Simultaneous generation of multivirus-specific and regulatory T cells for adoptive immunotherapy

J Immunother. 2012 Jan;35(1):42-53. doi: 10.1097/CJI.0b013e31823569e2.

Abstract

Previous studies have established that adoptive immunotherapy with donor-derived virus-specific T cells can prevent/treat viral complications post-stem cell transplant and regulatory T cells show promise as inhibitors of graft-versus-host disease. On the basis of flow cytometric analysis of upregulation of activation markers after stimulation with viral peptide pools, we have developed a rapid and clinically applicable protocol for the simultaneous selection of virus-specific T cells (after stimulation with peptide pools for the immunodominant antigens of cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and adenovirus) and regulatory T cells using CD25 immunomagnetic selection. Using tetramer staining, we detected enrichment of CD8 T cells recognizing peptide epitopes from cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus antigens after CD25 selection in 6 of 7 donors. Enzyme-linked immunospot assays demonstrated the simultaneous presence of bivirus-specific or trivirus-specific cells in all evaluated donors, with a median 29-fold (6 to 168), 40-fold (1 to 247), and 16-fold (1 to 219) enrichment of cells secreting interferon-γ in response to cytomegalovirus pp65, adenovirus hexon, and Epstein-Barr virus lymphoblastoid cells compared with unmanipulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the same donors. Furthermore, the CD25-enriched cells lost alloreactivity in H-thymidine proliferation assays and showed highly effective (median, 98%) suppression of alloreactivity in all evaluated donors. In summary, we have developed a rapid, simple Good Manufacturing Practice compliant methodology for the simultaneous selection of T cells with multiple viral specificities and regulatory T cells. Adoptive transfer of T cells generated using this strategy may enable restoration of cellular immunity to viruses after allogeneic stem cell transplant with a low risk of graft-versus-host disease. Owing to the speed and simplicity of this methodology, this approach may significantly broaden the applicability of adoptive immunotherapy.

MeSH terms

  • Adenoviridae / immunology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Capsid Proteins / immunology
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cell Separation / methods*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytomegalovirus / immunology*
  • Cytomegalovirus / pathogenicity
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / immunology*
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / therapy
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppression Therapy
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive / methods*
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / metabolism
  • Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed
  • Phosphoproteins / immunology
  • T-Cell Antigen Receptor Specificity
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / metabolism*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / pathology
  • Viral Matrix Proteins / immunology

Substances

  • Capsid Proteins
  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Viral Matrix Proteins
  • cytomegalovirus matrix protein 65kDa
  • hexon capsid protein, Adenovirus
  • Interferon-gamma