CD59 Blockade Enhances Antigen-Specific CD4+ T Cell Responses in Humans: A New Target for Cancer Immunotherapy?

CD59, a broadly expressed GPI-anchored molecule, regulates formation of the membrane attack complex of the complement cascade. We previously demonstrated that mouse CD59 also down-modulates CD4(+) T cell activity in vivo. In this study, we explored the role of CD59 on human CD4(+) T cells. Our data demonstrate that CD59 is up-regulated on activated CD4(+) 1 : cells and serves to down-modulate their activity in response to polyclonal and Ag- specific stimulation. The therapeutic potential of this finding was explored using T cells isolated from colorectal cancer patients. The findings were striking and indicated that blockade of CD59 significantly enhanced the CD4(+) T cell response to two different tumor Ags. These data highlight the potential for manipulating CD59 expression on T cells for boosting weak immune responses, such as those found in individuals with cancer. The Journal of Immunology, 2009, 182: 5203-5207.