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Lo WL, Huseby ES. The partitioning of TCR repertoires by thymic selection. J Exp Med 2024; 221:e20230897. [PMID: 39167074 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20230897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
αβ T cells are critical components of the adaptive immune system; they maintain tissue and immune homeostasis during health, provide sterilizing immunity after pathogen infection, and are capable of eliminating transformed tumor cells. Fundamental to these distinct functions is the ligand specificity of the unique antigen receptor expressed on each mature T cell (TCR), which endows lymphocytes with the ability to behave in a cell-autonomous, disease context-specific manner. Clone-specific behavioral properties are initially established during T cell development when thymocytes use TCR recognition of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and MHC-like ligands to instruct survival versus death and to differentiate into a plethora of inflammatory and regulatory T cell lineages. Here, we review the ligand specificity of the preselection thymocyte repertoire and argue that developmental stage-specific alterations in TCR signaling control cross-reactivity and foreign versus self-specificity of T cell sublineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Lin Lo
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Eric S Huseby
- Department of Pathology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
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Ji Y, Duan Y, Li Y, Lu Q, Liu D, Yang Y, Chang R, Tian J, Yao W, Yin J, Gao X. A long-acting FGF21 attenuates metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis-related fibrosis by modulating NR4A1-mediated Ly6C phenotypic switch in macrophages. Br J Pharmacol 2024; 181:2923-2946. [PMID: 38679486 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16378] [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: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Because of the absence of effective therapies for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), there is a rising interest in fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) analogues due to their potential anti-fibrotic activities in MASH treatment. PsTag-FGF21, a long-acting FGF21 analogue, has demonstrated promising therapeutic effects in several MASH mouse models. However, its efficacy and mechanism against MASH-related fibrosis remain less well defined, compared with the specific mechanisms through which FGF21 improves glucose and lipid metabolism. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The effectiveness of PsTag-FGF21 was evaluated in two MASH-fibrosis models. Co-culture systems involving macrophages and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were employed for further assessment. Hepatic macrophages were selectively depleted by administering liposome-encapsulated clodronate via tail vein injections. RNA sequencing and cytokine profiling were conducted to identify key factors involved in macrophage-HSC crosstalk. KEY RESULTS We first demonstrated the significant attenuation of hepatic fibrosis by PsTag-FGF21 in two MASH-fibrosis models. Furthermore, we highlighted the crucial role of macrophage phenotypic switch in PsTag-FGF21-induced HSC deactivation. FGF21 was demonstrated to regulate macrophages in a PsTag-FGF21-like manner. NR4A1, a nuclear factor which is notably down-regulated in human livers with MASH, was identified as a mediator responsible for PsTag-FGF21-induced phenotypic switch. Transcriptional control over insulin-like growth factor 1, a crucial factor in macrophage-HSC crosstalk, was exerted by the intrinsically disordered region domain of NR4A1. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Our results have elucidated the previously unclear mechanisms through which PsTag-FGF21 treats MASH-related fibrosis and identified NR4A1 as a potential therapeutic target for fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Ji
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yiliang Duan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qingzhou Lu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dingkang Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yifan Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ruilong Chang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Tian
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenbing Yao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jun Yin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiangdong Gao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
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Guo Y, Lu Q, Yang XJ, He Y, Wu Y, Qin B, Li T, Duan M, Liu N, Wu X, He Y. Efficacy of Shu-yi-ning-chang decoction on IBS-D: Modulating Nr4a3 pathway to reduce visceral hypersensitivity. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299376. [PMID: 38630738 PMCID: PMC11023393 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
AIM OF THE STUDY To evaluate the therapeutic effect of SYNC in diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) and explore its underlying mechanism through transcriptomic sequencing (RNA-Seq). MATERIALS AND METHODS A rat model of IBS-D was constructed to elucidate the effects of SYNC. Abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR), fecal water content (FWC), and recording body weight were calculated to assess visceral sensitivity in rats. Histopathological changes in the colon and alterations in mast cell (MC) count were determined. Immunohistochemistry was employed to assess mast cell tryptase (MCT) expression in rat colons. Serum levels of corticotropin-releasing Hormone (CRH), interleukin-6 (IL-6), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were quantified using ELISA. RNA-Seq of colon tissue was performed, followed by Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. Western blot analysis was conducted to quantify the expression levels of key proteins in the Nr4a3 pathway in the colon and hypothalamus tissues of rats. RESULTS SYNC alleviated visceral hypersensitivity and mood disorders in rats with IBS-D. Moreover, it was positively correlated with its dosage and the observed effects, such as the enhancement of the colon's mucosal lining condition and reduction in the number and activation of MCs within the model group. SYNC reduced the expression levels of factors related to the brain-gut axis and inflammatory markers in the bloodstream. RNA-Seq analysis indicated that SYNC down-regulated the expression of Nr4a3 and PI3K. These SYNC-targeted genes primarily played roles in immune regulation and inflammatory responses, correlating with the modulation of Nr4a3 and the PI3K/AKT pathway. Western blot analysis further confirmed SYNC's influence on inflammation-related MC activation by downregulating key proteins in the Nr4a3/PI3K pathway. CONCLUSIONS SYNC inhibited mast cell activation and attenuated visceral hypersensitivity in the colon tissues of IBS-D rats. These effects were mediated by the Nr4a3/PI3K signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajing Guo
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qiongqiong Lu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Chongqing City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Yang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Chongqing City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuxi He
- Department of Gastroenterology, Chongqing City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, China
| | - Yue Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Chongqing City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, China
| | - Baijun Qin
- Department of Gastroenterology, Chongqing City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, China
| | - Ting Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Min Duan
- Department of Clinical medicine, Changsha Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Nvping Liu
- Department of Clinical medicine, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Xin Wu
- Department of Clinical medicine, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Yuanjun He
- Department of Gastroenterology, Chongqing City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, China
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Bending D, Zikherman J. Nr4a nuclear receptors: markers and modulators of antigen receptor signaling. Curr Opin Immunol 2023; 81:102285. [PMID: 36764055 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2023.102285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Nr4a1-3 encode a small family of orphan nuclear hormone receptors with transcriptional activity. Their expression reflects both acute and chronic antigen-receptor signaling in T and B-cells, and they have been implicated in critical aspects of lymphocyte development, tolerance, and function. These include roles in regulatory T-cell (Treg), thymic-negative selection, humoral responses, anergy, and exhaustion. Here, we review recent advances in this field such as functional roles in B-cells, transcriptional targets, and mechanism of action. We highlight recurrent themes, including integration of antigen-receptor signaling with costimulatory input, as well as unanswered questions and translational applications of this work.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Bending
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Julie Zikherman
- Division of Rheumatology, Rosalind Russell and Ephraim P. Engleman Arthritis Research Center, Department of Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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Grossman Z, Meyerhans A, Bocharov G. An integrative systems biology view of host-pathogen interactions: The regulation of immunity and homeostasis is concomitant, flexible, and smart. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1061290. [PMID: 36761169 PMCID: PMC9904014 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1061290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The systemic bio-organization of humans and other mammals is essentially "preprogrammed", and the basic interacting units, the cells, can be crudely mapped into discrete sets of developmental lineages and maturation states. Over several decades, however, and focusing on the immune system, we and others invoked evidence - now overwhelming - suggesting dynamic acquisition of cellular properties and functions, through tuning, re-networking, chromatin remodeling, and adaptive differentiation. The genetically encoded "algorithms" that govern the integration of signals and the computation of new states are not fully understood but are believed to be "smart", designed to enable the cells and the system to discriminate meaningful perturbations from each other and from "noise". Cellular sensory and response properties are shaped in part by recurring temporal patterns, or features, of the signaling environment. We compared this phenomenon to associative brain learning. We proposed that interactive cell learning is subject to selective pressures geared to performance, allowing the response of immune cells to injury or infection to be progressively coordinated with that of other cell types across tissues and organs. This in turn is comparable to supervised brain learning. Guided by feedback from both the tissue itself and the neural system, resident or recruited antigen-specific and innate immune cells can eradicate a pathogen while simultaneously sustaining functional homeostasis. As informative memories of immune responses are imprinted both systemically and within the targeted tissues, it is desirable to enhance tissue preparedness by incorporating attenuated-pathogen vaccines and informed choice of tissue-centered immunomodulators in vaccination schemes. Fortunately, much of the "training" that a living system requires to survive and function in the face of disturbances from outside or within is already incorporated into its design, so it does not need to deep-learn how to face a new challenge each time from scratch. Instead, the system learns from experience how to efficiently select a built-in strategy, or a combination of those, and can then use tuning to refine its organization and responses. Efforts to identify and therapeutically augment such strategies can take advantage of existing integrative modeling approaches. One recently explored strategy is boosting the flux of uninfected cells into and throughout an infected tissue to rinse and replace the infected cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zvi Grossman
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel,Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States,*Correspondence: Zvi Grossman, ; Andreas Meyerhans, ; Gennady Bocharov,
| | - Andreas Meyerhans
- Infection Biology Laboratory, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain,ICREA, Barcelona, Spain,*Correspondence: Zvi Grossman, ; Andreas Meyerhans, ; Gennady Bocharov,
| | - Gennady Bocharov
- Marchuk Institute of Numerical Mathematics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia,Institute of Computer Science and Mathematical Modeling, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia,*Correspondence: Zvi Grossman, ; Andreas Meyerhans, ; Gennady Bocharov,
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Zhu X, Li Q, Zhu X. Mechanisms of CAR T cell exhaustion and current counteraction strategies. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1034257. [PMID: 36568989 PMCID: PMC9773844 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1034257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The functional state of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR T) cells determines their efficacy in vivo. Exhausted CAR T cells exhibit decreased proliferative capacity, impaired anti-tumor activity, and attenuated persistence. CAR T cell exhaustion has been recognized as a vital cause of nonresponse and relapse after CAR T cell therapy. However, the triggers and mechanisms leading to CAR T cell exhaustion remain blurry and complicated. Therefore, it is essential to clear the regulation network of CAR T cell exhaustion and explore potent solutions. Here, we review the diverse inducers of CAR T cell exhaustion in terms of manufacture process and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. In addition to the admitted immune checkpoint blockade, we also describe promising strategies that may reverse CAR T cell exhaustion including targeting the tumor microenvironment, epigenetics and transcriptomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Zhu
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Hematology, Wuhan No. 1 Hospital, Wuhan, China,*Correspondence: Qing Li, ; Xiaojian Zhu,
| | - Xiaojian Zhu
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China,*Correspondence: Qing Li, ; Xiaojian Zhu,
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Deng S, Chen B, Huo J, Liu X. Therapeutic potential of NR4A1 in cancer: Focus on metabolism. Front Oncol 2022; 12:972984. [PMID: 36052242 PMCID: PMC9424640 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.972984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming is a vital hallmark of cancer, and it provides the necessary energy and biological materials to support the continuous proliferation and survival of tumor cells. NR4A1 is belonging to nuclear subfamily 4 (NR4A) receptors. NR4A1 plays diverse roles in many tumors, including melanoma, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and hepatocellular cancer, to regulate cell growth, apoptosis, metastasis. Recent reports shown that NR4A1 exhibits unique metabolic regulating effects in cancers. This receptor was first found to mediate glycolysis via key enzymes glucose transporters (GLUTs), hexokinase 2 (HK2), fructose phosphate kinase (PFK), and pyruvate kinase (PK). Then its functions extended to fatty acid synthesis by modulating CD36, fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs), sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1), glutamine by Myc, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and hypoxia-inducible factors alpha (HIF-1α), respectively. In addition, NR4A1 is involving in amino acid metabolism and tumor immunity by metabolic processes. More and more NR4A1 ligands are found to participate in tumor metabolic reprogramming, suggesting that regulating NR4A1 by novel ligands is a promising approach to alter metabolism signaling pathways in cancer therapy. Basic on this, this review highlighted the diverse metabolic roles of NR4A1 in cancers, which provides vital references for the clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Deng
- Third School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Bo Chen
- Materials Science and Devices Institute, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
| | - Jiege Huo
- Third School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Xin Liu, ; Jiege Huo,
| | - Xin Liu
- Third School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Department of Orthopedics, Nanjing Lishui Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Xin Liu, ; Jiege Huo,
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Pelanda R, Zikherman J. Many Achilles' heels of B and T cell tolerance. Immunol Rev 2022; 307:5-11. [PMID: 35301733 PMCID: PMC8986605 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Pelanda
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Department of Immunology and Genomic Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USA
| | - Julie Zikherman
- Division of Rheumatology, Rosalind Russell and Ephraim P. Engelman Arthritis Research Center, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143
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