Many successful vaccines induce persistent antibody responses that can last a lifetime. The mechanisms by which they do so remain unclear, but emerging evidence suggests that they activate dendritic cells (DCs) via Toll-like receptors (TLRs)1,2. For example, the yellow fever vaccine YF-17D, one of the most successful empiric vaccines ever developed3, activates DCs via multiple TLRs to stimulate pro-inflammatory cytokines4,5. Triggering specific combinations of TLRs in DCs can induce synergistic production of cytokines6, which results in enhanced T cell responses, but its impact on antibody responses remain unknown. Learning the critical parameters of innate immunity that programs such antibody responses remains a major challenge in vaccinology. Here we demonstrate that immunization of mice with synthetic nanoparticles containing antigens plus Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands 4 + 7 induces synergistic increases in antigen-specific, neutralizing antibodies compared to immunization with a single TLR ligand. Consistent with this there was enhanced persistence of germinal centers (GCs), and of plasma cell responses, which persisted in the lymph nodes for >1.5 years. Surprisingly, there was no enhancement of the early short-lived plasma cell response, relative to that observed with single TLR ligands. Molecular profiling of activated B cells, isolated 7 days after immunization, indicated early programming towards B cell memory. Antibody responses were dependent on direct triggering of both TLRs on B cells and dendritic cells (DCs), as well as on T-cell help. Immunization protected completely against lethal avian and swine influenza virus strains in mice, and induced robust immunity against pandemic H1N1 influenza in rhesus macaques.

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a vital role in initiating robust immunity against pathogens as well as maintaining immunological tolerance to self antigens. However, the intracellular signaling networks that program DCs to become tolerogenic remain unknown. We report here that the Wnt–β-catenin signaling in intestinal dendritic cells regulates the balance between inflammatory versus regulatory responses in the gut. β-catenin in intestinal dendritic cells was required for the expression of anti-inflammatory mediators such as retinoic acid–metabolizing enzymes, interleukin-10, and transforming growth factor–β, and the stimulation of regulatory T cell induction while suppressing inflammatory effector T cells. Furthermore, ablation of β-catenin expression in DCs enhanced inflammatory responses and disease in a mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease. Thus, β-catenin signaling programs DCs to a tolerogenic state, limiting the inflammatory response.

SUMMARY Systems biological analysis of immunity to the trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) in humans revealed a correlation between early expression of TLR5 and the magnitude of the antibody response. Vaccination of Trl5−/− mice resulted in reduced antibody titers and lower frequencies of plasma cells, demonstrating a role for TLR5 in immunity to TIV. This was due to a failure to sense host microbiota. Thus, antibody responses in germ-free or antibiotic-treated mice were impaired, but restored by oral reconstitution with a flagellated, but not aflagellated, strain of E. coli. TLR5-mediated sensing of flagellin promoted plasma cell differentiation, directly, and by stimulating lymph node macrophages to produce plasma cell growth factors. Finally, TLR5-mediated sensing of the microbiota also impacted antibody responses to the inactivated polio vaccine, but not to adjuvanted vaccines or the live-attenuated yellow fever vaccine. These results reveal an unappreciated role for gut microbiota in promoting immunity to vaccination.

The mechanisms that initiate T helper type 2 (TH2) responses are poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that cysteine protease–induced TH2 responses occur via ‘cooperation’ between migratory dermal dendritic cells (DCs) and basophils positive for interleukin 4 (IL-4). Subcutaneous immunization with papain plus antigen induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in lymph node DCs and in dermal DCs and epithelial cells of the skin. ROS orchestrated TH2 responses by inducing oxidized lipids that triggered the induction of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) by epithelial cells mediated by Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and the adaptor protein TRIF; by suppressing production of the TH1-inducing molecules IL-12 and CD70 in lymph node DCs; and by inducing the DC-derived chemokine CCL7, which mediated recruitment of IL-4+ basophils to the lymph node. Thus, the TH2 response to cysteine proteases requires DC-basophil cooperation via ROS-mediated signaling.

Immune sensing of a microbe occurs via multiple receptors. How signals from different receptors are coordinated to yield a specific immune response is poorly understood. We demonstrate that the different pathogen recognition receptors, TLR2 and dectin-1, recognizing the same microbial stimulus, stimulate distinct innate and adaptive responses. TLR2 signaling induced splenic dendritic cells (DCs) to express the retinoic acid (RA) metabolizing enzyme Raldh2 and IL-10, and to metabolize vitamin A and stimulate Foxp3+ T regulatory cells (Treg cells). RA acted on DCs to induce Socs3 expression, which suppressed activation of p38 MAPK and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Consistent with this, TLR2 signaling induced Treg cells, and suppressed IL-23 and TH-17/ TH-1 mediated autoimmune responses in vivo. In contrast, dectin-1 signaling mostly induced IL-23 and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and augmented TH-17/ TH-1 mediated autoimmune responses in vivo. These data define a new mechanism for the systemic induction of RA and immune suppression against autoimmunity.

SummaryThe integrated stress response (ISR) is a homeostatic mechanism by which eukaryotic cells sense and respond to stress-inducing signals, such as amino acid starvation. General controlled nonrepressed (GCN2) kinase is a key orchestrator of the ISR, and modulates cellular metabolism in response to amino acid starvation. Here we demonstrate that GCN2 controls intestinal inflammation by suppressing inflammasome activation. Enhanced activation of ISR was observed in intestinal antigen presenting cells (APCs) and epithelial cells during amino acid starvation, or intestinal inflammation. Genetic deletion of GCN2 in CD11c+ APCs or intestinal epithelial cells resulted in enhanced intestinal inflammation and Th17 responses, due to enhanced inflammasome activation and IL-1β production. This was caused by reduced autophagy in GCN2−/− intestinal APCs and epithelial cells, leading to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), a potent activator of inflammasomes1. Thus, conditional ablation of Atg5 and Atg7 in intestinal APCs resulted in enhanced ROS and Th17 responses. Furthermore, in vivo blockade of ROS and IL-1β resulted in inhibition of Th17 responses and reduced inflammation in GCN2−/− mice. Importantly, acute amino acid starvation suppressed intestinal inflammation via a mechanism dependent on GCN2. These results reveal a mechanism that couples amino acid sensing with control of intestinal inflammation via GCN2.

T cell activation by dendritic cells (DCs) is critical to the initiation of adaptive immune responses and protection against pathogens. Here, we demonstrate that a specialized DC subset in Peyer's patches (PPs) mediates the rapid activation of pathogen specific T cells. This DC subset is characterized by the expression of the chemokine receptor CCR6 and is found only in PPs. CCR6(+) DCs were recruited into the dome regions of PPs upon invasion of the follicle associated epithelium (FAE) by an enteric pathogen and were responsible for the rapid local activation of pathogen-specific T cells. CCR6-deficient DCs were unable to respond to bacterial invasion of PPs and failed to initiate T cell activation, resulting in reduced defense against oral infection. Thus, CCR6-dependent regulation of DCs is responsible for localized T cell dependent defense against entero-invasive pathogens.

The yellow fever vaccine YF-17D is one of the most successful vaccines ever developed in humans. Despite its efficacy and widespread use in more than 600 million people, the mechanisms by which it stimulates protective immunity remain poorly understood. Recent studies using systems biology approaches in humans have revealed that YF-17D–induced early expression of general control nonderepressible 2 kinase (GCN2) in the blood strongly correlates with the magnitude of the later CD8+ T cell response. We demonstrate a key role for virus-induced GCN2 activation in programming dendritic cells to initiate autophagy and enhanced antigen presentation to both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. These results reveal an unappreciated link between virus-induced integrated stress response in dendritic cells and the adaptive immune response.