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Rojas M, Acosta-Ampudia Y, Heuer LS, Zang W, M Monsalve D, Ramírez-Santana C, Anaya JM, M Ridgway W, A Ansari A, Gershwin ME. Antigen-specific T cells and autoimmunity. J Autoimmun 2024; 148:103303. [PMID: 39141985 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2024.103303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Autoimmune diseases (ADs) showcase the intricate balance between the immune system's protective functions and its potential for self-inflicted damage. These disorders arise from the immune system's erroneous targeting of the body's tissues, resulting in damage and disease. The ability of T cells to distinguish between self and non-self-antigens is pivotal to averting autoimmune reactions. Perturbations in this process contribute to AD development. Autoreactive T cells that elude thymic elimination are activated by mimics of self-antigens or are erroneously activated by self-antigens can trigger autoimmune responses. Various mechanisms, including molecular mimicry and bystander activation, contribute to AD initiation, with specific triggers and processes varying across the different ADs. In addition, the formation of neo-epitopes could also be implicated in the emergence of autoreactivity. The specificity of T cell responses centers on the antigen recognition sequences expressed by T cell receptors (TCRs), which recognize peptide fragments displayed by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. The assortment of TCR gene combinations yields a diverse array of T cell populations, each with distinct affinities for self and non-self antigens. However, new evidence challenges the traditional notion that clonal expansion solely steers the selection of higher-affinity T cells. Lower-affinity T cells also play a substantial role, prompting the "two-hit" hypothesis. High-affinity T cells incite initial responses, while their lower-affinity counterparts perpetuate autoimmunity. Precision treatments that target antigen-specific T cells hold promise for avoiding widespread immunosuppression. Nevertheless, detection of such antigen-specific T cells remains a challenge, and multiple technologies have been developed with different sensitivities while still harboring several drawbacks. In addition, elements such as human leukocyte antigen (HLA) haplotypes and validation through animal models are pivotal for advancing these strategies. In brief, this review delves into the intricate mechanisms contributing to ADs, accentuating the pivotal role(s) of antigen-specific T cells in steering immune responses and disease progression, as well as the novel strategies for the identification of antigen-specific cells and their possible future use in humans. Grasping the mechanisms behind ADs paves the way for targeted therapeutic interventions, potentially enhancing treatment choices while minimizing the risk of systemic immunosuppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Rojas
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA; Center for Autoimmune Diseases Research (CREA), School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia.
| | - Yeny Acosta-Ampudia
- Center for Autoimmune Diseases Research (CREA), School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Luke S Heuer
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Weici Zang
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Diana M Monsalve
- Center for Autoimmune Diseases Research (CREA), School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Carolina Ramírez-Santana
- Center for Autoimmune Diseases Research (CREA), School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia
| | | | - William M Ridgway
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Aftab A Ansari
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - M Eric Gershwin
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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Huang J, Zhang W, Zhao Y, Li J, Xie M, Lu Y, Peng Q, Zhang J, Li P, Dai L. Deciphering the Intercellular Communication Network of Peripartum Decidua that Orchestrates Delivery. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:770621. [PMID: 34805176 PMCID: PMC8602332 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.770621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Intercellular communication in the decidua plays important roles in relaying information between the maternal and fetal systems in the maintenance of pregnancy and the transition to labor. To date, several studies have explored cell-cell communications in the decidua during different periods of pregnancy, but studies systematically decoding the intercellular communication network, its internal cascades, and their involvement in labor are still lacking. In this study, we reconstructed a decidual cell-cell communication network based on scRNA-seq of peripartum decidua via the CellCall method. The results showed that endometrial cells (EECs) and extravillous trophoblasts relayed most of the common intercellular signals in the decidua both before delivery (DBD) and after delivery (DAD). Endothelial cells and EECs controlled many WNT-signaling-related intercellular communication factors that differed between DBD and DAD, some of which could be candidate biomarkers for the diagnosis of labor. Analysis of intercellular communications related to T cells identified abundant maternal-fetal immune-tolerance-related communication, such as TNFSF14-TNFRSF14/LTBR and FASLG-FAS signalings. We further explored the characteristics of the B cell receptor (BCR) and T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires by single-cell BCR/TCR sequencing. The results showed no significant differences in clonal expansion of B/T cells between DAD and DBD, indicating there was no significant change to adaptive immunity at the maternal-fetal interface during delivery. In summary, the findings provide a comprehensive view of the intercellular communication landscape in the peripartum decidua and identified some key intercellular communications involved in labor and maternal-fetal immune tolerance. We believe that our study provides valuable clues for understanding the mechanisms of pregnancy and provides possible diagnostic strategies for the onset of labor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingrui Huang
- Department of Obstetrics, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Weishe Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Engineering Research Center of Early Life Development and Disease Prevention, Changsha, China
| | - Yanhua Zhao
- Department of Obstetrics, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jingzhi Li
- Department of Obstetrics, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Mingkun Xie
- Department of Obstetrics, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yang Lu
- Department of Obstetrics, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Qiaozhen Peng
- Department of Obstetrics, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiejie Zhang
- Hunan Engineering Research Center of Early Life Development and Disease Prevention, Changsha, China
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Obstetrics, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lei Dai
- Department of Obstetrics, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Engineering Research Center of Early Life Development and Disease Prevention, Changsha, China
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Meehan GR, Thomas R, Al Khabouri S, Wehr P, Hilkens CM, Wraith DC, Sieghart D, Bonelli M, Nagy G, Garside P, Tough DF, Lewis HD, Brewer JM. Preclinical models of arthritis for studying immunotherapy and immune tolerance. Ann Rheum Dis 2021; 80:1268-1277. [PMID: 34380700 PMCID: PMC8458054 DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-220043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Increasingly earlier identification of individuals at high risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (eg, with autoantibodies and mild symptoms) improves the feasibility of preventing or curing disease. The use of antigen-specific immunotherapies to reinstate immunological self-tolerance represent a highly attractive strategy due to their potential to induce disease resolution, in contrast to existing approaches that require long-term treatment of underlying symptoms. Preclinical animal models have been used to understand disease mechanisms and to evaluate novel immunotherapeutic approaches. However, models are required to understand critical processes supporting disease development such as the breach of self-tolerance that triggers autoimmunity and the progression from asymptomatic autoimmunity to joint pain and bone loss. These models would also be useful in evaluating the response to treatment in the pre-RA period. This review proposes that focusing on immune processes contributing to initial disease induction rather than end-stage pathological consequences is essential to allow development and evaluation of novel immunotherapies for early intervention. We will describe and critique existing models in arthritis and the broader field of autoimmunity that may fulfil these criteria. We will also identify key gaps in our ability to study these processes in animal models, to highlight where further research should be targeted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin R Meehan
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Ranjeny Thomas
- University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia
| | - Shaima Al Khabouri
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Solna, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pascale Wehr
- University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia
| | - Catharien Mu Hilkens
- Translational & Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - David C Wraith
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Daniela Sieghart
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Bonelli
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - György Nagy
- Department of Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Genetics, Cell and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Paul Garside
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - David F Tough
- GlaxoSmithKline Research and Development, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK
| | - Huw D Lewis
- GlaxoSmithKline Research and Development, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK
| | - James M Brewer
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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