Interleukin-21 receptor signaling promotes metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis-driven hepatocellular carcinoma by inducing immunosuppressive IgA+ B cells.

BACKGROUND: Dysregulation of immune surveillance is tightly linked to the development of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)-driven hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Herein, we aimed to determine the role of interleukin-21 receptor (IL-21R) in MASH-driven HCC. METHODS: The clinical significance of IL-21R was assessed in human HCC specimens using immunohistochemistry staining. Furthermore, the expression of IL-21R in mice was assessed in the STAM model. Thereafter, two different MASH-driven HCC mouse models were applied between IL-21R-deficient mice and wild type controls to explore the role of IL-21R in MASH-driven HCC. To further elucidate the potential mechanisms by which IL-21R affected MASH-driven HCC, whole transcriptome sequencing, flow cytometry and adoptive lymphocyte transfer were performed. Finally, flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunofluorescent staining, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and western blotting were conducted to explore the mechanism by which IL-21R induced IgA+ B cells. RESULTS: HCC patients with high IL-21R expression exhibited poor relapse-free survival, advanced TNM stage and severe steatosis. Additionally, IL-21R was demonstrated to be upregulated in mouse liver tumors. Particularly, ablation of IL-21R impeded MASH-driven hepatocarcinogenesis with dramatically reduction of lipid accumulation. Moreover, cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocyte activation was enhanced in the absence of IL-21R due to the reduction of immunosuppressive IgA+ B cells. Mechanistically, the IL-21R-STAT1-c-Jun/c-Fos regulatory axis was activated in MASH-driven HCC and thus promoted the transcription of Igha, resulting in the induction of IgA+ B cells. CONCLUSIONS: IL-21R plays a cancer-promoting role by inducing IgA+ B cells in MASH-driven hepatocarcinogenesis. Targeting IL-21R signaling represents a potential therapeutic strategy for cancer therapy.

A novel engineered IL-21 receptor arms T-cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-T cells) against hepatocellular carcinoma.

Strategies to improve T cell therapy efficacy in solid tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are urgently needed. The common cytokine receptor γ chain (γc) family cytokines such as IL-2, IL-7, IL-15 and IL-21 play fundamental roles in T cell development, differentiation and effector phases. This study aims to determine the combination effects of IL-21 in T cell therapy against HCC and investigate optimized strategies to utilize the effect of IL-21 signal in T cell therapy. The antitumor function of AFP-specific T cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-T) was augmented by exogenous IL-21 in vitro and in vivo. IL-21 enhanced proliferation capacity, promoted memory differentiation, downregulated PD-1 expression and alleviated apoptosis in TCR-T after activation. A novel engineered IL-21 receptor was established, and TCR-T armed with the novel engineered IL-21 receptors (IL-21R-TCR-T) showed upregulated phosphorylated STAT3 expression without exogenous IL-21 ligand. IL-21R-TCR-T showed better proliferation upon activation and superior antitumor function in vitro and in vivo. IL-21R-TCR-T exhibited a less differentiated, exhausted and apoptotic phenotype than conventional TCR-T upon repetitive tumor antigen stimulation. The novel IL-21 receptor in our study programs powerful TCR-T and can avoid side effects induced by IL-21 systemic utilization. The novel IL-21 receptor creates new opportunities for next-generation TCR-T against HCC.

Interleukin (IL)-21 and IL-21 receptor expression in peripheral T and B cells of patients with breast cancer.

IL-21 is a cytokine with versatile antitumor and pro-tumorigenic activities. It is mainly produced by CD4+ T cells and B cells are one of its pivotal targets. In this study, we assessed and compared the expression of IL-21 by CD4+ T cells and the IL-21 receptor (IL-21R) on B cells in the peripheral blood of women with breast cancer and healthy individuals. Blood samples were taken from both patients and controls. Mononuclear cells were seperated using Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient centrifugation. These isolated cells were then stained with either anti-CD19/anti-IL-21R or anti-CD4/anti-IL-21 antibodies and analyzed using flow cytometry. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the percentage of IL-21R+ B cells and IL-21+CD4+ T cells between patients and controls. However, the percentage of CD4+ T cells decreased significantly in patients with breast cancer (P=0.003). This decline was observed from the early stage and before lymph node (LN) involvement. In comparison to the control group, IL-21R+ B cells were relatively lower in patients with stages I+II and those with fewer than 4 involved LNs. The intensity of IL-21 expression in T cells was associated with HER2 expression (P=0.029). Furthermore, we found that the majority of IL-21R+ B cells exhibited a naïve phenotype and most of IL-21+CD4+ T cells did not produce IFN-γ or IL-17. In conclusion, breast cancer from the early stages leads to a significant reduction in the proportion of peripheral CD4+ T cells. However, we did not find a significant change in IL-21 and its receptor expression during disease progression.

Gene Expression in Synovium of Rotator Cuff Tear Patients Determined by RNA Sequencing.

Rotator cuff tear (RCT) is a common shoulder disorder related to pain and dysfunction. However, the pathological mechanism of RCT remains unclear. Thus, this study aims to investigate the molecular events in RCT synovium and identify possible target genes and pathways as determined by RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). The synovial tissue was biopsied from 3 patients with RCT (RCT group) and 3 patients with shoulder instability (Control group) during arthroscopic surgery. Then, differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and micro RNAs (miRNAs) were comprehensively profiled by RNA-Seq. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway, and competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network analysis were performed to identify the potential functions of these DE genes. 447 mRNAs, 103 lncRNAs and 15 miRNAs were identified differentially expressed. The DE mRNAs were highlighted in inflammatory pathway including up-regulated T cell costimulation, positive regulation of T cell activation, and T cell receptor signaling. Down-regulated fatty acid degradation pathway and 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling in RCT group are also enriched. Validation assay showed that the expression of pro-inflammatory molecules including IL21R, CCR5, TNFSF11, and MMP11 was significantly increased in RCT group compared with Control group. CeRNA analysis further revealed lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks involving IL21R and TNFSF11 in RCT. Activated synovial inflammation is the remarkable event of RCT. Importantly, increased T cell activation and disordered fatty acid metabolism signaling might play a significant role. ceRNA networks involving IL21R and TNFSF11 identified could potentially control the progression of RCT. In conclusion, our findings could provide new evidence for the molecular mechanisms of RCT and might identify new therapeutic targets.

ChIP-seq analysis found IL21R, a target gene of GTF2I-the susceptibility gene for primary biliary cholangitis in Chinese Han.

AIMS: Aimed to identify a new susceptibility gene associated with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in Chinese Han and investigate the possible mechanism of that gene in PBC. METHODS: A total of 466 PBC and 694 healthy controls (HC) were included in our study, and genotyping GTF2I gene variants by Sequenom. CD19 + B cells were isolated for Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq). Additionally, MEME-ChIP was utilized to perform searches for known motifs and de novo motif discovery. The GTF2I ChIP-seq of hematopoietic cell line (K562) results were obtained from ENCODE (GSE176987, GSE177691). The Genomic HyperBrowser was used to determine overlap and hierarchal clustering between ours and ENCODE datasets. RESULTS: The frequency of the rs117026326 variant T allele was significantly higher in PBC patients than that in HC (20.26% compared with 13.89%, Pc = 1.09E-04). Furthermore, we observed an elevated proportion of GTF2I binding site located in the upstream and 5' UTR of genes in PBC in comparison with HC. Additionally, an in-depth analysis of IL21R region revealed that GTF2I might bind to the IL21R promoter to regulate the expression of the IL21R, with four peaks of GTF2I binding sites, including three increased binding sites in upstream, one increased binding site in 5' UTR. Motif analysis by MEME-ChIP uncovered five significant motifs. A significant overlap between our ChIP and GSE176987, GSE17769 were found by the Genomic HyperBroswer. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirmed that GTF2I was associated with PBC in Chinese Han. Furthermore, our gene function analysis indicated that IL21R may be the target gene regulated by GTF2I.

IL-21R-STAT3 signalling initiates a differentiation program in uterine tissue-resident NK cells to support pregnancy.

Tissue-resident Natural Killer (trNK) cells are crucial components of local immunity that activate rapidly upon infection. However, under steady state conditions, their responses are tightly controlled to prevent unwanted tissue damage. The mechanisms governing their differentiation and activation are not fully understood. Here, we characterise uterine trNK cells longitudinally during pregnancy by single cell RNA sequencing and find that the combined expression pattern of 4-1BB and CD55 defines their three distinct stages of differentiation in mice. Mechanistically, an IL-21R-STAT3 axis is essential for initiating the trNK cell differentiation. The fully differentiated trNK cells demonstrate enhanced functionality, which is necessary for remodelling spiral arteries in the decidua. We identify an apoptotic program that is specific to the terminal differentiation stage, which may preclude tissue damage by these highly activated trNK cells. In summary, uterine trNK cells become intensely active and effective during pregnancy, but tightly controlled via a differentiation program that also limits potential harm, suggesting an intricate mechanism for harnessing trNK cells in maintaining pregnancy.

The identification and expression of an interleukin-21 receptor in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea).

BACKGROUND: We identified a homologue of IL-21R (LcIL-21R) in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea, Lc). Our investigation focused on understanding the molecular structural features and immune function of LcIL-21R. METHODS: We cloned the LcIL-21R gene from the genome of Larimichthys crocea by RT‒PCR, and the molecular and structural characteristics of LcIL-21R were analyzed by a series of protein analysis tools. We used real-time PCR to investigate the tissue distribution of LcIL-21R, and LcIL-21R gene expression regulation was also measured in head kidney leukocytes under trivalent bacterial vaccine or poly (I:C) stimulation. RESULTS: The open reading frame (ORF) of the LcIL-21R gene is 1629 bp long and encodes a precursor protein of 542 amino acids (aa), with a 23-aa signal peptide and a 519-aa mature peptide containing four putative N-glycosylation sites. LcIL-21R has two fibronectin type III (FNIII)-like domains (D1 and D2), a transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic region. A conserved WSXWS motif was also found in the D2 domain. The predicted structure of the extracellular region of LcIL-21R (LcIL-21R-Ex) is highly similar to that of human IL-21R. LcIL-21R was constitutively expressed in all tissues examined, and LcIL-21R mRNA levels were increased in the head kidney and spleen upon inactivated trivalent bacterial vaccine or poly(I:C) stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that LcIL-21R shares structural and functional properties with IL-21Rs found in other vertebrates, indicating its potential involvement in the IL-21-mediated immune response to pathogenic infections. These findings contribute to our understanding of the evolutionary conservation of IL-21 signaling and its role in the immune system.

IL-21R signal reprogramming cooperates with CD40 and BCR signals to select and differentiate germinal center B cells.

Both B cell receptor (BCR) and CD40 signaling are rewired in germinal center (GC) B cells (GCBCs) to synergistically induce c-MYC and phosphorylated S6 ribosomal protein (p-S6), markers of positive selection. How interleukin-21 (IL-21), a key T follicular helper (TFH)-derived cytokine, affects GCBCs is unclear. Like BCR and CD40 signals, IL-21 receptor (IL-21R) plus CD40 signals also synergize to induce c-MYC and p-S6 in GCBCs. However, IL-21R plus CD40 stimulation differentially affects GCBC fate compared with BCR plus CD40 ligation-engaging unique molecular mechanisms-as revealed by bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), single-cell RNA-seq, and flow cytometry of GCBCs in vitro and in vivo. Whereas both signal pairs induced BLIMP1 in some GCBCs, only the IL-21R/CD40 combination induced IRF4hi/CD138+ cells, indicative of plasma cell differentiation, along with CCR6+/CD38+ memory B cell precursors. These findings reveal a second positive selection pathway in GCBCs, document rewired IL-21R signaling in GCBCs, and link specific TFH- and Ag-derived signals to GCBC differentiation.

Phenotypic signatures of immune selection in HIV-1 reservoir cells.

Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) reservoir cells persist lifelong despite antiretroviral treatment1,2 but may be vulnerable to host immune responses that could be exploited in strategies to cure HIV-1. Here we used a single-cell, next-generation sequencing approach for the direct ex vivo phenotypic profiling of individual HIV-1-infected memory CD4+ T cells from peripheral blood and lymph nodes of people living with HIV-1 and receiving antiretroviral treatment for approximately 10 years. We demonstrate that in peripheral blood, cells harbouring genome-intact proviruses and large clones of virally infected cells frequently express ensemble signatures of surface markers conferring increased resistance to immune-mediated killing by cytotoxic T and natural killer cells, paired with elevated levels of expression of immune checkpoint markers likely to limit proviral gene transcription; this phenotypic profile might reduce HIV-1 reservoir cell exposure to and killing by cellular host immune responses. Viral reservoir cells harbouring intact HIV-1 from lymph nodes exhibited a phenotypic signature primarily characterized by upregulation of surface markers promoting cell survival, including CD44, CD28, CD127 and the IL-21 receptor. Together, these results suggest compartmentalized phenotypic signatures of immune selection in HIV-1 reservoir cells, implying that only small subsets of infected cells with optimal adaptation to their anatomical immune microenvironment are able to survive during long-term antiretroviral treatment. The identification of phenotypic markers distinguishing viral reservoir cells may inform future approaches for strategies to cure and eradicate HIV-1.

Expression of Interleukin-21 and Interleukin-21 receptor in lymphocytes derived from tumor-draining lymph nodes of breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-21 (IL-21) is produced by various cell types inducing positive and negative effects in immunity against tumors. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of IL-21 by CD4+T and IL-21 receptor (IL-21R) by B lymphocytes isolated from breast-tumor draining lymph nodes (TDLNs). METHODS: Fresh lymph node samples were obtained from 45 patients with breast cancer. To assess IL-21 expression, mononuclear cells were briefly stimulated whereas IL-21R expression was assessed in unstimulated B cells. Cells were stained with antibodies for CD4, IL-21, CD19 and IL-21R and acquired by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The frequency of IL-21+CD4+T cells did not show significant association with disease parameters. However, the geometric mean fluorescence intensity (gMFI) of IL-21 in CD4+T cells was significantly lower in patients with grade III tumor than grade I + II (P = 0.042). In non-involved LNs, the intensity of IL-21 was significantly higher in patients with stage II compared with stage III (P = 0.038) and correlated negatively with the number of involved LNs. The frequency of IL-21R+CD19+B cells was significantly higher in grade III than grade I + II (P = 0.037). CONCLUSION: The higher intensity of IL-21 in CD4+T cells showed association with good prognosticators in breast cancer and warrants further investigation of the role played by IL-21 in immunity against breast cancer.

Altered Circulating Follicular T Helper Cell Subsets and Follicular T Regulatory Cells Are Indicators of a Derailed B Cell Response in Lupus, Which Could Be Modified by Targeting IL-21R.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by the breakdown of self-tolerance, the production of high-affinity pathogenic autoantibodies and derailed B cell responses, which indicates the importance of central players, such as follicular T helper (TFH) subsets and follicular T regulatory (TFR) cells, in the pathomechanism of the disease. In this study, we aimed to analyze the distribution of the circulating counterparts of these cells and their association with disease characteristics and B cell disproportions in SLE. We found that the increased percentage of activated circulating TFH (cTFH) and cTFR cells was more pronounced in cutaneous lupus; however, among cTFH subsets, the frequency of cTFH17 cells was decreased in patients with lupus nephritis. Furthermore, the decreased proportion of cTFH17 cells was associated with low complement C4 levels and high disease activity scores. We also investigated whether the blocking of the IL-21 receptor (IL-21R) with an anti-IL-21R monoclonal antibody inhibits the B cell response, since IL-21 primarily produced by TFH cells potentially promotes humoral immunity. We observed that anti-IL-21R inhibited plasmablast generation and immunoglobulin production. Our study demonstrated that, besides cTFR/cTFH imbalance, cTFH17 cells play a crucial role in SLE pathogenesis, and modulating cTFH-B cell interaction through the IL-21/IL-21R pathway may be a promising therapeutic strategy to suppress the pathological B cell response.

Tonsillar Microbiome-Derived Lantibiotics Induce Structural Changes of IL-6 and IL-21 Receptors and Modulate Host Immunity.

Emerging evidence emphasizes the functional impacts of host microbiome on the etiopathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, there are limited mechanistic insights into the contribution of microbial biomolecules especially microbial peptides toward modulating immune homeostasis. Here, by mining the metagenomics data of tonsillar microbiome, a deficiency of the encoding genes of lantibiotic peptides salivaricins in RA patients is identified, which shows strong correlation with circulating immune cells. Evidence is provided that the salivaricins exert immunomodulatory effects in inhibiting T follicular helper (Tfh) cell differentiation and interleukin-21 (IL-21) production. Mechanically, salivaricins directly bind to and induce conformational changes of IL-6 and IL-21 receptors, thereby inhibiting the bindings of IL-6 and IL-21 to their receptors and suppressing the downstream signaling pathway. Finally, salivaricin administration exerts both prophylactic and therapeutic effects against experimental arthritis in a murine model of RA. Together, these results provide a mechanism link of microbial peptides-mediated immunomodulation.

Single-cell transcriptomic atlas reveals distinct immunological responses between COVID-19 vaccine and natural SARS-CoV-2 infection.

To control the ongoing coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, CoronaVac (Sinovac), an inactivated vaccine, has been granted emergency use authorization by many countries. However, the underlying mechanisms of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine-induced immune response remain unclear, and little is known about its features compared to (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we implemented single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to profile longitudinally collected PBMCs (peripheral blood mononuclear cells) in six individuals immunized with CoronaVac and compared these to the profiles of COVID-19 infected patients from a Single Cell Consortium. Both inactivated vaccines and SARS-CoV-2 infection altered the proportion of different immune cell types, caused B cell activation and differentiation, and induced the expression of genes associated with antibody production in the plasma. The inactivated vaccine and SARS-COV-2 infection also caused alterations in peripheral immune activity such as interferon response, inflammatory cytokine expression, innate immune cell apoptosis and migration, effector T cell exhaustion and cytotoxicity, however, the magnitude of change was greater in COVID-19 patients, especially those with severe disease, than in immunized individuals. Further analyses revealed a distinct peripheral immune cell phenotype associated with CoronaVac immunization (HLA class II upregulation and IL21R upregulation in naïve B cells) versus SARS-CoV-2 infection (HLA class II downregulation and IL21R downregulation in naïve B cells from severe disease individuals). There were also differences in the expression of important genes associated with proinflammatory cytokines and thrombosis. In conclusion, this study provides a single-cell atlas of the systemic immune response to CoronaVac immunization and revealed distinct immune responses between inactivated vaccines and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Impact of IL-21-associated peripheral and brain crosstalk on the Alzheimer's disease neuropathology.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with dysregulated immune and inflammatory responses. Emerging evidence indicates that peripheral immune activation is linked to neuroinflammation and AD pathogenesis. The present study focuses on determining the role of IL-21 in the pathogenesis of AD using human samples and the 5xFAD mice model. We find that the levels of IL-21 are increased in the periphery of both humans and mice in AD. In addition, the proportions of IL-21 target cells, Tfh and B plasma cells as well as activation of monocytes is increased in PBMCs from AD and mild cognitively impaired (MCI) subjects as compared to age-matched controls, indicating immune activation. In contrast, the percentage of B1 cells that control inflammation is decreased. These changes are due to IL-21 as the expression of IL-21 receptor (IL-21R) is higher on all these cells in AD. Furthermore, treatment with recombinant IL-21 in AD mice also leads to similar alterations in Tfh, B, B1, and macrophages. The effect of IL-21 is not confined to the periphery since increased expression of IL-21R is also observed in both humans and mice hippocampus derived from the AD brains. In addition, mice injected with IL-21 display increased deposition of amyloid beta (Aß) plaques in the brain which is reduced following anti-IL-21R antibody that blocks the IL-21 signaling. Moreover, activation of microglia was enhanced in IL-21-injected mice. In keeping with enhanced microglial activation, we also observed increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-18 and IL-6 in IL-21-injected mice. The microglial activation and cytokines were both inhibited following IL-21R blockage. Altogether, IL-21 escalates AD pathology by enhancing peripheral and brain immune and inflammatory responses leading to increased Aß plaque deposition. IL-21 impacts AD neuropathology by enhancing peripheral and neuronal immune activation, inflammation, and Aß plaque deposition. Increased levels of IL-21 in the circulation of AD and MCI subjects enhances the proportions of Tfh and B plasma cells indicative of peripheral immune activation. On the other hand, the proportions of B1 cells that help reduce inflammation and clear Aß are reduced. In addition to the periphery, IL-21 also acts on the brain via IL-21 receptor, IL-21R that displays increased expression in the hippocampi of AD and MCI subjects. IL-21 enhances the activation of microglia, induces the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and deposition of Aß plaques in the brain in AD.

Interleukin-22: a potential therapeutic target in atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis is recognized as a chronic immuno-inflammatory disease that is characterized by the accumulation of immune cells and lipids in the vascular wall. In this review, we focus on the latest advance regarding the regulation and signaling pathways of IL-22 and highlight its impacts on atherosclerosis. MAIN BODY: IL-22, an important member of the IL-10 family of cytokines, is released by cells of the adaptive and innate immune system and plays a key role in the development of inflammatory diseases. The binding of IL-22 to its receptor complex can trigger a diverse array of downstream signaling pathways, in particular the JAK/STAT, to induce the expression of chemokines and proinflammatory cytokines. Recently, numerous studies suggest that IL-22 is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis by regulation of VSMC proliferation and migration, angiogenesis, inflammatory response, hypertension, and cholesterol metabolism. CONCLUSION: IL-22 promotes the development of atherosclerosis by multiple mechanisms, which may be a promising therapeutic target in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

New developments implicating IL-21 in autoimmune disease.

Elevated interleukin (IL)-21 is a common finding in the tissues and/or sera of patients with autoimmune disease. CD4 T cells are the primary producers of IL-21; often the IL-21 producing CD4 T cells will express molecules associated with follicular helper cells (TFH). Recent work has shown that the CD4 T cell-derived IL-21 is able to promote effector functions and memory differentiation of CD8 T cells in chronic infections and cancer. Autoimmunity has similarities to chronic infections and cancer. However, CD4 T cell-derived IL-21:IL21R signaling in CD8 T cells has not been fully appreciated in the context of autoimmunity. In this review, we assess the current knowledge regarding CD4 T cell-derived IL-21 and IL21R signaling within CD8 T cells and evaluate what implications it has within several autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematous, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, psoriasis, Sjögren's syndrome, vitiligo, antiphospholipid syndrome, pemphigus, and giant cell arteritis.

Combined immunodeficiency with marginal zone lymphoma due to a novel homozygous mutation in IL-21R gene and successful treatment with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Mutations in the interleukin-21 receptor (IL-21R) gene are recently defined as primary immunodeficiency diseases. IL-21R defects result in combined immunodeficiency by affecting the functions of innate and adaptive immune system components.A six-year-old girl was admitted to our hospital with complaints of chronic diarrhea that started after the newborn period and generalized rash over the last three months. She had severe respiratory distress due to Cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation and was diagnosed as combined immunodeficiency at another hospital at the age of four. Her physical examination on admission revealed erythematous rash on cheeks, extremities, gluteal region, and lymph node enlargements in cervical, axillary, and inguinal regions. CMV DNA and stool Cryptosporidium parvum were positive. Marginal zone lymphoma -negative for Epstein-Bar virus- was reported in the lymph node biopsy. Targeted next-generation sequencing Ion AmpliSeq™ primary immunodeficiency panel revealed a novel homozygous IL21R c.132delC (p.Ser45fs) mutation.This case is presented to emphasize that IL21R defects should be considered in the differential diagnosis of the patients with recurrent respiratory infections, chronic diarrhea, C. parvum infection, chronic liver disease, sclerosing cholangitis, and malignancy where early hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is life-saving. A total of eight cases with IL21R gene defects have been reported so far. The significance of this case is that it is the first case of malignancy among the published IL-21R deficient patients successfully treated with HSCT.

IL-21 Receptor Blockade Shifts the Follicular T Cell Balance and Reduces De Novo Donor-Specific Antibody Generation.

Donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) play a key role in chronic kidney allograft injury. Follicular T helper (Tfh) cells trigger the humoral alloimmune response and promote DSA generation, while T-follicular regulatory (Tfr) cells inhibit antibody production by suppressing Tfh and B cells. Interleukin (IL)-21 exerts a distinct effect on Tfh and Tfr. Here, we studied whether blocking IL-21R with anti-IL-21R monoclonal antibody (αIL-21R) changes the Tfh/Tfr balance and inhibits DSA generation. First, we investigated the impact of αIL-21R on CD4+ T cell proliferation and apoptosis. The results showed that αIL-21R did not have cytotoxic effects on CD4+ T cells. Next, we examined Tfh and regulatory T cells (Tregs) in an in vitro conditioned culture model. Naïve CD4+ T cells were isolated from 3-month-old C57BL/6 mice and cultured in Tfh differentiation inducing conditions in presence of αIL-21R or isotype IgG and differentiation was evaluated by CXCR5 expression, a key Tfh marker. αIL-21R significantly inhibited Tfh differentiation. In contrast, under Treg differentiation conditions, FOXP3 expression was inhibited by IL-21. Notably, αIL-21R rescued IL-21-inhibited Treg differentiation. For in vivo investigation, a fully mismatched skin transplantation model was utilized to trigger the humoral alloimmune response. Consistently, flow cytometry revealed a reduced Tfh/Tfr ratio in recipients treated with αIL-21R. Germinal center response was evaluated by flow cytometry and lectin histochemistry. We observed that αIL-21R significantly inhibited germinal center reaction. Most importantly, DSA levels after transplantation were significantly inhibited by αIL-21R at different time points. In summary, our results demonstrate that αIL-21R shifts the Tfh/Tfr balance toward DSA inhibition. Therefore, αIL-21R may be a useful therapeutic agent to prevent chronic antibody mediated rejection after organ transplantation.

HIV-1 infection and the lack of viral control are associated with greater expression of interleukin-21 receptor on CD8+ T cells.

OBJECTIVES: Interleukin-21 (IL-21) has been linked with the generation of virus-specific memory CD8+ T cells following acute infection with HIV-1 and reduced exhaustion of CD8+ T cells. IL-21 has also been implicated in the promotion of CD8+ T-cell effector functions during viral infection. Little is known about the expression of interleukin-21 receptor (IL-21R) during HIV-1 infection or its role in HIV-1-specific CD8+ T-cell maintenance and subsequent viral control. METHODS: We compared levels of IL-21R expression on total and memory subsets of CD8+ T cells from HIV-1-negative and HIV-1-positive donors. We also measured IL-21R on antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in volunteers who were positive for HIV-1 and had cytomegalovirus-responding T cells. Finally, we quantified plasma IL-21 in treatment-naive HIV-1-positive individuals and compared this with IL-21R expression. RESULTS: IL-21R expression was significantly higher on CD8+ T cells (P = 0.0256), and on central memory (P = 0.0055) and effector memory (P = 0.0487) CD8+ T-cell subsets from HIV-1-positive individuals relative to HIV-1-negative individuals. For those infected with HIV-1, the levels of IL-21R expression on HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cells correlated significantly with visit viral load (r = 0.6667, P = 0.0152, n = 13) and inversely correlated with plasma IL-21 (r = -0.6273, P = 0.0440, n = 11). Lastly, CD8+ T cells from individuals with lower set point viral load who demonstrated better viral control had the lowest levels of IL-21R expression and highest levels of plasma IL-21. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrates significant associations between IL-21R expression on peripheral CD8+ T cells and viral load, as well as disease trajectory. This suggests that the IL-21 receptor could be a novel marker of CD8+ T-cell dysfunction during HIV-1 infection.

WSB1 and IL21R Genetic Variants Are Involved in Th2 Immune Responses to Ascaris lumbricoides.

Genetic and epigenetic factors are considered to be critical for host-parasite interactions. There are limited data on the role of such factors during human infections with Ascaris lumbricoides. Here, we describe the potential role of genetic factors as determinants of the Th2 immune response to A. lumbricoides in Brazilian children. Stool samples were collected from the children to detect A. lumbricoides by microscopy and peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) were cultured in whole blood cultures for detection of cytokines (IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13) in vitro. Levels of anti-A. lumbricoides IgE and IgG4 were measured in plasma. DNA was extracted from PBLs and genotyped using Illumina 2.5 Human Omni Beadchip. Candidate genes associated with A. lumbricoides responses were identified and SNVs in these selected genes associated with the Th2 immune response to A. lumbricoides. Haplotype, gene expression, and epigenetic analyses were done to identify potential associations with Th2 immune responses. GWAS on samples from 1,189 children identified WSB1 as a candidate gene, and IL-21R was selected as a biologically relevant linked gene for further analysis. Variants in WSB1 and IL21R were associated with markers of Th2 immune responses: increased A. lumbricoides-specific IgE and IL-5/IL-13 by PBLs from infected compared to uninfected individuals. In infected children, WSB1 but not IL21R gene expression was suppressed and increased methylation was observed in the WSB1 promoter region. This is the first study to show an association between genetic variants in WSB1 and IL21R and Th2 immune responses during A. lumbricoides infections in children. WSB1/IL21R pathways could provide a potential target for the treatment of Th2-mediated diseases.