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Wang Z, Wei H, Li Y, Chen W, Lin Z, Lai Y, Ding L, Zhang L, Zeng H. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes effectively ameliorate the outcomes of rats with acute graft-versus-host disease. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23751. [PMID: 38923701 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202302590rrrrr] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) reveal multifaceted immunoregulatory properties, which can be applied for diverse refractory and recurrent disease treatment including acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD). Distinguishing from MSCs with considerable challenges before clinical application, MSCs-derived exosomes (MSC-Exos) are cell-free microvesicles with therapeutic ingredients and serve as advantageous alternatives for ameliorating the outcomes of aGVHD. MSC-Exos were enriched and identified by western blotting analysis, NanoSight, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Bone marrow-derived MSCs (denoted as MSCs) and exosomes (denoted as MSC-Exos) were infused into the aGVHD SD-Wister rat model via tail vein, and variations in general growth and survival of rats were observed. The level of inflammatory factors in serum was quantized by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The pathological conditions of the liver and intestine of rats were observed by frozen sectioning. The ratios of CD4+/CD8+ and Treg cell proportions in peripheral blood, together with the autophagy in the spleen and thymus, were analyzed by flow cytometry. After treatment with MSC-Exos, the survival time of aGVHD rats was prolonged, the clinical manifestations of aGVHD in rats were improved, whereas the pathological damage of aGVHD in the liver and intestine was reduced. According to ELISA, we found that MSC-Exos revealed ameliorative effect upon aGVHD inflammation (e.g., TNF-α, IL-2, INF-γ, IL-4, and TGF-β) compared to the MSC group. After MSC-Exo treatment, the ratio of Treg cells in peripheral blood was increased, whereas the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ in peripheral blood and the autophagy in the spleen and thymus was decreased. MSC-Exos effectively suppressed the activation of immune cells and the manifestation of the inflammatory response in the aGVHD rat model. Our data would supply new references for MSC-Exo-based "cell-free" biotherapy for aGVHD in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihong Wang
- Department of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hong Wei
- Department of Cadres Health, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yunfei Li
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Weimin Chen
- Department of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhifeng Lin
- Department of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yiting Lai
- Department of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lingling Ding
- Department of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Leisheng Zhang
- National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Gastrointestinal Tumor, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Huake Zeng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
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Harris R, Karimi M. Dissecting the regulatory network of transcription factors in T cell phenotype/functioning during GVHD and GVT. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1194984. [PMID: 37441063 PMCID: PMC10333690 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1194984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription factors play a major role in regulation and orchestration of immune responses. The immunological context of the response can alter the regulatory networks required for proper functioning. While these networks have been well-studied in canonical immune contexts like infection, the transcription factor landscape during alloactivation remains unclear. This review addresses how transcription factors contribute to the functioning of mature alloactivated T cells. This review will also examine how these factors form a regulatory network to control alloresponses, with a focus specifically on those factors expressed by and controlling activity of T cells of the various subsets involved in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and graft-versus-tumor (GVT) responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Harris
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Mobin Karimi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
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Matos C, Mamilos A, Shah PN, Meedt E, Weber D, Ghimire S, Hiergeist A, Gessner A, Dickinson A, Dressel R, Walter L, Stark K, Heid IM, Poeck H, Edinger M, Wolff D, Herr W, Holler E, Kreutz M, Ghimire S. Downregulation of the vitamin D receptor expression during acute gastrointestinal graft versus host disease is associated with poor outcome after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1028850. [PMID: 36341397 PMCID: PMC9632171 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1028850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is critical in regulating intestinal homeostasis and emerging evidence demonstrates that VDR deficiency is a critical factor in inflammatory bowel disease pathology. However, no clinical data exist regarding the intestinal expression of VDR in patients after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Analyzing intestinal biopsies from 90 patients undergoing HSCT with mortality follow-up, we demonstrated that patients with severe acute gastrointestinal graft versus host disease (GI-GvHD) showed significant downregulation of VDR gene expression compared to mild or no acute GI-GvHD patients (p = 0.007). Reduced VDR expression was already detectable at acute GI-GvHD onset compared to GvHD-free patients (p = 0.01). These results were confirmed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) where patients with severe acute GI-GvHD showed fewer VDR+ cells (p = 0.03) and a reduced VDR staining score (p = 0.02) as compared to mild or no acute GI-GvHD patients. Accordingly, low VDR gene expression was associated with a higher cumulative incidence of treatment-related mortality (TRM) (p = 1.6x10-6) but not with relapse-related mortality (RRM). A multivariate Cox regression analysis identified low VDR as an independent risk factor for TRM (p = 0.001, hazard ratio 4.14, 95% CI 1.78-9.63). Furthermore, VDR gene expression significantly correlated with anti-microbial peptides (AMPs) gene expression (DEFA5: r = 0.637, p = 7x10-5, DEFA6: r 0 0.546, p = 0.001). In conclusion, our findings suggest an essential role of the VDR in the pathogenesis of gut GvHD and the prognosis of patients undergoing HSCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Matos
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Mamilos
- Department of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Pranali N. Shah
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Meedt
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Daniela Weber
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Saroj Ghimire
- Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel, Nepal
| | - Andreas Hiergeist
- Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - André Gessner
- Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Anne Dickinson
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Ralf Dressel
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lutz Walter
- Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Klaus Stark
- Department for Genetic Epidemiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Iris M. Heid
- Department for Genetic Epidemiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Hendrik Poeck
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), Regensburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Edinger
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), Regensburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Wolff
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Herr
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ernst Holler
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Marina Kreutz
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sakhila Ghimire
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Sakhila Ghimire,
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Sudworth A, Segers FM, Yilmaz B, Guslund NC, Macpherson AJ, Dissen E, Qiao SW, Inngjerdingen M. Innate lymphoid cell characterization in the rat and their correlation to gut commensal microbes. Eur J Immunol 2022; 52:717-729. [PMID: 35099074 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202149639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are important for tissue immune homeostasis, and are thoroughly characterized in mice and humans. Here, we have performed in-depth characterization of rat ILCs. Rat ILCs were identified based on differential expression of transcription factors and lack of lineage markers. ILC3s represented the major ILC population of the small intestine, while ILC2s were infrequent but most prominent in liver. Two major subsets of group 1 ILCs were defined. Lineage- T-bet+ Eomes+ cells were identified as conventional NK cells, while lineage- T-bet+ Eomes- cells were identified as the probable rat counterpart of ILC1s based on their selective expression of the ILC marker CD200R. Rat ILC1s were particularly abundant in liver and intestinal tissues, and were functionally similar to NK cells. Single cell transcriptomics of spleen and liver cells confirmed the main division of NK cells and ILC1-like cells, and demonstrated Granzyme A as additional ILC1 marker. We further report differential distributions of NK cells and ILCs along the small and large intestines, and the association of certain bacterial taxa to frequencies of ILCs. In conclusion, we provide a framework for future studies of ILCs in diverse rat experimental models, and novel data on the potential interplay between commensals and intestinal ILCs. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Sudworth
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Filip M Segers
- Department of Pharmacology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bahtiyar Yilmaz
- Department for Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Naomi C Guslund
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Andrew J Macpherson
- Department for Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Erik Dissen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Shuo-Wang Qiao
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marit Inngjerdingen
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Pharmacology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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Mature naive B cells regulate the outcome of murine acute graft-versus-host disease in an IL-10 independent manner. Transplant Cell Ther 2022; 28:181.e1-181.e9. [PMID: 35032717 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtct.2022.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is the main complication of bone marrow transplantation (BMT). T CD4+ lymphocytes are the main effector cells for disease development but other cell types can determine disease outcome through cytokine production and antigen presentation. B cells are abundant in BMT products and are involved in chronic GVHD immunopathogenesis. However, their role in acute GVHD is still unclear. Here, we studied the role of donor resting B cells in a model of acute GVHD. Animals receiving transplants depleted of B cells presented a more severe disease, indicating a protective role for B cells. Mice transplanted with IL-10 KO B cells developed GVHD as severe as those receiving WT B cells. Besides that, mice transplanted with MHC II deficient B cells and as so, unable to present antigen to CD4+ T cells, developed as severe GVHD as animals transplanted without B cells. This result suggests that protection provided by mature naive B cells depends on antigen presentation and not IL-10 production by B cells. In the absence of donor B cells, transplanted mice exhibited disorganized lymphoid splenic tissue. Additionally, donor B cell depletion diminished the follicular T (Tfh)/T effector (Teff) ratio suggesting that protection was correlated with a shift to Tfh differentiation, reducing the number of effector T cells. Importantly, the Tfh/Teff shift impacts disease outcome since observed proinflammatory cytokine levels and tissue damage in target organs were consistent with disease protection. The role of transplanted B cells in the outcome of BMT and the development of acute GVHD should be carefully studied, since these cells are abundant in BMT products and are potent modulator and effector cells in allogeneic response. Extended Abstract Background: B cells are widely known for their ability to produce antibodies. In addition, B cells can act efficiently as antigen-presenting cells, implying the mutual regulation of both T and B lymphocyte subsets. T cell help for B cells has been known for more than 50 years; however, B cell help for T cells, especially regarding the modulation of follicular and regulatory phenotypes, had only lately been explored. Here, we studied the role of resting B cells in a model of systemic inflammatory disease mediated by T cells, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which is the main complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Objetive: The objective of this paper is to investigate the role of donor B cells in acute Graft-versus-Host Disease. STUDY DESIGN To investigate the role of donor B cells in aGVHD, we used a full MHC-mismatched bone marrow transplantation model. We infused C57BL/6 BM cells along with splenocytes depleted or not of B220+ cells into lethally irradiated BALB/c mice. We also used B cells from IL-10 KO mice to investigate the role of IL-10 produced by donor B cells and B cells from mice which cannot express MHC-II (CIITA KO) to investigate the role of cognate interaction between donor B and T cells. RESULTS Animals receiving transplants depleted of B cells presented a more severe disease, showing the existence of B cell-dependent protection. This protection was dependent on the T cell-B cell cognate interaction but not on IL-10 or Treg induction. In the absence of donor B cells, transplanted mice exhibited fewer GCs and a lower follicular T (Tfh)/T effector (Teff) ratio than mice transplanted in the presence of B cells. Protection was correlated with a shift to Tfh differentiation, reducing the number of effector cells. Importantly, the Tfh/Teff shift impacts disease outcome with less T cell-mediated disease due to more B cell-dependent Tfh generation with fewer effector T cells and lower proinflammatory cytokine levels detected in target organs. CONCLUSION We show that B-cell depleted bone marrow transplantation leads to a more severe disease, with earlier mortality related to increased organ damage. Such differences depend on cognate interactions between T cells and B cells, are IL-10 independent and are related to a shift in the differentiation of lymphocytes from the follicular helper phenotype to the effector phenotype. Therefore, Teffs, which are circulating cells, become relatively more numerous and can reach and damage the target tissues. These results point to caution in the early posttransplantation elimination of donor B cells. It is not a matter of eliminating only antibody-forming cells or cells that mediate Tfh generation but of B cells, which interact and modulate T cell activity, impacting a disease that is not antibody mediated.
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Zhou Y, Cao L, Guo H, Hong Y, Wang M, Wang K, Huang X, Chang Y. Th2 polarization in target organs is involved in the alleviation of pathological damage mediated by transplanting granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-primed donor T cells. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2020; 64:1087-1096. [PMID: 32880861 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-020-1754-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is caused by allo-activated donor T cells infiltrating target organs. As a regulator of immune function, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been demonstrated to relieve the aGVHD reaction. However, the role of G-CSF-primed donor T cells in specific target organs is still unknown. In this study, we employed a classical MHC-mismatched transplantation mouse model (C57BL/6 into BALB/c) and found that recipient mice transplanted with G-CSF-primed T cells exhibited prolonged survival compared with that of the PBS-treated group. This protective function against GVHD mediated by G-CSF-primed donor T cells was further confirmed by decreased clinical and pathological scores in this aGVHD mouse model, especially in the lung and gut. Moreover, we found that T cells polarized towards Th2 cells and regulatory T cells were increased in specific target organs. In addition, G-CSF treatment inhibited inducible co-stimulator (ICOS) expression and increased the expression of tolerance-related genes in recipient mice. Our study provides new insight into the immune regulatory effects of G-CSF on T cell-mediated aGVHD, especially for its precise regulation in GVHD target organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhou
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of HSCT, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Leqing Cao
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of HSCT, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Huidong Guo
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of HSCT, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Yan Hong
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of HSCT, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Ming Wang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of HSCT, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Ke Wang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of HSCT, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Xiaojun Huang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of HSCT, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China. .,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China.
| | - Yingjun Chang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of HSCT, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China.
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Dendritic Cells Transfected with MHC Antigenic Determinants of CBA Mice Induce Antigen-Specific Tolerance in C57Bl/6 Mice. J Immunol Res 2020; 2020:9686143. [PMID: 32953894 PMCID: PMC7487104 DOI: 10.1155/2020/9686143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Nonspecific immunosuppressive therapy for graft rejection and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is often accompanied by severe side effects such as opportunistic infections and cancers. Several approaches have been developed to suppress transplantation reactions using tolerogenic cells, including induction of FoxP3+ Tregs with antigen-loaded dendritic cells (DCs) and induction of CD4+IL-10+ cells with interleukin IL-10-producing DCs. Here, we assessed the effectiveness of both approaches in the suppression of graft rejection and GVHD. Methods IL-10-producing DCs were generated by the transfection of DCs with DNA constructs encoding mouse IL-10. Antigen-loaded DCs from C57BL/6 mice were generated by transfection with DNA constructs encoding antigenic determinants from the H2 locus of CBA mice which differ from the homologous antigenic determinants of C57BL/6 mice. Results We found that both IL-10-producing DCs and antigen-loaded immature DCs could suppress graft rejection and GVHD but through distinct nonspecific and antigen-specific mechanisms, respectively. Discussion. We provide data that the novel approach for DCs antigen loading using DNA constructs encoding distinct homologous determinants derived from major histocompatibility complex genes is effective in antigen-specific suppression of transplantation reactions. Such an approach eliminates the necessity of donor material use and may be useful in immunosuppressive therapy side effects prevention.
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8
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Sennett R, Jama BM, Hinds B, Tzachanis D, Morris GP, Marsch AF. Local immune cell infiltration in cutaneous acute graft versus host disease. Int J Womens Dermatol 2020; 6:311-317. [PMID: 33015293 PMCID: PMC7522857 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijwd.2020.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hematopoietic stem cell transplant is a crucial intervention to definitively treat many hematopoietic malignancies, but it carries great risks of morbidity and mortality often associated with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Acute and chronic GVHD are distinct entities, defined by a combination of historical, clinical, and pathologic data, but both are generally thought to stem from self-propagating aberrantly activated immune cells inflicting end organ damage, with the potential to cause significant illness or even death. Event-free survival rates after hematopoietic stem cell transplant continue to improve each year, but GVHD remains a major hurdle in improving the efficacy and safety of transplant. Objective Recent studies demonstrating tissue-specific immune effector phenotypes underscore the need for a deeper understanding of the cellular and molecular pathways driving the destruction of target tissues in patients with acute GVHD. Methods Samples were collected from lesional and unaffected skin in five patients with acute cutaneous GHVD. Fresh tissue was processed for fluorescence-activated cell sorting and analysis of macrophages and lymphocytes. Results The percentage of lymphocytes and macrophages as a representation of total cells varied among patients and was not always consistent between lesional and unaffected sites. The heterogeneity in immune cell profiling observed in patients in this study could reflect the diverse demographics, conditioning, and transplant conditions of each individual. Conclusion This study provides initial insight into the underlying molecular mechanisms of cutaneous GVHD progression and paves the way for additional studies to examine the cellular and molecular landscape in greater detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Sennett
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Burhan M Jama
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Brian Hinds
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Dimitrios Tzachanis
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Gerald P Morris
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Amanda F Marsch
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States
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Li H, Kaiser TK, Borschiwer M, Bohnenberger H, Reichardt SD, Lühder F, Walter L, Dressel R, Meijsing SH, Reichardt HM. Glucocorticoid resistance of allogeneic T cells alters the gene expression profile in the inflamed small intestine of mice suffering from acute graft-versus-host disease. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 195:105485. [PMID: 31561002 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2019.105485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GCs) play an important role in controlling acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD), a frequent complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The anti-inflammatory activity of GCs is mainly ascribed to the modulation of T cells and macrophages, for which reason a genetically induced GC resistance of either of these cell types causes aggravated aGvHD. Since only a few genes are currently known that are differentially regulated under these conditions, we analyzed the expression of 54 candidate genes in the inflamed small intestine of mice suffering from aGvHD when either allogeneic T cells or host myeloid cells were GC resistant using a microfluidic dynamic array platform for high-throughput quantitative PCR. The majority of genes categorized as cytokines (e.g. Il2, Il6), chemokines (e.g. Ccl2, Cxcl1), cell surface receptors (e.g. Fasl, Ctla4) and intracellular molecules (e.g. Dusp1, Arg1) were upregulated in mice transplanted with GC resistant allogeneic T cells. Moreover, the expression of several genes linked to energy metabolism (e.g. Glut1) was altered. Surprisingly, mice harboring GC resistant myeloid cells showed almost no changes in gene expression despite their fatal disease course after aGvHD induction. To identify additional genes in the inflamed small intestine that were affected by a GC resistance of allogeneic T cells, we performed an RNAseq analysis, which uncovered more than 500 differentially expressed transcripts (e.g. Cxcr6, Glut3, Otc, Aoc1, Il1r1, Sphk1) that were enriched for biological processes associated with inflammation and tissue disassembly. The changes in gene expression could be confirmed during full-blown disease but hardly any of them in the preclinical phase using high-throughput quantitative PCR. Further analysis of some of these genes revealed a highly selective expression pattern in T cells, intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages, which correlated with their regulation during disease progression. Collectively, we identified an altered gene expression profile caused by GC resistance of transplanted allogeneic T cells, which could help to define new targets for aGvHD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hu Li
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Humboldtallee 34, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tina K Kaiser
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Humboldtallee 34, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marina Borschiwer
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestraße 63, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Hanibal Bohnenberger
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Pathology, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sybille D Reichardt
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Humboldtallee 34, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Fred Lühder
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research, von-Siebold-Straße 3a, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lutz Walter
- German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Primate Genetics Laboratory, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ralf Dressel
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Humboldtallee 34, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Holger M Reichardt
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Humboldtallee 34, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
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