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Bortolomai I, Sandri M, Draghici E, Fontana E, Campodoni E, Marcovecchio GE, Ferrua F, Perani L, Spinelli A, Canu T, Catucci M, Di Tomaso T, Sergi Sergi L, Esposito A, Lombardo A, Naldini L, Tampieri A, Hollander GA, Villa A, Bosticardo M. Gene Modification and Three-Dimensional Scaffolds as Novel Tools to Allow the Use of Postnatal Thymic Epithelial Cells for Thymus Regeneration Approaches. Stem Cells Transl Med 2019; 8:1107-1122. [PMID: 31140762 PMCID: PMC6766605 DOI: 10.1002/sctm.18-0218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Defective functionality of thymic epithelial cells (TECs), due to genetic mutations or injuring causes, results in altered T-cell development, leading to immunodeficiency or autoimmunity. These defects cannot be corrected by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), and thymus transplantation has not yet been demonstrated to be fully curative. Here, we provide proof of principle of a novel approach toward thymic regeneration, involving the generation of thymic organoids obtained by seeding gene-modified postnatal murine TECs into three-dimensional (3D) collagen type I scaffolds mimicking the thymic ultrastructure. To this end, freshly isolated TECs were transduced with a lentiviral vector system, allowing for doxycycline-induced Oct4 expression. Transient Oct4 expression promoted TECs expansion without drastically changing the cell lineage identity of adult TECs, which retain the expression of important molecules for thymus functionality such as Foxn1, Dll4, Dll1, and AIRE. Oct4-expressing TECs (iOCT4 TEC) were able to grow into 3D collagen type I scaffolds both in vitro and in vivo, demonstrating that the collagen structure reproduced a 3D environment similar to the thymic extracellular matrix, perfectly recognized by TECs. In vivo results showed that thymic organoids transplanted subcutaneously in athymic nude mice were vascularized but failed to support thymopoiesis because of their limited in vivo persistence. These findings provide evidence that gene modification, in combination with the usage of 3D biomimetic scaffolds, may represent a novel approach allowing the use of postnatal TECs for thymic regeneration. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2019;8:1107-1122.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ileana Bortolomai
- Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR‐Tiget), Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells, and Gene TherapyIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- UOS MilanoIRGB CNRMilanItaly
| | - Monica Sandri
- Laboratory of Bioceramics and Bio‐Hybrid CompositesInstitute of Science and Technology for Ceramics (ISTEC), National Research Council (CNR)FaenzaItaly
| | - Elena Draghici
- Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR‐Tiget), Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells, and Gene TherapyIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Elena Fontana
- UOS MilanoIRGB CNRMilanItaly
- Humanitas Clinical and Research CenterRozzanoMilanItaly
| | - Elisabetta Campodoni
- Laboratory of Bioceramics and Bio‐Hybrid CompositesInstitute of Science and Technology for Ceramics (ISTEC), National Research Council (CNR)FaenzaItaly
| | - Genni Enza Marcovecchio
- Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR‐Tiget), Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells, and Gene TherapyIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Francesca Ferrua
- Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR‐Tiget), Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells, and Gene TherapyIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Vita‐Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilanItaly
- Paediatric Immunohematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation UnitIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Laura Perani
- Preclinical Imaging Facility, Experimental Imaging CenterIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Antonello Spinelli
- Preclinical Imaging Facility, Experimental Imaging CenterIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Tamara Canu
- Preclinical Imaging Facility, Experimental Imaging CenterIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Marco Catucci
- Paediatric Immunology, Department of BiomedicineUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Tiziano Di Tomaso
- Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR‐Tiget), Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells, and Gene TherapyIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Lucia Sergi Sergi
- Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR‐Tiget), Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells, and Gene TherapyIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Antonio Esposito
- Vita‐Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilanItaly
- Preclinical Imaging Facility, Experimental Imaging CenterIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Angelo Lombardo
- Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR‐Tiget), Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells, and Gene TherapyIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Vita‐Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilanItaly
| | - Luigi Naldini
- Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR‐Tiget), Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells, and Gene TherapyIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Vita‐Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilanItaly
| | - Anna Tampieri
- Laboratory of Bioceramics and Bio‐Hybrid CompositesInstitute of Science and Technology for Ceramics (ISTEC), National Research Council (CNR)FaenzaItaly
| | - Georg A. Hollander
- Paediatric Immunology, Department of BiomedicineUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Developmental Immunology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular MedicineUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Anna Villa
- Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR‐Tiget), Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells, and Gene TherapyIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- UOS MilanoIRGB CNRMilanItaly
| | - Marita Bosticardo
- Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR‐Tiget), Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells, and Gene TherapyIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
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Pouzolles M, Machado A, Guilbaud M, Irla M, Gailhac S, Barennes P, Cesana D, Calabria A, Benedicenti F, Sergé A, Raman I, Li QZ, Montini E, Klatzmann D, Adjali O, Taylor N, Zimmermann VS. Intrathymic adeno-associated virus gene transfer rapidly restores thymic function and long-term persistence of gene-corrected T cells. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2019; 145:679-697.e5. [PMID: 31513879 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2019.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 07/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with T-cell immunodeficiencies are generally treated with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, but alternatives are needed for patients without matched donors. An innovative intrathymic gene therapy approach that directly targets the thymus might improve outcomes. OBJECTIVE We sought to determine the efficacy of intrathymic adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotypes to transduce thymocyte subsets and correct the T-cell immunodeficiency in a zeta-associated protein of 70 kDa (ZAP-70)-deficient murine model. METHODS AAV serotypes were injected intrathymically into wild-type mice, and gene transfer efficiency was monitored. ZAP-70-/- mice were intrathymically injected with an AAV8 vector harboring the ZAP70 gene. Thymus structure, immunophenotyping, T-cell receptor clonotypes, T-cell function, immune responses to transgenes and autoantibodies, vector copy number, and integration were evaluated. RESULTS AAV8, AAV9, and AAV10 serotypes all transduced thymocyte subsets after in situ gene transfer, with transduction of up to 5% of cells. Intrathymic injection of an AAV8-ZAP-70 vector into ZAP-70-/- mice resulted in a rapid thymocyte differentiation associated with the development of a thymic medulla. Strikingly, medullary thymic epithelial cells expressing the autoimmune regulator were detected within 10 days of gene transfer, correlating with the presence of functional effector and regulatory T-cell subsets with diverse T-cell receptor clonotypes in the periphery. Although thymocyte reconstitution was transient, gene-corrected peripheral T cells harboring approximately 1 AAV genome per cell persisted for more than 40 weeks, and AAV vector integration was detected. CONCLUSIONS Intrathymic AAV-transduced progenitors promote a rapid restoration of the thymic architecture, with a single wave of thymopoiesis generating long-term peripheral T-cell function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Pouzolles
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Alice Machado
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Mickaël Guilbaud
- INSERM UMR1089, Université de Nantes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Magali Irla
- Center of Immunology Marseille-Luminy (CIML), INSERM U1104, CNRS UMR7280, Aix-Marseille Université UM2, Marseille, France
| | - Sarah Gailhac
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Pierre Barennes
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Immunology-Immunopathology-Immunotherapy (i3), Paris, France
| | - Daniela Cesana
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Calabria
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Benedicenti
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Arnauld Sergé
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, CRCM, Marseille, France
| | - Indu Raman
- Microarray Core Facility, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Tex
| | - Quan-Zhen Li
- Microarray Core Facility, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Tex; Department of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Tex
| | - Eugenio Montini
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - David Klatzmann
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Immunology-Immunopathology-Immunotherapy (i3), Paris, France; AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Biotherapy (CIC-BTi) and Inflammation-Immunopathology-Biotherapy Department (i2B), Paris, France
| | - Oumeya Adjali
- INSERM UMR1089, Université de Nantes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nantes, Nantes, France.
| | - Naomi Taylor
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France; Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.
| | - Valérie S Zimmermann
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France.
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El-Kadiry AEH, Rafei M. Restoring thymic function: Then and now. Cytokine 2019; 120:202-209. [PMID: 31108430 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2019.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Thymic vulnerability, a leading cause of defective immunity, was discovered decades ago. To date, several strategies have been investigated to unveil any immunorestorative capacities they might confer. Studies exploiting castration, transplantation, adoptive cell therapies, hormones/growth factors, and cytokines have demonstrated enhanced in vitro and in vivo thymopoiesis, albeit with clinical restrictions. In this review, we will dissect the thymus on a physiological and pathological level and discuss the pros and cons of several strategies esteemed thymotrophic from a pre-clinical perspective. Finally, we will shed light on interleukin (IL)-21, a pharmacologically-promising cytokine with a significant thymotrophic nature, and elaborate on its potential clinical efficacy and safety in immune-deficient subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abed El-Hakim El-Kadiry
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Qc, Canada; Montreal Heart Institute, Montréal, Qc, Canada
| | - Moutih Rafei
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Qc, Canada; Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Qc, Canada; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, Qc, Canada.
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4
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Hale LP, Rajam G, Carlone GM, Jiang C, Owzar K, Dugan G, Caudell D, Chao N, Cline JM, Register TC, Sempowski GD. Late effects of total body irradiation on hematopoietic recovery and immune function in rhesus macaques. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0210663. [PMID: 30759098 PMCID: PMC6373904 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
While exposure to radiation can be lifesaving in certain settings, it can also potentially result in long-lasting adverse effects, particularly to hematopoietic and immune cells. This study investigated hematopoietic recovery and immune function in rhesus macaques Cross-sectionally (at a single time point) 2 to 5 years after exposure to a single large dose (6.5 to 8.4 Gray) of total body radiation (TBI) derived from linear accelerator-derived photons (2 MeV, 80 cGy/minute) or Cobalt 60-derived gamma irradiation (60 cGy/min). Hematopoietic recovery was assessed through measurement of complete blood counts, lymphocyte subpopulation analysis, and thymus function assessment. Capacity to mount specific antibody responses against rabies, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and tetanus antigens was determined 2 years after TBI. Irradiated macaques showed increased white blood cells, decreased platelets, and decreased frequencies of peripheral blood T cells. Effects of prior radiation on production and export of new T cells by the thymus was dependent on age at the time of analysis, with evidence of interaction with radiation dose for CD8+ T cells. Irradiated and control animals mounted similar mean antibody responses to proteins from tetanus and rabies and to 10 of 11 serotype-specific pneumococcal polysaccharides. However, irradiated animals uniformly failed to make antibodies against polysaccharides from serotype 5 pneumococci, in contrast to the robust responses of non-irradiated controls. Trends toward decreased serum levels of anti-tetanus IgM and slower peak antibody responses to rabies were also observed. Taken together, these data show that dose-related changes in peripheral blood cells and immune responses to both novel and recall antigens can be detected 2 to 5 years after exposure to whole body radiation. Longer term follow-up data on this cohort and independent validation will be helpful to determine whether these changes persist or whether additional changes become evident with increasing time since radiation, particularly as animals begin to develop aging-related changes in immune function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura P. Hale
- Department of Pathology and Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Gowrisankar Rajam
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - George M. Carlone
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Chen Jiang
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States of America
| | - Kouros Owzar
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States of America
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States of America
| | - Greg Dugan
- Department of Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America
| | - David Caudell
- Department of Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America
| | - Nelson Chao
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States of America
| | - J. Mark Cline
- Department of Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America
| | - Thomas C. Register
- Department of Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America
| | - Gregory D. Sempowski
- Department of Pathology and Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States of America
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5
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Nahas MR, Rosenblatt J, Lazarus HM, Avigan D. Anti-cancer vaccine therapy for hematologic malignancies: An evolving era. Blood Rev 2018; 32:312-325. [PMID: 29475779 DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2017] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The potential promise of therapeutic vaccination as effective therapy for hematologic malignancies is supported by the observation that allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation is curative for a subset of patients due to the graft-versus-tumor effect mediated by alloreactive lymphocytes. Tumor vaccines are being explored as a therapeutic strategy to re-educate host immunity to recognize and target malignant cells through the activation and expansion of effector cell populations. Via several mechanisms, tumor cells induce T cell dysfunction and senescence, amplifying and maintaining tumor cell immunosuppressive effects, resulting in failure of clinical trials of tumor vaccines and adoptive T cell therapies. The fundamental premise of successful vaccine design involves the introduction of tumor-associated antigens in the context of effective antigen presentation so that tolerance can be reversed and a productive response can be generated. With the increasing understanding of the role of both the tumor and tumor microenvironment in fostering immune tolerance, vaccine therapy is being explored in the context of immunomodulatory therapies. The most effective strategy may be to use combination therapies such as anti-cancer vaccines with checkpoint blockade to target critical aspects of this environment in an effort to prevent the re-establishment of tumor tolerance while limiting toxicity associated with autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myrna R Nahas
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Jacalyn Rosenblatt
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hillard M Lazarus
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - David Avigan
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
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6
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Tormo A, Khodayarian F, Cui Y, Al-Chami E, Kanjarawi R, Noé B, Wang H, Rafei M. Interleukin-21 promotes thymopoiesis recovery following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. J Hematol Oncol 2017; 10:120. [PMID: 28615039 PMCID: PMC5471903 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-017-0490-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impaired T cell reconstitution remains a major deterrent in the field of bone marrow (BM) transplantation (BMT) due to pre-conditioning-induced damages inflicted to the thymi of recipient hosts. Given the previously reported thymo-stimulatory property of interleukin (IL)-21, we reasoned that its use post-BMT could have a profound effect on de novo T cell development. METHODS To evaluate the effect of IL-21 on de novo T cell development in vivo, BM derived from RAG2p-GFP mice was transplanted into LP/J mice. Lymphocyte reconstitution was first assessed using a hematological analyzer and a flow cytometer on collected blood samples. Detailed flow cytometry analysis was then performed on the BM, thymus, and spleen of transplanted animals. Finally, the effect of human IL-21 on thymopoiesis was validated in humanized mice. RESULTS Using a major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-matched allogeneic BMT model, we found that IL-21 administration improves immune reconstitution by triggering the proliferation of BM Lin-Sca1+c-kit+ (LSK) subsets. The pharmacological effect of IL-21 also culminates in the recovery of both hematopoietic (thymocytes) and non-hematopoietic (stromal) cells within the thymi of IL-21-treated recipient animals. Although T cells derived from all transplanted groups proliferate, secrete various cytokines, and express granzyme B similarly in response to T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation, full regeneration of peripheral naïve CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and normal TCRvβ distribution could only be detected in IL-21-treated recipient mice. Astonishingly, none of the recipient mice who underwent IL-21 treatment developed graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in the MHC-matched allogeneic setting while the graft-versus-tumor (GVT) effect was strongly retained. Inhibition of GVHD onset could also be attributed to the enhanced generation of regulatory B cells (B10) observed in the IL-21, but not PBS, recipient mice. We also tested the thymopoiesis-stimulating property of human IL-21 in NSG mice transplanted with cord blood (CB) and found significant improvement in de novo human CD3+ T cell development. CONCLUSIONS In sum, our study indicates that IL-21 represents a new class of unforeseen thymopoietin capable of restoring thymic function following BMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Tormo
- The Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit BLVD, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Fatemeh Khodayarian
- The Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit BLVD, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Yun Cui
- The Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit BLVD, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Edouard Al-Chami
- The Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit BLVD, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Reem Kanjarawi
- The Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit BLVD, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Beatriz Noé
- The Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit BLVD, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Huijie Wang
- The Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit BLVD, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Moutih Rafei
- The Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit BLVD, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1J4, Canada. .,The Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit BLVD, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1J4, Canada. .,The Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, 3775 University Street, Montréal, Québec, H3A 2B4, Canada.
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7
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Ito R, Hale LP, Geyer SM, Li J, Sornborger A, Kajimura J, Kusunoki Y, Yoshida K, van den Brink MRM, Kyoizumi S, Manley NR, Nakachi K, Sempowski GD. Late Effects of Exposure to Ionizing Radiation and Age on Human Thymus Morphology and Function. Radiat Res 2017; 187:589-598. [PMID: 28319462 DOI: 10.1667/rr4554.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The thymus is essential for proper development and maintenance of a T-cell repertoire that can respond to newly encountered antigens, but its function can be adversely affected by internal factors such as pregnancy and normal aging or by external stimuli such as stress, infection, chemotherapy and ionizing radiation. We have utilized a unique archive of thymus tissues, obtained from 165 individuals, exposed to the 1945 atomic bomb blast in Hiroshima, to study the long-term effects of receiving up to ∼3 Gy dose of ionizing radiation on human thymus function. A detailed morphometric analysis of thymus activity and architecture in these subjects at the time of their natural deaths was performed using bright-field immunohistochemistry and dual-color immunofluorescence and compared to a separate cohort of nonexposed control subjects. After adjusting for age-related effects, increased hallmarks of thymic involution were observed histologically in individuals exposed to either low (5-200 mGy) or moderate-to-high (>200 mGy) doses of ionizing radiation compared to unirradiated individuals (<5 mGy). Sex-related differences were seen when the analysis was restricted to individuals under 60 years of attained age at sample collection, but were not observed when comparing across the entire age range. This indicates that while females undergo slower involution than males, they ultimately attain similar phenotypes. These findings suggest that even low-dose-radiation exposure can accelerate thymic aging, with decreased thymopoiesis relative to nonexposed controls evident years after exposure. These data were used to develop a model that can predict thymic function during normal aging or in individuals therapeutically or accidentally exposed to radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reiko Ito
- a Department of Molecular Biosciences, Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Laura P Hale
- b Department of Pathology and the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Susan M Geyer
- c Department of Pediatrics, Health Informatics Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Jie Li
- d Department of Genetics, Paul D. Coverdell Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Andrew Sornborger
- e Department of Mathematics, University of California, Davis, California.,f Department of Mathematics and College of Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Junko Kajimura
- a Department of Molecular Biosciences, Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yoichiro Kusunoki
- a Department of Molecular Biosciences, Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kengo Yoshida
- a Department of Molecular Biosciences, Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Marcel R M van den Brink
- g Departments of Medicine and Immunology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Seishi Kyoizumi
- g Departments of Medicine and Immunology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Nancy R Manley
- d Department of Genetics, Paul D. Coverdell Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Kei Nakachi
- a Department of Molecular Biosciences, Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Gregory D Sempowski
- b Department of Pathology and the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
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8
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Krueger A, Ziętara N, Łyszkiewicz M. T Cell Development by the Numbers. Trends Immunol 2016; 38:128-139. [PMID: 27842955 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2016.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Revised: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
T cells are continually generated in the thymus in a highly dynamic process comprising discrete steps of lineage commitment, T cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement, and selection. These steps are linked to distinct rates of proliferation, survival, and cell death, but a quantitative picture of T cell development is only beginning to emerge. Here we summarize recent technical advances, including genetic fate mapping, barcoding, and molecular timers, that have allowed the implementation of computational models to quantify developmental dynamics in the thymus. Coupling new techniques with mathematical models has recently resulted in the emergence of new paradigms in early hematopoiesis and might similarly open new perspectives on T cell development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Krueger
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Natalia Ziętara
- Dr von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University, 80337 Munich, Germany
| | - Marcin Łyszkiewicz
- Dr von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University, 80337 Munich, Germany
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Farese AM, Hankey KG, Cohen MV, MacVittie TJ. Lymphoid and Myeloid Recovery in Rhesus Macaques Following Total Body X-Irradiation. HEALTH PHYSICS 2015; 109:414-26. [PMID: 26425902 PMCID: PMC4593069 DOI: 10.1097/hp.0000000000000348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Recovery from severe immunosuppression requires hematopoietic stem cell reconstitution and effective thymopoiesis to restore a functional immune cell repertoire. Herein, a model of immune cell reconstitution consequent to potentially lethal doses of irradiation is described, which may be valuable in evaluating potential medical countermeasures. Male rhesus macaques were total body irradiated by exposure to 6.00 Gy 250 kVp x-radiation (midline tissue dose, 0.13 Gy min), resulting in an approximate LD10/60 (n = 5/59). Animals received medical management, and hematopoietic and immune cell recovery was assessed (n ≤ 14) through 370 d post exposure. A subset of animals (n ≤ 8) was examined through 700 d. Myeloid recovery was assessed by neutrophil and platelet-related parameters. Lymphoid recovery was assessed by the absolute lymphocyte count and FACS-based phenotyping of B- and T-cell subsets. Recent thymic emigrants were identified by T cell receptor excision circle quantification. Severe neutropenia, lymphopenia, and thrombocytopenia resolved within 30 d. Total CD3+ cells μL required 60 d to reach values 60% of normal, followed by subsequent slow recovery to approximately normal by 180 d post irradiation. Recovery of CD3+4+ and CD3+8+ cell memory and naïve subsets were markedly different. Memory populations were ≥ 100% of normal by day 60, whereas naïve populations were only 57% normal at 180 d and never fully recovered to baseline post irradiation. Total (CD20+) B cells μL were within normal levels by 77 d post exposure. This animal model elucidates the variable T- and B-cell subset recovery kinetics after a potentially lethal dose of total-body irradiation that are dependent on marrow-derived stem and progenitor cell recovery, peripheral homeostatic expansion, and thymopoiesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann M. Farese
- University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Baltimore, MD
| | - Kim G. Hankey
- University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Baltimore, MD
| | | | - Thomas J. MacVittie
- University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Baltimore, MD
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10
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Suzuki M, Curran KJ, Cheung NKV. Chimeric antigen receptors and bispecific antibodies to retarget T cells in pediatric oncology. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015; 62:1326-36. [PMID: 25832831 PMCID: PMC4976492 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.25513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2014] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy using antigen-specific T cells has broad therapeutic potential. Chimeric antigen receptors and bispecific antibodies can redirect T cells to kill tumors without human leukocyte antigens (HLA) restriction. Key determinants of clinical potential include the choice of target antigen, antibody specificity, antibody affinity, tumor accessibility, T cell persistence, and tumor immune evasion. For pediatric cancers, additional constraints include their propensity for bulky metastatic disease and the concern for late toxicities from treatment. Nonetheless, the recent preclinical and clinical developments of these T cell based therapies are highly encouraging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Suzuki
- Department of Pediatrics; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; 1275 York Avenue, New York 10065 NY
| | - Kevin J. Curran
- Department of Pediatrics; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; 1275 York Avenue, New York 10065 NY
| | - Nai-Kong V. Cheung
- Department of Pediatrics; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; 1275 York Avenue, New York 10065 NY
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11
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Abstract
The last 6 decades have seen major advances in the understanding of immunologic diseases, driven by preclinical animal models. Indeed, bone marrow transplantation (BMT) has its genesis in rodent models dating back to the 1950s. Allogeneic BMT and its major complication, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), represent a paradigm for the translation of preclinical concepts into clinical practice. The appreciation that GVHD can be thought of as a stepwise escalation in immune activation characterized by eventual massive target tissue apoptosis has allowed the design of rational approaches to better manage patients. Here, we describe the pathophysiology of GVHD as defined in preclinical models, focusing on the successes and failures of this research to instruct and translate clinical practice. We also provide a commentary on the limitations of these models so that they may be better appreciated and addressed in future studies. Notable preclinical successes include the definition of modern immune suppression, reductions in conditioning intensity, posttransplant cyclophosphamide, and the promotion of regulatory T-cell reconstitution. New strategies including naïve T-cell depletion, focused cytokine and chemokine inhibition, and the blockade of costimulation now also appear highly promising and very likely to translate into patients in the near future.
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12
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De Barros SC, Zimmermann VS, Taylor N. Concise review: hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: targeting the thymus. Stem Cells 2014; 31:1245-51. [PMID: 23554173 DOI: 10.1002/stem.1378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2012] [Accepted: 02/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation can cure patients suffering from diverse genetic and acquired diseases as well as cancers. Nevertheless, under conditions where T-cell reconstitution is critical, the entry of donor progenitors into the thymus remains a major bottleneck. It is assumed that following the intravenous injection of HSC, they first home to the BM. More committed progenitors can then be exported to the thymus in response to a myriad of signals regulating thymus seeding. Notably although, the thymus is not continually receptive to the import of hematopoietic progenitors. Furthermore, as stem cells with self-renewing capacity do not take up residence in the thymus under physiological conditions, the periodic colonization of the thymus is essential for the sustained differentiation of T lymphocytes. As such, we and others have invested significant efforts into exploring avenues that might foster a long-term thymus-autonomous differentiation. Here, we review strategic approaches that have resulted in long-term T-cell differentiation in immunodeficient (SCID) mice, even across histocompatibility barriers. These include the forced thymic entry of BM precursors by their direct intrathymic injection as well as the transplantation of neonatal thymi. The capacity of the thymus to support hematopoietic progenitors with renewal potential will hopefully promote the development of new therapeutic strategies aimed at enhancing T-cell differentiation in patients undergoing HSC transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie C De Barros
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Université Montpellier , Montpellier, France
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13
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Ventevogel MS, Sempowski GD. Thymic rejuvenation and aging. Curr Opin Immunol 2013; 25:516-22. [PMID: 23831111 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2013.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2013] [Revised: 06/11/2013] [Accepted: 06/12/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The thymus is a vital organ for homeostatic maintenance of the peripheral immune system. It is within this mediastinal tissue that T cells develop and are extensively educated and exported to the periphery for establishment of a functional and effective immune system. A striking paradoxical feature of this critical lymphoid tissue is that it undergoes profound age-associated involution. Thymic decline is of minimal consequence to healthy individuals, but the reduced efficacy of the immune system with age has direct etiological linkages with an increase in diseases including opportunistic infections, autoimmunity, and incidence/burden of cancer. Furthermore the inability of adults to restore immune function following insult induced by chemotherapy, ionizing radiation exposure or therapy, and infections (e.g. HIV-1) leads to increased morbidity and often mortality in the elderly. For these reasons, it is important that investigators strive to translate their understanding of mechanisms that drive thymic involution, and develop safe and effective strategies to rejuvenate the thymus in settings of clinical need. In this review, we present a discussion of the current status of thymic rejuvenation efforts associated with: sex steroid ablation, cytokines, growth factors, and hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa S Ventevogel
- Duke University Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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14
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Current World Literature. Curr Opin Oncol 2013; 25:205-208. [DOI: 10.1097/cco.0b013e32835ec49f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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15
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Ferrando-Martínez S, de la Fuente M, Guerrero JM, Leal M, Muñoz-Fernández MÁ. [Impact of thymic function in age-related immune deterioration]. Rev Esp Geriatr Gerontol 2013; 48:232-7. [PMID: 23453427 DOI: 10.1016/j.regg.2012.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2012] [Revised: 11/14/2012] [Accepted: 11/16/2012] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Age-related biological deterioration also includes immune system deterioration and, in consequence, a rise in the incidence and prevalence of infections and cancers, as well as low responses to vaccination strategies. Out of all immune cell subsets, T-lymphocytes seem to be involved in most of the age-related defects. Since T-lymphocytes mature during their passage through the thymus, and the thymus shows an age-related process of atrophy, thymic regression has been proposed as the triggering event of this immune deterioration in elderly people. Historically, it has been accepted that the young thymus sets the T-lymphocyte repertoire during the childhood, whereupon atrophy begins until the elderly thymus is a non-functional evolutionary trace. However, a rising body of knowledge points toward the thymus functioning during adulthood. In the elderly, higher thymic function is associated with a younger immune system, while thymic function failure is associated with all-cause mortality. Therefore, any new strategy focused on the improvement of the elderly quality of life, especially those trying to influence the immune system, should take into account, together with peripheral homeostasis, thymus function as a key element in slowing down age-related decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Ferrando-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Inmuno-Biología Molecular, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón (HGUGM), Madrid, España; Laboratorio de Inmunovirología, Unidad Clínica de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Microbiología y Medicina Preventiva, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, España.
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McIver Z, Melenhorst JJ, Wu C, Grim A, Ito S, Cho I, Hensel N, Battiwalla M, Barrett AJ. Donor lymphocyte count and thymic activity predict lymphocyte recovery and outcomes after matched-sibling hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Haematologica 2012; 98:346-52. [PMID: 23065508 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2012.072991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Delayed immune recovery is a characteristic feature of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in adult recipients. Although recipient thymic T-cell neogenesis contributes to T-cell regeneration after transplantation, thymic recovery in the transplant recipient decreases with increasing age, and is diminished by intensive preconditioning regimens and graft-versus-host disease. In adult recipients, most events that determine transplant success or failure occur during the period when the majority of circulating T cells is derived from the donor's post thymic T-cell repertoire. As a result, the make-up of the donor lymphocyte compartment may strongly influence immune recovery and transplant outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine donor lymphocyte counts in a series of patients undergoing an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant to identify the potential contribution of donor regulatory and conventional T lymphocyte populations to immune recovery and transplant outcomes. We examined donor lymphocyte subset counts in relation to post-transplant lymphocyte recovery and transplant events in 220 consecutive myeloablative, T-cell-depleted, HLA-identical sibling hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients with hematologic malignancies. In a multivariate analysis, absolute numbers of donor CD4(+) recent thymic emigrants were associated with overall survival (P=0.032). The donors' absolute lymphocyte count and thymic production of regulatory T cells were both associated with extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease (P=0.002 and P=0.022, respectively). In conclusion, these results identify donor immune characteristics that are associated with lymphocyte recovery, extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease, and survival in the recipient following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The study reported here was performed using peripheral blood samples drawn from donors and patients enrolled in the ClinicalTrials.gov-registered trials NCT00001623, NCT00001873, NCT00353860, NCT00066300, NCT00079391, and NCT00398346.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachariah McIver
- Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation Section, Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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