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Abstract Background Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are required for proper maintenance of immunological self-tolerance and immune homeostasis. Folate receptor 4 (FR4) is expressed at high levels in transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β)-induced Tregs and natural Tregs. Moreover, antibody-mediated targeting of FR4 is sufficient to mediate Treg depletion. Results In this study, we describe a novel FR4 transcript variant, FR4D3, in which exon 3 is deleted. The mRNA of FR4D3 encodes a FR4 variant truncated by 189 bp. FR4D3 was found to be predominantly expressed in CD4+CD25+ Treg cells. Overexpression of FR4D3 in CD4+CD25+ Treg cells in vitro stimulated proliferation, which may modulate the ability of these cells to bind and incorporate folic acid. Conclusions Our results suggested that high levels of FR4D3 may be critical to support the substantial proliferative capacity of Treg cells.

Plasmid DNA vaccine is an appealing cancer immunotherapy. However, it is a weak immunogen and immunization with plasmid DNA encoding self-antigens, such as melanoma-associated antigens, could not induce antitumor immunity because of tolerance. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of using a plasmid DNA encodingXenopus laevistransforming growth factor-beta 5 (aTGF-ß5) as an immunogen to induce neutralizing antibodies against murine TGF-ß1 (mTGF-ß1) and thus enhance the efficacy of plasmid DNA vaccine encoding murine tyrosinase-related protein 2 (mTRP-2) through neutralization of TGF-ß. The results showed that immunization with aTGF-ß5 resulted in the generation of mTGF-ß1-neutralizing antibodies, and immunization with a combination of aTGF-ß5 and mTRP-2 induced specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). On the contrary, immunization with mTRP-2 alone could not elicit the CTL response. Moreover, immunization of C57BL/6 wild-type mice with a combination of aTGF-ß5 and mTRP-2 induced the protective and therapeutic antitumor immunity to B16F10 melanoma, whereas the antitumor activity was abrogated in both CD4-deficient mice and CD8-deficient mice on the C57BL/6 background. Our results indicate that immunization with aTGF-ß5 is capable of breaking immune tolerance and induces mTGF-ß1-neutralizing antibodies. Neutralization of TGF-ß can enhance the efficacy of DNA vaccine encoding mTRP-2 and the induction of antitumor immunity by this immunization strategy is associated with CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore how to improve the immunogenicity of HBcAg CTL epitope based polypeptides and to trigger an HBV-specific HLA I-restricted CD8+ T cell response in vitro., Methods: A new panel of mimetic therapeutic peptides based on the immunodominant B cell epitope of HBV PreS2 18-24 region, the CTL epitope of HBcAg18-27 and the universal T helper epitope of tetanus toxoid (TT) 830-843 was designed using computerized molecular design method and synthesized by Merrifield's solid-phase peptide synthesis. Their immunological properties of stimulating activation and proliferation of lymphocytes, of inducing T( H1) polarization, CD8+ T cell magnification and HBV-specific CD8+ CTL mediated cytotoxicity were investigated in vitro using HLA-A2+ human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors and chronic hepatitis B patients., Results: Results demonstrated that the therapeutic polypeptides based on immunodominant HBcAg18-27 CTL, PreS2 B- and universal T(H) epitopes could stimulate the activation and proliferation of lymphocytes, induce specifically and effectively CD8+ T cell expansion and vigorous HBV-specific CTL-mediated cytotoxicity in human PBMCs., Conclusion: It indicated that the introduction of immunodominant T helper plus B-epitopes with short and flexible linkers could dramatically improve the immunogenicity of short CTL epitopes in vitro.

Aim: To explore how to trigger an HLAI-restricted CD8(+) T cell response to exogenously synthesized polypeptides in vivo., Methods: Three mimetic therapeutic polypeptides based on the immunodominant CTL epitope of HBcAg, the B- epitope of HBV PreS(2) region and a common T helper sequence of tetanus toxoid were designed and synthesized with Merrifield's solid-phase peptide synthesis method. Their immunological properties of inducing T( H1) polarization, CD8(+) HBV-specific CTL expansion and CD8(+) T cell mediated cytotoxicity were investigated in HLA-A2 transgenic mice., Results: Results demonstrated that the mimetic polypeptides comprised of the immunodominant CTL, B-, and T helper epitopes could trigger specifically and effectively vigorous CD8(+) HBV-specific CTL-mediated cytotoxicity and T(H1) polarization of T cells in HLA-A2 transgenic mice., Conclusion: A designed universal T helper plus B-epitopes with short and flexible linkers could dramatically improve the immunogenicity of CTL epitopes in vivo. And that the mimetic therapeutic peptides based on the reasonable match of the above CTL, B- and T helper epitopes could be a promising therapeutic peptide vaccine candidate against HBV infection.