Ex vivo IL-1 receptor type I expression in human CD4+ T cells identifies an early intermediate in the differentiation of Th17 from FOXP3+ naive regulatory T cells.

IL-17-producing CD4(+) Th (Th17) cells are a unique subset of proinflammatory cells expressing the retinoic acid-related orphan receptor γt and associated with different forms of inflammatory autoimmune pathologies. The development of Th17 cells, mediated by TGF-ß and IL-1, is closely related to that of FOXP3(+) suppressor/regulatory T cells (Treg). In this study, we report that ex vivo expression of IL-1RI in human circulating CD4(+) T cells identifies a subpopulation of FOXP3(+) Treg that coexpress retinoic acid-related orphan receptor γt, secrete IL-17, and are highly enriched among CCR7(+) central memory cells. Consistent with the concept that IL-1RI expression in Treg identifies a subpopulation at an early stage of differentiation, we show that, in Th17 populations differentiated in vitro from natural naive FOXP3(+) Treg, IL-1RI(+) IL-17-secreting cells are central memory cells, whereas IL-1RI(-) cells secreting IL-17 are effector memory cells. Together with the absence of detectable IL-1RI and IL-17 expression in resting naive CD4(+) T cells, these data identify circulating CCR7(+) Treg expressing IL-1RI ex vivo as early intermediates along an IL-1-controlled differentiation pathway leading from naive FOXP3(+) Treg to Th17 effectors. We further show that, whereas IL-1RI(+) central memory Treg respond to stimulation in the presence of IL-1 by generating IL-17-secreting effectors, a significant fraction of them maintain FOXP3 expression, consistent with an important role of this population in maintaining the Treg/Th17 memory pool in vivo.

Human RORγt+ TH17 cells preferentially differentiate from naive FOXP3+Treg in the presence of lineage-specific polarizing factors.

RORγt(+) T(H)17 cells are a proinflammatory CD4(+) T-cell population associated with autoimmune tissue injury. In mice, priming of T(H)17 requires TGF-ß, which alone directs the priming of FOXP3(+) regulatory T cells (Treg), in association with inflammatory cytokines. Priming of human T(H)17 cells from conventional naive CD4(+) T cells under similar conditions, however, has proved difficult to achieve. Here, we report that differentiation of human T(H)17 cells preferentially occurs from FOXP3(+) naive Treg (NTreg) in the presence of IL-2 and IL-1ß and is increased by IL-23 and TGF-ß. IL-1ß-mediated differentiation correlated with IL-1RI expression in stimulated NTreg and was accompanied by induction of RORγt along with down-regulation of FOXP3. IL-17-secreting cells in NTreg cultures cosecreted TNF-α and IL-2 and contained distinct subpopulations cosecreting or not cosecreting IFN-γ and other T(H)17-associated cytokines. Polarized NTreg contained significant subpopulations of CCR6-expressing cells that were highly enriched in IL-17-secreting cells. Finally, analysis of CCR6 expression with respect to that of IL-1RI identified distinct IL-17-secreting subpopulations that had maintained or lost their suppressive functions. Together our results support the concept that priming of human T(H)17 from naive CD4(+) T cells preferentially takes place from FOXP3(+) Treg precursors in the presence of lineage-specific polarizing factors.

Monitoring of NY-ESO-1 specific CD4+ T cells using molecularly defined MHC class II/His-tag-peptide tetramers.

MHC-peptide tetramers have become essential tools for T-cell analysis, but few MHC class II tetramers incorporating peptides from human tumor and self-antigens have been developed. Among limiting factors are the high polymorphism of class II molecules and the low binding capacity of the peptides. Here, we report the generation of molecularly defined tetramers using His-tagged peptides and isolation of folded MHC/peptide monomers by affinity purification. Using this strategy we generated tetramers of DR52b (DRB3*0202), an allele expressed by approximately half of Caucasians, incorporating an epitope from the tumor antigen NY-ESO-1. Molecularly defined tetramers avidly and stably bound to specific CD4(+) T cells with negligible background on nonspecific cells. Using molecularly defined DR52b/NY-ESO-1 tetramers, we could demonstrate that in DR52b(+) cancer patients immunized with a recombinant NY-ESO-1 vaccine, vaccine-induced tetramer-positive cells represent ex vivo in average 1:5,000 circulating CD4(+) T cells, include central and transitional memory polyfunctional populations, and do not include CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-) regulatory T cells. This approach may significantly accelerate the development of reliable MHC class II tetramers to monitor immune responses to tumor and self-antigens.

Human memory FOXP3+ Tregs secrete IL-17 ex vivo and constitutively express the T(H)17 lineage-specific transcription factor RORgamma t.

Recent studies have suggested a close relationship between CD4(+)FOXP3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) and proinflammatory IL-17-producing T helper cells (T(H)17) expressing the lineage-specific transcription factor RORgamma t. We report here the unexpected finding that human memory Tregs secrete IL-17 ex vivo and constitutively express RORgamma t. IL-17-secreting Tregs share some phenotypic and functional features with conventional T(H)17 cells, expressing high levels of CCR4 and CCR6 and low levels of CXCR3. However, unlike conventional T(H)17 cells, they express low levels of CD161 and mostly fail to cosecrete IL-22 and TNF-alpha ex vivo. Ex vivo secretion of IL-17 and constitutive expression of RORgamma t by human memory Tregs suggest that, in addition to their well-known suppressive functions, these cells likely play additional, as yet undescribed, proinflammatory functions.

Human T(H)17 immune cells specific for the tumor antigen MAGE-A3 convert to IFN-γ-secreting cells as they differentiate into effector T cells in vivo.

The role of T(H)17 cells in cancer is being investigated, but the existence of tumor antigen-specific T(H)17 cells has yet to be ascertained. Here, we report the first description of a spontaneous T(H)17 (IL-17(+)) response to the important tumor antigen MAGE-A3, which occurred concurrently with a T(H)1 (IFN-γ(+)) response in a lung cancer patient. MAGE-A3-specific interleukin (IL)-17(+) T cells were mainly CCR7(+) central memory T cells, whereas IFN-γ(+) cells were enriched for CCR7(-) effector memory T cells. An assessment of the fine specificity of antigen recognition by these T cells indicated that the CCR6(+)CCR4(+) and CCR6(+)CXCR3(+) fractions contained the same T(H)17/T(H)1 population at early and late differentiation stages, respectively, whereas the CCR6(-)CXCR3(+) fraction contained a distinct T(H)1 population. These findings are important because they suggest a differentiation model in which tumor antigen-specific CD4(+) T cells that are primed under T(H)17 polarizing conditions will progressively convert into IFN-γ-secreting cells in vivo as they differentiate into effector T cells that can effectively attack tumors.

CXCR3+ T regulatory cells selectively accumulate in human ovarian carcinomas to limit type I immunity.

Antitumor type I T-cell responses involving IFN-γ production are critical to control cancer, but the efficacy of this response is limited by a variety of immunosuppressive mechanisms that promote tumoral immune escape. One critical mechanism involves the accumulation of FOXP3(+) T regulatory cells (Treg), a class of suppressive T cells that prevent excessive tissue destruction caused by unchecked immune responses. Recent studies have revealed that FOXP3(+) Treg include distinct subsets specifically controlling over the corresponding effector subset. In particular, CXCR3(+) Treg have been described as a subset specialized in the control of type I T-cell responses in vivo. Here, we show that CXCR3(+) Treg are highly enriched in human ovarian carcinomas, particularly in solid tumor masses, where they represent the majority of Treg. Tumor-associated CXCR3(+.) Treg coexpress T-bet but do not secrete IFN-γ ex vivo and suppress proliferation and IFN-γ secretion of T effectors. In addition, they coexpress Helios, suggesting that they originate from natural Treg. Finally, we show that the proportion of CXCR3(+) Treg at tumor sites is directly correlated with that of CXCR3(+) T effectors, consistent with expression of CXCR3 ligands. Together, our findings support the concept that natural CXCR3(+) T-bet(+) Treg selectively accumulate in ovarian tumors to control type I T-cell responses, resulting in the collateral limitation of efficient antitumor immunity.

NY-ESO-1-specific circulating CD4+ T cells in ovarian cancer patients are prevalently T(H)1 type cells undetectable in the CD25+ FOXP3+ Treg compartment.

Spontaneous CD4(+) T-cell responses to the tumor-specific antigen NY-ESO-1 (ESO) are frequently found in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). If these responses are of effector or/and Treg type, however, has remained unclear. Here, we have used functional approaches together with recently developed MHC class II/ESO tetramers to assess the frequency, phenotype and function of ESO-specific cells in circulating lymphocytes from EOC patients. We found that circulating ESO-specific CD4(+) T cells in EOC patients with spontaneous immune responses to the antigen are prevalently T(H)1 type cells secreting IFN-γ but no IL-17 or IL-10 and are not suppressive. We detected tetramer(+) cells ex vivo, at an average frequency of 1:25,000 memory cells, that is, significantly lower than in patients immunized with an ESO vaccine. ESO tetramer(+) cells were mostly effector memory cells at advanced stages of differentiation and were not detected in circulating CD25(+)FOXP3(+)Treg. Thus, spontaneous CD4(+) T-cell responses to ESO in cancer patients are prevalently of T(H)1 type and not Treg. Their relatively low frequency and advanced differentiation stage, however, may limit their efficacy, that may be boosted by immunogenic ESO vaccines.

Antibody responses to NY-ESO-1 in primary breast cancer identify a subtype target for immunotherapy.

The highly immunogenic human tumor antigen NY-ESO-1 (ESO) is a target of choice for anti-cancer immune therapy. In this study, we assessed spontaneous antibody (Ab) responses to ESO in a large cohort of patients with primary breast cancer (BC) and addressed the correlation between the presence of anti-ESO Ab, the expression of ESO in the tumors and their characteristics. We found detectable Ab responses to ESO in 1% of the patients. Tumors from patients with circulating Ab to ESO exhibited common characteristics, being mainly hormone receptor (HR)⁻ invasive ductal carcinomas of high grade, including both HER2⁻ and HER2⁺ tumors. In line with these results, we detected ESO expression in 20% of primary HR⁻ BC, including both ESO Ab⁺ and Ab⁻ patients, but not in HR⁺ BC. Interestingly, whereas expression levels in ESO⁺ BC were not significantly different between ESO Ab⁺ and Ab⁻ patients, the former had, in average, significantly higher numbers of tumor-infiltrated lymph nodes, indicating that lymph node invasion may be required for the development of spontaneous anti-tumor immune responses. Thus, the presence of ESO Ab identifies a tumor subtype of HR⁻ (HER2⁻ or HER2⁺) primary BC with frequent ESO expression and, together with the assessment of antigen expression in the tumor, may be instrumental for the selection of patients for whom ESO-based immunotherapy may complement standard therapy.

Assessment of vaccine-induced CD4 T cell responses to the 119-143 immunodominant region of the tumor-specific antigen NY-ESO-1 using DRB1*0101 tetramers.

PURPOSE: NY-ESO-1 (ESO), a tumor-specific antigen of the cancer/testis group, is presently viewed as an important model antigen for the development of generic anticancer vaccines. The ESO(119-143) region is immunodominant following immunization with a recombinant ESO vaccine. In this study, we generated DRB1*0101/ESO(119-143) tetramers and used them to assess CD4 T-cell responses in vaccinated patients expressing DRB1*0101 (DR1). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We generated tetramers of DRB1*0101 incorporating peptide ESO(119-143) using a previously described strategy. We assessed ESO(119-143)-specific CD4 T cells in peptide-stimulated postvaccine cultures using the tetramers. We isolated DR1/ESO(119-143) tetramer(+) cells by cell sorting and characterized them functionally. We assessed vaccine-induced CD4(+) DR1/ESO(119-143) tetramer(+) T cells ex vivo and characterized them phenotypically. RESULTS: Staining of cultures from vaccinated patients with DR1/ESO(119-143) tetramers identified vaccine-induced CD4 T cells. Tetramer(+) cells isolated by cell sorting were of T(H)1 type and efficiently recognized full-length ESO. We identified ESO(123-137) as the minimal optimal epitope recognized by DR1-restricted ESO-specific CD4 T cells. By assessing DR1/ESO(119-143) tetramer(+) cells using T cell receptor (TCR) ß chain variable region (Vß)-specific antibodies, we identified several frequently used Vß. Finally, direct ex vivo staining of patients' CD4 T cells with tetramers allowed the direct quantification and phenotyping of vaccine-induced ESO-specific CD4 T cells. CONCLUSIONS: The development of DR1/ESO(119-143) tetramers, allowing the direct visualization, isolation, and characterization of ESO-specific CD4 T cells, will be instrumental for the evaluation of spontaneous and vaccine-induced immune responses to this important tumor antigen in DR1-expressing patients.

Improving rAAV production and purification: towards the definition of a scaleable process.

Numerous in vivo studies have demonstrated that recombinant AAV-2 vectors (rAAV-2) can efficiently transduce many tissues and lead to stable gene expression 12. These encouraging results have led to a rapid development of clinical trials involving the use of rAAV-2 vectors 3. However, the obtainment of large-scale rAAV-2 vector stocks for clinical assay is still hampered by the conventional production and purification methods that are not efficient and difficult to scale up. This review will describe the current methods available for rAAV-2 vector production and purification and show the advancements achieved, in particular in our group, to develop new scalable procedures, suiting GMP requirements.

A versatile and scalable two-step ion-exchange chromatography process for the purification of recombinant adeno-associated virus serotypes-2 and -5.

Here we describe the development of a two-step chromatography process based on the use of ion-exchange resins for the purification of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) serotypes-2 and-5. In vitro and in vivo results demonstrate that this method, which does not require any prepurification step of the cell lysate, can be applied to obtain highly pure rAAV2 and rAAV5 stocks. As such,this procedure can be easily transferred in vector cores and also scaled up, allowing the direct comparison of these two, and potentially other, AAV serotypes in large animal models.