ORCID Profile
0000-0002-9889-9848
Current Organisation
Monash University
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Epigenetics (incl. genome methylation and epigenomics) | Immunology not elsewhere classified | Genetics | Molecular imaging (incl. electron microscopy and neutron diffraction)
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 30-11-2016
Abstract: In mouse models of infection with the gastrointestinal parasite Trichuris muris, appropriate dendritic-cell (DC) Ag s ling, migration, and presentation to T cells are necessary to mount a protective Th2-polarized adaptive immune response, which is needed to clear infection. SH2-containing inositol 5'-phosphatase 1 (SHIP-1) has been shown to be an important regulator of DC function in vitro through the negative regulation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway, but its role in vivo is relatively unexplored. In the current work, mice with a specific deletion of SHIP-1 in DCs (Ship1(ΔDC) ) were infected with the parasite T. muris. Ship1(ΔDC) mice were susceptible to infection due to ineffective priming of Th2-polarized responses. This is likely due to an increased production of interleukin (IL) 12p40 by SHIP-1-deficient DCs, as in vivo antibody blockade of IL-12p40 was able to facilitate the clearing of infection in Ship1(ΔDC) mice. Our results describe a critical role for SHIP-1 in regulating the ability of DCs to efficiently prime Th2-type responses.
Publisher: Rockefeller University Press
Date: 24-05-2010
DOI: 10.1084/JEM.20092054
Abstract: IL-22 has both proinflammatory and tissue-protective properties depending on the context in which it is expressed. However, the factors that influence the functional outcomes of IL-22 expression remain poorly defined. We demonstrate that after administration of a high dose of bleomycin that induces acute tissue damage and airway inflammation and is lethal to wild-type (WT) mice, Th17 cell–derived IL-22 and IL-17A are expressed in the lung. Bleomycin-induced disease was ameliorated in Il22−/− mice or after anti–IL-22 monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment of WT mice, indicating a proinflammatory athological role for IL-22 in airway inflammation. However, despite increased bleomycin-induced IL-22 production, Il17a−/− mice were protected from airway inflammation, suggesting that IL-17A may regulate the expression and/or proinflammatory properties of IL-22. Consistent with this, IL-17A inhibited IL-22 production by Th17 cells, and exogenous administration of IL-22 could only promote airway inflammation in vivo by acting in synergy with IL-17A. Anti–IL-22 mAb was delivered to Il17a−/− mice and was found to exacerbate bleomycin-induced airway inflammation, indicating that IL-22 is tissue protective in the absence of IL-17A. Finally, in an in vitro culture system, IL-22 administration protected airway epithelial cells from bleomycin-induced apoptosis, and this protection was reversed after coadministration of IL-17A. These data identify that IL-17A can regulate the expression, proinflammatory properties, and tissue-protective functions of IL-22, and indicate that the presence or absence of IL-17A governs the proinflammatory versus tissue-protective properties of IL-22 in a model of airway damage and inflammation.
Publisher: The American Association of Immunologists
Date: 07-2006
DOI: 10.4049/JIMMUNOL.177.1.511
Abstract: Immunity in the gastrointestinal tract is important for resistance to many pathogens, but the memory T cells that mediate such immunity are poorly characterized. In this study, we show that following sterile cure of a primary infection with the gastrointestinal parasite Trichuris muris, memory CD4+ T cells persist in the draining mesenteric lymph node and protect mice against reinfection. The memory CD4+ T cells that developed were a heterogeneous population, consisting of both CD62Lhigh central memory T cells (TCM) and CD62Llow effector memory T cells (TEM) that were competent to produce the Th type 2 effector cytokine, IL-4. Unlike memory T cells that develop following exposure to several other pathogens, both CD4+ TCM and TEM populations persisted in the absence of chronic infection, and, critically, both populations were able to transfer protective immunity to naive recipients. CD62LhighCD4+ TCM were not apparent early after infection, but emerged following clearance of primary infection, suggesting that they may be derived from CD4+ TEM. Consistent with this theory, transfer of CD62LlowCD4+ TEM into naive recipients resulted in the development of a population of protective CD62LhighCD4+ TCM. Taken together, these studies show that distinct subsets of memory CD4+ T cells develop after infection with Trichuris, persist in the GALT, and mediate protective immunity to rechallenge.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 15-02-2021
DOI: 10.1101/2021.02.14.431188
Abstract: Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are emerging as important cellular regulators of homeostatic and disease-associated immune processes. The cytokine interleukin-33 (IL-33) promotes ILC2-dependent inflammation and immunity, with IL-33 having been shown to activate NF-κB in a wide variety of cell types. However, it is currently unclear which NF-κB members play an important role in IL-33-dependent ILC2 biology. Here, we identify the NF-κB family member c-Rel as a critical component of the IL-33-dependent activation of ILC2s. Although c-Rel is dispensable for ILC2 development, it is critical for ILC2 function in the lung, with c-Rel-deficient ( c-Rel –/– ) mice resistant to papain- and IL-33-induced lung inflammation. We also show that the absence of c-Rel reduces the IL-33-dependent expansion of ILC2 precursors and lower levels of IL-5 and IL-13 cytokine production by mature ILC2s in the lung. Together, these results identify the IL-33-c-Rel axis as a central control point of ILC2 activation and function.
Publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Date: 18-08-2014
Abstract: Protein methyltransferases constitute an emerging but undercharacterized class of therapeutic targets with erse roles in normal human biology and disease. Small-molecule “chemical probes” can be powerful tools for the functional characterization of such enzymes, and here we report the discovery of ( R )-PFI-2—a first-in-class, potent, highly selective, and cell-active inhibitor of the methyltransferase activity of SETD7 [SET domain containing (lysine methyltransferase) 7]—and two related compounds for control and chemoproteomics studies. We used these compounds to characterize the role of SETD7 in signaling, in the Hippo pathway, that controls cell growth and organ size. Our work establishes a chemical biology tool kit for the study of the erse roles of SETD7 in cells and further validates protein methyltransferases as a druggable target class.
Publisher: Rockefeller University Press
Date: 26-04-2010
DOI: 10.1084/JEM.20100363
Abstract: Accumulating evidence suggests that the regulation of gene expression by histone lysine methylation is crucial for several biological processes. The histone lysine methyltransferase G9a is responsible for the majority of dimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 9 (H3K9me2) and is required for the efficient repression of developmentally regulated genes during embryonic stem cell differentiation. However, whether G9a plays a similar role in adult cells is still unclear. We identify a critical role for G9a in CD4+ T helper (Th) cell differentiation and function. G9a-deficient Th cells are specifically impaired in their induction of Th2 lineage-specific cytokines IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 and fail to protect against infection with the intestinal helminth Trichuris muris. Furthermore, G9a-deficient Th cells are characterised by the increased expression of IL-17A, which is associated with a loss of H3K9me2 at the Il17a locus. Collectively, our results establish unpredicted and complex roles for G9a in regulating gene expression during lineage commitment in adult CD4+ T cells.
Publisher: The American Association of Immunologists
Date: 15-05-2009
Abstract: IL-31 is a recently identified cytokine made predominantly by CD4+ Th2 cells and its receptor, IL-31R, is expressed by a number of cell types including monocytes, epithelial cells, and T cells. Originally identified as a potential mediator of inflammation in the skin, we recently reported a novel function for endogenous IL-31R interactions in limiting type 2 inflammation in the lung. However, whether IL-31-IL-31R interactions regulate immunity or inflammation at other mucosal sites, such as the gut, is unknown. In this study, we report a regulatory role for IL-31-IL-31R interactions in the intestine following infection with the gastrointestinal helminth Trichuris muris, immunity to which is critically dependent on CD4+ Th2 cells that produce IL-4 and IL-13. IL-31Rα was constitutively expressed in the colon and exposure to Trichuris induced the expression of IL-31 in CD4+ T cells. In response to Trichuris infection, IL-31Rα−/− mice exhibited increased Th2 cytokine responses in the mesenteric lymph nodes and elevated serum IgE and IgG1 levels compared with wild type mice. IL-31Rα−/− mice also displayed enhanced goblet cell hyperplasia and a marked increase in secretion of goblet cell-derived resistin-like molecule β into the intestinal lumen. Consistent with their exacerbated type 2 inflammatory responses, IL-31Rα−/− mice exhibited accelerated expulsion of Trichuris with significantly decreased worm burdens compared with their wild type counterparts early following infection. Collectively, these data provide the first evidence of a function for IL-31-IL-31R interactions in limiting the magnitude of type 2 inflammatory responses within the intestine.
Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Date: 02-2014
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.DEVCEL.2013.05.025
Abstract: Methylation of nonhistone proteins is emerging as a regulatory mechanism to control protein function. Set7 (Setd7) is a SET-domain-containing lysine methyltransferase that methylates and alters function of a variety of proteins in vitro, but the in vivo relevance has not been established. We found that Set7 is a modifier of the Hippo pathway. Mice that lack Set7 have a larger progenitor compartment in the intestine, coinciding with increased expression of Yes-associated protein (Yap) target genes. Mechanistically, monomethylation of lysine 494 of Yap is critical for cytoplasmic retention. These results identify a methylation-dependent checkpoint in the Hippo pathway.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-02-2007
DOI: 10.1038/NATURE05590
Abstract: Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) provide a primary physical barrier against commensal and pathogenic microorganisms in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, but the influence of IECs on the development and regulation of immunity to infection is unknown. Here we show that IEC-intrinsic IkappaB kinase (IKK)-beta-dependent gene expression is a critical regulator of responses of dendritic cells and CD4+ T cells in the GI tract. Mice with an IEC-specific deletion of IKK-beta show a reduced expression of the epithelial-cell-restricted cytokine thymic stromal lymphopoietin in the intestine and, after infection with the gut-dwelling parasite Trichuris, fail to develop a pathogen-specific CD4+ T helper type 2 (T(H)2) response and are unable to eradicate infection. Further, these animals show exacerbated production of dendritic-cell-derived interleukin-12/23p40 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha, increased levels of CD4+ T-cell-derived interferon-gamma and interleukin-17, and develop severe intestinal inflammation. Blockade of proinflammatory cytokines during Trichuris infection ablates the requirement for IKK-beta in IECs to promote CD4+ T(H)2 cell-dependent immunity, identifying an essential function for IECs in tissue-specific conditioning of dendritic cells and limiting type 1 cytokine production in the GI tract. These results indicate that the balance of IKK-beta-dependent gene expression in the intestinal epithelium is crucial in intestinal immune homeostasis by promoting mucosal immunity and limiting chronic inflammation.
Publisher: The American Association of Immunologists
Date: 02-2012
Abstract: Control of the protozoan parasite Leishmania major is dependent on establishing a robust T cell response. An early event in the development of an effective T cell response is the expansion (or hypertrophy) of the lymph node draining the site of infection, although the mechanisms involved in this response are not completely understood. In this study, we show that lymph node hypertrophy following L. major infection in mice is associated with increased recruitment of lymphocytes to the lymph node from the blood, and that CD62L-deficient mice, which are unable to recruit cells to the lymph node, develop a chronic infection with L. major. Injection of L. major-activated dendritic cells promoted lymph node hypertrophy, and this correlated with an increase in the expression of CCR7 on dendritic cells, although the upregulation of CCR7 occurred on the bystander (uninfected) dendritic cells rather than those containing parasites. We found that increased CCR7 expression was TLR9-dependent, that TLR9−/− dendritic cells migrated less efficiently to the draining lymph node, and that TLR9−/− mice exhibited a deficit in lymph node expansion following L. major infection, as well as increased susceptibility. Taken together, to our knowledge, these results are the first to demonstrate that activation of dendritic cells via TLR9 is essential for the induction of lymph node hypertrophy in leishmaniasis.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-2017
Abstract: Mast cells are innate immune cells that respond rapidly to infection in barrier tissues such as the skin and intestinal mucosa. Expulsion of parasitic worms in the gut involves a robust type 2 host response, and an acute mastocytosis is often generated at the site of infection. However, the role of mast cells in resistance to worm infections appears to be parasite specific. Mast cells are also involved in tissue repair, but the long-term contribution of mast cell activation after worm expulsion has not been definitively studied. In this issue of European Journal of Immunology, Sorobetea et al. [Eur. J. Immunol. 2017. 47: 257-268] demonstrate that activated mast cells persist in the large intestinal lamina propria and intraepithelial compartment long after worm expulsion, resulting in continued local and systemic presence of the mast cell protease mast cell protease 1 (MCPt-1) and enhanced intestinal permeability. In this commentary, we discuss these findings in the wider context of mast cell function in health and disease.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-09-2016
Abstract: Proinflammatory cytokines produced during immune responses to infectious stimuli are well-characterized to have secondary effects on the function of hematopoietic progenitor cells in the BM. However, these effects on the BM are poorly characterized during chronic infection with intestinal helminth parasites. In this study, we use the Trichuris muris model of infection and show that Th1 cell-associated, but not acute Th2 cell-associated, responses to chronic T. muris infection cause a major, transient expansion of CD48
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 22-08-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2020
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-01-2007
DOI: 10.1038/ICB.2014.115
Abstract: Repressive epigenetic modifications such as dimethylation and trimethylation histone H3 at lysine 9 (H3K9me2 and H3K9me3) and H3K27me3 have been shown to be critical for embryonic stem (ES) cell differentiation by silencing cell lineage-promiscuous genes. CD4(+) T helper (T(H)) cell differentiation is a powerful model to study the molecular mechanisms associated with cellular lineage choice in adult cells. Naïve T(H) cells have the capacity to differentiate into one of the several phenotypically and functionally distinct and stable lineages. Although some repressive epigenetic mechanisms have a critical role in T(H) cell differentiation in a similar manner to that in ES cells, it is clear that there are disparate functions for certain modifications between ES cells and T(H) cells. Here we review the role of repressive histone modifications in the differentiation and function of T(H) cells in health and disease.
Publisher: The American Association of Immunologists
Date: 11-2003
DOI: 10.4049/JIMMUNOL.171.9.4726
Abstract: Studies in several models of inflammation have underscored the importance of P- and E-selectins in the migration of T cells to inflamed tissues. However, the role of the endothelial selectins in infection-induced cutaneous inflammation and host-protective immunity has not been investigated. In this study, we demonstrate that CD4+ T cells recruited to the cutaneous compartment during infection with Leishmania major express P- and E-selectin ligands. Furthermore, expression of P- and E-selectin ligands correlates with activated Leishmania-specific Th1 cells and is dependent upon IL-12. To investigate the functional role of the endothelial selectins during leishmaniasis, we infected mice either singly or doubly deficient in the expression of P- and E- selectins. Mice lacking both P- and E-selectins developed significantly less inflammation at the site of a primary and secondary infection, and exhibited an impaired delayed-type hypersensitivity response. Surprisingly, the absence of the endothelial selectins had no effect on the control of parasite replication or immunity to reinfection. Thus, these data demonstrate that although the endothelial selectins contribute to the inflammatory response, they are not required for protective immunity to L. major. Moreover, these data suggest that by blocking P- and E-selectins, the immune pathology associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis might be ameliorated without compromising immunity to infection.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-2014
DOI: 10.1111/PIM.12090
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
Date: 03-2003
DOI: 10.1128/IAI.71.3.1587-1589.2003
Abstract: Following infection with Leishmania major , the chemokines XCL1, CXCL10, and CCL2 were preferentially expressed in draining lymph nodes of resistant mice. Neutralization of interleukin 12 (IL-12) or gamma interferon in resistant mice resulted in decreased chemokine expression, while administration of IL-12 to susceptible mice resulted in an increase in the level of chemokine gene expression.
Publisher: Rockefeller University Press
Date: 06-04-2009
DOI: 10.1084/JEM.20082048
Abstract: Differentiation and recruitment of alternatively activated macrophages (AAMacs) are hallmarks of several inflammatory conditions associated with infection, allergy, diabetes, and cancer. AAMacs are defined by the expression of Arginase 1, chitinase-like molecules, and resistin-like molecule (RELM) α/FIZZ1 however, the influence of these molecules on the development, progression, or resolution of inflammatory diseases is unknown. We describe the generation of RELM-α–deficient (Retnla−/−) mice and use a model of T helper type 2 (Th2) cytokine-dependent lung inflammation to identify an immunoregulatory role for RELM-α. After challenge with Schistosoma mansoni (Sm) eggs, Retnla−/− mice developed exacerbated lung inflammation compared with their wild-type counterparts, characterized by excessive pulmonary vascularization, increased size of egg-induced granulomas, and elevated fibrosis. Associated with increased disease severity, Sm egg–challenged Retnla−/− mice exhibited elevated expression of pathogen-specific CD4+ T cell–derived Th2 cytokines. Consistent with immunoregulatory properties, recombinant RELM-α could bind to macrophages and effector CD4+ Th2 cells and inhibited Th2 cytokine production in a Bruton's tyrosine kinase–dependent manner. Additionally, Retnla−/− AAMacs promoted exaggerated antigen-specific Th2 cell differentiation. Collectively, these data identify a previously unrecognized role for AAMac-derived RELM-α in limiting the pathogenesis of Th2 cytokine-mediated pulmonary inflammation, in part through the regulation of CD4+ T cell responses.
Publisher: American Thoracic Society
Date: 15-06-2010
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 29-10-2019
DOI: 10.1101/821348
Abstract: CD4 + T helper (Th) cell differentiation is controlled by lineage-specific expression of transcription factors and effector proteins, as well as silencing of lineage-promiscuous genes. Lysine methyltransferases (KMTs) comprise a major class of epigenetic enzymes that are emerging as important regulators of Th cell biology. Here, we show that the KMT DOT1L regulates Th cell function and lineage integrity. DOT1L-dependent dimethylation of lysine 79 of histone H3 (H3K79me2) is associated with lineage-specific gene expression. However, DOT1L-deficient Th cells overproduce IFN-γ under lineage-specific and lineage-promiscuous conditions. Consistent with the increased IFN-γ response, mice with a T cell-specific deletion of DOT1L are susceptible to infection with the helminth parasite Trichuris muris and resistant to the development of allergic lung inflammation. These results identify a central role for DOT1L in Th cell lineage commitment and stability, and suggest that inhibition of DOT1L may provide a novel therapeutic strategy to limit type 2 immune responses.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 31-03-2021
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PPAT.1009476
Abstract: Infectious and inflammatory diseases in the intestine remain a serious threat for patients world-wide. Reprogramming of the intestinal epithelium towards a protective effector state is important to manage inflammation and immunity and can be therapeutically targeted. The role of epigenetic regulatory enzymes within these processes is not yet defined. Here, we use a mouse model that has an intestinal-epithelial specific deletion of the histone demethylase Lsd1 (cKO mice), which maintains the epithelium in a fixed reparative state. Challenge of cKO mice with bacteria-induced colitis or a helminth infection model both resulted in increased pathogenesis. Mechanistically, we discovered that LSD1 is important for goblet cell maturation and goblet-cell effector molecules such as RELMß. We propose that this may be in part mediated by directly controlling genes that facilitate cytoskeletal organization, which is important in goblet cell biology. This study therefore identifies intestinal-epithelial epigenetic regulation by LSD1 as a critical element in host protection from infection.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 13-02-2017
DOI: 10.1101/108241
Abstract: The intestinal immune system must be able to respond to a wide variety of infectious organisms while maintaining tolerance to non-pathogenic microbes and food antigens. The Vitamin A metabolite retinoic acid (RA) has been implicated in the regulation of this balance, partially by regulating innate lymphoid cell (ILC) responses in the intestine. However, the molecular mechanisms of RA-dependent intestinal immunity and homeostasis remain elusive. Here we define a role for the transcriptional repressor Hypermethylated in cancer 1 (HIC1, ZBTB29) in the regulation of ILC responses in the intestine. Intestinal ILCs express HIC1 in a vitamin A-dependent manner. In the absence of HIC1, group 3 ILCs (ILC3s) are lost, resulting in increased susceptibility to infection with the bacterial pathogen Citrobacter rodentium . In addition, the loss of ILC3s leads to a local and systemic increase in IFN-γ-producing T cells that prevents the development of protective immunity against infection with the parasitic helminth Trichuris muris . Thus, RA-dependent expression of HIC1 in ILC3s regulates intestinal homeostasis and protective immunity. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are emerging as important regulators of immune responses at barrier sites such as the intestine. However, the molecular mechanisms that control this are not well described. In the intestine, the Vitamin A metabolite retinoic acid (RA) has been shown to be an important component of the homeostatic mechanisms. In this manuscript, we show that the RA-dependent transcription factor Hypermethylated in cancer 1 (HIC1, ZBTB29) is required for ILC homeostasis and function in the steady state as well as following infection with the bacterial pathogen Citrobacter rodentium or the helminth parasite Trichuris muris . Thus, HIC1 links RA signalling to intestinal immune responses. Further, our results identify HIC1 as a potential target to modulate ILC responses in vivo in health and disease.
Publisher: MyJove Corporation
Date: 24-05-2011
DOI: 10.3791/2774
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.DEVCEL.2016.03.002
Abstract: Intestinal tumorigenesis is a result of mutations in signaling pathways that control cellular proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Mutations in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway are associated with the majority of intestinal cancers, while dysregulation of the Hippo/Yes-Associated Protein (YAP) pathway is an emerging regulator of intestinal tumorigenesis. In addition, these closely related pathways play a central role during intestinal regeneration. We have previously shown that methylation of the Hippo transducer YAP by the lysine methyltransferase SETD7 controls its subcellular localization and function. We now show that SETD7 is required for Wnt-driven intestinal tumorigenesis and regeneration. Mechanistically, SETD7 is part of a complex containing YAP, AXIN1, and β-catenin, and SETD7-dependent methylation of YAP facilitates Wnt-induced nuclear accumulation of β-catenin. Collectively, these results define a methyltransferase-dependent regulatory mechanism that links the Wnt/β-catenin and Hippo/YAP pathways during intestinal regeneration and tumorigenesis.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-01-2019
DOI: 10.1038/S41467-018-07905-4
Abstract: Protein methyltransferases (PMTs) comprise a major class of epigenetic regulatory enzymes with therapeutic relevance. Here we present a collection of chemical probes and associated reagents and data to elucidate the function of human and murine PMTs in cellular studies. Our collection provides inhibitors and antagonists that together modulate most of the key regulatory methylation marks on histones H3 and H4, providing an important resource for modulating cellular epigenomes. We describe a comprehensive and comparative characterization of the probe collection with respect to their potency, selectivity, and mode of inhibition. We demonstrate the utility of this collection in CD4 + T cell differentiation assays revealing the potential of in idual probes to alter multiple T cell subpopulations which may have implications for T cell-mediated processes such as inflammation and immuno-oncology. In particular, we demonstrate a role for DOT1L in limiting Th1 cell differentiation and maintaining lineage integrity. This chemical probe collection and associated data form a resource for the study of methylation-mediated signaling in epigenetics, inflammation and beyond.
Publisher: Rockefeller University Press
Date: 13-06-2016
DOI: 10.1084/JEM.20151646
Abstract: Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are emerging as important regulators of homeostatic and disease-associated immune processes. Despite recent advances in defining the molecular pathways that control development and function of ILCs, the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate ILC biology are unknown. Here, we identify a role for the lysine methyltransferase G9a in regulating ILC2 development and function. Mice with a hematopoietic cell–specific deletion of G9a (Vav.G9a−/− mice) have a severe reduction in ILC2s in peripheral sites, associated with impaired development of immature ILC2s in the bone marrow. Accordingly, Vav.G9a−/− mice are resistant to the development of allergic lung inflammation. G9a-dependent dimethylation of histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K9me2) is a repressive histone mark that is associated with gene silencing. Genome-wide expression analysis demonstrated that the absence of G9a led to increased expression of ILC3-associated genes in developing ILC2 populations. Further, we found high levels of G9a-dependent H3K9me2 at ILC3-specific genetic loci, demonstrating that G9a-mediated repression of ILC3-associated genes is critical for the optimal development of ILC2s. Together, these results provide the first identification of an epigenetic regulatory mechanism in ILC development and function.
Publisher: American Thoracic Society
Date: 12-2017
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-09-2004
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 29-03-2013
Publisher: The American Association of Immunologists
Date: 02-2023
Abstract: CD8 virtual memory T (TVM) cells are Ag-naive CD8 T cells that have undergone partial differentiation in response to common γ-chain cytokines, particularly IL-15 and IL-4. TVM cells from young in iduals are highly proliferative in response to TCR and cytokine stimulation but, with age, they lose TCR-mediated proliferative capacity and exhibit hallmarks of senescence. Helminth infection can drive an increase in TVM cells, which is associated with improved pathogen clearance during subsequent infectious challenge in young mice. Given the cytokine-dependent profile of TVM cells and their age-associated dysfunction, we traced proliferative and functional changes in TVM cells, compared with true naive CD8 T cells, after helminth infection of young and aged C57BL/6 mice. We show that IL-15 is essential for the helminth-induced increase in TVM cells, which is driven only by proliferation of existing TVM cells, with negligible contribution from true naive cell differentiation. Additionally, TVM cells showed the greatest proliferation in response to helminth infection and IL-15 compared with other CD8 T cells. Furthermore, TVM cells from aged mice did not undergo expansion after helminth infection due to both TVM cell–intrinsic and –extrinsic changes associated with aging.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-2014
Publisher: The American Association of Immunologists
Date: 10-2008
DOI: 10.4049/JIMMUNOL.181.7.4709
Abstract: The secreted goblet cell-derived protein resistin-like molecule β (RELMβ) has been implicated in ergent functions, including a direct effector function against parasitic helminths and a pathogenic function in promoting inflammation in models of colitis and ileitis. However, whether RELMβ influences CD4+ T cell responses in the intestine is unknown. Using a natural model of intestinal inflammation induced by chronic infection with gastrointestinal helminth Trichuris muris, we identify dual functions for RELMβ in augmenting CD4+ Th1 cell responses and promoting infection-induced intestinal inflammation. Following exposure to low-dose Trichuris, wild-type C57BL/6 mice exhibit persistent infection associated with robust IFN-γ production and intestinal inflammation. In contrast, infected RELMβ−/− mice exhibited a significantly reduced expression of parasite-specific CD4+ T cell-derived IFN-γ and TNF-α and failed to develop Trichuris-induced intestinal inflammation. In in vitro T cell differentiation assays, recombinant RELMβ activated macrophages to express MHC class II and secrete IL-12/23p40 and enhanced their ability to mediate Ag-specific IFN-γ expression in CD4+ T cells. Taken together, these data suggest that goblet cell-macrophage cross-talk, mediated in part by RELMβ, can promote adaptive CD4+ T cell responses and chronic inflammation following intestinal helminth infection.
Publisher: Rockefeller University Press
Date: 12-03-2007
DOI: 10.1084/JEM.20061791
Abstract: Interleukin (IL) 31Rα (glycoprotein 130–like monocyte receptor and glycoprotein 130–like receptor) heterodimerizes with oncostatin M receptor β to bind IL-31, a cytokine expressed preferentially by CD4+ T helper type 2 (Th2) cells. However, the functions of IL-31–IL-31R signaling in immune regulation remain unknown. Here, we identify a novel role for IL-31R in limiting type 2 inflammation in the lung. After intravenous injection of Schistosoma mansoni eggs, IL-31Rα−/− mice developed severe pulmonary inflammation, characterized by an increase in the area of granulomatous inflammation, increased numbers of resistin-like molecule α+ cells, and enhanced collagen deposition compared to WT counterparts. In vitro, macrophages generated from IL-31Rα−/− mice promoted enhanced ovalbumin-specific CD4+ T cell proliferation and purified naive CD4+ T cells from IL-31Rα−/− mice exhibited enhanced proliferation and expression of Th2 cytokines, identifying a T cell– and macrophage-intrinsic regulatory function for IL-31R signaling. In contrast, the generation of CD4+ T cell–mediated Th1 responses were normal in IL-31Rα−/− mice, suggesting that the regulatory role of IL-31R signaling is limited to type 2 responses. Together, these data implicate IL-31R signaling as a novel negative regulatory pathway that specifically limits type 2 inflammation.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 06-09-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2017
DOI: 10.1038/MI.2017.17
Abstract: The intestine is a unique immune environment that must respond to infectious organisms but remain tolerant to commensal microbes and food antigens. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate immune cell function in the intestine remain unclear. Here we identify the POK/ZBTB family transcription factor hypermethylated in cancer 1 (HIC1, ZBTB29) as a central component of immunity and inflammation in the intestine. HIC1 is specifically expressed in immune cells in the intestinal lamina propria (LP) in the steady state and mice with a T-cell-specific deletion of HIC1 have reduced numbers of T cells in the LP. HIC1 expression is regulated by the Vitamin A metabolite retinoic acid, as mice raised on a Vitamin A-deficient diet lack HIC1-positive cells in the intestine. HIC1-deficient T cells overproduce IL-17A in vitro and in vivo, and fail to induce intestinal inflammation, identifying a critical role for HIC1 in the regulation of T-cell function in the intestinal microenvironment under both homeostatic and inflammatory conditions.
Publisher: The American Association of Immunologists
Date: 15-06-2008
DOI: 10.4049/JIMMUNOL.180.12.8299
Abstract: Central memory CD4+ T cells provide a pool of lymph node-homing, Ag-experienced cells that are capable of responding rapidly after a secondary infection. We have previously described a population of central memory CD4+ T cells in Leishmania major-infected mice that were capable of mediating immunity to a secondary infection. In this study, we show that the Leishmania-specific central memory CD4+ T cells require IL-12 to produce IFN-γ, demonstrating that this population needs additional signals to develop into Th1 cells. In contrast, effector cells isolated from immune mice produced IFN-γ in vitro or in vivo in the absence of IL-12. In addition, we found that when central memory CD4+ T cells were adoptively transferred into IL-12-deficient hosts, many of the cells became IL-4 producers. These studies indicate that the central memory CD4+ T cell population generated during L. major infection is capable of developing into either Th1 or Th2 effectors. Thus, continued IL-12 production may be required to ensure the development of Th1 cells from this central memory T cell pool, a finding that has direct relevance to the design of vaccines dependent upon central memory CD4+ T cells.
Publisher: The American Association of Immunologists
Date: 08-2009
Abstract: IL-27 limits CD4+ TH17 cell development in vitro and during inflammatory responses in the CNS. However, whether IL-27-IL-27R interactions regulate the homeostasis or function of CD4+ T cell populations in the intestine is unknown. To test this, we examined CD4+ T cell populations in the intestine of wild-type and IL-27R−/− mice. Naive IL-27R−/− mice exhibited a selective decrease in the frequency of IFN-γ producing CD4+ TH1 cells and an increase in the frequency of TH17 cells in gut-associated lymphoid tissues. Associated with elevated expression of IL-17A, IL-27R−/− mice exhibited earlier onset and significantly increased severity of clinical disease compared with wild-type controls in a murine model of intestinal inflammation. Rag−/−/IL-27R−/− mice were also more susceptible than Rag−/− mice to development of dextran sodium sulfate-induced intestinal inflammation, indicating an additional role for IL-27-IL-27R in the regulation of innate immune cell function. Consistent with this, IL-27 inhibited proinflammatory cytokine production by activated neutrophils. Collectively, these data identify a role for IL-27-IL-27R interaction in controlling the homeostasis of the intestinal T cell pool and in limiting intestinal inflammation through regulation of innate and adaptive immune cell function.
Publisher: American Society for Clinical Investigation
Date: 25-03-2014
DOI: 10.1172/JCI69592
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 06-12-2018
Publisher: American Society for Clinical Investigation
Date: 12-2010
DOI: 10.1172/JCI45263
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 05-05-2011
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 26-09-2004
DOI: 10.1038/NM1108
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 24-05-2009
DOI: 10.1038/NI.1740
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 05-02-2018
DOI: 10.1101/260638
Abstract: Protein methyltransferases (PMTs) comprise a major class of epigenetic regulatory enzymes with therapeutic relevance. Here we present a collection of chemical probes and associated reagents and data to elucidate the function of human and murine PMTs in cellular studies. Our collection provides inhibitors and antagonists that together modulate most of the key regulatory methylation marks on histones H3 and H4, providing an important resource for modulating cellular epigenomes. We describe a comprehensive and comparative characterization of the probe collection with respect to their potency, selectivity, and mode of inhibition. We demonstrate the utility of this collection in CD4 + T cell differentiation assays revealing the remarkable potential of in idual probes to alter multiple T cell subpopulations with important implications for T cell-mediated processes such as inflammation and immuno-oncology. In particular, we demonstrate a role for DOT1L in limiting Th1 cell differentiation and maintaining lineage integrity.
Publisher: Rockefeller University Press
Date: 09-2008
DOI: 10.1084/JEM.20080720
Abstract: Alterations in the composition of intestinal commensal bacteria are associated with enhanced susceptibility to multiple inflammatory diseases, including those conditions associated with interleukin (IL)-17–producing CD4+ T helper (Th17) cells. However, the relationship between commensal bacteria and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines remains unclear. Using germ-free mice, we show that the frequency of Th17 cells in the large intestine is significantly elevated in the absence of commensal bacteria. Commensal-dependent expression of the IL-17 family member IL-25 (IL-17E) by intestinal epithelial cells limits the expansion of Th17 cells in the intestine by inhibiting expression of macrophage-derived IL-23. We propose that acquisition of, or alterations in, commensal bacteria influences intestinal immune homeostasis via direct regulation of the IL-25–IL-23–IL-17 axis.
Publisher: Rockefeller University Press
Date: 09-03-2009
DOI: 10.1084/JEM.20081499
Abstract: Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) produce thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) however, the in vivo influence of TSLP–TSLP receptor (TSLPR) interactions on immunity and inflammation in the intestine remains unclear. We show that TSLP–TSLPR interactions are critical for immunity to the intestinal pathogen Trichuris. Monoclonal antibody–mediated neutralization of TSLP or deletion of the TSLPR in normally resistant mice resulted in defective expression of Th2 cytokines and persistent infection. Susceptibility was accompanied by elevated expression of interleukin (IL) 12/23p40, interferon (IFN) γ, and IL-17A, and development of severe intestinal inflammation. Critically, neutralization of IFN-γ in Trichuris-infected TSLPR−/− mice restored Th2 cytokine responses and resulted in worm expulsion, providing the first demonstration of TSLPR-independent pathways for Th2 cytokine production. Additionally, TSLPR−/− mice displayed elevated production of IL-12/23p40 and IFN-γ, and developed heightened intestinal inflammation upon exposure to dextran sodium sulfate, demonstrating a previously unrecognized immunoregulatory role for TSLP in a mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 18-08-2015
Publisher: The American Association of Immunologists
Date: 15-11-2008
DOI: 10.4049/JIMMUNOL.181.10.6697
Abstract: Infections with helminth parasites are associated with an IgE isotype switch and high serum IgE concentrations. IgE is rapidly bound by the high affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI), thereby sensitizing FcεRI-bearing basophils and mast cells for IgE-inducible effector functions such as IL-4 production. The development of Ab-secreting B cells is dependent on IgM and consequently, μMT mice, which lack surface IgM, are considered devoid of Abs. In this study we report the unexpected finding that C57BL/6 μMT mice generate robust IgE responses upon infection with three distinct helminth parasites, Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Trichuris muris, and Schistosoma mansoni. IgE is produced despite an apparent block in B cell development and licenses basophils for IgE-induced IL-4 production. Our findings reveal the existence of an evolutionarily conserved, IgM-independent pathway for the production of IgE upon infection with helminth parasites.
Publisher: The American Association of Immunologists
Date: 06-2005
DOI: 10.4049/JIMMUNOL.174.11.7154
Abstract: A number of receptors and signaling pathways can influence the ability of dendritic cells (DC) to promote CD4+ Th type 1 (Th1) responses. In contrast, the regulatory pathways and signaling events that govern the ability of DC to instruct Th2 cell differentiation remain poorly defined. In this report, we demonstrate that NF-κB1 expression within DC is required to promote optimal Th2 responses following exposure to Schistosoma mansoni eggs, a potent and natural Th2-inducing stimulus. Although injection of S. mansoni eggs induced production of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 in the draining lymph node of wild-type (WT) mice, NF-κB1−/− hosts failed to express Th2 cytokines and developed a polarized Ag-specific IFN-γ response. In an in vivo adoptive transfer model in which NF-κB-sufficient OVA-specific DO11.10 TCR transgenic T cells were injected into OVA-immunized WT or NF-κB1−/− hosts, NF-κB1−/− APCs efficiently promoted CD4+ T cell proliferation and IFN-γ responses, but failed to promote Ag-specific IL-4 production. Further, bone marrow-derived DC from NF-κB1−/− mice failed to promote OVA-specific Th2 cell differentiation in in vitro coculture studies. Last, S. mansoni egg Ag-pulsed NF-κB1−/− DC failed to prime for Th2 cytokine responses following injection into syngeneic WT hosts. Impaired Th2 priming by NF-κB1−/− DC was accompanied by a reduction in MAPK phosphorylation in Ag-pulsed DC. Taken together, these studies identify a novel requirement for DC-intrinsic expression of NF-κB1 in regulating the MAPK pathway and governing the competence of DC to instruct Th2 cell differentiation.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.JACI.2015.01.019
Abstract: Inpp5d (Src homology 2 domain-containing inositol-5-phosphatase [Ship1])-deficient mice experience spontaneous airway inflammation and have enhanced sensitivity to allergen-induced airway inflammation. We hypothesized that lineage-specific deletion of Ship1 expression in cells known to be crucial for adaptive TH2 responses would uncover distinct roles that could either positively or negatively regulate susceptibility to allergic airway inflammation (AAI). Ship1 expression was deleted in B cells, T cells, or dendritic cells (DCs), and the resulting Ship1(ΔB cell), Ship1(ΔT cell), Ship1(ΔDC), or Ship1(F/F) (wild-type) control mice were evaluated in a model of house dust mite (HDM)-induced AAI. Unlike germline panhematopoietic Ship1 deletion, deletion of Ship1 selectively in either the B-cell, T-cell, or DC lineages did not result in spontaneous airway inflammation. Strikingly, although loss of Ship1 in the B-cell lineage did not affect HDM-induced AAI, loss of Ship1 in either of the T-cell or DC lineages protected mice from AAI by skewing the typical TH2 immune response toward a TH1 response. Although panhematopoietic deletion of Ship1 leads to spontaneous lung inflammation, selective deletion of Ship1 in T cells or DCs impairs the formation of an adaptive TH2 response and protects animals from HDM-induced AAI.
Publisher: Rockefeller University Press
Date: 10-04-2006
DOI: 10.1084/JEM.20051496
Abstract: The cytokine interleukin (IL) 25 has been implicated in the initiation of type 2 immunity by driving the expression of type 2 cytokines such as IL-5 and IL-13, although its role in the regulation of immunity and infection-induced inflammation is unknown. Here, we identify a dual function for IL-25: first, in promoting type 2 cytokine-dependent immunity to gastrointestinal helminth infection and, second, in limiting proinflammatory cytokine production and chronic intestinal inflammation. Treatment of genetically susceptible mice with exogenous IL-25 promoted type 2 cytokine responses and immunity to Trichuris. IL-25 was constitutively expressed by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the gut of mouse strains that are resistant to Trichuris, and IL-25–deficient mice on a genetically resistant background failed to develop a type 2 immune response or eradicate infection. Furthermore, chronically infected IL-25−/− mice developed severe infection-induced intestinal inflammation associated with heightened expression of interferon-γ and IL-17, identifying a role for IL-25 in limiting pathologic inflammation at mucosal sites. Therefore, IL-25 is not only a critical mediator of type 2 immunity, but is also required for the regulation of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2018
DOI: 10.1038/MI.2017.75
Abstract: The mammalian gastrointestinal tract harbors a microbial community with metabolic activity critical for host health, including metabolites that can modulate effector functions of immune cells. Mice treated with vancomycin have an altered microbiome and metabolite profile, exhibit exacerbated T helper type 2 cell (Th2) responses, and are more susceptible to allergic lung inflammation. Here we show that dietary supplementation with short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) ameliorates this enhanced asthma susceptibility by modulating the activity of T cells and dendritic cells (DCs). Dysbiotic mice treated with SCFAs have fewer interleukin-4 (IL4)-producing CD4
Publisher: Rockefeller University Press
Date: 20-04-2009
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2015
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.JACI.2014.02.033
Abstract: Allergic inflammation involves the sensitization of naive CD4(+) T cells to allergens, resulting in a TH2-skewed inflammatory response. Although antigen presentation by dendritic cells to T cells in the lymph node is crucial for TH2 cell development, the innate signals that initiate adaptive type 2 inflammation and the role of group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are poorly understood. We sought to investigate the influence of ILC2s and the route of priming on the development of an adaptive type 2 immune response to lung allergens. Wild-type and ILC2-deficient mice were exposed intranasally or systemically to the TH2-inducing antigens house dust mite or ovalbumin in a model of allergic airway inflammation or the TH17-inducing bacterial antigen Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula in a model of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. The formation of an adaptive immune response was evaluated based on serum antibody titers and production of T cell-derived cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IL-17A). We find that lung ILC2s play a critical role in priming the adaptive type 2 immune response to inhaled allergens, including the recruitment of eosinophils, TH2 cytokine production and serum IgE levels. Surprisingly, systemic priming with ovalbumin, with or without adjuvants, circumvents the requirement for ILC2s in inducing TH2-driven lung inflammation. ILC2s were also found to be dispensable for the sensitization to TH1- or TH17-inducing antigens. These data highlight a critical role for ILC2s in the development of adaptive type 2 responses to local, but not systemic, antigen exposure.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 29-12-2016
DOI: 10.1189/JLB.3MA0716-334RR
Abstract: The incidence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) has steadily increased in recent decades—a phenomenon that cannot be explained by genetic mutations alone. Other factors, including the composition of the intestinal microbiome, are potentially important contributors to the increased occurrence of this group of diseases. Previous reports have shown a correlation between early-life antibiotic (Abx) treatment and an increased incidence of IBD. In this report, we investigated the effects of early-life Abx treatments on the pathogenicity of CD4+ T cells using an experimental T cell transfer model of IBD. Our results show that CD4+ T cells isolated from adult mice that had been treated with Abx during gestation and in early life induced a faster onset of IBD in Rag1-deficient mice compared with CD4+ T cells of untreated mice. Ex vivo functional analyses of IBD-inducing CD4+ T cells did not show significant differences in their immunologic potential ex vivo, despite their in vivo phenotype. However, genome-wide gene-expression analysis revealed that these cells displayed dysregulated expression of genes associated with cell-cycle regulation, metabolism, and cellular stress. Analysis of Abx-treated CD4+ T cell donors showed systemically elevated levels of the stress hormone corticosterone throughout life compared with untreated donors. The cohousing of Abx-treated mice with untreated mice decreased serum corticosterone, and a consequent transfer of the cells from cohoused mice into Rag1-deficient mice restored the onset and severity of disease to that of untreated animals. Thus, our results suggest that early-life Abx treatment results in a stress response with high levels of corticosterone that influences CD4+ T cell function.
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
Date: 02-2016
DOI: 10.1128/IAI.01240-15
Abstract: Immunological cross talk between mucosal tissues such as the intestine and the lung is poorly defined during homeostasis and disease. Here, we show that a low-dose infection with the intestinally restricted helminth parasite Trichuris muris results in the production of Th1 cell-dependent gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and myeloid cell-derived interleukin-10 (IL-10) in the lung without causing overt airway pathology. This cross-mucosal immune response in the lung inhibits the development of papain-induced allergic airway inflammation, an innate cell-mediated type 2 airway inflammatory disease. Thus, we identify convergent and nonredundant roles of adaptive and innate immunity in mediating cross-mucosal suppression of type 2 airway inflammation during low-dose helminth-induced intestinal inflammation. These results provide further insight in identifying novel intersecting immune pathways elicited by gut-to-lung mucosal cross talk.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 22-02-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2012
DOI: 10.1038/MI.2012.29
Abstract: Helminth infection leads to the local proliferation and accumulation of macrophages in tissues. However, the function of macrophages during helminth infection remains unclear. SH2-containing inositol 5'-phosphatase 1 (Ship1, Inpp5d) is a lipid phosphatase that has been shown to play a critical role in macrophage function. Here, we identify a critical role for Ship1 in the negative regulation of interleukin (IL)-12/23p40 production by macrophages during infection with the intestinal helminth parasite Trichuris muris. Mice with myeloid cell-specific deletion of Ship1 (Ship1(ΔLysM) mice) develop a non-protective T-helper type 1 cell response and fail to expel parasites. Ship1-deficient macrophages produce heightened levels of IL-12/23p40 in vitro and in vivo and antibody blockade of IL-12/23p40 renders Ship1(ΔLysM) mice resistant to Trichuris infection. Our results identify a critical role for the negative regulation of IL-12/23p40 production by macrophages in the development of a protective T(H)2 cell response.
Start Date: 2023
End Date: 12-2025
Amount: $585,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
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