Myeloma-induced alloreactive T cells arising in myeloma-infiltrated bones include double-positive CD8+CD4+ T cells: evidence from myeloma-bearing mouse model

J Immunol. 2011 Oct 15;187(8):3987-96. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1101202. Epub 2011 Sep 9.

Abstract

The graft-versus-myeloma (GVM) effect represents a powerful form of immune attack exerted by alloreactive T cells against multiple myeloma cells, which leads to clinical responses in multiple myeloma transplant recipients. Whether myeloma cells are themselves able to induce alloreactive T cells capable of the GVM effect is not defined. Using adoptive transfer of T naive cells into myeloma-bearing mice (established by transplantation of human RPMI8226-TGL myeloma cells into CD122(+) cell-depleted NOD/SCID hosts), we found that myeloma cells induced alloreactive T cells that suppressed myeloma growth and prolonged survival of T cell recipients. Myeloma-induced alloreactive T cells arising in the myeloma-infiltrated bones exerted cytotoxic activity against resident myeloma cells, but limited activity against control myeloma cells obtained from myeloma-bearing mice that did not receive T naive cells. These myeloma-induced alloreactive T cells were derived through multiple CD8(+) T cell divisions and enriched in double-positive (DP) T cells coexpressing the CD8αα and CD4 coreceptors. MHC class I expression on myeloma cells and contact with T cells were required for CD8(+) T cell divisions and DP-T cell development. DP-T cells present in myeloma-infiltrated bones contained a higher proportion of cells expressing cytotoxic mediators IFN-γ and/or perforin compared with single-positive CD8(+) T cells, acquired the capacity to degranulate as measured by CD107 expression, and contributed to an elevated perforin level seen in the myeloma-infiltrated bones. These observations suggest that myeloma-induced alloreactive T cells arising in myeloma-infiltrated bones are enriched with DP-T cells equipped with cytotoxic effector functions that are likely to be involved in the GVM effect.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adoptive Transfer
  • Animals
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Separation
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / immunology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Graft vs Tumor Effect / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred NOD
  • Mice, SCID
  • Multiple Myeloma / immunology*
  • Transplantation, Homologous