title: Immunotherapeutic strategies targeting rheumatoid synovial T-cell receptors by DNA inoculation.
abstract: Immunotherapy against autoreactive T-cell receptors (TCRs) has been reported to have promise in several animal models of autoimmune diseases. Facilitated DNA inoculation has many potential advantages as a modality for development of specific immune responses. Specifically, this technology is able to deliver exogenous antigens for processing via both the endogenous pathway, with subsequent presentation by class-I major histocompatibility (MHC) antigens, and the exogenous pathway, with subsequent presentation by class-II MHC antigens. This allows for induction of both arms of the cellular immune system. These cellular immune responses may be particularly important in targeting and controlling pathogenic cell populations. The application of this technology to the treatment of human autoimmune diseases depends on the availability of readily manipulated systems for the evaluation of specific interventions. Here we report the full length cloning and expression of TCRs from rheumatoid arthritis synovial tissue. These were developed by recombinant polymerase chain reaction, cloning and retroviral transduction into a TCR-alpha/beta-negative murine T-cell hybridoma. Reconstitution of CD3 expression was confirmed by flow cytometry. Similar constructs have been developed for TCR-based immunotherapy by facilitated inoculation of DNA intramuscularly. Preliminary analysis of immune responses in mice indicates that these constructs elicit anti-TCR responses. These studies indicate the ability to reconstitute expression of potentially autoreactive human TCRs in a model system wherein specific immune responses elicited against these TCRs by various immunogens can be evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
authors.forename: W V
authors.initials: WV
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Von Feldt
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luchi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Weiner
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000276:immunology; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D004247:DNA