Ian R. van Driel

NKT cells are phenotypically and functionally diverse

NK1.1+α βTCR+ (NKT) cells have several important roles including tumor rejection and prevention of autoimmune disease. Although both CD4+ and CD4–CD8– double‐negative (DN) subsets of NKT cells have been identified, they are usually described as one population. Here, we show that NKT cells are phenotypically, functionally and developmentally heterogeneous, and that three distinct subsets (CD4+, DN and CD8+) are differentially distributed in a tissue‐specific fashion. CD8+ NKT cells are present in all tissues but the thymus, and are highly enriched for CD8α+β– cells. These subsets differ in their expression of a range of cell surface molecules (Vβ8, DX5, CD69, CD45RB, Ly6C) and in their ability to produce IL‐4 and IFN‐γ, with splenic NKT cell subsets producing lower levels than thymic NKT cells. Developmentally, most CD4+ and DN NKT cells are thymus dependent, in contrast to CD8+ NKT cells, and are also present amongst recent thymic emigrants in spleen and liver. TCR Jα281‐deficient mice show a dramatic deficiency in thymic NKT cells, whereas a significant NKT cell population (enriched for the DN and CD8+ subsets) is still present in the periphery. Taken together, this study reveals a far greater level of complexity within the NKT cell population than previously recognized.

Gastric H+, K+-adenosine triphosphatase β subunit is required for normal function, development, and membrane structure of mouse parietal cells

BACKGROUND & AIMS Parietal cells of the gastric mucosa contain a complex and extensive secretory membrane system that harbors gastric H(+),K(+)-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase), the enzyme primarily responsible for acidification of the gastric lumen. We have produced mice deficient in the H(+),K(+)-ATPase beta subunit to determine the role of the protein in the biosynthesis of this membrane system and the biology of gastric mucosa. METHODS Mice deficient in the H(+), K(+)-ATPase beta subunit were produced by gene targeting. RESULTS The stomachs of H(+),K(+)-ATPase beta subunit-deficient mice were achlorhydric. Histological and immunocytochemical analyses with antibodies to the H(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha subunit revealed that parietal cell development during ontogeny was retarded in H(+), K(+)-ATPase beta subunit-deficient mice. In 15-day-old mice, cells with secretory canaliculi were observed in wild-type but not in H(+), K(+)-ATPase beta subunit-deficient mice. Parietal cells of H(+), K(+)-ATPase beta subunit-deficient mice 17 days and older contained an abnormal canaliculus that was dilated and contained fewer and shorter microvilli than normal. In older parietal cells, the abnormal canaliculus was massive (25 micrometer in diameter) and contained few microvilli. We did not observe typical tubulovesicular membranes in any parietal cell from H(+),K(+)-ATPase beta subunit-deficient mice. Histopathologic alterations were only observed in the stomach. CONCLUSIONS The H(+),K(+)-ATPase beta subunit is required for acid-secretory activity of parietal cells in vivo, normal development and cellular homeostasis of the gastric mucosa, and attainment of the normal structure of the secretory membranes.

Influence of gastric acid on susceptibility to infection with ingested bacterial pathogens.

ABSTRACT Despite the widely held belief that gastric acid serves as a barrier to bacterial pathogens, there are almost no experimental data to support this hypothesis. We have developed a mouse model to quantify the effectiveness of gastric acid in mediating resistance to infection with ingested bacteria. Mice that were constitutively hypochlorhydric due to a mutation in a gastric H+/K+-ATPase (proton pump) gene were infected with Yersinia enterocolitica, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Citrobacter rodentium, or Clostridium perfringens cells or spores. Significantly greater numbers of Yersinia, Salmonella, and Citrobacter cells (P ≤ 0.006) and Clostridium spores (P = 0.02) survived in hypochlorhydric mice, resulting in reduced median infectious doses. Experiments involving intraperitoneal infection or infection of mice treated with antacids indicated that the increased sensitivity of hypochlorhydric mice to infection was entirely due to the absence of stomach acid. Apart from establishing the role of gastric acid in nonspecific immunity to ingested bacterial pathogens, our model provides an excellent system with which to investigate the effects of hypochlorhydria on susceptibility to infection and to evaluate the in vivo susceptibility to gastric acid of orally administered therapies, such as vaccines and probiotics.

Peripheral T cell expansion in lymphopenic mice results in a restricted T cell repertoire.

In the absence of thymic contribution, the peripheral T cell pool is maintained by division of mature lymphocytes. Recent studies suggest that peripheral T cell expansion may be driven by low‐affinity interactions with self ligands. Here we have investigated the consequence of homeostatic proliferation on the T cell repertoire. Following day 3 thymectomy of mice, there is a subsequent 30‐fold expansion of the peripheral T cell population. Significantly, expansion of the T cell population results in skewed TCR Vβ complementarity‐determining region (CDR)3 length distributions and, in some cases, a marked bias toward one or two CDR3 lengths. TCR sequence analysis showed that these biases were a consequence of (oligo)clonal T cell expansion. Neonatally thymectomized adult mice have reduced antibody responses to primary challenge with T‐dependent antigens. These data demonstrate that peripheral expansion of the T cell pool can result in a limited T cell repertoire, indicating that the array of stimulating ligands that drives homeostatic expansion is restricted.

The Interleukin-6 Family Cytokine Interleukin-11 Regulates Homeostatic Epithelial Cell Turnover and Promotes Gastric Tumor Development

BACKGROUND & AIMS Gastric cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, mainly as a result of late-stage detection. Interleukin (IL)-11 is a multifunctional cytokine reported to be up-regulated in human gastric cancer. METHODS We investigated the importance of IL-11 in gastric cancer progression by examining its role in a variety of mouse gastric tumor models, as well as in nonneoplastic and tumor tissues taken from gastric cancer patients. We then determined the transcriptional and translational outcomes of IL-11 overexpression in normal gastric mucosa and identified a novel gene signature important early in the progression toward gastric tumorigenesis. RESULTS IL-11 was up-regulated significantly in 4 diverse mouse models of gastric pathology as well as in human biopsy specimens adjacent to and within gastric cancer. Removal of IL-11 co-receptor alpha significantly reduced HKbeta-/- mouse fundic hyperplasia and ablated gp130(757F/F) mouse tumorigenesis. Exogenous IL-11 but not IL-6 activated oncogenic signal transducer and activator of transcription-3, and altered expression of novel proliferative and cytoprotective genes RegIII-beta, RegIII-gamma, gremlin-1, clusterin, and growth arrest specific-1 in wild-type gastric mucosa, a gene signature common in gp130(757F/F) and HKbeta-/- tumors as well as nonneoplastic mucosa of gastric cancer patients. One week of chronic IL-11 administration in wild-type mice sustained the gene signature, causing pretumorigenic changes in both antrum and fundus. CONCLUSIONS Increased gastric IL-11 alters expression of proliferative and cytoprotective genes and promotes pretumorigenic cellular changes.

Autoimmune gastritis results in disruption of gastric epithelial cell development

We have investigated the underlying basis of the lesion in murine autoimmune gastritis, a model of the human disease pernicious anemia. The disease is mediated by T lymphocytes and characterized by selective depletion of parietal and zymogenic cells from the gastric unit (gland) together with gastric epithelial cell hyperplasia. The gastric units of gastritic stomachs contained 2.3-fold more cells than normal and accumulated rapidly dividing, short-lived gastric epithelial stem cells and mucous neck cells. Most of these immature cells failed to differentiate into end-stage cells but rather appeared to die by apoptosis. We also found no correlation between anti-parietal cell autoantibody titers and the degree of gastric pathology, providing further evidence that autoantibodies do not play a direct role in the pathogenesis of gastritis. Taken together, the normal developmental pathways of the gastric mucosa are disrupted in autoimmune gastritis, resulting in an amplification of immature cell types. The differentiation of these immature cells appears to be blocked, contributing to depletion of end-stage cells. This scenario provides an explanation for depletion of not only parietal cells but also zymogenic cells even though they are not directly targeted by the immune system.We have investigated the underlying basis of the lesion in murine autoimmune gastritis, a model of the human disease pernicious anemia. The disease is mediated by T lymphocytes and characterized by selective depletion of parietal and zymogenic cells from the gastric unit (gland) together with gastric epithelial cell hyperplasia. The gastric units of gastritic stomachs contained 2.3-fold more cells than normal and accumulated rapidly dividing, short-lived gastric epithelial stem cells and mucous neck cells. Most of these immature cells failed to differentiate into end-stage cells but rather appeared to die by apoptosis. We also found no correlation between anti-parietal cell autoantibody titers and the degree of gastric pathology, providing further evidence that autoantibodies do not play a direct role in the pathogenesis of gastritis. Taken together, the normal developmental pathways of the gastric mucosa are disrupted in autoimmune gastritis, resulting in an amplification of immature cell types. The differentiation of these immature cells appears to be blocked, contributing to depletion of end-stage cells. This scenario provides an explanation for depletion of not only parietal cells but also zymogenic cells even though they are not directly targeted by the immune system.

Expression of the Gastric H/K-ATPase α-Subunit in the Thymus may Explain the Dominant Role of the β-Subunit in the Pathogenesis of Autoimmune Gastritis

The two subunits of the gastric H/K ATPase, namely the catalytic α-subunit and the glycoprotein β-subunit, are the major targets of parietal cell autoantibodies associated with human and murine autoimmune gastritis. The murine disease induced by neonatal thymectomy is T cell-mediated. We have previously shown that transgenic expression of the H/K ATPase β-subunit gene in the thymus prevented the development of autoimmune gastritis induced by thymectomy. However, little is known of the contribution of the H/K ATPase α-subunit in disease development. Here, we show that (1) in contrast to the gastric H/K ATPase β-subunit, the α-subunit gene is expressed in normal BALB/c thymus, (2) transgenic expression of the gastric H/K ATPase α-subunit gene in the thymus failed to prevent the development of autoimmune gastritis and (3) normal BALB/c and transgenic mice expressing the α-subunit in the thymus develop autoimmune gastritis following immunisation with purified murine gastric H/K ATPase, whereas transgenic mice...

CD4+ CD25+ Regulatory T Cells Modulate the T-Cell and Antibody Responses in Helicobacter-Infected BALB/c Mice

ABSTRACT Gastric Helicobacter spp. induce chronic gastritis that may lead to ulceration and dysplasia. The host elicits a T helper 1 (Th1) response that is fundamental to the pathogenesis of these bacteria. We analyzed immune responses in Helicobacter-infected, normal mice depleted of CD4+ CD25+ T cells to investigate the in vivo role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the modulation of Helicobacter immunopathology. BALB/c and transgenic mice were depleted of CD4+ CD25+ T cells by administration of an anti-CD25 antibody either at the time of infection with Helicobacter or during chronic infection and gastritis. Depletion of CD25+ Tregs prior to and during infection of mice with Helicobacter spp. did not affect either bacterial colonization or severity of gastritis. Depletion of CD25+ Tregs was associated with increased Helicobacter-specific antibody levels and an altered isotype distribution. Paragastric lymph node cells from CD25+ Treg-depleted and control infected mice showed similar proliferation to Helicobacter antigens, but only cells from anti-CD25-treated animals secreted Th2 cytokines. CD25+ Tregs do not control the level of gastritis induced by gastric Helicobacter spp. in normal, thymus-intact BALB/c mice. However, CD25+ Tregs influence the cytokine and antibody responses induced by infection. Autoimmune gastritis is not induced in Helicobacter-infected mice depleted of CD25+ Tregs but is induced in CD25+ Treg-depleted mice, which have a higher frequency of autoreactive T cells.

The role of CD4 + CD25 + immunoregulatory T cells in the induction of autoimmune gastritis

A number of experimental models of organ‐specific autoimmunity involve a period of peripheral lymphopenia prior to disease onset. There is now considerable evidence that the development of autoimmune disease in these models is due to the absence of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells. However, the role of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in the prevention of autoimmune disease in normal individuals has not been defined. Here we have assessed the affect of depletion of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in BALB/c mice on the induction of autoimmune gastritis. The CD4+CD25+ T cell population was reduced to 95% of the original population in adult thymectomized mice by treatment with anti‐CD25 mAb. By 48 days after the anti‐CD25 treatment, the CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cell population had returned to a normal level. Treatment of thymectomized adult mice for up to 4 weeks with anti‐CD25 mAb did not result in the development of autoimmune gastritis. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that depletion of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells, together with transient CD4+ T lymphopenia, also did not result in the development of autoimmune gastritis, indicating that peripheral expansion of the CD4+ T cell population, per se, does not result in autoimmunity in adult mice. On the other hand, depletion of CD4+CD25+ T cells in 10‐day‐old euthymic mice resulted in a 30% incidence of autoimmune gastritis. These data suggest that CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells may be important in protection against autoimmunity while the immune system is being established in young animals, but subsequently other factors are required to initiate autoimmunity.

IFNs Modify the Proteome of Legionella-Containing Vacuoles and Restrict Infection Via IRG1-Derived Itaconic Acid

Macrophages can be niches for bacterial pathogens or antibacterial effector cells depending on the pathogen and signals from the immune system. Here we show that type I and II IFNs are master regulators of gene expression during Legionella pneumophila infection, and activators of an alveolar macrophage-intrinsic immune response that restricts bacterial growth during pneumonia. Quantitative mass spectrometry revealed that both IFNs substantially modify Legionella-containing vacuoles, and comparative analyses reveal distinct subsets of transcriptionally and spatially IFN-regulated proteins. Immune-responsive gene (IRG)1 is induced by IFNs in mitochondria that closely associate with Legionella-containing vacuoles, and mediates production of itaconic acid. This metabolite is bactericidal against intravacuolar L. pneumophila as well as extracellular multidrug-resistant Gram-positive and -negative bacteria. Our study explores the overall role IFNs play in inducing substantial remodeling of bacterial vacuoles and in stimulating production of IRG1-derived itaconic acid which targets intravacuolar pathogens. IRG1 or its product itaconic acid might be therapeutically targetable to fight intracellular and drug-resistant bacteria.