Chemokine expression in melanoma metastases associated with CD8+ T-cell recruitment

Cancer Res. 2009 Apr 1;69(7):3077-85. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-08-2281. Epub 2009 Mar 17.

Abstract

Despite the frequent detection of circulating tumor antigen-specific T cells, either spontaneously or following active immunization or adoptive transfer, immune-mediated cancer regression occurs only in the minority of patients. One theoretical rate-limiting step is whether effector T cells successfully migrate into metastatic tumor sites. Affymetrix gene expression profiling done on a series of metastatic melanoma biopsies revealed a major segregation of samples based on the presence or absence of T-cell-associated transcripts. The presence of lymphocytes correlated with the expression of defined chemokine genes. A subset of six chemokines (CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL5, CXCL9, and CXCL10) was confirmed by protein array and/or quantitative reverse transcription-PCR to be preferentially expressed in tumors that contained T cells. Corresponding chemokine receptors were found to be up-regulated on human CD8(+) effector T cells, and transwell migration assays confirmed the ability of each of these chemokines to promote migration of CD8(+) effector cells in vitro. Screening by chemokine protein array identified a subset of melanoma cell lines that produced a similar broad array of chemokines. These melanoma cells more effectively recruited human CD8(+) effector T cells when implanted as xenografts in nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient mice in vivo. Chemokine blockade with specific antibodies inhibited migration of CD8(+) T cells. Our results suggest that lack of critical chemokines in a subset of melanoma metastases may limit the migration of activated T cells, which in turn could limit the effectiveness of antitumor immunity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / immunology
  • Chemokines / biosynthesis*
  • Chemokines / genetics
  • Chemokines / immunology
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Melanoma / genetics
  • Melanoma / immunology*
  • Melanoma / metabolism*
  • Multigene Family
  • Protein Array Analysis

Substances

  • Chemokines