RESUMO
The continuous interactions between host and pathogens during their coevolution have shaped both the immune system and the countermeasures used by pathogens. Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that are considered central players in the antiviral response. Not only do they express a variety of inhibitory and activating receptors to discriminate and eliminate target cells but they can also produce immunoregulatory cytokines to alert the immune system. Reciprocally, several unrelated viruses including cytomegalovirus, human immunodeficiency virus, influenza virus, and dengue virus have evolved a multitude of mechanisms to evade NK cell function, such as the targeting of pathways for NK cell receptors and their ligands, apoptosis, and cytokine-mediated signaling. The studies discussed in this article provide further insights into the antiviral function of NK cells and the pathways involved, their constituent proteins, and ways in which they could be manipulated for host benefit.
Assuntos
Interações Hospedeiro-Patógeno/imunologia , Evasão da Resposta Imune , Células Matadoras Naturais/imunologia , Células Matadoras Naturais/metabolismo , Vírus/imunologia , Animais , Biomarcadores , Citocinas/metabolismo , Humanos , Receptores de Células Matadoras Naturais/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais , Viroses/imunologia , Viroses/metabolismo , Viroses/virologiaRESUMO
Genes and pathways in which inactivation dampens tissue inflammation present new opportunities for understanding the pathogenesis of common human inflammatory diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. We identified a mutation in the gene encoding the deubiquitination enzyme USP15 (Usp15L749R) that protected mice against both experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) induced by Plasmodium berghei and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Combining immunophenotyping and RNA sequencing in brain (ECM) and spinal cord (EAE) revealed that Usp15L749R-associated resistance to neuroinflammation was linked to dampened type I interferon responses in situ. In hematopoietic cells and in resident brain cells, USP15 was coexpressed with, and functionally acted together with the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM25 to positively regulate type I interferon responses and to promote pathogenesis during neuroinflammation. The USP15-TRIM25 dyad might be a potential target for intervention in acute or chronic states of neuroinflammation.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/metabolismo , Encefalomielite Autoimune Experimental/imunologia , Malária Cerebral/imunologia , Inflamação Neurogênica/imunologia , Fatores de Transcrição/metabolismo , Proteases Específicas de Ubiquitina/metabolismo , Animais , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/genética , Encefalomielite Autoimune Experimental/tratamento farmacológico , Células HEK293 , Humanos , Imunidade Inata , Interferon Tipo I/metabolismo , Malária Cerebral/tratamento farmacológico , Camundongos , Camundongos da Linhagem 129 , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Camundongos Transgênicos , Terapia de Alvo Molecular , Glicoproteína Mielina-Oligodendrócito/imunologia , Inflamação Neurogênica/tratamento farmacológico , Fragmentos de Peptídeos/imunologia , Plasmodium berghei/imunologia , Fatores de Transcrição/genética , Proteases Específicas de Ubiquitina/genéticaRESUMO
Viral respiratory tract infections are the main causative agents of the onset of infection-induced asthma and asthma exacerbations that remain mechanistically unexplained. Here we found that deficiency in signaling via type I interferon receptor led to deregulated activation of group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2 cells) and infection-associated type 2 immunopathology. Type I interferons directly and negatively regulated mouse and human ILC2 cells in a manner dependent on the transcriptional activator ISGF3 that led to altered cytokine production, cell proliferation and increased cell death. In addition, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin 27 (IL-27) altered ILC2 function dependent on the transcription factor STAT1. These results demonstrate that type I and type II interferons, together with IL-27, regulate ILC2 cells to restrict type 2 immunopathology.
Assuntos
Imunidade Inata/imunologia , Interferon Tipo I/imunologia , Linfócitos/imunologia , Infecções Respiratórias/imunologia , Animais , Citocinas/biossíntese , Citocinas/imunologia , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Citometria de Fluxo , Humanos , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Camundongos Knockout , Infecções por Orthomyxoviridae/imunologia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real , Infecções Respiratórias/patologiaRESUMO
Viruses evade the innate immune response by suppressing the production or activity of cytokines such as type I interferons (IFNs). Here we report the discovery of a mechanism by which the SARS-CoV-2 virus coopts an intrinsic cellular machinery to suppress the production of the key immunostimulatory cytokine IFN-ß. We reveal that the SARS-CoV-2 encoded nonstructural protein 2 (NSP2) directly interacts with the cellular GIGYF2 protein. This interaction enhances the binding of GIGYF2 to the mRNA cap-binding protein 4EHP, thereby repressing the translation of the Ifnb1 mRNA. Depletion of GIGYF2 or 4EHP significantly enhances IFN-ß production, which inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication. Our findings reveal a target for rescuing the antiviral innate immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and other RNA viruses.
Assuntos
COVID-19 , Proteínas de Transporte , Interferon Tipo I , Proteínas não Estruturais Virais , COVID-19/genética , Proteínas de Transporte/metabolismo , Linhagem Celular , Fator de Iniciação 4E em Eucariotos/metabolismo , Humanos , Imunidade Inata , Interferon Tipo I/metabolismo , Biossíntese de Proteínas , RNA Mensageiro/genética , SARS-CoV-2 , Proteínas não Estruturais Virais/metabolismo , Replicação ViralRESUMO
A large gap in our understanding of infant immunity is why natural killer (NK) cell responses are deficient, which makes infants more prone to viral infection. Here we demonstrate that transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) was responsible for NK cell immaturity during infancy. We found more fully mature NK cells in CD11c(dnR) mice, whose NK cells lack TGF-ß receptor (TGF-ßR) signaling. Ontogenic maturation of NK cells progressed faster in the absence of TGF-ß signaling, which results in the formation of a mature NK cell pool early in life. As a consequence, infant CD11c(dnR) mice efficiently controlled viral infections. These data thus demonstrate an unprecedented role for TGF-ß in ontogeny that can explain why NK cell responses are deficient early in life.
Assuntos
Sistema Imunitário/citologia , Sistema Imunitário/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Células Matadoras Naturais/citologia , Fator de Crescimento Transformador beta/imunologia , Animais , Animais Recém-Nascidos , Diferenciação Celular/imunologia , Citometria de Fluxo , Células Matadoras Naturais/imunologia , Células Matadoras Naturais/metabolismo , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Células-Tronco , Fator de Crescimento Transformador beta/metabolismoRESUMO
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from a breakdown in immunological tolerance, with pivotal involvement of antigen-presenting cells. In this context, antigen-specific immunotherapies have been developed to arrest autoimmunity, such as phosphatidylserine (PS)-liposomes. However, the role of certain antigen-presenting cells in immunotherapy, particularly human macrophages (Mφ) in T1D remains elusive. The aim of this study was to determine the role of Mφ in antigen-specific immune tolerance and T1D. To that end, we evaluated Mφ ability to capture apoptotic-body mimicking PS-liposomes in mice and conducted a phenotypic and functional characterisation of four human monocyte-derived Mφ (MoMφ) subpopulations (M0, M1, M2a and M2c) after PS-liposomes uptake. Our findings in mice identified Mφ as the most phagocytic cell subset in the spleen and liver. In humans, while phagocytosis rates were comparable between T1D and control individuals, PS-liposome capture dynamics differed among Mφ subtypes, favouring inflammatory (M1) and deactivated (M2c) Mφ. Notably, high nanoparticle concentrations did not affect macrophage viability. PS-liposome uptake by Mφ induced alterations in membrane molecule expression related to immunoregulation, reduced secretion of IL-6 and IL-12, and diminished autologous T-cell proliferation in the context of autoantigen stimulation. These results underscore the tolerogenic effects of PS-liposomes and emphasize their potential to target human Mφ, providing valuable insights into the mechanism of action of this preclinical immunotherapy.
Assuntos
Autoantígenos , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1 , Imunoterapia , Lipossomos , Macrófagos , Fosfatidilserinas , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/terapia , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/imunologia , Animais , Humanos , Fosfatidilserinas/metabolismo , Fosfatidilserinas/imunologia , Camundongos , Imunoterapia/métodos , Macrófagos/imunologia , Macrófagos/metabolismo , Autoantígenos/imunologia , Feminino , Tolerância Imunológica , Fagocitose/imunologia , Masculino , Camundongos Endogâmicos NOD , Autoimunidade , AdultoRESUMO
Ultraviolet radiation's germicidal efficacy depends on several parameters, including wavelength, radiant exposure, microbial physiology, biological matrices, and surfaces. In this work, several ultraviolet radiation sources (a low-pressure mercury lamp, a KrCl excimer, and four UV LEDs) emitting continuous or pulsed irradiation were compared. The greatest log reductions in E. coli cells and B. subtilis endospores were 4.1 ± 0.2 (18 mJ cm-2) and 4.5 ± 0.1 (42 mJ cm-2) with continuous 222 nm, respectively. The highest MS2 log reduction observed was 2.7 ± 0.1 (277 nm at 3809 mJ cm-2). Log reductions of SARS-CoV-2 with continuous 222 nm and 277 nm were ≥ 3.4 ± 0.7, with 13.3 mJ cm-2 and 60 mJ cm-2, respectively. There was no statistical difference between continuous and pulsed irradiation (0.83-16.7% [222 nm and 277 nm] or 0.83-20% [280 nm] duty rates) on E. coli inactivation. Pulsed 260 nm radiation (0.5% duty rate) at 260 nm yielded significantly greater log reduction for both bacteria than continuous 260 nm radiation. There was no statistical difference in SARS-CoV-2 inactivation between continuous and pulsed 222 nm UV-C radiation and pulsed 277 nm radiation demonstrated greater germicidal efficacy than continuous 277 nm radiation. Greater radiant exposure for all radiation sources was required to inactivate MS2 bacteriophage. Findings demonstrate that pulsed irradiation could be more useful than continuous UV radiation in human-occupied spaces, but threshold limit values should be respected. Pathogen-specific sensitivities, experimental setup, and quantification methods for determining germicidal efficacy remain important factors when optimizing ultraviolet radiation for surface decontamination or other applications.
Assuntos
COVID-19 , Raios Ultravioleta , Humanos , SARS-CoV-2 , Escherichia coli/efeitos da radiação , Desinfecção/métodosRESUMO
Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are characterized by inflammation or fibrosis of the pulmonary parenchyma. Despite the involvement of immune cells and soluble mediators in pulmonary fibrosis, the influence of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) remains underexplored. These effector molecules display a range of activities, which include immunomodulation and wound repair. Here, we investigate the role of AMPs in the development of fibrosis in ILD. We compare the concentration of different AMPs and different cytokines in 46 fibrotic (F-ILD) and 17 non-fibrotic (NF-ILD) patients by ELISA and using peripheral blood mononuclear cells from in vitro stimulation in the presence of lysozyme or secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) from 10 healthy donors. We observed that bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) levels of AMPs were decreased in F-ILD patients (lysozyme: p < 0.001; SLPI: p < 0.001; LL-37: p < 0.001; lactoferrin: p = 0.47) and were negatively correlated with levels of TGF-ß (lysozyme: p = 0.02; SLPI: p < 0.001) and IL-17 (lysozyme: p < 0.001; SLPI: p < 0.001). We observed that lysozyme increased the percentage of CD86+ macrophages (p < 0.001) and the production of TNF-α (p < 0.001). We showed that lysozyme and SLPI were associated with clinical parameters (lysozyme: p < 0.001; SLPI: p < 0.001) and disease progression (lysozyme: p < 0.001; SLPI: p = 0.01). These results suggest that AMPs may play an important role in the anti-fibrotic response, regulating the effect of pro-fibrotic cytokines. In addition, levels of lysozyme in BAL may be a potential biomarker to predict the progression in F-ILD patients.
Assuntos
Líquido da Lavagem Broncoalveolar , Doenças Pulmonares Intersticiais , Muramidase , Inibidor Secretado de Peptidases Leucocitárias , Humanos , Muramidase/metabolismo , Masculino , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Inibidor Secretado de Peptidases Leucocitárias/metabolismo , Líquido da Lavagem Broncoalveolar/química , Doenças Pulmonares Intersticiais/metabolismo , Doenças Pulmonares Intersticiais/patologia , Idoso , Citocinas/metabolismo , Adulto , Biomarcadores , Lavagem Broncoalveolar , Leucócitos Mononucleares/metabolismoRESUMO
Advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD) is associated with a wide spectrum of immune dysfunction. The clinical impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the development of decompensation and immune response in unvaccinated outpatients has not as yet been clearly defined. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and immunological impact of SARS-CoV-2 on outpatients with ACLD. This is an observational case-control study, in which ACLD outpatients were included prospectively and consecutively and classified into two groups: SARS-CoV-2 infected and non-infected. Patients' baseline characteristics and infection data were collected and analyzed. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels against Spike 1 were evaluated. The primary endpoint was risk of liver decompensation during follow-up, assessed after propensity score matching and adjusted by Cox regression. Between October 2020 and July 2021, ACLD outpatients (n = 580) were identified, and 174 patients with clinical follow-up were included. SARS-CoV-2 infection incidence was 7.6% (n = 44). Risk of liver decompensation was significantly higher after infection (HR = 2.43 [1.01-5.86], p = 0.048) vs. non-infection. The time of IgG evaluation was similar in all patients (n = 74); IgG concentrations were significantly higher in compensated vs. decompensated patients (1.02 ± 0.35 pg/mL vs. 0.34 ± 0.16 pg/mL, p < 0.0001) and correlated with hemoglobin levels. The dysregulation of the innate immune response in patients with decompensated liver disease increased the risk of further decompensation following SARS-CoV-2, mainly due to a worsening of ascites.
Assuntos
COVID-19 , Imunoglobulina G , Hepatopatias , Pacientes Ambulatoriais , SARS-CoV-2 , Humanos , COVID-19/imunologia , COVID-19/complicações , COVID-19/epidemiologia , Masculino , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , SARS-CoV-2/imunologia , Idoso , Imunoglobulina G/sangue , Imunoglobulina G/imunologia , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Hepatopatias/imunologia , Hepatopatias/virologia , Hepatopatias/epidemiologia , Doença Crônica , Estudos Prospectivos , Fatores de RiscoRESUMO
Currently, therapy response cannot be accurately predicted in HER2-negative breast cancer (BC). Measuring stromal tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) and mediators of the tumour microenvironment and characterizing tumour-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) may improve treatment response in the neoadjuvant setting. Tumour tissue and peripheral blood samples were retrospectively collected from 118 patients, and sTILs were evaluated. Circulating exosomes and myeloid-derived suppressor cells were determined by flow cytometry. TIICs markers (CD4, CD8, CD20, CD1a, and CD68) were assessed immunohistochemically. High sTILs were significantly associated with pathological complete response (pCR; p = 0.048) and event-free survival (EFS; p = 0.027). High-CD68 cells were significantly associated with pCR in triple-negative (TN, p = 0.027) and high-CD1a cells with EFS in luminal-B (p = 0.012) BC. Cluster analyses of TIICs revealed two groups of tumours (C1 and C2) that had different immune patterns and clinical outcomes. An immunoscore based on clinicopathological variables was developed to identify high risk (C1) or low-risk (C2) patients. Additionally, cluster analyses revealed two groups of tumours for both luminal-B and TNBC. Our findings support the association of sTILs with pCR and show an immunological component in a subset of patients with HER2-negative BC. Our immunoscore may be useful for future escalation or de-escalation treatments.
Assuntos
Neoplasias da Mama , Neoplasias de Mama Triplo Negativas , Humanos , Feminino , Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Terapia Neoadjuvante/efeitos adversos , Neoplasias de Mama Triplo Negativas/patologia , Relevância Clínica , Estudos Retrospectivos , Biomarcadores Tumorais/análise , Linfócitos do Interstício Tumoral , Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/uso terapêutico , Microambiente TumoralRESUMO
Background and Objectives: Recently, a randomized controlled trial suggested a potential benefit of baricitinib in patients with diabetes mellitus, preserving ß-cell function. However, the clinical evidence currently available is limited. We aimed to assess the potential impact of tofacitinib and baricitinib on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Materials and Methods: The candidates for this observational, retrospective, single-center study were selected from a cohort of 120 rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with tofacitinib or baricitinib between September 2017 and September 2023. The eligibility criteria included patients with T2DM who were receiving oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs). The primary outcome was the glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) value after 6 months of a JAK inhibitor treatment. Secondary outcomes included body mass index (BMI) and rheumatoid arthritis disease activity. Differences were evaluated using Fisher's exact test, as well as the Mann-Whitney test or the Wilcoxon test. Results: Thirteen patients were included; 46.2% (6/13) underwent treatment with tofacitinib, while 53.8% (7/13) were treated with baricitinib. At 6 months, baricitinib treatment resulted in a reduction in HbA1c (p = 0.035), with 57.1% (4/7) of patients achieving values <7%, and 28.6% (2/7) of patients requiring a reduction in OAD dosage. Concerning BMI, an increase (p = 0.022) was observed at 6 months following baricitinib administration. All the patients treated with either tofacitinib or baricitinib achieved remission or low disease activity, without requiring statistically significant changes in concomitant rheumatoid arthritis treatment. Conclusions: In T2DM patients with rheumatoid arthritis, baricitinib can improve insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake, enabling the optimization of T2DM management.
Assuntos
Artrite Reumatoide , Azetidinas , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2 , Piperidinas , Purinas , Pirazóis , Pirimidinas , Sulfonamidas , Humanos , Artrite Reumatoide/complicações , Artrite Reumatoide/tratamento farmacológico , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/complicações , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/tratamento farmacológico , Hemoglobinas Glicadas , Estudos Retrospectivos , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic and systemic inflammatory disease that affects approximately 1% of the world's population and is characterised by joint inflammation, the destruction of articular cartilage and bone, and many potentially life-threatening extraarticular manifestations. B lymphocytes play a central role in the pathology of rheumatoid arthritis as the precursors of autoantibody secreting plasma cells, as highly potent antigen-presenting cells, and as a source of various inflammatory cytokines, however, the effects of rheumatoid arthritis on B lymphocyte development remain poorly understood. Here, we analyse B lymphocyte development in murine models of rheumatoid arthritis, quantifying all the subsets of B cell precursors in the bone marrow and splenic B cells using flow cytometry. We demonstrate a severe reduction in pre-B cells and immature B cells in the bone marrow of mice with active disease, despite no major effects on the mature naïve B cell numbers. The loss of B cell precursors in the bone marrow of the affected mice was associated with a highly significant reduction in the proportion of Ki67+ cells, indicating impaired cell proliferation, while the viability of the B cell precursors was not significantly affected. We also observed some mobilisation of the B cell precursor cells into the mouse spleen, demonstrated with flow cytometry and pre-B colony forming units assays. In summary, the current work demonstrates a severe dysregulation in B lymphocyte development in murine rheumatoid arthritis, with possible implications for B cell repertoire formation, tolerance induction, and disease mechanisms.
Assuntos
Artrite Experimental , Artrite Reumatoide , Camundongos , Animais , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Linfócitos B , Tolerância ImunológicaRESUMO
Pulmonary fibrosis involves various types of immune cells and soluble mediators, including TGF-ß and IL-35, a recently identified heterodimeric cytokine that belongs to the IL-12 cytokine family. However, the effect of regulatory IL-35 may play an important role in fibrotic diseases. The aim of this paper is to explore the immunoregulatory role of IL-35 in the development of fibrosis in interstitial lung disease (ILD). To gain a better understanding of this issue, the concentrations of IL-35 and different profibrotic cytokines in fibrotic (F-ILD) and non-fibrotic (NF-ILD) patients by ELISA were compared to that of intracellular IL-35 and IL-17 on CD4+ T cells stimulated in the presence of BAL or with different ratios of recombinant IL-35 (rIL-35) and TGF-ß (rTGF-ß), which were evaluated by flow cytometry. We observed that BAL concentration of IL-35 was lower in F patients (p < 0.001) and was negatively correlated with concentrations of TGF-ß (p < 0.001) and IL-17 (p < 0.001). In supplemented cell cultures, BAL from NF but not F patients enhanced the percentage of IL-35 + CD4+ T (p < 0.001) cells and decreased the percentage of IL-17 + CD4+ T cells (p < 0.001). The percentage of IL-35 + CD4+ T cells correlated positively with BAL concentration of IL-35 (p = 0.02), but correlated negatively with BAL concentrations of IL-17 (p = 0.007) and TGF-ß (p = 0.01). After adjusting the concentrations of recombinant cytokines to establish a TGF-ß: IL-35 ratio of 1:4, an enhanced percentage of IL-35 + CD4+ T cells (p < 0.001) but a decreased percentage of IL-17 + CD4+ T cells (p < 0.001) was observed. After adding recombinant IL-35 to the BAL from F patients until a 1:4 ratio of TGF-ß: IL-35 was reached, a significantly increased percentage of IL-35 + CD4+ T cells (p < 0.001) and a decreased percentage of IL-17 + CD4+ T cells (p = 0.003) was found. These results suggest that IL-35 may induce an anti-fibrotic response, regulating the effect of TGF-ß and the inflammatory response on CD4+ T cells. In addition, the TGF-ß: IL-35 ratio in BAL has been shown to be a potential biomarker to predict the outcome of F patients with ILD.
Assuntos
Doenças Pulmonares Intersticiais , Fibrose Pulmonar , Humanos , Interleucina-17 , Citocinas/análise , Fator de Crescimento Transformador beta , Líquido da Lavagem BroncoalveolarRESUMO
The migration and antimicrobial functions of neutrophils seem to be impaired during sepsis and contribute to the dysregulation of immune responses and disease pathogenesis. However, the role of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) remains to be clarified. The study aimed to analyse sequential phenotypic and functional changes of neutrophils during the time following the diagnosis of sepsis. We prospectively enrolled 49 septic and 18 non-septic patients from the intensive care unit (ICU) and emergency room (ER) and 20 healthy volunteers (HV). Baseline blood samples from septic and non-septic patients were collected within 12 h of admission to the hospital. Additional septic samples were drawn at 24, 48 and 72 h after baseline. Neutrophil phenotype and degranulation capacity were assessed by flow cytometry and NET formation was quantified by fluorescence. Neutrophils from septic patients exhibited increased CD66b, CD11b and CD177 expression but displayed reduced NET formation at baseline compared with non-septic patients and HV controls. Neutrophils expressing CD177 interacted less with platelets, were related to reduced NETosis and tended to indicate a worse sepsis outcome. In vitro experiments revealed that neutrophil function is compromised by the origin of sepsis, including the pathogen type and the affected organ. Assessing a decision tree model, our study showed that CD11b expression and NETosis values are useful variables to discriminate septic from non-septic patients. We conclude that sepsis induces changes in neutrophil phenotype and function that may compromise the effective capacity of the host to eliminate pathogens.
Assuntos
Armadilhas Extracelulares , Sepse , Humanos , Armadilhas Extracelulares/metabolismo , Neutrófilos/metabolismo , FenótipoRESUMO
Autoimmune diseases (AIDs) are caused by the loss of self-tolerance and destruction of tissues by the host's immune system. Several antigen-specific immunotherapies, focused on arresting the autoimmune attack, have been tested in clinical trials with discouraging results. Therefore, there is a need for innovative strategies to restore self-tolerance safely and definitively in AIDs. We previously demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of phosphatidylserine (PS)-liposomes encapsulating autoantigens in experimental type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Here, we show that PS-liposomes can be adapted to other autoimmune diseases by simply replacing the encapsulated autoantigen. After administration, they are distributed to target organs, captured by phagocytes and interact with several immune cells, thus exerting a tolerogenic and immunoregulatory effect. Specific PS-liposomes demonstrate great preventive and therapeutic efficacy in rheumatoid arthritis and myasthenia gravis. Thus, this work highlights the therapeutic potential of a platform for several autoimmunity settings, which is specific, safe, and with long-term effects.
Assuntos
Doenças Autoimunes , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1 , Humanos , Autoantígenos , Lipossomos , Doenças Autoimunes/tratamento farmacológico , Tolerância ImunológicaRESUMO
In this article, we identified a novel epileptogenic variant (G307R) of the gene SLC6A1, which encodes the GABA transporter GAT-1. Our main goal was to investigate the pathogenic mechanisms of this variant, located near the neurotransmitter permeation pathway, and compare it with other variants located either in the permeation pathway or close to the lipid bilayer. The mutants G307R and A334P, close to the gates of the transporter, could be glycosylated with variable efficiency and reached the membrane, albeit inactive. Mutants located in the center of the permeation pathway (G297R) or close to the lipid bilayer (A128V, G550R) were retained in the endoplasmic reticulum. Applying an Elastic Network Model, to these and to other previously characterized variants, we found that G307R and A334P significantly perturb the structure and dynamics of the intracellular gate, which can explain their reduced activity, while for A228V and G362R, the reduced translocation to the membrane quantitatively accounts for the reduced activity. The addition of a chemical chaperone (4-phenylbutyric acid, PBA), which improves protein folding, increased the activity of GAT-1WT, as well as most of the assayed variants, including G307R, suggesting that PBA might also assist the conformational changes occurring during the alternative access transport cycle.
Assuntos
Epilepsias Mioclônicas , Proteínas da Membrana Plasmática de Transporte de GABA , Bicamadas Lipídicas , Humanos , Proteínas da Membrana Plasmática de Transporte de GABA/metabolismo , Epilepsias Mioclônicas/metabolismo , Epilepsias Mioclônicas/patologiaRESUMO
This study investigated the role of IL-35 in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients, focusing on CD4+ T cell response and immunomodulatory cytokine production. By comparing the cytokine levels in healthy donors (HD) and SSc patients using ELISAs, we found a significantly lower plasma IL-35 concentration in the SSc patients (52.1 ± 5.6 vs. 143 ± 11.1, p < 0.001). Notably, the IL-35 levels showed a negative correlation with TGF-ß (p < 0.001) and IL-17 (p = 0.04). Assessing the IL-35R expression across cell types in the SSc patients and HDs via flow cytometry, we found higher levels on monocytes (40.7 + 5.7 vs. 20.3 ± 1.9, p < 0.001) and lower levels on CD8+ T cells (61.8 ± 9.2 vs. 83.4 ± 0.8, p < 0.05) in the SSc patients. The addition of recombinant IL-35 to stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells reduced the IL-17+CD4+ T cell percentage (9.0 ± 1.5 vs. 4.8 ± 0.7, p < 0.05) and increased the IL-35+CD4+ T percentage (4.1 ± 2.3 vs. 10.2 ± 0.8, p < 0.001). In a Treg:Tresponder cell Sco-culture assay with HD and SSc samples, rIL35 decreased the cell proliferation and levels of IL-17A (178.2 ± 30.5 pg/mL vs. 37.4 ± 6.4 pg/mL, p < 0.001) and TGF-ß (4194 ± 777 pg/mL vs. 2413 ± 608 pg/mL, p < 0.01). Furthermore, we observed a positive correlation between the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) and TGF-ß (p < 0.001), while there was a negative correlation between mRSS and IL-35 (p = 0.004). Interestingly, higher levels of plasmatic IL-35 were detected in individuals with limited disease compared to those with diffuse disease (60.1 ± 8.0 vs. 832.3 ± 4.1, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that IL-35 exhibits anti-inflammatory properties in SSc and it may serve as a marker for disease severity and a therapeutic target.
Assuntos
Interleucina-17 , Escleroderma Sistêmico , Humanos , Interleucina-17/metabolismo , Leucócitos Mononucleares/metabolismo , Escleroderma Sistêmico/metabolismo , Citocinas/metabolismo , Fator de Crescimento Transformador betaRESUMO
Diagnosis of interstitial lung diseases (ILD) is difficult to perform. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) facilitate cell-to-cell communication, and they are released by a variety of cells. Our goal aimed to investigate EV markers in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), sarcoidosis and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) cohorts. ILD patients followed at Siena, Barcelona and Foggia University Hospitals were enrolled. BAL supernatants were used to isolate the EVs. They were characterized by flow cytometry assay through MACSPlex Exsome KIT. The majority of alveolar EV markers were related to the fibrotic damage. CD56, CD105, CD142, CD31 and CD49e were exclusively expressed by alveolar samples from IPF patients, while HP showed only CD86 and CD24. Some EV markers were common between HP and sarcoidosis (CD11c, CD1c, CD209, CD4, CD40, CD44, CD8). Principal component analysis distinguished the three groups based on EV markers with total variance of 60.08%. This study has demonstrated the validity of the flow cytometric method to phenotype and characterize EV surface markers in BAL samples. The two granulomatous diseases, sarcoidosis and HP, cohorts shared alveolar EV markers not revealed in IPF patients. Our findings demonstrated the viability of the alveolar compartment allowing identification of lung-specific markers for IPF and HP.
Assuntos
Líquido da Lavagem Broncoalveolar , Vesículas Extracelulares , Doenças Pulmonares Intersticiais , Humanos , Alveolite Alérgica Extrínseca/diagnóstico , Líquido da Lavagem Broncoalveolar/química , Vesículas Extracelulares/química , Fibrose Pulmonar Idiopática/diagnóstico , Doenças Pulmonares Intersticiais/diagnóstico , Sarcoidose/diagnóstico , Biomarcadores/análiseRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Tumor PD-L1 expression is a predictive biomarker for patients with NSCLC receiving PD-(L)1 blockade agents. However, although increased tumor PD-L1 expression predicts responsiveness, clinical benefit has been observed regardless of tumor PD-L1 expression, suggesting the existence of other PD-L1 sources. The aim of our study was to analyze whether integrating systemic and tumor PD-L1 is more predictive of efficacy in patients with advanced NSCLC receiving PD-(L)1 blockade agents. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-nine healthy donors and 119 consecutive patients with advanced NSCLC treated with PD-(L)1 drug were prospectively included. Pretreatment blood samples were collected to evaluate PD-L1 levels on circulating immune cells, platelets (PLTs), platelet microparticles (PMPs), and the plasma soluble PD-L1 concentration (sPD-L1). Tumor PD-L1 status was assessed by immunohistochemistry. The percentages of circulating PD-L1 + leukocytes, sPD-L1 levels, and tumor PD-L1 were correlated with efficacy. RESULTS: No differences in the percentages of circulating PD-L1 + leukocytes were observed according to tumor PD-L1 expression. Significantly longer progression-free survival was observed in patients with higher percentages of PD-L1 + CD14 + , PD-L1 + neutrophils, PD-L1 + PLTs, and PD-L1 + PMPs and significantly longer overall survival was observed in patients with higher percentages of PD-L1 + CD14 + and high tumor PD-L1 expression. Integrating the PD-L1 data of circulating and tumor PD-L1 results significantly stratified patients according to the efficacy of PD-(L1) blockade agents. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that integrating circulating PD-L1 + leukocytes, PLT, PMPs, and sPD-L1 and tumor PD-L1 expression may be helpful to decide on the best treatment strategy in patients with advanced NSCLC who are candidates for PD-(L)1 blockade agents.