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Bracken SJ, Suthers AN, DiCioccio RA, Su H, Anand S, Poe JC, Jia W, Visentin J, Basher F, Jordan CZ, McManigle WC, Li Z, Hakim FT, Pavletic SZ, Bhuiya NS, Ho VT, Horwitz ME, Chao NJ, Sarantopoulos S. Heightened TLR7 signaling primes BCR-activated B cells in chronic graft-versus-host disease for effector functions. Blood Adv 2024; 8:667-680. [PMID: 38113462 PMCID: PMC10839617 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023010362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a debilitating, autoimmune-like syndrome that can occur after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Constitutively activated B cells contribute to ongoing alloreactivity and autoreactivity in patients with cGVHD. Excessive tissue damage that occurs after transplantation exposes B cells to nucleic acids in the extracellular environment. Recognition of endogenous nucleic acids within B cells can promote pathogenic B-cell activation. Therefore, we hypothesized that cGVHD B cells aberrantly signal through RNA and DNA sensors such as Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and TLR9. We found that B cells from patients and mice with cGVHD had higher expression of TLR7 than non-cGVHD B cells. Using ex vivo assays, we found that B cells from patients with cGVHD also demonstrated increased interleukin-6 production after TLR7 stimulation with R848. Low-dose B-cell receptor (BCR) stimulation augmented B-cell responses to TLR7 activation. TLR7 hyperresponsiveness in cGVHD B cells correlated with increased expression and activation of the downstream transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 5. Because RNA-containing immune complexes can activate B cells through TLR7, we used a protein microarray to identify RNA-containing antigen targets of potential pathological relevance in cGVHD. We found that many of the unique targets of active cGVHD immunoglobulin G (IgG) were nucleic acid-binding proteins. This unbiased assay identified the autoantigen and known cGVHD target Ro-52, and we found that RNA was required for IgG binding to Ro-52. Herein, we find that BCR-activated B cells have aberrant TLR7 signaling responses that promote potential effector responses in cGVHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonali J. Bracken
- Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Amy N. Suthers
- Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Rachel A. DiCioccio
- Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Hsuan Su
- Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Sarah Anand
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Jonathan C. Poe
- Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Wei Jia
- Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Jonathan Visentin
- Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
- Department of Immunology and Immunogenetics, Bordeaux University Hospital, Bordeaux, France
- UMR CNRS 5164 ImmunoConcEpT, Bordeaux University, Bordeaux, France
| | - Fahmin Basher
- Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Collin Z. Jordan
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham NC
| | - William C. McManigle
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham NC
| | - Zhiguo Li
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham NC
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham NC
| | - Frances T. Hakim
- Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Steven Z. Pavletic
- Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Nazmim S. Bhuiya
- Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Vincent T. Ho
- Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Mitchell E. Horwitz
- Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham NC
| | - Nelson J. Chao
- Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham NC
- Department of Integrated Immunobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC
| | - Stefanie Sarantopoulos
- Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham NC
- Department of Integrated Immunobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC
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Poe JC, Fang J, Zhang D, Lee MR, DiCioccio RA, Su H, Qin X, Zhang JY, Visentin J, Bracken SJ, Ho VT, Wang KS, Rose JJ, Pavletic SZ, Hakim FT, Jia W, Suthers AN, Curry-Chisolm IM, Horwitz ME, Rizzieri DA, McManigle WC, Chao NJ, Cardones AR, Xie J, Owzar K, Sarantopoulos S. Single-cell landscape analysis unravels molecular programming of the human B cell compartment in chronic GVHD. JCI Insight 2023:169732. [PMID: 37129971 PMCID: PMC10393230 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.169732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Alloreactivity can drive autoimmune syndromes. After allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT) chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD), a B cell-mediated autoimmune-like syndrome, commonly occurs. Because donor-derived B cells continually develop under selective pressure from host alloantigens, aberrant B Cell Receptor (BCR)-activation and IgG production can emerge and contribute to cGVHD pathobiology. To better understand molecular programing of B cells under selective pressure of alloantigens, we performed scRNA-Seq analysis on high numbers of purified B cells from allo-HCT patients. An unsupervised analysis revealed 10 clusters, distinguishable by signature genes for maturation, activation and memory. We found striking transcriptional differences in the memory B cell compartment after allo-HCT compared to healthy or infected individuals. To identify intrinsic properties when B-cell tolerance is lost after allo-HCT, we then assessed clusters for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between patients with vs. without autoimmune-like manifestations (Active cGVHD vs. No cGVHD, respectively). DEGs were found in Active cGVHD in both naive and BCR-activated clusters, suggesting functional diversity. Some DEGs were also differentially expressed across most clusters, suggesting common molecular programs that may promote B cell plasticity. Our study of human allo-HCT and cGVHD provides new understanding of B-cell memory in the face of chronic alloantigen stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan C Poe
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Jiyuan Fang
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Dadong Zhang
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Marissa R Lee
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Rachel A DiCioccio
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Hsuan Su
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Xiaodi Qin
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Y Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Visentin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Sonali J Bracken
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Vincent T Ho
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, United States of America
| | - Kathy S Wang
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, United States of America
| | - Jeremy J Rose
- Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, United States of America
| | - Steven Z Pavletic
- Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, United States of America
| | - Frances T Hakim
- Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, United States of America
| | - Wei Jia
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Amy N Suthers
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Itaevia M Curry-Chisolm
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Mitchell E Horwitz
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - David A Rizzieri
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - William C McManigle
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Nelson J Chao
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Adela R Cardones
- Department of Dermatology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Jichun Xie
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Kouros Owzar
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - Stefanie Sarantopoulos
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
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Suthers AN, Sarantopoulos S. TLR7/TLR9- and B Cell Receptor-Signaling Crosstalk: Promotion of Potentially Dangerous B Cells. Front Immunol 2017; 8:775. [PMID: 28751890 PMCID: PMC5507964 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
B cells are capable of receptor-mediated responses to foreign antigens. Recognition of microbial-derived nucleic acid (NA) by toll-like receptors (TLRs) 7 and 9 in B cells has been substantiated. Endogenous NA released from damaged or dying cells can also be immunogenic in certain contexts and can incite aberrant activation of B cells. When TLR-driven B cell receptor (BCR)-activated B cells are not properly constrained, pathologic autoantibodies are produced. It is also clear that endosomal TLR7/TLR9 can operate in conjunction with BCR. In addition to BCR signaling, a balance between TLR7 and TLR9 is pivotal in the development of B cell autoreactivity. While TLR9 is important in normal memory B cell responses through BCR, TLR9 activation has been implicated in autoantibody production. Paradoxically, TLR9 also plays known protective roles against autoimmunity by directly and indirectly inhibiting TLR7-mediated autoantibody production. Herein, we summarize literature supporting mechanisms underpinning the promotion of pathological BCR-activated B cells by TLR7 and TLR9. We focus on the literature regarding known points of TLR7/TLR9 and BCR crosstalk. Data also suggest that the degree of TLR responsiveness relies on alterations of certain intrinsic B-cell signaling molecules and is also context specific. Because allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a high NA and B cell-activating factor environment, we conclude that B cell studies of synergistic TLR-BCR signaling in human diseases like chronic graft-versus-host disease are warranted. Further understanding of the distinct molecular pathways mediating TLR-BCR synergy will lead to the development of therapeutic strategies in autoimmune disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy N Suthers
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Stefanie Sarantopoulos
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States.,Department of Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
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Suthers AN, Old JM, Young LJ. The common gamma chain cytokine interleukin-21 is expressed by activated lymphocytes from two macropod marsupials, Macropus eugenii and Onychogalea fraenata. Int J Immunogenet 2016; 43:209-17. [PMID: 27306193 DOI: 10.1111/iji.12272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, interleukin-21 is a member of the common gamma chain cytokine family that also includes IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9 and IL-15. IL-21 has pleiotropic effects on both myeloid and lymphoid immune cells and as a consequence, the biological actions of IL-21 are broad: regulating both innate and adaptive immune responses and playing a pivotal role in antiviral, inflammatory and antitumour cellular responses. While IL-21 genes have been characterized in mammals, birds, fish and amphibians, there are no reports for any marsupial species to date. We characterized the expressed IL-21 gene from immune tissues of two macropod species, the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii), a model macropod, and the closely related endangered bridled nailtail wallaby (Onychogalea fraenata). The open reading frame of macropod IL-21 is 462 nucleotides in length and encodes a 153-mer putative protein that has 46% identity with human IL-21. Despite the somewhat low amino acid conservation with other mammals, structural elements and residues essential for IL-21 conformation and receptor association were conserved in the macropod IL-21 predicted peptides. The detection of IL-21 gene expression in T-cell-enriched tissues, combined with analysis of the promotor region of the tammar wallaby gene, suggests that macropod IL-21 is expressed in stimulated T cells but is not readily detected in other cells and tissues. The similarity of gene expression profile and functionally important amino acid residues to eutherian IL-21 makes it unlikely that the differences in B- and T-cell responses that are reported for some marsupial species are due to a lack of important functional residues or IL-21 gene expression in this group of mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- A N Suthers
- School of Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Qld, Australia
| | - J M Old
- School of Science and Health, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - L J Young
- School of Science and Health, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, NSW, Australia
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Suthers AN, Young LJ. Isoforms of the CD79 signal transduction component of the macropod B-cell receptor. Dev Comp Immunol 2014; 47:185-190. [PMID: 25064685 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2014.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2013] [Revised: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/17/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
B cell responses and their concomitant signal transduction pathways are not well understood in marsupial mammals, despite the availability of gene expression data for key immunoglobulin genes and for elements of the CD79a/CD79b heterodimer signalling complex for two model marsupials. Broader studies of factors that influence B cell responses are still hampered by a lack of species-specific reagents and there are few reports of other factors that influence gene expression such as the potential for splice variants in BCR components, which may influence immune signalling pathways. In this study, we characterise CD79a and CD79b genes in the endangered macropod marsupial, Onychogalea fraenata (the bridled nailtail wallaby) and show that domains and residues important for the structural and functional integrity of both monomers are conserved in this species, consistent with results previously reported for the closely-related macropod, Macropus eugenii (the tammar wallaby). We extend this work to report the detection of splice variants for CD79a and CD79b in wallaby species; three CD79a isoforms and one CD79b isoform. Of these, two CD79a isoforms and the CD79b isoform have not been reported in any other mammalian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy N Suthers
- School of Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Queensland 4702, Australia
| | - Lauren J Young
- School of Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Queensland 4702, Australia; School of Science and Health, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
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Suthers AN, Young LJ. Molecular identification and expression of Lyn tyrosine kinase isoforms in marsupials. Mol Immunol 2013; 55:310-8. [PMID: 23522727 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2013.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2013] [Revised: 03/04/2013] [Accepted: 03/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Lyn is a tyrosine kinase molecule required for modulation of signalling cascades in cell populations including B lymphocytes of the mammalian immune system. We have characterised the coding domain of the marsupial lyn gene of two macropod marsupials; the Tammar Wallaby (Macropus eugenii) and the Bridled Nailtail Wallaby (Onychogalea fraenata) and show the co-expression of two Lyn isoforms in cells and tissues of these and three other marsupials (Brush-tail Possum, Trichosurus vulpecula; American Grey Short-tailed Opossum, Monodelphis domestica and Red-tailed Phascogale, Phascogale calura). The predicted Lyn proteins (LynA and LynB) were highly conserved across vertebrate species, with amino acid identities of 94% with their human orthologues and conservation of key tyrosine kinase motifs that suggests that marsupial Lyn most likely functions in cell signalling. Comparison of our cDNA data to annotations for Lyn transcripts (available through the Ensembl Genome Browser) for the Tammar Wallaby confirm splice sites for a number of exons in the wallaby transcript that are missing from the current annotation. This is the first report of the expression of kinase signalling molecules that influence immunity in metatherian mammals and provides key information to support ongoing studies of immune regulation in marsupials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy N Suthers
- Central Queensland University, Centre for Environmental Management, Marsupial Immunology Research Laboratory, Bruce Highway, Rockhampton, Queensland 4702, Australia
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