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Wu P, Yang K, Sun Z, Zhao Y, Manthari RK, Wang J, Cao J. Interleukin-17A knockout or self-recovery alleviated autoimmune reaction induced by fluoride in mouse testis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 884:163616. [PMID: 37086998 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Fluoride (F) is usually treated as a hazardous material, and F-caused public health problem has attracted global attention. Previous studies demonstrate that interleukin-17A (IL-17A) plays a crucial role in F-elicited autoimmune orchitis and self-recovery reverses F-induced testicular toxicity to some extent, but these basic mechanisms remain unclear. Thus, we established a 180 d F exposure model of wild type (WT) mice and IL-17A knockout mice (C57BL/6 J background), and 60 d & 120 d self-recovery model based on F exposure model of WT mice, and used various techniques like qRT-PCR, western blot, immunohistochemistry and ELISA to further explore the mechanism of F-induced autoimmune reaction, the role of IL-17A in it and the reversibility of F-caused toxicity in testis. The results indicated that F exposure for 180 d caused the decreased sperm quality, the damaged testis histopathology, the enhanced mRNA and protein expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, the changes of autoantibody such as the appearance and increased content of anti-testicular autoantibodies in sera and the autoantibody deposition in testis, the alterations of autoimmune related genes containing the decreased mRNA and protein expressions of AIRE and FOXP3 with an increase of MHCII, and the reduced protein expressions of CTLA4, and the activation of IL-17A signaling cascade like the elevated mRNA and protein expressions of IL-17A, Act1, NF-κB, AP-1 and CEBPβ, and the increased protein expressions of IL-17RC, with a decrease of IκBα. After IL-17A knockout, 29 of 35 F-induced changes were alleviated. In two self-recovery models, all F-caused differences except fluorine concentration in femur were gradually restored in a time-dependent manner. This study concluded that IL-17A knockout or self-recovery attenuated F-induced testicular injury and decrease of sperm quality through alleviating autoimmune reaction which was involved with the activation of IL-17A pathway, the damage of self-tolerance and the enhancement of antigen presentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panhong Wu
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Ecological Animal Science and Environmental Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, Shanxi, PR China
| | - Kaidong Yang
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Ecological Animal Science and Environmental Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, Shanxi, PR China
| | - Zilong Sun
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Ecological Animal Science and Environmental Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, Shanxi, PR China
| | - Yangfei Zhao
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Ecological Animal Science and Environmental Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, Shanxi, PR China
| | - Ram Kumar Manthari
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Ecological Animal Science and Environmental Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, Shanxi, PR China; Department of Biotechnology, GITAM Institute of Science, GITAM (Deemed to be University), Visakhapatnam 530045, India
| | - Jundong Wang
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Ecological Animal Science and Environmental Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, Shanxi, PR China.
| | - Jinling Cao
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, Shanxi, PR China.
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Padmanabhan RA, Johnson BS, Dhyani AK, Pillai SM, Jayakrishnan K, Laloraya M. Autoimmune regulator (AIRE): Takes a hypoxia-inducing factor 1A (HIF1A) route to regulate FOXP3 expression in PCOS. Am J Reprod Immunol 2023; 89:e13637. [PMID: 36305192 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis- ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) pathology due to autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene mutations leads to loss of central tolerance triggering immune attack, a factor causing infertility. One of the targets of autoimmune attack is ovary and its repercussion results in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Although reduced Tregs have been reported in PCOS, a lacunae exists on the status of AIRE gene expression and its role in treg insufficiency via HIF1A-FOXP3 axis in PCOS. METHOD OF STUDY This is a case-control cohort study recruiting 40 normal and 40 PCOS volunteers for peripheral blood sample collection and PCOS diagnoses were based on Rotterdam Consensus criteria. AIRE and HIF1A expression status was analysed by qRT PCR and western blot. FACS analyses was conducted on AIRE silenced peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after Treg induction. RESULTS Our results indicate a reduced AIRE (fold change log2 (RQ) = -2.6, P < .01) and increased HIF1A (fold change log2 (RQ) = 3.6, P < .02) in PBMCs of PCOS subjects compared to age-matched controls. Western blot of AIRE and HIF1A corroborates with qRT PCR data. Our CHIP data demonstrate AIRE mediated HIF1A promoter regulation. Silencing of AIRE in PBMCs contributes to the upregulation of HIF1A transcripts by two-fold (P < .0015) and downregulation in FOXP3 expression by three-fold (P < .0017). FACS analyses revealed that silencing of AIRE reduces Tcell to Treg conversion. CONCLUSIONS Our consolidated results derive a new connection among AIRE-HIF1A-FOXP3 with AIRE reduction enabling increased HIF1A resulting in reduced FOXP3 in PBMCs of PCOS patients leading to Treg insufficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renjini Ambika Padmanabhan
- Female Reproduction and Metabolic Syndromes Laboratory, Division of Molecular Reproduction, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thycaud PO, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Betcy Susan Johnson
- Female Reproduction and Metabolic Syndromes Laboratory, Division of Molecular Reproduction, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thycaud PO, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Ajay Kumar Dhyani
- Female Reproduction and Metabolic Syndromes Laboratory, Division of Molecular Reproduction, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thycaud PO, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Sathy M Pillai
- SAMAD IVF Hospitals, V. V. Road, Pattoor, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - K Jayakrishnan
- KJK Hospital and Fertility Research Centre, Mar Ivanios College Road, Nalanchira, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Malini Laloraya
- Female Reproduction and Metabolic Syndromes Laboratory, Division of Molecular Reproduction, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thycaud PO, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
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AIRE in Male Fertility: A New Hypothesis. Cells 2022; 11:cells11193168. [PMID: 36231130 PMCID: PMC9563308 DOI: 10.3390/cells11193168] [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: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Male infertility affects approximately 14% of all European men, of which ~44% are characterized as idiopathic. There is an urgency to identify the factors that affect male fertility. One such factor, Autoimmune Regulator (AIRE), a protein found in the thymus, has been studied in the context of central tolerance functioning as a nuclear transcription modulator, responsible for the expression of tissue-restricted antigens in specialized thymic cells that prevent autoimmunity. While its expression in the testes remains enigmatic, we recently observed that sterility in mice correlates with the absence of Aire in the testes, regardless of the deficient expression in medullary thymic epithelial cells or cells of the hematopoietic system. By assessing the Aire transcript levels, we discovered that Sertoli cells are the exclusive source of Aire in the testes, where it most likely plays a non-immune role, suggesting an unknown mechanism by which testicular Aire regulates fertility. Here, we discuss these results in the context of previous reports which have suggested that infertility observed in Aire deficient mice is of an autoimmune aetiology. We present an alternative point of view for the role of Aire in testes in respect to fertility altering the perspective of how Aire's function in the testes is currently perceived.
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Sun IH, Gillis-Buck E, Mackenzie TC, Gardner JM. Thymic and extrathymic Aire-expressing cells in maternal-fetal tolerance. Immunol Rev 2022; 308:93-104. [PMID: 35535447 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Healthy pregnancy requires maternal immune tolerance to both fetal and placental tissues which contain a range of self- and non-self-antigens. While many of the components and mechanisms of maternal-fetal tolerance have been investigated in detail and previously and thoroughly reviewed (Erlebacher A. Annu Rev Immunol. 2013;31:387-411), the role of autoimmune regulator (Aire), a critical regulator of central tolerance expressed by medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs), has been less explored. Aire is known to facilitate the expression of a range of otherwise tissue-specific antigens (TSAs) in mTECs, and here we highlight recent work showing a role for mTEC-mediated thymic selection in maintaining maternal-fetal tolerance. Recently, however, our group and others have identified additional populations of extrathymic Aire-expressing cells (eTACs) in the secondary lymphoid organs. These hematopoietic antigen-presenting cells possess the ability to induce functional inactivation and/or deletion of cognate T cells, and deletion of maternal eTACs during pregnancy increases T-cell activation in the lymph nodes and lymphocytic infiltration of the uterus, leading to pregnancy complications including intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and fetal resorption. In this review, we briefly summarize findings related to essential Aire biology, discuss the known roles of Aire-deficiency related to pregnancy complications and infertility, review the newly discovered role for eTACs in the maintenance of maternal-fetal tolerance-as well as recent work defining eTACs at the single-cell level-and postulate potential mechanisms by which eTACs may regulate this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Im-Hong Sun
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.,Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Eva Gillis-Buck
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Tippi C Mackenzie
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.,Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - James M Gardner
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.,Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
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Centenary of Haldane's ‘rule’: why male sterility may be normal, not ‘idiopathic’. J Genet 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12041-022-01369-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Centanni M, Virili C. Pregnancy Outcome in Poly-Autoimmune Disorders: The Case of APECED Syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022; 107:e1754-e1755. [PMID: 34718626 PMCID: PMC8947229 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgab783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Centanni
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, ‘‘Sapienza’’ University of Rome, Latina 04100, Italy
- Endocrine Unit, AUSL Latina, Latina 04100, Italy
- Correspondence: Marco Centanni, MD, Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Corso della Repubblica 79, Latina 04100, Italy.
| | - Camilla Virili
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, ‘‘Sapienza’’ University of Rome, Latina 04100, Italy
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Tao Z, Jiang Y, Xia S. Regulation of thymic T regulatory cell differentiation by TECs in health and disease. Scand J Immunol 2021; 94:e13094. [PMID: 34780092 DOI: 10.1111/sji.13094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The thymus produces self-limiting and self-tolerant T cells through the interaction between thymocytes and thymus epithelial cells (TECs), thereby generating central immune tolerance. The TECs are composed of cortical and medullary thymic epithelial cells, which regulate the positive and negative selection of T cells, respectively. During the process of negative selection, thymocytes with self-reactive ability are deleted or differentiated into regulatory T cells (Tregs). Tregs are a subset of suppressor T cells that are important for maintaining immune homeostasis. The differentiation and development of Tregs depend on the development of TECs and other underlying molecular mechanisms. Tregs regulated by thymic epithelial cells are closely related to human health and are significant in autoimmune diseases, thymoma and pregnancy. In this review, we summarize the current molecular and transcriptional regulatory mechanisms by which TECs affect the development and function of thymic Tregs. We also review the pathophysiological models of thymic epithelial cells regulating thymic Tregs in human diseases and specific physiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehua Tao
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yalan Jiang
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Sheng Xia
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
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Dotan A, Kanduc D, Muller S, Makatsariya A, Shoenfeld Y. Molecular mimicry between SARS-CoV-2 and the female reproductive system. Am J Reprod Immunol 2021; 86:e13494. [PMID: 34407240 PMCID: PMC8420155 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Revised: 08/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Oogenesis, the process of egg production by the ovary, involves a complex differentiation program leading to the production of functional oocytes. This process comprises a sequential pathway of steps that are finely regulated. The question related to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and fertility has been evoked for several reasons, including the mechanism of molecular mimicry, which may contribute to female infertility by leading to the generation of deleterious autoantibodies, possibly contributing to the onset of an autoimmune disease in infected patients. Objective The immunological potential of the peptides shared between SARS‐CoV‐2 spike glycoprotein and oogenesis‐related proteins; Thus we planned a systematic study to improve our understanding of the possible effects of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection on female fertility using the angle of molecular mimicry as a starting point. Methods A library of 82 human proteins linked to oogenesis was assembled at random from UniProtKB database using oogenesis, uterine receptivity, decidualization, and placentation as a key words. For the analyses, an artificial polyprotein was built by joining the 82 a sequences of the oogenesis‐associated proteins. These were analyzed by searching the Immune Epitope DataBase for immunoreactive SARS‐CoV‐2 spike glycoprotein epitopes hosting the shared pentapeptides. Results SARS‐CoV‐2 spike glycoprotein was found to share 41 minimal immune determinants, that is, pentapeptides, with 27 human proteins that relate to oogenesis, uterine receptivity, decidualization, and placentation. All the shared pentapeptides that we identified, with the exception of four, are also present in SARS‐CoV‐2 spike glycoprotein–derived epitopes that have been experimentally validated as immunoreactive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arad Dotan
- Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat-Gan, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Darja Kanduc
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Sylviane Muller
- CNRS-Strasbourg University Unit Biotechnology and Cell signaling/ Strasbourg Drug Discovery and Development Institute (IMS), Strasbourg, France.,Ecole Supérieure de Biotechnologie de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France.,Fédération Hospitalo-Universitaire OMICARE, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, Strasbourg University, Strasbourg, France.,University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Study, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Yehuda Shoenfeld
- Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat-Gan, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,President of Ariel University, Ariel, Israel.,Laboratory of the Mosaic of Autoimmunity, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation
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Gillis-Buck E, Miller H, Sirota M, Sanders SJ, Ntranos V, Anderson MS, Gardner JM, MacKenzie TC. Extrathymic Aire-expressing cells support maternal-fetal tolerance. Sci Immunol 2021; 6:eabf1968. [PMID: 34272228 PMCID: PMC9363019 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abf1968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Healthy pregnancy requires tolerance to fetal alloantigens as well as syngeneic embryonic and placental antigens. Given the importance of the autoimmune regulator (Aire) gene in self-tolerance, we investigated the role of Aire-expressing cells in maternal-fetal tolerance. We report that maternal ablation of Aire-expressing (Aire +) cells during early mouse pregnancy caused intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) in both allogeneic and syngeneic pregnancies. This phenotype is immune mediated, as IUGR was rescued in Rag1-deficient mice, and involved a memory response, demonstrated by recurrence of severe IUGR in second pregnancies. Single-cell RNA sequencing demonstrated that Aire + cell depletion in pregnancy results in expansion of activated T cells, particularly T follicular helper cells. Unexpectedly, selective ablation of either Aire-expressing medullary thymic epithelial cells or extrathymic Aire-expressing cells (eTACs) mapped the IUGR phenotype exclusively to eTACs. Thus, we report a previously undescribed mechanism for the maintenance of maternal-fetal immune homeostasis and demonstrate that eTACs protect the conceptus from immune-mediated IUGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Gillis-Buck
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Haleigh Miller
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Diabetes Center University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Marina Sirota
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stephan J Sanders
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Vasilis Ntranos
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Diabetes Center University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mark S Anderson
- Diabetes Center University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - James M Gardner
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Diabetes Center University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tippi C MacKenzie
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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