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Li J, Vranjkovic A, Read D, Delaney SP, Stanford WL, Cooper CL, Crawley AM. Lasting differential gene expression of circulating CD8 T cells in chronic HCV infection with cirrhosis identifies a role for Hedgehog signaling in cellular hyperfunction. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1375485. [PMID: 38887299 PMCID: PMC11180750 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1375485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The impact of chronic hepatic infection on antigen non-specific immune cells in circulation remains poorly understood. We reported lasting global hyperfunction of peripheral CD8 T cells in HCV-infected individuals with cirrhosis. Whether gene expression patterns in bulk CD8 T cells are associated with the severity of liver fibrosis in HCV infection is not known. Methods RNA sequencing of blood CD8 T cells from treatment naïve, HCV-infected individuals with minimal (Metavir F0-1 ≤ 7.0 kPa) or advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis (F4 ≥ 12.5 kPa), before and after direct-acting antiviral therapy, was performed. CD8 T cell function was assessed by flow cytometry. Results In CD8 T cells from pre-DAA patients with advanced compared to minimal fibrosis, Gene Ontology analysis and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis identified differential gene expression related to cellular function and metabolism, including upregulated Hedgehog (Hh) signaling, IFN-α, -γ, TGF-β response genes, apoptosis, apical surface pathways, phospholipase signaling, phosphatidyl-choline/inositol activity, and second-messenger-mediated signaling. In contrast, genes in pathways associated with nuclear processes, RNA transport, cytoskeletal dynamics, cMyc/E2F regulation, oxidative phosphorylation, and mTOR signaling, were reduced. Hh signaling pathway was the top featured gene set upregulated in cirrhotics, wherein hallmark genes GLI1 and PTCH1 ranked highly. Inhibition of Smo-dependent Hh signaling ablated the expression of IFN-γ and perforin in stimulated CD8 T cells from chronic HCV-infected patients with advanced compared to minimal fibrosis. CD8 T cell gene expression profiles post-DAA remained clustered with pre-DAA profiles and disparately between advanced and minimal fibrosis, suggesting a persistent perturbation of gene expression long after viral clearance. Conclusions This analysis of bulk CD8 T cell gene expression in chronic HCV infection suggests considerable reprogramming of the CD8 T cell pool in the cirrhotic state. Increased Hh signaling in cirrhosis may contribute to generalized CD8 T cell hyperfunction observed in chronic HCV infection. Understanding the lasting nature of immune cell dysfunction may help mitigate remaining clinical challenges after HCV clearance and more generally, improve long term outcomes for individuals with severe liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiafeng Li
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Agatha Vranjkovic
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel Read
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Sean P. Delaney
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - William L. Stanford
- Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Curtis L. Cooper
- Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Division of Infectious Diseases, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Angela M. Crawley
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Biology and Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Bengtsson B, Maucourant C, Sandberg JK, Björkström NK, Hagström H. Evaluation of mucosal-associated invariant T-cells as a potential biomarker to predict infection risk in liver cirrhosis. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0294695. [PMID: 38691552 PMCID: PMC11062522 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Infection is a serious complication in patients with cirrhosis. Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are involved in the immune defense against infections and known to be impaired in several chronic conditions, including cirrhosis. Here, we evaluated if MAIT cell levels in peripheral blood are associated with risk of bacterial infections in patients with cirrhosis. METHODS Patients with cirrhosis seen at the Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, between 2016 and 2019 were included. Levels of MAIT cells in peripheral blood were determined using flow cytometry. Baseline and follow-up data after at least two years of follow-up were collected by chart review for the primary outcome (bacterial infection) and secondary outcomes (decompensation and death). Competing risk and Cox regression were performed. RESULTS We included 106 patients with cirrhosis. The median MAIT cells fraction in the circulation was 0.8% in cirrhosis compared to 6.1% in healthy controls. In contrast to our hypothesis, we found an association in the adjusted analysis between relatively preserved MAIT cell levels, and a slightly higher risk to develop bacterial infections (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio (aSHR) 1.15 (95%CI = 1.01-1.31). However, MAIT cell levels were not associated with the risk of hepatic decompensation (aSHR 1.19 (95%CI = 0.91-1.56)) nor with death (adjusted hazard ratio 1.10 (95%CI = 0.97-1.22)). CONCLUSIONS Relatively preserved MAIT cell levels in blood of patients with cirrhosis were associated with a somewhat higher risk of bacterial infections. The clinical relevance of this might not be strong. MAIT cells might however be an interesting biomarker to explore in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie Bengtsson
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden
- Unit of Gastroenterology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christopher Maucourant
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan K. Sandberg
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Niklas K. Björkström
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hannes Hagström
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden
- Unit of Gastroenterology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Waterhölter A, Wunderlich M, Turner JE. MAIT cells in immune-mediated tissue injury and repair. Eur J Immunol 2023; 53:e2350483. [PMID: 37740567 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202350483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are T cells that express a semi-invariant αβ T-cell receptor (TCR), recognizing non-peptide antigens, such as microbial-derived vitamin B2 metabolites, presented by the nonpolymorphic MHC class I related-1 molecule. Like NKT cells and γδT cells, MAIT cells belong to the group of innate-like T cells that combine properties of the innate and adaptive immune systems. They account for up to 10% of the blood T-cell population in humans and are particularly abundant at mucosal sites. Beyond the emerging role of MAIT cells in antibacterial and antiviral defenses, increasing evidence suggests additional functions in noninfectious settings, including immune-mediated inflammatory diseases and tissue repair. Here, we discuss recent advances in the understanding of MAIT cell functions in sterile tissue inflammation, with a particular focus on autoimmunity, chronic inflammatory diseases, and tissue repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Waterhölter
- III. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Hamburg Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Hamburg Center for Kidney Health (HCKH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Malte Wunderlich
- III. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Hamburg Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Hamburg Center for Kidney Health (HCKH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan-Eric Turner
- III. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Hamburg Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Hamburg Center for Kidney Health (HCKH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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Konecny AJ, Shows DM, Lord JD. Colonic mucosal associated invariant T cells in Crohn's disease have a diverse and non-public T cell receptor beta chain repertoire. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285918. [PMID: 37922286 PMCID: PMC10624325 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/05/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Mucosal-Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells are T cells with a semi-invariant T cell receptor (TCR), recognizing riboflavin precursors presented by a non-polymorphic MR1 molecule. As these precursors are produced by the gut microbiome, we characterized the frequency, phenotype and clonality of MAIT cells in human colons with and without Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS The transcriptome of MAIT cells sorted from blood and intestinal lamina propria cells from colectomy recipients were compared with other CD8+ T cells. Colon biopsies from an additional ten CD patients and ten healthy controls (HC) were analyzed by flow cytometry. TCR genes were sequenced from individual MAIT cells from these biopsies and compared with those of MAIT cells from autologous blood. RESULTS MAIT cells in the blood and colon showed a transcriptome distinct from other CD8 T cells, with more expression of the IL-23 receptor. MAIT cells were enriched in the colons of CD patients, with less NKG2D in inflamed versus uninflamed segments. Regardless of disease, most MAIT cells expressed integrin α4β7 in the colon but not in the blood, where they were enriched for α4β7 expression. TCR sequencing revealed heterogeneity in the colon and blood, with few public sequences associated with cohorts. CONCLUSION MAIT cells are enriched in the colons of CD patients and disproportionately express molecules (IL-23R, integrin α4β7) targeted by CD therapeutics, to suggest a pathogenic role for them in CD. Public TCR sequences were neither common nor sufficiently restricted to a cohort to suggest protective or pathogenic antigen-specificities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Konecny
- Benaroya Research Institute, Translational Research Program, Seattle, WA, United States of America
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Donna M. Shows
- Benaroya Research Institute, Translational Research Program, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - James D. Lord
- Benaroya Research Institute, Translational Research Program, Seattle, WA, United States of America
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Bi W, Kraft A, Engelskircher S, Mischke J, Witte M, Klawonn F, van Ham M, Cornberg M, Wedemeyer H, Hengst J, Jänsch L. Proteomics reveals a global phenotypic shift of NK cells in HCV patients treated with direct-acting antivirals. Eur J Immunol 2023; 53:e2250291. [PMID: 37515498 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202250291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections compromise natural killer (NK)-cell immunity. Direct-acting antivirals (DAA) effectively eliminate HCV, but the long-term effects on NK cells in cured patients are debated. We conducted a proteomic study on CD56+ NK cells of chronic HCV-infected patients before and 1 year after DAA therapy. Donor-variation was observed in NK-cell proteomes of HCV-infected patients, with 46 dysregulated proteins restored after DAA therapy. However, 30% of the CD56+ NK-cell proteome remained altered 1 year post-therapy, indicating a phenotypic shift with low donor-variation. NK cells from virus-negative cured patients exhibited global regulation of RNA-processing and pathways related to "stimuli response", "chemokine signaling", and "cytotoxicity regulation". Proteomics identified downregulation of vesicle transport components (CD107a, COPI/II complexes) and altered receptor expression profiles, indicating an inhibited NK-cell phenotype. Yet, activated NK cells from HCV patients before and after therapy effectively upregulated IFN-γ and recruited CD107a. Conversely, reduced surface expression levels of Tim-3 and 2B4 were observed before and after therapy. In conclusion, this study reveals long-term effects on the CD56+ NK-cell compartment in convalescent HCV patients 1 year after therapy, with limited abundance of vesicle transport complexes and surface receptors, associated with a responsive NK-cell phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Bi
- Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity of Shandong Province & Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, P. R. China
- Cellular Proteome Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Anke Kraft
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
- Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), A Joint Venture Between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, Germany
- TWINCORE, A Joint Venture Between the Helmholtz-Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Sophie Engelskircher
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
- Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), A Joint Venture Between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Jasmin Mischke
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
- Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), A Joint Venture Between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, Germany
- TWINCORE, A Joint Venture Between the Helmholtz-Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Moana Witte
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
- Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), A Joint Venture Between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Frank Klawonn
- Cellular Proteome Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
- Department of Computer Science, Ostfalia University, Wolfenbüttel, Germany
| | - Marco van Ham
- Cellular Proteome Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Markus Cornberg
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
- Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), A Joint Venture Between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, Germany
- TWINCORE, A Joint Venture Between the Helmholtz-Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), A Joint Venture Between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Resolving Infection Susceptibility (RESIST; EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Julia Hengst
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Lothar Jänsch
- Cellular Proteome Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
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Sandberg JK, Leeansyah E, Eller MA, Shacklett BL, Paquin-Proulx D. The Emerging Role of MAIT Cell Responses in Viral Infections. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2023; 211:511-517. [PMID: 37549397 PMCID: PMC10421619 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are unconventional T cells with innate-like antimicrobial responsiveness. MAIT cells are known for MR1 (MHC class I-related protein 1)-restricted recognition of microbial riboflavin metabolites giving them the capacity to respond to a broad range of microbes. However, recent progress has shown that MAIT cells can also respond to several viral infections in humans and in mouse models, ranging from HIV-1 and hepatitis viruses to influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2, in a primarily cognate Ag-independent manner. Depending on the disease context MAIT cells can provide direct or indirect antiviral protection for the host and may help recruit other immune cells, but they may also in some circumstances amplify inflammation and aggravate immunopathology. Furthermore, chronic viral infections are associated with varying degrees of functional and numerical MAIT cell impairment, suggesting secondary consequences for host defense. In this review, we summarize recent progress and highlight outstanding questions regarding the emerging role of MAIT cells in antiviral immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan K. Sandberg
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Edwin Leeansyah
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
- Precision Medicine and Healthcare Research Centre, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Michael A. Eller
- Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Barbara L. Shacklett
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Dominic Paquin-Proulx
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD
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Cornberg M, Mischke J, Kraft AR, Wedemeyer H. Immunological scars after cure of hepatitis C virus infection: Long-HepC? Curr Opin Immunol 2023; 82:102324. [PMID: 37043890 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2023.102324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection provides a unique opportunity to study the effects of spontaneous or treatment-induced viral elimination on the human immune system. Twenty to 50% of patients with acute HCV infection spontaneously clear the virus, which is related to the quality of the individual's immune response, while the chronic infection is associated with an altered and impaired immune response. Direct-acting antiviral agents are now available that provide sustained viral elimination in more than 95% of patients with chronic HCV infection. Viral elimination leads to a decrease in disease sequelae such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and extrahepatic manifestations also improve. However, some patients may still experience long-term complications, and viral elimination does not protect against HCV reinfection. This review addresses the question of whether the altered and impaired immune response caused by HCV normalizes after viral elimination and if this may affect the long-term clinical course after HCV cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Cornberg
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany; Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany; TWINCORE, a joint venture between the Helmholtz-Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany; Cluster of Excellence Resolving Infection Susceptibility (RESIST; EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Jasmin Mischke
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany; Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany; TWINCORE, a joint venture between the Helmholtz-Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany; Cluster of Excellence Resolving Infection Susceptibility (RESIST; EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Anke Rm Kraft
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany; Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany; TWINCORE, a joint venture between the Helmholtz-Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany; Cluster of Excellence Resolving Infection Susceptibility (RESIST; EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany; Cluster of Excellence Resolving Infection Susceptibility (RESIST; EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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8
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Lopez-Scarim J, Nambiar SM, Billerbeck E. Studying T Cell Responses to Hepatotropic Viruses in the Liver Microenvironment. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:681. [PMID: 36992265 PMCID: PMC10056334 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11030681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
T cells play an important role in the clearance of hepatotropic viruses but may also cause liver injury and contribute to disease progression in chronic hepatitis B and C virus infections which affect millions of people worldwide. The liver provides a unique microenvironment of immunological tolerance and hepatic immune regulation can modulate the functional properties of T cell subsets and influence the outcome of a virus infection. Extensive research over the last years has advanced our understanding of hepatic conventional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and unconventional T cell subsets and their functions in the liver environment during acute and chronic viral infections. The recent development of new small animal models and technological advances should further increase our knowledge of hepatic immunological mechanisms. Here we provide an overview of the existing models to study hepatic T cells and review the current knowledge about the distinct roles of heterogeneous T cell populations during acute and chronic viral hepatitis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Eva Billerbeck
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Medicine and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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9
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Papanastasatou M, Verykokakis M. Innate-like T lymphocytes in chronic liver disease. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1114605. [PMID: 37006304 PMCID: PMC10050337 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1114605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In addition to its metabolic activities, it is now clear that the liver hosts a number of diverse immune cell types that control tissue homeostasis. Foremost among these are innate-like T lymphocytes, including natural killer T (NKT) and mucosal-associated innate T (MAIT) cells, which are a population of specialized T cells with innate characteristics that express semi-invariant T cell receptors with non-peptide antigen specificity. As primary liver residents, innate-like T cells have been associated with immune tolerance in the liver, but also with a number of hepatic diseases. Here, we focus on the biology of NKT and MAIT cells and how they operate during the course of chronic inflammatory diseases that eventually lead to hepatocellular carcinoma.
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10
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Jabeen MF, Hinks TSC. MAIT cells and the microbiome. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1127588. [PMID: 36911683 PMCID: PMC9995591 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1127588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are innate-like T lymphocytes, strikingly enriched at mucosal surfaces and characterized by a semi-invariant αβ T cell receptor (TCR) recognizing microbial derived intermediates of riboflavin synthesis presented by the MHC-Ib molecule MR1. At barrier sites MAIT cells occupy a prime position for interaction with commensal microorganisms, comprising the microbiota. The microbiota is a rich source of riboflavin derived antigens required in early life to promote intra-thymic MAIT cell development and sustain a life-long population of tissue resident cells. A symbiotic relationship is thought to be maintained in health whereby microbes promote maturation and homeostasis, and in turn MAIT cells can engage a TCR-dependent "tissue repair" program in the presence of commensal organisms conducive to sustaining barrier function and integrity of the microbial community. MAIT cell activation can be induced in a MR1-TCR dependent manner or through MR1-TCR independent mechanisms via pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-12/-15/-18 and type I interferon. MAIT cells provide immunity against bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens. However, MAIT cells may have deleterious effects through insufficient or exacerbated effector activity and have been implicated in autoimmune, inflammatory and allergic conditions in which microbial dysbiosis is a shared feature. In this review we summarize the current knowledge on the role of the microbiota in the development and maintenance of circulating and tissue resident MAIT cells. We also explore how microbial dysbiosis, alongside changes in intestinal permeability and imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory components of the immune response are together involved in the potential pathogenicity of MAIT cells. Whilst there have been significant improvements in our understanding of how the microbiota shapes MAIT cell function, human data are relatively lacking, and it remains unknown if MAIT cells can conversely influence the composition of the microbiota. We speculate whether, in a human population, differences in microbiomes might account for the heterogeneity observed in MAIT cell frequency across mucosal sites or between individuals, and response to therapies targeting T cells. Moreover, we speculate whether manipulation of the microbiota, or harnessing MAIT cell ligands within the gut or disease-specific sites could offer novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maisha F. Jabeen
- Respiratory Medicine Unit, Experimental Medicine Division, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy S. C. Hinks
- Respiratory Medicine Unit, Experimental Medicine Division, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Ashley CL, McSharry BP, McWilliam HEG, Stanton RJ, Fielding CA, Mathias RA, Fairlie DP, McCluskey J, Villadangos JA, Rossjohn J, Abendroth A, Slobedman B. Suppression of MR1 by human cytomegalovirus inhibits MAIT cell activation. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1107497. [PMID: 36845106 PMCID: PMC9950634 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1107497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The antigen presentation molecule MHC class I related protein-1 (MR1) is best characterized by its ability to present bacterially derived metabolites of vitamin B2 biosynthesis to mucosal-associated invariant T-cells (MAIT cells). Methods Through in vitro human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection in the presence of MR1 ligand we investigate the modulation of MR1 expression. Using coimmunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry, expression by recombinant adenovirus and HCMV deletion mutants we investigate HCMV gpUS9 and its family members as potential regulators of MR1 expression. The functional consequences of MR1 modulation by HCMV infection are explored in coculture activation assays with either Jurkat cells engineered to express the MAIT cell TCR or primary MAIT cells. MR1 dependence in these activation assays is established by addition of MR1 neutralizing antibody and CRISPR/Cas-9 mediated MR1 knockout. Results Here we demonstrate that HCMV infection efficiently suppresses MR1 surface expression and reduces total MR1 protein levels. Expression of the viral glycoprotein gpUS9 in isolation could reduce both cell surface and total MR1 levels, with analysis of a specific US9 HCMV deletion mutant suggesting that the virus can target MR1 using multiple mechanisms. Functional assays with primary MAIT cells demonstrated the ability of HCMV infection to inhibit bacterially driven, MR1-dependent activation using both neutralizing antibodies and engineered MR1 knockout cells. Discussion This study identifies a strategy encoded by HCMV to disrupt the MR1:MAIT cell axis. This immune axis is less well characterized in the context of viral infection. HCMV encodes hundreds of proteins, some of which regulate the expression of antigen presentation molecules. However the ability of this virus to regulate the MR1:MAIT TCR axis has not been studied in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline L. Ashley
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, and the Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Brian P. McSharry
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, and the Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Dentistry and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Health, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia
| | - Hamish E. G. McWilliam
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular Science and Biotechnology (Bio21), The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Richard J. Stanton
- Division of Infection & Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Ceri A. Fielding
- Division of Infection & Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Rommel A. Mathias
- Infection and Immunity Program, Department of Microbiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Infection and Immunity Program, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David P. Fairlie
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - James McCluskey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jose A. Villadangos
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular Science and Biotechnology (Bio21), The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jamie Rossjohn
- Division of Infection & Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- Infection and Immunity Program, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Allison Abendroth
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, and the Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Barry Slobedman
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, and the Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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12
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Treiner E. Mucosal-associated invariant T cells in hematological malignancies: Current knowledge, pending questions. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1160943. [PMID: 37020559 PMCID: PMC10067713 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1160943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-classical HLA restricted T cell subsets such as γδ T and NK-T cells are showing promises for immune-based therapy of hematological malignancies. Mucosal-Associated Invariant T cells (MAIT) belong to this family of innate-like T cell subsets and are the focus of many studies on infectious diseases, owing to their unusual recognition of bacterial/fungal metabolites. Their ability to produce type 1 cytokines (IFNγ, TNFα) as well as cytotoxic effector molecules endows them with potential anti-tumor functions. However, their contribution to tumor surveillance in solid cancers is unclear, and only few studies have specifically focused on MAIT cells in blood cancers. In this review, we wish to recapitulate our current knowledge on MAIT cells biology in hematological neoplasms, at diagnosis and/or during treatment, as well as tentative approaches to target them as therapeutic tools. We also wish to take this opportunity to briefly elaborate on what we think are important question to address in this field, as well as potential limitations to overcome in order to make MAIT cells the basis of future, novel therapies for hematological cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Treiner
- Infinity, Inserm UMR1291, Toulouse, France
- University Toulouse 3, Toulouse, France
- Laboratory of Immunology, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France
- *Correspondence: Emmanuel Treiner,
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13
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Zhang H, Shen H, Zhou L, Xie L, Kong D, Wang H. Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells in the Digestive System: Defender or Destroyer? Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 15:809-819. [PMID: 36584816 PMCID: PMC9971522 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2022.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are a subset of innate T lymphocytes that express the semi-invariant T cell receptor and recognize riboflavin metabolites via the major histocompatibility complex class I-related protein. Given the abundance of MAIT cells in the human body, their role in human diseases has been increasingly studied in recent years. MAIT cells may serve as targets for clinical therapy. Specifically, this review discusses how MAIT cells are altered in gastric, esophageal, intestinal, and hepatobiliary diseases and describes their protective or pathogenic roles. A greater understanding of MAIT cells will provide a more favorable therapeutic approach for digestive diseases in the clinical field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hejiao Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Haiyuan Shen
- Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Liangliang Zhou
- Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Linxi Xie
- School of Basic Medical Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Derun Kong
- Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
| | - Hua Wang
- Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
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14
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Yang Zhou J. Innate immunity and early liver inflammation. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1175147. [PMID: 37205101 PMCID: PMC10187146 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1175147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The innate system constitutes a first-line defence mechanism against pathogens. 80% of the blood supply entering the human liver arrives from the splanchnic circulation through the portal vein, so it is constantly exposed to immunologically active substances and pathogens from the gastrointestinal tract. Rapid neutralization of pathogens and toxins is an essential function of the liver, but so too is avoidance of harmful and unnecessary immune reactions. This delicate balance of reactivity and tolerance is orchestrated by a diverse repertoire of hepatic immune cells. In particular, the human liver is enriched in many innate immune cell subsets, including Kupffer cells (KCs), innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) like Natural Killer (NK) cells and ILC-like unconventional T cells - namely Natural Killer T cells (NKT), γδ T cells and Mucosal-associated Invariant T cells (MAIT). These cells reside in the liver in a memory-effector state, so they respond quickly to trigger appropriate responses. The contribution of aberrant innate immunity to inflammatory liver diseases is now being better understood. In particular, we are beginning to understand how specific innate immune subsets trigger chronic liver inflammation, which ultimately results in hepatic fibrosis. In this review, we consider the roles of specific innate immune cell subsets in early inflammation in human liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Yang Zhou
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Regensburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Jordi Yang Zhou,
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15
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LeBlanc G, Kreissl F, Melamed J, Sobel AL, Constantinides MG. The role of unconventional T cells in maintaining tissue homeostasis. Semin Immunol 2022; 61-64:101656. [PMID: 36306662 PMCID: PMC9828956 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2022.101656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle LeBlanc
- Department of Immunology & Microbiology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA,These authors contributed equally
| | - Felix Kreissl
- Department of Immunology & Microbiology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA,These authors contributed equally
| | - Jonathan Melamed
- Department of Immunology & Microbiology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA,These authors contributed equally
| | - Adam L. Sobel
- Department of Immunology & Microbiology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA,These authors contributed equally
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16
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Hackstein CP, Klenerman P. Emerging features of MAIT cells and other unconventional T cell populations in human viral disease and vaccination. Semin Immunol 2022; 61-64:101661. [PMID: 36374780 PMCID: PMC10933818 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2022.101661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
MAIT cells are one representative of a group of related unconventional or pre-set T cells, and are particularly abundant in humans. While these unconventional T cell types, which also include populations of Vδ2 cells and iNKT cells, recognise quite distinct ligands, they share functional features including the ability to sense "danger" by integration of cytokine signals. Since such signals are common to many human pathologies, activation of MAIT cells in particular has been widely observed. In this review we will discuss recent trends in these data, for example the findings from patients with Covid-19 and responses to novel vaccines. Covid-19 is an example where MAIT cell activation has been correlated with disease severity by several groups, and the pathways leading to activation are being clarified, but the overall role of the cells in vivo requires further exploration. Given the potential wide functional responsiveness of these cells, which ranges from tissue repair to cytotoxicity, and likely impacts on the activity of many other cell populations, defining the role of these cells - not only as sensitive biomarkers but also as mediators - across human disease remains an important task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl-Philipp Hackstein
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, Nuffield Dept of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK; Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Nuffield Dept of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Paul Klenerman
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, Nuffield Dept of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK; Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Nuffield Dept of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.
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17
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Cheng TC, Xue H, Li H, Liu YC, Tian LJ, Bian ZL, Chen FS. MAIT cells predict long-term prognosis in liver failure patients. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e29809. [PMID: 36042623 PMCID: PMC9410595 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000029809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver failure (LF) is a life-threatening clinical syndrome characterized by intense systemic inflammation and organ failure(s), leading to a high mortality rate. The pathogenesis of LF is multifactorial, immune response, and gut bacterial translocation are thought to be major contributing factors. Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells play a critical role in immune response and gut bacterial translocation. We aimed to investigate changes of the MAIT cell ratio in patients with LF and to explore the predictive value for long-term prognosis in patients with LF. MATERIAL AND METHOD We recruited 75 patients with LF from Nantong Third People's Hospital, isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and detected the proportion of circulating MAIT cells by flow cytometry. Statistical analyses were performed using the GraphPad Prism software. RESULTS Our data showed that the proportion of MAIT cells alterations was independent of the cause of viral infection in patients with LF. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that LF patients with low level of MAIT cells had poor long-term prognosis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the MAIT cell proportion was larger than that of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score. More importantly, the combination of MAIT cell proportion and MELD score had a better effect in predicting long-term prognosis of LF patients than any single index (AUC = 0.91, 95% CI:0.84-0.97), and multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the circulating MAIT cell proportion was an independent risk factor for LF. CONCLUSION The proportion of MAIT cells in PBMC is an outstanding predictor for the long-term prognosis in patients with LF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiao-Chun Cheng
- Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Hong Xue
- Department of Liver Diseases, Nantong Third People’s Hospital, Nantong University, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Han Li
- Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yi-Cun Liu
- Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Li-Jun Tian
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Nantong Third People’s Hospital, Nantong University, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhao-Lian Bian
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nantong Third People’s Hospital, Nantong University, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu Province, China
- *Correspondence: Zhao-Lian Bian, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nantong Third People’s Hospital, Nantong University, 60 Middle Qingnian Road, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu Province, China (e-mail: )
| | - Feng-Song Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Haimen People’s Hospital, Nantong 226100, Jiangsu Province, China
- *Correspondence: Zhao-Lian Bian, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nantong Third People’s Hospital, Nantong University, 60 Middle Qingnian Road, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu Province, China (e-mail: )
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18
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Posseme C, Llibre A, Charbit B, Bondet V, Rouilly V, Saint-André V, Boussier J, Bergstedt J, Smith N, Townsend L, Sugrue JA, Ní Cheallaigh C, Conlon N, Rotival M, Kobor MS, Mottez E, Pol S, Patin E, Albert ML, Quintana-Murci L, Duffy D. Early IFNβ secretion determines variable downstream IL-12p70 responses upon TLR4 activation. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110989. [PMID: 35767946 PMCID: PMC9237956 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The interleukin-12 (IL-12) family comprises the only heterodimeric cytokines mediating diverse functional effects. We previously reported a striking bimodal IL-12p70 response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation in healthy donors. Herein, we demonstrate that interferon β (IFNβ) is a major upstream determinant of IL-12p70 production, which is also associated with numbers and activation of circulating monocytes. Integrative modeling of proteomic, genetic, epigenomic, and cellular data confirms IFNβ as key for LPS-induced IL-12p70 and allowed us to compare the relative effects of each of these parameters on variable cytokine responses. Clinical relevance of our findings is supported by reduced IFNβ-IL-12p70 responses in patients hospitalized with acute severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection or chronically infected with hepatitis C (HCV). Importantly, these responses are resolved after viral clearance. Our systems immunology approach defines a better understanding of IL-12p70 and IFNβ in healthy and infected persons, providing insights into how common genetic and epigenetic variation may impact immune responses to bacterial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celine Posseme
- Translational Immunology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France; Frontiers of Innovation in Research and Education PhD Program, CRI Doctoral School, Paris, France
| | - Alba Llibre
- Translational Immunology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Bruno Charbit
- Cytometry and Biomarkers UTechS, CRT, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Vincent Bondet
- Translational Immunology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
| | | | - Violaine Saint-André
- Translational Immunology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France; Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Jeremy Boussier
- Translational Immunology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Jacob Bergstedt
- Human Evolutionary Genetics Unit, CNRS, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, UMR2000, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Nikaïa Smith
- Translational Immunology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Liam Townsend
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jamie A Sugrue
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Clíona Ní Cheallaigh
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Niall Conlon
- Department of Immunology, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Maxime Rotival
- Human Evolutionary Genetics Unit, CNRS, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, UMR2000, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Department of Medical Genetics, Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia/British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Estelle Mottez
- Cytometry and Biomarkers UTechS, CRT, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Stanislas Pol
- Hepatology Unit, Hôpital Cochin, AP-HP, 27, rue du Fg Saint-Jacques, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Etienne Patin
- Human Evolutionary Genetics Unit, CNRS, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, UMR2000, 75015 Paris, France
| | | | - Lluis Quintana-Murci
- Human Evolutionary Genetics Unit, CNRS, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, UMR2000, 75015 Paris, France; Human Genomics and Evolution, Collège de France, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Darragh Duffy
- Translational Immunology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France; Cytometry and Biomarkers UTechS, CRT, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France.
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19
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Mehta H, Lett MJ, Klenerman P, Filipowicz Sinnreich M. MAIT cells in liver inflammation and fibrosis. Semin Immunopathol 2022; 44:429-444. [PMID: 35641678 PMCID: PMC9256577 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-022-00949-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T cells or MAIT cells are an abundant cell type in humans and especially so in the liver. MAIT cells are a subset of T lymphocytes that sit at a bridge between innate and adaptive immunity, so-called innate-like or "unconventional" T cells. The specificity of their antigen receptor (T cell receptor or TCR) is for the conserved major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-related molecule MR1, which presents a modified bacterial metabolite from the vitamin B2 biosynthesis pathway - this allows them to respond in the presence of many bacteria or yeast. MAIT cells also possess an array of cytokine receptors, which allows triggering independently of the TCR. The combination of such signals drives their functionality - this means they can respond to a range of stimuli and likely play a role not only in infection or inflammation, but also under homeostatic conditions.In this review, we will look at the question of what MAIT cells are doing in the normal liver and how they behave in the setting of disease. These questions are of relevance because MAIT cells are such a distinctive cell type enriched in the liver under normal conditions, and their modulation could be of therapeutic benefit. The recent discovery that they appear to be involved in liver fibrosis is particularly of interest in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hema Mehta
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford, OX1 3SY, UK
| | - Martin Joseph Lett
- Liver Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Paul Klenerman
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford, OX1 3SY, UK.
- Translational Gastroenterology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
| | - Magdalena Filipowicz Sinnreich
- Liver Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Basel University Medical Clinic, Cantonal Hospital Baselland, Liestal, Switzerland
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20
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Immunoprofiling reveals cell subsets associated with the trajectory of cytomegalovirus reactivation post stem cell transplantation. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2603. [PMID: 35546552 PMCID: PMC9095831 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29943-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus reactivation is a major opportunistic infection after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and has a complex relationship with post-transplant immune reconstitution. Here, we use mass cytometry to define patterns of innate and adaptive immune cell reconstitution at key phases of human cytomegalovirus reactivation in the first 100 days post haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Human cytomegalovirus reactivation is associated with the development of activated, memory T-cell profiles, with faster effector-memory CD4+ T-cell recovery in patients with low-level versus high-level human cytomegalovirus DNAemia. Mucosal-associated invariant T cell levels at the initial detection of human cytomegalovirus DNAemia are significantly lower in patients who subsequently develop high-level versus low-level human cytomegalovirus reactivation. Our data describe distinct immune signatures that emerged with human cytomegalovirus reactivation after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and highlight Mucosal-associated invariant T cell levels at the first detection of reactivation as a marker that may be useful to anticipate the magnitude of human cytomegalovirus DNAemia. Human cytomegalovirus is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in transplant patients and multiple immune cells types are critical during infection and reactivation. Here the authors assess the immune cell compartments of haematopoietic stem cell recipients in the early period post transplantation and identify key features of effector memory CD4+ T cells and mucosal associated invariant T cells in this context.
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21
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Haliloglu Y, Ozcan A, Erdem S, Azizoglu ZB, Bicer A, Ozarslan OY, Kilic O, Okus FZ, Demir F, Canatan H, Karakukcu M, Uludag SZ, Kutuk MS, Unal E, Eken A. Characterization of cord blood CD3 + TCRVα7.2 + CD161 high T and innate lymphoid cells in the pregnancies with gestational diabetes, morbidly adherent placenta, and pregnancy hypertension diseases. Am J Reprod Immunol 2022; 88:e13555. [PMID: 35452164 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Although pregnant women with gestational diabetes (GD), morbidly adherent placenta (MAP), and pregnancy hypertension (pHT) diseases lead to intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), little is known about their effect on mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) and innate lymphoid cells (ILC) in the umbilical cord. This study aimed to quantify and characterize MAIT cells and ILCs in the cord blood of pregnant women with GD, MAP, and pHT diseases. METHOD OF STUDY Cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMCs) were isolated by Ficoll-Paque gradient. CD3+ TCRVα7.2+ CD161high cells and ILC subsets were quantified by flow cytometry. CBMCs were stimulated with PMA/Ionomycin and Golgi Plug for 4 h and stained for IFN-γ, TNF-α, and granzyme B. The stained cells were analyzed on FACS ARIA III. RESULTS Compared with healthy pregnancies, in the cord blood of the pHT group, elevated number of lymphocytes was observed. Moreover, the absolute number of IFN-γ producing CD4+ or CD4- subsets of CD3+ TCRVα7.2+ CD161high cells as well as those producing granzyme B were significantly elevated in the pHT group compared to healthy controls suggesting increased MAIT cell activity in the pHT cord blood. Similarly, in the MAP group, the absolute number of total CD3+ TCRVα7.2+ CD161high cells, but not individual CD4+ or negative subsets, were significantly increased compared with healthy controls' cord blood. Absolute numbers of total CD3+ TCRVα7.2+ CD161high cells and their subsets were comparable in the cord blood of the GD group compared with healthy controls. Finally, the absolute number of total ILCs and ILC3 subset were significantly elevated in only pHT cord blood compared with healthy controls. Our data also reveal that IFN-γ+ or granzyme B+ cell numbers negatively correlated with fetal birth weight. CONCLUSIONS CD3+ TCRVα7.2+ CD161high cells and ILCs show unique expansion and activity in the cord blood of pregnant women with distinct diseases causing IUGR and may play roles in fetal growth restriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yesim Haliloglu
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.,Betül-Ziya Eren Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Alper Ozcan
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Serife Erdem
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.,Betül-Ziya Eren Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Zehra Busra Azizoglu
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.,Betül-Ziya Eren Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Ayten Bicer
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.,Betül-Ziya Eren Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Ozcan Yeniay Ozarslan
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.,Betül-Ziya Eren Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Omer Kilic
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.,Betül-Ziya Eren Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Fatma Zehra Okus
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.,Betül-Ziya Eren Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Fatma Demir
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.,Betül-Ziya Eren Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Halit Canatan
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.,Betül-Ziya Eren Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Musa Karakukcu
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Semih Zeki Uludag
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - M Serdar Kutuk
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Bezmi Alem University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ekrem Unal
- Betül-Ziya Eren Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Kayseri, Turkey.,Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.,Department of Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine, Health Science Institution, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Eken
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.,Betül-Ziya Eren Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Kayseri, Turkey
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22
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Wu X, Roberto JB, Knupp A, Greninger AL, Truong CD, Hollingshead N, Kenerson HL, Tuefferd M, Chen A, Koelle DM, Horton H, Jerome KR, Polyak SJ, Yeung RS, Crispe IN. Response of Human Liver Tissue to Innate Immune Stimuli. Front Immunol 2022; 13:811551. [PMID: 35355993 PMCID: PMC8959492 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.811551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Precision-cut human liver slice cultures (PCLS) have become an important alternative immunological platform in preclinical testing. To further evaluate the capacity of PCLS, we investigated the innate immune response to TLR3 agonist (poly-I:C) and TLR4 agonist (LPS) using normal and diseased liver tissue. Pathological liver tissue was obtained from patients with active chronic HCV infection, and patients with former chronic HCV infection cured by recent Direct-Acting Antiviral (DAA) drug therapy. We found that hepatic innate immunity in response to TLR3 and TLR4 agonists was not suppressed but enhanced in the HCV-infected tissue, compared with the healthy controls. Furthermore, despite recent HCV elimination, DAA-cured liver tissue manifested ongoing abnormalities in liver immunity: sustained abnormal immune gene expression in DAA-cured samples was identified in direct ex vivo measurements and in TLR3 and TLR4 stimulation assays. Genes that were up-regulated in chronic HCV-infected liver tissue were mostly characteristic of the non-parenchymal cell compartment. These results demonstrated the utility of PCLS in studying both liver pathology and innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Jessica B Roberto
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Allison Knupp
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Alexander L Greninger
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Camtu D Truong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Nicole Hollingshead
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Heidi L Kenerson
- Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Marianne Tuefferd
- Infectious Diseases and Vaccines, Janssen Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Antony Chen
- Infectious Diseases and Vaccines, Janssen Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - David M Koelle
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States.,Department of Translational Research, Benaroya Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States.,Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Helen Horton
- Infectious Diseases and Vaccines, Janssen Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Keith R Jerome
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Stephen J Polyak
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Raymond S Yeung
- Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Ian N Crispe
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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23
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Vorkas CK, Krishna C, Li K, Aubé J, Fitzgerald DW, Mazutis L, Leslie CS, Glickman MS. Single-Cell Transcriptional Profiling Reveals Signatures of Helper, Effector, and Regulatory MAIT Cells during Homeostasis and Activation. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2022; 208:1042-1056. [PMID: 35149530 PMCID: PMC9012082 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2100522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are innate-like lymphocytes that recognize microbial vitamin B metabolites and have emerging roles in infectious disease, autoimmunity, and cancer. Although MAIT cells are identified by a semi-invariant TCR, their phenotypic and functional heterogeneity is not well understood. Here we present an integrated single cell transcriptomic analysis of over 76,000 human MAIT cells during early and prolonged Ag-specific activation with the MR1 ligand 5-OP-RU and nonspecific TCR stimulation. We show that MAIT cells span a broad range of homeostatic, effector, helper, tissue-infiltrating, regulatory, and exhausted phenotypes, with distinct gene expression programs associated with CD4+ or CD8+ coexpression. During early activation, MAIT cells rapidly adopt a cytotoxic phenotype characterized by high expression of GZMB, IFNG and TNF In contrast, prolonged stimulation induces heterogeneous states defined by proliferation, cytotoxicity, immune modulation, and exhaustion. We further demonstrate a FOXP3 expressing MAIT cell subset that phenotypically resembles conventional regulatory T cells. Moreover, scRNAseq-defined MAIT cell subpopulations were also detected in individuals recently exposed to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, confirming their presence during human infection. To our knowledge, our study provides the first comprehensive atlas of human MAIT cells in activation conditions and defines substantial functional heterogeneity, suggesting complex roles in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Kyriakos Vorkas
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY;,Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Chirag Krishna
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Kelin Li
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Jeffrey Aubé
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Daniel W. Fitzgerald
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY;,Center for Global Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY
| | - Linas Mazutis
- Single Cell Research Initiative, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; and
| | - Christina S. Leslie
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Michael S. Glickman
- Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY;,Division of Infectious Diseases, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
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24
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Mucosal immunity in primary sclerosing cholangitis: from the bowel to bile ducts and back again. Curr Opin Gastroenterol 2022; 38:104-113. [PMID: 35034083 DOI: 10.1097/mog.0000000000000809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW In this article, we provide a contemporary overview on PSC pathogenesis, with a specific focus on the role of mucosal immunity. RECENT FINDINGS The extent of enteric dysbiosis in PSC has been extensively quantified, with evidence of reduced bacterial diversity and enrichment of species capable of driving lymphocyte recruitment from the gut to the liver. Integrative pathway-based analysis and metagenomic sequencing indicate a reduction in butyrate-producing species, near absence of bacteria that activate the nuclear bile acid receptor FXR, and depletion of species that regulate the synthesis of vitamin B6 and branched-chain amino acids. Immunotyping of the cellular inflammatory infiltrate has identified a population of intrahepatic naive T cells, with tendency to acquire a Th17 polarisation state, paralleled by heightened responses to pathogen stimulation. Moreover, the search for antigen specificity has revealed the presence of overlapping nucleotide clonotypes across the gut and liver, highlighting the ability to recognize a common pool of epitopes bearing structural similarities across afflicted sites. SUMMARY Understanding the complex mechanisms that underpin mucosal immune responses between the liver and gut will help identify new druggable targets in PSC, centring on gut microbial manipulation, bile acid therapies, and restoration of immune homeostasis.
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25
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Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in innate immune responses to viral infections. Here, we review recent insights into the role of NK cells in viral infections, with particular emphasis on human studies. We first discuss NK cells in the context of acute viral infections, with flavivirus and influenza virus infections as examples. Questions related to activation of NK cells, homing to infected tissues and the role of tissue-resident NK cells in acute viral infections are also addressed. Next, we discuss NK cells in the context of chronic viral infections with hepatitis C virus and HIV-1. Also covered is the role of adaptive-like NK cell expansions as well as the appearance of CD56- NK cells in the course of chronic infection. Specific emphasis is then placed in viral infections in patients with primary immunodeficiencies affecting NK cells. Not least, studies in this area have revealed an important role for NK cells in controlling several herpesvirus infections. Finally, we address new data with respect to the activation of NK cells and NK cell function in humans infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) giving rise to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas K Björkström
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Benedikt Strunz
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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26
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Ishikawa Y, Yamada M, Wada N, Takahashi E, Imadome KI. Mucosal-associated invariant T cells are activated in an interleukin-18-dependent manner in Epstein-Barr virus-associated T/natural killer cell lymphoproliferative diseases. Clin Exp Immunol 2022; 207:141-148. [PMID: 35380609 PMCID: PMC8982962 DOI: 10.1093/cei/uxab004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are a type of innate immune cells that protect against some infections. However, the involvement of MAIT cells in Epstein-Barr virus-associated T/natural killer cell lymphoproliferative diseases (EBV-T/NK-LPD) is unclear. In this study, we found that MAIT cells were highly activated in the blood of patients with EBV-T/NK-LPD. MAIT cell activation levels correlated with disease severity and plasma IL-18 levels. Stimulation of healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells with EBV resulted in activation of MAIT cells, and this activation level was enhanced by exogenous IL-18. MAIT cells stimulated by IL-18 might thus be involved in the immunopathogenesis of EBV-T/NK-LPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuriko Ishikawa
- Department of Advanced Medicine for Viral Infections, National Center for Child Health and Development (NCCHD), Tokyo, Japan
- Correspondence: Yuriko Ishikawa, Department of Advanced Medicine for Infections, National Center for Child Health and Development (NCCHD), Tokyo, 157–8535, Japan.
| | - Masaki Yamada
- Department of Advanced Medicine for Viral Infections, National Center for Child Health and Development (NCCHD), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naomi Wada
- Department of Advanced Medicine for Viral Infections, National Center for Child Health and Development (NCCHD), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Etsuko Takahashi
- Department of Advanced Medicine for Viral Infections, National Center for Child Health and Development (NCCHD), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Imadome
- Department of Advanced Medicine for Viral Infections, National Center for Child Health and Development (NCCHD), Tokyo, Japan
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27
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Phetsouphanh C, Phalora P, Hackstein CP, Thornhill J, Munier CML, Meyerowitz J, Murray L, VanVuuren C, Goedhals D, Drexhage L, Russell RA, Sattentau QJ, Mak JYW, Fairlie DP, Fidler S, Kelleher AD, Frater J, Klenerman P. Human MAIT cells respond to and suppress HIV-1. eLife 2021; 10:e50324. [PMID: 34951583 PMCID: PMC8752121 DOI: 10.7554/elife.50324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human MAIT cells sit at the interface between innate and adaptive immunity, are polyfunctional and are capable of killing pathogen infected cells via recognition of the Class IB molecule MR1. MAIT cells have recently been shown to possess an antiviral protective role in vivo and we therefore sought to explore this in relation to HIV-1 infection. There was marked activation of MAIT cells in vivo in HIV-1-infected individuals, which decreased following ART. Stimulation of THP1 monocytes with R5 tropic HIVBAL potently activated MAIT cells in vitro. This activation was dependent on IL-12 and IL-18 but was independent of the TCR. Upon activation, MAIT cells were able to upregulate granzyme B, IFNγ and HIV-1 restriction factors CCL3, 4, and 5. Restriction factors produced by MAIT cells inhibited HIV-1 infection of primary PBMCs and immortalized target cells in vitro. These data reveal MAIT cells to be an additional T cell population responding to HIV-1, with a potentially important role in controlling viral replication at mucosal sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chansavath Phetsouphanh
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- The Kirby Institute, University of New South WalesSydneyAustralia
| | - Prabhjeet Phalora
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Jodi Meyerowitz
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Lyle Murray
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Dominique Goedhals
- Division of Virology, University of the Free State/National Health Laboratory ServiceFree StateSouth Africa
| | - Linnea Drexhage
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Rebecca A Russell
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Quentin J Sattentau
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Jeffrey YW Mak
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - David P Fairlie
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | | | | | - John Frater
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Paul Klenerman
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
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28
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Du Y, Khera T, Strunz B, Deterding K, Todt D, Woller N, Engelskircher SA, Hardtke S, Port K, Ponzetta A, Steinmann E, Cornberg M, Hengst J, Björkström NK, Wedemeyer H. Imprint of unconventional T-cell response in acute hepatitis C persists despite successful early antiviral treatment. Eur J Immunol 2021; 52:472-483. [PMID: 34843107 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202149457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Unconventional T cells (UTCs) are a heterogeneous group of T cells that typically exhibit rapid responses toward specific antigens from pathogens. Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes dysfunction of several subsets of UTCs. This altered phenotype and function of UTCs can persist over time even after direct-acting antiviral (DAA)-mediated clearance of chronic HCV. However, it is less clear if and how UTCs respond in acute, symptomatic HCV infection, a rare clinical condition, and if rapid DAA treatment of such patients reverses the caused perturbations within UTCs. Here, we comprehensively analyzed the phenotype and reinvigoration capacity of three major UTC populations, mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, γδ T cells, and CD4 and CD8 double-negative αβ T cells (DNT cells) before, during, and after DAA-mediated clearance of acute symptomatic HCV infection. Furthermore, MAIT cell functionality was systematically studied. We observed a reduced frequency of MAIT cells. However, remaining cells presented with a near-to-normal phenotype in acute infection, which contrasted with a significant dysfunction upon stimulation that was not restored after viral clearance. Notably, DNT and γδ T cells displayed a strong activation ex-vivo in acute HCV infection, which subsequently normalized during the treatment. In addition, DNT cell activation was specifically associated with liver inflammation and inflammatory cytokines. Altogether, these data provide evidence that UTCs respond in a cell type-specific manner during symptomatic HCV infection. However, even if early treatment is initiated, long-lasting imprints within UTCs remain over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqin Du
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Tanvi Khera
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Benedikt Strunz
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Katja Deterding
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Daniel Todt
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,European Virus Bioinformatics Center (EVBC), Jena, Germany
| | - Norman Woller
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Sophie Anna Engelskircher
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Svenja Hardtke
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), HepNet Study-House, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kerstin Port
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Andrea Ponzetta
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eike Steinmann
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Markus Cornberg
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), HepNet Study-House, Hannover, Germany.,Center for Individualized Infection Medicine (CIIM), Hannover, Germany.,Twincore, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence Resolving Infection Susceptibility (RESIST: EXC), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Julia Hengst
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Niklas K Björkström
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), HepNet Study-House, Hannover, Germany
| | -
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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29
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Nguyen LN, Nguyen LNT, Zhao J, Schank M, Dang X, Cao D, Khanal S, Thakuri BKC, Zhang J, Lu Z, Wu XY, El Gazzar M, Ning S, Wang L, Moorman JP, Yao ZQ. Immune Activation Induces Telomeric DNA Damage and Promotes Short-Lived Effector T Cell Differentiation in Chronic HCV Infection. Hepatology 2021; 74:2380-2394. [PMID: 34110660 PMCID: PMC8542603 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Hepatitis C virus (HCV) leads to a high rate of chronic infection and T cell dysfunction. Although it is well known that chronic antigenic stimulation is a driving force for impaired T cell functions, the precise mechanisms underlying immune activation-induced T cell dysfunctions during HCV infection remain elusive. APPROACH AND RESULTS Here, we demonstrated that circulating CD4+ T cells from patients who are chronically HCV-infected exhibit an immune activation status, as evidenced by the overexpression of cell activation markers human leukocyte antigen-antigen D-related, glucose transporter 1, granzyme B, and the short-lived effector marker CD127- killer cell lectin-like receptor G1+ . In contrast, the expression of stem cell-like transcription factor T cell factor 1 and telomeric repeat-binding factor 2 (TRF2) are significantly reduced in CD4+ T cells from patients who are chronically HCV-infected compared with healthy participants (HP). Mechanistic studies revealed that CD4+ T cells from participants with HCV exhibit phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling hyperactivation on T cell receptor stimulation, promoting proinflammatory effector cell differentiation, telomeric DNA damage, and cellular apoptosis. Inhibition of Akt signaling during T cell activation preserved the precursor memory cell population and prevented inflammatory effector cell expansion, DNA damage, and apoptotic death. Moreover, knockdown of TRF2 reduced HP T cell stemness and triggered telomeric DNA damage and cellular apoptosis, whereas overexpression of TRF2 in CD4 T cells prevented telomeric DNA damage. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that modulation of immune activation through inhibiting Akt signaling and protecting telomeres through enhancing TRF2 expression may open therapeutic strategies to fine tune the adaptive immune responses in the setting of persistent immune activation and inflammation during chronic HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lam Nhat Nguyen
- Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Diseases, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, TN
| | - Lam Ngoc Thao Nguyen
- Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Diseases, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, TN
| | - Juan Zhao
- Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Diseases, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, TN
| | - Madison Schank
- Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Diseases, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, TN
| | - Xindi Dang
- Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Diseases, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, TN
| | - Dechao Cao
- Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Diseases, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, TN
| | - Sushant Khanal
- Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Diseases, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, TN
| | - Bal Krishna Chand Thakuri
- Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Diseases, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, TN
| | - Jinyu Zhang
- Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Diseases, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, TN
| | - Zeyuan Lu
- Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Diseases, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, TN
| | - Xiao Y Wu
- Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Diseases, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, TN
| | - Mohamed El Gazzar
- Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Diseases, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, TN
| | - Shunbin Ning
- Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Diseases, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, TN
| | - Ling Wang
- Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Diseases, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, TN
| | - Jonathan P Moorman
- Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Diseases, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, TN.,Hepatitis (HCV/HBV/HIV) Program, James H. Quillen VA Medical Center, Department of Veterans Affairs, Johnson City, TN
| | - Zhi Q Yao
- Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Diseases, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, TN.,Hepatitis (HCV/HBV/HIV) Program, James H. Quillen VA Medical Center, Department of Veterans Affairs, Johnson City, TN
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30
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Czaja AJ. Incorporating mucosal-associated invariant T cells into the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease. World J Gastroenterol 2021; 27:3705-3733. [PMID: 34321839 PMCID: PMC8291028 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i25.3705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells have been described in liver and non-liver diseases, and they have been ascribed antimicrobial, immune regulatory, protective, and pathogenic roles. The goals of this review are to describe their biological properties, indicate their involvement in chronic liver disease, and encourage investigations that clarify their actions and therapeutic implications. English abstracts were identified in PubMed by multiple search terms, and bibliographies were developed. MAIT cells are activated by restricted non-peptides of limited diversity and by multiple inflammatory cytokines. Diverse pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and immune regulatory cytokines are released; infected cells are eliminated; and memory cells emerge. Circulating MAIT cells are hyper-activated, immune exhausted, dysfunctional, and depleted in chronic liver disease. This phenotype lacks disease-specificity, and it does not predict the biological effects. MAIT cells have presumed protective actions in chronic viral hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and decompensated cirrhosis. They have pathogenic and pro-fibrotic actions in autoimmune hepatitis and mixed actions in primary biliary cholangitis. Local factors in the hepatic microenvironment (cytokines, bile acids, gut-derived bacterial antigens, and metabolic by-products) may modulate their response in individual diseases. Investigational manipulations of function are warranted to establish an association with disease severity and outcome. In conclusion, MAIT cells constitute a disease-nonspecific, immune response to chronic liver inflammation and infection. Their pathological role has been deduced from their deficiencies during active liver disease, and future investigations must clarify this role, link it to outcome, and explore therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert J Czaja
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
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31
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Aregay A, Engel B, Port K, Vondran FWR, Bremer B, Niehaus C, Khera T, Richter N, Jaeckel E, Cornberg M, Taubert R, Wedemeyer H. Distinct Immune Imprints of Post-Liver Transplantation Hepatitis C Persist Despite Viral Clearance. Liver Transpl 2021; 27:887-899. [PMID: 33641215 DOI: 10.1002/lt.26031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Recurrence or de novo infection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) after liver transplantation (LT) has been associated with progressive graft hepatitis that can be improved by treatment with novel direct-acting antivirals. Cases of rejection episodes have been described during and after HCV treatment. The evolution of innate and adaptive immune response during and after cure of HCV LT is unknown. We studied 74 protein biomarkers in the plasma of LT patients receiving antiviral therapy. In addition, deep immune phenotyping of both the myeloid and lymphoid immune cell subsets in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was performed. We found that LT patients with active HCV infection displayed distinct alterations of inflammatory protein biomarkers, such as C-X-Cmotif chemokine 10 (CXCL10), caspase 8, C-C motif chemokine 20 (CCL20), CCL19, interferon γ, CUB domain-containing protein 1 (CDCP1), interleukin (IL)-18R1, CXCL11, CCL3, IL8, IL12B, tumor necrosis factor-beta, CXCL6, osteoprotegerin, IL10, fms-related tyrosine kinase 3 ligand, hepatocyte growth factor, urokinase-type plasminogen activator, neurotrophin-3, CCL4, IL6, tumornecrosis factor receptor superfamily member 9, programmed death ligand 1, IL18, and monocyte chemotactic protein 1, and enrichment of peripheral immune cell subsets unlike patients without HCV infection who received transplants. Interestingly, patients who cleared HCV after LT did not normalize the altered inflammatory milieu nor did the peripheral immune cell subsets normalize to what would be seen in the absence of HCV recurrence. Overall, these data indicate that HCV-specific imprints on inflammatory analytes and immune cell subsets after LT are not completely normalized by therapy-induced HCV elimination. This is in line with the clinical observation that cure of HCV after LT did not trigger rejection episodes in many patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amare Aregay
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Bastian Engel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kerstin Port
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Florian W R Vondran
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Birgit Bremer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christian Niehaus
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Tanvi Khera
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Nicolas Richter
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Elmar Jaeckel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Integrated Research and Treatment Centre Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Markus Cornberg
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research, DZIF, partner-site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, Germany.,Centre for individualized infection medicine (CIIM), Hannover, Germany
| | - Richard Taubert
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Integrated Research and Treatment Centre Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Integrated Research and Treatment Centre Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research, DZIF, partner-site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, Germany
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32
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Hepatitis C virus modulates signal peptide peptidase to alter host protein processing. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2026184118. [PMID: 34035171 PMCID: PMC8179148 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2026184118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanism by which hepatitis C virus (HCV) evades immune surveillance and causes chronic infection is unclear. We demonstrate here that HCV core protein interferes with the maturation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I catalyzed by signal peptide peptidase (SPP) and induces degradation via HMG-CoA reductase degradation 1 homolog. In addition, we found that the core protein transmembrane domain is homologous to the human cytomegalovirus US2 protein, whose transmembrane region also targets SPP to impair MHC class I molecule expression in a similar manner. Therefore, our data suggest that SPP represents a potential target for the impairment of MHC class I molecules by DNA and RNA viruses. Immunoevasins are viral proteins that prevent antigen presentation on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I, thus evading host immune recognition. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) evades immune surveillance to induce chronic infection; however, how HCV-infected hepatocytes affect immune cells and evade immune recognition remains unclear. Herein, we demonstrate that HCV core protein functions as an immunoevasin. Its expression interfered with the maturation of MHC class I molecules catalyzed by the signal peptide peptidase (SPP) and induced their degradation via HMG-CoA reductase degradation 1 homolog, thereby impairing antigen presentation to CD8+ T cells. The expression of MHC class I in the livers of HCV core transgenic mice and chronic hepatitis C patients was impaired but was restored in patients achieving sustained virological response. Finally, we show that the human cytomegalovirus US2 protein, possessing a transmembrane region structurally similar to the HCV core protein, targets SPP to impair MHC class I molecule expression. Thus, SPP represents a potential target for the impairment of MHC class I molecules by DNA and RNA viruses.
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33
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Exhaustion in tumor-infiltrating Mucosal-Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells from colon cancer patients. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2021; 70:3461-3475. [PMID: 33885944 PMCID: PMC8571139 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-021-02939-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are unconventional T cells recognizing microbial metabolites, presented by the invariant MR1 protein. Upon activation, MAIT cells rapidly secrete cytokines and exert cytotoxic functions, and may thus be highly relevant also in tumor immunity. MAIT cells accumulate in colon tumors, but in contrast to other cytotoxic T cell subsets, their presence in tumors has been associated with worse patient outcome. Here we investigated if exhaustion may contribute to reduced anti-tumor immunity by MAIT cells. Freshly isolated lymphocytes from colon tumors, unaffected tissue and blood from the same patients were analyzed by flow cytometry to detect MAIT cells with effector functions that are relevant for tumor immunity, and their expression of inhibitory receptors and other exhaustion markers. Our studies show that MAIT cells with a PD-1highTim-3+CD39+ terminally exhausted phenotype and an increased proliferation accumulate in colon tumors. The exhausted MAIT cells have reduced polyfunctionality with regard to production of important anti-tumor effector molecules, and blocking antibodies to PD-1 partly improved activation of tumor-infiltrating MAIT cells in vitro. We conclude that the tumor microenvironment leads to exhaustion not only of conventional T cells, but also MAIT cells, and that checkpoint blockade therapy may be useful also to reinvigorate tumor-infiltrating MAIT cells.
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34
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Tertiary Prevention of HCC in Chronic Hepatitis B or C Infected Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13071729. [PMID: 33917345 PMCID: PMC8038691 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13071729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence is the major obstacle concerning patients’ survival. Tertiary prevention by antiviral therapies could reduce HCC recurrence rate in both chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected patients. In chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, nucleos(t)ide analogues (Nuc) provide a more effective HCC tertiary prevention effect than an interferon (IFN)-based regimen. In chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients, the tertiary prevention effect by direct acting antiviral agents (DAAs) was reported non-inferior to that by IFN-based therapy. Chronic hepatitis C patients left untreated had the worst survival benefit as well as shorted recurrence-free interval than those treated by either type of antiviral regimen. Although the risk of HCC recurrence could only be decreased but not diminished by antiviral therapies due to host and microenvironmental factors beyond virus infection, antiviral therapy helps to preserve and improve liver function which makes multi-modality anticancer treatment feasible to improve survival. Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks as a leading cause of common cancer and cancer-related death. The major etiology of HCC is due to chronic hepatitis virus including HBV and HCV infections. Scheduled HCC surveillance in high risk populations improves the early detection rate and the feasibility of curative treatment. However, high HCC recurrence rate still accounts for the poor prognosis of HCC patients. In this article, we critically review the pathogenesis of viral hepatitis-related hepatocellular carcinoma and the evidence of tertiary prevention efficacy by current available antiviral treatment, and discuss the knowledge gap in viral hepatitis-related HCC tertiary prevention.
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35
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McSharry BP, Samer C, McWilliam HEG, Ashley CL, Yee MB, Steain M, Liu L, Fairlie DP, Kinchington PR, McCluskey J, Abendroth A, Villadangos JA, Rossjohn J, Slobedman B. Virus-Mediated Suppression of the Antigen Presentation Molecule MR1. Cell Rep 2021; 30:2948-2962.e4. [PMID: 32130899 PMCID: PMC7798347 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The antigen-presenting molecule MR1 presents microbial metabolites related to vitamin B2 biosynthesis to mucosal-associated invariant T cells (MAIT cells). Although bacteria and fungi drive the MR1 biosynthesis pathway, viruses have not previously been implicated in MR1 expression or its antigen presentation. We demonstrate that several herpesviruses inhibit MR1 cell surface upregulation, including a potent inhibition by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). This virus profoundly suppresses MR1 cell surface expression and targets the molecule for proteasomal degradation, whereas ligand-induced cell surface expression of MR1 prior to infection enables MR1 to escape HSV-1-dependent targeting. HSV-1 downregulation of MR1 is dependent on de novo viral gene expression, and we identify the Us3 viral gene product as functioning to target MR1. Furthermore, HSV-1 downregulation of MR1 disrupts MAIT T cell receptor (TCR) activation. Accordingly, virus-mediated targeting of MR1 defines an immunomodulatory strategy that functionally disrupts the MR1-MAIT TCR axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian P McSharry
- Discipline of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Carolyn Samer
- Discipline of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Hamish E G McWilliam
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Caroline L Ashley
- Discipline of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Michael B Yee
- Departments of Ophthalmology and of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Megan Steain
- Discipline of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ligong Liu
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - David P Fairlie
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Paul R Kinchington
- Departments of Ophthalmology and of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - James McCluskey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Allison Abendroth
- Discipline of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jose A Villadangos
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Jamie Rossjohn
- Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Wales, UK
| | - Barry Slobedman
- Discipline of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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36
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Maleki KT, Tauriainen J, García M, Kerkman PF, Christ W, Dias J, Wigren Byström J, Leeansyah E, Forsell MN, Ljunggren HG, Ahlm C, Björkström NK, Sandberg JK, Klingström J. MAIT cell activation is associated with disease severity markers in acute hantavirus infection. CELL REPORTS MEDICINE 2021; 2:100220. [PMID: 33763658 PMCID: PMC7974553 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2021.100220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hantaviruses are zoonotic RNA viruses that cause severe acute disease in humans. Infected individuals have strong inflammatory responses that likely cause immunopathology. Here, we studied the response of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells in peripheral blood of individuals with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) caused by Puumala orthohantavirus, a hantavirus endemic in Europe. We show that MAIT cell levels decrease in the blood during HFRS and that residual MAIT cells are highly activated. This activation correlates with HFRS severity markers. In vitro activation of MAIT cells by hantavirus-exposed antigen-presenting cells is dependent on type I interferons (IFNs) and independent of interleukin-18 (IL-18). These findings highlight the role of type I IFNs in virus-driven MAIT cell activation and suggest a potential role of MAIT cells in the disease pathogenesis of viral infections. MAIT cells are activated in individuals with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) MAIT cell activation correlates with HFRS severity markers during hantavirus infection MAIT cell blood levels decline during acute HFRS Hantavirus-mediated MAIT cell activation is type I IFN dependent
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimia T Maleki
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johanna Tauriainen
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marina García
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Priscilla F Kerkman
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Division of Infection & Immunology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Wanda Christ
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Joana Dias
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Julia Wigren Byström
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Division of Infection & Immunology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Edwin Leeansyah
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China.,Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mattias N Forsell
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Division of Infection & Immunology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Clas Ahlm
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Division of Infection & Immunology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Niklas K Björkström
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan K Sandberg
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jonas Klingström
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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37
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Parrot T, Healy K, Boulouis C, Sobkowiak MJ, Leeansyah E, Aleman S, Bertoletti A, Sällberg Chen M, Sandberg JK. Expansion of donor-unrestricted MAIT cells with enhanced cytolytic function suitable for TCR redirection. JCI Insight 2021; 6:140074. [PMID: 33561009 PMCID: PMC8021122 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.140074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Progress in our understanding of MR1-restricted mucosa-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells has raised interest in harnessing these cells for immunotherapy. The innate-like response characteristics, abundance in the blood, donor-unrestricted nature, and tropism for tissues make MAIT cells suitable candidates for adoptive cell transfer therapies. However, reliable methods and tools to utilize MAIT cells in such approaches are lacking. Here, we established methodology for efficient expansion of human MAIT cells in culture with high purity and yield, while preserving their functional response toward their natural ligand and increasing their cytotoxic potential. The cultured MAIT cells retained their effector memory characteristics without signs of terminal differentiation and expressed a more diverse set of chemokine receptors, potentially widening their already broad tissue tropism. To investigate the potential of MAIT cells in a context outside their main role in controlling bacterial infection, we engineered cultured MAIT cells with a new TCR specificity to mediate effective antiviral HLA class I–restricted effector function. In summary, we developed robust and effective methodology for the expansion of human MAIT cells with enhanced cytolytic capacity and for their engineering with a new specificity. These findings form a basis for the development of MAIT cells as a platform for adoptive immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katie Healy
- Division of Clinical Diagnostics and Surgery, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Michał J Sobkowiak
- Division of Clinical Diagnostics and Surgery, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Edwin Leeansyah
- Center for Infection Medicine, Department of Medicine, and.,Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China.,Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore
| | - Soo Aleman
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Antonio Bertoletti
- Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore
| | - Margaret Sällberg Chen
- Division of Clinical Diagnostics and Surgery, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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38
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Khera T, Du Y, Todt D, Deterding K, Strunz B, Hardtke S, Aregay A, Port K, Hardtke-Wolenski M, Steinmann E, Björkström NK, Manns MP, Hengst J, Cornberg M, Wedemeyer H. Long-lasting Imprint in the Soluble Inflammatory Milieu despite Early Treatment of Acute Symptomatic Hepatitis C. J Infect Dis 2021; 226:441-452. [PMID: 33517457 PMCID: PMC9417126 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection leads to partial restoration of soluble inflammatory mediators (SIMs). In contrast, we hypothesized that early DAA treatment of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) with DAAs may normalize most SIMs. Methods In this study, we made use of a unique cohort of acute symptomatic hepatitis C patients who cleared HCV with a 6-week course of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir. Plasma samples were used for proximity extension assay measuring 92 proteins. Results Profound SIM alterations were observed in acute HCV patients, with marked upregulation of interleukin (IL)-6 and CXCL-10, whereas certain mediators were downregulated (eg, monocyte chemoattractant protein-4, IL-7). During treatment and follow-up, the majority of SIMs decreased but not all normalized (eg, CDCP1, IL-18). Of note, SIMs that were downregulated before DAA treatment remained suppressed, whereas others that were initially unchanged declined to lower values during treatment and follow-up (eg, CD244). Conclusions Acute hepatitis C was associated with marked changes in the soluble inflammatory milieu compared with both chronic hepatitis patients and healthy controls. Whereas early DAA treatment partly normalized this altered signature, long-lasting imprints of HCV remained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanvi Khera
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Yanqin Du
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Daniel Todt
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,European Virus Bioinformatics Center (EVBC), Jena, Germany
| | - Katja Deterding
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Benedikt Strunz
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Svenja Hardtke
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Amare Aregay
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kerstin Port
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Matthias Hardtke-Wolenski
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Eike Steinmann
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Niklas K Björkström
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael P Manns
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Julia Hengst
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Markus Cornberg
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Braunschweig, Germany.,Center for individualized infection medicine (CIIM), Hannover, Germany
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Braunschweig, Germany
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Polyak SJ, Crispe IN, Baumert TF. Liver Abnormalities after Elimination of HCV Infection: Persistent Epigenetic and Immunological Perturbations Post-Cure. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10010044. [PMID: 33430338 PMCID: PMC7825776 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10010044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Revised: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. While directly acting antiviral (DAA) drugs are now able to cure virtually all hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, even in subjects with advanced liver disease, what happens to the liver and progression of the disease after DAA-induced cure of viremia is only beginning to emerge. Several large-scale clinical studies in different patient populations have shown that patients with advanced liver disease maintain a risk for developing HCC even when the original instigator, the virus, is eliminated by DAAs. Here we review emerging studies derived from multiple, complementary experimental systems involving patient liver tissues, human liver cell cultures, human liver slice cultures, and animal models, showing that HCV infection induces epigenetic, signaling, and gene expression changes in the liver associated with altered hepatic innate immunity and liver cancer risk. Of critical importance is the fact that these virus-induced abnormalities persist after DAA cure of HCV. These nascent findings portend the discovery of pathways involved in post-HCV immunopathogenesis, which may be clinically actionable targets for more comprehensive care of DAA-cured individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J. Polyak
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Correspondence: (S.J.P.); (I.N.C.); (T.F.B.)
| | - I. Nicholas Crispe
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Correspondence: (S.J.P.); (I.N.C.); (T.F.B.)
| | - Thomas F. Baumert
- Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies Virales et Hépatiques, Université de Strasbourg, Inserm U1110, 67000 Strasbourg, France
- Pole Hépato-digestif, IHU, Hopitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
- Correspondence: (S.J.P.); (I.N.C.); (T.F.B.)
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40
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Sepulveda-Crespo D, Resino S, Martinez I. Strategies Targeting the Innate Immune Response for the Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus-Associated Liver Fibrosis. Drugs 2021; 81:419-443. [PMID: 33400242 DOI: 10.1007/s40265-020-01458-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Direct-acting antivirals eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) in more than 95% of treated individuals and may abolish liver injury, arrest fibrogenesis, and reverse fibrosis and cirrhosis. However, liver regeneration is usually a slow process that is less effective in the late stages of fibrosis. What is more, fibrogenesis may prevail in patients with advanced cirrhosis, where it can progress to liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, the development of antifibrotic drugs that halt and reverse fibrosis progression is urgently needed. Fibrosis occurs due to the repair process of damaged hepatic tissue, which eventually leads to scarring. The innate immune response against HCV is essential in the initiation and progression of liver fibrosis. HCV-infected hepatocytes and liver macrophages secrete proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines that promote the activation and differentiation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) to myofibroblasts that produce extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Prolonged ECM production by myofibroblasts due to chronic inflammation is essential to the development of fibrosis. While no antifibrotic therapy is approved to date, several drugs are being tested in phase 2 and phase 3 trials with promising results. This review discusses current state-of-the-art knowledge on treatments targeting the innate immune system to revert chronic hepatitis C-associated liver fibrosis. Agents that cause liver damage may vary (alcohol, virus infection, etc.), but fibrosis progression shows common patterns among them, including chronic inflammation and immune dysregulation, hepatocyte injury, HSC activation, and excessive ECM deposition. Therefore, mechanisms underlying these processes are promising targets for general antifibrotic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sepulveda-Crespo
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Campus Majadahonda), Carretera Majadahonda-Pozuelo, Km 2.2, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Salvador Resino
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Campus Majadahonda), Carretera Majadahonda-Pozuelo, Km 2.2, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Isidoro Martinez
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Campus Majadahonda), Carretera Majadahonda-Pozuelo, Km 2.2, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.
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41
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Sakai S, Lora NE, Kauffman KD, Dorosky DE, Oh S, Namasivayam S, Gomez F, Fleegle JD, Arlehamn CSL, Sette A, Sher A, Freeman GJ, Via LE, Barry III CE, Barber DL. Functional inactivation of pulmonary MAIT cells following 5-OP-RU treatment of non-human primates. Mucosal Immunol 2021; 14:1055-1066. [PMID: 34158594 PMCID: PMC8217205 DOI: 10.1038/s41385-021-00425-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Targeting MAIT cells holds promise for the treatment of different diseases and infections. We previously showed that treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infected mice with 5-OP-RU, a major antigen for MAIT cells, expands MAIT cells and enhances bacterial control. Here we treated M. tuberculosis infected rhesus macaques with 5-OP-RU intratracheally but found no clinical or microbiological benefit. In fact, after 5-OP-RU treatment MAIT cells did not expand, but rather upregulated PD-1 and lost the ability to produce multiple cytokines, a phenotype resembling T cell exhaustion. Furthermore, we show that vaccination of uninfected macaques with 5-OP-RU+CpG instillation into the lungs also drives MAIT cell dysfunction, and PD-1 blockade during vaccination partly prevents the loss of MAIT cell function without facilitating their expansion. Thus, in rhesus macaques MAIT cells are prone to the loss of effector functions rather than expansion after TCR stimulation in vivo, representing a significant barrier to therapeutically targeting these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunsuke Sakai
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667T Lymphocyte Biology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Nickiana E. Lora
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667T Lymphocyte Biology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Keith D. Kauffman
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667T Lymphocyte Biology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Danielle E. Dorosky
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667T Lymphocyte Biology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Sangmi Oh
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Sivaranjani Namasivayam
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Immunobiology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Felipe Gomez
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Joel D. Fleegle
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | | | | | - Alessandro Sette
- grid.185006.a0000 0004 0461 3162Center for Infectious Disease, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA USA ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Alan Sher
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Immunobiology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Gordon J. Freeman
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Laura E. Via
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD USA ,grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA ,grid.7836.a0000 0004 1937 1151Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Clifton E. Barry III
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD USA ,grid.7836.a0000 0004 1937 1151Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Daniel L. Barber
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667T Lymphocyte Biology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD USA
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42
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Khlaiphuengsin A, Chuaypen N, Sodsai P, Reantragoon R, Han WM, Avihingsanon A, Tangkijvanich P. Successful direct-acting antiviral therapy improves circulating mucosal-associated invariant T cells in patients with chronic HCV infection. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0244112. [PMID: 33382729 PMCID: PMC7775079 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells have been shown to contribute in the pathogenesis of various liver diseases, including chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This study was aimed at investigating the frequency, phenotype, and function of circulating MAIT cells, as well as their alterations after successful direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in HCV-infected patients with or without HIV infection. METHODS A total 85 patients (51 HCV-monoinfection and 34 HCV/HIV-coinfection), who received elbasvir/grazoprevir from a clinical trial and 20 healthy controls were included. MAIT cells in blood were characterized using flow cytometry at baseline and 24 weeks post-treatment. RESULTS HCV-monoinfected and HCV/HIV-coinfected patients achieved similar sustained virological response rates (SVR24, 94.1% vs. 97.1%). Circulating MAIT cells in the monoinfection and coinfection groups were presented at low frequencies in comparison with healthy controls (median, 1.1% vs. 1.1% vs. 2.4%, P<0.001) and exhibited features of chronic activation and impaired functional capacity. A negative correlation between circulating MAIT cell frequency and liver stiffness assessed by magnetic resonance elastography was observed. Compared with baseline, increased in circulating MAIT cells after successful DAA therapy was mainly detected in HCV-monoinfected patients compared with HCV/HIV-coinfected individuals. Moreover, MAIT cell restoration was predominantly observed among patients with significant fibrosis to cirrhosis (F2-F4). CONCLUSIONS These data indicated that dysregulation of MAIT cells might play a role in the progression of chronic HCV infection. Partial restoration of MAIT cell frequency and function was observed after successful DAA therapy, particularly in HCV-monoinfected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apichaya Khlaiphuengsin
- Center of Excellence in Hepatitis and Liver Cancer, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Natthaya Chuaypen
- Center of Excellence in Hepatitis and Liver Cancer, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pimpayao Sodsai
- Center of Excellence in Immunology and Immune-mediated Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Rangsima Reantragoon
- Center of Excellence in Immunology and Immune-mediated Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Win Min Han
- HIV Netherlands Australia Thailand Research Collaboration (HIV-NAT), The Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Center, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Anchalee Avihingsanon
- HIV Netherlands Australia Thailand Research Collaboration (HIV-NAT), The Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Center, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pisit Tangkijvanich
- Center of Excellence in Hepatitis and Liver Cancer, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- * E-mail:
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43
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Lymphocyte Landscape after Chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Cure: The New Normal. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21207473. [PMID: 33050486 PMCID: PMC7589490 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic HCV (CHC) infection is the only chronic viral infection for which curative treatments have been discovered. These direct acting antiviral (DAA) agents target specific steps in the viral replication cycle with remarkable efficacy and result in sustained virologic response (SVR) or cure in high (>95%) proportions of patients. These treatments became available 6–7 years ago and it is estimated that their real impact on HCV related morbidity, including outcomes such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), will not be known for the next decade or so. The immune system of a chronically infected patient is severely dysregulated and questions remain regarding the immune system’s capacity in limiting liver pathology in a cured individual. Another important consequence of impaired immunity in patients cleared of HCV with DAA will be the inability to generate protective immunity against possible re-infection, necessitating retreatments or developing a prophylactic vaccine. Thus, the impact of viral clearance on restoring immune homeostasis is being investigated by many groups. Among the important questions that need to be answered are how much the immune system normalizes with cure, how long after viral clearance this recalibration occurs, what are the consequences of persisting immune defects for protection from re-infection in vulnerable populations, and does viral clearance reduce liver pathology and the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma in individuals cured with these agents. Here, we review the recent literature that describes the defects present in various lymphocyte populations in a CHC patient and their status after viral clearance using DAA treatments.
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Wedemeyer H, Khera T, Strunz B, Björkström NK. Reversal of Immunity After Clearance of Chronic HCV Infection-All Reset? Front Immunol 2020; 11:571166. [PMID: 33133084 PMCID: PMC7578424 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.571166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic viral infections cause deterioration of our immune system. However, since persistent infections rarely can be eliminated, the reinvigoration capacity of an exhausted immune system has remained largely elusive. Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can since some years be effectively cured with novel direct acting antiviral agents. Thus, it is now possible to study reversal of immunity in patients that are cured from a long-lasting chronic infection. We here highlight recent developments in the analysis of various immune cell populations during and after clearance of HCV infection. Surprisingly, whereas reinvigoration of certain immune traits clearly can be seen, many features of immune exhaustion persist over time after viral elimination. Thus, a long-term chronic insult might result in irreversible damage to our immune system. This will be important to consider in therapeutic vaccination efforts against chronic infection and in the development of immunotherapy based strategies against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Tanvi Khera
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Benedikt Strunz
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Niklas K Björkström
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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45
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Niehaus CE, Strunz B, Cornillet M, Falk CS, Schnieders A, Maasoumy B, Hardtke S, Manns MP, Kraft ARM, Björkström NK, Cornberg M. MAIT Cells Are Enriched and Highly Functional in Ascites of Patients With Decompensated Liver Cirrhosis. Hepatology 2020; 72:1378-1393. [PMID: 32012321 DOI: 10.1002/hep.31153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Patients with advanced liver cirrhosis have an increased susceptibility to infections. As part of the cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction, mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, which have the capacity to respond to bacteria, are severely diminished in circulation and liver tissue. However, MAIT cell presence and function in the peritoneal cavity, a common anatomical site for infections in cirrhosis, remain elusive. In this study, we deliver a comprehensive investigation of the immune compartment present in ascites of patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis, and focus especially on MAIT cells. APPROACH AND RESULTS To study this, matched peripheral blood and ascites fluid were collected from 35 patients with decompensated cirrhosis, with or without spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). MAIT cell phenotype and function were analyzed using high-dimensional flow cytometry, and the obtained data were compared with the blood samples of healthy controls (n = 24) and patients with compensated cirrhosis (n = 11). We found circulating MAIT cells to be severely decreased in patients with cirrhosis as compared with controls. In contrast, in ascites fluid, MAIT cells were significantly increased together with CD14+ CD16+ monocytes, innate lymphoid cells, and natural killer cells. This was paralleled by elevated levels of several pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in ascites fluid as compared with plasma. Peritoneal MAIT cells displayed an activated tissue-resident phenotype, and this was corroborated by increased functional responses following stimulation with E. coli or interleukin (lL)-12 + IL-18 as compared with circulating MAIT cells. During SBP, peritoneal MAIT cell frequencies increased most among all major immune cell subsets, suggestive of active homing of MAIT cells to the site of infection. CONCLUSIONS Despite severely diminished MAIT cell numbers and impaired phenotype in circulation, peritoneal MAIT cells remain abundant, activated, and highly functional in decompensated cirrhosis and are further enriched in SBP. This suggests that peritoneal MAIT cells could be of interest for immune-intervention strategies in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis and SBP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian E Niehaus
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Benedikt Strunz
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Cornillet
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christine S Falk
- Institute of Transplant Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research, Partner-Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ansgar Schnieders
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Benjamin Maasoumy
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research, Partner-Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, Germany
| | - Svenja Hardtke
- German Center for Infection Research, HepNet Study-House German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael P Manns
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research, Partner-Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, Germany
| | - Anke R M Kraft
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research, Partner-Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, Germany
| | - Niklas K Björkström
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Markus Cornberg
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research, Partner-Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, Germany.,Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), Hannover, Germany.,TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Hanover Medical School and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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Parrot T, Gorin JB, Ponzetta A, Maleki KT, Kammann T, Emgård J, Perez-Potti A, Sekine T, Rivera-Ballesteros O, Gredmark-Russ S, Rooyackers O, Folkesson E, Eriksson LI, Norrby-Teglund A, Ljunggren HG, Björkström NK, Aleman S, Buggert M, Klingström J, Strålin K, Sandberg JK. MAIT cell activation and dynamics associated with COVID-19 disease severity. Sci Immunol 2020; 5:eabe1670. [PMID: 32989174 PMCID: PMC7857393 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abe1670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Severe COVID-19 is characterized by excessive inflammation of the lower airways. The balance of protective versus pathological immune responses in COVID-19 is incompletely understood. Mucosa-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are antimicrobial T cells that recognize bacterial metabolites, and can also function as innate-like sensors and mediators of antiviral responses. Here, we investigated the MAIT cell compartment in COVID-19 patients with moderate and severe disease, as well as in convalescence. We show profound and preferential decline in MAIT cells in the circulation of patients with active disease paired with strong activation. Furthermore, transcriptomic analyses indicated significant MAIT cell enrichment and pro-inflammatory IL-17A bias in the airways. Unsupervised analysis identified MAIT cell CD69high and CXCR3low immunotypes associated with poor clinical outcome. MAIT cell levels normalized in the convalescent phase, consistent with dynamic recruitment to the tissues and later release back into the circulation when disease is resolved. These findings indicate that MAIT cells are engaged in the immune response against SARS-CoV-2 and suggest their possible involvement in COVID-19 immunopathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiphaine Parrot
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jean-Baptiste Gorin
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrea Ponzetta
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kimia T Maleki
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tobias Kammann
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johanna Emgård
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - André Perez-Potti
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Takuya Sekine
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Olga Rivera-Ballesteros
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sara Gredmark-Russ
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Olav Rooyackers
- Department of Clinical Interventions and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Perioperative Medicine and Intensive Care, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elin Folkesson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars I Eriksson
- Perioperative Medicine and Intensive Care, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Norrby-Teglund
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Niklas K Björkström
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Soo Aleman
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Dermatology, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marcus Buggert
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jonas Klingström
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kristoffer Strålin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Dermatology, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan K Sandberg
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Risk Factors Contributing to the Occurrence and Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Hepatitis C Virus Patients Treated with Direct-Acting Antivirals. Biomedicines 2020. [PMID: 32630610 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8060175.] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA may be eliminated from blood circulation by direct-acting antivirals (DAA) therapy as assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), HCV RNA can still be present in liver tissue, and this is known as occult HCV. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after DAA treatment of hepatic cells infected with chronic HCV. One of the main risk factors that leads to de novo HCC is the chronicity of HCV in hepatic cells. There are many studies regarding the progression of HCV-infected hepatic cells to HCC. However, there is a lack of research on the different molecular mechanisms that lead to the progression of chronic HCV infection to HCC, as well as on the effect of HCV on the alteration of DNA ploidy, which eventually leads to a recurrence of HCC after DAA treatment. In this review article, we will address some risk factors that could lead to the development/recurrence of HCC after treatment of HCV with DAA therapy, such as the role of liver cirrhosis, the alteration of DNA ploidy, the reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV), the role of cytokines and the alteration of the immune system, concomitant non- alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), obesity, alcohol consumption and also occult HCV infection/co-infection. Clinicians should be cautious considering that full eradication of hepatocarcinogenesis cannot be successfully accomplished by anti-HCV treatment alone.
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Kishta S, Tabll A, Omanovic Kolaric T, Smolic R, Smolic M. Risk Factors Contributing to the Occurrence and Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Hepatitis C Virus Patients Treated with Direct-Acting Antivirals. Biomedicines 2020; 8:biomedicines8060175. [PMID: 32630610 PMCID: PMC7344618 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8060175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA may be eliminated from blood circulation by direct-acting antivirals (DAA) therapy as assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), HCV RNA can still be present in liver tissue, and this is known as occult HCV. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after DAA treatment of hepatic cells infected with chronic HCV. One of the main risk factors that leads to de novo HCC is the chronicity of HCV in hepatic cells. There are many studies regarding the progression of HCV-infected hepatic cells to HCC. However, there is a lack of research on the different molecular mechanisms that lead to the progression of chronic HCV infection to HCC, as well as on the effect of HCV on the alteration of DNA ploidy, which eventually leads to a recurrence of HCC after DAA treatment. In this review article, we will address some risk factors that could lead to the development/recurrence of HCC after treatment of HCV with DAA therapy, such as the role of liver cirrhosis, the alteration of DNA ploidy, the reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV), the role of cytokines and the alteration of the immune system, concomitant non- alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), obesity, alcohol consumption and also occult HCV infection/co-infection. Clinicians should be cautious considering that full eradication of hepatocarcinogenesis cannot be successfully accomplished by anti-HCV treatment alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Kishta
- Microbial Biotechnology Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Division, National Research Centre, El Behooth Street, Dokki 12622, Egypt; (S.K.); (A.T.)
- Virology Division, Federal Institute for Vaccines and Biomedicines, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Ashraf Tabll
- Microbial Biotechnology Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Division, National Research Centre, El Behooth Street, Dokki 12622, Egypt; (S.K.); (A.T.)
- Department of immunology, Egypt Center for Research and Regenerative Medicine (ECRRM), Cairo 11517, Egypt
| | - Tea Omanovic Kolaric
- Faculty of Medicine Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, J. Huttlera 4, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia; (T.O.K.); (R.S.)
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Crkvena 21, HR-3100 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Robert Smolic
- Faculty of Medicine Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, J. Huttlera 4, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia; (T.O.K.); (R.S.)
- Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University Hospital Osijek, J. Huttlera 4, HR-3100 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Martina Smolic
- Faculty of Medicine Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, J. Huttlera 4, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia; (T.O.K.); (R.S.)
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Crkvena 21, HR-3100 Osijek, Croatia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +385-31-512-800
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Vacchini A, Chancellor A, Spagnuolo J, Mori L, De Libero G. MR1-Restricted T Cells Are Unprecedented Cancer Fighters. Front Immunol 2020; 11:751. [PMID: 32411144 PMCID: PMC7198878 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-polymorphic MHC class I-related molecule MR1 presents antigenic bacterial metabolites to mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells and self-antigens to MR1-restricted T (MR1T) cells. Both MR1-restricted T cell populations are readily identified in healthy individuals, with MAIT cells accounting for 1-10% of circulating T cells, while MR1T cells have frequencies comparable to peptide-specific T cells (<0.1%). Self-reactive MR1T cells display a heterogeneous phenotype, and are capable of releasing both TH1 and TH2 cytokines, supporting not only activation of inflammation but also contributing to its regulation. Importantly, MR1T cells recognize and kill a diverse range of MR1-expressing tumor cells. On the other hand, evidence suggests MAIT cells augment cancer growth and metastases. This review addresses the potential role of MR1-restricted T cells in controlling tumor cells, facilitating their elimination and regulating cancer immunity. We also discuss therapeutic opportunities surrounding MR1-restricted T cells in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Vacchini
- Experimental Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andrew Chancellor
- Experimental Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Julian Spagnuolo
- Experimental Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lucia Mori
- Experimental Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Gennaro De Libero
- Experimental Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Dash S, Aydin Y, Widmer KE, Nayak L. Hepatocellular Carcinoma Mechanisms Associated with Chronic HCV Infection and the Impact of Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatment. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2020; 7:45-76. [PMID: 32346535 PMCID: PMC7167284 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s221187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the major risk factor for liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The mechanisms of HCC initiation, growth, and metastasis appear to be highly complex due to the decade-long interactions between the virus, immune system, and overlapping bystander effects of host metabolic liver disease. The lack of a readily accessible animal model system for HCV is a significant obstacle to understand the mechanisms of viral carcinogenesis. Traditionally, the primary prevention strategy of HCC has been to eliminate infection by antiviral therapy. The success of virus elimination by antiviral treatment is determined by the SVR when the HCV is no longer detectable in serum. Interferon-alpha (IFN-α) and its analogs, pegylated IFN-α (PEG-IFN-α) alone with ribavirin (RBV), have been the primary antiviral treatment of HCV for many years with a low cure rate. The cloning and sequencing of HCV have allowed the development of cell culture models, which accelerated antiviral drug discovery. It resulted in the selection of highly effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA)-based combination therapy that now offers incredible success in curing HCV infection in more than 95% of all patients, including those with cirrhosis. However, several emerging recent publications claim that patients who have liver cirrhosis at the time of DAAs treatment face the risk of HCC occurrence and recurrence after viral cure. This remains a substantial challenge while addressing the long-term benefit of antiviral medicine. The host-related mechanisms that drive the risk of HCC in the absence of the virus are unknown. This review describes the multifaceted mechanisms that create a tumorigenic environment during chronic HCV infection. In addition to the potential oncogenic programming that drives HCC after viral clearance by DAAs, the current status of a biomarker development for early prediction of cirrhosis regression and HCC detection post viral treatment is discussed. Since DAAs treatment does not provide full protection against reinfection or viral transmission to other individuals, the recent studies for a vaccine development are also reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srikanta Dash
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.,Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA 70119, USA.,Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Yucel Aydin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Kyle E Widmer
- Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA 70119, USA
| | - Leela Nayak
- Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA 70119, USA
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