1
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Anderson G, Cosway EJ, James KD, Ohigashi I, Takahama Y. Generation and repair of thymic epithelial cells. J Exp Med 2024; 221:e20230894. [PMID: 38980292 PMCID: PMC11232892 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20230894] [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: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
In the vertebrate immune system, thymus stromal microenvironments support the generation of αβT cells from immature thymocytes. Thymic epithelial cells are of particular importance, and the generation of cortical and medullary epithelial lineages from progenitor stages controls the initiation and maintenance of thymus function. Here, we discuss the developmental pathways that regulate thymic epithelial cell diversity during both the embryonic and postnatal periods. We also examine how thymus microenvironments respond to injury, with particular focus on mechanisms that ensure regeneration of thymic epithelial cells for the restoration of thymus function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham Anderson
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Emilie J. Cosway
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Kieran D. James
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Izumi Ohigashi
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Yousuke Takahama
- Thymus Biology Section, Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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2
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Hübscher T, Lorenzo-Martín LF, Barthlott T, Tillard L, Langer JJ, Rouse P, Blackburn CC, Holländer G, Lutolf MP. Thymic epithelial organoids mediate T-cell development. Development 2024; 151:dev202853. [PMID: 39036995 PMCID: PMC11441983 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202853] [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: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Although the advent of organoids has opened unprecedented perspectives for basic and translational research, immune system-related organoids remain largely underdeveloped. Here, we established organoids from the thymus, the lymphoid organ responsible for T-cell development. We identified conditions enabling mouse thymic epithelial progenitor cell proliferation and development into organoids with diverse cell populations and transcriptional profiles resembling in vivo thymic epithelial cells (TECs) more closely than traditional TEC cultures. In contrast to these two-dimensional cultures, thymic epithelial organoids maintained thymus functionality in vitro and mediated physiological T-cell development upon reaggregation with T-cell progenitors. The reaggregates showed in vivo-like epithelial diversity and the ability to attract T-cell progenitors. Thymic epithelial organoids are the first organoids originating from the stromal compartment of a lymphoid organ. They provide new opportunities to study TEC biology and T-cell development in vitro, paving the way for future thymic regeneration strategies in ageing or acute injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Hübscher
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences and School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - L. Francisco Lorenzo-Martín
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences and School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Barthlott
- Pediatric Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lucie Tillard
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences and School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jakob J. Langer
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences and School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Paul Rouse
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, UK
| | - C. Clare Blackburn
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Georg Holländer
- Pediatric Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7TY, UK
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETHZ), 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthias P. Lutolf
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences and School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute of Human Biology (IHB), Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
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3
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Zhao J, Hu R, Lai KC, Zhang Z, Lai L. Recombinant FOXN1 fusion protein increases T cell generation in old mice. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1423488. [PMID: 39072332 PMCID: PMC11272594 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1423488] [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: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
T cell development in the thymus is dependent on the thymic microenvironment, in which thymic epithelial cells (TECs) are the major component. However, TECs undergo both a qualitative and quantitative loss during aging, which is believed to be the major factor responsible for age-dependent thymic atrophy. FOXN1 plays a critical role in TEC development and adult TECs maintenance. We have previously reported that intrathymic injection of a recombinant (r) protein containing murine FOXN1 and a protein transduction domain increases the number of TECs in mice, leading to enhanced thymopoiesis. However, intrathymic injection may not be an ideal choice for clinical applications. In this study, we produced a rFOXN1 fusion protein containing the N-terminal of CCR9, human FOXN1 and a protein transduction domain. When injected intravenously into 14-month-old mice, the rFOXN1 fusion protein enters the thymus and TECs, and enhances thymopoiesis, resulting in increased T cell generation in the thymus and increased number of T cells in peripheral lymphoid organ. Our results suggest that the rFOXN1 fusion protein has the potential to be used in preventing and treating T cell immunodeficiency in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhao
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Rong Hu
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Kuan Chen Lai
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Zhenzhen Zhang
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Laijun Lai
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
- University of Connecticut Stem Cell Institute, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
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4
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Lim S, J F van Son G, Wisma Eka Yanti NL, Andersson-Rolf A, Willemsen S, Korving J, Lee HG, Begthel H, Clevers H. Derivation of functional thymic epithelial organoid lines from adult murine thymus. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114019. [PMID: 38551965 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114019] [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: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) orchestrate T cell development by imposing positive and negative selection on thymocytes. Current studies on TEC biology are hampered by the absence of long-term ex vivo culture platforms, while the cells driving TEC self-renewal remain to be identified. Here, we generate long-term (>2 years) expandable 3D TEC organoids from the adult mouse thymus. For further analysis, we generated single and double FoxN1-P2A-Clover, Aire-P2A-tdTomato, and Cldn4-P2A-tdTomato reporter lines by CRISPR knockin. Single-cell analyses of expanding clonal organoids reveal cells with bipotent stem/progenitor phenotypes. These clonal organoids can be induced to express Foxn1 and to generate functional cortical- and Aire-expressing medullary-like TECs upon RANK ligand + retinoic acid treatment. TEC organoids support T cell development from immature thymocytes in vitro as well as in vivo upon transplantation into athymic nude mice. This organoid-based platform allows in vitro study of TEC biology and offers a potential strategy for ex vivo T cell development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangho Lim
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CT, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Gijs J F van Son
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands; The Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht 3584 CS, the Netherlands
| | - Ni Luh Wisma Eka Yanti
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CT, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Amanda Andersson-Rolf
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CT, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Sam Willemsen
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CT, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Korving
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CT, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Hong-Gyun Lee
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Harry Begthel
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CT, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Hans Clevers
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CT, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands; The Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht 3584 CS, the Netherlands.
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5
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Ohigashi I, White AJ, Yang MT, Fujimori S, Tanaka Y, Jacques A, Kiyonari H, Matsushita Y, Turan S, Kelly MC, Anderson G, Takahama Y. Developmental conversion of thymocyte-attracting cells into self-antigen-displaying cells in embryonic thymus medulla epithelium. eLife 2024; 12:RP92552. [PMID: 38466627 PMCID: PMC10928509 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92552] [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] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Thymus medulla epithelium establishes immune self-tolerance and comprises diverse cellular subsets. Functionally relevant medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) include a self-antigen-displaying subset that exhibits genome-wide promiscuous gene expression promoted by the nuclear protein Aire and that resembles a mosaic of extrathymic cells including mucosal tuft cells. An additional mTEC subset produces the chemokine CCL21, thereby attracting positively selected thymocytes from the cortex to the medulla. Both self-antigen-displaying and thymocyte-attracting mTEC subsets are essential for self-tolerance. Here, we identify a developmental pathway by which mTECs gain their diversity in functionally distinct subsets. We show that CCL21-expressing mTECs arise early during thymus ontogeny in mice. Fate-mapping analysis reveals that self-antigen-displaying mTECs, including Aire-expressing mTECs and thymic tuft cells, are derived from CCL21-expressing cells. The differentiation capability of CCL21-expressing embryonic mTECs is verified in reaggregate thymus experiments. These results indicate that CCL21-expressing embryonic mTECs carry a developmental potential to give rise to self-antigen-displaying mTECs, revealing that the sequential conversion of thymocyte-attracting subset into self-antigen-displaying subset serves to assemble functional diversity in the thymus medulla epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izumi Ohigashi
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of TokushimaTokushimaJapan
| | - Andrea J White
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of BirminghamBirminghamUnited Kingdom
| | - Mei-Ting Yang
- Thymus Biology Section, Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Sayumi Fujimori
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of TokushimaTokushimaJapan
| | - Yu Tanaka
- Thymus Biology Section, Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Alison Jacques
- Thymus Biology Section, Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Hiroshi Kiyonari
- Laboratory for Animal Resources and Genetic Engineering, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics ResearchHyogoJapan
| | - Yosuke Matsushita
- Division of Genome Medicine, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of TokushimaTokushimaJapan
| | - Sevilay Turan
- Sequencing Facility, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer InstituteFrederickUnited States
| | - Michael C Kelly
- Single Cell Analysis Facility, Cancer Research Technology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Graham Anderson
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of BirminghamBirminghamUnited Kingdom
| | - Yousuke Takahama
- Thymus Biology Section, Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
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6
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Fujimori S, Ohigashi I. The role of thymic epithelium in thymus development and age-related thymic involution. THE JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INVESTIGATION 2024; 71:29-39. [PMID: 38735722 DOI: 10.2152/jmi.71.29] [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] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
The establishment of an adaptive immune system is critical for protecting our bodies from neoplastic cancers and invading pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. As a primary lymphoid organ, the thymus generates lymphoid T cells that play a major role in the adaptive immune system. T cell generation in the thymus is controlled by interactions between thymocytes and other thymic cells, primarily thymic epithelial cells. Thus, the normal development and function of thymic epithelial cells are important for the generation of immunocompetent and self-tolerant T cells. On the other hand, the degeneration of the thymic epithelium due to thymic aging causes thymic involution, which is associated with the decline of adaptive immune function. Herein we summarize basic and current knowledge of the development and function of thymic epithelial cells and the mechanism of thymic involution. J. Med. Invest. 71 : 29-39, February, 2024.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayumi Fujimori
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Izumi Ohigashi
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
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7
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Ohigashi I, White AJ, Yang MT, Fujimori S, Tanaka Y, Jacques A, Kiyonari H, Matsushita Y, Turan S, Kelly MC, Anderson G, Takahama Y. Developmental conversion of thymocyte-attracting cells into self-antigen-displaying cells in embryonic thymus medulla epithelium. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.03.560657. [PMID: 37873155 PMCID: PMC10592888 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.03.560657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Thymus medulla epithelium establishes immune self-tolerance and comprises diverse cellular subsets. Functionally relevant medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) include a self-antigen-displaying subset that exhibits genome-wide promiscuous gene expression promoted by the nuclear protein Aire and that resembles a mosaic of extrathymic cells including mucosal tuft cells. An additional mTEC subset produces the chemokine CCL21, thereby attracting positively selected thymocytes from the cortex to the medulla. Both self-antigen-displaying and thymocyte-attracting mTEC subsets are essential for self-tolerance. Here we identify a developmental pathway by which mTECs gain their diversity in functionally distinct subsets. We show that CCL21-expressing mTECs arise early during thymus ontogeny. Fate-mapping analysis reveals that self-antigen-displaying mTECs, including Aire-expressing mTECs and thymic tuft cells, are derived from CCL21-expressing cells. The differentiation capability of CCL21-expressing embryonic mTECs is verified in reaggregate thymus experiments. These results indicate that CCL21-expressing embryonic mTECs carry a developmental potential to give rise to self-antigen-displaying mTECs, revealing that the sequential conversion of thymocyte-attracting subset into self-antigen-displaying subset serves to assemble functional diversity in the thymus medulla epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izumi Ohigashi
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Andrea J. White
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Mei-Ting Yang
- Thymus Biology Section, Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Sayumi Fujimori
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Yu Tanaka
- Thymus Biology Section, Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Alison Jacques
- Thymus Biology Section, Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Hiroshi Kiyonari
- Laboratory for Animal Resources and Genetic Engineering, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Yosuke Matsushita
- Division of Genome Medicine, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Sevilay Turan
- Sequencing Facility, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21701, USA
| | - Michael C. Kelly
- Single Cell Analysis Facility, Cancer Research Technology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Graham Anderson
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Yousuke Takahama
- Thymus Biology Section, Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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Zhong X, Peddada N, Wang J, Moresco JJ, Zhan X, Shelton JM, SoRelle JA, Keller K, Lazaro DR, Moresco EMY, Choi JH, Beutler B. OVOL2 sustains postnatal thymic epithelial cell identity. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7786. [PMID: 38012144 PMCID: PMC10682436 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43456-z] [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: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Distinct pathways and molecules may support embryonic versus postnatal thymic epithelial cell (TEC) development and maintenance. Here, we identify a mechanism by which TEC numbers and function are maintained postnatally. A viable missense allele (C120Y) of Ovol2, expressed ubiquitously or specifically in TECs, results in lymphopenia, in which T cell development is compromised by loss of medullary TECs and dysfunction of cortical TECs. We show that the epithelial identity of TECs is aberrantly subverted towards a mesenchymal state in OVOL2-deficient mice. We demonstrate that OVOL2 inhibits the epigenetic regulatory BRAF-HDAC complex, specifically disrupting RCOR1-LSD1 interaction. This causes inhibition of LSD1-mediated H3K4me2 demethylation, resulting in chromatin accessibility and transcriptional activation of epithelial genes. Thus, OVOL2 controls the epigenetic landscape of TECs to enforce TEC identity. The identification of a non-redundant postnatal mechanism for TEC maintenance offers an entry point to understanding thymic involution, which normally begins in early adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Zhong
- Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-8505, USA
| | - Nagesh Peddada
- Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-8505, USA
| | - Jianhui Wang
- Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-8505, USA
| | - James J Moresco
- Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-8505, USA
| | - Xiaowei Zhan
- Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-8505, USA
- Department of Population and Data Sciences, Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-8821, USA
| | - John M Shelton
- Intermal Medicine-Histopathology Core, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-8573, USA
| | - Jeffrey A SoRelle
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-9072, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-9063, USA
| | - Katie Keller
- Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-8505, USA
| | - Danielle Renee Lazaro
- Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-8505, USA
| | - Eva Marie Y Moresco
- Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-8505, USA
| | - Jin Huk Choi
- Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-8505, USA.
| | - Bruce Beutler
- Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-8505, USA.
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Acenas DV, Dudakov JA. Feeling at home: Identifying a human thymic epithelial progenitor cell niche. Dev Cell 2023; 58:2411-2412. [PMID: 37989079 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
T cell development relies on a supportive epithelial microenvironment. Embryonic and postnatal epithelial progenitors have been identified in mice, but not humans. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Raggazzini et al. use scRNAseq, spatial sequencing, and clonogenic assays to identify a putative bipotent TEPC in pediatric human thymic tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dante V Acenas
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jarrod A Dudakov
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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10
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Ragazzini R, Boeing S, Zanieri L, Green M, D'Agostino G, Bartolovic K, Agua-Doce A, Greco M, Watson SA, Batsivari A, Ariza-McNaughton L, Gjinovci A, Scoville D, Nam A, Hayday AC, Bonnet D, Bonfanti P. Defining the identity and the niches of epithelial stem cells with highly pleiotropic multilineage potency in the human thymus. Dev Cell 2023; 58:2428-2446.e9. [PMID: 37652013 PMCID: PMC10957394 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.08.017] [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: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Thymus is necessary for lifelong immunological tolerance and immunity. It displays a distinctive epithelial complexity and undergoes age-dependent atrophy. Nonetheless, it also retains regenerative capacity, which, if harnessed appropriately, might permit rejuvenation of adaptive immunity. By characterizing cortical and medullary compartments in the human thymus at single-cell resolution, in this study we have defined specific epithelial populations, including those that share properties with bona fide stem cells (SCs) of lifelong regenerating epidermis. Thymic epithelial SCs display a distinctive transcriptional profile and phenotypic traits, including pleiotropic multilineage potency, to give rise to several cell types that were not previously considered to have shared origin. Using here identified SC markers, we have defined their cortical and medullary niches and shown that, in vitro, the cells display long-term clonal expansion and self-organizing capacity. These data substantively broaden our knowledge of SC biology and set a stage for tackling thymic atrophy and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Ragazzini
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Institute of Immunity & Transplantation, Division of Infection & Immunity, UCL, Pears Building, Rosslyn Hill, London NW3 2PP, UK
| | - Stefan Boeing
- Bioinformatics & Biostatistics, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Luca Zanieri
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Institute of Immunity & Transplantation, Division of Infection & Immunity, UCL, Pears Building, Rosslyn Hill, London NW3 2PP, UK
| | - Mary Green
- Experimental Histopathology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Giuseppe D'Agostino
- Haematopoietic Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Plasticell Limited, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage SG1 2FX, UK
| | - Kerol Bartolovic
- Flow Cytometry Core, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Ana Agua-Doce
- Flow Cytometry Core, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Maria Greco
- Single Cell Facility, MRC WIMM, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Sara A Watson
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Antoniana Batsivari
- Haematopoietic Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Linda Ariza-McNaughton
- Haematopoietic Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Asllan Gjinovci
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Institute of Immunity & Transplantation, Division of Infection & Immunity, UCL, Pears Building, Rosslyn Hill, London NW3 2PP, UK
| | | | - Andy Nam
- NanoString Technologies Inc., Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Adrian C Hayday
- Immunosurveillance Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Dominique Bonnet
- Haematopoietic Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Paola Bonfanti
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Institute of Immunity & Transplantation, Division of Infection & Immunity, UCL, Pears Building, Rosslyn Hill, London NW3 2PP, UK.
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11
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Frech M, Danzer H, Uchil P, Azizov V, Schmid E, Schälter F, Dürholz K, Mauro D, Rauber S, Muñoz L, Taher L, Ciccia F, Schober K, Irla M, Sarter K, Schett G, Zaiss MM. Butyrophilin 2a2 (Btn2a2) expression on thymic epithelial cells promotes central T cell tolerance and prevents autoimmune disease. J Autoimmun 2023; 139:103071. [PMID: 37356345 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2023.103071] [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: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Butyrophilins are surface receptors belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily. While several members of the butyrophilin family have been implicated in the development of unconventional T cells, butyrophilin 2a2 (Btn2a2) has been shown to inhibit conventional T cell activation. Here, we demonstrate that in steady state, the primary source of Btn2a2 are thymic epithelial cells (TEC). Absence of Btn2a2 alters thymic T cell maturation and bypasses central tolerance mechanisms. Furthermore, Btn2a2-/- mice develop spontaneous autoimmunity resembling human primary Sjögren's Syndrome (pSS), including formation of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) in target organs. Ligation of Btn2a2 on developing thymocytes is associated with reduced TCR signaling and CD5 levels, while absence of Btn2a2 results in increased TCR signaling and CD5 levels. These results define a novel role for Btn2a2 in promoting central tolerance by modulating TCR signaling strength and indicate a potential mechanism of pSS development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Frech
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universiät Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Heike Danzer
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universiät Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Pooja Uchil
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universiät Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Vugar Azizov
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universiät Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Eva Schmid
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universiät Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Fabian Schälter
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universiät Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Dürholz
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universiät Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Daniele Mauro
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - Simon Rauber
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universiät Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Luis Muñoz
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universiät Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Leila Taher
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - Francesco Ciccia
- Dipartimento di Medicina di Precisione, University Della Campania L. Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
| | - Kilian Schober
- Mikrobiologisches Institut-Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Magali Irla
- CNRS, INSERM, Centre D'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy (CIML), Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Kerstin Sarter
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universiät Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Georg Schett
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universiät Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Mario M Zaiss
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universiät Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
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12
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Lucas B, White AJ, Klein F, Veiga-Villauriz C, Handel A, Bacon A, Cosway EJ, James KD, Parnell SM, Ohigashi I, Takahama Y, Jenkinson WE, Hollander GA, Lu WY, Anderson G. Embryonic keratin19 + progenitors generate multiple functionally distinct progeny to maintain epithelial diversity in the adult thymus medulla. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2066. [PMID: 37045811 PMCID: PMC10097809 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37589-4] [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: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The thymus medulla is a key site for immunoregulation and tolerance, and its functional specialisation is achieved through the complexity of medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTEC). While the importance of the medulla for thymus function is clear, the production and maintenance of mTEC diversity remains poorly understood. Here, using ontogenetic and inducible fate-mapping approaches, we identify mTEC-restricted progenitors as a cytokeratin19+ (K19+) TEC subset that emerges in the embryonic thymus. Importantly, labelling of a single cohort of K19+ TEC during embryogenesis sustains the production of multiple mTEC subsets into adulthood, including CCL21+ mTEClo, Aire+ mTEChi and thymic tuft cells. We show K19+ progenitors arise prior to the acquisition of multiple mTEC-defining features including RANK and CCL21 and are generated independently of the key mTEC regulator, Relb. In conclusion, we identify and define a multipotent mTEC progenitor that emerges during embryogenesis to support mTEC diversity into adult life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth Lucas
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Andrea J White
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Fabian Klein
- Department of Paediatrics and Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Clara Veiga-Villauriz
- Department of Paediatrics and Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Adam Handel
- Department of Paediatrics and Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Andrea Bacon
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Emilie J Cosway
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Kieran D James
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Sonia M Parnell
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Izumi Ohigashi
- Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Yousuke Takahama
- Thymus Biology Section, Experimental Immunology Branch, NCI/NIH, Bethesda, USA
| | - William E Jenkinson
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Georg A Hollander
- Department of Paediatrics and Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Paediatric Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Children's Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Wei-Yu Lu
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Graham Anderson
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
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13
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Sousa LG, Rodrigues PM, Alves NL. T-cell selection in the thymus: New routes toward the identification of the self-peptide ligandome presented by thymic epithelial cells. Eur J Immunol 2023; 53:e2250202. [PMID: 36642953 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202250202] [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: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Within the thymus, thymic epithelial cells (TECs) provide a dedicated niche for the selection of functional T cells expressing a highly variable and self-tolerant T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire. In this minireview, we start by summarizing recent studies that have improved our understanding on the composition of cortical TEC and medullary TEC microenvironments. Next, we focus on the molecular processes that control the function of TECs in T-cell selection. In particular, we discuss the role of cortical TECs in positive selection and the pathways employed by these cells to generate and present selecting self-peptides:MHC II complexes. Several studies have underscored the role of the β5t-containing thymoproteasome in the production of unique MHC I-bound peptides critical for CD8 T-cell selection. Contrarily, the identity of the molecular determinants that regulate the generation of MHC II-bound self-peptides capable of positive selecting CD4 T cells is far more uncertain. We highlight recent advances that interconnect the autophagy-lysosomal pathway, the presentation of specific sets of self-peptide:MHC II complexes, and the diversification of CD4 TCR repertoire. Lastly, we discuss how these findings may open up new avenues for deciphering the identity of the MHC I and MHC II ligandome in the thymus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura G Sousa
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Porto, Portugal
- Doctoral Program in Molecular and Cell Biology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro M Rodrigues
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno L Alves
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Porto, Portugal
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14
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Zhao J, Zhang Z, Lai KC, Lai L. Recombinant FOXN1 fusion protein increases T cell generation in aged mice. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2557067. [PMID: 36798162 PMCID: PMC9934747 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2557067/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Background Although the thymus continues to export T cells throughout life, it undergoes a profound involution/atrophy with age, resulting in decreased numbers of T cells in the older adult, which has direct etiological linkages with many diseases. T cell development in the thymus is dependent on the thymic microenvironment, in which thymic epithelial cells (TECs) are the major component. However, TECs undergo both a qualitative and quantitative loss during aging, which is believed to be the major factor responsible for age-dependent thymic atrophy. FOXN1 plays a critical role in TEC development and adult TECs maintenance. We have previously reported that intrathymic injection of a recombinant (r) protein containing FOXN1 and a protein transduction domain increases the number of TECs in mice, leading to enhanced thymopoiesis. However, intrathymic injection may not be an ideal choice for clinical applications. In this study, we produce a rFOXN1 fusion protein containing the N-terminal of CCR9, FOXN1 and a protein transduction domain. Results We show here that, when injected intravenously into aged mice, the rFOXN1 fusion protein migrates into the thymus and enhances thymopoiesis, resulting in increased T cell generation in the thymus and increased number of T cells in peripheral lymphoid organ. Conclusions Our results suggest that the rFOXN1 fusion protein has the potential to be used in preventing and treating T cell immunodeficiency in the older adult.
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15
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Morales-Sanchez A, Shissler SC, Cowan JE, Bhandoola A. Revelations in Thymic Epithelial Cell Biology and Heterogeneity from Single-Cell RNA Sequencing and Lineage Tracing Methodologies. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2580:25-49. [PMID: 36374449 PMCID: PMC10802793 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2740-2_2] [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] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) make up the thymic microenvironments that support the generation of a functionally competent and self-tolerant T-cell repertoire. Cortical (c)TECs, present in the cortex, are essential for early thymocyte development including selection of thymocytes expressing functional TCRs (positive selection). Medullary (m)TECs, located in the medulla, play a key role in late thymocyte development, including depletion of self-reactive T cells (negative selection) and selection of regulatory T cells. In recent years, transcriptomic analysis by single-cell (sc)RNA sequencing (Seq) has revealed TEC heterogeneity previously masked by population-level RNA-Seq or phenotypic studies. We summarize the discoveries made possible by scRNA-Seq, including the identification of novel mTEC subsets, advances in understanding mTEC promiscuous gene expression, and TEC alterations from embryonic to adult stages. Whereas pseudotime analyses of scRNA-Seq data can suggest relationships between TEC subsets, experimental methods such as lineage tracing and reaggregate thymic organ culture (RTOC) are required to test these hypotheses. Lineage tracing - namely, of β5t or Aire expressing cells - has exposed progenitor and parent-daughter cellular relationships within TEC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Morales-Sanchez
- Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
- Children's Hospital of Mexico Federico Gomez, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Susannah C Shissler
- Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jennifer E Cowan
- Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Avinash Bhandoola
- Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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16
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Depoërs L, Dumont-Lagacé M, Trinh VQH, Houques C, Côté C, Larouche JD, Brochu S, Perreault C. Klf4 protects thymus integrity during late pregnancy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1016378. [PMID: 37180153 PMCID: PMC10174329 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1016378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy causes abrupt thymic atrophy. This atrophy is characterized by a severe decrease in the number of all thymocyte subsets and qualitative (but not quantitative) changes in thymic epithelial cells (TECs). Pregnancy-related thymic involution is triggered by progesterone-induced functional changes affecting mainly cortical TECs (cTECs). Remarkably, this severe involution is rapidly corrected following parturition. We postulated that understanding the mechanisms of pregnancy-related thymic changes could provide novel insights into signaling pathways regulating TEC function. When we analyzed genes whose expression in TECs was modified during late pregnancy, we found a strong enrichment in genes bearing KLF4 transcription factor binding motifs. We, therefore, engineered a Psmb11-iCre : Klf4lox/lox mouse model to study the impact of TEC-specific Klf4 deletion in steady-state conditions and during late pregnancy. Under steady-state conditions, Klf4 deletion had a minimal effect on TEC subsets and did not affect thymic architecture. However, pregnancy-induced thymic involution was much more pronounced in pregnant females lacking Klf4 expression in TECs. These mice displayed a substantial ablation of TECs with a more pronounced loss of thymocytes. Transcriptomic and phenotypic analyses of Klf4 -/- TECs revealed that Klf4 maintains cTEC numbers by supporting cell survival and preventing epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity during late pregnancy. We conclude that Klf4 is essential for preserving TEC's integrity and mitigating thymic involution during late pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucyle Depoërs
- Department of Medicine, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Maude Dumont-Lagacé
- ExCellThera, Inc., Montréal, QC, Canada
- Piercing Star Technologies, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Vincent Quoc-Huy Trinh
- Department of Medicine, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Cellular Biology, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, and Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Chloé Houques
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Caroline Côté
- Department of Medicine, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-David Larouche
- Department of Medicine, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Sylvie Brochu
- Department of Medicine, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Sylvie Brochu, ; Claude Perreault,
| | - Claude Perreault
- Department of Medicine, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Sylvie Brochu, ; Claude Perreault,
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17
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Wong SL, Pandzic E, Kardia E, Allan KM, Whan RM, Waters SA. Quantifying Intracellular Viral Pathogen: Specimen Preparation, Visualization and Quantification of Multiple Immunofluorescent Signals in Fixed Human Airway Epithelium Cultured at Air-Liquid Interface. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12101668. [PMID: 36294807 PMCID: PMC9605096 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12101668] [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: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection control and aggressive antibiotic therapy play an important role in the management of airway infections in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). The responses of airway epithelial cells to pathogens are likely to contribute to the pathobiology of CF lung disease. Primary airway epithelial cells obtained from individuals with CF, cultured and differentiated at air-liquid interface (ALI), effectively mimic the structure and function of the in vivo airway epithelium. With the recent respiratory viral pandemics, ALI cultures were extensively used to model respiratory infections in vitro to facilitate physiologically relevant respiratory research. Immunofluorescence staining and imaging were used as an effective tool to provide a fundamental understanding of host–pathogen interactions and for exploring the therapeutic potential of novel or repurposed drugs. Therefore, we described an optimized quantitative fluorescence microscopy assay for the wholemount staining and imaging of epithelial cell markers to identify distinct cell populations and pathogen-specific targets in ALI cultures of human airway epithelial cells grown on permeable support insert membranes. We present a detailed methodology using a graphical user interface (GUI) package to quantify the detected signals on a tiled whole membrane. Our method provided an imaging strategy of the entire membrane, overcoming the common issue of undersampling and enabling unbiased quantitative analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon L. Wong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Molecular and Integrative Cystic Fibrosis Research Centre (miCF_RC), University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Elvis Pandzic
- Katharina Gaus Light Microscopy Facility, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Egi Kardia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Molecular and Integrative Cystic Fibrosis Research Centre (miCF_RC), University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Katelin M. Allan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Molecular and Integrative Cystic Fibrosis Research Centre (miCF_RC), University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Renee M. Whan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Katharina Gaus Light Microscopy Facility, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Shafagh A. Waters
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Molecular and Integrative Cystic Fibrosis Research Centre (miCF_RC), University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
- Correspondence:
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18
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Postoak JL, Song W, Yang G, Guo X, Xiao S, Saffold CE, Zhang J, Joyce S, Manley NR, Wu L, Van Kaer L. Thymic epithelial cells require lipid kinase Vps34 for CD4 but not CD8 T cell selection. J Exp Med 2022; 219:e20212554. [PMID: 35997680 PMCID: PMC9402993 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20212554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The generation of a functional, self-tolerant T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire depends on interactions between developing thymocytes and antigen-presenting thymic epithelial cells (TECs). Cortical TECs (cTECs) rely on unique antigen-processing machinery to generate self-peptides specialized for T cell positive selection. In our current study, we focus on the lipid kinase Vps34, which has been implicated in autophagy and endocytic vesicle trafficking. We show that loss of Vps34 in TECs causes profound defects in the positive selection of the CD4 T cell lineage but not the CD8 T cell lineage. Utilizing TCR sequencing, we show that T cell selection in conditional mutants causes altered repertoire properties including reduced clonal sharing. cTECs from mutant mice display an increased abundance of invariant chain intermediates bound to surface MHC class II molecules, indicating altered antigen processing. Collectively, these studies identify lipid kinase Vps34 as an important contributor to the repertoire of selecting ligands processed and presented by TECs to developing CD4 T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Luke Postoak
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Wenqiang Song
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Guan Yang
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Xingyi Guo
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Shiyun Xiao
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
| | - Cherie E. Saffold
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Jianhua Zhang
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
- Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Birmingham, AL
| | - Sebastian Joyce
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, TN
| | | | - Lan Wu
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Luc Van Kaer
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
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19
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Shichkin VP, Felli MP, Screpanti I, Antica M. Editorial: Thymus function and aging: A focus on thymic epithelial cells. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1003490. [PMID: 36059545 PMCID: PMC9429806 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1003490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Valentin P. Shichkin
- OmniFarma, Kyiv, Ukraine
- *Correspondence: Valentin P. Shichkin, ; ; Maria Pia Felli, ; Isabella Screpanti, ; Mariastefania Antica,
| | - Maria Pia Felli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Valentin P. Shichkin, ; ; Maria Pia Felli, ; Isabella Screpanti, ; Mariastefania Antica,
| | - Isabella Screpanti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Valentin P. Shichkin, ; ; Maria Pia Felli, ; Isabella Screpanti, ; Mariastefania Antica,
| | - Mariastefania Antica
- Division of Molecular Biology, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
- *Correspondence: Valentin P. Shichkin, ; ; Maria Pia Felli, ; Isabella Screpanti, ; Mariastefania Antica,
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20
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Guo L, Cao J, Cheng D, Dong H, You L, Sun Y, Ding Y, Chai Y. Gallic acid ameliorates thymic involution via activating Sox2 and Nanog. Scand J Immunol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/sji.13202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Li Guo
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences Zhengzhou University 450001 Zhengzhou Henan China
- Department of Radiation Medical Protection, Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment School of Military Preventive Medicine Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an,710000 China
| | - Jia‐hui Cao
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences Zhengzhou University 450001 Zhengzhou Henan China
| | - Deng‐wei Cheng
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences Zhengzhou University 450001 Zhengzhou Henan China
| | - Han Dong
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences Zhengzhou University 450001 Zhengzhou Henan China
| | - Li You
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences Zhengzhou University 450001 Zhengzhou Henan China
| | - Yun Sun
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences Zhengzhou University 450001 Zhengzhou Henan China
| | - Yi Ding
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences Zhengzhou University 450001 Zhengzhou Henan China
| | - Yu‐rong Chai
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences Zhengzhou University 450001 Zhengzhou Henan China
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21
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Shichkin VP, Antica M. Key Factors for Thymic Function and Development. Front Immunol 2022; 13:926516. [PMID: 35844535 PMCID: PMC9280625 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.926516] [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: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The thymus is the organ responsible for T cell development and the formation of the adaptive immunity function. Its multicellular environment consists mainly of the different stromal cells and maturing T lymphocytes. Thymus-specific progenitors of epithelial, mesenchymal, and lymphoid cells with stem cell properties represent only minor populations. The thymic stromal structure predominantly determines the function of the thymus. The stromal components, mostly epithelial and mesenchymal cells, form this specialized area. They support the consistent developmental program of functionally distinct conventional T cell subpopulations. These include the MHC restricted single positive CD4+ CD8- and CD4- CD8+ cells, regulatory T lymphocytes (Foxp3+), innate natural killer T cells (iNKT), and γδT cells. Several physiological causes comprising stress and aging and medical treatments such as thymectomy and chemo/radiotherapy can harm the thymus function. The present review summarizes our knowledge of the development and function of the thymus with a focus on thymic epithelial cells as well as other stromal components and the signaling and transcriptional pathways underlying the thymic cell interaction. These critical thymus components are significant for T cell differentiation and restoring the thymic function after damage to reach the therapeutic benefits.
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22
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Bhalla P, Su DM, van Oers NSC. Thymus Functionality Needs More Than a Few TECs. Front Immunol 2022; 13:864777. [PMID: 35757725 PMCID: PMC9229346 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.864777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The thymus, a primary lymphoid organ, produces the T cells of the immune system. Originating from the 3rd pharyngeal pouch during embryogenesis, this organ functions throughout life. Yet, thymopoiesis can be transiently or permanently damaged contingent on the types of systemic stresses encountered. The thymus also undergoes a functional decline during aging, resulting in a progressive reduction in naïve T cell output. This atrophy is evidenced by a deteriorating thymic microenvironment, including, but not limited, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitions, fibrosis and adipogenesis. An exploration of cellular changes in the thymus at various stages of life, including mouse models of in-born errors of immunity and with single cell RNA sequencing, is revealing an expanding number of distinct cell types influencing thymus functions. The thymus microenvironment, established through interactions between immature and mature thymocytes with thymus epithelial cells (TEC), is well known. Less well appreciated are the contributions of neural crest cell-derived mesenchymal cells, endothelial cells, diverse hematopoietic cell populations, adipocytes, and fibroblasts in the thymic microenvironment. In the current review, we will explore the contributions of the many stromal cell types participating in the formation, expansion, and contraction of the thymus under normal and pathophysiological processes. Such information will better inform approaches for restoring thymus functionality, including thymus organoid technologies, beneficial when an individuals’ own tissue is congenitally, clinically, or accidentally rendered non-functional.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratibha Bhalla
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Dong-Ming Su
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Genetics, The University of North Texas Health Sciences Center, Fort Worth, TX, United States
| | - Nicolai S C van Oers
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States.,Department of Microbiology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
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23
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García-León MJ, Mosquera M, Cela C, Alcain J, Zuklys S, Holländer G, Toribio ML. Abrogation of Notch Signaling in Embryonic TECs Impacts Postnatal mTEC Homeostasis and Thymic Involution. Front Immunol 2022; 13:867302. [PMID: 35707539 PMCID: PMC9189879 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.867302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Notch signaling is crucial for fate specification and maturation of thymus-seeding progenitors along the T-cell lineage. Recent studies have extended the role of Notch signaling to thymic epithelial cells (TECs), showing that Notch regulates TEC progenitor maintenance and emergence of medullary TECs (mTECs) in fetal thymopoiesis. Based on immunohistochemistry studies of spatiotemporal regulation of Notch activation in the postnatal thymus, we show that in vivo Notch activation is not confined to fetal TECs. Rather, Notch signaling, likely mediated through the Notch1 receptor, is induced in postnatal cortical and medullary TECs, and increases significantly with age in the latter, in both humans and mice, suggesting a conserved role for Notch signaling in TEC homeostasis during thymus aging. To investigate the functional impact of Notch activation in postnatal TEC biology, we used a mouse model in which RPBJκ, the transcriptional effector of canonical Notch signaling, is deleted in epithelial cells, including TECs, under the control of the transcription factor Foxn1. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry analyses revealed no significant differences in TEC composition in mutant (RPBJκ-KOTEC) and wild-type (WT) littermate mice at early postnatal ages. However, a significant reduction of the medullary region was observed in mutant compared to WT older thymi, which was accompanied by an accelerated decrease of postnatal mTEC numbers. Also, we found that organization and integrity of the postnatal thymic medulla critically depends on activation of the canonical Notch signaling pathway, as abrogation of Notch signaling in TECs led to the disruption of the medullary thymic microenvironment and to an accelerated thymus atrophy. These features paralleled a significant increase in the proportion of intrathymic non-T lineage cells, mostly B cells, and a slight decrease of DP thymocyte numbers compatible with a compromised thymic function in mutant mice. Therefore, impaired Notch signaling induced in embryonic development impacts postnatal TECs and leads to an accelerated mTEC degeneration and a premature thymus involution. Collectively, our data have uncovered a new role for Notch1 signaling in the control of adult mTEC homeostasis, and point toward Notch signaling manipulation as a novel strategy for thymus regeneration and functional recovery from immunosenescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Jesús García-León
- Immune System Development and Function Unit, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Mosquera
- Immune System Development and Function Unit, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmela Cela
- Immune System Development and Function Unit, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Alcain
- Immune System Development and Function Unit, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Saulius Zuklys
- Department of Biomedicine and University Children's Hospital of Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Georg Holländer
- Department of Biomedicine and University Children's Hospital of Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Paediatrics and the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - María L Toribio
- Immune System Development and Function Unit, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
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24
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Russo F, Ruggiero E, Curto R, Passeri L, Sanvito F, Bortolomai I, Villa A, Gregori S, Annoni A. Editing T cell repertoire by thymic epithelial cell-directed gene transfer abrogates risk of type 1 diabetes development. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2022; 25:508-519. [PMID: 35615710 PMCID: PMC9121074 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2022.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Insulin is the primary autoantigen (Ag) targeted by T cells in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Although biomarkers precisely identifying subjects at high risk of T1D are available, successful prophylaxis is still an unmet need. Leaky central tolerance to insulin may be partially ascribed to the instability of the MHC-InsB9-23 complex, which lowers TCR avidity, thus resulting in defective negative selection of autoreactive clones and inadequate insulin-specific T regulatory cell (Treg) induction. We developed a lentiviral vector (LV)-based strategy to engineer thymic epithelial cells (TECs) to correct diabetogenic T cell repertoire. Intrathymic (it) LV injection established stable transgene expression in EpCAM+ TECs, by virtue of transduction of TEC precursors. it-LV-driven presentation of the immunodominant portion of ovalbumin allowed persistent and complete negative selection of responsive T cells in OT-II chimeric mice. We successfully applied this strategy to correct the diabetogenic repertoire of young non-obese diabetic mice, imposing the presentation by TECs of the stronger agonist InsulinB9-23R22E and partially depleting the existing T cell compartment. We further circumscribed LV-driven presentation of InsulinB9-23R22E by micro-RNA regulation to CD45− TECs without loss of efficacy in protection from diabetes, associated with expanded insulin-specific Tregs. Overall, our gene transfer-based prophylaxis fine-tuned the central tolerance processes of negative selection and Treg induction, correcting an autoimmune prone T cell repertoire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Russo
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Eliana Ruggiero
- Experimental Hematology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Rosalia Curto
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Passeri
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Sanvito
- Pathology Unit, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Ileana Bortolomai
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Villa
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, Italy.,Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica (IRGB), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), 20090 Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Gregori
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Annoni
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, Italy
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25
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Nusser A, Sagar, Swann JB, Krauth B, Diekhoff D, Calderon L, Happe C, Grün D, Boehm T. Developmental dynamics of two bipotent thymic epithelial progenitor types. Nature 2022; 606:165-171. [PMID: 35614226 PMCID: PMC9159946 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04752-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
T cell development in the thymus is essential for cellular immunity and depends on the organotypic thymic epithelial microenvironment. In comparison with other organs, the size and cellular composition of the thymus are unusually dynamic, as exemplified by rapid growth and high T cell output during early stages of development, followed by a gradual loss of functional thymic epithelial cells and diminished naive T cell production with age1-10. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has uncovered an unexpected heterogeneity of cell types in the thymic epithelium of young and aged adult mice11-18; however, the identities and developmental dynamics of putative pre- and postnatal epithelial progenitors have remained unresolved1,12,16,17,19-27. Here we combine scRNA-seq and a new CRISPR-Cas9-based cellular barcoding system in mice to determine qualitative and quantitative changes in the thymic epithelium over time. This dual approach enabled us to identify two principal progenitor populations: an early bipotent progenitor type biased towards cortical epithelium and a postnatal bipotent progenitor population biased towards medullary epithelium. We further demonstrate that continuous autocrine provision of Fgf7 leads to sustained expansion of thymic microenvironments without exhausting the epithelial progenitor pools, suggesting a strategy to modulate the extent of thymopoietic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Nusser
- Department of Developmental Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sagar
- Quantitative Single Cell Biology Group, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jeremy B Swann
- Department of Developmental Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Brigitte Krauth
- Department of Developmental Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Dagmar Diekhoff
- Department of Developmental Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lesly Calderon
- Department of Developmental Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christiane Happe
- Department of Developmental Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Dominic Grün
- Quantitative Single Cell Biology Group, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany.
- Würzburg Institute of Systems Immunology, Max Planck Research Group at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-Based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Thomas Boehm
- Department of Developmental Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany.
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
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26
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Structural and Functional Thymic Biomarkers Are Involved in the Pathogenesis of Thymic Epithelial Tumors: An Overview. IMMUNO 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/immuno2020025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The normal human thymus originates from the third branchial cleft as two paired anlages that descend into the thorax and fuse on the midline of the anterior–superior mediastinum. Alongside the epithelial and lymphoid components, different types of lymphoid accessory cells, stromal mesenchymal and endothelial cells migrate to, or develop in, the thymus. After reaching maximum development during early postnatal life, the human thymus decreases in size and lymphocyte output drops with age. However, thymic immunological functions persist, although they deteriorate progressively. Several major techniques were fundamental to increasing the knowledge of thymic development and function during embryogenesis, postnatal and adult life; these include immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, in vitro colony assays, transplantation in mice models, fetal organ cultures (FTOC), re-aggregated thymic organ cultures (RTOC), and whole-organ thymic scaffolds. The thymic morphological and functional characterization, first performed in the mouse, was then extended to humans. The purpose of this overview is to provide a report on selected structural and functional biomarkers of thymic epithelial cells (TEC) involved in thymus development and lymphoid cell maturation, and on the historical aspects of their characterization, with particular attention being paid to biomarkers also involved in Thymic Epithelial Tumor (TET) pathogenesis. Moreover, a short overview of targeted therapies in TET, based on currently available experimental and clinical data and on potential future advances will be proposed.
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27
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Gao H, Cao M, Deng K, Yang Y, Song J, Ni M, Xie C, Fan W, Ou C, Huang D, Lin L, Liu L, Li Y, Sun H, Cheng X, Wu J, Xia C, Deng X, Mou L, Chen P. The Lineage Differentiation and Dynamic Heterogeneity of Thymic Epithelial Cells During Thymus Organogenesis. Front Immunol 2022; 13:805451. [PMID: 35273595 PMCID: PMC8901506 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.805451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although much progress has been made recently in revealing the heterogeneity of the thymic stromal components, the molecular programs of cell lineage divergency and temporal dynamics of thymic epithelial cell (TEC) development are largely elusive. Here, we constructed a single-cell transcriptional landscape of non-hematopoietic cells from mouse thymus spanning embryonic to adult stages, producing transcriptomes of 30,959 TECs. We resolved the transcriptional heterogeneity of developing TECs and highlighted the molecular nature of early TEC lineage determination and cortico-medullary thymic epithelial cell lineage divergency. We further characterized the differentiation dynamics of TECs by clarification of molecularly distinct cell states in the thymus developing trajectory. We also identified a population of Bpifa1+ Plet1+ mTECs that was preserved during thymus organogenesis and highly expressed tissue-resident adult stem cell markers. Finally, we highlighted the expression of Aire-dependent tissue-restricted antigens mainly in Aire+ Csn2+ mTECs and Spink5+ Dmkn+ mTECs in postnatal thymus. Overall, our data provided a comprehensive characterization of cell lineage differentiation, maturation, and temporal dynamics of thymic epithelial cells during thymus organogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanchao Gao
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mengtao Cao
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kai Deng
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedics, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedics, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jinqi Song
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedics, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ming Ni
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedics, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chuntao Xie
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedics, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wenna Fan
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedics, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chunpei Ou
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedics, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dinggen Huang
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedics, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lizhong Lin
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedics, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lixia Liu
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedics, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yangyang Li
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedics, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Huimin Sun
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xinyu Cheng
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jinmei Wu
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Cuilan Xia
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedics, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xuefeng Deng
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedics, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lisha Mou
- Shenzhen Xenotransplantation Medical Engineering Research and Development Center, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Pengfei Chen
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Traumatic Orthopedics, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenzhen Longhua District, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
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28
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Chakrabarti S, Hoque M, Jamil NZ, Singh VJ, Pollacksmith D, Meer N, Pezzano MT. Bone Marrow-Derived Cells Contribute to the Maintenance of Thymic Stroma including TECs. J Immunol Res 2022; 2022:6061746. [PMID: 35528618 PMCID: PMC9076333 DOI: 10.1155/2022/6061746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In paradox to critical functions for T-cell selection and self-tolerance, the thymus undergoes profound age-associated atrophy and loss of T-cell function, further enhanced by cancer therapies. Identifying thymic epithelial progenitor populations capable of forming functional thymic tissue will be critical in understanding thymic epithelial cell (TEC) ontogeny and designing strategies to reverse involution. We identified a new population of progenitor cells, present in both the thymus and bone marrow (BM) of mice, that coexpress the hematopoietic marker CD45 and the definitive thymic epithelial marker EpCAM and maintain the capacity to form functional thymic tissue. Confocal analysis and qRT-PCR of sorted cells from both BM and thymus confirmed coexpression of CD45 and EpCAM. Grafting of C57BL/6 fetal thymi under the kidney capsule of H2BGFP transgenic mice revealed that peripheral CD45+ EpCAM+ GFP-expressing cells migrate into the developing thymus and contribute to both TECs and FSP1-expressing thymic stroma. Sorted BM-derived CD45+ EpCAM+ cells contribute to reaggregate thymic organ cultures (RTOCs) and differentiate into keratin and FoxN1-expressing TECs, demonstrating that BM cells can contribute to the maintenance of TEC microenvironments previously thought to be derived solely from endoderm. BM-derived CD45+ EpCAM+ cells represent a new source of progenitor cells that contribute to thymic homeostasis. Future studies will characterize the contribution of BM-derived CD45+ EpCAM+ TEC progenitors to distinct functional TEC microenvironments in both the steady-state thymus and under conditions of demand. Cell therapies utilizing this population may help counteract thymic involution in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shami Chakrabarti
- Program in Biochemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Biology, City College of New York CUNY, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Mohammed Hoque
- Department of Biology, City College of New York CUNY, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Nawshin Zara Jamil
- Department of Biology, City College of New York CUNY, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Varan J. Singh
- Department of Biology, City College of New York CUNY, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Daniel Pollacksmith
- Department of Biology, City College of New York CUNY, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Neelab Meer
- Department of Biology, City College of New York CUNY, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Mark T. Pezzano
- Department of Biology, City College of New York CUNY, New York, NY 10031, USA
- Program in Biology, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
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29
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Lopes N, Boucherit N, Santamaria JC, Provin N, Charaix J, Ferrier P, Giraud M, Irla M. Thymocytes trigger self-antigen-controlling pathways in immature medullary thymic epithelial stages. eLife 2022; 11:69982. [PMID: 35188458 PMCID: PMC8860447 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Interactions of developing T cells with Aire+ medullary thymic epithelial cells expressing high levels of MHCII molecules (mTEChi) are critical for the induction of central tolerance in the thymus. In turn, thymocytes regulate the cellularity of Aire+ mTEChi. However, it remains unknown whether thymocytes control the precursors of Aire+ mTEChi that are contained in mTEClo cells or other mTEClo subsets that have recently been delineated by single-cell transcriptomic analyses. Here, using three distinct transgenic mouse models, in which antigen presentation between mTECs and CD4+ thymocytes is perturbed, we show by high-throughput RNA-seq that self-reactive CD4+ thymocytes induce key transcriptional regulators in mTEClo and control the composition of mTEClo subsets, including Aire+ mTEChi precursors, post-Aire and tuft-like mTECs. Furthermore, these interactions upregulate the expression of tissue-restricted self-antigens, cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules important for T-cell development. This gene activation program induced in mTEClo is combined with a global increase of the active H3K4me3 histone mark. Finally, we demonstrate that these self-reactive interactions between CD4+ thymocytes and mTECs critically prevent multiorgan autoimmunity. Our genome-wide study thus reveals that self-reactive CD4+ thymocytes control multiple unsuspected facets from immature stages of mTECs, which determines their heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noella Lopes
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Nicolas Boucherit
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Jérémy C Santamaria
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Nathan Provin
- Nantes Université, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology, UMR 1064, Nantes, France
| | - Jonathan Charaix
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Pierre Ferrier
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Matthieu Giraud
- Nantes Université, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology, UMR 1064, Nantes, France
| | - Magali Irla
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
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30
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Silva CS, Reis RL, Martins A, Neves NM. Recapitulation of Thymic Function by Tissue Engineering Strategies. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2100773. [PMID: 34197034 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202100773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The thymus is responsible for the development and selection of T lymphocytes, which in turn also participate in the maturation of thymic epithelial cells. These events occur through the close interactions between hematopoietic stem cells and developing thymocytes with the thymic stromal cells within an intricate 3D network. The complex thymic microenvironment and function, and the current therapies to induce thymic regeneration or to overcome the lack of a functional thymus are herein reviewed. The recapitulation of the thymic function using tissue engineering strategies has been explored as a way to control the body's tolerance to external grafts and to generate ex vivo T cells for transplantation. In this review, the main advances in the thymus tissue engineering field are disclosed, including both scaffold- and cell-based strategies. In light of the current gaps and limitations of the developed systems, the design of novel biomaterials for this purpose with unique features is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina S. Silva
- 3B's Research Group I3Bs – Research Institute on Biomaterials Biodegradables and Biomimetics University of Minho Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine ICVS/3B's – PT Government Associate Laboratory AvePark, Parque da Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra 4805‐017 Barco Guimarães Portugal
| | - Rui L. Reis
- 3B's Research Group I3Bs – Research Institute on Biomaterials Biodegradables and Biomimetics University of Minho Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine ICVS/3B's – PT Government Associate Laboratory AvePark, Parque da Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra 4805‐017 Barco Guimarães Portugal
| | - Albino Martins
- 3B's Research Group I3Bs – Research Institute on Biomaterials Biodegradables and Biomimetics University of Minho Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine ICVS/3B's – PT Government Associate Laboratory AvePark, Parque da Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra 4805‐017 Barco Guimarães Portugal
| | - Nuno M. Neves
- 3B's Research Group I3Bs – Research Institute on Biomaterials Biodegradables and Biomimetics University of Minho Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine ICVS/3B's – PT Government Associate Laboratory AvePark, Parque da Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra 4805‐017 Barco Guimarães Portugal
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31
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Duah M, Li L, Shen J, Lan Q, Pan B, Xu K. Thymus Degeneration and Regeneration. Front Immunol 2021; 12:706244. [PMID: 34539637 PMCID: PMC8442952 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.706244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The immune system’s ability to resist the invasion of foreign pathogens and the tolerance to self-antigens are primarily centered on the efficient functions of the various subsets of T lymphocytes. As the primary organ of thymopoiesis, the thymus performs a crucial role in generating a self-tolerant but diverse repertoire of T cell receptors and peripheral T cell pool, with the capacity to recognize a wide variety of antigens and for the surveillance of malignancies. However, cells in the thymus are fragile and sensitive to changes in the external environment and acute insults such as infections, chemo- and radiation-therapy, resulting in thymic injury and degeneration. Though the thymus has the capacity to self-regenerate, it is often insufficient to reconstitute an intact thymic function. Thymic dysfunction leads to an increased risk of opportunistic infections, tumor relapse, autoimmunity, and adverse clinical outcome. Thus, exploiting the mechanism of thymic regeneration would provide new therapeutic options for these settings. This review summarizes the thymus’s development, factors causing thymic injury, and the strategies for improving thymus regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell Duah
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Blood Diseases Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Lingling Li
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Blood Diseases Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Jingyi Shen
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Blood Diseases Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Qiu Lan
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Blood Diseases Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Bin Pan
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Blood Diseases Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Kailin Xu
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Blood Diseases Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
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32
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Sharma H, Moroni L. Recent Advancements in Regenerative Approaches for Thymus Rejuvenation. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2021; 8:2100543. [PMID: 34306981 PMCID: PMC8292900 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202100543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The thymus plays a key role in adaptive immunity by generating a diverse population of T cells that defend the body against pathogens. Various factors from disease and toxic insults contribute to the degeneration of the thymus resulting in a fewer output of T cells. Consequently, the body is prone to a wide host of diseases and infections. In this review, first, the relevance of the thymus is discussed, followed by thymic embryological organogenesis and anatomy as well as the development and functionality of T cells. Attempts to regenerate the thymus include in vitro methods, such as forming thymic organoids aided by biofabrication techniques that are transplantable. Ex vivo methods that have shown promise in enhancing thymic regeneration are also discussed. Current regenerative technologies have not yet matched the complexity and functionality of the thymus. Therefore, emerging techniques that have shown promise and the challenges that lie ahead are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himal Sharma
- MERLN Institute for Technology‐Inspired Regenerative MedicineDepartment of Complex Tissue RegenerationMaastricht UniversityMaastricht6229 ERNetherlands
| | - Lorenzo Moroni
- MERLN Institute for Technology‐Inspired Regenerative MedicineDepartment of Complex Tissue RegenerationMaastricht UniversityMaastricht6229 ERNetherlands
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33
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Pinheiro RGR, Alves NL. The Early Postnatal Life: A Dynamic Period in Thymic Epithelial Cell Differentiation. Front Immunol 2021; 12:668528. [PMID: 34220815 PMCID: PMC8250140 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.668528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The microenvironments formed by cortical (c) and medullary (m) thymic epithelial cells (TECs) play a non-redundant role in the generation of functionally diverse and self-tolerant T cells. The role of TECs during the first weeks of the murine postnatal life is particularly challenging due to the significant augment in T cell production. Here, we critically review recent studies centered on the timely coordination between the expansion and maturation of TECs during this period and their specialized role in T cell development and selection. We further discuss how aging impacts on the pool of TEC progenitors and maintenance of functionally thymic epithelial microenvironments, and the implications of these chances in the capacity of the thymus to sustain regular thymopoiesis throughout life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben G R Pinheiro
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Doctoral Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno L Alves
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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34
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Asnaghi MA, Barthlott T, Gullotta F, Strusi V, Amovilli A, Hafen K, Srivastava G, Oertle P, Toni R, Wendt D, Holländer GA, Martin I. Thymus Extracellular Matrix-Derived Scaffolds Support Graft-Resident Thymopoiesis and Long-Term In Vitro Culture of Adult Thymic Epithelial Cells. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS 2021; 31:2010747. [PMID: 34539304 PMCID: PMC8436951 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202010747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The thymus provides the physiological microenvironment critical for the development of T lymphocytes, the cells that orchestrate the adaptive immune system to generate an antigen-specific response. A diverse population of stroma cells provides surface-bound and soluble molecules that orchestrate the intrathymic maturation and selection of developing T cells. Forming an intricate 3D architecture, thymic epithelial cells (TEC) represent the most abundant and important constituent of the thymic stroma. Effective models for in and ex vivo use of adult TEC are still wanting, limiting the engineering of functional thymic organoids and the understanding of the development of a competent immune system. Here a 3D scaffold is developed based on decellularized thymic tissue capable of supporting in vitro and in vivo thymopoiesis by both fetal and adult TEC. For the first time, direct evidences of feasibility for sustained graft-resident T-cell development using adult TEC as input are provided. Moreover, the scaffold supports prolonged in vitro culture of adult TEC, with a retained expression of the master regulator Foxn1. The success of engineering a thymic scaffold that sustains adult TEC function provides unprecedented opportunities to investigate thymus development and physiology and to design and implement novel strategies for thymus replacement therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Adelaide Asnaghi
- Department of BiomedicineUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBasel4031Switzerland
| | - Thomas Barthlott
- Department of BiomedicineUniversity Children's Hospital University of BaselBasel4058Switzerland
| | - Fabiana Gullotta
- Department of BiomedicineUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBasel4031Switzerland
| | - Valentina Strusi
- Department of BiomedicineUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBasel4031Switzerland
| | - Anna Amovilli
- Department of BiomedicineUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBasel4031Switzerland
| | - Katrin Hafen
- Department of BiomedicineUniversity Children's Hospital University of BaselBasel4058Switzerland
| | | | - Philipp Oertle
- ARTIDIS AGBasel4057Switzerland
- Biozentrum and the Swiss Nanoscience InstituteUniversity of BaselBasel4056Switzerland
| | - Roberto Toni
- Department of Medicine and Surgery – DIMEC, Unit of BiomedicalBiotechnological and Translational Sciences (S.BI.BI.T.)Laboratory of Regenerative Morphology and Bioartificial Structures (Re.Mo.Bio.S.)University of ParmaParma43121Italy
- Division of Endocrinology Diabetes, and MetabolismTufts Medical Center – Tufts University School of MedicineBostonMA02111USA
| | - David Wendt
- Department of BiomedicineUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBasel4031Switzerland
| | - Georg A. Holländer
- Department of BiomedicineUniversity Children's Hospital University of BaselBasel4058Switzerland
- Developmental ImmunologyDepartment of Paediatrics and Weatherall Institute of Molecular MedicineUniversity of OxfordOxfordOX3 9DSUK
| | - Ivan Martin
- Department of BiomedicineUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBasel4031Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselAllschwil4123Switzerland
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35
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Kreins AY, Bonfanti P, Davies EG. Current and Future Therapeutic Approaches for Thymic Stromal Cell Defects. Front Immunol 2021; 12:655354. [PMID: 33815417 PMCID: PMC8012524 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.655354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Inborn errors of thymic stromal cell development and function lead to impaired T-cell development resulting in a susceptibility to opportunistic infections and autoimmunity. In their most severe form, congenital athymia, these disorders are life-threatening if left untreated. Athymia is rare and is typically associated with complete DiGeorge syndrome, which has multiple genetic and environmental etiologies. It is also found in rare cases of T-cell lymphopenia due to Nude SCID and Otofaciocervical Syndrome type 2, or in the context of genetically undefined defects. This group of disorders cannot be corrected by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, but upon timely recognition as thymic defects, can successfully be treated by thymus transplantation using cultured postnatal thymic tissue with the generation of naïve T-cells showing a diverse repertoire. Mortality after this treatment usually occurs before immune reconstitution and is mainly associated with infections most often acquired pre-transplantation. In this review, we will discuss the current approaches to the diagnosis and management of thymic stromal cell defects, in particular those resulting in athymia. We will discuss the impact of the expanding implementation of newborn screening for T-cell lymphopenia, in combination with next generation sequencing, as well as the role of novel diagnostic tools distinguishing between hematopoietic and thymic stromal cell defects in facilitating the early consideration for thymus transplantation of an increasing number of patients and disorders. Immune reconstitution after the current treatment is usually incomplete with relatively common inflammatory and autoimmune complications, emphasizing the importance for improving strategies for thymus replacement therapy by optimizing the current use of postnatal thymus tissue and developing new approaches using engineered thymus tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Y. Kreins
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Immunology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paola Bonfanti
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Institute of Immunity & Transplantation, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - E. Graham Davies
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Immunology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
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36
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Perniola R, Fierabracci A, Falorni A. Autoimmune Addison's Disease as Part of the Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome Type 1: Historical Overview and Current Evidence. Front Immunol 2021; 12:606860. [PMID: 33717087 PMCID: PMC7953157 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.606860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (APS1) is caused by pathogenic variants of the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene, located in the chromosomal region 21q22.3. The related protein, AIRE, enhances thymic self-representation and immune self-tolerance by localization to chromatin and anchorage to multimolecular complexes involved in the initiation and post-initiation events of tissue-specific antigen-encoding gene transcription. Once synthesized, the self-antigens are presented to, and cause deletion of, the self-reactive thymocyte clones. The clinical diagnosis of APS1 is based on the classic triad idiopathic hypoparathyroidism (HPT)—chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis—autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD), though new criteria based on early non-endocrine manifestations have been proposed. HPT is in most cases the first endocrine component of the syndrome; however, APS1-associated AAD has received the most accurate biochemical, clinical, and immunological characterization. Here is a comprehensive review of the studies on APS1-associated AAD from initial case reports to the most recent scientific findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Perniola
- Department of Pediatrics-Neonatal Intensive Care, V. Fazzi Hospital, ASL LE, Lecce, Italy
| | - Alessandra Fierabracci
- Infectivology and Clinical Trials Research Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Falorni
- Section of Internal Medicine and Endocrinological and Metabolic Sciences, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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37
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Ishikawa T, Akiyama N, Akiyama T. In Pursuit of Adult Progenitors of Thymic Epithelial Cells. Front Immunol 2021; 12:621824. [PMID: 33717123 PMCID: PMC7946825 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.621824] [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: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Peripheral T cells capable of discriminating between self and non-self antigens are major components of a robust adaptive immune system. The development of self-tolerant T cells is orchestrated by thymic epithelial cells (TECs), which are localized in the thymic cortex (cortical TECs, cTECs) and medulla (medullary TECs, mTECs). cTECs and mTECs are essential for differentiation, proliferation, and positive and negative selection of thymocytes. Recent advances in single-cell RNA-sequencing technology have revealed a previously unknown degree of TEC heterogeneity, but we still lack a clear picture of the identity of TEC progenitors in the adult thymus. In this review, we describe both earlier and recent findings that shed light on features of these elusive adult progenitors in the context of tissue homeostasis, as well as recovery from stress-induced thymic atrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuya Ishikawa
- Laboratory of Immune Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan.,Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Nobuko Akiyama
- Laboratory for Immunogenetics, RIKEN Center of Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Taishin Akiyama
- Laboratory of Immune Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan.,Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
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38
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Granadier D, Iovino L, Kinsella S, Dudakov JA. Dynamics of thymus function and T cell receptor repertoire breadth in health and disease. Semin Immunopathol 2021; 43:119-134. [PMID: 33608819 PMCID: PMC7894242 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-021-00840-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
T cell recognition of unknown antigens relies on the tremendous diversity of the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire; generation of which can only occur in the thymus. TCR repertoire breadth is thus critical for not only coordinating the adaptive response against pathogens but also for mounting a response against malignancies. However, thymic function is exquisitely sensitive to negative stimuli, which can come in the form of acute insult, such as that caused by stress, infection, or common cancer therapies; or chronic damage such as the progressive decline in thymic function with age. Whether it be prolonged T cell deficiency after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) or constriction in the breadth of the peripheral TCR repertoire with age; these insults result in poor adaptive immune responses. In this review, we will discuss the importance of thymic function for generation of the TCR repertoire and how acute and chronic thymic damage influences immune health. We will also discuss methods that are used to measure thymic function in patients and strategies that have been developed to boost thymic function.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Granadier
- Program in Immunology, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lorenzo Iovino
- Program in Immunology, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sinéad Kinsella
- Program in Immunology, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jarrod A Dudakov
- Program in Immunology, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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39
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Irla M. RANK Signaling in the Differentiation and Regeneration of Thymic Epithelial Cells. Front Immunol 2021; 11:623265. [PMID: 33552088 PMCID: PMC7862717 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.623265] [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: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) provide essential clues for the proliferation, survival, migration, and differentiation of thymocytes. Recent advances in mouse and human have revealed that TECs constitute a highly heterogeneous cell population with distinct functional properties. Importantly, TECs are sensitive to thymic damages engendered by myeloablative conditioning regimen used for bone marrow transplantation. These detrimental effects on TECs delay de novo T-cell production, which can increase the risk of morbidity and mortality in many patients. Alike that TECs guide the development of thymocytes, reciprocally thymocytes control the differentiation and organization of TECs. These bidirectional interactions are referred to as thymic crosstalk. The tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF) member, receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B (RANK) and its cognate ligand RANKL have emerged as key players of the crosstalk between TECs and thymocytes. RANKL, mainly provided by positively selected CD4+ thymocytes and a subset of group 3 innate lymphoid cells, controls mTEC proliferation/differentiation and TEC regeneration. In this review, I discuss recent advances that have unraveled the high heterogeneity of TECs and the implication of the RANK-RANKL signaling axis in TEC differentiation and regeneration. Targeting this cell-signaling pathway opens novel therapeutic perspectives to recover TEC function and T-cell production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Irla
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, INSERM, CIML, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
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40
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Campinoti S, Gjinovci A, Ragazzini R, Zanieri L, Ariza-McNaughton L, Catucci M, Boeing S, Park JE, Hutchinson JC, Muñoz-Ruiz M, Manti PG, Vozza G, Villa CE, Phylactopoulos DE, Maurer C, Testa G, Stauss HJ, Teichmann SA, Sebire NJ, Hayday AC, Bonnet D, Bonfanti P. Reconstitution of a functional human thymus by postnatal stromal progenitor cells and natural whole-organ scaffolds. Nat Commun 2020; 11:6372. [PMID: 33311516 PMCID: PMC7732825 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20082-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The thymus is a primary lymphoid organ, essential for T cell maturation and selection. There has been long-standing interest in processes underpinning thymus generation and the potential to manipulate it clinically, because alterations of thymus development or function can result in severe immunodeficiency and autoimmunity. Here, we identify epithelial-mesenchymal hybrid cells, capable of long-term expansion in vitro, and able to reconstitute an anatomic phenocopy of the native thymus, when combined with thymic interstitial cells and a natural decellularised extracellular matrix (ECM) obtained by whole thymus perfusion. This anatomical human thymus reconstruction is functional, as judged by its capacity to support mature T cell development in vivo after transplantation into humanised immunodeficient mice. These findings establish a basis for dissecting the cellular and molecular crosstalk between stroma, ECM and thymocytes, and offer practical prospects for treating congenital and acquired immunological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Campinoti
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Asllan Gjinovci
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Institute of Immunity & Transplantation, Division of Infection & Immunity, UCL, Royal Free Hospital, London, NW3 2PF, UK
| | - Roberta Ragazzini
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Institute of Immunity & Transplantation, Division of Infection & Immunity, UCL, Royal Free Hospital, London, NW3 2PF, UK
| | - Luca Zanieri
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Institute of Immunity & Transplantation, Division of Infection & Immunity, UCL, Royal Free Hospital, London, NW3 2PF, UK
| | - Linda Ariza-McNaughton
- Haematopoietic Stem Cell laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Marco Catucci
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, DIBIT 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefan Boeing
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Jong-Eun Park
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - John C Hutchinson
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
- Department of Histopathology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Miguel Muñoz-Ruiz
- Immunosurveillance laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Pierluigi G Manti
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Gianluca Vozza
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Carlo E Villa
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Demetra-Ellie Phylactopoulos
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Constance Maurer
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Giuseppe Testa
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Hans J Stauss
- Institute of Immunity & Transplantation, Division of Infection & Immunity, UCL, Royal Free Hospital, London, NW3 2PF, UK
| | - Sarah A Teichmann
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Neil J Sebire
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
- Department of Histopathology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Adrian C Hayday
- Immunosurveillance laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Dominique Bonnet
- Haematopoietic Stem Cell laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Paola Bonfanti
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
- Institute of Immunity & Transplantation, Division of Infection & Immunity, UCL, Royal Free Hospital, London, NW3 2PF, UK.
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41
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Wells KL, Miller CN, Gschwind AR, Wei W, Phipps JD, Anderson MS, Steinmetz LM. Combined transient ablation and single-cell RNA-sequencing reveals the development of medullary thymic epithelial cells. eLife 2020; 9:60188. [PMID: 33226342 PMCID: PMC7771965 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) play a critical role in central immune tolerance by mediating negative selection of autoreactive T cells through the collective expression of the peripheral self-antigen compartment, including tissue-specific antigens (TSAs). Recent work has shown that gene-expression patterns within the mTEC compartment are heterogenous and include multiple differentiated cell states. To further define mTEC development and medullary epithelial lineage relationships, we combined lineage tracing and recovery from transient in vivo mTEC ablation with single-cell RNA-sequencing in Mus musculus. The combination of bioinformatic and experimental approaches revealed a non-stem transit-amplifying population of cycling mTECs that preceded Aire expression. We propose a branching model of mTEC development wherein a heterogeneous pool of transit-amplifying cells gives rise to Aire- and Ccl21a-expressing mTEC subsets. We further use experimental techniques to show that within the Aire-expressing developmental branch, TSA expression peaked as Aire expression decreased, implying Aire expression must be established before TSA expression can occur. Collectively, these data provide a roadmap of mTEC development and demonstrate the power of combinatorial approaches leveraging both in vivo models and high-dimensional datasets. Specialized cells in the immune system known as T cells protect the body from infection by destroying disease-causing microbes, such as bacteria or viruses. T cells use proteins on their surface called receptors to stick to infectious microbes and remove them from the body. Some newly developed T-cells, however, contain receptors that recognize and bind to cells that belong in the body. If these faulty T cells are released, they can attack healthy tissues and cause an autoimmune disease. After a new T cell is developed, it gets carried to a gland in the chest known as the thymus. Cells in the thymus called mTECs screen T cells for receptors that may bind to the body’s tissues. mTECs do this by presenting T cells with proteins that are commonly found on the surface of healthy cells in the body. If a T cell recognizes any of these ‘tissue specific proteins’, it is destroyed or given a new role in the body. Some faulty T cells, however, still manage to evade detection. One way to uncover why this might happen is to investigate how mTECs develop. Previous work showed that mTECs transition through various stages before reaching their final form. However, the order in which these events occur remained unclear. To gain a better understanding of these developmental steps, Wells, Miller et al. extracted mTECs from the thymus of mice and analyzed the genetic make-up of individual cells. This uncovered a missing link in mTEC development: a new type of cell that is the immediate predecessor of the final mTEC. These ‘predecessor’ cells were actively growing, highlighting that mTECs can be constantly generated in the body. By probing the genes that generate tissue-specific proteins in mTECs, Wells, Miller et al. revealed that these proteins were only produced for short periods and in the late stages of mTEC development. These findings contribute to our understanding of how mTECs develop to screen T cells. Mapping these developmental stages will make it easier to identify when faulty T cells are able to evade mTECs. This will lead to earlier detection of autoimmune diseases which could result in better treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen L Wells
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States
| | - Corey N Miller
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Andreas R Gschwind
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States
| | - Wu Wei
- Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, United States
| | - Jonah D Phipps
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Mark S Anderson
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Lars M Steinmetz
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States.,Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, United States.,Genome Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
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42
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García-Ceca J, Montero-Herradón S, Zapata AG. Intrathymic Selection and Defects in the Thymic Epithelial Cell Development. Cells 2020; 9:cells9102226. [PMID: 33023072 PMCID: PMC7601110 DOI: 10.3390/cells9102226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Intimate interactions between thymic epithelial cells (TECs) and thymocytes (T) have been repeatedly reported as essential for performing intrathymic T-cell education. Nevertheless, it has been described that animals exhibiting defects in these interactions were capable of a proper positive and negative T-cell selection. In the current review, we first examined distinct types of TECs and their possible role in the immune surveillance. However, EphB-deficient thymi that exhibit profound thymic epithelial (TE) alterations do not exhibit important immunological defects. Eph and their ligands, the ephrins, are implicated in cell attachment/detachment and govern, therefore, TEC–T interactions. On this basis, we hypothesized that a few normal TE areas could be enough for a proper phenotypical and functional maturation of T lymphocytes. Then, we evaluated in vivo how many TECs would be necessary for supporting a normal T-cell differentiation, concluding that a significantly low number of TEC are still capable of supporting normal T lymphocyte maturation, whereas with fewer numbers, T-cell maturation is not possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier García-Ceca
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.G.-C.); (S.M.-H.)
- Health Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Montero-Herradón
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.G.-C.); (S.M.-H.)
- Health Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Agustín G. Zapata
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.G.-C.); (S.M.-H.)
- Health Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-91-394-4979
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43
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Baran-Gale J, Morgan MD, Maio S, Dhalla F, Calvo-Asensio I, Deadman ME, Handel AE, Maynard A, Chen S, Green F, Sit RV, Neff NF, Darmanis S, Tan W, May AP, Marioni JC, Ponting CP, Holländer GA. Ageing compromises mouse thymus function and remodels epithelial cell differentiation. eLife 2020; 9:e56221. [PMID: 32840480 PMCID: PMC7490013 DOI: 10.7554/elife.56221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ageing is characterised by cellular senescence, leading to imbalanced tissue maintenance, cell death and compromised organ function. This is first observed in the thymus, the primary lymphoid organ that generates and selects T cells. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underpinning these ageing processes remain unclear. Here, we show that mouse ageing leads to less efficient T cell selection, decreased self-antigen representation and increased T cell receptor repertoire diversity. Using a combination of single-cell RNA-seq and lineage-tracing, we find that progenitor cells are the principal targets of ageing, whereas the function of individual mature thymic epithelial cells is compromised only modestly. Specifically, an early-life precursor cell population, retained in the mouse cortex postnatally, is virtually extinguished at puberty. Concomitantly, a medullary precursor cell quiesces, thereby impairing maintenance of the medullary epithelium. Thus, ageing disrupts thymic progenitor differentiation and impairs the core immunological functions of the thymus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael D Morgan
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome CampusHinxtonUnited Kingdom
- Cancer Research United Kingdom - Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Stefano Maio
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Cancer ResearchOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Fatima Dhalla
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Cancer ResearchOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Irene Calvo-Asensio
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, and University Children’s HospitalBaselSwitzerland
| | - Mary E Deadman
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Cancer ResearchOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Adam E Handel
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Steven Chen
- Chan Zuckerberg BiohubSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Foad Green
- Chan Zuckerberg BiohubSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Rene V Sit
- Chan Zuckerberg BiohubSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Norma F Neff
- Chan Zuckerberg BiohubSan FranciscoUnited States
| | | | - Weilun Tan
- Chan Zuckerberg BiohubSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Andy P May
- Chan Zuckerberg BiohubSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - John C Marioni
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome CampusHinxtonUnited Kingdom
- Cancer Research United Kingdom - Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
- EMBL-EBI, Wellcome Genome CampusHinxtonUnited Kingdom
| | - Chris P Ponting
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Georg A Holländer
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Cancer ResearchOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, and University Children’s HospitalBaselSwitzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH ZurichBaselSwitzerland
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44
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Kinsella S, Dudakov JA. When the Damage Is Done: Injury and Repair in Thymus Function. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1745. [PMID: 32903477 PMCID: PMC7435010 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Even though the thymus is exquisitely sensitive to acute insults like infection, shock, or common cancer therapies such as cytoreductive chemo- or radiation-therapy, it also has a remarkable capacity for repair. This phenomenon of endogenous thymic regeneration has been known for longer even than its primary function to generate T cells, however, the underlying mechanisms controlling the process have been largely unstudied. Although there is likely continual thymic involution and regeneration in response to stress and infection in otherwise healthy people, acute and profound thymic damage such as that caused by common cancer cytoreductive therapies or the conditioning regimes as part of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), leads to prolonged T cell deficiency; precipitating high morbidity and mortality from opportunistic infections and may even facilitate cancer relapse. Furthermore, this capacity for regeneration declines with age as a function of thymic involution; which even at steady state leads to reduced capacity to respond to new pathogens, vaccines, and immunotherapy. Consequently, there is a real clinical need for strategies that can boost thymic function and enhance T cell immunity. One approach to the development of such therapies is to exploit the processes of endogenous thymic regeneration into novel pharmacologic strategies to boost T cell reconstitution in clinical settings of immune depletion such as HCT. In this review, we will highlight recent work that has revealed the mechanisms by which the thymus is capable of repairing itself and how this knowledge is being used to develop novel therapies to boost immune function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinéad Kinsella
- Program in Immunology, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Jarrod A. Dudakov
- Program in Immunology, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
- Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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45
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Lepletier A, Hun ML, Hammett MV, Wong K, Naeem H, Hedger M, Loveland K, Chidgey AP. Interplay between Follistatin, Activin A, and BMP4 Signaling Regulates Postnatal Thymic Epithelial Progenitor Cell Differentiation during Aging. Cell Rep 2020; 27:3887-3901.e4. [PMID: 31242421 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.05.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 04/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
A key feature of immune functional impairment with age is the progressive involution of thymic tissue responsible for naive T cell production. In this study, we identify two major phases of thymic epithelial cell (TEC) loss during aging: a block in mature TEC differentiation from the pool of immature precursors, occurring at the onset of puberty, followed by impaired bipotent TEC progenitor differentiation and depletion of Sca-1lo cTEC and mTEC lineage-specific precursors. We reveal that an increase in follistatin production by aging TECs contributes to their own demise. TEC loss occurs primarily through the antagonism of activin A signaling, which we show is required for TEC maturation and acts in dissonance to BMP4, which promotes the maintenance of TEC progenitors. These results support a model in which an imbalance of activin A and BMP4 signaling underpins the degeneration of postnatal TEC maintenance during aging, and its reversal enables the transient replenishment of mature TECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ailin Lepletier
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Michael L Hun
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Maree V Hammett
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Kahlia Wong
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Haroon Naeem
- Monash Bioinformatics Platform, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Mark Hedger
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Kate Loveland
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; Centre for Reproductive Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia; Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Ann P Chidgey
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia.
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46
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Eshima K, Misawa K, Ohashi C, Noma H, Iwabuchi K. NF-κB-inducing kinase contributes to normal development of cortical thymic epithelial cells: its possible role in shaping a proper T-cell repertoire. Immunology 2020; 160:198-208. [PMID: 32145062 PMCID: PMC7218659 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Nuclear factor (NF)-κB-inducing kinase (NIK) is known to be a critical regulator of multiple aspects of the immune response. Although the role of NIK in the development of medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) has been well documented, the impact of NIK on the differentiation and function of cortical thymic epithelial cells (cTECs) remains ambiguous. To investigate the possible involvement of NIK in cTEC differentiation, we have compared the gene expression and function of cTECs from a NIK-mutant mouse, alymphoplasia (aly/aly) with those of cTECs from wild-type (WT) mice. Flow cytometric analyses revealed that expression levels of MHC class II, but not MHC class I or other TEC markers, were higher in aly/aly cells than in WT cells. Notably, the proportion of MHC class IIhi+ cTECs was elevated in aly/aly mice. We also demonstrated that expression of Ccl5 mRNA in the MHC class IIhi+ subset of aly/aly cTECs was decreased compared with that in WT cells, implying an abnormal pattern of gene expression in aly/aly cTECs. Analyses of bone marrow chimera using aly/aly or aly/+ mice as hosts suggested that Vβ usage and CD5 expression on WT T-cells were altered when they matured in aly/aly thymi. These results collectively indicate that NIK may be involved in controlling the function of cTEC in selecting a proper T-cell repertoire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koji Eshima
- Department of ImmunologyKitasato University School of MedicineKanagawaJapan
| | - Kana Misawa
- Department of ImmunologyKitasato University School of MedicineKanagawaJapan
| | - Chihiro Ohashi
- Department of ImmunologyKitasato University School of MedicineKanagawaJapan
| | - Haruka Noma
- Department of ImmunologyKitasato University School of MedicineKanagawaJapan
| | - Kazuya Iwabuchi
- Department of ImmunologyKitasato University School of MedicineKanagawaJapan
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47
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Alawam AS, Anderson G, Lucas B. Generation and Regeneration of Thymic Epithelial Cells. Front Immunol 2020; 11:858. [PMID: 32457758 PMCID: PMC7221188 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The thymus is unique in its ability to support the maturation of phenotypically and functionally distinct T cell sub-lineages. Through its combined production of MHC-restricted conventional CD4+ and CD8+, and Foxp3+ regulatory T cells, as well as non-conventional CD1d-restricted iNKT cells and invariant γδT cells, the thymus represents an important orchestrator of immune system development and control. It is now clear that thymus function is largely determined by the availability of stromal microenvironments. These specialized areas emerge during thymus organogenesis and are maintained throughout life. They are formed from both epithelial and mesenchymal components, and collectively they support a stepwise program of thymocyte development. Of these stromal cells, cortical, and medullary thymic epithelial cells represent functional components of thymic microenvironments in both the cortex and medulla. Importantly, a key feature of thymus function is that levels of T cell production are not constant throughout life. Here, multiple physiological factors including aging, stress and pregnancy can have either short- or long-term detrimental impact on rates of thymus function. Here, we summarize our current understanding of the development and function of thymic epithelial cells, and relate this to strategies to protect and/or restore thymic epithelial cell function for therapeutic benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah S Alawam
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Graham Anderson
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Beth Lucas
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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48
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Abstract
Thymus regenerative therapy implementation is severely obstructed by the limited number and expansion capacity in vitro of tissue-specific thymic epithelial stem cells (TESC). Current solutions are mostly based on growth factors that can drive differentiation of pluripotent stem cells toward tissue-specific TESC. Target-specific small chemical compounds represent an alternative solution that could induce and support the clonal expansion of TESC and reversibly block their differentiation into mature cells. These compounds could be used both in the composition of culture media designed for TESC expansion in vitro, and in drugs development for thymic regeneration in vivo. It should allow reaching the ultimate objective - autologous thymic tissue regeneration in paediatric patients who had their thymus removed in the course of cardiac surgery.
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49
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Hale LP, Neff J, Cheatham L, Cardona D, Markert ML, Kurtzberg J. Histopathologic assessment of cultured human thymus. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230668. [PMID: 32208448 PMCID: PMC7093005 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The maintenance and propagation of complex mixtures of cells in vitro in the form of native organs or engineered organoids has contributed to understanding mechanisms of cell and organ development and function which can be translated into therapeutic benefits. For example, allogeneic cultured postnatal human thymus tissue has been shown to support production of naïve recipient T cells when transplanted into patients with complete DiGeorge anomaly and other genetic defects that result in congenital lack of a thymus. Patients receiving such transplants typically exhibit reversal of their immunodeficiency and normalization of their peripheral blood T cell receptor V-beta repertoire, with long-term survival. This study was designed to assess the histopathologic changes that occur in postnatal human thymus slices when cultured according to protocols used for transplanted tissues. Results showed that as thymic organ cultures progressed from days 0 through 21, slices developed increasing amounts of necrosis, increasing condensation of thymic epithelium, and decreasing numbers of residual T cells. The architecture of the thymic epithelial network remained generally well-preserved throughout the 21 days of culture, with focal expression of cytokeratin 14, a putative biomarker of thymic epithelial cells with long-term organ-repopulating potential. All organ slices derived from the same donor thymus closely resembled one another, with minor differences in size, shape, and relative content of cortex versus medulla. Similarly, slices derived from different donors showed similar histopathologic characteristics when examined at the same culture time point. Taken together, these results demonstrate that diagnostic criteria based on structural features of the tissue identifiable via hematoxylin and eosin staining and cytokeratin immunohistochemistry can be used to evaluate the quality of slices transplanted into patients with congenital athymia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura P. Hale
- Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jadee Neff
- Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States of America
| | - Lynn Cheatham
- Marcus Center for Cellular Cures, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States of America
| | - Diana Cardona
- Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States of America
| | - M. Louise Markert
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States of America
| | - Joanne Kurtzberg
- Marcus Center for Cellular Cures, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States of America
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50
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Suraiya AB, Hun ML, Truong VX, Forsythe JS, Chidgey AP. Gelatin-Based 3D Microgels for In Vitro T Lineage Cell Generation. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2020; 6:2198-2208. [PMID: 33455336 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.9b01610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
T cells are predominantly produced by the thymus and play a significant role in maintaining our adaptive immune system. Physiological involution of the thymus occurs gradually with age, compromising naive T cell output, which can have severe clinical complications. Also, T cells are utilized as therapeutic agents in cancer immunotherapies. Therefore, there is an increasing need for strategies aimed at generating naive T cells. The majority of in vitro T cell generation studies are performed in two-dimensional (2D) cultures, which ignore the physiological thymic microenvironment and are not scalable; therefore, we applied a new three-dimensional (3D) approach. Here, we use a gelatin-based 3D microgel system for T lineage induction by co-culturing OP9-DL4 cells and mouse fetal-liver-derived hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Flow cytometric analysis revealed that microgel co-cultures supported T lineage induction similar to 2D cultures while providing a 3D environment. We also encapsulated mouse embryonic thymic epithelial cells (TECs) within the microgels to provide a defined 3D culture platform. The microgel system supported TEC maintenance and retained their phenotype. Together, these data show that our microgel system has the capacity for TEC maintenance and induction of in vitro T lineage differentiation with potential for scalability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anisha B Suraiya
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash Institute of Medical Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Melbourne 3800, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Michael L Hun
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Vinh X Truong
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash Institute of Medical Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - John S Forsythe
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash Institute of Medical Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Ann P Chidgey
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Melbourne 3800, Australia
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