HMGN2, a new anti-tumor effector molecule of CD8⁺ T cells

Cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL) and natural killer (NK) cells have been implicated as important cells in antitumor responses. Our previous research has shown that high mobility group nucleosomal-binding domain 2 (HMGN2) could be released by IL-2 and PHA stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and also induced tumor cells apoptosis at low doses. In this study, we isolated and cultured PBMCs and CD8⁺ T cells to analyze the expression and antitumor effects of HMGN2.

PBMCs from healthy donors were isolated using Human Lymphocyte Separation tube. CD8⁺ T cells were separated from the PBMCs using MoFlo XDP high-speed flow cytometry sorter. Activation of PBMCs and CD8⁺ T cells were achieved by stimulating with Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or tumor antigen. In addition, the methods of ELISA, intracellular staining, and fluorescence-labeling assays were used.

PHA induced PBMCs to release high levels of HMGN2, and CD8⁺ T cells was the major cell population in PBMCs that release HMGN2 after PHA activation. Tumor antigen-activated CD8⁺ T cells also released high levels of HMGN2. Supernatants of tumor antigen-activated CD8⁺ T cells were able to kill tumor cells in a dose-dependent manner. This antitumor effect could be significantly blocked by using an anti-HMGN2 antibody. Fluorescence-labeling assays showed that the supernatant proteins of activated CD8⁺ T cells could be transported into tumor cells, and the transport visibly decreased after HMGN2 was depleted by anti-HMGN2 antibody.

These results suggest that HMGN2 is an anti-tumor effector molecule of CD8⁺ T cells.