Assessing the Functional Heterogeneity of Monocytes in Human Septic Shock: a Proof-of-Concept Microfluidic Assay of TNFα Secretion.

Objective: The development of advanced single-cell technologies to decipher inter-cellular heterogeneity has enabled the dynamic assessment of individual cells behavior over time, overcoming the limitation of traditional assays. Here, we evaluated the feasibility of an advanced microfluidic assay combined to fluorescence microscopy to address the behavior of circulating monocytes from septic shock patients. Methods: Seven septic shock patients and ten healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Using the proposed microfluidic assay we investigated the production over time of LPS-elicited TNFα by single monocytes encapsulated within droplets. Cellular endocytic activity was assessed by internalization of magnetic nanoparticles. Besides, we assessed HLA-DR membrane expression and LPS-induced TNFα production in monocytes through classical flow cytometry assays. Results: Consistent with the flow cytometry results, the total number of TNFα molecules secreted by encapsulated single monocytes was significantly decreased in septic shock patients compared to healthy donors. TNFα production was dampened as soon as 30 and 60 minutes after LPS stimulation in monocytes from septic patients. Furthermore, the microfluidic assay revealed heterogeneous individual behavior of monocytes from septic shock patients. Of note, monocytes from both healthy donors and patients exhibited similar phagocytic activities over time. Conclusion: The microfluidic assay highlights the functional heterogeneity of monocytes, and provides in-depth resolution in assessing the hallmark monocyte deactivation encountered in post-septic immunosuppression.

Dynamic single-cell phenotyping of immune cells using the microfluidic platform DropMap.

Characterization of immune responses is currently hampered by the lack of systems enabling quantitative and dynamic phenotypic characterization of individual cells and, in particular, analysis of secreted proteins such as cytokines and antibodies. We recently developed a simple and robust microfluidic platform, DropMap, to measure simultaneously the kinetics of secretion and other cellular characteristics, including endocytosis activity, viability and expression of cell-surface markers, from tens of thousands of single immune cells. Single cells are compartmentalized in 50-pL droplets and analyzed using fluorescence microscopy combined with an immunoassay based on fluorescence relocation to paramagnetic nanoparticles aligned to form beadlines in a magnetic field. The protocol typically takes 8-10 h after preparation of microfluidic chips and chambers, which can be done in advance. By contrast, enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT), flow cytometry, time-of-flight mass cytometry (CyTOF), and single-cell sequencing enable only end-point measurements and do not enable direct, quantitative measurement of secreted proteins. We illustrate how this system can be used to profile downregulation of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) secretion by single monocytes in septic shock patients, to study immune responses by measuring rates of cytokine secretion from single T cells, and to measure affinity of antibodies secreted by single B cells.

Systematic interaction network filtering identifies CRMP1 as a novel suppressor of huntingtin misfolding and neurotoxicity.

Assemblies of huntingtin (HTT) fragments with expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) tracts are a pathological hallmark of Huntington's disease (HD). The molecular mechanisms by which these structures are formed and cause neuronal dysfunction and toxicity are poorly understood. Here, we utilized available gene expression data sets of selected brain regions of HD patients and controls for systematic interaction network filtering in order to predict disease-relevant, brain region-specific HTT interaction partners. Starting from a large protein-protein interaction (PPI) data set, a step-by-step computational filtering strategy facilitated the generation of a focused PPI network that directly or indirectly connects 13 proteins potentially dysregulated in HD with the disease protein HTT. This network enabled the discovery of the neuron-specific protein CRMP1 that targets aggregation-prone, N-terminal HTT fragments and suppresses their spontaneous self-assembly into proteotoxic structures in various models of HD. Experimental validation indicates that our network filtering procedure provides a simple but powerful strategy to identify disease-relevant proteins that influence misfolding and aggregation of polyQ disease proteins.

Computational modeling of the main signaling pathways involved in mast cell activation.

A global and rigorous understanding of the signaling pathways and cross-regulatory processes involved in mast cell activation requires the integration of published information with novel functional datasets into a comprehensive computational model. Based on an exhaustive curation of the existing literature and using the software CellDesigner, we have built and annotated a comprehensive molecular map for the FcεRI signaling network. This map can be used to visualize and interpret high-throughput expression data. Furthermore, leaning on this map and using the logical modeling software GINsim, we have derived a qualitative dynamical model, which recapitulates the most salient features of mast cell activation. The resulting logical model can be used to explore the dynamical properties of the system and its responses to different stimuli, in normal or mutant conditions.

Proteomic analysis of the SH2 domain-containing leukocyte protein of 76 kDa (SLP76) interactome in resting and activated primary mast cells [corrected].

We report the first proteomic analysis of the SLP76 interactome in resting and activated primary mouse mast cells. This was made possible by a novel genetic approach used for the first time here. It consists in generating knock-in mice that express signaling molecules bearing a C-terminal tag that has a high affinity for a streptavidin analog. Tagged molecules can be used as molecular baits to affinity-purify the molecular complex in which they are engaged, which can then be studied by mass spectrometry. We examined first SLP76 because, although this cytosolic adapter is critical for both T cell and mast cell activation, its role is well known in T cells but not in mast cells. Tagged SLP76 was expressed in physiological amounts and fully functional in mast cells. We unexpectedly found that SLP76 is exquisitely sensitive to mast cell granular proteases, that Zn(2+)-dependent metalloproteases are especially abundant in mast cells and that they were responsible for SLP76 degradation. Adding a Zn(2+) chelator fully protected SLP76 in mast cell lysates, thereby enabling an efficient affinity-purification of this adapter with its partners. Label-free quantitative mass spectrometry analysis of affinity-purified SLP76 interactomes uncovered both partners already described in T cells and novel partners seen in mast cells only. Noticeably, molecules inducibly recruited in both cell types primarily concur to activation signals, whereas molecules recruited in activated mast cells only are mostly associated with inhibition signals. The transmembrane adapter LAT2, and the serine/threonine kinase with an exchange factor activity Bcr were the most recruited molecules. Biochemical and functional validations established the unexpected finding that Bcr is recruited by SLP76 and positively regulates antigen-induced mast cell activation. Knock-in mice expressing tagged molecules with a normal tissue distribution and expression therefore provide potent novel tools to investigate signalosomes and to uncover novel signaling molecules in mast cells.

Phosphatase regulation of immunoreceptor signaling in T cells, B cells and mast cells.

Recent progress has begun to reveal the often complex and changing roles of phosphotyrosine and phosphoinositide phosphatases in regulation of immunoreceptor signaling. The resultant confusion has been further increased by discoveries of new players. Here we provide a review of recent progress in defining the roles of these enzymes in immunoreceptor-dependent mast cell, T cell and B cell activation.