320 research outputs found

    Trained immunity as a possible newcomer in autoinflammatory and autoimmune diseases pathophysiology

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    Autoimmune disorders have been well characterized over the years and many pathways—but not all of them–have been found to explain their pathophysiology. Autoinflammatory disorders, on the other hand, are still hiding most of their molecular and cellular mechanisms. During the past few years, a newcomer has challenged the idea that only adaptive immunity could display memory response. Trained immunity is defined by innate immune responses that are faster and stronger to a second stimulus than to the first one, being the same or not. In response to the trained immunity inducer, and through metabolic and epigenetic changes of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in the bone marrow that are transmitted to their cellular progeny (peripheral trained immunity), or directly of tissue-resident cells (local innate immunity), innate cells responsiveness and functions upon stimulation are improved in the long-term. Innate immunity can be beneficial, but it could also be detrimental when maladaptive. Here, we discuss how trained immunity could contribute to the physiopathology of autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases

    Polyelectrolyte-enrobed cancer cells in view of personalized immune-therapy

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    Targeting the immune system with a personalized vaccine containing cues derived from the patient's malignancy might be a promising approach in the fight against cancer. It includes neo-antigens as well as nonmutated tumor antigens, preferentially leading to an immune response that is directed to a broader range of epitopes compared to strategies involving a single antigen. Here, this paper reports on an elegant method to encapsulate whole cancer cells into polyelectrolyte particles. Porous and nonaggregated microparticles containing dead cancer cells are obtained by admixing mannitol and live cancer cells with oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, dextran sulfate (anionic polysaccharide), and poly-l-arginine (cationic polypeptide) prior to atomization into a hot air stream. It shows that the polyelectrolyte-enrobed cancer cells, upon redispersion in phosphate buffered saline buffer, are stable and do not release cell proteins in the supernatant. In vitro experiments reveal that the particles are nontoxic and strongly increase uptake of cell lysate by dendritic cells. In vitro assessment of antigen presentation by dendritic cells reveal the potential of the polyelectrolyte-enrobed cancer cells as promotors of antigen cross-presentation. Finally, it is demonstrated that the immunogenicity can be enhanced by surface adsorption of a polymer-substituted TLR7-agonist

    Blocking TLR7- and TLR9-mediated IFN-α Production by Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Does Not Diminish Immune Activation in Early SIV Infection

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    Persistent production of type I interferon (IFN) by activated plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) is a leading model to explain chronic immune activation in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection but direct evidence for this is lacking. We used a dual antagonist of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and TLR9 to selectively inhibit responses of pDC but not other mononuclear phagocytes to viral RNA prior to and for 8 weeks following pathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of rhesus macaques. We show that pDC are major but not exclusive producers of IFN-α that rapidly become unresponsive to virus stimulation following SIV infection, whereas myeloid DC gain the capacity to produce IFN-α, albeit at low levels. pDC mediate a marked but transient IFN-α response in lymph nodes during the acute phase that is blocked by administration of TLR7 and TLR9 antagonist without impacting pDC recruitment. TLR7 and TLR9 blockade did not impact virus load or the acute IFN-α response in plasma and had minimal effect on expression of IFN-stimulated genes in both blood and lymph node. TLR7 and TLR9 blockade did not prevent activation of memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in blood or lymph node but led to significant increases in proliferation of both subsets in blood following SIV infection. Our findings reveal that virus-mediated activation of pDC through TLR7 and TLR9 contributes to substantial but transient IFN-α production following pathogenic SIV infection. However, the data indicate that pDC activation and IFN-α production are unlikely to be major factors in driving immune activation in early infection. Based on these findings therapeutic strategies aimed at blocking pDC function and IFN-α production may not reduce HIV-associated immunopathology. © 2013 Kader et al

    Use of IRF-3 and/or IRF-7 Knockout Mice To Study Viral Pathogenesis: Lessons from a Murine Retrovirus-Induced AIDS Model

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    Interferon regulatory factor (IRF) regulation of the type I interferon response has not been extensively explored in murine retroviral infections. IRF-3(-/-) and select IRF-3/7(-/-) mice were resistant to LP-BM5-induced pathogenesis. However, further analyses strongly suggested that resistance could be attributed to strain 129-specific contamination of the known retrovirus resistance gene Fv1. Therefore, caution should be taken when interpreting phenotypes observed in these knockout mice, as strain 129-derived genetic polymorphisms may explain observed differences

    Role of endogenous interferon and LPS in the immunomodulatory effects of bovine lactoferrin in murine peritoneal macrophages

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    Lactoferrin (Lf) plays an important role in host defense against infection and excessive inflammation. Although the mechanisms underlying its immunomodulatory properties have not been fully elucidated yet, recent evidence suggests that some of these effects may be related to its capacity to form complexes with LPS. We report that the culture of resting mouse peritoneal macrophages (PM) with bovine Lf (bLf), prior to infection with the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), resulted in a significant reduction of virus yield with respect to control cultures. The antiviral activity of bLF was related to its capacity of inducing IFN-α/β expression, which in turn inhibited VSV replication. Indeed, the accumulation of IFN-β but not of IFNα 1-2 transcripts was up-modulated markedly early after bLf addition. Furthermore, bLf did not exert any antiviral activity in the presence of neutralizing antibodies to IFN-α/β in PM from wildtype mice, as well as in PM from mice genetically defective for the response to IFN. The antiviral activity of bLf relied on its intrinsic capacity to bind LPS, as this protein did not induce IFN expression in PM from LPS-hyporesponsive mice. It is interesting that this LPS-binding property was dispensable for the production of TNF-α, which also occurred in LPS-hyporesponsive mice. Overall, these results indicate that some of the immunomodulatory effects ascribed to Lf may be related to its capacity to favor Type I IFN expression and argue in favor of an important role of the LPS-binding feature and TLR4 in some of the effects ascribed to this molecule. © Society for Leukocyte Biology

    HIV Delays IFN-α Production from Human Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells and Is Associated with SYK Phosphorylation

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    Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) are the major producers of type I interferons (IFNs) in humans and rapidly produce IFN-α in response to virus exposure. Although HIV infection is associated with pDC activation, it is unclear why the innate immune response is unable to effectively control viral replication. We systematically compared the effect of HIV, Influenza, Sendai, and HSV-2 at similar target cell multiplicity of infection (M.O.I.) on human pDC function. We found that Influenza, Sendai, HSV-2 and imiquimod are able to rapidly induce IFN-α production within 4 hours to maximal levels, whereas HIV had a delayed induction that was maximal only after 24 hours. In addition, maximal IFN-α induction by HIV was at least 10 fold less than that of the other viruses in the panel. HIV also induced less TNF-α and MIP-1β but similar levels of IP-10 compared to other viruses, which was also mirrored by delayed upregulation of pDC activation markers CD83 and CD86. BDCA-2 has been identified as an inhibitory receptor on pDC, signaling through a pathway that involves SYK phosphorylation. We find that compared to Influenza, HIV induces the activation of the SYK pathway. Thus, HIV delays pDC IFN-α production and pDC activation via SYK phosphorylation, allowing establishment of viral populations

    Anti-HIV Activity Mediated by Natural Killer and CD8+ Cells after Toll-Like Receptor 7/8 Triggering

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    We previously found that triggering TLR7/8 either by single stranded HIV RNA or synthetic compounds induced changes in the lymphoid microenvironment unfavorable to HIV. In this study, we used selective TLR7 and 8 agonists to dissect their contribution to the anti-HIV effects. While triggering TLR7 inhibited efficiently HIV replication in lymphoid suspension cells from tonsillar origin, its effect was inconsistent in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). In contrast, triggering TLR8 showed a very prominent and overall very consistent effect in PBMC and tonsillar lymphoid suspension cells. Depletion of dendritic cells (DC), Natural killer cells (NK) and CD8+ T-cells from PBMC resulted in the reversal of TLR8 induced anti-HIV effects. Especially noteworthy, depletion of either NK or CD8+ T-cells alone was only partially effective. We interpret these findings that DC are the initiator of complex changes in the microenvironment that culminates in the anti-HIV active NK and CD8+ effector cells. The near lack of NK and the low number of CD8+ T-cells in tonsillar lymphoid suspension cells may explain the lower TLR8 agonist's anti-HIV effects in that tissue. However, additional cell-type specific differences must exist since the TLR7 agonists had a very strong inhibitory effect in tonsillar lymphoid suspension cells. Separation of effector from the CD4+ target cells did not abolish the anti-HIV effects pointing to the critical role of soluble factors. Triggering TLR7 or 8 were accompanied by major changes in the cytokine milieu; however, it appeared that not a single soluble factor could be assigned for the potent effects

    Toll-Like Receptor Ligands Induce Human T Cell Activation and Death, a Model for HIV Pathogenesis

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    Background: Recently, heightened systemic translocation of microbial products was found in persons with chronic HIV infection and this was linked to immune activation and CD4 + T cell homeostasis. Methodology: We examined here the effects of microbial Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands on T cell activation in vitro. Conclusions/Findings: We show that exposure to TLR ligands results in activation of memory and effector CD4 + and CD8 + T cells. After exposure to each of 8 different ligands that activate TLRs 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9, CD8 + T cells are activated and gain expression of the C type lectin CD69 that may promote their retention in lymphoid tissues. In contrast, CD4 + T cells rarely increase CD69 expression but instead enter cell cycle. Despite activation and cell cycle entry, CD4 + T cells divide poorly and instead, disproportionately undergo activation-induced cell death. Systemic exposure to TLR agonists may therefore increase immune activation, effector cell sequestration in lymphoid tissues and T cell turnover. These events may contribute to the pathogenesis of immune dysfunction and CD4+ T cell losses in chronic infection with the human immunodeficiency virus
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