Les cellules dendritiques plasmacytoïdes humaines (pDCs) ont été montrées comme les principales cellules productrices d'interférons de type I (IFN) suivant une stimulation de leurs récepteurs TLRs intracellulaires. Après activation, les pDCs contrôlent la localisation subcellulaire de ces TLRs menant à une production séquentielle de cytokines. Une première vague d’IFN due la voie IRF dans les endosomes précoces, suivi de la production des cytokines pro-inflammatoires due à la voie NfκB dans les endosomes tardifs. BAD-LAMP/LAMP5, membre de la famille des protéines LAMP, spécifique du cerveau chez la souris est également exprimée par les pDCs humaines. Nous révélons ici le rôle de BAD-LAMP dans la régulation du transport de TLR9 dans les pDCs. Suite à une stimulation par CpG, BAD-LAMP et TLR9 atteignent des endosomes spécialisés dans la signalisation IRF VAMP3+. Le blocage de BAD-LAMP altère le transport intracellulaire de TLR9 par sa rétention dans les endosomes VAMP3+. Alors que l’expression ectopique de BAD-LAMP accélère le transport de TLR9 dans les lysosomes LAMP1+. La rétention dans les compartiments VAMP3+ impact directement la signalisation TLR9, en augmentant la production IFN et en diminuant celle du TNFα. De plus, nous avons démontré que BAD-LAMP est régulée négativement par l’IFN. A l’inverse, les pDCs traitées avec des surnageants tumoraux ainsi que les pDCs infiltrant les tumeurs mammaires présentent à la fois un défaut dans la production d'IFN et un maintien de l’expression de BAD-LAMP. BAD-LAMP est donc un régulateur essentiel du transport de TLR9 dans les pDCs humaines qui traduit l’efficacité de la signalisation TLR9 dans des conditions pathologiques. / Human plasmacytoïd dendritic cells (pDCs) have been shown to be the principal producer of type-I interferons (IFNs) following intracellular TLRs stimulation. Upon activation, pDCs tightly control TLRs sub-cellular localization in specialized endosomes, leading to sequential programs of cytokines production: a first rapid wave of type-I IFN, due to IRF signalling from early endosomes, followed by pro-inflammatory cytokines production, dependent on NfκB signalling from late endosomal compartments. BAD-LAMP/LAMP5, an atypical member of the LAMP protein family, is brain specific in mice. In Human, BAD-LAMP is also expressed in pDCs. We reveal here a novel step of TLR regulation mediated by BAD-LAMP, that controls TLR9 access to, and signalling from, specialized subsets of endosomes in human pDCs. Upon CpG stimulation, BAD-LAMP and TLR9 follow a common endocytic sorting step, in order to reach early, IRF-signalling, VAMP3+ endosomes. BAD-LAMP silencing alters TLR9 traffic and promotes its retention in VAMP3+ endosomes, while ectopic BAD-LAMP expression triggers accelerated TLR9 transport to LAMP1+ lysosomes. Retention in VAMP3+ endosomes impacts directly on TLR9 signalling by increasing IFN production and decreasing TNFα. Importantly, we found that BAD-LAMP expression is down-regulated by IFN exposure. Conversely, pDCs treated with tumour supernatants or pDCs infiltrating human breast tumors, present both sustained BAD-LAMP expression, and defect in IFN production. BAD-LAMP is therefore an essential regulator of TLR9 transport in human pDCs and a marker of TLR9 signalling efficiency under pathological conditions.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Human interferon-α2a (hIFN-α2a) is a natural protein produced by the cells of the immune system with antiviral, antiproliferative and immunomodulatory properties. A size exclusion liquid chromatography (SE-LC) method was validated for the determination of recombinant interferon-α2a (rhIFN-α2a) in pharmaceutical formulations without human serum albumin. The SE-LC method was carried out on a BioSep-SEC-S 2000 column (300 mm x 7.8 mm i.d.) maintained at 25°C. The mobile phase consisted of 0.001 M monobasic potassium phosphate, 0.008 M sodium phosphate dibasic and 0.2 M sodium chloride buffer, pH 7.4, run at a gradiente flow rate and using photodiode array (PDA) detection at 214 nm. The chromatographic separation was achieved with retention time of 17.2 min, and was linear over the concentration range of 0.5-50 MUI/mL (r2 = 0.9996). The accuracy was 101.39% with bias lower than 1.67%. The limits of detection and quantitation were 0.22 and 0.5 MIU/mL, respectively, and the method validation demonstrated acceptable results for precision and robustness. The proposed method was applied for the analysis of rhIFN-α2a in pharmaceutical dosage forms, and the content/potencies correlated to the previously validated reversed-phase (RP-LC), and the in vitro bioassay. The pharmaceutical samples were analyzed by the chromatographic methods and compared to the bioassay, showing mean differences between the estimated potency of 1.50% higher for SE-LC, and 2.45% lower for the RP-LC. The alternative methods studies contribute to improve the quality control, assuring the therapeutic efficacy of the biological medicine. Moreover, the pharmacokinetic parameters of the formulations A and B were evaluated by subcutaneous injection in rats, showing comparable profiles with Cmax of 7924.60 and 8698.68 pg/mL, respectively, and Tmax= 60 min. / O interferon-α2a humano (hIFN-α2a) é uma proteína produzida pelas células do sistema imune com propriedades imunomoduladora, antiviral e antiproliferativa. No presente trabalho, foi validado método por cromatografia líquida por exclusão molecular (CL-EM), para determinação de interferon-α2a recombinante (rhIFN-α2a) em formulações farmacêuticas sem albumina. O método CL-EM foi validado empregando coluna BioSep-SEC-2000 S (300 mm x 7,8 mm d.i.) mantida a temperatura de 25°C. A fase móvel foi composta de tampão fosfato de potássio monobásico 0,001 M, fosfato de sódio dibásico 0,008 M e cloreto de sódio 0,2 M, pH 7,4, eluída em gradiente de fluxo e utilizando arranjo de diodos (DAD) com detecção em 214 nm. A separação cromatográfica foi alcançada com o tempo de retenção de 17,2 min e o método foi linear no intervalo de concentração de 0,5-50 MUI/mL (r2 = 0,9996). A exatidão média foi de 101,39%, com erro calculado inferior a 1,67%. Os limites de detecção e quantificação foram de 0,22 e 0,5 MUI/mL, respectivamente e a validação demonstrou parâmetros aceitáveis de precisão e robustez. O método proposto foi aplicado para análise de formulação farmacêutica de rhINF-α2a e os teores/potências correlacionados com aqueles fornecidos pelos métodos previamente validados por CL-FR e bioensaio in vitro. Estabeleceu-se correlação entre os métodos, demonstrando que os biofármacos comerciais apresentaram diferenças entre as médias 1,5% maiores para o CL-EM, e 2,45% menores para CL-FR, em relação ao bioensaio. Assim, contribuiu-se para estabelecer alternativas que aprimoram o controle de qualidade, assegurando a eficácia terapêutica do produto biológico. Além disso, avaliaram-se os parâmetros farmacocinéticos das formulações A e B após injeção subcutânea em ratos, demonstrando perfis comparáveis com Cmax de 7924,60 e 8698,68 pg/mL, respectivamente, e Tmax= 60 min.

La tuberculose (TB) est une maladie très répandue qui provoque la mort de plus d'un million de personnes dans le monde chaque année. Cela représente un véritable problème de santé publique qui nécessite le développement de nouveaux médicaments et traitements afin de mieux lutter contre cette maladie destructrice. Dans ce contexte, il est important de comprendre la relation entre l'agent étiologique, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) et le système immunitaire. Les mycobactéries sont recouvertes de structure glycolipidiques qui pourraient être reconnus par des récepteur spécifiques appelés lectine de type C. Ici, nous avons étudié le rôle de deux lectines récemment identifiées qui n'ont pas été étudié dans un contexte de TB, CL-LK et DCIR. Au cours des dernières années, de nouvelles lectines solubles ont été identifiées et parmi elles ; CL-K1 a été définie par un criblage de divers ligands glycosylés, comme étant un potentiel récepteur de motifs présents sur la paroi de Mtb. Dans le sang, CL-K1 est associé avec une autre lectine soluble du nom de CL-L1, formant un complexe du nom de CL-LK. Par des expériences in vitro, notamment via des approches biochimique et d'analyses cytométriques, nous avons pu confirmer que CL-LK peut se lier à Mtb et encore plus particulièrement à la coiffe mannose présent sur le lipoarabinomannane, un constituant majeur de la mycomembrane. Les souris déficientes en CL-K1, une sous unités de CL-LK, ne présentent pas d'altération particulière de susceptibilité à Mtb. Cependant, nous avons pu mettre en évidence que la quantité de CL-LK dans le sérum de patient atteint d'une TB active est réduite comparé aux patients contrôles, et que cela corrèle de manière inverse à la réponse immune induite par le pathogène. Ces résultats indiquent que CL-LK pourrait présenter un intérêt comme élément de futur diagnostics ou suivi de traitement. Dans une seconde partie de la thèse, nous nous sommes concentré sur la lectine DCIR dans la réponse immune envers l'agent étiologique de la TB. DCIR est exprimé dans les lésions pulmonaires de macaques infectés par Mtb à la fois durant les infections asymptomatiques et dans les infections conduisant à une TB active. In vitro, une analyse globale de l'expression génique couplée à des validations par RT-qPCR ont pu révéler que suite à une infection par Mtb, l'expression d'un grand nombre de gènes répondant à l'interféron (IFN) de type I est inhibée dans les cellules dendritiques issues de moelle osseuses de souris déficientes en DCIR comparées à celles issues de souris sauvages. Cette inhibition corrèle avec une phosphorylation excessive de SHP2 dans les cellules dépourvues de DCIR, suivies d'une déphosphorylation de STAT1, laquelle est impliquée dans la régulation de la réponse à l'IFN de type I. L' IFN de type I est connu comme pouvant inhiber la production d' IL-12 dans les cellules dendritiques, et en effet, nous avons pu démontrer que l'inhibition de la signalisation relative à l'IFN de type I dans les cellules dendritiques déficientes en DCIR est associée avec une augmentation de la production d'IL12p70 ainsi qu'à une plus grande capacité de ces cellules à stimuler la prolifération de lymphocytes Th1 producteur d'IFN?. Les souris déficientes en DCIR contrôlent mieux l'infection que les souris sauvages, ce qui corrèle également avec une plus grande production d'IL12p70, une plus forte réponse des lymphocytes Th1, ainsi qu'à une augmentation de l'inflammation et de l'infiltration cellulaire dans les poumons des souris déficientes. Cette inflammation excessive est caractérisée par une augmentation de production du TNF-a et de iNOS dans les poumons. En conclusion, nos résultats révèlent une nouvelle voie moléculaire par laquelle les lectines peuvent moduler l'équilibre entre l'inflammation induite par l'infection et le contrôle du pathogène par l'intermédiaire de la modulation de la signalisation relative à l'IFN de type I dans les cellules dendritiques. / Tuberculosis (TB) is a wide-spread disease which causes the death of more than one million of people around the world each year. This represents a really harmfull healthcare and new drugs and treatments are always in development to better fight this destructive illness. In this context, it is crucial to understand the relation between the etiological agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and the immune system. Mycobacteria are recovered by some glycolipid structure which could be recognized by specific receptor called C-Type Lectin. Here we investigated the role of two recently highlights C-type lectins which haven't been studied in a tuberculosis context, CL-LK (Collectin Liver Kidney) and DCIR (Dendritic Cell (DC) ImmunoReceptor). In the recent years, novel soluble lectins were identified and belong these; CL-K1 (Collectin Kidney 1) was identified by a glycan array as a potential receptor in the sugar complex recognition of M.tb. In blood, CL-K1 is linked with another soluble lectin called CL-L1 (Collectin Liver 1) and form a complex CL-LK molecule. With some in vitro experiment, notably with biochemistry approach and cytometer analysis, we were able to confirm that CL-LK can bind Mtb and more particularly the mannose residue presents on the Lipoarabinomannan, a major constituent of the mycomembrane. Mice deficient in CL-K1, one of the CL-LK subunits, do not display altered susceptibility to Mtb. However, we found that the amount of CL-LK in the serum of patients with active TB is reduced, compared to that in controls, and correlates inversely to the magnitude of the immune response to the pathogen. These findings indicate that CL-LK might be of interest for future diagnostic and treatment monitoring purposes. In a second part of this thesis, we have focused our interest on the C-Type lectin DCIR in immunity to the tuberculosis agent, Mtb. DCIR is expressed in pulmonary lesions in Mtb-infected non-human primates during both symptomless infection and active TB disease. In vitro, global gene expression profiling coupled to RT-qPCR validation revealed that upon Mtb infection, the expression of a number of interferon (IFN)-responsive genes was impaired in DCIR-deficient murine bone marrow-derived DCs, compared to in wild-type cells. This inhibition correlated with an excessive phosphorylation of Src homology 2 domain tyrosine phosphatase (SHP)2 in DCIR-KO cells, followed by a subsequent dephosphorylation of Signal transducer and activator of transcription1(STAT1) which is crucially involved in the regulation of the type I IFN.Type I IFNs are known to inhibit interleukin (IL)-12 production in DCs, and indeed, we found that impaired IFN signaling in DCIR-deficient DCs was associated with an increased production of IL-12p70 and an increased ability of Mtb-infected cells to stimulate IFN?-producing Th1 lymphocyte proliferation. DCIR-deficient mice controlled Mtb infection better than wild-type animals, which correlated with an increased production of IL-12p70, an increased proliferation of Th1 lymphocytes, and an increased inflammation and cell infiltration in the lungs of DCIR-KO animals. This excessive inflammation is characterized by an increased production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFa) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the lungs. Taken together, our results reveal a novel pathway by which a C-Type lectin modulates the equilibrium between infection-driven inflammation and pathogen's control through sustaining type I IFN signaling in DCs.

Les arbovirus sont un groupe de virus transmis par des vecteurs arthropodes contaminant chaque année plusieurs centaines de millions de personnes à travers le monde. De nombreux facteurs environnementaux, comme les xénobiotiques peuvent influencer la propagation des infections virales, la susceptibilité de l'hôte et la sévérité de l'infection. Parmi eux, le cadmium, métal toxique est connu pour moduler la résistance de l'hôte lors des infections par les arbovirus. Ces travaux de thèse se sont portés sur l'étude de l'alphavirus Sindbis et du flavivirus Zika infectant des cellules épithéliales humaines. Les résultats de cette thèse ont permis de démontrer que les cellules A549 étaient permissives à la souche épidémique de 2013 du virus Zika. Le virus se réplique efficacement et induit une apoptose de type mitochondriale dans les cellules A549. La réponse immunitaire innée des cellules a été caractérisée et le rôle des interférons de type I a été mis en avant. Ces résultats peuvent contribuer à une meilleure compréhension des mécanismes de pathogénicité de ce virus chez l'homme. Par la suite, les effets d'une exposition au cadmium lors des infections par les virus Sindbis et Zika ont été évalués. L'infection par le virus Zika n'a pas été modulée par l'exposition au cadmium in vitro. Mais de façon surprenante dans le cas de l'infection des cellules HEK 293, le cadmium a protégé les cellules des effets cytopathiques induits par le virus Sindbis. En présence de cadmium, l'apoptose induite par le virus a été inhibée et la réplication du virus Sindbis a été réduite. / Arboviruses are a group of viruses transmitted by arthropod vectors infecting hundreds of millions of people each year worldwide. Many environmental factors including xenobiotics can influence the spread, the susceptibility and the outcome of viral infections. Among them, cadmium, a toxic metal is known to affect the host resistance against arboviral infection. In this thesis, our work has been focused on studying the infection capability of the Sindbis alphavirus and the Zika flavivirus in human epithelial cells. The results demonstrated that A549 cells was permissive to the 2013 epidemic strain of Zika virus. The virus replicates efficiently leading to mitochondrial apoptosis. The innate immune response was characterized and the crucial role of type I interferon was highlighted. These results may contribute to a better understanding of Zika virus pathogenesis in humans. Thereafter, the effects of cadmium exposure on Sindbis virus and Zika virus infection was evaluated. Zika virus infection was not modulated by cadmium in vitro. Interestingly, cadmium protected the HEK 293 cells from the cytopathic effect induced by Sindbis virus. Cadmium exposure inhibited the apoptosis and reduced the viral replication.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that results from infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is regarded the most common infecting organism. TB has killed countless numbers of people particularly in underdeveloped countries. TB bacteria can remain inactive or in dormant state for years without causing symptoms or spreading to other subjects, but as soon as the immune system of the host becomes weakened, the bacteria become active and infect mainly the lungs along with other parts of body. TB cases are further aggravated by other illnesses that affect the immune system, such as human immune virus (HIV), which is very prevalent in resource-poor countries. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is a TB biomarker that has found to have all the qualities that are needed to help and cure Tuberculosis disease. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential measures for effectively controlling the disease. Traditional microbial culture-based tests are the most common methodologies currently used. Usually, these methods involve cell culture, cell counts, and cell enrichment, but this process is time-consuming and laborious, especially for the slow-growing bacteria like M. tuberculosis. Sputum smear is one of the methods currently used to detect acid fast bacilli (AFB) in clinical specimens or fluorescent staining. It is a cost-effective tool for diagnosing patients with TB and to monitor the progress of treatment especially in developing countries. The traditional method of inoculating solid medium such as Lowerstein-Jensen (L-J) or 7H10/7H11 media is also used currently it is slow and takes 6-8 weeks of incubation to diagnose the infection and further more time to determine the susceptibility patterns. The microscopic observation drug susceptibility (MODS) assay they are also used currently they rely on light microscopy to visualize the characteristic cording morphology of M. tuberculosis in liquid culture. MODS has shorter time to culture positivity (average 8 days) compared with LJ medium (average ~26 days), they are very expensive. The Gen-Probe assay specific for M. tuberculosis complex is a rapid detection that is also used, nucleic acid amplification (NAA) test results can be obtained as fast as in two hours (provided if a positive culture is present); it also has a high sensitivity of 99% and specificity of 99.2%. It holds the disadvantage of needing of positive culture that can take several days. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), is a test that uses antibodies and colour change to identify a substance. ELISA is an assay that uses a solid-phase enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to detect the presence of a substance, usually an antigen, in a liquid sample or wet sample. It can be used to detection of Mycobacterium antibodies in tuberculosis. The Amplified Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Direct Test (AMTDT) is used for the detection of M. tuberculosis it enables the amplification and detection of M. tuberculosis rRNA directly from respiratory specimens. The diagnostic methods employing genetechnology based on the amplification of DNA or RNA are expected to improve the speed, sensitivity, and specificity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection. TB rapid cultivation detection technique, such as MB/BacT system, BactecMGIT 960 system and flow cytometry. The BACTEC MGIT960 system (Becton Dickinson, Sparks, MD) performs incubation and reading of the tubes continuously inside the machine using a predefined algorithm to interpret the fluorescent signal and giving the results as positive or negative. When performing DST, the BACTEC MGIT960 interprets the results as susceptible or resistant to the antibiotic under study. Results are available within 8 days. A recent meta-analysis of the published studies found high accuracy and high predictive values associated with the use of BACTEC MGIT960. These methods are more sensitive and rapid than the traditional microbial culture-based methods. However, they cannot provide the detection results in real-time and most of these methods are centralized in large stationary laboratories because complex instrumentation and highly qualified technical staff are required. Recently, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two new assays that were introduced. These two assays detect in vitro a specific immune response to M. tuberculosis. These tests are the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (Cellestis/Qiagen, Carnegie, Australia) and the T-SPOT.TB assay (Oxford Immunotec, Abingdon, United Kingdom). Both assays use whole blood from the patient and measure the production of interferon gamma after the whole blood is exposed to specific antigens from M. tuberculosis. These tests are based on the knowledge that IFN-γ is a product of an active cell-mediated immune response induced by M. tuberculosis. However, TB detection remains a major obstacle due to several drawbacks of these methods. To date, the number of diagnosis approaches for TB has increased as the disease continues to be a major public health problem worldwide and most conventional detection technologies present difficulties in recognizing the presence of M. tuberculosis, since they are time consuming, do not provide clinically reliable results and significantly lack of sensitivity. This thesis focusedon developing two binary and one ternary-electrochemically quantum dots, all synthesised at room temperature in aqueous media for detecting (IFN-γ). Copper telluride (CuTe) and Zinc telluride (ZnTe) was prepared to check how does the two quantum dot behave individual and also to check on how they behave when they are combined and formed ternary quantum dots (CuZnTe). The electrochemical studies of the binary CuTe quantum dots, ZnTe quantum dots and the ternary CuZnTe core-shell quantum dots reveal that ternary quantum dots were stable and showed a significant enhancement in the conductivity of CuZnTe core-shell solution compared to that of CuTe and ZnTe, all studied in solution. The three different quantum dots were capped with three different capping reagents which are tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), thioglycolic acid (TGA), (3-mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane (MPS). In the study, a label-free electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) was prepared for the first time using ternary quantum dots. The biosensor consists of water-soluble silica coated Copper Zinc telluride (CuZnTe core-shell) quantum dots conjugated to a gold electrode. The antibody-antigen were then conjugated on the CuZnTe core-shell QD modified gold electrode. Results from synthesis of two different binary quantum dots are also presented in the study and compared to the results of the CuZnTe core-shell QDs. The CuTe quantum dots had a small average size which was confirmed through HRTEM, SAXS and XRD analysis

IFNγ is an essential and pleiotropic activator of monocytes, but little is known about the effects IFNγ on cellular metabolism. Therefore, we sought to characterize and elucidate the mechanisms by which IFNγ reprograms monocyte metabolism to support its immunologic activities. First, we identified a critical role for IFNγ in the induction of immunoresponsive gene 1 (IRG1) and its product, itaconate. The immunometabolite, itaconate, has been reported to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. Irg1-/- mice, lacking itaconate, are highly susceptible and phenotypically similar to IFNγ knock out (GKO) mice upon infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Therefore, we assessed the role of IRG1/itaconate in the context of non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection, the most common type of infection in patients with immunodeficiencies caused by defects in IFNγ signaling. Our data suggest that impaired induction of itaconate in the context of mycobacterial infection may contribute to mycobacterial susceptibility and immune dysregulation in patients with defects in IFNγ signaling. Next, we evaluated the metabolic phenotype of IFNγ-stimulated human monocytes and found that IFNγ increased oxygen consumption rates (OCR), indicative of reactive oxygen species generation by both mitochondria and NADPH oxidase. Transcriptional profiling of human macrophages revealed that this oxidative phenotype was dependent on IFNγ-induced, nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT)-mediated NAD+ salvage to generate NADH and NADPH for oxidation by mitochondrial complex I and NADPH oxidase, respectively. These data identify an IFNγ-induced, NAMPT-dependent, NAD+ salvage pathway that is critical for complete induction of the respiratory burst in IFNγ stimulated human monocytes.

Les cellules dendritiques plasmacytoïdes (pDCs) sont caractérisées par leur capacité unique de sécrétion massive d’interféron de type I (IFN-I) suite à la stimulation des Tolllike récepteurs (TLR) 7 et 9. Un rôle fondamental des pDCs a été démontré dans le lupus érythémateux systémique via la production d’IFN-I. Les pDC expriment le récepteur de forte affinité aux immunoglobulines de type E (IgE), FcεRI, impliqué dans la régulation négative de la sécrétion d’IFN-I. L’objectif de notre étude est d’explorer, dans le contexte lupique, les effets du traitement par les IgE sur les fonctions des pDC, particulièrement sur la production d’IFN-I. In vitro, le traitement des pDC par des IgE monoclonales permet la surexpression du FcεRI à leur surface et diminue le taux de transcrits des TLR7/9 et de l’IRF7. De plus, les pDC traitées par des IgE diminuent leur production d’IFN-I et l’expression de marqueurs de maturation, induites par leur stimulation par des ligands des TLR7/9 et des complexes immuns lupiques. En outre, ces pDC pré-traitées par des IgE induisent la différenciation de LT4 naïfs allogéniques en LT4 produisant de l’IL-10. In vivo, les patients lupiques en phase quiescente de la maladie présentent des taux plus élevés d’IgE totales comparés aux patients en phase active (indépendamment d’allergies et d’infestations parasitaires). Chez les patientslupiques, le taux d’IgE totales est inversement corrélé au taux d’anti-ADN et à l’activité de la maladie (SLEDAI). L’ensemble de nos résultats suggère un rôle protecteur des IgE dans le lupus à travers la modulation de la réponse inflammatoire des pDC. / Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are characterized by their unique ability to produce large amounts of type I interferon (IFN-I) upon Toll-like receptors (TLR) 7 and 9 triggering. A fundamental role for pDCs has been shown in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) through IFN-I production. pDCs express the high affinity Fc receptor for immunoglobulin E (IgE), FcεRI, involved in the negative regulation of IFN-I secretion. The objective of our study is to investigate, in the context of SLE, the effects of IgE treatment on pDCs functions, especially on IFN-I production. In vitro, monoclonal IgE treatment of pDCs upregulate their surface expression of FcεRI and decrease transcripts levels of TLR7/9 and IRF7. IgE-treated pDCs decrease IFN-α secretion and downregulate maturation markers expression induced by TLR7/9 and immune complexes triggering. Moreover, the coculture of IgE pretreated pDCs with allogeneic naive LT4 promotes their differentiation into IL-10-secreting cells. In vivo, patients with quiescent SLE have higher IgE levels than patients with active disease (independently of allergy or parasitic infection). In SLE patients, IgE levels are inversely correlated to anti-DNA antibodies and disease activity (SLEDAI). All together, our data suggest a protective role for IgE in SLE through the modulation of the inflammatory response by pDC.

No description available.

No description available.

During an acute virus infection, antigen-specific CD8 T cells undergo clonal expansion and differentiation into effector cells in order to control the infection. Efficient clonal expansion and differentiation of CD8 T cells are required to develop protective memory CD8 T cells. Antigen specific cells require 3 distinct signals for their activation: TCR engagement of peptide-MHC (signal 1), costimulation between B7 and CD28 (signal 2), and inflammatory cytokines including IL-12 or type 1 IFN (signal 3). CD8 T cells that encounter antigen and costimulation undergo programmed cell division, but these two signals alone are not sufficient for full effector cell differentiation and survival into memory. CD8 T cells need a third signal for efficient clonal expansion, differentiation into various effector populations, acquisition of cytolytic effector functions, and memory formation. The requirements for signal 3 cytokines in CD8 T cell activation have only been recently described; however, the timing of exposure to these signals has yet to be investigated. During the course of an immune response not all T cells will see antigen, costimulation, and inflammatory cytokines at the same time or in the same order. I sought to examine how the timing of signal 3 cytokines affected CD8 T cell activation. I questioned how the order of these signals effected CD8 T cell priming and subsequent activation, expansion and differentiation. In order to study the in vivo effects of out-of-sequence signaling on CD8 T cell activation, I utilized poly(I:C), a dsRNA analogue, which is known to induce a strong type 1 IFN response. Through the use of various congenic transgenic and polyclonal CD8 T cell populations, in conjunction with adoptive transfer models, specific T cells which had been exposed to poly(I:C) induced environments could be identified and tracked over time. I wanted to characterize how out-of-sequence signaling affected T cell activation immediately after cognate antigen stimulation (4-5hours), and after prolonged exposure to cognate antigen (days-weeks). Considering type 1 IFN can have both inhibitory and stimulatory effects on CD8 T cell proliferation, and when type 1 IFN provides signal 3 cytokine activity, it has positive effects on CD8 T cell expansion, I wanted to investigate the role of type 1 IFN as an out-of-sequence signal during CD8 T cell activation. We identified a transient defect in the phosphorylation of downstream STAT molecules after IFNβ signaling within poly(I:C) pretreated CD8 T cells. The inability of poly(I:C) pretreated CD8 T cells to respond to IFNβ signaling makes these cells behave in a manner more similar to T cells that only received 2 signals, rather than ones that received all 3 signals in the appropriate order. Consequently, poly(I:C) pretreated, or out-of-sequence, CD8 T cells were found to have defects in clonal expansion, effector differentiation and function as well as memory generation resulting in reduced efficacy of viral clearance. Out-of-sequence CD8 T cells showed suppression of CD8 T cell responses after prolonged exposure to cognate antigen, but naïve CD8 T cells pre-exposed to poly(I:C) exhibited immediate effector function within hours of cognate antigen stimulation, prior to cell division. Poly(I:C) pretreated naïve CD8 T cells acquired an early activated phenotype associated with alterations of transcription factors and surface markers. Changes in naïve CD8 T cell phenotype are thought to be mediated by poly(I:C)-induced upregulation of self-MHC and costimulatory molecules on APCs through direct type 1 IFN signaling. Inoculating with poly(I:C) enabled naive CD8 T cells to produce effector functions immediately upon stimulation with high density cognate antigen, reduced affinity altered peptide ligands (APLs), and in response to reduced concentrations of cognate antigen. Unlike conventional naïve CD8 T cells, poly(I:C) pretreated naïve CD8 T cells acquired the ability to specifically lyse target cells. These studies identified how the timing of activation signals can dramatically affect the acquisition of CD8 T cell effector function. This thesis describes how CD8 T cell exposure to activation signals in an unconventional order may result in altered response to antigen stimulation. Exposure of naïve CD8 T cells to type 1 IFN and costimulatory molecules in the presence of self-peptides enabled them to respond immediately upon antigen stimulation. Primed naïve CD8 T cells produced multiple cytokines in response to low-affinity, and low-density antigens, and gained ability to specifically lyse target cells. However, immediate effector function may come at the expense of clonal expansion and effector cell differentiation in response to prolonged antigen exposure as out-of-sequence CD8 T cells showed reduced proliferation, effector function and memory formation. The findings presented here may seem contradictory because out-of-sequence signaling can prime T cells to produce immediate effector functions and yet cause defects in T cell expansion and effector differentiation. However, these two models ascertained T cell function at different points after antigen exposure; one where functions were evaluated within hours after seeing cognate antigen, and the other showing T cell responses after days of antigen stimulation. Studies described in this thesis highlight the growing complexity of CD8 T cell activation. Not only do the presence or absence of signals 1-3 contribute to T cell activation, but the timing of these signals also proves to be of great importance. These studies may describe how both latecomer and third party antigen specific T cells behave when and if they encounter cognate antigen in the midst of an ongoing infection. Out-of-sequence exposure to IFN initially stimulates effector function but at the expense of efficient clonal expansion and subsequent memory formation. The immediate effector function that naïve T cells gain during out-of-sequence priming may explain how some individuals are more resistant to superinfections, whereas the impairment in proliferation describes a universal mechanism of virus-induced immune suppression, explaining how other individuals can be more susceptible to secondary infections. Ultimately, results identified here can be applied to developing better and more effective vaccines.