Project description:Endothelial function and integrity are compromised after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) but how this affects immune responses broadly remains unknown. Using a preclinical model of cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation after BMT, we found compromised antiviral humoral responses induced by IL-6 signaling. IL-6 signaling in T cells maintained Th1 cells resulting in sustained IFN secretion which promoted endothelial cell (EC) injury, loss of the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) responsible for immunoglobulin G (IgG) recycling, and rapid IgG loss. In contrast, recipient IgG producing cells are rapidly eliminated after BMT. T cell-specific deletion of IL-6R led to persistence of recipient-derived CMV-specific IgG and inhibited CMV reactivation. Deletion of IFN in donor T cells also eliminated EC injury and FcRn loss. In a phase III clinical trial, blockade of IL-6R with tocilizumab promoted CMV-specific IgG persistence and significantly attenuated early HCMV reactivation. In sum, IL-6 invokes IFN-dependent EC injury and consequent IgG loss leading to CMV reactivation. Hence, cytokine inhibition represents a logical strategy to prevent endothelial injury thereby preserving humoral immunity after immunotherapy.
Project description:An alluring strategy for improving protective humoral immunity against infectious diseases would be to directly target the germinal center (GC). There remains a critical need for next generation vaccine approaches to elicit more potent GC responses and durable humoral immunity. Here, we investigated whether cytokines could be scaffolded on nanoparticles to further enhance antigen-specific GC responses. We designed a chimeric nanoparticle using the GT8-60mer, a germline-targeting HIV immunogen, as a model to scaffold IL-21. Nanoparticle immunoadjuvant complexes (NICs) scaffolding GT8 and IL-21 (GT8-IL-21-NIC) drove improved serum antibody titers, antigen-specific GC B cells, and functional Tfh cell responses relative to antigen-only nanoparticles and to co-delivery of IL-21 monomer. Single-cell RNA sequencing of antigen-specific GC B cells from GT8-IL-21-NIC immunized mice demonstrated upregulation of LZ and selection-associated gene signatures. The NIC platform was versatile and could support changes to both the antigen and cytokine domains utilizing numerous GC-associated cytokines. Thus, NICs may provide value as a tool to improve antigen-specific vaccine-induced immunity.
Project description:Endothelial function and integrity are compromised after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT), but how this affects immune responses broadly remains unknown. Using a preclinical model of CMV reactivation after BMT, we found compromised antiviral humoral responses induced by IL-6 signaling. IL-6 signaling in T cells maintained Th1 cells, resulting in sustained IFN-γ secretion, which promoted endothelial cell (EC) injury, loss of the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) responsible for IgG recycling, and rapid IgG loss. T cell-specific deletion of IL-6R led to persistence of recipient-derived, CMV-specific IgG and inhibited CMV reactivation. Deletion of IFN-γ in donor T cells also eliminated EC injury and FcRn loss. In a phase III clinical trial, blockade of IL-6R with tocilizumab promoted CMV-specific IgG persistence and significantly attenuated early HCMV reactivation. In sum, IL-6 invoked IFN-γ-dependent EC injury and consequent IgG loss, leading to CMV reactivation. Hence, cytokine inhibition represents a logical strategy to prevent endothelial injury, thereby preserving humoral immunity after immunotherapy.
Project description:Immune cells can metabolize fatty acids (FAs) to generate energy. The source of different fatty acid species, and their impacts on humoral immunity remains poorly understood. Here we report that proliferating B cells require increased amount of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) to maintain mitochondrial metabolism and mTOR activity, and to prevent excessive autophagy and endoplasmic reticular (ER) stress. Furthermore, B cell extrinsic Stearoyl-Coa desaturase (SCD) activity generates endogenous MUFA to support early B cell development and germinal center (GC) formation in vivo during immunization and influenza infection. Thus, SCD-mediated MUFA production is critical for humoral immunity.