Anti-4-1BB monoclonal antibody enhances rejection of large tumor burden by promoting survival but not clonal expansion of tumor-specific CD8+ T cells.
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Anti-4-1BB monoclonal antibody (mAb) has been shown to induce antitumor immunity by a CD4/CD8-dependent mechanism, but its direct effect on tumor-specific CD8+ T cells in tumor rejection is unclear. Here we used transgenic CD8+ T cells against the unmutated tumor rejection antigen P1A to analyze whether this mAb can promote CD8+ T-cell function against large tumors in the absence of CD4+ T-helper cells. RAG-2(-/-) mice were challenged with P1A-expressing plasmacytoma J558. Once tumor size reached a diameter of 0.85-1.75 cm, mice were treated with P1A-specific CD8+ CTL (P1CTL) in conjunction with anti-4-1BB mAb or control IgG. All of the mice showed a partial regression of tumor, but mice treated with anti-4-1BB mAb exhibited markedly enhanced tumor rejection, delayed tumor progression, and prolonged survival. Correspondingly, we observed a substantial increase in the number of P1CTL in anti-4-1BB mAb-treated mice. Surprisingly, anti-4-1BB mAb did not accelerate division of the tumor-specific CD8+ T cells, and the increase in tumor-specific T-cell number was due to reduced activation-induced cell death. These results indicate that anti-4-1BB mAb can promote CD8+ T cell-mediated protection against large tumors in the absence of CD4+ T-cell help by promoting P1CTL survival without increasing initial clonal expansion. (+info)
CD137 is expressed by follicular dendritic cells and costimulates B lymphocyte activation in germinal centers.
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CD137, a member of the TNF receptor family, and its ligand are expressed on T lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells (APC), respectively. During interaction with APC, T lymphocytes receive a potent, costimulatory signal through CD137. Reverse signaling has been demonstrated for the CD137 ligand, which causes activation in monocytes. Here we show that B lymphocytes also receive costimulatory signals through the CD137 ligand. Immobilized CD137 augmented proliferation of preactivated B lymphocytes up to fivefold and immunoglobulin synthesis, up to threefold. CD137 had no effect on resting cells. Further, we show that CD137 is expressed in vivo by follicular dendritic cells (FDC) in germinal centers. Germinal centers form during humoral immune responses and are essential for B lymphocyte affinity maturation. These data imply that, similar to the CD40 receptor/ligand system, which mediates T lymphocyte help to B lymphocytes after the first antigen encounter, the CD137 receptor/ligand system may mediate costimulation of B lymphocytes by FDC during affinity maturation. (+info)
Impaired infiltration of tumor-specific cytolytic T cells in the absence of interferon-gamma despite their normal maturation in lymphoid organs during CD137 monoclonal antibody therapy.
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Engagement of CD137 receptor by agonistic monoclonal antibodies (mAb) stimulates IFN-gamma production and eradicates established tumors in syngeneic mouse models. Using IFN-gamma-deficient mice or neutralizing mAb, we demonstrate that IFN-gamma is an absolute requirement for the antitumor effect of CD137 mAb. Despite progressive tumor growth in IFN-gamma-depleted mice, a fully competent CD8(+) cytolytic T cell (CTL) response developed in the lymph nodes. In addition, tumor cell sensitivity to IFN-gamma was not required because expression of a dominant-negative IFN-gamma receptor on the tumor did not affect the therapeutic effect of CD137 mAb. However, in the absence of IFN-gamma, the number of tumor-infiltrating CD8(+) CTLs was drastically decreased. Our results demonstrate that IFN-gamma is a critical factor regulating the infiltration of antigen-specific CTL into the tumor. (+info)
CD30 expression identifies the predominant proliferating T lymphocyte population in human alloimmune responses.
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CD30 is an inducible member of the TNFR superfamily that is expressed on activated T and B cells and some lymphoid malignancies. We have previously shown that human CD30(+) T cells elicited with allogeneic APC are a major source of IFN-gamma and IL-5 production. In the present study we have used alloantigen, as well as anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 mAb stimulation, to further characterize human CD30(+) T cells with respect to function and the expression of other activation-dependent cell surface molecules, including the related TNFR family members OX-40 and 4-1BB (CD137). Our results indicate that human CD30(+) T cells are a subset of activated T cells that also express CD25 and CD45RO. Moreover, we observed that allogeneic APC consistently induced a greater proportion of CD30(+) cells within the activated T cell population than did stimulation with plate-bound anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 mAb or stimulation with soluble anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 and autologous APC. The enhanced induction of CD30 expression by alloantigen was not common to other inducible TNFR family members because anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 mAbs were far more effective in inducing expression of 4-1BB and OX-40. Furthermore, CD30 expression marked the predominant proliferating T cell population induced by alloantigen as determined by CFSE staining and flow cytometry. These results indicate that CD30, but not 4-1BB or OX-40, is preferentially induced by alloantigen, suggesting that CD30 may be important in human alloimmune responses. (+info)
4-1BB-specific monoclonal antibody promotes the generation of tumor-specific immune responses by direct activation of CD8 T cells in a CD40-dependent manner.
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4-1BB (CD137) is a member of the TNFR superfamily (TNFRSF9). T cell expression of 4-1BB is restricted to activated cells, and cross-linking has been shown to deliver a costimulatory signal. Here we have shown that treatment of tumor-bearing mice with agonistic 4-1BB-specific Abs can lead to T cell-mediated tumor rejection. In vivo mAb depletion experiments demonstrated that this rejection requires CD8(+) cells but not CD4(+) or NK cells. Both IFN-gamma- and CD40-mediated signals were also required, because no benefit was observed on treatment with 4-1BB mAb in mice in which the genes for these molecules had been knocked out. Interestingly, 4-1BB-mediated stimulation of immune responses in CD40L(-/-) mice is effective (although at a reduced level), and may suggest the existence of an alternative ligand for CD40. Additional experiments in IL-15(-/-) mice indicate that IL-15 is not required for either the generation of the primary tumor-specific immune response or the maintenance of the memory immune response. In contrast, the presence of CD4 cells during the primary immune response appears to play a significant role in the maintenance of effective antitumor memory. Finally, in mice in which the number of dendritic cells had been expanded by Fms-like tyrosine kinase3 ligand treatment, the antitumor effects of 4-1BB ligation were enhanced. (+info)
4-1BB co-stimulation enhances human CD8(+) T cell priming by augmenting the proliferation and survival of effector CD8(+) T cells.
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Interactions between 4-1BB and its ligand, 4-1BBL, enhance CD8(+) T cell-mediated antiviral and antitumor immunity in vivo. However, mechanisms regulating the priming of CD8(+) T cell responses by 4-1BB remain unclear, particularly in humans. The 4-1BB receptor was undetectable on naive or resting human CD8(+) T cells and induced in vitro by TCR triggering. Naive cord blood cells were therefore primed in vitro against peptides or cellular antigens and then co-stimulated with 4-1BBL or agonistic antibodies. Co-stimulation enhanced effector function such as IFN-gamma production and cytotoxicity by augmenting numbers of antigen-specific and effector CD8(+) T cells. OKT3 responses also showed reduced cell death and revealed that the proliferation of CD8(+) T cells required two independently regulated events. One, the induction of IL-2 production, could be directly triggered by 4-1BB engagement on CD8(+) T cells in the absence of accessory cells. The other, expression of CD25, was induced with variable efficacy by accessory cells. Thus, suboptimal accessory cells and 4-1BB co-stimulation combined their effects to enhance IL-2 production and proliferation. Reduced apoptosis observed after co-stimulation in the presence of accessory cells correlated with increased levels of Bcl-X(L) in CD8(+) T cells, while Bcl-2 expression remained unchanged. Altogether, 4-1BB enhanced expansion, survival and effector functions of newly primed CD8(+) T cells, acting in part directly on these cells. As 4-1BB triggering could be protracted from the TCR signal, 4-1BB agonists may function through these mechanisms to enhance or rescue suboptimal immune responses. (+info)
Global reprogramming of dendritic cells in response to a concerted action of inflammatory mediators.
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Maturation of dendritic cells (DC) serves a deterministic role in the link between innate and adaptive immunity, constituting a checkpoint with regard to whether responses from the lymphocyte compartment shall be raised and what class of response is needed to protect the host against invading pathogens. Since DC have not been shown to possess mechanisms such as gene recombination or somatic mutation for generating a diverse repertoire of antigen-recognition receptors, it is unlikely that these leukocytes can intrinsically respond to all conceivable molecules present in our environment. In the present study, we have therefore determined how mediators of the inflammatory response regulate global gene transcription in DC. The data represent an extensive and time-ordered reprogramming of the DC during their course of maturation, involving genes encoding proteins that regulate responses of both innate cells and lymphocytes. This transcriptional reorganization may reflect the effect of in vivo released inflammatory mediators induced by endogenous or pathogenic stimulation. (+info)
Signaling through NK cell-associated CD137 promotes both helper function for CD8+ cytolytic T cells and responsiveness to IL-2 but not cytolytic activity.
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NK cells possess both effector and regulatory activities that may be important during the antitumor immune response. In fact, the generation of antitumor immunity by the administration of an agonistic mAb against CD137 is NK cell-dependent. In this study, we report that NK cells could be induced by IL-2 and IL-15 to express CD137 and ligation of CD137-stimulated NK cell proliferation and IFN-gamma secretion, but not their cytolytic activity. Importantly, CD137-stimulated NK cells promoted the expansion of activated T cells in vitro, demonstrating immunoregulatory or "helper" activity for CD8(+)CTL. Furthermore, tumor-specific CTL activity against P815 tumor Ags was abrogated following anti-CD137 treatment in NK-depleted mice. We further demonstrate that CD137-stimulated helper NK cells expressed the high-affinity IL-2R and were hyperresponsive to IL-2. Taken together with previous findings that CD137 is a critical receptor for costimulation of T cells, our findings suggest that CD137 is a stimulatory receptor for NK cells involved in the crosstalk between innate and adaptive immunity. (+info)