Upregulation of interleukin-35 subunits in regulatory T cells in a murine model of allergic rhinitis

Selected Uterine Immune Events Associated With the Establishment of Pregnancy in the Dog

In the dog, implantation takes place at approximately 17 days of embryonal life and, while exposed to relatively high circulating progesterone concentrations, embryos presence is required for the formation of decidua. Furthermore, a balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory responses in conceptus-maternal communication is crucial for the onset of pregnancy. Strikingly, the understanding of such immune mechanisms in canine reproduction is still elusive. Here, canine uterine samples from pre-implantation (day 10-12, E+) and corresponding non-pregnant controls (E-), implantation (day 17, Imp) and post-implantation (day 18-25, Post-Imp) stages of pregnancy were used to investigate the expression and localization of several immune-related factors. The most important findings indicate increased availability of CD4, MHCII, NCR1, IDO1, AIF1, CD25, CCR7, and IL6 in response to embryo presence (E+), while FoxP3 and CCL3 were more abundant in E- samples. Implantation was characterized by upregulated levels of FoxP3, IL12a, ENG, and CDH1, whereas CD4, CCR7, IL8, and -10 were less represented. Following implantation, decreased transcript levels of TNFR1, MHCII, NCR1, TLR4, CD206, FoxP3, and IL12a were observed concomitantly with the highest expression of IL6 and IL1β. MHCII, CD86, CD206, CD163, TNFα, IDO1, and AIF1 were immunolocalized in macrophages, CD4 and Nkp46 in lymphocytes, and some signals of IDO1, AIF1, and TNF-receptors could also be identified in endothelial cells and/or uterine glands. Cumulatively, new insights regarding uterine immunity in the peri-implantation period are provided, with apparent moderated pro-inflammatory signals prevailing during pre-implantation, while implantation and early trophoblast invasion appear to be associated with immunomodulatory and rather anti-inflammatory conditions.

Interleukin-35 Regulates Immune Microenvironment of Autoimmune Hepatitis Through Inducing the Expansion of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells

Interleukin-35 (IL-35) is a novel anti-inflammatory cytokine of IL12 cytokine family, however, the role of IL-35 in patients with AIH and its effect on myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) has not yet been analyzed. The expression of IL-35 subunits (p35 and EBI3) in liver tissues was quantified by immunochemistry and its correlation with clinical parameters was explored in patients with AIH. The expression of MDSCs and IL-35 receptor (gp130 and IL-12Rβ2) were analyzed using flow cytometry and confocal staining. Besides, we utilized in vitro culture to explore the role of IL-35 on MDSCs expansion and activation. We found that the elevated expression of both IL-35 subunits (EBI3 and p35) in liver tissue was positively associated with degrees of hepatic inflammatory and fibrosis in patients with AIH. Furthermore, the expression of EBI3 in liver was positively correlated with patient age, serum IgG levels and serum AST, and was negatively correlated with hemoglobin and albumin. Moreover, our results showed that ratio of MDSC in peripheral blood increased significantly in AIH patients as compared with healthy controls. Further study showed that CD33, a representative marker of MDSCs, co-localized well with gp130 and IL12Rβ2, suggesting MDSCs as target cell for IL-35. Consistently, MDSCs from AIH displayed a substantial higher abundance of gp130 and IL12Rβ2 and were expanded by IL-35 in vitro. IL-35-induced MDSCs showed a significant increase in Nitric oxide (NO) production but not reactive oxygen species (ROS). Conclusions: IL-35 might play an important role in AIH by regulating MDSCs and it could provide new insights into the therapy of AIH.

Type I interferons provide additive signals for murine regulatory B cell induction by Schistosoma mansoni eggs

The helminth Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni) induces a network of regulatory immune cells, including interleukin (IL)-10-producing regulatory B cells (Bregs). However, the signals required for the development and activation of Bregs are not well characterized. Recent reports suggest that helminths induce type I interferons (IFN-I), and that IFN-I drive the development of Bregs in humans. We therefore assessed the role of IFN-I in the induction of Bregs by S. mansoni. Mice chronically infected with S. mansoni or i.v. injected with S. mansoni soluble egg antigen (SEA) developed a systemic IFN-I signature. Recombinant IFN-α enhanced IL-10 production by Bregs stimulated with S. mansoni SEA in vitro, while not activating Bregs by itself. IFN-I signaling also supported ex vivo IL-10 production by SEA-primed Bregs but was dispensable for activation of S. mansoni egg-induced Bregs in vivo. These data indicate that although IFN-I can serve as a coactivator for Breg IL-10 production, they are unlikely to participate in the development of Bregs in response to S. mansoni eggs.

Interleukin-35 as an Emerging Player in Tumor Microenvironment

IL-35 is the newest member of IL-12 family. A dimeric protein consisting of two separate subunits has manifested suppressive actions on immune system, which is counterproductive in the context of cancers. Various reports have confirmed its inhibitory role on immune system which is carried out via formation of IL-35-producing regulatory T cells (iTr35), increased Treg development and suppressive Th17 cells growth. Although last decade has seen a great deal of scientific interest on this subject, the exact role, precise signal transduction and elaborative functions of IL-35 in tumor microenvironment (TME) remained elusive. Search for anti-IL-35 therapies have exhibited limited success in animal models. Contrarily, few studies have denied the idea that IL-35 plays a role in cancer. The purpose of this review is to analyze the reported scientific data on continuous symphony of IL-35 in cancers since the inception of former.

IL-35 Pretreatment Alleviates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Kidney Injury in Mice by Inhibiting NF-κB Activation

Septic acute kidney injury (AKI) is a public health problem with high mortality. Suppression of over-active inflammation is considered as a promising strategy for septic AKI. In this study, we evaluated the prophylactic effect of interleukin (IL)-35, the unique immune-suppressive member of IL-12 cytokine family, on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced AKI in mice, and found that compared with control mice given empty vector, mice pretreated with plasmid encoding IL-35 (pIL-35) significantly improved renal function indicated by reduced blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (SCr), and obviously alleviated renal pathological changes. To explore the underlying protective mechanisms, we found that pIL-35 treatment could robustly reduce the production of renal pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β), with no significant impact on IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine. Furthermore, our results revealed that IL-35 pretreatment could potentially inhibit the activation of renal NF-κB signaling pathway in LPS-induced AKI mice. Taken together, our study indicated that IL-35 pretreatment could efficiently prevent LPS-induced AKI via inhibiting NF-κB activation and reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine production, and it might represent a novel therapeutic strategy against septic AKI and other inflammatory renal diseases.

Allergic Rhinitis and Its Relationship with IL-10, IL-17, TGF-β, IFN-γ, IL 22, and IL-35

BACKGROUND

We aimed in our study to research the role of new cytokines such as IL-35, IL-22, and IL-17 that may form a target for novel treatment approaches.

METHODS

IL-10, IL-17, TGF-β, IFN-γ, IL-22, and IL-35 serum levels of allergic rhinitis (AR) patients were measured using ELISA method. Allergic sensitization was demonstrated by the skin prick test. Patients only with olive tree sensitivity were evaluated for seasonal AR (SAR). Patients only with mite sensitivity were included in the study for perennial AR (PAR). AR clinic severity was demonstrated by the nasal symptom scores (NSS).

RESULTS

In total, 65 AR patients (patient group), having 31 PAR and 34 SAR patients, and 31 healthy individuals (control group) participated in the study. Cytokine levels between the patient group and the control group were compared; IL-17 (p = 0.038), IL-22 (p = 0.001), and TGF-β (p = 0.031) were detected as high in the patient group, and IFN-γ (p < 0.001) was detected as low in the patient group. When correlation analysis was made between age, gender, prick test result, NSS, AR duration, and cytokine levels in the patient group, a negative correlation was detected only between IFN-γ (p = 0.032/r = -0.266) level and NSS.

CONCLUSIONS

Accompanied by the literature information, these results made us think that T cell subgroups and cytokines have an important role in AR immunopathogenesis. It is thought that future studies to be conducted relating to this subject will form new targets in treatment.