技术资料

New vaccines against pertussis are needed to evoke full protection and long-lasting immunological memory starting from the first administration in neonates--the major target of the life-threatening pertussis infection. A novel live attenuated Bordetella pertussis vaccine strain,BPZE1,has been developed by eliminating or detoxifying three important B. pertussis virulence factors: pertussis toxin,dermonecrotic toxin,and tracheal cytotoxin. We used a human preclinical ex vivo model based on monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDCs) to evaluate BPZE1 immunogenicity. We studied the effects of BPZE1 on MDDC functions,focusing on the impact of Bordetella-primed dendritic cells in the regulation of Th and suppressor T cells (Ts). BPZE1 is able to activate human MDDCs and to promote the production of a broad spectrum of proinflammatory and regulatory cytokines. Moreover,conversely to its parental wild-type counterpart BPSM,BPZE1-primed MDDCs very efficiently migrate in vitro in response to the lymphatic chemokine CCL21,due to the inactivation of pertussis toxin enzymatic activity. BPZE1-primed MDDCs drove a mixed Th1/Th17 polarization and also induced functional Ts. Experiments performed in a Transwell system showed that cell contact rather than the production of soluble factors was required for suppression activity. Overall,our findings support the potential of BPZE1 as a novel live attenuated pertussis vaccine,as BPZE1-challenged dendritic cells might migrate from the site of infection to the lymph nodes,prime Th cells,mount an adaptive immune response,and orchestrate Th1/Th17 and Ts responses. View Publication

Bright/Arid3a has been characterized both as an activator of immunoglobulin heavy-chain transcription and as a proto-oncogene. Although Bright expression is highly B lineage stage restricted in adult mice,its expression in the earliest identifiable hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) population suggests that Bright might have additional functions. We showed that textgreater99% of Bright(-/-) embryos die at midgestation from failed hematopoiesis. Bright(-/-) embryonic day 12.5 (E12.5) fetal livers showed an increase in the expression of immature markers. Colony-forming assays indicated that the hematopoietic potential of Bright(-/-) mice is markedly reduced. Rare survivors of lethality,which were not compensated by the closely related paralogue Bright-derived protein (Bdp)/Arid3b,suffered HSC deficits in their bone marrow as well as B lineage-intrinsic developmental and functional deficiencies in their peripheries. These include a reduction in a natural antibody,B-1 responses to phosphocholine,and selective T-dependent impairment of IgG1 class switching. Our results place Bright/Arid3a on a select list of transcriptional regulators required to program both HSC and lineage-specific differentiation. View Publication

BACKGROUND: Therapies directed at augmenting regulatory T cell (Treg) activities in vivo as a systemic treatment for autoimmune disorders and transplantation may be associated with significant off-target effects,including a generalized immunosuppression that may compromise beneficial immune responses to infections and cancer cells. Adoptive cellular therapies using purified expanded Tregs represents an attractive alternative to systemic treatments,with results from animal studies noting increased therapeutic potency of antigen-specific Tregs over polyclonal populations. However,current methodologies are limited in terms of the capacity to isolate and expand a sufficient quantity of endogenous antigen-specific Tregs for therapeutic intervention. Moreover,FOXP3+ Tregs fall largely within the CD4+ T cell subset and are thus routinely MHC class II-specific,whereas class I-specific Tregs may function optimally in vivo by facilitating direct tissue recognition. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To overcome these limitations,we have developed a novel means for generating large numbers of antigen-specific Tregs involving lentiviral T cell receptor (TCR) gene transfer into in vitro expanded polyclonal natural Treg populations. Tregs redirected with a high-avidity class I-specific TCR were capable of recognizing the melanoma antigen tyrosinase in the context of HLA-A*0201 and could be further enriched during the expansion process by antigen-specific reactivation with peptide loaded artificial antigen presenting cells. These in vitro expanded Tregs continued to express FOXP3 and functional TCRs,and maintained the capacity to suppress conventional T cell responses directed against tyrosinase,as well as bystander T cell responses. Using this methodology in a model tumor system,murine Tregs designed to express the tyrosinase TCR effectively blocked antigen-specific effector T cell (Teff) activity as determined by tumor cell growth and luciferase reporter-based imaging. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results support the feasibility of class I-restricted TCR transfer as a promising strategy to redirect the functional properties of Tregs and provide for a more efficacious adoptive cell therapy. View Publication

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is closely associated with HLA-DRB1 alleles that code a five-amino acid sequence motif in positions 70-74 of the HLA-DRbeta-chain,called the shared epitope (SE). The mechanistic basis of SE-RA association is unknown. We recently found that the SE functions as an allele-specific signal-transducing ligand that activates an NO-mediated pathway in other cells. To better understand the role of the SE in the immune system,we examined its effect on T cell polarization in mice. In CD11c(+)CD8(+) dendritic cells (DCs),the SE inhibited the enzymatic activity of indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase,a key enzyme in immune tolerance and T cell regulation,whereas in CD11c(+)CD8(-) DCs,the ligand activated robust production of IL-6. When SE-activated DCs were cocultured with CD4(+) T cells,the differentiation of Foxp3(+) T regulatory cells was suppressed,whereas Th17 cells were expanded. The polarizing effects could be seen with SE(+) synthetic peptides,but even more so when the SE was in its natural tridimensional conformation as part of HLA-DR tetrameric proteins. In vivo administration of the SE ligand resulted in a greater abundance of Th17 cells in the draining lymph nodes and increased IL-17 production by splenocytes. Thus,we conclude that the SE acts as a potent immune-stimulatory ligand that can polarize T cell differentiation toward Th17 cells,a T cell subset that was recently implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases,including RA. View Publication

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a suppressive subset of CD4(+) T lymphocytes implicated in the prevention of acute GVHD (aGVHD) after allo-SCT (ASCT). To determine whether increased frequency of Tregs with a skin-homing (cutaneous lymphocyte Ag,CLA(+)) or a gut-homing (α(4)β(7)(+)) phenotype is associated with reduced risk of skin or gut aGVHD,respectively,we quantified circulating CLA(+) or α(4)β(7)(+) on Tregs at the time of neutrophil engraftment in 43 patients undergoing ASCT. Increased CLA(+) Tregs at engraftment was associated with the prevention of skin aGVHD (2.6 vs 1.7%; P=0.038 (no skin aGVHD vs skin aGVHD)),and increased frequencies of CLA(+) and α(4)β(7)(+) Tregs were negatively correlated with severity of skin aGVHD (odds ratio (OR),0.67; 95% confidence interval (CI),0.46-0.98; P=0.041) or gut aGVHD (OR,0.93; 95% CI,0.88-0.99; P=0.031),respectively. This initial report suggests that Treg tissue-homing subsets help to regulate organ-specific risk and severity of aGVHD after human ASCT. These results need to be validated in a larger,multicenter cohort. View Publication

Small intestinal CD103(+) dendritic cells (DCs) have the selective ability to promote de novo generation of regulatory T cells via the production of retinoic acid (RA). Considering that aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity controls the production of RA,we used a flow cytometry-based assay to measure ALDH activity at the single-cell level and to perform a comprehensive analysis of the RA-producing DC populations present in lymphoid and nonlymphoid mouse tissues. RA-producing DCs were primarily of the tissue-derived,migratory DC subtype and can be readily found in the skin and in the lungs as well as in their corresponding draining lymph nodes. The RA-producing skin-derived DCs were capable of triggering the generation of regulatory T cells,a finding demonstrating that the presence of RA-producing,tolerogenic DCs is not restricted to the intestinal tract as previously thought. Unexpectedly,the production of RA by skin DCs was restricted to CD103(-) DCs,indicating that CD103 expression does not constitute a universal" marker for RA-producing mouse DCs. Finally� View Publication

Leucocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) is known to be involved in immune reactions leading to allograft rejection. The role of deactivating LFA-1 in this context has not been investigated yet,although it is accepted that regulating LFA-1 activity is essential for T-cell function. Expressing LFA-1 locked in an active state in mice (LFA-1(d/d)) allowed us to investigate the in vivo function of LFA-1 deactivation for allograft rejection in a model of heterotopic cardiac transplantation. We provide in vivo evidence that regulating LFA-1 activity from an active to an inactive state controls antigen-specific priming and proliferation of T cells in response to allogeneic stimuli. Consequently,defective LFA-1 deactivation significantly prolonged cardiac allograft survival. Furthermore,reduced numbers of alloantigen-specific T cells and non-allo-specific innate immune cells within allografts of LFA-1(d/d) recipients indicate that expression of active LFA-1 impairs inflammatory responses involving all major leucocyte subpopulations. Taken together,our in vivo data suggest that LFA-1 deactivation is important for the formation of inflammatory lesions and rejection of cardiac allografts. Thus,the dynamic regulation of LFA-1 activity,rather than the mere presence of LFA-1,appears to contribute to the control of immune reactions inducing allogeneic transplant rejection. View Publication

The presence of interleukin-2 (IL-2)-producing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-specific CD4(+) T-cell responses has been associated with the immunological control of HIV-1 replication; however,the causal relationship between these factors remains unclear. Here we show that IL-2-producing HIV-1-specific CD4(+) T cells can be cloned from acutely HIV-1-infected individuals. Despite the early presence of these cells,each of the individuals in the present study exhibited progressive disease,with one individual showing rapid progression. In this rapid progressor,three IL-2-producing HIV-1 Gag-specific CD4(+) T-cell responses were identified and mapped to the following optimal epitopes: HIVWASRELER,REPRGSDIAGT,and FRDYVDRFYKT. Responses to these epitopes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were monitored longitudinally to textgreater1 year postinfection,and contemporaneous circulating plasma viruses were sequenced. A variant of the FRDYVDRFYKT epitope sequence,FRDYVDQFYKT,was observed in 1/21 plasma viruses sequenced at 5 months postinfection and 1/10 viruses at 7 months postinfection. This variant failed to stimulate the corresponding CD4(+) T-cell clone and thus constitutes an escape mutant. Responses to each of the three Gag epitopes were rapidly lost,and this loss was accompanied by a loss of antigen-specific cells in the periphery as measured by using an FRDYVDRFYKT-presenting major histocompatibility complex class II tetramer. Highly active antiretroviral therapy was associated with the reemergence of FRDYVDRFYKT-specific cells by tetramer. Thus,our data support that IL-2-producing HIV-1-specific CD4(+) T-cell responses can exert immune pressure during early HIV-1 infection but that the inability of these responses to enforce enduring control of viral replication is related to the deletion and/or dysfunction of HIV-1-specific CD4(+) T cells rather than to the fixation of escape mutations at high frequencies. View Publication

Cytoplasmic APOBEC3G has been reported to block wild-type human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in some primary cells. It is not known whether cytoplasmic APOBEC3G has residual activity in activated T cells,even though virion-packaged APOBEC3G does restrict HIV-1 in activated T cells. Because we found that APOBEC3G expression is greater in activated CD4(+) T-helper type 1 (Th1) lymphocytes than in T-helper type 2 (Th2) lymphocytes,we hypothesized that residual target cell restriction of incoming Vif-positive virions that lack APOBEC3G,if present,would be greater in Th1 than Th2 lymphocytes. Infection of activated Th1 cells with APOBEC3-negative virions did result in decreased amounts of early and late reverse transcription products and integrated virus relative to infection of activated Th2 cells. Two-long terminal repeat (2-LTR) circles,which are formed in the nucleus when reverse transcripts do not integrate,were increased after APOBEC3-negative virus infection of activated Th1 cells relative to infection of activated Th2 cells. In contrast,2-LTR circle forms were decreased after infection of APOBEC3G-negative cells with APOBEC3G-containing virions relative to APOBEC3G-negative virions and with Th1 cell-produced virions relative to Th2 cell-produced virions. Increasing APOBEC3G in Th2 cells and decreasing APOBEC3G in Th1 cells modulated the target cell phenotypes,indicating causation by APOBEC3G. The comparison between activated Th1 and Th2 cells indicates that cytoplasmic APOBEC3G in activated Th1 cells partially restricts reverse transcription and integration of incoming Vif-positive,APOBEC3G-negative HIV-1. The differing effects of cytoplasmic and virion-packaged APOBEC3G on 2-LTR circle formation indicate a difference in their antiviral mechanisms. View Publication

OBJECTIVE: T lymphocytes play an important role in systemic sclerosis (SSc),a connective tissue disease characterized by inflammation,fibrosis,and vascular damage. While their precise role and antigen specificity are unclear,T cell-derived cytokines likely contribute to the induction of fibrosis. The aim of this study was to establish the role of cytokine dysregulation by T cells in the pathogenesis of SSc. METHODS: To identify relationships between a specific cytokine,T cell subset,and the disease course,we studied a large cohort of patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) or limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc). Using Luminex analysis and intracellular cytokine staining,we analyzed the intrinsic ability of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets to produce cytokines following in vitro activation. RESULTS: High levels of the profibrotic type 2 cytokine interleukin-13 (IL-13) were produced following activation of peripheral blood effector CD8+ T cells from SSc patients as compared with normal controls or with patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In contrast,CD4+ T cells showed a lower and more variable level of IL-13 production. This abnormality correlated with the extent of fibrosis and was more pronounced in dcSSc patients than in lcSSc patients. CONCLUSION: Dysregulated IL-13 production by effector CD8+ T cells is important in the pathogenesis of SSc and is critical in the predisposition to more severe forms of cutaneous disease. Our study is the first to identify a specific T cell phenotype that correlates with disease severity in SSc and can be used as a marker of immune dysfunction in SSc and as a novel therapeutic target. View Publication

Retinoic acid (RA) produced by intestinal dendritic cells (DCs) imprints gut-homing specificity on lymphocytes and enhances Foxp3(+) regulatory T-cell differentiation. The expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) 1A in these DCs is essential for the RA production. However,it remains unclear how the steady-state ALDH1A expression is induced under specific pathogen-free (SPF) conditions. Here,we found that bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BM-DCs) generated with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) expressed Aldh1a2,an isoform of Aldh1a,but that fms-related tyrosine kinase 3 ligand-generated BM-DCs did not. DCs from mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) and Peyer's patches (PP) of normal SPF mice expressed ALDH1A2,but not the other known RA-producing enzymes. Employing a flow cytometric method,we detected ALDH activities in 10-30% of PP-DCs and MLN-DCs. They were CD11c(high)CD4(-/low)CD8alpha(intermediate)CD11b(-/low) F4/80(low/intermediate)CD45RB(low)CD86(high)MHC class II(high)B220(-)CD103(+). Equivalent levels of aldehyde dehydrogenase activity (ALDHact) and ALDH1A2 expression were induced synergistically by GM-CSF and IL-4 in splenic DCs in vitro. In BM-DCs,however,additional signals via Toll-like receptors or RA receptors were required for inducing the equivalent levels. The generated ALDH1A2(+) DCs triggered T cells to express gut-homing receptors or Foxp3. GM-CSF receptor-deficient or vitamin A-deficient mice exhibited marked reductions in the ALDHact in intestinal DCs and the T cell number in the intestinal lamina propria,whereas IL-4 receptor-mediated signals were dispensable. GM-CSF(+)CD11c(-)F4/80(+) cells existed constitutively in the intestinal tissues. The results suggest that GM-CSF and RA itself are pivotal among multiple microenvironment factors that enable intestinal DCs to produce RA. View Publication

Kv1.3 potassium channels maintain the membrane potential of effector memory (T(EM)) T cells that are important mediators of multiple sclerosis,type 1 diabetes mellitus,and rheumatoid arthritis. The polypeptide ShK-170 (ShK-L5),containing an N-terminal phosphotyrosine extension of the Stichodactyla helianthus ShK toxin,is a potent and selective blocker of these channels. However,a stability study of ShK-170 showed minor pH-related hydrolysis and oxidation byproducts that were exacerbated by increasing temperatures. We therefore engineered a series of analogs to minimize the formation of these byproducts. The analog with the greatest stability,ShK-192,contains a nonhydrolyzable phosphotyrosine surrogate,a methionine isostere,and a C-terminal amide. ShK-192 shows the same overall fold as ShK,and there is no evidence of any interaction between the N-terminal adduct and the rest of the peptide. The docking configuration of ShK-192 in Kv1.3 shows the N-terminal para-phosphonophenylalanine group lying at the junction of two channel monomers to form a salt bridge with Lys(411) of the channel. ShK-192 blocks Kv1.3 with an IC(50) of 140 pM and exhibits greater than 100-fold selectivity over closely related channels. After a single subcutaneous injection of 100 microg/kg,approximately 100 to 200 pM concentrations of active peptide is detectable in the blood of Lewis rats 24,48,and 72 h after the injection. ShK-192 effectively inhibits the proliferation of T(EM) cells and suppresses delayed type hypersensitivity when administered at 10 or 100 microg/kg by subcutaneous injection once daily. ShK-192 has potential as a therapeutic for autoimmune diseases mediated by T(EM) cells. View Publication