Diversity in medullary thymic epithelial cells controls the activity and availability of iNKT cells

The thymus supports multiple αβ T cell lineages that are functionally distinct, but mechanisms that control this multifaceted development are poorly understood. Here we examine medullary thymic epithelial cell (mTEC) heterogeneity and its influence on CD1d-restricted iNKT cells. We find three distinct mTEC^low subsets distinguished by surface, intracellular and secreted molecules, and identify LTβR as a cell-autonomous controller of their development. Importantly, this mTEC heterogeneity enables the thymus to differentially control iNKT sublineages possessing distinct effector properties. mTEC expression of LTβR is essential for the development thymic tuft cells which regulate NKT2 via IL-25, while LTβR controls CD104⁺CCL21⁺ mTEC^low that are capable of IL-15-transpresentation for regulating NKT1 and NKT17. Finally, mTECs regulate both iNKT-mediated activation of thymic dendritic cells, and iNKT availability in extrathymic sites. In conclusion, mTEC specialization controls intrathymic iNKT cell development and function, and determines iNKT pool size in peripheral tissues.

Therapeutic implications of NK cell regulation of allogeneic CD8 T cell-mediated immune responses stimulated through the direct pathway of antigen presentation in transplantation

Natural killer (NK) cells are a population of innate type I lymphoid cells essential for early anti-viral responses and are known to modulate the course of humoral and cellular-mediated T cell responses. We assessed the role of NK cells in allogeneic CD8 T cell-mediated responses in an immunocompetent mouse model across an MHC class I histocompatibility barrier to determine its impact in therapeutic clinical interventions with polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting lymphoid cells in transplantation. The administration of an NK cell depleting antibody to either CD8 T cell replete or CD8 T cell-depleted naïve C57BL/6 immunocompetent mice accelerated graft rejection. This accelerated rejection response was associated with an in vivo increased cytotoxic activity of CD8 T cells against bm1 allogeneic hematopoietic cells and bm1 skin allografts. These findings show that NK cells were implicated in the control host anti-donor cytotoxic responses, likely by competing for common cell growth factors in both CD8 T cell replete and CD8 T cell-depleted mice, the latter reconstituting in response to lymphopenia. Our data calls for precaution in solid organ transplantation under tolerogenic protocols involving extensive depletion of lymphocytes. These pharmacological biologics with depleting properties over NK cells may accelerate graft rejection and promote aggressive CD8 T cell cytotoxic alloresponses refractory to current immunosuppression.

Concurrent OX40 and CD30 Ligand Blockade Abrogates the CD4-Driven Autoimmunity Associated with CTLA4 and PD1 Blockade while Preserving Excellent Anti-CD8 Tumor Immunity

Although strategies that block FOXP3-dependent regulatory T cell function (CTLA4 blockade) and the inhibitory receptor PD1 have shown great promise in promoting antitumor immune responses in humans, their widespread implementation for cancer immunotherapy has been hampered by significant off-target autoimmune side effects that can be lethal. Our work has shown that absence of OX40 and CD30 costimulatory signals prevents CD4 T cell–driven autoimmunity in Foxp3-deficient mice, suggesting a novel way to block these side effects. In this study, we show that excellent antitumor CD8 T cell responses can be achieved in Foxp3^KO mice deficient in OX40 and CD30 signals, particularly in the presence of concurrent PD1 blockade. Furthermore, excellent antitumor immune responses can also be achieved using combinations of Abs that block CTLA4, PD1, OX40, and CD30 ligands, without CD4 T cell–driven autoimmunity. By dissociating autoimmune side effects from anticancer immune responses, this potentially shifts this antitumor approach to patients with far less advanced disease.

Inflammation drives thrombosis after Salmonella infection via CLEC-2 on platelets

Thrombosis is a common, life-threatening consequence of systemic infection; however, the underlying mechanisms that drive the formation of infection-associated thrombi are poorly understood. Here, using a mouse model of systemic Salmonella Typhimurium infection, we determined that inflammation in tissues triggers thrombosis within vessels via ligation of C-type lectin-like receptor-2 (CLEC-2) on platelets by podoplanin exposed to the vasculature following breaching of the vessel wall. During infection, mice developed thrombi that persisted for weeks within the liver. Bacteria triggered but did not maintain this process, as thrombosis peaked at times when bacteremia was absent and bacteria in tissues were reduced by more than 90% from their peak levels. Thrombus development was triggered by an innate, TLR4-dependent inflammatory cascade that was independent of classical glycoprotein VI-mediated (GPVI-mediated) platelet activation. After infection, IFN-γ release enhanced the number of podoplanin-expressing monocytes and Kupffer cells in the hepatic parenchyma and perivascular sites and absence of TLR4, IFN-γ, or depletion of monocytic-lineage cells or CLEC-2 on platelets markedly inhibited the process. Together, our data indicate that infection-driven thrombosis follows local inflammation and upregulation of podoplanin and platelet activation. The identification of this pathway offers potential therapeutic opportunities to control the devastating consequences of infection-driven thrombosis without increasing the risk of bleeding.

Inflammation-induced formation of fat-associated lymphoid clusters

Fat-associated lymphoid clusters (FALCs) are a type of lymphoid tissue associated with visceral fat. Here we found that the distribution of FALCs was heterogeneous, with the pericardium containing large numbers of these clusters. FALCs contributed to the retention of B-1 cells in the peritoneal cavity through high expression of the chemokine CXCL13, and they supported B cell proliferation and germinal center differentiation during peritoneal immunological challenges. FALC formation was induced by inflammation, which triggered the recruitment of myeloid cells that expressed tumor-necrosis factor (TNF) necessary for signaling via the TNF receptors in stromal cells. Natural killer T cells (NKT cells) restricted by the antigen-presenting molecule CD1d were likewise required for the inducible formation of FALCs. Thus, FALCs supported and coordinated the activation of innate B cells and T cells during serosal immune responses.

Resolving Salmonella infection reveals dynamic and persisting changes in murine bone marrow progenitor cell phenotype and function

The generation of immune cells from BM precursors is a carefully regulated process. This is essential to limit the potential for oncogenesis and autoimmunity yet protect against infection. How infection modulates this is unclear. Salmonella can colonize systemic sites including the BM and spleen. This resolving infection has multiple IFN-γ-mediated acute and chronic effects on BM progenitors, and during the first week of infection IFN-γ is produced by myeloid, NK, NKT, CD4(+) T cells, and some lineage-negative cells. After infection, the phenotype of BM progenitors rapidly but reversibly alters, with a peak ∼ 30-fold increase in Sca-1(hi) progenitors and a corresponding loss of Sca-1(lo/int) subsets. Most strikingly, the capacity of donor Sca-1(hi) cells to reconstitute an irradiated host is reduced; the longer donor mice are exposed to infection, and Sca-1(hi) c-kit(int) cells have an increased potential to generate B1a-like cells. Thus, Salmonella can have a prolonged influence on BM progenitor functionality not directly related to bacterial persistence. These results reflect changes observed in leucopoiesis during aging and suggest that BM functionality can be modulated by life-long, periodic exposure to infection. Better understanding of this process could offer novel therapeutic opportunities to modulate BM functionality and promote healthy aging.

An essential role for medullary thymic epithelial cells during the intrathymic development of invariant NKT cells

In the thymus, interactions with both cortical and medullary microenvironments regulate the development of self-tolerant conventional CD4(+) and CD8(+) αβT cells expressing a wide range of αβTCR specificities. Additionally, the cortex is also required for the development of invariant NKT (iNKT) cells, a specialized subset of T cells that expresses a restricted αβTCR repertoire and is linked to the regulation of innate and adaptive immune responses. Although the role of the cortex in this process is to enable recognition of CD1d molecules expressed by CD4(+)CD8(+) thymocyte precursors, the requirements for additional thymus microenvironments during iNKT cell development are unknown. In this study, we reveal a role for medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) during iNKT cell development in the mouse thymus. This requirement for mTECs correlates with their expression of genes required for IL-15 trans-presentation, and we show that soluble IL-15/IL-15Rα complexes restore iNKT cell development in the absence of mTECs. Furthermore, mTEC development is abnormal in iNKT cell-deficient mice, and early stages in iNKT cell development trigger receptor activator for NF-κB ligand-mediated mTEC development. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that intrathymic iNKT cell development requires stepwise interactions with both the cortex and the medulla, emphasizing the importance of thymus compartmentalization in the generation of both diverse and invariant αβT cells. Moreover, the identification of a novel requirement for iNKT cells in thymus medulla development further highlights the role of both innate and adaptive immune cells in thymus medulla formation.

A diametric role for OX40 in the response of effector/memory CD4+ T cells and regulatory T cells to alloantigen

OX40 is a member of the TNFR superfamily that has potent costimulatory properties. Although the impact of blockade of the OX40-OX40 ligand (OX40L) pathway has been well documented in models of autoimmune disease, its effect on the rejection of allografts is less well defined. In this article, we show that the alloantigen-mediated activation of naive and memory CD4(+) T cells results in the induction of OX40 expression and that blockade of OX40-OX40L interactions prevents skin allograft rejection mediated by either subset of T cells. Moreover, a blocking anti-OX40 had no effect on the activation and proliferation of T cells; rather, effector T cells failed to accumulate in peripheral lymph nodes and subsequently migrate to skin allografts. This was found to be the result of an enhanced degree of cell death among proliferating effector cells. In clear contrast, blockade of OX40-OX40L interactions at the time of exposure to alloantigen enhanced the ability of regulatory T cells to suppress T cell responses to alloantigen by supporting, rather than diminishing, regulatory T cell survival. These data show that OX40-OX40L signaling contributes to the evolution of the adaptive immune response to an allograft via the differential control of alloreactive effector and regulatory T cell survival. Moreover, these data serve to further highlight OX40 and OX40L as therapeutic targets to assist the induction of tolerance to allografts and self-Ags.

Costimulation blockade: current perspectives and implications for therapy

T cells must be activated before they can elicit damage to allografts, through interaction of their T cell receptor (TCR) with peptide-MHC complex and through accessory molecules. Signaling through accessory molecules or costimulatory molecules is a critical way for the immune system to fine tune T cell activation. An emerging therapeutic strategy is to target selective molecules involved in the process of T cell activation using biologic agents, which do not impact TCR signaling, thus only manipulating the T cells, which recognize alloantigen. Costimulatory receptors and their ligands are attractive targets for this strategy and could be used both to prevent acute graft rejection as well as for maintenance immunosuppression. Therapeutic agents targeting costimulatory molecules, notably belatacept, have made the progression from the bench, through nonhuman primate studies and into the clinic. This overview describes some of the most common costimulatory molecules, their role in T cell activation, and the development of reagents, which target these pathways and their efficacy in transplantation.

Selective blockade of herpesvirus entry mediator-B and T lymphocyte attenuator pathway ameliorates acute graft-versus-host reaction

The cosignaling network mediated by the herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM; TNFRSF14) functions as a dual directional system that involves proinflammatory ligand, lymphotoxin that exhibits inducible expression and competes with HSV glycoprotein D for HVEM, a receptor expressed by T lymphocytes (LIGHT; TNFSF14), and the inhibitory Ig family member B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA). To dissect the differential contributions of HVEM/BTLA and HVEM/LIGHT interactions, topographically-specific, competitive, and nonblocking anti-HVEM Abs that inhibit BTLA binding, but not LIGHT, were developed. We demonstrate that a BTLA-specific competitor attenuated the course of acute graft-versus-host reaction in a murine F(1) transfer semiallogeneic model. Selective HVEM/BTLA blockade did not inhibit donor T cell infiltration into graft-versus-host reaction target organs, but decreased the functional activity of the alloreactive T cells. These results highlight the critical role of HVEM/BTLA pathway in the control of the allogeneic immune response and identify a new therapeutic target for transplantation and autoimmune diseases.

Bystander activation of iNKT cells occurs during conventional T-cell alloresponses

It is well established that iNKT cells can be activated by both exogenous and a limited number of endogenous glycolipids. However, although iNKT cells have been implicated in the immune response to transplanted organs, the mechanisms by which iNKT cells are activated in this context remain unknown. Here we demonstrate that iNKT cells are not activated by allogeneic cells per se, but expand, both in vitro and in vivo, in the presence of a concomitant conventional T-cell response to alloantigen. This form of iNKT activation was found to occur independently of TCR-glycolipid/CD1d interactions but rather was a result of sequestration of IL-2 produced by conventional alloreactive T cells. These results show for the first time that IL-2, produced by activated conventional T cells, can activate iNKT cells independently of glycolipid/CD1d recognition. Therefore, we propose that the well-documented involvement of iNKT cells in autoimmunity, the control of cancer as well as following transplantation need not involve recognition of endogenous or exogenous glycolipids but alternatively may be a consequence of specific adaptive immune responses.

Immunology in the Clinic Review Series; focus on host responses: invariant natural killer T cell activation following transplantation

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells have been shown to play a key role in the regulation of immunity in health and disease. However, iNKT cell responses have also been found to influence both rejection and the induction of tolerance following transplantation of allogeneic cells or organs. Although a number of mechanisms have been identified that lead to iNKT cell activation, how iNKT cells are activated following transplantation remains unknown. This review will attempt to identify potential mechanisms of iNKT cell activation in the context of transplantation by applying knowledge garnered from other disease situations. Furthermore, we put forward a novel mechanism of iNKT cell activation which we believe may be the dominant mechanism responsible for iNKT activation in this setting, i.e. bystander activation by interleukin-2 secreted by recently activated conventional T cells.

Th17: contributors to allograft rejection and a barrier to the induction of transplantation tolerance?

T helper (Th) type 17 cells are a recently described CD4 T-cell subset that may contribute to allograft rejection and act as a barrier to the induction of transplant tolerance. This review examines the involvement of Th17 cells in transplant rejection, how immunosuppressive medication may affect their induction and maintenance and the potential plasticity of developing Th17 cells. It also addresses the complex interplay between the Th17 and regulatory T-cell developmental pathways and the susceptibility of Th17 cells to regulation. Despite accumulating evidence, the precise impact of Th17 cells on transplant rejection and the induction of tolerance require further clarification.

Immunologic unresponsiveness to alloantigen in vivo: a role for regulatory T cells

Exposure to alloantigen in vivo or in vitro induces alloantigen reactive regulatory T cells that can control transplant rejection. The mechanisms that underpin the activity of alloantigen reactive regulatory T cells in vivo are common with those of regulatory T cells that prevent autoimmunity. The identification and characterization of regulatory T cells that control rejection and contribute to the induction of immunologic unresponsiveness to alloantigens in vivo has opened up exciting opportunities for new therapies in transplantation. Findings from laboratory studies are informing the design of clinical protocols using regulatory T cells as a cellular therapy.

Regulatory T cells can prevent memory CD8+ T-cell-mediated rejection following polymorphonuclear cell depletion

Accumulating evidence suggests that alloreactive memory T cells (Tm) may form a barrier to tolerance induction in large animals and humans due in part to a resistance to suppression by Treg. However, why Tm are resistant to regulation and how the Tm response to an allograft differs from that of naïve T cells, which are amenable to suppression by Treg, remains unknown. Here, we show that accelerated graft rejection mediated by CD8⁺ Tm was due to the enhanced recruitment of PMN to allografts in a mouse skin allograft model. Importantly, depletion of PMN slowed the kinetics of (but did not prevent) rejection mediated by Tm and created a window of opportunity that allowed subsequent suppression of rejection by Treg. Taken together, we conclude that CD8⁺ Tm are not intrinsically resistant to suppression by Treg but may rapidly inflict substantial graft damage before the establishment of regulatory mechanisms. These data suggest that if Tm responses can be attenuated transiently following transplantation, Treg may be able to maintain tolerance through the suppression of both memory and naïve alloreactive T-cell responses in the long term.

Location and time-dependent control of rejection by regulatory T cells culminates in a failure to generate memory T cells

Adaptive CD25(+)CD4(+) regulatory T cells (Treg) can be induced following exposure to alloantigen and may function alongside naturally occurring Treg to suppress allograft rejection when present in sufficient numbers. However, the location of the Treg as they function in vivo and the mechanisms used to control donor-reactive T cells remains ill-defined. In this study, we used a CD8(+) TCR transgenic model of skin allograft rejection to characterize in vivo activity of donor-reactive Treg cells during induction of transplantation tolerance. We demonstrate that, initially after skin transplantation, Treg attenuate the priming of donor-reactive naive CD8(+) T cells in the lymphoid tissue draining the graft site. However, with time, peripheral suppression is overcome despite the continued presence of Treg, resulting in the priming of donor-reactive CD8(+) T cells and graft infiltration by the resultant effector T cells and induction of a "Tc1-like" intragraft gene expression profile. These intragraft effector CD8(+) T cells are then prevented from eliciting rejection by Treg that simultaneously infiltrate the skin allografts, resulting in a failure to generate donor-reactive memory CD8(+) T cells. Overall, these data demonstrate for the first time that donor-reactive Treg can suppress allograft rejection using distinct mechanisms at different sites in vivo with the overall outcome of preventing the generation of donor-reactive memory T cells.

Allograft rejection mediated by memory T cells is resistant to regulation

Alloreactive memory T cells may be refractory to many of the tolerance-inducing strategies that are effective against naive T cells and thus present a significant barrier to long-term allograft survival. Because CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) are critical elements of many approaches to successful induction/maintenance of transplantation tolerance, we used MHC class I and II alloreactive TCR-transgenic models to explore the ability of antigen-specific Tregs to control antigen-specific memory T cell responses. Upon coadoptive transfer into RAG-1(-/-) mice, we found that Tregs effectively suppressed the ability of naive T cells to reject skin grafts, but neither antigen-unprimed nor antigen-primed Tregs suppressed rejection by memory T cells. Interestingly, different mechanisms appeared to be active in the ability of Tregs to control naive T cell-mediated graft rejection in the class II versus class I alloreactive models. In the former case, we observed decreased early expansion of effector cells in lymphoid tissue. In contrast, in the class I model, an effect of Tregs on early proliferation and expansion was not observed. However, at a late time point, significant differences in cell numbers were seen, suggesting effects on responding T cell survival. Overall, these data indicate that the relative resistance of both CD4(+) and CD8(+) alloreactive memory T cells to regulation may mediate resistance to tolerance induction seen in hosts with preexisting alloantigen-specific immunity and further indicate the multiplicity of mechanisms by which Tregs may control alloimmune responses in vivo.

Natural killer T cells: a bridge to tolerance or a pathway to rejection?

Over the past 20 years, natural killer T (NKT) cells have been shown to play an important role in both innate and adaptive immune responses. In this review, the potential role of NKT cells in transplantation will be discussed, particularly their role in rejection and the induction of a state of tolerance.

The impact of memory T cells on rejection and the induction of tolerance

Accumulating evidence suggests that alloreactive memory T cells (Tm) may be generated in transplant recipients that have not previously been exposed to alloantigen through mechanisms such as cross-reactivity and homeostatic proliferation. The presence of Tm correlates with both acute and chronic rejection episodes and, furthermore, may be responsible for the failure to induce tolerance in large animal and clinical settings. A clearer understanding of how Tm function and their requirements to mount an effective response to alloantigen will be key to further attempts to translate tolerance induction protocols from the experimental setting to the clinic.

Effector and Memory CD8+ T Cells Can Be Generated in Response to Alloantigen Independently of CD4+ T Cell Help

There is now considerable evidence suggesting that CD8(+) T cells are able to generate effector but not functional memory T cells following pathogenic infections in the absence of CD4(+) T cells. We show that following transplantation of allogeneic skin, in the absence of CD4(+) T cells, CD8(+) T cells become activated, proliferate, and expand exclusively in the draining lymph nodes and are able to infiltrate and reject skin allografts. CD44(+)CD8(+) T cells isolated 100 days after transplantation rapidly produce IFN-gamma following restimulation with alloantigen in vitro. In vivo CD44(+)CD8(+) T cells rejected donor-type skin allografts more rapidly than naive CD8(+) T cells demonstrating the ability of these putative memory T cells to mount an effective recall response in vivo. These data form the first direct demonstration that CD8(+) T cells are able to generate memory as well as effector cells in response to alloantigen during rejection in the complete absence of CD4(+) T cells. These data have important implications for the design of therapies to combat rejection and serve to reinforce the view that CD8(+) T cell responses to allografts require manipulation in addition to CD4(+) T cell responses to completely prevent the rejection of foreign organ transplants.

Dependency of direct pathway CD4+ T cells on CD40-CD154 costimulation is determined by nature and microenvironment of primary contact with alloantigen

Blockade of the CD40-CD154 costimulatory pathway can inhibit CD4(+) T cell-mediated alloimmune responses. The aim of this study was to define the in vivo requirement for CD40-CD154 costimulation by CD4(+) T cells that respond to alloantigen following direct recognition. We used TCR-transgenic CD4(+) T cells that are reactive to the MHC class II alloantigen, H2A(s). An experimental in vivo model was established that allowed direct comparison of the fate of a trace population of H2A(s)-reactive CD4(+) T cells when challenged with different forms of H2A(s+) alloantigen under conditions of CD40-CD154 costimulation blockade. In this study, we demonstrate that an i.v. infusion of H2A(s+) leukocytes in combination with anti-CD154 therapy rapidly deletes H2A(s)-reactive CD4(+) T cells. In contrast, following transplantation of an H2A(s+) cardiac allograft, H2A(s)-reactive CD4(+) T cell responses were unaffected by blocking CD40-CD154 interactions. Consistent with these findings, combined treatment with donor leukocytes and anti-CD154 therapy was found to be more effective in prolonging the survival of cardiac allografts compared with CD154 mAb treatment alone. The dominant mechanism by which donor leukocyte infusion and anti-CD154 therapy facilitate allograft acceptance is deletion of donor-reactive direct pathway T cells. No evidence for the generation of regulatory cells by this combined therapy was found. Taken together, these results clearly demonstrate that naive alloreactive CD4(+) T cells have distinct requirements for CD40-CD154 costimulation depending on the form and microenvironment of primary alloantigen contact.

Cutting edge: CD4+CD25+ alloantigen-specific immunoregulatory cells that can prevent CD8+ T cell-mediated graft rejection: implications for anti-CD154 immunotherapy

Blockade of CD40-CD154 interactions can facilitate long-term allograft acceptance in selected rodent and in primate models, but, due to the ability of CD154-independent CD8(+) T cells to initiate graft rejection, this strategy is not always effective. In this work we demonstrate that blockade of the CD40-CD154 pathway at the time of transplantation enables the generation of donor alloantigen-specific CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells, and that if the regulatory cells are present in sufficient numbers they can suppress allograft rejection mediated by CD154-independent CD8(+) T cells.

Impact of both donor and recipient strains on cardiac allograft survival after blockade of the CD40-CD154 costimulatory pathway

BACKGROUND

The effectiveness of anti-CD154 monoclonal antibodies in prolonging the survival of mouse allografts is dependent on the strain combination. In this report, we examined the impact of the donor and the recipient strains on the success of CD40-CD154 blockade.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cardiac allograft survival was monitored in different donor/recipient strain combinations. Morphometric analyses on the allograft coronary arteries allowed quantification of vessel intimal thickening.

RESULTS

Prolonged cardiac allograft survival after the administration of an anti-CD154 monoclonal antibody was found to be dependent on the donor and the recipient strains. The influence of the donor and the recipient strains lay in the ability of CD8 T cells to cause graft rejection despite CD40-CD154 blockade. Elimination of CD8 T cells before transplantation resulted in similar graft prolongation irrespective of the genotype of the donor or the recipient strain.

CONCLUSION

These data show that both donor and recipient strains contribute to CD40-CD154-independent CD8 T-cell-mediated rejection.

Alloantigen-induced specific immunological unresponsiveness

When the immune system encounters alloantigen it can respond in any one of a number of different ways. The choice that is made will take into account factors such as where, when and how the contact with the alloantigen takes place, as well as the environmental conditions that prevail at the time the alloantigen is encountered. Alloantigen administration before transplantation either alone or in combination with therapeutic agents that modulate the functional activity of the responding leucocytes can be a powerful way of inducing specific unresponsiveness to alloantigens in vivo. The molecular mechanisms that influence the way the outcome of the immune response to alloantigen develops, either activation or unresponsiveness to the triggering antigen, hold the key to our ability to manipulate the immune system effectively by exposing it to donor antigen for therapeutic purposes. This review will focus on alloantigen-induced immunological unresponsiveness and how insights into the mechanisms of unresponsiveness have driven the development of novel tolerance-induction strategies that show promise for translation into the clinic in the future.

Differential susceptibility of heart, skin, and islet allografts to T cell-mediated rejection

Although it is widely accepted that there is a hierarchy in the susceptibility of different allografts to rejection, the mechanisms responsible are unknown. We show that the increased susceptibility of H-2K(b+) skin and islet allografts to rejection is not based on their ability to activate more H-2K(b)-specific T cells in vivo; heart allografts stimulate the activation and proliferation of many more H-2K(b)-specific T cells than either skin or islet allografts. Rejection of all three types of graft generate memory cells by 25 days posttransplant. These data provide evidence that neither tissue-specific Ags nor, surprisingly, the number of APCs carried in the graft dictate their susceptibility to T cell-mediated rejection and suggest that the graft microenvironment and size may play a more important role in determining the susceptibility of an allograft to rejection and resistance to tolerance induction.

Cell science and protein crystal growth research for the International Space Station

The recent National Research Council report, Future Biotechnology Research on the International Space Station, evaluates NASA's plans for research in cell science and protein crystal growth to be conducted on the International Space Station. This report concludes that the NASA biotechnology programs have the potential to significantly impact relevant scientific fields and to increase understanding and insight into fundamental biological issues. In order to realize the potential impacts, NASA must focus its research programs by selecting specific questions related to gravitational forces' role in cell behavior and by using the microgravity environment as a tool to determine the structure of macromolecules with important biological implications. Given the time and volume constraints associated with space-based experiments, instrumentation to be used on the space station must be designed to maximize the productivity of researchers, and NASA's recruitment of investigators and support for space station experiments should aim to encourage and facilitate cutting-edge research.

CD40-CD40 ligand-independent activation of CD8+ T cells can trigger allograft rejection

In experimental transplantation, blockade of CD40-CD40 ligand (CD40L) interactions has proved effective at permitting long-term graft survival and has recently been approved for clinical evaluation. We show that CD4+ T cell-mediated rejection is prevented by anti-CD40L mAb therapy but that CD8+ T cells remain fully functional. Furthermore, blocking CD40L interactions has no effect on CD8+ T cell activation, proliferation, differentiation, homing to the target allograft, or cytokine production. We conclude that CD40L is not an important costimulatory molecule for CD8+ T cell activation and that following transplantation donor APC can activate recipient CD8+ T cells directly without first being primed by CD4+ T cells.

Evidence that non-deletional mechanisms are responsible for inducing and maintaining unresponsiveness after intrathymic injection of non-professional antigen presenting cells

INTRODUCTION

Intrathymic inoculation of donor alloantigen and concomitant immunosuppressive treatment can induce immune unresponsiveness to alloantigen. To examine the role of non-deletional mechanisms in the development of unresponsiveness, fractionated splenocytes were injected into only 1 lobe of the thymus.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Untreated CBA (H2(k)) mice or controls pre-treated with anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody alone (on Day -28 and -27 relative to transplantation) acutely rejected C57BL/10 (H2(b)) cardiac allografts. Intrathymic inoculation of unfractionated splenocytes, resting B (rB) cells, or dendritic cells into both thymic lobes with the antibody resulted in indefinite survival of cardiac allografts. In contrast, when donor rB cells or dendritic cells were delivered into a single lobe of the thymus with the antibody, only rB cells induced indefinite prolongation of graft survival; unfractionated splenocytes or dendritic cells were markedly less effective. Mice that had 1 of the 2 thymic lobes removed were able to reject grafts even when treated with the antibody 27 days before transplantation. Therefore, T-cell export from 1 thymic lobe was sufficient to induce graft rejection. Finally, adoptive transfer of splenocytes from mice with long-term surviving primary grafts resulting from the intrathymic injection of rB cells significantly prolonged a graft from the same donor strain in a naive syngeneic recipient.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, these data suggest that regulatory mechanisms generated by intrathymic injection of a non-professional antigen presenting cell, in this study donor rB cells, suppressed the rejection response mediated by T cells exported from the uninjected lobe.

Visualization of the in vivo generation of donor antigen-specific effector CD8+ T cells during mouse cardiac allograft rejection: in vivo effector CD8+ T cell generation during allograft rejection

BACKGROUND

An adoptive transfer system was used to study the fate of alloreactive CD8+ H-2Kb-specific TCR transgenic (DES+) T cells in vivo after transplantation.

METHODS

A trace population of 2.0x10(6) CD8+DES+ T cells were adoptively transferred into syngeneic CBA.Ca (H-2k) mice 24 hr before transplantation of an H-2Kb+ or H-2Kb- cardiac allograft.

RESULTS

H-2Kb specific T cells proliferated and produced interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma in response to H-2Kb+, but not H-2Kb- cardiac allografts. CD8+DES+ T cells that infiltrated the H-2Kb+ cardiac allografts developed a distinct cell surface and cytokine phenotype compared with the CD8+DES+ T cells that remained in the periphery. H-2Kb-specific graft infiltrating T cells (a) underwent a larger number of cell divisions (> =3), (b) increased in size, (c) up-regulated CD69, and (d) down-regulated CD62L.

CONCLUSIONS

These results demonstrate that alloantigen-specific T cells can be monitored in vivo during the immune response to an allograft and that the fate of CD8+ T cells specific for the allogeneic class I molecules expressed by the graft is different between cells in the periphery and those that infiltrate the graft.

The visualization of T cell responses

Transplanting allogeneic grafts is still significantly hampered by the rejection process, despite the use of powerful immunosuppressive agents. The T cell is recognized as playing a central role in the process of rejection, and it is believed that graft tolerance will ultimately be achieved by immunological manipulation of this cell (1, 2). As immunologists strive to define the role of the T cell in the fundamental processes of immunity and tolerance, new methods are emerging that will facilitate visualization of the T cells directly involved in the rejection response (3, 4). This overview addresses the visualization of T cell responses as made possible by these technological developments.

T-cell activation, proliferation, and memory after cardiac transplantation in vivo

OBJECTIVE

To study the response of alloantigen (H2Kb)-specific T cells to a H2b+ cardiac allograft in vivo.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

The response of T cells to alloantigen has been well characterized in vitro but has proved more difficult to assess in vivo. The aim of these experiments was to develop a model of T-cell-mediated rejection where the response of T cells after transplantation of a cardiac allograft could be followed in vivo.

METHODS

Purified CD8+ T cells from H2Kb-specific TCR transgenic mice (BM3; H2k) were adoptively transferred into thymectomized, T-cell-depleted CBA/Ca (H2k) mice. These mice were then transplanted with a H2Kb+ cardiac allograft. Using four-color flow cytometry, the proliferative response, modulation of activation markers, and potential cytokine production of the H2Kb-specific T cells was assessed after transplantation.

RESULTS

Consistent rejection of H2Kb+ cardiac allografts required the transfer of at least 6 x 10(6) CD8+ H2Kb-specific T cells. Short-term analyses revealed that the transgenic-TCR+/ CD8+ T cells proliferated and became activated after transplantation of an H2Kb+ cardiac allograft. Fifty days after transplantation, the transgenic-TCR+/CD8+ T cells remained readily detectable, bore a predominantly memory phenotype (CD44hi), and rapidly produced interleukin 2 and interferon-gamma on in vitro restimulation.

CONCLUSIONS

These data show that the activation of alloantigen-specific T cells can be followed in vivo in short-term and long-term experiments, thereby providing a unique opportunity to study the mechanisms by which T cells respond to allografts in vivo.

The induction of transplantation tolerance by intrathymic (i.t.) delivery of alloantigen: a critical relationship between i.t. deletion, thymic export of new T cells and the timing of transplantation

Intrathymic (i.t.) injection of donor alloantigens has proved to be an effective strategy for the induction of tolerance. However, the mechanisms by which tolerance is induced and maintained after transplantation remain unclear. In this report we show that tolerance to donor cardiac allografts can be induced across a MHC class I difference by i.t. injection of donor splenocytes and transient T cell depletion. Furthermore, using H-2K(b)-specific TCR transgenic mice (BM3), we demonstrate that prolonged deletion of donor-reactive thymocytes was essential to induce tolerance by i.t. injection and this was dependent upon donor cells persisting in the thymus. Examination of the kinetics of thymic export following i.t. injection revealed that prolonged deletion of thymocytes was required to delay export of new T cells to the periphery until the time of transplantation. Importantly, after transplantation donor cell persistence in the thymus and i.t. deletion were no longer necessary to maintain tolerance. The graft itself or cells from the graft was responsible for maintaining tolerance at this stage. These findings reveal that multiple mechanisms are responsible for the induction and maintenance phases of tolerance to alloantigens in vivo after i.t. delivery, and that a complex inter-relationship between donor cell persistence in the thymus, i.t. deletion, thymic export of T cells and the timing of transplantation is involved.

Intrathymic administration of B cells induces prolonged survival of fully allogeneic cardiac grafts without prolonged deletion of donor-specific thymocytes

Intrathymic (IT) injection of alloantigen has been shown to induce unresponsiveness to allografts although the exact mechanisms of tolerance induction remains unclear. C57BL/10 (H2b) cardiac allografts were accepted in C3H/He (H2k) mice pretreated with IT inoculation of donor splenocytes (1 x 10(6)) in combination with a depleting anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody 27 days before cardiac transplantation. To investigate which cell types were responsible for tolerance induction by IT injection of alloantigen, resting B (rB) cells or dendritic cells were used as the thymic inoculum instead of whole splenocytes. IT injection of rB cells induced indefinite graft prolongation in all recipients while only 20% of mice that had received IT injection of dendritic cells accepted grafts for over 100 days. In contrast, IT injection of dendritic cells resulted in significant deletion of donor-specific thymocytes whereas rB cells were relatively ineffective. IT deletion is not essential for the induction of tolerance by IT injection of rB cells; nondeletional mechanisms can be involved.

Potassium tetracyanoplatinate (II) trihydrate (K2Pt(CN)4 x 3H2O) studied by high resolution solid state 13C MAS NMR

Prudent analysis of the solid state 13C MAS NMR spectra of polycrystalline K2Pt(CN)4 x 3H2O (KTCP)- reveals that in crystals of this compound there are two types of carbon nuclei with slightly different 13C chemical shift tensors, contrary to what is found for the solution NMR spectrum and previous static powder NMR studies on this compound and the high resolution solid state NMR studies on other similar compounds. The 13C MAS spectra measured at different rotor spinning speeds are satisfactorily simulated though the use of a newly developed computer program based on a novel density matrix formulation. The present method is eminently successful even though the spectra are rather complicated because of (1) the relatively large anisotropies of the chemical shift tensors; (2) the high-order dipolar interactions between 13C and 14N nuclei because of the strong quadrupolar coupling constants of 14N nuclei; and (3) the indirect J-coupling between the 13C and 195Pt. The principal elements as well as their orientations of the two 13C chemical shift tensors are evaluated from the spectral simulations.

Deletion of alloantigen-reactive thymocytes as a mechanism of adult tolerance induction following intrathymic antigen administration

Direct injection of foreign antigen into the adult thymus is a potent route of antigen delivery for the induction of tolerance in vivo. In this report, we demonstrate that tolerance to C57BL/10 (H2b/BL10) alloantigens can be induced in CBA/Ca (H2k/CBA) mice by intrathymic (IT) administration of BL10 spleen leukocytes coincident with transient peripheral immunomodulation of CD4+ T cells using a depleting anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody. T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic mice (BM3.6; H2k) expressing a CD8-independent TCR specific for H2Kb were used as recipients to facilitate investigation of the mechanisms responsible for tolerance induction by allowing visualization of events in the thymus following IT injection. IT administration of 5 x 10(7) BL10 spleen leukocytes and concomitant transient peripheral T cell depletion in BM3.6 mice resulted in a substantial H2Kb-specific deletion of transgenic-TCR+ (tg-TCR) thymocytes which was dependent on the level of tg-TCR expression. IT deletion and the failure to export CD8+ T cells to the peripheral lymphoid organs correlated with the induction of tolerance to H2Kb; TCR transgenic mice that had received IT injection of BL10 splenocytes and peripheral T cell depletion accepted a H2Kb+ cardiac allograft indefinitely. Analysis of tolerant BM3.6 mice revealed that there were low numbers of CD8+ T cells in the periphery giving rise to a substantially reduced reactivity in vitro despite the fact that no donor cells or IT deletion were observed in the thymi of the majority of tolerant mice. These results demonstrate for the first time that IT injection of foreign alloantigen into an adult thymus results in the deletion of thymocytes expressing a TCR specific for the injected alloantigen and suggest that this is an important mechanism of tolerance induction following IT injection of alloantigen in vivo. Furthermore, analysis of tolerant TCR-transgenic mice suggests that IT deletion is not required for the maintenance of tolerance, and that peripheral mechanisms enforce continued hyporesponsiveness to H2Kb following transplantation.

Indole inhibitors of human nonpancreatic secretory phospholipase A2. 3. Indole-3-glyoxamides

The preceding papers of this series detail the development of functionalized indole-3-acetamides as inhibitors of hnps-PLA2. We describe here the extension of the structure-activity relationship to include a series of indole-3-glyoxamide derivatives. Functionalized indole-3-glyoxamides with an acidic substituent appended to the 4- or 5-position of the indole ring were prepared and tested as inhibitors of hnps-PLA2. It was found that the indole-3-glyoxamides with a 4-oxyacetic acid substituent had optimal inhibitory activity. These inhibitors exhibited an improvement in potency over the best of the indole-3-acetamides, and LY315920 (6m) was selected for evaluation clinically as an hnps-PLA2 inhibitor.

Indole inhibitors of human nonpancreatic secretory phospholipase A2. 1. Indole-3-acetamides

Phospholipases (PLAs) produce rate-limiting precursors in the biosynthesis of various types of biologically active lipids involved in inflammatory processes. Increased levels of human nonpancreatic secretory phospholipase A2 (hnps-PLA2) have been detected in several pathological conditions. An inhibitor of this enzyme could have therapeutic utility. A broad screening program was carried out to identify chemical structures which could inhibit hnps-PLA2. One of the lead compounds generated by the screening program was 5-methoxy-2-methyl-1-(phenylmethyl)-1H-indole-3-acetic acid (13a). We describe the syntheses, structure--activity relationships, and pharmacological activities of a series of indole-3-acetamides and related compounds derived from this lead. This SAR was undertaken with the aid of X-ray crystal structures of complexes between the inhibitors and hnps-PLA2 which were of great value in directing the SAR.

Indole inhibitors of human nonpancreatic secretory phospholipase A2. 2. Indole-3-acetamides with additional functionality

As reported in our previous paper, a series of indole-3-acetamides which possessed potency and selectivity as inhibitors of human nonpancreatic secretory phospholipase A2(hnps-PLA2) was developed. The design of these compounds was based on information derived from x-ray crystal structures determined for complexes between the enzyme and its inhibitors. We describe here the further implementation of this structure-based design strategy and continued SAR development to produce indole-3-acetamides with additional functionalities which provide increased interaction with important residues within the enzyme active site. These efforts led to inhibitors with substantially enhanced potency and selectivity.

Ab initio quantum mechanical and X-ray crystallographic studies of gemcitabine and 2'-deoxy cytosine

Gemcitabine 2',2'-difluoro 2'-deoxy cytosine (GEM) is a novel nucleoside which has demonstrated broad preclinical anti-cancer activity and appears promising in early stage human clinical trials. One purpose of this study was to characterize the energetically favored conformational modes of GEM by means of ab initio quantum mechanical studies with comparison to a novel X-ray crystallographic structure, and to determine the performance of ab initio quantum mechanical theory by comparison with X-ray structural data for GEM and 2'-deoxy cytosine (CYT). Another objective of this study was to attempt to determine key structural and electronic atomic interactions relating to the 2',2'-difluoro substitution in GEM by the application of ab initio quantum mechanical methods. To our knowledge, these are the first reported ab initio quantum mechanical geometry optimizations of nucleosides using large (e.g. 6-31G*) slit valence function basis sets. The development of accurate physicochemical models on a small scale enables us to extend our studies of GEM to more complex studies including DNA incorporation, deamination, ribonucleotide reductase inhibition, and triphosphorylation.

A family of arginal thrombin inhibitors related to efegatran

Three new tripeptide arginal thrombin inhibitors were shown to have potent anticoagulant and antithrombotic activity: D-MePhg-Pro-Arg-H (LY287045), D-1-Tiq-Pro-Arg-H (LY294291), and D-MePhe-Pro-Arg-H (Efegatran). Efegatran and the related arginals differ mechanistically from old and from new anticoagulant agents. As illustrated with x-ray diffraction analysis of crystals of the LY294291 complex with human thrombin, the family of arginals binds thrombin with the P3, P2, and P1 residues interacting with the putative S3, S2, and S1 fibrinogen-binding sites. A hemi-acetal bond at Ser 195 was shown to contribute to the tight-binding reversible competitive thrombin inhibition properties observed with the arginal family. Tight-binding Kass values from thrombin inhibition studies correlated with thrombin clottin inhibition potency. The thrombin time (TT) assay was prolonged twofold with 33 nM Efegatran, which demonstrated an apparent Kass value of 0.8 x 10(8) L/mol (for comparison, 17 nM hirudin was required to prolong the TT assay two-fold). There are empirical anticoagulant selectivity differences between Efegatran and hirudin, manifested by large activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT)/TT effect ratios (30 to 55) found with the arginals, as compared to the small aPTT/TT effect ratio (2 to 3) found with hirudin. The underlying anticoagulant mechanism differences between the arginals and hirudin appear to be confined to the aPTT pathway and, therefore, might involve different effects toward thrombin feedback activation of factor VIII. The arginals did not substantially inhibit other coagulation factor serine proteases. Antithrombotic effects of Efegatran and the arginal family occur at low infusion doses in dogs and appear to correlate with effects on TT without requiring perturbation of the aPTT. Selectivity properties regarding the fibrinolytic enzymes were shown to be important for successful use of the arginals in vivo as adjunctive agents during tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) thrombolysis. The data suggest that LY287045, LY294291, and Efegatran should be expected to be useful as antithrombotic adjuncts to thrombolytic therapy with t-PA, urokinase, or streptokinase and should be expected to spare endogenous fibrinolysis. Efegatran has been evaluated in phase I clinical studies and is currently under clinical investigation in phase II protocols as a new cardiovascular anticoagulant.

The N-terminal end of the CH2 domain of chimeric human IgG1 anti-HLA-DR is necessary for C1q, Fc gamma RI and Fc gamma RIII binding

We have found that amino acid residues necessary for C1q and Fc gamma R binding of human IgG1 are located in the N-terminal region of the CH2 domain, residues 231-238, using a matched set of engineered antibodies based on the anti-HLA-DR antibody L243. Changing the leucine 235 in the CH2 region of IgG3 and IgG4 to glutamic acid was already known to abolish Fc gamma RI binding. We have confirmed this for IgG1 and also found a concomitant abolition of human complement lysis with retention of Fc gamma RIII-mediated function. Changing the glycine at 237 to alanine of IgG1 also abolished Fc gamma RI binding and reduced human complement lysis and Fc gamma RIII-mediated function. Exchanging the whole region 233-236 with the sequence found in human IgG2, abolished Fc gamma RI binding and human complement lysis and reduced Fc gamma RIII-mediated function of IgG1. In contrast, a change in the previously described C1q-binding motif, from lysine at 320 to alanine, had no effect on IgG1-mediated complement lysis.

Structure-based design of the first potent and selective inhibitor of human non-pancreatic secretory phospholipase A2

A lead compound obtained from a high volume human non-pancreatic secretory phospholipase A2 (hnps-PLA2) screen has been developed into a potent inhibitor using detailed structural knowledge of inhibitor binding to the enzyme active site. Four crystal structures of hnps-PLA2 complexed with a series of increasingly potent indole inhibitors were determined and used as the structural basis for both understanding this binding and providing valuable insights for further development. The application of structure-based drug design has made possible improvements in the binding of this screening lead to the enzyme by nearly three orders of magnitude. Furthermore, the optimized structure (LY311727) displayed 1,500-fold selectivity when assayed against porcine pancreatic s-PLA2.

NMDA antagonist activity of (+/-)-(2SR,4RS)-4-(1H-tetrazol-5-ylmethyl)piperidine-2-carboxylic acid resides with the (-)-2R,4S-isomer

The tetrazole-substituted amino acid (+/-)-(2SR,4RS)-4-(1H-tetrazol-5-ylmethyl)pip eri dine-2-carboxylic acid (LY233053, (+/-)-1) was resolved into its constituent enantiomers by treatment of a key intermediate in the synthesis of the racemic amino acid, ethyl (+/-)-cis-4-(cyanomethyl)-N-allylpiperidine-2-carboxylate, with either 2S,3S- or 2R,3R-di-p-toluoyltartaric acid. These resolved amines were then converted as for the racemate to the amino acids (-)-1 and (+)-1. The activity of this potent and selective NMDA antagonist was found to reside with the (-)-isomer of 1 (LY235723). X-ray crystallographic analysis of the 2S,3S-di-p-toluoyltartaric acid salt of ethyl cis-4-(cyanomethyl)-N-allylpiperidine-2-carboxylate showed that the resolved amine, and thus (-)-1, possessed the 2R,4S absolute stereochemistry. Affinity for the NMDA receptor was determined using the specific radioligand [3H]-(2SR,4RS)-4-(phosphonomethyl)piperidine-2-carboxylic acid ([3H]CGS 19755; IC50 = 67 +/- 6 nM), and selective NMDA antagonist activity was determined using a cortical slice preparation (IC50 versus 40 microM NMDA = 1.9 +/- 0.24 microM). This compound also demonstrated potent NMDA antagonist activity in vivo following systemic administration through its ability to block NMDA-induced convulsions in neonatal rats, NMDA-induced lethality in mice, and NMDA-induced striatal neuronal degeneration in rats.