Shuichi Kaminogawa

Identification of Multiple Isolated Lymphoid Follicles on the Antimesenteric Wall of the Mouse Small Intestine

We have revealed that 100–200 clusters, filled with closely packed lymphocytes, can be found throughout the length of the antimesenteric wall of the mouse small intestine. They are composed of a large B cell area, including a germinal center, and epithelia overlying the clusters contain M cells. A large fraction of B cells displays B220+CD19+CD23+IgMlowIgDhighCD5−Mac-1− phenotype, and the composition of IgA+ B cells is smaller but substantial. To our knowledge, these clusters are the first identification of isolated lymphoid follicles (ILF) in mouse small intestine. ILF can be first detected at 7 (BALB/c mice) and 25 (C57BL/6 mice) days after birth, and lymphoid clusters equivalent in terms of cellular mass to ILF are present in germfree, athymic nude, RAG-2−/−, TCR-β−/−, and Ig μ-chain mutant (μm−/−) mice, although c-kit+ cells outnumber B220+ cells in germfree and athymic nude mice, and most lymphoid residents are c-kit+B220− in RAG-2−/−, TCR-β−/−, and μm−/− mice. ILF develop normally in the progeny of transplacentally manipulated Peyer’s patch (PP)-deficient mice, and decreased numbers of conspicuously atrophied ILF are present in IL-7Rα−/− PPnull mice. Neither ILF nor PP are detectable in lymphotoxin α−/− and aly/aly mice that retain well-developed cryptopatches (CP) and thymus-independent subsets of intraepithelial T cells, whereas ILF, PP, CP, and thymus-independent subsets of intraepithelial T cells disappear from common cytokine receptor γ-chain mutant mice. These findings indicate that ILF, PP, and CP constitute three distinct organized gut-associated lymphoid tissues that reside in the lamina propria of the mouse small intestine.

Lactobacillus casei Inhibits Antigen-Induced IgE Secretion through Regulation of Cytokine Production in Murine Splenocyte Cultures

Background:Lactobacillus casei is a nonpathogenic gram-positive bacterium widely used in dairy products and has been shown to enhance the cellular immunity of the host. Methods: To examine the inhibitory effect of L. casei on IgE production, splenocytes obtained from ovalbumin (OVA)-primed BALB/c mice were restimulated in vitro with the same antigen in the presence of heat-killed L. casei. The effect of this bacterium on T helper (Th) phenotype development was also examined with naive T cells from OVA-specific T cell receptor-transgenic mice. Results:L. casei induced IFN-γ, but inhibited IL-4 and IL-5 secretion, and markedly suppressed total and antigen-specific IgE secretion by OVA-stimulated splenocytes. The inhibitory effect of L. casei on IgE, IL-4, and IL-5 production was partially abrogated by addition of neutralizing antibody to IFN-γ. Augmented IL-12 production was also observed in the cell cultures containing L. casei, and anti-IL-12 monoclonal antibody completely restored the IgE, IL-4, and IL-5 production to the control levels. The IL-12 augmentation by L. casei was macrophage-dependent. The Th cell development assay showed the ability of L. casei to induce Th1 development preferentially. This effect was also completely blocked by anti-IL-12 antibody. Conclusions: This is the first demonstration that a nonpathogenic microorganism, L. casei, can inhibit antigen-induced IgE production through induction of IL-12 secretion by macrophages. The findings suggest a potential use of this organism in preventing IgE-mediated allergy.

CD11b+ Peyer’s Patch Dendritic Cells Secrete IL-6 and Induce IgA Secretion from Naive B Cells

Peyer’s patch (PP) dendritic cells (DCs) have been shown to exhibit a distinct capacity to induce cytokine secretion from CD4+ T cells compared with DCs in other lymphoid organs such as the spleen (SP). In this study, we investigated whether PP DCs are functionally different from DCs in the SP in their ability to induce Ab production from B cells. Compared with SP DCs, freshly isolated PP DCs induced higher levels of IgA secretion from naive B cells in DC-T cell-B cell coculture system in vitro. The IgA production induced by PP DCs was attenuated by neutralization of IL-6. In addition, the induction of IgA secretion by SP DCs, but not PP DCs, was further enhanced by the addition of exogenous IL-6. Finally, we demonstrated that only PP CD11b+ DC subset secreted higher levels of IL-6 compared with other DC subsets in the PP and all SP DC populations, and that PP CD11b+ DC induced naive B cells to produce higher levels of IgA compared with SP CD11b+ DC. These results suggest a unique role of PP CD11b+ DCs in enhancing IgA production from B cells via secretion of IL-6.

CD4+CD25− T Cells That Express Latency-Associated Peptide on the Surface Suppress CD4+CD45RBhigh-Induced Colitis by a TGF-β-Dependent Mechanism

Murine CD4+CD25+ regulatory cells have been reported to express latency-associated peptide (LAP) and TGF-β on the surface after activation, and exert regulatory function by the membrane-bound TGF-β in vitro. We have now found that a small population of CD4+ T cells, both CD25+ and CD25−, can be stained with a goat anti-LAP polyclonal Ab without being stimulated. Virtually all these LAP+ cells are also positive for thrombospondin, which has the ability to convert latent TGF-β to the active form. In the CD4+CD45RBhigh-induced colitis model of SCID mice, regulatory activity was exhibited not only by CD25+LAP+ and CD25+LAP− cells, but also by CD25−LAP+ cells. CD4+CD25−LAP+ T cells were part of the CD45RBlow cell fraction. CD4+CD25−LAP−CD45RBlow cells had minimal, if any, regulatory activity in the colitis model. The regulatory function of CD25−LAP+ cells was abrogated in vivo by anti-TGF-β mAb. These results identify a new TGF-β-dependent regulatory CD4+ T cell phenotype that is CD25− and LAP+.

Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota suppresses serum immunoglobulin E and immunoglobulin G1 responses and systemic anaphylaxis in a food allergy model

Background  Our previous study using allergen‐sensitized murine splenocyte cultures has shown that Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS), a lactic acid bacterium widely used as a starter for fermented milk products, suppresses IgE production through promoting a dominant Th1‐type response mediated by IL‐12 induction.

Gut Cryptopatches: Direct Evidence of Extrathymic Anatomical Sites for Intestinal T Lymphopoiesis

Athymic cytokine receptor gamma chain mutant mice that lack the thymus, Peyers patches, cryptopatches (CP), and intestinal T cells were reconstituted with wild-type bone marrow cells. Bone marrow-derived TCR(-) intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) first appeared within villous epithelia of small intestine overlying the regenerated CP, and these TCR(-) IEL subsequently emerged throughout the epithelia. Thereafter, TCR(+) IEL increased to a comparable number to that in athymic mice and consisted of TCRgammadelta and TCRalphabeta IEL. In gut-associated lymphoid tissues of wild-type mice, only CP harbored a large population of c-kit(high)IL-7R(+)CD44(+)Thy-1(+/-)CD4(+/-)CD25(low/-)alpha(E) beta(7)(-)Lin(-) (Lin, lineage markers) lymphocytes that included cells expressing germline but not rearranged TCRgamma and TCRbeta gene transcripts. These findings provide direct evidence that gut CP develop progenitor T cells for extrathymic IEL descendants.

Epigenetic Regulation of TLR4 Gene Expression in Intestinal Epithelial Cells for the Maintenance of Intestinal Homeostasis

Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) are continuously exposed to large numbers of commensal bacteria but are relatively insensitive to them, thereby averting an excessive inflammatory reaction. In this study, we show that the low responsiveness of human IEC lines to LPS was mainly brought about by a down-regulation of TLR4 gene transcription. Additionally, the presence of an IEC-specific repressor element in the 5′ region of the TLR4 gene and binding of a NF to the element was shown. The transcription factor ZNF160, which was expressed more abundantly in a LPS-low responder IEC line than in a LPS-high responder IEC line, repressed TLR4 gene transcription. ZNF160 is known to interact with the scaffold protein KAP1 via its N terminus to recruit histone deacetylase. Histone deacetylation, as well as DNA methylation, at the 5′ region of the TLR4 gene was significantly higher in LPS-low responder IEC lines than in a monocyte line or a LPS-high responder IEC line. It was demonstrated that TLR4 gene transcription was repressed by these epigenetic regulations, which were, at least in part, dependent on ZNF160. Down-regulaton of TLR4 gene expression by these mechanisms in IECs possibly contributes to the maintainance of homeostasis in the intestinal commensal system.

Epigenetic control of the host gene by commensal bacteria in large intestinal epithelial cells.

Background: Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) express low levels of TLR4 and are hyporesponsive to commensal bacteria. Results: TLR4 gene is methylated in IECs, and this process is dependent on commensal bacteria in the large intestine. Conclusion: Commensal bacteria control epigenetic modification of the host gene. Significance: This study shows a novel mechanism underlying the maintenance of intestinal symbiosis. Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) are continuously exposed to large numbers of commensal bacteria but are relatively insensitive to them, thereby averting an excessive inflammatory reaction. We have previously reported that the hyporesponsiveness of a human IEC line to LPS was primarily the result of a down-regulation of TLR4 gene transcription through epigenetic mechanisms. In the present study we show that DNA methylation in the 5′ region of the TLR4 gene is significantly higher in IECs than in splenic cells in vivo. The methylation was shown to be dependent on the differentiation state of the IECs, as the differentiated IEC population that expressed higher levels of intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) also displayed greater methylation and lower expression of the TLR4 gene than the undifferentiated population. The IAPhigh, differentiated population also showed less abundant expression of CDX2, the transcription factor required for the development of the intestine, than the IAPlow, undifferentiated population. Overexpression of CDX2 in an IEC line decreased the methylation level of the TLR4 gene, increased transcriptional promoter activity of the gene, and increased responsiveness to the TLR4 ligand. Furthermore, the methylation level of the TLR4 gene was significantly lower in IECs of the large intestine of germ-free mice than in those of conventional mice, whereas the level in IECs of the small intestine was almost equal between these mice, indicating that commensal bacteria contribute to the maintenance of intestinal symbiosis by controlling epigenetic modification of the host gene in the large intestine.

Role of Gut Cryptopatches in Early Extrathymic Maturation of Intestinal Intraepithelial T Cells

Lympho-hemopoietic progenitors residing in murine gut cryptopatches (CP) have been shown to generate intestinal intraepithelial T cells (IEL). To investigate the role of CP in progenitor maturation, we analyzed IEL in male mice with a truncated mutation of common cytokine receptor γ-chain (CRγ−/Y) in which CP were undetectable. IEL-expressing TCR-γδ (γδ-IEL) were absent, and a drastically reduced number of Thy-1highCD4+ and Thy-1highCD8αβ+ αβ-IEL were present in CRγ−/Y mice, whereas these αβ-IEL disappeared from athymic CRγ−/Y littermate mice. Athymic CRγ−/Y mice possessed a small TCR- and αEβ7 integrin-negative IEL population, characterized by the disappearance of the extrathymic CD8αα+ subset, that expressed pre-Tα, RAG-2, and TCR-Cβ but not CD3ε transcripts. These TCR− IEL from athymic CRγ−/Y mice did not undergo Dβ-Jβ and Vδ-Jδ joinings, despite normal rearrangements at the TCR-β and -δ loci in thymocytes from euthymic CRγ−/Y mice. In contrast, athymic severe combined immunodeficient mice in which CP developed normally possessed two major TCR−αEβ7+ CD8αα+ and CD8− IEL populations that expressed pre-Tα, RAG-2, TCR-Cβ, and CD3ε transcripts. These findings underscore the role of gut CP in the early extrathymic maturation of CD8αα+ IEL, including cell-surface expression of αEβ7 integrin, CD3ε gene transcription, and TCR gene rearrangements.

Improved growth and viability of lactobacilli in the presence of Bacillus subtilis (natto), catalase, or subtilisin.

In an effort to demonstrate the potential usefulness of Bacillus subtilis (natto) as a probiotic, we examined the effect of this organism on the growth of three strains of lactobacilli co-cultured aerobically in vitro. Addition of B. subtilis (natto) to the culture medium resulted in an increase in the number of viable cells of all lactobacilli tested. Since B. subtilis (natto) can produce catalase, which has been reported to exhibit a similar growth-promoting effect on lactobacilli, we also examined the effect of bovine catalase on the growth of Lactobacillus reuteri JCM 1112 and L. acidophilus JCM 1132. Both catalase and B. subtilis (natto) enhanced the growth of L. reuteri JCM 1112, whereas B. subtilis (natto) but not catalase enhanced the growth of L. acidophilus JCM 1132. In a medium containing 0.1 mM hydrogen peroxide, its toxic effect on L. reuteri JCM 1112 was abolished by catalase or B. subtilis (natto). In addition, a serine protease from B. licheniformis, subtilisin, improved the growth and viability of L. reuteri JCM 1112 and L. acidophilus JCM 1132 in the absence of hydrogen peroxide. These results indicate that B. subtilis (natto) enhances the growth and (or) viability of lactobacilli, possibly through production of catalase and subtilisin.