Enhanced systemic antilymphoma immune response by photothermal therapy with CpG deoxynucleotide-coated nanoparticles.

In preclinical studies, we investigated a novel mechanism of in situ vaccination in lymphoma. Radiation therapy (RT) can induce abscopal responses in lymphoma models, but this has not translated into clinical efficacy. We hypothesized that immune stimulation with cytosine guanine dinucleotide (CpG) deoxynucleotides could enhance abscopal effects induced by RT or photothermal therapy (PTT), which has been shown to have an immune stimulatory effect in solid tumors but has not been studied in lymphoma. We designed a branched gold nanoparticle (NP) platform to carry CpG deoxynucleotides while maintaining PTT function and compared the immunologic profile of the tumor microenvironment after PTT or RT in a dual-flank lymphoma model. One flank was treated with CpG deoxynucleotides with RT or PTT, and the other tumor was left untreated. We found that the CpG deoxynucleotide/PTT group had significant reduction in growth in both treated (primary) and untreated (secondary) tumors, suggesting an improved abscopal response, with a concomitant increase in CD8/CD4 and cytotoxic T-cell/regulatory T-cell ratios in both primary and secondary tumors compared with CpG deoxynucleotides/RT. Dendritic cells in primary and secondary draining lymph nodes had increased maturation markers in the CpG deoxynucleotide/PTT group, and the effector memory T cells (both CD4 and CD8) in the secondary tumor and spleen were increased, suggesting a systemic vaccination effect. These data suggest that in a lymphoma model, PTT using a CpG deoxynucleotide NP platform resulted in enhanced in situ vaccination and abscopal response compared with RT.

Developing G value as an indicator for assessing the molecular status of immobilized antibody.

Antibody-functionalized nanoparticles (Ab-NPs) are widely used in bioassays due to their excellent affinity, specificity toward antigen, and ease of operation. However, the uncontrollable molecular status of antibodies on NPs severely limits their applications. This work aims at developing a simple method to evaluate the antigen-binding activity of Ab-NPs using two parameters, i.e., antibody adsorption amount and antigen-binding strength. Herein, we proposed a mathematical expression, G, to quantitively describe the amount and strength of Ab-NPs. G value could be used to assess the antigen-binding performance of NPs influenced by surface and solution factors. Seven types of polymers with different surface properties, including four positively and three negatively charged polymer brushes, were grown from silica NPs via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP). A pair of antigen and antibody, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and anti-hCG, were selected to screen the antibody immobilization property of polymer brushes. Among them, the G values of 2 polymer-NPs with opposite charges reached maximum, resulting in low detection limits for hCG, where pDMAEA-NP and pMMA-NP represent Poly[N,N-(dimethylamino)ethyl acrylate]-NP and poly(methyl methacrylate)-NP, respectively. The G value of Ab-NPs makes it feasible to estimate the molecular status of the adsorbed antibodies on surfaces, thus showing great potential for in vitro biosensing and bioseparation.

The microbiota regulates hematopoietic stem cell fate decisions by controlling iron availability in bone marrow.

Host microbiota crosstalk is essential for the production and functional modulation of blood-cell lineages. Whether, and if so how, the microbiota influences hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is unclear. Here, we show that the microbiota regulates HSC self-renewal and differentiation under stress conditions by modulating local iron availability in the bone marrow (BM). In microbiota-depleted mice, HSC self-renewal was enhanced during regeneration, while the commitment toward differentiation was dramatically compromised. Mechanistically, microbiota depletion selectively impaired the recycling of red blood cells (RBCs) by BM macrophages, resulting in reduced local iron levels without affecting systemic iron homeostasis. Limiting iron availability in food (in vivo) or in culture (ex vivo), or by CD169+ macrophage depletion, enhanced HSC self-renewal and expansion. These results reveal an intricate interplay between the microbiota, macrophages, and iron, and their essential roles in regulating critical HSC fate decisions under stress.

Lineage-Biased Hematopoietic Stem Cells Are Regulated by Distinct Niches.

The spatial localization of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in the bone marrow (BM) remains controversial, with some studies suggesting that they are maintained in homogeneously distributed niches while others have suggested the contributions of distinct niche structures. Subsets of quiescent HSCs have been reported to associate with megakaryocytes (MK) or arterioles in the BM. However, these HSC subsets have not been prospectively defined. Here, we show that platelet and myeloid-biased HSCs, marked by von Willebrand factor (vWF) expression, are highly enriched in MK niches. Depletion of MK selectively expands vWF+ HSCs, whereas the depletion of NG2+ arteriolar niche cells selectively depletes vWF- lymphoid-biased HSCs. In addition, MK depletion compromises vWF+ HSC function by reducing their long-term self-renewal capacity and eliminating their lineage bias after transplantation. These studies demonstrate the existence of two spatially and functionally separate BM niches for HSC subsets with distinct developmental potential.

The Complete Genome Sequence of the Emerging Pathogen Mycobacterium haemophilum Explains Its Unique Culture Requirements.

UNLABELLED: Mycobacterium haemophilum is an emerging pathogen associated with a variety of clinical syndromes, most commonly skin infections in immunocompromised individuals. M. haemophilum exhibits a unique requirement for iron supplementation to support its growth in culture, but the basis for this property and how it may shape pathogenesis is unclear. Using a combination of Illumina, PacBio, and Sanger sequencing, the complete genome sequence of M. haemophilum was determined. Guided by this sequence, experiments were performed to define the basis for the unique growth requirements of M. haemophilum. We found that M. haemophilum, unlike many other mycobacteria, is unable to synthesize iron-binding siderophores known as mycobactins or to utilize ferri-mycobactins to support growth. These differences correlate with the absence of genes associated with mycobactin synthesis, secretion, and uptake. In agreement with the ability of heme to promote growth, we identified genes encoding heme uptake machinery. Consistent with its propensity to infect the skin, we show at the whole-genome level the genetic closeness of M. haemophilum with Mycobacterium leprae, an organism which cannot be cultivated in vitro, and we identify genes uniquely shared by these organisms. Finally, we identify means to express foreign genes in M. haemophilum. These data explain the unique culture requirements for this important pathogen, provide a foundation upon which the genome sequence can be exploited to improve diagnostics and therapeutics, and suggest use of M. haemophilum as a tool to elucidate functions of genes shared with M. leprae. IMPORTANCE: Mycobacterium haemophilum is an emerging pathogen with an unknown natural reservoir that exhibits unique requirements for iron supplementation to grow in vitro. Understanding the basis for this iron requirement is important because it is fundamental to isolation of the organism from clinical samples and environmental sources. Defining the molecular basis for M. haemophilium's growth requirements will also shed new light on mycobacterial strategies to acquire iron and can be exploited to define how differences in such strategies influence pathogenesis. Here, through a combination of sequencing and experimental approaches, we explain the basis for the iron requirement. We further demonstrate the genetic closeness of M. haemophilum and Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy which cannot be cultured in vitro, and we demonstrate methods to genetically manipulate M. haemophilum. These findings pave the way for the use of M. haemophilum as a model to elucidate functions of genes shared with M. leprae.

HLA-B27 alters the response to tumor necrosis factor α and promotes osteoclastogenesis in bone marrow monocytes from HLA-B27-transgenic rats.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether HLA-B27 expression alters the response of bone marrow monocytes from HLA-B27/human ß2 -microglobulin-transgenic (B27-Tg) rats to tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and, if so, whether this affects the cells involved in bone homeostasis. METHODS: Bone marrow monocytes were treated with RANKL or with TNFα to promote osteoclast formation. Osteoclasts were quantified by counting. Gene expression was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, and protein was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunoblotting, or immunofluorescence. Effects of endogenously produced cytokines on osteoclast formation were determined with neutralizing antibodies. RESULTS: TNFα treatment enhanced osteoclast formation 2.5-fold in HLA-B27-expressing cells as compared to wild-type or to HLA-B7/human ß2 -microglobulin-expressing monocytes. TNFα induced ∼4-fold up-regulation of HLA-B27, which was associated with the accumulation of misfolded heavy chains, binding of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperone BiP, and activation of an ER stress response, which was not seen with HLA-B7. No differences were seen with RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. Enhanced interleukin-1α (IL-1α) production from ER-stressed bone marrow monocytes from B27-Tg rats was found to be necessary and sufficient for enhanced osteoclast formation. However, bone marrow monocytes from B27-Tg rats also produced more interferon-ß (IFNß), which attenuated the effect of IL-1α on osteoclast formation. CONCLUSION: HLA-B27-induced ER stress alters the response of bone marrow monocytes from B27-Tg rats to TNFα, which is associated with enhanced production of IL-1α and IFNß, cytokines that exhibit opposing effects on osteoclast formation. The altered response of cells expressing HLA-B27 to proinflammatory cytokines suggests that this class I major histocompatibility complex allele may contribute to the pathogenesis of spondyloarthritis and its unique phenotype through downstream effects involving alterations in bone homeostasis.