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Ruiz Pérez M, Vandenabeele P, Tougaard P. The thymus road to a T cell: migration, selection, and atrophy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1443910. [PMID: 39257583 PMCID: PMC11384998 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1443910] [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: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The thymus plays a pivotal role in generating a highly-diverse repertoire of T lymphocytes while preventing autoimmunity. Thymus seeding progenitors (TSPs) are a heterogeneous group of multipotent progenitors that migrate to the thymus via CCR7 and CCR9 receptors. While NOTCH guides thymus progenitors toward T cell fate, the absence or disruption of NOTCH signaling renders the thymus microenvironment permissive to other cell fates. Following T cell commitment, developing T cells undergo multiple selection checkpoints by engaging with the extracellular matrix, and interacting with thymic epithelial cells (TECs) and other immune subsets across the different compartments of the thymus. The different selection checkpoints assess the T cell receptor (TCR) performance, with failure resulting in either repurposing (agonist selection), or cell death. Additionally, environmental cues such as inflammation and endocrine signaling induce acute thymus atrophy, contributing to the demise of most developing T cells during thymic selection. We discuss the occurrence of acute thymus atrophy in response to systemic inflammation. The thymus demonstrates high plasticity, shaping inflammation by abrogating T cell development and undergoing profound structural changes, and facilitating regeneration and restoration of T cell development once inflammation is resolved. Despite the challenges, thymic selection ensures a highly diverse T cell repertoire capable of discerning between self and non-self antigens, ultimately egressing to secondary lymphoid organs where they complete their maturation and exert their functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Ruiz Pérez
- Molecular Signaling and Cell Death Unit, VIB-UGent, Center for Inflammation Research, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Peter Vandenabeele
- Molecular Signaling and Cell Death Unit, VIB-UGent, Center for Inflammation Research, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Peter Tougaard
- Molecular Signaling and Cell Death Unit, VIB-UGent, Center for Inflammation Research, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Mucosal Immunology, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
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2
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Boahen A, Hu D, Adams MJ, Nicholls PK, Greene WK, Ma B. Bidirectional crosstalk between the peripheral nervous system and lymphoid tissues/organs. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1254054. [PMID: 37767094 PMCID: PMC10520967 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1254054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The central nervous system (CNS) influences the immune system generally by regulating the systemic concentration of humoral substances (e.g., cortisol and epinephrine), whereas the peripheral nervous system (PNS) communicates specifically with the immune system according to local interactions/connections. An imbalance between the components of the PNS might contribute to pathogenesis and the further development of certain diseases. In this review, we have explored the "thread" (hardwiring) of the connections between the immune system (e.g., primary/secondary/tertiary lymphoid tissues/organs) and PNS (e.g., sensory, sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric nervous systems (ENS)) in health and disease in vitro and in vivo. Neuroimmune cell units provide an anatomical and physiological basis for bidirectional crosstalk between the PNS and the immune system in peripheral tissues, including lymphoid tissues and organs. These neuroimmune interactions/modulation studies might greatly contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms through which the PNS possibly affects cellular and humoral-mediated immune responses or vice versa in health and diseases. Physical, chemical, pharmacological, and other manipulations of these neuroimmune interactions should bring about the development of practical therapeutic applications for certain neurological, neuroimmunological, infectious, inflammatory, and immunological disorders/diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Boahen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Seri-Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Dailun Hu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Murray J. Adams
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Philip K. Nicholls
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Wayne K. Greene
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Bin Ma
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
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3
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Wang F, Zhang H, Qiu G, Li Z, Wang Y. The LINC00452/miR-204/CHST4 Axis Regulating Thymic Tregs Might Be Involved in the Progression of Thymoma-Associated Myasthenia Gravis. Front Neurol 2022; 13:828970. [PMID: 35432149 PMCID: PMC9005856 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.828970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease that mainly affects neuromuscular junctions and is usually associated with immune disorders in the thymoma. The competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) hypothesis has been demonstrated to be an intrinsic mechanism regulating the development of several autoimmune diseases; however, the mechanism where the ceRNA network regulates immune cells in patients with thymoma-associated MG (TAMG) has rarely been explored. Methods RNA-seq data and clinical information of 124 patients with thymoma were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether they were diagnosed with MG. We applied the propensity score matching method to reduce the incidence of baseline confounders. We then constructed a ceRNA network with differentially expressed RNAs between the groups based on four public databases. The expression of genes of interest was validated by qPCR. Moreover, we predicted the immune cells that infiltrated the thymoma and then analyzed the association between immune cells and RNA in the ceRNA network. To further determine the function of the mRNAs associated with immune cells in patients with TAMG, we performed gene set enrichment analysis in thymoma patients with MG. Results After matching, 94 patients were included in the following analysis. A total of 847 mRNAs, 409 lncRNAs, and 45 miRNAs were differentially expressed between the groups. The ceRNA network, including 18 lncRNAs, four miRNAs, and 13 mRNAs, was then constructed. We then confirmed that CHST4 and LINC00452, miR-204-3p and miR-204-5p were differentially expressed between patients with TAMG and thymoma patients without MG (NMG) by qPCR. Moreover, we found that the percentage of predicted regulatory T (Treg) cells was significantly decreased in patients with TAMG. Further analysis indicated that the LINC00452/miR-204/CHST4 axis might regulate thymic regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the progression of MG. Conclusions In this research, we constructed a ceRNA network involved in the progression of TAMG, discovered that thymic Tregs were significantly decreased in patients with TAMG, and assumed that the LINC00452/miR-204/CHST4 axis may regulate thymic Tregs in the development of TAMG. These findings may deepen our understanding of the roles of the ceRNA network in regulating TAMG and highlight the function of CHST4 in recruiting peripheral T cells in the progression of TAMG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuqiang Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hanlu Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Guanghao Qiu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhiyang Li
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yun Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Yun Wang
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Börner K, Teichmann SA, Quardokus EM, Gee JC, Browne K, Osumi-Sutherland D, Herr BW, Bueckle A, Paul H, Haniffa M, Jardine L, Bernard A, Ding SL, Miller JA, Lin S, Halushka MK, Boppana A, Longacre TA, Hickey J, Lin Y, Valerius MT, He Y, Pryhuber G, Sun X, Jorgensen M, Radtke AJ, Wasserfall C, Ginty F, Ho J, Sunshine J, Beuschel RT, Brusko M, Lee S, Malhotra R, Jain S, Weber G. Anatomical structures, cell types and biomarkers of the Human Reference Atlas. Nat Cell Biol 2021; 23:1117-1128. [PMID: 34750582 PMCID: PMC10079270 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-021-00788-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The Human Reference Atlas (HRA) aims to map all of the cells of the human body to advance biomedical research and clinical practice. This Perspective presents collaborative work by members of 16 international consortia on two essential and interlinked parts of the HRA: (1) three-dimensional representations of anatomy that are linked to (2) tables that name and interlink major anatomical structures, cell types, plus biomarkers (ASCT+B). We discuss four examples that demonstrate the practical utility of the HRA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katy Börner
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
| | - Sarah A Teichmann
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ellen M Quardokus
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - James C Gee
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kristen Browne
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David Osumi-Sutherland
- European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Bruce W Herr
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Andreas Bueckle
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Hrishikesh Paul
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Muzlifah Haniffa
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Laura Jardine
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | | | | | | | - Shin Lin
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Marc K Halushka
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Avinash Boppana
- Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Teri A Longacre
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - John Hickey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yiing Lin
- Department of Surgery, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - M Todd Valerius
- Harvard Institute of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yongqun He
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Center for Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Gloria Pryhuber
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Xin Sun
- Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Marda Jorgensen
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Andrea J Radtke
- Center for Advanced Tissue Imaging, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Clive Wasserfall
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Fiona Ginty
- Biology and Applied Physics, General Electric Research, Niskayuna, NY, USA
| | - Jonhan Ho
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Joel Sunshine
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rebecca T Beuschel
- Center for Advanced Tissue Imaging, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Maigan Brusko
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Sujin Lee
- Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rajeev Malhotra
- Harvard Institute of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sanjay Jain
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Griffin Weber
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Francelin C, Veneziani LP, Farias ADS, Mendes-da-Cruz DA, Savino W. Neurotransmitters Modulate Intrathymic T-cell Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:668067. [PMID: 33928093 PMCID: PMC8076891 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.668067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The existence of a crosstalk between the nervous and immune systems is well established. Neurotransmitters can be produced by immune cells, whereas cytokines can be secreted by cells of nervous tissues. Additionally, cells of both systems express the corresponding receptors. Herein, we discuss the thymus as a paradigm for studies on the neuroimmune network. The thymus is a primary lymphoid organ responsible for the maturation of T lymphocytes. Intrathymic T-cell development is mostly controlled by the thymic microenvironment, formed by thymic epithelial cells (TEC), dendritic cells, macrophages, and fibroblasts. Developing thymocytes and microenvironmental cells can be influenced by exogenous and endogenous stimuli; neurotransmitters are among the endogenous molecules. Norepinephrine is secreted at nerve endings in the thymus, but are also produced by thymic cells, being involved in controlling thymocyte death. Thymocytes and TEC express acetylcholine receptors, but the cognate neurotransmitter seems to be produced and released by lymphoid and microenvironmental cells, not by nerve endings. Evidence indicates that, among others, TECs also produce serotonin and dopamine, as well as somatostatin, substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and the typical pituitary neurohormones, oxytocin and arg-vasopressin. Although functional data of these molecules in the thymus are scarce, they are likely involved in intrathymic T cell development, as exemplified by somatostatin, which inhibits thymocyte proliferation, differentiation, migration and cytokine production. Overall, intrathymic neuroimmune interactions include various neurotransmitters, most of them of non-neuronal origin, and that should be placed as further physiological players in the general process of T-cell development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Francelin
- Autoimmune Research Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Luciana Peixoto Veneziani
- National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Laboratory on Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Rio de Janeiro Research Network on Neuroinflammation (RENEURIN), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alessandro Dos Santos Farias
- Autoimmune Research Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Daniella Arêas Mendes-da-Cruz
- National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Wilson Savino
- National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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6
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Tan X, Sivakumar S, Bednarsch J, Wiltberger G, Kather JN, Niehues J, de Vos-Geelen J, Valkenburg-van Iersel L, Kintsler S, Roeth A, Hao G, Lang S, Coolsen ME, den Dulk M, Aberle MR, Koolen J, Gaisa NT, Olde Damink SWM, Neumann UP, Heij LR. Nerve fibers in the tumor microenvironment in neurotropic cancer-pancreatic cancer and cholangiocarcinoma. Oncogene 2021; 40:899-908. [PMID: 33288884 PMCID: PMC7862068 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-01578-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) are both deadly cancers and they share many biological features besides their close anatomical location. One of the main histological features is neurotropism, which results in frequent perineural invasion. The underlying mechanism of cancer cells favoring growth by and through the nerve fibers is not fully understood. In this review, we provide knowledge of these cancers with frequent perineural invasion. We discuss nerve fiber crosstalk with the main different components of the tumor microenvironment (TME), the immune cells, and the fibroblasts. Also, we discuss the crosstalk between the nerve fibers and the cancer. We highlight the shared signaling pathways of the mechanisms behind perineural invasion in PDAC and CCA. Hereby we have focussed on signaling neurotransmitters and neuropeptides which may be a target for future therapies. Furthermore, we have summarized retrospective results of the previous literature about nerve fibers in PDAC and CCA patients. We provide our point of view in the potential for nerve fibers to be used as powerful biomarker for prognosis, as a tool to stratify patients for therapy or as a target in a (combination) therapy. Taking the presence of nerves into account can potentially change the field of personalized care in these neurotropic cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuxiang Tan
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
- NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Shivan Sivakumar
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jan Bednarsch
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Georg Wiltberger
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Jan Niehues
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Judith de Vos-Geelen
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, GROW School for Oncology and Development Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Liselot Valkenburg-van Iersel
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, GROW School for Oncology and Development Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Svetlana Kintsler
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Anjali Roeth
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
- NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Guangshan Hao
- Translational Neurosurgery and Neurobiology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Sven Lang
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Mariëlle E Coolsen
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel den Dulk
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Merel R Aberle
- NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Jarne Koolen
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Nadine T Gaisa
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Steven W M Olde Damink
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
- NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ulf P Neumann
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Lara R Heij
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
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7
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How does stellate ganglion block alleviate immunologically-linked disorders? Med Hypotheses 2020; 144:110000. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.110000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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8
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Lins MP, Medeiros NC, Carmo J, Porto FL, dos Santos Reis MD, Smaniotto S. The Responsiveness of Thymic Stromal Cells to semaphorin-3A. Immunol Invest 2020; 51:395-410. [DOI: 10.1080/08820139.2020.1834578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marvin Paulo Lins
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
- Brazilian National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Návylla Candeia Medeiros
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - Julianderson Carmo
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
- Brazilian National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Felipe Lima Porto
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - Maria Danielma dos Santos Reis
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
- Brazilian National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Salete Smaniotto
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
- Brazilian National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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9
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Matt SM, Gaskill PJ. Where Is Dopamine and how do Immune Cells See it?: Dopamine-Mediated Immune Cell Function in Health and Disease. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2020; 15:114-164. [PMID: 31077015 PMCID: PMC6842680 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-019-09851-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine is well recognized as a neurotransmitter in the brain, and regulates critical functions in a variety of peripheral systems. Growing research has also shown that dopamine acts as an important regulator of immune function. Many immune cells express dopamine receptors and other dopamine related proteins, enabling them to actively respond to dopamine and suggesting that dopaminergic immunoregulation is an important part of proper immune function. A detailed understanding of the physiological concentrations of dopamine in specific regions of the human body, particularly in peripheral systems, is critical to the development of hypotheses and experiments examining the effects of physiologically relevant dopamine concentrations on immune cells. Unfortunately, the dopamine concentrations to which these immune cells would be exposed in different anatomical regions are not clear. To address this issue, this comprehensive review details the current information regarding concentrations of dopamine found in both the central nervous system and in many regions of the periphery. In addition, we discuss the immune cells present in each region, and how these could interact with dopamine in each compartment described. Finally, the review briefly addresses how changes in these dopamine concentrations could influence immune cell dysfunction in several disease states including Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, as well as the collection of pathologies, cognitive and motor symptoms associated with HIV infection in the central nervous system, known as NeuroHIV. These data will improve our understanding of the interactions between the dopaminergic and immune systems during both homeostatic function and in disease, clarify the effects of existing dopaminergic drugs and promote the creation of new therapeutic strategies based on manipulating immune function through dopaminergic signaling. Graphical Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Matt
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - P J Gaskill
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA.
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10
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Saloman JL, Cohen JA, Kaplan DH. Intimate neuro-immune interactions: breaking barriers between systems to make meaningful progress. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2019; 62:60-67. [PMID: 31841783 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2019.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The nervous system is often viewed as an isolated system that integrates information from the environment and host. Recently, there has been a renewed focus exploring the concept that the nervous system also communicates across biological systems. Specifically, several high profile studies have recently highlighted the importance of neuro-immune communication in the context of homeostasis, central nervous system disorders, host defense and injury. Here, we discuss the history of shared mechanisms and interconnectedness of the nervous, immune and epithelial compartments. In light of these overlapping mechanisms, it is perhaps unsurprising that neuro-immune-epithelial signaling plays a key role in regulating diverse biological phenomena. In this review, we explore recent breakthroughs in understanding neuro-immune signaling to highlight the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to biomedical research and the future development of novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jami L Saloman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Nutrition, Department of Neurobiology, Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Jonathan A Cohen
- Department of Dermatology, Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Daniel H Kaplan
- Department of Dermatology, Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
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Al-Shalan HAM, Hu D, Nicholls PK, Greene WK, Ma B. Immunofluorescent characterization of innervation and nerve-immune cell neighborhood in mouse thymus. Cell Tissue Res 2019; 378:239-254. [PMID: 31230166 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-019-03052-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The central nervous system impacts the immune system mainly by regulating the systemic concentration of humoral substances, whereas the peripheral nervous system (PNS) communicates with the immune system specifically according to local "hardwiring" of sympathetic/parasympathetic (efferent) and sensory (afferent) nerves to the primary and secondary lymphoid tissue/organs (e.g., thymus spleen and lymph nodes). In the present study, we use immunofluorescent staining of neurofilament-heavy to reveal the distribution of nerve fibers and the nerve-immune cell neighborhood inside the mouse thymus. Our results demonstrate (a) the presence of an extensive meshwork of nerve fibers in all thymic compartments, including the capsule, subcapsular region, cortex, cortico-medullary junction and medulla; (b) close associations of nerve fibers with blood vessels (including the postcapillary venules), indicating the neural control of blood circulation and immune cell dynamics inside the thymus; (c) the close proximity of nerve fibers to various subsets of thymocytes (e.g., CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+CD8+), dendritic cells (e.g., B220+, CD4+, CD8+ and F4/80+), macrophages (Mac1+ and F4/80+) and B cells. Our novel findings concerning thymic innervation and the nerve-immune cell neighborhood in situ should facilitate the understanding of bi-directional communications between the PNS and primary lymphoid organs. Since the innervation of lymphoid organs, including the thymus, may play essential roles in the pathogenesis and progression of some neuroimmune, infectious and autoimmune diseases, better knowledge of PNS-immune system crosstalk should benefit the development of potential therapies for these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huda A M Al-Shalan
- Discipline of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia.,Department of Microbiology/Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Baghdad University, Baghdad, 10070, Iraq
| | - Dailun Hu
- Clinical College, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050031, Hebei, China
| | - Philip K Nicholls
- Discipline of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Wayne K Greene
- Discipline of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Bin Ma
- Discipline of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia.
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12
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Hu D, Nicholls PK, Yin C, Kelman K, Yuan Q, Greene WK, Shi Z, Ma B. Immunofluorescent Localization of Non-myelinating Schwann Cells and Their Interactions With Immune Cells in Mouse Thymus. J Histochem Cytochem 2018; 66:775-785. [PMID: 29775115 DOI: 10.1369/0022155418778543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The thymus is innervated by sympathetic/parasympathetic nerve fibers from the peripheral nervous system (PNS), suggesting a neural regulation of thymic function including T-cell development. Despite some published studies, data on the innervation and nerve-immune interaction inside the thymus remain limited. In the present study, we used immunofluorescent staining of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) coupled with confocal microscopy/three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction to reveal the distribution of non-myelinating Schwann cells (NMSC) and their interactions with immune cells inside mouse thymus. Our results demonstrate (1) the presence of an extensive network of NMSC processes in all compartments of the thymus including the capsule, subcapsular region, cortex, cortico-medullary junction, and medulla; (2) close associations/interactions of NMSC processes with blood vessels, indicating the neural control of blood flow inside the thymus; (3) the close "synapse-like" association of NMSC processes with various subsets of dendritic cells (DC; e.g., B220+ DCs, CD4+ DCs, and CD8+ DCs), and lymphocytes (B cells, CD4+/CD8+ thymocytes). Our novel findings concerning the distribution of NMSCs and the associations of NMSCs and immune cells inside mouse thymus should help us understand the anatomical basis and the mechanisms through which the PNS affects T-cell development and thymic endocrine function in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dailun Hu
- Clinical College, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Philip K Nicholls
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia
| | - Changfu Yin
- Clinical College, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Khama Kelman
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia
| | - Qionglan Yuan
- School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wayne K Greene
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia
| | - Zhongli Shi
- Clinical College, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Bin Ma
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia
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13
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Radojević K, Rakin A, Pilipović I, Kosec D, Djikić J, Bufan B, Vujnović I, Leposavić G. Effects of catecholamines on thymocyte apoptosis and proliferation depend on thymocyte microenvironment. J Neuroimmunol 2014; 272:16-28. [PMID: 24837703 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2014.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Revised: 04/11/2014] [Accepted: 04/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The present study, through quantification of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression and catecholamine (CA) content in the presence and in the absence of α-methyl-p-tyrosine (AMPT), a TH inhibitor, in adult thymic organ (ATOC) and thymocyte culture, demonstrated that thymic cells produce CAs. In addition, in ATOC an increase in β2-adrenoceptor (AR) mRNA expression and β2-AR thymocyte surface density was registered. Furthermore, AMPT (10(-4)M), as propranolol (10(-4)M), augmented thymocyte apoptosis and diminished thymocyte proliferation in ATOC. Propranolol exerted these effects acting on CD3(high) thymocytes. However, in thymocyte cultures, propranolol (10(-6)M) acting on the same thymocyte subset exerted the opposing effect on thymocyte apoptosis and ConA-stimulated proliferation. This suggested that, depending on thymocyte microenvironment, differential effects can be induced through the same type of AR. Additionally, arterenol (10(-8) to 10(-6)M), similar to propranolol, diminished apoptosis, but increased ConA-stimulated thymocyte proliferation in thymocyte culture. However, differently from propranolol, arterenol affected manly CD3- thymocyte subset, which harbors majority of α1-AR+thymocytes. Additionally, arterenol showed a dose-dependent decrease in efficiency of thymocyte apoptosis and proliferation modulation with the rise in its concentration. Considering greater affinity of arterenol for α1-ARs than for β2-ARs, the previous findings could be attributable to increased engagement of β2-ARs with the rise of arterenol concentration. Consistently, in the presence of propranolol (10(-6)M), a β-AR blocker, the arterenol (10(-8)M) effects on thymocytes were augmented. In conclusion, thymic endogenous CAs, acting through distinct AR types and, possible, the same AR type (but in different cell microenvironment) may exert the opposing effects on thymocyte apoptosis/proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Radojević
- Immunology Research Centre "Branislav Janković", Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera "Torlak", 458 Vojvode Stepe, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ana Rakin
- Immunology Research Centre "Branislav Janković", Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera "Torlak", 458 Vojvode Stepe, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ivan Pilipović
- Immunology Research Centre "Branislav Janković", Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera "Torlak", 458 Vojvode Stepe, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Duško Kosec
- Immunology Research Centre "Branislav Janković", Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera "Torlak", 458 Vojvode Stepe, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jasmina Djikić
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, 450 Vojvode Stepe, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Biljana Bufan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, 450 Vojvode Stepe, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ivana Vujnović
- Immunology Research Centre "Branislav Janković", Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera "Torlak", 458 Vojvode Stepe, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Gordana Leposavić
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, 450 Vojvode Stepe, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia.
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