Immunosuppression via tryptophan catabolism: the role of kynurenine pathway enzymes.

Tryptophan catabolism occurring in dendritic cells (DCs) and initiated by indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is an emerging major mechanism of peripheral tolerance. Here we provide evidence that: 1) tryptophan conversion to kynurenines is activated in DCs by cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4, both in a soluble form or anchored to the regulatory T cell (Treg) membrane; 2) an increased IDO-dependent tolerogenesis correlates with the inhibition of DAP12 functions, an adapter molecule associated with activating receptors; 3) a tolerogenic phenotype can be acquired by DCs lacking functional IDO through the paracrine production of kynurenines by IDO-competent DCs; 4) the suppressive effect of Treg generated in a microenvironment with low tryptophan concentration and a mixture of kynurenines can protect mice in an experimental model of fulminant diabetes. Altogether, these data indicate that, in addition to tryptophan starvation induced by IDO activity, the paracrine production of kynurenines by enzymes downstream of IDO can also contribute to tolerogenesis in DCs, independently of tryptophan deprivation.

IL-23 neutralization protects mice from Gram-negative endotoxic shock.

Excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines, including TNF-alpha, IL-1, IL-6, IL-12, and IFN-gamma is thought to contribute significantly to lethality in septic shock syndromes. IL-23 is a heterodimeric cytokine that combines the p40 subunit of IL-12 with a specific p19 subunit. Similar to IL-12, IL-23 is considered to be a key immunoregulator in the response to pathogenic organisms but its contribution to Gram-negative endotoxic shock is as yet unclear. Using an established shock model with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we found early and sustained expression of IL-23 p19 transcripts in the spleens of mice undergoing lethal challenge with the bacterium. Administration of p19-neutralizing antibody reduced mortality in a dose-dependent fashion. Survival in P. aeruginosa-challenged mice was associated with a dramatic decrease in circulating levels of the pathogenetic cytokines, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma. Hence, IL-23 may represent a new therapeutic target in Gram-negative endotoxic shock.

CD40 ligation prevents onset of tolerogenic properties in human dendritic cells treated with CTLA-4-Ig.

The synthetic immunomodulator cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4-Ig (CTLA-4-Ig) initiates effects in human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DC) that rely on immunosuppressive tryptophan catabolism. However, it is unable to induce suppressive properties in DC matured by CD40 engagement. Thus, CD40-driven events may physiologically set human DC free from restraint by regulatory cells expressing surface CTLA-4.

Cutting edge: silencing suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 expression in dendritic cells turns CD28-Ig from immune adjuvant to suppressant.

CTLA-4-Ig and CD28-Ig are both agonist ligands of B7 coreceptor molecules on mouse dendritic cells (DCs), yet they bias the downstream response in opposite directions, and CTLA-4-Ig promotes tolerance, whereas CD28-Ig favors the onset of immunity. Although B7 engagement by either ligand leads to a mixed cytokine response, a dominant IL-6 production in response to CD28-Ig prevents the IFN-gamma-driven induction of immunosuppressive tryptophan catabolism mediated by IDO. In the present study, we show that silencing the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) in DCs by RNA interference renders CD28-Ig capable of activating IDO, likely as a result of unrestrained IFN-gamma signaling and IFN-gamma-like actions of IL-6. Thus, in the absence of SOCS3, CD28-Ig becomes immunosuppressive and mimics the action of CTLA-4-Ig on tryptophan catabolism.

CD28 induces immunostimulatory signals in dendritic cells via CD80 and CD86.

Bidirectional signaling along the B7-CTLA-4 coreceptor pathway enables reciprocal conditioning of T cells and dendritic cells. Although T cells can instruct dendritic cells to manifest tolerogenic properties after CTLA-4 engagement of B7, such a B7-mediated signaling is not known to occur in response to CD28. Here we show that mouse dendritic cells were induced by soluble CD28 to express interleukin 6 and interferon-gamma. Production of interleukin 6 required B7-1 (CD80), B7-2 (CD86) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and prevented interferon-gamma-driven expression of immunosuppressive tryptophan catabolism. In vivo, an adjuvant activity of soluble CD28 was demonstrated as enhanced T cell-mediated immunity to tumor and self peptides and protection against microbial and tumor challenge. Thus, different ligands of B7 can signal dendritic cells to express functionally distinct effector responses.

Murine plasmacytoid dendritic cells initiate the immunosuppressive pathway of tryptophan catabolism in response to CD200 receptor engagement.

In this study, using a soluble CD200-Ig fusion protein, we provide evidence that murine dendritic cells (DCs) possess a functional CD200R, whose engagement results in the reinforcement or appearance of immunosuppressive properties in these cells. In particular, the plasmacytoid subset (CD11c+B220+120G8+) of splenic DCs (pDCs) is induced by CD200-Ig to express the enzyme IDO, which initiates the tolerogenic pathway of tryptophan catabolism. As a result, pDCs are capable of suppressing Ag-specific responses in vivo when transferred into recipient hosts after treatment with CD200-Ig. IDO induction in pDCs through CD200R engagement requires type I IFNR signaling. Although the release of IFN-alpha may contribute to the full expression of CD200-Ig activity, autocrine IFN-alpha is unlikely to mediate alone the effects of CD200R engagement. These data prospect novel functions for both pDCs and the CD200-CD200R pair in the mouse. At the same time, these data underscore the possible unifying role of the IDO mechanism in immune tolerance.

Modulation of tryptophan catabolism by regulatory T cells.

Regulatory T (T(R)) cells manifest constitutive expression of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), but the function of CTLA-4 in mediating the regulatory function of T(R) cells is unclear. We show here that mouse CD4+CD25+ cells, either resting or induced to overexpress CTLA-4 by treatment with antibody to CD3, initiated tryptophan catabolism in dendritic cells through a CTLA-4-dependent mechanism. This process required B7 expression and cytokine production by the dendritic cells. In contrast, T(R) cells cultured in the presence of bacterial lipopolysaccharide induced tryptophan catabolism by dendritic cells in a CTLA-4-independent but cytokine-dependent way. Thus, regulation of immunosuppressive tryptophan catabolism in dendritic cells might represent a major mechanism of action of T(R) cells.

IL-23 and IL-12 have overlapping, but distinct, effects on murine dendritic cells.

IL-23 is a recently discovered heterodimeric cytokine that shares biological properties with proinflammatory cytokines. The biologically active heterodimer consists of p19 and the p40 subunit of IL-12. IL-23 has been shown to possess biological activities on T cells that are similar as well distinct from those of IL-12. We have constructed single-chain IL-23 and IL-12 fusion proteins (IL-23-Ig and IL-12-Ig) and have compared the two recombinant proteins for effects on murine dendritic cells (DC). Here we show that the IL-23-Ig can bind a significant proportion of splenic DC of both the CD8alpha(-) and CD8alpha(+) subtypes. Furthermore, IL-23and IL-12-Ig exert biological activities on DC that are only in part overlapping. While both proteins induce IL-12 production from DC, only IL-23-Ig can act directly on CD8alpha(+) DC to promote immunogenic presentation of an otherwise tolerogenic tumor peptide. In addition, the in vitro effects of IL-23-Ig did not appear to require IL-12Rbeta2 or to be mediated by the production of IL-12. These data may establish IL-23 as a novel cytokine with major effects on APC.