Vaccination Expands Antigen-Specific CD4+ Memory T Cells and Mobilizes Bystander Central Memory T Cells.

CD4+ T helper memory (Thmem) cells influence both natural and vaccine-boosted immunity, but mechanisms for their maintenance remain unclear. Pro-survival signals from the common gamma-chain cytokines, in particular IL-7, appear important. Previously we showed in healthy volunteers that a booster vaccination with tetanus toxoid (TT) expanded peripheral blood TT-specific Thmem cells as expected, but was accompanied by parallel increase of Thmem cells specific for two unrelated and non cross-reactive common recall antigens. Here, in a new cohort of healthy human subjects, we compare blood vaccine-specific and bystander Thmem cells in terms of differentiation stage, function, activation and proliferative status. Both responses peaked 1 week post-vaccination. Vaccine-specific cytokine-producing Thmem cells were predominantly effector memory, whereas bystander cells were mainly of central memory phenotype. Importantly, TT-specific Thmem cells were activated (CD38High HLA-DR+), cycling or recently divided (Ki-67+), and apparently vulnerable to death (IL-7RαLow and Bcl-2 Low). In contrast, bystander Thmem cells were resting (CD38Low HLA-DR- Ki-67-) with high expression of IL-7Rα and Bcl-2. These findings allow a clear distinction between vaccine-specific and bystander Thmem cells, suggesting the latter do not derive from recent proliferation but from cells mobilized from as yet undefined reservoirs. Furthermore, they reveal the interdependent dynamics of specific and bystander T-cell responses which will inform assessments of responses to vaccines.

The MEK1/2 Inhibitor Pimasertib Enhances Gemcitabine Efficacy in Pancreatic Cancer Models by Altering Ribonucleotide Reductase Subunit-1 (RRM1).

PURPOSE: Gemcitabine, a nucleoside analogue, is an important treatment for locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) but provides only modest survival benefit. Targeting downstream effectors of the RAS/ERK signaling pathway by direct inhibition of MEK1/2 proteins is a promising therapeutic strategy, as aberrant activation of this pathway occurs frequently in PDAC. In this study, the ability of pimasertib, a selective allosteric MEK1/2 inhibitor, to enhance gemcitabine efficacy was tested and the molecular mechanism of their interaction was investigated. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Cell survival and apoptosis were assessed by MTT and Caspase 3/7 Glo assays in human pancreatic cancer cell lines. Protein expression was detected by immunoblotting. The in vivo sensitivity of gemcitabine with pimasertib was evaluated in an orthotopic model of pancreatic tumor. RESULTS: Synergistic activity was observed when gemcitabine was combined sequentially with pimasertib, in human pancreatic cancer cells. In particular, pimasertib reduced ribonucleotide reductase subunit 1 (RRM1) protein, and this was associated with sensitivity to gemcitabine. Pretreatment with MG132 impaired reduction of RRM1 protein induced by pimasertib, suggesting that RRM1 is degraded posttranslationally. Immunoprecipitation indicated enhanced MDM2-mediated polyubiquitination of RRM1 through Lys-48-mediated linkage following pimasertib treatment, an effect mediated, in part, by AKT. Finally, the combination treatment with pimasertib and gemcitabine caused significant tumor growth delays in an orthotopic pancreatic cancer model, with RRM1 downregulation in pimasertib-treated mice. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm an important role of RRM1 in gemcitabine response and indicate MEK as a potential target to sensitize gemcitabine therapy for PDAC. Clin Cancer Res; 21(24); 5563-77. ©2015 AACR.