Project description:We investigated the entity of IL-7Rα low effector memory (EM) CD8+ T cells in healthy individuals and finally uncovered that they were unable to proliferate and produce IL-2 in response to TCR stimulation
Project description:We investigated the entity of IL-7Rα low effector memory (EM) CD8+ T cells in healthy individuals and finally uncovered that they were unable to proliferate and produce IL-2 in response to TCR stimulation
Project description:compare gene expression profiles between normal and anergic T cells and identify upregulated genes in anergic T cells Experiment Overall Design: RNA from normal Th1 T cell clone and anergic Th1 T cell clone made anergic by plate-bound anti-CD3 antibody were isolated and amplified for microarray analysis
Project description:Schistosomiasis increases the risk of HIV acquisition in women, by mechanisms that are incompletely defined. Our objective was to determine how the cervical environment is impacted by Schistosoma haematobium or S. mansoni infection using mucosal gene expression and cervicovaginal lavage cytokine levels. We recruited women with/without S. haematobium and with/without S. mansoni infections from separate villages in rural Tanzania, as determined by urine and stool microscopy and serum circulating anodic antigen. RNA was extracted from cervical cytobrush samples for transcriptome analysis. Cytokine levels were measured by magnetic bead immunoassay. In the S. haematobium village, 110 genes were differentially expressed in the cervical mucosa of women with (n=18) versus without (n=39) S. haematobium. Among the 27 cytokines analyzed in cervicovaginal lavage fluids, interleukin 15 (IL-15) was lower in women with S. haematobium (62.8 versus 102.9 pg/mL, adjusted p=0.0013). Differences were not observed in the S. mansoni setting between women with (n=11) or without (n=29) S. mansoni. We demonstrate altered cervical mucosal gene expression and lower IL-15 levels in women with S. haematobium but not S. mansoni, which may impact HIV acquisition and cancer risks. Studies to determine effects of anti-schistosome treatment on these mucosal alterations are needed.
Project description:Dual-specificity phosphatase 8 is a MAPK phosphatase that dephosphorylates and inactivates the kinase JNK. DUSP8 is highly expressed in T cells; however, the in vivo role of DUSP8 in T cells remains unclear. Using T-cell-specific DUSP8 conditional knockout (T-DUSP8 cKO) mice, mass spectrometry analysis, chromatin-immunoprecipitation sequencing, and immune analysis, we found that DUSP8 interacted with Pur-α, stimulated interleukin-9 (IL-9) gene expression, and promoted Th9 differentiation. Mechanistically, DUSP8 dephosphorylated the transcriptional repressor Pur-α upon TGF-β signaling, leading to the nuclear export of Pur-α and subsequent IL-9 transcriptional activation. Furthermore, IL-9 mRNA levels were induced in Pur-α-deficient T cells. In addition, T-DUSP8 cKO mice displayed reduction of IL-9 and Th9-mediated immune responses in the allergic asthma model. Reduction of IL-9 mRNA levels in T cells and allergic responses of T-DUSP8 cKO mice was reversed by Pur-α knockout. Remarkably, DUSP8 protein levels and the DUSP8–Pur-α interaction were indeed increased in the cytoplasm of T cells from human asthma patients and atopic dermatitis patients. Collectively, DUSP8 induces TGF-β-stimulated IL-9 transcription and Th9-induced allergic responses by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of the transcriptional repressor Pur-α. DUSP8 may be a T-cell biomarker and therapeutic target for asthma and atopic dermatitis.
Project description:Dual-specificity phosphatase 8 is a MAPK phosphatase that dephosphorylates and inactivates the kinase JNK. DUSP8 is highly expressed in T cells; however, the in vivo role of DUSP8 in T cells remains unclear. Using T-cell-specific DUSP8 conditional knockout (T-DUSP8 cKO) mice, mass spectrometry analysis, chromatin-immunoprecipitation sequencing, and immune analysis, we found that DUSP8 interacted with Pur-α, stimulated interleukin-9 (IL-9) gene expression, and promoted Th9 differentiation. Mechanistically, DUSP8 dephosphorylated the transcriptional repressor Pur-α upon TGF-β signaling, leading to the nuclear export of Pur-α and subsequent IL-9 transcriptional activation. Furthermore, IL-9 mRNA levels were induced in Pur-α-deficient T cells. In addition, T-DUSP8 cKO mice displayed reduction of IL-9 and Th9-mediated immune responses in the allergic asthma model. Reduction of IL-9 mRNA levels in T cells and allergic responses of T-DUSP8 cKO mice was reversed by Pur-α knockout. Remarkably, DUSP8 protein levels and the DUSP8–Pur-α interaction were indeed increased in the cytoplasm of T cells from human asthma patients and atopic dermatitis patients. Collectively, DUSP8 induces TGF-β-stimulated IL-9 transcription and Th9-induced allergic responses by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of the transcriptional repressor Pur-α. DUSP8 may be a T-cell biomarker and therapeutic target for asthma and atopic dermatitis.