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HCMV is a highly sophisticated virus that has developed various mechanisms for immune evasion and viral dissemination throughout the body (partially mediated by neutrophils). NK cells play an important role in elimination of HCMV-infected cells. Both neutrophils and NK cells utilize similar sets of chemokine receptors to traffic,to and from,various organs. However,the mechanisms by which HCMV attracts neutrophils and not NK cells are largely unknown. Here,we show a unique viral protein,vCXCL1,which targets three chemokine receptors: CXCR1 and CXCR2 expressed on neutrophils and CXCR1 and CX3CR1 expressed on NK cells. Although vCXCL1 attracted both cell types,neutrophils migrated faster and more efficiently than NK cells through the binding of CXCR2. Therefore,we propose that HCMV has developed vCXCL1 to orchestrate its rapid systemic dissemination through preferential attraction of neutrophils and uses alternative mechanisms to counteract the later attraction of NK cells. View Publication

Positive expectations contribute to the clinical benefits of the placebo effect. Such positive expectations are mediated by the brain's reward system; however,it remains unknown whether and how reward system activation affects the body's physiology and,specifically,immunity. Here we show that activation of the ventral tegmental area (VTA),a key component of the reward system,strengthens immunological host defense. We used 'designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs' (DREADDs) to directly activate dopaminergic neurons in the mouse VTA and characterized the subsequent immune response after exposure to bacteria (Escherichia coli),using time-of-flight mass cytometry (CyTOF) and functional assays. We found an increase in innate and adaptive immune responses that were manifested by enhanced antibacterial activity of monocytes and macrophages,reduced in vivo bacterial load and a heightened T cell response in the mouse model of delayed-type hypersensitivity. By chemically ablating the sympathetic nervous system (SNS),we showed that the reward system's effects on immunity are,at least partly,mediated by the SNS. Thus,our findings establish a causal relationship between the activity of the VTA and the immune response to bacterial infection. View Publication

Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) in the lung are stimulated by inhaled allergens. ILC2s do not directly recognize allergens but they are stimulated by cytokines including interleukin (IL)-33 released by damaged epithelium. In response to allergens,lung ILC2s produce T helper 2 cell type cytokines inducing T cell-independent allergic lung inflammation. Here we examined the fate of lung ILC2s upon allergen challenges. ILC2s proliferated and secreted cytokines upon initial stimulation with allergen or IL-33,and this phase was followed by a contraction phase as cytokine production ceased. Some ILC2s persisted long after the resolution of the inflammation as allergen-experienced ILC2s and responded to unrelated allergens more potently than naive ILC2s,mediating severe allergic inflammation. The allergen-experienced ILC2s exhibited a gene expression profile similar to that of memory T cells. The memory-like properties of allergen-experienced ILC2s may explain why asthma patients are often sensitized to multiple allergens. View Publication

West Nile virus (WNV) infection is a mosquito-borne zoonosis with increasing prevalence in the United States. WNV infection begins in the skin,and the virus replicates initially in keratinocytes and dendritic cells (DCs). In the skin and cutaneous lymph nodes,infected DCs are likely to interact with invariant natural killer T cells (iNKTs). Bidirectional interactions between DCs and iNKTs amplify the innate immune response to viral infections,thus controlling viral load and regulating adaptive immunity. iNKTs are stimulated by CD1d-bound lipid antigens or activated indirectly by inflammatory cytokines. We exposed human monocyte-derived DCs to WNV Kunjin and determined their ability to activate isolated blood iNKTs. DCs became infected as judged by synthesis of viral mRNA and Envelope and NS-1 proteins,but did not undergo significant apoptosis. Infected DCs up-regulated the co-stimulatory molecules CD86 and CD40,but showed decreased expression of CD1d. WNV infection induced DC secretion of type I interferon (IFN),but no or minimal interleukin (IL)-12,IL-23,IL-18 or IL-10. Unexpectedly,we found that the WNV-infected DCs stimulated human iNKTs to up-regulate CD69 and produce low amounts of IL-10,but not proinflammatory cytokines such as IFN-γ or tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Both CD1d and IFNAR blockade partially abrogated this iNKT response,suggesting involvement of a T cell receptor (TCR)-CD1d interaction and type I interferon receptor (IFNAR) signalling. Thus,WNV infection interferes with DC-iNKT interactions by preventing the production of proinflammatory cytokines. iNKTs may be a source of IL-10 observed in human flavivirus infections and initiate an anti-inflammatory innate response that limits adaptive immunity and immune pathology upon WNV infection. View Publication

Understanding how memory B cells are induced and relate to long-lived plasma cells is important for vaccine development. Immunity to oral vaccines has been considered short-lived because of a poor ability to develop IgA B-cell memory. Here we demonstrate that long-lived mucosal IgA memory is readily achieved by oral but not systemic immunization in mouse models with NP hapten conjugated with cholera toxin and transfer of B1-8(high)/GFP(+) NP-specific B cells. Unexpectedly,memory B cells are poorly related to long-lived plasma cells and less affinity-matured. They are α4β7-integrin(+)CD73(+)PD-L2(+)CD80(+) and at systemic sites mostly IgM(+),while 80% are IgA(+) in Peyer's patches. On reactivation,most memory B cells in Peyer's patches are GL7(-),but expand in germinal centres and acquire higher affinity and more mutations,demonstrating strong clonal selection. CCR9 expression is found only in Peyer's patches and appears critical for gut homing. Thus,gut mucosal memory possesses unique features not seen after systemic immunization. View Publication

The design of immunogens that elicit broadly reactive neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) has been a major obstacle to HIV-1 vaccine development. One approach to assess potential immunogens is to use mice expressing precursors of human bnAbs as vaccination models. The bnAbs of the VRC01-class derive from the IGHV1-2 immunoglobulin heavy chain and neutralize a wide spectrum of HIV-1 strains via targeting the CD4 binding site of the envelope glycoprotein gp120. We now describe a mouse vaccination model that allows a germline human IGHV1-2(∗)02 segment to undergo normal V(D)J recombination and,thereby,leads to the generation of peripheral B cells that express a highly diverse repertoire of VRC01-related receptors. When sequentially immunized with modified gp120 glycoproteins designed to engage VRC01 germline and intermediate antibodies,IGHV1-2(∗)02-rearranging mice,which also express a VRC01-antibody precursor light chain,can support the affinity maturation of VRC01 precursor antibodies into HIV-neutralizing antibody lineages. View Publication

Natural killer (NK) cells form an important arm of the innate immune system and function to combat a wide range of invading pathogens,ranging from viruses to bacteria. However,the means by which NK cells accomplish recognition of pathogens with a limited repertoire of receptors remain largely unknown. In the current study,we describe the recognition of an emerging fungal pathogen,Candida glabrata,by the human NK cytotoxic receptor NKp46 and its mouse ortholog,NCR1. Using NCR1 knockout mice,we observed that this receptor-mediated recognition was crucial for controlling C. glabrata infection in vitro and in vivo. Finally,we delineated the fungal ligands to be the C. glabrata adhesins Epa1,Epa6,and Epa7 and demonstrated that clearance of systemic C. glabrata infections in vivo depends on their recognition by NCR1. As NKp46 and NCR1 have been previously shown to bind viral adhesion receptors,we speculate that NKp46/NCR1 may be a novel type of pattern recognition receptor. View Publication

Class switch recombination (CSR) in B cells requires the timely repair of DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) that result from lesions produced by activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID). Through a genome-wide RNAi screen,we identified Kin17 as a gene potentially involved in the maintenance of CSR in murine B cells. In this study,we confirm a critical role for Kin17 in CSR independent of AID activity. Furthermore,we make evident that DSBs generated by AID or ionizing radiation require Kin17 for efficient repair and resolution. Our report shows that reduced Kin17 results in an elevated deletion frequency following AID mutational activity in the switch region. In addition,deficiency in Kin17 affects the functionality of multiple DSB repair pathways,namely homologous recombination,non-homologous end-joining,and alternative end-joining. This report demonstrates the importance of Kin17 as a critical factor that acts prior to the repair phase of DSB repair and is of bona fide importance for CSR. View Publication

The host responds to virus infection by activating type I interferon (IFN) signaling leading to expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). Dysregulation of the IFN response results in inflammatory diseases and chronic infections. In this study,we demonstrate that IFN regulatory factor 2 (IRF2),an ISG and a negative regulator of IFN signaling,influences alphavirus neuroinvasion and pathogenesis. A Sindbis virus strain that in wild-type (WT) mice only causes disease when injected into the brain leads to lethal encephalitis in Irf2(-/-) mice after peripheral inoculation. Irf2(-/-) mice fail to control virus replication and recruit immune infiltrates into the brain. Reduced B cells and virus-specific IgG are observed in the Irf2(-/-) mouse brains despite the presence of peripheral neutralizing antibodies,suggesting a defect in B cell trafficking to the central nervous system (CNS). B cell-deficient μMT mice are significantly more susceptible to viral infection,yet WT B cells and serum are unable to rescue the Irf2(-/-) mice. Collectively,our data demonstrate that proper localization of B cells and local production of antibodies in the CNS are required for protection. The work advances our understanding of host mechanisms that affect viral neuroinvasion and their contribution to immunity against CNS infections. View Publication

The high risk of neonatal death from sepsis is thought to result from impaired responses by innate immune cells; however,the clinical observation of hyperinflammatory courses of neonatal sepsis contradicts this concept. Using transcriptomic,epigenetic and immunological approaches,we demonstrated that high amounts of the perinatal alarmins S100A8 and S100A9 specifically altered MyD88-dependent proinflammatory gene programs. S100 programming prevented hyperinflammatory responses without impairing pathogen defense. TRIF-adaptor-dependent regulatory genes remained unaffected by perinatal S100 programming and responded strongly to lipopolysaccharide,but were barely expressed. Steady-state expression of TRIF-dependent genes increased only gradually during the first year of life in human neonates,shifting immune regulation toward the adult phenotype. Disruption of this critical sequence of transient alarmin programming and subsequent reprogramming of regulatory pathways increased the risk of hyperinflammation and sepsis. Collectively these data suggest that neonates are characterized by a selective,transient microbial unresponsiveness that prevents harmful hyperinflammation in the delicate neonate while allowing for sufficient immunological protection. View Publication

Enterovirus type 71 (EV71) and coxsackievirus A 16 (CA16) are the major pathogens of human hand,foot,and mouth disease (HFMD). In our previous study,intramuscular immunization with the inactivated EV71 vaccine elicited effective immunity,while immunization with the inactivated CA16 vaccine did not. In this report,we focused on innate immune responses elicited by inactivated EV71 and CA16 antigens administered intradermally or intramuscularly. The distributions of the EV71 and CA16 antigens administered intradermally or intramuscularly were not obviously different,but the antigens were detected for a shorter period of time when administered intradermally. The expression levels of NF-kappaB pathway signaling molecules,which were identified as being capable of activating DCs,ILCs,and T cells,were higher in the intradermal group than in the intramuscular group. Antibodies for the EV71 and CA16 antigens colocalized with ILCs and DCs in skin and muscle tissues under fluorescence microscopy. Interestingly,ILC colocalization decreased over time,while DC colocalization increased over time. ELISpot analysis showed that coordination between DCs and ILCs contributed to successful adaptive immunity against vaccine antigens in the skin. EV71 and/or CA16 antigen immunization via the intradermal route was more capable of significantly increasing neutralizing antibody titers and activating specific T cell responses than immunization via the intramuscular route. Furthermore,neonatal mice born to mothers immunized with the EV71 and CA16 antigens were 100{\%} protected against wild-type EV71 or CA16 viral challenge. Together,our results provide new insights into the development of vaccines for HFMD. View Publication

BACKGROUND Cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) limits T-cell activation and is expressed on T-regulatory cells. Human CTLA-4 deficiency results in severe immune dysregulation. Abatacept (CTLA-4 Ig) is approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its mechanism of action is attributed to effects on T-cells. It is known that CTLA-4 modulates the expression of its ligands CD80 and CD86 on antigen presenting cells (APC) by transendocytosis. As B-cells express CD80/CD86 and function as APC,we hypothesize that B-cells are a direct target of abatacept. OBJECTIVES To investigate direct effects of abatacept on human B-lymphocytes in vitro and in RA patients. METHODS The effect of abatacept on healthy donor B-cells' phenotype,activation and CD80/CD86 expression was studied in vitro. Nine abatacept-treated RA patients were studied. Seven of these were followed up to 24 months,and two up to 12 months only and treatment response,immunoglobulins,ACPA,RF concentrations,B-cell phenotype and ACPA-specific switched memory B-cell frequency were assessed. RESULTS B-cell development was unaffected by abatacept. Abatacept treatment resulted in a dose-dependent decrease of CD80/CD86 expression on B-cells in vitro,which was due to dynamin-dependent internalization. RA patients treated with abatacept showed a progressive decrease in plasmablasts and serum IgG. While ACPA-titers only moderately declined,the frequency of ACPA-specific switched memory B-cells significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS Abatacept directly targets B-cells by reducing CD80/CD86 expression. Impairment of antigen presentation and T-cell activation may result in altered B-cell selection,providing a new therapeutic mechanism and a base for abatacept use in B-cell mediated autoimmunity. View Publication