Julie Cazareth

Breast milk–mediated transfer of an antigen induces tolerance and protection from allergic asthma

Allergic asthma is a chronic disease characterized by airway obstruction in response to allergen exposure. It results from an inappropriate T helper type 2 response to environmental airborne antigens and affects 300 million individuals. Its prevalence has increased markedly in recent decades, most probably as a result of changes in environmental factors. Exposure to environmental antigens during infancy is crucial to the development of asthma. Epidemiological studies on the relationship between breastfeeding and allergic diseases have reached conflicting results. Here, we have investigated whether the exposure of lactating mice to an airborne allergen affects asthma development in progeny. We found that airborne antigens were efficiently transferred from the mother to the neonate through milk and that tolerance induction did not require the transfer of immunoglobulins. Breastfeeding-induced tolerance relied on the presence of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β during lactation, was mediated by regulatory CD4+ T lymphocytes and depended on TGF-β signaling in T cells. In conclusion, breast milk–mediated transfer of an antigen to the neonate resulted in oral tolerance induction leading to antigen-specific protection from allergic airway disease. This study may pave the way for the design of new strategies to prevent the development of allergic diseases.

Cutting edge: lectin-like transcript 1 is a ligand for the CD161 receptor.

Human NK cells and subsets of T cells or NKT cells express the orphan C-type lectin receptor CD161 (NKR-P1A) of unknown function. In contrast to rodents that possess several NKR-P1 genes coding for either activating or inhibitory receptors, the nature of signals delivered by the single human NKR-P1A receptor is still to be clarified. In this article, we show that the lectin-like transcript 1 (LLT1) molecule is a ligand for the CD161 receptor. Engagement of CD161 on NK cells with LLT1 expressed on target cells inhibited NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity and IFN-γ secretion. Conversely, LLT1/CD161 interaction in the presence of a TCR signal enhanced IFN-γ production by T cells. These findings identify a novel ligand/receptor pair that differentially regulate NK and T cell functions.

CD4+ T Cell Polarization in Mice Is Modulated by Strain-specific Major Histocompatibility Complex–independent Differences within Dendritic Cells

Resistance and susceptibility to Leishmania major in mice are determined by multiple genes and correlate with the preferential development of Th1 and Th2 responses, respectively. Here, we found that CD11b+ dendritic cells (DCs) prime parasite-specific CD4+ T cells in both susceptible BALB/c (H2-d) and resistant B10.D2 (H2-d) mice. However, BALB/c and B10.D2 DCs from L. major–infected mice differ in their ability to polarize naive T cells into Th1 or Th2 effector cells. This difference is cell-intrinsic, is not restricted to H2-d mice, and is observed with both parasite-specific and allospecific CD4+ T cells. Thus, strain-specific differences within CD11b+ DCs influence the ability of inbred mice to mount polarized CD4+ T cell responses.

The oral administration of bacterial extracts prevents asthma via the recruitment of regulatory T cells to the airways

The prevalence of asthma has steadily increased during the last decade, probably as the result of changes in the environment, including reduced microbial exposure during infancy. Accordingly, experimental studies have shown that deliberate infections with live pathogens prevent the development of allergic airway diseases in mice. Bacterial extracts are currently used in children suffering from repeated upper respiratory tract infections. In the present study, we have investigated whether bacterial extracts, commercially available as Broncho-Vaxom (BV), could prevent allergic airway disease in mice. Oral treatment with BV suppressed airway inflammation through interleukin-10 (IL-10)-dependent and MyD88 (myeloid differentiation primary response gene (88))-dependent mechanisms and induced the conversion of FoxP3 (forkhead box P3)− T cells into FoxP3+ regulatory T cells. Furthermore, CD4+ T cells purified from the trachea of BV-treated mice conferred protection against airway inflammation when adoptively transferred into sensitized mice. Therefore, treatment with BV could possibly be a safe and efficient strategy to prevent the development of allergic diseases in children.

Involvment of Cytosolic and Mitochondrial GSK-3β in Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Neuronal Cell Death of MPTP/MPP+-Treated Neurons

Aberrant mitochondrial function appears to play a central role in dopaminergic neuronal loss in Parkinsons disease (PD). 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium iodide (MPP+), the active metabolite of N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), is a selective inhibitor of mitochondrial complex I and is widely used in rodent and cell models to elicit neurochemical alterations associated with PD. Recent findings suggest that Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β (GSK-3β), a critical activator of neuronal apoptosis, is involved in the dopaminergic cell death. In this study, the role of GSK-3β in modulating MPP+-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and neuronal death was examined in vivo, and in two neuronal cell models namely primary cultured and immortalized neurons. In both cell models, MPTP/MPP+ treatment caused cell death associated with time- and concentration-dependent activation of GSK-3β, evidenced by the increased level of the active form of the kinase, i.e. GSK-3β phosphorylated at tyrosine 216 residue. Using immunocytochemistry and subcellular fractionation techniques, we showed that GSK-3β partially localized within mitochondria in both neuronal cell models. Moreover, MPP+ treatment induced a significant decrease of the specific phospho-Tyr216-GSK-3β labeling in mitochondria concomitantly with an increase into the cytosol. Using two distinct fluorescent probes, we showed that MPP+ induced cell death through the depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential. Inhibition of GSK-3β activity using well-characterized inhibitors, LiCl and kenpaullone, and RNA interference, prevented MPP+-induced cell death by blocking mitochondrial membrane potential changes and subsequent caspase-9 and -3 activation. These results indicate that GSK-3β is a critical mediator of MPTP/MPP+-induced neurotoxicity through its ability to regulate mitochondrial functions. Inhibition of GSK-3β activity might provide protection against mitochondrial stress-induced cell death.

Memory CD8+ T cells mediate antibacterial immunity via CCL3 activation of TNF/ROI+ phagocytes

Cytolysis, interferon γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α secretion are major effector mechanisms of memory CD8+ T cells that are believed to be required for immunological protection in vivo. By using mutants of the intracellular bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, we found that none of these effector activities is sufficient to protect against secondary infection with wild-type (WT) bacteria. We demonstrated that CCL3 derived from reactivated memory CD8+ T cells is required for efficient killing of WT bacteria. CCL3 induces a rapid TNF-α secretion by innate inflammatory mononuclear phagocytic cells (MPCs), which further promotes the production of radical oxygen intermediates (ROIs) by both MPCs and neutrophils. ROI generation is the final bactericidal mechanism involved in L. monocytogenes clearance. These results therefore uncover two levels of regulation of the antibacterial secondary protective response: (a) an antigen-dependent phase in which memory CD8+ T cells are reactivated and control the activation of the innate immune system, and (b) an antigen-independent phase in which the MPCs coordinate innate immunity and promote the bactericidal effector activities. In this context, CCL3-secreting memory CD8+ T cells are able to mediate “bystander” killing of an unrelated pathogen upon antigen-specific reactivation, a mechanism that may be important for the design of therapeutic vaccines.

Inhibition of adrenocortical carcinoma cell proliferation by steroidogenic factor-1 inverse agonists.

CONTEXT Transcription factor steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) plays a pivotal role in the control of adrenocortical cell steroidogenesis and proliferation. SF-1 amplification and overexpression are found in most cases of childhood adrenocortical tumors (ACTs). OBJECTIVE Our objective was to investigate the effect of SF-1 inverse agonists of the alkyloxyphenol and isoquinolinone classes on the proliferation of human adrenocortical cell lines expressing SF-1 (H295R), in conditions of basal and increased SF-1 expression, or negative for SF-1 expression (SW-13). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Proliferation assays, immunoblots, flow cytometric analyses, steroid hormone assays, and reverse transcription quantitative PCR were used. RESULTS SF-1 inhibitors of the alkyloxyphenol class displayed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on both SF-1-positive and -negative ACT cells, whereas SF-1 inverse agonists of the isoquinolinone class selectively inhibited cell proliferation elicited by SF-1 overexpression. These drugs also inhibited stimulated steroid hormone secretion and CYP21 and CYP17 mRNA expression. CONCLUSION SF-1 inhibitors may represent a useful tool in the chemotherapy of ACTs.

The T cell factor/β-Catenin Antagonist PKF115–584 Inhibits Proliferation of Adrenocortical Carcinoma Cells

CONTEXT Mutations of the beta-catenin (CTNNB1) gene are frequently found in adrenocortical tumors. This has important consequences to deregulate the expression of transcriptional targets of the Wnt pathway, which may contribute to tumorigenesis. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of the small-molecule inhibitor of the T cell factor (Tcf)/beta-catenin complex PKF115-584 on beta-catenin-dependent transcription and proliferation of H295R adrenocortical tumor cells, which harbor mutations in CTNNB1 as well as the TP53 tumor suppressor gene. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Immunofluorescence, transient transfection, proliferation assays, and flow cytometric analyses were used. RESULTS Nuclear localization of beta-catenin and constitutive activation of beta-catenin-dependent transcription was observed in H295R cells. PKF115-584 dose-dependently inhibited beta-catenin-dependent transcription and H295R proliferation, even in the presence of increased steroidogenic factor-1 levels, which augment proliferation in this cell line. The drug had no effect on HeLa cells, a cell line in which the beta-catenin pathway is not activated. PKF115-584 decreased the percentage of H295R cells in S-phase and increased the percentage of apoptotic cells. CONCLUSIONS Inhibitors of the Tcf/beta-catenin complex may prove useful in the treatment of adrenocortical tumors in which multiple genetic alterations have accumulated.

Primed Antigen-Specific CD4+ T Cells Are Required for NK Cell Activation In Vivo upon Leishmania major Infection

The ability of NK cells to rapidly produce IFN-γ is an important innate mechanism of resistance to many pathogens including Leishmania major. Molecular and cellular components involved in NK cell activation in vivo are still poorly defined, although a central role for dendritic cells has been described. In this study, we demonstrate that Ag-specific CD4+ T cells are required to initiate NK cell activation early on in draining lymph nodes of L. major-infected mice. We show that early IFN-γ secretion by NK cells is controlled by IL-2 and IL-12 and is dependent on CD40/CD40L interaction. These findings suggest that newly primed Ag-specific CD4+ T cells could directly activate NK cells through the secretion of IL-2 but also indirectly through the regulation of IL-12 secretion by dendritic cells. Our results reveal an unappreciated role for Ag-specific CD4+ T cells in the initiation of NK cell activation in vivo upon L. major infection and demonstrate bidirectional regulations between innate and adaptive immunity.

Enriched environment decreases microglia and brain macrophages inflammatory phenotypes through adiponectin-dependent mechanisms: Relevance to depressive-like behavior

Regulation of neuroinflammation by glial cells plays a major role in the pathophysiology of major depression. While astrocyte involvement has been well described, the role of microglia is still elusive. Recently, we have shown that Adiponectin (ApN) plays a crucial role in the anxiolytic/antidepressant neurogenesis-independent effects of enriched environment (EE) in mice; however its mechanisms of action within the brain remain unknown. Here, we show that in a murine model of depression induced by chronic corticosterone administration, the hippocampus and the hypothalamus display increased levels of inflammatory cytokines mRNA, which is reversed by EE housing. By combining flow cytometry, cell sorting and q-PCR, we show that microglia from depressive-like mice adopt a pro-inflammatory phenotype characterized by higher expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and IκB-α mRNAs. EE housing blocks pro-inflammatory cytokine gene induction and promotes arginase 1 mRNA expression in brain-sorted microglia, indicating that EE favors an anti-inflammatory activation state. We show that microglia and brain-macrophages from corticosterone-treated mice adopt differential expression profiles for CCR2, MHC class II and IL-4recα surface markers depending on whether the mice are kept in standard environment or EE. Interestingly, the effects of EE were abolished when cells are isolated from ApN knock-out mouse brains. When injected intra-cerebroventricularly, ApN, whose level is specifically increased in cerebrospinal fluid of depressive mice raised in EE, rescues microglia phenotype, reduces pro-inflammatory cytokine production by microglia and blocks depressive-like behavior in corticosterone-treated mice. Our data suggest that EE-induced ApN increase within the brain regulates microglia and brain macrophages phenotype and activation state, thus reducing neuroinflammation and depressive-like behaviors in mice.