The encounter of NK cells with dendritic cells (DC) undergoing maturation may result in the induction of NK cell proliferation. Whether such proliferation involves most NK cells or just a subset has yet to be determined. In the present study we analyzed the nature of such proliferating NK cells by combining carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester staining and double-fluorescence cytofluorimetric analysis. Freshly isolated peripheral blood NK cells cultured with LPS and immature DC underwent proliferation; however, proliferating cells were confined to a minor NK cell subset. This subset is characterized by the CD56(bright)CD16(-)NKG2A(+)KIR(-) surface phenotype (KIR, killer Ig-like receptor). This was further confirmed by the fact that, after cell sorting, only the CD56(bright) NK cells were able to proliferate in response to the DC stimulus, whereas the CD56(dull) were not. We also provide evidence that the CD56(bright) subset is the main source of IFN-gamma-producing NK cells, upon interaction with DC. The CD56(bright)CD16(-) NK cells express a panel of surface molecules including CD62L, CCR7 and CXCR3 that may allow their homing either to secondary lymphoid compartments or to inflamed tissues. This implies that, in vivo, the interactions between DC undergoing maturation and CD56(bright) NK cells may occur in different tissues and have different functional implications.

CD223 (LAG-3) is an activation-induced cell surface molecule, structurally similar to the T cell coreceptor CD4, that binds MHC class II molecules with high affinity. Little is known about the expression and function of murine CD223. Here, we show that mRNA expression is restricted to the thymic medulla, splenic red pulp and sparse cells in the adult brain cortex. In contrast, surprisingly high expression was seen in defined tracts at the base of the cerebellum and in the choroid plexus of day 7 postnatal brain. mCD223:Ig, but not CD4:Ig, fusion proteins stained cells expressing MHC class II molecules. Analysis of mCD223 cell surface expression was performed with a new monoclonal antibody (mAb) that recognizes an epitope in the D2 domain. Although it blocked mCD223 function in vitro, it did not block binding of mCD223 to MHC class II molecules. While very few TCRalpha beta T cells in the spleen and thymus of naive mice express surface mCD223 (<3 %), approximately 18 % TCR gamma delta T cells and approximately 10 % NK cells are positive. This small population of TCRalpha beta T cells are cycling memory T cells (BrdU(+), CD44(hi), CD62L(lo)). In contrast, all T cells express mCD223 2-3 days post activation. This study and the anti-CD223 mAb should greatly assist in the elucidation of CD223 function.

Induced antigen-specific Foxp3(+) T cells (iTreg) are being discussed as a promising alternative to polyclonal natural Foxp3(+) T cells (nTreg) for cell-based therapies, particularly to achieve transplantation tolerance. Using Foxp3eGFP-reporter mice, we here establish an efficient protocol to induce and expand alloantigen-specific iTreg from Foxp3(-)CD4(+) T cells with cluster-disrupted DC. These iTreg were mainly CD62L(+) and showed efficient suppressive activity in vitro. However, in contrast to nTreg, adoptively transferred iTreg entirely failed to prevent lethal graft versus host disease (GVHD). Within irradiated recipients, the majority of adoptively transferred Foxp3(+) iTreg, but not Foxp3(+) nTreg quickly reverted to Foxp3(-)CD4(+) T cells. We therefore suggest that therapeutic approaches to treat GVHD should rely on nTreg, whereas the use of de novo alloantigen-induced iTreg should be handled with caution since the stability of the regulatory phenotype of the iTreg could be of major concern.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly malignant brain tumor with an average survival time of 15 months. Previously, we and others demonstrated that CD4(+)FoxP3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) infiltrate human GBM as well as mouse models that recapitulate malignant brain tumors. However, whether brain tumor-resident Tregs are thymus-derived natural Tregs (nTregs) or induced Tregs (iTregs), by the conversion of conventional CD4(+) T cells, has not been established. To investigate this question, we utilized the i.c. implanted GL261 cell-based orthotopic mouse model, the RasB8 transgenic astrocytoma mouse model, and a human GBM tissue microarray. We demonstrate that Tregs in brain tumors are predominantly thymus derived, since thymectomy, prior to i.c. GL261 cell implantation, significantly decreased the level of Tregs in mice with brain tumors. Accordingly, most Tregs in human GBM and mouse brain tumors expressed the nTreg transcription factor, Helios. Interestingly, a significant effect of the brain tumor microenvironment on Treg lineage programming was observed, based on higher levels of brain tumor-resident Tregs expressing glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor and CD103 and lower levels of Tregs expressing CD62L and CD45RB compared with peripheral Tregs. Furthermore, there was a higher level of nTregs in brain tumors that expressed the proliferative marker Ki67 compared with iTregs and conventional CD4(+) T cells. Our study demonstrates that future Treg-depleting therapies should aim to selectively target systemic rather than intratumoral nTregs in brain tumor-specific immunotherapeutic strategies.

The relative contributions of CD62L(high) (central) memory and CD62L(low) (effector) memory T cell populations to recall responses are poorly understood, especially in the respiratory tract. In this study, we took advantage of a dual-adoptive transfer system in the mouse to simultaneously follow the recall response of effector and central memory subpopulations to intranasal parainfluenza virus infection. Using MHC class I and class II multimers, we tracked the responses of Ag-specific CD8(+) and CD4(+) memory T cells in the same animals. The data show that effector memory T cells mounted recall responses that were equal to, or greater than, those mounted by central memory T cells. Moreover, effector memory T cells were more efficient at subsequently establishing a second generation of memory T cells. These data contrast with other studies indicating that central memory CD8(+) T cells are the prominent contributors to systemic virus infections.

Apoptotic leukocytes are endowed with immunomodulatory properties that can be used to enhance hematopoietic engraftment and prevent graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). This apoptotic cell-induced tolerogenic effect is mediated by host macrophages and not recipient dendritic cells or donor phagocytes present in the bone marrow graft as evidenced by selective cell depletion and trafficking experiments. Furthermore, apoptotic cell infusion is associated with TGF-beta-dependent donor CD4+CD25+ T-cell expansion. Such cells have a regulatory phenotype (CD62L(high) and intracellular CTLA-4+), express high levels of forkhead-box transcription factor p3 (Foxp3) mRNA and exert ex vivo suppressive activity through a cell-to-cell contact mechanism. In vivo CD25 depletion after apoptotic cell infusion prevents the apoptotic cell-induced beneficial effects on engraftment and GvHD occurrence. This highlights the role of regulatory T cells in the tolerogenic effect of apoptotic cell infusion. This novel association between apoptosis and regulatory T-cell expansion may also contribute to preventing deleterious autoimmune responses during normal turnover.

Forkhead Box P3(+) (FOXP3(+)) T cells are regulatory cells important for maintaining immune tolerance. While chemokine- and other homing-receptors are important for T cell migration, it has been unclear how they are regulated in FOXP3(+) T cells. We thoroughly investigated, ex vivo and in vitro, the regulation of chemokine receptor expression on human FOXP3(+) T cells in neonatal cord blood, adult peripheral blood, and tonsils. We found that human FOXP3(+) T cells undergo changes in trafficking receptors according to their stages of activation and differentiation. FOXP3(+) T cells are divided into CD45RA(+) (naive type) and CD45RO(+) (memory type) FOXP3(+) T cells in neonatal blood, adult blood, and tonsils. CD45RA(+)FOXP3(+) T cells mainly express lymphoid tissue homing receptors (CD62L, CCR7, and CXCR4), while CD45RO(+)FOXP3(+) T cells highly express both Th1 and Th2-associated trafficking receptors along with the lymphoid tissue homing receptors at reduced frequencies. Up-regulation of Th1/Th2-associated trafficking receptors begins with activation of CD45RA(+)FOXP3(+) T cells and is completed after their differentiation to CD45RO(+) cells. Some chemokine receptors such as CXCR5 and CXCR6 are preferentially expressed by many FOXP3(+) cells at a specific stage (CD69(+)CD45RO(+)) in tonsils. Our in vitro differentiation study demonstrated that CD45RA(+)FOXP3(+) T cells indeed undergo chemokine receptor switch from CD45RA(+) (secondary lymphoid tissue homing) to CD45RO(+) type (lymphoid and nonlymphoid tissue homing). The orderly regulation of trafficking receptors in FOXP3(+) T cells according to stages of differentiation and activation is potentially important for their tissue-specific migration and regulation of immune responses in humans.

We have characterized several stages of normal human B cell development in adult bone marrow by gene expression profiling of hemopoietic stem cells, early B (E-B), pro-B, pre-B, and immature B cells, using RNA amplification and Lymphochip cDNA microarrays (n = 6). Hierarchical clustering of 758 differentially expressed genes clearly separated the five populations. We used gene sets to investigate the functional assignment of the differentially expressed genes. Genes involved in VDJ recombination as well as B lineage-associated transcription factors (TCF3 (E2A), EBF, BCL11A, and PAX5) were turned on in E-B cells, before acquisition of CD19. Several transcription factors with unknown roles in B lymphoid cells demonstrated interesting expression patterns, including ZCCHC7 and ZHX2. Compared with hemopoietic stem cells and pro-B cells, E-B cells had increased expression of 18 genes, and these included IGJ, IL1RAP, BCL2, and CD62L. In addition, E-B cells expressed T/NK lineage and myeloid-associated genes including CD2, NOTCH1, CD99, PECAM1, TNFSF13B, and MPO. Expression of key genes was confirmed at the protein level by FACS analysis. Several of these Ags were heterogeneously expressed, providing a basis for further subdivision of E-B cells. Altogether, these results provide new information regarding expression of genes in early stages of human B cell development.

It is unclear where within tissues subsets of effector and memory CD8 T cells persist during viral infection and whether their localization affects function and long-term survival. Following lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection, we found most killer cell lectin-like receptor G1 (KLRG1)(lo)IL-7R(hi) effector and memory cells, which are long-lived and high proliferative capacity, in the T cell zone of the spleen. In contrast, KLRG1(hi)IL-7R(lo) cells, which appear terminally differentiated and have shorter life spans, were exclusively localized to the red pulp. KLRG1(lo)IL-7R(hi) T cells homed to the T cell zone using pertussis toxin-sensitive chemokine receptors and appeared to contact gp38(+) stromal cells, which produce the chemokines CCL19 and CCL21 and the T cell survival cytokine IL-7. The transcription factors T-bet and B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1 controlled effector CD8 T cell splenic migration. Effector CD8 T cells overexpressing T-bet homed to the red pulp, whereas those lacking B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1 homed to the T cell zone. Upon memory formation, CD62L(+) memory T cells were predominantly found in the T cell zone, whereas CD62L(-) cells were found in the red pulp. Thus, effector and memory CD8 T cell subset localization within tissues is linked to their differentiation states, and this may identify anatomical niches that regulate their longevity and homeostasis.

Cryopreservation of isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) for phenotypic and functional analyses is considered a standard procedure in order to minimize operator-dependent inter-assay variability and to optimize the use of available resources. However, only few and somewhat conflicting data are presently available on the effects of cryopreservation on PBMCs, especially in samples from HIV-infected patients in which assessment of lymphocyte phenotype and function is of the outmost importance. In this study, we compared fresh versus frozen/thawed (F/T) samples isolated from 19 healthy individuals and 21 HIV-infected patients, showing that cryopreservation induces: (i) a profound decrease of CD62L expression, with a consequent significant decline of the calculated proportions of "naïve" (CD45RA+CD62L+) and "central memory" (CD45RO+CD62L+) T cells; (ii) an increase of the calculated proportions of "effector" CD8+ T cells (CD45RA+CD62L- and CD45RO+CD62L-) in the healthy subjects, while no changes were observed in the HIV-infected group; (iii) a significant decline of CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) expression; (iv) a loss of proliferative responses to some HIV antigens (i.e. p24) and recall antigens [cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Influenza] in HIV-infected patients. We thus conclude that cryopreservation induces a consistent set of changes in PBMCs from both healthy and HIV-infected individuals, and that certain immunological studies of HIV-infected patients (i.e. studies of immune reconstitution following antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected patients or studies of HIV-infectivity in vitro using CCR5-tropic strains) should be performed on fresh samples.

Sporadic inclusion-body myositis (sIBM) is the most common disabling, adult-onset, inflammatory myopathy histologically characterized by intense inflammation and vacuolar degeneration. In spite of T cell-mediated cytotoxicity and persistent, clonally expanded and antigen-driven endomysial T cells, the disease is resistant to immunotherapies. Alemtuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that causes an immediate depletion or severe reduction of peripheral blood lymphocytes, lasting at least 6 months. We designed a proof-of-principle study to examine if one series of Alemtuzumab infusions in sIBM patients depletes not only peripheral blood lymphocytes but also endomysial T cells and alters the natural course of the disease. Thirteen sIBM patients with established 12-month natural history data received 0.3 mg/kg/day Alemtuzumab for 4 days. The study was powered to capture>> or =10% increase strength 6 months after treatment. The primary end-point was disease stabilization compared to natural history, assessed by bi-monthly Quantitative Muscle Strength Testing and Medical Research Council strength measurements. Lymphocytes and T cell subsets were monitored concurrently in the blood and the repeated muscle biopsies. Alterations in the mRNA expression of inflammatory, stressor and degeneration-associated molecules were examined in the repeated biopsies. During a 12-month observation period, the patients' total strength had declined by a mean of 14.9% based on Quantitative Muscle Strength Testing. Six months after therapy, the overall decline was only 1.9% (P < 0.002), corresponding to a 13% differential gain. Among those patients, four improved by a mean of 10% and six reported improved performance of daily activities. The benefit was more evident by the Medical Research Council scales, which demonstrated a decline in the total scores by 13.8% during the observation period but an improvement by 11.4% (P < 0.001) after 6 months, reaching the level of strength recorded 12 months earlier. Depletion of peripheral blood lymphocytes, including the naive and memory CD8+ cells, was noted 2 weeks after treatment and persisted up to 6 months. The effector CD45RA(+)CD62L(-) cells, however, started to increase 2 months after therapy and peaked by the 4th month. Repeated muscle biopsies showed reduction of CD3 lymphocytes by a mean of 50% (P < 0.008), most prominent in the improved patients, and reduced mRNA expression of stressor molecules Fas, Mip-1a and alphaB-crystallin; the mRNA of desmin, a regeneration-associated molecule, increased. This proof-of-principle study provides insights into the pathogenesis of inclusion-body myositis and concludes that in sIBM one series of Alemtuzumab infusions can slow down disease progression up to 6 months, improve the strength of some patients, and reduce endomysial inflammation and stressor molecules. These encouraging results, the first in sIBM, warrant a future study with repeated infusions

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is endemic in Gambian infants, with 62% infected by 3 months and 85% by 12 months of age. We studied the CD8 T-cell responses of infants to CMV following primary infection. CMV-specific CD8 T cells, identified with tetramers, showed a fully differentiated phenotype (CD28(-) CD62L(-) CD95(+) perforin(+) granzyme A(+) Bcl-2(low)). Strikingly, the overall CD8 T-cell population developed a similar phenotype following CMV infection, which persisted for at least 12 months. In contrast, primary infection was accompanied by up-regulation of markers of activation (CD45R0 and HLA-D) on both CMV-specific cells and the overall CD8 T-cell population and division (Ki-67) of specific cells, but neither pattern persisted. At 12 months of age, the CD8 T-cell population of CMV-infected infants was more differentiated than that of uninfected infants. Although the subpopulation of CMV-specific cells remained constant, the CMV peptide-specific gamma interferon response was lower in younger infants and increased with age. As the CD8 T-cell phenotype induced by CMV is indicative of immune dysfunction in the elderly, the existence of a similar phenotype in large numbers of Gambian infants raises the question of whether CMV induces a similarly deleterious effect.

We describe a role for ECM as a biosensor for inflammatory microenvironments that plays a critical role in peripheral immune tolerance. We show that hyaluronan (HA) promotes induction of Foxp3- IL-10-producing regulatory T cells (TR1) from conventional T-cell precursors in both murine and human systems. This is, to our knowledge, the first description of an ECM component inducing regulatory T cells. Intact HA, characteristic of healing tissues, promotes induction of TR1 capable of abrogating disease in an IL-10-dependent mouse colitis model whereas fragmentary HA, typical of inflamed tissues, does not, indicating a decisive role for tissue integrity in this system. The TR1 precursor cells in this system are CD4(+)CD62L(-)FoxP3(-), suggesting that effector memory cells assume a regulatory phenotype when they encounter their cognate antigen in the context of intact HA. Matrix integrity cues might thereby play a central role in maintaining peripheral tolerance. This TR1 induction is mediated by CD44 cross-linking and signaling through p38 and ERK1/2. This induction is suppressed, also in a CD44-dependent manner, by osteopontin, a component of chronically inflamed ECM, indicating that CD44 signaling serves as a nexus for fate decisions regarding TR1 induction. Finally, we demonstrate that TR1 induction signals can be recapitulated using synthetic matrices. These results reveal important roles for the matrix microenvironment in immune regulation and suggest unique strategies for immunomodulation.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by loss of tolerance to self-Ags and activation of autoreactive T cells. Regulatory T (Treg) cells play a critical role in controlling the activation of autoreactive T cells. In this study, we investigated mechanisms of potential Treg cell defects in systemic lupus erythematosus using MRL-Fas(lpr/lpr) (MRL/lpr) and MRL-Fas(+/+) mouse models. We found a significant increase in CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) Treg cells, albeit with an altered phenotype (CD62L(-)CD69(+)) and with a reduced suppressive capacity, in the lymphoid organs of MRL strains compared with non-autoimmune C3H/HeOuj mice. A search for mechanisms underlying the altered Treg cell phenotype in MRL/lpr mice led us to find a profound reduction in Dicer expression and an altered microRNA (miRNA, miR) profile in MRL/lpr Treg cells. Despite having a reduced level of Dicer, MRL/lpr Treg cells exhibited a significant overexpression of several miRNAs, including let-7a, let-7f, miR-16, miR-23a, miR-23b, miR-27a, and miR-155. Using computational approaches, we identified one of the upregulated miRNAs, miR-155, that can target CD62L and may thus confer the altered Treg cell phenotype in MRL/lpr mice. In fact, the induced overexpression of miR-155 in otherwise normal (C3H/HeOuj) Treg cells reduced their CD62L expression, which mimics the altered Treg cell phenotype in MRL/lpr mice. These data suggest a role of Dicer and miR-155 in regulating Treg cell phenotype. Furthermore, simultaneous appearance of Dicer insufficiency and miR-155 overexpression in diseased mice suggests a Dicer-independent alternative mechanism of miRNA regulation under inflammatory conditions.

During the course of acute infection with an intracellular pathogen, Ag-specific T cells proliferate in the expansion phase, and then most of the T cells die by apoptosis in the following contraction phase, but the few that survive become memory cells and persist for a long period of time. Although IL-15 is known to play an important role in long-term maintenance of memory CD8+ T cells, the potential roles of IL-15 in CD8+ T cell contraction are not known. Using an adoptive transfer system of OT-I cells expressing OVA257-264/Kb-specific TCR into control, IL-15 knockout (KO) and IL-15 transgenic (Tg) mice followed by challenge with recombinant Listeria monocytogenes expressing OVA, we found that the survival of CD44+CD62L-CD127- effector OT-I cells during the contraction phase is critically dependent on IL-15. In correlation with the expression level of Bcl-2 in OT-I cells, the number of OT-I cells was markedly reduced in IL-15 KO mice but remained at a high level in IL-15 Tg mice during the contraction phase, compared with control mice. In vivo administration of rIL-15 during the contraction phase in IL-15 KO mice inhibited the contraction of effector OT-I cells accompanied by up-regulation of Bcl-2 expression. Furthermore, enforced expression of Bcl-2 protected the majority of effector OT-I cells from death in IL-15 KO mice after infection. These results suggest that IL-15 plays a critical role in protecting effector CD8+ T cells from apoptosis during the contraction phase following a microbial infection via inducing antiapoptotic molecules.

During infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, CD8(+) T cells differentiate rapidly into effectors (CD62L(low)CD44(high)) that differentiate further into the central memory phenotype (CD62L(high)CD44(high)) gradually. To evaluate whether this CD8(+) T cell differentiation program operates in all infection models, we evaluated CD8(+) T cell differentiation during infection of mice with recombinant intracellular bacteria, Listeria monocytogenes (LM) and Mycobacterium bovis (BCG), expressing OVA. We report that CD8(+) T cells primed during infection with the attenuated pathogen BCG-OVA differentiated primarily into the central subset that correlated to reduced attrition of the primed cells subsequently. CD8(+) T cells induced by LM-OVA also differentiated into central phenotype cells first, but the cells rapidly converted into effectors in contrast to BCG-OVA. Memory CD8(+) T cells induced by both LM-OVA as well as BCG-OVA were functional in that they produced cytokines and proliferated extensively in response to antigenic stimulation after adoptive transfer. During LM-OVA infection, if CD8(+) T cells were guided to compete for access to APCs, then they received reduced stimulation that was associated with increased differentiation into the central subset and reduced attrition subsequently. Similar effect was observed when CD8(+) T cells encountered APCs selectively during the waning phase of LM-OVA infection. Taken together, our results indicate that the potency of the pathogen can influence the differentiation and fate of CD8(+) T cells enormously, and the extent of attrition of primed CD8(+) T cells correlates inversely to the early differentiation of CD8(+) T cells primarily into the central CD8(+) T cell subset.

In this study, we examined the effect of in vivo treatment of acutely SIV-infected Mamu-A*01+ rhesus macaques with IL-15. IL-15 treatment during acute infection increased viral set point by 3 logs and accelerated the development of simian AIDS in two of six animals with one developing early minimal lesion SIV meningoencephalitis. Although IL-15 induced a 2- to 3-fold increase in SIV-specific CD8+ T cell and NK cell numbers at peak viremia and reduced lymph node (LN) SIV-infected cells, this had no impact on peak viremia and did not lower viral set point. At viral set point, however, activated SIV-specific CD8+ T cells and NK cells were reduced in the blood of IL-15-treated animals and LN SIV-infected cells were increased. Week 30 LN from IL-15-treated animals had significantly increased Gag-specific CD8+ T cell numbers, whereas total cell, lymphocyte, and CD4+ T cell numbers were reduced. IL-15 treatment significantly reduced anti-SIV Ab concentrations at week 3 and viral set point. IL-15 increased Ki-67+CD4+ T cells at week 1 of treatment and reduced blood CCR5+ and CD45RA-CD62L- CD4+ T cells. The frequency of day 7 Ki-67+CD4+ T cells strongly correlated with viral set point. These findings suggest that CD4+ T cell activation during acute infection determines subsequent viral set point and IL-15 treatment by increasing such activation elevates viral set point. Finally, IL-15-treated acutely SIV-infected primates may serve as a useful model to investigate the poorly understood mechanisms that control viral set point and disease progression in HIV infection.

Protection against malaria often decays in the absence of infection, suggesting that protective immunological memory depends on stimulation. Here we have used CD4(+) T cells from a transgenic mouse carrying a T cell receptor specific for a malaria protein, Merozoite Surface Protein-1, to investigate memory in a Plasmodium chabaudi infection. CD4(+) memory T cells (CD44(hi)IL-7Rα(+)) developed during the chronic infection, and were readily distinguishable from effector (CD62L(lo)IL-7Rα(-)) cells in acute infection. On the basis of cell surface phenotype, we classified memory CD4(+) T cells into three subsets: central memory, and early and late effector memory cells, and found that early effector memory cells (CD62L(lo)CD27(+)) dominated the chronic infection. We demonstrate a linear pathway of differentiation from central memory to early and then late effector memory cells. In adoptive transfer, CD44(hi) memory cells from chronically infected mice were more effective at delaying and reducing parasitemia and pathology than memory cells from drug-treated mice without chronic infection, and contained a greater proportion of effector cells producing IFN-γ and TNFα, which may have contributed to the enhanced protection. These findings may explain the observation that in humans with chronic malaria, activated effector memory cells are best maintained in conditions of repeated exposure.

The mechanism of the age-associated decrease in CD8+ T cell response of mice to virus infection was examined in young adult (6 months) and aged (22 months) C57BL/6 mice during primary pulmonary influenza A virus infection. A significant age-associated decrease in both the percentage (P<0.0001) and number (P<0.05) of CD8+ T cells binding MHC Class I tetramers containing influenza A nucleoprotein (NP) epitope and in virus-specific CTL activity (P<0.05) was observed with pulmonary lymphocytes. The percentage of NP+CD8+ cells of individual mice strongly correlated with NP-specific cytotoxic activity (r(2)=0.77, P<0.02) and with the percentage of CD8+ cells that produced interferon-gamma (r(2)=0.86, P<0.002) in both young and aged mice. Comparable expression of the CD28, CD25, and the memory CD44(hi)/CD62L(lo) phenotype was detected on NP+CD8+ lymphocytes from mice of both age groups. There was a delay in the maximal expansion of NP+CD8+ cells in aged compared to young mice that paralleled a delay in maximal cytotoxic activity and in virus clearance. These data suggest that the age-related impairment of CD8+ lymphocyte activity during a primary influenza A infection is due to a defect in the expansion, rather than in effector activity, of influenza-specific CD8+ T cells.

The influence of the innate immune protein mannose-binding lectin (MBL) on the response of human phagocytes to Neisseria meningitidis was investigated. MBL increased the association of killed meningococci with neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages by increasing the proportion of cells that recognized bacteria. MBL down-regulated the normal change in expression of the leukocyte adhesion molecules CD11b and CD62L. In an ex vivo model, the addition of MBL to the blood of MBL-deficient donors influenced the production of monocyte-derived inflammatory cytokines. The addition of high concentrations of MBL (>6 microg/mL) profoundly decreased the production of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1beta, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha by monocytes in response to meningococci, whereas lower concentrations enhanced the production of IL-6 and IL-1beta. These results suggest that MBL not only is involved in complement activation but also is a potent regulator of inflammatory pathways and, as such, may affect the severity of meningococcal disease.

Production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-12 by innate phagocytes drives the differentiation of IFN-gamma-producing effector T cells during Toxoplasma gondii infection. However, the role of IL-12 in the regulation of memory CD8+ T cell differentiation and function during murine toxoplasmosis is unclear. To track memory CTL development, we identified a novel H-2K(b)-restricted CTL population specific for the Toxoplasma antigen tgd057. Tgd057-specific CTLs were induced by both vaccination and natural peroral infection, and were representative of the polyclonal CTL population. Tgd057-specific primary effector cells required IL-12 for the differentiation of KLRG1+ effector subpopulations and IFN-gamma production in response to restimulation with parasite-infected cells, but not to restimulation with cognate peptide. The effect of IL-12 deficiency during the primary response was profoundly imprinted on memory CTLs, which continued to show defects in cell numbers, KLRG1+ effector memory subpopulation differentiation, and IFN-gamma recall responses. Importantly, isolated CD62L(hi) KLRG1- CD8+ T cells differentiated in the absence of IL-12 were enhanced in their ability to generate IFN-gamma-producing secondary tgd057-specific effector cells. Our data, for the first time, demonstrate the negative impact of IL-12 signaling on the quality of the central memory CTL compartment. Thus, despite the beneficial role of IL-12 in promoting effector differentiation, excessive exposure to IL-12 during CTL priming may limit the development of long-term protective immunity through the decreased fitness of central memory CTL responses.

The potential use of CD4(+)Foxp3(+) Treg as a cellular therapy for autoimmune disease is of great interest. For clinical translation, the key objective is to reverse established disease. Here we demonstrate that myelin basic protein (MBP)-reactive CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg from TCR Tg mice, but not polyclonal (non-MBP-reactive) Treg, can transfer efficient protection against MBP-induced EAE when used either directly from donor mice, or after in vitro expansion. MBP-reactive Treg transfer also showed some ability to improve recovery from EAE initiated by T cells recognizing a distinct CNS autoantigen, proteolipid protein. Importantly, we also demonstrate for the first time in the context of EAE that in vitro-expanded naturally occurring MBP-reactive Treg can prevent disease relapse when given after the onset of clinical EAE. Our study also contains data pertaining to the most effective Treg sub-population in vivo (CD4(+)CD25(+)CD62L(hi)) and shows that their potent suppressive effects reflect stable expression of Foxp3, although not CD25 or CD62L. Our data provide proof of the principle that Treg-based therapies can cure CNS autoimmune disease, highlight the challenges for clinical translation and open new avenues for assessing how changing immune function via Treg activity might impact on neurodegeneration and repair.

BACKGROUND

Tumor-exosomes being reported to suppress or promote a cancer-directed immune response, we used exosomes of the rat pancreatic adenocarcinoma BSp73ASML (ASML) to evaluate, whether and which steps in immune response induction can be affected by tumor-exosomes and how the impaired responsiveness can be circumvented.

RESULTS

ASML-exosomes bind to and are taken up by all leukocyte subpopulations in vivo and in vitro, uptake by CD11b+ leukocytes exceeding that by T and B cells. ASML-exosomes affect leukocyte proliferation via reduced CD44v6 up-regulation and lck, ZAP70 and ERK1,2 phosphorylation, which can be compensated by dendritic cells (DC). ASML-exosomes do not support Treg. Yet, impaired activation of anti-apoptotic signals is accompanied by slightly increased apoptosis susceptibility. IgM secretion is unaffected; NK and CTL activity are strengthened, ASML-exosomes co-operating with DC in CTL activation. ASML-exosomes transiently interfere with leukocyte migration by occupying migration-promoting receptors CD44, CD49d, CD62L and CD54 during binding/internalization.

CONCLUSIONS

ASML-exosomes might well serve as adjuvant in immunotherapy as they support leukocyte effector functions and have only a minor impact on leukocyte activation, which can be overridden by DC. However, exosome-induced modulation of immune cells relies, at least in part, on exosome uptake and message transfer. This implies that depending on the individual tumor's exosome composition, exosomes may distinctly affect the immune system. Nonetheless, whether immunotherapy can profit from using tumor-exosomes as adjuvant can easily be settled beforehand in vitro.

Long-lived, self-renewing, multipotent T memory stem cells (TSCM) can trigger profound and sustained tumor regression but their rareness poses a major hurdle to their clinical application. Presently, clinically compliant procedures to generate relevant numbers of this T-cell population are undefined. Here, we provide a strategy for deriving large numbers of clinical-grade tumor-redirected TSCM starting from naive precursors. CD8(+)CD62L(+)CD45RA(+) naive T cells enriched by streptamer-based serial-positive selection were activated by CD3/CD28 engagement in the presence of interleukin-7 (IL-7), IL-21, and the glycogen synthase-3β inhibitor TWS119, and genetically engineered to express a CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CD19-CAR). These conditions enabled the generation of CD19-CAR-modified CD8(+) TSCM that were phenotypically, functionally, and transcriptomically equivalent to their naturally occurring counterpart. Compared with CD8(+) T cells generated with clinical protocols currently under investigation, CD19-CAR-modified CD8(+) TSCM exhibited enhanced metabolic fitness and mediated robust, long-lasting antitumor responses against systemic acute lymphoblastic leukemia xenografts. This clinical-grade platform provides the basis for a phase 1 trial evaluating the activity of CD19-CAR-modified CD8(+) TSCM in patients with B-cell malignancies refractory to prior allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.