scholarly journals Progesterone Dampens Immune Responses in In Vitro Activated CD4+ T Cells and Affects Genes Associated With Autoimmune Diseases That Improve During Pregnancy

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Hellberg ◽  
Johanna Raffetseder ◽  
Olof Rundquist ◽  
Rasmus Magnusson ◽  
Georgia Papapavlou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Autoimmune Diseases ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Gene And Protein Expression ◽  
Disease Associated Genes ◽  
Transcriptomic Changes ◽  
Future Treatment Option

The changes in progesterone (P4) levels during and after pregnancy coincide with the temporary improvement and worsening of several autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Most likely immune-endocrine interactions play a major role in these pregnancy-induced effects. In this study, we used next generation sequencing to investigate the direct effects of P4 on CD4+ T cell activation, key event in pregnancy and disease. We report profound dampening effects of P4 on T cell activation, altering the gene and protein expression profile and reversing many of the changes induced during the activation. The transcriptomic changes induced by P4 were significantly enriched for genes associated with diseases known to be modulated during pregnancy such as MS, RA and psoriasis. STAT1 and STAT3 were significantly downregulated by P4 and their downstream targets were significantly enriched among the disease-associated genes. Several of these genes included well-known and disease-relevant cytokines, such as IL-12β, CXCL10 and OSM, which were further validated also at the protein level using proximity extension assay. Our results extend the previous knowledge of P4 as an immune regulatory hormone and support its importance during pregnancy for regulating potentially detrimental immune responses towards the semi-allogenic fetus. Further, our results also point toward a potential role for P4 in the pregnancy-induced disease immunomodulation and highlight the need for further studies evaluating P4 as a future treatment option.

scholarly journals Progesterone specifically dampens disease-associated TH1- and TH17-related immune responses during T cell activation in vitro

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Hellberg ◽  
Johanna Raffetseder ◽  
Olof Rundquist ◽  
Rasmus Magnusson ◽  
Georgia Papapavlou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Gene And Protein Expression ◽  
Transcriptomic Changes ◽  
Generation Sequencing ◽  
Proximity Extension Assay ◽  
Future Treatment Option

ABSTRACTThe changes in progesterone (P4) levels during and after pregnancy coincide with the temporary improvement and worsening of several autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Most likely immune-endocrine interactions play a major role in these pregnancy-induce effects. In this study, we used next generation sequencing to investigate the direct effects of P4 on CD4+ T cell activation, of central importance in pregnancy and disease. We found that P4 had a profound dampening effect on T cell activation, altering the gene and protein expression profile and opposing many of the changes induced during the activation. The transcriptomic changes induced by P4 were significantly enriched for genes associated with diseases known to be modulated during pregnancy such as MS, RA and psoriasis. The TH1-and TH17-associated transcription factors STAT1 and STAT3 were significantly downregulated by P4 and their downstream targets were significantly enriched among the diseases-associated genes. Several of these genes included well-known and disease-relevant cytokines, such as IL-12β, CXCL10 and OSM, that were further validated also at the protein level using proximity extension assay. Our results extend the previous knowledge of P4 as an immune regulatory hormone and supports its importance during pregnancy for regulating potentially detrimental immune responses towards the semi-allogenic fetus. Further, our results also point toward a potential role for P4 in the pregnancy-induced disease immunomodulation, suggestively through dampening of TH1 and TH17-associated immune responses and highlights the need for further studies evaluating P4 as a future treatment option.

scholarly journals Differential Leukocyte miRNA Responses Following Pan T Cell, Allorecognition and Allosecretome-Based Therapeutics Activation

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xining Yang ◽  
Wendy M. Toyofuku ◽  
Mark D. Scott
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Autoimmune Diseases ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Mirna Expression ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Immunomodulatory Activity ◽  
Mirna Expression Profiles

Abstract Background: Effective immunomodulation of T cell responses is critical in treating both autoimmune diseases and cancer. Our previous studies have demonstrated that nanoscale bioengineering of cell surfaces with methoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG) induces a potent tolerogenic immunomodulatory effect. Moreover, secretomes derived from mPEG- or control mixed lymphocyte alloactivation assays also exerted potent immunomodulatory activity that was mediated by microRNAs (miRNA). In this study, the immunomodulatory effects of Pan T cell activators (PHA and anti-CD3/CD28), alloactivation (MHC-disparate donors; ± mPEG grafting) and biomanufactured miRNA-based allo-secretome therapeutics (SYN, TA1, IA1 and IA2) were examined on T cell proliferation, subset differentiation and leukocyte miRNA expression profiles of resting human PBMC. Results: In contrast to Pan T cell activation, allorecognition and the pro-inflammatory IA1 secretome product induced increasingly controlled proliferation of resting PBMC. The differential effects of the activation strategies were also apparent in T cell differentiation and the Teff:Treg ratio and in the miRNA expression profiles noted in the treated PBMC. In contrast, the mPEG-PBMC and TA1 secretome products inhibited alloproliferation. Importantly, the activation strategies exerted significantly different miRNA expression in the treated leukocytes that was associated with differences in proliferation and cellular differentiation. Conclusions: Immunomodulatory secretome-derived, miRNA-enriched, therapeutics can be reproducibly biomanufactured that will induce the specific bioregulatory events necessary to induce the differentiation of naïve T cells to produce a tolerogeneic (TA1) or inflammatory (IA1) response both in vitro and in vivo. The successful development and biomanufacturing of immunomodulatory, miRNA-enriched, secretome biotherapeutics may provide potent tools for the systemic treatment of autoimmune diseases or enhancing the endogenous immune response to cancer while reducing the potential adverse risks of more non-specific immunomodulatory approaches.

scholarly journals In Vitro Platform Establishes Antigen-Specific CD8+ T Cell Cytotoxicity to Encapsulated Cells via Indirect Antigen Recognition

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Li ◽  
Anthony W. Frei ◽  
Ethan Y. Yang ◽  
Irayme Labrada-Miravet ◽  
Chuqiao Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Immune Recognition ◽  
Adaptive Immune Responses ◽  
Activated T Cells ◽  
Encapsulated Cells ◽  
Adaptive Immune

AbstractCell replacement therapy has the potential to cure diseases caused by the absence or malfunction of specialized cells. A substantial impediment to the success of any non-autologous cellular transplant is the need for systemic immunosuppressive drugs to prevent host-mediated rejection of the foreign cells. Cellular encapsulation, i.e., the entrapment of cells within stable polymeric hydrogels, has been clinically explored to prevent host immune recognition and attack, but the efficacy of these encapsulated grafts is poor. While several studies have explored improvements in innate immune acceptance of these encapsulated cells, little attention has been paid to the roles of adaptive immune responses, specifically graft-targeting T cell activation, in graft destabilization. Herein, we established an efficient, single-antigen in vitro platform capable of delineating direct and indirect host T cell recognition to microencapsulated cellular grafts and evaluating their consequential impacts. Using alginate as the model hydrogel, encapsulated membrane-bound ovalbumin (mOVA) stimulator cells were incubated with antigen-specific OTI lymphocytes and subsequent OVA-specific CD8+ T cell activation and effector function were quantified. We established that alginate microencapsulation abrogates direct T cell activation by interrupting donor-host interaction; however, indirect T cell activation mediated by host antigen presenting cells (APCs) primed with shed donor antigens still occurs. These activated T cells imparted cytotoxicity on the encapsulated cells, likely via diffusion of cytotoxic solutes. Overall, this platform delivers unique mechanistic insight into the impacts of hydrogel encapsulation on host adaptive immune responses, as well as a tool for the efficient immune screening on new encapsulation methods and/or synergistic immunomodulatory agents.

scholarly journals Enhanced Dendritic Cell Maturation by TNF-α or Cytidine-Phosphate-Guanosine DNA Drives T Cell Activation In Vitro and Therapeutic Anti-Tumor Immune Responses In Vivo

2000 ◽  
Vol 165 (11) ◽  
pp. 6278-6286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Brunner ◽  
Julia Seiderer ◽  
Angelika Schlamp ◽  
Martin Bidlingmaier ◽  
Andreas Eigler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Dendritic Cell ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Dendritic Cell Maturation ◽  
Cell Maturation ◽  
Tnf Α

scholarly journals Induction of Antigen-Specific T-Cell Responses through Dendritic Cell Vaccination in AML: Results of a Phase I/II Trial and Ex Vivo Enhancement By Checkpoint Blockade

Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (22) ◽  
pp. 764-764 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix S. Lichtenegger ◽  
Katrin Deiser ◽  
Maurine Rothe ◽  
Frauke M. Schnorfeil ◽  
Christina Krupka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Phase I ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Ifn Γ

Abstract Postremission therapy is critical for successful elimination of minimal residual disease (MRD) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Innovative treatment options are needed for patients that are not eligible for allogeneic stem cell transplantation. As the intrinsic immune response against leukemia-associated antigens (LAAs) is generally low, the clinical application of checkpoint inhibitors as monotherapy is less promising in AML compared to other hemato-oncological diseases. Therapeutic vaccination with autologous dendritic cells (DCs) loaded with LAAs is a promising treatment strategy to induce anti-leukemic immune responses. We have conducted a phase I/II proof-of-concept study using monocyte-derived next-generation DCs as postremission therapy of AML patients with a non-favorable risk profile in CR/CRi after intensive induction therapy (NCT01734304). These DCs are generated using a GMP-compliant 3-day protocol including a TLR7/8 agonist, loaded with RNA encoding the LAAs WT1 and PRAME as well as CMVpp65 as adjuvant/surrogate antigen, and are applied intradermally up to 10 times within 26 weeks. The primary endpoint of the trial is feasibility and safety of the vaccination. Secondary endpoints are immunological responses and disease control. After the safety and toxicity profile was evaluated within phase I (n=6), the patient cohort was expanded to a total of 13 patients. DCs of sufficient number and quality could be generated from leukapheresis in 11/12 cases. DCs exhibited an immune-stimulatory profile based on high costimulatory molecule expression, IL-12p70 secretion, migration towards a chemokine gradient and processing and presentation of antigen. In 9/9 patients that are currently evaluable, we observed delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses at the vaccination site, but no grade III/IV toxicities. TCR repertoire analysis by next-generation sequencing revealed an enrichment of particular clonotypes at DTH sites. In the peripheral blood, we detected vaccination-specific T cell responses by multimer staining and by ELISPOT analysis: 7/7 patients showed responses to CMVpp65, including both boosting of pre-existing T cells in CMV+ patients and induction of a primary T cell response in CMV- patients. 2/7 patients exhibited responses to PRAME and WT each. 7/10 vaccinated patients are still alive, and 5/10 are in CR, with an observation period of up to 840 days. In vitro, DC-activated T cells showed an upregulation of PD-1 and LAG-3, while the DCs expressed the respective ligands PD-L1 and HLA-DR. Therefore, we studied the capacity of checkpoint blocking antibodies to further enhance T-cell activation by DCs. We found that blockade of PD-1 and particularly of LAG-3 was highly effective in enhancing both IFN-γ secretion and proliferation of T cells. Both pathways seem to target different T-cell subsets, as PD-1 blockade resulted in increased IFN-γ secretion by TN- and TEM-subsets, while blockade of LAG-3 significantly affected TN- and TCM-subsets. We conclude that vaccination with next-generation LAA-expressing DCs in AML is feasible, safe, and induces anti-leukemic immune responses in vivo. Our in vitro data supports the hypothesis that T-cell activation by means of the vaccine could be further enhanced by blocking PD-1 and/or LAG-3. Disclosures Subklewe: AMGEN Research Munich: Research Funding.

scholarly journals Functionalisation of Virus-Like Particles Enhances Antitumour Immune Responses

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrin Kramer ◽  
Farah Al-Barwani ◽  
Margaret A. Baird ◽  
Vivienne L. Young ◽  
David S. Larsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Mannose Receptor ◽  
Virus Like Particles ◽  
Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease

Virus-like particles (VLP) from the rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) can deliver tumour antigens to induce anticancer immune responses. In this study, we explored how RHDV VLP can be functionalised to enhance the immune response by increasing antigen loading, incorporating linkers to enhance epitope processing, and targeting receptor-mediated internalisation of VLP. RHDV VLP were developed to deliver up to three copies of gp10025–33 which contained proteasome cleavable linkers to target the correct processing of the epitope. Addition of mono- and dimannosides, conjugated to the surface of the gp100 VLP, would utilise a second pathway of internalisation, mannose receptor mediated, to further augment antigen internalised by phagocytosis/macropinocytosis. In vitro cell culture studies showed that a processing linker at the C-terminus of the epitope (gp100.1LC) induced enhanced T-cell activation (7.3 ng/ml interferon- (IFN-) γ release) compared to no linker (3.0 ng/ml IFN-γ) or the linker at the N-terminus (0.8 ng/ml IFN-γ). VLP delivering two (gp100.2L) or three (gp100.3L) gp100 epitopes induced similar high T-cell activation (7.6 ng/ml IFN-γ) compared to gp100.1LC. An in vivo cytotoxicity assay and a therapeutic tumour trial confirmed that mice vaccinated with either gp100.2L or gp100.3L induced a specific antitumour immune response. Mannosylation of the gp100.2L VLP further enhanced the generated immune response, demonstrated by prolonged survival of mice vaccinated with dimannosylated gp100.2L VLP (D-gp100.2L) by 22 days compared to gp100.2L-vaccinated mice. This study showed that functionalisation of RHDV VLP by addition of an epitope-processing linker and mannosylation of the surface facilitates the efficacy of VLP as vaccination vectors for tumour immunotherapy.

scholarly journals The PIKfyve Inhibitor Apilimod: A Double-Edged Sword against COVID-19

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Maksim V. Baranov ◽  
Frans Bianchi ◽  
Geert van den Bogaart
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Antigen Presentation ◽  
Host Cell ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Good Evidence ◽  
In Vitro Studies

The PIKfyve inhibitor apilimod is currently undergoing clinical trials for treatment of COVID-19. However, although apilimod might prevent viral invasion by inhibiting host cell proteases, the same proteases are critical for antigen presentation leading to T cell activation and there is good evidence from both in vitro studies and the clinic that apilimod blocks antiviral immune responses. We therefore warn that the immunosuppression observed in many COVID-19 patients might be aggravated by apilimod.

scholarly journals Regulation of c-Jun NH2-terminal Kinase ( Jnk) Gene Expression during T Cell Activation

2000 ◽  
Vol 191 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Weiss ◽  
Alan J. Whitmarsh ◽  
Derek D. Yang ◽  
Mercedes Rincón ◽  
Roger J. Davis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Map Kinases ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Receptor ◽  
Jnk Pathway ◽  
Gene And Protein Expression

The c-Jun NH2-terminal kinases (JNKs) are a group of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases that participate in signal transduction events mediating specific cellular functions. Activation of JNK is regulated by phosphorylation in response to cellular stress and inflammatory cytokines. Here, we demonstrate that JNK is regulated by a second, novel mechanism. Induction of Jnk gene expression is required in specific tissues before activation of this signaling pathway. The in vivo and in vitro ligation of the T cell receptor (TCR) leads to induction of JNK gene and protein expression. TCR signals are sufficient to induce JNK expression, whereas JNK phosphorylation also requires CD28-mediated costimulatory signals. Therefore, both expression and activation contribute to the regulation of the JNK pathway to ensure proper control during the course of an immune response.

scholarly journals The Soluble Form of CTLA-4 from Serum of Patients with Autoimmune Diseases Regulates T-Cell Responses

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Simone ◽  
Giampaola Pesce ◽  
Princey Antola ◽  
Margarita Rumbullaku ◽  
Marcello Bagnasco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Autoimmune Diseases ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte ◽  
Biological Significance ◽  
High Serum ◽  
Soluble Form ◽  
Costimulatory Receptor

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is a costimulatory receptor transducing a potent inhibitory signal. Increasing evidence showed that CTLA-4 gene is an important susceptibility locus for autoimmune disorders. Alternatively spliced mRNA generates a soluble form, called sCTLA-4. Whereas low levels of sCTLA-4 are detected in normal human serum, increased/high serum levels are observed in several autoimmune diseases. The biological significance of increased sCTLA-4 serum level is not fully clarified yet. It can be envisaged that sCTLA-4 specifically inhibits the early T-cell activation by blocking the interaction of CD80/CD86 with the costimulatory receptor CD28. On the other hand, higher levels of sCTLA-4 could contend the binding of the membrane form of CTLA-4 with CD80/CD86, in later activation phase, causing a reduction of inhibitory signalling. We showed that sCTLA-4 from sera of patients with different autoimmune diseases is able to display functional activities on anin vitrosystem acting on the proliferation capability and modulating the secretion of cytokines. We observed a dual effect of sCTLA-4: inhibiting the secretion of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-7, and IL-13 and activating the secretion of TGF-βand IL-10. This study underlines the role of sCTLA-4 in modulating the immune response and its relevance in autoimmune disease pathogenesis.

Rap1-GTP Promotes the Generation of Regulatory T Cells in Vivo.

Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 110-110
Author(s):  
Lequn Li ◽  
Rebecca Greenwald ◽  
Esther M. Lafuente ◽  
Dimitrios Tzachanis ◽  
Alla Berezovskaya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Lymph Node ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Regulatory T Cells ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Cd4 Cells

Abstract Elucidating the mechanisms that regulate T cell activation and tolerance in vivo will provide insights into the maintenance of physiologic homeostasis and will facilitate development novel strategies for induction of transplantation tolerance. Transient activation of the small GTPase Rap1 is one of the physiologic consequences of TCR ligation and is mandatory for β1 and β2 integrin-mediated adhesion. In contrast, sustained increase of active Rap1 inhibits T cell activation and IL-2 transcription in vitro. In order to understand the role of Rap1 in the immune responses of the intact host we generated transgenic (Tg) mice, which express the active Rap1 mutant Rap1E63 in T cells. Rap1E63-Tg mice had no defects in thymocyte development or maturation. Rap1E63-Tg thymocytes were capable of activating Ras and Erk1/2 and, compared to wild type (WT) thymocytes, displayed enhanced LFA-1:ICAM-1-mediated adhesion and increased proliferation in response to anti-CD3. Surprisingly, although lymph node and splenic CD4+ cells from the Rap1E63-Tg mice also displayed increased LFA-1:ICAM-1-mediated adhesion, they had significantly impaired activation of Erk1/2 and dramatically reduced proliferation and IL-2 production in response to anti-CD3 and WT antigen presenting cells (APC). The defective responses of CD4+ T cells suggest that Rap1E63-Tg mice may have impaired helper function in vivo. To address this issue we immunized Rap1E63-Tg and WT mice with TNP-OVA, a T-cell dependent antigen. Total IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a were dramatically reduced, indicating that Rap1E63-Tg mice had a defect in immunoglobulin class switching, consistent with defective helper T cell-dependent B cell activation. Because these results suggest that Rap1E63-Tg CD4+ cells may have an anergic phenotype, we tested rechallenge responses. We immunized Rap1E63-Tg and WT mice with TNP-OVA in vivo and subsequently we rechallenged T cells in vitro with WT APC pulsed with OVA. Compared with WT, Rap1E63-Tg T cells had dramatically reduced proliferation, IFN- γ and IL-2 production on rechallenge, findings consistent with T cell anergy. Using suppression subtraction hybridization we determined that Rap1E63 induced mRNA expression of CD103, a marker that defines a potent subset of regulatory T cells (Treg). Strikingly, Rap1E63-Tg mice had a 5-fold increase of CD103+CD25+CD4+ Treg compared to WT mice. Rap1E63-Tg CD103+CD25+CD4+ Treg expressed the highest level of Foxp3 among all T cell subsets and had the most potent inhibitory effect on proliferation and IL-2 production when added into cultures of WT CD4+CD25− cells. Importantly, removal of the CD103+ cells significantly restored Erk1/2 activation, proliferation and IL-2 production of Rap1E63-Tg CD4+ T cells. Generation of CD103+ Treg occurs after thymic development and requires encounter of peripheral autoantigen. Consistent with this, differences in CD103+ Treg were detected only between lymph node and splenic cells and not between thymocytes from Rap1E63-Tg and WT mice. Since generation of CD103+ Treg depends on the strength of TCR signal, these results suggest that by enhancing adhesion, active Rap1 regulates the generation of Treg. Moreover, these results provide evidence that active Rap1 is a potent negative regulator of immune responses in vivo and have significant implications for the development of immune-based therapies geared towards tolerance induction.

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