Anti-CD45 Antibody [MEM-28] (A85889)

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) offers curative therapy for patients with hemoglobinopathies, congenital immunodeficiencies, and other conditions, possibly including AIDS. Autologous HSCT using genetically corrected cells would avoid the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), but the genotoxicity of conditioning remains a substantial barrier to the development of this approach. Here we report an internalizing immunotoxin targeting the hematopoietic-cell-restricted CD45 receptor that effectively conditions immunocompetent mice. A single dose of the immunotoxin, CD45-saporin (SAP), enabled efficient (>90%) engraftment of donor cells and full correction of a sickle-cell anemia model. In contrast to irradiation, CD45-SAP completely avoided neutropenia and anemia, spared bone marrow and thymic niches, enabling rapid recovery of T and B cells, preserved anti-fungal immunity, and had minimal overall toxicity. This non-genotoxic conditioning method may provide an attractive alternative to current conditioning regimens for HSCT in the treatment of non-malignant blood diseases.

We have characterized herein the heterogeneity of the CD90⁺ population at each stage of hepatocarcinogenesis using a computer-assisted immunohistochemical staining evaluation method for quantitative analysis on tissue microarrays. We found that CD90 in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues, which has been shown to be a marker for cancer stem cells, is expressed on tumor cells, in the stroma or on endothelial cells. Sub-classification of the CD90⁺ population was based on morphology and co-expression with known markers including CD45 and CD31. Multiple linear regression suggested that the percentage of CD90⁺ cancer cells/hepatocyte (p<0.0001), level of overall CD90 expression (p<0.0014), and level of CD90 expression in tumor islands (p<0.0001) increased significantly in each stage of liver disease progression, while the level of stromal CD90 expression (p=0.1129) did not change significantly. Additionally, only the CD90⁺ cancer cells were positive for other cancer stem cell (CSC) markers including CD24, CD44 and CD133 whereas the other CD90⁺ cells were negative for these markers. CD90 expression in cirrhosis was observed in hepatocytes, the portal tract area and fibrous septa while CD90 expression in normal liver was limited only to the portal tract area. This study demonstrates the heterogeneity of the CD90⁺ population in HCC where a small population of the CD90+ cells that expressed other CSC markers are CSCs and are associated with advanced stages of hepatocarcinogenesis. This heterogeneity should be emphasized in further studies where other methods may not be able to discriminate these distinct types of CD90⁺ cells.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by an abundant desmoplastic reaction driven by pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) that contributes to tumor progression. Here we sought to characterize the interactions between pancreatic cancer cells (PCCs) and PSCs that affect the inflammatory and immune response in pancreatic tumors. Conditioned media from mono- and cocultures of PSCs and PCCs were assayed for expression of cytokines and growth factors. IP-10/CXCL10 was the most highly induced chemokine in coculture of PSCs and PCCs. Its expression was induced in the PSCs by PCCs. IP-10 was elevated in human PDAC specimens, and positively correlated with high stroma content. Furthermore, gene expression of IP-10 and its receptor CXCR3 were significantly associated with the intratumoral presence of regulatory T cells (Tregs). In an independent cohort of 48 patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, high IP-10 expression levels correlated with decreased median overall survival. Finally, IP-10 stimulated the ex vivo recruitment of CXCR3+ effector T cells as well as CXCR3+ Tregs derived from patients with PDAC. Our findings suggest that, in pancreatic cancer, CXCR3+ Tregs can be recruited by IP-10 expressed by PSCs in the tumor stroma, leading to immunosuppressive and tumor-promoting effects.

The chemokine Interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10) and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) are widely used indicators of glial activation and neuroinflammation and are up-regulated in many brain disorders. These inflammatory mediators have been widely studied in rodent models of brain disorders, but less work has been undertaken using human brain cells. In this study we investigate the regulation of HLA and IP-10, as well as other cytokines and chemokines, in microglia, astrocytes, pericytes, and meningeal fibroblasts derived from biopsy and autopsy adult human brain, using immunocytochemistry and a Cytometric Bead Array. Interferonγ (IFNγ) increased microglial HLA expression, but contrary to data in rodents, the anti-inflammatory cytokine transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) did not inhibit this increase in HLA, nor did TGFβ1 affect basal microglial HLA expression or IFNγ-induced astrocytic HLA expression. In contrast, IFNγ-induced and basal microglial HLA expression, but not IFNγ-induced astrocytic HLA expression, were strongly inhibited by macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF). IFNγ also strongly induced HLA expression in pericytes and meningeal fibroblasts, which do not basally express HLA, and this induction was completely blocked by TGFβ1, but not affected by M-CSF. In contrast, TGFβ1 did not block the IFNγ-induced increase in IP-10 in pericytes and meningeal fibroblasts. These results show that IFNγ, TGFβ1 and M-CSF have species- and cell type-specific effects on human brain cells that may have implications for their roles in adult human brain inflammation.

Drug resistance is a major cause of treatment failure in cancer. Here, we have evaluated the role of STAT3 in environment-mediated drug resistance (EMDR) in human neuroblastoma. We determined that STAT3 was not constitutively active in most neuroblastoma cell lines but was rapidly activated upon treatment with interleukin (IL)-6 alone and in combination with the soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R). Treatment of neuroblastoma cells with IL-6 protected them from drug-induced apoptosis in a STAT3-dependent manner because the protective effect of IL-6 was abrogated in the presence of a STAT3 inhibitor and upon STAT3 knockdown. STAT3 was necessary for the upregulation of several survival factors such as survivin (BIRC5) and Bcl-xL (BCL2L1) when cells were exposed to IL-6. Importantly, IL-6-mediated STAT3 activation was enhanced by sIL-6R produced by human monocytes, pointing to an important function of monocytes in promoting IL-6-mediated EMDR. Our data also point to the presence of reciprocal activation of STAT3 between tumor cells and bone marrow stromal cells including not only monocytes but also regulatory T cells (Treg) and nonmyeloid stromal cells. Thus, the data identify an IL-6/sIL-6R/STAT3 interactive pathway between neuroblastoma cells and their microenvironment that contributes to drug resistance.

HIV-1 Nef has been demonstrated to be integral for viral persistence, infectivity, and the acceleration of disease pathogenesis (AIDS) in humans. Nef has also been detected in the plasma of HIV-infected individuals and is released from infected cells. The form in which Nef is released from infected cells is unknown. However, Nef is a myristoylated protein and has been shown to interact with the intracellular vesicular trafficking network. Here we show that Nef is released in CD45-containing microvesicles. This microvesicular Nef (mvNef) is detected in the plasma of HIV-infected individuals at relatively high concentrations (10 ng/ml). It is also present in tissue culture supernatants of Jurkat cells infected with HIV(MN). Interestingly, plasma mvNef levels in HIV(+) patients did not significantly correlate with viral load or CD4 count. Microvesicular Nef levels persisted in the plasma of HIV-infected individuals despite the use of antiretroviral therapy, even in individuals with undetectable viral loads. Using cell lines, we found Nef microvesicles induce apoptosis in Jurkat T-lymphocytes but had no observed effect on the U937 monocytic cell line. Given the large amount of mvNef present in the plasma of HIV-infected individuals, the apoptotic effect of mvNef on T cells, and the observed functions of extracellular soluble Nef in vitro, it seems likely that in vivo mvNef may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of AIDS.

The HIV-1 Nef protein is known to be secreted, and our group has shown that Nef is secreted from nef-transfected and HIV-1-infected cells in small exosome-like vesicles (d. 40-100 nm). The role of secreted Nef remains to be fully characterized. Thus, it is important to characterize the nature of and the mechanisms regulating Nef secretion. We hypothesized that specific structural domains on the Nef protein interact with components of the endosomal trafficking machinery, sorting Nef into multivesicular bodies (MVB) and packaging it in exosome-like vesicles. To identify those domains, a series of mutants spanning the entire nef sequence were made and cloned into the expression vector pQB1, which expresses the mutants as Nef-GFP fusion proteins. These constructs were used in transient transfection assays to identify sequences necessary for secretion of the Nef-GFP fusion protein. N-terminal domains were identified as critical for Nef-induced vesicle secretion: (1) a basic cluster of four arginine residues (aa 17, 19, 21, 22), (2) the phosphofurin acidic cluster sequence (PACS; Glu62-65), and (3) a previously uncharacterized domain spanning amino acid residues 66-70 (VGFPV), which we named the secretion modification region (SMR). Additional amino acids P25, 29GVG31, and T44 were identified in HIV-1 Nef as regulating its secretion. These residues have not been associated with other reported Nef functions. The myristoylation domain, ubiquitination lysine residues, and the C-terminal portion of Nef (aa 71-206) had no effect on secretion. A minimal HIV-1 Nef sequence, comprising the identified motifs, was sufficient for Nef-induced vesicle secretion.

T memory/effector cells (Tmem/eff) isolated from psoriatic patients are chronically activated and poorly suppressed by regulatory T cells (Treg). The proinflammatory cytokine IL-6, which signals through Stat3, allows escape of Tmem/eff cells from Treg-mediated suppression in a murine system. We show here that IL-6 protein is markedly elevated and most highly expressed by CD31(+) endothelial cells and CD11c(+) dermal dendritic cells (DCs) in lesional psoriatic skin. We hypothesized that exposure to high IL-6 in lesional tissue may lead to the dampened Treg function observed in psoriasis patients. Indeed, we found that IL-6, but not other Stat3-activating cytokines, was necessary and sufficient to reverse human T cell suppression by Treg in an in vitro model using activated DCs as a source of IL-6. IL-6Ralpha and gp130 expression was significantly elevated in psoriatic effector T cells compared with normal controls. Overall, IL-6Ralpha expression on Treg exceeded that of effector T cells, and both populations phosphorylated Stat3 in response to IL-6. Phosphorylation of Stat3 in T cells contributes to Th17 differentiation and we identify cells within lesional tissue that coexpress CD3, IL-17, and IL-6, indicating that Th17 cells are present in vivo within the psoriatic Tmem/eff population and contribute to IL-6-mediated resistance to Treg suppression. Taken together, T lymphocytes trafficking into lesional psoriatic skin encounter high IL-6 from endothelial cells, DCs, and Th17 cells, enabling cutaneous T cell escape from Treg suppression and Th17 participation in inflammation. Targeting IL-6 signaling pathways in psoriasis may rebalance Treg/T effector activity and ameliorate disease.

PURPOSE:

Due to their minimal-invasive yet potentially current character circulating tumor cells (CTC) might be useful as a "liquid biopsy" in solid tumors. However, successful application in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) has been very limited so far. High plasticity and heterogeneity of CTC morphology challenges currently available enrichment and detection techniques with EpCAM as the usual surface marker being underrepresented in mRCC. We recently described a method that enables us to identify and characterize non-hematopoietic cells in the peripheral blood stream with varying characteristics and define CTC subgroups that distinctly associate to clinical parameters. With this pilot study we wanted to scrutinize feasibility of this approach and its potential usage in clinical studies.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN:

Peripheral blood was drawn from 14 consecutive mRCC patients at the West German Cancer Center and CTC profiles were analyzed by Multi-Parameter Immunofluorescence Microscopy (MPIM). Additionally angiogenesis-related genes were measured by quantitative RT-PCR analysis.

RESULTS:

We detected CTC with epithelial, mesenchymal, stem cell-like or mixed-cell characteristics at different time-points during anti-angiogenic therapy. The presence and quantity of N-cadherin-positive or CD133-positive CTC was associated with inferior PFS. There was an inverse correlation between high expression of HIF1A, VEGFA, VEGFR and FGFR and the presence of N-cadherin-positive and CD133-positive CTC.

CONCLUSIONS:

Patients with mRCC exhibit distinct CTC profiles that may implicate differences in therapeutic outcome. Prospective evaluation of phenotypic and genetic CTC profiling as prognostic and predictive biomarker in mRCC is warranted.

TRIAL REGISTRATION:

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01731158 NCT01521715.

BACKGROUND:

Circulating tumor cells (CTC) could serve as a "liquid biopsy" for individualizing and monitoring treatment in patients with solid tumors as recently shown by our group. We assessed which non-hematopoietic cell types are identifiable in the peripheral blood of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and correlated those to clinical characteristics.

METHODS:

Blood from NSCLC patients (n=43) was processed as previously described. For subtype analyses CTC were negatively enriched by hematopoietic cell depletion. The remaining cell suspension included pre-enriched tumor cells and was spun onto glass slides and further characterized by multi-immunofluorescence staining against epithelial markers pan-cytokeratin (CK) and epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), mesenchymal marker N-cadherin, stem cell marker CD133, hematopoietic marker CD45 and nuclear counterstain DAPI. Individual cell type profiles were analyzed and correlated to therapeutic outcome.

RESULTS:

Among other associations of CTC subtypes with clinical parameters Kaplan-Meier test revealed that an increased CD133-positive to pan-CK-positive cell type ratio (stem cell like to epithelial ratio) and the presence of mesenchymal N-cadherin+ cells, both were significantly associated to shortened PFS (2 vs. 8 months, P=0.003, HR =4.43; 5 vs. 8 months, P=0.03, HR =2.63).

CONCLUSIONS:

Our data suggest that different CTC populations are identifiable in peripheral blood and that these individual cell type profiles might be used to predict outcome to platinum based systemic therapies in lung cancer patients.

BACKGROUND:

Since image based diagnostic tools fail to detect early metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) it is crucial to develop minimal invasive diagnostic methods. A promising approach is to identify and characterize circulating tumor cells (CTC) in the peripheral blood of HNSCC patients. In this pilot study, we assessed which non-hematopoietic cell types are identifiable and whether their numbers differ in pre- and postoperative blood samples.

METHODS:

20 ml citrated peripheral blood was taken from 10 HNSCC patients before and after curative resection. CTC were enriched using density gradient centrifugation. CTC presence was verified by multi-immunofluorescence staining against cytokeratin (CK; epithelial), N-cadherin (mesenchymal); CD133 (stem-cell), CD45 (hematopoietic) and DAPI (nucleus). Individual cell type profiles were analyzed.

RESULTS:

We were able to detect cells with epithelial properties like CK+/N-cadherin-/CD45- and CK+/CD133-/CD45- as well as cells with mesenchymal features such as N-cadherin+/CK-/CD45- and cells with both characteristics like N-cadherin+/CK+/CD45-. We also observed cells showing stem cell-like features like CD133+/CK-/CD45- and cells with both epithelial and stem cell-like features such as CD133+/CK+/CD45-. The number of CK positive cells (p = 0.002), N-cadherin positive cells (p = 0.002) and CD133 positive cells (p = 0.01) decreased significantly after resection. Kaplan-Meier test showed that the survival was significantly shorter when N-cadherin+ cells were present after resection (p = 0.04; 474 vs. 235 days; [HR] = 3.1).

CONCLUSIONS:

This is - to the best of our knowledge- the first pilot study identifying different CTC populations in peripheral blood of HNSCC patients and showing that these individual cell type profiles may have distinct clinical implications.

BACKGROUND:

Pt-(GpG) intrastrand crosslinks are the major DNA adducts induced by platinum-based anticancer drugs. In the cell lines and mouse models, the persistence of these lesions correlates significantly with cell damage. Here we studied Pt-(GpG) DNA adducts in circulating tumour cells (CTC) treated with cisplatin in medium upfront to systemic therapy from patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS:

Blood was drawn before systemic treatment and the CD45/CD15-depleted fraction of mononuclear cells was exposed to cisplatin, verified for the presence of CTC by pan-cytokeratin (pCK) staining and immunoanalysed for the level of Pt-(GpG) in DNA.

RESULTS:

Immunostaining for pCK, CD45 and subsequently for Pt-(GpG) adducts in the cisplatin-exposed cells (ex vivo) at different time points depicted distinct differences for adduct persistence in CTC between responders vs non-responders.

CONCLUSION:

Pt-(GpG) adducts can be detected in CTC from NSCLC patients and assessing their kinetics may constitute a clinically feasible biomarker for response prediction and dose individualisation of platinum-based chemotherapy. This functional pre-therapeutic test might represent a more biological approach than measuring protein factors or other molecular markers.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS:

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been proposed as a monitoring tool in patients with solid tumors. So far, automated approaches are challenged by the cellular heterogeneity of CTC, especially the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Recently, Yu and colleagues showed that shifts in these cell populations correlated with response and progression, respectively, to chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer. In this study, we assessed which non-hematopoietic cell types were identifiable in the peripheral blood of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and whether their distribution during treatment courses is associated with clinical characteristics.

METHODS:

Subsequent to few enrichment steps, cell suspensions were spun onto glass slides and further characterized using multi-immunofluorescence staining. All non-hematopoietic cells were counted and individual cell profiles were analyzed per patient and treatment.

RESULTS:

We detected a remarkable variation of cells with epithelial, mesenchymal, liver-specific, and mixed characteristics and different size ranges. The distribution of these subgroups varied significantly between different patient groups and was associated with therapeutic outcome. Kaplan-Meier log-rank test showed that a change in the ratio of epithelial to mesenchymal cells was associated with longer median time to progression (1 vs 15 months; P = .03; hazard ratio = 0.18; 95% confidence interval = 0.01-2.75).

CONCLUSIONS:

Our data suggest that different CTC populations are identifiable in peripheral blood of HCC patients and, for the first time in HCC, that these individual cell type profiles may have distinct clinical implications. The further characterization and analysis of patients in this ongoing study seems to be warranted.

BACKGROUND:

Microglia are the primary immune cells of the brain whose phenotype largely depends on their surrounding micro-environment. Microglia respond to a multitude of soluble molecules produced by a variety of brain cells. Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) is a cytokine found in the brain whose receptor is expressed by microglia. Previous studies suggest a critical role for M-CSF in brain development and normal functioning as well as in several disease processes involving neuroinflammation.

METHODS:

Using biopsy tissue from patients with intractable temporal epilepsy and autopsy tissue, we cultured primary adult human microglia to investigate their response to M-CSF. Mixed glial cultures were treated with 25 ng/ml M-CSF for 96 hours. Proliferation and phagocytosis assays, and high through-put immunocytochemistry, microscopy and image analysis were performed to investigate microglial phenotype and function.

RESULTS:

We found that the phenotype of primary adult human microglia was markedly changed following exposure to M-CSF. A greater number of microglia were present in the M-CSF- treated cultures as the percentage of proliferating (BrdU and Ki67-positive) microglia was greatly increased. A number of changes in protein expression occurred following M-CSF treatment, including increased transcription factors PU.1 and C/EBPβ, increased DAP12 adaptor protein, increased M-CSF receptor (CSF-1R) and IGF-1 receptor, and reduced HLA-DP, DQ, DR antigen presentation protein. Furthermore, a distinct morphological change was observed with elongation of microglial processes. These changes in phenotype were accompanied by a functional increase in phagocytosis of Aβ1-42 peptide.

CONCLUSIONS:

We show here that the cytokine M-CSF dramatically influences the phenotype of adult human microglia. These results pave the way for future investigation of M-CSF-related targets for human therapeutic benefit.

Microglia are the predominant resident immune cells of the brain and can assume a range of phenotypes. They are critical for normal brain development and function but can also contribute to many disease processes. Although they are widely studied, the transcriptional control of microglial phenotype and activation requires further research. PU.1 is a key myeloid transcription factor expressed by peripheral macrophages and rodent microglia. In this article, we report the presence of PU.1 specifically in microglia of the adult human brain and we examine its functional role in primary human microglia. Using siRNA, we achieved substantial PU.1 protein knock-down in vitro. By assessing a range of characteristic microglial proteins we found decreased viability of adult human microglia with reduced PU.1 protein expression. This observation was confirmed with PU.1 antisense DNA oligonucleotides. An important function of microglia is to clear debris by phagocytosis. We assessed the impact of loss of PU.1 on microglial phagocytosis and show that PU.1 siRNA reduces the ability of adult human microglia to phagocytose amyloid-beta1-42 peptide. These results show that PU.1 controls human microglial viability and function and suggest PU.1 as a molecular target for manipulation of human microglial phenotype.

A screen of cell surface markers differentially expressed during peripheral B cell differentiation identified that the CD45RB epitope detected by the mAb MEM-55 was highly expressed on CD27(+) memory B cells and absent on CD27(-) naïve B cells. IgG(+)CD27(-) memory and a previously unacknowledged CD27(-) population in blood also expressed high levels of CD45RB(MEM55). Naïve and memory B cells from tonsils followed the pattern observed in blood, and CD38(high) B cells had a bimodal expression pattern when analyzed using flow cytometry. No CD38(high) GC B cells, however, expressed the CD45RB(MEM55) epitope when assayed using immunohistochemistry. Rather, CD38(high)CD45RB(MEM55high) B cells had a distinct cellular phenotype and were localized outside of GCs. CD45RB epitopes, detected by other antibody clones, were expressed at high levels through B cell differentiation, and no changes in splicing of the CD45RB exon were observed during B cell differentiation. Instead, B cells regulated their expression of the CD45RB(MEM55) epitope through site-specific modifications of an O-linked glycochain. CD4(+) T cells differentially spliced CD45 but did not vary the glycosylation of the CD45RB(MEM55) epitope, and CD8(+) cells modified CD45RB(MEM55) expression in a similar manner as B cells. Monocytes expressed the CD45RB exon but not the CD45RB(MEM55) epitope. As CD45 is a highly expressed tyrosine phosphatase that regulates antigen receptor signaling strength in lymphocytes, we conclude that regulated O-linked glycosylation of CD45RB can be used to follow B cell differentiation and that this regulation may be involved in fine-tuning antigen signaling in the cell.

Full DNA profiles can be generated from just a few cells; however these profiles can be contaminated from other cell types present at the crime scene. We report here on the development of an immunofluorescent technique to spatially locate human-specific blood in situ and also on the ability of this technique to detect individual leukocytes and the DNA contained within them. Four monoclonal mouse anti-human antibodies were evaluated; anti-glycophorin A to detect erythrocytes and anti-CD45, anti-myeloperoxidase (MPO) and anti-histone H1 to detect the nucleated leukocytes. Each antibody was labeled with either Alexa Fluor 488 or 568 for direct application to blood smears which allowed the simultaneous detection of erythrocytes and leukocytes. Furthermore, because histones are DNA binding proteins, the application of anti-histone H1 allowed the detection of DNA within a blood smear. Importantly it was found that full DNA profiles could be achieved after using this method with similar peak area ratios compared to untreated cells. The fluorescent antibodies were found to be human-specific with the exception of anti-histone H1 due to its conserved sequence. However, used in combination with anti-CD45 or anti-MPO the location of DNA from human-specific leukocytes could be detected. The technique was also tested on older blood stains and was still found to be sensitive and cell-specific after 4 months. Following the optimization of the methodology, the fluorescent antibodies were applied to short lengths of black cotton fibres covered with human blood spots. Although the background fluorescence from the cotton was found to be high, erythrocytes and even individual leukocytes could easily be detected, indicating that this technique could be used to detect extremely minute amounts of blood. Used in combination with laser capture microdissection (LCM), this method could be used to pick off individual leukocytes for LCN DNA techniques.

CD45 is the prototypic transmembrane protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP), which is expressed on all nucleated hematopoietic cells and plays a central role in the integration of environmental signals into immune cell responses. Here we report an alternative function for the intracellular domain of CD45. We dis-covered that CD45 is sequentially cleaved by serine/metalloproteinases and gamma-secretases during activation of human monocytes and granulocytes by fungal stimuli or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate but not by other microbial stimuli. Proteolytic processing of CD45 occurred upon activation of monocytes or granulocytes but not of T cells, B cells, or dendritic cells and resulted in a 95-kDa fragment of the cytoplasmic tail of CD45 (ct-CD45). ct-CD45 was released from monocytes and granulocytes upon activation-induced cell death. Binding studies with ct-CD45 revealed a counter-receptor on preactivated T cells. Moreover, T-cell proliferation induced by dendritic cells or CD3 antibodies was inhibited in the presence of ct-CD45. Taken together, the results of our study demonstrate that fragments of the intracellular domain of CD45 from human phagocytes can function as intercellular regulators of T-cell activation.

The existence of lipid rafts and their importance for immunoreceptor signaling is highly debated. By non-invasive single molecule imaging, we analyzed the dynamics of the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR), the lipid raft-associated glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) proteins CD48 and CD59 and the major leukocyte phosphatase CD45 in living naive T lymphocytes. TCR triggering induced the immobilization of CD45 and CD48 at different positions within the T-cell interface. The second GPI protein, CD59, did not co-immobilize indicating lipid raft heterogeneity in living T lymphocytes. A novel biochemical approach confirmed that lipid raft components are not associated in the plasma membrane of resting cells, and variably associate with specific receptors to distinct lipid rafts upon activation.

CD43 (leukosialin, sialophorin), an abundant leukocyte surface sialoglycoprotein, regulates leukocyte adhesion and transmits activating signals in T cells and dendritic cells. Immobilized anti-CD43 monoclonal antibody (mAb) MEM-59 has been previously shown to induce apoptosis of hematopoietic progenitors. In this study we show that it also triggers apoptosis of the myeloid progenitor-derived cell line TF-1. The kinetics of the MEM-59-induced apoptosis were unusually slow, with the first apoptotic cells appearing 36-48 h after their contact with the immobilized antibody; in 5 days, 90% of the cells were dead. CD43-mediated apoptosis was enhanced by coimmobilized anti-CD45 mAb and partly suppressed by coimmobilized anti-CD50 (ICAM-3) or anti-CD99 mAb. The MEM-59-triggered apoptosis of TF-1 cells was also inhibited by the overexpression of an apoptotic regulator, Daxx. CD43-mediated apoptosis was preceded by the repression of the DNA binding activity of the transcription factor AP-1. DNA array screening revealed that the expression of several genes encoding apoptosis-regulating proteins, including 14-3-3 proteins and the granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) receptor beta-subunit, was repressed in TF-1 cells bound to immobilized MEM-59. The down-regulation of 14-3-3 proteins and GM-CSF receptor beta was accompanied by translocation of the proapoptotic protein Bad to the mitochondria. These results suggest that engagement of CD43 may, presumably through the repressing transcription, initiate a Bad-dependent apoptotic pathway.

CD44 is the major cell surface receptor for the extracellular matrix glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan and is implicated in a variety of biological events that include embryonic morphogenesis, lymphocyte recirculation, inflammation, and tumor metastasis. CD44 delivers activation signals to T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and macrophages by stimulating protein tyrosine phosphorylation and calcium influx. The mechanism of signal transduction via CD44 remains undefined, although CD44 was shown to physically associate with intracellular protein tyrosine kinase Lck in T lymphocytes. In the present report, we show that a significant proportion of CD44 in human peripheral blood T lymphocytes and endothelial cells is associated with low-density plasma membrane fractions that represent specialized plasma membrane domains enriched in glycosphingolipids and glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins. CD44 and the GPI-anchored CD59 do not appear to directly interact in the low-density membrane fractions. In human peripheral blood T lymphocytes, 20% to 30% of the Src family protein tyrosine kinases, Lck and Fyn, are recovered from these fractions. CD44-associated protein kinase activity was selectively recovered from the low-density membrane fractions, corresponding to glycosphingolipid-rich plasma membrane microdomains. Reprecipitation of the in vitro phosphorylated proteins showed that CD44 associates not only with Lck but also with Fyn kinase in these membrane domains. Our results suggest that cellular stimulation via CD44 may proceed through the signaling machinery of glycosphingolipid-enriched plasma membrane microdomains and, hence, depend on the functional integrity of such domains.

The specificities of several monoclonal antibodies described by us earlier were determined more exactly: (1) antibodies MEM-31 and MEM-32 are directed against CD8 and CD5 T cell antigens, respectively: (2) MEM-15 and MEM-18 react with the CD14 monocyte antigen; (3) MEM-28 recognizes the CD45 pan-leucocyte antigen. Several new monoclonal antibodies are described: (4) MEM-55 and MEM-58, reactive with subsets of CD45-related molecules; (5) MEM-43, recognizing a broadly expressed 18-kDa glycoprotein; (6) MEM-57, reacting with the CD3 antigen complex: (7) MEM-59 recognizing the CD43 leucocyte antigen; (8) MEM-74, which reacts with an unidentified antigen strongly expressed on several cell lines and many leukaemic cells but absent from most resting leucocytes; (9) MEM-75, directed against transferrin receptor, and (10) MEM-78, recognizing CD10 (CALLA) antigen.

PURPOSE:

Cabozantinib, an orally available multityrosine kinase inhibitor with activity against mesenchymal epithelial transition factor (MET) and VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2), induces resolution of bone scan lesions in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer bone metastases. The purpose of this study was to determine whether cabozantinib elicited a direct antitumor effect, an indirect effect through modulating bone, or both.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN:

Using human prostate cancer xenograft studies in mice, we determined the impact of cabozantinib on tumor growth in soft tissue and bone. In vitro studies with cabozantinib were performed using (i) prostate cancer cell lines to evaluate its impact on cell growth, invasive ability, and MET and (ii) osteoblast cell lines to evaluate its impact on viability and differentiation and VEGFR2.

RESULTS:

Cabozantinib inhibited progression of multiple prostate cancer cell lines (Ace-1, C4-2B, and LuCaP 35) in bone metastatic and soft tissue murine models of prostate cancer, except for PC-3 prostate cancer cells in which it inhibited only subcutaneous growth. Cabozantinib directly inhibited prostate cancer cell viability and induced apoptosis in vitro and in vivo and inhibited cell invasion in vitro. Cabozantinib had a dose-dependent biphasic effect on osteoblast activity and inhibitory effect on osteoclast production in vitro that was reflected in vivo. It blocked MET and VEGFR2 phosphorylation in prostate cancer cells and osteoblast-like cells, respectively.

CONCLUSION:

These data indicate that cabozantinib has direct antitumor activity, and that its ability to modulate osteoblast activity may contribute to its antitumor efficacy.

©2013 AACR.