Ustekinumab Improves Psoriasis without Altering T Cell Cytokine Production,Differentiation, and T Cell Receptor Repertoire Diversity

Ustekinumab is a fully human IgG1κ monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin (IL)-12/23 p40 subunit. The role of IL-12/23-mediated pathway in the mechanism of various inflammatory disorders especially psoriasis has been well recognized. Recently the long-term efficacy and safety of ustekinumab in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis has been evaluated in phase 2/3 clinical trials, and the results showed no significant risk for serious adverse effects, infections, or malignancies. Ustekinumab inhibits the function of the IL-12/23 p40 subunit, and therefore it is believed that inhibition of IL-12 p40 pathway decreases IFN-γ production. The major concern for the use of ustekinumab is the possibility of increased immunosuppression due to low IFN-γ production. However, the effects of ustekinumab on CD4⁺ T cell function have not been fully investigated so far. In this study, we explored changes in cytokine production by memory CD4⁺ T cells as well as in the differentiation of naïve T cells to helper T cell (Th) 1, Th2, or Th17 cells in psoriasis patients treated with ustekinumab. The effect of the treatment on T cell receptor repertoire diversity was also evaluated. The results showed that ustekinumab improves clinical manifestation in patients with psoriasis without affecting cytokine production in memory T cells, T cell maturation, or T cell receptor repertoire diversity. Although the number of patients is limited, the present study suggests that T cell immune response remains unaffected in psoriasis patients treated with ustekinumab.     

Regulatory T Cell Ablation Causes Acute T Cell Lymphopenia

Regulatory T (Treg) cells enforce T cell homeostasis and maintain peripheral T cell tolerance. Here we report a previously unappreciated phenomenon of acute T cell lymphopenia in secondary lymphoid organs and non-lymphoid tissues triggered by Treg cell depletion that precedes the expansion of self-reactive T cells. Lymphopenia affects both neonates and adults indicating a dominant role of Treg cells in maintaining peripheral T cell numbers regardless of the developmental stage. The lymphopenia was neither triggered by caspase-dependent apoptosis nor macrophage-mediated clearance of T cells, nor diminished survival of naïve or recently activated T cells due to paucity of IL-7. It is possible that transient lymphopenia associated with congenital or acute Treg cell deficiency may contribute to the development of T cell mediated autoimmune disorders.     

Self-tolerance and Autoimmunity in a Regulatory T Cell Model

The class of immunosuppressive lymphocytes known as regulatory T cells (Tregs) has been identified as a key component in preventing autoimmune diseases. Although Tregs have been incorporated previously in mathematical models of autoimmunity, we take a novel approach which emphasizes the importance of professional antigen presenting cells (pAPCs). We examine three possible mechanisms of Treg action (each in isolation) through ordinary differential equation (ODE) models. The immune response against a particular autoantigen is suppressed both by Tregs specific for that antigen and by Tregs of arbitrary specificities, through their action on either maturing or already mature pAPCs or on autoreactive effector T cells. In this deterministic approach, we find that qualitative long-term behaviour is predicted by the basic reproductive ratio R ₀ for each system. When R ₀<1, only the trivial equilibrium exists and is stable; when R ₀>1, this equilibrium loses its stability and a stable non-trivial equilibrium appears. We interpret the absence of self-damaging populations at the trivial equilibrium to imply a state of self-tolerance, and their presence at the non-trivial equilibrium to imply a state of chronic autoimmunity. Irrespective of mechanism, our model predicts that Tregs specific for the autoantigen in question play no role in the system’s qualitative long-term behaviour, but have quantitative effects that could potentially reduce an autoimmune response to sub-clinical levels. Our results also suggest an important role for Tregs of arbitrary specificities in modulating the qualitative outcome. A stochastic treatment of the same model demonstrates that the probability of developing a chronic autoimmune response increases with the initial exposure to self antigen or autoreactive effector T cells. The three different mechanisms we consider, while leading to a number of similar predictions, also exhibit key differences in both transient dynamics (ODE approach) and the probability of chronic autoimmunity (stochastic approach).     

Polymerisation of a T Cell Epitope with an Immunostimulatory C3d Peptide Sequence Enhances Antigen Specific T Cell Responses

The complement protein C3d and C3d derived peptides that bind CD21 are known to enhance immunity to co-immunised antigens. In this study we have synthesised the minimal CD21 binding sequence of C3d (¹²²⁷LYNVEA¹²³²) as mono, di and tri tandem repeats and derivatised the N-terminus with an acryloyl moiety. These acryloyl-(C3d) _n peptides were co-polymerised with a acryloyl-T cell epitope (PAS1K) from the Porphyromonas gingivalis antigen the RgpA–Kgp proteinase–adhesin complex. The ability of C3d containing polymers to enhance T cell immunity in vitro and in vivo was evaluated. When used to stimulate in vitro PAS1K-primed or RgpA–Kgp complex-primed T cells the C3d containing PAS1K polymers induced a mixed and significantly (p < 0.05) higher IL-4 and IFNγ T cell response compared to that induced by the PAS1K peptide or polymer. PAS1K polymers containing tandem repeats of C3d induced a significantly (p < 0.05) stronger maximal proliferative response, at the same antigenic dose, compared to that induced by the PAS1K peptide or polymer. When used as immunogens to prime T cells all of the C3d containing PAS1K polymers induced a dominant IFNγ T cell response and reduced the antigen dose required for maximal proliferation 150-fold compared to that required for the PAS1K-peptide or polymer primed T cells. In conclusion, the 6 residue sequence LYNVEA from C3d is sufficient to enhance immunity to an antigen and that the effect is more pronounced when C3d is part of the immunising antigen rather than an in vitro stimulating antigen.     

MHC Class I-Presented T Cell Epitopes Identified by Immunoproteomics Analysis Are Targets for a Cross Reactive Influenza-Specific T Cell Response

Influenza virus infection and the resulting complications are a significant global public health problem. Improving humoral immunity to influenza is the target of current conventional influenza vaccines, however, these are generally not cross-protective. On the contrary, cell-mediated immunity generated by primary influenza infection provides substantial protection against serologically distinct viruses due to recognition of cross-reactive T cell epitopes, often from internal viral proteins conserved between viral subtypes. Efforts are underway to develop a universal flu vaccine that would stimulate both the humoral and cellular immune responses leading to long-lived memory. Such a universal vaccine should target conserved influenza virus antibody and T cell epitopes that do not vary from strain to strain. In the last decade, immunoproteomics, or the direct identification of HLA class I presented epitopes, has emerged as an alternative to the motif prediction method for the identification of T cell epitopes. In this study, we used this method to uncover several cross-specific MHC class I specific T cell epitopes naturally presented by influenza A-infected cells. These conserved T cell epitopes, when combined with a cross-reactive antibody epitope from the ectodomain of influenza M2, generate cross-strain specific cell mediated and humoral immunity. Overall, we have demonstrated that conserved epitope-specific CTLs could recognize multiple influenza strain infected target cells and, when combined with a universal antibody epitope, could generate virus specific humoral and T cell responses, a step toward a universal vaccine concept. These epitopes also have potential as new tools to characterize T cell immunity in influenza infection, and may serve as part of a universal vaccine candidate complementary to current vaccines.     

Notches,NF-kBs and the Making of T Cell Leukemia

T cell lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematological cancer frequent within pediatric ALL patients. Recent findings suggested that the transmembrane receptor NOTCH1 is the major oncogene for the majority of T-ALL cases. In these cases activating mutations of NOTCH1 are responsible for the transformation of developing T cell progenitors. These observations prompted us to study the mechanisms of Notch1-induced T cell transformation. Using parallel studies in T cell progenitors and established T-ALL lines we have demonstrated that the NF-kB signaling pathway is targeted and induced by Notch1 activation. Our studies suggested that the NF-kB activation by Notch1 can be direct, as Notch1 can bind and activate the promoters of the RELB and NFKB2 factors and indirect, as Notch1 can form a complex with the NF-kB kinase IKK. NF-kB appears to be important for the development of the disease as suppression of the pathway antagonizes T cell transformation both in vitro and in vivo, using animal models of T-ALL. We believe that these findings could be important for the understanding of Notch1 signaling and the therapeutic treatment of T-ALL.     

Unexpected Phenotype of Mice Lacking Shcbp1, a Protein Induced during T Cell Proliferation

T cell development and activation are highly regulated processes, and their proper execution is important for a competent immune system. Shc SH2-domain binding protein-1 (Shcbp1) is an evolutionarily conserved protein that binds to the adaptor protein ShcA. Studies in Drosophila and in cell lines have strongly linked Shcbp1 to cell proliferation, embryonic development, growth factor signaling, and tumorigenesis. Here we show that Shcbp1 expression is strikingly upregulated during the β-selection checkpoint in thymocytes, and that its expression tightly correlates with proliferative stages of T cell development. To evaluate the role for Shcbp1 during thymic selection and T cell function in vivo, we generated mice with global and conditional deletion of Shcbp1. Surprisingly, the loss of Shcbp1 expression did not have an obvious effect during T cell development. However, in a mouse model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), which depends on CD4⁺ T cell function and mimics multiple features of the human disease multiple sclerosis, Shcbp1 deficient mice had reduced disease severity and improved survival, and this effect was T cell intrinsic. These data suggest that despite the striking upregulation of Shcbp1 during T cell proliferation, loss of Shcbp1 does not directly affect T cell development, but regulates CD4⁺ T cell effector function in vivo.     

Hypoxia Is a Dominant Remodeler of the Effector T Cell Surface Proteome Relative to Activation and Regulatory T Cell Suppression

Immunosuppressive factors in the tumor microenvironment (TME) impair T cell function and limit the antitumor immune response. T cell surface receptors and surface proteins that influence interactions and function in the TME are proven targets for cancer immunotherapy. However, how the entire surface proteome remodels in primary human T cells in response to specific suppressive factors in the TME remains to be broadly and systematically characterized. Here, using a reductionist cell culture approach with primary human T cells and stable isotopic labeling with amino acids in cell culture–based quantitative cell surface capture glycoproteomics, we examined how two immunosuppressive TME factors, regulatory T cells (Tregs) and hypoxia, globally affect the activated CD8⁺ surface proteome (surfaceome). Surprisingly, coculturing primary CD8⁺ T cells with Tregs only modestly affected the CD8⁺ surfaceome but did partially reverse activation-induced surfaceomic changes. In contrast, hypoxia drastically altered the CD8⁺ surfaceome in a manner consistent with both metabolic reprogramming and induction of an immunosuppressed state. The CD4⁺ T cell surfaceome similarly responded to hypoxia, revealing a common hypoxia-induced surface receptor program. Our surfaceomics findings suggest that hypoxic environments create a challenge for T cell activation. These studies provide global insight into how Tregs and hypoxia remodel the T cell surfaceome and we believe represent a valuable resource to inform future therapeutic efforts to enhance T cell function.     

Attenuated T Cell Responses to a High-Potency Ligand In Vivo

αβ T cell receptor (TCR) recognition of foreign peptides bound to major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) molecules on the surface of antigen presenting cells is a key event in the initiation of adaptive cellular immunity. In vitro, high-affinity binding and/or long-lived interactions between TCRs and pMHC correlate with high-potency T cell activation. However, less is known about the influence of TCR/pMHC interaction parameters on T cell responses in vivo. We studied the influence of TCR/pMHC binding characteristics on in vivo T cell immunity by tracking CD4⁺ T cell activation, effector, and memory responses to immunization with peptides exhibiting a range of TCR/pMHC half-lives and in vitro T cell activation potencies. Contrary to predictions from in vitro studies, we found that optimal in vivo T cell responses occur to ligands with intermediate TCR/pMHC half-lives. The diminished in vivo responses we observed to the ligand exhibiting the longest TCR/pMHC half-life were associated with attenuation of intracellular signaling, expansion, and function over a broad range of time points. Our results reveal a level of control over T cell activation in vivo not recapitulated in in vitro assays and highlight the importance of considering in vivo efficacy of TCR ligands as part of vaccine design.     

HTLV-1感染T细胞克隆扩增和转化在成人T细胞白血病表达分析

摘要 目的：探究人类T细胞白血病1型病毒（Human T-cell leukemia virus type，HTLV-1）感染的T细胞克隆扩增和转化在成人T细胞白血病（AdultT-cellleukemia，ATL）中的表达分析，探究HTLV-1在T淋巴细胞中发生克隆扩增和转化的机制，为ATL的临床治疗提供理论基础。方法：选择2015年2月至2018年2月于我院接受治疗的38例ATL患者为研究对象，按照其病程差异将其分为急性ATL组（20例）和慢性ALT组（18例），分别采集其血样并检测两组患者血样中HTLV-1病毒载量的差异性，对比两组患者样本中Tax蛋白和HMGB1蛋白的表达情况，并就两组患者血样中肿瘤坏死因子（tumor necrosis factor，TNF-α）、癌胚抗原（carcinoembryonic antigen，CEA）的水平进行对比。结果：（1）急性ATL组患者HTLV-1病毒载量明显高于慢性ATL组患者HTLV-1病毒载量（P<0.05）；（2）对比显示，急性ATL组患者血样中Tax蛋白和HMGB1蛋白表达量明显高于慢性ATL组患者（P<0.05）；（3）急性ATL组患者中TNF-α和CEA水平均明显高于慢性ATL组患者（P<0.05）。结论：HTLV-1感染ATL患者病程的差异会影响T淋巴细胞的克隆扩增和转化进程，分析其机制可能与HTLV-1能够调控Tax蛋白和HMGB1表达有关。     

A Nuclear Targeting Determinant for SATB1, a Genome Organizer in the T Cell Lineage

SATB1 is a nuclear protein which acts as a cell-type specific genome organizer and gene regulator essential for T cell differentiation and activation. Several functional domains of SATB1 have been identified. However, the region required for nuclear localization remains unknown. To delineate this region, we employed sequence analysis to identify phylogenetically diverse members of the SATB1 protein family, and used hidden Markov model (HMM)-based analysis to define conserved regions and motifs in this family. One of the regions conserved in SATB1- and SATB2-like proteins in mammals, fish, frog and bird, is located near the N-terminus of family members. We found that the N-terminus of human SATB1 was essential for the nuclear localization of the protein. Furthermore, fusing residues 20-40 to a cytoplasmic green fluorescence protein (GFP) fused to pyruvate kinase (PK) was sufficient to quantitatively translocate the pyruvate kinase into the nucleus. The nuclear targeting sequence of human SATB1 (residues 20-40) is novel and does not contain clusters of basic residues, typically found in ‘classical’ nuclear localization signals (NLSs). We investigated the importance of four well-conserved residues (Lys29, Arg32, Glu34, and Asn36) in this nuclear targeting sequences. Remarkably, full-length SATB1 harboring a single point mutation at either Lys29 or Arg32, but not Glu34 or Asn36, did not enter the nucleus. Our results indicate that SATB1 N-terminal residues 20-40 represent a novel determinant of nuclear targeting.     

B7-H1 and a Mathematical Model for Cytotoxic T Cell and Tumor Cell Interaction

The surface protein B7-H1, also called PD-L1 and CD274, is found on carcinomas of the lung, ovary, colon, and melanomas but not on most normal tissues. B7-H1 has been experimentally determined to be an antiapoptotic receptor on cancer cells, where B7-H1-positive cancer cells have been shown to be immune resistant, and in vitro experiments and mouse models have shown that B7-H1-negative tumor cells are significantly more susceptible to being repressed by the immune system. We derive a new mathematical model for studying the interaction between cytotoxic T cells and tumor cells as affected by B7-H1. By integrating experimental data into the model, we isolate the parameters that control the dynamics and obtain insights on the mechanisms that control apoptosis.     

Cell density and amino acid transport in 3T3, SV3T3, and SV3T3 revertant cells

The transport of selected neutral and cationic amino acids has been studied in Balb/c 3T3, SV3T3, and SV3T3 revertant cell lines. After properly timed preincubations to control the size of internal amino acid pools, the activity of systems A, ASC, L, and Ly⁺ has been discriminated by measurements of amino acid uptake (initial entry rate) in the presence and absence of sodium and of transportspecific model substrates. L-Proline, 2-aminoisobutyric acid, and glycine were primarily taken up by system A; L-alanine and L-serine by system ASC; L-phenylalanine by system L; and L-lysine by system Ly⁺ in SV3T3 cells. L-Proline and L-serine were also preferential substrates of systems A and ASC, respectively, in 3T3 and SV3T3 revertant cells. Transport activity of the Na⁺-dependent systems A and ASC decreased markedly with the increase of cell density, whereas the activity of the Na⁺-independent systems L and Ly⁺remained substantially unchanged. The density-dependent change in activity of system A occurred through a mechanism affecting transport maximum (V_max) rather than substrate concentration for half-maximal velocity (K_m). Transport activity of systems A and ASC was severalfold higher in transformed SV3T3 cells than in 3T3 parental cells at all the culture densities that could be compared. In SV3T3 revertant cells, transport activity by these systems remained substantially similar to that observed in transformed SV3T3 cells. The results presented here add cell density as a regulatory factor of the activity of systems A and ASC, and show that this control mechanism of amino acid transport is maintained in SV40 virus-transformed 3T3 cells that have lost density-dependent inhibition of growth, as well as in SV3T3 revertant cells that have resumed it.     

EB病毒诱导的胸腺恶性T细胞淋巴瘤细胞体外长期培养研究

建立含有EB病毒的T细胞淋巴瘤细胞系,为探讨EB病毒的致瘤机理,研究EB病毒在T细胞淋巴瘤发生过程中的作用提供手段.在TPA协同EB病毒诱导胸腺恶性T细胞淋巴瘤动物模型的基础上,联合应用IL-2,将诱导的肿瘤组织进行体外细胞培养,成功地分离获得一株在体外长期存活的淋巴细胞TET.T细胞亚群分类实验证实TET细胞为CD4阳性的T淋巴细胞,PCR和原位杂交可检测到EB病毒的EBERs、LMP1和BARF1,并有LMP1蛋白的表达.TET细胞的获得,有望在体外建立转化细胞系,为体外研究EB病毒的致瘤机理及防治提供理想的实验材料.