Experimental Characterization of Intestinal GvHD-Protective Myeloid Host Cells after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

Die akute Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD) und speziell ihre intestinale Manifestation ist eine schwere Komplikation der allogenen Stammzelltransplantation mit erheblichem Einfluss auf Mortalität und Morbidität der Patienten. Pathophysiologisch stellt sie eine Immunreaktion von Spender-T-Zellen auf Empfängergewebestrukturen dar. In Versuchsmäusen ist die experimentelle Depletion CD11c+ Antigen-präsentierender Empfängerzellen in der frühen GvHD-Effektorphase assoziiert mit einem schlechteren klinischen Outcome, einer höheren Dichte alloreaktiver T-Zellen und einer verstärkten Entzündungsreaktion in der intestinalen Mukosa. Ziel der Studie war eine umfassende Charakterisierung und systematische Einordnung der folglich GvHD-protektiven intestinalen CD11c+ Empfängerzellen. Bezüglich ihrer Oberflächenproteinsignatur analysierten wir die myeloiden Zellen der intestinalen Mukosa am Tag 6 nach allogener Stammzelltransplantation. Mittels durchflusszytometrischer Analyse und Vergleich zwischen gesunden, allein bestrahlten und GvHD-Mäusen ordneten wir die CD11c+ Empfängerzellen als Makrophagen ein und schlossen eine Identität als dendritische Zellen aus. In der Immunfluoreszenzmikroskopie wiesen wir ihre Kolokalisation mit allogenen T-Zellen nach und bestätigten darin eine PD-L1 Expression als möglichen T-Zell-Suppressionsmechanismus. Bezüglich ihres Transkriptoms führten wir eine Einzelzell-RNA-Sequenzierung intestinaler hämatopoetischer Empfängerzellen aus CD11c+ Zell-depletierten und nicht depletierten Mäusen durch. Auf rein bioinformatischer Grundlage wurden die Einzelzellen kombiniert und anhand ihrer Transkriptomprofile in Cluster eingeteilt. Der Vergleich beider Versuchsgruppen offenbarte zwei unterschiedliche präsente bzw. depletierte und damit GvHD-protektive Zellcluster: Cluster 4 enthielt Zellen mit deutlicher Makrophagensignatur und gewebeprotektivem, antipathogenem Effektorprofil, welches in Kombination mit weiteren Genen ein Kontinuum der in Homöostase vorhandenen Makrophagen nahelegte. Cluster 10 dagegen enthielt Zellen mit immun- und spezifisch T-Zell-suppressivem Effektorprofil, weniger deutlicher Makrophagensignatur und Ähnlichkeit zu myeloiden Suppressorzellen. Somit lieferte die Studie wichtige Hinweise auf einen Mechanismus der GvHD- bzw. T-Zell-Suppression und Gewebeprotektion in Form von physiologisch vorhandenen bzw. im Laufe der GvHD auftretenden Empfängermakrophagen.Acute Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is an immunoreaction of donor T cells against host tissue structures after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). Especially intestinal GvHD greatly contributes to the patients´ morbidity and mortality. Experimental depletion of CD11c+ antigen-presenting host cells in the early effector phase of GvHD is associated with a worse clinical outcome, an increase of alloreactive T cell numbers and more severe inflammation in the small intestinal mucosa in mice. In this study we aimed to characterize and systematically classify intestinal CD11c+ host cell populations protecting from acute GvHD on proteome and transcriptome level. To address the protein expression signature we analyzed the surface antigens of intestinal CD11c+ antigen-presenting cells of host mice on day 6 after allo-HCT. By flow cytometric analysis and comparison of healthy, GvHD-, and mice only receiving myeloablative irradiation, we classified the GvHD-protective cells as macrophages and ruled out a dendritic cell identity. Utilizing immunofluorescence microscopy we localized intestinal host macrophages in close contact with allogeneic T cells and confirmed their expression of PD-L1 as possible mechanism of alloreactive T cell suppression. Concerning the transcriptome signature, we performed a single-cell RNA sequencing of host intestinal hematopoietic cells of GvHD-mice with and without CD11c+ cell depletion. Single cells were combined and clustered by transcriptional profiling based on bioinformatic calculation. In comparison of both groups we detected two different present, respectively depleted and hence GvHD-protective cell populations: Cluster 4 containing tissue-protective and antipathogenic cells with a distinct macrophage signature, suggesting a continuum of steady state’s macrophages. And Cluster 10 containing cells with highly immunomodulatory and T cell suppressive capacities, less distinct macrophage signature, and some similar features to myeloid-derived suppressor cells. This study details the characteristics of host intestinal macrophages that can regulate alloreactive T cells in the small intestinal mucosa, suppress lethal acute GvHD and protect the tissue from inflammatory destruction

image_2_Photoconversion of Alloreactive T Cells in Murine Peyer’s Patches During Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease: Tracking the Homing Route of Highly Proliferative Cells In Vivo.tif

<p>The regulation of immune cell migration throughout the body is essential to warrant immunosurveillance and to maintain immune homeostasis. Marking and tracking of these cells has proven important to study mechanisms of immune cell trafficking and cell interaction in vivo. Photoconversion is a well-suited technique for intravital application because it enables contactless time- and location-specific marking of cells in the tissue without surgically manipulating the microenvironment of the cells in question. However, in dividing cells the converted fluorescent protein may decline quickly. Here, we provide a detailed description of the photoconversion technique and its applicability to tracking highly proliferating T cells from the priming site of T cell activation to peripheral target organs of effector function in a preclinical model. Dendra2⁺ T cells were photoconverted in the Peyer’s patches during the initiation phase of acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and tracked through the mesenteric lymph nodes and the peripheral blood to the small intestine with flow cytometry and intravital two-photon microscopy. Photoconverted alloreactive T cells preserved the full proliferative capacity, homing, and migration of alloreactive T cells in the intestinal lamina propria. We conclusively proved that photoconversion of highly proliferative alloreactive T cells in the Peyer’s patches is an effective tool to study trafficking of alloreactive T cells under physiologic conditions and to GvHD target tissues. This technique can also be applied to the study of immune cell tracking under inflammatory and non-inflammatory conditions.</p

table_1_Photoconversion of Alloreactive T Cells in Murine Peyer’s Patches During Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease: Tracking the Homing Route of Highly Proliferative Cells In Vivo.docx

<p>The regulation of immune cell migration throughout the body is essential to warrant immunosurveillance and to maintain immune homeostasis. Marking and tracking of these cells has proven important to study mechanisms of immune cell trafficking and cell interaction in vivo. Photoconversion is a well-suited technique for intravital application because it enables contactless time- and location-specific marking of cells in the tissue without surgically manipulating the microenvironment of the cells in question. However, in dividing cells the converted fluorescent protein may decline quickly. Here, we provide a detailed description of the photoconversion technique and its applicability to tracking highly proliferating T cells from the priming site of T cell activation to peripheral target organs of effector function in a preclinical model. Dendra2⁺ T cells were photoconverted in the Peyer’s patches during the initiation phase of acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and tracked through the mesenteric lymph nodes and the peripheral blood to the small intestine with flow cytometry and intravital two-photon microscopy. Photoconverted alloreactive T cells preserved the full proliferative capacity, homing, and migration of alloreactive T cells in the intestinal lamina propria. We conclusively proved that photoconversion of highly proliferative alloreactive T cells in the Peyer’s patches is an effective tool to study trafficking of alloreactive T cells under physiologic conditions and to GvHD target tissues. This technique can also be applied to the study of immune cell tracking under inflammatory and non-inflammatory conditions.</p

image_3_Photoconversion of Alloreactive T Cells in Murine Peyer’s Patches During Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease: Tracking the Homing Route of Highly Proliferative Cells In Vivo.tif

<p>The regulation of immune cell migration throughout the body is essential to warrant immunosurveillance and to maintain immune homeostasis. Marking and tracking of these cells has proven important to study mechanisms of immune cell trafficking and cell interaction in vivo. Photoconversion is a well-suited technique for intravital application because it enables contactless time- and location-specific marking of cells in the tissue without surgically manipulating the microenvironment of the cells in question. However, in dividing cells the converted fluorescent protein may decline quickly. Here, we provide a detailed description of the photoconversion technique and its applicability to tracking highly proliferating T cells from the priming site of T cell activation to peripheral target organs of effector function in a preclinical model. Dendra2⁺ T cells were photoconverted in the Peyer’s patches during the initiation phase of acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and tracked through the mesenteric lymph nodes and the peripheral blood to the small intestine with flow cytometry and intravital two-photon microscopy. Photoconverted alloreactive T cells preserved the full proliferative capacity, homing, and migration of alloreactive T cells in the intestinal lamina propria. We conclusively proved that photoconversion of highly proliferative alloreactive T cells in the Peyer’s patches is an effective tool to study trafficking of alloreactive T cells under physiologic conditions and to GvHD target tissues. This technique can also be applied to the study of immune cell tracking under inflammatory and non-inflammatory conditions.</p

image_1_Photoconversion of Alloreactive T Cells in Murine Peyer’s Patches During Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease: Tracking the Homing Route of Highly Proliferative Cells In Vivo.tif

<p>The regulation of immune cell migration throughout the body is essential to warrant immunosurveillance and to maintain immune homeostasis. Marking and tracking of these cells has proven important to study mechanisms of immune cell trafficking and cell interaction in vivo. Photoconversion is a well-suited technique for intravital application because it enables contactless time- and location-specific marking of cells in the tissue without surgically manipulating the microenvironment of the cells in question. However, in dividing cells the converted fluorescent protein may decline quickly. Here, we provide a detailed description of the photoconversion technique and its applicability to tracking highly proliferating T cells from the priming site of T cell activation to peripheral target organs of effector function in a preclinical model. Dendra2⁺ T cells were photoconverted in the Peyer’s patches during the initiation phase of acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and tracked through the mesenteric lymph nodes and the peripheral blood to the small intestine with flow cytometry and intravital two-photon microscopy. Photoconverted alloreactive T cells preserved the full proliferative capacity, homing, and migration of alloreactive T cells in the intestinal lamina propria. We conclusively proved that photoconversion of highly proliferative alloreactive T cells in the Peyer’s patches is an effective tool to study trafficking of alloreactive T cells under physiologic conditions and to GvHD target tissues. This technique can also be applied to the study of immune cell tracking under inflammatory and non-inflammatory conditions.</p