title: Survival and tumor localization of adoptively transferred Melan-A-specific T cells in melanoma patients.
abstract: Adoptive T cell therapy has been successfully used for treatment of viral and malignant diseases. However, little is known about the fate and trafficking of transferred Ag-specific T cells. Using the tetramer (TM) technology which allows for detection and quantification of Ag-specific CTL, we assessed the frequency of circulating Melan-A-specific CTL in advanced melanoma patients during adoptive T cell therapy. Melan-A-specific CTL were generated from HLA-A2.1(+) patients by in vitro stimulation of CD8(+) T cells with dendritic cells pulsed with a mutated HLA-A2-binding Melan-A (ELAGIGILTV) peptide. Eight patients received three infusions of 0.25-11 x 10(8) Melan-A-specific CTL i.v. at 2-wk intervals along with low-dose IL-2. The transferred T cell product contained a mean of 42.1% Melan-A-TM(+) CTL. Before therapy, the frequencies of Melan-A-specific CTL in patients' circulating CD8(+) T cells ranged from 0.01 to 0.07%. Characterization of the TM frequencies before and at different time points after transfer revealed an increase of circulating Melan-A-specific CTL up to 2%, correlating well with the number of transferred CTL. An elevated frequency of TM(+) T cells was demonstrated up to 14 days after transfer, suggesting long-term survival and/or proliferation of transferred CTL. Combining TM analysis with a flow cytometry-based cytokine secretion assay, unimpaired production of IFN-gamma was demonstrated in vivo for at least 24 h after transfer. Indium-111 labeling of Melan-A-specific CTL demonstrated localization of transferred CTL to metastatic sites as early as 48 h after injection. Overall, the results suggest that in vitro-generated Melan-A-specific CTL survive intact in vivo for several weeks and localize preferentially to tumor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, D-93042 Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Meidenbauer
authors.forename: Joerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marienhagen
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laumer
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vogl
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heymann
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andreesen
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mackensen
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000276:immunology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive / Q000379:methods*; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes / Q000378:metabolism; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D058965:MART-1 Antigen; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D058965:MART-1 Antigen; C548667:MLANA protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins