Differential Effects of the Absence of Nkx2-3 and MAdCAM-1 on the Distribution of Intestinal Type 3 Innate Lymphoid Cells and Postnatal SILT Formation in Mice

Quantitative Analysis of NKX2-3 Expression in Human Colon: An Immunohistochemical Study

In mice, Nkx2-3 homeodomain transcription factor defines the vascular specification of secondary and tertiary lymphoid tissues of the intestines. In human studies, polymorphisms in NKX2-3 have been identified as a susceptibility factor in inflammatory bowel diseases, whereas in mice, its absence is associated with protection against experimental colitis and enhanced intestinal epithelial proliferation. Here, we investigated the expression of NKX2-3 in normal, polyp, and adenocarcinoma human colon samples using immunohistochemistry and quantitative morphometry, correlating its expression with endothelial and mesenchymal stromal markers. Our results revealed that the expression of NKX2-3 is regionally confined to the lamina propria and lamina muscularis mucosae, and its production is restricted mostly to endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells with variable co-expression of CD34, alpha smooth muscle antigen (αSMA), and vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1). The frequency of NKX2-3-positive cells and intensity of expression correlated inversely with aging. Furthermore, in most colorectal carcinoma samples, we observed a significant reduction of NKX2-3 expression. These findings indicate that the NKX2-3 transcription factor is produced by both endothelial and non-endothelial tissue constituents in the colon, and its expression changes during aging and in colorectal malignancies. (J Histochem Cytochem XX: XXX-XXX, XXXX).

ILC3: a case of conflicted identity

Innate lymphoid cells type 3 (ILC3s) are the first line sentinels at the mucous tissues, where they contribute to the homeostatic immune response in a major way. Also, they have been increasingly appreciated as important modulators of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune responses, both locally and systemically. The proper identification of ILC3 is of utmost importance for meaningful studies on their role in immunity. Flow cytometry is the method of choice for the detection and characterization of ILC3. However, the analysis of ILC3-related papers shows inconsistency in ILC3 phenotypic definition, as different inclusion and exclusion markers are used for their identification. Here, we present these discrepancies in the phenotypic characterization of human and mouse ILC3s. We discuss the pros and cons of using various markers for ILC3 identification. Furthermore, we consider the possibilities for the efficient isolation and propagation of ILC3 from different organs and tissues for in-vitro and in-vivo studies. This paper calls upon uniformity in ILC3 definition, isolation, and propagation for the increased possibility of confluent interpretation of ILC3's role in immunity.

Splenectomy modulates the immune response but does not prevent joint inflammation in a mouse model of RA

The spleen is the largest secondary lymphoid organ which is involved in the development of B cells and also in systemic (auto)immune responses. Using the recombinant human G1 domain-induced arthritis (GIA) model in splenectomized and control BALB/c mice, we investigated the role of the spleen in the induction and pathogenesis of autoimmune arthritis. Splenectomized mice developed GIA with a similar clinical picture to the control group. However, we observed significant alterations in the humoral and cellular immune responses in splenectomized mice. In the sera of the splenectomized mice, we found lower pro-inflammatory cytokine and anti-rhG1 IgM levels, but higher IL-4, anti-rhG1 IgG1 and anti-CCP and RF antibodies. The arthritis induction in the splenectomized group was associated with a significant expansion of activated helper T cells and an increase in the proportion of the circulating B1 and marginal zone B cell subsets. Importantly, immunization of the splenectomized mice with rhG1 induced the formation of germinal centers in the inguinal- and mesenteric lymph nodes (i/mLNs) which showed an active immune response to rhG1. Finally, both B and T cells from the mLNs of the splenectomized mice showed decreased intracellular Ca2+ signaling than those of the control group. Collectively, these findings indicate that the presence of the spleen is not critical for the induction of GIA, and in its absence the autoimmune arthritis is most likely promoted through the compensatory activity of the i/mLNs. However, our data implies the immunological role of the spleen in arthritis which could be further assessed in human RA.

Development and Validation of an Autophagy-Related Signature for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Introduction

HNSCC is the sixth most frequent type of malignant carcinoma with a low prognosis rate. In addition, autophagy is important in cancer development and progression. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential significance of ARGs in the diagnosis and treatment of HNSCC.

Materials and Methods

Expression data and clinical information of HNSCC samples were collected from the TCGA database, and a list of ARGs was obtained from the MSigDB. Then, we used R software to perform differential expression analysis and functional enrichment analysis. Further analysis was also performed to find out the survival-related ARGs in HNSCC, and two prognosis-related ARGs, FADD and NKX2-3, were selected to construct a prognosis prediction model. Moreover, some methods were applied to validate the prognosis prediction model. Finally, we used cell lines and clinical tissue samples of HNSCC to analyze the importance of FADD and NKX2-3.

Results

We screened a total of 38 differentially expressed ARGs, and enrichment analysis showed that these genes were mainly involved in autophagy. Then, we selected FADD and NKX2-3 to construct a prognosis model and the risk score calculated by the model was proved to be effective in predicting the survival of HNSCC patients. Additionally, significant differences of the clinicopathological parameters could also be observed in the risk scores and the expression of NKX2-3 and FADD. The expression of FADD and NKX2-3 in cell lines and HNSCC tissue samples also showed the same trends.

Conclusions

ARGs may be a potential biomarker for HNSCC prognosis, and targeted therapies for FADD and NKX2-3 are possible to be a new strategy of HNSCC treatment.