Treatment with annexin V increases immunogenicity of apoptotic human T-cells in Balb/c mice.
Exposure of phosphatidylserine on the outer leaflet of the cytoplasmic membrane is an early event during apoptotic cell death and serves as a recognition signal for phagocytes. Usually the clearance of apoptotic cells does not initiate inflammation or immune response. We investigated the immune response in Balb/c mice towards apoptotic human T-cells. Animals injected with apoptotic cells showed significantly reduced humoral immune responses, especially Th1-dependent IgG2a titres, compared to controls immunised with viable cells. However, treatment of apoptotic cells with annexin V (AxV) significantly increased the humoral immune response. AxV binds with high affinity to anionic phospholipids and as a result interferes with the phosphatidylserine recognition by phagocytes. Our results indicate that AxV treatment may be used to increase the efficiency of apoptotic cell-based vaccines, e.g. some tumour vaccines.
Institute of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuernberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
C M
CM
Stach
X
X
Turnay
R E
RE
Voll
P M
PM
Kern
W
W
Kolowos
T D
TD
Beyer
J R
JR
Kalden
M
M
Herrmann
D000818:Animals; D017304:Annexin A5 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology*; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*
D017304:Annexin A5; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G