技术资料

BACKGROUND Glycophorin C (GPC) is necessary in the maintenance of red blood cell structure. Severe autoimmune hemolytic anemia and hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) have been associated with Gerbich (Ge) blood group system antigens expressed on GPC. Previous in vitro studies with cord blood progenitor cells have shown that anti-Ge suppresses erythropoiesis. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Here,we evaluated the K562 erythroleukemic cell line to study the cellular effects of a murine anti-GPC. Cell proliferation was evaluated after treatment with anti-GPC. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate exofacial phosphatidylserine (PS) expression and cell viability (propidium iodide binding). Cell morphology was evaluated under light microscopy with cytospin preparations stained with May-Grünwald Giemsa. RESULTS Anti-GPC dramatically inhibited K562 proliferation and increased PS expression,consistent with cytoplasmic blebbing,suggesting evidence of apoptosis. Z-VAD-FMK,an inhibitor of classical apoptosis,was unable to reverse the suppressive effect of anti-GPC. However,hemin was able to attenuate growth suppression. CONCLUSION Together,the data suggest that anti-GPC suppresses erythroid proliferation through the induction of nonclassical apoptosis. View Publication

Tuberculosis is a leading cause of death in mankind due to infectious agents,and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infects and survives in macrophages (MФs). Although MФs are a major niche,myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are an alternative site for pathogen persistence. Both MФs and MDSCs express varying levels of leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor B (LILRB),which regulate the myeloid cell suppressive function. Herein,we demonstrate that antagonism of LILRB2 by a monoclonal antibody (mab) induced a switch of human MDSCs towards an M1-macrophage phenotype,increasing the killing of intracellular Mtb. Mab-mediated antagonism of LILRB2 alone and its combination with a pharmacological blockade of SHP1/2 phosphatase increased proinflammatory cytokine responses and phosphorylation of ERK1/2,p38 MAPK,and NF-kB in Mtb-infected MDSCs. LILRB2 antagonism also upregulated anti-mycobacterial iNOS gene expression and an increase in both nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species synthesis. Because genes associated with the anti-mycobacterial function of M1-MФs were enhanced in MDSCs following mab treatment,we propose that LILRB2 antagonism reprograms MDSCs from an immunosuppressive state towards a pro-inflammatory phenotype that kills Mtb. LILRB2 is therefore a novel therapeutic target for eradicating Mtb in MDSCs. View Publication

BACKGROUND To evaluate the anticancer efficacy of the combination of epigenetic modifiers and cisplatin in human ovarian cancer. METHODS The effect of trichostatin A (TSA) and 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine alone or in combination with low-dose cisplatin was evaluated on human ovarian cancer cell lines in vitro. We measured drug interaction by MTS assay,migration by transwell assay,expression of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers (Twist,Snail,Slug,E-cadherin,and N-cadherin),pluripotency markers (Oct4,Sox2,and Nanog),and epigenetic markers (DNMT3A,LSD1 and H3K4me2,H3K4me3,H3K9me2,and H3K9me3) by western blot,and the impact on and characteristics of spheroid growth when exposed to these drugs. Mouse xenografts were used to evaluate the anticancer effect of sequential drug treatment. RESULTS Combination treatment had greater efficacy than single drugs and significantly suppressed cell viability,migration,and spheroid formation and growth. Sequential treatment of cisplatin (1 mg kg(-1)) followed by TSA (0.3 mg kg(-1)) significantly suppressed tumorigenicity of HEY xenografts through inhibition of EMT and decreased pluripotency of ovarian cancer cells. CONCLUSION Epigenetic modifiers potentiate the anticancer efficacy of low-dose cisplatin in ovarian cancer through regulation of EMT and pluripotency,and may provide a promising treatment for ovarian cancer patients. View Publication

Although chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are effective against B-lineage malignancies,post-CAR relapse is common,and efficacy in other tumors is limited. These challenges may be addressed through rational manipulations to control CAR T cell function. Here we examine the impact of cognate T cell antigen experience on subsequent CD8+ CAR T cell activity. Prior antigen encounter resulted in superior effector function against leukemia expressing low target antigen density at the expense of reduced proliferative capacity and susceptibility to dysfunction at limiting CAR doses. Distinctive temporal transcriptomic and epigenetic profiles in naive-derived and memory-derived CAR T cells identified RUNX family transcription factors as potential targets to augment the function of naive-derived CD8+ CAR T cells. RUNX2 overexpression enhanced antitumor efficacy of mouse CAR T cells,dependent on prior cell state,and heightened human CAR T cell functions. Our data demonstrate that prior antigen experience of CAR T cells determines functional attributes and amenability to transcription factor-mediated functional enhancement. Here,Fry and colleagues examine the impact of antigen experience on subsequent CD8+ CAR T cell activity during the antileukemia response and show that RUNX2 overexpression enhances antitumor activity of these cells. View Publication

Memory T cells are a highly heterogeneous collection of antigen-experienced cells that undergo dynamic adaptations upon antigen re-encounter and environmental signals. This heterogeneity hinders studies on memory T cell durability and age-related dysfunction. Using chronic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and barcode-enabled antigen tracing,we assess the influence of age on memory states at the level of single antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. In young adults (<40 years),EBV-specific CD8+ T cells recognizing different antigenic peptides assume divergent preferred differentiation phenotypes. In older adults (>65-years),antigen-specific cells show largely distinct phenotypic and transcriptomic aging trajectories. Common to many albeit not all antigen-specific populations are maintained TCR diversity,gained natural killer cell-like,innate signatures and lost stem-like features while no evidence is seen for cellular senescence or exhaustion. TCR avidity contributes to these phenotypic differences and aging-related changes. Collectively,our data uncover divergent antigen-guided aging shifts in memory T cell phenotypes,which are informative for antigen selection in optimizing vaccine design and adoptive T cell therapy. Homeostasis of memory T cells is modulated by each antigen encounter,thereby creating a heterogeneous population preventing precise tracking. Here,the authors use barcode-assisted tracing of Epstein-Barr virus-specific CD8+ memory T cells of young and older individuals to find antigen-guided,clonally divergent aging trajectories. View Publication

The specificity and affinity of antibody-antigen interactions is a fundamental way to achieve reliable biosensing responses. Different proteins involved with dry eye dysfunction: ANXA1,ANXA11,CST4,PRDX5,PLAA and S100A6; were validated as biomarkers. In this work several antibodies were tested for ANXA1,ANXA11 and PRDX5 to select the best candidates for each biomarker. The results were obtained by using Biophotonic Sensing Cells (BICELLs) as an efficient methodology for label-free biosensing and compared with the Enzyme-Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) technique. View Publication

Both innate and adaptive immune systems are considered important for cancer prevention,immunosurveillance,and control of cancer progression. It is known that,although both systems initially eliminate emerging tumor cells efficiently,tumors eventually escape immune attack by a variety of mechanisms,including differentiation and recruitment of immunosuppressive CD11b(+)Gr-1(+) myeloid suppressor cells into the tumor microenvironment. However,we show that CD11b(+)Gr-1(+) cells found in ascites of epithelial ovarian cancer-bearing mice at advanced stages of disease are immunostimulatory rather than being immunosuppressive. These cells consist of a homogenous population of cells that morphologically resemble neutrophils. Moreover,like dendritic cells,immunostimulatory CD11b(+)Gr-1(+) cells can strongly cross-prime,augmenting the proliferation of functional CTLs via signaling through the expression of costimulatory molecule CD80. Adoptive transfer of these immunostimulatory CD11b(+)Gr-1(+) cells from ascites of ovarian cancer-bearing mice results in the significant regression of s.c. tumors even without being pulsed with exogenous tumor Ag prior to adoptive transfer. We now show for the first time that adaptive immune responses against cancer can be augmented by these cancer-induced granulocyte-like immunostimulatory myeloid (CD11b(+)Gr-1(+)) cells,thereby mediating highly effective antitumor immunity in an adoptive transfer model of immunity. View Publication

The anti-My-10 mouse monoclonal antibody was raised against the immature human myeloid cell line KG-1a and was selected for nonreactivity with mature human granulocytes. Anti-My-10 immunoprecipitated a KG-1a cell surface protein with an apparent Mr of approximately 115 kD. We describe the binding of this antibody to human hematopoietic cell types and show that My-10 is expressed specifically on immature normal human marrow cells,including hematopoietic progenitor cells. My-10 is also expressed by leukemic marrow cells from a subpopulation of patients. Thus,this antibody allows the identification and purification of hematopoietic progenitor cells from normal human marrow and the subclassification of leukemia. View Publication

The My-10 glycoprotein is an hematopoietic cell surface antigen expressed specifically by undifferentiated (blast) cells,constituting 1%-4% of normal adult bone marrow leukocytes. We used several immunological and in vitro culture methods to analyze the expression of this unique antigen on a variety of lymphohematopoietic progenitor cells. Colony-forming cells (CFC) for granulocyte-monocyte colonies (CFC-GM) and erythroid colonies (BFU-E) were predominantly My-10 positive. CFC with higher proliferative potential were more strongly My-10 positive than CFC with lower proliferative potential,and those for mixed-lineage and blast cell colonies were even more uniformly My-10 positive. Cells maintaining CFC-GM number in short-term marrow culture (pre-CFC) were found to be My-10 positive,as were lymphoid precursors defined by their content of intranuclear terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. More mature erythroid precursors (CFU-E) were heterogeneous for antigen expression and lost My-10 antigen progressively,in parallel with advancing maturational stage. The My-10 antigen permits rapid identification and purification of hematopoietic progenitor cells for further study or potential clinical application. The disappearance of the My-10 antigen,moreover,may be a probe for differentiation-linked cellular events. View Publication

Donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) targeting mismatched human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules are one of the principal threats to long-term graft survival in solid organ transplantation. However,many patients with long-term circulating DSAs do not manifest rejection responses,suggesting a degree of heterogeneity in their pathogenicity and related functional activity. Immunologic risk stratification of transplant recipients is complicated by challenges intrinsic to defining alloantibody responses that are potentially pathogenic versus those that are not. Thus,a comprehensive understanding of how human alloantibodies target and interact with donor HLA molecules is vital for the development and evaluation of new strategies aimed at reducing antibody-mediated rejection responses. In this study,we employ hydrogen–deuterium exchange–mass spectrometry (HDX–MS),molecular dynamics (MD) simulations,and advanced biochemical and biophysical methodologies to thoroughly characterize a panel of human monoclonal alloantibodies and define the influence of Fc-region biology,antibody binding kinetics,target antigen density,and structural characteristics on their ability to potentiate the forms of immune effector mechanisms that are strongly implicated in transplant rejection. Our findings have significant implications for our understanding of the key biological determinants that underlie the pathogenicity or lack thereof of human alloantibodies. View Publication

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) functions in the regulation of glycogen metabolism,in the cell cycle,and in immune responses and is targeted by some viruses to favor the viral life cycle. Inhibition of GSK-3 by 6-bromoindirubin-3'-acetoxime (BIO-acetoxime),a synthetic derivative of a compound from the Mediterranean mollusk Hexaplex trunculus,protects cells from varicella infection. In this study,we examined the effects of BIO-acetoxime against herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) infection in human oral epithelial cells,which represent a natural target cell type. The results revealed that BIO-acetoxime relieves HSV-1-induced cytopathic effects and apoptosis. We also found that BIO-acetoxime reduced viral yields and the expression of different classes of viral proteins. Furthermore,addition of BIO-acetoxime before,simultaneously with or after HSV-1 infection significantly reduced viral yields. Collectively,BIO-acetoxime may suppress viral gene expression and protect oral epithelial cells from HSV-1 infection. These results suggest the possible involvement of GSK-3 in HSV-1 infection. View Publication

An attractive target for therapeutic intervention is constitutively activated,mutant FLT3,which is expressed in a subpopulation of patients with acute myelocyic leukemia (AML) and is generally a poor prognostic indicator in patients under the age of 65 years. PKC412 is one of several mutant FLT3 inhibitors that is undergoing clinical testing,and which is currently in late-stage clinical trials. However,the discovery of drug-resistant leukemic blast cells in PKC412-treated patients with AML has prompted the search for novel,structurally diverse FLT3 inhibitors that could be alternatively used to override drug resistance. Here,we report the potent and selective antiproliferative effects of the novel mutant FLT3 inhibitor NVP-AST487 on primary patient cells and cell lines expressing FLT3-ITD or FLT3 kinase domain point mutants. NVP-AST487,which selectively targets mutant FLT3 protein kinase activity,is also shown to override PKC412 resistance in vitro,and has significant antileukemic activity in an in vivo model of FLT3-ITD(+) leukemia. Finally,the combination of NVP-AST487 with standard chemotherapeutic agents leads to enhanced inhibition of proliferation of mutant FLT3-expressing cells. Thus,we present a novel class of FLT3 inhibitors that displays high selectivity and potency toward FLT3 as a molecular target,and which could potentially be used to override drug resistance in AML. View Publication