TLR9与先天性免疫反应

TLR9（Toll-likereceptor9）是一种微生物病原相关分子结构模式识别受体,TLR9能够识别CpG—ODN（胞嘧啶磷酸鸟甘-寡聚脱氧核苷酸）,使病原相关受体在先天性免疫细胞上表达,并激活下游炎性通路。研究表明,TLR9在先天性免疫反应中产生了重要作用,如脓毒血症、自身免疫性疾病、刀豆体球蛋白A介导肝炎性肝脏损伤、炎性泡沫细胞形成、缺血再灌注损伤等,并且与多种致病因子相关联,如肝x受体、甲酰多肽受体、线粒体DNA等。     

天然免疫识别机制及天然免疫受体的相互调节

NK细胞识别受体(NKR)和Toll样受体(TLR)是天然免疫系统最重要的2个天然免疫识别受体家族,位于机体抵抗外来侵袭的第一道防线.二者各自具有独特的识别外来或内源性的危险信号、区分自我和非我的识别机制,同时又相互协同、相互调节,成为启动免疫应答的关键分子以及连接固有免疫和适应性免疫的桥梁.以NK细胞为载体将TLRs/NKG2连接起来,阐明这2类重要的天然免疫受体间的识别和调节关系,可以较好地反映机体内外环境变化或刺激时固有免疫对适应性免疫的调节作用,并为有效控制感染、炎症、肿瘤及自身免疫性疾病提供崭新的治疗策略.     

DNA模式识别受体研究进展

固有免疫系统利用模式识别受体识别病原相关分子模式。近期研究发现,外源DNA能够被宿主细胞中多种DNA受体识别,激活多种信号通路,上调Ⅰ型干扰素和促炎性细胞因子的表达。基于DNA的免疫识别在激活宿主抗感染免疫过程中起重要作用,因此仅对现已报道的DNA受体进行概述,同时对DNA的免疫识别与自身免疫病之间的关系进行探讨。     

Toll样受体对病原真菌的天然免疫识别

天然免疫系统是宿主抵御病原入侵的第一道防线,在机体抗感染免疫中发挥重要作用。Toll样受体(Toll-like receptors,TLRs)是天然免疫系统最重要的模式识别受体(pattern recognitionreceptors,PRRs)之一,通过识别病原真菌的病原相关分子模式(pathogen-associated molecularpatterns,PAMPs),招募特异接头蛋白,激活一系列信号级联反应,引发炎症因子、趋化因子等的释放和树突状细胞(dendritic cells,DCs)的成熟,发挥抗真菌感染作用。通过简要介绍宿主的TLRs及信号通路的研究进展,总结了目前TLRs对不同病原真菌PAMPs的天然免疫识别及信号通路研究现状,以期对进一步研究宿主天然免疫系统与病原真菌相互作用的分子机制提供参考。     

Innate Immune Recognition of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Type III Secretion

Specialized protein translocation systems are used by many bacterial pathogens to deliver effector proteins into host cells that interfere with normal cellular functions. How the host immune system recognizes and responds to this intrusive event is not understood. To address these questions, we determined the mammalian cellular response to the virulence-associated type III secretion system (T3SS) of the human pathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. We found that macrophages devoid of Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling regulate expression of 266 genes following recognition of the Y. pseudotuberculosis T3SS. This analysis revealed two temporally distinct responses that could be separated into activation of NFκB- and type I IFN-regulated genes. Extracellular bacteria were capable of triggering these signaling events, as inhibition of bacterial uptake had no effect on the ensuing innate immune response. The cytosolic peptidoglycan sensors Nod1 and Nod2 and the inflammasome component caspase-1 were not involved in NFκB activation following recognition of the Y. pseudotuberculosis T3SS. However, caspase-1 was required for secretion of the inflammatory cytokine IL-1β in response to T3SS-positive Y. pseudotuberculosis. In order to characterize the bacterial requirements for induction of this novel TLR-, Nod1/2-, and caspase-1-independent response, we used Y. pseudotuberculosis strains lacking specific components of the T3SS. Formation of a functional T3SS pore was required, as bacteria expressing a secretion needle, but lacking the pore-forming proteins YopB or YopD, did not trigger these signaling events. However, nonspecific membrane disruption could not recapitulate the NFκB signaling triggered by Y. pseudotuberculosis expressing a functional T3SS pore. Although host cell recognition of the T3SS did not require known translocated substrates, the ensuing response could be modulated by effectors such as YopJ and YopT, as YopT amplified the response, while YopJ dampened it. Collectively, these data suggest that combined recognition of the T3SS pore and YopBD-mediated delivery of immune activating ligands into the host cytosol informs the host cell of pathogenic challenge. This leads to a unique, multifactorial response distinct from the canonical immune response to a bacterium lacking a T3SS.     

Influence of Phthalates on in vitro Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses

Phthalates are a group of endocrine disrupting chemicals, suspected to influence the immune system. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of phthalates on cytokine secretion from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide and phytohemagglutinin-P were used for stimulation of monocytes/macrophages and T cells, respectively. Cells were exposed for 20 to 22 hours to either di-ethyl, di-n-butyl or mono-n-butyl phthalate at two different concentrations. Both diesters were metabolised to their respective monoester and influenced cytokine secretion from both monocytes/macrophages and T cells in a similar pattern: the secretion of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10 and the chemokine CXCL8 by monocytes/macrophages was enhanced, while tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α secretion by monocytes/macrophages was impaired, as was the secretion of IL-2 and IL-4, TNF-α and interferon-γ by T cells. The investigated phthalate monoester also influenced cytokine secretion from monocytes/macrophages similar to that of the diesters. In T cells, however, the effect of the monoester was different compared to the diesters. The influence of the phthalates on the cytokine secretion did not seem to be a result of cell death. Thus, results indicate that both human innate and adaptive immunity is influenced in vitro by phthalates, and that phthalates therefore may affect cell differentiation and regenerative and inflammatory processes in vivo.     

植物NLR免疫受体的识别、免疫激活与信号调控

高等植物进化出大量膜表面和胞内免疫受体以感知各种病原信号,抵御病原物入侵。其中,细胞表面的模式识别受体感知模式分子后激活基础免疫反应,核苷酸结合和富亮氨酸重复蛋白(NLRs)则通过感知病原微生物分泌的效应蛋白激活特异免疫反应,导致超敏反应与细胞死亡。该文主要综述了NLRs对效应蛋白的识别、植物免疫激活及下游信号调控的最新研究进展。     

Visualizing the Determinants of Viral RNA Recognition by Innate Immune Sensor RIG-I

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Highlights? Crystallographic structure of RIG-I with 5′ triphosphorylated RNA duplex and ADP ? Solution biophysical analysis of ATP-dependent RIG-I conformational change ? The structural basis for ATP-stimulated RIG-I activation     

Mouse Hepatitis Virus Infection Upregulates Genes Involved in Innate Immune Responses

Neurotropic recombinant strain of Mouse Hepatitis Virus, RSA59, induces meningo-encephalitis, myelitis and demyelination following intracranial inoculation. RSA59 induced neuropathology is partially caused by activation of CNS resident microglia, as demonstrated by changes in cellular morphology and increased expression of a microglia/macrophage specific calcium ion binding factor, Iba1. Affymetrix Microarray analysis for mRNA expression data reveals expression of inflammatory mediators that are known to be released by activated microglia. Microglia-specific cell surface molecules, including CD11b, CD74, CD52 and CD68, are significantly upregulated in contrast to CD4, CD8 and CD19. Protein analysis of spinal cord extracts taken from mice 6 days post-inoculation, the time of peak inflammation, reveals robust expression of IFN-γ, IL-12 and mKC. Data suggest that activated microglia and inflammatory mediators contribute to a local CNS microenvironment that regulates viral replication and IFN-γ production during the acute phase of infection, which in turn can cause phagolysosome maturation and phagocytosis of the myelin sheath, leading to demyelination.     

NOD:一类新的固有免疫模式识别受体

哺乳动物主要通过Toll样受体(TLR)识别微生物。最近,发现一个新的蛋白质家族,核苷酸结合寡聚化结构域(NOD),参与胞内微生物的模式识别。NOD是一类位于胞质有典型的LRR-NBS结构的蛋白质家族,可以识别细菌细胞壁成分——细菌肽聚糖(peptidoglycan,PGN),活化NF-κB,参与固有免疫应答并诱导炎症反应和细胞凋亡。其中最有代表性的是NOD1和NOD2。最近的研究发现,NOD1和NOD2能识别细菌特殊结构。对该家族的研究将有助于防治胞内病原体感染、探索炎症性疾病的发病机制和治疗方案。     

MHC Class II Molecules Enhance Toll-Like Receptor Mediated Innate Immune Responses

Background

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules play crucial roles in immune activation by presenting foreign peptides to antigen-specific T helper cells and thereby inducing adaptive immune responses. Although adaptive immunity is a highly effective defense system, it takes several days to become fully operational and needs to be triggered by danger-signals generated during the preceding innate immune response. Here we show that MHC class II molecules synergize with Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and TLR4 in inducing an innate immune response.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We found that co-expression of MHC class II molecules and TLR2 or TLR4 in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells 293 leads to enhanced production of the anti-microbial peptide human-β-defensin (hBD) 2 after treatment with TLR2 stimulus bacterial lipoprotein (BLP) or TLR4 ligand lipopolysaccharide (LPS), respectively. Furthermore, we found that peritoneal macrophages of MHC class II knock-out mice show a decreased responsiveness to TLR2 and TLR4 stimuli compared to macrophages of wild-type mice. Finally, we show that MHC class II molecules are physically and functionally associated with TLR2 in lipid raft domains of the cell membrane.

Conclusions/Significance

These results demonstrate that MHC class II molecules are, in addition to their central role in adaptive immunity, also implicated in generating optimal innate immune responses.     

Synergistic Activation of Innate and Adaptive Immune Mechanisms in the Treatment of Gonadotropin-Sensitive Tumors

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) prolongs the secretion of progesterone from the corpus luteum, providing a critical stimulus for the sustenance of pregnancy. hCG (or individual subunits) is also secreted by a variety of trophoblastic and non-trophoblastic cancers and has been associated with poor prognosis. Early clinical studies have indicated merit in anti-hCG vaccination as potential immunotherapy, but anti-tumor efficacy is believed to be compromised by sub-optimal immunogenecity. In the present study, enhanced tumorigenesis was observed when SP2/O cells were subcutaneously injected in either male or female BALB/c x FVB/J^βhCG/- F1 transgenic mice, establishing the growth-promoting effects of the gonadotropin for implanted tumors in vivo. The utility of Mycobacterium indicus pranii (MIP) was evaluated, as an innate anti-tumor immunomodulator as well as adjuvant in mice. MIP elicited the secretion of the inflammatory cytokines IFNγ, IL-6, IL-12p40, KC and TNFα from murine antigen presenting cells. When MIP was incorporated into an anti-hCG vaccine formulation previously employed in humans (a βhCG-TT conjugate adsorbed on alum), elevated T cell recall proliferative and cytokine responses to hCG, βhCG and TT were observed. MIP increased vaccine immunogenicity in mice of diverse genetic background (including in traditionally low-responder murine strains), leading to enhanced titres of bioneutralizing anti-hCG antibodies which exhibited cytotoxicity towards tumor cells. Individual administration of MIP and βhCG-TT to BALB/c mice subcutaneously implanted with SP2/O cells resulted in anti-tumor effects; significantly, immunization with βhCG-TT supplemented with MIP invoked synergistic benefits in terms of tumor volume, incidence and survival. The development of novel vaccine formulations stimulating both adaptive and innate anti-tumor immunity to induce collaborative beneficial effects may fill a niche in the adjunct treatment of hCG-sensitive tumors that are resistant to conventional therapy.     

MALT1 Protease Activity Is Required for Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses

CARMA-BCL10-MALT1 signalosomes play important roles in antigen receptor signaling and other pathways. Previous studies have suggested that as part of this complex, MALT1 functions as both a scaffolding protein to activate NF-κB through recruitment of ubiquitin ligases, and as a protease to cleave and inactivate downstream inhibitory signaling proteins. However, our understanding of the relative importance of these two distinct MALT1 activities has been hampered by a lack of selective MALT1 protease inhibitors with suitable pharmacologic properties. To fully investigate the role of MALT1 protease activity, we generated mice homozygous for a protease-dead mutation in MALT1. We found that some, but not all, MALT1 functions in immune cells were dependent upon its protease activity. Protease-dead mice had defects in the generation of splenic marginal zone and peritoneal B1 B cells. CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells displayed decreased T cell receptor-stimulated proliferation and IL-2 production while B cell receptor-stimulated proliferation was partially dependent on protease activity. In dendritic cells, stimulation of cytokine production through the Dectin-1, Dectin-2, and Mincle C-type lectin receptors was also found to be partially dependent upon protease activity. In vivo, protease-dead mice had reduced basal immunoglobulin levels, and showed defective responses to immunization with T-dependent and T-independent antigens. Surprisingly, despite these decreased responses, MALT1 protease-dead mice, but not MALT1 null mice, developed mixed inflammatory cell infiltrates in multiple organs, suggesting MALT1 protease activity plays a role in immune homeostasis. These findings highlight the importance of MALT1 protease activity in multiple immune cell types, and in integrating immune responses in vivo.     

TLR8: An Innate Immune Receptor in Brain,Neurons and Axons

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play essential roles in generating innate immune responses, and are evolutionarily conserved across species. In mammals, TLRs specifically recognize the conserved microbial structural motifs referred to as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Ligand recognition by TLRs activates signaling cascades that culminate in proinflammatory cytokine production and eventual elimination of invading pathogens. Although TLRs in mammals are expressed predominantly in the immune system, certain TLRs with poorly characterized function are also found in neurons. We recently profiled TLR8 expression during mouse brain development and established its localization in neurons and axons. We uncovered a novel role for TLR8 as a suppressor of neurite outgrowth as well as an inducer of neuronal apoptosis, and found that TLR8 functions in neurons through an NF-κB-independent mechanism. These findings add a new layer of complexity for TLR signaling, and expand the realm of mammalian TLR function to the central nervous system (CNS) beyond the originally discovered immune context. Herein, we complement our earlier report with additional data, discuss their biological and mechanistic implications in CNS developmental and pathological processes, and thus further our perspective on TLR signaling and potential physiological roles in mammals.     

Adaptive Diversification of Vomeronasal Receptor 1 Genes in Rodents

The vomeronasal receptor 1 (V1R) are believed to be pheromone receptors in rodents. Here we used computational methods to identify 95 and 62 new putative V1R genes from the draft rat and mouse genome sequence, respectively. The rat V1R repertoire consists of 11 subfamilies, 10 of which are shared with the mouse, while rat appears to lack the H and I subfamilies found in mouse and possesses one unique subfamily (M). The estimations of the relative divergence times suggest that many subfamilies originated after the split of rodents and primates. The analysis also reveals that these clusters underwent an expansion very close to the split of mouse and rat. In addition, maximum likelihood analysis showed that the nonsynonymous and synonymous rate ratio for most of these clusters was much higher than one, suggesting the role of positive selection in the diversification of these duplicated V1R genes. Because V1R are thought to mediate the process of signal transduction in response to pheromone detection, we speculate that the V1R genes have evolved under positive Darwinian selection to maintain the ability to discriminate between large and complex pheromonal mixtures.Reviewing Editor: Dr. Rasmus Nielsen     

The Structural Basis for Endotoxin-induced Allosteric Regulation of the Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4) Innate Immune Receptor

As part of the innate immune system, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) recognizes bacterial cell surface lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by forming a complex with a lipid-binding co-receptor, MD-2. In the presence of agonist, TLR4·MD-2 dimerizes to form an active receptor complex, leading to initiation of intracellular inflammatory signals. TLR4 is of great biomedical interest, but its pharmacological manipulation is complicated because even subtle variations in the structure of LPS can profoundly impact the resultant immunological response. Here, we use atomically detailed molecular simulations to gain insights into the nature of the molecular signaling mechanism. We first demonstrate that MD-2 is extraordinarily flexible. The “clamshell-like” motions of its β-cup fold enable it to sensitively match the volume of its hydrophobic cavity to the size and shape of the bound lipid moiety. We show that MD-2 allosterically transmits this conformational plasticity, in a ligand-dependent manner, to a phenylalanine residue (Phe-126) at the cavity mouth previously implicated in TLR4 activation. Remarkably, within the receptor complex, we observe spontaneous transitions between active and inactive signaling states of Phe-126, and we confirm that Phe-126 is indeed the “molecular switch” in endotoxic signaling.     

Novel Structural Features in Candida albicans Hyphal Glucan Provide a Basis for Differential Innate Immune Recognition of Hyphae Versus Yeast

The innate immune system differentially recognizes Candida albicans yeast and hyphae. It is not clear how the innate immune system effectively discriminates between yeast and hyphal forms of C. albicans. Glucans are major components of the fungal cell wall and key fungal pathogen-associated molecular patterns. C. albicans yeast glucan has been characterized; however, little is known about glucan structure in C. albicans hyphae. Using an extraction procedure that minimizes degradation of the native structure, we extracted glucans from C. albicans hyphal cell walls. ¹H NMR data analysis revealed that, when compared with reference (1→3,1→6) β-linked glucans and C. albicans yeast glucan, hyphal glucan has a unique cyclical or “closed chain” structure that is not found in yeast glucan. GC/MS analyses showed a high abundance of 3- and 6-linked glucose units when compared with yeast β-glucan. In addition to the expected (1→3), (1→6), and 3,6 linkages, we also identified a 2,3 linkage that has not been reported previously in C. albicans. Hyphal glucan induced robust immune responses in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and macrophages via a Dectin-1-dependent mechanism. In contrast, C. albicans yeast glucan was a much less potent stimulus. We also demonstrated the capacity of C. albicans hyphal glucan, but not yeast glucan, to induce IL-1β processing and secretion. This finding provides important evidence for understanding the immune discrimination between colonization and invasion at the mucosal level. When taken together, these data provide a structural basis for differential innate immune recognition of C. albicans yeast versus hyphae.