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The adoptive transfer of interleukin (IL)-2-expanded natural killer (NK) cells has provided unsatisfactory clinical benefits to patients affected by solid tumors. Our study demonstrates that the activation of NK cells with IL-12/IL-15/IL-18 prior to transfer into tumor-bearing mice is critical for obtaining high recovery rates, effector functions in vivo and tumor regression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) that infiltrate primary breast tumors impair patient survival. The ICOS-mediated interaction between tumor-infiltrating CD4+ T cells and pDCs leads to the amplification of Tregs and interleukin-10 secretion. Importantly, ICOS+ cell infiltration correlates with adverse patient prognosis, identifying ICOS as a new target for cancer immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TH9 cells join the ever-growing list of CD4+ T helper subsets and primarily mediate anti-parasite immune responses. We have recently demonstrated that tumor-specific TH9 cells induce a CCL20-CCR6-dependent regulation of DCs while stimulating CD8+ T cell-mediated antitumor immunity. These findings offer a novel immunotherapeutic strategy against cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor-associated antigens such as NY-ESO-1 are expressed in a variety of solid tumors but absent in mature healthy tissues with the exception of germline cells. The immune system anti-cancer attack is mediated by cell lysis or induction of growth arrest through paralysis of tumor cells, the latter of which can be achieved by tumor-specific CD4+, IFNγ-producing THelpertype 1 (TH1) cells. Translation of these immune-mediated mechanisms into clinical application has been limited by availability of immune effectors, as well as the need for complexin vitroprotocols and regulatory hurdles. Here, we report a procedure to generate cancer-testis antigen NY-ESO-1-targeting CD4+TH1 cellsin vitrofor cancer immunotherapy in the clinic. After in vitro sensitization by stimulating T cells with protein-spanning, overlapping peptide pools of NY-ESO-1 in combination with IL-7 and low dose IL-2, antigen-specific T cells were isolated using IFNγ capture technique and subsequently expanded with IL-2, IL-7 and IL-15. Large numbers of NY-ESO-1-specific CD4+T cells with a TH1 cytokine profile and lower numbers of cytokine-secreting CD8+T cells could be generated from healthy donors with a high specificity and expansion potential. Manufactured CD4+T cells showed strong specific TH1-responses with IFNγ+, TNFα+, IL-2+and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in tumor cells. The protocol is GMP-grade and approved by the regulatory authorities. The tumor-antigen specific CD4+TH1 lymphocytes can be adoptively transferred as a T-cell therapy to boost anticancer immunity and this novel cancer treatment approach is applicable to both T cells from healthy allogeneic donors as well as to autologous T cells derived from cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]