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Matsumoto M, Matsumoto M. Learning the Autoimmune Pathogenesis Through the Study of Aire. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1444:19-32. [PMID: 38467970 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-99-9781-7_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
One of the difficulties in studying the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases is that the disease is multifactorial involving sex, age, MHC, environment, and some genetic factors. Because deficiency of Aire, a transcriptional regulator, is an autoimmune disease caused by a single gene abnormality, Aire is an ideal research target for approaching the enigma of autoimmunity, e.g., the mechanisms underlying Aire deficiency can be studied using genetically modified animals. Nevertheless, the exact mechanisms of the breakdown of self-tolerance due to Aire's dysfunction have not yet been fully clarified. This is due, at least in part, to the lack of information on the exact target genes controlled by Aire. State-of-the-art research infrastructures such as single-cell analysis are now in place to elucidate the essential function of Aire. The knowledge gained through the study of Aire-mediated tolerance should help our understanding of the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease in general.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Minoru Matsumoto
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
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2
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Ishikawa T, Horie K, Takakura Y, Ohki H, Maruyama Y, Hayama M, Miyauchi M, Miyao T, Hagiwara N, Kobayashi TJ, Akiyama N, Akiyama T. T-cell receptor repertoire analysis of CD4-positive T cells from blood and an affected organ in an autoimmune mouse model. Genes Cells 2023; 28:929-941. [PMID: 37909727 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.13079] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
One hallmark of some autoimmune diseases is the variability of symptoms among individuals. Organs affected by the disease differ between patients, posing a challenge in diagnosing the affected organs. Although numerous studies have investigated the correlation between T cell antigen receptor (TCR) repertoires and the development of infectious and immune diseases, the correlation between TCR repertoires and variations in disease symptoms among individuals remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the correlation of TCRα and β repertoires in blood T cells with the extent of autoimmune signs that varies among individuals. We sequenced TCRα and β of CD4+ CD44high CD62Llow T cells in the blood and stomachs of mice deficient in autoimmune regulator (Aire) (AIRE KO), a mouse model of human autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy. Data analysis revealed that the degree of similarity in TCR sequences between the blood and stomach varied among individual AIRE KO mice and reflected the extent of T cell infiltration in the stomach. We identified a set of TCR sequences whose frequencies in blood might correlate with extent of the stomach manifestations. Our results propose a potential of using TCR repertoires not only for diagnosing disease development but also for diagnosing affected organs in autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuya Ishikawa
- Laboratory of Immune Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kenta Horie
- Laboratory of Immune Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yuki Takakura
- Laboratory of Immune Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Houko Ohki
- Laboratory of Immune Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yuya Maruyama
- Laboratory of Immune Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Mio Hayama
- Laboratory of Immune Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Maki Miyauchi
- Laboratory of Immune Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Takahisa Miyao
- Laboratory of Immune Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Naho Hagiwara
- Laboratory of Immune Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | | | - Nobuko Akiyama
- Laboratory of Immune Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Taishin Akiyama
- Laboratory of Immune Homeostasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
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Feng Y, Yao S, Li S, Peng Z, Feng G, Ma Y, Guo B, Liu H. Autoimmune regulator (Aire) deficiency results in reduced memory CD8 + T cells after Listeria monocytogenes infection in a murine model. FEBS Lett 2023; 597:2185-2195. [PMID: 37418594 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Homozygous mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene that cripple thymic negative selection of autoreactive T cells result in autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED). However, how AIRE regulates the T-cell response against foreign pathogens is not well understood. Here, we observed comparable primary CD8+ T cells but a markedly reduced memory T-cell population and protective function in Aire-/- mice compared with wild-type after infection with a strain of recombinant Listeria monocytogenes. In adoptive transfer models, exogenous congenic CD8+ T cells transferred into Aire-/- mice also showed a reduction in the memory T-cell population, indicating an important role for extrathymic Aire-expressing cells in shaping or sustaining memory T cells. Moreover, using a bone marrow chimeric model, we found that Aire expressed in radioresistant cells plays an important role in maintaining the memory phenotype. These results provide important insights into the role of extrathymic Aire in the T-cell response to infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Feng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shu Yao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shan Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zuxiang Peng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Guoying Feng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Ma
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bo Guo
- Maternal & Child Health Research Institute, Baoan Womens's and Children's Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hongming Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Aytekin ES, Cagdas D. APECED and the place of AIRE in the puzzle of the immune network associated with autoimmunity. Scand J Immunol 2023; 98:e13299. [PMID: 38441333 DOI: 10.1111/sji.13299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
In the last 20 years, discoveries about the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) protein and its critical role in immune tolerance have provided fundamental insights into understanding the molecular basis of autoimmunity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the effect of AIRE on immunological tolerance and the characteristics of autoimmune diseases in Autoimmune Polyendocrinopathy-Candidiasis-Ectodermal Dystrophy (APECED), which is caused by biallelic AIRE mutations. A better understanding of the immunological mechanisms of AIRE deficiency may enlighten immune tolerance mechanisms and new diagnostic and treatment strategies for autoimmune diseases. Considering that not all clinical features of APECED are present in a given follow-up period, the diagnosis is not easy in a patient at the first visit. Longer follow-up and a multidisciplinary approach are essential for diagnosis. It is challenging to prevent endocrine and other organ damage compared with other diseases associated with multiple autoimmunities, such as FOXP3, LRBA, and CTLA4 deficiencies. Unfortunately, no curative therapy like haematopoietic stem cell transplantation or specific immunomodulation is present that is successful in the treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elif Soyak Aytekin
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, SBU Dr. Sami Ulus Children Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Deniz Cagdas
- Division of Pediatric Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Ihsan Dogramaci Children`s Hospital, Institute of Child Health, Hacettepe University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey
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Maglakelidze N, Gao T, Feehan RP, Hobbs RP. AIRE Deficiency Leads to the Development of Alopecia Areata‒Like Lesions in Mice. J Invest Dermatol 2023; 143:578-587.e3. [PMID: 36270546 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2022.09.656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune hair loss disorder with no cure. Patients with sequence variation in AIRE are 15 times more likely to develop AA than the general population, yet the roles of AIRE in AA pathogenesis are unknown. In this study, we report that 62% of C57BL/6J female Aire‒/‒ mice spontaneously developed persistent AA-like lesions that displayed several hallmarks of human AA. Lesional Aire‒/‒ skin exhibited hair follicle (HF) dystrophy as determined by a reduced number of anagen HFs, decreased anagen HF proliferation, hair pigmentary changes, and decreased hair width and length. Inflammatory infiltrate comprising CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, CD68+ macrophages, and mast cells was prominent in lesional Aire‒/‒ HFs. From gene expression analyses, we found lesional Aire‒/‒ skin to have significantly increased expression of human AA signature genes, including H2-Ab1, Ifnγ, IFN-γ‒induced chemokines (Ccl5, Cxcl9‒11), γc family cytokine receptor Il2RA, and JAK‒signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling components (Stat1, Stat2, Stat4). By immunostaining, lesional Aire‒/‒ HFs also show upregulated major histocompatibility complex class I and downregulated α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, signifying immune privilege collapse, and increased STAT1 activation in HF keratinocytes. Our study highlights a role for AIRE in HF biology and shows that Aire‒/‒ mice may serve as a valuable model system to study AA pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natella Maglakelidze
- Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ting Gao
- Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Robert P Feehan
- Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ryan P Hobbs
- Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA; Department of Microbiology & Immunology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
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Characterisation of APS-1 Experimental Models Is Crucial for Development of Novel Therapies. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 2023:7960443. [PMID: 36685668 PMCID: PMC9848810 DOI: 10.1155/2023/7960443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (APS-1) is an inherited autosomal disorder. The most common clinical features of the disease include adrenocortical failure, hypoparathyroidism (HP), and chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC). APS-1 is caused by mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene. AIRE is a transcriptional factor involved in the regulation of thousands of genes in the thymus. It facilitates central tolerance by promoting the ectopic expression of tissue-specific antigens (TSAs) in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs), leading to the deletion of self-reactive thymocytes. Several Aire-deficient mice were developed separately, on different backgrounds; seven published Aire knockout mice show a variety of phenotypes depending on the strain used to generate the experimental model. The first Aire-deficient mice were generated on a "black 6" background almost 20 years ago. The model showed mild phenotype with relatively modest penetrance compared to models generated on BALBc or NOD backgrounds. The generation of all these experimental models is crucial for development and testing new therapeutics as well as reading the response to treatments.
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Matsumoto M, Yoshida H, Tsuneyama K, Oya T, Matsumoto M. Revisiting Aire and tissue-restricted antigens at single-cell resolution. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1176450. [PMID: 37207224 PMCID: PMC10191227 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1176450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The thymus is a highly specialized organ that plays an indispensable role in the establishment of self-tolerance, a process characterized by the "education" of developing T-cells. To provide competent T-cells tolerant to self-antigens, medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) orchestrate negative selection by ectopically expressing a wide range of genes, including various tissue-restricted antigens (TRAs). Notably, recent advancements in the high-throughput single-cell analysis have revealed remarkable heterogeneity in mTECs, giving us important clues for dissecting the mechanisms underlying TRA expression. We overview how recent single-cell studies have furthered our understanding of mTECs, with a focus on the role of Aire in inducing mTEC heterogeneity to encompass TRAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minoru Matsumoto
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Institute for Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
- *Correspondence: Minoru Matsumoto,
| | - Hideyuki Yoshida
- YCI Laboratory for Immunological Transcriptomics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Science, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Koichi Tsuneyama
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Takeshi Oya
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Matsumoto
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Institute for Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
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Manjili MH. The adaptation model of immunity: is the goal of central tolerance to eliminate defective T cells or self‐reactive T cells? Scand J Immunol 2022; 96:e13209. [PMID: 36239215 PMCID: PMC9539632 DOI: 10.1111/sji.13209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The self‐non‐self model and the danger model are designed to understand how an immune response is induced. These models are not meant to predict if an immune response may succeed or fail in destroying/controlling its target. However, these immunological models rely on either self‐antigens or self‐dendritic cells for understanding of central tolerance, which have been discussed by Fuchs and Matzinger in response to Al‐Yassin. In an attempt to address some questions that these models are facing when it comes to understanding central tolerance, I propose that the goal of negative selection in the thymus is to eliminate defective T cells but not self‐reactive T cells. Therefore, any escape from negative selection could increase lymphopenia because of the depletion of defective naïve T cells outside the thymus, as seen in the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoud H. Manjili
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology VCU School of Medicine, VCU Massey Cancer Center Richmond VA USA
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Nishijima H, Sugita M, Umezawa N, Kimura N, Sasaki H, Kawano H, Nishioka Y, Matsumoto M, Oya T, Tsuneyama K, Morimoto J, Matsumoto M. Development of organ‐specific autoimmunity by dysregulated Aire expression. Immunol Cell Biol 2022; 100:371-377. [PMID: 35313042 PMCID: PMC9541787 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Deficiency for AIRE/Aire in both humans and mice results in the development of organ‐specific autoimmune disease. We tested whether augmented and/or dysregulated AIRE/Aire expression might be also prone to the breakdown of self‐tolerance. To define the effect of augmented Aire expression on the development of autoimmunity, antigen‐specific clonal deletion and production of clonotypic regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the thymus were examined using mice expressing two additional copies of Aire in a heterozygous state (3xAire‐knockin mice: 3xAire‐KI). We found that both clonal deletion of autoreactive T cells and production of clonotypic Tregs in the thymus from 3xAire‐KI were impaired in a T‐cell receptor‐transgenic system. Furthermore, 3xAire‐KI females showed higher scores of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis induced by myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein than wild‐type littermates, suggesting that augmented Aire expression exacerbates organ‐specific autoimmunity under disease‐prone conditions. In humans, we found that one patient with amyopathic dermatomyositis showed CD3–CD19– cells expressing AIRE in the peripheral blood before the treatment but not during the remission phase treated with immunosuppressive drugs. Thus, not only loss of function of AIRE/Aire but also augmented and/or dysregulated expression of AIRE/Aire should be considered for the pathogenesis of organ‐specific autoimmunity. We suggest that further analyses should be pursued to establish a novel link between organ‐specific autoimmune disease and dysregulated AIRE expression in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hitoshi Nishijima
- Division of Molecular Immunology Institute for Enzyme Research Tokushima University Tokushima Japan
| | - Mizuki Sugita
- Division of Molecular Immunology Institute for Enzyme Research Tokushima University Tokushima Japan
| | - Natsuka Umezawa
- Department of Rheumatology Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences Tokyo Medical and Dental University Tokyo Japan
| | - Naoki Kimura
- Department of Rheumatology Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences Tokyo Medical and Dental University Tokyo Japan
| | - Hirokazu Sasaki
- Department of Rheumatology Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences Tokyo Medical and Dental University Tokyo Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kawano
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Tokushima Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Nishioka
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Tokushima Japan
| | - Minoru Matsumoto
- Division of Molecular Immunology Institute for Enzyme Research Tokushima University Tokushima Japan
- Department of Molecular Pathology Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Tokushima Japan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Tokushima Japan
| | - Takeshi Oya
- Department of Molecular Pathology Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Tokushima Japan
| | - Koichi Tsuneyama
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Tokushima Japan
| | - Junko Morimoto
- Division of Molecular Immunology Institute for Enzyme Research Tokushima University Tokushima Japan
| | - Mitsuru Matsumoto
- Division of Molecular Immunology Institute for Enzyme Research Tokushima University Tokushima Japan
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Monteleone-Cassiano AC, Dernowsek JA, Mascarenhas RS, Assis AF, Pitol D, Santos Moreira NC, Sakamoto-Hojo ET, Issa JPM, Donadi EA, Passos GA. The absence of the autoimmune regulator gene (AIRE) impairs the three-dimensional structure of medullary thymic epithelial cell spheroids. BMC Mol Cell Biol 2022; 23:15. [PMID: 35331137 PMCID: PMC8952272 DOI: 10.1186/s12860-022-00414-9] [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: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Besides controlling the expression of peripheral tissue antigens, the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene also regulates the expression of adhesion genes in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs), an essential process for mTEC-thymocyte interaction for triggering the negative selection in the thymus. For these processes to occur, it is necessary that the medulla compartment forms an adequate three-dimensional (3D) architecture, preserving the thymic medulla. Previous studies have shown that AIRE knockout (KO) mice have a small and disorganized thymic medulla; however, whether AIRE influences the mTEC-mTEC interaction in the maintenance of the 3D structure has been little explored. Considering that AIRE controls cell adhesion genes, we hypothesized that this gene affects 3D mTEC-mTEC interaction. To test this, we constructed an in vitro model system for mTEC spheroid formation, in which cells adhere to each other, establishing a 3D structure. Results The comparisons between AIRE wild type (AIREWT) and AIRE KO (AIRE−/−) 3D mTEC spheroid formation showed that the absence of AIRE: i) disorganizes the 3D structure of mTEC spheroids, ii) increases the proportion of cells at the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, iii) increases the rate of mTEC apoptosis, iv) decreases the strength of mTEC-mTEC adhesion, v) promotes a differential regulation of mTEC classical surface markers, and vi) modulates genes encoding adhesion and other molecules. Conclusions Overall, the results show that AIRE influences the 3D structuring of mTECs when these cells begin the spheroid formation through controlling cell adhesion genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carolina Monteleone-Cassiano
- Program of Basic and Applied Immunology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.,Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Janaina A Dernowsek
- Institute for Energy and Nuclear Research, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Romario S Mascarenhas
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Amanda Freire Assis
- Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Dimitrius Pitol
- Department of Basic and Oral Biology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Elza Tiemi Sakamoto-Hojo
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.,Department of Biology, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters at Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - João Paulo Mardegan Issa
- Department of Basic and Oral Biology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Eduardo A Donadi
- Program of Basic and Applied Immunology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. .,Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| | - Geraldo Aleixo Passos
- Program of Basic and Applied Immunology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. .,Molecular Immunogenetics Group, Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil. .,Department of Basic and Oral Biology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. .,Center for Cell-Based Therapy in Dentistry, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. .,Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Department of Basic and Oral Biology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
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11
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Goldfarb Y, Givony T, Kadouri N, Dobeš J, Peligero-Cruz C, Zalayat I, Damari G, Dassa B, Ben-Dor S, Gruper Y, Oftedal BE, Bratland E, Erichsen MM, Berger A, Avin A, Nevo S, Haljasorg U, Kuperman Y, Ulman A, Haffner-Krausz R, Porat Z, Atasoy U, Leshkowitz D, Husebye ES, Abramson J. Mechanistic dissection of dominant AIRE mutations in mouse models reveals AIRE autoregulation. J Exp Med 2021; 218:e20201076. [PMID: 34477806 PMCID: PMC8421262 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20201076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The autoimmune regulator (AIRE) is essential for the establishment of central tolerance and prevention of autoimmunity. Interestingly, different AIRE mutations cause autoimmunity in either recessive or dominant-negative manners. Using engineered mouse models, we establish that some monoallelic mutants, including C311Y and C446G, cause breakdown of central tolerance. By using RNAseq, ATACseq, ChIPseq, and protein analyses, we dissect the underlying mechanisms for their dominancy. Specifically, we show that recessive mutations result in a lack of AIRE protein expression, while the dominant mutations in both PHD domains augment the expression of dysfunctional AIRE with altered capacity to bind chromatin and induce gene expression. Finally, we demonstrate that enhanced AIRE expression is partially due to increased chromatin accessibility of the AIRE proximal enhancer, which serves as a docking site for AIRE binding. Therefore, our data not only elucidate why some AIRE mutations are recessive while others dominant, but also identify an autoregulatory mechanism by which AIRE negatively modulates its own expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yael Goldfarb
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tal Givony
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Noam Kadouri
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Jan Dobeš
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Itay Zalayat
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Golda Damari
- Department of Veterinary Resources, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Bareket Dassa
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Shifra Ben-Dor
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yael Gruper
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Bergithe E. Oftedal
- Department of Clinical Science and K.G. Jebsen Center for Autoimmune Disorders, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Eirik Bratland
- Department of Clinical Science and K.G. Jebsen Center for Autoimmune Disorders, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Amund Berger
- Department of Clinical Science and K.G. Jebsen Center for Autoimmune Disorders, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Ayelet Avin
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Shir Nevo
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Uku Haljasorg
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Yael Kuperman
- Department of Veterinary Resources, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Adi Ulman
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Ziv Porat
- Flow Cytometry Unit, Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ulus Atasoy
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Dena Leshkowitz
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Eystein S. Husebye
- Department of Clinical Science and K.G. Jebsen Center for Autoimmune Disorders, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medicine, Haukeland University and Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jakub Abramson
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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12
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Oikonomou V, Break TJ, Gaffen SL, Moutsopoulos NM, Lionakis MS. Infections in the monogenic autoimmune syndrome APECED. Curr Opin Immunol 2021; 72:286-297. [PMID: 34418591 PMCID: PMC8578378 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2021.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) is caused by mutations in the Autoimmune Regulator (AIRE) gene, which impair the thymic negative selection of self-reactive T-cells and underlie the development of autoimmunity that targets multiple endocrine and non-endocrine tissues. Beyond autoimmunity, APECED features heightened susceptibility to certain specific infections, which is mediated by anti-cytokine autoantibodies and/or T-cell driven autoimmune tissue injury. These include the 'signature' APECED infection chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC), but also life-threatening coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia, bronchiectasis-associated bacterial pneumonia, and sepsis by encapsulated bacteria. Here we discuss the expanding understanding of the immunological mechanisms that contribute to infection susceptibility in this prototypic syndrome of impaired central tolerance, which provide the foundation for devising improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for affected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasileios Oikonomou
- Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology & Microbiology (LCIM), National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Timothy J Break
- Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology & Microbiology (LCIM), National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sarah L Gaffen
- University of Pittsburgh, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Pittsburgh PA, USA
| | - Niki M Moutsopoulos
- Oral Immunity and Inflammation Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michail S Lionakis
- Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology & Microbiology (LCIM), National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA.
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13
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Wolff ASB, Braun S, Husebye ES, Oftedal BE. B Cells and Autoantibodies in AIRE Deficiency. Biomedicines 2021; 9:1274. [PMID: 34572460 PMCID: PMC8466229 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9091274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS-1) is a rare but severe monogenetic autoimmune endocrine disease caused by failure of the Autoimmune Regulator (AIRE). AIRE regulates the negative selection of T cells in the thymus, and the main pathogenic mechanisms are believed to be T cell-mediated, but little is known about the role of B cells. Here, we give an overview of the role of B cells in thymic and peripheral tolerance in APS-1 patients and different AIRE-deficient mouse models. We also look closely into which autoantibodies have been described for this disorder, and their implications. Based on what is known about B cell therapy in other autoimmune disorders, we outline the potential of B cell therapies in APS-1 and highlight the unresolved research questions to be answered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anette S. B. Wolff
- Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway; (A.S.B.W.); (S.B.); (E.S.H.)
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
- KG Jebsen Center for Autoimmune Disorders, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Sarah Braun
- Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway; (A.S.B.W.); (S.B.); (E.S.H.)
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Ruprecht-Karls University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Eystein S. Husebye
- Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway; (A.S.B.W.); (S.B.); (E.S.H.)
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
- KG Jebsen Center for Autoimmune Disorders, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Bergithe E. Oftedal
- Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway; (A.S.B.W.); (S.B.); (E.S.H.)
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
- KG Jebsen Center for Autoimmune Disorders, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
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14
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Warren BD, Ahn SH, Brittain KS, Nanjappa MK, Wang H, Wang J, Blanco G, Sanchez G, Fan Y, Petroff BK, Cooke PS, Petroff MG. Multiple Lesions Contribute to Infertility in Males Lacking Autoimmune Regulator. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2021; 191:1592-1609. [PMID: 34126085 PMCID: PMC8420865 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2021.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Male factors, including those of autoimmune origin, contribute to approximately 50% of infertility cases in humans. However, the mechanisms underlying autoimmune male infertility are poorly understood. Deficiency in autoimmune regulator (AIRE) impairs central immune tolerance because of diminished expression of self-antigens in the thymus. Humans with AIRE mutations and mice with engineered ablation of Aire develop multiorgan autoimmunity and infertility. To determine the immune targets contributing to infertility in male Aire-deficient (-/-) mice, Aire-/- or wild-type (WT) males were paired with WT females. Aire-/- males exhibited dramatically reduced mating frequency and fertility, hypogonadism, and reduced serum testosterone. Approximately 15% of mice exhibited lymphocytic infiltration into the testis, accompanied by atrophy, azoospermia, and reduced numbers of mitotically active germ cells; the remaining mice showed normal testicular morphology, sperm counts, and motility. However, spermatozoa from all Aire-/- mice were defective in their ability to fertilize WT oocytes in vitro. Lymphocytic infiltration into the epididymis, seminal vesicle, and prostate gland was evident. Aire-/- male mice generated autoreactive antibodies in an age-dependent manner against sperm, testis, epididymis, prostate gland, and seminal vesicle. Finally, expression of Aire was evident in the seminiferous epithelium in an age-dependent manner, as well as in the prostate gland. These findings suggest that Aire-dependent central tolerance plays a critical role in maintaining male fertility by stemming autoimmunity against multiple reproductive targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryce D Warren
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Soo H Ahn
- Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Kathryn S Brittain
- Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, College of Natural Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Manjunatha K Nanjappa
- Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Computational Mathematics, Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Jianrong Wang
- Department of Computational Mathematics, Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Gustavo Blanco
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Gladis Sanchez
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Yong Fan
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Alleghany Health Network, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Brian K Petroff
- Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Paul S Cooke
- Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Margaret G Petroff
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas; Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, College of Natural Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.
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15
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Perniola R, Fierabracci A, Falorni A. Autoimmune Addison's Disease as Part of the Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome Type 1: Historical Overview and Current Evidence. Front Immunol 2021; 12:606860. [PMID: 33717087 PMCID: PMC7953157 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.606860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (APS1) is caused by pathogenic variants of the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene, located in the chromosomal region 21q22.3. The related protein, AIRE, enhances thymic self-representation and immune self-tolerance by localization to chromatin and anchorage to multimolecular complexes involved in the initiation and post-initiation events of tissue-specific antigen-encoding gene transcription. Once synthesized, the self-antigens are presented to, and cause deletion of, the self-reactive thymocyte clones. The clinical diagnosis of APS1 is based on the classic triad idiopathic hypoparathyroidism (HPT)—chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis—autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD), though new criteria based on early non-endocrine manifestations have been proposed. HPT is in most cases the first endocrine component of the syndrome; however, APS1-associated AAD has received the most accurate biochemical, clinical, and immunological characterization. Here is a comprehensive review of the studies on APS1-associated AAD from initial case reports to the most recent scientific findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Perniola
- Department of Pediatrics-Neonatal Intensive Care, V. Fazzi Hospital, ASL LE, Lecce, Italy
| | - Alessandra Fierabracci
- Infectivology and Clinical Trials Research Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Falorni
- Section of Internal Medicine and Endocrinological and Metabolic Sciences, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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16
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Zou X, Zhang Y, Wang X, Zhang R, Yang W. The Role of AIRE Deficiency in Infertility and Its Potential Pathogenesis. Front Immunol 2021; 12:641164. [PMID: 33679804 PMCID: PMC7933666 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.641164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing number of patients with infertility is recognized as an emerging problem worldwide. However, little is known about the cause of infertility. At present, it is believed that infertility may be related to genetic or abnormal immune responses. It has long been indicated that autoimmune regulator (AIRE), a transcription factor, participates in immune tolerance by regulating the expression of thousands of promiscuous tissue-specific antigens in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs), which play a pivotal role in preventing autoimmune diseases. AIRE is also expressed in germ cell progenitors. Importantly, the deletion of AIRE leads to severe oophoritis and age-dependent depletion of follicular reserves and causes altered embryonic development in female mice. AIRE-deficient male mice exhibit altered apoptosis during spermatogenesis and have a significantly decreased breeding capacity. These reports suggest that AIRE deficiency may be responsible for infertility. The causes may be related to the production of autoantibodies against sperm, poor development of germ cells, and abnormal ovarian function, which eventually lead to infertility. Here, we focus on the potential associations of AIRE deficiency with infertility as well as the possible pathogenesis, providing insight into the significance of AIRE in the development of infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyang Zou
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaoya Wang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Rongchao Zhang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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17
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Besnard M, Padonou F, Provin N, Giraud M, Guillonneau C. AIRE deficiency, from preclinical models to human APECED disease. Dis Model Mech 2021; 14:dmm046359. [PMID: 33729987 PMCID: PMC7875492 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.046359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy candidiasis ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) is a rare life-threatening autoimmune disease that attacks multiple organs and has its onset in childhood. It is an inherited condition caused by a variety of mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene that encodes a protein whose function has been uncovered by the generation and study of Aire-KO mice. These provided invaluable insights into the link between AIRE expression in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs), and the broad spectrum of self-antigens that these cells express and present to the developing thymocytes. However, these murine models poorly recapitulate all phenotypic aspects of human APECED. Unlike Aire-KO mice, the recently generated Aire-KO rat model presents visual features, organ lymphocytic infiltrations and production of autoantibodies that resemble those observed in APECED patients, making the rat model a main research asset. In addition, ex vivo models of AIRE-dependent self-antigen expression in primary mTECs have been successfully set up. Thymus organoids based on pluripotent stem cell-derived TECs from APECED patients are also emerging, and constitute a promising tool to engineer AIRE-corrected mTECs and restore the generation of regulatory T cells. Eventually, these new models will undoubtedly lead to main advances in the identification and assessment of specific and efficient new therapeutic strategies aiming to restore immunological tolerance in APECED patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Besnard
- Université de Nantes, Inserm, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Francine Padonou
- Université de Nantes, Inserm, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Nathan Provin
- Université de Nantes, Inserm, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Matthieu Giraud
- Université de Nantes, Inserm, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Carole Guillonneau
- Université de Nantes, Inserm, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, F-44000 Nantes, France
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18
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Break TJ, Oikonomou V, Dutzan N, Desai JV, Swidergall M, Freiwald T, Chauss D, Harrison OJ, Alejo J, Williams DW, Pittaluga S, Lee CCR, Bouladoux N, Swamydas M, Hoffman KW, Greenwell-Wild T, Bruno VM, Rosen LB, Lwin W, Renteria A, Pontejo SM, Shannon JP, Myles IA, Olbrich P, Ferré EMN, Schmitt M, Martin D, Barber DL, Solis NV, Notarangelo LD, Serreze DV, Matsumoto M, Hickman HD, Murphy PM, Anderson MS, Lim JK, Holland SM, Filler SG, Afzali B, Belkaid Y, Moutsopoulos NM, Lionakis MS. Aberrant type 1 immunity drives susceptibility to mucosal fungal infections. Science 2021; 371:eaay5731. [PMID: 33446526 PMCID: PMC8326743 DOI: 10.1126/science.aay5731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Human monogenic disorders have revealed the critical contribution of type 17 responses in mucosal fungal surveillance. We unexpectedly found that in certain settings, enhanced type 1 immunity rather than defective type 17 responses can promote mucosal fungal infection susceptibility. Notably, in mice and humans with AIRE deficiency, an autoimmune disease characterized by selective susceptibility to mucosal but not systemic fungal infection, mucosal type 17 responses are intact while type 1 responses are exacerbated. These responses promote aberrant interferon-γ (IFN-γ)- and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1)-dependent epithelial barrier defects as well as mucosal fungal infection susceptibility. Concordantly, genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of IFN-γ or Janus kinase (JAK)-STAT signaling ameliorates mucosal fungal disease. Thus, we identify aberrant T cell-dependent, type 1 mucosal inflammation as a critical tissue-specific pathogenic mechanism that promotes mucosal fungal infection susceptibility in mice and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Break
- Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology (LCIM), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Vasileios Oikonomou
- Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology (LCIM), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nicolas Dutzan
- Oral Immunity and Inflammation Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jigar V Desai
- Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology (LCIM), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Marc Swidergall
- Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tilo Freiwald
- Immunoregulation Section, Kidney Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Daniel Chauss
- Immunoregulation Section, Kidney Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Oliver J Harrison
- Metaorganism Immunity Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, NIAID, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Julie Alejo
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Drake W Williams
- Oral Immunity and Inflammation Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Stefania Pittaluga
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Chyi-Chia R Lee
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nicolas Bouladoux
- Metaorganism Immunity Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, NIAID, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Muthulekha Swamydas
- Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology (LCIM), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kevin W Hoffman
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Teresa Greenwell-Wild
- Oral Immunity and Inflammation Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Vincent M Bruno
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Wint Lwin
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andy Renteria
- Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology (LCIM), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sergio M Pontejo
- Molecular Signaling Section, Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, NIAID, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - John P Shannon
- Viral Immunity and Pathogenesis Unit, LCIM, NIAID, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ian A Myles
- Epithelial Therapeutics Unit, LCIM, NIAID, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Peter Olbrich
- Immunopathogenesis Section, LCIM, NIAID, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Elise M N Ferré
- Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology (LCIM), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Monica Schmitt
- Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology (LCIM), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Daniel Martin
- Genomics and Computational Biology Core, NIDCR, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Daniel L Barber
- T Lymphocyte Biology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIAID, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Norma V Solis
- Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Mitsuru Matsumoto
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Institute for Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Heather D Hickman
- Viral Immunity and Pathogenesis Unit, LCIM, NIAID, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Philip M Murphy
- Molecular Signaling Section, Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, NIAID, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mark S Anderson
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jean K Lim
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Scott G Filler
- Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Behdad Afzali
- Immunoregulation Section, Kidney Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yasmine Belkaid
- Metaorganism Immunity Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, NIAID, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Niki M Moutsopoulos
- Oral Immunity and Inflammation Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michail S Lionakis
- Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology (LCIM), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Bethesda, MD, USA.
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19
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Li X, Zhang F, Wu N, Ye D, Wang Y, Zhang X, Sun Y, Zhang YA. A critical role of foxp3a-positive regulatory T cells in maintaining immune homeostasis in zebrafish testis development. J Genet Genomics 2020; 47:547-561. [PMID: 33309050 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2020.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Suppressive regulatory T cells (Treg cells) play a vital role in preventing autoimmunity and restraining excessive immune response to both self- and non-self-antigens. Studies on humans and mice show that the Forkhead box p3 (Foxp3) is a key regulatory gene for the development and function of Treg cells. In zebrafish, Treg cells have been identified by using foxp3a as a reliable marker. However, little is known about the function of foxp3a and Treg cells in gonadal development and sex differentiation. Here, we show that foxp3a is essential for maintaining immune homeostasis in zebrafish testis development. We found that foxp3a was specifically expressed in a subset of T cells in zebrafish testis, while knockout of foxp3a led to deficiency of foxp3a-positive Treg cells in the testis. More than 80% of foxp3a-/- mutants developed as subfertile males, and the rest of the mutants developed as fertile females with decreased ovulation. Further study revealed that foxp3a-/- mutants had a delayed juvenile ovary-to-testis transition in definite males and sex reversal in about half of the definite females, which led to a dominance of later male development. Owing to the absence of foxp3a-positive Treg cells in the differentiating testis of foxp3a-/- mutants, abundant T cells and macrophages expand to disrupt an immunosuppressive milieu, resulting in defective development of germ cells and gonadal somatic cells and leading to development of infertile males. Therefore, our study reveals that foxp3a-positive Treg cells play an essential role in the orchestration of gonadal development and sex differentiation in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianmei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Fenghua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Nan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Ding Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yaqing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaofan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yonghua Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Yong-An Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266071, China; State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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20
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Almaghrabi S, Azzouz M, Tazi Ahnini R. AAV9-mediated AIRE gene delivery clears circulating antibodies and tissue T-cell infiltration in a mouse model of autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type-1. Clin Transl Immunology 2020; 9:e1166. [PMID: 32994995 PMCID: PMC7507015 DOI: 10.1002/cti2.1166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type-1 (APS-1) is a monogenic recessive disorder characterised by multiple endocrine abnormalities, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis and high titres of serum autoantibodies. To date, no curative treatment is available; current therapies manage the symptoms rather than treating the cause and have major side effects. APS-1 is caused by mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene. AIRE mediates central tolerance by directing the ectopic expression of tissue-specific antigens (TSAs) in medullary thymic epithelial cells, causing the deletion of self-reactive thymocytes. Therefore, loss-of-function mutations in AIRE result in a multisystem autoimmune disease. Because of the monogenic aetiology of APS-1 and availability of an APS-1 mouse model, we have explored the option of restoring functional AIRE using adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9). METHODS The efficacy of AAV9-AIRE (AAV9 carrying AIRE cDNA) gene therapy was assessed in an APS-1 mouse model. We performed intrathymic injection of AAV9-AIRE into APS-1 mouse model using ultrasound imaging technique to accurately locating the thymus. We evaluated the efficiency of this approach alongside measures of autoimmunity and histology of target tissues. RESULTS Intrathymic injection of AAV9-AIRE demonstrated high transduction efficiency and restored AIRE expression in the thymus. AIRE gene delivery led to a significant increase in TSA expression, and importantly a significant reduction of serum autoantibodies in treated versus control mice, which fell to near-undetectable levels by 4 weeks post-treatment. Furthermore, histological analysis of treated animals showed near-normal tissue morphology with no lymphocytic infiltrations, a hallmark of untreated Aire-deficient mice. CONCLUSION This study has demonstrated the feasibility of AAV9-AIRE as a vehicle for gene therapy for APS-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Almaghrabi
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular DiseaseUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
- Faculty of Applied Medical SciencesKing Abdulaziz UniversityJeddahSaudi Arabia
| | - Mimoun Azzouz
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITRaN)Department of NeuroscienceThe Medical SchoolUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - Rachid Tazi Ahnini
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular DiseaseUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
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21
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A framework for high-resolution phenotyping of candidate male infertility mutants: from human to mouse. Hum Genet 2020; 140:155-182. [PMID: 32248361 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-020-02159-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Male infertility is a heterogeneous condition of largely unknown etiology that affects at least 7% of men worldwide. Classical genetic approaches and emerging next-generation sequencing studies support genetic variants as a frequent cause of male infertility. Meanwhile, the barriers to transmission of this disease mean that most individual genetic cases will be rare, but because of the large percentage of the genome required for spermatogenesis, the number of distinct causal mutations is potentially large. Identifying bona fide causes of male infertility thus requires advanced filtering techniques to select for high-probability candidates, including the ability to test causality in animal models. The mouse remains the gold standard for defining the genotype-phenotype connection in male fertility. Here, we present a best practice guide consisting of (a) major points to consider when interpreting next-generation sequencing data performed on infertile men, and, (b) a systematic strategy to categorize infertility types and how they relate to human male infertility. Phenotyping infertility in mice can involve investigating the function of multiple cell types across the testis and epididymis, as well as sperm function. These findings will feed into the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility as well as male health broadly.
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22
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Matsumoto M, Tsuneyama K, Morimoto J, Hosomichi K, Matsumoto M, Nishijima H. Tissue-specific autoimmunity controlled by Aire in thymic and peripheral tolerance mechanisms. Int Immunol 2020; 32:117-131. [PMID: 31586207 PMCID: PMC7005526 DOI: 10.1093/intimm/dxz066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissue-specific autoimmune diseases are assumed to arise through malfunction of two checkpoints for immune tolerance: defective elimination of autoreactive T cells in the thymus and activation of these T cells by corresponding autoantigens in the periphery. However, evidence for this model and the outcome of such alterations in each or both of the tolerance mechanisms have not been sufficiently investigated. We studied these issues by expressing human AIRE (huAIRE) as a modifier of tolerance function in NOD mice wherein the defects of thymic and peripheral tolerance together cause type I diabetes (T1D). Additive huAIRE expression in the thymic stroma had no major impact on the production of diabetogenic T cells in the thymus. In contrast, huAIRE expression in peripheral antigen-presenting cells (APCs) rendered the mice resistant to T1D, while maintaining other tissue-specific autoimmune responses and antibody production against an exogenous protein antigen, because of the loss of Xcr1+ dendritic cells, an essential component for activating diabetogenic T cells in the periphery. These results contrast with our recent demonstration that huAIRE expression in both the thymic stroma and peripheral APCs resulted in the paradoxical development of muscle-specific autoimmunity. Our results reveal that tissue-specific autoimmunity is differentially controlled by a combination of thymic function and peripheral tolerance, which can be manipulated by expression of huAIRE/Aire in each or both of the tolerance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minoru Matsumoto
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Institute for Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Koichi Tsuneyama
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Junko Morimoto
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Institute for Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Hosomichi
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Matsumoto
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Institute for Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Nishijima
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Institute for Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
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23
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Wijayarathna R, Hedger MP. Activins, follistatin and immunoregulation in the epididymis. Andrology 2019; 7:703-711. [DOI: 10.1111/andr.12682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R. Wijayarathna
- Centre for Reproductive Health Hudson Institute of Medical Research Clayton Vic. Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences School of Clinical Sciences Monash University Clayton Vic. Australia
| | - M. P. Hedger
- Centre for Reproductive Health Hudson Institute of Medical Research Clayton Vic. Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences School of Clinical Sciences Monash University Clayton Vic. Australia
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24
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Du HM, Wang YJ, Liu X, Wang SL, Wu SM, Yuan Z, Zhu XK. Defective Central Immune Tolerance Induced by High-Dose D-Galactose Resembles Aging. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2019; 84:617-626. [DOI: 10.1134/s000629791906004x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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25
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Zhang J, Wang Y, Aili A, Sun X, Pang X, Ge Q, Zhang Y, Jin R. Th1 Biased Progressive Autoimmunity in Aged Aire-Deficient Mice Accelerated Thymic Epithelial Cell Senescence. Aging Dis 2019; 10:497-509. [PMID: 31164995 PMCID: PMC6538216 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2018.0608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Although autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, are frequently associated with premature aging of the thymus, a direct link is missing between autoimmunity and thymic atrophy. Here we monitored the progression of thymic involution in Aire-deficient mice, in which defective negative selection causes spontaneous and progressive development of autoimmunity. In young and middle-aged mice, Aire deficiency appeared to be protective as supported by the reduced β-gal+ epithelial cells and the enhanced thymic output. However, once the autoimmune phenotype was fully developed in aged Aire-deficient mice, their thymuses underwent accelerated involution. In comparison to the age-matched wildtype littermates, old Aire-deficient mice showed lower numbers of total thymocytes and recent thymic emigrants but more β-gal+ thymic epithelial cells. This phenomenon may partly be attributable to the increased number of activated Th1 cells homing to the thymus. This speculation was further supported by the enhanced thymic aging following repeated challenges with complete Freund’s adjuvant immunization. Taken together, the present study highlights a unique mechanism by which autoimmunity facilitates the senescence of thymic epithelial cells through returning Th1 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yuqing Wang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing 100191, China
| | - Abudureyimujiang Aili
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing 100191, China
| | - Xiuyuan Sun
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing 100191, China
| | - Xuewen Pang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing 100191, China
| | - Qing Ge
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing 100191, China
| | - Rong Jin
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing 100191, China
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26
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Ribeiro C, Alves NL, Ferreirinha P. Medullary thymic epithelial cells: Deciphering the functional diversity beyond promiscuous gene expression. Immunol Lett 2019; 215:24-27. [PMID: 30853502 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2019.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Within the thymus, cortical and medullary thymic epithelial cells (cTECs and mTECs, respectively) provide unique microenvironments for the development of T cells that are responsive to diverse foreign antigens while self-tolerant. Essential for tolerance induction, mTECs play a critical role in negative selection and T regulatory cell differentiation. In this article, we review the current knowledge on the functional diversity within mTECs and discuss how these novel subsets contribute to tolerance induction and are integrated in the complex blueprint of mTEC differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Ribeiro
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno L Alves
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro Ferreirinha
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Portugal.
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27
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Nalawade SA, Ji N, Raphael I, Pratt A, Kraig E, Forsthuber TG. Aire is not essential for regulating neuroinflammatory disease in mice transgenic for human autoimmune-diseases associated MHC class II genes HLA-DR2b and HLA-DR4. Cell Immunol 2018; 331:38-48. [PMID: 29789121 PMCID: PMC6092225 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2018.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The human autoimmune disease-associated HLA alleles HLA-DR2b (DRB1*1501) and HLA-DR4 (DRB1*0401) are strongly linked to increased susceptibility for multiple sclerosis (MS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), respectively. The underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, but these MHC alleles may shape the repertoire of pathogenic T cells via central tolerance. The transcription factor autoimmune regulator (AIRE) promotes central T cell tolerance via ectopic expression of tissue-specific antigens (TSAs). Aire deficiency in humans causes autoimmune polyendocrinopathy syndrome type 1 (APS1), and Aire knockout mice (Aire-/-) develop spontaneous autoimmune pathology characterized by multi-organ lymphocytic infiltrates. Here, we asked whether impaired TSAs gene expression in the absence of Aire promoted spontaneous MS- or RA-like autoimmune pathology in the context of human HLA alleles in HLA-DR2b or HLA-DR4 transgenic (tg) mice. The results show that reduced TSAs gene expression in the thymus of Aire-deficient HLA-DR2b or HLA-DR4 tg mice corresponded to mild spontaneous inflammatory infiltrates in salivary glands, liver, and pancreas. Moreover, Aire-deficiency modestly enhanced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in HLA-DR tg mice, but the animals did not show signs of spontaneous neuroinflammation or arthritis. No significant changes were observed in CD4+ T cell numbers, T cell receptor (TCR) distribution, regulatory T cells (Treg), or antigen-induced cytokine production. Abrogating Treg function by treatment with anti-CTLA-4 or anti-CD25 mAb in Aire-deficient HLA-DR tg mice did not trigger EAE or other autoimmune pathology. Our results suggest a redundant role for Aire in maintaining immune tolerance in the context of autoimmune disease-associated human HLA alleles.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antigens/immunology
- Antigens/metabolism
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid/genetics
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid/immunology
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid/metabolism
- Autoimmune Diseases/genetics
- Autoimmune Diseases/immunology
- Autoimmune Diseases/metabolism
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/genetics
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/immunology
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/metabolism
- HLA-DR2 Antigen/genetics
- HLA-DR2 Antigen/immunology
- HLA-DR2 Antigen/metabolism
- HLA-DR4 Antigen/genetics
- HLA-DR4 Antigen/immunology
- HLA-DR4 Antigen/metabolism
- Humans
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Mice, Transgenic
- Multiple Sclerosis/genetics
- Multiple Sclerosis/immunology
- Multiple Sclerosis/metabolism
- Organ Specificity/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Transcription Factors/genetics
- Transcription Factors/immunology
- Transcription Factors/metabolism
- AIRE Protein
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Affiliation(s)
- Saisha A Nalawade
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, United States
| | - Niannian Ji
- Department of Urology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health, San Antonio, TX 78229, United States
| | - Itay Raphael
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States
| | - Andrew Pratt
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit, San Antonio, TX 78234, United States
| | - Ellen Kraig
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health, San Antonio, TX 78229, United States
| | - Thomas G Forsthuber
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, United States.
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28
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Pierucci-Alves F, Midura-Kiela MT, Fleming SD, Schultz BD, Kiela PR. Transforming Growth Factor Beta Signaling in Dendritic Cells Is Required for Immunotolerance to Sperm in the Epididymis. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1882. [PMID: 30166986 PMCID: PMC6105693 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The epididymis exhibits a less restrictive physical blood–tissue barrier than the testis and, while numerous immunosuppressive factors have been identified in the latter, no mechanisms for epididymal immunotolerance have been identified to date. Therefore, data are currently insufficient to explain how the immune system tolerates the extremely large load of novel antigens expressed on sperm, which become present in the male body after puberty, i.e., long after central tolerance was established. This study tested the hypothesis that transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signaling in dendritic cells (DCs) is required for immunotolerance to sperm located in the epididymis, and that male mice lacking TGFβ signaling in DCs would develop severe epididymal inflammation. To test this, we employed adult Tgfbr2ΔDC males, which exhibit a significant reduction of Tgfbr2 expression and TGFβ signaling in DCs, as reported previously. Results show that Tgfbr2ΔDC males exhibit sperm-specific immune response and severe epididymal leukocytosis. This phenotype is consistent with epididymal loss of immunotolerance to sperm and suggests that TGFβ signaling in DCs is a factor required for a non-inflammatory steady state in the epididymis, and therefore for male tract homeostasis and function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sherry D Fleming
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - Bruce D Schultz
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - Pawel R Kiela
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.,Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
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29
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Pohar J, Simon Q, Fillatreau S. Antigen-Specificity in the Thymic Development and Peripheral Activity of CD4 +FOXP3 + T Regulatory Cells. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1701. [PMID: 30083162 PMCID: PMC6064734 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
CD4+Foxp3+ T regulatory cells (Treg) are essential for the life of the organism, in particular because they protect the host against its own autoaggressive CD4+Foxp3- T lymphocytes (Tconv). Treg distinctively suppress autoaggressive immunity while permitting efficient defense against infectious diseases. This split effect indicates that Treg activity is controlled in an antigen-specific manner. This specificity is achieved first by the formation of the Treg repertoire during their development, and second by their activation in the periphery. This review presents novel information on the antigen-specificity of Treg development in the thymus, and Treg function in the periphery. These aspects have so far remained imprecisely understood due to the lack of knowledge of the actual antigens recognized by Treg during the different steps of their life, so that most previous studies have been performed using artificial antigens. However, recent studies identified some antigens mediating the positive selection of autoreactive Treg in the thymus, and the function of Treg in the periphery in autoimmune and allergic disorders. These investigations emphasized the remarkable specificity of Treg development and function. Indeed, the development of autoreactive Treg in the thymus was found to be mediated by single autoantigens, so that the absence of one antigen led to a dramatic loss of Treg reacting toward that antigen. The specificity of Treg development is important because the constitution of the Treg repertoire, and especially the presence of holes in this repertoire, was found to crucially influence human immunopathology. Indeed, it was found that the development of human immunopathology was permitted by the lack of Treg against the antigens driving the autoimmune or allergic T cell responses rather than by the impairment of Treg activation or function. The specificity of Treg suppression in the periphery is therefore intimately associated with the mechanisms shaping the formation of the Treg repertoire during their development. This novel information refines significantly our understanding of the antigen-specificity of Treg protective function, which is required to envision how these cells distinctively regulate unwanted immune responses as well as for the development of appropriate approaches to optimally harness them therapeutically in autoimmune, malignant, and infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelka Pohar
- Institut Necker-Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151-CNRS UMR 8253, Paris, France
| | - Quentin Simon
- Institut Necker-Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151-CNRS UMR 8253, Paris, France
| | - Simon Fillatreau
- Institut Necker-Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151-CNRS UMR 8253, Paris, France.,Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,AP-HP, Hôpital Necker Enfants Malades, Paris, France
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30
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Ossart J, Moreau A, Autrusseau E, Ménoret S, Martin JC, Besnard M, Ouisse LH, Tesson L, Flippe L, Kisand K, Peterson P, Hubert FX, Anegon I, Josien R, Guillonneau C. Breakdown of Immune Tolerance in AIRE-Deficient Rats Induces a Severe Autoimmune Polyendocrinopathy-Candidiasis-Ectodermal Dystrophy-like Autoimmune Disease. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 201:874-887. [PMID: 29959280 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1701318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Autoimmune regulator (AIRE) deficiency in humans induces a life-threatening generalized autoimmune disease called autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED), and no curative treatments are available. Several models of AIRE-deficient mice have been generated, and although they have been useful in understanding the role of AIRE in central tolerance, they do not reproduce accurately the APECED symptoms, and thus there is still a need for an animal model displaying APECED-like disease. We assessed, in this study, the potential of the rat as an accurate model for APECED. In this study, we demonstrate that in rat, AIRE is expressed by MHC class II (MCH-II)+ and MHC-II- medullary thymic epithelial cells in thymus and by CD4int conventional dendritic cells in periphery. To our knowledge, we generated the first AIRE-deficient rat model using zinc-finger nucleases and demonstrated that they display several of the key symptoms of APECED disease, including alopecia, skin depigmentation, and nail dystrophy, independently of the genetic background. We observed severe autoimmune lesions in a large spectrum of organs, in particular in the pancreas, and identified several autoantibodies in organs and cytokines such as type I IFNs and IL-17 at levels similar to APECED. Finally, we demonstrated a biased Ab response to IgG1, IgM, and IgA isotypes. Altogether, our data demonstrate that AIRE-deficient rat is a relevant APECED animal model, opening new opportunity to test curative therapeutic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Ossart
- Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie UMR 1064, INSERM Université de Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France.,Institut de Transplantation Urologie Néphrologie, CHU Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - Anne Moreau
- Anatomie et Cytologie Pathologiques, CHU Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - Elodie Autrusseau
- Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie UMR 1064, INSERM Université de Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France.,Institut de Transplantation Urologie Néphrologie, CHU Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - Séverine Ménoret
- Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie UMR 1064, INSERM Université de Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France.,Institut de Transplantation Urologie Néphrologie, CHU Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France.,Transgenesis Rat Immunophenomic Platform, INSERM 1064 and SFR Francois Bonamy, CNRS UMS3556, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - Jérôme C Martin
- Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie UMR 1064, INSERM Université de Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France.,Institut de Transplantation Urologie Néphrologie, CHU Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - Marine Besnard
- Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie UMR 1064, INSERM Université de Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France.,Institut de Transplantation Urologie Néphrologie, CHU Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - Laure-Hélène Ouisse
- Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie UMR 1064, INSERM Université de Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France.,Institut de Transplantation Urologie Néphrologie, CHU Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France.,Transgenesis Rat Immunophenomic Platform, INSERM 1064 and SFR Francois Bonamy, CNRS UMS3556, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - Laurent Tesson
- Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie UMR 1064, INSERM Université de Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France.,Institut de Transplantation Urologie Néphrologie, CHU Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France.,Transgenesis Rat Immunophenomic Platform, INSERM 1064 and SFR Francois Bonamy, CNRS UMS3556, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - Léa Flippe
- Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie UMR 1064, INSERM Université de Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France.,Institut de Transplantation Urologie Néphrologie, CHU Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - Kai Kisand
- Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu 50411, Estonia; and
| | - Pärt Peterson
- Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu 50411, Estonia; and
| | - François-Xavier Hubert
- Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie UMR 1064, INSERM Université de Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France.,Institut de Transplantation Urologie Néphrologie, CHU Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - Ignacio Anegon
- Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie UMR 1064, INSERM Université de Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France.,Institut de Transplantation Urologie Néphrologie, CHU Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France.,Transgenesis Rat Immunophenomic Platform, INSERM 1064 and SFR Francois Bonamy, CNRS UMS3556, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - Régis Josien
- Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie UMR 1064, INSERM Université de Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France.,Institut de Transplantation Urologie Néphrologie, CHU Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France.,Laboratoire d'Immunologie, CHU Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - Carole Guillonneau
- Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie UMR 1064, INSERM Université de Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France; .,Institut de Transplantation Urologie Néphrologie, CHU Nantes, 44093 Nantes, France
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31
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Bichele R, Kärner J, Truusalu K, Smidt I, Mändar R, Conti HR, Gaffen SL, Peterson P, Laan M, Kisand K. IL-22 neutralizing autoantibodies impair fungal clearance in murine oropharyngeal candidiasis model. Eur J Immunol 2018; 48:464-470. [PMID: 29150834 PMCID: PMC5844855 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201747209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Protection against mucocutaneous candidiasis depends on the T helper (Th)17 pathway, as gene defects affecting its integrity result in inability to clear Candida albicans infection on body surfaces. Moreover, autoantibodies neutralizing Th17 cytokines have been related to chronic candidiasis in a rare inherited disorder called autoimmune polyendocriopathy candidiasis ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) caused by mutations in autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene. However, the direct pathogenicity of these autoantibodies has not yet been addressed. Here we show that the level of anti-IL17A autoantibodies that develop in aged Aire-deficient mice is not sufficient for conferring susceptibility to oropharyngeal candidiasis. However, patient-derived monoclonal antibodies that cross-react with murine IL-22 increase the fungal burden on C. albicans infected mucosa. Nevertheless, the lack of macroscopically evident infectious pathology on the oral mucosa of infected mice suggests that additional susceptibility factors are needed to precipitate a clinical disease.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology
- Autoantibodies/immunology
- Candida albicans/immunology
- Candidiasis, Chronic Mucocutaneous/immunology
- Candidiasis, Chronic Mucocutaneous/microbiology
- Candidiasis, Oral/immunology
- Candidiasis, Oral/microbiology
- Colony Count, Microbial
- Cross Reactions
- Disease Models, Animal
- Disease Susceptibility
- Female
- Humans
- Interleukin-17/immunology
- Interleukins/immunology
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Polyendocrinopathies, Autoimmune/immunology
- Th17 Cells/immunology
- Transcription Factors/deficiency
- Transcription Factors/genetics
- Transcription Factors/immunology
- AIRE Protein
- Interleukin-22
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudolf Bichele
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedical and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jaanika Kärner
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedical and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kai Truusalu
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Imbi Smidt
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Reet Mändar
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Heather R. Conti
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio
| | - Sarah L. Gaffen
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Pärt Peterson
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedical and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Martti Laan
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedical and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kai Kisand
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedical and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Estonia
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32
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Abstract
About two decades ago, cloning of the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene materialized one of the most important actors on the scene of self-tolerance. Thymic transcription of genes encoding tissue-specific antigens (ts-ags) is activated by AIRE protein and embodies the essence of thymic self-representation. Pathogenic AIRE variants cause the autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1, which is a rare and complex disease that is gaining attention in research on autoimmunity. The animal models of disease, although not identically reproducing the human picture, supply fundamental information on mechanisms and extent of AIRE action: thanks to its multidomain structure, AIRE localizes to chromatin enclosing the target genes, binds to histones, and offers an anchorage to multimolecular complexes involved in initiation and post-initiation events of gene transcription. In addition, AIRE enhances mRNA diversity by favoring alternative mRNA splicing. Once synthesized, ts-ags are presented to, and cause deletion of the self-reactive thymocyte clones. However, AIRE function is not restricted to the activation of gene transcription. AIRE would control presentation and transfer of self-antigens for thymic cellular interplay: such mechanism is aimed at increasing the likelihood of engagement of the thymocytes that carry the corresponding T-cell receptors. Another fundamental role of AIRE in promoting self-tolerance is related to the development of thymocyte anergy, as thymic self-representation shapes at the same time the repertoire of regulatory T cells. Finally, AIRE seems to replicate its action in the secondary lymphoid organs, albeit the cell lineage detaining such property has not been fully characterized. Delineation of AIRE functions adds interesting data to the knowledge of the mechanisms of self-tolerance and introduces exciting perspectives of therapeutic interventions against the related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Perniola
- Department of Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care, Vito Fazzi Regional Hospital, Lecce, Italy
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33
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Nishijima H, Kajimoto T, Matsuoka Y, Mouri Y, Morimoto J, Matsumoto M, Kawano H, Nishioka Y, Uehara H, Izumi K, Tsuneyama K, Okazaki IM, Okazaki T, Hosomichi K, Shiraki A, Shibutani M, Mitsumori K, Matsumoto M. Paradoxical development of polymyositis-like autoimmunity through augmented expression of autoimmune regulator (AIRE). J Autoimmun 2018; 86:75-92. [PMID: 28931462 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2017.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Revised: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Autoimmunity is prevented by the function of the autoimmune regulator [AIRE (Aire in mice)], which promotes the expression of a wide variety of tissue-restricted antigens (TRAs) from medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) and from a subset of peripheral antigen-presenting cells (APCs). We examined the effect of additive expression of human AIRE (huAIRE) in a model of autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice. Unexpectedly, we observed that mice expressing augmented AIRE/Aire developed muscle-specific autoimmunity associated with incomplete maturation of mTECs together with impaired expression of Aire-dependent TRAs. This led to failure of deletion of autoreactive T cells together with dramatically reduced production of regulatory T cells in the thymus. In peripheral APCs, expression of costimulatory molecules was augmented. We suggest that levels of Aire expression need to be tightly controlled for maintenance of immunological tolerance. Our results also highlight the importance of coordinated action between central tolerance and peripheral tolerance under the common control of Aire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hitoshi Nishijima
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Institute for Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Kajimoto
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Institute for Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Matsuoka
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Institute for Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Mouri
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Institute for Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Junko Morimoto
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Institute for Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Minoru Matsumoto
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Institute for Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan; Department of Molecular and Environmental Pathology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kawano
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Institute for Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan; Department of Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Nishioka
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Hisanori Uehara
- Department of Molecular and Environmental Pathology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Keisuke Izumi
- Department of Molecular and Environmental Pathology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Koichi Tsuneyama
- Department of Molecular and Environmental Pathology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Il-Mi Okazaki
- Division of Immune Regulation, Institute for Genome Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Taku Okazaki
- Division of Immune Regulation, Institute for Genome Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Hosomichi
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa 920-0934, Japan
| | - Ayako Shiraki
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
| | - Makoto Shibutani
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
| | - Kunitoshi Mitsumori
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Matsumoto
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Institute for Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan; AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan.
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34
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Takaba H, Takayanagi H. The Mechanisms of T Cell Selection in the Thymus. Trends Immunol 2017; 38:805-816. [PMID: 28830733 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2017.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Revised: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
T cells undergo positive and negative selection in the thymic cortex and medulla, respectively. A promiscuous expression of a wide array of self-antigens in the thymus is essential for the negative selection of self-reactive T cells and the establishment of central tolerance. Aire was originally thought to be the exclusive factor regulating the expression of tissue-restricted antigens, but Fezf2 recently emerged as a critical transcription factor in this regulatory activity. Fezf2 is selectively expressed in thymic medullary epithelial cells, regulates a large number of tissue-restricted antigens and suppresses the onset of autoimmune responses. Here, we discuss novel findings on the transcriptional mechanisms of tissue restricted-antigen expression in the medullary thymic epithelial cells and its effects on T cell selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Takaba
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Takayanagi
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
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35
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Gu B, Lambert JP, Cockburn K, Gingras AC, Rossant J. AIRE is a critical spindle-associated protein in embryonic stem cells. eLife 2017; 6:e28131. [PMID: 28742026 PMCID: PMC5560860 DOI: 10.7554/elife.28131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryonic stem (ES) cells go though embryo-like cell cycles regulated by specialized molecular mechanisms. However, it is not known whether there are ES cell-specific mechanisms regulating mitotic fidelity. Here we showed that Autoimmune Regulator (Aire), a transcription coordinator involved in immune tolerance processes, is a critical spindle-associated protein in mouse ES(mES) cells. BioID analysis showed that AIRE associates with spindle-associated proteins in mES cells. Loss of function analysis revealed that Aire was important for centrosome number regulation and spindle pole integrity specifically in mES cells. We also identified the c-terminal LESLL motif as a critical motif for AIRE's mitotic function. Combined maternal and zygotic knockout further revealed Aire's critical functions for spindle assembly in preimplantation embryos. These results uncovered a previously unappreciated function for Aire and provide new insights into the biology of stem cell proliferation and potential new angles to understand fertility defects in humans carrying Aire mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Gu
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Katie Cockburn
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Anne-Claude Gingras
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Janet Rossant
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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36
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Oftedal BE, Ardesjö Lundgren B, Hamm D, Gan PY, Holdsworth SR, Hahn CN, Schreiber AW, Scott HS. T cell receptor assessment in autoimmune disease requires access to the most adjacent immunologically active organ. J Autoimmun 2017; 81:24-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2017.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Revised: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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37
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Pathogenic and Protective Autoantibodies in Autoimmune Polyendocrinopathy-Candidiasis-Ectodermal Dystrophy (APECED). Antibodies (Basel) 2017; 6:antib6010001. [PMID: 31548517 PMCID: PMC6698825 DOI: 10.3390/antib6010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Revised: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) is a rare disorder caused by mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene, leading to defects in T cell selection. The disease manifestations include both autoimmune tissue destruction and immunodeficiency, with specific susceptibility to chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis. Studies have demonstrated a wide repertoire of high affinity tissue- and cytokine-specific antibodies in patients with APECED. Here, we review the antigenic targets and function of these disease-causing and disease-ameliorating antibodies.
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38
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Li KP, Fähnrich A, Roy E, Cuda CM, Grimes HL, Perlman HR, Kalies K, Hildeman DA. Temporal Expression of Bim Limits the Development of Agonist-Selected Thymocytes and Skews Their TCRβ Repertoire. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2016; 198:257-269. [PMID: 27852740 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1601200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
CD8αα TCRαβ+ intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes play a critical role in promoting intestinal homeostasis, although mechanisms controlling their development and peripheral homeostasis remain unclear. In this study, we examined the spatiotemporal role of Bim in the thymic selection of CD8αα precursors and the fate of these cells in the periphery. We found that T cell-specific expression of Bim during early/cortical, but not late/medullary, thymic development controls the agonist selection of CD8αα precursors and limits their private TCRβ repertoire. During this process, agonist-selected double-positive cells lose CD4/8 coreceptor expression and masquerade as double-negative (DN) TCRαβhi thymocytes. Although these DN thymocytes fail to re-express coreceptors after OP9-DL1 culture, they eventually mature and accumulate in the spleen where TCR and IL-15/STAT5 signaling promotes their conversion to CD8αα cells and their expression of gut-homing receptors. Adoptive transfer of splenic DN cells gives rise to CD8αα cells in the gut, establishing their precursor relationship in vivo. Interestingly, Bim does not restrict the IL-15-driven maturation of CD8αα cells that is critical for intestinal homeostasis. Thus, we found a temporal and tissue-specific role for Bim in limiting thymic agonist selection of CD8αα precursors and their TCRβ repertoire, but not in the maintenance of CD8αα intraepithelial lymphocytes in the intestine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun-Po Li
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45257
| | - Anke Fähnrich
- Institute for Anatomy, University of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; and
| | - Eron Roy
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45257
| | - Carla M Cuda
- Rheumatology Division, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - H Leighton Grimes
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45257
| | - Harris R Perlman
- Rheumatology Division, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Kathrin Kalies
- Institute for Anatomy, University of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; and
| | - David A Hildeman
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229; .,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45257
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39
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Merayo-Chalico J, Rajme-López S, Barrera-Vargas A, Alcocer-Varela J, Díaz-Zamudio M, Gómez-Martín D. Lymphopenia and autoimmunity: A double-edged sword. Hum Immunol 2016; 77:921-929. [DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2016.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2015] [Revised: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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40
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Radhakrishnan K, Bhagya KP, Kumar AT, Devi AN, Sengottaiyan J, Kumar PG. Autoimmune Regulator (AIRE) Is Expressed in Spermatogenic Cells, and It Altered the Expression of Several Nucleic-Acid-Binding and Cytoskeletal Proteins in Germ Cell 1 Spermatogonial (GC1-spg) Cells. Mol Cell Proteomics 2016; 15:2686-98. [PMID: 27281783 PMCID: PMC4974344 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m115.052951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Revised: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune regulator (AIRE) is a gene associated with autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED). AIRE is expressed heavily in the thymic epithelial cells and is involved in maintaining self-tolerance through regulating the expression of tissue-specific antigens. The testes are the most predominant extrathymic location where a heavy expression of AIRE is reported. Homozygous Aire-deficient male mice were infertile, possibly due to impaired spermatogenesis, deregulated germ cell apoptosis, or autoimmunity. We report that AIRE is expressed in the testes of neonatal, adolescent, and adult mice. AIRE expression was detected in glial cell derived neurotrophic factor receptor alpha (GFRα)(+) (spermatogonia), GFRα(-)/synaptonemal complex protein (SCP3)(+) (meiotic), and GFRα(-)/Phosphoglycerate kinase 2 (PGK2)(+) (postmeiotic) germ cells in mouse testes. GC1-spg, a germ-cell-derived cell line, did not express AIRE. Retinoic acid induced AIRE expression in GC1-spg cells. Ectopic expression of AIRE in GC1-spg cells using label-free LC-MS/MS identified a total of 371 proteins that were differentially expressed. 100 proteins were up-regulated, and 271 proteins were down-regulated. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD002511. Functional analysis of the differentially expressed proteins showed increased levels of various nucleic-acid-binding proteins and transcription factors and a decreased level of various cytoskeletal and structural proteins in the AIRE overexpressing cells as compared with the empty vector-transfected controls. The transcripts of a select set of the up-regulated proteins were also elevated. However, there was no corresponding decrease in the mRNA levels of the down-regulated set of proteins. Molecular function network analysis indicated that AIRE influenced gene expression in GC1-spg cells by acting at multiple levels, including transcription, translation, RNA processing, protein transport, protein localization, and protein degradation, thus setting the foundation in understanding the functional role of AIRE in germ cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karthika Radhakrishnan
- From the §Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thycaud PO, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram 695 014, Kerala, India
| | - Kongattu P Bhagya
- From the §Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thycaud PO, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram 695 014, Kerala, India
| | - Anil Tr Kumar
- From the §Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thycaud PO, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram 695 014, Kerala, India
| | - Anandavalli N Devi
- From the §Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thycaud PO, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram 695 014, Kerala, India
| | - Jeeva Sengottaiyan
- From the §Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thycaud PO, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram 695 014, Kerala, India
| | - Pradeep G Kumar
- From the §Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thycaud PO, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram 695 014, Kerala, India
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41
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Crossland KL, Abinun M, Arkwright PD, Cheetham TD, Pearce SH, Hilkens CMU, Lilic D. AIRE is not essential for the induction of human tolerogenic dendritic cells. Autoimmunity 2016; 49:211-8. [PMID: 26912174 DOI: 10.3109/08916934.2016.1148692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Loss-of-function mutations of the Autoimmune Regulator (AIRE) gene results in organ-specific autoimmunity and disease Autoimmune Polyendocrinopathy type 1 (APS1)/Autoimmune Polyendocrinopathy Candidiasis Ectodermal Dystrophy (APECED). The AIRE protein is crucial in the induction of central tolerance, promoting ectopic expression of tissue-specific antigens in medullary thymic epithelial cells and enabling removal of self-reactive T-cells. AIRE expression has recently been detected in myeloid dendritic cells (DC), suggesting AIRE may have a significant role in peripheral tolerance. DC stimulation of T-cells is critical in determining the initiation or lack of an immune response, depending on the pattern of costimulation and cytokine production by DCs, defining immunogenic/inflammatory (inflDC) and tolerogenic (tolDC) DC. In AIRE-deficient patients and healthy controls, we validated the role of AIRE in the generation and function of monocyte-derived inflDC and tolDCs by determining mRNA and protein expression of AIRE and comparing activation markers (HLA-DR/DP/DQ,CD83,CD86,CD274(PDL-1),TLR-2), cytokine production (IL-12p70,IL-10,IL-6,TNF-α,IFN-γ) and T-cell stimulatory capacity (mixed lymphocyte reaction) of AIRE+ and AIRE- DCs. We show for the first time that: (1) tolDCs from healthy individuals express AIRE; (2) AIRE expression is not significantly higher in tolDC compared to inflDC; (3) tolDC can be generated from APECED patient monocytes and (4) tolDCs lacking AIRE retain the same phenotype and reduced T-cell stimulatory function. Our findings suggest that AIRE does not have a role in the induction and function of monocyte-derived tolerogenic DC in humans, but these findings do not exclude a role for AIRE in peripheral tolerance mediated by other cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L Crossland
- a Primary Immune Deficiency Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University , Newcastle upon Tyne , UK
| | - Mario Abinun
- a Primary Immune Deficiency Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University , Newcastle upon Tyne , UK
- b Department of Paediatric Immunology , Great North Children's Hospital , Newcastle upon Tyne , UK
| | - Peter D Arkwright
- c Institute of Inflammation and Repair, University of Manchester , Manchester , UK
| | - Timothy D Cheetham
- d Department of Paediatric Endocrinology , Great North Children's Hospital , Newcastle upon Tyne , UK
| | - Simon H Pearce
- e Institute of Human Genetics, Newcastle University , Newcastle upon Tyne , UK
| | - Catharien M U Hilkens
- f Musculoskeletal Research Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University , Newcastle upon Tyne , UK , and
| | - Desa Lilic
- a Primary Immune Deficiency Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University , Newcastle upon Tyne , UK
- g Department of Regional Immunology and Allergy , Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust , Newcastle upon Tyne , UK
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42
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Michel V, Pilatz A, Hedger MP, Meinhardt A. Epididymitis: revelations at the convergence of clinical and basic sciences. Asian J Androl 2016; 17:756-63. [PMID: 26112484 PMCID: PMC4577585 DOI: 10.4103/1008-682x.155770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute epididymitis represents a common medical condition in the urological outpatient clinic. Mostly, epididymitis is caused by bacterial ascent through the urogenital tract, with pathogens originating either from sexually transmitted diseases or urinary tract infections. Although conservative antimicrobial therapy is possible in the majority of patients and is usually sufficient to eradicate the pathogen, studies have shown persistent oligozoospermia and azoospermia in up to 40% of these patients. Animal models of epididymitis are created to delineate the underlying reasons for this observation and the additional impairment of sperm function that is often associated with the disease. Accumulated data provide evidence of a differential expression of immune cells, immunoregulatory genes and pathogen-sensing molecules along the length of the epididymal duct. The evidence suggests that a tolerogenic environment exists in the caput epididymidis, but that inflammatory responses are most intense toward the cauda epididymidis. This is consistent with the need to provide protection for the neo-antigens of spermatozoa emerging from the testis, without compromising the ability to respond to ascending infections. However, severe inflammatory responses, particularly in the cauda, may lead to collateral damage to the structure and function of the epididymis. Convergence of the clinical observations with appropriate animal studies should lead to better understanding of the immunological environment throughout the epididymis, the parameters underlying susceptibility to epididymitis, and to therapeutic approaches that can mitigate epididymal damage and subsequent fertility problems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Andreas Meinhardt
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology; Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, 35385 Giessen, Germany
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43
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Malchow S, Leventhal DS, Lee V, Nishi S, Socci ND, Savage PA. Aire Enforces Immune Tolerance by Directing Autoreactive T Cells into the Regulatory T Cell Lineage. Immunity 2016; 44:1102-13. [PMID: 27130899 PMCID: PMC4871732 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2016.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The promiscuous expression of tissue-restricted antigens in the thymus, driven in part by autoimmune regulator (Aire), is critical for the protection of peripheral tissues from autoimmune attack. Aire-dependent processes are thought to promote both clonal deletion and the development of Foxp3(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells, suggesting that autoimmunity associated with Aire deficiency results from two failed tolerance mechanisms. Here, examination of autoimmune lesions in Aire(-/-) mice revealed an unexpected third possibility. We found that the predominant conventional T cell clonotypes infiltrating target lesions express antigen receptors that were preferentially expressed by Foxp3(+) Treg cells in Aire(+/+) mice. Thus, Aire enforces immune tolerance by ensuring that distinct autoreactive T cell specificities differentiate into the Treg cell lineage; dysregulation of this process results in the diversion of Treg cell-biased clonotypes into pathogenic conventional T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Malchow
- Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | | | - Victoria Lee
- Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Saki Nishi
- Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Nicholas D Socci
- Bioinformatics Core, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Peter A Savage
- Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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44
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Dragin N, Bismuth J, Cizeron-Clairac G, Biferi MG, Berthault C, Serraf A, Nottin R, Klatzmann D, Cumano A, Barkats M, Le Panse R, Berrih-Aknin S. Estrogen-mediated downregulation of AIRE influences sexual dimorphism in autoimmune diseases. J Clin Invest 2016; 126:1525-37. [PMID: 26999605 PMCID: PMC4811157 DOI: 10.1172/jci81894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune diseases affect 5% to 8% of the population, and females are more susceptible to these diseases than males. Here, we analyzed human thymic transcriptome and revealed sex-associated differences in the expression of tissue-specific antigens that are controlled by the autoimmune regulator (AIRE), a key factor in central tolerance. We hypothesized that the level of AIRE is linked to sexual dimorphism susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. In human and mouse thymus, females expressed less AIRE (mRNA and protein) than males after puberty. These results were confirmed in purified murine thymic epithelial cells (TECs). We also demonstrated that AIRE expression is related to sexual hormones, as male castration decreased AIRE thymic expression and estrogen receptor α-deficient mice did not show a sex disparity for AIRE expression. Moreover, estrogen treatment resulted in downregulation of AIRE expression in cultured human TECs, human thymic tissue grafted to immunodeficient mice, and murine fetal thymus organ cultures. AIRE levels in human thymus grafted in immunodeficient mice depended upon the sex of the recipient. Estrogen also upregulated the number of methylated CpG sites in the AIRE promoter. Together, our results indicate that in females, estrogen induces epigenetic changes in the AIRE gene, leading to reduced AIRE expression under a threshold that increases female susceptibility to autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Dragin
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University of Paris 06, Paris, France
- INSERM U974, Paris, France
- CNRS FRE 3617, Paris, France
- AIM, Institute of Myology, Paris, France
| | - Jacky Bismuth
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University of Paris 06, Paris, France
- INSERM U974, Paris, France
- CNRS FRE 3617, Paris, France
- AIM, Institute of Myology, Paris, France
| | | | - Maria Grazia Biferi
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University of Paris 06, Paris, France
- INSERM U974, Paris, France
- CNRS FRE 3617, Paris, France
- AIM, Institute of Myology, Paris, France
| | - Claire Berthault
- INSERM U668, Unit for Lymphopoiesis, Immunology Department, Pasteur Institute, Paris, France
- Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Cellule Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Alain Serraf
- Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Le Plessis–Robinson, France
| | - Rémi Nottin
- Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Le Plessis–Robinson, France
| | - David Klatzmann
- Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Biotherapy, Paris, France
| | - Ana Cumano
- INSERM U668, Unit for Lymphopoiesis, Immunology Department, Pasteur Institute, Paris, France
| | - Martine Barkats
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University of Paris 06, Paris, France
- INSERM U974, Paris, France
- CNRS FRE 3617, Paris, France
- AIM, Institute of Myology, Paris, France
| | - Rozen Le Panse
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University of Paris 06, Paris, France
- INSERM U974, Paris, France
- CNRS FRE 3617, Paris, France
- AIM, Institute of Myology, Paris, France
| | - Sonia Berrih-Aknin
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University of Paris 06, Paris, France
- INSERM U974, Paris, France
- CNRS FRE 3617, Paris, France
- AIM, Institute of Myology, Paris, France
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45
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Haljasorg U, Bichele R, Saare M, Guha M, Maslovskaja J, Kõnd K, Remm A, Pihlap M, Tomson L, Kisand K, Laan M, Peterson P. A highly conserved NF-κB-responsive enhancer is critical for thymic expression of Aire in mice. Eur J Immunol 2015; 45:3246-56. [PMID: 26364592 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201545928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Revised: 08/19/2015] [Accepted: 09/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Autoimmune regulator (Aire) has a unique expression pattern in thymic medullary epithelial cells (mTECs), in which it plays a critical role in the activation of tissue-specific antigens. The expression of Aire in mTECs is activated by receptor activator of nuclear factor κB (RANK) signaling; however, the molecular mechanism behind this activation is unknown. Here, we characterize a conserved noncoding sequence 1 (CNS1) containing two NF-κB binding sites upstream of the Aire coding region. We show that CNS1-deficient mice lack thymic expression of Aire and share several features of Aire-knockout mice, including downregulation of Aire-dependent genes, impaired terminal differentiation of the mTEC population, and reduced production of thymic Treg cells. In addition, we show that CNS1 is indispensable for RANK-induced Aire expression and that CNS1 is activated by NF-κB pathway complexes containing RelA. Together, our results indicate that CNS1 is a critical link between RANK signaling, NF-κB activation, and thymic expression of Aire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uku Haljasorg
- Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Rudolf Bichele
- Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Mario Saare
- Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Mithu Guha
- Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Julia Maslovskaja
- Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Karin Kõnd
- Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Anu Remm
- Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Maire Pihlap
- Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Laura Tomson
- Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kai Kisand
- Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Martti Laan
- Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Pärt Peterson
- Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
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46
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LaFlam TN, Seumois G, Miller CN, Lwin W, Fasano KJ, Waterfield M, Proekt I, Vijayanand P, Anderson MS. Identification of a novel cis-regulatory element essential for immune tolerance. J Exp Med 2015; 212:1993-2002. [PMID: 26527800 PMCID: PMC4647269 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20151069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymic central tolerance is essential to preventing autoimmunity. In medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs), the Autoimmune regulator (Aire) gene plays an essential role in this process by driving the expression of a diverse set of tissue-specific antigens (TSAs), which are presented and help tolerize self-reactive thymocytes. Interestingly, Aire has a highly tissue-restricted pattern of expression, with only mTECs and peripheral extrathymic Aire-expressing cells (eTACs) known to express detectable levels in adults. Despite this high level of tissue specificity, the cis-regulatory elements that control Aire expression have remained obscure. Here, we identify a highly conserved noncoding DNA element that is essential for Aire expression. This element shows enrichment of enhancer-associated histone marks in mTECs and also has characteristics of being an NF-κB-responsive element. Finally, we find that this element is essential for Aire expression in vivo and necessary to prevent spontaneous autoimmunity, reflecting the importance of this regulatory DNA element in promoting immune tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor N LaFlam
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Grégory Seumois
- La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Corey N Miller
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Wint Lwin
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Kayla J Fasano
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Michael Waterfield
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Irina Proekt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | | | - Mark S Anderson
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
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47
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Abstract
The autoimmune regulator (Aire) was initially identified as the gene causing multiorgan system autoimmunity in humans, and deletion of this gene in mice also resulted in organ-specific autoimmunity. Aire regulates the expression of tissue-specific antigens (TSAs) in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs), which play a critical role in the negative selection of autoreactive T cells and the generation of regulatory T cells. More recently, the role of Aire in the development of mTECs has helped elucidate its ability to present the spectrum of TSAs needed to prevent autoimmunity. Molecular characterization of the functional domains of Aire has revealed multiple binding partners that assist Aire's function in altering gene transcription and chromatin remodeling. These recent advances have further highlighted the importance of Aire in central tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Chan
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Mark S. Anderson
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
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48
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Kekäläinen E, Lehto MK, Smeds E, Pöntynen N, Pekkarinen PT, Ulmanen I, Miettinen A, Arstila TP. Lymphopenia-induced proliferation in the absence of functional Autoimmune regulator (Aire) induces colitis in mice. Immunol Lett 2015; 167:17-22. [PMID: 26112418 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2015.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2015] [Revised: 06/03/2015] [Accepted: 06/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) is caused by mutations in Autoimmune regulator (Aire), a transcriptional regulator of negative selection in thymus. However, Aire is also expressed in periphery, but the full range of Aire's peripheral function is unknown. Here, we transferred lymphocytes from wildtype donors into lymphopenic recipients with or without functional Aire. Following cell proliferation thus took place in Aire-sufficient or deficient environment. The wildtype lymphocytes hyperproliferated and induced disease in lymphopenic Aire(-/-) but not in Aire(+/+) recipients. The disease was characterized by diarrhea, inflammation, and colitis, and in some recipients pancreatitis, gastritis, and hepatitis was also found. Our results identify Aire as an important regulator of peripheral T cell homeostasis in gastrointestinal tissues. Given a suitable trigger the absence of peripheral Aire leads to dysregulated T cell proliferation and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliisa Kekäläinen
- Haartman Institute, Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Immunobiology Research Program, University of Helsinki, PB 21, Helsinki 00014, Finland.
| | - Maija-Katri Lehto
- Haartman Institute, Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Immunobiology Research Program, University of Helsinki, PB 21, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Eero Smeds
- Haartman Institute, Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Immunobiology Research Program, University of Helsinki, PB 21, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Nora Pöntynen
- National Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Molecular Medicine, Biomedicum, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Medical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pirkka T Pekkarinen
- Haartman Institute, Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Immunobiology Research Program, University of Helsinki, PB 21, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Ismo Ulmanen
- National Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Molecular Medicine, Biomedicum, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Aaro Miettinen
- HUSLAB Helsinki Central Hospital Laboratory, Division of Clinical Microbiology, Haartmaninkatu 3, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - T Petteri Arstila
- Haartman Institute, Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Immunobiology Research Program, University of Helsinki, PB 21, Helsinki 00014, Finland
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49
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Landegren N, Sharon D, Shum AK, Khan IS, Fasano KJ, Hallgren Å, Kampf C, Freyhult E, Ardesjö-Lundgren B, Alimohammadi M, Rathsman S, Ludvigsson JF, Lundh D, Motrich R, Rivero V, Fong L, Giwercman A, Gustafsson J, Perheentupa J, Husebye ES, Anderson MS, Snyder M, Kämpe O. Transglutaminase 4 as a prostate autoantigen in male subfertility. Sci Transl Med 2015; 7:292ra101. [PMID: 26084804 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaa9186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS1), a monogenic disorder caused by AIRE gene mutations, features multiple autoimmune disease components. Infertility is common in both males and females with APS1. Although female infertility can be explained by autoimmune ovarian failure, the mechanisms underlying male infertility have remained poorly understood. We performed a proteome-wide autoantibody screen in APS1 patient sera to assess the autoimmune response against the male reproductive organs. By screening human protein arrays with male and female patient sera and by selecting for gender-imbalanced autoantibody signals, we identified transglutaminase 4 (TGM4) as a male-specific autoantigen. Notably, TGM4 is a prostatic secretory molecule with critical role in male reproduction. TGM4 autoantibodies were detected in most of the adult male APS1 patients but were absent in all the young males. Consecutive serum samples further revealed that TGM4 autoantibodies first presented during pubertal age and subsequent to prostate maturation. We assessed the animal model for APS1, the Aire-deficient mouse, and found spontaneous development of TGM4 autoantibodies specifically in males. Aire-deficient mice failed to present TGM4 in the thymus, consistent with a defect in central tolerance for TGM4. In the mouse, we further link TGM4 immunity with a destructive prostatitis and compromised secretion of TGM4. Collectively, our findings in APS1 patients and Aire-deficient mice reveal prostate autoimmunity as a major manifestation of APS1 with potential role in male subfertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Landegren
- Department of Medicine (Solna), Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE 171 76, Sweden. Department of Medical Sciences, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala SE 751 85, Sweden.
| | - Donald Sharon
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford 94305, CA, USA. Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Anthony K Shum
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Imran S Khan
- Diabetes Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Kayla J Fasano
- Diabetes Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Åsa Hallgren
- Department of Medicine (Solna), Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE 171 76, Sweden. Department of Medical Sciences, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala SE 751 85, Sweden
| | - Caroline Kampf
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala SE 751 85, Sweden
| | - Eva Freyhult
- Cancer Pharmacology and Computational Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, Bioinformatics Infrastructure for Life Sciences, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala SE 751 85, Sweden
| | - Brita Ardesjö-Lundgren
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala SE 750 07, Sweden
| | - Mohammad Alimohammadi
- Department of Medicine (Solna), Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE 171 76, Sweden. Department of Medical Sciences, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala SE 751 85, Sweden. Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala SE 751 85, Sweden
| | - Sandra Rathsman
- Department of Laboratory Medicine/Microbiology, Örebro University Hospital, Örebro SE 701 85, Sweden
| | - Jonas F Ludvigsson
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE 171 76, Sweden
| | - Dan Lundh
- School of Bioscience, University of Skövde, Skövde SE 541 28, Sweden
| | - Ruben Motrich
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Virginia Rivero
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Lawrence Fong
- University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA
| | - Aleksander Giwercman
- Molecular Reproduction Research, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, Malmö SE 205 02, Sweden
| | - Jan Gustafsson
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala SE 751 85, Sweden
| | - Jaakko Perheentupa
- The Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00029, Finland
| | - Eystein S Husebye
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, and Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen 5020, Norway
| | - Mark S Anderson
- Diabetes Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Michael Snyder
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford 94305, CA, USA
| | - Olle Kämpe
- Department of Medicine (Solna), Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE 171 76, Sweden. Department of Medical Sciences, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala SE 751 85, Sweden
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50
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Niemi HJ, Laakso S, Salminen JT, Arstila TP, Tuulasvaara A. A normal T cell receptor beta CDR3 length distribution in patients with APECED. Cell Immunol 2015; 295:99-104. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2015.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2014] [Revised: 02/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/13/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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