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Traditionally viewed as poorly plastic, neutrophils are now recognized as functionally diverse. However, the extent and determinants of neutrophil heterogeneity in humans remain unclear. We performed a comprehensive immunophenotypic and transcriptome analysis, at bulk and single-cell level, of neutrophils from healthy donors and patients undergoing stress myelopoiesis upon exposure to growth factors, transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC-T), development of pancreatic cancer, and viral infection. We uncover an extreme diversity of human neutrophils in vivo , reflecting the rates of cell mobilization, differentiation, and exposure to environmental signals. Integrated control of developmental and inducible transcriptional programs linked flexible granulopoietic outputs with elicitation of context-dependent functional responses. In this context, we detected an acute interferon (IFN) response in the blood of HSC-T patients that was mirrored by marked upregulation of IFN-stimulated genes in neutrophils but not in monocytes. Systematic characterization of human neutrophil plasticity may uncover clinically relevant biomarkers and support the development of diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

IntroductionInduction and maintenance of T-cell tolerance toward self-antigens is vital to prevent autoimmunity. To this purpose, many different overlapping and nonoverlapping mechanisms of T-cell tolerization exist, both at central and peripheral levels. [1][2][3][4][5] A common vision of how dendritic cells (DCs) contribute to the induction and maintenance of peripheral CD4 ϩ T-cell tolerance is that, in resting conditions, immature DCs, expressing low levels of signal 1 (specificity) and low or no levels of signal 2 (costimulation), are able to induce T-cell unresponsiveness.However, the effective knowledge concerning the contribution of DCs in inducing and maintaining CD4 ϩ T-cell tolerance in peripheral lymphoid organs derives from the selective analysis of specific DC subpopulations. In particular, CD205 ϩ DCs are able to induce CD4 ϩ T-cell tolerance in conditions of suboptimal activation. [6][7][8][9] Moreover, steady-state migratory DC (ssmDC) subpopulations from the gut and the skin, phenotypically CD103 ϩ and CD103 Ϫ , respectively, mediate the conversion of naive T cells into Foxp3 ϩ regulatory T cells (iTreg) in a retinoic acid (RA)-dependent manner. [10][11][12][13] Because the lymph constantly carries peptides for loading on both migratory and lymphoid tissue resident immature DCs in a dose range suitable for tolerization, 14 it cannot be excluded that, in addition to the analyzed populations and in agreement with the common vision, all conventional immature DCs can induce autoantigen specific CD4 ϩ T-cell tolerance in the periphery. Therefore, it was relevant to know whether DCs in general are able to induce T-cell tolerance at the steady state or whether this is a prerogative of specialized subsets. We investigated this question using an experimental system where antigen presentation, in contrast to previous studies, is not a priori confined to a specific DC subpopulation but is extended to all conventional DC subtypes. Specifically, we adopted the 2a T transgenic animal model. 15 In this experimental system, T-cell receptor (TCR) transgenic T cells (2a T cells) recognize a portion of the CH3 region (435-451) of the IgG2a b , the Bpep, in association with the MHC molecule, I-A d . We also generated a mouse model in which the Bpep was presented by CD11c ϩ cells that include all conventional DC subtypes. By performing a systematic study of the behavior of naive autoantigen-specific T cells after interaction with all conventional CD11c ϩ DCs in homeostatic conditions, we found that DCs are able to induce CD4 ϩ T-cell tolerance by promoting the conversion of autoantigen-specific naive T cells into iTreg cells. Among the different DC subtypes, ssmDCs possess the unique ability to induce antigen-specific iTreg cells in an RA-dependent manner. Diversely, lymphoid tissue resident DCs do not show this capacity. Therefore, iTreg cells develop solely in lymph nodes and not in the spleen, which does not host the migratory DC subtype. We also show that iTreg cells that are newly generated in lymph nodes do n...

Inflammation is a multistep process triggered when innate immune cells -for example, DCs -sense a pathogen or injured cell or tissue. Edema formation is one of the first steps in the inflammatory response; it is fundamental for the local accumulation of inflammatory mediators. Injection of LPS into the skin provides a model for studying the mechanisms of inflammation and edema formation. While it is known that innate immune recognition of LPS leads to activation of numerous transcriptional activators, including nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) isoforms, the molecular pathways that lead to edema formation have not been determined. As PGE 2 regulates many proinflammatory processes, including swelling and pain, and it is induced by LPS, we hypothesized that PGE 2 mediates the local generation of edema following LPS exposure. Here, we show that tissue-resident DCs are the main source of PGE 2 and the main controllers of tissue edema formation in a mouse model of LPS-induced inflammation. LPS exposure induced expression of microsomal PGE synthase-1 (mPGES-1), a key enzyme in PGE 2 biosynthesis. mPGES-1 activation, PGE 2 production, and edema formation required CD14 (a component of the LPS receptor) and NFAT. Therefore, tissue edema formation induced by LPS is DC and CD14/NFAT dependent. Moreover, DCs can regulate free antigen arrival at the draining lymph nodes by controlling edema formation and interstitial fluid pressure in the presence of LPS. We therefore suggest that the CD14/NFAT/mPGES-1 pathway represents a possible target for antiinflammatory therapies.

Nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) is activated in innate immune cells downstream of pattern recognition receptors, but little is known about NFAT’s functions in innate immunity compared with adaptive immunity. We show that early activation of NFAT balances the two major phases of the innate response to Candida albicans skin infections: the protective containment (abscess) and the elimination (expulsion) phases. During the early containment phase, transforming growth factor–β (TGF-β) induces the deposit of collagen around newly recruited polymorphonuclear cells to prevent microbial spreading. During the elimination phase, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) blocks differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts by antagonizing TGF-β signaling. IFN-γ also induces the formation of plasmin that, in turn, promotes abscess capsule digestion and skin ulceration for microbial discharge. NFAT controls innate IFN-γ production and microbial expulsion. This cross-talk between the innate immune and the fibrinolytic systems also occurs during infection with Staphylococcus aureus and is a protective response to minimize tissue damage and optimize pathogen elimination.

Tight control of inflammatory gene expression by antagonistic environmental cues is key to ensure immune protection while preventing tissue damage. Prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) modulates macrophage activation during homeostasis and disease, but the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely characterized. Here we dissected the genomic properties of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced genes whose expression is antagonized by PGE 2 . The latter molecule targeted a set of inflammatory gene enhancers that, already in unstimulated macrophages, displayed poorly permissive chromatin organization and were marked by the transcription factor myocyte enhancer factor 2A (MEF2A). Deletion of MEF2A phenocopied PGE 2 treatment and abolished type I interferon (IFN I) induction upon exposure to innate immune stimuli. Mechanistically, PGE 2 interfered with LPSmediated activation of ERK5, a known transcriptional partner of MEF2. This study highlights principles of plasticity and adaptation in cells exposed to a complex environment and uncovers a transcriptional circuit for IFN I induction with relevance for infectious diseases or cancer.

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