We aimed to prospectively investigate the paternal antigen-induced cytokine secretion by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in response to hormone treatment in women undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and to examine the predictive value of the cytokine secretion profile in the outcome of IVF treatment, in a pilot study. Twenty-five women were included and IVF treatment was successful for six and unsuccessful for 19 women. Blood samples were collected before IVF treatment, on four occasions during IVF and four weeks after embryo transfer. The numbers of Th1-, Th2- and Th17-associated cytokine-secreting cells and cytokine levels in cell supernatants were analysed by enzyme-linked immunospot-forming (ELISpot), enzyme-linked immune-sorbent (ELISA) or Luminex assay. None of the cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17, TNF and GM-CSF) had any predictive value regarding IVF outcome. The majority of the cytokines reached their peak levels at ovum pick-up, suggesting an enhancing influence of the hormonal stimulation. Pregnancy was associated with a high number of IL-4-, IL-5- and IL-13-secreting cells four weeks after ET. In conclusion, the results do not support our hypothesis of a more pronounced peripheral Th1 and Th17 deviation towards paternal antigens in infertile women with an unsuccessful IVF outcome, although this is based on a small number of observations. A larger study is required to confirm this conclusion. Higher numbers of Th2-associated cytokine-secreting cells in pregnant women four weeks after ET do corroborate the hypothesis of a Th2 deviation during pregnancy.

The mechanisms of idiosyncratic drug reactions (IDRs) are unknown; however, most appear to be immune-mediated. Their idiosyncratic nature and the paucity of animal models make mechanistic studies very difficult. One of the few animal models is penicillamine-induced autoimmunity in Brown Norway rats. The major focus of this thesis was the use of this model to study the interaction between penicillamine and macrophages, the involvement of Th17 cells, and extension of this model to idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury. One of the costimulatory signals leading to T cell activation appears to be reversible Schiff-base formation between an amine on T cells and an aldehyde on macrophages. We hypothesized that penicillamine binds to these aldehydes leading to macrophage activation and autoimmunity. By using biotinylated aldehyde-reactive agents such as ARP, we demonstrated the existence of aldehydes on the surface of macrophages. We synthesized biotinylated-penicillamine and it also binds to macrophages. Several proteins to which ARP binds were identified providing clues to the signal transduction pathways leading to macrophage activation. Biological consequences of this binding were investigated with a microarray study. ARP binding was also observed in the macrophage cell line, RAW264.7, and incubation with penicillamine stimulated the production of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-23. Hydralazine and isoniazid, which are known to cause a lupus-like syndrome in humans and irreversibly bind to aldehyde groups, were also found to activate RAW264.7 cells. Th17 cells are prominent in autoimmune syndromes and Th17-associated cytokines such as IL-17 were elevated in the penicillamine-treated animals that developed autoimmunity. We have hypothesized that some drug-induced liver injury has an autoimmune component. A pilot study quantified serum concentrations of 26 cytokines/chemokines in patients with various forms of acute liver failure (ALF): idiosyncratic drug-induced ALF, acetaminophen-induced ALF, and viral hepatitis. IL-17 was elevated in 60% of patients with idiosyncratic drug-induced ALF, which supports an autoimmune component in these patients; however, it was also elevated in many cases of acetaminophen-induced ALF, presumably released by the innate immune system. These studies provide important insights into the mechanism of penicillamine-, hydralazine-, and isoniazid-induced autoimmunity and also provide clues to other IDRs that may have an autoimmune component.

The mechanisms of idiosyncratic drug reactions (IDRs) are unknown; however, most appear to be immune-mediated. Their idiosyncratic nature and the paucity of animal models make mechanistic studies very difficult. One of the few animal models is penicillamine-induced autoimmunity in Brown Norway rats. The major focus of this thesis was the use of this model to study the interaction between penicillamine and macrophages, the involvement of Th17 cells, and extension of this model to idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury. One of the costimulatory signals leading to T cell activation appears to be reversible Schiff-base formation between an amine on T cells and an aldehyde on macrophages. We hypothesized that penicillamine binds to these aldehydes leading to macrophage activation and autoimmunity. By using biotinylated aldehyde-reactive agents such as ARP, we demonstrated the existence of aldehydes on the surface of macrophages. We synthesized biotinylated-penicillamine and it also binds to macrophages. Several proteins to which ARP binds were identified providing clues to the signal transduction pathways leading to macrophage activation. Biological consequences of this binding were investigated with a microarray study. ARP binding was also observed in the macrophage cell line, RAW264.7, and incubation with penicillamine stimulated the production of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-23. Hydralazine and isoniazid, which are known to cause a lupus-like syndrome in humans and irreversibly bind to aldehyde groups, were also found to activate RAW264.7 cells. Th17 cells are prominent in autoimmune syndromes and Th17-associated cytokines such as IL-17 were elevated in the penicillamine-treated animals that developed autoimmunity. We have hypothesized that some drug-induced liver injury has an autoimmune component. A pilot study quantified serum concentrations of 26 cytokines/chemokines in patients with various forms of acute liver failure (ALF): idiosyncratic drug-induced ALF, acetaminophen-induced ALF, and viral hepatitis. IL-17 was elevated in 60% of patients with idiosyncratic drug-induced ALF, which supports an autoimmune component in these patients; however, it was also elevated in many cases of acetaminophen-induced ALF, presumably released by the innate immune system. These studies provide important insights into the mechanism of penicillamine-, hydralazine-, and isoniazid-induced autoimmunity and also provide clues to other IDRs that may have an autoimmune component.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-12-06T23:46:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / O linfoma de Hodgkin classico (LHc) e a neoplasia linfoide mais comum em adultos jovens. Trata-se de doenca curavel em 75% dos casos, porem 25% dos pacientes vao apresentar doenca refrataria ou recidivada com pior evolucao. Diferente de todas as neoplasias humanas, as celulas malignas do LHc, denominadas Reed-Sternberg (RS), compoe 1 a 5% de toda a massa tumoral, sendo o restante composto por celulas inflamatorias normais. As celulas de RS perpetuam-se em meio a este microambiente devido a incapacidade do sistema imune em reconhece-las e combate-las. Linfocitos T reguladores (LTR) sao moduladores importantes do microambiente em doencas linfoproliferativas e tem a capacidade de limitar a funcao dos linfocitos T efetores (LTE). Ja foi descrito que, no microambiente tumoral, os LTR estao aumentados e os LTE diminuidos. Mas o comportamento destas celulas no sangue periferico de pacientes com neoplasias ainda nao esta bem explicado. Portanto, compreender qual o papel do desequilibrio imunologico no LHc e crucial para o desenvolvimento de novos fatores prognosticos e alvos terapeuticos. Objetivos: Quantificar os LTR e LTE no sangue periferico e microambiente de pacientes com LHc. Correlacionar a presenca dos LTR e LTE no microambiente tumoral com o sangue periferico. Correlacionar a presenca do EBV nas celulas RS com a quantificacao destas subpopulacoes de linfocitos T. Avaliar a importancia da presenca do EBV, dos LTR e LTE na resposta ao tratamento dos pacientes com LHc. Avaliar o impacto do tratamento na quantificacao de linfocitos T reguladores e TH17 de pacientes com LHc. Casuistica e Metodo: Foram recrutados para este estudo, prospectivamente, 60 pacientes diagnosticados com LHc entre marco de 2009 e marco de 2013 em dois servicos de Hematologia distintos da cidade de São Paulo. Foram incluidos, tambem, 19 controles saudaveis recrutados no banco de sangue do Hemocentro da UNIFESP apos serem aprovados para doacao. A quantificacao de LTR e LTE foi avaliada por citometria de fluxo utilizando os anticorpos CD3, CD4, CD25, FOXP3, GITR e IL17 e por imunoistoquimica utilizando o anticorpo FOXP3. Resultados: A quantificacao de celulas T CD4+FOXP3+ e CD4+GITR+ foi maior em pacientes que nos controles (36,92 u 23,5%; p=0,009 e 39,63 - 14,3%; p<0,0001 respectivamente). O tratamento do LHc reduz a quantificacao de linfocitos T CD4+GITR+ (19,44 - 16,8%; p=0,036). A contagem de linfocitos T CD4+FOXP3+, CD4+CD25highFOXP3+ e CD4+IL17+ e maior nos pacientes que nos controles (32,1 u 24,24%; p=0,009, 31,28 u 21,79%; p=0,037, 32,9 - 18,71%; p=0,002 e 33,00 u 18,53; p=0,001, respectivamente). Os pacientes com sintomas B apresentaram quantificacao de linfocitos CD4+FOXP3+ no microambiente maior (p=0,032). Conclusoes: Houve correlacao positiva e significante entre a quantificacao de LTR circulante e no microambiente e o estadiamento avancado da doenca e entre a quantificacao de LTR e LTE circulantes nos pacientes e nos controles. Nao houve correlacao da quantificacao de LTR e LTE no sangue periferico ou no microambiente com a presenca do virus EBV nas celulas de RS ou entre a quantificacao de LTR e LTE em sangue periferico e a quantificacao de LTR no microambiente tumoral dos pacientes estudados. O tratamento quimio e radioterapico diminuiu a quantificacao de LTR e LTE circulantes. / BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertações

Submitted by MARIANA MIZIARA DE ABREU TEODORO null (marimiziara@gmail.com) on 2016-03-21T18:48:38Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Mariana Miziara de Abreu Teodoro.pdf: 1597455 bytes, checksum: f121a89794f14989756c7e7c5208127a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Paula Grisoto (grisotoana@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-03-22T20:37:43Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 teodoro_mma_me_bot.pdf: 1597455 bytes, checksum: f121a89794f14989756c7e7c5208127a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-22T20:37:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 teodoro_mma_me_bot.pdf: 1597455 bytes, checksum: f121a89794f14989756c7e7c5208127a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-01 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / A Doença de Chagas (DC), cujo agente etiológico é o protozoário Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), tornou-se nos últimos anos um grave problema de saúde pública, mesmo em países não-endêmicos. Um importante desafio para os pesquisadores da doença de Chagas é estabelecer os eventos que levam alguns pacientes a desenvolver a doença crônica assintomática, ou forma indeterminada, enquanto outros evoluem para uma doença severa, com lesões em tecidos cardíacos ou gastrointestinais. Alguns estudos têm sugerido que a ausência de sintomas clínicos em indivíduos com a forma crônica indeterminada está associada a um controle eficaz da resposta imune efetora contra o parasita, que evita uma resposta inflamatória excessiva, o que resultaria em lesão tecidual. Não existem estudos com o objetivo de confirmar este mecanismo em pacientes com a forma digestiva da DC, especialmente em relação ao controle modulador de mecanismos efetores envolvendo células Th17, por células Treg. No presente estudo, nós avaliamos em pacientes com a forma digestiva da DC e em pacientes com a forma indeterminada ou assintomática a taxa de ativação Th17/Treg, através da avaliação da freqüência de células Th17 e Treg por citometria de fluxo; da expressão do mRNA para Rorγt e Foxp3, fatores de transcrição envolvidos na diferenciação dessas células, respectivamente; bem como os níveis de IL-17a e IL-10 em sobrenadantes de cultura de células mononucleares de sangue periférico (PBMC’s). Foi demonstrado no presente estudo, que em pacientes com a forma digestiva da DC há um desequilíbrio na taxa de ativação de células Th17/Treg, favorecendo o perfil Th17, enquanto que em pacientes com a forma indeterminada, este desequilíbrio favorece o perfil Treg. Os nossos resultados apoiam a hipótese de que o desequilíbrio na taxa de ativação Th17/Treg observado no grupo de pacientes digestivos, favorecendo Th17 em detrimento de Treg, geraria um ambiente não regulador, que resulta em uma resposta inflamatória exacerbada, responsável pelas lesões dos tecidos gastrointestinais apresentadas por estes pacientes. / Chagas disease (CD) whose etiological agent is the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) in recent years became a serious problem of public health even in nonendemic countries. One important challenge for the researchers of Chagas disease is to establish the events that lead some patients to develop asymptomatic or indeterminate chronic disease, while others undergo severe disease with lesions in cardiac or gastrointestinal tissues. Some studies have suggested that absence of clinical symptoms in individuals with the indeterminate chronic form is associated to a fine control of effector immune responses against the parasite that avoid a perpetuated inflammatory process which results in tissue injury. There are no studies aiming to confirm this mechanism in patients with digestive form of the disease, particularly in relation to the modulatory control by Treg cells of effector mechanisms involving Th17. Here, we studied in patients with the digestive form of CD and in those with the indeterminate or asymptomatic form of the disease, the ratio Th17/Treg activation by evaluating the frequency of Th17 and Tregs cells by flow cytometry, mRNA expression for Rorγt and Foxp3, the transcription factors involved in the differentiation of these cells respectively as well as the levels of IL-17a and IL-10 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells culture supernatants. We showed that in patients with digestive form of the disease there is an imbalance in the ratio Th17/Treg cells activation in favor of Th17, while in patients with the indeterminate form, this imbalance favour Treg activation. Our findings support the hypothesis that in contrast with indeterminate patients a non regulatory environment observed in patients with digestive CD, which results in an exacerbated inflammatory response exerted by Th17, due to lower Treg activation, may be responsible for tissue lesions in these patients. / FAPESP: 2013/02223-7

In recent years, the subsets of mammalian CD4+ T cells and their repertoire of effector cytokines has expanded beyond the original Th1/Th2 paradigm, to include natural (n) and inducible (i) regulatory T cells (Treg), Th17, Th9, Th22 and follicular T helper (Tfh) cells. Whilst Th1, Th2 and nTreg immune responses have been described in the chicken, the existence of other Th cell subsets is yet to be determined. To investigate Th17 immune responses in the chicken, the mammalian components of these responses currently unannotated in the chicken genome, IL-23 p19 and the IL-23R, were identified and cDNAs cloned. A chicken IL-23 flexiconstruct, containing IL-23 p19 and p40 joined by a linker, was designed. Recombinant chicken IL-23 protein (rchIL-23) was expressed and purified. Bioactivity of rchIL-23 was demonstrated by increased mRNA expression of chIL- 17F and chIL-22 in rchIL-23-stimulated splenocytes. Monoclonal antibodies which identify chIL-12/chIL-23 p40 also recognised purified rchIL-23. Further, chIL-23 p19 mRNA levels were measured and detected in a wide range of tissues but was not up-regulated in stimulated splenocytes, thymocytes or bursal cells. Messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of Th17 cytokines (chIL-17A, chIL-17F, chIL-21, chIL-22 and chIL-23) were measured in a chicken tissue panel, in stimulated splenocytes, thymocytes and bursal cells, as well as during infections previously described as initiating typical Th1 or Th2 adaptive immune responses in the chicken. Chicken IL-17A mRNA expression levels were up-regulated in susceptible chickens during infection with Marek’s disease virus (a disease which typically drives a Th1 immune response), but were down-regulated in resistant birds. Chicken CD4+ T cells were sorted by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and recombinant Th17-associated cytokines used to attempt to drive the cells towards a Th17 phenotype, as measured by expression of mRNA for chIL-17A and chIL-23R. The sorted chicken CD4+ cells failed to proliferate or respond to Th17 cytokine stimulation. ChIL-23R was also correctly identified and cloned as cDNA, and its mRNA expression measured in a panel of unstimulated and stimulated tissues and cells. The chIL-23R mRNA levels were detected in a wide range of tissues as well as stimulated splenocytes, thymocytes and bursal cells. Future work would seek to positively identify Th17 cells in the chicken and determine the role of Th17 immune responses against avian diseases.

Les hypothèses retraçant les mécanismes physiopathologiques de la maladie de Behçet (MB), une vascularite inflammatoire non liée aux anticorps anti-cytoplasme des polynucléaires neutrophiles (ANCA), sont multiples. Cette étude propose une compilation exhaustive des mécanismes immunopathologiques décrits dans la littérature contemporaine, et fournit un résumé détaillé des aspects cliniques de la maladie et de ses différents traitements. Cette étude inclut également une analyse statistique de 20 signatures de protéines proposées comme biomarqueurs potentiels de la MB. Vingt-deux patients avec une MB active (MBA) et 46 patients avec une MB inactive (MBI), répondant aux critères de l’International Criteria for Behçet Disease (2013), ainsi que 47 donneurs sains (DR) et 98 patients subissant une angiographie coronaire (AC) ont fourni des échantillons de sérums pour une étude de dosage multiplex. Les résultats indiquent que les protéines sériques ICAM-1, SAA, THBD, et VCAM-1 jouent un rôle essentiel dans la différenciation entre les patients MB et les DR. De même, Caldesmon, Clusterin, CRP, IL-8, SELP et SICMA3 permettent un tri entre les patients MB et AC. Les modèles de signatures des biomarqueurs proposés dans cette étude et qui séparent entre les patients atteints par la MB, les DR et / ou les AC, représentent une nouvelle piste pour le développement de tests sériques pour la MB, avec une sensibilité et une spécificité élevées. Ceci peut éventuellement compléter les outils de diagnostic clinique établis. Ces résultats apportent une contribution significative à l’interprétation actuelle de la pathogénie de la MB en tant que vascularite auto-immune non-ANCA. Cette enquête fournit un bilan à la fois qualitatif et quantitatif aux cliniciens et aux chercheurs dans ce domaine. / Hypotheses concerning the specific pathophysiological mechanisms of Behçet’s Disease (BD), a non-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) inflammatory vasculitis, are numerous. This study offers an exhaustive review of the disease in an attempt to recap the immunopathological pathways described by extant literature, and provides a detailed summary of the clinical aspects of, and treatment options for the disease. In addition, this investigation completed a statistical analysis of 20 protein signatures that were proposed as potential biomarkers for BD. Twenty-two patients with active BD (BDA) and 46 patients with inactive BD (BDI) fulfilling the International Criteria for Behçet's Disease, 47 healthy donors (HD), and 98 coronary angiography patients (CA) provided serum samples for a multiplex assay study. Findings indicate that serum proteins ICAM-1, SAA, THBD, and VCAM-1 play a significant role in differentiating BD patients from HD. Likewise, Caldesmon, Clusterin, CRP, IL-8, SELP, and sICAM-3 segregate between BD and CA. The biomarker predictive models proposed in this study that segregate between BD, HD, and / or CA represent a significant avenue for the development of sera testing specific to BD with a high level of sensitivity and specificity. This may serve as a supplement to established clinical diagnostic tools. These results represent a noteworthy complement to the current interpretation of the pathogenesis of BD as an autoimmune non-ANCA vasculitis. This investigation provides expert clinicians and researchers with both qualitative and quantitative outcomes.

Lors de l'infection par le VIH-1, l'intégrité de la barrière immunitaire muqueuse est altérée du fait d'une profonde déplétion des lymphocytes T CD4+ intestinaux, notamment des lymphocytes Th17, une sous population de lymphocytes exerçant un rôle majeur dans la lutte contre les bactéries et certains champignons. La translocation de produits microbiens de la lumière intestinale dans la circulation sanguine systémique, liée à la perte des lymphocytes Th17, est une source d'inflammation généralisée délétère. Malgré la mise en place d'un traitement antirétroviral, chez la plupart des patients, la reconstitution des lymphocytes T CD4+ de la lamina propria est différée et incomplète par rapport à celle du sang périphérique. Les travaux exposés dans ce manuscrit suggèrent que chez les patients VIH-1+ traités, une diminution de la production de la chimiokine CCL20 altère l'axe de chimiotactisme CCR6-CCL20, particulièrement important pour les lymphocytes Th17, affaiblissant ainsi l'adressage de ces cellules à la muqueuse intestinale. Les résultats obtenus ne sont pas en faveur d'un rôle direct du virus dans la diminution observée de CCL20. L'infection par différentes souches virales d'un système d'histocultures de tissu intestinal développé au laboratoire induit, au contraire, une augmentation de la production de la chimiokine CCL20. La stimulation de cultures de cellules épithéliales intestinales primaires, spécialement mises au point lors de ce projet, par différentes protéines virales ne montrent pas non plus d'effet négatif sur la production de la chimiokine CCL20. La stimulation des cellules épithéliales intestinales primaires par différents ligands des récepteurs de l'immunité innée aux pathogènes (PRR) a également permis d'écarter la potentielle responsabilité de la translocation résiduelle de produits microbiens observée chez les patients VIH-1+ dans la diminution de la production de CCL20. L'analyse de la distribution des différentes populations lymphocytaires dans les compartiments sanguin et intestinal des patients VIH-1+ traités a mis en évidence une augmentation d'une population de lymphocytes T régulateurs dans l'intestin grêle, qui n'expriment pas le récepteur CCR6 (Treg CCR6-). L'étude présentée souligne la persistance d'un déséquilibre du ratio lymphocytes Th17/Treg CCR6- malgré un traitement antirétroviral. La perturbation de l'environnement cytokinique, conséquence de la modification du ratio lymphocytes Th17/Treg CCR6- semble impliquée dans la diminution de la chimiokine CCL20 observée chez les patients VIH-1+ traités. La stimulation des cellules épithéliales intestinales primaires par l'IL-17A, synthétisée par les lymphocytes Th17, augmente la production de CCL20, alors que la stimulation par l'IL-10 et le TGF-ß1, produites par les lymphocytes Treg, diminue cette production. La co-culture de cellules épithéliales primaires avec différents ratio de lymphocytes T triés et stimulés, reproduisant ex vivo l'interaction entre l'épithélium intestinal et la lamina propria sous jacente, confirme l'influence du ratio lymphocytes Th17/Treg CCR6- sur la production de CCL20 par les cellules épithéliales intestinales. Ces travaux démontrent que l'axe de chimiotactisme CCR6-CCL20 est altéré chez les patients VIH-1+ malgré le traitement antirétroviral prolongé et que la persistance d'un déséquilibre du ratio lymphocytes Th17/Treg CCR6- dans la lamina proria pourrait contribuer à la diminution de la production de CCL20 par les entérocytes, soulignant l'existence d'un cercle vicieux entre la diminution de l'expression de CCL20 et le défaut d'adressage des lymphocytes Th17 à la muqueuse intestinale. / During HIV-1 infection, the integrity of the intestinal immune barrier is disrupted due to a deep depletion of CD4+ T cells in the gut, especially Th17 cells, a T cell subset exerting a major role in antimicrobial immunity. The translocation of microbial products from the gut lumen into the bloodstream, associated with Th17 cells loss, has been linked to systemic inflammation. Despite effective cART, CD4+ T cells restoration in the lamina propria is postponed and incomplete compared with peripheral blood of most individuals. The works exposed in this manuscript suggest that treated HIV-1-infected individuals display a reduced CCL20 production altering the CCR6-CCL20 chemotactic axis, which drives Th17 cells trafficking to the gut. Our results do not support a direct role of the virus in the decreased production of the CCL20 chemokine. The infection of small bowel explants by various viral strains rather leads to an increase of CCL20 production. The stimulation of primary intestinal epithelial cells cultured ex vivo by a technique specially worked out during this project by various viral proteins do not show any negative effects on the production of CCL20. Stimulation of primary intestinal epithelial cells by several ligands of innate microbial sensors (PRR) also allows to rule out a potential responsibility of the residual microbial translocation observed in treated HIV-1-infected individuals in the decreased production of the CCL20 chemokine. The detailed analysis of various lymphocyte populations distribution in the blood and intestinal compartments of treated HIV-1-infected individuals highlights an increase of a regulatory T cell subset in the small intestine, which do not show the CCR6 chemokine receptor (CCR6- Treg). Despite antiretroviral therapy, the presented study underlines the persistence of an imbalanced Th17/CCR6- Treg ratio. The cytokinic microenvironment disruption, as a consequence of the modification of the Th17/CCR6- Treg ratio seems involved in the decrease of the CCL20 chemokine observed in treated HIV-1-infected individuals. Stimulation of primary intestinal epithelial cells with IL-17A produced by Th17 cells increases CCL20 production whereas Treg cytokines both IL-10 and TGF-ß1 decrease it. Ex vivo co-culture of primary small intestine epithelial cells with various proportions of T lymphocytes sorted by flow cytometry, activated and placed into the bottom chamber of the transwell to mimic lamina propria-epithelium interactions, confirms the influence of the Th17/CCR6- Treg ratio on the production of CCL20 by the intestinal epithelial cells. All together, our data demonstrate that the CCL20-CCR6 axis driving Th17 cells gut homing is altered in HIV-1-infected individuals despite antiretroviral therapy, and the persistence of an imbalanced Th17/CCR6- Treg ratio into the lamina propria could contribute to the decrease of the CCL20 chemokine production by enterocytes, highlighting the existence of a vicious circle between the decrease of the CCL20 expression and the defective gut homing of CD4+ T cells, notably Th17 cells.

Intestinal inflammatory disorders such as Crohn’s disease contribute significantly to human mortality and morbidity. Although the cells and molecules involved in suppression of intestinal inflammation have been extensively documented in mouse models, a full understanding of how these work together in the healthy and diseased gut remains elusive. It is known, however, that tight regulation over TH17 cells and regulatory T cells (Treg) is required to maintain immune homeostasis in the intestine. Activation of the cytokine transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ), which is secreted by immune cells as an inactive complex, plays a crucial role in the induction of both Treg and TH17 cells. Recent work has shown that the αvβ8 integrin is required for activation of TGFβ by murine dendritic cells (DC). Murine integrin αvβ8 is thus of fundamental importance for Treg and TH17 induction and, subsequently, for intestinal immune homeostasis. However, little is known about the signals controlling the expression of integrin αvβ8 on intestinal DC. Furthermore, whether this system is also important for regulation of the human system is entirely unknown. Here, expression of integrin αvβ8 is shown on human intestinal CD1c+CD103+SIRPα+ DC and CD1c+CD103-SIRPα+ DC, but not on CD141+CD103+SIRPα- DC. Expression of integrin αvβ8 is increased on DC from Crohn’s disease patients, and on DC from non-IBD donors treated with LPS. Both LPS and a number of probiotic bacteria were also able to induce integrin αvβ8 expression on human monocyte-derived DC (moDC), which suggested that the microbiota may play a role in the regulation of human integrin αvβ8. Importantly, we have also shown that TGFβ is activated by integrin αvβ8 on human moDC, and that integrin αvβ8 promotes expression of forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) in naïve human T cells in vitro. Together, these data suggest that integrin αvβ8-mediated activation of TGFβ by DC may play an important role in the regulation of human T cell responses in the human intestine, and that this pathway may be perturbed during intestinal inflammation.

The Interleukin (IL)-17 cytokine family, expressed by T helper (Th)17 cells and γδ T cells, plays pivotal roles in adaptive immune responses. They have been implicated in autoimmune and allergic diseases as well having roles in bacterial and fungal clearance. Importantly, IL-17 producing γδ T cells have been shown to be critical for the development of adaptive Th17 responses in the murine model of multiple sclerosis, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Interestingly, natural ligands of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) are known to influence the development of Th17 cells. It has been shown previously that prolonged topical exposure of mice to the contact allergen 2-4 dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) or to the respiratory sensitiser trimellitic anhydride (TMA) causes the preferential development of a preferential T helper (Th)1 or Th2 response, respectively. The presence of the novel IL-17 family cytokines and their cellular source was investigated following both single and prolonged exposure to allergen. Exposure only to the contact allergen DNCB resulted in up-regulation of the expression of IL-17 by dermal γδ T cells. It was shown also that topical application of a range of contact allergens and of the respiratory allergen TMA resulted in IL-17 expression by γδ T cells in the lymph node draining the site of exposure. However, differential kinetics were observed between the two classes of allergens. Exposure to the contact allergens resulted in rapid expression of IL-17 within 6-16 h, whereas the respiratory allergen displayed considerably delayed kinetics, with maximal levels detected 48 h post exposure. Treatment with DNCB only was shown to be associated with the development of Th17 cells following prolonged exposure to chemical allergen. Thus DNCB provoked a Tc1/Th1/Th17 profile, in contrast prolonged exposure to TMA resulted in a very selective Th2 cytokine pattern. The influence of γδ T cells on polarised responses to chemical allergens was investigated also using γδ T cell knockout mice; here the adaptive Th17 response induced by DNCB was completely abrogated. These data demonstrate that the absence of IL-17 production by γδ T cells during the early innate immune response affects the subsequent adaptive Th17 response stimulated by chemical contact allergens. Finally, the importance of the affinity of the AhR for endogenous ligands during in vitro Th17 polarisation was assessed. Using three strains of mice with differential AhR affinities the contribution of ligation of these receptors in Th17 cell development was investigated. In all three strains AhR ligation was required for optimal polarisation of Th17 cells, even in strains that are reported to express a low affinity receptor. These data suggest that across a range of receptor affinities, including low affinity receptors analogous to that of humans, endogenous AhR ligands may play a major role in driving Th17 cell differentiation, regardless of receptor phenotype.