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Szwarc MM, Hai L, Maurya VK, Rajapakshe K, Perera D, Ittmann MM, Mo Q, Lin Y, Bettini ML, Coarfa C, Lydon JP. Histopathologic and transcriptomic phenotypes of a conditional RANKL transgenic mouse thymus. Cytokine 2022; 160:156022. [PMID: 36099756 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2022.156022] [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: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Although conventional knockout and transgenic mouse models have significantly advanced our understanding of Receptor Activator of NF-κB Ligand (RANKL) signaling in intra-thymic crosstalk that establishes self-tolerance and later stages of lymphopoiesis, the unique advantages of conditional mouse transgenesis have yet to be explored. A main advantage of conditional transgenesis is the ability to express a transgene in a spatiotemporal restricted manner, enabling the induction (or de-induction) of transgene expression during predetermined stages of embryogenesis or during defined postnatal developmental or physiological states, such as puberty, adulthood, and pregnancy. Here, we describe the K5: RANKL bigenic mouse, in which transgene derived RANKL expression is induced by doxycycline and targeted to cytokeratin 5 positive medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs). Short-term doxycycline induction reveals that RANKL transgene expression is significantly induced in the thymic medulla and only in response to doxycycline. Prolonged doxycycline induction in the K5: RANKL bigenic results in a significantly enlarged thymus in which mTECs are hyperproliferative. Flow cytometry showed that there is a marked enrichment of CD4+ and CD8+ single positive thymocytes with a concomitant depletion of CD4+ CD8+ double positives. Furthermore, there is an increase in the number of FOXP3+ T regulatory (Treg) cells and Ulex Europaeus Agglutinin 1+ (UEA1+) mTECs. Transcriptomics revealed that a remarkable array of signals-cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, transcription factors, and morphogens-are governed by RANKL and drive in part the K5: RANKL thymic phenotype. Extended doxycycline administration to 6-weeks results in a K5: RANKL thymus that begins to display distinct histopathological features, such as medullary epithelial hyperplasia, extensive immune cell infiltration, and central tissue necrosis. As there are intense efforts to develop clinical approaches to restore thymic medullary function in the adult to treat immunopathological conditions in which immune cell function is compromised following cancer therapy or toxin exposure, an improved molecular understanding of RANKL's involvement in thymic medulla enlargement will be required. We believe the versatility of the conditional K5: RANKL mouse represents a tractable model system to assist in addressing this requirement as well as many other questions related to RANKL's role in thymic normal physiology and disease processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria M Szwarc
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, United States
| | - Lan Hai
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, United States
| | - Vineet K Maurya
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, United States
| | | | - Dimuthu Perera
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, United States
| | - Michael M Ittmann
- Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Qianxing Mo
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Yong Lin
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
| | - Matthew L Bettini
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
| | - Cristian Coarfa
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, United States
| | - John P Lydon
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, United States.
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Kido T, Suka M, Yanagisawa H. Effectiveness of interleukin-4 administration or zinc supplementation in improving zinc deficiency-associated thymic atrophy and fatty degeneration and in normalizing T cell maturation process. Immunology 2022; 165:445-459. [PMID: 35138640 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Nutritional zinc deficiency induces thymic atrophy, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of thymic atrophy and fatty degeneration associated with zinc deficiency, and its effect on T cell maturation. Building on previous research demonstrating the beneficial effect of IL-4 administration or zinc supplementation on the spleen in zinc deficiency rats, we further examined whether these supplements also improve thymic atrophy. Five-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a standard diet, zinc-deficient diet (n = 16 each) with either saline or IL-4, or a zinc-deficient diet for 6 weeks followed by a standard diet for 4 weeks. Relative thymus weights, serum thymulin concentrations, and the number of cytokeratin-8-positive cells, AIRE-positive cells, IL-7-positive cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, pre T cells, and CD25+ CD44+ (DN3) cells in the thymus of zinc deficiency rats significantly decreased compared with those in all other groups. Conversely, PPAR-γ-positive cells, oil red O-positive areas, pro T cells, CD25- CD44+ cells, TUNEL positive cells, Viobility 405/452 Fixable Dye-positive cells, CD68-, CD163- or CD169- macrophages, and IL-1β concentrations were significantly increased in the thymus of zinc deficiency rats as compared to those in the other groups. After IL-4 administration or zinc supplementation for zinc deficiency, all the measurement indices were recovered to levels in standard rats. It was demonstrated that zinc deficiency caused thymic atrophy, accompanied by fatty degeneration in the cortical regions and affected T cell maturation. IL-4 administration or zinc supplementation for zinc deficiency ameliorated thymic fatty degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takamasa Kido
- Department of Public Health and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine
| | - Machi Suka
- Department of Public Health and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine
| | - Hiroyuki Yanagisawa
- Department of Public Health and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine
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3
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Constantin AM, Boşca AB, Melincovici CS, Mărginean MV, Jianu EM, Moldovan IM, Sufleţel RT, Djouini A, Şovrea AS, Şovrea AS. Short histological kaleidoscope - recent findings in histology. Part II. ROMANIAN JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY AND EMBRYOLOGY = REVUE ROUMAINE DE MORPHOLOGIE ET EMBRYOLOGIE 2022; 63:275-292. [PMID: 36374135 PMCID: PMC9801680 DOI: 10.47162/rjme.63.2.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
This article focuses on the latest histological knowledge in the field regarding the peripheral lymphoid system [mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT), bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT), gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT)], the thymus stroma, some of the various corpuscles of the human body (Hassall's corpuscles in thymus, arenaceous corpuscles in pineal gland, corpora amylacea in prostate and other locations) and Fañanas glial cells in the cerebellum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Marie Constantin
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Adina Bianca Boşca
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Carmen Stanca Melincovici
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Mariana Viorica Mărginean
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Elena Mihaela Jianu
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ioana Maria Moldovan
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Rada Teodora Sufleţel
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Amina Djouini
- Ophthalmology Resident Physician, Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara, Romania
| | - Alina Simona Şovrea
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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4
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Selective involution of thymic medulla by cyclosporine A with a decrease of mature thymic epithelia, XCR1 + dendritic cells, and epithelium-free areas containing Foxp3 + thymic regulatory T cells. Histochem Cell Biol 2021; 156:133-146. [PMID: 33993340 PMCID: PMC8397693 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-021-01993-y] [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] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Immunosuppressive drugs such as cyclosporine A (CSA) can disrupt thymic structure and functions, ultimately inducing syngeneic/autologous graft-versus-host disease together with involuted medullas. To elucidate the effects of CSA on the thymus more precisely, we analyzed the effects of CSA on the thymus and T cell system using rats. In addition to confirming the phenomena already reported, we newly found that the proportion of recent thymic emigrants also greatly decreased, suggesting impaired supply. Immunohistologically, the medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) presented with a relative decrease in the subset with a competent phenotype and downregulation of class II major histocompatibility complex molecules. In control rats, thymic dendritic cells (DCs) comprised two subsets, XCR1+SIRP1α−CD4− and XCR1−SIRP1α+CD4+. The former had a tendency to selectively localize in the previously-reported epithelium-containing areas of the rat medullas, and the number was significantly reduced by CSA treatment. The epithelium-free areas, another unique domains in the rat medullas, contained significantly more Foxp3+ thymic Tregs. With CSA treatment, the epithelium-free areas presented strong involution, and the number and distribution of Tregs in the medulla were greatly reduced. These results suggest that CSA inhibits the production of single-positive thymocytes, including Tregs, and disturbs the microenvironment of the thymic medulla, with a decrease of the competent mTECs and disorganization of epithelium-free areas and DC subsets, leading to a generation of autoreactive T cells with selective medullary involution.
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de Barros SC, Suterwala BT, He C, Ge S, Chick B, Blumberg GK, Kim K, Klein S, Zhu Y, Wang X, Casero D, Crooks GM. Pleiotropic Roles of VEGF in the Microenvironment of the Developing Thymus. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 205:2423-2436. [PMID: 32989093 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1901519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Neonatal life marks the apogee of murine thymic growth. Over the first few days after birth, growth slows and the murine thymus switches from fetal to adult morphology and function; little is known about the cues driving this dramatic transition. In this study, we show for the first time (to our knowledge) the critical role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on thymic morphogenesis beyond its well-known role in angiogenesis. During a brief window a few days after birth, VEGF inhibition induced rapid and profound remodeling of the endothelial, mesenchymal and epithelial thymic stromal compartments, mimicking changes seen during early adult maturation. Rapid transcriptional changes were seen in each compartment after VEGF inhibition, including genes involved in migration, chemotaxis, and cell adhesion as well as induction of a proinflammatory and proadipogenic signature in endothelium, pericytes, and mesenchyme. Thymocyte numbers fell subsequent to the stromal changes. Expression patterns and functional blockade of the receptors VEGFR2 and NRP1 demonstrated that VEGF mediates its pleiotropic effects through distinct receptors on each microenvironmental compartment of the developing mouse thymus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie C de Barros
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Batul T Suterwala
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Chongbin He
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Shundi Ge
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Brent Chick
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Garrett K Blumberg
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Kenneth Kim
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Sam Klein
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Yuhua Zhu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - David Casero
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Gay M Crooks
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095; .,Department of Pediatrics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095; and.,Broad Stem Cell Research Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
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6
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Simmons S, Sasaki N, Umemoto E, Uchida Y, Fukuhara S, Kitazawa Y, Okudaira M, Inoue A, Tohya K, Aoi K, Aoki J, Mochizuki N, Matsuno K, Takeda K, Miyasaka M, Ishii M. High-endothelial cell-derived S1P regulates dendritic cell localization and vascular integrity in the lymph node. eLife 2019; 8:41239. [PMID: 31570118 PMCID: PMC6773441 DOI: 10.7554/elife.41239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
While the sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P)/sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor-1 (S1PR1) axis is critically important for lymphocyte egress from lymphoid organs, S1PR1-activation also occurs in vascular endothelial cells (ECs), including those of the high-endothelial venules (HEVs) that mediate lymphocyte immigration into lymph nodes (LNs). To understand the functional significance of the S1P/S1PR1-Gi axis in HEVs, we generated Lyve1;Spns2Δ/Δ conditional knockout mice for the S1P-transporter Spinster-homologue-2 (SPNS2), as HEVs express LYVE1 during development. In these mice HEVs appeared apoptotic and were severely impaired in function, morphology and size; leading to markedly hypotrophic peripheral LNs. Dendritic cells (DCs) were unable to interact with HEVs, which was also observed in Cdh5CRE-ERT2;S1pr1Δ/Δ mice and wildtype mice treated with S1PR1-antagonists. Wildtype HEVs treated with S1PR1-antagonists in vitro and Lyve1-deficient HEVs show severely reduced release of the DC-chemoattractant CCL21 in vivo. Together, our results reveal that EC-derived S1P warrants HEV-integrity through autocrine control of S1PR1-Gi signaling, and facilitates concomitant HEV-DC interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szandor Simmons
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine and Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,JST CREST, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoko Sasaki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Immune Regulation, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Eiji Umemoto
- WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Immune Regulation, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yutaka Uchida
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine and Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,JST CREST, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigetomo Fukuhara
- Department of Cell Biology, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yusuke Kitazawa
- Department of Anatomy (Macro), Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Michiyo Okudaira
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Asuka Inoue
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Kazuo Tohya
- Department of Anatomy, Kansai University of Health Sciences, Osaka, Japan
| | - Keita Aoi
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine and Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,JST CREST, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Junken Aoki
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Naoki Mochizuki
- Department of Cell Biology, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kenjiro Matsuno
- Department of Anatomy (Macro), Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Takeda
- WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Immune Regulation, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masayuki Miyasaka
- WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,MediCity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Interdisciplinary Program for Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Academic Initiatives, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masaru Ishii
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine and Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,JST CREST, Tokyo, Japan
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7
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Nagai-Okatani C, Nagai M, Sato T, Kuno A. An Improved Method for Cell Type-Selective Glycomic Analysis of Tissue Sections Assisted by Fluorescence Laser Microdissection. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20030700. [PMID: 30736315 PMCID: PMC6387264 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20030700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Lectin microarray (LMA) is a highly sensitive technology used to obtain the global glycomic profiles of endogenous glycoproteins in biological samples including formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Here, we describe an effective method for cell type-selective glycomic profiling of tissue fragments collected by laser microdissection (LMD) under fluorescent histochemical visualization. We optimized each step of histochemical staining and confirmed the reliability and validity of glycomic profiling. Using the optimized procedure, glycomic profiles were obtained with 0.5 mm² of stained thymic sections (5-μm-thick) from 8-week-old C57BL/6J male mice. The glycomic profiles of Ulex europaeus agglutinin-I (UEA-I)-stained medullary regions showed higher UEA-I signals than those of the morphologically determined medulla regions, indicating the utility of this method for UEA-I(+) cell-selective analysis. To further evaluate this method, tissue fragments was serially collected from stained and unstained areas of medullary epithelial cell probes (UEA-I and anti-cytokeratin 5 antibody) and a cortex-staining probe (peanut agglutinin). The medullary regions assigned by the three probes showed significantly different glycomic profiles, highlighting the difference in subpopulation recognition among the three probes, which was consistent with previous reports. In conclusion, our fluorescence LMD-LMA method enabled cell type-selective tissue glycomic analysis of pathological specimens and animal models, especially for glyco-biomarker discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiaki Nagai-Okatani
- Glycoscience and Glycotechnology Research Group, Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan.
| | - Misugi Nagai
- Glycoscience and Glycotechnology Research Group, Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan.
| | - Takashi Sato
- Glycoscience and Glycotechnology Research Group, Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan.
| | - Atsushi Kuno
- Glycoscience and Glycotechnology Research Group, Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan.
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8
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Wülfing C, Schuran FA, Urban J, Oehlmann J, Günther HS. Neural architecture in lymphoid organs: Hard-wired antigen presenting cells and neurite networks in antigen entrance areas. IMMUNITY INFLAMMATION AND DISEASE 2018; 6:354-370. [PMID: 29635889 PMCID: PMC5946157 DOI: 10.1002/iid3.223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Revised: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Recently, we found abundant innervation of antigen presenting cells that were reached and enclosed by single neurites. These neurally hard‐wired antigen presenting cells (wAPC) could be observed in the T‐cell zone of superficial cervical lymph nodes of rats and other mammalians, including humans. Methods As a consequence, we investigated lymph nodes at many different anatomical positions as well as all primary and secondary lymphoid organs (SLO) in rodents for a similar morphology of innervation regarding antigen presenting cells known in those tissues. Results As a result, we confirmed wAPC in lymph nodes independent from their draining areas and anatomical positions but also in all other T‐cell zones of lymphoid organs, like Peyer's patches, NALT and BALT, as well as in the thymic medulla. Other cells were innervated in a similar fashion but with seemingly missing antigen presenting capacity. Both types of innervated immune cells were observed as being also present in the dermis of the skin. Only in the spleen wAPC could not be detected. Beyond this systematic finding, we also found another regular phenomenon: a dense network of neurites that stained for neurofilament always in antigen entrance areas of lymphoid organs (subsinoidal layer of lymph nodes, subepithelial dome of Peyer's patches, subsinoidal layer of the splenic white pulp, margins of NALT and BALT). Lastly, also thymic epithelial cells (TEC) restricted to the corticomedullary junction of the thymus showed similar neurofilament staining. Conclusions Therefore, we propose much more hard‐wired and probably afferent connections between lymphoid organs and the central nervous system than is hitherto known.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clemens Wülfing
- Group for Interdisciplinary Neurobiology and Immunology, Biozentrum Grindel, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Fenja Amrei Schuran
- Group for Interdisciplinary Neurobiology and Immunology, Biozentrum Grindel, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Julia Urban
- Group for Interdisciplinary Neurobiology and Immunology, Biozentrum Grindel, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jasmin Oehlmann
- Group for Interdisciplinary Neurobiology and Immunology, Biozentrum Grindel, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hauke Simon Günther
- Group for Interdisciplinary Neurobiology and Immunology, Biozentrum Grindel, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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9
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Abstract
About two decades ago, cloning of the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene materialized one of the most important actors on the scene of self-tolerance. Thymic transcription of genes encoding tissue-specific antigens (ts-ags) is activated by AIRE protein and embodies the essence of thymic self-representation. Pathogenic AIRE variants cause the autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1, which is a rare and complex disease that is gaining attention in research on autoimmunity. The animal models of disease, although not identically reproducing the human picture, supply fundamental information on mechanisms and extent of AIRE action: thanks to its multidomain structure, AIRE localizes to chromatin enclosing the target genes, binds to histones, and offers an anchorage to multimolecular complexes involved in initiation and post-initiation events of gene transcription. In addition, AIRE enhances mRNA diversity by favoring alternative mRNA splicing. Once synthesized, ts-ags are presented to, and cause deletion of the self-reactive thymocyte clones. However, AIRE function is not restricted to the activation of gene transcription. AIRE would control presentation and transfer of self-antigens for thymic cellular interplay: such mechanism is aimed at increasing the likelihood of engagement of the thymocytes that carry the corresponding T-cell receptors. Another fundamental role of AIRE in promoting self-tolerance is related to the development of thymocyte anergy, as thymic self-representation shapes at the same time the repertoire of regulatory T cells. Finally, AIRE seems to replicate its action in the secondary lymphoid organs, albeit the cell lineage detaining such property has not been fully characterized. Delineation of AIRE functions adds interesting data to the knowledge of the mechanisms of self-tolerance and introduces exciting perspectives of therapeutic interventions against the related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Perniola
- Department of Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care, Vito Fazzi Regional Hospital, Lecce, Italy
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10
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Increased epithelial-free areas in thymuses with altered EphB-mediated thymocyte–thymic epithelial cell interactions. Histochem Cell Biol 2017; 148:381-394. [DOI: 10.1007/s00418-017-1583-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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11
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García-Ceca J, Alfaro D, Montero-Herradón S, Tobajas E, Muñoz JJ, Zapata AG. Eph/Ephrins-Mediated Thymocyte-Thymic Epithelial Cell Interactions Control Numerous Processes of Thymus Biology. Front Immunol 2015; 6:333. [PMID: 26167166 PMCID: PMC4481163 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2015.00333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies emphasize the relevance of thymocyte-thymic epithelial cell (TECs) interactions for the functional maturation of intrathymic T lymphocytes. The tyrosine kinase receptors, Ephs (erythropoietin-producing hepatocyte kinases) and their ligands, ephrins (Eph receptor interaction proteins), are molecules known to be involved in the regulation of numerous biological systems in which cell-to-cell interactions are particularly relevant. In the last years, we and other authors have demonstrated the importance of these molecules in the thymic functions and the T-cell development. In the present report, we review data on the effects of Ephs and ephrins in the functional maturation of both thymic epithelial microenvironment and thymocyte maturation as well as on their role in the lymphoid progenitor recruitment into the thymus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier García-Ceca
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Alfaro
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Montero-Herradón
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Esther Tobajas
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan José Muñoz
- Cytometry and Fluorescence Microscopy Center, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Agustín G. Zapata
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
- Cytometry and Fluorescence Microscopy Center, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
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12
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Kitazawa Y, Ueta H, Hünig T, Sawanobori Y, Matsuno K. A novel multicolor immunostaining method using ethynyl deoxyuridine for analysis of in situ immunoproliferative response. Histochem Cell Biol 2015; 144:195-208. [PMID: 25976155 PMCID: PMC4534512 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-015-1329-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Immune responses are generally accompanied by antigen presentation and proliferation and differentiation of antigen-specific lymphocytes (immunoproliferation), but analysis of these events in situ on tissue sections is very difficult. We have developed a new method of simultaneous multicolor immunofluorescence staining for immunohistology and flow cytometry using a thymidine analogue, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU). Because of the small size of azide dye using click chemistry and elimination of DNA denaturation steps, EdU staining allowed for immunofluorescence staining of at least four colors including two different markers on a single-cell surface, which is impossible with the standard 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine method. By using two rat models, successfully detected parameters were the cluster of differentiation antigens including phenotypic and functional markers of various immune cells, histocompatibility complex antigens, and even some nuclear transcription factors. Proliferating cells could be further sorted and used for RT-PCR analysis. This method thus enables functional in situ time-kinetic analysis of immunoproliferative responses in a distinct domain of the lymphoid organs, which are quantitatively confirmed by flow cytometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Kitazawa
- />Department of Anatomy (Macro), Dokkyo Medical University, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293 Japan
| | - Hisashi Ueta
- />Department of Anatomy (Macro), Dokkyo Medical University, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293 Japan
| | - Thomas Hünig
- />Institute for Virology and Immunobiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Yasushi Sawanobori
- />Department of Anatomy (Macro), Dokkyo Medical University, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293 Japan
| | - Kenjiro Matsuno
- />Department of Anatomy (Macro), Dokkyo Medical University, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293 Japan
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