scholarly journals Quantitative Proteomics Reveals Protein Dysregulation During T Cell Activation in Multiple Sclerosis Patients Compared to Healthy Controls

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Cappelletti ◽  
Anna Maria Eriksson ◽  
Ina Skaara Brorson ◽  
Ingvild S. Leikfoss ◽  
Oda Glomstad Kråbøl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cd4 T Cells ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Susceptibility Genes ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Activated T Cells ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Abstract Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune, neurodegenerative disorder with a strong genetic component that acts in a complex interaction with environmental factors for disease development. CD4 + T cells are pivotal players in MS pathogenesis, where peripherally activated T cells migrate to the central nervous system leading to demyelination and axonal degeneration. Through a proteomic approach, we aim at identifying dysregulated pathways in activated T cells from MS patients as compared to healthy controls. Methods: CD4 + T cells were purified from peripheral blood from MS patients and healthy controls by magnetic separation. Cells were left unstimulated or stimulated in vitro through the TCR and costimulatory CD28 receptor for 24 hours prior to sampling. Electrospray liquid chromatographytandem mass spectrometry was used to measure protein abundances. Results: Upon T cell activation the abundance of 1,801 proteins was changed. Among these proteins, we observed an enrichment of proteins expressed by MS-susceptibility genes. When comparing protein abundances in T cell samples from healthy controls and MS patients, 18 and 33 proteins were differentially expressed in unstimulated and stimulated CD4 + T cells, respectively. Moreover, 353 and 304 proteins were identified as proteins exclusively induced upon T cell activation in healthy controls and MS patients, respectively and dysregulation of the Nur77 pathway was observed only in samples from MS patients. Conclusions: Our study highlights the importance of CD4 + T cell activation for MS, as proteins that change in abundance upon T cell activation are enriched for proteins encoded by MS susceptibility genes. The results provide evidence for proteomic disturbances in T cell activation in MS, and pinpoint to dysregulation of the Nur77 pathway, a biological pathway known to limit aberrant effector T cell responses.

T cell-T cell activation in multiple sclerosis

1997 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 238-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
JW Lindsey ◽  
RH Kerman ◽  
JS Wolinsky
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Activated T Cells ◽  
In Vitro Proliferation

Activated T cells are able to stimulate proliferation in resting T cells through an antigen non-specific mechanism. The in vivo usefulness of this T cell-T cell activation is unclear, but it may serve to amplify immune responses. T cell-T cell activation could be involved in the well-documented occurrence of multiple sclerosis (MS) exacerbations following viral infections. Excessive activation via this pathway could also be a factor in the etiology of MS. We tested the hypothesis that excessive T cell-T cell activation occurs in MS patients using in vitro proliferation assays comparing T cells from MS patients to T cells from controls. When tested as responder cells, T cells from MS patients proliferated slightly less after stimulation with previously activated cells than T cells from controls. When tested as stimulator cells, activated cells from MS patients stimulated slightly more non-specific proliferation than activated cells from controls. Neither of these differences were statistically significant We conclude that T cell proliferation in response to activated T cells is similar in MS and controls.

Hepatic AAV Gene Transfer of Cytoplasmic Transgene Induces Transgene Product-Specific T Cell Activation Initially in the Liver and Celiac Lymph Node Preceding Treg Induction

Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 3241-3241
Author(s):  
Roland W. Herzog ◽  
George Q. Perrin
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Lymph Node ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Antigen Presentation ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cd4 T Cells ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Lymphoid Organs ◽  
Activated T Cells

Abstract In several published studies, we have shown induction of immune tolerance to coagulations factors by hepatic gene transfer to animals with hemophilia. Tolerance induction is influenced by a number of complex factors, most notably T cell activation and induction of antigen-specific CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg). We sought to better understand antigen presentation to CD4+ T cells and the dynamics of the resulting T cell response. To characterize the interaction of adeno-associated virus (AAV) antigen expression in the liver with immune cells, we used an AAV8 vector, which have a high tropism for murine liver, expressing cytoplasmic ovalbumin (AAV8-Cyto-Ova) from the EF1α promoter. Use of AAV8-Cyto-Ova allowed us to eliminate effects from systemic antigen delivery. Vector was injected into the tail vein of DO11.10-transgenic RAG-/- mice, which contain exclusively Ova-specific CD4+ T cells and lack Treg. AAV8-Cyto-Ova caused upregulation of the very early activation marker CD69 on the CD4+ T cells as early as 2 weeks after gene transfer, with induced Treg emerging at about 3 weeks. CD69+CD4+ T cells were first observed in greatest numbers in the liver and celiac lymph node (LN), one of the liver-draining LN. This T cell activation persisted for several weeks. To better define the sites of T cell activation, we used the compound FTY720, which is an agonist of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors and prevents migration of lymphocytes but does not alter T cell function. Two weeks after AAV8-Cyto-Ova, FTY720 sequestered activated T cells mostly in the liver and celiac LN, when compared to other lymphoid organs, indicating that these are the initial sites of T cell activation. At the 3-week time point, there were fewer activated T cells in the liver and celiac LN in mice that received FTY720, while instead accumulating in the blood. Most likely, activated T cells were prevented from reentering the lymphoid organs from the circulation, where they were sequestered. We conclude that T cells are first activated by AAV8-Cyto-Ova in the liver and celiac LN after two weeks, where they subsequently egress into the circulation and re-enter lymphoid tissues, with many returning to the liver and celiac LN. FTY720 given at 2 weeks prevented the newly activated T cells from leaving the liver and celiac LN. These results strongly suggest that antigen presentation and CD4+ T cell activation occur first in the liver and celiac LN, beginning about 2 weeks after vector administration. Consistent with this conclusion, adoptively transferred Ova-specific CD4+ T cells proliferated first and to a much greater degree in the celiac LN of AAV8-Cyto-Ova transduced mice. Inactiviating Kupffer cells with gadolinium chloride significantly reduced antigen-specific proliferation, illustrating the requirement for professional resident liver antigen-presenting cells. Furthermore, we show that - in contrast to the AAV expression of secreted Ova - Treg are exclusively extrathymically induced after AAV8-Cyto-Ova vector administration. These Treg are found in high numbers in the blood after 2 weeks in mice given the FTY720 compound, suggesting that these peripherally induced Treg quickly enter the circulation. In conclusion, the liver and its draining celiac LN are key sites for antigen presentation and T cell activation in response to transgene expression directed by hepatic gene transfer. Presentation of antigen derived from a non-secreted transgene product induces FoxP3+ Treg that rapidly distribute through the circulation. Disclosures Herzog: Novo Nordisk: Research Funding; Spark Therapeutics: Patents & Royalties: Patent licenses.

Azacitidine Induces A Shift In Th1/Th17 Ratio and FoxP3 Expression In Anti-CD3 Stimulated CD4+ T-Cells; Implications for the Treatment of Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 4026-4026
Author(s):  
Hetty J Bontkes ◽  
Jurjen M Ruben ◽  
Theresia M. Westers ◽  
Gert J. Ossenkoppele ◽  
Arjan A. Van de Loosdrecht
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cd4 T Cells ◽  
Th17 Cells ◽  
Dna Methyltransferase ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Foxp3 Expression ◽  
Cd4 T Cell ◽  
Activated T Cells

Abstract Abstract 4026 Aberrant DNA methylation and other epigenetic changes play a role in the development of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Epigenetic drugs such as DNA methyltransferase inhibitors are therefore increasingly employed in MDS treatment regimens. Recent studies show that gene methylation processes also regulate T-cell function. Here we analyzed the in vitro effects of the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor ‘5-azacitidine (Aza) on CD4+ T-cell activation. We confirmed the previously described inhibition of proliferation and increased expression of FoxP3, the regulatory T-cell (Treg) marker, by anti-CD3 stimulated T-cells in the presence of 1mM Aza. Here we have sorted CD4+ T-cells isolated form healthy donor peripheral blood into CD25neg resting, CD25dim recently activated and CD25hi Treg cells. Aza facilitated the induction of CD25hiFoxP3+ T-cells from CD25neg (4.7% of vehicle treated cells versus 17.3% of Aza treated cells p=0.0007, n=9) and to a lesser extend from CD25dim (1.2% versus 8.6%, p=0.0015, n=7) CD4+ T-cells, while Aza had no effect on FoxP3 expression in CD25hi sorted cells, FoxP3 expression remained high. In addition, cytokine producing T-cells were enumerated after stimulation with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin in the presence of Brefeldin A. Aza treatment increased the number of IFNγ producing cells in the total CD4+ population (19.1% versus 40.8%; p<0.0001, n=10) as well as among the CD25neg (5.7% vs 41.2%; p=0.001, n=8) and CD25dim CD4+ T-cell populations (28.4% versus 46.6%; p=0.06, n=7). TNFα producing cells were increased in the total CD4+ (36.4% versus 51.1%; p=0.011, n=9) and CD4posCD25dim (36.7% versus 52.3%; p=0.033, n=6) populations but not in the CD4posCD25neg cells (50.9% versus 51.1%; p=0.9, n=7). This increase in pro-inflammatory cytokine production indicates that Aza induces T-cell activation and that the increase in FoxP3 expression may reflect T-cell activation rather than an increase in bona fide Treg by Aza treatment. Indeed a proportion of the FoxP3+ cells was positive for TNFa or IFNg, suggesting that these are activated T-cells rather than Treg. However, the proportion of FoxP3+IFNγ- and FoxP3+TNFα- cells was significantly higher among Aza treated CD4+ cells (p=0.0037 and 0.0018 respectively, n=5), suggesting an increase in Treg as well. Functional assays to demonstrate that these FoxP3+ cells are indeed regulatory T-cells are currently being set up. Next to IFNγ and TNFα producing Th1 cells, the more recently described IL-17 committed Th17 cells have been described to play a role in low risk MDS. Furthermore, it has been shown that Treg can differentiate into IL-17 producing cells. We, therefore evaluated the effect of Aza on Th17 cells. Interestingly, in contrast to IFNγ and TNFα producing cells, the proportion of IL-17+IFNγ- Th17 cells among the total CD4+ population was reduced by Aza treatment (1.8% versus 1.1% p=0.035, n=10), leading to a significant increase in the Th1/Th17 ratio (14.0 versus 47.9, p=0.0005, n=10). In contrast, although the numbers were small, the proportion of Th17 cells was increased by Aza in the CD25neg population (0.08% versus 0.20%, p=0.028, n=8), suggesting that Aza may have differential effects on resting and recently activated T-cells. In conclusion, our data show that Aza increases the induction of FoxP3+ Treg and Th1 cells but inhibits IL-17 production, particularly by previously activated T-cells. Aza may therefore particularly be beneficial in pathogenic immune disorders characterized by increased Th17 numbers accompanied by reduced Treg frequencies, such as low-risk MDS. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Induction of Mouse Naive T Cells Transition into CD4+ CD2+ FoxP3+ Regulatory T Cells in a Modified Culture Medium As a Potential Armament in Graft-Versus-Host Disease

Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 5426-5426
Author(s):  
Tzeon-Jye Chiou ◽  
Tan-Hwa Chu ◽  
Sin-Tak Chu ◽  
Woan-Fang Tzeng
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Regulatory T Cells ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cd4 T Cells ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Foxp3 Expression ◽  
Treg Cells ◽  
Activated T Cells ◽  
Allogeneic Hsct

Abstract Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been used to treat some of hematological malignancies and inherited or acquired non-malignant disorders. Unfortunately, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) occurred approximately 15% in transplant recipients and impacts on the outcome of allogeneic HSCT. At present, no effective modality could completely prevent the GVHD from allogeneic HSCT patients. CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been shown to be important in maintaining immune homeostasis and preventing autoimmunity. However, 5% to 10% Tregs could be measured in human CD4+ T cells and few Tregs would convert to conventional activated T cells because of losing FoxP3 expression orn Tregs in suppression of T cell activation. It had been reported to correlate with the occurrence and severity of GVHD in some study. In order to study the potential use of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Tregs for the prevention of GVHD, we attempt to evaluate the better efficient method to increase the number of induced Treg cells (i Tregs) in donor and stabilize the FoxP3 ini Treg cells. Using mouse as a model, the splenocytes were prepared from mouse spleen. Before having biological function,i Treg cells need to stabilize the FoxP3 protein expression. Using retinoic acid (RA, 0.1-5ng/ml) as a stabilizer of the FoxP3 protein expression can keep thei Treg cells in stable. The endogenous regulatory T cells (n Treg) can inhibit T cell activation, thereby affecting T cells intoi Treg efficiency. We should remove the n Treg cells from the CD4+ T cells. Therefore, CD4+ T cells were isolated by negative selection, and then using the n Treg removing kit, we harvested the CD4+ CD62L+ naïve T cells fori Treg cell induction. For this purpose, naïve CD4+ cells were harvested, and then activated with anti-CD3/CD28 Dynabeads in the presence of IL-2, TGF-β1 and retinoic acid (RA) containing RPMI1640 medium. During the Tregs induction, the activated T cells were performed under low nutrient supplement (5% FBS) for three days then refreshed the cells into the full nutrient supplement (10% FBS) for another four days. The harvested cells were analyzed by flow cytometry method with fluorescence-conjugated CD-antibodies, including CD4, CD25, CD127, CD62L and FoxP3. Currently, the removal of n Treg cells could improve the efficiency of i Treg cell formation from 15% to 70-80% under this modified culture method (Fig.1). Further improvement of human peripheral blood regulatory T cell generation efficiency is our ongoing target. Our study showed that the combination of IL-2, TGF-β1 and RA in 3-day-nutrient-deprived medium could convert naïve CD4+ CD62L+ T cells to CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+i Treg cells and stabilize FoxP3 expression in thei Treg cells efficiently. Further, we will develop thei Treg suppression assay to clarify the biological function ofi Tregs in vitro. GVHD mouse model will be established by using allogeneic HSCT to verify the function of i Tregs in vivo, too. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals 643 Vasoactive intestinal peptide as a novel immune checkpoint molecule in activated T cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A672-A672
Author(s):  
Sruthi Ravindranathan ◽  
Tenzin Passang Fnu ◽  
Edmund Waller
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Cd4 T Cells ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Activated T Cells

BackgroundOnly a fraction of cancer patients responds to current antibody-based immune checkpoint inhibitors.1 Our lab has identified vasoactive intestinal peptide-receptor (VIP-R) signaling as a targetable immune checkpoint pathway in cancer. VIP is a small neuropeptide with known immunosuppressive effects on T cells, in particular, CD4+ T cells.2–5 However, little is known about VIP-R signaling in CD8+ T cells. To define mechanisms by which VIP limits T cell activation and function, we studied the regulation of VIP and VIP receptors (VIP-R) in T cells following their activation in vitro and in mouse models of cancer.MethodsT cells from healthy human donors and murine splenocytes were activated using anti-CD3 coated plates. Western blots measured intracellular pre-pro-VIP, along with its cognate receptors; VPAC1 and VPAC2. Purified cultures of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were used to interrogate the protein expression on specific T cell subsets. Activation and chemokine receptor expression was assessed by flow cytometry to evaluate T cell response to VIP-R antagonists in vitro and in tumor-bearing mice engrafted with pancreatic cancer cell lines.ResultsBoth murine and human T cells upregulate pre-pro-VIP following TCR stimulation with similar kinetics of VIP receptors between species. VIP expression is upregulated in vivo following treatment of tumor-bearing mice with anti-PD1 MoAb. VIP expression is temporally correlated with the upregulation of other co-inhibitory molecules. VPAC1 expression modestly increased in activated T cells while VPAC2 expression decreased. A non-canonical high molecular weight (HMW) form of VPAC2-related protein robustly and transiently increase in activated T cells. Expression of HMW form of VPAC2 is only detected in activated CD4+ T cells. Of note, activated CD4+ but not CD8+ T cells upregulate pre-pro-VIP. Pharmacological inhibition of VIP-R signaling significantly increased CD69+, OX40+, Lag3+, and PD1+ expression in CD4+ subsets compared to activated T cells without VIP-R antagonists (p < 0.05). In contrast, CD8+ T cells upregulate VPAC1 but not VPAC2 receptor following activation. VIP-R antagonist treatment of activated CD8+ T cells significantly decreased CXCR4+ expression (p < 0.05). CXCR3 and CXCR5 expression were not affected by VIP-R antagonist treatment.ConclusionsVIP-R signaling is a novel immune autocrine and paracrine checkpoint pathway in activated CD4+ T cells. Activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells demonstrate different kinetics of VPAC1 and VPAC2 expression, suggesting different immune-regulatory responses to VIP-R antagonists. Understanding VIP-R signaling induced during T cell activation can lead to specific drugs that target VIP-R pathways to enhance cancer immunotherapy.AcknowledgementsWe thank healthy volunteers for blood samples. The authors also thank the shared resources at Emory University, namely, Emory Flow Cytometry Core (EFCC) and Integrated Cellular Imaging Core (ICI) and Yerkes Nonhuman Primate Genomics Core that provided services or instruments at subsidized cost to conduct some of the reported experiments. This work was supported in part by Katz Foundation funding, Georgia Research Alliance, and Emory School of Medicine Dean's Imagine, Innovate and Impact (I3) venture award to Edmund K. Waller.ReferencesDarvin P, Toor SM, Sasidharan Nair V, Elkord E. Immune checkpoint inhibitors: recent progress and potential biomarkers. Experimental and Molecular Medicine 2018.Wang HY, Jiang XM, Ganea D. The Neuropeptides VIP and PACAP Inhibit IL-2 Transcription by Decreasing c-Jun and Increasing JunB Expression in T Cells. J Neuroimmunol 2000;104(1):68–78.Delgado M. Vasoactive intestinal peptide generates CD4+CD25+ regulatory T Cells in Vivo. J Leukoc Biol 2005.Anderson P, Gonzalez-Rey E. Vasoactive intestinal peptide induces cell cycle arrest and regulatory functions in human T cells at multiple levels. Mol Cell Biol 2010.Delgado M, Ganea D. Vasoactive intestinal peptide: a neuropeptide with pleiotropic immune functions. Amino Acids. NIH Public Access July 2013, 25–39.Ethics ApprovalDe-identified blood samples from consented healthy volunteers (IRB 00046063) were obtained with approval from Institutional Review Boards.

scholarly journals Probiotic supplementation reduces inflammatory profiles but does not prevent oral immune perturbations during SIV infection

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhianna Jones ◽  
Kyle Kroll ◽  
Courtney Broedlow ◽  
Luca Schifanella ◽  
Scott Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cd4 T Cells ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Rhesus Macaques ◽  
Oral Microbiome ◽  
Probiotic Supplementation ◽  
Siv Infection ◽  
Anti Inflammatory

AbstractHIV/SIV infections lead to massive loss of mucosal CD4 + T cells and breakdown of the epithelial mucosa resulting in severe microbial dysbiosis and chronic immune activation that ultimately drive disease progression. Moreover, disruption of one of the most understudied mucosal environments, the oral cavity, during HIV-induced immunosuppression results in significant microbial and neoplastic co-morbidities and contributes to and predicts distal disease complications. In this study we evaluated the effects of oral probiotic supplementation (PBX), which can stimulate and augment inflammatory or anti-inflammatory pathways, on early SIV infection of rhesus macaques. Our study revealed that similar to the GI mucosae, oral CD4 + T cells were rapidly depleted, and as one of the first comprehensive analyses of the oral microflora in SIV infection, we also observed significant modulation among two genera, Porphyromonas and Actinobacillus, early after infection. Interestingly, although PBX therapy did not substantially protect against oral dysbiosis or ameliorate cell loss, it did somewhat dampen inflammation and T cell activation. Collectively, these data provide one of the most comprehensive evaluations of SIV-induced changes in oral microbiome and CD4 + T cell populations, and also suggest that oral PBX may have some anti-inflammatory properties in lentivirus infections.

scholarly journals Novel self-amplificatory loop between T cells and tenocytes as a driver of chronicity in tendon disease

2021 ◽  
pp. annrheumdis-2020-219335
Author(s):  
Emma Garcia-Melchor ◽  
Giacomo Cafaro ◽  
Lucy MacDonald ◽  
Lindsay A N Crowe ◽  
Shatakshi Sood ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Cell Migration ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Inflammatory Cytokines ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Conditioned Media ◽  
Tissue Remodelling ◽  
Activated T Cells ◽  
T Cell Migration

ObjectivesIncreasing evidence suggests that inflammatory mechanisms play a key role in chronic tendon disease. After observing T cell signatures in human tendinopathy, we explored the interaction between T cells and tendon stromal cells or tenocytes to define their functional contribution to tissue remodelling and inflammation amplification and hence disease perpetuation.MethodsT cells were quantified and characterised in healthy and tendinopathic tissues by flow cytometry (FACS), imaging mass cytometry (IMC) and single cell RNA-seq. Tenocyte activation induced by conditioned media from primary damaged tendon or interleukin-1β was evaluated by qPCR. The role of tenocytes in regulating T cell migration was interrogated in a standard transwell membrane system. T cell activation (cell surface markers by FACS and cytokine release by ELISA) and changes in gene expression in tenocytes (qPCR) were assessed in cocultures of T cells and explanted tenocytes.ResultsSignificant quantitative differences were observed in healthy compared with tendinopathic tissues. IMC showed T cells in close proximity to tenocytes, suggesting tenocyte–T cell interactions. On activation, tenocytes upregulated inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and adhesion molecules implicated in T cell recruitment and activation. Conditioned media from activated tenocytes induced T cell migration and coculture of tenocytes with T cells resulted in reciprocal activation of T cells. In turn, these activated T cells upregulated production of inflammatory mediators in tenocytes, while increasing the pathogenic collagen 3/collagen 1 ratio.ConclusionsInteraction between T cells and tenocytes induces the expression of inflammatory cytokines/chemokines in tenocytes, alters collagen composition favouring collagen 3 and self-amplifies T cell activation via an auto-regulatory feedback loop. Selectively targeting this adaptive/stromal interface may provide novel translational strategies in the management of human tendon disorders.

NFATc3 regulates the transcription of genes involved in T-cell activation and angiogenesis

Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (3) ◽  
pp. 795-803 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katia Urso ◽  
Arantzazu Alfranca ◽  
Sara Martínez-Martínez ◽  
Amelia Escolano ◽  
Inmaculada Ortega ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Gene Knockout ◽  
Activated T Cells ◽  
Knock Down ◽  
And Function

Abstract The nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) family of transcription factors plays important roles in many biologic processes, including the development and function of the immune and vascular systems. Cells usually express more than one NFAT member, raising the question of whether NFATs play overlapping roles or if each member has selective functions. Using mRNA knock-down, we show that NFATc3 is specifically required for IL2 and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) gene expression in transformed and primary T cells and for T-cell proliferation. We also show that NFATc3 regulates COX2 in endothelial cells, where it is required for COX2, dependent migration and angiogenesis in vivo. These results indicate that individual NFAT members mediate specific functions through the differential regulation of the transcription of target genes. These effects, observed on short-term suppression by mRNA knock-down, are likely to have been masked by compensatory effects in gene-knockout studies.

scholarly journals CCL21 mediates CD4+ T-cell costimulation via a DOCK2/Rac-dependent pathway

Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (3) ◽  
pp. 580-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathrin Gollmer ◽  
François Asperti-Boursin ◽  
Yoshihiko Tanaka ◽  
Klaus Okkenhaug ◽  
Bart Vanhaesebroeck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cd4 T Cells ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Early Time ◽  
Cell Receptor ◽  
Tcr Signaling ◽  
Activation Markers

Abstract CD4+ T cells use the chemokine receptor CCR7 to home to and migrate within lymphoid tissue, where T-cell activation takes place. Using primary T-cell receptor (TCR)–transgenic (tg) CD4+ T cells, we explored the effect of CCR7 ligands, in particular CCL21, on T-cell activation. We found that the presence of CCL21 during early time points strongly increased in vitro T-cell proliferation after TCR stimulation, correlating with increased expression of early activation markers. CCL21 costimulation resulted in increased Ras- and Rac-GTP formation and enhanced phosphorylation of Akt, MEK, and ERK but not p38 or JNK. Kinase-dead PI3KδD910A/D910A or PI3Kγ-deficient TCR-tg CD4+ T cells showed similar responsiveness to CCL21 costimulation as control CD4+ T cells. Conversely, deficiency in the Rac guanine exchange factor DOCK2 significantly impaired CCL21-mediated costimulation in TCR-tg CD4+ T cells, concomitant with impaired Rac- but not Ras-GTP formation. Using lymph node slices for live monitoring of T-cell behavior and activation, we found that G protein-coupled receptor signaling was required for early CD69 expression but not for Ca2+ signaling. Our data suggest that the presence of CCL21 during early TCR signaling lowers the activation threshold through Ras- and Rac-dependent pathways leading to increased ERK phosphorylation.

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