A central role for hepatic conventional dendritic cells in supporting Th2 responses during helminth infection

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the key initiators of T-helper (Th) 2 immune responses against the parasitic helminth Schistosoma mansoni. Although the liver is one of the main sites of antigen deposition during infection with this parasite, it is not yet clear how distinct DC subtypes in this tissue respond to S. mansoni antigens in vivo, or how the liver microenvironment might influence DC function during establishment of the Th2 response. In this study, we show that hepatic DC subsets undergo distinct activation processes in vivo following murine infection with S. mansoni. Conventional DCs (cDCs) from schistosome-infected mice upregulated expression of the costimulatory molecule CD40 and were capable of priming naive CD4+ T cells, whereas plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) upregulated expression of MHC class II, CD86 and CD40 but were unable to support the expansion of either naive or effector/memory CD4+ T cells. Importantly, in vivo depletion of pDCs revealed that this subset was dispensable for either maintenance or regulation of the hepatic Th2 effector response during acute S. mansoni infection. Our data provides strong evidence that S. mansoni infection favors the establishment of an immunogenic, rather than tolerogenic, liver microenvironment that conditions cDCs to initiate and maintain Th2 immunity in the context of ongoing antigen exposure

Adipose tissue macrophage heterogeneity and the role of Tim4⁺ macrophages in lipid homeostasis

Resident macrophages are essential for the maintenance of tissue homeostasis as they participate in clearance of apoptotic cells and tissue remodelling and repair. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in the study of adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs). In lean individuals, ATMs are important for the control of insulin sensitivity, thermogenesis, angiogenesis and adipose tissue development. In obesity, the number and phenotype of ATMs is altered, and is associated with chronic low grade systemic and local inflammation. These “pro-inflammatory” changes are postulated to contribute to the manifestation of metabolic syndrome. These findings have suggested that the pool of ATMs is heterogeneous and may change, especially during obesity. To date, the characterisation of ATMs has been limited largely to the F4/80/CD11b markers, however the hypothesis of this thesis is that ATMs have distinct phenotype and function that could influence, in different ways, tissue homeostasis. This thesis aims to characterise and phenotype ATM subsets in order to better understand their potential specific role in the tissue. During the course of this research, a novel population of Tim4+ resident ATMs were identified. An additional aim of this thesis was to elucidate their role in adipose tissue homeostasis. Partial bone marrow chimeras were used to identify macrophage origin. The main AT depots were shielded from irradiation and a donor BM was injected intravenously. After 8 weeks, the origin of macrophages was analysed using flow cytometry. Tim4, a phosphatidylserine receptor mediating phagocytosis of apoptotic cells and a marker found on resident macrophages in other tissues, was used for the first time in adipose tissue. Four subsets of ATMs were identified: F4/80highCD11c-Tim4+, F4/80highCD11c- Tim4-; F4/80lowCD11c+Tim4-; F4/80lowCD11c-Tim4-. Interestingly, this newly described F4/80highTim4+ ATM subset showed the lowest non-host chimerism compared to the other ATMs, suggesting this is a main self-replenishing resident ATM population. To study the impact of obesity on ATM turnover, partial chimeric mice were fed HFD for 8 weeks. This increased the number of macrophages in AT. However, the different subsets of ATMs were differentially affected by the diet. Indeed, only a small proportion of Tim4+ ATMs derived from the bone marrow. In contrast, replenishment of the 3 other subsets was almost fully dependent on the arrival of monocyte-derived cells from the bone marrow. TIMD4, the gene encoding for Tim4, has been highlighted in genetic studies as being linked with dyslipidaemia. This suggests that Tim4+ ATMs might play a role in lipid homeostasis. Further characterisation of Tim4 ATMs demonstrated that these Tim4+ ATMs are highly charged in neutral lipid, and also have an increased lysosomal activity (shown by lysotracker staining) compared to the other ATM subsets. Using blocking anti-Tim4 antibodies in vivo, I found that Tim4 contributed markedly to free fatty acid (FFA) release into the plasma after short-term and long term HFD feeding. In addition, in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that Tim4 could be required for the uptake of neutral lipids and their integration into lysosomes for degradation, though this seems to be dependent on the nature of the lipid. Collectively, these results indicate that Tim4 plays a crucial role in the control of lipid trafficking under conditions when dietary lipid is in excess. Tim4 allows uptake of lipids by Tim4+ ATMs and subsequent release of FFA into the circulation. Finally, the presence of Tim4+ lipid laden ATMs was demonstrated in the human omentum. This finding may lead to the discovery of new targets to improve metabolic health in obese patients. This work stresses the importance of resident ATM population in body lipid homeostasis as they could be involved in coping with lipid availability in the body and influence the amount of FFA in the plasma

Local amplifiers of IL-4Rα-mediated macrophage activation promote repair in lung and liver

The type 2 immune response controls helminth infection and maintains tissue homeostasis but can lead to allergy and fibrosis if not adequately regulated. We have discovered local tissue-specific amplifiers of type 2-mediated macrophage activation. In the lung, surfactant protein A (SP-A) enhanced interleukin-4 (IL-4)-dependent macrophage proliferation and activation, accelerating parasite clearance and reducing pulmonary injury after infection with a lung-migrating helminth. In the peritoneal cavity and liver, C1q enhancement of type 2 macrophage activation was required for liver repair after bacterial infection, but resulted in fibrosis after peritoneal dialysis. IL-4 drives production of these structurally related defense collagens, SP-A and C1q, and the expression of their receptor, myosin 18A. These findings reveal the existence within different tissues of an amplification system needed for local type 2 responses

Vi polysaccharide and conjugated vaccines afford similar early, IgM or IgG-independent control of infection but boosting with conjugated Vi vaccines sustains the efficacy of immune responses

IntroductionVaccination with Vi capsular polysaccharide (Vi-PS) or protein-Vi typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) can protect adults against Salmonella Typhi infections. TCVs offer better protection than Vi-PS in infants and may offer better protection in adults. Potential reasons for why TCV may be superior in adults are not fully understood.Methods and resultsHere, we immunized wild-type (WT) mice and mice deficient in IgG or IgM with Vi-PS or TCVs (Vi conjugated to tetanus toxoid or CRM197) for up to seven months, with and without subsequent challenge with Vi-expressing Salmonella Typhimurium. Unexpectedly, IgM or IgG alone were similarly able to reduce bacterial burdens in tissues, and this was observed in response to conjugated or unconjugated Vi vaccines and was independent of antibody being of high affinity. Only in the longer-term after immunization (>5 months) were differences observed in tissue bacterial burdens of mice immunized with Vi-PS or TCV. These differences related to the maintenance of antibody responses at higher levels in mice boosted with TCV, with the rate of fall in IgG titres induced to Vi-PS being greater than for TCV.DiscussionTherefore, Vi-specific IgM or IgG are independently capable of protecting from infection and any superior protection from vaccination with TCV in adults may relate to responses being able to persist better rather than from differences in the antibody isotypes induced. These findings suggest that enhancing our understanding of how responses to vaccines are maintained may inform on how to maximize protection afforded by conjugate vaccines against encapsulated pathogens such as S. Typhi.</p

Control of innate-like B cell location for compartmentalised IgM production

Natural IgM are crucial for early protection against infection and play an important homeostatic function by clearing dead cells. The production of IgM is ensured by a population of B cells with innate-like properties: their response is rapidly activated by innate signals early during the onset of infection. The main reservoir of innate-like B cells (IBCs) are the serous cavities, but their maintenance and activation depends on their relocation to a variety of lymphoid tissues. Recent advances indicate that fat-associated lymphoid clusters (FALCs) and milky spots contribute to local IgM secretion and play a central role in the localisation and regulation of IBC function

Enhanced prefrontal serotonin 5-HT1A currents in a mouse model of Williams-Beuren syndrome with low innate anxiety

Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by the hemizygous deletion of 28 genes on chromosome 7, including the general transcription factor GTF2IRD1. Mice either hemizygously (Gtf2ird1+/−) or homozygously (Gtf2ird1−/−) deleted for this transcription factor exhibit low innate anxiety, low aggression and increased social interaction, a phenotype that shares similarities to the high sociability and disinhibition seen in individuals with WBS. Here, we investigated the inhibitory effects of serotonin (5-HT) on the major output neurons of the prefrontal cortex in Gtf2ird1−/− mice and their wildtype (WT) siblings. Prefrontal 5-HT receptors are known to modulate anxiety-like behaviors, and the Gtf2ird1−/− mice have altered 5-HT metabolism in prefrontal cortex. Using whole cell recording from layer V neurons in acute brain slices of prefrontal cortex, we found that 5-HT elicited significantly larger inhibitory, outward currents in Gtf2ird1−/− mice than in WT controls. In both genotypes, these currents were resistant to action potential blockade with TTX and were suppressed by the selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY-100635, suggesting that they are mediated directly by 5-HT1A receptors on the recorded neurons. Control experiments suggest a degree of layer and receptor specificity in this enhancement since 5-HT1A receptor-mediated responses in layer II/III pyramidal neurons were unchanged as were responses mediated by two other inhibitory receptors in layer V pyramidal neurons. Furthermore, we demonstrate GTF2IRD1 protein expression by neurons in layer V of the prefrontal cortex. Our finding that 5-HT1A-mediated responses are selectively enhanced in layer V pyramidal neurons of Gtf2ird1−/− mice gives insight into the cellular mechanisms that underlie reduced innate anxiety and increased sociability in these mice, and may be relevant to the low social anxiety and disinhibition in patients with WBS and their sensitivity to serotonergic medicines

Macrophage origin limits functional plasticity in helminth-bacterial co-infection

Rapid reprogramming of the macrophage activation phenotype is considered important in the defense against consecutive infection with diverse infectious agents. However, in the setting of persistent, chronic infection the functional importance of macrophage-intrinsic adaptation to changing environments vs. recruitment of new macrophages remains unclear. Here we show that resident peritoneal macrophages expanded by infection with the nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus bakeri altered their activation phenotype in response to infection with Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium in vitro and in vivo. The nematode-expanded resident F4/80high macrophages efficiently upregulated bacterial induced effector molecules (e.g. MHC-II, NOS2) similarly to newly recruited monocyte-derived macrophages. Nonetheless, recruitment of blood monocyte-derived macrophages to Salmonella infection occurred with equal magnitude in co-infected animals and caused displacement of the nematode-expanded, tissue resident-derived macrophages from the peritoneal cavity. Global gene expression analysis revealed that although nematode-expanded resident F4/80high macrophages made an anti-bacterial response, this was muted as compared to newly recruited F4/80low macrophages. However, the F4/80high macrophages adopted unique functional characteristics that included enhanced neutrophil-stimulating chemokine production. Thus, our data provide important evidence that plastic adaptation of MΦ activation does occur in vivo, but that cellular plasticity is outweighed by functional capabilities specific to the tissue origin of the cell

Abstracts from the NIHR INVOLVE Conference 2017

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The Science Performance of JWST as Characterized in Commissioning

This paper characterizes the actual science performance of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), as determined from the six month commissioning period. We summarize the performance of the spacecraft, telescope, science instruments, and ground system, with an emphasis on differences from pre-launch expectations. Commissioning has made clear that JWST is fully capable of achieving the discoveries for which it was built. Moreover, almost across the board, the science performance of JWST is better than expected; in most cases, JWST will go deeper faster than expected. The telescope and instrument suite have demonstrated the sensitivity, stability, image quality, and spectral range that are necessary to transform our understanding of the cosmos through observations spanning from near-earth asteroids to the most distant galaxies

The development and validation of a scoring tool to predict the operative duration of elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Background: The ability to accurately predict operative duration has the potential to optimise theatre efficiency and utilisation, thus reducing costs and increasing staff and patient satisfaction. With laparoscopic cholecystectomy being one of the most commonly performed procedures worldwide, a tool to predict operative duration could be extremely beneficial to healthcare organisations. Methods: Data collected from the CholeS study on patients undergoing cholecystectomy in UK and Irish hospitals between 04/2014 and 05/2014 were used to study operative duration. A multivariable binary logistic regression model was produced in order to identify significant independent predictors of long (> 90 min) operations. The resulting model was converted to a risk score, which was subsequently validated on second cohort of patients using ROC curves. Results: After exclusions, data were available for 7227 patients in the derivation (CholeS) cohort. The median operative duration was 60 min (interquartile range 45–85), with 17.7% of operations lasting longer than 90 min. Ten factors were found to be significant independent predictors of operative durations > 90 min, including ASA, age, previous surgical admissions, BMI, gallbladder wall thickness and CBD diameter. A risk score was then produced from these factors, and applied to a cohort of 2405 patients from a tertiary centre for external validation. This returned an area under the ROC curve of 0.708 (SE = 0.013, p  90 min increasing more than eightfold from 5.1 to 41.8% in the extremes of the score. Conclusion: The scoring tool produced in this study was found to be significantly predictive of long operative durations on validation in an external cohort. As such, the tool may have the potential to enable organisations to better organise theatre lists and deliver greater efficiencies in care