Th1-type Immune Response Research Articles

Delivery of dendritic cells targeting 3M2e-HA2 nanoparticles with a CpG adjuvant via lysosomal escape of Salmonella enhances protection against H9N2 avian influenza virus

Avian influenza virus (AIV) subtype H9N2 still poses a great threat to the poultry farming industry and public health worldwide, and the development of a new influenza vaccine that is safe and conservative and able to address influenza virus mutations is highly promising for application. HA2, the neck of the HA protein, and M2e, the extracellular N-terminal structural domain of the M2 protein, are conserved and effective protective antigens.In this study, the HA2 sequences were fused with three M2e copies (H9N2, H1N1 and H5N1) to the norovirus VP1 protein via the SpyTag-SpyCatcher platform to form self-assembled nanoparticles and display antigenic proteins on its surface, yielding pYL262. The chicken dendritic cells (DCs) targeting the nanobody phage-54 were then fused to HA2-3M2e to yield pYL327. Finally, a synthesized 20-repeat CpG adjuvant gene fragment was inserted into pYL327, resulting in the plasmid pYL331. All the constructed plasmids were then transformed into the sifA gene-deficient Salmonella vector χYL56 for oral immunization.The results showed that sifA-deficient Salmonella could efficiently increase antigen-specific mucosal sIgA antibody titers, especially in alveolar lavage samples, whereas the presence of the phage-54 nanobody could dramatically increase intracellular IFN-γ mRNA levels, indicating its ability to enhance the Th1-type immune response. Finally, the presence of the CpG adjuvant clearly increased T-cell proliferation and promoted DC activation, with elevated splenic TLR21 levels observed. Strikingly, after oral immunization with χYL56 (pYL331), chickens were protected against challenge with the G57 genotype H9N2 virus, which presented similar or even better levels of virus shedding and body weight gain compared with the commercial inactivated vaccine, providing a new option for controlling H9N2 virus infection in the future.

IMMU-24. GLIOBLASTOMA ENRICHED GLYCOSPHINGOLIPIDS MODULATE THE FUNCTION OF HUMAN INKT CELLS

Abstract Glioblastoma is an aggressive primary brain tumor highly resistant to currently available immunotherapies. A deeper understanding of its underlying immunoregulatory mechanisms is paramount to developing future immunotherapeutic treatments. Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are unconventional T cells that recognize lipid antigens presented by an MHC-like molecule called CD1d. Although iNKT cells have been shown to regulate tumor immunity in other cancer types, their role in glioblastoma is not well characterized. Given the lipid-rich nature of the brain and the unique metabolic activity of glioblastoma cells, we hypothesized that interactions between glioblastoma and iNKT cells through glioblastoma-produced lipids could contribute to the immunosuppressive nature of the disease. We report multiple lipid species enriched in aggressive human glioblastoma stem-like cell (GSC) lines that activate human iNKT cells and modulate their functions. Lipidomic LC-MS analysis of GSCs, low-grade glioma stem-like cell lines, and normal human astrocytes revealed various glycosphingolipid species, including sulfatides, highly enriched in the GSCs. Multiple enriched sulfatide species, when presented by CD1d, were recognized by and activated iNKT cells in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, cytokine analysis of stimulated human PBMC-derived iNKT cells demonstrated that the enriched sulfatides did not induce Th1 cytokine production, but rather many non-Th1 cytokines that potentially counteract Th1-type immune responses. This modulation of iNKT cell function by glioblastoma-enriched glycosphingolipids may contribute to the immunosuppression of glioblastoma and could highlight sulfatide production as a potential therapeutic target for glioblastoma treatment.

The immune responses elicited by six recombinant antigens of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in mice

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) is the causative agent of swine enzootic pneumonia, resulting in substantial economic losses in global pig farming. Although vaccination is the primary strategy for controlling M. hyopneumoniae infection, current vaccines fall short in preventing transmission of this pathogen or protecting the body from secondary infection. This study aimed to assess the immunogenicity of six recombinant antigens (P97R1, P46, GAPDH, PdhA, DnaK, and EF-Tu) of M. hyopneumoniae through intramuscular immunization in mice. The results showed that the six antigens elicited high levels of serum IgG. Among them, P97R1, P46, PdhA, and DnaK stimulated robust antigen-specific IgA mucosal immune responses. CCK-8 assays revealed that both P97R1 and DnaK significantly increased the proliferation of mononuclear cells from spleen and lung, and DnaK also promoted the proliferation of blood mononuclear cells. Additionally, PdhA induced Th17-type immune response with a high level of IL-17 level in serum. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that P97R1 and PdhA increased the ratio of CD8+/CD4+ T lymphocyte, favoring cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) immune responses. Notably, P97R1 immunization significantly decreased the percentages of CD4+ T cells while increased the percentages of CD8+ T cells. The present findings demonstrate that the candidate antigens P97R1, PdhA, and DnaK of M. hyopneumoniae induce specific humoral and mucosal immunity; P97R1 and DnaK also stimulated intense cellular immunity, and PdhA induced CTL and Th17-type immune responses. In conclusion, P97R1, PdhA, and DnaK emerge as potential candidate antigens for the future development of a more effective subunit vaccine against M. hyopneumoniae.

Neutrophil-activating protein in Bacillus spores inhibits casein allergy via TLR2 signaling.

Milk allergy commonly occurs in children, mainly caused by bovine-derived casein (CAS) protein. Neutrophil-activating protein (NAP) of Helicobacter pylori plays an immunomodulatory role with potential to suppress Th2-type immune responses. Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) spores are commonly used as oral vectors for drug delivery. To investigate whether recombinantly expressed NAP on B. subtilis spores could be an effective treatment for CAS allergy in mouse. After CAS sensitization, mice were orally administered B. subtilis spores expressing recombinant NAP for 6 weeks. Allergic symptoms and parameters were evaluated after CAS challenge oral gavage, including allergic inflammation, splenic cytokines, and serum-specific antibodies. Protein levels of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and c-JUN in the jejunum tissue were measured by western blot. Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were stimulated with inactivated NAP spores to measure the influence on cytokine profiles in vitro. NAP recombinant spore treatment significantly reduced allergic symptoms and intestinal inflammation. Interleukin-12 and interferon-gamma levels increased, whereas serum CAS-specific IgG1 and IgE levels decreased. TLR2 and c-JUN expression levels were elevated in the jejunal tissue. Inactivated NAP spores polarized BMDMs to the M1 phenotype and enhanced cytokine expression, which were inhibited by a TLR2 neutralizing antibody. NAP offers a new strategy in the treatment of CAS allergy by inhibiting the Th2 response, while eliciting macrophages to promote Th1 immune responses.

Bioinformatics Analysis and Immunogenicity Assessment of the Novel Multi-Stage DNA Vaccine W541 Against Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.

Vaccination is one of the effective measures to prevent latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) from developing into active tuberculosis (TB). Applying bioinformatics methods to pre-evaluate the biological characteristics and immunogenicity of vaccines can improve the efficiency of vaccine development. To evaluate the immunogenicity of TB vaccine W541 and to explore the application of bioinformatics technology in TB vaccine research. This study concatenated the immunodominant sequences of Ag85A, Ag85B, Rv3407, and Rv1733c to construct the W541 DNA vaccine. Then, bioinformatics methods were used to analyze the physicochemical properties, antigenicity, allergenicity, toxicity, and population coverage of the vaccine, to identify its epitopes, and to perform molecular docking with MHC alleles and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) of the host. Finally, the immunogenicity of the vaccine was evaluated in animal experiments. The W541 vaccine protein is a soluble cytoplasmic protein with a half-life of 1.1 h in vivo and an instability index of 45.37. It has good antigenicity and wide population coverage without allergenicity and toxicity. It contains 138 HTL epitopes, 73 CTL epitopes, 8 linear and 14 discontinuous B cell epitopes, and has a strong affinity for TLR4. Immune simulations have shown that it can effectively stimulate innate and adaptive immune responses. Animal experiments confirmed that the W541 DNA vaccine could effectively activate Th1- and Th17-type immune responses, producing high levels of IFN-γ and IL-17A, but could not significantly increase antibody levels. The W541 DNA vaccine can induce strong cellular immune responses. However, further optimization of the vaccine design is needed to make the expressed protein more stable in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis could reveal the physicochemical and immunological information of vaccines, which is critical for guiding vaccine design and development.

A new multi-epitope DNA vaccine against Helicobacter Pylori infection in a BALB/c mouse model

BackgroundHelicobacter Pylori (H. Pylori) is a pathogen that may invade the human stomach. This bacterial strain is now causing widespread concern and considerable health issues worldwide. In contrast to antibiotic treatment, which may lead to drug resistance, vaccination therapy is emerging as a possible immunotherapy option for H. Pylori. DNA vaccines are a potential option to traditional vaccines among vaccine research methods. Furthermore, the multiepitope DNA vaccination may induce a broader immune response to suppress H. Pylori infection. MethodsFour target antigenic proteins (outer membrane beta-barrel, outer membrane beta, HofA, and hcp beta-lactamase-like protein) were used to identify epitopes. The best B and T cell epitopes were selected to induce humoral and cellular immune responses and were connected using the HEYGAEALERAG and GGGS linkers. The peptide's physicochemical characteristics, secondary and tertiary structures, antigenicity, and allergenicity were evaluated utilizing several bioinformatics tools. The multiepitope peptide was successfully inserted into the pcDNA3.1 expression vector. The immunological responses of both the vaccinated and control groups were evaluated by measuring cytokines and antibodies. ResultsBased on the data, the multiepitope peptide consists of 278 amino acid residues and has an average molecular weight (MW) of 28643.61 Da. The peptide residues were mainly situated within the preferred and permitted areas of the Ramachandran plot, accounting for 92.86 % of the total. The VaxiJen server has calculated that the multiepitope peptide has an antigenicity score of 1.0067. BALB/c mice vaccinated with the DNA vaccine produced significantly higher levels of specific IgG antibodies (p < 0.05). The vaccinated mice exhibited a TH1-type cellular immune response characterized by the generation of IFN-γ and a longer length of life compared to the control animals (p < 0.05). In addition, the vaccination group exhibited a substantial increase in the expression level of IFN-γ and IL-1β genes compared to the control group (p < 0.05). ConclusionsThe results demonstrated that the multiepitope DNA vaccine elicited significant humoral and cellular responses, and increased survival time in BALB/c mice, indicating that selecting potential epitopes may be a viable technique for developing multiepitope-based vaccines. This can help to introduce effective vaccines.

Synthetic small interfering RNAs selectively suppress the expression of proinflammatory cytokine genes (IL-25 and TSLP) in experiments in vitro

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an inflammatory disease of the upper respiratory tract (nasal mucosa). AR affects up to 40% of the world’s population; in the Russian Federation, the incidence is 18% to 30%, depending on the region. Despite the fact that AR is not a severe pathology, it causes significant economic burden. Another threat associated with this disease is that in 40% of cases, patients with AR eventually develop a more severe disabling pathology – AD. Widespread prevalence and significant economic disadvantages caused by AR determine the importance of developing new ways of prevention and control of this disease, as the existing methods of therapy are insufficient. However, the search for new ways of therapy is impossible without a detailed investigation of the molecular mechanisms of AR pathogenesis. For a long time it was considered that this allergic inflammation is formed by Th2-dependent mechanism with involvement of Th2-lymphocytes, B-cells and eosinophils and pro-inflammatory cytokines: IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13. However, experimental evidence has now accumulated on the role of epithelial cells of the respiratory tract and the proinflammatory cytokines they secrete (IL-25, IL-33 and TSLP) in the pathogenesis of AR and AD. IL-25 has been shown to induce the production of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13, directing a Th2-type immune response. At the same time, mice with inactivated IL-25 developed barely any Th2-immune response. Inactivation of IL-33 significantly reduces inflammation (mediated by eosinophils) of the respiratory tract. Mice knockout for the cytokine receptor TSLP did not develop nasal hyperreactivity in response to allergen, but the level of nasal mucosal inflammation remained high. Currently, work is actively progressing on the development of new drugs capable of specifically blocking the activity of the listed cytokines; first of all, drugs based on neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. However, there are other technologies that can be used to regulate the activity of genes, such as the technology based on the RNA interference. It can be used to suppress the expression of any gene with a known nucleotide sequence, including genes encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines.Considering the above, the aim of this work was to design synthetic miRNA molecules and study their ability to specifically block the expression of genes encoding proinflammatory cytokines IL-25 and TSLP in experiments in vitro.

Effect of Polysaccharides Isolated from Saussurea salicifolia (L.) DC on Th2-Dependent Immune Response.

The effect of polysaccharides isolated from the aboveground parts of Saussurea salicifolia (L.) DC on Th2 type immune response reactions was studied. Administration of water-soluble polysaccharides presented by arabino-galacturonans (weight average molecular weight 158.49 kDa) to mice against the background of experimental Th2 immunity reduced the severity of anaphylactic and local immediate type hypersensitivity reactions. It also suppressed the production of ovalbumin-specific IgE and IgG1 and increased the stability of mast cell membranes. The studied polysaccharide complex increased IFNγ secretion and inhibited IL-4 synthesis. These findings suggest that these polysaccharides may be considered as potential anti-allergic agents that suppress the development of allergy in its early stages.

Immunomodulatory Synthetic Glycocluster Molecule Prevents Melanoma Growth In Vivo.

Triacedimannose (TADM) is a synthetic trivalent acetylated glycocluster and a transmembrane macrophage activator independent of the mannose receptor. TADM induces Th1-type immune responses and suppresses Th2-type cytokines in acute and chronic allergic inflammation models in vivo. We, therefore, wanted to test whether TADM could also facilitate anti-tumour tissue responses similar to what has been observed for the immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4. A syngeneic mouse melanoma model was selected since metastatic melanoma has been successfully targeted by checkpoint inhibitors in the clinic. TADM inhibited the growth of B16 mouse melanoma tumours at levels comparable to an anti-PD-1 antibody. TADM-treated tumours encompassed significantly more apoptotic cells as measured by TUNEL staining, and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) expression was increased in the spleens of TADM-treated mice compared to untreated controls. TADM-treated mice also demonstrated increased Ly6 C low monocytes and neutrophils in the spleens. However, TADM-treated tumours showed no discernible differences in infiltrating immune cells. TADM can alone suppress the growth of melanoma tumours. TADM likely activates M1 type macrophages, type N1 neutrophils, and CD8+ and Th1 T cells, suppressing the type 2 immune response milieu of melanoma tumour with a strong type 1 immune response.

Long-Term Oral Administration of Hyperimmune Egg-Based IgY-Rich Formulations Induces Mucosal Immune Response and Systemic Increases of Cytokines Involved in Th2- and Th17-Type Immune Responses in C57BL/6 Mice.

Three hyperimmune egg-based formulations rich in immunoglobulin Y (IgY) were orally administered (daily, for up to 90 days) to C57BL/6 mice that were not microbially challenged. The serum levels of 32 cytokines were quantified every 30 days. Histopathology, hematology, and serum biochemistry investigations were also performed. As a sign of increased immune activity, lymphohistiocytic infiltrates were detected in the digestive tract and the liver after 30, 60, and 90 days of treatment. These infiltrates were also present in the lungs after 30 and 60 days, but not at 90 days. Blood analysis indicated systemic inflammation after 30 days of treatment: increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines, glycemia, total serum proteins, ALT, and ALP. After 60 and 90 days of treatment, the analyzed blood parameters showed mixed signs of both increased and decreased inflammation. The increased cytokines, which varied with formulation and time of exposure, indicated a combination of mostly Th17- and Th2-type immune responses. As the mice were healthy and housed in standardized sanitary conditions, and were not microbially challenged, the data were consistent with an interaction of IgY with the gut-associated lymphoid tissue as the main mechanism of action. This interaction generated a local immune response, which subsequently induced a systemic response.

Escherichia coli LTB26 mutant enhances immune responses to rotavirus antigen VP8 in a mouse model

Adjuvant is a major supplementary component of vaccines to boost adaptive immune responses. To select an efficient adjuvant from the heat-labile toxin B subunit (LTB) of E. coli, four LTB mutants (numbered LTB26, LTB34, LTB57, and LTB85) were generated by multi-amino acid random replacement. Mice have been intranasally vaccinated with human rotavirus VP8 admixed. Among the four mutants, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed that LTB26 had enhanced mucosal immune adjuvanticity compared to LTB, showing significantly enhanced immune responses in both serum IgG and mucosal sIgA levels. The 3D modeling analysis suggested that the enhanced immune adjuvanticity of LTB26 might be due to the change of the first LTB α-helix to a β-sheet. The molecular mechanism was studied using transcriptomic and flow cytometric (FCM) analysis. The transcriptomic data demonstrated that LTB26 enhanced immune response by enhancing B cell receptor (BCR) and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) II+-related pathways. Furthermore, LTB26 promoted Th1 and Th2-type immune responses which were confirmed by detecting IFN-γ and IL-4 expression levels. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that LTB26 enhanced both Th1 and Th2 type immunity. Therefore, LTB26 was a potent mucosal immune adjuvant meeting the requirement for use in human clinics in the future.

Evaluation of vaccine candidates against Rhodococcus equi in BALB/c mice infection model: cellular and humoral immune responses

Rhodococcus equi (R. equi) is a zoonotic opportunistic pathogen that mainly causes fatal lung and extrapulmonary abscesses in foals and immunocompromised individuals. To date, no commercial vaccine against R. equi exists. We previously screened all potential vaccine candidates from the complete genome of R. equi using a reverse vaccinology approach. Five of these candidates, namely ABC transporter substrate-binding protein (ABC transporter), penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBD2), NlpC/P60 family protein (NlpC/P60), esterase family protein (Esterase), and M23 family metallopeptidase (M23) were selected for the evaluation of immunogenicity and immunoprotective effects in BALB/c mice model challenged with R. equi. The results showed that all five vaccine candidate-immunized mice experienced a significant increase in spleen antigen-specific IFN-γ- and TNF-α-positive CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes and generated robust Th1- and Th2-type immune responses and antibody responses. Two weeks after the R. equi challenge, immunization with the five vaccine candidates reduced the bacterial load in the lungs and improved the pathological damage to the lungs and livers compared with those in the control group. NlpC/P60, Esterase, and M23 were more effective than the ABC transporter and PBD2 in inducing protective immunity against R. equi challenge in mice. In addition, these vaccine candidates have the potential to induce T lymphocyte memory immune responses in mice. In summary, these antigens are effective candidates for the development of protective vaccines against R. equi. The R. equi antigen library has been expanded and provides new ideas for the development of multivalent vaccines.

GFPBW1, a β-glucan from Grifola frondosa as vaccine adjuvant: APCs activation and maturation.

Adjuvants for vaccines with characteristics of improving adaptive immunity particularly via leverage of antigen presenting cells (APCs) are currently lacking. In a previous work we obtained a new soluble 300 kDa homogeneous β-glucan named GFPBW1 from the fruit bodies of Granola frondosa. GFPBW1 could activate macrophages by targeting dendritic cell associated C-type lectin 1 (Dectin-1)/Syk/NF-κB signaling to achieve antitumour effects. In this study the adjuvant effects of GFPBW1 were explored with OVA-antigen and B16-OVA tumor model. We showed that GFPBW1 (5, 50, 500 μg/mL) dose-dependently promoted activation and maturation of APCs in vitro by increasing CD80, CD86 and MHC II expression. We immunized female mice with OVA in combination with GFPBW1 (50 or 300 μg) twice with an interval of two weeks. GFPBW1 markedly and dose-dependently increased OVA-specific antibody titers of different subtypes including IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b and IgG3, suggesting that it could serve as an adjuvant for both Th1 and Th2 type immune responses. Furthermore, GFPBW1 in combination with aluminum significantly increased the titers of OVA-specific IgG2a and IgG2b, but not those of IgG1, suggesting that GFPBW1 could be used as a co-adjuvant of aluminum to compensate for Th1 deficiency. For mice immunized with OVA plus GFPBW1, no obvious pathological injury was observed in either major organs or injection sites, and no abnormalities were noted for any of the hematological parameters. When GFPBW1 served as an adjuvant in the B16-OVA cancer vaccine models, it could accomplish entire tumor suppression with preventive vaccines, and enhance antitumour efficacy with therapeutic vaccines. Differentially expressed genes were found to be enriched in antigen processing process, specifically increased tumor infiltration of DCs, B1 cells and plasma cells in the OVA plus GFPBW1 group, in accordance with its activation and maturation function of APCs. Collectively, this study systematically describes the properties of GFPBW1 as a novel potent and safe adjuvant and highlights its great potential in vaccine development.

Lipid Nanoparticle with 1,2-Di-O-octadecenyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane as a Component Lipid Confers Potent Responses of Th1 Cells and Antibody against Vaccine Antigen.

Adjuvants are effective tools to enhance vaccine efficacy and control the type of immune responses such as antibody and T helper 1 (Th1)- or Th2-type responses. Several studies suggest that interferon (IFN)-γ-producing Th1 cells play a significant role against infections caused by intracellular bacteria and viruses; however, only a few adjuvants can induce a strong Th1-type immune response. Recently, several studies have shown that lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) can be used as vaccine adjuvants and that each LNP has a different adjuvant activity. In this study, we screened LNPs to develop an adjuvant that can induce Th1 cells and antibodies using a conventional influenza split vaccine (SV) as an antigen in mice. We observed that LNP with 1,2-di-O-octadecenyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTMA) as a component lipid (DOTMA-LNP) elicited robust SV-specific IgG1 and IgG2 responses compared with SV alone in mice and was as efficient as SV adjuvanted with other adjuvants in mice. Furthermore, DOTMA-LNPs induced robust IFN-γ-producing Th1 cells without inflammatory responses compared to those of other adjuvants, which conferred strong cross-protection in mice. We also demonstrated the high versatility of DOTMA-LNP as a Th1 cell-inducing vaccine adjuvant using vaccine antigens derived from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Our findings suggest the potential of DOTMA-LNP as a safe and effective Th1 cell-inducing adjuvant and show that LNP formulations are potentially potent adjuvants to enhance the effectiveness of other subunit vaccines.

A xanthan gum and carbomer-codispersed divalent manganese ion-loaded tannic acid nanoparticle adjuvanted inactivated pseudorabies virus vaccine induces balanced humoral and cellular immune responses

Adjuvants including aluminum adjuvant (Alum) and oil-water emulsion have been widely used in inactivated pseudorabies virus (PRV) vaccines to improve their performance, however, they are not sufficient to protect from PRV infection because of the weak immune response and poor Th1-type immune response. Divalent manganese ion (Mn2+) has been reported to increase the cellular immune response significantly. In this work, a xanthan gum and carbomer-dispersed Mn2+-loaded tannic acid-polyethylene glycol (TPMnXC) nanoparticle colloid is developed and used as an adjuvant to improve the performance of the inactivated PRV vaccine. The good in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility of the developed TPMnXC colloid has been confirmed by the cell viability assay, erythrocyte hemolysis, blood routine analysis, and histological analysis of mouse organs and injection site. The TPMnXC-adjuvanted inactivated PRV vaccine (TPMnXC@PRV) significantly promotes higher and more balanced immune responses indicating with an increased specific total IgG antibody and IgG2a/IgG1 ratio, efficient splenocytes proliferation, and elevated Th1- and Th2-type cytokine secretion than those of control groups. Wild PRV challenge experiment is performed using mice as a model animal, achieving a protection rate of up to 86.67 %, which is much higher than those observed from the commercial Alum. This work not only demonstrates the high potentiality of TPMnXC in practical applications but also provides a new way to develop the Mn2+-loaded nanoadjuvant for veterinary vaccines.

A Th2-type immune response and low-grade systemic inflammatory reaction as potential immunotoxic effects in intensive agriculture farmers exposed to pesticides

Pesticides are chemicals widely used in agriculture to keep crops healthy and prevent them from being destroyed by pests, thus contributing to a sustainable food and feed production. However, long-term exposure to these compounds may be harmful to human health as they can affect the function of various organs systems, including the immune system. There is growing evidence that pesticides may increase the risk of developing immune-based diseases and inflammation. This study assessed whether greenhouse farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides presented alterations in immunoregulatory proteins, used as surrogate biomarkers of immune function. The study population consisted of 175 greenhouse workers occupationally exposed to pesticides and 91 non-exposed controls. Serum levels of 27 cytokines, chemokines and growth factors were measured using a magnetic bead-based immunoassay in a subpopulation of 111 greenhouse workers and 79 non-exposed controls. Since analytical determinations were performed in two periods of the same crop season with different use of pesticides (period of high and low pesticide exposure), linear mixed models for repeated measures were used to optimize statistical inference. The increase in IL-13, IL-4 and IL-6 observed in greenhouse workers compared to controls, and in the period of high exposure to pesticides relative to that of low exposure, suggest an altered Th1/Th2 balance towards the Th2 response. This finding points to a type-2 inflammation commonly presented as allergic inflammation, which has often been reported in farm-workers and in which pesticide exposure is considered a risk factor. Furthermore, the increase in IL-1β and VEGF, mediators of inflammation and angiogenesis, may suggest a low-grade systemic inflammation that might underlie chronic pathological conditions linked to pesticide exposure.

Potential applications of dual haptoglobin expression in the reclassification and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

HCC is a malignancy characterized by high incidence and mortality rates. Traditional classifications of HCC primarily rely on tumor morphology, phenotype, and multicellular molecular levels, which may not accurately capture the cellular heterogeneity within the tumor. This study integrates scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq to spotlight HP as a critical gene within a subgroup of HCC malignant cells. HP is highly expressed in HCC malignant cells and lowly expressed in T cells. Within malignant cells, elevated HP expression interacts with C3, promoting Th1-type responses via the C3/C3AR1 axis. In T cells, down-regulating HP expression favors the expression of Th1 cell-associated marker genes, potentially enhancing Th1-type responses. Consequently, we developed a "HP-promoted Th1 response reclassification" gene set, correlating higher activity scores with improved survival rates in HCC patients. Additionally, four predictive models for neoadjuvant treatment based on HP and C3 expression were established: 1) Low HP and C3 expression with high Th2 cell infiltration; 2) High HP and low C3 expression with high Th2 cell infiltration; 3) High HP and C3 expression with high Th1 cell infiltration; 4) Low HP and high C3 expression with high Th1 cell infiltration. In conclusion, the HP gene selected from the HCC malignant cell subgroup (Malignant_Sub 6) might serve as a potential ally against the tumor by promoting Th1-type immune responses. The establishment of the "HP-promoted Th1 response reclassification" gene set offers predictive insights for HCC patient survival prognosis and neoadjuvant treatment efficacy, providing directions for clinical treatments.

Abstract LB120: Stem cell-derived ACUA CAR-NKT allogeneic cell therapies harness orthogonal mechanisms of action for the treatment of solid tumors

Abstract Despite the remarkable success of chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapies in treating hematological malignancies, their use in solid tumor indications has been met with distinct challenges. The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and tumor antigen heterogeneity are two significant factors that may adversely impact the efficacy of these ground-breaking therapies. Engineered natural killer T (NKT) cells harbor biological features distinct from CAR-T cell or CAR-NK cell therapies and thus represent a novel therapeutic approach to deploy “off the shelf” to patients. Appia Bio’s ACUA platform is capable of generating large quantities of highly pure CAR-NKT cells from cord blood CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) for clinical use. We have demonstrated that multiple distinct mechanisms of anti-tumor activity are operative in CAR-NKT cells, including CAR-mediated killing, NK receptor-mediated killing, adjuvant effects on antigen-specific T cells and immature dendritic cells, as well as the ability to deplete of pro-tumorigenic macrophages.When transduced with a CAR, ACUA-derived CAR-NKT cells show potent CAR-mediated tumor cell killing, similar to CAR-T cells. In contrast to conventional T cells, CAR-NKT cells also demonstrate potent CAR antigen-independent tumor cell killing, mediated partially through NKG2D and DNAM-1 activating NK receptors. CAR-NKT cells, but not conventional CAR-T cells, enhanced the function of NY-ESO specific T cells in controlling multiple rounds of tumor rechallenge, through the secretion of soluble components. In regard to other adjuvant effects which may provide additional benefit in vivo, ACUA-derived NKT cells enhanced the activation of peripheral blood monocyte-derived dendritic cells, which can regulate beneficial Th1 type immune responses. To explore how ACUA-derived NKT cells could reshape the TME, we generated immunosuppressive M2-polarized macrophages and observed that ACUA-derived NKT cells can either kill or reprogram these cells to a pro-inflammatory phenotype following co-culture. Notably, these immune cell adjuvant mechanisms are specific to ACUA-derived NKT cells and are not observed with conventional CAR-T cells. In summary, these mechanistic studies underscore the advantages of ACUA-derived NKT cells over conventional CAR-T cells and highlight their potential as a promising differentiated allogeneic therapy for the treatment of solid tumors. Citation Format: Xi Wang, Andrew J. Hou, Michael A. Christopher, Yannick Bulliard, Jason S. Damiano. Stem cell-derived ACUA CAR-NKT allogeneic cell therapies harness orthogonal mechanisms of action for the treatment of solid tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr LB120.

Immune response profiles from humans experimentally exposed to Phlebotomus duboscqi bites.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a neglected vector-borne parasitic disease prevalent in 92 countries with approximately one million new infections annually. Interactions between vector saliva and the human host alter the response to infection and outcome of disease. To characterize the human immunological responses developed against saliva of Phlebotomus duboscqi, a Leishmania major (L. major) vector, we repeatedly exposed the arms of 14 healthy U.S volunteers to uninfected P. duboscqi bites. Blood was collected a week after each exposure and used to assess total IgG antibodies against the proteins of P. duboscqi salivary gland homogenate (SGH) and the levels of IFN-gamma and IL-10 from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) stimulated with SGH or recombinant sand fly proteins. We analyzed skin punch biopsies of the human volunteer arms from the insect bite site and control skin site after multiple P. duboscqi exposures (four volunteers) using immunohistochemical staining. A variety of immediate insect bite skin reactions were observed. Late skin reactions to insect bites were characterized by macular hyperpigmentation and/or erythematous papules. Hematoxylin and eosin staining showed moderate mononuclear skin infiltrate with eosinophils in those challenged recently (within 2 months), eosinophils were not seen in biopsies with recall challenge (6 month post bites). An increase in plasma antigen-specific IgG responses to SGH was observed over time. Western Blot results showed strong plasma reactivity to five P. duboscqi salivary proteins. Importantly, volunteers developed a cellular immunity characterized by the secretion of IFN-gamma upon PBMC stimulation with P. duboscqi SGH and recombinant antigens. Our results demonstrate that humans mounted a local and systemic immune response against P. duboscqi salivary proteins. Specifically, PduM02/SP15-like and PduM73/adenosine deaminase recombinant salivary proteins triggered a Th1 type immune response that might be considered in future development of a potential Leishmania vaccine.

Treatment using vanillin-derived synthetic molecules incorporated into polymeric micelles is effective against infection caused by Leishmania amazonensis species

Treatment against leishmaniasis presents problems, mainly due to the toxicity of the drugs, high cost, and the emergence of resistant strains. A previous study showed that two vanillin-derived synthetic molecules, 3s [4-(2-hydroxy-3-(4-octyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)propoxy)-3-methoxybenzaldehyde] and 3t [4-(3-(4-decyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)-2-hydroxypropoxy)-3-methoxybenzaldehyde], presented antileishmanial activity against Leishmania infantum, L. amazonensis, and L. braziliensis species. In the present work, 3s and 3t were evaluated to treat L. amazonensis-infected mice. Molecules were used pure or incorporated into Poloxamer 407-based micelles. In addition, amphotericin B (AmpB) and its liposomal formulation, Ambisome®, were used as control. Animals received the treatment and, one and 30 days after, they were euthanized to evaluate immunological, parasitological, and biochemical parameters. Results showed that the micellar compositions (3s/Mic and 3t/Mic) induced significant reductions in the lesion mean diameter and parasite load in the infected tissue and distinct organs, as well as a specific and significant antileishmanial Th1-type immune response, which was based on significantly higher levels of IFN-γ, IL-12, nitrite, and IgG2a isotype antibodies. Drug controls showed also antileishmanial action; although 3s/Mic and 3t/Mic have presented better and more significant parasitological and immunological data, which were based on significantly higher IFN-γ production and lower parasite burden in treated animals. In addition, significantly lower levels of urea, creatinine, alanine transaminase, and aspartate transaminase were found in mice treated with 3s/Mic and 3t/Mic, when compared to the others. In conclusion, results suggest that 3s/Mic and 3t/Mic could be considered as therapeutic candidates to treat against L. amazonensis infection.