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Spel L, Boelens JJ, van der Steen DM, Blokland NJG, van Noesel MM, Molenaar JJ, Heemskerk MHM, Boes M, Nierkens S. Natural killer cells facilitate PRAME-specific T-cell reactivity against neuroblastoma. Oncotarget 2016; 6:35770-81. [PMID: 26452036 PMCID: PMC4742140 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.5657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [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: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is the most common solid tumor in children with an estimated 5-year progression free survival of 20–40% in stage 4 disease. Neuroblastoma actively avoids recognition by natural killer (NK) cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Although immunotherapy has gained traction for neuroblastoma treatment, these immune escape mechanisms restrain clinical results. Therefore, we aimed to improve neuroblastoma immunogenicity to further the development of antigen-specific immunotherapy against neuroblastoma. We found that neuroblastoma cells significantly increase surface expression of MHC I upon exposure to active NK cells which thereby readily sensitize neuroblastoma cells for recognition by CTLs. We show that oncoprotein PRAME serves as an immunodominant antigen for neuroblastoma as NK-modulated neuroblastoma cells are recognized by PRAMESLLQHLIGL/A2-specific CTL clones. Furthermore, NK cells induce MHC I upregulation in neuroblastoma through contact-dependent secretion of IFNγ. Our results demonstrate remarkable plasticity in the peptide/MHC I surface expression of neuroblastoma cells, which is reversed when neuroblastoma cells experience innate immune attack by sensitized NK cells. These findings support the exploration of NK cells as adjuvant therapy to enforce neuroblastoma-specific CTL responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lotte Spel
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap-Jan Boelens
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Dirk M van der Steen
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Nina J G Blokland
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Max M van Noesel
- Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jan J Molenaar
- Department of Oncogenomics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mirjam H M Heemskerk
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marianne Boes
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Pediatric Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan Nierkens
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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