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V C Maino

Publications and source records attributed to V C Maino.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Detection of antigen-specific T cell cytokine expression in whole blood by flow cytometry.

We have recently described a highly sensitive flow cytometric technique, based on the ability to detect single cell expression of cytokines, to simultaneously quantitate and phenotypically characterize antigen-specific memory/effector T cells in PBMC cultures. In this report, we describe a simplified procedural modification which enables the rapid detection of low frequency memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells expressing cytokines in response to soluble antigen in whole blood. When compared with T cell responses in PBMC cultures, whole blood cultures demonstrated similar but slightly higher percentages of T cells responsive to specific antigen. In addition, T cell responses to cytomegalovirus in whole blood were observed only in sensitized (seropositive) individuals, and CD4+ T cell responses could be blocked by anti-class II MHC antibodies. This procedure may provide a means to examine direct effects of pharmacological drug concentrations on T cell immunity in clinical samples.

Antigens, Viral↗

A 15-year follow-up of AJCC stage III malignant melanoma patients treated postsurgically with Newcastle disease virus (NDV) oncolysate and determination of alterations in the CD8 T cell repertoire.

BACKGROUND: The development of effective adjuvant therapies for the treatment of high-risk melanoma patients is critical for the prevention of metastatic disease and improvement of patient survival. Active specific immunotherapy has been tested as an adjuvant treatment in numerous clinical trials with overall limited, but occasionally promising, success rates. Newcastle disease virus (NDV) oncolysate has been utilized as an adjunctive immunotherapeutic agent in the postsurgical management of these patients. A phase II study initiated in 1975 using adjuvant vaccine therapy composed of allogeneic and autologous human melanoma cells infected with live NDV (NDV oncolysate) in patients with AJCC stage III melanoma following therapeutic lymph node dissection has shown >60% survival rate at 10 years with no adverse effects. Continued long-term analysis of trials with promising early results as well as assessment of immunologic responses generated in these patients may result in improved therapeutic decisions for clinical trials in the future. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the 15-year survival of patients treated postsurgically with NDV oncolysate in the phase II study described above. In an attempt to understand the immunological effects of this treatment, we have also carried out a comprehensive analysis of the peripheral blood T cell repertoire in these patients. RESULTS: The overall 15-year survival of this group of patients is 55%. Previous studies have suggested that improved outcome in patients undergoing immunotherapy is correlated with increased numbers of CD8(+)CD57(+) cells. In surviving patients, we observed a striking oligoclonality in the CD8(+) T cell population in peripheral blood, which reflects clonal expansions in the CD8(+)CD57(+) subset. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that adjuvant vaccination with NDV oncolysates is associated with prolonged survival of patients with lymph node-positive malignant melanoma and that CD8(+) T cells may be an important component of therapeutic efficacy.

Adult↗

Simultaneous detection of DNA synthesis and cytokine production in staphylococcal enterotoxin B activated CD4+ T lymphocytes by flow cytometry.

Assessment of T cell activation has traditionally been performed by measuring proliferation as a function of 3[H]-thymidine incorporation, or secretion of cytokines from activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in culture. An alternative method for detection of proliferation at the single cell level utilizes incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), an analog of thymidine, into cellular DNA. After appropriate fixation and permeabilization of the cells, a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against BrdU conjugated with a fluorescent dye is employed to measure by flow cytometry the incorporated BrdU. Here, we report a flow cytometric procedure which can be used for the simultaneous detection of BrdU incorporation, activation markers such as CD69 and CD25, and intracellular cytokines in T cell subsets from activated PBMC. Our observations are consistent with the proposal that cytokine synthesis and cell proliferation occur sequentially in CD4+ T cells stimulated with the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB). The majority of cells expressing the cytokines IFN-gamma and IL-2 at 48 h appear to have undergone DNA synthesis, however all proliferating cells do not express IFN-gamma or IL-2. The methods presented in this report offer a unique approach for studying simultaneous expression of key cellular activation events in phenotypically resolved lymphocyte populations.

Antigens, CD↗

Determination of antigen-specific memory/effector CD4+ T cell frequencies by flow cytometry: evidence for a novel, antigen-specific homeostatic mechanism in HIV-associated immunodeficiency.

The highly regulated secretion of effector cytokines by CD4+ T cells plays a critical role in immune protection against pathogens such as cytomegalovirus. Here, we directly compare the frequency and functional characteristics of cytomegalovirus-specific CD4+ memory/effector T cells in normal and HIV+ subjects using a novel, highly efficient multiparameter flow cytometric assay that detects the rapid intracellular accumulation of cytokine(s) after short-term (6 h) in vitro antigen stimulation. Responses in this assay correlate precisely with independent measures of sensitization history (e.g., seroreactivity), and allow the simultaneous assessment of multiple cytokines in single effector T cells. Healthy HIV- individuals manifested an average of 0.71, 0.72, 0.38, and 0.06% CD4+ T cells responding to cytomegalovirus with gamma-IFN, TNF-alpha, IL-2, and IL-4 production, respectively, with the simultaneous production of gamma-IFN, TNF-alpha, and IL-2 being the most common effector phenotype. Significantly, overall cytomegalovirus-specific CD4+ effector frequencies were markedly higher among 40% of HIV+ subjects (2.7-8.0%), and demonstrated a predominately polarized gamma-IFN+/TNF-alpha+/IL-2-/IL-4- phenotype. In contrast, CD4+ effector frequencies for heterologous, nonubiquitous viruses such as the mumps virus were low or absent in the HIV+ group. These data suggest the existence of homeostatic mechanisms in HIV disease that selectively preserve memory T cell populations reactive with ubiquitous pathogens such as cytomegalovirus-likely at the expense of T cell memory to more sporadically encountered infectious agents.

Antigens↗

Measurement of CD69 induction in the assessment of immune function in asymptomatic HIV-infected individuals.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from many asymptomatic HIV-infected patients exhibit defects in cytokine production and impaired proliferative responses in vitro but the mechanisms underlying this subclinical immune deficiency are controversial. To determine whether abnormalities in the earliest events following receptor engagement may help to explain the in vitro immune dysfunction, we measured the inducibility of the early activation marker CD69 in T cells from asymptomatic HIV-infected individuals in response to stimulation with anti-CD2 or anti-CD3 mAb. In a whole blood assay, we found that induction of CD69 was markedly impaired in CD4+ T cells from later-stage HIV-infected patients (CD4 counts 200-400/mm3) compared to uninfected controls. Among early stage patients (CD4 > 400/mm3), a subset (29%) had impaired CD69 induction. CD69 responses were equally depressed after stimulation through the CD3 or CD2 receptor pathways. Survey of a panel of immunophenotypic markers and propensity for apoptosis demonstrated a significant association between depressed induction of CD69 and decreased percentages of CD4+CD26+ and CD4+CD95+ cells but no association with the level of apoptosis. These data indicate that defects in T lymphocyte activation through CD3 and CD2 can be measured within hours of receptor stimulation in asymptomatic HIV-infected individuals and might be useful to monitor as an indicator of immune function in these patients.

Antigens, CD↗

Direct demonstration of cytokine synthesis heterogeneity among human memory/effector T cells by flow cytometry.

The array of cytokines produced by T cells in effector sites is a primary means by which these cells mediate host defense. It is well recognized that cloned T cells are heterogeneous with regard to cytokine synthesis and, thus, in their ability to mediate specific immune responses, but the extent to which the patterns of cytokine secretion observed in cloned cells reflect actual populations of memory/effector T cells existing in vivo is largely unknown. Here, we report our findings using a multiparameter flow cytometric assay that allows simultaneous determination of an individual T-cell's ability to produce multiple cytokines and its phenotype after only short (4 to 8 hours) in vitro incubation with an activating stimulus and the secretion inhibitor Brefeldin A. This assay shows a rapid accumulation of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, and gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN) in the cytoplasm of CD4+ cells after stimulation with either accessory cell-independent (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate [PMA] + ionomycin [I]) or accessory cell-dependent (staphylococcal enterotoxins [SE] A and B) T-cell-activating stimuli. Further analysis showed that production of gamma-IFN and IL-4 is predominantly, if not exclusively, restricted to the CD45ROhigh memory/effector T-cell subset, whereas IL-2 may be produced by both the CD45ROhigh and CD45ROlow subsets. Simultaneous determination of IL-2 and gamma-IFN production among CD45ROhigh/CD4+ T cells showed distinct subsets that produce each of these cytokines alone (an average of 30% for IL-2 alone, 8% for gamma-IFN alone), both (16%), or neither (46%). Similar analyses with the small IL-4-producing memory/effector T-cell subset (only 4.3% of total CD4+/CD45ROhigh T cells) showed that an average of 51% of these IL-4-producing cells also synthesize average of 51% of these IL-4-producing cells also synthesize IL-2, 23% synthesize only IL-4, 16% synthesize all three cytokines, and 9.6% synthesize IL-4 and gamma-IFN. These patterns of cytokine synthesis were found to be similar with both PMA + I and SEA/SEB stimulation and were observed in both peripheral blood memory/effector CD4+ T cells and in T cells of similar phenotype obtained from cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity sites. Taken together, these data strongly support the in vivo existence of human memory/effector T-cell subsets with "preprogrammed" cytokine synthesis potential, although they suggest that these subsets may be more complex than originally proposed in the TH1/TH2 hypothesis.

Antigens, CD↗

Rapid flow cytometric method for measuring lymphocyte subset activation.

Standard in vitro methods for assessing T-cell activation have typically measured either the proliferative responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures to various provocative stimuli employing tritiated thymidine incorporation or the secretion of specific cytokines from activated cells. These bulk assay methods suffer the drawback of being lengthy assays, and, in addition, they do not provide information about functional responses of individual lymphocyte subsets. This report describes a three-color flow cytometric method for the rapid analysis (4 hours) of individual T-cell subsets in whole blood responding to various provocative stimuli, including pokeweed mitogen, the comitogenic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) CD2/CD2R, the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), and the specific antigen Candida albicans. After 4 hours, CD69 expression in response to CD2/CD2R paralleled thymidine incorporation measured after 72 hours. Variations in the proportions of CD4+ and CD4- T cells expressing CD69 were observed with different stimuli. These observations demonstrate the potential of multiparameter flow cytometry for the investigation of functional responses of individual T-cell subsets to a variety of stimuli in whole blood.

Antigens, CD↗

Structural characterization of a cross-reactive idiotype shared by monoclonal antibodies specific for the human CD4 molecule.

A panel of mouse monoclonal anti-CD4 antibodies was characterized in terms of idiotypic expression by using specific anti-idiotypic antibody (anti-Id) reagents generated in rabbits immunized with anti-Leu3a, a monoclonal anti-CD4 which inhibits the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gp120 binding to CD4. Direct binding and competitive inhibition assays demonstrate that the majority of monoclonal anti-CD4 antibodies able to recognize CD4 epitopes overlapping the epitope recognized by anti-Leu3a expressed an antigen-combining site-related cross-reactive idiotype (IdX). Western blot analysis was used to demonstrate that this IdX is associated primarily with the light (L) chain of the monoclonal anti-CD4 antibodies. To further characterize the structural basis of the IdX, the nucleotide sequence of the variable region of the L kappa chain of anti-Leu3a was determined. Peptides corresponding to the first, second, and third complementarity determining regions (CDRs) of the L chain of anti-Leu3a were synthesized and used to immunize rabbits. All anti-peptide antisera recognized the immunizing peptide, the cognate anti-Leu3a molecule, and several other monoclonal anti-CD4 antibodies by direct binding assays. Western blot analysis utilizing the anti-CDR peptide reagents demonstrates that the reactivity to the monoclonal anti-CD4 antibodies was L chain-specific. The anti-Id generated by immunizing with the intact anti-Leu3a molecule failed to recognize the three L chain-derived CDR synthetic peptides, suggesting that the IdX requires the presence of the three-dimensional configuration of the L chain for its expression. The broad range of reactivity exhibited by the antipeptide antisera indicates that the majority of mouse monoclonal anti-CD4 antibodies characterized in this study utilize L chains encoded by a single germ line variable (V) region kappa (V kappa) chain gene or by V kappa genes that belong to the same gene family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Epitopes of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoproteins recognized by antibodies in the sera of HIV-1-infected individuals.

Sera from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected study subjects and controls were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using 10 synthetic peptides to identify epitopes of HIV envelope glycoproteins (ENVgp) that were recognized by antibodies. Two epitopes of HIV ENVgp, ENVP466 (amino acids 466-481) and ENVP497 (amino acids 497-509), were recognized by antibodies in the sera of most HIV-infected individuals. The frequency of individuals with detectable serum antibodies to these two epitopes was not associated with the stage of HIV disease. Purified antibodies to ENV497 had only very weak neutralizing activity against infectious HIV. These data suggest that a particular dominant type of antibody response to HIV's ENVgp has minimal protective effects. These and other studies to identify and stimulate immune responses to selected epitopes of HIV antigens may be useful in the design of vaccines to prevent or treat HIV infections.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Anti-idiotypic antibodies of a predefined specificity generated against CDR3VH synthetic peptides define a private anti-CD4 idiotype.

A synthetic peptide corresponding to the third complementarity determining region (CDR) of the heavy chain (CDR3VH) of anti-Leu3a, a monoclonal anti-CD4 antibody which inhibits HIV gp120 binding to CD4, was used to elicit specific anti-peptide antibodies in rabbits. The anti-peptide antisera showed anti-idiotypic antibody (anti-Id) activity and recognized both the immunizing peptide and the intact cognate protein by ELISA. In addition, the antisera reacted with isolated heavy chains of anti-Leu3a by Western blot analysis. The lack of reactivity with a panel of monoclonal anti-CD4 antibodies suggested that the anti-peptide antisera recognize a private idiotype (Id) associated with the anti-Leu3a CDR3VH region. Further studies demonstrated the inability of the rabbit antisera to inhibit the binding of anti-Leu3a to the CD4 molecule. In addition, soluble recombinant CD4 was unable to inhibit the binding of the rabbit anti-peptide antisera to anti-Leu3a indicating that the CDR3VH region may not be involved in CD4 recognition. Anti-Id containing sera from mice, rabbits and nonhuman primates immunized with the intact anti-Leu3a molecule did not bind the CDR3VH synthetic peptide, suggesting that the corresponding region of anti-Leu3a may not represent an immunodominant idiotypic determinant in thes e species. These results suggest the potential use of synthetic peptides corresponding to immunoglobulin variable (V) region amino acid sequences in generating anti-Id reagents of a predefined specificity. In addition, V-region synthetic peptides may be useful in mapping the idiotopes recognized by an anti-Id response to the cognate molecule.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Activated T cells and monocytes have characteristic patterns of class II antigen expression.

The expression of human histocompatibility class II Ag was measured on activated T cells and monocytes by quantitative mAb binding in direct two-color immunofluorescence. Monocytes activated by IFN-gamma bound an average of 2 x 10(6) DR-specific mAb, 3 x 10(5) DQ-specific mAb, and 7 x 10(5) DP-specific mAb per cell. For T cells activated by anti-CD3, a subpopulation bound 1 x 10(5) DR-specific mAb, 5 x 10(4) DQ-specific mAb and 5 x 10(4) DP-specific mAb per cell. These measurements were obtained after establishing a base line of class II Ag expression on resting B cells and monocytes. Resting B cells and those monocytes that were positive for class II Ag bound identical amounts of mAb; 3 x 10(4) DR-specific mAb, 3 x 10(3) DQ-specific mAb and 2 x 10(4) DP-specific mAb. However, most resting monocytes (75%) expressed only DR Ag. In the process of studying the expression of class II Ag on T cells, it was necessary to define and analyze the activated T cell state. Cell cultures activated with 0.3 ng/ml anti-CD3 had the highest expression of class II Ag on T cells, whereas those activated with 3.0 ng/ml anti-CD3 had the highest expression of IL-2R on T cells. Addition of IL-2 had no further effect on DR Ag expression on T cells but did up-regulate IL-2R expression. Reducing the initial monocyte concentration before activating T cells increased class II Ag expression on T cells without affecting IL-2R expression. The results obtained on T cell activation suggest that perhaps a lymphokine may be made by CD3-activated T cells which induces class II Ag expression on T cells.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

In vitro activation of T lymphocytes from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive blood donors. I. Soluble interleukin 2 receptor (IL2R) production parallels cellular IL2R expression and DNA synthesis.

We investigated the relationship of soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL2R) production to cellular IL2R expression and DNA synthesis by mitogen-stimulated mononuclear cells from blood donors seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). SIL2R was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay which employed 2 anti-IL2R monoclonal antibodies recognizing distinct IL2R epitopes. Decreased phytohemagglutinin-induced DNA synthesis and cellular IL2R expression were accompanied by decreased levels of sIL2R in cell culture supernatants. Similar findings were observed for pokeweed mitogen-induced responses. There was no detectable spontaneous secretion of sIL2R into culture supernatants by unstimulated mononuclear cells from either HIV-seropositive or control seronegative donors. These findings indicate that the in vitro T-cell activation defects which characterize HIV infection include decreased sIL2R production, as well as decreased cellular IL2R expression and DNA synthesis. Further, they show that assessment of supernatant sIL2R levels can be used as a valid, reliable assay for T-cell activation.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Monoclonal antibodies, L-35 and L-36, define novel T cell activation antigens.

Two novel T cell specific activation antigens were characterized and were defined by monoclonal antibodies developed against mitogen-stimulated human T cells. These antigens, designated as L-35 and L-36 were expressed on both the CD 4(Leu-3) and the CD 8(Leu-2) subsets of activated but not resting T cells. Moreover these antigens were not expressed on a number of T, B, and myeloid tumor cell lines. L-35 and L-36 were expressed on interleukin 2 (IL 2)-dependent cloned T cell lines, and were weakly expressed on the T cell tumor line, HSB-2. L-35 was expressed on granulocytes and a small subset of thymocytes. SDS-PAGE analysis of 125I-labeled lysates from phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-activated T cells demonstrated that L-35 existed as a complex of 32,000 and 97,000 dalton polypeptides under reducing and nonreducing conditions. Anti-L-36 immunoprecipitated a 90,000 dalton structure from PHA-activated cell lysates prepared with CHAPS detergent. When immunoprecipitates were analyzed from [35S]methionine labeled lysates, anti-L-35 precipitated only the 97,000 dalton component, suggesting that the 32,000 dalton subunit of L-35 complex was not synthesized by the activated cell population. Furthermore anti-L-35 did not immunoprecipitate a 32,000 dalton component from 125I-labeled lysates of anti-Leu-4 or Con A-activated cells, suggesting that the 32,000 dalton component of the L-35 complex may represent a subunit of PHA. The 32,000 dalton protein could not, however, be precipitated from cells incubated with PHA for less than 1 day. These results suggested that anti-L-35 recognizes a 97,000 dalton structure expressed on activated T cells, and that upon activation by PHA, becomes associated with a subunit of this mitogen.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Analysis of IL-2 producing subsets of human lymphocytes.

A limiting dilution procedure using lymphocytes isolated by FACS is described to assess the role of individual T cell subsets for the production of IL-2 in the presence of purified B (Leu-12+) cells. Purified B cells were isolated by two-color FACS using B (anti-Leu-12) and T (anti-Leu-4) cell specific fluorescent conjugated antibodies. The Leu-12+ cells were treated with anti-Leu-5b plus complement to remove contaminating sources of IL-2 producing cells and titrated with purified T cell subsets using a miniassay to determine IL-2 production. Results indicated that less than 1000 Leu-4+ T cells in the presence of 98% Leu-12+ B cells could produce an equivalent amount of IL-2 produced by the 40,000 T cells estimated in the unsorted population. A comparison of the Leu-2+ and Leu-3+ T cell subsets isolated by two-color cell sorting and activated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) demonstrated that the Leu-3+ cell population produced significantly higher higher levels of IL-2 on a per cell basis than Leu-2+ cells. Furthermore while purified preparations of Leu-3+ cells were capable of secreting small amounts of IL-2 in the absence of accessory cells, the Leu-2+ population appeared to be completely dependent upon these cells for production of this lymphokine.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Induction of interleukin 2 from a murine B cell tumor by a factor found in immune serum.

The murine B cell tumor line 2 PK-3 secretes T cell growth factor activity after incubation for 6 to 48 hr with a factor present in heterologous immune serum. T cell growth factor derived from 2 PK-3 was compared with IL 2 produced by the Con A-induced T lymphoma cell line EL-4 G12. These studies indicated that T cell growth factor activities derived from both cell lines were similar with respect to m.w., pI values, and the ability to support growth of two IL 2-dependent T cell clones. Three preparations of immune sera were found to be active in the induction of IL 2 activity from 2 PK-3 cells, including rabbit anti-mouse brain, rabbit anti-complete Freund's adjuvant, and goat anti-mouse Ig. None of these preparations, however, induced IL 2 from EL-4 G12 cells. It was also observed that LPS synergized with immune serum to produce enhanced activity. Normal sera prepared from unimmunized animals were not active in the induction of IL 2 activity. Fractionation of immune serum on protein A Sepharose suggested that the IL 2-inducing agent is not IgG.

Animals↗

Mechanisms controlling TCGF production by cloned sublines of EL-4 azgr in response to stimulation by anti-Thy-1 antibody.

The effect of xenogeneic anti-Thy-1 antibody on T cell growth factor (TCGF) production by T lymphoma cell lines has been examined as a model system for T cell activation. EL-4 G12 (a cloned subline of the producer EL-4 azgr cell line) produced TCGF when stimulated by a high concentration of anti-Thy-1, but none was induced by low concentrations of anti-Thy-1. Large amounts of TCGF were produced when these cells were cultured with Fc-receptor positive (FcR+) accessory cells. TCGF production by EL-4 G12 showed dose response kinetics similar to TCGF production by anti-Thy-1-stimulated, purified normal spleen T cells. Goat anti-rabbit IgG (GaRIG) and protein A substituted for this accessory helper effect, but neither FcR+ cells nor Protein A worked when (Fab')2 anti-Thy-1 was used instead of IgG anti-Thy-1. Anti-T-200 monoclonal antibody inhibited anti-Thy-1-induced TCGF production by EL-4 G12 and accessory cells. Phorbol myristic acetate and lymphocyte-activating factor also substituted in part for the accessory cell help. The data suggest there are at least 2 different accessory cell help mechanisms in anti-Thy-1-induced TCGF production, anti-Thy-1-bound membrane aggregation either by GaRIG, Protein A or FcR, and a LAF-dependent mechanism.

Animals↗

Anti-Thy-1-mediated T cell activation. Role of soluble factors and expression of interleukin 2 receptors on T cells.

Rabbit anti-Thy-1 antibody bound to T cells induces the appearance of T cell growth factor (interleukin 2, IL2) receptors and the production of IL2. IL2 receptors induction by this means occurs within a short time span, and independent of any demonstrable accessory cell. A source of exogenous or endogenous IL2 is apparently the only requirement for proliferation after these receptors are expressed. IL2 production, on the other hand, is accessory cell-dependent, and this help is mediated via Fc receptors on the accessory cell. IL2 production in this model is demonstrable at 4-6 h, or earlier, and is proliferation-independent. X-irradiation actually augments apparent IL2 production. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that a differentiated subset of T cells in any mixed population is responsible for IL2 production.

Animals↗