Glycosylation as a tracer of off-target Cre-lox activation in development

The Cre-lox system is one of the most widely used methods for lineage-specific and inducible genome editing in vivo. However, incomplete penetrance and off-target effects due to transient promoter expression in a stem or pluripotent precursor cell can be problematic and difficult to detect, especially if the target gene is not normally present in the fully differentiated but off-target cells. Yet, the loss of the target gene through the transient expression of Cre may impact the differentiation of those cells by virtue of transient expression in a precursor population. In these situations, off-target effects in an unknown precursor cell can, at best, complicate conclusions drawn from the model, and at worst, invalidate all data generated from that knockout strain. Thus, identifying Cre-driver promoter expression along entire cell lineages is crucial to improve rigor and reproducibility. As an example, transient expression in an early precursor cell has been documented in a variety of Cre strains such as the Tie2-based Cre-driver system that is used as an "endothelial cell-specific" model 1. Yet, Tie2 is now known to be transiently expressed in a stem cell upstream of both hematopoietic and endothelial cell lineages. Here, we use the Tie2 Cre-driver strain to demonstrate that due to its ubiquitous nature, plasma membrane glycans are a useful marker of both penetrance and specificity of a Cre-based knockout.

Platelet-localized ST6Gal1 does not impact IgG sialylation

The IgG antibody class forms an important basis of the humoral immune response, conferring reciprocal protection from both pathogens and autoimmunity. IgG function is determined by the IgG subclass, as defined by the heavy chain, as well as the glycan composition at N297, the conserved site of N-glycosylation within the Fc domain. For example, lack of core fucose promotes increased antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, whereas α2,6-linked sialylation by the enzyme ST6Gal1 helps to drive immune quiescence. Despite the immunological significance of these carbohydrates, little is known about how IgG glycan composition is regulated. We previously reported that mice with ST6Gal1-deficient B cells have unaltered IgG sialylation. Likewise, ST6Gal1 released into the plasma by hepatocytes does not significantly impact overall IgG sialylation. Since IgG and ST6Gal1 have independently been shown to exist in platelet granules, it was possible that platelet granules could serve as a B cell-extrinsic site for IgG sialylation. To address this hypothesis, we used a platelet factor 4 (Pf4)-Cre mouse to delete ST6Gal1 in megakaryocytes and platelets alone or in combination with an albumin-Cre mouse to also remove it from hepatocytes and the plasma. The resulting mouse strains were viable and had no overt pathological phenotype. We also found that despite targeted ablation of ST6Gal1, no change in IgG sialylation was apparent. Together with our prior findings, we can conclude that in mice, neither B cells, the plasma, nor platelets have a substantial role in homeostatic IgG sialylation.

Dynamic Glycoprotein Hyposialylation Promotes Chemotherapy Evasion and Metastatic Seeding of Quiescent Circulating Tumor Cell Clusters in Breast Cancer

Most circulating tumor cells (CTC) are detected as single cells, whereas a small proportion of CTCs in multicellular clusters with stemness properties possess 20- to 100-times higher metastatic propensity than the single cells. Here we report that CTC dynamics in both singles and clusters in response to therapies predict overall survival for breast cancer. Chemotherapy-evasive CTC clusters are relatively quiescent with a specific loss of ST6GAL1-catalyzed α2,6-sialylation in glycoproteins. Dynamic hyposialylation in CTCs or deficiency of ST6GAL1 promotes cluster formation for metastatic seeding and enables cellular quiescence to evade paclitaxel treatment in breast cancer. Glycoproteomic analysis reveals newly identified protein substrates of ST6GAL1, such as adhesion or stemness markers PODXL, ICAM1, ECE1, ALCAM1, CD97, and CD44, contributing to CTC clustering (aggregation) and metastatic seeding. As a proof of concept, neutralizing antibodies against one newly identified contributor, PODXL, inhibit CTC cluster formation and lung metastasis associated with paclitaxel treatment for triple-negative breast cancer.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study discovers that dynamic loss of terminal sialylation in glycoproteins of CTC clusters contributes to the fate of cellular dormancy, advantageous evasion to chemotherapy, and enhanced metastatic seeding. It identifies PODXL as a glycoprotein substrate of ST6GAL1 and a candidate target to counter chemoevasion-associated metastasis of quiescent tumor cells. This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 1949.

IgG sialylation occurs via the FcRn-mediated recycling pathway in endothelial cells

IgG is a key mediator of immune responses throughout the human body, and the structure of the conserved glycan on the Fc region has been identified as a key inflammatory switch regulating its downstream effects. In particular, the absence of terminal sialic acid has been shown to increase the affinity of IgG for activating Fc receptors, cascading the inflammatory response in a variety of diseases and conditions. Previously, we have shown that IgG sialylation is mediated by B cell-extrinsic processes. Here, we show that the FcRn-mediated recycling pathway within endothelial cells is a critical modulator of IgG sialylation. Building a deeper understanding of how IgG sialylation is regulated will drive the development of novel therapeutics which dynamically tune IgG functionality in vivo.

Intestinal Tr1 Cells Confer Protection against Colitis in the Absence of Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cell-Derived IL-10

The intestinal mucosa is continually exposed to diverse microbial and dietary Ags, requiring coordinated efforts by specialized populations of regulatory T cells (Tregs) to maintain homeostasis. Suppressive mechanisms used by intestinal Tregs include the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10 and TGF-β. Defects in IL-10 signaling are associated with severe infantile enterocolitis in humans, and mice deficient in IL-10 or its receptors develop spontaneous colitis. To determine the requirement of Foxp3+ Treg-specific IL-10 for protection against colitis, we generated Foxp3-specific IL-10 knockout (KO) mice (IL-10 conditional KO [cKO] mice). Colonic Foxp3+ Tregs isolated from IL-10cKO mice showed impaired ex vivo suppressive function, although IL-10cKO mice maintained normal body weights and developed only mild inflammation over 30 wk of age (in contrast to severe colitis in global IL-10KO mice). Protection from colitis in IL-10cKO mice was associated with an expanded population of IL-10-producing type 1 Tregs (Tr1, CD4+Foxp3-) in the colonic lamina propria that produced more IL-10 on a per-cell basis compared with wild-type intestinal Tr1 cells. Collectively, our findings reveal a role for Tr1 cells in the gut, as they expand to fill a tolerogenic niche in conditions of suboptimal Foxp3+ Treg-mediated suppression and provide functional protection against experimental colitis.

Acute and chronic lung inflammation drives changes in epithelial glycans

Introduction

Asthma is the most common chronic inflammatory disease and it is characterized by leukocyte infiltration and tissue remodeling, with the latter generally referring to collagen deposition and epithelial hyperplasia. Changes in hyaluronin production have also been demonstrated, while mutations in fucosyltransferases reportedly limit asthmatic inflammation.

Methods

Given the importance of glycans in cellular communication and to better characterize tissue glycosylation changes associated with asthma, we performed a comparative glycan analysis of normal and inflamed lungs from a selection of murine asthma models.

Results

We found that among other changes, the most consistent was an increase in fucose-α1,3-N-acetylglucosamine (Fuc-α1,3-GlcNAc) and fucose-α1,2-galactose (Fuc-α1,2-Gal) motifs. Increases in terminal galactose and N-glycan branching were also seen in some cases, whereas no overall change in O-GalNAc glycans was observed. Increased Muc5AC was found in acute but not chronic models, and only the more human-like triple antigen model yielded increased sulfated galactose motifs. We also found that human A549 airway epithelial cells stimulated in culture showed similar increases in Fuc-α1,2-Gal, terminal galactose (Gal), and sulfated Gal, and this matched transcriptional upregulation of the α1,2-fucosyltransferase Fut2 and the α1,3-fucosyltransferases Fut4 and Fut7.

Conclusions

These data suggest that airway epithelial cells directly respond to allergens by increasing glycan fucosylation, a known modification important for the recruitment of eosinophils and neutrophils.

Divergent Golgi trafficking limits B cell-mediated IgG sialylation

The degree of α2,6-linked sialylation on IgG glycans is associated with a variety of inflammatory conditions and is thought to drive IgG anti-inflammatory activity. Previous findings revealed that ablation of β-galactoside α2,6-sialyltransferase 1 (ST6Gal1) in B cells failed to alter IgG sialylation in vivo, yet resulted in the loss of B cell surface α2,6 sialylation, suggesting divergent pathways for IgG and cell surface glycoprotein glycosylation and trafficking. Employing both B cell hybridomas and ex vivo murine B cells, we discovered that IgG was poorly sialylated by ST6Gal1 and highly core fucosylated by α1,6-fucosyltransferase 8 (Fut8) in cell culture. In contrast, cell surface glycoproteins on IgG-producing cells showed the opposite pattern by flow cytometry, with high α2,6 sialylation and low α1,6 fucosylation. Paired studies further revealed that ex vivo B cell-produced IgG carried significantly less sialylation compared with IgG isolated from the plasma of matched animals, providing evidence that IgG sialylation increases after release in vivo. Finally, confocal analyses demonstrated that IgG poorly localized to subcellular compartments rich in sialylation and ST6Gal1, and strongly to regions rich in fucosylation and Fut8. These findings support a model in which IgG subcellular trafficking diverges from the canonical secretory pathway by promoting Fut8-mediated core fucosylation and limiting exposure to and modification by ST6Gal1, providing a mechanism for why B cell-expressed ST6Gal1 is dispensable for IgG sialylation in vivo.

S-nitrosylation is required for β2AR desensitization and experimental asthma

The β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR), a prototypic G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), is a powerful driver of bronchorelaxation, but the effectiveness of β-agonist drugs in asthma is limited by desensitization and tachyphylaxis. We find that during activation, the β2AR is modified by S-nitrosylation, which is essential for both classic desensitization by PKA as well as desensitization of NO-based signaling that mediates bronchorelaxation. Strikingly, S-nitrosylation alone can drive β2AR internalization in the absence of traditional agonist. Mutant β2AR refractory to S-nitrosylation (Cys265Ser) exhibits reduced desensitization and internalization, thereby amplifying NO-based signaling, and mice with Cys265Ser mutation are resistant to bronchoconstriction, inflammation, and the development of asthma. S-nitrosylation is thus a central mechanism in β2AR signaling that may be operative widely among GPCRs and targeted for therapeutic gain.

ST6Gal1 in plasma is dispensable for IgG sialylation

The glycosylation of IgG has attracted increased attention due to the impact of N-glycan modifications at N297 on IgG function, acting primarily through modulation of Fc domain conformation and Fcγ receptor binding affinities and signaling. However, the mechanisms regulating IgG glycosylation and especially α2,6-sialylation of its N-glycan remain poorly understood. We observed previously that IgG is normally sialylated in mice with B cells lacking the sialyltransferase ST6Gal1. This supported the hypothesis that IgG may be sialylated outside of B cells, perhaps through the action of hepatocyte-released plasma ST6Gal1. Here we demonstrate that this model is incorrect. Animals lacking hepatocyte expressed ST6Gal1 retain normal IgG α2,6-sialylation, despite the lack of detectable ST6Gal1 in plasma. Moreover, we confirmed that B cells were not a redundant source of IgG sialylation. Thus, while α2,6-sialylation is lacking in IgG from mice with germline ablation of ST6Gal1, IgG α2,6-sialylation is normal in mice lacking ST6Gal1 in either hepatocytes or B cells. These results indicate that IgG α2,6-sialylation arises after release from a B cell, but is not dependent on plasma-localized ST6Gal1 activity.

Antigen presenting cell response to polysaccharide A is characterized by the generation of anti-inflammatory macrophages

Polysaccharide A (PSA) is the immunodominant capsular carbohydrate from the gram negative commensal microbe Bacteroides fragilis that has shown remarkable potency in ameliorating many rodent models of inflammatory disease by eliciting downstream suppressive CD4+ T cells. PSA is composed of a zwitterionic repeating unit that allows it to be processed by antigen presenting cells (APCs) and presented by MHCII in a glycosylation-dependent manner. While previous work has uncovered much about the interactions between MHCII and PSA, as well as the downstream T cell response, little is known about how PSA affects the phenotype of MHCII+ APCs, including macrophages. Here, we utilized an unbiased systems approach consisting of RNAseq transcriptomics, high-throughput flow cytometry, Luminex analysis and targeted validation experiments to characterize the impact of PSA-mediated stimulation of splenic MHCII+ cells. The data revealed that PSA potently elicited the upregulation of an alternatively activated M2 macrophage transcriptomic and cell surface signature. Cell-type-specific validation experiments further demonstrated that PSA-exposed bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) induced cell surface and intracellular markers associated with M2 macrophages compared with conventional peptide ovalbumin (ova)-exposed BMDMs. In contrast to macrophages, we also found that CD11c+ dendritic cells (DCs) upregulated the pro-T cell activation costimulatory molecule CD86 following PSA stimulation. Consistent with the divergent BMDM and DC changes, PSA-exposed DCs elicited an antigen-experienced T cell phenotype in co-cultures, whereas macrophages did not. These findings collectively demonstrate that the PSA-induced immune response is characterized by both T cell stimulation via presentation by DCs, and a previously unrecognized anti-inflammatory polarization of macrophages.

Integration of IL-2 and IL-4 signals coordinates divergent regulatory T cell responses and drives therapeutic efficacy

Cells exist within complex milieus of communicating factors, such as cytokines, that combine to generate context-specific responses, yet nearly all knowledge about the function of each cytokine and the signaling propagated downstream of their recognition is based on the response to individual cytokines. Here, we found that regulatory T cells (Tregs) integrate concurrent signaling initiated by IL-2 and IL-4 to generate a response divergent from the sum of the two pathways in isolation. IL-4 stimulation of STAT6 phosphorylation was blocked by IL-2, while IL-2 and IL-4 synergized to enhance STAT5 phosphorylation, IL-10 production, and the selective proliferation of IL-10-producing Tregs, leading to increased inhibition of conventional T cell activation and the reversal of asthma and multiple sclerosis in mice. These data define a mechanism of combinatorial cytokine signaling and lay the foundation upon which to better understand the origins of cytokine pleiotropy while informing improved the clinical use of cytokines.

Glycans in Immunologic Health and Disease

The surfaces of all living organisms and most secreted proteins share a common feature: They are glycosylated. As the outermost-facing molecules, glycans participate in nearly all immunological processes, including driving host-pathogen interactions, immunological recognition and activation, and differentiation between self and nonself through a complex array of pathways and mechanisms. These fundamental immunologic roles are further cast into sharp relief in inflammatory, autoimmune, and cancer disease states in which immune regulation goes awry. Here, we review the broad impact of glycans on the immune system and discuss the changes and clinical opportunities associated with the onset of immunologic disease.

Modulation of hepatocyte sialylation drives spontaneous fatty liver disease and inflammation

Circulatory protein glycosylation is a biomarker of multiple disease and inflammatory states and has been applied in the clinic for liver dysfunction, heart disease and diabetes. With the notable exception of antibodies, the liver produces most of the circulatory glycoproteins, including the acute phase proteins released as a function of the inflammatory response. Among these proteins is β-galactoside α2,6-sialyltransferase (ST6Gal1), an enzyme required for α2,6-linked sialylation of glycoproteins. Here, we describe a hepatocyte-specific conditional knockout of ST6Gal1 (H-cKO) using albumin promoter-driven Cre-lox recombination. We confirm the loss of circulatory glycoprotein α2,6 sialylation and note no obvious dysfunction or pathology in young H-cKO mice, yet these mice show robust changes in plasma glycoprotein fucosylation, branching and the abundance of bisecting GlcNAc and marked changes in a number of metabolic pathways. As H-cKO mice aged, they spontaneously developed fatty liver disease characterized by the buildup of fat droplets in the liver, inflammatory cytokine production and a shift in liver leukocyte phenotype away from anti-inflammatory Kupffer cells and towards proinflammatory M1 macrophages. These findings connect hepatocyte and circulatory glycoprotein sialylation to the regulation of metabolism and inflammation, potentially identifying the glycome as a new target for liver-driven disease.

The history of IgG glycosylation and where we are now

IgG glycosylation is currently at the forefront of both immunology and glycobiology, likely due in part to the widespread and growing use of antibodies as drugs. For over four decades, it has been recognized that the conserved N-linked glycan on asparagine 297 found within the second Ig domain of the heavy chain (CH2) that helps to comprise Fc region of IgG plays a special role in IgG structure and function. Changes in galactosylation, fucosylation and sialylation are now well-established factors, which drive differential IgG function, ranging from inhibitory/anti-inflammatory to activating complement and promoting antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Thus, if we are to truly understand how to design and deploy antibody-based drugs with maximal efficacy and evaluate proper vaccine responses from a protective and functional perspective, a deep understanding of IgG glycosylation is essential. This article is intended to provide a comprehensive review of the IgG glycosylation field and the impact glycans have on IgG function, beginning with the earliest findings over 40 years ago, in order to provide a robust foundation for moving forward.

Characterization of Polysaccharide A Response Reveals Interferon Responsive Gene Signature and Immunomodulatory Marker Expression

Polysaccharide A (PSA), a capsular carbohydrate from the commensal gut bacteria Bacteroides fragilis, has been shown to possess both potent T cell-dependent pro- and anti-inflammatory properties. PSA is able to induce abscess and adhesion formation in sepsis models, but can also inhibit asthma, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) through MHCII-dependent activation of CD4+ T cells. Yet, despite decades of study, the ability of PSA to balance both these pro- and anti-inflammatory responses remains poorly understood. Here, we utilized an unbiased systems immunology approach consisting of RNAseq transcriptomics, high-throughput flow cytometry, and Luminex analysis to characterize the full impact of PSA-mediated stimulation of CD4+ T cells. We found that exposure to PSA resulted in the upregulation and secretion of IFNγ, TNFα, IL-6, and CXCL10, consistent with an interferon responsive gene (IRG) signature. Importantly, PSA stimulation also led to expression of immune checkpoint markers Lag3, Tim3, and, especially, PD1, which were also enriched and sustained in the gut associated lymphoid tissue of PSA-exposed mice. Taken together, PSA responding cells display an unusual mixture of pro-inflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory surface receptors, consistent with the ability to both cause and inhibit inflammatory disease.

Reduced red blood cell surface level of Factor H as a mechanism underlying paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

The absence of the cell-surface complement inhibitors CD55 and CD59 is considered the mechanism underlying the complement-mediated destruction of affected red blood cells (RBCs) in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) patients, but Factor H (FH), a fluid-phase complement inhibitor, has also been proposed to be involved. However, the status of FH on the PNH patient RBC surface is unclear and its precise role in PNH pathogenesis remains to be further defined. In this study, we identified significantly lower levels of surface-bound FH on the affected CD59^- RBCs than on the unaffected CD59⁺ RBCs. Although this reduction in surface-bound FH on PNH RBCs was accompanied by decreased surface sialic acid levels, the enzymatic removal of sialic acids from these RBCs did not significantly affect the levels of surface-bound FH. We further observed higher surface levels of FH on the C3b/iC3b/C3d^high RBCs than on C3b/iC3b/C3d^low RBCs within the affected PNH RBCs of patients treated with eculizumab. Finally, we determined that enhanced surface levels of FH on CD55/CD59-deficient RBCs from mice and PNH patients protected against complement-mediated hemolysis. Taken together, our results suggest that a reduced surface level of FH is another important mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of PNH.

Regulatory T cells integrate combinatorial cytokine signaling to promote immune homeostasis

The increasing prevalence of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases worldwide fuels a growing need to develop new therapeutics. Here we identify and adopt a strategy utilized by a common commensal microbe, Bacteroides fragilis, to induce immune homeostasis, by which its dominant antigen Polysaccharide A (PSA) drives classical MHCII:αβTCR engagement and elicits a strong IL-10 response via effector memory T cell (Tem) to regulatory T cell (Treg) communication. We recently discovered that IL-2 and IL-4 are critical factors driving PSA-initiated Tem->Treg communication. By tracking Tregs isolated from novel FoxP3RFP/IL-10GFP mice over time, we reveal here that these cytokines in combination elicit a profoundly divergent response from that of single cytokine stimulation. The Tregs resulting from combinatorial cytokine stimulation were more IL-10 expressing and proliferative, with IL-10+ Tregs expanding preferentially. We found that these Tregs were more effective in suppressing the proinflammatory behavior of conventional T cells, with changes in STAT5 and STAT6 signaling appearing to underlie this response. The robust effect of the combinatorial cytokines is further illustrated by their ability to suppress both HDM-induced asthma and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), including clinical score, demyelination, MOG-specific conventional T cells, and production of pathogenic IL-17A in preventative, concomitant, and therapeutic delivery schedules. These data indicate that Tregs integrate multiple cytokine signaling to produce a biological outcome divergent from the two individual cytokines, and that this phenomenon holds therapeutic promise for multiple inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Disruption of hepatocyte Sialylation drives a T cell-dependent pro-inflammatory immune tone

Through the catalysis of α2,6-linked sialylation, the enzyme ST6Gal1 is thought to play key roles in immune cell communication and homeostasis. Of particular importance, glycans with terminal α2,6-sialic acids are known to negatively regulate B cell receptor signaling and are associated with an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment that promotes T cell anergy, suggesting that α2,6-sialic acids are a key immune inhibitory signal. Consistent with this model, mice harboring a hepatocyte-specific ablation of ST6Gal1 (H-cKO) develop a progressive and severe non-alcoholic fatty liver disease characterized by steatohepatitis. Using this H-cKO mouse, we have further discovered that loss of hepatocyte α2,6-sialylation not only increases the inflammatory state of the local tissue microenvironment, but also systemic T cell-dependent immune responses. H-cKO mice responded normally to innate and passively induced inflammation, but showed significantly increased morbidity in T cell-dependent house dust mite-antigen (HDM)-induced asthma and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) peptide-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). We further discovered that H-cKO mice have a profound shift toward effector/memory T cells even among unchallenged mice, and that macrophages from both the liver and spleen expressed the inhibitory and α2,6-sialic acid-specific glycan binding molecule CD22. These findings align with previously reported pro-inflammatory changes in liver macrophages, and support a model in which the liver microenvironment sets a systemic immune tone that is regulated by tissue α2,6-sialylation and mediated by liver macrophages and systemic T cells.

Mechanisms to Evade the Phagocyte Respiratory Burst Arose by Convergent Evolution in Typhoidal Salmonella Serovars

Typhoid fever caused by Salmonella enterica serovar (S.) Typhi differs in its clinical presentation from gastroenteritis caused by S. Typhimurium and other non-typhoidal Salmonella serovars. The different clinical presentations are attributed in part to the virulence-associated capsular polysaccharide (Vi antigen) of S. Typhi, which prevents phagocytes from triggering a respiratory burst by preventing antibody-mediated complement activation. Paradoxically, the Vi antigen is absent from S. Paratyphi A, which causes a disease that is indistinguishable from typhoid fever. Here, we show that evasion of the phagocyte respiratory burst by S. Paratyphi A required very long O antigen chains containing the O2 antigen to inhibit antibody binding. We conclude that the ability to avoid the phagocyte respiratory burst is a property distinguishing typhoidal from non-typhoidal Salmonella serovars that was acquired by S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi A independently through convergent evolution.

CD45Rb-low effector T cells require IL-4 to induce IL-10 in FoxP3 Tregs and to protect mice from inflammation

CD4⁺ effector/memory T cells (Tem) represent a leading edge of the adaptive immune system responsible for protecting the body from infection, cancer, and other damaging processes. However, a subset of Tem cells with low expression of CD45Rb (Rb^LoTem) has been shown to suppress inflammation despite their effector surface phenotype and the lack of FoxP3 expression, the canonical transcription factor found in most regulatory T cells. In this report, we show that Rb^LoTem cells can suppress inflammation by influencing Treg behavior. Co-culturing activated Rb^LoTem and Tregs induced high expression of IL-10 in vitro, and conditioned media from Rb^LoTem cells induced IL-10 expression in FoxP3⁺ Tregs in vitro and in vivo, indicating that Rb^LoTem cells communicate with Tregs in a cell-contact independent fashion. Transcriptomic and multi-analyte Luminex data identified both IL-2 and IL-4 as potential mediators of Rb^LoTem-Treg communication, and antibody-mediated neutralization of either IL-4 or CD124 (IL-4Rα) prevented IL-10 induction in Tregs. Moreover, isolated Tregs cultured with recombinant IL-2 and IL-4 strongly induced IL-10 production. Using house dust mite (HDM)-induced airway inflammation as a model, we confirmed that the in vivo suppressive activity of Rb^LoTem cells was lost in IL-4-ablated Rb^LoTem cells. These data support a model in which Rb^LoTem cells communicate with Tregs using a combination of IL-2 and IL-4 to induce robust expression of IL-10 and suppression of inflammation.

Modulation of liver protein sialylation drives spontaneous generation of fatty liver and modulates multiple inflammatory models

Circulatory protein glycosylation has long been recognized as a marker of multiple disease states and has been applied clinically to gauge diseases including liver dysfunction, heart disease, and diabetes. The etiology and mechanism of this relationship, including whether glycosylation changes are causative in or only indicative of inflammatory shifts, has not yet been elucidated. We present here a model in which the α 2,6 sialyltransferase (ST6Gal1) was selectively knocked out of hepatocytes (H-cKO) using a Cre-lox recombination model driven by albumin expression. We confirm the loss of circulatory glycoprotein α 2,6 sialylation and note no obvious dysfunction in young (8–20 week old) H-cKO mice at baseline. Upon aging, the H-cKO mice spontaneously generate fatty liver disease, visible by gross observation and histologic examination, that is indicative of underlying inflammatory dysfunction. Further, H-cKO mice demonstrate exacerbated disease in models of thioglycolate-driven peritoneal inflammation, dextran sodium sulfate-driven colitis, and house dust mite-driven asthma. Our work positions liver protein secretion and glycosylation as not only indicative of inflammatory disease, but also as a causative factor in disease incidence and severity.

Commensal polysaccharide-induced T cell communication and peripheral immune regulation

The increasing prevalence of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases across the world has been attributed in part to a shift in microbial exposure both in the exogenous environment and the endogenous microbiome. Here we identify and adopt a strategy used by a common commensal gut microbe, Bacteroides fragilis, to suppress inappropriate immune activation. Bacteroides fragilis produces a protective capsule containing polysaccharide A (PSA), which has been shown to suppress a host of inflammatory diseases in an IL-10-dependent manner. We have discovered that PSA is endocytosed, processed, and presented by APCs through MHCII and αβTCR engagement, and clonally expands CD4+FoxP3−CD25−CD45Rblo cells of an effector memory subset (RbloTEM). RbloTEM are capable of suppressing peripheral inflammation in way dependent on IL-10, however, they themselves do not produce the IL-10 necessary for suppression of disease. We show here that RbloTEM cells communicate directly with FoxP3+ Regulatory T cells, resulting in enhanced IL-10 production. Using novel FoxP3RFP/IL-10GFP dual reporter mice, we further demonstrate that this communication induces synergistic IL-10 expression specifically in Tregs, enhances Treg proliferation, and drives Treg-mediated immune inhibition by preferentially favoring the expansion of IL-10+ Tregs. Through promoting a robust and rapid Treg response, we show that the cytokine signature of PSA-responding RbloTEM cells and coordinating FoxP3+ Tregs can suppress mouse models of inflammatory disease, including HDM-induced asthma and EAE.

Mosaic response of T cells to commensal bacteria derived polysaccharide

Polysaccharide A (PSA) is a component the commensal gut bacteria Bacteroides fragilis capsule. Over the last 40 years, PSA has been shown to possess potent inflammatory traits while also serving as a robust stimulator of immune suppression. This duality was shown in rodents in which PSA induces abscess and adhesion formation in sepsis models, but can also inhibit asthma, IBD, and EAE through the induction of regulatory T cells. However, despite decades of study, there remains an inability to explain how PSA is able to balance both potent pro- and anti-inflammatory responses. Here, we utilized a systems immunology approach, consisting of RNAseq transcriptomics, high-throughput flow cytometry and Luminex analyses, to characterize the full impact of PSA-mediated stimulation of both MHCII+ antigen presenting cells and CD4+ T cells. The goal was to better understand the molecular foundations of microbiota-mediated immune homeostasis. We found upregulation of TNF superfamily genes and cell surface markers associated with activated T cells and maintenance of the immune response such as OX40, OX40L and GITR. Immune checkpoints such as CTLA4 and BTLA are downregulated while important cell motility and chemotactic markers such as CD11c and ICAM1 are upregulated in response to PSA. Thus, PSA led to the production of activated and experienced T cells that should be able to navigate towards sources of inflammation, but these cells also showed increases in immune checkpoint markers such as Ly-6A/E, CD73 and PDL1. Taken together, PSA responding cells display a curious mixture of pro and anti-inflammatory markers, consistent with known in vivo function, potentially revealing novel pathways to restore homeostasis in patients with inflammatory disease.

Plasma glycomics predict cardiovascular disease in patients with ART-controlled HIV infections

Despite effective control of HIV infection with antiretroviral drugs, individuals with HIV have high incidences of secondary diseases. These sequelae, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), are poorly understood and represent a major health burden. To date, predictive biomarkers of HIV-associated secondary disease have been elusive, making preventative clinical management essentially impossible. Here, we applied a newly developed and easy to deploy, multitarget, and high-throughput glycomic analysis to banked HIV+ human plasma samples to determine whether the glycome may include biomarkers that predict future HIV-associated cardiovascular events or CVD diagnoses. Using 324 patient samples, we identified a glycomic fingerprint that was predictive of future CVD events but independent of CD4 counts, diabetes, age, and birth sex, suggesting that the plasma glycome may serve as a biomarker for specific HIV-associated sequelae. Our findings constitute the discovery of novel glycan biomarkers that could classify patients with HIV with elevated risk for CVD and reveal the untapped prognostic potential of the plasma glycome in human disease.-Oswald, D. M., Sim, E. S., Baker, C., Farhan, O., Debanne, S. M., Morris, N. J., Rodriguez, B. G., Jones, M. B., Cobb, B. A. Plasma glycomics predict cardiovascular disease in patients with ART-controlled HIV infections.

Antibody receptors steal the sweet spotlight

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies function, in part, through ligation of cell-surface Fc receptors such as FcγRIIIA (also known as CD16A). IgG glycosylation is known to impact antibody function, but the role of FcγRIIIA glycans, if any, is unclear. Patel et al. now reveal that these glycans do impact protein conformation and IgG affinity and display cell-specific glycosylation patterns, leading to a potential model in which the affinity and possibly function of Fc receptors is dictated by the cell type and its surface glycome.

Polysaccharide-experienced effector T cells induce IL-10 in FoxP3+ regulatory T cells to prevent pulmonary inflammation

Inhibition of peripheral inflammatory disease by carbohydrate antigens derived from normal gut microbiota has been demonstrated for the GI tract, brain, peritoneum, and most recently the airway. We have demonstrated that polysaccharide A (PSA) from the commensal organism Bacteroides fragilis activates CD4+ T cells upon presentation by the class II major histocompatibility complex, and that these PSA-experienced T cells prevent the development of lung inflammation in murine models. While the PSA-responding T cells themselves are not canonical FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), their ability to prevent inflammation is dependent upon the suppressive cytokine IL-10. Using an adoptive T cell transfer approach, we have discovered that PSA-experienced T cells require IL-10 expression by PSA-naïve recipient animals in order to prevent inflammation. A cooperative relationship was found between PSA-activated effector/memory T cells and tissue-resident FoxP3+ Tregs both in vivo and in vitro, and it is this cooperation that enables the suppressive activity of PSA outside of the gut environment where exposure takes place. These findings suggest that carbohydrate antigens from the normal microbiota communicate with peripheral tissues to maintain homeostasis through T cell-to-T cell cooperation.

The direct and indirect effects of glycans on immune function

The biological impact of glycans is as diverse and complex as the impact of proteins on biology. Familiar roles include those as a protein folding checkpoint in the endoplasmic reticulum and as a modulator of the serum half-life of secreted glycoproteins, but it has become clear over the last several decades that glycans are key signaling moieties, participate in cell-cell interactions and modulate the function of individual proteins, to name but a few examples. In the immune system, the majority of microbial "patterns" are glycans or glycoconjugates, while virtually all cell surface receptors are glycoproteins, and antibody glycosylation critically influences antibody function. In order to provide a simple contextual framework to understand the myriad roles, glycans play in immunity, we propose that glycan effects are considered direct or indirect, depending on their direct participation or their indirect effects on other components in a given biological process or pathway. Here, we present the published evidence that supports this framework, which ultimately leads to the conclusion that we should learn to embrace the complexity inherent to the glycome and its potential as a largely uncharted but target rich area of new therapeutic investigation.

T cell-intrinsic TLR2 stimulation promotes IL-10 expression and suppressive activity by CD45RbHi T cells

While Toll-like receptors (TLRs) represent one of the best characterized innate immune pathways, evidence suggests that TLRs are not restricted to innate leukocytes and some epithelial cells, but are also expressed in T cells. Specifically, published evidence focusing on FoxP3⁺ regulatory T cells demonstrate that they express functional TLR2, which is already known among the TLR family for its association with immune suppression; however, little is known about the relationship between T cell-intrinsic TLR2 binding and cytokine production, T cell differentiation, or T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation. Here, we demonstrate that TCR and TLR2 co-stimulation provides a T cell-intrinsic signal which generates a dramatic, synergistic cytokine response dominated by IL-10. Importantly, the response was not seen in either CD4⁺CD25⁺ or CD4⁺FoxP3⁺ Tregs, yet resulted in the expansion of a suppressive CD4⁺CD25⁺CD62L^-CD44⁺CD45Rb^hi effector/memory T cell subset not typically associated with immune inhibition. This study reveals the striking ability of a prototypical innate immune receptor to trigger a potent and suppressive IL-10 response in effector/memory T cells, supporting the notion that TLR2 is a co-regulatory receptor on T cells.

Amelioration of pulmonary inflammation through T cell activation in murine asthma model

Asthma is an increasingly common chronic inflammatory airway disorder with phenotypic heterogeneity driven by age, gender, atopy, lung function, lifestyle, body mass indexes, and the underlying cellular and molecular pathways. In asthma, T helper (Th) cells drive inflammatory cascades via cytokine/inflammatory mediators and recruit leukocytes into the airway. While treatments are available, such as inhaled corticosteroids, individuals with severe asthma are often steroid resistant and have a poor quality of life. It is therefore important to develop our understanding of the underlying T cell driven mechanisms leading to pulmonary inflammation such that novel therapies may be developed. Previous work from our lab has demonstrated the importance of commensal microbiota in the development and maintenance of peripheral homeostasis. Exposure to bacterial polysaccharides, such as PSA from Bacteroides fragilis, inhibits Th1 and Th2 activity in murine models by activation of CD4+ FoxP3− CD45Rblo CD62Llo CD44hi T effector memory (Rblo Tem) cells in an IL-10 dependent fashion. Here, we show that activated Rblo Tem cells can reverse established pulmonary inflammatory disease in a murine house dust mite (HDM) model. Adoptive transfer of these cells nearly eliminates lung pathology and severely limits tissue infiltration by leukocytes. These results provide a rationale for the use of autologous cell transfer as a means to prevent and reverse ongoing inflammatory lung disease.

Dendritic cell-specific Mgat2 knockout mice show antigen presentation defects but reveal an unexpected CD11c expression pattern

Zwitterionic polysaccharide antigens such as polysaccharide A (PSA) from Bacteroides fragilis have been shown to activate CD4⁺ T cells upon presentation by class II major histocompatibility complex (MHCII) on professional antigen presenting cells. For T cell recognition and activation, high affinity binding between MHCII and PSA is required, and complex N-glycans on conserved MHCII asparagine residues play a central role in controlling this interaction. By truncating these glycans in a myeloid-specific knockout of Mgat2, created using the LyzM-CRE mouse (M-cKO), we previously reported defects in PSA responses in vivo. Unfortunately, the M-cKO also showed a propensity to develop common variable immunodeficiency with autoimmune hemolytic anemia features. Here, we describe a novel murine model in which Mgat2 was targeted for ablation using the dendritic cell (DC)-specific CD11c-CRE-GFP strain in order to develop a more specific and robust in vivo model of PSA presentation defects (DC-cKO). This study shows that Mgat2 deficient DCs from DC-cKO mice show ablation of PSA presentation and downstream T cell activation in vitro. However, the CD11c promoter was unexpectedly active and triggered Mgat2 deletion within multiple hematopoietic lineages, showed remarkably poor penetrance within native DC populations, and produced almost undetectable levels of green fluorescent protein signal. These findings show that the CD11c promoter is not DC-specific, and extreme care should be taken in the interpretation of data using any mouse created using the CD11c-CRE model.

Polysaccharide A from the capsule of Bacteroides fragilis induces clonal CD4+ T cell expansion

For 3 decades, the view of MHCII-dependent antigen presentation has been completely dominated by peptide antigens despite our 2004 discovery in which MHCII was shown to present processed fragments of zwitterionic capsular polysaccharides to T cells. Published findings further demonstrate that polysaccharide A (PSA) from the capsule of Bacteroides fragilis is a potent activator of CD4(+) T cells and that these T cells have important biological functions, especially in the maintenance of immunological homeostasis. However, little is known about the nature of T cell recognition of the polysaccharide-MHCII complex or the phenotype of the resulting activated cells. Here, we use next-generation sequencing of the αβT cell receptor of CD4(+) T cells from mice stimulated with PSA in comparison with protein antigen simulation and non-immunized controls and found that PSA immunization induced clonal expansion of a small subset of suppressive CD4(+)CD45RB(low) effector/memory T cells. Moreover, the sequences of the complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3) loop from top clones indicate a lack of specific variable β and joining region use and average CDR3 loop length. There was also a preference for a zwitterionic motif within the CDR3 loop sequences, aligning well with the known requirement for a similar motif within PSA to enable T cell activation. These data support a model in which PSA, and possibly other T cell-dependent polysaccharide antigens, elicits a clonal and therefore specific CD4(+) T cell response often characterized by pairing dual-charged CDR3 loop sequences with dual-charged PSA.

Bacterial capsular polysaccharide prevents the onset of asthma through T-cell activation

Over the last four decades, increases in the incidence of immune-mediated diseases in the Western world have been linked to changes in microbial exposure. It is becoming increasingly clear that the normal microbiota in the gut can profoundly alter susceptibility to a wide range of diseases, such as asthma, in which immune homeostasis is disrupted, yet the mechanisms governing this microbial influence remains poorly defined. In this study, we show that gastrointestinal exposure to PSA, a capsular polysaccharide derived from the commensal bacterium Bacteroides fragilis, significantly limits susceptibility to the induction of experimental asthma. We report that direct treatment of mice with PSA generates protection from asthma, and this effect can be given to a naïve recipient by adoptive transfer of CD4(+) T cells from PSA-exposed mice. Remarkably, we found that these PSA-induced T cells are not canonical FoxP3(+) regulatory T cells, but that they potently inhibit both Th1 and Th2 models of asthma in an IL-10-dependent fashion. These findings reveal that bacterial polysaccharides link the microbiota with the peripheral immune system by activating CD4(+)Foxp3(-) T cells upon exposure in the gut, and they facilitate resistance to unnecessary inflammatory responses via the production of IL-10.

Myeloid glycosylation defects lead to a spontaneous common variable immunodeficiency-like condition with associated hemolytic anemia and antilymphocyte autoimmunity

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), the most frequent symptomatic primary immune deficiency in humans, is a heterogeneous group of immunologic disorders estimated to affect 1:10,000-1:50,000. Although a clear disease etiology remains elusive, a common characteristic of CVID is deficient IgG Ab production in response to infection or vaccination. Patients often also exhibit autoimmune cytopenias with symptoms of abnormal T cell function, including reductions in naive T cells, which correlate with clinical severity. In this study, we discovered that targeted alterations in the glycome of the myeloid lineage lead to spontaneous immunodeficiency characteristic of both humoral and T cell dysfunction regularly found in human CVID. Mice carrying a myeloid-specific knockout of the Mgat2 gene encoding UDP-GlcNAc:α-6-d-mannoside β-1,2-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase II enzyme exhibit deficiencies in IgG responses to both protein and polysaccharide conjugate vaccines. Interestingly, the immunodeficiency is associated with decreased T cell activity because of a persistent autoimmune-mediated depletion of naive T cells, which is induced by changes in erythrocyte surface glycosylation. The N-glycosylation dependent autoepitopes that emerge on erythrocytes lead to autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and the causative auto-IgM cross-reacts with naive T cells despite the lack of glycan change on T cells. These findings demonstrate that alterations in erythrocyte glycosylation trigger the development of autoantibodies directed at both erythrocytes and naive T cells, revealing a possible mechanistic link between the induction of autoimmune hemolytic anemia, the reduction in naive T cells, and poor Ab responses to vaccine in severe CVID patients.

Mgat2 ablation in the myeloid lineage leads to defective glycoantigen T cell responses

N-linked glycosylation is a central regulatory factor that influences the immune system in varied and profound ways, including leukocyte homing, T cell receptor signaling and others. Moreover, N-glycan branching has been demonstrated to change as a function of infection and inflammation. Our previous findings suggest that complex-type N-glycans on the class II major histocompatibility complex play an important role in antigen selection within antigen presenting cells (APCs) such that highly branched N-glycans promote polysaccharide (glycoantigen, GlyAg) presentation following Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2)-dependent antigen processing. In order to explore the impact of N-glycan branching on the myeloid-derived APC population without the confounding problems of altering the branching of lymphocytes and non-hematopoietic cells, we created a novel myeloid-specific knockout of the β-1,2-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase II (Mgat2) enzyme. Using this novel mouse, we found that the reduction in multi-antennary N-glycans characteristic of Mgat2 ablation had no impact on GlyAg-mediated TLR2 signaling. Likewise, no deficits in antigen uptake or cellular homing to lymph nodes were found. However, we discovered that Mgat2 ablation prevented GlyAg presentation and T cell activation in vitro and in vivo without apparent alterations in protein antigen response or myeloid-mediated protection from infection. These findings demonstrate that GlyAg presentation can be regulated by the N-glycan branching pattern of APCs, thereby establishing an in vivo model where the T cell-dependent activity of GlyAgs can be experimentally distinguished from GlyAg-mediated stimulation of the innate response through TLR2.

Interaction of the Capsular Polysaccharide A from Bacteroides fragilis with DC-SIGN on Human Dendritic Cells is Necessary for Its Processing and Presentation to T Cells

The zwitterionic capsular polysaccharide A (PSA) of Bacteroides fragilis is the first carbohydrate antigen described to be presented in major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II for the induction of CD4⁺ T cell responses. However, the identity of the receptor mediating binding and internalization of PSA in antigen presenting cells remains elusive. C-type lectins are glycan-binding receptors known for their capacity to target ligands for antigen presentation to T cells. Here, we investigated whether C-type lectins were involved in the internalization of PSA and identified dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) as the main receptor for PSA on human dendritic cells (DC). The induction of PSA-specific T cell proliferation appeared to be completely dependent on DC-SIGN. These data reveal a crucial role for DC-SIGN in the endocytosis and routing of PSA in human DC for the efficient stimulation of PSA-specific CD4⁺ T cells.

Neutrophils confer T cell resistance to myeloid-derived suppressor cell-mediated suppression to promote chronic inflammation

Low-grade chronic inflammation can persist in aging humans unnoticed for years or even decades, inflicting continuous damage that can culminate later in life as organ dysfunction, physical frailty, and some of the most prominent debilitating and deadly age-associated diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Despite the near universal acceptance of these associations, the mechanisms underlying unresolved inflammation remain poorly understood. In this study, we describe a novel inducible method to examine systemic chronic inflammation using susceptible animal models. Induced inflammation results in unresolved innate cellular responses and persistence of the same serum proinflammatory molecules used as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for chronic inflammation in humans. Surprisingly, we found long-term persistence of an inflammation-associated neutrophil cell population constitutively producing the proinflammatory IFN-γ cytokine, which until now has only been detected transiently in acute inflammatory responses. Interestingly, these cells appear to confer T cell resistance to the otherwise potent anti-inflammatory function of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, revealing a novel mechanism for the maintenance of chronic inflammatory responses over time. This discovery represents an attractive target to resolve inflammation and prevent the inflammation-induced pathologies that are of critical concern for the well-being of the aging population.

Glycoform-selective prion formation in sporadic and familial forms of prion disease

The four glycoforms of the cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) variably glycosylated at the two N-linked glycosylation sites are converted into their pathological forms (PrP(Sc)) in most cases of sporadic prion diseases. However, a prominent molecular characteristic of PrP(Sc) in the recently identified variably protease-sensitive prionopathy (VPSPr) is the absence of a diglycosylated form, also notable in familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (fCJD), which is linked to mutations in PrP either from Val to Ile at residue 180 (fCJD(V180I)) or from Thr to Ala at residue 183 (fCJD(T183A)). Here we report that fCJD(V180I), but not fCJD(T183A), exhibits a proteinase K (PK)-resistant PrP (PrP(res)) that is markedly similar to that observed in VPSPr, which exhibits a five-step ladder-like electrophoretic profile, a molecular hallmark of VPSPr. Remarkably, the absence of the diglycosylated PrP(res) species in both fCJD(V180I) and VPSPr is likewise attributable to the absence of PrP(res) glycosylated at the first N-linked glycosylation site at residue 181, as in fCJD(T183A). In contrast to fCJD(T183A), both VPSPr and fCJD(V180I) exhibit glycosylation at residue 181 on di- and monoglycosylated (mono181) PrP prior to PK-treatment. Furthermore, PrP(V180I) with a typical glycoform profile from cultured cells generates detectable PrP(res) that also contains the diglycosylated PrP in addition to mono- and unglycosylated forms upon PK-treatment. Taken together, our current in vivo and in vitro studies indicate that sporadic VPSPr and familial CJD(V180I) share a unique glycoform-selective prion formation pathway in which the conversion of diglycosylated and mono181 PrP(C) to PrP(Sc) is inhibited, probably by a dominant-negative effect, or by other co-factors.

Glycobiology of immune responses

Unlike their protein "roommates" and their nucleic acid "cousins," carbohydrates remain an enigmatic arm of biology. The central reason for the difficulty in fully understanding how carbohydrate structure and biological function are tied is the nontemplate nature of their synthesis and the resulting heterogeneity. The goal of this collection of expert reviews is to highlight what is known about how carbohydrates and their binding partners-the microbial (non-self), tumor (altered-self), and host (self)-cooperate within the immune system, while also identifying areas of opportunity to those willing to take up the challenge of understanding more about how carbohydrates influence immune responses. In the end, these reviews will serve as specific examples of how carbohydrates are as integral to biology as are proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Here, we attempt to summarize general concepts on glycans and glycan-binding proteins (mainly C-type lectins, siglecs, and galectins) and their contributions to the biology of immune responses in physiologic and pathologic settings.

Fungal antioxidant pathways promote survival against neutrophils during infection

Filamentous fungi are a common cause of blindness and visual impairment worldwide. Using both murine model systems and in vitro human neutrophils, we found that NADPH oxidase produced by neutrophils was essential to control the growth of Aspergillus and Fusarium fungi in the cornea. We demonstrated that neutrophil oxidant production and antifungal activity are dependent on CD18, but not on the β-glucan receptor dectin-1. We used mutant A. fumigatus strains to show that the reactive oxygen species-sensing transcription factor Yap1, superoxide dismutases, and the Yap1-regulated thioredoxin antioxidant pathway are each required for protection against neutrophil-mediated oxidation of hyphae as well as optimal survival of fungal hyphae in vivo. We also demonstrated that thioredoxin inhibition using the anticancer drug PX-12 increased the sensitivity of fungal hyphae to both H2O2- and neutrophil-mediated killing in vitro. Additionally, topical application of PX-12 significantly enhanced neutrophil-mediated fungal killing in infected mouse corneas. Cumulatively, our data reveal critical host oxidative and fungal anti-oxidative mediators that regulate hyphal survival during infection. Further, these findings also indicate that targeting fungal anti-oxidative defenses via PX-12 may represent an efficacious strategy for treating fungal infections.

Host glycans and antigen presentation

The cell-mediated adaptive immune response depends upon the activation of T cells via recognition of antigen in the context of a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule. Although studies have shown that alterations in T cell receptor glycosylation reduces the activation threshold, the data on MHC is far less definitive. Here, we discuss the data on MHC glycosylation and the role the glycans might play during the adaptive host response.

Infection, inflammation and host carbohydrates: a Glyco-Evasion Hypothesis

Microbial immune evasion can be achieved through the expression, or mimicry, of host-like carbohydrates on the microbial cell surface to hide from detection. However, disparate reports collectively suggest that evasion could also be accomplished through the modulation of the host glycosylation pathways, a mechanism that we call the "Glyco-Evasion Hypothesis". Here, we will summarize the evidence in support of this paradigm by reviewing three separate bodies of work present in the literature. We review how infection and inflammation can lead to host glycosylation changes, how host glycosylation changes can increase susceptibility to infection and inflammation and how glycosylation impacts molecular and cellular function. Then, using these data as a foundation, we propose a unifying hypothesis in which microbial products can hijack host glycosylation to manipulate the immune response to the advantage of the pathogen. This model reveals areas of research that we believe could significantly improve our fight against infectious disease.

Roles for major histocompatibility complex glycosylation in immune function

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) glycoprotein family, also referred to as human leukocyte antigens, present endogenous and exogenous antigens to T lymphocytes for recognition and response. These molecules play a central role in enabling the immune system to distinguish self from non-self, which is the basis for protective immunity against pathogenic infections and disease while at the same time representing a serious obstacle for tissue transplantation. All known MHC family members, like the majority of secreted, cell surface, and other immune-related molecules, carry asparagine (N)-linked glycans. The immune system has evolved increasing complexity in higher-order organisms along with a more complex pattern of protein glycosylation, a relationship that may contribute to immune function beyond the early protein quality control events in the endoplasmic reticulum that are commonly known. The broad MHC family maintains peptide sequence motifs for glycosylation at sites that are highly conserved across evolution, suggesting importance, yet functional roles for these glycans remain largely elusive. In this review, we will summarize what is known about MHC glycosylation and provide new insight for additional functional roles for this glycoprotein modification in mediating immune responses.

Adaptive immune defects against glycoantigens in chronic granulomatous disease via dysregulated nitric oxide production

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary immunodeficiency defined by mutations in the NADPH oxidase complex leading to reduced superoxide production, increased susceptibility to infection, chronic inflammation, and recurring abscess and granuloma formation. Here, we found that CGD mice were hyperresponsive to abscess-inducing T-cell-dependent carbohydrate antigens (glycoantigens) due to a ten-fold increase in NO production within APCs, which is known to be necessary for glycoantigen presentation on MHC class II. CGD mice exhibited increased Th1 pro-inflammatory T-cell responses in vitro and in vivo, characterized by more severe abscess pathology. This phenotype was also seen in WT animals following adoptive transfer of neutrophil-depleted APCs from CGD animals, demonstrating that this phenotype was independent of neutrophil and T-cell defects. Finally, pharmacological attenuation of NO production to WT levels in vivo reduced abscess incidence and severity in CGD without overt increases in inflammation or the ability to clear infection, suggesting a potential new treatment option for early stage CGD-associated infections.

MHCII glycosylation modulates Bacteroides fragilis carbohydrate antigen presentation

N-linked glycans on class II MHC molecules are required for the presentation of glycoantigens, but not peptide antigens.

N-linked glycans are thought to protect class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules (MHCII) from proteolytic cleavage and assist in arranging proteins within the immune synapse, but were not thought to directly participate in antigen presentation. Here, we report that antigen-presenting cells (APCs) lacking native complex N-glycans showed reduced MHCII binding and presentation of the T cell activating glycoantigen (GlyAg) polysaccharide A from Bacteroides fragilis but not conventional peptides. APCs lacking native N-glycans also failed to mediate GlyAg-driven T cell activation but activated T cells normally with protein antigen. Mice treated with the mannosidase inhibitor kifunensine to prevent the formation of complex N-glycans were unable to expand GlyAg-specific T cells in vivo upon immunization, yet adoptive transfer of normally glycosylated APCs into these animals overcame this defect. Our findings reveal that MHCII N-glycosylation directly impacts binding and presentation of at least one class of T cell–dependent antigen.

Glycoantigens induce human peripheral Tr1 cell differentiation with gut-homing specialization

The carbohydrate antigen (glycoantigen) PSA from an intestinal commensal bacteria is able to down-regulate inflammatory bowel disease in model mice, suggesting that stimulation with PSA results in regulatory T cell (Treg) generation. However, mechanisms of how peripheral human T cells respond and home in response to commensal antigens are still not understood. Here, we demonstrate that a single exposure to PSA induces differentiation of human peripheral CD4(+) T cells into type-Tr1 Tregs. This is in contrast to mouse models where PSA induced the production of Foxp3(+) iTregs. The human PSA-induced Tr1 cells are profoundly anergic and exhibit nonspecific bystander suppression mediated by IL-10 secretion. Most surprisingly, glycoantigen exposure provoked expression of gut homing receptors on their surface. These findings reveal a mechanism for immune homeostasis in the gut whereby exposure to commensal glycoantigens provides the requisite information to responding T cells for proper tissue localization (gut) and function (anti-inflammatory/regulatory).

Structural characterization and MHCII-dependent immunological properties of the zwitterionic O-chain antigen of Morganella morganii

Morganella morganii is a commensal Gram-negative bacterium that has long been known to produce an antigen bearing phosphocholine groups. We determined the structure of this O-chain antigen and found that its repeating unit also contains a free amino group and a second phosphate: This alternating charge character places the M. morganii O-chain polysaccharide into a small family of zwitterionic polysaccharides (ZPSs) known to induce T-cell-dependent immune responses via presentation by class II major histocompatibility complex (MHCII) molecules. In vitro binding assays demonstrate that this O-chain interacts with MHCII in a manner that competes with binding of the prototypical ZPS antigen PSA from Bacteroides fragilis, despite its lack of a helical structure. Cellular studies also showed that the M. morganii polysaccharide induces activation of CD4(+) T-cells. Antibody binding experiments using acid hydrolyzed fragments representing the monomer and higher oligomers of the repeating unit showed that the phosphocholine group was the dominant element of the epitope with an overall affinity (K(D)) of about 5 × 10(-5) M, a typical value for an IgM anti-carbohydrate antibody but much lower than the affinity for phosphocholine itself. These data show that the structure of the M. morganii polysaccharide contains a unique zwitterionic repeating unit which allows for immune recognition by T-cells, making it the first identified T-cell-dependent O-chain antigen.

Carbohydrate oxidation acidifies endosomes, regulating antigen processing and TLR9 signaling

Phagocytes kill encapsulated microbes through oxidative cleavage of surface carbohydrates, releasing glycan fragments and microbial contents that serve as ligands for immune receptors, which tailor the immune response against the offending pathogen. The glycan fragments serve as MHC class II (MHC II) ligands and innate receptor agonists, whereas microbial proteins serve as substrates for proteolytic cleavage and MHC II presentation, and released nucleic acids activate innate pattern-recognition receptors (e.g., TLR9). In the current study, confocal microscopy of live macrophages and dendritic cells revealed that endocytosis of carbohydrates lead to vesicular acidification independent of proton pump activity. Acidification was dependent on NO-mediated oxidation in the presence of the ingested carbohydrate and was sufficient to negatively regulate T cell-dependent polysaccharide Ag cleavage, promote acid-dependent protein Ag processing, and facilitate CpG-mediated TLR9 signaling. Our findings lead to a model in which oxidation of carbohydrates from encapsulated microbes facilitates adaptive immune responses against microbial protein and carbohydrate Ags through promoting Ag processing for MHC II-mediated presentation as well as innate responses against released microbial DNA via TLR9 signaling.