Therapeutic efficacy of a tumor cell–based vaccine against experimental B16 melanoma requires the disruption of either of two immunoregulatory mechanisms that control autoreactive T cell responses: the cytotoxic T lymphocyte–associated antigen (CTLA)-4 pathway or the CD25 + regulatory T (Treg) cells. Combination of CTLA-4 blockade and depletion of CD25 + Treg cells results in maximal tumor rejection. Efficacy of the antitumor therapy correlates with the extent of autoimmune skin depigmentation as well as with the frequency of tyrosinase-related protein 2 180–188 –specific CTLs detected in the periphery. Furthermore, tumor rejection is dependent on the CD8 + T cell subset. Our data demonstrate that the CTL response against melanoma antigens is an important component of the therapeutic antitumor response and that the reactivity of these CTLs can be augmented through interference with immunoregulatory mechanisms. The synergism in the effects of CTLA-4 blockade and depletion of CD25 + Treg cells indicates that CD25 + Treg cells and CTLA-4 signaling represent two alternative pathways for suppression of autoreactive T cell immunity. Simultaneous intervention with both regulatory mechanisms is therefore a promising concept for the induction of therapeutic antitumor immunity.

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a central role in the immune system as they drive activation of T lymphocytes by cognate interactions. However, as DCs express high levels of major histocompatibility complex class I, this intimate contact may also result in elimination of DCs by activated cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and thereby limit induction of immunity. We show here that immature DCs are indeed susceptible to CTL-induced killing, but become resistant upon maturation with anti-CD40 or lipopolysaccharide. Protection is achieved by expression of serine protease inhibitor (SPI)-6, a member of the serpin family that specifically inactivates granzyme B and thereby blocks CTL-induced apoptosis. Anti-CD40 and LPS-induced SPI-6 expression is sustained for long periods of time, suggesting a role for SPI-6 in the longevity of DCs. Importantly, T helper 1 cells, which mature DCs and boost CTL immunity, induce SPI-6 expression and subsequent DC resistance. In contrast, T helper 2 cells neither induce SPI-6 nor convey protection, despite the fact that they trigger DC maturation with comparable efficiency. Our data identify SPI-6 as a novel marker for DC function, which protects DCs against CTL-induced apoptosis.

The well defined, immature murine dendritic cell (DC) line D1 was used to study the role of DC maturation in CTL induction in vitro and in vivo. Maturation of D1 cells, characterized by markedly increased expression of MHC and costimulatory molecules, was induced by incubation with lipopolysaccharide, agonistic CD40 antibody, or specific CD4 + T helper (Th) cells. Activated, but not immature, D1 cells efficiently primed alloreactive T cell responses in vitro. Similarly, priming of CTL immunity in vivo in CD4-depleted mice was only observed if these mice were immunized with activated D1 cells. This study provides formal evidence that activation of DCs, induced by Th-independent as well as Th-dependent stimuli, is essential for efficient induction of CTL responses.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) like glycoprotein (gp)96 (glucose-regulated protein 94 [grp94]) are able to induce specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses against cells from which they originate. Here, we demonstrate that for CTL activation by gp96-chaperoned peptides, specific receptor-mediated uptake of gp96 by antigen-presenting cells (APCs) is required. Moreover, we show that in both humans and mice, only professional APCs like dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages, and B cells, but not T cells, are able to bind gp96. The binding is saturable and can be inhibited using unlabeled gp96 molecules. Receptor binding by APCs leads to a rapid internalization of gp96, which colocalizes with endocytosed major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II molecules in endosomal compartments. Incubation of gp96 molecules isolated from cells expressing an adenovirus type 5 E1B epitope with the DC line D1 results in the activation of E1B-specific CTLs. This CTL activation can be specifically inhibited by the addition of irrelevant gp96 molecules not associated with E1B peptides. Our results demonstrate that only receptor-mediated endocytosis of gp96 molecules leads to MHC class I–restricted re-presentation of gp96-associated peptides and CTL activation; non–receptor-mediated, nonspecific endocytosis is not able to do so. Thus, we provide evidence on the mechanisms by which gp96 is participating in the cross-presentation of antigens from cellular origin.