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Vivek S, Shen YS, Guan W, Onyeaghala G, Oyenuga M, Staley C, Karger AB, Prizment AE, Thyagarajan B. Association between Circulating T Cells and the Gut Microbiome in Healthy Individuals: Findings from a Pilot Study. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6831. [PMID: 38999941 PMCID: PMC11241708 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25136831] [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: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Though the microbiome's impact on immune system homeostasis is well documented, the effect of circulating T cells on the gut microbiome remains unexamined. We analyzed data from 50 healthy volunteers in a pilot trial of aspirin, using immunophenotyping and 16S rRNA sequencing to evaluate the effect of baseline T cells on microbiome changes over 6 weeks. We employed an unsupervised sparse canonical correlation analysis (sCCA) and used multivariable linear regression models to evaluate the association between selected T cell subsets and selected bacterial genera after adjusting for covariates. In the cross-sectional analysis, percentages of naïve CD4+ T cells were positively associated with a relative abundance of Intestinimonas, and the percentage of activated CD8+ T cells was inversely associated with Cellulosibacter. In the longitudinal analysis, the baseline percentages of naïve CD4+ T cells and activated CD4+ T cells were inversely associated with a 6-week change in the relative abundance of Clostridium_XlVb and Anaerovorax, respectively. The baseline percentage of terminal effector CD4+ T cells was positively associated with the change in Flavonifractor. Notably, the microbiome taxa associated with T cell subsets exclusively belonged to the Bacillota phylum. These findings can guide future experimental studies focusing on the role of T cells in impacting gut microbiome homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sithara Vivek
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, MMC 609, 420 Delaware Street, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - You Shan Shen
- Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Weihua Guan
- Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | | | - Mosunmoluwa Oyenuga
- Department of Internal Medicine, Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis, MN 55407, USA
| | - Christopher Staley
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Amy B Karger
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, MMC 609, 420 Delaware Street, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Anna E Prizment
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, MMC 609, 420 Delaware Street, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Bharat Thyagarajan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, MMC 609, 420 Delaware Street, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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Hawiger D. Emerging T cell immunoregulatory mechanisms in multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1350240. [PMID: 38435400 PMCID: PMC10904586 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1350240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases with considerable socioeconomic impacts but without definitive treatments. AD and MS have multifactorial pathogenesis resulting in complex cognitive and neurologic symptoms and growing evidence also indicates key functions of specific immune cells. Whereas relevant processes dependent on T cells have been elucidated in both AD and MS, mechanisms that can control such immune responses still remain elusive. Here, a brief overview of select recent findings clarifying immunomodulatory mechanisms specifically induced by tolerogenic dendritic cells to limit the activation and functions of neurodegenerative T cells is presented. These insights could become a foundation for new cutting-edge research as well as therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Hawiger
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
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Klaska IP, Yu T, Fordyce R, Kamoi K, Cornall RJ, Martin-Granados C, Kuffova L, Forrester JV. Targeted delivery of autoantigen to dendritic cells prevents development of spontaneous uveitis. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1227633. [PMID: 37727784 PMCID: PMC10505613 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1227633] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Restoration of immunological tolerance to self antigens has been a major drive in understanding the mechanisms of, and developing new treatments for, autoimmune and autoinflammatory disease. Sessile dendritic cells (DC) are considered the main instruments underpinning immunological tolerance particularly the CD205+ (DEC205+) cDC1 subset in contrast to DCIR2+ cDC2 which mediate immunogenicity. Targeting DC using autoantigen peptide-antibody fusion proteins has been a well explored methodology for inducing tolerance. Here we show that subcutaneous (s.c.) inoculation of hen-egg lysozyme (HEL)-DEC205 Ig fusion prevents the development of spontaneous uveoretinitis (experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis, EAU) in a transgenic mouse model generated by crossing interphotoreceptor retinol binding protein (IRBP)-HEL (sTg HEL) with HEL specific TCR (sTg TCR) mice. Prolonged suppression of EAU required injections of HEL-DEC205 Ig once weekly, reflecting the half life of s.c. DC. Interestingly, HEL-DCIR2 Ig also had a suppressive effect on development of EAU but less so than DEC205 Ig while it had minimal effect on preventing the retinal atrophy associated with EAU. In addition, HEL-DEC205 Ig was only effective when administered s.c. rather than systemically and had no effect on EAU induced by adoptive transfer of HEL-activated T cells. These data demonstrate the importance of systemic (lymph node) rather than local (eye) antigen presentation in the development of EAU as well as suggest a potential therapeutic approach to controlling sight-threatening immune-mediated uveitis provided relevant antigen(s) can be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabela P. Klaska
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Tian Yu
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Beijing, China
| | - Rosie Fordyce
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Koju Kamoi
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Richard J. Cornall
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Lucia Kuffova
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Eye Clinic, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - John V. Forrester
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
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Bourque J, Hawiger D. Activation, Amplification, and Ablation as Dynamic Mechanisms of Dendritic Cell Maturation. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12050716. [PMID: 37237529 DOI: 10.3390/biology12050716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
T cell responses to cognate antigens crucially depend on the specific functionality of dendritic cells (DCs) activated in a process referred to as maturation. Maturation was initially described as alterations of the functional status of DCs in direct response to multiple extrinsic innate signals derived from foreign organisms. More recent studies, conducted mainly in mice, revealed an intricate network of intrinsic signals dependent on cytokines and various immunomodulatory pathways facilitating communication between individual DCs and other cells for the orchestration of specific maturation outcomes. These signals selectively amplify the initial activation of DCs mediated by innate factors and dynamically shape DC functionalities by ablating DCs with specific functions. Here, we discuss the effects of the initial activation of DCs that crucially includes the production of cytokine intermediaries to collectively achieve amplification of the maturation process and further precise sculpting of the functional landscapes among DCs. By emphasizing the interconnectedness of the intracellular and intercellular mechanisms, we reveal activation, amplification, and ablation as the mechanistically integrated components of the DC maturation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Bourque
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Daniel Hawiger
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
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Bourque J, Hawiger D. Life and death of tolerogenic dendritic cells. Trends Immunol 2023; 44:110-118. [PMID: 36599743 PMCID: PMC9892261 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2022.12.006] [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: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
In contrast to conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) that are constantly exposed to microbial signals at anatomical barriers, cDCs in systemic lymphoid organs are sheltered from proinflammatory stimulation in the steady state but respond to inflammatory signals by gaining specific immune functions in a process referred to as maturation. Recent findings show that, during maturation, a population of systemic tolerogenic cDCs undergoes an acute tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)-mediated cell death, resulting in the loss of tolerance-inducing capacity. This tolerogenic cDC population is restored upon return to the homeostatic baseline. We propose that such a dynamic reshaping of cDC populations becomes the foundation of a novel framework for maintaining tolerance at the steady state while being conducive to unhampered initiation of immune responses under proinflammatory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Bourque
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Daniel Hawiger
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
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Li R, Li H, Yang X, Hu H, Liu P, Liu H. Crosstalk between dendritic cells and regulatory T cells: Protective effect and therapeutic potential in multiple sclerosis. Front Immunol 2022; 13:970508. [PMID: 36177043 PMCID: PMC9513370 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.970508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system related to autoimmunity and is characterized by demyelination, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration. Cell therapies mediated by dendritic cells (DCs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs) have gradually become accumulating focusing in MS, and the protective crosstalk mechanisms between DCs and Tregs provide the basis for the efficacy of treatment regimens. In MS and its animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, DCs communicate with Tregs to form immune synapses and complete a variety of complex interactions to counteract the unbalanced immune tolerance. Through different co-stimulatory/inhibitory molecules, cytokines, and metabolic enzymes, DCs regulate the proliferation, differentiation and function of Tregs. On the other hand, Tregs inhibit the mature state and antigen presentation ability of DCs, ultimately improving immune tolerance. In this review, we summarized the pivotal immune targets in the interaction between DCs and Tregs, and elucidated the protective mechanisms of DC-Treg cell crosstalk in MS, finally interpreted the complex cell interplay in the manner of inhibitory feedback loops to explore novel therapeutic directions for MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoyu Li
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Yang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Huiru Hu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Peidong Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Translational Medicine Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hongbo Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Translational Medicine Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Hongbo Liu,
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Bourque J, Kousnetsov R, Hawiger D. Roles of Hopx in the differentiation and functions of immune cells. Eur J Cell Biol 2022; 101:151242. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2022.151242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
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Iberg CA, Bourque J, Fallahee I, Son S, Hawiger D. TNF-α sculpts a maturation process in vivo by pruning tolerogenic dendritic cells. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110657. [PMID: 35417681 PMCID: PMC9113652 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It remains unclear how the pro-immunogenic maturation of conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) abrogates their tolerogenic functions. Here, we report that the loss of tolerogenic functions depends on the rapid death of BTLAhi cDC1s, which, in the steady state, are present in systemic peripheral lymphoid organs and promote tolerance that limits subsequent immune responses. A canonical inducer of maturation, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), initiates a burst of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) production and the resultant acute death of BTLAhi cDC1s mediated by tumor necrosis factor receptor 1. The ablation of these individual tolerogenic cDCs is amplified by TNF-α produced by neighboring cells. This loss of tolerogenic cDCs is transient, accentuating the restoration of homeostatic conditions through biological turnover of cDCs in vivo. Therefore, our results reveal that the abrogation of tolerogenic functions during an acute immunogenic maturation depends on an ablation of the tolerogenic cDC population, resulting in a dynamic remodeling of the cDC functional landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney A Iberg
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jessica Bourque
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ian Fallahee
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Sungho Son
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Daniel Hawiger
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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