Cécile A.C.M. van Els

A genetic analysis of human minor histocompatibility antigens demonstrates Mendelian segregation independent of HLA

An analysis of the genetic traits of human minor histocompatibility (mH) antigens is, unlike with inbred mice, rather complicated. Moreover, the fact that mH antigens are recognized in the context of MHC molecules creates an additional complication for reliable segregation analysis. To gain insight into the mode of inheritance of the mH antigens, we relied upon a series of HLA-A2-restricted cytotoxic T-cell (CTL) clones specific for four mH antigens. To perform segregation analysis independent of HLA-A2 gene: we transfected HLA-A2-negative cells with the HLA-A2 gene: this results in the cell surface expression of the HLA-A2 gene product and, if present, mH antigen recognition. The mode of inheritance of the HLA-A2-restricted mH antigens HA-1, -2, -4, and -5 was analysed in 25 families whoese members either naturally expressed positive. Analysis of distribution of the mH antigens in the parent population among the mating types, together with their inheritance patterns in the families, demonstrated that the four mH antigens behaved as Mendelian traits, whereby each can be considered a product of a gene with two alleles, one expressing and one not expressing the detected specificity. We also showed that the loci encoding the HA-1 and HA-2 antigens are not closely linked to HLa (lod scores Z (0 = 0.05) <−4.0). Some indication was obtained that the HA-4- and HA-5-encoding loci may be losely linked to HLA. While we are aware of the limited results of this nonetheless comprehensive study, we feel the similarity in immunogenetic traits between human and mouse mH antigens is at least striking.

Mumps-specific cross-neutralization by MMR vaccine-induced antibodies predicts protection against mumps virus infection

BACKGROUND Similar to other recent mumps genotype G outbreaks worldwide, most mumps patients during the recent mumps genotype G outbreaks in the Netherlands had received 2 doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine during childhood. Here, we investigate the capacity of vaccine-induced antibodies to neutralize wild type mumps virus strains, including mumps virus genotype G. METHODS In this study, we tested 105 pre-outbreak serum samples from students who had received 2 MMR vaccine doses and who had no mumps virus infection (n=76), symptomatic mumps virus infection (n=10) or asymptomatic mumps virus infection (n=19) during the mumps outbreaks. In all samples, mumps-specific IgG concentrations were measured by multiplex immunoassay and neutralization titers were measured against the Jeryl Lynn vaccine strain and against wild type genotype G and genotype D mumps virus strains. RESULTS The correlation between mumps-specific IgG concentrations and neutralization titers against Jeryl Lynn was poor, which suggests that IgG concentrations do not adequately represent immunological protection against mumps virus infection by antibody neutralization. Pre-outbreak neutralization titers in infected persons were significantly lower against genotype G than against the vaccine strain. Furthermore, antibody neutralization of wild type mumps virus genotype G and genotype D was significantly reduced in pre-outbreak samples from infected persons as compared with non-infected persons. No statistically significant difference was found for the vaccine strain. The sensitivity/specificity ratio was largest for neutralization of the genotype G strain as compared with the genotype D strain and the vaccine strain. CONCLUSIONS The reduced neutralization of wild type mumps virus strains in MMR vaccinated persons prior to infection indicates that pre-outbreak mumps virus neutralization is partly strain-specific and that neutralization differs between infected and non-infected persons. Therefore, we recommend the use of wild type mumps virus neutralization assays as preferred tool for surveillance of protection against mumps virus infection.

Induction of minor histocompatibility antigen-specific T-helper but not T-cytotoxic response is dependent on the source of antigen-presenting cell.

We studied the accessory cell requirements for triggering in vivo primed human major histocompatibility complex class I- and class II-restricted T cells specific for minor histocompatibility antigens. We compared the antigen-presenting capacities of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (EBV-LCLs), both derived from the same donor, to induce minor histocompatibility antigen-specific cytotoxic and proliferative T cells. PBLs and EBV-LCLs were equally effective as antigen-presenting cells to trigger cytotoxic-T-cell responses specific for minor histocompatibility antigens, some of which were reactive with B cells only. In contrast, a clear difference was found between the capacities of the two antigen-presenting cell types to induce minor histocompatibility antigen-specific T-helper-cell responses. PBLs as antigen-presenting cells could induce T-helper-cell lines reactive against minor histocompatibility antigens presented on PBLs, on EBV-LCLs, or on both cell types as stimulator cells. Unexpectedly, however, EBV-LCLs as antigen-presenting cells in all instances failed to induce T-helper-cell responses specific for minor histocompatibility antigens presented on PBLs or on both PBLs and EBV-LCLs as stimulator cells and could only trigger T-helper cells directed against B-cell-specific minor histocompatibility antigens. Our findings indicate a dichotomy in the capacity of EBV-LCLs to present minor histocompatibility antigens in the induction versus the effector phse of the in vitro T-helper-cell response. Furthermore, the results show different in vitro accessory cell requirements for major histocompatibility complex class I- and class II-restricted T-cell responses specific for human minor histocompatibility antigens.

A new sensitive assay for measurement of cell-mediated cytotoxicity to intact layers of cultured human keratinocytes.

A cytotoxicity assay for sensitive measurement of cell-mediated lympholysis (CML) of human cultured keratinocytes (cK) is described. The usage of 51Cr-labeled keratinocytes in intact layers as target cells in this assay allows objective and accurate determination of lysis of keratinocytes which have not undergone trypsin- and suspension-induced membrane changes. Furthermore, the problem of high spontaneous 51Cr release values encountered with suspended keratinocytes is overcome. The assay was applied to study antigen-specific CML of cK by cloned cytotoxic T cells (CTL) and to determine the effect of IFN-gamma on the susceptibility of cK to lysis. The results showed that HLA-A2 specific CTLs could reproducibly lyse cK of HLA-A2 positive healthy skin donors both with and without incubation of cK with IFN-gamma. Applications of this keratinocyte cytotoxicity assay lie in determining the antigenic expression of human cK, in analysis of effector cell/keratinocyte interactions in CML and of the modulatory effects of cytokines on these mechanisms. The assay thus may provide a helpful tool in gaining insight into the role of CML of keratinocytes in the destruction of inflamed skin.

Development of an IFNγ ELISPOT for the analysis of the human T cell response against mumps virus.

In the last decade, mumps virus (MuV) causes outbreaks in highly vaccinated populations. Sub-optimal T cell immunity may play a role in the susceptibility to mumps in vaccinated individuals. T cell responses to mumps virus have been demonstrated, yet the quality of the MuV-specific T cell response has not been analyzed using single cell immunological techniques. Here we developed an IFNγ ELISPOT assay to assess MuV-specific T cell responses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of healthy (vaccinated) donors and mumps patients. Various in vitro MuV-specific stimulation methods of PBMC were compared, using either live or inactivated MuV alone or MuV-infected autologous antigen presenting cells, i.e. Epstein Barr Virus-transformed B lymphoblastoid cell lines (EBV-BLCL) or (mitogen pre-activated) PBMC, for their ability to recall IFNγ-producing responder cells measured by ELISPOT. For the detection of MuV-specific T cell responses, direct exposure (24h) to live MuV was the preferred stimulation method when assay sensitivity and practical reasons were considered. Notably, flowcytometric confirmation of data revealed that primarily T cells and NK cells produce IFNγ upon live MuV stimulation. Depleting PBMC from CD56(+) NK cells prior to stimulation with live MuV led to the enumeration of MuV-specific T cell responses by ELISPOT. Our assay constitutes a tool to evaluate memory MuV-specific T cell responses in MuV vaccinated or infected persons. Furthermore, this study provides evidence that live MuV not only induces IFNγ production by T cells, but also by NK cells.

Immunodominance in T cell responses elicited against different domains of detoxified pneumolysin PlyD1

Detoxified pneumolysin, PlyD1, is a protein vaccine candidate that induces protection against infections with Streptococcus pneumoniae in mouse models. Despite extensive knowledge on antibody responses against PlyD1, limited information is available about PlyD1 induced T cell recognition. Here we interrogated epitope breadth and functional characteristics of the T cell response to PlyD1 in two mouse strains. BALB/c (H-2d) and C57BL/6 (H-2b) mice were vaccinated with Al(OH)3-adjuvanted or non-adjuvanted PlyD1, or placebo, on day 0, 21 and 42 and were sacrificed at day 56 for collection of sera and spleens. Vaccination with adjuvanted and non-adjuvanted PlyD1 induced anti-pneumolysin IgG antibodies with neutralizing capacity in both mouse strains. Adjuvantation of PlyD1 enhanced the serological responses in both strains. In vitro restimulation of splenocytes with PlyD1 and 18-mer synthetic peptides derived from pneumolysin revealed specific proliferative and cytokine responses. For both mouse strains, one immunodominant and three subdominant natural epitopes were identified. Overlap between H-2d and H-2b restricted T cell epitopes was limited, yet similarities were found between epitopes processed in mice and predicted to be immunogenic in humans. H-2d restricted T cell epitopes were localized in pneumolysin domains 2 and 3, whereas H-2b epitopes were scattered over the protein. Cytokine responses show mostly a Th2 profile, with low levels of Th1 cytokines, in both mouse strains. In conclusion, PlyD1 evokes T cell responses in mice directed against multiple epitope regions, that is dependent on Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) background. These results are important to understand human PlyD1 T cell immunogenicity, to guide cell mediated immunity studies in the context of vaccine development.