Precocious expression of Blimp1 in B cells causes autoimmune disease with increased self-reactive plasma cells.

The transcription factor Blimp1 is not only an essential regulator of plasma cells, but also a risk factor for the development of autoimmune disease in humans. Here, we demonstrate in the mouse that the Prdm1 (Blimp1) gene was partially activated at the chromatin and transcription level in early B cell development, although mature Prdm1 mRNA did not accumulate due to posttranscriptional regulation. By analyzing a mouse model that facilitated ectopic Blimp1 protein expression throughout B lymphopoiesis, we could demonstrate that Blimp1 impaired B cell development by interfering with the B cell gene expression program, while leading to an increased abundance of plasma cells by promoting premature plasmablast differentiation of immature and mature B cells. With progressing age, these mice developed an autoimmune disease characterized by the presence of autoantibodies and glomerulonephritis. Hence, these data identified ectopic Blimp1 expression as a novel mechanism, through which Blimp1 can act as a risk factor in the development of autoimmune disease.

Combined proinflammatory cytokine and cognate activation of invariant natural killer T cells enhances anti-DNA antibody responses.

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells serve as early rapid responders in the innate immune response to self-derived autoantigens and pathogen-derived danger signals and antigens. iNKT cells can serve both as helpers for effector B cells and negatively regulate autoreactive B cells. Specifically, iNKT cells drive B cell proliferation, class switch, and antibody production to induce primary antigen-specific immune responses. On the other hand, inflammasome-mediated activation drives accumulation of neutrophils, which license iNKT cells to negatively regulate autoreactive B cells via Fas ligand (FasL). This positions iNKT cells at an apex to support or inhibit B cell responses in inflammation. However, it is unknown which effector mechanism dominates in the face of cognate glycolipid activation during chronic inflammation, as might result from glycolipid vaccination or infection during chronic autoimmune disease. We stimulated iNKT cells by cognate glycolipid antigen α-galactosylceramide (αGalCer) and measured B cell activation during interleukin 18 (IL-18)-induced chronic inflammation. Moreover, glycolipid-activated iNKT cells increased the serum concentration of autoantibodies, frequency of germinal center (GC) B cells, and antigen-specific plasma cells induced during chronic IL-18-mediated inflammation, as compared with IL-18 alone. Further, activation of iNKT cells via cognate glycolipid during IL-18-mediated inflammation overrides the licensing function of neutrophils, instead inducing iNKT follicular helper (iNKTfh) cells that in turn promote autoimmunity. Thus, our data demonstrate that glycolipids which engage iNKT cells support antigen-specific B cell help during inflammasome-mediated inflammation.

The B cell response to both protein and nucleic acid antigens displayed on apoptotic cells are dependent on endosomal pattern recognition receptors.

In systemic autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), B cell tolerance is lost and there is a production of autoantibodies that drive pathology. The specificities of these antibodies are towards a wide range of autoantigens including proteins such as serum factors including cytokines as well as towards nucleic acids and modified glycolipids. It is known that endosomal pattern recognition receptors are involved in specific responses but if they drive specificity towards a specific group of autoantigens is not known. Here, we used syngeneic apoptotic cells alone to break B cell tolerance and investigated the antibody response in Unc93b1 mutant mice that lack signalling from the TLR3, TLR7 and TLR9 receptors. We found that specific B cell responses known from patients with SLE including antibodies towards Ro-52/60, La, cardiolipin as well as DNA were all significantly lower in the knockout mice. Thus, we found that endosomal TLR receptors were involved in break of tolerance and drive B cell responses for protein, nucleic acid and modified lipid antigens. This pinpoints these receptors as key drivers for the full range of antibody driven pathology in SLE and suggests that targeting of endosomal TLR driven responses will quench all B cell driven autoreactivity.

Acute Loss of Apolipoprotein E Triggers an Autoimmune Response That Accelerates Atherosclerosis.

Objective- Dyslipidemia is a component of the metabolic syndrome, an established risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and is also observed in various autoimmune and chronic inflammatory conditions. However, there are limited opportunities to study the impact of acquired dyslipidemia on cardiovascular and immune pathology. Approach and Results- We designed a model system that allows for the conversion to a state of acute hyperlipidemia in adult life, so that the consequences of such a transition could be observed, through conditionally deleting APOE (apolipoprotein E) in the adult mouse. The transition to hypercholesterolemia was accompanied by adaptive immune responses, including the expansion of T lymphocyte helper cell 1, T follicular helper cell, and T regulatory subsets and the formation of germinal centers. Unlike steady-state Apoe-/- mice, abrupt loss of APOE induced rapid production of antibodies recognizing rheumatoid disease autoantigens. Genetic ablation of the germinal center reduced both autoimmunity and atherosclerosis, indicating that the immune response that follows loss of APOE is independent of atherosclerosis but nevertheless promotes plaque development. Conclusions- Our findings suggest that immune activation in response to hyperlipidemia could contribute to a wide range of inflammatory autoimmune diseases, including atherosclerosis.

IL-3 Decreases Cartilage Degeneration by Downregulating Matrix Metalloproteinases and Reduces Joint Destruction in Osteoarthritic Mice.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease of articular joints that leads to degeneration of both cartilage and subchondral bone. These degenerative changes are further aggravated by proinflammatory cytokines including IL-1ß and TNF-α. Previously, we have reported that IL-3, a cytokine secreted by activated T cells, protects cartilage and bone damage in murine models of inflammatory and rheumatoid arthritis. However, how IL-3 protects cartilage degeneration is not yet known. In this study, we investigated the role of IL-3 on cartilage degeneration under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. We found that both mouse and human chondrocytes show strong expression of IL-3R at gene and protein levels. IL-3 increases the expression of mouse chondrocyte-specific genes, Sox9 and collagen type IIa, which were downregulated by IL-1ß. Moreover, IL-3 downregulated IL-1ß- and TNF-α-induced expression of matrix metalloproteinases in both mouse and human chondrocytes. Interestingly, IL-3 reduces the degeneration of articular cartilage and subchondral bone microarchitecture in a mouse model of human OA. Moreover, IL-3 showed the preventive and therapeutic effects on cartilage degeneration induced by IL-1ß in micromass pellet cultures of human mesenchymal stem cells. Thus, to our knowledge, we provide the first evidence that IL-3 has therapeutic potential in amelioration of degeneration of articular cartilage and subchondral bone microarchitecture associated with OA.

A Link Between a Common Mutation in CFTR and Impaired Innate and Adaptive Viral Defense.

Acute respiratory virus infections predispose the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung to chronic bacterial colonization, which contributes to high mortality. For reasons unknown, respiratory virus infections have a prolonged duration in CF. Here, we demonstrate that mice carrying the most frequent cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) mutation in humans, ΔF508, show increased morbidity and mortality following infection with a common human enterovirus. ΔF508 mice demonstrated impaired viral clearance, a slower type I interferon response and delayed production of virus-neutralizing antibodies. While the ΔF508 mice had a normal immune cell repertoire, unchanged serum immunoglobulin concentrations and an intact immune response to a T-cell-independent antigen, their response to a T-cell-dependent antigen was significantly delayed. Our studies reveal a novel function for CFTR in antiviral immunity and demonstrate that the ΔF508 mutation in cftr is coupled to an impaired adaptive immune response. This important insight could open up new approaches for patient care and treatment.

Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Prevent Systemic Bone Loss in Collagen-Induced Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammatory synovitis leading to joint destruction and systemic bone loss. The inflammation-induced bone loss is mediated by increased osteoclast formation and function. Current antirheumatic therapies primarily target suppression of inflammatory cascade with limited or no success in controlling progression of bone destruction. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by virtue of their tissue repair and immunomodulatory properties have shown promising results in various autoimmune and degenerative diseases. However, the role of MSCs in prevention of bone destruction in RA is not yet understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of adipose-derived MSCs (ASCs) on in vitro formation of bone-resorbing osteoclasts and pathological bone loss in the mouse collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model of RA. We observed that ASCs significantly inhibited receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis in both a contact-dependent and -independent manner. Additionally, ASCs inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis in the presence of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-17, and IL-1ß. Furthermore, treatment with ASCs at the onset of CIA significantly reduced clinical symptoms and joint pathology. Interestingly, ASCs protected periarticular and systemic bone loss in CIA mice by maintaining trabecular bone structure. We further observed that treatment with ASCs reduced osteoclast precursors in bone marrow, resulting in decreased osteoclastogenesis. Moreover, ASCs suppressed autoimmune T cell responses and increased the percentages of peripheral regulatory T and B cells. Thus, we provide strong evidence that ASCs ameliorate inflammation-induced systemic bone loss in CIA mice by reducing osteoclast precursors and promoting immune tolerance.

Differential ACPA Binding to Nuclear Antigens Reveals a PAD-Independent Pathway and a Distinct Subset of Acetylation Cross-Reactive Autoantibodies in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) associated anti-citrullinated protein autoantibodies (ACPA) target a wide range of modified proteins. Citrullination occurs during physiological processes such as apoptosis, yet little is known about the interaction of ACPA with nuclear antigens or apoptotic cells. Since uncleared apoptotic cells and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) products have been postulated to be central sources of autoantigen and immunostimulation in autoimmune disease, we sought to characterize the anti-nuclear and anti-neutrophil reactivities of ACPA. Serology showed that a subset of anti-CCP2 seropositive RA patients had high reactivity to full-length citrullinated histones. In contrast, seronegative RA patients displayed elevated IgG reactivity to native histone compared to controls, but no citrulline-specific reactivity. Screening of 10 single B-cell derived monoclonal ACPA from RA patients revealed that four ACPA exhibited strong binding to apoptotic cells and three of these had anti-nuclear (ANA) autoantibody reactivity. Modified histones were confirmed to be the primary targets of this anti-nuclear ACPA subset following immunoprecipitation from apoptotic cell lysates. Monoclonal ACPA were also screened for reactivities against stimulated murine and human neutrophils, and all the nuclear-reactive monoclonal ACPA bound to NETs. Intriguingly, one ACPA mAb displayed a contrasting cytoplasmic perinuclear neutrophil binding and may represent a different NET-reactive ACPA subset. Notably, studies of CRISPR-Cas9 PAD4 KO cells and cells from PAD KO mice showed that the cytoplasmic NET-binding was fully dependent on PAD4, whilst nuclear- and histone-mediated NET reactivity was largely PAD-independent. Our further analysis revealed that the nuclear binding could be explained by consensus-motif driven ACPA cross-reactivity to acetylated histones. Specific acetylated histone peptides targeted by the monoclonal antibodies were identified and the anti-modified protein autoantibody (AMPA) profile of the ACPA was found to correlate with the functional activity of the antibodies. In conclusion, when investigating monoclonal ACPA, we could group ACPA into distinct subsets based on their nuclear binding-patterns and acetylation-mediated binding to apoptotic cells, neutrophils, and NETs. Differential anti-modified protein reactivities of RA-autoantibody subsets could have an important functional impact and provide insights in RA pathogenesis.