Gamma delta-T cells are critical for survival and early proinflammatory cytokine gene expression during murine Klebsiella pneumonia

In vivo single-cell high-dimensional mass cytometry analysis to track the interactions between Klebsiella pneumoniae and myeloid cells

In vivo single-cell approaches have transformed our understanding of the immune populations in tissues. Mass cytometry (CyTOF), that combines the resolution of mass spectrometry with the ability to conduct multiplexed measurements of cell molecules at the single cell resolution, has enabled to resolve the diversity of immune cell subsets, and their heterogeneous functionality. Here we assess the feasibility of taking CyTOF one step further to immuno profile cells while tracking their interactions with bacteria, a method we term Bac-CyTOF. We focus on the pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae interrogating the pneumonia mouse model. Using Bac-CyTOF, we unveil the atlas of immune cells of mice infected with a K. pneumoniae hypervirulent strain. The atlas is characterized by a decrease in the populations of alveolar and monocyte-derived macrophages. Conversely, neutrophils, and inflammatory monocytes are characterized by an increase in the subpopulations expressing markers of less active cells such as the immune checkpoint PD-L1. These are the cells infected. We show that the type VI secretion system (T6SS) contributes to shape the lung immune landscape. The T6SS governs the interaction with monocytes/macrophages by shifting Klebsiella from alveolar macrophages to interstitial macrophages and limiting the infection of inflammatory monocytes. The lack of T6SS results in an increase of cells expressing markers of active cells, and a decrease in the subpopulations expressing PD-L1. By probing Klebsiella, and Acinetobacter baumannii strains with limited ability to survive in vivo, we uncover that a heightened recruitment of neutrophils, and relative high levels of alveolar macrophages and eosinophils and the recruitment of a characteristic subpopulation of neutrophils are features of mice clearing infections. We leverage Bac-CyTOF-generated knowledge platform to investigate the role of the DNA sensor STING in Klebsiella infections. sting-/- infected mice present features consistent with clearing the infection including the reduced levels of PD-L1. STING absence facilitates Klebsiella clearance.

Mammary γδ T cells promote IL-17A-mediated immunity against Staphylococcus aureus-induced mastitis in a microbiota-dependent manner

Mastitis, a common disease for female during lactation period that could cause a health risk for human or huge economic losses for animals, is mainly caused by S. aureus invasion. Here, we found that neutrophil recruitment via IL-17A-mediated signaling was required for host defense against S. aureus-induced mastitis in a mouse model. The rapid accumulation and activation of Vγ4+ γδ T cells in the early stage of infection triggered the IL-17A-mediated immune response. Interestingly, the accumulation and influence of γδT17 cells in host defense against S. aureus-induced mastitis in a commensal microbiota-dependent manner. Overall, this study, focusing on γδT17 cells, clarified innate immune response mechanisms against S. aureus-induced mastitis, and provided a specific response to target for future immunotherapies. Meanwhile, a link between commensal microbiota community and host defense to S. aureus mammary gland infection may unveil potential therapeutic strategies to combat these intractable infections.

Largemouth bass Rel exerts antiviral role against fish virus and regulates the expression of interleukin-10

Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)/Rel is a group of transcription factors that can be activated and regulates various aspects of innate and adaptive immune functions, which play a crucial role in mediating inflammatory responses. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a highly pleiotropic cytokine that has a central role in limiting the immune response to pathogens during infection and thereby alleviating damage to the host. This study aims to investigate the function of the Rel gene in virus infection and its regulatory effect on IL-10 in the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The ORF sequence of MsRel was 1941 bp, containing 646 amino acids with two conserved functional domains, including RHD and IPT domain. In healthy largemouth bass, the mRNA of MsRel was detected in all the tested tissues, including gill, liver, kidney, heart, spleen, intestine, stomach, skin, brain, fin and muscle. The expression of MsRel was induced by challenge with largemouth bass virus (LMBV) or red grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV), as well as treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or poly (I:C) in vivo. As evidenced by the detection of viral gene mRNA levels, the infectivity of LMBV and morphological cytopathic effect (CPE), we found that overexpression of MsRel inhibited the infection and replication of LMBV, suggesting its antiviral roles in fish. Besides, the promoter analysis was carried out to determine whether MsRel was a regulator of MsIL-10. The results of the luciferase reporter assay indicated that MsRel has a positive regulatory role in MsIL-10 expression. Further analysis revealed that the potential binding sites of MsIL-10 may be located in the MsIL10-5-M (-42 to +8 bp) region of the MsIL-10 promoter. Furthermore, we observed that MsRel enhanced IFN-I and IFN-III promoter activities. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that MsRel affect LMBV infection by regulating the immune responses, and providing a new idea of the mechanisms how Rel regulate the expression of IL-10 in bony fish.

Natural Antibodies Mediate Protection Against Acinetobacter baumannii Respiratory Infections

BACKGROUND

Acinetobacter baumannii causes a wide range of dangerous infections due to the emergence of pandrug-resistant strains. Therefore, there is a need for alternative therapeutics to treat these infections, including those targeting the host immune responses. However, immune responses, especially the humoral response against this pathogen, are poorly understood.

METHODS

This study investigated the lymphocyte-mediated innate immune resistance to A. baumannii AB5075 pulmonary infection using B- and T-cell-deficient (Rag2-/-) mice, the protective effect of natural antibodies (NAbs), and the expression of complement-mediated responses using a mouse pneumonia model.

RESULTS

Our results showed that intranasally infected Rag2-/- mice are impaired in clearing bacteria from lung, liver, and spleen at 24 hours postinfection compared to wildtype mice. Animal pretreatment with normal mouse serum or purified antibodies from naive mice rescued Rag2-/- mice from infection. Analysis of C3 complement protein binding demonstrated that NAbs increased C3 protein deposition on A. baumannii cells, indicating the activation of the classical complement pathway by NAbs.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, our study shows that NAbs mediate innate immune resistance against A. baumannii, a finding that may lead to the development of effective therapies against human infections caused by this antibiotic-resistant A. baumannii.

Gearing up for battle: Harnessing adaptive T cell immunity against gram-negative pneumonia

Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide and Gram-negative bacteria are a major cause of severe pneumonia. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, the rise of multidrug-resistant organisms and hypervirulent strains demonstrates that there will continue to be challenges with traditional treatment strategies using antibiotics. Hence, an alternative approach is to focus on the disease tolerance components that mediate immune resistance and enhance tissue resilience. Adaptive immunity plays a pivotal role in modulating these processes, thus affecting the incidence and severity of pneumonia. In this review, we focus on the adaptive T cell responses to pneumonia induced by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii. We highlight key factors in these responses that have potential for therapeutic targeting, as well as the gaps in current knowledge to be focused on in future work.

Therapeutic Targeting of Hypoxia-A2-Adenosinergic Pathway in COVID-19 Patients

The hypoxia-hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α-A2-adenosinergic pathway protects tissues from inflammatory damage during antipathogen immune responses. The elimination of this physiological tissue-protecting mechanism by supplemental oxygenation may contribute to the high mortality of oxygen-ventilated COVID-19 patients by exacerbating inflammatory lung damage. Restoration of this pathway with hypoxia-adenosinergic drugs may improve outcomes in these patients.

Vaccine protection by Cryptococcus neoformans Δsgl1 is mediated by γδ T cells via TLR2 signaling

We previously reported that administration of Cryptococcus neoformans Δsgl1 mutant vaccine, accumulating sterylglucosides (SGs) and having normal capsule (GXM), protects mice from a subsequent infection even during CD4⁺ T cells deficiency, a condition commonly associated with cryptococcosis. Here, we studied the immune mechanism that confers host protection during CD4⁺T deficiency. Mice receiving Δsgl1 vaccine produce IFNγ and IL-17A during CD4⁺ T (or CD8⁺ T) deficiency, and protection was lost when either cytokine was neutralized. IFNγ and/or IL-17A are produced by γδ T cells, and mice lacking these cells are no longer protected. Interestingly, ex vivo γδ T cells are highly stimulated in producing IFNγ and/or IL-17A by Δsgl1 vaccine, but this production was significantly decreased when cells were incubated with C. neoformans Δcap59/Δsgl1 mutant, accumulating SGs but lacking GXM. GXM modulates toll-like receptors (TLRs), including TLR2. Importantly, neither Δsgl1 nor Δcap59/Δsgl1 stimulate IFNγ or IL-17A production by ex vivo γδ T cells from TLR2^-/- mice. Finally, TLR2^-/- animals do not produce IL-17A in response to Δsgl1 vaccine and were no longer protected from WT challenge. Our results suggest that SGs may act as adjuvants for GXM to stimulate γδ T cells in producing IFNγ and IL-17A via TLR2, a mechanism that is still preserved upon CD4⁺ T deficiency.

The value of lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in differentiating pneumonia from upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) in children: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUNDS

Early and accurate diagnosis of pediatric pneumonia in primary health care can reduce the chance of long-term respiratory diseases, related hospitalizations and mortality while lowering medical costs. The aim of this study was to assess the value of blood biomarkers, clinical symptoms and their combination in assisting discrimination of pneumonia from upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) in children.

METHODS

Both univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to build the pneumonia screening model based on a retrospective cohort, comprised of 5211 children (age ≤ 18 years). The electronic health records of the patients, who had inpatient admission or outpatient visits between February 15, 2012 to September 30, 2018, were extracted from the hospital information system of Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. The children who were diagnosed with pneumonia and URTI were enrolled and their clinical features and levels of blood biomarkers were compared. Using the area under the ROC curve, both two screening models were evaluated under 80% (training) versus 20% (test) cross-validation data split for their accuracy.

RESULTS

In the retrospective cohort, 2548 of 5211 children were diagnosed with the defined pneumonia. The univariate screening model reached predicted AUCs of 0.76 for lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR) and 0.71 for neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) when identified overall pneumonia from URTI, attaining the best performance among the biomarker candidates. In subgroup analysis, LMR and NLR attained AUCs of 0.80 and 0.86 to differentiate viral pneumonia from URTI, and AUCs of 0.77 and 0.71 to discriminate bacterial pneumonia from URTI respectively. After integrating LMR and NLR with three clinical symptoms of fever, cough and rhinorrhea, the multivariate screening model obtained increased predictive values, reaching validated AUCs of 0.84, 0.95 and 0.86 for distinguishing pneumonia, viral pneumonia and bacterial pneumonia from URTI respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that combining LMR and NLR with critical clinical characteristics reached promising accuracy in differentiating pneumonia from URTI, thus could be considered as a useful screening tool to assist the diagnosis of pneumonia, in particular, in community healthcare centers. Further researches could be conducted to evaluate the model's clinical utility and cost-effectiveness in primary care scenarios to facilitate pneumonia diagnosis, especially in rural settings.

Immune responses to bacterial lung infections and their implications for vaccination

The pulmonary immune system plays a vital role in protecting the delicate structures of gaseous exchange against invasion from bacterial pathogens. With antimicrobial resistance becoming an increasing concern, finding novel strategies to develop vaccines against bacterial lung diseases remains a top priority. In order to do so, a continued expansion of our understanding of the pulmonary immune response is warranted. Whilst some aspects are well characterised, emerging paradigms such as the importance of innate cells and inducible immune structures in mediating protection provide avenues of potential to rethink our approach to vaccine development. In this review, we aim to provide a broad overview of both the innate and adaptive immune mechanisms in place to protect the pulmonary tissue from invading bacterial organisms. We use specific examples from several infection models and human studies to depict the varying functions of the pulmonary immune system that may be manipulated in future vaccine development. Particular emphasis has been placed on emerging themes that are less reviewed and underappreciated in vaccine development studies.

Decreased Frequencies of Gamma/Delta T Cells Expressing Th1/Th17 Cytokine, Cytotoxic, and Immune Markers in Latent Tuberculosis-Diabetes/Pre-Diabetes Comorbidity

Antigen-specific gamma-delta (γδ) T cells are important in exhibiting anti-mycobacterial immunity, but their role in latent tuberculosis (LTB) with diabetes mellitus (DM) or pre-DM (PDM) and non-DM comorbidities have not been studied. Thus, we have studied the baseline, mycobacterial (PPD, WCL), and positive control antigen-stimulated γδ T cells expressing Th1 (IFNγ, TNFα, IL-2) and Th17 (IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22) cytokine as well as cytotoxic (perforin [PFN], granzyme [GZE B], granulysin [GNLSN]) and immune (GMCSF, PD-1, CD69) markers in LTB (DM, PDM, NDM) comorbidities by flow cytometry. In the unstimulated (UNS) condition, we did not observe any significant difference in the frequencies of γδ T cells expressing Th1 and Th17 cytokine, cytotoxic, and immune markers. In contrast, upon PPD antigen stimulation, the frequencies of γδ T cells expressing Th1 (IFNγ, TNFα) and Th17 (IL-17F, IL-22) cytokine, cytotoxic (PFN, GZE B, GNLSN), and immune (CD69) markers were significantly diminished in LTB DM and/or PDM individuals compared to LTB NDM individuals. Similarly, upon WCL antigen stimulation, the frequencies of γδ T cells expressing Th1 (TNFα) and Th17 (IL-17A, IL-22) cytokine, cytotoxic (PFN), and immune (PD-1, CD69) markers were significantly diminished in LTB DM and/or PDM individuals compared to LTB NDM individuals. Finally, upon P/I stimulation we did not observe any significant difference in the γδ T cell frequencies expressing cytokine, cytotoxic, and immune markers between the study populations. The culture supernatant levels of IFNγ, TNFα, and IL-17A cytokines were significantly increased in LTB DM and PDM after stimulation with Mtb antigens compared to LTB NDM individuals. Therefore, diminished γδ T cells expressing cytokine, cytotoxic, and other immune markers and elevated levels of cytokines in the supernatants is a characteristic feature of LTB PDM/DM co-morbidities.

Host Defense against Klebsiella pneumoniae Pneumonia Is Augmented by Lung-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a common cause of Gram-negative pneumonia. The spread of antibiotic-resistant and hypervirulent strains has made treatment more challenging. This study sought to determine the immunomodulatory, antibacterial, and therapeutic potential of purified murine stem cell Ag-1⁺ (Sca-1⁺) lung mesenchymal stem cells (LMSCs) using in vitro cell culture and an in vivo mouse model of pneumonia caused by K pneumoniae. Sca-1⁺ LMSCs are plastic adherent, possess colony-forming capacity, express mesenchymal stem cell markers, differentiate into osteogenic and adipogenic lineages in vitro, and exhibit a high proliferative capacity. Further, these Sca-1⁺ LMSCs are morphologically similar to fibroblasts but differ ultrastructurally. Moreover, Sca-1⁺ LMSCs have the capacity to inhibit LPS-induced secretion of inflammatory cytokines by bone marrow-derived macrophages and neutrophils in vitro. Sca-1⁺ LMSCs inhibit the growth of K pneumoniae more potently than do neutrophils. Sca-1⁺ LMSCs also possess the intrinsic ability to phagocytize and kill K. pneumoniae intracellularly. Whereas the induction of autophagy promotes bacterial replication, inhibition of autophagy enhances the intracellular clearance of K. pneumoniae in Sca-1⁺ LMSCs during the early time of infection. Adoptive transfer of Sca-1⁺ LMSCs in K. pneumoniae-infected mice improved survival, reduced inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, reduced inflammatory cytokine levels and pathological lesions in the lung, and enhanced bacterial clearance in the lung and in extrapulmonary organs. To our knowledge, these results together illustrate for the first time the protective role of LMSCs in bacterial pneumonia.

Regulation of Intestinal Inflammation by Dietary Fats

With the epidemic of human obesity, dietary fats have increasingly become a focal point of biomedical research. Epidemiological studies indicate that high-fat diets (HFDs), especially those rich in long-chain saturated fatty acids (e.g., Western Diet, National Health Examination survey; NHANES 'What We Eat in America' report) have multi-organ pro-inflammatory effects. Experimental studies have confirmed some of these disease associations, and have begun to elaborate mechanisms of disease induction. However, many of the observed effects from epidemiological studies appear to be an over-simplification of the mechanistic complexity that depends on dynamic interactions between the host, the particular fatty acid, and the rather personalized genetics and variability of the gut microbiota. Of interest, experimental studies have shown that certain saturated fats (e.g., lauric and myristic fatty acid-rich coconut oil) could exert the opposite effect; that is, desirable anti-inflammatory and protective mechanisms promoting gut health by unanticipated pathways. Owing to the experimental advantages of laboratory animals for the study of mechanisms under well-controlled dietary settings, we focus this review on the current understanding of how dietary fatty acids impact intestinal biology. We center this discussion on studies from mice and rats, with validation in cell culture systems or human studies. We provide a scoping overview of the most studied diseases mechanisms associated with the induction or prevention of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in rodent models relevant to Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis after feeding either high-fat diet (HFD) or feed containing specific fatty acid or other target dietary molecule. Finally, we provide a general outlook on areas that have been largely or scarcely studied, and assess the effects of HFDs on acute and chronic forms of intestinal inflammation.

Regulation of Pulmonary Bacterial Immunity by Follistatin-Like Protein 1

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a common cause of antibiotic-resistant pneumonia. Follistatin-like protein 1 (FSTL-1) is highly expressed in the lung and is critical for lung homeostasis. The role of FSTL-1 in immunity to bacterial pneumonia is unknown. Wild-type (WT) and FSTL-1 hypomorphic (Hypo) mice were infected with Klebsiella pneumoniae to determine infectious burden, immune cell abundance, and cytokine production. FSTL-1 Hypo/TCRδ^-/- and FSTL-1 Hypo/IL17ra^-/- were also generated to assess the role of γδT17 cells in this model. FSTL-1 Hypo mice had reduced K. pneumoniae lung burden compared with that of WT controls. FSTL-1 Hypo mice had increased Il17a/interleukin-17A (IL-17A) and IL-17-dependent cytokine expression. FSTL-1 Hypo lungs also had increased IL-17A⁺ and TCRγδ⁺ cells. FSTL-1 Hypo/TCRδ^-/- displayed a lung burden similar to that of FSTL-1 Hypo and reduced lung burden compared with the TCRδ^-/- controls. However, FSTL-1 Hypo/TCRδ^-/- mice had greater bacterial dissemination than FSTL-1 Hypo mice, suggesting that gamma delta T (γδT) cells are dispensable for FSTL-1 Hypo control of pulmonary infection but are required for dissemination control. Confusing these observations, FSTL-1 Hypo/TCRδ^-/- lungs had an increased percentage of IL-17A-producing cells compared with that of TCRδ^-/- mice. Removal of IL-17A signaling in the FSTL-1 Hypo mouse resulted in an increased lung burden. These findings identify a novel role for FSTL-1 in innate lung immunity to bacterial infection, suggesting that FSTL-1 influences type-17 pulmonary bacterial immunity.

γδ T cell migration: Separating trafficking from surveillance behaviors at barrier surfaces

γδ T cells are found in highest numbers at barrier surfaces throughout the body, including the skin, intestine, lung, gingiva, and uterus. Under homeostatic conditions, γδ T cells provide immune surveillance of the epidermis, intestinal, and oral mucosa, whereas the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in the dermis or lungs elicits a robust γδ17 response to clear the infection. Although T cell migration is most frequently defined in the context of trafficking, analysis of specific migratory behaviors of lymphocytes within the tissue microenvironment can provide valuable insight into their function. Intravital imaging and computational analyses have been used to define "search" behavior associated with conventional αβ T cells; however, based on the known role of γδ T cells as immune sentinels at barrier surfaces and their TCR-independent functions, we put forth the need to classify distinct migratory patterns that reflect the surveillance capacity of these unconventional lymphocytes. This review will focus on how γδ T cells traffic to various barrier surfaces and how recent investigation into their migratory behavior has provided unique insight into the contribution of γδ T cells to barrier immunity.

β2 Integrins differentially regulate γδ T cell subset thymic development and peripheral maintenance

The γδ T cells reside predominantly at barrier sites and play essential roles in immune protection against infection and cancer. Despite recent advances in the development of γδ T cell immunotherapy, our understanding of the basic biology of these cells, including how their numbers are regulated in vivo, remains poor. This is particularly true for tissue-resident γδ T cells. We have identified the β₂ family of integrins as regulators of γδ T cells. β₂-integrin-deficient mice displayed a striking increase in numbers of IL-17-producing Vγ6Vδ1⁺ γδ T cells in the lungs, uterus, and circulation. Thymic development of this population was normal. However, single-cell RNA sequencing revealed the enrichment of genes associated with T cell survival and proliferation specifically in β₂-integrin-deficient IL-17⁺ cells compared to their wild-type counterparts. Indeed, β₂-integrin-deficient Vγ6⁺ cells from the lungs showed reduced apoptosis ex vivo, suggesting that increased survival contributes to the accumulation of these cells in β₂-integrin-deficient tissues. Furthermore, our data revealed an unexpected role for β₂ integrins in promoting the thymic development of the IFNγ-producing CD27⁺ Vγ4⁺ γδ T cell subset. Together, our data reveal that β₂ integrins are important regulators of γδ T cell homeostasis, inhibiting the survival of IL-17-producing Vγ6Vδ1⁺ cells and promoting the thymic development of the IFNγ-producing Vγ4⁺ subset. Our study introduces unprecedented mechanisms of control for γδ T cell subsets.

Effector TH17 Cells Give Rise to Long-Lived TRM Cells that Are Essential for an Immediate Response against Bacterial Infection

Adaptive immunity provides life-long protection by generating central and effector memory T cells and the most recently described tissue resident memory T (T_RM) cells. However, the cellular origin of CD4 T_RM cells and their contribution to host defense remain elusive. Using IL-17A tracking-fate mouse models, we found that a significant fraction of lung CD4 T_RM cells derive from IL-17A-producing effector (T_H17) cells following immunization with heat-killed Klebsiella pneumonia (Kp). These exT_H17 T_RM cells are maintained in the lung by IL-7, produced by lymphatic endothelial cells. During a memory response, neither antibodies, γδ T cells, nor circulatory T cells are sufficient for the rapid host defense required to eliminate Kp. Conversely, using parabiosis and depletion studies, we demonstrated that exT_H17 T_RM cells play an important role in bacterial clearance. Thus, we delineate the origin and function of airway CD4 T_RM cells during bacterial infection, offering novel strategies for targeted vaccine design.

The Aging of γδ T Cells

In the coming decades, many developed countries in the world are expecting the “greying” of their populations. This phenomenon poses unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems. Aging is one of the most important risk factors for infections and a myriad of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. A common denominator that is implicated in these diseases is the immune system. The immune system consists of the innate and adaptive arms that complement each other to provide the host with a holistic defense system. While the diverse interactions between multiple arms of the immune system are necessary for its function, this complexity is amplified in the aging immune system as each immune cell type is affected differently—resulting in a conundrum that is especially difficult to target. Furthermore, certain cell types, such as γδ T cells, do not fit categorically into the arms of innate or adaptive immunity. In this review, we will first introduce the human γδ T cell family and its ligands before discussing parallels in mice. By covering the ontogeny and homeostasis of γδ T cells during their lifespan, we will better capture their evolution and responses to age-related stressors. Finally, we will identify knowledge gaps within these topics that can advance our understanding of the relationship between γδ T cells and aging, as well as age-related diseases such as cancer.

The role of the innate immune system on pulmonary infections

Inhalation is required for respiration and life in all vertebrates. This process is not without risk, as it potentially exposes the host to environmental pathogens with every breath. This makes the upper respiratory tract one of the most common routes of infection and one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. To combat this, the lung relies on the innate immune defenses. In contrast to the adaptive immune system, the innate immune system does not require sensitization, previous exposure or priming to attack foreign particles. In the lung, the innate immune response starts with the epithelial barrier and mucus production and is reinforced by phagocytic cells and T cells. These cells are vital for the production of cytokines, chemokines and anti-microbial peptides that are critical for clearance of infectious agents. In this review, we discuss all aspects of the innate immune response, with a special emphasis on ways to target aspects of the immune response to combat antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Klebsiella pneumoniae infection biology: living to counteract host defences

Klebsiella species cause a wide range of diseases including pneumonia, urinary tract infections (UTIs), bloodstream infections and sepsis. These infections are particularly a problem among neonates, elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Klebsiella is also responsible for a significant number of community-acquired infections. A defining feature of these infections is their morbidity and mortality, and the Klebsiella strains associated with them are considered hypervirulent. The increasing isolation of multidrug-resistant strains has significantly narrowed, or in some settings completely removed, the therapeutic options for the treatment of Klebsiella infections. Not surprisingly, this pathogen has then been singled out as an 'urgent threat to human health' by several organisations. This review summarises the tremendous progress that has been made to uncover the sophisticated immune evasion strategies of K. pneumoniae. The co-evolution of Klebsiella in response to the challenge of an activated immune has made Klebsiella a formidable pathogen exploiting stealth strategies and actively suppressing innate immune defences to overcome host responses to survive in the tissues. A better understanding of Klebsiella immune evasion strategies in the context of the host-pathogen interactions is pivotal to develop new therapeutics, which can be based on antagonising the anti-immune strategies of this pathogen.

Integrative Physiology of Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a type of acute lower respiratory infection that is common and severe. The outcome of lower respiratory infection is determined by the degrees to which immunity is protective and inflammation is damaging. Intercellular and interorgan signaling networks coordinate these actions to fight infection and protect the tissue. Cells residing in the lung initiate and steer these responses, with additional immunity effectors recruited from the bloodstream. Responses of extrapulmonary tissues, including the liver, bone marrow, and others, are essential to resistance and resilience. Responses in the lung and extrapulmonary organs can also be counterproductive and drive acute and chronic comorbidities after respiratory infection. This review discusses cell-specific and organ-specific roles in the integrated physiological response to acute lung infection, and the mechanisms by which intercellular and interorgan signaling contribute to host defense and healthy respiratory physiology or to acute lung injury, chronic pulmonary disease, and adverse extrapulmonary sequelae. Pneumonia should no longer be perceived as simply an acute infection of the lung. Pneumonia susceptibility reflects ongoing and poorly understood chronic conditions, and pneumonia results in diverse and often persistent deleterious consequences for multiple physiological systems.

Phenotypic Changes and Impaired Function of Peripheral γδ T Cells in Patients With Sepsis

INTRODUCTION

Recent studies demonstrated the significant loss of gamma delta T (γδ T) cells in patients with sepsis. Given the distinct functions of γδ T cells in human anti-infection immunity, we are interested in evaluating the phenotype and function of peripheral γδ T cells in septic patients and determining their prognostic implication.

METHOD

This prospective study has been conducted in three intensive care units of a university hospital. During the period from October 2014 to June 2015, we enrolled 107 patients who were consecutively admitted and diagnosed with severe sepsis or septic shock (excluding previous immunosuppression) and 45 healthy controls. Using flow cytometry, we analyzed the in vivo percentage of γδ T cells in cluster of differentiation (CD)3 cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells as well as their expression of surface markers (CD69, natural-killer group 2 member D [NKG2D], programmed death receptor 1 [PD-1]) and intracellular cytokines (interferon-γ [IFN-γ], interleukin [IL]-17, IL-10, transforming growth factor-β [TGF-β]). Then we further evaluated the different responses of γδ T cells after the antigen stimulation ex vivo by measuring CD69 and IFN-γ expression. Lastly, we conducted the multiple logistic regressions to analyze the risk factor for prognosis.

RESULTS

Compared with control group, γδ T cells in septic patients displayed a decrease in percentage, increase in CD69, decrease in NKG2D, and increase in cytokine expression (pro-inflammatory IFN-γ, IL-17, anti-inflammatory IL-10, TGF-β) in vivo. After the antigen stimulation ex vivo, both CD69 and IFN-γ expression in γδ T cells were significantly lower in septic patients than control group. Importantly, the decrease in CD69 and IFN-γ expression was more pronounced in non-survivors than survivors. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that lower expression of IFN-γ after stimulation is a dependent risk factor that associated with patient 28-day death in septic patients (OR: 0.908 [95% CI: 0.853-0.966]).

CONCLUSION

Septic patients showed altered phenotype and function of γδ T cells. The impaired IFN-γ expression by γδ T cells after the antigen stimulation is associated with mortality in septic patients.

Vγ4+ T Cells: A Novel IL-17-Producing γδ T Subsets during the Early Phase of Chlamydial Airway Infection in Mice

Our previous studies showed that γδ T cells provided immune protection against Chlamydial muridarum (Cm), an obligate intracellular strain of chlamydia trachomatis, lung infection by producing abundant IL-17. In this study, we investigated the proliferation and activation of lung γδ T cell subsets, specifically the IL-17 and IFNγ production by them following Cm lung infection. Our results found that five γδ T cell subsets, Vγ1+ T, Vγ2+ T, Vγ4+ T, Vγ5+ T, and Vγ6+ T, expressed in lungs of naïve mice, while Cm lung infection mainly induced the proliferation and activation of Vγ4+ T cells at day 3 p.i., following Vγ1+ T cells at day 7 p.i. Cytokine detection showed that Cm lung infection induced IFNγ secretion firstly by Vγ4+ T cells at very early stage (day 3) and changed to Vγ1+ T cells at midstage (day 7). Furthermore, Vγ4+ T cell is the main γδ T cell subset that secretes IL-17 at the very early stage of Cm lung infection and Vγ1+ T cell did not secrete IL-17 during the infection. These findings provide in vivo evidence that Vγ4+T cells are the major IL-17 and IFNγ-producing γδ T cell subsets at the early period of Cm lung infection.

Obesogenic diet-induced gut barrier dysfunction and pathobiont expansion aggravate experimental colitis

Consumption of a typical Western diet is a risk factor for several disorders. Metabolic syndrome is the most common disease associated with intake of excess fat. However, the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease is also greater in subjects consuming a Western diet, although the mechanism of this phenomenon is not clearly understood. We examined the morphological and functional changes of the intestine, the first site contacting dietary fat, in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) inducing obesity. Paneth cell area and production of antimicrobial peptides by Paneth cells were decreased in HFD-fed mice. Goblet cell number and secretion of mucin by goblet cells were also decreased, while intestinal permeability was increased in HFD-fed mice. HFD-fed mice were more susceptible to experimental colitis, and exhibited severe colonic inflammation, accompanied by the expansion of selected pathobionts such as Atopobium sp. and Proteobacteria. Fecal microbiota transplantation transferred the susceptibility to DSS-colitis, and antibiotic treatment abrogated colitis progression. These data suggest that an experimental HFD-induced Paneth cell dysfunction and subsequent intestinal dysbiosis characterized by pathobiont expansion can be predisposing factors to the development of inflammatory bowel disease.

Anti-LPS antibodies protect against Klebsiella pneumoniae by empowering neutrophil-mediated clearance without neutralizing TLR4

Initial promising results with immune sera guided early human mAb approaches against Gram-negative sepsis to an LPS neutralization mechanism, but these efforts failed in human clinical trials. Emergence of multidrug resistance has renewed interest in pathogen-specific mAbs. We utilized a pair of antibodies targeting Klebsiella pneumoniae LPS, one that both neutralizes LPS/TLR4 signaling and mediates opsonophagocytic killing (OPK) (54H7) and one that only promotes OPK (KPE33), to better understand the contribution of each mechanism to mAb protection in an acutely lethal pneumonia model. Passive immunization 24 hours prior to infection with KPE33 protected against lethal infection significantly better than 54H7, while delivery of either mAb 1 hour after infection resulted in similar levels of protection. These data suggest that early neutralization of LPS-induced signaling limits protection afforded by these mAbs. LPS neutralization prevented increases in the numbers of γδT cells, a major producer of the antimicrobial cytokine IL-17A, the contribution of which was confirmed using il17a-knockout mice. We conclude that targeting LPS for OPK without LPS signaling neutralization has potential to combat Gram-negative infection by engaging host immune defenses, rather than inhibiting beneficial innate immune pathways.

IL17-Producing γδ T Cells May Enhance Humoral Immunity during Pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in Mice

The host acquired immune response, especially the humoral immunity, plays key roles in preventing bacterial pneumonia in the lung. Our previous research demonstrated that interleukin 17-producing γδ T cells (IL17-γδ T cells) have a protective effect on the early innate immune response during acute pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. However, whether IL17-γδ T cells also play a role in humoral immunity is unknown. In this study, an acute pulmonary P. aeruginosa infection model was established in wild-type and γδ TCR^−/− C57BL/6 mice. The expression of IL-17 on γδ T cells isolated from infected lung tissues increased rapidly and peaked at day 7 after acute infection with P. aeruginosa. Compared with wild-type infected mice, the levels of total immunoglobulins including IgA, IgG, and IgM in the serum and BALF were significantly decreased in γδ TCR^−/− mice, with the exception of IgM in the BALF. Moreover, CD69 expression in B cells from the lungs and spleen and the level of BAFF in the plasma were also decreased in γδ TCR^−/− mice. IL17-γδ T cell transfusion significantly improved the production of immunoglobulins, B cell activation and BAFF levels in γδ TCR^−/− mice compared with γδ TCR^−/− mice without transfusion; this effect was blocked when cells were pretreated with an IL-17 antibody. Together, these data demonstrate that IL17-γδ T cells are involved in CD19⁺ B cell activation and the production of immunoglobulins during acute pulmonary P. aeruginosa infection. Thus, we conclude that IL17-γδ T cells may facilitate the elimination of bacteria and improve survival through not only innate immunity but also humoral immunity.

Respective IL-17A production by γδ T and Th17 cells and its implication in host defense against chlamydial lung infection

The role of IL-17A is important in protection against lung infection with Chlamydiae, an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen. In this study, we explored the producers of IL-17A in chlamydial lung infection and specifically tested the role of major IL-17A producers in protective immunity. We found that γδT cells and Th17 cells are the major producers of IL-17A at the early and later stages of chlamydial infection, respectively. Depletion of γδT cells in vivo at the early postinfection (p.i.) stage, when most γδT cells produce IL-17A, failed to alter Th1 responses and bacterial clearance. In contrast, the blockade of IL-17A at the time when IL-17A was mainly produced by Th17 (day 7 p.i.) markedly reduced the Th1 response and increased chlamydial growth. The data suggest that the γδ T cell is the highest producer of IL-17A in the very early stages of infection, but the protection conferred by IL-17A is mainly mediated by Th17 cells. In addition, we found that depletion of γδ T cells reduced IL-1α production by dendritic cells, which was associated with a reduced Th17 response. This finding is helpful to understand the variable role of IL-17A in different infections and to develop preventive and therapeutic approaches against infectious diseases by targeting IL-17A.

Klebsiella pneumoniae: Going on the Offense with a Strong Defense

Klebsiella pneumoniae causes a wide range of infections, including pneumonias, urinary tract infections, bacteremias, and liver abscesses. Historically, K. pneumoniae has caused serious infection primarily in immunocompromised individuals, but the recent emergence and spread of hypervirulent strains have broadened the number of people susceptible to infections to include those who are healthy and immunosufficient. Furthermore, K. pneumoniae strains have become increasingly resistant to antibiotics, rendering infection by these strains very challenging to treat. The emergence of hypervirulent and antibiotic-resistant strains has driven a number of recent studies. Work has described the worldwide spread of one drug-resistant strain and a host defense axis, interleukin-17 (IL-17), that is important for controlling infection. Four factors, capsule, lipopolysaccharide, fimbriae, and siderophores, have been well studied and are important for virulence in at least one infection model. Several other factors have been less well characterized but are also important in at least one infection model. However, there is a significant amount of heterogeneity in K. pneumoniae strains, and not every factor plays the same critical role in all virulent Klebsiella strains. Recent studies have identified additional K. pneumoniae virulence factors and led to more insights about factors important for the growth of this pathogen at a variety of tissue sites. Many of these genes encode proteins that function in metabolism and the regulation of transcription. However, much work is left to be done in characterizing these newly discovered factors, understanding how infections differ between healthy and immunocompromised patients, and identifying attractive bacterial or host targets for treating these infections.

STAT6 Signaling Attenuates Interleukin-17-Producing γδ T Cells during Acute Klebsiella pneumoniae Infection

γδ T cells are prevalent at mucosal and epithelial surfaces and are a critical first line of defense against bacterial and fungal pathogens. γδ17 cells are a subset of γδ T cells which, in the presence of IL-23 and IL-1β, produce large quantities of interleukin-17A (IL-17A), a cytokine crucial to these cells' antibacterial and antifungal function. STAT6, an important transcription factor in Th2 differentiation and inhibition of Th1 differentiation, is expressed at high levels in the T cells of people with parasitic infections and asthma. Our group and others have shown that STAT6 attenuates IL-17A protein expression by CD4(+) T cells. By extension, we hypothesized that STAT6 activation also inhibits innate γδ17 cell cytokine secretion. We show here that γδ17 cells expressed the type I IL-4 receptor (IL-4R), and IL-4 increased STAT6 phosphorylation in γδ T cells. IL-4 inhibited γδ17 cell production of IL-17A. IL-4 also decreased γδ17 cell expression of IL-23R as well as Sgk1. To determine whether STAT6 signaling regulates γδ17 cell numbers in vivo, we used a model of Klebsiella pneumoniae in mice deficient in STAT6. We chose K. pneumoniae for our in vivo model, since K. pneumoniae increases IL-17A expression and γδ17 numbers. K. pneumoniae infection of STAT6 knockout mice resulted in a statistically significant increase in the number of γδ17 cells compared to that of wild-type mice. These studies are the first to demonstrate that γδ17 cells express the type I IL-4R and that STAT6 signaling negatively regulates γδ17 cells, a cell population that plays a front-line role in mucosal immunity.

Innate Immune Signaling Activated by MDR Bacteria in the Airway

Health care-associated bacterial pneumonias due to multiple-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens are an important public health problem and are major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In addition to antimicrobial resistance, these organisms have adapted to the milieu of the human airway and have acquired resistance to the innate immune clearance mechanisms that normally prevent pneumonia. Given the limited efficacy of antibiotics, bacterial clearance from the airway requires an effective immune response. Understanding how specific airway pathogens initiate and regulate innate immune signaling, and whether this response is excessive, leading to host-induced pathology may guide future immunomodulatory therapy. We will focus on three of the most important causes of health care-associated pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and review the mechanisms through which an inappropriate or damaging innate immune response is stimulated, as well as describe how airway pathogens cause persistent infection by evading immune activation.

γδ T Cells Are Required for M2 Macrophage Polarization and Resolution of Ozone-Induced Pulmonary Inflammation in Mice

We examined the role of γδ T cells in the induction of alternatively activated M2 macrophages and the resolution of inflammation after ozone exposure. Wildtype (WT) mice and mice deficient in γδ T cells (TCRδ^-/- mice) were exposed to air or to ozone (0.3 ppm for up to 72h) and euthanized immediately or 1, 3, or 5 days after cessation of exposure. In WT mice, M2 macrophages accumulated in the lungs over the course of ozone exposure. Pulmonary mRNA abundance of the M2 genes, Arg1, Retnla, and Clec10a, also increased after ozone. In contrast, no evidence of M2 polarization was observed in TCRδ^-/- mice. WT but not TCRδ^-/- mice expressed the M2c polarizing cytokine, IL-17A, after ozone exposure and WT mice treated with an IL-17A neutralizing antibody exhibited attenuated ozone-induced M2 gene expression. In WT mice, ozone-induced increases in bronchoalveolar lavage neutrophils and macrophages resolved quickly after cessation of ozone exposure returning to air exposed levels within 3 days. However, lack of M2 macrophages in TCRδ^-/- mice was associated with delayed clearance of inflammatory cells after cessation of ozone and increased accumulation of apoptotic macrophages in the lungs. Delayed restoration of normal lung architecture was also observed in TCRδ^-/- mice. In summary, our data indicate that γδ T cells are required for the resolution of ozone-induced inflammation, likely because γδ T cells, through their secretion of IL-17A, contribute to changes in macrophage polarization that promote clearance of apoptotic cells.

Unexpected Role for Adaptive αβTh17 Cells in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a devastating disorder characterized by increased alveolar permeability with no effective treatment beyond supportive care. Current mechanisms underlying ARDS focus on alveolar endothelial and epithelial injury caused by products of innate immune cells and platelets. However, the role of adaptive immune cells in ARDS remains largely unknown. In this study, we report that expansion of Ag-specific αβTh17 cells contributes to ARDS by local secretion of IL-17A, which in turn directly increases alveolar epithelial permeability. Mice with a highly restrictive defect in Ag-specific αβTh17 cells were protected from experimental ARDS induced by a single dose of endotracheal LPS. Loss of IL-17 receptor C or Ab blockade of IL-17A was similarly protective, further suggesting that IL-17A released by these cells was responsible for this effect. LPS induced a rapid and specific clonal expansion of αβTh17 cells in the lung, as determined by deep sequencing of the hypervariable CD3RβVJ region of the TCR. Our findings could be relevant to ARDS in humans, because we found significant elevation of IL-17A in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with ARDS, and rIL-17A directly increased permeability across cultured human alveolar epithelial monolayers. These results reveal a previously unexpected role for adaptive immune responses that increase alveolar permeability in ARDS and suggest that αβTh17 cells and IL-17A could be novel therapeutic targets for this currently untreatable disease.

Origins of γδ T cell effector subsets: a riddle wrapped in an enigma

αβ and γδ T cells are thought to arise from a common precursor in the thymus but play distinct roles in pathogen resistance. Although conventional αβ T cells exit the thymus in a naive state and acquire effector function in the periphery, the effector fate of many γδ T cells is specified in the thymus and exhibits limited plasticity thereafter. This review describes the current models that have been proposed to explain the acquisition of effector fate by γδ T cells, as well as the apparent linkage to Vγ gene usage. The two predominant models are the predetermination model, which suggests that effector fate is determined prior to TCR expression, perhaps in association with the developmental timing of Vγ rearrangement, and the TCR-dependence model, which proposes that the nature of the TCR signal, particularly its intensity or duration, plays an important role in influencing effector fate.

Innate receptors and cellular defense against pulmonary infections

In the United States, lung infections consistently rank in the top 10 leading causes of death, accounting for >50,000 deaths annually. Moreover, >140,000 deaths occur annually as a result of chronic lung diseases, some of which may be complicated by an infectious process. The lung is constantly exposed to the environment and is susceptible to infectious complications caused by bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic pathogens. Indeed, we are continually faced with the threat of morbidity and mortality associated with annual influenza virus infections, new respiratory viruses (e.g., SARS-CoV), and lung infections caused by antibiotic-resistant "ESKAPE pathogens" (three of which target the lung). This review highlights innate immune receptors and cell types that function to protect against infectious challenges to the respiratory system yet also may be associated with exacerbations in chronic lung diseases.

T-cell subpopulations αβ and γδ in cord blood of very preterm infants: the influence of intrauterine infection

Preterm infants are very susceptible to infections. Immune response mechanisms in this group of patients and factors that influence cord blood mononuclear cell populations remain poorly understood and are considered insufficient. However, competent immune functions of the cord blood mononuclear cells are also described. The aim of this work was to evaluate the T-cell population (CD3⁺) with its subpopulations bearing T-cell receptor (TCR) αβ or TCR γδ in the cord blood of preterm infants born before 32 weeks of gestation by mothers with or without an intrauterine infection. Being a pilot study, it also aimed at feasibility check and assessment of an expected effect size. The cord blood samples of 46 infants age were subjected to direct immunofluorescent staining with monoclonal antibodies and then analyzed by flow cytometry. The percentage of CD3⁺ cells in neonates born by mothers with diagnosis of intrauterine infection was significantly lower than in neonates born by mothers without infection (p = 0.005; Mann–Whitney U test). The number of cells did not differ between groups. Infection present in the mother did not have an influence on the TCR αβ or TCR γδ subpopulations. Our study contributes to a better understanding of preterm infants’ immune mechanisms, and sets the stage for further investigations.

Epidermal barrier defects link atopic dermatitis with altered skin cancer susceptibility

Atopic dermatitis can result from loss of structural proteins in the outermost epidermal layers, leading to a defective epidermal barrier. To test whether this influences tumour formation, we chemically induced tumours in EPI−/− mice, which lack three barrier proteins—Envoplakin, Periplakin, and Involucrin. EPI−/− mice were highly resistant to developing benign tumours when treated with 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). The DMBA response was normal, but EPI−/− skin exhibited an exaggerated atopic response to TPA, characterised by abnormal epidermal differentiation, a complex immune infiltrate and elevated serum thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). The exacerbated TPA response could be normalised by blocking TSLP or the immunoreceptor NKG2D but not CD4+ T cells. We conclude that atopy is protective against skin cancer in our experimental model and that the mechanism involves keratinocytes communicating with cells of the immune system via signalling elements that normally protect against environmental assaults.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01888.001

Skin cancer is a common and growing problem—according to the World Health Organization, skin cancers account for one in every three cancers diagnosed world wide. There is some evidence from epidemiological studies that patients with certain allergies might be protected against cancer and, in particular, that the allergic skin condition atopic dermatitis is associated with reduced levels of various skin cancers. However, it is difficult to know if this reduction is due to the atopic dermatitis itself or to the drugs used to treat this allergy.

Genetically engineered mice that are lacking three proteins that are involved in the formation of the cornified envelope—the protective layer that replaces the normal plasma membrane in the cells of the outermost skin layers—can be used to study atopic dermatitis. These ‘triple knockout mice’ have a defective epidermal barrier and altered levels of immune T-cells in the skin.

Now Cipolat et al. have investigated whether defects in the epidermal barrier protect against skin cancer. Knockout mice and wild-type mice were treated with two chemicals: DMBA, which causes mutations in a gene called HRas, and TPA, which promotes the formation of tumours from cells that contain HRas mutations. After about 16 weeks almost all of the wild-type mice had at least one benign tumour, whereas half of the knockout mice had no tumours. Overall, the average number of benign tumours per mouse was six times higher in the wild-type mice. This shows that the mutations that cause the epidermal barrier defects in knockout mice also protect them against the tumours caused by the combined effects of DMBA and TPA.

Cipolat et al. then compared how the mice responded to DMBA or TPA alone. The knockout mice and the wild-type mice responded to DMBA in the same way; however, the knockout mice showed an exaggerated response to TPA, including a strong inflammatory reaction. This response comprised the production of higher levels of various proteins that are involved in communications between skin cells and the immune system. Cipolat et al. propose that the immune reaction caused by this exaggerated response could help to prevent tumour formation by eliminating tumour-forming cells in the skin.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01888.002

γδ T cells: first line of defense and beyond

γδ T cells, αβ T cells, and B cells are present together in all but the most primitive vertebrates, suggesting that each population contributes to host immune competence uniquely and that all three are necessary for maintaining immune competence. Functional and molecular analyses indicate that in infections, γδ T cells respond earlier than αβ T cells do and that they emerge late after pathogen numbers start to decline. Thus, these cells may be involved in both establishing and regulating the inflammatory response. Moreover, γδ T cells and αβ T cells are clearly distinct in their antigen recognition and activation requirements as well as in the development of their antigen-specific repertoire and effector function. These aspects allow γδ T cells to occupy unique temporal and functional niches in host immune defense. We review these and other advances in γδ T cell biology in the context of their being the major initial IL-17 producers in acute infection.

Role of IL-22 in microbial host defense

Interleukin (IL)-22 is a member of the IL-10 family of cytokines, which, besides IL-10, contains seven additional cytokines. Although the founding member IL-10 is an important immunoregulatory cytokine that represses both innate and adaptive immunity, the other family members preferentially target epithelial cells and enhance innate host defense mechanisms against various pathogens such as bacteria, yeast, and viruses. Based on their functions, the IL-10 family can be further divided into three subgroups, IL-10 itself, the IL-20 subfamily, and the IFNλ subfamily. IL-22 is the best-studied member of the IL-20 subfamily, and exemplifies the diverse biological effects of this subfamily. IL-22 elicits various innate immune responses from epithelial cells and is essential for host defense against several invading pathogens, including Citrobacter rodentium and Klebsiella pneumonia. IL-22 also protects tissue integrity and maintains the mucosal homeostasis. On the other hand, IL-22 is a proinflammatory cytokine with the capacity to amplify inflammatory responses, which might result in tissue damage, e.g., the IL-22-dependent necrosis of the small intestine during Toxoplasma gondii infection.

Ensuring animal welfare while meeting scientific aims using a murine pneumonia model of septic shock

With animal models, death as an intentional end point is ethically unacceptable. However, in the study of septic shock, death is still considered the only relevant end point. We defined eight humane end points into four stages of severity (from healthy to moribund) and used to design a clinically relevant scoring tool, termed "the mouse clinical assessment score for sepsis" (M-CASS). The M-CASS was used to enable a consistent approach to the assessment of disease severity. This allowed an ethical and objective assessment of disease after which euthanasia was performed, instead of worsening suffering. The M-CASS displayed a high internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.97) with a high level of agreement and an intraclass correlation coefficient equal to 0.91. The plasma levels of cytokines and markers of oxidative stress were all associated with the M-CASS score (Kruskal-Wallis test, P < 0.05). The M-CASS allows tracking of disease progression and animal welfare requirements.

Increased susceptibility to Klebsiella pneumonia and mortality in GSNOR-deficient mice

S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) is a key denitrosylase and critically important for protecting immune and other cells from nitrosative stress. Pharmacological inhibition of GSNOR is being actively pursued as a therapeutic approach to increase S-nitrosoglutathione levels for the treatment of asthma and cystic fibrosis. In the present study, we employed GSNOR-deficient (GSNOR(-/-)) mice to investigate whether inactivation of GSNOR may increase susceptibility to pulmonary infection by Klebsiella pneumoniae, a common cause of nosocomial pneumonia. We found that compared to wild-type mice, bacterial colony forming units 48 h after intranasal infection with K. pneumoniae were increased over 4-folds in lung and spleen and strikingly, over a 1000-folds in blood of GSNOR(-/-) mice. Lung injury was comparable between infected wild-type and GSNOR(-/-) mice, but inflammation and injury was significantly elevated in spleen of GSNOR(-/-) mice. Whereas all wild-type mice survived 48 h after infection, 10 of 23 GSNOR(-/-) mice died. Thus, GSNOR appears to play a crucial role in controlling pulmonary and systemic infection by K. pneumoniae. Our results suggest that patients treated in clinical trials with inhibitors of GSNOR should be carefully monitored for signs of infection.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor in innate T cell immunity

Recent studies highlight an important role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) at mucosal barriers. Surprisingly, activation of the AhR, required for the maintenance of lymphocytes as well as lymphoid architecture, can be achieved via cues derived from the external environment. This environment contains both beneficial and harmful microorganisms as well as a diverse array of compounds, and the epithelia must offer very sophisticated levels of defence. This is achieved via multifaceted immune recognition diversity and cellular complexity. Mucosal associated tissues, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract, constitute a complex immune organ for local lymphocytes and contain highly organised lymphoid structures. We will discuss the recent observations concerning the AhR in relation to the function and maintenance of innate T cells, with focus on γδ T cells found enriched at epithelial barriers.

T cell-mediated host immune defenses in the lung

Evidence has increasingly shown that the lungs are a major site of immune regulation. A robust and highly regulated immune response in the lung protects the host from pathogen infection, whereas an inefficient or deleterious response can lead to various pulmonary diseases. Many cell types, such as epithelial cells, dendritic cells, macrophages, neutrophils, eosinophils, and B and T lymphocytes, contribute to lung immunity. This review focuses on the recent advances in understanding how T lymphocytes mediate pulmonary host defenses against bacterial, viral, and fungal pathogens.

Mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns activate γδ T-cells

Gamma delta T-cells have been shown to be important in the early immunoinflammatory response to injury, which can be independent of infection. This sterile inflammatory response is believed to be, in part, associated with danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Mitochondrial DAMPs (MTDs) have been shown to be important in trauma-induced neutrophil activation, but it is unknown whether MTDs activate other innate immune cells, such as γδ T-cells. To study this, splenic CD3(+) γδ T-cells were isolated from αβ T-cell-deficient C57BL/6 mice and mitochondria isolated from wild type mouse livers. MTDs were isolated from mitochondria by sonication and centrifugation. Gamma delta T-cells were incubated with various concentrations of MTDs (0-500 µg/ml) for 24 h. T-cells were phenotyped for TLR expression by flow cytometry and the supernatants assayed for cytokine and growth factor content. MTDs caused a dose-dependent increase in TLR2 and TLR4 expression by γδ T-cells. Both the percentage of cells positive for TLRs and the degree of expression increased. MTDs also induced the production of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, RANTES, fibroblast growth factor-basic and vascular endothelial growth factor by γδ T-cells. These findings support the concept that the MTDs released after tissue/cellular injury are capable of activating γδ T-cells, thus initiating sterile inflammation, as well as subsequent healing processes.

Close link between development and function of gamma-delta T cells

Murine γδ T cells develop as the first T-cell lineage within the fetal thymus and disproportionately localize in mucosal tissues such as lung, skin, uterus, and intestine of adult mice. These unique developmental features and distribution patterns of γδ T cells enable rapid functioning against various insults from pathogens. γδ T cells are also able to respond to local inflammation and consequently regulate the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders and development of tumors in mice and humans. Hence, it is clinically important to understand the mechanisms that regulate γδ T cell functions. Recent evidence has shown that generations of effector γδ T cell subsets producing IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-17 are programmed in the murine thymus before their migration to peripheral tissues. This review outlines our current understanding of the development and function of γδ T cells as they influence both innate and acquired immunity.

Role of gamma-delta T cells in host response against Staphylococcus aureus-induced pneumonia

Background

Staphylococcus aureus is the major cause of hospital-acquired and community-acquired pneumonia. Host defense to S.aureus infection is largely mediated by the innate immune system. γδ T cells play an important role in innate immunity to many infectious diseases. However, less is known about the role of these cells during S.aureus-induced pneumonia. In this study, we examined the response and the role of γδ T cells to pulmonary S.aureus infection.

Results

Mice infected with S. aureus intranasally showed rapid γδ T cells accumulation in the lung. Deficiency of γδ T cells led to attenuated bacterial clearance and less tissue damage in lung compared with WT mice. Moreover, TCR-δ^−/− mice exhibited impaired neutrophil recruitment and reduced cytokine production at the site of infection. The γδ T cells in response to pulmonary S. aureus infection mainly secreted IL-17 and γδ T cells deficiency reduced IL-17 production, which might regulate the production of neutrophil-inducing cytokine/chemokine in the S. aureus-infected lungs.

Conclusions

Accumulation of γδ T cells in the lungs to S. aureus infection is beneficial for bacteria clearance and also contributes to the tissue damage. These cells were the primary source of IL-17, which might influence the recruitment of neutrophils at the early stage of infection.

Update on the immunological pathway of negative regulation in acute insults and sepsis

Sepsis with subsequent multiple organ dysfunction is a distinctly systemic inflammatory response to concealed or known infection and is a leading cause of death in intensive care units. In the initial stage of sepsis, a phase of immune activation can be evident, but a marked apoptosis-induced depletion of lymphocytes and a nonspecific anergy of immune function after severe trauma and burns might be responsible for the increased susceptibility of the host to subsequent septic complications. Recent studies indicated that negative regulation of immune function plays a pivotal role in the maintenance of peripheral homeostasis and regulation of immune responses; therefore, an understanding of the basic pathways might give rise to novel insights into the mechanisms of sepsis and immune homeostasis. This review is an attempt to provide a summary of the different pathways of negative regulation that are involved in the pathogenesis of sepsis, secondary to acute insults.

Marking and quantifying IL-17A-producing cells in vivo

Interleukin (IL)-17A plays an important role in host defense against a variety of pathogens and may also contribute to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. However, precise identification and quantification of the cells that produce this cytokine in vivo have not been performed. We generated novel IL-17A reporter mice to investigate expression of IL-17A during Klebsiella pneumoniae infection and during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, conditions previously demonstrated to potently induce IL-17A production. In both settings, the majority of IL-17A was produced by non-CD4(+) T cells, particularly γδ T cells, but also invariant NKT cells and other CD4(-)CD3ε(+) cells. As measured in dual-reporter mice, IFN-γ-producing Th1 cells greatly outnumbered IL-17A-producing Th17 cells throughout both challenges. Production of IL-17A by cells from unchallenged mice or by non-T cells under any condition was not evident. Administration of IL-1β and/or IL-23 elicited rapid production of IL-17A by γδ T cells, invariant NKT cells and other CD4(-)CD3ε(+) cells in vivo, demonstrating that these cells are poised for rapid cytokine production and likely comprise the major sources of this cytokine during acute immunologic challenges.

Transient TLR activation restores inflammatory response and ability to control pulmonary bacterial infection in germfree mice

Mammals are colonized by an astronomical number of commensal microorganisms on their environmental exposed surfaces. These symbiotic species build up a complex community that aids their hosts in several physiological activities. We have shown that lack of intestinal microbiota is accompanied by a state of active IL-10-mediated inflammatory hyporesponsiveness. The present study investigated whether the germfree state and its hyporesponsive phenotype alter host resistance to an infectious bacterial insult. Experiments performed in germfree mice infected with Klebsiella pneumoniae showed that these animals are drastically susceptible to bacterial infection in an IL-10-dependent manner. In germfree mice, IL-10 restrains proinflammatory mediator production and neutrophil recruitment and favors pathogen growth and dissemination. Germfree mice were resistant to LPS treatment. However, priming of these animals with several TLR agonists recovered their inflammatory responsiveness to sterile injury. LPS pretreatment also rendered germfree mice resistant to pulmonary K. pneumoniae infection, abrogated IL-10 production, and restored TNF-α and CXCL1 production and neutrophil mobilization into lungs of infected germfree mice. This effective inflammatory response mounted by LPS-treated germfree mice resulted in bacterial clearance and enhanced survival upon infection. Therefore, host colonization by indigenous microbiota alters the way the host reacts to environmental infectious stimuli, probably through activation of TLR-dependent pathways. Symbiotic gut colonization enables proper inflammatory response to harmful insults to the host, and increases resilience of the entire mammal-microbiota consortium to environmental pressures.

Murine and bovine γδ T cells enhance innate immunity against Brucella abortus infections

γδ T cells have been postulated to act as a first line of defense against infectious agents, particularly intracellular pathogens, representing an important link between the innate and adaptive immune responses. Human γδ T cells expand in the blood of brucellosis patients and are active against Brucella in vitro. However, the role of γδ T cells in vivo during experimental brucellosis has not been studied. Here we report TCRδ^−/− mice are more susceptible to B. abortus infection than C57BL/6 mice at one week post-infection as measured by splenic colonization and splenomegaly. An increase in TCRγδ cells was observed in the spleens of B. abortus-infected C57BL/6 mice, which peaked at two weeks post-infection and occurred concomitantly with diminished brucellae. γδ T cells were the major source of IL-17 following infection and also produced IFN-γ. Depletion of γδ T cells from C57BL/6, IL-17Rα^−/−, and GMCSF^−/− mice enhanced susceptibility to B. abortus infection although this susceptibility was unaltered in the mutant mice; however, when γδ T cells were depleted from IFN-γ^−/− mice, enhanced susceptibility was observed. Neutralization of γδ T cells in the absence of TNF-α did not further impair immunity. In the absence of TNF-α or γδ T cells, B. abortus-infected mice showed enhanced IFN-γ, suggesting that they augmented production to compensate for the loss of γδ T cells and/or TNF-α. While the protective role of γδ T cells was TNF-α-dependent, γδ T cells were not the major source of TNF-α and activation of γδ T cells following B. abortus infection was TNF-α-independent. Additionally, bovine TCRγδ cells were found to respond rapidly to B. abortus infection upon co-culture with autologous macrophages and could impair the intramacrophage replication of B. abortus via IFN-γ. Collectively, these results demonstrate γδ T cells are important for early protection to B. abortus infections.