IgE isotype switch and IgE production are enhanced in IL-21-deficient but not IFN-gamma-deficient mice in a Th2-biased response

IgE plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of allergy and asthma. Therefore, suppression of IgE production would provide therapeutic benefits to patients suffering from these diseases. We have reported that the production of IgE is regulated differently in the spleen vs. the draining lymph nodes (LN). IgE isotype switch and IgE producing B cell expansion occur in the draining LN after antigen (Ag) immunization, but do not happen in the spleen. In addition, a population of pre-existing IgE+ cells is observed in the spleen of normal or sham immunized mice, but is not present in the draining LN. To further understand the regulation of IgE production in different lymphoid organs, and the potential inhibitory factors of IgE isotype switch in the spleen, the involvement of IL-21 and IFN-gamma in regulating IgE production was investigated by using the IL-21 and the IFN-gamma deficient mice. We found that in the absence of IL-21 IgE isotype switch and IgE+ cell clonal expansion were dramatically enhanced in the spleen and IgE isotype switch was partially increased in the draining LN. In addition, IgE production of the pre-existing CD19-CD5+B220(low) IgE+ cells in the spleen was also increased in the absence of IL-21 under physiological conditions. In contrast, using the IFN-gamma deficient mice, we did not observe a negative impact of IFN-gamma on either IgE isotype switch or IgE production. Our data suggest that IL-21 appears to be a critical cytokine to keep low IgE levels under physiological and pathological conditions.     

Induction of IgE-secreting cells and IgE isotype-specific suppressor T cells in the respiratory lymph nodes of rats in response to antigen inhalation

Repeated exposure of high-IgE-responder Brown Norway (BN) rats to an aerosol of ovalbumin (OVA) once weekly triggered progressively increasing levels of OVA-specific IgG in serum. In contrast, responses in the IgE class were transient, declining from peak titers during the third week to background levels by Week 5, despite continuing aerosol exposure. Subsequent parenteral challenge of these animals revealed a state of antigen- and IgE isotype-specific tolerance. Adoptive transfer of splenocytes or pooled respiratory tract lymph node (RTLN) cells from aerosol-exposed animals to naive rats abrogated subsequent OVA-specific primary IgE responses in the recipients, but did not affect specific IgG responses, and kinetic studies indicated that these suppressor cells arose first in the RTLN. Transfer studies employing individual lymph node groups which constituted the RTLN pool pinpointed the superficial cervical nodes, which drain the uppermost portion of the respiratory tract, as the major source of suppressor cells. Fractionation of cell populations before adoptive transfer employing monoclonal antibodies directed against T-cell markers, defined a population of suppressor cells generated by aerosol exposure which expressed both the W3/13 (pan T-cell) and OX8 (cytotoxic/suppressor T-cell) antigens, but which was negative for the W3/25 (helper T-cell) marker. Analysis of the IgE and IgG responses induced by OVA inhalation was performed employing the ELISA plaque technique, recently developed in this laboratory. These studies revealed the parathymic and posterior mediastinal nodes draining the lower lung, as the major sites of specific IgE and IgG production; smaller numbers of OVA-specific IgG-secreting cells (but none secreting specific IgE) were detected in the nodes draining the upper respiratory tract, while antibody secretion outside the respiratory tract was restricted to comparatively few cells in the spleen. The ELISA plaque assay was also employed to enumerate total numbers of cells secreting the IgE isotype in aerosol-exposed and control rats, employing samples from 10 different lymphoid organs. Approximately 50% of the IgE-secreting cells in these animals were localized in RTLN, as opposed to 25% in gut-associated lymphoid tissues. These data are discussed in relation to the pivotal role of respiratory-tract associated lymphoid tissues in regulation of IgE responses to aeroallergens.     

Cell cycle block in anergic T cells during tolerance induction

The induction of anergy, or T cell unresponsiveness to antigen, is preceded by T cell activation and cell division in response to fed antigens. These events parallel the activation observed in T cells following sensitization with antigen and adjuvant. The events that distinguish eventual sensitization versus tolerance remain unclear. Using a T lymphocyte transfer model specific to OVA, we demonstrated previously that oral encounter with antigen leads to functional anergy. Antigen-specific CD4+ T cells nevertheless become activated and cycle briefly after encounter with antigen. In this study, we measured the extent of cell cycling of antigen-specific T cells after oral encounter with their antigen. Whereas T cells cycle on the average of eight times in 4 days after conventional immunization, an abortive proliferation was observed in the draining LN T cells after oral encounter with antigen; OVA-specific T cells divided fewer times after exposure to fed OVA, compared to T cells in mice immunized with OVA. This abortive proliferation is antigen specific and not due to bystander suppression, as coadministration of an unrelated antigen that was previously used as a tolerogen does not alter the degree of abortive proliferation. Measurement of BrdU incorporation in mice that were previously fed ovalbumin indicates that up to 3 days following feeding, OVA-specific cells are actively cycling in vivo. However, by day 4, they have stopped cycling while identical T cells in OVA-sensitized mice continue to cycle. Our results indicate either that tolerance is a default pathway and a secondary stimulus is required at day 3 to progress to sensitization, or that elements that limit cell cycle progression are provided for tolerance induction.     

CD8+ T cells modulate late allergic airway responses in Brown Norway rats.

To test the hypothesis that CD8+ T cells may suppress the allergen-induced late airway response (LAR) and airway eosinophilia, we examined the effect of administration of Ag-primed CD8+ T cells on allergic airway responses, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) leukocytes, and mRNA expression for cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, and IFN-gamma) in OVA-sensitized Brown Norway rats. On day 12 postsensitization to OVA, test rats were administered 2 million CD8+ T cells i.p. isolated from either the cervical lymph nodes (LN group; n = 8) or the spleen (Spl group; n = 6) of sensitized donors. On day 14, test rats were challenged with aerosolized OVA. Control rats were administered PBS i.p. on day 12, and challenged with OVA (n = 10) or BSA (n = 6) on day 14. The lung resistance was measured for 8 h after challenge. BAL was performed at 8 h. Cytospin slides of BAL were analyzed for major basic protein by immunostaining and for cytokine mRNA by in situ hybridization. The LAR was significantly less in the LN group (1.8 +/- 0.5 U; p < 0.01) and BSA controls (1.4 +/- 0.7; p < 0.01), but not in the Spl group (6.7 +/- 2.2), compared with that in OVA controls (8.1 +/- 1.8). In BAL, the number of major basic protein-positive cells was lower in the LN and Spl groups compared with OVA controls (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01). IL-4- and IL-5-positive cells were decreased in the LN group compared with the OVA controls (p < 0.01). INF-gamma-positive cells were increased in the LN and Spl groups compared with the OVA controls (p < 0.01). Serum OVA-specific IgE levels were unaffected by CD8+ T cell transfers. These results indicate that Ag-primed CD8+ T cells have a potent suppressive effect on LAR.     

Construction of antigen-specific suppressor T cell hybridomas from spleen cells of mice primed for the persistent IgE antibody formation

Attempts were made to generate Ag-specific suppressor T cells from Ag-primed spleen cells by using glycosylation inhibiting factor (GIF). BDF1 mice were primed with alum-absorbed OVA and their spleen cells were stimulated with OVA. Ag-activated T cells were then propagated in IL-2-containing conditioned medium. Incubation of the T cells with OVA-pulsed syngeneic macrophages resulted in the formation of IgE-potentiating factor and glycosylation-enhancing factor that has affinity for OVA, i.e., OVA-specific glycosylation-enhancing factor. However, if the same Ag-activated splenic T cells were propagated in the IL-2-containing medium in the presence of GIF T cells obtained in the cultures formed IgE-suppressive factors and OVA-specific GIF on antigenic stimulation. Thus we constructed T cell hybridomas from the Ag-activated T cells propagated by IL-2 in the presence of GIF. A representative hybridoma, 71B4, formed OVA-specific GIF on incubation with OVA-pulsed macrophages of BDF1 mice or C57B1/6 mice. However, if the same hybridoma cells were incubated with OVA alone or with OVA-pulsed macrophages of H-2k or H-2d strains, they produced GIF that had no affinity for OVA. The OVA-specific GIF bound to OVA-Sepharose but did not bind to BSA-Sepharose or KLH Sepharose. Intravenous injections of the OVA-specific GIF from the hybridoma suppressed the IgE and IgG1 anti-DNP antibody response of BDF1 mice to DNP-OVA, but failed to suppress the anti-hapten antibody responses of the strain to DNP-keyhole limpet hemocyanin, indicating that the factors suppressed the antibody response in a carrier-specific manner. However, the same OVA-specific GIF failed to suppress the anti-hapten antibody response of DBA/1 mice to DNP-OVA, suggesting that the immunosuppressive effects of the factors is MHC restricted.     

Distribution of primed T cells and antigen-loaded antigen presenting cells following intranasal immunization in mice

Priming of T cells is a key event in vaccination, since it bears a decisive influence on the type and magnitude of the immune response. T-cell priming after mucosal immunization via the nasal route was studied by investigating the distribution of antigen-loaded antigen presenting cells (APCs) and primed antigen-specific T cells. Nasal immunization studies were conducted using the model protein antigen ovalbumin (OVA) plus CpG oligodeoxynucleotide adjuvant. Trafficking of antigen-specific primed T cells was analyzed in vivo after adoptive transfer of OVA-specific transgenic T cells in the presence or absence of fingolimod, a drug that causes lymphocytes sequestration within lymph nodes. Antigen-loaded APCs were observed in mediastinal lymph nodes, draining the respiratory tract, but not in distal lymph nodes. Antigen-specific proliferating T cells were first observed within draining lymph nodes, and later in distal iliac and mesenteric lymph nodes and in the spleen. The presence at distal sites was due to migration of locally primed T cells as shown by fingolimod treatment that caused a drastic reduction of proliferated T cells in non-draining lymph nodes and an accumulation of extensively divided T cells within draining lymph nodes. Homing of nasally primed T cells in distal iliac lymph nodes was CD62L-dependent, while entry into mesenteric lymph nodes depended on both CD62L and α4β7, as shown by in vivo antibody-mediated inhibition of T-cell trafficking. These data, elucidating the trafficking of antigen-specific primed T cells to non-draining peripheral and mucosa-associated lymph nodes following nasal immunization, provide relevant insights for the design of vaccination strategies based on mucosal priming.     

双歧杆菌完整肽聚糖对食物过敏小鼠调节性T细胞影响的研究

目的以食物过敏小鼠为动物模型,通过灌喂双歧杆菌完整肽聚糖(Whole Peptidoglycan,WPG),观察其对调节性T细胞的作用。方法 4～6周龄SPF级无鸡蛋喂养BALB/c雌鼠随机分为3组,每组8只。取其中2组建立食物过敏模型,分别为OVA致敏阳性对照组、OVA激发后灌喂双歧杆菌WPG治疗组和生理盐水对照组。采用ELISA法检测各组血清中OVA特异性IgE、IL-10和TGF-β1水平;流式细胞术分析脾脏单个核细胞悬液中CD4+CD25+调节性T细胞的数量变化。结果 OVA组IL-10、TGF-β1水平显著高于对照组(P分别0.05和0.01);WPG组血清IL-10和TGF-β1水平显著低于OVA组(P0.05)。OVA组脾CD4+CD25+T淋巴细胞的百分比低于对照组(P0.05),WPG组与OVA组相比有升高趋势,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);OVA组脾Foxp3+CD4+CD25+调节性T细胞的百分比显著低于对照组(P0.01),WPG组与OVA组相比有升高趋势,差异有统计学意义(P0.01)。结论双歧杆菌WPG可以增加食物过敏小鼠CD4+CD25+调节性T细胞数量,刺激细胞因子IL-10和TGF-β分泌。     

Oral tolerance revisited: prior oral tolerization abrogates cholera toxin-induced mucosal IgA responses

Oral delivery of a large dose or prolonged feeding of protein Ags induce systemic unresponsiveness most often characterized as reduced IgG and IgE Ab- and Ag-specific CD4(+) T cell responses. It remains controversial whether oral tolerance extends to diminished mucosal IgA responses in the gastrointestinal tract. To address this issue, mice were given a high oral dose of OVA or PBS and then orally immunized with OVA and cholera toxin as mucosal adjuvant, and both systemic and mucosal immune responses were assessed. OVA-specific serum IgG and IgA and mucosal IgA Ab levels were markedly reduced in mice given OVA orally compared with mice fed PBS. Furthermore, when OVA-specific Ab-forming cells (AFCs) in both systemic and mucosa-associated tissues were examined, IgG AFCs in the spleen and IgA AFCs in the gastrointestinal tract lamina propria of mice given OVA orally were dramatically decreased. Furthermore, marked reductions in OVA-specific CD4(+) T cell proliferative and cytokine responses in spleen and Peyer's patches were seen in mice given oral OVA but were unaffected in PBS-fed mice. We conclude that high oral doses of protein induce both mucosal and systemic unresponsiveness and that use of mucosal adjuvants that induce both parenteral and mucosal immunity may be a better way to assess oral tolerance.     

Inhibition of specific immune responses by feeding protein antigens. IV. Evidence for tolerance and specific active suppression of cell-mediated immune responses to ovalbumin.

We studied the effect of a single intragastric administration of ovalbumin (OVA) on the subsequent development of OVA-specific cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses in BDF1 mice. In animals fed OVA 7 days before subcutaneous sensitization with OVA-CFA, we observed a concomitant dose-dependent decrease in both the humoral and CMI responses specific for OVA. The CMI tolerance was found to be antigen-specific when assayed in vivo by ear swelling or in vitro by an antigen-induced T cell proliferation assay because OVA-fed mice responded normally to sensitization with horse gamma-globulin. It was also shown that either spleen or lymph node cells, but not serum, from OVA-fed donors transferred suppression to normal recipients. The transfer was mediated by antigen-specific suppressor T cells (Ts) that appeared to inhibit the induction phase (afferent limb) of the CMI response, since the Ts were only effective when transferred before or shortly after the onset of sensitization.     

Timing of Bifidobacterium Administration Influences the Development of Allergy to Ovalbumin in Mice

C3H/HeJ mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and choleratoxin (CT) for 5 weeks, and then Bifidobacterium bifidum BGN4 was administered continuously for 7 weeks, starting 2 weeks before (pre-treatment group) and 2 weeks after (post-treatment group) the initial sensitization. After sensitization, the OVA-induced (sham group) mice showed growth inhibition and had scab-covered tails which was associated with serum levels of 9887±175 ng OVA-specific IgE/ml and 758±525 ng IgG1/ml. The sera of the pre-treatment group had 4805±245 ng OVA-specific IgE/ml and 193±87 ng IgG1/ml, as well as less severe tail symptoms. The sera of the post-treatment group had 5723±207 ng OVA-specific IgE/ml but the IgG1 and IgG2a levels were the same as those of the sham group. In spleen cultures, both pre-treatment and post-treatment increased the levels of IFN-γ but decreased the levels of IL-6 and IL-18. Taken together, the in vivo and in vitro results show that treatment with Bifidobacterium before OVA sensitization suppresses or modulates the allergic response more effectively than treatment with Bifidobacterium following OVA sensitization.     

Characterization of suppressor T cell clones derived from a mouse tolerized with conjugates of ovalbumin and monomethoxypolyethylene glycol.

The induction of antigen-specific tolerance in mice by conjugates of ovalbumin (OVA) and monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG) previously had been shown to be associated with the generation of antigen-specific suppressor T (Ts) cells. For the elucidation of the nature of these Ts cells, five nonhybridized OVA-specific Ts cell clones were generated from the spleen cells of a BDF1 mouse which had been immunosuppressed by the tolerogenic conjugate, OVA(mPEG)12. The cloned Ts cells were maintained in vitro by periodic stimulation with OVA and feeder cells and were able to suppress the in vitro antibody production in an OVA-specific and MHC class I (H-2Kd or H-2Dd)-restricted manner. All these Ts cell clones were shown to be Thy1.2+, CD4-, CD5-, CD8+, and to express CD3 and the alpha beta heterodimer of the T cell receptor. The cell-free extracts of these cells contained soluble suppressor factors which could mimic in vitro the suppressive activity of the intact cells. In contrast to cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), none of the cloned Ts cells were endowed with cytolytic activity as revealed in the perforin-mediated microhemolysis and in the 18-hr51Cr release assays. These results demonstrate that (i) OVA-specific Ts cell clones can be generated from mice pretreated with OVA(mPEG)12 by employing conventional T cell culture techniques, and (ii) these Ts cells are functionally different from conventional CD8+ CTL.     

Interleukin-4-mediated downregulation of cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity is associated with reduced proliferation of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells

During virus infection, exogenous IL-4 strongly downregulates expression of antiviral cytokines and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses. In this study, we have employed a T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic system to more closely investigate the effect of IL-4 on CTL activity. This system involves mice transgenic for an H2-Kb restricted TCR recognising an ovalbumin (OVA)-specific peptide (OT-I mice), and recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing the gene for OVA (VV-OVA), or OVA together with IL-4 (VV-OVA-IL-4). Spleen cells from OT-I mice were adoptively transferred to irradiated C57BL/6 mice infected with VV-OVA or VV-OVA-IL-4. Five days following transfer, markedly stronger CTL activity was detected in VV-OVA- than in VV-OVA-IL-4-infected recipients. The reduction in CTL activity was associated with a reduction in the number of OVA-specific CD8+ T cells. Proliferation of cells from VV-OVA-IL-4-infected recipients was dramatically reduced, and this is a likely explanation for the IL-4-mediated reduction in the total number of OVA-specific cells and the reduced cytotoxic activity. On a per cell basis, the production of IFNgamma and cytotoxic activity of OVA-specific CD8+ cells was not influenced by IL-4. Taken together, our results indicate that the reduction in CTL activity by exogenous IL-4 is due to a reduced number of antigen-specific effectors, and does not involve a downregulation of effector function of these cells.     

Prior stimulation of antigen-presenting cells with Lactobacillus regulates excessive antigen-specific cytokine responses in vitro when compared with Bacteroides

The development of allergy is related to differences in the intestinal microbiota. Therefore, it is suggested that the immune responses induced by different genera of bacteria might be regulated through adaptive as well as innate immunity. In this study, we examined whether antigen-specific immune responses were affected by stimulation with the different genera of intestinal bacteria in vitro. Mesenteric lymph node (MLN) cells isolated from germ-free ovalbumin (OVA)-specific T cell receptor transgenic (OVA-Tg) mice were stimulated with OVA and intestinal bacteria. Cecal contents from conventional mice but not germ-free mice could induce OVA-specific cytokine production. Among the murine intestinal bacteria, Bacteroides acidofaciens (BA) enhanced OVA-specific IFN-γ and IL-10 production while Lactobacillus johnsonii (LA) increased OVA-specific IL-10 production only. The expression of cell surface molecules and cytokine production by antigen-presenting cells (APCs) from germ-free Balb/c mice were analyzed. BA increased the expression of MHC II and co-stimulatory molecules on APCs compared with LA. BA increased IL-6 and IL-10 production but induced less IL-12p40 than LA. To examine the effects of prior stimulation of APCs by intestinal bacteria on the induction of antigen-specific immune responses, cytokine production was determined following co-culture with OVA, CD4⁺ T cells from OVA-Tg mice, and APCs which were pre-stimulated with the bacteria or not. APCs pre-stimulated with LA did not enhance OVA-specific cytokine production while BA stimulated OVA-specific IL-10 production. These results suggest that the prior stimulation of intestinal immunocytes by Lactobacillus might regulate excessive antigen-specific cytokine responses via APCs when compared with prior stimulation by Bacteroides.     

Acute infection by conjunctival route with Brucella melitensis induces IgG+ cells and IFN-gamma producing cells in peripheral and mucosal lymph nodes in sheep

The early distribution of Brucella melitensis and the immune response induced in lymphoid tissues and lymph nodes (LN) draining the upper respiratory tract were analysed in sheep. An experimental acute infection was performed by inoculating the sheep with the virulent H38 strain of B. melitensis by the conjunctival route. The infection was rapidly controlled at the site of inoculation but resulted in a local and systemic dissemination of brucellae mainly in the pharyngeal tonsil, local and peripheral LN and the spleen. The control of the infection was associated with the induction of a specific immune response characterized by an increase in IgG+ cells, the production of IFN-gamma and IL-10 by cells from draining parotid, retropharyngeal and submaxillary LN, but also from more distant peripheral prescapular and mesenteric LN. IFN-gamma was produced by CD4+, CD8+ and CD4(-)CD8(-)gammadelta(-) cells and probably contributed to the control of both local and systemic infection.     

Altered antibody production and helper T cell function in mice lacking chemokines CCL19 and CCL21-Ser

The roles of chemokines CCL19 and CCL21 in Ab production were investigated using plt mutant mice, which lack expression of CCL19 and CCL21-ser in their lymphoid organs. In these mice, the Th response has been shown to tend towards the Th1 type because of accumulation of inflammatory dendritic cells. When plt mice were immunized with 100 μg OVA in CFA, the number of Ab-forming cells in the draining LN, and serum concentrations of OVA-specific IgM and IgG Ab, were very close to those of the control, yet IgG2a Ab in plt mice was increased. In vitro IFN-γ production by the draining LN cells of plt mice was increased. In addition, the ability of helper T cells from plt mice to stimulate Ab production in vitro was prolonged. Also, in the plt mice, in vivo challenge with OVA in incomplete Freund's adjuvant elicited a stronger IgG2a response and a weaker IgG1 response, which is suggestive of a Th1-dominant response. Similar findings were obtained when mice were immunized with 100 μg OVA in alum, except that with alum the increases observed in plt mice were IgG1 produced in vivo and IL-4 produced in vitro by draining LN cells. Furthermore, immunization with alum adjuvant also induced a prolonged in vitro recall response of IFN-γ and IL-4. These findings indicate that plt mice mount an anti-OVA Ab response, and suggest that CCL19 and CCL21 induce prompt Ab responses to antigen, and negatively regulate helper T cell responses in vivo.     

Simultaneous induction of antigen-specific IgA helper T cells and IgG suppressor T cells in the murine Peyer's patch after protein feeding

The effects of feeding the dietary protein antigen, ovalbumin (OVA), on OVA-specific IgG and IgA immune responses involving Peyer's patches (PP) and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) were examined. Mice were administered soluble OVA by gastric intubation. One to 3 days later, PP, MLN, or spleen cells from these donor mice were adoptively transferred into normal syngeneic recipients. After two subsequent immunizations, spleens from the recipient mice were assayed for IgA and IgG anti-OVA plaque-forming cell (PFC) responses. None of the tissues from normal (unfed) mice had the inherent ability to alter recipients' IgG or IgA PFC responses. Within 1 day of OVA feeding, however, cells were generated in the PP that could augment recipients' IgA anti-OVA PFC responses and suppress IgG PFC responses. Three days after OVA feeding, these cells were present in MLN as well, and whereas the IgG suppressor cell also appeared to migrate to spleen, the IgA helper cell did not. The cells mediating antigen-specific IgG suppression and IgA help were both T cells but could be distinguished by surface phenotype. We therefore conclude that protein feeding induces differential, isotype-specific immunoregulation in gut-associated lymphoid tissues, part of which is mediated by an antigen-specific IgA helper T cell.     

Intranasal exposure to protein antigen induces immunological tolerance mediated by functionally disabled CD4+ T cells.

In this study we examined the immunological parameters underlying the natural immunity to inhaled nonpathogenic proteins. We addressed this question by examining the effect of intranasal exposure to OVA in both wild-type mice and mice reconstituted with OVA-TCR transgenic CD4+ T cells. Intranasal administration of OVA induced an initial phase of activation during which CD4+ T cells were capable of proliferating and producing cytokines. Although many of the OVA-specific CD4+ T cells were subsequently depleted from the lymphoid organs, a stable population of such T cells survived but remained refractory to antigenic rechallenge. The unresponsive state was not associated with immune deviation due to selective secretion of Th1- or Th2-type cytokines, and the presence of regulatory CD8+ T cells was not required. Moreover, neutralization of the immunosuppressive cytokines IL-10 and TGF-beta did not abrogate the induction of tolerance. Inhibition of the interaction of T cells with CD86, but not CD80, at the time of exposure to intranasal Ag prevented the development of unresponsiveness, while selective blockade of CTLA-4 had no effect. Our results suggest that intranasal exposure to Ags results in immunological tolerance mediated by functionally impaired CD4+ T cells via a costimulatory pathway that requires CD86.     

Contrasting effects of acute and chronic gastro-intestinal helminth infections on a heterologous immune response in a transgenic adoptive transfer model

We have previously found that co-immunisation with ovalbumin (OVA) and the body fluid of the helminth Ascaris suum inhibited an OVA-specific delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response by reducing OVA-specific CD4+ T lymphocyte proliferation via an IL-4 independent mechanism. In the present study, we determined whether parasite infections themselves could induce similar changes to peripheral immunisation by examining the modulation of OVA-specific immune responses during acute and chronic helminth infections. Surprisingly, an acute infection with Trichinella spiralis, but not a chronic infection with Heligmosomoides polygyrus, inhibited the OVA-specific DTH reaction. Correspondingly, the T helper 1 (Th1) OVA-specific response was decreased in mice infected with T. spiralis, but not with H. polygyrus. Inhibition of the Th1 response may be a result of a shift in the Th1/Th2 balance as although both H. polygyrus and T. spiralis infected mice induced a Th2 OVA-specific response, that exhibited by T. spiralis was more potent. Furthermore, although IL-10 secretion upon OVA restimulation was similarly increased by both infections, production of this immunoregulatory cytokine may play a role in the suppression of immune responses observed with T. spiralis infection depending on the context of its release. Interestingly, analysis of the OVA-specific T lymphocyte division by carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) staining revealed that gastro-intestinal infection with the acute helminth T. spiralis, but not with chronic H. polygyrus, inhibited the systemic immune response by significantly inhibiting the antigen-specific T cell proliferation during the primary response, a mechanism similar to that observed when A. suum parasite extracts were directly mixed with the OVA during immunisation in our previous studies.     

Visualization of early APC/T cell interactions in the mouse lung following intranasal challenge.

We have used fluorescent latex beads, with or without covalently conjugated OVA, to facilitate study of Ag trafficking in the mouse lung and draining peribronchial lymph node (LN). At 6 h, and up to 48 h after intranasal administration, beads were observed as intracellular clusters in the tissue parenchyma. Flow cytometry of bead-positive (bead(+)) cells from the bronchoalveolar lavage demonstrated that a majority of these cells are CD11c(+), F4/80(+), and CD11b(-). Furthermore, fluorescent microscopy confirmed that a major subset of bead(+) cells in the lung tissue was also CD11c(+). In the draining peribronchial LNs, small numbers of beads were present in the subcapsular sinus as early as 6 h after inhalation. By 12 h and beyond, bead(+) cells had localized exclusively to the LN T zone. OVA-conjugated latex beads, in addition to stimulating brisk proliferation of naive, OVA-specific DO11.10 transgenic T cells in vitro, could also recruit OVA-specific T cells in vivo. In some cases, bead(+) APCs and CD4(+) Th1 cells were found adjacently localized in the lung tissue 6 h after airway challenge. Thus, interactions of bead(+) APCs with Ag-specific CD4(+) T cells occurred earlier in the peripheral airways than these same interactions occurred in the draining peribronchial LN. Lastly, after adoptive transfer, in vitro differentiated Th1 cells accumulated at peripheral sites in the lung tissue and airways before Ag challenge and therefore were ideally positioned to influence subsequent immune reactions of the airway.     

Tumor-derived exosomes confer antigen-specific immunosuppression in a murine delayed-type hypersensitivity model

Exosomes are endosome-derived small membrane vesicles that are secreted by most cell types including tumor cells. Tumor-derived exosomes usually contain tumor antigens and have been used as a source of tumor antigens to stimulate anti-tumor immune responses. However, many reports also suggest that tumor-derived exosomes can facilitate tumor immune evasion through different mechanisms, most of which are antigen-independent. In the present study we used a mouse model of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and demonstrated that local administration of tumor-derived exosomes carrying the model antigen chicken ovalbumin (OVA) resulted in the suppression of DTH response in an antigen-specific manner. Analysis of exosome trafficking demonstrated that following local injection, tumor-derived exosomes were internalized by CD11c+ cells and transported to the draining LN. Exosome-mediated DTH suppression is associated with increased mRNA levels of TGF-β1 and IL-4 in the draining LN. The tumor-derived exosomes examined were also found to inhibit DC maturation. Taken together, our results suggest a role for tumor-derived exosomes in inducing tumor antigen-specific immunosuppression, possibly by modulating the function of APCs.