Plasmacytoid dendritic cells from parent strains of the NZB/W F1 lupus mouse contribute different characteristics to autoimmune propensity

The NZB/W F1 (F1) mice develop severe disease that is similar to human systemic lupus erythematosus. By contrast, each parent strain, NZB or NZW, has limited autoimmunity, suggesting traits of both strains contribute to pathogenesis. Although many of the contributing genes have been identified, the contributing cellular abnormality associated with each parent strain remains unresolved. Given that plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are key to the pathogenesis of lupus, we investigated the properties of pDCs from NZB and NZW mice. We found that NZB mouse had higher numbers of pDCs, with much of the increase being contributed by a more abundant CD8⁺ pDC subset. This was associated with prolonged survival and stronger proliferation of CD4⁺ T cells. By contrast, NZW pDCs had heightened capacity to produce interferon-α (IFNα) and IFNλ, and promoted stronger B-cell proliferation upon CpG stimulation. Thus, our data reveal the different functional and numerical characteristics of pDCs from NZW and NZB mouse.

An Unbiased Linkage Approach Reveals That the p53 Pathway Is Coupled to NK Cell Maturation

Natural killer cells constitute potent innate lymphoid cells that play a major role in both tumor immunosurveillance and viral clearance via their effector functions. A four-stage model of NK cell functional maturation has been established according to the expression of CD11b and CD27, separating mature NK (mNK) cells into distinct populations that exhibit specific phenotypic and functional properties. To identify genetic factors involved in the regulation of NK cell functional maturation, we performed a linkage analysis on F₂ (B6.Rag1^-/- × NOD.Rag1^-/- intercross) mice. We identified six loci on chromosomes 2, 4, 7, 10, 11, and 18 that were linked to one or more mNK cell subsets. Subsequently, we performed an in silico analysis exploiting mNK cell subset microarray data, highlighting various genes and microRNAs as potential regulators of the functional maturation of NK cells. Together, the combination of our unbiased genetic linkage study and the in silico analysis positions genes known to affect NK cell biology along the specific stages of NK cell functional maturation. Moreover, this approach allowed us to uncover a novel candidate gene in the regulation of NK cell maturation, namely Trp53 Using mice deficient for Trp53, we confirm that this tumor suppressor regulates NK cell functional maturation. Additional candidate genes revealed in this study may eventually serve as targets for the modulation of NK cell functional maturation to potentiate both tumor immunosurveillance and viral clearance.

Genetic architecture of early pre-inflammatory stage transcription signatures of autoimmune diabetes in the pancreatic lymph nodes of the NOD mouse reveals significant gene enrichment on chromosomes 6 and 7

Autoimmune diseases are characterized by the stimulation of an excessive immune response to self-tissues by inner and/or outer organism factors. Common characteristics in their etiology include a complex genetic predisposition and environmental triggers as well as the implication of the major histocompatibility (MHC) locus on human chromosome 6p21. A restraint number of non-MHC susceptibility genes, part of the genetic component of type 1 diabetes have been identified in human and in animal models, while the complete spectrum of genes involved remains unknown. We elaborate herein patterns of chromosomal organization of 162 genes differentially expressed in the pancreatic lymph nodes of Non-Obese Diabetic mice, carefully selected by early sub-phenotypic evaluation (presence or absence of insulin autoantibodies). Chromosomal assignment of these genes revealed a non-random distribution on five chromosomes (47%). Significant gene enrichment was observed in particular for two chromosomes, 6 and 7. While a subset of these genes coding for secreted proteins showed significant enrichment on both chromosomes, the overall pool of genes was significantly enriched on chromosome 7. The significance of this unexpected gene distribution on the mouse genome is discussed in the light of novel findings indicating that genes affecting common diseases map to recombination “hotspot” regions of mammalian genomes. The genetic architecture of transcripts differentially expressed in specific stages of autoimmune diabetes offers novel venues towards our understanding of patterns of inheritance potentially affecting the pathological disease mechanisms.

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Chromosomal organization of differentially expressed genes in early autoimmunity

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Non-random distribution of type 1 diabetes-related transcripts on the mouse genome

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High density of genetic polymorphisms on specific loci of chromosomes 6 and 7

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Correlation of mapping positions on chromosomes 6 and 7 with known T1D loci

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Our study offers candidate genes and loci drawn in the genomics of T1D initiation.

Pathogenic potential of interferon αβ in acute influenza infection

Influenza symptoms vary from mild disease to death; however, determinants of severity are unclear. Type I interferons (IFNαβ) are recognized as key antiviral cytokines. Here we show that, surprisingly, influenza-infected 129 mice have increased lung damage, morbidity and mortality, yet higher levels of IFNαβ, than C57BL/6 mice. Consistently, IFNα treatment of influenza-infected C57BL/6 mice increases morbidity. IFNαβ receptor deficiency in 129 mice decreases morbidity, lung damage, proinflammatory cytokines and lung-infiltrating inflammatory cells, and reduces expression of the death-inducing receptor DR5 on lung epithelia and its ligand TRAIL on inflammatory monocytes. Depletion of PDCA-1+ cells or interruption of TRAIL-DR5 interaction protects infected 129 mice. Selective lack of IFNαβ signalling in stromal cells abolishes epithelial DR5 upregulation and apoptosis, reducing host susceptibility. Hence, excessive IFNαβ signalling in response to acute influenza infection can result in uncontrolled inflammation and TRAIL-DR5-mediated epithelial cell death, which may explain morbidity and has important implications for treatment of severe disease.

The Idd13 congenic interval defines the number of merocytic dendritic cells, a novel trait associated with autoimmune diabetes susceptibility

When antigens derived from apoptotic cells are presented by conventional dendritic cells (cDC), T cell tolerance is induced. Surprisingly, the presentation of apoptotic cell antigens by an unconventional DC subset, termed merocytic dendritic cells (mcDC), can reverse T cell anergy. The potency of mcDC at breaking T cell tolerance has been demonstrated in the context of tumors and autoimmunity, suggesting that modulating the number of mcDC in vivo may be of clinical interest. To identify the genetic determinants that define the number of mcDC, we performed a linkage analysis between NOD and C57BL/6 mouse strains, where autoimmune-prone NOD mice show an increased proportion of mcDC relative to the non-autoimmune-prone C57BL/6 mice. We identified a locus on chromosome 2 significantly linked to both the proportion and the absolute number of mcDC in the spleen. Interestingly, the dominant interval on chromosome 2 overlaps with a locus previously associated with diabetes protection, namely Idd13. Using NOD.Idd13 congenic mice, we validate the impact of the Idd13 congenic interval in defining the proportion and number of mcDC in the spleen. These results show that the decreased number of mcDC is conferred by C57BL/6 alleles at the Idd13 locus, which is linked to diabetes resistance.