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The interaction of the divalent metal ions Mg²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Ni²⁺ with liquid crystalline NaDNA solutions (molar ratios Me²⁺/DNA-phosphate ≤0.050) was investigated by polarized light microscopy and multinuclear ³¹P, ²H, and ²³Na NMR. Our findings show that the state of the cholesteric NaDNA phase at equal MgCl2, CdCl2, or NiCl2 concentration is affected in a different way and to a different extent by the nature of the divalent cation. Indeed, we found that the occurrence of an isotropic phase is markedly favored by Mg²⁺, and to a lower extent by Cd²⁺, and that the pitch of the cholesteric phase decreases in the presence of Cd²⁺ or Ni²⁺. ²³Na NMR spectroscopy also shows differences between the binding behavior of Mg²⁺ and the transition metal ions in the counterion atmosphere around DNA. The results are discussed in terms of different binding modes of the metal ions.

Previous studies have documented discordant cellular and humoral immune responses to subjects exposed to HIV-1, and that the nature of such responses may determine susceptibility and resistance to disease. We determined whether there is a spectrum of cellular versus humoral immunodominant responses to cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Blood samples from 50 healthy blood donors were tested for anti-CMV IgG antibodies and for proliferative responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to CMV antigens. Four patterns of immune responses to CMV were found: no detectable response (30%, Ab(-)/Tc(-)), anti-CMV IgG only (28%, Ab(+)/Tc(-)), both anti-CMV IgG and T lymphocyte proliferation to CMV antigens (18%, Ab(+)/Tc(+)), and, interestingly, T lymphocyte proliferation to CMV only (24%, Ab(-)/Tc(+)). To determine whether these immunodominant phenotypes correlate with the ability of PBMC to secrete IL-2 and IFN-gamma in response to CMV antigens, we found that a greater percentage of individuals with a T cell proliferative response to CMV antigens (Ab(-)/Tc(+) and Ab(+)/Tc(+)) responded with increased IL-2 (P = 0.001) and IFN-gamma levels (P = 0.002), compared to those without a proliferative response (Ab(-)/Tc(-) and Ab(+)/Tc(-)). Our data therefore demonstrate that different individuals exhibit different immunodominant patterns of response to CMV. In particular, some individuals who are exposed to CMV fail to develop an antibody response but do develop cellular immunity. Whether these different patterns predict susceptibility or resistance to CMV-induced disease remains to be determined.

Background: Melanoma antigen (MA)-specific vaccination strongly enhances antitumor reactivity in vivo and is capable of producing strong cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in vitro. Furthermore, specific human leukocyte antigen-restricted T cell activation is hypothesized to occur in response to peptide-based immunotherapy, which may lead to the preferential killing of tumor cells bearing the relevant MA. The development of melanoma antigen-loss variants may subsequently occur in vivo. Methods: Analysis of 532 melanoma lesions from 204 patients was performed on fine-needle aspiration biopsy specimens. Lesions were graded for the expression of the MAs gp100 and MART-1 with use of immunocytochemistry. A total of 351 melanoma lesions were divided into cohorts on the basis of the treatment received. The pretreatment group (n = 175) consisted of lesions obtained before any form of gp100 immunotherapy, with the posttreatment group (n = 176) consisting of lesions obtained after vaccination with a modified gp100 epitope, gp209-2M +/- interleukin 2 (IL-2). Results: The percentage of lesions not expressing the gp100 antigen is greater than the percentage not expressing MART-1 (26% vs 14%). The frequency of lesions with high expression (>75%) of gp100 significantly decreased with therapy (47% vs 34%) and conversely negative lesions increased (18% vs 29%). Treatment of lesions with peptide alone (no IL-2) revealed a significant decrease in gp100 expression (47% vs 32%), enhanced with the addition of IL-2 to therapy (47% vs 35%). The expression of MART-1 remained essentially unchanged unless IL-2 was added (54% vs 54%, MART-1 peptide alone, 54% vs 43%, MART-1 peptide + IL-2). Of 94 patients (181 lesions) assessed for gp100 expression before treatment, 10 patients responded to therapy. Pretreatment lesions in responding patients expressed some level of gp100 in all cases compared with 27% of nonresponding lesions, which were negative for gp100 expression. Conclusions: This study indirectly demonstrates that vaccination with an MA-derived peptide can result in immune selection in vivo. Furthermore, it provides strong immunologic evidence for the specificity of MA vaccines and to the relevance of MA expression in predicting the response to vaccination. (Surgery 1999;126:112-20.)

The components of the antigen processing machinery, low molecular mass polypeptide (LMP) 2 and transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) 1, are encoded by closely linked genes within the major histocompatibility complex class II subregion. Although the two genes share a bi-directional promoter, LMP2 and TAP1 have differential cellular expression. TAP1 is expressed constitutively. However, LMP2 expression requires induction by interferon-gamma in most cells. The regulatory elements within the LMP2/TAP1 promoter and the transcription factors that bind these elements have been defined. However, how these transactivators regulate differential TAP1 and LMP2 gene transcription is not known. We have addressed this question by analyzing three human melanoma cell lines with distinct phenotypes of LMP2 and TAP1 expression. Whereas binding of either interferon regulatory factor 1 or Stat1 to the overlapping interferon consensus sequence-2/GAS is sufficient for regulating transcription of the TAP1 gene, binding of both factors is required for LMP2 gene transcription. This conclusion is supported by restoration of LMP2 gene transcription following transfection of wild type Stat1alpha or interferon regulatory factor 1 cDNA into cells lacking these transcription factors. The flexibility in the regulation of the TAP1 gene may reflect its role in maintaining immune surveillance. Furthermore, lack of LMP2 gene transcription in quiescent human cells suggests that LMP2 expression reflects a state of cell activation.

CTL reactivity to the epitope MART-1(27-35), of the melanoma (self) antigen MART-1/melan A is frequently observed in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and may be readily elicited from the peripheral blood of melanoma patients that express HLA-A*0201. Available data suggest that these observations contrast with those made for other HLA-A*0201-presented melanoma self antigens regarding the regularity of observed CTL responses. Based on preliminary findings, we hypothesized that the CTL response to MART-1 might be augmented in part by T cell encounters with peptides derived from sources other than MART-1, which show sequence similarity to MART-1(27-35). To test this idea, a protein database search for potential MART-1 epitope mimics was done using criteria developed from analyses of effector recognition of singly-substituted peptide analogues of MART-1(27-35). Synthetic peptides were made for a portion of the sequences retrieved; 12/40 peptides tested were able to sensitize target cells for lysis by one or more anti-MART-1 effectors. The peptides recognized correspond to sequences occurring in a variety of proteins of viral, bacterial, and human (self) origin. One peptide derives from glycoprotein C of the common pathogen HSV-1; cells infected with recombinant vaccinia virus encoding native glycoprotein C were lysed by anti-MART-1 effectors. Our results overall indicate that sequences conforming to the A2.1 binding motif and possessing features essential to recognition by anti-MART-1 CTL occur frequently in proteins. These findings further suggest that T cells might encounter a variety of such sequences in vivo, and that epitope mimicry may play a role in modulating the CTL response to MART-1(27-35).