Project description:Cellular immunotherapy has proven to be effective in the treatment of hematological cancers by donor lymphocyte infusion after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and more recently by targeted therapy with chimeric antigen or T-cell receptor-engineered T-cells. However, dependent on the tissue distribution of the antigens that are targeted, anti-tumor responses can be accompanied by undesired side effects. Therefore, detailed tissue distribution analysis is essential to estimate efficacy and toxicity of candidate targets for immunotherapy of hematological malignancies. In this study, we performed microarray gene expression analysis of hematological malignancies of different origins, healthy hematopoietic cells and various non-hematopoietic cell types from organs that are often targeted in detrimental immune responses after allogeneic stem cell transplantation leading to graft-versus-host disease. Non-hematopoietic cells were also cultured in the presence of IFN-γ to analyze gene expression under inflammatory circumstances. Gene expression was investigated by Illumina HT12.0 microarrays and quality control analysis was performed to confirm the cell-type origin and exclude contamination of non-hematopoietic cell samples with peripheral blood cells. Microarray data were validated by quantitative RT-PCR showing strong correlation between both platforms. Detailed gene expression profiles were generated for various minor histocompatibility antigens and B-cell surface antigens to illustrate the value of the microarray dataset to estimate efficacy and toxicity of candidate targets for immunotherapy. In conclusion, our microarray database provides a relevant platform to analyze and select candidate antigens with hematopoietic (lineage)-restricted expression as potential targets for immunotherapy of hematological cancers. Microarray gene expression analysis was performed on hematological malignancies of different origins and their healthy hematopoietic counterparts as well as on healthy non-hematopoietic cell types from organs that are often targeted in Graft-versus-Host Disease (166 samples in total). Various non-hematopoietic cell types were cultured in the presence of IFN-γ or T-cell culture supernatant to allow gene expression analysis under inflammatory conditions. Malignant and healthy hematopoietic cells were isolated by flow cytometry based on expression of specific surface markers and healthy non-hematopoietic cell types were isolated or cultured from tissue biopsies or surgically removed specimen. Various non-hematopoietic cell types were in vitro cultured for 4 days in the presence of IFN-γ or T-cell culture supernatant to mimic inflammation. The dataset allows comparison of gene expression between hematological malignancies and healthy non-hematopoietic cell types to estimate efficacy and toxicity of immunotherapeutic targets for hematological malignancies. Total RNA was isolated from (malignant) hematopoietic cells isolated by flow cytometry based on expression of specific surface markers and from healthy non-hematopoietic cell types isolated or cultured from tissue biopsies or surgically removed specimen. From various non-hematopoietic cell types, total RNA was also isolated after 4 days of in vitro culture in the presence of IFN-γ or T-cell culture supernatant.
Project description:Cellular immunotherapy has proven to be effective in the treatment of hematological cancers by donor lymphocyte infusion after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and more recently by targeted therapy with chimeric antigen or T-cell receptor-engineered T-cells. However, dependent on the tissue distribution of the antigens that are targeted, anti-tumor responses can be accompanied by undesired side effects. Therefore, detailed tissue distribution analysis is essential to estimate efficacy and toxicity of candidate targets for immunotherapy of hematological malignancies. In this study, we performed microarray gene expression analysis of hematological malignancies of different origins, healthy hematopoietic cells and various non-hematopoietic cell types from organs that are often targeted in detrimental immune responses after allogeneic stem cell transplantation leading to graft-versus-host disease. Non-hematopoietic cells were also cultured in the presence of IFN-γ to analyze gene expression under inflammatory circumstances. Gene expression was investigated by Illumina HT12.0 microarrays and quality control analysis was performed to confirm the cell-type origin and exclude contamination of non-hematopoietic cell samples with peripheral blood cells. Microarray data were validated by quantitative RT-PCR showing strong correlation between both platforms. Detailed gene expression profiles were generated for various minor histocompatibility antigens and B-cell surface antigens to illustrate the value of the microarray dataset to estimate efficacy and toxicity of candidate targets for immunotherapy. In conclusion, our microarray database provides a relevant platform to analyze and select candidate antigens with hematopoietic (lineage)-restricted expression as potential targets for immunotherapy of hematological cancers. Microarray gene expression analysis was performed on hematological malignancies of different origins and their healthy hematopoietic counterparts as well as on healthy non-hematopoietic cell types from organs that are often targeted in Graft-versus-Host Disease (166 samples in total). Various non-hematopoietic cell types were cultured in the presence of IFN-γ or T-cell culture supernatant to allow gene expression analysis under inflammatory conditions. Malignant and healthy hematopoietic cells were isolated by flow cytometry based on expression of specific surface markers and healthy non-hematopoietic cell types were isolated or cultured from tissue biopsies or surgically removed specimen. Various non-hematopoietic cell types were in vitro cultured for 4 days in the presence of IFN-γ or T-cell culture supernatant to mimic inflammation. The dataset allows comparison of gene expression between hematological malignancies and healthy non-hematopoietic cell types to estimate efficacy and toxicity of immunotherapeutic targets for hematological malignancies.
Project description:Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) drives hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) differentiation into the myeloid lineage, and enhanced IL-1β signaling plays a key role in hematological malignancies. However, little is known on the role of its endogenous regulatory cytokine, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1rn), on both healthy and malignant hematopoiesis. Here, characterize transcriptomic changes at the single cell level in myeloid cells, hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, and CD63+ mesenchymal stromal cells between C57BL/6J and IL-1rn-KO mice.
Project description:In the human hematopoietic system, aging is associated with decreased bone marrow cellularity, decreased adaptive immune system function, and increased incidence of anemia and other hematological disorders and malignancies. Recent studies in mice suggest that changes within the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) population during aging contribute significantly to the manifestation of these age-associated hematopoietic pathologies. While the mouse HSC population has been shown to change both quantitatively and functionally with age, changes in the human HSC and progenitor cell populations during aging have not yet been characterized. Gene expression profiling revealed that aged human HSC transcriptionally up-regulate genes associated with cell cycle, myeloid lineage specification, and myeloid malignancies. These age-associated alterations in the frequency, function, and gene expression profile of human HSC are significantly similar to those changes observed in mouse HSC, suggesting that hematopoietic aging is an evolutionarily conserved process. In order to elucidate the properties of an aged human hematopoietic system that may predispose to age-associated hematopoietic dysfunction, we evaluated HSC and other hematopoietic progenitor populations from healthy, hematologically normal young and elderly human bone marrow samples. We found that aged human HSC increase in frequency, are less quiescent, and exhibit myeloid-biased differentiation potential compared to young HSC.
Project description:Administration of azithromycin after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for hematological malignancies has been associated with relapse in a randomized phase 3 controlled clinical trial. Studying 240 samples from patients randomized in this trial is a unique opportunity to better understand the mechanisms underlying relapse, the first cause of mortality after transplantation. We used multi-omics on patients' samples to decipher immune alterations associated with azithromycin intake and post-transplant relapsed malignancies. Azithromycin was associated with a network of altered energy metabolism pathways and immune subsets, including T cells biased toward immunomodulatory and exhausted profiles. In vitro, azithromycin exposure inhibited T cells cytotoxicity against tumor cells and impaired T cells metabolism through glycolysis inhibition, mitochondrial genes downregulation, and immunomodulatory genes upregulation, notably SOCS1. These results highlight that azithromycin directly affects immune cells that favor relapse, which raises caution about long-term use of azithromycin treatment in patients at high risk of malignancies.
Project description:The CD161 inhibitory receptor is highly upregulated by tumor-infiltrating T cells in a number of human solid tumor types, and its ligand CLEC2D is expressed by both tumor cells and infiltrating myeloid cells. Here we assessed the role of the CD161 receptor in hematological malignancies. Systematic analysis of CLEC2D expression using the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) revealed that CLEC2D mRNA was most abundant in hematological malignancies, including B cell and T cell lymphomas as well as lymphocytic and myelogenous leukemias. CLEC2D protein was detected by flow cytometry on a panel of cell lines representing a diverse set of hematological malignancies. We therefore used yeast display to generate a panel of high-affinity, fully human CD161 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that blocked CLEC2D binding. These mAbs were specific for CD161 and had a similar affinity for human and non-human primate CD161, a property relevant for clinical translation. A high-affinity CD161 mAb enhanced key aspects of T cell function, including cytotoxicity, cytokine production and proliferation, against cell lines originating from patients with AML, DLBCL and Burkitt lymphoma. In humanized mouse models, this CD161 mAb enhanced T cell-mediated immunity resulting in a significant survival benefit. ScRNA-seq data demonstrated that CD161 mAb treatment enhanced expression of cytotoxicity genes by CD4 T cells as well as a tissue-resident memory program by CD4 and CD8 T cells that is associated with favorable survival outcomes in multiple human cancer types. These fully human monoclonal antibodies thus represent potential immunotherapy agents for hematological malignancies.
Project description:Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) drives hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) differentiation into the myeloid lineage, and enhanced IL-1β signaling plays a key role in hematological malignancies. However, little is known on the role of its endogenous regulatory cytokine, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1rn), on both healthy and malignant hematopoiesis. Here, we show that inflammation through unbalanced IL-1rn is present in the experimental model of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) driven by the NRAS-G12D oncogene.
Project description:TET1/2/3 are methylcytosine dioxygenases regulating cytosine hydroxymethylation in the genome. Tet1 and Tet2 are abundantly expressed in HSC/HPCs and implicated in the pathogenesis of hematological malignancies. Tet2-deletion in mice causes myeloid malignancies, while Tet1-null mice develop B-cell lymphoma after an extended period of latency. Interestingly, TET1 and TET2 were often concomitantly down-regulated in acute B-lymphocytic leukemia. Here, we investigated the overlapping and non-redundant functions of Tet1/Tet2 in HSC maintenance and development of hematological malignancies using Tet1/2 double knockout (DKO) mice. DKO and Tet2-/- HSC/HPCs had overlapping and unique 5hmC and 5mC profiles and behaved differently. DKO mice exhibited strikingly decreased incidence and delayed onset of myeloid malignancies compared to Tet2-/- mice and in contrast developed lethal B-cell malignancies. Transcriptome analysis of DKO tumors revealed expression changes in many genes dysregulated in human B-cell malignancies, such as LMO2, BCL6 and MYC. These results highlight the critical roles of TET1 or TET2 individually and their cross-talks in the pathogenesis of hematological malignancies. Given the role of Tet proteins in 5mC oxidation, we employed a previously established chemical labeling and affinity purification method coupled with high-throughput sequencing (hMe-Seal) to profile the genome-wide distribution of 5hmC, as well as methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP) coupled with high-throughput sequencing (MeDIP-seq) to profile 5mC using BM LK cells purified from young WT, Tet2-/- and DKO mice (6-10 wks old).