Heparan Sulfate Regulates the Antiangiogenic Activity of Endothelial Monocyte-Activating Polypeptide-II at Acidic pH

ABSTRACT Endothelial monocyte-activating polypeptide-II (EMAP II) is an antiangiogenic factor for rapidly growing endothelial cells that is released from tumor cells under physiological stress such as hypoxia. We have previously shown that the interaction between EMAP II and the ␣-subunit of ATP synthase, ␣-ATP synthase, can play a regulatory function in the growth of endothelial cells. In the current study, we found that EMAP II-␣-ATP synthase interaction could be inhibited by excess heparin, whereas the interaction could be enhanced by a low concentration of heparin. Both EMAP II and ␣-ATP synthase could specifically interact with heparin, and this interaction was increased under acidic conditions. In addition, EMAP II and ␣-ATP synthase were found to contain the heparin binding motifs determined by analysis using site-directed mutant forms. In endothelial cells, binding of EMAP II to cells was dramatically enhanced, and ␣-ATP synthase could associate with heparan sulfate at acidic pH. The inhibitory effect of EMAP II on the growth of cultured endothelial cells was also significantly enhanced at acidic pH. Analysis using mutant EMAP II proteins demonstrated that heparan sulfate was essential for the enhanced binding and EMAP II function to endothelial cells at acidic pH. Furthermore, the enhanced inhibitory effects of EMAP II could be abrogated by excess heparin or heparinase treatment. In the endothelial cell, heparan sulfate may regulate the function of EMAP II released from the tumor cell in hypoxic condition

Agonistic Anti-CD137 Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Induces CD11b+Gr-1+ Myeloid-derived Suppressor Cells

CD137 (4-1BB/tnfrsf9) has been shown to co-stimulate T cells. However, agonistic anti-CD137 monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment can suppress CD4+ T cells, ameliorating autoimmune diseases, whereas it induces activation of CD8+ T cells, resulting in diverse therapeutic activity in cancer, viral infection. To investigate the CD137-mediated T cell suppression mechanism, we examined whether anti-CD137 mAb treatment could affect CD11b+Gr-1+ myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Intriguingly, anti-CD137 mAb injection significantly increased CD11b+Gr-1+ cells, peaking at days 5 to 10 and continuing for at least 25 days. Furthermore, this cell population could suppress both CD8+ T cells and CD4+ T cells. Thus, this study demonstrated that, for the first time, anti-CD137 mAb treatment could induce CD11b+Gr-1+ MDSCs under normal conditions, suggesting a possible relationship between myeloid cell induction and CD137-mediated immune suppression

Enhanced Immunogenicity of Engineered HER2 Antigens Potentiates Antitumor Immune Responses

For cancer vaccines, the selection of optimal tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) that can maximize the immunogenicity of the vaccine without causing unwanted adverse effects is challenging. In this study, we developed two engineered Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) antigens, K965 and K1117, and compared their immunogenicity to a previously reported truncated HER2 antigen, K684, within a B cell and monocyte-based vaccine (BVAC). We found that BVAC-K965 and BVAC-K1117 induced comparable antigen-specific antibody responses and antigen-specific T cell responses to BVAC-K684. Interestingly, BVAC-K1117 induced more potent antitumor activity than the other vaccines in murine CT26-HER2 tumor models. In addition, BVAC-K1117 showed enhanced antitumor effects against truncated p95HER2-expressing CT26 tumors compared to BVAC-K965 and BVAC-K684 based on the survival analysis by inducing T cell responses against intracellular domain (ICD) epitopes. The increased ICD epitope-specific T cell responses induced by BVAC-K1117 compared to BVAC-K965 and BVAC-K684 were recapitulated in human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-untyped human PBMCs and HLA-A*0201 PBMCs. Furthermore, we also observed synergistic antitumor effects between BVAC-K1117 and anti-PD-L1 antibody treatment against CT26-HER2 tumors. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that inclusion of a sufficient number of ICD epitopes of HER2 in cellular vaccines can improve the antitumor activity of the vaccine and provide a way to optimize the efficacy of anticancer cellular vaccines targeting HER2.Y

Efficacy and safety of BVAC-C in HPV type 16- or 18–positive cervical carcinoma who failed 1st platinum-based chemotherapy: a phase I/IIa study

BackgroundBVAC-C, a B cell– and monocyte-based immunotherapeutic vaccine transfected with recombinant HPV E6/E7, was well tolerated in HPV–positive recurrent cervical carcinoma patients in a phase I study. This phase IIa study investigates the antitumor activity of BVAC-C in patients with HPV 16– or 18–positive cervical cancer who had experienced recurrence after a platinum-based combination chemotherapy.Patients and methodsPatients were allocated to 3 arms; Arm 1, BVAC-C injection at 0, 4, 8 weeks; Arm 2, BVAC-C injection at 0, 4, 8, 12 weeks; Arm 3, BVAC-C injection at 0, 4, 8, 12 weeks with topotecan at 2, 6, 10, 14 weeks. Primary endpoints were safety and objective response rate (ORR) as assessed by an independent radiologist according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. Secondary endpoints included the disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS).ResultsOf the 30 patients available for analysis, the ORR was 19.2% (Arm 1: 20.0% (3/15), Arm 2: 33.3% (2/6), Arm3: 0%) and the DCR was 53.8% (Arm 1: 57.1%, Arm 2: 28.6%, Arm3: 14.3%). The median DOR was 7.5 months (95% CI 7.1–not reported), the median PFS was 5.8 months (95% CI 4.2–10.3), and the median OS was 17.7 months (95% CI 12.0–not reported). All evaluated patients showed not only inflammatory cytokine responses (IFN-γ or TNF-α) but also potent E6/E7-specific T cell responses upon vaccinations. Immune responses of patients after vaccination were correlated with their clinical responses.ConclusionBVAC-C represents a promising treatment option and a manageable safety profile in the second-line setting for this patient population. Further studies are needed to identify potential biomarkers of response.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT02866006

Preventive and therapeutic effects of oral tolerance in a murine model of asthma

Allergic asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airways, and Th2 cells secreting IL-4 and IL-5 play a pivotal role in its pathogenesis. We have previously demonstrated that oral tolerance can be induced and maintained more profoundly in a Th2-related immune response, and that an ongoing immune response can be suppressed by the oral administration of antigen combined with an appropriate feeding regimen. In the present study, we examined the preventive and therapeutic effects of the oral administration of allergen on a Th2-mediated immune disorder using a murine model of asthma. Our results show that the development of asthma can be blocked completely by orally administering allergen. Airway hyperreactivity, allergen-specific IgE production, Th2-derived cytokines, allergen-induced T cell proliferation and the infiltration of inflammatory effector cells into the lung were prevented by such oral administration. To assess the therapeutic effects of oral administration on the progression of asthma, we tested the effects of oral tolerance in an established asthma model, and found that a multiple high dose-feeding regimen was effective at suppressing the progression of mild asthma. In the high dose-feeding group, the number of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was reduced and airway reactivity also decreased. However, this was insufficient to reduce airway reactivity and eosinophilia in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in cases of severe asthma. These results demonstrate that allergic asthma may be ameliorated by feeding allergen; there is hope that these results will provide a new immunotherapeutic strategy for allergic asthma