Therapeutic immunology最新文献

We have previously studied a T-cell derived soluble suppressor factor (TseF) which regulates immunopathology in schistosomiasis. The current studies address the mechanism whereby TseF suppresses the functional immune response in murine schistosomiasis. We assessed three stages of the immune response: (1) initial antigenic recognition using the criteria of antigen-mediated cell division or blast transformation (AMBT); (2) intracellular differentiation utilizing criteria of glutathione (GSH) and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) production; and (3) efferent function utilizing criteria of in vitro granuloma formation (IVGF). We studied these three criteria of immune reactivity during the course of schistosomiasis. Lymphoid cells from acutely infected animals demonstrated high levels of antigen-mediated cell division and in vitro granuloma formation; ODC and GSH levels were low. Cells obtained from chronically infected animals demonstrated lower antigen-mediated cell division and granuloma formation; however, ODC and GHS levels were much higher, indicating that cells obtained from chronically infected animals are in a non-reactive state of increased activation. TseF strongly increased GSH and ODC levels in lymphocytes obtained from acutely infected animals, and this effect was augmented by the presence of antigen. However, TseF had minimal effects on initial antigenic recognition, and profoundly suppressed the effector function. The relationship between the effects of TseF on antigen recognition and function was regulated at the clonal level. TseF function required the generation of GSH. Since TseF is produced in chronic disease under conditions of decreased immunological reactivity, the alterations of GSH and ODC activity, induced by TseF, may be responsible for the regulation of immunopathology.

The effects of intravenously administered normal immunoglobulin G (IVIg) in autoimmune diseases are dependent on the ability of IVIg to interact with surface molecules of lymphocytes. In the present study, we demonstrate the presence of anti-CD4 activity in IVIg by showing the ability of IVIg to bind to CD4 and to inhibit CD4-dependent cellular functions. Binding of IVIg to recombinant soluble human CD4 was assessed by ELISA, immunoblotting and real time analysis of complex formation. Anti-CD4 antibodies isolated from IVIg by affinity-chromatography bound to human CD4+ T cells. These anti-CD4 antibodies inhibited proliferative responses in MLR and infection of CD4+ human T cells with HIV. These results indicate that IVIg contains antibodies reactive with human CD4 and that these anti-CD4 antibodies exhibit biological functions. The presence of anti-CD4 antibodies in IVIg may be relevant to the immunoregulatory effects of normal polyspecific immunoglobulin G.

Two bispecific monoclonal antibodies (BsAb), differing in H chain isotype combination, were made for treatment of B-cell leukaemia/lymphoma; QAI-2, CD3-mouse-IgG1 x CD19-mouse-IgG2a and QAI-3, CD3-mouse-IgG1 x CD19-mouse-IgG2b. Both purified BsAb proved equally effective for their ability to target pre-activated T cells towards CD19 positive tumour cells. In T-cell proliferation assays, the capacity of Fc gamma RIa (CD64), Fc gamma RIIa-R131 and Fc gamma RIIa-H131 (CD32) transfected fibroblasts was tested to present the BsAb. The BsAb combining mouse (m) IgG1 and mIgG2a promoted T-cell activation in combination with the Fc gamma RIa transfectant; the mIgG1-mIgG2b BsAb was only marginally active. Both BsAb could not induce T-cell activation when presented by either of the Fc gamma RIIa transfectants. Similar results were obtained using PBMC cultures, containing Fc gamma RIa+/Fc gamma RIIa+ monocytes as accessory cells. The importance of Fc gamma R-dependent BsAb-mediated T-cell activation emerged from experiments with T cells and CD19 positive B-cell lines, showing that cross-linking via CD19+ target cells alone did not induce T-cell proliferation. Therefore, BsAb with functionally different Fc domains represent alternative strategies in BsAb therapy, the efficacy of which deserves to be compared in vivo.

Antibody-mediated lysis of cells involves a complex interaction between the cell, the target antigen, the antibody and host effector mechanisms. One such mechanism, complement-mediated cell lysis, requires the interaction of C1q with the antibody heavy chain constant regions, and in particular the CH2 domain. Here we investigate the potential benefit of multiple-domain forms of the therapeutic monoclonal antibody CAMPATH-1H. This antibody is directed against the CDw52 antigen expressed by human lymphocytes and has proven lytic abilities both in vitro and in vivo. Using target cells with either high or low antigen density, engineered antibodies that contained additional domains in tandem (CH2, hinge-CH2 or Fc intramolecular repeats) showed no improvement in complement-mediated lysis when compared with controls. However, a homodimeric form of the antibody that was engineered by mutation of a serine residue to cysteine near the carboxy-terminal of the CH3 domain, exhibited markedly improved lysis using target cells expressing antigen at low density. Interestingly, no improvement was seen using cells expressing antigen at high density. These results suggest that dimeric forms of antibodies could be useful for converting cells with low density antigens into useful targets for therapy.

We investigated the role of intracellular processing of ricin A chain (RTA) by proteolytic enzymes on the expression of its ribosome inhibitory activity. Endosomal and lysosomal proteases extracted from Jurkat cells and purified cathepsins B, D and G were incubated with RTA, resulting in generation of a 28-kDa fragment by proteolytic cleavage. This process was reminiscent of the nicking of Pseudomonas exotoxin and Diphtheria toxin by intracellular proteases to produce functionally active toxin fragments. However, the ribosome inhibitory activity of the purified 28-kDa fragment of RTA was 11,000-fold less than that of native RTA, suggesting that such cleavage is not an essential step in the cytotoxic activity of the toxin. Addition of ricin B chain (RTB) in degradation assays resulted in the protection of RTA from proteolytic activities of lysosomes and cathepsins. However, RTB did not protect another RNA acting protein, RNAase; nor did excess amounts of unlabeled RTA or IgG protect labelled RTA from degradation, suggesting that the protective effect of RTB was specific to its interaction with RTA. Such a protective role for RTB may partially account for the higher toxicity of immunotoxins (ITs) containing whole ricin compared to ITs containing only RTA.

The chemokine superfamily comprise two families of small secreted proteins that, with the exception of RANTES, beta-TG, and PF-4, are not expressed in resting cells but are rapidly induced in response to various inflammatory and mitogenic stimuli. These proteins function as chemoattractants and activating agents for inflammatory cells. At present, it appears that each of the chemokines have some activities that are unique and many that are overlapping. Important areas that still need to be unravelled are the signal transduction pathways that lead to induction of these genes and the identification of the serpentine receptors and signal transduction pathways that are activated by these proteins. alpha and beta chemokines are implicated as major participants in acute as well as chronic inflammatory reactions, inhibition of haematopoeisis, modulation of angiogenesis, and fibroplasia. Chemokines that act on T lymphocytes presumably influence the recruitment of immunocompetent cells to inflammatory sites. Although there is no evidence that chemokines play a role in the induction of immune reactions, they undoubtedly promote the effector limb of immunity. The likely possibility that chemokines may also contribute to the normal homing and distribution of leukocytes also needs to be evaluated. Although chemokines obviously have major differentiative effects on the functions of target cells, the possibility that they act as costimulants of cell growth also needs more study. Finally, chemokines are attractive targets for the development of new therapeutic agents. Inhibition of their activities may be an effective anti-inflammatory strategy; promoting their activity might enhance wound healing and tissue repair.

LFA3TIP, a fusion protein comprised of the first extracellular domain of LFA-3 fused to the hinge, CH2 and CH3 domains of human IgG1, inhibits proliferation of human T cells in vitro. LFA3TIP also inhibits responses of human CD2 transgenic mice by rapidly and totally depleting peripheral T cells. These effects require binding of the LFA-3 and CH2 domains of LFA3TIP to CD2+ T cells and Fc gamma R+ accessory cells, respectively. As CD2 is well conserved in primate species, we evaluated the effects of LFA3TIP in nonhuman primates. We report in vitro results leading to the selection of the baboon as a model for analysis of LFA3TIP, and in vivo effects of single and multidose regimens of LFA3TIP administration. This is the first report of the in vivo administration of an immunomodulatory fusion protein to primates. LFA3TIP is shown to mediate effects on primate T lymphocytes without apparent related toxicities or immunogenicity. Results are discussed in context of potential mechanisms of LFA3TIP immunotherapy.

IL-12 is a cytokine that promotes cell-mediated immunity by promoting Th1-type cytokine responses, enhancing the lytic activity of NK/LAK cells, augmenting specific CTL responses, and inducing the production of IFN-gamma. On the other hand, IL-12 suppresses the development of Th2-type cytokine responses and humoral immunity, particularly IgGl and IgE responses. It is likely that IL-12 normally plays an important role in the host defense against intracellular microbial pathogens. In addition, the administration of rIL-12 to mice has been shown to have potent therapeutic effects in several tumour and infectious disease models. IL-12 has been shown to be more efficacious than IL-2 in several murine tumour models, and toxicology studies suggest that it may have a substantially better therapeutic index. In addition, the long serum half-life of IL-12 relative to other cytokines will allow more flexibility in dosing schedules. However, future clinical trials are required to determine whether the efficacy of IL-12 seen in these experimental models is predictive for its use as an immunomodulatory drug in humans.

The cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) has several important activities on cells of the immune system. IL-10 profoundly suppresses activation of macrophages, inhibiting their ability to secrete cytokines and serve as accessory cells for stimulation of T cell and natural killer (NK) cell function. IL-10 also plays a role in stimulating proliferation and differentiation of B cells, mast cells, and both mature and immature T cells. At least two herpesviruses harbor analogs of the IL-10 gene; the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) homolog (BCRF1, viral IL-10, vIL-10) shares several of the cellular cytokine's activities, one or all of which may be important in the host-virus relationship. This article reviews recent studies on the function of IL-10 and discusses the initial characterization of its receptor.