Multiplexed imaging of human tuberculosis granulomas uncovers immunoregulatory features conserved across tissue and blood

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is distinctly characterized by granuloma formation within infected tissues. Granulomas are dynamic and organized immune cell aggregates that limit dissemination, but can also hinder bacterial clearance. Consequently, outcome in TB is influenced by how granuloma structure and composition shift the balance between these two functions. To date, our understanding of what factors drive granuloma function in humans is limited. With this in mind, we used Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging by Time-of-Flight (MIBI-TOF) to profile 37 proteins in tissues from thirteen patients with active TB disease from the U.S. and South Africa. With this dataset, we constructed a comprehensive tissue atlas where the lineage, functional state, and spatial distribution of 19 unique cell subsets were mapped onto eight phenotypically-distinct granuloma microenvironments. This work revealed an immunosuppressed microenvironment specific to TB granulomas with spatially coordinated co-expression of IDO1 and PD-L1 by myeloid cells and proliferating regulatory T cells. Interestingly, this microenvironment lacked markers consistent with T-cell activation, supporting a myeloid-mediated mechanism of immune suppression. We observed similar trends in gene expression of immunoregulatory proteins in a confirmatory transcriptomic analysis of peripheral blood collected from over 1500 individuals with latent or active TB infection and healthy controls across 29 cohorts spanning 14 countries. Notably, PD-L1 gene expression was found to correlate with TB progression and treatment response, supporting its potential use as a blood-based biomarker. Taken together, this study serves as a framework for leveraging independent cohorts and complementary methodologies to understand how local and systemic immune responses are linked in human health and disease

Multiplexed imaging of human tuberculosis granulomas uncovers immunoregulatory features conserved across tissue and blood

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is distinctly characterized by granuloma formation within infected tissues. Granulomas are dynamic and organized immune cell aggregates that limit dissemination, but can also hinder bacterial clearance. Consequently, outcome in TB is influenced by how granuloma structure and composition shift the balance between these two functions. To date, our understanding of what factors drive granuloma function in humans is limited. With this in mind, we used Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging by Time-of-Flight (MIBI-TOF) to profile 37 proteins in tissues from thirteen patients with active TB disease from the U.S. and South Africa. With this dataset, we constructed a comprehensive tissue atlas where the lineage, functional state, and spatial distribution of 19 unique cell subsets were mapped onto eight phenotypically-distinct granuloma microenvironments. This work revealed an immunosuppressed microenvironment specific to TB granulomas with spatially coordinated co-expression of IDO1 and PD-L1 by myeloid cells and proliferating regulatory T cells. Interestingly, this microenvironment lacked markers consistent with T-cell activation, supporting a myeloid-mediated mechanism of immune suppression. We observed similar trends in gene expression of immunoregulatory proteins in a confirmatory transcriptomic analysis of peripheral blood collected from over 1500 individuals with latent or active TB infection and healthy controls across 29 cohorts spanning 14 countries. Notably, PD-L1 gene expression was found to correlate with TB progression and treatment response, supporting its potential use as a blood-based biomarker. Taken together, this study serves as a framework for leveraging independent cohorts and complementary methodologies to understand how local and systemic immune responses are linked in human health and disease

Computational horizons in cancer (CHIC) : developing meta- and hyper-multiscale models and repositories for in Silico Oncology - a brief technical outline of the project

This paper briefly outlines the aim, the objectives, the architecture and the main building blocks of the ongoing large scale integrating transatlantic research project CHIC (http://chic-vph.eu/)

Cyclodextrin Complexes of Reduced Bromonoscapine in Guar Gum Microspheres Enhance Colonic Drug Delivery

Here, we report improved solubility and enhanced colonic delivery of reduced bromonoscapine (Red-Br-Nos), a cyclic ether brominated analogue of noscapine, upon encapsulation of its cyclodextrin (CD) complexes in bioresponsive guar gum microspheres (GGM). Phase−solubility analysis suggested that Red-Br-Nos complexed with β-CD and methyl-β-CD in a 1:1 stoichiometry, with a stability constant (Kc) of 2.29 × 103 M−1 and 4.27 × 103 M−1. Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy indicated entrance of an O−CH2 or OCH3−C6H4−OCH3 moiety of Red-Br-Nos in the β-CD or methyl-β- CD cavity. Furthermore, the cage complex of Red-Br-Nos with β-CD and methyl-β-CD was validated by several spectral techniques. Rotating frame Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy revealed that the Ha proton of the OCH3−C6H4−OCH3 moiety was closer to the H5 proton of β-CD and the H3 proton of the methyl-β-CD cavity. The solubility of Red-Br-Nos in phosphate buffer saline (PBS, pH ∼ 7.4) was improved by ∼10.7-fold and ∼21.2-fold when mixed with β-CD and methyl-β-CD, respectively. This increase in solubility led to a favorable decline in the IC50 by ∼2-fold and ∼3-fold for Red-Br-Nos−β-CD-GGM and Red-Br-Nos−methyl-β-CD-GGM formulations respectively, compared to free Red-Br-Nos−β-CD and Red-Br-Nos−methyl-β-CD in human colon HT-29 cells. GGM-bearing drug complex formulations were found to be highly cytotoxic to the HT-29 cell line and further effective with simultaneous continuous release of Red-Br-Nos from microspheres. This is the first study to showing the preparation of drug-complex loaded GGMS for colon delivery of Red-Br-Nos that warrants preclinical assessment for the effective management of colon cancer

Regulation of the transfected Na+/H+-exchanger NHE3 in MDCK cells by vasotocin.

NHE3 is most likely the isoform involved in renal reabsorption of HCO3- and Na+. The functional properties of the "cloned" NHE3 isoform, including its transport regulation by extra- and intracellular stimuli, have so far been studied using non-epithelial expression systems. In the present report we stably transfected NHE3 cDNA (rabbit isoform) into Madin-Darby canine kidney cells (MDCK) cells and compared the sensitivity to inhibitors and the regulation of the Na+/H+-exchanger by vasotocin in NHE3 transfectants to that of the intrinsic basolateral Na+/H+-exchanger in untransfected and control transfected MDCK cells. By Southern blot analysis we documented that the NHE3 transcript is expressed in NHE3 transfectants. Na+/H+-exchange activity, measured as sodium-dependent recovery of intracellular pH from an acid load using 2', 7'-bis(carboxymethyl)-5(6)-carboxy-fluorescein (BCECF), was equally present at the basolateral cell surface of all cell lines; however, NHE3 transfectants demonstrated transport activity in the apical membrane that was significantly higher than that in untransfected or control transfected MDCK cells. Studies with ethylisopropylamiloride (EIPA) have shown that there is a similar sensitivity to inhibitors of the apical and/or basolateral Na+/H+-exchanger in transfected and untransfected MDCK cell lines. In contrast, the apical Na+/H+-exchanger (as compared to the basolateral Na+/H+-exchanger) of NHE3 transfectants was found to be relatively insensitive to the inhibitor HOE 694. Vasotocin decreased the activity of the apical Na+/H+-exchanger in NHE3 transfectants and stimulated the activity of the basolateral Na+/H+-exchanger in transfected (with NHE3 or pMAMneo) and untransfected MDCK cells. Phorbol ester, as expected, increased the activity of the Na+/H+-exchanger in the basolateral membrane of all cell lines; also, it stimulated transport activity at the apical cell surface of NHE3 transfectants. No change of Na+/H+-exchange activities was seen in studies with 8-bromo-cAMP. The PKC inhibitor calphostin C completely suppressed regulation of the apical and/or basolateral Na+/H+-exchanger by vasotocin, it partially blocked activation of the apical Na+/H+-exchanger in NHE3 transfectants by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), and completely blocked stimulation of basolateral Na+/H+-exchanger by PMA. Consistent with a V1 receptor action, the effects of vasotocin in NHE3 transfectants and in MDCK cells were blocked by the V1 receptor antagonist, d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)-AVP, but were not reproduced by the V2 receptor agonist desmopressin. It is concluded that NHE3 in the apical membrane of NHE3-transfected MDCK cells contributes to the differential regulation of the apical and basolateral Na+/H+-exchanger by vasotocin; NHE3 is inhibited and endogenous Na+/H+-exchange activity is stimulated by vasotocin via V1 receptor activation of the protein kinase C pathway