We assessed the effect of the stimulatory anti-CD40 Ab on NK cell activation in vivo and the therapeutic potential of activated NK cells in tumor-bearing mice. Single-dose i.p. injection of the anti-CD40 Ab resulted in production of IL-12 and IFN-γ in vivo, followed by a dramatic increase in NK cell cytolytic activity in PBLs. NK cell activation by anti-CD40 Ab was also observed in CD40 ligand knockout mice. Because NK cells express CD40 ligand but not CD40, our results suggest that NK activation is mediated by increased cytokine production upon CD40 ligation of APCs. Treatment of tumor-bearing mice with anti-CD40 Ab resulted in substantial antitumor and antimetastatic effects in three tumor models. Depletion of NK cells with anti-asialo GM1 Ab reduced or abrogated the observed antitumor effects in all the tested models. These results indicate that a stimulatory CD40 Ab indirectly activates NK cells, which can produce significant antitumor and antimetastatic effects.

ABSTRACT

We evaluated recurrent NXS2 neuroblastoma tumors that developed following NK- or T-cell-mediated immunotherapy in tumor-bearing mice. Recurrent tumors developed following an NK-dependent antitumor response using a suboptimal dose of hu14.18-IL2, a humanized IL-2 immunocytokine targeted to the GD(2)-ganglioside. This treatment initially induced complete resolution of measurable tumor in the majority of mice, followed, however, by delayed tumor recurrence in some mice. These recurrent NXS2 tumors revealed markedly enhanced (> fivefold) MHC class I antigen expression when compared with NXS2 tumors growing in PBS-treated control mice. A similar level of enhanced MHC class I antigen-expression could be induced on NXS2 cells in vitro by culturing with interferon gamma, and was associated with reduced susceptibility to both NK-cell-mediated tumor cell lysis and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in vitro. In contrast, Flt3-ligand treatment of NXS2-bearing mice induced a protective T-cell-dependent antitumor memory response. Recurrent NXS2 tumors that developed following Flt3-L therapy revealed a decreased expression of MHC class I antigens. While NXS2 tumors are susceptible to in vivo destruction following either hu14.18-IL2 or Flt3-ligand immunotherapies, these results suggest that some tumor cells may be selected to survive and progress by expressing either higher or lower levels of MHC class I antigen in order to resist either NK- or T-cell-mediated antitumor responses, respectively.

Recent advances in viral vector engineering, as well as an increased understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanism of retinal diseases, have led to the development of novel gene therapy approaches. Furthermore, ease of accessibility and ocular immune privilege makes the retina an ideal target for gene therapies. In this study, the nuclear hormone receptor gene Nr2e3 was evaluated for efficacy as broad-spectrum therapy to attenuate early to intermediate stages of retinal degeneration in five unique mouse models of retinitis pigmentosa (RP). RP is a group of heterogenic inherited retinal diseases associated with over 150 gene mutations, affecting over 1.5 million individuals worldwide. RP varies in age of onset, severity, and rate of progression. In addition,~40% of RP patients cannot be genetically diagnosed, confounding the ability to develop personalized RP therapies. Remarkably, Nr2e3 administered therapy resulted in reduced retinal degeneration as observed by increase in photoreceptor cells, improved electroretinogram, and a dramatic molecular reset of key transcription factors and associated gene networks. These therapeutic effects improved retinal homeostasis in diseased tissue. Results of this study provide evidence that Nr2e3 can serve as a broad-spectrum therapy to treat multiple forms of RP.

The apicomplexan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum is an important cause of diarrhea in humans and cattle, and it can persistently infect immunocompromised hosts. No consistently effective parasite-specific pharmaceuticals or immunotherapies for control of cryptosporidiosis are presently available. The innate immune system represents the first line of host defense against a range of infectious agents, including parasitic protozoa. Several types of antimicrobial peptides and proteins, collectively referred to herein as biocides, constitute a major effector component of this system. In the present study, we evaluated lactoferrin, lactoferrin hydrolysate, 5 cationic peptides (lactoferricin B, cathelicidin LL37, indolicidin, β-defensin 1, β-defensin 2), lysozyme, and 2 phospholipases (phospholipase A2, and phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C) for anti-cryptosporidial activity. The biocides were evaluated either alone or in combination with 3E2, a monoclonal antibody (MAb) against C. parvum that inhibits sporozoite attachment and invasion. Sporozoite viability and infectivity were used as indices of anti-cryptosporidial activity in vitro. All biocides except lactoferrin had a significant effect on sporozoite viability and infectivity. Lactoferrin hydrolysate and each of the 5 cationic peptides were highly parasiticidal and strongly reduced sporozoite infectivity. While each phospholipase also had parasiticidal activity, it was significantly less than that of lactoferrin hydrolysate and each of the cationic peptides. However, each phospholipase reduced sporozoite infectivity comparably to that observed with lactoferrin hydrolysate and the cationic peptides. Moreover, when 3 of the cationic peptides (cathelicidin LL37, β-defensin 1, and β-defensin 2) were individually combined with MAb 3E2, a significantly greater reduction of sporozoite infectivity was observed over that by 3E2 alone. In contrast, reduction of sporozoite infectivity by a combination of either phospholipase with MAb 3E2 was no greater than that by 3E2 alone. These collective observations suggest that cationic peptides and phospholipases neutralize C. parvum by mechanisms that are predominantly either parasiticidal or non-parasiticidal, respectively.

As a prerequisite for a human clinical trial using interleukin (IL)-12 gene therapy, the biodistribution and safety of IL-12, administered as an intradermal naked DNA injection, was evaluated in mice. The pNGVL3-mIL12 plasmid used in this study is a nonviral vector designed to induce a high level of IL-12 protein expression during a transient transfection of the host cell. The biodistribution was evaluated by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay that is capable of detecting less than 100 copies of the plasmid in the context of host DNA. Twenty-four hours after three intradermal injections of 0.5 microg or 5 microg of pNGVL3-mIL12 plasmid, the plasmid was detectable in various internal organs, the blood, and the injection site. The plasmid was detectable in the gonads of only one animal at the high-dose treatment 24 hr after the injections. In the majority of the organs the plasmid was undetectable throughout the study. Possible side effects were monitored by histology and clinical chemistry, and the level of IL-12 protein expression was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). No treatment-related histologic abnormalities were detected and the blood chemistry parameters showed no toxicity. The IL-12 protein was undetectable at all times at the injection site and interferon (IFN)-gamma levels at the injection site and in the serum were at background levels. The results of this murine safety study indicate that based on the distribution pattern of the plasmid in the body and the undetectable toxicities in the tissues, the use of the pNGVL3-hIL12 plasmid in cancer gene therapy clinical trials can be considered as safe.

At present no completely effective treatments are available for Cryptosporidium parvum infections in humans and livestock. Based on previous data showing the neutralizing potential of a panel of monoclonal antibodies developed against C. parvum, and based on the fact that innate immune peptides and enzymes have anticryptosporidial activity, we engineered several of these antibodies into antibody-biocide fusion proteins. We hypothesized that the combination of high-affinity antibody targeting with innate immune molecule-mediated killing would result in a highly effective new antiprotozoal agent. To test this hypothesis, we expressed antibody-biocide fusion proteins in a mammalian cell culture system and used the resulting products for in vitro and in vivo efficacy experiments. Antibody-biocide fusion proteins efficiently bound to, and destroyed, C. parvum sporozoites in vitro through a membrane-disruptive mechanism. When antibody-biocide fusion proteins were administered orally to neonatal mice in a prophylactic model of cryptosporidiosis, the induction of infection was reduced by as much as 81% in the mucosal epithelium of the gut, as determined on the basis of histopathological scoring of infectious stages. Several versions of antibody fusion proteins that differed in antigen specificity and in the biocide used had strong inhibitory effects on the initiation of infection. The results lay the groundwork for the development of a new class of antimicrobials effective against Cryptosporidium.

Cryptosporidium parvum is one of the main causes of diarrhea in neonatal calves resulting in significant morbidity and economic losses for producers worldwide. We have previously demonstrated efficacy of a new class of antimicrobial antibody fusions in a neonatal mouse model for C. parvum infection. Here, we extend efficacy testing of these products to experimental infection in calves, the principal target species. Neonatal calves were challenged with C. parvum oocysts and concomitantly treated with antibody-biocide fusion 4H9-G1-LL37 over the course of four days. This resulted in reduced severity of the disease when compared to control animals. Overall clinical health parameters showed significant improvement in treated animals. Oocyst shedding was reduced in treated when compared to control animals. Control of oocyst shedding is a prerequisite for breaking the cycle of re-infection on dairy farms. Antibody-biocide fusion products thus have the potential to reduce the impact of the infection in both individual animals and in the herd.