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Morrocchi E, van Haren S, Palma P, Levy O. Modeling human immune responses to vaccination in vitro. Trends Immunol 2024; 45:32-47. [PMID: 38135599 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2023.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The human immune system is a complex network of coordinated components that are crucial for health and disease. Animal models, commonly used to study immunomodulatory agents, are limited by species-specific differences, low throughput, and ethical concerns. In contrast, in vitro modeling of human immune responses can enable species- and population-specific mechanistic studies and translational development within the same study participant. Translational accuracy of in vitro models is enhanced by accounting for genetic, epigenetic, and demographic features such as age, sex, and comorbidity. This review explores various human in vitro immune models, considers evidence that they may resemble human in vivo responses, and assesses their potential to accelerate and de-risk vaccine discovery and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Morrocchi
- Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy; Precision Vaccines Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Simon van Haren
- Precision Vaccines Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Paolo Palma
- Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy; Chair of Pediatrics, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Rome, Italy.
| | - Ofer Levy
- Precision Vaccines Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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2
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Wirsching S, Machtakova M, Borgans F, Pretsch L, Fichter M, Cacicedo ML, Thérien-Aubin H, Landfester K, Gehring S. OVA-PEG-R848 nanocapsules stimulate neonatal conventional and plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:966113. [PMID: 36177449 PMCID: PMC9513203 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.966113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Childhood mortality represents a major issue with 5. 3 million worldwide deaths of children under 5 years of age in 2019. Approximately half of those deaths can be attributed to easily preventable, infectious diseases. Currently approved neonatal vaccines are typically effective only after multiple doses leaving infants especially vulnerable during the first 6 months of life. Survival rates could be improved significantly by developing new and more potent vaccines that are capable of overcoming inherently tolerogenic neonatal immune systems. TLR agonists have garnered a great deal of attention in recent years due to their extensive capacities to activate innate immunity. Herein, the superior capacity of the TLR7/8 agonist, resiquimod (R848), to activate adult and neonatal primary peripheral blood dendritic cells is demonstrated. Moreover, R848 can be conjugated to polyethylene glycol and encapsulated in ovalbumin nanocapsules to efficiently co-deliver antigen and adjuvant in vitro. This study is among the first to demonstrate the capacity of encapsulated R848 to activate neonatal dendritic cells. These findings support the potential incorporation of R848 as adjuvant in neonatal vaccines, making them more effective in eliciting a robust immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Wirsching
- Children's Hospital, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Frauke Borgans
- Children's Hospital, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.,Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Leah Pretsch
- Children's Hospital, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Michael Fichter
- Children's Hospital, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Maximiliano L Cacicedo
- Children's Hospital, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Héloïse Thérien-Aubin
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz, Germany.,Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | | | - Stephan Gehring
- Children's Hospital, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
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3
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Zhu W, Wu Y, Liu H, Jiang C, Huo L. Gut-Lung Axis: Microbial Crosstalk in Pediatric Respiratory Tract Infections. Front Immunol 2021; 12:741233. [PMID: 34867963 PMCID: PMC8637285 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.741233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota is an important regulator for maintaining the organ microenvironment through effects on the gut-vital organs axis. Respiratory tract infections are one of the most widespread and harmful diseases, especially in the last 2 years. Many lines of evidence indicate that the gut microbiota and its metabolites can be considered in therapeutic strategies to effectively prevent and treat respiratory diseases. However, due to the different gut microbiota composition in children compared to adults and the dynamic development of the immature immune system, studies on the interaction between children's intestinal flora and respiratory infections are still lacking. Here, we describe the changes in the gut microbiota of children with respiratory tract infections and explain the relationship between the microbiota of children with their immune function and disease development. In addition, we will provide perspectives on the direct manipulation of intestinal microbes to prevent or treat pediatric respiratory infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxia Zhu
- Shanghai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yilin Wu
- Shanghai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Shanghai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Caini Jiang
- Shanghai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lili Huo
- Shanghai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Sureshchandra S, Marshall NE, Messaoudi I. Impact of pregravid obesity on maternal and fetal immunity: Fertile grounds for reprogramming. J Leukoc Biol 2019; 106:1035-1050. [PMID: 31483523 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.3ri0619-181r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal pregravid obesity results in several adverse health outcomes during pregnancy, including increased risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, placental abruption, and complications at delivery. Additionally, pregravid obesity and in utero exposure to high fat diet have been shown to have detrimental effects on fetal programming, predisposing the offspring to adverse cardiometabolic, endocrine, and neurodevelopmental outcomes. More recently, a deeper appreciation for the modulation of offspring immunity and infectious disease-related outcomes by maternal pregravid obesity has emerged. This review will describe currently available animal models for studying the impact of maternal pregravid obesity on fetal immunity and review the data from clinical and animal model studies. We also examine the burden of pregravid obesity on the maternal-fetal interface and the link between placental and systemic inflammation. Finally, we discuss future studies needed to identify key mechanistic underpinnings that link maternal inflammatory changes and fetal cellular reprogramming events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suhas Sureshchandra
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Nicole E Marshall
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Ilhem Messaoudi
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
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5
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Leptin and adiponectin supplementation modifies mesenteric lymph node lymphocyte composition and functionality in suckling rats. Br J Nutr 2019; 119:486-495. [PMID: 29508690 DOI: 10.1017/s0007114517003786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
At birth, when immune responses are insufficient, there begins the development of the defence capability against pathogens. Leptin and adiponectin, adipokines that are present in breast milk, have been shown to play a role in the regulation of immune responses. We report here, for the first time, the influence of in vivo adipokine supplementation on the intestinal immune system in early life. Suckling Wistar rats were daily supplemented with leptin (0·7 μg/kg per d, n 36) or adiponectin (35 μg/kg per d, n 36) during the suckling period. The lymphocyte composition, proliferation and cytokine secretion from mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes (on days 14 and 21), as well as intestinal IgA and IgM concentration (day 21), were evaluated. At day 14, leptin supplementation significantly increased the TCRαβ + cell proportion in mesenteric lymph nodes, in particular owing to an increase in the TCRαβ + CD8+ cell population. Moreover, the leptin or adiponectin supplementation promoted the early development CD8+ cells, with adiponectin being the only adipokine capable of enhancing the lymphoproliferative ability at the end of the suckling period. Although leptin decreased intestinal IgA concentration, it had a trophic effect on the intestine in early life. Supplementation of both adipokines modulated the cytokine profile during (day 14) and at the end (day 21) of the suckling period. These results suggest that leptin and adiponectin during suckling play a role in the development of mucosal immunity in early life.
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Transcriptome analysis of immune genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of young foals and adult horses. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202646. [PMID: 30183726 PMCID: PMC6124769 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
During the neonatal period, the ability to generate immune effector and memory responses to vaccines or pathogens is often questioned. This study was undertaken to obtain a global view of the natural differences in the expression of immune genes early in life. Our hypothesis was that transcriptome analyses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of foals (on day 1 and day 42 after birth) and adult horses would show differential gene expression profiles that characterize natural immune processes. Gene ontology enrichment analysis provided assessment of biological processes affected by age, and a list of 897 genes with ≥2 fold higher (p<0.01) expression in day 42 when compared to day 1 foal samples. Up-regulated genes included B cell and T cell receptor diversity genes; DNA replication enzymes; natural killer cell receptors; granzyme B and perforin; complement receptors; immunomodulatory receptors; cell adhesion molecules; and cytokines/chemokines and their receptors. The list of 1,383 genes that had higher (p<0.01) expression on day 1 when compared to day 42 foal samples was populated by genes with roles in innate immunity such as antimicrobial proteins; pathogen recognition receptors; cytokines/chemokines and their receptors; cell adhesion molecules; co-stimulatory molecules; and T cell receptor delta chain. Within the 742 genes with increased expression between day 42 foal and adult samples, B cell immunity was the main biological process (p = 2.4E-04). Novel data on markedly low (p<0.0001) TLR3 gene expression, and high (p≤0.01) expression of IL27, IL13RA1, IREM-1, SIRL-1, and SIRPα on day 1 compared to day 42 foal samples point out potential mechanisms of increased susceptibility to pathogens in early life. The results portray a progression from innate immune gene expression predominance early in life to adaptive immune gene expression increasing with age with a putative overlay of immune suppressing genes in the neonatal phase. These results provide insight to the unique attributes of the equine neonatal and young immune system, and offer many avenues of future investigation.
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van Well GTJ, Daalderop LA, Wolfs T, Kramer BW. Human perinatal immunity in physiological conditions and during infection. Mol Cell Pediatr 2017; 4:4. [PMID: 28432664 PMCID: PMC5400776 DOI: 10.1186/s40348-017-0070-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The intrauterine environment was long considered sterile. However, several infectious threats are already present during fetal life. This review focuses on the postnatal immunological consequences of prenatal exposure to microorganisms and related inflammatory stimuli. Both the innate and adaptive immune systems of the fetus and neonate are immature, which makes them highly susceptible to infections. There is good evidence that prenatal infections are a primary cause of preterm births. Additionally, the association between antenatal inflammation and adverse neonatal outcomes has been well established. The lung, gastrointestinal tract, and skin are exposed to amniotic fluid during pregnancy and are probable targets of infection and subsequent inflammation during pregnancy. We found a large number of studies focusing on prenatal infection and the host response. Intrauterine infection and fetal immune responses are well studied, and we describe clinical data on cellular, cytokine, and humoral responses to different microbial challenges. The link to postnatal immunological effects including immune paralysis and/or excessive immune activation, however, turned out to be much more complicated. We found studies relating prenatal infectious or inflammatory hits to well-known neonatal diseases such as respiratory distress syndrome, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and necrotizing enterocolitis. Despite these data, a direct link between prenatal hits and postnatal immunological outcome could not be undisputedly established. We did however identify several unresolved topics and propose questions for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gijs T J van Well
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Maastricht University Medical Center (Maastricht UMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
- School for Nutrition and Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht University Medical Center (Maastricht UMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - Leonie A Daalderop
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Maastricht University Medical Center (Maastricht UMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Tim Wolfs
- Department of Pediatrics, Laboratory of Pediatrics, Maastricht University Medical Center (Maastricht UMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
- School for Developmental Biology and Oncology (GROW), Maastricht University Medical Center (Maastricht UMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Boris W Kramer
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Maastricht University Medical Center (Maastricht UMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
- School for Developmental Biology and Oncology (GROW), Maastricht University Medical Center (Maastricht UMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Hardy A, Benford D, Halldorsson T, Jeger MJ, Knutsen HK, More S, Naegeli H, Noteborn H, Ockleford C, Ricci A, Rychen G, Schlatter JR, Silano V, Solecki R, Turck D, Bresson JL, Dusemund B, Gundert-Remy U, Kersting M, Lambré C, Penninks A, Tritscher A, Waalkens-Berendsen I, Woutersen R, Arcella D, Court Marques D, Dorne JL, Kass GE, Mortensen A. Guidance on the risk assessment of substances present in food intended for infants below 16 weeks of age. EFSA J 2017; 15:e04849. [PMID: 32625502 PMCID: PMC7010120 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Following a request from the European Commission to EFSA, the EFSA Scientific Committee (SC) prepared a guidance for the risk assessment of substances present in food intended for infants below 16 weeks of age. In its approach to develop this guidance, the EFSA SC took into account, among others, (i) an exposure assessment based on infant formula as the only source of nutrition; (ii) knowledge of organ development in human infants, including the development of the gut, metabolic and excretory capacities, the brain and brain barriers, the immune system, the endocrine and reproductive systems; (iii) the overall toxicological profile of the substance identified through the standard toxicological tests, including critical effects; (iv) the relevance for the human infant of the neonatal experimental animal models used. The EFSA SC notes that during the period from birth up to 16 weeks, infants are expected to be exclusively fed on breast milk and/or infant formula. The EFSA SC views this period as the time where health-based guidance values for the general population do not apply without further considerations. High infant formula consumption per body weight is derived from 95th percentile consumption. The first weeks of life is the time of the highest relative consumption on a body weight basis. Therefore, when performing an exposure assessment, the EFSA SC proposes to use the high consumption value of 260 mL/kg bw per day. A decision tree approach is proposed that enables a risk assessment of substances present in food intended for infants below 16 weeks of age. The additional information needed when testing substances present in food for infants below 16 weeks of age and the approach to be taken for the risk assessment are on a case-by-case basis, depending on whether the substance is added intentionally to food and is systemically available.
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Borghesi A, Stronati M, Fellay J. Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Disease in Otherwise Healthy Infants: Failure of Specific Neonatal Immune Responses. Front Immunol 2017; 8:215. [PMID: 28326082 PMCID: PMC5339282 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Only a small proportion of newborn infants exposed to a pathogenic microorganism develop overt infection. Susceptibility to infection in preterm infants and infants with known comorbidities has a likely multifactorial origin and can be often attributed to the concurrence of iatrogenic factors, environmental determinants, underlying pathogenic processes, and probably genetic predisposition. Conversely, infection occurring in otherwise healthy full-term newborn infants is unexplained in most cases. Microbial virulence factors and the unique characteristics of the neonatal immune system only partially account for the interindividual variability in the neonatal immune responses to pathogens. We here suggest that neonatal infection occurring in otherwise healthy infants is caused by a failure of the specific protective immunity to the microorganism. To explain infection in term and preterm infants, we propose an extension of the previously proposed model of the genetic architecture of infectious diseases in humans. We then focus on group B streptococcus (GBS) disease, the best characterized neonatal infection, and outline the potential molecular mechanisms underlying the selective failure of the immune responses against GBS. In light of the recent discoveries of pathogen-specific primary immunodeficiencies and of the role of anticytokine autoantibodies in increasing susceptibility to specific infections, we hypothesize that GBS disease occurring in otherwise healthy infants could reflect an immunodeficiency caused either by rare genetic defects in the infant or by transmitted maternal neutralizing antibodies. These hypotheses are consistent with available epidemiological data, with clinical and epidemiological observations, and with the state of the art of neonatal physiology and disease. Studies should now be designed to comprehensively search for genetic or immunological factors involved in susceptibility to severe neonatal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Borghesi
- School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, San Matteo Hospital, Pavia, Italy
| | - Mauro Stronati
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, San Matteo Hospital, Pavia, Italy
| | - Jacques Fellay
- School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
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dela Peña-Ponce MG, Rodriguez-Nieves J, Bernhardt J, Tuck R, Choudhary N, Mengual M, Mollan KR, Hudgens MG, Peter-Wohl S, De Paris K. Increasing JAK/STAT Signaling Function of Infant CD4 + T Cells during the First Year of Life. Front Pediatr 2017; 5:15. [PMID: 28271056 PMCID: PMC5318443 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2017.00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 01/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Most infant deaths occur in the first year of life. Yet, our knowledge of immune development during this period is scarce and derived from cord blood (CB) only. To more effectively combat pediatric diseases, a deeper understanding of the kinetics and the factors that regulate the maturation of immune functions in early life is needed. Increased disease susceptibility of infants is generally attributed to T helper 2-biased immune responses. The differentiation of CD4+ T cells along a specific T helper cell lineage is dependent on the pathogen type, and on costimulatory and cytokine signals provided by antigen-presenting cells. Cytokines also regulate many other aspects of the host immune response. Therefore, toward the goal of increasing our knowledge of early immune development, we defined the temporal development of the Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) signaling function of CD4+ T cells using cross-sectional blood samples from healthy infants ages 0 (birth) to 14 months. We specifically focused on cytokines important in T cell differentiation (IFN-γ, IL-12, and IL-4) or in T cell survival and expansion (IL-2 and IL-7) in infant CD4+ T cells. Independent of the cytokine tested, JAK/STAT signaling in infant compared to adult CD4+ T cells was impaired at birth, but increased during the first year, with the most pronounced changes occurring in the first 6 months. The relative change in JAK/STAT signaling of infant CD4+ T cells with age was distinct for each cytokine tested. Thus, while about 60% of CB CD4+ T cells could efficiently activate STAT6 in response to IL-4, less than 5% of CB CD4+ T cells were able to activate the JAK/STAT pathway in response to IFN-γ, IL-12 or IL-2. By 4-6 months of age, the activation of the cytokine-specific STAT molecules was comparable to adults in response to IL-4 and IFN-γ, while IL-2- and IL-12-induced STAT activation remained below adult levels even at 1 year. These results suggest that common developmental and cytokine-specific factors regulate the maturation of the JAK/STAT signaling function in CD4+ T cells during the first year of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myra Grace dela Peña-Ponce
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jennifer Rodriguez-Nieves
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Janice Bernhardt
- Division of Neonatal Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Ryan Tuck
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Neelima Choudhary
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Michael Mengual
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Katie R. Mollan
- Lineberger Cancer Center, Center for AIDS Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Michael G. Hudgens
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, Center for AIDS Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sigal Peter-Wohl
- Division of Neonatal Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kristina De Paris
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Vaccination in early life: standing up to the challenges. Curr Opin Immunol 2016; 41:1-8. [PMID: 27104290 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2016.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2016] [Revised: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The challenge for any vaccine design is to elicit protective humoral and/or cytotoxic immunity against life threatening pathogens while remaining innocuous. Neonatal vaccinology faces additional challenges linked to intrinsic peculiarities of the innate and adaptive neonatal immune system. These include anti-inflammatory rather than pro-inflammatory responses to innate signals, preferential Th2 differentiation limiting the induction of Th1 and cytotoxic responses, trends to immunoregulatory responses and weak plasma cell and germinal centre B cell responses. Recent progresses in our understanding of the molecular bases of these physiological peculiarities and of the mode of action of novel adjuvants open new opportunities to design vaccine formulations and immunization strategies better adapted to the early life period.
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12
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Dowling DJ, Levy O. Ontogeny of early life immunity. Trends Immunol 2014; 35:299-310. [PMID: 24880460 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2014.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 257] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2014] [Revised: 04/29/2014] [Accepted: 04/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The human immune system comprises cellular and molecular components designed to coordinately prevent infection while avoiding potentially harmful inflammation and autoimmunity. Immunity varies with age, reflecting unique age-dependent challenges including fetal gestation, the neonatal phase, and infancy. Here, we review novel mechanistic insights into early life immunity, with an emphasis on emerging models of human immune ontogeny, which may inform age-specific translational development of novel anti-infectives, immunomodulators, and vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Dowling
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ofer Levy
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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13
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Auray G, Facci MR, van Kessel J, Buchanan R, Babiuk LA, Gerdts V. Porcine neonatal blood dendritic cells, but not monocytes, are more responsive to TLRs stimulation than their adult counterparts. PLoS One 2013; 8:e59629. [PMID: 23667422 PMCID: PMC3648567 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2012] [Accepted: 02/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The neonatal immune system is often considered as immature or impaired compared to the adult immune system. This higher susceptibility to infections is partly due to the skewing of the neonatal immune response towards a Th2 response. Activation and maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) play an important role in shaping the immune response, therefore, DCs are a target of choice for the development of efficient and protective vaccine formulations able to redirect the neonatal immune response to a protective Th1 response. As pigs are becoming more important for vaccine development studies due to their similarity to the human immune system, we decided to compare the activation and maturation of a subpopulation of porcine DCs in adult and neonatal pigs following stimulation with different TLR ligands, which are promising candidates for adjuvants in vaccine formulations. Porcine blood derived DCs (BDCs) were directly isolated from blood and consisted of a mix of conventional and plasmacytoid DCs. Following CpG ODN (TLR9 ligand) and imiquimod (TLR7 ligand) stimulation, neonatal BDCs showed higher levels of expression of costimulatory molecules and similar (CpG ODN) or higher (imiquimod) levels of IL-12 compared to adult BDCs. Another interesting feature was that only neonatal BDCs produced IFN-α after TLR7 or TLR9 ligand stimulation. Stimulation with CpG ODN and imiquimod also induced enhanced expression of several chemokines. Moreover, in a mixed leukocyte reaction assay, neonatal BDCs displayed a greater ability to induce lymphoproliferation. These findings suggest that when stimulated via TLR7 or TLR9 porcine DCs display similar if not better response than adult porcine DCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gael Auray
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
- Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada
| | - Marina R. Facci
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Jill van Kessel
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Rachelle Buchanan
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | | | - Volker Gerdts
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
- * E-mail:
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14
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An overlapping syndrome of allergy and immune deficiency in children. J Allergy (Cairo) 2011; 2012:658279. [PMID: 21918651 PMCID: PMC3171763 DOI: 10.1155/2012/658279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2011] [Revised: 05/15/2011] [Accepted: 07/10/2011] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recurrent airway inflammations in children are an important clinical problem in pediatric practice. An essential challenge is differentiation between allergic background and immune deficiency, which is a difficult task taking into consideration individual predisposition to atopy, immune system maturation in the early childhood, as well as exposition to environmental allergens and microbial antigens. In this paper relationship between selected elements of innate and adaptive immunity, such as pattern-recognition receptors, complement components, dendritic cells, as well as immunoglobulins, and regulatory T lymph cells has been discussed. Particular attention has been paid to these mechanisms of the immune response which, depending on settings and timing of activation, predispose to allergy or contribute to tolerogenic phenotype. In the context of multifactorial conditioning of the innate and adaptive immunity governing the ultimate response and associations between allergy and immune deficiencies, these phenomena should be considered as pathogenetically not precluding, but as an overlapping syndrome.
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de Brito CA, Goldoni AL, Sato MN. Immune adjuvants in early life: targeting the innate immune system to overcome impaired adaptive response. Immunotherapy 2011; 1:883-95. [PMID: 20636030 DOI: 10.2217/imt.09.38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The neonatal phase is a transitory period characterized by an absence of memory cells, favoring a slow adaptive response prone to tolerance effects and the development of Th2-type responses. However, when appropriately stimulated, neonates may achieve an immune response comparable with adult counterparts. One strategy to stimulate the immunological response of neonates or children in early infancy has been to explore natural or synthetic ligands of cell receptors to stimulate innate immunity. The use of adjuvants for activating different cell receptors may be the key to enhancing neonatal adaptive immunity. This review highlights recent advances in the emerging field of molecular adjuvants of innate immune response and their implications for the development of immunotherapies, with particular focus on the neonatal period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyro Alves de Brito
- Laboratório de Dermatologia e Imunodeficiência, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Medicina Tropical - Prédio II, Av Dr Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar 500, 05403-000 São Paulo, Brazil
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Cao L, Wang J, Zhu Y, Tseu I, Post M. Maternal endotoxin exposure attenuates allergic airway disease in infant rats. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2010; 298:L670-7. [PMID: 20118299 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00399.2009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal exposures to immunogenic stimuli, such as bacterial LPS, have shown to influence the neonatal immune system and lung function. However, no detailed analysis of the immunomodulatory effects of LPS on postnatal T helper cell differentiation has been performed. Using a rat model, we investigated the effect of prenatal LPS exposure on postnatal T cell differentiation and experimental allergic airway disease. Pregnant rats were injected with LPS on day 20 and 21 (term = 22 days). Some of the offspring were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin. Positive control animals were placebo exposed to saline instead of LPS, whereas negative controls were sensitized with saline. Expression of T cell-related transcription factors and cytokines was quantified in the lung, and airway hyperresponsiveness was measured. Prenatal LPS exposure induced a T helper 1 (T(H)1) immune milieu in the offspring of rats [i.e., increased T-bet and T(H)1 cytokine expression while expression of T(H)2-associated transcription factors (GATA3 and STAT6) and cytokines was decreased]. Prenatal LPS exposure did not trigger T(H)17 cell differentiation in the offspring. Furthermore, prenatal LPS exposure reduced ovalbumin-induced (T(H)2-mediated) airway inflammation, eosinophilia, and airway responsiveness. Thus, in utero exposure to endotoxin promotes a T(H)1 immune environment, which suppresses the development of allergic airway disease later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Cao
- Lung Biology Research Group, Physiology and Experimental Medicine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto
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