技术资料

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) have been implicated as having a role in antifungal immunity,but mechanisms of their interaction with fungi and the resulting cellular responses are not well understood. In this study,we identify the direct and indirect biological response of human pDCs to the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus and characterize the expression and regulation of antifungal receptors on the pDC surface. Results indicate pDCs do not phagocytose Aspergillus conidia,but instead bind hyphal surfaces and undergo activation and maturation via the upregulation of costimulatory and maturation markers. Measuring the expression of C-type lectin receptors dectin-1,dectin-2,dectin-3,and mannose receptor on human pDCs revealed intermediate expression of each receptor compared with monocytes. The specific dectin-1 agonist curdlan induced pDC activation and maturation in a cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic manner. The indirect activation of pDCs by curdlan was much stronger than direct stimulation and was mediated through cytokine production by other PBMCs. Overall,our data indicate pDCs express various C-type lectin receptors,recognize and respond to Aspergillus hyphal Ag,and serve as immune enhancers or modulators in the overarching fungal immune response. View Publication

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are known to promote tumor growth in part by their immunosuppressive activities and their angiogenesis support. It has been shown that Bv8 blockade inhibits the recruitment of MDSCs to tumors,thereby delaying tumor relapse associated with resistance to antiangiogenic therapy. However,the impact of Bv8 blockade on tumors resistant to the new immunotherapy drugs based on the blockade of immune checkpoints has not been investigated. Here,we demonstrate that granulocytic-MDSCs (G-MDSCs) are enriched in anti-PD1 resistant tumors. Importantly,resistance to anti-PD1 monotherapy is reversed upon switching to a combined regimen comprised of anti-Bv8 and anti-PD1 antibodies. This effect is associated with a decreased level of G-MDSCs and enrichment of active cytotoxic T cells in tumors. The blockade of anti-Bv8 has shown efficacy also in hyperprogressive phenotype of anti-PD1-treated tumors. In vitro,anti-Bv8 antibodies directly inhibit MDSC-mediated immunosuppression,as evidenced by enhanced tumor cell killing activity of cytotoxic T cells. Lastly,we show that anti-Bv8-treated MDSCs secrete proteins associated with effector immune cell function and T cell activity. Overall,we demonstrate that Bv8 blockade inhibits the immunosuppressive function of MDSCs,thereby enhancing anti-tumor activity of cytotoxic T cells and sensitizing anti-PD1 resistant tumors. Our findings suggest that combining Bv8 blockade with anti-PD1 therapy can be used as a strategy for overcoming therapy resistance. View Publication

Recent studies suggest that highly activated,polyfunctional CD4+ T cells are incredibly effective in strengthening and sustaining overall host antitumor immunity,promoting tumor-specific CD4+ T-cell responses and effectively enhancing antitumor immunity by immunotherapy. Previously,we developed a novel cryo-thermal therapy for local tumor ablation and achieved long-term survival rates in several tumor models. It was discovered that cryo-thermal therapy remodeled the tumor microenvironment and induced an antigen-specific CD4+ T-cell response,which mediated stronger antitumor immunity in vivo. In this study,the phenotype of bulk T cells in spleen was analyzed by flow cytometry after cryo-thermal therapy and both CD4+ Th1 and CD8+ CTL were activated. In addition,by using T-cell depletion,isolation,and adoptive T-cell therapy,it was found that cryo-thermal therapy induced Th1-dominant CD4+ T cells that directly inhibited the growth of tumor cells,promoted the maturation of MDSCs via CD4+ T-cell-derived IFN-? and enhanced the cytotoxic effector function of NK cells and CD8+ T cells,and promoted the maturation of APCs via cell-cell contact and CD4+ T-cell-derived IFN-?. Considering the multiple roles of cryo-thermal-induced Th1-dominant CD4+ T cells in augmenting antitumor immune memory,we suggest that local cryo-thermal therapy is an attractive thermo-immunotherapy strategy to harness host antitumor immunity and has great potential for clinical application. View Publication

Innate lymphoid cells 2 (ILC2) play a significant role in the tumorigenesis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). An important aspect of ILC2-mediated tumorigenesis is the expansion of the resident ILC2 and simultaneous recruitment of the peripheral ILC2. Here,we describe a protocol for isolation,enrichment,and DiD labeling of ILC2 for in vivo tracking of ILC2s in the mouse. Further,we describe steps for the adoptive transfer of ILC2 to a recipient mouse model of PDAC. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol,please refer to Alam et al. (2022). View Publication

OBJECTIVES Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease,that involves both pro- and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. The purpose of the present study is to investigate T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (Tim-3) in RA. METHODS Plasma levels of soluble (s) Tim-3 in early RA (n=98),were followed,to evaluate association with treatment and disease activity,acquired from a prospective collected biobank (clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00660647)). We also investigate the influence of Tim-3 on spontaneous cytokine production in synovial fluid mononuclear cells (SFMC) from RA patients after addition of neutralizing anti-Tim-3's antibodies,either alone or in combination with neutralizing anti-Programmed Cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibodies. RESULTS Long-time stimulated CD4 T-cells expressed high levels of Tim-3,but tended to decrease their PD-1 expression. Tim-3 expression was exclusively seen co-expressed with PD-1 by CD3,CD4,CD45RO positive cells in the inflamed RA joint. Addition of neutralizing Tim-3 antibodies increased the secretion of IFN$\gamma$ and MCP-1,in SFMC cultures from RA. Whereas neutralizing anti-PD-1 antibodies showed a broader impact on cytokine production. Finally,we observed that soluble Tim-3 is increased in plasma and is associated with disease activity in early RA. CONCLUSION Taken together,our findings indicate disease-suppressive functions of Tim-3 in RA. View Publication

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors such as pentoxifylline (PTX) suppress cAMP degradation and promote cAMP-dependent signal transduction. PDE inhibitors increase bone formation and bone mass in preclinical models and are used clinically to treat psoriatic arthritis by targeting inflammatory mediators including activated T cells. T cell activation requires two signals: antigen-dependent CD3-activation,which stimulates cAMP production; and CD28 co-stimulation,which downregulates cAMP-signaling,through PDE activation. PDE-inhibitors consequently suppress T cell activation by disrupting CD28 co-stimulation. Interestingly,we have reported that when CD8+ T cells are activated in the absence of CD28 co-stimulation,they secrete Wnt-10b,a bone anabolic Wnt ligand that promotes bone formation. In the present study,we investigated whether the bone anabolic activity of the PDE-inhibitor PTX,has an immunocentric basis,involving Wnt-10b production by CD8+ T cells. When wild-type (WT) mice were administered PTX,biochemical markers of both bone resorption and formation were significantly increased,with net bone gain in the axial skeleton,as quantified by micro-computed tomography ($\mu$CT). By contrast,PTX increased only bone resorption in T cell knockout (KO) mice,causing net bone loss. Reconstituting T cell-deficient mice with WT,but not Wnt-10b knockout (KO) CD8+ T cells,rescued bone formation and prevented bone loss. To study the role of cAMP signaling in Wnt-10b expression,reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and luciferase-reporter assays were performed using primary T cells. PDE inhibitors intensified Wnt-10b promoter activity and messenger RNA (mRNA) accumulation in CD3 and CD28 activated CD8+ T cells. In contrast,inhibiting the cAMP pathway mediators protein kinase A (PKA) and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB),suppressed Wnt-10b expression by T cells activated in the absence of CD28 co-stimulation. In conclusion,the data demonstrate a key role for Wnt-10b production by CD8+ T cells in the bone anabolic response to PDE-inhibitors and reveal competing T cell-independent pro-resorptive properties of PTX,which dominate under T cell-deficient conditions. Selective targeting of CD8+ T cells by PDE inhibitors may be a beneficial approach for promoting bone regeneration in osteoporotic conditions. {\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. View Publication

Due to viral envelope glycoprotein D binding to cellular membrane HVEM receptor,HSV-1 can infect certain dendritic cells,which becomes an event in the viral strategy to interfere with the host's immune system. We previously generated the HSV-1 mutant strain M6,which produced an attenuated phenotype in mice and rhesus monkeys. The attenuated M6 strain was used to investigate how HSV-1 infection of dendritic cells interferes with both innate and adaptive immunity. Our study showed that dendritic cells membrane HVEM receptors could mediate infection of the wild-type strain and attenuated M6 strain and that dendritic cells infected by both viruses in local tissues of animals exhibited changes in transcriptional profiles associated with innate immune and inflammatory responses. The infection of pDCs and cDCs by the two strains promoted cell differentiation to the CD103+ phenotype,but varied transcriptional profiles were observed,implying a strategy that the HSV-1 wild-type strain interferes with antiviral immunity,probably due to viral modification of the immunological phenotype of dendritic cells during processing and presentation of antigen to T cells,leading to a series of deviations in immune responses,ultimately generating the deficient immune phenotype observed in infected individuals in the clinical. View Publication

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is involved in diverse immunoregulation,while the relationship between m6A modification and immune tolerance post kidney transplantation remains unclear. Expression of Wilms tumor 1-associating protein (WTAP),an m6A writer,was firstly detected in tolerant kidney transplant recipients (TOL). Then the role of WTAP on regulatory T (Treg) cell differentiation and function in CD4+ T cells from kidney transplant recipients with immune rejection (IR) was investigated. The potential target of WTAP and effect of WTAP on immune tolerance in vivo were subsequently verified. WTAP was upregulated in CD4+ T cells of TOL and positively correlated with Treg cell proportion. In vitro,WTAP overexpression promoted Treg cell differentiation and enhanced Treg cell-mediated suppression toward na?ve T cells. Forkhead box other 1 (Foxo1) was identified as a target of WTAP. WTAP enhanced m6A modification of Foxo1 mRNA in coding sequence (CDS) region,leading to up-regulation of Foxo1. Overexpression of m6A demethylase removed the effect of WTAP overexpression,while Foxo1 overexpression reversed these effects. WTAP overexpression alleviated allograft rejection in model mice,as evidenced by reduced inflammatory response and increased Treg population. Our study suggests that WTAP plays a positive role in induction of immune tolerance post kidney transplant by promoting Treg cell differentiation and function. leading to up-regulation of Foxo1. Overexpression of m6A demethylase removed the effect of WTAP overexpression while Foxo1 overexpression reversed these effects. WTAP overexpression alleviated allograft rejection in model mice as evidenced by reduced inflammatory response and increased Treg population. Our study suggests that WTAP plays a positive role in induction of immune tolerance post kidney transplant by promoting Treg cell differentiation and function." View Publication

The larval stage of the helminthic cestode Echinococcus multilocularis can inflict tumor-like hepatic lesions that cause the parasitic disease alveolar echinococcosis in humans,with high mortality in untreated patients. Opportunistic properties of the disease have been established based on the increased incidence in immunocompromised patients and mouse models,indicating that an appropriate adaptive immune response is required for the control of the disease. However,cellular interactions and the kinetics of the local hepatic immune responses during the different stages of infection with E. multilocularis remain unknown. In a mouse model of oral infection that mimics the normal infection route in human patients,the networks of the hepatic immune response were assessed using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of isolated hepatic CD3+ T cells at different infection stages. We observed an early and sustained significant increase in natural killer T (NKT) cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs). Early tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- and integrin-dependent interactions between these two cell types promote the formation of hepatic lesions. At late time points,downregulation of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1 (ENTPD1)-dependent signaling suppress the resolution of parasite-induced pathology. The obtained data provide fresh insight into the adaptive immune responses and local regulatory pathways at different infection stages of E. multilocularis in mice. View Publication

BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate the role of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating cancer stem-like cells (cCSCs) before and after one cycle of chemotherapy and assessed the effects of early changes in CTCs and cCSCs on the outcomes of patients with metastatic breast cancer. METHODS Patients with stage IV invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast who received first-line chemotherapy between April 2014 and January 2016 were enrolled. CTCs and cCSCs were measured before the first cycle of chemotherapy (baseline) and on day 21,before the second cycle of chemotherapy commenced; a negative selection strategy and flow cytometry protocol were employed. RESULTS CTC and cCSC counts declined in 68.8 and 45.5% of patients,respectively. Declines in CTCs and cCSCs following the first chemotherapy cycle were associated with superior chemotherapy responses,longer progression-free survival (PFS),and longer overall survival (OS). An early decline in cCSCs remained an independent prognostic indicator for OS and PFS in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS A cCSC decline after one cycle of chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer is predictive of a superior chemotherapy response and longer PFS and OS,implying that cCSC dynamic monitoring may be helpful in early prediction of treatment response and prognosis. View Publication

BACKGROUND Osteoclasts play a crucial role in the maintenance,repair,and remodeling of bones of the adult vertebral skeleton due to their bone resorption capability. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are associated with increased activity of osteoclasts. OBJECTIVES Our study aimed to investigate the dynamic proteomic changes during osteoclast differentiation in healthy donors,in RA,and PsA. METHODS Blood samples of healthy donors,RA,and PsA patients were collected,and monocytes were isolated and differentiated into osteoclasts in vitro using macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and receptor activator of nuclear factor $\kappa$B ligand (RANK-L). Mass spectrometry-based proteomics was used to analyze proteins from cell lysates. The expression changes were analyzed with Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). RESULTS The analysis of the proteomic changes revealed that during the differentiation of the human osteoclasts,expression of the proteins involved in metabolic activity,secretory function,and cell polarity is increased; by contrast,signaling pathways involved in the immune functions are downregulated. Interestingly,the differences between cells of healthy donors and RA/PsA patients are most pronounced after the final steps of differentiation to osteoclasts. In addition,both in RA and PsA the differentiation is characterized by decreased metabolic activity,associated with various immune pathway activities; furthermore by accelerated cytokine production in RA. CONCLUSIONS Our results shed light on the characteristic proteomic changes during human osteoclast differentiation and expression differences in RA and PsA,which reveal important pathophysiological insights in both diseases. View Publication

Neutrophils are the most abundant leukocytes in human blood and are essential components of innate immunity. Until recently,neutrophils were considered homogeneous and transcriptionally inactive cells,but both concepts are being challenged. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) offers an unbiased view of cells along a continuum of transcriptional states. However,the use of scRNA-seq to characterize neutrophils has proven technically difficult,explaining in part the paucity of published single-cell data on neutrophils. We have found that modifications to the data analysis pipeline,rather than to the existing scRNA-seq chemistries,can significantly increase the detection of human neutrophils in scRNA-seq. We have then applied a modified pipeline to the study of human peripheral blood neutrophils. Our findings indicate that circulating human neutrophils are transcriptionally heterogeneous cells,which can be classified into one of four transcriptional clusters that are reproducible among healthy human subjects. We demonstrate that peripheral blood neutrophils shift from relatively immature (Nh0) cells,through a transitional phenotype (Nh1),into one of two end points defined by either relative transcriptional inactivity (Nh2) or high expression of type I IFN-inducible genes (Nh3). Transitions among states are characterized by the expression of specific transcription factors. By simultaneously measuring surface proteins and intracellular transcripts at the single-cell level,we show that these transcriptional subsets are independent of the canonical surface proteins that are commonly used to define and characterize human neutrophils. These findings provide a new view of human neutrophil heterogeneity,with potential implications for the characterization of neutrophils in health and disease. View Publication