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Lombard-Vadnais F, Lesage S. Highlight of 2023: Thymic B cells-important players in the establishment of T-cell tolerance. Immunol Cell Biol 2024; 102:448-451. [PMID: 38650472 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
In this article for the Highlights of 2023 Series, we discuss four recent articles that investigated thymic B cells, in both mice and humans. These studies provide important novel insights into the biology of this unique B-cell population, from their activation and differentiation to their role in promoting the negative selection of thymocytes and the generation of regulatory T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Félix Lombard-Vadnais
- Immunologie-oncologie, Centre de recherche de l'Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Sylvie Lesage
- Immunologie-oncologie, Centre de recherche de l'Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de microbiologie, infectiologie et immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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2
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Hasan A, Macias JJ, Wood B, Malone-Perez M, Park G, Foster CA, Frazer JK. Dynamic Changes in Lymphocyte Populations Establish Zebrafish as a Thymic Involution Model. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2024; 212:1733-1743. [PMID: 38656392 PMCID: PMC11163880 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The thymus is the site of T lymphocyte development and T cell education to recognize foreign, but not self, Ags. B cells also reside and develop in the thymus, although their functions are less clear. During "thymic involution," a process of lymphoid atrophy and adipose replacement linked to sexual maturation, thymocytes decline. However, thymic B cells decrease far less than T cells, such that B cells comprise ∼1% of human neonatal thymocytes but up to ∼10% in adults. All jawed vertebrates possess a thymus, and we and others have shown zebrafish (Danio rerio) also have thymic B cells. In this article, we investigated the precise identities of zebrafish thymic T and B cells and how they change with involution. We assessed the timing and specific details of zebrafish thymic involution using multiple lymphocyte-specific, fluorophore-labeled transgenic lines, quantifying the changes in thymic T- and B-lymphocytes pre- versus postinvolution. Our results prove that, as in humans, zebrafish thymic B cells increase relative to T cells postinvolution. We also performed RNA sequencing on D. rerio thymic and marrow lymphocytes of four novel double-transgenic lines, identifying distinct populations of immature T and B cells. Collectively, this is, to our knowledge, the first comprehensive analysis of zebrafish thymic involution, demonstrating its similarity to human involution and establishing the highly genetically manipulatable zebrafish model as a template for involution studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ameera Hasan
- Dept. of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Jose J. Macias
- Dept. of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Brashé Wood
- Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, and University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Megan Malone-Perez
- Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, and University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Gilseung Park
- Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Clay A. Foster
- Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, and University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - J. Kimble Frazer
- Dept. of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, and University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
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3
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Jing Z, Galbo P, Ovando L, Demouth M, Welte S, Park R, Chandran K, Wu Y, MacCarthy T, Zheng D, Fooksman D. Fine-tuning spatial-temporal dynamics and surface receptor expression support plasma cell-intrinsic longevity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.02.15.527913. [PMID: 36891288 PMCID: PMC9994177 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.15.527913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Durable serological memory following vaccination is critically dependent on the production and survival of long-lived plasma cells (LLPCs). Yet, the factors that control LLPC specification and survival remain poorly resolved. Using intra-vital two-photon imaging, we find that in contrast to most plasma cells in the bone marrow, LLPCs are uniquely sessile and organized into clusters that are dependent on April, an important survival factor. Using deep, bulk RNA sequencing, and surface protein flow-based phenotyping, we find that LLPCs express a unique transcriptome and proteome compared to bulk PCs, fine tuning expression of key cell surface molecules, CD93, CD81, CXCR4, CD326, CD44 and CD48, important for adhesion and homing, and phenotypically label LLPCs within mature PC pool. Conditional deletion of Cxcr4 in PCs following immunization leads to rapid mobilization from the BM, reduced survival of antigen-specific PCs, and ultimately accelerated decay of antibody titer. In naive mice, the endogenous LLPCs BCR repertoire exhibits reduced diversity, reduced somatic mutations, and increased public clones and IgM isotypes, particularly in young mice, suggesting LLPC specification is non-random. As mice age, the BM PC compartment becomes enriched in LLPCs, which may outcompete and limit entry of new PC into the LLPC niche and pool.
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4
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Perrino M, Voulaz E, Balin S, Cazzato G, Fontana E, Franzese S, Defendi M, De Vincenzo F, Cordua N, Tamma R, Borea F, Aliprandi M, Airoldi M, Cecchi LG, Fazio R, Alloisio M, Marulli G, Santoro A, Di Tommaso L, Ingravallo G, Russo L, Da Rin G, Villa A, Della Bella S, Zucali PA, Mavilio D. Autoimmunity in thymic epithelial tumors: a not yet clarified pathologic paradigm associated with several unmet clinical needs. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1288045. [PMID: 38629065 PMCID: PMC11018877 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1288045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are rare mediastinal cancers originating from the thymus, classified in two main histotypes: thymoma and thymic carcinoma (TC). TETs affect a primary lymphoid organ playing a critical role in keeping T-cell homeostasis and ensuring an adequate immunological tolerance against "self". In particular, thymomas and not TC are frequently associated with autoimmune diseases (ADs), with Myasthenia Gravis being the most common AD present in 30% of patients with thymoma. This comorbidity, in addition to negatively affecting the quality and duration of patients' life, reduces the spectrum of the available therapeutic options. Indeed, the presence of autoimmunity represents an exclusion criteria for the administration of the newest immunotherapeutic treatments with checkpoint inhibitors. The pathophysiological correlation between TETs and autoimmunity remains a mystery. Several studies have demonstrated the presence of a residual and active thymopoiesis in adult patients affected by thymomas, especially in mixed and lymphocytic-rich thymomas, currently known as type AB and B thymomas. The aim of this review is to provide the state of art in regard to the histological features of the different TET histotype, to the role of the different immune cells infiltrating tumor microenvironments and their impact in the break of central immunologic thymic tolerance in thymomas. We discuss here both cellular and molecular immunologic mechanisms inducing the onset of autoimmunity in TETs, limiting the portfolio of therapeutic strategies against TETs and greatly impacting the prognosis of associated autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Perrino
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuele Voulaz
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Simone Balin
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Gerardo Cazzato
- Section of Pathology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePRe-J), University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy
| | - Elena Fontana
- Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Milan, Italy
- Human Genome and Biomedical Technologies Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Franzese
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Unit of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Martina Defendi
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Unit of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio De Vincenzo
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Nadia Cordua
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Tamma
- Section of Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neurosciences (DiBraiN), University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy
| | - Federica Borea
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Aliprandi
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Airoldi
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Luigi Giovanni Cecchi
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberta Fazio
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Alloisio
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Marulli
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Armando Santoro
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Di Tommaso
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ingravallo
- Section of Pathology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePRe-J), University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy
| | - Laura Russo
- Clinical Laboratory, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Da Rin
- Clinical Laboratory, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Villa
- Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Milan, Italy
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-TIGET), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Della Bella
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Unit of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Andrea Zucali
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Domenico Mavilio
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Unit of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
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5
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Shirafkan F, Hensel L, Rattay K. Immune tolerance and the prevention of autoimmune diseases essentially depend on thymic tissue homeostasis. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1339714. [PMID: 38571951 PMCID: PMC10987875 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1339714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The intricate balance of immune reactions towards invading pathogens and immune tolerance towards self is pivotal in preventing autoimmune diseases, with the thymus playing a central role in establishing and maintaining this equilibrium. The induction of central immune tolerance in the thymus involves the elimination of self-reactive T cells, a mechanism essential for averting autoimmunity. Disruption of the thymic T cell selection mechanisms can lead to the development of autoimmune diseases. In the dynamic microenvironment of the thymus, T cell migration and interactions with thymic stromal cells are critical for the selection processes that ensure self-tolerance. Thymic epithelial cells are particularly significant in this context, presenting self-antigens and inducing the negative selection of autoreactive T cells. Further, the synergistic roles of thymic fibroblasts, B cells, and dendritic cells in antigen presentation, selection and the development of regulatory T cells are pivotal in maintaining immune responses tightly regulated. This review article collates these insights, offering a comprehensive examination of the multifaceted role of thymic tissue homeostasis in the establishment of immune tolerance and its implications in the prevention of autoimmune diseases. Additionally, the developmental pathways of the thymus are explored, highlighting how genetic aberrations can disrupt thymic architecture and function, leading to autoimmune conditions. The impact of infections on immune tolerance is another critical area, with pathogens potentially triggering autoimmunity by altering thymic homeostasis. Overall, this review underscores the integral role of thymic tissue homeostasis in the prevention of autoimmune diseases, discussing insights into potential therapeutic strategies and examining putative avenues for future research on developing thymic-based therapies in treating and preventing autoimmune conditions.
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Lagou MK, Argyris DG, Vodopyanov S, Gunther-Cummins L, Hardas A, Poutahidis T, Panorias C, DesMarais S, Entenberg C, Carpenter RS, Guzik H, Nishku X, Churaman J, Maryanovich M, DesMarais V, Macaluso FP, Karagiannis GS. Morphometric Analysis of the Thymic Epithelial Cell (TEC) Network Using Integrated and Orthogonal Digital Pathology Approaches. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.11.584509. [PMID: 38559037 PMCID: PMC10979902 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.11.584509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The thymus, a central primary lymphoid organ of the immune system, plays a key role in T cell development. Surprisingly, the thymus is quite neglected with regards to standardized pathology approaches and practices for assessing structure and function. Most studies use multispectral flow cytometry to define the dynamic composition of the thymus at the cell population level, but they are limited by lack of contextual insight. This knowledge gap hinders our understanding of various thymic conditions and pathologies, particularly how they affect thymic architecture, and subsequently, immune competence. Here, we introduce a digital pathology pipeline to address these challenges. Our approach can be coupled to analytical algorithms and utilizes rationalized morphometric assessments of thymic tissue, ranging from tissue-wide down to microanatomical and ultrastructural levels. This pipeline enables the quantitative assessment of putative changes and adaptations of thymic structure to stimuli, offering valuable insights into the pathophysiology of thymic disorders. This versatile pipeline can be applied to a wide range of conditions that may directly or indirectly affect thymic structure, ranging from various cytotoxic stimuli inducing acute thymic involution to autoimmune diseases, such as myasthenia gravis. Here, we demonstrate applicability of the method in a mouse model of age-dependent thymic involution, both by confirming established knowledge, and by providing novel insights on intrathymic remodeling in the aged thymus. Our orthogonal pipeline, with its high versatility and depth of analysis, promises to be a valuable and practical toolset for both basic and translational immunology laboratories investigating thymic function and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria K Lagou
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Dimitrios G Argyris
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Integrated Imaging Program for Cancer Research, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Stepan Vodopyanov
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Leslie Gunther-Cummins
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Analytical Imaging Facility, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer, Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Alexandros Hardas
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, Hatfield, United Kingdom
| | - Theofilos Poutahidis
- Laboratory of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Christos Panorias
- Division of Statistics and Operational Research, Department of Mathematics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Sophia DesMarais
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Conner Entenberg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Randall S Carpenter
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Hillary Guzik
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Analytical Imaging Facility, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer, Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Xheni Nishku
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Analytical Imaging Facility, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer, Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Joseph Churaman
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Analytical Imaging Facility, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer, Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Maria Maryanovich
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Cancer Dormancy and Tumor Microenvironment Institute, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer, Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Vera DesMarais
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Analytical Imaging Facility, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer, Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Frank P Macaluso
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Analytical Imaging Facility, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer, Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - George S Karagiannis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Integrated Imaging Program for Cancer Research, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Cancer Dormancy and Tumor Microenvironment Institute, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer, Center, Bronx, NY, USA
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Cordero H, Hess J, Nitschki E, Kanshin E, Roy P, Shihab R, Kalfa DM, Bacha EA, Ueberheide B, Zorn E. Antibody responses to dietary antigens are accompanied by specific plasma cells in the infant thymus. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2023; 152:1010-1018. [PMID: 37406823 PMCID: PMC10592448 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2023.06.018] [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: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human infants develop IgG responses to dietary antigens during the first 2 years of life. Yet, the source of these antibodies is unclear. In previous studies we reported on the thymus as a unique functional niche for plasma cells (PCs) specific to environmental antigens. OBJECTIVE We sought to examine whether PCs specific to dietary antigens are detected in the infant thymus. METHODS We tested IgG reactivity to 112 food antigens and allergens in the serum of 20 neonates and infants using microarrays. The presence of PC-secreting IgG specific to the most prominent antigens was then assessed among thymocytes in the same cohort. Using an LC-MS proteomics approach, we looked for traces of these antigens in the thymus. RESULTS Our studies first confirmed that cow's milk proteins are prevalent targets of serum IgG in early life. Subjects with the highest serum IgG titers to cow's milk proteins also harbored IgG-producing PCs specific to the same antigens in the thymic niche. Furthermore, we detected multiple peptide fragments of cow's milk antigens in the thymus. Lastly, we verified that both serum IgG and IgG secreted by thymic PCs recognized the peptide epitopes found in the thymus. CONCLUSIONS Our studies reveal the presence of antibody-secreting PCs specific to common dietary antigens in the infant thymus. The presence of these antigens in the thymus suggested that activation and differentiation of specific PCs occurred in this organ. Further studies are now warranted to evaluate the possible implication of these cells in tolerance to dietary antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hector Cordero
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York
| | - Jacob Hess
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York
| | - Elio Nitschki
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York
| | - Evgeny Kanshin
- Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Advanced Research Technologies, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York
| | - Poulomi Roy
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York
| | - Ronzon Shihab
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York
| | - David M Kalfa
- Division of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York
| | - Emile A Bacha
- Division of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York
| | - Beatrix Ueberheide
- Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Advanced Research Technologies, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York
| | - Emmanuel Zorn
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York.
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8
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Hasan A, Macias JJ, Wood B, Malone-Perez M, Park G, Foster CA, Frazer JK. Dynamic Changes in Lymphocyte Populations Establish Zebrafish as a Thymic Involution Model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.25.550519. [PMID: 37546788 PMCID: PMC10402004 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.25.550519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The thymus is the site of T lymphocyte development and T cell education to recognize foreign, but not self, antigens. B cells also reside and develop in the thymus, although their functions are less clear. During 'thymic involution,' a process of lymphoid atrophy and adipose replacement linked to sexual maturation, thymocytes decline. However, thymic B cells decrease far less than T cells, such that B cells comprise ~1% of human neonatal thymocytes, but up to ~10% in adults. All jawed vertebrates possess a thymus, and we and others have shown zebrafish (Danio rerio) also have thymic B cells. Here, we investigated the precise identities of zebrafish thymic T and B cells and how they change with involution. We assessed the timing and specific details of zebrafish thymic involution using multiple lymphocyte-specific, fluorophore-labeled transgenic lines, quantifying the changes in thymic T- and B-lymphocytes pre- vs. post-involution. Our results prove that, as in humans, zebrafish thymic B cells increase relative to T cells post-involution. We also performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on D. rerio thymic and marrow lymphocytes of four novel double-transgenic lines, identifying distinct populations of immature T and B cells. Collectively, this is the first comprehensive analysis of zebrafish thymic involution, demonstrating its similarity to human involution, and establishing the highly genetically-manipulatable zebrafish model as a template for involution studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ameera Hasan
- Depts. of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Jose J. Macias
- Depts. of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Brashé Wood
- Depts. of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Megan Malone-Perez
- Depts. of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Gilseung Park
- Depts. of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Clay A. Foster
- Depts. of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - J. Kimble Frazer
- Depts. of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Depts. of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Depts. of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
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9
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Tarlinton DM, Ding Z, Tellier J, Nutt SL. Making sense of plasma cell heterogeneity. Curr Opin Immunol 2023; 81:102297. [PMID: 36889029 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2023.102297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Plasma cells (PCs) are essential for the quality and longevity of protective immunity. The canonical humoral response to vaccination involves induction of germinal centers in lymph nodes followed by maintenance by bone marrow-resident PCs, although there are many variations of this theme. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of PCs in nonlymphoid organs, including the gut, central nervous system, and skin. These sites harbor PCs with distinct isotypes and possible immunoglobulin-independent functions. Indeed, bone marrow now appears unique in housing PCs derived from multiple other organs. The mechanisms through which the bone marrow maintains PC survival long-term and the impact of their diverse origins on this process remain very active areas of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Tarlinton
- Department of Immunology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Zhoujie Ding
- Department of Immunology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Julie Tellier
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stephen L Nutt
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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10
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Pioli KT, Lau KH, Pioli PD. Thymus antibody-secreting cells possess an interferon gene signature and are preferentially expanded in young female mice. iScience 2023; 26:106223. [PMID: 36890795 PMCID: PMC9986522 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106223] [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: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) are key contributors to humoral immunity through immunoglobulin production and the potential to be long-lived. ASC persistence has been recognized in the autoimmune thymus (THY); however, only recently has this population been appreciated in healthy THY tissue. We showed that the young female THY was skewed toward higher production of ASCs relative to males. However, these differences disappeared with age. In both sexes, THY ASCs included Ki-67+ plasmablasts which required CD154(CD40L) signals for their propagation. Single cell RNA-sequencing revealed that THY ASCs were enriched for an interferon responsive transcriptional signature relative to those from bone marrow and spleen. Flow cytometry confirmed that THY ASCs had increased levels of Toll-like receptor 7 as well as CD69 and major histocompatibility complex class II. Overall, we identified fundamental aspects of THY ASC biology which may be leveraged for future in depth studies of this population in both health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- KimAnh T Pioli
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N5E5, Canada
| | - Kin H Lau
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Peter D Pioli
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N5E5, Canada
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11
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Intrathymic dendritic cell-biased precursors promote human T cell lineage specification through IRF8-driven transmembrane TNF. Nat Immunol 2023; 24:474-486. [PMID: 36703005 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-022-01417-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The cross-talk between thymocytes and thymic stromal cells is fundamental for T cell development. In humans, intrathymic development of dendritic cells (DCs) is evident but its physiological significance is unknown. Here we showed that DC-biased precursors depended on the expression of the transcription factor IRF8 to express the membrane-bound precursor form of the cytokine TNF (tmTNF) to promote differentiation of thymus seeding hematopoietic progenitors into T-lineage specified precursors through activation of the TNF receptor (TNFR)-2 instead of TNFR1. In vitro recapitulation of TNFR2 signaling by providing low-density tmTNF or a selective TNFR2 agonist enhanced the generation of human T cell precursors. Our study shows that, in addition to mediating thymocyte selection and maturation, DCs function as hematopoietic stromal support for the early stages of human T cell development and provide proof of concept that selective targeting of TNFR2 can enhance the in vitro generation of T cell precursors for clinical application.
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12
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Pioli KT, Pioli PD. Thymus antibody-secreting cells: once forgotten but not lost. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1170438. [PMID: 37122712 PMCID: PMC10130419 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1170438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibody-secreting cells are essential contributors to the humoral response. This is due to multiple factors which include: 1) the ability to secrete thousands of antibodies per second, 2) the ability to regulate the immune response and 3) the potential to be long-lived. Not surprisingly, these cells can be found in numerous sites within the body which include organs that directly interface with potential pathogens (e.g., gut) and others that provide long-term survival niches (e.g., bone marrow). Even though antibody-secreting cells were first identified in the thymus of both humans and rodents in the 1960s, if not earlier, only recently has this population begun to be extensively investigated. In this article, we provide an update regarding the current breath of knowledge pertaining to thymus antibody-secreting cells and discuss the potential roles of these cells and their impact on health.
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13
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Cordes M, Canté-Barrett K, van den Akker EB, Moretti FA, Kiełbasa SM, Vloemans SA, Garcia-Perez L, Teodosio C, van Dongen JJM, Pike-Overzet K, Reinders MJT, Staal FJT. Single-cell immune profiling reveals thymus-seeding populations, T cell commitment, and multilineage development in the human thymus. Sci Immunol 2022; 7:eade0182. [DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.ade0182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
T cell development in the mouse thymus has been studied extensively, but less is known regarding T cell development in the human thymus. We used a combination of single-cell techniques and functional assays to perform deep immune profiling of human T cell development, focusing on the initial stages of prelineage commitment. We identified three thymus-seeding progenitor populations that also have counterparts in the bone marrow. In addition, we found that the human thymus physiologically supports the development of monocytes, dendritic cells, and NK cells, as well as limited development of B cells. These results are an important step toward monitoring and guiding regenerative therapies in patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martijn Cordes
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden Computational Biology Center, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Kirsten Canté-Barrett
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands
| | - Erik B. van den Akker
- Leiden Computational Biology Center, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Delft Bioinformatics Lab, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
- Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Federico A. Moretti
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Szymon M. Kiełbasa
- Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Sandra A. Vloemans
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Laura Garcia-Perez
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Cristina Teodosio
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Centro de Investigación del Cáncer-Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (CIC-IBMCC, USAL-CSIC-FICUS), Department of Medicine, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Jacques J. M. van Dongen
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Centro de Investigación del Cáncer-Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (CIC-IBMCC, USAL-CSIC-FICUS), Department of Medicine, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Karin Pike-Overzet
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Marcel J. T. Reinders
- Leiden Computational Biology Center, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Delft Bioinformatics Lab, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Frank J. T. Staal
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
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14
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Lancaster JN, Keatinge‐Clay DE, Srinivasan J, Li Y, Selden HJ, Nam S, Richie ER, Ehrlich LIR. Central tolerance is impaired in the middle-aged thymic environment. Aging Cell 2022; 21:e13624. [PMID: 35561351 PMCID: PMC9197411 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the earliest hallmarks of immune aging is thymus involution, which not only reduces the number of newly generated and exported T cells, but also alters the composition and organization of the thymus microenvironment. Thymic T‐cell export continues into adulthood, yet the impact of thymus involution on the quality of newly generated T‐cell clones is not well established. Notably, the number and proportion of medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) and expression of tissue‐restricted antigens (TRAs) decline with age, suggesting the involuting thymus may not promote efficient central tolerance. Here, we demonstrate that the middle‐aged thymic environment does not support rapid motility of medullary thymocytes, potentially diminishing their ability to scan antigen presenting cells (APCs) that display the diverse self‐antigens that induce central tolerance. Consistent with this possibility, thymic slice assays reveal that the middle‐aged thymic environment does not support efficient negative selection or regulatory T‐cell (Treg) induction of thymocytes responsive to either TRAs or ubiquitous self‐antigens. This decline in central tolerance is not universal, but instead impacts lower‐avidity self‐antigens that are either less abundant or bind to TCRs with moderate affinities. Additionally, the decline in thymic tolerance by middle age is accompanied by both a reduction in mTECs and hematopoietic APC subsets that cooperate to drive central tolerance. Thus, age‐associated changes in the thymic environment result in impaired central tolerance against moderate‐avidity self‐antigens, potentially resulting in export of increasingly autoreactive naive T cells, with a deficit of Treg counterparts by middle age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica N. Lancaster
- Department of Molecular Biosciences The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
| | | | - Jayashree Srinivasan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
| | - Yu Li
- Department of Molecular Biosciences The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
| | - Hilary J. Selden
- Department of Molecular Biosciences The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
| | - Seohee Nam
- Department of Molecular Biosciences The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
| | - Ellen R. Richie
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston Texas USA
| | - Lauren I. R. Ehrlich
- Department of Molecular Biosciences The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
- Department of Oncology Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
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15
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Homeostatic serum IgE is secreted by plasma cells in the thymus and enhances mast cell survival. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1418. [PMID: 35301301 PMCID: PMC8930980 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29032-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased serum levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE) is a risk factor for various diseases, including allergy and anaphylaxis. However, the source and ontogeny of B cells producing IgE under steady state conditions are not well defined. Here, we show plasma cells that develop in the thymus and potently secrete IgE and other immunoglobulins, including IgM, IgA, and IgG. The development of these IgE-secreting plasma cells are induced by IL-4 produced by invariant Natural Killer T cells, independent of CD1d-mediated interaction. Single-cell transcriptomics suggest the developmental landscape of thymic B cells, and the thymus supports development of transitional, mature, and memory B cells in addition to plasma cells. Furthermore, thymic plasma cells produce polyclonal antibodies without somatic hypermutation, indicating they develop via the extra-follicular pathway. Physiologically, thymic-derived IgEs increase the number of mast cells in the gut and skin, which correlates with the severity of anaphylaxis. Collectively, we define the ontogeny of thymic plasma cells and show that steady state thymus-derived IgEs regulate mast cell homeostasis, opening up new avenues for studying the genetic causes of allergic disorders. Elevated levels of IgE is associated with a range of allergic pathology but the source of such IgE producing B cells during the steady state is poorly understood. Here, Kwon et al. show that homeostatic IgE is secreted by plasma cells in the thymus and link this to mast cell survival.
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16
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Broketa M, Bruhns P. Single-Cell Technologies for the Study of Antibody-Secreting Cells. Front Immunol 2022; 12:821729. [PMID: 35173713 PMCID: PMC8841722 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.821729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibody-secreting cells (ASC), plasmablasts and plasma cells, are terminally differentiated B cells responsible for large-scale production and secretion of antibodies. ASC are derived from activated B cells, which may differentiate extrafollicularly or form germinal center (GC) reactions within secondary lymphoid organs. ASC therefore consist of short-lived, poorly matured plasmablasts that generally secrete lower-affinity antibodies, or long-lived, highly matured plasma cells that generally secrete higher-affinity antibodies. The ASC population is responsible for producing an immediate humoral B cell response, the polyclonal antibody repertoire, as well as in parallel building effective humoral memory and immunity, or potentially driving pathology in the case of autoimmunity. ASC are phenotypically and transcriptionally distinct from other B cells and further distinguishable by morphology, varied lifespans, and anatomical localization. Single cell analyses are required to interrogate the functional and transcriptional diversity of ASC and their secreted antibody repertoire and understand the contribution of individual ASC responses to the polyclonal humoral response. Here we summarize the current and emerging functional and molecular techniques for high-throughput characterization of ASC with single cell resolution, including flow and mass cytometry, spot-based and microfluidic-based assays, focusing on functional approaches of the secreted antibodies: specificity, affinity, and secretion rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Broketa
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, INSERM UMR 1222, Unit of Antibodies in Therapy and Pathology, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, Collège doctoral, Paris, France
- *Correspondence: Matteo Broketa, ; Pierre Bruhns,
| | - Pierre Bruhns
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, INSERM UMR 1222, Unit of Antibodies in Therapy and Pathology, Paris, France
- *Correspondence: Matteo Broketa, ; Pierre Bruhns,
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17
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Relationship between Pneumonia and the Thymus Gland in Children with COVID-19: A Volumetric Computed Tomography Study. J PEDIAT INF DIS-GER 2021. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1739392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Objective Many studies showed that less-severe disease symptoms and fewer mortality rates have been reported in pediatric novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. In this study, we aimed to reveal the relationship between the volume of thymus gland, which provides T lymphocyte maturation in children, with the severity of lung involvement and blood laboratory values in pediatric patients with COVID-19 infection.
Methods Thymus density and thymus and cardiac volumes were measured in pediatric COVID-19 patients and a control group that underwent thoracic tomography for reasons other than infection. Thymus/heart ratios were calculated to index the thymus volumes of the patients to their body dimensions. The severity of pneumonia was demonstrated by proportioning the involved lung parenchymal volume to the total lung volume in patients with typical involvement in thoracic tomography. The relationship between volumetric and blood laboratory values was statistically evaluated.
Results Thymus density (p = 0.015) and thymus/heart ratio (p = 0.04) significantly differed between patients with COVID-19 infection and the control group. A correlation was observed between the pneumonia involvement rate and C-reactive protein (CRP) (k: 0.451, p = 0.08) and white blood cell (WBC; k: 0.419, p = 0.015) values in the thoracic tomography of the COVID-19 group.
Conclusion The thymus gland is enlarged as an indicator of activation in COVID-19 infection. We hope that our study will guide new studies on the prognostic value of thymus size in lymphopenic patients with severe disease.
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18
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Börner K, Teichmann SA, Quardokus EM, Gee JC, Browne K, Osumi-Sutherland D, Herr BW, Bueckle A, Paul H, Haniffa M, Jardine L, Bernard A, Ding SL, Miller JA, Lin S, Halushka MK, Boppana A, Longacre TA, Hickey J, Lin Y, Valerius MT, He Y, Pryhuber G, Sun X, Jorgensen M, Radtke AJ, Wasserfall C, Ginty F, Ho J, Sunshine J, Beuschel RT, Brusko M, Lee S, Malhotra R, Jain S, Weber G. Anatomical structures, cell types and biomarkers of the Human Reference Atlas. Nat Cell Biol 2021; 23:1117-1128. [PMID: 34750582 PMCID: PMC10079270 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-021-00788-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The Human Reference Atlas (HRA) aims to map all of the cells of the human body to advance biomedical research and clinical practice. This Perspective presents collaborative work by members of 16 international consortia on two essential and interlinked parts of the HRA: (1) three-dimensional representations of anatomy that are linked to (2) tables that name and interlink major anatomical structures, cell types, plus biomarkers (ASCT+B). We discuss four examples that demonstrate the practical utility of the HRA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katy Börner
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
| | - Sarah A Teichmann
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ellen M Quardokus
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - James C Gee
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kristen Browne
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David Osumi-Sutherland
- European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Bruce W Herr
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Andreas Bueckle
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Hrishikesh Paul
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Muzlifah Haniffa
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Laura Jardine
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | | | | | | | - Shin Lin
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Marc K Halushka
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Avinash Boppana
- Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Teri A Longacre
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - John Hickey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yiing Lin
- Department of Surgery, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - M Todd Valerius
- Harvard Institute of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yongqun He
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Center for Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Gloria Pryhuber
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Xin Sun
- Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Marda Jorgensen
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Andrea J Radtke
- Center for Advanced Tissue Imaging, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Clive Wasserfall
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Fiona Ginty
- Biology and Applied Physics, General Electric Research, Niskayuna, NY, USA
| | - Jonhan Ho
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Joel Sunshine
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rebecca T Beuschel
- Center for Advanced Tissue Imaging, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Maigan Brusko
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Sujin Lee
- Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rajeev Malhotra
- Harvard Institute of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sanjay Jain
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Griffin Weber
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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19
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Castañeda J, Hidalgo Y, Sauma D, Rosemblatt M, Bono MR, Núñez S. The Multifaceted Roles of B Cells in the Thymus: From Immune Tolerance to Autoimmunity. Front Immunol 2021; 12:766698. [PMID: 34790201 PMCID: PMC8591215 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.766698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The thymus is home to a significant number of resident B cells which possess several unique characteristics regarding their origin, phenotype and function. Evidence shows that they originate both from precursors that mature intrathymically and as the entry of recirculating mature B cells. Under steady-state conditions they exhibit hallmark signatures of activated B cells, undergo immunoglobulin class-switch, and express the Aire transcription factor. These features are imprinted within the thymus and enable B cells to act as specialized antigen-presenting cells in the thymic medulla that contribute negative selection of self-reactive T cells. Though, most studies have focused on B cells located in the medulla, a second contingent of B cells is also present in non-epithelial perivascular spaces of the thymus. This latter group of B cells, which includes memory B cells and plasma cells, is not readily detected in the thymus of infants or young mice but gradually accumulates during normal aging. Remarkably, in many autoimmune diseases the thymus suffers severe structural atrophy and infiltration of B cells in the perivascular spaces, which organize into follicles similar to those typically found in secondary lymphoid organs. This review provides an overview of the pathways involved in thymic B cell origin and presents an integrated view of both thymic medullary and perivascular B cells and their respective physiological and pathological roles in central tolerance and autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Castañeda
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Yessia Hidalgo
- Cells for cells-Consorcio Regenero, Universidad de Los Andes, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniela Sauma
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mario Rosemblatt
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago, Chile
- Fundación Ciencia y Vida, Santiago, Chile
| | - María Rosa Bono
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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20
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Al-Suhaimi EA, Aljafary MA, Alkhulaifi FM, Aldossary HA, Alshammari T, AL-Qaaneh A, Aldahhan R, Alkhalifah Z, Gaymalov ZZ, Shehzad A, Homeida AM. Thymus Gland: A Double Edge Sword for Coronaviruses. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9101119. [PMID: 34696231 PMCID: PMC8539924 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9101119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The thymus is the main lymphoid organ that regulates the immune and endocrine systems by controlling thymic cell proliferation and differentiation. The gland is a primary lymphoid organ responsible for generating mature T cells into CD4+ or CD8+ single-positive (SP) T cells, contributing to cellular immunity. Regarding humoral immunity, the thymic plasma cells almost exclusively secrete IgG1 and IgG3, the two main complement-fixing effector IgG subclasses. Deformity in the thymus can lead to inflammatory diseases. Hassall’s corpuscles’ epithelial lining produces thymic stromal lymphopoietin, which induces differentiation of CDs thymocytes into regulatory T cells within the thymus medulla. Thymic B lymphocytes produce immunoglobulins and immunoregulating hormones, including thymosin. Modulation in T cell and naive T cells decrement due to thymus deformity induce alteration in the secretion of various inflammatory factors, resulting in multiple diseases. Influenza virus activates thymic CD4+ CD8+ thymocytes and a large amount of IFNγ. IFNs limit virus spread, enhance macrophages’ phagocytosis, and promote the natural killer cell restriction activity against infected cells. Th2 lymphocytes-produced cytokine IL-4 can bind to antiviral INFγ, decreasing the cell susceptibility and downregulating viral receptors. COVID-19 epitopes (S, M, and N proteins) with ≥90% identity to the SARS-CoV sequence have been predicted. These epitopes trigger immunity for antibodies production. Boosting the immune system by improving thymus function can be a therapeutic strategy for preventing virus-related diseases. This review aims to summarize the endocrine-immunoregulatory functions of the thymus and the underlying mechanisms in the prevention of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebtesam A. Al-Suhaimi
- Biology Department, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia; (M.A.A.); (F.M.A.); (A.M.H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +966-133-332-444
| | - Meneerah A. Aljafary
- Biology Department, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia; (M.A.A.); (F.M.A.); (A.M.H.)
| | - Fadwa M. Alkhulaifi
- Biology Department, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia; (M.A.A.); (F.M.A.); (A.M.H.)
| | - Hanan A. Aldossary
- Epidemic Diseases Research Department, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia; or
| | - Thamer Alshammari
- Genetic Research Department, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia; (T.A.); (A.A.-Q.); (Z.A.)
| | - Ayman AL-Qaaneh
- Genetic Research Department, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia; (T.A.); (A.A.-Q.); (Z.A.)
- Clinical Pharmacy Services Division, Pharmacy Services Department, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (JHAH), Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia
| | - Razan Aldahhan
- Stem Cell Research Department, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Zahra Alkhalifah
- Genetic Research Department, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia; (T.A.); (A.A.-Q.); (Z.A.)
| | - Zagit Z. Gaymalov
- Earlystage OÜ, Lasnamäe Linnaosa, Sepapaja tn 6, Harju Maakond, 15551 Tallinn, Estonia;
| | - Adeeb Shehzad
- Clinical Pharmacy Research Department, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Abdelgadir M. Homeida
- Biology Department, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia; (M.A.A.); (F.M.A.); (A.M.H.)
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21
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Intrathymic differentiation of natural antibody-producing plasma cells in human neonates. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5761. [PMID: 34599177 PMCID: PMC8486820 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26069-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The thymus is a central lymphoid organ primarily responsible for the development of T cells. A small proportion of B cells, however, also reside in the thymus to assist negative selection of self-reactive T cells. Here we show that the thymus of human neonates contains a consistent contingent of CD138+ plasma cells, producing all classes and subclasses of immunoglobulins with the exception of IgD. These antibody-secreting cells are part of a larger subset of B cells that share the expression of signature genes defining mouse B1 cells, yet lack the expression of complement receptors CD21 and CD35. Data from single-cell transcriptomic, clonal correspondence and in vitro differentiation assays support the notion of intrathymic CD138+ plasma cell differentiation, alongside other B cell subsets with distinctive molecular phenotypes. Lastly, neonatal thymic plasma cells also include clones reactive to commensal and pathogenic bacteria that commonly infect children born with antibody deficiency. Thus, our findings point to the thymus as a source of innate humoral immunity in human neonates.
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22
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Kaptaner B, Aykut H, Doğan E, Bostancı M. Histology of some major immune system organs in Lake Van fish Alburnus tarichi (Güldenstädt, 1814) (Cyprinidae). Anat Histol Embryol 2021; 50:770-780. [PMID: 34142380 DOI: 10.1111/ahe.12723] [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: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The teleostean immune system is variable between and within taxa in terms of morphology. Accordingly, in the current study, the histology of some immune organs (thymus, kidney and spleen) of Lake Van fish (Alburnus tarichi) was investigated. For this purpose, the tissues from eight mature fish were fixed and embedded in paraffin wax, and then the sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin, Mallory's triple, periodic acid-Schiff and Alcian blue (pH of 2.5) for histologic examinations. In the thymus, no clear discrimination of the cortex and medulla was observed. Lymphoid cells within a reticulo-epithelial network were the predominant cell type in the thymus. The other components in the thymus were macrophages and myoid, mast-like, plasma-like, cystic cells, Hassall's corpuscles, and single or multiple epithelial cystic structures. In the kidney, the head kidney, a major haematopoietic site, consisted of lymphoid and non-lymphoid zones within a reticular network. Cells exhibiting mitotic figures were also detected in the haematopoietic tissue of the head kidney. Haematopoietic tissue was also found in the trunk kidney dispersed amongst the excretory components. The spleen was composed of red and white pulp. The red pulp comprised abundant erythrocytes, whilst the white pulp contained leucocytes with a reticular network. Ellipsoids were also determined in the white pulp. Melanomacrophage centres were found in all of the examined lymphoid tissues of the fish. These findings, which were reported, herein, for the first time will provide reference knowledge for future studies of this anadromous fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burak Kaptaner
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Van Yuzuncu Yil, Tuşba, Van, Turkey
| | - Handan Aykut
- Department of Biology, Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Van Yuzuncu Yil, Tuşba, Van, Turkey
| | - Emine Doğan
- Department of Biology, Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Van Yuzuncu Yil, Tuşba, Van, Turkey
| | - Müşerref Bostancı
- Department of Biology, Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Van Yuzuncu Yil, Tuşba, Van, Turkey
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23
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Marx A, Yamada Y, Simon-Keller K, Schalke B, Willcox N, Ströbel P, Weis CA. Thymus and autoimmunity. Semin Immunopathol 2021; 43:45-64. [PMID: 33537838 PMCID: PMC7925479 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-021-00842-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The thymus prevents autoimmune diseases through mechanisms that operate in the cortex and medulla, comprising positive and negative selection and the generation of regulatory T-cells (Tregs). Egress from the thymus through the perivascular space (PVS) to the blood is another possible checkpoint, as shown by some autoimmune/immunodeficiency syndromes. In polygenic autoimmune diseases, subtle thymic dysfunctions may compound genetic, hormonal and environmental cues. Here, we cover (a) tolerance-inducing cell types, whether thymic epithelial or tuft cells, or dendritic, B- or thymic myoid cells; (b) tolerance-inducing mechanisms and their failure in relation to thymic anatomic compartments, and with special emphasis on human monogenic and polygenic autoimmune diseases and the related thymic pathologies, if known; (c) polymorphisms and mutations of tolerance-related genes with an impact on positive selection (e.g. the gene encoding the thymoproteasome-specific subunit, PSMB11), promiscuous gene expression (e.g. AIRE, PRKDC, FEZF2, CHD4), Treg development (e.g. SATB1, FOXP3), T-cell migration (e.g. TAGAP) and egress from the thymus (e.g. MTS1, CORO1A); (d) myasthenia gravis as the prototypic outcome of an inflamed or disordered neoplastic ‘sick thymus’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Marx
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Yosuke Yamada
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Katja Simon-Keller
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Berthold Schalke
- Department of Neurology, Bezirkskrankenhaus, University of Regensburg, 93042, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Nick Willcox
- Neurosciences Group, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Philipp Ströbel
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, University of Göttigen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Cleo-Aron Weis
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
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24
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Rehman S, Majeed T, Ansari MA, Ali U, Sabit H, Al-Suhaimi EA. Current scenario of COVID-19 in pediatric age group and physiology of immune and thymus response. Saudi J Biol Sci 2020; 27:2567-2573. [PMID: 32425651 PMCID: PMC7227606 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, continues to manifest with severe acute respiratory syndrome among the adults, however, it offers a convincing indication of less severity and fatality in pediatric age group (0-18 years). The current trend suggests that children may get infected but are less symptomatic with less fatality, which is concordant to earlier epidemic outbreaks of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, in 2002 and 2012, respectively. According to the available data, children appear to be at lower risk for COVID-19, as adults constitute for maximum number of the confirmed cases (308,592) and deaths (13,069) as on 22nd March (https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus). However, rapid publications and information of the adult patients with COVID-19 is in progress and published, on the contrary, almost no comprehensive data or discussion about the COVID-19 in children is available. Therefore, in this review, we outline the epidemiology, clinical symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, possible immune response and role of thymus in children to combat the COVID-19 outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suriya Rehman
- Department of Epidemic Disease Research, Institute of Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, 31441 Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tariq Majeed
- Department of General Pediatric, Pediatrics and Children Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Azam Ansari
- Department of Epidemic Disease Research, Institute of Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, 31441 Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Uzma Ali
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, 31441 Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hussein Sabit
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Institute of Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, 31441 Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ebtesam A. Al-Suhaimi
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Institute of Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, 31441 Dammam, Saudi Arabia
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25
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Lavaert M, Valcke B, Vandekerckhove B, Leclercq G, Liang KL, Taghon T. Conventional and Computational Flow Cytometry Analyses Reveal Sustained Human Intrathymic T Cell Development From Birth Until Puberty. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1659. [PMID: 32849574 PMCID: PMC7417369 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The thymus is the organ where subsets of mature T cells are generated which subsequently egress to function as central mediators in the immune system. While continuously generating T cells even into adulthood, the thymus does undergo involution during life. This is characterized by an initial rapid decrease in thymic cellularity during early life and by a second age-dependent decline in adulthood. The thymic cellularity of neonates remains low during the first month after birth and the tissue reaches a maximum in cellularity at 6 months of age. In order to study the effect that this first phase of thymic involution has on thymic immune subset frequencies, we performed multi-color flow cytometry on thymic samples collected from birth to 14 years of age. In consideration of the inherent limitations posed by conventional flow cytometry analysis, we established a novel computational analysis pipeline that is adapted from single-cell transcriptome sequencing data analysis. This allowed us to overcome technical effects by batch correction, analyze multiple samples simultaneously, limit computational cost by subsampling, and to rely on KNN-graphs for graph-based clustering. As a result, we successfully identified rare, distinct and gradually developing immune subsets within the human thymus tissues. Although the thymus undergoes early involution from infanthood onwards, our data suggests that this does not affect human T-cell development as we did not observe significant alterations in the proportions of T-lineage developmental intermediates from birth to puberty. Thus, in addition to providing an interesting novel strategy to analyze conventional flow cytometry data for the thymus, our work shows that the early phase of human thymic involution mainly limits the overall T cell output since no obvious changes in thymocyte subsets could be observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieke Lavaert
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Brecht Valcke
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bart Vandekerckhove
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Georges Leclercq
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kai Ling Liang
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tom Taghon
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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26
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Hidalgo Y, Núñez S, Fuenzalida MJ, Flores-Santibáñez F, Sáez PJ, Dorner J, Lennon-Dumenil AM, Martínez V, Zorn E, Rosemblatt M, Sauma D, Bono MR. Thymic B Cells Promote Germinal Center-Like Structures and the Expansion of Follicular Helper T Cells in Lupus-Prone Mice. Front Immunol 2020; 11:696. [PMID: 32411134 PMCID: PMC7199236 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the activation of autoreactive T and B cells, autoantibody production, and immune complex deposition in various organs. Previous evidence showed abnormal accumulation of B cells in the thymus of lupus-prone mice, but the role of this population in the progression of the disease remains mostly undefined. Here we analyzed the spatial distribution, function, and properties of this thymic B cell population in the BWF1 murine model of SLE. We found that in diseased animals, thymic B cells proliferate, and cluster in structures that resemble ectopic germinal centers. Moreover, we detected antibody-secreting cells in the thymus of diseased-BWF1 mice that produce anti-dsDNA IgG autoantibodies. We also found that thymic B cells from diseased-BWF1 mice induced the differentiation of thymocytes to follicular helper T cells (TFH). These data suggest that the accumulation of B cells in the thymus of BWF1 mice results in the formation of germinal center-like structures and the expansion of a TFH population, which may, in turn, activate and differentiate B cells into autoreactive plasma cells. Therefore, the thymus emerges as an important niche that supports the maintenance of the pathogenic humoral response in the development of murine SLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yessia Hidalgo
- Departamento de Biologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Cells for Cells-Consorcio Regenero, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Maria Jose Fuenzalida
- Departamento de Biologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Fundacion Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Pablo J Sáez
- INSERM U932, Institut Curie, Centre de Recherche, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Jessica Dorner
- FAVET-INBIOGEN, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Victor Martínez
- FAVET-INBIOGEN, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Emmanuel Zorn
- Department of Medicine, Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Mario Rosemblatt
- Departamento de Biologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Fundacion Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile.,Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniela Sauma
- Departamento de Biologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Maria Rosa Bono
- Departamento de Biologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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27
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Insights into Thymus Development and Viral Thymic Infections. Viruses 2019; 11:v11090836. [PMID: 31505755 PMCID: PMC6784209 DOI: 10.3390/v11090836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
T-cell development in the thymus is a complex and highly regulated process, involving a wide variety of cells and molecules which orchestrate thymocyte maturation into either CD4+ or CD8+ single-positive (SP) T cells. Here, we briefly review the process regulating T-cell differentiation, which includes the latest advances in this field. In particular, we highlight how, starting from a pool of hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow, the sequential action of transcriptional factors and cytokines dictates the proliferation, restriction of lineage potential, T-cell antigen receptors (TCR) gene rearrangements, and selection events on the T-cell progenitors, ultimately leading to the generation of mature T cells. Moreover, this review discusses paradigmatic examples of viral infections affecting the thymus that, by inducing functional changes within this lymphoid gland, consequently influence the behavior of peripheral mature T-lymphocytes.
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28
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Salgado OC, Hogquist KA. Early childhood education is critical for T reg cells. Nat Immunol 2019; 20:952-954. [PMID: 31308543 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-019-0440-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Oscar C Salgado
- Center for Immunology and Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Kristin A Hogquist
- Center for Immunology and Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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29
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Jing L, Kim S, Sun L, Wang L, Mildner E, Divaris K, Jiao Y, Offenbacher S. IL-37- and IL-35/IL-37-Producing Plasma Cells in Chronic Periodontitis. J Dent Res 2019; 98:813-821. [PMID: 31050915 DOI: 10.1177/0022034519847443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Periodontitis is one of the most prevalent chronic inflammatory diseases and is induced by the interaction between oral microorganisms and the host immune system. Plasma cells are of special interest in chronic periodontitis (CP), as they represent ~50% of infiltrated immune cells in periodontal lesions. Plasma cells constitute the only known cell type capable of antibody production; however, recent evidence supports an emerging role for distinct sets of plasma cells in cytokine production. However, the presence of cytokine-producing plasma cells in CP is unknown. In this study, we used immunohistochemistry to detect significantly elevated levels of IL-35 and IL-37 (2 recently identified anti-inflammatory cytokines) in CP gingival tissue as compared with healthy tissue. Remarkably, we demonstrate that CD138+ CD38+ plasma cells are the major immune cell type in CP gingival tissues and that these cells produce IL-35 and IL-37. We used immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy analysis to identify a subset of plasma cells with robust cytoplasmic expression of IL-37-we denote this subset as IL-37-producing plasma cells (CD138+CD38+PIL-37). Another subset of plasma cells coproduces IL-35 and IL-37 and is denoted as IL-37/IL-35-coproducing plasma cells (CD138+CD38+PIL-35/IL-37). We determined that these 2 plasma cell subsets are IgG+plasma cells. Moreover, we show that human recombinant IL-35 and IL-37 exhibit a dose-dependent inhibition of osteoclast formation in vitro (~78.9% and 97.7% inhibition in 300 ng/mL of IL-35 and IL-37, respectively, P < 0.05). Overall, our findings suggest that PIL-37 and PIL-35/IL-37 exist as subsets of plasma cells in CP lesions and that these 2 new types of plasma cells may regulate periodontitis pathogenesis by inhibiting alveolar bone loss through directly blocking osteoclast formation. Importantly, these data suggest a novel role of plasma cells and offer potential new mechanistic and regulatory targets to be investigated in the context of periodontal health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Jing
- 1 Department of Periodontology, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - S Kim
- 1 Department of Periodontology, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - L Sun
- 1 Department of Periodontology, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - L Wang
- 2 Curriculum in Oral and Craniofacial Biomedicine, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - E Mildner
- 3 Curriculum in Biology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - K Divaris
- 4 Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,5 Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Y Jiao
- 1 Department of Periodontology, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,6 Curriculum in Doctor of Dental Surgery, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - S Offenbacher
- 1 Department of Periodontology, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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30
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Higgins BW, McHeyzer-Williams LJ, McHeyzer-Williams MG. Programming Isotype-Specific Plasma Cell Function. Trends Immunol 2019; 40:345-357. [PMID: 30846256 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2019.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Helper T cell induced plasma cells (PCs) that secrete class-switched neutralizing antibody are paramount to effective immunity. Following class-switch recombination (CSR), antigen-activated B cells differentiate into extrafollicular PCs or mature in germinal centers (GCs) to produce high-affinity memory B cells and follicular PCs. Many studies focus on the core transcriptional programs that drive central PC functions of longevity and antibody secretion. However, it is becoming clear that these central programs are further subdivided across antibody isotype with separable transcriptional trajectories. Divergent functions emerge at CSR, persist through PC terminal differentiation and further assort memory PC function following antigen recall. Here, we emphasize recent work that assorts divergent isotype-specific PC function across four major modules of immune protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett W Higgins
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Louise J McHeyzer-Williams
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. https://twitter.com/mmw_lmw
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31
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Sannier A, Stroumza N, Caligiuri G, Le Borgne-Moynier M, Andreata F, Senemaud J, Louedec L, Even G, Gaston AT, Deschildre C, Couvelard A, Ou P, Cheynier R, Nataf P, Dorent R, Nicoletti A. Thymic function is a major determinant of onset of antibody-mediated rejection in heart transplantation. Am J Transplant 2018; 18:964-971. [PMID: 29160947 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.14595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Thymic function decreases progressively with age but may be boosted in certain circumstances. We questioned whether heart transplantation was such a situation and whether thymic function was related to the onset of rejection. Twenty-eight antithymocyte globulin-treated heart transplant recipients were included. Patients diagnosed for an antibody-mediated rejection on endomyocardial biopsy had a higher proportion of circulating recent thymic emigrant CD4+ T cells and T cell receptor excision circle levels than other transplanted subjects. Thymus volume and density, assessed by computed tomography in a subset of patients, was also higher in patients experiencing antibody-mediated rejection. We demonstrate that thymic function is a major determinant of onset of antibody-mediated rejection and question whether thymectomy could be a prophylactic strategy to prevent alloimmune humoral responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Sannier
- INSERM U1148, Paris, France.,Denis Diderot University, Paris, France.,Department of Pathology, Bichat Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - G Even
- INSERM U1148, Paris, France
| | | | | | - A Couvelard
- Denis Diderot University, Paris, France.,Department of Pathology, Bichat Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - P Ou
- INSERM U1148, Paris, France.,Denis Diderot University, Paris, France.,Department of Radiology, Bichat Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - R Cheynier
- INSERM U1016, Cochin Institute, Paris, France
| | - P Nataf
- INSERM U1148, Paris, France.,Denis Diderot University, Paris, France.,Department of Cardiac Surgery, Bichat Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - R Dorent
- INSERM U1148, Paris, France.,Department of Cardiac Surgery, Bichat Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - A Nicoletti
- INSERM U1148, Paris, France.,Denis Diderot University, Paris, France
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32
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Cepeda S, Cantu C, Orozco S, Xiao Y, Brown Z, Semwal MK, Venables T, Anderson MS, Griffith AV. Age-Associated Decline in Thymic B Cell Expression of Aire and Aire-Dependent Self-Antigens. Cell Rep 2018; 22:1276-1287. [PMID: 29386114 PMCID: PMC5813500 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Although autoimmune disorders are a significant source of morbidity and mortality in older individuals, the mechanisms governing age-associated increases in susceptibility remain incompletely understood. Central T cell tolerance is mediated through presentation of self-antigens by cells constituting the thymic microenvironment, including epithelial cells, dendritic cells, and B cells. Medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) and B cells express distinct cohorts of self-antigens, including tissue-restricted self-antigens (TRAs), such that developing T cells are tolerized to antigens from peripheral tissues. We find that expression of the TRA transcriptional regulator Aire, as well as Aire-dependent genes, declines with age in thymic B cells in mice and humans and that cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic mechanisms contribute to the diminished capacity of peripheral B cells to express Aire within the thymus. Our findings indicate that aging may diminish the ability of thymic B cells to tolerize T cells, revealing a potential mechanistic link between aging and autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Cepeda
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Carolina Cantu
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Stephanie Orozco
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Yangming Xiao
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Zoe Brown
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Manpreet K Semwal
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Thomas Venables
- Immunology and Microbial Sciences, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Mark S Anderson
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Ann V Griffith
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
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Cron MA, Maillard S, Villegas J, Truffault F, Sudres M, Dragin N, Berrih-Aknin S, Le Panse R. Thymus involvement in early-onset myasthenia gravis. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2017; 1412:137-145. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Revised: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mélanie A. Cron
- INSERM U974; Paris France
- UPMC Sorbonne Universités; Paris France
- AIM; Institut de myologie; Paris France
| | - Solène Maillard
- INSERM U974; Paris France
- UPMC Sorbonne Universités; Paris France
- AIM; Institut de myologie; Paris France
| | - José Villegas
- INSERM U974; Paris France
- UPMC Sorbonne Universités; Paris France
- AIM; Institut de myologie; Paris France
| | - Frédérique Truffault
- INSERM U974; Paris France
- UPMC Sorbonne Universités; Paris France
- AIM; Institut de myologie; Paris France
| | - Muriel Sudres
- INSERM U974; Paris France
- UPMC Sorbonne Universités; Paris France
- AIM; Institut de myologie; Paris France
| | - Nadine Dragin
- INSERM U974; Paris France
- UPMC Sorbonne Universités; Paris France
- AIM; Institut de myologie; Paris France
| | - Sonia Berrih-Aknin
- INSERM U974; Paris France
- UPMC Sorbonne Universités; Paris France
- AIM; Institut de myologie; Paris France
| | - Rozen Le Panse
- INSERM U974; Paris France
- UPMC Sorbonne Universités; Paris France
- AIM; Institut de myologie; Paris France
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Gies V, Guffroy A, Korganow AS. [Thymic B cells: not simple bystanders of T cell lymphopoiesis]. Med Sci (Paris) 2017; 33:771-778. [PMID: 28945568 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/20173308023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The thymus is the central site for the differentiation and selection of T cells. It has been known for decades that B lymphocytes reside in the thymus, but little attention has been paid to this unique population. Thymic B cells are mainly located in the medulla and at the cortico-medullary junction. They develop intrathymically, do not recirculate and harbor a distinct phenotype in comparison to peripheral B cells. Furthermore, because of their activated phenotype and their precise histological localization, they have been suspected to play a role in the selection of self-reactive T cells. But it is only during this last decade that murine and human studies have highlighted their functions, such as antigen-presenting cells shaping the T cell repertoire. These works have demonstrated the major role of thymic B cells in the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Gies
- CNRS UPR 3572, Immunopathologie et chimie thérapeutique, Laboratoire d'Excellence Médalis, Institut de biologie moléculaire et cellulaire (IBMC), 67000 Strasbourg, France. Service d'immunologie clinique et de médecine interne, Centre national de référence des maladies auto-immunes rares, Hôpitaux universitaires de Strasbourg, 67091 Strasbourg, France
| | - Aurélien Guffroy
- CNRS UPR 3572, Immunopathologie et chimie thérapeutique, Laboratoire d'Excellence Médalis, Institut de biologie moléculaire et cellulaire (IBMC), 67000 Strasbourg, France. Service d'immunologie clinique et de médecine interne, Centre national de référence des maladies auto-immunes rares, Hôpitaux universitaires de Strasbourg, 67091 Strasbourg, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Korganow
- CNRS UPR 3572, Immunopathologie et chimie thérapeutique, Laboratoire d'Excellence Médalis, Institut de biologie moléculaire et cellulaire (IBMC), 67000 Strasbourg, France. Service d'immunologie clinique et de médecine interne, Centre national de référence des maladies auto-immunes rares, Hôpitaux universitaires de Strasbourg, 67091 Strasbourg, France
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Breed ER, Lee ST, Hogquist KA. Directing T cell fate: How thymic antigen presenting cells coordinate thymocyte selection. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 84:2-10. [PMID: 28800929 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.07.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Revised: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The development of a self-tolerant and effective T cell receptor repertoire is dependent on interactions coordinated by various antigen presenting cells (APC) within the thymus. T cell receptor-self-peptide-MHC interactions are essential for determining T cell fate, however different cytokine and co-stimulatory signals provided by the diverse APCs within the thymus are also critical. Here, we outline the different localization and functional capabilities of thymic APCs. We also discuss how these distinct APCs work collectively to facilitate the establishment of a diverse T cell receptor repertoire that is tolerant to an array of different self-antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise R Breed
- The Center for Immunology, Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - S Thera Lee
- The Center for Immunology, Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Kristin A Hogquist
- The Center for Immunology, Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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