Functionality and Cell Senescence of CD4/ CD8-Selected CD20 CAR T Cells Manufactured Using the Automated CliniMACS Prodigy® Platform.

Clinical studies using autologous CAR T cells have achieved spectacular remissions in refractory CD19+ B cell leukaemia, however some of the patient treatments with CAR T cells failed. Beside the heterogeneity of leukaemia, the distribution and senescence of the autologous cells from heavily pretreated patients might be further reasons for this. We performed six consecutive large-scale manufacturing processes for CD20 CAR T cells from healthy donor leukapheresis using the automated CliniMACS Prodigy® platform. Starting with a CD4/CD8-positive selection, a high purity of a median of 97% T cells with a median 65-fold cell expansion was achieved. Interestingly, the transduction rate was significantly higher for CD4+ compared to CD8+ T cells and reached in a median of 23%. CD20 CAR T cells showed a good specific IFN-γ secretion after cocultivation with CD20+ target cells which correlated with good cytotoxic activity. Most importantly, 3 out of 5 CAR T cell products showed an increase in telomere length during the manufacturing process, while telomere length remained consistent in one and decreased in another process. In conclusion, this shows for the first time that beside heterogeneity among healthy donors, CAR T cell products also differ regarding cell senescence, even for cells manufactured in a standardised automated process.

GMP-production of purified human B lymphocytes for the adoptive transfer in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: We have recently shown that memory B cells from murine CMV immune donor animals adoptively transferred into immunodeficient mice were highly effective in protecting from a viral infection indicating a therapeutic potential of virus specific memory B cells. These preclinical data provided evidence that a cell-based strategy supporting the humoral immune response might be effective in a clinical setting of immunodeficiency after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. As adoptive transfer of B cells has not been used before in a clinical setting it was necessary to establish a technology for the generation of good manufacturing practice (GMP)-grade B cell products. METHODS: Starting from the leukapheresis product of healthy blood donors, B cells were purified by two different separation strategies using GMP-grade microbeads and the CliniMACS system. A one-step protocol was used for positive enrichment of B lymphocytes with anti-CD19 microbeads. In a two-step enrichment protocol, first T lymphocytes were depleted by anti-CD3 microbeads and the remaining fraction was positively selected by anti-CD19 microbeads. RESULTS: The purity and recovery after enrichment of B lymphocytes from the leukapheresis material in both separations strategies was not statistically different. However, contamination of the B-cell product with T cells was significantly lower after the two-step protocol (0.16%, range 0.01-0.43% after two-step separation and 0.55%, range 0.28-0.85% after one-step separation, p < 0.05). Therefore, a combined CD3 depletion and CD19 enrichment was used for the production of GMP-conform B-cell products from the leukapheresis material of 17 healthy stem cell donors. The absolute B-cell numbers obtained in the final product was 4.70 ± 3.64 × 108 with a purity of 95.98 ± 3.31% B lymphocytes and a recovery of 18.9 ± 10.6%. Importantly, the contamination with CD3+ T cells was extremely low in the final B- cell products (0.10 ± 0.20%). Purified B cells exhibited normal antibody production after in vitro stimulation and showed excellent viability after cryopreservation. CONCLUSIONS: A GMP-grade B-cell product can be obtained with high purity and very low T-cell contamination using the two-step enrichment protocol based on CliniMACS® technology.

T cells specific for different latent and lytic viral proteins efficiently control Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B cells.

BACKGROUND AIMS: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) belong to the most dreaded complications of immunosuppression. The efficacy of EBV-specific T-cell transfer for PTLD has been previously shown, yet the optimal choice of EBV-derived antigens inducing polyclonal CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells that cover a wide range of human leukocyte antigen types and efficiently control PTLD remains unclear. METHODS: A pool of 125 T-cell epitopes from seven latent and nine lytic EBV-derived proteins (EBVmix) and peptide pools of EBNA1, EBNA3c, LMP2a and BZLF1 were used to determine T-cell frequencies and to isolate T cells through the use of the interferon (IFN)-γ cytokine capture system. We further evaluated the phenotype and functionality of the generated T-cell lines in vitro. RESULTS: EBVmix induced significantly higher T-cell frequencies and allowed selecting more CD4(+)IFN-γ(+) and CD8(+)IFN-γ(+) cells than single peptide pools. T cells of all specificities expanded similarly in vitro, recognized cognate antigen, and, to a lower extent, EBV-infected cells, exerted moderate cytotoxicity and showed reduced alloreactivity. However, EBVmix-specific cells most efficiently controlled EBV-infected lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). This control was mainly mediated by EBV-specific CD8(+) cells with an oligoclonal epitope signature covering both latent and lytic viral proteins. Notably, EBV-specific CD4(+) cells unable to control LCLs produced significantly less perforin and granzyme B, probably because of limited LCL epitope presentation. CONCLUSIONS: EBVmix induces a broader T-cell response, probably because of its coverage of latent and lytic EBV-derived proteins that may be important to control EBV-transformed B cells and might offer an improvement of T-cell therapies.

Processing of two latent membrane protein 1 MHC class I epitopes requires tripeptidyl peptidase II involvement.

The EBV Ag latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) has been described as a potential target for T cell immunotherapy in EBV-related malignancies. However, only a few CD8(+) T cell epitopes are known, and the benefit of LMP1-specific T cell immunotherapy has not yet been proven. In this work, we studied the processing of the two LMP1 HLA-A02-restricted epitopes, YLLEMLRWL and YLQQNWWTL. We found that target cells endogenously expressing the native LMP1 are not recognized by CTLs specific for these epitopes because the N-terminal part of LMP1 limits the efficiency of epitope generation. We further observed that the proteasome is not required for the generation of both epitopes and that the YLLEMLRWL epitope seems to be destroyed by the proteasome, because blocking of proteasomal activities enhanced specific CTL activation. Activation of LMP1-specific CTLs could be significantly reduced after inhibition of the tripeptidyl peptidase II, suggesting a role for this peptidase in the processing of both epitopes. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the MHC class I-restricted LMP1 epitopes studied in this work are two of very few epitopes known to date to be processed proteasome independently by tripeptidyl peptidase II.

Isolation and expansion of human cytomegalovirus- specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes using interferon-gamma secretion assay.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to isolate and expand donor-derived human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) for adoptive transfer of 10(7) cells per m(2) of body surface area to restore protective immunity after stem cell transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A new strategy to generate HCMV-specific CTLs using the interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) secretion assay, followed by expansion to numbers sufficient for clinical application with interleukin-2 and feeder cell stimulation, is described. RESULTS: From 1 to 5 x 10(4) HCMV peptide-specific T lymphocytes (greater than 90% CD3(+)CD8(+)) were isolated from 1 to 2 x 10(8) peripheral blood mononuclear cells comparable to 50 to 100 mL of blood from HLA-A*0201 HCMV seropositive blood donors (n = 14) and expanded ex vivo after a median of 16 days (range 8-28 days; n = 13) to greater than 10(7)/m(2) HCMV peptide-specific CTLs using autologous (n = 2) or allogeneic (n = 11) feeder cell stimulation. In three experiments, expansion to 6 weeks was performed, achieving a median of 1.6 x 10(9) cells (range 6.1 x 10(8)-3.3 x 10(9)). Characterization of these HCMV-specific CTL lines revealed an average purity of 89.2% (range 66.2-99.3%) using HCMV pp65 peptide HLA-A*0201 tetramer staining (n = 14) and 89.4% (range 64.4-99.5%) by peptide-specific IFN-gamma secretion (n = 7). A median of 82.6% (range 76.0-88.0%) showed perforin secretion (n = 3) and 57.5% (range 22.2-80.7%) specific lysis of peptide-pulsed T2 cells (n = 5). A median of 52.2% (range 35.2-7.3%) revealed specific killing of HCMV-infected autologous, but not allogeneic, fibroblasts (n = 6). CONCLUSIONS: IFN-gamma secretion assay allows development of a simple and rapid protocol with short expansion times for generation of greater than 10(7)/m(2) HCMV-specific CTLs for adoptive immunotherapy.

A CTL epitope from human cytomegalovirus IE1 defined by combining prediction of HLA binding and proteasomal processing is the target of dominant immune responses in patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: In an attempt to define HCMV IE1-derived, HLA-A(*)0201-restricted epitopes, an advanced computer-based epitope prediction combining HLA binding and proteasomal cleavages in silico was performed. RESULTS: This prediction algorithm clearly confirmed VLEETSVML to be the most likely CTL epitope. By tetramer staining, HCMV pp65 NLVPMVATV-specific CD8(+) T cells were detectable in 18/24 HCMV seropositive HLA-A(*)0201-expressing individuals (median frequency 0.58%; range 0.1%-4.7%), and IE1 VLEETSVML-specific CD8(+) T cells in 5/24 (median frequency 2.1%; range 0.1%-4.3%), respectively (p<0.01). Also in recipients of an allogeneic SCT, VLEETSVML- and NLVPMVATV-specific CD8(+) T cells were detectable in comparable frequencies, but again the number of patients with detectable pp65-specific CD8(+) T cells was higher (p=0.014). In 4/15 individuals, all demonstrating IE1 VLEETSVML-specific CD8(+) T cells prior to peptide stimulation, VLEETSVML-specific T cell lines (purity of 42.6%-98.6% of all CD3(+)/CD8(+) T cells) were successfully generated after 2-4 weeks of culture using the IFN-gamma secretion assay. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, this novel prediction strategy efficiently predicted an immunodominant viral T-cell epitope.

Quantification of T-cell receptor excision circle DNA using fluorescence resonance energy transfer and the LightCycler system.

T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) are circular, stable extrachromosomal DNA fragments and are generated during V(D)J gene recombination, a process responsible for diversity of the T-cell receptor repertoire. Here we describe a sensitive, rapid and easy to perform real-time PCR assay based on the LightCycler technique for the quantification of TRECs among peripheral blood cells and a comparison of this assay with conventional PCR-ELISA. By LightCycler, a sensitivity of 20 copies of plasmid deltaRec-psiJalpha Signal Joint TREC DNA was achieved whereas by PCR-ELISA, a detection limit of 2 copies was demonstrated. In blood samples from healthy individuals (n=52) a median TREC count of 1.6x10(4) copies [range 2x10(1) to 2x10(5)]/2x10(5) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) and in cord blood, a median TREC count of 1.45x10(5) copies [range 1.2x10(5) to 1.6x10(5)]/2x10(5) PBMNCs) could be detected. No significant difference was found in 15 individuals when unfractionated PBMNCs (median count of 1.1x10(5) copies/2x10(5) PBMNCs) or magnetic associated cell sorter (MACS)-sorted CD45RA+ T-cells (median count of 2.5x10(5) copies/2x10(5) cells) were analyzed for TREC counts. In addition, we examined the number of deltaRec-psiJalpha Signal Joint TREC in paediatric (n=6) and adult patients (n=7) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. In children, we observed a median TREC count of 5.7x10(4) copies/2x10(5) PBMNCs after 1x10(4) and 5.6x10(4) copies/2x10(5) PBMNCs after 2 years, and in adults, a median count of 3.6x10(4) copies/2x10(5) PBMNCs after 1x10(4) and 1.1x10(4) copies/2x10(5) PBMNCs after 2 years. In conclusion, the LightCycler-based real-time PCR assay described offers a very sensitive and rapid tool for the quantification of TREC DNA.

Rapid generation of full clinical-grade human antiadenovirus cytotoxic T cells for adoptive immunotherapy.

Adenovirus (ADV) infections are one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, despite new antiviral treatment strategies. We describe here a complete clinical-grade generation of human anti-ADV cytotoxic T cells to propose an adoptive immunotherapy. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 7 healthy donors, known for their good cellular immunity against ADV, were stimulated for 6 hours with a synthetic peptide pool covering the ADV5 Hexon protein interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) secreting cells were isolated on a clinical device. After immunoselection, a mean number of 1.01 +/- 0.84 x 10(6) total nucleated cells was obtained. The isolated ADV-specific T cells were mainly CD4+ (mean=56% +/- 20.8%, yield=51% +/- 32.4%) but also CD8+ (mean=42% +/- 27%, yield = 56% +/- 39.3%). Isolated T lymphocytes (CTL) were expanded to carry out functional tests. Ability of the expanded CTL to secrete IFN-gamma and to proliferate after restimulation with the ADV peptide pool was confirmed. A high cytotoxicity against autologous target cells loaded with ADV antigens was observed but not against nonloaded target cells. We observed a decrease of 1.27 log of the allogeneic reaction against non HLA identical healthy donor PBMC with CTL compared with the PBMC before selection. Clinical-grade generation of ADV-specific T cells was achieved with a synthetic antigen. This technology has the advantage of being fast, and is sufficiently reactive to be proposed for immunotherapy if antiviral treatment fails.

Rapid generation of combined CMV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell lines for adoptive transfer into recipients of allogeneic stem cell transplants.

Adoptive transfer of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific T cells can restore long-lasting, virus-specific immunity and clear CMV viremia in recipients of allogeneic stem cell transplants if CD4(+) and CD8(+) CMV-specific T cells are detected in the recipient after transfer. Current protocols for generating virus-specific T cells use live virus, require leukapheresis of the donor, and are time consuming. To circumvent these limitations, a clinical-scale protocol was developed to generate CMV-specific T cells by using autologous cellular and serum components derived from a single 500-mL blood draw. CMV-specific T cells were stimulated simultaneously with CMV-specific major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I)- restricted peptides and CMV antigen. Activated T cells were isolated with the interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) secretion assay and expanded for 10 days. In 8 randomly selected, CMV-seropositive donors, 1.34 x 10(8) combined CD4(+) and CD8(+) CMV-specific T cells, on average, were generated, as determined by antigen-triggered IFN-gamma production. CMV-infected fibroblasts were efficiently lysed by the generated T cells, and CMV-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells expanded if they were stimulated with natural processed antigen. On the other hand, CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell-mediated alloreactivity of generated CMV-specific T-cell lines was reduced compared with that of the starting population. In conclusion, the culture system developed allowed the rapid generation of allodepleted, highly enriched, combined CD4(+) and CD8(+) CMV-specific T cells under conditions mimicking good manufacturing practice.

Sensitive detection of human cytomegalovirus peptide-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses by interferon-gamma-enzyme-linked immunospot assay and flow cytometry in healthy individuals and in patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

Reconstitution of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), predominantly directed against pp65, provides protective immunity for the development of HCMV disease after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). To define pp65-derived CTL epitopes that would allow sensitive detection of HCMV-specific immune reconstitution, a computer-based epitope prediction was performed. Peptide-specific CTL responses were assessed by interferon-gamma release. With this approach, pp65-derived epitopes presented by the HLA alleles A*0101, A*0201, A*1101, and B*0702 were identified. The frequency of CTLs in healthy HCMV-seropositive individuals ranged from about 0.1% to 3.3% of all CD8(+) T cells. In patients at risk of HCMV infection after allogeneic SCT, HCMV-peptide-specific CTLs were found in 14 of 19 patients at a median of 90 days after SCT (range, 35-234 days) and HCMV-antigen-specific CD4(+) T lymphocytes in 11 of 18 patients at a median of 90 days after SCT (range, 35->180 days). Peak counts of peptide-specific CD8(+) T cells ranged from 0.14 to 60.6 cells/microL; those of protein-specific CD4(+) T cells ranged from 0.64 to 18.97 cells/microL. Reconstitution of HCMV-peptide-specific CD8(+) T cells and protein-specific CD4(+) T cells was associated with clearance of HCMV infection (r(2) = 0.89, P <.0001 and r(2) = 0.61, P =.0045, respectively). HCMV infection recurred after documentation of HCMV-specific T-cell reconstitution (n = 4) when immunosuppression was intensified. Patients in whom late-onset HCMV disease developed lacked HCMV-protein-specific T cells at 3 months after SCT. In conclusion, prospective monitoring of HCMV-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell reconstitution can be performed rapidly by using flow cytometry after specific stimulation with HCMV peptides and proteins and might help to further improve clinical management of HCMV infection after allogeneic SCT.