Impact on in-depth immunophenotyping of delay to peripheral blood processing.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) immunophenotyping is crucial in tracking activation, disease state, and response to therapy in human subjects. Many studies require the shipping of blood from clinical sites to a laboratory for processing to PBMC, which can lead to delays that impact sample quality. We used an extensive cytometry by time-of-flight (CyTOF) immunophenotyping panel to analyze the impacts of delays to processing and distinct storage conditions on cell composition and quality of PBMC from seven adults across a range of ages, including two with rheumatoid arthritis. Two or more days of delay to processing resulted in extensive red blood cell contamination and increased variability of cell counts. While total memory and naïve B- and T-cell populations were maintained, 4-day delays reduced the frequencies of monocytes. Variation across all immune subsets increased with delays of up to 7 days in processing. Unbiased clustering analysis to define more granular subsets confirmed changes in PBMC composition, including decreases of classical and non-classical monocytes, basophils, plasmacytoid dendritic cells, and follicular helper T cells, with each subset impacted at a distinct time of delay. Expression of activation markers and chemokine receptors changed by Day 2, with differential impacts across subsets and markers. Our data support existing recommendations to process PBMC within 36 h of collection but provide guidance on appropriate immunophenotyping experiments with longer delays.

Infection, Rejection, and the Connection.

Solid organ transplantation is a life-saving treatment for people with end-stage organ disease. Immune-mediated transplant rejection is a common complication that decreases allograft survival. Although immunosuppression is required to prevent rejection, it also increases the risk of infection. Some infections, such as cytomegalovirus and BK virus, can promote inflammatory gene expression that can further tip the balance toward rejection. BK virus and other infections can induce damage that resembles the clinical pathology of rejection, and this complicates accurate diagnosis. Moreover, T cells specific for viral infection can lead to rejection through heterologous immunity to donor antigen directly mediated by antiviral cells. Thus, viral infections and allograft rejection interact in multiple ways that are important to maintain immunologic homeostasis in solid organ transplant recipients. Better insight into this dynamic interplay will help promote long-term transplant survival.

CMV-Responsive CD4 T Cells Have a Stable Cytotoxic Phenotype Over the First Year Post-Transplant in Patients Without Evidence of CMV Viremia.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a known cause of morbidity and mortality in solid organ transplant recipients. While primary infection is controlled by a healthy immune system, CMV is never eradicated due to viral latency and periodic reactivation. Transplantation and associated therapies hinder immune surveillance of CMV. CD4 T cells are an important part of control of CMV reactivation. We therefore investigated how CMV impacts differentiation, functionality, and expansion of protective CD4 T cells from recipients of heart or kidney transplant in the first year post-transplant without evidence of CMV viremia. We analyzed longitudinal peripheral blood samples by flow cytometry and targeted single cell RNA sequencing coupled to T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing. At the time of transplant, CD4 T cells from CMV seropositive transplant recipients had a higher degree of immune aging than the seronegative recipients. The phenotype of CD4 T cells was stable over time. CMV-responsive CD4 T cells in our transplant cohort included a large proportion with cytotoxic potential. We used sequence analysis of TCRαß to identify clonal expansion and found that clonally expanded CMV-responsive CD4 T cells were of a predominantly aged cytotoxic phenotype. Overall, our analyses suggest that the CD4 response to CMV is dominated by cytotoxicity and not impacted by transplantation in the first year. Our findings indicate that CMV-responsive CD4 T cells are homeostatically stable in the first year after transplantation and identify subpopulations relevant to study the role of this CD4 T cell population in post-transplant health.

Functional Consequences of Memory Inflation after Solid Organ Transplantation.

CMV is a major infectious complication following solid organ transplantation. Reactivation of CMV leads to memory inflation, a process in which CD8 T cells expand over time. Memory inflation is associated with specific changes in T cell function, including increased oligoclonality, decreased cytokine production, and terminal differentiation. To address whether memory inflation during the first year after transplantation in human subjects alters T cell differentiation and function, we employed single-cell-matched TCRαß and targeted gene expression sequencing. Expanded T cell clones exhibited a terminally differentiated, immunosenescent, and polyfunctional phenotype whereas rare clones were less differentiated. Clonal expansion occurring between pre- and 3 mo posttransplant was accompanied by enhancement of polyfunctionality. In contrast, polyfunctionality and differentiation state were largely maintained between 3 and 12 mo posttransplant. Highly expanded clones had a higher degree of polyfunctionality than rare clones. Thus, CMV-responsive CD8 T cells differentiated during the pre- to posttransplant period then maintained their differentiation state and functional capacity despite posttransplant clonal expansion.

Evolution of Cytomegalovirus-Responsive T Cell Clonality following Solid Organ Transplantation.

CMV infection is a significant complication after solid organ transplantation. We used single cell TCR αß sequencing to determine how memory inflation impacts clonality and diversity of the CMV-responsive CD8 and CD4 T cell repertoire in the first year after transplantation in human subjects. We observed CD8 T cell inflation but no changes in clonal diversity, indicating homeostatic stability in clones. In contrast, the CD4 repertoire was diverse and stable over time, with no evidence of CMV-responsive CD4 T cell expansion. We identified shared CDR3 TCR motifs among patients but no public CMV-specific TCRs. Temporal changes in clonality in response to transplantation and in the absence of detectable viral reactivation suggest changes in the repertoire immediately after transplantation followed by an expansion with stable clonal competition that may mediate protection.

Association of Premature Immune Aging and Cytomegalovirus After Solid Organ Transplant.

Immune function is altered with increasing age. Infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) accelerates age-related immunological changes resulting in expanded oligoclonal memory CD8 T cell populations with impaired proliferation, signaling, and cytokine production. As a consequence, elderly CMV seropositive (CMV+) individuals have increased mortality and impaired responses to other infections in comparison to seronegative (CMV-) individuals of the same age. CMV is also a significant complication after organ transplantation, and recent studies have shown that CMV-associated expansion of memory T cells is accelerated after transplantation. Thus, we investigated whether immune aging is accelerated post-transplant, using a combination of telomere length, flow cytometry phenotyping, and single cell RNA sequencing. Telomere length decreased slightly in the first year after transplantation in a subset of both CMV+ and CMV- recipients with a strong concordance between CD57+ cells and short telomeres. Phenotypically aged cells increased post-transplant specifically in CMV+ recipients, and clonally expanded T cells were enriched for terminally differentiated cells post-transplant. Overall, these findings demonstrate a pattern of accelerated aging of the CD8 T cell compartment in CMV+ transplant recipients.

Sestrins teach old T cells new tricks.

Sestrin proteins dampen TCR signaling and induce antigen-independent natural killer-like cytotoxicity in highly differentiated CD8 T cells.

Single cell immune profiling in transplantation research.

Recently developed single-cell profiling technologies hold promise to provide new insights including analysis of population heterogeneity and linkage of antigen receptors with gene expression. These technologies produce complex data sets that require knowledge of bioinformatics for appropriate analysis. In this minireview, we discuss several single-cell immune profiling technologies for gene and protein expression, including cytometry by time-of-flight, RNA sequencing, and antigen receptor sequencing, as well as key considerations for analysis that apply to each. Because of the critical importance of data analysis for high parameter single cell analysis, we discuss essential factors in analysis of these data, including quality control, quantification, examples of methods for high dimensional analysis, immune repertoire analysis, and preparation of analysis pipelines. We provide examples of, and suggestions for, application of these innovative methods to transplantation research.

To debug or not to debug, a question worth asking.

Recipient antibiotic pre-treatment protects both mice and humans from ischemia-reperfusion injury after liver transplantation.

Optimization of single-cell plate sorting for high throughput sequencing applications.

Single cell sequencing has recently been applied to many immunological studies. Flow cytometric index sorting isolates cells for single cell sequencing with protein level data linked to sequences. However, successful sequencing of index sorted samples requires careful optimization of several sort parameters, including nozzle size, flow rate, threshold rate, and yield calculations. In this study, considerations and optimization data for each of these variables are presented. Our analysis focused on index sorting, but the findings can be applied to any plate sorting protocol. Minimization of flow rates and use of the 70 µm nozzle improved cell yields. Improvements in total read counts after sequencing were obtained by decreasing the threshold rate, or the number of cells processed per second. In addition, this technique provided linked protein and gene expression analysis of the cytokine interferon (IFN)γ, demonstrating that on a single cell basis IFNγ+ cells tend to express IFNG mRNA, and IFNγ- cells do not. Through rigorous optimization and quality control, we have identified parameters important to plate sorting and recommend the use of the 70 µm nozzle and low flow and threshold rates for analysis of rare populations of human lymphocytes.

A TLR9-dependent checkpoint governs B cell responses to DNA-containing antigens.

Mature B cell pools retain a substantial proportion of polyreactive and self-reactive clonotypes, suggesting that activation checkpoints exist to reduce the initiation of autoreactive B cell responses. Here, we have described a relationship among the B cell receptor (BCR), TLR9, and cytokine signals that regulate B cell responses to DNA-containing antigens. In both mouse and human B cells, BCR ligands that deliver a TLR9 agonist induce an initial proliferative burst that is followed by apoptotic death. The latter mechanism involves p38-dependent G1 cell-cycle arrest and subsequent intrinsic mitochondrial apoptosis and is shared by all preimmune murine B cell subsets and CD27- human B cells. Survival or costimulatory signals rescue B cells from this fate, but the outcome varies depending on the signals involved. B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) engenders survival and antibody secretion, whereas CD40 costimulation with IL-21 or IFN-γ promotes a T-bet+ B cell phenotype. Finally, in vivo immunization studies revealed that when protein antigens are conjugated with DNA, the humoral immune response is blunted and acquires features associated with T-bet+ B cell differentiation. We propose that this mechanism integrating BCR, TLR9, and cytokine signals provides a peripheral checkpoint for DNA-containing antigens that, if circumvented by survival and differentiative cues, yields B cells with the autoimmune-associated T-bet+ phenotype.

Virtual Global Transplant Laboratory Standard Operating Procedures for Blood Collection, PBMC Isolation, and Storage.

Research on human immune responses frequently involves the use of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) immediately, or at significantly delayed timepoints, after collection. This requires PBMC isolation from whole blood and cryopreservation for some applications. It is important to standardize protocols for blood collection, PBMC isolation, cryopreservation, and thawing that maximize survival and functionality of PBMC at the time of analysis. This resource includes detailed protocols describing blood collection tubes, isolation of PBMC using a density gradient, cryopreservation of PBMC, and thawing of cells as well as preparation for functional assays. For each protocol, we include important considerations, such as timing, storage temperatures, and freezing rate. In addition, we provide alternatives so that researchers can make informed decisions in determining the optimal protocol for their application.

Caught Off Center: Rethinking the Requirements for Antibody Affinity Maturation.

Antibody affinity maturation involves selective survival of high affinity B cells and is thought to require the germinal center (GC) microenvironment. In this issue of Immunity, Di Niro et al. (2015) challenge this view, showing that low affinity B cells initiate Salmonella responses and affinity mature outside of GCs.

ICOS and Bcl6-dependent pathways maintain a CD4 T cell population with memory-like properties during tuberculosis.

Immune control of persistent infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) requires a sustained pathogen-specific CD4 T cell response; however, the molecular pathways governing the generation and maintenance of Mtb protective CD4 T cells are poorly understood. Using MHCII tetramers, we show that Mtb-specific CD4 T cells are subject to ongoing antigenic stimulation. Despite this chronic stimulation, a subset of PD-1(+) cells is maintained within the lung parenchyma during tuberculosis (TB). When transferred into uninfected animals, these cells persist, mount a robust recall response, and provide superior protection to Mtb rechallenge when compared to terminally differentiated Th1 cells that reside preferentially in the lung-associated vasculature. The PD-1(+) cells share features with memory CD4 T cells in that their generation and maintenance requires intrinsic Bcl6 and intrinsic ICOS expression. Thus, the molecular pathways required to maintain Mtb-specific CD4 T cells during ongoing infection are similar to those that maintain memory CD4 T cells in scenarios of antigen deprivation. These results suggest that vaccination strategies targeting the ICOS and Bcl6 pathways in CD4 T cells may provide new avenues to prevent TB.

Receptor revision in CD4 T cells is influenced by follicular helper T cell formation and germinal-center interactions.

Peripheral CD4 T cells in Vß5 transgenic (Tg) C57BL/6J mice undergo tolerance to an endogenous superantigen encoded by mouse mammary tumor virus 8 (Mtv-8) by either deletion or T-cell receptor (TCR) revision. Revision is a process by which surface expression of the Vß5(+) TCR is down-regulated in response to Mtv-8 and recombination activating genes are expressed to drive rearrangement of the endogenous TCRß locus, effecting cell rescue through the expression of a newly generated, non-self-reactive TCR. In an effort to identify the microenvironment in which revision takes place, we show here that the proportion of T follicular helper cells (Tfh) and production of high-affinity antibody during a primary response are increased in Vß5 Tg mice in an Mtv-8-dependent manner. Revising T cells have a Tfh-like surface phenotype and transcription factor profile, with elevated expression of B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 6 (Bcl-6), CXC chemokine receptor 5, programmed death-1, and other Tfh-associated markers. Efficient revision requires Bcl-6 and is inhibited by B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1. Revision completes less efficiently in the absence of signaling lymphocytic activation molecule-associated protein although initiation proceeds normally. These data indicate that Tfh formation is required for the initiation of revision and germinal-center interactions for its completion. The germinal center is known to provide a confined space in which B-cell antigen receptors undergo selection. Our data extend the impact of this selective microenvironment into the arena of T cells, suggesting that this fluid structure also provides a regulatory environment in which TCR revision can safely take place.

Recent thymic emigrants are preferentially incorporated only into the depleted T-cell pool.

Recent thymic emigrants (RTEs) are the youngest subset of peripheral T cells, and they differ functionally and phenotypically from the rest of the naïve T-cell pool. RTEs are present in the peripheral T-cell pool throughout life but are the most common subset of T cells in neonates and adults recovering from lymphoablation. Using a murine model to study the homeostasis of RTEs, we show that under lymphoreplete conditions, RTEs are at a competitive disadvantage to already established mature naïve (MN) T cells. This disadvantage may be caused by a defect in survival, because RTEs may transduce homeostatic signals inefficiently, and their ability to survive is enhanced with increased expression of IL-7 receptor or B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2). Conversely, under lymphopenic conditions, enhanced proliferation by RTEs allows them to out-compete their MN T-cell counterparts. These results suggest that in times of need, such as in neonates or lymphopenic adults, RTEs perform well to fill the gaps in the peripheral T-cell pool, but when the periphery already is full, many RTEs are not incorporated into the pool of recirculating lymphocytes.