Regulatory T (Treg) cells limit the onset of effective antitumor immunity, through yet-ill-defined mechanisms. We showed the rejection of established ovalbumin (OVA)-expressing MCA101 tumors required both the adoptive transfer of OVA-specific CD8(+) T cell receptor transgenic T cells (OTI) and the neutralization of Foxp3(+) T cells. In tumor-draining lymph nodes, Foxp3(+) T cell neutralization induced a marked arrest in the migration of OTI T cells, increased numbers of dendritic cells (DCs), and enhanced OTI T cell priming. Using an in vitro cytotoxic assay and two-photon live microscopy after adoptive transfer of DCs, we demonstrated that Foxp3(+) T cells induced the death of DCs in tumor-draining lymph nodes, but not in the absence of tumor. DC death correlated with Foxp3(+) T cell-DC contacts, and it was tumor-antigen and perforin dependent. We conclude that Foxp3(+) T cell-dependent DC death in tumor-draining lymph nodes limits the onset of CD8(+) T cell responses.

Crescentic glomerulonephritis is mediated by inappropriate humoral and cellular immune responses toward self-antigens that may result from defects in central and peripheral tolerance. Evidence now suggests that regulatory T cells (Tregs) may be of pathophysiological importance in proliferative and crescentic forms of glomerulonephritis. To analyze the role of endogenous Tregs in a T cell-dependent glomerulonephritis model of nephrotoxic nephritis, we used 'depletion of regulatory T cell' (DEREG) mice that express the diphtheria toxin receptor under control of the FoxP3 (forkhead box P3) gene promoter. Toxin injection into these mice efficiently depleted renal and splenic FoxP3(+) Treg cells as determined by fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS) and immunohistochemical analyses. Treg depletion exacerbated systemic and renal interferon-γ (IFNγ) expression and increased recruitment of IFNγ-producing Th1 cells into the kidney without an effect on the Th17 immune response. The enhanced Th1 response, following Treg cell depletion, was associated with an aggravated course of glomerulonephritis as measured by glomerular crescent formation. Thus, our results establish the functional importance of endogenous Tregs in the control of a significantly enhanced systemic and renal Th1 immune response in experimental glomerulonephritis.

Staphylococcus aureus can cause difficult-to-treat chronic infections. We recently reported that S. aureus chronic infection was associated with a profound inhibition of T cell responses. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms responsible for the suppression of T cell responses during chronic S. aureus infection. Using in vitro coculture systems, as well as in vivo adoptive transfer of CFSE-labeled OT-II cells, we demonstrated the presence of immunosuppressive mechanisms in splenocytes of S. aureus-infected mice that inhibited the response of OT-II cells to cognate antigenic stimulation. Immunosuppression was IL-10/TGF-β independent but required cell-cell proximity. Using DEREG and Foxp3(gfp) mice, we demonstrated that CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells contributed, but only to a minor degree, to bystander immunosuppression. Neither regulatory B cells nor tolerogenic dendritic cells contributed to immunosuppression. Instead, we found a significant expansion of granulocytic (CD11b(+)Ly6G(+)Ly6C(low)) and monocytic (CD11b(+)Ly6G(-)Ly6C(high)) myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) in chronically infected mice, which exerted a strong immunosuppressive effect on T cell responses. Splenocytes of S. aureus-infected mice lost most of their suppressive activity after the in vivo depletion of MDSC by treatment with gemcitabine. Furthermore, a robust negative correlation was observed between the degree of T cell inhibition and the number of MDSC. An increase in the numbers of MDSC in S. aureus-infected mice by adoptive transfer caused a significant exacerbation of infection. In summary, our results indicate that expansion of MDSC and, to a minor degree, of regulatory T cells in S. aureus-infected mice may create an immunosuppressive environment that sustains chronic infection.

Regulatory T cells (T(reg)) have been shown to restrict vaccine-induced T cell responses in different experimental models. In these studies CD4(+)CD25(+) T(reg) were depleted using monoclonal antibodies against CD25, which might also interfere with CD25 on non-regulatory T cell populations and would have no effect on Foxp3(+)CD25(-) T(reg). To obtain more insights in the specific function of T(reg) during vaccination we used mice that are transgenic for a bacterial artificial chromosome expressing a diphtheria toxin (DT) receptor-eGFP fusion protein under the control of the foxp3 gene locus (depletion of regulatory T cell mice; DEREG). As an experimental vaccine-carrier recombinant Bordetella adenylate cyclase toxoid fused with a MHC-class I-restricted epitope of the circumsporozoite protein (ACT-CSP) of Plasmodium berghei (Pb) was used. ACT-CSP was shown by us previously to introduce the CD8+ epitope of Pb-CSP into the MHC class I presentation pathway of professional antigen-presenting cells (APC). Using this system we demonstrate here that the number of CSP-specific T cells increases when T(reg) are depleted during prime but also during boost immunization. Importantly, despite this increase of T effector cells no difference in the number of antigen-specific memory cells was observed.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an opportunistic virus severely infecting immunocompromised individuals. In mice, endosomal Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) and downstream myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) are central to activating innate immune responses against mouse CMV (MCMV). In this respect, the cell-specific contribution of these pathways in initiating anti-MCMV immunity remains unclear. Using transgenic mice, we demonstrate that TLR9/MyD88 signaling selectively in CD11c+ dendritic cells (DCs) strongly enhances MCMV clearance by boosting natural killer (NK) cell CD69 expression and IFN-γ production. In addition, we show that in the absence of plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), conventional DCs (cDCs) promote robust NK cell effector function and MCMV clearance in a TLR9/MyD88-dependent manner. Simultaneously, cDC-derived IL-15 regulates NK cell degranulation by TLR9/MyD88-independent mechanisms. Overall, we compartmentalize the cellular contribution of TLR9 and MyD88 signaling in individual DC subsets and evaluate the mechanism by which cDCs control MCMV immunity.

The continual rise of asthma in industrialised countries stands in strong contrast to the situation in developing lands. According to the modified Hygiene Hypothesis, helminths play a major role in suppressing bystander immune responses to allergens, and both epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that the tropical parasitic trematode Schistosoma mansoni elicits such effects. The focus of this study was to investigate which developmental stages of schistosome infection confer suppression of allergic airway inflammation (AAI) using ovalbumin (OVA) as a model allergen. Moreover, we assessed the functional role and localization of infection-induced CD4(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Treg) in mediating such suppressive effects. Therefore, AAI was elicited using OVA/adjuvant sensitizations with subsequent OVA aerosolic challenge and was induced during various stages of infection, as well as after successful anti-helminthic treatment with praziquantel. The role of Treg was determined by specifically depleting Treg in a genetically modified mouse model (DEREG) during schistosome infection. Alterations in AAI were determined by cell infiltration levels into the bronchial system, OVA-specific IgE and Th2 type responses, airway hyper-sensitivity and lung pathology. Our results demonstrate that schistosome infection leads to a suppression of OVA-induced AAI when mice are challenged during the patent phase of infection: production of eggs by fecund female worms. Moreover, this ameliorating effect does not persist after anti-helminthic treatment, and depletion of Treg reverts suppression, resulting in aggravated AAI responses. This is most likely due to a delayed reconstitution of Treg in infected-depleted animals which have strong ongoing immune responses. In summary, we conclude that schistosome-mediated suppression of AAI requires the presence of viable eggs and infection-driven Treg cells. These data provide evidence that helminth derived products could be incorporated into treatment strategies that specifically target suppression of immune responses in AAI by inducing Treg cells.

The stromal scaffold of the lymph node (LN) paracortex is built by fibroblastic reticular cells (FRCs). Conditional ablation of lymphotoxin-β receptor (LTβR) expression in LN FRCs and their mesenchymal progenitors in developing LNs revealed that LTβR-signaling in these cells was not essential for the formation of LNs. Although T cell zone reticular cells had lost podoplanin expression, they still formed a functional conduit system and showed enhanced expression of myofibroblastic markers. However, essential immune functions of FRCs, including homeostatic chemokine and interleukin-7 expression, were impaired. These changes in T cell zone reticular cell function were associated with increased susceptibility to viral infection. Thus, myofibroblasic FRC precursors are able to generate the basic T cell zone infrastructure, whereas LTβR-dependent maturation of FRCs guarantees full immunocompetence and hence optimal LN function during infection.

Mast cells are pivotal effector cells in IgE-mediated allergic inflammatory diseases. Central for mast cell activation are signals from the IgE receptor FcepsilonRI, which induce cell degranulation with the release of preformed mediators and de novo synthesis of proinflammatory leukotrienes and cytokines. How these individual mast cell responses are differentially controlled is still unresolved. We identify B cell lymphoma 10 (Bcl10) and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue 1 (Malt1) as novel key regulators of mast cell signaling. Mice deficient for either protein display severely impaired IgE-dependent late phase anaphylactic reactions. Mast cells from these animals neither activate nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) nor produce tumor necrosis factor alpha or interleukin 6 upon FcepsilonRI ligation even though proximal signaling, degranulation, and leukotriene secretion are normal. Thus, Bcl10 and Malt1 are essential positive mediators of FcepsilonRI-dependent mast cell activation that selectively uncouple NF-kappaB-induced proinflammatory cytokine production from degranulation and leukotriene synthesis.

The scurfy mutant mouse strain suffers from a fatal lymphoproliferative disease leading to early death within 3-4 wk of age. A frame-shift mutation of the forkhead box transcription factor Foxp3 has been identified as the molecular cause of this multiorgan autoimmune disease. Foxp3 is a central control element in the development and function of regulatory T cells (T reg cells), which are necessary for the maintenance of self-tolerance. However, it is unclear whether dysfunction or a lack of T reg cells is etiologically involved in scurfy pathogenesis and its human correlate, the IPEX syndrome. We describe the generation of bacterial artificial chromosome-transgenic mice termed "depletion of regulatory T cell" (DEREG) mice expressing a diphtheria toxin (DT) receptor-enhanced green fluorescent protein fusion protein under the control of the foxp3 gene locus, allowing selective and efficient depletion of Foxp3+ T reg cells by DT injection. Ablation of Foxp3+ T reg cells in newborn DEREG mice led to the development of scurfy-like symptoms with splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, insulitis, and severe skin inflammation. Thus, these data provide experimental evidence that the absence of Foxp3+ T reg cells is indeed sufficient to induce a scurfy-like phenotype. Furthermore, DEREG mice will allow a more precise definition of the function of Foxp3+ T reg cells in immune reactions in vivo.

Microbes colonize all body surfaces at birth and participate in the development of the immune system. In newborn mammals, the intestinal microbiota is first shaped by the dietary and immunological components of milk and then changes upon the introduction of solid food during weaning. Here, we explored the reactivity of the mouse intestinal immune system during the first weeks after birth and into adulthood. At weaning, the intestinal microbiota induced a vigorous immune response-a "weaning reaction"-that was programmed in time. Inhibition of the weaning reaction led to pathological imprinting and increased susceptibility to colitis, allergic inflammation, and cancer later in life. Prevention of this pathological imprinting was associated with the generation of RORγt+ regulatory T cells, which required bacterial and dietary metabolites-short-chain fatty acids and retinoic acid. Thus, the weaning reaction to microbiota is required for immune ontogeny, the perturbation of which leads to increased susceptibility to immunopathologies later in life.

While antibiotics are intended to specifically target bacteria, most are known to affect host cell physiology. In addition, some antibiotic classes are reported as immunosuppressive for reasons that remain unclear. Here, we show that Linezolid, a ribosomal-targeting antibiotic (RAbo), effectively blocked the course of a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease. Linezolid and other RAbos were strong inhibitors of T helper-17 cell effector function in vitro, showing that this effect was independent of their antibiotic activity. Perturbing mitochondrial translation in differentiating T cells, either with RAbos or through the inhibition of mitochondrial elongation factor G1 (mEF-G1) progressively compromised the integrity of the electron transport chain. Ultimately, this led to deficient oxidative phosphorylation, diminishing nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide concentrations and impairing cytokine production in differentiating T cells. In accordance, mice lacking mEF-G1 in T cells were protected from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, demonstrating that this pathway is crucial in maintaining T cell function and pathogenicity.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) is considered a global regulator of cellular metabolism and innate immune cell functions. Intracellular pathogens such as Leishmania have been reported to manipulate host cell metabolism. Herein, we demonstrate that myeloid cells from myeloid-restricted HIF-1α-deficient mice and individuals with loss-of-function HIF1A gene polymorphisms are more susceptible to L. donovani infection through increased lipogenesis. Absence of HIF-1α leads to a defect in BNIP3 expression, resulting in the activation of mTOR and nuclear translocation of SREBP-1c. We observed the induction of lipogenic gene transcripts, such as FASN, and lipid accumulation in infected HIF-1α-/- macrophages. L. donovani-infected HIF-1α-deficient mice develop hypertriglyceridemia and lipid accumulation in splenic and hepatic myeloid cells. Most importantly, our data demonstrate that manipulating FASN or SREBP-1c using pharmacological inhibitors significantly reduced parasite burden. As such, genetic deficiency of HIF-1α is associated with increased lipid accumulation, which results in impaired host-protective anti-leishmanial functions of myeloid cells.

The genomes of most protozoa encode families of variant surface antigens. In some parasitic microorganisms, it has been demonstrated that mutually exclusive changes in the expression of these antigens allow parasites to evade the host's immune response. It is widely assumed that antigenic variation in protozoan parasites is accomplished by the spontaneous appearance within the population of cells expressing antigenic variants that escape antibody-mediated cytotoxicity. Here we show, both in vitro and in animal infections, that antibodies to Variant-specific Surface Proteins (VSPs) of the intestinal parasite Giardia lamblia are not cytotoxic, inducing instead VSP clustering into liquid-ordered phase membrane microdomains that trigger a massive release of microvesicles carrying the original VSP and switch in expression to different VSPs by a calcium-dependent mechanism. This novel mechanism of surface antigen clearance throughout its release into microvesicles coupled to the stochastic induction of new phenotypic variants not only changes current paradigms of antigenic switching but also provides a new framework for understanding the course of protozoan infections as a host/parasite adaptive process.

Regulatory T-cells induced via IL-2 and TGFβ in vitro (iTreg) suppress immune cells and are potential therapeutics during autoimmunity. However, several reports described their re-differentiation into pathogenic cells in vivo and loss of their key functional transcription factor (TF) FOXP3 after T-cell antigen receptor (TCR)-signalling in vitro. Here, we show that TCR-activation antagonizes two necessary TFs for foxp3 gene transcription, which are themselves regulated by phosphorylation. Although the tyrosine phosphatase PTPN2 is induced to restrain IL-2-mediated phosphorylation of the TF STAT5, expression of the TF FOXO1 is downregulated and miR-182, a suppressor of FOXO1 expression, is upregulated. TGFβ counteracts the FOXP3-depleting TCR-signal by reassuring FOXO1 expression and by re-licensing STAT5 phosphorylation. Overexpressed phosphorylation-independent active versions of FOXO1 and STAT5 or knockdown of PTPN2 restores FOXP3 expression despite TCR-signal and absence of TGFβ. This study suggests novel targets for stabilisation and less dangerous application of iTreg during devastating inflammation.

Studies in malaria patients indicate that higher frequencies of peripheral blood CD4(+) Foxp3(+) CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells correlate with increased blood parasitemia. This observation implies that Treg cells impair pathogen clearance and thus may be detrimental to the host during infection. In C57BL/6 mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA, depletion of Foxp3(+) cells did not improve parasite control or disease outcome. In contrast, elevating frequencies of natural Treg cells in vivo using IL-2/anti-IL-2 complexes resulted in complete protection against severe disease. This protection was entirely dependent upon Foxp3(+) cells and resulted in lower parasite biomass, impaired antigen-specific CD4(+) T and CD8(+) T cell responses that would normally promote parasite tissue sequestration in this model, and reduced recruitment of conventional T cells to the brain. Furthermore, Foxp3(+) cell-mediated protection was dependent upon CTLA-4 but not IL-10. These data show that T cell-mediated parasite tissue sequestration can be reduced by regulatory T cells in a mouse model of malaria, thereby limiting malaria-induced immune pathology.

Therapeutic vaccinations against cancer are still largely ineffective. Major caveats are inefficient delivery of tumor antigens to dendritic cells (DCs) and excessive immune suppression by Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), resulting in defective T cell priming and failure to induce tumor regression. To circumvent these problems we evaluated a novel combinatorial therapeutic strategy. We show that tumor antigen targeting to DC-SIGN in humanized hSIGN mice via glycans or specific antibodies induces superior T cell priming. Next, this targeted therapy was combined with transient Foxp3+ Treg depletion employing hSIGNxDEREG mice. While Treg depletion alone slightly delayed B16-OVA melanoma growth, only the combination therapy instigated long-term tumor regression in a substantial fraction of mice. This novel strategy resulted in optimal generation of antigen-specific activated CD8+ T cells which accumulated in regressing tumors. Notably, Treg depletion also allowed the local appearance of effector T cells specific for endogenous B16 antigens. This indicates that antitumor immune responses can be broadened by therapies aimed at controlling Tregs in tumor environments. Thus, transient inhibition of Treg-mediated immune suppression potentiates DC targeted antigen vaccination and tumor-specific immunity.

CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cell lineage commitment and expression of the transcription factor Foxp3 can be induced at the CD4(+)CD8(+) double-positive (DP) and CD4(+)CD8(?) single-positive stages of thymic development, as well as in postthymic CD4(+) T cells in peripheral lymphoid tissues. The availability of transgenic mice with Foxp3-dependent fluorochrome reporter gene expression has greatly facilitated studies on the intra- and extrathymic generation of murine Foxp3(+) Treg cells. Here, we performed a comparative analysis of thymic Treg cell development and peripheral compartments of mature Treg cells in various transgenic strains with gene targeted and bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-driven Foxp3-fluorochrome expression. These studies revealed a relative deficiency of Foxp3(+) DP thymocytes selectively in mice with targeted insertion of the fluorochrome reporter gene coding sequence into the endogenous Foxp3 gene. While Foxp3 BAC-driven fluorochrome expression in ex vivo CD4(+) T cells was found to faithfully reflect Foxp3 protein expression, we provide evidence that Foxp3 BAC transgenesis can result in sizable populations of Foxp3(+) Treg cells that lack fluorochrome reporter expression. This could be attributed to both timely delayed up-regulation of BAC expression in developing Treg cells and the accumulation of peripheral Foxp3(+) Treg cells with continuous transcriptional inactivity of the Foxp3 BAC transgene.

We earlier established a model of a persistent viral CNS infection using two week old immunologically normal (genetically unmodified) mice and recombinant measles virus (MV). Using this model infection we investigated the role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) as regulators of the immune response in the brain, and assessed whether the persistent CNS infection can be modulated by manipulation of Tregs in the periphery. CD4(+) CD25(+) Foxp3(+) Tregs were expanded or depleted during the persistent phase of the CNS infection, and the consequences for the virus-specific immune response and the extent of persistent infection were analyzed. Virus-specific CD8(+) T cells predominantly recognising the H-2D(b)-presented viral hemagglutinin epitope MV-H(22-30) (RIVINREHL) were quantified in the brain by pentamer staining. Expansion of Tregs after intraperitoneal (i.p.) application of the superagonistic anti-CD28 antibody D665 inducing transient immunosuppression caused increased virus replication and spread in the CNS. In contrast, depletion of Tregs using diphtheria toxin (DT) in DEREG (depletion of regulatory T cells)-mice induced an increase of virus-specific CD8(+) effector T cells in the brain and caused a reduction of the persistent infection. These data indicate that manipulation of Tregs in the periphery can be utilized to regulate virus persistence in the CNS.

Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells are essential for the maintenance of immune homeostasis and tolerance. During viral infections, Treg cells can limit the immunopathology resulting from excessive inflammation, yet potentially inhibit effective antiviral T cell responses and promote virus persistence. We report here that the fast-replicating LCMV strain Docile triggers a massive expansion of the Treg population that directly correlates with the size of the virus inoculum and its tendency to establish a chronic, persistent infection. This Treg cell proliferation was greatly enhanced in IL-21R-/- mice and depletion of Treg cells partially rescued defective CD8+ T cell cytokine responses and improved viral clearance in some but not all organs. Notably, IL-21 inhibited Treg cell expansion in a cell intrinsic manner. Moreover, experimental augmentation of Treg cells driven by injection of IL-2/anti-IL-2 immune complexes drastically impaired the functionality of the antiviral T cell response and impeded virus clearance. As a consequence, mice became highly susceptible to chronic infection following exposure to low virus doses. These findings reveal virus-driven Treg cell proliferation as potential evasion strategy that facilitates T cell exhaustion and virus persistence. Furthermore, they suggest that besides its primary function as a direct survival signal for antiviral CD8+ T cells during chronic infections, IL-21 may also indirectly promote CD8+ T cell poly-functionality by restricting the suppressive activity of infection-induced Treg cells.

Intestinal and free-living protozoa, such as Giardia lamblia, express a dense coat of variant-specific surface proteins (VSPs) on trophozoites that protects the parasite inside the host's intestine. Here we show that VSPs not only are resistant to proteolytic digestion and extreme pH and temperatures but also stimulate host innate immune responses in a TLR-4 dependent manner. We show that these properties can be exploited to both protect and adjuvant vaccine antigens for oral administration. Chimeric Virus-like Particles (VLPs) decorated with VSPs and expressing model surface antigens, such as influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA), are protected from degradation and activate antigen presenting cells in vitro. Orally administered VSP-pseudotyped VLPs, but not plain VLPs, generate robust immune responses that protect mice from influenza infection and HA-expressing tumors. This versatile vaccine platform has the attributes to meet the ultimate challenge of generating safe, stable and efficient oral vaccines.