Project description:CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) are a subpopulation of T cells, which regulate the immune system and enhance immune tolerance after transplantation. Donor-derived Treg prevent the development of lethal acute graft and host disease (GVHD) in murine models of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. It was reported that a single treatment of the agonistic antibody to Death receptor 3 (DR3) in donor mice resulted in the expansion of donor derived Treg and prevented acute GVHD, although the precise role of DR3 signaling in GVHD has not been elucidated. We analyzed the gene expression profile, immune phenotype, and function of DR3-activated Treg in a murine model of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. CD4+Foxp3+ Treg were sorted from the mice stimulated with anti-DR3 or control antibody using fluorescence-activated cell sorter for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays.
Project description:CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) are a subpopulation of T cells, which regulate the immune system and enhance immune tolerance after transplantation. Donor-derived Treg prevent the development of lethal acute graft and host disease (GVHD) in murine models of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. It was reported that a single treatment of the agonistic antibody to Death receptor 3 (DR3) in donor mice resulted in the expansion of donor derived Treg and prevented acute GVHD, although the precise role of DR3 signaling in GVHD has not been elucidated. We analyzed the gene expression profile, immune phenotype, and function of DR3-activated Treg in a murine model of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.
Project description:Introgressed variants from other species can be an important source of genetic variation because they may arise rapidly, can include multiple mutations on a single haplotype, and have often been pretested by selection in the species of origin. Although introgressed alleles are generally deleterious, several studies have reported introgression as the source of adaptive alleles-including the rodenticide-resistant variant of Vkorc1 that introgressed from Mus spretus into European populations of Mus musculus domesticus. Here, we conducted bidirectional genome scans to characterize introgressed regions into one wild population of M. spretus from Spain and three wild populations of M. m. domesticus from France, Germany, and Iran. Despite the fact that these species show considerable intrinsic postzygotic reproductive isolation, introgression was observed in all individuals, including in the M. musculus reference genome (GRCm38). Mus spretus individuals had a greater proportion of introgression compared with M. m. domesticus, and within M. m. domesticus, the proportion of introgression decreased with geographic distance from the area of sympatry. Introgression was observed on all autosomes for both species, but not on the X-chromosome in M. m. domesticus, consistent with known X-linked hybrid sterility and inviability genes that have been mapped to the M. spretus X-chromosome. Tract lengths were generally short with a few outliers of up to 2.7 Mb. Interestingly, the longest introgressed tracts were in olfactory receptor regions, and introgressed tracts were significantly enriched for olfactory receptor genes in both species, suggesting that introgression may be a source of functional novelty even between species with high barriers to gene flow.
Project description:Objective: T follicular regulatory (Tfr) cells express CXC chemokine receptor type 5. They migrate into germinal centers and suppress T follicular helper (Tfh) and B cells for regulating antibody production. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors are used in inflammatory diseases; however, autoantibody and anti-drug antibody production is challenging. As TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2) signaling is important for suppressive functions of regulatory T cells, we investigated the role of TNFR2 on Tfr cells. Methods: Tfr, Tfh, and naive B cells were obtained from human peripheral blood. Tfr cells were stimulated with MR2-1 (anti-TNFR2 agonistic antibody) and their proliferation, Forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) expression, and surface molecules were evaluated by flow cytometry. Tfh/B-cell proliferation and B-cell IgM production and differentiation in co-cultures with MR2-1-stimulated Tfr cells were examined. Results: TNFR2 expression was higher on Tfr cells than conventional T cells. MR2-1 altered the gene expression profile of Tfr cells. Cell proliferation and Foxp3 expression were induced by MR2-1. Inducible costimulator and program death-1 were dramatically upregulated in MR2-1-stimulated Tfr cells and significantly suppressed Tfh/B-cell proliferation, IgM production, and B-cell differentiation. Tfr cells treated with MR2-1 migrated according to the CXCL13 gradient. Conclusion: TNFR2 signaling in Tfr cells regulates Tfh and B-cell population. Aberrant antibody production during TNF inhibitor treatment might be associated with TNFR2 signaling inhibition in Tfr cells, suggesting TNFR1-specific inhibition as a better therapeutic strategy than pan-TNF inhibition. TNFR2-treated Tfr cells may serve as prospective candidates for cell-based therapy of autoimmune diseases.
Project description:Translational research is commonly performed in the C57B6/J mouse strain, chosen for its genetic homogeneity and phenotypic uniformity. Here, we evaluate the suitability of the white-footed deer mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) as a model organism for aging research, offering a comparative analysis against C57B6/J and diversity outbred (DO) Mus musculus strains. Our study includes comparisons of body composition, skeletal muscle function, and cardiovascular parameters, shedding light on potential applications and limitations of P. leucopus in aging studies. Notably, P. leucopus exhibits distinct body composition characteristics, emphasizing reduced muscle force exertion and a unique metabolism, particularly in fat mass. Cardiovascular assessments showed changes in arterial stiffness, challenging conventional assumptions and highlighting the need for a nuanced interpretation of aging-related phenotypes. Our study also highlights inherent challenges associated with maintaining and phenotyping P. leucopus cohorts. Behavioral considerations, including anxiety-induced responses during handling and phenotyping assessment, pose obstacles in acquiring meaningful data. Moreover, the unique anatomy of P. leucopus necessitates careful adaptation of protocols designed for Mus musculus. While showcasing potential benefits, further extensive analyses across broader age ranges and larger cohorts are necessary to establish the reliability of P. leucopus as a robust and translatable model for aging studies.
Project description:The importance of unanchored Ub in innate immunity has been shown only for a limited number of unanchored Ub-interactors. We investigated what additional cellular factors interact with unanchored Ub and whether unanchored Ub plays a broader role in innate immunity. To identify unanchored Ub-interacting factors from murine lungs, we used His-tagged recombinant poly-Ub chains as bait. These chains were mixed with lung tissue lysates and protein complexes were isolated with Ni-NTA beads. Sample elutions were subjected to mass spectrometry (LC-MSMS) analysis.
Project description:We compared the gene expression in wild type CD4+ T cells stimulated with agonistic anti-TIGIT 4D4 antibody to that of isotype and TIGIT-deficient (KO) controls.