3502 Stimulating iNKT Cell-Mediated Neuroblastoma Cytotoxicity in a Mouse Model

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Overall Research Aim: To develop an iNKT-cell engaging reagent (“CAb”)to induce neuroblastoma-directed cytotoxicity in vitro and in a mouse model of neuroblastoma. Objective 1: Explore the contribution of different GD2 affinities to the cytotoxicity against neuroblastoma cells in vitro. Objective 2: Deteremine whether use of different stimulatory glycolipids (alpha-GalCer vs. C34) alter the activation and cytotoxicity of iNKT cells against neuroblastoma in vitro. Objective 3: To analyze survival of an immunocompetent mouse model of neuroblastoma treated with C34-loaded vs alpha-GalCer-loaded CAb molecule, and to analyze the tumor microenvironment in each treatment condition. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: CAb molecule will be generated by fusing a CD1d protein to an scFv domain for GD2 using cloning techniques. Previous work by our group has used a streptavidin-biotin system to link CD1d to an antibody against GD2, which is large and immunogenic. Protein expression of this novel fusion protein will occur in HEK293 cells. This new CAb molecule will then be loaded with alpha-GalCer or C34 for use in cytotoxicity and in vivo experiments. Cytotoxicity Assessment: Chromium assays will be used to assess the specific cytotoxicity generated by iNKT cells against neuroblastoma cells in vitro. iNKT cells will be activated by “CAb’s” with relatively high and low affinity for GD2, and also with Alpha-GalCer and C34 glycolipid antigen. flow cytometry will be used to assess for CD107a and Interferon Gamma. Mouse Model of Neuroblastoma: TH-MYCN +/+ mice will be used as an immunocompetent model of neuroblastoma. These mice have the MYCN gene under the control of a tyrosine hydroxylase promoter, and spontaneously develop neuroblastomas by 2 weeks of life which are uniformly fatal by 8 weeks of life. In vivo survival studies will be conducted by injecting CAb of relatively high and low affinity, loaded with glycolipid antigen intraperitonealy into TH-MYCN+/+ mice starting at 2 weeks of age, twice weekly. There will also be a matched negative control. Treatment groups are listed below: 1. alpha-GalCer loaded high-affinity Cab 2. alpha-GalCer loaded low-affinity Cab 3. C34-loaded high-affinity Cab 4. C34-loaded low-affinity Cab 5. Unloaded high-affinity Cab 6. Unloaded low-affinity Cab Enrollment will be 6 mice per group for the survival curves. Tumor Microenvironment analysis: 2 additional mice will be included in each group listed above to be sacrificed 2 weeks into treatment for tumor assessment with flow cytomtetry for iNKT cell, NK cell, T-Lymphocyte frequencies as well as interferon-Gamma expression. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Objective 1: We expect to find that the highest affinity scFv domains for GD2 result in the greatest amount of cytotoxicity against neuroblastoma cells via iNKT cells. Objective 2: We expect that the C34 molecule will induce the greatest amounts of iNKT cell activation against neuroblastoma cells and higher cytotoxicity against neuroblastoma, which has not been shown previously. Objective 3: We expect to see prolonged survival of mice treated with the high affinity GD2 CAb loaded with C34 or alpha GalCer compared with the low affinity CAb loaded with C34 or alpha GalCer. We also expect that the C34 loaded CAb in both groups will have prolonged survival when compared with the alpha-GalCer loaded CAbs of either affinity. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: iNKT cells have been shown previously to confer an improved prognosis in neuroblastoma and other malignancies. Furthermore, high risk neuroblastomas tend to downregulate expression of a chemokine that attracts iNKT’s to the site of the neuroblastoma. Directing iNKT to the site of neuroblastoma holds promise as an effective immunotherapy option. Our preliminary data demonstrate that CAbs directed against GD2 are capable of exerting cytotoxicity of neuroblastoma in vitro. Furthermore a trend towards prolonged survival has been shown in TH-MYCN mice in early experiments. The development of a novel antibody that has reduced immunogenicity, incorporates a glycolipid antigen that does not induce iNKT cell anergy, and is specific for the GD2 tumor specific antigen has potential to result in increased iNKT-mediate neuroblastoma cytotoxicity and prolonged survival in TH-MYCN+/+ mice.

Plasmodium falciparum Infection of Human Volunteers Activates Monocytes and CD16+Dendritic Cells and Induces Upregulation of CD16 and CD1c Expression

Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) are key players in the induction and regulation of immune responses. InPlasmodium falciparummalaria, determination of which cells and pathways are activated in the network of APCs remains elusive. We therefore investigated the effects of a controlled human malaria infection in healthy, malaria-naive volunteers on the subset composition and activation status of dendritic cells (DCs) and monocytes. While subsets of monocytes increased in frequency during blood-stage infection, DC frequencies remained largely stable. Activation markers classically associated with peptide presentation to and priming of αβT cells, HLA-DR and CD86, were upregulated in monocytes and inflammatory CD16 myeloid DCs (mDCs) but not in the classical CD1c, BDCA2, or BDCA3 DC subsets. In addition, these activated APC subsets showed increased expression of CD1c, which is involved in glycolipid antigen presentation, and of the immune complex binding Fcγ receptor III (CD16). Our data show thatP. falciparumasexual parasites do not activate classical DC subsets but instead activate mainly monocytes and inflammatory CD16 mDCs and appear to prime alternative activation pathways via induction of CD16 and/or CD1c. Changes in expression of these surface molecules might increase antigen capture and enhance glycolipid antigen presentation in addition to the classical major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) peptide presentation and thereby contribute to the initiation of T-cell responses in malaria. (This study has been registered at Clinicaltrials.gov under registration no. NCT01086917.)

Abstract 541: Specific Deletion of LDL Receptor--Related Protein on Macrophages Skews Cytokine Production by Invariant Natural Killer T Cells

Invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells are specialized lymphocytes that when activated can regulate chronic inflammatory conditions and atherosclerotic processes. The activation of iNKT cells occurs when glycolipid antigens bind the MHC class-I like molecule CD1d present on antigen presenting cells (APCs). The pathways by which glycolipid antigens target CD1d for presentation and activation of iNKT cells remain unclear, yet the expression of surface receptors associated with lipid homeostasis, such as the LDL receptor (LDLr), have been implicated in the modulation of iNKT cell activation. The LDLr has been shown to modulate this process by binding apoE-containing lipoproteins, which can carry antigenic glycolipids for iNKT cell activation. The LDL receptor-related protein (LRP), a transmembrane receptor from the LDL receptor family of proteins, shares structural homology with LDLr and can bind a number of ligands including apoE-containing lipoproteins. We hypothesized that LRP can play an active role in glycolipid antigen presentation and subsequent activation of iNKT cells. Here, we demonstrate that LRP is preferentially expressed at high levels on F4/80 + macrophages, when compared to other APCs. We also show that a specialized subset of macrophages expressing CD169, known for their ability to present glycolipid antigen to iNKT cells, have increased levels of LRP when compared to CD169 - macrophages. Using mice with a targeted deletion of LRP in macrophages, we observed decreased activation of iNKT cells in vitro (24, 48 hours) and normal IFN-gamma but blunted IL-4 response in vivo. Further flow cytometric analysis showed normal surface expression of CD1d in LRP-cKO macrophages as well as normal uptake of fluorescently labeled glycolipid in vitro . Additionally, analysis of the iNKT cell compartment in LRP-cKO mice revealed intact numbers and percentages of iNKT cells and no homeostatic disruption as evidenced by absence of programmed death-1 and LY-49. Collectively, these data suggest that macrophage LRP contributes to early iNKT cell activation by enhancing early IL-4 responses.

Forssman expression on human erythrocytes: biochemical and genetic evidence of a new histo-blood group system

Key Points A new histo-blood group system was discovered, based on the identification of Forssman glycolipid antigen on human red blood cells. A newly described polymorphism in the GBGT1 gene activates the encoded enzyme to synthesize Forssman antigen.