Refinement of the canine CD1 locus topology and investigation of antibody binding to recombinant canine CD1 isoforms

Role of NK-Like CD8+ T Cells during Asymptomatic Borrelia burgdorferi Infection

Lyme disease (LD) due to Borrelia burgdorferi is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in the United States. There is a poor understanding of how immunity contributes to bacterial control, pathology, or both during LD. Dogs in an area of endemicity were screened for B. burgdorferi and Anaplasma exposure and stratified according to seropositivity, presence of LD symptoms, and doxycycline treatment. Significantly elevated serum interleukin-21 (IL-21) and increased circulating CD3⁺ CD94⁺ lymphocytes with an NK-like CD8⁺ T cell phenotype were predominant in asymptomatic dogs exposed to B. burgdorferi. Both CD94⁺ T cells and CD3^- CD94⁺ lymphocytes, corresponding to NK cells, from symptomatic dogs expressed gamma interferon (IFN-γ) at a 3-fold-higher frequency upon stimulation with B. burgdorferi than the same subset among endemic controls. Surface expression of activating receptor NKp46 was reduced on CD94⁺ T cells from LD, compared to cells after doxycycline treatment. A higher frequency of NKp46-expressing CD94⁺ T cells correlated with significantly increased peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cytotoxic activity via calcein release assay. PBMCs from dogs with symptomatic LD showed significantly reduced killing ability compared with endemic control PBMCs. An elevated NK-like CD8⁺ T cell response was associated with protection against development of clinical LD, while excess IFN-γ was associated with clinical disease.

Observational Study Design in Veterinary Pathology, Part 2: Methodology

Observational studies are a basis for much of our knowledge of veterinary pathology, yet considerations for conducting pathology-based observational studies are not readily available. In part 1 of this series, we offered advice on planning and carrying out an observational study. Part 2 of the series focuses on methodology. Our general recommendations are to consider using already-validated methods, published guidelines, data from primary sources, and quantitative analyses. We discuss 3 common methods in pathology research—histopathologic scoring, immunohistochemistry, and polymerase chain reaction—to illustrate principles of method validation. Some aspects of quality control include use of clear objective grading criteria, validation of key reagents, assessing sample quality, determining specificity and sensitivity, use of technical and biologic negative and positive controls, blinding of investigators, approaches to minimizing operator-dependent variation, measuring technical variation, and consistency in analysis of the different study groups. We close by discussing approaches to increasing the rigor of observational studies by corroborating results with complementary methods, using sufficiently large numbers of study subjects, consideration of the data in light of similar published studies, replicating the results in a second study population, and critical analysis of the study findings.

Molecular features of lipid-based antigen presentation by group 1 CD1 molecules

Lipids are now widely considered to play a variety of important roles in T-cell mediated immunity, including serving as antigens. Lipid-based antigens are presented by a specialised group of glycoproteins termed CD1. In humans, three classes of CD1 molecules exist: group 1 (CD1a, CD1b, CD1c), group 2 (CD1d), and group 3 (CD1e). While CD1d-mediated T-cell immunity has been extensively investigated, we have only recently gained insights into the structure and function of group 1 CD1 molecules. Structural studies have revealed how lipid-based antigens are presented by group 1 CD1 molecules, as well as shedding light on the molecular requirements for T-cell recognition. Here, we provide an overview of our current understanding of lipid presentation by group 1 CD1 molecules in humans and their recognition by T-cells, as well as examining the potential differences in lipid presentation that may occur across different species.

Cellular endocytic compartment localization of expressed canine CD1 molecules

CD1 molecules are glycoproteins present primarily on dendritic cells (DCs), which recognize and present a variety of foreign- and self-lipid antigens to T-cells. Humans have five different CD1 isoforms that survey distinct cellular compartments allowing for recognition of a large repertoire of lipids. The canine CD1 family consists of seven functional CD1 molecules (canine CD1a2, CD1a6, CD1a8, CD1a9, CD1b, CD1c and CD1e) and one presumed non-functional isoform (canine CD1d) due to a disrupted gene structure. The aim of this study was to describe in vitro steady-state localization ptterns of canine CD1 isoforms and their correlation with endocytic organelles. GFP-fused canine CD1 293T cell transfectants were stained with markers for early endocytic compartments (EEA-1) and late endocytic/lysosomal compartments (LAMP-1), respectively, and analyzed by confocal microscopy. Canine CD1a molecules localized to the plasma membrane and partially to the early endocytic compartment, but not to late endosomes or lysosomes. In contrast, canine CD1b was highly associated with late endosomal/lysosomal compartments and showed a predominant intracellular expression pattern. Canine CD1c protein expression localized more promiscuously to both the early endosomal compartments and the late endosomal/lysosomal compartments. The canine CD1e molecule showed a strictly intracellular expression with a partial overlap with late endosomal/lysosomal compartments. Lastly, canine CD1d was expressed abnormally showing only a diminished GFP expression. In conclusion, canine CD1 transfectants show distinct localization patterns that are similar to human CD1 proteins with the exception of the canine CD1d isoform, which most likely is non-functional. These findings imply that canine CD1 localization overall resembles human CD1 trafficking patterns. This knowledge is important for the understanding of lipid antigen-receptor immunity in the dog.

Mammalian CD1 and MR1 genes

All higher vertebrates share the fundamental components of the adaptive immune system: the B cell receptor, the T cell receptor, and classical MHC proteins. At a more detailed level, their immune systems vary considerably, especially with respect to the non-polymorphic MHC class I-like proteins. In mammals, the CD1 family of lipid-presenting proteins is encoded by clusters of genes of widely divergent sizes and compositions. Another MHC class I-like protein, MR1, is typically encoded by a single gene that is highly conserved among species. Based on mammalian genomes and the available data on cellular expression profiles and protein structure, we review MR1 genes and families of CD1 genes in modern mammals from a genetic and functional perspective. Understanding the CD1 and MR1 systems across animal species provides insights into the specialized functions of the five types of CD1 proteins and facilitates careful consideration of animal models for human diseases in which immune responses to lipids and bacterial metabolites play a role.