Mitigated viral myocarditis in A/J mice by the immunoproteasome inhibitor ONX 0914 depends on inhibition of systemic inflammatory responses in CoxsackievirusB3 infection

AbstractA preclinical model of troponin I-induced myocarditis (AM) revealed a prominent role of the immunoproteasome (ip), the main immune cell-resident proteasome isoform, in heart-directed autoimmunity. Viral infection of the heart is a known trigger of cardiac autoimmunity, with the ip enhancing systemic inflammatory responses after infection with a cardiotropic coxsackievirusB3 (CV). Here, we used ip-deficient A/J-LMP7−/− mice to investigate the role of ip-mediated effects on adaptive immunity in CV-triggered myocarditis and found no alteration of the inflammatory heart tissue damage or cardiac function in comparison to wild-type controls. Aiming to define the impact of the systemic inflammatory storm under the control of ip proteolysis during CV infection, we targeted the ip in A/J mice with the inhibitor ONX 0914 after the first cycle of infection, when systemic inflammation has set in, well before cardiac inflammation. During established acute myocarditis, the ONX 0914 treatment group had the same reduction in cardiac output as the controls, with inflammatory responses in heart tissue being unaffected by the compound. Based on these findings and with regard to the known anti-inflammatory role of ONX 0914 in CV infection, we conclude that the efficacy of ip inhibitors for CV-triggered myocarditis in A/J mice relies on their immunomodulatory effects on the systemic inflammatory reaction.

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Abstract 229: Determination of Phase-specific Biomarkers of Viral Myocarditis Induced by Theiler’s virus Using Multivariate Analyses of Viral Genome, Troponin, Transcriptome and Echocardiography Data

Circulation Research ◽

10.1161/res.113.suppl_1.a229 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 113 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Eiichiro Kawai ◽

Seiichi Omura ◽

Fumitaka Sato ◽

Nicholas E Martinez ◽

Viromi Fernando ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune Responses ◽

Viral Replication ◽

Microarray Data ◽

Viral Genome ◽

Troponin I ◽

Multivariate Analyses ◽

Viral Myocarditis ◽

Myocardial Damage ◽

Heart Tissue ◽

Viral Rna

Viral myocarditis has been proposed to be initiated by viral replication in the heart (acute phase), followed by immune-mediated damage (subacute phase), where each phase requires anti-viral and immunomodulatory treatments, respectively. There are no specific biomarkers to distinguish acute from subacute phases of myocarditis while serum troponin, echocardiography, and myocardial biopsy data have been used for diagnosis clinically. To determine the phase-specific biomarkers, we used a mouse model for myocarditis induced by Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV), which belongs to the genus Cardiovirus, the family Picornaviridae. We conducted multivariate analyses of viral genome, serum cardiac troponin I, echocardiography, histology, and transcriptome using microarray data of the heart tissue harvested on 4 (acute) and 7 (subacute) days post infection (dpi). The level of viral RNA semi-quantified by RT-PCR was 10-fold higher on 4 dpi (ΔCt = 2.5×10-2 ± 4.9×10-3) than 7 dpi (ΔCt = 2.6×10-3 ± 3.0×10-4) (P < 0.05). Serum troponin was undetectable in 4 of 10 mice on 4 dpi and only in 1 of 10 mice on 7 dpi; the serum troponin levels (ng/ml) on 4 dpi (42.9 ± 15.6) were significantly lower than 7 dpi (249.9 ± 62.8) (P < 0.05). The levels of viral RNA and troponin were strongly correlated on 4 dpi (r = 0.79, P < 0.05), but not 7 dpi (P = 0.12), suggesting that viral replication could be a major cause of myocardial damage only on 4 dpi. We found multiple high intensity cardiac lesions using echocardiography with histological myocarditis on 7 dpi, but not 4 dpi. Transcriptome analyses of microarray data showed upregulation of genes associated with innate immune responses in samples from 4 and 7 dpi, compared with controls. Samples from 7 dpi showed upregulation of genes associated with T, B, and antigen presenting cells and downregulation of cardiac myosin-related genes (Myl4, Myl7, and Mybphl), compared with 4 dpi, suggesting that acquired immune responses contribute to cardiomyocyte damage on 7 dpi. In summary, the chronological order of emergence of biomarker candidates was 1) viral genome and innate immunity, 2) troponin, and 3) acquired immunity and echo and histological changes.

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Molecular and Clinical Characterization of LAG3 in Breast Cancer Through 2994 Samples

10.21203/rs.3.rs-36422/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Qiang Liu ◽

Yihang Qi ◽

Jie Zhai ◽

Xiangyi Kong ◽

Xiangyu Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Immune Response ◽

Cancer Immunotherapy ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Immune Cell ◽

Immune Checkpoints ◽

Cell Populations ◽

Potential Biomarker ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Despite the promising impact of cancer immunotherapy targeting CTLA4 and PD1/PDL1, a large number of cancer patients fail to respond. LAG3 (Lymphocyte Activating 3), also named CD233, is a protein Coding gene served as alternative inhibitory receptors to be targeted in the clinic. The impact of LAG3 on immune cell populations and co-regulation of immune response in breast cancer remained largely unknown. Methods To characterize the role of LAG3 in breast cancer, we investigated transcriptome data and associated clinical information derived from a total of 2994 breast cancer patients. Results We observed that LAG3 was closely correlated with major molecular and clinical characteristics, and was more likely to be enriched in higher malignant subtype, suggesting LAG3 was a potential biomarker of triple-negative breast cancer. Furthermore, we estimated the landscape of relationship between LAG3 and ten types of cell populations in breast cancer. Gene ontology analysis revealed LAG3 were strongly correlated with immune response and inflammatory activities. We investigated the correlation pattern between LAG3 and immune modulators in pan-cancer, especially the synergistic role of LAG3 with other immune checkpoints members in breast cancer. Conclusions LAG3 expression was closely related to malignancy of breast cancer and might serve as a potential biomarker; LAG3 might plays an important role in regulating tumor immune microenvironment, not only T cells, but also other immune cells. More importantly, LAG3 might synergize with CTLA4, PD1/ PDL1 and other immune checkpoints, thereby lending more evidences to combination cancer immunotherapy by targeting LAG3, PD1/PDL1, and CTLA4 together.

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Immunotoxicity of Xenobiotics in Fish: A Role for the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR)?

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22179460 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (17) ◽

pp. 9460

Author(s):

Helmut Segner ◽

Christyn Bailey ◽

Carolina Tafalla ◽

Jun Bo

Keyword(s):

Immune System ◽

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor ◽

Disease Susceptibility ◽

Immune Cell ◽

Physiological Role ◽

Immune Gene ◽

Immune Systems ◽

Aryl Hydrocarbon ◽

The Impact

The impact of anthropogenic contaminants on the immune system of fishes is an issue of growing concern. An important xenobiotic receptor that mediates effects of chemicals, such as halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (HAHs) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), is the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Fish toxicological research has focused on the role of this receptor in xenobiotic biotransformation as well as in causing developmental, cardiac, and reproductive toxicity. However, biomedical research has unraveled an important physiological role of the AhR in the immune system, what suggests that this receptor could be involved in immunotoxic effects of environmental contaminants. The aims of the present review are to critically discuss the available knowledge on (i) the expression and possible function of the AhR in the immune systems of teleost fishes; and (ii) the impact of AhR-activating xenobiotics on the immune systems of fish at the levels of immune gene expression, immune cell proliferation and immune cell function, immune pathology, and resistance to infectious disease. The existing information indicates that the AhR is expressed in the fish immune system, but currently, we have little understanding of its physiological role. Exposure to AhR-activating contaminants results in the modulation of numerous immune structural and functional parameters of fish. Despite the diversity of fish species studied and the experimental conditions investigated, the published findings rather uniformly point to immunosuppressive actions of xenobiotic AhR ligands in fish. These effects are often associated with increased disease susceptibility. The fact that fish populations from HAH- and PAH-contaminated environments suffer immune disturbances and elevated disease susceptibility highlights that the immunotoxic effects of AhR-activating xenobiotics bear environmental relevance.

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Chemo-mechanical Diffusion Waves Orchestrate Collective Dynamics of Immune Cell Podosomes

10.1101/2021.11.23.469591 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ze Gong ◽

Koen van den Dries ◽

Alessandra Cambi ◽

Vivek Shenoy

Keyword(s):

Actin Polymerization ◽

Immune Cell ◽

Wave Dynamics ◽

Diffusion Waves ◽

Mechanical Diffusion ◽

Mechanical Waves ◽

The Individual ◽

The Impact ◽

Cell Mechanosensing

Immune cells, such as macrophages and dendritic cells, can utilize podosomes, actin-rich protrusions, to generate forces, migrate, and patrol for foreign antigens. In these cells, individual podosomes exhibit periodic protrusion and retraction cycles (vertical oscillations) to probe their microenvironment, while multiple podosomes arranged in clusters demonstrate coordinated wave-like spatiotemporal dynamics. However, the mechanisms governing both the individual vertical oscillations and the coordinated oscillation waves in clusters remain unclear. By integrating actin polymerization, myosin contractility, actin diffusion, and mechanosensitive signaling, we develop a chemo-mechanical model for both the oscillatory growth of individual podosomes and wave-like dynamics in clusters. Our model reveals that podosomes show oscillatory growth when the actin polymerization-associated protrusion and the signaling-associated myosin contraction occur at similar rates, while the diffusion of actin monomers within the cluster drives mesoscale coordination of individual podosome oscillations in an apparent wave-like fashion. Our model predicts the influence of different pharmacological treatments targeting myosin activity, actin polymerization, and mechanosensitive pathways, as well as the impact of the microenvironment stiffness on the wavelengths, frequencies, and speeds of the chemo-mechanical waves. Overall, our integrated theoretical and experimental approach reveals how collective wave dynamics arise due to the coupling between chemo-mechanical signaling and actin diffusion, shedding light on the role of podosomes in immune cell mechanosensing within the context of wound healing and cancer immunotherapy.

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Succinate Is an Inflammation-Induced Immunoregulatory Metabolite in Macrophages

Metabolites ◽

10.3390/metabo10090372 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 372 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Karl J. Harber ◽

Kyra E. de Goede ◽

Sanne G. S. Verberk ◽

Elisa Meinster ◽

Helga E. de Vries ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune Responses ◽

Immune Cells ◽

Immune Cell ◽

Inflammatory Responses ◽

Inflammatory Diseases ◽

Cell Phenotype ◽

Independent Manner ◽

Inflammatory Macrophages ◽

Necrosis Factor

Immunometabolism revealed the crucial role of cellular metabolism in controlling immune cell phenotype and functions. Macrophages, key immune cells that support progression of numerous inflammatory diseases, have been well described as undergoing vast metabolic rewiring upon activation. The immunometabolite succinate particularly gained a lot of attention and emerged as a crucial regulator of macrophage responses and inflammation. Succinate was originally described as a metabolite that supports inflammation via distinct routes. Recently, studies have indicated that succinate and its receptor SUCNR1 can suppress immune responses as well. These apparent contradictory effects might be due to specific experimental settings and particularly the use of distinct succinate forms. We therefore compared the phenotypic and functional effects of distinct succinate forms and receptor mouse models that were previously used for studying succinate immunomodulation. Here, we show that succinate can suppress secretion of inflammatory mediators IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and nitric oxide (NO), as well as inhibit Il1b mRNA expression of inflammatory macrophages in a SUCNR1-independent manner. We also observed that macrophage SUCNR1 deficiency led to an enhanced inflammatory response without addition of exogenous succinate. While our study does not reveal new mechanistic insights into how succinate elicits different inflammatory responses, it does indicate that the inflammatory effects of succinate and its receptor SUCNR1 in macrophages are clearly context dependent.

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Niacin protects against abdominal aortic aneurysm formation via GPR109A independent mechanisms: role of NAD+/nicotinamide

Cardiovascular Research ◽

10.1093/cvr/cvz303 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 116 (14) ◽

pp. 2226-2238 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Tetsuo Horimatsu ◽

Andra L Blomkalns ◽

Mourad Ogbi ◽

Mary Moses ◽

David Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune Cells ◽

Inflammatory Cell ◽

Immune Cell ◽

Inflammatory Responses ◽

Aortic Aneurysms ◽

Cell Infiltration ◽

Protective Effects ◽

Abdominal Aortic ◽

G Protein Coupled

Abstract Aims Chronic adventitial and medial infiltration of immune cells play an important role in the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). Nicotinic acid (niacin) was shown to inhibit atherosclerosis by activating the anti-inflammatory G protein-coupled receptor GPR109A [also known as hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCA2)] expressed on immune cells, blunting immune activation and adventitial inflammatory cell infiltration. Here, we investigated the role of niacin and GPR109A in regulating AAA formation. Methods and results Mice were supplemented with niacin or nicotinamide, and AAA was induced by angiotensin II (AngII) infusion or calcium chloride (CaCl2) application. Niacin markedly reduced AAA formation in both AngII and CaCl2 models, diminishing adventitial immune cell infiltration, concomitant inflammatory responses, and matrix degradation. Unexpectedly, GPR109A gene deletion did not abrogate the protective effects of niacin against AAA formation, suggesting GPR109A-independent mechanisms. Interestingly, nicotinamide, which does not activate GPR109A, also inhibited AAA formation and phenocopied the effects of niacin. Mechanistically, both niacin and nicotinamide supplementation increased nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels and NAD+-dependent Sirt1 activity, which were reduced in AAA tissues. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of Sirt1 abrogated the protective effect of nicotinamide against AAA formation. Conclusion Niacin protects against AAA formation independent of GPR109A, most likely by serving as an NAD+ precursor. Supplementation of NAD+ using nicotinamide-related biomolecules may represent an effective and well-tolerated approach to preventing or treating AAA.

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Comparison and Analysis on the Existing Single-Herbal Strategies against Viral Myocarditis

Genetics Research ◽

10.1155/2021/9952620 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Yu Cao ◽

Yang Liu ◽

Tian Zhang ◽

Jing Pan ◽

Wei Lei ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiac Troponin ◽

Target Genes ◽

Viral Myocarditis ◽

Herbal Medicines ◽

Heart Tissue ◽

Discovery Studio ◽

Radix Bupleuri ◽

Natural Components ◽

Spatholobus Suberectus

Purpose. Herbal medicine is one of crucial symbols of Chinese national medicine. Investigation on molecular responses of different herbal strategies against viral myocarditis is immeasurably conducive to targeting drug development in the current international absence of miracle treatment. Methods. Literature retrieval platforms were applied in the collection of existing empirical evidences for viral myocarditis-related single-herbal strategies. SwissTargetPrediction, Metascape, and Discovery Studio coordinating with multidatabases investigated underlying target genes, interactive proteins, and docking molecules in turn. Results. Six single-herbal medicines consisting of Huangqi (Hedysarum Multijugum Maxim), Yuganzi (Phyllanthi Fructus), Kushen (Sophorae Flavescentis Radix), Jianghuang (Curcumaelongae Rhizoma), Chaihu (Radix Bupleuri), and Jixueteng (Spatholobus Suberectus Dunn) meet the requirement. There were 11 overlapped and 73 unique natural components detected in these herbs. SLC6A2, SLC6A4, NOS2, PPARA, PPARG, ACHE, CYP2C19, CYP51A1, and CHRM2 were equally targeted by six herbs and identified as viral myocarditis-associated symbols. MCODE algorithm exposed the hub role of SRC and EGFR in strategies without Jianghuang. Subsequently, we learned intermolecular interactions of herbal components and their targeting heart-tissue-specific CHRM2, FABP3, TNNC1, TNNI3, TNNT2, and SCN5A and cardiac-myocytes-specific IL6, MMP1, and PLAT coupled with viral myocarditis. Ten interactive characteristics such as π-alkyl and van der Waals were modeled in which ARG111, LYS253, ILE114, and VAL11 on cardiac troponin (TNNC1-TNNI3-TNNT2) and ARG208, ASN106, and ALA258 on MMP1 fulfilled potential communicating anchor with ellagic acid, 5α, 9α-dihydroxymatrine, and leachianone g via hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interaction, respectively. Conclusions. The comprehensive outcomes uncover differences and linkages between six herbs against viral myocarditis through component and target analysis, fostering development of drugs.

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Cardiac Tissue Factor Regulates Inflammation, Hypertrophy and Heart Failure in Mouse Model of Type 1 Diabetes

10.2337/figshare.14770905.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Dasan Mary Cibi ◽

Reddemma Sandireddy ◽

Hanumakumar Bogireddy ◽

Nicole Tee ◽

Siti Aishah Binte Abdul Ghani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Ejection Fraction ◽

Tissue Factor ◽

Cardiac Tissue ◽

Immune Cell ◽

Preserved Ejection Fraction ◽

Cardiac Inflammation ◽

Protein Levels ◽

Increased Risk

Diabetes patients have an increased risk of heart failure (HF). Diabetes is highly prevalent in HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), which is on the rise worldwide. The role of diabetes in HF is less established and available treatments of HF are not effective in HFpEF patients. Tissue factor (TF), a transmembrane receptor, plays an important role in immune-cell inflammation and atherothrombosis in diabetes. However, its role in diabetes-induced cardiac inflammation, hypertrophy, and HF has not been studied. Here, we have utilized Wildtype (WT), heterozygous, and Low-TF (with 1% human TF) mice to determine TF’s role in <i>Type1 diabetes</i>-induced HF. We found significant upregulation of cardiac TF mRNA and protein levels in diabetic WT hearts compared to non-diabetic controls. WT diabetic hearts also exhibited increased inflammation and cardiac hypertrophy versus controls. However, these changes in cardiac inflammation and hypertrophy were not found in diabetic Low-TF mice compared to their non-diabetic controls. TF deficiency was also associated with improved cardiac function parameters suggestive of HFpEF, which was evident in diabetic WT mice. The TF regulation of inflammation and cardiac remodeling was further dependent on downstream ERK1/2 and STAT3 pathways. In summary, our study demonstrated an important role of TF in regulating diabetes-induced inflammation, hypertrophy, and remodeling of the heart leading to HF with preserved ejection fraction.

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Reovirus Induction of and Sensitivity to Beta Interferon in Cardiac Myocyte Cultures Correlate with Induction of Myocarditis and Are Determined by Viral Core Proteins

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.72.2.1314-1323.1998 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 72 (2) ◽

pp. 1314-1323 ◽

Cited By ~ 74

Author(s):

Barbara Sherry ◽

Johann Torres ◽

Mary Ann Blum

Keyword(s):

Cardiac Myocyte ◽

Acute Myocarditis ◽

Viral Myocarditis ◽

C2c12 Cells ◽

Cell Type Specificity ◽

Viral Spread ◽

Core Proteins ◽

Immune Mediated ◽

Cardiac Lesions

ABSTRACT Reovirus-induced acute myocarditis in mice serves as a model to investigate non-immune-mediated mechanisms of viral myocarditis. We have used primary cardiac myocyte cultures infected with a large panel of myocarditic and nonmyocarditic reassortant reoviruses to identify determinants of viral myocarditic potential. Here, we report that while both myocarditic and nonmyocarditic reoviruses kill cardiac myocytes, viral myocarditic potential correlates with viral spread through cardiac myocyte cultures and with cumulative cell death. To address the role of secreted interferon (IFN), we added anti-IFN-α/β antibody to infected cardiac myocyte cultures. Antibody benefited nonmyocarditic more than myocarditic virus spread (P < 0.001), and this benefit was associated with the reovirus M1 and L2 genes. There was no benefit for a differentiated skeletal muscle cell line culture (C2C12 cells), suggesting cell type specificity. IFN-β induction in reovirus-infected cardiac myocyte cultures correlated with viral myocarditic potential (P = 0.006) and was associated with the reovirus M1, S2, and L2 genes. Sensitivity to the antiviral effects of IFN-α/β added to cardiac myocyte cultures also correlated with viral myocarditic potential (P = 0.004) and was associated with the same reovirus genes. Several reoviruses induced IFN-β levels discordant with their myocarditic phenotypes, and for those tested, sensitivity to IFN-α/β compensated for the anomalous induction levels. Thus, the combination of induction of and sensitivity to IFN-α/β is a determinant of reovirus myocarditic potential. Finally, a nonmyocarditic reovirus induced cardiac lesions in mice depleted of IFN-α/β, demonstrating that IFN-α/β is a determinant of reovirus-induced myocarditis. This provides the first identification of reovirus genes associated with IFN induction and sensitivity and provides the first evidence that IFN-β can be a determinant of viral myocarditis and reovirus disease.

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Multiplatform Integrative Analyses of Immunosuppressive Signatures in Cortisol-secreting Adrenocortical Carcinoma

10.1101/2021.01.14.426712 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jordan J. Baechle ◽

David N. Hanna ◽

Sekhar R. Konjeti ◽

Jeffrey C. Rathmell ◽

W. Kimryn Rathmell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Adrenocortical Carcinoma ◽

Poor Prognosis ◽

Immune Cell ◽

Expression Profiles ◽

Prognostic Indicators ◽

Cell Responses ◽

Patient Prognosis ◽

Computational Analyses ◽

The Impact

AbstractAdrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare but highly aggressive malignancy and nearly half of ACC tumors have been shown to overproduce and secrete adrenal steroids. Excess cortisol secretion, in particular, has been associated with poor prognosis among ACC patients. Furthermore, recent immunotherapy clinical trials demonstrated significant immunoresistance among cortisol-secreting ACC (CS-ACC) patients when compared to their non-Cortisol-secreting (nonCS-ACC) counterparts. The immunosuppressive role of excess glucocorticoid therapies and secretion is well established, however, the impact of the cortisol hypersecretion on ACC tumor microenvironment (TME), immune expression profiles, and immune cell responses remain largely undefined. In this study, we characterized the TME of ACC patients and compared the immunogenomic profiles of nonCS-ACC and CS-ACC tumors to assess the impact of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to immune processes on patient prognosis. Comprehensive multiplatform immunogenomic computational analyses of ACC tumors deciphered an immunosuppressive expression profile with a direct impact on patient survival. We identified several primary immunogenomic prognostic indicators and potential targets within the tumor immune landscape of CS-ACC that define a distinct TME and provide additional insight into the understanding of potential contributory mechanisms underlying failure of initial immunotherapeutic trials and poor prognosis of patients with CS-ACC.

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