Absence of LTB4/BLT1 axis facilitates generation of mouse GM-CSF-induced long-lasting antitumor immunologic memory by enhancing innate and adaptive immune systems

Blood. 2012 Oct 25;120(17):3444-54. doi: 10.1182/blood-2011-10-383240. Epub 2012 Aug 30.

Abstract

BLT1 is a high-affinity receptor for leukotriene B4 (LTB4) that is a potent lipid chemoattractant for myeloid leukocytes. The role of LTB4/BLT1 axis in tumor immunology, including cytokine-based tumor vaccine, however, remains unknown. We here demonstrated that BLT1-deficient mice rejected subcutaneous tumor challenge of GM-CSF gene-transduced WEHI3B (WGM) leukemia cells (KO/WGM) and elicited robust antitumor responses against second tumor challenge with WEHI3B cells. During GM-CSF-induced tumor regression, the defective LTB4/BLT1 signaling significantly reduced tumor-infiltrating myeloid-derived suppressor cells, increased the maturation status of dendritic cells in tumor tissues, enhanced their CD4(+) T-cell stimulation capacity and migration rate of dendritic cells that had phagocytosed tumor-associated antigens into tumor-draining lymph nodes, suggesting a positive impact on GM-CSF-sensitized innate immunity. Furthermore, KO/WGM mice displayed activated adaptive immunity by attenuating regulatory CD4(+) T subsets and increasing numbers of Th17 and memory CD44(hi)CD4(+) T subsets, both of which elicited superior antitumor effects as evidenced by adoptive cell transfer. In vivo depletion assays also revealed that CD4(+) T cells were the main effectors of the persistent antitumor immunity. Our data collectively underscore a negative role of LTB4/BLT1 signaling in effective generation and maintenance of GM-CSF-induced antitumor memory CD4(+) T cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptive Immunity
  • Adoptive Transfer
  • Animals
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / pathology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / immunology
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / genetics
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / immunology*
  • Immunity, Innate
  • Immunologic Memory
  • Leukemia, Experimental / genetics
  • Leukemia, Experimental / immunology*
  • Leukemia, Experimental / pathology
  • Leukotriene B4 / immunology
  • Leukotriene B4 / metabolism
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Receptors, Leukotriene B4 / deficiency
  • Receptors, Leukotriene B4 / genetics
  • Receptors, Leukotriene B4 / immunology*
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Signal Transduction / immunology*
  • Transduction, Genetic

Substances

  • Ltb4r1 protein, mouse
  • Receptors, Leukotriene B4
  • Leukotriene B4
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor