To determine which proteinases are responsible for the lung destruction characteristic of pulmonary emphysema, macrophage elastase–deficient (MME −/− ) mice were subjected to cigarette smoke. In contrast to wild-type mice, MME − / − mice did not have increased numbers of macrophages in their lungs and did not develop emphysema in response to long-term exposure to cigarette smoke. Smoke-exposed MME − / − mice that received monthly intratracheal instillations of monocyte chemoattractant protein–1 showed accumulation of alveolar macrophages but did not develop air space enlargement. Thus, macrophage elastase is probably sufficient for the development of emphysema that results from chronic inhalation of cigarette smoke.
Many cellular properties are influenced by the surrounding environment of extracellular matrix. To better define the interaction between mononuclear phagocytes and the extracellular matrix components they contact, we studied the effect of various matrices on the biosynthesis and secretion of metalloenzymes and the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases in human alveolar macrophages. We found that native and denatured collagen types I and III markedly augmented production of interstitial collagenase (> 25-fold) and increased tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases to a lesser degree (2.5-fold). In contrast, the biosynthesis of another major secreted macrophage metalloproteinase, 92-kDa gelatinase, was unaffected by contact with extracellular matrices. Furthermore, other matrix components (i.e. type IV collagen, laminin, fibronectin, elastin) failed to induce collagenase production. Maximal stimulation of macrophage collagenase production was achieved with 1-5 micrograms/ml (3-15 x 10(-9) M) denatured collagen in contact with cells for 2 h. Increased biosynthesis of collagenase was detected within 24 h of cell contact with native or denatured collagen and was accompanied by marked induction of collagenase mRNA levels. Our studies of signal transduction mechanisms demonstrated that indomethacin decreased gelatin-induced collagenase production by 90%, with enzyme levels completely restored by the addition of exogenous prostaglandin E2. Prostaglandin E2 was only effective when added within the first 2 h after indomethacin treatment. These results indicate that extracellular matrix can directly influence its remodeling and repair via regulation of the production of metalloenzymes by resident inflammatory cells. Furthermore, matrix-metalloproteinase inductive interactions are both enzyme- and matrix-specific, and are mediated, at least in part, by a prostaglandin-dependent mechanism.
Adoptive cellular therapies with chimeric antigen receptor T cells have revolutionized the treatment of some malignancies but have shown limited efficacy in solid tumors such as glioblastoma and face a scarcity of safe therapeutic targets. As an alternative, T cell receptor (TCR)-engineered cellular therapy against tumor-specific neoantigens has generated significant excitement, but there exist no preclinical systems to rigorously model this approach in glioblastoma.
Abstract Glioblastoma is a primary brain tumor with a dismal prognosis. CD4 T cell responses to neoantigen vaccines or checkpoint blockade immunotherapy impact the tumor microenvironment. However, the function of CD4 T cells in glioblastoma remains understudied. Here we further characterize the role of CD4 T cells in antitumor immunity against the GL261 orthotopic model of glioblastoma. We studied the memory response generated during high-dose PD-L1 blockade mediated clearance of intracranial tumors. Mice that previously rejected GL261 retained protection against intracranial rechallenge after depletion of CD4 or CD8 T cells, but not both. Thus, these memory CD4 T cells are sufficient but not necessary for protection. Interestingly, in mice with a memory response generated during clearance of extracranial GL261, depletion of CD4 T cells abrogates protection against intracranial rechallenge, but depletion of CD8 T cells alone does not affect protection. Therefore, memory CD4 T cells generated with extracranial antigen challenge are necessary and sufficient for protection against intracranial rechallenge. In an analogous setting, we vaccinated mice against MHC class I neoantigens with concurrent checkpoint blockade immunotherapy to generate memory responses. Similar to the challenge-rechallenge model, mice challenged with GL261 and depleted of CD4 T cells lost protection from neoantigen vaccination and PD-L1 blockade. We then modified GL261 to express the C-terminal end of ovalbumin (GL261-OVAII), which contains the MHC class II immunodominant antigen (OVA323-339) but not the class I antigen (OVA257-264). Mice challenged intracranially with GL261-OVAII have a minimal survival benefit from PD-L1 blockade therapy. However, vaccination against OVA323-339 greatly enhances the protection from PD-L1 blockade. We determined by ELISPOT that CD4 T cells do not directly recognize GL261. Our data show the importance of the CD4 T cell subset in glioblastoma and the importance of targeting class II neoantigens to generate strong antitumor immunity.
Inadequately regulated proteolytic activity is responsible for the chronic lung tissue degeneration and irreversible loss of pulmonary function that define emphysema. In this study, we show that an inhaled broad-spectrum matrix metalloprotease inhibitor, ilomastat, can provide protection against the development of emphysema in cigarette smoke-treated mice. Control animals were exposed to daily cigarette smoke for 6 months. As has been reported previously, cigarette smoke was seen to increase significantly the recruitment of macrophages into the lungs of these animals, leading to concomitant alveolar airspace enlargement and emphysema. In animals treated daily with nebulized ilomastat for 6 months, lung macrophage levels were greatly reduced, and neutrophil accumulation was also inhibited. Corresponding reductions in airspace enlargement of up to 96% were observed. These striking observations suggest that delivery of ilomastat directly into the lungs of smoke-treated mice can not only inhibit lung tissue damage mediated by metalloproteases, but may also reduce that component of tissue degeneration mediated by excess neutrophil-derived products. Our data also suggest that the matrix metalloprotease inhibitors may represent a class of drugs that, when delivered by inhalation, could be used practically to treat cigarette smoking-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by modifying the course of the disease.
