoid tissues revealed a disseminated CTL response in peripheral and regional lymph nodes but not the spleen of both mucosally primed animals.     

Generation of cytotoxic T cell responses directed to human leucocyte antigen Class I restricted epitopes from the Aspergillus f16 allergen

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a major cause of infection-related mortality in patients with haematological malignancies, especially in recipients of haematopoietic stem cell transplants. We have prepared overlapping pentadecapeptides (11-aa overlap with previous peptide) spanning the entire 427-aa coding region of the Aspergillus allergen, Asp f16 shown previously in mice to induce Th1-type cell responses in vivo and in humans to induce proliferative and cytotoxic CD4(+) T cell responses. Mature dendritic cells (DC) pulsed with a complete pool of peptides were used to generate T cell lines. Two lines from HLA-B*3501(+) donors were found to be strongly cytotoxic to autologous Asp f16-peptide pool- and Aspergillus culture extract-pulsed targets after 4-5 weekly primings. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) culture supernatant killed Aspergillus conidia, and cells directly killed Aspergillus hyphae. Cytotoxic activity and interferon (IFN)-gamma production were mediated exclusively by CD8(+) T cells in response to pool-pulsed targets. Interleukin (IL)-4 production was not detected. CTL activity was restricted by HLA-B*3501 and based on peptide prediction programmes was most probably directed to YFKYTAAAL (YFK), LPLCSAQTW (LPL) and GTRFPQTPM (GTR) in one donor, while only LPL was recognized by CTL from the second donor. Pool-pulsed B*3503(+) BLCL but not B*3502(+) or B*3508(+) BLCL presented peptide to donor no. 1. B*3503(+) BLCL presented YFK and to a lesser extent GTR, but not peptide LPL. Our data show that in addition to our previously identified Class II restricted peptide response, DC pulsed with a pentadecapeptide pool from Asp f16 are capable of inducing polyclonal, HLA-Class I-restricted, Aspergillus-specific T cells that may be capable of conferring immunity to IA.     

人乳头状瘤病毒11型E7抗原HLA-A*0201限制性细胞毒性T淋巴细胞表位的功能鉴定

目的 筛选和鉴定人乳头状瘤病毒11型E7抗原(HPVllE7)HLA-A*0201限制性细胞毒性T淋巴细胞(cytotoxic T lymphocyte,CTL)表位.方法 预测HPVllE7抗原HLA-A*0201限制性CTL表位并合成相对应的表位多肽和四聚体(tetramer),即HPVllE7 7-15(TLKDIVLDL)、15-23(LQPPDPVGL)、47-55(PLTQHYQIL)、81-89(DLLLGTLNI)和82-90(LLLGTLNIV).从健康HLA-A*0201成人外周血单一核细胞诱导树突状细胞(DC)并负载上述表位多肽,流式细胞技术检测DC成熟分化标记及ELISA法检测DC分泌的IL-12;成熟DC负载各组多肽后观察DC激活T淋巴细胞的效应,ELISA法检测T细胞分泌的IFN-γ;四聚体检测抗原特异性CD8+ T细胞及乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)释放法评价DC诱导的CTL对靶细胞的特异性体外杀伤效应.结果 预测的5条HPVllE7表位多肽均能诱导DC的成熟分化;E7 7-15、82-90和15-23多肽负载的DC能激活T淋巴细胞分泌高水平IFN-γ;E7 7-15多肽负载的DC能刺激特异性tetramer+CD8+细胞增殖且其诱导的CTL对HPVllE7/293细胞产生高效率的特异性杀伤作用(P<0.05).结论 筛选并鉴定出1条HPVllE7HLA-A*0201限制性CTL表位E7 7-15(TLKDIVLDL),负载该表位肽的DC体外可诱导高效、特异性的CTL效应,抗原性较强,有可能作为HPV感染治疗用肽疫苗的候选表位.     

HLA-C revisited

During the past 10 years knowledge about the interactions between major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules and the T-cell receptor (TCR) complex of cytotoxic T-cells (CTL) has developed dramatically. But the primary interest, both with respect to structure as well as function, has concentrated on HLA-A and -B molecules because of their high sequence polymorphism and their dominating presence at the cell surface. In contrast, HLA-C molecules seemed to be of only minor importance in the cascade of immune reactions owing to their more limited polymorphism and reduced levels of surface expression. The inability to define a number of antigen specificities had the result that HLA-C molecules were often neglected in studies of immune response, transplantation, and disease association. More recently a new function has been identified for HLA class I molecules where they act as inhibitors of the lytic capacity of natural killer (NK) cells and non-MHC-restricted T-cells. Moreover, the understanding of this novel mode of negative regulation of cytotoxicity was remarkably influenced by HLA-C since these were the first HLA class I molecules found to have such inhibitory potential. With this new inhibitory function serving as an essential component of the immune system, HLA-C molecules can no longer be neglected.     

Failure of TGF β1 and IL-12 to regulate human FasL and mTNF alloreactive cytotoxic T-cell pathways

Abstract: The effect of TGFβ1 and IL-12 on calcium-independent cytotoxic pathways was investigated. We have previously demonstrated that the regulatory effect of TGFβ1 and IL-12 on human alloreative CTL activity was associated with regulation of perform and granzyme B gene expression. To determine the effect of both cytokines on the alternative cytotoxic pathway involving FasL and mTNF, we first investigated the expression of both molecules on human primary alloactivated T cells. Our results show that human allostimulated T lymphocytes express FasL. Cell lysis experiments demonstrate that the FasL cytotoxic pathway is involved in the killing of specific target cells mediated by human alloreactive CTL. In addition, allogeneic stimulation induced significant mTNF expression on both CD4+ and CD8+ responder T cells. Using TNF-sensitive target cells, we also demonstrate that the mTNF-mediated cytotoxic pathway is involved in the cytotoxic activity of human primary allostimulated T lymphocytes. Neither TGFβ1 nor IL-12 had an effect on FasL or mTNF expression. Furthermore, addition of TGFβ1 or IL-12 at the initiation of the MLR had no significant effect on Fas- and mTNF-mediated cytotoxicity.
Taken together, our results provide a novel insight into the differences between regulation by cytokines of perforin-dependent and -independent cytotoxic mechanisms. Unlike their role in the perforin/granzyme B pathway, TGFβ1 and IL-12 do not appear to mediate any regulatory effect on FasL and mTNF cytotoxic pathways used by human alloreactive primary CTL.     

凋亡肿瘤细胞负载的树突状细胞对抗原特异性CTL的激活

为探讨凋亡Daudi细胞负载的树突状细胞 (DC )激发诱导肿瘤抗原特异性CTL及其生物学特性 ,采用常规方法从人外周血单个核细胞 (PBMC )诱导DC ,激发型CD40mAb联合 50Gyγ射线辐照诱导Daudi凋亡后负载DC ,然后与自体T细胞共育 ,并联合IL 2激发诱导肿瘤特异性CTL ;采用免疫荧光标记和流式细胞仪测定分析膜分子的表达 ;ELISA检测细胞因子的产生 ;Dextran FITC内吞实验分析DC的抗原摄取能力 ;3H掺入试验和51 Cr释放试验分别测定CTL的增殖和细胞毒效应。结果 :(1 )细胞因子序贯体外诱导 7d的DC ,对Dextran吞噬能力最强 ;(2 )CD40mAb诱导联合γ射线辐照 ,能有效介导Daudi细胞的凋亡 ;(3 )抗原负载联合CD40mAb激发可使DC上调表达CD1a、CD80、CD86和HLA DR ,并能促进IL 1 2的分泌 ;(4)凋亡Daudi负载后的DC在激发型CD40mAb作用下 ,能激发和扩增对Daudi细胞具有高效和特异杀伤作用的细胞毒性T细胞。因而认为凋亡肿瘤细胞负载联合CD40mAb刺激的DC可有效激活和扩增肿瘤特异性CTL。     

Exploiting T cell receptor genes for cancer immunotherapy

Adoptive antigen-specific immunotherapy is an attractive concept for the treatment of cancer because it does not require immunocompetence of patients, and the specificity of transferred lymphocytes can be targeted against tumour-associated antigens that are poorly immunogenic and thus fail to effectively trigger autologous T cell responses. As the isolation and in vitro expansion of antigen-specific lymphocytes is difficult, 'conventional' adoptive T cell therapy can only be carried out in specialized centres in small numbers of patients. However, T cell receptor (TCR) genes isolated from antigen-specific T cells can be exploited as generic therapeutic molecules for 'unconventional' antigen-specific immunotherapy. Retroviral TCR gene transfer into patient T cells can readily produce populations of antigen-specific lymphocytes after a single round of polyclonal T cell stimulation. TCR gene modified lymphocytes are functionally competent in vitro, and can have therapeutic efficacy in murine models in vivo. TCR gene expression is stable and modified lymphocytes can develop into memory T cells. Introduction of TCR genes into CD8(+) and CD4(+) lymphocytes provides an opportunity to use the same TCR specificity to produce antigen-specific killer and helper T lymphocytes. Thus, TCR gene therapy provides an attractive strategy to develop antigen-specific immunotherapy with autologous lymphocytes as a generic treatment option.     

Direct estimation of the frequency of human cytotoxic T lymphocytes and their precursors following in vitro allosensitization

Cell mediated lympholysis (CML) has been proposed as an in vitro model of the rejection process that results from transplantation of allogeneic tissue. To date, the absolute frequencies of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and their precursors (CTL.P) have not been directly estimated in man because of technical difficulties. Through optimizing the conditions for radiometric detection of 51Cr release and the attendant improvement in CML sensitivity, direct CTL frequency estimates have been determined in peripheral blood (PBL), spleen (SPL), and lymph nodes (LNC) after in vitro allostimulation using unrelated human cells and limiting dilution assays. The mean frequency of CTL generated from PBL is 1 in 826 cells (0.121% +/- 0.101%) which, from preliminary experiments, is significantly greater than that generated from either LNC or SPL (p less than 0.05). With restimulation of primed cells on day 10, the frequency of CTL generated from PBL was increased 400%. The CTL.P frequency (0.0064% +/- 0.0050%) was approximately 5% of the corresponding CTL frequency. The CTL.P frequencies were found to be minimal estimates as both accessory "filler" cells and T cell growth factors increased the level of detection of CTL.P an average of threefold. The limiting cell dilution assay as detailed in this report should be a powerful tool for defining the cellular requirements and related factors necessary for optimal induction of a CTL response and should provide the means for determination of the immunogenetic requirements and the allospecificity of human cytotoxic lymphocytes.