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ElGindi M, Sapudom J, Garcia Sabate A, Chesney Quartey B, Alatoom A, Al-Sayegh M, Li R, Chen W, Teo J. Effects of an aged tissue niche on the immune potency of dendritic cells using simulated microgravity. NPJ AGING 2023; 9:14. [PMID: 37393393 DOI: 10.1038/s41514-023-00111-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
Microgravity accelerates the aging of various physiological systems, and it is well acknowledged that aged individuals and astronauts both have increased susceptibility to infections and poor response to vaccination. Immunologically, dendritic cells (DCs) are the key players in linking innate and adaptive immune responses. Their distinct and optimized differentiation and maturation phases play a critical role in presenting antigens and mounting effective lymphocyte responses for long-term immunity. Despite their importance, no studies to date have effectively investigated the effects of microgravity on DCs in their native microenvironment, which is primarily located within tissues. Here, we address a significantly outstanding research gap by examining the effects of simulated microgravity via a random positioning machine on both immature and mature DCs cultured in biomimetic collagen hydrogels, a surrogate for tissue matrices. Furthermore, we explored the effects of loose and dense tissues via differences in collagen concentration. Under these various environmental conditions, the DC phenotype was characterized using surface markers, cytokines, function, and transcriptomic profiles. Our data indicate that aged or loose tissue and exposure to RPM-induced simulated microgravity both independently alter the immunogenicity of immature and mature DCs. Interestingly, cells cultured in denser matrices experience fewer effects of simulated microgravity at the transcriptome level. Our findings are a step forward to better facilitate healthier future space travel and enhance our understanding of the aging immune system on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei ElGindi
- Laboratory for Immuno Bioengineering Research and Applications, Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, United Arab Emirates
| | - Jiranuwat Sapudom
- Laboratory for Immuno Bioengineering Research and Applications, Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, United Arab Emirates
| | - Anna Garcia Sabate
- Laboratory for Immuno Bioengineering Research and Applications, Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, United Arab Emirates
| | - Brian Chesney Quartey
- Laboratory for Immuno Bioengineering Research and Applications, Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, United Arab Emirates
| | - Aseel Alatoom
- Laboratory for Immuno Bioengineering Research and Applications, Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohamed Al-Sayegh
- Biology Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Rui Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York University, 6 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA
| | - Weiqiang Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York University, 6 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University, 6 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA
| | - Jeremy Teo
- Laboratory for Immuno Bioengineering Research and Applications, Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, United Arab Emirates.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York University, 6 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA.
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University, 6 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA.
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2
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Insall RH. Receptors, enzymes and self-attraction as autocrine generators and amplifiers of chemotaxis and cell steering. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2023; 81:102169. [PMID: 37075582 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Cells create their own steering cues, or modify cues from their outside, for a number of reasons. These include generating optimal, legible directional information; probing their environments for information to help decide an optimal route; symmetry breaking; generating new patterns and complexity; and bringing together collectives such as neutrophil swarms. Recent advances include more mechanisms of self-steering, in particular by using cell-generated mechanical cues, and gradients of respired oxygen. An increasing number of cell types are being found to use self-steering, in particular immune cells responding to chemokines and mesodermal cells during gastrulation. Finally, receptor modification has emerged as an important limit on the range of neutrophil swarming, allowing cells to monitor other areas as well as coming together. Self-steering is thus emerging as a dominant feature of cell motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert H Insall
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK.
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3
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Goodin DA, Frieboes HB. Evaluation of innate and adaptive immune system interactions in the tumor microenvironment via a 3D continuum model. J Theor Biol 2023; 559:111383. [PMID: 36539112 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2022.111383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are known to affect tumor growth, vascularization, and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. Marked interest in system-scale analysis of immune species interactions within the TME has encouraged progress in modeling tumor-immune interactions in silico. Due to the computational cost of simulating these intricate interactions, models have typically been constrained to representing a limited number of immune species. To expand the capability for system-scale analysis, this study develops a three-dimensional continuum mixture model of tumor-immune interactions to simulate multiple immune species in the TME. Building upon a recent distributed computing implementation that enables efficient solution of such mixture models, major immune species including monocytes, macrophages, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, neutrophils, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), cytotoxic, helper, regulatory T-cells, and effector and regulatory B-cells and their interactions are represented in this novel implementation. Immune species extravasate from blood vasculature, undergo chemotaxis toward regions of high chemokine concentration, and influence the TME in proportion to locally defined levels of stimulation. The immune species contribute to the production of angiogenic and tumor growth factors, promotion of myofibroblast deposition of ECM, upregulation of angiogenesis, and elimination of living and dead tumor species. The results show that this modeling approach offers the capability for quantitative insight into the modulation of tumor growth by diverse immune-tumor interactions and immune-driven TME effects. In particular, MDSC-mediated effects on tumor-associated immune species' activation levels, volume fraction, and influence on the TME are explored. Longer term, linking of the model parameters to particular patient tumor information could simulate cancer-specific immune responses and move toward a more comprehensive evaluation of immunotherapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan A Goodin
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Hermann B Frieboes
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, KY, USA; James Graham Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, KY, USA; Center for Predictive Medicine, University of Louisville, KY, USA.
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Plasminogen and plasmin can bind to human T cells and generate truncated CCL21 that increases dendritic cell chemotactic responses. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102112. [PMID: 35690148 PMCID: PMC9270246 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmin is a broad-spectrum protease and therefore needs to be tightly regulated. Active plasmin is formed from plasminogen, which is found in high concentrations in the blood and is converted by the plasminogen activators. In the circulation, high levels of α2-antiplasmin rapidly and efficiently inhibit plasmin activity. Certain myeloid immune cells have been shown to bind plasmin and plasminogen on their cell surface via proteins that bind to the plasmin(ogen) kringle domains. Our earlier work showed that T cells can activate plasmin, but that they do not themselves express plasminogen. Here, we demonstrate that T cells express several known plasminogen receptors, and that they bind plasminogen on their cell surface. We show T cell-bound plasminogen was converted to plasmin by plasminogen activators upon T cell activation. To examine functional consequences of plasmin generation by activated T cells, we investigated its effect on the chemokine, C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 21 (CCL21). Video microscopy and western blotting confirmed that plasmin bound by human T cells cleaves CCL21 and increases the chemotactic response of monocyte-derived dendritic cells towards higher CCL21 concentrations along the concentration gradient by increasing their directional migration and track straightness. These results demonstrate how migrating T cells and potentially other activated immune cells may co-opt a powerful proteolytic system from the plasma towards immune processes in the peripheral tissues, where α2-antiplasmin is more likely to be absent. We propose that plasminogen bound to migrating immune cells may strongly modulate chemokine responses in peripheral tissues.
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Leveraging STING, Batf3 Dendritic Cells, CXCR3 Ligands, and Other Components Related to Innate Immunity to Induce A "Hot" Tumor Microenvironment That Is Responsive to Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14102458. [PMID: 35626062 PMCID: PMC9139434 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14102458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In a T-cell-inflamed phenotype, tumor eradication works best and is potentiated by immunotherapy such as checkpoint blockade. However, a majority of patients die despite receiving immunotherapy. One reason is insufficient T cell priming and infiltration in the tumor. Nature provides us with innate immune mechanisms in T-cell-inflamed tumors that we can adopt for more personalized immunotherapy strategies. Tumor sensing through innate signaling pathways and efficient antigen-presenting possess a significant role in bridging innate and adaptive immunity and generating a T-cell-inflamed tumor. One approach to strengthen these innate immune mechanisms is to deliver innate immune factors such as STING or activated DCs into the tumor microenvironment, in particular in patients resistant to checkpoint blockade. The low number of DCs in the tumor bed could potentially be increased with the growth factor FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L). CD103+ DCs are integral for three phases of anti-tumor immunity: priming, recruiting, and re-invigoration of effector T cells. Re-activation of dysfunctional T cells is achieved via co-stimulatory molecules such as the 4-1BB ligand. The presence of myeloid-cell-derived CXCL9 and CXCL10 in the tumor microenvironment can predict response to immunotherapy. We outline recent preclinical and clinical approaches to deliver these crucial components bridging innate and adaptive immunity into the tumor microenvironment.
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Frattolin J, Watson DJ, Bonneuil WV, Russell MJ, Fasanella Masci F, Bandara M, Brook BS, Nibbs RJB, Moore JE. The Critical Importance of Spatial and Temporal Scales in Designing and Interpreting Immune Cell Migration Assays. Cells 2021; 10:3439. [PMID: 34943947 PMCID: PMC8700135 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Intravital microscopy and other direct-imaging techniques have allowed for a characterisation of leukocyte migration that has revolutionised the field of immunology, resulting in an unprecedented understanding of the mechanisms of immune response and adaptive immunity. However, there is an assumption within the field that modern imaging techniques permit imaging parameters where the resulting cell track accurately captures a cell's motion. This notion is almost entirely untested, and the relationship between what could be observed at a given scale and the underlying cell behaviour is undefined. Insufficient spatial and temporal resolutions within migration assays can result in misrepresentation of important physiologic processes or cause subtle changes in critical cell behaviour to be missed. In this review, we contextualise how scale can affect the perceived migratory behaviour of cells, summarise the limited approaches to mitigate this effect, and establish the need for a widely implemented framework to account for scale and correct observations of cell motion. We then extend the concept of scale to new approaches that seek to bridge the current "black box" between single-cell behaviour and systemic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Frattolin
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; (J.F.); (D.J.W.); (W.V.B.)
| | - Daniel J. Watson
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; (J.F.); (D.J.W.); (W.V.B.)
| | - Willy V. Bonneuil
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; (J.F.); (D.J.W.); (W.V.B.)
| | - Matthew J. Russell
- Centre for Mathematical Medicine and Biology, School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK; (M.J.R.); (B.S.B.)
| | - Francesca Fasanella Masci
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK; (F.F.M.); (M.B.); (R.J.B.N.)
| | - Mikaila Bandara
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK; (F.F.M.); (M.B.); (R.J.B.N.)
| | - Bindi S. Brook
- Centre for Mathematical Medicine and Biology, School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK; (M.J.R.); (B.S.B.)
| | - Robert J. B. Nibbs
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK; (F.F.M.); (M.B.); (R.J.B.N.)
| | - James E. Moore
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; (J.F.); (D.J.W.); (W.V.B.)
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