Neutrophils kill antibody-opsonized cancer cells by trogoptosis

Destruction of cancer cells by therapeutic antibodies occurs, at least in part, through antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), and this can be mediated by various Fc-receptor-expressing immune cells, including neutrophils. However, the mechanism(s) by which neutrophils kill antibody-opsonized cancer cells has not been established. Here, we demonstrate that neutrophils can exert a mode of destruction of cancer cells, which involves antibody-mediated trogocytosis by neutrophils. Intimately associated with this is an active mechanical disruption of the cancer cell plasma membrane, leading to a lytic (i.e., necrotic) type of cancer cell death. Furthermore, this mode of destruction of antibody-opsonized cancer cells by neutrophils is potentiated by CD47-SIRPa checkpoint blockade. Collectively, these findings show that neutrophil ADCC toward cancer cells occurs by a mechanism of cytotoxicity called trogoptosis, which can be further improved by targeting CD47-SIRPa interactions

Respiratory syncytial virus-specific CD8(+) memory T cell responses in elderly persons

Background. We investigated respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-specific CD8(+) memory T cell responses in healthy control participants (n = 31) and in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) n = 9), with respect to frequency, memory phenotype, and proliferative requirements. Methods. The properties of RSV-specific CD8(+) T cells were analyzed by use of RSV tetramers. The proliferative requirements of RSV-specific CD8(+) T cells were analyzed by culture of peripheral-blood mononuclear cells with RSV peptide in combination with distinct cytokines. Results. RSV-specific CD8(+) memory T cells showed a high level of expression of CD27 and interleukin-7R alpha and a low level of expression of CCR7. In the healthy participants, the frequency of RSV tetramer(+) CD8(+) T cells was significantly lower than the frequency of influenza virus A ( FLU) tetramer(+) CD8(+) T cells (P = .0001). In contrast to FLU tetramer+ CD8(+) T cells, we could detect RSV tetramer(+) CD8(+) T cells in the subgroup of elderly healthy participants ( age, >= 55 years) and in the patients with COPD only after in vitro expansion. Expanded RSV-specific T cells produced interferon-gamma and granzyme B. Conclusion. We provide evidence that a pool of functional RSV- specific CD8(+) memory T cells persists in the peripheral blood of healthy individuals and patients with COPD. Low numbers of RSV- specific memory T cells in the elderly and in patients with COPD may explain the increased susceptibility to RSV infection in these populations

A reversion of an IL2RG mutation in combined immunodeficiency providing competitive advantage to the majority of CD8+ T cells

Mutations in the common gamma chain (γ(c), CD132, encoded by the IL2RG gene) can lead to B(+)T(−)NK(−) X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency, as a consequence of unresponsiveness to γc-cytokines such as interleukins-2, -7 and -15. Hypomorphic mutations in CD132 may cause combined immunodeficiencies with a variety of clinical presentations. We analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a 6-year-old boy with normal lymphocyte counts, who suffered from recurrent pneumonia and disseminated mollusca contagiosa. Since proliferative responses of T cells and NK cells to γc -cytokines were severely impaired, we performed IL2RG gene analysis, showing a heterozygous mutation in the presence of a single X-chromosome. Interestingly, an IL2RG reversion to normal predominated in both naïve and antigen-primed CD8(+) T cells and increased over time. Only the revertant CD8(+) T cells showed normal expression of CD132 and the various CD8(+) T cell populations had a different T-cell receptor repertoire. Finally, a fraction of γδ(+) T cells and differentiated CD4(+)CD27(−) effector-memory T cells carried the reversion, whereas NK or B cells were repeatedly negative. In conclusion, in a patient with a novel IL2RG mutation, gene-reverted CD8(+) T cells accumulated over time. Our data indicate that selective outgrowth of particular T-cell subsets may occur following reversion at the level of committed T progenitor cells