In-depth immune profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma reveals discriminative immune subpopulations.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a dismal prognosis with a 5-year survival of less than 10%. More knowledge of the immune response developed in patients with PDAC is pivotal to develop better combination immune therapies to improve clinical outcome. In this study, we used mass cytometry time-of-flight to undertake an in-depth characterization of PBMCs from patients with PDAC and examine the differences with healthy controls and patients with benign diseases of the biliary system or pancreas. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with PDAC or benign disease are characterized by the increase of pro-inflammatory cells, as CD86+ classical monocytes and memory T cells expressing CCR6+ and CXCR3+, associated with T helper 1 (Th1) and Th17 immune responses, respectively. However, PBMCs from patients with PDAC present also an increase of CD39+ regulatory T cells and CCR4+CCR6-CXCR3- memory T cells, suggesting Th2 and regulatory responses. Concluding, our results show PDAC develops a multifaceted immunity, where a proinflammatory component is accompanied by regulatory responses, which could inhibit potential antitumor mechanisms.

Pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts modulate macrophage differentiation via sialic acid-Siglec interactions.

Despite recent advances in cancer immunotherapy, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains unresponsive due to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, which is characterized by the abundance of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Once identified, CAF-mediated immune inhibitory mechanisms could be exploited for cancer immunotherapy. Siglec receptors are increasingly recognized as immune checkpoints, and their ligands, sialic acids, are known to be overexpressed by cancer cells. Here, we unveil a previously unrecognized role of sialic acid-containing glycans on PDAC CAFs as crucial modulators of myeloid cells. Using multiplex immunohistochemistry and transcriptomics, we show that PDAC stroma is enriched in sialic acid-containing glycans compared to tumor cells and normal fibroblasts, and characterized by ST3GAL4 expression. We demonstrate that sialic acids on CAF cell lines serve as ligands for Siglec-7, -9, -10 and -15, distinct from the ligands on tumor cells, and that these receptors are found on myeloid cells in the stroma of PDAC biopsies. Furthermore, we show that CAFs drive the differentiation of monocytes to immunosuppressive tumor-associated macrophages in vitro, and that CAF sialylation plays a dominant role in this process compared to tumor cell sialylation. Collectively, our findings unravel sialic acids as a mechanism of CAF-mediated immunomodulation, which may provide targets for immunotherapy in PDAC.

Platelets interact with CD169+ macrophages and cDC1 and enhance liposome-induced CD8+ T cell responses.

Historically platelets are mostly known for their crucial contribution to hemostasis, but there is growing understanding of their role in inflammation and immunity. The immunomodulatory role of platelets entails interaction with pathogens, but also with immune cells including macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs), to activate adaptive immune responses. In our previous work, we have demonstrated that splenic CD169+ macrophages scavenge liposomes and collaborate with conventional type 1 DCs (cDC1) to induce expansion of CD8+ T cells. Here, we show that platelets associate with liposomes and bind to DNGR-1/Clec9a and CD169/Siglec-1 receptors in vitro. In addition, platelets interacted with splenic CD169+ macrophages and cDC1 and further increased liposome internalization by cDC1. Most importantly, platelet depletion prior to liposomal immunization resulted in significantly diminished antigen-specific CD8+ T cell responses, but not germinal center B cell responses. Previously, complement C3 was shown to be essential for platelet-mediated CD8+ T cell activation during bacterial infection. However, after liposomal vaccination CD8+ T cell priming was not dependent on complement C3. While DCs from platelet-deficient mice exhibited unaltered maturation status, they did express lower levels of CCR7. In addition, in the absence of platelets, CCL5 plasma levels were significantly reduced. Overall, our findings demonstrate that platelets engage in a cross-talk with CD169+ macrophages and cDC1 and emphasize the importance of platelets in induction of CD8+ T cell responses in the context of liposomal vaccination.

Incorporation of Toll-Like Receptor Ligands and Inflammasome Stimuli in GM3 Liposomes to Induce Dendritic Cell Maturation and T Cell Responses.

Cancer vaccination aims to activate immunity towards cancer cells and can be achieved by delivery of cancer antigens together with immune stimulatory adjuvants to antigen presenting cells (APC). APC maturation and antigen processing is a subsequent prerequisite for T cell priming and anti-tumor immunity. In order to specifically target APC, nanoparticles, such as liposomes, can be used for the delivery of antigen and adjuvant. We have previously shown that liposomal inclusion of the ganglioside GM3, an endogenous ligand for CD169, led to robust uptake by CD169-expressing APC and resulted in strong immune responses when supplemented with a soluble adjuvant. To minimize the adverse effects related to a soluble adjuvant, immune stimulatory molecules can be incorporated in liposomes to achieve targeted delivery of both antigen and adjuvant. In this study, we incorporated TLR4 (MPLA) or TLR7/8 (3M-052) ligands in combination with inflammasome stimuli, 1-palmitoyl-2-glutaryl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PGPC) or muramyl dipeptide (MDP), into GM3 liposomes. Incorporation of TLR and inflammasome ligands did not interfere with the uptake of GM3 liposomes by CD169-expressing cells. GM3 liposomes containing a TLR ligand efficiently matured human and mouse dendritic cells in vitro and in vivo, while inclusion of PGPC or MDP had minor effects on maturation. Immunization with MPLA-containing GM3 liposomes containing an immunogenic synthetic long peptide stimulated CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses, but additional incorporation of either PGPC or MDP did not translate into stronger immune responses. In conclusion, our study indicates that TLRL-containing GM3 liposomes are effective vectors to induce DC maturation and T cell priming and thus provide guidance for further selection of liposomal components to optimally stimulate anti-cancer immune responses.

CD169 Defines Activated CD14+ Monocytes With Enhanced CD8+ T Cell Activation Capacity.

Monocytes are antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that play diverse roles in promoting or regulating inflammatory responses, but their role in T cell stimulation is not well defined. In inflammatory conditions, monocytes frequently show increased expression of CD169/Siglec-1, a type-I interferon (IFN-I)-regulated protein. However, little is known about the phenotype and function of these CD169+ monocytes. Here, we have investigated the phenotype of human CD169+ monocytes in different diseases, their capacity to activate CD8+ T cells, and the potential for a targeted-vaccination approach. Using spectral flow cytometry, we detected CD169 expression by CD14+ CD16- classical and CD14+ CD16+ intermediate monocytes and unbiased analysis showed that they were distinct from dendritic cells, including the recently described CD14-expressing DC3. CD169+ monocytes expressed higher levels of co-stimulatory and HLA molecules, suggesting an increased activation state. IFNα treatment highly upregulated CD169 expression on CD14+ monocytes and boosted their capacity to cross-present antigen to CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, we observed CD169+ monocytes in virally-infected patients, including in the blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of COVID-19 patients, as well as in the blood of patients with different types of cancers. Finally, we evaluated two CD169-targeting nanovaccine platforms, antibody-based and liposome-based, and we showed that CD169+ monocytes efficiently presented tumor-associated peptides gp100 and WT1 to antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. In conclusion, our data indicate that CD169+ monocytes are activated monocytes with enhanced CD8+ T cell stimulatory capacity and that they emerge as an interesting target in nanovaccine strategies, because of their presence in health and different diseases.

Optimization of Liposomes for Antigen Targeting to Splenic CD169+ Macrophages.

Despite promising progress in cancer vaccination, therapeutic effectiveness is often insufficient. Cancer vaccine effectiveness could be enhanced by targeting vaccine antigens to antigen-presenting cells, thereby increasing T-cell activation. CD169-expressing splenic macrophages efficiently capture particulate antigens from the blood and transfer these antigens to dendritic cells for the activation of CD8+ T cells. In this study, we incorporated a physiological ligand for CD169, the ganglioside GM3, into liposomes to enhance liposome uptake by CD169+ macrophages. We assessed how variation in the amount of GM3, surface-attached PEG and liposomal size affected the binding to, and uptake by, CD169+ macrophages in vitro and in vivo. As a proof of concept, we prepared GM3-targeted liposomes containing a long synthetic ovalbumin peptide and tested the capacity of these liposomes to induce CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell responses compared to control liposomes or soluble peptide. The data indicate that the delivery of liposomes to splenic CD169+ macrophages can be optimized by the selection of liposomal constituents and liposomal size. Moreover, optimized GM3-mediated liposomal targeting to CD169+ macrophages induces potent immune responses and therefore presents as an interesting delivery strategy for cancer vaccination.

Selective tumor antigen vaccine delivery to human CD169+ antigen-presenting cells using ganglioside-liposomes.

Priming of CD8+ T cells by dendritic cells (DCs) is crucial for the generation of effective antitumor immune responses. Here, we describe a liposomal vaccine carrier that delivers tumor antigens to human CD169/Siglec-1+ antigen-presenting cells using gangliosides as targeting ligands. Ganglioside-liposomes specifically bound to CD169 and were internalized by in vitro-generated monocyte-derived DCs (moDCs) and macrophages and by ex vivo-isolated splenic macrophages in a CD169-dependent manner. In blood, high-dimensional reduction analysis revealed that ganglioside-liposomes specifically targeted CD14+ CD169+ monocytes and Axl+ CD169+ DCs. Liposomal codelivery of tumor antigen and Toll-like receptor ligand to CD169+ moDCs and Axl+ CD169+ DCs led to cytokine production and robust cross-presentation and activation of tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. Finally, Axl+ CD169+ DCs were present in cancer patients and efficiently captured ganglioside-liposomes. Our findings demonstrate a nanovaccine platform targeting CD169+ DCs to drive antitumor T cell responses.

Activation of CD8⁺ T Cell Responses after Melanoma Antigen Targeting to CD169⁺ Antigen Presenting Cells in Mice and Humans.

The lack of tumor-reactive T cells is one reason why immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies still fail in a significant proportion of melanoma patients. A vaccination that induces melanoma-specific T cells could potentially enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Here, we describe a vaccination strategy in which melanoma antigens are targeted to mouse and human CD169 and thereby induce strong melanoma antigen-specific T cell responses. CD169 is a sialic acid receptor expressed on a subset of mouse splenic macrophages that captures antigen from the blood and transfers it to dendritic cells (DCs). In human and mouse spleen, we detected CD169⁺ cells at an equivalent location using immunofluorescence microscopy. Immunization with melanoma antigens conjugated to antibodies (Abs) specific for mouse CD169 efficiently induced gp100 and Trp2-specific T cell responses in mice. In HLA-A2.1 transgenic mice targeting of the human MART-1 peptide to CD169 induced strong MART-1-specific HLA-A2.1-restricted T cell responses. Human gp100 peptide conjugated to Abs specific for human CD169 bound to CD169-expressing monocyte-derived DCs (MoDCs) and resulted in activation of gp100-specific T cells. Together, these data indicate that Ab-mediated antigen targeting to CD169 is a potential strategy for the induction of melanoma-specific T cell responses in mice and in humans.

Comparison of Protein and Peptide Targeting for the Development of a CD169-Based Vaccination Strategy Against Melanoma.

CD169+ macrophages are part of the innate immune system and capture pathogens that enter secondary lymphoid organs such as the spleen and the lymph nodes. Their strategic location in the marginal zone of the spleen and the subcapsular sinus in the lymph node enables them to capture antigens from the blood and the lymph respectively. Interestingly, these specific CD169+ macrophages do not destroy the antigens they obtain, but instead, transfer it to B cells and dendritic cells (DCs) which facilitates the induction of strong adaptive immune responses. This latter characteristic of the CD169+ macrophages can be exploited by specifically targeting tumor antigens to CD169+ macrophages for the induction of specific T cell immunity. In the current study we target protein and peptide antigen as antibody-antigen conjugates to CD169+ macrophages. We monitored the primary, memory, and recall T cell responses and evaluated the anti-tumor immune responses after immunization. In conclusion, both protein and peptide targeting to CD169 resulted in strong primary, memory, and recall T cell responses and protective immunity against melanoma, which indicates that both forms of antigen can be further explored as anti-cancer vaccination strategy.

Functional CD169 on Macrophages Mediates Interaction with Dendritic Cells for CD8+ T Cell Cross-Priming.

Splenic CD169+ macrophages are located in the marginal zone to efficiently capture blood-borne pathogens. Here, we investigate the requirements for the induction of CD8+ T cell responses by antigens (Ags) bound by CD169+ macrophages. Upon Ag targeting to CD169+ macrophages, we show that BATF3-dependent CD8α+ dendritic cells (DCs) are crucial for DNGR-1-mediated cross-priming of CD8+ T cell responses. In addition, we demonstrate that CD169, a sialic acid binding lectin involved in cell-cell contact, preferentially binds to CD8α+ DCs and that Ag transfer to CD8α+ DCs and subsequent T cell activation is dependent on the sialic acid-binding capacity of CD169. Finally, functional CD169 mediates optimal CD8+ T cell responses to modified vaccinia Ankara virus infection. Together, these data indicate that the collaboration of CD169+ macrophages and CD8α+ DCs for the initiation of effective CD8+ T cell responses is facilitated by binding of CD169 to sialic acid containing ligands on CD8α+ DCs.