Isolation and functional characterization of hepatitis B virus-specific T-cell receptors as new tools for experimental and clinical use.

T-cell therapy of chronic hepatitis B is a novel approach to restore antiviral T-cell immunity and cure the infection. We aimed at identifying T-cell receptors (TCR) with high functional avidity that have the potential to be used for adoptive T-cell therapy. To this end, we cloned HLA-A*02-restricte...

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Main Authors: Karin Wisskirchen, Kai Metzger, Sophia Schreiber, Theresa Asen, Luise Weigand, Christina Dargel, Klaus Witter, Elisa Kieback, Martin F Sprinzl, Wolfgang Uckert, Matthias Schiemann, Dirk H Busch, Angela M Krackhardt, Ulrike Protzer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2017-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0182936&type=printable
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author Karin Wisskirchen
Kai Metzger
Sophia Schreiber
Theresa Asen
Luise Weigand
Christina Dargel
Klaus Witter
Elisa Kieback
Martin F Sprinzl
Wolfgang Uckert
Matthias Schiemann
Dirk H Busch
Angela M Krackhardt
Ulrike Protzer
Ulrike Protzer
author_facet Karin Wisskirchen
Kai Metzger
Sophia Schreiber
Theresa Asen
Luise Weigand
Christina Dargel
Klaus Witter
Elisa Kieback
Martin F Sprinzl
Wolfgang Uckert
Matthias Schiemann
Dirk H Busch
Angela M Krackhardt
Ulrike Protzer
Ulrike Protzer
author_sort Karin Wisskirchen
collection DOAJ
description T-cell therapy of chronic hepatitis B is a novel approach to restore antiviral T-cell immunity and cure the infection. We aimed at identifying T-cell receptors (TCR) with high functional avidity that have the potential to be used for adoptive T-cell therapy. To this end, we cloned HLA-A*02-restricted, hepatitis B virus (HBV)-specific T cells from patients with acute or resolved HBV infection. We isolated 11 envelope- or core-specific TCRs and evaluated them in comprehensive functional analyses. T cells were genetically modified by retroviral transduction to express HBV-specific TCRs. CD8+ as well as CD4+ T cells became effector T cells recognizing even picomolar concentrations of cognate peptide. TCR-transduced T cells were polyfunctional, secreting the cytokines interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-2, and effectively killed hepatoma cells replicating HBV. Notably, our collection of HBV-specific TCRs recognized peptides derived from HBV genotypes A, B, C and D presented on different HLA-A*02 subtypes common in areas with high HBV prevalence. When co-cultured with HBV-infected cells, TCR-transduced T cells rapidly reduced viral markers within two days. Our unique set of HBV-specific TCRs with different affinities represents an interesting tool for elucidating mechanisms of TCR-MHC interaction and dissecting specific anti-HBV mechanisms exerted by T cells. TCRs with high functional avidity might be suited to redirect T cells for adoptive T-cell therapy of chronic hepatitis B and HBV-induced hepatocellular carcinoma.
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spelling doaj-art-36657d80dd584b9cbf50469f96db58842025-08-20T02:03:51ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032017-01-01128e018293610.1371/journal.pone.0182936Isolation and functional characterization of hepatitis B virus-specific T-cell receptors as new tools for experimental and clinical use.Karin WisskirchenKai MetzgerSophia SchreiberTheresa AsenLuise WeigandChristina DargelKlaus WitterElisa KiebackMartin F SprinzlWolfgang UckertMatthias SchiemannDirk H BuschAngela M KrackhardtUlrike ProtzerUlrike ProtzerT-cell therapy of chronic hepatitis B is a novel approach to restore antiviral T-cell immunity and cure the infection. We aimed at identifying T-cell receptors (TCR) with high functional avidity that have the potential to be used for adoptive T-cell therapy. To this end, we cloned HLA-A*02-restricted, hepatitis B virus (HBV)-specific T cells from patients with acute or resolved HBV infection. We isolated 11 envelope- or core-specific TCRs and evaluated them in comprehensive functional analyses. T cells were genetically modified by retroviral transduction to express HBV-specific TCRs. CD8+ as well as CD4+ T cells became effector T cells recognizing even picomolar concentrations of cognate peptide. TCR-transduced T cells were polyfunctional, secreting the cytokines interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-2, and effectively killed hepatoma cells replicating HBV. Notably, our collection of HBV-specific TCRs recognized peptides derived from HBV genotypes A, B, C and D presented on different HLA-A*02 subtypes common in areas with high HBV prevalence. When co-cultured with HBV-infected cells, TCR-transduced T cells rapidly reduced viral markers within two days. Our unique set of HBV-specific TCRs with different affinities represents an interesting tool for elucidating mechanisms of TCR-MHC interaction and dissecting specific anti-HBV mechanisms exerted by T cells. TCRs with high functional avidity might be suited to redirect T cells for adoptive T-cell therapy of chronic hepatitis B and HBV-induced hepatocellular carcinoma.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0182936&type=printable
spellingShingle Karin Wisskirchen
Kai Metzger
Sophia Schreiber
Theresa Asen
Luise Weigand
Christina Dargel
Klaus Witter
Elisa Kieback
Martin F Sprinzl
Wolfgang Uckert
Matthias Schiemann
Dirk H Busch
Angela M Krackhardt
Ulrike Protzer
Ulrike Protzer
Isolation and functional characterization of hepatitis B virus-specific T-cell receptors as new tools for experimental and clinical use.
PLoS ONE
title Isolation and functional characterization of hepatitis B virus-specific T-cell receptors as new tools for experimental and clinical use.
title_full Isolation and functional characterization of hepatitis B virus-specific T-cell receptors as new tools for experimental and clinical use.
title_fullStr Isolation and functional characterization of hepatitis B virus-specific T-cell receptors as new tools for experimental and clinical use.
title_full_unstemmed Isolation and functional characterization of hepatitis B virus-specific T-cell receptors as new tools for experimental and clinical use.
title_short Isolation and functional characterization of hepatitis B virus-specific T-cell receptors as new tools for experimental and clinical use.
title_sort isolation and functional characterization of hepatitis b virus specific t cell receptors as new tools for experimental and clinical use
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0182936&type=printable
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