Comparison of young and aged mouse CD8 TN, TVM and TMEM cells directly ex vivo and after polyclonal stimulation
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ABSTRACT: The overall study (Quinn et al. Cell Reports, 2018) aimed to understand why CD8 virtual memory T (TVM) cells become markedly less proliferative in response to TCR-driven signals with increasing age, whereas CD8 true naive (TN) cells maintain their proliferative capacity. Age-associated decreases in primary CD8+ T cell responses occur, in part, due to direct effects on naïve CD8++ T cells to reduce intrinsic functionality, but the precise nature of this defect remains undefined. Ageing also causes accumulation of antigen-naïve but semi-differentiated “virtual memory” (TVM) cells but their contribution to age-related functional decline is unclear. Here, we show that TVM cells are poorly proliferative in aged mice and humans, despite being highly proliferative in young individuals, while conventional naïve T cells (TN cells) retain proliferative capacity in both aged mice and humans. Adoptive transfer experiments in mice illustrated that naïve CD8 T cells can acquire a proliferative defect imposed by the aged environment but age-related proliferative dysfunction could not be rescued by a young environment. Molecular analyses demonstrate that aged TVM cells exhibit a profile consistent with senescence, marking the first description of senescence in an antigenically naïve T cell population.
Project description:The reciprocal decline in naive (TN) and increase in virtual (TVM) and true memory (TTM) CD8 T-cell frequencies upon aging is incompletely understood. We established the glycosphingolipid asialo-GM1 (AsGM1) marker present on >70% of TVM/TTM and 5-15% TN to target their immune-regulatory and homeostatic potential. We identified a novel AsGM1+ old CD8 TN-subset that was related to antigen-experienced AsGM1+ CD8 TTM and showed an initial immune-regulatory (Pdcd1, Il10) gene expression signature. The program for AsGM1+ CD8 T-subsets was imprinted genetically in young and old hematopoietic stem cells that reconstitute young and old donor-type immune systems in lymphophenic RAG1-/- mice within 16 weeks, respectively. However, antibody-mediated depletion of AsGM1+ T cells in old mice revealed a disturbed recovery of CD8 TVM resulting in a rejuvenated T-subset composition and T-cell priming capacity upon DNA-vaccination. Old CD8 TVM and IL10+ PD-1+ TTM exerted immune-regulatory functions and suppressed CD3/CD28-mediated activation of TN in vitro. Glycosphingolipids thus are attractive to identify and target novel T-subsets.
Project description:Parasitic helminths induce the production of interleukin (IL)-4 which causes the expansion of virtual memory CD8+ T cells (TVM), a cell subset contributing to the control of viral coinfection. However, the mechanisms regulating IL-4-dependent TVM activation and expansion during worm infection remain ill defined. We used single-cell RNA sequencing of CD8+ T cells to investigate IL-4-dependent TVM responses upon helminth infection in mice. Gene signature analysis of CD8+ T cells identified a cell cluster marked by CD22, a canonical regulator of B cell activation, as a specific and selective surface marker of IL-4-induced TVM cells. CD22+ TVM were enriched for IFN-γ and granzyme A and retained a diverse TCR repertoire, while enriched in CDR3 sequences with features of self-reactivity. Deletion of CD22 expression in CD8+ T cells enhanced TVM responses to helminth infection, indicating that this inhibitory receptor modulates TVM responses. Thus, helminth-induced IL-4 drives the expansion and activation of self-reactive TVM in the periphery that is counter-inhibited by CD22
Project description:Virtual memory T (TVM) cells are a T-cell subtype that exhibit a memory phenotype without prior exposure to a foreign antigen. Although several recent studies suggest that TVM cells exert anti-viral and anti-bacterial function, pathological roles of TVM cells causing inflammatory diseases have not been studied. Here, we identified a novel CD8+ T-cell subset (CD44s-hiCD49dlo CD8+ T cells), which is originated from TVM cells and can cause a chronic inflammatory disease, alopecia areata (AA). In the skin of alopecic mice, we detected a distinct TVM-cell subpopulation characterized by superior expression of CD44 and features of tissue residency, which was transcriptionally, phenotypically, and functionally distinct from conventional CD8+ TVM cells. Mechanistically, this cell population could be induced from conventional TVM cells by IL-12, IL-15, and IL-18 stimulation. Moreover, the pathological activity of CD44s-hiCD49dlo CD8+ T cells was mediated by NKG2D-depedent innate-like cytotoxicity against target cells, which was further augmented by IL-15 stimulation and triggered the onset of disease. Collectively, our results suggest a new immunological mechanism through which TVM cells can cause chronic inflammatory disease by innate-like cytotoxicity.
Project description:Virtual memory T (TVM) cells are a T-cell subtype that exhibit a memory phenotype without prior exposure to a foreign antigen. Although several recent studies suggest that TVM cells exert anti-viral and anti-bacterial function, pathological roles of TVM cells causing inflammatory diseases have not been studied. Here, we identified a novel CD8+ T-cell subset (CD44s-hiCD49dlo CD8+ T cells), which is originated from TVM cells and can cause a chronic inflammatory disease, alopecia areata (AA). In the skin of alopecic mice, we detected a distinct TVM-cell subpopulation characterized by superior expression of CD44 and features of tissue residency, which was transcriptionally, phenotypically, and functionally distinct from conventional CD8+ TVM cells. Mechanistically, this cell population could be induced from conventional TVM cells by IL-12, IL-15, and IL-18 stimulation. Moreover, the pathological activity of CD44s-hiCD49dlo CD8+ T cells was mediated by NKG2D-depedent innate-like cytotoxicity against target cells, which was further augmented by IL-15 stimulation and triggered the onset of disease. Collectively, our results suggest a new immunological mechanism through which TVM cells can cause chronic inflammatory disease by innate-like cytotoxicity.
Project description:A primary immune response is typically initiated in secondary lymphoid organs. Virtual memory CD8+ T (TVM) cells are antigen-inexperienced T cells of a central-memory phenotype, acquired through self antigen-driven homeostatic proliferation. Unexpectedly, here we find that, TVM cells are composed of CCR2+ and CCR2- subsets that differentially elaborate a spectrum of effector- and memory-poised functions directly in the tissue. During a primary flu infection, TVM cells rapidly infiltrate the lung in the first day and execute early viral control. TVM cells that recognize viral antigen are retained in the tissue, clonally expand independent of secondary lymphoid organs, and preferentially give rise to tissue-resident memory cells. By orchestrating an extra-lymphoid primary response, heterogenous TVM cells bridge innate reaction and adaptive memory directly in the infected tissue.
Project description:An early-differentiated CD8+ memory T cell subset with stem cell-like properties (TSCM) can be identified within the naïve-like T cell population by the expression of CD95/Fas. Based on experiments including exon- and gene-level expression analysis, we provide evidence that this subset of antigen-specific cells represents an early precursor of conventional central (TCM) and effector (TEM) memory CD8+ T cells with enhanced self-renewal capacity and proliferative potential. We identified 900 genes differentially expressed between major T cell subsets defined along with memory T cell commitment. Based on the analysis of these genes, CD95+ naïve T cells (TSCM) cluster closer to the CD8+ T memory compartment than to classical (CD95-) naïve T (TN) cells, and display an intermittent phenotype between classical TN and TCM cells in terms of all major T cell differentiation markers analyzed.
Project description:An early-differentiated CD8+ memory T cell subset with stem cell-like properties (TSCM) can be identified within the naïve-like T cell population by the expression of CD95/Fas. Based on experiments including exon- and gene-level expression analysis, we provide evidence that this subset of antigen-specific cells represents an early precursor of conventional central (TCM) and effector (TEM) memory CD8+ T cells with enhanced self-renewal capacity and proliferative potential. We identified 900 genes differentially expressed between major T cell subsets defined along with memory T cell commitment. Based on the analysis of these genes, CD95+ naïve T cells (TSCM) cluster closer to the CD8+ T memory compartment than to classical (CD95-) naïve T (TN) cells, and display an intermittent phenotype between classical TN and TCM cells in terms of all major T cell differentiation markers analyzed. Three healthy human blood donors provided lymphocyte-enriched apheresis blood for this study after informed consent. From all samples, total RNA was isolated using an RNEasy Micro kit (Qiagen), processed by Ambion’s WT expression kit, fragmented and labeled with a WT Terminal Labeling Kit (Affymetrix), hybridized to WT Human Gene 1.0 ST arrays (Affymetrix) and stained on a Genechip Fluidics Station 450 (Affymetrix), all according to the respective manufacturer's instructions. Samples represent "exon-level" and "gene-level" analyses.
Project description:<p>The efficacy of the adaptive immune response declines dramatically with age, but the cell-intrinsic mechanisms driving the changes characteristic of immune aging in humans remain poorly understood. One hallmark of immune aging is the loss of self-renewing naive cells and the accumulation of differentiated but dysfunctional cells within the CD8 T cell compartment. Using ATAC-seq, we first inferred the transcription factor binding activities that maintain the naive and central and effector memory CD8 T cell states in young adults. Integrating our results with RNA-seq, we determined that BATF, ETS1, Eomes, and Sp1 govern transcription networks associated with specific CD8 T cell subset properties, including activation and proliferative potential. Extending our analysis to aged humans, we found that the differences between memory and naive CD8 T cells were largely preserved across age, but that naive and central memory cells from older individuals exhibited a shift toward a more differentiated pattern of chromatin openness. Additionally, aged naive cells displayed a loss in chromatin openness at gene promoters, a phenomenon that appears to be due largely to a loss in binding by NRF1, leading to a marked drop-off in the ability of the naive cell to initiate transcription of mitochondrial genes. Our findings identify BATF- and NRF1-driven gene regulation as targets for delaying CD8 T cell aging and restoring T cell function.</p>
Project description:T cells are endowed with the capacity to sense their environment including other T cells 48 around them. They do so to set their numbers and activation thresholds. This form of regulation has been well-studied within a given T cell population – i.e., within the naïve or memory pool; however, less is known about the cross-talk between T cell subsets. Here, we tested whether memory T cells interact with and influence surrounding naïve T cells. We report that human naïve CD8 T cells (TN) undergo phenotypic and transcriptional changes in the presence of autologous activated-memory CD8 T cells (TMem). Following in vitro co-culture with activated central memory cells (TCM), ~3% of the TN acquired activation/memory canonical markers (CD45RO and CD95) in an MHC-I dependent-fashion. Using scRNA-seq, we also observed that ~3% of the TN acquired an activated/memory signature, while ~84% developed a unique activated transcriptional profile hybrid between naïve and activated memory. Pseudotime trajectory analysis provided further evidence that TN with an activated/memory or hybrid phenotype were derived from TN. Our data reveal a non-cytotoxic function of TMem with potential to activate autologous TN into the activated/memory pool. These findings may have implications for host-protection and autoimmunity that arises after vaccination, infection or transplantation