A cytokine that can synergize with interleukin 2 to activate cytotoxic lymphocytes was purified to homogeneity. The protein, provisionally called cytotoxic lymphocyte maturation factor (CLMF), was isolated from a human Blymphoblastoid cell line that was induced to secrete lymphokines by culture with phorbol ester and calcium ionophore. The purification method, utilizing classical and high-performance liquid chromatographic techniques, yielded protein with a specific activity of 8.5 x 107 units/mg in a T-cell growth factor assay. Analysis of the purified protein by sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated that CLMF is a 75-kDa heterodimer composed of disulfide-bonded 40-kDa and 35-kDa subunits. Determination of the N-terminal amino acid sequences of the two subunits revealed that both subunits are not related to any previously identified cytokine. Purified CLMF stimulated the proliferation of human phytohemagglutinin-activated lymphoblasts by itself and exerted additive effects when used in combination with suboptimal amounts of interleukin 2. Furthermore, the purified protein was shown to synergize with low concentrations of interleukin 2 in causing the induction of lymphokine-activated killer cells.The potential utility of cytokines in the treatment of neoplasia and as immunoenhancing agents has recently been demonstrated in studies using human recombinant interleukin 2 (rIL-2) (1-6). However, the clinical use of rIL-2 has been complicated by the serious side effects that it may cause (2, 3). One approach to improving the efficacy of cytokine therapy while reducing toxicity is to use two or more cytokines in combination. For example, synergistic antitumor activity has been shown to result when rIL-2 is administered to tumor-bearing mice together with recombinant interferon a (rIFN-a) (7,8) or with recombinant tumor necrosis factor a (rTNF-a) (9). The antitumor effects of rIL-2 are thought to be mediated by host cytotoxic effector lymphocytes, which are activated by rIL-2 in vivo (10). rIFN-a (11) and rTNF-a (12, 13) have been shown to synergize with rIL-2 in activating cytotoxic effector cells in vitro as well as to exert synergistic antitumor effects when given in combination with rIL-2 in vivo (7-9). Hence, a cytokine was sought that could synergize with rIL-2 to activate cytotoxic lymphocytes in vitro and thus might also have utility as an antitumor agent when administered in combination with rIL-2 in vivo.Previously we demonstrated that IL-2-depleted lymphokine-containing cell supernatant solutions from cultures of human peripheral blood lymphocytes activated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or in mixed lymphocyte cultures contained such a factor, provisionally called cytotoxic lymphocyte maturation factor (CLMF) (14, 15). However, the quantities of human CLMF produced by peripheral blood lymphocytes were too low to permit its purification to homogeneity. Therefore, human lymphoid cell lines were screened for the production of cytokines that could synergize with rIL-2 to a...

Interleukin 1 (IL-1) is a polypeptide hormone that mediates a broad range ofbiological activities and interacts with surface receptors on numerous cell types. Equilibrium binding studies have identified a class of IL-1 receptors on T cells, fibroblasts, and epithelial cells that have 2-to 5-fold higher affinity than the receptors on bone marrow cells, pre-B cells, and macrophage cell lines. Affinity cross-linking with human 125I-labeled IL-la (125I-IL-1a) labels an .100-kDa protein on T cells and fibroblasts and an "80-kDa protein on pre-B cells and macrophage cell lines. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies specific for the IL-1 receptor on T cells and fibroblasts block human 125I-IL-la binding to T cells, fibroblasts, and epithelial cells but cannot block IL-i binding to bone marrow cells, pre-B cells, and macrophages. These antibodies immunoprecipitate the IL-1 receptor-human 125I-IL-la complex from T cells and fibroblasts but not from pre-B cells and macrophage cell lines. An S1 nuclease protection assay demonstrated that T cells and fibroblasts contain identical IL-1 receptor mRNA but that pre-B cells and macrophages do not contain this receptor mRNA. Taken together, the data demonstrate that mouse T cells, fibroblasts, and epithelial cells express an identical IL-1 receptor, whereas the IL-i receptor on pre-B cells, macrophages, and bone marrow cells represents a different gene product.Interleukin 1 proteins (IL-la and IL-13) act on a variety of cell types and have multiple biological activities (1-12). The diversity of IL-1 action is mediated by specific receptors on membranes of mouse (3, 13-17), human (17-21), rat (13), and porcine (21) cells. The binding of IL-1 is specific and saturable and occurs with high affinity (5-50 x 10-11 M) on many cell types, including T cells (3, 15-17), B cells (17, 18), fibroblasts (3, 16, 17), macrophages (22), and neutrophils (23). Both IL-la and IL-1p bind to the same receptor site on mouse (15, 24) and human (18) cells.Analysis of the structure of the IL-1 receptor by affinity cross-linking techniques identified an :80-kDa cell membrane protein on both mouse (3, 13, 17) and human (17,18) cells. An -'80-kDa IL-1 binding protein has been purified to homogeneity from the mouse EL4 thymoma cell line (25, 26), and a cDNA that encodes this protein has been isolated by expression cloning techniques from mRNA from these cells (27). An identical mRNA has been detected in 3T3-Swiss cells (27), which indicates that both fibroblasts and T cells express the same IL-1 receptor. The purified natural 80-kDa receptor from mouse EL4 cells and the recombinant EL4 type IL-1 receptor expressed in COS cells bind radiolabeled IL-1 with an affinity equal to the affinity of the cell-bound IL-1 receptor (ref. 27; R.C., P.L.K., and U.G., unpublished observations). These results indicate that a single recombinant polypeptide can duplicate the high-affinity binding of the natural membrane-bound EL4 IL-1 receptor.However, it is not known whether this 80-kDa receptor protein mediates all th...

Purpose: To explore the role of TWEAK in tumor growth and antitumor immune response and the activity and mechanism of RG7212, an antagonistic anti-TWEAK antibody, in tumor models.Experimental Design: TWEAK-induced signaling and gene expression were explored in tumor cell lines and inhibition of these effects and antitumor efficacy with RG7212 treatment was assessed in human tumor xenograft-, patient-derived xenograft, and syngeneic tumor models and phase I patients. Genetic features correlated with antitumor activity were characterized.Results: In tumor cell lines, TWEAK induces proliferation, survival, and NF-kB signaling and gene expression that promote tumor growth and suppress antitumor immune responses. TWEAK-inducible CD274, CCL2, CXCL-10 and -11 modulate T-cell and monocyte recruitment, T-cell activation, and macrophage differentiation. These factors and TWEAK-induced signaling were decreased, and tumor, blood, and spleen immune cell composition was altered with RG7212 treatment in mice. RG7212 inhibits tumor growth in vivo in models with TWEAK receptor, Fn14, expression, and markers of pathway activation. In phase I testing, signs of tumor shrinkage and stable disease were observed without dose-limiting toxicity. In a patient with advanced, Fn14-positive, malignant melanoma with evidence of tumor regression, proliferation markers were dramatically reduced, tumor T-cell infiltration increased, and tumor macrophage content decreased. Antitumor activity, a lack of toxicity in humans and animals and no evidence of antagonism with standard of care or targeted agents in mice, suggests that RG7212 is a promising agent for use in combination therapies in patients with Fn14-positive tumors.

IntroductionSpleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) is a key integrator of intracellular signals triggered by activated immunoreceptors, including Bcell receptors (BCR) and Fc receptors, which are important for the development and function of lymphoid cells. Given the clinical efficacy of Bcell depletion in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, pharmacological modulation of Bcells using orally active small molecules that selectively target SYK presents an attractive alternative therapeutic strategy.MethodsA SYK inhibitor was developed and assayed in various in vitro systems and in the mouse model of collagen-induced arthritis (mCIA).ResultsA novel ATP-competitive inhibitor of SYK, 6-[(1R,2S)-2-Amino-cyclohexylamino]-4-(5,6-dimethyl-pyridin-2-ylamino)-pyridazine-3-carboxylic acid amide, designated RO9021, with an adequate kinase selectivity profile and oral bioavailability, was developed. In addition to suppression of BCR signaling in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and whole blood, FcγR signaling in human monocytes, and FcϵR signaling in human mast cells, RO9021 blocked osteoclastogenesis from mouse bone marrow macrophages in vitro. Interestingly, Toll-like Receptor (TLR) 9 signaling in human Bcells was inhibited by RO9021, resulting in decreased levels of plasmablasts, immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG upon B-cell differentiation. RO9021 also potently inhibited type I interferon production by human plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) upon TLR9 activation. This effect is specific to TLR9 as RO9021 did not inhibit TLR4- or JAK-STAT-mediated signaling. Finally, oral administration of RO9021 inhibited arthritis progression in the mCIA model, with observable pharmacokinetics (PK)-pharmacodynamic (PD) correlation.ConclusionsInhibition of SYK kinase activity impinges on various innate and adaptive immune responses. RO9021 could serve as a starting point for the development of selective SYK inhibitors for the treatment of inflammation-related and autoimmune-related disorders.

Recombinant human serum albumin (HSA) conjugates of a 15-amino-acid truncated peptide YY (PYY) analogue were prepared using three heterobifunctional linkers [succinimidyl 4-[N-maleimidomethyl]cyclohexane-1-carboxylate (SMCC), 6-maleimidohexanoic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (MHS), and N-[γ-maleimidobutyryloxy]sulfosuccinimide ester (GMBS)] in 2 synthetic steps involving (1) reaction of succinimidyl ester on linker with ε-amine of Lys2 on the peptide and (2) reaction of maleimide on peptide linker with free thiol of Cysteine 34 (Cys34) on albumin. In-process controls using ESI LC-MS were used to follow reactions and identify reaction products. Proteolytic digests of the conjugate revealed that peptide conjugation occurs at Cys34 on HSA. Conjugates were assayed in cell-based assays to determine potency at the human Y2-receptor, and selectivity at the human Y1-, Y4-, and Y5-receptors using a calcium flux assay. All three conjugates assayed were selective agonists of the Y2-receptor, and displayed nanomolar potencies. MCC and MH conjugates were selected for acute PK/PD studies in DIO mice. Significant reduction in food intake was observed with the MH conjugate, which lasted for 24 h at the 10 mg (or 4 μmol)/kg dose. While the MCC conjugate exhibited greater potency in vitro, it was slightly less effective than the MH conjugate in vivo with respect to reduction in food intake. Both conjugates were significantly less active than the peptide coupled to a 30 kDa PEG. The observed T1/2 (8-9 h) for both conjugates was significantly lower than that observed for the PEGylated peptide (∼25 h). These results suggest that, as compared with the unmodified and PEGylated peptide, the extended circulation half-life of albumin conjugates is mediated through uptake and recirculation by FcRn, and allometric scaling methods are necessary to account for interspecies variation in pharmacokinetic properties.