Glycosidic Tn-based vaccines targeting dermal dendritic cells favor germinal center B-cell development and potent antibody response in the absence of adjuvant

Blood. 2010 Nov 4;116(18):3526-36. doi: 10.1182/blood-2010-04-279133. Epub 2010 Aug 18.

Abstract

In vivo targeting of C-type lectin receptors is an effective strategy for increasing antigen uptake and presentation by dendritic cells (DCs). To induce efficient immune response, glycosylated tumor-associated Tn antigens were used to target DCs through binding to macrophage galactose-type lectin (MGL). The capacity of Tn-glycosylated antigens-and the multiple antigenic glycopeptide Tn3 therapeutic candidate vaccine-to target mouse and human MGL(+) DCs are demonstrated, especially regarding dermal DCs. In mice, MGL(+) CD103(-) dermal DCs efficiently captured and processed glycosylated Tn antigen in vivo, inducing a potent major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-restricted T-cell response. Intradermal immunization with Tn-glycopeptides induced high levels of Th2 cytokines-even in the presence of unmethylated cytosine-phosphate-guanosine-and was associated with increased expansion of the germinal center B-cell population. Therefore, MGL acts as an efficient endocytic antigen receptor on dermal DCs in vivo, able to prime Tn-specific T- and B-cell responses. Moreover, even in the absence of adjuvant, immunization with this glycosidic Tn-based vaccine induced high levels of anti-Tn antibody responses, recognizing human tumor cells. In vivo DC-targeting strategies, based on Tn-MGL interactions, constitute a promising strategy for enhancing antigen presentation and inducing potent antibody response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antigen Presentation
  • Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / chemistry
  • Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / immunology*
  • B-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Female
  • Germinal Center / cytology*
  • Glycosylation
  • Humans
  • Langerhans Cells / immunology*
  • Lectins / immunology
  • Lectins, C-Type / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Th2 Cells / immunology
  • Vaccines, Synthetic / chemistry
  • Vaccines, Synthetic / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate
  • Lectins
  • Lectins, C-Type
  • MGL lectin, human
  • Peptides
  • Tn antigen
  • Vaccines, Synthetic