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The Journal of Immunology, 2002, 169: 1829-1836.
Copyright © 2002 by The American Association of Immunologists

Antigen-Driven Oligoclonal Expansion of Tumor-Infiltrating B Cells in Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma of the Breast1

Julia A. Coronella2,*, Catherine Spier{dagger}, Matthew Welch*, Katrina T. Trevor*, Alison T. Stopeck*, Hugo Villar* and Evan M. Hersh*

* Arizona Cancer Center and {dagger} Department of Pathology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724


    Abstract
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
The objective of this study was to determine whether tumor-infiltrating B cells (TIL-B) of infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast represent a tumor-specific humoral immune response. Immunohistochemical analysis of three Her-2/neu-negative IDC tumors from geriatric patients showed that TIL-B cluster in structures similar to germinal centers containing CD20+ B lymphocyte and CD3+ T lymphocyte zones with interdigitating CD21+ follicular dendritic cells, suggesting an in situ immune response. A total of 29, 31, and 58 IgG1 H chain clones was sequenced from the three IDC tumors, respectively. Intratumoral oligoclonal expansion of TIL-B was demonstrated by a preponderance (45–68%) of clonal B cells. In contrast, only 7% of tumor-draining lymph node and 0% of healthy donor PBL IgG H chains were clonal, consistent with the larger repertoires of node and peripheral populations. Patterns and levels of TIL-B IgG H chain somatic hypermutation suggested affinity maturation in intratumoral germinal centers. To examine the specificity of TIL-B Ig, a phage-displayed Fab library was generated from the TIL-B of one IDC tumor. Panning with an allogeneic breast cancer cell line enriched Fab binding to breast cancer cells, but not nonmalignant cell lines tested. However, panning with autologous tumor tissue lysate increased binding of Fab to both tumor tissue lysate and healthy breast tissue lysate. These data suggest an in situ Ag-driven oligoclonal B cell response to a variety of tumor- and breast-associated Ags.


    Introduction
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
Breast adenocarcinomas often contain infiltrating B and T lymphocytes, but it is unclear whether these infiltrates represent tumor Ag-specific immune responses or nonspecific lymphocyte recruitment by inflammatory and chemotactic cytokines. There is considerable variation in the degree of breast tumor lymphocytic infiltration, with dense infiltrates occurring in ~20% of tumors, and moderate infiltrates in ~50% (1). The cellular composition of breast tumor infiltrates also varies among patients, and is generally heterogeneous, containing both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, with fewer numbers of B cells, macrophages, and NK cells (2). Although >70% of breast tumors contain moderate or heavy lymphocytic infiltrates, only ~24% of breast adenocarcinomas contain a large component of tumor-infiltrating B cells (TIL-B).3 When present, TIL-B can comprise up to 40% of the tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) population (2, 3). Histologically, TIL-B in breast tumors are arranged in aggregates (4, 5), and are predominantly IgG+, as opposed to the low level predominantly IgA+ population normally seen in healthy breast tissue (6, 7, 8), or the predominantly IgM+ population of peripheral blood (9).

Based on serum Ab reactivity with tumor cells and Ags, patient antitumor B cell reactions occur in >40% of breast cancer patients (reviewed in Refs. 10 and 11). A variety of breast tumor-associated Ags elicits naturally occurring serum Ab responses (reviewed in Ref. 10). Breast cancer-reactive B cells have also been identified in regional or draining lymph nodes of breast cancer patients (for examples, see Refs. 12, 13, 14, 15). However, little direct evidence exists that TIL-B in breast cancer are tumor specific, although tumor cell-reactive TIL-B have been cloned from other tumor types, including melanoma, colon carcinoma, ovarian carcinoma, lung carcinoma, glioma, sarcoma, neuroblastoma, and Hodgkin’s lymphoma (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23). One study found that anti-tumor Ag Abs were produced by TIL-B in ~70% of nonbreast tumors examined (19).

The best direct evidence for breast tumor cell-reactive TIL-B comes from a 1994 study by Katano et al. (24), in which a B cell line established from a human breast adenocarcinoma was shown to produce tumor cell-reactive Abs and inhibit growth of autologous tumor cells. However, human TIL-B reactivity is not limited to tumor-specific Ags; a study by our group found TNF-{alpha}-reactive Abs were produced by breast cancer TIL-B (20). Furthermore, a recent study demonstrated that Abs produced by TIL-B of typical medullary carcinoma (TMC) of the breast specifically bind {beta}-actin, which occurs on the surface of apoptotic TMC cells in vivo (25). It has also been demonstrated that TMC TIL plasma cells are the product of intratumoral oligoclonal proliferation and differentiation (8, 26). However, it is not clear that TMC is representative of other more common histologic types of breast cancer, as TMC has many unusual features, including a diagnostic plasmacytic infiltration, favorable prognosis, and expression of HLA-DR (27, 28).


    Materials and Methods
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
Patient samples

Tumor tissue was obtained from three untreated women diagnosed with primary infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC). The three tumors obtained were Her-2 negative by immunohistochemistry. Tumor-draining lymph node from one of the three patients and peripheral blood from a healthy female donor were also acquired. Patient data are summarized in Table IGo. PBL were included to control for poor PCR methodology that could result in repetitive cloning of single PCR products rather than as a measure of the peripheral repertoire, which has been extensively characterized elsewhere (9, 29, 30, 31). Healthy breast tissue was acquired from a reduction mammoplasty.


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Table I. Patient data and features of Ig library construction

 
Cell lines

The breast cancer cell line MCF-7 was obtained from American Type Culture Collection (Manassas, VA) and is positive by flow cytometry for MUC-1, Her-2/neu and carcinoembryonic Ag (CEA), and negative for epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM). The breast cancer cell lines 3133 and 3199 were established from primary IDC of the breast by the Arizona Cancer Center Tissue Culture Core Service. The cell line 3133 is positive by flow cytometry for CEA, MUC-1, Her-2/neu, and EpCAM. The cell line 3199 is positive by flow cytometry for EpCAM, but is negative for CEA, MUC-1, and Her-2/neu (flow cytometry data; K. Trevor, unpublished data). Untransformed primary human foreskin fibroblasts were obtained from the Arizona Cancer Center Tissue Culture Core Service.

Immunohistochemistry and histology

Using routinely formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections, the reactivities of mAbs directed against the following Ags were studied: CD3, CD20, Ki-67, IgG, IgM, and CD27 (Ventana Medical Systems, Tucson, AZ); CD38 (VS38), CD21, IgA, and IgD (DAKO, Glostrup, Denmark). To determine the lineage of proliferating lymphocytes, sections were double labeled with CD20 and Ki-67 (B lymphocytes) or CD3 and Ki-67 (T lymphocytes). Sections of a human tonsil were placed on each slide as a positive control. Staining was performed using a Benchmark (Ventana Medical Systems) automated immunohistochemistry instrument for CD27, CD21, and Ki-67, while the embryonic stem cell automated immunostainer (Ventana Medical Systems) was used for CD20, CD3, CD38, and H chain Abs IgM, IgG, IgA, and IgD (32).

IgG H chain library preparation for repertoire analysis

Tumor and node tissue were acquired immediately postsurgery and manually disaggregated, and lymphocytes were enriched by Ficoll gradient centrifugation, as described (33). Parameters of individual IgG H chain libraries are summarized in Table IGo. Following disaggregation and Ficoll gradient centrifugation, TIL were split into two separate pools of cells and washed with PBS to remove residual mRNA from lysed cells before RNA extraction. Tandem libraries were cloned from the separated cells to be able to distinguish between repetitively cloned PCR products and identical B cell progeny as from a memory B cell response. Total RNA was extracted with TRIzol reagent (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO) from each of the TIL pools. Separate reverse-transcriptase reactions were performed on the two RNA pools, as described (34). IgG1 H chain Fd regions (VH + CH1) were amplified by PCR: each of seven individual 25 µl PCRs contained one consensus degenerate VH family primer, an IgG1-specific constant region primer (CG1z), and 3 µl cDNA. Samples were run with one ready-to-go PCR bead (Pharmacia, Peapack, NJ). Primers have been previously described (8). Amplifications consisted of a 4-min 94°C hot start, followed by 35 cycles, 1 min at 94°C, 2 min at 55°C, and 3 min at 72°C, with a single terminal 10-min extension at 72°C in a PTC-100 thermocycler (MJ Research, South San Francisco, CA). All reactions were performed in quadruplicate, pooled, and purified by agarose gel electrophoresis and extraction via Qiaex II (Qiagen, Valencia, CA). PCR products were ligated into the pGEM-T vector (Promega, Madison, WI) using 50 ng vector, 15 ng insert, and T4 DNA ligase (Promega), in triplicate ligation reactions to maximize clone diversity.

Patient 3 TIL-B. One library was made with an IgG1-specific C region primer (CG1z), and the second library was constructed using a pan-IgG C region primer (CHIgG), as previously described (35). PCR products were cloned as described for patient 1.

After transformation of pGEM-T libraries into XL1-Blue competent cells (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA), random colonies were selected and grown overnight, and plasmid DNA was prepared with Wizard plasmid miniprep columns (Promega). Randomly picked clones were screened for the presence of IgG H chain insert through SacI/SacII (Promega) restriction digestion.

DNA sequencing and analysis

Clones were sequenced using standard sequencing primers (Arizona Research Laboratories, University of Arizona) and resolved using the FAKTORY program (Arizona Research Laboratories, University of Arizona). Candidate germline genes were identified via DNAPLOT (36). Percentage mutation and replacement to silent mutation ratios were calculated for V gene-encoded regions only (framework region (FR)1-complementarity-determining region 1 (CDR)1-FR2-CDR2-FR3). Taq error rates were calculated from the first H chain C region (CH1) of five randomly selected clones. To determine clonality, IgG H chain sequences with shared VDJ usage were aligned by CLUSTAL W (37). Clonality of cloned IgG H chain sequences was determined by shared VDJ germline gene usage and VDJ junctional mutation patterns, as this level of diversity is determined in the bone marrow before circulation in the periphery. Germline gene nomenclature is as per previously described (36).

Construction and panning of phage display library

Protocols for phage display library construction, panning, and analysis are as previously described (34). Briefly, a 150-mg sample of tumor from patient 1 was homogenized with mortar and pestle in liquid nitrogen, and RNA extracted using TRIzol reagent (Sigma-Aldrich). RNA was further purified by lithium chloride extraction, and a total of 92 µg purified RNA was obtained. Of this, 20 µg RNA was used in a reverse-transcriptase reaction using the Superscript II First Strand system (Invitrogen). cDNA was treated with RNaseH (Invitrogen) and used directly in PCR amplification of H and L chain V regions, unrestricted for isotype. A Fab (H chain V region plus CH1 and L chain VL plus CL) library of 1 x 108 Fab clones was cloned in the pCOMBX phage display vector (gift of C. Barbas, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA). The phage-displayed library was panned with the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line in six sequential rounds of panning. In brief, ~4 x 1012 phage were added to 4 x 106 allogeneic breast cancer cells (MCF-7), incubated for 30 min at room temperature, centrifuged, and washed five times with PBS to remove unbound phage. Cell-bound phage was recovered by trypsin digestion (Invitrogen) and used to reinfect Escherichia coli strain XL1-B (New England Biolabs, Cambridge, MA). After overnight growth, phage was isolated by polyethylene glycol precipitation, and the cycle was repeated.

The phage library was also panned with autologous tumor tissue lysate (soluble protein), with negative selection on healthy breast tissue lysate. Lysates were prepared by homogenization of snap-frozen tissue in liquid nitrogen, repeated freeze-thaw cycles, and extraction overnight at 4°C in PBS containing 1% Nonidet P-40 (Sigma-Aldrich), 10 µg/ml aprotinin (Sigma-Aldrich), and 1 mM PMSF (Sigma-Aldrich). ELISA plates (Costar, Garden Grove, CA) were coated overnight at 4°C with ~20 µg protein/well. Four wells were coated with tumor tissue lysate, and four wells with healthy breast tissue lysate. Plates were then blocked for 1 h with 5% BSA, and ~1 x 1012 phage were added to each tumor tissue lysate well. Plates were incubated at 37°C for 2 h. Wells were washed with PBS + 0.1% Tween 20 (Sigma-Aldrich) to remove unbound phage, with increasing numbers of washes in successive rounds of panning. Phage were then eluted by the addition of glycine elution buffer (0.1 M glycine-HCl, pH 2.2), and neutralized with 3 M Tris. To reduce nonspecific binding, eluted phage were then added to healthy breast tissue lysate-coated wells for 30 min, and unbound phage was recovered in panning rounds 3, 4, and 5. Phage was rescued by transfection of E. coli strain XLB-1 (Invitrogen). After overnight growth, phage was isolated by polyethylene glycol precipitation, and the cycle was repeated.

Analysis of phage-displayed Ab pools by flow cytometry

Following selection of the phage Fab library on MCF-7 cells, phage pools were assessed by flow cytometry, as described (34). Cell lines MCF-7, 3133, 3199, and foreskin fibroblasts were analyzed. Cells were incubated with preselection phage display library, postselection phage display library, or antitetanus toxoid phage-displayed Fab as a negative control (tetanus toxoid, provided by C. Barbas, The Scripps Research Institute) (38). Fab reactivity was determined by flow cytometry using anti-M13 mouse mAb (Pharmacia) as secondary Ab, and FITC-labeled goat anti-mouse F(ab')2-specific Ab (Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories, West Grove, PA) as tertiary Ab, as described (34). Ten thousand cells in the gated (live) population were counted per tube.

Analysis of phage-displayed Ab pools by ELISA

Following selection of the phage Fab library on autologous tumor tissue lysate (soluble protein), phage pools were used in ELISAs against autologous tumor tissue lysate and healthy breast tissue lysate, as described (34). Plates were coated overnight with an excess of either autologous tumor tissue lysate or healthy breast tissue lysate (>20 µg) in 25 µl at 4°C, and blocked with 5% BSA in PBS. Phage (50 µl) that had been selected on autologous tumor tissue lysate were added to each well, incubated 2 h at 37°C, and washed 10 times with H2O, and HRP-conjugated anti-M13 Ab (Pharmacia) was added. Following a 1-h incubation at 37°C, plates were washed 10 times with H2O, and Fab binding was detected with ABTS substrate (Roche Molecular Biochemicals, Indianapolis, IN).


    Results
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
Histology and immunohistochemistry

The three cases of IDC of the breast were reviewed for TIL using H&E staining and immunohistochemical markers of B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, plasma cells, and follicular dendritic cells. The tumors of patients 1 and 2 were largely composed of fibrous stroma, with interspersed islands of malignant cells (Fig. 1Go, A and D). The tumor of patient 3 consisted of large tumor nests interconnected by bands of fibrous stromal tissue (Fig. 1GoG). Although TIL were found scattered throughout the stroma and interspersed between tumor cells in all three tumors, most lymphocytes clustered in dense aggregates. In many cases, the aggregates occurred in stromal areas immediately adjoining tumor nests. This is seen most clearly in the tumor of patient 3, which had both a higher relative composition of malignant cells as opposed to acellular stroma, and a denser lymphocytic infiltrate. Lymphocytes also occurred adjacent to areas of morphologically nonmalignant tissue within the tumor, but were not observed outside the tumor margins.



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FIGURE 1. Histology and immunohistochemistry of IDC TIL. Serial sections of breast tumors from patients 1, 2, and 3 were stained for B cells (CD20), T cells (CD3), follicular dendritic cells (CD21), and cellular proliferation (Ki-67). A–I and K, x200; J, x400; and L, x100. E, K, and L, Stained for both CD20 (red), cell surface; and Ki-67 (brown), nucleus.

 
Few CD20+ B lymphocytes were observed in the tumors of patients 1 and 2, and occurred as infrequent clusters of cells adjacent to tumor nests or blood vessels (Fig. 1Go, B and E). In contrast, the heavier infiltrate of patient 3 was composed of ~30–40% B cells (Fig. 1GoH). B lymphocytes occurred almost exclusively adjacent to tumor nests on the periphery of the main tumor mass in aggregates reminiscent of lymph node germinal centers. B lymphocytes were negative for the memory phenotype marker CD27 (data not shown). Although small numbers of patient 3 germinal center B cells stained for IgD or IgM, high levels of background staining for IgA, IgM, and IgG from serum Abs rendered the isotype of most B cells difficult to interpret (data not shown).

Aggregates of T lymphocytes were observed in the tumors of all three patients (Fig. 1Go, C, F, and I), with individual infiltrating CD3+ T lymphocytes observed between malignant cells within tumor nests. In patient 3, T lymphocytes surrounded B lymphocyte germinal centers as occurs in a germinal center light zone. Patient 3 germinal centers also contained interdigitating CD21+ follicular dendritic cells in the B cell area (Fig. 1GoJ). CD21+ cells were not observed outside of B cell germinal centers. Plasma cells (CD38) were rare, frequently IgA+ (as normally seen in healthy breast tissue) (6), and occurred randomly in relation to other lymphocytes (data not shown).

Morphologically, TIL were small with a mature chromatin pattern. Lymphocyte mitoses were extremely infrequent. Low B lymphocyte proliferation was confirmed by low staining for the proliferation marker Ki-67 (Fig. 1Go, E and K). Although adjacent tumor cells and same-slide tonsil controls were Ki-67+, <2% of lymphoid cells were positive (Fig. 1GoL).

Calculation of PCR Taq polymerase error rate

To calculate the background level of PCR-induced mutations, five IgG H chain clones were randomly selected and compared with the human germline IgG1 CH1 region sequence (36). Only one error was detected in a total of 1485 bp, for a total error rate of 0.67 Taq-induced mutations per 1000 bp. In a 296-bp V gene-encoded region, this would result in ~0.2 Taq-induced errors, which is negligible for the purposes of this study. Previous studies have demonstrated comparable levels of PCR-generated error in Ab amplifications (39, 40).

Oligoclonal expansion of TIL-B

To determine whether the aggregates of B cells observed in tumors were the result of random recruitment from the periphery or the proliferation of TIL, IgG H chain libraries were generated by RT-PCR and random clones were sequenced from each of the three IDC tumors, a tumor-draining lymph node from patient 3, and PBL from a healthy donor. A summary of the data is found in Table IIGo.


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Table II. Summary of molecular characteristics of IgG H chain repertoires

 
Twenty-nine patient 1 TIL-B IgG H chain T-vector clones were randomly selected and sequenced. Four clonal groups were identified in this sample, consisting in total of 45% (13/29) of the IgG H chains analyzed (Fig. 2Go). Similar degrees of clonality were observed in IgG H chains from patients 2 and 3 tumors. Of the 31 IgG1 H chains sequenced from patient 2, 68% belonged to one of five clonal groups. Of the 58 IgG H chain sequences examined from patient 3, 62% belonged to one of the 11 identified clonal groups (Fig. 2Go).



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FIGURE 2. Clonality of TIL-B. Clonality of TIL-B was determined by IgG H chain sequence. PBMC, healthy donor PBMC; P3 Node, patient 3 tumor-draining lymph node; P3, patient 3 TIL-B; P2, patient 2 TIL-B; P1, patient 1 TIL-B. Clonal groups are indicated by open boxes, while sequences for which no clonal relatives were identified are indicated by shaded boxes. Numbers within boxes indicate the number of sequences in specific clonal groups or nonclonal group.

 
The presence of unique and sequential somatic hypermutations in members’ clonal groups, examples of which are shown in Fig. 3Go, demonstrates definitively that B cell proliferation rather than PCR artifact produced the clonal groups. Somatic hypermutations were also far in excess of the calculated 0.2 PCR-induced mutations per V gene-encoded region. However, a small number of clones were identical, with no unique somatic mutations in comparison with each other, as might result from one or more cell divisions during which no somatic hypermutations were acquired. Most identical clones were verified as derived from identical B cell clones rather than PCR artifact, having been cloned from independent TIL pools. For example, the identical clones 1–18 and 2–38 were derived from libraries 1 and 2, respectively (Fig. 3GoA).



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FIGURE 3. Patterns of clonal expansion of TIL-B in infiltrating ductal breast carcinoma. IGHV numbers indicates germline H chain V gene used by progenitor B cell. {circ}, Deduced intermediates; numbers inside circles indicate sequenced clones; numbers next to arrows indicate numbers of mutations in comparison with germline at a given branching. A, Patient 1, clonal group 1. Clones 1–35 and 2–26 contained no V gene mutations in comparison with germline. Clones 2–38 and 1–18 shared a single common mutation from germline. B and C, Patient 2, clonal groups 3, 5. D and E, Patient 3 clonal groups 4, 8.

 
It was not possible to draw a genealogical tree for the fourth clonal group from patient 1 (Fig. 2Go), derived from a progenitor B cell using the germline V gene 4-39*06, because mutations were not linear. This may be explained by a phenomenon described by McHeyzer-Williams et al. (41), in which chimeric molecules produced during PCR confuse the linearity of descent for clones.

One IgG H chain library for patient 3 was produced with an IgG1-specific primer, and the second library with a pan-IgG-specific primer. All sequences were of the IgG1 isotype regardless of primer used, suggesting that the IgG1 isotype dominates the IgG TIL-B pool.

Only two reiterated sequences of 26 occurred in the tumor-draining lymph node sequences, for a total of 7.7% clonality (Fig. 2Go). No overlap existed between the sequences isolated from patient 3 TIL and patient 3 tumor-draining lymph node to suggest node/tumor trafficking (with the caveat that a larger sample size might be required to detect intersection). No repeated clones were observed in PBL sequences, consistent with expected low levels (<1/20,000) of reiterated clones for healthy donor peripheral blood (29) (Fig. 2Go).

Germline VH gene usage

VH germline gene family usage by TIL-B was analyzed for evidence of biased usage that might suggest epitope selection (Fig. 4Go). Library repertoires generated by this and similar methods have generally matched those generated by single cell RT-PCR (31, 8). The most common VH germline genes used by TIL-B belonged to the VH3 and VH4 families. In addition, VH1 gene segments were used by 10–35% of TIL-B IgG and tumor-draining node IgG H chains, while no VH1 occurred in the PBMC repertoire.



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FIGURE 4. Usage of individual germline VH genes by TIL-B, tumor-draining lymph node, and healthy donor PBMC.

 
Somatic mutation of TIL-B IgG H chains in germinal center reactions

TIL-B IgG H chain V gene sequences were compared with progenitor germline V genes to determine levels and patterns of somatic hypermutation. Somatic mutations clustered in the CDRs, consistent with affinity maturation (Fig. 5Go). Mutation levels and patterns were similar to the tumor-draining lymph node-derived sequences and known affinity-matured Ab sequences (reviewed in Ref. 30), suggesting a functional ectopic germinal center reaction in the breast tumors. TIL-B IgG H chain CDR1 and CDR2 regions were mutated on average between 8 and 13%, respectively, in comparison with germline V genes. In contrast, CDR1 and CDR2 regions of IgG1 H chains derived from PBL were on average mutated only 0.3% and 0.4% from germline. Most, if not all, of the observed somatic hypermutations in TIL clonal groups could be accounted for by mutations accumulated during intratumoral proliferation, as shown in Fig. 2Go. The replacement mutation pattern of some Abs was nonrandom, as calculated by the method of Lossos et al. (42), suggesting affinity maturation (Table IIGo and Fig. 6Go).



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FIGURE 5. Somatic mutation of IgG H chains from TIL-B. p1, p2, p3, Patients 1, 2, and 3; p3node, tumor-draining lymph node; KPBMC, healthy donor PBMC.

 


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FIGURE 6. Replacement to silent mutation ratios in IgG H chains from TIL-B. p1, p2, p3, Patients 1, 2, and 3; p3node, tumor-draining lymph node; KPBMC, healthy donor PBMC.

 
Tumor binding by phage-displayed Ig derived from TIL

To determine whether TIL-B Abs were reactive with tumor cells, a phage-displayed Fab library was generated from patient 1 TIL by the methods of Barbas et al. (34). The Fab library was panned with the allogeneic breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Binding of phage-displayed Fab to MCF-7 cells was measured by flow cytometry. Mean fluorescent intensity increased 2.7-fold from 13 to 36 after only four rounds of panning with MCF-7 cells, and 24-fold to a mean fluorescent intensity of 312 after six rounds of panning (Fig. 7Go). The MCF-7-selected Ab pool bound the 3199 breast cancer cell line with 8-fold greater intensity in comparison with the unselected Ab pool, and the 3133 breast cancer cell line with 2-fold greater intensity. In contrast, binding of TIL-B Abs to human primary fibroblasts decreased ~50% after panning with MCF-7.



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FIGURE 7. Binding of TIL-B Fab to allogeneic breast cancer cell lines. Flow cytometry analysis of phage displayed Fab from patient 1 TIL-B analyzed before (dotted line) and after (solid line) six rounds of panning on the allogeneic breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Fab pools were tested for binding with MCF-7, the breast cancer cell lines 3133 and 3199, and primary human foreskin fibroblasts.

 
Phage-displayed TIL-B Fabs were also panned with autologous tumor tissue lysate (soluble protein). An ~7-fold increase in binding to autologous lysate was observed, as measured by ELISA against autologous tumor tissue lysate protein (Fig. 8Go). An equal enrichment for binding to healthy breast tissue lysate was also observed in the tumor tissue lysate-selected Abs.



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FIGURE 8. Binding of TIL-B Fabs to tumor lysate. Binding of phage-displayed Fab from patient 3 TIL-B is analyzed from sequential rounds (P0–P6) of panning on autologous tumor lysate (soluble protein) as measured by ELISA. Filled bar, Selected on autologous tumor lysate, ELISA against autologous tumor lysate (TL/TL); open bar, selected on autologous tumor lysate, ELISA against allogeneic healthy breast lysate (TL/HB).

 

    Discussion
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
We examined the histology, IgG repertoire, and Ab specificity of TIL-B from three Her-2/neu-negative IDC of the breast derived from geriatric women. We found that in some cases, TIL-B aggregates resembled ectopic germinal centers containing CD21-positive follicular dendritic cells that were surrounded by a T cell zone (Fig. 1Go). However, unlike germinal centers from true lymphoid tissue, germinal centers contained no dark zone of Ki-67-positive proliferating B cells (Fig. 1Go). Mantle zones and CD38+ plasma cells were also absent.

Despite low Ki-67 staining of TIL-B, intratumoral oligoclonal expansion of TIL-B was established by the presence of clonal groups derived from common progenitor B cells in the three breast tumors examined, regardless of histologic TIL-B density. The seemingly contradictory molecular and histological proliferation data may reflect a low B lymphocyte proliferative rate over a period of time, or alternatively may be a relic of a previous period of proliferative activity and subsequent quiescence. Between 44 and 68% of IgG H chain sequences from TIL-B belonged to clonal groups, while only 7% of tumor-draining lymph node sequences and 0% of PBL sequences were clonal, consistent with the large repertoires of those populations.

TIL-B IgG H chain mutation levels, patterns, and germline gene usage suggest that TIL-B undergo affinity maturation intratumorally, presenting the possibility of production of high-affinity anti-tumor Ag Abs. However, this conclusion stems from indirect evidence of affinity maturation, which can only be resolved through Ag affinity studies. TIL-B IgG H chains contained somatic mutations that clustered in the Ag-contacting CDRs, as is observed in affinity-matured Abs (reviewed in Refs. 30 and 43), and as was also seen in tumor-draining lymph node, but not peripheral blood IgG (Fig. 5Go). As calculated by the polynomial algorithm of Lossos et al. (42), replacement and silent mutations occurred nonrandomly in some TIL-derived Ig. A modest bias in usage of individual germline genes was consistent with epitope selection, with use of germline genes 1–18, 3–30, 4–39, and 4–61 by all three TIL-B repertoires (Fig. 4Go). Of these genes, only 3–30 is normally overrepresented in the peripheral repertoire of young or elderly adults (31, 44).

TIL-B-derived Fabs were reactive with the allogeneic breast cancer cell line MCF-7, indicating that TIL-B proliferate in response to tumor Ag rather than nonspecific inflammatory or cytokine signals (Fig. 7Go). Although Fabs were selected for binding to MCF-7, binding of these Abs to other breast cancer cell lines demonstrated the presence of reactive epitope(s) common to these cell lines. Although the TIL-B Fab pool selected against MCF-7 cell surface bound breast cancer cell lines preferentially in comparison with nonmalignant primary fibroblasts, the determination of true specificity awaits further characterization. Panning of the Fab library on autologous tumor tissue lysate (soluble protein) yielded Fabs with equal reactivity for soluble lysates from tumor and healthy breast tissue (Fig. 8Go). This indicates that at least some TIL-B produce Abs reactive with Ags shared by breast tumor and healthy breast.

Our study suggests that while TIL-B undergo tumor Ag-driven expansion in intratumoral follicles, deletion of autoreactive B cells may be deficient. Because few proteins expressed by tumor cells are truly tumor specific, the majority of Abs produced will likely be directed against autoantigens, and only a small percentage against tumor-specific Ags. Isolation of tumor-specific Abs from TIL will thus require judicious technique. We speculate that the lack of negative selection in intratumoral germinal centers may be the source of autoreactive breast tumor-associated serum Abs described by other groups, some of which are associated with pathologic autoimmune states (45, 46). Future investigations are needed to investigate the identities of Ags reactive with TIL-B Abs and implications of ectopic germinal centers in breast cancer.


    Footnotes
 
1 This work was supported in part by the following grants (to J.A.C.): National Research Service Award Fellowship 5F32CA79115-04, National Institute on Aging Grant 1R03AG20314-01, a Case Cancer Fund research grant, and a Milheim Foundation research grant. Back

2 Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Julia A. Coronella, Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, 1515 North Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85724-5024. E-mail address: jcoronella{at}azcc.arizona.edu Back

3 Abbreviations used in this paper: TIL-B, tumor-infiltrating B cell; CDR, complementarity-determining region; CEA, carcinoembryonic Ag; EpCAM, epithelial cell adhesion molecule; FR, framework region; IDC, infiltrating ductal carcinoma; TIL, tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte; TMC, typical medullary carcinoma. Back

Received for publication March 20, 2002. Accepted for publication May 31, 2002.


    References
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 

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