Long-term display of exogenous proteins on the cell surface may have important research and therapeutic implications. We report a novel method for the cell-surface display of proteins that involves generation of a chimeric protein with core streptavidin, biotinylation of cells, and "decoration" with the protein. A chimeric protein with the extracellular portions of FasL (SA-FasL) was efficiently displayed on the cell surface within 2 hr without detectable cellular toxicity. Biotin and SA-FasL persisted on the cell surface for weeks in vitro and in vivo. Immunomodulation with SA-FasL-decorated splenocytes effectively blocked alloreactive responses in naive and presensitized rodents and prevented the rejection of allogeneic pancreatic islets. This approach may serve as an alternative to gene transfer-based expression with broad research and therapeutic applications.

Vaccines represent an attractive treatment modality for the management of cancer primarily because of their specificity and generation of immunologic memory important for controlling recurrences. However, the efficacy of therapeutic vaccines may require formulations that not only generate effective immune responses but also overcome immune evasion mechanisms employed by progressing tumor. Costimulatory molecules play critical roles in modulating innate, adaptive, and regulatory immunity and have potential to serve as effective immunomodulatory components of therapeutic vaccines. In this study, we tested the function of a novel soluble form of 4-1BB ligand (4-1BBL) costimulatory molecule in modulating innate, adaptive, and regulatory immunity and assessed its therapeutic efficacy in the HPV-16 E7-expressing TC-1 cervical cancer and survivin-expressing 3LL lung carcinoma mouse models. Vaccination with 4-1BBL activated dendritic cells and enhanced antigen uptake, generated CD8 + T-cell effector/memory responses, and endowed T effector cells refractory to suppression by CD4 + CD25 + FoxP3 + T regulatory cells. Immunization with 4-1BBL in combination with an E7 peptide or survivin protein resulted in eradication of TC-1 and 3LL tumors, respectively. 4-1BBL was more effective than TLR agonists LPS, MPL, and CpG and an agonistic 4-1BB antibody as a component of E7 peptide-based therapeutic vaccine for the generation of immune responses and eradication of TC-1 established tumors in the absence of detectable toxicity. Therapeutic efficacy was associated with reversal of tumor-mediated nonresponsiveness/anergy as well as establishment of long-term CD8 + T-cell memory. Potent pleiotropic immunomodulatory activities combined with lack of toxicity highlight the potential of 4-1BBL molecule as an effective component of therapeutic cancer vaccines. [Cancer Res 2009;69(10):4319-26]

VEGF-delivering synthetic hydrogel improves islet survival and function in extrahepatic transplant sites over current clinical method.

Naturally occurring CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ T regulatory (Treg) cells require three distinct signals transduced via TCR, CD28, and IL-2R for their development and maintenance. These requirements served as the basis for several recently developed ex vivo expansion protocols that relied on the use of solid support-bound Abs to CD3 and CD28 in the presence of high dose IL-2. We report in this study that Treg cells up-regulate the expression of inducible costimulatory receptor 4-1BB in response to IL-2, and stimulation using this receptor via a novel form of 4-1BB ligand (4-1BBL) fused to a modified form of core streptavidin (SA-4-1BBL) was effective in expanding these cells up to 110-fold within 3 wk. Expanded cells up-regulated CD25, 4-1BB, and membranous TGF-β, suppressed T cell proliferation, and prevented the rejection of allogeneic islets upon adoptive transfer into graft recipients. Importantly, SA-4-1BBL rendered CD4+CD25− T effector cells refractive to suppression by Treg cells. This dual function of signaling via 4-1BB, vis-à-vis Treg cell expansion and licensing T effector cells resistant to Treg cell suppression, as well as the up-regulation of 4-1BB by IL-2 may serve as important regulatory mechanisms for immune homeostasis following antigenic challenge. Stimulation using a soluble form of SA-4-1BBL represents a novel approach to expand Treg cells with potential therapeutic applications in autoimmunity and transplantation.

Fragmented sleep (SF) is a highly prevalent condition and a hallmark of sleep apnea, a condition that has been associated with increased cancer incidence and mortality. In this study, we examined the hypothesis that SF promotes tumor growth and progression through pro-inflammatory TLR4 signaling. In the design, we compared mice that were exposed to SF one week before engraftment of syngeneic TC1 or LL3 tumor cells and tumor analysis three weeks later. We also compared host contributions through the use of mice genetically deficient in TLR4 or its effector molecules MYD88 or TRIF. We found that SF enhanced tumor size and weight compared to control mice. Increased invasiveness was apparent in SF tumors, which penetrated the tumor capsule into surrounding tissues including adjacent muscle. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) were more numerous in SF tumors where they were distributed in a relatively closer proximity to the tumor capsule, compared to control mice. Although tumors were generally smaller in both MYD88−/− and TRIF−/− hosts, the more aggressive features produced by SF persisted. In contrast, these more aggressive features produced by SF were abolished completely in TLR4−/− mice. Our findings offer mechanistic insights into how sleep perturbations can accelerate tumor growth and invasiveness through TAM recruitment and TLR4 signaling pathways.