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Picarda E, Bézie S, Usero L, Ossart J, Besnard M, Halim H, Echasserieau K, Usal C, Rossjohn J, Bernardeau K, Gras S, Guillonneau C. Cross-Reactive Donor-Specific CD8 + Tregs Efficiently Prevent Transplant Rejection. Cell Rep 2020; 29:4245-4255.e6. [PMID: 31875536 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.11.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
To reduce the use of non-specific immunosuppressive drugs detrimental to transplant patient health, therapies in development aim to achieve antigen-specific tolerance by promoting antigen-specific regulatory T cells (Tregs). However, identification of the natural antigens recognized by Tregs and the contribution of their dominance in transplantation has been challenging. We identify epitopes derived from distinct major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules, sharing a 7-amino acid consensus sequence positioned in a central mobile section in complex with MHC class I, recognized by cross-reactive CD8+ Tregs, enriched in the graft. Antigen-specific CD8+ Tregs can be induced in vivo with a 16-amino acid-long peptide to trigger transplant tolerance. Peptides derived from human HLA class II molecules, harboring the rat consensus sequence, also activate and expand human CD8+ Tregs, suggesting its potential in human transplantation. Altogether, this work should facilitate the development of therapies with peptide epitopes for transplantation and improve our understanding of CD8+ Treg recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Picarda
- Nantes Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France; LabEx IGO "Immunotherapy, Graft, Oncology," Nantes, France
| | - Séverine Bézie
- Nantes Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France; LabEx IGO "Immunotherapy, Graft, Oncology," Nantes, France
| | - Lorena Usero
- Nantes Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France; LabEx IGO "Immunotherapy, Graft, Oncology," Nantes, France
| | - Jason Ossart
- Nantes Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France; LabEx IGO "Immunotherapy, Graft, Oncology," Nantes, France
| | - Marine Besnard
- Nantes Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France; LabEx IGO "Immunotherapy, Graft, Oncology," Nantes, France
| | - Hanim Halim
- Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Klara Echasserieau
- Plateforme de protéines recombinantes P2R IFR26, CRCNA-UMR892 INSERM, Nantes, France
| | - Claire Usal
- Nantes Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France; LabEx IGO "Immunotherapy, Graft, Oncology," Nantes, France
| | - Jamie Rossjohn
- Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Institute of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Karine Bernardeau
- Plateforme de protéines recombinantes P2R IFR26, CRCNA-UMR892 INSERM, Nantes, France
| | - Stéphanie Gras
- Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Carole Guillonneau
- Nantes Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France; LabEx IGO "Immunotherapy, Graft, Oncology," Nantes, France.
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2
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Matthis J, King V, Reijonen H. Production of Antigen-Specific Human CD4 + T Cell Lines and Clones. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1988:387-402. [PMID: 31147954 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9450-2_27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Methodologies to generate single antigen-specific T cells are based on the T cell specificity, activation, or other subsequent functional measures. One of the most powerful tools to isolate human CD4+ T cell clones is utilization of MHC Class II tetramers. Flow cytometer-based tetramer technology mimics the recognition of the specific antigenic peptide in the context of HLA class II (tetramer) by the T cell receptor. MHC class II tetramers, which can be exogenously loaded to contain any peptide of interest that binds to them (T cell epitopes), provide a valuable tool for detection of T cells in the peripheral blood or the tissue that are specific for antigens from different viruses, tumors, or self-proteins (autoimmunity). Generation of T cell clones with a defined antigen specificity allows for a deeper characterization and functional assessment at single cell level. This is important for determination of the epitope specificity and functional phenotype of the disease associated T cells. Single cell cloning can be utilized in the direct sequencing of the T cell receptor alpha/beta pairs that are prevalent in the disease and therefore provides a platform for T cell receptor engineering, which has applications in the immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Victoria King
- City of Hope Medical Center, Beckman Research Institute, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Helena Reijonen
- City of Hope Medical Center, Beckman Research Institute, Duarte, CA, USA.
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3
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Meng X, Al-Attar Z, Yaseen FS, Jenkins R, Earnshaw C, Whitaker P, Peckham D, French NS, Naisbitt DJ, Park BK. Definition of the Nature and Hapten Threshold of the β-Lactam Antigen Required for T Cell Activation In Vitro and in Patients. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2017; 198:4217-4227. [PMID: 28438900 PMCID: PMC5444528 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1700209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Covalent modification of protein by drugs may disrupt self-tolerance, leading to lymphocyte activation. Until now, determination of the threshold required for this process has not been possible. Therefore, we performed quantitative mass spectrometric analyses to define the epitopes formed in tolerant and hypersensitive patients taking the β-lactam antibiotic piperacillin and the threshold required for T cell activation. A hydrolyzed piperacillin hapten was detected on four lysine residues of human serum albumin (HSA) isolated from tolerant patients. The level of modified Lys541 ranged from 2.6 to 4.8%. Analysis of plasma from hypersensitive patients revealed the same pattern and levels of modification 1-10 d after the commencement of therapy. Piperacillin-responsive skin-homing CD4+ clones expressing an array of Vβ receptors were activated in a dose-, time-, and processing-dependent manner; analysis of incubation medium revealed that 2.6% of Lys541 in HSA was modified when T cells were activated. Piperacillin-HSA conjugates that had levels and epitopes identical to those detected in patients were shown to selectively stimulate additional CD4+ clones, which expressed a more restricted Vβ repertoire. To conclude, the levels of piperacillin-HSA modification that activated T cells are equivalent to the ones formed in hypersensitive and tolerant patients, which indicates that threshold levels of drug Ag are formed in all patients. Thus, the propensity to develop hypersensitivity is dependent on other factors, such as the presence of T cells within an individual's repertoire that can be activated with the β-lactam hapten and/or an imbalance in immune regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Meng
- Medical Research Council Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom; and
| | - Zaid Al-Attar
- Medical Research Council Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom; and
| | - Fiazia S Yaseen
- Medical Research Council Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom; and
| | - Rosalind Jenkins
- Medical Research Council Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom; and
| | - Caroline Earnshaw
- Medical Research Council Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom; and
| | - Paul Whitaker
- Regional Adult Cystic Fibrosis Unit, St James's Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Peckham
- Regional Adult Cystic Fibrosis Unit, St James's Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, United Kingdom
| | - Neil S French
- Medical Research Council Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom; and
| | - Dean J Naisbitt
- Medical Research Council Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom; and
| | - B Kevin Park
- Medical Research Council Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom; and
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4
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Auto-reactive T cells revised. Overestimation based on methodology? J Immunol Methods 2015; 420:56-9. [PMID: 25825374 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2015.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Revised: 03/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Autoreactive T cells have been identified in most autoimmune diseases and recently even in healthy individuals. Similar, T cells that recognize either wild-type or tumorspecific tumor antigens have been increasingly reported to develop spontaneously in cancer patients. This insight has become possible mainly due to novel immunoassays which have revolutionized the discovery of rare antigen specific T cells. At present, the major dogma that explains this increasing number of reports of autoreactive T cells is that autoreactive T cells are counteracted by CD4+CD25+ regulatory T (Treg) cells in vivo, in particular in healthy individuals, whereas dysfunction in Tregs or Treg responsiveness may unmask the autoreactive T cell responses in patients with autoimmune diseases. However, studies that identify autoreactive T cells are usually performed by culturing T cells with antigen presenting cells loaded with E. coli produced recombinant protein or unmodified synthetic HLA binding peptides. Our concern is that this approach may ignore the presence of natural genetic variation and post-translational modifications such as e.g. the complex nature of N- and O-linked glycosylation of mammalian proteins. Thus, T cell antigen reactivities identified with unmodified antigens in vitro may in part represent in vitro T cell activation against neo-epitopes and not true in vivo autoreactivity as postulated. This methodological problem may have implications for the interpretation of the frequent reporting of autoreactive T cells in autoimmunity, T cell responses to wild-type tumor antigens in cancer patients and most important for the increasing reports on naïve T cells with specificity against self-antigens in healthy individuals. Here, we discuss and provide examples for the possibility that the experimental methodology applied to document T cell reactivity against unmodified protein or peptide may lead to overinterpretation of the reported frequencies of autoreactive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.
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Eugster A, Lindner A, Catani M, Heninger AK, Dahl A, Klemroth S, Kühn D, Dietz S, Bickle M, Ziegler AG, Bonifacio E. High diversity in the TCR repertoire of GAD65 autoantigen-specific human CD4+ T cells. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 194:2531-8. [PMID: 25681349 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1403031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Autoreactive CD4(+) T cells are an essential feature of type 1 diabetes mellitus. We applied single-cell TCR α- and β-chain sequencing to peripheral blood GAD65-specific CD4(+) T cells, and TCR α-chain next-generation sequencing to bulk memory CD4(+) T cells to provide insight into TCR diversity in autoimmune diabetes mellitus. TCRs obtained for 1650 GAD65-specific CD4(+) T cells isolated from GAD65 proliferation assays and/or GAD65 557I tetramer staining in 6 patients and 10 islet autoantibody-positive children showed large diversity with 1003 different TCRs identified. TRAV and TRBV gene usage was broad, and the TRBV5.1 gene was most prominent within the GAD65 557I tetramer(+) cells. Limited overlap (<5%) was observed between TCRs of GAD65-proliferating and GAD65 557I tetramer(+) CD4(+) T cells. Few TCRs were repeatedly found in GAD65-specific cells at different time points from individual patients, and none was seen in more than one subject. However, single chains were often shared between patients and used in combination with different second chains. Next-generation sequencing revealed a wide frequency range (<0.00001-1.62%) of TCR α-chains corresponding to GAD65-specific T cells. The findings support minor selection of genes and TCRs for GAD65-specific T cells, but fail to provide strong support for TCR-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Eugster
- German Research Foundation Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Dresden University of Technology, 01307 Dresden, Germany;
| | - Annett Lindner
- German Research Foundation Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Dresden University of Technology, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Mara Catani
- German Research Foundation Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Dresden University of Technology, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Anne-Kristin Heninger
- German Research Foundation Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Dresden University of Technology, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Andreas Dahl
- Deep Sequencing Group, Collaborative Research Center 655/BIOTEC, Biotechnology Center, Dresden University of Technology, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sylvia Klemroth
- Deep Sequencing Group, Collaborative Research Center 655/BIOTEC, Biotechnology Center, Dresden University of Technology, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Denise Kühn
- German Research Foundation Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Dresden University of Technology, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sevina Dietz
- German Research Foundation Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Dresden University of Technology, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Marc Bickle
- Technology Development Studio, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Anette-Gabrielle Ziegler
- Institute of Diabetes Mellitus Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; Forschergruppe Diabetes Mellitus, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81664 Munich, Germany
| | - Ezio Bonifacio
- German Research Foundation Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Dresden University of Technology, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden, German Center for Diabetes Mellitus Research, Dresden University of Technology, 01307 Dresden, Germany; and Institute for Diabetes Mellitus and Obesity, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany Germany
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6
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Shiner EK, Holbrook BC, Alexander-Miller MA. CD4+ T cell subset differentiation and avidity setpoint are dictated by the interplay of cytokine and antigen mediated signals. PLoS One 2014; 9:e100175. [PMID: 24940899 PMCID: PMC4062528 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2013] [Accepted: 05/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
CD4(+) T cell differentiation has been shown to be regulated by the cytokine milieu present during activation as well as peptide MHC levels. However, the extent to which these two important regulatory signals work in concert to shape CD4(+) T cell function has not been investigated. Using a murine OT-II transgenic TCR model of in vitro differentiation, we demonstrate that the ability of CD4(+) T cells to commit to a distinct lineage, i.e. Th1 vs. Th2 vs. Th17, is restricted by the amount of peptide antigen present in the stimulating environment. In addition, whether cells succumb to inhibitory effects associated with high dose antigen is dependent on the array of cytokine signals encountered. Specifically, stimulation with high dose antigen in Th1 or Th17 conditions promoted efficient generation of functional cells, while Th2 polarizing conditions did not. Finally, we found that the peptide sensitivity of an effector cell was determined by the combined actions of cytokine and peptide level, with Th1 cells exhibiting the highest avidity, followed by Th17 and Th2 cells. Together, these data show that the interplay of antigen and cytokine signals shape both the differentiation fate and avidity setpoint of CD4(+) T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin K. Shiner
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Rheumatology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Beth C. Holbrook
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Section on Rheumatology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Martha A. Alexander-Miller
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Section on Rheumatology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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7
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Production of primary human CD4⁺ T cell lines and clones. Methods Mol Biol 2013. [PMID: 23329513 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-62703-218-6_40] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
Tetramer staining of CD4(+) T cells is a valuable technique in immunology for detecting rare autoreactive T cells. Generating clones or cell lines from autoantigen tetramer-positive CD4(+) T cells allows further characterization and phenotyping of autoreactive cells.
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8
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van Lummel M, van Veelen PA, Zaldumbide A, de Ru A, Janssen GMC, Moustakas AK, Papadopoulos GK, Drijfhout JW, Roep BO, Koning F. Type 1 diabetes-associated HLA-DQ8 transdimer accommodates a unique peptide repertoire. J Biol Chem 2011; 287:9514-24. [PMID: 22184118 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.313940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 are strongly predisposing haplotypes for type 1 diabetes (T1D). Yet HLA-DQ2/8 heterozygous individuals have a synergistically increased risk compared with HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8 homozygote subjects that may result from the presence of a transdimer formed between the α-chain of HLA-DQ2 (DQA1*05:01) and the β-chain of HLA-DQ8 (DQB1*03:02). We generated cells exclusively expressing this transdimer (HLA-DQ8trans), characterized its peptide binding repertoire, and defined a unique transdimer-specific peptide binding motif that was found to be distinct from those of HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8. This motif predicts an array of peptides of islet autoantigens as candidate T cell epitopes, many of which selectively bind to the HLA transdimer, whereas others bind to both HLA-DQ8 and transdimer with similar affinity. Our findings provide a molecular basis for the association between HLA-DQ transdimers and T1D and set the stage for rational testing of potential diabetogenic peptide epitopes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menno van Lummel
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Tobón GJ, Pers JO, Cañas CA, Rojas-Villarraga A, Youinou P, Anaya JM. Are autoimmune diseases predictable? Autoimmun Rev 2011; 11:259-66. [PMID: 22001417 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2011.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Autoimmune diseases are complex diseases resulting of the interaction between both genetics and environmental factors over time. Different phases in the development of autoimmune diseases are characterized by the detection of serum autoantibodies several months or years before the onset of clinical manifestations and subsequent diagnosis. In addition to serum antibodies, genetic susceptibility factors may predict the future development of the disease. Currently, prediction in type 1 diabetes is the most accurate, with the analysis of genetic susceptibility factors in first-degree relatives of patients and several autoantibody tests. In the future, multiple antibodies test, in combination with the analysis of genetics, epigenetics and immunological anomalies in fine models may allow the precise prediction in autoimmune diseases. Prevention measures might thus be introduced as an attempt to avoid or delay the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel J Tobón
- EA Immunologie et Pathologie, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Brest, et Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Brest, France
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Tsang JYS, Ratnasothy K, Li D, Chen Y, Bucy RP, Lau KF, Smyth L, Lombardi G, Lechler R, Tam PKH. The potency of allospecific Tregs cells appears to correlate with T cell receptor functional avidity. Am J Transplant 2011; 11:1610-20. [PMID: 21797973 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2011.03650.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
CD4(+) CD25(+) regulatory T cells (T(reg) cells) are an attractive adoptive cell therapy in mediating transplantation tolerance. T-cell receptor (TcR) activation is critical for T(reg) function, suggesting that the TcR avidity of T(reg) cells used in therapy may affect the therapeutic outcome. To address this, we compared the regulatory capacity of T(reg) lines expressing TcRs derived from two TcR transgenic mice shown to have the same specificity but different functional avidities. T(reg) lines generated from CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells from C57BL/6 mice were transduced with one of either of these TcRs. The antigen specificity of the transduced T(reg) lines was confirmed in vitro. T(reg) lines expressing the TcR with higher functional avidity showed stronger suppressive capacity in a linked suppression model in vitro. Furthermore, the same T(reg) lines demonstrated a stronger proliferation in vivo following antigen exposure. Pretreatment of recipient BL/6 mice with these T(reg) cells, together with anti-CD8 antibody and Rapamycin therapies, prolonged survival of BALB/c skins, as compared with mice that received T(reg) lines with lower TcR avidity. Taken together, these data suggest that the TcR functional avidity may be important for T(reg) function. It highlights the fact that strategies to select T(reg) with higher functional avidity might be beneficial for immunotherapy in transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Y S Tsang
- Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
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11
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Abstract
There is now growing evidence that autoimmunity is the common trait connecting multiple clinical phenotypes albeit differences in tissue specificity, pathogenetic mechanisms, and therapeutic approaches cannot be overlooked. Over the past years we witnessed a constant growth of the number of publications related to autoimmune diseases in peer-reviewed journals of the immunology area. Original data referred to factors from common injury pathways (i.e. T helper 17 cells, serum autoantibodies, or vitamin D) and specific diseases such as multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rheumatoid arthritis. As an example, the issue of a latitudinal gradient in the prevalence and incidence rates has been proposed for all autoimmune diseases and was recently coined as geoepidemiology to suggest new environmental triggers for tolerance breakdown. The present article is aimed at reviewing the articles that were published over the past year in the major autoimmunity and immunology journals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Selmi
- Autoimmunity and Metabolism Unit, Department of Medicine, IRCCS Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Italy.
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Abstract
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease which occurs in (human leukocyte antigen) genetically predisposed individuals as a consequence of the organ-specific immune destruction of the insulin-producing β cells in the islets of Langherans within the pancreas. Type 1 diabetes is the result of a breakdown in immune regulation that leads to expansion of autoreactive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, autoantibody-producing B lymphocytes and activation of the innate immune system. Islet-related autoantibodies revealed themselves to be good predictors of future onset of the disease, although they are not directly pathogenetic; T cells instead play a dominant role in disease initiation and progression. In this review, we first discuss the approaches that several laboratories attempted to measure human islet autoantigen-specific T-cell function in type 1 diabetes. T-cell assays could be used in combination with standardized autoantibody screenings to improve predictive strategies. They could also help to monitor in long-term follow-up the efficacy of tolerogenic immunotherapeutic strategies when established at the onset of the disease, and help to predict the recurrence of disease. Although some recent developments based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot and immunoblotting techniques have been able to distinguish with good sensitivity and specificity patients from controls, T-cell results, as revealed by international workshops, were indeed largely inconclusive. Nowadays, novel technologies have been exploited that could contribute to answering the tantalizing question of identifying autoreactive T cells. We particularly focus on and discuss MHC multimer tools and emphasize the advantages they can offer but also their weaknesses when used in combination with other T-cell assays. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Fierabracci
- Research Laboratories, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Research Institute (IRCCS), Piazza S. Onofrio 4, Rome, Italy.
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