Alberto Y. Limón-Flores

Mast Cell-Derived IL-10 Suppresses Germinal Center Formation by Affecting T Follicular Helper Cell Function

The most prevalent cancer diagnosed in the world is sunlight-induced skin cancer. In addition to being a complete carcinogen, UV radiation, the causative agent of skin cancer, induces immune suppression. Because UV-induced immune suppression is a well-recognized risk factor for skin cancer induction, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms underlying UV-induced immune suppression. Mast cells, which have recently emerged as immune regulatory cells, are particularly important in UV-induced immune suppression. UV exposure does not induce immune suppression in mast cell-deficient mice. We report that UV irradiation blocks germinal center (GC) formation, Ab secretion, and T follicular helper (Tfh) cell function, in part by altering the expression of transcription factors BCL-6 and BLIMP-1. No suppression of GC formation, Tfh cell IL-21 expression, or Ab secretion was observed in UV-irradiated mast cell-deficient (KitW-sh/W-sh) mice. When mast cell-deficient mice were reconstituted with wild type mast cells, immune suppression was restored. Reconstituting the mast cell-deficient mice with bone marrow-derived mast cells from IL-10–deficient mice failed to restore the ability of UV radiation to suppress GC formation. Our findings demonstrate a function for mast cells, suppression of Tfh cell production, GC formation, and Ab production in vivo.

Effect of a combination DNA vaccine for the prevention and therapy of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice: role of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.

Chagas disease is a major public health problem, with about 10 million infected people, and DNA vaccines are a promising alternative for the control of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causing agent of the disease. We tested here a new DNA vaccine encoding a combination of two leading parasite antigens, TSA-1 and Tc24, for the prevention and therapy of T. cruzi infection. Immunized Balb/c mice challenged by T. cruzi presented a significantly lower parasitemia and inflammatory cell density in the heart compared to control mice. Similarly, the therapeutic administration of the DNA vaccine was able to significantly reduce the parasitemia and inflammatory reaction in acutely infected Balb/c and C57BL/6 mice, and reduced cardiac tissue inflammation in chronically infected ICR mice. Therapeutic vaccination induced a marked increase in parasite-specific IFNγ producing CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in the spleen as well as an increase in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in the infected cardiac tissue. In addition, some effect of the DNA vaccine could still be observed in CD4-knockout C57BL/6 mice, which presented a lower parasitemia and inflammatory cell density, but not in CD8-deficient mice, in which the vaccine had no effect. These results indicate that the activation of CD8(+) T cells plays a major role in the control of the infection by the therapeutic DNA vaccine, and to a somewhat lesser extent CD4(+) T cells. This observation opens interesting perspectives for the potentiation of this DNA vaccine candidate by including additional CD8(+) T cell antigens/epitopes in future vaccine formulations.

An essential role for platelet-activating factor in activating mast cell migration following ultraviolet irradiation

The UVB (290–320 nm) radiation in sunlight is responsible for inducing skin cancer. Exposure to UV radiation is also immunosuppressive, and the systemic immune suppression induced by UV is a well‐recognized risk factor for cancer induction. As UVB radiation is absorbed within the upper layers of the skin, indirect mechanisms must play a role in activating systemic immune suppression. One prominent example is mast cell migration, which from the skin to the draining LN is an essential step in the cascade of events leading to immune suppression. What triggers mast cell migration is not entirely clear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that PAF, a lipid mediator of inflammation produced by the skin in response to UV exposure, is involved. Mast cell‐deficient mice (KitW‐sh/W‐sh) are resistant to the suppressive effect of UV radiation, and reconstituting mast cell‐deficient mice with normal bone marrow‐derived mast cells restores susceptibility to immunosuppression. However, when mast cells from PAFR−/− mice were used, the reconstituted mice were not susceptible to the suppressive effects of UV. Furthermore, PAFR−/− mice showed impaired UV‐induced mast cell migration when compared with WT mice. Finally, injecting PAF into WT mice mimicked the effect of UV irradiation and induced mast cell migration but not in PAFR−/− mice. Our findings indicate that PAFR binding induces mast cells to migrate from the skin to the LNs, where they mediate immune suppression.

Mast cells are required for phototolerance induction and scratching abatement

Dermal mast cells protect the skin from inflammatory effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation and are required for UV‐induced immune suppression. We sought to determine a potential mechanistic role of mast cells in reducing the sensitivity to UV radiation (i.e. phototolerance induction) through photohardening. We administered single UV exposures as well as a chronic UV irradiation regime to mast cell‐deficient KitW‐Sh/W‐Sh mice and their controls. The chronic irradiation protocol was similar to that given for prophylaxis in certain photodermatoses in humans. Compared to controls, UV‐exposed KitW‐Sh/W‐Sh mice were more susceptible to epidermal hyperplasia and dermal oedema which was linked to blood vessel dilation. Unexpectedly, KitW‐Sh/W‐Sh mice exhibited an excessive scratching behaviour following broadband UVB plus UVA or solar simulated UV irradiation at doses far below their minimal skin‐swelling dose. Protection from this UV‐induced scratching phenotype was dependent on mast cells, as engraftment of bone marrow‐derived cultured mast cells abated it entirely. KitW‐Sh/W‐Sh mice were entirely resistant to phototolerance induction by photohardening treatment. Compared to controls, these mice also showed reduced numbers of regulatory T cells and neutrophils in the skin 24 h after UV irradiation. While it is well known that mast cell‐deficient mice are resistant to UV‐induced immune suppression, we have discovered that they are prone to develop photo‐itch and are more susceptible to UV‐induced epidermal hyperplasia and skin oedema.

Induction of B-cell lymphoma by UVB Radiation in p53 Haploinsufficient Mice

BackgroundThe incidence of non-Hodgkins lymphoma has increased over recent years. The exact etiology of lymphoma remains unknown. Ultraviolet light exposure has been associated with the development of internal lymphoid malignancies and some reports suggest that it may play a role in the development of lymphoma in humans. Here we describe the characterization and progression of lymphoma in p53 heterozygous mice exposed to UVB irradiation.MethodsUVB-irradiated p53+/- mice developed enlargement of the spleen. Isolated spleen cells were transplanted into Rag deficient hosts. The UV-induced tumor cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. The tumor cells were tagged with GFP to study their metastatic potential. SKY and karyotypic analysis were carried out for the detection of chromosomal abnormalities. Functional assays included in vitro class switch recombination assay, immunoglobulin rearrangement assay, as well as cytokine profiling.ResultsUVB-exposed mice showed enlargement of the spleen and lymph nodes. Cells transplanted into Rag deficient mice developed aggressive tumors that infiltrated the lymph nodes, the spleen and the bone marrow. The tumor cells did not grow in immune competent syngeneic C57Bl/6 mice yet showed a modest growth in UV-irradiated B6 mice. Phenotypic analysis of these tumor cells revealed these cells are positive for B cell markers CD19+, CD5+, B220+, IgM+ and negative for T cell, NK or dendritic cell markers. The UV-induced tumor cells underwent robust in vitro immunoglobulin class switch recombination in response to lipopolysaccharide. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a t(14;19) translocation and trisomy of chromosome 6. These tumor cells secret IL-10, which can promote tumor growth and cause systemic immunosuppression.ConclusionUV-irradiated p53+/- mice developed lymphoid tumors that corresponded to a mature B cell lymphoma. Our results suggest that an indirect mechanism is involved in the development of internal tumors after chronic exposure to UV light. The induction of B cell lymphoma in UV-irradiated p53 heterozygous mice may provide a useful model for lymphoma development in humans.

JP-8 Induces Immune Suppression via a Reactive Oxygen Species NF-κβ–Dependent Mechanism

Applying jet fuel (JP-8) to the skin of mice induces immune suppression. JP-8-treated keratinocytes secrete prostaglandin E(2), which is essential for activating immune suppressive pathways. The molecular pathway leading to the upregulation of the enzyme that controls prostaglandin synthesis, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, is unclear. Because JP-8 activates oxidative stress and because reactive oxygen species (ROS) turn on nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappabeta), which regulates the activity of COX-2, we asked if JP-8-induced ROS and NF-kappabeta contributes to COX-2 upregulation and immune suppression in vivo. JP-8 induced the production of ROS in keratinocytes as measured with the ROS indicator dye, aminophenyl fluorescein. Fluorescence was diminished in JP-8-treated keratinocytes overexpressing catalase or superoxide dismutase (SOD) genes. JP-8-induced COX-2 expression was also reduced to background in the catalase and SOD transfected cells, or in cultures treated with N-acetylcysteine (NAC). When NAC was injected into JP-8-treated mice, dermal COX-2 expression, and JP-8-induced immune suppression was inhibited. Because ROS activates NF-kappabeta, we asked if this transcriptional activator played a role in the enhanced COX-2 expression and JP-8-induced immune suppression. When JP-8-treated mice, or JP-8-treated keratinocytes were treated with a selective NF-kappabeta inhibitor, parthenolide, COX-2 expression, and immune suppression were abrogated. Similarly, when JP-8-treated keratinocytes were treated with small interfering RNA specific for the p65 subunit of NF-kappabeta, COX-2 upregulation was blocked. These data indicate that ROS and NF-kappabeta are activated by JP-8, and these pathways are involved in COX-2 expression and the induction of immune suppression by jet fuel.

Herpes Murine Model as a Biological Assay to Test Dialyzable Leukocyte Extracts Activity

Human dialyzable leukocyte extracts (DLEs) are heterogeneous mixtures of low-molecular-weight peptides that are released on disruption of peripheral blood leukocytes from healthy donors. DLEs improve clinical responses in infections, allergies, cancer, and immunodeficiencies. Transferon is a human DLE that has been registered as a hemoderivate by Mexican health authorities and commercialized nationally. To develop an animal model that could be used routinely as a quality control assay for Transferon, we standardized and validated a murine model of cutaneous HSV-1 infection. Using this model, we evaluated the activity of 27 Transferon batches. All batches improved the survival of HSV-1-infected mice, wherein average survival rose from 20.9% in control mice to 59.6% in Transferon-treated mice. The activity of Transferon correlated with increased serum levels of IFN-γ and reduced IL-6 and TNF-α concentrations. Our results demonstrate that (i) this mouse model of cutaneous herpes can be used to examine the activity of DLEs, such as Transferon; (ii) the assay can be used as a routine test for batch release; (iii) Transferon is produced with high homogeneity between batches; (iv) Transferon does not have direct virucidal, cytoprotective, or antireplicative effects; and (v) the protective effect of Transferon in vivo correlates with changes in serum cytokines.

Low-Dose Amphotericin B and Murine Dialyzable Spleen Extracts Protect against Systemic Candida Infection in Mice

Candida albicans causes opportunistic systemic infections with high mortality (30%–50%). Despite significant nephrotoxicity, amphotericin (AmB) is still used for the treatment of this serious fungal infection. Therefore, alternative treatments are urgently needed. Dialyzable leukocyte extracts have been used successfully to treat patients with mucocutaneous candidiasis, but their effectiveness in systemic candidiasis has not been evaluated. In this study, low-dose AmB (0.1 mg/kg) plus 10 pg of murine dialyzable spleen extracts (mDSE) were tested in a systemic candidiasis mouse model. Survival, tissue fungal burden, kidney damage, kidney cytokines, and serum levels of IL-6 and hepcidin were evaluated. Our results showed that the combined treatment of low-dose AmB plus mDSE improved survival and reduced kidney fungal burden and histopathology; these effects correlated with increased kidney concentration of IFN-γ and TGF-β1, decreased levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10, as well as high levels of systemic IL-6 and hepcidin. Low-dose AmB and mDSE synergized to clear the infectious agent and reduced tissue damage, confirming the efficacy of a low dose of AmB, which might decrease the risk of drug toxicity. Further studies are necessary to explore these findings and its implications in future therapeutic approaches.