Multimodally profiling memory T cells from a tuberculosis cohort identifies cell state associations with demographics, environment and disease.

Multimodal T cell profiling can enable more precise characterization of elusive cell states underlying disease. Here, we integrated single-cell RNA and surface protein data from 500,089 memory T cells to define 31 cell states from 259 individuals in a Peruvian tuberculosis (TB) progression cohort. At immune steady state >4 years after infection and disease resolution, we found that, after accounting for significant effects of age, sex, season and genetic ancestry on T cell composition, a polyfunctional type 17 helper T (TH17) cell-like effector state was reduced in abundance and function in individuals who previously progressed from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) infection to active TB disease. These cells are capable of responding to M.tb peptides. Deconvoluting this state-uniquely identifiable with multimodal analysis-from public data demonstrated that its depletion may precede and persist beyond active disease. Our study demonstrates the power of integrative multimodal single-cell profiling to define cell states relevant to disease and other traits.

T cell autoreactivity directed toward CD1c itself rather than toward carried self lipids.

The hallmark function of αß T cell antigen receptors (TCRs) involves the highly specific co-recognition of a major histocompatibility complex molecule and its carried peptide. However, the molecular basis of the interactions of TCRs with the lipid antigen-presenting molecule CD1c is unknown. We identified frequent staining of human T cells with CD1c tetramers across numerous subjects. Whereas TCRs typically show high specificity for antigen, both tetramer binding and autoreactivity occurred with CD1c in complex with numerous, chemically diverse self lipids. Such extreme polyspecificity was attributable to binding of the TCR over the closed surface of CD1c, with the TCR covering the portal where lipids normally protrude. The TCR essentially failed to contact lipids because they were fully seated within CD1c. These data demonstrate the sequestration of lipids within CD1c as a mechanism of autoreactivity and point to small lipid size as a determinant of autoreactive T cell responses.

History of tuberculosis disease is associated with genetic regulatory variation in Peruvians.

A quarter of humanity is estimated to have been exposed to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) with a 5-10% risk of developing tuberculosis (TB) disease. Variability in responses to Mtb infection could be due to host or pathogen heterogeneity. Here, we focused on host genetic variation in a Peruvian population and its associations with gene regulation in monocyte-derived macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs). We recruited former household contacts of TB patients who previously progressed to TB (cases, n = 63) or did not progress to TB (controls, n = 63). Transcriptomic profiling of monocyte-derived DCs and macrophages measured the impact of genetic variants on gene expression by identifying expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL). We identified 330 and 257 eQTL genes in DCs and macrophages (False Discovery Rate (FDR) < 0.05), respectively. Four genes in DCs showed interaction between eQTL variants and TB progression status. The top eQTL interaction for a protein-coding gene was with FAH, the gene encoding fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase, which mediates the last step in mammalian tyrosine catabolism. FAH expression was associated with genetic regulatory variation in cases but not controls. Using public transcriptomic and epigenomic data of Mtb-infected monocyte-derived dendritic cells, we found that Mtb infection results in FAH downregulation and DNA methylation changes in the locus. Overall, this study demonstrates effects of genetic variation on gene expression levels that are dependent on history of infectious disease and highlights a candidate pathogenic mechanism through pathogen-response genes. Furthermore, our results point to tyrosine metabolism and related candidate TB progression pathways for further investigation.

CD1a-autoreactive T cells recognize natural skin oils that function as headless antigens.

T cells autoreactive to the antigen-presenting molecule CD1a are common in human blood and skin, but the search for natural autoantigens has been confounded by background T cell responses to CD1 proteins and self lipids. After capturing CD1a-lipid complexes, we gently eluted ligands while preserving non-ligand-bound CD1a for testing lipids from tissues. CD1a released hundreds of ligands of two types. Inhibitory ligands were ubiquitous membrane lipids with polar head groups, whereas stimulatory compounds were apolar oils. We identified squalene and wax esters, which naturally accumulate in epidermis and sebum, as autoantigens presented by CD1a. The activation of T cells by skin oils suggested that headless mini-antigens nest within CD1a and displace non-antigenic resident lipids with large head groups. Oily autoantigens naturally coat the surface of the skin; thus, this points to a previously unknown mechanism of barrier immunity.

Do antigen-presenting CD1a, CD1b, CD1c, and CD1d molecules bind different self-lipids?

Humans express four different lipid antigen-presenting molecules, CD1a, CD1b, CD1c, and CD1d, that are differentially expressed on antigen-presenting cells and which recycle through different endosomal compartments. Huang et al. now answer the question on whether the four CD1 isoforms selectively bind certain lipids.

A conserved human T cell population targets mycobacterial antigens presented by CD1b.

Human T cell antigen receptors (TCRs) pair in millions of combinations to create complex and unique T cell repertoires for each person. Through the use of tetramers to analyze TCRs reactive to the antigen-presenting molecule CD1b, we detected T cells with highly stereotyped TCR α-chains present among genetically unrelated patients with tuberculosis. The germline-encoded, mycolyl lipid-reactive (GEM) TCRs had an α-chain bearing the variable (V) region TRAV1-2 rearranged to the joining (J) region TRAJ9 with few nontemplated (N)-region additions. Analysis of TCRs by high-throughput sequencing, binding and crystallography showed linkage of TCRα sequence motifs to high-affinity recognition of antigen. Thus, the CD1-reactive TCR repertoire is composed of at least two compartments: high-affinity GEM TCRs, and more-diverse TCRs with low affinity for CD1b-lipid complexes. We found high interdonor conservation of TCRs that probably resulted from selection by a nonpolymorphic antigen-presenting molecule and an immunodominant antigen.

αß T-cell receptor recognition of self-phosphatidylinositol presented by CD1b.

CD1 glycoproteins present lipid-based antigens to T-cell receptors (TCRs). A role for CD1b in T-cell-mediated autoreactivity was proposed when it was established that CD1b can present self-phospholipids with short alkyl chains (∼C34) to T cells; however, the structural characteristics of this presentation and recognition are unclear. Here, we report the 1.9 Å resolution binary crystal structure of CD1b presenting a self-phosphatidylinositol-C34:1 and an endogenous scaffold lipid. Moreover, we also determined the 2.4 Å structure of CD1b-phosphatidylinositol complexed to an autoreactive αß TCR, BC8B. We show that the TCR docks above CD1b and directly contacts the presented antigen, selecting for both the phosphoinositol headgroup and glycerol neck region via antigen remodeling within CD1b and allowing lateral escape of the inositol moiety through a channel formed by the TCR α-chain. Furthermore, through alanine scanning mutagenesis and surface plasmon resonance, we identified key CD1b residues mediating this interaction, with Glu-80 abolishing TCR binding. We in addition define a role for both CD1b α1 and CD1b α2 molecular domains in modulating this interaction. These findings suggest that the BC8B TCR contacts both the presented phospholipid and the endogenous scaffold lipid via a dual mechanism of corecognition. Taken together, these data expand our understanding into the molecular mechanisms of CD1b-mediated T-cell autoreactivity.

Dual TCR-α Expression on Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells as a Potential Confounder of TCR Interpretation.

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are innate-like T cells that are highly abundant in human blood and tissues. Most MAIT cells have an invariant TCRα-chain that uses T cell receptor α-variable 1-2 (TRAV1-2) joined to TRAJ33/20/12 and recognizes metabolites from bacterial riboflavin synthesis bound to the Ag-presenting molecule MHC class I related (MR1). Our attempts to identify alternative MR1-presented Ags led to the discovery of rare MR1-restricted T cells with non-TRAV1-2 TCRs. Because altered Ag specificity likely alters affinity for the most potent known Ag, 5-(2-oxopropylideneamino)-6-d-ribitylaminouracil (5-OP-RU), we performed bulk TCRα- and TCRß-chain sequencing and single-cell-based paired TCR sequencing on T cells that bound the MR1-5-OP-RU tetramer with differing intensities. Bulk sequencing showed that use of V genes other than TRAV1-2 was enriched among MR1-5-OP-RU tetramerlow cells. Although we initially interpreted these as diverse MR1-restricted TCRs, single-cell TCR sequencing revealed that cells expressing atypical TCRα-chains also coexpressed an invariant MAIT TCRα-chain. Transfection of each non-TRAV1-2 TCRα-chain with the TCRß-chain from the same cell demonstrated that the non-TRAV1-2 TCR did not bind the MR1-5-OP-RU tetramer. Thus, dual TCRα-chain expression in human T cells and competition for the endogenous ß-chain explains the existence of some MR1-5-OP-RU tetramerlow T cells. The discovery of simultaneous expression of canonical and noncanonical TCRs on the same T cell means that claims of roles for non-TRAV1-2 TCR in MR1 response must be validated by TCR transfer-based confirmation of Ag specificity.

Benzofuran sulfonates and small self-lipid antigens activate type II NKT cells via CD1d.

Natural killer T (NKT) cells detect lipids presented by CD1d. Most studies focus on type I NKT cells that express semi-invariant αß T cell receptors (TCR) and recognize α-galactosylceramides. However, CD1d also presents structurally distinct lipids to NKT cells expressing diverse TCRs (type II NKT cells), but our knowledge of the antigens for type II NKT cells is limited. An early study identified a nonlipidic NKT cell agonist, phenyl pentamethyldihydrobenzofuransulfonate (PPBF), which is notable for its similarity to common sulfa drugs, but its mechanism of NKT cell activation remained unknown. Here, we demonstrate that a range of pentamethylbenzofuransulfonates (PBFs), including PPBF, activate polyclonal type II NKT cells from human donors. Whereas these sulfa drug-like molecules might have acted pharmacologically on cells, here we demonstrate direct contact between TCRs and PBF-treated CD1d complexes. Further, PBF-treated CD1d tetramers identified type II NKT cell populations expressing αßTCRs and γδTCRs, including those with variable and joining region gene usage (TRAV12-1-TRAJ6) that was conserved across donors. By trapping a CD1d-type II NKT TCR complex for direct mass-spectrometric analysis, we detected molecules that allow the binding of CD1d to TCRs, finding that both selected PBF family members and short-chain sphingomyelin lipids are present in these complexes. Furthermore, the combination of PPBF and short-chain sphingomyelin enhances CD1d tetramer staining of PPBF-reactive T cell lines over either molecule alone. This study demonstrates that nonlipidic small molecules, which resemble sulfa drugs implicated in systemic hypersensitivity and drug allergy reactions, are targeted by a polyclonal population of type II NKT cells in a CD1d-restricted manner.

Human γδ T cells recognize CD1b by two distinct mechanisms.

γδ T cells form an abundant part of the human cellular immune system, where they respond to tissue damage, infection, and cancer. The spectrum of known molecular targets recognized by Vδ1-expressing γδ T cells is becoming increasingly diverse. Here we describe human γδ T cells that recognize CD1b, a lipid antigen-presenting molecule, which is inducibly expressed on monocytes and dendritic cells. Using CD1b tetramers to study multiple donors, we found that many CD1b-specific γδ T cells use Vδ1. Despite their common use of Vδ1, three CD1b-specific γδ T cell receptors (TCRs) showed clear differences in the surface of CD1b recognized, the requirement for lipid antigens, and corecognition of butryophilin-like proteins. Several Vγ segments were present among the CD1b-specific TCRs, but chain swap experiments demonstrated that CD1b specificity was mediated by the Vδ1 chain. One of the CD1b-specific Vδ1+ TCRs paired with Vγ4 and shows dual reactivity to CD1b and butyrophilin-like proteins. αß TCRs typically recognize the peptide display platform of MHC proteins. In contrast, our results demonstrate the use of rearranged receptors to mediate diverse modes of recognition across the surface of CD1b in ways that do and do not require carried lipids.

Rational design of a hydrolysis-resistant mycobacterial phosphoglycolipid antigen presented by CD1c to T cells.

Whereas proteolytic cleavage is crucial for peptide presentation by classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins to T cells, glycolipids presented by CD1 molecules are typically presented in an unmodified form. However, the mycobacterial lipid antigen mannosyl-ß1-phosphomycoketide (MPM) may be processed through hydrolysis in antigen presenting cells, forming mannose and phosphomycoketide (PM). To further test the hypothesis that some lipid antigens are processed, and to generate antigens that lead to defined epitopes for future tuberculosis vaccines or diagnostic tests, we aimed to create hydrolysis-resistant MPM variants that retain their antigenicity. Here, we designed and tested three different, versatile synthetic strategies to chemically stabilize MPM analogs. Crystallographic studies of CD1c complexes with these three new MPM analogs showed anchoring of the lipid tail and phosphate group that is highly comparable to nature-identical MPM, with considerable conformational flexibility for the mannose head group. MPM-3, a difluoromethylene-modified version of MPM that is resistant to hydrolysis, showed altered recognition by cells, but not by CD1c proteins, supporting the cellular antigen processing hypothesis. Furthermore, the synthetic analogs elicited T cell responses that were cross-reactive with nature-identical MPM, fulfilling important requirements for future clinical use.

CD1a-autoreactive T cells are a normal component of the human αß T cell repertoire.

CD1 activates T cells, but the function and size of the possible human T cell repertoires that recognize each of the CD1 antigen-presenting molecules remain unknown. Using an experimental system that bypasses major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restriction and the requirement for defined antigens, we show that polyclonal T cells responded at higher rates to cells expressing CD1a than to those expressing CD1b, CD1c or CD1d. Unlike the repertoire of invariant natural killer T (NKT) cells, the CD1a-autoreactive repertoire contained diverse T cell antigen receptors (TCRs). Functionally, many CD1a-autoreactive T cells homed to skin, where they produced interleukin 22 (IL-22) in response to CD1a on Langerhans cells. The strong and frequent responses among genetically diverse donors define CD1a-autoreactive cells as a normal part of the human T cell repertoire and CD1a as a target of the T(H)22 subset of helper T cells.

A TCR ß-Chain Motif Biases toward Recognition of Human CD1 Proteins.

High-throughput TCR sequencing allows interrogation of the human TCR repertoire, potentially connecting TCR sequences to antigenic targets. Unlike the highly polymorphic MHC proteins, monomorphic Ag-presenting molecules such as MR1, CD1d, and CD1b present Ags to T cells with species-wide TCR motifs. CD1b tetramer studies and a survey of the 27 published CD1b-restricted TCRs demonstrated a TCR motif in humans defined by the TCR ß-chain variable gene 4-1 (TRBV4-1) region. Unexpectedly, TRBV4-1 was involved in recognition of CD1b regardless of the chemical class of the carried lipid. Crystal structures of two CD1b-specific TRBV4-1+ TCRs show that germline-encoded residues in CDR1 and CDR3 regions of TRBV4-1-encoded sequences interact with each other and consolidate the surface of the TCR. Mutational studies identified a key positively charged residue in TRBV4-1 and a key negatively charged residue in CD1b that is shared with CD1c, which is also recognized by TRBV4-1 TCRs. These data show that one TCR V region can mediate a mechanism of recognition of two related monomorphic Ag-presenting molecules that does not rely on a defined lipid Ag.

Peripheral Blood Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells in Tuberculosis Patients and Healthy Mycobacterium tuberculosis-Exposed Controls.

BACKGROUND: In human blood, mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are abundant T cells that recognize antigens presented on non-polymorphic major histocompatibility complex-related 1 (MR1) molecules. The MAIT cells are activated by mycobacteria, and prior human studies indicate that blood frequencies of MAIT cells, defined by cell surface markers, decline during tuberculosis (TB) disease, consistent with redistribution to the lungs. METHODS: We tested whether frequencies of blood MAIT cells were altered in patients with TB disease relative to healthy Mycobacterium tuberculosis-exposed controls from Peru and South Africa. We quantified their frequencies using MR1 tetramers loaded with 5-(2-oxopropylideneamino)-6-D-ribitylaminouracil. RESULTS: Unlike findings from prior studies, frequencies of blood MAIT cells were similar among patients with TB disease and latent and uninfected controls. In both cohorts, frequencies of MAIT cells defined by MR1-tetramer staining and coexpression of CD161 and the T-cell receptor alpha variable gene TRAV1-2 were strongly correlated. Disease severity captured by body mass index or TB disease transcriptional signatures did not correlate with MAIT cell frequencies in patients with TB. CONCLUSIONS: Major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-related 1-restrictied MAIT cells are detected at similar levels with tetramers or surface markers. Unlike MHC-restricted T cells, blood frequencies of MAIT cells are poor correlates of TB disease but may play a role in pathophysiology.

CD1b presents self and Borrelia burgdorferi diacylglycerols to human T cells.

Lyme disease is a common multisystem disease caused by infection with a tick-transmitted spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi and related Borrelia species. The monoglycosylated diacylglycerol known as B. burgdorferi glycolipid II (BbGL-II) is a major target of antibodies in sera from infected individuals. Here, we show that CD1b presents BbGL-II to human T cells and that the TCR mediates the recognition. However, we did not detect increased frequency of CD1b-BbGL-II binding T cells in the peripheral blood of Lyme disease patients compared to controls. Unexpectedly, mapping the T cell specificity for BbGL-II-like molecules using tetramers and activation assays revealed a concomitant response to CD1b-expressing APCs in absence of BbGL-II. Further, among all major classes of self-lipid tested, BbGL-II responsive TCRs show strong cross-reactivity to diacylglycerol, a self-lipid antigen with structural similarities to BbGL-II. Extending prior work on MHC and CD1b, CD1c, and CD1d proteins, this study provides evidence for cross-reactive CD1b-restricted T cell responses to bacterial and self-antigens, and identifies chemically defined targets for future discovery of self and foreign antigen cross-reactive T cells.

Total Synthesis of a Mycolic Acid from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

In Mycobacterium tuberculosis, mycolic acids and their glycerol, glucose, and trehalose esters ("cord factor") form the main part of the mycomembrane. Despite their first isolation almost a century ago, full stereochemical evaluation is lacking, as is a scalable synthesis required for accurate immunological, including vaccination, studies. Herein, we report an efficient, convergent, gram-scale synthesis of four stereo-isomers of a mycolic acid and its glucose ester. Binding to the antigen presenting protein CD1b and T cell activation studies are used to confirm the antigenicity of the synthetic material. The absolute stereochemistry of the syn-methoxy methyl moiety in natural material is evaluated by comparing its optical rotation with that of synthetic material.

Molecular recognition of microbial lipid-based antigens by T cells.

The immune system has evolved to protect hosts from pathogens. T cells represent a critical component of the immune system by their engagement in host defence mechanisms against microbial infections. Our knowledge of the molecular recognition by T cells of pathogen-derived peptidic antigens that are presented by the major histocompatibility complex glycoproteins is now well established. However, lipids represent an additional, distinct chemical class of molecules that when presented by the family of CD1 antigen-presenting molecules can serve as antigens, and be recognized by specialized subsets of T cells leading to antigen-specific activation. Over the past decades, numerous CD1-presented self- and bacterial lipid-based antigens have been isolated and characterized. However, our understanding at the molecular level of T cell immunity to CD1 molecules presenting microbial lipid-based antigens is still largely unexplored. Here, we review the insights and the molecular basis underpinning the recognition of microbial lipid-based antigens by T cells.

Human autoreactive T cells recognize CD1b and phospholipids.

In contrast with the common detection of T cells that recognize MHC, CD1a, CD1c, or CD1d proteins, CD1b autoreactive T cells have been difficult to isolate in humans. Here we report the development of polyvalent complexes of CD1b proteins and carbohydrate backbones (dextramers) and their use in identifying CD1b autoreactive T cells from human donors. Activation is mediated by αß T-cell receptors (TCRs) binding to CD1b-phospholipid complexes, which is sufficient to activate autoreactive responses to CD1b-expressing cells. Using mass spectrometry and T-cell responses to scan through the major classes of phospholipids, we identified phosphatidylglycerol (PG) as the immunodominant lipid antigen. T cells did not discriminate the chemical differences that distinguish mammalian PG from bacterial PG. Whereas most models of T-cell recognition emphasize TCR discrimination of differing self and foreign structures, CD1b autoreactive T cells recognize lipids with dual self and foreign origin. PG is rare in the cellular membranes that carry CD1b proteins. However, bacteria and mitochondria are rich in PG, so these data point to a more general mechanism of immune detection of infection- or stress-associated lipids.

CD1 and mycobacterial lipids activate human T cells.

For decades, proteins were thought to be the sole or at least the dominant source of antigens for T cells. Studies in the 1990s demonstrated that CD1 proteins and mycobacterial lipids form specific targets of human αß T cells. The molecular basis by which T-cell receptors (TCRs) recognize CD1-lipid complexes is now well understood. Many types of mycobacterial lipids function as antigens in the CD1 system, and new studies done with CD1 tetramers identify T-cell populations in the blood of tuberculosis patients. In human populations, a fundamental difference between the CD1 and major histocompatibility complex systems is that all humans express nearly identical CD1 proteins. Correspondingly, human CD1 responsive T cells show evidence of conserved TCRs. In addition to natural killer T cells and mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT cells), conserved TCRs define other subsets of human T cells, including germline-encoded mycolyl-reactive (GEM) T cells. The simple immunogenetics of the CD1 system and new investigative tools to measure T-cell responses in humans now creates a situation in which known lipid antigens can be developed as immunodiagnostic and immunotherapeutic reagents for tuberculosis disease.

CD1b-mycolic acid tetramers demonstrate T-cell fine specificity for mycobacterial lipid tails.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis synthesizes a thick cell wall comprised of mycolic acids (MA), which are foreign antigens for human T cells. T-cell clones from multiple donors were used to determine the fine specificity of MA recognition by human αß T cells. Most CD1-presented lipid antigens contain large hydrophilic head groups comprised of carbohydrates or peptides that dominate patterns of T-cell specificity. MA diverges from the consensus antigen motif in that it lacks a head group. Using multiple forms of natural and synthetic MA and MA-specific T-cells with different T-cell receptors, we found that, unlike antigens with larger head groups, lipid length strongly controlled T-cell responses to MA. In addition, the three forms of MA that naturally occur in M. tuberculosis that differ in modifications on the lipid tail, differ in their potency for activating MA-specific T-cell clones. Thus, naturally occurring MA forms should be considered as separate, partly cross-reactive antigens. Two of the three forms of MA could be loaded onto human CD1b proteins, creating working CD1b-MA tetramers. The creation of CD1b-MA tetramers represents a new tool for future studies that track the effector functions and kinetics of MA-specific T-cells ex vivo.