Mucosal mast cells (MC) are key players in IgE-mediated food allergy (FA). The evidence on the interaction between gut microbiota, MC and susceptibility to FA is contradictory.
We tested the ...hypothesis that commensal bacteria are essential for MC migration to the gut and their maturation impacting the susceptibility to FA.
The development and severity of FA symptoms was studied in sensitized germ-free (GF), conventional (CV), and mice mono-colonized with
WCFS1 or co-housed with CV mice. MC were phenotypically and functionally characterized.
Systemic sensitization and oral challenge of GF mice with ovalbumin led to increased levels of specific IgE in serum compared to CV mice. Remarkably, despite the high levels of sensitization, GF mice did not develop diarrhea or anaphylactic hypothermia, common symptoms of FA. In the gut, GF mice expressed low levels of the MC tissue-homing markers CXCL1 and CXCL2, and harbored fewer MC which exhibited lower levels of MC protease-1 after challenge. Additionally, MC in GF mice were less mature as confirmed by flow-cytometry and their functionality was impaired as shown by reduced edema formation after injection of degranulation-provoking compound 48/80. Co-housing of GF mice with CV mice fully restored their susceptibility to develop FA. However, this did not occur when mice were mono-colonized with
.
Our results demonstrate that microbiota-induced maturation and gut-homing of MC is a critical step for the development of symptoms of experimental FA. This new mechanistic insight into microbiota-MC-FA axis can be exploited in the prevention and treatment of FA in humans.
Tolerogenic dendritic cells (tolDCs) are explored as a promising standalone or combination therapy in type 1 diabetes (T1D). The therapeutic application of tolDCs, including in human trials, has been ...tested also in other autoimmune diseases, however, T1D displays some unique features. In addition, unlike in several disease-induced animal models of autoimmune diseases, the prevalent animal model for T1D, the NOD mouse, develops diabetes spontaneously. This review compares evidence of various tolDCs approaches obtained from animal (mainly NOD) models of T1D with a focus on parameters of this cell-based therapy such as protocols of tolDC preparation, antigen-specific
. unspecific approaches, doses of tolDCs and/or autoantigens, application schemes, application routes, the migration of tolDCs as well as their preventive, early pre-onset intervention or curative effects. This review also discusses perspectives of tolDC therapy and areas of preclinical research that are in need of better clarification in animal models in a quest for effective and optimal tolDC therapies of T1D in humans.
Tolerogenic DCs (tolDCs) are being researched as a promising intervention strategy also in autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes (T1D). T1D is a T-cell-mediated, organ-specific disease with ...several well-defined and rather specific autoantigens, i.e., proinsulin, insulin, glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65), that have been used in animal as well as human intervention trials in attempts to achieve a more efficient, specific immunotherapy. In this study, we have tested tolerogenic DCs for their effectiveness to prevent adoptive transfer of diabetes by diabetogenic splenocytes into non-obese diabetes (NOD)-severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD-SCID) recipients. While i.p. application of tolDCs prepared from bone marrow of prediabetic NOD mice by vitamin D2 and dexamethasone significantly reduced diabetes transfer into the NOD-SCID females, this effect was completely abolished when tolDCs were loaded with the mouse recombinant GAD65, but also with a control protein-ovalbumin (OVA). The effect was not dependent on the presence of serum in the tolDC culture. Similar results were observed in NOD mice. Removal of possible bystander antigen-presenting cells within the diabetogenic splenocytes by negative magnetic sorting of T cells did not alter this surprising effect. Tolerogenic DCs loaded with an immunodominant mouse GAD65 peptide also displayed diminished diabetes-preventive effect. Tolerogenic DCs were characterized by surface maturation markers (CD40, CD80, CD86, MHC II) and the lipopolysaccharide stability test. Data from alloreactive T cell proliferation and cytokine induction assays (IFN-γ) did not reveal the differences observed in the diabetes incidence. Migration of tolDCs, tolDCs-GAD65 and tolDCs-OVA to spleen, mesenteric- and pancreatic lymph nodes displayed similar, mucosal pattern with highest accumulation in pancreatic lymph nodes present up to 9 days after the i.p.
These data document that mechanisms by which tolDCs operate
require much better understanding for improving efficacy of this promising cell therapy, especially in the presence of an antigen, e.g., GAD65.
Fecal microbiota transfer may serve as a therapeutic tool for treating obesity and related disorders but currently, there is no consensus regarding the optimal donor characteristics. We studied how ...microbiota from vegan donors, who exhibit a low incidence of non-communicable diseases, impact on metabolic effects of an obesogenic diet and the potential role of dietary inulin in mediating these effects. Ex-germ-free animals were colonized with human vegan microbiota and fed a standard or Western-type diet (WD) with or without inulin supplementation. Despite the colonization with vegan microbiota, WD induced excessive weight gain, impaired glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, and liver steatosis. However, supplementation with inulin reversed steatosis and improved glucose homeostasis. In contrast, inulin did not affect WD-induced metabolic changes in non-humanized conventional mice. In vegan microbiota-colonized mice, inulin supplementation resulted in a significant change in gut microbiota composition and its metabolic performance, inducing the shift from proteolytic towards saccharolytic fermentation (decrease of sulfur-containing compounds, increase of SCFA). We found that (i) vegan microbiota alone does not protect against adverse effects of WD; and (ii) supplementation with inulin reversed steatosis and normalized glucose metabolism. This phenomenon is associated with the shift in microbiota composition and accentuation of saccharolytic fermentation at the expense of proteolytic fermentation.
Similarity among food allergens is a great problem affecting the specificity of diagnosis and treatment of allergic patients. We have observed that 80% of patients with food (including wheat) and ...pollen allergies have increased IgE antibodies against rice proteins. By immunoblotting, we documented that boiling decreased solubility and IgE reactivity of PBS-extracted rice and wheat proteins, yet in SDS extracts this reactivity was only slightly changed. The sera of patients highly positive on the IgE immunoblot and positive in basophil activation and skin prick test with boiled rice components were used for characterizing the IgE-binding proteins separated by 1D or 2D electrophoresis. Using mass spectrometry, we identified 22 rice SDS soluble proteins. Six of them were new thermostable potential rice allergens: glutelin C precursor, granule-bound starch synthase 1 protein, disulfide isomerase-like 1-1 protein, hypothetical protein OsI_13867, putative acid phosphatase precursor 1, and a protein encoded by locus Os02g0453600. All of the identified rice proteins differed from known wheat allergens, except proteins belonging to the α-amylase/trypsin inhibitor family. Furthermore, we would suggest that in patients with high IgE reactivity to wheat and rice components, the IgE immunoblot and skin prick test with boiled rice proteins could be beneficial before diet recommendation.
The egg protein ovalbumin (OVA) belongs to six most frequent food allergens. We investigated how thermal processing influences its ability to induce allergic symptoms and immune responses in mouse ...model of food allergy.
Effect of increased temperature (70°C and 95°C) on OVA secondary structure was characterized by circular dichroism and by the kinetics of pepsin digestion with subsequent HPLC. BALB/c mice were sensitized intraperitoneally and challenged with repeated gavages of OVA or OVA heated to 70°C (h-OVA). Levels of allergen-specific serum antibodies were determined by ELISA (IgA and IgGs) or by β-hexosaminidase release test (IgE). Specific activities of digestive enzymes were determined in brush border membrane vesicles of jejunal enterocytes. Cytokine production and changes in regulatory T cells in mesenteric lymph nodes and spleen were assessed by ELISA and FACS. Heating of OVA to 70°C caused mild irreversible changes in secondary structure compared to boiling to 95°C (b-OVA), but both OVA treatments led to markedly different digestion kinetics and Tregs induction ability in vitro, compared to native OVA. Heating of OVA significantly decreased clinical symptoms (allergic diarrhea) and immune allergic response on the level of IgE, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13. Furthermore, h-OVA induced lower activities of serum mast cell protease-1 and enterocyte brush border membrane alkaline phosphatase as compared to native OVA. On the other hand h-OVA stimulated higher IgG2a in sera and IFN-γ secretion by splenocytes.
Minor irreversible changes in OVA secondary structure caused by thermal processing changes both its digestion and antigenic epitopes formation, which leads to activation of different T cell subpopulations, induces shift towards Th1 response and ultimately reduces its allergenicity.
Monoclonal conjugates using radionuclides are widely used in the diagnosis or therapy of cancer. A number of ligand molecules per protein molecule (L/P ratio) are a crucial factor affecting the ...monoclonal conjugate efficacy and safety. For proper and accurate dosing of monoclonal conjugates, it is necessary to establish the L/P ratio before they are applied. The aim of this work was the development of a simple, efficient, non-radioactive, and low-cost spectrophotometric method for L/P ratio measurement. The method is based on transchelation reaction between the monoclonal conjugate and yttrium(III)–methylthymol blue complex followed at wavelength of 590 nm. The method operates in the L/P ratio range of 0.32–8.00 and the results are satisfactorily comparable to the conventional mass spectrometric method.
Graphical abstract
Authors present a pilot study of the development of innovative flow cytometry-based assay with a potential for use in tuberculosis diagnostics. Currently available tests do not provide robust ...discrimination between latent tuberculosis infection (TBI) and tuberculosis disease (TB). The desired application is to distinguish between the two conditions by evaluating the production of a combination of three cytokines: IL-2 (interleukin-2), IFNɣ (interferon gamma) and TNFɑ (tumor necrosis factor alpha) in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.
The study was conducted on 68 participants, divided into two arms according to age (paediatric and adults). Each arm was further split into three categories (non-infection (NI), TBI, TB) based on the immune reaction to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) after a close contact with pulmonary TB. Each blood sample was stimulated with specific M.tb antigens present in QuantiFERON tubes (TB1 and TB2). We inferred TBI or TB based on the predominant cytokine response of the CD4+ and/or CD8+ T cells.
Significant differences were detected between the NI, TBI and the TB groups in TB1 in the CD4+TNFɑ+parameter in children. Along with IL-2, TNFɑ seems to be the most promising diagnostic marker in both CD4+and CD8+ T cells. However, more detailed analyses on larger cohorts are needed to confirm the observed tendencies.
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•Innovative flow cytometry assay with potential for diagnosing tuberculosis in the clinics.•Differentiation between TB infection and TB disease.•Evaluation of IL-2, IFNɣ and TNFɑ production by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.
Beta-cell autoantigens, e.g., insulin, proinsulin, or GAD65, have been investigated both in animal models and human trials for induction of beta-cell specific tolerance to prevent the development of ...type 1 diabetes (T1D). On the other hand, environmental factors that significantly contribute to the recent outbreak of T1D were less studied, probably due to their complexity. The dietary wheat protein fraction has been associated with high penetrance of the disease, whereas gluten-free diets prevented T1D in animal models. We have previously reported that i.n. administration of gliadin prevented diabetes in NOD mice. Herewith we investigated mucosal gamma/delta T cells that were induced by i.n. administration of gliadin for their regulatory capacity to prevent diabetes in the NOD-SCID model of diabetes co-transfer. I.n. administration of gliadin to 4-week-old NOD mice increased proportion of gamma/delta T cells in pancreatic and mesenteric lymph nodes. Adoptive co-transfer of 2x106 gamma/delta T cells with 1x107 diabetogenic splenocytes led to statistically significant (p<0.01) diabetes prevention. The gamma/delta T cells were characterized for their memory-naïve and mucosal homing properties, or NK-like features by assessing expression of CD8alpha, CD45RB, CD62L, CCR7, CD103 and NKG2D by flowcytometry.
In conclusion, similar to i.n. administration of insulin, i.n. vaccination with gliadin, an environmental antigen with possible ethiological influence in T1D, led to increased proportion of mucosal gamma/delta T cells. These gamma/delta T cells possess regulatory capacity to prevent diabetes transfer in the NOD-SCID model and may represent a novel and safer strategy for prevention or an early intervention in T1D.
Disclosure
D. Funda: None. J. Golias: None. M. Haupt-Jorgensen: None. K. Buschard: None.
Aims/hypothesis
This study aimed to assess the ability of human gut microbiota to delay the onset of type 1 diabetes when transferred into germ-free NOD mice.
Methods
Two children with rapid and ...three children with slow beta cell function loss (as assessed by C-peptide AUC change in the mixed-meal tolerance tests performed 1 and 12 months after type 1 diabetes onset), participating in an ongoing trial with gluten-free diet, donated faeces, which were transferred into germ-free NOD mice. The mice were subsequently followed for diabetes incidence.
Results
The bacterial profiles of bacteriome-humanised mice had significantly (
p
< 10
−5
) lower alpha diversity than the donor material, with marked shifts in ratios between the main phyla. Diabetes onset was significantly delayed in all bacteriome-humanised colonies vs germ-free NOD mice, but the pace of beta cell loss was not transferable to the mouse model.
Conclusions/interpretation
Germ-free NOD mice colonised with human gut microbiome are able to adopt a large proportion of transferred bacterial content, although the ratios of main phyla are reproduced only suboptimally. The recipient mice did not replicate the phenotype of the stool donor in relation to the pace towards type 1 diabetes.
Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02867436
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