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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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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3
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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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4
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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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5
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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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6
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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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7
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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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8
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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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9
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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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10
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Alawam AS, Cosway EJ, James KD, Lucas B, Bacon A, Parnell SM, White AJ, Jenkinson WE, Anderson G. Failures in thymus medulla regeneration during immune recovery cause tolerance loss and prime recipients for auto-GVHD. J Exp Med 2022; 219:212911. [PMID: 34910105 PMCID: PMC8679781 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20211239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is a widely used therapy for blood cancers and primary immunodeficiency. Following transplant, the thymus plays a key role in immune reconstitution by generating a naive αβT cell pool from transplant-derived progenitors. While donor-derived thymopoiesis during the early post-transplant period is well studied, the ability of the thymus to synchronize T cell development with essential tolerance mechanisms is poorly understood. Using a syngeneic mouse transplant model, we analyzed T cell recovery alongside the regeneration and function of intrathymic microenvironments. We report a specific and prolonged failure in the post-transplant recovery of medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs). This manifests as loss of medulla-dependent tolerance mechanisms, including failures in Foxp3+ regulatory T cell development and formation of the intrathymic dendritic cell pool. In addition, defective negative selection enables escape of self-reactive conventional αβT cells that promote autoimmunity. Collectively, we show that post-transplant T cell recovery involves an uncoupling of thymopoiesis from thymic tolerance, which results in autoimmune reconstitution caused by failures in thymic medulla regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah S Alawam
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Emilie J Cosway
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Kieran D James
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Beth Lucas
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Andrea Bacon
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Sonia M Parnell
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Andrea J White
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - William E Jenkinson
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Graham Anderson
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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11
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Fujimori S, Ohigashi I, Abe H, Matsushita Y, Katagiri T, Taketo MM, Takahama Y, Takada S. Fine-tuning of β-catenin in mouse thymic epithelial cells is required for postnatal T-cell development. eLife 2022; 11:69088. [PMID: 35042581 PMCID: PMC8769649 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In the thymus, the thymic epithelium provides a microenvironment essential for the development of functionally competent and self-tolerant T cells. Previous findings showed that modulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in mouse thymic epithelial cells (TECs) disrupts embryonic thymus organogenesis. However, the role of β-catenin in TECs for postnatal T-cell development remains to be elucidated. Here, we analyzed gain-of-function (GOF) and loss-of-function (LOF) of β-catenin highly specific in mouse TECs. We found that GOF of β-catenin in TECs results in severe thymic dysplasia and T-cell deficiency beginning from the embryonic period. By contrast, LOF of β-catenin in TECs reduces the number of cortical TECs and thymocytes modestly and only postnatally. These results indicate that fine-tuning of β-catenin expression within a permissive range is required for TECs to generate an optimal microenvironment to support postnatal T-cell development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayumi Fujimori
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tokushima University
- National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences
| | - Izumi Ohigashi
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tokushima University
| | - Hayato Abe
- Student Laboratory, School of Medicine, Tokushima University
| | - Yosuke Matsushita
- Division of Genome Medicine, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tokushima University
| | - Toyomasa Katagiri
- Division of Genome Medicine, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tokushima University
| | - Makoto M Taketo
- Institute for Advancement of Clinical and Translational Science, Kyoto University Hospital
| | - Yousuke Takahama
- Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health
| | - Shinji Takada
- National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences
- Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems, National Institutes of Natural Sciences
- Department of Basic Biology in the School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI)
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12
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Shevyrev D, Tereshchenko V, Kozlov V, Sennikov S. Phylogeny, Structure, Functions, and Role of AIRE in the Formation of T-Cell Subsets. Cells 2022; 11:194. [PMID: 35053310 PMCID: PMC8773594 DOI: 10.3390/cells11020194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well known that the most important feature of adaptive immunity is the specificity that provides highly precise recognition of the self, altered-self, and non-self. Due to the high specificity of antigen recognition, the adaptive immune system participates in the maintenance of genetic homeostasis, supports multicellularity, and protects an organism from different pathogens at a qualitatively different level than innate immunity. This seemingly simple property is based on millions of years of evolution that led to the formation of diversification mechanisms of antigen-recognizing receptors and later to the emergence of a system of presentation of the self and non-self antigens. The latter could have a crucial significance because the presentation of nearly complete diversity of auto-antigens in the thymus allows for the "calibration" of the forming repertoires of T-cells for the recognition of self, altered-self, and non-self antigens that are presented on the periphery. The central role in this process belongs to promiscuous gene expression by the thymic epithelial cells that express nearly the whole spectrum of proteins encoded in the genome, meanwhile maintaining their cellular identity. This complex mechanism requires strict control that is executed by several transcription factors. One of the most important of them is AIRE. This noncanonical transcription factor not only regulates the processes of differentiation and expression of peripheral tissue-specific antigens in the thymic medullar epithelial cells but also controls intercellular interactions in the thymus. Besides, it participates in an increase in the diversity and transfer of presented antigens and thus influences the formation of repertoires of maturing thymocytes. Due to these complex effects, AIRE is also called a transcriptional regulator. In this review, we briefly described the history of AIRE discovery, its structure, functions, and role in the formation of antigen-recognizing receptor repertoires, along with other transcription factors. We focused on the phylogenetic prerequisites for the development of modern adaptive immunity and emphasized the importance of the antigen presentation system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniil Shevyrev
- Research Institute for Fundamental and Clinical Immunology (RIFCI), 630099 Novosibirsk, Russia; (V.T.); (V.K.); (S.S.)
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13
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Martinez-Ruíz GU, Morales-Sánchez A, Bhandoola A. Transcriptional and epigenetic regulation in thymic epithelial cells. Immunol Rev 2022; 305:43-58. [PMID: 34750841 PMCID: PMC8766885 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The thymus is required for the development of both adaptive and innate-like T cell subsets. There is keen interest in manipulating thymic function for therapeutic purposes in circumstances of autoimmunity, immunodeficiency, and for purposes of immunotherapy. Within the thymus, thymic epithelial cells play essential roles in directing T cell development. Several transcription factors are known to be essential for thymic epithelial cell development and function, and a few transcription factors have been studied in considerable detail. However, the role of many other transcription factors is less well understood. Further, it is likely that roles exist for other transcription factors not yet known to be important in thymic epithelial cells. Recent progress in understanding of thymic epithelial cell heterogeneity has provided some new insight into transcriptional requirements in subtypes of thymic epithelial cells. However, it is unknown whether progenitors of thymic epithelial cells exist in the adult thymus, and consequently, developmental relationships linking putative precursors with differentiated cell types are poorly understood. While we do not presently possess a clear understanding of stage-specific requirements for transcription factors in thymic epithelial cells, new single-cell transcriptomic and epigenomic technologies should enable rapid progress in this field. Here, we review our current knowledge of transcription factors involved in the development, maintenance, and function of thymic epithelial cells, and the mechanisms by which they act.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Ulises Martinez-Ruíz
- T Cell Biology and Development Unit, Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Research Division, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
- Children’s Hospital of Mexico Federico Gomez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Abigail Morales-Sánchez
- T Cell Biology and Development Unit, 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
| | - Avinash Bhandoola
- T Cell Biology and Development Unit, Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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14
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Jansen K, Shikama-Dorn N, Attar M, Maio S, Lopopolo M, Buck D, Holländer GA, Sansom SN. RBFOX splicing factors contribute to a broad but selective recapitulation of peripheral tissue splicing patterns in the thymus. Genome Res 2021; 31:2022-2034. [PMID: 34649931 PMCID: PMC8559713 DOI: 10.1101/gr.275245.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Thymic epithelial cells (TEC) control the selection of a T cell repertoire reactive to pathogens but tolerant of self. This process is known to involve the promiscuous expression of virtually the entire protein-coding gene repertoire, but the extent to which TEC recapitulate peripheral isoforms, and the mechanisms by which they do so, remain largely unknown. We performed the first assembly-based transcriptomic census of transcript structures and splicing factor (SF) expression in mouse medullary TEC (mTEC) and 21 peripheral tissues. Mature mTEC expressed 60.1% of all protein-coding transcripts, more than was detected in any of the peripheral tissues. However, for genes with tissue-restricted expression, mTEC produced fewer isoforms than did the relevant peripheral tissues. Analysis of exon inclusion revealed an absence of brain-specific microexons in mTEC. We did not find unusual numbers of novel transcripts in TEC, and we show that Aire, the facilitator of promiscuous gene expression, promotes the generation of long “classical” transcripts (with 5′ and 3′ UTRs) but has only a limited impact on alternative splicing in mTEC. Comprehensive assessment of SF expression in mTEC identified a small set of nonpromiscuously expressed SF genes, among which we confirmed RBFOX to be present with AIRE in mTEC nuclei. Using a conditional loss-of-function approach, we show that Rbfox2 promotes mTEC development and regulates the alternative splicing of promiscuously expressed genes. These data indicate that TEC recommission a small number of peripheral SFs, including members of the RBFOX family, to generate a broad but selective representation of the peripheral splice isoform repertoire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Jansen
- The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, United Kingdom.,Department of Paediatrics and the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
| | - Noriko Shikama-Dorn
- The University Children's Hospital of Basel and the Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Moustafa Attar
- The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, United Kingdom.,Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom
| | - Stefano Maio
- Department of Paediatrics and the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Lopopolo
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom
| | - David Buck
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom
| | - Georg A Holländer
- Department of Paediatrics and the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom.,The University Children's Hospital of Basel and the Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stephen N Sansom
- The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, United Kingdom
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15
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Liang Z, Zhang Q, Zhang Z, Sun L, Dong X, Li T, Tan L, Xie X, Sun L, Zhao Y. The Development and Survival of Thymic Epithelial Cells Require TSC1-Dependent Negative Regulation of mTORC1 Activity. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 207:2039-2050. [PMID: 34535574 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2100463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) are critical for the development and generation of functionally competent T cells. Until now, the mechanism that regulates the survival of TECs is poorly understood. In the current study, we found that Tsc1 controls the homeostasis of medullary TECs (mTECs) by inhibiting lysosomal-mediated apoptosis pathway in mice. TEC-specific deletion of Tsc1 predominately decreased the cell number of mTECs and, to a lesser content, affected the development cortical TECs. The defect of mTECs caused by Tsc1 deficiency in mice impaired thymocyte development and peripheral T cell homeostasis. Mechanistically, Tsc1 deficiency did not affect the cell proliferation of mTECs but increased the apoptosis of mTECs significantly. RNA-sequencing analysis showed that pathways involved in lysosomal biogenesis, cell metabolism, and apoptosis were remarkably elevated in Tsc1-deficient mTECs compared with their wild-type counterparts. Tsc1-deficient mTECs exhibited overproduction of reactive oxygen species and malfunction of lysosome, with lysosome membrane permeabilization and the release of cathepsin B and cathepsin L to the cytosol, which then lead to Bid cleaved into active truncated Bid and subsequently intrinsic apoptosis. Finally, we showed that the impaired development of mTECs could be partially reversed by decreasing mTORC1 activity via haploinsufficiency of Raptor Thus, Tsc1 is essential for the homeostasis of mTECs by inhibiting lysosomal-mediated apoptosis through mTORC1-dependent pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanfeng Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaoqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lina Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xue Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tianxiu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liang Tan
- Department of Urological Organ Transplantation, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xubiao Xie
- Department of Urological Organ Transplantation, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Liguang Sun
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China; and .,National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, Changchun, China
| | - Yong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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16
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Ohigashi I, Matsuda-Lennikov M, Takahama Y. Peptides for T cell selection in the thymus. Peptides 2021; 146:170671. [PMID: 34624431 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2021.170671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-associated peptides generated and displayed by antigen-presenting cells in the thymus are essential for the generation of functional and self-tolerant T cells that protect our body from various pathogens. The peptides displayed by cortical thymic epithelial cells (cTECs) are generated by unique enzymatic machineries including the thymoproteasomes, and are involved in the positive selection of self-protective T cells. On the other hand, the peptides displayed by medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) and thymic dendritic cells (DCs) are involved in further selection to establish self-tolerance in T cells. Although the biochemical nature of the peptide repertoire displayed in the thymus remains unclear, many studies have suggested a thymus-specific mechanism for the generation of MHC-associated peptides in the thymus. In this review, we summarize basic knowledge and recent advances in MHC-associated thymic peptides, focusing on the generation and function of thymoproteasome-dependent peptides specifically displayed by cTECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izumi Ohigashi
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan.
| | - Mami Matsuda-Lennikov
- Thymus Biology Section, Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Yousuke Takahama
- Thymus Biology Section, Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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17
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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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18
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Barthlott T, Handel AE, Teh HY, Wirasinha RC, Hafen K, Žuklys S, Roch B, Orkin SH, de Villartay JP, Daley SR, Holländer GA. Indispensable epigenetic control of thymic epithelial cell development and function by polycomb repressive complex 2. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3933. [PMID: 34168132 PMCID: PMC8225857 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24158-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymic T cell development and T cell receptor repertoire selection are dependent on essential molecular cues provided by thymic epithelial cells (TEC). TEC development and function are regulated by their epigenetic landscape, in which the repressive H3K27me3 epigenetic marks are catalyzed by polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2). Here we show that a TEC-targeted deficiency of PRC2 function results in a hypoplastic thymus with reduced ability to express antigens and select a normal repertoire of T cells. The absence of PRC2 activity reveals a transcriptomically distinct medullary TEC lineage that incompletely off-sets the shortage of canonically-derived medullary TEC whereas cortical TEC numbers remain unchanged. This alternative TEC development is associated with the generation of reduced TCR diversity. Hence, normal PRC2 activity and placement of H3K27me3 marks are required for TEC lineage differentiation and function and, in their absence, the thymus is unable to compensate for the loss of a normal TEC scaffold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Barthlott
- Department of Biomedicine and University Children's Hospital of Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Adam E Handel
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Hong Ying Teh
- Department of Biomedicine and University Children's Hospital of Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rushika C Wirasinha
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Katrin Hafen
- Department of Biomedicine and University Children's Hospital of Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Saulius Žuklys
- Department of Biomedicine and University Children's Hospital of Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Benoit Roch
- Genome Dynamics in the Immune System Laboratory, INSERM UMR 1163, Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
| | - Stuart H Orkin
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard Medical School, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre de Villartay
- Genome Dynamics in the Immune System Laboratory, INSERM UMR 1163, Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
| | - Stephen R Daley
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Georg A 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, UK.
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19
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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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20
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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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21
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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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22
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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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23
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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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24
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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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25
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Hun ML, Wong K, Gunawan JR, Alsharif A, Quinn K, Chidgey AP. Gender Disparity Impacts on Thymus Aging and LHRH Receptor Antagonist-Induced Thymic Reconstitution Following Chemotherapeutic Damage. Front Immunol 2020; 11:302. [PMID: 32194555 PMCID: PMC7062683 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the main consequences of thymus aging is the decrease in naïve T cell output. This condition accelerates at the onset of puberty, and presents as a major clinical complication for cancer patients who require cytoablative therapy. Specifically, the extensive use of chemotherapeutics, such as cyclophosphamide, in such treatments damage thymic structure and eliminate the existing naïve T cell repertoire. The resulting immunodeficiency can lead to increased incidence of opportunistic infections, tumor growth relapse and/or autoimmune diseases, particularly in older patients. Thus, strategies aimed at rejuvenating the aged thymus following chemotherapeutic damage are required. Previous studies have revealed that sex hormone deprivation in male mice is capable of regenerating the thymic microenvironment following chemotherapy treatment, however, further investigation is crucial to identify gender-based differences, and the molecular mechanisms involved during thymus regeneration. Through phenotypic analyzes, we identified gender-specific alterations in thymocytes and thymic epithelial cell (TEC) subsets from the onset of puberty. By middle-age, females presented with a higher number of thymocytes in comparison to males, yet a decrease in their Aire+ medullary TEC/thymocyte ratio was observed. This reduction could be associated with an increased risk of autoimmune disease in middle-aged women. Given the concurrent increase in female Aire+ cTEC/thymocyte ratio, we proposed that there may be an impediment in Aire+ mTEChi differentiation, and Aire+ cTEChi as its upstream precursor. The regenerative effects of LHRH receptor antagonist, degarelix, on TEC subsets was also less pronounced in middle-aged females compared to males, possibly due to slower progression of thymic involution in the former, which presented with greater TEChi proportions. Furthermore, following cyclophosphamide treatment, degarelix enhanced thymocyte and mature TEC subset recovery, with faster recovery kinetics observed in females. These events were found to involve both reactivation and proliferation of thymic epithelial progenitor cells. Taken together, the findings from this study portray a relationship between gender disparity and thymus aging, and highlight the potential benefits of LHRH receptor antagonist treatment for thymic regeneration. Further research is required, however, to determine how gender may impact on the mechanisms underpinning these events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Ly Hun
- Thymus Development, Ageing and T Cell Regeneration Laboratory, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University Clayton, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Kahlia Wong
- Thymus Development, Ageing and T Cell Regeneration Laboratory, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University Clayton, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Josephine Rahma Gunawan
- Thymus Development, Ageing and T Cell Regeneration Laboratory, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University Clayton, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Abdulaziz Alsharif
- Thymus Development, Ageing and T Cell Regeneration Laboratory, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University Clayton, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Kylie Quinn
- Quinn Laboratory, Translational Immunology and Nanotechnology Research Program, School of Health and Biomedical Research, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ann P. Chidgey
- Thymus Development, Ageing and T Cell Regeneration Laboratory, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University Clayton, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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26
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Dhalla F, Baran‐Gale J, Maio S, Chappell L, Holländer GA, Ponting CP. Biologically indeterminate yet ordered promiscuous gene expression in single medullary thymic epithelial cells. EMBO J 2020; 39:e101828. [PMID: 31657037 PMCID: PMC6939203 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2019101828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
To induce central T-cell tolerance, medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTEC) collectively express most protein-coding genes, thereby presenting an extensive library of tissue-restricted antigens (TRAs). To resolve mTEC diversity and whether promiscuous gene expression (PGE) is stochastic or coordinated, we sequenced transcriptomes of 6,894 single mTEC, enriching for 1,795 rare cells expressing either of two TRAs, TSPAN8 or GP2. Transcriptional heterogeneity allowed partitioning of mTEC into 15 reproducible subpopulations representing distinct maturational trajectories, stages and subtypes, including novel mTEC subsets, such as chemokine-expressing and ciliated TEC, which warrant further characterisation. Unexpectedly, 50 modules of genes were robustly defined each showing patterns of co-expression within individual cells, which were mainly not explicable by chromosomal location, biological pathway or tissue specificity. Further, TSPAN8+ and GP2+ mTEC were randomly dispersed within thymic medullary islands. Consequently, these data support observations that PGE exhibits ordered co-expression, although mechanisms underlying this instruction remain biologically indeterminate. Ordered co-expression and random spatial distribution of a diverse range of TRAs likely enhance their presentation and encounter with passing thymocytes, while maintaining mTEC identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Dhalla
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular MedicineUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | | | - Stefano Maio
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular MedicineUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | | | - Georg A Holländer
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular MedicineUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Chris P Ponting
- MRC Human Genetics UnitMRC IGMMThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
- Wellcome Sanger InstituteHinxtonUK
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27
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Abstract
The generation of a functional T cell repertoire in the thymus is mainly orchestrated by thymic epithelial cells (TECs), which provide developing T cells with cues for their navigation, proliferation, differentiation and survival. The TEC compartment has been segregated historically into two major populations of medullary TECs and cortical TECs, which differ in their anatomical localization, molecular characteristics and functional roles. However, recent studies have shown that TECs are highly heterogeneous and comprise multiple subpopulations with distinct molecular and functional characteristics, including tuft cell-like or corneocyte-like phenotypes. Here, we review the most recent advances in our understanding of TEC heterogeneity from a molecular, functional and developmental perspective. In particular, we highlight the key insights that were recently provided by single-cell genomic technologies and in vivo fate mapping and discuss them in the context of previously published data.
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28
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Shen H, Ji Y, Xiong Y, Kim H, Zhong X, Jin MG, Shah YM, Omary MB, Liu Y, Qi L, Rui L. Medullary thymic epithelial NF-kB-inducing kinase (NIK)/IKKα pathway shapes autoimmunity and liver and lung homeostasis in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:19090-19097. [PMID: 31481626 PMCID: PMC6754592 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1901056116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant T cell development is a pivotal risk factor for autoimmune disease; however, the underlying molecular mechanism of T cell overactivation is poorly understood. Here, we identified NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK) and IkB kinase α (IKKα) in thymic epithelial cells (TECs) as essential regulators of T cell development. Mouse TEC-specific ablation of either NIK or IKKα resulted in severe T cell-mediated inflammation, injury, and fibrosis in the liver and lung, leading to premature death within 18 d of age. NIK or IKKα deficiency abrogated medullary TEC development, and led to breakdown of central tolerance, production of autoreactive T cells, and fatal autoimmune destruction in the liver and lung. TEC-specific ablation of NIK or IKKα also impaired thymic T cell development from the double-negative through the double-positive stages and inhibited peripheral B cell development. These results unravel a hitherto unrecognized essential role of TEC-intrinsic NIK and IKKα pathways in autoimmunity and T cell-instigated chronic liver and lung diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Shen
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Yewei Ji
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Yi Xiong
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Hana Kim
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Xiao Zhong
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Michelle G Jin
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Yatrik M Shah
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - M Bishr Omary
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Yong Liu
- College of Life Sciences, The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, 430072 Wuhan, China
| | - Ling Qi
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Liangyou Rui
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109;
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
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29
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Luan R, Liang Z, Zhang Q, Sun L, Zhao Y. Molecular regulatory networks of thymic epithelial cell differentiation. Differentiation 2019; 107:42-49. [PMID: 31238242 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2019.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Functional mature T cells are generated in the thymus. Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) provide the essential microenvironment for T cell development and maturation. According to their function and localization, TECs are roughly divided into cortical TECs (cTECs) and medullary TECs (mTECs), which are responsible for positive and negative selection, respectively. This review summarizes the current understanding of TEC biology, the identification of fetal and adult bipotent TEC progenitors, and the signaling pathways that control the development and maturation of TECs. The understanding of the ontogeny, differentiation, maturation and function of cTECs lags behind that of mTECs. Better understanding TEC biology will provide clues about TEC development and the applications of thymus engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Luan
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhanfeng Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liguang Sun
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
| | - Yong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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30
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Ribeiro C, Alves NL, Ferreirinha P. Medullary thymic epithelial cells: Deciphering the functional diversity beyond promiscuous gene expression. Immunol Lett 2019; 215:24-27. [PMID: 30853502 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2019.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Within the thymus, cortical and medullary thymic epithelial cells (cTECs and mTECs, respectively) provide unique microenvironments for the development of T cells that are responsive to diverse foreign antigens while self-tolerant. Essential for tolerance induction, mTECs play a critical role in negative selection and T regulatory cell differentiation. In this article, we review the current knowledge on the functional diversity within mTECs and discuss how these novel subsets contribute to tolerance induction and are integrated in the complex blueprint of mTEC differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Ribeiro
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno L Alves
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro Ferreirinha
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Portugal.
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31
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Apavaloaei A, Brochu S, Dong M, Rouette A, Hardy MP, Villafano G, Murata S, Melichar HJ, Perreault C. PSMB11 Orchestrates the Development of CD4 and CD8 Thymocytes via Regulation of Gene Expression in Cortical Thymic Epithelial Cells. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 202:966-978. [PMID: 30567730 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1801288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
T cell development depends on sequential interactions of thymocytes with cortical thymic epithelial cells (cTECs) and medullary thymic epithelial cells. PSMB11 is a catalytic proteasomal subunit present exclusively in cTECs. Because proteasomes regulate transcriptional activity, we asked whether PSMB11 might affect gene expression in cTECs. We report that PSMB11 regulates the expression of 850 cTEC genes that modulate lymphostromal interactions primarily via the WNT signaling pathway. cTECs from Psmb11 -/- mice 1) acquire features of medullary thymic epithelial cells and 2) retain CD8 thymocytes in the thymic cortex, thereby impairing phase 2 of positive selection, 3) perturbing CD8 T cell development, and 4) causing dramatic oxidative stress leading to apoptosis of CD8 thymocytes. Deletion of Psmb11 also causes major oxidative stress in CD4 thymocytes. However, CD4 thymocytes do not undergo apoptosis because, unlike CD8 thymocytes, they upregulate expression of chaperones and inhibitors of apoptosis. We conclude that PSMB11 has pervasive effects on both CD4 and CD8 thymocytes via regulation of gene expression in cTECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anca Apavaloaei
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Sylvie Brochu
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Mengqi Dong
- Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada.,Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Quebec H1T 2M4, Canada
| | - Alexandre Rouette
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Marie-Pierre Hardy
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Geno Villafano
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269; and
| | - Shigeo Murata
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Heather J Melichar
- Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada.,Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Quebec H1T 2M4, Canada
| | - Claude Perreault
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada; .,Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada
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32
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The immunoproteasome and thymoproteasome: functions, evolution and human disease. Nat Immunol 2018; 19:923-931. [PMID: 30104634 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-018-0186-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The basic principle of adaptive immunity is to strictly discriminate between self and non-self, and a central challenge to overcome is the enormous variety of pathogens that might be encountered. In cell-mediated immunity, immunological discernment takes place at a molecular or cellular level. Central to both mechanisms of discernment is the generation of antigenic peptides associated with MHC class I molecules, which is achieved by a proteolytic complex called the proteasome. To adequately accomplish the discrimination between self and non-self that is essential for adaptive immunity and self-tolerance, two proteasome subtypes have evolved via gene duplication: the immunoproteasome and the thymoproteasome. In this Review, we describe various aspects of these immunity-dedicated proteasomes, from their discovery to recent findings.
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33
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Wendland K, Niss K, Kotarsky K, Wu NYH, White AJ, Jendholm J, Rivollier A, Izarzugaza JMG, Brunak S, Holländer GA, Anderson G, Sitnik KM, Agace WW. Retinoic Acid Signaling in Thymic Epithelial Cells Regulates Thymopoiesis. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 201:524-532. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1800418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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34
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Montero-Herradón S, García-Ceca J, Zapata AG. Altered Maturation of Medullary TEC in EphB-Deficient Thymi Is Recovered by RANK Signaling Stimulation. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1020. [PMID: 29867988 PMCID: PMC5954084 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present study, the relevance of EphB2 and EphB3 tyrosine kinase receptors for the maturation of medullary thymic epithelial cells (TECs) is analyzed. The absence of both molecules, but particularly that of EphB2, courses with altered maturation of medullary Cld3,4hiSSEA1+ epithelial progenitor cells, mature medulla epithelial cells, defined by the expression of specific cell markers, including UEA1, MHCII, CD40, CD80, and AIRE, and reduced expansion of medullary islets. In vivo assays demonstrate that these changes are a consequence of the absence of EphBs in both TECs and thymocytes. On the other hand, the changes, that remains in the adult thymus, correlated well with reduced proportions of E15.5 Vγ5+RANKL+ cells in EphB-deficient thymi that could result in decreased stimulation of RANK+ medullary TECs to mature, a fact that was confirmed by recovering of proportions of both CD40hiCD80+ and MHCIIhiUEA1+ mature medullary TECs of mutant E14.5 alymphoid thymic lobes by agonist anti-RANK antibody treatment. Accordingly, the effects of EphB deficiency on medullary TECs maturation are recovered by RANK stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Montero-Herradón
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier García-Ceca
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Agustín G Zapata
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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35
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Abstract
About two decades ago, cloning of the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene materialized one of the most important actors on the scene of self-tolerance. Thymic transcription of genes encoding tissue-specific antigens (ts-ags) is activated by AIRE protein and embodies the essence of thymic self-representation. Pathogenic AIRE variants cause the autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1, which is a rare and complex disease that is gaining attention in research on autoimmunity. The animal models of disease, although not identically reproducing the human picture, supply fundamental information on mechanisms and extent of AIRE action: thanks to its multidomain structure, AIRE localizes to chromatin enclosing the target genes, binds to histones, and offers an anchorage to multimolecular complexes involved in initiation and post-initiation events of gene transcription. In addition, AIRE enhances mRNA diversity by favoring alternative mRNA splicing. Once synthesized, ts-ags are presented to, and cause deletion of the self-reactive thymocyte clones. However, AIRE function is not restricted to the activation of gene transcription. AIRE would control presentation and transfer of self-antigens for thymic cellular interplay: such mechanism is aimed at increasing the likelihood of engagement of the thymocytes that carry the corresponding T-cell receptors. Another fundamental role of AIRE in promoting self-tolerance is related to the development of thymocyte anergy, as thymic self-representation shapes at the same time the repertoire of regulatory T cells. Finally, AIRE seems to replicate its action in the secondary lymphoid organs, albeit the cell lineage detaining such property has not been fully characterized. Delineation of AIRE functions adds interesting data to the knowledge of the mechanisms of self-tolerance and introduces exciting perspectives of therapeutic interventions against the related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Perniola
- Department of Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care, Vito Fazzi Regional Hospital, Lecce, Italy
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36
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Miragaia RJ, Zhang X, Gomes T, Svensson V, Ilicic T, Henriksson J, Kar G, Lönnberg T. Single-cell RNA-sequencing resolves self-antigen expression during mTEC development. Sci Rep 2018; 8:685. [PMID: 29330484 PMCID: PMC5766627 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-19100-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The crucial capability of T cells for discrimination between self and non-self peptides is based on negative selection of developing thymocytes by medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs). The mTECs purge autoreactive T cells by expression of cell-type specific genes referred to as tissue-restricted antigens (TRAs). Although the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) protein is known to promote the expression of a subset of TRAs, its mechanism of action is still not fully understood. The expression of TRAs that are not under the control of AIRE also needs further characterization. Furthermore, expression patterns of TRA genes have been suggested to change over the course of mTEC development. Herein we have used single-cell RNA-sequencing to resolve patterns of TRA expression during mTEC development. Our data indicated that mTEC development consists of three distinct stages, correlating with previously described jTEC, mTEChi and mTEClo phenotypes. For each subpopulation, we have identified marker genes useful in future studies. Aire-induced TRAs were switched on during jTEC-mTEC transition and were expressed in genomic clusters, while otherwise the subsets expressed largely overlapping sets of TRAs. Moreover, population-level analysis of TRA expression frequencies suggested that such differences might not be necessary to achieve efficient thymocyte selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo J Miragaia
- European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, United Kingdom
- Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - Xiuwei Zhang
- European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, United Kingdom
- University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - Tomás Gomes
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, United Kingdom
| | - Valentine Svensson
- European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, United Kingdom
| | - Tomislav Ilicic
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, United Kingdom
| | - Johan Henriksson
- European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, United Kingdom
| | - Gozde Kar
- European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, United Kingdom
| | - Tapio Lönnberg
- European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, United Kingdom.
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, United Kingdom.
- Turku Centre for Biotechnology, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.
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37
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Wertheimer T, Velardi E, Tsai J, Cooper K, Xiao S, Kloss CC, Ottmüller KJ, Mokhtari Z, Brede C, deRoos P, Kinsella S, Palikuqi B, Ginsberg M, Young LF, Kreines F, Lieberman SR, Lazrak A, Guo P, Malard F, Smith OM, Shono Y, Jenq RR, Hanash AM, Nolan DJ, Butler JM, Beilhack A, Manley NR, Rafii S, Dudakov JA, van den Brink MRM. Production of BMP4 by endothelial cells is crucial for endogenous thymic regeneration. Sci Immunol 2018; 3:eaal2736. [PMID: 29330161 PMCID: PMC5795617 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.aal2736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Revised: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The thymus is not only extremely sensitive to damage but also has a remarkable ability to repair itself. However, the mechanisms underlying this endogenous regeneration remain poorly understood, and this capacity diminishes considerably with age. We show that thymic endothelial cells (ECs) comprise a critical pathway of regeneration via their production of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) ECs increased their production of BMP4 after thymic damage, and abrogating BMP4 signaling or production by either pharmacologic or genetic inhibition impaired thymic repair. EC-derived BMP4 acted on thymic epithelial cells (TECs) to increase their expression of Foxn1, a key transcription factor involved in TEC development, maintenance, and regeneration, and its downstream targets such as Dll4, a key mediator of thymocyte development and regeneration. These studies demonstrate the importance of the BMP4 pathway in endogenous tissue regeneration and offer a potential clinical approach to enhance T cell immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Wertheimer
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Freiburg University Medical Center, Albert-Ludwigs-University, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Enrico Velardi
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jennifer Tsai
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Program in Immunology, Clinical Research Division, and Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Kirsten Cooper
- Program in Immunology, Clinical Research Division, and Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Shiyun Xiao
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Christopher C Kloss
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Ansary Stem Cell Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA
- Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Katja J Ottmüller
- Department of Medicine II, Würzburg University Hospital, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF), and Graduate School of Life Sciences, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Zeinab Mokhtari
- Department of Medicine II, Würzburg University Hospital, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF), and Graduate School of Life Sciences, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christian Brede
- Department of Medicine II, Würzburg University Hospital, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF), and Graduate School of Life Sciences, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Paul deRoos
- Program in Immunology, Clinical Research Division, and Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Sinéad Kinsella
- Program in Immunology, Clinical Research Division, and Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Brisa Palikuqi
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Ansary Stem Cell Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | | | - Lauren F Young
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Fabiana Kreines
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Sophia R Lieberman
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Amina Lazrak
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Peipei Guo
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Ansary Stem Cell Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Florent Malard
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Odette M Smith
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Yusuke Shono
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Robert R Jenq
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Alan M Hanash
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | | | - Jason M Butler
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Ansary Stem Cell Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Andreas Beilhack
- Department of Medicine II, Würzburg University Hospital, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF), and Graduate School of Life Sciences, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nancy R Manley
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Shahin Rafii
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Ansary Stem Cell Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Jarrod A Dudakov
- Program in Immunology, Clinical Research Division, and Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Marcel R M van den Brink
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
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38
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Dumont-Lagacé M, Gerbe H, Daouda T, Laverdure JP, Brochu S, Lemieux S, Gagnon É, Perreault C. Detection of Quiescent Radioresistant Epithelial Progenitors in the Adult Thymus. Front Immunol 2017; 8:1717. [PMID: 29259606 PMCID: PMC5723310 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymic aging precedes that of other organs and is initiated by the gradual loss of thymic epithelial cells (TECs). Based on in vitro culture and transplantation assays, recent studies have reported on the presence of thymic epithelial progenitor cells (TEPCs) in young adult mice. However, the physiological role and properties of TEPC populations reported to date remain unclear. Using an in vivo label-retention assay, we previously identified a population of quiescent but non-senescent TECs. The goals of this study were therefore (i) to evaluate the contribution of these quiescent TECs to thymic regeneration following irradiation-induced acute thymic injury and (ii) to characterize their phenotypic and molecular profiles using flow cytometry, immunohistology, and transcriptome sequencing. We report that while UEA1+ cells cycle the most in steady state, they are greatly affected by irradiation, leading to cell loss and proliferative arrest following acute thymic involution. On the opposite, the UEA1– subset of quiescent TECs is radioresistant and proliferate in situ following acute thymic involution, thereby contributing to thymic regeneration in 28- to 30-week-old mice. UEA1– quiescent TECs display an undifferentiated phenotype (co-expression of K8 and K5 cytokeratins) and express high levels of genes that regulate stem cell activity in different tissues (e.g., Podxl and Ptprz1). In addition, two features suggest that UEA1– quiescent TECs occupy discrete stromal niches: (i) their preferential location in clusters adjacent to the cortico-medullary junction and (ii) their high expression of genes involved in cross talk with mesenchymal cells. The ability of UEA1– quiescent TECs to participate to TEC regeneration qualifies them as in vivo progenitor cells particularly relevant in the context of regeneration following acute thymic injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maude Dumont-Lagacé
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Hervé Gerbe
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tariq Daouda
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Sylvie Brochu
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sébastien Lemieux
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Informatics and Operational Research, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Étienne Gagnon
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Claude Perreault
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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39
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Ucar O, Li K, Dvornikov D, Kreutz C, Timmer J, Matt S, Brenner L, Smedley C, Travis MA, Hofmann TG, Klingmüller U, Kyewski B. A Thymic Epithelial Stem Cell Pool Persists throughout Ontogeny and Is Modulated by TGF-β. Cell Rep 2017; 17:448-457. [PMID: 27705793 PMCID: PMC5067280 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Revised: 07/16/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult tissue-specific stem cells (SCs) mediate tissue homeostasis and regeneration and can give rise to all lineages in the corresponding tissue, similar to the early progenitors that generate organs in the first place. However, the developmental origins of adult SCs are largely unknown. We recently identified thymosphere-forming stem cells (TSFCs) in the adult mouse thymus, which display genuine stemness features and can generate the two major thymic epithelial cell lineages. Here, we show that embryonic TSFCs possess stemness features but differ from adult TSFCs in surface marker profile. Our findings support the model of a continuous thymic SC lineage that is maintained throughout ontogeny. TGF-β signaling differentially affects embryonic versus adult thymosphere formation, suggesting that thymic epithelial SC potency depends on both developmental stage and environmental signals. Collectively, our findings suggest that embryonic TSFCs contribute to an adult SC pool and that TSFC plasticity is controlled by TGF-β signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Ucar
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Kaiyong Li
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dmytro Dvornikov
- Division of Systems Biology of Signal Transduction, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Translational Lung Research Center (TLRC) Heidelberg, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Clemens Kreutz
- Center for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jens Timmer
- Center for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sonja Matt
- Division of Epigenetics, Cellular Senescence Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lukas Brenner
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Catherine Smedley
- Manchester Collaborative Centre for Inflammation Research, Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Manchester M13 9NT, UK; Manchester Immunology Group, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9NT, UK
| | - Mark A Travis
- Manchester Collaborative Centre for Inflammation Research, Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Manchester M13 9NT, UK; Manchester Immunology Group, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9NT, UK
| | - Thomas G Hofmann
- Division of Epigenetics, Cellular Senescence Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ursula Klingmüller
- Division of Systems Biology of Signal Transduction, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Translational Lung Research Center (TLRC) Heidelberg, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bruno Kyewski
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
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40
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Michel C, Miller CN, Küchler R, Brors B, Anderson MS, Kyewski B, Pinto S. Revisiting the Road Map of Medullary Thymic Epithelial Cell Differentiation. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2017; 199:3488-3503. [PMID: 28993517 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1700203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The basic two-step terminal differentiation model of the medullary thymic epithelial cell (mTEC) lineage from immature MHC class II (MHCII)lo to mature MHCIIhi mTECs has recently been extended to include a third stage, namely the post-Aire MHCIIlo subset as identified by lineage-tracing models. However, a suitable surface marker distinguishing the phenotypically overlapping pre- from the post-Aire MHCIIlo stage has been lacking. In this study, we introduce the lectin Tetragonolobus purpureas agglutinin (TPA) as a novel cell surface marker that allows for such delineation. Based on our data, we derived the following sequence of mTEC differentiation: TPAloMHCIIlo → TPAloMHCIIhi → TPAhiMHCIIhi → TPAhiMHCIIlo Surprisingly, in the steady-state postnatal thymus TPAloMHCIIlo pre-Aire rather than terminally differentiated post-Aire TPAhiMHCIIlo mTECs were marked for apoptosis at an exceptionally high rate of ∼70%. Hence, only the minor cycling fraction of the MHCIIlo subset (<20%) potentially qualified as mTEC precursors. FoxN1 expression inversely correlated with the fraction of slow cycling and apoptotic cells within the four TPA subsets. TPA also further subdivided human mTECs, although with different subset distribution. Our revised road map emphazises close parallels of terminal mTEC development with that of skin, undergoing an alternative route of cell death, namely cornification rather than apoptosis. The high rate of apoptosis in pre-Aire MHCIIlo mTECs points to a "quality control" step during early mTEC differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Michel
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Corey N Miller
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Rita Küchler
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Benedikt Brors
- Division of Applied Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg 69120, Germany; and
- German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Mark S Anderson
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Bruno Kyewski
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg 69120, Germany;
| | - Sheena Pinto
- Division of Developmental Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg 69120, Germany;
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41
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Sheridan JM, Keown A, Policheni A, Roesley SN, Rivlin N, Kadouri N, Ritchie ME, Jain R, Abramson J, Heng TS, Gray DH. Thymospheres Are Formed by Mesenchymal Cells with the Potential to Generate Adipocytes, but Not Epithelial Cells. Cell Rep 2017; 21:934-942. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.09.090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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42
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A critical epithelial survival axis regulated by MCL-1 maintains thymic function in mice. Blood 2017; 130:2504-2515. [PMID: 28972012 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2017-03-771576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
T-cell differentiation is governed by interactions with thymic epithelial cells (TECs) and defects in this process undermine immune function and tolerance. To uncover new strategies to restore thymic function and adaptive immunity in immunodeficiency, we sought to determine the molecular mechanisms that control life and death decisions in TECs. Guided by gene expression profiling, we created mouse models that specifically deleted prosurvival genes in TECs. We found that although BCL-2 and BCL-XL were dispensable for TEC homeostasis, MCL-1 deficiency impacted on TECs as early as embryonic day 15.5, resulting in early thymic atrophy and T-cell lymphopenia, with near complete loss of thymic tissue by 2 months of age. MCL-1 was not necessary for TEC differentiation but was continually required for the survival of mature cortical and medullary TECs and the maintenance of thymic architecture. A screen of TEC trophic factors in organ cultures showed that epidermal growth factor upregulated MCL-1 via MAPK/ERK kinase activity, providing a molecular mechanism for the support of TEC survival. This signaling axis governing TEC survival and thymic function represents a new target for strategies for thymic protection and regeneration.
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43
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Moore AJ, In TS, Trotman-Grant A, Yoganathan K, Montpellier B, Guidos CJ, Zúñiga-Pflücker JC, Anderson MK. A key role for IL-7R in the generation of microenvironments required for thymic dendritic cells. Immunol Cell Biol 2017; 95:933-942. [PMID: 28890536 PMCID: PMC5698111 DOI: 10.1038/icb.2017.74] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2016] [Revised: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Interleukin-7 receptor (IL-7R) signaling is critical for multiple stages of T-cell development, but a role in the establishment of the mature thymic architecture needed for T-cell development and thymocyte selection has not been established. Crosstalk signals between developing thymocytes and thymic epithelial cell (TEC) precursors are critical for their differentiation into cortical TECs (cTECs) and medullary TECs (mTECs). In addition, mTEC-derived factors have been implicated in the recruitment of thymic dendritic cells (DCs) and intrathymic DC development. We therefore examined corticomedullary structure and DC populations in the thymus of Il7r−/− mice. Analysis of TEC phenotype and spatial organization revealed a striking shift in the mTEC to cTEC ratio, accompanied by disorganized corticomedullary structure. Several of the thymic subsets known to have DC potential were nearly absent, accompanied by reductions in DC cell numbers. We also examined chemokine expression in the Il7r−/− thymus, and found a significant decrease in mTEC-derived CCR7 ligand expression, and high levels of cTEC-derived chemokines, including CCL25 and CXCL12. Although splenic DCs were similarly affected, bone marrow (BM) precursors capable of giving rise to DCs were unperturbed. Finally, BM chimeras showed that there was no intrinsic need for IL-7R signaling in the development or recruitment of thymic DCs, but that the provision of wild-type progenitors enhanced reconstitution of thymic DCs from Il7r−/− progenitors. Our results are therefore supportive of a model in which Il7r-dependent cells are required to set up the microenvironments that allow accumulation of thymic DCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Moore
- Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tracy Sh In
- Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ashton Trotman-Grant
- Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kogulan Yoganathan
- Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bertrand Montpellier
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cynthia J Guidos
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Juan Carlos Zúñiga-Pflücker
- Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michele K Anderson
- Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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44
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Tan SH, Nusse R. In vivo lineage tracing reveals Axin2-expressing, long-lived cortical thymic epithelial progenitors in the postnatal thymus. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184582. [PMID: 28886197 PMCID: PMC5591003 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In the thymus, cortical and medullary thymic epithelial cells (TECs) are instrumental for generating a repertoire of functional T cells. Hence, there has been much interest in the ontogeny of TECs. While medullary TEC (mTEC) and bipotent progenitors have been identified, the existence of a cortical TEC (cTEC) progenitor remains ambiguous. In this study, we used lineage tracing based on a target gene of the Wnt pathway, Axin2. We found that Axin2 initially labels cells in both the cortical and medullary compartments. Using Axin2-CreERT2 mice to track the fate of labelled cells, we identified long-lived cortical TEC progenitors that give rise to expanding clones and contribute to homeostasis in postnatal thymus. In contrast, no clonal expansion was found in the medullary or in the K5K8-double positive compartments. The identification of cTEC progenitors and their regulation by Wnt signaling have important implications for our understanding of thymus physiology during homeostasis and TEC-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Hui Tan
- Program in Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Roel Nusse
- Department of Developmental Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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45
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Brunk F, Michel C, Holland-Letz T, Slynko A, Kopp-Schneider A, Kyewski B, Pinto S. Dissecting and modeling the emergent murine TEC compartment during ontogeny. Eur J Immunol 2017; 47:1153-1159. [DOI: 10.1002/eji.201747006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Revised: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Brunk
- Division of Developmental Immunology; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ); Heidelberg Germany
| | - Chloé Michel
- Division of Developmental Immunology; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ); Heidelberg Germany
| | - Tim Holland-Letz
- Division of Biostatistics; German Cancer Research Center; Heidelberg Germany
| | - Alla Slynko
- Department of Mathematics; Natural and Economic Sciences; University of Applied Sciences; Ulm Germany
| | | | - Bruno Kyewski
- Division of Developmental Immunology; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ); Heidelberg Germany
| | - Sheena Pinto
- Division of Developmental Immunology; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ); Heidelberg Germany
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46
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Takahama Y, Ohigashi I, Baik S, Anderson G. Generation of diversity in thymic epithelial cells. Nat Rev Immunol 2017; 17:295-305. [PMID: 28317923 DOI: 10.1038/nri.2017.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In the thymus, diverse populations of thymic epithelial cells (TECs), including cortical and medullary TECs and their subpopulations, have distinct roles in coordinating the development and repertoire selection of functionally competent and self-tolerant T cells. Here, we review the expanding diversity in TEC subpopulations in relation to their functions in T cell development and selection as well as their origins and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yousuke Takahama
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Izumi Ohigashi
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Song Baik
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Graham Anderson
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
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Abstract
Intrathymic T cell development is a complex process that depends upon continuous guidance from thymus stromal cell microenvironments. The thymic epithelium within the thymic stroma comprises highly specialized cells with a high degree of anatomic, phenotypic, and functional heterogeneity. These properties are collectively required to bias thymocyte development toward production of self-tolerant and functionally competent T cells. The importance of thymic epithelial cells (TECs) is evidenced by clear links between their dysfunction and multiple diseases where autoimmunity and immunodeficiency are major components. Consequently, TECs are an attractive target for cell therapies to restore effective immune system function. The pathways and molecular regulators that control TEC development are becoming clearer, as are their influences on particular stages of T cell development. Here, we review both historical and the most recent advances in our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling TEC development, function, dysfunction, and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Abramson
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel;
| | - Graham Anderson
- MRC Centre for Immune Regulation, Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom;
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48
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Meireles C, Ribeiro AR, Pinto RD, Leitão C, Rodrigues PM, Alves NL. Thymic crosstalk restrains the pool of cortical thymic epithelial cells with progenitor properties. Eur J Immunol 2017; 47:958-969. [DOI: 10.1002/eji.201746922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2017] [Revised: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Meireles
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde; Universidade do Porto; Porto Portugal
- Thymus Development and Function Laboratory; Infection and Immunity Unit; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular; Porto Portugal
- Doctoral Program in Cell and Molecular Biology; Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas; Universidade do Porto; Porto Portugal
| | - Ana R. Ribeiro
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde; Universidade do Porto; Porto Portugal
- Thymus Development and Function Laboratory; Infection and Immunity Unit; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular; Porto Portugal
| | - Rute D. Pinto
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde; Universidade do Porto; Porto Portugal
- Thymus Development and Function Laboratory; Infection and Immunity Unit; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular; Porto Portugal
| | - Catarina Leitão
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde; Universidade do Porto; Porto Portugal
| | - Pedro M. Rodrigues
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde; Universidade do Porto; Porto Portugal
- Thymus Development and Function Laboratory; Infection and Immunity Unit; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular; Porto Portugal
| | - Nuno L. Alves
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde; Universidade do Porto; Porto Portugal
- Thymus Development and Function Laboratory; Infection and Immunity Unit; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular; Porto Portugal
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49
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Uddin MM, Ohigashi I, Motosugi R, Nakayama T, Sakata M, Hamazaki J, Nishito Y, Rode I, Tanaka K, Takemoto T, Murata S, Takahama Y. Foxn1-β5t transcriptional axis controls CD8 + T-cell production in the thymus. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14419. [PMID: 28176764 PMCID: PMC5309848 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The thymus is an organ that produces functionally competent T cells that protect us from pathogens and malignancies. Foxn1 is a transcription factor that is essential for thymus organogenesis; however, the direct target for Foxn1 to actuate thymic T-cell production is unknown. Here we show that a Foxn1-binding cis-regulatory element promotes the transcription of β5t, which has an essential role in cortical thymic epithelial cells to induce positive selection of functionally competent CD8+ T cells. A point mutation in this genome element results in a defect in β5t expression and CD8+ T-cell production in mice. The results reveal a Foxn1-β5t transcriptional axis that governs CD8+ T-cell production in the thymus. Foxn1 is involved in thymic epithelial cell (TEC) and CD8+ T cell development. Here the authors show this development requires Foxn1 binding proximal to, and inducing transcription of, the gene encoding β5t in cortical TECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Myn Uddin
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Izumi Ohigashi
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Ryo Motosugi
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Tomomi Nakayama
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Mie Sakata
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Jun Hamazaki
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yasumasa Nishito
- Core Technology and Research Center, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Immanuel Rode
- Division of Cellular Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Keiji Tanaka
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Takemoto
- Laboratory for Embryology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Shigeo Murata
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yousuke Takahama
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
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50
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Hamazaki Y, Sekai M, Minato N. Medullary thymic epithelial stem cells: role in thymic epithelial cell maintenance and thymic involution. Immunol Rev 2016; 271:38-55. [PMID: 27088906 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The thymus consists of two distinct anatomical regions, the cortex and the medulla; medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) play a crucial role in establishing central T-cell tolerance for self-antigens. Although the understanding of mTEC development in thymic organogenesis as well as the regulation of their differentiation and maturation has improved, the mechanisms of postnatal maintenance remain poorly understood. This issue has a central importance in immune homeostasis and physiological thymic involution as well as autoimmune disorders in various clinicopathological settings. Recently, several reports have demonstrated the existence of TEC stem or progenitor cells in the postnatal thymus, which are either bipotent or unipotent. We identified stem cells specified for mTEC-lineage that are generated in the thymic ontogeny and may sustain mTEC regeneration and lifelong central T-cell self-tolerance. This finding suggested that the thymic medulla is maintained autonomously by its own stem cells. Although several issues, including the relationship with other putative TEC stem/progenitors, remain unclear, further examination of mTEC stem cells (mTECSCs) and their regulatory mechanisms may contribute to the understanding of postnatal immune homeostasis. Possible relationships between decline of mTECSC activity and early thymic involution as well as various autoimmune disorders are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Hamazaki
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Miho Sekai
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Nagahiro Minato
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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