Adoptive cell therapy using autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) has shown significant clinical benefit, but is limited by toxicities due to a requirement for post-infusion interleukin-2 (IL-2), for which high dose is standard. To assess a modified TIL protocol using lower dose IL-2, we performed a single institution phase II protocol in unresectable, metastatic melanoma. The primary endpoint was response rate. Secondary endpoints were safety and assessment of immune correlates following TIL infusion. Twelve metastatic melanoma patients were treated with non-myeloablative lymphodepleting chemotherapy, TIL, and low-dose subcutaneous IL-2 (125,000 IU/kg/day, maximum 9-10 doses over 2 weeks). All but one patient had previously progressed after treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. No unexpected adverse events were observed, and patients received an average of 6.8 doses of IL-2. By RECIST v1.1, two patients experienced a partial response, one patient had an unconfirmed partial response, and six had stable disease. Biomarker assessment confirmed an increase in IL-15 levels following lymphodepleting chemotherapy as expected and a lack of peripheral regulatory T-cell expansion following protocol treatment. Interrogation of the TIL infusion product and monitoring of the peripheral blood following infusion suggested engraftment of TIL. In one responding patient, a population of T cells expressing a T-cell receptor Vβ chain that was dominant in the infusion product was present at a high percentage in peripheral blood more than 2 years after TIL infusion. This study shows that this protocol of low-dose IL-2 following adoptive cell transfer of TIL is feasible and clinically active. (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01883323.)

Introduction Immunotherapy is based on the premise that cancer cells express antigens that can be targeted by immune mechanisms Abstract The ability of IL-12 to initiate anti-leukaemia immune responses has been well established; however clinical outcomes fail to recapitulate the therapeutic benefits observed in the laboratory. To address this, we compared two systems of IL-12 therapy that elicit protective immune responses against the murine acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) cell line, 70Z/3. These systems differ in the method of IL-12 administration and ultimately result in leukaemia clearance by distinct mechanisms, emphasizing the importance of treatment vehicle. Injecting low-dose IL-12 was sufficient to elicit long-term protective immunity against an established leukaemia burden, mediated by both CD4ϩ and CD8

Interleukin (IL)-12 is the key cytokine in the initiation of a Th1 response and has shown promise as an anti-cancer agent; however, clinical trials involving IL-12 have been unsuccessful due to toxic side-effects. To address this issue, lentiviral vectors were used to transduce tumour cell lines that were injected as an autologous tumour cell vaccine. The focus of the current study was to test the efficacy of this approach in a solid tumour model. SCCVII cells that were transduced to produce IL-12 at different concentrations were then isolated. Subcutaneous injection of parental SCCVII cells results in tumour development, while a mixture of IL-12-producing and non-producing cells results in tumour clearance. Interestingly, when comparing mice injected a mixture of SCCVII and either high IL-12-producing tumour cells or low IL-12-producing tumour cells, we observed that mixtures containing small amounts of high producing cells lead to tumour clearance, whereas mixtures containing large amounts of low producing cells fail to elicit protection, despite the production of equal amounts of total IL-12 in both mixtures. Furthermore, immunizing mice with IL-12-producing cells leads to the establishment of both local and systemic immunity against challenge with SCCVII. Using depletion antibodies, it was shown that both CD4+ and CD8+ cells are crucial for therapy. Lastly, we have established cell clones of other solid tumour cell lines (RM-1, LLC1 and moto1.1) that produce IL-12. Our results show that the delivery of IL-12 by cancer cells is an effective route for immune activation.

Key Points• Mouse inflammation models cause accumulation of B cells in the bone marrow within 12 hours and prior to peak emergency granulopoiesis.• Marrow B cells undergo spatial reorganization and are subjected to an altered cellular and secreted milieu.Systemic inflammation perturbs the bone marrow environment by evicting resident B cells and favoring granulopoiesis over lymphopoiesis. Despite these conditions, a subset of marrow B cell remains to become activated and produce potent acute immunoglobulin M (IgM) responses. This discrepancy is currently unresolved and a complete characterization of early perturbations in the B-cell niche has not been undertaken. Here, we show that within a few hours of challenging mice with adjuvant or cecal puncture, B cells accumulate in the bone marrow redistributed away from sinusoid vessels. This response correlates with enhanced sensitivity to CXC chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) but not CXCL13 or CC chemokine ligand 21. Concurrently, a number of B-cell survival and differentiation factors are elevated to produce a transiently supportive milieu. Disrupting homing dynamics with a CXC chemokine receptor 4 inhibitor reduced the formation of IgM-secreting cells. These data highlight the rapidity with which peripheral inflammation modifies the marrow compartment, and demonstrate that such modifications regulate acute IgM production within this organ. Furthermore, our study indicates that conversion to a state of emergency granulopoiesis is temporally delayed, allowing B cells opportunity to respond to antigen. (Blood. 2015;126(10):1184-1192

Condensation of salicylaldehyde (2-HOC6H4C(O)H) with 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-H2NC6H3-2-(OH)-CO2H) afforded the Schiff base 2-HOC6H4C(H)=NC6H3-2-(OH)-5-CO2H (a). Similar reactivity with 5-bromosalicylaldehyde was also observed to give 5-Br-2-HOC6H3C(H)=NC6H3-2-(OH)-5-CO2H (b). Reaction of these salicylaldehydes with Pd(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) salts gave the corresponding bis(N-arylsalicylaldiminato)metal complexes (M = Pd (1), Cu (2), Zn (3)). The molecular structure of the Schiff base compound a has been confirmed by an X-ray diffraction study. Crystals of a were monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c, a = 7.0164(7) Å, b = 11.0088(11) Å, c = 14.8980(15) Å, β = 102.917(2)°, Z = 4. The molecular structure of a novel zwitterionic conformer of 3a was also characterized by an X-ray diffraction study. Crystals of 4 were monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c, a = 9.5284(5) Å, b = 19.5335(11) Å, c = 8.6508(5) Å, β = 90.596(1)°, Z = 4. All new compounds have been tested for their antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus. Key words: 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), antifungal, copper, palladium, salicylaldimines, Schiff base, zinc.

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Inciting the cellular arm of adaptive immunity has been the fundamental goal of cancer immunotherapy strategies, specifically focusing on inducing tumor antigen-specific responses by CD8 þ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). However, there is an emerging appreciation that the cytotoxic function of CD4 þ T cells can be effective in a clinical setting. Harnessing this potential will require an understanding of how such cells arise. In this study, we use an IL12-transduced variant of the 70Z/3 leukemia cell line in a B6D2F1 (BDF 1 ) murine model system to reveal a novel cascade of cells and soluble factors that activate anticancer CD4 þ killer cells. We show that natural killer T cells play a pivotal role by activating dendritic cells in a contactdependent manner; soluble products of this interaction, including MCP-1, propagate the activation signal, culminating in the development of CD4 þ CTLs that directly mediate an antileukemia response while also orchestrating a multipronged attack by other effector cells. A more complete picture of the conditions that induce such a robust response will allow us to capitalize on CD4 þ T-cell plasticity for maximum therapeutic effect.

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