OCA-B/Pou2af1 is sufficient to promote CD4+ T cell memory and prospectively identifies memory precursors.

The molecular mechanisms leading to the establishment of immunological memory are inadequately understood, limiting the development of effective vaccines and durable antitumor immune therapies. Here, we show that ectopic OCA-B expression is sufficient to improve antiviral memory recall responses, while having minimal effects on primary effector responses. At peak viral response, short-lived effector T cell populations are expanded but show increased Gadd45b and Socs2 expression, while memory precursor effector cells show increased expression of Bcl2, Il7r, and Tcf7 on a per-cell basis. Using an OCA-B mCherry reporter mouse line, we observe high OCA-B expression in CD4+ central memory T cells. We show that early in viral infection, endogenously elevated OCA-B expression prospectively identifies memory precursor cells with increased survival capability and memory recall potential. Cumulatively, the results demonstrate that OCA-B is both necessary and sufficient to promote CD4 T cell memory in vivo and can be used to prospectively identify memory precursor cells.

Effector-Phase IL-2 Signals Drive Th1 Effector and Memory Responses Dependently and Independently of TCF-1.

Following viral infection, CD4+ T cell differentiation is tightly regulated by cytokines and TCR signals. Although most activated CD4+ T cells express IL-2Rα after lymphocytic choriomeningtis virus infection, by day 3 postinfection, only half of activated T cells maintain expression. IL-2Rα at this time point distinguishes precursors for terminally differentiated Th1 cells (IL-2Rαhi) from precursors for Tfh cells and memory T cells (IL-2Rαlo) and is linked to strong TCR signals. In this study, we test whether TCR-dependent IL-2 links the TCR to CD4+ T cell differentiation. We employ a mixture of anti-IL-2 Abs to neutralize IL-2 throughout the primary CD4+ T cell response to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection in mice or only after the establishment of lineage-committed effector cells (day 3 postinfection). We report that IL-2 signals drive the formation of Th1 precursor cells in the early stages of the immune response and sustain Th1 responses during its later stages (after day 3). Effector-stage IL-2 also shapes the composition and function of resulting CD4+ memory T cells. Although IL-2 has been shown previously to drive Th1 differentiation by reducing the activity of the transcriptional repressor TCF-1, we found that sustained IL-2 signals were still required to drive optimal Th1 differentiation even in the absence of TCF-1. Therefore, we concluded that IL-2 plays a central role throughout the effector phase in regulating the balance between Th1 and Tfh effector and memory cells via mechanisms that are both dependent and independent of its role in modulating TCF-1 activity.

Tet2 deletion in CD4+ T cells disrupts Th1 lineage commitment in memory cells and enhances T follicular helper cell recall responses to viral rechallenge.

Following viral clearance, antigen-specific CD4+ T cells contract and form a pool of distinct Th1 and Tfh memory cells that possess unique epigenetic programs, allowing them to rapidly recall their specific effector functions upon rechallenge. DNA methylation programing mediated by the methylcytosine dioxygenase Tet2 contributes to balancing Th1 and Tfh cell differentiation during acute viral infection; however, the role of Tet2 in CD4+ T cell memory formation and recall is unclear. Using adoptive transfer models of antigen-specific wild type and Tet2 knockout CD4+ T cells, we find that Tet2 is required for full commitment of CD4+ T cells to the Th1 lineage and that in the absence of Tet2, memory cells preferentially recall a Tfh like phenotype with enhanced expansion upon secondary challenge. These findings demonstrate an important role for Tet2 in enforcing lineage commitment and programing proliferation potential, and highlight the potential of targeting epigenetic programing to enhance adaptive immune responses.

Immunogen-Specific Strengths and Limitations of the Activation-Induced Marker Assay for Assessing Murine Antigen-Specific CD4+ T Cell Responses.

The activation-induced marker (AIM) assay is a cytokine-independent technique to identify Ag-specific T cells based on the upregulated expression of activation markers after Ag restimulation. The method offers an alternative to intracellular cytokine staining in immunological studies, in which limited cytokine production makes the cell subsets of interest difficult to detect. Studies of lymphocytes in human and nonhuman primates have used the AIM assay to detect Ag-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. However, there is a lack of validation of the strengths and limitations of the assay in murine (Mus musculus) models of infection and vaccination. In this study, we analyzed immune responses of TCR-transgenic CD4+ T cells, including lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-specific SMARTA, OVA-specific OT-II, and diabetogenic BDC2.5-transgenic T cells, and measured the ability of the AIM assay to effectively identify these cells to upregulate AIM markers OX40 and CD25 following culture with cognate Ag. Our findings indicate that the AIM assay is effective for identifying the relative frequency of protein immunization-induced effector and memory CD4+ T cells, whereas the AIM assay had reduced ability to identify specific cells induced by viral infection, particularly during chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection. Evaluation of polyclonal CD4+ T cell responses to acute viral infection demonstrated that the AIM assay can detect a proportion of both high- and low-affinity cells. Together, our findings indicate that the AIM assay can be an effective tool for relative quantification of murine Ag-specific CD4+ T cells to protein vaccination, while demonstrating its limitations during conditions of acute and chronic infection.

Cytokine-skewed Tfh cells: functional consequences for B cell help.

CD4+ follicular helper T (Tfh) cells play a vital role in providing help for B cells undergoing selection and differentiation into activated antibody-secreting cells in mammalian germinal centers (GCs). Increasing evidence suggests that Tfh cells are a heterogeneous population that generates cytokine-skewed immune responses - a reflection of the microenvironment during differentiation. This has important ramifications for Tfh-mediated B cell help. Because Tfh subsets can have opposing effects on GC B cell responses, we discuss current findings regarding the differentiation and functions of cytokine-skewed Tfh cells in modulating GC B cell differentiation. Antibodies are important weapons against infectious diseases but can also be pathogenic mediators in some autoimmune conditions. Since cytokine-skewed Tfh cells can influence the magnitude and quality of the humoral response, we address the roles of cytokine-skewed Tfh cells in disease.

Protein Immunization Induces Memory CD4+ T Cells That Lack Th Lineage Commitment.

Acute viral infection generates lineage-committed Th1 and T follicular helper (Tfh) memory cells that recall their lineage-specific functions following secondary challenge with virus. However, the lineage commitment of effector and memory Th cells in vivo following protein vaccination is poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed effector and memory CD4+ T cell differentiation in mice (Mus musculus) following adjuvanted glycoprotein immunization compared with acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection. Glycoprotein immunization induced CXCR5- non-Tfh effector and memory CD4+ T cells that surprisingly had not undergone polarization toward any particular Th cell lineage but had undergone memory differentiation. However, upon challenge with virus, these Th lineage-nonpolarized memory CD4+ T cells were able to generate Th1 secondary effector cells, demonstrating their lineage plasticity. In addition, Tfh and memory Tfh cells were generated in response to protein immunization, and these cells differed from infection-induced Tfh cells by their lack of the transcription factor Tbet. Rechallenge experiments demonstrated that viral infection, but not protein immunization, during either the primary or secondary immune response, restricts the recall of Bcl6 expression and the generation of germinal center Tfh cells. Together, these data demonstrate that protein immunization generates a combination of nonpolarized memory cells that are highly plastic and memory Tfh cells that can undergo further Th1-like modulation during a secondary response to viral infection.

Effector CD8 T cells dedifferentiate into long-lived memory cells.

Memory CD8 T cells that circulate in the blood and are present in lymphoid organs are an essential component of long-lived T cell immunity. These memory CD8 T cells remain poised to rapidly elaborate effector functions upon re-exposure to pathogens, but also have many properties in common with naive cells, including pluripotency and the ability to migrate to the lymph nodes and spleen. Thus, memory cells embody features of both naive and effector cells, fuelling a long-standing debate centred on whether memory T cells develop from effector cells or directly from naive cells. Here we show that long-lived memory CD8 T cells are derived from a subset of effector T cells through a process of dedifferentiation. To assess the developmental origin of memory CD8 T cells, we investigated changes in DNA methylation programming at naive and effector cell-associated genes in virus-specific CD8 T cells during acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection in mice. Methylation profiling of terminal effector versus memory-precursor CD8 T cell subsets showed that, rather than retaining a naive epigenetic state, the subset of cells that gives rise to memory cells acquired de novo DNA methylation programs at naive-associated genes and became demethylated at the loci of classically defined effector molecules. Conditional deletion of the de novo methyltransferase Dnmt3a at an early stage of effector differentiation resulted in reduced methylation and faster re-expression of naive-associated genes, thereby accelerating the development of memory cells. Longitudinal phenotypic and epigenetic characterization of the memory-precursor effector subset of virus-specific CD8 T cells transferred into antigen-free mice revealed that differentiation to memory cells was coupled to erasure of de novo methylation programs and re-expression of naive-associated genes. Thus, epigenetic repression of naive-associated genes in effector CD8 T cells can be reversed in cells that develop into long-lived memory CD8 T cells while key effector genes remain demethylated, demonstrating that memory T cells arise from a subset of fate-permissive effector T cells.

Recurrent Tonsillitis Tfh Cells Acquire a Killer Identity.

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection causes recurrent tonsillitis (RT) in some individuals. A recent study (Dan et al. Sci. Transl. Med. 2019;11:eaau3776) demonstrates that RT is associated with an impaired antibody response against a key streptococcal virulence factor. This factor, SpeA, can induce abnormal T follicular helper (Tfh) cells that are able to kill B cells.

Distinct memory CD4+ T cells with commitment to T follicular helper- and T helper 1-cell lineages are generated after acute viral infection.

CD4(+) T follicular helper (Tfh) cells provide the required signals to B cells for germinal center reactions that are necessary for long-lived antibody responses. However, it remains unclear whether there are CD4(+) memory T cells committed to the Tfh cell lineage after antigen clearance. By using adoptive transfer of antigen-specific memory CD4(+) T cell subpopulations in the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection model, we found that there are distinct memory CD4(+) T cell populations with commitment to either Tfh- or Th1-cell lineages. Our conclusions are based on gene expression profiles, epigenetic studies, and phenotypic and functional analyses. Our findings indicate that CD4(+) memory T cells "remember" their previous effector lineage after antigen clearance, being poised to reacquire their lineage-specific effector functions upon antigen reencounter. These findings have important implications for rational vaccine design, where improving the generation and engagement of memory Tfh cells could be used to enhance vaccine-induced protective immunity.

Defining CD8+ T cells that provide the proliferative burst after PD-1 therapy.

Chronic viral infections are characterized by a state of CD8+ T-cell dysfunction that is associated with expression of the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitory receptor. A better understanding of the mechanisms that regulate CD8+ T-cell responses during chronic infection is required to improve immunotherapies that restore function in exhausted CD8+ T cells. Here we identify a population of virus-specific CD8+ T cells that proliferate after blockade of the PD-1 inhibitory pathway in mice chronically infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). These LCMV-specific CD8+ T cells expressed the PD-1 inhibitory receptor, but also expressed several costimulatory molecules such as ICOS and CD28. This CD8+ T-cell subset was characterized by a unique gene signature that was related to that of CD4+ T follicular helper (TFH) cells, CD8+ T cell memory precursors and haematopoietic stem cell progenitors, but that was distinct from that of CD4+ TH1 cells and CD8+ terminal effectors. This CD8+ T-cell population was found only in lymphoid tissues and resided predominantly in the T-cell zones along with naive CD8+ T cells. These PD-1+CD8+ T cells resembled stem cells during chronic LCMV infection, undergoing self-renewal and also differentiating into the terminally exhausted CD8+ T cells that were present in both lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues. The proliferative burst after PD-1 blockade came almost exclusively from this CD8+ T-cell subset. Notably, the transcription factor TCF1 had a cell-intrinsic and essential role in the generation of this CD8+ T-cell subset. These findings provide a better understanding of T-cell exhaustion and have implications in the optimization of PD-1-directed immunotherapy in chronic infections and cancer.

Antigen Density Dictates Immune Responsiveness following Red Blood Cell Transfusion.

Although RBC transfusion can result in the development of anti-RBC alloantibodies that increase the probability of life-threatening hemolytic transfusion reactions, not all patients generate anti-RBC alloantibodies. However, the factors that regulate immune responsiveness to RBC transfusion remain incompletely understood. One variable that may influence alloantibody formation is RBC alloantigen density. RBC alloantigens exist at different densities on the RBC surface and likewise exhibit distinct propensities to induce RBC alloantibody formation. However, although distinct alloantigens reside on the RBC surface at different levels, most alloantigens also represent completely different structures, making it difficult to separate the potential impact of differences in Ag density from other alloantigen features that may also influence RBC alloimmunization. To address this, we generated RBCs that stably express the same Ag at different levels. Although exposure to RBCs with higher Ag levels induces a robust Ab response, RBCs bearing low Ag levels fail to induce RBC alloantibodies. However, exposure to low Ag-density RBCs is not without consequence, because recipients subsequently develop Ag-specific tolerance. Low Ag-density RBC-induced tolerance protects higher Ag-density RBCs from immune-mediated clearance, is Ag specific, and occurs through the induction of B cell unresponsiveness. These results demonstrate that Ag density can potently impact immune outcomes following RBC transfusion and suggest that RBCs with altered Ag levels may provide a unique tool to induce Ag-specific tolerance.

mTOR Promotes Antiviral Humoral Immunity by Differentially Regulating CD4 Helper T Cell and B Cell Responses.

mTOR has important roles in regulation of both innate and adaptive immunity, but whether and how mTOR modulates humoral immune responses have yet to be fully understood. To address this issue, we examined the effects of rapamycin, a specific inhibitor of mTOR, on B cell and CD4 T cell responses during acute infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. Rapamycin treatment resulted in suppression of virus-specific B cell responses by inhibiting proliferation of germinal center (GC) B cells. In contrast, the number of memory CD4 T cells was increased in rapamycin-treated mice. However, the drug treatment caused a striking bias of CD4 T cell differentiation into Th1 cells and substantially impaired formation of follicular helper T (Tfh) cells, which are essential for humoral immunity. Further experiments in which mTOR signaling was modulated by RNA interference (RNAi) revealed that B cells were the primary target cells of rapamycin for the impaired humoral immunity and that reduced Tfh formation in rapamycin-treated mice was due to lower GC B cell responses that are essential for Tfh generation. Additionally, we found that rapamycin had minimal effects on B cell responses activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which stimulates B cells in an antigen-independent manner, suggesting that rapamycin specifically inhibits B cell responses induced by B cell receptor stimulation with antigen. Together, these findings demonstrate that mTOR signals play an essential role in antigen-specific humoral immune responses by differentially regulating B cell and CD4 T cell responses during acute viral infection and that rapamycin treatment alters the interplay of immune cell subsets involved in antiviral humoral immunity. IMPORTANCE: mTOR is a serine/threonine kinase involved in a variety of cellular activities. Although its specific inhibitor, rapamycin, is currently used as an immunosuppressive drug in transplant patients, it has been reported that rapamycin can also stimulate pathogen-specific cellular immunity in certain circumstances. However, whether and how mTOR regulates humoral immunity are not well understood. Here we found that rapamycin treatment predominantly inhibited GC B cell responses during viral infection and that this led to biased helper CD4 T cell differentiation as well as impaired antibody responses. These findings suggest that inhibition of B cell responses by rapamycin may play an important role in regulation of allograft-specific antibody responses to prevent organ rejection in transplant recipients. Our results also show that consideration of antibody responses is required in cases where rapamycin is used to stimulate vaccine-induced immunity.

Cutting Edge: miR-17-92 Is Required for Both CD4 Th1 and T Follicular Helper Cell Responses during Viral Infection.

Viral infections induce the differentiation of naive CD4 T cells into two distinct lineages, Th1 cells and T follicular helper (TFH) cells. Two recent studies demonstrated that the microRNA cluster miR-17-92 selectively promotes CD4 TFH responses. However, we show in this study that miR-17-92 expression is required for the clonal expansion of both virus-specific Th1 and TFH cells. Upon viral infection, miR-17-92-deficient CD4 T cells showed impaired clonal expansion and subsequent memory formation. Although miR-17-92 deficiency impaired the clonal expansion of both Th1 and TFH cells, the expansion of Th1 cells was more affected. Overexpression of miR-17-92 in CD4 T cells resulted in increased expansion of both virus-specific Th1 and TFH cells but selectively enhanced the Th1 response. Taken together, our data suggest that miR-17-92 is necessary for both Th1 and TFH cells to respond efficiently to viral infections and that the Th1 response is more sensitive to the level of miR-17-92 expression.

The ribosomal protein Rpl22 controls ribosome composition by directly repressing expression of its own paralog, Rpl22l1.

Most yeast ribosomal protein genes are duplicated and their characterization has led to hypotheses regarding the existence of specialized ribosomes with different subunit composition or specifically-tailored functions. In yeast, ribosomal protein genes are generally duplicated and evidence has emerged that paralogs might have specific roles. Unlike yeast, most mammalian ribosomal proteins are thought to be encoded by a single gene copy, raising the possibility that heterogenous populations of ribosomes are unique to yeast. Here, we examine the roles of the mammalian Rpl22, finding that Rpl22(-/-) mice have only subtle phenotypes with no significant translation defects. We find that in the Rpl22(-/-) mouse there is a compensatory increase in Rpl22-like1 (Rpl22l1) expression and incorporation into ribosomes. Consistent with the hypothesis that either ribosomal protein can support translation, knockdown of Rpl22l1 impairs growth of cells lacking Rpl22. Mechanistically, Rpl22 regulates Rpl22l1 directly by binding to an internal hairpin structure and repressing its expression. We propose that ribosome specificity may exist in mammals, providing evidence that one ribosomal protein can influence composition of the ribosome by regulating its own paralog.

Temporal expression of microRNA cluster miR-17-92 regulates effector and memory CD8+ T-cell differentiation.

MicroRNAs are important regulators of various developmental and physiological processes. However, their roles in the CD8(+) T-cell response are not well understood. Using an acute viral infection model, we show that microRNAs of the miR-17-92 cluster are strongly induced after T-cell activation, down-regulated after clonal expansion, and further silenced during memory development. miR-17-92 promotes cell-cycle progression of effector CD8(+) T cells, and its expression is critical to the rapid expansion of these cells. However, excessive miR-17-92 expression enhances mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling and strongly skews the differentiation toward short-lived terminal effector cells. Failure to down-regulate miR-17-92 leads to a gradual loss of memory cells and defective central memory cell development. Therefore, our results reveal a temporal expression pattern of miR-17-92 by antigen-specific CD8(+) T cells during viral infection, the precise control of which is critical to the effector expansion and memory differentiation of CD8(+) T cells.

Co-formulation of the rF1V plague vaccine with depot-formulated cytokines enhances immunogenicity and efficacy to elicit protective responses against aerosol challenge in mice.

This study evaluated a depot-formulated cytokine-based adjuvant to improve the efficacy of the recombinant F1V (rF1V) plague vaccine and examined the protective response following aerosol challenge in a murine model. The results of this study showed that co-formulation of the Alhydrogel-adsorbed rF1V plague fusion vaccine with the depot-formulated cytokines recombinant human interleukin 2 (rhuIL-2) and/or recombinant murine granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rmGM-CSF) significantly enhances immunogenicity and significant protection at lower antigen doses against a lethal aerosol challenge. These results provide additional support for the co-application of the depot-formulated IL-2 and/or GM-CSF cytokines to enhance vaccine efficacy.

T-cell memory differentiation: insights from transcriptional signatures and epigenetics.

A critical component of vaccine design is to generate and maintain antigen-specific memory lymphocytes of sufficient quantity and quality to give the host life-long protection against re-infection. Therefore, it is important to understand how memory T cells acquire the ability for self-renewal while retaining a potential for heightened recall of effector functions. During acute viral infection or following vaccination, antigen-specific T cells undergo extensive phenotypic and functional changes during differentiation to the effector and memory phases of the immune response. The changes in cell phenotype that accompany memory T-cell differentiation are predominantly mediated through acquired transcriptional regulatory mechanisms, in part achieved through epigenetic modifications of DNA and histones. Here we review our current understanding of epigenetic mechanisms regulating the off-on-off expression of CD8 and CD4 T-cell effector molecules at naive, effector and memory stages of differentiation, respectively, and how covalent modifications to the genome may serve as a mechanism to preserve 'poised' transcriptional states in homeostatically dividing memory cells. We discuss the potential of such mechanisms to control genes that undergo on-off-on patterns of expression including homing and pro-survival genes, and the implications on the development of effector-memory and central-memory T-cell differentiation. Lastly, we review recent studies demonstrating epigenetic modifications as a mechanism for the progressive loss of transcriptional adaptation in antigen-specific T cells that undergo sustained high levels of T-cell receptor signalling.

Bcl-2-interacting mediator of cell death influences autoantigen-driven deletion and TCR revision.

Peripheral CD4(+)Vß5(+) T cells are tolerized to an endogenous mouse mammary tumor virus superantigen either by deletion or TCR revision. Through TCR revision, RAG reexpression mediates extrathymic TCRß rearrangement and results in a population of postrevision CD4(+)Vß5(-) T cells expressing revised TCRß chains. We have hypothesized that cell death pathways regulate the selection of cells undergoing TCR revision to ensure the safety and utility of the postrevision population. In this study, we investigate the role of Bcl-2-interacting mediator of cell death (Bim)-mediated cell death in autoantigen-driven deletion and TCR revision. Bim deficiency and Bcl-2 overexpression in Vß5 transgenic (Tg) mice both impair peripheral deletion. Vß5 Tg Bim-deficient and Bcl-2 Tg mice exhibit an elevated frequency of CD4(+) T cells expressing both the transgene-encoded Vß5 chain and a revised TCRß chain. We now show that these dual-TCR-expressing cells are TCR revision intermediates and that the population of RAG-expressing, revising CD4(+) T cells is increased in Bim-deficient Vß5 Tg mice. These findings support a role for Bim and Bcl-2 in regulating the balance of survival versus apoptosis in peripheral T cells undergoing RAG-dependent TCR rearrangements during TCR revision, thereby ensuring the utility of the postrevision repertoire.

Modulation of TCRß surface expression during TCR revision.

TCR revision is a tolerance mechanism by which self-reactive TCRs expressed by mature CD4(+) peripheral T cells are replaced by receptors encoded by genes generated by post-thymic DNA rearrangement. The downmodulation of surface TCR expression initiates TCR revision, and serves as a likely trigger for the induction of the recombinase machinery. We show here in a Vß5 transgenic mouse model system that downregulation of the self-reactive transgene-encoded TCR is not maintained by transgene loss or diminished transcription or translation. The downregulation of surface TCR expression likely occurs in two stages, only one of which requires tolerogen expression.

TCR revision generates functional CD4+ T cells.

CD4(+)Vß5(+) peripheral T cells in C57BL/6 mice respond to encounter with a peripherally expressed endogenous superantigen by undergoing either deletion or TCR revision. In this latter process, cells lose surface Vß5 expression and undergo RAG-dependent rearrangement of endogenous TCRß genes, driving surface expression of novel TCRs. Although postrevision CD4(+)Vß5(-)TCRß(+) T cells accumulate with age in Vß5 transgenic mice and bear a diverse TCR Vß repertoire, it is unknown whether they respond to homeostatic and antigenic stimuli and thus may benefit the host. We demonstrate in this study that postrevision cells are functional. These cells have a high rate of steady-state homeostatic proliferation in situ, and they undergo extensive MHC class II-dependent lymphopenia-induced proliferation. Importantly, postrevision cells do not proliferate in response to the tolerizing superantigen, implicating TCR revision as a mechanism of tolerance induction and demonstrating that TCR-dependent activation of postrevision cells is not driven by the transgene-encoded receptor. Postrevision cells proliferate extensively to commensal bacterial Ags and can generate I-A(b)-restricted responses to Ag by producing IFN-γ following Listeria monocytogenes challenge. These data show that rescued postrevision T cells are responsive to homeostatic signals and recognize self- and foreign peptides in the context of self-MHC and are thus useful to the host.