Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

V Cerundolo

Publications and source records attributed to V Cerundolo.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Peripheral burst of tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes and infiltration of metastatic lesions by memory CD8+ T cells in melanoma patients receiving interleukin 12.

Systemic effects on T-cell-mediated antitumor immunity, on expression of T-cell adhesion/homing receptors, and on the promotion of T-cell infiltration of neoplastic tissue may represent key steps for the efficacy of immunological therapies of cancer. In this study, we investigated whether these processes can be promoted by s.c. administration of low-dose (0.5 microg/kg) recombinant human interleukin-12 (rHuIL-12) to metastatic melanoma patients. A striking burst of HLA-restricted CTL precursors (CTLp) directed to autologous tumor was documented in peripheral blood by a high-efficiency limiting dilution analysis technique within a few days after rHuIL-12 injection. A similar burst in peripheral CTLp frequency was observed even when looking at response to a single tumor-derived peptide, as documented by an increase in Melan-A/Mart-1(27-35)-specific CTLp in two HLA-A*0201+ patients by limiting dilution analysis and by staining peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) with HLA-A*0201-melanoma antigen-A/melanoma antigen recognized by T cells (Melan-A/Mart)-1 tetrameric complexes. The CTLp burst was associated, in PBLs, with enhanced expression of T-cell adhesion/homing receptors CD11a/CD18, CD49d, CD44, and with increased proportion of cutaneous lymphocyte antigen (CLA)-positive T cells. This was matched by a marked increase, in serum, of soluble forms of the endothelial cell adhesion molecules E-selectin, vascular cell adhesion molecules (VCAM)-1 and intercellular adhesion molecules (ICAM)-1. Infiltration of neoplastic tissue by CDS+ T cells with a memory and cytolytic phenotype was found by immunohistochemistry in eight of eight posttreatment metastatic lesions but not in five of five pretreatment metastatic lesions from three patients. Increased tumor necrosis and/or fibrosis were also found in several posttherapy lesions of two of three patients in comparison with pretherapy metastases. These results provide the first evidence that rHuIL-12 can boost the frequency of circulating antitumor CTLp in tumor patients, enhances expression of ligand receptor pairs contributing to the lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1/ICAM-1, very late antigen-4/VCAM-1, and CLA/E-selectin adhesion pathways, and promotes infiltration of neoplastic lesions by CD8+ memory T cells in a clinical setting.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗
PubMed2000

Phase I study in melanoma patients of a vaccine with peptide-pulsed dendritic cells generated in vitro from CD34(+) hematopoietic progenitor cells.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that can be used for vaccination purposes, to induce a specific T-cell response in vivo against melanoma-associated antigens. We have shown that the sequential use of early-acting hematopoietic growth factors, stem cell factor, IL-3 and IL-6, followed by differentiation with IL-4 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor allows the in vitro generation of large numbers of immature DCs from CD34(+) peripheral blood progenitor cells. Maturation to interdigitating DCs could specifically be induced within 24 hr by addition of TNF-alpha. Here, we report on a phase I clinical vaccination trial in melanoma patients using peptide-pulsed DCs. Fourteen HLA-A1(+) or HLA-A2(+) patients received at least 4 i.v. infusions of 5 x 10(6) to 5 x 10(7) DCs pulsed with a pool of peptides including either MAGE-1, MAGE-3 (HLA-A1) or Melan-A, gp100, tyrosinase (HLA-A2), depending on the HLA haplotype. A total of 83 vaccinations were performed. Clinical side effects were mild and consisted of low-grade fever (WHO grade I-II). Clinical and immunological responses consisted of anti-tumor responses in 2 patients, increased melanoma peptide-specific delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions in 4 patients, significant expansion of Melan-A- and gp100-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of 1 patient after vaccination and development of vitiligo in another HLA-A2(+) patient. Our data indicate that the vaccination of peptide-pulsed DCs is capable of inducing clinical and systemic tumor-specific immune responses without provoking major side effects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Monitoring CD8 T cell responses to NY-ESO-1: correlation of humoral and cellular immune responses.

NY-ESO-1, a member of the cancer-testis family of antigens, is expressed in a subset of a broad range of different human tumor types. Patients with advanced NY-ESO-1-expressing tumors frequently develop humoral immunity to NY-ESO-1, and three HLA A2-restricted peptides were defined previously as targets for cytotoxic CD8(+) T cells in a melanoma patient with NY-ESO-1 antibody. The objectives of the present study were (i) to develop enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) and tetramer assays to measure CD8(+) T cell responses to NY-ESO-1, (ii) to determine the frequency of CD8(+) T cell responses to NY-ESO-1 in a series of HLA-A2 patients with NY-ESO-1 expressing tumors, (iii) to determine the relation between CD8(+) T cell and humoral immune responses to NY-ESO-1, and (iv) to compare results of NY-ESO-1 ELISPOT assays performed independently in two laboratories with T cells from the same patients. NY-ESO-1 ELISPOT and tetramer assays with excellent sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility have been developed and found to correlate with cytotoxicity assays. CD8(+) T cell responses to HLA-A2-restricted NY-ESO-1 peptides were detected in 10 of 11 patients with NY-ESO-1 antibody, but not in patients lacking antibody or in patients with NY-ESO-1-negative tumors. The results of ELISPOT assays were concordant in the two laboratories, providing the basis for standardized monitoring of T cell responses in patients receiving NY-ESO-1 vaccines.

Antibody Formation↗
PubMed2000

Surface expression of HLA-E, an inhibitor of natural killer cells, enhanced by human cytomegalovirus gpUL40.

The nonclassical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecule HLA-E inhibits natural killer (NK) cell-mediated lysis by interacting with CD94/NKG2A receptors. Surface expression of HLA-E depends on binding of conserved peptides derived from MHC class I molecules. The same peptide is present in the leader sequence of the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) glycoprotein UL40 (gpUL40). It is shown that, independently of the transporter associated with antigen processing, gpUL40 can up-regulate expression of HLA-E, which protects targets from NK cell lysis. While classical MHC class I molecules are down-regulated, HLA-E is up-regulated by HCMV. Induction of HLA-E surface expression by gpUL40 may represent an escape route for HCMV.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Induction of potent antitumor CTL responses by recombinant vaccinia encoding a melan-A peptide analogue.

There is considerable interest in the development of vaccination strategies that would elicit strong tumor-specific CTL responses in cancer patients. One strategy consists of using recombinant viruses encoding amino acid sequences corresponding to natural CTL-defined peptide from tumor Ags as immunogens. However, studies with synthetic tumor antigenic peptides have demonstrated that introduction of single amino acid substitutions may dramatically increase their immunogenicity. In this study we have used a well-defined human melanoma tumor Ag system to test the possibility of translating the immunological potency of synthetic tumor antigenic peptide analogues into recombinant vaccinia viruses carrying constructs with the appropriate nucleotide substitutions. Our results indicate that the use of a mutated minigene construct directing the expression of a modified melanoma tumor Ag leads to improved Ag recognition and, more importantly, to enhanced immunogenicity. Thus, recombinant vaccinia viruses containing mutated minigene sequences may lead to new strategies for the induction of strong tumor-specific CTL responses in cancer patients.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Use of fluorogenic histocompatibility leukocyte antigen-A*0201/HPV 16 E7 peptide complexes to isolate rare human cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-recognizing endogenous human papillomavirus antigens.

Cervical cancer (CaCx) is the second most common female malignancy worldwide and remains a clinical problem despite improvements in early detection and therapy. CaCx and preinvasive cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN3) are strongly associated with infection by human papillomavirus (HPV), particularly types 16 and 18. Two nonstructural viral proteins, E6 and E7, are constitutively expressed in cervical tumors and are crucial for the maintenance of the transformed phenotype. These proteins thus provide attractive targets for immunotherapy of CaCx mediated by CD8+ CTLs. However, reliable detection and generation of HPV-specific CTLs in humans has been difficult. Recently, soluble fluorogenic MHC-peptide complexes (tetramers) have greatly increased the sensitivity of antiviral and antitumor CTL detection. To examine the feasibility of this approach for detecting HPV-specific CTLs, we constructed a tetramer consisting of HLA-A*0201 and the best studied HPV CTL peptide epitope, HPV 16 E711-20. Between 2 and 12% of short-term HPV 16 E711-2 CTL lines derived from CaCx patients stained highly with the tetramer. Direct ex vivo staining of peripheral blood mononuclear cells revealed CD8+ tetramer+ high cells at low frequencies in both CIN3 patients (1 of 1,260 to 1 of 19,073) and normal controls (1 of 1,855 to 1 of 42,004). However, short-term in vitro stimulation with the HPV 16 E711-20 peptide expanded CD8+tetramer+ cells to a greater extent in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells from CIN3 patients. Furthermore, the tetramer provided a powerful tool to isolate polyclonal and clonal peptide-specific CTLs from an established HPV 16 E7,11-20-specific CTL line. These purified CTLs were able to lyse both peptide-pulsed targets and targets expressing endogenously processed HPV antigens. This tetramer may therefore be useful for selecting rare high-affinity HPV-specific CTLs for the immunotherapy of CaCx.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Dendritic cell maturation is induced by mycoplasma infection but not by necrotic cells.

To identify environmental stimuli that induce dendritic cell (DC) maturation, we exposed human monocyte-derived immature DC to apoptotic or necrotic cells and measured the levels of expression of costimulatory molecules and cytokine production. While most necrotic or apoptotic cells did not have any effect, some induced DC maturation as detected by up-regulation of CD83 and B7.2 and production of IL-12 and IL-6. The capacity of these cell lines to induce DC maturation was due to their contamination by mycoplasma, since the maturation-inducing effect disappeared when the cells were treated with cyproxin. Furthermore, cell lines deliberately infected with mycoplasma containing supernatant acquired the capacity to induce DC maturation. Our results reveal that DC are able to sense mycoplasma infection and mature as they do in response to most viruses and bacteria. In contrast, apoptotic or necrotic cells fail to induce DC maturation.

Cell Death↗
PubMed2000

Use of major histocompatibility complex class I tetramers to monitor tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte response in melanoma patients.

There is now considerable evidence that human tumors often express antigens that render them susceptible to lysis by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). These findings have raised hope for the development of cancer vaccines to trigger a tumor-specific immune response in cancer patients. To optimize the immunogenicity of cancer vaccines, it is important to improve the monitoring of the immune response. The use of tetrameric soluble major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I/peptide complexes ("tetramers") to identify tumor-specific CTLs has shown that these novel reagents allow rapid and accurate analysis of human CTL responses in cancer patients. We have used fluorescence-driven cell sorting to clone tumor-specific CTLs after staining with tetrameric MHC class I/peptide complexes. Analysis of melanoma-infiltrated lymph nodes revealed that strong CTL responses often occur in vivo, and that the reactive CTLs have substantial proliferative and tumoricidal potential.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗
PubMed2000

TAP deficiency syndrome.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗
PubMed2000

Functional characterization of CD8(+) antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes after enrichment based on cytokine secretion: comparison with the MHC-tetramer technology.

Cell therapy with antigen-specific T cells holds promise for various diseases including cancer and viral infections. The powerful enrichment procedure based on major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-tetramers, however, is of limited applicability so far. Therefore, the recently developed cell surface affinity matrix technology that allows direct identification and enrichment of life antigen-specific T cells based on cytokine secretion was evaluated in this respect. To this end, CD8(+) T cells directed against the HLA-A(*)0201-restricted melanoma-associated peptide Melan-A (aa26-35) were generated by combining stimulation of peptide-pulsed autologous dendritic cells (DC) with antigen-independent expansion with anti-CD3/anti-CD28 monoclonal antibodies (MoAb). Antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) were detected based on stimulation-induced interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-4 secretion and enriched > 100-fold using the cell surface affinity matrix technology. The resulting IFN-gamma- and IL-4-secreting CTL lines contained > 80% and > 70% cytokine positive T cells, respectively. They exhibited a cytotoxic activity against Melan-A expressing target cells that was significantly higher as compared to nonpurified CTL. Direct staining of enriched CTL with HLA-A2-Melan-A-tetramers revealed a high correlation between the results obtained from the cell surface affinity matrix technology and those obtained from tetrameric complexes. Altogether, our study demonstrates that cytokine-driven enrichment based on the cell surface affinity matrix technology enables selective isolation of functionally active antigen-specific CTL that may be used for an adoptive T cell transfer in immunotherapy.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗
PubMed2000

Sensitization of tumour cells to lysis by virus-specific CTL using antibody-targeted MHC class I/peptide complexes.

A number of cell surface molecules with specificity to tumour cells have been identified and monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to some of these antigens have been used for targeting tumour cells in vivo. We have sought to link the powerful effector mechanisms of cytotoxic T-cells with the specificity of mAb, by targeting recombinant HLA class I molecules to tumour cells using an antibody delivery system. Soluble recombinant MHC class I/peptide complexes including HLA-A2.1 refolded around an immunodominant peptide from the HIV gag protein (HLA-A2/gag) were synthesized, and the stability of these complexes at 37 degrees C was confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using a conformation-specific antibody. MHC class I-negative lymphoma cells (Daudi) were labelled with a biotinylated mAb specific for a cell surface protein (anti-CD20) then linked to soluble biotinylated HLA-A2/gag complexes using an avidin bridge. Flow cytometry revealed strong labelling of lymphoma cells with HLA-A2/gag complexes (80-fold increase in mean channel fluorescence). CTL specific for HLA-A2/gag efficiently lysed complex-targeted cells, while control CTL (specific for an HLA-A2.1-restricted epitope of melan-A) did not. Similarly, SK-mel-29 melanoma cells were also efficiently lysed by HLA-A2/gag-specific CTL when HLA-A2/gag complexes were linked to their surface via the HMW-MAA specific anti-melanoma antibody 225.28s. With further consideration to the in vivo stability of the MHC class I/peptide complexes, this system could prove a new strategy for the immunological therapy of cancer.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed2000

RANTES activates antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes in a mitogen-like manner through cell surface aggregation.

RANTES (regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted) is released by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), and is a potent chemoattractant factor for monocytes and T cells, also known for its ability to suppress HIV infection. At micromolar concentration, RANTES is able to activate leukocytes, and, paradoxically, to enhance HIV infection in vitro. These latter properties are dependent on its ability to self-aggregate. In order to understand further the mechanism of RANTES-induced activation, the effects of both aggregated and disaggregated RANTES on antigen-specific CD8(+) clones were studied in comparison with the effects of specific antigens and in the presence of specific inhibitors of RANTES-mediated activation. We observed large amounts of RANTES aggregated on the cell surface, which led to cell activation, including up-regulation of cell surface markers, and secretion of IFN-gamma and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1beta. Specific inhibitors of RANTES-induced activation, such as soluble glycosaminoglycans, MIP-1alpha and MIP-1beta, acted by preventing the binding of RANTES on the cell surface. These studies suggest that RANTES acted more like a mitogen than an antigen-independent activator.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Generation and purification of CD8+ melan-A-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes for adoptive transfer in tumor immunotherapy.

Tumor antigens that might serve as potential targets for adoptive T-cell therapy have been defined in different tumor entities, especially in malignant melanoma. To generate conditions to induce primary T-cell responses against different HLA-A*0201-restricted melanoma peptides and to allow further expansion of peptide-specific T cells for adoptive transfer, CD8+-purified T cells from healthy donors were stimulated with Melan-A-pulsed autologous dendritic cells. Dendritic cells were generated in vitro from monocytes with granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interleukin-4, and transforming growth factor-beta1. After 3-4 weekly stimulation cycles with Melan-A-pulsed DCs, we were able to induce a strong peptide-specific CTL response in vitro. MHC-peptide tetramer staining revealed a frequency of up to 3.5% CD8+/Melan-A+ T cells. Additional antigen-independent expansion with anti-CD3/anti-CD28 monoclonal antibodies together with interleukin-2 gave rise to 600-fold expansion of CD8+ CTLs that maintained Melan-A specificity and were able to efficiently lyse Melan-A-expressing melanoma cells. To enrich antigen-specific T cells in vitro, we used a recently established technology for analysis and sorting of live cells according to secreted cytokines. In the present study, we demonstrated that Melan-A-specific T cells can be purified by magnetic separation according to secreted IFN-gamma. These cells revealed a very potent monospecific CTL response, even at low E:T ratios, against Melan-A-pulsed and Melan-A-expressing target cells. Altogether, our study demonstrated that we have developed an efficient method for generating large numbers of peptide-specific T cells in vitro that may be used for adoptive T-cell transfer in tumor immunotherapy.

Adoptive Transfer↗
PubMed1999

Generation of an immunodominant CTL epitope is affected by proteasome subunit composition and stability of the antigenic protein.

Generation of the HLA-A0201 (A2) influenza Matrix 58-66 epitope contained within the full-length Matrix protein is impaired in cells lacking the proteasome subunits low molecular protein 2 (LMP2) and LMP7. This Ag presentation block can be relieved by transfecting the wild-type LMP7 cDNA into LMP7-deficient cells. A mutated form of LMP7, lacking the two threonines at the catalytic active site, was equally capable of relieving the block in presentation of the influenza Matrix A2 epitope. These observations were extended by analyzing whether modification of the influenza Matrix protein could overcome the block in presentation of the A2 Matrix epitope. Expression of either a rapidly degraded form of the full-length Matrix protein or shorter Matrix fragments led to an efficient presentation of the A2 influenza Matrix epitope by LMP7-negative cells. These findings demonstrate two main points: 1) LMP7 incorporation into the proteasome is of greater importance for the generation of the influenza A2 Matrix epitope than the presence of the LMP7's catalytic site; and 2) the interplay between cytosolic proteases and stability of target proteins is of importance in optimization of Ag presentation. These observations may have relevance to the immunodominance of tumor and viral epitopes and raise the possibility that generation of shorter protein fragments could be a mechanism to ensure optimal Ag presentation by cells expressing low levels of LMP7.

Antigen Presentation↗
PubMed1999

Association of a syndrome resembling Wegener's granulomatosis with low surface expression of HLA class-I molecules.

BACKGROUND: Granulomatous syndromes, such as Wegener's granulomatosis, are defined according to complex criteria, but the underlying cause is rarely identified. We present evidence for a new aetiology for chronic granulomatous lesions associated with a recessive genetic defect, which is linked to the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) locus. METHODS: Five adults with necrotising granulomatous lesions in the upper respiratory tract and skin, associated with recurrent bacterial respiratory infections and skin vasculitis, were identified. A diagnosis of Wegener's granulomatosis was considered in all of them, but abandoned because of an incompatible disease course and resistance to immunosuppressive treatments. Peripheral-blood samples were taken and analysed by immunohistochemistry and fluorescent-activated-cell-sorter analysis. Since all five patients were homozygous for the HLA locus, we looked for genetic defects located within the HLA-locus with PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism. FINDINGS: A severe decrease in cell-surface expression of HLA class-I molecule was seen in all patients. Defective expression of the transporter associated with antigen presentation (TAP) genes was responsible for the HLA class-I down-regulation, and in two patients we identified a mutation in the TAP2 gene responsible for the defective expression of the TAP complex. We showed the presence of autoreactive natural killer (NK) cells and gammadelta T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood cells of two patients. Correction of the genetic defect in vitro restored normal expression of HLA class-I molecules and prevented self-reactivity in the patients' cells. Histology of granulomatous lesions showed the presence of a large proportion of activated NK cells. INTERPRETATION: Our findings define the cause and pathogenesis of a new syndrome that affects patients with a defective surface expression of HLA class-I molecules. The syndrome resembles Wegener's granulomatosis both clinically and histologically. Patients have chronic necrotising granulomatous lesions in the upper respiratory tract and skin, recurrent infections of the respiratory tract, and skin vasculitis. A predominant NK population within the granulomatous lesions suggests that the pathophysiology of the skin lesions may relate to the inability of HLA class-I molecules to turn off NK cell responses. Accurate genetic analysis of a defined syndrome can provide a better understanding of the cause and pathogenesis of a disease.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗
PubMed1999

Specificity of CTL interactions with peptide-MHC class I tetrameric complexes is temperature dependent.

Tetrameric peptide-MHC class I complexes ("tetramers") are proving invaluable as reagents for characterizing immune responses involving CTLs. However, because the TCR can exhibit a degree of promiscuity for binding peptide-MHC class I ligands, there is potential for cross-reactivity. Recent reports showing that the TCR/peptide-MHC interaction is dramatically dependent upon temperature led us to investigate the effects of incubation temperature on tetramer staining. We find that tetramers rapidly stain CTLs with high intensity at 37 degrees C. We examine the fine specificity of tetramer staining using a well-characterized set of natural epitope variants. Peptide variants that elicit little or no functional cellular response from CTLs can stain these cells at 4 degrees C but not at 37 degrees C when incorporated into tetramers. These results suggest that some studies reporting tetramer incubations at 4 degrees C could detect cross-reactive populations of CTLs with minimal avidity for the tetramer peptide, especially in the tetramer-low population. For identifying specific CTLs among polyclonal cell populations such as PBLs, incubation with tetramers at 37 degrees C improves the staining intensity of specific CTLs, resulting in improved separation of tetramer-high CD8+ cells. Confocal microscopy reveals that tetramers incubated at 37 degrees C can be rapidly internalized by specific CTLs into vesicles that overlap with the early endocytic compartment. This TCR-specific internalization suggests that coupling of tetramers or analogues with toxins, which are activated only after receptor internalization, may create immunotoxins capable of killing CTLs of single specificities.

Body Temperature↗
PubMed1999

T cells work together to fight cancer.

Recent studies have identified new melanoma antigens that are recognised by CD4(+) T cells. Analysis of tumour-specific CD4(+) T-cell responses may lead to the development of optimal anti-cancer vaccines that can induce an orchestrated effort of tumour-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in the fight against cancer.

Animals↗