Cutting Edge: Role of NK Cells and Surfactant Protein D in Dendritic Cell Lymph Node Homing: Effects of Ozone Exposure

The roles of NK cells, surfactant protein D (SP-D), and IFN-γ, as well as the effect of ozone (O3) inhalation, were studied on recirculation of pulmonary dendritic cells (DC) to the mediastinal lymph nodes. O3 exposure and lack of SP-D reduced NK cell IFN-γ and lung tissue CCL21 mRNA expression and impaired DC homing to the mediastinal lymph nodes. Notably, addition of recombinant SP-D to naive mononuclear cells stimulated IFN-γ release in vitro. Because NKp46, a glycosylated membrane receptor, was necessary for dose-dependent SP-D binding to NK cells in vitro and DC migration in vivo, we speculate that SP-D may constitutively stimulate IFN-γ production by NK cells, possibly via NKp46. This mechanism could then initiate the IFN-γ/IL-12 feedback circuit, a key amplifier of DC lymph node homing. Inhibition of this process during an acute inflammatory response causes DC retention in the peripheral lung tissue and contributes to injury

Cutting Edge: Role of NK Cells and Surfactant Protein D in Dendritic Cell Lymph Node Homing: Effects of Ozone Exposure

The roles of NK cells, surfactant protein D (SP-D), and IFN-γ, as well as the effect of ozone (O3) inhalation, were studied on recirculation of pulmonary dendritic cells (DC) to the mediastinal lymph nodes. O3 exposure and lack of SP-D reduced NK cell IFN-γ and lung tissue CCL21 mRNA expression and impaired DC homing to the mediastinal lymph nodes. Notably, addition of recombinant SP-D to naive mononuclear cells stimulated IFN-γ release in vitro. Because NKp46, a glycosylated membrane receptor, was necessary for dose-dependent SP-D binding to NK cells in vitro and DC migration in vivo, we speculate that SP-D may constitutively stimulate IFN-γ production by NK cells, possibly via NKp46. This mechanism could then initiate the IFN-γ/IL-12 feedback circuit, a key amplifier of DC lymph node homing. Inhibition of this process during an acute inflammatory response causes DC retention in the peripheral lung tissue and contributes to injury

Blomia tropicalis–Specific TCR Transgenic Th2 Cells Induce Inducible BALT and Severe Asthma in Mice by an IL-4/IL-13–Dependent Mechanism

Previous studies have highlighted the importance of lung-draining lymph nodes in the respiratory allergic immune response, whereas the lung parenchymal immune system has been largely neglected. We describe a new in vivo model of respiratory sensitization to Blomia tropicalis, the principal asthma allergen in the tropics, in which the immune response is focused on the lung parenchyma by transfer of Th2 cells from a novel TCR transgenic mouse, specific for the major B. tropicalis allergen Blo t 5, that targets the lung rather than the draining lymph nodes. Transfer of highly polarized transgenic CD4 effector Th2 cells, termed BT-II, followed by repeated inhalation of Blo t 5 expands these cells in the lung >100-fold, and subsequent Blo t 5 challenge induced decreased body temperature, reduction in movement, and a fall in specific lung compliance unseen in conventional mouse asthma models following a physiological allergen challenge. These mice exhibit lung eosinophilia; smooth muscle cell, collagen, and goblet cell hyperplasia; hyper IgE syndrome; mucus plugging; and extensive inducible BALT. In addition, there is a fall in total lung volume and forced expiratory volume at 100 ms. These pathophysiological changes were substantially reduced and, in some cases, completely abolished by administration of neutralizing mAbs specific for IL-4 and IL-13 on weeks 1, 2, and 3. This IL-4/IL-13-dependent inducible BALT model will be useful for investigating the pathophysiological mechanisms that underlie asthma and the development of more effective drugs for treating severe asthma

Blomia tropicalis-Specific TCR Transgenic Th2 Cells Induce Inducible BALT and Severe Asthma in Mice by an IL-4/IL-13-Dependent Mechanism

10.4049/jimmunol.1502676JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY197103771-378

Harnessing features of adaptive NK cells to generate iPSC-derived NK cells for enhanced immunotherapy

Select subsets of immune effector cells have the greatest propensity to mediate antitumor responses. However, procuring these subsets is challenging, and cell-based immunotherapy is hampered by limited effector-cell persistence and lack of on-demand availability. To address these limitations, we generated a triple-gene-edited induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC). The clonal iPSC line was engineered to express a high affinity, non-cleavable version of the Fc receptor CD16a and a membrane-bound interleukin (IL)-15/IL-15R fusion protein. The third edit was a knockout of the ecto-enzyme CD38, which hydrolyzes NAD+. Natural killer (NK) cells derived from these uniformly engineered iPSCs, termed iADAPT, displayed metabolic features and gene expression profiles mirroring those of cytomegalovirus-induced adaptive NK cells. iADAPT NK cells persisted in vivo in the absence of exogenous cytokine and elicited superior antitumor activity. Our findings suggest that unique subsets of the immune system can be modeled through iPSC technology for effective treatment of patients with advanced cancer