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Ben Hamza A, Welters C, Stadler S, Brüggemann M, Dietze K, Brauns O, Brümmendorf TH, Winkler T, Bullinger L, Blankenstein T, Rosenberger L, Leisegang M, Kammertöns T, Herr W, Moosmann A, Strobel J, Hackstein H, Dornmair K, Beier F, Hansmann L. Virus-reactive T cells expanded in aplastic anemia eliminate hematopoietic progenitor cells by molecular mimicry. Blood 2024; 143:1365-1378. [PMID: 38277625 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2023023142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Acquired aplastic anemia is a bone marrow failure syndrome characterized by hypocellular bone marrow and peripheral blood pancytopenia. Frequent clinical responses to calcineurin inhibition and antithymocyte globulin strongly suggest critical roles for hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell-reactive T-cell clones in disease pathophysiology; however, their exact contribution and antigen specificities remain unclear. We determined differentiation states and targets of dominant T-cell clones along with their potential to eliminate hematopoietic progenitor cells in the bone marrow of 15 patients with acquired aplastic anemia. Single-cell sequencing and immunophenotyping revealed oligoclonal expansion and effector differentiation of CD8+ T-cell compartments. We reexpressed 28 dominant T-cell receptors (TCRs) of 9 patients in reporter cell lines to determine reactivity with (1) in vitro-expanded CD34+ bone marrow, (2) CD34- bone marrow, or (3) peptide pools covering immunodominant epitopes of highly prevalent viruses. Besides 5 cytomegalovirus-reactive TCRs, we identified 3 TCRs that recognized antigen presented on hematopoietic progenitor cells. T cells transduced with these TCRs eliminated hematopoietic progenitor cells of the respective patients in vitro. One progenitor cell-reactive TCR (11A5) also recognized an epitope of the Epstein-Barr virus-derived latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) presented on HLA-A∗02:01. We identified 2 LMP1-related mimotopes within the human proteome as activating targets of TCR 11A5, providing proof of concept that molecular mimicry of viral and self-epitopes can drive T cell-mediated elimination of hematopoietic progenitor cells in aplastic anemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Ben Hamza
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carlotta Welters
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Serena Stadler
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium, Partner Site Berlin, and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Monika Brüggemann
- Department of Medicine II, Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Schleswig Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Kerstin Dietze
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Olaf Brauns
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Tim H Brümmendorf
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology, Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf, Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas Winkler
- Division of Genetics, Department of Biology, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lars Bullinger
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium, Partner Site Berlin, and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Blankenstein
- Molecular Immunology and Gene Therapy, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Leonie Rosenberger
- Institute of Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias Leisegang
- German Cancer Consortium, Partner Site Berlin, and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- David and Etta Jonas Center for Cellular Therapy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Thomas Kammertöns
- Institute of Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Herr
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Moosmann
- Department of Medicine III, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Munich, Germany
- Helmholtz Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Julian Strobel
- Department of Transfusion Medicine and Hemostaseology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Holger Hackstein
- Department of Transfusion Medicine and Hemostaseology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Klaus Dornmair
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Munich, Germany
- Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Fabian Beier
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology, Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf, Aachen, Germany
| | - Leo Hansmann
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium, Partner Site Berlin, and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Niewisch MR. Clinical manifestations of telomere biology disorders in adults. HEMATOLOGY. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HEMATOLOGY. EDUCATION PROGRAM 2023; 2023:563-572. [PMID: 38066848 PMCID: PMC10726987 DOI: 10.1182/hematology.2023000490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Telomere biology disorders (TBDs) are a spectrum of inherited bone marrow failure syndromes caused by impaired telomere function due to pathogenic germline variants in genes involved in telomere maintenance. TBDs can affect many organ systems and are often thought of as diseases of childhood. However, TBDs may present in mid- or even late adulthood with features similar to but not always the same as the childhood-onset TBDs. Adult-onset TBDs are often cryptic with isolated pulmonary, liver, or hematologic disease, or cancer, and may lack the classic disease-defining triad of abnormal skin pigmentation, nail dysplasia, and oral leukoplakia. Diagnostics include detection of very short leukocyte telomeres and germline genetic testing. Notably, adult-onset TBDs may show telomeres in the 1st to 10th percentile for age, and some cases may not have an identifiable genetic cause. TBD genetic etiology includes all modes of inheritance, with autosomal dominant the most frequent in adult-onset disease. Variable symptom onset due to incomplete penetrance, variable expressivity, and genetic anticipation add to the diagnostic challenges. Adult-onset TBDs are likely underrecognized, but their correct identification is of utmost importance, since affected patients are faced with numerous clinical complications, including but not limited to an increased risk of malignancies requiring close surveillance for early detection. Currently lung, liver, or hematopoietic cell transplants are the only curative therapeutic approaches but can be complicated by comorbidities, despite improved medical care. This review highlights the challenges of identifying adult-onset TBDs and addresses currently recommended clinical screening measures and therapy options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marena R. Niewisch
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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