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Biomedical subjects

V Cerundolo

Publications and source records attributed to V Cerundolo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Mature dendritic cells prime functionally superior melan-A-specific CD8+ lymphocytes as compared with nonprofessional APC.

Priming of melan-A(26/27-35)-specific CTL occurs only in a fraction of late stage melanoma patients, whereas during the early stages of the disease and in healthy volunteers, melan-A CTL have functional and phenotypic markers consistent with a naive phenotype. To study the requirements for expansion of naive melan-A CTL from healthy donors, we set up an in vitro priming protocol and, using tetramer assays, we demonstrate that the activity and phenotype of the expanded melan-A CTL are profoundly influenced by the type of APC used. Priming by nonprofessional APC leads to expansion of melan-A CTL with reduced cytolytic activity and low level of IFN-gamma secretion. In contrast, mature dendritic cells (DC) expand cytolytic and IFN-gamma-producing melan-A CTL. Priming by mature DC is also efficient at low peptide concentration and requires only one round of stimulation. Finally, we observed that a significant fraction of CD45RO(+) melan-A CTL primed by mature DC expresses high levels of the homing receptor CD62L, whereas CTL primed by nonprofessional APC express CD62L in lower percentages and at lower levels. These results suggest that suboptimal priming by nonprofessional APC could account for the presence in vivo of dysfunctional cells and strongly support the immunotherapeutic use of mature DC for expansion of effector and memory Ag-specific CTL.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗
PubMed2001

Human CD1d-glycolipid tetramers generated by in vitro oxidative refolding chromatography.

CD1 molecules are specialized in presenting lipids to T lymphocytes, but identification and isolation of CD1-restricted lipid specific T cells has been hampered by the lack of reliable and sensitive techniques. We here report the construction of CD1d-glycolipid tetramers from fully denatured human CD1d molecules by using the technique of oxidative refolding chromatography. We demonstrate that chaperone- and foldase-assisted refolding of denatured CD1d molecules and beta(2)-microglobulin in the presence of synthetic lipids is a rapid method for the generation of functional and specific CD1d tetramers, which unlike previously published protocols ensures isolation of CD1d tetramers loaded with a single lipid species. The use of human CD1d-alpha-galactosylceramide tetramers for ex vivo staining of peripheral blood lymphocytes and intrahepatic T cells from patients with viral liver cirrhosis allowed for the first time simultaneous analysis of frequency and specificity of natural killer T cells in human clinical samples. Application of this protocol to other members of the CD1 family will provide powerful tools to investigate lipid-specific T cell immune responses in health and in disease.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

A novel approach to antigen-specific deletion of CTL with minimal cellular activation using alpha3 domain mutants of MHC class I/peptide complex.

In this study, we have compared the effector functions and fate of a number of human CTL clones in vitro or ex vivo following contact with variant peptides presented either on the cell surface or in a soluble multimeric format. In the presence of CD8 coreceptor binding, there is a good correlation between TCR signaling, killing of the targets, and FasL-mediated CTL apoptosis. Blocking CD8 binding using alpha3 domain mutants of MHC class I results in much reduced signaling and reduced killing of the targets. Surprisingly, however, FasL expression is induced to a similar degree on these CTLs, and apoptosis of CTL is unaffected. The ability to divorce these events may allow the deletion of antigen-specific and pathological CTL populations without the deleterious effects induced by full CTL activation.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed2001

Apoptotic cells overexpress vinculin and induce vinculin-specific cytotoxic T-cell cross-priming.

Here we show that apoptotic cells overexpress vinculin and are ingested by dendritic cells, which subsequently cross-prime vinculin-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Successful cross-priming requires that the apoptotic cells provide maturation signals to dendritic cells through CD40-CD40 ligand (CD40L) interactions. If apoptotic cells are CD40L-, the help of a third T cell is needed for priming, indicating a regulatory role for apoptotic cells in determining priming or tolerance. Vinculin-specific CTL priming is also related to apoptosis in vivo, given that in HIV-seropositive individuals, the frequency of specific CTLs depends on the proportion of peripheral CD40L+ apoptotic cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

A shift in the phenotype of melan-A-specific CTL identifies melanoma patients with an active tumor-specific immune response.

In a significant proportion of melanoma patients, CTL specific for the melan-A(26/7-35) epitope can be detected in peripheral blood using HLA-A2/peptide tetramers. However, the functional capacity of these CTL has been controversial, since although they prove to be effective killers after in vitro expansion, in some patients they have blunted activation responses ex vivo. We used phenotypic markers to characterize melan-A tetramer(+) cells in both normal individuals and melanoma patients, and correlated these markers with ex vivo assays of CTL function. Melanoma patients with detectable melan-A tetramer(+) cells in peripheral blood fell into two groups. Seven of thirteen patients had a CCR7(+) CD45R0(-) CD45RA(+) phenotype, the same as that found in some healthy controls, and this phenotype was associated with a lack of response to melan-A peptide ex vivo. In the remaining six patients, melan-A tetramer(+) cells were shifted toward a CCR7(-) CD45R0(+) CD45RA(-) phenotype, and responses to melan-A peptide could be readily demonstrated ex vivo. When lymph nodes infiltrated by melan-A-expressing melanoma cells were examined, a similar dichotomy emerged. These findings demonstrate that activation of melan-A-specific CTL occurs in only some patients with malignant melanoma, and that only patients with such active immune responses are capable of responding to Ag in ex vivo assays.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Strategy for monitoring T cell responses to NY-ESO-1 in patients with any HLA class I allele.

NY-ESO-1 elicits frequent antibody responses in cancer patients, accompanied by strong CD8(+) T cell responses against HLA-A2-restricted epitopes. To broaden the range of cancer patients who can be assessed for immunity to NY-ESO-1, a general method was devised to detect T cell reactivity independent of prior characterization of epitopes. A recombinant adenoviral vector encoding the full cDNA sequence of NY-ESO-1 was used to transduce CD8-depleted peripheral blood lymphocytes as antigen-presenting cells. These modified antigen-presenting cells were then used to restimulate memory effector cells against NY-ESO-1 from the peripheral blood of cancer patients. Specific CD8(+) T cells thus sensitized were assayed on autologous B cell targets infected with a recombinant vaccinia virus encoding NY-ESO-1. Strong polyclonal responses were observed against NY-ESO-1 in antibody-positive patients, regardless of their HLA profile. Because the vectors do not cross-react immunologically, only responses to NY-ESO-1 were detected. The approach described here allows monitoring of CD8(+) T cell responses to NY-ESO-1 in the context of various HLA alleles and has led to the definition of NY-ESO-1 peptides presented by HLA-Cw3 and HLA-Cw6 molecules.

Alleles↗
PubMed2000

Mage-3 and influenza-matrix peptide-specific cytotoxic T cells are inducible in terminal stage HLA-A2.1+ melanoma patients by mature monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

Dendritic cell (DC) vaccination, albeit still in an early stage, is a promising strategy to induce immunity to cancer. We explored whether DC can expand Ag-specific CD8+ T cells even in far-advanced stage IV melanoma patients. We found that three to five biweekly vaccinations of mature, monocyte-derived DC (three vaccinations of 6 x 106 s.c. followed by two i.v. ones of 6 and 12 x 106, respectively) pulsed with Mage-3A2.1 tumor and influenza matrix A2. 1-positive control peptides as well as the recall Ag tetanus toxoid (in three of eight patients) generated in all eight patients Ag-specific effector CD8+ T cells that were detectable in blood directly ex vivo. This is the first time that active, melanoma peptide-specific, IFN-gamma-producing, effector CD8+ T cells have been reliably observed in patients vaccinated with melanoma Ags. Therefore, our DC vaccination strategy performs an adjuvant role and encourages further optimization of this new immunization approach.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗
PubMed2000

Requirement of mature dendritic cells for efficient activation of influenza A-specific memory CD8+ T cells.

It is critical to identify the developmental stage of dendritic cells (DCs) that is most efficient at inducing CD8+ T cell responses. Immature DCs can be generated from monocytes with GM-CSF and IL-4, while maturation is accomplished by the addition of stimuli such as monocyte-conditioned medium, CD40 ligand, and LPS. We evaluated the ability of human monocytes and immature and mature DCs to induce CD8+ effector responses to influenza virus Ags from resting memory cells. We studied replicating virus, nonreplicating virus, and the HLA-A*0201-restricted influenza matrix protein peptide. Sensitive and quantitative assays were used to measure influenza A-specific immune responses, including MHC class I tetramer binding assays, enzyme-linked immunospot assays for IFN-gamma production, and generation of cytotoxic T cells. Mature DCs were demonstrated to be superior to immature DC in eliciting IFN-gamma production from CD8+ effector cells. Furthermore, only mature DCs, not immature DCs, could expand and differentiate CTL precursors into cytotoxic effector cells over 7 days. An exception to this was immature DCs infected with live influenza virus, because of the virus's known maturation effect. Finally, mature DCs pulsed with matrix peptide induced CTLs from highly purified CD8+ T cells without requiring CD4+ T cell help. These differences between DC stages were independent of Ag concentrations or the number of immature DCs. In contrast to DCs, monocytes were markedly inferior or completely ineffective stimulators of T cell immunity. Our data with several qualitatively different assays of the memory CD8+ T cell response suggest that mature cells should be considered as immunotherapeutic adjuvants for Ag delivery.

CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed2000

Identification of NY-ESO-1 peptide analogues capable of improved stimulation of tumor-reactive CTL.

Expression of NY-ESO-1 in a high proportion of different human tumors makes this protein a very attractive vaccine target. NY-ESO-1 peptides, recognized by HLA-A2-restricted CTL, have recently been described. However, it remains unclear how efficiently tumors generate these epitopes, and whether peptide analogues can be used for optimal expansion and activation of NY-ESO-1-specific HLA-A2-restricted CTL. By generating unique CTL clones, we demonstrate that NY-ESO-1-positive tumor cells are efficiently killed by HLA-A2-restricted CTL specific for the peptide epitope NY-ESO-1 157-165. Presentation of this epitope is not affected by the presence or absence of the proteasome subunits low molecular proteins 2 and 7 and is not blocked by proteasome inhibitors, while it is impaired in the TAP-deficient cell line LBL 721.174. NY-ESO-1 157-165 peptide analogues were compared for their antigenicity and immunogenicity using PBL from melanoma patients. Three peptides, containing the carboxyl-terminal cysteine substituted for either valine, isoleucine, or leucine, were recognized at least 100 times more efficiently than the wild-type peptide by specific CTL. Peptide analogues were capable of stimulating the expansion of NY-ESO-1-specific CTL from PBL of melanoma patients much more efficiently than wild-type peptide. These findings define the processing requirements for the generation of the NY-ESO-1 157-165 epitope. Identification of highly antigenic NY-ESO-1 peptide analogues may be important for the development of vaccines capable of expanding NY-ESO-1-specific CTL in cancer patients.

Amino Acid Substitution↗
PubMed2000

Tetramer-guided analysis of TCR beta-chain usage reveals a large repertoire of melan-A-specific CD8+ T cells in melanoma patients.

The assessment of the TCR repertoire expressed by tumor-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes has been hampered to date by the difficulty of targeting the analysis to lymphocytes directed against a single epitope. In the present study we have used fluorescent A2/Melan-A tetramers in conjunction with anti-CD8 and anti-TCR beta-chain variable (BV) mAbs to analyze by flow cytometry the BV segment usage by Melan-A-specific CD8+ T cells in tumor-infiltrated lymph nodes (TILN) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) from A2 melanoma patients. Analysis of TILN populations revealed small proportions of A2/Melan-A tetramer+ cells expressing many different BV together with over-representation of A2/Melan-A tetramer+ cells expressing certain BVs. The BV usage by A2/Melan-A tetramer+ lymphocytes in TIL was more restricted than that in TILN. Moreover, the predominant BV segments were quite distinct in populations derived from different patients. A2/Melan-A tetramer+ cells expressing the dominant BVs found in TILN could also be found in the corresponding peptide-stimulated autologous PBMC, although A2/Melan-A tetramer+ lymphocytes expressing additional BVs were also identified. Together, these results suggest that a large and diverse repertoire of Melan-A-specific T cells using different BV TCR segments is available in A2 melanoma patients.

Adult↗
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↗