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Naidu A, Lulu S. S. Systems and computational analysis of gene expression datasets reveals GRB-2 suppression as an acute immunomodulatory response against enteric infections in endemic settings. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1285785. [PMID: 38433833 PMCID: PMC10906661 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1285785] [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: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Enteric infections are a major cause of under-5 (age) mortality in low/middle-income countries. Although vaccines against these infections have already been licensed, unwavering efforts are required to boost suboptimalefficacy and effectiveness in regions that are highly endemic to enteric pathogens. The role of baseline immunological profiles in influencing vaccine-induced immune responses is increasingly becoming clearer for several vaccines. Hence, for the development of advanced and region-specific enteric vaccines, insights into differences in immune responses to perturbations in endemic and non-endemic settings become crucial. Materials and methods For this reason, we employed a two-tiered system and computational pipeline (i) to study the variations in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with immune responses to enteric infections in endemic and non-endemic study groups, and (ii) to derive features (genes) of importance that keenly distinguish between these two groups using unsupervised machine learning algorithms on an aggregated gene expression dataset. The derived genes were further curated using topological analysis of the constructed STRING networks. The findings from these two tiers are validated using multilayer perceptron classifier and were further explored using correlation and regression analysis for the retrieval of associated gene regulatory modules. Results Our analysis reveals aggressive suppression of GRB-2, an adaptor molecule integral for TCR signaling, as a primary immunomodulatory response against S. typhi infection in endemic settings. Moreover, using retrieved correlation modules and multivariant regression models, we found a positive association between regulators of activated T cells and mediators of Hedgehog signaling in the endemic population, which indicates the initiation of an effector (involving differentiation and homing) rather than an inductive response upon infection. On further exploration, we found STAT3 to be instrumental in designating T-cell functions upon early responses to enteric infections in endemic settings. Conclusion Overall, through a systems and computational biology approach, we characterized distinct molecular players involved in immune responses to enteric infections in endemic settings in the process, contributing to the mounting evidence of endemicity being a major determiner of pathogen/vaccine-induced immune responses. The gained insights will have important implications in the design and development of region/endemicity-specific vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshayata Naidu
- Integrative Multi-omics Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
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Pastar I, O'Neill K, Padula L, Head CR, Burgess JL, Chen V, Garcia D, Stojadinovic O, Hower S, Plano GV, Thaller SR, Tomic-Canic M, Strbo N. Staphylococcus epidermidis Boosts Innate Immune Response by Activation of Gamma Delta T Cells and Induction of Perforin-2 in Human Skin. Front Immunol 2020; 11:550946. [PMID: 33042139 PMCID: PMC7525037 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.550946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Perforin-2 (P-2) is an antimicrobial protein with unique properties to kill intracellular bacteria. Gamma delta (GD) T cells, as the major T cell population in epithelial tissues, play a central role in protective and pathogenic immune responses in the skin. However, the tissue-specific mechanisms that control the innate immune response and the effector functions of GD T cells, especially the cross-talk with commensal organisms, are not very well understood. We hypothesized that the most prevalent skin commensal microorganism, Staphylococcus epidermidis, may play a role in regulating GD T cell-mediated cutaneous responses. We analyzed antimicrobial protein P-2 expression in human skin at a single cell resolution using an amplified fluorescence in situ hybridization approach to detect P-2 mRNA in combination with immunophenotyping. We show that S. epidermidis activates GD T cells and upregulates P-2 in human skin ex vivo in a cell-specific manner. Furthermore, P-2 upregulation following S. epidermidis stimulation correlates with increased ability of skin cells to kill intracellular Staphylococcus aureus. Our findings are the first to reveal that skin commensal bacteria induce P-2 expression, which may be utilized beneficially to modulate host innate immune responses and protect from skin infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irena Pastar
- Wound Healing and Regenerative Medicine Research Program, Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Katelyn O'Neill
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Laura Padula
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Cheyanne R Head
- Wound Healing and Regenerative Medicine Research Program, Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Jamie L Burgess
- Wound Healing and Regenerative Medicine Research Program, Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Vivien Chen
- Wound Healing and Regenerative Medicine Research Program, Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Denisse Garcia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Olivera Stojadinovic
- Wound Healing and Regenerative Medicine Research Program, Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Suzanne Hower
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Gregory V Plano
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Seth R Thaller
- Division of Plastic Surgery Dewitt Daughtry, Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Marjana Tomic-Canic
- Wound Healing and Regenerative Medicine Research Program, Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Natasa Strbo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
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Abstract
Immunity to malaria has been linked to the availability and function of helper CD4+ T cells, cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and γδ T cells that can respond to both the asymptomatic liver stage and the symptomatic blood stage of Plasmodium sp. infection. These T cell responses are also thought to be modulated by regulatory T cells. However, the precise mechanisms governing the development and function of Plasmodium-specific T cells and their capacity to form tissue-resident and long-lived memory populations are less well understood. The field has arrived at a point where the push for vaccines that exploit T cell-mediated immunity to malaria has made it imperative to define and reconcile the mechanisms that regulate the development and functions of Plasmodium-specific T cells. Here, we review our current understanding of the mechanisms by which T cell subsets orchestrate host resistance to Plasmodium infection on the basis of observational and mechanistic studies in humans, non-human primates and rodent models. We also examine the potential of new experimental strategies and human infection systems to inform a new generation of approaches to harness T cell responses against malaria.
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γδ-T cells promote IFN-γ-dependent Plasmodium pathogenesis upon liver-stage infection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:9979-9988. [PMID: 31028144 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1814440116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebral malaria (CM) is a major cause of death due to Plasmodium infection. Both parasite and host factors contribute to the onset of CM, but the precise cellular and molecular mechanisms that contribute to its pathogenesis remain poorly characterized. Unlike conventional αβ-T cells, previous studies on murine γδ-T cells failed to identify a nonredundant role for this T cell subset in experimental cerebral malaria (ECM). Here we show that mice lacking γδ-T cells are resistant to ECM when infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA sporozoites, the liver-infective form of the parasite and the natural route of infection, in contrast with their susceptible phenotype if challenged with P. berghei ANKA-infected red blood cells that bypass the liver stage of infection. Strikingly, the presence of γδ-T cells enhanced the expression of Plasmodium immunogenic factors and exacerbated subsequent systemic and brain-infiltrating inflammatory αβ-T cell responses. These phenomena were dependent on the proinflammatory cytokine IFN-γ, which was required during liver stage for modulation of the parasite transcriptome, as well as for downstream immune-mediated pathology. Our work reveals an unanticipated critical role of γδ-T cells in the development of ECM upon Plasmodium liver-stage infection.
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Ssemaganda A, Giddam AK, Zaman M, Skwarczynski M, Toth I, Stanisic DI, Good MF. Induction of Plasmodium-Specific Immune Responses Using Liposome-Based Vaccines. Front Immunol 2019; 10:135. [PMID: 30774635 PMCID: PMC6367261 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In the development of vaccines, the ability to initiate both innate and subsequent adaptive immune responses need to be considered. Live attenuated vaccines achieve this naturally, while inactivated and sub-unit vaccines generally require additional help provided through delivery systems and/or adjuvants. Liposomes present an attractive adjuvant/delivery system for antigens. Here, we review the key aspects of immunity against Plasmodium parasites, liposome design considerations and their current application in the development of a malaria vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mehfuz Zaman
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | - Mariusz Skwarczynski
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Istvan Toth
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Michael F. Good
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
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Simões AE, Di Lorenzo B, Silva-Santos B. Molecular Determinants of Target Cell Recognition by Human γδ T Cells. Front Immunol 2018; 9:929. [PMID: 29755480 PMCID: PMC5934422 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The unique capabilities of gamma-delta (γδ) T cells to recognize cells under stressed conditions, particularly infected or transformed cells, and killing them or regulating the immune response against them, paved the way to the development of promising therapeutic strategies for cancer and infectious diseases. From a mechanistic standpoint, numerous studies have unveiled a remarkable flexibility of γδ T cells in employing their T cell receptor and/or NK cell receptors for target cell recognition, even if the relevant ligands often remain uncertain. Here, we review the accumulated knowledge on the diverse mechanisms of target cell recognition by γδ T cells, focusing on human γδ T cells, to provide an integrated perspective of their therapeutic potential in cancer and infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- André E Simões
- Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Biagio Di Lorenzo
- Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Bruno Silva-Santos
- Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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Longitudinal study of changes in γδ T cells and CD4 + T cells upon asymptomatic malaria infection in Indonesian children. Sci Rep 2017; 7:8844. [PMID: 28821806 PMCID: PMC5562820 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09099-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Both γδ T cells and CD4+ T cells have been implicated in immunity to malaria, but their association with natural gain or loss of infection has not been studied before. Therefore, we followed up asymptomatic children living in an area endemic for malaria in Indonesia for 21 months. The percentage of γδ T cells was related to both current and previous infection, with higher percentages in infected than uninfected children and declining after infections resolve. Infected children also had higher levels of Th1 and Th17 cells, lower levels of CD25Hi FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), but similar levels of Th2 cells as compared to uninfected children. However, TNF, IFN-γ, and IL-17 cytokine responses to Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells (PfRBCs) were similar, while IL-5 and IL-13 responses were lower in infected children. Furthermore, infected children had more phenotypically exhausted PD-1+ CD4+ T cells, more Tregs expressing TNF-RII, and higher IL-10 responses to PfRBCs, which persisted following resolution of infection. Altogether, this study demonstrates that asymptomatic malaria infection is associated with some long-lasting changes in the frequencies and immunoregulation of circulating innate and adaptive T cells, which might in part explain how pre-exposure to malaria affects responses to subsequent immunological challenges.
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