Glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor stimulation enhances the multifunctionality of adoptively transferred tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T cells with tumor regression.
We have reported for the first time the significance of effector T-cell multifunctionality in antitumor immunity, suggesting that the appearance of multifunctional/polyfunctional tumor-specific CD8(+) T cells in vivo is a critical determinant of the success of antitumor immunotherapy, and a strategy to induce multifunctionality in effector cells is required for the successful immunotherapy of hosts with progressing tumor. Glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR) stimulation has been shown to enhance antitumor immune response. However, its functional impact on adoptively transferred T cells remains unclear. Here, we analyzed the impact of GITR stimulation in vivo on the functional profiles of adoptively transferred CD8(+) T cells specific for murine fibrosarcoma CMS5. GITR stimulation was found to enhance multifunctionality (interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha production and CD107a mobilization as a degranulation marker) in transferred cells at the single-cell level. These cells exhibited upregulated expression of CD25 in draining lymph nodes and increased infiltration in tumor. Mice that received T-cell therapy with GITR stimulation showed reduced Foxp3(+)CD4(+) T cells among tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and increased in vivo cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) activity even with progressing tumor, resulting in enhanced tumor regression. These data strengthen the idea that effector T-cell multifunctionality is a sensitive immune correlate for successful immunotherapy against malignancy and provide an immunological rationale for effective T-cell therapy combined with GITR stimulation.
Department of Immuno-Gene Therapy, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie, Japan.
Naoko
N
Imai
Hiroaki
H
Ikeda
Isao
I
Tawara
Linan
L
Wang
Lijie
L
Wang
Hiroyoshi
H
Nishikawa
Takuma
T
Kato
Hiroshi
H
Shiku
D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D053450:Glucocorticoid-Induced TNFR-Related Protein; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000819:agonists*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000819:agonists*
D053450:Glucocorticoid-Induced TNFR-Related Protein; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C106544:Tnfrsf18 protein, mouse