Modulation of immunological synapse by membrane-bound and soluble ligands

The Chinese Herbal Prescription JieZe-1 Inhibits Membrane Fusion and the Toll-like Receptor Signaling Pathway in a Genital Herpes Mouse Model

Chinese herbal prescription JieZe-1 is effective for genital herpes with no visible adverse effects clinically. It showed an excellent anti-HSV-2 effect in vitro. However, its mechanism of anti-HSV-2 effect in vivo remains unclear. This study was designed to evaluate the anti-HSV-2 effect of JieZe-1 and berberine in a genital herpes mouse model and explore the underlying mechanism. The fingerprint of JieZe-1 was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. First, we optimized a mouse model of genital herpes. Next, the weight, symptom score, morphological changes, viral load, membrane fusion proteins, critical proteins of the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, cytokines, and immune cells of vaginal tissue in mice at different time points were measured. Finally, we treated the genital herpes mouse model with JieZe-1 gel (2.5, 1.5, and 0.5 g/ml) and tested the above experimental indexes at 12 h and on the 9th day after modeling. JieZe-1 improved the symptoms, weight, and histopathological damage of genital herpes mice, promoted the keratin repair of tissues, and protected organelles to maintain the typical morphology of cells. It downregulated the expression of membrane fusion proteins, critical proteins of the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, cytokines, and immune cells. The vaginal, vulvar, and spinal cord viral load and vaginal virus shedding were also significantly reduced. In summary, JieZe-1 shows significant anti-HSV-2 efficacy in vivo. The mechanism is related to the inhibition of membrane fusion, the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, inflammatory cytokines, and cellular immunity. However, berberine, the main component of JieZe-1 monarch medicine, showed no efficacy at a concentration of 891.8 μM (0.3 mg/ml).

Modulation of Adaptive Immunity and Viral Infections by Ion Channels

Most cellular functions require of ion homeostasis and ion movement. Among others, ion channels play a crucial role in controlling the homeostasis of anions and cations concentration between the extracellular and intracellular compartments. Calcium (Ca2+) is one of the most relevant ions involved in regulating critical functions of immune cells, allowing the appropriate development of immune cell responses against pathogens and tumor cells. Due to the importance of Ca2+ in inducing the immune response, some viruses have evolved mechanisms to modulate intracellular Ca2+ concentrations and the mobilization of this cation through Ca2+ channels to increase their infectivity and to evade the immune system using different mechanisms. For instance, some viral infections require the influx of Ca2+ through ionic channels as a first step to enter the cell, as well as their replication and budding. Moreover, through the expression of viral proteins on the surface of infected cells, Ca2+ channels function can be altered, enhancing the pathogen evasion of the adaptive immune response. In this article, we review those ion channels and ion transporters that are essential for the function of immune cells. Specifically, cation channels and Ca2+ channels in the context of viral infections and their contribution to the modulation of adaptive immune responses.

Large-Sized Graphene Oxide Nanosheets Increase DC-T-Cell Synaptic Contact and the Efficacy of DC Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2

Dendritic cell (DC) vaccines are used for cancer and infectious diseases, albeit with limited efficacy. Modulating the formation of DC-T-cell synapses may greatly increase their efficacy. The effects of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets on DCs and DC-T-cell synapse formation are evaluated. In particular, size-dependent interactions are observed between GO nanosheets and DCs. GOs with diameters of >1 µm (L-GOs) demonstrate strong adherence to the DC surface, inducing cytoskeletal reorganization via the RhoA-ROCK-MLC pathway, while relatively small GOs (≈500 nm) are predominantly internalized by DCs. Furthermore, L-GO treatment enhances DC-T-cell synapse formation via cytoskeleton-dependent membrane positioning of integrin ICAM-1. L-GO acts as a "nanozipper," facilitating the aggregation of DC-T-cell clusters to produce a stable microenvironment for T cell activation. Importantly, L-GO-adjuvanted DCs promote robust cytotoxic T cell immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 spike 1, leading to >99.7% viral RNA clearance in mice infected with a clinically isolated SARS-CoV-2 strain. These findings highlight the potential value of nanomaterials as DC vaccine adjuvants for modulating DC-T-cell synapse formation and provide a basis for the development of effective COVID-19 vaccines.

Contribution of Resident Memory CD8+ T Cells to Protective Immunity Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Their Impact on Vaccine Design

Worldwide, human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common etiological agent for acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRI). RSV-ALRI is the major cause of hospital admissions in young children, and it can cause in-hospital deaths in children younger than six months old. Therefore, RSV remains one of the pathogens deemed most important for the generation of a vaccine. On the other hand, the effectiveness of a vaccine depends on the development of immunological memory against the pathogenic agent of interest. This memory is achieved by long-lived memory T cells, based on the establishment of an effective immune response to viral infections when subsequent exposures to the pathogen take place. Memory T cells can be classified into three subsets according to their expression of lymphoid homing receptors: central memory cells (T_CM), effector memory cells (T_EM) and resident memory T cells (T_RM). The latter subset consists of cells that are permanently found in non-lymphoid tissues and are capable of recognizing antigens and mounting an effective immune response at those sites. T_RM cells activate both innate and adaptive immune responses, thus establishing a robust and rapid response characterized by the production of large amounts of effector molecules. T_RM cells can also recognize antigenically unrelated pathogens and trigger an innate-like alarm with the recruitment of other immune cells. It is noteworthy that this rapid and effective immune response induced by T_RM cells make these cells an interesting aim in the design of vaccination strategies in order to establish T_RM cell populations to prevent respiratory infectious diseases. Here, we discuss the biogenesis of T_RM cells, their contribution to the resolution of respiratory viral infections and the induction of T_RM cells, which should be considered for the rational design of new vaccines against RSV.

Herpes Simplex Virus Evasion of Early Host Antiviral Responses

Herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) have co-evolved with humans for thousands of years and are present at a high prevalence in the population worldwide. HSV infections are responsible for several illnesses including skin and mucosal lesions, blindness and even life-threatening encephalitis in both, immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals of all ages. Therefore, diseases caused by HSVs represent significant public health burdens. Similar to other herpesviruses, HSV-1 and HSV-2 produce lifelong infections in the host by establishing latency in neurons and sporadically reactivating from these cells, eliciting recurrences that are accompanied by viral shedding in both, symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. The ability of HSVs to persist and recur in otherwise healthy individuals is likely given by the numerous virulence factors that these viruses have evolved to evade host antiviral responses. Here, we review and discuss molecular mechanisms used by HSVs to evade early innate antiviral responses, which are the first lines of defense against these viruses. A comprehensive understanding of how HSVs evade host early antiviral responses could contribute to the development of novel therapies and vaccines to counteract these viruses.

Immune-Modulation by the Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Focus on Dendritic Cells

The human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) is the leading cause of pneumonia in infants and produces a significant burden in the elderly. It can also infect and produce disease in otherwise healthy adults and recurrently infect those previously exposed to the virus. Importantly, recurrent infections are not necessarily a consequence of antigenic variability, as described for other respiratory viruses, but most likely due to the capacity of this virus to interfere with the host's immune response and the establishment of a protective and long-lasting immunity. Although some genes encoded by hRSV are known to have a direct participation in immune evasion, it seems that repeated infection is mainly given by its capacity to modulate immune components in such a way to promote non-optimal antiviral responses in the host. Importantly, hRSV is known to interfere with dendritic cell (DC) function, which are key cells involved in establishing and regulating protective virus-specific immunity. Notably, hRSV infects DCs, alters their maturation, migration to lymph nodes and their capacity to activate virus-specific T cells, which likely impacts the host antiviral response against this virus. Here, we review and discuss the most important and recent findings related to DC modulation by hRSV, which might be at the basis of recurrent infections in previously infected individuals and hRSV-induced disease. A focus on the interaction between DCs and hRSV will likely contribute to the development of effective prophylactic and antiviral strategies against this virus.

Dichotomous roles of co-stimulatory molecules in diabetes mellitus

Numerous studies have established the importance of immune dysfunction in the development of diabetes mellitus, including typ1 and typ2 diabetes, and it is worth noting that T cell activation acts a key role in the pathogenesis of loss of β cell mass, adipose inflammation and insulin resistance. Regarding as an important checkpoint in the process of T cell activation, co-stimulatory molecules interaction between antigen present cells and T cells have been identified the critical role in the development of diabetes mellitus. Thus, blockage of co-stimulatory dyads interaction between antigen present cells and T cells was supposed to a potential of therapeutic strategies. However, studies also showed that inhibition or deletion of some co-stimulatory molecules do not always reduce the development of diabetes, and even exacerbate the disease activity. Here, in this context, we highlight the dichotomous role of co-stimulatory molecules interaction in the pathogenesis of diabetes.

A Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Deleted for Glycoprotein D Enables Dendritic Cells to Activate CD4+ and CD8+ T Cells

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is highly prevalent in the human population producing significant morbidity, mainly because of the generation of genital ulcers and neonatal encephalitis. Additionally, HSV-2 infection significantly increases the susceptibility of the host to acquire HIV and promotes the shedding of the latter in the coinfected. Despite numerous efforts to create a vaccine against HSV-2, no licensed vaccines are currently available. A long-standing strategy, based on few viral glycoproteins combined with adjuvants, recently displayed poor results in a Phase III clinical study fueling exploration on the development of mutant HSV viruses that are attenuated in vivo and elicit protective adaptive immune components, such as antiviral antibodies and T cells. Importantly, such specialized antiviral immune components are likely induced and modulated by dendritic cells, professional antigen presenting cells that process viral antigens and present them to T cells. However, HSV interferes with several functions of DCs and ultimately induces their death. Here, we propose that for an attenuated mutant virus to confer protective immunity against HSV in vivo based on adaptive immune components, such virus should also be attenuated in dendritic cells to promote a robust and effective antiviral response. We provide a background framework for this idea, considerations, as well as the means to assess this hypothesis. Addressing this hypothesis may provide valuable insights for the development of novel, safe, and effective vaccines against herpes simplex viruses.

Opposing roles of IL-10 in acute bacterial infection

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is recognized as an anti-inflammatory cytokine that downmodulates inflammatory immune responses at multiple levels. In innate cells, production of this cytokine is usually triggered after pathogen recognition receptor (PRR) engagement by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) or damage-associated molecular patters (DAMPs), as well as by other soluble factors. Importantly, IL-10 is frequently secreted during acute bacterial infections and has been described to play a key role in infection resolution, although its effects can significantly vary depending on the infecting bacterium. While the production of IL-10 might favor host survival in some cases, it may also result harmful for the host in other circumstances, as it can prevent appropriate bacterial clearance. In this review we discuss the role of IL-10 in bacterial clearance and propose that this cytokine is required to recover from infection caused by extracellular or highly pro-inflammatory bacteria. Altogether, we propose that IL-10 drives excessive suppression of the immune response upon infection with intracellular bacteria or in non-inflammatory bacterial infections, which ultimately favors bacterial persistence and dissemination within the host. Thus, the nature of the bacterium causing infection is an important factor that needs to be taken into account when considering new immunotherapies that consist on the modulation of inflammation, such as IL-10. Indeed, induction of this cytokine may significantly improve the host's immune response to certain bacteria when antibiotics are not completely effective.

Induction of protective effector immunity to prevent pathogenesis caused by the respiratory syncytial virus. Implications on therapy and vaccine design

Human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) is the leading cause of respiratory illness in infants and young children around the globe. This pathogen, which was discovered in 1956, continues to cause a huge number of hospitalizations due to respiratory disease and it is considered a health and economic burden worldwide, especially in developing countries. The immune response elicited by hRSV infection leads to lung and systemic inflammation, which results in lung damage but is not efficient at preventing viral replication. Indeed, natural hRSV infection induces a poor immune memory that allows recurrent infections. Here, we review the most recent knowledge about the lifecycle of hRSV, the immune response elicited by this virus and the subsequent pathology induced in response to infection in the airways. Novel findings about the alterations that this virus causes in the central nervous system and potential therapies and vaccines designed to treat or prevent hRSV infection are discussed.

Human immunity in vitro - solving immunogenicity and more

It has been widely recognised that the phylogenetic distance between laboratory animals and humans limits the former's predictive value for immunogenicity testing of biopharmaceuticals and nanostructure-based drug delivery and adjuvant systems. 2D in vitro assays have been established in conventional culture plates with little success so far. Here, we detail the status of various 3D approaches to emulate innate immunity in non-lymphoid organs and adaptive immune response in human professional lymphoid immune organs in vitro. We stress the tight relationship between the necessarily changing architecture of professional lymphoid organs at rest and when activated by pathogens, and match it with the immunity identified in vitro. Recommendations for further improvements of lymphoid tissue architecture relevant to the development of a sustainable adaptive immune response in vitro are summarized. In the end, we sketch a forecast of translational innovations in the field to model systemic innate and adaptive immunity in vitro.

The immunological synapse: the gateway to the HIV reservoir

A major challenge in the development of a cure for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been the incomplete understanding of the basic mechanisms underlying HIV persistence during antiretroviral therapy. It is now realized that the establishment of a latently infected reservoir refractory to immune system recognition has thus far hindered eradication efforts. Recent investigation into the innate immune response has shed light on signaling pathways downstream of the immunological synapse critical for T-cell activation and establishment of T-cell memory. This has led to the understanding that the cell-to-cell contacts observed in an immunological synapse that involve the CD4⁺ T cell and antigen-presenting cell or T-cell–T-cell interactions enhance efficient viral spread and facilitate the induction and maintenance of latency in HIV-infected memory T cells. This review focuses on recent work characterizing the immunological synapse and the signaling pathways involved in T-cell activation and gene regulation in the context of HIV persistence.

Human metapneumovirus keeps dendritic cells from priming antigen-specific naive T cells

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is the second most common cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections in children, causing a significant public health burden worldwide. Given that hMPV can repeatedly infect the host without major antigenic changes, it has been suggested that hMPV may have evolved molecular mechanisms to impair host adaptive immunity and, more specifically, T-cell memory. Recent studies have shown that hMPV can interfere with superantigen-induced T-cell activation by infecting conventional dendritic cells (DCs). Here, we show that hMPV infects mouse DCs in a restricted manner and induces moderate maturation. Nonetheless, hMPV-infected DCs are rendered inefficient at activating naive antigen-specific CD4(+) T cells (OT-II), which not only display reduced proliferation, but also show a marked reduction in surface activation markers and interleukin-2 secretion. Decreased T-cell activation was not mediated by interference with DC-T-cell immunological synapse formation as recently described for the human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV), but rather by soluble factors secreted by hMPV-infected DCs. These data suggest that although hMPV infection is restricted within DCs, it is sufficient to interfere with their capacity to activate naive T cells. Altogether, by interfering with DC function and productive priming of antigen-inexperienced T cells, hMPV could impair the generation of long-term immunity.

Modulation of tumor immunity by soluble and membrane-bound molecules at the immunological synapse

To circumvent pathology caused by infectious microbes and tumor growth, the host immune system must constantly clear harmful microorganisms and potentially malignant transformed cells. This task is accomplished in part by T-cells, which can directly kill infected or tumorigenic cells. A crucial event determining the recognition and elimination of detrimental cells is antigen recognition by the T cell receptor (TCR) expressed on the surface of T cells. Upon binding of the TCR to cognate peptide-MHC complexes presented on the surface of antigen presenting cells (APCs), a specialized supramolecular structure known as the immunological synapse (IS) assembles at the T cell-APC interface. Such a structure involves massive redistribution of membrane proteins, including TCR/pMHC complexes, modulatory receptor pairs, and adhesion molecules. Furthermore, assembly of the immunological synapse leads to intracellular events that modulate and define the magnitude and characteristics of the T cell response. Here, we discuss recent literature on the regulation and assembly of IS and the mechanisms evolved by tumors to modulate its function to escape T cell cytotoxicity, as well as novel strategies targeting the IS for therapy.

Mechanisms used by virulent Salmonella to impair dendritic cell function and evade adaptive immunity

Innate and adaptive immunity are inter-related by dendritic cells (DCs), which directly recognize bacteria through the binding of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) to specialized receptors on their surface. After capturing and degrading bacteria, DCs present their antigens as small peptides bound to MHC molecules and prime naive bacteria-specific T cells. In response to PAMP recognition DCs undergo maturation, which is a phenotypic change that increases their immunogenicity and promotes the activation of naive T cells. As a result, a specific immune response that targets bacteria-derived antigens is initiated. Therefore, the characterization of DC-bacteria interactions is important to understand the mechanisms used by virulent bacteria to avoid adaptive immunity. Furthermore, any impairment of DC function might contribute to bacterial survival and dissemination inside the host. An example of a bacterial pathogen capable of interfering with DC function is Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium). Virulent strains of this bacterium are able to differentially modulate the entrance to DCs, avoid lysosomal degradation and prevent antigen presentation on MHC molecules. These features of virulent S. Typhimurium are controlled by virulence proteins, which are encoded by pathogenicity islands. Modulation of DC functions by these gene products is supported by several studies showing that pathogenesis might depend on this attribute of virulent S. Typhimurium. Here we discuss some of the recent data reported by the literature showing that several virulence proteins from Salmonella are required to modulate DC function and the activation of host adaptive immunity.

Central role of dendritic cells in shaping the adaptive immune response during respiratory syncytial virus infection

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract disease in young children. Premature infants, immunocompromised individuals and the elderly exhibit the highest risk for the development of severe RSV-induced disease. Murine studies demonstrate that CD8 T cells mediate RSV clearance from the lungs. Murine studies also indicate that the host immune response contributes to RSV-induced morbidity as T-cell depletion prevents the development of disease despite sustained viral replication. Dendritic cells (DCs) play a central role in the induction of the RSV-specific adaptive immune response. Following RSV infection, lung-resident DCs acquire viral antigens, migrate to the lung-draining lymph nodes and initiate the T-cell response. This article focuses on data generated from both in vitro DC infection studies and RSV mouse models that together have advanced our understanding of how RSV infection modulates DC function and the subsequent impact on the adaptive immune response.

Modulation of the dendritic cell-T-cell synapse to promote pathogen immunity and prevent autoimmunity

The molecular interactions occurring at the interface between dendritic cells (DCs) and T cells play an important role in the immune surveillance against infectious agents, as well as in autoimmune pathogenesis. Therefore, regulation of this interaction arises as an important tool for the prevention and treatment of immune disorders and to improve the protection against pathogens without causing detrimental inflammation. Some of the molecular interactions defining the outcome of the DC-T cell interaction are: T-cell receptor (TCR) binding to the pMHC on the DC surface, which is responsible for the antigenic specificity; and the ratio of activating/inhibitory receptor pairs on the surface of DCs and T cells, which modulate DC immunogenicity and T-cell function, respectively. An alteration in the proper function of these molecules could lead to unbalanced DC-T-cell synapses that either cause a failure to control infections or exacerbated inflammation. Furthermore, some pathogens have developed molecular strategies to impair the function of the synapse to evade adaptive immunity. In this article, we will discuss recent work relative to the molecular mechanisms controlling DC-T-cell synapse and their implications on immunoregulation to control autoimmunity and potentiate pathogen immunity.

CaMKII targets Bcl10 in T-cell receptor induced activation of NF-κB

Recognition of antigen by T- or B-cell receptors leads to formation of an immunological synapse and initiation of signalling events that collaborate to determine the nature of the adaptive immune response. Activation of NF-κB transcription factors has a key role in regulation of numerous genes with important functions in immune responses and inflammation and is of great importance for lymphocyte activation and differentiation. The activation of NF-κB depends on changes in intracellular Ca(2+) levels, and both calmodulin (CaM) and a CaM-dependent kinase, CaMKII, help regulate NF-κB activation after T-cell receptor (TCR) stimulation, but the mechanisms are not well characterized. Here we have analyzed the functional role of CaMKII in the signalling pathway from the TCR to activation of IKK, the kinase that phosphorylates the NF-κB inhibitor IκB. We show that CaMKII is recruited to the immunological synapse where it interacts with and phosphorylates the signalling adaptor protein Bcl10. Furthermore, phosphorylation of the CARD domain of Bcl10 by CaMKII regulates the interactions within the important Carma1, Bcl10, Malt1 signalling complex and the essential signal induced ubiquitinations of Bcl10 and IKKγ. We propose a novel mechanism whereby Ca(2+) signals can be integrated at the immunological synapse through CaMKII-dependent phosphorylation of Bcl10.

Clustering of stimuli on single-walled carbon nanotube bundles enhances cellular activation

Functionalized single-walled carbon nanotube bundles (f-bSWNT) adsorbed with T-cell-stimulating antibodies are shown to enhance both the kinetics and magnitude of T cell stimulation compared to the same concentration of free antibodies in solution. This enhancement is unique to f-bSWNT compared to other artificial substrates with high surface area and similar chemistry. We explored the origins of this enhanced activity with FRET microscopy and found the preferential formation of large antibody stimuli clusters (5 to 6 microm) on the surface of functionalized versus untreated nanotubes. This highlights the important aspect that antigen clusters can be formed on f-bSWNT, impacting the potency of the T cell stimulus. Clustering of T cell antigens on artificial substrates impacts the avidity of interaction with cells facilitating rapid stimulation dynamics and an overall greater magnitude of response. These findings support the use of chemically treated nanotube bundles as an efficient substrate for the presentation of antigens and point to their potential in clinical applications involving artificial antigen-presentation for ex vivo T cell expansion in adoptive immunotherapy.

Salmonella pathogenicity island 1 differentially modulates bacterial entry to dendritic and non-phagocytic cells

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium can enter non-phagocytic cells, such as intestinal epithelial cells, by virtue of a Type Three Secretion System (TTSS) encoded in the Salmonella Pathogenicity Island 1 (SPI-1), which translocates bacterial effector molecules into the host cell. Salmonella can also be taken up by dendritic cells (DCs). Although the role of SPI-1 in non-phagocytic cell invasion is well established, its contribution to invasion of phagocytic cells has not been evaluated. Here, we have tested the invasive capacity of a S. Typhimurium strain lacking a key component of its TTSS-1 (DeltaInvC) leading to defective translocation of SPI-1-encoded effectors. Whereas this mutant Salmonella strain was impaired for invasion of non-phagocytic cells, it was taken up by DCs at a significantly higher rate than wild-type Salmonella. Similar to wild-type Salmonella, the DeltaInvC mutant strain retained the capacity to avoid antigen presentation to T cells. However, mice infected with the DeltaInvC mutant strain showed higher survival rate and reduced organ colonization. Our data suggest that, besides promoting phagocytosis by non-phagocytic cells, SPI-1 modulates the number of bacteria that enters DCs. The SPI-1 could be considered not only as an inducer of epithelial cell invasion but as a controller of DC entry.

Disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus is associated with an altered expression of low-affinity Fc gamma receptors and costimulatory molecules on dendritic cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal role in the interface between immunity and maintenance of peripheral tolerance. The capture of immunoglobulin G (IgG)-containing immune complexes (ICs) by low-affinity Fc gamma receptors (Fc gammaRs) expressed on DCs may influence the immunogenicity/tolerogenicity of these cells, depending on the activating/inhibitory potential of Fc gammaRs. Because of the key role that low-affinity Fc gammaRs play in determining the magnitude of the response in IC-driven inflammation, these receptors are likely to play a role in autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). To evaluate if an altered expression of costimulatory molecules and/or Fc gammaRs could account for disease severity, we evaluated the expression of these molecules on immature and mature DCs derived from peripheral blood monocytes of SLE patients and healthy donors. Our results show an increased expression of the costimulatory molecules CD40 and CD86. Furthermore, the ratio of CD86/CD80 is higher in SLE patients compared with healthy donors. Conversely, while the expression of activating Fc gammaRs was higher on DCs from SLE patients, expression of inhibitory Fc gammaRs was lower, compared with DCs obtained from healthy donors. As a result, the activating to inhibitory Fc gammaR ratio was significantly higher in DCs from SLE patients. The altered ratio of activating/inhibitory Fc gammaRs on mature DCs showed a significant correlation with the activity of SLE, as determined by the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score. We postulate that the increased ratio of activating/inhibitory Fc gammaRs expressed on DCs from SLE patients can contribute to the failure of peripheral tolerance in the IC-mediated phase of autoimmune pathogenesis.

T-cell antagonism by short half-life pMHC ligands can be mediated by an efficient trapping of T-cell polarization toward the APC

T-cell activation results from productive T-cell receptor (TCR) engagement by a cognate peptide-MHC (pMHC) complex on the antigen presenting cell (APC) surface, a process leading to the polarization of the T-cell secretory machinery toward the APC interface. We have previously shown that the half-life of the TCR/pMHC interaction and the density of pMHC on the APC are two parameters determining T-cell activation. However, whether the half-life of the TCR/pMHC interaction can modulate the efficiency of T-cell secretory machinery polarization toward an APC still remains unclear. Here, by using altered peptide ligands conferring different half-lives to the TCR/pMHC interaction, we have tested how this parameter can control T-cell polarization. We observed that only TCR/pMHC interactions with intermediate half-lives can promote the assembly of synapses that lead to T-cell activation. Strikingly, intermediate half-life interactions can be competed out by short half-life interactions, which can efficiently promote T-cell polarization and antagonize T-cell activation that was induced by activating intermediate half-life interactions. However, short TCR/pMHC interactions fail at promoting phosphorylation of signaling molecules at the T-cell-APC contact interface, which are needed for T-cell activation. Our data suggest that although intermediate half-life pMHC ligands promote assembly of activating synapses, this process can be inhibited by short half-life antagonistic pMHC ligands, which promote the assembly of non activating synapses.

Gap junctions at the dendritic cell-T cell interface are key elements for antigen-dependent T cell activation

The acquired immune response begins with Ag presentation by dendritic cells (DCs) to naive T cells in a heterocellular cell-cell contact-dependent process. Although both DCs and T cells are known to express connexin43, a gap junction protein subunit, the role of connexin43 on the initiation of T cell responses remains to be elucidated. In the present work, we report the formation of gap junctions between DCs and T cells and their role on T cell activation during Ag presentation by DCs. In cocultures of DCs and T cells, Lucifer yellow microinjected into DCs is transferred to adjacent transgenic CD4(+) T cells, only if the specific antigenic peptide was present at least during the first 24 h of cocultures. This dye transfer was sensitive to gap junction blockers, such as oleamide, and small peptides containing the extracellular loop sequences of conexin. Furthermore, in this system, gap junction blockers drastically reduced T cell activation as reflected by lower proliferation, CD69 expression, and IL-2 secretion. This lower T cell activation produced by gap junction blockers was not due to a lower expression of CD80, CD86, CD40, and MHC-II on DCs. Furthermore, gap junction blocker did not affect polyclonal activation of T cell induced with anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 Abs in the absence of DCs. These results strongly suggest that functional gap junctions assemble at the interface between DCs and T cells during Ag presentation and that they play an essential role in T cell activation.

Improved transfection of spleen-derived antigen-presenting cells in culture using TATp-liposomes

Antigen presenting cells (APC) are among the most important cells of the immune system since they link the innate and the adaptative immune responses, directing the type of immune response to be elicited. To modulate the immune response in immune preventing or treating therapies, gene delivery into immunocompetent cells could be used. However, APC are very resistant to transfection. To increase the efficiency of APC transfection, we have used liposome-based lipoplexes additionally modified with cell-penetrating TAT peptide (TATp) for better intracellular delivery of a model plasmid encoding for the enhanced-green fluorescent protein (pEGFP). pEGFP-bearing lipoplexes made of a mixture of PC:Chol:DOTAP (60:30:10 molar ratio) with the addition of 2% mol of polyethylene glycol-phosphatidylethanolamine (PEG-PE) conjugate (plain-L) or TATp-PEG-PE (TATp-L) were shown to effectively protect the incorporated DNA from degradation. Uptake assays of rhodamine-labeled lipoplexes and transfections with the EGFP reporter gene were performed with APC derived from the mouse spleen. TATp-L-based lipoplexes allowed for significantly enhanced both, the uptake and transfection in APC. Such a tool could be used for the APC transfection as a first step in immune therapy.

Multiplexed lipid dip-pen nanolithography on subcellular scales for the templating of functional proteins and cell culture

Molecular patterning processes taking place in biological systems are challenging to study in vivo because of their dynamic behavior, subcellular size, and high degree of complexity. In vitro patterning of biomolecules using nanolithography allows simplification of the processes and detailed study of the dynamic interactions. Parallel dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) is uniquely capable of integrating functional biomolecules on subcellular length scales due to its constructive nature, high resolution, and high throughput. Phospholipids are particularly well suited as inks for DPN since a variety of different functional lipids can be readily patterned in parallel. Here DPN is used to spatially pattern multicomponent micro- and nanostructured supported lipid membranes and multilayers that are fluid and contain various amounts of biotin and/or nitrilotriacetic acid functional groups. The patterns are characterized by fluorescence microscopy and photoemission electron microscopy. Selective adsorption of functionalized or recombinant proteins based on streptavidin or histidine-tag coupling enables the semisynthetic fabrication of model peripheral membrane bound proteins. The biomimetic membrane patterns formed in this way are then used as substrates for cell culture, as demonstrated by the selective adhesion and activation of T-cells.

Respiratory syncytial virus impairs T cell activation by preventing synapse assembly with dendritic cells

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is one of the leading causes of infant hospitalization and a major health and economic burden worldwide. Infection with this virus induces an exacerbated innate proinflammatory immune response characterized by abundant immune cell infiltration into the airways and lung tissue damage. RSV also impairs the induction of an adequate adaptive T cell immune response, which favors virus pathogenesis. Unfortunately, to date there are no efficient vaccines against this virus. Recent in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that RSV infection can prevent T cell activation, a phenomenon attributed in part to cytokines and chemokines secreted by RSV-infected cells. Efficient immunity against viruses is promoted by dendritic cells (DCs), professional antigen-presenting cells, that prime antigen-specific helper and cytotoxic T cells. Therefore, it would be to the advantage of RSV to impair DC function and prevent the induction of T cell immunity. Here, we show that, although RSV infection induces maturation of murine DCs, these cells are rendered unable to activate antigen-specific T cells. Inhibition of T cell activation by RSV was observed independently of the type of TCR ligand on the DC surface and applied to cognate-, allo-, and superantigen stimulation. As a result of exposure to RSV-infected DCs, T cells became unresponsive to subsequent TCR engagement. RSV-mediated impairment in T cell activation required DC-T cell contact and involved inhibition of immunological synapse assembly among these cells. Our data suggest that impairment of immunological synapse could contribute to RSV pathogenesis by evading adaptive immunity and reducing T cell-mediated virus clearance.

Clipping, shedding and RIPping keep immunity on cue

Exposure to infectious agents elicits defense mechanisms that necessitate a timely immune response. The immediate delivery of essential cues for immune activation is provided, in part, by proteolytic processing. A large repertoire of molecules orchestrates the activation, migration, and effector function of immune cells. The diversity of this repertoire matches well with the broad array of substrates that can be cleaved by proteinases, and many of these substrates are proving to be essential for proper immune-cell function. Here, we discuss how two specific classes of metal-dependent proteinases, the matrix metalloproteinases and the disintegrin metalloproteinases, have consequences well beyond classical cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions and motility, and we review their roles in immune-cell maturation, clonal expansion, and cytotoxic functions.

T cell immunity evasion by virulent Salmonella enterica

Salmonella enterica are Gram-negative bacteria that cause systemic disease in their specific hosts. One of the recently appreciated features of Salmonella pathogenicity is the capacity of the bacteria to impair host adaptive immunity by interfering with DC function and T cell activation. It is likely that this feature of virulent Salmonella is needed to promote systemic dissemination in the host. Recent studies have suggested explanations for some of the molecular mechanisms developed by virulent Salmonella to impair DC and T cell function. Several of these mechanisms require the expression of virulence genes encoded within Salmonella pathogenicity islands. Targeted deletion of these genes diminishes Salmonella pathogenicity and leads to efficient activation of T cells by Salmonella-infected DCs. In this review, recent data that support the subversion of DC function by Salmonella as a means to evade host adaptive immunity and cause systemic infection are discussed. These new findings suggest a new pathogenesis model with DCs as key targets for Salmonella virulence factors.