Poly I:CLC induction of the interferon system in mice: an initial study of four detection methods

Rapid activation of hematopoietic stem cells

Adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in the bone marrow (BM) are quiescent. Following perturbations, such as blood loss or infection, HSCs may undergo activation. Surprisingly, little is known about the earliest stages of HSCs activation. We utilize surface markers of HSCs activation, CD69 and CD317, revealing a response as early as 2 h after stimulation. The dynamic expression of HSCs activation markers varies between viral-like (poly-Inosinic-poly-Cytidylic) or bacterial-like (Lipopolysaccharide) immune stimuli. We further quantify dose response, revealing a low threshold, and similar sensitivity of HSCs and progenitors in the BM. Finally, we find a positive correlation between the expression of surface activation markers and early exit from quiescence. Our data show that the response of adult stem cells to immune stimulation is rapid and sensitive, rapidly leading HSCs out of quiescence.

Pancreatic Cancer and Its Microenvironment-Recent Advances and Current Controversies

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) causes annually well over 400,000 deaths world-wide and remains one of the major unresolved health problems. This exocrine pancreatic cancer originates from the mutated epithelial cells: acinar and ductal cells. However, the epithelia-derived cancer component forms only a relatively small fraction of the tumor mass. The majority of the tumor consists of acellular fibrous stroma and diverse populations of the non-neoplastic cancer-associated cells. Importantly, the tumor microenvironment is maintained by dynamic cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. In this article, we aim to review the most common drivers of PDAC. Then we summarize the current knowledge on PDAC microenvironment, particularly in relation to pancreatic cancer therapy. The focus is placed on the acellular stroma as well as cell populations that inhabit the matrix. We also describe the altered metabolism of PDAC and characterize cellular signaling in this cancer.

TLR3-specific double-stranded RNA oligonucleotide adjuvants induce dendritic cell cross-presentation, CTL responses, and antiviral protection

Maturation of dendritic cells (DC) to competent APC is essential for the generation of acquired immunity and is a major function of adjuvants. dsRNA, a molecular signature of viral infection, drives DC maturation by activating TLR3, but the size of dsRNA required to activate DC and the expression patterns of TLR3 protein in DC subsets have not been established. In this article, we show that cross-priming CD8α(+) and CD103(+) DC subsets express much greater levels of TLR3 than other DC. In resting DC, TLR3 is located in early endosomes and other intracellular compartments but migrates to LAMP1(+) endosomes on stimulation with a TLR3 ligand. Using homogeneous dsRNA oligonucleotides (ONs) ranging in length from 25 to 540 bp, we observed that a minimum length of ∼90 bp was sufficient to induce CD86, IL-12p40, IFN-β, TNF-α, and IL-6 expression, and to mature DC into APC that cross-presented exogenous Ags to CD8(+) T cells. TLR3 was essential for activation of DC by dsRNA ONs, and the potency of activation increased with dsRNA length and varied between DC subsets. In vivo, dsRNA ONs, in a size-dependent manner, served as adjuvants for the generation of Ag-specific CTL and for inducing protection against lethal challenge with influenza virus when given with influenza nucleoprotein as an immunogen. These results provide the basis for the development of TLR3-specific adjuvants capable of inducing immune responses tailored for viral pathogens.

Downregulation of robust acute type I interferon responses distinguishes nonpathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of natural hosts from pathogenic SIV infection of rhesus macaques

The mechanisms underlying the AIDS resistance of natural hosts for simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) remain unknown. Recently, it was proposed that natural SIV hosts avoid disease because their plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are intrinsically unable to produce alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) in response to SIV RNA stimulation. However, here we show that (i) acute SIV infections of natural hosts are associated with a rapid and robust type I IFN response in vivo, (ii) pDCs are the principal in vivo producers of IFN-alpha/beta at peak acute infection in lymphatic tissues, and (iii) natural SIV hosts downregulate these responses in early chronic infection. In contrast, persistently high type I IFN responses are observed during pathogenic SIV infection of rhesus macaques.

Type I IFN regulate DC turnover in vivo

DC are the most potent antigen-presenting cells that recognise signs of infection and serve as the main activators of naïve T cells. We have previously shown that type I IFN (IFN-I) are produced by DC and can act in an autocrine manner to activate DC. In the present study, we have investigated the role of IFN-I in regulating the turnover and lifespan of DC. We found that DC, especially the CD8alpha(+) subset, from type I IFN receptor knock out (IFNAR KO) mice, display a reduced turnover rate when compared with DC from WT mice, as revealed by BrdU labelling kinetics. In vitro, IFNAR KO BM precursor cells cultured in the presence of GM-CSF generated CD11c(+) DC less efficiently than WT BM, and the IFNAR KO DC that arose displayed reduced migratory ability. Interestingly, splenic DC from IFNAR KO mice exhibited a higher survival rate in short-term culture compared with control DC. Exposure to IFN-I in vivo markedly increased the turnover rate of splenic DC, particularly CD8alpha(+) DC, which was preceded by a transient induction of apoptosis. In accordance with this, IFN-I stimulated the apoptosis of splenic DC in vitro. Overall, our data indicate that IFN-I are important regulators of DC turnover in vivo and suggest that these cytokines may exert this function through the modulation of multiple processes involving DC apoptosis, proliferation and migration.

RIG-I and dsRNA-induced IFNbeta activation

Except for viruses that initiate RNA synthesis with a protein primer (e.g., picornaviruses), most RNA viruses initiate RNA synthesis with an NTP, and at least some of their viral _pppRNAs remain unblocked during the infection. Consistent with this, most viruses require RIG-I to mount an innate immune response, whereas picornaviruses require mda-5. We have examined a SeV infection whose ability to induce interferon depends on the generation of capped dsRNA (without free 5′ tri-phosphate ends), and found that this infection as well requires RIG-I and not mda-5. We also provide evidence that RIG-I interacts with poly-I/C in vivo, and that heteropolymeric dsRNA and poly-I/C interact directly with RIG-I in vitro, but in different ways; i.e., poly-I/C has the unique ability to stimulate the helicase ATPase of RIG-I variants which lack the C-terminal regulatory domain.

Dysregulation of CXCR3 signaling due to CXCL10 deficiency impairs the antiviral response to herpes simplex virus 1 infection

The chemokine, CXCL10, chemotactic for NK cells, activated T cells, and dendritic cells is highly expressed during viral infections, including HSV-1. The importance of this chemokine to the control of HSV-1 infection was tested using mice deficient in CXCL10 (CXCL10(-/-)). Following corneal infection, HSV-1 viral titers were elevated in the nervous system of CXCL10(-/-) mice, which correlated with defects in leukocyte recruitment including dendritic cells, NK cells, and HSV-1-specific CD8(+) T cells to the brain stem. In the absence of NK cells and HSV-1-specific CD8(+) T cells in wild-type (WT) or CXCL10(-/-) mice, similar levels of virus were recovered in the nervous system, suggesting these cells are responsible for the observed defects in the control of viral replication in CXCL10(-/-) mice. Leukocyte mobilization was also compared between WT, CXCL10(-/-), and mice deficient in the only known receptor for CXCL10, CXCR3 (CXCR3 (-/-)). NK cell mobilization was comparably reduced in both CXCL10(-/-) and CXCR3(-/-) mice relative to WT animals. However, the reduction in mobilization of HSV-1-specific CD8(+) T cells in CXCL10(-/-) was not observed in CXCR3(-/-) mice following HSV-1 infection. The defect was not the result of an alternative receptor for CXCL10, as Ag-specific CD8(+) T cell recruitment was not reduced in mice which were deficient in both CXCL10 and CXCR3. Thus, CXCL10 deficiency results in reduced mobilization of HSV-1-specific CD8(+) T cells as a result of dysregulation of CXCR3 signaling.

Type I interferons protect mice against enterovirus 71 infection

In this study, the contribution of type I interferons (IFNs) to protection against infection with enterovirus 71 (EV71) was investigated using a murine model where the virus was administrated to neonatal Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice by either the intraperitoneal (i.p.) or the oral route. In i.p. inoculated mice, post-infection treatment of dexamethasone (5 mg kg(-1) at 2 or 3 days after infection) exacerbated clinical symptoms and increased the tissue viral titre. In contrast, polyriboinosinic : polyribocytidylic acid [poly(I : C); 10 or 100 microg per mouse at 12 h before infection], a potent IFN inducer, improved the survival rate and decreased the tissue viral titres after EV71 challenge, which correlated with an increase in serum IFN-alpha concentration, the percentage of dendritic cells, their expression of major histocompatibility complex class II molecule and IFN-alpha in spleen. Treatment with a neutralizing antibody for type I IFNs (10(4) neutralizing units per mouse, 6 h before and 12 h after infection) resulted in frequent deaths and higher tissue viral load in infected mice compared with control mice. In contrast, an early administration of recombinant mouse IFN-alphaA (10(4) U per mouse for 3 days starting at 0, 1 or 3 days after infection) protected the mice against EV71 infection. In vitro analysis of virus-induced death in three human cell lines showed that human type I IFNs exerted a direct protective effect on EV71. It was concluded that type I IFNs play an important role in controlling EV71 infection and replication.

Poly I:C induces an antiviral state against Ictalurid Herpesvirus 1 and Mx1 transcription in the channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

In vivo studies were carried out to investigate the protective effect of the interferon inducer poly I:C against channel catfish virus (CCV). Channel catfish were stimulated by intraperitoneal injection of 50 microg of poly I:C or PBS at various days prior to immersion challenge with CCV. Mortality in the poly I:C group was significantly reduced from 70% to 3% at day 1 compared to the PBS controls. Mortality increased at day 3 but was still significantly different from the PBS controls. Mx1 transcription was significantly higher only at day 1. In an additional study Mx1 transcription was monitored in the liver, kidney, gills, spleen, and intestine at various time points post-stimulation with either poly I:C or CCV. Mx1 mRNA was significantly elevated in all organs only at day 1 post-injection with poly I:C. In response to CCV, Mx1 transcription was not significantly elevated until day 3 post-challenge, but remained elevated in certain organs until day 7.

Cells previously desensitized to type 1 interferons display different mechanisms of activation of stat-dependent gene expression from naïve cells

Over the past decade, a wealth of knowledge has been obtained concerning the mechanisms by which interferons (IFNs) and other cytokines activate or down-regulate immediate early genes via the Jak/Stat pathway. In contrast, little information is available on interferon-activated gene expression in naïve cells compared with cells that have been desensitized and subsequently resensitized to the actions of these cytokines. In naïve cells, the ISG54 gene is activated via IFN beta-stimulated formation of ISGF3, a heterotrimeric DNA binding complex consisting of p48 (IRF9) and tyrosine-phosphorylated Stat1 and Stat2. In contrast, in previously desensitized cells IFN beta weakly stimulates the assembly of an ISGF3-like complex that lacks Stat1, even though ISG54 mRNA induction is the same as in naïve cells. The lack of Stat1 tyrosine phosphorylation and DNA binding is due to increased activity of a protein-tyrosine phosphatase. In cells that do not express the tyrosine phosphatase Tc-PTP, the rate of Stat1 dephosphorylation is the same in naïve and previously desensitized cells. These results implicate Tc-PTP in a novel role in the regulation of type 1 interferon-stimulated gene expression.