• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.7
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• pp.476-484
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• 2017

C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) stimulates cancer metastasis. NF-${\kappa}B$ regulates CXCR4 expression in cancer cells, and O-GlcNAc modification of NF-${\kappa}B$ promotes its transcriptional activity. Here, we determined whether CXCR4 expression is affected by O-GlcNAcylation of NF-${\kappa}B$ in lung metastasis of cervical cancer. We found elevated levels of O-linked-N-actylglucosamine transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcylation in cervical cancer cells compared to those in non-malignant epithelial cells and detected increased expression of NF-${\kappa}B$ p65 (p65) and CXCR4 in cervical cancer cells. Knockdown of OGT inhibited the O-GlcNAcylation of p65 and decreased CXCR4 expression levels in HeLa cells. Thiamet G treatment increased O-GlcNAcylated p65, which subsequently enhanced CXCR4 expression levels. Inhibition of O-GlcNAcylation by 6-Diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON) treatment decreased p65 activation, eventually inhibiting CXCR4 expression in HeLa cells. Lung tissues from mice engrafted with OGT-knockdown HeLa cells (shOGT) exhibited lower expression of Ki-67 and HPV E6 and E7 oncogenes compared to lung tissues from mice engrafted with control HeLa cells (shCTL). In addition, lung tissues from mice engrafted with shOGT cells exhibited lower p65 and CXCR4 immunoreactivity compared to tissues from mice engrafted with shCTL cells. Taken together, our data suggest that p65 O-GlcNAcylation promotes lung metastasis of cervical cancer cells by activating CXCR4 expression.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.172-178
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• 2005

Background: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is well-known soluble tumor marker frequently detectable in peripheral blood of carcinoma patients and considered as good target for antigen-specific immunotherapy. However, it is known that the induction of immune response to CEA is very difficult because CEA is a self-antigen expressed in fetal cells and weakly expressed in normal colorectal epithelial cells. To enhance anti-tumor immunity specific for CEA, recombinant CEA protein was modified using listeriolysin O (LLO) for endosomal lysis and trans activator of transcription (Tat) domain for transducing extracellular proteins into cytoplasm. Methods: After immunization using dendritic cells pulsed with Tat-CEA, both Tat-CEA and LLO, and both Tat-CEA and Tat-LLO, antibody titer to CEA and LLO, cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity and the frequency of IFN-${\gamma}$ producing T lymphocytes were measured. Results: Immunization using DC pulsed with both Tat-CEA and Tat-LLO protein showed the increasement of production of CEA-specific antibody in serum, cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity, the frequency of IFN-${\gamma}$ secreting T cells, compared with DC pulsed with both Tat-CEA and LLO. Furthermore the ratio of CD8+T cell to $CD4^+$ cell among CEA-specific T cells was increased in group pulsed with both Tat-CEA and Tat-LLO. Conclusion: These results suggested that DC vaccine using Tat-LLO could be used for the development of effective immunotherapy for the treatment of tumor.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.41.1-41.16
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• 2022

The human antimicrobial peptide LL-37 has chemotactic and modulatory activities in various immune cells, including dendritic cells. Because of its characteristics, LL-37 can be considered an adjuvant for vaccine development. In this study, we confirmed the possible adjuvant activity of LL-37 in mucosal vaccine development against Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (MERS-CoV) by means of intranasal immunization in C57BL/6 and human dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (hDPP4)-transgenic (hDPP4-Tg) mice. Intranasal immunization using the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of MERS-CoV spike protein (S-RBD) recombined with LL-37 (S-RBD-LL-37) induced an efficient mucosal IgA and systemic IgG response with virus-neutralizing activity, compared with S-RBD. Ag-specific CTL stimulation was also efficiently induced in the lungs of mice that had been intranasally immunized with S-RBD-LL-37, compared with S-RBD. Importantly, intranasal immunization of hDPP4-Tg mice with S-RBD-LL-37 led to reduced immune cell infiltration into the lungs after infection with MERS-CoV. Finally, intranasal immunization of hDPP4-Tg mice with S-RBD-LL-37 led to enhanced protective efficacy, with increased survival and reduced body weight loss after challenge infection with MERS-CoV. Collectively, these results suggest that S-RBD-LL-37 is an effective intranasal vaccine candidate molecule against MERS-CoV infection.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.44.1-44.15
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• 2021

Tumor peptides associated with MHC class I molecules or their synthetic variants have attracted great attention for their potential use as vaccines to induce tumor-specific CTLs. However, the outcome of clinical trials of peptide-based tumor vaccines has been disappointing. There are various reasons for this lack of success, such as difficulties in delivering the peptides specifically to professional Ag-presenting cells, short peptide half-life in vivo, and limited peptide immunogenicity. We report here a novel peptide vaccination strategy that efficiently induces peptide-specific CTLs. Nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated from a biodegradable polymer, poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid), attached to H-2K^b molecules, and then the natural peptide epitopes associated with the H-2K^b molecules were exchanged with a model tumor peptide, SIINFEKL (OVA_257-268). These NPs were efficiently phagocytosed by immature dendritic cells (DCs), inducing DC maturation and activation. In addition, the DCs that phagocytosed SIINFEKL-pulsed NPs potently activated SIINFEKL-H2K^b complex-specific CD8⁺ T cells via cross-presentation of SIINFEKL. In vivo studies showed that intravenous administration of SIINFEKL-pulsed NPs effectively generated SIINFEKL-specific CD8⁺ T cells in both normal and tumor-bearing mice. Furthermore, intravenous administration of SIINFEKL-pulsed NPs into EG7.OVA tumor-bearing mice almost completely inhibited the tumor growth. These results demonstrate that vaccination with polymeric NPs coated with tumor peptide-MHC-I complexes is a novel strategy for efficient induction of tumor-specific CTLs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.265-271
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• 2014

Interleukin-7 (IL-7) is a potent anti-apoptotic cytokine that enhances immune effector cell functions and is essential for lymphocyte survival. While it known to induce differentiation and proliferation in some haematological malignancies, including certain types of leukaemias and lymphomas, little is known about its role in solid tumours, including breast cancer. In the current study, we investigated whether IL-7 could enhance the in vivo antitumor activity of tumor-reactive $CD8^+$ T cells with induction of IFN-${\gamma}$ in a murine breast cancer model. Human IL-7 cDNA was constructed into the eukaryotic expression plasmid pcDNA3.1, and then the recombinational pcDNA3.1-IL-7 was intratumorally injected in the TM40D BALB/C mouse graft model. Serum and intracellular IFN-${\gamma}$ levels were measured by ELISA and flow cytometry, respectively. $CD8^+$ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity was analyzed using the MTT method. Our results showed that IL-7 administration significantly inhibited tumor growth from day 15 after direct intratumoral injection of pcDNA3.1-IL-7. The anti-tumor effect correlated with a marked increase in the level of IFN-${\gamma}$ and breast cancer cells-specific CTL cytotoxicity. In vitro cytotoxicity assays showed that IL-7-treatment could augment cytolytic activity of $CD8^+$ T cells from tumor bearing mice, while anti-IFN-${\gamma}$ blocked the function of $CD8^+$ T cells, suggesting that IFN-${\gamma}$ mediated the cytolytic activity of $CD8^+$ T cells. Furthermore, in vivo neutralization of $CD8^+$ T lymphocytes by CD8 antibodies reversed the antitumor benefit of IL-7. Thus, we demonstrated that IL-7 exerts anti-tumor activity mainly through activating $CD8^+$ T cells and stimulating them to secrete IFN-${\gamma}$ in a murine breast tumor model. Based on these results, our study points to a potential novel way to treat breast cancer and may have important implications for clinical immunotherapy.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.42.1-42.20
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• 2022

Vaccination with tumor peptide epitopes associated with MHC class I molecules is an attractive approach directed at inducing tumor-specific CTLs. However, challenges remain in improving the therapeutic efficacy of peptide epitope vaccines, including the low immunogenicity of peptide epitopes and insufficient stimulation of innate immune components in vivo. To overcome this, we aimed to develop and test an innovative strategy that elicits potent CTL responses against tumor epitopes. The essential feature of this strategy is vaccination using tumor epitope-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) in combination with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly-IC) and anti-PD1 mAb. Carboxylated NPs were prepared using poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) and poly(ethylene/maleic anhydride), covalently conjugated with anti-H-2K^b mAbs, and then attached to H-2K^b molecules isolated from the tumor mass (H-2^b). Native peptides associated with the H-2K^b molecules of H-2K^b-attached NPs were exchanged with tumor peptide epitopes. Tumor peptide epitope-loaded NPs efficiently induced tumor-specific CTLs when used to immunize tumor-bearing mice as well as normal mice. This activity of the NPs significantly was increased when co-administered with poly-IC. Accordingly, the NPs exerted significant anti-tumor effects in mice implanted with EG7-OVA thymoma or B16-F10 melanoma, and the anti-tumor activity of the NPs was significantly increased when applied in combination with poly-IC. The most potent anti-tumor activity was observed when the NPs were co-administered with both poly-IC and anti-PD1 mAb. Immunization with tumor epitope-loaded NPs in combination with poly-IC and anti-PD1 mAb in tumor-bearing mice can be a powerful means to induce tumor-specific CTLs with therapeutic anti-tumor activity.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2004

Background: 1-8D gene is a member of human 1-8 interferon inducible gene family and is shown to be overexpressed in fresh colon cancer tissues. Three peptides 1-6, 3-5 and 3-7 derived from 1-8D gene were shown to have immunogenicity against colon cancer. Methods: To study tumor immunotherapy of these peptides we established an adoptive transfer model. $D^{b-/-}{\times}{\beta}2$ microglobulin (${\beta}2m$) null mice transgenic for a chimeric HLA-A2.1/$D^b-{\beta}2m$ single chain (HHD mice) were immunized with irradiated peptide-loaded RMA-S/HHD/B7.1 transfectants. Spleens were removed after last immunization, and splenocytes were re-stimulated in vitro. Lymphocytes from vaccinated HHD mice were transferred together with IL-2 to the tumor bearing nude mice that were challenged S.C. with the HCT/HHD/B7 colon carcinoma cell line that was found to grow in these mice. Results: Peptide 3-5 was found to be highly effective in CTL activity. Adoptively transferred anti-peptide 3-5 cytolytic T lymphocytes caused significant retardation in tumor growth. Conclusion: This study shows that peptide 3-5 can be the most effective candidate for the vaccine of adoptive immunotherapy against colon cancer.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.268-280
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• 2011

Background: Dengue virus, which belongs to the Flavivirus genus of the Flaviviridae family, causes fatal dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) with infection risk of 2.5 billion people worldwide. However, approved vaccines are still not available. Here, we explored the immune responses induced by alternating prime-boost vaccination using DNA vaccine, adenovirus, and vaccinia virus expressing E protein of dengue virus type 2 (DenV2). Methods: Following immunization with DNA vaccine (pDE), adenovirus (rAd-E), and/or vaccinia virus (VV-E) expressing E protein, E protein-specific IgG and its isotypes were determined by conventional ELISA. Intracellular CD154 and cytokine staining was used for enumerating CD4+ T cells specific for E protein. E protein-specific CD8+ T cell responses were evaluated by in vivo CTL killing activity and intracellular IFN-${\gamma}$ staining. Results: Among three constructs, VV-E induced the most potent IgG responses, Th1-type cytokine production by stimulated CD4+ T cells, and the CD8+ T cell response. Furthermore, when the three constructs were used for alternating prime-boost vaccination, the results revealed a different pattern of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. i) Priming with VV-E induced higher E-specific IgG level but it was decreased rapidly. ii) Strong CD8+ T cell responses specific for E protein were induced when VV-E was used for the priming step, and such CD8+ T cell responses were significantly boosted with pDE. iii) Priming with rAd-E induced stronger CD4+ T cell responses which subsequently boosted with pDE to a greater extent than VV-E and rAd-E. Conclusion: These results indicate that priming with live viral vector vaccines could induce different patterns of E protein-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses which were significantly enhanced by booster vaccination with the DNA vaccine. Therefore, our observation will provide valuable information for the establishment of optimal prime-boost vaccination against DenV.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.611-616
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• 2014

Objectives: Dendritic cell (DC)-based tumor immunotherapy needs an immunogenic tumor associated antigen (TAA) and an effective approach for its presentation to lymphocytes. In this study we explored whether transduction of DCs with lentiviruses (LVs) expressing the human interleukin-12 gene could stimulate antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) against human lung cancer cells in vitro. Methods: Peripheral blood monocyte-derived DCs were transduced with a lentiviral vector encoding human IL-12 gene (LV-12). The anticipated target of the human IL-12 gene was detected by RT-PCR. The concentration of IL-12 in the culture supernatant of DCs was measured by ELISA.Transduction efficiencies and CD83 phenotypes of DCs were assessed by flow cytometry. DCs were pulsed with tumor antigen of lung cancer cells (DC+Ag) and transduced with LV-12 (DC-LV-12+Ag). Stimulation of T lymphocyte proliferation by DCs and activation of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) stimulated by LV-12 transduced DCs pulsed with tumor antigen against A549 lung cancer cells were assessed with methyl thiazolyltetrazolium (MTT). Results: A recombinant lentivirus expressing the IL-12 gene was successfully constructed. DC transduced with LV-12 produced higher levels of IL-12 and expressed higher levels of CD83 than non-transduced. The DC modified by interleukin -12 gene and pulsed with tumor antigen demonstrated good stimulation of lymphocyte proliferation, induction of antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes and antitumor effects. Conclusions: Dendritic cells transduced with a lentivirus-mediated interleukin-12 gene have an enhanced ability to kill lung cancer cells through promoting T lymphocyte proliferation and cytotoxicity.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.63-69
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• 2013

IL-12 is a secretory heterodimeric cytokine composed of p35 and p40 subunits. IL-12 p35 and p40 subunits are sometimes produced as monomers or homodimers. IL-12 is also produced as a membrane-bound form in some cases. In this study, we hypothesized that the membrane-bound form of IL-12 subunits may function as a costimulatory signal for selective activation of TAA-specific CTL through direct priming without involving antigen presenting cells and helper T cells. MethA fibrosarcoma cells were transfected with expression vectors of membrane-bound form of IL-12p35 (mbIL-12p35) or IL-12p40 subunit (mbIL-12p40) and were selected under G418-containing medium. The tumor cell clones were analyzed for the expression of mbIL-12p35 or p40 subunit and for their stimulatory effects on macrophages. The responsible T-cell subpopulation for antitumor activity of mbIL-12p35 expressing tumor clone was also analyzed in T cell subset-depleted mice. Expression of transfected membranebound form of IL-12 subunits was stable during more than 3 months of in vitro culture, and the chimeric molecules were not released into culture supernatants. Neither the mbIL-12p35-expressing tumor clones nor mbIL-12p40-expressing tumor clones activated macrophages to secrete TNF-${\alpha}$. Growth of mbIL-12p35-expressing tumor clones was more accelerated in the $CD8^+$ T cell-depleted mice than in $CD4^+$ T cell-depleted or normal mice. These results suggest that $CD8^+$ T cells could be responsible for the rejection of mbIL-12p35-expressing tumor clone, which may bypass activation of antigen presenting cells and $CD4^+$ helper T cells.