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Frontiers in Immunology 2024Unbalanced inflammatory response is a critical feature of sepsis, a life-threatening condition with significant global health burdens. Immune dysfunction, particularly... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
BACKGROUND
Unbalanced inflammatory response is a critical feature of sepsis, a life-threatening condition with significant global health burdens. Immune dysfunction, particularly that involving different immune cells in peripheral blood, plays a crucial pathophysiological role and shows early warning signs in sepsis. The objective is to explore the relationship between sepsis and immune subpopulations in peripheral blood, and to identify patients with a higher risk of 28-day mortality based on immunological subtypes with machine-learning (ML) model.
METHODS
Patients were enrolled according to the sepsis-3 criteria in this retrospective observational study, along with age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). Data on clinical characteristics, laboratory tests, and lymphocyte immunophenotyping were collected. XGBoost and k-means clustering as ML approaches, were employed to analyze the immune profiles and stratify septic patients based on their immunological subtypes. Cox regression survival analysis was used to identify potential biomarkers and to assess their association with 28-day mortality. The accuracy of biomarkers for mortality was determined by the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) analysis.
RESULTS
The study enrolled 100 septic patients and 89 HCs, revealing distinct lymphocyte profiles between the two groups. The XGBoost model discriminated sepsis from HCs with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 1.0 and 0.99 in the training and testing set, respectively. Within the model, the top three highest important contributions were the percentage of CD38CD8T cells, PD-1NK cells, HLA-DRCD8T cells. Two clusters of peripheral immunophenotyping of septic patients by k-means clustering were conducted. Cluster 1 featured higher proportions of PD1 NK cells, while cluster 2 featured higher proportions of naïve CD4T cells. Furthermore, the level of PD-1NK cells was significantly higher in the non-survivors than the survivors (15.1% vs 8.6%, <0.01). Moreover, the levels of PD1 NK cells combined with SOFA score showed good performance in predicting the 28-day mortality in sepsis (AUC=0.91,95%CI 0.82-0.99), which is superior to PD1 NK cells only(AUC=0.69, sensitivity 0.74, specificity 0.64, cut-off value of 11.25%). In the multivariate Cox regression, high expression of PD1 NK cells proportion was related to 28-day mortality (aHR=1.34, 95%CI 1.19 to 1.50; <0.001).
CONCLUSION
The study provides novel insights into the association between PD1NK cell profiles and prognosis of sepsis. Peripheral immunophenotyping could potentially stratify the septic patients and identify those with a high risk of 28-day mortality.
Topics: Humans; Sepsis; Male; Female; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; Middle Aged; Aged; Killer Cells, Natural; Retrospective Studies; Biomarkers; Prognosis; Immunophenotyping; ROC Curve; Machine Learning
PubMed: 38953031
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1426064 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024Human Herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) impedes host immune responses by downregulating class I MHC molecules (MHC-I), hindering antigen presentation to CD8+ T cells....
INTRODUCTION
Human Herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) impedes host immune responses by downregulating class I MHC molecules (MHC-I), hindering antigen presentation to CD8+ T cells. Downregulation of MHC-I disengages inhibitory receptors on natural killer (NK) cells, resulting in activation and killing of the target cell if NK cell activating receptors such as NKG2D have engaged stress ligands upregulated on the target cells. Previous work has shown that HHV-6B downregulates three MHC-like stress ligands MICB, ULBP1, and ULBP3, which are recognized by NKG2D. The U20 glycoprotein of the related virus HHV-6A has been implicated in the downregulation of ULBP1, but the precise mechanism remains undetermined.
METHODS
We set out to investigate the role of HHV-6B U20 in modulating NK cell activity. We used HHV-6B U20 expressed as a recombinant protein or transduced into target cells, as well as HHV-6B infection, to investigate binding interactions with NK cell ligands and receptors and to assess effects on NK cell activation. Small-angle X-ray scattering was used to align molecular models derived from machine-learning approaches.
RESULTS
We demonstrate that U20 binds directly to ULBP1 with sub-micromolar affinity. Transduction of U20 decreases NKG2D binding to ULBP1 at the cell surface but does not decrease ULBP1 protein levels, either at the cell surface or in toto. HHV-6B infection and soluble U20 have the same effect. Transduction of U20 blocks NK cell activation in response to cell-surface ULBP1. Structural modeling of the U20 - ULBP1 complex indicates some similarities to the m152-RAE1γ complex.
Topics: Humans; Killer Cells, Natural; Herpesvirus 6, Human; GPI-Linked Proteins; NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K; Lymphocyte Activation; Protein Binding; Viral Proteins; Glycoproteins; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
PubMed: 38953028
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1363156 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapies have achieved remarkable success in the treatment of hematological tumors. However, given the distinct features of...
BACKGROUND
Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapies have achieved remarkable success in the treatment of hematological tumors. However, given the distinct features of solid tumors, particularly heterogeneity, metabolic aggressiveness, and fewer immune cells in tumor microenvironment (TME), the practical utility of CAR-T cells for solid tumors remains as a challenging issue. Meanwhile, although anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) has shown clinical efficacy, most mAbs also show limited clinical benefits for solid tumors due mainly to the issues associated with the lack of immune cells in TME. Thus, the infiltration of targeted immunological active cells into TME could generate synergistic efficacy for mAbs.
METHODS
We present a combinational strategy for solid tumor treatment, which combines armored-T cells to express Fc-gamma receptor I (FcγRI) fragment on the surfaces for targeting various tumors with therapeutically useful mAbs. Choosing CD20 and HER-2 as the targets, we characterized the and efficacy and latent mechanism of the combination drug by using flow cytometry, ELISA and other methods.
RESULTS
The combination and preprocessing of armored T-cells with corresponding antibody of Rituximab and Pertuzumab exerted profound anti-tumor effects, which is demonstrated to be mediated by synergistically produced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) effects. Meanwhile, mAb was able to carry armored-T cell by preprocessing for the infiltration to TME in cell derived xenograft (CDX) model.
CONCLUSIONS
This combination strategy showed a significant increase of safety profiles from the reduction of antibody doses. More importantly, the present strategy could be a versatile tool for a broad spectrum of cancer treatment, with a simple pairing of engineered T cells and a conventional antibody.
Topics: Receptors, IgG; Humans; Animals; Mice; Neoplasms; T-Lymphocytes; Tumor Microenvironment; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Cell Line, Tumor; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays; Immunotherapy, Adoptive; Receptor, ErbB-2; Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological; Receptors, Chimeric Antigen; Female; Antigens, CD20
PubMed: 38953027
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1400177 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024The immune system plays an important role in the development and treatment of thyroid cancer(THCA).However, the correlation between immune cells and THCA has not been...
BACKGROUND
The immune system plays an important role in the development and treatment of thyroid cancer(THCA).However, the correlation between immune cells and THCA has not been systematically studied.
METHODS
This study used a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to determine the causal relationship between immune cell characteristics and THCA. Based on a large sample of publicly available genetic data, we explored the causal relationship between 731 immune cell characteristics and THCA risk. The 731 immunophenotypes were divided into 7 groups, including B cell panel(n=190),cDC panel(n=64),Maturation stages of T cell panel(n=79),Monocyte panel(n=43),Myeloid cell panel(n=64),TBNK panel(n=124),and Treg panel(n=167). The sensitivity of the results was analyzed, and heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy were excluded.
RESULTS
After FDR correction, the effect of immunophenotype on THCA was not statistically significant. It is worth mentioning, however, that there are some unadjusted low P-values phenotypes. The odds ratio (OR) of CD62L on monocyte on THCA risk was estimated to be 0.953 (95% CI=0.930~0.976, =1.005×10),and which was estimated to be 0.975(95% CI=0.961-0.989, =7.984×10) for Resting Treg%CD4 on THCA risk. Furthermore, THCA was associated with a reduced risk of 5 immunophenotype:CD25 on CD39+ CD4 on Treg (OR=0.871, 95% CI=0.812~0.935, =1.274×10), activated Treg AC (OR=0.884, 95% CI=0.820~0.953, =0.001), activated & resting Treg % CD4 Treg (OR=0.872, 95%CI=0.811~0.937,=2.109×10),CD28- CD25++ CD8br AC(OR=0.867,95% CI=0.809~0.930,=6.09×10),CD28-CD127-CD25++CD8brAC(OR=0.875,95%CI=0.814~0.942,=3.619×10).THCA was associated with an increased risk of Secreting Treg % CD4 Treg (OR=1.143, 95% CI=1.064~1.229, =2.779×10) and CD19 on IgD+ CD24+ (OR=1.118, 95% CI=1.041~1.120, =0.002).
CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest the causal associations between immune cells and THCA by genetic means. Our results may have the potential to provide guidance for future clinical research.
Topics: Humans; Mendelian Randomization Analysis; Thyroid Neoplasms; Immunophenotyping; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Monocytes
PubMed: 38953025
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1425873 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024Anoikis is a form of programmed cell death essential for preventing cancer metastasis. In some solid cancer, anoikis resistance can facilitate tumor progression....
BACKGROUND
Anoikis is a form of programmed cell death essential for preventing cancer metastasis. In some solid cancer, anoikis resistance can facilitate tumor progression. However, this phenomenon is underexplored in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).
METHODS
Using SVM machine learning, we identified core anoikis-related genes (ARGs) from ccRCC patient transcriptomic data. A LASSO Cox regression model stratified patients into risk groups, informing a prognostic model. GSVA and ssGSEA assessed immune infiltration, and single-cell analysis examined ARG expression across immune cells. Quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry validated ARG expression differences between immune therapy responders and non-responders in ccRCC.
RESULTS
ARGs such as CCND1, CDKN3, PLK1, and BID were key in predicting ccRCC outcomes, linking higher risk with increased Treg infiltration and reduced M1 macrophage presence, indicating an immunosuppressive environment facilitated by anoikis resistance. Single-cell insights showed ARG enrichment in Tregs and dendritic cells, affecting immune checkpoints. Immunohistochemical analysis reveals that ARGs protein expression is markedly elevated in ccRCC tissues responsive to immunotherapy.
CONCLUSION
This study establishes a novel anoikis resistance gene signature that predicts survival and immunotherapy response in ccRCC, suggesting that manipulating the immune environment through these ARGs could improve therapeutic strategies and prognostication in ccRCC.
Topics: Humans; Carcinoma, Renal Cell; Anoikis; Kidney Neoplasms; Single-Cell Analysis; Prognosis; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Tumor Microenvironment; Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating; Transcriptome; Cell Line, Tumor; Biomarkers, Tumor; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; Gene Expression Profiling; Male; Multiomics
PubMed: 38953023
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1427475 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024More than 350,000 chemicals make up the chemical universe that surrounds us every day. The impact of this vast array of compounds on our health is still poorly...
INTRODUCTION
More than 350,000 chemicals make up the chemical universe that surrounds us every day. The impact of this vast array of compounds on our health is still poorly understood. Manufacturers are required to carry out toxicological studies, for example on the reproductive or nervous systems, before putting a new substance on the market. However, toxicological safety does not exclude effects resulting from chronic exposure to low doses or effects on other potentially affected organ systems. This is the case for the microbiome-immune interaction, which is not yet included in any safety studies.
METHODS
A high-throughput in vitro model was used to elucidate the potential effects of environmental chemicals and chemical mixtures on microbiome-immune interactions. Therefore, a simplified human intestinal microbiota (SIHUMIx) consisting of eight bacterial species was cultured in a bioreactor that partially mimics intestinal conditions. The bacteria were continuously exposed to mixtures of representative and widely distributed environmental chemicals, i.e. bisphenols (BPX) and/or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at concentrations of 22 µM and 4 µM, respectively. Furthermore, changes in the immunostimulatory potential of exposed microbes were investigated using a co-culture system with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).
RESULTS
The exposure to BPX, PFAS or their mixture did not influence the community structure and the riboflavin production of SIHUMIx . However, it altered the potential of the consortium to stimulate human immune cells: in particular, activation of CD8 MAIT cells was affected by the exposure to BPX- and PFAS mixtures-treated bacteria.
DISCUSSION
The present study provides a model to investigate how environmental chemicals can indirectly affect immune cells via exposed microbes. It contributes to the much-needed knowledge on the effects of EDCs on an organ system that has been little explored in this context, especially from the perspective of cumulative exposure.
Topics: Humans; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Phenols; Benzhydryl Compounds; Fluorocarbons; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Coculture Techniques; Environmental Pollutants; Bacteria
PubMed: 38953021
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1298971 -
Oncoimmunology 2024Isolation of tumor-specific T cells and their antigen receptors (TCRs) from malignant pleural effusions (MPE) may facilitate the development of TCR-transduced adoptive...
Isolation of tumor-specific T cells and their antigen receptors (TCRs) from malignant pleural effusions (MPE) may facilitate the development of TCR-transduced adoptive cellular immunotherapy products for advanced lung cancer patients. However, the characteristics and markers of tumor-specific T-cells in MPE are largely undefined. To this end, to establish the phenotypes and antigen specificities of CD8 T cells, we performed single-cell RNA and TCR sequencing of samples from three advanced lung cancer patients. Dimensionality reduction on a total of 4,983 CD8 T cells revealed 10 clusters including naïve, memory, and exhausted phenotypes. We focused particularly on exhausted T cell clusters and tested their TCR reactivity against neoantigens predicted from autologous cancer cell lines. Four different TCRs specific for the same neoantigen and one orphan TCR specific for the autologous cell line were identified from one of the patients. Differential gene expression analysis in tumor-specific T cells relative to the other T cells identified , as a candidate gene expressed by tumor-specific T cells. In addition to expressing , tumor-specific T cells were present in a higher proportion of T cells co-expressing (PD-1)/(4-1BB). Furthermore, flow cytometric analyses in advanced lung cancer patients with MPE documented that those with high PD-1/4-1BB expression have a better prognosis in the subset of 57 adenocarcinoma patients ( = .039). These data suggest that PD-1/4-1BB co-expression might identify tumor-specific CD8 T cells in MPE, which are associated with patients' prognosis. (233 words).
Topics: Humans; Lung Neoplasms; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Pleural Effusion, Malignant; Single-Cell Analysis; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; T-Lymphocyte Subsets; Male; Female; Middle Aged; Aged; Antigens, Neoplasm
PubMed: 38952674
DOI: 10.1080/2162402X.2024.2371556 -
Oncoimmunology 2024The role of CD161CD127CD8 T cells in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with diabetes remains unexplored. This study determined the prevalence, phenotype, and...
The role of CD161CD127CD8 T cells in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with diabetes remains unexplored. This study determined the prevalence, phenotype, and function of CD8 T cell subsets in NSCLC with diabetes. We recruited NSCLC patients ( = 436) treated with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy as first-line treatment. The progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), T cells infiltration, and peripheral blood immunological characteristics were analyzed in NSCLC patients with or without diabetes. NSCLC patients with diabetes exhibited shorter PFS and OS ( = 0.0069 and = 0.012, respectively) and significantly lower CD8 T cells infiltration. Mass cytometry by time-of-flight (CyTOF) showed a higher percentage of CD161CD127CD8 T cells among CD8T cells in NSCLC with diabetes before anti-PD-1 treatment ( = 0.0071) than that in NSCLC without diabetes and this trend continued after anti-PD-1 treatment ( = 0.0393). Flow cytometry and multiple-immunofluorescence confirmed that NSCLC with diabetes had significantly higher CD161CD127CD8 T cells to CD8T cells ratios than NSCLC patients without diabetes. The RNA-sequencing analysis revealed immune-cytotoxic genes were reduced in the CD161CD127CD8 T cell subset compared to CD161CD127CD8 T cells in NSCLC with diabetes. CD161CD127CD8 T cells exhibited more T cell-exhausted phenotypes in NSCLC with diabetes. NSCLC patients with diabetes with ≥ 6.3% CD161CD127CD8 T cells to CD8T cells ratios showed worse PFS. These findings indicate that diabetes is a risk factor for NSCLC patients who undergo anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.CD161CD127CD8 T cells could be a key indicator of a poor prognosis in NSCLC with diabetes. Our findings would help in advancing anti-PD-1 therapy in NSCLC patients with diabetes.
Topics: Humans; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Female; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Middle Aged; Aged; Immunotherapy; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors; Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit; Diabetes Mellitus; T-Lymphocyte Subsets; Prognosis; Adult
PubMed: 38952673
DOI: 10.1080/2162402X.2024.2371575 -
Zhongguo Xue Xi Chong Bing Fang Zhi Za... Jun 2024To evaluate the auxiliary diagnostic value of T cells spot test of infection (T-SPOT.TB) for pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis among the elderly.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the auxiliary diagnostic value of T cells spot test of infection (T-SPOT.TB) for pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis among the elderly.
METHODS
A total of 173 elderly patients at ages of 60 years and older and with suspected tuberculosis that were admitted to People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region during the period from October 2022 through February 2024 were enrolled, and all patients underwent T-SPOT.TB, acid fast staining and GeneXpert MTB/RIF tests. The etiological tests of MTB served as a gold standard, and the diagnostic values of T-SPOT.TB, acid fast staining and GeneXpert MTB/RIF tests for pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis were compared among the elderly patients.
RESULTS
Of the 173 elderly patients suspected of tuberculosis, there were 44 patients definitely diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis, 30 cases with extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, and 99 cases without tuberculosis. The sensitivities of T-SPOT.TB, acid fast staining and GeneXpert MTB/RIF tests were 86.5%, 27.0% and 54.1% for diagnosis of tuberculosis. The sensitivities of T-SPOT.TB were 86.4% and 86.7% for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, with an 80.8% specificity for diagnosis of tuberculosis. The sensitivities of GeneXpert MTB/RIF were 56.8% and 50.0% for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, with a 100.0% specificity each, and the sensitivities of acid fast staining were 31.8% and 20.0% for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, with a 100.0% specificity each. In addition, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.836, 0.635 and 0.770 for diagnosis of tuberculosis with T-SPOT.TB, acid fast staining and GeneXpert MTB/RIF tests among the elderly patients, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
T-SPOT.TB has a high auxiliary diagnostic value for both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis among elderly patients.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Male; Female; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary; Middle Aged; Tuberculosis; Aged, 80 and over; T-Lymphocytes; Sensitivity and Specificity; Tuberculosis, Extrapulmonary
PubMed: 38952319
DOI: 10.16250/j.32.1374.2024121 -
Cancer Immunology Research Jul 2024Antitumor immune responses are predominantly mediated by CD8+ cytotoxic T cells (CTLs). But immune-modulatory factors in the tumor microenvironment determine the...
Antitumor immune responses are predominantly mediated by CD8+ cytotoxic T cells (CTLs). But immune-modulatory factors in the tumor microenvironment determine the effectiveness of these responses. In this issue, Wei and colleagues report a new role for CTL-derived IL3 in stimulating basophilic granulocytes to produce IL4, which, in turn, activates, reprograms, and stabilizes CTLs. These findings stress the importance of the crosstalk between the innate and adaptive immune systems to elicit efficient antitumor immunity. See related article by Wei et al., p. 822 (3).
Topics: Humans; Granulocytes; Neoplasms; Animals; Tumor Microenvironment; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic; Immunity, Cellular
PubMed: 38952273
DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-24-0395