NKG2D Controls Natural Reactivity of Vγ9Vδ2 T Lymphocytes against Mesenchymal Glioblastoma Cells

PURPOSE

Cellular immunotherapies are currently being explored to eliminate highly invasive and chemoradioresistant glioblastoma (GBM) cells involved in rapid relapse. We recently showed that concomitant stereotactic injections of nonalloreactive allogeneic Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes eradicate zoledronate-primed human GBM cells. In the present study, we investigated the spontaneous reactivity of allogeneic human Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes toward primary human GBM cells, in vitro and in vivo, in the absence of any prior sensitization.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Through functional and transcriptomic analyses, we extensively characterized the immunoreactivity of human Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes against various primary GBM cultures directly derived from patient tumors.

RESULTS

We evidenced that GBM cells displaying a mesenchymal signature are spontaneously eliminated by allogeneic human Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes, a reactivity process being mediated by γδ T-cell receptor (TCR) and tightly regulated by cellular stress-associated NKG2D pathway. This led to the identification of highly reactive Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocyte populations, independently of a specific TCR repertoire signature. Moreover, we finally provide evidence of immunotherapeutic efficacy in vivo, in the absence of any prior tumor cell sensitization.

CONCLUSIONS

By identifying pathways implicated in the selective natural recognition of mesenchymal GBM cell subtypes, accounting for 30% of primary diagnosed and 60% of recurrent GBM, our results pave the way for novel targeted cellular immunotherapies.

Combined chemotherapy and allogeneic human Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocyte-immunotherapies efficiently control the development of human epithelial ovarian cancer cells in vivo

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) represents 5% of human gynecologic cancers in the world, is heterogeneous and highly invasive with a dismal prognosis (5 year-survival rate <35%). Diagnosis of EOC is frequently made at advanced stages and, despite aggressive treatments combining surgery and chemotherapy, fatal relapse rapidly occurs and is accompanied by a peritoneal carcinosis. In this context, novel therapeutical advances are urgently required. Adoptive transfer(s) of immune effector cells, including allogeneic human Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes, represent attractive targets for efficiently and safely tracking tissue-invading tumor cells and controlling tumor dissemination in the organism. Our study describes the establishment of robust and physiological orthotopic model of human EOC in mouse, that includes surgical resection (ovariectomy) and chemotherapy, which are ineluctably accompanied by a fatal peritoneal carcinosis recurrence. Through a complementary set of in vitro and in vivo experiments, we provide here a preclinical proof of interest of the antitumor efficiency of adoptive transfers of allogeneic human Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes against EOC, in association with surgical debulking and standard chemotherapies (i.e., taxanes and platinum salts). Moreover, our results indicate that chemo- and immunotherapies can be combined to improve the antitumor efficiency of immunotherapeutic lines. Altogether, these results further pave the way for next-generation antitumor immunotherapies, based on local administrations of human allogeneic human Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes, in association with standard treatments.

Effects of different glycaemic index foods and dietary fibre intake on glycaemic control in type 1 diabetic patients on intensive insulin therapy

To evaluate the influence of a low glycaemic index (GI), high GI and high fibre diet on glycaemic control and insulin requirement in Type 1 diabetic patients on intensive insulin therapy, nine well-controlled, highly-motivated Type 1 diabetic patients were put on a control diet for 12 days and then randomized in a consecutive manner to 12 days of each diet, in a crossover design. During each experimental diet, the study subjects adjusted their premeal insulin (soluble) dose to maintain their 1-h postprandial capillary glucose at or below 10 mmol l(-1). At the end of each experimental diet, they were submitted to a standardized breakfast of the diet under study, using the same premeal insulin dose as that required for the control diet. The control diet contained 16.0+/-3.0 g of fibre day(-1) with a GI of 77.4+/-2.7 compared to 15.3+/-6.3 and 66.2+/-1.2 for the low GI diet, 17.1+/-7.2 and 92.9+/-3.6 for the high GI diet, and 56.1+/-3.6 (including 15 g of guar) and 73.5+/-2.1 for the high fibre diet. Prebreakfast capillary blood glucose (6.2+/-1.2 mmol l(-1)) on the low GI diet and postbreakfast capillary blood glucose (8.7+/-1.8 mmol l(-1)) on the high fibre diet were significantly lower than the values obtained with the control diet (8.0+/-1.8 and 10.6+/-2.4, respectively; p<0.05). No change in premeal or basal insulin dose was required. During the standardized breakfasts, the incremental area under the curve was 1.6+/-1.5 mmol l(-1) min(-1) for the control diet compared to 1.1+/-1.8 for the low GI diet, 3.2+/-1.4 for the high GI diet (p<0.05 versus low GI and high fibre; p=0.08 versus control), and 1.0+/-0.9 for the high fibre diet. These observations indicate that in well-controlled Type 1 diabetic subjects on intensive insulin therapy, major alterations in the GI and fibre content of meals induce small but significant changes in glucose profile. In everyday life, however, these differences are blunted, and plasma glucose remains within the target range for optimal metabolic control.

Advisory Committee: A Powerful Tool for Helping Decision Makers inEnvironmental Issues

/ It has been suggested that the general public should be moreinvolved in environmental policy and decision making. It is important forthem to realize that they will have to live with the consequences ofenvironmental policies and decisions. Consequently, policy makers shouldconsider the concerns and opinions of the general public before makingdecisions on environmental issues. This raises questions such as: How can weintegrate the perceptions and reactions of the general population inenvironmental decisions? What kind of public participation should weconsider? In the present study, using a new regional ecosystem model, weattempted to integrate these aspects in its decision making model byincluding the formation of an advisory committee to resolve problems relatedto waste management. The advisory committee requested the activeparticipation of representatives from all levels of the community: economic,municipal, and governmental intervenors; environmental groups; and citizens.Their mandates were to examine different management strategies available inthe region, considering all the interdisciplinary aspects of each strategy,elaborate recommendations concerning the management strategies that are mostsuitable for all, and collaborate in communication of the information to thegeneral population. The results showed that at least in small municipalitiessuch an advisory committee can be a powerful tool in environmental decisionmaking. Conditions required for a successful consultation process, such aseveryday lay language and the presence of a facilitator other than ascientific expert, are discussed.KEY WORDS: Public consultation; Environmental policies;Interdisciplinary aspects; Municipal sewage sludge management; Generalpopulation; Decision-making process

Dissociation of anorectic and affective responses to epinephrine and glucose in rats

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the anorexia following epinephrine and glucose IP injections is due to the activation of mechanisms of satiety. Epinephrine (100 micrograms.kg-1) and glucose (4 g.kg-1) were injected IP in rats. In control sessions for epinephrine test, rats received IP saline, and IM epinephrine. In control sessions for the glucose test, rats received IP NaCl, isoosmotic to the glucose solution. Food intake or taste reactivity to a sucrose solution was recorded after these treatments. Epinephrine and glucose decreased food intake by 75% (p < 0.001), and 49% (p < 0.01), compared to their controls. No change of taste reactivity responses was observed with any of these treatments. Twelve-hour fasting did not modify the general taste reactivity responses when compared to the responses evoked in rats fed ad lib. These results might be explained by the fact that anorexia could be obtained by a suppression of hunger without the activation of the mechanisms of satiety. This in turn would imply a possible dissociation between the signals and physiological pathways normally involved in hunger and satiety.

Ingestive response shows absence of taste aversion after bovine satietin in rats

Six adult male rats (409 +/- 16 g) were equipped with chronically implanted oral catheters. Facial consummatory responses to gustatory stimuli, of 50 microliters 2.0 mol.1-1 banana or coconut flavoring, were recorded on a +4/-4 scale for 30 s. The new flavors were paired with IP injections on three different days. The rats were injected with either saline or 1 mg.kg-1 bovine serum satietin (bs-SAT). Food intake and body weight were reduced (p < 0.005) after satietin but not after saline. Both coconut and banana flavors aroused mild ingestive responses in the naive rats. Five days after the beginning of the pairing with IP injections, the rats' response to coconut and banana remained unchanged. The results show that satietin was able to reduce food intake and body weight but did not arouse taste aversion.

Duodenal preabsorptive origin of gustatory alliesthesia in rats

Facial consummatory responses reflecting ingestive and aversive perceptions were studied and quantified in rats chronically implanted with gastric, duodenal, and oral catheters. A gustatory stimulus of 50 microliters of 1.75 mol/l sucrose was injected into the mouth every 5 min for 65 min. At time 0, 0.5 ml containing 0.3 g glucose was injected into the stomach or into the duodenum. Typical ingestive facial consummatory responses were observed in response to sweet stimuli prior to the load. Aversive consummatory responses were observed in response to sweet stimuli after the glucose duodenal load (negative alliesthesia). The gastric load of glucose was not followed by negative alliesthesia in response to sweet oral stimuli. In the last part of the experiment the rats were vagotomized. When the rats were subjected again to the same gustatory sessions, the duodenal load was followed by weak and delayed negative alliesthesia in response to sweet stimuli. These results in rats parallel results obtained in human subjects and reinforce the hypothesis of the existence of a duodenal preabsorptive signal for alimentary alliesthesia. They also suggest that the vagus nerve plays a part in the perception of satiety.

Ingestive/aversive response of rats to sweet stimuli. Influence of glucose, oil, and casein hydrolyzate gastric loads

Facial consummatory responses reflecting ingestive and aversive perceptions were studied and quantified in rats chronically implanted with gastric and oral catheters. A gustatory stimulus of 50 microliters of 0.6 mol.l-1 sucrose was injected into the mouth every 5 min during 90 min. At time zero, one of seven loads was injected into the stomach. These consisted of, 5 ml of water, or 5 ml solution containing 1 g glucose, 3 g glucose, 1 g casein hydrolyzate, 3 g casein hydrolyzate, or of oil 0.6 ml, or 1.4 ml. The typical ingestive facial consummatory responses in response to sweet stimuli were observed prior to all gastric loads, and also after the water load. On the other hand, the consummatory responses to sweet stimuli turned aversive after all three high-calorie gastric loads. The magnitude of this decrease in palatability (negative alliesthesia) was similar after glucose, casein hydrolyzate, and oil. The reversal of the consummatory responses from ingestive to aversive did not reach the threshold of statistical significance after the three low-calorie gastric loads. These results would tend to show that the intestinal signal for alimentary alliesthesia is nonspecific.

Facial consummatory responses in rats support the ponderostat hypothesis

Facial consummatory responses reflecting ingestive and aversive perceptions were studied and quantified in rats chronically implanted with gastric and oral catheters. A gustatory stimulus of 50 microliters of 1.75 mol.1-1 sucrose was injected into the mouth every 5 min during 60 min. At time zero, 1.7 ml of 3.3 mol.1-1 glucose was injected into the stomach. Typical ingestive facial consummatory responses were observed in response to sweet stimuli prior to the gastric load. Aversive consummatory responses were observed in response to sweet stimuli after the glucose gastric load (negative alliesthesia). The rats were then fasted until they had lost about 14% of their body weight (from 411 +/- 34 g to 353 +/- 28 g). When lean, the rats were subjected to the same gustatory session as in the control period described above. In lean rats the gastric load of glucose was not followed by negative alliesthesia in response to sweet oral stimuli. In the last part of the experiment the rats were fed ad lib and they recovered their initial body weight. When the rats were subjected again to the same gustatory sessions, the gastric load was followed by negative alliesthesia in response to sweet stimuli. Thus, after recovering their initial body weight, the rats displayed the same response as in the control sessions prior to losing weight. These results in rats parallel results obtained in human subjects, and reinforce the hypothesis of the existence of a ponderostat regulating body mass.

Postingestive alliesthesia: the rat tells the same story

Facial consummatory responses reflecting ingestive and aversive perceptions were studied and quantified in rats chronically implanted with gastric and oral catheters. A gustatory stimulus of 50 microliters of 0.6 mol.l-1 sucrose was injected into the mouth every 5 min during 60 min. At time zero, 5 ml of either 1.1 mol.l-1 glucose or water were injected into the stomach. The typical ingestive facial consummatory responses were observed in response to sweet stimuli prior to all gastric loads, and after the water loads. On the other hand, the aversive consummatory responses were observed in response to sweet stimuli after glucose gastric loads. The reversal of the consummatory responses from ingestive to aversive was stronger with higher concentration of the gastric load, and relatively independent from the volume of the load or the amount of glucose injected intragastrically. These results in rats parallel human postingestive alliesthesia.

Synthesis and biological activity of dynorphin-(1-13) and analogs substituted in positions 8 and 10

Dynorphin-(1-13) (Dyn-(1-13)) and various analogs substituted in positions 8 and 10 were synthesized by the solid-phase technique and analyzed for their ability to inhibit the electrically evoked contraction of the guinea pig ileum (GPI) and to compete with the binding of [3H]-ethylketocyclazocine (EKC, kappa ligand), [3H]-[D-Ala2, MePhe4-Gly-ol5]-enkephalin (DAGO, mu ligand) and [3H]-[D-Ser2, Thr6]-Leu-enkephalin (DSLET, delta ligand) to membrane preparations of the guinea pig cerebellum or rat brain. Introduction of Ala in position 8 decreased the activity of the peptide on the GPI by 50% but induced a 2.22-fold increase in its affinity for the kappa receptor ([3H]-EKC binding displacement from guinea pig cerebellum; Ki of 0.05 nM as compared with 0.11 nM for Dyn-(1-13)). On the other hand, the ability of [Ala8] Dyn-(1-13) to displace the binding of [3H]-DSLET from rat brain membranes was decreased by a factor of 1.7 while its affinity for the mu receptor was not greatly affected ([3H]-DAGO displacement; Ki of 0.44 nM as compared with 0.50 nM for Dyn-(1-13)). Replacement of position 8 by D-Ala caused similar changes in the activity of the peptide but the increase in its affinity for the kappa site was somewhat smaller (Ki of 0.08 nM as compared with 0.11 nM). [D-Pro10]-Dyn-(1-13) was equipotent to [Ala8]-Dyn-(1-13) in the GPI but its affinity for the mu binding site was decreased by a factor of 2.7 as compared with Dyn-(1-13).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of noradrenaline and nicotinic acid on plasma free fatty acids and oxygen consumption in cold-adapted rats

A 3-h noradrenaline (NA) infusion (1.5 microgram kg-1 min-1) produced a sustained enhanced oxygen consumption (O2 cons.) in cold-adapted rats. Plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels were elevated by NA in control and in cold-adapted rats, but to lesser extent in cold-adapted rats; the increase was maintained at a plateau in both groups during the entire period of NA infusion. A 1-h nicotinic acid (Nic A) infusion (1.5 mg kg-1 min-1) added to the NA infusion inhibited the calorigenic response to NA in cold-adapted rats and reduced the elevated plasma FFA concentration in control and in cold-adapted rats to values below basal levels. However, when the Nic A infusion was stopped, the O2 cons. was increased again in cold-adapted rats by the uninterrupted NA infusion, without the simultaneous increase of the plasma FFA concentration; the plasma FFA concentration was maintained in cold-adapted rats below basal values and merely brought back to basal levels in control rats. From these results, it is suggested that plasma FFA are not an essential substrate to the calorigenic response to NA observed in cold-adapted rats, as 85% of the response can occur when the plasma FFA concentration is very low.

Effects of adrenaline on the dynamics of carbohydrate metabolism in rats treated chronically with adrenaline

Following a subcutaneous injection of adrenaline (300 mug/kg), blood-glucose levels were lower in rats treated chronically with adrenaline (300 mug/kg twice a day for 28 days) than in control rats during at least 2.5 h after the injection. To explain this difference of response, the turnover rate of glucose was measured in control and adrenaline-treated rats during adrenaline infusion (0.75 mug/kg- minus 1 min- minus 1), with [U- minus 14C]glucose as tracer. It was found that the rate of appearance of glucose was greater in the control than in the adrenaline-treated group after a 120-min infusion of adrenaline. The rate of disappearance of glucose in the treated rats increased during the first 60 min of infusion and stayed at this elevated level for a subsequent 2 h, whereas in the control rats, it remained unchanged at the beginning of adrenaline infusion and significantly increased only during the second and third hours of infusion. In addition, the metabolic- clearance rate of glucose was not modified by adrenaline in the treated group, but in the control group, the initial clearance rate was significantly less than in the treated group, and decreased during the first hour of adrenaline infusion even though blood glucose reached values of 244 mg/100 ml. ,rom these data, it is suggested that rats adapt to a chronic exogenous supply of adrenaline by a reduced increase in glucose production in response to adrenaline infusion and a better glucose utilization, which possibly indicates a decrease in the inhibitory effect of adrenaline on insulin secretion.

Effects of compound 48/80, chlorpromazine, dextran, and reserpine in rabbits fed a 1 per cent cholesterol diet

The effects of drugs such as compound 48/80, chlorpromazine, dextran, and reserpine which influence the release and metabolism of biogenic amines, have been studied in rabbits fed a 1% cholesterol diet for 5 and 9 weeks. It was found that chlorpromazine, dextran, reserpine, and reserpine + compound 48/80 decreased the serum total cholesterol and lipid levels during the first 3 weeks of the 9-week experiment. This hypolipemic effect was no longer evident in the latter part of the experiment. Chlorpromazine and dextran reduced the serum total cholesterol, total lipid, and total protein levels after the 4th week of the 5-week experiment. The aortic fatty deposits of the treated groups were less abundant after 5 weeks of experiment but not significantly so after 9 weeks. Compound 48/80 had no decreasing effect on serum lipemia or aortic deposits in either experiment. The effects obtained with dextran and reserpine were not due to variations in exogenous cholesterol intake or intestinal absorption of the ingested cholesterol. However a smaller intake of exogenous cholesterol may partly account for the effects observed with chlorpromazine, and a reduced intestinal absorption for the effects observed with reserpine + compound 48/80.