1
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Illouz T, Biragyn A, Iulita MF, Flores-Aguilar L, Dierssen M, De Toma I, Antonarakis SE, Yu E, Herault Y, Potier MC, Botté A, Roper R, Sredni B, London J, Mobley W, Strydom A, Okun E. Immune Dysregulation and the Increased Risk of Complications and Mortality Following Respiratory Tract Infections in Adults With Down Syndrome. Front Immunol 2021; 12:621440. [PMID: 34248930 PMCID: PMC8267813 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.621440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The risk of severe outcomes following respiratory tract infections is significantly increased in individuals over 60 years, especially in those with chronic medical conditions, i.e., hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer. Down Syndrome (DS), the most prevalent intellectual disability, is caused by trisomy-21 in ~1:750 live births worldwide. Over the past few decades, a substantial body of evidence has accumulated, pointing at the occurrence of alterations, impairments, and subsequently dysfunction of the various components of the immune system in individuals with DS. This associates with increased vulnerability to respiratory tract infections in this population, such as the influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), and bacterial pneumonias. To emphasize this link, here we comprehensively review the immunobiology of DS and its contribution to higher susceptibility to severe illness and mortality from respiratory tract infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomer Illouz
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Paul Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer’s Disease Research, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Arya Biragyn
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Maria Florencia Iulita
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Lisi Flores-Aguilar
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Mara Dierssen
- Center for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Center for Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ilario De Toma
- Center for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Center for Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Stylianos E. Antonarakis
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Medigenome, Swiss Institute of Genomic Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
- iGE3 Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eugene Yu
- The Children’s Guild Foundation Down Syndrome Research Program, Genetics and Genomics Program and Department of Cancer Genetics and Genomics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
- Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics Program, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Yann Herault
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, IGBMC - UMR 7104 - Inserm U1258, Illkirch, France
| | - Marie-Claude Potier
- Paris Brain Institute (ICM), CNRS UMR7225, INSERM U1127, Sorbonne Université, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Alexandra Botté
- Paris Brain Institute (ICM), CNRS UMR7225, INSERM U1127, Sorbonne Université, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Randall Roper
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Benjamin Sredni
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | | | - William Mobley
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Andre Strydom
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eitan Okun
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Paul Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer’s Disease Research, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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2
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Marcovecchio GE, Ferrua F, Fontana E, Beretta S, Genua M, Bortolomai I, Conti A, Montin D, Cascarano MT, Bergante S, D’Oria V, Giamberti A, Amodio D, Cancrini C, Carotti A, Di Micco R, Merelli I, Bosticardo M, Villa A. Premature Senescence and Increased Oxidative Stress in the Thymus of Down Syndrome Patients. Front Immunol 2021; 12:669893. [PMID: 34140950 PMCID: PMC8204718 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.669893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) patients prematurely show clinical manifestations usually associated with aging. Their immune system declines earlier than healthy individuals, leading to increased susceptibility to infections and higher incidence of autoimmune phenomena. Clinical features of accelerated aging indicate that trisomy 21 increases the biological age of tissues. Based on previous studies suggesting immune senescence in DS, we hypothesized that induction of cellular senescence may contribute to early thymic involution and immune dysregulation. Immunohistochemical analysis of thymic tissue showed signs of accelerated thymic aging in DS patients, normally seen in older healthy subjects. Moreover, our whole transcriptomic analysis on human Epcam-enriched thymic epithelial cells (hTEC), isolated from three DS children, which revealed disease-specific transcriptomic alterations. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of DS TEC revealed an enrichment in genes involved in cellular response to stress, epigenetic histone DNA modifications and senescence. Analysis of senescent markers and oxidative stress in hTEC and thymocytes confirmed these findings. We detected senescence features in DS TEC, thymocytes and peripheral T cells, such as increased β-galactosidase activity, increased levels of the cell cycle inhibitor p16, telomere length and integrity markers and increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), all factors contributing to cellular damage. In conclusion, our findings support the key role of cellular senescence in the pathogenesis of immune defect in DS while adding new players, such as epigenetic regulation and increased oxidative stress, to the pathogenesis of immune dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genni Enza Marcovecchio
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-TIGET), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Ferrua
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-TIGET), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Paediatric Immunohematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Fontana
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Italy
- Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica (IRGB), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Beretta
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-TIGET), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Genua
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-TIGET), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Ileana Bortolomai
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-TIGET), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Anastasia Conti
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-TIGET), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Montin
- Department of Pediatric and Public Health Sciences, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
- Regina Margherita Children’s Hospital, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Cascarano
- Cardiochirurgia Pediatrica Ospedale Infantile Regina Margherita (OIRM), AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Sonia Bergante
- Laboratory of Stem Cells for Tissue Engineering, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy
| | - Veronica D’Oria
- Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, IRCCS San Donato Milanese Hospital, San Donato Milanese, Italy
| | - Alessandro Giamberti
- Department of Congenital Cardiac Surgery, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Italy
| | - Donato Amodio
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- University Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Caterina Cancrini
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- University Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Adriano Carotti
- Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, IRCCS Bambino Gesú Children’s Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaella Di Micco
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-TIGET), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Ivan Merelli
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies-National Research Council, Segrate, Italy
| | - Marita Bosticardo
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-TIGET), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, IDGS, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Anna Villa
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-TIGET), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica (IRGB), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Milan, Italy
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3
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Moreau M, Benhaddou S, Dard R, Tolu S, Hamzé R, Vialard F, Movassat J, Janel N. Metabolic Diseases and Down Syndrome: How Are They Linked Together? Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9020221. [PMID: 33671490 PMCID: PMC7926648 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9020221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of a third copy of chromosome 21, associated with intellectual disabilities. Down syndrome is associated with anomalies of both the nervous and endocrine systems. Over the past decades, dramatic advances in Down syndrome research and treatment have helped to extend the life expectancy of these patients. Improved life expectancy is obviously a positive outcome, but it is accompanied with the need to address previously overlooked complications and comorbidities of Down syndrome, including obesity and diabetes, in order to improve the quality of life of Down syndrome patients. In this focused review, we describe the associations between Down syndrome and comorbidities, obesity and diabetes, and we discuss the understanding of proposed mechanisms for the association of Down syndrome with metabolic disorders. Drawing molecular mechanisms through which Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes could be linked to Down syndrome could allow identification of novel drug targets and provide therapeutic solutions to limit the development of metabolic and cognitive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Moreau
- Laboratoire Processus Dégénératifs, Université de Paris, BFA, UMR 8251, CNRS, Stress et Vieillissemen, F-75013 Paris, France; (M.M.); (S.B.); (R.D.)
| | - Soukaina Benhaddou
- Laboratoire Processus Dégénératifs, Université de Paris, BFA, UMR 8251, CNRS, Stress et Vieillissemen, F-75013 Paris, France; (M.M.); (S.B.); (R.D.)
| | - Rodolphe Dard
- Laboratoire Processus Dégénératifs, Université de Paris, BFA, UMR 8251, CNRS, Stress et Vieillissemen, F-75013 Paris, France; (M.M.); (S.B.); (R.D.)
- Genetics Deptartment, CHI Poissy St Germain-en-Laye, F-78300 Poissy, France;
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, ENVA, BREED, F-78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Stefania Tolu
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Pathologie du Pancréas Endocrine, Université de Paris, BFA, UMR 8251, CNRS, F-75013 Paris, France; (S.T.); (R.H.); (J.M.)
| | - Rim Hamzé
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Pathologie du Pancréas Endocrine, Université de Paris, BFA, UMR 8251, CNRS, F-75013 Paris, France; (S.T.); (R.H.); (J.M.)
| | - François Vialard
- Genetics Deptartment, CHI Poissy St Germain-en-Laye, F-78300 Poissy, France;
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, ENVA, BREED, F-78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Jamileh Movassat
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Pathologie du Pancréas Endocrine, Université de Paris, BFA, UMR 8251, CNRS, F-75013 Paris, France; (S.T.); (R.H.); (J.M.)
| | - Nathalie Janel
- Laboratoire Processus Dégénératifs, Université de Paris, BFA, UMR 8251, CNRS, Stress et Vieillissemen, F-75013 Paris, France; (M.M.); (S.B.); (R.D.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-1-57-27-83-60; Fax: +33-1-57-27-83-54
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4
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Mortimer GL, Gillespie KM. Early Onset of Autoimmune Diabetes in Children with Down Syndrome-Two Separate Aetiologies or an Immune System Pre-Programmed for Autoimmunity? Curr Diab Rep 2020; 20:47. [PMID: 32839884 PMCID: PMC7445156 DOI: 10.1007/s11892-020-01318-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW An increased frequency of autoimmunity in children with Down syndrome (DS) is well described but few studies have investigated the underlying mechanisms. Recent immune system investigation of individuals with DS may shed light on the increased risk of autoimmune conditions including type 1 diabetes. RECENT FINDINGS Diagnosis of type 1 diabetes is accelerated in children with DS with 17% diagnosed at, or under, the age of 2 years compared with only 4% in the same age group in the general population. Counterintuitively, children with DS and diabetes have less human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-mediated susceptibility than age-matched children with autoimmune diabetes from the general population. Early onset of diabetes in DS is further highlighted by the recent description of neonatal cases of diabetes which is autoimmune but not HLA associated. There are two potential explanations for this accelerated onset: (1) an additional chromosome 21 increases the genetic and immunological risk of autoimmune diabetes or (2) there are two separate aetiologies in children with DS and diabetes. Autoimmunity in DS is an under-investigated area. In this review, we will draw on recent mechanistic studies in individuals with DS which shed some light on the increased risk of autoimmunity in children with DS and consider the current support for and against two aetiologies underlying diabetes in children with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgina L Mortimer
- Diabetes and Metabolism, Bristol Medical School, Level 2, Learning and Research, Southmead Hospital, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS10 5NB, UK
| | - Kathleen M Gillespie
- Diabetes and Metabolism, Bristol Medical School, Level 2, Learning and Research, Southmead Hospital, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS10 5NB, UK.
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5
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Trisomy 21 dysregulates T cell lineages toward an autoimmunity-prone state associated with interferon hyperactivity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:24231-24241. [PMID: 31699819 PMCID: PMC6883781 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1908129116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Triplication of human chromosome 21, or trisomy 21 (T21), causes the condition known as Down syndrome (DS). People with DS show a markedly different disease spectrum relative to typical people, being highly predisposed to conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, while being protected from other conditions, such as most solid malignancies. Interestingly, people with DS are affected by high rates of autoimmune disorders, whereby the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues. This manuscript reports an exhaustive characterization of the T cells of people with DS, demonstrating many alterations in this key immune cell type that could explain their high risk of autoimmunity. These results reveal opportunities for therapeutic intervention to modulate T cell function and improve health outcomes in DS. Trisomy 21 (T21) causes Down syndrome (DS), a condition characterized by high prevalence of autoimmune disorders. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms driving this phenotype remain unclear. Building upon our previous finding that T cells from people with DS show increased expression of interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes, we have completed a comprehensive characterization of the peripheral T cell compartment in adults with DS with and without autoimmune conditions. CD8+ T cells from adults with DS are depleted of naïve subsets and enriched for differentiated subsets, express higher levels of markers of activation and senescence (e.g., IFN-γ, Granzyme B, PD-1, KLRG1), and overproduce cytokines tied to autoimmunity (e.g., TNF-α). Conventional CD4+ T cells display increased differentiation, polarization toward the Th1 and Th1/17 states, and overproduction of the autoimmunity-related cytokines IL-17A and IL-22. Plasma cytokine analysis confirms elevation of multiple autoimmunity-related cytokines (e.g., TNF-α, IL17A–D, IL-22) in people with DS, independent of diagnosis of autoimmunity. Although Tregs are more abundant in DS, functional assays show that CD8+ and CD4+ effector T cells with T21 are resistant to Treg-mediated suppression, regardless of Treg karyotype. Transcriptome analysis of white blood cells and T cells reveals strong signatures of T cell differentiation and activation that correlate positively with IFN hyperactivity. Finally, mass cytometry analysis of 8 IFN-inducible phosphoepitopes demonstrates that T cell subsets with T21 show elevated levels of basal IFN signaling and hypersensitivity to IFN-α stimulation. Therefore, these results point to T cell dysregulation associated with IFN hyperactivity as a contributor to autoimmunity in DS.
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Chai M, Su L, Hao X, Zhang M, Zheng L, Bi J, Han X, Gao C. Identification of a thymus microRNA‑mRNA regulatory network in Down syndrome. Mol Med Rep 2019; 20:2063-2072. [PMID: 31257513 PMCID: PMC6691205 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2019.10433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The present bioinformatics analysis was performed using a multi‑step approach to identify a microRNA (miR)‑mRNA regulatory network in Down syndrome. miR (GSE69210) and mRNA (GSE70573) data was downloaded and collected from the thymic tissues of both Down syndrome and karyotypically normal subjects and placed in a public repository. Then, weighted gene co‑expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to screen for miRs and mRNAs associated with Down syndrome. Subsequently, differentially expressed miRs (DEmiRs) and mRNAs/differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified following screening and mapping to RNA data. Bidirectional hierarchical clustering analysis was then performed to distinguish DEmiRs and DEGs between Down syndrome samples and normal control samples. DEmiR targets were retrieved using the miRanda database and mapped to the mRNA module screen by WGCNA. A gene co‑expression network was constructed and subjected to functional enrichment analysis. During WGCNA, a total of 6 miR modules and 20 mRNA modules associated with Down syndrome were identified. Following mapping of these miRs and mRNAs to the miR and mRNA modules screened using WGNCA, a total of 12 DEmiRs and 237 DEGs were collected. Following comparison with DEmiR targets retrieved from the miRanda database, a total of 255 DEmiR‑DEG pairs, including 6 DEmiRs and 106 DEGs were obtained. At expression correlation coefficient >0.9, a total of 231 gene pairs were selected. These gene pairs were enriched in response to stress and response to stimuli following functional annotation and module division. An integrated analysis of miR and mRNA expression in the thymus in Down syndrome is reported in the present study. miR‑30c, miR‑145, miR‑183 and their targets may serve important roles in the pathogenesis and development of complications in Down syndrome. However, further experimental studies are required to verify these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Chai
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Harbin, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150010, P.R. China
| | - Liju Su
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Harbin, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150010, P.R. China
| | - Xiaolei Hao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Harbin, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150010, P.R. China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Harbin, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150010, P.R. China
| | - Lihui Zheng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Harbin, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150010, P.R. China
| | - Jiabing Bi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Harbin, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150010, P.R. China
| | - Xiao Han
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Harbin, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150010, P.R. China
| | - Chunbo Gao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Harbin, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150010, P.R. China
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7
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Marcovecchio GE, Bortolomai I, Ferrua F, Fontana E, Imberti L, Conforti E, Amodio D, Bergante S, Macchiarulo G, D'Oria V, Conti F, Di Cesare S, Fousteri G, Carotti A, Giamberti A, Poliani PL, Notarangelo LD, Cancrini C, Villa A, Bosticardo M. Thymic Epithelium Abnormalities in DiGeorge and Down Syndrome Patients Contribute to Dysregulation in T Cell Development. Front Immunol 2019; 10:447. [PMID: 30949166 PMCID: PMC6436073 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The thymus plays a fundamental role in establishing and maintaining central and peripheral tolerance and defects in thymic architecture or AIRE expression result in the development of autoreactive lymphocytes. Patients with partial DiGeorge Syndrome (pDGS) and Down Syndrome (DS) present alterations in size and architecture of the thymus and higher risk to develop autoimmunity. We sought to evaluate thymic architecture and thymocyte development in DGS and DS patients and to determine the extent to which thymic defects result in immune dysregulation and T cell homeostasis perturbation in these patients. Thymi from pediatric patients and age-matched controls were obtained to evaluate cortex and medullary compartments, AIRE expression and thymocyte development. In the same patients we also characterized immunophenotype of peripheral T cells. Phenotypic and functional characterization of thymic and peripheral regulatory T (Treg) cells was finally assessed. Histologic analysis revealed peculiar alterations in thymic medulla size and maturation in DGS and DS patients. Perturbed distribution of thymocytes and altered thymic output was also observed. DGS patients showed lower mature CD4+ and CD8+ T cell frequency, associated with reduced proportion and function of Tregs both in thymus and peripheral blood. DS patients showed increased frequency of single positive (SP) thymocytes and thymic Treg cells. However, Tregs isolated both from thymus and peripheral blood of DS patients showed reduced suppressive ability. Our results provide novel insights on thymic defects associated with DGS and DS and their impact on peripheral immune dysregulation. Indeed, thymic abnormalities and defect in thymocyte development, in particular in Treg cell number and function could contribute in the pathogenesis of the immunodysregulation present in pDGS and in DS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genni Enza Marcovecchio
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells and Gene Therapy, Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Ileana Bortolomai
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells and Gene Therapy, Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,The Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Ferrua
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells and Gene Therapy, Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.,Pediatric Immunohematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Fontana
- The Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milan, Italy.,Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Luisa Imberti
- Laboratorio CREA (Centro di Ricerca Emato-oncologica AIL), ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Erika Conforti
- Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, IRCCS San Donato Milanese Hospital, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
| | - Donato Amodio
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,University Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Sonia Bergante
- Laboratory of Stem Cells for Tissue Engineering, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Macchiarulo
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,University Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Veronica D'Oria
- Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, IRCCS San Donato Milanese Hospital, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Conti
- University Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Di Cesare
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Georgia Fousteri
- Division of Immunology Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, Diabetes Research Institute, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Adriano Carotti
- Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, IRCCS Bambino Gesú Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Giamberti
- Department of Congenital Cardiac Surgery, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
| | - Pietro Luigi Poliani
- Pathology Unit, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Luigi D Notarangelo
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, IDGS, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Caterina Cancrini
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,University Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Villa
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells and Gene Therapy, Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,The Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milan, Italy
| | - Marita Bosticardo
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells and Gene Therapy, Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, IDGS, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States
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8
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Jyonouchi S, Jongco AM, Puck J, Sullivan KE. Immunodeficiencies Associated with Abnormal Newborn Screening for T Cell and B Cell Lymphopenia. J Clin Immunol 2017; 37:363-374. [PMID: 28353166 DOI: 10.1007/s10875-017-0388-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Newborn screening for SCID has revealed the association of low T cells with a number of unexpected syndromes associated with low T cells, some of which were not appreciated to have this feature. This review will discuss diagnostic approaches and the features of some of the syndromes likely to be encountered following newborn screening for immune deficiencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soma Jyonouchi
- Division of Allergy Immunology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Artemio M Jongco
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York, Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, USA
| | - Jennifer Puck
- Division of Allergy, Immunology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kathleen E Sullivan
- Division of Allergy Immunology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Modular transcriptional repertoire and MicroRNA target analyses characterize genomic dysregulation in the thymus of Down syndrome infants. Oncotarget 2016; 7:7497-533. [PMID: 26848775 PMCID: PMC4884935 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.7120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 01/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Trisomy 21-driven transcriptional alterations in human thymus were characterized through gene coexpression network (GCN) and miRNA-target analyses. We used whole thymic tissue--obtained at heart surgery from Down syndrome (DS) and karyotipically normal subjects (CT)--and a network-based approach for GCN analysis that allows the identification of modular transcriptional repertoires (communities) and the interactions between all the system's constituents through community detection. Changes in the degree of connections observed for hierarchically important hubs/genes in CT and DS networks corresponded to community changes. Distinct communities of highly interconnected genes were topologically identified in these networks. The role of miRNAs in modulating the expression of highly connected genes in CT and DS was revealed through miRNA-target analysis. Trisomy 21 gene dysregulation in thymus may be depicted as the breakdown and altered reorganization of transcriptional modules. Leading networks acting in normal or disease states were identified. CT networks would depict the "canonical" way of thymus functioning. Conversely, DS networks represent a "non-canonical" way, i.e., thymic tissue adaptation under trisomy 21 genomic dysregulation. This adaptation is probably driven by epigenetic mechanisms acting at chromatin level and through the miRNA control of transcriptional programs involving the networks' high-hierarchy genes.
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Lorenzo LPE, Shatynski KE, Clark S, Yarowsky PJ, Williams MS. Defective thymic progenitor development and mature T-cell responses in a mouse model for Down syndrome. Immunology 2013; 139:447-58. [PMID: 23432468 DOI: 10.1111/imm.12092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2012] [Revised: 02/07/2013] [Accepted: 02/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to archetypal cognitive defects, Down syndrome (DS) is characterized by altered lymphocyte development and function, including premature thymic involution and increased incidence of infections. However, the potential mechanisms for these changes have not been fully elucidated. The current study used the Ts65Dn mouse model of DS to assess deficiencies in T-cell development and possible molecular alterations. Ts65Dn mice exhibited premature thymic involution and a threefold to fourfold decrease in the number and proportion of immature, double-negative thymocyte progenitors. In addition, there were twofold fewer double-positive and CD4 single-positive thymocytes in Ts65Dn thymuses. Reflecting this deficient thymic function, there were fewer naive T cells in the spleen and polyclonal stimulation of peripheral T cells exhibited a marked reduction in proliferation, suggesting a senescent phenotype. In contrast, B-cell progenitors were unchanged in the bone marrow of Ts65Dn mice, but in the spleen, there were decreased transitional and follicular B cells and these cells proliferated less upon antigen receptor stimulus but not in response to lipopolysaccharide. As a potential mechanism for diminished thymic function, immature thymocyte populations expressed diminished levels of the cytokine receptor interleukin-7Rα, which was associated with decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis. Increased oxidative stress and inhibition of the Notch pathway were identified as possible mediators of decreased interleukin-7Rα expression in Ts65Dn mice. The data suggest that immature thymocyte defects underlie immune dysfunction in DS and that increased oxidative stress and reduced cytokine signalling may alter lymphocyte development in Ts65Dn mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laureanne P E Lorenzo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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Aitken RJ, Mehers KL, Williams AJ, Brown J, Bingley PJ, Holl RW, Rohrer TR, Schober E, Abdul-Rasoul MM, Shield JPH, Gillespie KM. Early-onset, coexisting autoimmunity and decreased HLA-mediated susceptibility are the characteristics of diabetes in Down syndrome. Diabetes Care 2013; 36:1181-5. [PMID: 23275362 PMCID: PMC3631858 DOI: 10.2337/dc12-1712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Down syndrome (DS) is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, particularly in young children. HLA-mediated risk is however decreased in children with DS and diabetes (DSD). We hypothesized that early-onset diabetes in children with DS is etiologically different from autoimmune diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Clinical and immunogenetic markers of autoimmune diabetes were studied in 136 individuals with DSD and compared with 194 age- and sex-matched individuals with type 1 diabetes, 222 with DS, and 671 healthy controls. HLA class II was analyzed by sequence-specific primed PCR. Islet autoantibodies were measured by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS Age at onset of diabetes was biphasic, with 22% of DS children diagnosed before 2 years of age, compared with only 4% in this age-group with type 1 diabetes in the general population (P < 0.0001). The frequency of the highest-risk type 1 diabetes-associated HLA genotype, DR3-DQ2/DR4-DQ8, was decreased in both early- and later-onset DSD compared with age-matched children with type 1 diabetes (P < 0.0001), although HLA DR3-DQ2 genotypes were increased (P = 0.004). Antibodies to GAD were observed in all five samples tested from children diagnosed at ≤2 years of age, and persistent islet autoantibodies were detected in 72% of DSD cases. Thyroid and celiac disease were diagnosed in 74 and 14%, respectively, of the DSD cohort. CONCLUSIONS Early-onset diabetes in children with DS is unlikely to be etiologically different from autoimmune diabetes occurring in older DS children. Overall, these studies demonstrate more extreme autoimmunity in DSD typified by early-onset diabetes with multiple autoimmunity, persistent islet autoantibodies, and decreased HLA-mediated susceptibility.
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Kusters MAA, Verstegen RHJ, Gemen EFA, de Vries E. Intrinsic defect of the immune system in children with Down syndrome: a review. Clin Exp Immunol 2009; 156:189-93. [PMID: 19250275 PMCID: PMC2759463 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2009.03890.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/23/2008] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is the most frequent cause of mental retardation in man. Immunological changes in DS have been observed since the 1970s. The neurological system appears to be ageing precociously, with early occurrence of Alzheimer disease; until now, the observed immunological differences have been interpreted in the same context. Looking back at past and present results of immunological studies in DS children in relation to the clinical consequences they suffer, we conclude that it is more likely that the DS immune system is intrinsically deficient from the very beginning.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A A Kusters
- Department of Paediatrics, Jeroen Bosch Hospital (Ioc GZG), Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands
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Bloemers BLP, van Furth AM, Weijerman ME, Gemke RJBJ, Broers CJM, van den Ende K, Kimpen JLL, Strengers JLM, Bont LJ. Down syndrome: a novel risk factor for respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis--a prospective birth-cohort study. Pediatrics 2007; 120:e1076-81. [PMID: 17908728 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2007-0788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Respiratory syncytial virus is the single-most important cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children. Preterm birth and congenital heart disease are known risk factors for severe respiratory syncytial virus infections. Although Down syndrome is associated with a high risk of respiratory tract infections, little is known about the incidence of respiratory syncytial virus infections in this group. The aim of our study was to determine the incidence of respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory tract infection-associated hospitalization among children with Down syndrome. PATIENTS AND METHODS We performed a retrospective observational study and a prospective nationwide birth-cohort study of children with Down syndrome. The retrospective cohort comprised 176 children with Down syndrome. A birth cohort of 219 children with Down syndrome was prospectively followed until 2 years of age. All 276 siblings of the birth cohort were used as controls. RESULTS Of the 395 patients with Down syndrome, 180 (45.6%) had a known risk factor for severe respiratory syncytial virus infections; 39 (9.9%) of these were hospitalized for respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory tract infections. Two control children (0.7%) versus 9 term children with Down syndrome without congenital heart disease (7.6%) were hospitalized for respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory tract infections. The median duration of hospitalization was 10 days; mechanical ventilation was required for 5 children (12.8%). CONCLUSIONS This is the first study, to our knowledge, to demonstrate that Down syndrome is a novel independent risk factor for severe respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory tract infections. These findings should prompt studies to investigate possible mechanisms that underlie severe respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory tract infections in children with Down syndrome. The effect of respiratory syncytial virus prophylaxis in this specific population needs to be established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrijs L P Bloemers
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Department of Pediatrics, 3508 AB, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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15
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Abstract
This article reviews the embryology, physiology, and pathophysiology of the thymus. The anatomy of this lymphoid organ, the significance of the presence or absence of the thymus radiographically, and the role of the thymus in immunity are also reviewed. Finally, the pathologic presentation of thymic hypoplasia (DiGeorge syndrome) is discussed. Despite advances in modern science, little was known about the thymus, one of the body's key organs in the immune system, until 1961, when Dr. Jacques Miller performed thymectomies in mice. Then it became evident that the thymus played a key role in the body's defense against infection. Since that time, researchers have continued to examine the role of the thymus from fetal life through adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- D F Askin
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Manitoba, and St. Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg, Canada.
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