Marcus Groettrup

TLR ligands and antigen need to be coencapsulated into the same biodegradable microsphere for the generation of potent cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses

Dendritic cells phagocytose pathogens leading to maturation and cross-presentation on MHC class I. We found that the efficiency of cross-priming in mice after vaccination with biodegradable poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres (MSs) was enhanced when ovalbumin was coencapsulated together with either a CpG oligonucleotide or polyI:C as compared to co-inoculation of ovalbumin-bearing MS with soluble or separately encapsulated adjuvants. A single immunization with MS containing coencaspsulated CpG and ovalbumin yielded 9% SIINFEKL/H-2K(b) tetramer positive CTLs, production of IFN-gamma, efficient cytolysis, and protection from vaccinia virus infection. Taken together, coencapsulation of adjuvant and antigen is an important paradigm for the generation of potent CTL responses.

Dendritic cells up-regulate immunoproteasomes and the proteasome regulator PA28 during maturation.

Dendritic cells (DC) are highly specialized professional antigen presenting cells which are pivotal for the initiation and control of the cytotoxic T cell response. Upon stimulation by cytokines, bacteria, or CD40L DC undergo a maturation process from an antigen‐receptive state to a state of optimal stimulation of T cells. We investigated the composition of proteasomes of DC derived from human peripheral blood monocytes before and after stimulation by CD40L, LPS, or proinflammatory cytokines (TNF‐αu2009+u2009IL‐6u2009+u2009IL‐1β). Immunoprecipitation of proteasomes and analysis on two‐dimensional gels revealed that during maturation the inducible proteasome subunits LMP2, LMP7, and MECL‐1 are up‐regulated and that the neosynthesis of proteasomes is switched exclusively to the production of immunoproteasomes containing these subunits. The proteasome regulator PA28 is markedly up‐regulated in mature DC and in addition a so – far unidentified 21‐kDa protein co‐precipitates with the proteasome in LPS – stimulated DC. These changes in proteasome composition may be functionally linked to special properties of DC like MHC class I up‐regulation or cross‐priming. Our findings imply that the spectrum of class I‐bound peptides may change after DC maturation which could be relevant for the design of DC – based vaccines.

The Ubiquitin-like Protein FAT10 Forms Covalent Conjugates and Induces Apoptosis

FAT10 is a ubiquitin-like protein that is encoded in the major histocompatibility complex class I locus and is synergistically inducible with interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor α. The molecule consists of two ubiquitin-like domains in tandem arrangement and bears a conserved diglycine motif at its carboxyl terminus commonly used in ubiquitin-like proteins for isopeptide linkage to conjugated proteins. We investigated the function of FAT10 by expressing murine FAT10 in a hemagglutinin-tagged wild type form as well as a diglycine-deficient mutant form in mouse fibroblasts in a tetracycline-repressible manner. FAT10 expression did not affect major histocompatibility complex class I cell surface expression or antigen presentation. However, we found that wild type but not mutant FAT10 caused apoptosis within 24 h of induction in a caspase-dependent manner as indicated by annexin V cell surface staining and DNA fragmentation. Wild type FAT10, but not its diglycine mutant, was covalently conjugated to thus far unidentified proteins, indicating that specific FAT10 activating and conjugating enzymes must be operative in unstimulated fibroblasts. Because FAT10 expression causes apoptosis and is inducible with tumor necrosis factor α, it may be functionally involved in the programmed cell death mediated by this cytokine.

FAT10, a ubiquitin-independent signal for proteasomal degradation

ABSTRACT FAT10 is a small ubiquitin-like modifier that is encoded in the major histocompatibility complex and is synergistically inducible by tumor necrosis factor alpha and gamma interferon. It is composed of two ubiquitin-like domains and possesses a free C-terminal diglycine motif that is required for the formation of FAT10 conjugates. Here we show that unconjugated FAT10 and a FAT10 conjugate were rapidly degraded by the proteasome at a similar rate. Fusion of FAT10 to the N terminus of very long-lived proteins enhanced their degradation rate as potently as fusion with ubiquitin did. FAT10-green fluorescent protein fusion proteins were not cleaved but entirely degraded, suggesting that FAT10-specific deconjugating enzymes were not present in the analyzed cell lines. Interestingly, the prevention of ubiquitylation of FAT10 by mutation of all lysines or by expression in ubiquitylation-deficient cells did not affect FAT10 degradation. Thus, conjugation with FAT10 is an alternative and ubiquitin-independent targeting mechanism for degradation by the proteasome, which, in contrast to polyubiquitylation, is cytokine inducible and irreversible.

Interferon-γ inducible exchanges of 20S proteasome active site subunits: Why?

When cells are stimulated with the cytokines IFN-gamma or TNF-alpha, the synthesis of three proteasome subunits LMP2 (beta1i), LMP7 (beta5i), and MECL-1 (beta2i) is induced. These subunits replace the three subunits delta (beta1), MB1 (beta5), and Z (beta2), which bear the catalytically active sites of the proteasome, during proteasome neosynthesis. The cytokine-induced exchanges of three active site subunits of a complex protease is unprecedented in biology and one may expect a strong functional driving force for this system to evolve. These cytokine-induced replacements of proteasome subunits are believed to favour the production of peptide ligands of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules for the stimulation of cytotoxic T cells. Although the peptide production by constitutive proteasomes is able to maintain peptide-dependent MHC class I cell surface expression in the absence of LMP2 and LMP7, these subunits were recently shown to be pivotal for the generation or destruction of several unique epitopes. In this review we discuss the recent data on LMP2/LMP7/MECL-1-dependent epitope generation and the functions of each of these subunit exchanges. We propose that these subunit exchanges have evolved not only to optimize class I peptide loading but also to generate LMP2/LMP7/MECL-1-dependent epitopes in inflammatory sites which are not proteolytically generated in uninflamed tissues. This difference in epitope generation may serve to better stimulate T cells in the sites of an ongoing immune response and to avoid autoimmunity in uninflamed tissues.

Overexpression of the proteasome subunits LMP2, LMP7, and MECL-1, but not PA28 alpha/beta, enhances the presentation of an immunodominant lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus T cell epitope.

The proteasome is a large protease complex that generates most of the peptide ligands of MHC class I molecules either in their final form or in the form of N-terminally extended precursors. Upon the stimulation of cells with IFN-γ, three constitutively expressed subunits of the 20S proteasome are replaced by the inducible subunits LMP2 (low-molecular mass polypeptide 2), LMP7, and MECL-1 (multicatalytic endopeptidase complex-like-1) to form so-called immunoproteasomes. We show in this study that overexpression of these three subunits in triple transfectants led to a marked enhancement in the H-2Ld-restricted presentation of the immunodominant nonameric epitope NP118, which is derived from the nucleoprotein (NP) of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. Overexpression of the α and β subunits of the IFN-γ-inducible proteasome regulator PA28, in contrast, did not have a comparable effect. In vitro, immunoproteasomes as compared with constitutive proteasomes generated higher amounts of 11- and 12-mer fragments containing the NP118 epitope. These are likely to be cytosolic precursors of NP118, as a proline anchor residue in the second position of NP118 may interfere with TAP-mediated transport of the nonameric epitope itself. In conclusion, we provide evidence that up-regulation of the three inducible subunits, LMP2, LMP7, and MECL-1, can result in a marked improvement of Ag presentation and that, depending on the epitope, PA28 and immunoproteasomes may differentially affect Ag processing.

Dendritic cell-based multi-epitope immunotherapy of hormone-refractory prostate carcinoma

Background: Dendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy is a promising approach to augment tumor antigen-specific T cell responses in cancer patients. However, tumor escape with down-regulation or complete loss of target antigens may limit the susceptibility of tumor cells to the immune attack. Concomitant generation of T cell responses against several immunodominant antigens may circumvent this potential drawback. In this trial, we determined the immunostimulatory capacity of autologous DC pulsed with multiple T cell epitopes derived from four different prostate-specific antigens in patients with advanced hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Patients and methods: Autologous DC of HLA-A*0201+ patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer were loaded with antigenic peptides derived from prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA14–22), prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP299–307), prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA4–12), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA154–163). DC were intradermally applied six times at biweekly intervals followed—in the case of an enhanced immune response—by monthly booster injections. Immune monitoring during the time of ongoing vaccinations (12–59xa0weeks) included ex vivo ELISPOT measurements, MHC tetramer analysis and in vitro cytotoxicity assays. Results: Of the initial six patients, three qualified for long-term multi-epitope DC vaccination. This regime was tolerated well by all three patients. The vaccination elicited significant cytotoxic T cell responses against all prostate-specific antigens tested. In addition, memory T cell responses against the control peptides derived from influenza matrix protein and tetanus toxoid were efficiently boosted. Clinically, the long-term DC vaccination was associated with an increase in PSA doubling time. Conclusions: DC-based multi-epitope immunotherapy with repeated boosting in men with hormone-refractory prostate carcinoma is feasible and generates efficient cellular antitumor responses.

The Selective Proteasome Inhibitors Lactacystin and Epoxomicin Can Be Used to Either Up- or Down-Regulate Antigen Presentation at Nontoxic Doses

The complete inhibition of proteasome activities interferes with the production of most MHC class I peptide ligands as well as with cellular proliferation and survival. In this study we have investigated how partial and selective inhibition of the chymotrypsin-like activity of the proteasome by the proteasome inhibitors lactacystin or epoxomicin would affect Ag presentation. At 0.5–1 μM lactacystin, the presentation of the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-derived epitopes NP118 and GP33 and the mouse CMV epitope pp89–168 were reduced and were further diminished in a dose-dependent manner with increasing concentrations. Presentation of the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-derived epitope GP276, in contrast, was markedly enhanced at low, but abrogated at higher, concentrations of either lactacystin or epoxomicin. The inhibitor-mediated effects were thus epitope specific and did not correlate with the degradation rates of the involved viral proteins. Although neither apoptosis induction nor interference with cellular proliferation was observed at 0.5–1 μM lactacystin in vivo, this concentration was sufficient to alter the fragmentation of polypeptides by the 20S proteasome in vitro. Our results indicate that partial and selective inhibition of proteasome activity in vivo is a valid approach to modulate Ag presentation, with potential applications for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and the prevention of transplant rejection.

Cutting Edge: Neosynthesis Is Required for the Presentation of a T Cell Epitope from a Long-Lived Viral Protein

CTLs recognize peptide epitopes which are proteolytically generated by the proteasome and presented on MHC class I molecules. According to the defective ribosomal product (DRiP) hypothesis, epitopes originate from newly synthesized polypeptides which are degraded shortly after their translation. The DRiP hypothesis would explain how epitopes can be generated from long-lived proteins. We examined whether neosynthesis is required for presentation of the immunodominant epitope NP118 of the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus nucleoprotein, which has a half-life of >3 days. Two days after nucleoprotein biosynthesis was terminated in a tetracycline-regulated transfectant, the presentation of the NP118 epitope ceased. This indicates that NP118 epitopes are generated from newly synthesized nucleoproteins rather than from the long-lived pool of nucleoproteins in the cell. Therefore, the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus nucleoprotein is the first substrate for which a major prediction of the DRiP hypothesis, namely the requirement for neosynthesis, is shown to hold true.

A ubiquitin-like protein which is synergistically inducible by interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha

A means of regulating the fate of intracellular proteins is their covalent conjugation to ubiquitin‐like proteins. A recently discovered ubiquitin‐like protein is called “diubiquitin” because it consists of two ubiquitin‐like domains in head‐to‐tail arrangement. Human diubiquitin is encoded at the telomeric end of the MHC class I locus and was previously found to be expressed in dendritic cells and mature B cells. We have extended the expression analysis of diubiquitin by reverse transcriptase‐PCR and Northern blotting in primary endothelial cells and human cancer cell lines derived from nine different tissues. Diubiquitin expression was found to be generally and synergistically inducible with the cytokines IFN‐γ and TNF‐α but not with IFN‐α. Diubiquitin mRNA expression was induced within 2 h after cytokine stimulation and was independent of protein neosynthesis but dependent on proteasome activity. The mouse homologue of diubiquitin which is also encoded in the MHC class I locus was likewise induced with IFN‐γ and TNF‐α. A general and synergistic induction with IFN‐γ and TNF‐α suggests that diubiquitin may exert its functions in antigen presentation or other cellular processes controlled by these two cytokines.