Leishmania Specific CD4 T Cells Release IFNγ That Limits Parasite Replication in Patients with Visceral Leishmaniasis

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is associated with increased circulating levels of multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, including IL-12, IFNγ, and TNFα, and elevated expression of IFNγ mRNA in lesional tissue such as the spleen and bone marrow. However, an immunological feature of VL patients is that their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) typically fail to respond to stimulation with leishmanial antigen. Unexpectedly, it was recently shown that Leishmania specific IFNγ, can readily be detected when a whole blood stimulation assay (WBA) is used. We sought to define the conditions that permit whole blood cells to respond to antigen stimulation, and clarify the biological role of the IFNγ found to be released by cells from VL patients. CD4+ T cells were found to be crucial for and the main source of the IFNγ production in Leishmania stimulated whole blood (WB) cultures. Complement, antibodies and red blood cells present in whole blood do not play a significant role in the IFNγ response. The IFNγ production was reduced by blockade of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR, indicating that the response to leishmanial antigens observed in WB of active VL patients is a classical HLA- T cell receptor (TCR) driven reaction. Most importantly, blockade of IFNγ in ex-vivo splenic aspirate cultures demonstrated that despite the progressive nature of their disease, the endogenous IFNγ produced in patients with active VL serves to limit parasite growth.     

Interferon Alpha Signalling and Its Relevance for the Upregulatory Effect of Transporter Proteins Associated with Antigen Processing (TAP) in Patients with Malignant Melanoma

Introduction

Interferon alpha (IFNα) is routinely used in the clinical practice for adjuvant systemic melanoma therapy. Understanding the molecular mechanism of IFNα effects and prediction of response in the IFNα therapy regime allows initiation and continuation of IFNα treatment for responder and exclusion of non-responder to avoid therapy inefficacy and side-effects. The transporter protein associated with antigen processing-1 (TAP1) is part of the MHC class I peptide-loading complex, and important for antigen presentation in tumor and antigen presenting cells. In the context of personalized medicine, we address this potential biomarker TAP1 as a target of IFNα signalling.

Results

We could show that IFNα upregulates TAP1 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with malignant melanoma receiving adjuvant high-dose immunotherapy. IFNα also induced expression of TAP1 in mouse blood and tumor tissue and suppressed the formation of melanoma metastasis in an in vivo B16 tumor model. Besides its expression, TAP binding affinity and transport activity is induced by IFNα in human monocytic THP1 cells. Furthermore, our data revealed that IFNα clearly activates phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3 in THP1 and A375 melanoma cells. Inhibition of Janus kinases abrogates the IFNα-induced TAP1 expression. These results suggest that the JAK/STAT pathway is a crucial mediator for TAP1 expression elicited by IFNα treatment.

Conclusion

We suppose that silencing of TAP1 expression provides tumor cells with a mechanism to escape cytotoxic T-lymphocyte recognition. The observed benefit of IFNα treatment could be mediated by the shown dual effect of TAP1 upregulation in antigen presenting cells on the one hand, and of TAP1 upregulation in ‘silent’ metastatic melanoma cells on the other hand. In conclusion, this work contributes to a better understanding of the mode of action of IFNα which is essential to identify markers to predict, assess and monitor therapeutic response of IFNα treatment in the future.     

Increased PRAME-Specific CTL Killing of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells by Either a Novel Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor Chidamide Alone or Combined Treatment with Decitabine

As one of the best known cancer testis antigens, PRAME is overexpressed exclusively in germ line tissues such as the testis as well as in a variety of solid and hematological malignant cells including acute myeloid leukemia. Therefore, PRAME has been recognized as a promising target for both active and adoptive anti-leukemia immunotherapy. However, in most patients with PRAME-expressing acute myeloid leukemia, PRAME antigen-specific CD8⁺ CTL response are either undetectable or too weak to exert immune surveillance presumably due to the inadequate PRAME antigen expression and PRAME-specific antigen presentation by leukemia cells. In this study, we observed remarkably increased PRAME mRNA expression in human acute myeloid leukemia cell lines and primary acute myeloid leukemia cells after treatment with a novel subtype-selective histone deacetylase inhibitor chidamide in vitro. PRAME expression was further enhanced in acute myeloid leukemia cell lines after combined treatment with chidamide and DNA demethylating agent decitabine. Pre-treatment of an HLA-A0201⁺ acute myeloid leukemia cell line THP-1 with chidamide and/or decitabine increased sensitivity to purified CTLs that recognize PRAME^100–108 or PRAME^300–309 peptide presented by HLA-A0201. Chidamide-induced epigenetic upregulation of CD86 also contributed to increased cytotoxicity of PRAME antigen-specific CTLs. Our data thus provide a new line of evidence that epigenetic upregulation of cancer testis antigens by a subtype-selective HDAC inhibitor or in combination with hypomethylating agent increases CTL cytotoxicity and may represent a new opportunity in future design of treatment strategy targeting specifically PRAME-expressing acute myeloid leukemia.     

Interferon-Gamma Promotes Infection of Astrocytes by Trypanosoma cruzi

The inflammatory cytokine interferon-gamma (IFNγ) is crucial for immunity against intracellular pathogens such as the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease (CD). IFNγ is a pleiotropic cytokine which regulates activation of immune and non-immune cells; however, the effect of IFNγ in the central nervous system (CNS) and astrocytes during CD is unknown. Here we show that parasite persists in the CNS of C3H/He mice chronically infected with the Colombian T. cruzi strain despite the increased expression of IFNγ mRNA. Furthermore, most of the T. cruzi-bearing cells were astrocytes located near IFNγ⁺ cells. Surprisingly, in vitro experiments revealed that pretreatment with IFNγ promoted the infection of astrocytes by T. cruzi increasing uptake and proliferation of intracellular forms, despite inducing increased production of nitric oxide (NO). Importantly, the effect of IFNγ on T. cruzi uptake and growth is completely blocked by the anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antibody Infliximab and partially blocked by the inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis L-NAME. These data support that IFNγ fuels astrocyte infection by T. cruzi and critically implicate IFNγ-stimulated T. cruzi-infected astrocytes as sources of TNF and NO, which may contribute to parasite persistence and CNS pathology in CD.     

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans GroEL Protein Promotes Conversion of Human CD4+ T Cells into IFNγ IL10 Producing Tbet+ Th1 Cells

One of the heat shock family protein (Hsp) expressing bacteria is the gram negative, periodontal pathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa). A. actinomycetemcomitans’ Hsp is a 64-kDa GroEL-protein, which has been shown to influence the host cells. In this study we used recombinant A. actinomycetemcomitans GroEL (rAaGroEL) protein as a model antigen to study GroEL-mediated T cell immune response. Human peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMCs), when stimulated with recombinant rAaGroEL, expressed early activation marker CD69 and IL-2R (CD25). CD25 and CD69 expressions were higher in CD4+ T cells compared to CD8+ T cells. rAaGroEL-responding CD4+ T cells expressed IL-10, IFNγ and TNFα cytokines. Interestingly, there were also IL-10 and IFNγ double cytokine producing CD4+ T cells. Additionally, IFNγ expressing CD4+ T cells were also T-bet positive. Altogether the results suggest that rAaGroEL protein affects CD4+ T cells to differentiate into IFNγ IL10-secreting T-bet+ Th1 cells.     

Cytokine Diversity in the Th1-Dominated Human Anti-Influenza Response Caused by Variable Cytokine Expression by Th1 Cells,and a Minor Population of Uncommitted IL-2+IFNγ- Thpp Cells

Within overall Th1-like human memory T cell responses, individual T cells may express only some of the characteristic Th1 cytokines when reactivated. In the Th1-oriented memory response to influenza, we have tested the contributions of two potential mechanisms for this diversity: variable expression of cytokines by a uniform population during activation, or different stable subsets that consistently expressed subsets of the Th1 cytokine pattern. To test for short-term variability, in vitro-stimulated influenza-specific human memory CD4+ T cells were sorted according to IL-2 and IFNγ expression, cultured briefly in vitro, and cytokine patterns measured after restimulation. Cells that were initially IFNγ+ and either IL-2+ or IL-2- converged rapidly, containing similar proportions of IL-2-IFNγ+ and IL-2+IFNγ+ cells after culture and restimulation. Both phenotypes expressed Tbet, and similar patterns of mRNA. Thus variability of IL-2 expression in IFNγ+ cells appeared to be regulated more by short-term variability than by stable differentiated subsets. In contrast, heterogeneous expression of IFNγ in IL-2+ influenza-specific T cells appeared to be due partly to stable T cell subsets. After sorting, culture and restimulation, influenza-specific IL-2+IFNγ- and IL-2+IFNγ+ cells maintained significantly biased ratios of IFNγ+ and IFNγ- cells. IL-2+IFNγ- cells included both Tbet^lo and Tbet^hi cells, and showed more mRNA expression differences with either of the IFNγ+ populations. To test whether IL-2+IFNγ-Tbet^lo cells were Thpp cells (primed but uncommitted memory cells, predominant in responses to protein vaccines), influenza-specific IL-2+IFNγ- and IL-2+IFNγ+ T cells were sorted and cultured in Th1- or Th2-generating conditions. Both cell types yielded IFNγ-secreting cells in Th1 conditions, but only IL-2+IFNγ- cells were able to differentiate into IL-4-producing cells. Thus expression of IL-2 in the anti-influenza response may be regulated mainly by short term variability, whereas different T cell subsets, Th1 and Thpp, may contribute to variability in IFNγ expression.     

The BH3-only protein Bik/Blk/Nbk inhibits nuclear translocation of activated ERK1/2 to mediate IFNgamma-induced cell death

IFNγ induces cell death in epithelial cells, but the mediator for this death pathway has not been identified. In this study, we find that expression of Bik/Blk/Nbk is increased in human airway epithelial cells (AECs [HAECs]) in response to IFNγ. Expression of Bik but not mutant BikL61G induces and loss of Bik suppresses IFNγ-induced cell death in HAECs. IFNγ treatment and Bik expression increase cathepsin B and D messenger RNA levels and reduce levels of phospho–extracellular regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) in the nuclei of bik^+/+ compared with bik^−/− murine AECs. Bik but not BikL61G interacts with and suppresses nuclear translocation of phospho-ERK1/2, and suppression of ERK1/2 activation inhibits IFNγ- and Bik-induced cell death. Furthermore, after prolonged exposure to allergen, hyperplastic epithelial cells persist longer, and nuclear phospho-ERK is more prevalent in airways of IFNγ^−/− or bik^−/− compared with wild-type mice. These results demonstrate that IFNγ requires Bik to suppress nuclear localization of phospho-ERK1/2 to channel cell death in AECs.     

A Fluorescence Reporter Model Defines “Tip-DCs” as the Cellular Source of Interferon β in Murine Listeriosis

Production of type I interferons, consisting mainly of multiple IFNα subtypes and IFNβ, represents an essential part of the innate immune defense against invading pathogens. While in most situations, namely viral infections, this class of cytokines is indispensable for host survival they mediate a detrimental effect during infection with L. monocytogenes by rendering macrophages insensitive towards IFNγ signalling which leads to a lethal bacterial pathology in mice. Due to a lack of suitable analytic tools the precise identity of the cell population responsible for type I IFN production remains ill-defined and so far these cells have been described to be macrophages. As in general IFNβ is the first type I interferon to be produced, we took advantage of an IFNβ fluorescence reporter-knockin mouse model in which YFP is expressed from a bicistronic mRNA linked by an IRES to the endogenous ifnb mRNA to assess the IFNβ production on a single cell level in situ. Our results showed highest frequencies and absolute numbers of IFNβ⁺ cells in the spleen 24 h after infection with L. monocytogenes where they were located predominately in the white pulp within the foci of infection. Detailed FACS surface marker analyses, intracellular cytokine stainings and T cell proliferation assays revealed that the IFNβ⁺ cells were a phenotypically and functionally further specialized subpopulation of TNF and iNOS producing DCs (Tip-DCs) which are known to be essential for the early containment of L. monocytogenes infection. We proved that the IFNβ⁺ cells exhibited the hallmark characteristics of Tip-DCs as they produced iNOS and TNF and possessed T cell priming abilities. These results point to a yet unappreciated ambiguous role for a multi-effector, IFNβ producing subpopulation of Tip-DCs in controlling the balance between containment of L. monocytogenes infection and effects detrimental to the host driven by IFNβ.     

Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Dynamics Tune Interferon-Alfa Production in SIV-Infected Cynomolgus Macaques

IFN-I production is a characteristic of HIV/SIV primary infections. However, acute IFN-I plasma concentrations rapidly decline thereafter. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) are key players in this production but primary infection is associated with decreased responsiveness of pDC to TLR 7 and 9 triggering. IFNα production during primary SIV infection contrasts with increased pDC death, renewal and dysfunction. We investigated the contribution of pDC dynamics to both acute IFNα production and the rapid return of IFNα concentrations to pre-infection levels during acute-to-chronic transition. Nine cynomolgus macaques were infected with SIVmac251 and IFNα-producing cells were quantified and characterized. The plasma IFN-I peak was temporally associated with the presence of IFNα⁺ pDC in tissues but IFN-I production was not detectable during the acute-to-chronic transition despite persistent immune activation. No IFNα⁺ cells other than pDC were detected by intracellular staining. Blood-pDC and peripheral lymph node-pDC both lost IFNα⁻ production ability in parallel. In blood, this phenomenon correlated with an increase in the counts of Ki67⁺-pDC precursors with no IFNα production ability. In tissues, it was associated with increase of both activated pDC and KI67⁺-pDC precursors, none of these being IFNα⁺ in vivo. Our findings also indicate that activation/death-driven pDC renewal rapidly blunts acute IFNα production in vivo: pDC sub-populations with no IFNα-production ability rapidly increase and shrinkage of IFNα production thus involves both early pDC exhaustion, and increase of pDC precursors.     

Cancer testis antigen PRAME: An anti-cancer target with immunomodulatory potential

PReferentially expressed Antigen in Melanoma (PRAME) is a cancer testis antigen with restricted expression in somatic tissues and re-expression in poor prognostic solid tumours. PRAME has been extensively investigated as a target for immunotherapy, however, its role in modulating the anti-tumour immune response remains largely unknown. Here, we show that PRAME tumour expression is associated with worse survival in the TCGA breast cancer cohort, particularly in immune-unfavourable tumours. Using direct and indirect co-culture models, we found that PRAME overexpressing MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells inhibit T cell activation and cytolytic potential, which could be partly restored by silencing of PRAME. Furthermore, silencing of PRAME reduced expression of several immune checkpoints and their ligands, including PD-1, LAG3, PD-L1, CD86, Gal-9 and VISTA. Interestingly, silencing of PRAME induced cancer cell killing to levels similar to anti-PD-L1 atezolizumab treatment. Comprehensive analysis of soluble inflammatory mediators and cancer cell expression of immune-related genes showed that PRAME tumour expression can suppress the expression and secretion of multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines, and mediators of T cell activation, differentiation and cytolysis. Together, our data indicate that targeting of PRAME offers a potential, novel dual therapeutic approach to specifically target tumour cells and regulate immune activation in the tumour microenvironment.