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Anderson G, Cosway EJ, James KD, Ohigashi I, Takahama Y. Generation and repair of thymic epithelial cells. J Exp Med 2024; 221:e20230894. [PMID: 38980292 PMCID: PMC11232892 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20230894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
In the vertebrate immune system, thymus stromal microenvironments support the generation of αβT cells from immature thymocytes. Thymic epithelial cells are of particular importance, and the generation of cortical and medullary epithelial lineages from progenitor stages controls the initiation and maintenance of thymus function. Here, we discuss the developmental pathways that regulate thymic epithelial cell diversity during both the embryonic and postnatal periods. We also examine how thymus microenvironments respond to injury, with particular focus on mechanisms that ensure regeneration of thymic epithelial cells for the restoration of thymus function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham Anderson
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham , Birmingham, UK
| | - Emilie J Cosway
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham , Birmingham, UK
| | - Kieran D James
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham , Birmingham, UK
| | - Izumi Ohigashi
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Yousuke Takahama
- Thymus Biology Section, Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, MD, USA
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2
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Voss K, Bartkowiak T, Sewell AE, Chi C, Landis MD, Schaefer S, Pua HH, Connelly JA, Irish JM, Rathmell JC, Kaviany S. Peripheral T Cell Development and Immunophenotyping of Twins with Heterozygous FOXN1 Mutations. Immunohorizons 2024; 8:492-499. [PMID: 39008056 PMCID: PMC11294276 DOI: 10.4049/immunohorizons.2400006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor FOXN1 plays an established role in thymic epithelial development to mediate selection of maturing thymocytes. Patients with heterozygous loss-of-function FOXN1 variants are associated with T cell lymphopenia at birth and low TCR excision circles that can ultimately recover. Although CD4+ T cell reconstitution in these patients is not completely understood, a lower proportion of naive T cells in adults has suggested a role for homeostatic proliferation. In this study, we present an immunophenotyping study of fraternal twins with low TCR excision circles at birth. Targeted primary immunodeficiency testing revealed a heterozygous variant of uncertain significance in FOXN1 (c.1205del, p.Pro402Leufs*148). We present the immune phenotypes of these two patients, as well as their father who carries the same FOXN1 variant, to demonstrate an evolving immune environment over time. While FOXN1 haploinsufficiency may contribute to thymic defects and T cell lymphopenia, we characterized the transcriptional activity and DNA binding of the heterozygous FOXN1 variant in 293T cells and found the FOXN1 variant to have different effects across several target genes. These data suggest multiple mechanisms for similar FOXN1 variants pathogenicity that may be mutation specific. Increased understanding of how these variants drive transcriptional regulation to impact immune cell populations will guide the potential need for therapeutics, risk for infection or autoimmunity over time, and help inform clinical decisions for other variants that might arise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey Voss
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Todd Bartkowiak
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - Allison E. Sewell
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Channing Chi
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Madelyn D. Landis
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Samuel Schaefer
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Heather H. Pua
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Human Immunology Discovery Initiative of the Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - James A. Connelly
- Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Human Immunology Discovery Initiative of the Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Jonathan M. Irish
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Human Immunology Discovery Initiative of the Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Jeffrey C. Rathmell
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Human Immunology Discovery Initiative of the Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Saara Kaviany
- Human Immunology Discovery Initiative of the Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
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3
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Stankiewicz LN, Rossi FMV, Zandstra PW. Rebuilding and rebooting immunity with stem cells. Cell Stem Cell 2024; 31:597-616. [PMID: 38593798 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2024.03.012] [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: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Advances in modern medicine have enabled a rapid increase in lifespan and, consequently, have highlighted the immune system as a key driver of age-related disease. Immune regeneration therapies present exciting strategies to address age-related diseases by rebooting the host's primary lymphoid tissues or rebuilding the immune system directly via biomaterials or artificial tissue. Here, we identify important, unanswered questions regarding the safety and feasibility of these therapies. Further, we identify key design parameters that should be primary considerations guiding technology design, including timing of application, interaction with the host immune system, and functional characterization of the target patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura N Stankiewicz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Fabio M V Rossi
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Peter W Zandstra
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
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4
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Li YR, Zúñiga-Pflücker JC. Thymus aging and immune reconstitution, progresses and challenges. Semin Immunol 2023; 70:101837. [PMID: 37659170 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2023.101837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
Thymus is a primary lymphoid organ essential for the development of T lymphocytes. Age-related thymic involution is a prominent feature of immune senescence. The thymus undergoes rapid growth during fetal and neonatal development, peaks in size before puberty and then begins to undergo a decrease in cellularity with age. Dramatic changes occur with age-associated thymic involution. The most prominent features of thymic involution include: (i) epithelial structure disruption, (ii) adipogenesis, and (iii) thymocyte development arrest. There is a sex disparity in thymus aging. It is a multifactorial process controlled and regulated by a series of molecules, including the transcription factor FOXN1, fibroblast and keratinocyte growth factors (FGF and KGF, respectively), sex steroids, Notch signaling, WNT signaling, and microRNAs. Nevertheless, there is still no satisfactory evolutionary or physiological explanation for age-associated thymic involution, and understanding the precise mechanism(s) for thymus aging remains challenging. Sustained thymic regeneration has yet to be achieved by sex steroid ablation. Recent preclinical studies indicate that long-term thymic reconstitution can be achieved via adoptive transfer of in vitro-generated progenitor T (proT) cells, and improvements in the methods for the generation of human proT cells make this an attractive approach. Future clinical applications may rely on new applications integrating proT cells, cytokine support and sex-steroid inhibition treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Ru Li
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Juan Carlos Zúñiga-Pflücker
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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5
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Li J, Wachsmuth LP, Xiao S, Condie BG, Manley NR. Foxn1 overexpression promotes thymic epithelial progenitor cell proliferation and mTEC maintenance, but does not prevent thymic involution. Development 2023; 150:dev200995. [PMID: 36975725 PMCID: PMC10263147 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200995] [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: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
The transcription factor FOXN1 is essential for fetal thymic epithelial cell (TEC) differentiation and proliferation. Postnatally, Foxn1 levels vary widely between TEC subsets, from low/undetectable in putative TEC progenitors to highest in differentiated TEC subsets. Correct Foxn1 expression is required to maintain the postnatal microenvironment; premature downregulation of Foxn1 causes a rapid involution-like phenotype, and transgenic overexpression can cause thymic hyperplasia and/or delayed involution. We investigated a K5.Foxn1 transgene that drives overexpression in mouse TECs, but causes neither hyperplasia nor delay or prevention of aging-related involution. Similarly, this transgene cannot rescue thymus size in Foxn1lacZ/lacZ mice, which undergo premature involution as a result of reduced Foxn1 levels. However, TEC differentiation and cortico-medullary organization are maintained with aging in both K5.Foxn1 and Foxn1lacZ/lacZ mice. Analysis of candidate TEC markers showed co-expression of progenitor and differentiation markers as well as increased proliferation in Plet1+ TECs associated with Foxn1 expression. These results demonstrate that the functions of FOXN1 in promoting TEC proliferation and differentiation are separable and context dependent, and suggest that modulating Foxn1 levels can regulate the balance of proliferation and differentiation in TEC progenitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | | | - Shiyun Xiao
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Brian G. Condie
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Nancy R. Manley
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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6
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Thymus transplantation regulates blood pressure and alleviates hypertension-associated heart and kidney damage via transcription factors FoxN1 pathway. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 116:109798. [PMID: 36738681 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.109798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have found that thymus is involved in the process of hypertension. However, whether thymus transplantation alleviates target organ damage in hypertensive mice remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of thymus transplantation on blood pressure and target organ changes in mice with hypertension. Mice were randomly divided into normal control group (Con), hypertensive group (HTN) and thymus transplantation group (HTN + Trans). Thymus of neonatal mice was transplanted into the renal capsule of the transplantation group. After transplantation, the mouse tail noninvasive pressure was measured and heart function was evaluated weekly. Then mice were euthanized and organs or tissues were harvested at 4 weeks post-transplantation. The blood pressure of HTN + Trans group was lower than that in the HTN group. The expression of FoxN1, Aire, ATRAP, thymosin β4 and the content of sjTREC in thymus of HTN group was decreased and the number of naïve T cells in HTN group was lower compared with other two groups. The ratio of cTEC/mTEC in HTN group was higher than that in Con group and lower than that in HTN + Trans group. Cardiac pathology showed cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in HTN group whereas thymus transplantation improved heart function and structure. Altogether, our findings demonstrated thymus transplantation could improve thymus function of hypertensive mice, which increased the expression of thymus transcription factor FoxN1, affected the proportion of T cell subsets, and increased thymosin β4 thereby reducing blood pressure and reversing the progression of target organ damage.
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The unilateral involution in the thymus of a 96-year-old male leads to the preservation of structural integrity in one thymic lobe, as assessed by the expression of medullar and cortical antigens and the presence of CD3+ cells. Heliyon 2022; 8:e11734. [PMID: 36411931 PMCID: PMC9674545 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The process of thymic involution begins soon after birth and continues through adult life. Although evolutionary conserved in all vertebrates, the thymic involution has no defined kinetics. Little is known about the pace of its regression in humans, except that there is a marked increase of thymic involution after puberty. This report describes the unusual structural findings in the thymus of a 96-year-old male. The morphological parameters of the organ were evaluated using H&E and immunohistochemistry (IHC) techniques. The macroscopic examination showed a typical organ's weight and size, except that the right thymic lobe presented a well-preserved organ and the left lobe was significantly adiposed. The H&E staining of the thymic sections from the left and right lobes confirmed advanced thymic adiposity in the left lobe and preserved thymic epithelial space containing hematoxylin-stained cells in the right lobe. The multiplex immunostaining of the right lobe sections with antibodies specific to cytokeratins -14 and -8, CD3, and CD4 revealed the presence of medullar and cortical epithelium and mix population of CD3+/CD4+ and CD3+/CD4- T cells. The T cells were associated with the medulla but not with the cortex of the thymus. The immunostaining with an antibody to FoxN1 showed that the protein was expressed in the thymic epithelium. Taken together, we provide evidence that the thymus of a 96-year-old man involuted different kinetics in each of the two thymic lobes. Furthermore, the presence of CD3+/CD4+ and CD3+/CD4-cells gives a hand to the hypothesis that a pool of T-cells may associate with this primary lymphatic organ for as long as there is the available thymic epithelium and be a source of lymphocytes aiding adaptive immune responses to old age.
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8
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García-León MJ, Mosquera M, Cela C, Alcain J, Zuklys S, Holländer G, Toribio ML. Abrogation of Notch Signaling in Embryonic TECs Impacts Postnatal mTEC Homeostasis and Thymic Involution. Front Immunol 2022; 13:867302. [PMID: 35707539 PMCID: PMC9189879 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.867302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Notch signaling is crucial for fate specification and maturation of thymus-seeding progenitors along the T-cell lineage. Recent studies have extended the role of Notch signaling to thymic epithelial cells (TECs), showing that Notch regulates TEC progenitor maintenance and emergence of medullary TECs (mTECs) in fetal thymopoiesis. Based on immunohistochemistry studies of spatiotemporal regulation of Notch activation in the postnatal thymus, we show that in vivo Notch activation is not confined to fetal TECs. Rather, Notch signaling, likely mediated through the Notch1 receptor, is induced in postnatal cortical and medullary TECs, and increases significantly with age in the latter, in both humans and mice, suggesting a conserved role for Notch signaling in TEC homeostasis during thymus aging. To investigate the functional impact of Notch activation in postnatal TEC biology, we used a mouse model in which RPBJκ, the transcriptional effector of canonical Notch signaling, is deleted in epithelial cells, including TECs, under the control of the transcription factor Foxn1. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry analyses revealed no significant differences in TEC composition in mutant (RPBJκ-KOTEC) and wild-type (WT) littermate mice at early postnatal ages. However, a significant reduction of the medullary region was observed in mutant compared to WT older thymi, which was accompanied by an accelerated decrease of postnatal mTEC numbers. Also, we found that organization and integrity of the postnatal thymic medulla critically depends on activation of the canonical Notch signaling pathway, as abrogation of Notch signaling in TECs led to the disruption of the medullary thymic microenvironment and to an accelerated thymus atrophy. These features paralleled a significant increase in the proportion of intrathymic non-T lineage cells, mostly B cells, and a slight decrease of DP thymocyte numbers compatible with a compromised thymic function in mutant mice. Therefore, impaired Notch signaling induced in embryonic development impacts postnatal TECs and leads to an accelerated mTEC degeneration and a premature thymus involution. Collectively, our data have uncovered a new role for Notch1 signaling in the control of adult mTEC homeostasis, and point toward Notch signaling manipulation as a novel strategy for thymus regeneration and functional recovery from immunosenescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Jesús García-León
- Immune System Development and Function Unit, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Mosquera
- Immune System Development and Function Unit, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmela Cela
- Immune System Development and Function Unit, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Alcain
- Immune System Development and Function Unit, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Saulius Zuklys
- Department of Biomedicine and University Children's Hospital of Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Georg Holländer
- Department of Biomedicine and University Children's Hospital of Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Paediatrics and the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - María L Toribio
- Immune System Development and Function Unit, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
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9
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Guo R, Li W, Li Y, Li Y, Jiang Z, Song Y. Generation and clinical potential of functional T lymphocytes from gene-edited pluripotent stem cells. Exp Hematol Oncol 2022; 11:27. [PMID: 35568954 PMCID: PMC9107657 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-022-00285-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Engineered T cells have been shown to be highly effective in cancer immunotherapy, although T cell exhaustion presents a challenge for their long-term function. Additional T-cell sources must be exploited to broaden the application of engineered T cells for immune defense and reconstitution. Unlimited sources of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have provided a potential opportunity to generate precise-engineered therapeutic induced T (iT) cells. Single-cell transcriptome analysis of PSC-derived induced hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (iHSPC)/iT identified the developmental pathways and possibilities of generating functional T cell from PSCs. To date, the PSC-to-iT platforms encounter several problems, including low efficiency of conventional T subset specification, limited functional potential, and restrictions on large-scale application, because of the absence of a thymus-like organized microenvironment. The updated PSC-to-iT platforms, such as the three-dimensional (3D) artificial thymic organoid (ATO) co-culture system and Runx1/Hoxa9-enforced iT lymphopoiesis, provide fresh perspectives for coordinating culture conditions and transcription factors, which may greatly improve the efficiency of T-cell generation greatly. In addition, the improved PSC-to-iT platform coordinating gene editing technologies will provide various functional engineered unconventional or conventional T cells. Furthermore, the clinical applications of PSC-derived immune cells are accelerating from bench to bedside.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongqun Guo
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Yadan Li
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.,Academy of Medical Science, Henan Medical College of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Yingmei Li
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Zhongxing Jiang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
| | - Yongping Song
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
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10
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Rota IA, Handel AE, Maio S, Klein F, Dhalla F, Deadman ME, Cheuk S, Newman JA, Michaels YS, Zuklys S, Prevot N, Hublitz P, Charles PD, Gkazi AS, Adamopoulou E, Qasim W, Davies EG, Hanson I, Pagnamenta AT, Camps C, Dreau HM, White A, James K, Fischer R, Gileadi O, Taylor JC, Fulga T, Lagerholm BC, Anderson G, Sezgin E, Holländer GA. FOXN1 forms higher-order nuclear condensates displaced by mutations causing immunodeficiency. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj9247. [PMID: 34860543 PMCID: PMC8641933 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj9247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The transcription factor FOXN1 is a master regulator of thymic epithelial cell (TEC) development and function. Here, we demonstrate that FOXN1 expression is differentially regulated during organogenesis and participates in multimolecular nuclear condensates essential for the factor’s transcriptional activity. FOXN1’s C-terminal sequence regulates the diffusion velocity within these aggregates and modulates the binding to proximal gene regulatory regions. These dynamics are altered in a patient with a mutant FOXN1 that is modified in its C-terminal sequence. This mutant is transcriptionally inactive and acts as a dominant negative factor displacing wild-type FOXN1 from condensates and causing athymia and severe lymphopenia in heterozygotes. Expression of the mutated mouse ortholog selectively impairs mouse TEC differentiation, revealing a gene dose dependency for individual TEC subtypes. We have therefore identified the cause for a primary immunodeficiency disease and determined the mechanism by which this FOXN1 gain-of-function mutant mediates its dominant negative effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna A. Rota
- Department of Paediatrics and the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Adam E. Handel
- Department of Paediatrics and the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Stefano Maio
- Department of Paediatrics and the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Fabian Klein
- Department of Paediatrics and the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Fatima Dhalla
- Department of Paediatrics and the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Mary E. Deadman
- Department of Paediatrics and the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Stanley Cheuk
- Department of Paediatrics and the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Joseph A. Newman
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, UK
| | - Yale S. Michaels
- Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Saulius Zuklys
- Paediatric Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Children’s Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Prevot
- Department of Paediatrics and the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Philip Hublitz
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Genome engineering services, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Philip D. Charles
- Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Athina Soragia Gkazi
- Great Ormond Street Hospital and Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Eleni Adamopoulou
- Department of Paediatrics and the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Waseem Qasim
- Great Ormond Street Hospital and Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Edward Graham Davies
- Great Ormond Street Hospital and Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Imelda Hanson
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Immunology, Allergy, and Retrovirology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Alistair T. Pagnamenta
- National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Carme Camps
- National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Helene M. Dreau
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Andrea White
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Kieran James
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Roman Fischer
- Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Opher Gileadi
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, UK
| | - Jenny C. Taylor
- National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Tudor Fulga
- Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - B. Christoffer Lagerholm
- Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Graham Anderson
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Erdinc Sezgin
- Paediatric Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Children’s Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Georg A. Holländer
- Department of Paediatrics and the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Paediatric Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Children’s Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
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11
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Stojić-Vukanić Z, Pilipović I, Arsenović-Ranin N, Dimitrijević M, Leposavić G. Sex-specific remodeling of T-cell compartment with aging: Implications for rat susceptibility to central nervous system autoimmune diseases. Immunol Lett 2021; 239:42-59. [PMID: 34418487 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2021.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) and susceptibility of animals to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the most commonly used experimental model of MS, decrease with aging. Generally, autoimmune diseases develop as the ultimate outcome of an imbalance between damaging immune responses against self and regulatory immune responses (keeping the former under control). Thus, in this review the age-related changes possibly underlying this balance were discussed. Specifically, considering the central role of T cells in MS/EAE, the impact of aging on overall functional capacity (reflecting both overall count and individual functional cell properties) of self-reactive conventional T cells (Tcons) and FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), as the most potent immunoregulatory/suppressive cells, was analyzed, as well. The analysis encompasses three distinct compartments: thymus (the primary lymphoid organ responsible for the elimination of self-reactive T cells - negative selection and the generation of Tregs, compensating for imperfections of the negative selection), peripheral blood/lymphoid tissues ("afferent" compartment), and brain/spinal cord tissues ("target" compartment). Given that the incidence of MS and susceptibility of animals to EAE are greater in women/females than in age-matched men/males, sex as independent variable was also considered. In conclusion, with aging, sex-specific alterations in the balance of self-reactive Tcons/Tregs are likely to occur not only in the thymus/"afferent" compartment, but also in the "target" compartment, reflecting multifaceted changes in both T-cell types. Their in depth understanding is important not only for envisaging effects of aging, but also for designing interventions to slow-down aging without any adverse effect on incidence of autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zorica Stojić-Vukanić
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Belgrade - Faculty of Pharmacy, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ivan Pilipović
- Immunology Research Centre "Branislav Janković", Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera "Torlak", Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nevena Arsenović-Ranin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Belgrade - Faculty of Pharmacy, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Mirjana Dimitrijević
- Department of Immunology, University of Belgrade - Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of Republic of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Gordana Leposavić
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Belgrade - Faculty of Pharmacy, Belgrade, Serbia.
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12
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Li J, Lee YK, Fu W, Whalen AM, Estable MC, Raftery LA, White K, Weiner L, Brissette JL. Modeling by disruption and a selected-for partner for the nude locus. EMBO Rep 2020; 22:e49804. [PMID: 33369874 PMCID: PMC7926259 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201949804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A long‐standing problem in biology is how to dissect traits for which no tractable model exists. Here, we screen for genes like the nude locus (Foxn1)—genes central to mammalian hair and thymus development—using animals that never evolved hair, thymi, or Foxn1. Fruit flies are morphologically disrupted by the FOXN1 transcription factor and rescued by weak reductions in fly gene function, revealing molecules that potently synergize with FOXN1 to effect dramatic, chaotic change. Strong synergy/effectivity in flies is expected to reflect strong selection/functionality (purpose) in mammals; the more disruptive a molecular interaction is in alien contexts (flies), the more beneficial it will be in its natural, formative contexts (mammals). The approach identifies Aff4 as the first nude‐like locus, as murine AFF4 and FOXN1 cooperatively induce similar cutaneous/thymic phenotypes, similar gene expression programs, and the same step of transcription, pre‐initiation complex formation. These AFF4 functions are unexpected, as AFF4 also serves as a scaffold in common transcriptional‐elongation complexes. Most likely, the approach works because an interaction's power to disrupt is the inevitable consequence of its selected‐for power to benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Li
- Department of Cell Biology, State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Yun-Kyoung Lee
- Department of Cell Biology, State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Wenyu Fu
- Department of Cell Biology, State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Anne M Whalen
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Mario C Estable
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Laurel A Raftery
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Kristin White
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Lorin Weiner
- Department of Cell Biology, State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Janice L Brissette
- Department of Cell Biology, State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
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13
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Thymus Inception: Molecular Network in the Early Stages of Thymus Organogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21165765. [PMID: 32796710 PMCID: PMC7460828 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The thymus generates central immune tolerance by producing self-restricted and self-tolerant T-cells as a result of interactions between the developing thymocytes and the stromal microenvironment, mainly formed by the thymic epithelial cells. The thymic epithelium derives from the endoderm of the pharyngeal pouches, embryonic structures that rely on environmental cues from the surrounding mesenchyme for its development. Here, we review the most recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in early thymic organogenesis at stages preceding the expression of the transcription factor Foxn1, the early marker of thymic epithelial cells identity. Foxn1-independent developmental stages, such as the specification of the pharyngeal endoderm, patterning of the pouches, and thymus fate commitment are discussed, with a special focus on epithelial–mesenchymal interactions.
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14
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Bhalla P, Wysocki CA, van Oers NSC. Molecular Insights Into the Causes of Human Thymic Hypoplasia With Animal Models. Front Immunol 2020; 11:830. [PMID: 32431714 PMCID: PMC7214791 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
22q11.2 deletion syndrome (DiGeorge), CHARGE syndrome, Nude/SCID and otofaciocervical syndrome type 2 (OTFCS2) are distinct clinical conditions in humans that can result in hypoplasia and occasionally, aplasia of the thymus. Thymic hypoplasia/aplasia is first suggested by absence or significantly reduced numbers of recent thymic emigrants, revealed in standard-of-care newborn screens for T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs). Subsequent clinical assessments will often indicate whether genetic mutations are causal to the low T cell output from the thymus. However, the molecular mechanisms leading to the thymic hypoplasia/aplasia in diverse human syndromes are not fully understood, partly because the problems of the thymus originate during embryogenesis. Rodent and Zebrafish models of these clinical syndromes have been used to better define the underlying basis of the clinical presentations. Results from these animal models are uncovering contributions of different cell types in the specification, differentiation, and expansion of the thymus. Cell populations such as epithelial cells, mesenchymal cells, endothelial cells, and thymocytes are variably affected depending on the human syndrome responsible for the thymic hypoplasia. In the current review, findings from the diverse animal models will be described in relation to the clinical phenotypes. Importantly, these results are suggesting new strategies for regenerating thymic tissue in patients with distinct congenital disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratibha Bhalla
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Christian A. Wysocki
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Nicolai S. C. van Oers
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
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15
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Newman JA, Aitkenhead H, Gavard AE, Rota IA, Handel AE, Hollander GA, Gileadi O. The crystal structure of human forkhead box N1 in complex with DNA reveals the structural basis for forkhead box family specificity. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:2948-2958. [PMID: 31914405 PMCID: PMC7062188 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.010365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Forkhead box N1 (FOXN1) is a member of the forkhead box family of transcription factors and plays an important role in thymic epithelial cell differentiation and development. FOXN1 mutations in humans and mice give rise to the "nude" phenotype, which is marked by athymia. FOXN1 belongs to a subset of the FOX family that recognizes an alternative forkhead-like (FHL) consensus sequence (GACGC) that is different from the more widely recognized forkhead (FKH) sequence RYAAAYA (where R is purine, and Y is pyrimidine). Here, we present the FOXN1 structure in complex with DNA containing an FHL motif at 1.6 Å resolution, in which the DNA sequence is recognized by a mixture of direct and water-mediated contacts provided by residues in an α-helix inserted in the DNA major groove (the recognition helix). Comparisons with the structure of other FOX family members revealed that the FKH and FHL DNA sequences are bound in two distinct modes, with partially different registers for the protein DNA contacts. We identified a single alternative rotamer within the recognition helix itself as an important determinant of DNA specificity and found protein sequence features in the recognition helix that could be used to predict the specificity of other FOX family members. Finally, we demonstrate that the C-terminal region of FOXN1 is required for high-affinity DNA binding and that FOXN1 has a significantly reduced affinity for DNA that contains 5'-methylcytosine, which may have implications for the role of FOXN1 in thymic involution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Newman
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Hazel Aitkenhead
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Angeline E Gavard
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Ioanna A Rota
- Department of Paediatrics and the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
| | - Adam E Handel
- Department of Paediatrics and the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, United Kingdom
| | - Georg A Hollander
- Department of Paediatrics and the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom; Paediatric Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Children's Hospital Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Opher Gileadi
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom.
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16
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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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17
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Tang J, Xu Z, Huang L, Luo H, Zhu X. Transcriptional regulation in model organisms: recent progress and clinical implications. Open Biol 2019; 9:190183. [PMID: 31744421 PMCID: PMC6893401 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.190183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In this review, we will summarize model organisms used by scientists in the laboratory, including Escherichia coli, yeast, Arabidopsis thaliana, nematodes, Drosophila, zebrafish, mice and other animals. We focus on the progress in research exploring different types of E. coli in the human body, and the specific molecular mechanisms by which they play a role in humans. First, we discuss the specific transcriptional regulation mechanism of E. coli in cell development, maturation, ageing and longevity, as well as tumorigenesis and development. Then, we discuss how the synthesis of some important substances in cells is regulated and how this affects biological behaviour. Understanding and applying these mechanisms, presumably, can greatly improve the quality of people's lives as well as increase their lifespan. For example, some E. coli can activate certain cells by secreting insulin-like growth factor-1, thus activating the inflammatory response of the body, while other E. coli can inactivate the immune response of the body by secreting toxic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Tang
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory Zhanjiang, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524023, People's Republic of China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Natural Drugs, Zhanjiang 524023, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenhua Xu
- Center for Cancer and Immunology, Brain Tumor Institute, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC 20010, USA
| | - Lianfang Huang
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory Zhanjiang, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524023, People's Republic of China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Natural Drugs, Zhanjiang 524023, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Luo
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory Zhanjiang, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524023, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao Zhu
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory Zhanjiang, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524023, People's Republic of China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Natural Drugs, Zhanjiang 524023, People's Republic of China
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18
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Du Q, Huynh LK, Coskun F, Molina E, King MA, Raj P, Khan S, Dozmorov I, Seroogy CM, Wysocki CA, Padron GT, Yates TR, Markert ML, de la Morena MT, van Oers NS. FOXN1 compound heterozygous mutations cause selective thymic hypoplasia in humans. J Clin Invest 2019; 129:4724-4738. [PMID: 31566583 PMCID: PMC6819092 DOI: 10.1172/jci127565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We report on 2 patients with compound heterozygous mutations in forkhead box N1 (FOXN1), a transcription factor essential for thymic epithelial cell (TEC) differentiation. TECs are critical for T cell development. Both patients had a presentation consistent with T-/loB+NK+ SCID, with normal hair and nails, distinct from the classic nude/SCID phenotype in individuals with autosomal-recessive FOXN1 mutations. To understand the basis of this phenotype and the effects of the mutations on FOXN1, we generated mice using CRISPR-Cas9 technology to genocopy mutations in 1 of the patients. The mice with the Foxn1 compound heterozygous mutations had thymic hypoplasia, causing a T-B+NK+ SCID phenotype, whereas the hair and nails of these mice were normal. Characterization of the functional changes due to the Foxn1 mutations revealed a 5-amino acid segment at the end of the DNA-binding domain essential for the development of TECs but not keratinocytes. The transcriptional activity of this Foxn1 mutant was partly retained, indicating a region that specifies TEC functions. Analysis of an additional 9 FOXN1 mutations identified in multiple unrelated patients revealed distinct functional consequences contingent on the impact of the mutation on the DNA-binding and transactivation domains of FOXN1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiumei Du
- Departments of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Larry K. Huynh
- Departments of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Fatma Coskun
- Departments of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Erika Molina
- Departments of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Matthew A. King
- Departments of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Prithvi Raj
- Departments of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Shaheen Khan
- Departments of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Igor Dozmorov
- Departments of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Christine M. Seroogy
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Christian A. Wysocki
- Department of Pediatrics, and
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Grace T. Padron
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | | | - M. Louise Markert
- Department of Pediatrics and
- Department of Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - M. Teresa de la Morena
- Division of Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, Washington , USA
| | - Nicolai S.C. van Oers
- Departments of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, and
- Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
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19
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Pouzolles M, Machado A, Guilbaud M, Irla M, Gailhac S, Barennes P, Cesana D, Calabria A, Benedicenti F, Sergé A, Raman I, Li QZ, Montini E, Klatzmann D, Adjali O, Taylor N, Zimmermann VS. Intrathymic adeno-associated virus gene transfer rapidly restores thymic function and long-term persistence of gene-corrected T cells. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2019; 145:679-697.e5. [PMID: 31513879 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2019.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 07/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with T-cell immunodeficiencies are generally treated with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, but alternatives are needed for patients without matched donors. An innovative intrathymic gene therapy approach that directly targets the thymus might improve outcomes. OBJECTIVE We sought to determine the efficacy of intrathymic adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotypes to transduce thymocyte subsets and correct the T-cell immunodeficiency in a zeta-associated protein of 70 kDa (ZAP-70)-deficient murine model. METHODS AAV serotypes were injected intrathymically into wild-type mice, and gene transfer efficiency was monitored. ZAP-70-/- mice were intrathymically injected with an AAV8 vector harboring the ZAP70 gene. Thymus structure, immunophenotyping, T-cell receptor clonotypes, T-cell function, immune responses to transgenes and autoantibodies, vector copy number, and integration were evaluated. RESULTS AAV8, AAV9, and AAV10 serotypes all transduced thymocyte subsets after in situ gene transfer, with transduction of up to 5% of cells. Intrathymic injection of an AAV8-ZAP-70 vector into ZAP-70-/- mice resulted in a rapid thymocyte differentiation associated with the development of a thymic medulla. Strikingly, medullary thymic epithelial cells expressing the autoimmune regulator were detected within 10 days of gene transfer, correlating with the presence of functional effector and regulatory T-cell subsets with diverse T-cell receptor clonotypes in the periphery. Although thymocyte reconstitution was transient, gene-corrected peripheral T cells harboring approximately 1 AAV genome per cell persisted for more than 40 weeks, and AAV vector integration was detected. CONCLUSIONS Intrathymic AAV-transduced progenitors promote a rapid restoration of the thymic architecture, with a single wave of thymopoiesis generating long-term peripheral T-cell function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Pouzolles
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Alice Machado
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Mickaël Guilbaud
- INSERM UMR1089, Université de Nantes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Magali Irla
- Center of Immunology Marseille-Luminy (CIML), INSERM U1104, CNRS UMR7280, Aix-Marseille Université UM2, Marseille, France
| | - Sarah Gailhac
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Pierre Barennes
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Immunology-Immunopathology-Immunotherapy (i3), Paris, France
| | - Daniela Cesana
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Calabria
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Benedicenti
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Arnauld Sergé
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, CRCM, Marseille, France
| | - Indu Raman
- Microarray Core Facility, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Tex
| | - Quan-Zhen Li
- Microarray Core Facility, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Tex; Department of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Tex
| | - Eugenio Montini
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - David Klatzmann
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Immunology-Immunopathology-Immunotherapy (i3), Paris, France; AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Biotherapy (CIC-BTi) and Inflammation-Immunopathology-Biotherapy Department (i2B), Paris, France
| | - Oumeya Adjali
- INSERM UMR1089, Université de Nantes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nantes, Nantes, France.
| | - Naomi Taylor
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France; Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.
| | - Valérie S Zimmermann
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France.
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20
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A Novel FOXN1 Variant Is Identified in Two Siblings with Nude Severe Combined Immunodeficiency. J Clin Immunol 2019; 39:144-147. [DOI: 10.1007/s10875-019-00615-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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21
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Montero-Herradón S, García-Ceca J, Zapata AG. EphB receptors, mainly EphB3, contribute to the proper development of cortical thymic epithelial cells. Organogenesis 2018; 13:192-211. [PMID: 29027839 DOI: 10.1080/15476278.2017.1389368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
EphB and their ligands ephrin-B are an important family of protein tyrosine kinase receptors involved in thymocyte-thymic epithelial cell interactions known to be key for the maturation of both thymic cell components. In the present study, we have analyzed the maturation of cortical thymic epithelium in EphB-deficient thymuses evaluating the relative relevance of EphB2 and EphB3 in the process. Results support a relationship between the epithelial hypocellularity of mutant thymuses and altered development of thymocytes, lower proportions of cycling thymic epithelial cells and increased epithelial cell apoptosis. Together, these factors induce delayed development of mutant cortical TECs, defined by the expression of different cell markers, i.e. Ly51, CD205, MHCII, CD40 and β5t. Furthermore, although both EphB2 and EphB3 are necessary for cortical thymic epithelial maturation, the relevance of EphB3 is greater since EphB3-/- thymic cortex exhibits a more severe phenotype than that of EphB2-deficient thymuses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Montero-Herradón
- a Department of Cell Biology , Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid , Madrid , Spain
| | - Javier García-Ceca
- a Department of Cell Biology , Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid , Madrid , Spain
| | - Agustín G Zapata
- a Department of Cell Biology , Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid , Madrid , Spain
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22
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Despite high levels of expression in thymic epithelial cells, miR-181a1 and miR-181b1 are not required for thymic development. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0198871. [PMID: 29949604 PMCID: PMC6021062 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to be key modulators of post-transcriptional gene silencing in many cellular processes. In previous studies designed to understand the role of miRNAs in thymic development, we globally deleted miRNA exclusively in thymic epithelial cells (TECs), which are critical in thymic selection. This resulted in the loss of stromal cells that instruct T cell lineage commitment and affect thymocyte positive selection, required for mature T cell development. Since murine miR-181 is expressed in the thymus and miR-181 deficiency disrupts thymocyte development, we first quantified and thereby demonstrated that miR181a1 and miR181b1 are expressed in purified TECs. By generating mice with TEC targeted loss of miR-181a1 and miR-181b1 expression, we observed that neither TEC cellularity nor thymocyte number nor differentiation was adversely affected. Thus, disrupted thymopoiesis in miR-181 deficient mice was not due to miR-181 loss of expression in TECs. Importantly, in mice with restricted TEC deficiency of miR-181a1 and miR-181b1, there were similar numbers of mature T cells in the periphery in regards to frequencies, differentiation, and function as compared to controls. Moreover miR-181a1 and miR-181b1 were not required for maintenance of thymus integrity over time, as thymic involution was not accelerated in gene-targeted mice. Taken together our data indicate that miR-181a1 and miR-181b1 are dispensable for TEC differentiation, their control of thymocyte development and mature T cell export to and homeostasis within the periphery.
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Gallo V, Cirillo E, Giardino G, Pignata C. FOXN1 Deficiency: from the Discovery to Novel Therapeutic Approaches. J Clin Immunol 2017; 37:751-758. [DOI: 10.1007/s10875-017-0445-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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MicroRNAs Regulate Thymic Epithelium in Age-Related Thymic Involution via Down- or Upregulation of Transcription Factors. J Immunol Res 2017; 2017:2528957. [PMID: 29226156 PMCID: PMC5684555 DOI: 10.1155/2017/2528957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Revised: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related thymic involution is primarily induced by defects in nonhematopoietic thymic epithelial cells (TECs). It is characterized by dysfunction of multiple transcription factors (TFs), such as p63 and FoxN1, and also involves other TEC-associated regulators, such as Aire. These TFs and regulators are controlled by complicated regulatory networks, in which microRNAs (miRNAs) act as a key player. miRNAs can either directly target the 3'-UTRs (untranslated regions) of the TFs to suppress TF expression or target TF inhibitors to reduce or increase TF inhibitor expression and thereby indirectly enhance or inhibit TF expression. Here, we review the current understanding and recent studies about how miRNAs are involved in age-related thymic involution via regulation of TEC-autonomous TFs. We also discuss potential strategies for targeting miRNAs to rejuvenate age-related declined thymic function.
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25
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Smith MJ, Reichenbach DK, Parker SL, Riddle MJ, Mitchell J, Osum KC, Mohtashami M, Stefanski HE, Fife BT, Bhandoola A, Hogquist KA, Holländer GA, Zúñiga-Pflücker JC, Tolar J, Blazar BR. T cell progenitor therapy-facilitated thymopoiesis depends upon thymic input and continued thymic microenvironment interaction. JCI Insight 2017; 2:92056. [PMID: 28515359 PMCID: PMC5436538 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.92056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Infusion of in vitro-derived T cell progenitor (proT) therapy with hematopoietic stem cell transplant aids the recovery of the thymus damaged by total body irradiation. To understand the interaction between proTs and the thymic microenvironment, WT mice were lethally irradiated and given T cell-deficient (Rag1-/-) marrow with WT in vitro-generated proTs, limiting mature T cell development to infused proTs. ProTs within the host thymus led to a significant increase in thymic epithelial cells (TECs) by day 21 after transplant, increasing actively cycling TECs. Upon thymus egress (day 28), proT TEC effects were lost, suggesting that continued signaling from proTs is required to sustain TEC cycling and cellularity. Thymocytes increased significantly by day 21, followed by a significant improvement in mature T cell numbers in the periphery by day 35. This protective surge was temporary, receding by day 60. Double-negative 2 (DN2) proTs selectively increased thymocyte number, while DN3 proTs preferentially increased TECs and T cells in the spleen that persisted at day 60. These findings highlight the importance of the interaction between proTs and TECs in the proliferation and survival of TECs and that the maturation stage of proTs has unique effects on thymopoiesis and peripheral T cell recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle J. Smith
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Center for Immunology, Department of Medicine, and
| | - Dawn K. Reichenbach
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Center for Immunology, Department of Medicine, and
| | - Sarah L. Parker
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Megan J. Riddle
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jason Mitchell
- Center for Immunology, Department of Medicine, and
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Kevin C. Osum
- Center for Immunology, Department of Medicine, and
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Mahmood Mohtashami
- Sunnybrook Research Institute and Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Heather E. Stefanski
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Brian T. Fife
- Center for Immunology, Department of Medicine, and
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Avinash Bhandoola
- T-Cell Biology and Development Unit, Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Georg A. Holländer
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Paediatrics and Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jakub Tolar
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Bruce R. Blazar
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Center for Immunology, Department of Medicine, and
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26
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Xu M, Sizova O, Wang L, Su DM. A Fine-Tune Role of Mir-125a-5p on Foxn1 During Age-Associated Changes in the Thymus. Aging Dis 2017; 8:277-286. [PMID: 28580184 PMCID: PMC5440108 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2016.1109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Decline of transcription factor FoxN1, which predominantly regulates thymic epithelial cell (TEC) differentiation and homeostasis lifelong, is demonstrated to be casually related to age-related thymic involution. Whereas, a global role of microRNAs (miRNAs) has also been demonstrated to control and maintain TEC-constituting thymic microenvironment and to be changed in expression profile in the aged thymus. Therefore, it is urgently necessary to build knowledge regarding whether and which miRNAs regulate FoxN1 gene in the aged thymus. We primarily compared changes in miRNA expression profile between young and aged murine TECs with Mus musculus miRBase-V20 arrays (containing 1892 unique probes), and clearly identified and validated that at least one miRNA, miR-125a-5p, was increased in aged thymus. Applying miR-125a-5p mimics was able to inhibit FoxN1 3′UTR luciferase activity in a 293T cell line and to suppress FoxN1 expression in murine TEC Z210 cells. Since a single miRNA can play a fine-tuning role to regulate expression of multiple genes and a single gene can be regulated by multiple miRNAs, our result adds a single miRNA, miR-125a-5p, into the panel of FoxN1-regulating miRNAs associated with thymic aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minwen Xu
- 1First Affiliated Hospital, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Olga Sizova
- 3Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
| | - Liefeng Wang
- 2Department of Biotechnology, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China.,3Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
| | - Dong-Ming Su
- 3Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
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27
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Hao Y, Jin LH. Dual role for Jumu in the control of hematopoietic progenitors in the Drosophila lymph gland. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28350299 PMCID: PMC5391210 DOI: 10.7554/elife.25094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The Drosophila lymph gland is a hematopoietic organ in which the maintenance of hematopoietic progenitor cell fate relies on intrinsic factors and extensive interaction with cells within a microenvironment. The posterior signaling center (PSC) is required for maintaining the balance between progenitors and their differentiation into mature hemocytes. Moreover, some factors from the progenitors cell-autonomously control blood cell differentiation. Here, we show that Jumeau (Jumu), a member of the forkhead (Fkh) transcription factor family, controls hemocyte differentiation of lymph gland through multiple regulatory mechanisms. Jumu maintains the proper differentiation of prohemocytes by cell-autonomously regulating the expression of Col in medullary zone and by non-cell-autonomously preventing the generation of expanded PSC cells. Jumu can also cell-autonomously control the proliferation of PSC cells through positive regulation of dMyc expression. We also show that a deficiency of jumu throughout the lymph gland can induce the differentiation of lamellocytes via activating Toll signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangguang Hao
- Department of Genetics, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Li Hua Jin
- Department of Genetics, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
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28
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Uddin MM, Ohigashi I, Motosugi R, Nakayama T, Sakata M, Hamazaki J, Nishito Y, Rode I, Tanaka K, Takemoto T, Murata S, Takahama Y. Foxn1-β5t transcriptional axis controls CD8 + T-cell production in the thymus. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14419. [PMID: 28176764 PMCID: PMC5309848 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The thymus is an organ that produces functionally competent T cells that protect us from pathogens and malignancies. Foxn1 is a transcription factor that is essential for thymus organogenesis; however, the direct target for Foxn1 to actuate thymic T-cell production is unknown. Here we show that a Foxn1-binding cis-regulatory element promotes the transcription of β5t, which has an essential role in cortical thymic epithelial cells to induce positive selection of functionally competent CD8+ T cells. A point mutation in this genome element results in a defect in β5t expression and CD8+ T-cell production in mice. The results reveal a Foxn1-β5t transcriptional axis that governs CD8+ T-cell production in the thymus. Foxn1 is involved in thymic epithelial cell (TEC) and CD8+ T cell development. Here the authors show this development requires Foxn1 binding proximal to, and inducing transcription of, the gene encoding β5t in cortical TECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Myn Uddin
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Izumi Ohigashi
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Ryo Motosugi
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Tomomi Nakayama
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Mie Sakata
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Jun Hamazaki
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yasumasa Nishito
- Core Technology and Research Center, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Immanuel Rode
- Division of Cellular Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Keiji Tanaka
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Takemoto
- Laboratory for Embryology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Shigeo Murata
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yousuke Takahama
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
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29
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Rota IA, Dhalla F. FOXN1 deficient nude severe combined immunodeficiency. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2017; 12:6. [PMID: 28077132 PMCID: PMC5225657 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-016-0557-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nude severe combined immunodeficiency is a rare inherited disease caused by autosomal recessive loss-of-function mutations in FOXN1. This gene encodes a transcription factor essential for the development of the thymus, the primary lymphoid organ that supports T-cell development and selection. To date nine cases have been reported presenting with the clinical triad of absent thymus resulting in severe T-cell immunodeficiency, congenital alopecia universalis and nail dystrophy. Diagnosis relies on testing for FOXN1 mutations, which allows genetic counselling and guides therapeutic management. Options for treating the underlying immune deficiency include HLA-matched genoidentical haematopoietic cell transplantation containing mature donor T-cells or thymus tissue transplantation. Experience from other severe combined immune deficiency syndromes suggests that early diagnosis, supportive care and definitive management result in better patient outcomes. Without these the prognosis is poor due to early-onset life threatening infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna A Rota
- Developmental Immunology Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Fatima Dhalla
- Developmental Immunology Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. .,Department of Clinical Immunology, Oxford University Hospitals, Oxford, UK.
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30
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Barsanti M, Lim JMC, Hun ML, Lister N, Wong K, Hammett MV, Lepletier A, Boyd RL, Giudice A, Chidgey AP. A novel Foxn1
eGFP/+
mouse model identifies Bmp4‐induced maintenance of
Foxn1
expression and thymic epithelial progenitor populations. Eur J Immunol 2016; 47:291-304. [DOI: 10.1002/eji.201646553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2016] [Revised: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 11/08/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Barsanti
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Joanna M. C. Lim
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Michael L. Hun
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Natalie Lister
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Kahlia Wong
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Maree V. Hammett
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Ailin Lepletier
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Richard L. Boyd
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Antonietta Giudice
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Ann P. Chidgey
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
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31
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Scalea JR, Hickman JB, Moore DJ, Brayman KL. An overview of the necessary thymic contributions to tolerance in transplantation. Clin Immunol 2016; 173:S1521-6616(16)30382-5. [PMID: 27989896 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2016.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Revised: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/22/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The thymus is important for the development of the immune system. However, aging leads to predictable involution of the thymus and immunodeficiency. These immunodeficiencies may be rectified with thymic rejuvenation. Atrophy of the thymus is governed by a complex interplay of molecular, cytokine and hormonal factors. Herein we review the interaction of these factors across age and how they may be targeted for thymic rejuvenation. We further discuss the growing pre-clinical evidence defining the necessary and sufficient contributions of the thymus to successful tolerance induction in transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R Scalea
- Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, University of Maryland, United States.
| | - John B Hickman
- School of Medicine, University of Virginia, United States
| | - Daniel J Moore
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, United States
| | - Kenneth L Brayman
- School of Medicine, University of Virginia, United States; Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, University of Virginia, United States
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32
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Tasaki M, Villani V, Shimizu A, Sekijima M, Yamada R, Hanekamp IM, Hanekamp JS, Cormack TA, Moran SG, Kawai A, Sachs DH, Yamada K. Role of Bone Marrow Maturity, Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 Receptor, and Forkhead Box Protein N1 in Thymic Involution and Rejuvenation. Am J Transplant 2016; 16:2877-2891. [PMID: 27145342 PMCID: PMC5097038 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.13855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2016] [Revised: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Thymic involution is associated with age-related changes of the immune system. Utilizing our innovative technique of transplantation of a thymus as an isolated vascularized graft in MHC-inbred miniature swine, we have previously demonstrated that aged thymi are rejuvenated after transplantation into juvenile swine. Here we have studied the role of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) and forkhead-box protein-N1 (FOXN1) as well as bone marrow (BM) in thymic rejuvenation and involution. We examined thymic rejuvenation and involution by means of histology and flow cytometry. Thymic function was assessed by the ability to induce tolerance of allogeneic kidneys. Aged thymi were rejuvenated in a juvenile environment, and successfully induced organ tolerance, while juvenile thymi in aged recipients involuted and had a limited ability to induce tolerance. However, juvenile BM inhibited the involution process of juvenile thymi in aged recipients. An elevated expression of both FOXN1 and IGF1 receptors (IGF-1R) was observed in juvenile thymi and rejuvenated thymi. Juvenile BM plays a role in promoting the local thymic milieu as indicated by its ability to inhibit thymic involution in aged animals. The expression of FOXN1 and IGF-1R was noted to increase under conditions that stimulated rejuvenation, suggesting that these factors are involved in thymic recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Tasaki
- Transplantation Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Vincenzo Villani
- Transplantation Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Akira Shimizu
- Transplantation Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mitsuhiro Sekijima
- Transplantation Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rei Yamada
- Transplantation Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Isabel M. Hanekamp
- Transplantation Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John S. Hanekamp
- Transplantation Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Taylor A Cormack
- Transplantation Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shannon G. Moran
- Transplantation Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Akihiro Kawai
- Transplantation Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David H. Sachs
- Transplantation Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Columbia Center for Translational Research, Columbia University Medical Center
| | - Kazuhiko Yamada
- Transplantation Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Columbia Center for Translational Research, Columbia University Medical Center,Correspondence author: Kazuhiko Yamada, MD, PhD., Director, Surgical Research, Columbia Center for Translational Research, Columbia University Medical Center, 650 W 168 Street, 17th Floor, Room 1706E, New York, NY 10032,
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33
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Vaidya HJ, Briones Leon A, Blackburn CC. FOXN1 in thymus organogenesis and development. Eur J Immunol 2016; 46:1826-37. [PMID: 27378598 PMCID: PMC4988515 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201545814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Revised: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Development of the primary T-cell repertoire takes place in the thymus. The linked processes of T-cell differentiation and T-cell repertoire selection each depend on interactions between thymocytes and thymic stromal cells; in particular, with the epithelial cells of the cortical and medullary thymic compartments (cortical and medullary thymic epithelial cells; cTECs and mTECs, respectively). The importance of the thymic epithelial cell lineage in these processes was revealed in part through analysis of nude (nu/nu) mice, which are congenitally hairless and athymic. The nude phenotype results from null mutation of the forkhead transcription factor FOXN1, which has emerged as a pivotal regulator both of thymus development and homeostasis. FOXN1 has been shown to play critical roles in thymus development, function, maintenance, and even regeneration, which positions it as a master regulator of thymic epithelial cell (TEC) differentiation. In this review, we discuss current understanding of the regulation and functions of FOXN1 throughout thymus ontogeny, from the earliest stages of organogenesis through homeostasis to age-related involution, contextualising its significance through reference to other members of the wider Forkhead family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harsh Jayesh Vaidya
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineInstitute for Stem Cell ResearchSchool of Biological SciencesEdinburghUK
| | - Alberto Briones Leon
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineInstitute for Stem Cell ResearchSchool of Biological SciencesEdinburghUK
| | - C. Clare Blackburn
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineInstitute for Stem Cell ResearchSchool of Biological SciencesEdinburghUK
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34
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Rapid molecular diagnostics of severe primary immunodeficiency determined by using targeted next-generation sequencing. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2016; 138:1142-1151.e2. [PMID: 27484032 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2016.05.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2016] [Revised: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDDs) are inherited disorders of the immune system. The most severe form, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), presents with profound deficiencies of T cells, B cells, or both at birth. If not treated promptly, affected patients usually do not live beyond infancy because of infections. Genetic heterogeneity of SCID frequently delays the diagnosis; a specific diagnosis is crucial for life-saving treatment and optimal management. OBJECTIVE We developed a next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based multigene-targeted panel for SCID and other severe PIDDs requiring rapid therapeutic actions in a clinical laboratory setting. METHODS The target gene capture/NGS assay provides an average read depth of approximately 1000×. The deep coverage facilitates simultaneous detection of single nucleotide variants and exonic copy number variants in one comprehensive assessment. Exons with insufficient coverage (<20× read depth) or high sequence homology (pseudogenes) are complemented by amplicon-based sequencing with specific primers to ensure 100% coverage of all targeted regions. RESULTS Analysis of 20 patient samples with low T-cell receptor excision circle numbers on newborn screening or a positive family history or clinical suspicion of SCID or other severe PIDD identified deleterious mutations in 14 of them. Identified pathogenic variants included both single nucleotide variants and exonic copy number variants, such as hemizygous nonsense, frameshift, and missense changes in IL2RG; compound heterozygous changes in ATM, RAG1, and CIITA; homozygous changes in DCLRE1C and IL7R; and a heterozygous nonsense mutation in CHD7. CONCLUSION High-throughput deep sequencing analysis with complete clinical validation greatly increases the diagnostic yield of severe primary immunodeficiency. Establishing a molecular diagnosis enables early immune reconstitution through prompt therapeutic intervention and guides management for improved long-term quality of life.
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35
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Wang HX, Cheng JS, Chu S, Qiu YR, Zhong XP. mTORC2 in Thymic Epithelial Cells Controls Thymopoiesis and T Cell Development. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2016; 197:141-50. [PMID: 27233961 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1502698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2015] [Accepted: 05/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) play important roles in T cell generation. Mechanisms that control TEC development and function are still not well defined. The mammalian or mechanistic target of rapamycin complex (mTORC)2 signals to regulate cell survival, nutrient uptake, and metabolism. We report in the present study that mice with TEC-specific ablation of Rictor, a critical and unique adaptor molecule in mTORC2, display thymic atrophy, which accompanies decreased TEC numbers in the medulla. Moreover, generation of multiple T cell lineages, including conventional TCRαβ T cells, regulatory T cells, invariant NKT cells, and TCRγδ T cells, was reduced in TEC-specific Rictor-deficient mice. Our data demonstrate that mTORC2 in TECs is important for normal thymopoiesis and efficient T cell generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Xia Wang
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China; Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710
| | - Joyce S Cheng
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710; Pre-Med (BS/MD) Health Scholar Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19222
| | - Shuai Chu
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China; Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710
| | - Yu-Rong Qiu
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China;
| | - Xiao-Ping Zhong
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710; Department of Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710; and Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapies Program, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710
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Goldfarb Y, Kadouri N, Levi B, Sela A, Herzig Y, Cohen RN, Hollenberg AN, Abramson J. HDAC3 Is a Master Regulator of mTEC Development. Cell Rep 2016; 15:651-665. [PMID: 27068467 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.03.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2015] [Revised: 02/03/2016] [Accepted: 03/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The thymus provides a unique microenvironment enabling development and selection of T lymphocytes. Medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) play a pivotal role in this process by facilitating negative selection of self-reactive thymocytes and the generation of Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells. Although studies have highlighted the non-canonical nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway as the key regulator of mTEC development, comprehensive understanding of the molecular pathways regulating this process still remains incomplete. Here, we demonstrate that the development of functionally competent mTECs is regulated by the histone deacetylase 3 (Hdac3). Although histone deacetylases are global transcriptional regulators, this effect is highly specific only to Hdac3, as neither Hdac1 nor Hdac2 inactivation caused mTEC ablation. Interestingly, Hdac3 induces an mTEC-specific transcriptional program independently of the previously recognized RANK-NFκB signaling pathway. Thus, our findings uncover yet another layer of complexity of TEC lineage divergence and highlight Hdac3 as a major and specific molecular switch crucial for mTEC differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yael Goldfarb
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Noam Kadouri
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Ben Levi
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Asaf Sela
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Yonatan Herzig
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Ronald N Cohen
- University of Chicago Medical Centre, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Anthony N Hollenberg
- Division of Endocrinology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jakub Abramson
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
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Goto T, Hara H, Nakauchi H, Hochi S, Hirabayashi M. Hypomorphic phenotype of Foxn1 gene-modified rats by CRISPR/Cas9 system. Transgenic Res 2016; 25:533-44. [PMID: 26931321 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-016-9941-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Accepted: 02/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The Foxn1 gene is known as a critical factor for the differentiation of thymic and skin epithelial cells. This study was designed to examine the phenotype of Foxn1-modified rats generated by the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Guide-RNA designed for first exon of the Foxn1 and mRNA of Cas9 were co-injected into the pronucleus of Crlj:WI zygotes. Transfer of 158 injected zygotes resulted in the birth of 50 offspring (32 %), and PCR identified five (10 %) as Foxn1-edited. Genomic sequencing revealed the deletion of 44 or 60 bp from and/or insertion of 4 bp into the Foxn1 gene in a single allele. The number of T-cells in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of mutant rats decreased markedly. While homozygous deleted mutant rats had no thymus, the mutant rats were not completely hairless and showed normal performance in delivery and nursing. Splicing variants of the indel-mutation in the Foxn1 gene may cause hypomorphic allele, resulting in the phenotype of thymus deficiency and incomplete hairless. In conclusion, the mutant rats in Foxn1 gene edited by the CRISPR/Cas9 system showed the phenotype of thymus deficiency and incomplete hairless which was characterized by splicing variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teppei Goto
- Section of Mammalian Transgenesis, Center for Genetic Analysis of Behavior, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8787, Japan
| | - Hiromasa Hara
- Section of Mammalian Transgenesis, Center for Genetic Analysis of Behavior, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8787, Japan
| | - Hiromitsu Nakauchi
- Japan Science Technology Agency, ERATO, Nakauchi Stem Cell and Organ Regeneration Project, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinichi Hochi
- Faculty of Textile Science and Technology, Shinshu University, Ueda, Nagano, Japan
| | - Masumi Hirabayashi
- Section of Mammalian Transgenesis, Center for Genetic Analysis of Behavior, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8787, Japan.
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Wang HX, Shin J, Wang S, Gorentla B, Lin X, Gao J, Qiu YR, Zhong XP. mTORC1 in Thymic Epithelial Cells Is Critical for Thymopoiesis, T-Cell Generation, and Temporal Control of γδT17 Development and TCRγ/δ Recombination. PLoS Biol 2016; 14:e1002370. [PMID: 26889835 PMCID: PMC4758703 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymus is crucial for generation of a diverse repertoire of T cells essential for adaptive immunity. Although thymic epithelial cells (TECs) are crucial for thymopoiesis and T cell generation, how TEC development and function are controlled is poorly understood. We report here that mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) in TECs plays critical roles in thymopoiesis and thymus function. Acute deletion of mTORC1 in adult mice caused severe thymic involution. TEC-specific deficiency of mTORC1 (mTORC1KO) impaired TEC maturation and function such as decreased expression of thymotropic chemokines, decreased medullary TEC to cortical TEC ratios, and altered thymic architecture, leading to severe thymic atrophy, reduced recruitment of early thymic progenitors, and impaired development of virtually all T-cell lineages. Strikingly, temporal control of IL-17-producing γδT (γδT17) cell differentiation and TCRVγ/δ recombination in fetal thymus is lost in mTORC1KO thymus, leading to elevated γδT17 differentiation and rearranging of fetal specific TCRVγ/δ in adulthood. Thus, mTORC1 is central for TEC development/function and establishment of thymic environment for proper T cell development, and modulating mTORC1 activity can be a strategy for preventing thymic involution/atrophy. The thymus is essential for making T cells but undergoes age- or stress-associated atrophy. This study demonstrates that mTOR complex 1 in thymic epithelial cells is crucial for correct thymic architecture and the production of mature T cells. The thymus is the primary organ for T cell generation. Abnormal thymus function profoundly affects host immunity and numerous diseases. Thymopoiesis and thymus function rely on orchestrated interaction between multiple cell types representing different origins. Among them, thymic epithelial cells (TECs) are crucial for thymus development and maintenance and T cell generation. How TEC development and function are regulated is poorly understood. The mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), a serine/threonine kinase, signals with two complexes, mTORC1 and mTOC2, to control metabolism, growth, proliferation, and survival. Using a mouse model with mTORC1 selectively ablated in TECs, we demonstrate that mTORC1 in TECs plays critical roles in thymopoiesis and thymus function. Absence of mTORC1 results in impaired TEC maturation and function, altered thymic architecture, severe thymic atrophy, and impaired development of virtually all T-cell lineages. Moreover, it also causes increased generation of IL-17–producing γδT (γδT17) cells and fetal-specific γδT subsets in adult thymus, revealing that mTORC1 in TECs is central for temporal control of γδT17 differentiation and TCRVγ/δ recombination. Our results establish mTORC1 as a central regulator for TEC development/function and for the establishment of normal thymic environment for proper T cell development. We suggest modulating mTORC1 activity as a strategy for preventing thymic involution/atrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Xia Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jinwook Shin
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Shang Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Balachandra Gorentla
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Xingguang Lin
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jimin Gao
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yu-Rong Qiu
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- * E-mail: (XPZ); (YQ)
| | - Xiao-Ping Zhong
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapies Program, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail: (XPZ); (YQ)
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Decline of FOXN1 gene expression in human thymus correlates with age: possible epigenetic regulation. IMMUNITY & AGEING 2015; 12:18. [PMID: 26516334 PMCID: PMC4625732 DOI: 10.1186/s12979-015-0045-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thymic involution is thought to be an important factor of age related immunodeficiency. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of human thymic senescence may lead to the discovery of novel therapeutic approaches aimed at the reestablishment of central and peripheral T cell repertoire. RESULTS As an initial approach, here we report that the decline of human thymic FOXN1 transcription correlates with age, while other genes, DLL1, DLL4 and WNT4, essential for thymopoiesis, are constitutively transcribed. Using a human thymic epithelial cell line (hTEC), we show that FOXN1 expression is refractory to signals that induce FOXN1 transcription in primary 3D culture conditions and by stimulation of the canonical WNT signaling pathway. Blockage of FOXN1 induceability in the hTEC line may be mediated by an epigenetic mechanism, the CpG methylation of the FOXN1 gene. CONCLUSION We showed a suppression of FOXN1 transcription both in cultured human thymic epithelial cells and in the aging thymus. We hypothesize that the underlying mechanism may be associated with changes of the DNA methylation state of the FOXN1 gene.
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Sun L, Sun C, Liang Z, Li H, Chen L, Luo H, Zhang H, Ding P, Sun X, Qin Z, Zhao Y. FSP1(+) fibroblast subpopulation is essential for the maintenance and regeneration of medullary thymic epithelial cells. Sci Rep 2015; 5:14871. [PMID: 26445893 PMCID: PMC4597222 DOI: 10.1038/srep14871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) form a 3-dimentional network supporting thymocyte development and maturation. Besides epithelium and thymocytes, heterogeneous fibroblasts are essential components in maintaining thymic microenvironments. However, thymic fibroblast characteristics, development and function remain to be determined. We herein found that thymic non-hematopoietic CD45(-)FSP1(+) cells represent a unique Fibroblast specific protein 1 (FSP1)(-)fibroblast-derived cell subset. Deletion of these cells in FSP1-TK transgenic mice caused thymus atrophy due to the loss of TECs, especially mature medullary TECs (MHCII(high), CD80(+) and Aire(+)). In a cyclophosphamide-induced thymus injury and regeneration model, lack of non-hematopoietic CD45(-)FSP1(+) fibroblast subpopulation significantly delayed thymus regeneration. In fact, thymic FSP1(+) fibroblasts released more IL-6, FGF7 and FSP1 in the culture medium than their FSP1(-) counterparts. Further experiments showed that the FSP1 protein could directly enhance the proliferation and maturation of TECs in the in vitro culture systems. FSP1 knockout mice had significantly smaller thymus size and less TECs than their control. Collectively, our studies reveal that thymic CD45(-)FSP1(+) cells are a subpopulation of fibroblasts, which is crucial for the maintenance and regeneration of TECs especially medullary TECs through providing IL-6, FGF7 and FSP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chenming Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhanfeng Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongran Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceuticals, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haiying Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongmei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pengbo Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoning Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihai Qin
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceuticals, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Zhang H, Zhang P, Liu Y, Lv P, Wang Y, Chen Y. In vitro study of the effect of small interfering ribonucleic acid on the expression of FOXN1 and B cell-attracting chemokine 1 in thymoma cell lines. Thorac Cancer 2015; 6:172-9. [PMID: 26273355 PMCID: PMC4448481 DOI: 10.1111/1759-7714.12160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2014] [Accepted: 07/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To determine the relationship between FOXN1 (a transcription factor) and B cell-attracting chemokine 1 (BCA1, a chemotactic factor), and their influence on thymoma cell proliferation. METHODS We initially used immunohistochemical methods to compare the expression levels of FOXN1 and BCA1 in thymoma and non-thymomatous tissue samples. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to compare the expression of FOXN1 and BCA1 in thymoma cells (Thy0517) and normal thymic epithelial cells (CRL7660). We used ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) to downregulate FOXN1 and BCA1 expression in Thy0517 cells to determine the relationship of the two factors with cell regulation. We also performed methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) [3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo(-z-y1)-3,5-di-phenytetrazoliumromide] assays to detect the changes in Thy0517 cells after RNAi of FOXN1 and BCA1. RESULTS FOXN1 and BCA1 expression levels were higher in thymoma tissues and Thy0517 cells compared to non-thymomatous tissue and CRL7660 cells (P < 0.05). RT-PCR and Western blot following RNAi showed that FOXN1 controlled BCA1 expression. MTT assay showed that FOXN1 and BCA1 downregulation rapidly inhibited Thy0517 cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS FOXN1 and BCA1 expression was higher in thymoma tissue samples and cell lines than in non-thymomatous tissue and normal thymic epithelial cells. FOXN1 acts upstream of BCA1 and both FOXN1 and BCA1 promote thymoma cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhang
- Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, Tianjin Medical University Affiliated General Hospital Tianjin, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, Tianjin Medical University Affiliated General Hospital Tianjin, China
| | - Yimei Liu
- Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, Tianjin Medical University Affiliated General Hospital Tianjin, China
| | - Peng Lv
- Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, Tianjin Medical University Affiliated General Hospital Tianjin, China
| | - Yuanguo Wang
- Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, Tianjin Medical University Affiliated General Hospital Tianjin, China
| | - Yuan Chen
- Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, Tianjin Medical University Affiliated General Hospital Tianjin, China
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García-Ceca J, Alfaro D, Montero-Herradón S, Tobajas E, Muñoz JJ, Zapata AG. Eph/Ephrins-Mediated Thymocyte-Thymic Epithelial Cell Interactions Control Numerous Processes of Thymus Biology. Front Immunol 2015; 6:333. [PMID: 26167166 PMCID: PMC4481163 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2015.00333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies emphasize the relevance of thymocyte-thymic epithelial cell (TECs) interactions for the functional maturation of intrathymic T lymphocytes. The tyrosine kinase receptors, Ephs (erythropoietin-producing hepatocyte kinases) and their ligands, ephrins (Eph receptor interaction proteins), are molecules known to be involved in the regulation of numerous biological systems in which cell-to-cell interactions are particularly relevant. In the last years, we and other authors have demonstrated the importance of these molecules in the thymic functions and the T-cell development. In the present report, we review data on the effects of Ephs and ephrins in the functional maturation of both thymic epithelial microenvironment and thymocyte maturation as well as on their role in the lymphoid progenitor recruitment into the thymus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier García-Ceca
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Alfaro
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Montero-Herradón
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Esther Tobajas
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan José Muñoz
- Cytometry and Fluorescence Microscopy Center, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Agustín G. Zapata
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
- Cytometry and Fluorescence Microscopy Center, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
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A Single Amino Acid in the Hinge Loop Region of the FOXP Forkhead Domain is Significant for Dimerisation. Protein J 2015; 34:111-21. [DOI: 10.1007/s10930-015-9603-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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44
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Anderson G, McCarthy NI. Laying bare the nude mouse gene. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 194:847-8. [PMID: 25596297 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1403061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Graham Anderson
- Medical Research Council Centre for Immune Regulation, Institute for Biomedical Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas I McCarthy
- Medical Research Council Centre for Immune Regulation, Institute for Biomedical Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
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45
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A novel mutation in FOXN1 resulting in SCID: A case report and literature review. Clin Immunol 2014; 155:30-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2014.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2014] [Accepted: 08/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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46
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Biological significance of FoxN1 gain-of-function mutations during T and B lymphopoiesis in juvenile mice. Cell Death Dis 2014; 5:e1457. [PMID: 25299782 PMCID: PMC4237256 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2014.432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Revised: 08/31/2014] [Accepted: 09/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
FoxN1 is cell-autonomously expressed in skin and thymic epithelial cells (TECs), essential for their development. Inborn mutation of FoxN1 results in hair follicle and TEC development failure, whereas insufficient postnatal FoxN1 expression induces thymic atrophy, resulting in declined T lymphopoiesis. Although upregulating FoxN1 expression in the aged FoxN1-declined thymus rejuvenates T lymphopoiesis, whether its over- and ectopic-expression in early life is beneficial for T lymphopoiesis is unknown. Using our newly generated Rosa26-STOPflox–FoxN1 mice, in which over- and ectopic-expression of FoxN1 can be induced by various promoter-driven Cre-mediated deletions of the roadblock STOPflox in early life, we found that K14Cre-mediated inborn FoxN1 overexpression induced neonatal lethality, exhibited abnormal permeability in the skin and abnormal nursing. Ubiquitous deletion of the STOPflox mediated by progressive uCreERT leakage in juvenile mice affected thymus and bone marrow normality, resulting in an increased ratio of medullary/cortical TECs, along with declined T and B lymphopoiesis. Although the K5CreERT-mediated FoxN1 overexpression mice had a normal lifespan, induction of K5CreERT activation in juveniles adversely influenced total thymoycte development and produced ichthyosis-like skin. Therefore, FoxN1 has temporal and tissue-specific activity. Over- and ectopic-expression of FoxN1 in early life adversely influence immature TEC, T and B cell, and skin epithelial development.
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Reeh KAG, Cardenas KT, Bain VE, Liu Z, Laurent M, Manley NR, Richie ER. Ectopic TBX1 suppresses thymic epithelial cell differentiation and proliferation during thymus organogenesis. Development 2014; 141:2950-8. [PMID: 25053428 DOI: 10.1242/dev.111641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The thymus and parathyroid glands arise from a shared endodermal primordium in the third pharyngeal pouch (3rd pp). Thymus fate is specified in the ventral 3rd pp between E9.5 and E11, whereas parathyroid fate is specified in the dorsal domain. The molecular mechanisms that specify fate and regulate thymus and parathyroid development are not fully delineated. Previous reports suggested that Tbx1 is required for thymus organogenesis because loss of Tbx1 in individuals with DiGeorge syndrome and in experimental Tbx1 deletion mutants is associated with thymus aplasia or hypoplasia. However, the thymus phenotype is likely to be secondary to defects in pharyngeal pouch formation. Furthermore, the absence of Tbx1 expression in the thymus-fated domain of the wild-type 3rd pp suggested that Tbx1 is instead a negative regulator of thymus organogenesis. To test this hypothesis, we generated a novel mouse strain in which expression of a conditional Tbx1 allele was ectopically activated in the thymus-fated domain of the 3rd pp. Ectopic Tbx1 expression severely repressed expression of Foxn1, a transcription factor that marks the thymus-fated domain and is required for differentiation and proliferation of thymic epithelial cell (TEC) progenitors. By contrast, ectopic Tbx1 did not alter the expression pattern of Gcm2, a transcription factor restricted to the parathyroid-fated domain and required for parathyroid development. Ectopic Tbx1 expression impaired TEC proliferation and arrested TEC differentiation at an early progenitor stage. The results support the hypothesis that Tbx1 negatively regulates TEC growth and differentiation, and that extinction of Tbx1 expression in 3rd pp endoderm is a prerequisite for thymus organogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin A G Reeh
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Science Park Research Division, Smithville, TX 78957, USA
| | - Kim T Cardenas
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Science Park Research Division, Smithville, TX 78957, USA
| | - Virginia E Bain
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Science Park Research Division, Smithville, TX 78957, USA
| | - Zhijie Liu
- Department of Genetics, Paul D. Coverdell Center, 500 DW Brooks Drive, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Micheline Laurent
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Science Park Research Division, Smithville, TX 78957, USA
| | - Nancy R Manley
- Department of Genetics, Paul D. Coverdell Center, 500 DW Brooks Drive, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Ellen R Richie
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Science Park Research Division, Smithville, TX 78957, USA
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Chojnowski JL, Masuda K, Trau HA, Thomas K, Capecchi M, Manley NR. Multiple roles for HOXA3 in regulating thymus and parathyroid differentiation and morphogenesis in mouse. Development 2014; 141:3697-708. [PMID: 25249461 DOI: 10.1242/dev.110833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Hoxa3 was the first Hox gene to be mutated by gene targeting in mice and is required for the development of multiple endoderm and neural crest cell (NCC)-derived structures in the pharyngeal region. Previous studies have shown that the Hoxa3 null mutant lacks third pharyngeal pouch derivatives, the thymus and parathyroids by E18.5, and organ-specific markers are absent or downregulated during initial organogenesis. Our current analysis of the Hoxa3 null mutant shows that organ-specific domains did undergo initial patterning, but the location and timing of key regional markers within the pouch, including Tbx1, Bmp4 and Fgf8, were altered. Expression of the parathyroid marker Gcm2 was initiated but was quickly downregulated and differentiation failed; by contrast, thymus markers were delayed but achieved normal levels, concurrent with complete loss through apoptosis. To determine the cell type-specific roles of Hoxa3 in third pharyngeal pouch development, we analyzed tissue-specific mutants using endoderm and/or NCC-specific Cre drivers. Simultaneous deletion with both drivers resulted in athymia at E18.5, similar to the null. By contrast, the individual tissue-specific Hoxa3 deletions resulted in small, ectopic thymi, although each had a unique phenotype. Hoxa3 was primarily required in NCCs for morphogenesis. In endoderm, Hoxa3 temporally regulated initiation of the thymus program and was required in a cell-autonomous manner for parathyroid differentiation. Furthermore, Hoxa3 was required for survival of third pharyngeal pouch-derived organs, but expression in either tissue was sufficient for this function. These data show that Hoxa3 has multiple complex and tissue-specific functions during patterning, differentiation and morphogenesis of the thymus and parathyroids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jena L Chojnowski
- Department of Genetics, Paul D. Coverdell Center, 500 DW Brooks Drive, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Kyoko Masuda
- Department of Genetics, Paul D. Coverdell Center, 500 DW Brooks Drive, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Heidi A Trau
- Department of Genetics, Paul D. Coverdell Center, 500 DW Brooks Drive, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Kirk Thomas
- Division of Hematology and Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
| | - Mario Capecchi
- Department of Human Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
| | - Nancy R Manley
- Department of Genetics, Paul D. Coverdell Center, 500 DW Brooks Drive, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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Li J, Liu Z, Xiao S, Manley NR. Transdifferentiation of parathyroid cells into cervical thymi promotes atypical T-cell development. Nat Commun 2014; 4:2959. [PMID: 24343363 PMCID: PMC5594919 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2013] [Accepted: 11/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The thoracic thymus is the primary vertebrate organ for T-cell generation. Accessory cervical thymi have also been identified in humans and mice, and shown in mice to be independent functional organs that support T-cell development. However, their origin and functional significance remain unclear. Here we show that cervical thymi in mice have following two origins: delayed differentiation of endodermal precursors and transdifferentiation of parathyroid-fated cells. Compared with thoracic thymus, parathyroid-origin cervical thymi (pCT) express low levels of the thymic epithelial cell-specific transcription factor FOXN1. Consequently, pCT form a distinct microenvironment that supports an atypical thymocyte development pathway, generating T cells with unconventional phenotypic characteristics. Our data demonstrate a transdifferentiation origin for a subset of cervical thymi, with specific functional consequences for T-cell development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, 500 DW Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Zhijie Liu
- 1] Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, 500 DW Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA [2]
| | - Shiyun Xiao
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, 500 DW Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Nancy R Manley
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, 500 DW Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
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Shah DK, Zúñiga-Pflücker JC. An overview of the intrathymic intricacies of T cell development. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 192:4017-23. [PMID: 24748636 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1302259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The generation of a functional and diverse repertoire of T cells occurs in the thymus from precursors arriving from the bone marrow. In this article, we introduce the various stages of mouse thymocyte development and highlight recent work using various in vivo, and, where appropriate, in vitro models of T cell development that led to discoveries in the regulation afforded by transcription factors and receptor-ligand signaling pathways in specifying, maintaining, and promoting the T cell lineage and the production of T cells. This review also discusses the role of the thymic microenvironment in providing a niche for the successful development of T cells. In particular, we focus on advances in Notch signaling and developments in Notch ligand interactions in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya K Shah
- Anthony Nolan Research Institute, Royal Free Hospital, London NW3 2QG, United Kingdom
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