-
1.
Immune characterization of metastatic colorectal cancer patients post reovirus administration.
Parakrama, R, Fogel, E, Chandy, C, Augustine, T, Coffey, M, Tesfa, L, Goel, S, Maitra, R
BMC cancer. 2020;(1):569
Abstract
BACKGROUND KRAS mutations are prevalent in 40-45% of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and targeting this gene has remained elusive. Viruses are well known immune sensitizing agents. The therapeutic efficacy of oncolytic reovirus in combination with chemotherapy is examined in a phase 1 study of metastatic CRC. This study evaluates the nature of immune response by determining the cytokine expression pattern in peripheral circulation along with the distribution of antigen presenting cells (APCs) and activated T lymphocytes. Further the study evaluates the alterations in exosomal and cellular microRNA levels along with the effect of reovirus on leukocyte transcriptome. METHODS Reovirus was administered as a 60-min intravenous infusion for 5 consecutive days every 28 days, at a tissue culture infective dose (TCID50) of 3 × 1010. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from whole blood prior to reovirus administration and post-reovirus on days 2, 8, and 15. The expression profile of 25 cytokines in plasma was assessed (post PBMC isolation) on an EMD Millipore multiplex Luminex platform. Exosome and cellular levels of miR-29a-3p was determined in pre and post reovirus treated samples. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stained with fluorophore labelled antibodies against CD4, CD8, CD56, CD70, and CD123, fixed and evaluated by flow cytometry. The expression of granzyme B was determined on core biopsy of one patient. Finally, Clariom D Assay was used to determine the expression of 847 immune-related genes when compared to pre reovirus treatment by RNA sequencing analysis. A change was considered if the expression level either doubled or halved and the significance was determined at a p value of 0.001. RESULTS Cytokine assay indicated upregulation at day 8 for IL-12p40 (2.95; p = 0.05); day 15 for GM-CSF (3.56; p = 0.009), IFN-y (1.86; p = 0.0004) and IL-12p70 (2.42; p = 0.02). An overall reduction in IL-8, VEGF and RANTES/CCL5 was observed over the 15-day period. Statistically significant reductions were observed at Day 15 for IL-8 (0.457-fold, 53.3% reduction; p = 0.03) and RANTES/CC5 (0.524-fold, 47.6% reduction; p = 0.003). An overall increase in IL-6 was observed, with statistical significance at day 8 (1.98- fold; 98% increase, p = 0.00007). APCs were stimulated within 48 h and activated (CD8+ CD70+) T cells within 168 h as determine by flow cytometry. Sustained reductions in exosomal and cellular levels of miR-29a-3p (a microRNA upregulated in CRC and associated with decreased expression of the tumor suppressor WWOX gene) was documented. Reovirus administration further resulted in increases in KRAS (33x), IFNAR1 (20x), STAT3(5x), and TAP1 (4x) genes after 2 days; FGCR2A (23x) and CD244 (3x) after 8 days; KLRD1 (14x), TAP1 (2x) and CD244(2x) after 15 days. Reductions (> 0.5x) were observed in VEGFA (2x) after 2 days; CXCR2 (2x), ITGAM (3x) after 15 days. CONCLUSIONS Reovirus has profound immunomodulatory properties that span the genomic, protein and immune cell distribution levels. This is the first study with reovirus in cancer patients that demonstrates these multi- layered effects, demonstrating how reovirus can function as an immune stimulant (augmenting the efficacy of immuno-chemo-therapeutic drugs), and an oncolytic agent. Reovirus thus functions bimodally as an oncolytic agent causing lysis of tumor cells, and facilitator of immune-mediated recognition and destruction of tumor cells.
-
2.
Role of heat shock protein and cytokine expression as markers of clinical outcomes with glutamine-supplemented parenteral nutrition in surgical ICU patients.
Wischmeyer, PE, Mintz-Cole, RA, Baird, CH, Easley, KA, May, AK, Sax, HC, Kudsk, KA, Hao, L, Tran, PH, Jones, DP, et al
Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland). 2020;(2):563-573
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nutrients, such as glutamine (GLN), have been shown to effect levels of a family of protective proteins termed heat shock proteins (HSPs) in experimental and clinical critical illness. HSPs are believed to serve as extracellular inflammatory messengers and intracellular cytoprotective molecules. Extracellular HSP70 (eHSP70) has been termed a chaperokine due to ability to modulate the immune response. Altered levels of eHSP70 are associated with various disease states. Larger clinical trial data on GLN effect on eHSP expression and eHSP70's association with inflammatory mediators and clinical outcomes in critical illness are limited. OBJECTIVE Explore effect of longitudinal change in serum eHSP70, eHSP27 and inflammatory cytokine levels on clinical outcomes such as pneumonia and mortality in adult surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients. Further, evaluate effect of parenteral nutrition (PN) supplemented with GLN (GLN-PN) versus GLN-free, standard PN (STD-PN) on serum eHSP70 and eHSP27 concentrations. METHODS Secondary observational analysis of a multicenter clinical trial in 150 adults after cardiac, vascular, or gastrointestinal surgery requiring PN support and SICU care conducted at five academic medical centers. Patients received isocaloric, isonitrogenous PN, with or without GLN dipeptide. Serum eHSP70 and eHSP27, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and 8 (IL-8) concentrations were analyzed in patient serum at baseline (prior to study PN) and over 28 days of follow up. RESULTS eHSP70 declined over time in survivors during 28 days follow-up, but non-survivors had significantly higher eHSP70 concentrations compared to survivors. In patients developing pneumonia, eHSP70, eHSP27, IL-8, and IL-6 were significantly elevated. Adjusted relative risk for hospital mortality was reduced 75% (RR = 0.25, p = 0.001) for SICU patients with a faster decline in eHSP70. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.85 (95% CI: 0.76 to 0.94) for the final model suggesting excellent discrimination between SICU survivors and non-survivors. GLN-PN did not alter eHSP70 or eHSP27 serum concentrations over time compared to STD-PN. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that serum HSP70 concentration may be an important marker for severity of illness and likelihood of recovery in the SICU. GLN-supplemented-PN did not increase eHSP70.
-
3.
MAIT cell activation in adolescents is impacted by bile acid concentrations and body weight.
Mendler, A, Pierzchalski, A, Bauer, M, Röder, S, Sattler, A, Standl, M, Borte, M, von Bergen, M, Rolle-Kampczyk, U, Herberth, G
Clinical and experimental immunology. 2020;(2):199-213
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
Bile acids (BAs) are produced by liver hepatocytes and were recently shown to exert functions additional to their well-known role in lipid digestion. As yet it is not known whether the mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, which represent 10-15% of the hepatic T cell population, are affected by BAs. The focus of the present investigation was on the association of BA serum concentration with MAIT cell function and inflammatory parameters as well as on the relationship of these parameters to body weight. Blood samples from 41 normal weight and 41 overweight children of the Lifestyle Immune System Allergy (LISA) study were analyzed with respect to MAIT cell surface and activation markers [CD107a, CD137, CD69, interferon (IFN)-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α] after Escherichia coli stimulation, mRNA expression of promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger protein (PLZF) and major histocompatibility complex class I-related gene protein (MR1), the inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-8 and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α as well as the concentrations of 13 conjugated and unconjugated BAs. Higher body weight was associated with reduced MAIT cell activation and expression of natural killer cell marker (NKp80) and chemokine receptor (CXCR3). BA concentrations were positively associated with the inflammatory parameters CRP, IL-8 and MIP-1α, but were negatively associated with the number of activated MAIT cells and the MAIT cell transcription factor PLZF. These relationships were exclusively found with conjugated BAs. BA-mediated inhibition of MAIT cell activation was confirmed in vitro. Thus, conjugated BAs have the capacity to modulate the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory immune responses.
-
4.
Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes after neoadjuvant IRX-2 immunotherapy in oral squamous cell carcinoma: Interim findings from the INSPIRE trial.
Wolf, GT, Liu, S, Bellile, E, Sartor, M, Rozek, L, Thomas, D, Nguyen, A, Zarins, K, McHugh, JB, ,
Oral oncology. 2020;:104928
Abstract
OBJECTIVES IRX-2 is a primary-cell-derived immune-restorative consisting of multiple human cytokines that act to overcome tumor-mediated immunosuppression and provide an in vivo tumor vaccination to increase tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). A randomized phase II trial was conducted of the IRX regimen 3 weeks prior to surgery consisting of an initial dose of cyclophosphamide followed by 10 days of regional perilymphatic IRX-2 cytokine injections and daily oral indomethacin, zinc and omeprazole (Regimen 1) compared to the identical regimen without IRX-2 cytokines (Regimen 2). METHODS A total of 96 patients with previously untreated, stage II-IV oral cavity SCC were randomized 2:1 to experimental (1) or control (2) regimens (64:32). Paired biopsy and resection specimens from 62 patients were available for creation of tissue microarray (n = 39), and multiplex immunohistology (n = 54). Increases in CD8+ TIL infiltrate scores of at least 10 cells/mm2 were used to characterize immune responders (IR). RESULTS Regimen 1 was associated with significant increases in CD8+ infiltrates (p = 0.01) compared to Regimen 2. In p16 negative cancers (n = 26), significant increases in CD8+ and overall TILs were evident in Regimen 1 (p = 0.004, and 0.04 respectively). IRs were more frequent in Regimen 1 (74% vs 31%, p = 0.01). Multiplex immunohistology for PD-L1 expression confirmed an increase in PD-L1 H score for Regimen 1 compared to Regimen 2 (p = 0.11). CONCLUSIONS The findings demonstrate significant increases in TILs after perilymphatic IRX-2 injections. Three quarters of patients showed significant immune responses to IRX-2. (NCT02609386).
-
5.
Impact of etonogestrel implant use on T-cell and cytokine profiles in the female genital tract and blood.
Haddad, LB, Swaims-Kohlmeier, A, Mehta, CC, Haaland, RE, Brown, NL, Sheth, AN, Chien, H, Titanji, K, Achilles, SL, Lupo, D, et al
PloS one. 2020;(3):e0230473
Abstract
BACKGROUND While prior epidemiologic studies have suggested that injectable progestin-based contraceptive depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) use may increase a woman's risk of acquiring HIV, recent data have suggested that DMPA users may be at a similar risk for HIV acquisition as users of the copper intrauterine device and levonorgestrel implant. Use of the etonogestrel Implant (Eng-Implant) is increasing but there are currently no studies evaluating its effect on HIV acquisition risk. OBJECTIVE Evaluate the potential effect of the Eng-Implant use on HIV acquisition risk by analyzing HIV target cells and cytokine profiles in the lower genital tract and blood of adult premenopausal HIV-negative women using the Eng-Implant. METHODS We prospectively obtained paired cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) and blood samples at 4 study visits over 16 weeks from women between ages 18-45, with normal menses (22-35 day intervals), HIV uninfected with no recent hormonal contraceptive or copper intrauterine device (IUD) use, no clinical signs of a sexually transmitted infection at enrollment and who were medically eligible to initiate Eng-Implant. Participants attended pre-Eng-Implant study visits (week -2, week 0) with the Eng-Implant inserted at the end of the week 0 study visit and returned for study visits at weeks 12 and 14. Genital tract leukocytes (enriched from CVL) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from the study visits were evaluated for markers of activation (CD38, HLA-DR), retention (CD103) and trafficking (CCR7) on HIV target cells (CCR5+CD4+ T cells) using multicolor flow cytometry. Cytokines and chemokines in the CVL supernatant and blood plasma were measured in a Luminex assay. We estimated and compared study endpoints among the samples collected before and after contraception initiation with repeated-measures analyses using linear mixed models. RESULTS Fifteen of 18 women who received an Eng-Implant completed all 4 study visits. The percentage of CD4+ T cells in CVL was not increased after implant placement but the percentage of CD4+ T cells expressing the HIV co-receptor CCR5 did increase after implant placement (p = 0.02). In addition, the percentage of central memory CD4+ T-cells (CCR7+) in CVL increased after implant placement (p = 0.004). The percentage of CVL CD4+, CCR5+ HIV target cells expressing activation markers after implant placement was either reduced (HLA-DR+, p = 0.01) or unchanged (CD38+, p = 0.45). Most CVL cytokine and chemokine concentrations were not significantly different after implant placement except for a higher level of the soluble lymphocyte activation marker (sCD40L; p = 0.04) and lower levels of IL12p70 (p = 0.02) and G-CSF (p<0.001). In systemic blood, none of the changes noted in CVL after implant placement occurred except for decreases in the percentage CD4 T-cells expressing HLA-DR+ T cells (p = 0.006) and G-CSF (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS Eng-Implant use was associated with a moderate increase in the availability of HIV target cells in the genital tract, however the percentage of these cells that were activated did not increase and there were minimal shifts in the overall immune environment. Given the mixed nature of these findings, it is unclear if these implant-induced changes alter HIV risk.
-
6.
Cytokine release and gastrointestinal symptoms after gluten challenge in celiac disease.
Goel, G, Tye-Din, JA, Qiao, SW, Russell, AK, Mayassi, T, Ciszewski, C, Sarna, VK, Wang, S, Goldstein, KE, Dzuris, JL, et al
Science advances. 2019;(8):eaaw7756
Abstract
Celiac disease (CeD), caused by immune reactions to cereal gluten, is treated with gluten -elimination diets. Within hours of gluten exposure, either perorally or extraorally by intradermal injection, treated patients experience gastrointestinal symptoms. To test whether gluten exposure leads to systemic cytokine production time -related to symptoms, series of multiplex cytokine measurements were obtained in CeD patients after gluten challenge. Peptide injection elevated at least 15 plasma cytokines, with IL-2, IL-8, and IL-10 being most prominent (fold-change increase at 4 hours of 272, 11, and 1.2, respectively). IL-2 and IL-8 were the only cytokines elevated at 2 hours, preceding onset of symptoms. After gluten ingestion, IL-2 was the earliest and most prominent cytokine (15-fold change at 4 hours). Supported by studies of patient-derived gluten-specific T cell clones and primary lymphocytes, our observations indicate that gluten-specific CD4+ T cells are rapidly reactivated by antigen -exposure likely causing CeD-associated gastrointestinal symptoms.
-
7.
Particulate metal exposures induce plasma metabolome changes in a commuter panel study.
Ladva, CN, Golan, R, Liang, D, Greenwald, R, Walker, DI, Uppal, K, Raysoni, AU, Tran, V, Yu, T, Flanders, WD, et al
PloS one. 2018;(9):e0203468
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Advances in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) have enabled high-resolution metabolomics (HRM) to emerge as a sensitive tool for measuring environmental exposures and corresponding biological response. Using measurements collected as part of a large, panel-based study of car commuters, the current analysis examines in-vehicle air pollution concentrations, targeted inflammatory biomarker levels, and metabolomic profiles to trace potential metabolic perturbations associated with on-road traffic exposures. METHODS A 60-person panel of adults participated in a crossover study, where each participant conducted a highway commute and randomized to either a side-street commute or clinic exposure session. In addition to in-vehicle exposure characterizations, participants contributed pre- and post-exposure dried blood spots for 2-hr changes in targeted proinflammatory and vascular injury biomarkers and 10-hr changes in the plasma metabolome. Samples were analyzed on a Thermo QExactive MS system in positive and negative electrospray ionization (ESI) mode. Data were processed and analyzed in R using apLCMS, xMSanalyzer, and limma. Features associated with environmental exposures or biological endpoints were identified with a linear mixed effects model and annotated through human metabolic pathway analysis in mummichog. RESULTS HRM detected 10-hr perturbations in 110 features associated with in-vehicle, particulate metal exposures (Al, Pb, and Fe) which reflect changes in arachidonic acid, leukotriene, and tryptophan metabolism. Two-hour changes in proinflammatory biomarkers hs-CRP, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-1β were also associated with 10-hr changes in the plasma metabolome, suggesting diverse amino acid, leukotriene, and antioxidant metabolism effects. A putatively identified metabolite, 20-OH-LTB4, decreased after in-vehicle exposure to particulate metals, suggesting a subclinical immune response. CONCLUSIONS Acute exposures to traffic-related air pollutants are associated with broad inflammatory response, including several traditional markers of inflammation.
-
8.
Higher serum vitamin D levels are associated with protective serum cytokine profiles in patients with ulcerative colitis.
Gubatan, J, Mitsuhashi, S, Longhi, MS, Zenlea, T, Rosenberg, L, Robson, S, Moss, AC
Cytokine. 2018;:38-45
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Vitamin D has immune modulating effects on cytokines. Serum vitamin D levels are associated with the risk of relapse in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), through unknown mechanisms. We tested the hypothesis that this beneficial role of vitamin D on UC is mediated through anti-inflammatory serum cytokine profiles. METHODS Serum samples from a prospective cohort of seventy UC patients in clinical remission were collected and baseline histological and endoscopic scores were recorded at enrollment. Clinical relapse events were recorded over the 12-month follow-up period. Serum vitamin D and cytokines levels (IL-6, IL-8, IL-17A, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10) were quantified using ELISA. Linear regression was used to determine correlation between vitamin D and cytokine profiles. Logistic regression models were used to determine the association between serum cytokine profiles and baseline histologic mucosal healing and clinical relapse. RESULTS Higher serum vitamin D levels positively correlated with higher ratios of IL-4 + IL-10/IL-17A + TNF-α (r = 0.37, P < .01), and IL-4 + IL-10/IL-6 + TNF-α (r = 0.32, P < .01). In multivariate analysis, IL-4 + IL-10/IL-17A + TNF-α ratios at baseline were associated with the presence of histologic mucosal healing (O.R. 1.29, 95% CI 1.02-1.62, P = .03). A higher ratio of serum IL-4 + IL-10 to IL-6 + TNF-α was associated with a reduced risk of clinical relapse (O.R. 0.72, 95% CI 0.58-0.89, P = .003), and longer time to relapse (p = .03), over the 12-month follow-up period. This ratio during remission had an AUC of 0.7 in predicting later clinical relapse. CONCLUSIONS Vitamin D is associated with anti-inflammatory serum cytokine profiles. Anti-inflammatory cytokine patterns may mediate the protective effects of higher serum vitamin D levels in patients with ulcerative colitis.
-
9.
Modulation of the cytokine profile in Caco-2 cells by faecal lactobacilli and bifidobacteria from individuals with distinct dietary habits.
Luongo, D, Coppola, A, Treppiccione, L, Bergamo, P, Sorrentino, A, Ferrocino, I, Turroni, S, Neviani, E, Di Cagno, R, Cocolin, L, et al
Cytokine. 2017;:80-87
Abstract
Enterocytes are actively involved in the defense against pathogens and they limit penetration of commensal microbes into tissues. They also have an important role in gut immunity as enterocytes confer mucosal dendritic cell specialisation. On the other hand, the microbiota is directly involved in the development and modulation of the intestinal immune system. Particularly, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria play a primary role in shaping the immune response. We further explored this issue by evaluating whether functional differences in Caco-2 cells could characterise faecal populations of lactobacilli (155 samples) and bifidobacteria (110 samples) isolated from three dietary cohorts (omnivores, ovo-lacto-vegetarians and vegans) recruited at four Italian centres (Turin, Parma, Bologna and Bari). According to our findings, tested bacteria were unable to modulate expression of IL-8, IL-10, TGF-β or thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) cytokines in unstimulated Caco-2 cells. Conversely, in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin (PMA/Io) stimulated Caco-2 cells, lactobacilli from the omnivorous group and all bifidobacteria significantly down-regulated IL-8. Notably, both genera also lowered the TSLP expression in stimulated Caco-2 cells, regardless of the diet regimen. By further examining these data on the basis of geographical origin, we found that lactobacilli from the vegetarian group recruited in Bari, significantly up-regulated this cytokine. In conclusion, we highlighted a peculiar immune-modulatory activity profile for lactobacilli on enterocytes undergoing a stimulatory signal, which was associated with a specific dietary habit. Furthermore, the geographical area had a significant impact on the inflammatory potential of members of the Lactobacillus genus.
-
10.
Cytokine changes in response to TPO receptor agonist treatment in primary immune thrombocytopenia.
Qu, MM, Liu, XN, Liu, XG, Feng, Q, Liu, Y, Zhang, X, Liu, S, Zhang, L, Li, GS, Zhu, YY, et al
Cytokine. 2017;:110-117
Abstract
Thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs) have been clinically used in primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) with favorable outcomes, while their effect on cytokine regulation in ITP remains unknown. In the present study, plasma and mRNA expression levels of interleukin (IL)-2, interferon gamma (IFN-γ), IL-4, IL-17A, and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were determined by ELISA and real-time quantitative PCR in 26 corticosteroid-resistant/relapsed ITP patients receiving eltrombopag or rhTPO therapy and 15 healthy controls (HCs). Results showed that plasma and mRNA levels of IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-17A in ITP patients did not change significantly after TPO-RA treatment, whereas TGF-β1 levels increased remarkably. The pre- and post-treatment plasma and mRNA levels of IFN-γ and IL-2 were significantly higher, while the pre- and post-treatment IL-4 levels as well as the pre-treatment TGF-β1 levels were remarkably lower in ITP patients compared with HCs. There was no significant difference in TGF-β1 levels between TPO-RA-treated ITP patients and HCs. No statistical difference was found in plasma levels of IL-17A between ITP patients before or after treatment and HCs. However, the pre- and post-treatment mRNA expression of IL-17A and retinoic orphan receptor (ROR) γt in ITP patients were higher than that in HCs. Overall, these findings indicated that TPO-RA treatment could promote the secretion of TGF-β1, while it could not correct the Th1 and Th17 polarization in ITP patients. This study might improve our understanding of the mechanism of action of TPO-RAs and provide important information for optimizing therapeutic strategies for ITP.