The Dendritic Cell-Regulatory T Lymphocyte Crosstalk Contributes to Tumor-Induced Tolerance

Tumor cells commonly escape from elimination by innate and adaptive immune responses using multiple strategies among which is the active suppression of effector immune cells. Regulatory T lymphocytes (Treg) and tolerogenic dendritic cells play essential roles in the establishment and persistence of cancer-induced immunosuppression. Differentiating dendritic cells (DCs) exposed to tumor-derived factors may be arrested at an immature stage becoming inept at initiating immune responses and may induce effector T-cell anergy or deletion. These tolerogenic DCs, which accumulate in patients with different types of cancers, are also involved in the generation of Treg. In turn, Treg that expand during tumor progression contribute to the immune tolerance of cancer by impeding DCs' ability to orchestrate immune responses and by directly inhibiting antitumoral T lymphocytes. Herein we review these bidirectional communications between DCs and Treg as they relate to the promotion of cancer-induced tolerance

Cytotoxic dendritic cells generated from cancer patients.

International audienceKnown for years as professional APCs, dendritic cells (DCs) are also endowed with tumoricidal activity. This dual role of DC as killers and messengers may have important implications for tumor immunotherapy. However, the tumoricidal activity of DCs has mainly been investigated in animal models. Cancer cells inhibit antitumor immune responses using numerous mechanisms, including the induction of immunosuppressive/ tolerogenic DCs that have lost their ability to present Ags in an immunogenic manner. In this study, we evaluated the possibility of generating tumor killer DCs from patients with advanced-stage cancers. We demonstrate that human monocyte-derived DCs are endowed with significant cytotoxic activity against tumor cells following activation with LPS. The mechanism of DC-mediated tumor cell killing primarily involves peroxynitrites. This observed cytotoxic activity is restricted to immature DCs. Additionally, after killing, these cytotoxic DCs are able to activate tumor Ag-specific T cells. These observations may open important new perspectives for the use of autologous cytotoxic DCs in cancer immunotherapy strategies

Splenic TFH expansion participates in B-cell differentiation and antiplatelet-antibody production during immune thrombocytopenia

Antiplatelet-antibody-producing B cells play a key role immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) pathogenesis; however, little is known about T-cell dysregulations that support B-cell differentiation. During the past decade, T follicular helper cells (TFHs) have been characterized as the main T-cell subset within secondary lymphoid organs that promotes B-cell differentiation leading to antibody class-switch recombination and secretion. Herein, we characterized TFHs within the spleen of 8 controls and 13 ITP patients. We show that human splenic TFHs are the main producers of interleukin (IL)-21, express CD40 ligand(CD154), and are located within the germinal center of secondary follicles. Compared with controls, splenic TFH frequency is higher in ITP patients and correlates with germinal center and plasma cell percentages that are also increased. In vitro, IL-21 stimulation combined with an anti-CD40 agonist antibody led to the differentiation of splenic B cells into plasma cells and to the secretion of antiplatelet antibodies in ITP patients. Overall, these results point out the involvement of TFH in ITP pathophysiology and the potential interest of IL-21 and CD40 as therapeutic targets in ITP

Haemolytic-uraemic syndrome during severe lupus nephritis: efficacy of plasma exchange.

International audienceSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been described as a cause of thrombotic microangiopathy, especially thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (HUS) is less frequent in SLE. We report a case of such an association during an episode of severe lupus nephritis in a young woman, who was successfully treated with steroids, cyclophosphamide and especially plasma exchange with plasma replacement. This report highlights the importance of recognising atypical HUS in SLE patients by looking for schistocytes in case of haemolytic anemia with a negative antiglobulin test, in order to begin plasma exchange

Chaperone-rich tumor cell lysate-mediated activation of antigen-presenting cells resists regulatory T cell suppression

CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs) critically contribute to the mechanisms of cancer-induced tolerance. These cells suppress anti-tumoral CD8(+) and CD4(+) T lymphocytes and can also restrain the function of APCs. We have previously documented the immunostimulatory effects of a chaperone-rich cell lysate (CRCL) anti-cancer vaccine. Tumor-derived CRCL induces tumor immunity in vivo, partly by promoting dendritic cell (DC) and macrophage activation. In the current study, we evaluated the effects of CD4(+)CD25(+)forkhead box P3(+) Tregs isolated from mice bearing 12B1 bcr-abl(+) leukemia on DC and macrophages that had been activated by 12B1-derived CRCL. CRCL-activated DC and macrophages resisted Treg suppression, as the production of proinflammatory cytokines, the activation of transcription factor NF-kappaB, and their immunostimulatory potential was unaffected by Tregs. Our results thus highlight CRCL as a powerful adjuvant endowed with the capacity to overcome tumor-induced Treg-inhibitory effects on APCs