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GM2 Expression in Renal Cell Carcinoma: Potential Role in Tumor-Induced T-Cell Dysfunction

¹ Department of Immunology and ² Mass Spectrometry Core, Lerner Research Institute; ³ Department of Neurosurgery; ⁴ Glickman Urological Institute; ⁵ Experimental Therapeutics, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio; and ⁶ Bose Institute, Calcutta, India

Requests for reprints: James H. Finke, Department of Immunology, NB30, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195. Phone: 216-444-5186; Fax: 216-444-9329; E-mail: finkej{at}ccf.org.

Multiple mechanisms have been proposed to account for immune escape by tumors. Although gangliosides have long been known to suppress T-cell immunity, few studies have examined the effect of human tumor-derived gangliosides on immune responses. Here, we show that gangliosides isolated from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell lines and clear cell tumor tissue can induce apoptosis in peripheral blood T cells. The RCC tissue-derived gangliosides also suppressed IFN- and, in many cases, interleukin-4 production by CD4⁺ T cells at concentrations (1 ng/mL-100 pg/mL) well below those that induce any detectable T-cell death (4-20 µg/mL). Additional findings show that GM2 expressed by RCC plays a significant role in promoting T-cell dysfunction. This is supported by the demonstration that all RCC cell lines examined (n = 5) expressed GM2 as did the majority of tumors (15 of 18) derived from patients with clear cell RCC. Furthermore, an antibody specific for GM2 (DMF10.167.4) partially blocked (50-60%) T-cell apoptosis induced by coculturing lymphocytes with RCC cell lines or with RCC tissue-derived gangliosides. DMF10.167.4 also partially blocked the suppression of IFN- production induced by RCC tissue-derived gangliosides, suggesting that GM2 plays a role in down-regulating cytokine production by CD4⁺ T cells. (Cancer Res 2006; 66(13): 6816-25)

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