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Kabelitz D, Cierna L, Juraske C, Zarobkiewicz M, Schamel WW, Peters C. Empowering γδ T-cell functionality with vitamin C. Eur J Immunol 2024:e2451028. [PMID: 38616772 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202451028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a potent antioxidant and a cofactor for various enzymes including histone demethylases and methylcytosine dioxygenases. Vitamin C also exerts direct cytotoxicity toward selected tumor cells including colorectal carcinoma. Moreover, vitamin C has been shown to impact immune cell differentiation at various levels including maturation and/or functionality of T cells and their progenitors, dendritic cells, B cells, and NK cells. γδ T cells have recently attracted great interest as effector cells for cell-based cancer immunotherapy, due to their HLA-independent recognition of a large variety of tumor cells. While γδ T cells can thus be also applied as an allogeneic off-the-shelf product, it is obvious that the effector function of γδ T cells needs to be optimized to ensure the best possible clinical efficacy. Here we review the immunomodulatory mechanisms of vitamin C with a special focus on how vitamin C enhances the effector function of γδ T cells. We also discuss future directions of how vitamin C can be used in the clinical setting to boost the efficacy of adoptive cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieter Kabelitz
- Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts University and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Lea Cierna
- Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts University and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Claudia Juraske
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, and Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Michal Zarobkiewicz
- Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts University and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Wolfgang W Schamel
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, and Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Centre for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Centre Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christian Peters
- Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts University and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
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Dong J, Holthaus D, Peters C, Koster S, Ehsani M, Quevedo-Olmos A, Berger H, Zarobkiewicz M, Mangler M, Gurumurthy RK, Hedemann N, Chumduri C, Kabelitz D, Meyer TF. γδ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity against patient-derived healthy and cancer cervical organoids. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1281646. [PMID: 38090581 PMCID: PMC10711208 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1281646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is a leading cause of death among women globally, primarily driven by high-risk papillomaviruses. However, the effectiveness of chemotherapy is limited, underscoring the potential of personalized immunotherapies. Patient-derived organoids, which possess cellular heterogeneity, proper epithelial architecture and functionality, and long-term propagation capabilities offer a promising platform for developing viable strategies. In addition to αβ T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, γδ T cells represent an immune cell population with significant therapeutic potential against both hematologic and solid tumours. To evaluate the efficacy of γδ T cells in cervical cancer treatment, we generated patient-derived healthy and cancer ectocervical organoids. Furthermore, we examined transformed healthy organoids, expressing HPV16 oncogenes E6 and E7. We analysed the effector function of in vitro expanded γδ T cells upon co-culture with organoids. Our findings demonstrated that healthy cervical organoids were less susceptible to γδ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity compared to HPV-transformed organoids and cancerous organoids. To identify the underlying pathways involved in this observed cytotoxicity, we performed bulk-RNA sequencing on the organoid lines, revealing differences in DNA-damage and cell cycle checkpoint pathways, as well as transcription of potential γδ T cell ligands. We validated these results using immunoblotting and flow cytometry. We also demonstrated the involvement of BTN3A1 and BTN2A1, crucial molecules for γδ T cell activation, as well as differential expression of PDL1/CD274 in cancer, E6/E7+ and healthy organoids. Interestingly, we observed a significant reduction in cytotoxicity upon blocking MSH2, a protein involved in DNA mismatch-repair. In summary, we established a co-culture system of γδ T cells with cervical cancer organoids, providing a novel in vitro model to optimize innovative patient-specific immunotherapies for cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junxue Dong
- Laboratory of Infection Oncology, Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | - David Holthaus
- Laboratory of Infection Oncology, Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Christian Peters
- Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Stefanie Koster
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marzieh Ehsani
- Laboratory of Infection Oncology, Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Alvaro Quevedo-Olmos
- Laboratory of Infection Oncology, Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Hilmar Berger
- Laboratory of Infection Oncology, Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michal Zarobkiewicz
- Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Mandy Mangler
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Vivantes Auguste Viktoria-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Gynaecology, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Nina Hedemann
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Cindrilla Chumduri
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
- Laboratory of Infections, Carcinogenesis and Regeneration, Medical Biotechnology Section, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Chair of Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Dieter Kabelitz
- Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Thomas F. Meyer
- Laboratory of Infection Oncology, Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
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Kabelitz D, Zarobkiewicz M, Heib M, Serrano R, Kunz M, Chitadze G, Adam D, Peters C. Signal strength of STING activation determines cytokine plasticity and cell death in human monocytes. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17827. [PMID: 36280676 PMCID: PMC9590392 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20519-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)/stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway is a cytosolic sensor of microbial and host-derived DNA and plays a key role in innate immunity. Activation of STING by cyclic dinucleotide (CDN) ligands in human monocytes induces a type I interferon response and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines associated with the induction of massive cell death. In this study we have re-evaluated the effect of signal strength of STING activation on the cytokine plasticity of human monocytes. CDN (2'3'c-GAMP) and non-CDN (diABZI, MSA-2) STING ligands in the range of EC50 concentrations (15 μM 2'3'c-GAMP, 100 nM diABZI, 25 μM MSA-2) induced IFN-β, IP-10, and large amounts of IL-1β and TNF-α, but no IL-10 or IL-19. Interestingly, LPS-induced production of IL-10 and IL-19 was abolished in the presence of diABZI or MSA-2, whereas IL-1β and TNF-α were not inhibited. Surprisingly, we observed that tenfold lower (MSA-2, i.e. 2.5 μM) or 100-fold lower (diABZI, i.e. 1 nM) concentrations strongly stimulated secretion of anti-inflammatory IL-10 and IL-19, but little of IL-1β and TNF-α. Induction of IL-10 was associated with up-regulation of PRDM1 (Blimp-1). While cytokine secretion stimulated by the higher concentrations was accompanied by apoptosis as shown by cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP-1, the low concentrations did not trigger overt cell death yet induced cleavage of gasdermin-D. Our results reveal a previously unrecognized plasticity of human monocytes in their signal strength-dependent production of pro- versus anti-inflammatory cytokines upon STING activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieter Kabelitz
- grid.9764.c0000 0001 2153 9986Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Building U30, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Michal Zarobkiewicz
- grid.9764.c0000 0001 2153 9986Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Building U30, 24105 Kiel, Germany ,grid.411484.c0000 0001 1033 7158Present Address: Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Michelle Heib
- grid.9764.c0000 0001 2153 9986Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Building U30, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Ruben Serrano
- grid.9764.c0000 0001 2153 9986Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Building U30, 24105 Kiel, Germany ,grid.10423.340000 0000 9529 9877Present Address: Institute of Immunology, Medical University Hannover, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Monika Kunz
- grid.9764.c0000 0001 2153 9986Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Building U30, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Guranda Chitadze
- grid.412468.d0000 0004 0646 2097Unit for Hematological Diagnostics, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Dieter Adam
- grid.9764.c0000 0001 2153 9986Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Building U30, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Christian Peters
- grid.9764.c0000 0001 2153 9986Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Building U30, 24105 Kiel, Germany
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Serrano R, Lettau M, Zarobkiewicz M, Wesch D, Peters C, Kabelitz D. Stimulatory and inhibitory activity of STING ligands on tumor-reactive human gamma/delta T cells. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2030021. [PMID: 35127253 PMCID: PMC8812774 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2030021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ligands for Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) receptor are under investigation as adjuvants in cancer therapy. Multiple effects have been described, including induction of immunogenic cell death and enhancement of CD8 T-cell mediated anti-tumor immunity. However, the potential effects of STING ligands on activation and effector functions of tumor-reactive human γδ T cells have not yet been investigated. We observed that cyclic dinucleotide as well as novel non-dinucleotide STING ligands diABZI and MSA-2 co-stimulated cytokine induction in Vδ2 T cells within peripheral blood mononuclear cells but simultaneously inhibited their proliferative expansion in response to the aminobisphosphonate Zoledronate and to γδ T-cell specific phosphoantigen. In purified γδ T cells, STING ligands co-stimulated cytokine induction but required the presence of monocytes. STING ligands strongly stimulated IL-1β and TNF-α secretion in monocytes and co-stimulated cytokine induction in short-term expanded Vδ2 γδ T-cell lines. Simultaneously, massive cell death was triggered in both cell populations. Activation of STING as revealed by TBK1/IRF3 phosphorylation and IP-10 secretion varied among STING-expressing tumor cells. STING ligands modulated tumor cell killing by Vδ2 T cells as analyzed in Real-Time Cell Analyzer to variable degree, depending on the tumor target and time course kinetics. Our study reveals complex regulatory effects of STING ligands on human γδ T cells in vitro. These results help to define conditions where STING ligands might boost the efficacy of γδ T cell immunotherapy in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Serrano
- Institute of Immunology, University of Kiel and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
- Institute of Immunology, Medical University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Marcus Lettau
- Institute of Immunology, University of Kiel and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
- Department of Hematology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Michal Zarobkiewicz
- Institute of Immunology, University of Kiel and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Daniela Wesch
- Institute of Immunology, University of Kiel and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Christian Peters
- Institute of Immunology, University of Kiel and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Dieter Kabelitz
- Institute of Immunology, University of Kiel and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
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