[Th9 cells: a new population of helper T cells]

Irradiated whole-cell vaccine suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma growth in mice via Th9 cells

Liver cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors with no available satisfactory treatment. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-tumor effect of an irradiated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) whole-cell vaccine and its underlying mechanisms. Hepa1-6 and H22 HCC cell lines were irradiated in preparation for whole-cell vaccine production. Subsequently, two HCC tumor-bearing mouse models were created by injecting these Hepa1-6 and H22 cells into the abdominal skin of C57BL/6 and ICR mice, respectively. The mice were immunized with the corresponding whole-cell vaccine the next day, and then once a week until the end of the experimental period. Tumor growth, blood T helper (Th)9 cells and plasma interleukin (IL)-9 levels were monitored during the immunization period. Th9 cells were also induced by in vitro co-culture of the whole-cell vaccine with lymphocytes from the spleen and lymph nodes of the corresponding mice. Alterations of gene expression in transcription factor (TF) were determined by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, and Th9 cells were detected using flow cytometry. The whole-cell vaccine effectively suppressed HCC tumor growth, as indicated by slower tumor growth and a smaller tumor size in the immunized group compared with the control. The percentage of blood Th9 cells and the concentration of plasma IL-9 were significantly increased in the immunized group. The whole-cell vaccine also induced Th9 cell differentiation and upregulated the expression of TFs PU.1, interferon regulatory factor 4 and basic leucine zipper transcriptional factor ATF-like. These results suggest that the irradiated HCC whole-cell vaccine inhibited tumor growth by increasing Th9 cell numbers in HCC mice

Th9 Cells in Peripheral Blood Increased in Patients with Immune-Related Pancytopenia

Background

Immune-related pancytopenia (IRP) is a kind of autoimmune disease mediated by autoantibodies in bone marrow. T helper 9 (Th9) cell is a new subset of T cell discovered recently, which mainly expresses cytokine interleukin-9 (IL-9) to exert immune function. Th9 cells are associated with a variety of inflammatory diseases, but the role of Th9 cells in IRP remains unclear.

Methods

Fifty patients with IRP and 20 healthy controls were enrolled. The percentage of Th9 cells was detected by flow cytometry (FCM) and ELISA. CD4⁺ lymphocytes were sorted by magnetic beads, and the mRNA expression levels of Th9 cells related transcription factors PU.1 and BATF were detected by RT-PCR.

Results

The percentage of Th9 cells in CD3⁺CD4⁺ cells was 2.73 ± 1.96% in the untreated group, which was significantly higher than those in the remission group (1.21 ± 0.86%) (p < 0.01) and the control group (0.68 ± 0.40%) (p < 0.001). And that in the remission group was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). The level of IL-9 in the untreated group was 183.91 ± 112.42 pg/mL, which was significantly higher than that in the remission group (105.96 ± 64.79 pg/mL) (p < 0.01) and control group (56.03 ± 14.49 pg/mL) (p < 0.001). That in the remission group was also significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.01). They were negatively correlated with hemoglobin, red blood cell, white blood cell, and platelet counts and positively correlated with the percentage of CD19⁺B cells and CD5⁺CD19⁺/CD19⁺B cells, respectively. The mRNA expression levels of PU.1 and BATF in IRP patients were higher than those in controls (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The percentage of Th9 cells in the peripheral blood and the level of IL-9 in the serum of patients with IRP were increased, which was related to the severity of the disease.

Immunomodulatory Cell Therapy to Target Cystic Fibrosis Inflammation

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is associated with exaggerated and prolonged inflammation in the lungs, which contributes to lung injury, airway mucus obstruction, bronchiectasis, and loss of lung function. This hyperinflammatory phenotype appears to be caused by an imbalance between the pro- and antiinflammatory regulatory pathways, with heightened proinflammatory stimuli, a decreased counter-regulatory response, and reduced effectiveness of immune cell function and inflammatory resolution. Thus, therapies that can target this inflammatory environment would have a major impact on preventing the progression of lung disease. Because of the complex phenotype of CF inflammation, current antiinflammatory regimens have proven to be inadequate for the targeting of these multiple dysregulated pathways and effects. Several approaches using cell therapies have shown potential therapeutic benefit for the treatment of CF inflammation. This review provides an overview of the immune dysfunctions in CF and current therapeutic regimens; explores the field of cell therapy as a treatment for CF inflammation; and focuses on the various cell types used, their immunomodulatory functions, and the current approaches to mitigate the inflammatory response and reduce the long-term damage for patients with CF.