IL-16 signaling specifically induces STAT6 activation through CD4

Biologic activities of IL-16 have been well described (e.g., chemotaxis of CD4+ cells, CD25 upregulation, secretion of IL-1b, IL-4 and TNF-a secretion) but very few signaling events have been described. To gain a better understanding of how the biologic activities of IL-16 are regulated following receptor engagement (CD4) we have analyzed the activation state of numerous STAT proteins in primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and the human monocytic cell line THP-1 following IL-16 stimulation. Of the four STAT proteins tested, only STAT6 was activated (phosphorylated) in a dose-dependant manner by IL-16. The activation of STAT6 was completely abolished when IL-16 was pre-incubated with soluble CD4 (the IL-16 cell surface receptor), demonstrating the need for CD4 engagement in STAT6 activation. These results are the first to demonstrate a link between IL-16 and STAT6 activation.     

HCV-specific interleukin-21+CD4+ T cells responses associated with viral control through the modulation of HCV-specific CD8+ T cells function in chronic hepatitis C patients

Interleukin-21 (IL-21)+CD4+ T cells are involved in the immune response against hepatitis B virus (HBV) by secreting IL-21. However, the role of IL-21+CD4+ T cells in the immune response against chronic hepatitis C (CHC) virus infection is poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the role of IL-21+CD4+ T cells in CHC patients and the potential mechanisms. The study subjects included nineteen CHC patients who were grouped by viral load (low, < 10⁶ RNA copies/ml, n = 8; high, > 10⁶ RNA copies/ml, n = 11). The peripheral frequency of HCV-specific IL-21+CD4+ T cells was higher in the low viral load group and was negatively correlated with the serum HCV RNA viral load in all CHC patients. Meanwhile, IL-21+ cells accumulated in the liver in the low viral load group. In vitro, IL-21 treatment increased the expression of proliferation markers and cytolytic molecules on HCV-specific CD8+ T cells. In summary, these findings suggest that HCV-specific IL-21+CD4+ T cells might contribute to HCV control by rescuing HCV-specific CD8+ T cells in CHC patients.     

Downregulation of IL-12 and a novel negative feedback system mediated by CD25+CD4+ T cells

CD25(+)CD4(+) regulatory T cells suppress immune responses and are believed to play roles in preventing autoimmune diseases. However, the mechanism(s) underlying the suppression and the regulation of their homeostasis remain to be elucidated. Here we show that these regulatory T cells downregulated CD25(-)CD4(+) T-cell-mediated production of IL-12 from antigen-presenting cells, which can act as a growth factor for CD25(-)CD4(+) T cells. We further found that CD25(+)CD4(+) T cells, despite their well-documented "anergic" nature, proliferate significantly in vitro only when CD25(-)CD4(+) T cells are present. Notably, this proliferation was strongly dependent on IL-2 and relatively independent of IL-12. Thus, CD25(+)CD4(+) T cells suppress CD25(-)CD4(+) T-cell responses, at least in part, by inhibiting IL-12 production while they themselves can undergo proliferation with the mediation of CD25(-)CD4(+) T cells in vitro. These results offer a novel negative feedback system involving a tripartite interaction among CD25(+)CD4(+) and CD25(-)CD4(+) T cells, and APCs that may contribute to the termination of immune responses.     

CD4~+CD25~+Treg细胞在类风湿关节炎中的研究进展

调节性T细胞(Tregs)是近年来发现的一群具有免疫调节作用的CD4+T细胞亚群,如Th3、Tr1细胞等。因其能够产生多种具有免疫抑制作用的细胞因子而发挥其免疫负调节作用,不但在维持机体自身耐受方面发挥重要作用,在预防自身免疫性疾病方面也占据重要位置。其中CD4+CD25+Treg因其具有独特的作用方式及功能特征,而被学者广泛关注。近年来,关于CD4+CD25+Treg在类风湿关节炎(rheumatoid arthritis,RA)发病机制中的作用以及在RA治疗方面的应用也越来越受到人们的关注,认为其数目减少或功能失调与RA发病密切相关。RA是一种以关节破坏为主要表现的慢性炎症性疾病,病理早期主要表现为毛细血管生成,滑膜增生,后期主要表现为炎性细胞浸润,血管翳形成,并出现关节软骨以及骨的破坏,最终导致关节畸形及功能障碍。本文现将CD4+CD25+Treg与RA的研究进展做一综述。     

Activation of IL-4 and IL-6 secreting cells by antigen

The number, antigenic specificity and phenotype of cells secreting IL-4 and IL-6 in mice immunized with ovalbumin or keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH) in Freund's adjuvant (FA) was studied. The frequency of cells producing either of these cytokines began to rise 6 days post immunization, peaked at 11–14 days post-immunization, and fell to background by 21 days. The number of spleen cells secreting IL-6 was higher than the number producing IL-4 at all time points. Boosting elicited an anamnestic response characterized by a significant increase in the number of cytokine secreting cells within 4 days. Cytokine production was induced in multiple strains of normal mice, and was critically dependent on the use of Complete FA in addition to antigen. Immunization induced IL-4 and IL-6 production in vivo while ‘priming’ additional cells to release these cytokines when reexposed to soluble antigen in vitro. The latter response was antigen specific and was dominated by non-B/non-T cells. Those cells may serve to boost the immune response in cases of persistent or repeated antigenic challenge.     

IL-15扩增的OT-Ⅰ细胞持续抑制小鼠黑色素瘤生长

过继免疫治疗(adoptive cell transfer,ACT)是肿瘤治疗中一种有效的免疫治疗手段,但是在没有化疗或者放疗等辅助治疗手段时,过继免疫治疗缓解肿瘤生长的效果非常短暂.为了探索一种更为有效的过继免疫治疗手段,我们使用白介素15(IL-15)体外扩增OT-ⅠCD8 T细胞,使其分化成为中央记忆性T细胞(central memory T cells,TCM),并将其过继转移至携带B16-OVA肿瘤的小鼠中.我们发现,与IL-2体外扩增的CD8 T细胞(effector T cells,TEFF)相比,TCM对肿瘤的生长具有长时间的缓解作用,而IL-2分化的TEFFs治疗肿瘤在短暂的缓解后反弹性生长.进一步的研究发现,TCM治疗的小鼠脾脏内肿瘤抗原特异性的T细胞数量和比例明显高于TEFF组,并且RT-PCR分析表明TCM治疗的小鼠肿瘤内细胞高表达MHCⅠ类分子.这些现象提示了抗原提呈对过继细胞转移治疗的效果具有重要作用.我们的研究对于发展更为有效的肿瘤免疫治疗具有提示意义.     

A new approach to CAR T-cell gene engineering and cultivation using piggyBac transposon in the presence of IL-4, IL-7 and IL-21

Background aims

Clinical-grade chimeric antigenic receptor (CAR)19 T cells are routinely manufactured by lentiviral/retroviral (LV/RV) transduction of an anti-CD3/CD28 activated T cells, which are then propagated in a culture medium supplemented with interleukin (IL)-2. The use of LV/RVs for T-cell modification represents a manufacturing challenge due to the complexity of the transduction approach and the necessity of thorough quality control.

喘可治注射液对小鼠体外CD4+CD25+T细胞的影响

利用荧光抗体标记和流式细胞术检测喘可治对刀豆蛋白A(ConA)诱导的T细胞CD69和CD25表达的影响,研究喘可治是否具有促进CD4 CD25 调节性T细胞升高的作用.结果发现喘可治对ConA诱导的T细胞活化标志分子CD69的表达具有抑制作用,但对CD25的表达具有促进作用.说明喘可治对T细胞活化具有抑制作用,CD25表达的上调并不是由活化引起的,而很可能是CD4 CD25 Tr水平升高的标志.     

CD4 T cell dependent tumor immunity stimulated by dendritic cell based vaccine

CD8 CTLs have been accountable for the major effector cells responsible for the rejection of tumor cells. And CD40 signaling and IL-12 have been shown to be the essential pathways involved in the activation process. Immunizing mice with dendritic cells transduced with an adenovirus expressing the human melanoma antigen gp100, an immunization strategy of xenoimmunization, stimulated potent tumor protection dependent on effective CD4 T cells in the absence of CD8 T cells. Further studies revealed that neither CD40 signaling nor IL-12 was indispensable for the activation of dendritic and CD4 T cells in this model. Stimulation of effective antitumor immunity targeting the self-antigen did not elicit autoimmunity. The implications of this study were discussed.     

CD4+CD25+调节性T细胞发挥效应的分子机制

调节性T细胞是一群具有免疫调节(或免疫抑制)作用的细胞,Foxp3 CD4 CD25 调节性T细胞约占CD4 T细胞的5%￣15%,主要是CD4 CD8-CD25-单阳性胸腺细胞在胸腺的自然选择过程中产生的,也可以通过外周诱导而产生。它通过细胞接触依赖机制和抑制性细胞因子依赖机制主动抑制自身免疫T细胞的活化,维持自稳状态。现对Foxp3 CD4 CD25 T细胞群的一些特征性分子在其效应机制中的作用进行综述。     

Selective expansion and enhanced anti-tumor effect of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells by retrovirus-mediated IL-15 expression

Mounting evidence has demonstrated that CD4⁺ T cells play an important role in anti-tumor immune responses. Thus, adoptive transfer of these cells may have great potential for anti-cancer therapy. However, due to the difficulty to generate sufficient tumor-specific CD4⁺ T cells, the use of CD4⁺ T cells in tumor therapy is limited. It has been found that IL-15 transfection enhances the proliferation and anti-tumor activity of tumor-specific CD8⁺ T cells, but the effect of IL-15 transfection on CD4⁺ T cells remains unknown. Here, the effects of retrovirus-mediated IL-15 expression in Ova-specific CD4⁺ T cells from Do11.10 mice were evaluated and it was discovered that IL-15 transfected CD4⁺ T cells expressed both soluble and membrane-bound IL-15. Retrovirus-mediated IL-15 expression led to a selective expansion of antigen-specific CD4⁺ T cells by inhibiting their apoptosis. Invivo IL-15 transfected CD4⁺ T cells were more effective in suppressing tumor growth than control retroviral vector transfected ones. To ensure the safety of the method, the employment of thymidine kinase gene made it possible to eliminate these transgenic CD4⁺ T cells following ganciclovir treatment. Together, we show that IL-15 transfection induced a selective expansion of antigen-specific CD4⁺ T cells ex vivo and enhanced their tumor-suppression effects in vivo. This has an important significance for improving the efficacy of adoptive T cell therapy.     

针刺疗法联合塞来昔布对老年类风湿性关节炎患者血清MMP-3, IL-6及自身抗体水平的影响

目的:研究针刺疗法联合塞来昔布对老年类风湿性关节炎患者的临床疗效及其对患者血清基质金属蛋白酶-3(MMP-3)、白细胞介素-6(IL-6)及自身抗体水平的影响。方法:选取2014年10月至2015年9月本院收治的86例类风湿性关节炎患者,随机分为观察组(43例)和对照组(43例)。对照组使用塞来昔布胶囊治疗,观察组在对照组基础上联合针刺疗法。分析和比较两组患者临床疗效、治疗前后20 m步行时间、晨僵时间、关节压痛数、治疗前后MMP-3、IL-6及自身抗体水平的变化。结果:观察组总有效率显著高于对照组[90.70%(39/43)比65.12%(28/43)](P0.05)。治疗后,两组患者20m步行时间、晨僵时间、关节压痛数均较治疗前显著降低或缩短,其中观察组明显低于或短于对照组(P0.05)。治疗后,两组患者血清MMP-3、IL-6水平较治疗前显著降低,其中观察组显著低于对照组(P0.05)。治疗后,两组患者AFA、抗-CCP抗体、抗Sa抗体、AKA、ANA自身抗体阳性率较治疗前显著降低,其中观察组显著低于对照组(P0.05)。结论:针刺疗法联合塞来昔布治疗老年类风湿性关节炎的临床疗效良好,能有效降低患者血清MMP-3、IL-6水平及自身抗体阳性率。     

Functional and Phenotypical Analysis of Subsets of Rat CD4+ T Cells

Rat CD4⁺ T cells were divided into two distinct subsets by a monoclonal antibody RTH-1 recognizing a unique epitope on rat CD45R. Cellular distribution of OX-22- and RTH-1-defined antigens was the same. However, OX-22 and RTH-1 recognized different epitopes that exist on rat CD45R. The expression of IL-4 gene was detected only in RTH-1^low CD4+ T cell subset upon various stimulations. In contrast, the expression of IL-2 and IFN-γ gene varied depending upon the nature of stimuli. The increased cell surface expression of CD44 was detected in RTH-1^high CD4+ T cell subset. Conversely the increased expression of CD2 was detected in RTH-1^low CD4+ T cell subset. The expression of CD3 and LFA-1 was not significantly different between RTH-1^high and RTH-1^low subsets.     

白细胞介素-2联合环磷酰胺对乳腺癌荷瘤小鼠调节性T细胞的影响

目的：调节性T细胞（Regulatory T cells,Treg）被认为能够抑制抗肿瘤免疫反应,从而促进肿瘤生长。环磷酰胺（Cyclophosphamide,CTX）是个常规化疗药物,现在更多的注意力集中在其小剂量应用时可以删除Treg。了解小剂量环磷酰胺联合白细胞介素-2（Interleukin-2,IL-2）对4T1Balb/c乳腺癌荷瘤小鼠调节性T细胞的影响及其抗肿瘤效果。方法：通过皮下接种4T1乳腺癌细胞建立乳腺癌Balb/c荷瘤小鼠模型;20只荷瘤小鼠随机分为IL-2＋NS组、PBS＋CTX组、IL-2＋CTX组及PBS＋NS组,在种瘤第10天开始对荷瘤小鼠分别经腹腔按方案给药。在种瘤后第16天人道处死小鼠,采用流式细胞术检测小鼠脾脏中CD4＋CD25＋调节性T细胞数量,应用ELISA法检测血清干扰素-γ浓度,电子称称量肿瘤重量。结果：与对照组相比,在应用IL-2后,荷瘤小鼠脾脏CD4＋CD25＋/CD4＋比值增加,在应用IL-2的同时使用小剂量CTX可减少CD4＋CD25＋/CD4＋的比值;单次及联合用药均可提高血清INF-γ浓度;联合用药可减少肿瘤重量。结论：小剂量CTX可以减少由使用IL-2所增加的Treg数量,促进抗肿瘤免疫,提高IL-2的抗瘤效果,从而抑制肿瘤生长。该研究可能为乳腺癌的临床治疗提供一种有效的方法。     

口服卡介菌诱导免疫耐受的CD4+CD25+调节性T 细胞机制研究

目的:研究口服卡介菌诱导免疫耐受对CD4+CD25+调节性T细胞的影响。方法:采用口服MPB制备EAE大鼠模型,随机分为BCG组(0.5mg/kg)和EAE模型组(PBS),每组各15只,连续经口灌服给药14d,同时选取15只健康大鼠作为对照组。分别于免疫后15d、27d流式细胞术检测外周血、胸腺及脾脏中CD4+CD25+T淋巴细胞百分率,ELISA检测血清IL-6、TGF-β、IgE、IgG含量。结果:与EAE模型组相比,免疫后BCG组大鼠外周血、胸腺及脾脏中CD4+CD25+T淋巴细胞百分率增加,血清IL-6、TGF-β含量上升,血清IgE、IgG抗体水平下降。结论:口服BCG通过上调淋巴器官中CD4+CD25+T淋巴细胞比例,抑制效应性T细胞活性,发挥免疫耐受作用。