A tumor-associated heparan sulfate-related glycosaminoglycan promotes the generation of functional regulatory T cells.

Functional Tregs play a key role in tumor development and progression, representing a major barrier to anticancer immunity. The mechanisms by which Tregs are generated in cancer and the influence of the tumor microenvironment on these processes remain incompletely understood. Herein, by using NMR, chemoenzymatic structural assays and a plethora of in vitro and in vivo functional analyses, we demonstrate that the tumoral carbohydrate A10 (Ca10), a cell-surface carbohydrate derived from Ehrlich's tumor (ET) cells, is a heparan sulfate-related proteoglycan that enhances glycolysis and promotes the development of tolerogenic features in human DCs. Ca10-stimulated human DCs generate highly suppressive Tregs by mechanisms partially dependent on metabolic reprogramming, PD-L1, IL-10, and IDO. Ca10 also reprograms the differentiation of human monocytes into DCs with tolerogenic features. In solid ET-bearing mice, we found positive correlations between Ca10 serum levels, tumor size and splenic Treg numbers. Administration of isolated Ca10 also increases the proportion of splenic Tregs in tumor-free mice. Remarkably, we provide evidence supporting the presence of a circulating human Ca10 counterpart (Ca10H) and show, for the first time, that serum levels of Ca10H are increased in patients suffering from different cancer types compared to healthy individuals. Of note, these levels are higher in prostate cancer patients with bone metastases than in prostate cancer patients without metastases. Collectively, we reveal novel molecular mechanisms by which heparan sulfate-related structures associated with tumor cells promote the generation of functional Tregs in cancer. The discovery of this novel structural-functional relationship may open new avenues of research with important clinical implications in cancer treatment.

Immunological cross-reactivity between olive and grass pollen: implication of major and minor allergens.

BACKGROUND: Grasses and olive trees are the most common sources of allergenic pollen worldwide. Although they share some allergens, there are few studies analyzing the in vitro cross-reactivity between them. The aim was to define the cross-reactivity between Olea europaea and Phleum pratense using well-characterized sera of allergic children from Madrid, Spain. METHODS: 66 patients (mean age 10.32+/-4.07 years) were included in the study. All suffered from rhinoconjuntivitis and/or asthma and had a positive skin test and/or specific IgE determination to olive and grass pollen. Serum sIgE to individual allergens was conducted and sIgE against different grass species and olive was also determined by ELISA. Inhibition assays were performed using two serum sources, containing, or not, sIgE to minor allergens. Mass spectrometry analysis was performed in both extracts. RESULTS: 59/66 (89.39%) children had a positive sIgE determination by ELISA to grasses and 57/66 (86.36%) to olive pollen. There was no significant correlation between sIgE levels to grass and olive. Inhibition assays demonstrated no cross-reactivity between P. pratense and olive pollen when using the pool containing mainly sIgE to major allergens, whereas minimal to moderate cross-reactivity was detected when the serum contained high sIgE titers to minor allergens. Proteomic analyses revealed the presence of 42 common proteins in grasses and olive pollens. CONCLUSION: No in vitro cross-reactivity was observed when sIgE was mainly directed to major allergens. In our population, sensitization to olive and grasses is not due to cross-reactivity. The contribution of the major allergens seems to be determinant.