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Ma Z, Woo Kang S, Condie BG, Manley NR. Mechanisms underlying the direct programming of mouse embryonic fibroblasts to thymic epithelial cells by FOXN1. Development 2024; 151:dev202730. [PMID: 38958026 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202730] [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: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) are crucial to the ability of the thymus to generate T cells for the adaptive immune system in vertebrates. However, no in vitro system for studying TEC function exists. Overexpressing the transcription factor FOXN1 initiates transdifferentiation of fibroblasts into TEC-like cells (iTECs) that support T-cell differentiation in culture or after transplant. In this study, we have characterized iTEC programming at the cellular and molecular level in mouse to determine how it proceeds, and have identified mechanisms that can be targeted for improving this process. These data show that iTEC programming consists of discrete gene expression changes that differ early and late in the process, and that iTECs upregulate markers of both cortical and medullary TEC (cTEC and mTEC) lineages. We demonstrate that promoting proliferation enhances iTEC generation, and that Notch inhibition allows the induction of mTEC differentiation. Finally, we show that MHCII expression is the major difference between iTECs and fetal TECs. MHCII expression was improved by co-culturing iTECs with fetal double-positive T-cells. This study supports future efforts to improve iTEC generation for both research and translational uses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongyao Ma
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30621, USA
| | - Seung Woo Kang
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30621, USA
| | - Brian G Condie
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30621, USA
| | - Nancy R Manley
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30621, USA
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2
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Shirafkan F, Hensel L, Rattay K. Immune tolerance and the prevention of autoimmune diseases essentially depend on thymic tissue homeostasis. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1339714. [PMID: 38571951 PMCID: PMC10987875 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1339714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The intricate balance of immune reactions towards invading pathogens and immune tolerance towards self is pivotal in preventing autoimmune diseases, with the thymus playing a central role in establishing and maintaining this equilibrium. The induction of central immune tolerance in the thymus involves the elimination of self-reactive T cells, a mechanism essential for averting autoimmunity. Disruption of the thymic T cell selection mechanisms can lead to the development of autoimmune diseases. In the dynamic microenvironment of the thymus, T cell migration and interactions with thymic stromal cells are critical for the selection processes that ensure self-tolerance. Thymic epithelial cells are particularly significant in this context, presenting self-antigens and inducing the negative selection of autoreactive T cells. Further, the synergistic roles of thymic fibroblasts, B cells, and dendritic cells in antigen presentation, selection and the development of regulatory T cells are pivotal in maintaining immune responses tightly regulated. This review article collates these insights, offering a comprehensive examination of the multifaceted role of thymic tissue homeostasis in the establishment of immune tolerance and its implications in the prevention of autoimmune diseases. Additionally, the developmental pathways of the thymus are explored, highlighting how genetic aberrations can disrupt thymic architecture and function, leading to autoimmune conditions. The impact of infections on immune tolerance is another critical area, with pathogens potentially triggering autoimmunity by altering thymic homeostasis. Overall, this review underscores the integral role of thymic tissue homeostasis in the prevention of autoimmune diseases, discussing insights into potential therapeutic strategies and examining putative avenues for future research on developing thymic-based therapies in treating and preventing autoimmune conditions.
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Lammers S, Barrera V, Brennecke P, Miller C, Yoon J, Balolong J, Anderson MS, Ho Sui S, Steinmetz LM, von Andrian UH, Rattay K. Ehf and Fezf2 regulate late medullary thymic epithelial cell and thymic tuft cell development. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1277365. [PMID: 38420512 PMCID: PMC10901246 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1277365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Thymic epithelial cells are indispensable for T cell maturation and selection and the induction of central immune tolerance. The self-peptide repertoire expressed by medullary thymic epithelial cells is in part regulated by the transcriptional regulator Aire (Autoimmune regulator) and the transcription factor Fezf2. Due to the high complexity of mTEC maturation stages (i.e., post-Aire, Krt10+ mTECs, and Dclk1+ Tuft mTECs) and the heterogeneity in their gene expression profiles (i.e., mosaic expression patterns), it has been challenging to identify the additional factors complementing the transcriptional regulation. We aimed to identify the transcriptional regulators involved in the regulation of mTEC development and self-peptide expression in an unbiased and genome-wide manner. We used ATAC footprinting analysis as an indirect approach to identify transcription factors involved in the gene expression regulation in mTECs, which we validated by ChIP sequencing. This study identifies Fezf2 as a regulator of the recently described thymic Tuft cells (i.e., Tuft mTECs). Furthermore, we identify that transcriptional regulators of the ELF, ESE, ERF, and PEA3 subfamily of the ETS transcription factor family and members of the Krüppel-like family of transcription factors play a role in the transcriptional regulation of genes involved in late mTEC development and promiscuous gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sören Lammers
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Victor Barrera
- Bioinformatics Core, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Philip Brennecke
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
- Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Corey Miller
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Joon Yoon
- Bioinformatics Core, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jared Balolong
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Mark S. Anderson
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Shannan Ho Sui
- Bioinformatics Core, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lars M. Steinmetz
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
- Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
- Genome Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ulrich H. von Andrian
- Department of Immunology & HMS Center for Immune Imaging, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Kristin Rattay
- Department of Immunology & HMS Center for Immune Imaging, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Pharmacological Institute, Biochemical Pharmacological Center, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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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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Malin J, Martinez-Ruiz GU, Zhao Y, Shissler SC, Cowan JE, Ding Y, Morales-Sanchez A, Ishikawa M, Lavaert M, Das A, Butcher D, Warner AC, Kallarakal M, Chen J, Kedei N, Kelly M, Brinster LR, Allman D, Bhandoola A. Expression of the transcription factor Klf6 by thymic epithelial cells is required for thymus development. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg8126. [PMID: 37967174 PMCID: PMC10651122 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg8126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Thymic epithelial cells (TEC) control T cell development and play essential roles in establishing self-tolerance. By using Foxn1-Cre-driven ablation of Klf6 gene in TEC, we identified Klf6 as a critical factor in TEC development. Klf6 deficiency resulted in a hypoplastic thymus-evident from fetal stages into adulthood-in which a dramatic increase in the frequency of apoptotic TEC was observed. Among cortical TEC (cTEC), a previously unreported cTEC population expressing the transcription factor Sox10 was relatively expanded. Within medullary TEC (mTEC), mTEC I and Tuft-like mTEC IV were disproportionately decreased. Klf6 deficiency altered chromatin accessibility and affected TEC chromatin configuration. Consistent with these defects, naïve conventional T cells and invariant natural killer T cells were reduced in the spleen. Late stages of T cell receptor-dependent selection of thymocytes were affected, and mice exhibited autoimmunity. Thus, Klf6 has a prosurvival role and affects the development of specific TEC subsets contributing to thymic function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Malin
- Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Gustavo Ulises Martinez-Ruiz
- 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 Federico Gomez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Yongge Zhao
- Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - 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
- Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, University College London, London, UK
| | - Yi Ding
- Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Abigail Morales-Sanchez
- Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Children’s Hospital Federico Gomez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Masaki Ishikawa
- Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Marieke Lavaert
- Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Arundhoti Das
- Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Donna Butcher
- Molecular Histopathology Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Andrew C. Warner
- Molecular Histopathology Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Melissa Kallarakal
- Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jingqiu Chen
- Office of Science and Technology Resources, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- ACROBiosystems, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Noemi Kedei
- Office of Science and Technology Resources, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael Kelly
- Single Cell Analysis Facility, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lauren R. Brinster
- Division of Veterinary Resources, Office of Research Services, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David Allman
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 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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Ni D, Tan J, Robert R, Taitz J, Ge A, Potier-Villette C, Reyes JGA, Spiteri A, Wishart C, Mackay C, Piccio L, King NJC, Macia L. GPR109A expressed on medullary thymic epithelial cells affects thymic Treg development. Eur J Immunol 2023; 53:e2350521. [PMID: 37595951 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202350521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Treg) maintain immune homeostasis due to their anti-inflammatory functions. They can be generated either centrally in the thymus or in peripheral organs. Metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids produced by intestinal microbiota can induce peripheral Treg differentiation, by activating G-protein-coupled-receptors like GPR109A. In this study, we identified a novel role for GPR109A in thymic Treg development. We found that Gpr109a-/- mice had increased Treg under basal conditions in multiple organs compared with WT mice. GPR109A was not expressed on T cells but on medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs), as revealed by single-cell RNA sequencing in both mice and humans and confirmed by flow cytometry in mice. mTECs isolated from Gpr109a-/- mice had higher expression of autoimmune regulator (AIRE), the key regulator of Treg development, while the subset of mTECs that did not express Gpr109a in the WT displayed increased Aire expression and also enhanced signaling related to mTEC functionality. Increased thymic Treg in Gpr109a-/- mice was associated with protection from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, with ameliorated clinical signs and reduced inflammation. This work identifies a novel role for GPR109A and possibly the gut microbiota, on thymic Treg development via its regulation of mTECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duan Ni
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jian Tan
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Remy Robert
- Department of Physiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jemma Taitz
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Anjie Ge
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Camille Potier-Villette
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Julen Gabirel Araneta Reyes
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alanna Spiteri
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Viral Immunopathology Laboratory, Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Research Theme, The School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Claire Wishart
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Viral Immunopathology Laboratory, Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Research Theme, The School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Charles Mackay
- Department of Physiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Laura Piccio
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Nicholas Jonathan Cole King
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Viral Immunopathology Laboratory, Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Research Theme, The School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Laurence Macia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Sydney Cytometry, The University of Sydney and Centenary Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Zhong Q, Xiao X, Qiu Y, Xu Z, Chen C, Chong B, Zhao X, Hai S, Li S, An Z, Dai L. Protein posttranslational modifications in health and diseases: Functions, regulatory mechanisms, and therapeutic implications. MedComm (Beijing) 2023; 4:e261. [PMID: 37143582 PMCID: PMC10152985 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein posttranslational modifications (PTMs) refer to the breaking or generation of covalent bonds on the backbones or amino acid side chains of proteins and expand the diversity of proteins, which provides the basis for the emergence of organismal complexity. To date, more than 650 types of protein modifications, such as the most well-known phosphorylation, ubiquitination, glycosylation, methylation, SUMOylation, short-chain and long-chain acylation modifications, redox modifications, and irreversible modifications, have been described, and the inventory is still increasing. By changing the protein conformation, localization, activity, stability, charges, and interactions with other biomolecules, PTMs ultimately alter the phenotypes and biological processes of cells. The homeostasis of protein modifications is important to human health. Abnormal PTMs may cause changes in protein properties and loss of protein functions, which are closely related to the occurrence and development of various diseases. In this review, we systematically introduce the characteristics, regulatory mechanisms, and functions of various PTMs in health and diseases. In addition, the therapeutic prospects in various diseases by targeting PTMs and associated regulatory enzymes are also summarized. This work will deepen the understanding of protein modifications in health and diseases and promote the discovery of diagnostic and prognostic markers and drug targets for diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhong
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismGeneral Practice Ward/International Medical Center WardGeneral Practice Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Xina Xiao
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismGeneral Practice Ward/International Medical Center WardGeneral Practice Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Yijie Qiu
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismGeneral Practice Ward/International Medical Center WardGeneral Practice Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Zhiqiang Xu
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismGeneral Practice Ward/International Medical Center WardGeneral Practice Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Chunyu Chen
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismGeneral Practice Ward/International Medical Center WardGeneral Practice Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Baochen Chong
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismGeneral Practice Ward/International Medical Center WardGeneral Practice Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Xinjun Zhao
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismGeneral Practice Ward/International Medical Center WardGeneral Practice Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Shan Hai
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismGeneral Practice Ward/International Medical Center WardGeneral Practice Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Shuangqing Li
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismGeneral Practice Ward/International Medical Center WardGeneral Practice Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Zhenmei An
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismGeneral Practice Ward/International Medical Center WardGeneral Practice Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Lunzhi Dai
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismGeneral Practice Ward/International Medical Center WardGeneral Practice Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
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8
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Dong X, Liang Z, Zhang J, Zhang Q, Xu Y, Zhang Z, Zhang L, Zhang B, Zhao Y. Trappc1 deficiency impairs thymic epithelial cell development by breaking endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis. Eur J Immunol 2022; 52:1789-1804. [PMID: 35908180 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202249915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) are important for T cell development and immune tolerance establishment. Although comprehensive molecular regulation of TEC development has been studied, the role of transport protein particle complexes (Trappcs) in TECs is not clear. Using TEC-specific homozygous or heterozygous Trappc1 deleted mice model, we found that Trappc1 deficiency caused severe thymus atrophy with decreased cell number and blocked maturation of TECs. Mice with a TEC-specific Trappc1 deletion show poor thymic T cell output and have a greater percentage of activated/memory T cells, suffered from spontaneous autoimmune disorders. Our RNA-seq and molecular studies indicated that the decreased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi apparatus, enhanced unfolded protein response (UPR) and subsequent Atf4-CHOP-mediated apoptosis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated ferroptosis coordinately contributed to the reduction of Trappc1-deleted TECs. Additionally, reduced Aire+ mTECs accompanied by the decreased expression of Irf4, Irf8, and Tbx21 in Trappc1 deficiency mTECs, may further coordinately block the tissue-restricted antigen expression. In this study, we reveal that Trappc1 plays an indispensable role in TEC development and maturation and provide evidence for the importance of inter-organelle traffic and ER homeostasis in TEC development. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Zhanfeng Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.,Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration
| | - Jiayu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Qian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Yanan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Zhaoqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Lianfeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Human Diseases and Comparative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
| | - Baojun Zhang
- Department of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University
| | - Yong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.,Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration
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9
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Shichkin VP, Antica M. Key Factors for Thymic Function and Development. Front Immunol 2022; 13:926516. [PMID: 35844535 PMCID: PMC9280625 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.926516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The thymus is the organ responsible for T cell development and the formation of the adaptive immunity function. Its multicellular environment consists mainly of the different stromal cells and maturing T lymphocytes. Thymus-specific progenitors of epithelial, mesenchymal, and lymphoid cells with stem cell properties represent only minor populations. The thymic stromal structure predominantly determines the function of the thymus. The stromal components, mostly epithelial and mesenchymal cells, form this specialized area. They support the consistent developmental program of functionally distinct conventional T cell subpopulations. These include the MHC restricted single positive CD4+ CD8- and CD4- CD8+ cells, regulatory T lymphocytes (Foxp3+), innate natural killer T cells (iNKT), and γδT cells. Several physiological causes comprising stress and aging and medical treatments such as thymectomy and chemo/radiotherapy can harm the thymus function. The present review summarizes our knowledge of the development and function of the thymus with a focus on thymic epithelial cells as well as other stromal components and the signaling and transcriptional pathways underlying the thymic cell interaction. These critical thymus components are significant for T cell differentiation and restoring the thymic function after damage to reach the therapeutic benefits.
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10
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Provin N, Giraud M. Differentiation of Pluripotent Stem Cells Into Thymic Epithelial Cells and Generation of Thymic Organoids: Applications for Therapeutic Strategies Against APECED. Front Immunol 2022; 13:930963. [PMID: 35844523 PMCID: PMC9277542 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.930963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The thymus is a primary lymphoid organ essential for the induction of central immune tolerance. Maturing T cells undergo several steps of expansion and selection mediated by thymic epithelial cells (TECs). In APECED and other congenital pathologies, a deficiency in genes that regulate TEC development or their ability to select non auto-reactive thymocytes results in a defective immune balance, and consequently in a general autoimmune syndrome. Restoration of thymic function is thus crucial for the emergence of curative treatments. The last decade has seen remarkable progress in both gene editing and pluripotent stem cell differentiation, with the emergence of CRISPR-based gene correction, the trivialization of reprogramming of somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSc) and their subsequent differentiation into multiple cellular fates. The combination of these two approaches has paved the way to the generation of genetically corrected thymic organoids and their use to control thymic genetic pathologies affecting self-tolerance. Here we review the recent advances in differentiation of iPSc into TECs and the ability of the latter to support a proper and efficient maturation of thymocytes into functional and non-autoreactive T cells. A special focus is given on thymus organogenesis and pathway modulation during iPSc differentiation, on the impact of the 2/3D structure on the generated TECs, and on perspectives for therapeutic strategies in APECED based on patient-derived iPSc corrected for AIRE gene mutations.
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11
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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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12
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Bao X, Qin Y, Lu L, Zheng M. Transcriptional Regulation of Early T-Lymphocyte Development in Thymus. Front Immunol 2022; 13:884569. [PMID: 35432347 PMCID: PMC9008359 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.884569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
T-lymphocytes play crucial roles for maintaining immune homeostasis by fighting against various pathogenic microorganisms and establishing self-antigen tolerance. They will go through several stages and checkpoints in the thymus from progenitors to mature T cells, from CD4-CD8- double negative (DN) cells to CD4+CD8+ double positive (DP) cells, finally become CD4+ or CD8+ single positive (SP) cells. The mature SP cells then emigrate out of the thymus and further differentiate into distinct subsets under different environment signals to perform specific functions. Each step is regulated by various transcriptional regulators downstream of T cell receptors (TCRs) that have been extensively studied both in vivo and vitro via multiple mouse models and advanced techniques, such as single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and Chromatin Immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq). This review will summarize the transcriptional regulators participating in the early stage of T cell development reported in the past decade, trying to figure out cascade networks in each process and provide possible research directions in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyang Bao
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yingyu Qin
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Linrong Lu
- Shanghai Immune Therapy Institute, Renji Hospital, Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Immunology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mingzhu Zheng
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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13
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Lopes N, Boucherit N, Santamaria JC, Provin N, Charaix J, Ferrier P, Giraud M, Irla M. Thymocytes trigger self-antigen-controlling pathways in immature medullary thymic epithelial stages. eLife 2022; 11:69982. [PMID: 35188458 PMCID: PMC8860447 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Interactions of developing T cells with Aire+ medullary thymic epithelial cells expressing high levels of MHCII molecules (mTEChi) are critical for the induction of central tolerance in the thymus. In turn, thymocytes regulate the cellularity of Aire+ mTEChi. However, it remains unknown whether thymocytes control the precursors of Aire+ mTEChi that are contained in mTEClo cells or other mTEClo subsets that have recently been delineated by single-cell transcriptomic analyses. Here, using three distinct transgenic mouse models, in which antigen presentation between mTECs and CD4+ thymocytes is perturbed, we show by high-throughput RNA-seq that self-reactive CD4+ thymocytes induce key transcriptional regulators in mTEClo and control the composition of mTEClo subsets, including Aire+ mTEChi precursors, post-Aire and tuft-like mTECs. Furthermore, these interactions upregulate the expression of tissue-restricted self-antigens, cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules important for T-cell development. This gene activation program induced in mTEClo is combined with a global increase of the active H3K4me3 histone mark. Finally, we demonstrate that these self-reactive interactions between CD4+ thymocytes and mTECs critically prevent multiorgan autoimmunity. Our genome-wide study thus reveals that self-reactive CD4+ thymocytes control multiple unsuspected facets from immature stages of mTECs, which determines their heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noella Lopes
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Nicolas Boucherit
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Jérémy C Santamaria
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Nathan Provin
- Nantes Université, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology, UMR 1064, Nantes, France
| | - Jonathan Charaix
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Pierre Ferrier
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Matthieu Giraud
- Nantes Université, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology, UMR 1064, Nantes, France
| | - Magali Irla
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
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14
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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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15
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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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16
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Hu C, Zhang K, Jiang F, Wang H, Shao Q. Epigenetic modifications in thymic epithelial cells: an evolutionary perspective for thymus atrophy. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:210. [PMID: 34819170 PMCID: PMC8612001 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-021-01197-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The thymic microenvironment is mainly comprised of thymic epithelial cells, the cytokines, exosomes, surface molecules, and hormones from the cells, and plays a vital role in the development, differentiation, maturation and homeostasis of T lymphocytes. However, the thymus begins to degenerate as early as the second year of life and continues through aging in human beings, leading to a decreased output of naïve T cells, the limited TCR diversity and an expansion of monoclonal memory T cells in the periphery organs. These alternations will reduce the adaptive immune response to tumors and emerging infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, also it is easier to suffer from autoimmune diseases in older people. In the context of global aging, it is important to investigate and clarify the causes and mechanisms of thymus involution. Main body Epigenetics include histone modification, DNA methylation, non-coding RNA effects, and chromatin remodeling. In this review, we discuss how senescent thymic epithelial cells determine and control age-related thymic atrophy, how this process is altered by epigenetic modification. How the thymus adipose influences the dysfunctions of the thymic epithelial cells, and the prospects of targeting thymic epithelial cells for the treatment of thymus atrophy. Conclusion Epigenetic modifications are emerging as key regulators in governing the development and senescence of thymic epithelial cells. It is beneficial to re-establish effective thymopoiesis, identify the potential therapeutic strategy and rejuvenate the immune function in the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cexun Hu
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine of Jiangsu Province, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, No. 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Keyu Zhang
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine of Jiangsu Province, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, No. 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Jiang
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine of Jiangsu Province, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, No. 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. .,Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine of Jiangsu Province, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, No. 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qixiang Shao
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. .,Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine of Jiangsu Province, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, No. 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. .,Jiangsu College of Nursing, School of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Huai'an, 223002, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
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17
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Wu H, Li X, Zhou C, Yu Q, Ge S, Pan Z, Zhao Y, Xia S, Zhou X, Liu X, Wang H, Shao Q. Circulating mature dendritic cells homing to the thymus promote thymic epithelial cells involution via the Jagged1/Notch3 axis. Cell Death Discov 2021; 7:225. [PMID: 34462426 PMCID: PMC8404188 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-021-00619-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple proinflammatory conditions, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, transplant rejection, and microbial infections, have been identified to induce involution of the thymus. However, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of these inflammatory conditions inducing apoptosis of thymic epithelial cells (TECs), the main components of the thymus, remain largely unknown. In the circulation, mature dendritic cells (mDCs), the predominant initiator of innate and adaptive immune response, can migrate into the thymus. Herein, we demonstrated that mDCs were able to directly inhibit TECs proliferation and induce their apoptosis by activating the Jagged1/Notch3 signaling pathway. Intrathymic injection of either mDCs or recombinant mouse Jagged1-human Fc fusion protein (rmJagged1-hFc) into mice resulted in acute atrophy of the thymus. Furthermore, DAPT, a γ-secretase inhibitor, reversed the effects induced by mDC or rmJagged1-hFc. These findings suggest that acute or aging-related thymus degeneration can be induced either by mass migration of circulating mDCs in a short period of time or by a few but constantly homing mDCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haojie Wu
- Reproductive Sciences Institute, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Xiaohan Li
- Reproductive Sciences Institute, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Chen Zhou
- Reproductive Sciences Institute, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Qihong Yu
- Reproductive Sciences Institute, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Shiyao Ge
- Reproductive Sciences Institute, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Zihui Pan
- Reproductive Sciences Institute, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Yangjing Zhao
- Reproductive Sciences Institute, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Sheng Xia
- Reproductive Sciences Institute, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoming Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Xia Liu
- Reproductive Sciences Institute, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Hui Wang
- Reproductive Sciences Institute, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
| | - Qixiang Shao
- Reproductive Sciences Institute, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Reproductive Immunity, School of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Jiangsu College of Nursing, Huai'an, 223002, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
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18
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Li J, Gordon J, Chen ELY, Xiao S, Wu L, Zúñiga-Pflücker JC, Manley NR. NOTCH1 signaling establishes the medullary thymic epithelial cell progenitor pool during mouse fetal development. Development 2020; 147:dev.178988. [PMID: 32467240 DOI: 10.1242/dev.178988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The cortical and medullary thymic epithelial cell (cTEC and mTEC) lineages are essential for inducing T cell lineage commitment, T cell positive selection and the establishment of self-tolerance, but the mechanisms controlling their fetal specification and differentiation are poorly understood. Here, we show that notch signaling is required to specify and expand the mTEC lineage. Notch1 is expressed by and active in TEC progenitors. Deletion of Notch1 in TECs resulted in depletion of mTEC progenitors and dramatic reductions in mTECs during fetal stages, consistent with defects in mTEC specification and progenitor expansion. Conversely, forced notch signaling in all TECs resulted in widespread expression of mTEC progenitor markers and profound defects in TEC differentiation. In addition, lineage-tracing analysis indicated that all mTECs have a history of receiving a notch signal, consistent with notch signaling occurring in mTEC progenitors. These data provide strong evidence for a requirement for notch signaling in specification of the mTEC lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Julie Gordon
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Edward L Y Chen
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, and Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Shiyun Xiao
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Luying Wu
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Juan Carlos Zúñiga-Pflücker
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, and Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Nancy R Manley
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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19
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Liu D, Kousa AI, O'Neill KE, Rouse P, Popis M, Farley AM, Tomlinson SR, Ulyanchenko S, Guillemot F, Seymour PA, Jørgensen MC, Serup P, Koch U, Radtke F, Blackburn CC. Canonical Notch signaling controls the early thymic epithelial progenitor cell state and emergence of the medullary epithelial lineage in fetal thymus development. Development 2020; 147:dev.178582. [PMID: 32467237 PMCID: PMC7328009 DOI: 10.1242/dev.178582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Thymus function depends on the epithelial compartment of the thymic stroma. Cortical thymic epithelial cells (cTECs) regulate T cell lineage commitment and positive selection, while medullary (m) TECs impose central tolerance on the T cell repertoire. During thymus organogenesis, these functionally distinct sub-lineages are thought to arise from a common thymic epithelial progenitor cell (TEPC). However, the mechanisms controlling cTEC and mTEC production from the common TEPC are not understood. Here, we show that emergence of the earliest mTEC lineage-restricted progenitors requires active NOTCH signaling in progenitor TEC and that, once specified, further mTEC development is NOTCH independent. In addition, we demonstrate that persistent NOTCH activity favors maintenance of undifferentiated TEPCs at the expense of cTEC differentiation. Finally, we uncover a cross-regulatory relationship between NOTCH and FOXN1, a master regulator of TEC differentiation. These data establish NOTCH as a potent regulator of TEPC and mTEC fate during fetal thymus development, and are thus of high relevance to strategies aimed at generating/regenerating functional thymic tissue in vitro and in vivo. Summary: Notch signaling regulates the initial emergence of medullary thymic epithelial sublineage, implicating Notch in the maintenance of primitive thymic epithelial progenitors and uncovering its cross-interaction with Foxn1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Liu
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, 5, Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Anastasia I Kousa
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, 5, Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Kathy E O'Neill
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, 5, Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Paul Rouse
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, 5, Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Martyna Popis
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, 5, Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Alison M Farley
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, 5, Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Simon R Tomlinson
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, 5, Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Svetlana Ulyanchenko
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Ole Maaløes Vej 5, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Philip A Seymour
- NNF Center for Stem Cell Biology, University of Copenhagen, Nørre Alle 14, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Mette C Jørgensen
- NNF Center for Stem Cell Biology, University of Copenhagen, Nørre Alle 14, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Palle Serup
- NNF Center for Stem Cell Biology, University of Copenhagen, Nørre Alle 14, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Ute Koch
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Freddy Radtke
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - C Clare Blackburn
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, 5, Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
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20
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Wang HX, Pan W, Zheng L, Zhong XP, Tan L, Liang Z, He J, Feng P, Zhao Y, Qiu YR. Thymic Epithelial Cells Contribute to Thymopoiesis and T Cell Development. Front Immunol 2020; 10:3099. [PMID: 32082299 PMCID: PMC7005006 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.03099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The thymus is the primary lymphoid organ responsible for the generation and maturation of T cells. Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) account for the majority of thymic stromal components. They are further divided into cortical and medullary TECs based on their localization within the thymus and are involved in positive and negative selection, respectively. Establishment of self-tolerance in the thymus depends on promiscuous gene expression (pGE) of tissue-restricted antigens (TRAs) by TECs. Such pGE is co-controlled by the autoimmune regulator (Aire) and forebrain embryonic zinc fingerlike protein 2 (Fezf2). Over the past two decades, research has found that TECs contribute greatly to thymopoiesis and T cell development. In turn, signals from T cells regulate the differentiation and maturation of TECs. Several signaling pathways essential for the development and maturation of TECs have been discovered. New technology and animal models have provided important observations on TEC differentiation, development, and thymopoiesis. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in classification, development, and maintenance of TECs and mechanisms that control TEC functions during thymic involution and central tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Xia Wang
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenrong Pan
- Department of General Surgery, Taihe Branch of Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Zheng
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Ping Zhong
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Liang Tan
- Department of Urological Organ Transplantation, Center of Organ Transplantation, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhanfeng Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing He
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pingfeng Feng
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Rong Qiu
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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21
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Mochizuki K, Hayashi Y, Sekinaka T, Otsuka K, Ito-Matsuoka Y, Kobayashi H, Oki S, Takehara A, Kono T, Osumi N, Matsui Y. Repression of Somatic Genes by Selective Recruitment of HDAC3 by BLIMP1 Is Essential for Mouse Primordial Germ Cell Fate Determination. Cell Rep 2019; 24:2682-2693.e6. [PMID: 30184502 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.07.108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Revised: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are fate determined from pluripotent epiblasts. Signaling pathways and transcriptional regulators involved in PGC formation have been identified, but detailed molecular mechanisms of PGC fate determination remains poorly understood. Using RNAi screening, we identified histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) as a regulator of PGC formation. Hdac3 deficiency resulted in decreased nascent PGCs in vitro and in vivo, and somatic developmental genes were de-repressed by Hdac3 knockdown during PGC induction. We also demonstrated BLIMP1-dependent enrichment of HDAC3 and deacetylation of H3 and H4 histones in the somatic developmental genes in epiblast-like cells. In addition, the HDAC3/BLIMP1-targeted somatic gene products were enriched in PGC determinant genes; overexpression of these gene products in PGC-like cells in culture resulted in repression of PGC determinant genes. We propose that selective recruitment of HDAC3 to somatic genes by BLIMP1 and subsequent repression of these somatic genes are crucial for PGC fate determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentaro Mochizuki
- Cell Resource Center for Biomedical Research, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan; Center for Environmental Conservation and Research Safety, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan; Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan; Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Yohei Hayashi
- Cell Resource Center for Biomedical Research, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan; Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan
| | - Tamotsu Sekinaka
- Cell Resource Center for Biomedical Research, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan; Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan
| | - Kei Otsuka
- Cell Resource Center for Biomedical Research, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Yumi Ito-Matsuoka
- Cell Resource Center for Biomedical Research, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Hisato Kobayashi
- NODAI Genome Research Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan
| | - Shinya Oki
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Asuka Takehara
- Cell Resource Center for Biomedical Research, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Kono
- Department of BioScience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan
| | - Noriko Osumi
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Yasuhisa Matsui
- Cell Resource Center for Biomedical Research, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan; Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan; Center for Regulatory Epigenome and Diseases, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan.
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22
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Singarapu N, Ma K, Reeh KAG, Shen J, Lancaster JN, Yi S, Xie H, Orkin SH, Manley NR, Ehrlich LIR, Jiang N, Richie ER. Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 is essential for development and maintenance of a functional TEC compartment. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14335. [PMID: 30254371 PMCID: PMC6156232 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32729-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymic epithelial cells (TEC) are essential for thymocyte differentiation and repertoire selection. Despite their indispensable role in generating functional T cells, the molecular mechanisms that orchestrate TEC development from endodermal progenitors in the third pharyngeal pouch (3rd PP) are not fully understood. We recently reported that the T-box transcription factor TBX1 negatively regulates TEC development. Although initially expressed throughout the 3rd PP, Tbx1 becomes downregulated in thymus-fated progenitors and when ectopically expressed impairs TEC progenitor proliferation and differentiation. Here we show that ectopic Tbx1 expression in thymus fated endoderm increases expression of Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) target genes in TEC. PRC2 is an epigenetic modifier that represses gene expression by catalyzing trimethylation of lysine 27 on histone H3. The increased expression of PRC2 target genes suggests that ectopic Tbx1 interferes with PRC2 activity and implicates PRC2 as an important regulator of TEC development. To test this hypothesis, we used Foxn1Cre to delete Eed, a PRC2 component required for complex stability and function in thymus fated 3rd PP endoderm. Proliferation and differentiation of fetal and newborn TEC were disrupted in the conditional knockout (EedCKO) mutants leading to severely dysplastic adult thymi. Consistent with PRC2-mediated transcriptional silencing, the majority of differentially expressed genes (DEG) were upregulated in EedCKO TEC. Moreover, a high frequency of EedCKO DEG overlapped with DEG in TEC that ectopically expressed Tbx1. These findings demonstrate that PRC2 plays a critical role in TEC development and suggest that Tbx1 expression must be downregulated in thymus fated 3rd PP endoderm to ensure optimal PRC2 function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandini Singarapu
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Science Park, Smithville, Texas, 78957, USA
| | - Keyue Ma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Kaitlin A G Reeh
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Science Park, Smithville, Texas, 78957, USA
| | - Jianjun Shen
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Science Park, Smithville, Texas, 78957, USA
| | - Jessica N Lancaster
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Song Yi
- Department of Oncology, Dell Medical School and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.,Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Huafeng Xie
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Stuart H Orkin
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Nancy R Manley
- Department of Genetics, Paul D. Coverdell Center, 500 DW Brooks Drive, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Lauren I R Ehrlich
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.,Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Ning Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Ellen R Richie
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Science Park, Smithville, Texas, 78957, USA.
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23
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Roberts NA, Adams BD, McCarthy NI, Tooze RM, Parnell SM, Anderson G, Kaech SM, Horsley V. Prdm1 Regulates Thymic Epithelial Function To Prevent Autoimmunity. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2017; 199:1250-1260. [PMID: 28701508 PMCID: PMC5544928 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1600941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Autoimmunity is largely prevented by medullary thymic epithelial cells (TECs) through their expression and presentation of tissue-specific Ags to developing thymocytes, resulting in deletion of self-reactive T cells and supporting regulatory T cell development. The transcription factor Prdm1 has been implicated in autoimmune diseases in humans through genome-wide association studies and in mice using cell type-specific deletion of Prdm1 in T and dendritic cells. In this article, we demonstrate that Prdm1 functions in TECs to prevent autoimmunity in mice. Prdm1 is expressed by a subset of mouse TECs, and conditional deletion of Prdm1 in either Keratin 14- or Foxn1-expressing cells in mice resulted in multisymptom autoimmune pathology. Notably, the development of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells occurs normally in the absence of Blimp1. Importantly, nude mice developed anti-nuclear Abs when transplanted with Prdm1 null TECs, but not wild-type TECs, indicating that Prdm1 functions in TECs to regulate autoantibody production. We show that Prdm1 acts independently of Aire, a crucial transcription factor implicated in medullary TEC function. Collectively, our data highlight a previously unrecognized role for Prdm1 in regulating thymic epithelial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie A Roberts
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, United Kingdom
| | - Brian D Adams
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222
- Investigative Medicine Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
| | - Nicholas I McCarthy
- School of Immunity and Infection, Medical Research Council Centre for Immune Regulation, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Reuben M Tooze
- Section of Experimental Haematology, Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Sonia M Parnell
- School of Immunity and Infection, Medical Research Council Centre for Immune Regulation, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Graham Anderson
- School of Immunity and Infection, Medical Research Council Centre for Immune Regulation, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Susan M Kaech
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520; and
| | - Valerie Horsley
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520;
- Department of Dermatology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520
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24
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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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