Ramsborg CG, Windgassen D, Fallon JK, Paredes CJ, Papoutsakis ET. Molecular insights into the pleiotropic effects of plasma on ex vivo-expanded T cells using DNA-microarray analysis.
Exp Hematol 2004;
32:970-90. [PMID:
15504553 DOI:
10.1016/j.exphem.2004.07.012]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2004] [Revised: 06/15/2004] [Accepted: 07/13/2004] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Immunotherapy with ex vivo-expanded T cells depends on a large supply of biologically active cells. Understanding the effects of culture parameters is essential for improving cell expansion and efficacy. We used DNA-microarray and flow-cytometric analysis coupled with functional assays to investigate mechanistic aspects of plasma supplementation in ex vivo T-cell expansion.
METHODS
The effect of plasma supplementation on 18 primary T-cell cultures over a 15-day expansion was investigated. Transcriptional analysis of 5 samples was done with time points every 2 to 3 days throughout the 15-day expansion. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis was used to confirm selected microarray data. The expression of granzyme A and vimentin were analyzed using intracellular flow cytometry. T-cell functionality was assessed using a mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR).
RESULTS
We show that the increased expansion of plasma-supplemented cultures of primary human T cells is mostly due to increased cell survival. T cells from plasma-supplemented cultures show higher expression of immunoglobulin genes, integrins, and genes of cytotoxic granules, suggesting a possible enhanced immune function. This was confirmed using a mixed leukocyte reaction and intracellular granzyme-A measurements. A distinct gene expression pattern was correlated to viability differences between plasma-supplemented and serum-free cultures. Ontological analysis of genes in this pattern suggests that the decreased viability of serum-free cultures correlates with higher expression of actin-cytoskeleton and lipid-metabolism genes. Vimentin was found to be expressed higher in serum-free cultures.
CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that the observed decreased cytotoxicity of T cells cultured in serum-free media may be due to increased oxidative stress and cytoskeleton degradation.
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