Biomedical subjects

Daniel S Chen

Publications and source records attributed to Daniel S Chen.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

T cells use two directionally distinct pathways for cytokine secretion.

Activated T helper cells produce many cytokines, some of which are secreted through the immunological synapse toward the antigen-presenting cell. Here we have used immunocytochemistry, live-cell imaging and a surface-mediated secretion assay to show that there are two cytokine export pathways in T helper cells. Some cytokines, including interleukin 2 and interferon-gamma, were secreted into the synapse, whereas others, including tumor necrosis factor and the chemokine CCL3 (MIP-1alpha), were released multidirectionally. Each secretion pathway was associated with different trafficking proteins, indicating that they are molecularly distinct processes. These data suggest that T helper cells release some cytokines into the immunological synapse to impart specific communication and others multidirectionally to promote inflammation and to establish chemokine gradients.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Molecular and functional analysis using live cell microarrays.

Understanding cellular behavior in both healthy and diseased states requires the ability to molecularly delineate the characteristics of individual cells from complex mixtures. The recent development of cellular microarrays allows such an undertaking. By immobilizing different cell capture and analysis reagents on a solid support, mixtures of cells can be rapidly interrogated for their composition and phenotype. Thus, one can identify and quantitate distinct cell types based on the expression of particular cell surface molecules, as well as analyze their response to defined signals through the secretion of specific factors or other measurable cellular activities. This review focuses on the use of cellular microarrays to detect antigen-specific T cells and their responsiveness, analyze cancer cell types and behavior and to investigate the control of stem cell differentiation.

Antigens↗

PubMed2005

Marked differences in human melanoma antigen-specific T cell responsiveness after vaccination using a functional microarray.

BACKGROUND: In contrast to many animal model studies, immunotherapeutic trials in humans suffering from cancer invariably result in a broad range of outcomes, from long-lasting remissions to no discernable effect. METHODS AND FINDINGS: In order to study the T cell responses in patients undergoing a melanoma-associated peptide vaccine trial, we have developed a high-throughput method using arrays of peptide-major histocompatibility complexes (pMHC) together with antibodies against secreted factors. T cells were specifically immobilized and activated by binding to particular pMHCs. The antibodies, spotted together with the pMHC, specifically capture cytokines secreted by the T cells. This technique allows rapid, simultaneous isolation and multiparametric functional characterization of antigen-specific T cells present in clinical samples. Analysis of CD8+ lymphocytes from ten melanoma patients after peptide vaccination revealed a diverse set of patient- and antigen-specific profiles of cytokine secretion, indicating surprising differences in their responsiveness. Four out of four patients who showed moderate or greater secretion of both interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) in response to a gp100 antigen remained free of melanoma recurrence, whereas only two of six patients who showed discordant secretion of IFNgamma and TNFalpha did so. CONCLUSION: Such multiparametric analysis of T cell antigen specificity and function provides a valuable tool with which to dissect the molecular underpinnings of immune responsiveness and how this information correlates with clinical outcome.

Antibody Formation↗

PubMed2005

Cellular immunotherapy: antigen recognition is just the beginning.

Advances in molecular and cellular biology have illustrated both the flexibility and complexity involved in host immune responses. Understanding this response is vital to the further development of therapeutic strategies that involve manipulation of the cellular immune response to target tumors. Mobilized, tumor antigen-specific T cells, the core for most immunotherapeutic strategies, are highly regulated, and capable of a wide spectrum of functional responses. Due to differences in murine and human immunity, broad-scale immune monitoring, particularly high-throughput ex vivo analysis of human immune responses, promises to determine what comprises an effective immunotherapy. Such understanding will lead to more sophisticated clinical trials, earlier determination of efficacy and individualized protocols.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Detection and characterization of cellular immune responses using peptide-MHC microarrays.

The detection and characterization of antigen-specific T cell populations is critical for understanding the development and physiology of the immune system and its responses in health and disease. We have developed and tested a method that uses arrays of peptide-MHC complexes for the rapid identification, isolation, activation, and characterization of multiple antigen-specific populations of T cells. CD4(+) or CD8(+) lymphocytes can be captured in accordance with their ligand specificity using an array of peptide-MHC complexes printed on a film-coated glass surface. We have characterized the specificity and sensitivity of a peptide-MHC array using labeled lymphocytes from T cell receptor transgenic mice. In addition, we were able to use the array to detect a rare population of antigen-specific T cells following vaccination of a normal mouse. This approach should be useful for epitope discovery, as well as for characterization and analysis of multiple epitope-specific T cell populations during immune responses associated with viral and bacterial infection, cancer, autoimmunity, and vaccination.

Animals↗