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Chatterjee B, Deng Y, Holler A, Nunez N, Azzi T, Vanoaica LD, Müller A, Zdimerova H, Antsiferova O, Zbinden A, Capaul R, Dreyer JH, Nadal D, Becher B, Robinson MD, Stauss H, Münz C. CD8+ T cells retain protective functions despite sustained inhibitory receptor expression during Epstein-Barr virus infection in vivo. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007748. [PMID: 31145756 PMCID: PMC6542544 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Epstein Barr virus (EBV) is one of the most ubiquitous human pathogens in the world, persistently infecting more than 90% of the adult human population. It drives some of the strongest human CD8+ T cell responses, which can be observed during symptomatic primary infection known as infectious mononucleosis (IM). Despite high viral loads and prolonged CD8+ T cell stimulation during IM, EBV enters latency and is under lifelong immune control in most individuals that experience this disease. We investigated whether changes in T cell function, as frequently characterized by PD-1 up-regulation, occur during IM due to the prolonged exposure to high antigen levels. We readily detected the expansion of PD-1 positive CD8+ T cells together with high frequencies of Tim-3, 2B4, and KLRG1 expression during IM and in mice with reconstituted human immune system components (huNSG mice) that had been infected with a high dose of EBV. These PD-1 positive CD8+ T cells, however, retained proliferation, cytokine production, and cytotoxic abilities. Multiple subsets of CD8+ T cells expanded during EBV infection, including PD-1+Tim-3+KLRG1+ cells that express CXCR5 and TCF-1 germinal center homing and memory markers, and may also contain BATF3. Moreover, blocking the PD-1 axis compromised EBV specific immune control and resulted in virus-associated lymphomagenesis. Finally, PD-1+, Tim-3+, and KLRG1+ CD8+ T cell expansion coincided with declining viral loads during low dose EBV infection. These findings suggest that EBV infection primes PD-1 positive CD8+ T cell populations that rely on this receptor axis for the efficient immune control of this ubiquitous human tumor virus. Since its discovery as a tumor virus by Epstein and colleagues in 1964, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been implicated in many serious diseases, including infectious mononucleosis, Burkitt’s lymphoma, and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease. Currently, in vivo studies are lacking to understand the comprehensive immune control of EBV in most healthy virus carriers, and, in particular, the characteristics of the CD8+ T cells involved in this process. We find that even though CD8+ T cells express multiple inhibitory receptors including PD-1 during primary EBV infection, they appear to retain an ability to produce cytokines, to kill infected cells, and to proliferate. Importantly, blocking the PD-1 pathway leads to defects in EBV-specific control and increased virus-induced tumor formation, indicating that this axis is important for viral control. This is in contrast to previous studies where releasing an inhibitory block is important for reinvigorating immune responses against cancer. Because PD-1 function is required to keep EBV in check, this study provides evidence against blocking co-inhibitory pathways in disease settings that require improved immune control of chronic virus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bithi Chatterjee
- Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yun Deng
- Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Angelika Holler
- Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, Royal Free Campus, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Nicolas Nunez
- Inflammation Research, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tarik Azzi
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Children’s Research Center, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Anne Müller
- Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hana Zdimerova
- Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Olga Antsiferova
- Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Zbinden
- Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Riccarda Capaul
- Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - David Nadal
- Inflammation Research, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Burkhard Becher
- Inflammation Research, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mark D. Robinson
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hans Stauss
- Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, Royal Free Campus, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Christian Münz
- Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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Antsiferova O, Müller A, Rämer PC, Chijioke O, Chatterjee B, Raykova A, Planas R, Sospedra M, Shumilov A, Tsai MH, Delecluse HJ, Münz C. Adoptive transfer of EBV specific CD8+ T cell clones can transiently control EBV infection in humanized mice. PLoS Pathog 2014; 10:e1004333. [PMID: 25165855 PMCID: PMC4148450 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2014] [Accepted: 07/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Epstein Barr virus (EBV) infection expands CD8+ T cells specific for lytic antigens to high frequencies during symptomatic primary infection, and maintains these at significant numbers during persistence. Despite this, the protective function of these lytic EBV antigen-specific cytotoxic CD8+ T cells remains unclear. Here we demonstrate that lytic EBV replication does not significantly contribute to virus-induced B cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo in a mouse model with reconstituted human immune system components (huNSG mice). However, we report a trend to reduction of EBV-induced lymphoproliferation outside of lymphoid organs upon diminished lytic replication. Moreover, we could demonstrate that CD8+ T cells against the lytic EBV antigen BMLF1 can eliminate lytically replicating EBV-transformed B cells from lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) and in vivo, thereby transiently controlling high viremia after adoptive transfer into EBV infected huNSG mice. These findings suggest a protective function for lytic EBV antigen-specific CD8+ T cells against EBV infection and against virus-associated tumors in extra-lymphoid organs. These specificities should be explored for EBV-specific vaccine development. Epstein Barr virus persistently infects more than 90% of the human adult population. While fortunately carried as an asymptomatic chronic infection in most individuals, it causes B cell lymphomas and carcinomas in some patients. Symptomatic primary EBV infection, called infectious mononucleosis, predisposes for some of these malignancies and is characterized by massive expansions of cytotoxic T cells, which are mostly directed against lytic EBV antigens that are expressed during virus particle production. Therefore, we investigated the protective role of lytic EBV antigen specific T cells during EBV infection and the contribution of lytic EBV infection to virus-associated tumor formation. We found that lytic EBV antigen specific T cells kill B cells with lytic virus replication and might thereby transiently control EBV infection in mice with human immune system components. Furthermore, we observed that EBV associated B cell tumors outside secondary lymphoid organs may require lytic replication for efficient formation. Thus, we suggest that lytic EBV antigens should be explored for vaccination against symptomatic EBV infection and EBV associated extra-lymphoid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Antsiferova
- Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Anne Müller
- Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Patrick C. Rämer
- Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Obinna Chijioke
- Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Bithi Chatterjee
- Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ana Raykova
- Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Raquel Planas
- Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Mireia Sospedra
- Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Anatoliy Shumilov
- Division of Pathogenesis of Virus Associated Tumors, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ming-Han Tsai
- Division of Pathogenesis of Virus Associated Tumors, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Henri-Jacques Delecluse
- Division of Pathogenesis of Virus Associated Tumors, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Münz
- Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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Chijioke O, Müller A, Feederle R, Barros MHM, Krieg C, Emmel V, Marcenaro E, Leung CS, Antsiferova O, Landtwing V, Bossart W, Moretta A, Hassan R, Boyman O, Niedobitek G, Delecluse HJ, Capaul R, Münz C. Human natural killer cells prevent infectious mononucleosis features by targeting lytic Epstein-Barr virus infection. Cell Rep 2013; 5:1489-98. [PMID: 24360958 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2013.11.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2013] [Revised: 09/17/2013] [Accepted: 11/25/2013] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary infection with the human oncogenic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can result in infectious mononucleosis (IM), a self-limiting disease caused by massive lymphocyte expansion that predisposes for the development of distinct EBV-associated lymphomas. Why some individuals experience this symptomatic primary EBV infection, whereas the majority acquires the virus asymptomatically, remains unclear. Using a mouse model with reconstituted human immune system components, we show that depletion of human natural killer (NK) cells enhances IM symptoms and promotes EBV-associated tumorigenesis mainly because of a loss of immune control over lytic EBV infection. These data suggest that failure of innate immune control by human NK cells augments symptomatic lytic EBV infection, which drives lymphocyte expansion and predisposes for EBV-associated malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Obinna Chijioke
- Department of Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Anne Müller
- Department of Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Carsten Krieg
- Laboratory of Applied Immunobiology, University of Zürich, 8006 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Vanessa Emmel
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, Instituto Nacional de Cancer (INCA), 20231-130 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Emanuela Marcenaro
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Genova, 16147 Genova, Italy; Centro di Eccellenza per le Ricerche Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Genova, 16147 Genova, Italy
| | - Carol S Leung
- Department of Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Olga Antsiferova
- Department of Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Vanessa Landtwing
- Department of Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Walter Bossart
- Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zürich, 8006 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Alessandro Moretta
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Genova, 16147 Genova, Italy; Centro di Eccellenza per le Ricerche Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Genova, 16147 Genova, Italy
| | - Rocio Hassan
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, Instituto Nacional de Cancer (INCA), 20231-130 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Onur Boyman
- Laboratory of Applied Immunobiology, University of Zürich, 8006 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Gerald Niedobitek
- Institute for Pathology, Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin, 12683 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Riccarda Capaul
- Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zürich, 8006 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Münz
- Department of Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
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Bonaccorsi I, Morandi B, Antsiferova O, Costa G, Oliveri D, Conte R, Pezzino G, Vermiglio G, Anastasi GP, Navarra G, Münz C, Di Carlo E, Mingari MC, Ferlazzo G. Membrane transfer from tumor cells overcomes deficient phagocytic ability of plasmacytoid dendritic cells for the acquisition and presentation of tumor antigens. J Immunol 2013; 192:824-32. [PMID: 24337377 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1301039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The potential contribution of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in the presentation of tumor cell Ags remains unclear, and some controversies exist with regard to the ability of pDCs to phagocytose cell-derived particulate Ags and cross-present them to MHC class I-restricted T lymphocytes. In this study, we show that human pDCs, although inefficient in the internalization of cell membrane fragments by phagocytosis, can efficiently acquire membrane patches and associated molecules from cancer cells of different histotypes. The transfer of membrane patches to pDCs occurred in a very short time and required cell-to-cell contact. Membrane transfer also included intact HLA complexes, and the acquired Ags could be efficiently recognized on pDCs by tumor-specific CD8(+) T cells. Remarkably, pDCs isolated from human colon cancer tissues displayed a strong surface expression of epithelial cell adhesion molecule, indicating that the exchange of exogenous Ags between pDCs and tumor cells also can occur in vivo. These data demonstrate that pDCs are well suited to acquire membrane patches from contiguous tumor cells by a cell-to-cell contact-dependent mechanism that closely resembles "trogocytosis." This phenomenon may allow pDCs to proficiently present tumor cell-derived Ags, despite limited properties of endophagocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Bonaccorsi
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biotherapy, Department of Human Pathology, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
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Leung C, Chijioke O, Gujer C, Chatterjee B, Antsiferova O, Landtwing V, McHugh D, Raykova A, Münz C. Infectious diseases in humanized mice. Eur J Immunol 2013; 43:2246-54. [PMID: 23913412 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201343815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2013] [Revised: 07/23/2013] [Accepted: 07/31/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Despite many theoretical incompatibilities between mouse and human cells, mice with reconstituted human immune system components contain nearly all human leukocyte populations. Accordingly, several human-tropic pathogens have been investigated in these in vivo models of the human immune system, including viruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), as well as bacteria such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Salmonella enterica Typhi. While these studies initially aimed to establish similarities in the pathogenesis of infections between these models and the pathobiology in patients, recent investigations have provided new and interesting functional insights into the protective value of certain immune compartments and altered pathology upon mutant pathogen infections. As more tools and methodologies are developed to make these models more versatile to study human immune responses in vivo, such improvements build toward small animal models with human immune components, which could predict immune responses to therapies and vaccination in human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Leung
- Department of Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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