Project description:Dendritic cells (DCs) control the generation of self-reactive pathogenic T cells. Thus, DCs are attractive therapeutic targets for autoimmune diseases. Using single-cell and bulk transcriptional and metabolic analyses in combination with cell-specific gene perturbation studies we identified a negative feedback regulatory pathway that operates in DCs to limit immunopathology. Specifically, we found that lactate, produced by activated DCs and other immune cells, boosts NDUFA4L2 expression through a mechanism mediated by HIF-1a. NDUFA4L2 promotes mitochondrial fitness in DCs, limiting the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species that activate XBP1-driven transcriptional modules involved in the control of pathogenic autoimmune T cells. Moreover, we engineered a probiotic that produces lactate and suppresses T-cell autoimmunity in the central nervous system via the activation of HIF-1a/NDUFA4L2 signaling in DCs. In summary, we identified a novel immunometabolic pathway that regulates DC function, and developed a synthetic probiotic for its therapeutic activation via the gut-brain axis.
Project description:ID8-based ovarian tumors were developed for 3 weeks in wild type (WT, N=3) or conditional knockout mice selectively deleting XBP1 in CD11c positive cells (KO, N=3). Tumor-associated DCs were independently sorted via FACS and used for transcriptional profiling. Total RNA from sorted tumor-associated DCs (N=3/genotype) was independently isolated using the miRVANA kit (Life Technologies) and further purified and concentrated using minElute columns (Qiagen). RNA integrity was confirmed using an Agilent Bioanalyzer 2100.
Project description:ID8-based ovarian tumors were developed for 3 weeks in wild type (WT, N=3) or conditional knockout mice selectively deleting XBP1 in CD11c positive cells (KO, N=3). Tumor-associated DCs were independently sorted via FACS and used for transcriptional profiling.
Project description:Dendritic cells (DCs) control the generation of self-reactive pathogenic T cells. Thus, DCs are attractive therapeutic targets for autoimmune diseases. Using single-cell and bulk transcriptional and metabolic analyses in combination with cell-specific gene perturbation studies we identified a negative feedback regulatory pathway that operates in DCs to limit immunopathology. Specifically, we found that lactate, produced by activated DCs and other immune cells, boosts NDUFA4L2 expression through a mechanism mediated by HIF-1a. NDUFA4L2 promotes mitochondrial fitness in DCs, limiting the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species that activate XBP1-driven transcriptional modules involved in the control of pathogenic autoimmune T cells. Moreover, we engineered a probiotic that produces lactate and suppresses T-cell autoimmunity in the central nervous system via the activation of HIF-1a/NDUFA4L2 signaling in DCs. In summary, we identified a novel immunometabolic pathway that regulates DC function, and developed a synthetic probiotic for its therapeutic activation via the gut-brain axis.
Project description:We report XBP1 activation and regulation of pro-inflammatory signaling in astrocytes, microglia, and CNS-recruited pro-inflammatory monocytes during EAE.
Project description:Dendritic cells (DCs) control the generation of self-reactive pathogenic T cells. Thus, DCs are attractive therapeutic targets for autoimmune diseases. Using single-cell and bulk transcriptional and metabolic analyses in combination with cell-specific gene perturbation studies we identified a negative feedback regulatory pathway that operates in DCs to limit immunopathology. Specifically, we found that lactate, produced by activated DCs and other immune cells, boosts NDUFA4L2 expression through a mechanism mediated by HIF-1a. NDUFA4L2 promotes mitochondrial fitness in DCs, limiting the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species that activate XBP1-driven transcriptional modules involved in the control of pathogenic autoimmune T cells. Moreover, we engineered a probiotic that produces lactate and suppresses T-cell autoimmunity in the central nervous system via the activation of HIF-1a/NDUFA4L2 signaling in DCs. In summary, we identified a novel immunometabolic pathway that regulates DC function, and developed a synthetic probiotic for its therapeutic activation via the gut-brain axis.