Taoyong Chen

Splenic stroma drives mature dendritic cells to differentiate into regulatory dendritic cells

The fates of dendritic cells (DCs) after antigen presentation have been studied extensively, but the influence of lymphoid microenvironments on DCs is mostly unknown. Here, using splenic stromal cells to mimic the immune microenvironment, we show that contact with stromal cells promoted mature DCs to proliferate in a fibronectin-dependent way and that both stromal cell contact and stromal cell–derived transforming growth factor-β induced their differentiation into a new regulatory DC subset. We have identified an in vivo counterpart in the spleen with similar phenotype and functions. These differentiated DCs secreted nitric oxide, which mediated the suppression of T cell proliferation in response to antigen presentation by mature DCs. Thus, our findings identify an important mechanism by which the microenvironment regulates immune responses.

The E3 ubiquitin ligase Nrdp1 'preferentially' promotes TLR-mediated production of type I interferon

E3 ubiquitin ligases are important in both innate and adaptive immunity. Here we report that Nrdp1, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, inhibited the production of proinflammatory cytokines but increased interferon-β production in Toll-like receptor–triggered macrophages by suppressing adaptor MyD88–dependent activation of transcription factors NF-κB and AP-1 while promoting activation of the kinase TBK1 and transcription factor IRF3. Nrdp1 directly bound and polyubiquitinated MyD88 and TBK1, which led to degradation of MyD88 and activation of TBK1. Knockdown of Nrdp1 inhibited the degradation of MyD88 and the activation of TBK1 and IRF3. Nrdp1-transgenic mice showed resistance to lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxin shock and to infection with vesicular stomatitis virus. Our data suggest that Nrdp1 functions as both an adaptor protein and an E3 unbiquitin ligase to regulate TLR responses in different ways.

Heat shock protein 70, released from heat-stressed tumor cells, initiates antitumor immunity by inducing tumor cell chemokine production and activating dendritic cells via TLR4 pathway.

Extracellular heat shock proteins (HSP) can activate dendritic cells (DC) and monocytes/macrophages, and HSP derived from tumor cells have been regarded as potent adjuvant facilitating presentation of tumor Ags and induction of antitumor immunity. However, the roles and the underlying mechanisms of releasable HSP in the induction of antitumor immunity have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we report that heat stress can induce the release of various HSP from tumor cells, which, in turn, activate tumor cells to produce chemokines for chemoattraction of DC and T cells via TLR4 signaling pathway. In vivo, we find that the infiltration and function of DC and T cells within tumor after local hyperthermia are increased significantly. We also provide evidence that HSP70 proteins released by tumor cells and TLR4 expressed by tumor cells/DC are essential for the chemoattraction of DC/T cells and for the subsequent induction of tumor-specific antitumor immunity. Therefore, our study suggests that heat stress-induced releasable HSP70 proteins from tumor cells play important roles in the initiation of antitumor immunity by inducing tumor cell production of chemokines and by activating the chemoattracted DC via TLR4 pathway.

Melittin, a Major Component of Bee Venom, Sensitizes Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells to Tumor Necrosis Factor-related Apoptosis-inducing Ligand (TRAIL)-induced Apoptosis by Activating CaMKII-TAK1-JNK/p38 and Inhibiting IκBα Kinase-NFκB

Promoting apoptosis is a strategy for cancer drug discovery. Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) induces apoptosis in a wide range of malignant cells. However, several cancers, including human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), exhibit a major resistance to TRAIL-induced cell death. Melittin, a water-soluble 26-amino acid peptide derived from bee venom of Apis mellifera, can exert toxic or inhibitory effects on many types of tumor cells. Here we report that melittin can induce apoptosis of HCC cells by activating Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), and JNK/p38 MAPK. We show that melittin-induced apoptosis can be inhibited by calcium chelator, by inhibitors for Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, JNK and p38, and by dominant negative TAK1. In the presence of melittin, TRAIL-induced apoptosis is significantly increased in TRAIL-resistant HCC cells, which may be attributed to melittin-induced TAK1-JNK/p38 activation and melittin-mediated inhibition of IκBα kinase-NFκB. Our data suggest that melittin can synergize with TRAIL in the induction of HCC cell apoptosis by activating the TAK1-JNK/p38 pathway but inhibiting the IκBα kinase-NFκB pathway. Therefore, the combination of melittin with TRAIL may be a promising therapeutic approach in the treatment of TRAIL-resistant human cancer.

More Efficient Induction of HLA-A*0201-Restricted and Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)–Specific CTL Response by Immunization with Exosomes Prepared from Heat-Stressed CEA-Positive Tumor Cells

Purpose: Tumor-derived exosomes are proposed as a new type of cancer vaccine. Heat shock proteins are potent Th1 adjuvant, and heat stress can induce heat shock protein and MHC-I expression in tumor cells, leading to the increased immunogenicity of tumor cells. To improve the immunogenicity of exosomes as cancer vaccine, we prepared exosomes from heat-stressed carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)–positive tumor cells (CEA+/HS-Exo) and tested the efficacy of these exosomes in the induction of CEA-specific antitumor immunity. Experimental Design: First, we identified the composition of CEA+/HS-Exo and observed their effects on human dendritic cell maturation. Then, we evaluated their ability to induce a CEA-specific immune response in vivo in HLA-A2.1/Kb transgenic mice and CEA-specific CTL response in vitro in HLA-A*0201+ healthy donors and HLA-A*0201+CEA+ cancer patients. Results: CEA+/HS-Exo contained CEA and more heat shock protein 70 and MHC-I and significantly induced dendritic cell maturation. Immunization of HLA-A2.1/Kb transgenic mice with CEA+/HS-Exo was more efficient in priming a CEA-specific CTL, and the CTL showed antitumor effect when adoptively transferred to SW480-bearing nude mice. Moreover, in vitro incubation of lymphocytes from HLA-A*0201+ healthy donors and HLA-A*0201+CEA+ cancer patients with CEA+/HS-Exo-pulsed autologous dendritic cells induces HLA-A*0201-restricted and CEA-specific CTL response. Conclusions: Our results show that CEA+/HS-Exo has superior immunogenicity than CEA+/Exo in inducing CEA-specific CTL response and suggest that exosomes derived from heat-stressed tumor cells may be used as efficient vaccine for cancer immunotherapy.

Chemokine-Containing Exosomes Are Released from Heat-Stressed Tumor Cells via Lipid Raft-Dependent Pathway and Act as Efficient Tumor Vaccine

Exosomes derived from dendritic cells or tumor cells are a population of nanometer-sized membrane vesicles that can induce specific antitumor immunity. During investigation of the effects of hyperthermia on antitumor immune response, we found that exosomes derived from heat-stressed tumor cells (HS-TEX) could chemoattract and activate dendritic cells (DC) and T cells more potently than that by conventional tumor-derived exosomes. We show that HS-TEX contain chemokines, such as CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL5, and CCL20, and the chemokine-containing HS-TEX are functionally competent in chemoattracting CD11c+ DC and CD4+/CD8+ T cells both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the production of chemokine-containing HS-TEX could be inhibited by ATP inhibitor, calcium chelator, and cholesterol scavenger, indicating that the mobilization of chemokines into exosomes was ATP- and calcium-dependent and via a lipid raft-dependent pathway. We consistently found that the intracellular chemokines could be enriched in lipid rafts after heat stress. Accordingly, intratumoral injection of HS-TEX could induce specific antitumor immune response more efficiently than that by tumor-derived exosomes, thus inhibiting tumor growth and prolonging survival of tumor-bearing mice more significantly. Therefore, our results demonstrate that exosomes derived from HS-TEX represent a kind of efficient tumor vaccine and can chemoattract and activate DC and T cells, inducing more potent antitumor immune response. Release of chemokines through exosomes via lipid raft-dependent pathway may be a new method of chemokine exocytosis.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel CXC chemokine macrophage inflammatory protein-2 gamma chemoattractant for human neutrophils and dendritic cells.

Chemokines play important roles in leukocyte trafficking as well as function regulation. In this study, we described the identification and characterization of a novel CXC chemokine from a human dendritic cell (DC) cDNA library, the full-length cDNA of which contains an open reading frame encoding 111 aa with a putative signal peptide of 34 aa. This CXC chemokine shares greatest homology with macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2αβ, hence is designated as MIP-2γ. Mouse MIP-2γ was identified by electrocloning and is highly homologous to human MIP-2γ. Northern blotting revealed that MIP-2γ was constitutively and widely expressed in most normal tissues with the greatest expression in kidney, but undetectable in most tumor cell lines except THP-1 cells. In situ hybridization analysis demonstrated that MIP-2γ was mainly expressed by the epithelium of tubules in the kidney and hepatocytes in the liver. Although no detectable expression was observed in freshly isolated or PMA-treated monocytes, RT-PCR analysis revealed MIP-2γ expression by monocyte-derived DC. Recombinant MIP-2γ from 293 cells is about 9.5 kDa in size and specifically detectable by its polyclonal Ab developed by the immunization with its 6His-tagged fusion protein. The eukaryotically expressed MIP-2γ is a potent chemoattractant for neutrophils, and weaker for DC, but inactive to monocytes, NK cells, and T and B lymphocytes. Receptor binding assays showed that MIP-2γ does not bind to CXCR2. This implies that DC might contribute to the innate immunity through the production of neutrophil-attracting chemokines and extends the knowledge about the regulation of DC migration.

The Lysosome-associated Apoptosis-inducing Protein Containing the Pleckstrin Homology (PH) and FYVE Domains (LAPF), Representative of a Novel Family of PH and FYVE Domain-containing Proteins, Induces Caspase-independent Apoptosis via the Lysosomal-Mitochondrial Pathway

Lysosomes have recently been identified as important apoptotic signal integrators in response to various stimuli. Here we report the functional characterization of LAPF, a novel lysosome-associated apoptosis-inducing protein containing PH and FYVE domains. LAPF is a representative of a new protein family, the Phafins (protein containing both PH and FYVE domains), which consists of 14 unidentified proteins from various species. Overexpression of LAPF in L929 cells induces apoptosis and also increases cell sensitivity to TNFα-induced apoptosis, concomitant with its translocation to lysosomes. Two mutants of LAPF, either lacking the PH or FYVE domain, failed to induce cell death and translocate to lysosomes, suggesting that both domains are required for its apoptosis-inducing activity and relocation. We demonstrate that LAPF may induce apoptosis via the following steps: LAPF translocation to lysosomes, lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP), release of cathepsin (cath) D and L, mitochondrial membrane permeabilization (MMP), release of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), and caspase-independent apoptosis. The cath D-specific inhibitor attenuates LAPF-induced apoptosis, indicating a pivotal role of lysosomes in LAPF-initiated apoptosis. We also demonstrate that the lysosomal pathway was employed in the typical apoptotic model in which high dose TNFα was used to stimulate L929 cells. Silencing of LAPF expression by small RNA interference protected L929 cells from hTNFα-induced apoptosis by impairing hTNFα-triggered LMP and MMP. Therefore, LAPF may launch caspase-independent apoptosis through the lysosomal-mitochondrial pathway.

Macrophage-derived chemokine gene transfer results in tumor regression in murine lung carcinoma model through efficient induction of antitumor immunity

Chemokine gene transfer represents a promising approach in the treatment of malignancies. Macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) (CCL22) belongs to the CC chemokine family and is a strong chemoattractant for dendritic cells (DC), NK cells and T cells. Using adenoviral vectors, human MDC gene was transferred in vivo to investigate its efficacy to induce an antitumor response and to determine the immunologic mechanisms involved. We observed that intratumoral injection of recombinant adenovirus encoding human MDC (AdMDC) resulted in marked tumor regression in a murine model with pre-established subcutaneous 3LL lung carcinoma and induced significant CTL activity. The antitumor response was demonstrated to be CD4+ T cell- and CD8+ T cell-dependent. Administration of AdMDC induced chemoattraction of DC to the tumor site, facilitated DC migration to draining lymph nodes or spleen, and finally activated DC to produce high levels of IL-12. Furthermore, a significant increase of IL-4 production within the tumors was observed early after the AdMDC administration and was followed by the increase of IL-12 and IL-2 production. The levels of IL-2, IL-12 and IFN-γ in serum, lymph nodes and spleen were also found to be higher in mice treated with AdMDC as compared with that in AdLacZ- or PBS-treated mice. The antitumor response induced by AdMDC was markedly impaired in IL-4 knockout mice, suggesting an important role of IL-4 in the induction of antitumor immunity by MDC. These results suggest that MDC gene transfer might elicit significant antitumor effects through efficient induction of antitumor immunity and might be of therapeutic potentials for cancer.

Fractalkine transgene induces T-cell-dependent antitumor immunity through chemoattraction and activation of dendritic cells

Fractalkine (FK, also called neurotactin or CX3CL1) is a CX3C chemokine that can chemoattract T lymphocytes, monocytes and NK cells. In our study, we investigated the induction of antitumor response by FK gene transfer. FK gene‐modified 3LL lung carcinoma cells (3LL‐FK) could both secrete soluble form and express membrane‐bound form of FK. The tumor growth of 3LL‐FK was decreased. Vaccination with 3LL‐FK was effective in the induction of protective immunity and CTL. In vivo depletion analysis demonstrated that CD8+ T cells are the main participating cells of the antitumor response. Obvious infiltrations of CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells and dendritic cells (DC) were observed in the tumor sites, suggesting that 3LL‐FK might induce antitumor immunity through chemoattraction and activation of T cells and DC. Then we investigated the chemoattraction and activation of DC by 3LL‐FK. Chemotaxis assay showed that the supernatants of 3LL‐FK could chemoattract immature DC, which were found to express FK receptor CX3CR1, and the immature DC could obviously adhere to 3LL‐FK. Adherence of DC to 3LL‐FK resulted in phenotypic maturation and upregulated IL‐12 secretion of DC, and more strong stimulation of allogeneic T‐cell proliferation by DC. The increased production of IL‐2 and IFNγ in 3LL‐FK tumor tissue was also observed. Our data suggested that FK gene transfer to tumor cells could induce T‐cell‐dependent antitumor immunity through chemoattraction and activation of DC.