技术资料

The type III family of IFNs displays immunomodulatory and antiviral activity. Each member (IFN-lambda1,-2,and -3) signals through the same heterodimeric receptor complex,which consists of the binding and signaling subunit (IL-28Ralpha) plus the IL-10Rbeta chain. Although the receptor has a wide tissue distribution,the direct effects of IFN-lambda on various immune cell subsets have not been fully characterized. We have identified high levels of IL-28Ralpha mRNA in pDC from peripheral blood and hypothesized that IFN-lambda plays an important role in pDC maturation and development. We show that stimulation of pDC with HSV or Imiquimod causes an increase in IL-28Ralpha mRNA. In these cells,IFN-lambda1 alters expression of the costimulatory molecules CD80 and ICOS-L and synergizes with IFN-alpha to up-regulate CD83. In addition,IFN-lambda1 has a variable effect on the homing molecule expression of pDC and mDC. IFN-lambda1-treated pDC display a marked difference in their ability to stimulate production of the signature cytokines IL-13,IFN-gamma,and IL-10 in a MLR. This work characterizes the variable effects of IFN-lambda on DC surface molecule expression and identifies a role in pDC activation and immunostimulatory potential. View Publication

The origin and function of human double negative (DN) TCR-alphabeta+ T cells is unknown. They are thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus because they expand and accumulate in inflamed organs. In this study,we provide evidence that human TCR-alphabeta+ CD4- CD8- DN T cells can derive from activated CD8+ T cells. Freshly isolated TCR-alphabeta+ DN T cells display a distinct gene expression and cytokine production profile. DN cells isolated from peripheral blood as well as DN cells derived in vitro from CD8+ T cells produce a defined array of proinflammatory mediators that includes IL-1beta,IL-17,IFN-gamma,CXCL3,and CXCL2. These results indicate that,upon activation,CD8+ T cells have the capacity to acquire a distinct phenotype that grants them inflammatory capacity. View Publication

Interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3) is essential for innate intracellular immune defenses that limit virus replication,but these defenses fail to suppress human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection,which can ultimately associate with opportunistic coinfections and the progression to AIDS. Here,we examined antiviral defenses in CD4+ cells during virus infection and coinfection,revealing that HIV type 1 (HIV-1) directs a global disruption of innate immune signaling and supports a coinfection model through suppression of IRF-3. T cells responded to paramyxovirus infection to activate IRF-3 and interferon-stimulated gene expression,but they failed to mount a response against HIV-1. The lack of response associated with a marked depletion of IRF-3 but not IRF-7 in HIV-1-infected cells,which supported robust viral replication,whereas ectopic expression of active IRF-3 suppressed HIV-1 infection. IRF-3 depletion was dependent on a productive HIV-1 replication cycle and caused the specific disruption of Toll-like receptor and RIG-I-like receptor innate immune signaling that rendered cells permissive to secondary virus infection. IRF-3 levels were reduced in vivo within CD4+ T cells from patients with acute HIV-1 infection but not from long-term nonprogressors. Our results indicate that viral suppression of IRF-3 promotes HIV-1 infection by disrupting IRF-3-dependent signaling pathways and innate antiviral defenses of the host cell. IRF-3 may direct an innate antiviral response that regulates HIV-1 replication and viral set point while governing susceptibility to opportunistic virus coinfections. View Publication

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections impair plasmacytoid dendritic cell (PDC) and natural killer (NK) cell subset numbers and functions,though little is known about PDC-NK cell interactions during these infections. We evaluated PDC-dependent NK cell killing and gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) and granzyme B production,using peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-based and purified cell assays of samples from HCV- and HIV-infected subjects. CpG-enhanced PBMC killing and IFN-gamma and granzyme B activity (dependent on PDC and NK cells) were impaired in viremic HIV infection. In purified PDC-NK cell culture experiments,CpG-enhanced,PDC-dependent NK cell activity was cell contact and IFN-alpha dependent,and this activity was impaired in viremic HIV infection but not in HCV infection. In heterologous PDC-NK cell assays,impaired PDC-NK cell killing activity was largely attributable to an NK cell defect,while impaired PDC-NK cell IFN-gamma-producing activity was attributable to both PDC and NK cell defects. Additionally,the response of NK cells to direct IFN-alpha stimulation was defective in viremic HIV infection,and this defect was not attributable to diminished IFN-alpha receptor expression,though IFN-alpha receptor and NKP30 expression was closely associated with killer activity in viremic HIV infection but not in healthy controls. These data indicate that during uncontrolled HIV infection,PDC-dependent NK cell function is impaired,which is in large part attributable to defective IFN-alpha-induced NK cell activity and not to altered IFN-alpha receptor,NKP30,NKP44,NKP46,or NKG2D expression. View Publication

IL-33,a new member of the IL-1 family,has been described as an important inducer of Th2 cytokines and mediator of inflammatory responses. In this study,we demonstrate that murine basophils sorted directly from the bone marrow,without prior exposure to IL-3 or Fc(epsilon)R cross-linking,respond to IL-33 alone by producing substantial amounts of histamine,IL-4,and IL-6. These cells express ST2 constitutively and generate a cytokine profile that differs from their IL-3-induced counterpart by a preferential production of IL-6. In vivo,IL-33 promotes basophil expansion in the bone marrow (BM) through an indirect mechanism of action depending on signaling through the beta(c) chain shared by receptors for IL-3,GM-CSF,and IL-5. IL-3 can still signal through its specific beta(IL-3) chain in these mutant mice,which implies that it is not the unique growth-promoting mediator in this setup,but requires IL-5 and/or GMCSF. Our results support a major role of the latter growth factor,which is readily generated by total BM cells as well as sorted basophils in response to IL-33 along with low amounts of IL-3. Furthermore,GM-CSF amplifies IL-3-induced differentiation of basophils from BM cells,whereas IL-5 that is also generated in vivo,affects neither their functions nor their growth in vitro or in vivo. In conclusion,our data provide the first evidence that IL-33 not only activates unprimed basophils directly,but also promotes their expansion in vivo through induction of GM-CSF and IL-3. View Publication

RATIONALE: Tolerogenic dendritic cells and natural regulatory T cells have been implicated in the process of infectious tolerance in human allergic asthma. However,the significance of the influence of natural regulatory T cells on tolerogenic dendritic cells in the disease has not been investigated. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to characterize the mechanism of induction of the tolerogenic phenotype in circulating blood dendritic cells by allergic asthmatic natural regulatory T cells. METHODS: The study was performed in a cohort of 21 subjects with allergic asthma,21 healthy control subjects,and 21 subjects with nonallergic asthma. We cultured blood dendritic cells with natural regulatory T cells to study the induction of tolerogenic dendritic cells. Flow cytometry and proliferation assays were employed to analyze phenotype and function of dendritic cells as well as IL-10 production from natural regulatory T cells. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Dendritic cells cultured with natural regulatory T cells up-regulated IL-10,down-regulated costimulatory molecules,and stimulated the proliferation of CD4(+)CD25(-) effector T cells less potently. Allergic asthmatic natural regulatory T cells were significantly less efficient in inducing this tolerogenic phenotype of dendritic cells compared with healthy control and nonallergic asthmatic counterparts. Furthermore,this defective function of natural regulatory T cells was associated with their decreased IL-10 expression,disease severity,and could be reversed by oral corticosteroid therapy. CONCLUSIONS: These results provided the first evidences of impaired induction of tolerogenic dendritic cells mediated by natural regulatory T cells in human allergic asthma. View Publication

A variety of nonmalignant cells present in the tumor microenvironment promotes tumorigenesis by stimulating tumor cell growth and metastasis or suppressing host immunity. The role of such stromal cells in T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders is incompletely understood. Monocyte-derived cells (MDCs),including professional antigen-presenting cells such as dendritic cells (DCs),play a central role in T-cell biology. Here,we provide evidence that monocytes promote the survival of malignant T cells and demonstrate that MDCs are abundant within the tumor microenvironment of T cell-derived lymphomas. Malignant T cells were observed to remain viable during in vitro culture with autologous monocytes,but cell death was significantly increased after monocyte depletion. Furthermore,monocytes prevent the induction of cell death in T-cell lymphoma lines in response to either serum starvation or doxorubicin,and promote the engraftment of these cells in nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient mice. Monocytes are actively recruited to the tumor microenvironment by CCL5 (RANTES),where their differentiation into mature DCs is impaired by tumor-derived interleukin-10. Collectively,the data presented demonstrate a previously undescribed role for monocytes in T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. View Publication

Up to now,no lentiviral vector (LV) tool existed to govern efficient and stable gene delivery into quiescent B lymphocytes,which hampers its application in gene therapy and immunotherapy areas. Here,we report that LVs incorporating measles virus (MV) glycoproteins,H and F,on their surface allowed transduction of 50% of quiescent B cells,which are not permissive to VSVG-LV transduction. This high transduction level correlated with B-cell SLAM expression and was not at cost of cell-cycle entry or B-cell activation. Moreover,the naive and memory phenotypes of transduced resting B cells were maintained. Importantly,H/F-LVs represent the first tool permitting stable transduction of leukemic cancer cells,B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells,blocked in G(0)/G(1) early phase of the cell cycle. Thus,H/F-LV transduction overcomes the limitations of current LVs by making B cell-based gene therapy and immunotherapy applications feasible. These new LVs will facilitate antibody production and the study of gene functions in these healthy and cancer immune cells. View Publication

Genital herpes,caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2),is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases worldwide and a risk factor for acquiring human immunodeficiency virus. Although many vaccine candidates have shown promising results in animal models,they have failed to be effective in human trials. In this study,a humanized mouse strain was evaluated as a potential preclinical model for studying human immune responses to HSV-2 infection and vaccination. Immunodeficient mouse strains were examined for their abilities to develop human innate and adaptive immune cells after transplantation of human umbilical cord stem cells. A RAG2(-/-) gammac(-/-) mouse strain with a BALB/c background was chosen as the most appropriate model and was then examined for its ability to mount innate and adaptive immune responses to intravaginal HSV-2 infection and immunization. After primary infection,human cells in the lymph nodes were able to generate a protective innate immune response and produce gamma interferon (IFN-gamma). After intravaginal immunization and infection,human T cells and NK cells were found in the genital tract and iliac lymph nodes. In addition,human T cells in the spleen,lymph nodes,and vaginal tract were able to respond to stimulation with HSV-2 antigens by replicating and producing IFN-gamma. Human B cells were also able to produce HSV-2-specific immunoglobulin G. These adaptive responses were also shown to be protective and reduce local viral replication in the genital tract. This approach provides a means for studying human immune responses in vivo using a small-animal model and may become an important preclinical tool. View Publication

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer and remains a major cause of mortality in children with recurrent disease and in adults. Despite observed graft-versus-leukemia effects after stem cell transplantation,successful immune therapies for ALL have proven elusive. We previously reported immunostimulatory oligodeoxynucleotides containing CpG motifs (CpG ODN) enhance allogeneic T(h)1 responses and reduce leukemic burden of primary human ALL xenografts. To further the development of CpG ODN as a novel ALL therapy,we investigated the antileukemia activity induced by CpG ODN in a transplantable syngeneic pre-B ALL model. CpG ODN induced early killing of leukemia by innate immune effectors both in vitro and in vivo. Mice were treated with CpG ODN starting 7 days after injection with leukemia to mimic a minimal residual disease state and achieved T cell-dependent remissions of more than 6 months. In addition,mice in remission after CpG ODN treatment were protected from leukemia rechallenge,and adoptive transfer of T cells from mice in remission conferred protection against leukemia growth. To our knowledge,this is the first demonstration that CpG ODN induce a durable remission and ongoing immune-mediated protection in ALL,suggesting this treatment may have clinical utility in patients with minimal residual disease. View Publication

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vectors transduce rhesus blood cells poorly due to a species-specific block by TRIM5alpha and APOBEC3G,which target HIV-1 capsid and viral infectivity factor (Vif),respectively. We sought to develop a lentiviral vector capable of transducing both human and rhesus blood cells by combining components of both HIV-1 and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV),including SIV capsid (sCA) and SIV Vif. A chimeric HIV-1 vector including sCA (chiHIV) was superior to the conventional SIV in transducing a human blood cell line and superior to the conventional HIV-1 vector in transducing a rhesus blood cell line. Among human CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs),the chiHIV and HIV-1 vectors showed similar transduction efficiencies; in rhesus CD34(+) HSCs,the chiHIV vector yielded superior transduction rates. In in vivo competitive repopulation experiments with two rhesus macaques,the chiHIV vector demonstrated superior marking levels over the conventional HIV-1 vector in all blood lineages (first rhesus,15 to 30% versus 1 to 5%; second rhesus,7 to 15% versus 0.5 to 2%,respectively) 3 to 7 months postinfusion. In summary,we have developed an HIV-1-based lentiviral vector system that should allow comprehensive preclinical testing of HIV-1-based therapeutic vectors in the rhesus macaque model with eventual clinical application. View Publication

BACKGROUND: Despite the promising therapeutic potential of regulatory T cells (Treg) in animal studies of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD),little is known about their effect on human GVHD. Whether Treg are capable of ameliorating GVHD tissue damage has never been demonstrated in humans. It is also unknown whether Treg modulation of GVH histopathologic damage relies on their presence during effector T-cell priming,or whether allogeneic Treg are safe to use clinically. METHODS: To address these questions,we used an in vitro human skin explant GVHD model,which mimics the physiopathology of GVHD. First,donor"-derived CD8 T cells were stimulated with human leukocyte antigen-unmatched "recipient" dendritic cells (priming phase)� View Publication