SummaryThe human cytokine interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) is a small glycoprotein secreted by activated T cells, monocytes, endothelial cells, and keratinocytes, and is structurally related to a family of chemotactic cytokines called chemokines. Although this protein is present in sites of delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions and lepromatous leprosy lesions, the biological activity of IP-10 remains unknown. We report here that recombinant human IP-10 stimulated significant in vitro chemotaxis of human peripheral blood monocytes but not neutrophils. Recombinant human IP-10 also stimulated chemotaxis of stimulated, but not unstimulated, human peripheral blood T lymphocytes. Phenotypic analysis of the stimulated T cell population responsive to IP-10 demonstrated that stimulated CD4 + and CD29 + T cells migrated in response to IP-10. This resembles the biological activity of the previously described T cell chemoattractant R.ANTES. Using an endothelial cell adhesion assay, we demonstrated that stimulated T cells pretreated with optimal doses of IP-10 exhibited a greatly enhanced ability to bind to an interleukin 1-treated endothelial cell monolayer. These results demonstrate that the IP-10 gene encodes for an inflammatory mediator that specifically stimulates the directional migration of T cells and monocytes as well as potentiates T cell adhesion to endothelium.

Recombinant human macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (rhMIP-1 alpha) and rhMIP-1 beta were potent chemoattractants of human T lymphocytes. These rhMIP-1 cytokines attracted only T cells activated by monoclonal antibody to CD3 and did not attract unstimulated lymphocytes. Phenotypic analysis revealed that CD4+ T cells were capable of migrating in response to rhMIP-1 beta, whereas rhMIP-1 alpha induced chemotaxis of predominantly CD8+ T lymphocytes. Activated naïve and memory T cells also migrated in response to rhMIP-1 cytokines. Furthermore, these cytokines enhanced the ability of T cells to bind to an endothelial cell monolayer. These results suggest that rhMIP-1 cytokines preferentially recruit specific T cell subsets during the evolution of the immune response.

Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) develops in individuals infected with human T-cell lymphotropic virus-1 (HTLV-1). Presently there is no curative therapy for ATL. HTLV-1-encoded protein Tax (transactivator from the X-gene region) up-regulates Bcl-xL (B-cell lymphoma-extra large) expression and activates interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-9, and IL-15 autocrine/paracrine systems, resulting in amplified JAK/STAT signaling. Inhibition of JAK signaling reduces cytokinedependent ex vivo proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from ATL patients in smoldering/chronic stages. Currently, two JAK inhibitors are approved for human use. In this study, we examined activity of multiple JAK inhibitors in ATL cell lines. The selective JAK inhibitor ruxolitinib was examined in a high-throughput matrix screen combined with >450 potential therapeutic agents, and Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibitor navitoclax was identified as a strong candidate for multicomponent therapy. The combination was noted to strongly activate BAX (Bcl-2-associated X protein), effect mitochondrial depolarization, and increase caspase 3/7 activities that lead to cleavage of PARP (poly ADP ribose polymerase) and Mcl-1 (myeloid cell leukemia 1). Ruxolitinib and navitoclax independently demonstrated modest antitumor efficacy, whereas the combination dramatically lowered tumor burden and prolonged survival in an ATL murine model. This combination strongly blocked ex vivo proliferation of five ATL patients' PBMCs. These studies provide support for a therapeutic trial in patients with smoldering/chronic ATL using a drug combination that inhibits JAK signaling and antiapoptotic protein Bcl-xL.adult T-cell leukemia | Janus kinase | ruxolitinib | navitoclax T -cell leukemia/lymphoma represents ∼10% of lymphoid malignancies. Genetic alterations affecting members of the Janus kinases (JAKs) and signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) were discovered in a variety of T-cell malignancies (1, 2). Furthermore, increases in the common γc cytokine concentrations that signal through the JAK1/3, STAT3/5 pathway have been demonstrated in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, gamma delta T-cell lymphoma, and adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), thereby identifying effective therapeutic targets.ATL is an aggressive T-cell malignancy characterized by the clonal expansion of CD4 + CD25 + T lymphocytes that develops in a small proportion of individuals infected with human T-cell lymphotrophic virus-1 (HTLV-1) (3-5). Clinically, ATL is subclassified into four subtypes: smoldering, chronic, lymphomatous, and acute (4, 5). Presently, there is no curative therapy for ATL (4, 5). In search of effective therapies, we examined key signaling pathways that confer a proliferation and viability advantage to ATL cells. It was noted that the HTLV-1-encoded Tax (transactivator from the X-gene region) is associated with increased Bcl-xL (B-cell lymphoma-extra large) expression in ATL cells (6). Furthermore, we reported two autocrine loops (IL-2/IL-2Rα, IL-15/IL-15Rα) and one paracrine loop that in...