1
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Groegler J, Callebaut A, James EA, Delong T. The insulin secretory granule is a hotspot for autoantigen formation in type 1 diabetes. Diabetologia 2024; 67:1507-1516. [PMID: 38811417 DOI: 10.1007/s00125-024-06164-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
In type 1 diabetes, the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas are destroyed through the activity of autoreactive T cells. In addition to strong and well-documented HLA class II risk haplotypes, type 1 diabetes is associated with noncoding polymorphisms within the insulin gene locus. Furthermore, autoantibody prevalence data and murine studies implicate insulin as a crucial autoantigen for the disease. Studies identify secretory granules, where proinsulin is processed into mature insulin, stored and released in response to glucose stimulation, as a source of antigenic epitopes and neoepitopes. In this review, we integrate established concepts, including the role that susceptible HLA and thymic selection of the T cell repertoire play in setting the stage for autoimmunity, with emerging insights about beta cell and insulin secretory granule biology. In particular, the acidic, peptide-rich environment of secretory granules combined with its array of enzymes generates a distinct proteome that is unique to functional beta cells. These factors converge to generate non-templated peptide sequences that are recognised by autoreactive T cells. Although unanswered questions remain, formation and presentation of these epitopes and the resulting immune responses appear to be key aspects of disease initiation. In addition, these pathways may represent important opportunities for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Groegler
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Aïsha Callebaut
- Center for Translational Immunology, Benaroya Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Eddie A James
- Center for Translational Immunology, Benaroya Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Thomas Delong
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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2
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You Y, Dunst J, Ye K, Sandoz PA, Reinhardt A, Sandrock I, Comet NR, Sarkar RD, Yang E, Duprez E, Agudo J, Brown BD, Utz PJ, Kastenmüller W, Gerlach C, Prinz I, Önfelt B, Kreslavsky T. Direct presentation of inflammation-associated self-antigens by thymic innate-like T cells induces elimination of autoreactive CD8 + thymocytes. Nat Immunol 2024; 25:1367-1382. [PMID: 38992254 PMCID: PMC11291280 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-024-01899-6] [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: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Upregulation of diverse self-antigens that constitute components of the inflammatory response overlaps spatially and temporally with the emergence of pathogen-derived foreign antigens. Therefore, discrimination between these inflammation-associated self-antigens and pathogen-derived molecules represents a unique challenge for the adaptive immune system. Here, we demonstrate that CD8+ T cell tolerance to T cell-derived inflammation-associated self-antigens is efficiently induced in the thymus and supported by redundancy in cell types expressing these molecules. In addition to thymic epithelial cells, this included thymic eosinophils and innate-like T cells, a population that expressed molecules characteristic for all major activated T cell subsets. We show that direct T cell-to-T cell antigen presentation by minute numbers of innate-like T cells was sufficient to eliminate autoreactive CD8+ thymocytes. Tolerance to such effector molecules was of critical importance, as its breach caused by decreased thymic abundance of a single model inflammation-associated self-antigen resulted in autoimmune elimination of an entire class of effector T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan You
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Josefine Dunst
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kewei Ye
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Patrick A Sandoz
- Department of Applied Physics, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Annika Reinhardt
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Inga Sandrock
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Natalia R Comet
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rupak Dey Sarkar
- Max Planck Research Group, Würzburg Institute of Systems Immunology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Emily Yang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Estelle Duprez
- Epigenetic Factors in Normal and Malignant Hematopoiesis Lab, CRCM, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Paoli Calmettes, Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Judith Agudo
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brian D Brown
- The Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Icahn Genomics Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Paul J Utz
- Department of Medicine, Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Wolfgang Kastenmüller
- Max Planck Research Group, Würzburg Institute of Systems Immunology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Carmen Gerlach
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Immo Prinz
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Hamburg Center for Translational Immunology (HCTI), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Systems Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Björn Önfelt
- Department of Applied Physics, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Taras Kreslavsky
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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3
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De Boer RJ, Kesmir C, Perelson AS, Borghans JAM. Is the exquisite specificity of lymphocytes generated by thymic selection or due to evolution? Front Immunol 2024; 15:1266349. [PMID: 38605941 PMCID: PMC11008227 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1266349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
We have previously argued that the antigen receptors of T and B lymphocytes evolved to be sufficiently specific to avoid massive deletion of clonotypes by negative selection. Their optimal 'specificity' level, i.e., probability of binding any particular epitope, was shown to be inversely related to the number of self-antigens that the cells have to be tolerant to. Experiments have demonstrated that T lymphocytes also become more specific during negative selection in the thymus, because cells expressing the most crossreactive receptors have the highest likelihood of binding a self-antigen, and hence to be tolerized (i.e., deleted, anergized, or diverted into a regulatory T cell phenotype). Thus, there are two -not mutually exclusive- explanations for the exquisite specificity of T cells, one involving evolution and the other thymic selection. To better understand the impact of both, we extend a previously developed mathematical model by allowing for T cells with very different binding probabilities in the pre-selection repertoire. We confirm that negative selection tends to tolerize the most crossreactive clonotypes. As a result, the average level of specificity in the functional post-selection repertoire depends on the number of self-antigens, even if there is no evolutionary optimization of binding probabilities. However, the evolutionary optimal range of binding probabilities in the pre-selection repertoire also depends on the number of self-antigens. Species with more self antigens need more specific pre-selection repertoires to avoid excessive loss of T cells during thymic selection, and hence mount protective immune responses. We conclude that both evolution and negative selection are responsible for the high level of specificity of lymphocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rob J. De Boer
- Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Can Kesmir
- Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Alan S. Perelson
- Department of Theoretical Biology and Biophysics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - José A. M. Borghans
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
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4
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Yu H, Yang W, Cao M, Lei Q, Yuan R, Xu H, Cui Y, Chen X, Su X, Zhuo H, Lin L. Mechanism study of ubiquitination in T cell development and autoimmune disease. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1359933. [PMID: 38562929 PMCID: PMC10982411 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1359933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
T cells play critical role in multiple immune processes including antigen response, tumor immunity, inflammation, self-tolerance maintenance and autoimmune diseases et. Fetal liver or bone marrow-derived thymus-seeding progenitors (TSPs) settle in thymus and undergo T cell-lineage commitment, proliferation, T cell receptor (TCR) rearrangement, and thymic selections driven by microenvironment composed of thymic epithelial cells (TEC), dendritic cells (DC), macrophage and B cells, thus generating T cells with diverse TCR repertoire immunocompetent but not self-reactive. Additionally, some self-reactive thymocytes give rise to Treg with the help of TEC and DC, serving for immune tolerance. The sequential proliferation, cell fate decision, and selection during T cell development and self-tolerance establishment are tightly regulated to ensure the proper immune response without autoimmune reaction. There are remarkable progresses in understanding of the regulatory mechanisms regarding ubiquitination in T cell development and the establishment of self-tolerance in the past few years, which holds great potential for further therapeutic interventions in immune-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Yu
- Department of Urology, Medical Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, The Third People’s Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Second Chengdu Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenyong Yang
- Department of Urology, Medical Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, The Third People’s Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Second Chengdu Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University, Chengdu, China
| | - Min Cao
- Department of Urology, Medical Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, The Third People’s Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Second Chengdu Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qingqiang Lei
- Department of Urology, Medical Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, The Third People’s Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Second Chengdu Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University, Chengdu, China
| | - Renbin Yuan
- Department of Urology, Medical Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, The Third People’s Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Second Chengdu Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University, Chengdu, China
| | - He Xu
- Department of Urology, Medical Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, The Third People’s Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Second Chengdu Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuqian Cui
- Department of Urology, Medical Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, The Third People’s Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Second Chengdu Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuerui Chen
- Department of Urology, Medical Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, The Third People’s Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Second Chengdu Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xu Su
- Department of Urology, Medical Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, The Third People’s Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Second Chengdu Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University, Chengdu, China
- College of Medicine, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hui Zhuo
- Department of Urology, Medical Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, The Third People’s Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Second Chengdu Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University, Chengdu, China
| | - Liangbin Lin
- Department of Urology, Medical Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, The Third People’s Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Second Chengdu Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University, Chengdu, China
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5
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Meulewaeter S, Zhang Y, Wadhwa A, Fox K, Lentacker I, Harder KW, Cullis PR, De Smedt SC, Cheng MHY, Verbeke R. Considerations on the Design of Lipid-based mRNA Vaccines Against Cancer. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168385. [PMID: 38065276 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168385] [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: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Throughout the last decades, mRNA vaccines have been developed as a cancer immunotherapeutic and the technology recently gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent promising results obtained from clinical trials investigating lipid-based mRNA vaccines in cancer therapy further highlighted the potential of this therapy. Interestingly, while the technologies being used in authorized mRNA vaccines for the prevention of COVID-19 are relatively similar, mRNA vaccines in clinical development for cancer vaccination show marked differences in mRNA modification, lipid carrier, and administration route. In this review, we describe findings on how these factors can impact the potency of mRNA vaccines in cancer therapy and provide insights into the complex interplay between them. We discuss how lipid carrier composition can affect passive targeting to immune cells to improve the efficacy and safety of mRNA vaccines. Finally, we summarize strategies that are established or still being explored to improve the efficacy of mRNA cancer vaccines and include next-generation vaccines that are on the horizon in clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofie Meulewaeter
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Yao Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Abishek Wadhwa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Kevin Fox
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Ine Lentacker
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Kenneth W Harder
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Pieter R Cullis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Stefaan C De Smedt
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Miffy H Y Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Rein Verbeke
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium.
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6
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Tao W, Ye Z, Wei Y, Wang J, Yang W, Yu G, Xiong J, Jia S. Insm1 regulates mTEC development and immune tolerance. Cell Mol Immunol 2023; 20:1472-1486. [PMID: 37990032 PMCID: PMC10687002 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-023-01102-0] [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: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The expression of self-antigens in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) is essential for the establishment of immune tolerance, but the regulatory network that controls the generation and maintenance of the multitude of cell populations expressing self-antigens is poorly understood. Here, we show that Insm1, a zinc finger protein with known functions in neuroendocrine and neuronal cells, is broadly coexpressed with an autoimmune regulator (Aire) in mTECs. Insm1 expression is undetectable in most mimetic cell populations derived from mTECs but persists in neuroendocrine mimetic cells. Mutation of Insm1 in mice downregulated Aire expression, dysregulated the gene expression program of mTECs, and altered mTEC subpopulations and the expression of tissue-restricted antigens. Consistent with these findings, loss of Insm1 resulted in autoimmune responses in multiple peripheral tissues. We found that Insm1 regulates gene expression in mTECs by binding to chromatin. Interestingly, the majority of the Insm1 binding sites are co-occupied by Aire and enriched in superenhancer regions. Together, our data demonstrate the important role of Insm1 in the regulation of the repertoire of self-antigens needed to establish immune tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weihua Tao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint University Laboratory of Metabolic and Molecular Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- The Institute of Clinical Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Key Lab of Guangzhou Basic and Translational Research of Pan-Vascular Diseases, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhihuan Ye
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint University Laboratory of Metabolic and Molecular Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- The Institute of Clinical Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiqiu Wei
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint University Laboratory of Metabolic and Molecular Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- The Institute of Clinical Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianxue Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weixin Yang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guoxing Yu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint University Laboratory of Metabolic and Molecular Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- The Institute of Clinical Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jieyi Xiong
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany.
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Shiqi Jia
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
- The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint University Laboratory of Metabolic and Molecular Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
- The Institute of Clinical Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
- Key Lab of Guangzhou Basic and Translational Research of Pan-Vascular Diseases, Guangzhou, China.
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7
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Niu D, Wu Y, Lian J. Circular RNA vaccine in disease prevention and treatment. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:341. [PMID: 37691066 PMCID: PMC10493228 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01561-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
CircRNAs are a class of single-stranded RNAs with covalently linked head-to-tail topology. In the decades since its initial discovery, their biogenesis, regulation, and function have rapidly disclosed, permitting a better understanding and adoption of them as new tools for medical applications. With the development of biotechnology and molecular medicine, artificial circRNAs have been engineered as a novel class of vaccines for disease treatment and prevention. Unlike the linear mRNA vaccine which applications were limited by its instability, inefficiency, and innate immunogenicity, circRNA vaccine which incorporate internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs) and open reading frame (ORF) provides an improved approach to RNA-based vaccination with safety, stability, simplicity of manufacture, and scalability. However, circRNA vaccines are at an early stage, and their optimization, delivery and applications require further development and evaluation. In this review, we comprehensively describe circRNA vaccine, including their history and superiority. We also summarize and discuss the current methodological research for circRNA vaccine preparation, including their design, synthesis, and purification. Finally, we highlight the delivery options of circRNA vaccine and its potential applications in diseases treatment and prevention. Considering their unique high stability, low immunogenicity, protein/peptide-coding capacity and special closed-loop construction, circRNA vaccine, and circRNA-based therapeutic platforms may have superior application prospects in a broad range of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dun Niu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Yaran Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiqin Lian
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China.
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China.
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8
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Vijver SV, Danklmaier S, Pipperger L, Gronauer R, Floriani G, Hackl H, Das K, Wollmann G. Prediction and validation of murine MHC class I epitopes of the recombinant virus VSV-GP. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1100730. [PMID: 36741416 PMCID: PMC9893851 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1100730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Oncolytic viruses are currently tested as a novel platform for cancer therapy. These viruses preferentially replicate in and kill malignant cells. Due to their microbial origin, treatment with oncolytic viruses naturally results in anti-viral responses and general immune activation. Consequently, the oncolytic virus treatment also induces anti-viral T cells. Since these can constitute the dominant activated T cell pool, monitoring of the anti-viral T cell response may aid in better understanding of the immune responses post oncolytic virotherapy. This study aimed to identify the anti-viral T cells raised by VSV-GP virotherapy in C57BL/6J mice, one of the most widely used models for preclinical studies. VSV-GP is a novel oncolytic agent that recently entered a clinical phase I study. To identify the VSV-GP epitopes to which mouse anti-viral T cells react, we used a multilevel adapted bioinformatics viral epitope prediction approach based on the tools netMHCpan, MHCflurry and netMHCstabPan, which are commonly used in neoepitope identification. Predicted viral epitopes were ranked based on consensus binding strength categories, predicted stability, and dissimilarity to the mouse proteome. The top ranked epitopes were selected and included in the peptide candidate matrix in order to use a matrix deconvolution approach. Using ELISpot, we showed which viral epitopes presented on C57BL/6J mouse MHC-I alleles H2-Db and H2-Kb trigger IFN-γ secretion due to T cell activation. Furthermore, we validated these findings using an intracellular cytokine staining. Collectively, identification of the VSV-GP T cell epitopes enables monitoring of the full range of anti-viral T cell responses upon VSV-GP virotherapy in future studies with preclinical mouse models to more comprehensively delineate anti-viral from anti-tumor T cell responses. These findings also support the development of novel VSV-GP variants expressing immunomodulatory transgenes and can improve the assessment of anti-viral immunity in preclinical models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia V. Vijver
- Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Viral Immunotherapy of Cancer, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sarah Danklmaier
- Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Viral Immunotherapy of Cancer, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Lisa Pipperger
- Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Viral Immunotherapy of Cancer, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Raphael Gronauer
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Gabriel Floriani
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Hubert Hackl
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Guido Wollmann
- Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Viral Immunotherapy of Cancer, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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9
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Antigenic mimicry – The key to autoimmunity in immune privileged organs. J Autoimmun 2022:102942. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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10
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Sun IH, Gillis-Buck E, Mackenzie TC, Gardner JM. Thymic and extrathymic Aire-expressing cells in maternal-fetal tolerance. Immunol Rev 2022; 308:93-104. [PMID: 35535447 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Healthy pregnancy requires maternal immune tolerance to both fetal and placental tissues which contain a range of self- and non-self-antigens. While many of the components and mechanisms of maternal-fetal tolerance have been investigated in detail and previously and thoroughly reviewed (Erlebacher A. Annu Rev Immunol. 2013;31:387-411), the role of autoimmune regulator (Aire), a critical regulator of central tolerance expressed by medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs), has been less explored. Aire is known to facilitate the expression of a range of otherwise tissue-specific antigens (TSAs) in mTECs, and here we highlight recent work showing a role for mTEC-mediated thymic selection in maintaining maternal-fetal tolerance. Recently, however, our group and others have identified additional populations of extrathymic Aire-expressing cells (eTACs) in the secondary lymphoid organs. These hematopoietic antigen-presenting cells possess the ability to induce functional inactivation and/or deletion of cognate T cells, and deletion of maternal eTACs during pregnancy increases T-cell activation in the lymph nodes and lymphocytic infiltration of the uterus, leading to pregnancy complications including intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and fetal resorption. In this review, we briefly summarize findings related to essential Aire biology, discuss the known roles of Aire-deficiency related to pregnancy complications and infertility, review the newly discovered role for eTACs in the maintenance of maternal-fetal tolerance-as well as recent work defining eTACs at the single-cell level-and postulate potential mechanisms by which eTACs may regulate this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Im-Hong Sun
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.,Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Eva Gillis-Buck
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Tippi C Mackenzie
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.,Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - James M Gardner
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.,Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
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11
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Tanaka PP, Oliveira EH, Vieira-Machado MC, Duarte MJ, Assis AF, Bombonato-Prado KF, Passos GA. miR-155 exerts posttranscriptional control of autoimmune regulator (Aire) and tissue-restricted antigen genes in medullary thymic epithelial cells. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:404. [PMID: 35643451 PMCID: PMC9145475 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08631-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The autoimmune regulator (Aire) gene is critical for the appropriate establishment of central immune tolerance. As one of the main controllers of promiscuous gene expression in the thymus, Aire promotes the expression of thousands of downstream tissue-restricted antigen (TRA) genes, cell adhesion genes and transcription factor genes in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs). Despite the increasing knowledge about the role of Aire as an upstream transcriptional controller, little is known about the mechanisms by which this gene could be regulated. RESULTS Here, we assessed the posttranscriptional control of Aire by miRNAs. The in silico miRNA-mRNA interaction analysis predicted thermodynamically stable hybridization between the 3'UTR of Aire mRNA and miR-155, which was confirmed to occur within the cellular milieu through a luciferase reporter assay. This finding enabled us to hypothesize that miR-155 might play a role as an intracellular posttranscriptional regulator of Aire mRNA. To test this hypothesis, we transfected a murine mTEC cell line with a miR-155 mimic in vitro, which reduced the mRNA and protein levels of Aire. Moreover, large-scale transcriptome analysis showed the modulation of 311 downstream mRNAs, which included 58 TRA mRNAs. Moreover, miR-155 mimic-transfected cells exhibited a decrease in their chemotaxis property compared with control thymocytes. CONCLUSION Overall, the results indicate that miR-155 may posttranscriptionally control Aire mRNA, reducing the respective Aire protein levels; consequently, the levels of mRNAs encode tissue-restricted antigens were affected. In addition, miR-155 regulated a crucial process by which mTECs allow thymocytes' migration through chemotaxis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Paranhos Tanaka
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Ernna Hérida Oliveira
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Mayara Cristina Vieira-Machado
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Max Jordan Duarte
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Amanda Freire Assis
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Karina Fittipaldi Bombonato-Prado
- Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Department of Basic and Oral Biology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
- Center for Cell-Based Therapy in Dentistry, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Geraldo Aleixo Passos
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
- Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Department of Basic and Oral Biology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
- Center for Cell-Based Therapy in Dentistry, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
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12
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Pishesha N, Harmand TJ, Ploegh HL. A guide to antigen processing and presentation. Nat Rev Immunol 2022; 22:751-764. [PMID: 35418563 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-022-00707-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 223] [Impact Index Per Article: 111.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Antigen processing and presentation are the cornerstones of adaptive immunity. B cells cannot generate high-affinity antibodies without T cell help. CD4+ T cells, which provide such help, use antigen-specific receptors that recognize major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules in complex with peptide cargo. Similarly, eradication of virus-infected cells often depends on cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, which rely on the recognition of peptide-MHC complexes for their action. The two major classes of glycoproteins entrusted with antigen presentation are the MHC class I and class II molecules, which present antigenic peptides to CD8+ T cells and CD4+ T cells, respectively. This Review describes the essentials of antigen processing and presentation. These pathways are divided into six discrete steps that allow a comparison of the various means by which antigens destined for presentation are acquired and how the source proteins for these antigens are tagged for degradation, destroyed and ultimately displayed as peptides in complex with MHC molecules for T cell recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Novalia Pishesha
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Society of Fellows, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Thibault J Harmand
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hidde L Ploegh
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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13
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Tassinari V, Cerboni C, Soriani A. Self or Non-Self? It Is also a Matter of RNA Recognition and Editing by ADAR1. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11040568. [PMID: 35453767 PMCID: PMC9024829 DOI: 10.3390/biology11040568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary A fundamental feature of innate immune cells is to detect the presence of non-self, such as potentially harmful nucleic acids, by germline-encoded specialized receptors called pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). ADAR1 is one key enzyme avoiding aberrant type I interferon (IFN-I) production and immune cell activation by the conversion of adenosine to inosine (A-to-I) in double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) structures that arise in self mRNA containing specific repetitive elements. This review intends to give an up-to-date and detailed overview of the ADAR1-mediated ability to modulate the immune response in autoimmune diseases and cancer progression. Abstract A-to-I editing is a post-transcriptional mechanism affecting coding and non-coding dsRNAs, catalyzed by the adenosine deaminases acting on the RNA (ADAR) family of enzymes. A-to-I modifications of endogenous dsRNA (mainly derived from Alu repetitive elements) prevent their recognition by cellular dsRNA sensors, thus avoiding the induction of antiviral signaling and uncontrolled IFN-I production. This process, mediated by ADAR1 activity, ensures the activation of an innate immune response against foreign (non-self) but not self nucleic acids. As a consequence, ADAR1 mutations or its de-regulated activity promote the development of autoimmune diseases and strongly impact cell growth, also leading to cancer. Moreover, the excessive inflammation promoted by Adar1 ablation also impacts T and B cell maturation, as well as the development of dendritic cell subsets, revealing a new role of ADAR1 in the homeostasis of the immune system.
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14
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Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 and eye damage. ACTA BIOMEDICA SCIENTIFICA 2021. [DOI: 10.29413/abs.2021-6.6-1.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS type 1) is a disease characterized by a variety of clinical manifestations resulting from the involvement of multiple endocrine and non-endocrine organs in the pathological process. APS type 1 is a rare genetically determined disease with autosomal recessive inheritance. Mutations in the autoimmune regulator gene (AIRE) lead to a disruption of the mechanism of normal antigen expression and the formation of abnormal clones of immune cells, and can cause autoimmune damage to organs. Within APS type 1, the most common disorders are primary adrenal insufficiency, hypoparathyroidism, and chronic candidiasis. Some understudied clinical manifestations of APS type 1 are autoimmune pathological processes in the eye: keratoconjunctivitis, dry eye syndrome, iridocyclitis, retinopathy, retinal detachment, and optic atrophy. This review presents the accumulated experimental and clinical data on the development of eye damage of autoimmune nature in APS type 1, as well as the laboratory and instrumental methods used for diagnosing the disease. Changes in the visual organs in combination with clinical manifestations of hypoparathyroidism, adrenal insufficiency and candidiasis should lead the clinical doctor to suspect the presence of APS type 1 and to examine the patient comprehensively. Timely genetic counselling will allow early identifi cation of the disease, timely prescription of appropriate treatment and prevention of severe complications.
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15
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Tao Z, Jiang Y, Xia S. Regulation of thymic T regulatory cell differentiation by TECs in health and disease. Scand J Immunol 2021; 94:e13094. [PMID: 34780092 DOI: 10.1111/sji.13094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The thymus produces self-limiting and self-tolerant T cells through the interaction between thymocytes and thymus epithelial cells (TECs), thereby generating central immune tolerance. The TECs are composed of cortical and medullary thymic epithelial cells, which regulate the positive and negative selection of T cells, respectively. During the process of negative selection, thymocytes with self-reactive ability are deleted or differentiated into regulatory T cells (Tregs). Tregs are a subset of suppressor T cells that are important for maintaining immune homeostasis. The differentiation and development of Tregs depend on the development of TECs and other underlying molecular mechanisms. Tregs regulated by thymic epithelial cells are closely related to human health and are significant in autoimmune diseases, thymoma and pregnancy. In this review, we summarize the current molecular and transcriptional regulatory mechanisms by which TECs affect the development and function of thymic Tregs. We also review the pathophysiological models of thymic epithelial cells regulating thymic Tregs in human diseases and specific physiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehua Tao
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yalan Jiang
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Sheng Xia
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
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16
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Ohigashi I, Matsuda-Lennikov M, Takahama Y. Peptides for T cell selection in the thymus. Peptides 2021; 146:170671. [PMID: 34624431 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2021.170671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-associated peptides generated and displayed by antigen-presenting cells in the thymus are essential for the generation of functional and self-tolerant T cells that protect our body from various pathogens. The peptides displayed by cortical thymic epithelial cells (cTECs) are generated by unique enzymatic machineries including the thymoproteasomes, and are involved in the positive selection of self-protective T cells. On the other hand, the peptides displayed by medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) and thymic dendritic cells (DCs) are involved in further selection to establish self-tolerance in T cells. Although the biochemical nature of the peptide repertoire displayed in the thymus remains unclear, many studies have suggested a thymus-specific mechanism for the generation of MHC-associated peptides in the thymus. In this review, we summarize basic knowledge and recent advances in MHC-associated thymic peptides, focusing on the generation and function of thymoproteasome-dependent peptides specifically displayed by cTECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izumi Ohigashi
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan.
| | - Mami Matsuda-Lennikov
- Thymus Biology Section, Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Yousuke Takahama
- Thymus Biology Section, Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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17
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Warren BD, Ahn SH, Brittain KS, Nanjappa MK, Wang H, Wang J, Blanco G, Sanchez G, Fan Y, Petroff BK, Cooke PS, Petroff MG. Multiple Lesions Contribute to Infertility in Males Lacking Autoimmune Regulator. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2021; 191:1592-1609. [PMID: 34126085 PMCID: PMC8420865 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2021.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Male factors, including those of autoimmune origin, contribute to approximately 50% of infertility cases in humans. However, the mechanisms underlying autoimmune male infertility are poorly understood. Deficiency in autoimmune regulator (AIRE) impairs central immune tolerance because of diminished expression of self-antigens in the thymus. Humans with AIRE mutations and mice with engineered ablation of Aire develop multiorgan autoimmunity and infertility. To determine the immune targets contributing to infertility in male Aire-deficient (-/-) mice, Aire-/- or wild-type (WT) males were paired with WT females. Aire-/- males exhibited dramatically reduced mating frequency and fertility, hypogonadism, and reduced serum testosterone. Approximately 15% of mice exhibited lymphocytic infiltration into the testis, accompanied by atrophy, azoospermia, and reduced numbers of mitotically active germ cells; the remaining mice showed normal testicular morphology, sperm counts, and motility. However, spermatozoa from all Aire-/- mice were defective in their ability to fertilize WT oocytes in vitro. Lymphocytic infiltration into the epididymis, seminal vesicle, and prostate gland was evident. Aire-/- male mice generated autoreactive antibodies in an age-dependent manner against sperm, testis, epididymis, prostate gland, and seminal vesicle. Finally, expression of Aire was evident in the seminiferous epithelium in an age-dependent manner, as well as in the prostate gland. These findings suggest that Aire-dependent central tolerance plays a critical role in maintaining male fertility by stemming autoimmunity against multiple reproductive targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryce D Warren
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Soo H Ahn
- Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Kathryn S Brittain
- Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, College of Natural Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Manjunatha K Nanjappa
- Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Computational Mathematics, Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Jianrong Wang
- Department of Computational Mathematics, Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Gustavo Blanco
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Gladis Sanchez
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Yong Fan
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Alleghany Health Network, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Brian K Petroff
- Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Paul S Cooke
- Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Margaret G Petroff
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas; Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, College of Natural Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.
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18
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Gillis-Buck E, Miller H, Sirota M, Sanders SJ, Ntranos V, Anderson MS, Gardner JM, MacKenzie TC. Extrathymic Aire-expressing cells support maternal-fetal tolerance. Sci Immunol 2021; 6:eabf1968. [PMID: 34272228 PMCID: PMC9363019 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abf1968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Healthy pregnancy requires tolerance to fetal alloantigens as well as syngeneic embryonic and placental antigens. Given the importance of the autoimmune regulator (Aire) gene in self-tolerance, we investigated the role of Aire-expressing cells in maternal-fetal tolerance. We report that maternal ablation of Aire-expressing (Aire +) cells during early mouse pregnancy caused intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) in both allogeneic and syngeneic pregnancies. This phenotype is immune mediated, as IUGR was rescued in Rag1-deficient mice, and involved a memory response, demonstrated by recurrence of severe IUGR in second pregnancies. Single-cell RNA sequencing demonstrated that Aire + cell depletion in pregnancy results in expansion of activated T cells, particularly T follicular helper cells. Unexpectedly, selective ablation of either Aire-expressing medullary thymic epithelial cells or extrathymic Aire-expressing cells (eTACs) mapped the IUGR phenotype exclusively to eTACs. Thus, we report a previously undescribed mechanism for the maintenance of maternal-fetal immune homeostasis and demonstrate that eTACs protect the conceptus from immune-mediated IUGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Gillis-Buck
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Haleigh Miller
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Diabetes Center University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Marina Sirota
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stephan J Sanders
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Vasilis Ntranos
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Diabetes Center University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mark S Anderson
- Diabetes Center University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - James M Gardner
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Diabetes Center University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tippi C MacKenzie
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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19
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Na SY, Krishnamoorthy G. Targeted Expression of Myelin Autoantigen in the Periphery Induces Antigen-Specific T and B Cell Tolerance and Ameliorates Autoimmune Disease. Front Immunol 2021; 12:668487. [PMID: 34149706 PMCID: PMC8206569 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.668487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a great interest in developing antigen-specific therapeutic approaches for the treatment of autoimmune diseases without compromising normal immune function. The key challenges are to control all antigen-specific lymphocyte populations that contribute to pathogenic inflammatory processes and to provide long-term protection from disease relapses. Here, we show that myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-specific tolerance can be established by ectopic expression of MOG in the immune organs. Using transgenic mice expressing MOG-specific CD4, CD8, and B cell receptors, we show that MOG expression in the bone marrow cells results in impaired development of MOG-specific lymphocytes. Ectopic MOG expression has also resulted in long-lasting protection from MOG-induced autoimmunity. This finding raises hope that transplantation of autoantigen-expressing bone marrow cells as a therapeutic strategy for specific autoantigen-driven autoimmune diseases.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Autoimmunity
- B-Lymphocytes/immunology
- B-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Bone Marrow/immunology
- Bone Marrow/metabolism
- Bone Marrow Transplantation
- Cells, Cultured
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/genetics
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/immunology
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/metabolism
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/prevention & control
- Genes, T-Cell Receptor
- Immune Tolerance
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Transgenic
- Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein/genetics
- Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein/immunology
- Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein/metabolism
- Peptide Fragments
- Phenotype
- Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell/metabolism
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Mice
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gurumoorthy Krishnamoorthy
- Research Group Neuroinflammation and Mucosal Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
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20
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Ohigashi I, Takahama Y. Thymoproteasome optimizes positive selection of CD8 + T cells without contribution of negative selection. Adv Immunol 2021; 149:1-23. [PMID: 33993918 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ai.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Functionally competent and self-tolerant T cell repertoire is shaped through positive and negative selection in the cortical and medullary microenvironments of the thymus. The thymoproteasome specifically expressed in the cortical thymic epithelium is essential for the optimal generation of CD8+ T cells. Although how the thymoproteasome governs the generation of CD8+ T cells is not fully understood, accumulating evidence suggests that the thymoproteasome optimizes CD8+ T cell production through the processing of self-peptides associated with MHC class I molecules expressed by cortical thymic epithelial cells. In this review, we describe recent advances in the mechanism of thymoproteasome-dependent generation of CD8+ T cells, focusing on the process of cortical positive selection independent of apoptosis-mediated negative selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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, United States.
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21
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Perniola R, Fierabracci A, Falorni A. Autoimmune Addison's Disease as Part of the Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome Type 1: Historical Overview and Current Evidence. Front Immunol 2021; 12:606860. [PMID: 33717087 PMCID: PMC7953157 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.606860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (APS1) is caused by pathogenic variants of the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene, located in the chromosomal region 21q22.3. The related protein, AIRE, enhances thymic self-representation and immune self-tolerance by localization to chromatin and anchorage to multimolecular complexes involved in the initiation and post-initiation events of tissue-specific antigen-encoding gene transcription. Once synthesized, the self-antigens are presented to, and cause deletion of, the self-reactive thymocyte clones. The clinical diagnosis of APS1 is based on the classic triad idiopathic hypoparathyroidism (HPT)—chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis—autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD), though new criteria based on early non-endocrine manifestations have been proposed. HPT is in most cases the first endocrine component of the syndrome; however, APS1-associated AAD has received the most accurate biochemical, clinical, and immunological characterization. Here is a comprehensive review of the studies on APS1-associated AAD from initial case reports to the most recent scientific findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Perniola
- Department of Pediatrics-Neonatal Intensive Care, V. Fazzi Hospital, ASL LE, Lecce, Italy
| | - Alessandra Fierabracci
- Infectivology and Clinical Trials Research Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Falorni
- Section of Internal Medicine and Endocrinological and Metabolic Sciences, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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22
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Bansal D, Reimers MA, Knoche EM, Pachynski RK. Immunotherapy and Immunotherapy Combinations in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13020334. [PMID: 33477569 PMCID: PMC7831137 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13020334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although most prostate cancers are localized, and the majority are curable, recurrences occur in approximately 35% of men. Among patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrence and PSA doubling time (PSADT) less than 15 months after radical prostatectomy, prostate cancer accounted for approximately 90% of the deaths by 15 years after recurrence. An immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and impaired cellular immunity are likely largely responsible for the limited utility of checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) in advanced prostate cancer compared with other tumor types. Thus, for immunologically "cold" malignancies such as prostate cancer, clinical trial development has pivoted towards novel approaches to enhance immune responses. Numerous clinical trials are currently evaluating combination immunomodulatory strategies incorporating vaccine-based therapies, checkpoint inhibitors, and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Other trials evaluate the efficacy and safety of these immunomodulatory agents' combinations with standard approaches such as androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), taxane-based chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapies such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) and poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors. Here, we will review promising immunotherapies in development and ongoing trials for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). These novel trials will build on past experiences and promise to usher a new era to treat patients with mCRPC.
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García-Ceca J, Montero-Herradón S, Zapata AG. Intrathymic Selection and Defects in the Thymic Epithelial Cell Development. Cells 2020; 9:cells9102226. [PMID: 33023072 PMCID: PMC7601110 DOI: 10.3390/cells9102226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Intimate interactions between thymic epithelial cells (TECs) and thymocytes (T) have been repeatedly reported as essential for performing intrathymic T-cell education. Nevertheless, it has been described that animals exhibiting defects in these interactions were capable of a proper positive and negative T-cell selection. In the current review, we first examined distinct types of TECs and their possible role in the immune surveillance. However, EphB-deficient thymi that exhibit profound thymic epithelial (TE) alterations do not exhibit important immunological defects. Eph and their ligands, the ephrins, are implicated in cell attachment/detachment and govern, therefore, TEC–T interactions. On this basis, we hypothesized that a few normal TE areas could be enough for a proper phenotypical and functional maturation of T lymphocytes. Then, we evaluated in vivo how many TECs would be necessary for supporting a normal T-cell differentiation, concluding that a significantly low number of TEC are still capable of supporting normal T lymphocyte maturation, whereas with fewer numbers, T-cell maturation is not possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier García-Ceca
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.G.-C.); (S.M.-H.)
- Health Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Montero-Herradón
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.G.-C.); (S.M.-H.)
- Health Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Agustín G. Zapata
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.G.-C.); (S.M.-H.)
- Health Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-91-394-4979
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Wei TT, Li MJ, Guo L, Xie YD, Chen WH, Sun Y, Liu GH, Ding Y, Chai YR. Resveratrol ameliorates thymus senescence changes in D-galactose induced mice. Microbiol Immunol 2020; 64:620-629. [PMID: 32691886 DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.12833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
The thymic microenvironment plays an important role in the development of T cells. A decrease of thymic epithelial cells is the main cause of age-related thymic atrophy or degeneration. Resveratrol (RSV), a phytoalexin produced from plants, has been shown to inhibit the adverse effects of dietary obesity on the structure and function of the thymus. D-Galactose (D-gal) can induce accelerated aging in mice. In the present study, young mice (2 months old) were injected with D-gal (120 mg/kg/day) for 8 consecutive weeks to construct an accelerated aging model. Compared with normal control mice, the thymus epithelium of the D-gal treated mice had structural changes, the number of senescent cells increased, the number of CD4+ T cells decreased, and CD8+ T cells increased. After RSV administration by gavage for 6 weeks, it was found that RSV improved the surface phenotypes of D-gal treated mice, and recovered thymus function by maintaining the ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ cells. It also indicated that RSV enhanced the cell proliferation and inhibited cell senescence. Increased autoimmune regulator (Aire) expression was present in the RSV treated mice. The lymphotoxin-beta receptor (LTβR) expression also increased. These findings suggested that RSV intake could restore the alterations caused by D-gal treatment in the thymus via stimulation of Aire expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Ting Wei
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
- Population and Family Planning Science and Technology Research Institute of Henan, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Meng-Jie Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Li Guo
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Yan-Dong Xie
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Wen-Hui Chen
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Yun Sun
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Guo-Hong Liu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Yi Ding
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Yu-Rong Chai
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
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An RNA vaccine drives immunity in checkpoint-inhibitor-treated melanoma. Nature 2020; 585:107-112. [DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2537-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 261] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Lehman H, Gordon C. The Skin as a Window into Primary Immune Deficiency Diseases: Atopic Dermatitis and Chronic Mucocutaneous Candidiasis. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY-IN PRACTICE 2020; 7:788-798. [PMID: 30832893 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2018.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Primary immune deficiency diseases characteristically present with recurrent, severe, or unusual infections. These infections may often involve the skin, with mucocutaneous candidal infections seen in a variety of different primary immune deficiencies. Primary immune deficiencies may also present with noninfectious cutaneous complications, of which eczema is the most common. In a patient with suspected primary immune deficiency, the presence of eczema or candidal skin infections offers critical information about the underlying immune defect, either the presence of atopy or defect in the TH17 pathway, respectively. These skin manifestations also are often early or heralding findings of the underlying immunologic disease. Therefore, awareness of associations between these skin findings and specific immune deficiencies may aide in the early detection and treatment of serious or life-threatening immunologic defects. This review specifically will focus on the primary immune deficiencies commonly associated with eczema or mucocutaneous candidiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Lehman
- Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY.
| | - Christopher Gordon
- Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
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Helgeland H, Gabrielsen I, Akselsen H, Sundaram AYM, Flåm ST, Lie BA. Transcriptome profiling of human thymic CD4+ and CD8+ T cells compared to primary peripheral T cells. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:350. [PMID: 32393182 PMCID: PMC7216358 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-6755-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The thymus is a highly specialized organ of the immune system where T cell precursors develop and differentiate into self-tolerant CD4+ or CD8+ T cells. No studies to date have investigated how the human transcriptome profiles differ, between T cells still residing in the thymus and T cells in the periphery. Results We have performed high-throughput RNA sequencing to characterize the transcriptomes of primary single positive (SP) CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from infant thymic tissue, as well as primary CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from infant and adult peripheral blood, to enable the comparisons across tissues and ages. In addition, we have assessed the expression of candidate genes related to autoimmune diseases in thymic CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. The thymic T cells showed the largest number of uniquely expressed genes, suggesting a more diverse transcription in thymic T cells. Comparing T cells of thymic and blood origin, revealed more differentially expressed genes, than between infant and adult blood. Functional enrichment analysis revealed an over-representation of genes involved in cell cycle and replication in thymic T cells, whereas infant blood T cells were dominated by immune related terms. Comparing adult and infant blood T cells, the former was enriched for inflammatory response, cytokine production and biological adhesion, while upregulated genes in infant blood T cells were associated with cell cycle, cell death and gene expression. Conclusion This study provides valuable insight into the transcriptomes of the human primary SP T cells still residing within the thymus, and offers a unique comparison to primary blood derived T cells. Interestingly, the majority of autoimmune disease associated genes were expressed in one or more T cell subset, however ~ 11% of these were not expressed in frequently studied adult peripheral blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Helgeland
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, 0450, Oslo, Norway. .,Department of Radiation Biology, Oslo University Hospital, 0379, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Ingvild Gabrielsen
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, 0450, Oslo, Norway
| | - Helle Akselsen
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, 0450, Oslo, Norway
| | - Arvind Y M Sundaram
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, 0450, Oslo, Norway
| | - Siri Tennebø Flåm
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, 0450, Oslo, Norway
| | - Benedicte Alexandra Lie
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, 0450, Oslo, Norway.
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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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When few survive to tell the tale: thymus and gonad as auditioning organs: historical overview. Theory Biosci 2019; 139:95-104. [PMID: 31628582 DOI: 10.1007/s12064-019-00306-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Unlike other organs, the thymus and gonads generate nonuniform cell populations, many members of which perish, and a few survive. While it is recognized that thymic cells are "audited" to optimize an organism's immune repertoire, whether gametogenesis could be orchestrated similarly to favor high-quality gametes is uncertain. Ideally, such quality would be affirmed at early stages before the commitment of extensive parental resources. A case is here made that, along the lines of a previously proposed lymphocyte quality control mechanism, gamete quality can be registered indirectly through detection of incompatibilities between proteins encoded by the grandparental DNA sequences within the parent from which haploid gametes are meiotically derived. This "stress test" is achieved in the same way that thymic screening for potential immunological incompatibilities is achieved-by "promiscuous" expression, under the influence of the AIRE protein, of the products of genes that are not normally specific for that organ. Consistent with this, the Aire gene is expressed in both thymus and gonads, and AIRE deficiency impedes function in both organs. While not excluding the subsequent emergence of hybrid incompatibilities due to the intermixing of genomic sequences from parents (rather than grandparents), many observations, such as the number of proteins that are aberrantly expressed during gametogenesis, can be explained on this basis. Indeed, promiscuous expression could have first evolved in gamete-forming cells where incompatible proteins would be manifest as aberrant protein aggregates that cause apoptosis. This mechanism would later have been co-opted by thymic epithelial cells which display peptides from aggregates to remove potentially autoreactive T cells.
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Abstract
Autoimmune uveitis is a sight-threatening, rare disease, potentially leading to blindness. Uveitis is a synonym for intraocular inflammation, presenting as various clinical phenotypes with different underlying immune responses in patients, whereas different animal models usually represent one certain clinical and immunological type of uveitis due to genetic uniformity and the method of disease induction. T cells recognizing intraocular antigens initiate the disease, recruiting inflammatory cells (granulocytes, monocytes/macrophages) to the eyes, which cause the damage of the tissue. The treatment of uveitis so far aims at downregulation of inflammation to protect the ocular tissues from damage, and at immunosuppression to stop fueling T cell reactivity. Uveitis is usually prevented by specific mechanisms of the ocular immune privilege and the blood-eye-barriers, but once the disease is induced, mechanisms of the immune privilege as well as a variety of novel regulatory features including new Treg cell populations and suppressive cytokines are induced to downregulate the ocular inflammation and T cell responses and to avoid relapses and chronicity. Here we describe mechanisms of regulation observed in experimental animal models as well as detected in studies with peripheral lymphocytes from patients.
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Melo‐Lima BL, Poras I, Passos GA, Carosella ED, Donadi EA, Moreau P. The Autoimmune Regulator (Aire) transactivates HLA-G gene expression in thymic epithelial cells. Immunology 2019; 158:121-135. [PMID: 31322727 PMCID: PMC6742766 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Autoimmune Regulator (Aire) protein coordinates the negative selection of developing thymocytes by inducing the expression of hundreds of tissue-specific antigens within the thymic medulla, which is also a primary site of the expression of the immune checkpoint HLA-G molecule. Considering the immunomodulatory properties of Aire and HLA-G, and considering that the role of the constitutive thymus expression of HLA-G has not been elucidated, we studied the effect of AIRE cDNA transfection on HLA-G expression in 4D6 thymic cells and in the HLA-G-positive JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells. Aire promoted the transactivation of HLA-G gene by increasing the overall transcription, inducing the transcription of at least G1 and G2/G4 isoforms, and incrementing the occurrence and distribution of intracellular HLA-G protein solely in 4D6 thymic cells. Luciferase-based assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments performed in 4D6 cells revealed that Aire targeted at least two regions within the 5'-untranslated regulatory region (5'-URR) extending 1·4 kb from the first ATG initiation codon. The interaction occurs independently of three putative Aire-binding sites. These results indicate that the Aire-induced upregulation of HLA-G in thymic cells is likely to act through the interaction of Aire with specific HLA-G 5'-URR DNA-binding factors. Such a multimeric transcriptional complex might operate in the thymus during the process of promiscuous gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breno Luiz Melo‐Lima
- Direction de la Recherche FondamentaleInstitut de Biologie François JacobService de Recherches en Hémato‐ImmunologieHôpital Saint‐LouisCommissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies AlternativesParisFrance
- Institut de Recherche Saint‐LouisUniversité de ParisUMR976 HIPIHôpital Saint‐LouisUniversité Paris‐DiderotParisFrance
- Division of Clinical ImmunologyDepartment of MedicineRibeirao Preto Medical SchoolUniversity of São PauloRibeirão PretoSão PauloBrazil
| | - Isabelle Poras
- Direction de la Recherche FondamentaleInstitut de Biologie François JacobService de Recherches en Hémato‐ImmunologieHôpital Saint‐LouisCommissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies AlternativesParisFrance
- Institut de Recherche Saint‐LouisUniversité de ParisUMR976 HIPIHôpital Saint‐LouisUniversité Paris‐DiderotParisFrance
| | - Geraldo Aleixo Passos
- Molecular Immunogenetics GroupDepartment of GeneticsRibeirão Preto Medical SchoolUniversity of São PauloRibeirão PretoSão PauloBrazil
| | - Edgardo D. Carosella
- Direction de la Recherche FondamentaleInstitut de Biologie François JacobService de Recherches en Hémato‐ImmunologieHôpital Saint‐LouisCommissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies AlternativesParisFrance
- Institut de Recherche Saint‐LouisUniversité de ParisUMR976 HIPIHôpital Saint‐LouisUniversité Paris‐DiderotParisFrance
| | - Eduardo Antonio Donadi
- Division of Clinical ImmunologyDepartment of MedicineRibeirao Preto Medical SchoolUniversity of São PauloRibeirão PretoSão PauloBrazil
| | - Philippe Moreau
- Direction de la Recherche FondamentaleInstitut de Biologie François JacobService de Recherches en Hémato‐ImmunologieHôpital Saint‐LouisCommissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies AlternativesParisFrance
- Institut de Recherche Saint‐LouisUniversité de ParisUMR976 HIPIHôpital Saint‐LouisUniversité Paris‐DiderotParisFrance
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Luan R, Liang Z, Zhang Q, Sun L, Zhao Y. Molecular regulatory networks of thymic epithelial cell differentiation. Differentiation 2019; 107:42-49. [PMID: 31238242 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2019.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Functional mature T cells are generated in the thymus. Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) provide the essential microenvironment for T cell development and maturation. According to their function and localization, TECs are roughly divided into cortical TECs (cTECs) and medullary TECs (mTECs), which are responsible for positive and negative selection, respectively. This review summarizes the current understanding of TEC biology, the identification of fetal and adult bipotent TEC progenitors, and the signaling pathways that control the development and maturation of TECs. The understanding of the ontogeny, differentiation, maturation and function of cTECs lags behind that of mTECs. Better understanding TEC biology will provide clues about TEC development and the applications of thymus engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Luan
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhanfeng Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liguang Sun
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
| | - Yong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Schwinge D, Schramm C. Sex-related factors in autoimmune liver diseases. Semin Immunopathol 2018; 41:165-175. [DOI: 10.1007/s00281-018-0715-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Bekpen C, Xie C, Tautz D. Dealing with the adaptive immune system during de novo evolution of genes from intergenic sequences. BMC Evol Biol 2018; 18:121. [PMID: 30075701 PMCID: PMC6091031 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-018-1232-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The adaptive immune system of vertebrates has an extraordinary potential to sense and neutralize foreign antigens entering the body. De novo evolution of genes implies that the genome itself expresses novel antigens from intergenic sequences which could cause a problem with this immune system. Peptides from these novel proteins could be presented by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) receptors to the cell surface and would be recognized as foreign. The respective cells would then be attacked and destroyed, or would cause inflammatory responses. Hence, de novo expressed peptides have to be introduced to the immune system as being self-peptides to avoid such autoimmune reactions. The regulation of the distinction between self and non-self starts during embryonic development, but continues late into adulthood. It is mostly mediated by specialized cells in the thymus, but can also be conveyed in peripheral tissues, such as the lymph nodes and the spleen. The self-antigens need to be exposed to the reactive T-cells, which requires the expression of the genes in the respective tissues. Since the initial activation of a promotor for new intergenic transcription of a de novo gene could occur in any tissue, we should expect that the evolutionary establishment of a de novo gene in animals with an adaptive immune system should also involve expression in at least one of the tissues that confer self-recognition. Results We have studied this question by analyzing the transcriptomes of multiple tissues from young mice in three closely related natural populations of the house mouse (M. m. domesticus). We find that new intergenic transcription occurs indeed mostly in only a single tissue. When a second tissue becomes involved, thymus and spleen are significantly overrepresented. Conclusions We conclude that the inclusion of de novo transcripts in the processes for the induction of self-tolerance is indeed an important step in the evolution of functional de novo genes in vertebrates. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12862-018-1232-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cemalettin Bekpen
- Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemannstr. 2, 24306, Plön, Germany
| | - Chen Xie
- Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemannstr. 2, 24306, Plön, Germany
| | - Diethard Tautz
- Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemannstr. 2, 24306, Plön, Germany.
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Assis AF, Li J, Donate PB, Dernowsek JA, Manley NR, Passos GA. Predicted miRNA-mRNA-mediated posttranscriptional control associated with differences in cervical and thoracic thymus function. Mol Immunol 2018; 99:39-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2018.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Revised: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Kernfeld EM, Genga RMJ, Neherin K, Magaletta ME, Xu P, Maehr R. A Single-Cell Transcriptomic Atlas of Thymus Organogenesis Resolves Cell Types and Developmental Maturation. Immunity 2018; 48:1258-1270.e6. [PMID: 29884461 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2018.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Thymus development is critical to the adaptive immune system, yet a comprehensive transcriptional framework capturing thymus organogenesis at single-cell resolution is still needed. We applied single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to capture 8 days of thymus development, perturbations of T cell receptor rearrangement, and in vitro organ cultures, producing profiles of 24,279 cells. We resolved transcriptional heterogeneity of developing lymphocytes, and genetic perturbation confirmed T cell identity of conventional and non-conventional lymphocytes. We characterized maturation dynamics of thymic epithelial cells in vivo, classified cell maturation state in a thymic organ culture, and revealed the intrinsic capacity of thymic epithelium to preserve transcriptional regularity despite exposure to exogenous retinoic acid. Finally, by integrating the cell atlas with human genome-wide association study (GWAS) data and autoimmune-disease-related genes, we implicated embryonic thymus-resident cells as possible participants in autoimmune disease etiologies. This resource provides a single-cell transcriptional framework for biological discovery and molecular analysis of thymus organogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M Kernfeld
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Diabetes Center of Excellence, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Ryan M J Genga
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Diabetes Center of Excellence, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Kashfia Neherin
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Diabetes Center of Excellence, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Margaret E Magaletta
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Diabetes Center of Excellence, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Ping Xu
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Diabetes Center of Excellence, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - René Maehr
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Diabetes Center of Excellence, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
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Abstract
About two decades ago, cloning of the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene materialized one of the most important actors on the scene of self-tolerance. Thymic transcription of genes encoding tissue-specific antigens (ts-ags) is activated by AIRE protein and embodies the essence of thymic self-representation. Pathogenic AIRE variants cause the autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1, which is a rare and complex disease that is gaining attention in research on autoimmunity. The animal models of disease, although not identically reproducing the human picture, supply fundamental information on mechanisms and extent of AIRE action: thanks to its multidomain structure, AIRE localizes to chromatin enclosing the target genes, binds to histones, and offers an anchorage to multimolecular complexes involved in initiation and post-initiation events of gene transcription. In addition, AIRE enhances mRNA diversity by favoring alternative mRNA splicing. Once synthesized, ts-ags are presented to, and cause deletion of the self-reactive thymocyte clones. However, AIRE function is not restricted to the activation of gene transcription. AIRE would control presentation and transfer of self-antigens for thymic cellular interplay: such mechanism is aimed at increasing the likelihood of engagement of the thymocytes that carry the corresponding T-cell receptors. Another fundamental role of AIRE in promoting self-tolerance is related to the development of thymocyte anergy, as thymic self-representation shapes at the same time the repertoire of regulatory T cells. Finally, AIRE seems to replicate its action in the secondary lymphoid organs, albeit the cell lineage detaining such property has not been fully characterized. Delineation of AIRE functions adds interesting data to the knowledge of the mechanisms of self-tolerance and introduces exciting perspectives of therapeutic interventions against the related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Perniola
- Department of Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care, Vito Fazzi Regional Hospital, Lecce, Italy
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39
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Passos GA, Speck‐Hernandez CA, Assis AF, Mendes‐da‐Cruz DA. Update on Aire and thymic negative selection. Immunology 2018; 153:10-20. [PMID: 28871661 PMCID: PMC5721245 DOI: 10.1111/imm.12831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Twenty years ago, the autoimmune regulator (Aire) gene was associated with autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy, and was cloned and sequenced. Its importance goes beyond its abstract link with human autoimmune disease. Aire identification opened new perspectives to better understand the molecular basis of central tolerance and self-non-self distinction, the main properties of the immune system. Since 1997, a growing number of immunologists and molecular geneticists have made important discoveries about the function of Aire, which is essentially a pleiotropic gene. Aire is one of the functional markers in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs), controlling their differentiation and expression of peripheral tissue antigens (PTAs), mTEC-thymocyte adhesion and the expression of microRNAs, among other functions. With Aire, the immunological tolerance became even more apparent from the molecular genetics point of view. Currently, mTECs represent the most unusual cells because they express almost the entire functional genome but still maintain their identity. Due to the enormous diversity of PTAs, this uncommon gene expression pattern was termed promiscuous gene expression, the interpretation of which is essentially immunological - i.e. it is related to self-representation in the thymus. Therefore, this knowledge is strongly linked to the negative selection of autoreactive thymocytes. In this update, we focus on the most relevant results of Aire as a transcriptional and post-transcriptional controller of PTAs in mTECs, its mechanism of action, and its influence on the negative selection of autoreactive thymocytes as the bases of the induction of central tolerance and prevention of autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geraldo A. Passos
- Molecular Immunogenetics GroupDepartment of GeneticsRibeirão Preto Medical SchoolUniversity of São PauloRibeirão PretoSPBrazil
- Discipline of Genetics and Molecular BiologyDepartment of Morphology, Physiology and Basic PathologySchool of Dentistry of Ribeirão PretoUniversity of São PauloRibeirão PretoSPBrazil
| | - Cesar A. Speck‐Hernandez
- Graduate Programme in Basic and Applied ImmunologyRibeirão Preto Medical SchoolUniversity of São PauloRibeirão PretoSPBrazil
| | - Amanda F. Assis
- Molecular Immunogenetics GroupDepartment of GeneticsRibeirão Preto Medical SchoolUniversity of São PauloRibeirão PretoSPBrazil
| | - Daniella A. Mendes‐da‐Cruz
- Laboratory on Thymus ResearchOswaldo Cruz InstituteOswaldo Cruz FoundationRio de JaneiroRJBrazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology on NeuroimmunomodulationRio de JaneiroRJBrazil
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Engelmann R, Biemelt A, Johl A, Kuthning D, Müller-Hilke B. Reduced Numbers of Mature Medullary Thymic Epithelial Cells in SKG Mice. Scand J Immunol 2017; 87:28-35. [PMID: 29105157 DOI: 10.1111/sji.12626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Attenuated T cell receptor (TCR) signalling contributes to the susceptibility for autoimmunity as shown via mutants of PTPN22 and Zap70 genes. We here set out to investigate the effect of an attenuated TCR signal on the composition of the thymic epithelial cell (TEC) compartment. To that extent, we combined flow cytometry and histology and compared the TEC subpopulations of Zap70 wild type with SKG mutant mice. We found an increased cortical TEC compartment in SKG thymi at the expense of reduced numbers of mature medullary TECs and a 4.8-fold reduced medulla area. We also found reduced proportions of CD69+ -activated thymocytes among double-negative, double-positive and CD4- CD8+ single-positive stages, reduced absolute numbers of single-positive thymocytes, diminished expression of Lta and Ltb by CD4- CD8+ single-positive thymocytes and a diminished expression of Ccl19, a target gene of the lymphotoxin-b-receptor. While the reduced thymocyte numbers together with the attenuated TCR signal explain the diminished expression of lymphotoxins, the latter is required for an AIRE-independent expression of tissue-restricted antigens as well as attracting positively selected thymocytes to the medulla. Our results describe altered TEC compartments in SKG mice that are likely to support the development of autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Engelmann
- AG Clinical Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - A Biemelt
- AG Clinical Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - A Johl
- AG Clinical Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - D Kuthning
- AG Clinical Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - B Müller-Hilke
- AG Clinical Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
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41
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Takada K, Kondo K, Takahama Y. Generation of Peptides That Promote Positive Selection in the Thymus. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2017; 198:2215-2222. [PMID: 28264997 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1601862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
To establish an immunocompetent TCR repertoire that is useful yet harmless to the body, a de novo thymocyte repertoire generated through the rearrangement of genes that encode TCR is shaped in the thymus through positive and negative selection. The affinity between TCRs and self-peptides associated with MHC molecules determines the fate of developing thymocytes. Low-affinity TCR engagement with self-peptide-MHC complexes mediates positive selection, a process that primarily occurs in the thymic cortex. Massive efforts exerted by many laboratories have led to the characterization of peptides that can induce positive selection. Moreover, it is now evident that protein degradation machineries unique to cortical thymic epithelial cells play a crucial role in the production of MHC-associated self-peptides for inducing positive selection. This review summarizes current knowledge on positive selection-inducing self-peptides and Ag processing machineries in cortical thymic epithelial cells. Recent studies on the role of positive selection in the functional tuning of T cells are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kensuke Takada
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Kenta Kondo
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Yousuke Takahama
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
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42
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Pozsgay J, Szekanecz Z, Sármay G. Antigen-specific immunotherapies in rheumatic diseases. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2017; 13:525-537. [DOI: 10.1038/nrrheum.2017.107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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43
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Kondo K, Takada K, Takahama Y. Antigen processing and presentation in the thymus: implications for T cell repertoire selection. Curr Opin Immunol 2017; 46:53-57. [PMID: 28477557 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2017.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The processing and presentation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-associated antigens depend on the intracellular digestion of self- and nonself-proteins, the loading of digested peptides onto MHC molecules, and the traffic of peptide-MHC complexes to plasma membrane surface for display to interacting T cells. Recent studies have revealed unique machineries for antigen processing and presentation in thymic antigen-presenting cells that display self-antigens to developing thymocytes for the formation of functionally competent yet self-tolerant T cell repertoire. Here, we briefly summarize those machineries, focusing on the biology of cortical and medullary thymic epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenta Kondo
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Kensuke Takada
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan; Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, N18W9 Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Yousuke Takahama
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
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44
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Haller-Kikkatalo K, Alnek K, Metspalu A, Mihailov E, Metsküla K, Kisand K, Pisarev H, Salumets A, Uibo R. Demographic associations for autoantibodies in disease-free individuals of a European population. Sci Rep 2017; 7:44846. [PMID: 28349935 PMCID: PMC5368634 DOI: 10.1038/srep44846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence of autoantibodies usually precedes autoimmune disease, but is sometimes considered an incidental finding with no clinical relevance. The prevalence of immune-mediated diseases was studied in a group of individuals from the Estonian Genome Project (n = 51,862), and 6 clinically significant autoantibodies were detected in a subgroup of 994 (auto)immune-mediated disease-free individuals. The overall prevalence of individuals with immune-mediated diseases in the primary cohort was 30.1%. Similarly, 23.6% of the participants in the disease-free subgroup were seropositive for at least one autoantibody. Several phenotypic parameters were associated with autoantibodies. The results suggest that (i) immune-mediated diseases are diagnosed in nearly one-third of a random European population, (ii) 6 common autoantibodies are detectable in almost one-third of individuals without diagnosed autoimmune diseases, (iii) tissue non-specific autoantibodies, especially at high levels, may reflect preclinical disease in symptom-free individuals, and (iv) the incidental positivity of anti-TPO in men with positive familial anamnesis of maternal autoimmune disease deserves further medical attention. These results encourage physicians to evaluate autoantibodies in addition to treating a variety of patient health complaints to detect autoimmune-mediated disease early.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kadri Haller-Kikkatalo
- Institute of Bio- and Translational Medicine, Department of Immunology, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, Tartu 50411, Estonia.,Competence Center on Health Technologies, Tiigi 61b, Tartu 50410, Estonia.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tartu, L. Puusepa 8, Tartu 51014, Estonia
| | - Kristi Alnek
- Institute of Bio- and Translational Medicine, Department of Immunology, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, Tartu 50411, Estonia
| | - Andres Metspalu
- Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Riia 23b, Tartu 51010, Estonia.,Institute of Molecular and Cell biology, University of Tartu, Riia 23, Tartu 51010, Estonia
| | - Evelin Mihailov
- Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Riia 23b, Tartu 51010, Estonia
| | - Kaja Metsküla
- Institute of Bio- and Translational Medicine, Department of Immunology, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, Tartu 50411, Estonia
| | - Kalle Kisand
- Institute of Bio- and Translational Medicine, Department of Immunology, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, Tartu 50411, Estonia
| | - Heti Pisarev
- Department of Public Health, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, Tartu 50411, Estonia
| | - Andres Salumets
- Competence Center on Health Technologies, Tiigi 61b, Tartu 50410, Estonia.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tartu, L. Puusepa 8, Tartu 51014, Estonia.,Institute of Bio- and Translational Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, Tartu 50411, Estonia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, FI-00029 HUS, Finland
| | - Raivo Uibo
- Institute of Bio- and Translational Medicine, Department of Immunology, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, Tartu 50411, Estonia.,Competence Center on Health Technologies, Tiigi 61b, Tartu 50410, Estonia
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45
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Devarapu SK, Lorenz G, Kulkarni OP, Anders HJ, Mulay SR. Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Autoimmunity and Lupus Nephritis. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 332:43-154. [PMID: 28526137 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2016.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Autoimmunity involves immune responses directed against self, which are a result of defective self/foreign distinction of the immune system, leading to proliferation of self-reactive lymphocytes, and is characterized by systemic, as well as tissue-specific, inflammation. Numerous mechanisms operate to ensure the immune tolerance to self-antigens. However, monogenetic defects or genetic variants that weaken immune tolerance render susceptibility to the loss of immune tolerance, which is further triggered by environmental factors. In this review, we discuss the phenomenon of immune tolerance, genetic and environmental factors that influence the immune tolerance, factors that induce autoimmunity such as epigenetic and transcription factors, neutrophil extracellular trap formation, extracellular vesicles, ion channels, and lipid mediators, as well as costimulatory or coinhibitory molecules that contribute to an autoimmune response. Further, we discuss the cellular and molecular mechanisms of autoimmune tissue injury and inflammation during systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- S K Devarapu
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - G Lorenz
- Klinikum rechts der Isar, Abteilung für Nephrologie, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | | | - H-J Anders
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - S R Mulay
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany.
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46
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Oliveira EH, Macedo C, Collares CV, Freitas AC, Donate PB, Sakamoto-Hojo ET, Donadi EA, Passos GA. Aire Downregulation Is Associated with Changes in the Posttranscriptional Control of Peripheral Tissue Antigens in Medullary Thymic Epithelial Cells. Front Immunol 2016; 7:526. [PMID: 27933063 PMCID: PMC5120147 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2016.00526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune regulator (Aire) is a transcriptional regulator of peripheral tissue antigens (PTAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that Aire also played a role as an upstream posttranscriptional controller in these cells and that variation in its expression might be associated with changes in the interactions between miRNAs and the mRNAs encoding PTAs. We demonstrated that downregulation of Aire in vivo in the thymuses of BALB/c mice imbalanced the large-scale expression of these two RNA species and consequently their interactions. The expression profiles of a large set of mTEC miRNAs and mRNAs isolated from the thymuses of mice subjected (or not) to small-interfering-induced Aire gene knockdown revealed that 87 miRNAs and 4,558 mRNAs were differentially expressed. The reconstruction of the miRNA–mRNA interaction networks demonstrated that interactions between these RNAs were under Aire influence and therefore changed when this gene was downregulated. Prior to Aire-knockdown, only members of the miR-let-7 family interacted with a set of PTA mRNAs. Under Aire-knockdown conditions, a larger set of miRNA families and their members established this type of interaction. Notably, no previously described Aire-dependent PTA interacted with the miRNAs, indicating that these PTAs were somehow refractory. The miRNA–mRNA interactions were validated by calculating the minimal free energy of the pairings between the miRNA seed regions and the mRNA 3′ UTRs and within the cellular milieu using the luciferase reporter gene assay. These results suggest the existence of a link between transcriptional and posttranscriptional control because Aire downregulation alters the miRNA–mRNA network controlling PTAs in mTEC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernna H Oliveira
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Claudia Macedo
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Cristhianna V Collares
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Freitas
- Department of Pathology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Paula Barbim Donate
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Elza T Sakamoto-Hojo
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Eduardo A Donadi
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Geraldo A Passos
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil; Discipline of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Department of Morphology, Physiology and Basic Pathology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil
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47
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An insulin-IAPP hybrid peptide is an endogenous antigen for CD4 T cells in the non-obese diabetic mouse. J Autoimmun 2016; 78:11-18. [PMID: 27802879 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2016.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2016] [Revised: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BDC-6.9, a diabetogenic CD4 T cell clone isolated from a non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse, responds to pancreatic islet cells from NOD but not BALB/c mice. We recently reported that a hybrid insulin peptide (HIP), 6.9HIP, formed by linkage of an insulin C-peptide fragment and a fragment of islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP), is the antigen for BDC-6.9. We report here that the core 12-mer peptide from 6.9HIP, centered on the hybrid peptide junction, is also highly antigenic for BDC-6.9. In agreement with the observation that BALB/c islet cells fail to stimulate the T cell clone, a single amino acid difference in the BALB/c IAPP sequence renders the BALB/c version of the HIP only weakly antigenic. Mutant peptide analysis indicates that each parent molecule-insulin C-peptide and IAPP-donates residues critical for antigenicity. Through mass spectrometric analysis, we determine the distribution of naturally occurring 6.9HIP across chromatographic fractions of proteins from pancreatic beta cells. This distribution closely matches the profile of the T cell response to the fractions, confirming that 6.9HIP is the endogenous islet antigen for the clone. Using a new MHC II tetramer reagent, 6.9HIP-tet, we show that T cells specific for the 6.9HIP peptide are prevalent in the pancreas of diabetic NOD mice. Further study of HIPs and HIP-reactive T cells could yield valuable insight into key factors driving progression to diabetes and thereby inform efforts to prevent or reverse this disease.
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48
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Danan-Gotthold M, Guyon C, Giraud M, Levanon EY, Abramson J. Extensive RNA editing and splicing increase immune self-representation diversity in medullary thymic epithelial cells. Genome Biol 2016; 17:219. [PMID: 27776542 PMCID: PMC5078920 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-016-1079-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In order to become functionally competent but harmless mediators of the immune system, T cells undergo a strict educational program in the thymus, where they learn to discriminate between self and non-self. This educational program is, to a large extent, mediated by medullary thymic epithelial cells that have a unique capacity to express, and subsequently present, a large fraction of body antigens. While the scope of promiscuously expressed genes by medullary thymic epithelial cells is well-established, relatively little is known about the expression of variants that are generated by co-transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes. Results Our study reveals that in comparison to other cell types, medullary thymic epithelial cells display significantly higher levels of alternative splicing, as well as A-to-I and C-to-U RNA editing, which thereby further expand the diversity of their self-antigen repertoire. Interestingly, Aire, the key mediator of promiscuous gene expression in these cells, plays a limited role in the regulation of these transcriptional processes. Conclusions Our results highlight RNA processing as another layer by which the immune system assures a comprehensive self-representation in the thymus which is required for the establishment of self-tolerance and prevention of autoimmunity. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-016-1079-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miri Danan-Gotthold
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Clotilde Guyon
- Department of Infection Immunity and Inflammation, Cochin Institute, Paris, France
| | - Matthieu Giraud
- Department of Infection Immunity and Inflammation, Cochin Institute, Paris, France
| | - Erez Y Levanon
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel.
| | - Jakub Abramson
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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49
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Pezzi N, Assis AF, Cotrim-Sousa LC, Lopes GS, Mosella MS, Lima DS, Bombonato-Prado KF, Passos GA. Aire knockdown in medullary thymic epithelial cells affects Aire protein, deregulates cell adhesion genes and decreases thymocyte interaction. Mol Immunol 2016; 77:157-73. [PMID: 27505711 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2016.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Revised: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
We demonstrate that even a partial reduction of Aire mRNA levels by siRNA-induced Aire knockdown (Aire KD) has important consequences to medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs). Aire knockdown is sufficient to reduce Aire protein levels, impair its nuclear location, and cause an imbalance in large-scale gene expression, including genes that encode cell adhesion molecules. These genes drew our attention because adhesion molecules are implicated in the process of mTEC-thymocyte adhesion, which is critical for T cell development and the establishment of central self-tolerance. Accordingly, we consider the following: 1) mTECs contribute to the elimination of self-reactive thymocytes through adhesion; 2) Adhesion molecules play a crucial role during physical contact between these cells; and 3) Aire is an important transcriptional regulator in mTECs. However, its role in controlling mTEC-thymocyte adhesion remains unclear. Because Aire controls adhesion molecule genes, we hypothesized that the disruption of its expression could influence mTEC-thymocyte interaction. To test this hypothesis, we used a murine Aire(+) mTEC cell line as a model system to reproduce mTEC-thymocyte adhesion in vitro. Transcriptome analysis of the mTEC cell line revealed that Aire KD led to the down-modulation of more than 800 genes, including those encoding for proteins involved in cell adhesion, i.e., the extracellular matrix constituent Lama1, the CAM family adhesion molecules Vcam1 and Icam4, and those that encode peripheral tissue antigens. Thymocytes co-cultured with Aire KD mTECs had a significantly reduced capacity to adhere to these cells. This finding is the first direct evidence that Aire also plays a role in controlling mTEC-thymocyte adhesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Pezzi
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Amanda Freire Assis
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Larissa Cotrim Cotrim-Sousa
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Sarti Lopes
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Maritza Salas Mosella
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Djalma Sousa Lima
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Karina F Bombonato-Prado
- Department of Morphology, Physiology and Basic Pathology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Geraldo Aleixo Passos
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; Department of Morphology, Physiology and Basic Pathology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
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Broomfield A, Jones SA, Hughes SM, Bigger BW. The impact of the immune system on the safety and efficiency of enzyme replacement therapy in lysosomal storage disorders. J Inherit Metab Dis 2016; 39:499-512. [PMID: 26883220 DOI: 10.1007/s10545-016-9917-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Revised: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
In the light of clinical experience in infantile onset Pompe patients, the immunological impact on the tolerability and long-term efficacy of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for lysosomal storage disorders has come under renewed scrutiny. This article details the currently proposed immunological mechanisms involved in the development of anti-drug antibodies and the current therapies used in their treatment. Given the current understanding of the adaptive immune response, it focuses particularly on T cell dependent mechanisms and the paradigm of using lymphocytic negative selection as a predictor of antibody formation. This concept originally postulated in the 1970s, stipulated that the genotypically determined lack of production or production of a variant protein determines an individual's lymphocytic repertoire. This in turn is the key factor in determining the potential severity of an individual's immunological response to ERT. It also highlights the need for immunological assay standardization particularly those looking at describing the degree of functional impact, robust biochemical or clinical endpoints and detailed patient subgroup identification if the true evaluations of impact are to be realised.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Broomfield
- Willink Biochemical genetics unit, Manchester center for genomic medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Central Manchester Foundation Trust, Manchester, M13 9WL, UK.
| | - S A Jones
- Willink Biochemical genetics unit, Manchester center for genomic medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Central Manchester Foundation Trust, Manchester, M13 9WL, UK
| | - S M Hughes
- Department of Immunology, Royal Manchester children's Hospital, Central Manchester Foundation Trust, Manchester, M13 9WL, UK
| | - B W Bigger
- Stem Cell & Neurotherapies Laboratory, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
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