Vol 49, No 1 (2011)
Original paper
Published online: 2011-04-19
Peptide vaccination induces profound changes in the immune system in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia
DOI: 10.5603/FHC.2011.0023
Folia Histochem Cytobiol 2011;49(1):161-167.
Abstract
Although the immune status of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients is mostly characterized
by immunosuppression, there is an accumulation of in vivo (graft-versus-leukemia effect) and in vitro (spontaneous
remissions after infections) data that indicates that CLL might be effectively targeted by T-cell based immunotherapy.
Recently, we characterized receptor for hyaluronic acid mediated motility (RHAMM) as a preferential
target for immunotherapy of CLL. We also completed a RHAMM-derived peptide vaccination phase I/II
clinical trial in CLL. Here, we present a detailed immunological analysis of six CLL patients vaccinated with
HLA-A2 restricted RHAMM-derived epitope R3 (ILSLELMKL). Beside effective induction of R3-specific cytotoxic
T-cells, peptide vaccination caused profound changes in different T-cell subsets as well as cytokines. We
present longitudinal analyses of Th17, CD8+CD103+, CD8+CD137+ and IL-17 producing CD8+ T cells (CD8+IL-
-17+) as well as important cytokines involved in regulation of immune response such as TGF-β, IL-10, IL-2 and
TNF throughout the peptide vaccination period. (Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica 2011, Vol. 49, No. 1, 161–167)
Keywords: B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)receptor for hyaluronic acid mediated motility (RHAMM)peptide immunotherapy
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