Lym-1 Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells Exhibit Potent Anti-Tumor Effects against B-Cell Lymphoma

T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) recognizing CD19 epitopes have produced remarkable anti-tumor effects in patients with B-cell malignancies. However, cancer cells lacking recognized epitopes can emerge, leading to relapse and death. Thus, CAR T cells targeting different epitopes on different antigens could improve immunotherapy. The Lym-1 antibody targets a conformational epitope of Human Leukocyte Antigen-antigen D Related (HLA-DR) on the surface of human B-cell lymphomas. Lym-1 CAR T cells were thus generated for evaluation of cytotoxic activity towards lymphoma cells in vitro and in vivo. Human T cells from healthy donors were transduced to express a Lym-1 CAR, and assessed for epitope-driven function in culture and towards Raji xenografts in NOD-scidIL2Rgammanull (NSG) mice. Lym-1 CAR T cells exhibited epitope-driven activation and lytic function against human B-cell lymphoma cell lines in culture and mediated complete regression of Raji/Luciferase-Green fluorescent protein (Raji/Luc-GFP) in NSG mice with similar or better reactivity than CD19 CAR T cells. Lym-1 CAR transduction of T cells is a promising immunotherapy for patients with Lym-1 epitope positive B-cell malignancies

Placenta growth factor augments endothelin-1 and endothelin-B receptor expression via hypoxia-inducible factor-1α

Pulmonary hypertension (PHT) develops in sickle cell disease (SCD) and is associated with high mortality. We previously showed that erythroid cells produce placenta growth factor (PlGF), which activates monocytes to induce proinflammatory cytochemokines, contributing to the baseline inflammation and severity in SCD. In this study, we observed that PlGF increased expression of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and endothelin-B receptor (ET-BR) from human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMVECs) and monocytes, respectively. PlGF-mediated ET-1 and ET-BR expression occurred via activation of PI-3 kinase, reactive oxygen species and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). PlGF increased binding of HIF-1α to the ET-1 and ET-BR promoters; this effect was abrogated with mutation of hypoxia response elements in the promoter regions and HIF-1α siRNA and confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis. Furthermore, PlGF-mediated ET-1 release from HPMVECs and ET-BR expression in monocytes creates a PlGF–ET-1–ET-BR loop, leading to increased expression of MCP-1 and IL-8. Our studies show that PlGF-induced expression of the potent vasoconstrictor ET-1 and its cognate ET-BR receptor occur via activation of HIF-1α, independent of hypoxia. PlGF levels are intrinsically elevated from the increased red cell turnover in SCD and in other chronic anemia (eg, thalassemia) and may contribute to inflammation and PHT seen in these diseases

Placenta growth factor induces 5-lipoxygenase–activating protein to increase leukotriene formation in sickle cell disease

Individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) have increased inflammation, a high incidence of airway hyperreactivity (AH), and increased circulating leukotrienes (LT). We show that expression of 5-lipoxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP), key catalytic molecules in the LT pathway, were significantly increased in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNCs) in patients with SCD, compared with healthy controls. Placenta growth factor (PlGF), elaborated from erythroid cells, activated MNC and THP-1 monocytic cells to induce LT production. PlGF-mediated increased FLAP mRNA expression occurred via activation of phosphoinositide-3 (PI-3) kinase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). HIF-1α small interfering RNA (siRNA) reduced PlGF-induced FLAP expression. FLAP promoter-driven luciferase constructs demonstrated that PlGF-mediated luciferase induction was abrogated upon mutation of HIF-1α response element (HRE), but not the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) site in the FLAP promoter; a finding confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis. PlGF also increased HIF-1α binding to the HRE in the FLAP promoter. Therefore, it is likely that the intrinsically elevated levels of PlGF in SCD subjects contribute to increased LT, which in turn, mediate both inflammation and AH. Herein, we identify a mechanism of increased LT in SCD and show HIF-1α as a hypoxia-independent target of PlGF. These studies provide new avenues to ameliorate these complications