Direct probing of germinal center responses reveals immunological features and bottlenecks for nAb responses to an engineered HIV trimer
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ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Macaca mulatta
PROVIDER: GSE89148 | GEO | 2016/12/31
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA350404
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:A range of current candidate AIDS vaccine regimens are focused on generating protective HIV neutralizing antibody responses. Many of these efforts rely on the rhesus macaque animal model. Understanding how protective antibody responses develop and how to increase their efficacy are both major knowledge gaps. Germinal centers (GC) are the engines of antibody affinity maturation. GC T follicular helper (GC Tfh) CD4 T cells are required for GCs. Studying vaccine-specific GC Tfh cells after protein immunizations has been challenging, as antigen-specific GC Tfh cells are difficult to identify by conventional intracellular cytokine staining (ICS). Cytokine production by GC Tfh cells may be intrinsically limited in comparison to other T helper effector cells, as the biological role of a GC Tfh cell is to provide help to individual B cells within the GC, rather than secreting large amounts of cytokines bathing a tissue. To test this idea, we developed a cytokine-independent method to identify antigen-specific GC Tfh cells. RNAseq was performed using TCR stimulated GC Tfh cells to identify candidate markers based on differentially expressed genes and other criteria. Validation experiments determined CD25 (IL2Ra) and OX40 to be highly upregulated activation induced markers on the surface of GC Tfh cells after stimulation. In comparison to ICS, the activation induced marker (AIM) assay identified > 10-fold more antigen-specific GC Tfh cells in HIV Env protein immunized macaques (BG505 SOSIP). Additionally, the AIM assay detected antigen-specific CXCR5+ and CXCR5- CD4 T cells in peripheral blood. Thus, AIM demonstrates that antigen-specific GC Tfh cells are intrinsically stingy producers of cytokines, which is likely an essential part of their biological function. Total RNA obtained from GC Tfh cells from 3 rhesus macaque lymph node cell samples stimulated with Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B compared with 2 unstimulated cell samples.
2016-09-07 | E-GEOD-81382 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:A range of current candidate AIDS vaccine regimens are focused on generating protective HIV neutralizing antibody responses. Many of these efforts rely on the rhesus macaque animal model. Understanding how protective antibody responses develop and how to increase their efficacy are both major knowledge gaps. Germinal centers (GC) are the engines of antibody affinity maturation. GC T follicular helper (GC Tfh) CD4 T cells are required for GCs. Studying vaccine-specific GC Tfh cells after protein immunizations has been challenging, as antigen-specific GC Tfh cells are difficult to identify by conventional intracellular cytokine staining (ICS). Cytokine production by GC Tfh cells may be intrinsically limited in comparison to other T helper effector cells, as the biological role of a GC Tfh cell is to provide help to individual B cells within the GC, rather than secreting large amounts of cytokines bathing a tissue. To test this idea, we developed a cytokine-independent method to identify antigen-specific GC Tfh cells. RNAseq was performed using TCR stimulated GC Tfh cells to identify candidate markers based on differentially expressed genes and other criteria. Validation experiments determined CD25 (IL2Ra) and OX40 to be highly upregulated activation induced markers on the surface of GC Tfh cells after stimulation. In comparison to ICS, the activation induced marker (AIM) assay identified > 10-fold more antigen-specific GC Tfh cells in HIV Env protein immunized macaques (BG505 SOSIP). Additionally, the AIM assay detected antigen-specific CXCR5+ and CXCR5- CD4 T cells in peripheral blood. Thus, AIM demonstrates that antigen-specific GC Tfh cells are intrinsically stingy producers of cytokines, which is likely an essential part of their biological function.
2016-09-07 | GSE81382 | GEO
Project description:CD4 T follicular helper cells (Tfh) are essential for establishing serological memory and have distinct helper attributes that impact both the quantity and quality of the antibody response. Therefore, gaining insights into Tfh subsets promoting antibody persistence and functional capacity is crucial for vaccine design. We investigated the potential of inducing a mixed Tfh1/17 response to enhance HIV-1 Envelope (Env) antibodies to a DNA-prime/protein boost platform, utilizing rhesus macaques as our experimental model. Following immunization with Clade C gp140 protein formulated with cationic liposome-based formulation (CAF01), we successfully generated germinal center (GC) Tfh1/17 cells, in contrast to the predominance of GC Tfh1 cells induced with gp140 formulated in monophosphoryl lipid A+QS-21 (MPLA). Analysis of lymph nodes, employing proteomic and transcriptional approaches, demonstrated robust induction of GC responses across vaccine platforms with distinct qualitative and quantitative effects elicited by MPLA versus CAF01. While the induction of GC Tfh1 cells with MPLA and GC Tfh1/17 cells with CAF01 resulted in comparable peak HIV-Env antibody levels, there was a notable difference in antibody persistence. The MPLA group demonstrated significantly greater antibody persistence at week 8 and up to 30 weeks after final immunization compared to CAF01. Inducing GC Tfh1 cells with MPLA furthermore enhanced tier 1 neutralization titers, antibody functions, and Env-specific IgG in the rectal mucosa. Notably, IFNγ+ Env-specific Tfh responses, both in blood and lymph nodes, were higher with MPLA and correlated with Env antibody persistence. These findings suggest that vaccine platforms maximizing GC Tfh1 induction may confer protective immunity against HIV.
2023-06-16 | GSE234813 | GEO
Project description:Generating durable humoral immunity through vaccination depends upon effective interaction of follicular helper T cells (Tfh) with germinal center (GC) B cells. Th1 polarization of Tfh cells is an important process shaping the success of Tfh-GC B cell interactions by influencing co-stimulatory and cytokine-dependent Tfh help to B cells. However, the question remains whether adjuvant-dependent modulation of Tfh cells enhances HIV-1 vaccine-induced anti-Envelope (Env) antibody responses. We investigated whether an HIV-1 vaccine platform designed to increase the number of Th1-polarized Tfh cells enhances the magnitude and quality of anti-Env antibodies. Utilizing a novel interferon-induced protein (IP)-10-adjuvanted HIV-1 DNA prime, followed by an MPLA+QS-21-adjuvanted Env protein boost in macaques (DIP-10 PALFQ), we observed higher anti-Env serum IgG titers with greater cross-clade reactivity, specificity to V1V2, and effector functions when compared to macaques primed with DNA lacking IP-10 and boosted with MPLA+alum-adjuvanted Env protein (DPALFA) The DIP-10 PALFQ vaccine regimen elicited higher anti-Env IgG1 and lower IgG4 antibodies in serum, showing for the first time that adjuvants can dramatically impact the IgG subclass profile in macaques. The DIP-10 PALFQ regimen also increased vaginal and rectal IgA antibodies to a greater extent. Within lymph nodes, we observed augmented GC B cell responses and promotion of Th1 gene expression profiles in GC Tfh cells. The frequency of GC Tfh cells correlated with both the magnitude and avidity of anti-Env serum IgG. Together, these data suggest that adjuvant-induced stimulation of Th1-Tfh cells is an effective strategy for enhancing the magnitude and quality of anti-Env antibody response.
2019-12-10 | GSE141707 | GEO
Project description:The HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) is the sole neutralizing determinant on the surface of the virus. The Env gp120 and gp41 subunits mediate receptor binding and membrane fusion and are generated from the gp160 precursor by cellular furins. This cleavage event is required for viral entry. One approach to generate HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies following immunization is to express membrane-bound Env anchored on the cell-surface by genetic means using the natural HIV gp41 transmembrane (TM) spanning domain. To simplify the process of Env trimer membrane expression we sought to remove the need for Env precursor cleavage while maintaining native-like conformation following genetic expression. To accomplish these objectives, we selected our previously developed 'native flexibly linked' (NFL) stabilized soluble trimers that are both near native in conformation and cleavage-independent. We genetically fused the NFL construct to the HIV TM domain by using a short linker or by restoring the native membrane external proximal region, absent in soluble trimers, to express the full HIV Env ectodomain on the plasma membrane. Both forms of cell-surface NFL trimers, without and with the MPER, displayed favorable antigenic profiles by flow cytometry when expressed from plasmid DNA or mRNA. These results were consistent with the presence of well-ordered cell surface native-like trimeric Env, a necessary requirement to generate neutralizing antibodies by vaccination. Inoculation of rabbits with mRNA lipid nanoparticles (LNP) expressing membrane-bound stabilized HIV Env NFL trimers generated tier 2 neutralizing antibody serum titers in immunized animals. Multiple inoculations of mRNA LNPs generated similar neutralizing antibody titers compared to immunizations of matched NFL soluble proteins in adjuvant. Given the recent success of mRNA vaccines to prevent severe COVID, these are important developments for genetic expression of native-like HIV Env trimers in animals and potentially in humans.
2024-05-31 | MSV000094915 | MassIVE
Project description:Broadly HIV-1 neutralizing VRC01-class antibodies target the CD4-binding site of Env. They are derived from VH1-2*02 antibody heavy chains paired with rare light chains expressing five amino acid long CDRL3s. They have been isolated from infected subjects but have not yet been elicited by immunization. Env-derived immunogens capable of binding the germline forms of VRC01 B cell receptors on naïve B cells have been designed and evaluated in knock-in mice. However, the elicited antibodies cannot bypass glycans present on the conserved position N276 of Env, which restricts access to the CD4-binding site. Efforts to guide the appropriate maturation of these antibodies by sequential immunization have not yet been successful. Here, we report on a two-step immunization scheme that led to the maturation of VRC01-like antibodies capable of accommodating the N276 glycan and displaying autologous tier 2 neutralizing activities. Our results are relevant to clinical trials aiming to elicit VRC01 antibodies.
2020-05-26 | PXD015168 | Pride
Project description:The HIV-1 genome gains access to the inside of a cell via the mechanism of the viral spike protein Env, which undergoes a series of major conformational rearrangements after binding target receptors that ultimately drive virus-cell membrane fusion. Env is expressed as a heterogenous ensemble of conformations, which can inappropriately misdirect the host immune response towards the production of non-protective, strain-specific antibodies. Potent, broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) frequently recognize a ‘closed’ Env conformation, and therefore Env has undergone significant engineering to stabilize the closed state for vaccine incorporation. Previously, we used deep mutational scanning of Env from a prototypical tier 1 clade B strain (BaL) to characterize the sequence-activity landscape for binding to PG16, a bnAb that preferentially binds the closed state. Mutations were identified that increased expression of closed Env and reduced conformational heterogeneity, but these mutations were only partially transferable to Env sequences from other strains. To generate an expanded set of mutations that may be broadly applicable to diverse HIV-1 strains, we present here the deep mutational scanning of Env from the tier 2 clade C strain DU422 for interactions with CD4 and PG16. Residues across the trimerization domain and trimer interface have low mutational tolerance for maintaining PG16 recognition. New mutations are identified that enhance presentation of the closed Env conformation, and these are applied to Env sequences spanning multiple clades and tiers.
2019-02-01 | GSE117328 | GEO
Project description:Follicular helper T (Tfh) cells access the B cell follicle to promote antibody responses, and are particularly important for germinal center (GC) reactions. However, the molecular mechanisms of how Tfh cells are physically associated with GCs are incompletely understood. Here we report that the sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 2 (S1PR2) gene is highly expressed in a subpopulation of Tfh cells that localizes in GCs. S1PR2-deficient Tfh cells exhibited reduced accumulation in GCs due to their impaired retention. T cells deficient in both S1PR2 and CXCR5 were ineffective in supporting GC responses compared to T cells deficient only in CXCR5. These results suggest that S1PR2 and CXCR5 cooperatively regulate localization of Tfh cells in GCs to support GC responses. Venus-high Tfh, Venus-low Tfh, PD1-intermediate Th, PD1-low Th and naïve CD4+ T cells were sorted on FACSAria from immunized S1pr2V/+ mice or control mice for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affimetrix microarrays.
2014-05-30 | E-GEOD-56883 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:T follicular regulatory (TFR) cells are found in the germinal center (GC) response and help shape the antibody (Ab) response. Whether TFR cells have a suppressive role, a helper role or both types of roles in the GC is unclear. Here, we addressed TFR cell function using 3 different strains of TFR cell mutant mice. After immunization, GC B cells but not T follicular helper (TFH) cell positively correlated with TFR cell levels. Using a gene profiling approach, we found that TFH cells from TFR-deficient mice showed strong up-regulation of granzyme B (Gzmb) and other effector CD8 T cell genes, many of which were Stat4 dependent. This aberrant cytotoxic T cell gene profile was increased in TFR-deficient mice crossed on a pro-inflammatory background. We detected Gzmb+ and Eomesodermin+ TFH cells and a higher rate of apoptotic GC B cells in the absence of TFR cells. Klrg1+ TFH cells expressed higher Gzmb and less IL-4 and IL-21. Our data show that TFR cells repress the development of abnormal cytotoxic TFH cells that correlate with a lower GC and Ab response. This data shows a novel mode of helper function for TFR cells in the GC response.
2019-06-29 | GSE133533 | GEO
Project description:The main avenue for the development of an HIV-1 vaccine remains the induction of protective antibodies. A rationale approach is to target antigen to specific receptors on dendritic cells (DC) via fused monoclonal antibodies (mAb). In mouse and non-human primate models, targeting of skin Langerhans cells (LC) with anti-Langerin mAbs fused with HIV-1 Gag antigen drives antigen-specific humoral responses. The development of these immunization strategies in humans requires a better understanding of early immune events driven by human LC. We therefore produced anti-Langerin mAbs fused with the HIV-1 gp140z Envelope (αLC.Env). First, we show that primary skin human LC and in vitro differentiated LC induce differentiation and expansion of naïve CD4+ T cells into T follicular helper (Tfh) cells. Second, when human LC are pre-treated with αLC.Env, differentiated Tfh cells significantly promote the production of specific IgG by B cells. Strikingly, HIV-Env-specific Ig are secreted by HIV-specific memory B cells. Consistently, we found that receptors and cytokines involved in Tfh differentiation and B cell functions are upregulated by LC during their maturation and after targeting Langerin. Finally, we show that subcutaneous immunisation of mice by αLC.Env induces germinal center (GC) reaction in draining lymph nodes with higher numbers of Tfh cells, Env-specific B cells, as well as specific IgG serum levels compared to mice immunised with the non-targeting Env antigen. Altogether, we provide evidence that human LC properly targeted may be licensed to efficiently induce Tfh cell and B cell responses in GC.
2022-07-21 | GSE179513 | GEO