Role of gamma-delta T cells in liver inflammation and fibrosis

Mechanistic Studies on the Role of IL-17/NLRP3 in Arsenic-Induced Activation of Hepatic Stellate Cells Through Hepatocyte Proptosis

Long-term exposure to arsenic, a prevalent environmental contaminant, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various hepatic conditions. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are central to the development of liver fibrosis. Recently, the involvement of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in hepatic pathologies has attracted significant research interest. Hepatocyte pyroptosis, a form of programmed cell death, is a critical factor in the occurrence of inflammation. The objective of this study was to investigate the specific roles of IL-17 and NLRP3 in the arsenic-induced activation of HSCs through hepatocyte pyroptosis. We pretreated MIHA cells with MCC950 (1 and 5 μM) and secukinumab (10 and 100 nM) for 4 h, then with NaAsO2 (25 μM) for 24 h at 37 °C under 5% CO2. After incubation, the cell-culture supernatant was collected and mixed with serum-free high-glucose DMEM medium in a 1:1 ratio to prepare the conditioned medium, which was subsequently used for the culture of LX-2 cells. The results showed that exposure to NaAsO2 induced hepatocellular pyroptosis, which led to the release of the inflammatory cytokines IL-18 and IL-1β and subsequent activation of HSCs. Treatment with the inhibitors MCC950 and secukinumab significantly reduced the secretion of Extracellular matrix (ECM) components and attenuated HSC activation. These results demonstrate that blocking the IL-17 and NLRP3 signaling pathways significantly reduces HSC activation and attenuates hepatic fibrogenesis. These results provide novel molecular targets for the prevention and treatment of arsenic-related liver fibrosis.

High-dimensional tissue profiling of immune cell responses in chronic lung allograft dysfunction

PURPOSE

The immunological drivers of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD), the major barrier to long-term survival after lung transplantation, are poorly understood at a tissue level. Tissue imaging using mass spectrometry with laser ablation of regions of interest offers single-cell resolution of distinct immune cell populations and their spatial relationships and may improve our understanding of CLAD pathophysiology.

METHODS

Lung tissue from 23 lung transplant recipients, 20 with and 3 without CLAD, was sectioned and stained with a 40-plex antibody panel before 81 regions of interest from airways, blood vessels and lung parenchyma were laser ablated.

RESULTS

190,851 individual segmented cells across 41 mm2 tissue were captured before 26 distinct immune and structural cell populations were identified and interrogated across CLAD phenotypes. CLAD was associated with expansion of cytotoxic T cells, γδ T cells and plasma cells and M2 macrophage polarization compared with non-CLAD. Within CLAD, bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome was characterized by more γδ T cells and fewer Th1 cells than restrictive allograft syndrome. Both adaptive and innate immune cells were involved in the temporal evolution of fibrotic remodeling. Although fibrosis seemed to be partially associated with different factors in restrictive allograft syndrome (M2 macrophages, Th1 cells) and in bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (γδ T cells).

CONCLUSION

Imaging mass cytometry enables in-depth analyses of immune cell phenotypes in their local microenvironment. Using this approach, we identified major differences in cell populations in CLAD versus non-CLAD and in BOS versus RAS, with novel insights into the fibrotic progression of CLAD.

Diverse Subsets of γδT Cells and Their Specific Functions Across Liver Diseases

γδT cells, a distinct group of T lymphocytes, serve as a link between innate and adaptive immune responses. They are pivotal in the pathogenesis of various liver disorders, such as viral hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), alcoholic liver disease (ALD), liver fibrosis, autoimmune liver diseases, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite their importance, the functional diversity and regulatory mechanisms of γδT cells remain incompletely understood. Recent advances in high-throughput single-cell sequencing and spatial transcriptomics have revealed significant heterogeneity among γδT cell subsets, particularly Vδ1+ and Vδ2+, which exhibit distinct immunological roles. Vδ1+ T cells are mainly tissue-resident and contribute to tumor immunity and chronic inflammation, while Vδ2+ T cells, predominantly found in peripheral blood, play roles in systemic immune surveillance but may undergo dysfunction in chronic liver diseases. Additionally, γδT17 cells exacerbate inflammation in NAFLD and ALD, whereas IFN-γ-secreting γδT cells contribute to antiviral and antifibrotic responses. These discoveries have laid the foundation for the creation of innovative solutions. γδT cell-based immunotherapeutic approaches, such as adoptive cell transfer, immune checkpoint inhibition, and strategies targeting metabolic pathways. Future research should focus on harnessing γδT cells' therapeutic potential through targeted interventions, offering promising prospects for precision immunotherapy in liver diseases.

Investigation of the relationship of tissue-resident γδ T cells and IL-17 gene expression with the pathogenesis of autoimmune hepatitis

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic inflammatory liver disease. Elevated serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels, autoantibodies, and histopathological interface hepatitis are the hallmarks of AIH. Autoantibodies and pathological findings, clinical and biochemical features, typical immunoglobulin levels, and exclusion of other diseases are used to diagnose the condition. Gamma-delta (γδ) T cells are a unique population of unconventional T cells with γ and δ glycoprotein chains. γδ T cells have been shown to play a crucial role in autoimmune diseases by producing interleukin (IL)-17. However, its role in AIH remains to be further elucidated. In this study, we aimed to examine the role of γδ T cells and IL-17 in the pathogenesis of AIH, by working on biopsy samples. Paraffin blocks of 18 patients with type 1 AIH and 18 control liver tissues were analyzed. qRT-PCR assessed IL-17 gene expression. Immunofluorescence double staining of CD3+TCRγδ+ was performed to reveal tissue-resident γδ T cells' role in AIH. When comparing AIH to the control, there was a substantial increase in the ratio of CD3+TCRγδ+ cells in total inflammatory cells (p = 0.01). IL-17 gene expression was lowered in AIH when compared to the control (p = 0.01). This study provides evidence for the involvement of γδ T cells and IL-17 in the pathogenesis of AIH. The ratio of γδ T cells and IL-17 gene expression showed a significant difference in AIH suggesting a potential role for γδ T cells in driving liver inflammation in A fIH.

CXCL9, IL2RB, and SPP1, potential diagnostic biomarkers in the co-morbidity pattern of atherosclerosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a hepatocyte inflammation based on hepatocellular steatosis, yet there is no effective drug treatment. Atherosclerosis (AS) is caused by lipid deposition in the endothelium, which can lead to various cardiovascular diseases. NASH and AS share common risk factors, and NASH can also elevate the risk of AS, causing a higher morbidity and mortality rate for atherosclerotic heart disease. Therefore, timely detection and diagnosis of NASH and AS are particularly important. In this study, differential gene expression analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis were performed on the AS (GSE100927) and NASH (GSE89632) datasets to obtain common crosstalk genes, respectively. Then, candidate Hub genes were screened using four topological algorithms and externally validated in the GSE43292 and GSE63067 datasets to obtain Hub genes. Furthermore, immune infiltration analysis and gene set variation analysis were performed on the Hub genes to explore the underlying mechanisms. The DGIbd database was used to screen candidate drugs for AS and NASH. Finally, a NASH model was constructed using free fatty acid-induced human L02 cells, an AS model was constructed using lipopolysaccharide-induced HUVECs, and a co-morbidity model was constructed using L02 cells and HUVECs to verify Hub gene expression. The result showed that a total of 113 genes common to both AS and NASH were identified as crosstalk genes, and enrichment analysis indicated that these genes were mainly involved in the regulation of immune and metabolism-related pathways. 28 candidate Hub genes were screened according to four topological algorithms, and CXCL9, IL2RB, and SPP1 were identified as Hub genes after in vitro experiments and external dataset validation. The ROC curves and SVM modeling demonstrated the good diagnostic efficacy of these three Hub genes. In addition, the Hub genes are strongly associated with immune cell infiltration, especially macrophages and γ-δ T cell infiltration. Finally, five potential therapeutic drugs were identified. has-miR-185 and hsa-miR-335 were closely related to AS and NASH. This study demonstrates that CXCL9, IL2RB, and SPP1 may serve as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of the co-morbidity patterns of AS and NASH and as potential targets for drug therapy.

Innate-like T cells in liver disease

Mammalian innate-like T cells (ILTCs), including mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT), natural killer T (NKT), and γδ T cells, are abundant tissue-resident lymphocytes that have recently emerged as orchestrators of hepatic inflammation, tissue repair, and immune homeostasis. This review explores the involvement of different ILTC subsets in liver diseases. We explore the mechanisms underlying the pro- and anti-inflammatory effector functions of ILTCs in a context-dependent manner. We highlight latest findings regarding the dynamic interplay between ILTC functional subsets and other immune and parenchymal cells which may inform candidate immunomodulatory strategies to achieve improved clinical outcomes in liver diseases. We present new insights into how distinct gene expression programs in hepatic ILTCs are induced, maintained, and reprogrammed in a context- and disease stage-dependent manner.

Klotho exerts protection in chronic kidney disease associated with regulating inflammatory response and lipid metabolism

BACKGROUND

The anti-aging protein Klotho plays a protective role in kidney disease, but its potential as a biomarker for chronic kidney disease (CKD) is controversial. Additionally, the main pathways through which Klotho exerts its effects on CKD remain unclear. Therefore, we used bioinformatics and clinical data analysis to determine its role in CKD.

RESULTS

We analyzed the transcriptomic and clinical data from the Nephroseq v5 database and found that the Klotho gene was mainly expressed in the tubulointerstitium, and its expression was significantly positively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and negatively correlated with blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in CKD. We further found that Klotho gene expression was mainly negatively associated with inflammatory response and positively associated with lipid metabolism in CKD tubulointerstitium by analyzing two large sample-size CKD tubulointerstitial transcriptome datasets. By analyzing 10-year clinical data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2016, we also found that Klotho negatively correlated with inflammatory biomarkers and triglyceride and positively correlated with eGFR in the CKD population. Mediation analysis showed that Klotho could improve renal function in the general population by modulating the inflammatory response and lipid metabolism, while in the CKD population, it primarily manifested by mediating the inflammatory response. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis showed that the optimal concentration range for Klotho to exert its biological function was around 1000 pg/ml. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that lower cumulative hazards of all-cause mortality in participants with higher levels of Klotho. We also demonstrated that Klotho could reduce cellular inflammatory response and improve cellular lipid metabolism by establishing an in vitro model similar to CKD.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that Klotho exerts protection in CKD, which may be mainly related to the regulation of inflammatory response and lipid metabolism, and it can serve as a potential biomarker for CKD.

More time to kill: A longer liver stage increases T cell-mediated protection against pre-erythrocytic malaria

Liver stage (LS) Plasmodia mature in 2-2.5 days in rodents compared to 5-6 days in humans. Plasmodium-specific CD8+ T cell expansion differs across these varied timespans. To mimic the kinetics of CD8+ T cells of human Plasmodium infection, a two-dose challenge mouse model that achieved 4-5 days of LS antigen exposure was developed. In this model, mice were inoculated with a non-protective, low dose of late-arresting, genetically attenuated sporozoites to initiate T cell activation and then re-inoculated 2-3 days later with wild-type sporozoites. Vaccines that partially protected against traditional challenge completely protected against two-dose challenge. During the challenge period, CD8+ T cell frequencies increased in the livers of two-dose challenged mice but not in traditionally challenged mice, further suggesting that this model better recapitulates kinetics of CD8+ T cell expansion in humans during the P. falciparum LS. Vaccine development and antigen discovery efforts may be aided by using the two-dose challenge strategy.

The foreign body response: emerging cell types and considerations for targeted therapeutics

The foreign body response (FBR) remains a clinical challenge in the field of biomaterials due to its ability to elicit a chronic and sustained immune response. Modulating the immune response to materials is a modern paradigm in tissue engineering to enhance repair while limiting fibrous encapsulation and implant isolation. Though the classical mediators of the FBR are well-characterized, recent studies highlight that our understanding of the cell types that shape the FBR may be incomplete. In this review, we discuss the emerging role of T cells, stromal-immune cell interactions, and senescent cells in the biomaterial response, particularly to synthetic materials. We emphasize future studies that will deepen the field's understanding of these cell types in the FBR, with the goal of identifying therapeutic targets that will improve implant integration. Finally, we briefly review several considerations that may influence our understanding of the FBR in humans, including rodent models, aging, gut microbiota, and sex differences. A better understanding of the heterogeneous host cell response during the FBR can enable the design and development of immunomodulatory materials that favor healing.

Inhibition of γδ-TcR or IL17a Reduces T-Cell and Neutrophil Infiltration after Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Mouse Liver

Neutrophil and T-cell recruitment contribute to hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury. The initial inflammatory response is orchestrated by Kupffer cells and liver sinusoid endothelial cells. However, other cell types, including γδ-Τ cells, seem to be key mediators in further inflammatory cell recruitment and proinflammatory cytokine release, including IL17a. In this study, we used an in vivo model of partial hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) to investigate the role of the γδ-Τ-cell receptor (γδTcR) and the role of IL17a in the pathogenesis of liver injury. Forty C57BL6 mice were subjected to 60 min of ischemia followed by 6 h of reperfusion (RN 6339/2/2016). Pretreatment with either anti-γδΤcR antibodies or anti-IL17a antibodies resulted in a reduction in histological and biochemical markers of liver injury as well as neutrophil and T-cell infiltration, inflammatory cytokine production and the downregulation of c-Jun and NF-κΒ. Overall, neutralizing either γδTcR or IL17a seems to have a protective role in liver IRI.

Gamma Delta T Cells: Role in Immunotherapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The most typical type of liver cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) develops from hepatocyte loss. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), viral hepatitis C and cirrhosis are the leading causes of HCC. With the Hepatitis B vaccine and medicines, there are several treatments for HCC, including liver resection, ablation, transplantation, immunotherapy, gene therapy, radiation embolization, and targeted therapy. Currently, a wide range of studies are carried out on gene therapy to identify biomarkers and pathways, which help us identify the exact stage of the disorder and reduce its effects. γδT cells have recently received much interest as a potential cancer treatment method in adaptive immunotherapy. γδT cells can quickly form connections between receptor and ligand activation. They can clonally expand and are a significant source of cytokines and chemokines. The present review provides a comprehensive understanding on the function of γδT cells in immunotherapies and how they are used to treat HCC.

Innate immunity and early liver inflammation

The innate system constitutes a first-line defence mechanism against pathogens. 80% of the blood supply entering the human liver arrives from the splanchnic circulation through the portal vein, so it is constantly exposed to immunologically active substances and pathogens from the gastrointestinal tract. Rapid neutralization of pathogens and toxins is an essential function of the liver, but so too is avoidance of harmful and unnecessary immune reactions. This delicate balance of reactivity and tolerance is orchestrated by a diverse repertoire of hepatic immune cells. In particular, the human liver is enriched in many innate immune cell subsets, including Kupffer cells (KCs), innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) like Natural Killer (NK) cells and ILC-like unconventional T cells - namely Natural Killer T cells (NKT), γδ T cells and Mucosal-associated Invariant T cells (MAIT). These cells reside in the liver in a memory-effector state, so they respond quickly to trigger appropriate responses. The contribution of aberrant innate immunity to inflammatory liver diseases is now being better understood. In particular, we are beginning to understand how specific innate immune subsets trigger chronic liver inflammation, which ultimately results in hepatic fibrosis. In this review, we consider the roles of specific innate immune cell subsets in early inflammation in human liver disease.

IL-17A in Human Liver: Significant Source of Inflammation and Trigger of Liver Fibrosis Initiation

IL-17A is considered to guide liver inflammation and fibrosis. From twenty-two human liver samples of different fibrosis stages (F0 to F4), IL-17A, IL-22, and TGFβ1 protein expression in liver tissue lysates were analyzed. Ten paired samples of liver tissue (F0–F1 stage) and blood from the same patient were used to analyze intrahepatic and blood T-lymphoid IL-17A⁺ cells by flow cytometry. The analyses have been performed regardless of pathology, considering the stage of fibrosis. Human liver tissue was used for the primary human liver slice cultures, followed by subsequent cytokine stimulation and fibrotic markers’ analysis by ELISA. IL-17A production in human liver tissue was significantly higher in the early fibrotic stage compared with the advanced stage. Th17 T cells and, to a lesser extent, MAIT cells were the main sources of IL-17A in both compartments, the liver and the blood. Moreover, the presence of liver Th17IL-17A⁺INFγ⁺ cells was detected in the liver. IL-17A stimulation of human liver slice culture increased the expression of profibrotic and pro-inflammatory markers. IL-17A, secreted by Th17 and MAIT cells in the liver, triggered fibrosis by inducing the expression of IL-6 and profibrotic markers and could be a target for antifibrotic treatment. Further amplitude studies are needed to confirm the current results.

Single cell transcriptomics of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) liver reveals cellular heterogeneity and immunological responses to challenge by Aeromonas salmonicida

The liver is a multitasking organ with essential functions for vertebrate health spanning metabolism and immunity. In contrast to mammals, our understanding of liver cellular heterogeneity and its role in regulating immunological status remains poorly defined in fishes. Addressing this knowledge gap, we generated a transcriptomic atlas of 47,432 nuclei isolated from the liver of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) contrasting control fish with those challenged with a pathogenic strain of Aeromonas salmonicida, a problematic bacterial pathogen in global aquaculture. We identified the major liver cell types and their sub-populations, revealing poor conservation of many hepatic cell marker genes utilized in mammals, while identifying novel heterogeneity within the hepatocyte, lymphoid, and myeloid lineages. This included polyploid hepatocytes, multiple T cell populations including γδ T cells, and candidate populations of monocytes/macrophages and dendritic cells. A dominant hepatocyte population radically remodeled its transcriptome following infection to activate the acute phase response and other defense functions, while repressing routine functions such as metabolism. These defense-specialized hepatocytes showed strong activation of genes controlling protein synthesis and secretion, presumably to support the release of acute phase proteins into circulation. The infection response further involved up-regulation of numerous genes in an immune-cell specific manner, reflecting functions in pathogen recognition and killing, antigen presentation, phagocytosis, regulation of inflammation, B cell differentiation and T cell activation. Overall, this study greatly enhances our understanding of the multifaceted role played by liver immune and non-immune cells in host defense and metabolic remodeling following infection and provides many novel cell-specific marker genes to empower future studies of this organ in fishes.

Inflammation and Fibrogenesis in MAFLD: Role of the Hepatic Immune System

Metabolic (dysfunction)-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is the definition recently proposed to better circumscribe the spectrum of conditions long known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that range from simple steatosis without inflammation to more advanced liver diseases. The progression of MAFLD, as well as other chronic liver diseases, toward cirrhosis, is driven by hepatic inflammation and fibrogenesis. The latter, result of a "chronic wound healing reaction," is a dynamic process, and the understanding of its underlying pathophysiological events has increased in recent years. Fibrosis progresses in a microenvironment where it takes part an interplay between fibrogenic cells and many other elements, including some cells of the immune system with an underexplored or still unclear role in liver diseases. Some therapeutic approaches, also acting on the immune system, have been probed over time to evaluate their ability to improve inflammation and fibrosis in NAFLD, but to date no drug has been approved to treat this condition. In this review, we will focus on the contribution of the liver immune system in the progression of NAFLD, and on therapies under study that aim to counter the immune substrate of the disease.

[Telomeropathies: A study of 15 cases]

INTRODUCTION

Telomeres are composed of a repeated sequence of double-stranded nucleotides TTAGGG and numerous proteins including the Shelterin complex. Their main role is to maintain the stability of the genome during cell replication through a mechanism of copying the repeted sequence by the telomerase complexe. All the diseases involving a deregulation of this complex are now grouped together under the term telomeropathies. They are difficult to diagnose and manage. Our objective was to describe the clinico-biological characteristics and treatments used, in patients affected by telomeropathies previously seen by an hematologist followed at the Lille University Hospital Center.

METHODS

This is a retrospective, single-center study carried out within the department of internal medicine-clinical immunology, Reference center for rare autoimmune and systemic diseases at Lille University Hospital Center between 2005 and 2020 including all patients followed for telomeropathy.

RESULTS

Probands and relatives were included. Fifteen patients were studied from 10 independant families. Sixty percent had an heterozygous TERC gene mutation. Sixty seven percent had haematological diseases including macrocytosis, anemia and/or thrombocytopenia, 20 % had a fibrotic hepatic disease, 27 % had a fibrotic pulmonary disease. Lymphocyte immunophenotyping showed a double negative T lymphocyte population with γδ TCR expression in 5 (33 %) patients. Forty-seven percent of the patients had not received any treatment. Twenty-seven percent were on androgen therapy. Twenty percent had received cyclosporine and 13 % anti-lymphocyte serum in the context of initial misdiagnosis.

CONCLUSION

It is important to be aware of the complexity of telomeropathies, a differential diagnosis of immune aplastic anemia, in order to optimize management and avoid inappropriate treatments. Allografting of hematopoietic stem cells is the only potentially curative treatment. Our analysis found particularities in immunophenotyping lymphocyte not previously described to our knowledge, whose physiopathological imputability remains to be demonstrated.

The Liver and the Hepatic Immune Response in Trypanosoma cruzi Infection, a Historical and Updated View

Chagas disease was described more than a century ago and, despite great efforts to understand the underlying mechanisms that lead to cardiac and digestive manifestations in chronic patients, much remains to be clarified. The disease is found beyond Latin America, including Japan, the USA, France, Spain, and Australia, and is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. Dr. Carlos Chagas described Chagas disease in 1909 in Brazil, and hepatomegaly was among the clinical signs observed. Currently, hepatomegaly is cited in most papers published which either study acutely infected patients or experimental models, and we know that the parasite can infect multiple cell types in the liver, especially Kupffer cells and dendritic cells. Moreover, liver damage is more pronounced in cases of oral infection, which is mainly found in the Amazon region. However, the importance of liver involvement, including the hepatic immune response, in disease progression does not receive much attention. In this review, we present the very first paper published approaching the liver's participation in the infection, as well as subsequent papers published in the last century, up to and including our recently published results. We propose that, after infection, activated peripheral T lymphocytes reach the liver and induce a shift to a pro-inflammatory ambient environment. Thus, there is an immunological integration and cooperation between peripheral and hepatic immunity, contributing to disease control.

Cross-talk between hepatic stellate cells and T lymphocytes in liver fibrosis

BACKGROUND

Fibrosis results from inflammation and healing following injury. The imbalance between extracellular matrix (ECM) secretion and degradation leads to the ECM accumulation and liver fibrosis. This process is regulated by immune cells. T lymphocytes, including alpha beta (αβ) T cells, which have adaptive immune functions, and gamma delta (γδ) T cells, which have innate immune functions, are considered regulators of liver fibrosis. This review aimed to present the current understanding of the cross-talk between T lymphocytes and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which are the key cells in liver fibrosis.

DATA SOURCES

The keywords "liver fibrosis", "immune", and "T cells" were used to retrieve articles published in PubMed database before January 31, 2020.

RESULTS

The ratio of CD8+ (suppressor) T cells to CD4+ (helper) T cells is significantly higher in the liver than in the peripheral blood. T cells secrete a series of cytokines and chemokines to regulate the inflammation in the liver and the activation of HSCs to influence the course of liver fibrosis. In addition, HSCs also regulate the differentiation and proliferation of T cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The cross-talk between T cells and HSCs regulates liver fibrosis progression. The elucidation of this communication process will help us to understand the pathological process of liver fibrosis.

Intratumoral γδ T-Cell Infiltrates, Chemokine (C-C Motif) Ligand 4/Chemokine (C-C Motif) Ligand 5 Protein Expression and Survival in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive malignancy which is often associated with a complex tumor microenvironment attributable to etiology-induced cellular inflammation. γδ T cells are known to detect and react to chronic inflammation, which is linked to cancer development, progression, and metastasis. Our recent genomic study revealed an increased infiltration of several immune cell types, including γδ T cells, in tumor microenvironments of a Thai HCC subtype associated with a good prognosis.

APPROACH AND RESULTS

Here, we quantified the amount of γδ T cells using a γδ T-cell-specific gene signature in 247 Chinese HCC patients. We also validated the γδ T-cell signature in American HCC patients. Additionally, such an association was only found in tumor transcriptomic data, but not in adjacent nontumor transcriptomic data, suggesting a selective enrichment of γδ T cells in the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, the γδ T-cell signature was positively correlated with the expression of natural killer cell receptor genes, such as NKG2D and cytolytic T-cell genes granzymes and perforin, suggesting a stronger T-cell-mediated cytotoxic activity. Furthermore, we found that the γδ T-cell-specific gene expression is positively correlated with the expression of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 4 (CCL4)/chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 (CCL5) and C-C chemokine receptor type 1 (CCR1)/C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5), the receptors for γδ T cells. We validated these results using immunohistochemical analysis of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor biopsies from 182 HCC patients. Moreover, we found evidence of CCL4/CCL5-mediated recruitment of γδ T cells both in vitro and in a murine orthotopic Hepa1-6 HCC model.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose that CCL4/CCL5 may interact with their receptor, CCR1/CCR5, which may facilitate the recruitment of γδ T cells from peripheral blood or peritumor regions to the tumor regions. Consequently, an increasing infiltration of γδ T cells in tumors may enhance antitumor immunity and improve patients' prognosis.

A review of physiological and cellular mechanisms underlying fibrotic postoperative adhesion

Postoperative adhesions (PA) are fibrotic tissues that are the most common driver of long-term morbidity after abdominal and pelvic surgery. The optimal drug or material to prevent adhesion formation has not yet been discovered. Comprehensive understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms of adhesion process stimulates the design of future anti-adhesive strategies. Recently, disruption of peritoneal mesothelial cells were suggested as the 'motor' of PA formation, followed by a cascade of events (coagulation, inflammation, fibrinolysis) and influx of various immune cells, ultimately leading to a fibrous exudate. We showed that a variety of immune cells were recruited into adhesive peritoneal tissues in patients with small bowel obstruction caused by PA. The interactions among various types of immune cells contribute to PA development following peritoneal trauma. Our review focuses on the specific role of different immune cells in cellular and humoral mechanisms underpinning adhesion development.

Setting the stage: The initial immune response to blood-stage parasites

Individuals growing up in malaria endemic areas gradually develop protection against clinical malaria and passive transfer experiments in humans have demonstrated that this protection is mediated in part by protective antibodies. However, neither the target antigens, specific effector mechanisms, nor the role of continual parasite exposure have been elucidated, which complicates vaccine development. Progress has been made in defining the innate signaling pathways activated by parasite components, including DNA, RNA, hemozoin, and phospholipids, which initiate the immune response and will be the focus of this review. The challenge that remains within the field is to understand the role of these early responses in the development of protective adaptive responses that clear iRBC and block merozoite invasion so that optimal vaccines and therapeutics may be produced.

Adults from Kisumu, Kenya have robust γδ T cell responses to Schistosoma mansoni, which are modulated by tuberculosis

Schistosoma mansoni (SM) is a parasitic helminth that infects over 200 million people and causes severe morbidity. It undergoes a multi-stage life cycle in human hosts and as such stimulates a stage-specific immune response. The human T cell response to SM is complex and varies throughout the life cycle of SM. Relative to the wealth of information regarding the immune response to SM eggs, little is known about the immune response to the adult worm. In addition, while a great deal of research has uncovered mechanisms by which co-infection with helminths modulates immunity to other pathogens, there is a paucity of data on the effect of pathogens on immunity to helminths. As such, we sought to characterize the breadth of the T cell response to SM and determine whether co-infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) modifies SM-specific T cell responses in a cohort of HIV-uninfected adults in Kisumu, Kenya. SM-infected individuals were categorized into three groups by Mtb infection status: active TB (TB), Interferon-γ Release Assay positive (IGRA+), and Interferon-γ Release Assay negative (IGRA-). U.S. adults that were seronegative for SM antibodies served as naïve controls. We utilized flow cytometry to characterize the T cell repertoire to SM egg and worm antigens. We found that T cells had significantly higher proliferation and cytokine production in response to worm antigen than to egg antigen. The T cell response to SM was dominated by γδ T cells that produced TNFα and IFNγ. Furthermore, we found that in individuals infected with Mtb, γδ T cells proliferated less in response to SM worm antigens and had higher IL-4 production compared to naïve controls. Together these data demonstrate that γδ T cells respond robustly to SM worm antigens and that Mtb infection modifies the γδ T cell response to SM.

Schistosomiasis, a disease caused by parasitic helminths including Schistosoma mansoni (SM), affects hundreds of millions of people globally. SM undergoes a complex life cycle within humans resulting in adult worm pairs that release eggs into the circulatory system. The human immune response to SM, especially to adult worms, is not well characterized. In addition, the impact of co-infections, which are common in SM endemic regions, on the immune response to SM is unknown. In this study, we first sought to characterize the T cell response to different stages of the SM life cycle. We next evaluated whether T cell responses to SM were altered in the setting of co-infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that causes tuberculosis. We determined that human T cell responses to SM adult worm antigen are more robust than to SM egg antigen. This response is dominated by a non-classical T cell subset of γδ T cells producing IFNγ and TNFα. Lastly, we found that the ability of γδ T cells to proliferate in response to SM worm was lower in individuals with tuberculosis compared to naïve controls. This study provides novel insights into the immune response to SM and how tuberculosis may impair SM immunity.

Immune surveillance of the liver by T cells

The liver is the target of several infectious, inflammatory, and neoplastic diseases, which affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide and cause an estimated death toll of more than 2 million people each year. Dysregulation of T cell responses has been implicated in the pathogenesis of these diseases; hence, it is critically important to understand the function and fate of T cells in the liver. Here, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on liver immune surveillance by conventional and invariant T cells and explore the complex cross-talk between immune cell subsets that determines the balance between hepatic immunity and tolerance.

γδ T cells in malaria: a double-edged sword

Malaria remains a devastating global health problem, resulting in many annual deaths due to the complications of severe malaria. However, in endemic regions, individuals can acquire ‘clinical immunity’ to malaria, characterized by a decrease in severe malaria episodes and an increase of asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infections. Recently, it has been reported that tolerance to ‘clinical malaria’ and reduced disease severity correlates with a decrease in the numbers of circulating Vγ9Vδ2 T cells, the major subset of γδ T cells in the human peripheral blood. This is particularly interesting as this population typically undergoes dramatic expansions during acute Plasmodium infections and was previously shown to play antiparasitic functions. Thus, regulated γδ T‐cell responses may be critical to balance immune protection with severe pathology, particularly as both seem to rely on the same pro‐inflammatory cytokines, most notably TNF and IFN‐γ. This has been clearly demonstrated in mouse models of experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) based on Plasmodium berghei ANKA infection. Furthermore, our recent studies suggest that the natural course of Plasmodium infection, mimicked in mice through mosquito bite or sporozoite inoculation, includes a major pathogenic component in ECM that depends on γδ T cells and IFN‐γ production in the asymptomatic liver stage, where parasite virulence is seemingly set and determines pathology in the subsequent blood stage. Here, we discuss these and other recent advances in our understanding of the complex—protective versus pathogenic—functions of γδ T cells in malaria.

Natural Self-Ligand Gamma Delta T Cell Receptors (γδTCRs) Insight: The Potential of Induced IgG

A γδ T cell acquires functional properties in response to the gamma delta T cell receptor γδTCR signal strength during its development in the thymus. The elucidation of the potential ligands of γδ T cell receptors are of extreme importance; however, they are still not understood. Here we revise the actual state of the art of candidates to exert the function of γδTCR ligands, and propose a theoretical contribution about new potential ligands of γδTCRs, based on biological and hypothetical pieces of evidence in the literature. In conclusion, we hypothetically suggest a possible role of induced antibodies according to the individual’s immune status, mainly of the IgG subclass, acting as γδTCR ligands. Considering that IgG production is involved in some essential immunotherapy protocols, and almost all vaccination protocols, our discussion opens a new and broad field to further exploration.

Antigen-Specific Immunotherapy for Treatment of Autoimmune Liver Diseases

The liver is a critical organ in controlling immune tolerance. In particular, it is now clear that targeting antigens for presentation by antigen presenting cells in the liver can induce immune tolerance to either autoantigens from the liver itself or tissues outside of the liver. Here we review immune mechanisms active within the liver that contribute both to the control of infectious diseases and tolerance to self-antigens. Despite its extraordinary capacity for tolerance induction, the liver remains a target organ for autoimmune diseases. In this review, we compare and contrast known autoimmune diseases of the liver. Currently patients tend to receive strong immunosuppressive treatments and, in many cases, these treatments are associated with deleterious side effects, including a significantly higher risk of infection and associated health complications. We propose that, in future, antigen-specific immunotherapies are adopted for treatment of liver autoimmune diseases in order to avoid such adverse effects. We describe various therapeutic approaches that either are in or close to the clinic, highlight their mechanism of action and assess their suitability for treatment of autoimmune liver diseases.

Role of γδT cells in liver diseases and its relationship with intestinal microbiota

γδT cells are unconventional T lymphocytes that bridge innate and adaptive immunity. Based on the composition of T cell receptor and the cytokines produced, γδT cells can be divided into diverse subsets that may be present at different locations, including the liver, epithelial layer of the gut, the dermis and so on. Many of these cells perform specific functions in liver diseases, such as viral hepatitis, autoimmune liver diseases, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, liver cirrhosis and liver cancers. In this review, we discuss the distribution, subsets, functions of γδT cells and the relationship between the microbiota and γδT cells in common hepatic diseases. As γδT cells have been used to cure hematological and solid tumors, we are interested in γδT cell-based immunotherapies to treat liver diseases.

Human Peripheral Blood Gamma Delta T Cells: Report on a Series of Healthy Caucasian Portuguese Adults and Comprehensive Review of the Literature

Gamma delta T cells (Tc) are divided according to the type of Vδ and Vγ chains they express, with two major γδ Tc subsets being recognized in humans: Vδ2Vγ9 and Vδ1. Despite many studies in pathological conditions, only a few have quantified the γδ Tc subsets in healthy adults, and a comprehensive review of the factors influencing its representation in the blood is missing. Here we quantified the total γδ Tc and the Vδ2/Vγ9 and Vδ1 Tc subsets in the blood from 30 healthy, Caucasian, Portuguese adults, we characterized their immunophenotype by 8-color flow cytometry, focusing in a few relevant Tc markers (CD3/TCR-γδ, CD5, CD8), and costimulatory (CD28), cytotoxic (CD16) and adhesion (CD56) molecules, and we examined the impacts of age and gender. Additionally, we reviewed the literature on the influences of race/ethnicity, age, gender, special periods of life, past infections, diet, medications and concomitant diseases on γδ Tc and their subsets. Given the multitude of factors influencing the γδ Tc repertoire and immunophenotype and the high variation observed, caution should be taken in interpreting “abnormal” γδ Tc values and repertoire deviations, and the clinical significance of small populations of “phenotypically abnormal” γδ Tc in the blood.

γδ T Cells Promote Steatohepatitis by Orchestrating Innate and Adaptive Immune Programming

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells in the liver delineates the transition from hepatic steatosis to steatohepatitis (SH).

APPROACH AND RESULTS

We found that in SH, γδT cells are recruited to the liver by C-C chemokine receptor (CCR) 2, CCR5, and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 signaling and are skewed toward an interleukin (IL)-17A⁺ phenotype in an inducible costimulator (ICOS)/ICOS ligand-dependent manner. γδT cells exhibit a distinct Vγ4⁺ , PD1⁺ , Ly6C⁺ CD44⁺ phenotype in SH. Moreover, γδT cells up-regulate both CD1d, which is necessary for lipid-based antigens presentation, and the free fatty acid receptor, CD36. γδT cells are stimulated to express IL-17A by palmitic acid and CD1d ligation. Deletion, depletion, and targeted interruption of γδT cell recruitment protects against diet-induced SH and accelerates disease resolution.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrate that hepatic γδT cells exacerbate SH, independent of IL-17 expression, by mitigating conventional CD4⁺ T-cell expansion and modulating their inflammatory program by CD1d-dependent vascular endothelial growth factor expression.

Mesenchymal stromal cells promote liver regeneration through regulation of immune cells

The liver is sensitive to pathogen-induced acute or chronic liver injury, and liver transplantation (LT) is the only effective strategy for end-stage liver diseases. However, the clinical application is limited by a shortage of liver organs, immunological rejection and high cost. Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-based therapy has gradually become a hot topic for promoting liver regeneration and repairing liver injury in various liver diseases, since MSCs are reported to migrate toward injured tissues, undergo hepatogenic differentiation, inhibit inflammatory factor release and enhance the proliferation of liver cells in vivo. MSCs exert immunoregulatory effects through cell-cell contact and the secretion of anti-inflammatory factors to inhibit liver inflammation and promote liver regeneration. In addition, MSCs are reported to effectively inhibit the activation of cells of the innate immune system, including macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells (DCs), monocytes and other immune cells, and inhibit the activation of cells of the adaptive immune system, including T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes and subsets of T cells or B cells. In the current review, we mainly focus on the potential effects and mechanisms of MSCs in inhibiting the activation of immune cells to attenuate liver injury in models or patients with acute liver failure (ALF), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and liver fibrosis and in patients or models after LT. We highlight that MSC transplantation may replace general therapies for eliminating acute or chronic liver injury in the near future.

Alpha-syntrophin deficiency protects against non-alcoholic steatohepatitis associated increase of macrophages, CD8+ T-cells and galectin-3 in the liver

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized by immune cell infiltration. Loss of the scaffold protein alpha-syntrophin (SNTA) protected mice from hepatic inflammation in the methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diet model. Here, we determined increased numbers of macrophages and CD8⁺ T-cells in MCD diet induced NASH liver of wild type mice. In the mutant animals these NASH associated changes in immune cell composition were less pronounced. Further, there were more γδ T-cells in the NASH liver of the null mice. Galectin-3 protein in the hepatic non-parenchymal cell fraction was strongly induced in MCD diet fed wild type but not mutant mice. Antioxidant enzymes declined in NASH liver with no differences between the genotypes. To identify the target cells responsive to SNTA loss in-vitro experiments were performed. In the human hepatic stellate cell line LX-2, SNTA did not regulate pro-fibrotic or antioxidant proteins like alpha-smooth muscle actin or catalase. Soluble galectin-3 was, however, reduced upon SNTA knock-down and increased upon SNTA overexpression. SNTA deficiency neither affected cell proliferation nor cell death of LX-2 cells. In the macrophage cell line RAW264.7 low SNTA indeed caused higher galectin-3 production whereas release of TNF and cell viability were normal. Moreover, SNTA had no effect on hepatocyte chemerin and CCL2 expression. Overall, SNTA loss improved NASH without causing major effects in macrophage, hepatocyte and hepatic stellate cell lines. SNTA null mice fed the MCD diet had less body weight loss and this seems to contribute to improved liver health of the mutant mice.

Challenges in assessing solid tumor responses to immunotherapy

With the advent of immunotherapy as an integral component of multidisciplinary solid tumor treatment, we are confronted by an unfamiliar and novel pattern of radiographic responses to treatment. Enlargement of tumors or even new lesions may not represent progression, but rather reflect what will ultimately evolve into a clinically beneficial response. In addition, the kinetics of radiographic changes in response to immunotherapy treatments may be distinct from what has been observed with cytotoxic chemotherapy and radiation. The phenomenon of pseudoprogression has been documented in patients receiving immunotherapeutic agents, such as checkpoint inhibitors and cellular therapies. Currently, there are no clinical response guidelines that adequately account for pseudoprogression and solid tumor responses to immunotherapy in general. Even so, response criteria have evolved to account for the radiographic manifestations of novel therapies. The evolution of World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST), along with the emergence of immune-related response criteria (irRC) and the immune Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (iRECIST) reflect the need for new frameworks. This review evaluates the relationship between pseudoprogression, clinical outcomes, and our current understanding of the biology of pseudoprogression. To achieve our goal, we discuss unusual response patterns in patients receiving immunotherapy. We seek to develop a deeper understanding of radiographic responses to immunotherapy such that clinical benefit is not underappreciated in individual patients and during clinical investigation.

Type 3 cytokines in liver fibrosis and liver cancer

The type 3 cytokines IL-17 and IL-22 play a crucial, well synchronized physiological role in wound healing and repairing tissue damage due to infections or injury at barrier surfaces. These cytokines act on epithelial cells to induce secretion of early immune mediators, recruitment of inflammatory cells to the site of injury, and to trigger tissue repair mechanisms. However, if the damage persists or if these cytokines are dysregulated, then they contribute to a number of inflammatory pathologies, autoimmune conditions and cancer. The liver is a multifunctional organ that plays an essential role in metabolism, detoxification, and immune surveillance. It is also exposed to a variety of pathogens, toxins and injuries. Over the past decade, IL-17 and IL-22 have been implicated in various aspects of liver inflammation. IL-17 is upregulated in chronic liver injury and associated with liver disease progression. In contrast, IL-22 was shown to be hepatoprotective during acute liver injury but exhibited inflammatory effects in other models. Furthermore, IL-22 and IL-17 are both associated with poor prognosis in liver cancer. Finally, the regulatory mechanisms governing the physiological versus the pathological role of these two cytokines during acute and chronic liver injury remain poorly understood. In this review, we will summarize the current state of knowledge about IL-17 and IL-22 in wound healing during acute and chronic liver injury, their contribution to pathogenesis, their regulation, and their role in the transition from advanced liver disease to liver cancer.

Carcinogenesis and Metastasis in Liver: Cell Physiological Basis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence is rising. This paper summarises the current state of knowledge and recent discoveries in the cellular and physiological mechanisms leading to the development of liver cancer, especially HCC, and liver metastases. After reviewing normal hepatic cytoarchitecture and immunological characteristics, the paper addresses the pathophysiological factors that cause liver damage and predispose to neoplasia. Particular attention is given to chronic liver diseases, metabolic syndrome and the impact of altered gut microbiota, disrupted circadian rhythm and psychological stress. Improved knowledge of the multifactorial aetiology of HCC has important implications for the prevention and treatment of this cancer and of liver metastases in general.

The liver as a nursery for leukocytes

Leukocytes are a large population of cells spread within most tissues in the body. These cells may be either sessile (called as resident cells) or circulating leukocytes, which travel long journeys inside the vessels during their lifespan. Although production and maturation of these leukocytes in adults primarily occur in the bone marrow, it is well known that this process-called hematopoiesis-started in the embryonic life in different sites, including the yolk sac, placenta, and the liver. In this review, we will discuss how the liver acts as a pivotal site for leukocyte maturation during the embryo phase, and also how the most frequent liver-resident immune cell populations-namely Kupffer cells, dendritic cells, and lymphocytes-play a vital role in both tolerance and inflammatory responses to antigens from food, microbiota, and pathogens.

Stimulating Type 1 Angiotensin Receptors on T Lymphocytes Attenuates Renal Fibrosis

Most forms of chronic kidney disease culminate in renal fibrosis that heralds organ failure. In contrast to the protective effects of globally blocking type 1 angiotensin (AT₁) receptors throughout the body, activating AT₁ receptors directly on immune cells may serve protective functions. However, the effects of stimulating the T-cell AT₁ receptor on the progression of renal fibrosis remain unknown. In this study, mice with T-cell-specific deletion of the dominant murine AT₁ receptor isoform Lck-Cre Agtra^flox/flox [total knockout (TKO)] and wild-type (WT) controls were subjected to the unilateral ureteral obstruction model of kidney fibrosis. Compared with WT controls, obstructed kidneys from TKO mice at day 14 had increased collagen 1 deposition. CD4⁺ T cells, CD11b⁺Ly6C^hi myeloid cells, and mRNA levels of Th1 inflammatory cytokines are elevated in obstructed TKO kidneys, suggesting that augmented Th1 responses in the TKO mice may exaggerate renal fibrosis by driving proinflammatory macrophage differentiation. In turn, T-bet deficient (T-bet knockout) mice lacking Th1 responses have attenuated collagen deposition after unilateral ureteral obstruction. We conclude that activating the AT₁ receptor on T cells mitigates renal fibrogenesis by inhibiting Th1 differentiation and renal accumulation of profibrotic macrophages.

γδT Cells Suppress Liver Fibrosis via Strong Cytolysis and Enhanced NK Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity Against Hepatic Stellate Cells

Liver fibrosis is the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins, resulting from maladaptive wound healing responses to chronic liver injury. γδT cells are important in chronic liver injury pathogenesis and subsequent liver fibrosis; however, their role and underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. The present study aims to assess whether γδT cells contribute to liver fibrosis regression. Using a carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced murine model of liver fibrosis in wild-type (WT) and γδT cell deficient (TCRδ^−/−) mice, we demonstrated that γδT cells protected against liver fibrosis and exhibited strong cytotoxicity against activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Further study show that chronic liver inflammation promoted hepatic γδT cells to express NKp46, which contribute to the direct killing of activated HSCs by γδT cells. Moreover, we identified that an IFNγ-producing γδT cell subset (γδT1) cells exhibited stronger cytotoxicity against activated HSCs than the IL-17-producing subset (γδT17) cells upon chronic liver injury. In addition, γδT cells promoted the anti-fibrotic ability of conventional natural killer (cNK) cells and liver-resident NK (lrNK) cells by enhancing their cytotoxicity against activated HSCs. The cell crosstalk between γδT and NK cells was shown to depend partly on co-stimulatory receptor 4-1BB (CD137) engagement. In conclusion, our data confirmed the protective effects of γδT cells, especially the γδT1 subset, by directly killing activated HSCs and increasing NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity against activated HSCs in CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis, which suggest valuable therapeutic targets to treat liver fibrosis.

New Aspect of Liver IL-17+γδ T Cells

Liver is a critical organ where comprehensive immune regulation or defense occurs. γδ T cells in liver represent indispensable population and are found to be regulating a variety of diseases including autoimmunity, cancer, fibrosis, and infections. IL-17⁺ γδ T cells in liver is a functional subset which has been found to have pro-inflammatory effect or anti-infection ability. However, how their function is activated or maintained, isn't well understood. Microbiota in the intestine provide continual source of metabolites to the liver, through at least the portal vein. The interaction between intestinal microbiota and liver γδ T cells has not been well studied. Li et al found that lipid antigen derived from intestinal microbiota was presented by hepatocyte CD1d, and activated liver-resident γδ T cells and maintained the IL-17 production. Moreover, microbiota promoted NAFLD through IL-17⁺ γδ T cells. Thus, new aspect of IL-17⁺ γδ T cells in the liver was characterized.

The portal vein as a distinct immunological compartment - A comprehensive immune phenotyping study

Advanced liver diseases are associated with impaired intestinal barrier function, which results in bacterial influx via the portal vein to the liver, causing hepatic and systemic inflammation. Little is known about possible concomitant trafficking of immune cells from the intestines to the liver. We therefore performed a comprehensive immunophenotyping study of the portal venous versus peripheral blood compartment in patients with liver cirrhosis who received a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunt (TIPS). Our analysis suggests that the portal vein constitutes a distinct immunological compartment resembling that of the intestines, at least in patients with advanced liver cirrhosis. In detail, significantly lower frequencies of naïve CD4⁺ T cells, monocytes, dendritic cells and Vδ2 T cells were observed in the portal vein, whereas frequencies of activated CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, as well as of mucosa-associated Vδ1 T cells were significantly higher in portal venous compared to peripheral blood. In conclusion, our data raises interesting questions, e.g. whether liver cirrhosis-associated chronic inflammation of the intestines and portal hypertension promote an influx of activated intestinal immune cells like γδ T cells into the liver.

Alterations in Intestinal Microbiota Lead to Production of Interleukin 17 by Intrahepatic γδ T-Cell Receptor-Positive Cells and Pathogenesis of Cholestatic Liver Disease

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Variants at the ABCB4 or MDR2 locus, which encodes a biliary transport protein, are associated with a spectrum of cholestatic liver diseases. Exacerbation of liver disease has been linked to increased hepatic levels of interleukin (IL) 17, yet the mechanisms of this increase are not understood. We studied mice with disruption of Mdr2 to determine how defects in liver and alteration in the microbiota contribute to production of IL17 by intrahepatic γδ T cells.

METHODS

We performed studies with Mdr2-/- and littermate FVB/NJ (control) mice. IL17 was measured in serum samples by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Mice were injected with neutralizing antibodies against the γδ T-cell receptor (TCR; anti-γδ TCR) or mouse IL17A (anti-IL17A). Livers were collected and bacteria were identified in homogenates by culture procedures; TCRγδ+ cells were isolated by flow cytometry. Fecal samples were collected from mice and analyzed by 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing. Cells were stimulated with antibodies or bacteria, and cytokine production was measured. We obtained tissues from 10 patients undergoing liver transplantation for primary sclerosing cholangitis or chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Tissues were analyzed for cytokine production by γδ TCR+ cells.

RESULTS

Mdr2-/- mice had collagen deposition around hepatic bile ducts and periportal-bridging fibrosis with influx of inflammatory cells and increased serum levels of IL17 compared with control mice. Administration of anti-IL17A reduced hepatic fibrosis. Livers from Mdr2-/- mice had increased numbers of IL17A+ γδTCR+ cells-particularly of IL17A+ Vγ6Jγ1 γδ TCR+ cells. Fecal samples from Mdr2-/- mice were enriched in Lactobacillus, and liver tissues were enriched in Lactobacillus gasseri compared with control mice. Mdr2-/- mice also had increased intestinal permeability. The γδ TCR+ cells isolated from Mdr2-/- livers produced IL17 in response to heat-killed L gasseri. Intraperitoneal injection of control mice with L gasseri led to increased serum levels of IL17 and liver infiltration by inflammatory cells; injection of these mice with anti-γδ TCR reduced serum level of IL17. Intravenous injections of Mdr2-/- mice with anti-γδ TCR reduced fibrosis; liver levels of IL17, and inflammatory cells; and serum levels of IL17. γδTCR+ cells isolated from livers of patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis, but not hepatitis C virus infection, produced IL17.

CONCLUSIONS

In Mdr2-/- mice, we found development of liver fibrosis and inflammation to require hepatic activation of γδ TCR+ cells and production of IL17 mediated by exposure to L gasseri. This pathway appears to contribute to development of cholestatic liver disease in patients.

Differential Location and Distribution of Hepatic Immune Cells

The liver is one of the main organs in the body, performing several metabolic and immunological functions that are indispensable to the organism. The liver is strategically positioned in the abdominal cavity between the intestine and the systemic circulation. Due to its location, the liver is continually exposed to nutritional insults, microbiota products from the intestinal tract, and to toxic substances. Hepatocytes are the major functional constituents of the hepatic lobes, and perform most of the liver’s secretory and synthesizing functions, although another important cell population sustains the vitality of the organ: the hepatic immune cells. Liver immune cells play a fundamental role in host immune responses and exquisite mechanisms are necessary to govern the density and the location of the different hepatic leukocytes. Here we discuss the location of these pivotal cells within the different liver compartments, and how their frequency and tissular location can dictate the fate of liver immune responses.

Vγ1⁺ γδT Cells Are Correlated With Increasing Expression of Eosinophil Cationic Protein and Metalloproteinase-7 in Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps Inducing the Formation of Edema

PURPOSE

We have found that expression of γδT cells is increased in pathological mucosa of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) compared with normal nasal mucosa. This increase is correlated with the infiltration of eosinophils in CRSwNP. Here, we investigated the expression of γδT cells, inflammation and tissue remodeling factors as well as their probable relationships in different types of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in China.

METHODS

A total of 76 surgical tissue samples that included 43 CRSwNP samples (15 eosinophilic and 28 non-eosinophilic), 17 CRS samples without nasal polyps (CRSsNP), and 16 controls were obtained. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to measure the mRNA expression levels of Vγ1⁺ γδT cells, Vγ4⁺ γδT cells, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), interleukin (IL)-8, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β2, metalloproteinase (MMP)-7, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-4 and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the protein level of ECP and MMP-7 in CRSwNP. The eosinophils were counted and the level of edema was analyzed with HE staining.

RESULTS

The mRNA expression levels of the Vγ1 subset, ECP and MMP-7 were significantly increased in CRSwNP with histological characteristics of eosinophilic infiltration and edema. The expression of the Vγ1 gene in CRSwNP correlated positively with the expression of both ECP and MMP-7. No significant decreases in the mRNA expression levels of TGF-β2, TIMP-4 or HIF-1α were observed in the CRSwNP samples. The expression levels of Vγ1 gene, ECP and MMP-7 were significantly increased in eosinophilic CRSwNP compared to non-eosinophilic CRSwNP.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest the associations between Vγ1⁺ γδT cells, ECP and MMP-7 in CRSwNP, indicating that Vγ1⁺ γδT cells can induce the eosinophilic inflammation, which has a further effect on the formation of edema.

Mathematical modeling of liver fibrosis

Fibrosis is the formation of excessive fibrous connective tissue in an organ or tissue, which occurs in reparative process or in response to inflammation. Fibrotic diseases are characterized by abnormal excessive deposition of fibrous proteins, such as collagen, and the disease is most commonly progressive, leading to organ disfunction and failure. Although fibrotic diseases evolve in a similar way in all organs, differences may occur as a result of structure and function of the specific organ. In liver fibrosis, the gold standard for diagnosis and monitoring the progression of the disease is biopsy, which is invasive and cannot be repeated frequently. For this reason there is currently a great interest in identifying non-invasive biomarkers for liver fibrosis. In this paper, we develop for the first time a mathematical model of liver fibrosis by a system of partial differential equations. We use the model to explore the efficacy of potential and currently used drugs aimed at blocking the progression of liver fibrosis. We also use the model to develop a diagnostic tool based on a combination of two biomarkers.

Immune cells in liver regeneration

After partial hepatectomy, hepatocytes proliferate to restore mass and function of the liver. Macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, natural killer T (NKT) cells, dendritic cells (DC), eosinophils, gamma delta T (γδT) cells, and conventional T cells, as well as other subsets of the immune cells residing in the liver control liver regeneration, either through direct interactions with hepatocytes or indirectly by releasing inflammatory cytokines. Here, we review recent progress regarding the immune cells in the liver and their functions during liver regeneration.

The microbiota maintain homeostasis of liver-resident γδT-17 cells in a lipid antigen/CD1d-dependent manner

The microbiota control regional immunity using mechanisms such as inducing IL-17A-producing γδ T (γδT-17) cells in various tissues. However, little is known regarding hepatic γδT cells that are constantly stimulated by gut commensal microbes. Here we show hepatic γδT cells are liver-resident cells and predominant producers of IL-17A. The microbiota sustain hepatic γδT-17 cell homeostasis, including activation, survival and proliferation. The global commensal quantity affects the number of liver-resident γδT-17 cells; indeed, E. coli alone can generate γδT-17 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Liver-resident γδT-17 cell homeostasis depends on hepatocyte-expressed CD1d, that present lipid antigen, but not Toll-like receptors or IL-1/IL-23 receptor signalling. Supplementing mice in vivo or loading hepatocytes in vitro with exogenous commensal lipid antigens augments the hepatic γδT-17 cell number. Moreover, the microbiota accelerate nonalcoholic fatty liver disease through hepatic γδT-17 cells. Thus, our work describes a unique liver-resident γδT-17 cell subset maintained by gut commensal microbes through CD1d/lipid antigens.

γδ T cells are major producers of IL-17A in response to microbial infection. Here the authors show that a high load of commensal microbes can maintain homeostasis of IL-17A⁺ γδ T cells in the liver via CD1d antigen presentation, with implications for liver diseases.

Adaptive immunity in the liver

The anatomical architecture of the human liver and the diversity of its immune components endow the liver with its physiological function of immune competence. Adaptive immunity is a major arm of the immune system that is organized in a highly specialized and systematic manner, thus providing long-lasting protection with immunological memory. Adaptive immunity consists of humoral immunity and cellular immunity. Cellular immunity is known to have a crucial role in controlling infection, cancer and autoimmune disorders in the liver. In this article, we will focus on hepatic virus infections, hepatocellular carcinoma and autoimmune disorders as examples to illustrate the current understanding of the contribution of T cells to cellular immunity in these maladies. Cellular immune suppression is primarily responsible for chronic viral infections and cancer. However, an uncontrolled auto-reactive immune response accounts for autoimmunity. Consequently, these immune abnormalities are ascribed to the quantitative and functional changes in adaptive immune cells and their subsets, innate immunocytes, chemokines, cytokines and various surface receptors on immune cells. A greater understanding of the complex orchestration of the hepatic adaptive immune regulators during homeostasis and immune competence are much needed to identify relevant targets for clinical intervention to treat immunological disorders in the liver.

γδT Cells and Related Diseases

Discovered 30 years ago, γδT cells remain an enigmatic T-cell subset. Although they account for a small portion of the total human circulating T-cell pool, their associations with other immune cells and their potential regulatory roles in related diseases have been explored but still require further investigation. γδT cells which are MHC-unrestricted innate-like lymphocytes with more unique antigen receptors than αβT cells and B cells are considered to bridge innate and adaptive immunity. They have APC functions and initiate adaptive immunity. Due to their distribution in specific tissues, secretion of Th1-, Th2-, and Th17-type cytokines, and other characteristics, they are involved in a variety of physiology and pathology processes. They are barometers in HIV infection. However, different γδT cell subsets play opposing roles in HBV infections, autoimmune diseases, and several types of tumors. Moreover, decidual γδT cells have protective roles during pregnancies by synthesizing several cytokines. This emerging evidence provides an improved understanding of the immune mechanism of infection, autoimmunity, cancer, and other related disorders and better insights regarding the potential roles of γδT cells in immunological therapeutic strategies.