Brg1 restrains the pro-inflammatory properties of ILC3s and modulates intestinal immunity

Group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s), a subset of the innate lymphoid cells, are abundantly present in the intestine and are crucial regulators of intestinal inflammation. Brg1 (Brahma-related gene 1), a catalytic subunit of the mammalian SWI-SNF-like chromatin-remodeling BAF complex, regulates the development and function of various immune cells. Here, by genetic deletion of Brg1 in ILC3s (Smarca4^ΔILC3), we prove that Brg1 supports the differentiation of NKp46⁺ILC3s by promoting the T-bet expression in NKp46⁻ILC3s, which facilitates the conversion of NKp46⁻ILC3s to NKp46⁺ILC3s. Strikingly, Smarca4^ΔILC3 mice of the Rag1^−/− background develop spontaneous colitis accompanied with increased GM-CSF production in ILC3s. By construction of a mixed bone marrow chimeric system, we demonstrate that Brg1 enhances T-bet and inhibits GM-CSF expression in ILC3s through a cell-intrinsic manner. Blockade of GM-CSF ameliorates colitis in Rag1^−/−Smarca4^ΔILC3 mice, suggesting that the suppression of GM-CSF production from ILC3s by Brg1 serves as a critical mechanism for Brg1 to restrain intestinal inflammation. We have further demonstrated that Brg1 binds to the Tbx21 and Csf2 gene locus in ILC3s, and favors the active and repressive histones modifications on gene locus of Tbx21 and Csf2 respectively. Our work reveals the essential role of Brg1 in intestinal immunity by regulating ILC3s.     

The thioredoxin-1 inhibitor Txnip restrains effector T-cell and germinal center B-cell expansion

Thioredoxin-1 (Trx1) is a vital component for cellular redox homeostasis. In T cells, Trx1 donates electrons for the de novo synthesis of deoxyribonucleotides to allow rapid cell proliferation. The Trx-interacting protein (Txnip) binds to the reduced Trx1 and inhibits its activity. However, the role of Txnip in adaptive immunity in vivo is unknown. Here, we show that absence of Txnip increased proliferation of effector T cells and GC B-cell responses in response to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus and Qβ virus-like particles, respectively, but did not affect development and homeostasis of T and B cells. While downregulation of Txnip and concomitant upregulation of Trx1 is critical for rapid T-cell expansion upon viral infection, re-expression of Txnip and consequently inhibition of Trx1 is important to restrain late T-cell expansion. Importantly, we demonstrated that T-cell receptor (TCR) engagement but not CD28 costimulation is critically required for Txnip downregulation. Thus, this study further uncovers positive and negative control of lymphocyte proliferation by the Trx1 system.     

PD-1 and its ligands in T-cell immunity

The past year has seen significant advances in our understanding of the critical roles of negative immunoregulatory signals delivered by the programmed death 1 (PD-1)-PD-1 ligand (PD-L) pathway in regulating T-cell activation and tolerance. Emerging evidence indicates that PD-Ls play an essential role on dendritic cells (DCs), both directly during DC-T cell interactions and indirectly through signaling into the DC. Recent studies point to a novel role for PD-L1 in maintaining tissue tolerance. Finally, PD-1 has recently been shown to be highly expressed on exhausted T cells during chronic viral infection, and blockade of PD-1 or PD-L1 can revive exhausted T cells, enabling them to proliferate and produce effector cytokines.     

The anatomical basis of intestinal immunity

Summary: The lymphoid tissues associated with the intestine are exposed continuously to antigen and are the largest part of the immune system. Many lymphocytes are found in organised tissues such as the Peyer's patches and mesenteric lymph nodes, as well as scattered throughout the lamina propria and epithelium of the mucosa itself. These lymphocyte populations have several unusual characteristics and the intestinal immune system is functionally and anatomically distinct from other, peripheral compartments of the immune system. This review explores the anatomical and molecular basis of these differences, with particular emphasis on the factors which determine how the intestinal lymphoid tissues discriminate between harmful pathogens and antigens which are beneficial, such as food proteins or commensal bacteria. These latter antigens normally provoke Immunological tolerance, and inappropriate responses to them are responsible for immunopathologies such as food hypersensitivity and inflammatory bowel disease. We describe how interactions between local immune cells, epithelial tissues and antigen-presenting cells may he critical for the induction of tolerance and the expression of active mucosal immunity In addition, the possibility that the intestine may act as an extrathymic site for T-cell differentiation is discussed. Finally, we propose that, under physiological conditions, immune responses to food antigens and commensal bacteria are prevented by common regulatory mechanisms, in which transforming growth factor p plays a critical role.     

The extrathymic T-cell development pathway.

In normal mice, not all T-lineage cells are generated and selected in the thymus; an alternative, extrathymic, development pathway exists. Extrathymic T cells are rare in the spleen and lymph nodes, but are abundant in some tissues, such as the gut. Here, Benedita Rocha, Pierre Vassalli and Delphine Guy-Grand discuss the rules of selection of extrathymic T cells, assess the possible role of these cells in the defence of epithelial integrity and their potential role in autoimmune disease.     

Beneficial autoimmunity to proinflammatory mediators restrains the consequences of self-destructive immunity

Therapies that neutralize the function of TNF-alpha suppress rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but not osteoarthritis (OA). We show that patients suffering from RA but not OA have significant levels of autoantibodies directed to TNF-alpha. Thus, the immune system can selectively generate autoimmunity to proinflammatory mediators when such a response is beneficial for the host. A well-defined model of RA was used to elaborate the contribution of beneficial autoimmunity to the regulation of disease. We show that during the disease autoantibody production is elicited against few inflammatory, but not regulatory, mediators. Selective amplification of these beneficial antibodies by targeted DNA vaccines provided protective immunity. Epitope mapping revealed that anti-TNF-alpha immunity is highly restricted and excretes no crossreactivity to other known gene products. Its selective exclusion substantially exacerbated the disease. Administration of anti-TNF-alpha antibodies could then override this aggravation. This substantiates the significance of beneficial autoimmunity in restraining self-destructive immunity.     

骨髓增生异常综合征中的T细胞免疫

骨髓增生异常综合征(myelodysplastic syndromes,MDS)是一组肿瘤性疾病,以骨髓无效造血并向急性髓系白血病转化的风险为特点.流行病学显示自身免疫性疾病的患者发生MDS风险增加,为二者存在共同病因的假设提供了依据.MDS骨髓微环境中存在T细胞过度活化的现象.部分低危组MDS治疗药物具有抑制T细胞免疫机制,而高危组MDS的去甲基化药物则增强T细胞的抗肿瘤免疫反应,特别是免疫检查点抑制剂正在MDS中进行临床实验.因此,MDS中T细胞免疫失调的双重作用值得深思,充分认识T细胞免疫异常在M D S发病机制中的作用是形成新治疗方法的理论基础.     

Cytotoxic T-cell immunity to influenza

In a study designed to determine whether cytotoxic T lymphocytes contribute to immunity against influenza virus infection, we inoculated 63 volunteers intranasally with live unattenuated influenza A/Munich/1/79 virus. Over the next seven days clinical observations were made, and the amount of virus shed was measured. The protective effects of preinfection serum antibody and of cytotoxic T-cell immunity against influenza A virus were assessed for each participant. All subjects with demonstrable T-cell responses cleared virus effectively. This response was observed in volunteers in all age groups, including those born after 1956, who did not have specific antibody and hence had probably not been exposed to this subtype of influenza A virus before. Cytotoxic T cells show cross-reactivity in their recognition of the different subtypes of influenza A virus, in contrast to the antibody response that is specific for each virus subtype. We conclude that cytotoxic T cells play a part in recovery from influenza virus infection.     

T-cell receptor bias and immunity

Despite the potentially vast T-cell repertoire, biased alphabeta T-cell receptor (TCR) usage has emerged as a common theme in immunity. Examples of TCR bias are observed in classical polymorphic major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted immune responses as well as in T-cell responses to non-classical, monomorphic Ag-presenting molecules, such as CD1d. Recent data have implicated the structural landscape of these antigen-presenting molecules as one of the drivers of TCR bias. Here we review recent advances in the field, focussing on structural data pertaining to biased TCR usage, and discuss the implications for T-cell repertoire selection, MHC restriction and therapeutic development.     

The impact of T-cell immunity on ovarian cancer outcomes

Summary: Ovarian cancer remains a challenging disease for which improved treatments are urgently needed. Most patients present with advanced disease that is highly responsive to surgery combined with platinum- and taxane-based chemotherapy, with a state of minimal residual disease being achieved in many cases. However, chemotherapy-resistant recurrent tumors typically appear within 1–5 years and are ultimately fatal. Recently, several groups have shown that ovarian tumors are often infiltrated by activated T cells at the time of diagnosis, and patients with dense infiltrates of CD3⁺CD8⁺ T cells experience unexpectedly favorable progression-free and overall survival. Other cell types in the immune infiltrate oppose anti-tumor immunity, including CD4⁺CD25⁺FoxP3⁺ regulatory T cells, CD8⁺ regulatory T cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells. The composition of immune infiltrates is shaped by the expression of cytokines, chemokines, antigens, major histocompatibility complex molecules, and costimulatory molecules. The relationship between these various immunological factors is reviewed here with a strong emphasis on outcomes data so as to create a knowledge base that is well grounded in clinical reality. With improved understanding of the functional properties of natural CD8⁺ T-cell responses to ovarian cancer, there is great potential to improve clinical outcomes by amplifying host immunity.     

Aging impairs intestinal immunity

The elderly are characterized by immunosenescence accompanied by high rates of morbidity and mortality associated with infectious diseases. Despite suggestions that the mucosal immune compartment is relatively unaffected by aging, there are marked deficits in the intestinal mucosal immune responses of old animals and elderly humans. Little is known about the mechanism(s) whereby aging disrupts intestinal immunity. However, several events in the genesis of the intestinal immune response may be perturbed during aging. The first step is the uptake of antigens by specialized epithelial cells (M cells) that overlie the domes of Peyer's patches. We are unaware of any studies on the efficacy of antigen uptake in the intestine as a function of age. The effects of aging on the next step, antigen presentation by dendritic cells and lymphocyte isotype switching, have not been resolved. The third event is the maturation of immunoglobulin A (IgA) immunoblasts and their migration from the Peyer's patches to the intestinal mucosa. Quantitative immunohistochemical analyses suggest that the migration of these putative plasma cells to the intestinal effector site is compromised in old animals. Local antibody production by mature IgA plasma cells in the intestinal mucosa constitutes the fourth step. We recently reported that in vitro IgA antibody secretion by intestinal lamina propria lymphocytes from young and senescent rats is equivalent. The last event is the transport of IgA antibodies across the epithelial cells via receptor-mediated vesicular translocation onto the mucosal surface of the intestine. Receptor-binding assays did not detect age-associated declines in receptor number or binding affinity in either rodent or primate enterocytes as a function of donor age. Efforts to identify the mechanism(s) responsible for the age-related decline in intestinal mucosal immune responsiveness may benefit by focusing on the homing of IgA immunoblasts to the effector site.     

肠道T细胞淋巴瘤中的EB病毒感染和T细胞内抗原1的表达

目的 探讨ＥＢ病毒感染在肠道Ｔ细胞淋巴瘤发病中的意义。方法 用ＥＢＥＲ１／２原位杂交及三步ＡＢＣ法免疫组织化学染色技术,观察２４例肠道Ｔ淋巴瘤患者中ＥＢ病毒感染及Ｑ细胞内抗原（ＴＩＡ－１）抗原表达情况,选用的抗体有ＴＬＡ－１,ＬＭＰ－１,ＣＤ３,ＣＤ２０,ＣＤ３０和ＣＤ４５ＲＯ等。     

Microanatomical dissection of human intestinal T-cell immunity reveals site-specific changes in gut-associated lymphoid tissues over life

Defining adaptive immunity with the complex structures of the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract over life is essential for understanding immune responses to ingested antigens, commensal and pathogenic microorganisms, and dysfunctions in disease. We present here an analysis of lymphocyte localization and T cell subset composition across the human GI tract including mucosal sites (jejunum, ileum, colon), gut-associated lymphoid tissues (isolated lymphoid follicles (ILFs), Peyer's patches (PPs), appendix), and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) from a total of 68 donors spanning eight decades of life. In pediatric donors, ILFs and PP containing naïve T cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs) are prevalent in the jejunum and ileum, respectively; these decline in frequency with age, contrasting stable frequencies of ILFs and T cell subsets in the colon. In the mucosa, tissue resident memory T cells develop during childhood, and persist in high frequencies into advanced ages, while T cell composition changes with age in GALT and MLN. These spatial and temporal features of human intestinal T cell immunity define signatures that can be used to train predictive machine learning algorithms. Our findings demonstrate an anatomic basis for age-associated alterations in immune responses, and establish a quantitative baseline for intestinal immunity to define disease pathologies.