The mannose receptor (MR) is an endocytic receptor involved in serum homeostasis and antigen presentation. Here, we identify the MR as a direct regulator of CD8 + T-cell activity. We demonstrate that MR expression on dendritic cells (DCs) impaired T-cell cytotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. This regulatory effect of the MR was mediated by a direct interaction with CD45 on the T cell, inhibiting its phosphatase activity, which resulted in up-regulation of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated Protein 4 (CTLA-4) and the induction of T-cell tolerance. Inhibition of CD45 prevented expression of B-cell lymphoma 6 (Bcl-6), a transcriptional inhibitor that directly bound the CTLA-4 promoter and regulated its activity. These data demonstrate that endocytic receptors expressed on DCs contribute to the regulation of T-cell functionality.T he mannose receptor (MR) is an endocytic receptor belonging to the C-type lectin family and is expressed by distinct populations of dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages, and endothelial cells (1). It consists of an N-terminal cysteine-rich domain (CR), a fibronectin type II (FN II) domain, eight C-type lectinlike domains (CTLDs), a transmembrane region, and a short intracellular region. The CTLDs of the MR can bind to glycoconjugates terminated in mannose, fucose, or glucose. Despite the presence of eight CTLDs, only CTLD4 is responsible for carbohydrate binding. Additionally, the MR can bind to sulfated carbohydrates via its CR and to collagen via its FN II domain (1).In a previous study, we demonstrated that antigens internalized by the MR are processed specifically for cross-presentation (2). The correlation between the MR and cross-presentation offered the possibility that antigens targeted toward the MR could induce potent cytotoxic T-cell responses. Because the induction of a strong cytotoxic T-cell response against tumor-specific antigens is a crucial process in many tumor vaccination strategies, antigen targeting toward the MR seemed to be a promising approach. However, in in vivo tumor models, antigen targeting toward the MR did not result in a strong cytotoxic T-cell response but, instead, led to the induction of antigen-specific T-cell tolerance (3, 4). Therefore, we analyzed whether the MR has a regulatory effect on the induction of immune responses by means distinct from antigen uptake and presentation, and we investigated a direct influence of the MR on T-cell activation. We could demonstrate that the presence of the MR on the antigen-presenting cell (APC) directly impairs the cytotoxic activity of T cells in vitro and in vivo. We showed that this effect was due to a direct interaction of the MR with CD45 on the T-cell surface. This interaction inhibited CD45 activity and resulted in the up-regulation of the inhibitory molecule cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated Protein 4 (CTLA-4), which was responsible for the impaired cytotoxic activity of the T cells. ResultsThe Presence of the MR on DCs Reduces Cytotoxic Activity of CD8 + T Cells. To investigate whether the MR influences T-cell ...

In severe liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, failure to control bacterial infection is caused by augmented IFN and IL-10 expression that incapacitates antibacterial immunity of myeloid cells. Targeted interference with the immune regulatory host factors IL-10 and IFN reconstitutes antibacterial immunity and may be used as therapeutic strategy to control bacterial infections in patients with liver cirrhosis.

A main function of splenic red pulp macrophages is the degradation of damaged or aged erythrocytes. Here we show that these macrophages accumulate ferrimagnetic iron oxides that render them intrinsically superparamagnetic. Consequently, these cells routinely contaminate splenic cell isolates obtained with the use of MCS, a technique that has been widely used in immunological research for decades. These contaminations can profoundly alter experimental results. In mice deficient for the transcription factor SpiC, which lack red pulp macrophages, liver Kupffer cells take over the task of erythrocyte degradation and become superparamagnetic. We describe a simple additional magnetic separation step that avoids this problem and substantially improves purity of magnetic cell isolates from the spleen.

CD11b+Gr1+ myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are known to be very potent suppressors of T cell immunity and can be further stratified into granulocytic MDSC and monocytic MDSC in mice based on expression of Ly6G or Ly6C, respectively. Here, using these markers and functional assays, we aimed to identify whether MDSC are induced during chronic inflammation leading to fibrosis in both kidney and liver and whether additional markers could more specifically identify these MDSC subsets. In an adenine-induced model of kidney inflammation/fibrosis suppressive Ly6Gpos MDSC were induced. The suppressive function within the Ly6G+ MDSC population was exclusively present in IFNγRβ expressing cells. In contrast, in chronic inflammation in the liver induced by bile duct ligation, suppressive capacity was exclusively present in the Ly6Cpos MDSC subset. Gene expression analyses confirmed the differential origins and regulation of those MDSC subsets. Additionally, depletion of MDSC in either kidney or liver fibrosis enhanced fibrosis markers, indicating a protective role for MDSC in organ fibrosis. Thus, our data demonstrate that during liver inflammation and kidney fibrosis MDSC with similar function arise bearing a distinct marker profile and arising from different cell populations.

CD8 T cells protect the liver against viral infection, but can also cause severe liver damage that may even lead to organ failure. Given the lack of mechanistic insights and specific treatment options in patients with acute fulminant hepatitis, we develop a mouse model reflecting a severe acute virus-induced CD8 T cell-mediated hepatitis. Here we show that antigen-specific CD8 T cells induce liver damage in a perforin-dependent manner, yet liver failure is not caused by effector responses targeting virus-infected hepatocytes alone. Additionally, CD8 T cell mediated elimination of cross-presenting liver sinusoidal endothelial cells causes endothelial damage that leads to a dramatically impaired sinusoidal perfusion and indirectly to hepatocyte death. With the identification of perforin-mediated killing as a critical pathophysiologic mechanism of liver failure and the protective function of a new class of perforin inhibitor, our study opens new potential therapeutic angles for fulminant viral hepatitis.

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The liver bears unique immune properties that support both immune tolerance and immunity, but the mechanisms responsible for clearance versus persistence of virus-infected hepatocytes remain unclear. Here, we dissect the factors determining the outcome of antiviral immunity using recombinant adenoviruses that reflect the hepatropism and hepatrophism of hepatitis viruses. We generated replication-deficient adenoviruses with equimolar expression of ovalbumin, luciferase, and green fluorescent protein driven by a strong ubiquitous cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter (Ad-CMV-GOL) or by 100-fold weaker, yet hepatocyte-specific, transthyretin (TTR) promoter (Ad-TTR-GOL). Using in vivo bioluminescence to quantitatively and dynamically image luciferase activity, we demonstrated that Ad-TTR-GOL infection always persists, whereas Ad-CMV-GOL infection is always cleared, independent of the number of infected hepatocytes. Failure to clear Ad-TTR-GOL infection involved mechanisms acting during initiation as well as execution of antigen-specific immunity. First, hepatocyte-restricted antigen expression led to delayed and curtailed T-cell expansion-10,000-fold after Ad-CMV-GOL versus 150-fold after Ad-TTR-GOL-infection. Second, CD8 T-cells primed toward antigens selectively expressed by hepatocytes showed high PD-1/Tim-3/LAG-3/CTLA-4/CD160 expression levels similar to that seen in chronic hepatitis B. Third, Ad-TTR-GOL but not Ad-CMV-GOL-infected hepatocytes escaped being killed by effector T-cells while still inducing high PD-1/Tim-3/LAG-3/CTLA-4/CD160 expression, indicating different thresholds of T-cell receptor signaling relevant for triggering effector functions compared with exhaustion. Conclusion: Our study identifies deficits in the generation of CD8 T-cell immunity toward hepatocyte-expressed antigens and escape of infected hepatocytes expressing low viral antigen levels from effector T-cell killing as independent factors promoting viral persistence. This highlights the importance of addressing both the restauration of CD8 T-cell dysfunction and overcoming local hurdles of effector T-cell function to eliminate virus-infected hepatocytes.

According to class M2.1 of the World Anti‐Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List, the manipulation of doping control urine samples to alter their integrity and validity is prohibited both in‐ and out‐of‐competition. However, some paraplegic athletes with an overactive bladder need to be regularly treated with anti‐cholinergic and anti‐spasmodic drugs such as oxybutynin, which are often administered intravesically to reduce the substantial side effects observed after oral application. So far, it remains unclear whether such bladder instillations have a negative impact on analytical procedures and thus represent an anti‐doping rule violation. Within this pilot study, urine samples were collected from five paraplegic athletes before and after an intravesical oxybutynin hydrochloride instillation. The samples were routinely tested for the presence of performance‐enhancing drugs and afterwards fortified with 25 model compounds representing different classes of doping agents (anabolic agents, cannabinoids, diuretics, glucocorticoids, hormone and metabolic modulators, and stimulants) at low and medium concentrations. Additionally, the pH value and specific gravity were measured and the presence of oxybutynin was qualitatively determined by gas chromatography−mass spectrometry (GC–MS). In initial testing procedures, all samples were tested negative. Oxybutynin was present in most of the samples but found to have no significant effect on the detectability of the 25 model compounds subsequently added to each urine specimen. Therefore, it can be concluded that intravesical instillations with oxybutynin hydrochloride do not alter the integrity and validity of doping control urine samples.