Heterosubtypic Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies Cross-Protective against H5N1 and H1N1 Recovered from Human IgM+ Memory B Cells

Background

The hemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein is the principal target of protective humoral immune responses to influenza virus infections but such antibody responses only provide efficient protection against a narrow spectrum of HA antigenic variants within a given virus subtype. Avian influenza viruses such as H5N1 are currently panzootic and pose a pandemic threat. These viruses are antigenically diverse and protective strategies need to cross protect against diverse viral clades. Furthermore, there are 16 different HA subtypes and no certainty the next pandemic will be caused by an H5 subtype, thus it is important to develop prophylactic and therapeutic interventions that provide heterosubtypic protection.

Methods and Findings

Here we describe a panel of 13 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) recovered from combinatorial display libraries that were constructed from human IgM⁺ memory B cells of recent (seasonal) influenza vaccinees. The mAbs have broad heterosubtypic neutralizing activity against antigenically diverse H1, H2, H5, H6, H8 and H9 influenza subtypes. Restriction to variable heavy chain gene IGHV1-69 in the high affinity mAb panel was associated with binding to a conserved hydrophobic pocket in the stem domain of HA. The most potent antibody (CR6261) was protective in mice when given before and after lethal H5N1 or H1N1 challenge.

Conclusions

The human monoclonal CR6261 described in this study could be developed for use as a broad spectrum agent for prophylaxis or treatment of human or avian influenza infections without prior strain characterization. Moreover, the CR6261 epitope could be applied in targeted vaccine strategies or in the design of novel antivirals. Finally our approach of screening the IgM⁺ memory repertoire could be applied to identify conserved and functionally relevant targets on other rapidly evolving pathogens.     

Protection of Rabbits and Immunodeficient Mice against Lethal Poxvirus Infections by Human Monoclonal Antibodies

Smallpox (variola virus) is a bioweapon concern. Monkeypox is a growing zoonotic poxvirus threat. These problems have resulted in extensive efforts to develop potential therapeutics that can prevent or treat potentially lethal poxvirus infections in humans. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against smallpox are a conservative approach to this problem, as the licensed human smallpox vaccine (vaccinia virus, VACV) primarily works on the basis of protective antibody responses against smallpox. Fully human mAbs (hmAbs) against vaccinia H3 (H3L) and B5 (B5R), targeting both the mature virion (MV) and extracellular enveloped virion (EV) forms, have been developed as potential therapeutics for use in humans. Post-exposure prophylaxis was assessed in both murine and rabbit animal models. Therapeutic efficacy of the mAbs was assessed in three good laboratory practices (GLP) studies examining severe combined immunodeficiency mice (SCID) given a lethal VACV infection. Pre-exposure combination hmAb therapy provided significantly better protection against disease and death than either single hmAb or vaccinia immune globulin (VIG). Post-exposure combination mAb therapy provided significant protection against disease and death, and appeared to fully cure the VACV infection in ≥50% of SCID mice. Therapeutic efficacy was then assessed in two rabbit studies examining post-exposure hmAb prophylaxis against rabbitpox (RPXV). In the first study, rabbits were infected with RPVX and then provided hmAbs at 48 hrs post-infection, or 1 hr and 72 hrs post-infection. Rabbits in both groups receiving hmAbs were 100% protected from death. In the second rabbitpox study, 100% of animal treated with combination hmAb therapy and 100% of animals treated with anti-B5 hmAb were protected. These findings suggest that combination hmAb treatment may be effective at controlling smallpox disease in immunocompetent or immunodeficient humans.     

兔支气管败血波氏杆菌单克隆抗体的制备及鉴定

目的建立能稳定分泌抗兔支气管败血波氏杆菌（Bb）的单克隆抗体杂交瘤细胞株,为今后进一步建立该菌的免疫检测技术奠定基础。方法以Bb分离株BLJ05的灭活菌液为免疫原,腹腔免疫BALB/c小鼠,采用常规杂交瘤技术制备Bb单克隆抗体（McAb）,用间接ELISA、Western-blot等方法对McAb特性进行鉴定。结果获得两株能稳定分泌抗Bb单克隆抗体的杂交瘤细胞株,分别命名为A7D5和D6B2,其小鼠腹水抗体效价分别为1∶409600和1∶102400;且不与兔大肠杆菌、多杀性巴氏杆菌、产气荚膜梭菌等兔的常见病原菌反应,特异性强。两株单抗亲和力实验表明A7D5亲和力略高于D6B2。ELISA相加试验表明它们针对相同的抗原表位。结论成功建立了两株能稳定分泌抗兔支气管败血波氏杆菌单克隆抗体的杂交瘤细胞株,效价高、特异性强,为今后建立该菌的免疫检测技术建立奠定了基础。     

Comparison of Humanized IgG and FvFc Anti-CD3 Monoclonal Antibodies Expressed in CHO Cells

Two humanized monoclonal antibody constructs bearing the same variable regions of an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody, whole IgG and FvFc, were expressed in CHO cells. Random and site-specific integration were used resulting in similar expression levels. The transfectants were selected with appropriate selection agent, and the surviving cells were plated in semi-solid medium for capture with FITC-conjugated anti-human IG antibody and picked with the robotic ClonePix FL. Conditioned media from selected clones were purified by affinity chromatography and characterized by SDS-PAGE, Western-blot, SEC-HPLC, and isoelectric focusing. Binding to the target present in healthy human mononuclear cells was assessed by flow cytometry, as well as by competition between the two constructs and the original murine monoclonal antibody. The humanized constructs were not able to dislodge the murine antibody while the murine anti-CD3 antibody could dislodge around 20% of the FvFc or IgG humanized versions. Further in vitro and in vivo pre-clinical analyses will be carried out to verify the ability of the humanized versions to demonstrate the immunoregulatory profile required for a humanized anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody.     

The Effects of Antigen-Specific IgG1 Antibody for the Pulmonary-Hypertension-Phenotype and B Cells for Inflammation in Mice Exposed to Antigen and Fine Particles from Air Pollution

Air pollution is known to exacerbate chronic inflammatory conditions of the lungs including pulmonary hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and autoimmune diseases. Directly pathogenic antibodies bind pro-inflammatory cell receptors and cause or exacerbate inflammation. In contrast, anti-inflammatory antibody isotypes (e.g. mouse immunoglobulin G1, IgG1) bind inhibitory cell receptors and can inhibit inflammation. Our previous studies showed that co-exposure to antigen and urban ambient particulate matter (PM_2.5) induced severe pulmonary arterial thickening and increased right ventricular systolic pressures in mice via T-cell produced cytokines, Interleukin (IL)-13 and IL-17A. The aim of the current study was to understand how B cell and antibody responses integrate into this T cell cytokine network for the pulmonary hypertension phenotype. Special focus was on antigen-specific IgG1 that is the predominant antibody in the experimental response to antigen and urban ambient PM_2.5. Wild type and B cell-deficient mice were primed with antigen and then challenged with antigen and urban particulate matter and injected with antibodies as appropriate. Our data surprisingly showed that B cells were necessary for the development of increased right ventricular pressures and molecular changes in the right heart in response to sensitization and intranasal challenge with antigen and PM_2.5. Further, our studies showed that both, the increase in right ventricular systolic pressure and right ventricular molecular changes were restored by reconstituting the B cell KO mice with antigen specific IgG1. In addition, our studies identified a critical, non-redundant role of B cells for the IL-17A-directed inflammation in response to exposure with antigen and PM_2.5, which was not corrected with antigen-specific IgG1. In contrast, IL-13-directed inflammatory markers, as well as severe pulmonary arterial remodeling induced by challenge with antigen and PM_2.5 were similar in B cell-deficient and wild type mice. Our studies have identified B cells and antigen specific IgG1 as potential therapeutic targets for pulmonary hypertension associated with immune dysfunction and environmental exposures.     

鼠源性人乳腺癌单链抗体库的构建与乳腺癌相关抗体的筛选

目的:获得乳腺癌的噬菌体呈现型单链抗体(scFv)库,筛选与乳腺癌细胞特异结合的抗体,为乳腺癌的诊断和治疗奠定基础。方法:用乳腺癌细胞系MCF-7、T47D、MDA-MB-435免疫BALB/c小鼠,取脾脏提取总RNA,用RT-PCR分别扩增抗体重、轻链可变区(VH和VL)基因,经Linker连接形成scFv基因片段。将scFv基因片段与噬菌粒载体pCANTAB5E的连接产物转化大肠杆菌TG1。用辅助噬菌体M13KO7进行超感染,获得重组噬菌体抗体。选用乳腺癌细胞系MCF-7和人正常肝细胞系HL02做正负差异的筛选细胞,通过5轮筛选,随机挑取克隆,经phage-ELISA筛选特异性结合MCF-7细胞的scFv。结果:构建了1个库容为1.3×106的单链抗体库。筛选到2株与MCF-7细胞有较高结合活性的噬菌体-单链抗体scFv-873和scFv-874。数据库搜索表明这2株单链抗体基因是与以往抗体序列不同的新基因。用Westernblot检测了这2株单链抗体在琥珀密码子非抑制型菌株TOP10中的表达情况。结论:筛选到2个与乳腺癌细胞结合特异性较好的单链抗体,为乳腺癌的诊断和治疗研究奠定了基础。     

Generation and Characterization of Murine Monoclonal Antibodies to Recombinant YopM, YopB and LcrV Proteins of Yersinia pestis

Summary YopM, an effector, YopB, a translator, and LcrV, a regulator, are proteins forming important componants of type III secretion system of Yersinia pestis. Recombinant truncated YopM of 32 kDa, YopB of 28 kDa and LcrV of 31 kDa sizes were utilized for priming BALB/c mice for the generation of monoclonal antibodies following standard poly-ethylene glycol (PEG) fusion protocol. Nine, 10 and 6 stabilized hybridoma cell lines could be generated against YopM, YopB and LcrV proteins, respectively. All these monoclonal antibodies were found reactive to Y. pestis strain A1122 and did not show any cross-reactivity to Y. enterocolitica, Y. pseudotuberculosis, Y. kristensenii, Y. frederiksenii, Y. intermedia, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella abortus-equi and Staphylococcus aureus tested by ELISA and Western blotting. Monoclonal antibodies also exhibited reactivity to their corressponding native protein antigens in Y. pestis i.e. 42 kDa for YopM, 41 kDa for YopB and 37 kDa for LcrV in immunoblotting. Reactivity of monoclonal antibodies was further assessed on 26 Y. pestis isolates including 18 from 1994 plague outbreak regions (11 from pneumonic patients, 7 from rodents) and 8 from rodents of Deccan plateau of Southern India by Western blotting as well as by sandwich ELISA. The monoclonal antibodies could specifically locate the expression of yopM, yopB and lcrV genes among these Indian Y. pestis strains as well. Results obtained with sandwich ELISA and Western blot were identical to those observed by PCR. Monoclonal antibodies to Yops, therefore, can be employed for an early and reliable identification of virulent Y. pestis strains.     

Detection of B. anthracis Spores and Vegetative Cells with the Same Monoclonal Antibodies

Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax disease, could be used as a biothreat reagent. It is vital to develop a rapid, convenient method to detect B. anthracis. In the current study, three high affinity and specificity monoclonal antibodies (mAbs, designated 8G3, 10C6 and 12F6) have been obtained using fully washed B. anthracis spores as an immunogen. These mAbs, confirmed to direct against EA1 protein, can recognize the surface of B. anthracis spores and intact vegetative cells with high affinity and species-specificity. EA1 has been well known as a major S-layer component of B. anthracis vegetative cells, and it also persistently exists in the spore preparations and bind tightly to the spore surfaces even after rigorous washing. Therefore, these mAbs can be used to build a new and rapid immunoassay for detection of both life forms of B. anthracis, either vegetative cells or spores.     

Analysis of Memory B Cell Responses and Isolation of Novel Monoclonal Antibodies with Neutralizing Breadth from HIV-1-Infected Individuals

Background

The isolation of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that neutralize a broad spectrum of primary HIV-1 isolates and the characterization of the human neutralizing antibody B cell response to HIV-1 infection are important goals that are central to the design of an effective antibody-based vaccine.

Methods and Findings

We immortalized IgG⁺ memory B cells from individuals infected with diverse clades of HIV-1 and selected on the basis of plasma neutralization profiles that were cross-clade and relatively potent. Culture supernatants were screened using various recombinant forms of the envelope glycoproteins (Env) in multiple parallel assays. We isolated 58 mAbs that were mapped to different Env surfaces, most of which showed neutralizing activity. One mAb in particular (HJ16) specific for a novel epitope proximal to the CD4 binding site on gp120 selectively neutralized a multi-clade panel of Tier-2 HIV-1 pseudoviruses, and demonstrated reactivity that was comparable in breadth, but distinct in neutralization specificity, to that of the other CD4 binding site-specific neutralizing mAb b12. A second mAb (HGN194) bound a conserved epitope in the V3 crown and neutralized all Tier-1 and a proportion of Tier-2 pseudoviruses tested, irrespective of clade. A third mAb (HK20) with broad neutralizing activity, particularly as a Fab fragment, recognized a highly conserved epitope in the HR-1 region of gp41, but showed striking assay-dependent selectivity in its activity.

Conclusions

This study reveals that by using appropriate screening methods, a large proportion of memory B cells can be isolated that produce mAbs with HIV-1 neutralizing activity. Three of these mAbs show unusual breadth of neutralization and therefore add to the current panel of HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies with potential for passive protection and template-based vaccine design.     

Cannabinoid Receptor 2 (CB2) Plays a Role in the Generation of Germinal Center and Memory B Cells,but Not in the Production of Antigen-Specific IgG and IgM,in Response to T-dependent Antigens

The cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) has been reported to modulate B cell functions including migration, proliferation and isotype class switching. Since these processes are required for the generation of the germinal center (GC) and antigen-specific plasma and memory cells following immunization with a T-dependent antigen, CB2 has the capacity to alter the quality and magnitude of T-dependent immune responses. To address this question, we immunized WT and CB2^−/− mice with the T-dependent antigen 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenylacetyl (NP)-chicken-gamma-globulin (CGG) and measured GC B cell formation and the generation of antigen-specific B cells and serum immunoglobulin (Ig). While there was a significant reduction in the number of splenic GC B cells in CB2^−/− mice early in the response there was no detectable difference in the number of NP-specific IgM and IgG₁ plasma cells. There was also no difference in NP-specific IgM and class switched IgG₁ in the serum. In addition, we found no defect in the homing of plasma cells to the bone marrow (BM) and affinity maturation, although memory B cell cells in the spleen were reduced in CB2^−/− mice. CB2-deficient mice also generated similar levels of antigen-specific IgM and IgG in the serum as WT following immunization with sheep red blood cells (sRBC). This study demonstrates that although CB2 plays a role in promoting GC and memory B cell formation/maintenance in the spleen, it is dispensable on all immune cell types required for the generation of antigen-specific IgM and IgG in T-dependent immune responses.     

Decreased Memory B Cells and Increased CD8 Memory T Cells in Blood of Breastfed Children: The Generation R Study

BackgroundBreastfeeding provides a protective effect against infectious diseases in infancy. Still, immunological evidence for enhanced adaptive immunity in breastfed children remains inconclusive.ObjectiveTo determine whether breastfeeding affects B- and T-cell memory in the first years of life.MethodsWe performed immunophenotypic analysis on blood samples within a population-based prospective cohort study. Participants included children at 6 months (n=258), 14 months (n=166), 25 months (n=112) and 6 years of age (n=332) with both data on breastfeeding and blood lymphocytes. Total B- and T-cell numbers and their memory subsets were determined with 6-color flow cytometry. Mothers completed questionnaires on breastfeeding when their children were aged 2, 6, and 12 months. Multiple linear regression models with adjustments for potential confounders were performed.ResultsPer month continuation of breastfeeding, a 3% (95% CI -6, -1) decrease in CD27+IgM+, a 2% (95 CI % -5, -1) decrease in CD27+IgA+ and a 2% (95% CI -4, -1) decrease in CD27-IgG+ memory B cell numbers were observed at 6 months of age. CD8 T-cell numbers at 6 months of age were 20% (95% CI 3, 37) higher in breastfed than in non-breastfed infants. This was mainly found for central memory CD8 T cells and associated with exposure to breast milk, rather than duration. The same trend was observed at 14 months, but associations disappeared at older ages.ConclusionsLonger breastfeeding is associated with increased CD8 T-cell memory, but not B-cell memory numbers in the first 6 months of life. This transient skewing towards T cell memory might contribute to the protective effect against infectious diseases in infancy.     

Multiparametric Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting for the Assessment of Viable, Injured, and Dead Bifidobacterium Cells during Bile Salt Stress

Using a flow cytometry-based approach, we assessed the viability of Bifidobacterium lactis DSM 10140 and Bifidobacterium adolescentis DSM 20083 during exposure to bile salt stress. Carboxyfluorescein diacetate (cFDA), propidium iodide (PI), and oxonol [DiBAC₄(3)] were used to monitor esterase activity, membrane integrity, and membrane potential, respectively, as indicators of bacterial viability. Single staining with these probes rapidly and noticeably reflected the behavior of the two strains during stress exposure. However, the flow cytometry results tended to overestimate the viability of the two strains compared to plate counts, which appeared to be related to the nonculturability of a fraction of the population as a result of sublethal injury caused by bile salts. When the cells were simultaneously stained with cFDA and PI, flow cytometry and cell sorting revealed a striking physiological heterogeneity within the stressed bifidobacterium population. Three subpopulations could be identified based on their differential uptake of the probes: cF-stained, cF and PI double-stained, and PI-stained subpopulations, representing viable, injured, and dead cells, respectively. Following sorting and recovery, a significant fraction of the double-stained subpopulation (40%) could resume growth on agar plates. Our results show that in situ assessment of the physiological activity of stressed bifidobacteria using multiparameter flow cytometry and cell sorting may provide a powerful and sensitive tool for assessment of the viability and stability of probiotics.     

Generation and Characterization of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Aid-Deficient Mice

It has been shown that DNA demethylation plays a pivotal role in the generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. However, the underlying mechanism of this action is still unclear. Previous reports indicated that activation-induced cytidine deaminase (Aid, also known as Aicda) is involved in DNA demethylation in several developmental processes, as well as cell fusion-mediated reprogramming. Based on these reports, we hypothesized that Aid may be involved in the DNA demethylation that occurs during the generation of iPS cells. In this study, we examined the function of Aid in iPS cell generation using Aid knockout (Aid^−/−) mice expressing a GFP reporter under the control of a pluripotent stem cell marker, Nanog. By introducing Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc, Nanog-GFP-positive iPS cells could be generated from the fibroblasts and primary B cells of Aid^−/− mice. Their induction efficiency was similar to that of wild-type (Aid^+/+) iPS cells. The Aid^−/− iPS cells showed normal proliferation and gave rise to chimeras, indicating their capacity for self-renewal and pluripotency. A comprehensive DNA methylation analysis showed only a few differences between Aid^+/+ and Aid^−/− iPS cells. These data suggest that Aid does not have crucial functions in DNA demethylation during iPS cell generation.     

Differential Antitumor Effects of IgG and IgM Monoclonal Antibodies and Their Synthetic Complementarity-Determining Regions Directed to New Targets of B16F10-Nex2 Melanoma Cells

Malignant melanoma has increased incidence worldwide and causes most skin cancer-related deaths. A few cell surface antigens that can be targets of antitumor immunotherapy have been characterized in melanoma. This is an expanding field because of the ineffectiveness of conventional cancer therapy for the metastatic form of melanoma. In the present work, antimelanoma monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were raised against B16F10 cells (subclone Nex4, grown in murine serum), with novel specificities and antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo. MAb A4 (IgG2ak) recognizes a surface antigen on B16F10-Nex2 cells identified as protocadherin β₁₃. It is cytotoxic in vitro and in vivo to B16F10-Nex2 cells as well as in vitro to human melanoma cell lines. MAb A4M (IgM) strongly reacted with nuclei of permeabilized murine tumor cells, recognizing histone 1. Although it is not cytotoxic in vitro, similarly with mAb A4, mAb A4M significantly reduced the number of lung nodules in mice challenged intravenously with B16F10-Nex2 cells. The V_H CDR3 peptide from mAb A4 and V_L CDR1 and CDR2 from mAb A4M showed significant cytotoxic activities in vitro, leading tumor cells to apoptosis. A cyclic peptide representing A4 CDR H3 competed with mAb A4 for binding to melanoma cells. MAb A4M CDRs L1 and L2 in addition to the antitumor effect also inhibited angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells in vitro. As shown in the present work, mAbs A4 and A4M and selected CDR peptides are strong candidates to be developed as drugs for antitumor therapy for invasive melanoma.     

Electron Microscopic Identification and Morphologic Preservation of Enriched Populations of Lung Cells Isolated by Laser Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting: A New Technique

There is increasing need to verify the identities of cell subpopulations enriched by laser flow cytometry and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). When cell subpopulations isolated from whole organs or tissues have similar characteristics (e.g., size, granularity, staining), light, phase contrast or fluorescence microscopy may not provide sufficient resolution to identify isolated cells accurately and many flow cytometric parameters (e.g., viability, fluorescence) require the cells to be live at the point of analysis where the cell transects the laser beam. In some studies, cells identified by fluorescence microscopy as a highly enriched subpopulation were found by electron microscopy to contain significant populations of other cell types. A technique, fixation-in-flow (FIF), has been developed to increase ability to correlate morphological and laser analyses of cell subpopulations. Sheath fluid is replaced by fixative, permitting fixation to be initiated immediately after laser beam analysis of live cells. This new procedure yields improved cytoarchitectural preservation of recovered cell subpopulation(s) for evaluation by transmission or scanning electron microscopy. This report presents results from applying the methodology to identify more accurately cell subpopulations of the distal lung, specifically type II pneumocytes, Clara cells and pulmonary macrophages. A modification of this procedure was employed to isolate fibroblast subpopulations from murine lung fibroblasts grown in vitro and the procedure is being used to determine the responses of cultured fibroblasts to other permutations (e.g., X-irradiation, cytokines).     

The Neuroblast Assay: An Assay for the Generation and Enrichment of Neuronal Progenitor Cells from Differentiating Neural Stem Cell Progeny Using Flow Cytometry

Neural stem cells (NSCs) can be isolated and expanded in large-scale, using the neurosphere assay and differentiated into the three major cell types of the central nervous system (CNS); namely, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and neurons. These characteristics make neural stem and progenitor cells an invaluable renewable source of cells for in vitro studies such as drug screening, neurotoxicology and electrophysiology and also for cell replacement therapy in many neurological diseases. In practice, however, heterogeneity of NSC progeny, low production of neurons and oligodendrocytes, and predominance of astrocytes following differentiation limit their clinical applications. Here, we describe a novel methodology for the generation and subsequent purification of immature neurons from murine NSC progeny using fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) technology. Using this methodology, a highly enriched neuronal progenitor cell population can be achieved without any noticeable astrocyte and bona fide NSC contamination. The procedure includes differentiation of NSC progeny isolated and expanded from E14 mouse ganglionic eminences using the neurosphere assay, followed by isolation and enrichment of immature neuronal cells based on their physical (size and internal complexity) and fluorescent properties using flow cytometry technology. Overall, it takes 5-7 days to generate neurospheres and 6-8 days to differentiate NSC progeny and isolate highly purified immature neuronal cells.     

Type II Collagen Induces Peripheral Tolerance in BALB/c Mice via the Generation of CD8+ T Regulatory Cells

Antigens introduced into the anterior chamber (AC) of the eye induce a potent form of antigen-specific peripheral immune tolerance termed AC-associated immune deviation (ACAID), which prevents inflammatory immune responses and is characterized by impaired delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses. Type-II collagen (CII) is a fibrillar protein expressed exclusively in cartilage tissues. Although of its clinical relevance to Rheumatoid arthritis, aging, and osteoarthritis, there have been no studies to date to test if CII has the ability to induce ACAID. We hypothesized that ACAID could be generated via AC injection of CII in BALB/c mice. Using a DTH assay, the hypothesis was supported and led to another hypothesis that CII is capable of inducing specific immune tolerance via CD8⁺ T regulatory cells (Tregs). Thus, we performed functional local adoptive transfer (LAT) assays to examine the regulatory roles of spleen cells, T cells, and CD8⁺ T cells in the specific immune regulation induced by CII injection into the AC. Results indicated that CII induced ACAID when injected into the AC. Spleen cells of mice injected with CII in the AC significantly suppressed DTH responses. The T cell compartment of the spleen was capable of expressing this suppression. CD8⁺ Tregs could solely express this CII-driven suppression and even exerted more noticeable suppression than spleen cells or splenic T cells. This study suggests a crucial role for CD8⁺ Tregs in mediating CII-driven ACAID-mediated immune tolerance. This could have therapeutic implications in Rheumatoid arthritis, aging, osteoarthritis, and other diseases in which CII is involved.     

Interleukin-5 Supports the Expansion of Fas Ligand-Expressing Killer B Cells that Induce Antigen-Specific Apoptosis of CD4+ T Cells and Secrete Interleukin-10

Beyond their critical role in humoral immunity, B lymphocytes can employ a variety of immunomodulatory mechanisms including expression of the apoptosis-inducing molecule Fas ligand (FasL; CD178). Here, we extensively characterized the surface phenotype of FasL⁺ killer B cells, showing they are enriched in the IgM^highCD5⁺CD1d^high B cell subset previously reported to contain a higher frequency of B cells producing interleukin-10 (IL-10). A rare population of B cells expressing IL-10 was present among FasL⁺ B cells, but most FasL⁺ B cells did not produce IL-10. We also identify interleukin-5 (IL-5) as a novel inducer of killer B cell function. Constitutively FasL⁺ B cells expressed higher levels of the IL-5 receptor, and treating B cells with IL-5 and CD40L resulted in the expansion of a B cell population enriched for FasL⁺ cells. B cells stimulated with IL-5 and CD40L were potent inducers of apoptosis in activated primary CD4⁺ T cells, and this killing function was antigen-specific and dependent upon FasL. IL-5 also enhanced IL-10 secretion in B cells stimulated with CD40L. Taken together these findings elucidate the relationship of FasL⁺ B cells and IL-10-producing B cells and demonstrate that IL-5 can induce or enhance both killer B cell activity and IL-10 secretion in B cells. Finally, we found that the killer B cell activity induced by IL-5 was completely blocked by IL-4, suggesting the existence of a previously unknown antagonistic relationship between these type-2 cytokines in modulating the activity of killer B cells. Targeting this IL-5/IL-4 signaling axis may therefore represent a novel area of drug discovery in inflammatory disorders.     

Early Differentiated CD138highMHCII+IgG+ Plasma Cells Express CXCR3 and Localize into Inflamed Kidneys of Lupus Mice

Humoral responses are central to the development of chronic autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus. Indeed, autoantibody deposition is responsible for tissue damage, the kidneys being one of the main target organs. As the source of pathogenic antibodies, plasma cells are therefore critical players in this harmful scenario, both at systemic and local levels. The aim of the present study was to analyze plasma cells in NZB/W lupus mice and to get a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying their involvement in the renal inflammation process. Using various techniques (i.e. flow cytometry, quantitative PCR, ELISpot), we identified and extensively characterized three plasma cell intermediates, according to their B220/CD138/MHCII expression levels. Each of these cell subsets displays specific proliferation and antibody secretion capacities. Moreover, we evidenced that the inflammation-related CXCR3 chemokine receptor is uniquely expressed by CD138^highMHCII⁺ plasma cells, which encompass both short- and long-lived cells and mostly produce IgG (auto)antibodies. Expression of CXCR3 allows efficient chemotactic responsiveness of these cells to cognate chemokines, which production is up-regulated in the kidneys of diseased NZB/W mice. Finally, using fluorescence and electron microscopy, we demonstrated the presence of CD138⁺CXCR3⁺IgG⁺ cells in inflammatory areas in the kidneys, where they are very likely involved in the injury process. Thus, early differentiated CD138^highMHCII⁺ rather than terminally differentiated CD138^highMHCII^low plasma cells may be involved in the renal inflammatory injury in lupus, due to CXCR3 expression and IgG secretion.