A class II-restricted chlamydia-specific CD8ɣ13 T cell clone protects the genital tract during Chlamydia muridarum infection
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ABSTRACT: The T cell response to Chlamydia genital tract infections in humans and mice is unusual in that the majority of antigen-specific CD8 T cells are not restricted by HLA/MHC class I and therefore have been referred to as “unrestricted” or “atypical”. We previously reported that a subset of unrestricted murine Chlamydia-specific CD8 T cells had an unusual cytokine polarization pattern that included IFN-ɣ and IL-13. For this report, we investigated the transcriptome of Chlamydia-specific CD8ɣ13 T cells, comparing them to Chlamydia-specific multifunctional Tc1 clones using gene expression micro array analysis. The molecular study revealed that CD8ɣ13 polarization included IL-5 in addition to IFN-γ and IL-13. Adoptive transfer studies were performed with Tc1 clone and CD8ɣ13 T cell clones to determine whether either influenced bacterial clearance or immunopathology during Chlamydia muridarum (Cm) genital tract infections. To our surprise, an adoptively transferred CD8ɣ13 T cell clone was remarkably proficient at preventing chlamydia immunopathology while the multifunctional Tc1 clone did not enhance clearance or significantly protect from immunopathology. Mapping studies with MHC class I- and class II-deficient splenocytes showed our previously published Chlamydia-specific CD8 T cell clones are MHC class II-restricted. MHC class II-restricted CD8 T cells may play important roles in protection from intracellular pathogens that limit class I antigen presentation or deplete the CD4 T cell compartment.
Project description:Chlamydia trachomatis serovars A-L cause important diseases of the eyes and reproductive tract by infecting epithelium lining those organs. A major hurdle for vaccine trials is finding a surrogate biomarker for protective immunity. Investigational data argues for T cell biomarker(s) reflecting mucosal adaption, cytokine polarization, B cell help, antibacterial effector mechanisms, or some combination thereof. A human investigation and two mouse studies link IL-13 to protection from infection/immunopathology. We performed RNAseq on T cells resident in spleens and genital tracts (gt) of naturally immune mice. CD4 signatures were consistent with helper function that differed by site including a gt specific Fgl2 signal. The gt CD8 signature featured IL-10 and promotion of healing/scarring with a unique transcription of granzyme A. The RNAseq data was used to refine previously published CD4γ13 and CD8γ13 transcriptomes derived from protective T cell clones, potentially identifying practicable T cell subset signatures for assessing chlamydia vaccine candidates.
Project description:Comparison of a cyclosporine-resistant murine CD8 T cell clone to a cyclosporine-sensitive murine T cell clone during activation (CSA = Cyclosporine A) Chronic allograft rejection is the leading cause of morbidity/mortality in solid organ and bone marrow transplant patients. It occurs in the setting of potent calcineurin and mTOR inhibitor therapies, implying that T cells mediating chronic rejection can function with compromised calcineurin-NFAT or IL-2 receptor signaling pathways. In murine models the T cells mediating allograft rejection in the setting of calcineurin inhibitor therapy are CD8 T cells making IFN-gamma without a requirement for perforin. It is not known whether these pathologic T cells are a unique subset or how they function. In parallel other animal model research has shown that alloepthelial cells residing in the donor organ are critical targets for rejection. While investigating T cell-alloepithelial cell interactions, we discovered an unusual alloreactive CD8 T cell population that recognized MHC class II I-Abm12. A CD8 T cell clone derived from that population was intrinsically-resistant to cyclosporine and rapamycin without prior exposure to either in vivo or in vitro. Microarray analysis comparing the novel CD8 T cell clone to a conventional CD8 CTL clone specific for MHC class I Kbm1 suggested that the TCR signaling pathway responsible for cyclosporine-resistance utilized the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AHR). Two T cell clones x 2 experimental conditions x 4 replicates
Project description:Comparison of a cyclosporine-resistant murine CD8 T cell clone to a cyclosporine-sensitive murine T cell clone during activation (CSA = Cyclosporine A) Chronic allograft rejection is the leading cause of morbidity/mortality in solid organ and bone marrow transplant patients. It occurs in the setting of potent calcineurin and mTOR inhibitor therapies, implying that T cells mediating chronic rejection can function with compromised calcineurin-NFAT or IL-2 receptor signaling pathways. In murine models the T cells mediating allograft rejection in the setting of calcineurin inhibitor therapy are CD8 T cells making IFN-gamma without a requirement for perforin. It is not known whether these pathologic T cells are a unique subset or how they function. In parallel other animal model research has shown that alloepthelial cells residing in the donor organ are critical targets for rejection. While investigating T cell-alloepithelial cell interactions, we discovered an unusual alloreactive CD8 T cell population that recognized MHC class II I-Abm12. A CD8 T cell clone derived from that population was intrinsically-resistant to cyclosporine and rapamycin without prior exposure to either in vivo or in vitro. Microarray analysis comparing the novel CD8 T cell clone to a conventional CD8 CTL clone specific for MHC class I Kbm1 suggested that the TCR signaling pathway responsible for cyclosporine-resistance utilized the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AHR).
Project description:Chlamydia trachomatis urogenital serovars are intracellular bacteria that parasitize human reproductive tract epithelium. As the principal cell type supporting bacterial replication, epithelial cells are central to Chlamydia immunobiology initially as sentries and innate defenders, and subsequently as collaborators in adaptive immunity-mediated bacterial clearance. In asymptomatic individuals who do not seek medical care a decisive struggle between C. trachomatis and host defenses occurs at the epithelial interface. For this study we modeled the immunobiology of epithelial cells and macrophages lining healthy genital mucosa and inflamed/infected mucosa during the transition from innate to adaptive immunity. Upper reproductive tract epithelial cell line responses were compared to bone marrow-derived macrophages utilizing gene expression microarray technology. Those comparisons showed minor differences in the intrinsic innate defenses of macrophages and epithelial cells. Major lineage-specific differences in immunobiology relate to epithelial collaboration with adaptive immunity including an epithelial requirement for inflammatory cytokines to express MHC class II molecules, and a paucity and imbalance between costimulatory and coinhibitory ligands on epithelial cells that potentially limits sterilizing immunity (replication termination) to Chlamydia-specific T cells activated with limited or unconventional second signals. 2 mouse reproductive tract epithelial cell lines compared to bone marrow macrophages untreated vs. treated with inflammatory supernatant (4 replicates each). Contributor: The Indiana University Center for Medical Genomics- Jeanette McClintick
Project description:Comparison of two Chlamydia-specific CD4 T cells that are dependent on iNOS to terminate Chlamydia replication in epithelial cells to two Chlamydia-specific CD4 T cells that are iNOS-independent: Chlamydia trachomatis urogenital serovars replicate predominately in epithelial cells lining the reproductive tract. This tissue tropism poses a unique challenge for the host immune system and vaccine development. Studies utilizing the Chlamydia muridarum mouse model have shown that CD4 T cells are critical and sufficient to clear primary genital tract infections. In vitro studies have shown that CD4 T cells terminate the infection in epithelial cells by up regulating epithelial iNOS transcription and nitric oxide production via IFN-gamma and T cell-epithelial cell interactions mediated by LFA-1-ICAM-1. This mechanism however is not critical as iNOS-deficient mice clear infections normally, and IFN-gamma deficient mice clear 99.9% of the infection with near normal kinetics. We recently showed that a subset of Chlamydia-specific CD4 T cell clones were able to terminate replication in epithelial cells using a mechanism that was independent of iNOS and IFN-gamma. That mechanism did not require physical lysis of infected cells, but instead required T cell degranulation. In this study we advanced that work using gene expression microarrays to compare CD4 T cell clones that are able to terminate epithelial replication via an iNOS-independent mechanism to iNOS-dependent CD4 T cell clones. Micro array experiments showed that Plac8 was differentially expressed by the T cell clones having the iNOS-independent mechanism. Plac8-deficient mice had significantly delayed clearance of C. muridarum genital tract infections, and that the large majority of Plac8-deficient mice treated with the iNOS-inhibitor N-monomethyl-L-arginine (MLA) were unable to resolve a C. muridarum genital tract infection over 8 weeks. These results demonstrate that there are two independent and redundant T cell mechanisms for clearing C. muridarum genital tract infections; one mechanism dependent on iNOS, the other mechanism dependent on Plac8. While T cells subsets have been defined by cytokine profiles, there are important subdivisions by effector functions, in this case CD4Plac8. Gene expression study using 4 experimental groups with 4 replicates each.
Project description:Chlamydia trachomatis urogenital serovars are intracellular bacteria that parasitize human reproductive tract epithelium. As the principal cell type supporting bacterial replication, epithelial cells are central to Chlamydia immunobiology initially as sentries and innate defenders, and subsequently as collaborators in adaptive immunity-mediated bacterial clearance. In asymptomatic individuals who do not seek medical care a decisive struggle between C. trachomatis and host defenses occurs at the epithelial interface. For this study we modeled the immunobiology of epithelial cells and macrophages lining healthy genital mucosa and inflamed/infected mucosa during the transition from innate to adaptive immunity. Upper reproductive tract epithelial cell line responses were compared to bone marrow-derived macrophages utilizing gene expression microarray technology. Those comparisons showed minor differences in the intrinsic innate defenses of macrophages and epithelial cells. Major lineage-specific differences in immunobiology relate to epithelial collaboration with adaptive immunity including an epithelial requirement for inflammatory cytokines to express MHC class II molecules, and a paucity and imbalance between costimulatory and coinhibitory ligands on epithelial cells that potentially limits sterilizing immunity (replication termination) to Chlamydia-specific T cells activated with limited or unconventional second signals.
Project description:Comparison of two Chlamydia-specific CD4 T cells that are dependent on iNOS to terminate Chlamydia replication in epithelial cells to two Chlamydia-specific CD4 T cells that are iNOS-independent: Chlamydia trachomatis urogenital serovars replicate predominately in epithelial cells lining the reproductive tract. This tissue tropism poses a unique challenge for the host immune system and vaccine development. Studies utilizing the Chlamydia muridarum mouse model have shown that CD4 T cells are critical and sufficient to clear primary genital tract infections. In vitro studies have shown that CD4 T cells terminate the infection in epithelial cells by up regulating epithelial iNOS transcription and nitric oxide production via IFN-gamma and T cell-epithelial cell interactions mediated by LFA-1-ICAM-1. This mechanism however is not critical as iNOS-deficient mice clear infections normally, and IFN-gamma deficient mice clear 99.9% of the infection with near normal kinetics. We recently showed that a subset of Chlamydia-specific CD4 T cell clones were able to terminate replication in epithelial cells using a mechanism that was independent of iNOS and IFN-gamma. That mechanism did not require physical lysis of infected cells, but instead required T cell degranulation. In this study we advanced that work using gene expression microarrays to compare CD4 T cell clones that are able to terminate epithelial replication via an iNOS-independent mechanism to iNOS-dependent CD4 T cell clones. Micro array experiments showed that Plac8 was differentially expressed by the T cell clones having the iNOS-independent mechanism. Plac8-deficient mice had significantly delayed clearance of C. muridarum genital tract infections, and that the large majority of Plac8-deficient mice treated with the iNOS-inhibitor N-monomethyl-L-arginine (MLA) were unable to resolve a C. muridarum genital tract infection over 8 weeks. These results demonstrate that there are two independent and redundant T cell mechanisms for clearing C. muridarum genital tract infections; one mechanism dependent on iNOS, the other mechanism dependent on Plac8. While T cells subsets have been defined by cytokine profiles, there are important subdivisions by effector functions, in this case CD4Plac8.
Project description:Dendritic cells (DCs) process and present self and foreign antigens to induce tolerance or immunity. In vitro models suggest that induction of immunity is controlled by regulating the presentation of antigen, but little is known about how DCs control antigen presentation in vivo. To examine antigen processing and presentation in vivo we specifically targeted antigens to the two major subsets of DCs using chimeric monoclonal antibodies. Unlike CD8+ DCs that express the cell surface protein CD205, CD8- DCs, which are positive for the 33D1 antigen, are specialized for presentation on MHC class II. This difference in antigen processing is intrinsic to the DC subsets and associated with increased expression of proteins associated with MHC processing. Experiment Overall Design: This study includes data from cell sort purified dendritic cells, B cells and CD4 and CD8 T cells. The genearray was performed to identify the transmembrane molecule recognized by the antibody 33D1. The antibody 33D1 binds specifically to CD8-CD11cHigh DCs in the spleen. Therfore the data set was reduced in this way that all molecules that are expressed either in CD8=CD11cHigh DCs, B cells and T cells were diminished of the CD8+CD11cHigh DC data set. This Genearray was also used to analyze MHC class I and MHC class II associated moelcules as the DC subsets differ in the antigen presentation. Each Series consists of 3 individuall samples
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of human epithelial cell line (HL) infected with Chlamydia penumoniae compared to control cells at time points 12h, 24h, 48h, 72h after the infection. Keywords: Chlamydia peneumoniae infection