A resposta imune adaptativa do tipo Th1 é necessária para proteção contra P. Brasiliensis. Sabendo que células dendrítica são APCs eficientes na ativação da resposta imune mediada por células, investigamos o potencial dessas células em iniciar a resposta imune inata em camundongos suscetíveis (B10.A) e resistentes (A/J) a PCM. Inicialmente, observamos que células dendríticas pulmonares de camundongos B10.A são mais fagocíticas quando comparadas com células de camundongos A/J. Além disso, observamos que a fagocitose na presença de laminarina foi inibida somente em células dendríticas pulmonares de animais B10.A. A produção de citocinas por células dendríticas pulmonares de camundongos A/J mostrou baixa concentração de IL-10, IL-12 e TNF-α. Ao contrário, células dendríticas pulmonares de camundongos B10.A produziram altas concentrações de TNF-α e IL-10, mas, a produção de IL-10 foi significativamente inibida na presença de laminarina. Nós também observamos que células dendríticas pulmonares de camundongos TLR-2KO foram deficientes na produção de IL-10. Além disso, a expressão gênica para TLR-2 aumentou após infecção em camundongos B10.A, mas não nos A/J. Posteriormente, observamos que a capacidade de células dendríticas pulmonares de camundongos suscetíveis em induzir ativação de células T foi diminuída. De acordo com nossos resultados, sugerimos que P. brasiliensis induz células dendríticas regulatórias em camundongos suscetíveis, os quais promovem a produção de IL-10, contribuindo para a suscetibilidade de camundongos B10.A contra a infecção por P. brasiliensis. / An adaptive Th1-type immune response is required for protection against P.brasiliensis. Knowing that DC are the most effective APCs for inducing cellmediated immune responses, it is thus important to investigate lung DC and their potential to initiate an immune response in mice susceptible and resistant to PCM. Initially, we observed that lung DC from susceptible mice were more phagocytic than cells from resistant mice and we observed that phagocytosis in the presence of laminarin was inhibited only in DC from susceptible mice. Cytokines produced by DC from resistant mice showed a low concentration of IL-10, IL-12 and TNF-α. In contrast, DC from susceptible mice produced a high concentration of TNF-α and IL-10, but IL-10 production was significantly inhibited in the presence of laminarin. We also observed that DC from TLR-2KO mice presented a defective production of IL-10. We found that the gene expression for TLR2 is increased after infection in B10.A, but not in A/J mice. Thus, the capacity of lung DC from susceptible mice in inducing T cell activation was decreased. In conclusion, our data suggest that P.brasiliensis induces regulatory DC in susceptible mice, which promotes IL-10 production contributing to the susceptibility of B10.A mice against P.brasiliensis infection.

A resposta imune adaptativa do tipo Th1 é necessária para proteção contra P. Brasiliensis. Sabendo que células dendrítica são APCs eficientes na ativação da resposta imune mediada por células, investigamos o potencial dessas células em iniciar a resposta imune inata em camundongos suscetíveis (B10.A) e resistentes (A/J) a PCM. Inicialmente, observamos que células dendríticas pulmonares de camundongos B10.A são mais fagocíticas quando comparadas com células de camundongos A/J. Além disso, observamos que a fagocitose na presença de laminarina foi inibida somente em células dendríticas pulmonares de animais B10.A. A produção de citocinas por células dendríticas pulmonares de camundongos A/J mostrou baixa concentração de IL-10, IL-12 e TNF-α. Ao contrário, células dendríticas pulmonares de camundongos B10.A produziram altas concentrações de TNF-α e IL-10, mas, a produção de IL-10 foi significativamente inibida na presença de laminarina. Nós também observamos que células dendríticas pulmonares de camundongos TLR-2KO foram deficientes na produção de IL-10. Além disso, a expressão gênica para TLR-2 aumentou após infecção em camundongos B10.A, mas não nos A/J. Posteriormente, observamos que a capacidade de células dendríticas pulmonares de camundongos suscetíveis em induzir ativação de células T foi diminuída. De acordo com nossos resultados, sugerimos que P. brasiliensis induz células dendríticas regulatórias em camundongos suscetíveis, os quais promovem a produção de IL-10, contribuindo para a suscetibilidade de camundongos B10.A contra a infecção por P. brasiliensis. / An adaptive Th1-type immune response is required for protection against P.brasiliensis. Knowing that DC are the most effective APCs for inducing cellmediated immune responses, it is thus important to investigate lung DC and their potential to initiate an immune response in mice susceptible and resistant to PCM. Initially, we observed that lung DC from susceptible mice were more phagocytic than cells from resistant mice and we observed that phagocytosis in the presence of laminarin was inhibited only in DC from susceptible mice. Cytokines produced by DC from resistant mice showed a low concentration of IL-10, IL-12 and TNF-α. In contrast, DC from susceptible mice produced a high concentration of TNF-α and IL-10, but IL-10 production was significantly inhibited in the presence of laminarin. We also observed that DC from TLR-2KO mice presented a defective production of IL-10. We found that the gene expression for TLR2 is increased after infection in B10.A, but not in A/J mice. Thus, the capacity of lung DC from susceptible mice in inducing T cell activation was decreased. In conclusion, our data suggest that P.brasiliensis induces regulatory DC in susceptible mice, which promotes IL-10 production contributing to the susceptibility of B10.A mice against P.brasiliensis infection.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Immunostimulatory cytokines can enhance anti-tumor immunity and are part of the therapeutic armamentarium for cancer treatment. We previously reported that chemotherapy-treated lymphoma patients acquire a deficiency of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 4 (STAT4), which results in defective IFNy production during clinical immunotherapy. With the goal of further improvement in cytokine-based immunotherapy, we examined the effects of a soybean peptide called lunasin that exhibits immunostimulatory effects on natural killer cells (NKCs). Peripheral blood mononucleated cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors and chemotherapy-treated lymphoma patients were stimulated with or without lunasin in the presence of IL-12 or IL-2. NK activation was evaluated, and its tumoricidal activity was assessed using in vitro and in vivo tumor models. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay was performed to evaluate the histone modification of gene loci that are regulated by lunasin and cytokine. Adding lunasin to IL-12- or IL-2-cultuted NK cells demonstrated synergistic effects in the induction of IFNG and genes involved in cytotoxicity. The combination of lunasin and cytokines (IL-12 plus IL-2) was capable of restoring IFNy production by NK cells from post-transplant lymphoma patients. In addition, NK cells stimulated with lunasin plus cytokines have higher tumoricidal activity than those stimulated with cytokines alone using in vitro tumor models. The underlying mechanism responsible for the effects of lunasin on NK cells is likely due to epigenetic modulation at target gene loci. Lunasin represents a different class of immune modulating agent that may augment the therapeutic responses mediated by cytokine-based immunotherapy.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / IL-17-producing T cells are critical to the development of pathogen and tumor immunity, but also contribute to the pathology of autoimmune diseases and allergic inflammation. CD8+ (Tc17) and CD4+ (Th17) IL-17-secreting T cells develop in response to a cytokine environment that activates Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT) proteins, though the mechanisms underlying Tc17/Th17 development and stability are still unclear. In vivo, Tc17 cells clear vaccinia virus infection and acquire cytotoxic potential, that is independent of IL-17 production and the acquisition of IFN-γ-secreting potential, but partially dependent on Fas ligand, suggesting that Tc17-mediated vaccinia virus clearance is through cell killing independent of an acquired Tc1 phenotype. In contrast, memory Th cells and NKT cells display STAT4-dependent IL-23-induced IL-17 production that correlates with Il23r expression. IL-23 does not activate STAT4 nor do other STAT4-activating cytokines induce Il23r expression in these populations, suggesting a T cell-extrinsic role for STAT4 in mediating IL-23 responsiveness. Although IL-23 is important for the maintenance of IL-17-secreting T cells, it also promotes their instability, often resulting in a pathogenic Th1-like phenotype in vitro and in vivo. In vitro-derived Th17 cells are also flexible when cultured under polarizing conditions that promote Th2 or Th9 differentiation, adopting the respective effector programs, and decreasing IL-17 production. However, in models of allergic airway disease, Th17 cells do not secrete alternative cytokines nor adopt other effector programs, and remain stable IL-17-secretors. In contrast to Th1-biased pro-inflammatory environments that induce Th17 instability in vivo, during allergic inflammatory disease, Th17 cells are comparatively stable, and retain the potential to produce IL-17. Together these data document that the inflammatory environment has distinct effects on the stability of IL-17-secreting T cells in vivo.