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Zhang J, Terreni M, Liu F, Sollogoub M, Zhang Y. Ganglioside GM3-based anticancer vaccines: Reviewing the mechanism and current strategies. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 176:116824. [PMID: 38820973 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Ganglioside GM3 is one of the most common membrane-bound glycosphingolipids. The over-expression of GM3 on tumor cells makes it defined as a tumor-associated carbohydrate antigen (TACA). The specific expression property in cancers, especially in melanoma, make it become an important target to develop anticancer vaccines or immunotherapies. However, in the manner akin to most TACAs, GM3 is an autoantigen facing with problems of low immunogenicity and easily inducing immunotolerance, which means itself only cannot elicit a powerful enough immune response to prevent or treat cancer. With a comparative understanding of the mechanisms that how immune system responses to the carbohydrate vaccines, this review summarizes the studies on the recent efforts to development GM3-based anticancer vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxu Zhang
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire, UMR 8232, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris 75005, France; College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Marco Terreni
- Drug Sciences Department, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, Pavia 27100, Italy
| | - Fang Liu
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire, UMR 8232, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris 75005, France
| | - Matthieu Sollogoub
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire, UMR 8232, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris 75005, France
| | - Yongmin Zhang
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire, UMR 8232, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris 75005, France; College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
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Khan ANH, Emmons TR, Magner WJ, Alqassim E, Singel KL, Ricciuti J, Eng KH, Odunsi K, Tomasi TB, Lee K, Abrams SI, Mesa C, Segal BH. VSSP abrogates murine ovarian tumor-associated myeloid cell-driven immune suppression and induces M1 polarization in tumor-associated macrophages from ovarian cancer patients. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2022; 71:2355-2369. [PMID: 35166871 PMCID: PMC10591410 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-022-03156-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The ovarian tumor microenvironment (TME) is characterized by the accumulation of immunosuppressive tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and granulocytic cells. Very small size particles (VSSP), comprised of the ganglioside NAcGM3 and Neisseria meningitidis derived outer membrane vesicles, is being developed as a nanoparticulated modulator of innate immunity. Prior studies have shown that VSSP enhanced antigen-specific cytotoxic T cell responses and reduced the suppressive phenotype of splenic granulocytic cells in tumor-bearing mice. Here, we hypothesized that intraperitoneal VSSP would modify myeloid cell accumulation and phenotypes in the ovarian TME and abrogate suppressor function of TAMs and tumor-associated granulocytic cells. In the ID8 syngeneic model of epithelial ovarian cancer, VSSP reduced peritoneal TAMs and induced M1-like polarization in TAMs. In addition, VSSP stimulated peritoneal inflammation characterized by increased granulocytes and monocytes, including inflammatory monocytic cells. VSSP treatment resulted in peritoneal TAMs and granulocytic cells being less suppressive of ex vivo stimulated CD8+ T cell responses. VSSP alone and combined with anti-PD-1 modestly but significantly prolonged survival in tumor-bearing mice. In addition, ex vivo treatment with VSSP induced M1-like polarization in TAMs from patients with metastatic ovarian cancer and variably abrogated their suppressor phenotype. VSSP treatment also partially abrogated the induction of suppressor function in healthy donor neutrophils exposed to ascites supernatants from patients with ovarian cancer. Together, these results point to VSSP reprogramming myeloid responses resulting in abrogation of suppressive pathways and raise the potential for administration of VSSP into the TME to enhance anti-tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anm Nazmul H Khan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Tiffany R Emmons
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, USA
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - William J Magner
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Emad Alqassim
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Kelly L Singel
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Office of Evaluation, Performance, and Reporting; Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives; Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jason Ricciuti
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Kevin H Eng
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Kunle Odunsi
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
- University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Thomas B Tomasi
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Kelvin Lee
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Scott I Abrams
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Circe Mesa
- Center of Molecular Immunology, Havana, Cuba
- Innovative Immunotherapy Alliance, S. A. Mariel, Artemisa, Cuba
| | - Brahm H Segal
- Department of Internal Medicine, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, USA.
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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Tan J, Ding B, Zheng P, Chen H, Ma P, Lin J. Hollow Aluminum Hydroxide Modified Silica Nanoadjuvants with Amplified Immunotherapy Effects through Immunogenic Cell Death Induction and Antigen Release. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2202462. [PMID: 35896867 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202202462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In spite of the widespread application of vaccine adjuvants in various preventive vaccines at present, the existing adjuvants are still hindered by weak cellular immunity responses in therapeutic cancer vaccines. Herein, a hollow silica nanoadjuvant containing aluminum hydroxide spikes on the surface (SiAl) is synthesized for the co-loading of chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (Dox) and tumor fragment (TF) as tumor antigens (SiAl@Dox@TF). The obtained nanovaccines show significantly elevated anti-tumor immunity responses thanks to silica and aluminum-based composite nanoadjuvant-mediated tumor antigen release and Dox-induced immunogenic cell death (ICD). In addition, the highest frequencies of dendritic cells (DCs), CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and memory T cells as well as the best mice breast cancer (4T1) tumor growth inhibitory are also observed in SiAl@Dox@TF group, indicating favorable potential of SiAl nanoadjuvants for further applications. This work is believed to provide inspiration for the design of new-style nanoadjuvants and adjuvant-based cancer vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022, China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Binbin Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022, China
| | - Pan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022, China
- Institute of Frontier and Interdisciplinary Science and Institute of Molecular Sciences and Engineering, Shandong University, Qindao, 266237, China
| | - Hao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022, China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Ping'an Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022, China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Jun Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022, China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
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Different types of adjuvants in prophylactic and therapeutic human papillomavirus vaccines in laboratory animals: a systematic review. Arch Virol 2019; 165:263-284. [PMID: 31802228 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-019-04479-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical carcinoma, which and is the third most common cancer, accounting for 275,000 deaths annually worldwide. Adjuvants have a key role in promotion of vaccine efficacy; therefore, using prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines combined with adjuvant could be of great benefit in prevention and treatment of cervical cancer. There are different types of adjuvants, including MF59TM adjuvants, RNA-based, JY (interleukin2/chitosan), cholera toxin (CT), heat-labile enterotoxin (LT), Freund's adjuvant, alum, SA-4-1BBL, λ-carrageenan (λ-CGN), heat shock proteins (HSPs), juzen-taiho-to (JTT) and hochu-ekki-to (HET), ISCOM and ISCOMATRIX™, very small size proteoliposomes (VSSPs), granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Adjuvants have various functions, especially in therapeutic vaccines, and they lead to an increase in cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), so they are important in the design of vaccines. Here, we review the currently used adjuvants and their combinations with HPV protein vaccines in order to introduce an appropriate adjuvant for HPV vaccines.
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Alvarez R, Oliver L, Valdes A, Mesa C. Cancer-induced systemic myeloid dysfunction: Implications for treatment and a novel nanoparticle approach for its correction. Semin Oncol 2018; 45:84-94. [PMID: 30318088 DOI: 10.1053/j.seminoncol.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Unlike other regulatory circuits, cancer-induced myeloid dysfunction involves more than an accumulation of impaired dendritic cells, protumoral macrophages, and myeloid derived suppressor cells in the tumor microenvironment. It is also characterized by "aberrant" myelopoiesis that results in the accumulation and expansion of immature myeloid precursors with a suppressive phenotype in the systemic circulation. The first part of this review briefly describes the evidence for and consequences of this systemic dysfunctional myelopoiesis and the possible reinforcement of this phenomenon by conventional treatments used in patients with cancer, in particular chemotherapy and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor. The second half of this review describes very small size particles, a novel immune-modulatory nanoparticle, and the evidence indicating a possible role of this agent in correcting or re-programming the dysfunctional myelopoiesis in different scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rydell Alvarez
- Immunobiology Division, Institute of Molecular Immunology, Center of Molecular Immunology (CIM), Havana, Cuba
| | - Liliana Oliver
- Immunobiology Division, Institute of Molecular Immunology, Center of Molecular Immunology (CIM), Havana, Cuba
| | - Anet Valdes
- Immunobiology Division, Institute of Molecular Immunology, Center of Molecular Immunology (CIM), Havana, Cuba
| | - Circe Mesa
- Immunobiology Division, Institute of Molecular Immunology, Center of Molecular Immunology (CIM), Havana, Cuba.
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Fernández A, Oliver L, Alvarez R, Fernández LE, Mesa C. GM3-containing nanoparticles in immunosuppressed hosts: Effect on myeloid-derived suppressor cells. World J Immunol 2014; 4:98-106. [DOI: 10.5411/wji.v4.i2.98] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2014] [Revised: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 06/27/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer vaccines to date have not broadly achieved a significant impact on the overall survival of patients. The negative effect on the immune system of the tumor itself and conventional anti-tumor treatments such as chemotherapy is, undoubtedly, a key reason for these disappointing results. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are considered a central node of the immunosuppressive network associated with tumors. These cells inhibit the effector function of natural killer and CD8+ T cells, expand regulatory T cells and can differentiate into tumor-associated macrophages within the tumor microenvironment. Thus, overcoming the suppressive effects of MDSCs is likely to be critical for cancer immunotherapy to generate effective anti-tumor immune responses. However, the capacity of cancer vaccines and particularly their adjuvants to overcome this inhibitory population has not been well characterized. Very small size proteoliposomes (VSSP) is a nanoparticulated adjuvant specifically designed to be formulated with vaccines used in the treatment of immunocompromised patients. This adjuvant contains immunostimulatory bacterial signals together with GM3 ganglioside. VSSP promotes dendritic cell maturation, antigen cross-presentation to CD8+ T cells, Th1 polarization, and enhances CD8+ T cell response in tumor-free mice. Currently, four cancer vaccines using VSSP as the adjuvant are in Phase I and II clinical trials. In this review, we summarize our work characterizing the unique ability of VSSP to stimulate antigen-specific CD8+ T cell responses in two immunocompromised scenarios; in tumor-bearing mice and during chemotherapy-induced leukopenia. Particular emphasis has been placed on the interaction of these nanoparticles with MDSCs, as well as comparison with other cancer vaccine adjuvants currently in preclinical or clinical studies.
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Potmesil R, Beran O, Musilek M, Kriz P, Holub M. Different cytokine production and Toll-like receptor expression induced by heat-killed invasive and carrier strains of Neisseria meningitidis. APMIS 2013; 122:33-41. [PMID: 23489281 DOI: 10.1111/apm.12062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2012] [Accepted: 02/03/2013] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis may cause severe invasive disease. The carriage state of the pathogen is common, and the reasons underlying why the infection becomes invasive are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to compare the differences between invasive and carrier strains in the activation of innate immunity. The monocyte expression of TLR2, TLR4, CD14, and HLA-DR, cytokine production, and the granulocyte oxidative burst were analyzed after in vitro stimulation by heat-killed invasive (n = 14) and carrier (n = 9) strains of N. meningitidis. The expression of the cell surface markers in monocytes, the oxidative burst, and cytokine concentrations were measured using flow cytometry. Carrier strains stimulated a higher production of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative burst in granulocytes than invasive strains (all p < 0.001), whereas invasive strains significantly up-regulated TLR2, TLR4 (p < 0.001), and CD14 (p < 0.01) expression on monocytes. Conversely, the monocyte expression of HLA-DR was higher after the stimulation by carrier strains (p < 0.05) in comparison to invasive strains. The LPS inhibitor polymyxin B abolished the differences between the strains. Our findings indicate different immunostimulatory potencies of invasive strains of N. meningitidis compared with carrier strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Potmesil
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and Na Bulovce Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
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Bodewes R, Geelhoed-Mieras MM, Heldens JGM, Glover J, Lambrecht BN, Fouchier RAM, Osterhaus ADME, Rimmelzwaan GF. The novel adjuvant CoVaccineHT increases the immunogenicity of cell-culture derived influenza A/H5N1 vaccine and induces the maturation of murine and human dendritic cells in vitro. Vaccine 2009; 27:6833-9. [PMID: 19772942 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2009] [Revised: 08/28/2009] [Accepted: 09/02/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
A candidate influenza H5N1 vaccine based on cell-culture-derived whole inactivated virus and the novel adjuvant CoVaccineHT was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. To this end, mice were vaccinated with the whole inactivated influenza A/H5N1 virus vaccine with and without CoVaccineHT and virus-specific antibody and cellular immune responses were assessed. The addition of CoVaccineHT increased virus specific primary and secondary antibody responses against the homologous and an antigenically distinct heterologous influenza A/H5N1 strain. The superior antibody responses induced with the CoVaccineHT-adjuvanted vaccine correlated with the magnitude of the virus-specific CD4+ T helper cell responses. CoVaccineHT did not have an effect on the magnitude of the CD8+ T cell response. In vitro, CoVaccineHT upregulated the expression of co-stimulatory molecules both on mouse and human dendritic cells and induced the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-1beta and IL-12p70 in mouse- and IL-6 in human dendritic cells. Inhibition experiments indicated that the effect of CoVaccineHT is mediated through TLR4 signaling. These data suggest that CoVaccineHT also will increase the immunogenicity of an influenza A/H5N1 vaccine in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Bodewes
- Department of Virology, Erasmus Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 50, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Pala P, Gomez-Roman VR, Gilmour J, Kaleebu P. An African perspective on mucosal immunity and HIV-1. Mucosal Immunol 2009; 2:300-14. [PMID: 19421180 DOI: 10.1038/mi.2009.23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
HIV prevention mandates an understanding of the mechanisms of mucosal immunity with attention to some unique features of the epidemic and mucosal environment in the developing world. An effective vaccine will have to induce mucosal protection against a highly diverse virus, which is equipped with a number of immune evasion strategies. Its development will require assessment of mucosal immune responses, and it will have to protect a mucosal environment where inflammation and altered immune responses are common because of the presence of other mucosal infections, such as sexually transmitted infections and parasites, and where nutritional status may also be compromised. Ideally, not only prevention methods would protect adults but also provide cover against gastrointestinal transmission through maternal milk. Prevention might also be complemented by microbicides and circumcision, two alternative approaches to mucosal protection. It seems unlikely that a single solution will work in all instances and intervention might have to act at multiple levels and be tailored to local circumstances. We review here some of the mucosal events associated with HIV infection that are most relevant in an African setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Pala
- Medical Research Council-Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
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Torres de Heens GL, Kikkert R, Aarden LA, van der Velden U, Loos BG. Effects of smoking on theex vivocytokine production in periodontitis. J Periodontal Res 2009; 44:28-34. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.2007.01047.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Mucosal Neisseria gonorrhoeae coinfection during HIV acquisition is associated with enhanced systemic HIV-specific CD8 T-cell responses. AIDS 2008; 22:1729-37. [PMID: 18753933 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0b013e32830baf5e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The host immune response against mucosally acquired pathogens may be influenced by the mucosal immune milieu during acquisition. As Neisseria gonorrhoeae can impair dendritic cell and T-cell immune function, we hypothesized that coinfection during HIV acquisition would impair subsequent systemic T-cell responses. METHODS Monthly screening for sexually transmitted infections was performed in high risk, HIV seronegative Kenyan female sex workers as part of an HIV prevention trial. Early HIV-specific CD8 T-cell responses and subsequent HIV viral load set point were assayed in participants acquiring HIV, and were correlated with the presence of prior genital infections during HIV acquisition. RESULTS Thirty-five participants acquired HIV during follow-up, and 16 out of 35 (46%) had a classical sexually transmitted infection at the time of acquisition. N. gonorrhoeae coinfection was present during HIV acquisition in 6 out of 35 (17%), and was associated with an increased breadth and magnitude of systemic HIV-specific CD8 T-cell responses, using both interferon-gamma gamma and MIP-1 beta as an output. No other genital infections were associated with differences in HIV-specific CD8 T-cell response, and neither N. gonorrhoeae nor other genital infections were associated with differences in HIV plasma viral load at set point. CONCLUSION Unexpectedly, genital N. gonorrhoeae infection during heterosexual HIV acquisition was associated with substantially enhanced HIV-specific CD8 T-cell responses, although not with differences in HIV viral load set point. This may have implications for the development of mucosal HIV vaccines and adjuvants.
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