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Konecny AJ, Huang Y, Setty M, Prlic M. Signals that control MAIT cell function in healthy and inflamed human tissues. Immunol Rev 2024; 323:138-149. [PMID: 38520075 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13325] [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] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells have a semi-invariant T-cell receptor that allows recognition of antigen in the context of the MHC class I-related (MR1) protein. Metabolic intermediates of the riboflavin synthesis pathway have been identified as MR1-restricted antigens with agonist properties. As riboflavin synthesis occurs in many bacterial species, but not human cells, it has been proposed that the main purpose of MAIT cells is antibacterial surveillance and protection. The majority of human MAIT cells secrete interferon-gamma (IFNg) upon activation, while some MAIT cells in tissues can also express IL-17. Given that MAIT cells are present in human barrier tissues colonized by a microbiome, MAIT cells must somehow be able to distinguish colonization from infection to ensure effector functions are only elicited when necessary. Importantly, MAIT cells have additional functional properties, including the potential to contribute to restoring tissue homeostasis by expression of CTLA-4 and secretion of the cytokine IL-22. A recent study provided compelling data indicating that the range of human MAIT cell functional properties is explained by plasticity rather than distinct lineages. This further underscores the necessity to better understand how different signals regulate MAIT cell function. In this review, we highlight what is known in regards to activating and inhibitory signals for MAIT cells with a specific focus on signals relevant to healthy and inflamed tissues. We consider the quantity, quality, and the temporal order of these signals on MAIT cell function and discuss the current limitations of computational tools to extrapolate which signals are received by MAIT cells in human tissues. Using lessons learned from conventional CD8 T cells, we also discuss how TCR signals may integrate with cytokine signals in MAIT cells to elicit distinct functional states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Konecny
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Yin Huang
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Herbold Computational Biology Program, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Manu Setty
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Herbold Computational Biology Program, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Martin Prlic
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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2
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Wu S, Yang X, Lou Y, Xiao X. MAIT cells in bacterial infectious diseases: heroes, villains, or both? Clin Exp Immunol 2023; 214:144-153. [PMID: 37624404 PMCID: PMC10714195 DOI: 10.1093/cei/uxad102] [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: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the aggravation of bacterial drug resistance and the lag in the development of new antibiotics, it is crucial to develop novel therapeutic regimens for bacterial infectious diseases. Currently, immunotherapy is a promising regimen for the treatment of infectious diseases. Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, a subpopulation of innate-like T cells, are abundant in humans and can mount a rapid immune response to pathogens, thus becoming a potential target of immunotherapy for infectious diseases. At the site of infection, activated MAIT cells perform complex biological functions by secreting a variety of cytokines and cytotoxic substances. Many studies have shown that MAIT cells have immunoprotective effects because they can bridge innate and adaptive immune responses, leading to bacterial clearance, tissue repair, and homeostasis maintenance. MAIT cells also participate in cytokine storm generation, tissue fibrosis, and cancer progression, indicating that they play a role in immunopathology. In this article, we review recent studies of MAIT cells, discuss their dual roles in bacterial infectious diseases and provide some promising MAIT cell-targeting strategies for the treatment of bacterial infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihong Wu
- Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Sanitary Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xi Yang
- Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Sanitary Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yongliang Lou
- Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Sanitary Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xingxing Xiao
- Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Sanitary Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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3
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Wei L, Chen Z, Lv Q. Mucosal-associated invariant T cells display both pathogenic and protective roles in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. Amino Acids 2023; 55:1819-1827. [PMID: 37819474 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-023-03344-8] [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: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
An important subtype of the innate-like T lymphocytes is mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells expressing a semi-invariant T cell receptor α (TCR-α) chain. MAIT cells could be activated mainly by TCR engagement or cytokines. They have been found to have essential roles in various immune mediated. There have been growing preclinical and clinical findings that show an association between MAIT cells and the physiopathology of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Of note, published reports demonstrate contradictory findings regarding the role of MAIT cells in IBD patients. A number of reports suggests a protective effect, whereas others show a pathogenic impact. The present review article aimed to explore and discuss the findings of experimental and clinical investigations evaluating the effects of MAIT cells in IBD subjects and animal models. Findings indicate that MAIT cells could exert opposite effects in the course of IBD, including an anti-inflammatory protective effect of blood circulating MAIT cells and an effector pathogenic effect of colonic MAIT cells. Another important finding is that blood levels of MAIT cells can be considered as a potential biomarker in IBD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wei
- Department of General Surgery, Pudong New District Gongli Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Zhigang Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Pudong New District Gongli Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Qiang Lv
- Department of General Surgery, Pudong New District Gongli Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai, 200120, China.
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4
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Kurioka A, Klenerman P. Aging unconventionally: γδ T cells, iNKT cells, and MAIT cells in aging. Semin Immunol 2023; 69:101816. [PMID: 37536148 PMCID: PMC10804939 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2023.101816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Unconventional T cells include γδ T cells, invariant Natural Killer T cells (iNKT) cells and Mucosal Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells, which are distinguished from conventional T cells by their recognition of non-peptide ligands presented by non-polymorphic antigen presenting molecules and rapid effector functions that are pre-programmed during their development. Here we review current knowledge of the effect of age on unconventional T cells, from early life to old age, in both mice and humans. We then discuss the role of unconventional T cells in age-associated diseases and infections, highlighting the similarities between members of the unconventional T cell family in the context of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayako Kurioka
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Paul Klenerman
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Translational Gastroenterology Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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5
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Habel JR, Chua BY, Kedzierski L, Selva KJ, Damelang T, Haycroft ER, Nguyen TH, Koay HF, Nicholson S, McQuilten HA, Jia X, Allen LF, Hensen L, Zhang W, van de Sandt CE, Neil JA, Pragastis K, Lau JS, Jumarang J, Allen EK, Amanant F, Krammer F, Wragg KM, Juno JA, Wheatley AK, Tan HX, Pell G, Walker S, Audsley J, Reynaldi A, Thevarajan I, Denholm JT, Subbarao K, Davenport MP, Hogarth PM, Godfrey DI, Cheng AC, Tong SY, Bond K, Williamson DA, McMahon JH, Thomas PG, Pannaraj PS, James F, Holmes NE, Smibert OC, Trubiano JA, Gordon CL, Chung AW, Whitehead CL, Kent SJ, Lappas M, Rowntree LC, Kedzierska K. Immune profiling of SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy reveals NK cell and γδ T cell perturbations. JCI Insight 2023; 8:e167157. [PMID: 37036008 PMCID: PMC10132165 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.167157] [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: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy poses a greater risk for severe COVID-19; however, underlying immunological changes associated with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy are poorly understood. We defined immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 in unvaccinated pregnant and nonpregnant women with acute and convalescent COVID-19, quantifying 217 immunological parameters. Humoral responses to SARS-CoV-2 were similar in pregnant and nonpregnant women, although our systems serology approach revealed distinct antibody and FcγR profiles between pregnant and nonpregnant women. Cellular analyses demonstrated marked differences in NK cell and unconventional T cell activation dynamics in pregnant women. Healthy pregnant women displayed preactivated NK cells and γδ T cells when compared with healthy nonpregnant women, which remained unchanged during acute and convalescent COVID-19. Conversely, nonpregnant women had prototypical activation of NK and γδ T cells. Activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and T follicular helper cells was similar in SARS-CoV-2-infected pregnant and nonpregnant women, while antibody-secreting B cells were increased in pregnant women during acute COVID-19. Elevated levels of IL-8, IL-10, and IL-18 were found in pregnant women in their healthy state, and these cytokine levels remained elevated during acute and convalescent COVID-19. Collectively, we demonstrate perturbations in NK cell and γδ T cell activation in unvaccinated pregnant women with COVID-19, which may impact disease progression and severity during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer R. Habel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Brendon Y. Chua
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Lukasz Kedzierski
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kevin J. Selva
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Timon Damelang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ebene R. Haycroft
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Thi H.O. Nguyen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hui-Fern Koay
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Suellen Nicholson
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hayley A. McQuilten
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Xiaoxiao Jia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lilith F. Allen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Luca Hensen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Wuji Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Carolien E. van de Sandt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jessica A. Neil
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katherine Pragastis
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jillian S.Y. Lau
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Eastern Health, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jaycee Jumarang
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - E. Kaitlynn Allen
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Fatima Amanant
- Department of Microbiology, and
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Kathleen M. Wragg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jennifer A. Juno
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Adam K. Wheatley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hyon-Xhi Tan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gabrielle Pell
- Mercy Perinatal Research Centre, Mercy Hospital for Women, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Susan Walker
- Mercy Perinatal Research Centre, Mercy Hospital for Women, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jennifer Audsley
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Arnold Reynaldi
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Irani Thevarajan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Justin T. Denholm
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kanta Subbarao
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Miles P. Davenport
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - P. Mark Hogarth
- Immune Therapies Laboratory, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Clinical Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dale I. Godfrey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Allen C. Cheng
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Infection Prevention and Healthcare Epidemiology Unit, Alfred Health, and Monash Infectious Diseases, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Steven Y.C. Tong
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Katherine Bond
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Deborah A. Williamson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - James H. McMahon
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul G. Thomas
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Pia S. Pannaraj
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Fiona James
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Natasha E. Holmes
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Critical Care, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Data Analytics Research and Evaluation Centre, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
- Centre for Antibiotic Allergy and Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Olivia C. Smibert
- Departments of Pediatrics, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
- Centre for Antibiotic Allergy and Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, and
- National Centre for Infections in Cancer, Peter McCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jason A. Trubiano
- Centre for Antibiotic Allergy and Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, and
- National Centre for Infections in Cancer, Peter McCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medicine (Austin Health), University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Claire L. Gordon
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Amy W. Chung
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Clare L. Whitehead
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Pregnancy Research Centre, Royal Women’s Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stephen J. Kent
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Infectious Diseases Department, Alfred Health, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Martha Lappas
- Obstetrics, Nutrition and Endocrinology Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Louise C. Rowntree
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katherine Kedzierska
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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El-Badawy O, Abbas AM, Radwan E, Makboul R, Khamis AA, Ali M, Elkabsh MM, Bakr MH, Zahran AM. Cross-Talk between Mucosal-Associated Invariant T, Natural Killer, and Natural Killer T Cell Populations is Implicated in the Pathogenesis of Placenta Accreta Spectrum. Inflammation 2023:10.1007/s10753-023-01799-1. [PMID: 36997764 PMCID: PMC10359234 DOI: 10.1007/s10753-023-01799-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
The study included 32 women with PAS and 20 with normally implanted placenta as a control group. Vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF), Soluble FMS Like Tyrosine Kinase (sFLT-1/sVEGFR1), and Endoglin (ENG) were measured in placenta tissue by ELISA. Granzyme B (GrzB) expression in trophoblastic and stromal mesenchymal cells was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. MAIT, NK, and NKT cells were assessed in blood and placenta by flow cytometry. Alterations were observed in levels of MAIT cells, NK cell subsets, and NKT cells in patients compared with controls. Several significant correlations were detected between these cells and GrzB scores, VEGF, ENG, and sFLT-1 levels. This is the first study analysing these cells in PAS patients and correlating their levels with changes in some angiogenic and antiangiogenic factors implicated in trophoblast invasion and with GrzB distribution in trophoblast and stroma. Interrelation between these cells probably plays an important role in pathogenesis of PAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omnia El-Badawy
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, 71515, Egypt.
| | - Ahmed M Abbas
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Eman Radwan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
- Department of Biochemistry, Sphinx University, New Assiut, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Rania Makboul
- Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Areej A Khamis
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Maha Ali
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Mai M Elkabsh
- Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Marwa H Bakr
- Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Asmaa M Zahran
- Department of Clinical Pathology, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
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7
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Vikberg S, Lindau R, Solders M, Raffetseder J, Budhwar S, Ernerudh J, Tiblad E, Kaipe H. Labour promotes systemic mobilisation of monocytes, T cell activation and local secretion of chemotactic factors in the intervillous space of the placenta. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1129261. [PMID: 36969250 PMCID: PMC10030611 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1129261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
During pregnancy, maternal blood circulates through the intervillous space of the placenta and the reciprocal interactions between foetal tissues and maternal immune cells makes the intervillous space a unique immunological niche. Labour is characterised by a proinflammatory response in the myometrium, but the relationship between local and systemic changes during the onset of labour remains elusive. We here aimed to investigate how the systemic and intervillous circulatory systems are affected during labour from an immunological point of view. We report that the proportion of monocytes is dramatically higher in peripheral (PB), intervillous blood (IVB) and decidua in labouring (n = 14) compared to non-labouring women (n = 15), suggesting that labour leads to both a systemic and local mobilisation of monocytes. Labour was associated with a relative increase of effector memory T cells in the intervillous space compared to the periphery, and MAIT cells and T cells showed an elevated expression of activation markers both in PB and IVB. Intervillous monocytes consisted to a higher degree of CD14+CD16+ intermediate monocytes compared to peripheral monocytes, independently of mode of delivery, and displayed an altered phenotypic expression pattern. A proximity extension assay analysis of 168 proteins revealed that several proteins associated to myeloid cell migration and function, including CCL2 and M-CSF, were upregulated in IVB plasma in labouring women. Thus, the intervillous space could be a bridging site for the communication between the placenta and the periphery, which contribute to monocyte mobilisation and generation of inflammatory reactions during spontaneous labour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Vikberg
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Robert Lindau
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Solders
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johanna Raffetseder
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Snehil Budhwar
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Jan Ernerudh
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Eleonor Tiblad
- Center for Fetal Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Helen Kaipe
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Helen Kaipe,
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8
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Miller D, Garcia-Flores V, Romero R, Galaz J, Pique-Regi R, Gomez-Lopez N. Single-Cell Immunobiology of the Maternal-Fetal Interface. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2022; 209:1450-1464. [PMID: 36192116 PMCID: PMC9536179 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Pregnancy success requires constant dialogue between the mother and developing conceptus. Such crosstalk is facilitated through complex interactions between maternal and fetal cells at distinct tissue sites, collectively termed the "maternal-fetal interface." The emergence of single-cell technologies has enabled a deeper understanding of the unique processes taking place at the maternal-fetal interface as well as the discovery of novel pathways and immune and nonimmune cell types. Single-cell approaches have also been applied to decipher the cellular dynamics throughout pregnancy, in parturition, and in obstetrical syndromes such as recurrent spontaneous abortion, preeclampsia, and preterm labor. Furthermore, single-cell technologies have been used during the recent COVID-19 pandemic to evaluate placental viral cell entry and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on maternal and fetal immunity. In this brief review, we summarize the current knowledge of cellular immunobiology in pregnancy and its complications that has been generated through single-cell investigations of the maternal-fetal interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek Miller
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Valeria Garcia-Flores
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
- Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI
| | - Jose Galaz
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile; and
| | - Roger Pique-Regi
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI;
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
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9
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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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10
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Li WX, Xu XH, Jin LP. Regulation of the innate immune cells during pregnancy: An immune checkpoint perspective. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 25:10362-10375. [PMID: 34708495 PMCID: PMC8581333 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17022] [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: 07/03/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The foetus can be regarded as a half‐allograft implanted into the maternal body. In a successful pregnancy, the mother does not reject the foetus because of the immune tolerance mechanism at the maternal‐foetal interface. The innate immune cells are a large part of the decidual leukocytes contributing significantly to a successful pregnancy. Although the contributions have been recognized, their role in human pregnancy has not been completely elucidated. Additionally, the accumulated evidence demonstrates that the immune checkpoint molecules expressed on the immune cells are co‐inhibitory receptors regulating their activation and biological function. Therefore, it is critical to understand the immune microenvironment and explore the function of the innate immune cells during pregnancy. This review summarizes the classic immune checkpoints such as PD‐1, CTLA‐4 and some novel molecules recently identified, including TIM‐3, CD200, TIGIT and the Siglecs family on the decidual and peripheral innate immune cells during pregnancy. Furthermore, it emphasizes the role of the immune checkpoint molecules in pregnancy‐associated complications and reproductive immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Xuan Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Clinical and Translational Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang-Hong Xu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Clinical and Translational Research Center, Department of Biobank, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li-Ping Jin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Clinical and Translational Research Center, Department of Biobank, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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11
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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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12
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Placental Macrophages Demonstrate Sex-Specific Response to Intrauterine Inflammation and May Serve as a Marker of Perinatal Neuroinflammation. J Reprod Immunol 2021; 147:103360. [PMID: 34390899 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2021.103360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Preterm birth (PTB) is considered to be one of the most frequent causes of neonatal death. Prompt and effective measures to predict adverse fetal outcome following PTB are urgently needed. Placenta macrophages are a critical immune cell population during pregnancy, phenotypically divided into M1 and M2 subsets. An established mouse model of intrauterine inflammation (IUI) was applied. Placenta (labyrinth) and corresponding fetal brain were harvested within 24 hours post injection (hpi). Flow cytometry, Western blot, real-time qPCR, and regular histology were utilized to examine the cytokines, macrophage polarization, and sex-specificity. Placental exposure to LPS led to significantly reduced labyrinth thickness compared to PBS-exposed controls as early as 3 hpi, accompanied by apoptosis and necrosis. Pro-inflammatory M1 markers, Il-1β, and iNOS, and anti-inflammatory M2 marker Il-10 increased significantly in placentas exposed to IUI. Analysis of flow cytometry revealed that fetal macrophages (Hofbauer cell, HBCs) were mostly M1-like and that maternal inter-labyrinth macrophages (MIM) were M2-like in their features in IUI. Male fetuses displayed significantly decreased M2-like features in HBCs at 3 and 6 hpi, while female fetuses showed significant increase in M2-like features in MIM at 3 and 6 hpi. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between the frequency of HBCs and corresponding microglial marker expression at 3 and 6 hpi. Placental macrophages demonstrated sex-specific features in response to IUI. Specifically, HBCs may be a potential biomarker for fetal brain injury at preterm birth.
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13
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Bister J, Crona Guterstam Y, Strunz B, Dumitrescu B, Haij Bhattarai K, Özenci V, Brännström M, Ivarsson MA, Gidlöf S, Björkström NK. Human endometrial MAIT cells are transiently tissue resident and respond to Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Mucosal Immunol 2021; 14:357-365. [PMID: 32759973 DOI: 10.1038/s41385-020-0331-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Mucosa-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are non-classical T cells important in the mucosal defense against microbes. Despite an increasing interest in the immunobiology of the endometrial mucosa, little is known regarding human MAIT cells in this compartment. The potential role of MAIT cells as a tissue-resident local defense against microbes in the endometrium is largely unexplored. Here, we performed a high-dimensional flow cytometry characterization of MAIT cells in endometrium from pre- and postmenopausal women, and in decidua from first-trimester pregnancies. Furthermore, we assessed MAIT cell function by stimulation with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae). Endometrial MAIT (eMAIT) cells represented a stable endometrial immune cell population as limited dynamic changes were observed during the menstrual cycle, post menopause, or in response to pregnancy. Furthermore, eMAIT cells exhibited an activated tissue-resident phenotype. Despite expressing CD69 and CD103, eMAIT cells were replenished over time by circulating MAIT cells, as assessed using human uterus transplantation as a model. Finally, functional experiments revealed the capability of MAIT cells to respond to the sexually transmitted and tissue-relevant pathogen, N. gonorrhoeae. In conclusion, our study provides novel insight into human MAIT cell dynamics and anti-microbial properties in the human uterus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonna Bister
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ylva Crona Guterstam
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Benedikt Strunz
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Karin Haij Bhattarai
- Clinical microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Volkan Özenci
- Clinical microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mats Brännström
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg and Stockholm IVF - Eugin, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin A Ivarsson
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Gidlöf
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stockholm South General 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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14
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Solders M, Gorchs L, Kaipe H. Isolation of Immune Cells from Placental Tissues and Phenotypic and Functional Analysis of MAIT Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2098:55-70. [PMID: 31792815 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0207-2_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
The placenta is an immunological paradox since maternal immune cells infiltrating placental tissues need to be tolerant toward the fetus but still retain immunity against potential infections. This makes the placenta an interesting tissue for studying immunological processes. Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are a subset of T cells that respond to bacterially derived metabolites of riboflavin synthesis. Upon activation, MAIT cells respond by secretion of inflammatory cytokines and by directed killing of infected cells by the use of granzymes and perforin. In this protocol, we describe methods for the isolation of immune cells from the placental intervillous space and adjacent tissues such as the umbilical cord, decidua parietalis, and decidua basalis. We further describe how to stimulate MAIT cells in mixed cell suspensions of mononuclear cells with bacteria, and how to analyze the phenotypic and functional responses with flow cytometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Solders
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Laia Gorchs
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Helen Kaipe
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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15
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MacDonald-Ramos K, Vega-Sánchez R. Maternal adiposity is associated with inflammatory gene expression in leukocytes at term human pregnancy: A pilot study. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2020; 9:e1570. [PMID: 33305914 PMCID: PMC8077112 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Human labor is associated with an inflammatory process that takes place at the maternal–fetal interface, where leukocytes infiltrate and contribute to the local production of effector molecules such as cytokines, chemokines, MMPs, etc. This process may be altered by a low‐grade chronic inflammation, characteristic of obesity, resulting in adverse pregnancy outcomes. In this cross‐sectional pilot study, we analyzed the relationship between maternal adiposity and inflammation‐related gene expression in leukocytes from six healthy women with term pregnancies without labor. Methods We estimated maternal adiposity and examined the relative expression of 211 inflammation‐related genes in maternal peripheral blood leukocytes (MAT), placental intervillous blood leukocytes (PLA), and choriodecidual leukocytes (CHD) by real‐time qPCR. Finally, we analyzed the correlation between maternal adiposity and gene expression. Results Participants’ adiposity ranged from 27.6% to 61.1% (n = 6). The expression of 23 genes significantly differed (p < 0.05) in MAT, PLA, and CHD leukocytes, most of which code for chemokines and proinflammatory cytokines. Importantly, increasing maternal adiposity correlated (r > 0.7) mostly positively with the expression of genes related to activation, migration, infiltration, and proinflammation in MAT (36 genes) and PLA (31 genes). In contrast, in CHD leukocytes maternal adiposity correlated only negatively with seven genes, involved in migration and infiltration. Conclusion Our findings suggest that during term pregnancy, increased maternal adiposity may enhance the priming of peripheral leukocytes, while in choriodecidua it may alter leukocyte recruitment and proinflammatory activity. Maternal adiposity must be considered an important variable in further studies that analyze inflammation‐related gene expression in pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla MacDonald-Ramos
- Department of Nutrition and Bioprogramming, Instituto Nacional de Perinatologia, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rodrigo Vega-Sánchez
- Department of Nutrition and Bioprogramming, Instituto Nacional de Perinatologia, Mexico City, Mexico
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16
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Amini A, Pang D, Hackstein CP, Klenerman P. MAIT Cells in Barrier Tissues: Lessons from Immediate Neighbors. Front Immunol 2020; 11:584521. [PMID: 33329559 PMCID: PMC7734211 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.584521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are innate-like T cells present at considerable frequencies in human blood and barrier tissues, armed with an expanding array of effector functions in response to homeostatic perturbations. Analogous to other barrier immune cells, their phenotype and function is driven by crosstalk with host and dynamic environmental factors, most pertinently the microbiome. Given their distribution, they must function in diverse extracellular milieus. Tissue-specific and adapted functions of barrier immune cells are shaped by transcriptional programs and regulated through a blend of local cellular, inflammatory, physiological, and metabolic mediators unique to each microenvironment. This review compares the phenotype and function of MAIT cells with other barrier immune cells, highlighting potential areas for future exploration. Appreciation of MAIT cell biology within tissues is crucial to understanding their niche in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Amini
- Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Declan Pang
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Carl-Philipp Hackstein
- Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Klenerman
- Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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17
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Stas MR, Koch M, Stadler M, Sawyer S, Sassu EL, Mair KH, Saalmüller A, Gerner W, Ladinig A. NK and T Cell Differentiation at the Maternal-Fetal Interface in Sows During Late Gestation. Front Immunol 2020; 11:582065. [PMID: 33013937 PMCID: PMC7516083 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.582065] [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: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The phenotype and function of immune cells that reside at the maternal-fetal interface in humans and mice have been, and still are, extensively studied with the aim to fully comprehend the complex immunology of pregnancy. In pigs, information regarding immune cell phenotypes is limited and mainly focused on early gestation whereas late gestation has not yet been investigated. We designed a unique methodology tailored to the porcine epitheliochorial placenta, which allowed us to address immune phenotypes separately in the maternal endometrium (ME) and fetal placenta (FP) by flow cytometry. In-depth phenotyping of NK cells, non-conventional and conventional T cells within maternal blood (mBld), ME, FP, and fetal spleen (fSpln) revealed major differences between these anatomic sites. In both maternal compartments, all NK cells were perforin+ and had NKp46-defined phenotypes indicative of late-stage differentiation. Likewise, T cells with a highly differentiated phenotype including CD2+CD8α+CD27dim/–perforin+ γδ T cells, CD27–perforin+ cytolytic T cells (CTLs), and T-bet+ CD4+CD8α+CD27– effector memory T (Tem) cells prevailed within these compartments. The presence of highly differentiated T cells was also reflected in the number of cells that had the capacity to produce IFN-γ. In the FP, we found NK cells and T cell populations with a naive phenotype including CD2+CD8α–CD27+perforin– γδ T cells, T-bet–CD4+CD8α–CD27+ T cells, and CD27+perforin– CTLs. However, also non-naive T cell phenotypes including CD2+CD8α+CD27+perforin– γδ T cells, T-bet+CD4+CD8α+CD27– Tem cells, and a substantial proportion of CD27–perforin+ CTLs resided within this anatomic site. Currently, the origin or the cues that steer the differentiation of these putative effector cells are unclear. In the fSpln, NKp46high NK cells and T cells with a naive phenotype prevailed. This study demonstrated that antigen-experienced immune cell phenotypes reside at the maternal-fetal interface, including the FP. Our methodology and our findings open avenues to study NK and T cell function over the course of gestation. In addition, this study lays a foundation to explore the interplay between immune cells and pathogens affecting swine reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa R Stas
- University Clinic for Swine, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michaela Koch
- University Clinic for Swine, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Stadler
- Institute of Immunology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Spencer Sawyer
- University Clinic for Swine, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Elena L Sassu
- University Clinic for Swine, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kerstin H Mair
- Institute of Immunology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Armin Saalmüller
- Institute of Immunology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wilhelm Gerner
- Institute of Immunology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Christian Doppler Laboratory for Optimized Prediction of Vaccination Success in Pigs, Institute of Immunology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrea Ladinig
- University Clinic for Swine, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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18
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Kaipe H, Raffetseder J, Ernerudh J, Solders M, Tiblad E. MAIT Cells at the Fetal-Maternal Interface During Pregnancy. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1788. [PMID: 32973750 PMCID: PMC7466580 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the main functions of the human placenta is to provide a barrier between the fetal and maternal blood circulations, where gas exchange and transfer of nutrients to the developing fetus take place. Despite being a barrier, there is a multitude of crosstalk between maternal immune cells and fetally derived semi-allogeneic trophoblast cells. Therefore, the maternal immune system has a difficult task to both tolerate the fetus but at the same time also defend the mother and the fetus from infections. Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are an increasingly recognized subset of T cells with anti-microbial functions that get activated in the context of non-polymorphic MR1 molecules, but also in response to inflammation. MAIT cells accumulate at term pregnancy in the maternal blood that flows into the intervillous space inside the placenta. Chemotactic factors produced by the placenta may be involved in recruiting and retaining particular immune cell subsets, including MAIT cells. In this Mini-Review, we describe what is known about MAIT cells during pregnancy and discuss the potential biological functions of MAIT cells at the fetal-maternal interface. Since MAIT cells have anti-microbial and tissue-repairing functions, but lack alloantigen reactivity, they could play an important role in protecting the fetus from bacterial infections and maintaining tissue homeostasis without risks of mediating harmful responses toward semi-allogenic fetal tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Kaipe
- Division of Biomolecular and Cellular Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johanna Raffetseder
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Jan Ernerudh
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Martin Solders
- Division of Biomolecular and Cellular Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eleonor Tiblad
- Center for Fetal Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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19
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Meggyes M, Nagy DU, Szigeti B, Csiszar B, Sandor B, Tamas P, Szereday L. Investigation of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells expressing immune checkpoint receptors (TIGIT and CD226) in early-onset preeclampsia. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2020; 252:373-381. [PMID: 32682212 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2020.06.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE During our work, we examined the possible contribution of MAIT cells in the pathogenesis of the clinical phase of early-onset preeclampsia and how this could be influenced by TIGIT and CD226 immune checkpoint molecules. STUDY DESIGN 37 pregnant women diagnosed with early-onset preeclampsia and 36 healthy, age-matched control women were involved in this study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated by density gradient and frozen. After thawing, cells were stained with monoclonal antibodies to characterize MAIT, MAIT-like, and non-MAIT cells. Flow cytometric analyses were used to measure TIGIT, CD226, intracellular perforin, and granzyme B expression. RESULTS MAIT (CD3+ CD8+ Vα7.2+ CD161++), MAIT-like (CD3+ CD8+ Vα7.2+ CD161+) and non-MAIT (CD3+ CD8+ Vα7.2+ CD161-) cell population were identified based on their CD161 receptor positivity. MAIT cells markedly differed in proportion, TIGIT expression, granzyme B, and perforin content compared to MAIT-like and non-MAIT cells. A significant difference was determined in TIGIT expression by non-MAIT cells and in CD8/CD226 positive relationship between the preeclamptic and healthy condition. CONCLUSIONS Considering that we did not detect a notable difference between early-onset preeclampsia and healthy pregnancy, we suppose that peripheral MAIT cells expressing TIGIT and CD226 immune checkpoint molecules have a marginal role in the pathogenesis of early-onset preeclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matyas Meggyes
- University of Pecs, Medical School, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, 7624, Pecs, 12 Szigeti Street, Hungary; Janos Szentagothai Research Centre, 7624 Pecs, 20 Ifjusag Street, Hungary.
| | - David U Nagy
- University of Pécs, Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, 7624 Pecs, 6 Ifjusag Street, Hungary.
| | - Brigitta Szigeti
- University of Pecs, Medical School, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, 7624, Pecs, 12 Szigeti Street, Hungary.
| | - Beata Csiszar
- University of Pecs, Medical School, 1st Department of Medicine, 7624 Pecs, 13 Ifjusag Street, Hungary.
| | - Barbara Sandor
- University of Pecs, Medical School, 1st Department of Medicine, 7624 Pecs, 13 Ifjusag Street, Hungary.
| | - Peter Tamas
- University of Pecs, Medical School, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 7624 Pecs, 17 Edesanyak Street, Hungary.
| | - Laszlo Szereday
- University of Pecs, Medical School, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, 7624, Pecs, 12 Szigeti Street, Hungary; Janos Szentagothai Research Centre, 7624 Pecs, 20 Ifjusag Street, Hungary.
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20
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Human MAIT cell cytolytic effector proteins synergize to overcome carbapenem resistance in Escherichia coli. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000644. [PMID: 32511236 PMCID: PMC7302869 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucosa-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are abundant antimicrobial T cells in humans and recognize antigens derived from the microbial riboflavin biosynthetic pathway presented by the MHC-Ib-related protein (MR1). However, the mechanisms responsible for MAIT cell antimicrobial activity are not fully understood, and the efficacy of these mechanisms against antibiotic resistant bacteria has not been explored. Here, we show that MAIT cells mediate MR1-restricted antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli clinical strains in a manner dependent on the activity of cytolytic proteins but independent of production of pro-inflammatory cytokines or induction of apoptosis in infected cells. The combined action of the pore-forming antimicrobial protein granulysin and the serine protease granzyme B released in response to T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated recognition of MR1-presented antigen is essential to mediate control against both cell-associated and free-living, extracellular forms of E. coli. Furthermore, MAIT cell-mediated bacterial control extends to multidrug-resistant E. coli primary clinical isolates additionally resistant to carbapenems, a class of last resort antibiotics. Notably, high levels of granulysin and granzyme B in the MAIT cell secretomes directly damage bacterial cells by increasing their permeability, rendering initially resistant E. coli susceptible to the bactericidal activity of carbapenems. These findings define the role of cytolytic effector proteins in MAIT cell-mediated antimicrobial activity and indicate that granulysin and granzyme B synergize to restore carbapenem bactericidal activity and overcome carbapenem resistance in E. coli. Mucosa-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are abundant antimicrobial T cells in humans that recognize bacterial metabolites. This study shows that MAIT cells exert potent antimicrobial activity against both cell-associated and extracellular forms of Escherichia coli, including strains that are resistant to the last resort antibiotics carbapenems.
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21
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Ravi K, Chan CYS, Akoto C, Zhang W, Vatish M, Norris SA, Klenerman P, Hemelaar J. Changes in the Vα7.2+ CD161++ MAIT cell compartment in early pregnancy are associated with preterm birth in HIV-positive women. Am J Reprod Immunol 2020; 83:e13240. [PMID: 32255246 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth (PTB), despite viral suppression with antiretroviral therapy. Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are an immune cell subset involved in antimicrobial immunity at mucosal surfaces. MAIT cells have been found at the maternal-foetal interface, and MAIT cells are typically depleted early in HIV infection. We aimed to investigate changes in MAIT cells in relation to maternal HIV/ART status and PTB. METHOD OF STUDY We conducted flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood samples from 47 HIV-positive (HIV+) and 45 HIV-negative (HIV-) pregnant women enrolled in a prospective pregnancy cohort study in Soweto, South Africa. Frequencies of Vα7.2+ CD161++ MAIT cells and proportions of CD4+ , CD8+ and double-negative MAIT cells were compared between women with and without HIV infection, and between women with and without PTB or spontaneous preterm labour (Sp-PTL). RESULTS Although overall MAIT cell frequencies were the same between HIV+ and HIV- patients, HIV+ patients had a higher proportion of CD8+ MAIT cells in the first two trimesters. Women with PTB and Sp-PTL also had a higher proportion of CD8+ MAIT cells in the first trimester compared to women without these outcomes. The association between changes in MAIT cell subsets and PTB/Sp-PTL was present in both HIV+ and HIV- women, and an additive effect on MAIT cell subsets was seen in women with both HIV infection and PTB. CONCLUSIONS Interactions between HIV-related and pregnancy-related changes in MAIT cell subsets and distribution may lead to imbalances in peripheral MAIT cell subsets in early pregnancy. This may contribute to the increased risk of PTB in HIV+ patients by altering the overall functionality of the peripheral MAIT cell compartment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krithi Ravi
- Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, The Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Christina Y S Chan
- Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, The Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Charlene Akoto
- Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, The Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Wei Zhang
- Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, The Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Manu Vatish
- Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, The Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Shane A Norris
- South African Medical Research Council Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Department of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Paul Klenerman
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Joris Hemelaar
- Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, The Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.,South African Medical Research Council Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Department of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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22
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Martini E, Giugliano S, Rescigno M, Kallikourdis M. Regulatory T Cells Beyond Autoimmunity: From Pregnancy to Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease. Front Immunol 2020; 11:509. [PMID: 32296427 PMCID: PMC7136891 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolution of the full range of functions of regulatory T cells (Treg) coincides with the evolution of mammalian pregnancy. Accordingly, Treg function has been shown to be crucial for maternal-fetal tolerance and implantation. As reproduction is a key point of selective pressure, mammalian pregnancy may represent an evolutionary driver for the development of Treg. Yet beyond the chronological boundaries of mammalian pregnancy, several key physiological and pathological events are being gradually uncovered as involving the immunomodulating functions of Treg cells. These include autoimmunity, age-related inflammation in males and in post-menopausal females, but also oncological and cardiovascular diseases. The latter two sets of diseases collectively compose the main causes of mortality world-wide. Emerging data point to Treg-modulable effects in these diseases, in a departure from the relatively narrower perceived role of Treg as master regulators of autoimmunity. Yet recent evidence also suggests that changes in intestinal microbiota can affect the above pathological conditions. This is likely due to the finding that, whilst the presence and maintenance of intestinal microbiota requires active immune tolerance, mediated by Treg, the existence of microbiota per se profoundly affects the polarization, stability, and balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory T cell populations, including Treg and induced Treg cells. The study of these “novel,” but possibly highly relevant from an ontogenesis perspective, facets of Treg function may hold great potential for our understanding of the mechanisms underlying human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Martini
- Adaptive Immunity Laboratory, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Giugliano
- Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology and Microbiota, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Milan, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Rescigno
- Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology and Microbiota, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Milan, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Marinos Kallikourdis
- Adaptive Immunity Laboratory, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Milan, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
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23
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Loh L, Gherardin NA, Sant S, Grzelak L, Crawford JC, Bird NL, Koay HF, van de Sandt CE, Moreira ML, Lappas M, Allen EK, Crowe J, Loudovaris T, Flanagan KL, Quinn KM, Rossjohn J, Thomas PG, Eckle SBG, McCluskey J, Godfrey DI, Kedzierska K. Human Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells in Older Individuals Display Expanded TCRαβ Clonotypes with Potent Antimicrobial Responses. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 204:1119-1133. [PMID: 31988181 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1900774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are important for immune responses against microbial infections. Although known to undergo marked numerical changes with age in humans, our understanding of how MAIT cells are altered during different phases across the human life span is largely unknown. Although also abundant in the tissues, our study focuses on MAIT cell analyses in blood. Across the human life span, we show that naive-like MAIT cells in umbilical cord blood switch to a central/effector memory-like profile that is sustained into older age. Whereas low-grade levels of plasma cytokine/chemokine were apparent in older donors (>65 y old), surprisingly, they did not correlate with the ex vivo MAIT hyperinflammatory cytokine profile observed in older adults. Removal of MAIT cells from older individuals and an aged environment resulted in the reversal of the baseline effector molecule profile comparable with MAIT cells from younger adults. An upregulated basal inflammatory profile accounted for reduced Escherichia coli-specific responses in aged MAIT cells compared with their young adult counterparts when fold change in expression levels of GzmB, CD107a, IFN-γ, and TNF was examined. However, the magnitude of antimicrobial MR1-dependent activation remained as potent and polyfunctional as with younger adults. Paired TCRαβ analyses of MAIT cells revealed large clonal expansions in older adults and tissues that rivalled, remarkably, the TCRαβ repertoire diversity of virus-specific CD8+ T cells. These data suggest that MAIT cells in older individuals, although associated with large clonal TCRαβ expansions and increased baseline inflammatory potential, demonstrate plasticity and provide potent antimicrobial immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyen Loh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia;
| | - Nicholas A Gherardin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Sneha Sant
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Ludivine Grzelak
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | | | - Nicola L Bird
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Hui-Fern Koay
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Carolien E van de Sandt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.,Department of Hematopoiesis, Sanquin Research and Landsteiner Laboratory, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1066CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marcela L Moreira
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Martha Lappas
- Obstetrics, Nutrition and Endocrinology Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne, Mercy Hospital for Women, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
| | - E Kaitlynn Allen
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105
| | - Jane Crowe
- Deepdene Surgery, Deepdene, Victoria 3103, Australia
| | - Thomas Loudovaris
- Immunology and Diabetes Unit, St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065, Australia
| | - Katie L Flanagan
- Launceston General Hospital, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia.,University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia.,Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.,School of Health and Biomedical Science, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia
| | - Kylie M Quinn
- Infection and Immunity Program, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Jamie Rossjohn
- Infection and Immunity Program, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia; and.,Institute of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XN, United Kingdom
| | - Paul G Thomas
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105
| | - Sidonia B G Eckle
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - James McCluskey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Dale I Godfrey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Katherine Kedzierska
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia;
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24
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Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are a newly described subset of T cells that are found in the blood and are enriched in many tissues, particularly in the liver. MAIT cells express a semi-invariant T cell receptor restricted by the MHC class I-related (MR1) molecule. MAIT cells are activated in a MR1-dependent manner in response to microbial-derived riboflavin metabolites which leads to rapid effector functions, but they can also be activated in a MR1-independent manner by cytokines and viruses. The use of mice models and MR1 tetramers, among other recent methodological advances, have provided more insight into the development, mode of activation, characterization in different diseases and tissues of MAIT cells. In this chapter, we provide an overview of MAIT cells and yet remaining questions about their potential therapeutic role.
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25
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Vazquez J, Ong IM, Stanic AK. Single-cell technologies in reproductive immunology. Am J Reprod Immunol 2019; 82:e13157. [PMID: 31206899 PMCID: PMC6697222 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The maternal-fetal interface represents a unique immune privileged site that maintains the ability to defend against pathogens while orchestrating the necessary tissue remodeling required for placentation. The recent discovery of novel cellular families (innate lymphoid cells, tissue-resident NK cells) suggests that our understanding of the decidual immunome is incomplete. To understand this complex milieu, new technological developments allow reproductive immunologists to collect increasingly complex data at a cellular resolution. Polychromatic flow cytometry allows for greater resolution in the identification of novel cell types by surface and intracellular protein. Single-cell RNA-seq coupled with microfluidics allows for efficient cellular transcriptomics. The extreme dimensionality and size of data sets generated, however, requires the application of novel computational approaches for unbiased analysis. There are now multiple dimensionality reduction (tSNE, SPADE) and visualization tools (SPICE) that allow researchers to efficiently analyze flow cytometry data. Development of computational tools has also been extended to RNA-seq data (including scRNA-seq), which requires specific analytical tools. Here, we provide an overview and a brief primer for the reproductive immunology community on data acquisition and computational tools for the analysis of complex flow cytometry and RNA-seq data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Vazquez
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Irene M Ong
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- Division of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Aleksandar K. Stanic
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
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26
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Solders M, Lundell AC, Gorchs L, Gidlöf S, Tiblad E, Kaipe H. Mature naïve B cells are retained in the placental intervillous blood and positively associate with specific chemokines in full-term healthy pregnancy. Am J Reprod Immunol 2019; 82:e13154. [PMID: 31166050 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Circulating B-cell numbers are lower during pregnancy compared with non-pregnant women, but the underlying reasons for this are unknown. Pregnancy-related hormones could influence B-cell lymphopoiesis in the bone marrow, but B cells may also be recruited to the placenta. To investigate the latter, we examined whether the proportions of total B cells and B cells at different maturational stages in placental intervillous blood (IVB) differ compared with peripheral blood (PB). METHOD OF STUDY From 23 paired samples of PB and IVB following full-term healthy pregnancies, total B cells and immature/transitional, mature/naïve, and memory B cells were identified by flow cytometry. Chemokine levels in blood were analyzed using a Luminex assay. Placental explant-derived supernatant was assayed for B-cell chemotactic activity. RESULTS The proportions of total B cells and mature/naïve B cells were significantly higher in IVB relative to PB, while the fractions of immature/transitional cells and memory B cells were higher in PB. Multivariate factor analysis demonstrated that a specific chemokine profile in IVB, including CCL20, positively associated with higher proportions of mature/naïve B cells in the intervillous space. All B cells expressed CCR6, the corresponding receptor for CCL20, but the intensity of CCR6 expression was significantly higher in mature/naïve B cells relative to immature/transitional B cells. Migration assays showed that placental explant-derived supernatants attract B cells. CONCLUSION These results indicate that B cells, and mature/naïve B cells in particular, are retained in the intervillous blood in response to certain chemokines produced by the placenta during late healthy pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Solders
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna-Carin Lundell
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Laia Gorchs
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Gidlöf
- Center for Fetal Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gävle Hospital, Gävle, Sweden
| | - Eleonor Tiblad
- Center for Fetal Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Helen Kaipe
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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27
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Solders M, Gorchs L, Tiblad E, Gidlöf S, Leeansyah E, Dias J, Sandberg JK, Magalhaes I, Lundell AC, Kaipe H. Recruitment of MAIT Cells to the Intervillous Space of the Placenta by Placenta-Derived Chemokines. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1300. [PMID: 31244846 PMCID: PMC6563723 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The intervillous space of the placenta is a part of the fetal-maternal interface, where maternal blood enters to provide nutrients and gas exchange. Little is known about the maternal immune cells at this site, which are in direct contact with fetal tissues. We have characterized the T cell composition and chemokine profile in paired intervillous and peripheral blood samples from healthy mothers giving birth following term pregnancies. Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells and effector memory (EM) T cells were enriched in the intervillous blood compared to peripheral blood, suggesting that MAIT cells and other EM T cells home to the placenta during pregnancy. Furthermore, pregnant women had lower proportions of peripheral blood MAIT cells compared to non-pregnant women. The levels of several chemokines were significantly higher in intervillous compared to peripheral blood, including macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), CXCL10, and CCL25, whereas CCL21, CCL27 and CXCL12 were lower. Migration assays showed that MAIT cells and EM T cells migrated toward conditioned medium from placental explants. A multivariate factor analysis indicated that high levels of MIF and CCL25 were associated with high proportions of MAIT cells in intervillous blood. Blocking of MIF or a combination of MIF, CCL25, and CCL20 in migration assays inhibited MAIT cell migration toward placenta conditioned medium. Finally, MAIT cells showed migratory capacities toward recombinant MIF. Together, these findings indicate that term placental tissues attract MAIT cells, and that this effect is at least partly mediated by MIF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Solders
- Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laia Gorchs
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eleonor Tiblad
- Center for Fetal Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital and Department of CLINTEC, Karolinska Insitutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Gidlöf
- Center for Fetal Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital and Department of CLINTEC, Karolinska Insitutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Edwin Leeansyah
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Joana Dias
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan K Sandberg
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Isabelle Magalhaes
- Department of Oncology/Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna-Carin Lundell
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Helen Kaipe
- Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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28
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Solano ME. Decidual immune cells: Guardians of human pregnancies. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol 2019; 60:3-16. [PMID: 31285174 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2019.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
During human pregnancy, trophoblast cells, the main cellular component of the placenta, invade deeply into uterine blood vessels and the modified endometrium (decidua). Hence, the maternal immune system must adapt to it. A successful pregnancy requires the tolerance of genetically different (allogenic) cells while the mother's immune competence is maintained. This tolerance is ensured through multiple overlapping and occasionally redundant innate and adaptive immune mechanisms. The present article aims to provide a broad overview on uterine immune cell components and the phenotypical and functional changes that they experience during pregnancy. Particularly, we seek to highlight very recent findings in functional adaptations to pregnancy in immune cell populations encountered in the decidua. These adaptations not only ensure tolerance to allogenic trophoblast cells but also promote optimal placental and fetal growth, simultaneously endeavoring to maintain immune surveillance to provide defense against infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Emilia Solano
- Department of Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg Germany.
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29
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Differences in the molecular signatures of mucosal-associated invariant T cells and conventional T cells. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7094. [PMID: 31068647 PMCID: PMC6506535 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43578-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells exhibit different characteristics from those of TCRα7.2− conventional T cells. They play important roles in various inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. MAIT cells express a single T cell receptor alpha chain, TCRα7.2 segment associated with Jα33 and CDR3 with fixed length, which recognizes bacteria-derived vitamin B metabolites. However, the characteristics of MAIT cells and TCRα7.2+ CD161− T cells have never been compared. Here, we performed RNA sequencing to compare the properties of MAIT cells, TCRα7.2− conventional T cells and TCRα7.2+ CD161− T cells. Genome-wide transcriptomes of MAIT cells, TCRα7.2− conventional T cells, and TCRα7.2+ CD161− T cells were compared and analyzed using causal network analysis. This is the first report comparing the transcriptomes of MAIT cells, TCRα7.2− conventional T cells and TCRα7.2+ CD161− T cells. We also identified the predominant signaling pathways of MAIT cells, which differed from those of TCRα7.2− conventional T cells and TCRα7.2+ CD161− T cells, through a gene set enrichment test and upstream regulator analysis and identified the genes responsible for the characteristic MAIT cell phenotypes. Our study advances the complete understanding of MAIT biology.
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Jørgensen N, Persson G, Hviid TVF. The Tolerogenic Function of Regulatory T Cells in Pregnancy and Cancer. Front Immunol 2019; 10:911. [PMID: 31134056 PMCID: PMC6517506 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells, a subpopulation of suppressive T cells, are potent mediators of self-tolerance and essential for the suppression of triggered immune responses. The immune modulating capacity of these cells play a major role in both transplantation, autoimmune disease, allergy, cancer and pregnancy. During pregnancy, low numbers of regulatory T cells are associated with pregnancy failure and pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia. On the other hand, in cancer, low numbers of immunosuppressive T cells are correlated with better prognosis. Hence, maternal immune tolerance toward the fetus during pregnancy and the escape from host immunosurveillance by cancer seem to be based on similar immunological mechanisms being highly dependent on the balance between immune activation and suppression. As regulatory T cells hold a crucial role in several biological processes, they may also be promising subjects for therapeutic use. Especially in the field of cancer, cell therapy and checkpoint inhibitors have demonstrated that immune-based therapies have a very promising potential in treatment of human malignancies. However, these therapies are often accompanied by adverse autoimmune side effects. Therefore, expanding the knowledge to recognize the complexities of immune regulation pathways shared across different immunological scenarios is extremely important in order to improve and develop new strategies for immune-based therapy. The intent of this review is to highlight the functional characteristics of regulatory T cells in the context of mechanisms of immune regulation in pregnancy and cancer, and how manipulation of these mechanisms potentially may improve therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Thomas Vauvert F. Hviid
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Centre for Immune Regulation and Reproductive Immunology (CIRRI), The ReproHealth Consortium ZUH, Zealand University Hospital, and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Sundström P, Szeponik L, Ahlmanner F, Sundquist M, Wong JSB, Lindskog EB, Gustafsson B, Quiding-Järbrink M. Tumor-infiltrating mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells retain expression of cytotoxic effector molecules. Oncotarget 2019; 10:2810-2823. [PMID: 31073372 PMCID: PMC6497460 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells all express a semi-invariable T cell receptor recognizing microbial metabolites presented on the MHC class I-like molecule MR1. Upon activation, they rapidly secrete cytokines and increase their cytotoxic potential. We showed recently that MAIT cells with Th1 phenotype accumulate in human colon adenocarcinomas. Here, we investigated the cytotoxic potential of tumor-infiltrating MAIT cells in colon adenocarcinomas, and to what extent it may be affected by the tumor microenvironment. Activation of MAIT cells from tumors induced increased Granzyme B, and to a lesser extent, perforin expression. Degranulation was assessed by surface expression of CD107a, and was also seen in response to cognate antigen recognition. The cytotoxic potential of tumor-associated MAIT cells was very similar to that of MAIT cells from unaffected colon. MAIT cells were also identified by immunofluorescence in direct contact with tumor cells in sections from colon cancer specimens. To summarize, tumor-associated MAIT cells from colon tumors have strong cytotoxic potential and are not compromised in this regard compared to MAIT cells from the unaffected colon. We conclude that MAIT cells may contribute significantly to the protective immune response to tumors, both by secretion of Th1-associated cytokines and by direct killing of tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrik Sundström
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Louis Szeponik
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Filip Ahlmanner
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Malin Sundquist
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Justin S B Wong
- Department of Pathology, National University Hospital, Singapore and Department of Microbiology, National, University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Elinor Bexe Lindskog
- Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Bengt Gustafsson
- Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Marianne Quiding-Järbrink
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
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Lima J, Cambridge G, Vilas‐Boas A, Martins C, Borrego L, Leandro M. Serum markers of B-cell activation in pregnancy during late gestation, delivery, and the postpartum period. Am J Reprod Immunol 2019; 81:e13090. [PMID: 30624814 PMCID: PMC6590212 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM B cells are vital for the normal evolution of pregnancy due to their humoral and possible regulatory activities. Our group and others have documented that circulating B-cell subsets undergo changes from normal late pregnancy to the postpartum period. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Therefore, this study examined the degree of B-cell activation in normal pregnancy by analyzing the levels of serum markers in healthy pregnant women during the third trimester of pregnancy, the day of delivery, and the postpartum period. METHOD OF STUDY A prospective study including pregnant and non-pregnant women attending routine care was undertaken at a hospital clinic. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected, along with peripheral blood samples. The serum levels of soluble CD23 (sCD23), B-cell-activating factor (BAFF), kappa (κ) and lambda (λ) free light chains (FLC), IgA, IgG, and IgM were quantified. RESULTS Our study included 43 third trimester pregnant and 35 non-pregnant women. In the pregnant women, the median levels of sCD23, BAFF, IgG, and κ FLC were significantly higher during the postpartum period than during the third trimester of pregnancy. Compared to the non-pregnant women, the third trimester pregnant women had higher median BAFF levels and lower sCD23, IgA, IgG, and FLC levels. CONCLUSION Changes in serum markers of B-cell kinetics that occur during pregnancy often persist into the postpartum period and affect the secretion of immunoglobulins from different classes. Further studies are needed to clarify the biological significance of our observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Lima
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyCUF Descobertas HospitalLisbonPortugal
- Department of Immunology, Chronic Diseases Research Center (CEDOC), Faculty of Medical SciencesNOVA Medical SchoolLisbonPortugal
| | - Geraldine Cambridge
- Centre for Rheumatology and Bloomsbury Rheumatology Unit, Division of MedicineUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Andreia Vilas‐Boas
- Centre for Rheumatology and Bloomsbury Rheumatology Unit, Division of MedicineUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Catarina Martins
- Department of Immunology, Chronic Diseases Research Center (CEDOC), Faculty of Medical SciencesNOVA Medical SchoolLisbonPortugal
| | - Luís‐Miguel Borrego
- Department of Immunology, Chronic Diseases Research Center (CEDOC), Faculty of Medical SciencesNOVA Medical SchoolLisbonPortugal
- Department of ImmunoallergyCUF Descobertas HospitalLisbonPortugal
| | - Maria Leandro
- Centre for Rheumatology and Bloomsbury Rheumatology Unit, Division of MedicineUniversity College LondonLondonUK
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Leaton LA, Shortt J, Kichula KM, Tao S, Nemat-Gorgani N, Mentzer AJ, Oppenheimer SJ, Deng Z, Hollenbach JA, Gignoux CR, Guethlein LA, Parham P, Carrington M, Norman PJ. Conservation, Extensive Heterozygosity, and Convergence of Signaling Potential All Indicate a Critical Role for KIR3DL3 in Higher Primates. Front Immunol 2019; 10:24. [PMID: 30745901 PMCID: PMC6360152 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cell functions are modulated by polymorphic killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR). Among 13 human KIR genes, which vary by presence and copy number, KIR3DL3 is ubiquitously present in every individual across diverse populations. No ligand or function is known for KIR3DL3, but limited knowledge of expression suggests involvement in reproduction, likely during placentation. With 157 human alleles, KIR3DL3 is also highly polymorphic and we show heterozygosity exceeds that of HLA-B in many populations. The external domains of catarrhine primate KIR3DL3 evolved as a conserved lineage distinct from other KIR. Accordingly, and in contrast to other KIR, we show the focus of natural selection does not correspond exclusively to known ligand binding sites. Instead, a strong signal for diversifying selection occurs in the D1 Ig domain at a site involved in receptor aggregation, which we show is polymorphic in humans worldwide, suggesting differential ability for receptor aggregation. Meanwhile in the cytoplasmic tail, the first of two inhibitory tyrosine motifs (ITIM) is conserved, whereas independent genomic events have mutated the second ITIM of KIR3DL3 alleles in all great apes. Together, these findings suggest that KIR3DL3 binds a conserved ligand, and a function requiring both receptor aggregation and inhibitory signal attenuation. In this model KIR3DL3 resembles other NK cell inhibitory receptors having only one ITIM, which interact with bivalent downstream signaling proteins through dimerization. Due to the extensive conservation across species, selection, and other unusual properties, we consider elucidating the ligand and function of KIR3DL3 to be a pressing question.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A. Leaton
- Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Jonathan Shortt
- Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Katherine M. Kichula
- Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Sudan Tao
- Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
- Blood Center of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Neda Nemat-Gorgani
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Alexander J. Mentzer
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, and Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen J. Oppenheimer
- Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology, School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Zhihui Deng
- Immunogenetics Laboratory, Shenzhen Blood Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jill A. Hollenbach
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Christopher R. Gignoux
- Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Lisbeth A. Guethlein
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Peter Parham
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Mary Carrington
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, United States
- Ragon Institute of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Paul J. Norman
- Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
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Meermeier EW, Harriff MJ, Karamooz E, Lewinsohn DM. MAIT cells and microbial immunity. Immunol Cell Biol 2018; 96:607-617. [PMID: 29451704 PMCID: PMC6045460 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, the most abundant T-cell subset in humans, are increasingly being recognized for their importance in microbial immunity. MAIT cells accumulate in almost every mucosal tissue examined, including the lung, liver and intestinal tract, where they can be activated through T-cell receptor (TCR) triggering as well as cytokine stimulation in response to a host of microbial products. In this review, we specifically discuss MAIT cell responses to bacterial and fungal infections, with a focus on responses that are both MR1-dependent and -independent, the evidence for diversity in MAIT TCR usage in response to discrete microbial products, protective immunity induced by MAIT cells, and MAIT cell antimicrobial functions in the context of these infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin W Meermeier
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Research and Development, VA Portland Health Care Center, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Melanie J Harriff
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Research and Development, VA Portland Health Care Center, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Elham Karamooz
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Research and Development, VA Portland Health Care Center, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - David M Lewinsohn
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Research and Development, VA Portland Health Care Center, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
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Kjer-Nielsen L, Corbett AJ, Chen Z, Liu L, Mak JY, Godfrey DI, Rossjohn J, Fairlie DP, McCluskey J, Eckle SB. An overview on the identification of MAIT cell antigens. Immunol Cell Biol 2018; 96:573-587. [PMID: 29656544 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are restricted by the monomorphic MHC class I-like molecule, MHC-related protein-1 (MR1). Until 2012, the origin of the MAIT cell antigens (Ags) was unknown, although it was established that MAIT cells could be activated by a broad range of bacteria and yeasts, possibly suggesting a conserved Ag. Using a combination of protein chemistry, mass spectrometry, cellular biology, structural biology and small molecule chemistry, we discovered MR1 ligands derived from folic acid (vitamin B9) and from an intermediate in the microbial biosynthesis of riboflavin (vitamin B2). While the folate derivative 6-formylpterin generally inhibited MAIT cell activation, two riboflavin pathway derivatives, 5-(2-oxopropylideneamino)-6-D-ribitylaminouracil and 5-(2-oxoethylideneamino)-6-D-ribitylaminouracil, were potent MAIT cell agonists. Other intermediates and derivatives of riboflavin synthesis displayed weak or no MAIT cell activation. Collectively, these studies revealed that in addition to peptide and lipid-based Ags, small molecule natural product metabolites are also ligands that can activate T cells expressing αβ T-cell receptors, and here we recount this discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Kjer-Nielsen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Alexandra J Corbett
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Zhenjun Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Ligong Liu
- Division of Chemistry and Structural Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Jeffrey Yw Mak
- Division of Chemistry and Structural Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Dale I Godfrey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Jamie Rossjohn
- Infection and Immunity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.,Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK
| | - David P Fairlie
- Division of Chemistry and Structural Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - James McCluskey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Sidonia Bg Eckle
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
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Rudak PT, Choi J, Haeryfar SMM. MAIT cell-mediated cytotoxicity: Roles in host defense and therapeutic potentials in infectious diseases and cancer. J Leukoc Biol 2018; 104:473-486. [PMID: 29668066 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.4ri0118-023r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Revised: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucosa-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are unconventional, innate-like T lymphocytes that sense the presence of MHC-related protein 1 (MR1)-restricted ligands and select inflammatory cues. Consequently, they release potent immunomodulatory mediators, including IFN-γ, TNF-α, and/or IL-17. MAIT cells can also be viewed as killer cells. They display several NK cell-associated receptors, carry granules containing cytotoxic effector molecules, and swiftly upregulate perforin and granzymes upon activation. Accordingly, MAIT cells are capable of lysing MR1-expressing cells infected with a variety of pathogenic bacteria in in vitro settings and may also mount cytotoxic responses during microbial infections in vivo. Of note, MAIT cell hyperactivation during certain infections may impede their ability to elicit inflammatory and/or cytotoxic responses to secondary stimuli. In addition, MAIT cells isolated from within and from the margin of tumor masses exhibit diminished functions. We propose that MAIT cell-mediated cytotoxicity can be induced, bolstered, or restored to assist in clearing infections and potentially in reducing tumor loads. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of MAIT cells' lytic functions and highlight the pressing questions that need to be addressed in future investigations. We also offer a picture, however hypothetical at this point, of how harnessing the full cytotoxic potentials of MAIT cells may be a valuable approach in the immunotherapy of infectious and malignant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick T Rudak
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joshua Choi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - S M Mansour Haeryfar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Human Immunology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
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Maternal Adaptive Immune Cells in Decidua Parietalis Display a More Activated and Coinhibitory Phenotype Compared to Decidua Basalis. Stem Cells Int 2017; 2017:8010961. [PMID: 29317870 PMCID: PMC5727765 DOI: 10.1155/2017/8010961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The maternal part of the placenta, the decidua, consists of maternal immune cells, decidual stromal cells, and extravillous fetal trophoblasts. In a successful pregnancy, these cell compartments interact to provide an intricate balance between fetal tolerance and antimicrobial defense. These processes are still poorly characterized in the two anatomically different decidual tissues, basalis and parietalis. We examined immune cells from decidua basalis and parietalis from term placentas (n = 15) with flow cytometry. By using multivariate discriminant analysis, we found a clear separation between the two decidual compartments based on the 81 investigated parameters. Decidua parietalis lymphocytes displayed a more activated phenotype with a higher expression of coinhibitory markers than those isolated from basalis and contained higher frequencies of T regulatory cells. Decidua basalis contained higher proportions of monocytes, B cells, and mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells. The basalis B cells were more immature, and parietalis MAIT cells showed a more activated phenotype. Conventional T cells, NK cells, and MAIT cells from both compartments potently responded with the production of interferon-γ and/or cytotoxic molecules in response to stimulation. To conclude, leukocytes in decidua basalis and parietalis displayed remarkable phenotypic disparities, indicating that the corresponding stromal microenvironments provide different immunoregulatory signals.
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