Multifaceted roles for STAT3 in gammaherpesvirus latency revealed through in vivo B cell knockout models.

Cancers associated with the oncogenic gammaherpesviruses, Epstein-Barr virus and Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus, are notable for their constitutive activation of the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). To better understand the role of STAT3 during gammaherpesvirus latency and the B cell response to infection, we used the model pathogen murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68). Genetic deletion of STAT3 in B cells of CD19cre/+Stat3f/f mice reduced peak MHV68 latency approximately sevenfold. However, infected CD19cre/+Stat3f/f mice exhibited disordered germinal centers and heightened virus-specific CD8 T cell responses compared to wild-type (WT) littermates. To circumvent the systemic immune alterations observed in the B cell-STAT3 knockout mice and more directly evaluate intrinsic roles for STAT3, we generated mixed bone marrow chimeric mice consisting of WT and STAT3 knockout B cells. We discovered a dramatic reduction in latency in STAT3 knockout B cells compared to their WT B cell counterparts in the same lymphoid organ. RNA sequencing of sorted germinal center B cells revealed that MHV68 infection shifts the gene signature toward proliferation and away from type I and type II IFN responses. Loss of STAT3 largely reversed the virus-driven transcriptional shift without impacting the viral gene expression program. STAT3 promoted B cell processes of the germinal center, including IL-21-stimulated downregulation of surface CD23 on B cells infected with MHV68 or EBV. Together, our data provide mechanistic insights into the role of STAT3 as a latency determinant in B cells for oncogenic gammaherpesviruses.IMPORTANCEThere are no directed therapies to the latency program of the human gammaherpesviruses, Epstein-Barr virus and Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus. Activated host factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a hallmark of cancers caused by these viruses. We applied the murine gammaherpesvirus pathogen system to explore STAT3 function upon primary B cell infection in the host. Since STAT3 deletion in all CD19+ B cells of infected mice led to altered B and T cell responses, we generated chimeric mice with both normal and STAT3-deleted B cells. B cells lacking STAT3 failed to support virus latency compared to normal B cells from the same infected animal. Loss of STAT3 impaired B cell proliferation and differentiation and led to a striking upregulation of interferon-stimulated genes. These findings expand our understanding of STAT3-dependent processes that are key to its function as a pro-viral latency determinant for oncogenic gammaherpesviruses in B cells and may provide novel therapeutic targets.

Replication-dead gammaherpesvirus vaccine protects against acute replication, reactivation from latency, and lethal challenge in mice.

Gammaherpesviruses (GHVs) are oncogenic viruses that establish lifelong infections and are significant causes of human morbidity and mortality. While several vaccine strategies to limit GHV infection and disease are in development, there are no FDA-approved vaccines for human GHVs. As a new approach to gammaherpesvirus vaccination, we developed and tested a replication-dead virus (RDV) platform, using murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68), a well-established mouse model for gammaherpesvirus pathogenesis studies and preclinical therapeutic evaluations. We employed codon-shuffling-based complementation to generate revertant-free RDV lacking expression of the essential replication and transactivator protein (RTA) encoded by ORF50 to arrest viral gene expression early after de novo infection. Inoculation with RDV-50.stop exposes the host to intact virion particles and leads to limited lytic gene expression in infected cells. Prime-boost vaccination of mice with RDV-50.stop elicited virus-specific neutralizing antibody and effector T cell responses in the lung and spleen. Vaccination with RDV-50.stop resulted in a near complete abolishment of virus replication in the lung 7 days post-challenge and virus reactivation from spleen 16 days post-challenge with WT MHV68. Ifnar1-/- mice, which lack the type I interferon receptor, exhibit severe disease upon infection with WT MHV68. RDV-50.stop vaccination of Ifnar1-/- mice prevented wasting and mortality upon challenge with WT MHV68. These results demonstrate that prime-boost vaccination with a GHV that is unable to undergo lytic replication offers protection against acute replication, reactivation, and severe disease upon WT virus challenge.

Bcl11b sustains multipotency and restricts effector programs of intestinal-resident memory CD8+ T cells.

The networks of transcription factors (TFs) that control intestinal-resident memory CD8+ T (TRM) cells, including multipotency and effector programs, are poorly understood. In this work, we investigated the role of the TF Bcl11b in TRM cells during infection with Listeria monocytogenes using mice with post-activation, conditional deletion of Bcl11b in CD8+ T cells. Conditional deletion of Bcl11b resulted in increased numbers of intestinal TRM cells and their precursors as well as decreased splenic effector and circulating memory cells and precursors. Loss of circulating memory cells was in part due to increased intestinal homing of Bcl11b-/- circulating precursors, with no major alterations in their programs. Bcl11b-/- TRM cells had altered transcriptional programs, with diminished expression of multipotent/multifunctional (MP/MF) program genes, including Tcf7, and up-regulation of the effector program genes, including Prdm1. Bcl11b also limits the expression of Ahr, another TF with a role in intestinal CD8+ TRM cell differentiation. Deregulation of TRM programs translated into a poor recall response despite TRM cell accumulation in the intestine. Reduced expression of MP/MF program genes in Bcl11b-/- TRM cells was linked to decreased chromatin accessibility and a reduction in activating histone marks at these loci. In contrast, the effector program genes displayed increased activating epigenetic status. These findings demonstrate that Bcl11b is a frontrunner in the tissue residency program of intestinal memory cells upstream of Tcf1 and Blimp1, promoting multipotency and restricting the effector program.

Retinoic acid signaling during priming licenses intestinal CD103+ CD8 TRM cell differentiation.

CD8 tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cells provide frontline protection at barrier tissues; however, mechanisms regulating TRM cell development are not completely understood. Priming dictates the migration of effector T cells to the tissue, while factors in the tissue induce in situ TRM cell differentiation. Whether priming also regulates in situ TRM cell differentiation uncoupled from migration is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that T cell priming in the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) regulates CD103+ TRM cell differentiation in the intestine. In contrast, T cells primed in the spleen were impaired in the ability to differentiate into CD103+ TRM cells after entry into the intestine. MLN priming initiated a CD103+ TRM cell gene signature and licensed rapid CD103+ TRM cell differentiation in response to factors in the intestine. Licensing was regulated by retinoic acid signaling and primarily driven by factors other than CCR9 expression and CCR9-mediated gut homing. Thus, the MLN is specialized to promote intestinal CD103+ CD8 TRM cell development by licensing in situ differentiation.

Vaccine protection by Cryptococcus neoformans Δsgl1 is mediated by γδ T cells via TLR2 signaling.

We previously reported that administration of Cryptococcus neoformans Δsgl1 mutant vaccine, accumulating sterylglucosides (SGs) and having normal capsule (GXM), protects mice from a subsequent infection even during CD4+ T cells deficiency, a condition commonly associated with cryptococcosis. Here, we studied the immune mechanism that confers host protection during CD4+T deficiency. Mice receiving Δsgl1 vaccine produce IFNγ and IL-17A during CD4+ T (or CD8+ T) deficiency, and protection was lost when either cytokine was neutralized. IFNγ and/or IL-17A are produced by γδ T cells, and mice lacking these cells are no longer protected. Interestingly, ex vivo γδ T cells are highly stimulated in producing IFNγ and/or IL-17A by Δsgl1 vaccine, but this production was significantly decreased when cells were incubated with C. neoformans Δcap59/Δsgl1 mutant, accumulating SGs but lacking GXM. GXM modulates toll-like receptors (TLRs), including TLR2. Importantly, neither Δsgl1 nor Δcap59/Δsgl1 stimulate IFNγ or IL-17A production by ex vivo γδ T cells from TLR2-/- mice. Finally, TLR2-/- animals do not produce IL-17A in response to Δsgl1 vaccine and were no longer protected from WT challenge. Our results suggest that SGs may act as adjuvants for GXM to stimulate γδ T cells in producing IFNγ and IL-17A via TLR2, a mechanism that is still preserved upon CD4+ T deficiency.

The accumulation of Vγ4 T cells with aging is associated with an increased adaptive Vγ4 T cell response after foodborne Listeria monocytogenes infection of mice.

BACKGROUND: It is generally accepted that aging has detrimental effects on conventional T cell responses to systemic infections. However, most pathogens naturally invade the body through mucosal barriers. Although mucosal sites are highly enriched in unconventional immune sentinels like γδ T cells, little is currently known about the impact of aging on unconventional mucosal T cell responses. We previously established that foodborne infection with a mouse-adapted internalin A mutant Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) generates an adaptive intestinal memory CD44hi CD27neg Vγ4 T cells capable of co-producing IL-17A and IFNγ. Therefore, we used this model to evaluate the impact of aging on adaptive Vγ4 T cell responses elicited by foodborne infection. RESULTS: Foodborne Lm infection of female Balb/c and C57BL/6 mice led to an increased adaptive CD44hi CD27neg Vγ4 T cell response associated with aging. Moreover, Lm-elicited CD44hi CD27neg Vγ4 T cells maintained diverse functional subsets despite some alterations favoring IL-17A production as mice aged. In contrast to the documented susceptibility of aged mice to intravenous Lm infection, mice contained bacteria after foodborne Lm infection suggesting that elevated bacterial burden was not a major factor driving the increased adaptive CD44hi CD27neg Vγ4 T cell response associated with mouse age. However, CD44hi CD27neg Vγ4 T cells accumulated in naïve mice as they aged suggesting that an increased precursor frequency contributes to the robust Lm-elicited mucosal response observed. Body mass did not appear to have a strong positive association with CD44hi CD27neg Vγ4 T cells within age groups. Although an increased adaptive CD44hi CD27neg Vγ4 T cell response may contribute to foodborne Lm resistance of C57BL/6 mice aged 19 or more months, neither anti-TCRδ or anti-IL-17A treatment impacted Lm colonization after primary infection. These results suggest that γδTCR signaling and IL-17A are dispensable for protection after primary foodborne Lm infection consistent with the role of conventional T cells during the early innate immune response to Lm. CONCLUSIONS: Lm-elicited adaptive Vγ4 T cells appear resistant to immunosenescence and memory Vγ4 T cells could be utilized to provide protective immune functions during enteric infection of aged hosts. As such, oral immunization might offer an efficient therapeutic approach to generate unconventional memory T cells in the elderly.

Correction: γδ T cell IFNγ production is directly subverted by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis outer protein YopJ in mice and humans.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010103.].

KLF5 protects the intestinal epithelium against Th17 immune response in a murine colitis model.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic illness characterized by dysregulated immune cascades in the intestines, in which the Th17 immune response plays an important role. We demonstrated that mice with intestinal epithelium-specific deletion of Krüppel-like factor 5 (Klf5) developed Th17-dependent colonic inflammation. In the absence of KLF5, there was aberrant cellular localization of phosphorylated STAT3, an essential mediator of the Th17-associated cytokine, IL-22, which is required for epithelial tissue regeneration. In contrast, mitigation of IL-17A with anti-IL-17A neutralizing antibody attenuated colitis in Klf5-deficient mice. There was also a considerable shift in the colonic microbiota of Klf5-deficient mice that phenocopied human IBD. Notably, the inflammatory response due to Klf5 deletion was alleviated by antibiotic treatment, implicating the role of microbiota in pathogenesis. Finally, human colitic tissues had reduced KLF5 levels when compared with healthy tissues. Together, these findings demonstrated the importance of KLF5 in protecting the intestinal epithelium against Th17-mediated immune and inflammatory responses. The mice described herein may serve as a potential model for human IBD.

The use of foodborne infection to evaluate bacterial pathogenesis and host response.

Foodborne bacterial infections are a major cause of gastrointestinal illness. Murine models have been widely used to interrogate bacterial pathogenesis and host response to better understand the pathogens that cause gastrointestinal disease. Humans are usually exposed to these pathogens through consumption of contaminated food products. However, most murine models of foodborne infection rely on oral gavage to deliver pathogens directly into the stomach. While expedient, the gavage procedure may lead to microabrasions in the esophagus that allow direct access of the pathogen to the blood, which can alter bacterial pathogenesis and the host response under study. In this chapter, the alternative approach of foodborne infection through the consumption of inoculated food is described using the human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes (Lm). A detailed protocol of this methodology is provided with details of assessing bacterial burden and the host immune response. Translation of these methods to other foodborne pathogens will allow a more accurate assessment of bacterial pathogenesis and host immunity in more physiologic murine models.

A blend of broadly-reactive and pathogen-selected Vγ4 Vδ1 T cell receptors confer broad bacterial reactivity of resident memory γδ T cells.

Although murine γδ T cells are largely considered innate immune cells, they have recently been reported to form long-lived memory populations. Much remains unknown about the biology and specificity of memory γδ T cells. Here, we interrogated intestinal memory Vγ4 Vδ1 T cells generated after foodborne Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) infection to uncover an unanticipated complexity in the specificity of these cells. Deep TCR sequencing revealed that a subset of non-canonical Vδ1 clones are selected by Lm infection, consistent with antigen-specific clonal expansion. Ex vivo stimulations and in vivo heterologous challenge infections with diverse pathogenic bacteria revealed that Lm-elicited memory Vγ4 Vδ1 T cells are broadly reactive. The Vγ4 Vδ1 T cell recall response to Lm, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (STm) and Citrobacter rodentium was largely mediated by the γδTCR as internalizing the γδTCR prevented T cell expansion. Both broadly-reactive canonical and pathogen-selected non-canonical Vδ1 clones contributed to memory responses to Lm and STm. Interestingly, some non-canonical γδ T cell clones selected by Lm infection also responded after STm infection, suggesting some level of cross-reactivity. These findings underscore the promiscuous nature of memory γδ T cells and suggest that pathogen-elicited memory γδ T cells are potential targets for broad-spectrum anti-infective vaccines.

γδ T cell IFNγ production is directly subverted by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis outer protein YopJ in mice and humans.

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is a foodborne pathogen that subverts immune function by translocation of Yersinia outer protein (Yop) effectors into host cells. As adaptive γδ T cells protect the intestinal mucosa from pathogen invasion, we assessed whether Y. pseudotuberculosis subverts these cells in mice and humans. Tracking Yop translocation revealed that the preferential delivery of Yop effectors directly into murine Vγ4 and human Vδ2+ T cells inhibited anti-microbial IFNγ production. Subversion was mediated by the adhesin YadA, injectisome component YopB, and translocated YopJ effector. A broad anti-pathogen gene signature and STAT4 phosphorylation levels were inhibited by translocated YopJ. Thus, Y. pseudotuberculosis attachment and translocation of YopJ directly into adaptive γδ T cells is a major mechanism of immune subversion in mice and humans. This study uncovered a conserved Y. pseudotuberculosis pathway that subverts adaptive γδ T cell function to promote pathogenicity.

Precursor Abundance Influences Divergent Antigen-Specific CD8+ T Cell Responses after Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Foodborne Infection.

Primary infection of C57BL/6 mice with the bacterial pathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis elicits an unusually large H-2Kb-restricted CD8+ T cell response to the endogenous and protective bacterial epitope YopE69-77. To better understand the basis for this large response, the model OVA257-264 epitope was inserted into YopE in Y. pseudotuberculosis and antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in mice were characterized after foodborne infection with the resulting strain. The epitope YopE69-77 elicited significantly larger CD8+ T cell populations in the small intestine, mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), spleen, and liver between 7 and 30 days postinfection, despite residing in the same protein and having an affinity for H-2Kb similar to that of OVA257-264. YopE-specific CD8+ T cell precursors were ∼4.6 times as abundant as OVA-specific precursors in the MLNs, spleens, and other lymph nodes of naive mice, explaining the dominance of YopE69-77 over OVA257-264 at early infection times. However, other factors contributed to this dominance, as the ratio of YopE-specific to OVA-specific CD8+ T cells increased between 7 and 30 days postinfection. We also compared the YopE-specific and OVA-specific CD8+ T cells generated during infection for effector and memory phenotypes. Significantly higher percentages of YopE-specific cells were characterized as short-lived effectors, while higher percentages of OVA-specific cells were memory precursor effectors at day 30 postinfection in spleen and liver. Our results suggest that a large precursor number contributes to the dominance and effector and memory functions of CD8+ T cells generated in response to the protective YopE69-77 epitope during Y. pseudotuberculosis infection of C57BL/6 mice.

TGF-ß: Many Paths to CD103+ CD8 T Cell Residency.

CD8 tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cells primarily reside in nonlymphoid tissues without recirculating and provide front-line protective immunity against infections and cancers. CD8 TRM cells can be generally divided into CD69+ CD103- TRM cells (referred to as CD103- TRM cells) and CD69+ CD103+ TRM cells (referred to as CD103+ TRM cells). TGF-ß plays a critical role in the development and maintenance of CD103+ CD8 TRM cells. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of tissue-specific activation of TGF-ß mediated by integrins and how it contributes to CD103+ CD8 TRM cell development and maintenance. Furthermore, we discuss the underlying mechanisms utilized by TGF-ß to regulate the development and maintenance of CD103+ CD8 TRM cells. Overall, this review highlights the importance of TGF-ß in regulating this unique subset of memory CD8 T cells that may shed light on improving vaccine design to target this population.

Mucosal CD8 T Cell Responses Are Shaped by Batf3-DC After Foodborne Listeria monocytogenes Infection.

While immune responses have been rigorously examined after intravenous Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) infection, less is understood about its dissemination from the intestines or the induction of adaptive immunity after more physiologic models of foodborne infection. Consequently, this study focused on early events in the intestinal mucosa and draining mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) using foodborne infection of mice with Lm modified to invade murine intestinal epithelium (InlAMLm). InlAMLm trafficked intracellularly from the intestines to the MLN and were associated with Batf3-independent dendritic cells (DC) in the lymphatics. Consistent with this, InlAMLm initially disseminated from the gut to the MLN normally in Batf3-/- mice. Activated migratory DC accumulated in the MLN by 3 days post-infection and surrounded foci of InlAMLm. At this time Batf3-/- mice displayed reduced InlAMLm burdens, implicating cDC1 in maximal bacterial accumulation in the MLN. Batf3-/- mice also exhibited profound defects in the induction and gut-homing of InlAMLm-specific effector CD8 T cells. Restoration of pathogen burden did not rescue antigen-specific CD8 T cell responses in Batf3-/- mice, indicating a critical role for Batf3 in generating anti-InlAMLm immunity following foodborne infection. Collectively, these data suggest that DC play diverse, dynamic roles in the early events following foodborne InlAMLm infection and in driving the establishment of intestinal Lm-specific effector T cells.

Cutting Edge: Batf3 Expression by CD8 T Cells Critically Regulates the Development of Memory Populations.

The basic leucine zipper transcription factor ATF-like 3 (BATF3) is required for the development of conventional type 1 dendritic cells that are essential for cross-presentation and CD8 T cell-mediated immunity against intracellular pathogens and tumors. However, whether BATF3 intrinsically regulates CD8 T cell responses is not well studied. In this article, we report a role for cell-intrinsic Batf3 expression in regulating the establishment of circulating and resident memory T cells after foodborne Listeria monocytogenes infection of mice. Consistent with other studies, Batf3 expression by CD8 T cells was dispensable for the primary response. However, Batf3 -/- T cells underwent increased apoptosis during contraction to contribute to a substantially reduced memory population. Batf3 -/- memory cells had an impaired ability to mount a robust recall response but remained functional. These findings reveal a cell-intrinsic role of Batf3 in regulating CD8 T cell memory development.

Tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cells shape local and systemic secondary T cell responses.

Tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cells (TRM cells) are crucial in protecting against reinvading pathogens, but the impact of reinfection on their tissue confinement and contribution to recall responses is unclear. We developed a unique lineage tracer mouse model exploiting the TRM-defining transcription factor homolog of Blimp-1 in T cells (Hobit) to fate map the TRM progeny in secondary responses. After reinfection, a sizeable fraction of secondary memory T cells in the circulation developed downstream of TRM cells. These tissue-experienced ex-TRM cells shared phenotypic properties with the effector memory T cell population but were transcriptionally and functionally distinct from other secondary effector memory T cell cells. Adoptive transfer experiments of TRM cells corroborated their potential to form circulating effector and memory cells during recall responses. Moreover, specific ablation of primary TRM cell populations substantially impaired the secondary T cell response, both locally and systemically. Thus, TRM cells retain developmental plasticity and shape both local and systemic T cell responses on reinfection.

Tissue Adaptations of Memory and Tissue-Resident Gamma Delta T Cells.

Epithelial and mucosal barriers are critical interfaces physically separating the body from the outside environment and are the tissues most exposed to microorganisms and potential inflammatory agents. The integrity of these tissues requires fine tuning of the local immune system to enable the efficient elimination of invasive pathogens while simultaneously preserving a beneficial relationship with commensal organisms and preventing autoimmunity. Although they only represent a small fraction of circulating and lymphoid T cells, γδ T cells form a substantial population at barrier sites and even outnumber conventional αß T cells in some tissues. After their egress from the thymus, several γδ T cell subsets naturally establish residency in predetermined mucosal and epithelial locations, as exemplified by the restricted location of murine Vγ5+ and Vγ3Vδ1+ T cell subsets to the intestinal epithelium and epidermis, respectively. Because of their preferential location in barrier sites, γδ T cells are often directly or indirectly influenced by the microbiota or the pathogens that invade these sites. More recently, a growing body of studies have shown that γδ T cells form long-lived memory populations upon local inflammation or bacterial infection, some of which permanently populate the affected tissues after pathogen clearance or resolution of inflammation. Natural and induced resident γδ T cells have been implicated in many beneficial processes such as tissue homeostasis and pathogen control, but their presence may also exacerbate local inflammation under certain circumstances. Further understanding of the biology and role of these unconventional resident T cells in homeostasis and disease may shed light on potentially novel vaccines and therapies.

Listeria Monocytogenes: A Model Pathogen Continues to Refine Our Knowledge of the CD8 T Cell Response.

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) infection induces robust CD8 T cell responses, which play a critical role in resolving Lm during primary infection and provide protective immunity to re-infections. Comprehensive studies have been conducted to delineate the CD8 T cell response after Lm infection. In this review, the generation of the CD8 T cell response to Lm infection will be discussed. The role of dendritic cell subsets in acquiring and presenting Lm antigens to CD8 T cells and the events that occur during T cell priming and activation will be addressed. CD8 T cell expansion, differentiation and contraction as well as the signals that regulate these processes during Lm infection will be explored. Finally, the formation of memory CD8 T cell subsets in the circulation and in the intestine will be analyzed. Recently, the study of CD8 T cell responses to Lm infection has begun to shift focus from the intravenous infection model to a natural oral infection model as the humanized mouse and murinized Lm have become readily available. Recent findings in the generation of CD8 T cell responses to oral infection using murinized Lm will be explored throughout the review. Finally, CD8 T cell-mediated protective immunity against Lm infection and the use of Lm as a vaccine vector for cancer immunotherapy will be highlighted. Overall, this review will provide detailed knowledge on the biology of CD8 T cell responses after Lm infection that may shed light on improving rational vaccine design.

Isolating Lymphocytes from the Mouse Small Intestinal Immune System.

The intestinal immune system plays an essential role in maintaining the barrier function of the gastrointestinal tract by generating tolerant responses to dietary antigens and commensal bacteria while mounting effective immune responses to enteropathogenic microbes. In addition, it has become clear that local intestinal immunity has a profound impact on distant and systemic immunity. Therefore, it is important to study how an intestinal immune response is induced and what the immunologic outcome of the response is. Here, a detailed protocol is described for the isolation of lymphocytes from small intestine inductive sites like the gut-associated lymphoid tissue Peyer's patches and the draining mesenteric lymph nodes and effector sites like the lamina propria and the intestinal epithelium. This technique ensures isolation of a large numbers of lymphocytes from small intestinal tissues with optimal purity and viability and minimal cross compartmental contamination within acceptable time constraints. The technical capability to isolate lymphocytes and other immune cells from intestinal tissues enables the understanding of immune responses to gastrointestinal infections, cancers, and inflammatory diseases.

CCR2+ Inflammatory Monocytes Are Recruited to Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Pyogranulomas and Dictate Adaptive Responses at the Expense of Innate Immunity during Oral Infection.

Murine Ly6Chi inflammatory monocytes (IMs) require CCR2 to leave the bone marrow and enter mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) and other organs in response to Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection. We are investigating how IMs, which can differentiate into CD11c+ dendritic cells (DCs), contribute to innate and adaptive immunity to Y. pseudotuberculosis Previously, we obtained evidence that IMs are important for a dominant CD8+ T cell response to the epitope YopE69-77 and host survival using intravenous infections with attenuated Y. pseudotuberculosis Here we challenged CCR2+/+ or CCR2-/- mice orally with wild-type Y. pseudotuberculosis to investigate how IMs contribute to immune responses during intestinal infection. Unexpectedly, CCR2-/- mice did not have reduced survival but retained body weight better and their MLNs cleared Y. pseudotuberculosis faster and with reduced lymphadenopathy compared to controls. Enhanced bacterial clearance in CCR2-/- mice correlated with reduced numbers of IMs in spleens and increased numbers of neutrophils in livers. In situ imaging of MLNs and spleens from CCR2-GFP mice showed that green fluorescent protein-positive (GFP+) IMs accumulated at the periphery of neutrophil-rich Yersinia-containing pyogranulomas. GFP+ IMs colocalized with CD11c+ cells and YopE69-77-specific CD8+ T cells in MLNs, suggesting that IM-derived DCs prime adaptive responses in Yersinia pyogranulomas. Consistently, CCR2-/- mice had reduced numbers of splenic DCs, YopE69-77-specific CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, and B cells in organs and lower levels of serum antibodies to Y. pseudotuberculosis antigens. Our data suggest that IMs differentiate into DCs in MLN pyogranulomas and direct adaptive responses in T cells at the expense of innate immunity during oral Y. pseudotuberculosis infection.