scholarly journals Modulation of Immune Responses by Particle Size and Shape

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maksim V. Baranov ◽  
Manoj Kumar ◽  
Stefano Sacanna ◽  
Shashi Thutupalli ◽  
Geert van den Bogaart

The immune system has to cope with a wide range of irregularly shaped pathogens that can actively move (e.g., by flagella) and also dynamically remodel their shape (e.g., transition from yeast-shaped to hyphal fungi). The goal of this review is to draw general conclusions of how the size and geometry of a pathogen affect its uptake and processing by phagocytes of the immune system. We compared both theoretical and experimental studies with different cells, model particles, and pathogenic microbes (particularly fungi) showing that particle size, shape, rigidity, and surface roughness are important parameters for cellular uptake and subsequent immune responses, particularly inflammasome activation and T cell activation. Understanding how the physical properties of particles affect immune responses can aid the design of better vaccines.

2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (20) ◽  
pp. 3445-3455 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Kirkwood ◽  
Ahmad A. Tarhini ◽  
Monica C. Panelli ◽  
Stergios J. Moschos ◽  
Hassane M. Zarour ◽  
...  

PurposeImmunotherapy has a long history with striking but limited success in patients with melanoma. To date, interleukin-2 and interferon-alfa2b are the only approved immunotherapeutic agents for melanoma in the United States.DesignTumor evasion of host immune responses, and strategies for overcoming tumor-induced immunosuppression are reviewed. Several novel immunotherapies currently in worldwide phase III clinical testing for melanoma are discussed.ResultsThe limitations of immunotherapy for melanoma stem from tumor-induced mechanisms of immune evasion that render the host tolerant of tumor antigens. For example, melanoma inhibits the maturation of antigen-presenting cells, preventing full T-cell activation and downregulating the effector antitumor immune response. New immunotherapies targeting critical regulatory elements of the immune system may overcome tolerance and promote a more effective antitumor immune response. These include monoclonal antibodies that block the cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA4) and toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonists. Blockade of CTLA4 prevents inhibitory signals that downregulate T-cell activation. TLR9 agonists stimulate dendritic cell maturation and ultimately induce a more effective immune response. These approaches have been shown to stimulate acute immune activation with concomitant appearance of transient adverse events mediated by the immune system. The pattern and duration of immune responses associated with these new modalities differ from those associated with cytokines and cytotoxic agents. In addition, vaccines are being developed that may ultimately target melanoma either alone or in combination with these immunomodulatory therapies.ConclusionThe successes of cytokine and interferon therapy of melanoma, coupled with an array of new approaches, are generating new enthusiasm for the immunotherapy of melanoma.


Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 2333
Author(s):  
Sabrina Adorisio ◽  
Lorenza Cannarile ◽  
Domenico V. Delfino ◽  
Emira Ayroldi

Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligands, PD-L1/2, control T cell activation and tolerance. While PD-1 expression is induced upon T cell receptor (TCR) activation or cytokine signaling, PD-L1 is expressed on B cells, antigen presenting cells, and on non-immune tissues, including cancer cells. Importantly, PD-L1 binding inhibits T cell activation. Therefore, the modulation of PD-1/PD-L1 expression on immune cells, both circulating or in a tumor microenvironment and/or on the tumor cell surface, is one mechanism of cancer immune evasion. Therapies that target PD-1/PD-L1, blocking the T cell-cancer cell interaction, have been successful in patients with various types of cancer. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are often administered to manage the side effects of chemo- or immuno-therapy, exerting a wide range of immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects. However, GCs may also have tumor-promoting effects, interfering with therapy. In this review, we examine GC signaling and how it intersects with PD-1/PD-L1 pathways, including a discussion on the potential for GC- and PD-1/PD-L1-targeted therapies to “confuse” the immune system, leading to a cancer cell advantage that counteracts anti-cancer immunotherapy. Therefore, combination therapies should be utilized with an awareness of the potential for opposing effects on the immune system.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Dante Barreda ◽  
Luis H. Gutiérrez-González ◽  
Erasmo Martínez-Cordero ◽  
Carlos Cabello-Gutiérrez ◽  
Rommel Chacón-Salinas ◽  
...  

hScrib and hDlg belong to the PDZ family of proteins. Since the identification of these highly phylogenetically conserved scaffolds, an increasing amount of experiments has elucidated the roles of hScrib and hDlg in a variety of cell functions. Remarkably, their participation during the establishment of polarity in epithelial cells is well documented. Although the role of both proteins in the immune system is scantly known, it has become a growing field of investigation. Here, we summarize the interactions and functions of hScrib and hDlg1, which participate in diverse functions involving cell polarization in immune cells, and discuss their relevance in the immune cell biology. The fundamental role of hScrib and hDlg1 during the establishment of the immunological synapse, hence T cell activation, and the recently described role of hScrib in reactive oxygen species production in macrophages and of hDlg1 in cytokine production by dendritic cells highlight the importance of both proteins in immune cell biology. The expression of these proteins in other leukocytes can be anticipated and needs to be confirmed. Due to their multiple interaction domains, there is a wide range of possible interactions of hScrib and hDlg1 that remains to be explored in the immune system.


2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 269-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adelaida Sarukhan ◽  
Sabine Camugli ◽  
Bernard Gjata ◽  
Harald von Boehmer ◽  
Olivier Danos ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Vectors derived from the adeno-associated virus (AAV) have been successfully used for the long-term expression of therapeutic genes in animal models and patients. One of the major advantages of these vectors is the absence of deleterious immune responses following gene transfer. However, AAV vectors, when used in vaccination studies, can result in efficient humoral and cellular responses against the transgene product. It is therefore important to understand the factors which influence the establishment of these immune responses in order to design safe and efficient procedures for AAV-based gene therapies. We have compared T-cell activation against a strongly immunogenic protein, the influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA), which is synthesized in skeletal muscle following gene transfer with an adenovirus (Ad) or an AAV vector. In both cases, cellular immune responses resulted in the elimination of transduced muscle fibers within 4 weeks. However, the kinetics of CD4+ T-cell activation were markedly delayed when AAV vectors were used. Upon recombinant Ad (rAd) gene transfer, T cells were activated both by direct transduction of dendritic cells and by cross-presentation of the transgene product, while upon rAAV gene transfer T cells were only activated by the latter mechanism. These results suggested that activation of the immune system by the transgene product following rAAV-mediated gene transfer might be easier to control than that following rAd-mediated gene transfer. Therefore, we tested protocols aimed at interfering with either antigen presentation by blocking the CD40/CD40L pathway or with the T-cell response by inducing transgene-specific tolerance. Long-term expression of the AAV-HA was achieved in both cases, whereas immune responses against Ad-HA could not be prevented. These data clearly underline the importance of understanding the mechanisms by which vector-encoded proteins are recognized by the immune system in order to specifically interfere with them and to achieve safe and stable gene transfer in clinical trials.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 5394
Author(s):  
Tomas Lidak ◽  
Nikol Baloghova ◽  
Vladimir Korinek ◽  
Radislav Sedlacek ◽  
Jana Balounova ◽  
...  

Multisubunit cullin-RING ubiquitin ligase 4 (CRL4)-DCAF12 recognizes the C-terminal degron containing acidic amino acid residues. However, its physiological roles and substrates are largely unknown. Purification of CRL4-DCAF12 complexes revealed a wide range of potential substrates, including MOV10, an “ancient” RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) complex RNA helicase. We show that DCAF12 controls the MOV10 protein level via its C-terminal motif in a proteasome- and CRL-dependent manner. Next, we generated Dcaf12 knockout mice and demonstrated that the DCAF12-mediated degradation of MOV10 is conserved in mice and humans. Detailed analysis of Dcaf12-deficient mice revealed that their testes produce fewer mature sperms, phenotype accompanied by elevated MOV10 and imbalance in meiotic markers SCP3 and γ-H2AX. Additionally, the percentages of splenic CD4+ T and natural killer T (NKT) cell populations were significantly altered. In vitro, activated Dcaf12-deficient T cells displayed inappropriately stabilized MOV10 and increased levels of activated caspases. In summary, we identified MOV10 as a novel substrate of CRL4-DCAF12 and demonstrated the biological relevance of the DCAF12-MOV10 pathway in spermatogenesis and T cell activation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. e001615
Author(s):  
Rachel A Woolaver ◽  
Xiaoguang Wang ◽  
Alexandra L Krinsky ◽  
Brittany C Waschke ◽  
Samantha M Y Chen ◽  
...  

BackgroundAntitumor immunity is highly heterogeneous between individuals; however, underlying mechanisms remain elusive, despite their potential to improve personalized cancer immunotherapy. Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) vary significantly in immune infiltration and therapeutic responses between patients, demanding a mouse model with appropriate heterogeneity to investigate mechanistic differences.MethodsWe developed a unique HNSCC mouse model to investigate underlying mechanisms of heterogeneous antitumor immunity. This model system may provide a better control for tumor-intrinsic and host-genetic variables, thereby uncovering the contribution of the adaptive immunity to tumor eradication. We employed single-cell T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing coupled with single-cell RNA sequencing to identify the difference in TCR repertoire of CD8 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and the unique activation states linked with different TCR clonotypes.ResultsWe discovered that genetically identical wild-type recipient mice responded heterogeneously to the same squamous cell carcinoma tumors orthotopically transplanted into the buccal mucosa. While tumors initially grew in 100% of recipients and most developed aggressive tumors, ~25% of recipients reproducibly eradicated tumors without intervention. Heterogeneous antitumor responses were dependent on CD8 T cells. Consistently, CD8 TILs in regressing tumors were significantly increased and more activated. Single-cell TCR-sequencing revealed that CD8 TILs from both growing and regressing tumors displayed evidence of clonal expansion compared with splenic controls. However, top TCR clonotypes and TCR specificity groups appear to be mutually exclusive between regressing and growing TILs. Furthermore, many TCRα/TCRβ sequences only occur in one recipient. By coupling single-cell transcriptomic analysis with unique TCR clonotypes, we found that top TCR clonotypes clustered in distinct activation states in regressing versus growing TILs. Intriguingly, the few TCR clonotypes shared between regressors and progressors differed greatly in their activation states, suggesting a more dominant influence from tumor microenvironment than TCR itself on T cell activation status.ConclusionsWe reveal that intrinsic differences in the TCR repertoire of TILs and their different transcriptional trajectories may underlie the heterogeneous antitumor immune responses in different hosts. We suggest that antitumor immune responses are highly individualized and different hosts employ different TCR specificities against the same tumors, which may have important implications for developing personalized cancer immunotherapy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Pischedda ◽  
Daniel O’Connor ◽  
Benjamin P. Fairfax ◽  
Antonio Salas ◽  
Federico Martinon-Torres ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Pneumococcal infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in young children and immaturity of the immune system partly underlies poor vaccine responses seen in the young. Emerging evidence suggests a key role for epigenetics in the maturation and regulation of the immune system in health and disease. The study aimed to investigate epigenetic changes in early life and to understand the relationship between the epigenome and antigen-specific antibody responses to pneumococcal vaccination. Methods The epigenetic profiles from 24 healthy children were analyzed at 12 months prior to a booster dose of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-13), and at 24 months of age, using the Illumina Methylation 450 K assay and assessed for differences over time and between high and low vaccine responders. Results Our analysis revealed 721 significantly differentially methylated positions between 12 and 24 months (FDR < 0.01), with significant enrichment in pathways involved in the regulation of cell–cell adhesion and T cell activation. Comparing high and low vaccine responders, we identified differentially methylated CpG sites (P value < 0.01) associated with HLA-DPB1 and IL6. Conclusion These data imply that epigenetic changes that occur during early childhood may be associated with antigen-specific antibody responses to pneumococcal vaccines.


2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 651-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Price ◽  
David M. Murdoch ◽  
Upasna Agarwal ◽  
Sharon R. Lewin ◽  
Julian H. Elliott ◽  
...  

SUMMARY Up to one in four patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and given antiretroviral therapy (ART) experiences inflammatory or cellular proliferative disease associated with a preexisting opportunistic infection, which may be subclinical. These immune restoration diseases (IRD) appear to result from the restoration of immunocompetence. IRD associated with intracellular pathogens are characterized by cellular immune responses and/or granulomatous inflammation. Mycobacterial and cryptococcal IRD are attributed to a pathological overproduction of Th1 cytokines. Clinicopathological characteristics of IRD associated with viral infections suggest different pathogenic mechanisms. For example, IRD associated with varicella-zoster virus or JC polyomavirus infection correlate with a CD8 T-cell response in the central nervous system. Exacerbations or de novo presentations of hepatitis associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection following ART may also reflect restoration of pathogen-specific immune responses as titers of HCV-reactive antibodies rise in parallel with liver enzymes and plasma markers of T-cell activation. Correlations between immunological parameters assessed in longitudinal sample sets and clinical presentations are required to illuminate the diverse immunological scenarios described collectively as IRD. Here we present salient clinical features and review progress toward understanding their pathogeneses.


1996 ◽  
Vol 184 (2) ◽  
pp. 753-758 ◽  
Author(s):  
X G Tai ◽  
Y Yashiro ◽  
R Abe ◽  
K Toyooka ◽  
C R Wood ◽  
...  

Costimulation mediated by the CD28 molecule plays an important role in optimal activation of T cells. However, CD28-deficient mice can mount effective T cell-dependent immune responses, suggesting the existence of other costimulatory systems. In a search for other costimulatory molecules on T cells, we have developed a monoclonal antibody (mAb) that can costimulate T cells in the absence of antigen-presenting cells (APC). The molecule recognized by this mAb, 9D3, was found to be expressed on almost all mature T cells and to be a protein of approximately 24 kD molecular mass. By expression cloning, this molecule was identified as CD9, 9D3 (anti-CD9) synergized with suboptimal doses of anti-CD3 mAb in inducing proliferation by virgin T cells. Costimulation was induced by independent ligation of CD3 and CD9, suggesting that colocalization of these two molecules is not required for T cell activation. The costimulation by anti-CD9 was as potent as that by anti-CD28. Moreover, anti-CD9 costimulated in a CD28-independent way because anti-CD9 equally costimulated T cells from the CD28-deficient as well as wild-type mice. Thus, these results indicate that CD9 serves as a molecule on T cells that can deliver a potent CD28-independent costimulatory signal.


2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Machín ◽  
Yolanda Corripio-Miyar ◽  
Julia N. Hernández ◽  
Tara Pérez-Hernández ◽  
Adam D. Hayward ◽  
...  

AbstractDue to increased anthelmintic resistance, complementary methods to drugs are necessary to control gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN). Vaccines are an environmentally-friendly and promising option. In a previous study, a Teladorsagia circumcincta recombinant sub-unit vaccine was administered to two sheep breeds with different levels of resistance against GIN. In the susceptible Canaria Sheep (CS) breed, vaccinates harboured smaller worms with fewer eggs in utero than the control group. Here, we extend this work, by investigating the cellular and humoral immune responses of these two sheep breeds following vaccination and experimental infection with T. circumcincta. In the vaccinated CS group, negative associations between antigen-specific IgA, IgG2 and Globule Leukocytes (GLs) with several parasitological parameters were established as well as a higher CD4+/CD8+ ratio than in control CS animals, suggesting a key role in the protection induced by the vaccine. In the more resistant Canaria Hair Breed (CHB) sheep the vaccine did not significantly impact on the parasitological parameters studied and none of these humoral associations were observed in vaccinated CHB lambs, although CHB had higher proportions of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells within the abomasal lymph nodes, suggesting higher mucosal T cell activation. Each of the component proteins in the vaccine induced an increase in immunoglobulin levels in vaccinated groups of each breed. However, levels of immunoglobulins to only three of the antigens (Tci-MEP-1, Tci-SAA-1, Tci-ASP-1) were negatively correlated with parasitological parameters in the CS breed and they may be, at least partially, responsible for the protective effect of the vaccine in this breed. These data could be useful for improving the current vaccine prototype.


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