B7-negative versus B7-positive P815 tumor: differential requirements for priming of an antitumor immune response in lymph nodes.

Efficient T cell activation requires two synergistic but distinct signals derived from antigenic peptides presented by the MHC and from costimulatory molecules, particularly those belonging to the B7 family. Lack of B7-CD28 interaction may cause unresponsiveness of T cells to subsequent exposure to Ag. Nevertheless, immunization by some B7- tumors induces an antitumor immune response. We found that the immune response against two B7- tumors, the mouse P815 mastocytoma and the E7C3 melanoma, requires host-derived B7, since blockage of the B7-CD28 interaction facilitates tumor growth and eliminates an antitumor response. B7 costimulation is provided in the regional, tumor-draining lymph nodes for the induction of a primary CTL response against both B7+ tumor and B7- tumor. However, the induction of a CTL response to B7+ tumors and its clonal expansion may occur at tumor sites in addition to secondary lymphoid organs so as to generate more effective tumor immunity.

B7-CD28 costimulation unveils the hierarchy of tumor epitopes recognized by major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted CD8+ cytolytic T lymphocytes.

Immunization of mice with tumors genetically engineered to express the B7 costimulatory molecules amplifies the antitumor immune response mediated by CD8+ cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL). In this report, we examined the effect of B7-CD28 costimulation on the hierarchy of tumor epitopes. Using a combination of affinity chromatography/reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography and CTL cloning, we show that major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules from EL4 lymphoma cells can present at least six distinct CTL epitopes presented by MHC class I molecules. Nevertheless, mice immunized with wild-type B7-negative EL4 cells develop CTL only to one immunodominant epitope. In contrast, immunization with B7-transduced EL4 cells led to not only the amplification of the CTL response to this immunodominant epitope, but also to the recognition of five otherwise silent subdominant epitopes. The adoptive transfer of a CTL clone against such a subdominant epitope cured mice bearing EL4 lymphoma growing as an ascites tumor. The fact that CTL response can be spread to normally silent epitopes as a result of B7-CD28 costimulation suggests a novel approach to manipulate the hierarchy of CTL epitopes and offers an opportunity to explore novel targets for T cell-mediated cancer therapy.

In vitro priming of tumor-reactive cytolytic T lymphocytes by combining IL-10 with B7-CD28 costimulation.

Naive spleen cells from syngeneic mice generated tumor-reactive CTL following three cycles of in vitro culturing with IL-10 and cells from the P815 mouse mastocytoma that expressed the B7-1 or B7-2 costimulator. Unpurified as well as CD8-enriched naive splenocytes could be used for priming. The in vitro primed CTL were CD8+, and their recognition was MHC class I restricted. Both IL-10 and B7-transfected P815 cells were required for the priming. However, a combination of exogenous IL-10 and IL-2 in the presence of B7-negative wild-type P815 cells also induced tumor-reactive CTL. Injection of the neutralizing anti-IL-10 mAb JES-2A5 into mice reduced their ability to mount a primary CTL response after immunization with B7-1+ P815 cells, and inclusion of this mAb in the in vitro cultures inhibited a secondary CTL response. Adoptive transfer of the in vitro primed CTL had a therapeutic effect in mice with P815 established as an ascites tumor. Our results underscore an important role of IL-10 in the induction of a tumor-specific CTL response.

Induction of cytotoxic T lymphocytes specific for a syngeneic tumor expressing the E6 oncoprotein of human papillomavirus type 16.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 has been implicated in the etiology of cervical carcinomas, but it is unknown whether HPV-specific immunity can function in controlling the growth of HPV-associated carcinomas. We previously demonstrated that CD8+ T lymphocytes can inhibit the in vivo outgrowth of murine tumor cells transfected with the HPV-16 E7 gene and have now established a murine model to study the CTL responses to the E6 oncoprotein of HPV-16. Immunization of C3H/HeN mice with syngeneic fibroblasts expressing a transfected HPV-16 E6 gene induced regression of transplanted tumors expressing this gene. Populations of CTL isolated from the spleens of mice whose E6+ tumors had regressed were shown to specifically lyse E6+ target cells. The cytolytic activity was mediated by CD8+ CTL in a MHC restricted pattern. These data and our previous findings with transfected tumor cells expressing the E7 gene, support the conclusion that tumor cells associated with HPV-16 can be inhibited by CTL specific for molecules encoded by the HPV-16 E6 and E7 genes.

Antigen-driven T cell clones can proliferate in vivo, eradicate disseminated leukemia, and provide specific immunologic memory.

The aim of the current study was to determine the ability of antigen-driven cloned helper cell independent cytotoxic T lymphocytes (HITc) to proliferate and to survive in vivo and to mediate tumor therapy. The HITc clone utilized (denoted 1.B6) was specifically cytolytic to FBL-3, a syngeneic Friend virus-induced murine leukemia. Activation in vitro (48 hr) with FBL-3 induced secretion of interleukin 2 (IL 2), expression of IL 2 receptors (IL 2R), and in vitro proliferation. These cells could be "rested" for several weeks without stimulation, which resulted in reduced expression of IL 2R; however, restimulation with antigen resulted in reinduction of IL 2R and proliferation. The ability of cloned HITc to proliferate and to survive in vivo was examined in cyclophosphamide (CY) pretreated donor mice congenic for the Thy-1 gene. Adoptively transferred cloned HITc could be found in large numbers, and were widely distributed in vivo 1 wk after transfer. In tumor therapy, 1.B6 cells when injected into a site of tumor (i.p.) and used as an adjunct to CY were effective against disseminated FBL-3. In this circumstance, cloned 1.B6 cells could be recovered from cured mice 125 days after transfer and were shown to specifically lyse tumor and proliferate in vitro in response to FBL-3. Thus as an adjunct to CY, tumor-specific cloned HITc are capable of eradicating disseminated leukemia, persisting long-term in vivo, and providing specific immunologic memory.