Le Lupus est une maladie systémique auto-immune complexe, caractérisée notamment par la perte de tolérance vis-à-vis d’antigènes nucléaires, qui affecte majoritairement les femmes à l’âge adulte. Cette maladie est hétérogène tant du point de vue clinique que génétique, ce qui a considérablement limité les progrès dans la compréhension de sa pathogénèse. Dans ce projet, nous avons mis à profit la technologie de séquençage de nouvelle génération de type « Whole Exome Sequencing (WES)» pour explorer la génétique du Lupus à l’échelle de familles individuelles. De plus, nous avons centré notre étude sur des formes à début pédiatrique qui sont cliniquement plus sévères que les formes adultes. Nous avons fait l’hypothèse que ce sous-groupe de patients devrait être enrichi en formes monogéniques. Nous avons ainsi inclus dans cette étude des cas familiaux de lupus ou des familles dans lesquelles il existait un patient lupique et des apparentés atteints de pathologies auto-immunes. Un séquençage WES a été réalisé dans ces familles et la validation des gènes identifiés par cette stratégie a fait l’objet de ce travail. Nous avons découvert une mutation hétérozygote gain de fonction du gène TMEM173 qui code STING, un adaptateur clé dans la signalisation de la détection des ADNs cytosoliques et la production d’interféron de type-I (IFN-I). Quatre membres de cette famille porteurs de la mutation présentent une pathologie auto-inflammatoire et auto-immune, dont un cas de Lupus, avec une expression clinique hautement variable. Une modélisation structurale in silico de la forme mutée prédisait initialement une stabilisation de la forme dimérique de STING avec pour conséquence possible une activation constitutive. En accord avec ces données, nous avons montré, en absence du ligand naturel, une activité constitutive de la forme mutée de STING exprimée dans une lignée cellulaire, ainsi qu’une localisation spontanée dans l’appareil de Golgi des fibroblastes de patients indiquant un état activé. Corrélativement, nous avons observé une concentration sérique élevée d’IFNa chez les patients ainsi qu’une signature transcriptionnelle fortement augmentée d’un panel de gènes induits par les IFN-I. A la suite de cette découverte, nous avons identifié de nouvelles mutations activatrices de STING chez des patients atteints de pathologies vasculaires et de fibroses pulmonaires sévères en relation avec un syndrome inflammatoire, et deux patients ont pu recevoir un traitement ciblant l’inhibition de la voie des IFN-I. Ce travail a permis de mettre en lumière le rôle clé de STING dans l’homéostasie du système immunitaire chez l’homme et de mieux comprendre la physiopathologie de maladies inflammatoires et auto-immunes, motivant la mise en place d’un traitement spécifique chez les patients. Au-delà de cette découverte importante pour ces malades, ce travail suggère que des variants rares et délétères permettent de décrire les causes génétiques de maladies auto-immunes dites complexes. / Lupus is a complex systemic autoimmune disease characterized by a loss of tolerance to nuclear antigens predominantly afflicting women of childbearing age. The disease is both clinically and genetically heterogeneous and this has greatly limited progress in understanding disease pathogenesis. In this project, we utilize next generation sequencing technology such as “Whole Exome Sequencing (WES)” to explore the genetics of lupus at the level of individual families. Furthermore, we focused on a rare subgroup of lupus patients, which develop the disease in childhood and usually present with a more severe clinical phenotype compared to the adult-onset form. We hypothesized that this subgroup would be enriched for monogenic forms of the disease. Thus, we recruited several families with early-onset in the proband and at least one other familial member presenting with lupus or associated autoimmune disease. WES was performed and the validation of the gene identified by this strategy is described. We identified a familial gain of function dominant mutation in TMEM173, encoding STING, a key adaptor molecule in the cytosolic DNA sensing pathway and Type-I interferon (IFN-I) production. The four affected family members demonstrate a systemic inflammatory and autoimmune condition, including lupus, with variable clinical expression. Structural modeling initially predicted a stabilized dimerization of the mutant STING and thereby a constitutive activation. In agreement with this, we found that the STING mutant spontaneously localizes in the Golgi of patient fibroblasts, and is constitutively active in the absence of its ligand in vitro. Accordingly, we observed elevated serum interferon activity and a IFN-I signature in peripheral blood. We have also identified several other patients with activating STING mutations presenting with vascular inflammation and or pulmonary fibrosis, and two patients received a treatment targeting the IFN-I signaling pathway. This discovery highlights the key role of STING in human immune homeostasis and its implication in severe inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, leading to new and more specific therapeutical approaches. Beyond these important findings with regards to patients, this work suggests that rare deleterious variants can describe the genetic cause of autoimmune pathologies previously defined as complex diseases.

Recém-natos (RNs) são mais susceptíveis a infecções devido à relativa imaturidade das respostas imunes inata e adaptativa. Nesse cenário, a modulação imunológica tem sido investigada como uma estratégia para aumentar a proteção contra infecções. Os macrófagos atuam tanto na imunidade inata quanto adaptativa, sendo potenciais alvos para estimular a resposta imune neonatal. Na infecção pelo HIV, os macrófagos atuam como reservatórios virais contribuindo com a replicação viral por longos períodos de tempo. Agonistas de receptores do tipo Toll podem controlar a replicação do HIV-1 em macrófagos de adultos in vitro, mas o impacto de tais moléculas em macrófagos de RNs ainda não foi verificado. Assim, o objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar o efeito imunomodulador e antiviral de adjuvantes indutores de interferon tipo I em macrófagos de neonatos e adultos. Para isso, macrófagos foram gerados a partir de monócitos isolados de sangue de cordão umbilical e sangue periférico de adultos. Foi observado que os macrófagos de RNs possuem um perfil anti-inflamatório e de produção de IL-10. Os achados mostram ainda que os macrófagos neonatais são semelhantes aos macrófagos de adultos quanto à expressão gênica de componentes da imunidade inata. No entanto, as células neonatais mostram maior replicação viral quando infectadas com HIV-1 in vitro. Também verificou-se que o tratamento com os agonistas de TLR7/TLR8 (CL097), STING (cGAMP) e TLR3/RIG-I/MDA-5 (Poly-I:C) induz a expressão de IFN-&#946 e do fator antiviral MxA em macrófagos de RNs e adultos, mas CL097 é mais eficaz em promover a expressão de sensores citosólicos, em especial RIG-I e cGAS, além de inibir a expressão de TREX-1. Esse agonista também promove a indução de citocinas inflamatórias e &#223-quimiocinas, bem como, da citocina reguladora IL-10. Os resultados indicam ainda que CL097 inibe a replicação do HIV-1 em macrófagos de RNs e adultos, e esse efeito não parece ser dependente da ativação de NF-&#967B. Portanto, o agonista CL097 mostra um potencial terapêutico relevante como adjuvante da resposta neonatal, sendo capaz de induzir fatores antivirais que inibem a replicação do HIV-1. / Newborns (NBs) are more susceptible to infections due to the relative immaturity of innate and adaptive immune responses. In this scenario, immunological modulation has been investigated as a strategy to increase protection against infections. Macrophages play a role on both innate and adaptive immunity, being potential targets for stimulating the neonatal immune response. In HIV infection, macrophages act as viral reservoirs contributing to viral replication for long periods of time. Toll-like receptor agonists can control HIV-1 replication in adult macrophages in vitro but the impact of such molecules on macrophages of NBs has not yet been verified. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the immunomodulatory and antiviral effects of type I interferon adjuvants on macrophages of neonates and adults. For this, macrophages were generated from monocytes isolated from umbilical cord blood and peripheral blood from adults. It was observed that the macrophages of NBs have an anti-inflammatory profile with IL-10 production. The findings also show that neonatal macrophages are similar to adult macrophages regarding the gene expression of innate immunity components. However, neonatal cells show increased viral replication when infected with HIV-1 in vitro. It has also been found that the treatment with TLR7/TLR8 (CL097), STING (cGAMP) and TLR3/RIG-I/MDA-5 (Poly-I:C) agonists induces the expression of IFN-&#223 and the antiviral factor MxA in macrophages of NBs and adults, however CL097 is more effective in promoting the expression of cytosolic sensors, especially RIG-I and cGAS, in addition to inhibit the expression of TREX-1. This agonist also promotes the induction of inflammatory cytokines and &#223-chemokines, as well as the regulatory cytokine IL-10. The results further indicate that CL097 inhibits HIV-1 replication in macrophages of NBs and adults, and this effect does not seem to be dependent on NF-&#967B activation. Therefore, CL097 shows a relevant therapeutic potential as adjuvant of the neonatal response, being able to induce antiviral factors that inhibit HIV-1 replication.

Des mutations gains de fonction du gène STING chez l’Homme (telles que V155M) déclenchent une pathologie autoinflammatoire sévère de type interféronopathie, le SAVI (Sting associated vasculopathy with onset in infancy), une vasculopathie associée à une fibrose pulmonaire et des symptômes lupus-like. Afin de comprendre la physiopathologie du SAVI, nous avons généré un modèle murin porteur de la mutation correspondante grâce à la technologie CRISPR/Cas9. Ces souris STING V154M/WT développent un phénotype SCID (déficit immunitaire combiné sévère) avec diminution des LT, des LB et des NK en périphérie, et une expansion du compartiment myéloïde. Ce défaut de développement est observé précocement dès le stade pré-proB dans la moelle osseuse, et au stade DN2 dans le thymus, et semble intrinsèque aux cellules hématopoïétiques. De plus, ces souris présentent une hypogammaglobulinémie sévère. Les LT et LB matures présentent également des défauts intrinsèques. Enfin, les souris présentent une signature IFN, mais leur phénotype SCID est IFN de type I-indépendant. Ces résultats mettent en évidence un rôle important de STING dans le développement lymphoïde. / In humans, point mutations in STING gene, such as V155M, lead to a severe autoinflammatory disease called SAVI (Sting associated vasculopathy with onset in infancy), classified as interferonopathy and characterized by vasculopathy, pulmonary fibrosis and a lupus-like pathology. In order to better understand the pathophysiology of SAVI, we generated a mouse model with the corresponding mutation, using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. These STING V154M/WT mice develop a SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency disease) with decrease of peripheral T, B and NK cells, and expansion of myeloid compartment. This defect seems to be present since the early stages, i.e. pre-proB cells stage in bone marrow and DN2 stage in thymus, and seems intrinsic to hematopoiectic cells. In addition, these mice present a strong hypogammaglobulinemia. Mature T and B cells also present intrinsic defaults. Finally, these mice present an IFN signature but their phenotype is independent of the IFN pathway. These results highlight an important role of STING in lymphoid development.

The tripartite motif (TRIM) family comprises at least 80 members in humans, with most having ubiquitin or SUMO E3 ligase activity conferred by their N-terminal RING domain. TRIMs regulate a wide range of processes in ubiquitination-or sumoylation-dependent manners in most cases, and fewer as adaptors. Their roles in the regulation of viral infections, autophagy, cell cycle progression, DNA damage and other stress responses, and carcinogenesis are being increasingly appreciated, and their E3 ligase activities are attractive targets for developing specific immunother-apeutic strategies for immune diseases and cancers. Given their importance in antiviral immune response, viruses have evolved sophisticated immune escape strategies to subvert TRIM-mediated mechanisms. In this review, we focus on their regulation of IFN-I-mediated innate immune response, which plays key roles in antiviral and antitumor defense.

Pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) are recognized by different cellular pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs), which are expressed on cell membrane or in the cytoplasm of cells of the innate immune system. Nucleic acids derived from pathogens or from certain cellular conditions represent a large category of PAMPs/DAMPs that trigger production of type I interferons (IFN-I) in addition to pro-inflammatory cytokines, by specifically binding to intracellular Toll-like receptors or cytosolic receptors. These cytosolic receptors, which are not related to TLRs and we call them "Toll-free" receptors, include the RNA-sensing RIG-I like receptors (RLRs), the DNA-sensing HIN200 family, and cGAS, amongst others. Viruses have evolved myriad strategies to evoke both host cellular and viral factors to evade IFN-I-mediated innate immune responses, to facilitate their infection, replication, and establishment of latency. This review outlines these "Toll-free" innate immune pathways and recent updates on their regulation, with focus on cellular and viral factors with enzyme activities.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-19T13:08:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 205.pdf: 1189300 bytes, checksum: c37aa0ffee9705ba62589fa1555f712c (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães. Recife, PE, Brasil / A infecção pelo vírus da dengue é um problema de saúde pública global que põe em risco cerca de 2,5 bilhões de pessoas no mundo, com uma incidência de 50-100 milhões de casos resultando em cerca de 24.000 mortes por ano. Os mecanismos envolvidos na resposta imune inata atuam imediatamente após o contato do hospedeiro com os antígenos virais, levando à secreção de interferon do tipo I (IFN-I), a principal citocina envolvida na resposta antiviral. Entender como o sistema IFN-I é inibido em células infectadas pelo vírus dengue pode fornecer valiosas informações sobre a patogênese da doença. Propomos neste estudo analisar a inibição da via de sinalização do IFN-I por diferentes cepas isoladas no estado de Pernambuco, assim como o desenvolvimento de um vírus recombinante da dengue expressando a proteína Gaussia luciferase, para estudos futuros de replicação e imunopatogênese. A fim de estudar a via de sinalização do IFN-I, foram selecionadas cepas dos quatro sorotipos de dengue para crescimento, concentração e titulação viral. Foi utilizada a linhagem celular BHK-21-ISRE-Luc-Hygro que expressa o gene firefly luciferase fusionado a um promotor induzido pelo IFN-I (ISRE - Interferon Stimulated Response Element). Observamos que todos os sorotipos em estudo foram capazes de inibir, em diferentes proporções, a resposta ou sinalização do IFN-I. Com o intuito de auxiliar as pesquisas em dengue, desenvolvemos um vírus repórter de dengue expressando o gene repórter da Gaussia luciferase. Células transfectadas com o transcrito in vitro de um dos clones resultou em imunofluorescência positiva, porém não houve recuperação de partículas infectivas. Outros clones deverão ser testados para recuperação de vírus recombinante repórter. Juntos, os dados da caracterização das cepas em estudo e a recuperação de partículas infectivas da construção realizada neste trabalho deverão contribuir para as pesquisas em imunopatogênese, replicação viral e desenvolvimento de antivirais contra o dengue

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Albert Font Haro ABSTRACT Modulation of plasmacytoid dendritic cell function: role of immunoreceptors TIM-3 and BDCA-2 Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are key players in the antiviral response as well as in linking innate and adaptive immune response. They express endosomal toll-like receptors 7 and 9, which can detect ssRNA and unmethylated CpG DNA, respectively. Due to the constitutive expression of the transcription factor IRF7, pDCs are able to rapidly produce massive quantities of type I (α, β, ω) and type III (1, 2, 3, 4) interferons (IFN-I and IFN-III) as well as pro- inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α. After maturation, they also function as antigen-presenting cells. Despite intense research, the mechanisms of IFN and pro-inflammatory cytokines production and regulation are still poorly understood. Using the pDC cell line GEN2.2 and also primary human pDCs, we shed light on the role of kinases MEK and SYK in IFN-I production and regulation. We found that SYK is not only involved in the regulatory receptor (RR)-mediated BCR-like pathway that represents the negative regulation of IFN-I and IFN-III secretion but also in the positive TLR7/9-mediated signal transduction pathway that leads to IFN-I production, representing the immunogenic function. We also found that MEK plays a...