Pilot Study Evaluating Regulatory T Cell–Promoting Immunosuppression and Nonimmunogenic Donor Antigen Delivery in a Nonhuman Primate Islet Allotransplantation Model

The full potential of islet transplantation will only be realized through the development of tolerogenic regimens that obviate the need for maintenance immunosuppression. Here, we report an immunotherapy regimen that combines 1‐ethyl‐3‐(3′‐dimethylaminopropyl)‐carbodiimide (ECDI)‐treated donor lymphoid cell infusion (ECDI‐DLI) with thymoglobulin, anti‐interleukin‐6 receptor antibody and rapamycin to achieve prolonged allogeneic islet graft survival in a nonhuman primate (NHP) model. Prolonged graft survival is associated with Treg expansion, donor‐specific T cell hyporesponsiveness and a transient absence of donor‐specific alloantibody production during the period of graft survival. This regimen shows promise for clinical translation.     

Imaging Tolerance Induction in the Classic Medawar Neonatal Mouse Model: Active Roles of Multiple F1‐Donor Cell Types

The immature immune system is uniquely susceptible to tolerance induction and thus an attractive target for immunomodulation strategies for organ transplantation. Newborn mice injected with adult semi‐allogeneic lymphohematopoietic cells accept transplants without immunosuppressive drugs. Early in vivo/in situ events leading to neonatal tolerance remain poorly understood. Here, we show by whole body/organ imaging that injected cells home to lymphoid organs and liver where various F1‐donor cell types selectively alter neonatal immunity. In host thymus, F1‐donor dendritic cells (DC) interact with developing thymocytes and regulatory T cells suggesting a role in negative selection. In spleen and lymph nodes, F1‐donor regulatory T/B cells associate with host alloreactive cells and by themselves prolong cardiac allograft survival. In liver, F1‐donor cells give rise to albumin‐containing hepatocyte‐like cells. The neonatal immune system is lymphopenic, Th‐2 immunodeviated and contains immature DC, suggesting susceptibility to regulation by adult F1‐donor cells. CD8a T cell inactivation greatly enhances chimerism, suggesting that variable emerging neonatal alloreactivity becomes a barrier to tolerance induction. This comprehensive qualitative imaging study systematically shows contribution of multiple in vivo processes leading simultaneously to robust tolerance. These insights into robust tolerance induction have important implications for development of strategies for clinical application.     

Hyperlipidemia Alters Regulatory T Cell Function and Promotes Resistance to Tolerance Induction Through Costimulatory Molecule Blockade

Recent work from our laboratory has shown that hyperlipidemia promotes accelerated rejection of vascularized cardiac allografts in mice by inducing anti‐donor Th17 reactivity and production of IL‐17. Here, we show that hyperlipidemia also affects FoxP3⁺ regulatory T cells (Tregs). Hyperlipidemia promotes the development of Tregs that express low levels of CD25. Hyperlipidemia also promotes a decrease in central Tregs and an increase in effector Tregs that appears to account for the increase in the frequency of CD25^low Tregs. Alterations in Treg subsets also appear to lead to alterations in Treg function. The ability of FoxP3⁺, CD25^high_, CD4⁺ Tregs from hyperlipidemic mice to inhibit proliferation of effector T cells stimulated with anti‐CD3 and CD28 was reduced when compared with Tregs from control mice. Regulatory T cells isolated from hyperlipidemic recipients exhibit increased activation of Akt, and a reduction in Bim levels that permits the expansion of FoxP3⁺CD25^lowCD4⁺ T cells. Hyperlipidemic mice were also resistant to tolerance induction using costimulatory molecule blockade consisting of anti‐CD154 and CTLA4Ig, a strategy that requires Tregs. Together, our data suggest that hyperlipidemia profoundly affects Treg subsets and function as well as the ability to induce tolerance.     

Polymeric synthetic nanoparticles for the induction of antigen-specific immunological tolerance

Current treatments to control pathological or unwanted immune responses often use broadly immunosuppressive drugs. New approaches to induce antigen-specific immunological tolerance that control both cellular and humoral immune responses are desirable. Here we describe the use of synthetic, biodegradable nanoparticles carrying either protein or peptide antigens and a tolerogenic immunomodulator, rapamycin, to induce durable and antigen-specific immune tolerance, even in the presence of potent Toll-like receptor agonists. Treatment with tolerogenic nanoparticles results in the inhibition of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell activation, an increase in regulatory cells, durable B-cell tolerance resistant to multiple immunogenic challenges, and the inhibition of antigen-specific hypersensitivity reactions, relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, and antibody responses against coagulation factor VIII in hemophilia A mice, even in animals previously sensitized to antigen. Only encapsulated rapamycin, not the free form, could induce immunological tolerance. Tolerogenic nanoparticle therapy represents a potential novel approach for the treatment of allergies, autoimmune diseases, and prevention of antidrug antibodies against biologic therapies.Undesired immunogenicity can have a profound impact on human health. Allergies, including allergic asthma and severe food allergies, affect ∼20% of the population, and the prevalence has been steadily increasing over the past several decades (1). The prevalence of autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes, is ∼4.5% (2). Unwanted immunogenicity can also affect both efficacy and safety of biologic drugs (3), particularly in the case of protein replacement therapies for the treatment of genetic deficiencies, such as hemophilia A (4) and Pompe Disease (5). Immunomodulatory agents commonly used to control immunogenicity are often broadly immunosuppressive and typically require chronic administration that can lead to reactivation of latent pathogens, development of tumors, and opportunistic infections (6, 7). Therefore, antigen-specific, durable tolerogenic therapy would be highly desirable from an efficacy and safety perspective.Multiple techniques for antigen-specific immunotherapy have been described, although only allergen immunotherapy, wherein low doses of antigen are delivered in the absence of immunomodulating agents, is currently used in the clinic (1). Experimental approaches have included oral administration of antigen, high dose tolerance, and the use of altered peptide ligands (8). Although these methods have been successful in preclinical models, translation to human clinical trials has been largely disappointing (8). Alternative strategies to leverage tolerogenic programming associated with apoptotic cells include conjugating antigen to splenocytes (9–12) or synthetic microparticles (13, 14) or targeting antigen to the surface of red blood cells (15). Other approaches include loading particles with MHC complexes that present relevant peptides in the absence of costimulation (16, 17), liposomal copresentation of antigen with a ligand specific for the negative signaling receptor CD22 on B cells (18), codelivery of peptide antigen with an aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist (19), and cotreatment with pharmacological agents, such as methotrexate (20). A major concern for antigen immunotherapy is the ability to induce and maintain tolerance in the presence of proinflammatory stimuli caused by tissue stress, injury, or concurrent infections. We sought to develop an antigen-specific tolerogenic technology that could control both T-cell– and B-cell–mediated immunity and that was durable over time and to multiple challenges with the antigen, even in the presence of strong innate immune stimulants.Dendritic cells (DCs) are an attractive target for immunotherapies due to their central role in antigen presentation to T cells and their ability to induce and control regulatory responses to secure self-tolerance (21–25). Thomson and colleagues (26, 27) demonstrated that treating DCs with rapamycin, an inhibitor of the mTOR pathway, induces a tolerogenic DC phenotype capable of inducing Treg differentiation and antigen-specific immune tolerance that is resistant to the proinflammatory cascade triggered by TLR signaling. However, conventional therapy with free rapamycin requires chronic systemic administration, resulting in broad immunosuppression due to its direct effect on lymphocytes (28), whereas low doses of rapamycin may paradoxically augment effector T-cell memory (29). Thus, it would be desirable to transiently target rapamycin’s effects to DCs and other antigen-presenting cells (APCs) at the time of antigen encounter. Nanoparticles (NPs) are an ideal mechanism to deliver antigen (16, 30, 31) and drugs (32) to APCs, as these cells are keyed to capture and internalize nanoparticulates such as viruses.Here we describe the development of tolerogenic NPs (tNPs) using materials and compounds that have been well validated in the clinic. These self-assembling, biodegradable poly(lactide-coglycolide) (PLGA) tNPs containing either protein or peptide antigens and rapamycin are capable of inducing durable antigen-specific tolerance that control adaptive immune responses and withstand multiple immunogenic challenges with antigen. We demonstrate that either s.c. or i.v. administration of tNPs inhibits the activation of antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and B cells while inducing antigen-specific Tregs and Bregs. Swiss Jack Lambert (SJL) mice immunized with the myelin proteolipid protein 139–151 peptide in complete Freud’s adjuvant (PLP_139–151/CFA) and treated therapeutically with a single dose of tNPs at the peak of disease are completely protected from developing relapsing paralysis. In hemophilia A animals, administration of tNP before or after the establishment of an anti-factor VIII (FVIII) antibody response led to a significant reduction of the neutralizing antibody response against FVIII. Treatment of mice with tNP prevents both cellular and humoral immunity even in the presence of potent TLR agonists. These effects are dependent on the presence of the encapsulated rapamycin (not free in solution).     

四妙勇安汤活性部位灌胃给药的急性毒性实验研究

目的观察四妙勇安汤活性部位(SMAF)灌胃给药的急性毒性。方法通过预实验,未获得动物的半数致死量,进行最大耐受量试验。选取昆明小鼠及Wistar大鼠各40只,雌雄各半,均分为给药组(20只)及对照组(20只),雌雄各半,给药组采用一次最大浓度和最大容积灌胃给药,小鼠灌胃剂量为6.0 g/kg,大鼠灌胃剂量为3.0 g/kg,对照组灌胃等容积0.5%羧甲基纤维素。观察给药14 d内,大、小鼠的行为、体质量、进食量、死亡率及毒性反应,计算药物的最大耐受量。结果给药后14 d内,与对照组相比,给药组雌雄小鼠、大鼠活动、行为、眼睑、分泌物、呼吸、腹形、排便等均无异常,未见因药物引起的死亡。给药组雌雄小鼠、大鼠给药后7、14 d体质量与对照组同期比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。给药组雌雄小鼠、大鼠药后7、14 d进食量与对照组同期比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。给药14 d后,处死各组小、大鼠,与对照组比较,给药组均未见脏器明显的肿大、萎缩、坏死、充血、出血、水肿等异常现象。四妙勇安汤活性部位一次性灌胃给药对小鼠最大耐受量6.0 g/kg(相当于人日推荐量的360倍);对大鼠最大耐受量3.0 g/kg(相当于人日推荐量的180倍)。结论 SMAF灌胃给药没有明显毒性。     

1103名体检人群不同糖代谢状况与红细胞压积、血小板相关性分析

目的:探讨干部人群中不同糖代谢状况与血红细胞压积、血小板的相关性。方法:根据不同糖代谢状态将血糖分层为血糖正常(NGT)、空腹血糖受损(IFG)、糖耐量减低(IGT)、IFG合并IGT、新诊断糖尿病(DM)5组,分析不同年龄、不同性别各组异常检出率,比较各组红细胞压积、血小板的变化,及其与糖代谢指标及各种病史的相关性。结果:1)男性糖代谢异常(包括IGT、DM、IFG)检出率高于女性;在各年龄组中,糖耐量减低的发生率明显高于空腹血糖受损。2)在糖耐量减低的233例中,50~59岁年龄组所占比例最高。3)DM组红细胞压积较NGT组明显升高,差异有统计学意义(P0.05),DM组、IFG合并IGT组血小板较NGT组明显升高,IFG合并IGT组血小板较IGT组明显升高,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。4)多因素有序Logostic回归显示:年龄、体质指数、HCT、TG、高血压与糖代谢相关。结论:红细胞压积、血小板与糖尿病的发病密切相关。     

Relationship between obesity, glucose tolerance, and periodontal disease in Japanese women: the Hisayama study

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have reported a relationship between obesity and periodontal disease. Obesity is the strongest risk factor for type 2 diabetes, which is, in turn, a risk factor for periodontal disease. An oral glucose tolerance test is necessary to diagnose diabetes; however, no study has examined the relationship between obesity and periodontal disease by taking oral glucose tolerance test results into consideration. METHODs: In all, 584 Japanese women aged between 40 and 79 years old, with at least 10 teeth, underwent health examinations. Body mass index, waist-hip ratio, body fat, and oral glucose tolerance test results were used as independent variables with known risk factors for periodontal disease. Mean probing pocket depth and mean attachment loss were used as the dependent variables. RESULTS: In all of the analyses, body mass index, body fat, and waist--hip ratio were significantly associated with the highest quintile of mean probing pocket depth, even when adjusted for oral glucose tolerance test results. In the multivariate analysis, the subjects with the highest quartile of body mass index had a significantly higher odds ratio (OR) for the highest quintile of mean probing pocket depth [OR, 4.3; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.1--8.9; p<0.001], whereas neither impaired glucose tolerance nor diabetes were significantly associated with deep pockets. The relationships between the obesity indexes and mean attachment loss did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Obesity was associated with deep pockets in Japanese women, even after adjusting for oral glucose tolerance test.     

中间普氏菌内毒素对人牙周膜细胞增殖的时间效应和细胞周期的影响

目的 :观察中间普氏菌内毒素 (Pi)对离体培养的人牙周膜细胞增殖的时间效应和细胞周期的影响。方法 :采用细胞培养技术、噻唑盐比色测定法 (MTT)和流式细胞仪技术。结果 :MTT法结果表明 ,加入10 μg/mLPi内毒素 3h后 ,即明显抑制人牙周膜细胞的增殖 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,且抑制作用随时间的延长而增强。流式细胞仪结果表明 ,在 10 μg/mLPi内毒素作用后 6和 12h ,DNA合成前期细胞所占百分比 (G1% )有所增高 ,而DNA合成期细胞所占百分比 (S % )降低。作用 2 4h后S期细胞数量增加 ,G1期细胞数量下降。结论 :Pi内毒素对人PDLC有直接毒害作用 ,可能是内毒素抑制静止态的G1期细胞进入S期 ,从而抑制细胞的增殖。     

The induction of oral tolerance to Actinomyces viscosus in mice

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether oral tolerance with the oral bacterium Actinomyces viscosus was inducible in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mice were intragastrically (i.g.) and then intraperitoneally (i.p.) immunized with heat-killed A. viscosus. A control group of mice received only saline. A delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response and the levels of isotype specific antibodies were assessed. Spleen cells from mice that were i.g. immunized with A. viscosus were transferred to A. viscosus-primed mice in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, mice were i.g. immunized with saline or A. viscosus and then challenged i.p. with saline, A. viscosus, or Porphyromonas gingivalis. RESULTS: Intragastric immunization with A. viscosus suppressed both DTH and serum specific antibodies to A. viscosus. DTH suppression lasted until week 4, while serum immunoglobulin (Ig)A and both IgG and IgM specific antibody levels remained suppressed up to week 8 and 12 respectively. IgG specific antibody suppression was transferable. The DTH response and serum antibodies specific to A. viscosus were suppressed in mice after i.g. challenged with A. viscosus but not P. gingivalis. CONCLUSION: Mucosal presentation of A. viscosus in mice led to the suppression of immune response to this bacterium in an antigen-specific fashion. Tolerance of DTH response was short lived, while suppression of antigen-specific IgG antibodies in mucosally tolerized mice was long-lasting.