BCR-ABL-specific CD4+ T-helper cells promote the priming of antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells via dendritic cells

Cell Mol Immunol. 2018 Jan;15(1):15-26. doi: 10.1038/cmi.2016.7. Epub 2016 May 15.

Abstract

The advent of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy markedly improved the outcome of patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However, the poor prognosis of patients with advanced-phase CML and the lifelong dependency on TKIs are remaining challenges; therefore, an effective therapeutic has been sought. The BCR-ABL p210 fusion protein's junction region represents a leukemia-specific neoantigen and is thus an attractive target for antigen-specific T-cell immunotherapy. BCR-ABL p210 fusion-region-specific CD4+ T-helper (Th) cells possess antileukemic potential, but their function remains unclear. In this study, we established a BCR-ABL p210 b3a2 fusion-region-specific CD4+ Th-cell clone (b3a2-specific Th clone) and examined its dendritic cell (DC)-mediated antileukemic potential. The b3a2-specific Th clone recognized the b3a2 peptide in the context of HLA-DRB1*09:01 and exhibited a Th1 profile. Activation of this clone through T-cell antigen receptor stimulation triggered DC maturation, as indicated by upregulated production of CD86 and IL-12p70 by DCs, which depended on CD40 ligation by CD40L expressed on b3a2-specific Th cells. Moreover, in the presence of HLA-A*24:02-restricted Wilms tumor 1 (WT1)235-243 peptide, DCs conditioned by b3a2-specific Th cells efficiently stimulated the primary expansion of WTI-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). The expanded CTLs were cytotoxic toward WT1235-243-peptide-loaded HLA-A*24:02-positive cell lines and exerted a potent antileukemic effect in vivo. However, the b3a2-specific Th-clone-mediated antileukemic CTL responses were strongly inhibited by both TKIs and interferon-α. Our findings indicate a crucial role of b3a2-specific Th cells in leukemia antigen-specific CTL-mediated immunity and provide an experimental basis for establishing novel CML immunotherapies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Clone Cells
  • Cross-Priming / drug effects
  • Cross-Priming / immunology*
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Epitopes / immunology*
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / metabolism*
  • HLA-DR Serological Subtypes / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Interferon-alpha / pharmacology
  • Interleukin-12 / biosynthesis
  • Leukemia / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Peptides / pharmacology
  • Phenotype
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / chemistry
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / immunology*

Substances

  • Epitopes
  • HLA-DR Serological Subtypes
  • HLA-DR9 antigen
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Peptides
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • Interleukin-12
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl