Antitumor activity of human papillomavirus type 16 E7-specific T cells against virally infected squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) seems to be a suitable target for cancer vaccination. HPV-encoded oncogenic proteins, such as E7, are promising tumor-specific antigens and are obligatory for tumor growth. Because few immunologic studies have analyzed the endogenous HPV-specific immune response in this subset of SCCHN patients, we studied T-cell frequencies against HPV-16 E7(11-20) or E7(86-93) in tumor-bearing, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*0201+ SCCHN patients, whose tumors were either HPV-16+ or HPV-16-. In HPV-16+ SCCHN patients, frequencies of T cells against either peptide were significantly elevated (P < 0.005) compared with HPV-16- patients or healthy volunteers. Tetramer+ T cells showed evidence of terminally differentiated phenotype (CD45RA+CCR7-) and an elevated level of CD107a staining for degranulation. Despite detectable expression of the restricting HLA class I allele, HLA-A*0201-E7(11-20)- or HLA-A*0201-E7(86-93)-specific CTL obtained by in vitro stimulation of healthy donor peripheral blood mononuclear cells only recognize a naturally HPV-16-transformed, HLA-A*0201+ SCCHN cell line after pretreatment with IFN-gamma. This cell line had little or no expression of LMP2, TAP1, and tapasin, critical components of the HLA class I antigen-processing machinery, which were up-regulated by IFN-gamma treatment. Immunohistochemistry of HPV-16+ SCCHN tumors showed that these antigen-processing machinery components are down-regulated in tumors in vivo compared with adjacent normal squamous epithelium. Thus, immunity to HPV-16 E7 is associated with the presence of HPV-16 infection and presentation of E7-derived peptides on SCCHN cells, which show evidence of immune escape. These findings support further development of E7-specific immunotherapy and strategies for up-regulation of antigen-processing machinery components in HPV-associated SCCHN.
Albers
Andreas
A
Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
Abe
Koji
K
Hunt
Jennifer
J
Wang
Jun
J
Lopez-Albaitero
Andres
A
Schaefer
Carsten
C
Gooding
William
W
Whiteside
Theresa L
TL
Ferrone
Soldano
S
DeLeo
Albert
A
Ferris
Robert L
RL
D000818:Animals; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive / Q000379:methods; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology
D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015234:HLA-A Antigens; C435939:HLA-A*02:01 antigen; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins; C059731:oncogene protein E7, Human papillomavirus type 16; D007371:Interferon-gamma