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Llorián-Salvador M, de Fuente AG, McMurran CE, Dashwood A, Dooley J, Liston A, Penalva R, Dombrowski Y, Stitt AW, Fitzgerald DC. Regulatory T cells limit age-associated retinal inflammation and neurodegeneration. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:32. [PMID: 38581053 PMCID: PMC10996107 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-024-00724-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ageing is the principal risk factor for retinal degenerative diseases, which are the commonest cause of blindness in the developed countries. These conditions include age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy. Regulatory T cells play a vital role in immunoregulation of the nervous system by limiting inflammation and tissue damage in health and disease. Because the retina was long-considered an immunoprivileged site, the precise contribution of regulatory T cells in retinal homeostasis and in age-related retinal diseases remains unknown. METHODS Regulatory T cells were selectively depleted in both young (2-4 months) and aged (18-23 months) FoxP3-DTR mice. We evaluated neuroretinal degeneration, gliosis, subretinal space phagocyte infiltration, and retinal pigmented epithelium morphology through immunofluorescence analysis. Subsequently, aged Treg depleted animals underwent adoptive transfer of both young and aged regulatory T cells from wild-type mice, and the resulting impact on neurodegeneration was assessed. Statistical analyses employed included the U-Mann Whitney test, and for comparisons involving more than two groups, 1-way ANOVA analysis followed by Bonferroni's post hoc test. RESULTS Our study shows that regulatory T cell elimination leads to retinal pigment epithelium cell dysmorphology and accumulation of phagocytes in the subretinal space of young and aged mice. However, only aged mice experience retinal neurodegeneration and gliosis. Surprisingly, adoptive transfer of young but not aged regulatory T cells reverse these changes. CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrate an essential role for regulatory T cells in maintaining age retinal homeostasis and preventing age-related neurodegeneration. This previously undescribed role of regulatory T cells in limiting retinal inflammation, RPE/choroid epithelium damage and subsequently photoreceptor loss with age, opens novel avenues to explore regulatory T cell neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties as potential therapeutic approaches for age-related retinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Llorián-Salvador
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK
- Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, 08035, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alerie G de Fuente
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK.
- Institute for Health and Biomedical Research of Alicante (ISABIAL) Alicante, 03010, Alicante, Spain.
- Instituto de Neurociencias CSIC-UMH, San Juan de Alicante, 03550, Alicante, Spain.
| | - Christopher E McMurran
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Amy Dashwood
- Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - James Dooley
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Adrian Liston
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Rosana Penalva
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Yvonne Dombrowski
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Alan W Stitt
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK.
| | - Denise C Fitzgerald
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK
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Galindez SM, Keightley A, Koulen P. Differential distribution of steroid hormone signaling networks in the human choroid-retinal pigment epithelial complex. BMC Ophthalmol 2022; 22:406. [PMID: 36266625 PMCID: PMC9583547 DOI: 10.1186/s12886-022-02585-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), a layer of pigmented cells that lies between the neurosensory retina and the underlying choroid, plays a critical role in maintaining the functional integrity of photoreceptor cells and in mediating communication between the neurosensory retina and choroid. Prior studies have demonstrated neurotrophic effects of select steroids that mitigate the development and progression of retinal degenerative diseases via an array of distinct mechanisms of action. Methods Here, we identified major steroid hormone signaling pathways and their key functional protein constituents controlling steroid hormone signaling, which are potentially involved in the mitigation or propagation of retinal degenerative processes, from human proteome datasets with respect to their relative abundances in the retinal periphery, macula, and fovea. Results Androgen, glucocorticoid, and progesterone signaling networks were identified and displayed differential distribution patterns within these three anatomically distinct regions of the choroid-retinal pigment epithelial complex. Classical and non-classical estrogen and mineralocorticoid receptors were not identified. Conclusion Identified differential distribution patterns suggest both selective susceptibility to chronic neurodegenerative disease processes, as well as potential substrates for drug target discovery and novel drug development focused on steroid signaling pathways in the choroid-RPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney M Galindez
- School of Medicine, Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Medicine, 2411 Holmes St, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA
| | - Andrew Keightley
- School of Medicine, Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Medicine, 2411 Holmes St, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA
| | - Peter Koulen
- School of Medicine, Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Medicine, 2411 Holmes St, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA. .,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO, USA.
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Bing SJ, Shemesh I, Chong WP, Horai R, Jittayasothorn Y, Silver PB, Sredni B, Caspi RR. AS101 ameliorates experimental autoimmune uveitis by regulating Th1 and Th17 responses and inducing Treg cells. J Autoimmun 2019; 100:52-61. [PMID: 30853312 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2019.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
AS101 is an organotellurium compound with multifaceted immunoregulatory properties that is remarkable for its lack of toxicity. We tested the therapeutic effect of AS101 in experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU), a model for human autoimmune uveitis. Unexpectedly, treatment with AS101 elicited Treg generation in vivo in otherwise unmanipulated mice. Mice immunized for EAU with the retinal antigen IRBP and treated with AS101 developed attenuated disease, as did AS101-treated recipients of retina-specific T cells activated in vitro. In both settings, eye-infiltrating effector T cells were decreased, whereas regulatory T (Treg) cells in the spleen were increased. Mechanistic studies in vitro revealed that AS101 restricted polarization of retina-specific T cells towards Th1 or Th17 lineage by repressing activation of their respective lineage-specific transcription factors and downstream signals. Retina-specific T cells polarized in vitro towards Th1 or Th17 in the presence of AS101 had impaired ability to induce EAU in naïve recipients. Finally, AS101 promoted differentiation of retina-specific T cells to Tregs in vitro independently of TGF-β. We conclude that AS101 modulates autoimmune T cells by inhibiting acquisition and expression of effector function and by promoting Treg generation, and suggest that AS101 could be useful as a therapeutic approach for autoimmune uveitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- So Jin Bing
- Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Itay Shemesh
- C.A.I.R. Institute, Safdié AIDS and Immunology Research Center, Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Wai Po Chong
- Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Reiko Horai
- Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Yingyos Jittayasothorn
- Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Phyllis B Silver
- Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Benjamin Sredni
- C.A.I.R. Institute, Safdié AIDS and Immunology Research Center, Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel.
| | - Rachel R Caspi
- Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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Wakshull E, Quarmby V, Mahler HC, Rivers H, Jere D, Ramos M, Szczesny P, Bechtold-Peters K, Masli S, Gupta S. Advancements in Understanding Immunogenicity of Biotherapeutics in the Intraocular Space. AAPS JOURNAL 2017; 19:1656-1668. [PMID: 28795351 DOI: 10.1208/s12248-017-0128-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic breakthroughs in a number of retinal degenerative diseases have come about through the development of biotherapeutics administered directly into the eye. As a consequence of their use, we have gained more insight into the immune privileged status of the eye and the various considerations that development, manufacturing, and use of these drugs require. It has been observed that therapeutic proteins injected into the vitreous can elicit an immune response resulting in the production of anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) which can have clinical consequences. This review includes discussion of the anatomy, physiology, and specific area of the eye that are targeted for drug administration. The various immunologic mechanisms involved in the immune responses to intraocularly administered protein are discussed. This review entails discussion on chemistry, manufacturing, and control (CMC) and formulation-related issues that may influence the risk of immunogenicity. Based on the available immunogenicity profile of the marketed intraocular drugs and their reported adverse events, the animal models and the translational gap from animals to human are discussed. Thus, the objective of this review article is to assess the factors that influence immunogenicity in relation to intraocular administration and the steps taken for mitigating immunogenicity risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Wakshull
- BioAnalytical Sciences Genentech, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Valerie Quarmby
- BioAnalytical Sciences Genentech, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | | | | | - Meg Ramos
- AbbVie, Preclinical Safety, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | | | | | - Swati Gupta
- Nonclinical and Translational Sciences, Allergan, Irvine, California, USA.
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McPherson SW, Heuss ND, Pierson MJ, Gregerson DS. Retinal antigen-specific regulatory T cells protect against spontaneous and induced autoimmunity and require local dendritic cells. J Neuroinflammation 2014; 11:205. [PMID: 25498509 PMCID: PMC4268905 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-014-0205-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We previously reported that the peripheral regulatory T cells (pTregs) generated 'on-demand' in the retina were crucial to retinal immune privilege, and in vitro analysis of retinal dendritic cells (DC) showed they possessed antigen presenting cell (APC) activity that promoted development of the Tregs and effector T cells (Teffs). Here, we expanded these findings by examining whether locally generated, locally acting pTregs were protective against spontaneous autoimmunity and autoimmunity mediated by interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP). We also examined the APC capacity of retinal DC in vivo. METHODS Transgenic (Tg) mice expressing diphtheria toxin receptor (DTR) and/or green fluorescent protein (GFP) under control of the endogenous FoxP3 promoter (GFP only in FG mice, GFP and DTR in FDG mice) or the CD11c promoter (GFP and DTR in CDG mice) were used in conjunction with Tg mice expressing beta-galactosidase (βgal) as retinal neo-self antigen and βgal-specific TCR Tg mice (BG2). Retinal T cell responses were assayed by flow cytometry and retinal autoimmune disease assessed by histological examination. RESULTS Local depletion of the Tregs enhanced actively induced experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis to the highly expressed retinal self-antigen IRBP in FDG mice and spontaneous autoimmunity in βgal-FDG-BG2 mice, but not in mice lacking autoreactive T cells or their target antigen in the retina. The presence of retinal βgal downregulated the generation of antigen-specific Teffs and pTregs within the retina in response to local βgal challenge. Retinal DC depletion prevented generation of Tregs and Teffs within retina after βgal injection. Microglia remaining after DC depletion did not make up for loss of DC-dependent antigen presentation. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that local retinal Tregs protect against spontaneous organ-specific autoimmunity and that T cell responses within the retina require the presence of local DC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott W McPherson
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, Rm, 310, Lion's Research Bldg,,2001 6th St, SE,, Minneapolis 55455-3007, Minnesota, USA.
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Stein-Streilein J, Caspi RR. Immune privilege and the philosophy of immunology. Front Immunol 2014; 5:110. [PMID: 24678312 PMCID: PMC3959614 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2014.00110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2014] [Accepted: 03/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Joan Stein-Streilein
- Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Mass Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA , USA
| | - Rachel R Caspi
- Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, MD , USA
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Türbachova I, Schwachula T, Vasconcelos I, Mustea A, Baldinger T, Jones KA, Bujard H, Olek A, Olek K, Gellhaus K, Braicu I, Könsgen D, Fryer C, Ravot E, Hellwag A, Westerfeld N, Gruss OJ, Meissner M, Hasan MT, Weber M, Hoffmüller U, Zimmermann S, Loddenkemper C, Mahner S, Babel N, Berns E, Adams R, Zeilinger R, Baron U, Vergote I, Maughan T, Marme F, Dickhaus T, Sehouli J, Olek S. The cellular ratio of immune tolerance (immunoCRIT) is a definite marker for aggressiveness of solid tumors and may explain tumor dissemination patterns. Epigenetics 2013; 8:1226-35. [PMID: 24071829 DOI: 10.4161/epi.26334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The adaptive immune system is involved in tumor establishment and aggressiveness. Tumors of the ovaries, an immune-privileged organ, spread via transceolomic routes and rarely to distant organs. This is contrary to tumors of non-immune privileged organs, which often disseminate hematogenously to distant organs. Epigenetics-based immune cell quantification allows direct comparison of the immune status in benign and malignant tissues and in blood. Here, we introduce the "cellular ratio of immune tolerance" (immunoCRIT) as defined by the ratio of regulatory T cells to total T lymphocytes. The immunoCRIT was analyzed on 273 benign tissue samples of colorectal, bronchial, renal and ovarian origin as well as in 808 samples from primary colorectal, bronchial, mammary and ovarian cancers. ImmunoCRIT is strongly increased in all cancerous tissues and gradually augmented strictly dependent on tumor aggressiveness. In peripheral blood of ovarian cancer patients, immunoCRIT incrementally increases from primary diagnosis to disease recurrence, at which distant metastases frequently occur. We postulate that non-pathological immunoCRIT values observed in peripheral blood of immune privileged ovarian tumor patients are sufficient to prevent hematogenous spread at primary diagnosis. Contrarily, non-immune privileged tumors establish high immunoCRIT in an immunological environment equivalent to the bloodstream and thus spread hematogenously to distant organs. In summary, our data suggest that the immunoCRIT is a powerful marker for tumor aggressiveness and disease dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Alexander Mustea
- Clinics for Obstetrics and Gynecology; University Greifswald; Greifswald, Germany
| | | | - Katherine A Jones
- Regulatory Biology Laboratory; The Salk Institute for Biological Studies; La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Hermann Bujard
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie Heidelberg; INF 282; University Heidelberg; Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Klaus Olek
- Labor für Abstammungsbegutachtung; Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Ioana Braicu
- Clinics for Obstetrics and Gynecology; University Medicine Charité Campus Virchow; Berlin, Germany
| | - Dominique Könsgen
- Clinics for Obstetrics and Gynecology; University Greifswald; Greifswald, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Oliver J Gruss
- DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz; Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie Heidelberg; University Heidelberg; Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Meissner
- Division of Infection and Immunity; Institute of Biomedical Life Sciences; Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology; Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre; University of Glasgow; Glasgow, UK
| | - Mazahir T Hasan
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology; Max Planck Institute for Medical Research; Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Sven Mahner
- Department of Gynecology; University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf; Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nina Babel
- Nephrologie und internistische Intensivmedizin; Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin Campus Virchow; Berlin, Germany
| | - Els Berns
- Erasmus University Medical Center- Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center Dept Medical Oncology; Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Robert Zeilinger
- Molecular Oncology Group; Medical University of Vienna; Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Ignace Vergote
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; University of Leuven; Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tim Maughan
- Gray Institute for Radiation Oncology and Biology; University of Oxford; Oxford, UK
| | - Frederik Marme
- Department of Gynecology; University of Heidelberg; Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Jalid Sehouli
- Clinics for Obstetrics and Gynecology; University Medicine Charité Campus Virchow; Berlin, Germany
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McPherson SW, Heuss ND, Gregerson DS. Local "on-demand" generation and function of antigen-specific Foxp3+ regulatory T cells. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2013; 190:4971-81. [PMID: 23585681 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1202625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Extrathymically derived regulatory T cells (iTregs) protect against autoimmunity to tissue-specific Ags. However, whether Ag-specific iTreg generation and function is limited to secondary lymphoid tissue or whether it can occur within the tissue-specific local environment of the cognate Ag remains unresolved. Mice expressing β-galactosidase (βgal) on a retina-specific promoter (βgal mice) in conjunction with mice expressing GFP and diphtheria toxin (DTx) receptor (DTR) under control of the Foxp3 promoter, and βgal-specific TCR transgenic (BG2) mice were used to examine this question. Local depletion (ocular DTx), but not systemic depletion (i.p. DTx), of βgal-specific iTregs enhanced experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis induced by activated βgal-specific effector T cells. Injections of small amounts of βgal into the anterior chamber of the eye produced similar numbers of βgal-specific iTregs in the retina whether the mouse was depleted of pre-existing, circulating Tregs. Taken together, these results suggest that protection from tissue-specific autoimmunity depends on the function of local Ag-specific iTregs and that the retina is capable of local, "on-demand" iTreg generation that is independent of circulating Tregs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott W McPherson
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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