Effects of Recombinant IL-35-BCG on Treg/Th17 Cell Imbalance and Inflammatory Response in Asthmatic Newborn Mice Induced by RSV

Interplay of IL-33 and IL-35 Modulates Th2/Th17 Responses in Cigarette Smoke Exposure HDM-Induced Asthma

Cigarette smoke (CS) facilitates adverse effects on the airway inflammation and treatment of asthma. Here, we investigated the mechanisms by which CS exacerbates asthma. The roles of IL-33 and IL-35 in asthma development were examined by treatment with IL-33 knockout (IL-33 KO) or transfection of adenovirus encoding IL-35 (Ad-IL-35) in a murine model of cigarette smoke-exposure asthma. Furthermore, the involvement of IL-33 and IL-35 in regulating DCs and Th2/Th17 cells was examined in a coculture system of DCs with CD4+ T cells. Additionally, we observed the effect of CpG-ODNs on the balance of IL-33 and IL-35. We show that CS and house dust mite (HDM) exposure induced IL-33 and suppressed IL-35 levels in cigarette smoke-exposure asthma in vivo and in vitro. Treatment with IL-33 KO or Ad-IL-35 significantly attenuated airway hyperreactivity, goblet hyperplasia, airway remodelling, and eosinophil and neutrophil infiltration in the lung tissues from asthmatic mice. Furthermore, we demonstrated reciprocal regulation between CS and HDM-modulated IL-33 and IL-35. Mechanistically, IL-33 KO (or anti-ST2) and Ad-IL-35 attenuated Th2- and Th17-associated inflammation by downregulating TSLP-DC signalling. Finally, administration of CpG-ODNs suppressed the expression of IL-33/ST2 and elevated the levels of IL-35, which is mainly derived from CD4+Foxp+ Tregs, to alleviate Th2- and Th17-associated inflammation by inhibiting the activation of BMDCs. Taken together, the IL-33/ST2 pathway drives the DC-Th2 and Th17 responses of cigarette smoke-exposure asthma, while IL-35 has the opposite effect. CpG-ODNs represent a potential therapeutic strategy for modulating the balance of IL-33 and IL-35 to suppress allergic airway inflammation.

Targeting IL-12 family cytokines: A potential strategy for type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Diabetes is a common metabolic disease characterized by an imbalance in blood glucose levels. The pathogenesis of diabetes involves the essential role of cytokines, particularly the IL-12 family cytokines. These cytokines, which have a similar structure, play multiple roles in regulating the immune response. Recent studies have emphasized the importance of IL-12 family cytokines in the development of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. As a result, they hold promise as potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of these conditions. This review focuses on the potential of targeting IL-12 family cytokines for diabetes therapy based on their roles in the pathogenesis of both types of diabetes. We have summarized various therapies that target IL-12 family cytokines, including drug therapy, combination therapy, cell therapy, gene therapy, cytokine engineering therapy, and gut microbiota modulation. By analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of these therapies, we have evaluated their feasibility for clinical application and proposed possible solutions to overcome any challenges. In conclusion, targeting IL-12 family cytokines for diabetes therapy provides updated insights into their potential benefits, such as controlling inflammation, preserving islet β cells, reversing the onset of diabetes, and impeding the development of diabetic complications.

Immune escaping of the novel genotypes of human respiratory syncytial virus based on gene sequence variation

Purpose

Immune escaping from host herd immunity has been related to changes in viral genomic sequences. The study aimed to understand the diverse immune responses to different subtypes or genotypes of human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in pediatric patients.

Methods

The genomic sequences of different subtypes or RSV genotypes, isolated from Beijing patients, were sequenced and systematically analyzed. Specifically, the antiviral effects of Palivizumab and the cross-reactivity of human sera from RSV-positive patients to different subtypes or genotypes of RSV were determined. Then, the level of 38 cytokines and chemokines in respiratory and serum samples from RSV-positive patients was evaluated.

Results

The highest nucleotide and amino acid variations and the secondary and tertiary structure diversities among different subtypes or genotypes of RSV were found in G, especially for genotype ON1 with a 72bp-insertion compared to NA1 in subtype A, while more mutations of F protein were found in the NH-2 terminal, including the antigenic site II, the target of Palivizumab, containing one change N276S. Palivizumab inhibited subtype A with higher efficiency than subtype B and had stronger inhibitory effects on the reference strains than on isolated strains. However, RSV-positive sera had stronger inhibitory effects on the strains in the same subtypes or genotypes of RSV. The level of IFN-α2, IL-1α, and IL-1β in respiratory specimens from patients with NA1 was lower than those with ON1, while there were higher TNFα, IFNγ, IL-1α, and IL-1β in the first serum samples from patients with ON1 compared to those with BA9 of subtype B.

Conclusions

Diverse host immune responses were correlated with differential subtypes and genotypes of RSV in pediatric patients, demonstrating the impact of viral genetics on host immunity.

Recombinant BCG to Enhance Its Immunomodulatory Activities

The bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is an attenuated Mycobacterium bovis derivative that has been widely used as a live vaccine against tuberculosis for a century. In addition to its use as a tuberculosis vaccine, BCG has also been found to have utility in the prevention or treatment of unrelated diseases, including cancer. However, the protective and therapeutic efficacy of BCG against tuberculosis and other diseases is not perfect. For three decades, it has been possible to genetically modify BCG in an attempt to improve its efficacy. Various immune-modulatory molecules have been produced in recombinant BCG strains and tested for protection against tuberculosis or treatment of several cancers or inflammatory diseases. These molecules include cytokines, bacterial toxins or toxin fragments, as well as other protein and non-protein immune-modulatory molecules. The deletion of genes responsible for the immune-suppressive properties of BCG has also been explored for their effect on BCG-induced innate and adaptive immune responses. Most studies limited their investigations to the description of T cell immune responses that were modified by the genetic modifications of BCG. Some studies also reported improved protection by recombinant BCG against tuberculosis or enhanced therapeutic efficacy against various cancer forms or allergies. However, so far, these investigations have been limited to mouse models, and the prophylactic or therapeutic potential of recombinant BCG strains has not yet been illustrated in other species, including humans, with the exception of a genetically modified BCG strain that is now in late-stage clinical development as a vaccine against tuberculosis. In this review, we provide an overview of the different molecular engineering strategies adopted over the last three decades in order to enhance the immune-modulatory potential of BCG.