Defective in Repressing Immunoglobulin Dendritic Cells from Lupus-Prone Mice Are (original) (raw)

Dendritic Cell and Macrophage-Mediated Tolerance in Lupus-Prone Mice

During infection, immune cells respond to polyclonal activators, like bacterial and viral antigens, through innate immune responses. Therefore, mechanisms to regulate the activation of autoreactive B cells during polyclonal activation are necessary to prevent autoimmunity. Previous studies into the mechanisms of B cell tolerance have focused on B cell Receptor (BCR)-mediated regulation of autoreactive or chronically antigen-experienced B cells. However, the regulation of chronically antigen-experienced B cells during polyclonal activation is less understood. We recently identified a novel mechanism of tolerance wherein DCs and MΦs repress Ig secretion by autoreactive B cells. Polyclonal activators through Toll-like Receptors (TLRs) induce DCs and MΦs to secrete soluble factors (IL-6, sCD40L, and TNFα) that differentially regulate naïve and chronically antigen-experienced B cells. IL-6, sCD40L, and TNFα selectively repress chronically stimulated autoreactive B cells while having no e...

The regulation of autoreactive B cells during innate immune responses

Immunologic Research, 2008

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) highlights the dangers of dysregulated B cells and the importance of initiating and maintaining tolerance. In addition to central deletion, receptor editing, peripheral deletion, receptor revision, anergy, and indifference, we have described a new mechanism of B cell tolerance wherein dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages (MUs) regulate autoreactive B cells during innate immune responses. In part, DCs and MUs repress autoreactive B cells by releasing IL-6 and soluble CD40L (sCD40L). This mechanism is selective in that IL-6 and sCD40L do not affect Ig secretion by naïve cells during innate immune responses, allowing immunity in the absence of autoimmunity. In lupus-prone mice, DCs and MUs are defective in secretion of IL-6 and sCD40L and cannot effectively repress autoantibody secretion suggesting that defects in DC/MUmediated tolerance may contribute to the autoimmune phenotype. Further, these studies suggest that reconstituting DCs and MUs in SLE patients might restore regulation of autoreactive B cells and provide an alternative to immunosuppressive therapies.

Dysregulated cytokine production by dendritic cells modulates B cell responses in the NZM2410 mouse model of lupus

PloS one, 2014

The breakdown in tolerance of autoreactive B cells in the lupus-prone NZM2410-derived B6.Sle1.Sle2.Sle3 (TC) mice results in the secretion of autoantibodies. TC dendritic cells (DCs) enhance B cell proliferation and antibody secretion in a cytokine-dependent manner. However, the specific cytokine milieu by which TC DCs activate B cells was not known. In this study, we compared TC and C57BL/6 (B6) control for the distribution of DC subsets and for their production of cytokines affecting B cell responses. We show that TC DCs enhanced B cell proliferation through the production of IL-6 and IFN-γ, while antibody secretion was only dependent on IL-6. Pre-disease TC mice showed an expanded PDCA1(+) cells prior to disease onset that was localized to the marginal zone and further expanded with age. The presence of PDCA1(+) cells in the marginal zone correlated with a Type I Interferon (IFN) signature in marginal zone B cells, and this response was higher in TC than B6 mice. In vivo administ...

TLR8 on dendritic cells and TLR9 on B cells restrain TLR7-mediated spontaneous autoimmunity in C57BL/6 mice

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2014

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease with diverse clinical presentations characterized by the presence of autoantibodies to nuclear components. Toll-like receptor (TLR)7, TLR8, and TLR9 sense microbial or endogenous nucleic acids and are implicated in the development of SLE. In mice TLR7deficiency ameliorates SLE, but TLR8-or TLR9-deficiency exacerbates the disease because of increased TLR7 response. Thus, both TLR8 and TLR9 control TLR7 function, but whether TLR8 and TLR9 act in parallel or in series in the same or different cell types in controlling TLR7-mediated lupus remains unknown. Here, we reveal that double TLR8/9-deficient (TLR8/9 −/−) mice on the C57BL/6 background showed increased abnormalities characteristic of SLE, including splenomegaly, autoantibody production, frequencies of marginal zone and B1 B cells, and renal pathology compared with single TLR8 −/− or TLR9 −/− mice. On the cellular level, TLR8 −/− and TLR8/ 9 −/− dendritic cells were hyperesponsive to TLR7 ligand R848, but TLR9 −/− cells responded normally. Moreover, B cells from TLR9 −/− and TLR8/9 −/− mice were hyperesponsive to R848, but TLR8 −/− B cells were not. These results reveal that TLR8 and TLR9 have an additive effect on controlling TLR7 function and TLR7-mediated lupus; however, they act on different cell types. TLR8 controls TLR7 function on dendritic cells, and TLR9 restrains TLR7 response on B cells. knockout mice | innate immunity | endosomal TLRs S ystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex chronic autoimmune disease that arises spontaneously and is characterized by production of autoantibodies against self-nucleic acids and associated proteins (1). These autoantibodies bind selfnucleic acids released by dying cells and form immune complexes that accumulate in different parts of the body, leading to inflammation and tissue damage. The kidneys, skin, joints, lungs, serous membranes, as well as, the cardiovascular, nervous and musculoskeletal system become targets of inflammation at onset or during the course of the disease (2). The etiology of SLE is unknown, yet genetics, sex, infectious agents, environmental factors, and certain medications may play a role in the initiation of the disease by causing alterations in lymphoid signaling, antigen presentation, apoptosis, and clearance of immune complexes (3, 4). Toll-like receptors (TLRs) detect specific microbial components widely expressed by bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses, and initiate signaling pathways critical for induction of immune responses to infection (5). In contrast to the cell surface TLRs that detect bacterial cell wall components and viral particles, nucleic acid-sensing TLRs are localized mainly within endosomal compartments (6). Human endosomal TLRs consist of TLR3, which senses viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) (7), TLR7 and TLR8, which recognize viral single-stranded RNA (8-10), and TLR9, which detects bacterial and viral unmethylated CpGcontaining DNA motifs (11). Interestingly, these endosomal TLRs are also able to detect self-nucleic acids (12-14). Although the

TLR7 drives accumulation of ABCs and autoantibody production in autoimmune-prone mice

Immunologic Research, 2013

Although autoantibodies are the hallmarks of most autoimmune diseases, the mechanisms by which autoreactive B cells are generated and accumulate are still poorly understood. Overexpression of Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) that recognizes single-stranded RNAs has been implicated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), although the cellular mechanism by which this receptor drives the disease is unknown. We recently identified a population of CD11c ? ageassociated B cells (ABCs) which is driven by TLR7 signaling, secretes autoantibodies and appears in autoimmune-prone mice by the time of onset of autoimmunity. Mice lacking the Mer receptor develop autoantibodies and splenomegaly similar to other mouse models of SLE. Here, we show that Mer -/mice that lack TLR7 fail to develop anti-chromatin IgG antibodies, perhaps because they also fail to develop ABCs. Moreover, depletion of CD11c ? ABCs from Mer -/mice leads to rapid reduction in autoantibodies. Together, these data strongly suggest that ABCs and/or their descendants are the primary source of autoantibodies in Mer -/mice and that TLR7 signaling is crucial for accumulation of ABCs and development of autoantibodies. These data demonstrate for the first time that TLR7, and not TLR9, is responsible for generation of anti-chromatin IgG antibodies in Mer -/mice.

Follicular Dendritic Cell Activation by TLR Ligands Promotes Autoreactive B Cell Responses

Immunity, 2017

A hallmark of autoimmunity in murine models of lupus is the formation of germinal centers (GCs) in lymphoid tissues where self-reactive B cells expand and differentiate. In the host response to foreign antigens, follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) maintain GCs through the uptake and cycling of complement-opsonized immune complexes. Here, we examined whether FDCs retain self-antigens and the impact of this process in autoantibody secretion in lupus. We found that FDCs took up and retained self-immune complexes composed of ribonucleotide proteins, autoantibody, and complement. This uptake, mediated through CD21, triggered endosomal TLR7 and led to the secretion of interferon (IFN) α via an IRF5-dependent pathway. Blocking of FDC secretion of IFN-α restored B cell tolerance and reduced the amount of GCs and pathogenic autoantibody. Thus, FDCs are a critical source of the IFN-α driving autoimmunity in this lupus model. This pathway is conserved in humans, suggesting that it may be a viabl...

Toll-like Receptor 7Dependent Loss of B Cell Tolerance in Pathogenic Autoantibody Knockin Mice

Immunity, 2006

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by the production of autoantibodies that are frequently directed against nucleic acid-associated antigens. To better understand how B cells reactive with such antigens are regulated, we generated a model system in which heavy and light chain genes encoding 564 immunoglobulin have been targeted to the heavy and light chain loci of the nonautoimmune C57BL/6 mouse strain. This antibody recognizes RNA, single-stranded DNA, and nucleosomes. We show that B cells expressing this immunoglobulin were activated, producing class-switched autoantibody in vivo despite the apparently normal induction of anergy. This autoantibody production was largely dependent on Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7). We further show that production of these autoantibodies was sufficient to cause kidney pathology in these mice. These results demonstrate that the particular threat of nucleic acid-containing autoantigens lies in their ability to bind both antigen receptor and TLR7.

Do follicular dendritic cells regulate lupus-specific B cells?

Molecular Immunology, 2014

The factors that allow self-reactive B cells to escape negative selection and become activated remain poorly defined. In this review we describe recently published results in which a B cell receptor-knock-in mouse strain specific for nucleolar self-antigens was bred with mice deficient in complement C4 and discuss the implications for the lupus field. Absence of C4 leads to a breakdown in the elimination of autoreactive B cell clones at the transitional stage. This is characterized by a relative increase in their response to a range of stimuli, entrance into follicles and a greater propensity to form self-reactive germinal centers. In this review, a model is proposed in which, in the absence of complement C4, inappropriate clearance of apoptotic debris promotes chronic activation of myeloid cells and follicular dendritic cells, resulting in secretion of Type I interferon. This allows for the maturation and activation of self-reactive B cell clones leading to increased spontaneous formation of germinal centers and subsequent generation of autoantibodies.

Toll-like Receptor 7 and TLR9 Dictate Autoantibody Specificity and Have Opposing Inflammatory and Regulatory Roles in a Murine Model of Lupus

Immunity, 2006

Antibodies (Abs) to RNA-and DNA-containing autoantigens are characteristic of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We showed previously that Toll-like receptor (TLR) 9, recognizing DNA, is required for the spontaneous generation of DNA autoantibodies, but not for the development of lupus nephritis in susceptible mice. We report that lupus-prone mice deficient in TLR7, a receptor for ssRNA, failed to generate Abs to RNA-containing antigens (Ags) such as Smith (Sm) Ag. TLR9 and TLR7 also had dramatic effects on clinical disease in lupus-prone mice. In the absence of TLR9, autoimmune disease was exacerbated, lymphocytes and plasmacytoid DCs were more activated, and serum IgG and IFN-a were increased. In contrast, TLR7-deficient mice had ameliorated disease, decreased lymphocyte activation, and decreased serum IgG. These findings reveal opposing inflammatory and regulatory roles for TLR7 and TLR9, despite similar tissue expression and signaling pathways. These results have important implications for TLR-directed therapy of autoimmune disease.