Publications
216 results found
Pickering MC, Botto M, 2024, Canonical and noncanonical functions of complement in systemic lupus erythematosus., Eur J Immunol
For many years complement activation in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was viewed as a major cause of tissue injury. However, human and murine studies showed that complement plays a protective as well as a proinflammatory role in tissue damage. A hierarchy is apparent with early classical pathway components, particularly C1q, exerting the greatest influence. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the protective function(s) of complement remains an important challenge for the future and has implications for the use of complement therapy in SLE. We review recent advances in the field and give a new perspective on the complement conundrum in SLE.
Jackson WD, Giacomassi C, Ward S, et al., 2023, TLR7 activation at epithelial barriers promotes emergency myelopoiesis and lung antiviral immunity, eLife, Vol: 12, ISSN: 2050-084X
Monocytes are heterogeneous innate effector leukocytes generated in the bone marrow and released into circulation in a CCR2-dependent manner. During infection or inflammation, myelopoiesis is modulated to rapidly meet the demand for more effector cells. Danger signals from peripheral tissues can influence this process. Herein we demonstrate that repetitive TLR7 stimulation via the epithelial barriers drove a potent emergency bone marrow monocyte response in mice. This process was unique to TLR7 activation and occurred independently of the canonical CCR2 and CX3CR1 axes or prototypical cytokines. The monocytes egressing the bone marrow had an immature Ly6C-high profile and differentiated into vascular Ly6C-low monocytes and tissue macrophages in multiple organs. They displayed a blunted cytokine response to further TLR7 stimulation and reduced lung viral load after RSV and influenza virus infection. These data provide insights into the emergency myelopoiesis likely to occur in response to the encounter of single-stranded RNA viruses at barrier sites.
Gisby J, Buang N, Papadaki A, et al., 2022, Multi-omics identify falling LRRC15 as a COVID-19 severity marker and persistent pro-thrombotic signals in convalescence, Nature Communications, Vol: 13, ISSN: 2041-1723
Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) are at high risk of severe COVID-19. Here, we perform longitudinal blood sampling of ESKD haemodialysis patients with COVID-19, collecting samples pre-infection, serially during infection, and after clinical recovery. Using plasma proteomics, and RNA-sequencing and flow cytometry of immune cells, we identify transcriptomic and proteomic signatures of COVID-19 severity, and find distinct temporal molecular profiles in patients with severe disease. Supervised learning reveals that the plasma proteome is a superior indicator of clinical severity than the PBMC transcriptome. We show that a decreasing trajectory of plasma LRRC15, a proposed co-receptor for SARS-CoV-2, is associated with a more severe clinical course. We observe that two months after the acute infection, patients still display dysregulated gene expression related to vascular, platelet and coagulation pathways, including PF4 (platelet factor 4), which may explain the prolonged thrombotic risk following COVID-19.
McDonnell T, Amarnani R, Spicer C, et al., 2022, Antibodies to FXa and thrombin in patients with SLE differentially regulate C3 and C5 cleavage, LUPUS SCIENCE & MEDICINE, Vol: 9, ISSN: 2053-8790
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- Citations: 2
Belmonte B, Mangogna A, Gulino A, et al., 2022, Distinct Roles of Classical and Lectin Pathways of Complement in Preeclamptic Placentae, FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY, Vol: 13, ISSN: 1664-3224
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- Citations: 3
Zhou L, Kong G, Palmisano I, et al., 2022, Reversible CD8 T cell-neuron cross-talk causes aging-dependent neuronal regenerative decline., Science, Vol: 376, Pages: 1-15, ISSN: 0036-8075
INTRODUCTIONAxonal regeneration and neurological functional recovery are extremely limited in the elderly. Consequently, injuries to the nervous system are typically followed by severe and long-term disability. Our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying aging-dependent regenerative failure is poor, hindering progress in the development of effective therapies for neurological repair. To facilitate the design of repair strategies, there is a pressing need to identify critical molecular and cellular mechanisms that cause regenerative failure in aging.RATIONALEAging causes a broad spectrum of modifications in cell signaling, including changes in metabolism, immunity, and overall tissue homeostasis, which play key roles in nervous system physiology and response to insults. Thus, we hypothesized that injuries to the aged nervous system would be followed by unique molecular and cellular modifications that would contribute to aging-dependent regenerative decline. To this end, molecular and cellular signatures associated with aging and injury to the nervous system were systematically investigated by performing RNA sequencing from dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in a well-established model of sciatic nerve injury in young versus aged mice. Insight into these mechanisms could allow the discovery of previously unrecognized molecular targets to counteract aging-dependent regenerative decline.RESULTSInitial analysis of RNA sequencing data identified that aging was mainly associated with a marked increase in T cell activation and signaling in DRG after sciatic nerve injury in mice. Subsequent experiments demonstrated that aging was associated with increased inflammatory cytokines including lymphotoxins in DRG both preceding and following sciatic nerve injury. Specifically, we found that lymphotoxin β was required for the phosphorylation of NF-κB that drives the expression of the chemokine CXCL13 in DRG sensory neurons. CXCL13 attracted CD8+ T cells that expresse
Chan D, Bennett P, Lee YS, et al., 2022, Microbial-driven preterm labour involves crosstalk between the innate and adaptive immune response, Nature Communications, Vol: 13, ISSN: 2041-1723
There has been a surge in studies implicating a role of vaginal microbiota in spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB), but most are associative without mechanistic insight. Here we show a comprehensive approach to understand the causative factors of preterm birth, based on the integration of longitudinal vaginal microbiota and cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) immunophenotype data collected from 133 women at high-risk of sPTB. We show that vaginal depletion of Lactobacillus species and high bacterial diversity leads to increased mannose binding lectin (MBL), IgM, IgG, C3b, C5, IL-8, IL-6 and IL-1β and to increased risk of sPTB. Cervical shortening, which often precedes preterm birth, is associated with Lactobacillus iners and elevated levels of IgM, C3b, C5, C5a and IL-6. These data demonstrate a role for the complement system in microbial-driven sPTB and provide a scientific rationale for the development of live biotherapeutics and complement therapeutics to prevent sPTB.
Gilmore A, Wilson H, Cairns T, et al., 2022, Immune gene expression and functional networks in distinct lupus nephritis classes, Lupus Science & Medicine, Vol: 9, ISSN: 2053-8790
Objective: To explore the utility of the NanoString platform in elucidating kidney immune transcripts for class III, IV and V lupus nephritis (LN) using a retrospective cohort of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) kidney biopsy tissue.Methods: Immune gene transcript analysis was performed using the NanoString nCounter platform on RNA from LN (n=55), thin basement membrane disease (TBM, n=14) and membranous nephropathy (MN, n=9) FFPE kidney biopsy tissue. LN samples consisted of single class III (n=11), IV (n=23) and V (n=21) biopsies with no mixed lesions. Differential gene expression was performed with NanoString nSolver, with visualisations of volcano plots and heatmaps generated in R. Significant transcripts were interrogated to identify functional networks using STRING and Gene ontogeny terms. Results: In comparison to TBM, we identified 52 significantly differentially expressed genes common to all three LN classes. Pathway analysis showed enrichment for type I interferon (IFN) signalling, complement and MHC II pathways, with most showing the highest expression in class IV LN. Our class IV LN biopsies also showed significant upregulation of NF-κB signalling and immunological enrichment in comparison to class V LN biopsies. Transcripts from the type I IFN pathway distinguished class V LN from MN. Conclusion: Our whole kidney section transcriptomic analysis provided insights into the molecular profile of class III, IV and V LN. The data highlighted important pathways common to all three classes and pathways enriched in our class IV LN biopsies. The ability to reveal molecular pathways in LN using FFPE whole biopsy sections could have clinical utility in treatment selection for LN.
Medjeral-Thomas N, Troldborg A, Hansen A, et al., 2021, Protease inhibitor plasma concentrations associate with COVID-19 infection, Oxford Open Immunology, Vol: 2, ISSN: 2633-6960
Protease inhibitors influence a range of innate immunity and inflammatory pathways. We quantified plasma concentrations of key anti-inflammatory protease inhibitors in chronic haemodialysis patients with COVID-19. The samples were collected early in the disease course to determine whether plasma protease inhibitor levels associated with the presence and severity of COVID-19. We used antibody-based immunoassays to measure plasma concentrations of C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH), alpha2-macroglobulin (α2M), antithrombin, and inter-alpha-inhibitor heavy chain 4 (ITIH4) in 100 serial samples from 27 haemodialysis patients with COVID-19. ITIH4 was tested in two assays, one measuring intact ITIH4 and another also detecting any fragmented ITIH4 (total ITIH4). Control cohorts were 32 haemodialysis patients without COVID-19 and 32 healthy controls. We compared protease inhibitor concentration based on current and future COVID-19 severity and with CRP. Results were adjusted for repeated measures and multiple comparisons. Analysis of all available samples demonstrated lower plasma C1-INH and α2M and higher total ITIH4 in COVID-19 compared to dialysis controls. These differences were also seen in the first sample collected after COVID-19 diagnosis, a median of four days from diagnostic swab. Plasma ITIH4 levels were higher in severe than non-severe COVID-19. Serum CRP correlated positively with plasma levels of antithrombin, intact ITIH4, and total ITIH4. In conclusion, plasma protease inhibitor concentrations are altered in COVID-19.
Doni A, Parente R, Laface I, et al., 2021, Serum amyloid P component is an essential element of resistance against Aspergillus fumigatus, Nature Communications, Vol: 12, ISSN: 2041-1723
Serum amyloid P component (SAP, also known as Pentraxin 2; APCS gene) is a component of the humoral arm of innate immunity involved in resistance to bacterial infection and regulation of tissue remodeling. Here we investigate the role of SAP in antifungal resistance. Apcs−/− mice show enhanced susceptibility to A. fumigatus infection. Murine and human SAP bound conidia, activate the complement cascade and enhance phagocytosis by neutrophils. Apcs−/− mice are defective in vivo in terms of recruitment of neutrophils and phagocytosis in the lungs. Opsonic activity of SAP is dependent on the classical pathway of complement activation. In immunosuppressed mice, SAP administration protects hosts against A. fumigatus infection and death. In the context of a study of hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation, genetic variation in the human APCS gene is associated with susceptibility to invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Thus, SAP is a fluid phase pattern recognition molecule essential for resistance against A. fumigatus.
Medjeral-Thomas N, Troldborg A, Hansen A, et al., 2021, Plasma lectin pathway complement proteins in patients with COVID-19 and renal disease, Frontiers in Immunology, Vol: 12, ISSN: 1664-3224
We do not understand why non-white ethnicity and chronic kidney disease increase susceptibility to COVID-19. The lectin pathway of complement activation is a key contributor to innate immunity and inflammation. Concentrations of plasma lectin pathway proteins influence pathway activity and vary with ethnicity. We measured circulating lectin proteins in a multi-ethnic cohort of chronic kidney disease patients with and without COVID19 infection to determine if lectin pathway activation was contributing to COVID19 severity.We measured 11 lectin proteins in serial samples from a cohort of 33 patients with chronic kidney impairment and COVID19. Controls were single plasma samples from 32 patients on dialysis and 32 healthy individuals. We demonstrated multiple associations between recognition molecules and associated proteases of the lectin pathway and COVID-19, including COVID-19 severity. Some of these associations were unique to patients of Asian and White ethnicity. Our novel findings demonstrate that COVID19 infection alters the concentration of plasma lectin proteins and some of these changes were linked to ethnicity. This suggests a role for the lectin pathway in the host response to COVID-19 and suggest that variability within this pathway may contribute to ethnicity-associated differences in susceptibility to severe COVID-19.
Botto M, Buang N, Tapeng L, et al., 2021, Type I interferons affect the metabolic fitness of CD8+ T cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, Nature Communications, Vol: 12, Pages: 1-15, ISSN: 2041-1723
The majority of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have high expression of type I IFN-stimulated genes. Mitochondrial abnormalities have also been reported, but the contribution of type I IFN exposure to these changes is unknown. Here, we show downregulation of mitochondria-derived genes and mitochondria-associated metabolic pathways in IFN-High patients from transcriptomic analysis of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. CD8+ T cells from these patients have enlarged mitochondria and lower spare respiratory capacity associated with increased cell death upon rechallenge with TCR stimulation. These mitochondrial abnormalities can be phenocopied by exposing CD8+ T cells from healthy volunteers to type I IFN and TCR stimulation. Mechanistically these ‘SLE-like’ conditions increase CD8+ T cell NAD+ consumption resulting in impaired mitochondrial respiration and reduced cell viability, both of which can be rectified by NAD+ supplementation. Our data suggest that type I IFN exposure contributes to SLE pathogenesis by promoting CD8+ T cell death via metabolic rewiring.
Jackson WD, Gulino A, Fossati-Jimack L, et al., 2021, C3 Drives Inflammatory Skin Carcinogenesis Independently of C5, JOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE DERMATOLOGY, Vol: 141, Pages: 404-+, ISSN: 0022-202X
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- Citations: 12
Triantafyllou E, Gudd C, Mawhin M-A, et al., 2020, PD-1 blockade improves Kupffer cell bacterial clearance in acute liver injury, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Vol: 131, Pages: 1-16, ISSN: 0021-9738
Acute liver failure (ALF) patients display systemic innate immune suppression and increased susceptibility to infections. PD-1 expression by macrophages has been associated with immune suppression during sepsis and cancer. We therefore examined the role of PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in regulating Kupffer cell inflammatory and antimicrobial responses in acetaminophen (APAP) induced acute liver injury. Using intravital imaging and flow cytometry we found impaired Kupffer cell bacterial clearance and systemic bacterial dissemination in mice with liver injury. Increased PD-1 and PD-L1 expression was detected in Kupffer cells and lymphocyte subsets, respectively, during resolution of injury. Gene expression profiling of PD-1+ Kupffer cells revealed an immune-suppressive profile and reduced pathogen responses. Compared to wild-type, PD-1 deficient or anti-PD-1 treated mice with liver injury showed improved Kupffer cell bacterial clearance, reduced tissue bacterial load and protection from sepsis. Blood sample analyses of ALF patients revealed enhanced PD-1 and PD-L1 expression of monocytes and lymphocytes, respectively, and that plasma soluble PD-L1 levels predict patient outcome and sepsis. PD-1 in vitro blockade restored monocyte functionality. Our study describes a role for PD-1/PD-L1 axis in suppressing Kupffer cell and monocyte antimicrobial responses after liver injury and suggests anti-PD-1 immunotherapy as a strategy to reduce infection susceptibility in ALF.
Gisby J, Clarke C, Medjeral-Thomas N, et al., 2020, Longitudinal proteomic profiling of high-risk patients with COVID-19 reveals markers of severity and predictors of fatal disease, eLife, Vol: 10, Pages: 1-30, ISSN: 2050-084X
End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients are at high risk of severe COVID-19. We performed dense serial blood sampling in hospitalised and non-hospitalised ESKD patients with COVID-19 (n=256 samples from 55 patients) and used Olink immunoassays to measure 436 circulating proteins. Comparison to 51 non-infected ESKD patients revealed 221 proteins differentially expressed in COVID-19, of which 69.7% replicated in an independent cohort of 46 COVID-19 patients. 203 proteins were associated with clinical severity scores, including IL6, markers of monocyte recruitment (e.g. CCL2, CCL7), neutrophil activation (e.g proteinase-3) and epithelial injury (e.g. KRT19). Random Forests machine learning identified predictors of current or future severity such as KRT19, PARP1, PADI2, CCL7, and IL1RL1 (ST2). Survival analysis with joint models revealed 69 predictors of death including IL22RA1, CCL28, and the neutrophil-derived chemotaxin AZU1 (Azurocidin). Finally, longitudinal modelling with linear mixed models uncovered 32 proteins that display different temporal profiles in severe versus non-severe disease, including integrins and adhesion molecules. Our findings point to aberrant innate immune activation and leucocyte-endothelial interactions as central to the pathology of severe COVID-19. The data from this unique cohort of high-risk individuals provide a valuable resource for identifying drug targets in COVID-19.
Prendecki M, Clarke C, Medjeral-Thomas N, et al., 2020, Temporal changes in complement activation in haemodialysis patients with COVID-19 as a predictor of disease progression, Clinical Kidney Journal, Vol: 13, Pages: 889-896, ISSN: 2048-8505
Background: Complement activation may play a pathogenic role in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by contributing to tissue inflammation and microvascular thrombosis. Methods: Serial samples were collected from patients receiving maintenance haemodialysis (HD). Thirty-nine patients had confirmed COVID-19 and 10 patients had no evidence of COVID-19. Plasma C5a and C3a levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: We identified elevated levels of plasma C3a and C5a in HD patients with severe COVID-19 compared with controls. Serial sampling identified that C5a levels were elevated prior to clinical deterioration in patients who developed severe disease. C3a more closely mirrored both clinical and biochemical disease severity. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that activation of complement plays a role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19, leading to endothelial injury and lung damage. C5a may be an earlier biomarker of disease severity than conventional parameters such as C-reactive protein and this warrants further investigation in dedicated biomarker studies. Our data support the testing of complement inhibition as a therapeutic strategy for patients with severe COVID-19.
Strid K, Botto M, Jackson W, et al., 2020, C3 Drives Inflammatory Skin Carcinogenesis Independently of C5, Journal of Investigative Dermatology, ISSN: 0022-202X
Gajdasik DW, Gaspal F, Halford EE, et al., 2020, Th1 responses in vivo require cell-specific provision of OX40L dictated by environmental cues, NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, Vol: 11, ISSN: 2041-1723
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- Citations: 8
Foschi V, Bortolotti D, Doyle AF, et al., 2019, Analysis of HLA-G expression in renal tissue in lupus nephritis: a pilot study, Lupus, Vol: 28, Pages: 1091-1100, ISSN: 1477-0962
BACKGROUND: The study aimed to investigate whether HLA-G antigen is expressed in the kidneys of patients affected by lupus nephritis (LN) and whether its detection in renal biopsies could be adopted as a marker of treatment response and prognosis. METHODS: Thirty renal biopsies from patients with LN were selected and analyzed through immunohistochemistry. Laboratory and clinical data were retrospectively collected at baseline, 6 and 12 months and at the latest clinical appointment. A number of patients (63.3%) were treated with rituximab (RTX) +/- methylprednisolone in the induction phase. The expression of HLA-G in glomeruli, tubules and infiltrating cells was examined and compared between lupus patients who achieved either complete or partial renal response and those who did not respond to treatment. RESULTS: HLA-G staining was observed in the glomeruli of 20 of 30 samples from patients with LN. The expression of the antigen was detected in podocytes, along glomerular capillary walls, on parietal glomerular epithelial cells and within the juxtaglomerular apparatus. Seventy per cent of patients whose glomeruli expressed HLA-G achieved partial or complete response at 6 months and 75% at the latest available follow up compared with 30% and 40%, respectively, of those who did not show any expression. The pattern of staining in tubules and infiltrating cells was highly variable precluding any clinical correlation. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that HLA-G is expressed in renal tissue in LN. Our retrospective data suggest that its expression could correlate with response to treatment.
Roumenina LT, Daugan MV, Noé R, et al., 2019, Tumor cells hijack macrophage-produced complement C1q to promote tumor growth, Cancer Immunology Research, Vol: 7, Pages: 1091-1105, ISSN: 2326-6066
Clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) possesses an unmet medical need, particularly at the metastatic stage, when surgery is ineffective. Complement is a key factor in tissue inflammation, favoring cancer progression through the production of complement component 5a (C5a). However, the activation pathways that generate C5a in tumors remain obscure. By data mining, we identified ccRCC as a cancer type expressing concomitantly high expression of the components that are part of the classical complement pathway. To understand how the complement cascade is activated in ccRCC and impacts patients' clinical outcome, primary tumors from three patient cohorts (n = 106, 154, and 43), ccRCC cell lines, and tumor models in complement-deficient mice were used. High densities of cells producing classical complement pathway components C1q and C4 and the presence of C4 activation fragment deposits in primary tumors correlated with poor prognosis. The in situ orchestrated production of C1q by tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) and C1r, C1s, C4, and C3 by tumor cells associated with IgG deposits, led to C1 complex assembly, and complement activation. Accordingly, mice deficient in C1q, C4, or C3 displayed decreased tumor growth. However, the ccRCC tumors infiltrated with high densities of C1q-producing TAMs exhibited an immunosuppressed microenvironment, characterized by high expression of immune checkpoints (i.e., PD-1, Lag-3, PD-L1, and PD-L2). Our data have identified the classical complement pathway as a key inflammatory mechanism activated by the cooperation between tumor cells and TAMs, favoring cancer progression, and highlight potential therapeutic targets to restore an efficient immune reaction to cancer.
Gulati S, Beurskens FJ, de Kreuk B-J, et al., 2019, Complement alone drives efficacy of a chimeric antigonococcal monoclonal antibody, PLoS Biology, Vol: 17, ISSN: 1544-9173
Multidrug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a global health problem. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) 2C7 recognizes a gonococcal lipooligosaccharide epitope that is expressed by >95% of clinical isolates and hastens gonococcal vaginal clearance in mice. Chimeric mAb 2C7 (human immunoglobulin G1 [IgG1]) with an E430G Fc modification that enhances Fc:Fc interactions and hexamerization following surface-target binding and increases complement activation (HexaBody technology) showed significantly greater C1q engagement and C4 and C3 deposition compared to mAb 2C7 with wild-type Fc. Greater complement activation by 2C7-E430G Fc translated to increased bactericidal activity in vitro and, consequently, enhanced efficacy in mice, compared with "Fc-unmodified" chimeric 2C7. Gonococci bind the complement inhibitors factor H (FH) and C4b-binding protein (C4BP) in a human-specific manner, which dampens antibody (Ab)-mediated complement-dependent killing. The variant 2C7-E430G Fc overcame the barrier posed by these inhibitors in human FH/C4BP transgenic mice, for which a single 1 μg intravenous dose cleared established infection. Chlamydia frequently coexists with and exacerbates gonorrhea; 2C7-E430G Fc also proved effective against gonorrhea in gonorrhea/chlamydia-coinfected mice. Complement activation alone was necessary and sufficient for 2C7 function, evidenced by the fact that (1) "complement-inactive" Fc modifications that engaged Fc gamma receptor (FcγR) rendered 2C7 ineffective, nonetheless; (2) 2C7 was nonfunctional in C1q-/- mice, when C5 function was blocked, or in C9-/- mice; and (3) 2C7 remained effective in neutrophil-depleted mice and in mice treated with PMX205, a C5a receptor (C5aR1) inhibitor. We highlight the importance of complement activation for antigonococcal Ab function in the genital tract. Elucidating the correlates of protection against gonorrhea will inform the development of Ab-based gonococcal vaccines and immunotherapeuti
Griffiths MR, Botto M, Morgan BP, et al., 2018, CD93 regulates CNS inflammation in two mouse models of autoimmune encephalomyelitis, Immunology, Vol: 155, Pages: 346-355, ISSN: 0019-2805
Microglia and non-professional immune cells (endothelial cells, neurons) participate in the recognition and removal of pathogens and tissue-debris in the injured CNS through major pro-inflammatory processes. However, the mechanisms involved in regulating these responses remain ill-characterised. We herein show that CD93 also known as complement C1qRp/AA4 stem cell marker has an important role in the regulation of inflammatory processes. The role of CD93 was evaluated in two models of neuroinflammation. We used the MOG-experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model and the antibody-dependent EAE (ADEAE) which were induced in wild type and CD93 knockout mice. We found that CD93 was highly expressed by neurons, endothelial cells and microglia (ramified > amoeboid). Astrocytes and oligodendrocytes did not to express CD93. We further observed that CD93 deficient (CD93-/-) mice presented a more robust brain and spinal cord inflammation in EAE and ADEAE. Encephalitis in CD93-/- was characterized by increased numbers of infiltrating M1 macrophages (CD11c+ CD206-) and amoeboid microglia exhibiting a more activated phenotype (Tomato Lectinhigh , Cox2high ). Damage and leakage of the blood brain barrier was increased in CD93-/- animals and was associated with a more robust neuronal injury when compared to wild type EAE mice. We propose that CD93 is an important neuro-immune regulator (NIREG) to control CNS inflammation.
Shaughnessy J, Lewis LA, Zheng B, et al., 2018, Human factor H domains 6 and 7 fused to IgG1 Fc are immunotherapeutic against neisseria gonorrhoeae, Journal of Immunology, Vol: 201, Pages: 2700-2709, ISSN: 1550-6606
Novel therapeutics against multidrug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae are urgently needed. Gonococcal lipooligosaccharide often expresses lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT), which becomes sialylated in vivo, enhancing factor H (FH) binding and contributing to the organism’s ability to resist killing by complement. We previously showed that FH domains 18–20 (with a D-to-G mutation at position 1119 in domain 19) fused to Fc (FHD1119G/Fc) displayed complement-dependent bactericidal activity in vitro and attenuated gonococcal vaginal colonization of mice. Gonococcal lipooligosaccharide phase variation can result in loss of LNnT expression. Loss of sialylated LNnT, although associated with a considerable fitness cost, could decrease efficacy of FHD1119G/Fc. Similar to N. meningitidis, gonococci also bind FH domains 6 and 7 through Neisserial surface protein A (NspA). In this study, we show that a fusion protein comprising FH domains 6 and 7 fused to human IgG1 Fc (FH6,7/Fc) bound to 15 wild-type antimicrobial resistant isolates of N. gonorrhoeae and to each of six lgtA gonococcal deletion mutants. FH6,7/Fc mediated complement-dependent killing of 8 of the 15 wild-type gonococcal isolates and effectively reduced the duration and burden of vaginal colonization of three gonococcal strains tested in wild-type mice, including two strains that resisted complement-dependent killing but on which FH6,7/Fc enhanced C3 deposition. FH/Fc lost efficacy when Fc was mutated to abrogate C1q binding and in C1q−/− mice, highlighting the requirement of the classical pathway for its activity. Targeting gonococci with FH6,7/Fc provides an additional immunotherapeutic approach against multidrug-resistant gonorrhea.
Crawford G, Hayes MD, Seoane RC, et al., 2018, Epithelial damage and tissue gamma delta T cells promote a unique tumor-protective IgE response, Nature Immunology, Vol: 19, Pages: 859-870, ISSN: 1529-2908
IgE is an ancient and conserved immunoglobulin isotype with potent immunological function. Nevertheless, the regulation of IgE responses remains an enigma, and evidence of a role for IgE in host defense is limited. Here we report that topical exposure to a common environmental DNA-damaging xenobiotic initiated stress surveillance by γδTCR+ intraepithelial lymphocytes that resulted in class switching to IgE in B cells and the accumulation of autoreactive IgE. High-throughput antibody sequencing revealed that γδ T cells shaped the IgE repertoire by supporting specific variable-diversity-joining (VDJ) rearrangements with unique characteristics of the complementarity-determining region CDRH3. This endogenous IgE response, via the IgE receptor FcεRI, provided protection against epithelial carcinogenesis, and expression of the gene encoding FcεRI in human squamous-cell carcinoma correlated with good disease prognosis. These data indicate a joint role for immunosurveillance by T cells and by B cells in epithelial tissues and suggest that IgE is part of the host defense against epithelial damage and tumor development.
Halim TYF, Rana BMJ, Walker JA, et al., 2018, Tissue-restricted adaptive type 2 immunity Is orchestrated by expression of the costimulatory molecule OX40L on group 2 innate lymphoid cells, Immunity, Vol: 48, Pages: 1195-1207.e6, ISSN: 1074-7613
The local regulation of type 2 immunity relies on dialog between the epithelium and the innate and adaptive immune cells. Here we found that alarmin-induced expression of the co-stimulatory molecule OX40L on group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) provided tissue-restricted T cell co-stimulation that was indispensable for Th2 and regulatory T (Treg) cell responses in the lung and adipose tissue. Interleukin (IL)-33 administration resulted in organ-specific surface expression of OX40L on ILC2s and the concomitant expansion of Th2 and Treg cells, which was abolished upon deletion of OX40L on ILC2s (Il7raCre/+Tnfsf4fl/fl mice). Moreover, Il7raCre/+Tnfsf4fl/fl mice failed to mount effective Th2 and Treg cell responses and corresponding adaptive type 2 pulmonary inflammation arising from Nippostrongylus brasiliensis infection or allergen exposure. Thus, the increased expression of OX40L in response to IL-33 acts as a licensing signal in the orchestration of tissue-specific adaptive type 2 immunity, without which this response fails to establish.
Saja M, Cook HT, Ruseva M, et al., 2018, A triglyceride-rich lipoprotein environment exacerbates renal injury in the accelerated nephrotoxic nephritis model, Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Vol: 192, Pages: 337-347, ISSN: 1365-2249
Hyperlipidaemia accompanies chronic renal disease either as a consequence of the renal dysfunction or as part of generalized metabolic derangements. Under both situations, the lipid profile is characterized by accumulation of triglyceride‐rich lipoproteins (TGRLs). This lipid profile is recognized as a risk factor for cardiovascular complications. Whether it may pose a risk for renal injury as well remains unclear. A hyper‐TGRL state was generated in C57BL/6 mice using poloxamer‐407 (P‐407) and immune complex‐mediated renal injury was triggered using the accelerated nephrotoxic nephritis (ANTN) model. The hyper‐TGRL animals were hypersensitive to ANTN demonstrated by greater haematuria and glomerular cellularity. These changes were accompanied by increased glomerular accumulation of CD68+ macrophages. The hypersensitive response to ANTN was not seen in low‐density lipoprotein receptor knock‐out mice fed with a high fat diet, where triglyceride levels were lower but cholesterol levels comparable to those obtained using P‐407. These data indicate that a hyper‐TGRL state might be more detrimental to the kidneys than low‐density lipoprotein‐driven hypercholesterolaemia during immune complex‐mediated nephritis. We speculate that the hyper‐TGRL environment primes the kidney to exacerbated renal damage following an inflammatory insult with increased accumulation of macrophages that may play a key role in mediating the injurious effects.
Ling GS, Crawford G, Buang N, et al., 2018, C1q restrains autoimmunity and viral infection by regulating CD8+ T cell metabolism, Science, Vol: 360, Pages: 558-563, ISSN: 0036-8075
Deficiency of C1q, the initiator of the complement classical pathway, is associated with the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Explaining this association in terms of abnormalities in the classical pathway alone remains problematic because C3 deficiency does not predispose to SLE. Here, using a mouse model of SLE, we demonstrate that C1q, but not C3, restrains the response to self-antigens by modulating the mitochondrial metabolism of CD8+ T cells, which can themselves propagate autoimmunity. C1q deficiency also triggers an exuberant effector CD8+ T cell response to chronic viral infection leading to lethal immunopathology. These data establish a link between C1q and CD8+ T cell metabolism and may explain how C1q protects against lupus, with implications for the role of viral infections in the perpetuation of autoimmunity.
Tanigaki K, Sacharidou A, Peng J, et al., 2017, Hyposialylated IgG activates endothelial IgG receptor FcγRIIB to promote obesity-induced insulin resistance., Journal of Clinical Investigation, Vol: 128, Pages: 309-322, ISSN: 0021-9738
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common complication of obesity. Here, we have shown that activation of the IgG receptor FcγRIIB in endothelium by hyposialylated IgG plays an important role in obesity-induced insulin resistance. Despite becoming obese on a high-fat diet (HFD), mice lacking FcγRIIB globally or selectively in endothelium were protected from insulin resistance as a result of the preservation of insulin delivery to skeletal muscle and resulting maintenance of muscle glucose disposal. IgG transfer in IgG-deficient mice implicated IgG as the pathogenetic ligand for endothelial FcγRIIB in obesity-induced insulin resistance. Moreover, IgG transferred from patients with T2DM but not from metabolically healthy subjects caused insulin resistance in IgG-deficient mice via FcγRIIB, indicating that similar processes may be operative in T2DM in humans. Mechanistically, the activation of FcγRIIB by IgG from obese mice impaired endothelial cell insulin transcytosis in culture and in vivo. These effects were attributed to hyposialylation of the Fc glycan, and IgG from T2DM patients was also hyposialylated. In HFD-fed mice, supplementation with the sialic acid precursor N-acetyl-D-mannosamine restored IgG sialylation and preserved insulin sensitivity without affecting weight gain. Thus, IgG sialylation and endothelial FcγRIIB may represent promising therapeutic targets to sever the link between obesity and T2DM.
Cortini A, Ellinghaus U, Malik TH, et al., 2017, B cell OX40L supports T follicular helper cell development and contributes to SLE pathogenesis, Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, Vol: 76, Pages: 2095-2103, ISSN: 0003-4967
OBJECTIVES: TNFSF4 (encodes OX40L) is a susceptibility locus for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Risk alleles increase TNFSF4 expression in cell lines, but the mechanism linking this effect to disease is unclear, and the OX40L-expressing cell types mediating the risk are not clearly established. Blockade of OX40L has been demonstrated to reduce disease severity in several models of autoimmunity, but not in SLE. We sought to investigate its potential therapeutic role in lupus. METHODS: We used a conditional knockout mouse system to investigate the function of OX40L on B and T lymphocytes in systemic autoimmunity. RESULTS: Physiologically, OX40L on both B and T cells contributed to the humoral immune response, but B cell OX40L supported the secondary humoral response and antibody affinity maturation. Our data also indicated that loss of B cell OX40L impeded the generation of splenic T follicular helper cells. We further show that in two models of SLE-a spontaneous congenic model and the H2-IA(bm12) graft-versus-host-induced model-loss of B cell OX40L ameliorates the autoimmune phenotype. This improvement was, in each case, accompanied by a decline in T follicular helper cell numbers. Importantly, the germline knockout did not exhibit a markedly different phenotype from the B cell knockout in these models. CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute to a model in which genetically determined increased OX40L expression promotes human SLE by several mechanisms, contingent on its cellular expression. The improvement in pathology in two models of systemic autoimmunity indicates that OX40L is an excellent therapeutic target in SLE.
Lynskey NN, Reglinski M, Calay D, et al., 2017, Multi-functional mechanisms of immune evasion by the streptococcal complement inhibitor C5a peptidase, PLOS Pathogens, Vol: 13, Pages: 1-29, ISSN: 1553-7366
The complement cascade is crucial for clearance and control of invading pathogens, and as such is a key target for pathogen mediated host modulation. C3 is the central molecule of the complement cascade, and plays a vital role in opsonization of bacteria and recruitment of neutrophils to the site of infection. Streptococcal species have evolved multiple mechanisms to disrupt complement-mediated innate immunity, among which ScpA (C5a peptidase), a C5a inactivating enzyme, is widely conserved. Here we demonstrate for the first time that pyogenic streptococcal species are capable of cleaving C3, and identify C3 and C3a as novel substrates for the streptococcal ScpA, which are functionally inactivated as a result of cleavage 7 amino acids upstream of the natural C3 convertase. Cleavage of C3a by ScpA resulted in disruption of human neutrophil activation, phagocytosis and chemotaxis, while cleavage of C3 generated abnormally-sized C3a and C3b moieties with impaired function, in particular reducing C3 deposition on the bacterial surface. Despite clear effects on human complement, expression of ScpA reduced clearance of group A streptococci in vivo in wildtype and C5 deficient mice, and promoted systemic bacterial dissemination in mice that lacked both C3 and C5, suggesting an additional complement-independent role for ScpA in streptococcal pathogenesis. ScpA was shown to mediate streptococcal adhesion to both human epithelial and endothelial cells, consistent with a role in promoting bacterial invasion within the host. Taken together, these data show that ScpA is a multi-functional virulence factor with both complement-dependent and independent roles in streptococcal pathogenesis.
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