title: Renal cell carcinoma-derived gangliosides suppress nuclear factor-kappaB activation in T cells.
abstract: Activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NFkappaB) is impaired in T cells from patients with renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). In circulating T cells from a subset of patients with RCCs, the suppression of NFkappaB binding activity is downstream from the stimulus-induced degradation of the cytoplasmic factor IkappaBalpha. Tumor-derived soluble products from cultured RCC explants inhibit NFkappaB activity in T cells from healthy volunteers, despite a normal level of stimulus-induced IkappaBalpha degradation in these cells. The inhibitory agent has several features characteristic of a ganglioside, including sensitivity to neuraminidase but not protease treatment; hydrophobicity; and molecular weight less than 3 kDa. Indeed, we detected gangliosides in supernatants from RCC explants and not from adjacent normal kidney tissue. Gangliosides prepared from RCC supernatants, as well as the purified bovine gangliosides G(m1) and G(d1a), suppressed NFkappaB binding activity in T cells and reduced expression of the cytokines IL-2 and IFN-gamma. Taken together, our findings suggest that tumor-derived gangliosides may blunt antitumor immune responses in patients with RCCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Uzzo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rayman
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kolenko
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Cathcart
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bloom
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Novick
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bukowski
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Finke
mesh_terms: D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005732:Gangliosides; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D016328:NF-kappa B; C000606204:NFKBIA protein, human; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma