Immunology
Abstract
BACKGROUND. Approaches to achieving antiretroviral therapy (ART)-free remission from HIV-1 must consider that people over 50 years now comprise the majority of people with HIV (PWH) on ART in various regions, including the U.S. METHODS. We report a double-blind, randomized trial in which PWH on ART, aged 21-60 years, received modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA)-vectored vaccines, MVA.tHIVconsv3 (M3) and MVA.tHIVconsv4 (M4), either alone or in combination (n=7/group) or saline placebo (n=3). M3 and M4 contain complementary HIVconsvX immunogens that each span the same regions in HIV-1 Gag and Pol but differ at approximately 8% at the amino acid level. RESULTS. M3, M4, and M3M4 regimens were well tolerated and all significantly increased both the frequency (peak median increase ~3-fold) and breadth of the HIVconsvX-specific T-cell response while redirecting T cells to target conserved regions in HIV-1 for up to 10 weeks post-vaccination. We also demonstrated that vaccination increased frequencies of T-cells targeting participant autologous HIV-1 sequences. Vaccination mostly expanded pre-existing HIV-1-specific T cells, did not impact CD4 T-cell activation, low-level viremia, or integrated HIV-1 provirus. Linear regression indicated that age was independently and negatively associated with the change in T-cell frequency at 1-, 2- and 10-weeks after vaccination (~1.41-fold decrease per 10 years older). After adjusting for age, years on ART was positively associated with HIVconsvX-specific T-cell frequencies at 1- and 2-weeks following vaccination. CONCLUSION. In PWH receiving ART, MVA.HIVconsvX vaccines significantly increased T cells targeting conserved regions of HIV-1. Novel strategies may be required to enhance anti-HIV-1 immunity in older adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION. NCT03844386.
Authors
Cynthia L. Gay, Yinyan Xu, Ann Marie K. Weideman, Fiona R. Shaw, JoAnn D. Kuruc, Shayla Z. Conrad, Sofia A. Mariano, Shahryar Samir, Sallay Kallon, Alexis T. Sponaugle, Joanna A. Warren, Genevieve T. Clutton, Maria Abad-Fernandez, Carolina Kapper, Alex B. Bradley, Caroline E. Baker, Susan M. Pedersen, Matthew Moeser, Lauren Burke, Edmund G.T. Wee, Alison Crook, Gregory M. Laird, Joshua C. Cyktor, John W. Mellors, Shuntai Zhou, Lawrence Fox, Joe J. Eron, David M. Margolis, Michael G. Hudgens, Tomáš Hanke, Nilu Goonetilleke
Abstract
BACKGROUND. Primary therapy for high-risk bladder cancer (BCa) is repeated instillations of the tuberculosis vaccine Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). Although BCG reduces the risk of recurrence by more than half, the mechanisms underlying its immune-activating effects remain unknown. Our objective was to investigate how the immune response differs between BCG responders and non-responders and to compare systemic and local immune responses. METHODS. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of isolated immune cells adjacent to high-risk bladders in BCG responders and non-responders before and after BCG. We also compared concurrent scRNA-seq profiles of circulating immune cell populations with those of bladder immune cells. RESULTS. We identify an increase in Th17-like Th1 cells in BCG responders, characterized by greater expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Alternatively, non-responders show increased CD8+ T-cell exhaustion and T regulatory cells. We identify that the primary mechanism driving divergent T-cell activity is altered polarization and immunosuppressive signaling with myeloid cells. Using a machine-learning-based approach, we identify that Th17-like Th1 cytokines, such as IL-17, IL-21, and IL-26, are predictive of response, which is subsequently validated in a separate BCG-treated BCa cohort. CONCLUSION. Together, these findings suggest that dynamic regulation of myeloid-T cell interactions can be critical for outcomes of BCG treated bladder cancer.
Authors
Ryan J. Brown, Mairah T. Khan, Andrew J. Houston, Hongshen Niu, Joseph R. Podojil, Bonnie Choy, Weiguo Cui, Joshua James Meeks
Abstract
Conventional type-1 dendritic cells (cDC1) are the main mediators of crosspresentation of tumor antigens to CD8+ T cells and provide a context of costimulatory molecules and cytokines that lead to cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses. We analyzed bulk RNA sequences from 7 key clinical trials testing checkpoint inhibitors across multiple cancer types. cDC1- and CD8-associated gene signatures were analyzed. Multiplex tissue immunofluorescence was used to quantify cDC1 in melanoma, urothelial cancer, and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) samples and assess cDC1 tissue neighborhoods. Melanoma samples were studied with Xenium spatial transcriptomics (ST) and one series of NSCLC was analyzed using GeoMX-DSP. Strong associations across tumor types were found between cDC1 and CD8+ T cell transcripts with clinical outcomes. As mechanistically expected, transcripts for the CCL4 and CCL5 chemokines and the growth factor FLT3-L showed associations with cDC1 abundance. Tissue immunofluorescence showed a strong correlation of cDC1 and CD8+ T cell infiltration with clinical benefit upon treatment with checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs). Moreover, short distance between cDC1 and CD8+ T cells was found to define tissue niches associated with favorable outcomes. ST revealed recent T cell activation within immune cDC1-rich niches. cDC1 abundance, which determines CD8+ T lymphocyte density and activation in tumor tissues across cancer types, is strongly associated with clinical response to CPI-based immunotherapies.
Authors
Alvaro Lopez-Janeiro, José González-Gomariz, Fadi Issa, Joanna Hester, Angelo Porciuncula, Alvaro Teijeira, Carlos Luri-Rey, David Ruiz-Guillamon, Jose Luis Perez-Gracia, Elisabeth Perez-Ruiz, Isabel Barragan, Salvador Martín-Algarra, Miguel F. Sanmamed, Ignacio Ortego, Maria E. Rodriguez-Ruiz, Raluca Alexandru, Inmaculada Rodriguez, Saioa Arrieta-Aranzueque, David Rimm, Thazin Aung, Kurt A. Schalper, Carlos E. de Andrea, Ignacio Melero
Abstract
Neuropathic pain affects over 20 million people in the United States, and painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN), a common complication of diabetes, is among its most prevalent and treatment-resistant forms. Although PDN is characterized by nociceptor dysfunction, the upstream peripheral mechanisms remain incompletely understood. While dorsal root ganglion (DRG) nociceptor hyperexcitability is a hallmark of PDN, emerging evidence suggests that non-neuronal skin cells may modulate nociceptor function. Here, we investigated whether epidermal Langerhans cells (LCs) contribute to neuropathic pain in PDN through neuroimmune signaling. Using a clinically relevant high-fat diet (HFD) mouse model, transgenic LC ablation, behavioral assays, human skin biopsies, and single-cell RNA sequencing of epidermis and DRG, we found that LC density increased in male diabetic mice in parallel with mechanical allodynia. In human PDN skin, LCs exhibited increased volume and dendritic complexity correlating with diabetes duration. Genetic depletion of LCs prevented mechanical allodynia and spontaneous pain-like behavior in male, but not female, HFD mice, revealing a sex-dependent contribution. Single-cell and interactome analyses identified male-specific inflammatory LC programs, including upregulation of chemokine signaling pathways. Consistently, LC secretome profiling showed increased CCL2 release, and local CCR2 blockade reversed allodynia. These findings identify epidermal LCs as peripheral regulators of PDN pain and highlight sex-dependent chemokine-mediated neuron-immune communication at the skin-nerve interface.
Authors
Paola Pacifico, Dale George, Nirupa D. Jayaraj, Dongjun Ren, James S. Coy-Dibley, Abdelhak A. Belmadani, Sofia Veronesi, Mirna Andelic, Daniele Cartelli, Grazia Devigili, Raffaella Lombardi, Giuseppe Lauria Pinter, Amy S. Paller, Richard J. Miller, Daniela M. Menichella
Abstract
Regulatory T (Treg) cells expressing Forkhead Box P3 (FOXP3) play crucial roles in maintaining immune tolerance and tissue integrity. EZH2, a Histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27) methyltransferase, is known as a key regulator of Treg cell identity and suppressive function upon activation. Here, we demonstrate that the H3K27 lysine demethylase KDM6B, which catalyzes the opposing reaction to EZH2, was also required for Treg cell identity and function after activation. Treg-specific deletion of Kdm6b impaired tissue Treg cell fate and function. KDM6B was upregulated following T cell antigen receptor (TCR) signaling in Treg cells and contributed to the regulation of Treg-associated gene expression through both direct and indirect mechanisms. A subset of Treg functional genes were direct targets of KDM6B and were co-occupied by FOXP3 at cis-regulatory regions, where KDM6B recruitment limited H3K27me3 accumulation. More broadly, KDM6B-dependent H3K27 demethylation facilitated Treg gene expression programs that supported tissue Treg homeostasis.
Authors
Minghong He, Beisi Xu, Pria G. Bose, Morgan J. McCullough, Rani S. Sellers, Xinying Zong, Wenjie Qi, Brianna L. Banten, Miriya K. Tune, Matthew P. Zimmerman, Genevieve N. Mullins, Brian C. Miller, J. Justin Milner, Jason K. Whitmire, Ageliki Tsagaratou, Karl B. Shpargel, Claire M. Doerschuk, Yong-Dong Wang, Jacob A. Steele, Shondra M. Pruett-Miller, Yongqiang Feng, Jason R. Mock
Abstract
Type 1 conventional dendritic cells (cDC1s) play an integral role in mediating immune responses and maintaining homeostasis, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying their functions remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) as a key kinase that responded to TLR and growth factor stimulation and acted as an essential regulator of cDC1 function. Genetic ablation of Dyrk1a specifically in cDC1s impaired antitumor immunity and accelerated tumor progression in murine models. Mechanistically, DYRK1A mediated the phosphorylation of the mTORC1 inhibitor TSC2 at serine 540, triggering the degradation of TSC2 and promoting the mTORC1 signaling in cDC1s. Notably, Tsc2 deletion in Dyrk1a-deficient cDC1s remarkably restored their antitumor immune functions. Furthermore, DYRK1A-mediated mTORC1 signaling in cDC1s positively correlated with effector T-cell responses across multiple human cancers. Our findings highlight a critical role for the DYRK1A-TSC2-mTORC1 signaling pathway in regulating cDC1 functions in antitumor immunity, offering potential strategies to improve cancer immunotherapy.
Authors
Hongjiao Wang, He Jiang, Songlin He, Songwen Ren, Haiwen Li, Wangnan Liu, Chunyun Zhou, Pan Zhu, Keren Chen, Weijia Cao, Yan Qin, Dan Du, Nengming Xiao, Hongling Huang, Chun-Jung Ko, Yiming Zheng, Bo Wang, Qiang Zou, Jian-Hong Shi, Xun Li, Zuliang Jie
Abstract
CD48 is a surface molecule with immunoregulatory functions. Following our initial report of a patient with a de novo heterozygous variant at amino acid S220 in the CD48 gene, we describe a second, unrelated patient with similar features of immune dysregulation and a missense change affecting the same residue. To further elucidate the specific pathogenic mechanisms of the identified variants, we reviewed patient records, analyzed patient-derived cells, and employed complementary in vitro and in vivo model systems, including transfected cell lines and CD48-deficient mice. We demonstrate that the variants are associated with altered distribution of CD48, characterized by diminished CD48 surface expression, intracellular retention, and activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling. Patient T cells display increased susceptibility to apoptosis, reduced antiviral responses, and enhanced inflammation. Both patients exhibit T-cell lymphopenia, a restricted TCR repertoire diversity, and oligoclonal expansions consistent with antigen-driven selection. In parallel, virally-infected CD48-deficient mice recapitulate key aspects of the human phenotype, including delayed antiviral immune responses, impaired viral clearance and pronounced inflammation. We conclude that identified variants compromise CD48 cell-surface localization, impair T-cell survival and function, and predispose to inflammation, thereby highlighting the role of CD48 in immune regulation and the prevention of excessive inflammation.
Authors
Samantha Milanesi, Tiziana Lorenzini, Tommaso Marchetti, Diana Tintor, Raquel Planas, Ola Sabet, Lars Malmström, Sudip Acharya, Carson D. Williams, Zoe E. Manning, Jack H. Roser, Angelica C. Ehler, Michael Huber, Seraina Prader, Stefano Vavassori, Cullen M. Dutmer, Jordan K. Abbott, Jana Pachlopnik Schmid
Abstract
Primary and metastatic brain tumors exhibit resistance to immunotherapies that demonstrate efficacy in peripheral cancer settings. While many immunotherapies aim to enhance CD8+ T cell infiltration and functionality in established tumors, identification of neoantigens support emerging immunopreventative tactics against brain cancer. Functionally potent tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cells (TRM) can be generated in the brain following peripheral infection or vaccination. However, the ability of brain TRM to prevent intracranial malignancy remains unknown. Here, mice were seeded with tumor-specific or bystander brain TRM via peripheral infection prior to depletion of circulating memory T cells (TCIRCM) and subsequent brain tumor challenge. Tumor-specific brain TRM durably protected mice against intracranial malignancy even in the absence TCIRCM. These brain TRM persisted in tumor-surviving mice and protected against a second antigen-matched challenge. Importantly, a translationally-relevant mRNA-lipid nanoparticle (LNP) vaccine phenocopied peripheral infection-induced outcomes, generating functional brain TRM that controlled tumor growth. Altogether, this work points to the utility of brain TRM in cancer immunoprevention, supporting the development of antitumor mRNA-LNP vaccines to bolster brain immunity.
Authors
Madison R. Mix, Cassie M. Sievers, Mariah Hassert, Shravan Kumar Kannan, Lecia L. Pewe, Sunny C. Huang, Rui He, Cori E. Fain, Mohammad Heidarian, Lisa S. Hancox, Sahaana A. Arumugam, Terry G. Beltz, Fang Jin, Aaron J. Johnson, Calvin S. Carter, Noah S. Butler, Aliasger K. Salem, Vladimir P. Badovinac, John T. Harty
Abstract
Authors
Lawrence W. Rasmussen, Deepali Luthra, Diego Moncada-Giraldo, Crystal Lewis, Yixel M. Soto-Vazquez, Zhuo Li, Buqu Hu, Brian S. Dobosh, Delores A. Stacks, Jonathan L. Koff, Amit Gaggar, Rabindra Tirouvanziam, Camilla Margaroli
Abstract
Background. Functional B cell responses for both prevention and control of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remain poorly understood, including in the context of HBV/HIV co-infection. Methods. Here, we employed high-dimensional single cell analysis to assess global and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-specific B cells in a longitudinal cohort of incident HBV from the Multicenter Aids Cohort Study (MACS), with a subset of the cohort living with HIV-1. Results. We observed that prior HIV infection has negative consequences for B cell function in early post-acute HBV infection, including increased frequencies of atypical memory (AtM) B cells and regulatory B cells (Bregs), expression of the activation marker CD86 on multiple B cell subsets in chronic HBV (CHB), and restricted expansion of HBsAg-specific B cells. In contrast, in HBV mono-infection, we observed no changes in the global B cell population from prior to infection and robust expansion of HBsAg-specific B cells. These expanded antigen-specific B cells resembled class-switched intermediate and resting memory (IM and RM) B cells, with activation phenotypes that may contribute to ongoing HBV control. Conclusion. HIV infection has a significant impact on B cell responses to subsequent HBV infection that may promote development of CHB in HBV/HIV co-infection. Funding. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Authors
Katherine Cascino, Thomas Liechti, Eric C. Seaberg, Kathleen E. Stevens, Steven M. Wolinsky, Mallory D. Witt, Robbie B. Mailliard, Mario Roederer, Justin Bailey, Chloe L. Thio, Andrea L. Cox
Copyright © 2026 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)