Tissue-specific activation of Myd88-dependent pathways governs disease severity in primary Sjögren's syndrome

Tlr7 drives sex- and tissue-dependent effects in Sjögren's disease

Primary Sjögren's disease (pSD) is a systemic autoimmune disease that has the strongest female predilection of all autoimmune diseases. The underlying mechanisms that govern this sexual dimorphism, however, remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that pSD females would exhibit more robust disease as compared to males, and that Tlr7 controls distinct disease manifestations in males and females. Using a well-established pSD mouse model, we harvested exocrine glands, and pulmonary and renal tissue from males and females and quantified the inflammation present. We then collected salivary glands, spleens, and cervical lymph nodes and performed flow cytometry to assess immune populations implicated in disease. We also harvested sera to examine total and autoreactive antibodies. Our data revealed that pSD mice displayed sex-biased disease, as pSD females showed decreased dacryoadenitis, but increased nephritis as compared to males. Moreover, females exhibited increased proportions of germinal center B cells and CD4+ activated/memory T cells in the periphery. Additionally, salivary gland immune populations were altered in a sex-dependent manner in pSD. Females with pSD also displayed elevated total and autoreactive IgG as compared to males. Additionally, splenic B cell Tlr7 expression was increased in females. We next generated pSD mice that lacked Tlr7 systemically and found that ablation of Tlr7 was primarily protective in pSD females, while Tlr7-deficient pSD males showed heightened disease. Thus, pSD mice display sex-biased disease and these dichotomous manifestations are governed by Tlr7 activation. This study identifies Tlr7 as a druggable target for pSD, and highlights the importance of studying pSD disease mechanisms in both sexes.

TLR7 activation of age-associated B cells mediates disease in a mouse model of primary Sjögren's disease

Primary Sjögren's disease (pSD) (also referred to as Sjögren's syndrome) is an autoimmune disease that primarily occurs in women. In addition to exocrine gland dysfunction, pSD patients exhibit B cell hyperactivity. B cell-intrinsic TLR7 activation is integral to the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus, a disease that shares similarities with pSD. The role of TLR7-mediated B cell activation in pSD, however, remains poorly understood. We hypothesized that age-associated B cells (ABCs) were expanded in pSD and that TLR7-stimulated ABCs exhibited pathogenic features characteristic of disease. Our data revealed that ABC expansion and TLR7 expression were enhanced in a pSD mouse model in a Myd88-dependent manner. Splenocytes from pSD mice showed enhanced sensitivity to TLR7 agonism as compared with those derived from control animals. Sort-purified marginal zone B cells and ABCs from pSD mice showed enhanced inflammatory cytokine secretion and were enriched for antinuclear autoantibodies following TLR7 agonism. Finally, IgG from pSD patient sera showed elevated antinuclear autoantibodies, many of which were secreted preferentially by TLR7-stimulated murine marginal zone B cells and ABCs. These data indicate that pSD B cells are hyperresponsive to TLR7 agonism and that TLR7-activated B cells contribute to pSD through cytokine and autoantibody production. Thus, therapeutics that target TLR7 signaling cascades in B cells may have utility in pSD patients.

TLR7 agonism accelerates disease in a mouse model of primary Sjögren's syndrome and drives expansion of T-bet+ B cells

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of exocrine tissue, resulting in loss of tears and saliva. Patients also experience many extra-glandular disease manifestations. Treatment for pSS is palliative, and there are currently no treatments available that target disease etiology. Previous studies in our lab demonstrated that MyD88 is crucial for pSS pathogenesis in the NOD.B10Sn-H2^b (NOD.B10) pSS mouse model, although the way in which MyD88-dependent pathways become activated in disease remains unknown. Based on its importance in other autoimmune diseases, we hypothesized that TLR7 activation accelerates pSS pathogenesis. We administered the TLR7 agonist Imiquimod (Imq) or sham treatment to pre-disease NOD.B10 females for 6 weeks. Parallel experiments were performed in age and sex-matched C57BL/10 controls. Imq-treated pSS animals exhibited cervical lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, and expansion of TLR7-expressing B cells. Robust lymphocytic infiltration of exocrine tissues, kidney and lung was observed in pSS mice following treatment with Imq. TLR7 agonism also induced salivary hypofunction in pSS mice, which is a hallmark of disease. Anti-nuclear autoantibodies, including Ro (SSA) and La (SSB) were increased in pSS mice following Imq administration. Cervical lymph nodes from Imq-treated NOD.B10 animals demonstrated an increase in the percentage of activated/memory CD4+ T cells. Finally, T-bet⁺ B cells were expanded in the spleens of Imq-treated pSS mice. Thus, activation of TLR7 accelerates local and systemic disease and promotes expansion of T-bet-expressing B cells in pSS.

The m6A methylation profiles of immune cells in type 1 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is caused by immune cell-mediated β-cell dysfunction. In recent decades, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) has attracted widespread attention in the scientific research field because it plays vital roles in the pathogenesis of immunity-related diseases, including autoimmune diseases. However, neither the m6A modification profile nor the potential role it plays in T1DM pathogenesis has been investigated to date.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An m6A mRNA epitranscriptomic microarray analysis was performed to analyze m6A regulator expression patterns and m6A methylation patterns in immune cells of T1DM patients (n=6) and healthy individuals (n=6). A bioinformatics analysis was subsequently performed to explore the potential biological functions and signaling pathways underlying T1DM pathogenesis. Furthermore, mRNA expression and m6A methylation levels were subsequently verified by qRT-PCR and methylated RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (MeRIP-qPCR), respectively, in the T1DM and healthy groups (n=6 per group).

RESULTS

Among the multiple m6A regulators, METTL3 and IGF2BP2 had significantly downregulated expression, and YTHDC1 and HNRNPA2B1 had significantly upregulated expression in the T1DM group relative to the healthy group. The microarray analysis revealed 4247 differentially methylated transcripts, including 932 hypermethylated and 3315 hypomethylated transcripts, and 4264 differentially expressed transcripts, including 1818 upregulated transcripts and 2446 downregulated transcripts in the T1DM group relative to the healthy group. An association analysis between methylation and gene expression demonstrated that the expression of 590 hypermethylated transcripts was upregulated, and that of 1890 hypomethylated transcripts was downregulated. Pearson correlation analysis showed significant correlations between the expression levels of differentially expressed m6A regulators and the methylation levels of differentially methylated transcripts and significant correlations between the expression levels of differentially expressed m6A regulators and that of differentially expressed transcripts. Moreover, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses demonstrated that differentially methylated transcripts were involved in pathways related to immunity, including some closely associated with T1DM.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study presents m6A regulator expression patterns and m6A methylation patterns of immune cells in T1DM, showing that the m6A mark and m6A regulators are promising targets for T1DM diagnosis and treatment.

Acteoside promotes B cell-derived IL-10 production and ameliorates autoimmunity

IL-10-producing regulatory B (Breg) cells are well recognized for maintaining immune tolerance. The impaired Breg cell function with decreased IL-10-producing capacity has been found in autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS). However, seldom therapeutic agents targeting Breg cells are available to treat those autoimmune diseases. Here, we showed that acteoside (AC), a caffeoyl phenylethanoid glycoside from a medicinal herb Radix Rehmanniae, could promote IL-10 production from both human and murine B cells via critically regulating the TLR4/PI3K axis. Moreover, TLR4 was found increased in Breg cells from mice with experimental SS (ESS), a mouse model that recapitulates human pSS. Thus, B cells from the ESS mice were susceptible to AC treatment, showing higher IL-10-producing capacity than those from naïve controls. In addition, AC treatment also promoted the production of IL-10 from TLR4⁺ CXCR4⁺ plasma cells of ESS mice. Notably, we found that AC was able to enter lymphoid organs upon oral administration. AC treatment effectively increased IL-10⁺ B cells in ESS mice and ameliorated disease pathology accompanied by reduced T effector cells, including Th17 and T follicular helper cells in the ESS mice. In conclusion, AC could promote Breg cell function and attenuate ESS pathology in vivo, which may be a promising drug candidate for treating pSS and other autoimmune diseases.

Identification, functional characterization and expression pattern of myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) in Nibea albiflora

Myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), composed of an N-terminal death domain and a C-terminal Toll/interleukin (IL)-IR homology domain, is a key connector protein in the TLR signal transduction pathway. In this study a novel isoform of MyD88 in Nibea albiflora (named as NaMyD88) was identified and functionally characterized (GenBank accession no. MN384261.1). Its complete cDNA sequence was 1672 bp and contained an open reading frame of 879 bp encoding 292 amino acid residues, which was similar to its teleost fish counterparts in the length. The theoretical molecular mass was 33.63 kDa and the isoelectric point was 5.24. BLASTp analysis suggested that the deduced amino acids sequence of NaMyD88 shared high identity to the known MyD88, for instance, 94.77% identity with Collichthys lucidus. Sequence analysis showed that NaMyD88 protein was consistent with MyD88 protein of other species at three conserved domains, N-terminal DD, short middle domain and C-terminal TIR, and the TIR domain contained three highly conserved motifs: Box1, Box2, and Box3. NaMyD88 and red fluorescent protein (Dsred) were fused and expressed in the cytoplasm of the epithelioma papulosum cyprini (EPC cells). The NaTLR9-TIR-EGFP fusion protein, which was obtained in our previous studies, showed green fluorescence and mainly distributed in the cytoplasm. After co-transfection, NaMyD88-Dsred and NaTLR9-TIR-EGFP obviously overlapped and displayed orange-yellow color. The results showed that the homologous MyD88-Dsred could interact with NaTLR9-TIR-EGFP. Based on this result pcMV-NaMyD88-TIR-Myc plasmids and the pcDNA3.1-NaTLR9-TIR-flag were constructed and co-transfected into 293T cells for the immunoprecipitation test. According to Western blot, the protein eluted by Flag-beads could be detected by anti-Flag-tag antibody and anti-Myc tag antibody respectively, while the protein without NaTLR9-TIR could not be found, which further proved that TLR and MyD88 could interact each other. The prokaryotic plasmid of MyD88-TIR domain was constructed, expressed in BL21 (DE3) and purified by Ni-NAT super flow resin conforming to the expected molecular weight of 27 kDa with the corresponding active sites for its conferring protein-protein interaction functions. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR showed that NaMyD88 could be expressed in intestine, stomach, liver, kidney, gill, heart and spleen, with the highest in the kidney, and it was up-regulated after being infected with Polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid - Poly (I:C) and Pseudomonas plecoglossicida, which showed that NaMyD88 was involved in the immune response of N.albiflora. These data afforded a basis for understanding the role of NaMyD88 in the TLR signaling pathway of N.albiflora.

Transcriptomic and Single-Cell Analysis Reveals Regulatory Networks and Cellular Heterogeneity in Mouse Primary Sjögren's Syndrome Salivary Glands

Sjögren’s Syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology which primarily affects the salivary and lacrimal glands resulting in the loss of secretory function. Treatment options for SS have been hampered due to the lack of a better understanding of the underlying gene regulatory circuitry and the interplay between the myriad pathological cellular states that contribute to salivary gland dysfunction. To better elucidate the molecular nature of SS, we have performed RNA-sequencing analysis of the submandibular glands (SMG) of a well-established primary Sjögren’s Syndrome (pSS) mouse model. Our comprehensive examination of global gene expression and comparative analyses with additional SS mouse models and human datasets, have identified a number of important pathways and regulatory networks that are relevant in SS pathobiology. To complement these studies, we have performed single-cell RNA sequencing to examine and identify the molecular and cellular heterogeneity of the diseased cell populations of the mouse SMG. Interrogation of the single-cell transcriptomes has shed light on the diversity of immune cells that are dysregulated in SS and importantly, revealed an activated state of the salivary gland epithelial cells that contribute to the global immune mediated responses. Overall, our broad studies have not only revealed key pathways, mediators and new biomarkers, but have also uncovered the complex nature of the cellular populations in the SMG that are likely to drive the progression of SS. These newly discovered insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms and cellular states of SS will better inform targeted therapeutic discoveries.

Immune-Intrinsic Myd88 Directs the Production of Antibodies With Specificity for Extracellular Matrix Components in Primary Sjögren's Syndrome

Primary Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease that is predominantly seen in women. The disease is characterized by exocrine gland dysfunction in combination with serious systemic manifestations. At present, the causes of pSS are poorly understood. Pulmonary and renal inflammation are observed in pSS mice, reminiscent of a subset of pSS patients. A growing body of evidence indicates that inflammation mediated by Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs) contributes to autoimmunity, although this is not well-studied in pSS. Degraded extracellular matrix (ECM) constituents can serve as DAMPs by binding pattern-recognition receptors and activating Myd88-dependent signaling cascades, thereby exacerbating and perpetuating inflammatory cascades. The ECM components biglycan (Bgn) and decorin (Dcn) mediate sterile inflammation and both are implicated in autoimmunity. The objective of this study was to determine whether these ECM components and anti-ECM antibodies are altered in a pSS mouse model, and whether this is dependent on Myd88 activation in immune cells. Circulating levels of Bgn and Dcn were similar among pSS mice and controls and tissue expression studies revealed pSS mice had robust expression of both Bgn and Dcn in the salivary tissue, saliva, lung and kidney. Sera from pSS mice displayed increased levels of autoantibodies directed against ECM components when compared to healthy controls. Further studies using sera derived from conditional knockout pSS mice demonstrated that generation of these autoantibodies relies, at least in part, on Myd88 expression in the hematopoietic compartment. Thus, this study demonstrates that ECM degradation may represent a novel source of chronic B cell activation in the context of pSS.