TY  - JOUR
A1  - Chopra, Martin
A1  - Biehl, Marlene
A1  - Steinfatt, Tim
A1  - Brandl, Andreas
A1  - Kums, Juliane
A1  - Amich, Jorge
A1  - Vaeth, Martin
A1  - Kuen, Janina
A1  - Holtappels, Rafaela
A1  - Podlech, Jürgen
A1  - Mottok, Anja
A1  - Kraus, Sabrina
A1  - Jordán-Garotte, Ana-Laura
A1  - Bäuerlein, Carina A.
A1  - Brede, Christian
A1  - Ribechini, Eliana
A1  - Fick, Andrea
A1  - Seher, Axel
A1  - Polz, Johannes
A1  - Ottmueller, Katja J.
A1  - Baker, Jeannette
A1  - Nishikii, Hidekazu
A1  - Ritz, Miriam
A1  - Mattenheimer, Katharina
A1  - Schwinn, Stefanie
A1  - Winter, Thorsten
A1  - Schäfer, Viktoria
A1  - Krappmann, Sven
A1  - Einsele, Hermann
A1  - Müller, Thomas D.
A1  - Reddehase, Matthias J.
A1  - Lutz, Manfred B.
A1  - Männel, Daniela N.
A1  - Berberich-Siebelt, Friederike
A1  - Wajant, Harald
A1  - Beilhack, Andreas
T1  - Exogenous TNFR2 activation protects from acute GvHD via host T reg cell expansion
JF  - Journal of Experimental Medicine
N2  - Donor CD4\(^+\)Foxp3\(^+\) regulatory T cells (T reg cells) suppress graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT allo-HCT]). Current clinical study protocols rely on the ex vivo expansion of donor T reg cells and their infusion in high numbers. In this study, we present a novel strategy for inhibiting GvHD that is based on the in vivo expansion of recipient T reg cells before allo-HCT, exploiting the crucial role of tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) in T reg cell biology. Expanding radiation-resistant host T reg cells in recipient mice using a mouse TNFR2-selective agonist before allo-HCT significantly prolonged survival and reduced GvHD severity in a TNFR2-and T reg cell-dependent manner. The beneficial effects of transplanted T cells against leukemia cells and infectious pathogens remained unaffected. A corresponding human TNFR2-specific agonist expanded human T reg cells in vitro. These observations indicate the potential of our strategy to protect allo-HCT patients from acute GvHD by expanding T reg cells via selective TNFR2 activation in vivo.
KW  - Tumor-necrosis-factor
KW  - Regulatory-cells
KW  - Bone marrow transplantantation
KW  - Graft-versus-leukemia
KW  - Rheumatoid arthritis
KW  - Autoimmune diseases
KW  - Factor receptor
KW  - Alpha therapy
KW  - Expression
KW  - Suppression
Y1  - 2016
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-187640
VL  - 213
IS  - 9
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Ribechini, Eliana
A1  - Eckert, Ina
A1  - Beilhack, Andreas
A1  - Du Plessis, Nelita
A1  - Walzl, Gerhard
A1  - Schleicher, Ulrike
A1  - Ritter, Uwe
A1  - Lutz, Manfred B.
T1  - Heat-killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis prime-boost vaccination induces myeloid-derived suppressor cells with spleen dendritic cell–killing capability
JF  - JCI Insight
N2  - Tuberculosis patients and mice infected with live Mycobacterium tuberculosis accumulate high numbers of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Here, we hypothesized that dead M. tuberculosis vaccines also may induce MDSCs that could impair the efficacy of vaccination. We found that repeated injections of M. tuberculosis vaccines (heat-killed M. tuberculosis in incomplete Freund’s adjuvant, such as Montanide) but not single or control vaccines without M. tuberculosis strongly expanded CD11b\(^+\) myeloid cells in the spleen, leading to T cell suppression of proliferation and killing ex vivo. Dead M. tuberculosis vaccination induced the generation of CD11b\(^+\)Ly6C\(^{hi}\)CD115\(^+\) iNOS/Nos2\(^+\) monocytic MDSCs (M-MDSCs) upon application of inflammatory or microbial activation signals. In vivo these M-MDSCs were positioned strategically in the splenic bridging channels and then positioned in the white pulp areas. Notably, within 6–24 hours, in a Nos2-dependent fashion, they produced NO to rapidly kill conventional and plasmacytoid DCs while, surprisingly, sparing T cells in vivo. Thus, we demonstrate that M. tuberculosis vaccine induced M-MDSCs do not directly suppress effector T cells in vivo but, instead, indirectly by killing DCs. Collectively, we demonstrate that M. tuberculosis booster vaccines induce M-MDSCs in the spleen that can be activated to kill DCs. Our data suggest that formation of MDSCs by M. tuberculosis vaccines should be investigated also in clinical trials.
KW  - Immunology
KW  - Infectious disease
Y1  - 2019
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-201973
VL  - 13
IS  - 4
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Hellmann, Anna-Maria
A1  - Lother, Jasmin
A1  - Wurster, Sebastian
A1  - Lutz, Manfred B.
A1  - Schmitt, Anna Lena
A1  - Morton, Charles Oliver
A1  - Eyrich, Matthias
A1  - Czakai, Kristin
A1  - Einsele, Hermann
A1  - Loeffler, Juergen
T1  - Human and Murine Innate Immune Cell Populations Display Common and Distinct Response Patterns during Their In Vitro Interaction with the Pathogenic Mold Aspergillus fumigatus
JF  - Frontiers in Immunology
N2  - Aspergillus fumigatus is the main cause of invasive fungal infections occurring almost exclusively in immunocompromised patients. An improved understanding of the initial innate immune response is key to the development of better diagnostic tools and new treatment options. Mice are commonly used to study immune defense mechanisms during the infection of the mammalian host with A. fumigatus. However, little is known about functional differences between the human and murine immune response against this fungal pathogen. Thus, we performed a comparative functional analysis of human and murine dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages, and polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) using standardized and reproducible working conditions, laboratory protocols, and readout assays. A. fumigatus did not provoke identical responses in murine and human immune cells but rather initiated relatively specific responses. While human DCs showed a significantly stronger upregulation of their maturation markers and major histocompatibility complex molecules and phagocytosed A. fumigatus more efficiently compared to their murine counterparts, murine PMNs and macrophages exhibited a significantly stronger release of reactive oxygen species after exposure to A. fumigatus. For all studied cell types, human and murine samples differed in their cytokine response to conidia or germ tubes of A. fumigatus. Furthermore, Dectin-1 showed inverse expression patterns on human and murine DCs after fungal stimulation. These specific differences should be carefully considered and highlight potential limitations in the transferability of murine host–pathogen interaction studies.
KW  - murine model
KW  - humans
KW  - Aspergillus fumigatus
KW  - innate immune response
KW  - fungal infection
Y1  - 2017
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-169926
VL  - 8
IS  - 1716
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Dahlhoff, Julia
A1  - Manz, Hannah
A1  - Steinfatt, Tim
A1  - Delgado-Tascon, Julia
A1  - Seebacher, Elena
A1  - Schneider, Theresa
A1  - Wilnit, Amy
A1  - Mokhtari, Zeinab
A1  - Tabares, Paula
A1  - Böckle, David
A1  - Rasche, Leo
A1  - Martin Kortüm, K.
A1  - Lutz, Manfred B.
A1  - Einsele, Hermann
A1  - Brandl, Andreas
A1  - Beilhack, Andreas
T1  - Transient regulatory T-cell targeting triggers immune control of multiple myeloma and prevents disease progression
JF  - Leukemia
N2  - Multiple myeloma remains a largely incurable disease of clonally expanding malignant plasma cells. The bone marrow microenvironment harbors treatment-resistant myeloma cells, which eventually lead to disease relapse in patients. In the bone marrow, CD4\(^{+}\)FoxP3\(^{+}\) regulatory T cells (Tregs) are highly abundant amongst CD4\(^{+}\) T cells providing an immune protective niche for different long-living cell populations, e.g., hematopoietic stem cells. Here, we addressed the functional role of Tregs in multiple myeloma dissemination to bone marrow compartments and disease progression. To investigate the immune regulation of multiple myeloma, we utilized syngeneic immunocompetent murine multiple myeloma models in two different genetic backgrounds. Analyzing the spatial immune architecture of multiple myeloma revealed that the bone marrow Tregs accumulated in the vicinity of malignant plasma cells and displayed an activated phenotype. In vivo Treg depletion prevented multiple myeloma dissemination in both models. Importantly, short-term in vivo depletion of Tregs in mice with established multiple myeloma evoked a potent CD8 T cell- and NK cell-mediated immune response resulting in complete and stable remission. Conclusively, this preclinical in-vivo study suggests that Tregs are an attractive target for the treatment of multiple myeloma.
KW  - Multiple myeloma
KW  - transient regulatory T-cell targeting
KW  - immune control
Y1  - 2022
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-271787
SN  - 1476-5551
VL  - 36
IS  - 3
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Eckert, Ina N.
A1  - Ribechini, Eliana
A1  - Jarick, Katja J.
A1  - Strozniak, Sandra
A1  - Potter, Sarah J.
A1  - Beilhack, Andreas
A1  - Lutz, Manfred B.
T1  - VLA-1 Binding to Collagen IV Controls Effector T Cell Suppression by Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in the Splenic Red Pulp
JF  - Frontiers in Immunology
N2  - Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) represent a major population controlling T cell immune responses. However, little is known about their molecular requirements for homing and T cell interaction to mediate suppression. Here, we investigated the functional role of the homing and collagen IV receptor VLA-1 (α1β1-integrin) on in vitro GM-CSF generated murine MDSCs from wild-type (WT) and CD49a/α1-integrin (Itga1\(^{−/−}\)) gene-deficient mice. Here, we found that effector (Teff) but not naive (Tn) CD4\(^+\) T cells express VLA-1 and monocytes further up-regulated their expression after culture in GM-CSF when they differentiated into the monocytic subset of resting MDSCs (R-MDSCs). Subsequent activation of R-MDSCs by LPS+IFN-γ (A-MDSCs) showed increased in vitro suppressor potential, which was independent of VLA-1. Surprisingly, VLA-1 deficiency did not influence A-MDSC motility or migration on collagen IV in vitro. However, interaction times of Itga1\(^{−/−}\) A-MDSCs with Teff were shorter than with WT A-MDSCs on collagen IV but not on fibronectin substrate in vitro. After injection, A-MDSCs homed to the splenic red pulp where they co-localized with Teff and showed immediate suppression already after 6 h as shown by inhibition of T cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis. Injection of A-MDSCs from Itga1\(^{−/−}\) mice showed equivalent homing into the spleen but a reduced suppressive effect. Interaction studies of A-MDSCs with Teff in the subcapsular red pulp with intravital two-photon microscopy revealed also here that MDSC motility and migration parameters were not altered by VLA-1 deficiency, but the interaction times with Teff were reduced. Together, our data point to a new role of VLA-1 adhesion to collagen IV as a prerequisite for extended contact times with Teff required for suppression.
KW  - myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs)
KW  - T cells
KW  - VLA-1
KW  - homing
KW  - spleen
Y1  - 2021
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-222671
SN  - 1664-3224
VL  - 11
ER  -