1
|
Montero-Herradón S, García-Ceca J, Villarejo-Torres M, Zapata AG. Peripheral T-cell responses of EphB2- and EphB3-deficient mice in a model of collagen-induced arthritis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:159. [PMID: 38558087 PMCID: PMC10984909 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05197-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Both EphB2- and EphB3-deficient mice exhibit profound histological alterations in the thymic epithelial network but few changes in T-cell differentiation, suggesting that this organization would be sufficient to produce functional T lymphocytes. Also, other antigen-presenting cells involved in immunological education could substitute the thymic epithelium. Accordingly, we found an increased frequency of plasmacytoid dendritic cells but not of conventional dendritic cells, medullary fibroblasts or intrathymic B lymphocytes. In addition, there are no lymphoid infiltrates in the organs of mutant mice nor do they contain circulating autoantibodies. Furthermore, attempts to induce arthritic lesions after chicken type II collagen administration fail totally in EphB2-deficient mice whereas all WT and half of the immunized EphB3-/- mice develop a typical collagen-induced arthritis. Our results point out that Th17 cells, IL4-producing Th2 cells and regulatory T cells are key for the induction of disease, but mutant mice appear to have deficits in T cell activation or cell migration properties. EphB2-/- T cells show reduced in vitro proliferative responses to anti-CD3/anti-CD28 antibodies, produce low levels of anti-type II collagen antibodies, and exhibit low proportions of T follicular helper cells. On the contrary, EphB3-/- lymph node cells respond accurately to the different immune stimuli although in lower levels than WT cells but show a significantly reduced migration in in vitro transwell assays, suggesting that no sufficient type II collagen-dependent activated lymphoid cells reached the joints, resulting in reduced arthritic lesions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Montero-Herradón
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Health Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier García-Ceca
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Health Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Villarejo-Torres
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Agustín G Zapata
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
- Health Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041, Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Güneş S, Wu J, Özyılmaz B, Deveci Sevim R, Ünüvar T, Anık A. Cooccurring Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and Autoimmune Thyroiditis in a Girl with Craniofrontonasal Syndrome: Are EFNB1 Variants Associated with Autoimmunity? Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15121535. [PMID: 36558986 PMCID: PMC9784758 DOI: 10.3390/ph15121535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Craniofrontonasal syndrome (CFNS), also known as craniofrontonasal dysplasia, is an X-linked inherited developmental malformation caused by mutations in the ephrin B1 (EFNB1) gene. The main phenotypic features of the syndrome are coronal synostosis, hypertelorism, bifid nasal tip, dry and curly hair, and longitudinal splitting of nails. A 9-year-and-11-month-old girl with CFNS was admitted due to polyuria, polydipsia, fatigue, and abdominal pain. On physical examination, she had the classical phenotypical features of CFNS. Genetic tests revealed a c.429_430insT (p.Gly144TrpfsTer31) heterozygote variant in the EFNB1 coding region. The patient was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and autoimmune thyroiditis based on laboratory findings and symptoms. The mother of the patient, who had the same CFNS phenotype and EFNB1 variant, was screened for autoimmune diseases and was also with autoimmune thyroiditis. This is the first report describing the association of CFNS with T1DM and autoimmune thyroiditis in patients with EFNB1 mutation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sebla Güneş
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, 09100 Aydın, Turkey
| | - Jiangping Wu
- Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QU H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Berk Özyılmaz
- Genetic Diagnosis Center, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, 35020 Izmir, Turkey
| | - Reyhan Deveci Sevim
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, 09100 Aydın, Turkey
| | - Tolga Ünüvar
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, 09100 Aydın, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Anık
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, 09100 Aydın, Turkey
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +90-5325684340
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
He H, Qiao B, Guo S, Cui H, Zhang Z, Qin J. Interleukin-7 regulates CD127 expression and promotes CD8 + T cell activity in patients with primary cutaneous melanoma. BMC Immunol 2022; 23:35. [PMID: 35850640 PMCID: PMC9295418 DOI: 10.1186/s12865-022-00509-0] [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: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Interleukin (IL)-7 signaling through CD127 is impaired in lymphocytes in cancers and chronic infections, resulting in CD8+ T cell exhaustion. The mechanisms underlying CD8+ T cell responses to IL-7 in melanoma remain not completely elucidated. We previously showed reduced IL-7 level in melanoma patients. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of IL-7 regulation on CD127 expression and CD8+ T cell responses in melanoma. Methods Healthy controls and primary cutaneous melanoma patients were enrolled. Membrane-bound CD127 (mCD127) expression on CD8+ T cells was determined by flow cytometry. Soluble CD127 (sCD127) protein level was measured by ELISA. Total CD127 and sCD127 mRNA level was measured by real-time PCR. CD8+ T cells were stimulated with recombinant human IL-7, along with signaling pathway inhibitors. CD8+ T cells were co-cultured with melanoma cell line, and the cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells was assessed by measurement of lactate dehydrogenase expression. Results Plasma sCD127 was lower in melanoma patients compared with controls. The percentage of CD8+ T cells expressing mCD127 was higher, while sCD127 mRNA level was lower in peripheral and tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells from melanoma patients. There was no significant difference of total CD127 mRNA expression in CD8+ T cells between groups. IL-7 stimulation enhanced total CD127 and sCD127 mRNA expression and sCD127 release by CD8+ T cells. However, mCD127 mRNA expression on CD8+ T cells was not affected. This process was mainly mediated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. CD8+ T cells from melanoma patients exhibited decreased cytotoxicity. IL-7 stimulation promoted CD8+ T cell cytotoxicity, while inhibition of PI3K dampened IL-7-induced elevation of CD8+ T cell cytotoxicity. Conclusion The current data suggested that insufficient IL-7 secretion might contribute to CD8+ T cell exhaustion and CD127 dysregulation in patients with primary cutaneous melanoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongxia He
- Department of Dermatology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, 85 South Jiefang Road, Taiyuan, 030000, Shanxi, China.
| | - Binjun Qiao
- Department of Emergency, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030000, Shanxi, China
| | - Shuping Guo
- Department of Dermatology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, 85 South Jiefang Road, Taiyuan, 030000, Shanxi, China
| | - Hongzhou Cui
- Department of Dermatology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, 85 South Jiefang Road, Taiyuan, 030000, Shanxi, China
| | - Ziyan Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, 85 South Jiefang Road, Taiyuan, 030000, Shanxi, China
| | - Junxia Qin
- Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030000, Shanxi, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
García-Ceca J, Montero-Herradón S, Zapata AG. Intrathymic Selection and Defects in the Thymic Epithelial Cell Development. Cells 2020; 9:cells9102226. [PMID: 33023072 PMCID: PMC7601110 DOI: 10.3390/cells9102226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Intimate interactions between thymic epithelial cells (TECs) and thymocytes (T) have been repeatedly reported as essential for performing intrathymic T-cell education. Nevertheless, it has been described that animals exhibiting defects in these interactions were capable of a proper positive and negative T-cell selection. In the current review, we first examined distinct types of TECs and their possible role in the immune surveillance. However, EphB-deficient thymi that exhibit profound thymic epithelial (TE) alterations do not exhibit important immunological defects. Eph and their ligands, the ephrins, are implicated in cell attachment/detachment and govern, therefore, TEC–T interactions. On this basis, we hypothesized that a few normal TE areas could be enough for a proper phenotypical and functional maturation of T lymphocytes. Then, we evaluated in vivo how many TECs would be necessary for supporting a normal T-cell differentiation, concluding that a significantly low number of TEC are still capable of supporting normal T lymphocyte maturation, whereas with fewer numbers, T-cell maturation is not possible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Javier García-Ceca
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.G.-C.); (S.M.-H.)
- Health Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Montero-Herradón
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.G.-C.); (S.M.-H.)
- Health Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Agustín G. Zapata
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.G.-C.); (S.M.-H.)
- Health Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-91-394-4979
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Liver X receptor β is required for the survival of single-positive thymocytes by regulating IL-7Rα expression. Cell Mol Immunol 2020; 18:1969-1980. [PMID: 32963358 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-020-00546-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver X receptors (LXRs) are known as key transcription factors in lipid metabolism and have been reported to play an important role in T-cell proliferation. However, whether LXRs play a role in thymocyte development remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated that LXRβ deficiency caused a reduction in single-positive (SP) thymocytes, whereas the transitions from the double-negative to SP stage were normal. Meanwhile, LXRβ-null SP thymocytes exhibited increased apoptosis and impairment of the IL-7Rα-Bcl2 axis. In addition, the LXR agonist T0901317 promoted the survival of SP thymocytes with enhanced IL-7Rα expression in wild-type mice but not in LXRβ-deficient mice. Mechanistically, LXRβ positively regulated the expression of IL-7Rα via direct binding to the Il7r allele in SP thymocytes, and forced expression of IL-7Rα or Bcl2 restored the survival of LXRβ-defective SP thymocytes. Thus, our results indicate that LXRβ functions as an important transcription factor upstream of IL-7Rα to promote the survival of SP thymocytes.
Collapse
|
6
|
García-Ceca J, Montero-Herradón S, Zapata AG. Thymus aging in mice deficient in either EphB2 or EphB3, two master regulators of thymic epithelium development. Dev Dyn 2020; 249:1243-1258. [PMID: 32506584 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The epithelial microenvironment is involved in thymus aging, but the possible role of EphB receptors that govern the thymic epithelium development has not been investigated. Herein, we study the changes undergone by the thymus of EphB-deficient mice throughout their life. RESULTS Immune alterations occurring throughout life were more severe in mutant than in wild-type (WT) mice. Mutant thymuses exhibit lower cellularity than WT ones, as well as lower proportions of early thymic progenitors cells and double-positive (CD4+ CD8+ ) thymocytes, but higher of double-negative (CD4- CD8- ) and single-positive (CD4+ CD8- , CD4- CD8+ ) cells. Throughout life, CD4+ naïve cells decreased particularly in mutant mice. In correlation, memory T cells, largely CD8+ cells, increased. Aged thymic epithelium undergoes changes including appearance of big epithelial free areas, decrease of K8+ K5- areas, which, however, contain higher proportions of Ly51+ UEA1- cortical epithelial cells, in correlation with reduced Aire+ medullary epithelial cells. Also, aged thymuses particularly those derived from mutant mice exhibited increased collagen IV, fat-storing cells, and connective cells. CONCLUSIONS The absence of EphB accelerates the alterations undergone throughout life by both thymic epithelium and thymocytes, and the proportions of peripheral naïve and memory T cells, all of which are hallmarks of immune aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Javier García-Ceca
- Department of Cell Biology; Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Health Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Montero-Herradón
- Department of Cell Biology; Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Health Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Agustín G Zapata
- Department of Cell Biology; Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Health Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
EPHA4 regulates vascular smooth muscle cell contractility and is a sex-specific hypertension risk gene in individuals with type 2 diabetes. J Hypertens 2020; 37:775-789. [PMID: 30817459 DOI: 10.1097/hjh.0000000000001948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We investigated the association of genetic variants of EPHA4, a receptor tyrosine kinase, with hypertension, and its role in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) contractility. METHODS Data from two human genetic studies, ADVANCE and HCHS/SOL, were analyzed for association of EPHA4 single nucleotide variants (SNVs) with hypertension risks. The effect of EPHA4 signalling on mouse VSMC contractility was assessed. RESULTS We identified a SNV (rs75843691 hg19 chr2:g.222395371 C>G), located in the third intron of EPHA4 gene, being significantly associated with hypertension in human female patients (P value = 8.3 × 10, below the Bonferroni-corrected critical P value) but not male patients with type 2 diabetes from the ADVANCE clinical trial. We found that EPHA4 was expressed in VSMCs and its stimulation by anti-EPHA4 antibody led to reduced VSMC contractility. Estrogen enhanced the contractility-lowering effect of EPHA4 stimulation. Conversely, siRNA knockdown of Epha4 expression in VSMCs resulted in increased contractility of VSMCs from female mice but not from male mice. CONCLUSION EPHA4 appears to be a sex-specific hypertension risk gene in type 2 diabetic patients. Forward EPHA4 signalling reduces VSMC contractility, and estrogen is a modifier of this effect. The effect of EPHA4 on VSMCs contractility explains the association of EPHA4 gene with hypertension risks in female patients.
Collapse
|
8
|
Côté SC, Burke Schinkel SC, Berthoud TK, Barros PO, Sanchez‐Vidales M, Davidson AM, Crawley AM, Angel JB. IL-7 induces sCD127 release and mCD127 downregulation in human CD8 + T cells by distinct yet overlapping mechanisms, both of which are impaired in HIV infection. Eur J Immunol 2020; 50:1537-1549. [PMID: 32390135 PMCID: PMC7586945 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201948453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The IL‐7 receptor specific α chain, CD127, can be expressed both as a membrane‐associated (mCD127) and a soluble form (sCD127), however, the mechanisms involved in their regulation remain to be defined. We first demonstrated in primary human CD8+ T cells that IL‐7‐induced downregulation of mCD127 expression is dependent on JAK and PI3K signaling, whereas IL‐7‐induced sCD127 release is also mediated by STAT5. Following stimulation with IL‐7, expression of alternatively spliced variants of the CD127 gene, sCD127 mRNA, is reduced, but to a lesser degree than the full‐length gene. Evaluation of the role of proteases revealed that MMP‐9 was involved in sCD127 release, without affecting the expression of mCD127, suggesting it does not induce direct shedding from the cell surface. Since defects in the IL‐7/CD127 pathway occur in various diseases, including HIV, we evaluated CD8+ T cells derived from HAART‐treated HIV‐infected individuals and found that IL‐7‐induced (1) downregulation of mCD127, (2) release of sCD127, and (3) expression of the sCD127 mRNA were all impaired. Expression of mCD127 and sCD127 is, therefore, regulated by distinct, but overlapping, mechanisms and their impairment in HIV infection contributes to our understanding of the CD8+ T cell dysfunction that persists despite effective antiretroviral therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tamara K. Berthoud
- The Ottawa Hospital Research InstituteOttawaONCanada
- Department of BiochemistryMicrobiology, and ImmunologyThe University of OttawaOttawaONCanada
| | - Priscila O. Barros
- The Ottawa Hospital Research InstituteOttawaONCanada
- Department of BiochemistryMicrobiology, and ImmunologyThe University of OttawaOttawaONCanada
| | - Maria Sanchez‐Vidales
- The Ottawa Hospital Research InstituteOttawaONCanada
- Department of BiochemistryMicrobiology, and ImmunologyThe University of OttawaOttawaONCanada
| | - April M. Davidson
- The Ottawa Hospital Research InstituteOttawaONCanada
- Department of BiochemistryMicrobiology, and ImmunologyThe University of OttawaOttawaONCanada
| | - Angela M. Crawley
- The Ottawa Hospital Research InstituteOttawaONCanada
- Department of BiochemistryMicrobiology, and ImmunologyThe University of OttawaOttawaONCanada
- Department of BiologyCarleton UniversityOttawaONCanada
| | - Jonathan B. Angel
- The Ottawa Hospital Research InstituteOttawaONCanada
- Department of BiochemistryMicrobiology, and ImmunologyThe University of OttawaOttawaONCanada
- Division of Infectious DiseasesThe Ottawa HospitalOttawaONCanada
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Shi W, Wang Y, Peng J, Qi S, Vitale N, Kaneda N, Murata T, Luo H, Wu J. EPHB6 controls catecholamine biosynthesis by up-regulating tyrosine hydroxylase transcription in adrenal gland chromaffin cells. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:6871-6887. [PMID: 30824540 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.005767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
EPHB6 is a member of the erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular kinase (EPH) family and a receptor tyrosine kinase with a dead kinase domain. It is involved in blood pressure regulation and adrenal gland catecholamine (CAT) secretion, but several facets of EPHB6-mediated CAT regulation are unclear. In this study, using biochemical, quantitative RT-PCR, immunoblotting, and gene microarray assays, we found that EPHB6 up-regulates CAT biosynthesis in adrenal gland chromaffin cells (AGCCs). We observed that epinephrine content is reduced in the AGCCs from male Ephb6-KO mice, caused by decreased expression of tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in CAT biosynthesis. We demonstrate that the signaling pathway from EPHB6 to tyrosine hydroxylase expression in AGCCs involves Rac family small GTPase 1 (RAC1), MAP kinase kinase 7 (MKK7), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), proto-oncogene c-Jun, activator protein 1 (AP1), and early growth response 1 (EGR1). On the other hand, signaling via extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and ELK1, ETS transcription factor (ELK1) was not affected by EPHB6 deletion. We further report that EPHB6's effect on AGCCs was via reverse signaling through ephrin B1 and that EPHB6 acted in concert with the nongenomic effect of testosterone to control CAT biosynthesis. Our findings elucidate the mechanisms by which EPHB6 modulates CAT biosynthesis and identify potential therapeutic targets for diseases, such as hypertension, caused by dysfunctional CAT biosynthesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Shi
- From the Research Centre and
| | - Yujia Wang
- From the Research Centre and.,the Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China
| | | | | | - Nicolas Vitale
- the Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, UPR-3212, CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, 5 rue Blaise Pascal, 67000 Strasbourg, France, and
| | - Norio Kaneda
- the Department of Analytical Neurobiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Tempaku, Nagoya 4688503, Japan
| | - Tomiyasu Murata
- the Department of Analytical Neurobiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Tempaku, Nagoya 4688503, Japan
| | | | - Jiangping Wu
- From the Research Centre and .,Nephrology Department, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal Montreal, Quebec, H2X 0A9, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Ernst AS, Böhler LI, Hagenston AM, Hoffmann A, Heiland S, Sticht C, Bendszus M, Hecker M, Bading H, Marti HH, Korff T, Kunze R. EphB2-dependent signaling promotes neuronal excitotoxicity and inflammation in the acute phase of ischemic stroke. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2019; 7:15. [PMID: 30722785 PMCID: PMC6362601 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-019-0669-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Local cerebral hypoperfusion causes ischemic stroke while driving multiple cell-specific responses including inflammation, glutamate-induced neurotoxicity mediated via NMDAR, edema formation and angiogenesis. Despite the relevance of these pathophysiological mechanisms for disease progression and outcome, molecular determinants controlling the onset of these processes are only partially understood. In this context, our study intended to investigate the functional role of EphB2, a receptor tyrosine kinase that is crucial for synapse function and binds to membrane-associated ephrin-B ligands. Cerebral ischemia was induced in Ephb2−/− mice by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by different times (6, 12, 24 and 48 h) of reperfusion. Histological, neurofunctional and transcriptome analyses indicated an increase in EphB2 phosphorylation under these conditions and attenuated progression of stroke in Ephb2−/− mice. Moreover, while infiltration of microglia/macrophages and astrocytes into the peri-infarct region was not altered, expression of the pro-inflammatory mediators MCP-1 and IL-6 was decreased in these mice. In vitro analyses indicated that binding of EphB2 to astrocytic ephrin-B ligands stimulates NF-κB-mediated cytokine expression via the MAPK pathway. Further magnetic resonance imaging of the Ephb2−/− ischemic brain revealed a lower level of cytotoxic edema formation within 6 h upon onset of reperfusion. On the mechanistic level, absence of neuronal EphB2 decreased the mitochondrial Ca2+ load upon specific activation of NMDAR but not during synaptic activity. Furthermore, neuron-specific loss of ephrin-B2 reduced the extent of cerebral tissue damage in the acute phase of ischemic stroke. Collectively, EphB2 may promote the immediate response to an ischemia-reperfusion event in the central nervous system by (i) pro-inflammatory activation of astrocytes via ephrin-B-dependent signaling and (ii) amplification of NMDA-evoked neuronal excitotoxicity.
Collapse
|
11
|
Wu T, Zhang BQ, Raelson J, Yao YM, Wu HD, Xu ZX, Marois-Blanchet FC, Tahir MR, Wang Y, Bradley WE, Luo H, Wu J, Sheng JZ, Hu SJ. Analysis of the association of EPHB6, EFNB1 and EFNB3 variants with hypertension risks in males with hypogonadism. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14497. [PMID: 30262919 PMCID: PMC6160468 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32836-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Several members of the EPH kinase family and their ligands are involved in blood pressure regulation, and such regulation is often sex- or sex hormone-dependent, based on animal and human genetic studies. EPHB6 gene knockout (KO) in mice leads to hypertension in castrated males but not in un-manipulated KO males or females. To assess whether this finding in mice is relevant to human hypertension, we conducted a human genetic study for the association of EPHB6 and its two ligands, EFNB1 and EFNB3, with hypertension in hypogonadic patients. Seven hundred and fifty hypertensive and 750 normotensive Han Chinese patients, all of whom were hypogonadic, were genotyped for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the regions of the genes, plus an additional 50 kb 5′ of the genes for EPHB6, EFNB1 and EFNB3. An imputed insertion/deletion polymorphism, rs35530071, was found to be associated with hypertension at p-values below the Bonferroni-corrected significance level of 0.0024. This marker is located 5′ upstream of the EFNB3 gene start site. Previous animal studies showed that while male EFNB3 gene knockout mice were normotensive, castration of these mice resulted in hypertension, corroborating the results of the human genetic study. Considering the significant associations of EFNB3 SNPs with hypertension in hypogonadic males and supporting evidence from castrated EFNB3 KO mice, we conclude that loss-of-function variants of molecules in the EPHB6 signaling pathway in the presence of testosterone are protective against hypertension in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wu
- Institute of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Bi-Qi Zhang
- Institute of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - John Raelson
- Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, Quebec, H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Yu-Mei Yao
- Department of Cardiology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310005, China
| | - Huan-Dong Wu
- Institute of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Zao-Xian Xu
- Institute of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | | | - Muhammad Ramzan Tahir
- Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, Quebec, H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Yujia Wang
- Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, Quebec, H2X 0A9, Canada.,Children's Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China
| | - W Edward Bradley
- Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, Quebec, H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Hongyu Luo
- Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, Quebec, H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Jiangping Wu
- Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, Quebec, H2X 0A9, Canada. .,Nephrology Service, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, Quebec, H2X 0A9, Canada.
| | - Jian-Zhong Sheng
- Department of Pathology and Physiopathology, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310005, China.
| | - Shen-Jiang Hu
- Institute of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Montero-Herradón S, García-Ceca J, Zapata AG. EphB receptors, mainly EphB3, contribute to the proper development of cortical thymic epithelial cells. Organogenesis 2018; 13:192-211. [PMID: 29027839 DOI: 10.1080/15476278.2017.1389368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
EphB and their ligands ephrin-B are an important family of protein tyrosine kinase receptors involved in thymocyte-thymic epithelial cell interactions known to be key for the maturation of both thymic cell components. In the present study, we have analyzed the maturation of cortical thymic epithelium in EphB-deficient thymuses evaluating the relative relevance of EphB2 and EphB3 in the process. Results support a relationship between the epithelial hypocellularity of mutant thymuses and altered development of thymocytes, lower proportions of cycling thymic epithelial cells and increased epithelial cell apoptosis. Together, these factors induce delayed development of mutant cortical TECs, defined by the expression of different cell markers, i.e. Ly51, CD205, MHCII, CD40 and β5t. Furthermore, although both EphB2 and EphB3 are necessary for cortical thymic epithelial maturation, the relevance of EphB3 is greater since EphB3-/- thymic cortex exhibits a more severe phenotype than that of EphB2-deficient thymuses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Montero-Herradón
- a Department of Cell Biology , Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid , Madrid , Spain
| | - Javier García-Ceca
- a Department of Cell Biology , Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid , Madrid , Spain
| | - Agustín G Zapata
- a Department of Cell Biology , Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid , Madrid , Spain
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Muñoz JJ, García-Ceca J, Montero-Herradón S, Sánchez del Collado B, Alfaro D, Zapata A. Can a Proper T-Cell Development Occur in an Altered Thymic Epithelium? Lessons From EphB-Deficient Thymi. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018; 9:135. [PMID: 29666605 PMCID: PMC5891583 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
For a long time, the effects of distinct Eph tyrosine kinase receptors and their ligands, ephrins on the structure, immunophenotype, and development of thymus and their main cell components, thymocytes (T) and thymic epithelial cells (TECs), have been studied. In recent years, the thymic phenotype of mutant mice deficient in several Ephs and ephrins B has been determined. Remarkably, thymic stroma in these animals exhibits important defects that appear early in ontogeny but little alterations in the proportions of distinct lymphoid cell populations. In the present manuscript, we summarize and extend these results discussing possible mechanisms governing phenotypical and functional thymocyte maturation in an absence of the critical T-TEC interactions, concluding that some signaling mediated by key molecules, such as MHCII, CD80, β5t, Aire, etc. could be sufficient to enable a proper maturation of thymocytes, independently of morphological alterations affecting thymic epithelium.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan José Muñoz
- Center for Cytometry and Fluorescence Microscopy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier García-Ceca
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Montero-Herradón
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - David Alfaro
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Agustín Zapata
- Center for Cytometry and Fluorescence Microscopy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Liu H, Devraj K, Möller K, Liebner S, Hecker M, Korff T. EphrinB-mediated reverse signalling controls junctional integrity and pro-inflammatory differentiation of endothelial cells. Thromb Haemost 2017; 112:151-63. [DOI: 10.1160/th13-12-1034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Accepted: 01/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
SummaryThe EphB/ephrinB receptor-ligand system is pivotal for the development of the embryonic vasculature and for angiogenesis in the adult organism. We observed that (i) the expression of ephrinB2 and ephrinB1 is up-regulated in capillaries during inflammation, that (ii) these ligands are localised on the luminal endothelial surface, and that (iii) they interact with the ephrinB-receptor EphB2 on monocyte/macrophages. This study delineates the impact of ephrinB-mediated reverse signalling on the integrity and proinflammatory differentiation of the endothelium. To this end, in vitro analyses with human cultured endothelial cells reveal that knockdown of ephrinB2 or ephrinB1 impairs monocyte transmigration through the endothelium. While ephrinB2 but not ephrinB1 interacts with PECAM-1 (CD31) in this context, reverse signalling by ephrinB1 but not ephrinB2 elicits a c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-dependent up-regulation of E-selectin expression. Furthermore, treatment of endothelial cells with soluble EphB2 receptor bodies or EphB2-overexpressing mouse myeloma cells links ephrinB2 to PECAM-1 and induces its Src-dependent phosphorylation while diminishing Src homology phosphotyrosyl phosphatase-2 (SHP-2) activity and increasing endothelial cell permeability. We conclude that extravasation of EphB2 positive leukocyte populations is facilitated by lowering the integrity of endothelial cell junctions and enhancing the pro-inflammatory phenotype of the endothelium through activation of ephrinB ligands.
Collapse
|
15
|
Tremblay J, Wang Y, Raelson J, Marois-Blanchet FC, Wu Z, Luo H, Bradley E, Chalmers J, Woodward M, Harrap S, Hamet P, Wu J. Evidence from single nucleotide polymorphism analyses of ADVANCE study demonstrates EFNB3 as a hypertension risk gene. Sci Rep 2017; 7:44114. [PMID: 28272517 PMCID: PMC5341021 DOI: 10.1038/srep44114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
EPH kinases and their ligands, ephrins (EFNs), have vital and diverse biological functions. We recently reported that Efnb3 gene deletion results in hypertension in female but not male mice. These data suggest that EFNB3 regulates blood pressure in a sex- and sex hormone-dependent way. In the present study, we conducted a human genetic study to assess the association of EFNB3 single nucleotide polymorphisms with human hypertension risks, using 3,448 patients with type 2 diabetes from the ADVANCE study (Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Peterax and Diamicron MR Controlled Evaluation). We have observed significant association between 2 SNPs in the 3′ untranslated region or within the adjacent region just 3′ of the EFNB3 gene with hypertension, corroborating our findings from the mouse model. Thus, our investigation has shown that EFNB3 is a hypertension risk gene in certain individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johanne Tremblay
- Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Yujia Wang
- Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - John Raelson
- Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9, Canada
| | | | - Zenghui Wu
- Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Hongyu Luo
- Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Edward Bradley
- Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - John Chalmers
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Mark Woodward
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia.,The George Institute for Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Stephen Harrap
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD, USA.,Department of Physiology, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Pavel Hamet
- Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Jiangping Wu
- Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
The role of GRIP1 and ephrin B3 in blood pressure control and vascular smooth muscle cell contractility. Sci Rep 2016; 6:38976. [PMID: 27941904 PMCID: PMC5150233 DOI: 10.1038/srep38976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Several erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor B family (EPHB) and their ligands, ephrinBs (EFNBs), are involved in blood pressure regulation in animal models. We selected 528 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the genes of EPHB6, EFNB2, EFNB3 and GRIP1 in the EPH/EFN signalling system to query the International Blood Pressure Consortium dataset. A SNP within the glutamate receptor interacting protein 1 (GRIP1) gene presented a p-value of 0.000389, approaching the critical p-value of 0.000302, for association with diastolic blood pressure of 60,396 individuals. According to echocardiography, we found that Efnb3 gene knockout mice showed enhanced constriction in the carotid arteries. In vitro studies revealed that in mouse vascular smooth muscle cells, siRNA knockdown of GRIP1, which is in the EFNB3 reverse signalling pathway, resulted in increased contractility of these cells. These data suggest that molecules in the EPHB/EFNB signalling pathways, specifically EFNB3 and GRIP1, are involved blood pressure regulation.
Collapse
|
17
|
Wang Y, Hamet P, Thorin E, Tremblay J, Raelson J, Wu Z, Luo H, Jin W, Lavoie JL, Peng J, Marois-Blanchet FC, Tahir MR, Chalmers J, Woodward M, Harrap S, Qi S, Li CY, Wu J. Reduced blood pressure after smooth muscle EFNB2 deletion and the potential association of EFNB2 mutation with human hypertension risk. Eur J Hum Genet 2016; 24:1817-1825. [PMID: 27530629 DOI: 10.1038/ejhg.2016.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Revised: 06/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Ephrin B2 (EFNB2) is a ligand for erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular kinases (EPH), the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinases. It has critical functions in many biological systems, but is not known to regulate blood pressure. We generated mice with a smooth muscle cell (SMC)-specific deletion of EFNB2 and investigated its roles in blood pressure regulation and vascular SMC (VSMC) contractility. Male Efnb2 knockout (KO) mice presented reduced blood pressure, whereas female KO mice had no such reduction. Both forward signaling from EFNB2 to EPHs and reverse signaling from EPHs to EFNB2 were involved in regulating VSMC contractility, with EPHB4 serving as a critical molecule for forward signaling, based on crosslinking studies. We also found that a region from aa 313 to aa 331 in the intracellular tail of EFNB2 was essential for reverse signaling regulating VSMC contractility, based on deletion mutation studies. In a human genetic study, we identified five SNPs in the 3' region of the EFNB2 gene, which were in linkage disequilibrium and were significantly associated with hypertension for male but not female subjects, consistent with our findings in mice. The coding (minor) alleles of these five SNPs were protective in males. We have thus discovered a previously unknown blood pressure-lowering mechanism mediated by EFNB2 and identified EFNB2 as a gene associated with hypertension risk in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yujia Wang
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Pavel Hamet
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Eric Thorin
- Department of Surgery, Université de Montréal and Université Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Johanne Tremblay
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - John Raelson
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada.,PGX-Services, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Zenghui Wu
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Hongyu Luo
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Wei Jin
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Julie L Lavoie
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Kinesiology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Junzheng Peng
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Muhammad Ramzan Tahir
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - John Chalmers
- Department of Biostatistics, The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mark Woodward
- Department of Biostatistics, The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Stephen Harrap
- Department of Physiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Shijie Qi
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Charles Yibin Li
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jiangping Wu
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Nephrology, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Kim HK, Waickman AT, Castro E, Flomerfelt FA, Hawk NV, Kapoor V, Telford WG, Gress RE. Distinct IL-7 signaling in recent thymic emigrants versus mature naïve T cells controls T-cell homeostasis. Eur J Immunol 2016; 46:1669-80. [PMID: 27129922 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201546214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Revised: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
IL-7 is essential for T-cell survival but its availability is limited in vivo. Consequently, all peripheral T cells, including recent thymic emigrants (RTEs) are constantly competing for IL-7 to survive. RTEs are required to replenish TCR diversity and rejuvenate the peripheral T-cell pool. However, it remains unknown how RTEs successfully compete with resident mature T cells for IL-7. Moreover, RTEs express low levels of IL-7 receptors, presumably rendering them even less competitive. Here, we show that, surprisingly, RTEs are more responsive to IL-7 than mature naïve T cells as demonstrated by markedly increased STAT5 phosphorylation upon IL-7 stimulation. Nonetheless, adoptive transfer of RTE cells into lymphopenic host mice resulted in slower IL-7-induced homeostatic proliferation and diminished expansion compared to naïve donor T cells. Mechanistically, we found that IL-7 signaling in RTEs preferentially upregulated expression of Bcl-2, which is anti-apoptotic but also anti-proliferative. In contrast, naïve T cells showed diminished Bcl-2 induction but greater proliferative response to IL-7. Collectively, these data indicate that IL-7 responsiveness in RTE is designed to maximize survival at the expense of reduced proliferation, consistent with RTE serving as a subpopulation of T cells rich in diversity but not in frequency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hye Kyung Kim
- Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Adam T Waickman
- Experimental Immunology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ehydel Castro
- Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Nga V Hawk
- Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Veena Kapoor
- Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - William G Telford
- Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ronald E Gress
- Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, Bethesda, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Luo H, Broux B, Wang X, Hu Y, Ghannam S, Jin W, Larochelle C, Prat A, Wu J. EphrinB1 and EphrinB2 regulate T cell chemotaxis and migration in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis. Neurobiol Dis 2016; 91:292-306. [PMID: 27039370 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2016.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Revised: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
T cells are believed to be key effector cells in multiple sclerosis (MS). In this study, we examined the roles of T cell ephrinB1 (EFNB1) and ephrinB2 (EFNB2) in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and MS. We provide evidence that animals with T cell specific double deletion of EFNB1 and EFNB2 (dKO) have reduced proliferation in response to MOG35-55, defective Th1 and Th17 differentiations and significantly lower scores of MOG-induced EAE. We further demonstrate that dKO T cells are compromised in their ability to migrate into the CNS of EAE animals in vivo and towards multiple chemokines in vitro. Using deletion mutations, we identified a critical 11-aa EFNB1 intracellular domain segment that controls T cell chemotaxis towards CCL21. In humans, EFNB1 and EFNB2 are highly expressed in Th1 and Th17 cells and EFNB1- and EFNB2-expressing T cells are found among immune cell infiltrates in MS lesions. Reverse signaling through EFNB1 and EFNB2 in human Th17 cells enhances their migration through a monolayer of blood brain barrier endothelial cells. Our study demonstrates that expression of EFNB1 and EFNB2 is implicated in Th cell differentiation and migration to inflammatory sites in both EAE and MS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongyu Luo
- The Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital Center e (CRCHUM), 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal H2X 0A9, Québec, Canada
| | - Bieke Broux
- The Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital Center e (CRCHUM), 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal H2X 0A9, Québec, Canada; Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal H2X 0A9, Québec, Canada; Hasselt University, Biomedical Research Institute and transnationale Universiteit Limburg, School of Life Sciences, Agoralaan building C, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Xuehai Wang
- The Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital Center e (CRCHUM), 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal H2X 0A9, Québec, Canada
| | - Yan Hu
- The Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital Center e (CRCHUM), 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal H2X 0A9, Québec, Canada
| | - Soufiane Ghannam
- The Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital Center e (CRCHUM), 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal H2X 0A9, Québec, Canada; Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal H2X 0A9, Québec, Canada
| | - Wei Jin
- The Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital Center e (CRCHUM), 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal H2X 0A9, Québec, Canada
| | - Catherine Larochelle
- The Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital Center e (CRCHUM), 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal H2X 0A9, Québec, Canada; Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal H2X 0A9, Québec, Canada
| | - Alexandre Prat
- The Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital Center e (CRCHUM), 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal H2X 0A9, Québec, Canada; Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal H2X 0A9, Québec, Canada.
| | - Jiangping Wu
- The Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital Center e (CRCHUM), 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal H2X 0A9, Québec, Canada; Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal H2X 0A9, Québec, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Wang Y, Wu Z, Thorin E, Tremblay J, Lavoie JL, Luo H, Peng J, Qi S, Wu T, Chen F, Shen J, Hu S, Wu J. Estrogen and testosterone in concert with EFNB3 regulate vascular smooth muscle cell contractility and blood pressure. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2016; 310:H861-72. [PMID: 26851246 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00873.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
EPH kinases and their ligands, ephrins (EFNs), have vital and diverse biological functions, although their function in blood pressure (BP) control has not been studied in detail. In the present study, we report that Efnb3 gene knockout (KO) led to increased BP in female but not male mice. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were target cells for EFNB3 function in BP regulation. The deletion of EFNB3 augmented contractility of VSMCs from female but not male KO mice, compared with their wild-type (WT) counterparts. Estrogen augmented VSMC contractility while testosterone reduced it in the absence of EFNB3, although these sex hormones had no effect on the contractility of VSMCs from WT mice. The effect of estrogen on KO VSMC contractility was via a nongenomic pathway involving GPER, while that of testosterone was likely via a genomic pathway, according to VSMC contractility assays and GPER knockdown assays. The sex hormone-dependent contraction phenotypes in KO VSMCs were reflected in BP in vivo. Ovariectomy rendered female KO mice normotensive. At the molecular level, EFNB3 KO in VSMCs resulted in reduced myosin light chain kinase phosphorylation, an event enhancing sensitivity to Ca(2+)flux in VSMCs. Our investigation has revealed previously unknown EFNB3 functions in BP regulation and show that EFNB3 might be a hypertension risk gene in certain individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yujia Wang
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Zenghui Wu
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada;
| | - Eric Thorin
- Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Johanne Tremblay
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Julie L Lavoie
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Département de Kinésiologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Hongyu Luo
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Junzheng Peng
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Shijie Qi
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Tao Wu
- Institute of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University Medical College, Hangzhou, China; and
| | - Fei Chen
- Institute of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University Medical College, Hangzhou, China; and
| | - Jianzhong Shen
- Institute of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University Medical College, Hangzhou, China; and
| | - Shenjiang Hu
- Institute of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University Medical College, Hangzhou, China; and
| | - Jiangping Wu
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Nephrology Service, CRCHUM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Expression of the Receptor Tyrosine Kinase EphB2 on Dendritic Cells Is Modulated by Toll-Like Receptor Ligation but Is Not Required for T Cell Activation. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0138835. [PMID: 26407069 PMCID: PMC4583388 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2015] [Accepted: 09/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The Eph receptor tyrosine kinases interact with their ephrin ligands on adjacent cells to facilitate contact-dependent cell communication. Ephrin B ligands are expressed on T cells and have been suggested to act as co-stimulatory molecules during T cell activation. There are no detailed reports of the expression and modulation of EphB receptors on dendritic cells, the main antigen presenting cells that interact with T cells. Here we show that mouse splenic dendritic cells (DC) and bone-marrow derived DCs (BMDC) express EphB2, a member of the EphB family. EphB2 expression is modulated by ligation of TLR4 and TLR9 and also by interaction with ephrin B ligands. Co-localization of EphB2 with MHC-II is also consistent with a potential role in T cell activation. However, BMDCs derived from EphB2 deficient mice were able to present antigen in the context of MHC-II and produce T cell activating cytokines to the same extent as intact DCs. Collectively our data suggest that EphB2 may contribute to DC responses, but that EphB2 is not required for T cell activation. This result may have arisen because DCs express other members of the EphB receptor family, EphB3, EphB4 and EphB6, all of which can interact with ephrin B ligands, or because EphB2 may be playing a role in another aspect of DC biology such as migration.
Collapse
|
22
|
Hu Y, Wang X, Wu Y, Jin W, Cheng B, Fang X, Martel-Pelletier J, Kapoor M, Peng J, Qi S, Shi G, Wu J, Luo H. Role of EFNB1 and EFNB2 in Mouse Collagen-Induced Arthritis and Human Rheumatoid Arthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol 2015; 67:1778-88. [PMID: 25779027 DOI: 10.1002/art.39116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2014] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE EFNB1 and EFNB2 are ligands for Eph receptor tyrosine kinases. This study was undertaken to investigate how the expression of Efnb1 and Efnb2 on murine T cells influences the pathogenesis of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and to assess correlations between the T cell expression of these 2 molecules and measures of disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS CIA was studied in mice with T cell-specific deletion (double gene knockout [dKO]) of both Efnb1 and Efnb2. Expression of EFNB1 and EFNB2 messenger RNA (mRNA) in peripheral blood T cells from patients with RA was determined by quantitative reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS In dKO mice, clinical scores of arthritis were reduced compared to those in wild-type (WT) control mice. Serum collagen-specific antibody titers in dKO mice were lower than those in WT mice. In analyses based on equal cell numbers, dKO mouse T cells, as compared to WT mouse T cells, provided vastly inferior help to B cells in the production of collagen-specific antibodies in vitro. T cells from dKO mice were compromised in their ability to migrate to the arthritic paws in vivo and in their ability to undergo chemotaxis toward CXCL12 in vitro. Deletion mutation of Efnb1 and Efnb2 intracellular tails revealed critical regions in controlling T cell chemotaxis. T cells from RA patients expressed higher EFNB1 mRNA levels, which correlated with RA symptoms and laboratory findings. CONCLUSION Efnb1 and Efnb2 in T cells are essential for pathogenic antibody production and for T cell migration to the inflamed paws in mice with CIA. These findings suggest that the expression of EFNB1 in T cells might be a useful parameter for monitoring RA disease activity and treatment responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Hu
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Xuehai Wang
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yongqiang Wu
- West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Jin
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Baoli Cheng
- First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangming Fang
- First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Mohit Kapoor
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Junzheng Peng
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Shijie Qi
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Guixiu Shi
- First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jiangping Wu
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Hongyu Luo
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Wang Y, Thorin E, Luo H, Tremblay J, Lavoie JL, Wu Z, Peng J, Qi S, Wu J. EPHB4 Protein Expression in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Regulates Their Contractility, and EPHB4 Deletion Leads to Hypotension in Mice. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:14235-44. [PMID: 25903126 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.621615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
EPH kinases are the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinases, and their ligands, ephrins (EFNs), are also cell surface molecules. This work presents evidence that EPHB4 on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is involved in blood pressure regulation. We generated gene KO mice with smooth muscle cell-specific deletion of EPHB4. Male KO mice, but not female KO mice, were hypotensive. VSMCs from male KO mice showed reduced contractility when compared with their WT counterparts. Signaling both from EFNBs to EPHB4 (forward signaling) and from EPHB4 to EFNB2 (reverse signaling) modulated VSMC contractility. At the molecular level, the absence of EPHB4 in VSMCs resulted in compromised signaling from Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) to myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) to myosin light chain, the last of which controls the contraction force of motor molecule myosin. Near the cell membrane, an adaptor protein GRIP1, which can associate with EFNB2, was found to be essential in mediating EPHB4-to-EFNB reverse signaling, which regulated VSMC contractility, based on siRNA gene knockdown studies. Our research indicates that EPHB4 plays an essential role in regulating small artery contractility and blood pressure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yujia Wang
- From the Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9
| | - Eric Thorin
- the Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, Quebec H1T 1C8
| | - Hongyu Luo
- From the Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9
| | - Johanne Tremblay
- From the Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9
| | - Julie L Lavoie
- From the Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9, the Département de Kinésiologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1J4, and
| | - Zenghui Wu
- From the Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9
| | - Junzheng Peng
- From the Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9
| | - Shijie Qi
- From the Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9
| | - Jiangping Wu
- From the Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9, the Nephrology Service, CHUM, Montreal, Quebec H2L 4M1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Conditioned deletion of ephrinB1 and/or ephrinB2 in either thymocytes or thymic epithelial cells alters the organization of thymic medulla and favors the appearance of thymic epithelial cysts. Histochem Cell Biol 2014; 143:517-29. [PMID: 25417117 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-014-1296-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/06/2014] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding about medullary compartment, its niches composition and formation is still limited. Previous studies using EphB2 and/or EphB3 knockout mice showed an abnormal thymic development that affects mainly to the epithelial component, including the cortex/medulla distribution, thymic epithelial cell (TEC) morphology and different epithelial-specific marker expression. We have already demonstrated that the lack of ephrinB1 and/or ephrinB2, either on thymocytes or on TECs, alters the cell intermingling processes necessary for thymus organization and affect cortical TEC subpopulations. In the present work, we have used the Cre-LoxP model to selectively delete ephrinB1 and/or ephrinB2 in thymocytes (EfnB1(thy/thy), EfnB2(thy/thy), EfnB1(thy/thy)EfnB2(thy/thy) mice) or TECs (EfnB1(tec/tec), EfnB2(tec/tec), EfnB1(tec/tec)EfnB2(tec/tec) mice) and have analyzed their role on the medullary compartment. In all the studied mutants, medullary areas are smaller and more compact than in the wt thymuses. In most of them, we observe abundant big cysts and a higher proportion of UEA(hi)MTS10(-) cells than in wt mice, which are often forming small cysts. On EfnB1(tec/tec)EfnB2(tec/tec), changes affecting organ size and medullary compartment start at perinatal stage. Our data shed some light on knowledge about wt medulla histological structure and cysts meaning and formation process and on the role played by ephrinB in them.
Collapse
|
25
|
Kared H, Saeed S, Klein MB, Shoukry NH. CD127 expression, exhaustion status and antigen specific proliferation predict sustained virologic response to IFN in HCV/HIV co-infected individuals. PLoS One 2014; 9:e101441. [PMID: 25007250 PMCID: PMC4090061 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Accepted: 06/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the HIV co-infected population. Interferon-alpha (IFN-α) remains a major component of anti-HCV therapy despite its deleterious effects on the immune system. Furthermore, IFN-α was recently shown to diminish the size of the latent HIV reservoir. The objectives of this study were to monitor the impact of IFN-α on T cell phenotype and proliferation of HIV and HCV-specific T cells during IFN therapy, and to identify immune markers that can predict the response to IFN in HICV/HIV co-infected patients. We performed longitudinal analyses of T cell numbers, phenotype and function in co-infected patients undergoing IFN-α therapy with different outcomes including IFN-α non-responders (NR) (n = 9) and patients who achieved sustained virologic response (SVR) (n = 19). We examined the expression of activation (CD38, HLA-DR), functional (CD127) and exhaustion markers (PD1, Tim-3, CD160 and CD244) on total CD4 and CD8 T cells before, during and after therapy. In addition, we examined the HIV- and HCV-specific proliferative responses against HIV-p24 and HCV-NS3 proteins. Frequencies of CD127+ CD4 T cells were higher in SVR than in NR patients at baseline. An increase in CD127 expression on CD8 T cells was observed after IFN-α therapy in all patients. In addition, CD8 T cells from NR patients expressed a higher exhaustion status at baseline. Finally, SVR patients exhibited higher proliferative response against both HIV and HCV antigens at baseline. Altogether, SVR correlated with higher expression of CD127, lower T cell exhaustion status and better HIV and HCV proliferative responses at baseline. Such factors might be used as non-invasive methods to predict the success of IFN–based therapies in co-infected individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hassen Kared
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sahar Saeed
- Department of Medicine, Divisions of Infectious Diseases/Chronic Viral Illness Service, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marina B. Klein
- Department of Medicine, Divisions of Infectious Diseases/Chronic Viral Illness Service, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Naglaa H. Shoukry
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Département de médecine, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Tal N, Shochat C, Geron I, Bercovich D, Izraeli S. Interleukin 7 and thymic stromal lymphopoietin: from immunity to leukemia. Cell Mol Life Sci 2014; 71:365-78. [PMID: 23625073 PMCID: PMC11113825 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-013-1337-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2013] [Revised: 03/10/2013] [Accepted: 04/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is often caused by deregulation of normal developmental processes. Here, we review recent research on the aberrant activation of two hematopoietic cytokine receptors in acute lymphoid leukemias. Somatic events in the genes for thymic stromal lymphopoietin and Interleukin 7 receptors as well as in their downstream JAK kinases result in constitutive ligand-independent activation of survival and proliferation in B and T lymphoid precursors. Drugs targeting these receptors or the signaling pathways might provide effective therapies of these leukemias.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noa Tal
- Cancer Research Center, Sheba Medical Center, Edmond and Lily Safra Children’s Hospital, Tel Hashomer, 52621 Ramat Gan, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Chen Shochat
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Migal Galilee Technology Center, Kiryat Shmona, Israel
- Tel Hai College, 12210 Upper Galilee, Israel
| | - Ifat Geron
- Cancer Research Center, Sheba Medical Center, Edmond and Lily Safra Children’s Hospital, Tel Hashomer, 52621 Ramat Gan, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Division of Biological Sciences and Department of Medicine Stem Cell Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California USA
| | - Dani Bercovich
- Migal Galilee Technology Center, Kiryat Shmona, Israel
- Tel Hai College, 12210 Upper Galilee, Israel
| | - Shai Izraeli
- Cancer Research Center, Sheba Medical Center, Edmond and Lily Safra Children’s Hospital, Tel Hashomer, 52621 Ramat Gan, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Terra R, Wang X, Hu Y, Charpentier T, Lamarre A, Zhong M, Sun H, Mao J, Qi S, Luo H, Wu J. To investigate the necessity of STRA6 upregulation in T cells during T cell immune responses. PLoS One 2013; 8:e82808. [PMID: 24391722 PMCID: PMC3876989 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2013] [Accepted: 11/06/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Our earlier study revealed that STRA6 (stimulated by retinoic acid gene 6) was up-regulated within 3 h of TCR stimulation. STRA6 is the high-affinity receptor for plasma retinol-binding protein (RBP) and mediates cellular vitamin A uptake. We generated STRA6 knockout (KO) mice to assess whether such up-regulation was critical for T-cell activation, differentiation and function. STRA6 KO mice under vitamin A sufficient conditions were fertile without apparent anomalies upon visual inspection. The size, cellularity and lymphocyte subpopulations of STRA6 KO thymus and spleen were comparable to those of their wild type (WT) controls. KO and WT T cells were similar in terms of TCR-stimulated proliferation in vitro and homeostatic expansion in vivo. Naive KO CD4 cells differentiated in vitro into Th1, Th2, Th17 as well as regulatory T cells in an analogous manner as their WT counterparts. In vivo experiments revealed that anti-viral immune responses to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus in KO mice were comparable to those of WT controls. We also demonstrated that STRA6 KO and WT mice had similar glucose tolerance. Total vitamin A levels are dramatically lower in the eyes of KO mice as compared to those of WT mice, but the levels in other organs were not significantly affected after STRA6 deletion under vitamin A sufficient conditions, indicating that the eye is the mouse organ most sensitive to the loss of STRA6. Our results demonstrate that 1) in vitamin A sufficiency, the deletion of STRA6 in T cells does no affect the T-cell immune responses so-far tested, including those depend on STAT5 signaling; 2) STRA6-independent vitamin A uptake compensated the lack of STRA6 in lymphoid organs under vitamin A sufficient conditions in mice; 3) STRA6 is critical for vitamin A uptake in the eyes even in vitamin A sufficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rafik Terra
- Laboratoire d'immunologie, Centre de recherche, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) – Hôpital Notre-Dame, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Xuehai Wang
- Laboratoire d'immunologie, Centre de recherche, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) – Hôpital Notre-Dame, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Yan Hu
- Laboratoire d'immunologie, Centre de recherche, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) – Hôpital Notre-Dame, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Tania Charpentier
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) – Institut Armand-Frappier, Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Alain Lamarre
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) – Institut Armand-Frappier, Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Ming Zhong
- Department of Physiology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Hui Sun
- Department of Physiology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Jianning Mao
- Laboratoire d'immunologie, Centre de recherche, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) – Hôpital Notre-Dame, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Shijie Qi
- Laboratoire d'immunologie, Centre de recherche, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) – Hôpital Notre-Dame, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Hongyu Luo
- Laboratoire d'immunologie, Centre de recherche, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) – Hôpital Notre-Dame, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jiangping Wu
- Laboratoire d'immunologie, Centre de recherche, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) – Hôpital Notre-Dame, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Service de néphrologie, Centre de recherche, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) – Hôpital Notre-Dame, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Effect of reduced EPHB4 expression in thymic epithelial cells on thymocyte development and peripheral T cell function. Mol Immunol 2013; 58:1-9. [PMID: 24246266 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2013.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2013] [Revised: 10/11/2013] [Accepted: 10/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The Eph kinase (EPH) and ephrin (EFN) families are involved in a broad range of developmental processes. Increasing evidence is demonstrating the important roles of EPHBs and EphrinBs in the immune system. In this study on epithelial cell-specific Ephb4 knockout (KO) mice, we investigated T-cell development and function after EPHB4 deletion. KO mice presented normal thymic weight and cellularity. Their thymocyte subpopulation percentages were in the normal range. KO mice had normal T-cell numbers and percentages in the spleen, and T cells were activated and proliferated normally upon TCR ligation. Furthermore, naïve spleen CD4 cells from KO and wild type mice were capable of differentiating, in a comparable manner, into Th1, Th17 and Treg cells. In vivo, KO mice mounted effective delayed type hypersensitivity responses, indicating that thymocytes develop normally in the absence of TEC EPHB4, and T cells derived from EPHB4-deleted thymic epithelian cells (TEC) have normal function. Our data suggest that heavy redundancy and promiscuous interaction between EPHs and EFNs compensate for the missing EPHB4 in TECs, and TEC EPHB4's role in T cell development might only be revealed if multiple EPHs are ablated simultaneously. We cannot exclude the possibility that (1) some immunological parameters not examined in this study are affected by the deletion; (2) the deletion is not complete due to the leaky Cre-LoxP system, and the remaining EPHB4 in TEC is sufficient for thymocyte development; or (3) EPHB4 expression in TEC is not required for T cell development and function.
Collapse
|
29
|
Cejalvo T, Munoz JJ, Tobajas E, Fanlo L, Alfaro D, García-Ceca J, Zapata A. Ephrin-B-dependent thymic epithelial cell-thymocyte interactions are necessary for correct T cell differentiation and thymus histology organization: relevance for thymic cortex development. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2013; 190:2670-81. [PMID: 23408838 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1201931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Previous analysis on the thymus of erythropoietin-producing hepatocyte kinases (Eph) B knockout mice and chimeras revealed that Eph-Eph receptor-interacting proteins (ephrins) are expressed both on T cells and thymic epithelial cells (TECs) and play a role in defining the thymus microenvironments. In the current study, we have used the Cre-LoxP system to selectively delete ephrin-B1 and/or ephrin-B2 in either thymocytes (EfnB1(thy/thy), EfnB2(thy/thy), and EfnB1(thy/thy)EfnB2(thy/thy) mice) or TECs (EfnB1(tec/tec), EfnB2(tec/tec), and EfnB1(tec/tec)EfnB2(tec/tec) mice) and determine the relevance of these Eph ligands in T cell differentiation and thymus histology. Our results indicate that ephrin-B1 and ephrin-B2 expressed on thymocytes play an autonomous role in T cell development and, expressed on TECs, their nonautonomous roles are partially overlapping. The effects of the lack of ephrin-B1 and/or ephrin-B2 on either thymocytes or TECs are more severe and specific on thymic epithelium, contribute to the cell intermingling necessary for thymus organization, and affect cortical TEC subpopulation phenotype and location. Moreover, ephrin-B1 and ephrin-B2 seem to be involved in the temporal appearance of distinct cortical TECs subsets defined by different Ly51 levels of expression on the ontogeny.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Cejalvo
- Cytometry and Fluorescence Microscopy Center, Complutense University, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Funk SD, Orr AW. Ephs and ephrins resurface in inflammation, immunity, and atherosclerosis. Pharmacol Res 2013; 67:42-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2012.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2012] [Revised: 10/04/2012] [Accepted: 10/10/2012] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
|
31
|
Abstract
After their development in the thymus, mature T cells are maintained in the periphery by two sets of survival signals, namely TCR signals from contact with self-peptide/MHC ligands and the cytokine receptor signals from binding IL-7 and IL-15. These signals cooperate to maximize the utility of finite resources to support a diverse pool of mature T cells. It is becoming increasingly clear that multiple mechanisms exist to regulate expression of IL-7R at the transcriptional and post-translational levels. The interplay between TCR signals and IL-7R signals are also important in regulation of IL-7R expression. This review will focus on regulation of T cell homeostasis by IL-7R signaling, with an emphasis on the cross talk between signals from TCR and IL-7R.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florent Carrette
- Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Charles D. Surh
- Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- WCU program, Division of IBB, POSTECH, Pohang, 790-784, Korea
| |
Collapse
|