Kupfer-type immunological synapse characteristics do not predict anti-brain tumor cytolytic T-cell function in vivo.
To analyze the in vivo structure of antigen-specific immunological synapses during an effective immune response, we established brain tumors expressing the surrogate tumor antigen ovalbumin and labeled antigen-specific anti-glioma T cells using specific tetramers. Using these techniques, we determined that a significant number of antigen-specific T cells were localized to the brain tumor and surrounding brain tissue and a large percentage could be induced to express IFNgamma when exposed to the specific ovalbumin-derived peptide epitope SIINFEKL. Detailed morphological analysis of T cells immunoreactive for tetramers in direct physical contact with tumor cells expressing ovalbumin indicated that the interface between T cells and target tumor cells displayed various morphologies, including Kupfer-type immunological synapses. Quantitative analysis of adjacent confocal optical sections was performed to determine if the higher frequency of antigen-specific antiglioma T cells present in animals that developed an effective antitumor immune response could be correlated with a specific immunological synaptic morphology. Detailed in vivo quantitative analysis failed to detect an increased proportion of immunological synapses displaying the characteristic Kupfer-type morphology in animals mounting a strong and effective antitumor immune response as compared with those experiencing a clinically ineffective response. We conclude that an effective cytolytic immune response is not dependent on an increased frequency of Kupfer-type immunological synapses between T cells and tumor cells.
Yang
J
J
Department of Medicine, Board of Governors' Gene Therapeutics Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
Sanderson
N S R
NS
Wawrowsky
K
K
Puntel
M
M
Castro
M G
MG
Lowenstein
P R
PR
D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000494:pharmacology; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005910:Glioma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000201:enzymology; D054992:Immunological Synapses / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000235:genetics
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D010047:Ovalbumin; D013937:Thymidine Kinase; D015774:Ganciclovir