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Kundra S, Kaur R, Pasricha C, Kumari P, Gurjeet Singh T, Singh R. Pathological insights into activin A: Molecular underpinnings and therapeutic prospects in various diseases. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 139:112709. [PMID: 39032467 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Activin A (Act A) is a member of the TGFβ (transforming growth factor β) superfamily. It communicates via the Suppressor of Mothers against Decapentaplegic Homolog (SMAD2/3) proteins which govern processes such as cell proliferation, wound healing, apoptosis, and metabolism. Act A produces its action by attaching to activin receptor type IIA (ActRIIA) or activin receptor type IIB (ActRIIB). Increasing circulating Act A increases ActRII signalling, which on phosphorylation initiates the ALK4 (activin receptor-like kinase 4) type 1 receptor which further turns on the SMAD pathway and hinders cell functioning. Once triggered, this route leads to gene transcription, differentiation, apoptosis, and extracellular matrix (ECM) formation. Act A also governs the immunological and inflammatory responses of the body, as well as cell death. Moreover, Act A levels have been observed to elevate in several disorders like renal fibrosis, CKD, asthma, NAFLD, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, inflammatory conditions etc. Here, we provide an update on the recent studies relevant to the role of Act A in the modulation of various pathological disorders, giving an overview of the biology of Act A and its signalling pathways, and discuss the possibility of incorporating activin-A targeting as a novel therapeutic approach for the control of various disorders. Pathways such as SMAD signaling, in which SMAD moves to the nucleus by making a complex and leads to tissue fibrosis in CKD, STAT3, which drives renal fibroblast activity and the production of ECM, Kidney injury molecule (KIM-1) in the synthesis, deposition of ECM proteins, SERCA2a (sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase) in cardiac dysfunction, and NF-κB (Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) in inflammation are involved in Act A signaling, have also been discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sejal Kundra
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab, India
| | - Rupinder Kaur
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab, India
| | - Chirag Pasricha
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab, India
| | - Pratima Kumari
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab, India
| | | | - Ravinder Singh
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab, India.
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Nieuwenhuizen NE, Nouailles G, Sutherland JS, Zyla J, Pasternack AH, Heyckendorf J, Frye BC, Höhne K, Zedler U, Bandermann S, Abu Abed U, Brinkmann V, Gutbier B, Witzenrath M, Suttorp N, Zissel G, Lange C, Ritvos O, Kaufmann SHE. Activin A levels are raised during human tuberculosis and blockade of the activin signaling axis influences murine responses to M. tuberculosis infection. mBio 2024; 15:e0340823. [PMID: 38376260 PMCID: PMC10936190 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03408-23] [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: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Activin A strongly influences immune responses; yet, few studies have examined its role in infectious diseases. We measured serum activin A levels in two independent tuberculosis (TB) patient cohorts and in patients with pneumonia and sarcoidosis. Serum activin A levels were increased in TB patients compared to healthy controls, including those with positive tuberculin skin tests, and paralleled severity of disease, assessed by X-ray scores. In pneumonia patients, serum activin A levels were also raised, but in sarcoidosis patients, levels were lower. To determine whether blockade of the activin A signaling axis could play a functional role in TB, we harnessed a soluble activin type IIB receptor fused to human IgG1 Fc, ActRIIB-Fc, as a ligand trap in a murine TB model. The administration of ActRIIB-Fc to Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected mice resulted in decreased bacterial loads and increased numbers of CD4 effector T cells and tissue-resident memory T cells in the lung. Increased frequencies of tissue-resident memory T cells corresponded with downregulated T-bet expression in lung CD4 and CD8 T cells. Altogether, the results suggest a disease-exacerbating role of ActRIIB signaling pathways. Serum activin A may be useful as a biomarker for diagnostic triage of active TB or monitoring of anti-tuberculosis therapy. IMPORTANCE Tuberculosis remains the leading cause of death by a bacterial pathogen. The etiologic agent of tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, can remain dormant in the infected host for years before causing disease. Significant effort has been made to identify biomarkers that can discriminate between latently infected and actively diseased individuals. We found that serum levels of the cytokine activin A were associated with increased lung pathology and could discriminate between active tuberculosis and tuberculin skin-test-positive healthy controls. Activin A signals through the ActRIIB receptor, which can be blocked by administration of the ligand trap ActRIIB-Fc, a soluble activin type IIB receptor fused to human IgG1 Fc. In a murine model of tuberculosis, we found that ActRIIB-Fc treatment reduced mycobacterial loads. Strikingly, ActRIIB-Fc treatment significantly increased the number of tissue-resident memory T cells. These results suggest a role for ActRIIB signaling pathways in host responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and activin A as a biomarker of ongoing disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie E. Nieuwenhuizen
- Department of Immunology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Chariteplatz, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Geraldine Nouailles
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jayne S. Sutherland
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Joanna Zyla
- Department of Data Science and Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland
| | - Arja H. Pasternack
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jan Heyckendorf
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Björn C. Frye
- Department of Pneumology, Clinic, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Kerstin Höhne
- Department of Pneumology, Clinic, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ulrike Zedler
- Department of Immunology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Chariteplatz, Berlin, Germany
| | - Silke Bandermann
- Department of Immunology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Chariteplatz, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulrike Abu Abed
- Microscopy Core Facility, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Chariteplatz, Berlin, Germany
| | - Volker Brinkmann
- Microscopy Core Facility, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Chariteplatz, Berlin, Germany
| | - Birgitt Gutbier
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Witzenrath
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- CAPNETZ STIFTUNG, Hannover, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Berlin, Germany
| | - Norbert Suttorp
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- CAPNETZ STIFTUNG, Hannover, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Berlin, Germany
| | - Gernot Zissel
- Department of Pneumology, Clinic, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Lange
- Division of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
- Respiratory Medicine and International Health, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
- Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children´s Hospital, Global TB Program, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Olli Ritvos
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Stefan H. E. Kaufmann
- Department of Immunology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Chariteplatz, Berlin, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Emeritus Group Systems Immunology, Göttingen, Germany
- Hagler Institute for Advanced Study, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - the CAPNETZ Study group
- Department of Immunology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Chariteplatz, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
- Department of Data Science and Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
- Department of Pneumology, Clinic, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Microscopy Core Facility, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Chariteplatz, Berlin, Germany
- CAPNETZ STIFTUNG, Hannover, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Berlin, Germany
- Division of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
- Respiratory Medicine and International Health, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
- Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children´s Hospital, Global TB Program, Houston, Texas, USA
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Emeritus Group Systems Immunology, Göttingen, Germany
- Hagler Institute for Advanced Study, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - the DZIF TB study group
- Department of Immunology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Chariteplatz, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
- Department of Data Science and Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
- Department of Pneumology, Clinic, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Microscopy Core Facility, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Chariteplatz, Berlin, Germany
- CAPNETZ STIFTUNG, Hannover, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Berlin, Germany
- Division of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
- Respiratory Medicine and International Health, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
- Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children´s Hospital, Global TB Program, Houston, Texas, USA
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Emeritus Group Systems Immunology, Göttingen, Germany
- Hagler Institute for Advanced Study, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
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Richardson L, Wilcockson SG, Guglielmi L, Hill CS. Context-dependent TGFβ family signalling in cell fate regulation. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:876-894. [PMID: 37596501 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00638-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
The transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) family are a large group of evolutionarily conserved cytokines whose signalling modulates cell fate decision-making across varying cellular contexts at different stages of life. Here we discuss new findings in early embryos that reveal how, in contrast to our original understanding of morphogen interpretation, robust cell fate specification can originate from a noisy combination of signalling inputs and a broad range of signalling levels. We compare this evidence with novel findings on the roles of TGFβ family signalling in tissue maintenance and homeostasis during juvenile and adult life, spanning the skeletal, haemopoietic and immune systems. From these comparisons, it emerges that in contrast to robust developing systems, relatively small perturbations in TGFβ family signalling have detrimental effects at later stages in life, leading to aberrant cell fate specification and disease, for example in cancer or congenital disorders. Finally, we highlight novel strategies to target and amend dysfunction in signalling and discuss how gleaning knowledge from different fields of biology can help in the development of therapeutics for aberrant TGFβ family signalling in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Richardson
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Scott G Wilcockson
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Luca Guglielmi
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Division of Cell Biology, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Caroline S Hill
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
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Classical monocyte-derived macrophages as therapeutic targets of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells: comparison of intratracheal and intravenous administration in a mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis. Respir Res 2023; 24:68. [PMID: 36870972 PMCID: PMC9985859 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-023-02357-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrotic lung disease that has no cure. Although mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been reported to ameliorate lung inflammation and fibrosis in mouse models, their mechanisms of action remain unknown. Therefore, we aimed to determine the changes in various immune cells, especially macrophages and monocytes, involved in the effects of MSC treatment on pulmonary fibrosis. METHODS We collected and analyzed explanted lung tissues and blood from patients with IPF who underwent lung transplantation. After establishing a pulmonary fibrosis model via the intratracheal administration of bleomycin (BLM) to 8-week-old mice, MSCs derived from human umbilical cords were administered intravenously or intratracheally on day 10 and the lungs were immunologically analyzed on days 14 and 21. Flow cytometry was performed to analyze the immune cell characteristics, and gene expression levels were examined using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS In the histological analysis of explanted human lung tissues, the terminally fibrotic areas contained a larger number of macrophages and monocytes than the early fibrotic areas of the lungs. When human monocyte-derived macrophages (MoMs) were stimulated with interleukin-13 in vitro, the expression of type 2 macrophage (M2) markers was more prominent in MoMs from the classical monocyte subset than in those from intermediate or non-classical monocyte subsets, and MSCs suppressed M2 marker expression independent of MoM subsets. In the mouse model, the increased number of inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and the degree of lung fibrosis observed in BLM-treated mice were significantly reduced by MSC treatment, which tended to be more prominent with intravenous administration than intratracheal administration. Both M1 and M2 MoMs were upregulated in BLM-treated mice. The M2c subset of M2 MoMs was significantly reduced by MSC treatment. Among M2 MoMs, M2 MoMs derived from Ly6C+ monocytes were most effectively regulated by the intravenous administration, not intratracheal administration, of MSCs. CONCLUSIONS Inflammatory classical monocytes may play a role in lung fibrosis in human IPF and BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Intravenous rather than intratracheal administration of MSCs may ameliorate pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting monocyte differentiation into M2 macrophages.
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Ganjoo S, Puebla-Osorio N, Nanez S, Hsu E, Voss T, Barsoumian H, Duong LK, Welsh JW, Cortez MA. Bone morphogenetic proteins, activins, and growth and differentiation factors in tumor immunology and immunotherapy resistance. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1033642. [PMID: 36353620 PMCID: PMC9638036 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1033642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The TGF-β superfamily is a group of secreted polypeptides with key roles in exerting and regulating a variety of physiologic effects, especially those related to cell signaling, growth, development, and differentiation. Although its central member, TGF-β, has been extensively reviewed, other members of the family-namely bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), activins, and growth and differentiation factors (GDFs)-have not been as thoroughly investigated. Moreover, although the specific roles of TGF-β signaling in cancer immunology and immunotherapy resistance have been extensively reported, little is known of the roles of BMPs, activins, and GDFs in these domains. This review focuses on how these superfamily members influence key immune cells in cancer progression and resistance to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Maria Angelica Cortez
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
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Staudacher JJ, Arnold A, Kühl AA, Pötzsch M, Daum S, Winterfeld M, Berg E, Hummel M, Rau B, Stein U, Treese C. Prognostic impact of activin subunit inhibin beta A in gastric and esophageal adenocarcinomas. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:953. [PMID: 36064338 PMCID: PMC9446826 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-10016-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Adenocarcinomas of the esophagus (AEG) and stomach (AS) are among the most common cancers worldwide. Novel markers for risk stratification and guiding treatment are strongly needed. Activin is a multi-functional cytokine with context specific pro- and anti-tumorigenic effects. We aimed to investigate the prognostic role of activin tumor protein expression in AEG/ASs. METHODS Tissue from a retrospective cohort of 277 patients with AEG/AS treated primarily by surgery at the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin was collected and analyzed by immunohistochemistry using a specific antibody to the activin homodimer inhibin beta A. Additionally, we evaluated T-cell infiltration and PD1 expression as well as expression of PD-L1 by immunohistochemistry as possible confounding factors. Clinico-pathologic data were collected and correlated with activin protein expression. RESULTS Out of 277 tumor samples, 72 (26.0%) exhibited high activin subunit inhibin beta A protein expression. Higher expression was correlated with lower Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) stage and longer overall survival. Interestingly, activin subunit expression correlated with CD4+ T-cell infiltration, and the correlation with higher overall survival was exclusively seen in tumors with high CD4+ T-cell infiltration, pointing towards a role of activin in the tumor immune response in AEG/ASs. CONCLUSION In our cohort of AEG/AS, higher activin subunit levels were correlated with longer overall survival, an effect exclusively seen in tumors with high CD4+ cell infiltration. Further mechanistic research is warranted discerning the exact effect of this context specific cytokine.
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Affiliation(s)
- J J Staudacher
- Medical Department, Division of Gastroenterology, Infectious Diseases and Rheumatology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany.
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Alexander Arnold
- Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - A A Kühl
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, iPATH.Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
| | - M Pötzsch
- Medical Department, Division of Gastroenterology, Infectious Diseases and Rheumatology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
| | - S Daum
- Medical Department, Division of Gastroenterology, Infectious Diseases and Rheumatology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - M Winterfeld
- Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - E Berg
- Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - M Hummel
- Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - B Rau
- Department of Surgery, Campus Virchow-Klinikum and Campus Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - U Stein
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin and Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - C Treese
- Medical Department, Division of Gastroenterology, Infectious Diseases and Rheumatology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
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Li F, Long Y, Yu X, Tong Y, Gong L. Different Immunoregulation Roles of Activin A Compared With TGF-β. Front Immunol 2022; 13:921366. [PMID: 35774793 PMCID: PMC9237220 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.921366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Activin A, a critical member of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily, is a pluripotent factor involved in allergies, autoimmune diseases, cancers and other diseases with immune disorder. Similar to its family member, TGF-β, activin A also transmits signals through SMAD2/SMAD3, however, they bind to distinct receptors. Recent studies have uncovered that activin A plays a pivotal role in both innate and adaptive immune systems. Here we mainly focus its effects on activation, differentiation, proliferation and function of cells which are indispensable in the immune system and meanwhile make some comparisons with those of TGF-β.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanglin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yiru Long
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolu Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yongliang Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Likun Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, China
- *Correspondence: Likun Gong,
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Cancer Cachexia and Antitumor Immunity: Common Mediators and Potential Targets for New Therapies. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12060880. [PMID: 35743911 PMCID: PMC9225288 DOI: 10.3390/life12060880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Cancer cachexia syndrome (CCS) is a multifactorial metabolic syndrome affecting a significant proportion of patients. CCS is characterized by progressive weight loss, alterations of body composition and a systemic inflammatory status, which exerts a major impact on the host’s innate and adaptive immunity. Over the last few years, the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) transformed the treatment landscape for a wide spectrum of malignancies, creating an unprecedented opportunity for long term remissions in a significant subset of patients. Early clinical data indicate that CCS adversely impairs treatment outcomes of patients receiving ICIs. We herein reviewed existing evidence on the potential links between the mechanisms that promote the catabolic state in CCS and those that impair the antitumor immune response. We show that the biological mediators and processes leading to the development of CCS may also participate in the modulation and the sustainment of an immune suppressive tumor microenvironment and impaired anti-tumor immunity. Moreover, we demonstrate that the deregulation of the host’s metabolic homeostasis in cancer cachexia is associated with resistance to ICIs. Further research on the interrelation between cancer cachexia and anti-tumor immunity is required for the effective management of resistance to immunotherapy in this specific but large subgroup of ICI treated individuals.
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Pinjusic K, Dubey OA, Egorova O, Nassiri S, Meylan E, Faget J, Constam DB. Activin-A impairs CD8 T cell-mediated immunity and immune checkpoint therapy response in melanoma. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-004533. [PMID: 35580932 PMCID: PMC9125758 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Activin-A, a transforming growth factor β family member, is secreted by many cancer types and is often associated with poor disease prognosis. Previous studies have shown that Activin-A expression can promote cancer progression and reduce the intratumoral frequency of cytotoxic T cells. However, the underlying mechanisms and the significance of Activin-A expression for cancer therapies are unclear. Methods We analyzed the expression of the Activin-A encoding gene INHBA in melanoma patients and the influence of its gain- or loss-of-function on the immune infiltration and growth of BRAF-driven YUMM3.3 and iBIP2 mouse melanoma grafts and in B16 models. Using antibody depletion strategies, we investigated the dependence of Activin-A tumor-promoting effect on different immune cells. Immune-regulatory effects of Activin-A were further characterized in vitro and by an adoptive transfer of T cells. Finally, we assessed INHBA expression in melanoma patients who received immune checkpoint therapy and tested whether it impairs the response in preclinical models. Results We show that Activin-A secretion by melanoma cells inhibits adaptive antitumor immunity irrespective of BRAF status by inhibiting CD8+ T cell infiltration indirectly and even independently of CD4 T cells, at least in part by attenuating the production of CXCL9/10 by myeloid cells. In addition, we show that Activin-A/INHBA expression correlates with anti-PD1 therapy resistance in melanoma patients and impairs the response to dual anti-cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte associated protein 4/anti-PD1 treatment in preclinical models. Conclusions Our findings suggest that strategies interfering with Activin-A induced immune-regulation offer new therapeutic opportunities to overcome CD8 T cell exclusion and immunotherapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Pinjusic
- School of Life Sciences (SV), ISREC, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Andreas Dubey
- School of Life Sciences (SV), ISREC, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olga Egorova
- School of Life Sciences (SV), ISREC, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sina Nassiri
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Etienne Meylan
- School of Life Sciences (SV), ISREC, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Bordet Cancer Research Laboratories, Institut Jules Bordet, Faculty of Medicine, and Laboratory of Immunobiology, Faculty of Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Julien Faget
- School of Life Sciences (SV), ISREC, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Equipe Immunity and Cancer IRCM, INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
| | - Daniel Beat Constam
- School of Life Sciences (SV), ISREC, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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10
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Nahalka J. Theoretical Analysis of S, M and N Structural Proteins by the Protein-RNA Recognition Code Leads to Genes/proteins that Are Relevant to the SARS-CoV-2 Life Cycle and Pathogenesis. Front Genet 2021; 12:763995. [PMID: 34659373 PMCID: PMC8511677 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.763995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In this conceptual review, based on the protein-RNA recognition code, some theoretical sequences were detected in the spike (S), membrane (M) and capsid (N) proteins that may post-transcriptionally regulate the host genes/proteins in immune homeostasis, pulmonary epithelial tissue homeostasis, and lipid homeostasis. According to the review of literature, the spectrum of identified genes/proteins shows that the virus promotes IL1α/β-IL1R1 signaling (type 1 immunity) and immunity defense against helminths and venoms (type 2 immunity). In the alteration of homeostasis in the pulmonary epithelial tissue, the virus blocks the function of cilia and the molecular programs that are involved in wound healing (EMT and MET). Additionally, the protein-RNA recognition method described here identifies compatible sequences in the S1A-domain for the post-transcriptional promotion of PIKFYVE, which is one of the critical factors for SARS-CoV-2 entry to the host cell, and for the post-transcriptional repression of xylulokinase XYLB. A decrease in XYLB product (Xu5P) in plasma was proposed as one of the potential metabolomics biomarkers of COVID-19. In summary, the protein-RNA recognition code leads to protein genes relevant to the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle and pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jozef Nahalka
- Institute of Chemistry, Centre for Glycomics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Institute of Chemistry, Centre of Excellence for White-green Biotechnology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Nitra, Slovakia
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11
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Morianos I, Tsitsopoulou A, Potaris K, Valakos D, Fari O, Vatsellas G, Bostantzoglou C, Photiades A, Gaga M, Xanthou G, Semitekolou M. Activin-A impedes the establishment of CD4 + T cell exhaustion and enhances anti-tumor immunity in the lung. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2021; 40:295. [PMID: 34548096 PMCID: PMC8454162 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-02092-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Background Although tumor-infiltrating T cells represent a favorable prognostic marker for cancer patients, the majority of these cells are rendered with an exhausted phenotype. Hence, there is an unmet need to identify factors which can reverse this dysfunctional profile and restore their anti-tumorigenic potential. Activin-A is a pleiotropic cytokine, exerting a broad range of pro- or anti-inflammatory functions in different disease contexts, including allergic and autoimmune disorders and cancer. Given that activin-A exhibits a profound effect on CD4+ T cells in the airways and is elevated in lung cancer patients, we hypothesized that activin-A can effectively regulate anti-tumor immunity in lung cancer. Methods To evaluate the effects of activin-A in the context of lung cancer, we utilized the OVA-expressing Lewis Lung Carcinoma mouse model as well as the B16F10 melanoma model of pulmonary metastases. The therapeutic potential of activin-A-treated lung tumor-infiltrating CD4+ T cells was evaluated in adoptive transfer experiments, using CD4−/−-tumor bearing mice as recipients. In a reverse approach, we disrupted activin-A signaling on CD4+ T cells using an inducible model of CD4+ T cell-specific knockout of activin-A type I receptor. RNA-Sequencing analysis was performed to assess the transcriptional signature of these cells and the molecular mechanisms which mediate activin-A’s function. In a translational approach, we validated activin-A’s anti-tumorigenic properties using primary human tumor-infiltrating CD4+ T cells from lung cancer patients. Results Administration of activin-A in lung tumor-bearing mice attenuated disease progression, an effect associated with heightened ratio of infiltrating effector to regulatory CD4+ T cells. Therapeutic transfer of lung tumor-infiltrating activin-A-treated CD4+ T cells, delayed tumor progression in CD4−/− recipients and enhanced T cell-mediated immunity. CD4+ T cells genetically unresponsive to activin-A, failed to elicit effective anti-tumor properties and displayed an exhausted molecular signature governed by the transcription factors Tox and Tox2. Of translational importance, treatment of activin-A on tumor-infiltrating CD4+ T cells from lung cancer patients augmented their immunostimulatory capacity towards autologous CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Conclusions In this study, we introduce activin-A as a novel immunomodulatory factor in the lung tumor microenvironment, which bestows exhausted CD4+ T cells with effector properties. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-021-02092-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Morianos
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA), 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Tsitsopoulou
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA), 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Potaris
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Athens Chest Hospital 'Sotiria', 11527, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Ourania Fari
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA), 11527, Athens, Greece.,Present address: Department of Medicine I, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Institute of Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Andreas Photiades
- 7th Respiratory Medicine Department and Asthma Center, Athens Chest Hospital 'Sotiria', 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Mina Gaga
- 7th Respiratory Medicine Department and Asthma Center, Athens Chest Hospital 'Sotiria', 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Georgina Xanthou
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA), 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Semitekolou
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA), 11527, Athens, Greece.
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12
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Park SC, Shim D, Kim H, Bak Y, Choi DY, Yoon JH, Kim CH, Shin SJ. Fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3-Independent Dendritic Cells Are Major Mediators of Th2 Immune Responses in Allergen-Induced Asthmatic Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249508. [PMID: 33327561 PMCID: PMC7765069 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) are the main mediators of Th2 immune responses in allergic asthma, and Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L) is an important growth factor for the development and homeostasis of DCs. This study identified the DC populations that primarily cause the initiation and development of allergic lung inflammation using Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (Flt3) knockout (KO) mice with allergen-induced allergic asthma. We observed type 2 allergic lung inflammation with goblet cell hyperplasia in Flt3 KO mice, despite a significant reduction in total DCs, particularly CD103+ DCs, which was barely detected. In addition, bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) from Flt3 KO mice directed Th2 immune responses in vitro, and the adoptive transfer of these BMDCs exacerbated allergic asthma with more marked Th2 responses than that of BMDCs from wild-type (WT) mice. Furthermore, we found that Flt3L regulated the in vitro expression of OX40 ligand (OX40L) in DCs, which is correlated with DC phenotype in in vivo models. In conclusion, we revealed that Flt3-independent CD11b+ DCs direct Th2 responses with the elevated OX40L and are the primary cause of allergic asthma. Our findings suggest that Flt3 is required to control type 2 allergic inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Chul Park
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul 07441, Korea;
| | - Dahee Shim
- Department of Microbiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea; (D.S.); (H.K.); (Y.B.)
| | - Hongmin Kim
- Department of Microbiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea; (D.S.); (H.K.); (Y.B.)
- Brain Korea 21 Program for Leading Universities and Students (PLUS) Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Yeeun Bak
- Department of Microbiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea; (D.S.); (H.K.); (Y.B.)
- Brain Korea 21 Program for Leading Universities and Students (PLUS) Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Da Yeon Choi
- Hallym University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Chuncheon 24252, Korea;
| | - Joo-Heon Yoon
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea;
- Global Research Laboratory for Allergic Airway Diseases, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
- The Airway Mucus Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Chang-Hoon Kim
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea;
- The Airway Mucus Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
- Correspondence: (C.-H.K.); (S.J.S.); Tel.: +82-2-2228-3609 (C.-H.K.); +82-2-2228-1813 (S.J.S.)
| | - Sung Jae Shin
- Brain Korea 21 Program for Leading Universities and Students (PLUS) Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
- Global Research Laboratory for Allergic Airway Diseases, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
- Department of Microbiology, Institute for Immunology and Immunological Diseases, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
- Correspondence: (C.-H.K.); (S.J.S.); Tel.: +82-2-2228-3609 (C.-H.K.); +82-2-2228-1813 (S.J.S.)
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13
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Sconocchia T, Hochgerner M, Schwarzenberger E, Tam-Amersdorfer C, Borek I, Benezeder T, Bauer T, Zyulina V, Painsi C, Passegger C, Wolf P, Sibilia M, Strobl H. Bone morphogenetic protein signaling regulates skin inflammation via modulating dendritic cell function. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2020; 147:1810-1822.e9. [PMID: 33250156 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2020.09.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are members of the TGF-β family that signal via the BMP receptor (BMPR) signaling cascade, distinct from canonical TGF-β signaling. BMP downstream signaling is strongly induced within epidermal keratinocytes in cutaneous psoriatic lesions, and BMP7 instructs monocytic cells to acquire characteristics of psoriasis-associated Langerhans dendritic cells (DCs). Regulatory T (Treg)-cell numbers strongly increase during psoriatic skin inflammation and were recently shown to limit psoriatic skin inflammation. However, the factors mediating Treg-cell accumulation in psoriatic skin currently remain unknown. OBJECTIVE We sought to investigate the role of BMP signaling in Treg-cell accumulation in psoriasis. METHODS The following methods were used: immunohistology of patients and healthy controls; ex vivo models of Treg-cell generation in the presence or absence of Langerhans cells; analysis of BMP versus canonical TGF-β signaling in DCs and Treg cells; and modeling of psoriatic skin inflammation in mice lacking the BMPR type 1a in CD11c+ cells. RESULTS We here demonstrated a positive correlation between Treg-cell numbers and epidermal BMP7 expression in cutaneous psoriatic lesions and show that unlike Treg cells from healthy skin, a portion of inflammation-associated Treg cells exhibit constitutive-active BMP signaling. We further found that BMPR signaling licenses inflammation-associated Langerhans cell/DC to gain an enhanced capacity to promote Treg cells via BMPR-mediated CD25 induction and that this effect is associated with reduced skin inflammation. CONCLUSIONS Psoriatic lesions are marked by constitutive high BMP7/BMPR signaling in keratinocytes, which instructs inflammatory DCs to gain enhanced Treg-cell-stimulatory activity. Locally secreted BMP7 can directly promote Treg-cell generation through the BMP signaling cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Sconocchia
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Immunology and Pathophysiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Mathias Hochgerner
- Institute of Cancer Research, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Elke Schwarzenberger
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Immunology and Pathophysiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Carmen Tam-Amersdorfer
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Immunology and Pathophysiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Izabela Borek
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Immunology and Pathophysiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Theresa Benezeder
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Thomas Bauer
- Institute of Cancer Research, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Victoria Zyulina
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Immunology and Pathophysiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Clemens Painsi
- Department of Dermatology, State Hospital Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt, Austria
| | - Christina Passegger
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Immunology and Pathophysiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Peter Wolf
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Maria Sibilia
- Institute of Cancer Research, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Herbert Strobl
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Immunology and Pathophysiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
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14
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Kariyawasam HH. Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps: mechanistic insights from targeting IL-4 and IL-13 via IL-4Rα inhibition with dupilumab. Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2020; 16:1115-1125. [PMID: 33148074 DOI: 10.1080/1744666x.2021.1847083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a complex immunological upper airway disease . CRSwNP, particularly in Caucasians, often has a more distinct T2 inflammatory endotype. IL-4 and IL-13 are key upstream cytokines that help establish and sustain T2 inflammation as well as strongly influencing tissue remodeling. They have a shared signaling receptor IL-4Rα. An attractive and novel therapeutic approach is by way of blocking IL-4 and IL-13 simultaneously via inhibiting IL-4Rα. Dupilumab is a murine derived fully human monoclonal inhibitory antibody directed against IL-4Rα which thereby prevents IL-4/IL-13 cell signaling. Following successful Phase 3 studies dupilumab has become the first licensed biologic for treating CRSwNP. Areas covered: This review covers the essential immunology of CRSwNP in the context of IL-4 and IL-13 signaling via IL-4Rα. The potential mechanisms by which therapeutic improvements occur with dupilumab are evaluated. IL-4, IL-13, dupilumab and rhinosinusitis were used as the search terms in PubMed and Google Scholar through to August 2020. Expert commentary: Dupilumab has the potential to transform the care for patients with CRSwNP. It is essential that further studies are conducted promptly to identify disease-specific biomarkers and clinical traits to guide clinicians on best patient selection thereby ensuring optimal dupilumab outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harsha H Kariyawasam
- Rhinology Section, Specialist Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Royal National ENT Hospital, London University College London Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, University College London , London, UK
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15
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Morianos I, Semitekolou M. Dendritic Cells: Critical Regulators of Allergic Asthma. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21217930. [PMID: 33114551 PMCID: PMC7663753 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21217930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Allergic asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), chronic airway inflammation, and excessive T helper (Th) type 2 immune responses against harmless airborne allergens. Dendritic cells (DCs) represent the most potent antigen-presenting cells of the immune system that act as a bridge between innate and adaptive immunity. Pertinent to allergic asthma, distinct DC subsets are known to play a central role in initiating and maintaining allergen driven Th2 immune responses in the airways. Nevertheless, seminal studies have demonstrated that DCs can also restrain excessive asthmatic responses and thus contribute to the resolution of allergic airway inflammation and the maintenance of pulmonary tolerance. Notably, the transfer of tolerogenic DCs in vivo suppresses Th2 allergic responses and protects or even reverses established allergic airway inflammation. Thus, the identification of novel DC subsets that possess immunoregulatory properties and can efficiently control aberrant asthmatic responses is critical for the re-establishment of tolerance and the amelioration of the asthmatic disease phenotype.
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16
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Wound Repair, Scar Formation, and Cancer: Converging on Activin. Trends Mol Med 2020; 26:1107-1117. [PMID: 32878730 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2020.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Wound repair is a highly regulated process that requires the interaction of various cell types. It has been shown that cancers use the mechanisms of wound healing to promote their own growth. Therefore, it is of importance to identify common regulators of wound repair and tumor formation and to unravel their functions and mechanisms of action. An exciting example is activin, which acts on multiple cell types in wounds and tumors, thereby promoting healing, but also scar formation and tumorigenesis. Here, we summarize current knowledge on the role of activin in these processes and highlight the therapeutic potential of activin or activin antagonists for the treatment of impaired healing or excessive scarring and cancer, respectively.
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17
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Whiley PAF, O'Donnell L, Moody SC, Handelsman DJ, Young JC, Richards EA, Almstrup K, Western PS, Loveland KL. Activin A Determines Steroid Levels and Composition in the Fetal Testis. Endocrinology 2020; 161:5818588. [PMID: 32274496 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Activin A promotes fetal mouse testis development, including driving Sertoli cell proliferation and cord morphogenesis, but its mechanisms of action are undefined. We performed ribonucleic acid sequencing (RNA-seq) on testicular somatic cells from fetal activin A-deficient mice (Inhba KO) and wildtype littermates at embryonic day (E) E13.5 and E15.5. Analysis of whole gonads provided validation, and cultures with a pathway inhibitor discerned acute from chronic effects of altered activin A bioactivity. Activin A deficiency predominantly affects the Sertoli cell transcriptome. New candidate targets include Minar1, Sel1l3, Vnn1, Sfrp4, Masp1, Nell1, Tthy1 and Prss12. Importantly, the testosterone (T) biosynthetic enzymes present in fetal Sertoli cells, Hsd17b1 and Hsd17b3, were identified as activin-responsive. Activin-deficient testes contained elevated androstenedione (A4), displayed an Inhba gene dose-dependent A4/T ratio, and contained 11-keto androgens. The remarkable accumulation of lipid droplets in both Sertoli and germ cells at E15.5 indicated impaired lipid metabolism in the absence of activin A. This demonstrated for the first time that activin A acts on Sertoli cells to determine local steroid production during fetal testis development. These outcomes reveal how compounds that perturb fetal steroidogenesis can function through cell-specific mechanisms and can indicate how altered activin levels in utero may impact testis development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penny A F Whiley
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Liza O'Donnell
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sarah C Moody
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Julia C Young
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Elizabeth A Richards
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kristian Almstrup
- Department of Growth and Reproduction and International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Patrick S Western
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kate L Loveland
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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18
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Activin-A limits Th17 pathogenicity and autoimmune neuroinflammation via CD39 and CD73 ectonucleotidases and Hif1-α-dependent pathways. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:12269-12280. [PMID: 32409602 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1918196117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In multiple sclerosis (MS), Th17 cells are critical drivers of autoimmune central nervous system (CNS) inflammation and demyelination. Th17 cells exhibit functional heterogeneity fostering both pathogenic and nonpathogenic, tissue-protective functions. Still, the factors that control Th17 pathogenicity remain incompletely defined. Here, using experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an established mouse MS model, we report that therapeutic administration of activin-A ameliorates disease severity and alleviates CNS immunopathology and demyelination, associated with decreased activation of Th17 cells. In fact, activin-A signaling through activin-like kinase-4 receptor represses pathogenic transcriptional programs in Th17-polarized cells, while it enhances antiinflammatory gene modules. Whole-genome profiling and in vivo functional studies revealed that activation of the ATP-depleting CD39 and CD73 ectonucleotidases is essential for activin-A-induced suppression of the pathogenic signature and the encephalitogenic functions of Th17 cells. Mechanistically, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, along with STAT3 and c-Maf, are recruited to promoter elements on Entpd1 and Nt5e (encoding CD39 and CD73, respectively) and other antiinflammatory genes, and control their expression in Th17 cells in response to activin-A. Notably, we show that activin-A negatively regulates the metabolic sensor, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, and key inflammatory proteins linked to pathogenic Th17 cell states. Of translational relevance, we demonstrate that activin-A is induced in the CNS of individuals with MS and restrains human Th17 cell responses. These findings uncover activin-A as a critical controller of Th17 cell pathogenicity that can be targeted for the suppression of autoimmune CNS inflammation.
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19
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Nono JK, Lutz MB, Brehm K. Expansion of Host Regulatory T Cells by Secreted Products of the Tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis. Front Immunol 2020; 11:798. [PMID: 32457746 PMCID: PMC7225322 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Alveolar echinococcosis (AE), caused by the metacestode larval stage of the fox-tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, is a chronic zoonosis associated with significant modulation of the host immune response. A role of regulatory T-cells (Treg) in generating an immunosuppressive environment around the metacestode during chronic disease has been reported, but the molecular mechanisms of Treg induction by E. multilocularis, particularly parasite immunoregulatory factors involved, remain elusive so far. Methodology/Principal Findings We herein demonstrate that excretory/secretory (E/S) products of the E. multilocularis metacestode promote the formation of Foxp3+ Treg from CD4+ T-cells in vitro in a TGF-β-dependent manner, given that this effect was abrogated by treatment with antibody to mammalian TGF-β. We also show that host T-cells secrete elevated levels of the immunosuppressive cytokine IL-10 in response to metacestode E/S products. Within the E/S fraction of the metacestode we identified an E. multilocularis activin A homolog (EmACT) that displays significant similarities to mammalian Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β/activin subfamily members. EmACT obtained from heterologous expression failed to directly induce Treg expansion from naïve T cells but required addition of recombinant host TGF-β to promote CD4+ Foxp3+ Treg conversion in vitro. Furthermore, like in the case of metacestode E/S products, EmACT-treated CD4+ T-cells secreted higher levels of IL-10. These observations suggest a contribution of EmACT to in vitro expansion of Foxp3+ Treg by the E. multilocularis metacestode. Using infection experiments we show that intraperitoneally injected metacestode tissue expands host Foxp3+ Treg, confirming the expansion of this cell type in vivo during parasite establishment. Conclusion/Significance In conclusion, we herein demonstrate that E. multilocularis larvae secrete factors that induce the secretion of IL-10 by T-cells and contribute to the expansion of TGF-b-driven Foxp3+ Treg, a cell type that has been reported crucial for generating a tolerogenic environment to support parasite establishment and proliferation. Among the E/S factors of the parasite we identified a factor with structural and functional homologies to mammalian activin A which might play an important role in these activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Komguep Nono
- Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Division of Immunology, Health Science Faculty, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- The Medical Research Centre, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plant Studies, Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Manfred B. Lutz
- Institute of Virology and Immunobiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Klaus Brehm
- Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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20
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Wu M, Gao L, He M, Liu H, Jiang H, Shi K, Shang R, Liu B, Gao S, Chen H, Gong F, Gelfand EW, Huang Y, Han J. Plasmacytoid dendritic cell deficiency in neonates enhances allergic airway inflammation via reduced production of IFN-α. Cell Mol Immunol 2019; 17:519-532. [PMID: 31853001 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-019-0333-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Allergic asthma, a chronic inflammatory airway disease associated with type 2 cytokines, often originates in early life. Immune responses at an early age exhibit a Th2 cell bias, but the precise mechanisms remain elusive. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), which play a regulatory role in allergic asthma, were shown to be deficient in neonatal mice. We report here that this pDC deficiency renders neonatal mice more susceptible to severe allergic airway inflammation than adult mice in an OVA-induced experimental asthma model. Adoptive transfer of pDCs or administration of IFN-α to neonatal mice prevented the development of allergic inflammation in wild type but not in IFNAR1-/- mice. Similarly, adult mice developed more severe allergic inflammation when pDCs were depleted. The protective effects of pDCs were mediated by the pDC-/IFN-α-mediated negative regulation of the secretion of epithelial cell-derived CCL20, GM-CSF, and IL-33, which in turn impaired the recruitment of cDC2 and ILC2 cells to the airway. In asthmatic patients, the percentage of pDCs and the level of IFN-α were lower in children than in adults. These results indicate that impairment of pDC-epithelial cell crosstalk in neonates is a susceptibility factor for the development of allergen-induced allergic airway inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Wu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Liuchuang Gao
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Miao He
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hangyu Liu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Han Jiang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ketai Shi
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Runshi Shang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bing Liu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shan Gao
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, Wuhan Central Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hebin Chen
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Wuhan Children's Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Feili Gong
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Erwin W Gelfand
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Pediatrics, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Yafei Huang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Junyan Han
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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21
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Kariyawasam HH, Gane SB. Allergen-induced asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis and transforming growth factor-β superfamily signaling: mechanisms and functional consequences. Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2019; 15:1155-1170. [PMID: 31549888 DOI: 10.1080/1744666x.2020.1672538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Often co-associated, asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) are complex heterogeneous disease syndromes. Severity in both is related to tissue inflammation and abnormal repair (termed remodeling). Understanding signaling factors that can modulate, integrate the activation, and regulation of such key processes together is increasingly important. The transforming growth factor (TGF)-β superfamily of ligands comprise a versatile system of immunomodulatory molecules that are gaining recognition as having an essential function in the immunopathogenesis of asthma. Early data suggest an important role in CRS as well. Abnormal or dysregulated signaling may contribute to disease pathogenesis and severity.Areas covered: The essential biology of this complex family of growth factors in relation to the excess inflammation and remodeling that occurs in allergic asthma and CRS is reviewed. The need to understand the integration of signaling pathways together is highlighted. Studies in human airway tissue are evaluated and only selected key animal models relevant to human disease discussed given the highly context-dependent signaling and function of these ligands.Expert opinion: Abnormal or dysregulated TGF-β superfamily signaling may be central to the excess inflammation and tissue remodeling in asthma, and possibly CRS. Therefore, the TGF-β superfamily signaling pathways represent an emerging and attractive therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harsha H Kariyawasam
- Department of Adult Specialist Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Royal National ENT Hospital, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,Department of Rhinology, Royal National ENT Hospital, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,University College London, London, UK
| | - Simon B Gane
- Department of Rhinology, Royal National ENT Hospital, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,University College London, London, UK
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22
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Zessner-Spitzenberg J, Thomas AL, Krett NL, Jung B. TGFβ and activin A in the tumor microenvironment in colorectal cancer. GENE REPORTS 2019; 17. [PMID: 32154442 DOI: 10.1016/j.genrep.2019.100501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Although overall survival in colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasing steadily due to progress in screening, therapeutic options and precise diagnostic tools remain scarce. As the understanding of CRC as a complex and multifactorial condition moves forward, the tumor microenvironment has come into focus as a source of diagnostic markers and potential therapeutic targets. The role of TGFβ in shifting the epithelial cancer compartment towards invasiveness and a pro-migratory phenotype via stromal signaling has been widely investigated. Accordingly, recent studies have proposed that CRC patients could be stratified into distinct subtypes and have identified one poor prognosis subset of CRC that is characterized by high stromal activity and elevated levels of TGFβ. The TGFβ superfamily member activin A is crucial for the pro-metastatic properties of the TGFβ pathway, yet it has been under-researched in CRC carcinogenesis. In this review, we will elucidate the signaling network and interdependency of both ligands in the context of the tumor microenvironment in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin Zessner-Spitzenberg
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Illinois Medical College, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.,Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090 Wien, Austria
| | - Alexandra L Thomas
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Illinois Medical College, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Nancy L Krett
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Illinois Medical College, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Barbara Jung
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Illinois Medical College, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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23
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Rautela J, Dagley LF, de Oliveira CC, Schuster IS, Hediyeh-Zadeh S, Delconte RB, Cursons J, Hennessy R, Hutchinson DS, Harrison C, Kita B, Vivier E, Webb AI, Degli-Esposti MA, Davis MJ, Huntington ND, Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes F. Therapeutic blockade of activin-A improves NK cell function and antitumor immunity. Sci Signal 2019; 12:12/596/eaat7527. [PMID: 31455725 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aat7527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that play a major role in immunosurveillance against tumor initiation and metastatic spread. The signals and checkpoints that regulate NK cell fitness and function in the tumor microenvironment are not well defined. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a suppressor of NK cells that inhibits interleukin-15 (IL-15)-dependent signaling events and increases the abundance of receptors that promote tissue residency. Here, we showed that NK cells express the type I activin receptor ALK4, which, upon binding to its ligand activin-A, phosphorylated SMAD2/3 to suppress IL-15-mediated NK cell metabolism. Activin-A impaired human and mouse NK cell proliferation and reduced the production of granzyme B to impair tumor killing. Similar to TGF-β, activin-A also induced SMAD2/3 phosphorylation and stimulated NK cells to increase their cell surface expression of several markers of ILC1 cells. Activin-A also induced these changes in TGF-β receptor-deficient NK cells, suggesting that activin-A and TGF-β stimulate independent pathways that drive SMAD2/3-mediated NK cell suppression. Last, inhibition of activin-A by follistatin substantially slowed orthotopic melanoma growth in mice. These data highlight the relevance of examining TGF-β-independent SMAD2/3 signaling mechanisms as a therapeutic axis to relieve NK cell suppression and promote antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jai Rautela
- Division of Molecular Immunology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Laura F Dagley
- Systems Biology and Personalized Medicine Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Carolina C de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Células Inflamatórias e Neoplásicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular, SCB, Centro Politecnico, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, CEP 81531-980, PR, Brazil
| | - Iona S Schuster
- Immunology and Virology Program, Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.,Centre for Experimental Immunology, Lions Eye Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Soroor Hediyeh-Zadeh
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology and Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Rebecca B Delconte
- Division of Molecular Immunology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Joseph Cursons
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology and Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Robert Hennessy
- Division of Molecular Immunology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Dana S Hutchinson
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Craig Harrison
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Badia Kita
- Paranta Biosciences Limited, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
| | - Eric Vivier
- Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Aix Marseille Université, Inserm, CNRS, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Andrew I Webb
- Systems Biology and Personalized Medicine Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Mariapia A Degli-Esposti
- Immunology and Virology Program, Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.,Centre for Experimental Immunology, Lions Eye Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Melissa J Davis
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology and Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Nicholas D Huntington
- Division of Molecular Immunology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Fernando Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes
- Division of Molecular Immunology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia. .,University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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24
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Activin-A in the regulation of immunity in health and disease. J Autoimmun 2019; 104:102314. [PMID: 31416681 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2019.102314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The TGF-β superfamily of cytokines plays pivotal roles in the regulation of immune responses protecting against or contributing to diseases, such as, allergy, autoimmunity and cancer. Activin-A, a member of the TGF-β superfamily, was initially identified as an inducer of follicle-stimulating hormone secretion. Extensive research over the past decades illuminated fundamental roles for activin-A in essential biologic processes, including embryonic development, stem cell maintenance and differentiation, haematopoiesis, cell proliferation and tissue fibrosis. Activin-A signals through two type I and two type II receptors which, upon ligand binding, activate their kinase activity, phosphorylate the SMAD2 and 3 intracellular signaling mediators that form a complex with SMAD4, translocate to the nucleus and activate or silence gene expression. Most immune cell types, including macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), T and B lymphocytes and natural killer cells have the capacity to produce and respond to activin-A, although not in a similar manner. In innate immune cells, including macrophages, DCs and neutrophils, activin-A exerts a broad range of pro- or anti-inflammatory functions depending on the cell maturation and activation status and the spatiotemporal context. Activin-A also controls the differentiation and effector functions of Th cell subsets, including Th9 cells, TFH cells, Tr1 Treg cells and Foxp3+ Treg cells. Moreover, activin-A affects B cell responses, enhancing mucosal IgA secretion and inhibiting pathogenic autoantibody production. Interestingly, an array of preclinical and clinical studies has highlighted crucial functions of activin-A in the initiation, propagation and resolution of human diseases, including autoimmune diseases, such as, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, in allergic disorders, including allergic asthma and atopic dermatitis, in cancer and in microbial infections. Here, we provide an overview of the biology of activin-A and its signaling pathways, summarize recent studies pertinent to the role of activin-A in the modulation of inflammation and immunity, and discuss the potential of targeting activin-A as a novel therapeutic approach for the control of inflammatory diseases.
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25
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Lis A, Wiley M, Vaughan J, Gray PC, Blader IJ. The Activin Receptor, Activin-Like Kinase 4, Mediates Toxoplasma Gondii Activation of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:36. [PMID: 30891432 PMCID: PMC6411701 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
To grow and cause disease, intracellular pathogens modulate host cell processes. Identifying these processes as well as the mechanisms used by the pathogens to manipulate them is important for the development of more effective therapeutics. As an example, the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii induces a wide variety of changes to its host cell, including altered membrane trafficking, cytoskeletal reorganization, and differential gene expression. Although several parasite molecules and their host targets have been identified that mediate- these changes, few are known to be required for parasite replication. One exception is the host cell transcription factor, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), which is required for parasite replication in an oxygen-dependent manner. Toxoplasma activates HIF-1 by stabilizing the HIF-1α subunit, and this is dependent on the signaling from the Activin-Like Kinase (ALK) receptor superfamily. Here, we demonstrate that specific overexpression of the ALK family member, ALK4, increased HIF-1 activity in Toxoplasma-infected cells, and this increase required ALK4 kinase activity. Moreover, Toxoplasma stimulated ALK4 to dimerize with its co-receptor, ActRII, and also increased ALK4 kinase activity, thereby demonstrating that Toxoplasma activates the ALK4 receptor. ALK4 activation of HIF-1 was independent of canonical SMAD signaling but rather was dependent on the non-canonical Rho GTPase and JNK MAP kinase signaling pathways. Finally, Toxoplasma increased rates of ALK4 ubiquitination and turnover. These data provide the first evidence indicating that ALK4 signaling is a target for a microbial pathogen to manipulate its host cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Lis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Mandi Wiley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | | | | | - Ira J Blader
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
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26
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Komai T, Okamura T, Inoue M, Yamamoto K, Fujio K. Reevaluation of Pluripotent Cytokine TGF-β3 in Immunity. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19082261. [PMID: 30071700 PMCID: PMC6121403 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19082261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor (TGF)-βs are pluripotent cytokines with stimulatory and inhibitory properties for multiple types of immune cells. Analyses of genetic knockouts of each isoform of TGF-β have revealed differing expression patterns and distinct roles for the three mammalian isoforms of TGF-β. Considerable effort has been focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms of TGF-β1-mediated immune regulation, given its pivotal role in prohibiting systemic autoimmune disease. In recent years, functional similarities and differences between the TGF-β isoforms have delineated their distinct roles in the development of immunopathology and immune tolerance, with increased recent attention being focused on TGF-β3. In addition to the characteristic properties of each TGF-β isoform, recent progress has identified determinants of context-dependent functionality, including various cellular targets, cytokine concentrations, tissue microenvironments, and cytokine synergy, which combine to shape the physiological and pathophysiological roles of the TGF-βs in immunity. Controlling TGF-β production and signaling is being tested as a novel therapeutic strategy in multiple clinical trials for several human diseases. This review highlights advances in the understanding of the cellular sources, activation processes, contextual determinants, and immunological roles of TGF-β3 with comparisons to other TGF-β isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshihiko Komai
- Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
| | - Tomohisa Okamura
- Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
- Department of Functional Genomics and Immunological Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
- Max Planck-The University of Tokyo Center for Integrative Inflammology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan.
| | - Mariko Inoue
- Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
| | - Kazuhiko Yamamoto
- Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
- Max Planck-The University of Tokyo Center for Integrative Inflammology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan.
- Laboratory for Autoimmune Diseases, Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, RIKEN, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan.
| | - Keishi Fujio
- Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
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27
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James RG, Reeves SR, Barrow KA, White MP, Glukhova VA, Haghighi C, Seyoum D, Debley JS. Deficient Follistatin-like 3 Secretion by Asthmatic Airway Epithelium Impairs Fibroblast Regulation and Fibroblast-to-Myofibroblast Transition. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2018; 59:104-113. [PMID: 29394092 PMCID: PMC6039878 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2017-0025oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) from healthy children inhibit human lung fibroblast (HLF) expression of collagen and fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition (FMT), whereas asthmatic BECs do so less effectively, suggesting that diminished epithelial-derived regulatory factors contribute to airway remodeling. Preliminary data demonstrated that secretion of the activin A inhibitor follistatin-like 3 (FSTL3) by healthy BECs was greater than that by asthmatic BECs. We sought to determine the relative secretion of FSTL3 and activin A by asthmatic and healthy BECs, and whether FSTL3 inhibits FMT. To quantify the abundance of the total proteome FSTL3 and activin A in supernatants of differentiated BEC cultures from healthy children and children with asthma, we performed mass spectrometry and ELISA. HLFs were cocultured with primary BECs and then HLF expression of collagen I and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was quantified by qPCR, and FMT was quantified by flow cytometry. Loss-of-function studies were conducted using lentivirus-delivered shRNA. Using mass spectrometry and ELISA results from larger cohorts, we found that FSTL3 concentrations were greater in media conditioned by healthy BECs compared with asthmatic BECs (4,012 vs. 2,553 pg/ml; P = 0.002), and in media conditioned by asthmatic BECs from children with normal lung function relative to those with airflow obstruction (FEV1/FVC ratio < 0.8; n = 9; 3,026 vs. 1,922 pg/ml; P = 0.04). shRNA depletion of FSTL3 in BECs (n = 8) increased HLF collagen I expression by 92% (P = 0.001) and α-SMA expression by 88% (P = 0.02), and increased FMT by flow cytometry in cocultured HLFs, whereas shRNA depletion of activin A (n = 6) resulted in decreased α-SMA (22%; P = 0.01) expression and decreased FMT. Together, these results indicate that deficient FSTL3 expression by asthmatic BECs impairs epithelial regulation of HLFs and FMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard G. James
- Department of Pediatrics
- Department of Pharmacology, and
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Stephen R. Reeves
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Seattle Children’s Hospital, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; and
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Kaitlyn A. Barrow
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Maria P. White
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Veronika A. Glukhova
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Candace Haghighi
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Dana Seyoum
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Jason S. Debley
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Seattle Children’s Hospital, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; and
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
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28
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Li CL, Xu ZB, Fan XL, Chen HX, Yu QN, Fang SB, Wang SY, Lin YD, Fu QL. MicroRNA-21 Mediates the Protective Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from iPSCs to Human Bronchial Epithelial Cell Injury Under Hypoxia. Cell Transplant 2018; 27:571-583. [PMID: 29806480 PMCID: PMC6038046 DOI: 10.1177/0963689718767159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Airway epithelial cell injury is a key triggering event to activate allergic airway inflammation, such as asthma. We previously reported that administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) significantly alleviated allergic inflammation in a mouse model of asthma, and the mmu-miR-21/ACVR2A axis may be involved. However, whether MSCs protect against bronchial epithelial cell injury induced by hypoxia, and the underlying mechanism, remain unknown. In our study, the human bronchial epithelial cell line BEAS-2B was induced to undergo apoptosis with a hypoxia mimic of cobalt chloride (CoCl2) damage. Treatment of MSCs derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) significantly decreased apoptosis of BEAS-2B cells. There was high miR-21 expression in injured BEAS-2B cells after MSC treatment. Transfection of the miR-21 mimic significantly decreased apoptosis of BEAS-2B, and transfection of a miR-21 inhibitor significantly increased apoptosis. More importantly, the protective effects of MSCs on injured BEAS-2B were reversed by transfection of the miR-21 inhibitor. Binding sites of human miR-21 were identified in the 3’UTR of human ACVR2A. We further determined that CoCl2 stimulation increased ACVR2A expression at both the mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, transfection of the miR-21 mimic further up-regulated ACVR2A expression induced by CoCl2, whereas transfection of the miR-21 inhibitor down-regulated ACVR2A expression. In addition, MSCs increased ACVR2A expression in BEAS-2B cells; however, this effect was reversed after transfection of the miR-21 inhibitor. Our data suggested that MSCs protect bronchial epithelial cells from hypoxic injury via miR-21, which may represent an important target. These findings suggest the potentially wide application of MSCs for epithelial cell injury during hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Lin Li
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,2 Centre for Stem Cell Clinical Research and Application, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Bin Xu
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,2 Centre for Stem Cell Clinical Research and Application, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xing-Liang Fan
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,2 Centre for Stem Cell Clinical Research and Application, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - He-Xin Chen
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiu-Ning Yu
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shu-Bin Fang
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shu-Yue Wang
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong-Dong Lin
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qing-Ling Fu
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,2 Centre for Stem Cell Clinical Research and Application, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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29
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Samitas K, Carter A, Kariyawasam HH, Xanthou G. Upper and lower airway remodelling mechanisms in asthma, allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis: The one airway concept revisited. Allergy 2018; 73:993-1002. [PMID: 29197105 DOI: 10.1111/all.13373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Allergic rhinitis (AR), chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and asthma often co-exist. The one airway model proposes that disease mechanisms occurring in the upper airway may mirror lower airway events. Airway remodelling is the term used to describe tissue structural changes that occur in a disease setting and reflect the dynamic process of tissue restructuring during wound repair. Remodelling has been long identified in the lower airways in asthma and is characterized by epithelial shedding, goblet cell hyperplasia, basement membrane thickening, subepithelial fibrosis, airway smooth muscle hyperplasia and increased angiogenesis. The concept of upper airway remodelling has only recently been introduced, and data so far are limited and often conflicting, an indication that more detailed studies are needed. Whilst remodelling changes in AR are limited, CRS phenotypes demonstrate epithelial hyperplasia, increased matrix deposition and degradation along with accumulation of plasma proteins. Despite extensive research over the past years, the precise cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in airway remodelling remain incompletely defined. This review describes our current rather limited understanding of airway remodelling processes in AR, CRS and asthma and presents mechanisms both shared and distinct between the upper and lower airways. Delineation of shared and disease-specific pathogenic mechanisms of remodelling between the sinonasal system and the lung may guide the rational design of more effective therapeutic strategies targeting upper and lower airways concomitantly and improving the health of individuals with inflammatory airway diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. Samitas
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory; Division of Cell Biology; Centre for Basic Research; Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA); Athens Greece
| | - A. Carter
- Department of Allergy, Clinical Immunology and Medical Rhinology; Royal National Throat Nose Ear Hospital; London UK
| | - H. H. Kariyawasam
- Department of Allergy, Clinical Immunology and Medical Rhinology; Royal National Throat Nose Ear Hospital; London UK
- Department of Respiratory Medicine; University College London Hospital and University College London; London UK
| | - G. Xanthou
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory; Division of Cell Biology; Centre for Basic Research; Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA); Athens Greece
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30
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Haertel E, Joshi N, Hiebert P, Kopf M, Werner S. Regulatory T cells are required for normal and activin‐promoted wound repair in mice. Eur J Immunol 2018; 48:1001-1013. [DOI: 10.1002/eji.201747395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Revised: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Haertel
- Department of BiologyInstitute of Molecular Health Sciences ETH Zurich Switzerland
| | - Natasha Joshi
- Department of BiologyInstitute of Molecular Health Sciences ETH Zurich Switzerland
| | - Paul Hiebert
- Department of BiologyInstitute of Molecular Health Sciences ETH Zurich Switzerland
| | - Manfred Kopf
- Department of BiologyInstitute of Molecular Health Sciences ETH Zurich Switzerland
| | - Sabine Werner
- Department of BiologyInstitute of Molecular Health Sciences ETH Zurich Switzerland
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31
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Alissafi T, Kourepini E, Simoes DCM, Paschalidis N, Aggelakopoulou M, Sparwasser T, Boon L, Hammad H, Lambrecht BN, Panoutsakopoulou V. Osteopontin Promotes Protective Antigenic Tolerance against Experimental Allergic Airway Disease. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 200:1270-1282. [PMID: 29330321 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1701345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
In the context of inflammation, osteopontin (Opn) is known to promote effector responses, facilitating a proinflammatory environment; however, its role during antigenic tolerance induction is unknown. Using a mouse model of asthma, we investigated the role of Opn during antigenic tolerance induction and its effects on associated regulatory cellular populations prior to disease initiation. Our experiments demonstrate that Opn drives protective antigenic tolerance by inducing accumulation of IFN-β-producing plasmacytoid dendritic cells, as well as regulatory T cells, in mediastinal lymph nodes. We also show that, in the absence of TLR triggers, recombinant Opn, and particularly its SLAYGLR motif, directly induces IFN-β expression in Ag-primed plasmacytoid dendritic cells, which renders them extra protective against induction of allergic airway disease upon transfer into recipient mice. Lastly, we show that blockade of type I IFNR prevents antigenic tolerance induction against experimental allergic asthma. Overall, we unveil a new role for Opn in setting up a tolerogenic milieu boosting antigenic tolerance induction, thus leading to prevention of allergic airway inflammation. Our results provide insight for the future design of immunotherapies against allergic asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Themis Alissafi
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece.,VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Evangelia Kourepini
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Davina C M Simoes
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Paschalidis
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Aggelakopoulou
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Tim Sparwasser
- Institute of Infection Immunology, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, 30625 Hannover, Germany, a Joint Venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany and the Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; and
| | - Louis Boon
- Bioceros BV, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Hamida Hammad
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bart N Lambrecht
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Vily Panoutsakopoulou
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
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Luz-Crawford P, Espinosa-Carrasco G, Ipseiz N, Contreras R, Tejedor G, Medina DA, Vega-Letter AM, Ngo D, Morand EF, Pène J, Hernandez J, Jorgensen C, Djouad F. Gilz-Activin A as a Novel Signaling Axis Orchestrating Mesenchymal Stem Cell and Th17 Cell Interplay. Am J Cancer Res 2018; 8:846-859. [PMID: 29344311 PMCID: PMC5771098 DOI: 10.7150/thno.21793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are highly immunosuppressive cells able to reduce chronic inflammation through the active release of mediators. Recently, we showed that glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (Gilz) expression by MSC is involved in their therapeutic effect by promoting the generation of regulatory T cells. However, the mechanisms underlying this pivotal role of Gilz remain elusive. Methods and Results In this study, we have uncovered evidence that Gilz modulates the phenotype and function of Th1 and Th17 cells likely by upregulating the level of Activin A and NO2 secreted by MSC. Adoptive transfer experiments sustained this Gilz-dependent suppressive effect of MSC on Th1 and Th17 cell functions. In immunoregulatory MSC, obtained by priming with IFN-γ and TNF-α, Gilz was translocated to the nucleus and bound to the promoters of inos and Activin βA to induce their expression. The increased expression of Activin A directly impacted on Th17 cells fate by repressing their differentiation program through the activation of Smad3/2 and enhancing IL-10 production. Conclusion Our results reveal how Gilz controls inos and Activin βA gene expression to ultimately assign immunoregulatory status to MSC able to repress the pathogenic Th17 cell differentiation program and uncover Activin A as a novel mediator of MSC in this process.
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33
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Navarro S, Pickering DA, Ferreira IB, Jones L, Ryan S, Troy S, Leech A, Hotez PJ, Zhan B, Laha T, Prentice R, Sparwasser T, Croese J, Engwerda CR, Upham JW, Julia V, Giacomin PR, Loukas A. Hookworm recombinant protein promotes regulatory T cell responses that suppress experimental asthma. Sci Transl Med 2017; 8:362ra143. [PMID: 27797959 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaf8807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In the developed world, declining prevalence of some parasitic infections correlates with increased incidence of allergic and autoimmune disorders. Moreover, experimental human infection with some parasitic worms confers protection against inflammatory diseases in phase 2 clinical trials. Parasitic worms manipulate the immune system by secreting immunoregulatory molecules that offer promise as a novel therapeutic modality for inflammatory diseases. We identify a protein secreted by hookworms, anti-inflammatory protein-2 (AIP-2), that suppressed airway inflammation in a mouse model of asthma, reduced expression of costimulatory markers on human dendritic cells (DCs), and suppressed proliferation ex vivo of T cells from human subjects with house dust mite allergy. In mice, AIP-2 was primarily captured by mesenteric CD103+ DCs and suppression of airway inflammation was dependent on both DCs and Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) that originated in the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) and accumulated in distant mucosal sites. Transplantation of MLNs from AIP-2-treated mice into naïve hosts revealed a lymphoid tissue conditioning that promoted Treg induction and long-term maintenance. Our findings indicate that recombinant AIP-2 could serve as a novel curative therapeutic for allergic asthma and potentially other inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Severine Navarro
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Darren A Pickering
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ivana B Ferreira
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Linda Jones
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Stephanie Ryan
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sally Troy
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andrew Leech
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Bin Zhan
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Thewarach Laha
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Roger Prentice
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tim Sparwasser
- Institute of Infection Immunology, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany
| | - John Croese
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia.,Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - John W Upham
- University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Valerie Julia
- CNRS UMR7275, INSERM U1080, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France
| | - Paul R Giacomin
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alex Loukas
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia.
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Activin in acute pancreatitis: Potential risk-stratifying marker and novel therapeutic target. Sci Rep 2017; 7:12786. [PMID: 28986573 PMCID: PMC5630611 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13000-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute Pancreatitis is a substantial health care challenge with increasing incidence. Patients who develop severe disease have considerable mortality. Currently, no reliable predictive marker to identify patients at risk for severe disease exists. Treatment is limited to rehydration and supporting care suggesting an urgent need to develop novel approaches to improve standard care. Activin is a critical modulator of inflammatory responses, but has not been assessed in pancreatitis. Here, we demonstrate that serum activin is elevated and strongly correlates with disease severity in two established murine models of acute pancreatitis induced by either cerulein or IL-12 + IL-18. Furthermore, in mice, inhibition of activin conveys survival benefits in pancreatitis. In addition, serum activin levels were measured from a retrospective clinical cohort of pancreatitis patients and high activin levels in patients at admission are predictive of worse outcomes, indicated by longer overall hospital and intensive care unit stays. Taken together, activin is a novel candidate as a clinical marker to identify those acute pancreatitis patients with severe disease who would benefit from aggressive treatment and activin may be a therapeutic target in severe acute pancreatitis.
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35
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Postigo J, Iglesias M, Álvarez P, Jesús Augustin J, Buelta L, Merino J, Merino R. Bone Morphogenetic Protein and Activin Membrane-Bound Inhibitor, a Transforming Growth Factor β Rheostat That Controls Murine Treg Cell/Th17 Cell Differentiation and the Development of Autoimmune Arthritis by Reducing Interleukin-2 Signaling. Arthritis Rheumatol 2017; 68:1551-62. [PMID: 26714180 DOI: 10.1002/art.39557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) plays a prominent role in the establishment of immunologic tolerance, and mice lacking TGFβ1 die of multiorgan inflammation early in life. TGFβ controls the differentiation of CD4+ lymphocytes into Treg cells or proinflammatory Th17 cells. Although this dual capacity is modulated by the presence of additional cytokines around the activated cells, TGFβ also dissociates Th17/Treg cell differentiation in a dose-dependent manner by mechanisms still unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore the contribution of bone morphogenetic protein and activin membrane-bound inhibitor (BAMBI) to the modulation of TGFβ activity during the differentiation of CD4+ cells and in the control of immunologic tolerance in mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). METHODS The in vitro and in vivo Treg cell and Th17 cell differentiation and the development of CIA were compared in wild-type mice and BAMBI-deficient mice. RESULTS BAMBI was induced after activation by TGFβ and fixed the appropriate intensity level of TGFβ signaling in CD4+ cells. Its deficiency protected mice against the development of CIA by a Treg cell- and TGFβ-dependent mechanism. Mechanistically, BAMBI was found to regulate CD25 expression and interleukin-2 (IL-2) signaling in Treg cells and in IL-2- and/or TGFβ-activated CD4+ cells and modulated Treg cell and Th17 cell differentiation both in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION Taken together, the results indicate that BAMBI is a component of a rheostat-like mechanism that, through the control of TGFβ and IL-2 signaling strength, regulates the differentiation of CD4+ lymphocytes and the development of autoimmune arthritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Postigo
- Jorge Postigo, PhD, Marcos Iglesias, PhD, Luis Buelta, MD, PhD, Jesús Merino, MD: IDIVAL and Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Marcos Iglesias
- Jorge Postigo, PhD, Marcos Iglesias, PhD, Luis Buelta, MD, PhD, Jesús Merino, MD: IDIVAL and Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Pilar Álvarez
- IDIVAL and Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, CSIC, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Juan Jesús Augustin
- IDIVAL and Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, CSIC, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Luis Buelta
- Jorge Postigo, PhD, Marcos Iglesias, PhD, Luis Buelta, MD, PhD, Jesús Merino, MD: IDIVAL and Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Jesús Merino
- Jorge Postigo, PhD, Marcos Iglesias, PhD, Luis Buelta, MD, PhD, Jesús Merino, MD: IDIVAL and Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Ramón Merino
- IDIVAL and Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, CSIC, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
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36
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Dendritic cells conditioned by activin A-induced regulatory T cells exhibit enhanced tolerogenic properties and protect against experimental asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2017; 141:671-684.e7. [PMID: 28579377 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.03.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Revised: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previously, we demonstrated that regulatory T (Treg) cells induced by the cytokine activin-A suppress TH2-mediated allergic responses and linked airway disease. Still, the effects of activin-A-induced regulatory T (Act-A-iTreg) cells on the regulation of dendritic cell (DC)-driven allergic inflammation remain elusive. OBJECTIVE Here we investigated whether Act-A-iTreg cells can modulate DC responses and endow them with enhanced tolerogenic functions. METHODS Using adoptive cell transfer studies in mouse models of allergic airway disease, we examined the effects of Act-A-iTreg cells on DC phenotype, maturation status, and TH2 cell priming potential. Genome-wide gene expression profiling characterized the transcriptional networks induced in tolerogenic DCs by Act-A-iTreg cells. The ability of DCs conditioned by Act-A-iTreg cells (Act-A-iTreg cell-modified DCs) to protect against experimental asthma, and the mechanisms involved were also explored. RESULTS Act-A-iTreg cell-modified DCs exhibited a significantly impaired capacity to uptake allergen and stimulate naive and TH2 effector responses on allergen stimulation in vivo accompanied by markedly attenuated inflammatory cytokine release in response to LPS. Gene-profiling studies revealed that Act-A-iTreg cells dampened crucial TH2-skewing transcriptional networks in DCs. Administration of Act-A-iTreg cell-modified DCs ameliorated cardinal asthma manifestations in preventive and therapeutic protocols through generation of strongly suppressive forkhead box P3+ Treg cells. Finally, programed death protein 1/programmed death ligand 1 signaling pathways were essential in potentiating the generation of DCs with tolerogenic properties by Act-A-iTreg cells. CONCLUSION Our studies reveal that Act-A-iTreg cells instruct the generation of a highly effective immunoregulatory circuit encompassing tolerogenic DCs and forkhead box P3+ Treg cells that could be targeted for the design of novel immunotherapies for allergic disorders.
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Pickup MW, Owens P, Moses HL. TGF-β, Bone Morphogenetic Protein, and Activin Signaling and the Tumor Microenvironment. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2017; 9:cshperspect.a022285. [PMID: 28062564 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a022285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The cellular and noncellular components surrounding the tumor cells influence many aspects of tumor progression. Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), and activins have been shown to regulate the phenotype and functions of the microenvironment and are attractive targets to attenuate protumorigenic microenvironmental changes. Given the pleiotropic nature of the cytokines involved, a full understanding of their effects on numerous cell types in many contexts is necessary for proper clinical intervention. In this review, we will explore the various effects of TGF-β, BMP, and activin signaling on stromal phenotypes known to associate with cancer progression. We will summarize these findings in the context of their tumor suppressive or promoting effects, as well as the molecular changes that these cytokines induce to influence stromal phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Pickup
- Department of Cancer Biology and Vanderbilt-Ingram Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232
| | - Philip Owens
- Department of Cancer Biology and Vanderbilt-Ingram Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232
| | - Harold L Moses
- Department of Cancer Biology and Vanderbilt-Ingram Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232
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Activin-A co-opts IRF4 and AhR signaling to induce human regulatory T cells that restrain asthmatic responses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E2891-E2900. [PMID: 28320933 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1616942114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Type 1 regulatory T (Tr1) cells play a pivotal role in restraining human T-cell responses toward environmental allergens and protecting against allergic diseases. Still, the precise molecular cues that underlie their transcriptional and functional specification remain elusive. Here, we show that the cytokine activin-A instructs the generation of CD4+ T cells that express the Tr1-cell-associated molecules IL-10, inducible T-Cell costimulator (ICOS), lymphocyte activation gene 3 protein (LAG-3), and CD49b, and exert strongly suppressive functions toward allergic responses induced by naive and in vivo-primed human T helper 2 cells. Moreover, mechanistic studies reveal that activin-A signaling induces the activation of the transcription factor interferon regulatory factor (IRF4), which, along with the environmental sensor aryl hydrocarbon receptor, forms a multipartite transcriptional complex that binds in IL-10 and ICOS promoter elements and controls gene expression in human CD4+ T cells. In fact, IRF4 silencing abrogates activin-A-driven IL10 and ICOS up-regulation and impairs the suppressive functions of human activin-A-induced Tr1-like (act-A-iTr1) cells. Importantly, using a humanized mouse model of allergic asthma, we demonstrate that adoptive transfer of human act-A-iTr1 cells, both in preventive and therapeutic protocols, confers significant protection against cardinal asthma manifestations, including pulmonary inflammation. Overall, our findings uncover an activin-A-induced IRF4-aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-dependent transcriptional network, which generates suppressive human Tr1 cells that may be harnessed for the control of allergic diseases.
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Abdalmula A, Dooley LM, Kaufman C, Washington EA, House JV, Blacklaws BA, Ghosh P, Itescu S, Bailey SR, Kimpton WG. Immunoselected STRO-3 + mesenchymal precursor cells reduce inflammation and improve clinical outcomes in a large animal model of monoarthritis. Stem Cell Res Ther 2017; 8:22. [PMID: 28173831 PMCID: PMC5297153 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-016-0460-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Revised: 12/04/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of intravenously administered immunoselected STRO-3 + mesenchymal precursor cells (MPCs) on clinical scores, joint pathology and cytokine production in an ovine model of monoarthritis. METHODS Monoarthritis was established in 16 adult merino sheep by administration of bovine type II collagen into the left hock joint following initial sensitization to this antigen. After 24 h, sheep were administered either 150 million allogeneic ovine MPCs (n = 8) or saline (n = 8) intravenously (IV). Lameness, joint swelling and pain were monitored and blood samples for leukocytes and cytokine levels were collected at intervals following arthritis induction. Animals were necropsied 14 days after arthritis induction and gross and histopathological evaluations were undertaken on tissues from the arthritic (left) and contralateral (right) joints. RESULTS MPC-treated sheep demonstrated significantly reduced clinical signs of lameness, joint pain and swelling compared with saline controls. They also showed decreased cartilage erosions, synovial stromal cell activation and angiogenesis. This was accompanied by decreased infiltration of the synovial tissues by CD4+ lymphocytes and CD14+ monocytes/macrophages. Over the 3 days following joint arthropathy induction, the numbers of neutrophils circulating in the blood and plasma concentrations of activin A were significantly reduced in animals administered MPCs. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study have demonstrated the capacity of IV-administered MPCs to mitigate the clinical signs and some of the inflammatory mediators responsible for joint tissue destruction in a large animal model of monoarthritis.
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MESH Headings
- Activins/blood
- Animals
- Antigens, Surface/genetics
- Antigens, Surface/immunology
- Arthritis, Experimental/chemically induced
- Arthritis, Experimental/genetics
- Arthritis, Experimental/pathology
- Arthritis, Experimental/therapy
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid/genetics
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid/immunology
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid/pathology
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/pathology
- Cell Differentiation
- Cell Movement
- Collagen Type II/administration & dosage
- Disease Models, Animal
- Female
- Gene Expression
- Interferon-gamma/biosynthesis
- Interferon-gamma/immunology
- Interleukin-10/biosynthesis
- Interleukin-10/immunology
- Interleukin-17/biosynthesis
- Interleukin-17/immunology
- Joints/immunology
- Joints/pathology
- Macrophages/immunology
- Macrophages/pathology
- Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation
- Mesenchymal Stem Cells/cytology
- Mesenchymal Stem Cells/immunology
- Monocytes/immunology
- Monocytes/pathology
- Neutrophils/immunology
- Neutrophils/pathology
- Sheep, Domestic
- Synovial Fluid/chemistry
- Synovial Fluid/cytology
- Synovial Fluid/immunology
- Treatment Outcome
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Affiliation(s)
- Anwar Abdalmula
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 5010 Australia
| | - Laura M. Dooley
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 5010 Australia
| | - Claire Kaufman
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 5010 Australia
| | - Elizabeth A. Washington
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 5010 Australia
| | - Jacqueline V. House
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC 3010 Australia
| | - Barbara A. Blacklaws
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0ES UK
| | - Peter Ghosh
- Mesoblast Ltd, 55 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000 Australia
| | - Silviu Itescu
- Mesoblast Ltd, 55 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000 Australia
| | - Simon R. Bailey
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 5010 Australia
| | - Wayne G. Kimpton
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 5010 Australia
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Papaporfyriou A, Bakakos P, Kostikas K, Papatheodorou G, Hillas G, Trigidou R, Katafigiotis P, Koulouris NG, Papiris SA, Loukides S. Activin A and follistatin in patients with asthma. Does severity make the difference? Respirology 2016; 22:473-479. [PMID: 27807906 DOI: 10.1111/resp.12937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Revised: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Activin A is a pleiotropic cytokine holding a fundamental role in inflammation and tissue remodelling. Follistatin can modulate the bioactivity of activin. We aimed to measure activin A and follistatin in sputum supernatants and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of asthmatic patients and to determine the possible associations with severity as well as with inflammatory and remodelling indices. METHODS A total of 58 asthmatic patients (33 with severe refractory asthma (SRA)) and 10 healthy controls underwent sputum induction for % cells, activin A, follistatin, eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), IL-13 and IL-8 measurements. In 22 asthmatic patients, BAL and bronchial biopsies were also performed for the assessment of the above-mentioned variables, measurement of remodelling indices and immunostaining for different activin A receptors. RESULTS Sputum activin A (pg/mL) was higher in patients with SRA (median (interquartile ranges): 76 (33-185)) compared to mild-to-moderate asthma (44 (18-84); P = 0.005), whereas follistatin did not differ between the two groups. BAL activin A (pg/mL) was higher in patients with SRA compared to those with mild-to-moderate disease. A significant association was observed between activin A and TGF-β1, eosinophils in sputum and/or in BAL, while reticular basement membrane (RBM) thickness was significantly associated with BAL activin levels only. No difference in immunostaining for activin receptor type IB was observed between patients with SRA and those with mild-to-moderate asthma. CONCLUSION Sputum and BAL levels of activin A are higher in SRA. The association of activin A with TGF-β1, eosinophils and RBM thickness may indicate a role of this cytokine in the inflammatory and remodelling process in SRA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Papaporfyriou
- 1st Department of Respiratory Medicine, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Sotiria" Hospital of Chest Diseases, Athens, Greece
| | - Petros Bakakos
- 1st Department of Respiratory Medicine, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Sotiria" Hospital of Chest Diseases, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Kostikas
- 2nd Department of Respiratory Medicine, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Attikon" Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Georgios Hillas
- 1st Department of Respiratory Medicine, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Sotiria" Hospital of Chest Diseases, Athens, Greece
| | - Rodoula Trigidou
- Pathology Department, "Sotiria" Hospital of Chest Diseases, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Nikolaos G Koulouris
- 1st Department of Respiratory Medicine, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Sotiria" Hospital of Chest Diseases, Athens, Greece
| | - Spyros A Papiris
- 2nd Department of Respiratory Medicine, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Attikon" Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Stelios Loukides
- 2nd Department of Respiratory Medicine, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Attikon" Hospital, Athens, Greece
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Glanville N, Peel TJ, Schröder A, Aniscenko J, Walton RP, Finotto S, Johnston SL. Tbet Deficiency Causes T Helper Cell Dependent Airways Eosinophilia and Mucus Hypersecretion in Response to Rhinovirus Infection. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005913. [PMID: 27683080 PMCID: PMC5040449 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Current understanding of adaptive immune, particularly T cell, responses to human rhinoviruses (RV) is limited. Memory T cells are thought to be of a primarily T helper 1 type, but both T helper 1 and T helper 2 memory cells have been described, and heightened T helper 2/ lessened T helper 1 responses have been associated with increased RV-induced asthma exacerbation severity. We examined the contribution of T helper 1 cells to RV-induced airways inflammation using mice deficient in the transcription factor T-Box Expressed In T Cells (Tbet), a critical controller of T helper 1 cell differentiation. Using flow cytometry we showed that Tbet deficient mice lacked the T helper 1 response of wild type mice and instead developed mixed T helper 2/T helper 17 responses to RV infection, evidenced by increased numbers of GATA binding protein 3 (GATA-3) and RAR-related orphan receptor gamma t (RORγt), and interleukin-13 and interleukin-17A expressing CD4+ T cells in the lung. Forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) and interleukin-10 expressing T cell numbers were unaffected. Tbet deficient mice also displayed deficiencies in lung Natural Killer, Natural Killer T cell and γδT cell responses, and serum neutralising antibody responses. Tbet deficient mice exhibited pronounced airways eosinophilia and mucus production in response to RV infection that, by utilising a CD4+ cell depleting antibody, were found to be T helper cell dependent. RV induction of T helper 2 and T helper 17 responses may therefore have an important role in directly driving features of allergic airways disease such as eosinophilia and mucus hypersecretion during asthma exacerbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Glanville
- Airway Disease Infection Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, MRC & Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tamlyn J. Peel
- Airway Disease Infection Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, MRC & Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Armin Schröder
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Lung Immunology, Department of Molecular Pneumology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Julia Aniscenko
- Airway Disease Infection Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, MRC & Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ross P. Walton
- Airway Disease Infection Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, MRC & Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Susetta Finotto
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Lung Immunology, Department of Molecular Pneumology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sebastian L. Johnston
- Airway Disease Infection Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, MRC & Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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43
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Namwanje M, Brown CW. Activins and Inhibins: Roles in Development, Physiology, and Disease. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2016; 8:cshperspect.a021881. [PMID: 27328872 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a021881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Since their original discovery as regulators of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) secretion and erythropoiesis, the TGF-β family members activin and inhibin have been shown to participate in a variety of biological processes, from the earliest stages of embryonic development to highly specialized functions in terminally differentiated cells and tissues. Herein, we present the history, structures, signaling mechanisms, regulation, and biological processes in which activins and inhibins participate, including several recently discovered biological activities and functional antagonists. The potential therapeutic relevance of these advances is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Namwanje
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Chester W Brown
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030 Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030 Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
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Hardy CL, Rolland JM, O'Hehir RE. The immunoregulatory and fibrotic roles of activin A in allergic asthma. Clin Exp Allergy 2016; 45:1510-22. [PMID: 25962695 PMCID: PMC4687413 DOI: 10.1111/cea.12561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Activin A, a member of the TGF-β superfamily of cytokines, was originally identified as an inducer of follicle stimulating hormone release, but has since been ascribed roles in normal physiological processes, as an immunoregulatory cytokine and as a driver of fibrosis. In the last 10–15 years, it has also become abundantly clear that activin A plays an important role in the regulation of asthmatic inflammation and airway remodelling. This review provides a brief introduction to the activin A/TGF-β superfamily, focussing on the regulation of receptors and signalling pathways. We examine the contradictory evidence for generalized pro- vs. anti-inflammatory effects of activin A in inflammation, before appraising its role in asthmatic inflammation and airway remodelling specifically by evaluating data from both murine models and clinical studies. We identify key issues to be addressed, paving the way for safe exploitation of modulation of activin A function for treatment of allergic asthma and other inflammatory lung diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- C L Hardy
- Department of Allergy, Immunology & Respiratory Medicine, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Immunology, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., 3004, Australia
| | - J M Rolland
- Department of Allergy, Immunology & Respiratory Medicine, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Immunology, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., 3004, Australia
| | - R E O'Hehir
- Department of Allergy, Immunology & Respiratory Medicine, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Immunology, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., 3004, Australia
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45
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Tang GN, Li CL, Yao Y, Xu ZB, Deng MX, Wang SY, Sun YQ, Shi JB, Fu QL. MicroRNAs Involved in Asthma After Mesenchymal Stem Cells Treatment. Stem Cells Dev 2016; 25:883-96. [PMID: 27106170 PMCID: PMC4928133 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2015.0339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Administration of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) significantly alleviates allergic airway inflammation. There are no studies that refer to the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) after the BM-MSCs treatment in airway allergic inflammation. We induced a mouse model of asthma and performed the transplantation of BM-MSCs. We analyzed aberrant miRNAs and key immune regulators using both miRNA and messenger RNA (mRNA) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) arrays. We identified that 296 miRNAs were differently expressed after the induction of asthma and/or the treatment of BM-MSCs, in which 14 miRNAs presented the reverse variation tendency between asthma induction and BM-MSCs transplantation. Mmu-miR-21a-3p, mmu-miR-449c-5p, and mmu-miR-496a-3p were further confirmed to be differently expressed with additional samples and quantitative real-time PCR. With an mRNA PCR array, we identified 19 genes to be involved in the allergy induction and the administration of BM-MSCs. Further target genes analysis revealed that mmu-miR-21a-3p was significantly correlated with the immune regulator activin A receptor, Type IIA (Acvr2a). Mmu-miR-21a-3p had opposite expression with Acvr2a after asthma and BM-MSCs treatment. Acvr2a had binding sites for miR-21a for both mice and human, suggesting that miR-21/Acvr2a axis is conserved between human and mice. Dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that mmu-miR-21a-3p negatively regulated the transcript of Acvr2a. In addition, has-miR-21a inhibitor significantly increased the expression of Acvr2a mRNA in BEAS-2B cells under lipopolysaccharide stimulation. Our results suggest that there were different miRNA and mRNA profiles after asthma induction and BM-MSCs treatment, and the miR-21/Acvr2a axis is an important mechanism for the induction of asthmatic inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guan-Nan Tang
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou, China .,2 Centre for Stem Cell Clinical Research and Application, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Cheng-Lin Li
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou, China .,2 Centre for Stem Cell Clinical Research and Application, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Yin Yao
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou, China .,3 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhi-Bin Xu
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou, China .,2 Centre for Stem Cell Clinical Research and Application, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Meng-Xia Deng
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Shu-Yue Wang
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue-Qi Sun
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian-Bo Shi
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Qing-Ling Fu
- 1 Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou, China .,2 Centre for Stem Cell Clinical Research and Application, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou, China
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Kourepini E, Paschalidis N, Simoes DCM, Aggelakopoulou M, Grogan JL, Panoutsakopoulou V. TIGIT Enhances Antigen-Specific Th2 Recall Responses and Allergic Disease. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2016; 196:3570-80. [PMID: 27016609 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1501591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2015] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
T cell Ig and ITIM domain receptor (TIGIT), expressed on T, NK, and regulatory T cells, is known as an inhibitory molecule that limits autoimmunity, antiviral and antitumor immunity. In this report, we demonstrate that TIGIT enhances Th2 immunity. TIGIT expression was upregulated in activated Th2 cells from mice with experimental allergic disease and in Th2 polarization cultures. In addition, its high-affinity ligand CD155 was upregulated in mediastinal lymph node dendritic cells from allergic mice. In an in vitro setting, we observed that Tigit expression in Th2 cells and its interaction with CD155 expressed in dendritic cells were important during the development of Th2 responses. In addition, blockade of TIGIT inhibited Th2, but had no effect on either Th1 or Th17 polarization. In vivo blockade of TIGIT suppressed hallmarks of allergic airway disease, such as lung eosinophilia, goblet cell hyperplasia, Ag-specific Th2 responses, and IgE production, and reduced numbers of T follicular helper and effector Th2 cells. Thus, TIGIT is critical for Th2 immunity and can be used as a therapeutic target, especially in light of recent findings showing TIGIT locus hypomethylation in T cells from pediatric patients with allergic asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangelia Kourepini
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 115 27, Greece; and
| | - Nikolaos Paschalidis
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 115 27, Greece; and
| | - Davina C M Simoes
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 115 27, Greece; and
| | - Maria Aggelakopoulou
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 115 27, Greece; and
| | - Jane L Grogan
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Vily Panoutsakopoulou
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 115 27, Greece; and
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47
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Human eosinophil activin A synthesis and mRNA stabilization are induced by the combination of IL-3 plus TNF. Immunol Cell Biol 2016; 94:701-8. [PMID: 27001469 PMCID: PMC4980187 DOI: 10.1038/icb.2016.30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2015] [Revised: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Eosinophils contribute to immune regulation and wound healing/fibrosis in various diseases including asthma. Growing appreciation for the role of activin A in such processes led us to hypothesize that eosinophils are a source of this TGF-β superfamily member. TNFα (TNF) induces activin A by other cell types and is often present at the site of allergic inflammation along with the eosinophil activating common β (βc) chain-signaling cytokines (IL-5, IL-3, GM-CSF). Previously, we established that the combination of TNF plus a βc chain-signaling cytokine synergistically induces eosinophil synthesis of the remodeling enzyme MMP-9. Therefore, eosinophils were stimulated ex vivo by these cytokines and in vivo through an allergen-induced airway inflammatory response. In contrast to IL-5+TNF or GM-CSF+TNF, the combination of IL-3+TNF synergistically induced activin A synthesis and release by human blood eosinophils. IL-3+TNF enhanced activin A mRNA stability, which required sustained signaling of pathways downstream of p38 and ERK MAP kinases. In vivo, following segmental airway allergen challenge of subjects with mild allergic asthma, activin A mRNA was upregulated in airway eosinophils compared to circulating eosinophils, and ex vivo, circulating eosinophils tended to release activin A in response to IL-3+TNF. These data provide evidence that eosinophils release activin A and that this function is enhanced when eosinophils are present in an allergen-induced inflammatory environment. Moreover, these data provide the first evidence for post-transcriptional control of activin A mRNA. We propose that, an environment rich in IL-3+TNF will lead to eosinophil–derived activin A, which plays an important role in regulating inflammation and/or fibrosis.
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Samitas K, Poulos N, Semitekolou M, Morianos I, Tousa S, Economidou E, Robinson DS, Kariyawasam HH, Zervas E, Corrigan CJ, Ying S, Xanthou G, Gaga M. Activin-A is overexpressed in severe asthma and is implicated in angiogenic processes. Eur Respir J 2016; 47:769-82. [PMID: 26869672 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00437-2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Activin-A is a pleiotropic cytokine that regulates allergic inflammation. Its role in the regulation of angiogenesis, a key feature of airways remodelling in asthma, remains unexplored. Our objective was to investigate the expression of activin-A in asthma and its effects on angiogenesis in vitro.Expression of soluble/immunoreactive activin-A and its receptors was measured in serum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and endobronchial biopsies from 16 healthy controls, 19 patients with mild/moderate asthma and 22 severely asthmatic patients. In vitro effects of activin-A on baseline and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced human endothelial cell angiogenesis, signalling and cytokine release were compared with BALF concentrations of these cytokines in vivo.Activin-A expression was significantly elevated in serum, BALF and bronchial tissue of the asthmatics, while expression of its protein receptors was reduced. In vitro, activin-A suppressed VEGF-induced endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis, inducing autocrine production of anti-angiogenic soluble VEGF receptor (R)1 and interleukin (IL)-18, while reducing production of pro-angiogenic VEGFR2 and IL-17. In parallel, BALF concentrations of soluble VEGFR1 and IL-18 were significantly reduced in severe asthmatics in vivo and inversely correlated with angiogenesis.Activin-A is overexpressed and has anti-angiogenic effects in vitro that are not propagated in vivo, where reduced basal expression of its receptors is observed particularly in severe asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Samitas
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Division of Cell Biology, Centre for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece 7th Respiratory Medicine Department and Asthma Centre, Athens Chest Hospital "Sotiria", Athens, Greece These authors contributed equally
| | - Nikolaos Poulos
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Division of Cell Biology, Centre for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece These authors contributed equally
| | - Maria Semitekolou
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Division of Cell Biology, Centre for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece These authors contributed equally
| | - Ioannis Morianos
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Division of Cell Biology, Centre for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Sofia Tousa
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Division of Cell Biology, Centre for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Erasmia Economidou
- 7th Respiratory Medicine Department and Asthma Centre, Athens Chest Hospital "Sotiria", Athens, Greece
| | - Douglas S Robinson
- Medical Research Council and Asthma UK Centre for Mechanisms of Allergic Asthma, National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Harsha H Kariyawasam
- Medical Research Council and Asthma UK Centre for Mechanisms of Allergic Asthma, National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK Department of Allergy and Medical Rhinology, Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, University College, London, UK
| | - Eleftherios Zervas
- 7th Respiratory Medicine Department and Asthma Centre, Athens Chest Hospital "Sotiria", Athens, Greece
| | - Christopher J Corrigan
- Department of Asthma, Allergy and Respiratory Science, King's College London School of Medicine, London, UK
| | - Sun Ying
- Department of Asthma, Allergy and Respiratory Science, King's College London School of Medicine, London, UK
| | - Georgina Xanthou
- Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Division of Cell Biology, Centre for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece Both authors contributed equally
| | - Mina Gaga
- 7th Respiratory Medicine Department and Asthma Centre, Athens Chest Hospital "Sotiria", Athens, Greece Both authors contributed equally
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Haque M, Song J, Fino K, Sandhu P, Song X, Lei F, Zheng S, Ni B, Fang D, Song J. Stem cell-derived tissue-associated regulatory T cells ameliorate the development of autoimmunity. Sci Rep 2016; 6:20588. [PMID: 26846186 PMCID: PMC4742827 DOI: 10.1038/srep20588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have the potential to produce almost all of the cells in the body, including regulatory T cells (Tregs). However, the exact conditions required for the development of antigen (Ag)-specific Tregs from PSCs (i.e., PSC-Tregs) are not well delineated. Ag-specific PSC-Tregs can be tissue/organ-associated and migrate to local inflamed tissues/organs to suppress the autoimmune response after adoptive transfer, thereby avoiding potential overall immunosuppression from non-specific Tregs. In this study, we developed a new approach to generate functional Ag-specific Tregs from induced PSCs (iPSCs), i.e., iPSC-Tregs, which had the ability to generate an Ag-specific immunosuppressive response in a murine model of arthritis. We retrovirally transduced murine iPSCs with a construct containing genes of Ag-specific T cell receptor (TCR) and the transcriptional factor FoxP3. We differentiated the iPSCs into Ag-specific iPSC-Tregs using in vitro or in vivo Notch signaling, and demonstrated that adoptive transfer of such Tregs dramatically suppressed autoimmunity in a well-established Ag-induced arthritis model, including the inflammation, joint destruction, cartilage prostaglandin depletion, osteoclast activity, and Th17 production. Our results indicate that PSCs can be used to develop Ag-specific Tregs, which have a therapeutic potential for Treg-based therapies of autoimmune disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Haque
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Jianyong Song
- Institutes of Irradiation/Immunology, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Kristin Fino
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Praneet Sandhu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Xinmeng Song
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Fengyang Lei
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Songguo Zheng
- Department of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Bing Ni
- Institutes of Irradiation/Immunology, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Deyu Fang
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Jianxun Song
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
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50
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Johnston CJC, Smyth DJ, Dresser DW, Maizels RM. TGF-β in tolerance, development and regulation of immunity. Cell Immunol 2015; 299:14-22. [PMID: 26617281 PMCID: PMC4711336 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2015.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Revised: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The broader superfamily of TGF-β-like proteins is reviewed, and signaling pathways summarised. The role of TGF-β in the immune tolerance and control of infectious disease is discussed. The superfamily member AMH is involved in embryonic sexual differentiation. Helminth parasites appear to exploit the TGF-β pathway to suppress host immunity. TGF-β homologues and mimics from parasites offer a new route for therapeutic tolerance induction.
The TGF-β superfamily is an ancient metazoan protein class which cuts across cell and tissue differentiation, developmental biology and immunology. Its many members are regulated at multiple levels from intricate control of gene transcription, post-translational processing and activation, and signaling through overlapping receptor structures and downstream intracellular messengers. We have been interested in TGF-β homologues firstly as key players in the induction of immunological tolerance, the topic so closely associated with Ray Owen. Secondly, our interests in how parasites may manipulate the immune system of their host has also brought us to study the TGF-β pathway in infections with longlived, essentially tolerogenic, helminth parasites. Finally, within the spectrum of mammalian TGF-β proteins is an exquisitely tightly-regulated gene, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), whose role in sex determination underpins the phenotype of freemartin calves that formed the focus of Ray’s seminal work on immunological tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris J C Johnston
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - Danielle J Smyth
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - David W Dresser
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rick M Maizels
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, University of Edinburgh, UK.
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