A semi-invariant Vα10+ T cell antigen receptor defines a population of natural killer T cells with distinct glycolipid antigen-recognition properties.

Type I natural killer T cells (NKT cells) are characterized by an invariant variable region 14-joining region 18 (V(α)14-J(α)18) T cell antigen receptor (TCR) α-chain and recognition of the glycolipid α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) restricted to the antigen-presenting molecule CD1d. Here we describe a population of α-GalCer-reactive NKT cells that expressed a canonical V(α)10-J(α)50 TCR α-chain, which showed a preference for α-glucosylceramide (α-GlcCer) and bacterial α-glucuronic acid-containing glycolipid antigens. Structurally, despite very limited TCRα sequence identity, the V(α)10 TCR-CD1d-α-GlcCer complex had a docking mode similar to that of type I TCR-CD1d-α-GalCer complexes, although differences at the antigen-binding interface accounted for the altered antigen specificity. Our findings provide new insight into the structural basis and evolution of glycolipid antigen recognition and have notable implications for the scope and immunological role of glycolipid-specific T cell responses.

SATB1 ensures appropriate transcriptional programs within naïve CD8+ T cells.

Special AT-binding protein 1 (SATB1) is a chromatin-binding protein that has been shown to be a key regulator of T-cell development and CD4+ T-cell fate decisions and function. The underlying function for SATB1 in peripheral CD8+ T-cell differentiation processes is largely unknown. To address this, we examined SATB1-binding patterns in naïve and effector CD8+ T cells demonstrating that SATB1 binds to noncoding regulatory elements linked to T-cell lineage-specific gene programs, particularly in naïve CD8+ T cells. We then assessed SATB1 function using N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea-mutant mice that exhibit a point mutation in the SATB1 DNA-binding domain (termed Satb1m1Anu/m1Anu ). Satb1m1Anu/m1Anu mice exhibit diminished SATB1-binding, naïve, Satb1m1Anu/m1Anu CD8+ T cells exhibiting transcriptional and phenotypic characteristics reminiscent of effector T cells. Upon activation, the transcriptional signatures of Satb1m1Anu/m1Anu and wild-type effector CD8+ T cells converged. While there were no overt differences, primary respiratory infection of Satb1m1Anu/m1Anu mice with influenza A virus (IAV) resulted in a decreased proportion and number of IAV-specific CD8+ effector T cells recruited to the infected lung when compared with wild-type mice. Together, these data suggest that SATB1 has a major role in an appropriate transcriptional state within naïve CD8+ T cells and ensures appropriate CD8+ T-cell effector gene expression upon activation.

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 4 (SOCS4) protects against severe cytokine storm and enhances viral clearance during influenza infection.

Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins are key regulators of innate and adaptive immunity. There is no described biological role for SOCS4, despite broad expression in the hematopoietic system. We demonstrate that mice lacking functional SOCS4 protein rapidly succumb to infection with a pathogenic H1N1 influenza virus (PR8) and are hypersusceptible to infection with the less virulent H3N2 (X31) strain. In SOCS4-deficient animals, this led to substantially greater weight loss, dysregulated pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine production in the lungs and delayed viral clearance. This was associated with impaired trafficking of influenza-specific CD8 T cells to the site of infection and linked to defects in T cell receptor activation. These results demonstrate that SOCS4 is a critical regulator of anti-viral immunity.

Structural basis for enabling T-cell receptor diversity within biased virus-specific CD8+ T-cell responses.

Pathogen-specific responses are characterized by preferred profiles of peptide+class I MHC (pMHCI) glycoprotein-specific T-cell receptor (TCR) Variable (V)-region use. How TCRV-region bias impacts TCRαß heterodimer selection and resultant diversity is unclear. The D(b)PA(224)-specific TCR repertoire in influenza A virus-infected C57BL/6J (B6) mice exhibits a preferred TCRV-region bias toward the TRBV29 gene segment and an optimal complementarity determining region (CDR3) ß-length of 6 aa. Despite these restrictions, D(b)PA(224)-specific BV29(+) T cells use a wide array of unique CDR3ß sequences. Structural characterization of a single, TRBV29(+)D(b)P(A224)-specific TCRαß-pMHCI complex demonstrated that CDR3α amino acid side chains made specific peptide interactions, but the CDR3ß main chain exclusively contacted peptides. Thus, length but not amino acid sequence was key for recognition and flexibility in Vß-region use. In support of this hypothesis, retrovirus expression of the D(b)PA(224)-specific TCRVα-chain was used to constrain pairing within a naive/immune epitope-specific repertoire. The retrogenic TCRVα paired with a diversity of CDR3ßs in the context of a preferred TCRVß spectrum. Overall, these data provide an explanation for the combination of TCRV region bias and diversity within selected repertoires, even as they maintain exquisite pMHCI specificity.

Effect of MHC class I diversification on influenza epitope-specific CD8+ T cell precursor frequency and subsequent effector function.

Earlier studies of influenza-specific CD8(+) T cell immunodominance hierarchies indicated that expression of the H2K(k) MHC class I allele greatly diminishes responses to the H2D(b)-restriced D(b)PA(224) epitope (acid polymerase, residues 224-233 complexed with H2D(b)). The results suggested that the presence of H2K(k) during thymic differentiation led to the deletion of a prominent Vß7(+) subset of D(b)PA(224)-specific TCRs. The more recent definition of D(b)PA(224)-specific TCR CDR3ß repertoires in H2(b) mice provides a new baseline for looking again at this possible H2K(k) effect on D(b)PA(224)-specific TCR selection. We found that immune responses to several H2D(b)- and H2K(b)-restricted influenza epitopes were indeed diminished in H2(bxk) F(1) versus homozygous mice. In the case of D(b)PA(224), lower numbers of naive precursors were part of the explanation, though a similar decrease in those specific for the D(b)NP(366) epitope did not affect response magnitude. Changes in precursor frequency were not associated with any major loss of TCR diversity and could not fully account for the diminished D(b)PA(224)-specific response. Further functional and phenotypic characterization of influenza-specific CD8(+) T cells suggested that the expansion and differentiation of the D(b)PA(224)-specific set is impaired in the H2(bxk) F(1) environment. Thus, the D(b)PA(224) response in H2(bxk) F(1) mice is modulated by factors that affect the generation of naive epitope-specific precursors and the expansion and differentiation of these T cells during infection, rather than clonal deletion of a prominent Vß7(+) subset. Such findings illustrate the difficulties of predicting and defining the effects of MHC class I diversification on epitope-specific responses.

Fixing an irrelevant TCR alpha chain reveals the importance of TCR beta diversity for optimal TCR alpha beta pairing and function of virus-specific CD8+ T cells.

TCR repertoire diversity can influence the efficacy of CD8(+) T-cell populations, with greater breadth eliciting better protection. We analyzed TCR beta diversity and functional capacity for influenza-specific CD8(+) T cells expressing a single TCR alpha chain. Mice (A7) transgenic for the H2K(b)OVA(257-264)-specific V alpha 2.7 TCR were challenged with influenza to determine how fixing this "irrelevant" TCR alpha affects the "public" and restricted D(b)NP(366) (+)CD8(+) versus the "private" and diverse D(b)PA(224) (+)CD8(+) responses. Though both D(b)NP(366) (+)CD8(+) and D(b)PA(224) (+)CD8(+) sets are generated in virus-primed A7 mice, the constrained D(b)NP(366) (+)CD8(+) population lacked the characteristic, public TCRV beta 8.3, and consequently was reduced in magnitude and pMHC-I avidity. For the more diverse D(b)PA(224) (+)CD8(+) T cells, this particular forcing led to a narrowing and higher TCR beta conservation of the dominant V beta 7, though the responses were of comparable magnitude to C57BL/6J controls. Interestingly, although both the TCR beta diversity and the cytokine profiles were reduced for the D(b)NP(366) (+)CD8(+) and D(b)PA(224) (+)CD8(+) sets in spleen, the latter measure of polyfunctionality was comparable for T cells recovered from the infected lungs of A7 and control mice. Even "sub-optimal" TCR alpha beta pairs can operate effectively when exposed in a milieu of high virus load. Thus, TCR beta diversity is important for optimal TCR alpha beta pairing and function when TCR alpha is limiting.

Epigenetic plasticity of Cd8a locus during CD8(+) T-cell development and effector differentiation and reprogramming.

Modulation of CD8 coreceptor levels can profoundly affect T-cell sensitivity to antigen. Here we show that the heritable downregulation of CD8 during type 2 polarization of murine CD8(+) effector T cells in vitro and in vivo is associated with CpG methylation of several regions of the Cd8a locus. These epigenetic modifications are maintained long-term in vivo following adoptive transfer. Even after extended type 2 polarization, however, some CD8(low) effector cells respond to interferon-γ by re-expressing CD8 and a type 1 cytokine profile in association with partial Cd8a demethylation. Cd8a methylation signatures in naive, polarized and repolarized cells are distinct from those observed during the initiation, maintenance and silencing of CD8 expression by developing T cells in the thymus. This persistent capacity for epigenetic reprogramming of coreceptor levels on effector CD8(+) T cells enables the heritable tuning of antigen sensitivity in parallel with changes in type 1/type 2 cytokine balance.

The context of epitope presentation can influence functional quality of recalled influenza A virus-specific memory CD8+ T cells.

Lipopeptide constructs offer a novel strategy for eliciting effective cellular and humoral immunity by directly targeting the vaccine Ag to dendritic cells. Importantly, it is not known how closely immunity generated after lipopeptide vaccination mimics that generated after natural infection. We have used a novel lipopeptide vaccine strategy to analyze both the quantity and quality of CD8(+) T cell immunity to an influenza A virus epitope derived from the acidic polymerase protein (PA(224)) in B6 mice. Vaccination with the PA(224) lipopeptide resulted in accelerated viral clearance after subsequent influenza virus infection. The lipopeptide was also effective at recalling secondary D(b)PA(224) responses in the lung. Lipopeptide recalled D(b)PA(224)-specific CTL produced lower levels of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha, but produced similar levels of IL-2 when compared with D(b)PA(224)-specific CTL recalled after virus infection. Furthermore, lipopeptide- and virus-recalled CTL demonstrated similar TCR avidity. Interestingly, lipopeptide administration resulted in expansion of D(b)PA(224)-specific CTL using a normally subdominant TCRBV gene segment. Overall, these results demonstrate that protective CTL responses elicited by lipopeptide vaccines can be correlated with TCR avidity, IL-2 production, and broad TCR repertoire diversity. Furthermore, factors that impact the quality of immunity are discussed. These factors are important considerations when evaluating the efficacy of novel vaccine strategies that target dendritic cells for eliciting cellular immunity.

Quantification of repertoire diversity of influenza-specific epitopes with predominant public or private TCR usage.

The H-2Db-restricted CD8 T cell immune response to influenza A is directed at two well-described epitopes, nucleoprotein 366 (NP366) and acid polymerase 224 (PA224). The responses to the two epitopes are very different. The epitope NP366-specific response is dominated by TCR clonotypes that are public (shared by most mice), whereas the epitope PA224-specific response is private (unique within each infected animal). In addition to being public, the NP366-specific response is dominated by a few clonotypes, when T cell clonotypes expressing the Vbeta8.3 element are analyzed. Herein, we show that this response is similarly public when the NP366+Vbeta4+ CD8 T cell response is analyzed. Furthermore, to determine whether these features resulted in differences in total TCR diversity in the NP366+ and PA224+ responses, we quantified the number of different CD8 T clonotypes responding to each epitope. We calculated that 50-550 clonotypes recognized each epitope in individual mice. Thus, although the character of the response to the two epitopes appeared to be different (private and diverse vs public and dominated by a few clonotypes), similar numbers of precursor cells responded to both epitopes and this number was of similar magnitude to that previously reported for other viral CD8 T cell epitopes. Therefore, even in CD8 T cell responses that appear to be oligoclonotypic, the total response is highly diverse.