title: Immunomodulation of curcumin on adoptive therapy with T cell functional imaging in mice.
abstract: Adoptive T-cell therapy involves the ex vivo expansion and subsequent transfusion of tumor-specific T lymphocytes to eliminate tumors. Using immune modulators to block immunosuppressive factors in the tumor microenvironment has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance T-cell-mediated tumor regression. Curcumin, a major component of turmeric, has been shown to possess antitumor and immunomodulatory effects by regulating a diverse range of molecular targets. Thus, we hypothesize that these beneficial effects of curcumin may improve the therapeutic efficacy of adoptive therapy. Here, we have shown that curcumin enhances cytotoxicity of CD8(+) T cells toward tumors via alteration of the tumor microenvironment when combined with adoptive therapy. We found that T-cell accumulation and function were increased in combined treatment due to the blockade of different immunosuppressors, including TGF-β, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, and regulatory T cells. Furthermore, bioluminescent imaging with a granzyme B promoter-conjugated optical reporter also reflected improved cytotoxicity of antigen-specific CD8(+) T cells in tumor-bearing mice during treatment. These findings suggest that combination of multitargeting drugs, such as curcumin, with adoptive therapy may have potential for clinical application. In addition, using a granzyme B-specific imaging reporter to assess T-cell function may also be applied for the development and therapeutic evaluation of new immunotherapy in preclinical studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ya-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hui-Yen
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Chien-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Ren-Shyan
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Sanjiv Sam
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Gambhir
authors.forename: Jeng-Jong
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003474:Curcumin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D053804:Granzymes / Q000235:genetics; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D056747:Immunomodulation; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D050503:Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D057054:Molecular Imaging; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D050503:Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053804:Granzymes; D003474:Curcumin