Daniel C. Bullard

Transforming growth factor-β induces development of the TH17 lineage

A new lineage of effector CD4+ T cells characterized by production of interleukin (IL)-17, the T-helper-17 (TH17) lineage, was recently described based on developmental and functional features distinct from those of classical TH1 and TH2 lineages. Like TH1 and TH2, TH17 cells almost certainly evolved to provide adaptive immunity tailored to specific classes of pathogens, such as extracellular bacteria. Aberrant TH17 responses have been implicated in a growing list of autoimmune disorders. TH17 development has been linked to IL-23, an IL-12 cytokine family member that shares with IL-12 a common subunit, IL-12p40 (ref. 8). The IL-23 and IL-12 receptors also share a subunit, IL-12Rβ1, that pairs with unique, inducible components, IL-23R and IL-12Rβ2, to confer receptor responsiveness. Here we identify transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) as a cytokine critical for commitment to TH17 development. TGF-β acts to upregulate IL-23R expression, thereby conferring responsiveness to IL-23. Although dispensable for the development of IL-17-producing T cells in vitro and in vivo, IL-23 is required for host protection against a bacterial pathogen, Citrobacter rodentium. The action of TGF-β on naive T cells is antagonized by interferon-γ and IL-4, thus providing a mechanism for divergence of the TH1, TH2 and TH17 lineages.

Endothelial transcytosis of myeloperoxidase confers specificity to vascular ECM proteins as targets of tyrosine nitration

Nitrotyrosine formation is a hallmark of vascular inflammation, with polymorphonuclear neutrophil-derived (PMN-derived) and monocyte-derived myeloperoxidase (MPO) being shown to catalyze this posttranslational protein modification via oxidation of nitrite (NO(2)(-)) to nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)(*)). Herein, we show that MPO concentrates in the subendothelial matrix of vascular tissues by a transcytotic mechanism and serves as a catalyst of ECM protein tyrosine nitration. Purified MPO and MPO released by intraluminal degranulation of activated human PMNs avidly bound to aortic endothelial cell glycosaminoglycans in both cell monolayer and isolated vessel models. Cell-bound MPO rapidly transcytosed intact endothelium and colocalized abluminally with the ECM protein fibronectin. In the presence of the substrates hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and NO(2)(-), cell and vessel wall-associated MPO catalyzed nitration of ECM protein tyrosine residues, with fibronectin identified as a major target protein. Both heparin and the low-molecular weight heparin enoxaparin significantly inhibited MPO binding and protein nitrotyrosine (NO(2)Tyr) formation in both cultured endothelial cells and rat aortic tissues. MPO(-/-) mice treated with intraperitoneal zymosan had lower hepatic NO(2)Tyr/tyrosine ratios than did zymosan-treated wild-type mice. These data indicate that MPO significantly contributes to NO(2)Tyr formation in vivo. Moreover, transcytosis of MPO, occurring independently of leukocyte emigration, confers specificity to nitration of vascular matrix proteins.

Preferential accumulation of antigen-specific effector CD4 T cells at an antigen injection site involves CD62E-dependent migration but not local proliferation

The migration of antigen-specific T cells to nonlymphoid tissues is thought to be important for the elimination of foreign antigens from the body. However, recent results showing the migration of activated T cells into many nonlymphoid tissues raised the possibility that antigen-specific T cells do not migrate preferentially to nonlymphoid tissues containing antigen. We addressed this question by tracking antigen-specific CD4 T cells in the whole body after a localized subcutaneous antigen injection. Antigen-specific CD4 T cells proliferated in the skin-draining lymph nodes and the cells that underwent the most cell divisions acquired the ability to bind to CD62P. As time passed, CD62P-binding antigen-specific CD4 T cells with interferon γ production potential accumulated preferentially at the site of antigen injection but only in recipients that expressed CD62E. Surprisingly, these T cells did not proliferate in the injection site despite showing evidence of more cell divisions than the T cells in the draining lymph nodes. The results suggest that the most divided effector CD4 T cells from the lymph nodes enter the site of antigen deposition via recognition of CD62E on blood vessels and are retained there in a nonproliferative state via recognition of peptide–major histocompatibility complex II molecules.

Transforming growth factor-β induces development of the T H 17 lineage

A new lineage of effector CD4+ T cells characterized by production of interleukin (IL)-17, the T-helper-17 (TH17) lineage, was recently described based on developmental and functional features distinct from those of classical TH1 and TH2 lineages. Like TH1 and TH2, TH17 cells almost certainly evolved to provide adaptive immunity tailored to specific classes of pathogens, such as extracellular bacteria. Aberrant TH17 responses have been implicated in a growing list of autoimmune disorders. TH17 development has been linked to IL-23, an IL-12 cytokine family member that shares with IL-12 a common subunit, IL-12p40 (ref. 8). The IL-23 and IL-12 receptors also share a subunit, IL-12Rβ1, that pairs with unique, inducible components, IL-23R and IL-12Rβ2, to confer receptor responsiveness. Here we identify transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) as a cytokine critical for commitment to TH17 development. TGF-β acts to upregulate IL-23R expression, thereby conferring responsiveness to IL-23. Although dispensable for the development of IL-17-producing T cells in vitro and in vivo, IL-23 is required for host protection against a bacterial pathogen, Citrobacter rodentium. The action of TGF-β on naive T cells is antagonized by interferon-γ and IL-4, thus providing a mechanism for divergence of the TH1, TH2 and TH17 lineages.

Mice that exclusively express TLR4 on endothelial cells can efficiently clear a lethal systemic Gram-negative bacterial infection

Recognition of LPS by TLR4 on immune sentinel cells such as macrophages is thought to be key to the recruitment of neutrophils to sites of infection with Gram-negative bacteria. To explore whether endothelial TLR4 plays a role in this process, we engineered and imaged mice that expressed TLR4 exclusively on endothelium (known herein as EndotheliumTLR4 mice). Local administration of LPS into tissue induced comparable neutrophil recruitment in EndotheliumTLR4 and wild-type mice. Following systemic LPS or intraperitoneal E. coli administration, most neutrophils were sequestered in the lungs of wild-type mice and did not accumulate at primary sites of infection. In contrast, EndotheliumTLR4 mice showed reduced pulmonary capillary neutrophil sequestration over the first 24 hours; as a result, they mobilized neutrophils to primary sites of infection, cleared bacteria, and resisted a dose of E. coli that killed 50% of wild-type mice in the first 48 hours. In fact, the only defect we detected in EndotheliumTLR4 mice was a failure to accumulate neutrophils in the lungs following intratracheal administration of LPS; this response required TLR4 on bone marrow-derived immune cells. Therefore, endothelial TLR4 functions as the primary intravascular sentinel system for detection of bacteria, whereas bone marrow-derived immune cells are critical for pathogen detection at barrier sites. Nonendothelial TLR4 contributes to failure to accumulate neutrophils at primary infection sites in a disseminated systemic infection.

The Virulence Function of Streptococcus pneumoniae Surface Protein A Involves Inhibition of Complement Activation and Impairment of Complement Receptor-Mediated Protection

Complement is important for elimination of invasive microbes from the host, an action achieved largely through interaction of complement-decorated pathogens with various complement receptors (CR) on phagocytes. Pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) has been shown to interfere with complement deposition onto pneumococci, but to date the impact of PspA on CR-mediated host defense is unknown. To gauge the contribution of CRs to host defense against pneumococci and to decipher the impact of PspA on CR-dependent host defense, wild-type C57BL/6J mice and mutant mice lacking CR types 1 and 2 (CR1/2−/−), CR3 (CR3−/−), or CR4 (CR4−/−) were challenged with WU2, a PspA+ capsular serotype 3 pneumococcus, and its PspA− mutant JY1119. Pneumococci also were used to challenge factor D-deficient (FD−/−), LFA-1-deficient (LFA-1−/−), and CD18-deficient (CD18−/−) mice. We found that FD−/−, CR3−/−, and CR4−/− mice had significantly decreased longevity and survival rate upon infection with WU2. In comparison, PspA− pneumococci were virulent only in FD−/− and CR1/2−/− mice. Normal mouse serum supported more C3 deposition on pneumococci than FD−/− serum, and more iC3b was deposited onto the PspA− than the PspA+ strain. The combined results confirm earlier conclusions that the alternative pathway of complement activation is indispensable for innate immunity against pneumococcal infection and that PspA interferes with the protective role of the alternative pathway. Our new results suggest that complement receptors CR1/2, CR3, and CR4 all play important roles in host defense against pneumococcal infection.

The role of ICAM-1 molecule in the migration of Langerhans cells in the skin and regional lymph node

ICAM‐1 (CD54) plays an important role in the cell‐cell interaction and migration of leukocytes. Previous studies have shown that ICAM‐1 is involved in inflammatory reactions and that a defect in ICAM‐1 gene inhibits allergic contact hypersensitivity. This study indicates that the migration of hapten presenting Langerhans cells into the regional lymph nodes was significantly reduced in ICAM‐1‐deficient mice compared to wild‐type C57BL/6 mice. The reduced number of dendritic cells in regional lymph nodes did not result from abnormal migration of Langerhans cells into the skin of ICAM‐1‐deficient mice. The concentration and distribution of Langerhans cells in the naïve skin of ICAM‐1‐deficient mice was equal to that of wild‐type mice. Following hapten sensitization, Langerhanscell migration out of the skin and recruitment of fresh Langerhans cells back to the epidermis was not affected in ICAM‐1‐deficient mice. Further experiments demonstrated that ICAM‐1 deficiency on lymphatic endothelium rather than on dendritic cells was responsible for the reduced migration of Langerhans cells into draining lymph nodes. This study indicates that ICAM‐1 regulates the migration of dendritic cells into regional lymph nodes but not into or out of the skin.

Gene-targeted mice reveal importance of L-selectin-dependent rolling for neutrophil adhesion

It has not been determined whether L-selectin-mediated rolling can promote leukocyte adhesion in vivo independent of P- and E-selectin. We used intravital microscopy of E- and P-selectin double-mutant mice (E-/P-) stimulated with tumor necrosis factor-α for 6-8 h to investigate the importance of L-selectin-dependent rolling in cremaster muscle venules. Rolling leukocyte flux in E-/P- mice was 9 ± 2 cells/min compared with 77 ± 17 cells/min in wild-type (WT) mice. Pretreatment with the L-selectin monoclonal antibody MEL-14 significantly reduced rolling in both E-/P- (by 89%) and WT mice (by 79%). L-selectin-dependent rolling in E-/P- mice resulted in leukocyte adhesion comparable to that seen in WT mice. MEL-14 pretreatment of E-/P- mice reduced leukocyte adhesion by 50%. The majority (∼80%) of intravascular leukocytes in both WT and E-/P- mice were neutrophils. We conclude that L-selectin can mediate rolling that results in sufficient leukocyte recruitment to account for the robust inflammatory response seen in E-/P- mice at later times.

A Functional Role for Circulating Mouse L-Selectin in Regulating Leukocyte/Endothelial Cell Interactions In Vivo

L-selectin mediates the initial capture and subsequent rolling of leukocytes along inflamed vascular endothelium and mediates lymphocyte migration to peripheral lymphoid tissues. Leukocyte activation induces rapid endoproteolytic cleavage of L-selectin from the cell surface, generating soluble L-selectin (sL-selectin). Because human sL-selectin retains ligand-binding activity in vitro, mouse sL-selectin and its in vivo relevance were characterized. Comparable with humans, sL-selectin was present in adult C57BL/6 mouse sera at ∼1.7 μg/ml. Similar levels of sL-selectin were present in sera from multiple mouse strains, despite their pronounced differences in cell surface L-selectin expression levels. Adhesion molecule-deficient mice prone to spontaneous chronic inflammation and mice suffering from leukemia/lymphoma had 2.5- and 20-fold increased serum sL-selectin levels, respectively. By contrast, serum sL-selectin levels were reduced by 70% in Rag-deficient mice lacking mature lymphocytes. The majority of serum sL-selectin had a molecular mass of 65–75 kDa, consistent with its lymphocyte origin. Slow turnover may explain the relatively high levels of sL-selectin in vivo. The t1/2 of sL-selectin, assessed by transferring sera from wild-type mice into L-selectin-deficient mice and monitoring serum sL-selectin levels by ELISA, was >20 h, and it remained detectable for longer than 1 wk. Short-term in vivo lymphocyte migration assays demonstrated that near physiologic levels (∼0.9 μg/ml) of sL-selectin decreased lymphocyte migration to peripheral lymph nodes by >30%, with dose-dependent inhibition occurring with increasing sL-selectin concentrations. These results suggest that sL-selectin influences lymphocyte migration in vivo and that the increased sL-selectin levels present in certain pathologic conditions may adversely affect leukocyte migration.

ST6Gal-I Regulates Macrophage Apoptosis via α2-6 Sialylation of the TNFR1 Death Receptor

Background: The functional relevance of ST6Gal-I down-regulation during monocyte activation/macrophage differentiation is not well understood. Results: Cell and transgenic mouse models suggest that ST6Gal-I-mediated sialylation of TNFR1 blocks TNFα-induced apoptosis. Conclusion: ST6Gal-I down-regulation may limit monocyte/macrophage lifespan by sensitizing cells to apoptosis via TNFR1 hyposialylation. Significance: This is the first determination that TNFR1 function is regulated by its glycan structure. Macrophages play a central role in innate immunity, however mechanisms regulating macrophage survival are not fully understood. Herein we describe a novel apoptotic pathway involving α2-6 sialylation of the TNFR1 death receptor by the ST6Gal-I sialyltransferase. Variant glycosylation of TNFR1 has not previously been implicated in TNFR1 function, and little is known regarding the TNFR1 glycan composition. To study sialylation in macrophages, we treated U937 monocytic cells with PMA, which stimulates both macrophage differentiation and apoptosis. Interestingly, macrophage differentiation induces ST6Gal-I down-regulation, leading to reduced α2-6 sialylation of selected receptors. To prevent loss of α2-6 sialylation, we forced constitutive expression of ST6Gal-I, and found that this strongly inhibited PMA-induced apoptosis. Given that PMA-mediated apoptosis is thought to result from up-regulation of TNFα, which then activates TNFR1, we next evaluated the α2-6 sialylation of TNFR1. U937 cells with forced ST6Gal-I displayed TNFR1 with elevated α2-6 sialylation, and this was associated with diminished TNFα-stimulated apoptosis. Correspondingly, removal of α2-6 sialylation from TNFR1 through either neuraminidase treatment or expression of ST6Gal-I shRNA markedly enhanced TNFα-mediated apoptosis. To confirm the physiologic importance of TNFR1 sialylation, we generated overexpressing ST6Gal-I transgenic mice. Peritoneal macrophages from transgenic lines displayed TNFR1 with elevated α2-6 sialylation, and these cells were significantly protected against TNFα-stimulated apoptosis. Moreover, greater numbers of thioglycollate-induced peritoneal cells were observed in transgenic mice. These collective results highlight a new mechanism of TNFR1 regulation, and further intimate that loss of α2-6 sialylation during macrophage differentiation may limit macrophage lifespan by sensitizing cells to TNFα-stimulated apoptosis.