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Bister J, Filipovic I, Sun D, Crona-Guterstam Y, Cornillet M, Ponzetta A, Michaëlsson J, Gidlöf S, Ivarsson MA, Strunz B, Björkström NK. Tissue-specific nonheritable influences drive endometrial immune system variation. Sci Immunol 2024; 9:eadj7168. [PMID: 38579017 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adj7168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Although human twin studies have revealed the combined contribution of heritable and environmental factors in shaping immune system variability in blood, the contribution of these factors to immune system variability in tissues remains unexplored. The human uterus undergoes constant regeneration and is exposed to distinct environmental factors. To assess uterine immune system variation, we performed a system-level analysis of endometrial and peripheral blood immune cells in monozygotic twins. Although most immune cell phenotypes in peripheral blood showed high genetic heritability, more variation was found in endometrial immune cells, indicating a stronger influence by environmental factors. Cytomegalovirus infection was identified to influence peripheral blood immune cell variability but had limited effect on endometrial immune cells. Instead, hormonal contraception shaped the local endometrial milieu and immune cell composition with minor influence on the systemic immune system. These results highlight that the magnitude of human immune system variation and factors influencing it can be tissue specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonna Bister
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Iva Filipovic
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Dan Sun
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ylva Crona-Guterstam
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Cornillet
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrea Ponzetta
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jakob Michaëlsson
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Gidlöf
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin A Ivarsson
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Benedikt Strunz
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Niklas K Björkström
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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2
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Santamaria X, Roson B, Perez-Moraga R, Venkatesan N, Pardo-Figuerez M, Gonzalez-Fernandez J, Llera-Oyola J, Fernández E, Moreno I, Salumets A, Vankelecom H, Vilella F, Simon C. Decoding the endometrial niche of Asherman's Syndrome at single-cell resolution. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5890. [PMID: 37735465 PMCID: PMC10514053 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41656-1] [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: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Asherman's Syndrome is characterized by intrauterine adhesions or scarring, which cause infertility, menstrual abnormalities, and recurrent pregnancy loss. The pathophysiology of this syndrome remains unknown, with treatment restricted to recurrent surgical removal of intrauterine scarring, which has limited success. Here, we decode the Asherman's Syndrome endometrial cell niche by analyzing data from over 200,000 cells with single-cell RNA-sequencing in patients with this condition and through in vitro analyses of Asherman's Syndrome patient-derived endometrial organoids. Our endometrial atlas highlights the loss of the endometrial epithelium, alterations to epithelial differentiation signaling pathways such as Wnt and Notch, and the appearance of characteristic epithelium expressing secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor during the window of implantation. We describe syndrome-associated alterations in cell-to-cell communication and gene expression profiles that support a dysfunctional pro-fibrotic, pro-inflammatory, and anti-angiogenic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Santamaria
- Carlos Simon Foundation, INCLIVA Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain.
- Department Ob/Gyn Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Beatriz Roson
- Carlos Simon Foundation, INCLIVA Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
| | - Raul Perez-Moraga
- Carlos Simon Foundation, INCLIVA Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
- Igenomix R&D, Valencia, Spain
| | - Nandakumar Venkatesan
- Department of Pediatrics Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | | | | | - Jaime Llera-Oyola
- Carlos Simon Foundation, INCLIVA Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Inmaculada Moreno
- Carlos Simon Foundation, INCLIVA Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
| | - Andres Salumets
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, Tartu, Estonia
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institute and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hugo Vankelecom
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Cluster of Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, Unit of Stem Cell Research, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Felipe Vilella
- Carlos Simon Foundation, INCLIVA Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
| | - Carlos Simon
- Carlos Simon Foundation, INCLIVA Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain.
- Department of Pediatrics Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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3
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Garner LC, Amini A, FitzPatrick MEB, Lett MJ, Hess GF, Filipowicz Sinnreich M, Provine NM, Klenerman P. Single-cell analysis of human MAIT cell transcriptional, functional and clonal diversity. Nat Immunol 2023; 24:1565-1578. [PMID: 37580605 PMCID: PMC10457204 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-023-01575-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are innate-like T cells that recognize microbial metabolites through a semi-invariant T cell receptor (TCR). Major questions remain regarding the extent of human MAIT cell functional and clonal diversity. To address these, we analyzed the single-cell transcriptome and TCR repertoire of blood and liver MAIT cells and developed functional RNA-sequencing, a method to integrate function and TCR clonotype at single-cell resolution. MAIT cell clonal diversity was comparable to conventional memory T cells, with private TCR repertoires shared across matched tissues. Baseline functional diversity was low and largely related to tissue site. MAIT cells showed stimulus-specific transcriptional responses in vitro, with cells positioned along gradients of activation. Clonal identity influenced resting and activated transcriptional profiles but intriguingly was not associated with the capacity to produce IL-17. Overall, MAIT cells show phenotypic and functional diversity according to tissue localization, stimulation environment and clonotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy C Garner
- Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Ali Amini
- Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Michael E B FitzPatrick
- Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Martin J Lett
- Department of Biomedicine, Liver Immunology, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Gabriel F Hess
- Division of Visceral Surgery, Clarunis University Center for Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Magdalena Filipowicz Sinnreich
- Department of Biomedicine, Liver Immunology, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Department of Medicine, Cantonal Hospital Baselland, Liestal, Switzerland
| | - Nicholas M Provine
- Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Paul Klenerman
- Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.
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4
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Chasman DA, Welch Schwartz R, Vazquez J, Chavarria M, Jenkins ET, Lopez GE, Tyler CT, Stanic AK, Ong IM. Proteogenomic and V(D)J Analysis of Human Decidual T Cells Highlights Unique Transcriptional Programming and Clonal Distribution. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2023; 211:154-162. [PMID: 37195197 PMCID: PMC10330249 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Immunological tolerance toward the semiallogeneic fetus is one of many maternal adaptations required for a successful pregnancy. T cells are major players of the adaptive immune system and balance tolerance and protection at the maternal-fetal interface; however, their repertoire and subset programming are still poorly understood. Using emerging single-cell RNA sequencing technologies, we simultaneously obtained transcript, limited protein, and receptor repertoire at the single-cell level, from decidual and matched maternal peripheral human T cells. The decidua maintains a tissue-specific distribution of T cell subsets compared with the periphery. We find that decidual T cells maintain a unique transcriptome programming, characterized by restraint of inflammatory pathways by overexpression of negative regulators (DUSP, TNFAIP3, ZFP36) and expression of PD-1, CTLA-4, TIGIT, and LAG3 in some CD8 clusters. Finally, analyzing TCR clonotypes demonstrated decreased diversity in specific decidual T cell populations. Overall, our data demonstrate the power of multiomics analysis in revealing regulation of fetal-maternal immune coexistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah A. Chasman
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Rene Welch Schwartz
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Jessica Vazquez
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Melina Chavarria
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Eryne T. Jenkins
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Gladys E. Lopez
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Chanel T. Tyler
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Aleksandar K. Stanic
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Irene M. Ong
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- Center for Human Genomics and Precision Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
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5
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Mucosal-associated invariant T cells reduce and display tissue-resident phenotype with elevated IL-17 producing capacity in non-small cell lung cancer. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 113:109461. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Gibbs A, Healy K, Kaldhusdal V, Sundling C, Franzén-Boger M, Edfeldt G, Buggert M, Lajoie J, Fowke KR, Kimani J, Kwon DS, Andersson S, Sandberg JK, Broliden K, Davanian H, Chen MS, Tjernlund A. OUP accepted manuscript. J Infect Dis 2022; 226:1428-1440. [PMID: 35511032 PMCID: PMC9574661 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiac171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mucosa-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are innate-like T cells with specialized antimicrobial functions. Circulating MAIT cells are depleted in chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, but studies examining this effect in peripheral tissues, such as the female genital tract, are lacking. Methods Flow cytometry was used to investigate circulating MAIT cells in a cohort of HIV-seropositive (HIV+) and HIV-seronegative (HIV−) female sex workers (FSWs), and HIV− lower-risk women (LRW). In situ staining and quantitative polymerase chain reaction were performed to explore the phenotype of MAIT cells residing in paired cervicovaginal tissue. The cervicovaginal microbiome was assessed by means of 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Results MAIT cells in the HIV+ FSW group were low in frequency in the circulation but preserved in the ectocervix. MAIT cell T-cell receptor gene segment usage differed between the HIV+ and HIV− FSW groups. The TRAV1-2–TRAJ20 transcript was the most highly expressed MAIT TRAJ gene detected in the ectocervix in the HIV+ FSW group. MAIT TRAVJ usage was not associated with specific genera in the vaginal microbiome. Conclusions MAIT cells residing in the ectocervix are numerically preserved irrespective of HIV infection status and displayed dominant expression of TRAV1-2–TRAJ20. These findings have implications for understanding the role of cervical MAIT cells in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Vilde Kaldhusdal
- Department of Medicine Solna, Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christopher Sundling
- Department of Medicine Solna, Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mathias Franzén-Boger
- Department of Medicine Solna, Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gabriella Edfeldt
- Department of Medicine Solna, Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marcus Buggert
- Department of Medicine Huddinge, Center for Infectious Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Julie Lajoie
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Keith R Fowke
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
- Partners for Health and Development in Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Joshua Kimani
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
- Partners for Health and Development in Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Douglas S Kwon
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sonia Andersson
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan K Sandberg
- Department of Medicine Huddinge, Center for Infectious Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kristina Broliden
- Department of Medicine Solna, Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Haleh Davanian
- Department of Dental Medicine, Division of Oral Diagnostics and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Margaret Sällberg Chen
- Department of Dental Medicine, Division of Oral Diagnostics and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Annelie Tjernlund
- Correspondence: Annelie Tjernlund, Department of Medicine Solna, Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, J7:20, S-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden ()
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7
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Tissue-resident immunity in the female and male reproductive tract. Semin Immunopathol 2022; 44:785-799. [PMID: 35488095 PMCID: PMC9053558 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-022-00934-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The conception of how the immune system is organized has been significantly challenged over the last years. It became evident that not all lymphocytes are mobile and recirculate through secondary lymphoid organs. Instead, subsets of immune cells continuously reside in tissues until being reactivated, e.g., by a recurring pathogen or other stimuli. Consequently, the concept of tissue-resident immunity has emerged, and substantial evidence is now available to support its pivotal function in maintaining tissue homeostasis, sensing challenges and providing antimicrobial protection. Surprisingly, insights on tissue-resident immunity in the barrier tissues of the female reproductive tract are sparse and only slowly emerging. The need for protection from vaginal and amniotic infections, the uniqueness of periodic tissue shedding and renewal of the endometrial barrier tissue, and the demand for a tailored decidual immune adaptation during pregnancy highlight that tissue-resident immunity may play a crucial role in distinct compartments of the female reproductive tract. This review accentuates the characteristics of tissue-resident immune cells in the vagina, endometrium, and the decidua during pregnancy and discusses their functional role in modulating the risk for infertility, pregnancy complications, infections, or cancer. We here also review data published to date on tissue-resident immunity in the male reproductive organs, which is still a largely uncharted territory.
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8
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Vazquez J, Chavarria M, Chasman DA, Schwartz RW, Tyler CT, Lopez G, Fisher RC, Ong IM, Stanic AK. Multiomic analysis reveals decidual-specific transcriptional programing of MAIT cells. Am J Reprod Immunol 2021; 86:e13495. [PMID: 34411378 PMCID: PMC8720468 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Mucosal-Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells have been recently identified at the maternal-fetal interface. However, transcriptional programming of decidual MAIT cells in pregnancy remains poorly understood. METHOD OF STUDY We employed a multiomic approach to address this question. Mononuclear cells from the decidua basalis and parietalis, and control PBMCs, were analyzed via flow cytometry to investigate MAIT cells in the decidua and assess their transcription factor expression. In a separate study, both decidual and matched peripheral MAIT cells were analyzed using Cellular Indexing of Transcriptomes and Epitopes by Sequencing (CITE-seq) coupled with gene expression analysis. Lastly, decidual MAIT cells were stimulated with E.coli and expression of MR1 by antigen presenting cells was measured to evaluate decidual MAIT cell function. RESULTS First, we identified MAIT cells in both the decidua basalis and parietalis. CITE-seq, coupled with scRNA-seq gene expression analysis, highlighted transcriptional programming differences between decidual and matched peripheral MAIT cells at a single cell resolution. Transcription factor expression analysis further highlighted transcriptional differences between decidual MAIT cells and non-matched peripheral MAIT cells. Functionally, MAIT cells are skewed towards IFNγ and TNFα production upon stimulation, with E.coli leading to IFNγ production. Lastly, we demonstrate that MR1, the antigen presenting molecule restricting MAIT cells, is expressed by decidual APCs. CONCLUSION MAIT cells are present in the decidua basalis and obtain a unique gene expression profile. The presence of MR1 on APCs coupled with in vitro activation by E.coli suggests that MAIT cells might be involved in tissue-repair mechanisms at the maternal-fetal interface.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Deborah A. Chasman
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Biostatistics and Medical Informatics
| | - Rene Welch Schwartz
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Biostatistics and Medical Informatics
| | | | | | | | - Irene M. Ong
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Biostatistics and Medical Informatics
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Center for Human Genomics and Precision Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
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Raffetseder J, Lindau R, van der Veen S, Berg G, Larsson M, Ernerudh J. MAIT Cells Balance the Requirements for Immune Tolerance and Anti-Microbial Defense During Pregnancy. Front Immunol 2021; 12:718168. [PMID: 34497611 PMCID: PMC8420809 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.718168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are an innate-like T cell subset with proinflammatory and cytotoxic effector functions. During pregnancy, modulation of the maternal immune system, both at the fetal-maternal interface and systemically, is crucial for a successful outcome and manifests through controlled enhancement of innate and dampening of adaptive responses. Still, immune defenses need to efficiently protect both the mother and the fetus from infection. So far, it is unknown whether MAIT cells are subjected to immunomodulation during pregnancy, and characterization of decidual MAIT cells as well as their functional responses during pregnancy are mainly lacking. We here characterized the presence and phenotype of Vα7.2+CD161+ MAIT cells in blood and decidua (the uterine endometrium during pregnancy) from women pregnant in the 1st trimester, i.e., the time point when local immune tolerance develops. We also assessed the phenotype and functional responses of MAIT cells in blood of women pregnant in the 3rd trimester, i.e., when systemic immunomodulation is most pronounced. Multi-color flow cytometry panels included markers for MAIT subsets, and markers of activation (CD69, HLA-DR, Granzyme B) and immunoregulation (PD-1, CTLA-4). MAIT cells were numerically decreased at the fetal-maternal interface and showed, similar to other T cells in the decidua, increased expression of immune checkpoint markers compared with MAIT cells in blood. During the 3rd trimester, circulating MAIT cells showed a higher expression of CD69 and CD56, and their functional responses to inflammatory (activating anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies, and IL-12 and IL-18) and microbial stimuli (Escherichia coli, group B streptococci and influenza A virus) were generally increased compared with MAIT cells from non-pregnant women, indicating enhanced antimicrobial defenses during pregnancy. Taken together, our findings indicate dual roles for MAIT cells during pregnancy, with an evidently well-adapted ability to balance the requirements of immune tolerance in parallel with maintained antimicrobial defenses. Since MAIT cells are easily activated, they need to be strictly regulated during pregnancy, and failure to do so could contribute to pregnancy complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Raffetseder
- Division of Inflammation and Infection (II), Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Robert Lindau
- Division of Inflammation and Infection (II), Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Sigrid van der Veen
- Division of Inflammation and Infection (II), Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Göran Berg
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Marie Larsson
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology (MMV), Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Jan Ernerudh
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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10
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Emerging Role for MAIT Cells in Control of Antimicrobial Resistance. Trends Microbiol 2020; 29:504-516. [PMID: 33353796 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a serious threat to global public health as antibiotics are losing effectiveness due to rapid development of resistance. The human immune system facilitates control and clearance of resistant bacterial populations during the course of antimicrobial therapy. Here we review current knowledge of mucosa-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, an arm of the immune system on the border between innate and adaptive, and their critical place in human antibacterial immunity. We propose that MAIT cells play important roles against antimicrobial-resistant infections through their capacity to directly clear multidrug-resistant bacteria and overcome mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance. Finally, we discuss outstanding questions pertinent to the possible advancement of host-directed therapy as an alternative intervention strategy for antimicrobial-resistant bacterial infections.
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