Clinical outcome of patients with various advanced cancer types vaccinated with an optimized cryptic human telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) peptide: results of an expanded phase II study.

BACKGROUND: TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase) plays a critical role in tumor cell growth and survival. In an expanded phase II study, we evaluated the immunological and clinical responses to the TERT-targeting Vx-001 vaccine in patients with advanced solid tumors. METHODS: HLA-A*0201-positive patients received two subcutaneous injections of the optimized TERT(572Y) peptide followed by four injections of the native TERT(572) peptide, every 3 weeks. Peptide-specific immune responses were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot at baseline, and after the second and the sixth vaccinations. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients were enrolled and 34 (62%) completed the six vaccinations. A TERT-specific T-cell immune response was observed in 55% and 70% of patients after the second and the sixth vaccinations, respectively. The disease control rate (DCR) was 36% [95% confidence interval (CI) 24% to 49%], including one complete and one partial response. Immunologically responding patients had a better clinical outcome than nonresponders [DCR: 44% versus 14% (P = 0.047); progression-free survival (PFS): 5.2 versus 2.2 months (P = 0.0001) and overall survival: 20 versus 10 months (P = 0.041)]. Multivariate analysis revealed that the immunological response was an independent variable associated with increased PFS (hazard ratio = 3.35; 95% CI 1.7-6.7). CONCLUSION: Vx-001 vaccine was well tolerated and induced a TERT-specific immunological response, which was significantly correlated with improved clinical outcome.

Hypoxic stress: obstacles and opportunities for innovative immunotherapy of cancer.

Tumors use several strategies to evade the host immune response, including creation of an immune-suppressive and hostile tumor environment. Tissue hypoxia due to inadequate blood supply is reported to develop very early during tumor establishment. Hypoxic stress has a strong impact on tumor cell biology. In particular, tissue hypoxia contributes to therapeutic resistance, heterogeneity and progression. It also interferes with immune plasticity, promotes the differentiation and expansion of immune-suppressive stromal cells, and remodels the metabolic landscape to support immune privilege. Therefore, tissue hypoxia has been regarded as a central factor for tumor aggressiveness and metastasis. In this regard, manipulating host-tumor interactions in the context of the hypoxic tumor microenvironment may be important in preventing or reverting malignant conversion. We will discuss how tumor microenvironment-driven transient compositional tumor heterogeneity involves hypoxic stress. Tumor hypoxia is a therapeutic concern since it can reduce the effectiveness of conventional therapies as well as cancer immunotherapy. Thus, understanding how tumor and stromal cells respond to hypoxia will allow for the design of innovative cancer therapies that can overcome these barriers. A better understanding of hypoxia-dependent mechanisms involved in the regulation of immune tolerance could lead to new strategies to enhance antitumor immunity. Therefore, discovery and validation of therapeutic targets derived from the hypoxic tumor microenvironment is of major importance. In this context, critical hypoxia-associated pathways are attractive targets for immunotherapy of cancer. In this review, we summarize current knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms induced by tumor cell hypoxia with a special emphasis on therapeutic resistance and immune suppression. We emphasize mechanisms of manipulating hypoxic stress and its associated pathways, which may support the development of more durable and successful cancer immunotherapy approaches in the future.

Suppression of the in vitro parent antihybrid reaction by spleen cells from F1 hybrids pretreated with spleen cells from the opposite parent strain.

Spleen cells from B6C3F1 hybrid mice pretreated i.v. with 5 X 10(7) C3H spleen cells seven days earlier (C3H-pretreated B6C3F1) suppress the in vitro B6 anti-B6C3F1 proliferative and cytotoxic responses, when they are added to cultures of B6 responding and B6C3F1 stimulating spleen cells. This suppression is mediated by a Thy-1+Lyt-1+2+ cell of C3H origin that is radiosensitive at 2000 rads. This suppressor cell is not induced by the injection to B6C3F1 hybrids of spleen cells from the other parent strain (B6) or an allogeneic strain (D2). It does not suppress either the response of the other parent (C3H) or an allogeneic strain (D2) to B6C3F1 antigens, or the response of B6 cells to an allogeneic strain (D2). Its induction depends upon the number and the subpopulation of C3H spleen cells injected since suppression is observed after the injection of more than 2.5 X 10(7) C3H cells, and the suppression inducing cells have the phenotype Thy-1+Lyt-1+2+. This phenomenon is not limited to the C3H-B6C3F1 genetic combination, since it has been observed in all parent hybrid combinations tested to date.

Specific resistance to local graft-versus-host reaction in F1 hybrids pretreated intravenously with parent-strain spleen cells. Role of cytotoxic T lymphocytes directed against receptors for the major histocompatibility complex.

Pretreatment of B6D2F1 hybrids by injection of B6 spleen cells by subcutaneous or intravenous routes induces specific resistance to the local graft versus host reaction provoked by s.c. engraftment of B6 spleen cells. This resistance has been attributed to the presence in the pretreated F1 hybrids of cytotoxic T lymphocytes directed against receptors that recognize the D2 alloantigens (anti-D2-receptor CTL). However, this hypothesis would seem to be challenged, at least partially, by our previously published results showing that a) when tested before induction of GVHR, the anti-D2-receptor CTL are detectable in F1 hybrids pretreated only by the s.c. route but not by the i.v. route; and b) specific resistance to GVHR observed in i.v.-pretreated F1 hybrids is mediated by a nylon-adherent, Thy-1-, radioresistant (2000 rads) suppressor cell of B6 origin that does not manifest any anti-D2-receptor CTL activity. However, these results did not allow us to exclude the possibility of the presence, in the i.v.-pretreated F1 hybrids, of anti-D2-receptor precursor CTL that could be reactivated during the GVHR by the D2-receptors expressed on the proliferating clone of grafted B6 cells, then differentiate to the receptor-specific CTL effectors that control the development of the GVHR. That is why we have studied in the present work the CTL activity developed against D2-receptors after induction of GVHR in either normal or resistant F1 hybrids. Our results show that F1 hybrids protected against GVHR by i.v. pretreatment with B6 cells or by a transfer of nylon-adherent spleen cells from i.v.-pretreated syngeneic F1 mice do not manifest enhanced anti-D2-receptor CTL activity. When considered along with our previous observations, these results favor our hypothesis that anti-D2-receptor CTL are not involved in the specific resistance to GVHR observed in the i.v.-pretreated F1 hybrids.

Inhibition of hybrid resistance by 5-fluorouracil. Destruction of a Thy-1+ Lyt-1+2- spleen cell implicated in the expression of hybrid resistance.

Hybrid resistance designates the poor proliferation of parent-strain bone marrow cells injected into lethally irradiated hybrids. While testing a variety of oncostatic drugs for their capacity to inhibit hybrid resistance, we found that 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) injected into B6D2F1 hybrids three days before grafting enhances the growth of parent-strain B6 bone marrow cells. Hybrid resistance can be restored in these 5-FU-treated B6D2F1 recipients by the injection of spleen cells from untreated (normal) B6D2F1 mice. Treatment of these normal B6D2F1 spleen cells with anti-Thy-1 or anti-Lyt-1 antibodies plus complement abolishes their capacity to restore resistance, whereas treatment with anti Lyt-2 antibody plus complement has no effect. It is known that the rejection of parent-strain bone marrow cells by the F1 hybrid is a multistep process in which more than one cell type is involved, and that the final effector cell is asialo-GMI+, cyclophosphamide-sensitive, and responsive to IFN (possibly the natural killer cell). The Thy-1+Lyt-1+2- spleen cell we describe here, which is eliminated by the 5-FU, doesn't seem to be the final effector cell for hybrid resistance since transfer of spleen cells from cyclophosphamide-treated (final-effector-cell-depleted) B6D2F1 hybrids into 5-FU treated B6D2F1 mice restores hybrid resistance just as well as do normal B6D2F1 spleen cells; and, when injected into 5-FU-treated B6D2F1 hybrids, the IFN inducer pI:pC also restores resistance. The cell we now describe would be a third cell type, probably responsible for the initial recognition of grafted parent-strain bone marrow cells, which triggers the mechanism of hybrid resistance. This hypothesis could explain the observed specificity of parent-strain bone marrow graft rejection by F1 hybrids.

Specific and nonspecific resistance to local graft-versus-host reaction in F1 hybrids pretreated intravenously with parent-strain spleen cells. I. Two distinct mechanisms.

B6D2F1 hybrid mice pretreated i.v. with 5 X 10(7) spleen cells from B6 donors seven days earlier (B6-pretreated B6D2F1 hybrids) develop resistance to local GVHR induced by the subcutaneous injection of spleen cells of either B6 (GVHR-B6) or D2 (GVHR-D2) origin. This resistance has specific and a nonspecific components that concern the GVHR-B6 and the GVHR-D2, respectively. The two types of resistance to GVHR are neither induced under the same conditions nor mediated by the same mechanism. Specific resistance to GVHR is observed in B6D2F1 hybrids pretreated with unseparated, anti-Lyt-1.2+C' treated or 1000 rads-irradiated B6 cells, but not in B6D2F1 hybrids pretreated with anti-Thy-1.2+C' or anti Lyt-2.2+C'-treated B6 cells. In contrast, nonspecific resistance to GVHR is induced only by pretreatment with unseparated B6 cells. Treatment of B6 cells with anti-Thy-1.2, anti-Lyt-1.2, or anti-Lyt-2.2 moAb plus C', or their irradiation at 1000 rads completely abolishes their capacity to induce the nonspecific resistance to GVHR. Moreover, specific resistance to GVHR can be transferred to normal B6D2F1 mice by injection of nylon-adherent, anti-Thy-1.2+C'-treated or 2000-rads-irradiated, but not unseparated or nylon-nonadherent, B6-pretreated B6D2F1 spleen cells. Treatment of nylon-adherent B6-pretreated B6D2F1 cells with anti H-2d antiserum plus C' does not affect their capacity to transfer specific resistance to GVHR. Nonspecific resistance to GVHR can be transferred by unseparated, anti-Lyt-1.1+C' or anti Lyt-2.1+C'-treated, but not by anti-Thy-1.2+C' anti-Lyt-1.2+C', anti-Lyt-2.2+C'-treated or 2000-rads-irradiated B6-pretreated B6D2F1 spleen cells. Both types of resistance are observed in B6D2F1 hybrids pretreated with more than 2.5 X 10(7) B6 spleen cells.

Role of astrocytes in antigen presentation and naive T-cell activation.

Astrocytes may have a role in antigen presentation in inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) such as MS and EAE. In this study, we have assessed whether purified astrocyte cultures could stimulate naive CD4(+) or CD8(+) T-cells from TCR transgenic mice. As previously described, astrocytes sustained antigen-specific CD4(+) T-cell proliferation only in the presence of IFN-gamma, which promotes expression of both MHC class II and B7 molecules on astrocytes. In addition, we show that astrocytes also have the capacity to present antigens to naive CD8(+) T-cell and promote their proliferation. In one system, this CD8(+) T-cell proliferation was dependent on IFN-gamma-induced upregulation of B7 molecules on astrocytes. However, in a second TCR transgenic system, astrocytes could induce naive CD8(+) T-cell proliferation even in the absence of IFN-gamma. The possible implications of these findings for the pathophysiology of CNS inflammatory diseases are discussed.

[Technological advances in immuno-oncology: from fundamental concepts to patient immunological monitoring]. / L'apport technologique en immuno-oncologie: des concepts fondamentaux au suivi immunologique des patients.

Over the past decade, cancer immunology has known several advances due to both basic research and new technologies recently developed in this field. This review will illustrate the impact of some new immunological technologies and how the latter resulted in the exploration of new territories in cancer immunology and the emergence of new concepts that allowed to revisit the immunosurveillance concept and permitted to improve the patient monitoring.

A phase I study of the optimized cryptic peptide TERT(572y) in patients with advanced malignancies.

OBJECTIVE: It was the aim of this study to evaluate the safety of the optimized cryptic peptide TERT(572Y) in pretreated patients with advanced cancer. METHODS: Nineteen patients with progressive and chemotherapy-refractory tumors received escalated doses (2-6 mg) of 2 subcutaneous injections of the optimized TERT(572Y) peptide followed by 4 subcutaneous injections of the native TERT(572) peptide every 3 weeks. Both TERT peptides were coinjected with adjuvant Montanide ISA51. Toxicity was evaluated every 3 weeks and peptide-specific CD8+ cells were detected by flow cytometry using TERT(572Y) tetramers. RESULTS: Fourteen out of 19 patients completed the vaccination program. No grade III/IV toxicity was observed. Grade I anemia was observed in 4 patients and local skin reaction at the injection site in 11 patients. Other nonhematologic toxicities were mild, and no late toxicity was observed after a median postvaccination follow-up period of 10.7 months. There was no dose-limiting toxicity. Peripheral blood TERT(572Y)-specific CD8+ lymphocytes were detected in 13 out of 14 evaluable patients after 2 injections with the optimized TERT(572Y) peptide. There was no complete or partial response, but 4 patients (21%) with persistent TERT(572Y)-specific CD8+ experienced stable disease for a median of 10.5 months. CONCLUSION: TERT(572Y) peptide vaccine is well tolerated and effective in eliciting specific TERT(572Y) CD8+ lymphocytes in pretreated cancer patients, demonstrating that cryptic peptides could be used in cancer immunotherapy.

A nonimmunodominant nucleoprotein-derived peptide is presented by influenza A virus-infected H-2b cells.

Influenza A virus-infected H-2b mice mount a CTL response directed against the nucleoprotein (NP) 366-374 but not against the NP 55-63 peptide, although both peptides fulfill the prerequisites for having high binding affinity toward the Db molecule. Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain the inability of B6 mice to respond to the NP 55-63 peptide: 1) B6 mice are tolerant to the NP 55-63 peptide and 2) NP 55-63 peptide is not naturally processed by H-2b cells. Our results show that 1) B6 mice possess a NP 55-63-specific CTL repertoire because their immunization with the NP 55-63 peptide itself recruits specific CTL; 2) NP 55-63 peptide is naturally processed by the virus-infected H-2b cells but its efficient presentation by the Db molecule requires higher amounts of NP than presentation of the NP 366-374 peptide; 3) NP 55-63 peptide is naturally presented in virus infected B6 mice, however, the quantity of Db/NP 55-63 complexes at the cell surface is sufficient to tolerize but not to recruit and stimulate specific CTL; and 4) NP 55-63 peptide binds to the Db molecule with a lower affinity than NP 366-374 does and this difference could explain the inefficient presentation of the NP 55-63 peptide by B6 cells. The involvement of the self-protein-derived nonimmunodominant peptides in self-tolerance and the possibility of using nonimmunodominant peptides of viral proteins for peptide vaccination are discussed.

Specific inhibition of hybrid resistance in F1 hybrid mice pretreated with parent strain spleen cells. I. Induction of a nylon-adherent, Thy-1+Lyt-1+2- suppressor cell.

Hybrid resistance, which is observed in certain strain combinations when parent-strain bone marrow cells are grafted into lethally irradiated F1 hybrids, can be specifically overcome by the i.v. injection, 1 wk before the graft, of spleen cells syngeneic with the bone marrow graft. This phenomenon is due to a suppressor mechanism, induced in the spleen of the F1 hybrid by the injection of parent-strain spleen cells and mediated by a nylon-adherent Thy-1+Lyt-1+2- cell population of hybrid origin, because hybrid resistance can be inhibited by the transfer into a normal B6D2F1 of nylon-adherent Thy-1+Lyt-1+2- spleen cells from B6D2F1 mice pretreated with B6 spleen cells 1 wk earlier (B6-pretreated B6D2F1); spleen cells from B6-pretreated B6D2F1 mice not depleted of their nylon-adherent subpopulation cannot restore hybrid resistance when they are injected into a B6D2F1 rendered nonresistant by split-dose irradiation; and spleen cells from normal B6D2F1 mice cannot restore hybrid resistance when they are injected into B6-pretreated B6D2F1 hybrids. The suppressor cells specifically inhibit resistance against bone marrow cells syngeneic with the spleen cells used for pretreatment, because transfer of nylon-adherent B6-pretreated B6D2F1 spleen cells into a normal B6D2F1 does not enhance syngeneic B6D2F1 or parent-strain D2 bone marrow growth, and when injected into normal B6D2F1 hybrids, nylon-adherent spleen cells from B6D2F1 mice pretreated with D2 spleen cells 1 wk earlier (D2-pretreated B6D2F1) are not able to transfer the inhibition of hybrid resistance against B6 bone marrow cells. Moreover, the activity of the suppressor cells depends on the genetic environment of the hybrid host mice, because nylon-adherent B6-pretreated B6D2F1 spleen cells injected into normal B6C3F1 hybrids do not transfer an inhibition of hybrid resistance, and when injected into B6C3F1 hosts previously rendered nonresistant by split-dose irradiation, spleen cells from B6-pretreated B6D2F1 mice can, in contrast, transfer hybrid resistance.

Specific suppression of the in vitro parent anti-hybrid reaction. II. Parameters influencing suppressor cell induction in the F1 hybrid.

In the accompanying paper (K. Kosmatopoulos et al., Cell. Immunol. 104, 319-334, 1987) we have reported that the spleens of B6D2F1 hybrids pretreated with B6 spleen cells 7 days earlier contain a cell which specifically suppresses the in vitro proliferative and cytotoxic B6 anti-B6D2F1 responses. The results we present here concern the in vivo conditions under which this suppressor cell can be induced. Suppressor cell activity appears early after the injection of B6 spleen cells (day +1), increases on Day 7, and disappears by Day 30; it is always detectable after the injection of 5 X 10(7) B6 spleen cells and never after the injection of 1.25 X 10(7) cells, the intermediate dose of 2.5 X 10(7) cells being followed by variable results. This variability is attributable to the age of B6 donor and B6D2F1 recipient mice, and suppression is never observed when 2.5 X 10(7) spleen cells from 6-week-old B6 mice are injected into 6-week-old B6D2F1 hybrids. The suppressor cell is induced by the injection of B6 spleen cells of the Thy-1+ Ly-1-2+ phenotype, even if they are irradiated at 1000 R just before their injection. Lymph node cells from B6 mice induce the suppressor cell, whereas thymocytes do not. Irradiation of B6D2F1 hybrids at 600 or 950 R does not prevent the induction of suppressor cell, nor does thymectomy. Moreover, in the thymectomized or 600 R-irradiated B6D2F1 animals suppression can be induced even by the injection of only 1.25 X 10(7) B6 spleen cells. This phenomenon of specific suppression is not limited to the B6-B6D2F1 genetic combination since it has been observed in all parent-hybrid combinations tested to date.

Anti-receptor anti-MHC cytotoxic T lymphocytes: their role in the resistance to graft vs host reaction.

Specific resistance to local graft vs host reaction (GvHR) observed in F1 hybrids pretreated s.c., i.p., or i.v. with parent strain spleen cells has been explained as being due to cytotoxic cells induced in these pretreated F1 hybrids and directed against cells bearing receptors that recognize the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) alloantigens of the opposite parent strain (anti-receptor anti-MHC cytotoxic T lymphocytes; CTL). These anti-receptor anti-MHC CTL, however, have never been detected directly in popliteal lymph nodes (PLN), which develop a specific resistance to GvHR. In this paper, we describe the detection of anti-receptor anti-D2 cytotoxic activity in both right and left PLN of B6D2F1 hybrids injected s.c. in the right footpad only with B6 spleen cells. This cytotoxic activity appears 4 days after the injection of B6 cells and diminishes by day 7. It is mediated by a Thy-1+, L3T4-, Lyt-2+ cell of B6D2F1 origin and induced by the injection of either Thy-1+L3T4+Lyt-2- or Thy-1+L3T4-Lyt-2+ B6 spleen cells. The anti-receptor anti-D2 CTL activity is not observed in PLN of B6D2F1 hybrids pretreated i.p. or i.v. with B6 spleen cells. Our results demonstrate that anti-receptor anti-MHC CTL can fully explain the specific resistance to GvHR induced by the s.c. pretreatment of F1 hybrids with parent strain spleen cells. Their role, however, in the resistance to GvHR observed in F1 hybrids i.v. or i.p. pretreated is far from being entirely proven.

Specific inhibition of hybrid resistance in F1 hybrid mice pretreated with parent-strain spleen cells. II. Evidence for an Hh-1 antigen-specific tolerization.

Lethally irradiated F1 mice reject bone marrow graft from H-2b parents. In a previous paper we showed that pretreatment of F1 hybrid with H-2b parental spleen cells abrogates this hybrid resistance (HR) to parental bone marrow growth by inducing a Thy-1+Lyt-1+2- nylon-adherent suppressor cell. We studied the mechanism of induction of this suppressor cell. Two hypotheses were tested; both were based on the observation that parental spleen cells when injected into a F1 hybrid, recognize the alloantigens of the opposite parent and proliferate; the proliferation of these Hh-1+ cells may result in an overload of the pretreated F1 hybrids with Hh-1 Ag, and in the development of a graft-vs-host reaction that is followed by a non-specific immunodeficiency (GVHID). Thus abrogation of HR could be due to either a tolerization with high doses of Hh-1 Ag or the GVHID. Our results show that abrogation of HR does not correlate with the GVHID because 1) it is induced after pre-treatment with H-2b parental cells only, whereas GVHID is observed after injection with cells from either of the two parents; and 2) it is induced in several conditions where GVHID does not occur; after pre-treatment with 1000-rad-irradiated or T-cell depleted or only class I incompatible spleen cells or with spleen cells from nude parents as well as after pre-treatment with H-2b bone marrow cells. HR is overcome by the injection of H-2Db homozygous or of cross-reactive H-2Ds homozygous cells only. However, although pretreatment with H-2Db homozygous spleen cells is necessary, it is not sufficient for an efficient overcoming of HR. Indeed enhancement of H-2b bone marrow growth after pre-treatment with 1000-rad-irradiated, T-cell depleted or nude parent spleen cells is very short-lasting and never reaches the level observed after pre-treatment with normal spleen cells. We conclude that inhibition of HR in F1 hybrids pretreated with parental spleen cells is not a consequence of a GVHID but of a specific tolerization with Hh-1 Ag; however, the HR is inhibited more consistently when inoculum used for the pretreatment contains fully immunocompetent T cells. The role of the immunocompetent parental T cells in abrogation of HR is discussed.

The J alpha segment contributes to the affinity of V beta 6+ cells for vSAG-7 (Mls-1a) presented by I-A molecules.

Recognition of superantigens (SAG) by T cells is major histocompatibility complex (MHC) dependent but not MHC restricted. In the case of vSAG-7 (Mls-1a), encoded by the Mtv-7 provirus, I-E molecules play a dominant role in the vSAG-7-MHC-T-cell receptor (TCR) interaction, the I-A molecule being less important. vSAG-7 is recognized predominantly by T cells bearing the V beta 6 element, which are deleted in Mtv-7+ mice; this deletion is nearly complete in mice expressing I-E molecules, but only partial in mice expressing exclusively the I-A molecules of permissive haplotypes. In view of these data, we hypothesized that vSAG-7-specific V beta 6+ T cells have a large spectrum of affinities for the MHC-vSAG-7 complex and that all of them, even those with a relatively low affinity, recognize the I-E-vSAG-7 complex, while only those with high affinity can recognize the I-A-vSAG-7 complex. Fourteen CD4 V beta 6+ vSAG-7-specific clones were studied and classified into three groups of avidity, depending on their interactions with different I-E- I-A(+)-vSAG-7 permissive haplotypes. Sequencing of the alpha and beta chains of their TCR suggested that the affinity for the vSAG-7 is influenced by the J alpha element. Four out of six low-affinity T-cell clones possessed the transcript for the J alpha 34 segment. Furthermore, five out of six low-affinity T-cell clones had the GGSN sequence in their CDR3 alpha, while the sixth low affinity clone had the conservative substituted SGGN sequence. These results strongly suggest that the expression of the J alpha 34 segment confers a very weak reactivity to T cells recognizing vSAG-7.

Medullary thymic epithelial cells induce tolerance to intracellular proteins.

The role of the medullary thymic epithelial cells in tolerance induction to MHC class I restricted self peptides has been analyzed by studying the beta-galactosidase (beta-gal)-specific cytotoxic T cell response of a transgenic mouse expressing beta-gal in the thymus, skin, and central nervous system (Tg beta-gal mouse). Our results showed that: 1) beta-gal expression in the thymus was limited in a subpopulation of medullary epithelial cells, and bone marrow-derived thymic cells were beta-gal-1; 2) Tg beta-gal mice did not mount an anti-beta-gal CTL response even in the presence of exogenous IL-2, while Tg beta-gal-->B6 chimeras responded to beta-gal as strongly as NTg beta-gal mice; 3) Tg beta-gal mice did not generate CTL against the immunodominant Kb-restricted beta-gal 497-504 peptide; 4) tolerance was due to the thymic epithelial cells that expressed beta-gal because nude mice grafted with thymus from Tg beta-gal mice were also unable to respond to beta-gal; 5) the Tg beta-gal mouse-derived beta-gal+ medullary epithelial TEC.X10 line presented the Kb-restricted beta-gal 497-504 epitope. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that medullary thymic epithelial cells induce a complete tolerance towards class I-restricted self peptides presented on their own surface.

Dose-dependent T cell tolerance to an immunodominant self peptide.

We have previously described a model of tolerance to self peptides in a mouse transgenic (Tg) line producing secreted hen egg-white lysozyme (HEL). The HEL cDNA was placed under the control of a ubiquitous promoter expressed early in embryogenesis, so that HEL should be present in Tg mice throughout the development of the immune system. Since individual HEL Tg mice express different amounts of serum HEL, we were previously able to show that H-2d mice with HEL blood level > 10 ng/ml are tolerant to HEL and to the immunodominant (ID) peptide 108-116. However, autoreactive T lymphocytes recognizing the HEL subdominant (SD) peptides 74-96 and 1-18 still persist and the SD-specific response disappear at higher blood HEL concentrations. In the present work, we have studied HEL Tg H-2d mice with HEL serum levels < 10 ng/ml (HEL-low Tg animals). We find that 50% of Tg animals with HEL blood concentration < 2 ng/ml are responsive to HEL in T cell proliferation assays, although these responses are lower than those seen in non-Tg control mice. The HEL-specific T lymphocytes react only with 15-mer overlapping peptides encompassing the single H-2d ID region of HEL (residues 102-122); whereas the 9-mer minimal ID peptide 108-116, which strongly triggers non-Tg T cells, is unable to stimulate auto-reactive T cells in vitro from HEL-low Tg mice. Altogether, our results suggest that T lymphocytes specific for the minimal ID peptide are deleted or inactivated, while T cell clones of lower affinity and reacting with epitopes on longer peptides persist. Thus, the high affinity ID peptide-specific T cell clones can be negatively selected even in the presence of low amounts of HEL.

[Anchoring cytokines to cancer cells using diphtheria toxin: better than immunotherapy by gene transfer?]. / Ancrer des cytokines aux cellules cancéreuses à l'aide de la toxine diphtérique: mieux que l'immunothérapie par transfert de gène?

Many cytokines are able to stimulate the antitumor immune response. However, in order to avoid the toxic effects due to systemic injection, it is necessary to concentrate the cytokines in the tumor microenvironment. Current methods, based on the transfer of cytokine genes into tumor cells, still suffer drawbacks. We describe an alternative approach using recombinant cytokines genetically conjugated to a membrane anchor derived from diphtheria toxin. Interleukin-2 anchored to lymphoma and melanoma cells remained displayed on their surface and were not internalized. Injection of these cell preparations to mice led to an immune response able to prevent or slow tumor growth following tumor challenge.

Major histocompatibility complex class I presentation of exogenously acquired minor alloantigens initiates skin allograft rejection.

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules present peptides from endogenous proteins. However, in some cases class I-restricted peptides can also derive from exogenous antigens. This MHC class I exogenous presentation could be involved in minor histocompatibility antigen (mHAg)-disparate allograft rejection when donor alloantigens are not expressed in graft antigen-presenting cells (APC) that initiate the rejection mechanism. Here we addressed this question by using a skin graft experimental model where donors (H-2b or H-2d Tg beta-gal mice) expressed the mHAg like beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) in keratinocytes but not in Langerhans' cells (LC) which have an APC function. Rejection of Tg beta-gal skin by a beta-gal-specific CD8 cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) effector mechanism should require presentation by donor and/or recipient LC of MHC class I-restricted peptides of exogenous beta-gal shed by keratinocytes. Indeed, our results showed that 1) H-2b Tg beta-gal skin was rejected by H-2bxs and H-2bxd recipients; 2) rejection was mediated by beta-gal-specific CD8+ CTL effectors; and 3) H-2bxd mice having rejected H-2b Tg beta-gal skin generated beta-gal-specific CTL restricted by H-2b and H-2d class I molecules and rejected subsequently grafted H-2d Tg beta-gal skin in an accelerated fashion, demonstrating that recipient LC have presented exogenous beta-gal-derived MHC class I epitopes. These results lead to the conclusion that MHC class I exogenous presentation of donor mHAg can initiate allograft rejection.