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Biomedical subjects

L M Nadler

Publications and source records attributed to L M Nadler.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Human non-germinal center B cell interleukin (IL)-12 production is primarily regulated by T cell signals CD40 ligand, interferon gamma, and IL-10: role of B cells in the maintenance of T cell responses.

Interleukin (IL)-12 is expressed mainly in antigen-presenting cells after challenge with microbial material or after CD40 activation. Although IL-12 was cloned from human Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B cell lines, surprisingly, CD40 ligation on murine B cells did not lead to IL-12 production, suggesting that murine B cells do not produce IL-12. Here we demonstrate that a subset of human tonsillar B cells can be induced to express and secrete bioactive IL-12. The major stimulus to produce IL-12 in human B cells was CD40 ligation. In contrast, B cell receptor cross-linking did not induce IL-12. Expression of IL-12 after CD40 activation was restricted to CD38(-)IgD+/- non-germinal center (non-GC) B cells. CD40 ligation and interferon (IFN)-gamma exhibited synergistic effects on IL-12 production, whereas IL-10 abrogated and IL-4 significantly inhibited IL-12 production by these B cells. In contrast to IL-12, production of IL-6 is conversely regulated, leading to significant increase after CD40 ligation in the presence of the T helper type 2 (Th2) cytokine IL-4. Cord blood T cells skewed towards either a Th1 or a Th2 phenotype maintained their cytokine expression pattern when restimulated with allogeneic resting B cells. Blockade of CD40 and/or IL-12 during T-B interaction significantly reduced IFN-gamma production by the T cells. This suggests a model whereby B cells produce either IL-12 or IL-6 after contact with T cells previously differentiated towards Th1 or Th2. Furthermore, IL-12 and IL-6 might provide a positive feedback during cognate T-B interactions, thereby maintaining T cells' differentiation pattern during amplification of the immune response.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗

T cell mediated immunotherapy for B cell lymphoma.

Increasing evidence suggests that chemotherapy does not cure the majority of patients with B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Therefore new treatment modalities are necessary. Immunotherapy of B cell lymphomas using monoclonal antibodies has been shown to be efficacious in murine model systems and also in patients. With the identification of tumor-specific antigens as targets for autologous T cells, T cell mediated immunity has been revived as an immunotherapeutic modality in B cell lymphomas. For B cell lymphomas the lymphoma-specific idiotype can be used as a tumor-specific antigen to stimulate T cells. Alternatively, the malignant B cells can be modified to become efficient antigen-presenting cells and present peptides from their own tumor-specific antigens to the autologous T cells. Here we discuss previous and currently explored immunotherapeutic strategies for B cell lymphoma.

Animals↗

The telomerase catalytic subunit is a widely expressed tumor-associated antigen recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

The discovery of tumor-associated antigens (TAA) in certain human malignancies has prompted renewed efforts to develop antigen-specific immunotherapy of cancer. However, most TAA described thus far are expressed in one or a few tumor types, and, among patients with these types of tumors, TAA expression is not universal. Here, we characterize the telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT) as a widely expressed TAA capable of triggering antitumor cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses. More than 85% of human cancers exhibit strong telomerase activity, but normal adult tissues, with few exceptions, do not. In a human system, CD8+ CTL specific for an hTERT peptide and restricted to MHC HLA-A2 lysed hTERT+ tumors from multiple histologies. These findings identify hTERT as a potentially important and widely applicable target for anticancer immunotherapeutic strategies.

Adult↗

Outcome in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome after autologous bone marrow transplantation for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

PURPOSE: The absolute risk of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) after autologous bone marrow transplant (ABMT) for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) exceeds 5% in several reported series. We report the outcome of a large cohort of patients who developed MDS after ABMT for NHL. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between December 1982 and December 1997, 552 patients underwent ABMT for NHL, with a uniform ablative regimen of cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation followed by reinfusion of obtained marrow purged with monoclonal antibodies. MDS was strictly defined, using the French-American-British classification system, as requiring bone marrow dysplasia in at least two cell lines, with associated unexplained persistent cytopenias. RESULTS: Forty-one patients developed MDS at a median of 47 months after ABMT. The incidence of MDS was 7.4%, and actuarial incidence at 10 years is 19.8%, without evidence of a plateau. Patients who developed MDS received significantly fewer numbers of cells reinfused per kilogram at ABMT (P =.0003). Karyotypes were performed on bone marrow samples of 33 patients, and 29 patients had either del(7) or complex abnormalities. The median survival from diagnosis of MDS was 9.4 months. The International Prognostic Scoring System for MDS failed to predict outcome in these patients. Thirteen patients underwent allogeneic BMT as treatment for MDS, and all have died of BMT-related complications (11 patients) or relapse (two patients), with a median survival of only 1.8 months. CONCLUSION: Long-term follow-up demonstrates a high incidence of MDS after ABMT for NHL. The prognosis for these patients is uniformly poor, and novel treatment strategies are needed for this fatal disorder.

Adult↗

Bone marrow transplantation for low-grade lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Treatment of low-grade lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a challenge for hematologists. The long physical history and the indolent nature of these diseases do not support the choice of aggressive treatment. However, regardless of the initial sensitivity of these diseases to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, relapse is inevitable and, therefore, treatment choice especially for younger patients is a serious decision. Intensive therapy followed by transplantation with purged autologous bone marrow or peripheral blood progenitor cells has been shown to be efficient in low-grade lymphomas. However, long-term follow-up study has shown a continuous pattern of relapses, many of which are due to the reinfusion of malignant cells, as well as a risk for the development of myelodysplasia and acute myeloid leukemia. Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is an attractive, promising alternative approach that eliminates many of these risks. Treatment of CLL with classical chemotherapeutic agents, as well as biological response modifiers has not provided any significant improvement in the long-term outcome and remission duration. Addition of autologous BMT (ABMT) or allogeneic BMT as a consolidation therapy is under study and might be a step toward a potential cure of this disease.

Bone Marrow Transplantation↗

A Phase II study of adjuvant therapy with anti-B4-blocked ricin after autologous bone marrow transplantation for patients with relapsed B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

This Phase II trial was undertaken to determine the safety, toxicity, and potential efficacy of the B-cell restricted immunotoxin anti-B4-blocked ricin (Anti-B4-bR) when administered as adjuvant therapy to patients in complete remission (CR) after autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) for B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Forty-nine patients with B-cell NHL in CR 46-202 days (median, 112 days) post-ABMT received Anti-B4-bR at a dose of 30 microg/kg lean body weight/day for 7 days by continuous i.v. infusion. Patients were eligible for up to two additional courses of therapy at 14-day intervals. A total of 83 courses of Anti-B4-bR were administered, with 31 patients receiving two or more courses of therapy. The mean serum level on day 7 of the first course was 0.77+/-0.41 nM. Reversible toxicities included hepatic transaminase elevations, thrombocytopenia, myalgias, fatigue, nausea, hypoalbuminemia, and dyspnea. Human antimouse antibody (HAMA) and/or human antiricin antibody (HARA) responses occurred in 23 patients at a median of 22 days from the initiation of Anti-B4-bR therapy (range, 11-100 days). The 4-year disease-free survival and overall survival are estimated at 56 and 72%, respectively. Twenty-six patients remain in CR after a median follow-up of 54.5 months. This study demonstrates that Anti-B4-bR can be administered safely to patients as adjuvant therapy early after ABMT for B-cell NHL. The toxicities are tolerable and reversible. Although the early estimate of disease-free survival was very encouraging in this single-armed trial, the 4-year follow-up data demonstrate continued relapse.

Adult↗

Future strategies toward the cure of indolent B-cell malignancies. Immune recognition and antiself.

Tumor cells from patients with B-cell malignancies exhibit a number of immunophenotypic characteristics that may be responsible for their survival. It has been shown, for example, that down-modulation of CD154 (CD40 ligand), which allows B cells to respond to T cells, may account for some of the immune defects of these cells in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. New strategies are being developed in an attempt to enable the host immune system to recognize these cells as non-self and to augment the host response against tumor cells.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

The BB1 monoclonal antibody recognizes both cell surface CD74 (MHC class II-associated invariant chain) as well as B7-1 (CD80), resolving the question regarding a third CD28/CTLA-4 counterreceptor.

The identification of all CD28/CTLA-4 counterreceptors is critical to our understanding of this pivotal pathway of T cell activation. Clouding our understanding has been the reported discrepancies in expression and function of the B7-1 (CD80) molecule based upon the use of the BB1 vs other anti-B7-1 mAbs. To resolve this issue, we have cloned a BB1-binding molecule from the BB1+B7-1(-) NALM-6 pre-B cell line. Here, we demonstrate that this BB1-binding molecule is identical to the cell surface form of CD74 (MHC class II-associated invariant chain). CD74-transfected cells bound the BB1 mAb but not other anti-CD80 mAbs, CD28-Ig, or CTLA4Ig. Absorption and blocking experiments confirmed the reactivity of BB1 mAb with CD74. A region of weak homology was identified between CD74 and the region of B7-1 encoding the BB1 epitope. Therefore, the BB1 mAb binds to a protein distinct from B7-1, and this epitope is also present on the B7-1 protein. Many of the puzzling observations in the literature concerning the expression of human B7-1 are resolved by an understanding that BB1 staining is the summation of CD74 plus B7-1 expression. This observation requires the field to reconsider studies using BB1 mAb in the analysis of CD80 expression and function.

3T3 Cells↗

Cloning of BY55, a novel Ig superfamily member expressed on NK cells, CTL, and intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes.

Expression of the BY55 protein has been shown to be tightly associated with NK and CD8+ T lymphocytes with cytolytic effector activity. To determine the function of this protein, we molecularly cloned BY55 cDNA. The cDNA sequence predicts a cysteine-rich, glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein of 181 amino acids with a single Ig-like domain weakly homologous to killer inhibitory receptors. Reduction and carboxyamidomethylation of immunoprecipitated BY55 gave a band of 27 kDa, whereas reduction alone led to an 80-kDa species, suggesting that BY55 is a tightly disulfide-linked multimer. RNA blot analysis revealed BY55 mRNAs of 1.5 and 1.6 kb whose expression was highly restricted to NK and T cells. BY55 was expressed on the CD56dim, CD16+ subset of NK cells, which have high cytolytic activity, but was not expressed and was not induced on the CD56bright, CD16-subset of NK cells, a subset with high proliferative, but low cytolytic, capacity. In human tissues, BY55 mRNA was expressed only in spleen, PBL, and small intestine (in gut lymphocytes). BY55 was expressed on all intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes, which were predominantly CD3+TCRalpha/beta+CD4-CD8+CD11b+CD28-CD45RO+C D56-CD101+CD103+ (alphaEbeta7 integrin). In addition, BY55 was expressed on most CD8+CD28- peripheral blood T cells. These phenotypic relationships suggest that CD8+CD28+ precursor CTL may terminally differentiate into CD8+CD28-BY55+ effector CTL and that some of the peripheral blood CD8+CD28- subset may represent recirculation from mucosal epithelial immune sites.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Predictive value of clonality assays in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma undergoing autologous bone marrow transplant: a single institution study.

Recent studies have documented an increased risk of therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myelogenous leukemia (t-MDS/AML) after autologous bone marrow transplant (ABMT) for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). To develop methods to identify patients at risk for this complication, we have investigated the predictive value of clonal bone marrow (BM) hematopoiesis for the development of t-MDS/AML, as defined by an X-inactivation based clonality assay at the human androgen receptor locus (HUMARA), in a group of patients undergoing ABMT for NHL from a single institution (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA). One hundred four female patients were analyzed. At the time of ABMT, the prevalence of polyclonal hematopoiesis was 77% (80/104), of skewed X-inactivation pattern (XIP) was 20% (21/104), and of clonal hematopoiesis was 3% (3/104). To determine the predictive value of clonality for the development of t-MDS/AML, a subgroup of 78 patients with at least 18 months follow-up was analyzed. As defined by the HUMARA assay, 53 of 78 patients had persistent polyclonal hematopoiesis, 15 of 78 had skewed XIP, and 10 of 78 (13.5%) either had clonal hematopoiesis at the time of ABMT or developed clonal hematopoiesis after ABMT. t-MDS/AML developed in 2 of 53 patients with polyclonal hematopoiesis and in 4 of 10 with clonal hematopoiesis. We conclude that a significant proportion of patients have clonal hematopoiesis at the time of ABMT and that clonal hematopoiesis, as detected by the HUMARA assay, is predictive of the development of t-MDS/AML (P = .004).

Adult↗

Unbalanced expression of bcl-2 family proteins in follicular lymphoma: contribution of CD40 signaling in promoting survival.

Although highly responsive, advanced stage follicular lymphoma (FL) is not curable with conventional treatment. This relative resistance is thought to be due to the t(14;18) that results in the constitutive overexpression of the death-inhibiting protein bcl-2. However, the observation that FL cells are sensitive to treatment in vivo and prone to apoptosis on in vitro culture questions whether bcl-2 alone is responsible for the pathogenesis and clinical behavior of this disease. Therefore, multiple genes are likely to be involved in both the lymphomagenesis and the clinical course of FL. We examined whether expression of other bcl-2 family genes might also be operative. Here, we show that FL cells display a different pattern of expression of bcl-2 family proteins from normal germinal center (GC) B cells that are thought to be their normal counterpart. FL cells express the death-suppressor proteins bcl-2, bcl-xL, and mcl-1; whereas GC B cells express bcl-xL and mcl-1 but also the proapoptotic proteins bax-alpha and bad. Although maintaining constitutive levels of bcl-2 and mcl-1, FL cells are not protected from apoptosis when cultured in vitro. Their propensity to undergo apoptosis is temporally associated with downregulation of bcl-xL. More importantly, activation of FL cells via CD40 not only prevents downregulation but increases the level of bcl-xL expression and results in promotion of survival. These results support the hypothesis that the overexpression of bcl-2 is not the only antiapoptotic mechanism responsible for the pathogenesis of FL. Survival of FL cells is determined by a number of death-inhibiting proteins, among which bcl-xL appears to have the most critical role. Moreover, these findings are consistent with the hypothesis that, although FL cells are malignant, they respond to microenvironmental signals such as CD40L that appear to contribute to their survival through the upregulation of death-inhibiting proteins.

Apoptosis↗

The leukocyte semaphorin CD100 is expressed in most T-cell, but few B-cell, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

The 150-kd transmembrane protein CD100 is the first semaphorin protein shown to be expressed in lymphoid tissue. CD100 is present in the interfollicular T cell zones and is also expressed by B cells in the germinal centers of secondary lymphoid follicles, but not in the mantle zones. The CD100 molecule was recently cloned, and CD100 transfectants were shown to induce homotypic aggregation of human B cells and improve their viability in vitro, suggesting that CD100 may play a role in lymphocyte aggregation and germinal center formation. We studied the expression of CD100 in 138 clinical cases representing a range of lymphoproliferative disorders, to determine whether this molecule is expressed in these neoplastic processes. In general, we found CD100 expression to be common in peripheral T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas but rare in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. CD100 expression was not detectable in low-grade B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, including cases of small lymphocytic lymphoma (18 cases), marginal zone lymphoma (10 cases), and mantle cell lymphoma (10 cases), as might be expected for these neoplasms that are not of follicular center cell origin. Surprisingly, we found that the vast majority of follicular lymphomas (37 of 40 cases) as well as diffuse large-cell lymphomas of B-cell type (35 cases) did not express CD100. The neoplastic cells in 3 of 11 cases of predominantly large-cell-type follicular lymphoma did express CD100. In contrast, all five cases of high-grade, small non-cleaved (Burkitt-like) B-cell lymphoma were immunoreactive for CD100 expression, as were 18 of 20 cases (90%) of malignant T cell neoplasms. Northern blot analysis of CD100 expression correlated with immunohistochemical findings. Absence of expression of CD100 by neoplastic follicular center B cells is a common feature in follicular lymphomas, but expression of CD100 by T cells is maintained in T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders.

Antigens, CD↗

CD6+ T cell-depleted allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

For patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) undergoing blood or bone marrow transplantation (BMT), the use of autologous grafts has often been preferred to that of allogeneic stem cells because of a significantly lower incidence of non-relapse mortality. If complications associated with allo-BMT could be minimized without compromising efficacy, then it might become a preferred strategy for certain subsets of patients. In this report, we describe the toxicity and long-term efficacy of T cell-depleted allogeneic BMT using anti-CD6 monoclonal antibody and complement alone to reduce the risk of GVHD and its sequelae. Twenty-two patients, aged 18-60 years, with high (n = 10), intermediate (n = 9), or low (n = 3) grade NHL underwent HLA-identical allogeneic BMT from siblings. Patients had either relapsed after at least one remission or never achieved a full remission with chemotherapy. Twenty patients had a history of marrow involvement. Bone marrow was depleted of CD6+ T cells with T12 monoclonal antibody and complement as the sole form of GVHD prophylaxis. Stable hematopoietic engraftment occurred in all 22 patients. Four patients developed grade 2 and 1 patient grade 3 GVHD (23% grades 2-4 GVHD). Chronic GVHD has occurred in three patients. Treatment-related mortality was very low. Only one patient died while in remission. Thirteen patients are alive and free of disease with a median follow-up of 30 months. Estimated event-free and overall survivals are 54 and 59%, respectively. CD6 allogeneic marrow transplantation is associated with a low risk of transplant-related complications and may offer advantages for certain patients with recurrent NHL felt to be at high risk for relapse after autologous transplantation.

Adolescent↗

Anti-B4-blocked ricin: a phase II trial of 7 day continuous infusion in patients with multiple myeloma.

This phase II trial was undertaken to determine the toxicities, response rate, pharmacokinetics and frequency of human anti-mouse antibody (HAMA) and anti-ricin antibody (HARA) when the B-cell restricted immunotoxin anti-B4-bR was administered to patients with previously treated multiple myeloma (MM). Five patients with MM were scheduled to receive a 7 d continuous infusion of anti-B4-bR. The initial four patients received therapy at 40 microg/kg lean body weight (LBW)/d. Two patients received a 7 d infusion, one patient received 6 d, and another patient 5 d of therapy. The fifth patient was treated for 7 d at a lower dose of 30 microg/kg LBW/d because of the side-effects observed in the initial patients. Pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated a peak serum level >2.6 nM in three of the patients. Side-effects of therapy included hepatic transaminase elevations, myalgias, thrombocytopenia, nausea, vomiting, decrease in performance status, and capillary leak syndrome. One patient developed HAMA and two patients HARA. One patient developed neurologic toxicity with akinetic mutism, and died following therapy. No patient demonstrated a significant decline in M-component during therapy. We concluded that anti-B4-bR can be administered by continuous infusion to patients with multiple myeloma, although immunotoxin levels >3 nM were associated with increased incidence of toxicity and required dose adjustment. Future trials using anti-B4-bR in MM will be needed to determine the optimal dose and administration schedule in this patient population, and to determine whether there is evidence of biologic activity.

Adult↗

Tumor-specific adoptive T-cell therapy for CD40+ B-cell malignancies.

It is now widely accepted that current standard therapy does not lead to cure for the majority of patients with B-cell malignancies. In the search for novel treatment modalities and with the discovery of tumor-antigen--derived peptides recognized by T cells in the context of major histocompatibility complex class I and II molecules, active and passive immunotherapy has moved to center stage once again. Whereas most lymphoma research in this area has focused on vaccination strategies using the tumor-specific idiotype as a target antigen, this review focuses on the potential of a new strategy of adoptive transfer of antigen-specific T- for B-cell malignancies. Murine in vivo models and preclinical experiments suggest that we are now ready to enter the clinical arena to evaluate whether adoptive transfer of autologous or allogeneic antigen-specific T cells is a feasible and efficacious therapy approach for the treatment of B-cell malignancies. Potential obstacles to this strategy are also discussed.

Animals↗

High-dose chemoradiotherapy and anti-B-cell monoclonal antibody-purged autologous bone marrow transplantation in mantle-cell lymphoma: no evidence for long-term remission.

PURPOSE: The role for high-dose therapy and autologous stem-cell transplantation in mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL) is unknown. We retrospectively analyzed patients with chemosensitive disease who underwent high-dose chemoradiotherapy and anti-B-cell monoclonal antibody-purged autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) for MCL in first remission, as well as following relapse from conventional therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between August 1985 and April 1996, 28 patients underwent ABMT using a uniform ablative regimen with cyclophosphamide and total-body irradiation (TBI) and a bone marrow-purging regimen. Re-review of original tissue demonstrated that all patients had morphologic, phenotypic, and genotypic characteristics of MCL. MCL was the original diagnosis in 21 patients, whereas seven patients had a prior diagnosis of diffuse small cleaved-cell lymphoma. RESULTS: Twenty patients received multiple regimens before ABMT, while eight underwent ABMT in first complete remission (CR)/partial remission (PR) following CHOP induction. At bone marrow harvest, only 18% of patients were in CR and overt BM infiltration was present in 57%. Following cyclophosphamide/TBI, no treatment-related deaths were seen. Nineteen of 28 patients have relapsed at a median time of 21 months (range, 3 to 70). Of eight patients transplanted in first CR/PR, five have relapsed. Nine patients are in continuous CR with a median follow-up time of 24 months (range, 10 to 135). Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) are estimated to be 31% and 62% at 4 years, respectively. CONCLUSION: ABMT using cyclophosphamide/TBI conditioning may at best be effective in only a small fraction of patients with relapsed MCL. The lack of plateau with a median follow-up time of 24 months suggests cure may not be achievable. The role of this therapy in patients in first remission requires more study using better induction therapy to enhance the CR rate before ABMT.

Adult↗