Efficient Activation of LRH-1―specific CD8+ T-cell Responses From Transplanted Leukemia Patients by Stimulation With P2X5 mRNA-electroporated Dendritic Cells

• Published in: Journal of immunotherapy (1997) Vol. 32; no. 6; pp. 539 - 551
• Main Authors: OVERES, Ingrid M, FREDRIX, Hanny, KESTER, Michel G. D, FREDERIK FALKENBURG, J. H, VAN DER VOORT, Robbert, DE WITTE, Theo M, DOLSTRA, Harry
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 01-07-2009
• Subjects: Antineoplastic agents; Biological and medical sciences; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Cell Degranulation - immunology; Dendritic Cells - immunology; Dendritic Cells - transplantation; Electroporation; Graft vs Leukemia Effect; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; Immunotherapy; Interferon-gamma - biosynthesis; Interferon-gamma - immunology; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive - therapy; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute - therapy; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Medical sciences; Minor Histocompatibility Antigens - immunology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Receptors, Purinergic P2 - genetics; Receptors, Purinergic P2 - immunology; Receptors, Purinergic P2X5; RNA, Messenger - genetics; Stem Cell Transplantation; Human; Dendritic cell; Immune response; Leukemia; mRNA electroporation; Electroporation; Stimulation; Minor histocompatibility system; Malignant hemopathy; Transplantation; Messenger RNA; Treatment; dendritic cells; minor histocompatibility antigen; Antigen presenting cell; Surgery; Immunotherapy; CD8; Graft; Cancer; CD8 T lymphocyte; T-cell response
• ISSN: 1524-9557; 1537-4513
• DOI: 10.1097/CJI.0b013e3181987c22

Alloreactive CD8+ T cells targeting minor histocompatibility antigens (MiHA) on malignant cells of the recipient play a pivotal role in graft-versus-tumor responses observed after allogeneic stem cell transplantation and donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI). However, these MiHA-specific CD8+ T-cell responses do not result in complete eradication of tumor cells in all patients. Furthermore, CD8+ memory T cells persisting after DLI do not always efficiently expand with recurrence of the disease. Adjuvant immunotherapy using dendritic cells (DC) loaded with hematopoietic-restricted MiHA may boost antitumor CD8+ T-cell immunity without inducing graft-versus-host disease. Here, we explored the use of mRNA-electroporated DC to stimulate MiHA-specific CD8+ T-cell responses. We demonstrate that electroporation of mature DC with P2X5 mRNA encoding for hematopoietic-restricted MiHA LRH-1 results in high expression of both mRNA and protein, and has no negative effect on the mature phenotype and migratory capacity of the DC. Furthermore, these DC can efficiently stimulate LRH-1-specific CD8+ effector T cells to proliferate and produce interferon-gamma. In addition, LRH-1-specific CD8+ memory T cells that are present in patient-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells at long periods post-DLI can be effectively activated by stimulation with P2X5 mRNA-electroporated DC to proliferate and degranulate upon target cell recognition. These results indicate that adjuvant immunotherapy using DC electroporated with mRNA encoding hematopoietic-restricted MiHA mismatched between patients and donors may enhance the graft versus tumor response induced by stem cell transplantation and DLI.