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Chen X, Chen F, Jia S, Lu Q, Zhao M. Antigen-presenting fibroblasts: emerging players in immune modulation and therapeutic targets. Theranostics 2025; 15:3332-3344. [PMID: 40093895 PMCID: PMC11905139 DOI: 10.7150/thno.104900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2025] [Indexed: 03/19/2025] Open
Abstract
Antigen-presenting fibroblasts are a newly recognized subset that challenges the traditional view of these cells as mere structural components. Under pathological or environmental stimuli, fibroblasts acquire antigen-presenting capabilities through the expression of MHC-II molecules and co-stimulatory factors, enabling them to interact with T cells and modulate immune responses. These specialized fibroblasts have been identified across various tissues and diseases, where they play context-dependent roles, either amplifying immune dysregulation or contributing to immune homeostasis. This review synthesizes recent advances in understanding the origins, activation, and functions of antigen-presenting fibroblasts. It highlights their role in promoting pathogenic immune responses and offering therapeutic opportunities through targeted modulation. Advancing our understanding of antigen-presenting fibroblasts holds great promise for developing innovative approaches to immune modulation and therapy across a range of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyun Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China
| | - Fangqi Chen
- Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, 210042, China
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research on Immune-Mediated Skin Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Sujie Jia
- Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, 210042, China
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research on Immune-Mediated Skin Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Qianjin Lu
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China
- Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, 210042, China
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research on Immune-Mediated Skin Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Ming Zhao
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China
- Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, 210042, China
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research on Immune-Mediated Skin Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
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Honan AM, Jacobsen GE, Drum H, Vazquez EN, Quintero MA, Deshpande AR, Sussman DA, Kerman DH, Damas OM, Proksell S, Van der Jeught K, Abreu MT, Chen Z. Stromal-Like Cells Are Found in Peripheral Blood of Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Correlate With Immune Activation State. Clin Transl Gastroenterol 2024; 15:e1. [PMID: 38829958 PMCID: PMC11421714 DOI: 10.14309/ctg.0000000000000721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Recent studies have identified a critical role of stromal-immune cell interactions in immunity and immune tolerance. Transcriptomic profiling has implicated stromal cells in immune-mediated disorders including the 2 common forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn's disease (CD), and ulcerative colitis (UC). Stromal-immune interactions may edify inflammatory state and the development of IBD-related complications such as fibrosis, yet the lack of protein markers has hampered studying stromal-immune perturbation. METHODS In this study, we designed a 40-color spectral flow cytometry assay to characterize hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells in intestinal biopsies and matched blood samples from patients with CD or UC. RESULTS We identified circulating stromal-like cells that are significantly more abundant in IBD blood samples than in healthy controls. Those cells expressed podoplanin (PDPN), a commonly used marker for fibroblasts, and they were associated with activated and memory T and B cells and altered natural killer cell, monocyte, and macrophage populations. PDPN + cells in the blood correlated with PDPN + cells in the colon. Principal component analysis distinctly separated healthy blood samples from IBD blood samples, with stromal-like cells and B-cell subtypes dominating the IBD signature; Pearson correlation detected an association between PDPN + stromal-like cells and B-cell populations in IBD blood and gut biopsies. DISCUSSION These observations suggest that PDPN + cells in the blood may serve as a biomarker of IBD. Understanding the relationship between stromal cells and immune cells in the intestine and the blood may provide a window into disease pathogenesis and insight into therapeutic targets for IBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M. Honan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Gillian E. Jacobsen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Hannah Drum
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Emily N. Vazquez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Maria A. Quintero
- Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami-Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Amar R. Deshpande
- Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami-Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Daniel A. Sussman
- Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami-Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - David H. Kerman
- Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami-Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Oriana M. Damas
- Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami-Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Siobhan Proksell
- Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami-Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Kevin Van der Jeught
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Maria T. Abreu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami-Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Zhibin Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
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Chen Z, DiPaolo RJ. Editorial: Autoimmunity, Infection and Cancer, an Inflammatory Relationship With Intimate Implication to Cancer Prevention and Immunotherapy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:855191. [PMID: 35223861 PMCID: PMC8873587 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.855191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Zhibin Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Zhibin Chen, ; Richard J. DiPaolo,
| | - Richard J. DiPaolo
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
- *Correspondence: Zhibin Chen, ; Richard J. DiPaolo,
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