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Hübscher T, Lorenzo-Martín LF, Barthlott T, Tillard L, Langer JJ, Rouse P, Blackburn CC, Holländer G, Lutolf MP. Thymic epithelial organoids mediate T-cell development. Development 2024; 151:dev202853. [PMID: 39036995 PMCID: PMC11441983 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202853] [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: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Although the advent of organoids has opened unprecedented perspectives for basic and translational research, immune system-related organoids remain largely underdeveloped. Here, we established organoids from the thymus, the lymphoid organ responsible for T-cell development. We identified conditions enabling mouse thymic epithelial progenitor cell proliferation and development into organoids with diverse cell populations and transcriptional profiles resembling in vivo thymic epithelial cells (TECs) more closely than traditional TEC cultures. In contrast to these two-dimensional cultures, thymic epithelial organoids maintained thymus functionality in vitro and mediated physiological T-cell development upon reaggregation with T-cell progenitors. The reaggregates showed in vivo-like epithelial diversity and the ability to attract T-cell progenitors. Thymic epithelial organoids are the first organoids originating from the stromal compartment of a lymphoid organ. They provide new opportunities to study TEC biology and T-cell development in vitro, paving the way for future thymic regeneration strategies in ageing or acute injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Hübscher
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences and School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - L. Francisco Lorenzo-Martín
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences and School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Barthlott
- Pediatric Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lucie Tillard
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences and School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jakob J. Langer
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences and School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Paul Rouse
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, UK
| | - C. Clare Blackburn
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Georg Holländer
- Pediatric Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7TY, UK
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETHZ), 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthias P. Lutolf
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences and School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute of Human Biology (IHB), Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
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Solovev I, Sergeeva A, Geraskina A, Shaposhnikov M, Vedunova M, Borysova O, Moskalev A. Aging and physiological barriers: mechanisms of barrier integrity changes and implications for age-related diseases. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:917. [PMID: 39158744 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09833-7] [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: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
The phenomenon of compartmentalization is one of the key traits of life. Biological membranes and histohematic barriers protect the internal environment of the cell and organism from endogenous and exogenous impacts. It is known that the integrity of these barriers decreases with age due to the loss of homeostasis, including age-related gene expression profile changes and the abnormal folding/assembly, crosslinking, and cleavage of barrier-forming macromolecules in addition to morphological changes in cells and tissues. The critical molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in physiological barrier integrity maintenance and aging-associated changes in their functioning are reviewed on different levels: molecular, organelle, cellular, tissue (histohematic, epithelial, and endothelial barriers), and organ one (skin). Biogerontology, which studies physiological barriers in the aspect of age, is still in its infancy; data are being accumulated, but there is no talk of the synthesis of complex theories yet. This paper mainly presents the mechanisms that will become targets of anti-aging therapy only in the future, possibly: pharmacological, cellular, and gene therapies, including potential geroprotectors, hormetins, senomorphic drugs, and senolytics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya Solovev
- Laboratory of Geroprotective and Radioprotective Technologies, Institute of Biology, Komi Science Center, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 28 Kommunisticheskaya st, Syktyvkar, 167982, Russian Federation
- Pitirim Sorokin Syktyvkar State University, 55 Oktyabrsky prosp, Syktyvkar, 167001, Russian Federation
| | - Alena Sergeeva
- Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, 603022, Russian Federation
| | | | - Mikhail Shaposhnikov
- Laboratory of Geroprotective and Radioprotective Technologies, Institute of Biology, Komi Science Center, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 28 Kommunisticheskaya st, Syktyvkar, 167982, Russian Federation
| | - Maria Vedunova
- Laboratory of genetics and epigenetics of aging, Russian Clinical Research Center for Gerontology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, 129226, Russian Federation
| | | | - Alexey Moskalev
- Laboratory of Geroprotective and Radioprotective Technologies, Institute of Biology, Komi Science Center, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 28 Kommunisticheskaya st, Syktyvkar, 167982, Russian Federation.
- Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, 603022, Russian Federation.
- Laboratory of genetics and epigenetics of aging, Russian Clinical Research Center for Gerontology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, 129226, Russian Federation.
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3
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Li Y, Gong B, Lou J, Guo Y, Liang B, Liu W, You Z, Chen C, Chai B, Jiang S, Zhang H, Pan F, Yang L, Zhou G. Association between thymus density loss and efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Transl Lung Cancer Res 2024; 13:1544-1558. [PMID: 39118894 PMCID: PMC11304139 DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-24-203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Background Although the thymus undergoes degeneration with the advancement of age, recent studies have continuously revealed that the thymus possesses the potential for regeneration and may reverse this aging trend. Furthermore, an increasing number of studies indicate an association between thymus function and immunotherapy. Considering that lung cancer patients typically undergo chest computed tomography (CT) scans during treatment, this provides convenient conditions for us to observe thymic remodeling through imaging data. Therefore, exploring the changes in the thymus on CT images is of great significance for understanding its relationship with the efficacy of immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. This study investigated the CT imaging characteristics of thymic density changes in patients with advanced NSCLC after immunotherapy. The primary objective was to determine whether changes in thymic density are predictors of response to immunotherapy in patients with NSCLC. Methods A total of 412 patients with advanced NSCLC who underwent immunotherapy were included. Thymic density measurements were taken initially and after immunotherapy, with the annualized change calculated. Comprehensive analysis, including disease progression, survival, and subgroup assessments, was conducted. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the secondary outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR). Results The annual change in density of the thymic region ranged from -108 to 108 HU after the initiation of ICIs. Patients were categorized into "loss" or "non-loss" groups (210 vs. 202) based on thymic density changes. Analysis of short-term progression of solid tumors revealed no statistically significant differences in ORR (P=0.55) and DCR (P=0.67) between the two groups. Throughout the entire follow-up period, 41 patients (19.5%) in the "loss" group and 64 patients (31.7%) in the "non-loss" group died. Thymic density reduction was not associated with PFS (P=0.08), but it was positively associated with increased OS (P=0.003). The results were consistent across subgroups. Conclusions Thymic density changes were observed in nearly all NSCLC patients undergoing immunotherapy, with decreased density associated with longer OS. These findings suggest a potential association between thymic density changes and immune efficacy in NSCLC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Li
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Bingxin Gong
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Lou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yusheng Guo
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Bo Liang
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Weiwei Liu
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Ziang You
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Chao Chen
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Bin Chai
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Shanshan Jiang
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Hongyong Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Feng Pan
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Lian Yang
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Guofeng Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
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4
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Liu T, Xia S. The Proteostasis of Thymic Stromal Cells in Health and Diseases. Protein J 2024; 43:447-463. [PMID: 38622349 DOI: 10.1007/s10930-024-10197-x] [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] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
The thymus is the key immune organ for the development of T cells. Different populations of thymic stromal cells interact with T cells, thereby controlling the dynamic development of T cells through their differentiation and function. Proteostasis represents a balance between protein expression, folding, and modification and protein clearance, and its fluctuation usually depends at least partially on related protein regulatory systems for further survival and effects. However, in terms of the substantial requirement for self-antigens and their processing burden, increasing evidence highlights that protein regulation contributes to the physiological effects of thymic stromal cells. Impaired proteostasis may expedite the progression of thymic involution and dysfunction, accompanied by the development of autoimmune diseases or thymoma. Hence, in this review, we summarize the regulation of proteostasis within different types of thymic stromal cells under physiological and pathological conditions to identify potential targets for thymic regeneration and immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Liu
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301, Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, China
| | - Sheng Xia
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301, Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, China.
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Lagou MK, Argyris DG, Vodopyanov S, Gunther-Cummins L, Hardas A, Poutahidis T, Panorias C, DesMarais S, Entenberg C, Carpenter RS, Guzik H, Nishku X, Churaman J, Maryanovich M, DesMarais V, Macaluso FP, Karagiannis GS. Morphometric Analysis of the Thymic Epithelial Cell (TEC) Network Using Integrated and Orthogonal Digital Pathology Approaches. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.11.584509. [PMID: 38559037 PMCID: PMC10979902 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.11.584509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The thymus, a central primary lymphoid organ of the immune system, plays a key role in T cell development. Surprisingly, the thymus is quite neglected with regards to standardized pathology approaches and practices for assessing structure and function. Most studies use multispectral flow cytometry to define the dynamic composition of the thymus at the cell population level, but they are limited by lack of contextual insight. This knowledge gap hinders our understanding of various thymic conditions and pathologies, particularly how they affect thymic architecture, and subsequently, immune competence. Here, we introduce a digital pathology pipeline to address these challenges. Our approach can be coupled to analytical algorithms and utilizes rationalized morphometric assessments of thymic tissue, ranging from tissue-wide down to microanatomical and ultrastructural levels. This pipeline enables the quantitative assessment of putative changes and adaptations of thymic structure to stimuli, offering valuable insights into the pathophysiology of thymic disorders. This versatile pipeline can be applied to a wide range of conditions that may directly or indirectly affect thymic structure, ranging from various cytotoxic stimuli inducing acute thymic involution to autoimmune diseases, such as myasthenia gravis. Here, we demonstrate applicability of the method in a mouse model of age-dependent thymic involution, both by confirming established knowledge, and by providing novel insights on intrathymic remodeling in the aged thymus. Our orthogonal pipeline, with its high versatility and depth of analysis, promises to be a valuable and practical toolset for both basic and translational immunology laboratories investigating thymic function and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria K Lagou
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Dimitrios G Argyris
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Integrated Imaging Program for Cancer Research, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Stepan Vodopyanov
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Leslie Gunther-Cummins
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Analytical Imaging Facility, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer, Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Alexandros Hardas
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, Hatfield, United Kingdom
| | - Theofilos Poutahidis
- Laboratory of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Christos Panorias
- Division of Statistics and Operational Research, Department of Mathematics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Sophia DesMarais
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Conner Entenberg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Randall S Carpenter
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Hillary Guzik
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Analytical Imaging Facility, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer, Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Xheni Nishku
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Analytical Imaging Facility, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer, Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Joseph Churaman
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Analytical Imaging Facility, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer, Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Maria Maryanovich
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Cancer Dormancy and Tumor Microenvironment Institute, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer, Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Vera DesMarais
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Analytical Imaging Facility, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer, Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Frank P Macaluso
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Analytical Imaging Facility, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer, Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - George S Karagiannis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Integrated Imaging Program for Cancer Research, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Cancer Dormancy and Tumor Microenvironment Institute, Montefiore-Einstein Comprehensive Cancer, Center, Bronx, NY, USA
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6
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Lagou MK, Karagiannis GS. Obesity-induced thymic involution and cancer risk. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 93:3-19. [PMID: 37088128 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Declining thymic functions associated either with old age (i.e., age-related thymic involution), or with acute involution as a result of stress, infectious disease, or cytoreductive therapies (e.g., chemotherapy/radiotherapy), have been associated with cancer development. A key mechanism underlying such increased cancer risk is the thymus-dependent debilitation of adaptive immunity, which is responsible for orchestrating immunoediting mechanisms and tumor immune surveillance. In the past few years, a blooming set of evidence has intriguingly linked obesity with cancer development and progression. The majority of such studies has focused on obesity-driven chronic inflammation, steroid/sex hormone and adipokine production, and hyperinsulinemia, as principal factors affecting the tumor microenvironment and driving the development of primary malignancy. However, experimental observations about the negative impact of obesity on T cell development and maturation have existed for more than half a century. Here, we critically discuss the molecular and cellular mechanisms of obesity-driven thymic involution as a previously underrepresented intermediary pathology leading to cancer development and progression. This knowledge could be especially relevant in the context of childhood obesity, because impaired thymic function in young individuals leads to immune system abnormalities, and predisposes to various pediatric cancers. A thorough understanding behind the molecular and cellular circuitries governing obesity-induced thymic involution could therefore help towards the rationalized development of targeted thymic regeneration strategies for obese individuals at high risk of cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria K Lagou
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA; Tumor Microenvironment of Metastasis Program, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - George S Karagiannis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA; Tumor Microenvironment of Metastasis Program, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA; Cancer Dormancy and Tumor Microenvironment Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA; Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA; Integrated Imaging Program for Cancer Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
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7
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Klein F, Veiga-Villauriz C, Börsch A, Maio S, Palmer S, Dhalla F, Handel AE, Zuklys S, Calvo-Asensio I, Musette L, Deadman ME, White AJ, Lucas B, Anderson G, Holländer GA. Combined multidimensional single-cell protein and RNA profiling dissects the cellular and functional heterogeneity of thymic epithelial cells. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4071. [PMID: 37429879 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39722-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The network of thymic stromal cells provides essential niches with unique molecular cues controlling T cell development and selection. Recent single-cell RNA sequencing studies have uncovered previously unappreciated transcriptional heterogeneity among thymic epithelial cells (TEC). However, there are only very few cell markers that allow a comparable phenotypic identification of TEC. Here, using massively parallel flow cytometry and machine learning, we deconvoluted known TEC phenotypes into novel subpopulations. Using CITEseq, these phenotypes were related to corresponding TEC subtypes defined by the cells' RNA profiles. This approach allowed the phenotypic identification of perinatal cTEC and their physical localisation within the cortical stromal scaffold. In addition, we demonstrate the dynamic change in the frequency of perinatal cTEC in response to developing thymocytes and reveal their exceptional efficiency in positive selection. Collectively, our study identifies markers that allow for an unprecedented dissection of the thymus stromal complexity, as well as physical isolation of TEC populations and assignment of specific functions to individual TEC subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Klein
- Department of Paediatrics and Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Clara Veiga-Villauriz
- Department of Paediatrics and Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Stefano Maio
- Department of Paediatrics and Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sam Palmer
- Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Fatima Dhalla
- Department of Paediatrics and Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Adam E Handel
- Department of Paediatrics and Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Saulius Zuklys
- Paediatric Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Children's Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Irene Calvo-Asensio
- Paediatric Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Children's Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lucas Musette
- Paediatric Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Children's Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mary E Deadman
- Department of Paediatrics and Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Andrea J White
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Beth Lucas
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Graham Anderson
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Georg A Holländer
- Department of Paediatrics and Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Paediatric Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Children's Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland.
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8
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Zhang S, Wu L, Li Z, Li Q, Zong Y, Zhu K, Chen L, Qin H, Meng R. An unusual ectopic thymoma clonal evolution analysis: A case report. Open Life Sci 2023; 18:20220600. [PMID: 37215501 PMCID: PMC10199323 DOI: 10.1515/biol-2022-0600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Thymomas and thymic carcinomas are rare and primary tumors of the mediastinum which is derived from the thymic epithelium. Thymomas are the most common primary anterior mediastinal tumor, while ectopic thymomas are rarer. Mutational profiles of ectopic thymomas may help expand our understanding of the occurrence and treatment options of these tumors. In this report, we sought to elucidate the mutational profiles of two ectopic thymoma nodules to gain deeper understanding of the molecular genetic information of this rare tumor and to provide guidance treatment options. We presented a case of 62-year-old male patient with a postoperative pathological diagnosis of type A mediastinal thymoma and ectopic pulmonary thymoma. After mediastinal lesion resection and thoracoscopic lung wedge resection, the mediastinal thymoma was completely removed, and the patient recovered from the surgery and no recurrence was found by examination until now. Whole exome sequencing was performed on both mediastinal thymoma and ectopic pulmonary thymoma tissue samples of the patient and clonal evolution analysis were further conducted to analyze the genetic characteristics. We identified eight gene mutations that were co-mutated in both lesions. Consistent with a previous exome sequencing analysis of thymic epithelial tumor, HRAS was also observed in both mediastinal lesion and lung lesion tissues. We also evaluated the intratumor heterogeneity of non-silent mutations. The results showed that the mediastinal lesion tissue has higher degree of heterogeneity and the lung lesion tissue has relatively low amount of variant heterogeneity in the detected variants. Through pathology and genomics sequencing detection, we initially revealed the genetic differences between mediastinal thymoma and ectopic thymoma, and clonal evolution analysis showed that these two lesions originated from multi-ancestral regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijia Zhang
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 156 Wujiadun, Jianghan District, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430022, China
| | - Lu Wu
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 156 Wujiadun, Jianghan District, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430022, China
| | - Zhenyu Li
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 156 Wujiadun, Jianghan District, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430022, China
| | - Qianwen Li
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 156 Wujiadun, Jianghan District, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430022, China
| | - Yan Zong
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 156 Wujiadun, Jianghan District, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430022, China
| | - Kuikui Zhu
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 156 Wujiadun, Jianghan District, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430022, China
| | - Leichong Chen
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 156 Wujiadun, Jianghan District, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430022, China
| | - Haifeng Qin
- Department of Pulmonary Neoplasm Internal Medicine, Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Rui Meng
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 156 Wujiadun, Jianghan District, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430022, China
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9
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Watson SA, Javanmardi Y, Zanieri L, Shahreza S, Ragazzini R, Bonfanti P, Moeendarbary E. Integrated role of human thymic stromal cells in hematopoietic stem cell extravasation. Bioeng Transl Med 2023; 8:e10454. [PMID: 36925684 PMCID: PMC10013751 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The human thymus is the site of T-cell maturation and induction of central tolerance. Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC)-derived progenitors are recruited to the thymus from the fetal liver during early prenatal development and from bone marrow at later stages and postnatal life. The mechanism by which HSCs are recruited to the thymus is poorly understood in humans, though mouse models have indicated the critical role of thymic stromal cells (TSC). Here, we developed a 3D microfluidic assay based on human cells to model HSC extravasation across the endothelium into the extracellular matrix. We found that the presence of human TSC consisting of cultured thymic epithelial cells (TEC) and interstitial cells (TIC) increases the HSC extravasation rates by 3-fold. Strikingly, incorporating TEC or TIC alone is insufficient to perturb HSC extravasation rates. Furthermore, we identified complex gene expressions from interactions between endothelial cells, TEC and TIC modulates the HSCs extravasation. Our results suggest that comprehensive signaling from the complex thymic microenvironment is crucial for thymus seeding and that our system will allow manipulation of these signals with the potential to increase thymocyte migration in a therapeutic setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara A. Watson
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringUCLLondonUK
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine LabThe Francis Crick InstituteLondonUK
| | | | - Luca Zanieri
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine LabThe Francis Crick InstituteLondonUK
- Institute of Immunity and TransplantationDivision of Infection & Immunity, UCLLondonUK
| | | | - Roberta Ragazzini
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine LabThe Francis Crick InstituteLondonUK
- Institute of Immunity and TransplantationDivision of Infection & Immunity, UCLLondonUK
| | - Paola Bonfanti
- Epithelial Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine LabThe Francis Crick InstituteLondonUK
- Institute of Immunity and TransplantationDivision of Infection & Immunity, UCLLondonUK
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10
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Abstract
The microenvironment of the thymus is composed of a group of stromal cells that include endoderm-derived thymic epithelial cells (TECs) and mesenchymal stromal cells such as fibroblasts and serves as a site for the development of T cells. TECs are known to play an essential role in T cell differentiation and selection. Mesenchymal stromal cells have been less studied in terms of their immunological significance compared to TECs. Recently, new technologies have made it possible to identify and characterize mesenchymal stromal cells in the thymus, revealing their unique functions in thymic organogenesis and T cell development. This review outlines the current views on mesenchymal stromal cells in the thymus, particularly highlighting the newly discovered function of thymic fibroblasts in T cell repertoire selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Nitta
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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11
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Structural and Functional Thymic Biomarkers Are Involved in the Pathogenesis of Thymic Epithelial Tumors: An Overview. IMMUNO 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/immuno2020025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The normal human thymus originates from the third branchial cleft as two paired anlages that descend into the thorax and fuse on the midline of the anterior–superior mediastinum. Alongside the epithelial and lymphoid components, different types of lymphoid accessory cells, stromal mesenchymal and endothelial cells migrate to, or develop in, the thymus. After reaching maximum development during early postnatal life, the human thymus decreases in size and lymphocyte output drops with age. However, thymic immunological functions persist, although they deteriorate progressively. Several major techniques were fundamental to increasing the knowledge of thymic development and function during embryogenesis, postnatal and adult life; these include immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, in vitro colony assays, transplantation in mice models, fetal organ cultures (FTOC), re-aggregated thymic organ cultures (RTOC), and whole-organ thymic scaffolds. The thymic morphological and functional characterization, first performed in the mouse, was then extended to humans. The purpose of this overview is to provide a report on selected structural and functional biomarkers of thymic epithelial cells (TEC) involved in thymus development and lymphoid cell maturation, and on the historical aspects of their characterization, with particular attention being paid to biomarkers also involved in Thymic Epithelial Tumor (TET) pathogenesis. Moreover, a short overview of targeted therapies in TET, based on currently available experimental and clinical data and on potential future advances will be proposed.
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12
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Ferreirinha P, Pinheiro RGR, Landry JJM, Alves NL. Identification of fibroblast progenitors in the developing mouse thymus. Development 2022; 149:275509. [PMID: 35587733 PMCID: PMC9188757 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The thymus stroma constitutes a fundamental microenvironment for T-cell generation. Despite the chief contribution of thymic epithelial cells, recent studies emphasize the regulatory role of mesenchymal cells in thymic function. Mesenchymal progenitors are suggested to exist in the postnatal thymus; nonetheless, an understanding of their nature and the mechanism controlling their homeostasis in vivo remains elusive. We resolved two new thymic fibroblast subsets with distinct developmental features. Whereas CD140αβ+GP38+SCA-1− cells prevailed in the embryonic thymus and declined thereafter, CD140αβ+GP38+SCA-1+ cells emerged in the late embryonic period and predominated in postnatal life. The fibroblastic-associated transcriptional programme was upregulated in CD140αβ+GP38+SCA-1+ cells, suggesting that they represent a mature subset. Lineage analysis showed that CD140αβ+GP38+SCA-1+ maintained their phenotype in thymic organoids. Strikingly, CD140αβ+GP38+SCA-1− generated CD140αβ+GP38+SCA-1+, inferring that this subset harboured progenitor cell activity. Moreover, the abundance of CD140αβ+GP38+SCA-1+ fibroblasts was gradually reduced in Rag2−/− and Rag2−/−Il2rg−/− thymi, indicating that fibroblast maturation depends on thymic crosstalk. Our findings identify CD140αβ+GP38+SCA-1− as a source of fibroblast progenitors and define SCA-1 as a marker for developmental stages of thymic fibroblast differentiation. Summary: This study resolves previously unidentified subsets of immature and mature thymic fibroblasts, providing further evidence that their homeostasis is controlled by signals provided by developing thymocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Ferreirinha
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto 1 , 4200-135, Porto , Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular 2 , 4200-135, Porto , Portugal
| | - Ruben G. R. Pinheiro
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto 1 , 4200-135, Porto , Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular 2 , 4200-135, Porto , Portugal
- Doctoral Program in Molecular and Cell Biology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar 3 , , 4200-135, Porto , Portugal
- Universidade do Porto 3 , , 4200-135, Porto , Portugal
| | - Jonathan J. M. Landry
- Genomics Core Facility, European Molecular Biology Laboratory 4 , 69117 Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Nuno L. Alves
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto 1 , 4200-135, Porto , Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular 2 , 4200-135, Porto , Portugal
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13
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Funk J, Ruehl-Fehlert C, Leonard C, Kellner R, Rittinghausen S. Immunohistochemical Characterization of Proliferative Lesions in the Thymus of Aging CD-1 Mice From Two Studies on the RITA Database, With Special Reference to the Perivascular Space. Toxicol Pathol 2022; 50:308-328. [PMID: 35321614 DOI: 10.1177/01926233221082972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Thymic lymphoid hyperplasia is a common age-related finding, which occurs particularly in female CD-1 mice. The main differential diagnoses are malignant lymphoma and thymoma. A systematic investigation of control groups from two carcinogenicity studies was performed including measurements of thymic size, and the immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers pan-Cytokeratin (pan-CK) for thymic epithelial cells; CD3 and CD45R/B220 for T and B lymphocytes, respectively; CD31 for endothelial cells; and F4/80 for macrophages. Thymoma can be differentiated by increased numbers of proliferating epithelial cells demonstrated by pan-CK IHC staining. Differentiation between lymphoid hyperplasia and lymphoma is more challenging as a mixture of B and T lymphocytes can be present in both findings. The present investigation showed that the thymic perivascular space is the compartment where the increased numbers of lymphocytes in hyperplasia are localized and not the medulla, as previously thought. The lymphoepithelial compartment is atrophic to the same extent in thymi diagnosed with age-related involution or lymphoid hyperplasia. Both diagnoses are thus related to variations in lymphoid cellularity of the nonepithelial perivascular space, which is continuous with the perithymic tissue. Likewise, lymphomas have a predilection to colonize the perivascular space and to spare the lymphoepithelial compartment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rupert Kellner
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM, Hannover, Germany
| | - Susanne Rittinghausen
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM, Hannover, Germany
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14
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Martinez-Ruíz GU, Morales-Sánchez A, Bhandoola A. Transcriptional and epigenetic regulation in thymic epithelial cells. Immunol Rev 2022; 305:43-58. [PMID: 34750841 PMCID: PMC8766885 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The thymus is required for the development of both adaptive and innate-like T cell subsets. There is keen interest in manipulating thymic function for therapeutic purposes in circumstances of autoimmunity, immunodeficiency, and for purposes of immunotherapy. Within the thymus, thymic epithelial cells play essential roles in directing T cell development. Several transcription factors are known to be essential for thymic epithelial cell development and function, and a few transcription factors have been studied in considerable detail. However, the role of many other transcription factors is less well understood. Further, it is likely that roles exist for other transcription factors not yet known to be important in thymic epithelial cells. Recent progress in understanding of thymic epithelial cell heterogeneity has provided some new insight into transcriptional requirements in subtypes of thymic epithelial cells. However, it is unknown whether progenitors of thymic epithelial cells exist in the adult thymus, and consequently, developmental relationships linking putative precursors with differentiated cell types are poorly understood. While we do not presently possess a clear understanding of stage-specific requirements for transcription factors in thymic epithelial cells, new single-cell transcriptomic and epigenomic technologies should enable rapid progress in this field. Here, we review our current knowledge of transcription factors involved in the development, maintenance, and function of thymic epithelial cells, and the mechanisms by which they act.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Ulises Martinez-Ruíz
- T Cell Biology and Development Unit, Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Research Division, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
- Children’s Hospital of Mexico Federico Gomez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Abigail Morales-Sánchez
- T Cell Biology and Development Unit, Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Children’s Hospital of Mexico Federico Gomez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Avinash Bhandoola
- T Cell Biology and Development Unit, Laboratory of Genome Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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15
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Modeling the Dynamics of T-Cell Development in the Thymus. ENTROPY 2021; 23:e23040437. [PMID: 33918050 PMCID: PMC8069328 DOI: 10.3390/e23040437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The thymus hosts the development of a specific type of adaptive immune cells called T cells. T cells orchestrate the adaptive immune response through recognition of antigen by the highly variable T-cell receptor (TCR). T-cell development is a tightly coordinated process comprising lineage commitment, somatic recombination of Tcr gene loci and selection for functional, but non-self-reactive TCRs, all interspersed with massive proliferation and cell death. Thus, the thymus produces a pool of T cells throughout life capable of responding to virtually any exogenous attack while preserving the body through self-tolerance. The thymus has been of considerable interest to both immunologists and theoretical biologists due to its multi-scale quantitative properties, bridging molecular binding, population dynamics and polyclonal repertoire specificity. Here, we review experimental strategies aimed at revealing quantitative and dynamic properties of T-cell development and how they have been implemented in mathematical modeling strategies that were reported to help understand the flexible dynamics of the highly dividing and dying thymic cell populations. Furthermore, we summarize the current challenges to estimating in vivo cellular dynamics and to reaching a next-generation multi-scale picture of T-cell development.
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