9-cis-retinoic acid promotes cell adhesion through integrin dependent and independent mechanisms across immune lineages.

Retinoids are essential in the proper establishment and maintenance of immunity. Although retinoids are implicated in immune related processes, their role in immune cell adhesion has not been well established. In this study, the effect of 9-cis-retinoic acid (9-cis-RA) on human hematopoietic cell adhesion was investigated. 9-cis-RA treatment specifically induced cell adhesion of the human immune cell lines HuT-78, NB4, RPMI 8866 and U937. Due to the prominent role of integrin receptors in mediating immune cell adhesion, we sought to evaluate if cell adhesion was integrin-dependent. By employing a variety of integrin antagonist including function-blocking antibodies and EDTA, we establish that 9-cis-RA prompts immune cell adhesion through established integrin receptors in addition to a novel integrin-independent process. The novel integrin-independent adhesion required the presence of retinoid and was attenuated by treatment with synthetic corticosteroids. Finally, we demonstrate that 9-cis-RA treatment of primary murine B-cells induces ex vivo adhesion that persists in the absence of integrin function. Our study is the first to demonstrate that 9-cis-RA influences immune cell adhesion through at least two functionally distinct mechanisms.

Highly activated and expanded natural killer cells for multiple myeloma immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Patients with gene expression profiling-defined high-risk myeloma in relapse have poor outcomes with current therapies. We tested whether natural killer cells expanded by co-culture with K562 cells transfected with 41BBL and membrane-bound interleukin-15 could kill myeloma cells with a high-risk gene expression profile in vitro and in a unique model which recapitulates human myeloma. DESIGN AND METHODS: OPM2 and high-risk primary myeloma tumors were grown in human fetal bone implanted into non-obese diabetic severe combined immunodeficiency mice with a deficient interleukin-2 receptor gamma chain. These mice are devoid of endogenous natural killer and T-cell activity and were used to determine whether adoptively transferred expanded natural killer cells could inhibit myeloma growth and myeloma-associated bone destruction. RESULTS: Natural killer cells from healthy donors and myeloma patients expanded a median of 804- and 351-fold, respectively, without significant T-cell expansion. Expanded natural killer cells killed both allogeneic and autologous primary myeloma cells avidly via a perforin-mediated mechanism in which the activating receptor NKG2D, natural cytotoxicity receptors, and DNAX-accessory molecule-1 played a central role. Adoptive transfer of expanded natural killer cells inhibited the growth of established OPM2 and high-risk primary myeloma tumors grown in the murine model. The transferred, expanded natural killer cells proliferated in vivo in an interleukin-2 dose-dependent fashion, persisted up to 4 weeks, were readily detectable in the human bone, inhibited myeloma growth and protected bone from myeloma-induced osteolysis. CONCLUSIONS: These studies provide the rationale for testing expanded natural killer cells in humans.

All-trans-retinoic acid induces integrin-independent B-cell adhesion to ADAM disintegrin domains.

Cell adhesion is an integral aspect of immunity facilitating extravasation of immune cells during homing and activation. All -trans-Retinoic acid ( t-RA) regulates leukocyte differentiation, proliferation, and transmigration. However, the role of t-RA in immune cell adhesion is poorly defined. In this study, we evaluated the impact of t-RA and its metabolism on B and T cell adhesion. Specifically, we address the impact of t-RA on the adhesive properties of the human mature B and T cell lines RPMI 8866, Daudi and Jurkats. The effect of t-RA exposure on cell adhesion to vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), a well-established integrin counter receptor involved in immunity, and to nonconventional ADAM integrin ligands was assessed. We show for the first time that t-RA potently induces B cell adhesion in an integrin-independent manner to both VCAM-1 and select ADAM disintegrin domains. Using retinoid extraction and reverse-phase HPLC analysis, we identify the retinoid that is functionally responsible for this augmented adhesion. We also provide evidence that this novel t-RA adhesive response is not prototypical of lymphocytes since both Daudi and Jurkats do not alter their adhesive properties upon t-RA treatment. Further, the t-RA metabolic profiles between these lineages is distinct with 9- cis-retinoic acid being exclusively detected in Jurkat media. This study is the first to demonstrate that t-RA directly induces B cell adhesion in an integrin-independent manner and is not contingent upon t-RA metabolism.