Exosomes as potent cell-free peptide-based vaccine. I. Dendritic cell-derived exosomes transfer functional MHC class I/peptide complexes to dendritic cells

J Immunol. 2004 Feb 15;172(4):2126-36. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.172.4.2126.

Abstract

Current immunization protocols in cancer patients involve CTL-defined tumor peptides. Mature dendritic cells (DC) are the most potent APCs for the priming of naive CD8(+) T cells, eventually leading to tumor eradication. Because DC can secrete MHC class I-bearing exosomes, we addressed whether exosomes pulsed with synthetic peptides could subserve the DC function consisting in MHC class I-restricted, peptide-specific CTL priming in vitro and in vivo. The priming of CTL restricted by HLA-A2 molecules and specific for melanoma peptides was performed: 1) using in vitro stimulations of total blood lymphocytes with autologous DC pulsed with GMP-manufactured autologous exosomes in a series of normal volunteers; 2) in HLA-A2 transgenic mice (HHD2) using exosomes harboring functional HLA-A2/Mart1 peptide complexes. In this study, we show that: 1). DC release abundant MHC class I/peptide complexes transferred within exosomes to other naive DC for efficient CD8(+) T cell priming in vitro; 2). exosomes require nature's adjuvants (mature DC) to efficiently promote the differentiation of melanoma-specific effector T lymphocytes producing IFN-gamma (Tc1) effector lymphocytes in HLA-A2 transgenic mice (HHD2). These data imply that exosomes might be a transfer mechanism of functional MHC class I/peptide complexes to DC for efficient CTL activation in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigen Presentation / immunology
  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Cancer Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • Cancer Vaccines / immunology*
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell-Free System / immunology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism*
  • Dendritic Cells / transplantation
  • Endosomes / immunology*
  • Endosomes / metabolism
  • Endosomes / transplantation
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / administration & dosage
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology
  • HLA-A2 Antigen / administration & dosage
  • HLA-A2 Antigen / immunology
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / administration & dosage
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Interphase / immunology
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • MART-1 Antigen
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neoplasm Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Neoplasm Proteins / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / metabolism
  • Vaccines, Subunit / administration & dosage
  • Vaccines, Subunit / immunology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • HLA-A2 Antigen
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • MART-1 Antigen
  • MLANA protein, human
  • Mlana protein, mouse
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Vaccines, Subunit