scholarly journals POS0420 DYSREGULATED CD38 EXPRESSION ON PERIPHERAL BLOOD IMMUNE CELL SUBSETS IN SLE

2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 439.1-439
Author(s):  
M. Burns ◽  
L. Ostendorf ◽  
A. Grützkau ◽  
F. Hiepe ◽  
T. Alexander ◽  
...  

Background:Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by pathogenic antinuclear autoantibodies, which are secreted by autoreactive plasma cells. Among novel plasma cell-depleting strategies, CD38 has been identified as promising target. The monoclonal anti-CD38 antibody daratumumab is approved for treatment of multiple myeloma and provided a therapeutically relevant depletion of plasma cells in patients with SLE1.Objectives:Beyond plasma cells, CD38 is widely expressed across innate and adaptive immune cells and additional cellular targets of anti-CD38 treatment, especially in patients with SLE, are largely unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically characterize the expression of CD38 in peripheral blood leukocytes to identify potential target cells of CD38-directed therapies that may contribute to or limit therapeutic benefits in SLE.Methods:We analyzed the expression of CD38 on peripheral blood leukocytes in two different cohorts, comprising a total of 56 SLE patients and 39 healthy controls, by flow and mass cytometry. CD38 expression levels across major immune cells were analyzed for changes between controls and SLE, as well as for correlation across immune cell lineages, and with clinical and serological disease parameters.Results:We detected increased CD38 expression levels on circulating NK cells, plasmacytoid dendritic cells, CD4+ and CD8+ memory T cells, as well as IgD-CD27- and marginal zone-like B cells in SLE compared to healthy controls. In myeloid and NK cells, CD38 expression was associated with an activated cellular phenotype, reflected by co-expression of molecules such as HLA-DR, CD11c or Syk. In the B cell compartment, IgA- plasmablasts and plasma cells expressed more CD38 than their IgA+ counterparts. Also, HLA-DRhigh plasmablasts showed higher CD38 expression compared to HLA-DRlow plasma cells. The strongest differences in CD38 expression between controls and SLE were found in CD8+ central and effector memory T cells. Additionally, we detected an expansion in CD38high and CD38int cells in the T cell memory compartment, with some patients showing distinctly increased expression values. We observed a high intra-individual correlation of CD38 expression across immune cell lineages, yet without correlation of CD38 expression levels with clinical activity (SLEDAI-2K), serological markers of SLE or the type I interferon surrogate marker CD169 (SIGLEC-1).Conclusion:Our data indicate that not only pathogenic plasma cells are potential target cells of CD38-targeting antibodies. The highly dysregulated CD38 expression across innate and adaptive immune cells in SLE could be of pathophysiological importance with respect to the potential efficacy and side effects of such therapies. Since CD38 expression did not correlate with disease activity, it may be assumed that it is not a response protein solely induced and modulated by type I interferons. Nevertheless, our comprehensive characterization of CD38 expression in the immune system might have important implications for personalized approaches with emerging CD38-directed therapeutics.References:[1]Ostendorf, L. et al. Targeting CD38 with Daratumumab in Refractory Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. N. Engl. J. Med. 383, 1149–1155 (2020).Disclosure of Interests:None declared

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 2424
Author(s):  
Marie Burns ◽  
Lennard Ostendorf ◽  
Robert Biesen ◽  
Andreas Grützkau ◽  
Falk Hiepe ◽  
...  

Given its uniformly high expression on plasma cells, CD38 has been considered as a therapeutic target in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Herein, we investigate the distribution of CD38 expression by peripheral blood leukocyte lineages to evaluate the potential therapeutic effect of CD38-targeting antibodies on these immune cell subsets and to delineate the use of CD38 as a biomarker in SLE. We analyzed the expression of CD38 on peripheral blood leukocyte subsets by flow and mass cytometry in two different cohorts, comprising a total of 56 SLE patients. The CD38 expression levels were subsequently correlated across immune cell lineages and subsets, and with clinical and serologic disease parameters of SLE. Compared to healthy controls (HC), CD38 expression levels in SLE were significantly increased on circulating plasmacytoid dendritic cells, CD14++CD16+ monocytes, CD56+ CD16dim natural killer cells, marginal zone-like IgD+CD27+ B cells, and on CD4+ and CD8+ memory T cells. Correlation analyses revealed coordinated CD38 expression between individual innate and memory T cell subsets in SLE but not HC. However, CD38 expression levels were heterogeneous across patients, and no correlation was found between CD38 expression on immune cell subsets and the disease activity index SLEDAI-2K or established serologic and immunological markers of disease activity. In conclusion, we identified widespread changes in CD38 expression on SLE immune cells that highly correlated over different leukocyte subsets within individual patients, but was heterogenous within the population of SLE patients, regardless of disease severity or clinical manifestations. As anti-CD38 treatment is being investigated in SLE, our results may have important implications for the personalized targeting of pathogenic leukocytes by anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies.


Open Biology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 170006 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Calì ◽  
B. Molon ◽  
A. Viola

Host immunity plays a central and complex role in dictating tumour progression. Solid tumours are commonly infiltrated by a large number of immune cells that dynamically interact with the surrounding microenvironment. At first, innate and adaptive immune cells successfully cooperate to eradicate microcolonies of transformed cells. Concomitantly, surviving tumour clones start to proliferate and harness immune responses by specifically hijacking anti-tumour effector mechanisms and fostering the accumulation of immunosuppressive immune cell subsets at the tumour site. This pliable interplay between immune and malignant cells is a relentless process that has been concisely organized in three different phases: elimination, equilibrium and escape. In this review, we aim to depict the distinct immune cell subsets and immune-mediated responses characterizing the tumour landscape throughout the three interconnected phases. Importantly, the identification of key immune players and molecules involved in the dynamic crosstalk between tumour and immune system has been crucial for the introduction of reliable prognostic factors and effective therapeutic protocols against cancers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wanbang Zhou ◽  
Yiyang Chen ◽  
Ruixing Luo ◽  
Zifan Li ◽  
Guanwei Jiang ◽  
...  

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common cancer with poor prognosis. Due to the lack of effective biomarkers and its complex immune microenvironment, the effects of current HCC therapies are not ideal. In this study, we used the GSE57957 microarray data from Gene Expression Omnibus database to construct a co-expression network. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis and CIBERSORT algorithm, which quantifies cellular composition of immune cells, were used to identify modules related to immune cells. Four hub genes (EFTUD2, GAPDH, NOP56, PA2G4) were identified by co-expression network and protein-protein interactions network analysis. We examined these genes in TCGA database, and found that the four hub genes were highly expressed in tumor tissues in multiple HCC groups, and the expression levels were significantly correlated with patient survival time, pathological stage and tumor progression. On the other hand, methylation analysis showed that the up-regulation of EFTUD2, GAPDH, NOP56 might be due to the hypomethylation status of their promoters. Next, we investigated the correlations between the expression levels of four hub genes and tumor immune infiltration using Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER). Gene set variation analysis suggested that the four hub genes were associated with numerous pathways that affect tumor progression or immune microenvironment. Overall, our results showed that the four hub genes were closely related to tumor prognosis, and may serve as targets for treatment and diagnosis of HCC. In addition, the associations between these genes and immune infiltration enhanced our understanding of tumor immune environment and provided new directions for the development of drugs and the monitoring of tumor immune status.


1983 ◽  
Vol 157 (2) ◽  
pp. 743-754 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Moretta ◽  
G Pantaleo ◽  
L Moretta ◽  
J C Cerottini ◽  
M C Mingari

In an attempt to determine the clonogenic properties of human peripheral blood T cells, we have developed a limiting dilution microculture system using phytohemagglutinin (PHA) as T cell activator and supernatant from PHA-stimulated spleen cultures as a source of T cell growth factors. The frequencies of cells capable of extensive proliferation under these culture conditions were 0.52-0.73, 0.98-1.11, and less than 0.02 in peripheral blood mononuclear, E-rosette-positive, and E-rosette-negative cell populations, respectively. The clonogenic potential of virtually all T cells was confirmed in experiments using single cells isolated by micromanipulation. Clone size ranged between 5 and 30 X 10(4) cells on day 14 of culture. The same microculture system was used to determine the precursor frequency of all cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL-P). As assessed by a lectin-dependent 51Cr release assay, the CTL-P frequency in purified T cell populations ranged between 0.30 and 0.34. In comparison, the precursor frequency of T cells capable of lysing K562 target cells was ranging between 0.14 and 0.16. Parallel analysis of individual clonal cultures for both lytic activities showed that 50% of the clones exhibiting lectin-dependent lysis were also active against K562 target cells. All of the proliferating clones expressed HLA-DR antigens, although to a varying degree as assessed by flow cytofluorometry. Given the high cloning efficiency of this culture system, it appears now possible to determine the precursor frequencies of the various classes of functional cells in T cell populations.


Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (22) ◽  
pp. 5621-5621
Author(s):  
Sung-Eun Lee ◽  
Ji-Young Lim ◽  
Da-Bin Ryu ◽  
Tae Woo Kim ◽  
Sung Soo Park ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Although the combination of lenalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone (Len-dex) is known to preserve the efficacy with reduced toxicity than lenalidomide plus high-dose dexamethasone (Len-Dex) in patients with refractory/relapsed multiple myeloma (RRMM), infection is still a leading toxicity. Moreover, the patterns and risks for infection in patients with RRMM during Len-dex treatment remain unclear and there is a need to identify contributing factors associated with increased risk for infection. Considering the disease-related and treatment-related immune deficits in patients with RRMM, we explored the predictive implications of the revelation of the immune cell populations prior to Len-dex initiation for the occurrence of infection. In addition, the various clinical and laboratory parameters were analyzed. Methods Clinical and microbiology records of 90 RRMM patients during Len-dex treatment were reviewed and risk factors for infection were analyzed using the logistic regression. In addition, to develop the new immune cell biomarker, we prospectively examined immune cell populations (CD3, CD4CD161, CD8CD161, Lin-HLA-DR-CD11b+CD33+, CD14+HLA-DR-, NK and NKT cells) of the peripheral blood taken on baseline of Len-dex therapy. Results Forty-eight men and 42 women were enrolled in this study. The median age was 61 years (range, 29-84 years). During a median 11 cycles of Len-dex treatment, 52 (57.8%) patients experienced at least 1 infection episode. Of a total of 92 episodes of infection, 58 (63%) episodes were clinically defined, 29 (31.5%) episodes were microbiologically defined, and 5 (5.4%) episodes were fever of unknown focus. Severe episodes were frequently observed during early 3 cycles. In the univariate analyses, lower Hb (<10 g/dL) and serum albumin (<3.5 mg/dL), and higher serum creatinine (≥2 mg/dL) were associated with increased risk of infections (≥grade 3) during early 3 cycles. After adjusting for risk factors for infection on univariate analyses, multivariate analyses showed that lower Hb (<10 g/dL) was an independent factor for the occurrence of infections and lower frequency (P = 0.009) and absolute count (P = 0.072) of CD4+CD161+ cells in peripheral blood prior to Len-dex were associated with the occurrence of infection, especially during early 3 cycles of Len-dex therapy. Conclusions We demonstrated several clinical predictive factors for the occurrence of infection in patients with RRMM receiving Len-dex treatment. And we found that the frequency and absolute count of CD4+CD161+ cells may provide additional information for predicting the occurrence of infection in early period of Len/dex therapy. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 218-230
Author(s):  
T. A. Aristova ◽  
E. V. Batorov ◽  
V. V. Sergeevicheva ◽  
S. A. Sizikova ◽  
G. Yu. Ushakova ◽  
...  

Introduction. Multiple myeloma (MM) is a B-cell malignancy with clonal expansion of plasma cells in bone marrow. Highdose chemotherapy with autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation is among main consolidation therapies in MM. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are immature myeloid-accompanying cells able to suppress the immune response. The administration of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) to mobilise haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) increases the MDSC count in peripheral blood (PB).Aim — to study MDSC subsets in PB of remission MM patients and their incidence dynamics at HSC mobilisation.Methods. The study surveyed 35 MM patients prior to and after HSC mobilisation. The counts of granulocytic (G-MDSCs; Lin–HLA-DR–CD33+ CD66b+), monocytic (М-MDSCs; CD14+ HLA-DRlow/–) and early MDSCs (E-MDSCs; Lin–HLA-DR– CD33+ CD66b–) were estimated in flow cytometry.Results. Remission MM patients differed from healthy donors in higher relative counts of G-MDSCs (Lin–HLA-DR– CD33+ CD66b+) and increased relative and absolute counts of М-MDSCs (CD14+ HLA-DRlow/–). М-MDSCs significantly outnumbered G-MDSCs. MDSC subset counts were elevated in complete response (CR) and very good partial response (VGPR), as well as in partial response (PR). Higher relative MDSC counts were associated with greater pretreatment (2–3 lines of chemotherapy). After HSC mobilisation with cyclophosphamide 2–4 g/m2 + G-CSF (filgrastim 5 μg/kg/day), the median relative E-MDSC and M-MDSC counts increased by 2.3 and 2.0 times, respectively, while the relative G-MDSC count raised 46-fold perturbing the MDSC subset balance.Conclusion. Remission MM patients had the increased relative G-MDSC and both relative and absolute M-MDSC counts compared to donors. A greater patient pretreatment was associated with higher relative G-MDSC counts. Treatment response (CR/VGPR vs. PR) was not coupled with MDSC count variation. The G-CSF-induced HSC mobilisation entailed a significant expansion of all three MDSC subsets in PB.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Lutshumba ◽  
Barbara S. Nikolajczyk ◽  
Adam D. Bachstetter

Neuroinflammation and the tissue-resident innate immune cells, the microglia, respond and contribute to neurodegenerative pathology. Although microglia have been the focus of work linking neuroinflammation and associated dementias like Alzheimer’s Disease, the inflammatory milieu of brain is a conglomerate of cross-talk amongst microglia, systemic immune cells and soluble mediators like cytokines. Age-related changes in the inflammatory profile at the levels of both the brain and periphery are largely orchestrated by immune system cells. Strong evidence indicates that both innate and adaptive immune cells, the latter including T cells and B cells, contribute to chronic neuroinflammation and thus dementia. Neurodegenerative hallmarks coupled with more traditional immune system stimuli like infection or injury likely combine to trigger and maintain persistent microglial and thus brain inflammation. This review summarizes age-related changes in immune cell function, with special emphasis on lymphocytes as a source of inflammation, and discusses how such changes may potentiate both systemic and central nervous system inflammation to culminate in dementia. We recap the understudied area of AD-associated changes in systemic lymphocytes in greater detail to provide a unifying perspective of inflammation-fueled dementia, with an eye toward evidence of two-way communication between the brain parenchyma and blood immune cells. We focused our review on human subjects studies, adding key data from animal models as relevant.


Author(s):  
Roosheel S. Patel ◽  
Joy E. Tomlinson ◽  
Thomas J. Divers ◽  
Gerlinde R. Van de Walle ◽  
Brad R. Rosenberg

ABSTRACTTraditional laboratory model organisms represent a small fraction of the diversity of multicellular life, and findings in any given experimental model often do not translate to other species. Immunology research in non-traditional model organisms can be advantageous or even necessary (e.g. for host-pathogen interaction studies), but presents multiple challenges, many stemming from an incomplete understanding of potentially species-specific immune cell types, frequencies and phenotypes. Identifying and characterizing immune cells in such organisms is frequently limited by the availability of species-reactive immunophenotyping reagents for flow cytometry, and insufficient prior knowledge of cell type-defining markers. Here, we demonstrate the utility of single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) to characterize immune cells for which traditional experimental tools are limited. Specifically, we used scRNA-Seq to comprehensively define the cellular diversity of equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy horses across different breeds, ages, and sexes. We identified 30 cell type clusters partitioned into five major populations: Monocytes/Dendritic Cells, B cells, CD3+PRF1+ lymphocytes, CD3+PRF1- lymphocytes, and Basophils. Comparative analyses revealed many cell populations analogous to human PBMC, including transcriptionally heterogeneous monocytes and distinct dendritic cell subsets (cDC1, cDC2, plasmacytoid DC). Unexpectedly, we found that a majority of the equine peripheral B cell compartment is comprised of T-bet+ B cells; an immune cell subpopulation typically associated with chronic infection and inflammation in human and mouse. Taken together, our results demonstrate the potential of scRNA-Seq for cellular analyses in non-traditional model organisms, and form the basis for an immune cell atlas of horse peripheral blood.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miranda Houtman ◽  
Anna Dzebisashvili ◽  
Espen Hesselberg ◽  
Anatoly Dubnovitsky ◽  
Genadiy Kozhukh ◽  
...  

AbstractHLA-DRB1 alleles have been associated with several autoimmune diseases. In anti-citrullinated protein antibody positive rheumatoid arthritis (ACPA-positive RA), HLA-DRB1 shared epitope (SE) alleles are the major genetic risk factors. In order to investigate whether expression of different alleles of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) Class II genes influence functions of immune cells, we investigated transcriptomic profiles of a variety of immune cells from healthy individuals carrying different HLA-DRB1 alleles. Sequencing libraries from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and CD14+ monocytes of 32 genetically pre-selected healthy female individuals were generated, sequenced and reads were aligned to the standard reference. For the MHC region, reads were mapped to available MHC reference haplotypes and AltHapAlignR was used to estimate gene expression. Using this method, HLA-DRB and HLA-DQ were found to be differentially expressed in different immune cells of healthy individuals as well as in whole blood samples of RA patients carrying HLA-DRB1 SE-positive versus SE-negative alleles. In contrast, no genes outside the MHC region were differentially expressed between individuals carrying HLA-DRB1 SE-positive and SE-negative alleles. Existing methods for HLA-DR allele-specific protein expression were evaluated but were not mature enough to provide appropriate complementary information at the protein level. Altogether, our findings suggest that immune effects associated with different allelic forms of HLA-DR and HLA-DQ may be associated not only with differences in the structure of these proteins, but also with differences in their expression levels.


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