白细胞介素-15与肿瘤的相关性

白细胞介素-15 (IL-15)是一种多功能的细胞因子,是T细胞、B细胞、自然杀伤(NK)细胞、淋巴因子激活杀伤(LAK)细胞等细胞活化因子及诱导分泌细胞因子,有刺激造血干细胞增殖分化、增强免疫和抗肿瘤等作用.IL-15具有与白细胞介素-2(IL-2)类似的结构和功能,但许多活性作用强于IL-2,其与肿瘤的发生发展密切...     

白细胞介素-18及其抗肿瘤作用

白细胞介素-18（IL-18）是新近发现的一种多效能细胞因子,在刺激T细胞增殖,增强Th、细胞毒性T细胞和自然杀伤细胞等活性,抗肿瘤、免疫调节等方面有着积极的作用,有潜在广阔的应用前景。进一步研究IL-18抑制肿瘤的机制及其生物学作用具有重要的意义。     

IL-2和IL-12基因联合治疗小鼠头颈鳞癌的实验研究

目的观察白细胞介素-2(IL-2)基因与白细胞介素-12(IL-12)基因联合治疗小鼠头颈鳞癌的疗效. 方法建立小鼠头颈鳞癌动物模型,在荷瘤部位将脂质体包裹的IL-2基因和IL-12基因直接注入肿瘤中,观察肿瘤大小变化,并检测此两种基因在肿瘤细胞中的蛋白表达情况、小鼠脾脏自然杀伤细胞(NK)和细胞毒T淋巴细胞(CTL)活性. 结果 IL-2基因和IL-12基因联合治疗组,肿瘤生长明显受抑制,疗效显著优于单独治疗组和对照组(P<0.01).在注射有IL-2、IL-12基因的肿瘤组织中,其相对应的IL-2、IL- 12蛋白水平明显升高,小鼠脾细胞NK活性和CTL杀伤活性增强. 结论 IL-2、IL-12基因治疗可抑制小鼠头颈鳞癌生长,提高机体的抗肿瘤免疫应答.二者联合应用,可产生协同效应并加强其抗肿瘤效果.     

Th17细胞及其与肿瘤发生发展的关系

辅助性T细胞17(T helper 17 cells,Th17)以表达IL-17而得名,是不同于Th1、Th2的CD4+T细胞新亚群,在其分化发育过程中受转化生长因子-β(transforming growth factor beta,TGF-β)和IL-6以及IL-23、IL-21等细胞因子的调节.Th17参与机体的免疫应答、炎症反应和自身免疫性疾病等,同时也在肿瘤的发生发展中发挥着重要作用.因此有关Th17在肿瘤中的表达和作用机制的研究可以为肿瘤预防、早期诊断和治疗提供新的突破.     

可溶性抗原联合超抗原诱导的 CTL 抗瘤作用的实验研究

目的:探讨肿瘤可溶性抗原联合超抗原SEC诱导的细胞毒性T细胞(CTLs)对肿瘤细胞杀伤机理.方法:外周血淋巴细胞经肿瘤可溶性抗原、超抗原SEC联合作用,进行体外培养.对其增殖、细胞因子分泌、杀瘤活性和形态学变化进行观察和测定.结果:经肿瘤可溶性抗原、超抗原SEC联合刺激的淋巴细胞组增殖活性最强,诱导的CTLs对靶细胞杀伤活性显著高于单纯淋巴细胞组(P＜0.05),对TSA来源的肺癌细胞具有选择性杀伤作用,能够诱导肿瘤细胞出现凋亡的形态学变化.结论:肿瘤可溶性抗原与超抗原SEC联合应用能诱导效应细胞明显增殖、活化、并产生高效特异性的抗肿瘤效果.     

卵巢癌肿瘤浸润淋巴细胞某些细胞因子基因表达的研究

目的:研究卵巢癌肿瘤浸润淋巴细胞在体外扩增后某些细胞因子的表达.方法:利用RT-PCR和免疫学方法,分离5例刚分离的上皮性卵巢癌肿瘤浸润淋巴细胞(TIL)和其中3例腹水标本中肿瘤相关淋巴细胞(TAL),检测其在体外扩增后,IL-2,IL-2R,TNF-α,IFN-γ,IL-6等细胞因子基因的表达的水平与变化;测定细胞培养上清液中细胞因子的活性,分析TIL或TAL扩增前后杀伤肿瘤细胞的能力和免疫学特性的变化.结果:TIL在扩增前后的4周时间内,仅TNF-α mRNA基因表达是持续的,并可维持相当长一段时间;IFN-γmRNA基因的表达缺乏;IL-2mRNA基因表达只是一过性.体外加入抗CD3单抗或PHA(合适浓度)刺激TIL或TAL,IL-2,TNF-α,IhN-γmRNA表达明显增强.和TIL细胞因子基因表达不尽相同的是,TAL表达IL-6 mR-NA.结果还发现,体外IL-2的浓度对TIL的免疫学特性有很大的影响.结论:TIL在体外经rIL-2扩增后,免疫活性有明显提高.TIL的抗肿瘤活性在很大程度上依靠其分泌的多种细胞因子.     

IL-23在肿瘤免疫中的作用

作为具有重要免疫调节活性的细胞因子,白细胞介素(IL)-23在多种疾病中发挥着重要作用.在其对肿瘤的免疫调节中,存在着抗肿瘤与促进肿瘤生长两种观点.IL-23可以促进干扰素(IFN)-γ、肿瘤坏死因子(TNF)-α和IL-12等细胞因子的分泌,IL-23/Th17轴是发挥免疫调节作用的关键.     

调节性T细胞的分子靶向作用与肿瘤免疫治疗

调节性T细胞(Treg)具有免疫抑制功能,可通过在细胞表面表达细胞毒性T淋巴细胞相关抗原、穿孔素-颗粒酶介导的细胞毒作用、分泌细胞因子如白细胞介素-10(IL-10)、转化生长因子-β(TGF-β)等途径实现免疫抑制.采用抗体、疫苗和化学药物能够实现对FOXP3+CD25+CD4+调节性T细胞的靶向作用,使调节性T细胞在各种肿瘤患者外周血及肿瘤组织中的表达水平下调,降低其抑制免疫的功能,增强肿瘤免疫疗法的疗效.     

瘤体内/瘤周注射TNF重组腺病毒和/或IL-2重组腺病毒对肝癌小鼠的治疗作用研究

选择两种具有协同免疫调节作用的细胞因子进行联合基因治疗是提高肿瘤细胞因子基因治疗的有效途径之一.目前对IL-2/TNF-α联合基因方案,特别是瘤体内注射途径的抗肿瘤研究尚未见报道.IL-2与TNF-α具有协同作用.因此我们分别将携带TNF-α基因和IL-2基因的腺病毒(Ad-TNF,Ad-IL-2)联合或直接注射于BALB/c小鼠肝癌内,观察其抗瘤效果,并探讨其抗肿瘤免疫机制.结果表明:1.TNF治疗组脾细胞NK、LAK、CTL活性及Mφ杀伤活性明显高于对照组,诱生的细胞因子包括IL-2、GM-CSF、IFN-γ、TNF和IL-     

CIK细胞联合树突状细胞治疗恶性肿瘤的研究进展

细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞(cytok ine induced k iller cells,C IK)是由多种细胞因子如IL-2、IFN-γ和CD3单克隆抗体等诱导而成的对多种肿瘤具有杀伤活性的细胞毒性T细胞,其溶瘤活性具有非MHC限制性[1,2]。C IK细胞在体内归巢于脾脏、淋巴结等,可特异地聚集于肿瘤局部发挥抗肿瘤作用;树突状细胞(DC)是功能强大的主要的抗原递呈细胞,分布于除脑和睾丸以外身体各部的任何组织。DC通过受体的方式摄取外来抗原,并能与这些抗原表面的MHC I类和II类分子结合,刺激初始型CD8 T细胞和CD4 T细胞活化。DC除了诱导抗原特异性细胞毒性T淋巴…     

Expression of the interleukin-21 gene in murine colon carcinoma cells generates systemic immunity in the inoculated hosts

Interleukin-21 (IL-21) is a novel cytokine that can induce proliferation of activated T cells and maturation of natural killer (NK) cells. We therefore examined whether expression of the IL-21 gene in tumor cells could generate antitumor responses. Murine colon carcinoma Colon 26 cells that were transduced with the mouse IL-21 gene (Colon 26/IL-21) were rejected in syngeneic mice and the mice subsequently acquired protective immunity. The growth of Colon 26/IL-21 tumors developed in nude mice was retarded compared with that of parent tumors, and this growth suppression was not observed in nude mice that were treated with anti-asialo GM(1) antibody. Spleen cells from the mice that had rejected Colon 26/IL-21 cells showed cytotoxic activity to Colon 26 but not to irrelevant tumor cells, and produced larger amounts of interferon-gamma upon stimulation with irradiated Colon 26 cells. Spleen cells from Colon 26/IL-21-tumor- but not parent-tumor-bearing mice had lytic activity to YAC-1 cells. These data suggest that expression of IL-21 in tumors induces T- and NK-cell-dependent antitumor effects.     

In vivo antitumor activity of interleukin 21 mediated by natural killer cells

Immunotherapy with high-dose interleukin (IL) 2 has been shown to successfully treat tumors in animal models and cause dramatic tumor regressions in some patients with metastatic melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. However, toxicity associated with IL-2 administration has compromised its widespread use in the clinic. IL-21 is a more recently discovered cytokine produced by activated CD4(+) T cells that shares significant sequence homology to IL-2, IL-4, and IL-15. Because IL-21 and IL-2 and their receptors share significant sequence similarities and both cytokines can stimulate T and natural killer (NK) cells, we sought to study whether IL-21, like IL-2, exhibits antitumor effects in vivo. In this study, we treated established s.c. tumor in mice by systemically administering plasmid DNA encoding murine IL-21 using a hydrodynamics-based gene delivery technique. Administration of IL-21 plasmid DNA resulted in high levels of circulating IL-21 in vivo. Treatment of tumor-bearing mice with IL-21 plasmid DNA significantly inhibited the growth of B16 melanoma and MCA205 fibrosarcoma in a dose-dependent manner without significant toxicity and increased the survival rate, compared with mice treated with control plasmid DNA. In vivo depletion of either CD4(+) or CD8(+) T cells did not affect IL-21-mediated antitumor activity. However, depletion of NK cells completely abolished IL-21-induced tumor inhibition. Consistent with this, the antitumor activity of IL-21 seemed to be mediated through enhanced cytolytic activity of NK cells. Our study suggests that IL-21 has significant antitumor activity and may have therapeutic potentials as an antitumor agent in the clinic.     

Dissociation of its opposing immunologic effects is critical for the optimization of antitumor CD8+ T-cell responses induced by interleukin 21

PURPOSE: Interleukin 21 (IL-21) is a promising new cytokine, which is undergoing clinical testing as an anticancer agent. Although IL-21 provides potent stimulation of CD8(+) T cells, it has also been suggested that IL-21 is immunosuppressive by counteracting the maturation of dendritic cells. The dissociation of these two opposing effects may enhance the utility of IL-21 as an immunotherapeutic. In this study, we used a cell-based artificial antigen-presenting cell (aAPC) lacking a functional IL-21 receptor (IL-21R) to investigate the immunostimulatory properties of IL-21. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The immunosuppressive activity of IL-21 was studied using human IL-21R(+) dendritic cells. Antigen-specific CD8(+) T cells stimulated with human cell-based IL-21R(-)aAPC were used to isolate the T-cell immunostimulatory effects of IL-21. The functional outcomes, including phenotype, cytokine production, proliferation, and cytotoxicity were evaluated. RESULTS: IL-21 limits the immune response by maintaining immunologically immature dendritic cells. However, stimulation of CD8(+) T cells with IL-21R(-) aAPC, which secrete IL-21, results in significant expansion. Although priming in the presence of IL-21 temporarily modulated the T-cell phenotype, chronic stimulation abrogated these differences. Importantly, exposure to IL-21 during restimulation promoted the enrichment and expansion of antigen-specific CD8(+) T cells that maintained IL-2 secretion and gained enhanced IFN-gamma secretion. Tumor antigen-specific CTL generated in the presence of IL-21 recognized tumor cells efficiently, demonstrating potent effector functions. CONCLUSIONS: IL-21 induces opposing effects on antigen-presenting cells and CD8(+) T cells. Strategic application of IL-21 is required to induce optimal clinical effects and may enable the generation of large numbers of highly avid tumor-specific CTL for adoptive immunotherapy.     

Interleukin-21 augments the efficacy of T-cell therapy by eliciting concurrent cellular and humoral responses

Interleukin (IL)-21 modulates T-cell-associated, B-cell-associated, and natural killer cell-associated immunity. However, the potential of IL-21 to simultaneously stimulate cellular and humoral antitumor responses and the mechanisms involved have not yet been adequately explored. In this report, we examined the immune-modulating effect of IL-21 when used in vitro and its adjuvant effects when administrated concomitantly with T-cell transfer for cancer therapy. Use of IL-21 in concert with IL-2 in culture up-regulated both type 1 and type 2 cytokine production of activated tumor-draining lymph node cells and enhanced their therapeutic efficacy. Administration of IL-21 and IL-2 as an adjuvant to T-cell transfer resulted in simultaneously elicited cellular and humoral responses. This concurrent response has led to effective regression of established pulmonary metastatic tumors and s.c. tumors. T-cell transfer plus IL-21/IL-2 administration conferred systemic immunity to the treated hosts. This was evident by the induction of protective immunity against tumor rechallenge, expansion of memory T cells, and significantly elevated serum levels of IFN gamma and IL-10. Furthermore, we observed significantly enhanced tumor-associated antibody response after T-cell + IL-2 + IL-21 therapy. Cytotoxic antibody subclass IgG2b increased strikingly in the sera of treated animals; they bound specifically to MCA205 tumor cells, and such immune sera mediated tumor cell lysis in the presence of complement. Use of B-cell-deficient mice provided direct evidence that humoral responses contribute to T-cell + IL-2 + IL-21-elicited antitumor immunity. Collectively, these findings provide a rationale to evaluate the use of IL-21 in T-cell therapy of human cancers.     

Memory type 2 helper T cells induce long-lasting antitumor immunity by activating natural killer cells

Functionally polarized helper T cells (Th cells) play crucial roles in the induction of tumor immunity. There is considerable knowledge about the contributions of IFN-producing Th1 cells that supports the role of cytotoxic cluster of differentiation (CD8) T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, but much less is known about how IL-4-producing Th2 cells contribute to tumor immunity. In this study, we investigated the cellular and molecular mechanisms employed by memory Th2 cells in sustaining tumor immunity by using a mouse model system wherein ovalbumin (OVA) is used as a specific tumor antigen. In this model, we found that OVA-specific memory Th2 cells exerted potent and long-lasting antitumor effects against NK-sensitive OVA-expressing tumor cells, wherein antitumor effects were mediated by NK cells. Specifically, NK cell cytotoxic activity and expression of perforin and granzyme B were dramatically enhanced by the activation of memory Th2 cells. Interleukin 4 (IL-4) produced by memory Th2 cells in vivo was critical for the antitumor effects of the NK cells, which IL-4 directly stimulated to induce their perforin- and granzyme-B-dependent cytotoxic activity. Our findings show that memory Th2 cells can induce potent antitumor immunity through IL-4-induced activation of NK cells, suggesting potential applications in cellular therapy for cancer patients.     

米托蒽醌处理B16F10-ESAT-6-gpi/IL-21瘤苗特征及其诱导的抗肿瘤免疫反应初探

背景与目的:蒽环类药物处理可使肿瘤细胞免疫原性增加。本文旨在分析米托蒽醌(mitoxantrone,MIT)处理的B16F10-ESAT-6-gpi/IL-21瘤苗特征,初步探讨该瘤苗诱导的抗肿瘤免疫反应。方法:MIT处理B16F10-ESAT-6-gpi/IL-21瘤苗后,用吖啶橙/嗅化乙啶(AO/EB)染色法观察瘤苗细胞形态,流式细胞仪(FCM)检测其粒度及凋亡比例,荧光显微镜观察瘤苗凋亡后细胞膜表面结核杆菌早期分泌靶抗原6KD(ESAT-6)的表达情况,蛋白质印迹法(Western blot)检测瘤苗经MIT处理后IL-21的表达。瘤苗免疫小鼠后,FCM检测了补体依赖的细胞毒性(complement dependent cytotoxicity,CDC)及细胞毒T细胞(cytotoxicT lymphocyte,CTL)活性。结果:经MIT处理后,瘤苗停止分裂,细胞逐渐增大,数日内可保持生物活力,并表达IL-21。瘤苗细胞凋亡后,ESAT-6成点簇状分布于胞膜表面。MIT处理的瘤苗能诱导小鼠产生抗肿瘤免疫应答,免疫鼠血清和CD8+T细胞可分别通过CDC和CTL杀伤野生型B16F10细胞。结论:MIT处理的B16F10-ESAT-6-gpi/IL-21瘤苗失去增殖能力,但仍能表达IL-21且具有免疫原性,能诱导小鼠产生抗肿瘤免疫反应。     

Rapid generation of potent and tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes by interleukin 18 using dendritic cells and natural killer cells

We hypothesized that antitumor-specific immunity, which is induced by interleukin (IL) 18 treatment in murine tumor models, is promoted by enhancing natural killer (NK)-mediated destruction of tumor and delivery to dendritic cells (DCs). These activated and antigen-pulsed DCs then critically and optimally induce an adoptive immune response, positioning IL-18 as an important bridge between the innate and adoptive immune response. The effect of IL-18 added to cultures of live tumor cells (MCA205, a mouse sarcoma cell line), NK cells, DCs, and T cells was assessed. When recombinant (r) mIL-18 protein was added to this culture, potent NK cytolytic activity with subsequent generation of CTLs was observed in a dose-dependent manner. Without introduction of either rmIL-18 or NK cells into this culture, systemic cytolytic activity was significantly decreased. Following the absence of direct contact of either NK cells or DCs with other cells in this cooperative coculture system using transwell, the systemic cytolytic activity of both NK cells and CTLs was greatly suppressed. The cytolysis mediated by effector cells harvested after completion of the culture was primarily restricted to MHC class I and highly specific for the tumor cells used in the coculture. Furthermore, we examined the efficiency in the induction of cytolytic T cells of other established IFN-gamma inducing T-cell growth factors, IL-2, and IL-12 in this culture system and compared them with that mediated by IL-18. Neither IL-2 nor IL-12 induced tumor-specific cytolytic T cells to the same degree as that mediated by IL-18. Efficacy of this system in induction of tumor-specific CTLs was also observed in the system using MC38 adenocarcinoma cells. These results are consistent with the notion that IL-18 induces tumor-specific immunity through enhancing NK activity, which in turn mediates tumor cell death and activates and primes DCs.     

The boosting effect of co-transduction with cytokine genes on cancer vaccine therapy using genetically modified dendritic cells expressing tumor-associated antigen

The T-helper 1 (Th1) immune reaction is most important in dendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy. Interleukin 12 (IL-12) and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) play a pivotal role in inducing Th1 and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses. In this study, DCs expressing the natural tumor antigen gp70 of BALB/c-derived CT26 were adenovirally transduced with the IL-12 gene and/or GM-CSF gene, and it was examined whether vaccinations using these genetically engineered DCs can induce strong therapeutic antitumor immunity. Mice were immunized once by subcutaneous (s.c.) injection with genetically modified DCs. The cytotoxic activity of splenocytes against CT26 was assayed in a 51Cr-release assay 14 days after immunization. The therapeutic efficacy of the vaccination was examined in s.c. tumor models. The cytotoxic activity of CTLs against CT26 in mice immunized with DCs expressing gp70 (DC-AxCAgp70) was significantly augmented by co-transduction with the GM-CSF/IL-12 gene (p<0.0001) and remarkably reduced by the depletion of CD4+ or CD8+ cells (p<0.01). The cytotoxic activity against CT26 of the plain spleen cells in mice immunized with DC-AxCAgp70/GM-CSF/IL-12 was significantly higher than that in mice immunized with DC-AxCAgp70 (p<0.0001), and this activity decreased to almost 50% upon the depletion of NK cells. Vaccinations using DC-AxCAgp70/GM-CSF/IL-12 or DC-AxCAgp70/IL-12 could elicit potent therapeutic immunity in s.c. tumor models; tumor-free mice were observed in these vaccination groups. However, there was no significant difference between these two groups. A vaccination therapy using DCs co-transduced with the TAA gene and Th 1-type cytokine genes, especially the IL-12 gene, is ideal for immunotherapy in terms of the activation of DCs, NK cells, CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells, and may be useful in the clinical application of a cancer vaccine therapy.