Project description:Epidemiological data have identified Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection as the main environmental risk factor for the central nervous system (CNS) autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis (MS). However, how EBV infection initiates MS pathogenesis remains unclear. We now demonstrate that EBV differentiates oligoclonal B cells into MS-associated T-bet+CXCR3+ B cells that home to the CNS in humanized mice. Effector memory CD8+ T cells and CD4+ TH17 cells co-migrate to the brain of EBV infected humanized mice. T-bet+CXCR3+ B cells are capable of colonizing submeningeal brain regions in the absence of other lymphocytes and attract T cells. Depletion of this T-bet+CXCR3+ B cell subset with Rituximab significantly decreases lymphocyte infiltration into the CNS. Thus, we suggest that symptomatic primary EBV infection generates B cell subsets that gain access to the CNS, attract T cells and thereby initiate MS.
Project description:Subpopulations of B-lymphocytes traffic to different sites and organs to provide diverse and tissue-specific functions. Here, we provide evidence that epigenetic differences confer a neuroinvasive phenotype. An EBV+ B cell lymphoma cell line (M14) with low frequency trafficking to the CNS was neuroadapted to generate a highly neuroinvasive B-cell population (MUN14). MUN14 B cells efficiently infiltrated the CNS within one week and produced neurological pathologies. We compared the gene expression profiles of viral and cellular genes using RNA-Seq and identified one viral (EBNA1) and several cellular gene candidates, including secreted phosphoprotein 1/osteopontin (SPP1/OPN), neuron navigator 3 (NAV3), CXCR4, and germinal center-associated signaling and motility protein (GCSAM)) that were selectively upregulated in MUN14. ATAC-Seq and ChIP-qPCR revealed that these gene expression changes correlated with epigenetic changes at gene regulatory elements. The neuroinvasive phenotype could be attenuated with a neutralizing antibody to OPN, confirming the functional role of this protein in trafficking EBV+ B cells to the CNS. These studies indicate that B-cell trafficking to the CNS can be acquired by epigenetic adaptations and provide a new model to study B-cell neuroinvasion associated CNS lymphoma and autoimmune disease of the CNS, including multiple sclerosis (MS).cell infection to investigate the underlying mechanisms that control EBV-induced B-cell immortalization. ATAC-seq revealed that over a third of accessible chromatin is altered with the most perturbed sites overlapping Ets-family, including PU.1 and RUNX1 transcription factors. EBV nuclear antigens (EBNAs) clustered with different gene categories and RNA-seq identified the transcriptional response of these gene. Focusing on EBNA1 revealed a selection of gene targets involved in nucleotide metabolism. Metabolomics indicated that adenosine and purine metabolism are significantly altered by EBV immortalization, and we validated that adenosine deaminase (ADA) is a direct and critical target of EBNA1 and the EBV-directed immortalization process. These findings reveal that purine metabolism and ADA inhibitors may be a useful therapeutic for EBV-driven lymphoid cancers
Project description:Subpopulations of B-lymphocytes traffic to different sites and organs to provide diverse and tissue-specific functions. Here, we provide evidence that epigenetic differences confer a neuroinvasive phenotype. An EBV+ B cell lymphoma cell line (M14) with low frequency trafficking to the CNS was neuroadapted to generate a highly neuroinvasive B-cell population (MUN14). MUN14 B cells efficiently infiltrated the CNS within one week and produced neurological pathologies. We compared the gene expression profiles of viral and cellular genes using RNA-Seq and identified one viral (EBNA1) and several cellular gene candidates, including secreted phosphoprotein 1/osteopontin (SPP1/OPN), neuron navigator 3 (NAV3), CXCR4, and germinal center-associated signaling and motility protein (GCSAM)) that were selectively upregulated in MUN14. ATAC-Seq and ChIP-qPCR revealed that these gene expression changes correlated with epigenetic changes at gene regulatory elements. The neuroinvasive phenotype could be attenuated with a neutralizing antibody to OPN, confirming the functional role of this protein in trafficking EBV+ B cells to the CNS. These studies indicate that B-cell trafficking to the CNS can be acquired by epigenetic adaptations and provide a new model to study B-cell neuroinvasion associated CNS lymphoma and autoimmune disease of the CNS, including multiple sclerosis (MS).cell infection to investigate the underlying mechanisms that control EBV-induced B-cell immortalization. ATAC-seq revealed that over a third of accessible chromatin is altered with the most perturbed sites overlapping Ets-family, including PU.1 and RUNX1 transcription factors. EBV nuclear antigens (EBNAs) clustered with different gene categories and RNA-seq identified the transcriptional response of these gene. Focusing on EBNA1 revealed a selection of gene targets involved in nucleotide metabolism. Metabolomics indicated that adenosine and purine metabolism are significantly altered by EBV immortalization, and we validated that adenosine deaminase (ADA) is a direct and critical target of EBNA1 and the EBV-directed immortalization process. These findings reveal that purine metabolism and ADA inhibitors may be a useful therapeutic for EBV-driven lymphoid cancers
Project description:In order to elucidate mechanism of resistance to BTKi and dasatinib in CNS-infiltrating leukemia cells and to investigate the CNS homing of E2A-PBX1/preBCR+ ALL cells, we performed global transcriptome analysis by RNA sequencing. RNA was isolated from CNS-infiltrating cells from vehicle, dasatinib, ibrutinib, dasatinib + ibrutinib-treated mice
Project description:Most humans are infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a cancer-causing virus. While EBV generally persists silently in B lymphocytes, periodic lytic (re-)activation of latent virus is central to its life cycle and to most EBV-related diseases. However, a substantial fraction of EBV-infected B cells and tumor cells in a population is refractory to lytic activation. This resistance to lytic activation directly and profoundly impacts viral persistence and effectiveness of oncolytic therapy for EBV+ cancers. To identify the mechanisms that underlie susceptibility to EBV-lytic activation, we used host protein-expression profiling of separated-lytic and -refractory cells.
Project description:Most humans are infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a cancer-causing virus. While EBV generally persists silently in B lymphocytes, periodic lytic (re-)activation of latent virus is central to its life cycle and to most EBV-related diseases. However, a substantial fraction of EBV-infected B cells and tumor cells in a population is refractory to lytic activation. This resistance to lytic activation directly and profoundly impacts viral persistence and effectiveness of oncolytic therapy for EBV+ cancers. To identify the mechanisms that underlie susceptibility to EBV-lytic activation, we used host protein-expression profiling of separated-lytic and -refractory cells.
Project description:Immunodeficiency-related Epstein-Barr-virus-positive (EBV+) primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) represents a distinct clinical entity with an inferior prognosis compared to EBV--disease. Genetic alterations that drive EBV-related CNS lymphomagenesis remain unclear precluding targeted therapies. In this study, we performed whole-exome sequencing of 5 paired (tumor and germline control) and 13 unpaired (tumor only) EBV+ PCNSL as well as 2 EBV- controls.