Monocyte derived dendritic cells generated by IFN-α acquire mature dendritic and natural killer cell properties as shown by gene expression analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dendritic cell (DC) vaccines can induce antitumor immune responses in patients with malignant diseases, while the most suitable DC culture conditions have not been established yet. In this study we compared monocyte derived human DC from conventional cultures containing GM-CSF and IL-4/TNF-α (IL-4/TNF-DC) with DC generated by the novel protocol using GM-CSF and IFN-α (IFN-DC).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To characterise the molecular differences of both DC preparations, gene expression profiling was performed using Affymetrix microarrays. The data were conformed on a protein level by immunophenotyping, and functional tests for T cell stimulation, migration and cytolytic activity were performed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Both methods resulted in CD11c+ CD86+ HLA-DR+ cells with a typical DC morphology that could efficiently stimulate T cells. But gene expression profiling revealed two distinct DC populations.</p> <p>Whereas IL-4/TNF-DC showed a higher expression of genes envolved in phagocytosis IFN-DC had higher RNA levels for markers of DC maturity and migration to the lymph nodes like DCLAMP, CCR7 and CD49d. This different orientation of both DC populations was confined by a 2.3 fold greater migration in transwell experiments (p = 0.01).</p> <p>Most interestingly, IFN-DC also showed higher RNA levels for markers of NK cells such as TRAIL, granzymes, KLRs and other NK cell receptors. On a protein level, intracytoplasmatic TRAIL and granzyme B were observed in 90% of IFN-DC. This translated into a cytolytic activity against K562 cells with a median specific lysis of 26% at high effector cell numbers as determined by propidium iodide uptake, whereas IL-4/TNF-DC did not induce any tumor cell lysis (p = 0.006). Thus, IFN-DC combined characteristics of mature DC and natural killer cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results suggest that IFN-DC not only stimulate adaptive but also mediate innate antitumor immune responses. Therefore, IFN-DC should be evaluated in clinical vaccination trials. In particular, this could be relevant for patients with diseases responsive to a treatment with IFN-α such as Non-Hodgkin lymphoma or chronic myeloid leukemia.</p

Treatment of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia by Blocking Cytokine Alterations Found in Normal Stem and Progenitor Cells

SummaryLeukemic cells disrupt normal patterns of blood cell formation, but little is understood about the mechanism. We investigated whether leukemic cells alter functions of normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Exposure to chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) caused normal mouse hematopoietic progenitor cells to divide more readily, altered their differentiation, and reduced their reconstitution and self-renewal potential. Interestingly, the normal bystander cells acquired gene expression patterns resembling their malignant counterparts. Therefore, much of the leukemia signature is mediated by extrinsic factors. Indeed, IL-6 was responsible for most of these changes. Compatible results were obtained when human CML were cultured with normal human hematopoietic progenitor cells. Furthermore, neutralization of IL-6 prevented these changes and treated the disease

Combinatorial Effect of Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs and NF-κB Inhibitors in Ovarian Cancer Therapy

Several epidemiological studies have correlated the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) with reduced risk of ovarian cancer, the most lethal gynecological cancer, diagnosed usually in late stages of the disease. We have previously established that the pro-apoptotic cytokine melanoma differentiation associated gene-7/Interleukin-24 (mda-7/IL-24) is a crucial mediator of NSAID-induced apoptosis in prostate, breast, renal and stomach cancer cells. In this report we evaluated various structurally different NSAIDs for their efficacies to induce apoptosis and mda-7/IL-24 expression in ovarian cancer cells. While several NSAIDs induced apoptosis, Sulindac Sulfide and Diclofenac most potently induced apoptosis and reduced tumor growth. A combination of these agents results in a synergistic effect. Furthermore, mda-7/IL-24 induction by NSAIDs is essential for programmed cell death, since inhibition of mda-7/IL-24 by small interfering RNA abrogates apoptosis. mda-7/IL-24 activation leads to upregulation of growth arrest and DNA damage inducible (GADD) 45 α and γ and JNK activation. The NF-κB family of transcription factors has been implicated in ovarian cancer development. We previously established NF-κB/IκB signaling as an essential step for cell survival in cancer cells and hypothesized that targeting NF-κB could potentiate NSAID-mediated apoptosis induction in ovarian cancer cells. Indeed, combining NSAID treatment with NF-κB inhibitors led to enhanced apoptosis induction. Our results indicate that inhibition of NF-κB in combination with activation of mda-7/IL-24 expression may lead to a new combinatorial therapy for ovarian cancer

Low RPS14 expression is common in myelodysplastic syndromes without 5q- aberration and defines a subgroup of patients with prolonged survival

This paper shows that the expression of the ribosomal protein S14 (RPS14) is reduced in about two thirds of patients with non-5q- myelodysplastic syndrome. See related perspective article on page 1336

Dexamethasone modulates BMP-2 effects on mesenchymal stem cells in vitro

Dexamethasone/ascorbic acid/glycerolphosphate (DAG) and bone morphogenic protein (BMP)-2 are potent agents in cell proliferation and differentiation pathways. This study investigates the in vitro interactions between dexamethasone and BMP-2 for an osteoblastic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Bone marrow-derived human MSCs were cultured with DAG (group A), BMP-2 + DAG (group B), and DAG + BMP-2 combined with a porous collagen I/III scaffold (group C). RT-PCR, ELISA, immuncytochemical stainings and flow cytometry analysis served to evaluate the osteogenic-promoting potency of each of the above conditions in terms of cell morphology/viability, antigen presentation, and gene expression. DAG induced collagen I secretion from MSCs, which was further increased by the combination of DAG + BMP-2. In comparison, the collagen scaffold and the control samples showed no significant influence on collagen I secretion of MSCs. DAG stimulation of MSCs led also to a steady but not significant increase of BMP-2 level. A DAG and more, a DAG + BMP-2, stimulation increased the number of mesenchymal cells (CD105+/CD73+). All samples showed mRNA of ALP, osteopontin, Runx2, Twist 1 and 2, Notch-1/2, osteonectin, osteocalcin, BSP, and collagen-A1 after 28 days of in vitro culture. Culture media of all samples showed a decrease in Ca(2+) and PO(4) (2-) concentration, whereas a collagen-I-peak only occurred at day 28 in DAG- and DAG + BMP-2-stimulated bone marrow cells. In conclusion, BMP-2 enhances DAG-induced osteogenic differentiation in mesenchymal bone marrow cells. Both agents interact in various ways and can modify osteoblastic bone formation. Inc