CD4+ T cell recognition of MHC class II-restricted epitopes from NY-ESO-1 presented by a prevalent HLA DP4 allele: Association with NY-ESO-1 antibody production

NY-ESO-1 is a tumor-specific shared antigen with distinctive immunogenicity. Both CD8+ T cells and class-switched Ab responses have been detected from patients with cancer. In this study, a CD4+ T cell line was generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a melanoma patient and was shown to recognize NY-ESO-1 peptides presented by HLA-DP4, a dominant MHC class II allele expressed in 43–70% of Caucasians. The ESO p157–170 peptide containing the core region of DP4-restricted T cell epitope was present in a number of tumor cell lines tested and found to be recognized by both CD4+ T cells as well as HLA-A2-restricted CD8+ T cells. Thus, the ESO p157–170 epitope represents a potential candidate for cancer vaccines aimed at generating both CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. More importantly, 16 of 17 melanoma patients who developed Ab against NY-ESO-1 were found to be HLA-DP4-positive. CD4+ T cells specific for the NY-ESO-1 epitopes were generated from 5 of 6 melanoma patients with NY-ESO-1 Ab. In contrast, no specific DP4-restricted T cells were generated from two patients without detectable NY-ESO-1 Ab. These results suggested that NY-ESO-1-specific DP4-restricted CD4+ T cells were closely associated with NY-ESO-1 Ab observed in melanoma patients and might play an important role in providing help for activating B cells for NY-ESO-1-specific Ab production.

Activation of Jak/STAT proteins involved in signal transduction pathway mediated by receptor for interleukin 2 in malignant T lymphocytes derived from cutaneous anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma and Sezary syndrome.

Signaling through the interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2R) involves phosphorylation of several proteins including Jak3, STAT5, and, in preactivated cells, STAT3. In the present study, we examined the functional status of the IL-2R-associated Jak/STAT pathway in malignant T lymphocytes from advanced skin-based lymphomas: anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma (ALCL) and Sezary syndrome (SzS). Proliferation of three ALCL cell lines (PB-1, 2A, and 2B) was partially inhibited by rapamycin, a blocker of some of the signals mediated by IL-2R, but not by cyclosporin A, FK-506, and prednisone, which suppress signals mediated by the T-cell receptor. All the cell lines expressed on their surface the high-affinity IL-2R (alpha, beta, and gamma c chains). They showed basal, constitutive phosphorylation, and coassociation of Jak3, STAT5, and STAT3. Weak basal phosphorylation of IL-2R gamma c was also detected. In regard to SzS, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 10 of 14 patients showed basal phosphorylation of Jak3, accompanied by phosphorylation of STAT5 in 9 patients, and STAT3 in 4 patients. However, in vitro overnight culture of SzS cells without exogenous cytokines resulted in markedly decreased Jak3 and STAT5 phosphorylation, which could be reversed by stimulation with IL-2. This indicates that the basal phosphorylation of Jak3 and STAT5 in freshly isolated SzS cells is induced rather than constitutive. The basal activation of the Jak/STAT pathway involved in IL-2R signal transduction in ALCL and SzS cells reported here suggests that this pathway may play a role in the pathogenesis of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, although the mechanism (induced versus constitutive) may vary between different lymphoma types.

Differential effects of staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 on B cell apoptosis.

Superantigens, such as toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1), have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune and allergic diseases associated with polyclonal B cell activation. In this report, we studied the in vitro effects of TSST-1 on B cell activation. We show herein that TSST-1 produced antagonistic effects on Ig synthesis by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from normal subjects, depending on the concentration used; Ig production was inhibited at 1000 pg/ml (P < 0.01) and enhanced at 1 and 0.01 pg/ml (P < 0.01) of toxin. Cultures of PBMC were then examined for morphologic features and DNA fragmentation characteristic for apoptosis. B cells exhibited a significantly higher (P < 0.01) incidence of apoptosis after stimulation with 1000 pg/ml of TSST-1 compared with 1 or 0.01 pg/ml of toxin or medium alone. Abundant expression of Fas, a cell surface protein that mediates apoptosis, was detected on B cells after stimulation with 1000 pg/ml of TSST-1 and was significantly higher on B cells undergoing apoptosis than on live cells (P = 0.01). Additionally, increased Fas expression and B cell death occurred at concentrations of TSST-1 inducing the production of high amounts of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), and both events could be blocked by neutralizing anti-IFN-gamma antibody. These findings suggest that high concentrations of TSST-1 can induce IFN-gamma-dependent B cell apoptosis, whereas at low concentrations it stimulates Ig synthesis by PBMC from normal subjects. These findings support the concept that staphylococcal toxins have a role in B cell hyperactivity in autoimmunity and allergy.

Characterization of GMP-17, a granule membrane protein that moves to the plasma membrane of natural killer cells following target cell recognition.

Cytotoxic lymphocytes are characterized by their inclusion of cytoplasmic granules that fuse with the plasma membrane following target cell recognition. We previously identified a cytotoxic granule membrane protein designated p15-TIA-1 that is immunochemically related to an RNA-recognition motif (RRM)-type RNA-binding protein designated p40-TIA-1. Although it was suggested that p15-TIA-1 might be derived from p40-T1A-1 by proteolysis, N-terminal amino acid sequencing of p15-TIA-1 immunoaffinity purified from a natural killer (NK) cell line by using monoclonal antibody (mAb) 2G9 revealed that p15-T1A-1 is identical to the deduced amino acid sequence of NKG7 and GIG-1, cDNAs isolated from NK cells and granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor-treated mononuclear cells, respectively. Epitope mapping revealed that mAb 2G9 recognizes the C terminus of p15-T1A-1 and p40-T1A-1. The deduced amino acid sequence of p15-T1A-1/NKG7/GIG-1 predicts that the protein possesses four transmembrane domains, and immuno-electron microscopy localizes the endogenous protein to the membranes of cytotoxic granules in NK cells. Given its subcellular localization, we propose to rename-this protein GMP-17, for granule membrane protein of 17 kDa. Immunofluorescence microscopy of freshly isolated NK cells confirms this granular localization. Target cell-induced NK cell degranulation results in translocation of GMP-17 from granules to the plasma membrane, suggesting a possible role for GMP-17 in regulating the effector function of lymphocytes and neutrophils.

Human immunodeficiency virus 1 envelope-initiated G2-phase programmed cell death.

Despite intensive investigation, no clearly defined mechanism explaining human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-induced cell killing has emerged. HIV-1 infection is initiated through a high-affinity interaction between the HIV-1 external envelope glycoprotein (gp120) and the CD4 receptor on T cells. Cell killing is a later event intimately linked by in vitro genetic analyses with the fusogenic properties of the HIV envelope glycoprotein gp120 and transmembrane glycoprotein gp41. In this report, we describe aberrancies in cell cycle regulatory proteins initiated by cell-cell contact between T cells expressing HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins and other T cells expressing CD4 receptors. Cells rapidly accumulate cyclin B protein and tyrosine-hyperphosphorylated p34cdc2 (cdk1) kinase, indicative of cell cycle arrest at G2 phase. Moreover, these cells continue to synthesize cyclin B protein, enlarge and display an abnormal ballooned morphology, and disappear from the cultures in a pattern previously described for cytotoxicity induced by DNA synthesis (S phase) inhibitors. Similar changes are observed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells infected in vitro with pathogenic primary isolates of HIV-1.

Interleukin 2 induces CD8+ T cell-mediated suppression of human immunodeficiency virus replication in CD4+ T cells and this effect overrides its ability to stimulate virus expression.

The nonlytic suppression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) production from infected CD4+ T cells by CD8+ lymphocytes from HIV-infected individuals is one of the most potent host-mediated antiviral activities observed in vitro. We demonstrate that the pleiotropic cytokine interleukin 2 (IL-2), but not IL-12, is a potent inducer of the CD8+ HIV suppressor phenomenon. IL-2 induces HIV expression in peripheral blood or lymph node mononuclear cells from HIV-infected individuals in the absence of CD8+ T cells. However, IL-2 induces CD8+ T cells to suppress HIV expression when added back to these cultures, and this effect dramatically supersedes the ability to IL-2 to induce HIV expression. Five to 25 times fewer CD8+ cells were required to obtain comparable levels of inhibition of viral production if they were activated in the presence of IL-2 as compared with IL-12 or no exogenous cytokine. Furthermore, IL-2 appeared either to induce a qualitative increase in HIV suppressor cell activity or to increase the relative frequency of suppressor cells in the activated (CD25+) CD8+ populations. Analyses of proviral levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells suggest that CD8+ T cell-mediated lysis of in vivo infected cells is not induced by IL-2. These results have implications for our understanding of the effects of impaired IL-2 production during HIV disease as well as the overall effects of IL-2-based immunotherapy on HIV replication in vivo.

Identification of a point mutation in the catalytic domain of the protooncogene c-kit in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients who have mastocytosis with an associated hematologic disorder.

Both stem cells and mast cells express c-kit and proliferate after exposure to c-kit ligand. Mutations in c-kit may enhance or interfere with the ability of c-kit receptor to initiate the intracellular pathways resulting in cell proliferation. These observations suggested to us that mastocytosis might in some patients result from mutations in c-kit. cDNA synthesized from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with indolent mastocytosis, mastocytosis with an associated hematologic disorder, aggressive mastocytosis, solitary mastocytoma, and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia unassociated with mastocytosis was thus screened for a mutation of c-kit. This analysis revealed that four of four mastocytosis patients with an associated hematologic disorder with predominantly myelodysplastic features had an A-->T substitution at nt 2468 of c-kit mRNA that causes an Asp-816-->Val substitution. One of one patient examined who had mastocytosis with an associated hematologic disorder had the corresponding mutation in genomic DNA. Identical or similar amino acid substitutions in mast cell lines result in ligand-independent autophosphorylation of the c-kit receptor. This mutation was not identified in the patients within the other disease categories or in 67 of 67 controls. The identification of the point mutation Asp816Val in c-kit in patients with mastocytosis with an associated hematologic disorder provides insight not only into the pathogenesis of this form of mastocytosis but also into how hematopoiesis may become dysregulated and may serve to provide a means of confirming the diagnosis, assessing prognosis, and developing intervention strategies.

Fusogenic selectivity of the envelope glycoprotein is a major determinant of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 tropism for CD4+ T-cell lines vs. primary macrophages.

We investigated the relationship between the fusion selectivity of the envelope glycoprotein (env) and the tropism of different human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates for CD4+ human T-cell lines vs. primary macrophages. Recombinant vaccinia viruses were prepared encoding the envs from several well-characterized HIV-1 isolates with distinct cytotropisms. Cells expressing the recombinant envs were mixed with various CD4+ partner cell types; cell fusion was monitored by a quantitative reporter gene assay and by syncytia formation. With CD4+ continuous cell lines as partners (T-cell lines, HeLa cells expressing recombinant CD4), efficient fusion occurred with the envs from T-cell line-tropic isolates (IIIB, LAV, SF2, and RF) but not with the envs from macrophage-tropic isolates (JR-FL, SF162, ADA, and Ba-L). The opposite selectivity pattern was observed with primary macrophages as cell partners; stronger fusion occurred with the envs from the macrophage-tropic than from the T-cell line-tropic isolates. All the envs showed fusion activity with peripheral blood mononuclear cells as partners, consistent with the ability of this cell population to support replication of all the corresponding HIV-1 isolates. These fusion selectivities were maintained irrespective of the cell type used to express env, thereby excluding a role for differential host cell modification. We conclude that the intrinsic fusion selectivity of env plays a major role in the tropism of a HIV-1 isolate for infection of CD4+ T-cell lines vs. primary macrophages, presumably by determining the selectivity of virus entry and cell fusion.

In vitro generation of hematopoietic stem cells from an embryonic stem cell line.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) are unique in that they give rise both to new stem cells (self-renewal) and to all blood cell types. The cellular and molecular events responsible for the formation of HSC remain unknown mainly because no system exists to study it. Embryonic stem (ES) cells were induced to differentiate by coculture with the stromal cell line RP010 and the combination of interleukin (IL) 3, IL-6, and F (cell-free supernatants from cultures of the FLS4.1 fetal liver stromal cell line). Cell cytometry analysis of the mononuclear cells produced in the cultures was consistent with the presence of PgP-1+ Lin- early hematopoietic (B-220- Mac-1- JORO 75- TER 119-) cells and of fewer B-220+ IgM- B-cell progenitors and JORO 75+ T-lymphocyte progenitors. The cell-sorter-purified PgP-1+ Lin- cells produced by induced ES cells could repopulate the lymphoid, myeloid, and erythroid lineages of irradiated mice. The ES-derived PgP-1+ Lin- cells must possess extensive self-renewal potential, as they were able to produce hematopoietic repopulation of secondary mice recipients. Indeed, marrow cells from irradiated mice reconstituted (15-18 weeks before) with PgP-1+ Lin- cell-sorter-purified cells generated by induced ES cells repopulated the lymphoid, myeloid, and erythroid lineages of secondary mouse recipients assessed 16-20 weeks after their transfer into irradiated secondary mice. The results show that the culture conditions described here support differentiation of ES cells into hematopoietic cells with functional properties of HSC. It should now be possible to unravel the molecular events leading to the formation of HSC.

Hypoxia-mediated induction of acidic/basic fibroblast growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor in mononuclear phagocytes stimulates growth of hypoxic endothelial cells.

Wound repair and tumor vascularization depend upon blood vessel growth into hypoxic tissue. Although hypoxia slows endothelial cell (EC) proliferation and suppresses EC basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) expression, we report that macrophages (MPs) exposed to PO2 approximately 12-14 torr (1 torr = 133.3 Pa) synthesize and release in a time-dependent manner platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and acidic/basic FGFs (a/bFGFs), which stimulate the growth of hypoxic ECs. Chromatography of hypoxic MP-conditioned medium on immobilized heparin with an ascending NaCl gradient resolved three peaks of mitogenic activity: activity of the first peak was neutralized by antibody to PDGF; activity of the second peak was neutralized by antibody to aFGF; and activity of the third peak was neutralized by antibody to bFGF. Metabolically labeled lysates and supernatants from MPs exposed to hypoxia showed increased synthesis and release of immunoprecipitable PDGF and a/bFGF in the absence of changes in cell viability. Possible involvement of a heme-containing oxygen sensor in MP elaboration of growth factors was suggested by the induction of bFGF and PDGF by normoxic MPs exposed to nickel or cobalt, although metabolic inhibitors such as sodium azide were without effect. These results suggest a paracrine model in which hypoxia stimulates MP release of PDGF and a/bFGF, inducing EC proliferation and potentially promoting angiogenesis in hypoxic environments.

Isolation and molecular characterization of a human T-cell lymphotropic virus type II (HTLV-II), subtype B, from a healthy Pygmy living in a remote area of Cameroon: an ancient origin for HTLV-II in Africa.

We report characterization of a human T-cell lymphotropic virus type II (HTLV-II) isolated from an interleukin 2-dependent CD8 T-cell line derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a healthy, HTLV-II-seropositive female Bakola Pygmy, aged 59, living in a remote equatorial forest area in south Cameroon. This HTLLV-II isolate, designated PYGCAM-1, reacted in an indirect immunofluorescence assay with HTLV-II and HTLV-I polyclonal antibodies and with an HTLV-I/II gp46 monoclonal antibody but not with HTLV-I gag p19 or p24 monoclonal antibodies. The cell line produced HTLV-I/II p24 core antigen and retroviral particles. The entire env gene (1462 bp) and most of the long terminal repeat (715 bp) of the PYGCAM-1 provirus were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction using HTLV-II-specific primers. Comparison with the long terminal repeat and envelope sequences of prototype HTLV-II strains indicated that PYGCAM-1 belongs to the subtype B group, as it has only 0.5-2% nucleotide divergence from HTLV-II B strains. The finding of antibodies to HTLV-II in sera taken from the father of the woman in 1984 and from three unrelated members of the same population strongly suggests that PYGCAM-1 is a genuine HTLV-II that has been present in this isolated population for a long time. The low genetic divergence of this African isolate from American isolates raises questions about the genetic variability over time and the origin and dissemination of HTLV-II, hitherto considered to be predominantly a New World virus.