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Blinova VG, Zhdanov DD. Many Faces of Regulatory T Cells: Heterogeneity or Plasticity? Cells 2024; 13:959. [PMID: 38891091 PMCID: PMC11171907 DOI: 10.3390/cells13110959] [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: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential for maintaining the immune balance in normal and pathological conditions. In autoimmune diseases and transplantation, they restrain the loss of self-tolerance and promote engraftment, whereas in cancer, an increase in Treg numbers is mostly associated with tumor growth and poor prognosis. Numerous markers and their combinations have been used to identify Treg subsets, demonstrating the phenotypic diversity of Tregs. The complexity of Treg identification can be hampered by the unstable expression of some markers, the decrease in the expression of a specific marker over time or the emergence of a new marker. It remains unclear whether such phenotypic shifts are due to new conditions or whether the observed changes are due to initially different populations. In the first case, cellular plasticity is observed, whereas in the second, cellular heterogeneity is observed. The difference between these terms in relation to Tregs is rather blurred. Considering the promising perspectives of Tregs in regenerative cell-based therapy, the existing confusing data on Treg phenotypes require further investigation and analysis. In our review, we introduce criteria that allow us to distinguish between the heterogeneity and plasticity of Tregs normally and pathologically, taking a closer look at their diversity and drawing the line between two terms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varvara G. Blinova
- Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology, Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Pogodinskaya st. 10/8, 119121 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Dmitry D. Zhdanov
- Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology, Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Pogodinskaya st. 10/8, 119121 Moscow, Russia;
- Department of Biochemistry, People’s Friendship University of Russia Named after Patrice Lumumba (RUDN University), Miklukho-Maklaya st. 6, 117198 Moscow, Russia
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2
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Saleh QW, Mohammadnejad A, Tepel M. FOXP3 full length splice variant is associated with kidney allograft tolerance. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1389105. [PMID: 38660296 PMCID: PMC11040551 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1389105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Progressive decline of allograft function leads to premature graft loss. Forkhead box P3 (FOXP3), a characteristic gene of T-regulatory cells, is known to be essential for auto-antigen tolerance. We assessed the hypothesis that low FOXP3 mRNA splice variant levels in peripheral blood cells early after transplantation are associated with progressive allograft injury. Methods Blood samples were prospectively collected from 333 incident kidney transplant recipients on the first and 29th postoperative day. We used quantitative polymerase chain reaction to determine transcripts of 3 isotypes of FOXP3 splice variants, including pre-mature FOXP3 and full length FOXP3 (FOXP3fl). We investigated the association between FOXP3 splice variant levels and the declines in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of more than 5ml/min/1.73m2 within the first-year post-transplant using logistic regression. Results We observed lower FOXP3fl levels in recipients with declining eGFR (N = 132) than in recipients with stable eGFR (N = 201), (logarithmic value -4.13 [IQR -4.50 to -3.84] vs -4.00 [4.32 to -3.74], p=0.02). In ad hoc analysis pre-transplant FOXP3fl levels were similar in both groups. The association between FOXP3fl and declining eGFR was confirmed by multivariable analysis adjusted for potential confounding factors (Odds Ratio 0.51, 95% confidence interval 0.28 to 0.91: p=0.02). When stratifying FOXP3fl levels into quartiles, recipients with lower day1 FOXP3fl had the highest rate of declining eGFR (p=0.04). Conclusion Low FOXP3fl splice variant levels at the first postoperative day in kidney transplant recipients were associated with severe decline of eGFR, a well-known surrogate for hard endpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qais W. Saleh
- Department of Nephrology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Cardiovascular and Renal Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Afsaneh Mohammadnejad
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Martin Tepel
- Department of Nephrology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Cardiovascular and Renal Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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3
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Bernaldo-de-Quirós E, Camino M, Martínez-Bonet M, Gil-Jaurena JM, Gil N, Hernández-Flórez D, Fernández-Santos ME, Butragueño L, Dijke IE, Levings MK, West LJ, Pion M, Correa-Rocha R. First-in-human therapy with Treg produced from thymic tissue (thyTreg) in a heart transplant infant. J Exp Med 2023; 220:e20231045. [PMID: 37906166 PMCID: PMC10619578 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20231045] [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: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to their suppressive capacity, regulatory T cells (Tregs) have attracted growing interest as an adoptive cellular therapy for the prevention of allograft rejection, but limited Treg recovery and lower quality of adult-derived Tregs could represent an obstacle to success. To address this challenge, we developed a new approach that provides large quantities of Tregs with high purity and excellent features, sourced from thymic tissue routinely removed during pediatric cardiac surgeries (thyTregs). We report on a 2-year follow-up of the first patient treated worldwide with thyTregs, included in a phase I/II clinical trial evaluating the administration of autologous thyTreg in infants undergoing heart transplantation. In addition to observing no adverse effects that could be attributed to thyTreg administration, we report that the Treg frequency in the periphery was preserved during the 2-year follow-up period. These initial results are consistent with the trial objective, which is to confirm safety of the autologous thyTreg administration and its capacity to restore the Treg pool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Bernaldo-de-Quirós
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuela Camino
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Martínez-Bonet
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Nuria Gil
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diana Hernández-Flórez
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Laura Butragueño
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - I. Esmé Dijke
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program Investigator, Edmonton, Canada
- Alberta Transplant Institute, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Megan K. Levings
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program Investigator, Edmonton, Canada
- Department of Surgery and School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, BC Children’s Hospital, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Lori J. West
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program Investigator, Edmonton, Canada
- Alberta Transplant Institute, Edmonton, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta/Stollery Children’s Hospital, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Marjorie Pion
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Correa-Rocha
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program Investigator, Edmonton, Canada
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4
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Chang Y, Xu M, Zhang Y, Chen X, Sheng Y, Tao M, Zhang H, Xu Z, Hu S, Song J. Ruxolitinib attenuates acute rejection and can serve as an immune induction therapy in heart transplantation. Clin Immunol 2023; 257:109851. [PMID: 38008145 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2023.109851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
The benefits of IL2RA antagonists in heart transplant patients are controversial. We aimed to elucidate the effects of IL2RA antagonists and identify targets that could be better than IL2RA antagonists. By using single-cell RNA sequencing of immune cells at different time points in patients receiving IL2RA antagonists, we identified nineteen types of cells. We revealed higher IL2RA expression in regulatory T cells (Tregs), suggesting that IL2RA antagonists attenuated IL-2-induced Treg activation. CD4_C04_IFNGR1 and CD8_C05_IFITM2 which had more cytotoxic effects, remained elevated at later time points. IFNGR1 was upregulated in these two subtypes, but was not expressed in Treg. Ruxolitinib targeted the pathways of IFNGR1 (JAK1/2) while not affecting the pathway of IL-2-induced Tregs activation (JAK3). Ruxolitinib showed prolonged survival compared to IL2RA mAb-treated mice. Our study provided dynamic changes of immune cells after IL2RA antagonists treatment at single-cell resolution. Ruxolitinib has potential as a new immunoinduction therapy without affecting Treg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Chang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Preclinical Research and Evaluation for Cardiovascular Implant Materials, Animal Experimental Centre, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China; The Cardiomyopathy Research Group at Fuwai Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing 100037, China
| | - Mengda Xu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Preclinical Research and Evaluation for Cardiovascular Implant Materials, Animal Experimental Centre, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China; The Cardiomyopathy Research Group at Fuwai Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing 100037, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Preclinical Research and Evaluation for Cardiovascular Implant Materials, Animal Experimental Centre, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China; The Cardiomyopathy Research Group at Fuwai Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing 100037, China
| | - Xiao Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Preclinical Research and Evaluation for Cardiovascular Implant Materials, Animal Experimental Centre, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China; The Cardiomyopathy Research Group at Fuwai Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing 100037, China
| | - Yixuan Sheng
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Preclinical Research and Evaluation for Cardiovascular Implant Materials, Animal Experimental Centre, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China; The Cardiomyopathy Research Group at Fuwai Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing 100037, China
| | - Menghao Tao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Preclinical Research and Evaluation for Cardiovascular Implant Materials, Animal Experimental Centre, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China; The Cardiomyopathy Research Group at Fuwai Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing 100037, China
| | - Hang Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Preclinical Research and Evaluation for Cardiovascular Implant Materials, Animal Experimental Centre, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China; The Cardiomyopathy Research Group at Fuwai Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing 100037, China
| | - Zhenyu Xu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Preclinical Research and Evaluation for Cardiovascular Implant Materials, Animal Experimental Centre, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China; The Cardiomyopathy Research Group at Fuwai Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing 100037, China
| | - Shengshou Hu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Preclinical Research and Evaluation for Cardiovascular Implant Materials, Animal Experimental Centre, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China; The Cardiomyopathy Research Group at Fuwai Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing 100037, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenzhen 518057, China.
| | - Jiangping Song
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Preclinical Research and Evaluation for Cardiovascular Implant Materials, Animal Experimental Centre, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China; The Cardiomyopathy Research Group at Fuwai Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing 100037, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenzhen 518057, China.
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5
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Tuomela K, Salim K, Levings MK. Eras of designer Tregs: Harnessing synthetic biology for immune suppression. Immunol Rev 2023; 320:250-267. [PMID: 37522861 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Since their discovery, CD4+ CD25hi FOXP3hi regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been firmly established as a critical cell type for regulating immune homeostasis through a plethora of mechanisms. Due to their immunoregulatory power, delivery of polyclonal Tregs has been explored as a therapy to dampen inflammation in the settings of transplantation and autoimmunity. Evidence shows that Treg therapy is safe and well-tolerated, but efficacy remains undefined and could be limited by poor persistence in vivo and lack of antigen specificity. With the advent of new genetic engineering tools, it is now possible to create bespoke "designer" Tregs that not only overcome possible limitations of polyclonal Tregs but also introduce new features. Here, we review the development of designer Tregs through the perspective of three 'eras': (1) the era of FOXP3 engineering, in which breakthroughs in the biological understanding of this transcription factor enabled the conversion of conventional T cells to Tregs; (2) the antigen-specificity era, in which transgenic T-cell receptors and chimeric antigen receptors were introduced to create more potent and directed Treg therapies; and (3) the current era, which is harnessing advanced genome-editing techniques to introduce and refine existing and new engineering approaches. The year 2022 marked the entry of "designer" Tregs into the clinic, with exciting potential for application and efficacy in a wide variety of immune-mediated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karoliina Tuomela
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kevin Salim
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Megan K Levings
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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6
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Saleh QW, Mohammadnejad A, Tepel M. Lower levels of FOXP3 are associated with prolonged inflammatory responses in kidney transplant recipients. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1252857. [PMID: 37771580 PMCID: PMC10525697 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1252857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Immunosuppressive treatment of kidney transplant recipients is mainly aimed at pro-inflammatory T effector cells, yet they also target the immunosuppressive T regulatory cells. Here, we test the hypothesis that low levels of the master gene regulator of T regulatory cells, forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) splice variants, are associated with prolonged inflammatory responses to stimuli. Methods From blood samples obtained the first - and 29th day post-transplant, we extracted peripheral blood mononuclear cells and measured mRNA levels of Total FOXP3, pre-mature RNA FOXP3 (pre-mRNA FOXP3), full length FOXP3 (FOXP3fl) and, FOXP3 splice variant excluding exon two (FOXP3d2). We defined the primary outcome as the number of days in which C reactive protein (CRP) was above 50 mg/L. CRP levels were gathered in two periods, the first from the second to 29 days post-transplant, and the second from 30 to 57 days post-transplant. The association was tested using adjusted negative binomial regression. Results From 507 included kidney transplant recipients, 382 recipients had at least one CRP measurement >50 mg/L in the first period, median duration of elevated CRP was 4 days [interquartile range (IQR) 2 to 6]. In the second period, 69 recipients had at least one CRP measurement >50 mg/L, median duration of elevated CRP was 3 days [IQR 2 to 5]. In the first period, we found a significant association between lower levels of Total FOXP3 and prolonged duration of CRP elevation, incidence rate ratio 0.61 (95% confidence interval 0.46-0.80), p<0.01. Conclusion Lower levels of total FOXP3 mRNA levels in peripheral blood of kidney transplant recipients are associated with prolonged duration of inflammatory responses regardless of the underlying stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qais W. Saleh
- Department of Nephrology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Cardiovascular and Renal Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Afsaneh Mohammadnejad
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Martin Tepel
- Department of Nephrology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Cardiovascular and Renal Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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7
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Cassano A, Chong AS, Alegre ML. Tregs in transplantation tolerance: role and therapeutic potential. FRONTIERS IN TRANSPLANTATION 2023; 2:1217065. [PMID: 38993904 PMCID: PMC11235334 DOI: 10.3389/frtra.2023.1217065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
CD4+ Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are indispensable for preventing autoimmunity, and they play a role in cancer and transplantation settings by restraining immune responses. In this review, we describe evidence for the importance of Tregs in the induction versus maintenance of transplantation tolerance, discussing insights into mechanisms of Treg control of the alloimmune response. Further, we address the therapeutic potential of Tregs as a clinical intervention after transplantation, highlighting engineered CAR-Tregs as well as expansion of donor and host Tregs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Cassano
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Anita S. Chong
- Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Maria-Luisa Alegre
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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8
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Gil-Manso S, Herrero-Quevedo D, Carbonell D, Martínez-Bonet M, Bernaldo-de-Quirós E, Kennedy-Batalla R, Gallego-Valle J, López-Esteban R, Blázquez-López E, Miguens-Blanco I, Correa-Rocha R, Gomez-Verdejo V, Pion M. Multidimensional analysis of immune cells from COVID-19 patients identified cell subsets associated with the severity at hospital admission. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011432. [PMID: 37311004 PMCID: PMC10263360 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND SARS-CoV-2 emerged as a new coronavirus causing COVID-19, and it has been responsible for more than 760 million cases and 6.8 million deaths worldwide until March 2023. Although infected individuals could be asymptomatic, other patients presented heterogeneity and a wide range of symptoms. Therefore, identifying those infected individuals and being able to classify them according to their expected severity could help target health efforts more effectively. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Therefore, we wanted to develop a machine learning model to predict those who will develop severe disease at the moment of hospital admission. We recruited 75 individuals and analysed innate and adaptive immune system subsets by flow cytometry. Also, we collected clinical and biochemical information. The objective of the study was to leverage machine learning techniques to identify clinical features associated with disease severity progression. Additionally, the study sought to elucidate the specific cellular subsets involved in the disease following the onset of symptoms. Among the several machine learning models tested, we found that the Elastic Net model was the better to predict the severity score according to a modified WHO classification. This model was able to predict the severity score of 72 out of 75 individuals. Besides, all the machine learning models revealed that CD38+ Treg and CD16+ CD56neg HLA-DR+ NK cells were highly correlated with the severity. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The Elastic Net model could stratify the uninfected individuals and the COVID-19 patients from asymptomatic to severe COVID-19 patients. On the other hand, these cellular subsets presented here could help to understand better the induction and progression of the symptoms in COVID-19 individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Gil-Manso
- Advanced ImmunoRegulation Group, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IiSGM), General University Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diego Herrero-Quevedo
- Signal Processing and Communications Department, University Carlos III de Madrid, Leganés, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diego Carbonell
- Department of Hematology, General University Hospital Gregorio Marañón (HGUGM), Madrid, Spain
- Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Martínez-Bonet
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IiSGM), General University Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Esther Bernaldo-de-Quirós
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IiSGM), General University Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rebeca Kennedy-Batalla
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IiSGM), General University Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge Gallego-Valle
- Advanced ImmunoRegulation Group, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IiSGM), General University Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rocío López-Esteban
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IiSGM), General University Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Blázquez-López
- Gastroenterology—Digestive Service, General University Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Network of Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBEREHD), Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Iria Miguens-Blanco
- Emergency Department, General University Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Correa-Rocha
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IiSGM), General University Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Vanessa Gomez-Verdejo
- Signal Processing and Communications Department, University Carlos III de Madrid, Leganés, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marjorie Pion
- Advanced ImmunoRegulation Group, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IiSGM), General University Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
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9
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DeFilippis EM, Kransdorf EP, Jaiswal A, Zhang X, Patel J, Kobashigawa JA, Baran DA, Kittleson MM. Detection and management of HLA sensitization in candidates for adult heart transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant 2023; 42:409-422. [PMID: 36631340 DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2022.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Heart transplantation (HT) remains the preferred therapy for patients with advanced heart failure. However, for sensitized HT candidates who have antibodies to human leukocyte antigens , finding a suitable donor can be challenging and can lead to adverse waitlist outcomes. In recent years, the number of sensitized patients awaiting HT has increased likely due to the use of durable and mechanical circulatory support as well as increasing number of candidates with underlying congenital heart disease. This State-of-the-Art review discusses the assessment of human leukocyte antigens antibodies, potential desensitization strategies including mechanisms of action and specific protocols, the approach to a potential donor including the use of complement-dependent cytotoxicity, flow cytometry, and virtual crossmatches, and peritransplant induction management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ersilia M DeFilippis
- Center for Advanced Cardiac Care, Division of Cardiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Evan P Kransdorf
- Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Abhishek Jaiswal
- Hartford HealthCare Heart and Vascular Institute, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut
| | - Xiaohai Zhang
- HLA and Immunogenetics Laboratory, Comprehensive Transplant Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jignesh Patel
- Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jon A Kobashigawa
- Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - David A Baran
- Cleveland Clinic, Heart Vascular and Thoracic Institute, Weston, Florida
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10
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Ichimura H, Chino S, Shiba Y. Cardiac Regeneration Using Pluripotent Stem Cells and Controlling Immune Responses. Heart Lung Circ 2023:S1443-9506(23)00108-7. [PMID: 37029069 DOI: 10.1016/j.hlc.2022.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived cardiomyocytes are a promising source of cells in myocardial regeneration therapy for end-stage heart failure. Because most previous reports have focussed on xenotransplantation models using immunocompromised animals, studies on immune rejection in allogeneic transplantation models are needed for preclinical and clinical applications. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) plays an important role in allogeneic transplantation, and cell bank projects are currently underway worldwide to stock induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) generated from healthy individuals with homozygous HLA haplotypes. However, it is difficult to stock iPSCs that match the entire population in these cell banks; thus, several groups have produced hypoimmunogenic PSCs by knocking out HLA. These HLA-knockout PSCs were able to avoid rejection by T cells but still suffered rejection by natural killer (NK) cells caused by 'missing self-recognition'. Recent studies have attempted to generate hypoimmunogenic PSCs with gene editing to inhibit NK cell activation. Regenerative medicine using autologous iPSCs can be an ideal transplantation therapy, but, currently, there are major hurdles to its practical application. Hopefully, further research will resolve these issues. This review provides an overview of the current understanding and progress in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hajime Ichimura
- Department of Regenerative Science and Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan; Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Shuji Chino
- Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Yuji Shiba
- Department of Regenerative Science and Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan; Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Japan.
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11
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Breast cancer tumor microenvironment affects Treg/IL-17-producing Treg/Th17 cell axis: Molecular and therapeutic perspectives. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2023; 28:132-157. [PMID: 36816749 PMCID: PMC9922830 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2023.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) comprises a variety of immune cells, among which T cells exert a prominent axial role in tumor development or anti-tumor responses in patients with breast cancer (BC). High or low levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as transforming growth factor β, in the absence or presence of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), delineate the fate of T cells toward either regulatory T (Treg) or T helper 17 (Th17) cells, respectively. The transitional state of RORγt+Foxp3+ Treg (IL-17-producing Treg) resides in the middle of this reciprocal polarization, which is known as Treg/IL-17-producing Treg/Th17 cell axis. TME secretome, including microRNAs, cytokines, and extracellular vesicles, can significantly affect this axis. Furthermore, immune checkpoint inhibitors may be used to reconstruct immune cells; however, some of these novel therapies may favor tumor development. Therefore, understanding secretory and cell-associated factors involved in their differentiation or polarization and functions may be targeted for BC management. This review discusses microRNAs, cytokines, and extracellular vesicles (as secretome), as well as transcription factors and immune checkpoints (as cell-associated factors), which influence the Treg/IL-17-producing Treg/Th17 cell axis in BC. Furthermore, approved or ongoing clinical trials related to the modulation of this axis in the TME of BC are described to broaden new horizons of promising therapeutic approaches.
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Magnetta DA, Hoch VL, Pinelli D, Monge M, Pahl E, Thrush PT. Donor-specific antibodies after heart transplantation for Fontan-associated protein-losing enteropathy. Pediatr Transplant 2023:e14458. [PMID: 36591815 DOI: 10.1111/petr.14458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite ubiquitous exposure to sensitizing events, most Fontan PLE patients have low panel reactive antibodies (PRA). To assess whether they are at risk for donor-specific antibody (DSA) memory response following heart transplantation (HT) when their PLE resolves, DSA profiles, incidence of rejection, and graft outcomes in Fontan recipients with and without PLE were compared. METHODS Patient characteristics, appearance of newly detected DSA (nDSA), and graft outcomes were compared between patients with and without PLE using Wilcoxon rank-sum and Chi-squared tests. DSA burden was quantified using titers and time to nDSA, incidence of rejection, and graft outcomes were compared using Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank test. RESULTS Characteristics of patients with and without PLE were similar. Lymphocyte and albumin levels were lower in the PLE group, and flow PRA were comparable. Graft failure, CAV, and ACR were similar between the two groups, but AMR occurred more frequently in the PLE group (p = .03). Nearly 50% of PLE patients experienced class II nDSA by 1-year post-HT, compared to 30% of non-PLE patients, but this difference was statistically not significant. Antibody burden did not differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS In this cohort, PLE was associated with AMR within the first-year post-HT, despite no significant difference in nDSA. Small patient numbers limited statistical comparison of nDSA in this cohort. PLE may be a risk factor for AMR post-HT, and the possibility of a clinically important DSA memory response remains. Larger studies are necessary to better understand these preliminary findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Defne A Magnetta
- Pediatric Cardiology, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Virginia L Hoch
- Internal Medicine-Pediatrics, ChristianaCare Health System, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - David Pinelli
- Department of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Michael Monge
- Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Elfriede Pahl
- Pediatric Cardiology, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Philip T Thrush
- Pediatric Cardiology, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Shan Y, Zhang B, Chen L, Zhang H, Jiang C, You Q, Li Y, Han H, Zhu J. Herpesvirus entry mediator regulates the transduction of Tregs via STAT5/Foxp3 signaling pathway in ovarian cancer cells. Anticancer Drugs 2023; 34:73-80. [PMID: 35946515 DOI: 10.1097/cad.0000000000001336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The ratio of regulatory T cells (Treg) in peripheral blood of cancer patients has a closely correlation to the occurrence and development of ovarian cancer. In this study, our aim to explore the expression of herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM) in ovarian cancer and its correlation with Tregs. The expression of HVEM in peripheral blood of ovarian cancer patients was detected by ELISA, and the ratio of CD4+ CD25 + Foxp3 positive Tregs cells was detected by flow cytometry. Ovarian cancer cell lines with high- and low-HVEM expression were constructed. CD4+ cells were co-cultured with ovarian cancer (OC) cells, and the expressions of IL-2 and TGF-β1 in the supernatant of cells were detected by ELISA, and western blot was used to detect the expressions of STAT5, p-STAT5, and Foxp3. The results indicated that the number of Treg cells in the peripheral blood of OC patients increased, and the expression of HVEM increased, the two have a certain correlation. At the same time, the overexpression of HVEM promoted the expression of cytokines IL-2 and TGF- β1, promoted the activation of STAT5 and the expression of Foxp3, leading to an increase in the positive rate of Treg, while the HVEM gene silence group was just the opposite. Our results showed that the expression of HVEM in OC cells has a positive regulation effect on Tregs through the STAT5/Foxp3 signaling pathway. To provide experimental basis and related mechanism for the clinical treatment of ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Shan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
| | | | - Li Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
| | - Hu Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
| | - Cui Jiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
| | - Qinghua You
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanyi Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Department of Health Science, Graduate School of Medical, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
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14
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Cao W, Lu J, Li S, Song F, Xu J. Transcriptomic analysis of graft liver provides insight into the immune response of rat liver transplantation. Front Immunol 2022; 13:947437. [DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.947437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundAs an “immune-privileged organ”, the liver has higher rates of both spontaneous tolerance and operational tolerance after being transplanted compared with other solid organs. Also, a large number of patients still need to take long-term immunosuppression regimens. Liver transplantation (LT) rejection involves varieties of pathophysiological processes and cell types, and a deeper understanding of LT immune response is urgently needed.MethodsHomogenic and allogeneic rat LT models were established, and recipient tissue was collected on postoperative day 7. The degree of LT rejection was evaluated by liver pathological changes and liver function. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected by transcriptome sequencing and confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The functional properties of DEGs were characterized by the Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Reactome pathway analyses. The cells infiltrating the graft and recipient spleen and peripheral blood were evaluated by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry.ResultA total of 1,465 DEGs were screened, including 1,177 up-regulated genes and 288 down-regulated genes. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis indicated that DEGs were involved in several immunobiological processes, including T cell activation, Th1, Th2 and Th17 cell differentiation, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and other immune processes. Reactome results showed that PD-1 signaling was enriched. Further research confirmed that mRNA expression of multiple immune cell markers increased and markers of T cell exhaustion significantly changed. Flow cytometry showed that the proportion of Treg decreased, and that of PD-1+CD4+ T cells and PD-1+CD8+ T cells increased in the allogeneic group.ConclusionUsing an omic approach, we revealed that the development of LT rejection involved multiple immune cells, activation of various immune pathways, and specific alterations of immune checkpoints, which would benefit risk assessment in the clinic and understanding of pathogenesis regarding LT tolerance. Further clinical validations are warranted for our findings.
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Deng DX, Fan S, Zhang XH, Xu LP, Wang Y, Yan CH, Chen H, Chen YH, Han W, Wang FR, Wang JZ, Pei XY, Chang YJ, Liu KY, Huang XJ, Mo XD. Immune Reconstitution of Patients Who Recovered From Steroid-Refractory Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease After Basiliximab Treatment. Front Oncol 2022; 12:916442. [PMID: 35936697 PMCID: PMC9351448 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.916442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We aimed to identify the characteristics of immune reconstitution (IR) in patients who recovered from steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (SR-aGVHD) after basiliximab treatment. A total of 179, 124, 80, and 92 patients were included in the analysis for IR at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, respectively, after haploidentical donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HID HSCT). We observed that IR was fastest for monocytes and CD8+ T cells, followed by lymphocytes, CD3+ T cells, and CD19+ B cells and slowest for CD4+ T cells. Almost all immune cell subsets recovered comparably between patients receiving <5 doses and ≥5 doses of basiliximab. Most immune cell subsets recovered comparably between SR-aGVHD patients who recovered after basiliximab treatment and event-free HID HSCT recipients. Patients who recovered from SR-aGVHD after basiliximab treatment experienced satisfactory IR, which suggested that basiliximab may not have prolonged the negative impact on IR in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dao-Xing Deng
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Shuang Fan
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Hui Zhang
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Lan-Ping Xu
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Chen-Hua Yan
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Huan Chen
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Hong Chen
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Han
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Feng-Rong Wang
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Jing-Zhi Wang
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Xu-Ying Pei
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Ying-Jun Chang
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Kai-Yan Liu
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Huang
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Research Unit of Key Technique for Diagnosis and Treatments of Hematologic Malignancies, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Dong Mo
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
- Research Unit of Key Technique for Diagnosis and Treatments of Hematologic Malignancies, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiao-Dong Mo,
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Bernaldo-de-Quirós E, Cózar B, López-Esteban R, Clemente M, Gil-Jaurena JM, Pardo C, Pita A, Pérez-Caballero R, Camino M, Gil N, Fernández-Santos ME, Suarez S, Pion M, Martínez-Bonet M, Correa-Rocha R. A Novel GMP Protocol to Produce High-Quality Treg Cells From the Pediatric Thymic Tissue to Be Employed as Cellular Therapy. Front Immunol 2022; 13:893576. [PMID: 35651624 PMCID: PMC9148974 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.893576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to their suppressive capacity, the adoptive transfer of regulatory T cells (Treg) has acquired a growing interest in controlling exacerbated inflammatory responses. Limited Treg recovery and reduced quality remain the main obstacles in most current protocols where differentiated Treg are obtained from adult peripheral blood. An alternate Treg source is umbilical cord blood, a promising source of Treg cells due to the higher frequency of naïve Treg and lower frequency of memory T cells present in the fetus’ blood. However, the Treg number isolated from cord blood remains limiting. Human thymuses routinely discarded during pediatric cardiac surgeries to access the retrosternal operative field has been recently proposed as a novel source of Treg for cellular therapy. This strategy overcomes the main limitations of current Treg sources, allowing the obtention of very high numbers of undifferentiated Treg. We have developed a novel good manufacturing practice (GMP) protocol to obtain large Treg amounts, with very high purity and suppressive capacity, from the pediatric thymus (named hereafter thyTreg). The total amount of thyTreg obtained at the end of the procedure, after a short-term culture of 7 days, reach an average of 1,757 x106 (range 50 x 106 – 13,649 x 106) cells from a single thymus. The thyTreg product obtained with our protocol shows very high viability (mean 93.25%; range 83.35% – 97.97%), very high purity (mean 92.89%; range 70.10% – 98.41% of CD25+FOXP3+ cells), stability under proinflammatory conditions and a very high suppressive capacity (inhibiting in more than 75% the proliferation of activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in vitro at a thyTreg:responder cells ratio of 1:1). Our thyTreg product has been approved by the Spanish Drug Agency (AEMPS) to be administered as cell therapy. We are recruiting patients in the first-in-human phase I/II clinical trial worldwide that evaluates the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of autologous thyTreg administration in children undergoing heart transplantation (NCT04924491). The high quality and amount of thyTreg and the differential features of the final product obtained with our protocol allow preparing hundreds of doses from a single thymus with improved therapeutic properties, which can be cryopreserved and could open the possibility of an “off-the-shelf” allogeneic use in another individual.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Beatriz Cózar
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IISGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rocío López-Esteban
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IISGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Maribel Clemente
- Cell Culture Unit, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IISGM), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Carlos Pardo
- Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Unit, Hospital Materno Infantil Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Pita
- Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Unit, Hospital Materno Infantil Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ramón Pérez-Caballero
- Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Unit, Hospital Materno Infantil Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuela Camino
- Pediatric Heart Transplant Unit, Hospital Materno Infantil Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nuria Gil
- Pediatric Heart Transplant Unit, Hospital Materno Infantil Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Susana Suarez
- Cell Production Unit, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IISGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marjorie Pion
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IISGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Martínez-Bonet
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IISGM), Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Rafael Correa-Rocha, ; Marta Martínez-Bonet,
| | - Rafael Correa-Rocha
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IISGM), Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Rafael Correa-Rocha, ; Marta Martínez-Bonet,
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Dziarmaga R, Ke D, Sapir-Pichhadze R, Cardinal H, Phan V, Piccirillo CA, Mazer B, Foster BJ. Age- and sex-mediated differences in T lymphocyte populations of kidney transplant recipients. Pediatr Transplant 2022; 26:e14150. [PMID: 34569133 DOI: 10.1111/petr.14150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Graft failure rates increase through childhood and adolescence, decline in adulthood, and are higher in female than male kidney transplant recipients (KTR) until middle age. We aimed to describe age- and sex-related differences in T-cell subsets among KTR to determine which differences may help to explain the differences in kidney graft failure rates. METHODS Effector T (Teff)-cell and regulatory T (Treg)-cell phenotypes in PBMCs from healthy controls and KTR, who were at least 1 year post-transplant with stable graft function under immunosuppression, were analyzed by flow cytometry. The effects of age, sex, and status (KTR or control) were analyzed using linear regressions. RESULTS We enrolled 20 male and 21 female KTR and 20 male and 20 female controls between 3 and 29 years of age. CD3+ T-cell frequencies were not associated with age or sex but were higher in KTR than controls. There were no differences in CD4+ and CD8+ frequencies. Th1 (IFNγ+ IL-4- IL-17A-) and Th17 (IL-17A+) frequencies within the CD4+ T-cell population were higher at older ages. The frequencies of FOXP3 + Helios + Treg cells in CD4+ CD25+ CD127- T cells were lower in females than males and in KTR than controls. CONCLUSIONS Increasing frequencies of Th1 and Th17 cells with increasing age mirrors the increasing graft failure rates from childhood to young adulthood. Importantly, sex differences in frequencies of circulating Treg cells may suggest a role in the sex differences in graft failure rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Dziarmaga
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Danbing Ke
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ruth Sapir-Pichhadze
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Division of Nephrology and Multi-Organ Transplant Program, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Héloïse Cardinal
- Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Véronique Phan
- Département de Pédiatrie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ciriaco A Piccirillo
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Bruce Mazer
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Bethany J Foster
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Bernaldo-de-Quirós E, Pion M, Martínez-Bonet M, Correa-Rocha R. A New Generation of Cell Therapies Employing Regulatory T Cells (Treg) to Induce Immune Tolerance in Pediatric Transplantation. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:862807. [PMID: 35633970 PMCID: PMC9130702 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.862807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Kidney transplantation is the most common solid organ transplant and the preferred treatment for pediatric patients with end-stage renal disease, but it is still not a definitive solution due to immune graft rejection. Regulatory T cells (Treg) and their control over effector T cells is a crucial and intrinsic tolerance mechanism in limiting excessive immune responses. In the case of transplants, Treg are important for the survival of the transplanted organ, and their dysregulation could increase the risk of rejection in transplanted children. Chronic immunosuppression to prevent rejection, for which Treg are especially sensitive, have a detrimental effect on Treg counts, decreasing the Treg/T-effector balance. Cell therapy with Treg cells is a promising approach to restore this imbalance, promoting tolerance and thus increasing graft survival. However, the strategies used to date that employ peripheral blood as a Treg source have shown limited efficacy. Moreover, it is not possible to use this approach in pediatric patients due to the limited volume of blood that can be extracted from children. Here, we outline our innovative strategy that employs the thymus removed during pediatric cardiac surgeries as a source of therapeutic Treg that could make this therapy accessible to transplanted children. The advantageous properties and the massive amount of Treg cells obtained from pediatric thymic tissue (thyTreg) opens a new possibility for Treg therapies to prevent rejection in pediatric kidney transplants. We are recruiting patients in a clinical trial to prevent rejection in heart-transplanted children through the infusion of autologous thyTreg cells (NCT04924491). If its efficacy is confirmed, thyTreg therapy may establish a new paradigm in preventing organ rejection in pediatric transplants, and their allogeneic use would extend its application to other solid organ transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Bernaldo-de-Quirós
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marjorie Pion
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Martínez-Bonet
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Correa-Rocha
- Laboratory of Immune-Regulation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
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The Presence of a Marked Imbalance Between Regulatory T Cells and Effector T Cells Reveals That Tolerance Mechanisms Could Be Compromised in Heart Transplant Children. Transplant Direct 2021; 7:e693. [PMID: 33928185 PMCID: PMC8078462 DOI: 10.1097/txd.0000000000001152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Treg) are crucial for the induction and maintenance of graft tolerance. In pediatric heart transplant procedures, the thymus is routinely excised, removing the primary source of T-cell replenishment. Consequently, thymectomy joined to the effects of immunosuppression on the T-cell compartment may have a detrimental impact on Treg values, compromising the intrinsic tolerance mechanisms and the protective role of Treg preventing graft rejection in heart transplant children.
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