MS-Driven Metabolic Alterations Are Recapitulated in iPSC-Derived Astrocytes.

OBJECTIVE: Astrocytes play a significant role in the pathology of multiple sclerosis (MS). Nevertheless, for ethical reasons, most studies in these cells were performed using the Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis model. As there are significant differences between human and mouse cells, we aimed here to better characterize astrocytes from patients with MS (PwMS), focusing mainly on mitochondrial function and cell metabolism. METHODS: We obtained and characterized induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived astrocytes from three PwMS and three unaffected controls, and performed electron microscopy, flow cytometry, cytokine and glutamate measurements, gene expression, in situ respiration, and metabolomics. We validated our findings using a single-nuclei RNA sequencing dataset. RESULTS: We detected several differences in MS astrocytes including: (i) enrichment of genes associated with neurodegeneration, (ii) increased mitochondrial fission, (iii) increased production of superoxide and MS-related proinflammatory chemokines, (iv) impaired uptake and enhanced release of glutamate, (v) increased electron transport capacity and proton leak, in line with the increased oxidative stress, and (vi) a distinct metabolic profile, with a deficiency in amino acid catabolism and increased sphingolipid metabolism, which have already been linked to MS. INTERPRETATION: Here we describe the metabolic profile of iPSC-derived astrocytes from PwMS and validate this model as a very powerful tool to study disease mechanisms and to perform non-invasive drug targeting assays in vitro. Our findings recapitulate several disease features described in patients and provide new mechanistic insights into the metabolic rewiring of astrocytes in MS, which could be targeted in future therapeutic studies. ANN NEUROL 2022;91:652-669.

AMPKα1 in B Cells Dampens Primary Antibody Responses yet Promotes Mitochondrial Homeostasis and Persistence of B Cell Memory.

Emerging evidence indicates that metabolic programs regulate B cell activation and Ab responses. However, the metabolic mediators that support the durability of the memory B cell and long-lived plasma cell populations are not fully elucidated. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an evolutionary conserved serine/threonine kinase that integrates cellular energy status and nutrient availability to intracellular signaling and metabolic pathways. In this study, we use genetic mouse models to show that loss of ΑMPKα1 in B cells led to a weakened recall Ab response associated with a decline in the population of memory-phenotype B cells. AMPKα1-deficient memory B lymphocytes exhibited aberrant mitochondrial activity, decreased mitophagy, and increased lipid peroxidation. Moreover, loss of AMPKα1 in B lymphoblasts was associated with decreased mitochondrial spare respiratory capacity. Of note, AMPKα1 in B cells was dispensable for stability of the bone marrow-resident, long-lived plasma cell population, yet absence of this kinase led to increased rates of Ig production and elevated serum Ab concentrations elicited by primary immunization. Collectively, our findings fit a model in which AMPKα1 in B cells supports recall function of the memory B cell compartment by promoting mitochondrial homeostasis and longevity but restrains rates of Ig production.

Amelioration of experimental colitis after short-term therapy with glucocorticoid and its relationship to the induction of different regulatory markers.

The clinical benefits of short-term therapy with glucocorticoids (GC) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are widely known. However, the effects of this treatment towards the re-establishment of the regulatory network in IBD are not fully explored. We have evaluated the immunological effects of the abbreviated GC therapy in experimental colitis induced by 3% dextran sulphate sodium in C57BL/6 mice. Treatment with GC improved disease outcome, constrained circulating leucocytes and ameliorated intestinal inflammation. The control of the local inflammatory responses involved a reduction in the expression of interferon-γ and interleukin-1ß, associated with augmented mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (α and γ) in intestine. Furthermore, there was a reduction of CD4+ T cells producing interferon-γ, together with an increased frequency of the putative regulatory population of T cells producing interleukin-10, in spleen. These systemic alterations were accompanied by a decrease in the proliferative potential of splenocytes of mice treated in vivo with GC. Notably, treatment with GC also led to an increase in the frequency of the regulatory markers GITR, CTLA-4, PD-1, CD73 and FoxP3, more prominently in spleen. Taken together, our results pointed to a role of GC in the control of leucocyte responsiveness and re-establishment of a regulatory system, which probably contributed to disease control and the restoration of immune balance. Finally, this is the first time that GC treatment was associated with the modulation of a broad number of regulatory markers in an experimental model of colitis.

Hyperbaric oxygen augments susceptibility to C. difficile infection by impairing gut microbiota ability to stimulate the HIF-1α-IL-22 axis in ILC3.

Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is a well-established method for improving tissue oxygenation and is typically used for the treatment of various inflammatory conditions, including infectious diseases. However, its effect on the intestinal mucosa, a microenvironment known to be physiologically hypoxic, remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that daily treatment with hyperbaric oxygen affects gut microbiome composition, worsening antibiotic-induced dysbiosis. Accordingly, HBO-treated mice were more susceptible to Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), an enteric pathogen highly associated with antibiotic-induced colitis. These observations were closely linked with a decline in the level of microbiota-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Butyrate, a SCFA produced primarily by anaerobic microbial species, mitigated HBO-induced susceptibility to CDI and increased epithelial barrier integrity by improving group 3 innate lymphoid cell (ILC3) responses. Mice displaying tissue-specific deletion of HIF-1 in RORγt-positive cells exhibited no protective effect of butyrate during CDI. In contrast, the reinforcement of HIF-1 signaling in RORγt-positive cells through the conditional deletion of VHL mitigated disease outcome, even after HBO therapy. Taken together, we conclude that HBO induces intestinal dysbiosis and impairs the production of SCFAs affecting the HIF-1α-IL-22 axis in ILC3 and worsening the response of mice to subsequent C. difficile infection.

Tumor-neutrophil crosstalk promotes in vitro and in vivo glioblastoma progression.

Introduction: The tumor microenvironment (TME) of glioblastoma (GB) is characterized by an increased infiltration of immunosuppressive cells that attenuate the antitumor immune response. The participation of neutrophils in tumor progression is still controversial and a dual role in the TME has been proposed. In this study, we show that neutrophils are reprogrammed by the tumor to ultimately promote GB progression. Methods: Using in vitro and in vivo assays, we demonstrate the existence of bidirectional GB and neutrophil communication, directly promoting an immunosuppressive TME. Results and discussion: Neutrophils have shown to play an important role in tumor malignancy especially in advanced 3D tumor model and Balb/c nude mice experiments, implying a time- and neutrophil concentration-dependent modulation. Studying the tumor energetic metabolism indicated a mitochondria mismatch shaping the TME secretome. The given data suggests a cytokine milieu in patients with GB that favors the recruitment of neutrophils, sustaining an anti-inflammatory profile which is associated with poor prognosis. Besides, glioma-neutrophil crosstalk has sustained a tumor prolonged activation via NETs formation, indicating the role of NFκB signaling in tumor progression. Moreover, clinical samples have indicated that neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), IL-1ß, and IL-10 are associated with poor outcomes in patients with GB. Conclusion: These results are relevant for understanding how tumor progression occurs and how immune cells can help in this process.

Cellular bioenergetics changes in magnocellular neurons may affect copeptin expression in the late phase of sepsis.

We investigated whether inflammatory mediators during cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis may diminish copeptin expression in magnocellular neurons, thus affecting arginine-vasopressin (AVP) synthesis. The transcript abundance of IL-1ß, IL-1R1, iNOS and HIF-1α was continuously elevated. IL-1ß, iNOS and cytochrome c protein levels progressively increased until 24h. Immunostaining for these proteins was higher at 6 and 24h, as also seen in the annexin-V assay, while copeptin was continuously decreased. This suggests that increased IL-1ß and NO levels may cause significant bioenergetics changes in magnocellular neurons, affecting copeptin expression and compromising AVP synthesis and secretion in the late phase of sepsis.