Expression of TSLC1 in patients with HAM/TSP.

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is chronic myelopathy characterized by slowly progressive spastic paraparesis and urinary dysfunction. A few biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid are known to be related to disease activity, but no biomarker has been reported in peripheral blood. This study aims to explore the expression level of the adhesion molecule during the expression level of the adhesion molecule among HAM/TSP disease activity. In lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 and DNAX accessory molecule 1, no variation in expression levels specific to HTLV-1 infection was observed in CD4-positive T cells; however, TSLC1 expression was higher in HAM patients than in asymptomatic carriers and non-infected persons. TSLC1 tended to be higher in patients whose symptoms were worsening. On the contrary, the expression level of TSLC1 in CD8-positive T cells was lower in HAM patients than in asymptomatic carriers, and this tendency was stronger in patients whose symptoms had deteriorated. No significant correlation was found between TSLC1 and either of the transcription factors Tax or HBZ in any T cell group. Therefore, TSLC1 expression in CD4-positive T cells might be a useful biomarker of HAM/TSP disease activity.

Isolation of human monoclonal antibodies that bind to two different antigens and are encoded by germline VH and VL genes.

This paper reports isolation of two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that bind to both a membrane protein and a cytoplasmic protein. Most Abs established as markers for autoimmune disease bind to cytoplasmic or nuclear substances. However, it remains unknown how these Abs are produced. On the other hand, there were examples where clones originally isolated as Abs that bind to membrane proteins also showed binding activity to cytoplasmic or nuclear substances. Based on these results, the following hypothesis has been proposed. The Abs that had been originally produced against a membrane protein showed cross-reactivity against cytoplasmic or nuclear substances. In the present study we reported isolation of Abs that bound to both a membrane protein, CADM1, and a cytoplasmic protein, α-actinin-4. The method adopted in the present study could be generally applicable to isolation of Abs showing such dual specificity. Firstly, we constructed a huge human Ab library using various organs including naïve B-cell-rich organs such as bone marrow and umbilical cords. Then, we developed a comprehensive screening method for isolation of Abs that bound to cell surface antigens. Through extensive screenings with many kinds of cell we newly obtained a library composed of around 4000 independent clones that bind to membrane proteins. We screened this library with α-actinin-4 and succeeded in isolating two Abs. They bound to α-actinin-4 and a membrane protein CADM1. Furthermore, they are encoded by naïve heavy and light chain variable genes (VH & VL). These results suggested that cross-reactive Abs to both a membrane protein and a cytoplasmic protein could be present in germline repertoire of Ab in humans. This methodology adopted in the present study could be applied to isolation of cross-reactive Abs possibly involved in autoimmune diseases.

Fusobacterium nucleatum CbpF Mediates Inhibition of T Cell Function Through CEACAM1 Activation.

F. nucleatum is an anaerobic bacterium that is associated with several tumor entities and promotes tumorigenesis. Recent evidence suggests that F. nucleatum binds the inhibitory receptor carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) via the trimeric autotransporter adhesin CbpF. However, whether this binding is functional or whether other fusobacterial trimeric autotransporter adhesins are involved in CEACAM1 activation is unknown. In this study, using F. nucleatum mutants lacking the type 5c trimeric autotransporter adhesins fvcA (CbpF), fvcB, fvcC, and fvcD, we show that F. nucleatum CbpF binds and activates CEACAM1 and also binds carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a tumor-associated protein. We further find that CEACAM antibodies directed against the CEACAM N-terminal domain block the CbpF-CEACAM1 interaction. In functional assays, we demonstrate CbpF-dependent inhibition of CD4+ T cell response. Thus, we characterize an immune evasion mechanism in which F. nucleatum uses its surface protein CbpF to inhibit T cell function by activating CEACAM1.

Potentiating the Antitumor Activity of Cytotoxic T Cells via the Transmembrane Domain of IGSF4 That Increases TCR Avidity.

A robust T-cell response is an important component of sustained antitumor immunity. In this respect, the avidity of TCR in the antigen-targeting of tumors is crucial for the quality of the T-cell response. This study reports that the transmembrane (TM) domain of immunoglobulin superfamily member 4 (IGSF4) binds to the TM of the CD3 ζ-chain through an interaction between His177 and Asp36, which results in IGSF4-CD3 ζ dimers. IGSF4 also forms homo-dimers through the GxxVA motif in the TM domain, thereby constituting large TCR clusters. Overexpression of IGSF4 lacking the extracellular (IG4ΔEXT) domain potentiates the OTI CD8+ T cells to release IFN-γ and TNF-α and to kill OVA+-B16F10 melanoma cells. In animal models, IG4ΔEXT significantly reduces B16F10 tumor metastasis as well as tumor growth. Collectively, the results indicate that the TM domain of IGSF4 can regulate TCR avidity, and they further demonstrate that TCR avidity regulation is critical for improving the antitumor activity of cytotoxic T cells.

Development of anti-human CADM1 monoclonal antibodies as a potential therapy for adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a highly invasive and refractory T-cell malignancy, with poor prognosis. We previously identified that cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADM1) is overexpressed consistently in ATLL cells, and that CADM1 expression increases the adhesion capacity of ATLL cells to endothelial cells and promotes the organ invasion of ATLL cells in a xenograft mouse model. In this study, we first show that newly developed several anti-human CADM1 antibodies, which were complete human IgG antibodies generated by phage display method, specifically recognize CADM1 on ATLL cells. Although most of the CADM1 antibodies did not have a direct cytotoxic effect against CADM1-positive ATLL cells, clone 089-084 exhibited weak but significant antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxic activity. Moreover, clone 103-189 effectively inhibits the interaction between endothelial cells and CADM1-positive ATLL cells. Furthermore, in mice bearing intra-splenic transplantation of EL4 mouse lymphoma cells expressing CADM1, the treatment of 103-189 significantly suppressed the organ invasion of CADM1-positive EL4 cells, resulting in improved survival time of mice. Therefore, since the anti-CADM1 antibody may be useful for the suppression of organ invasion in ATLL patients, combination use of the anti-CADM1 antibody with chemotherapy drugs could be beneficial for the efficient elimination of ATLL cells.

Prokaryotic Expression of the Immunoglobulin's Domains of CRTAM to Characterize a Monoclonal Antibody.

Class-I restricted T cell-associated molecule (CRTAM) is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, and it is closely related to nectin-like protein. CRTAM is expressed in activated CD8 T cells, NKT cells, NK cells and in a subpopulation CD4 T cells. In this study, we produce as recombinant proteins, the Ig-domains of CRTAM (IgV-IgC), the IgV, and the IgC. These proteins were successfully purified in the soluble fraction only if the stalk region was included. The recombinant CRTAM recognizes its ligand nectin-like 2 in a cell-free system. We also demonstrate that the IgC domain of CRTAM is recognized by the anti-hCRTAM monoclonal antibody C8 with a 0.62 nM affinity. In conclusion, the stalk region of CRTAM provides solubility for the expression of its Ig-domains as recombinant proteins.

Molecular Profiling of Ulcerative Colitis Subjects from the TURANDOT Trial Reveals Novel Pharmacodynamic/Efficacy Biomarkers.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To define pharmacodynamic and efficacy biomarkers in ulcerative colitis [UC] patients treated with PF-00547659, an anti-human mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1 [MAdCAM-1] monoclonal antibody, in the TURANDOT study. METHODS: Transcriptome, proteome and immunohistochemistry data were generated in peripheral blood and intestinal biopsies from 357 subjects in the TURANDOT study. RESULTS: In peripheral blood, C-C motif chemokine receptor 9 [CCR9] gene expression demonstrated a dose-dependent increase relative to placebo, but in inflamed intestinal biopsies CCR9 gene expression decreased with increasing PF-00547659 dose. Statistical models incorporating the full RNA transcriptome in inflamed intestinal biopsies showed significant ability to assess response and remission status. Oncostatin M [OSM] gene expression in inflamed intestinal biopsies demonstrated significant associations with, and good accuracy for, efficacy, and this observation was confirmed in independent published studies in which UC patients were treated with infliximab or vedolizumab. Compared with the placebo group, intestinal T-regulatory cells demonstrated a significant increase in the intermediate 22.5-mg dose cohort, but not in the 225-mg cohort. CONCLUSIONS: CCR9 and OSM are implicated as novel pharmacodynamic and efficacy biomarkers. These findings occur amid coordinated transcriptional changes that enable the definition of surrogate efficacy biomarkers based on inflamed biopsy or blood transcriptomics data.ClinicalTrials.gov identifierNCT01620255.

CRTAM+ NK cells endowed with suppressor properties arise in leukemic bone marrow.

Due to their increasing rates of morbidity and mortality, childhood malignancies are considered a global health priority, with acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALLs) showing the highest incidence worldwide. Control of malignant clone emergence and the subsequent normal-leukemic hematopoietic cell out-competition require antitumor monitoring mechanisms. Investigation of cancer surveillance innate cells may be critical to understand the mechanisms contributing in either disease progression or relapse, and to promote displacement of leukemic hematopoiesis by the normal counterpart. We report here that NK cell production is less and low hematopoietic progenitor numbers contribute to this defect. By investigating the expression of the activation molecule class I restricted T-cell associated molecule (CRTAM) along the hematopoietic lineage differentiation pathway, we have identified lymphoid precursor populations coexpressing CD34, CD56/CD3/CD19, and CRTAM as the earliest developmental stage where activation may take place in specialized niches that display the ligand nectin-like-2. Of note, bone marrow (BM) from patients with ALL revealed high contents of preactivated CD56high NK cells expressing CRTAM and endowed with an exhaustion-like phenotype and the functional capability of producing IL-10 and TGF-ß in vitro. Our findings suggest, for the first time, that the tumor microenvironment in ALL directly contribute to exhaustion of NK cell functions by the CRTAM/Necl-2 interaction, and that the potential regulatory role of exhausted-like NK cells may favor malignant progression at the expense of anti-tumor responses. Phenotypic and functional identity of this unique suppressor-like NK cell population within the leukemic BM would be of special interest for the pathobiology of ALL and development of targeting strategies.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition leads to NK cell-mediated metastasis-specific immunosurveillance in lung cancer.

During epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) epithelial cancer cells transdifferentiate into highly motile, invasive, mesenchymal-like cells, giving rise to disseminating tumor cells. Few of these disseminated cells successfully metastasize. Immune cells and inflammation in the tumor microenvironment were shown to drive EMT, but few studies investigated the consequences of EMT for tumor immunosurveillance. In addition to initiating metastasis, we demonstrate that EMT confers increased susceptibility to natural killer (NK) cells and contributes, in part, to the inefficiency of the metastatic process. Depletion of NK cells allowed spontaneous metastasis without affecting primary tumor growth. EMT-induced modulation of E-cadherin and cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADM1) mediated increased susceptibility to NK cytotoxicity. Higher CADM1 expression correlates with improved patient survival in 2 lung and 1 breast adenocarcinoma patient cohorts and decreased metastasis. Our observations reveal a novel NK-mediated, metastasis-specific immunosurveillance in lung cancer and present a window of opportunity for preventing metastasis by boosting NK cell activity.