1
|
Shi Y, Bao L, Li Y, Ou D, Li J, Liu X, Deng N, Deng C, Huang X, Zhang W, Ding H. Multi-omics combined to investigate potential druggable therapeutic targets for stroke: A systematic Mendelian randomization study and transcriptome verification. J Affect Disord 2024; 366:196-209. [PMID: 39214372 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.08.182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/27/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Stroke is a highly prevalent and disabling disease whose disease mechanisms are not fully understood. The discovery of disease-associated proteins with genetic evidence of pathogenicity provides an opportunity to identify new therapeutic targets. METHOD We examined the observed and causal associations of thousands of plasma and inflammatory proteins that were measured using affinity-based proteomic assays. First, we pooled >3000 relevant proteins using a fixed-effects meta-analysis of 2 population-based studies involving 48,383 participants, then investigated the causal effects of stroke and its subtype-associated proteins by forward Mendelian randomization using cis-protein quantitative locus genetic tools identified from genome-wide association studies of these >48,000 individuals. To improve the accuracy of causal estimation, we implemented a systematic Mendelian randomization model that accounts for cascading imbalances between instruments and tested the robustness of causal estimation through multi-method analyses. To further validate the hypothesis that ginsenoside Rg1 monomer acts on the five protein targets screened for drug-targeted regulation, we conducted a comparative analysis of the mRNA (gene) expression levels of a limited number of genes in the brain tissues of different groups of SD rats. The druggability of the candidate proteins was investigated and the mechanism of action and potential targeting side effects were explored by Phenome-wide MR. RESULTS Six circulating proteins were identified to have a significant genetic association with stroke (PFDR < 0.05). For example, in patients with cardioembolic stroke, higher genetically predicted APRT was associated with a lower risk of cardioembolic stroke (ORivw [95 % CI] = 0.641 [0.517, 0.795]; P = 5.25 × 10-5, ORSMR [95 % CI] = 0.572, [0.397, 0.825], PSMR = 0.003). Mediation analyses suggested that atrial fibrillation, angina pectoris, and heart failure may mediate the association of CD40L, LIFR, and UPA with stroke. Molecular docking revealed promising interactions between the identified proteins and glycosides. Transcriptomic sequencing in animal models indicated that ginsenoside Rg1 may act through APRT, IL15RA, and VSIR pathways, with APRT showing significant variability in mRNA sequencing expression. Phenome-wide MR of the six target proteins showed an overwhelming predominance of PFDR > 0.05, indicating less toxicity. CONCLUSIONS The present study provides genetic evidence to support the potential efficacy of targeting the three druggable protein targets for the treatment of stroke. This is achieved by triangulating population genomic and proteomic data. Furthermore, the study validates the pathway mechanisms by which APRT, IL15RA, and VSIR dock ginsenoside Rg1 in animal models. This will help to prioritize stroke drug development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Shi
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Le Bao
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Yanling Li
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Dian Ou
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Jiating Li
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaodan Liu
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Nujiao Deng
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Changqing Deng
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaoping Huang
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Changsha, China.
| | - Wei Zhang
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Changsha, China.
| | - Huang Ding
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Changsha, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ding JQ, Zhang JQ, Zhao SJ, Jiang DB, Lu JR, Yang SY, Wang J, Sun YJ, Huang YN, Hu CC, Zhang XY, Zhang JX, Liu TY, Han CY, Qiao XP, Guo J, Zhao C, Yang K. Follicular CD8 + T cells promote immunoglobulin production and demyelination in multiple sclerosis and a murine model. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167303. [PMID: 38878831 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167303] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Emerging evidence underscores the importance of CD8+ T cells in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), but the precise mechanisms remain ambiguous. This study intends to elucidate the involvement of a novel subset of follicular CD8+ T cells (CD8+CXCR5+ T) in MS and an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) murine model. The expansion of CD8+CXCR5+ T cells was observed in both MS patients and EAE mice during the acute phase. In relapsing MS patients, higher frequencies of circulating CD8+CXCR5+ T cells were positively correlated with new gadolinium-enhancement lesions in the central nervous system (CNS). In EAE mice, frequencies of CD8+CXCR5+ T cells were also positively correlated with clinical scores. These cells were found to infiltrate into ectopic lymphoid-like structures in the spinal cords during the peak of the disease. Furthermore, CD8+CXCR5+ T cells, exhibiting high expression levels of ICOS, CD40L, IL-21, and IL-6, were shown to facilitate B cell activation and differentiation through a synergistic interaction between CD40L and IL-21. Transferring CD8+CXCR5+ T cells into naïve mice confirmed their ability to enhance the production of anti-MOG35-55 antibodies and contribute to the disease progression. Consequently, CD8+CXCR5+ T cells may play a role in CNS demyelination through heightening humoral immune responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Qi Ding
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China; Department of Neurology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China
| | - Jun-Qi Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China
| | - Si-Jia Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China
| | - Dong-Bo Jiang
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China
| | - Jia-Rui Lu
- Department of Neurology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China
| | - Shu-Ya Yang
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China
| | - Yuan-Jie Sun
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China
| | - Yi-Nan Huang
- Department of Emergency, the Second Affiliated Hospital (Xixian New District Central Hospital), Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chen-Chen Hu
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China
| | - Xi-Yang Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China
| | - Jia-Xing Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China
| | - Tian-Yue Liu
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China
| | - Chen-Ying Han
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China
| | - Xu-Peng Qiao
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China
| | - Jun Guo
- Department of Neurology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China.
| | - Cong Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Air Force Medical Center of PLA, Beijing, China.
| | - Kun Yang
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Shaanxi, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Tsiogkas SG, Mavropoulos A, Dardiotis E, Zafiriou E, Bogdanos DP. Biologics targeting IL-17 sharply reduce circulating T follicular helper and T peripheral helper cell sub-populations in psoriasis. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1325356. [PMID: 38835766 PMCID: PMC11148216 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1325356] [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: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Circulating T follicular helper (cTfh) cells and circulating T peripheral helper (cTph) cells (which share common characteristics with the cTfh population) are implicated in the pathogenesis of immune-mediated and autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis (Ps). Their close interplay with the interleukin 17 (IL-17) axis and the ex vivo effect of IL-17-targeting biologic agents used to treat Ps on them are elusive. This study aimed to investigate the effect of biologics targeting IL-17 on cTfh and cTph cell subpopulations isolated from the blood of patients with Ps. Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from patients with Ps at treatment initiation and three months later. Samples were also collected from controls. Cells were stained using monoclonal antibodies. Flow cytometry assessed the fraction of cTfh (CD3+CD4+CXCR5+) and cTph (CD3+CD4+CXCR5-PD-1hi) cells.. Results Flow cytometric analysis showed increased fractions of activated cTfh subsets including ICOS+ and ICOS+PD-1+ expressing cells, in patients compared to controls. Biologic blocking of IL-17A diminished the cTfh population. Furthermore, ICOS+ and ICOS+PD-1+ sub-populations were also inhibited. Finally, the cTph cell fraction significantly decreased after three months of successful treatment with biologics. Conclusion Early anti-IL-17-mediated clinical remission in Ps is associated with decreased cTfh and cTph cell subpopulations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sotirios G. Tsiogkas
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Athanasios Mavropoulos
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Efthimios Dardiotis
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Efterpi Zafiriou
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Dimitrios P. Bogdanos
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sausen DG, Poirier MC, Spiers LM, Smith EN. Mechanisms of T cell evasion by Epstein-Barr virus and implications for tumor survival. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1289313. [PMID: 38179040 PMCID: PMC10764432 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1289313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a prevalent oncogenic virus estimated to infect greater than 90% of the world's population. Following initial infection, it establishes latency in host B cells. EBV has developed a multitude of techniques to avoid detection by the host immune system and establish lifelong infection. T cells, as important contributors to cell-mediated immunity, make an attractive target for these immunoevasive strategies. Indeed, EBV has evolved numerous mechanisms to modulate T cell responses. For example, it can augment expression of programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), which inhibits T cell function, and downregulates the interferon response, which has a strong impact on T cell regulation. It also modulates interleukin secretion and can influence major histocompatibility complex (MHC) expression and presentation. In addition to facilitating persistent EBV infection, these immunoregulatory mechanisms have significant implications for evasion of the immune response by tumor cells. This review dissects the mechanisms through which EBV avoids detection by host T cells and discusses how these mechanisms play into tumor survival. It concludes with an overview of cancer treatments targeting T cells in the setting of EBV-associated malignancy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D. G. Sausen
- School of Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Pfützner W, Polakova A, Möbs C. We are memory: B-cell responses in allergy and tolerance. Eur J Immunol 2023; 53:e2048916. [PMID: 37098972 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202048916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Abstract
The significance of B-cell memory in sustaining IgE-mediated allergies but also ensuring the development of long-term allergen tolerance has remained enigmatic. However, well-thought murine and human studies have begun to shed more light on this highly disputed subject. The present mini review highlights important aspects, like the involvement of IgG1 memory B cells, the meaning of low- or high-affinity IgE antibody production, the impact of allergen immunotherapy, or the relevance of local memory established by ectopic lymphoid structures. Based on recent findings, future investigations should lead to deeper knowledge and the development of improved therapies treating allergic individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Pfützner
- Clinical & Experimental Allergy, Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, University Hospital Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Alexandra Polakova
- Clinical & Experimental Allergy, Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, University Hospital Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Christian Möbs
- Clinical & Experimental Allergy, Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, University Hospital Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Reusch L, Angeletti D. Memory B-cell diversity: From early generation to tissue residency and reactivation. Eur J Immunol 2023; 53:e2250085. [PMID: 36811174 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202250085] [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: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Memory B cells (MBCs) have a crucial function in providing an enhanced response to repeated infections. Upon antigen encounter, MBC can either rapidly differentiate to antibody secreting cells or enter germinal centers (GC) to further diversify and affinity mature. Understanding how and when MBC are formed, where they reside and how they select their fate upon reactivation has profound implications for designing strategies to improve targeted, next-generation vaccines. Recent studies have crystallized much of our knowledge on MBC but also reported several surprising discoveries and gaps in our current understanding. Here, we review the latest advancements in the field and highlight current unknowns. In particular, we focus on timing and cues leading to MBC generation before and during the GC reaction, discuss how MBC become resident in mucosal tissues, and finally, provide an overview of factors shaping MBC fate-decision upon reactivation in mucosal and lymphoid tissues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Reusch
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Davide Angeletti
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|