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S Ferrone

Publications and source records attributed to S Ferrone.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Organ-specific metastases in melanoma: experimental animal models.

Metastases from certain primary tumors frequently exhibit specific organ preference. Animal models have been developed to induce in a reproducible fashion the formation of organ-specific metastases by malignant melanoma cells. Some of these models rely on the use of immunodeficient mice, which can support the growth of murine as well as human malignant melanomas. Moreover, immunodeficient mice, because of their diminished ability to mount an effective immune response, allow the expression of malignant properties (e.g., preferential colonization of certain organs), which are intrinsic to transplanted melanoma cells. This review discusses the relevant factors (and limitations) of some of the animal models used to study the in vivo properties of melanoma cells.

Animals↗

Lack of HLA class I antigen expression by melanoma cells SK-MEL-33 caused by a reading frameshift in beta 2-microglobulin messenger RNA.

The lack of HLA class I antigen expression by the melanoma cell line SK-MEL-33 is caused by a unique lesion in beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-mu). Sequencing of beta 2-mu mRNA detected a guanosine deletion at position 323 in codon 76 that causes a frameshift with a subsequent introduction of a stop codon at a position 54 base upstream of the normal position of the stop codon in the message. The loss of 18 amino acids and the change of 6 amino acids, including a cysteine at position 80 in the carboxy terminus of beta 2-mu, are likely to cause marked changes in the structure of the polypeptide. The latter may account for the inability of beta 2-mu to associate with HLA class I heavy chains and for its lack of reactivity with the anti-beta 2-mu mAb tested. HLA class I antigen expression on SK-MEL-33 cells was reconstituted after transfection with a wild-type B2m gene, therefore indicating that the abnormality of endogenous B2m gene is the only mechanism underlying lack of HLA class I antigen expression by SK-MEL-33 cells. The guanosine deletion in B2m gene was detected also in the melanoma tissue from which SK-MEL-33 cells had originated. Therefore, the molecular lesion identified in the SK-MEL-33 melanoma cell line is not caused by a mutation acquired during growth in vitro but is likely to reflect a somatic mutation during tumor progression.

Aged↗

Modulation by MHC class I antigens of the biology of melanoma cells. Non-immunological mechanisms.

Many human as well as experimental tumours, including melanoma, express reduced levels of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) Class I antigens. Decreased MHC Class I antigen expression may be selected during neoplastic progression because it allows tumour cells to escape killing by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Furthermore, the regulatory role of MHC Class I antigens in the proliferation of T cells suggests that abnormalities in MHC Class I antigen expression may play a role in the disordered proliferation of malignant cells and in their metastatic potential by non-immunological mechanisms. This paper reviews some of the available evidence supporting the concept of non-immune functions of MHC Class I antigens in the biology of malignant cells, with emphasis on experimental models for metastatic melanoma.

Animals↗

A transcriptional inhibitor induced in human melanoma cells upon ultraviolet irradiation.

Nuclear proteins from human melanoma cells exhibit strong binding activity to the UV response element (TGACAACA); however, this binding is inhibited following UV-C irradiation. In contrast, the binding of nuclear proteins from rodent fibroblasts and human keratinocytes to the UV-responsive element is initially weak and increases significantly upon UV irradiation. The addition of nuclear proteins from UV-irradiated melanoma cells to those prepared from nonirradiated cells inhibited the binding to the UV-responsive element in a concentration-dependent manner. Fast protein liquid chromatographic analysis of nuclear proteins from UV-irradiated melanoma cells revealed 12 and 14 kilodalton proteins within a fraction which also contained the inhibitory activity. The inhibitor blocks the binding of proteins to three other target sequences, AP1, CREB, and PEBP2, as well as the in vitro transcription of SV40 promoter sequences. The inhibitor was also found in UV-irradiated melanocytes, suggesting that it is tissue specific. The induction of a transcriptional inhibitor in response to UV irradiation represents a regulatory event that may play an important role in the transcriptional response of both normal and malignant melanocytes to UV irradiation.

Base Sequence↗

Differential susceptibility of cultured human melanoma cell lines to enhancement by retinoic acid of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 expression.

The potential role of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) in the biology of human melanoma cells has stimulated interest in the characterization of its modulation. The present study has shown that the differentiating agent retinoic acid (RA) up-regulates ICAM-1 expression by melanoma cells in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. The enhancement of ICAM-1 cell surface expression is paralleled by an increase in ICAM-1 mRNA. Therefore, ICAM-1 represents an additional gene which may be transcriptionally regulated by RA. The five melanoma cell lines tested displayed a differential susceptibility to the modulation of ICAM-1 expression by RA, since the cell line MeWo did not change in its ICAM-1 expression following incubation with RA. Nevertheless, RA-insensitive as well as RA-sensitive melanoma cell lines displayed a higher increase in ICAM-1 expression following incubation with RA and cytokines than following incubation with each of them. Analysis of the distribution in the melanoma cell lines of retinoic acid receptors (RARs) showed a relationship between susceptibility to a RA-mediated increase of ICAM-1 expression and RAR beta expression, suggesting that the latter receptor may play a role in the phenomenon. RAR alpha and RAR gamma were present in RA-sensitive and -insensitive melanoma cell lines, suggesting that they play a role in the enhancement by RA of cytokine-mediated up-regulation of ICAM-1 expression. The melanoma cell lines we have described may represent a useful system for investigating the role of RAR in the regulation of gene expression and the mechanism(s) which underlie this effect.

Carrier Proteins↗

Ganglioside, adhesion molecule, and HLA antigen expression in basal cell carcinoma lesions.

The antigenic profile of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) cells was analyzed by immunoperoxidase staining of 27 surgically removed BCC lesions with antiganglioside, antiadhesion molecule, and antihistocompatibility locus antigen (HLA) monoclonal antibodies (MoAb). The large majority of BCC lesions were stained by antiganglioside MoAb; among the latter the anti-GD3 ganglioside MoAb R24 displayed the broadest reactivity. The GD3 ganglioside expression by BCC cells, which was corroborated by thin layer chromatography immunostaining with MoAb R24, appears to be a proliferation dependent phenomenon. Among the adhesion molecules tested vitronectin receptor and CDw44 were found in up to 70% of the lesions tested, while intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) was detected in only a low percentage of BCC cells in one lesion. ICAM-1 was not induced on BCC cells in five and three lesions removed 24 and 48 h, respectively, following the intralesional injection of gamma-interferon. The latter enhanced HLA Class I antigen expression and induced ICAM-1 expression by the surrounding keratinocytes; furthermore gamma-interferon induced HLA Class II antigen expression by a small percentage of BCC cells in three lesions. These results suggest that malignant transformation of keratinocytes is associated with a selective loss of susceptibility to induction by cytokines of ICAM-1 expression. Besides confirming the low HLA Class I and Class II antigen expression by BCC cells, the present investigation has shown a differential expression of distinct monomorphic determinants of HLA Class I antigens and a lower expression of HLA-A antigens than of HLA-B antigens by BCC cells. Furthermore, the present study has shown that HLA Class II antigens can be induced on BCC cells by cytokines.

Aged↗

Structural and functional analysis of monomorphic determinants recognized by monoclonal antibodies reacting with the HLA class I alpha 3 domain.

To identify mAb reacting with the HLA class I alpha 3 domain, 14 mAb recognizing monomorphic determinants expressed on HLA-A, B, and C Ag or restricted to HLA-B Ag were screened in indirect immunofluorescence with mouse L cells expressing HLA-B7/H-2Kb chimeric Ag. mAb CR1S63, CR10-215, CR11-115, and W6/32 were found to react with the HLA class I alpha 3 domain in addition to the alpha 2 domain. mAb Q1/28 and TP25.99 were found to react only with the HLA class I alpha 3 domain. The determinants recognized by the six mAb were mapped on the HLA class I alpha 3 domain by indirect immunofluorescence staining of L cells expressing H-2Kb Ag containing different segments of the HLA-B7 alpha 3 domain chimerized with the H-2Kb alpha 3 domain. mAb TP25.99 reacts with chimeric Ag containing the HLA-B7 184 to 199 stretch, mAb CR10-215 and CR11-115 react with chimeric Ag containing the HLA-B7 184 to 246 stretch, mAb CR1S63 and Q1/28 react with chimeric Ag containing the HLA-B7 184 to 256 stretch, and mAb W6/32 reacts with chimeric Ag containing the whole HLA-B7 alpha 3 domain. Functional analysis using human CD8 alpha-bearing mouse H-2Kb-specific T cell hybridoma cells (HTB-Leu2) showed that only mAb TP25.99 inhibited IL-2 production by HTB-Leu2 cells stimulated with L cells expressing KbKbB7 Ag. This inhibition may occur because of the spatial proximity of the determinant defined by mAb TP25.99 to the CD8 alpha binding loop and/or because of change(s) in the conformation of the CD8 alpha binding loop induced by the binding of mAb TP25.99 to the HLA class I molecule. Furthermore, mAb TP25.99 inhibited the cytotoxicity of CD8-dependent and CD8-independent CTL clones. These results indicate that mAb TP25.99 has unique specificity and functional characteristics. Therefore it represents a valuable probe to characterize the role of the HLA class I alpha 3 domain in immunologic phenomena.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Binding parameters and idiotypic profile of the whole immunoglobulin and Fab' fragments of murine monoclonal antibody to distinct determinants of the human high molecular weight-melanoma associated antigen.

The nonspecific accumulation of radioactivity in bone marrow, liver, and spleen in patients with melanoma injected with radiolabeled whole IgG of anti-high molecular weight-melanoma associated antigen (HMW-MAA) monoclonal antibody (mAb) hampers the application of immunoscintigraphy to visualize melanoma lesions. This nonspecific background can be reduced by utilizing fragments which do not contain the Fc portion of anti-HMW-MAA mAb. Since the in vivo targeting to melanoma lesions of radiolabeled F(ab')2 and Fab' fragments of anti-HMW-MAA mAb is critically dependent on their binding parameters, we have analyzed the effect of fragmentation on the binding characteristics of the anti-HMW-MAA mAbs 225.28, 763.74, and TP41.2. The three mAbs recognize distinct and spatially distant determinants with a heterogeneous distribution on the pool of HMW-MAA molecules synthesized by melanoma cells. The determinant recognized by mAb TP41.2 is detectable on a markedly smaller population of HMW-MAA molecules than those recognized by mAbs 225.28 and 763.74. 125I-labeled F(ab')2 fragments of the three mAbs displayed an immunoreactive fraction similar to that of the whole IgG, while Fab' fragments displayed a lower one. Fragmentation of mAbs 225.28 and TP41.2 to F(ab')2 produced a 2- and 1.5-fold reduction in their association constants but did not cause a significant change in that of mAb 763.74. Cleavage of F(ab')2 fragments to Fab' fragments produced 2-, 40-, and 7-fold reductions in the association constants of mAbs 225.28, 763.74, and TP41.2, respectively. These changes qualitatively fit the predictions of theory for univalent and bivalent mAb binding, since mAbs 763.74 and TP41.2 appear to show bivalent binding to melanoma cells and mAb 225.28 to show univalent binding. The affinity constant of IgG, F(ab')2 and Fab' fragments of mAbs 225.28, 763.74, and TP41.2 displays an inverse relationship with the extent of their time-dependent release from the membrane of melanoma cells. Since no endocytosis of mAb could be detected, the latter results suggest that radioactivity remains bound to melanoma cells in vivo for a longer time following injection of F(ab')2 fragments than following that of Fab' fragments of each of the anti-HMW-MAA mAb tested. Radiolabeled Fab' fragments of mAbs 763.74 and TP41.2 displayed a marked reduction in their reactivity with some of the antiidiotypic mAb tested. The loss of some idiotopes is likely to be caused by changes in the conformation of the molecules associated with the fragmentation of IgG and by damage during the iodination procedure.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Effect of tumor size on the enhancement by gamma interferon of the localization of radiolabeled F(ab')2 fragments of anti-intercellular adhesion molecule-1 monoclonal antibodies in human colon carcinoma cells grafted in nude mice.

Because tumor size has been shown to influence the specific accumulation of radiolabeled anti-tumor-associated antigen monoclonal antibodies (mAb), the present study has investigated the effect of the tumor size on the enhancement by gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) of the accumulation of radiolabeled mAb in malignant lesions. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) has been used as a marker because of its high susceptibility to modulation by IFN-gamma. F(ab')2 fragments of anti-ICAM-1 mAb CL207.14 have been selected to visualize malignant lesions, because they had been shown to be more sensitive probes for our experiments than whole IgG. Administration of IFN-gamma to human colon carcinoma-bearing nude mice increased the expression of ICAM-1 in the xenografts and the specific accumulation of 125I-F(ab')2 fragments of anti-ICAM-1 mAb CL207.14. The latter effect is influenced by the size of the lesions, because it was observed only in tumors with an approximate diameter of 8 mm and an approximate weight of 250 mg. If these results obtained in an animal model system are applicable to patients with malignant diseases, the present investigation suggests that administration of IFN-gamma enhances the sensitivity of immunoscintigraphy and the efficacy of immunotherapy with radiolabeled mAb which recognize tumor-associated antigens that are susceptible to modulation by IFN-gamma. However, the effect of IFN-gamma is not a general phenomenon but is influenced by the size of the malignant lesions.

Animals↗

Human high molecular weight melanoma-associated antigen (HMW-MAA) mimicry by mouse anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibody MK2-23: induction of humoral anti-HMW-MAA immunity and prolongation of survival in patients with stage IV melanoma.

Twenty-five patients with stage IV melanoma were immunized with the mouse anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibody (mAb) MK2-23 (2 mg per injection), which bears the internal image of the determinant defined by anti-HMW-MAA mAb 763.74. Two patients were inevaluable, since they did not complete 4 weeks of therapy. Only 14 patients developed antibodies that were shown by serological and immunochemical assays to recognize the same or spatially close determinant as the anti-HMW-MAA mAb 763.74 and to express the idiotope defined by mAb MK2-23 in their antigen-combining sites. Side effects that are likely to be caused by bacillus Calmette-Guérin present in the immunogen consisted of erythema, induration, and ulceration at the sites of the injections. Occasionally, patients complained of flu-like symptoms, arthralgias, and myalgias. Three of the patients who developed anti-HMW-MAA antibodies achieved a partial response. It consisted of a decrease in the size of metastatic lesions and lasted 52 weeks in 1 patient and 93 weeks in the other 2 patients. Survival of the 14 patients who developed anti-HMW-MAA antibodies was significantly (P = 0.0003) longer than that of the 9 patients without detectable humoral anti-HMW-MAA immunity development. In the multivariate analysis, such an association between development of anti-HMW-MAA antibodies and survival prolongation was still significant (P = 0.001) after adjustment for difference in performance status, the only confounding factor found to be significantly related to survival. Lastly, a significant (P = 0.03 by likelihood ratio test) interaction between anti-HMW-MAA antibodies and patients' performance status was found, since the prolongation of survival associated with anti-HMW-MAA antibodies was more marked in patients with a performance status of less than or equal to 70% than in those with a higher one. These results suggest that anti-idiotypic mAb MK2-23 may represent a useful immunogen to implement active specific immunotherapy in patients with melanoma.

Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic↗

Molecular analysis of anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibodies in the HLA-DR antigenic system.

The structural organization of anti-idiotypic (id) antibodies has been investigated mostly in haptenic systems. No information is available about the structural characteristics of anti-id antibodies in major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigenic systems, although these data may contribute to our understanding of the molecular basis of their functional role in the immune response. Therefore, we have determined the nucleotide and derived amino acid sequence of the VH and VL regions of the anti-id monoclonal antibodies (mAb) F5-444, F5-830, F5-963, F5-1126, F5-1336 and F5-1419, which had been elicited with the syngeneic anti-HLA-DR1, 4, w14, w8, 9 mAb AC1.59. The six anti-id mAb are heterogenous in their VH and VL region gene usage. This structural heterogeneity is not correlated with their target specificity and with their ability to elicit anti-HLA-DR antibodies. The latter characteristic is markedly influenced by a limited number of amino acid substitutions, since mAb F5-444, which induces anti-HLA-DR antibodies, differs only in two residues in complementarity-determining regions and in five residues in framework regions from mAb F5-1126, which does not induce anti-HLA-DR antibodies. The heterogeneity in VH and VL region gene usage by the six anti-id mAb in the HLA-DR system is at variance with the restricted VH and VL region gene usage by syngeneic anti-id mAb in several haptenic systems. Furthermore, at variance with haptenic systems, the primary structure of the D segments of the anti-id mAb is not correlated with their ability to induce anti-HLA-DR antibodies. On the other hand, the frequency of D-D fusion events underlying the derivation of the D segments of the six anti-id mAb in the HLA-DR system and their average length are similar to those found in anti-id mAb in haptenic systems. In addition, like in the latter systems, somatic mutations appear to contribute to the generation of diversity of anti-id mAb in the HLA-DR system.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Soluble HLA class I antigens in sera of patients with chronic hepatitis.

Soluble HLA Class I antigens in sera (serum-HLA Class I, s-HLA Class I) of patients with chronic hepatitis (CH) were measured with an enzyme-linked double determinant immunoassay (E-DDIA). The mean titers of s-HLA Class I antigens of patients with CPH (mean +/- standard deviation, 2.22 +/- 1.60), CAH2A (2.24 +/- 1.65) or CAH2B (2.73 +/- 1.46) were significantly higher than that of normal subjects (0.36 +/- 0.27) (P less than 0.01). The titer of s-HLA Class I correlated significantly with the level of serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (s-GPT) (r = 0.73), and weakly with serum level of beta 2-microglobulin (r = 0.43). In patients with chronic hepatitis type B (CH-B) treated with human lymphoblastoid interferon alpha (IFN-alpha), the titer of s-HLA Class I antigens increased. The increased level of s-HLA Class I antigens in the clinical course of chronic hepatitis may be caused by their release from necrotizing hepatocytes which have acquired the expression of HLA Class I antigens on the cell-surface membrane during viral infection.

Adult↗

Mesangial expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in primary glomerulosclerosis.

Frozen sections of renal biopsy specimens from eight patients with primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and 10 patients with membranous nephropathy (MN) were stained in immuno-peroxidase with the intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) monoclonal antibody (MoAb), CL203.4. ICAM-1 was expressed by mesangial cells in six patients with FSGS. On the other hand, ICAM-1 was not detected in mesangial cells in patients with MN or in the non-affected portion of tumoral kidneys used to control normal renal expression of ICAM-1. De novo mesangial expression of ICAM-1 in FSGS suggests that sclerosis results from an inflammatory process, possibly associated with local release of cytokines.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

The role of beta-2 microglobulin in temperature-sensitive and interferon-gamma-induced exocytosis of HLA class I molecules.

The passage of MHC class I heavy chains through the exocytic pathway is promoted by association with beta 2 microglobulin (beta 2m). In order to analyze the structural basis of this phenomenon, processing and cell surface expression of HLA class I molecules have been investigated in the beta 2m null human melanoma cell line FO-1 transfected with either the human or mouse beta 2m genes. These natural structural variants of beta 2m display 30% amino acid sequence divergence. In comparison with a human beta 2m transfectant of the FO-1 cell line (designated FO-1H), FO-1 cells transfected with the mouse beta 2m gene (FO-1C) express HLA class I molecules that are processed with grossly altered kinetics and are present on the cell surface at reduced levels. The suboptimal expression of HLA class I heavy chains encoded by FO-1C cells reflects a defect in heavy chain stability since cell surface expression of HLA class I antigens was increased following incubation at 30 degrees C. The increased cell surface expression paralleled accelerated processing of HLA class I heavy chains by FO-1C cells. In contrast, no induction in either cell surface expression or processing of HLA class I heavy chains was observed for the beta 2m-negative FO-1 parent cell line, which remained HLA class I antigen null when cultured at 30 degrees C, or the FO-1H human beta 2m transfectant, which expressed equivalent levels of HLA class I antigens on the cell surface at 37 degrees C and 30 degrees C. Further up-regulation of the temperature-sensitive induction of HLA class I antigen expression was accomplished by treatment of the FO-1C transfectant with interferon-gamma; this latter effect appears to be active at a posttranscriptional step for FO-1 cells since IFN-gamma was not as potent a transcriptional activator at 30 degrees C as it was at 37 degrees C. These results indicate that HLA class I heavy chains expressed by FO-1C cells are subject to temperature-sensitive and cytokine-inducible stabilization that increases their affinity for the structural variant of beta 2m and promotes exocytosis of the HLA class I heterodimer to the cell surface. Furthermore, beta 2m non-conformed MHC class I heavy chains undergo stabilization that is not associated with enhanced cell surface expression, indicating that the exocytosis of putative "empty" HLA class I antigens is a process dependent upon association with beta 2m.

Animals↗

Heterogeneity in the anti-HLA-DR immune response elicited by the antiidiotypic monoclonal antibody F5-444. Analysis at the clonal level.

A total of 630 hybridomas were generated from a BALB/c mouse immunized with the anti-id mAb F5-444, which binds an idiotope within the antigen-combining site of mAb AC1.59. The latter recognizes a determinant shared by HLA-DR1, DRw8, DR9 antigens and subtypes of HLA-DR4 and DR6 that is poorly expressed by HLA-DRw16 and DRw17 antigens. Eight anti-anti-id mAb were shown with serological and immunochemical assays to react with HLA-DR antigens. Detailed analysis of these anti-HLA-DR anti-anti-id mAb showed that they differ from the original anti-HLA-DR mAb AC1.59 and among themselves in either isotype, fine specificity, extent of reactivity with the nominal antigen, differential reactivity with soluble or cell-bound antigen, and/or idiotype profile. These observations emphasize the need to characterize a panel of antigen-binding anti-anti-id mAb in order to evaluate the degree of similarity existing between antigen-binding antibodies induced by an anti-id mAb and the original antigen-binding mAb.

Animals↗

Modulation of the antigenic phenotype of human melanoma cells by differentiation-inducing and growth-suppressing agents.

Tumor cells often display alterations in their normal program of cellular differentiation. A promising approach for the treatment of cancer involves the induction of terminal differentiation and a loss of proliferative capacity in cancer cells. In human melanoma cells, the combination of mezerein (MEZ) and fibroblast interferon (IFN-beta), results in a rapid and irreversible suppression of cell growth with a concomitant increase in the synthesis of melanin. The induction of terminal differentiation is associated with alterations in the expression of several cellular genes, including fibronectin, ISG-15 and ISG-54, and changes in the expression of specific cell surface antigens, including intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and HLA Class I antigens. In the HO-1 human melanoma cell line, induction of terminal differentiation by MEZ plus IFN-beta results in an induction and/or increased expression of ICAM-1, HLA Class I antigens and HLA Class II antigens. IFN-beta and MEZ alone can modulate expression of these antigens to a lower extent than does the combination of compounds. Induction of terminal differentiation and the irreversible suppression of cell growth is not a prerequisite for antigenic modulation in HO-1 cells. This is indicated by the inability of immune interferon (IFN-gamma), a strong inducer of ICAM-1, HLA Class I antigens and HLA Class II antigens synthesis, or the combination of IFN-beta plus IFN-gamma which synergistically but reversibly suppresses HO-1 growth, to induce melanin synthesis or terminal differentiation in HO-1 cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine↗