Natural killer (NK) cells are an intensively studied part of immune system possessing unique ability to recognize and induce death of tumor and virus-infected cells without prior antigen sensitization. Their function is regulated by a fine balance of signals induced by multiple activating and inhibitory cell surface receptors and their interaction with the ligands present on the target cell. This can be illustrated on the homodimeric rat inhibitory receptor NKR-P1B and its ligand Clrb which play, besides other things, crucial role in the immunological response of NK cells to the infection with rat cytomegalovirus (RCMV), one of the most studied NK cell function model in rat model organism. During RCMV infection the target cell downregulates cell surface expression of Clrb, thus decreasing inhibitory signal transmitted through the NKR-P1B receptor to the NK cell, which would ideally lead to NK cell activation and lysis of the infected cell. However, RCMV carries a gene for "decoy" surface receptor - RCTL that mimics Clrb and thus helps to escape the immunological response of NK cells. Moreover, while this escape strategy was demonstrated in the WAG rat strain, it has been shown that the NKR-P1B homologue from SD rat strain binds only Clrb and does not recognize RCTL. Thus the SD rat strain is less...

A leptospirose é a zoonose mais comum, distribuída em todas as regiões do mundo e causada por bactérias virulentas do gênero Leptospira spp. A apresentação clínica da leptospirose varia de uma doença febril inespecífica a quadros graves com insuficiência renal aguda, icterícia, hemorragias graves, choque cardiovascular e falência de múltiplos órgãos. Pouco se sabe sobre a resposta imune do hospedeiro e os mecanismos patogênicos associados com a leptospirose grave com hemorragia pulmonar e choque cardiovascular. O baço tem sido estudado e considerado nos últimos anos como um órgão essencial na fisiopatologia da sepse/choque séptico, uma vez que nele ocorre perda de células da imunidade, secundária à apoptose. Objetivos: descrever os achados histológicos e a resposta imune in situ do baço de pacientes falecidos por leptospirose com hemorragia pulmonar e choque refratário, comparando-os com dois grupos controles, um formado por pacientes falecidos por choque séptico causado por bactérias Gram-positivas/-negativas e um segundo, formado por vítimas de trauma. Metodologia: retrospectivamente, 11 baços de pacientes com leptospirose grave e 10 baços de pacientes com choque séptico foram obtidos por necrópsia e comparados com 12 baços de vítimas de trauma abdominal fechado (controles normais), obtidos por esplenectomia. Os achados histológicos da polpa vermelha e da polpa branca esplênica foram analisados por meio de escore semi-quantitativo. A reação de imunohistoquímica (IH) foi empregada para a marcação de células NK, S100+, CD68+, TCD4+, TCD8+ e CD20+, bem como para células expressando caspase-3, TNF, IFN, IL-1, IL-2r, IL-6, IL-12, IL-10, IL-4 e TGF. A contagem de células marcadas foi realizada utilizando-se gratículo sobre 10 campos da polpa vermelha e 10 campos da polpa branca, escolhidos aleatoriamente. IH também foi realizada nos baços dos casos de leptospirose para a detecção de antígenos de Leptospira spp. Resultados: os baços de pacientes do grupo leptospirose e do grupo choque séptico demonstraram similaridades na análise histológica, divergindo do grupo trauma, com as seguintes alterações: congestão difusa da polpa vermelha com infiltração moderada a intensa de plasmócitos e polimorfonucleares e folículos da polpa branca com atrofia. A IH para antígenos de Leptospira foi positiva em oito (72,7%) amostras de baços do grupo leptospirose. Pela análise quantitativa das células marcadas pela IH, os seguintes resultados foram estatisticamente significantes: alta contagem de células S100+ no grupo leptospirose; alta densidade de células CD68+ no grupo choque séptico; baixa quantidade de células NK e TCD4+ nos grupos leptospirose e choque séptico; baixa quantidade de células TCD8+ nos casos de choque séptico e alta contagem de células CD20+ nos grupos leptospirose e choque séptico. Quanto às células expressando citocinas, encontrou-se alta quantidade de TNF nos pacientes do grupo leptospirose e grande número de células positivas para IL-10 nos grupos leptospirose e choque séptico. A expressão de IL-6, IFN, IL-1 e IL-2r foi insignificante nos baços dos três grupos estudados. Células expressando IL-12 foram encontradas apenas na polpa vermelha de casos de leptospirose. Conclusões: Semelhantes clinicamente aos casos de choque séptico, pacientes com leptospirose grave com choque apresentam disfunção endotelial difusa no baço, esplenite aguda e sinais de comprometimento da imunidade inata e adaptativa in situ no baço, caracterizado por uma baixa densidade de células NK, de células TCD4+ e baixa expressão de IL-6, IL-1, IL-2r, IFN e IL-12, com alta expressão de IL-10. Estes resultados sugerem que um estado de imunossupressão pontua a resposta imune do hospedeiro no estágio terminal da leptospirose grave com hemorragia pulmonar e choque cardiovascular. A presença de antígenos de Leptospira nos baços de casos de leptospirose sugere que o agente etiológico contribui diretamente para a patogênese das lesões / Leptospirosis is the most common worldwide zoonosis caused by virulent bacteria from the genus Leptospira spp. The clinical presentation of leptospirosis ranges from unspecific febrile illness to severe forms with acute renal failure, jaundice, hemorrhages, shock and multi organ failure. Little is known about the hosts immune response and the pathogenic mechanisms involved in severe leptospirosis. In recent years the spleen has been considered a pivotal organ in the patophysiology of the sepsis/septic shock because immune cells are lost due to apoptosis in this organ Objectives: describe and compare the splenic histological features and the immune response in situ in patients who died of pulmonary hemorrhage and shock caused by leptospirosis, with spleens from patients who suffered from Grampositive/- negative septic shock and abdominal trauma. Methodology: in retrospect, 11 spleen tissue samples from patients with leptospirosis and 10 spleens from patients with septic shock were obtained by necropsy, and compared with 12 spleens obtained by splenectomy from patients with abdominal trauma. The histological features in the red pulp and white pulp were analyzed by a semi quantitative score. Immunohistochemistry (IH) methods for NK , S100+, CD68+, TCD4+, TCD8+, CD20+ cells, caspase-3, TNF, IFN, IL-1, IL-2r, IL-6, IL-12, IL- 10, IL-4 and TGF were carried out and the stained cells were counted using a grid scale in ten fields of red pulp and white pulp chosen randomly. Also, IH was performed for Leptospira antigens in the leptospirosis patients. Results: the trauma group was totally different from the leptospirosis and septic shock patients which demonstrated strong similarities in the histological analysis: diffuse congestion in the red pulp with a moderate to intense infiltration of plasma cells, and polymorph nuclear cells, and follicles with marked atrophy. The Leptospira antigen was positive in eight (72,7%) spleen tissue samples from the leptospirosis group. By the IH methods and quantitative analysis, the following results reached statistical significance: high account of S100+ cells in the leptospirosis group; high density of CD68+ cells in the septic group; low density of NK and TCD4+ cells in the leptospirosis and septic groups; low quantities of TCD8+ cells in the septic group; high density of CD20+ cells in the leptospirosis and septic groups; high expression of TNF in the leptospirosis group and a strong expression of IL-10 in the leptospirosis and sepsis groups. The expression of IL-6, IFN, IL-1 and IL-2r was insignificant in all groups. IL-12 was only expressed in the red pulp of leptospirosis cases. Conclusion: similar to patients with septic shock, cases of severe leptospirosis (with pulmonary hemorrhage and shock) are associated with a splenic diffuse endothelial dysfunction, splenitis and signs of splenic disturbance in the innate and adaptative immunity in situ, characterized by an low density of NK cells, TCD4+ cells and low expression of IL-6, IL-1, IL-2r, IFN and IL-12 with a high expression of IL-10. These results suggest that an immunosuppressive state develops in the hosts immune response at the terminal stage of severe leptospirosis with pulmonary hemorrhage and shock. Also, the presence of leptospiral antigens in the spleen of the leptospirosis patients suggests the ethyological agent contributes directly to the pathogenesis of the lesions

L'inflammation systémique est une réaction qui implique l’ensemble de l’organisme suite une agression sévère, potentiellement mortelle, illustrée par le syndrome de réponse inflammatoire systémique (SIRS). De nombreux acteurs cellulaires et moléculaires contribuent au développement de cette cascade inflammatoire parmi lesquels les cellules NK jouent un rôle clé. Malgré l'accumulation de preuves sur l’existence de propriétés spécifiques à chaque organe en réponse à l'inflammation systémique, en termes de cellules NK, on sait peu de choses sur la dynamique compartimentalisée de l’activation des cellules NK pendant un SIRS. En outre, le statut immunitaire des cellules NK après la résolution d’un SIRS est également mal connu. Dans le présent travail, nous avons étudié les réponses des cellules NK provenant de différents organes en utilisant un modèle d’endotoxinémie murine. Nous avons caractérisé la réponse des cellules NK au sein de la rate, du poumon, de la moelle osseuse, de la cavité péritonéale, et dans la circulation. Nous avons trouvé que, malgré une dynamique similaire de la réponse dans les différents organes, les réponses des cellules NK sont compartimentalisées avec des seuils différent et spécifiques. A l’aide de transferts adoptifs, nous avons constaté que la réactivité des cellules NK spécifiques d'organes peut refléter le compartiment d’origine lors des phases initiales de l'inflammation. Cependant, les cellules NK ont la capacité de s’adapter rapidement à leur nouvel environnement et d'ajuster leurs niveaux de réponse à ceux des cellules NK résidentes. Ainsi, cette étude fournit une preuve de concept qui confirme la compartimentalisation de la réponse des cellules NK lors de l'inflammation systémique. Dans une deuxième partie, nous avons analysé le statut des cellules NK à différents moments après une endotoxinémie. Les réponses des cellules NK au sein d’une préparation de cellules de la rate sont fortement supprimées en réponse à une restimulation in vitro, 14 jours après l'endotoxinémie. Cependant, nous avons montré que la réactivité intrinsèque des cellules NK est en fait augmentée après l'injection d’endotoxine, aboutissant à des cellules NK présentant des caractéristiques de cellules NK mémoires. Des expériences de transfert adoptif ont confirmé les propriétés de mémoire des cellules NK après endotoxinémie. Nos résultats accroissent la connaissance concernant le rôle des cellules NK dans un contexte d'inflammation systémique, révélant des réponses compartimentalisés et l’induction d’une mémoire suite à l’endotoxinémie. L'observation selon laquelle les cellules NK développent des propriétés de mémoire après une inflammation systémique dans le contexte d'un environnement suppressif est d’une grande nouveauté et ce phénomène est rapporté pour la première fois. / Systemic inflammation is whole-body reaction to a triggering insult that often results in life threatening illness like systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Contributing to the development of this inflammatory cascade are numerous cellular and molecular players, among which, NK cells have been shown to play a key role. Despite accumulating evidence on the organ-specific properties of both systemic inflammation and NK cells, little is known about the compartmentalized dynamics of NK cell activation during SIRS. Furthermore, the status of NK cells after the resolution of SIRS is also poorly characterized. In the present work, we investigated NK responses in different organs using a mouse model of endotoxinemia and characterized the compartmentalized response of spleen, lung, bone marrow, peritoneal and circulating NK cells. We found that despite similar dynamics of response in different organs, NK cells responses, are compartmentalized with seemingly specific thresholds of maximum activation. Using a series of adoptive transfers, we found that while organ-specific NK cell responsiveness can affect the initial phases of inflammation, these cells have the capacity to quickly adapt to a new environment and adjust their response levels to that of resident NK cells. Thus, this study provides proof of concept data on the compartmentalization of the NK cell responses during systemic inflammation. In a second part, we assessed the status of NK cells at different times after endotoxemia. NK cells responses in the context of whole spleen preparations were severely suppressed in response to in vitro restimulation at 14 days after endotoxemia. However, intrinsic NK cell responsiveness was increased after endotoxemia, showing characteristics of NK cell memory. Adoptive transfer experiments confirmed memory properties of NK cells after endotoxemia. Overall, these results expand on the role of NK cells in the context of systemic inflammation revealing compartmentalized responses during and memory properties following endotoxemia. The observation that NK cells develop memory properties after systemic inflammation in the context of a suppressive environment is of the highest novelty and the first one to report such a phenomenon.

A leptospirose é a zoonose mais comum, distribuída em todas as regiões do mundo e causada por bactérias virulentas do gênero Leptospira spp. A apresentação clínica da leptospirose varia de uma doença febril inespecífica a quadros graves com insuficiência renal aguda, icterícia, hemorragias graves, choque cardiovascular e falência de múltiplos órgãos. Pouco se sabe sobre a resposta imune do hospedeiro e os mecanismos patogênicos associados com a leptospirose grave com hemorragia pulmonar e choque cardiovascular. O baço tem sido estudado e considerado nos últimos anos como um órgão essencial na fisiopatologia da sepse/choque séptico, uma vez que nele ocorre perda de células da imunidade, secundária à apoptose. Objetivos: descrever os achados histológicos e a resposta imune in situ do baço de pacientes falecidos por leptospirose com hemorragia pulmonar e choque refratário, comparando-os com dois grupos controles, um formado por pacientes falecidos por choque séptico causado por bactérias Gram-positivas/-negativas e um segundo, formado por vítimas de trauma. Metodologia: retrospectivamente, 11 baços de pacientes com leptospirose grave e 10 baços de pacientes com choque séptico foram obtidos por necrópsia e comparados com 12 baços de vítimas de trauma abdominal fechado (controles normais), obtidos por esplenectomia. Os achados histológicos da polpa vermelha e da polpa branca esplênica foram analisados por meio de escore semi-quantitativo. A reação de imunohistoquímica (IH) foi empregada para a marcação de células NK, S100+, CD68+, TCD4+, TCD8+ e CD20+, bem como para células expressando caspase-3, TNF, IFN, IL-1, IL-2r, IL-6, IL-12, IL-10, IL-4 e TGF. A contagem de células marcadas foi realizada utilizando-se gratículo sobre 10 campos da polpa vermelha e 10 campos da polpa branca, escolhidos aleatoriamente. IH também foi realizada nos baços dos casos de leptospirose para a detecção de antígenos de Leptospira spp. Resultados: os baços de pacientes do grupo leptospirose e do grupo choque séptico demonstraram similaridades na análise histológica, divergindo do grupo trauma, com as seguintes alterações: congestão difusa da polpa vermelha com infiltração moderada a intensa de plasmócitos e polimorfonucleares e folículos da polpa branca com atrofia. A IH para antígenos de Leptospira foi positiva em oito (72,7%) amostras de baços do grupo leptospirose. Pela análise quantitativa das células marcadas pela IH, os seguintes resultados foram estatisticamente significantes: alta contagem de células S100+ no grupo leptospirose; alta densidade de células CD68+ no grupo choque séptico; baixa quantidade de células NK e TCD4+ nos grupos leptospirose e choque séptico; baixa quantidade de células TCD8+ nos casos de choque séptico e alta contagem de células CD20+ nos grupos leptospirose e choque séptico. Quanto às células expressando citocinas, encontrou-se alta quantidade de TNF nos pacientes do grupo leptospirose e grande número de células positivas para IL-10 nos grupos leptospirose e choque séptico. A expressão de IL-6, IFN, IL-1 e IL-2r foi insignificante nos baços dos três grupos estudados. Células expressando IL-12 foram encontradas apenas na polpa vermelha de casos de leptospirose. Conclusões: Semelhantes clinicamente aos casos de choque séptico, pacientes com leptospirose grave com choque apresentam disfunção endotelial difusa no baço, esplenite aguda e sinais de comprometimento da imunidade inata e adaptativa in situ no baço, caracterizado por uma baixa densidade de células NK, de células TCD4+ e baixa expressão de IL-6, IL-1, IL-2r, IFN e IL-12, com alta expressão de IL-10. Estes resultados sugerem que um estado de imunossupressão pontua a resposta imune do hospedeiro no estágio terminal da leptospirose grave com hemorragia pulmonar e choque cardiovascular. A presença de antígenos de Leptospira nos baços de casos de leptospirose sugere que o agente etiológico contribui diretamente para a patogênese das lesões / Leptospirosis is the most common worldwide zoonosis caused by virulent bacteria from the genus Leptospira spp. The clinical presentation of leptospirosis ranges from unspecific febrile illness to severe forms with acute renal failure, jaundice, hemorrhages, shock and multi organ failure. Little is known about the hosts immune response and the pathogenic mechanisms involved in severe leptospirosis. In recent years the spleen has been considered a pivotal organ in the patophysiology of the sepsis/septic shock because immune cells are lost due to apoptosis in this organ Objectives: describe and compare the splenic histological features and the immune response in situ in patients who died of pulmonary hemorrhage and shock caused by leptospirosis, with spleens from patients who suffered from Grampositive/- negative septic shock and abdominal trauma. Methodology: in retrospect, 11 spleen tissue samples from patients with leptospirosis and 10 spleens from patients with septic shock were obtained by necropsy, and compared with 12 spleens obtained by splenectomy from patients with abdominal trauma. The histological features in the red pulp and white pulp were analyzed by a semi quantitative score. Immunohistochemistry (IH) methods for NK , S100+, CD68+, TCD4+, TCD8+, CD20+ cells, caspase-3, TNF, IFN, IL-1, IL-2r, IL-6, IL-12, IL- 10, IL-4 and TGF were carried out and the stained cells were counted using a grid scale in ten fields of red pulp and white pulp chosen randomly. Also, IH was performed for Leptospira antigens in the leptospirosis patients. Results: the trauma group was totally different from the leptospirosis and septic shock patients which demonstrated strong similarities in the histological analysis: diffuse congestion in the red pulp with a moderate to intense infiltration of plasma cells, and polymorph nuclear cells, and follicles with marked atrophy. The Leptospira antigen was positive in eight (72,7%) spleen tissue samples from the leptospirosis group. By the IH methods and quantitative analysis, the following results reached statistical significance: high account of S100+ cells in the leptospirosis group; high density of CD68+ cells in the septic group; low density of NK and TCD4+ cells in the leptospirosis and septic groups; low quantities of TCD8+ cells in the septic group; high density of CD20+ cells in the leptospirosis and septic groups; high expression of TNF in the leptospirosis group and a strong expression of IL-10 in the leptospirosis and sepsis groups. The expression of IL-6, IFN, IL-1 and IL-2r was insignificant in all groups. IL-12 was only expressed in the red pulp of leptospirosis cases. Conclusion: similar to patients with septic shock, cases of severe leptospirosis (with pulmonary hemorrhage and shock) are associated with a splenic diffuse endothelial dysfunction, splenitis and signs of splenic disturbance in the innate and adaptative immunity in situ, characterized by an low density of NK cells, TCD4+ cells and low expression of IL-6, IL-1, IL-2r, IFN and IL-12 with a high expression of IL-10. These results suggest that an immunosuppressive state develops in the hosts immune response at the terminal stage of severe leptospirosis with pulmonary hemorrhage and shock. Also, the presence of leptospiral antigens in the spleen of the leptospirosis patients suggests the ethyological agent contributes directly to the pathogenesis of the lesions

Hantaviruses can cause two severe human diseases: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). Hantaviruses are spread to humans mainly through inhalation of infectious virions, secreted from infected rodents. The human diseases are characterized by an increased capillary leakage syndrome. Hantaviruses are known to infect endothelial cells, but they are non-cytopathogenic. The mechanism behind human disease is not well understood, but an overactive immune response is implicated in the pathogenesis. The aim of my thesis has been to investigate parts of innate and adaptive immune responses in Puumala virus-infected patients. In paper I we found a sex difference in the cytokine profile during acute infection. Females had significantly higher plasma levels of IL-9, FGF-2, GM-CSF and lower levels of IL-8 and IP-10 compared to males. These differences may affect the activation and function of the immune response. In paper II we studied the phenotype and kinetics of NK cells. We observed that CD56dim NK cells were elevated during acute infection and that these, predominantly NKG2C+ NK cells, remained elevated for at least two months after symptom debut. Our novel finding of a prolonged NK cell response, implicates that NK cells may possess adaptive immunity features.  In paper III we observed a vigorous cytotoxic T cell (CTL) response during acute infection, which contracted in parallel with decrease in viral load. The CTL response was not balanced by an increase in regulatory T cells. The T cells expressed inhibitory immunoregulatory receptors, known to dampen intrinsic T cell activity.  In paper IV, we found that a low IgG response in patients was significantly associated with more severe disease, while the viral load did not affect the outcome. Our findings support the use of passive immunization as a treatment alternative for hantavirus-infected patients. In conclusion, my thesis contributes to an increased knowledge about the immune response in hantavirus-infected patients. The findings, combined with future studies, will hopefully lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis and possible treatment alternatives.

Los objetivos de este trabajo han sido estudiar la expresión de receptores de células NK (NKR), en particular CD94/NKG2C, en relación con la infección por citomegalovirus humano (HCMV). Los resultados descritos constituyen la primera evidencia de que la infección por HCMV modifica el repertorio de NKR. El incremento en la proporción de células CD94/NKG2C+ en donantes seropositivos para HCMV sugiere que participan en la respuesta al patógeno. El receptor CD94/NKG2C no sólo estimula las funciones efectoras y la proliferación de las células NK, sino que también activa a una subpoblación minoritaria de células T CD8+. El estudio de la expansión in vitro de la subpoblación NK CD94/NKG2C+ tras la interacción con fibroblastos infectados por el HCMV, sugiere que el propio receptor está implicado en la proliferación. / The main goals of this work have been to study the influence of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection on the NK cell receptor (NKR) repertoire, mainly on the CD94/NKG2C receptor. Our observations provide a first evidence indicating that human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) may selectively shape the NKR repertoire. The increased proportions of NKG2C+ cells in HCMV-seropositive donors suggest a role in the response against the virus. The CD94/NKG2C receptor triggers the effector functions and proliferation not only in NK cells but also in a subset of CD8+ T lymphocytes. The stimulation of PBL from HCMV+ donors with virus-infected fibroblasts elicited a preferential expansion of CD94/NKG2C+ NK cells; studies carried out in this experimental system suggest that the receptor is involved in driving the proliferation.

The principal isoform of Src homology (SH) 2-domain containing 5' inositol phosphatase protein 1 (SHIP) is a 145kDa protein primarily expressed by cells of the hematopoietic compartment. The enzymatic activity of SHIP is responsible for hydrolyzing the 5' phosphate of phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate (PI(3,4,5)P3), and thereby preventing the recruitment of pleckstrin homology domain containing effector proteins. Furthermore, SHIP contains protein-protein interaction domains, such as an SH2 domain, two NPXY and several proline-rich motifs. All of these different domains endow SHIP with the capacity to impact signaling pathways important for proliferation, survival, differentiation and activation. Therefore, we hypothesized that SHIP-deficiency could result in the loss of hematopoietic cell homeostasis and functionTo this verify this hypothesis, we first studied the effect of SHIP ablation on hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) proliferation, survival, function and hom ing. Most interestingly we observed that SHIP impacts HSC homeostasis and their ability to home appropriately to the bone marrow. Then, since SHIP was shown to be activated after engagement of the c-mpl receptor by its ligand, thrombopoietin, we studied the impact of SHIP deletion on the function of megakaryocytes, the major target cell of that cytokine. We found that SHIP is also important for homeostasis of the megakaryocyte compartment. Thirdly, we studied the role of SHIP in natural killer (NK) cells biology. We observed that F4 generation SHIP-/- mice have increased NK cells in their spleen and that these cells exhibit a disrupted receptor repertoire. We verified the hypothesis that SHIP helps shape the receptor repertoire of NK cells, mainly through regulation of cell survival and proliferation. Also included, is a study on the role of a SHIP isoform lacking the SH2-domain, called stem cell-SHIP (s-SHIP) in the biology of embryonic stem (ES) cells. To date, this isoform i s expressed by stem/progenitor cells and not by normal differentiated cells. Due to its specific expression pattern, s-SHIP has the potential to have an important role in stem cell biology.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Infusões de células T e células NK (Natural Killer) de sangue periférico estão sendo realizadas para tratamento de malignidades. Os linfócitos propagados ex vivo, em normóxia (20% O2), são intravenosamente infundidos e precisam sobreviver a hipóxia associada a circulação venosa, da medula óssea (5% O2) e do microambiente tumoral (1% O2). O objetivo principal deste estudo foi determinar a capacidade proliferativa das células humanas T e NK em normóxia (20% O2) versus hipóxia (1% O2), por 28 dias, utilizando uma célula apresentadora de antígeno artificial (aAPC) para propagação em grau clínico. As células T expostas a hipóxia cresceram 100 vezes menos que as células T cultivadas em normóxia, enquanto que houve uma diminuição de 1000 vezes na taxa proliferativa das células NK hipóxicas, que exibiram um aumento na apoptose bem como um prejuízo na citotoxicidade. Hipóxia também induziu uma diminuição na expressão dos receptores KIR, NCR e NKG2D das células NK. Nesta mesma condição, a produção de IL-2 e IFNγ nas células T estavam diminuídas, sendo que nas células NK esse efeito foi mais acentuado. Hipóxia aumentou a expressão de genes relacionados com apoptose, angiogênese e metabolismo glicolítico, os quais estavam moderadamente aumentados nas células T, mas profundamente super-regulados nas células NK. Os níveis de ATP nas células T foram muito similares em ambas as condições de oxigênio, mas intensamente diminuídos nas células NK cultivadas em hipóxia. Também se observou, que a expressão do miR-210 induzido por hipóxia, estava super regulada nas células NK hipóxicas correlacionando com a perda da expressão da molécula NCAM/CD56. Em conjunto, os resultados deste estudo demonstram um maior impacto da hipóxia sobre as atividades proliferativas e citotóxicas das células NK estimuladas por aAPCs. Estudos adicionais são necessários para o entendimento do impacto deste comportamento das células NK em condições hipóxicas sobre a imunoterapia celular adotiva. / Infusions of T cells and natural killer (NK) cells from peripheral blood (PB) are being undertaken for the treatment of malignancies. Lymphocytes are propagated ex vivo in normoxia (20% O2) and intravenously infused and must survive hypoxia associated with venous blood and bone marrow (5% O2), and the tumor environment (1% O2). The objective this study was to determine the ability of T and NK cells to proliferate under normoxia (20% O2) versus hypoxia (1% O2) over 28 days using an artificial antigen presenting cells (aAPC) to propagate clinical-grade lymphocytes. T cells continuously exposed to 4 weeks of hypoxia grew at a rate of 100-fold less than T cells cultured in normoxia while the proliferative rate of NK cells lagged by 1,000-fold, behind normoxic conditions. Hypoxic cultured NK cells exhibit an increase in apoptosis as well as a correspondent impairment in cytotoxicity. In low oxygen tension the expression of KIR, NCR, and NKG2D receptors were decreased in NK cells. In hypoxia, the production of IL-2 and IFNγ were decreased in T cell and more so in NK cell. Chronic hypoxia increased the expression of related apoptosis, glycolytic metabolism and angiogenesis genes which were moderately increased in T cells but profoundly upregulated in NK cells. ATP levels in T cell were very similar in both oxygen conditions, but profoundly diminished in NK cells under hypoxia. We also noted that hypoxia inducible miR-210 levels are up regulated in hypoxic NK cells correlating with loss of CD56 expression. Taken together, this data show that a greater impact of hypoxia on proliferative and cytotoxic activity of NK cells activated by artificial antigen-presenting cells. More studies are needed to understand the impact of this behavior on the cell adoptive immunotherapy.

Infusões de células T e células NK (Natural Killer) de sangue periférico estão sendo realizadas para tratamento de malignidades. Os linfócitos propagados ex vivo, em normóxia (20% O2), são intravenosamente infundidos e precisam sobreviver a hipóxia associada a circulação venosa, da medula óssea (5% O2) e do microambiente tumoral (1% O2). O objetivo principal deste estudo foi determinar a capacidade proliferativa das células humanas T e NK em normóxia (20% O2) versus hipóxia (1% O2), por 28 dias, utilizando uma célula apresentadora de antígeno artificial (aAPC) para propagação em grau clínico. As células T expostas a hipóxia cresceram 100 vezes menos que as células T cultivadas em normóxia, enquanto que houve uma diminuição de 1000 vezes na taxa proliferativa das células NK hipóxicas, que exibiram um aumento na apoptose bem como um prejuízo na citotoxicidade. Hipóxia também induziu uma diminuição na expressão dos receptores KIR, NCR e NKG2D das células NK. Nesta mesma condição, a produção de IL-2 e IFNγ nas células T estavam diminuídas, sendo que nas células NK esse efeito foi mais acentuado. Hipóxia aumentou a expressão de genes relacionados com apoptose, angiogênese e metabolismo glicolítico, os quais estavam moderadamente aumentados nas células T, mas profundamente super-regulados nas células NK. Os níveis de ATP nas células T foram muito similares em ambas as condições de oxigênio, mas intensamente diminuídos nas células NK cultivadas em hipóxia. Também se observou, que a expressão do miR-210 induzido por hipóxia, estava super regulada nas células NK hipóxicas correlacionando com a perda da expressão da molécula NCAM/CD56. Em conjunto, os resultados deste estudo demonstram um maior impacto da hipóxia sobre as atividades proliferativas e citotóxicas das células NK estimuladas por aAPCs. Estudos adicionais são necessários para o entendimento do impacto deste comportamento das células NK em condições hipóxicas sobre a imunoterapia celular adotiva. / Infusions of T cells and natural killer (NK) cells from peripheral blood (PB) are being undertaken for the treatment of malignancies. Lymphocytes are propagated ex vivo in normoxia (20% O2) and intravenously infused and must survive hypoxia associated with venous blood and bone marrow (5% O2), and the tumor environment (1% O2). The objective this study was to determine the ability of T and NK cells to proliferate under normoxia (20% O2) versus hypoxia (1% O2) over 28 days using an artificial antigen presenting cells (aAPC) to propagate clinical-grade lymphocytes. T cells continuously exposed to 4 weeks of hypoxia grew at a rate of 100-fold less than T cells cultured in normoxia while the proliferative rate of NK cells lagged by 1,000-fold, behind normoxic conditions. Hypoxic cultured NK cells exhibit an increase in apoptosis as well as a correspondent impairment in cytotoxicity. In low oxygen tension the expression of KIR, NCR, and NKG2D receptors were decreased in NK cells. In hypoxia, the production of IL-2 and IFNγ were decreased in T cell and more so in NK cell. Chronic hypoxia increased the expression of related apoptosis, glycolytic metabolism and angiogenesis genes which were moderately increased in T cells but profoundly upregulated in NK cells. ATP levels in T cell were very similar in both oxygen conditions, but profoundly diminished in NK cells under hypoxia. We also noted that hypoxia inducible miR-210 levels are up regulated in hypoxic NK cells correlating with loss of CD56 expression. Taken together, this data show that a greater impact of hypoxia on proliferative and cytotoxic activity of NK cells activated by artificial antigen-presenting cells. More studies are needed to understand the impact of this behavior on the cell adoptive immunotherapy.