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Shepherd FR, Davies K, Miners KL, Llewellyn-Lacey S, Kollnberger S, Redman JE, Grant MM, Ladell K, Price DA, McLaren JE. The superantigens SpeC and TSST-1 specifically activate TRBV12-3/12-4 + memory T cells. Commun Biol 2023; 6:78. [PMID: 36670205 PMCID: PMC9854414 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04420-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe bacterial or viral infections can induce a state of immune hyperactivation that can culminate in a potentially lethal cytokine storm. The classic example is toxic shock syndrome, a life-threatening complication of Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogenes infection, which is driven by potent toxins known as superantigens (SAgs). SAgs are thought to promote immune evasion via the promiscuous activation of T cells, which subsequently become hyporesponsive, and act by cross-linking major histocompatibility complex class II molecules on antigen-presenting cells to particular β-chain variable (TRBV) regions of αβ T cell receptors (TCRs). Although some of these interactions have been defined previously, our knowledge of SAg-responsive TRBV regions is incomplete. In this study, we found that CD4+ and CD8+ T cells expressing TRBV12-3/12-4+ TCRs were highly responsive to streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin C (SpeC) and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1). In particular, SpeC and TSST-1 specifically induced effector cytokine production and the upregulation of multiple coinhibitory receptors among TRBV12-3/12-4+ CD4+ and CD8+ memory T cells, and importantly, these biological responses were dependent on human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR. Collectively, these data provided evidence of functionally determinative and therapeutically relevant interactions between SpeC and TSST-1 and CD4+ and CD8+ memory T cells expressing TRBV12-3/12-4+ TCRs, mediated via HLA-DR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freya R. Shepherd
- grid.5600.30000 0001 0807 5670Division of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Kate Davies
- grid.5600.30000 0001 0807 5670Division of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Kelly L. Miners
- grid.5600.30000 0001 0807 5670Division of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Sian Llewellyn-Lacey
- grid.5600.30000 0001 0807 5670Division of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Simon Kollnberger
- grid.5600.30000 0001 0807 5670Division of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - James E. Redman
- grid.5600.30000 0001 0807 5670School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Melissa M. Grant
- grid.6572.60000 0004 1936 7486School of Dentistry, Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Kristin Ladell
- grid.5600.30000 0001 0807 5670Division of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - David A. Price
- grid.5600.30000 0001 0807 5670Division of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK ,grid.5600.30000 0001 0807 5670Systems Immunity Research Institute, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - James E. McLaren
- grid.5600.30000 0001 0807 5670Division of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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T Cell Immunity to Bacterial Pathogens: Mechanisms of Immune Control and Bacterial Evasion. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21176144. [PMID: 32858901 PMCID: PMC7504484 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The human body frequently encounters harmful bacterial pathogens and employs immune defense mechanisms designed to counteract such pathogenic assault. In the adaptive immune system, major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted αβ T cells, along with unconventional αβ or γδ T cells, respond to bacterial antigens to orchestrate persisting protective immune responses and generate immunological memory. Research in the past ten years accelerated our knowledge of how T cells recognize bacterial antigens and how many bacterial species have evolved mechanisms to evade host antimicrobial immune responses. Such escape mechanisms act to corrupt the crosstalk between innate and adaptive immunity, potentially tipping the balance of host immune responses toward pathological rather than protective. This review examines the latest developments in our knowledge of how T cell immunity responds to bacterial pathogens and evaluates some of the mechanisms that pathogenic bacteria use to evade such T cell immunosurveillance, to promote virulence and survival in the host.
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Meilleur CE, Wardell CM, Mele TS, Dikeakos JD, Bennink JR, Mu HH, McCormick JK, Haeryfar SMM. Bacterial Superantigens Expand and Activate, Rather than Delete or Incapacitate, Preexisting Antigen-Specific Memory CD8+ T Cells. J Infect Dis 2020; 219:1307-1317. [PMID: 30418594 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiy647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Superantigens (SAgs) released by common Gram-positive bacterial pathogens have been reported to delete, anergize, or activate mouse T cells. However, little is known about their effects on preexisting memory CD8+ T cell (TCD8) pools. Furthermore, whether SAgs manipulate human memory TCD8 responses to cognate antigens is unknown. We used a human peripheral blood mononuclear cell culture system and a nontransgenic mouse model in which the impact of stimulation by two fundamentally distinct SAgs, staphylococcal enterotoxin B and Mycoplasma arthritidis mitogen, on influenza virus- and/or cytomegalovirus-specific memory TCD8 could be monitored. Bacterial SAgs surprisingly expanded antiviral memory TCD8 generated naturally through infection or artificially through vaccination. Mechanistically, this was a T cell-intrinsic and T cell receptor β-chain variable-dependent phenomenon. Importantly, SAg-expanded TCD8 displayed an effector memory phenotype and were capable of producing interferon-γ and destroying target cells ex vivo or in vivo. These findings have clear implications for antimicrobial defense and rational vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney E Meilleur
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Western University, London, Canada
| | - Christine M Wardell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Western University, London, Canada
| | - Tina S Mele
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Western University, London, Canada.,Division of Critical Care Medicine, Western University, London, Canada
| | - Jimmy D Dikeakos
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Western University, London, Canada
| | - Jack R Bennink
- Viral Immunology Section, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Hong-Hua Mu
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City
| | - John K McCormick
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Western University, London, Canada.,Centre for Human Immunology, Western University, London, Canada.,Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Canada
| | - S M Mansour Haeryfar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Western University, London, Canada.,Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Western University, London, Canada.,Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine, Western University, London, Canada.,Centre for Human Immunology, Western University, London, Canada.,Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Canada
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Abstract
CD8+ T-cell memory to viruses is stable in the absence but volatile in the presence of other infections. Apoptotic events that occur early in acute infections delete pre-existing memory T cells, leaving the host with reduced memory (except for cross-reactive responses) to previously encountered viruses. Apoptotic events also silence the acute immune response, leaving the host with a residual population of memory T cells. Persistent infections can induce apoptotic deletions of memory T cells that are specific to the persisting virus and to previously encountered pathogens.
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Abstract
The mucosal surfaces of the lungs pose tremendous problems for an immune system charged with maintaining a sterile pulmonary environment. Despite these problems, the immune system is effective at controlling most pulmonary infections. Over the past few years significant progress has been made in our understanding of how adaptive (humoral and cellular) immunity is able to control infections in the respiratory tract. Recent advances include the identification of effector memory T-cell populations in the lungs and an appreciation for the role of cytokines in regulating memory T-cell pools.
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