Development of Stem Cell-derived Antigen-specific Regulatory T Cells Against Autoimmunity

Autoimmune diseases arise due to the loss of immunological self-tolerance. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are important mediators of immunologic ...

The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine

There currently are no tests available for early diagnosis or for the identification of patients at risk for development of pancreatic cancer. We report the discovery of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the cholecystokinin B receptor (CCKBR) gene predicts survival and risk of pancreatic cancer. Growth of human pancreatic cancer is stimulated by gastrin through the CCKBR and an alternatively spliced isoform of the CCKBR gene called CCKCR. One hundred and ten surgically resected benign and malignant pancreatic tissues as well as normal pancreas were prospectively evaluated for CCKBR genotype and protein expression. Analysis demonstrated the expression of the spliced isoform, CCKCR, was associated with a (SNP) (C > A) at position 32 of the intron 4 (IVS 4) of the CCKBR gene. Since the SNP is within an intron, it has not previously been identified in the GWAS studies. Only patients with the A/A or A/C genotypes, exhibited immunoreactivity to a selective CCKCR antibody. Survival among pancreatic cancer patients with the A-SNP was significantly shorter (p = 0.0001, hazard ratio = 3.63) compared with individuals with C/C genotype. Other variables such as surgical margins, lymph node status, histologic grade or adjuvant chemotherapy were not associated with survival. Furthermore, having one or two of the A-alleles was found to increase the risk of pancreatic adenocarcinoma by 174% (p = 0.0192) compared with the C/C wild type. Cancer cells transfected to overexpress the CCKCR demonstrated increased proliferation over controls. Genetic screening for this SNP may aid in early detection of pancreatic cancer in high risk subjects.

A single nucleotide polymorphism of the cholecystokinin-B receptor predicts risk for pancreatic cancer.

Gastrin stimulates the growth of pancreatic cancer cells through the activation of the cholecystokinin-B receptor (CCK-BR), which has been found to be overexpressed in pancreatic cancer. In this study, we proposed that the CCK-BR drives growth of pancreatic cancer; hence, interruption of CCK-BR activity could potentially be an ideal target for cancer therapeutics. The effect of CCK-BR downregulation in the human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells was examined by utilizing specific CCK-BR-targeted RNA interference reagents. The CCK-BR receptor expression was both transiently and stably downregulated by transfection with selective CCK-BR small-interfering RNA or short-hairpin RNA, respectively, and the effects on cell growth and apoptosis were assessed. CCK-BR downregulation resulted in reduced cancer cell proliferation, decreased DNA synthesis, and cell cycle arrest as demonstrated by an inhibition of G(1) to S phase progression. Furthermore, CCK-BR downregulation increased caspase-3 activity, TUNEL-positive cells, and decreased X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein expression, suggesting apoptotic activity. Pancreatic cancer cell mobility was decreased when the CCK-BR was downregulated, as assessed by a migration assay. These results show the importance of the CCK-BR in regulation of growth and apoptosis in pancreatic cancer. Strategies to decrease the CCK-BR expression and activity may be beneficial for the development of new methods to improve the treatment for patients with pancreatic cancer.

Downregulation of the CCK-B receptor in pancreatic cancer cells blocks proliferation and promotes apoptosis.

Regulatory T (Treg) cells are essential for normal immune surveillance systems, and their dysfunction leads to development of diseases, such as autoimmune disorders. CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells are well-known suppressive cells, which express the transcription factor Foxp3, are indispensable for the maintenance of immune self-tolerance and homeostasis by suppressing aberrant or excessive immune response. Other Foxp3(-) Treg cells include Tr1, Th3, CD8(+)CD28(-/-), and Qa1-restricted T cells; however, the contribution of these Treg cells to self-tolerance, immune homeostasis as well as preventing autoimmunity is not well defined. Here, we discuss the phenotypes and function of Foxp3(+) Treg cells and the potential use of such Treg cells against rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Of note, even though most expanded populations of Foxp3(+) Treg cells exhibit suppressive activity, tissue-associated or antigen-specific Treg cells appear superior in suppressing local autoimmune disorders such as RA. In addition, utilizing tissue-associated Foxp3(+) Treg cells from stem cells may stable Foxp3 expression and avoid induction of a potentially detrimental systemic immunosuppression.

Utilizing regulatory T cells against rheumatoid arthritis.

Adoptive cell transfer (ACT) of antigen (Ag)-specific CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) is a highly promising treatment for a variety of diseases. Naive or central memory T-cell-derived effector CTLs are optimal populations for ACT-based immunotherapy because these cells have a high proliferative potential, are less prone to apoptosis than terminally differentiated cells, and have the higher ability to respond to homeostatic cytokines. However, such ACT with T-cell persistence is often not feasible due to difficulties in obtaining sufficient cells from patients. Here we present that in vitro differentiated HSCs of engineered PSCs can develop in vivo into tumor Ag-specific naive CTLs, which efficiently suppress melanoma growth. Mouse-induced PSCs (iPSCs) were retrovirally transduced with a construct encoding chicken ovalbumin (OVA)-specific T-cell receptors (TCRs) and survival-related proteins (i.e., BCL-xL and survivin). The gene-transduced iPSCs were cultured on the delta-like ligand 1-expressing OP9 (OP9-DL1) murine stromal cells in the presence of murine recombinant cytokines (rFlt3L and rIL-7) for a week. These iPSC-derived cells were then intravenously adoptively transferred into recipient mice, followed by intraperitoneal injection with an agonist α-Notch 2 antibody and cytokines (rFlt3L and rIL-7). Two weeks later, naive OVA-specific CD8(+) T cells were observed in the mouse peripheral lymphatic system, which were responsive to OVA-specific stimulation. Moreover, the mice were resistant to the challenge of B16-OVA melanoma induction. These results indicate that genetically modified stem cells may be used for ACT-based immunotherapy or serve as potential vaccines.

Melanoma Immunotherapy in Mice Using Genetically Engineered Pluripotent Stem Cells.

The signalling mechanisms of costimulation in the development of memory T cells remain to be clarified. Here, we show that the transcription factor c-Myc in CD8(+) T cells is controlled by costimulatory molecules, which modulates the development of memory CD8(+) T cells. C-Myc expression was dramatically reduced in Cd28(-/-) or Ox40(-/-) memory CD8(+) T cells, and c-Myc over-expression substantially reversed the defects in the development of T-cell memory following viral infection. C-Myc regulated the expression of survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis, which promoted the generation of virus-specific memory CD8(+) T cells. Moreover, over-expression of survivin with bcl-xL, a downstream molecule of NF-κB and intracellular target of costimulation that controls survival, in Cd28(-/-) or Ox40(-/-) CD8(+) T cells, reversed the defects in the generation of memory T cells in response to viral infection. These results identify c-Myc as a key controller of memory CD8(+) T cells from costimulatory signals.

C-Myc regulation by costimulatory signals modulates the generation of CD8+ memory T cells during viral infection.

Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have the potential to produce almost all of the cells in the body, including regulatory T cells (Tregs). However, the exact conditions required for the development of antigen (Ag)-specific Tregs from PSCs (i.e., PSC-Tregs) are not well delineated. Ag-specific PSC-Tregs can be tissue/organ-associated and migrate to local inflamed tissues/organs to suppress the autoimmune response after adoptive transfer, thereby avoiding potential overall immunosuppression from non-specific Tregs. In this study, we developed a new approach to generate functional Ag-specific Tregs from induced PSCs (iPSCs), i.e., iPSC-Tregs, which had the ability to generate an Ag-specific immunosuppressive response in a murine model of arthritis. We retrovirally transduced murine iPSCs with a construct containing genes of Ag-specific T cell receptor (TCR) and the transcriptional factor FoxP3. We differentiated the iPSCs into Ag-specific iPSC-Tregs using in vitro or in vivo Notch signaling, and demonstrated that adoptive transfer of such Tregs dramatically suppressed autoimmunity in a well-established Ag-induced arthritis model, including the inflammation, joint destruction, cartilage prostaglandin depletion, osteoclast activity, and Th17 production. Our results indicate that PSCs can be used to develop Ag-specific Tregs, which have a therapeutic potential for Treg-based therapies of autoimmune disorders.

Kristin Fino

Department of Microbiology and Immunology

The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine

Development of Stem Cell-derived Antigen-specific Regulatory T Cells Against Autoimmunity

Kristin Fino

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Department of Microbiology and Immunology

The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine

Development of Stem Cell-derived Antigen-specific Regulatory T Cells Against Autoimmunity

Department of Microbiology and Immunology