Este trabajo fue apoyado en parte por el NIH (N01 HHSN272201100019C, U19 AI 089992, y el Programa de la CNRR / GCRC M01-RR00125). Los autores declaran no tener conflictos de intereses financieros y gracias al doctor Mark Shlomchik, director del Fondo para la célula de Yale Core Clasificador.

1. El aislamiento y la estimulación de las células inmunes <ol><li> Obtener 10-50 ml de sangre heparinizada de voluntarios sanos después de consentimiento informado por escrito en virtud de las directrices de la Junta de Revisión Institucional local. Para los estudios de envejecimiento o la enfermedad de la patogénesis, la exclusión y los criterios de inclusión para cada voluntario o el paciente tiene que determinarán de forma expresa. </li><li> Aislar las células mononucleares de sangre periférica (CMSP) con CPT o tubos de Ficoll Paque-Plus de acuerdo a las instrucciones del fabricante (GE Healthcare, NJ) y realizar experimentos en el día de aislamiento 7 (reactivos, tabla 1). </li><li> Incubar PBMC (3 x 10 6 / tubo) en tubos de 1,5 ml en medio 0,6 ml solos o estimulados con ligandos TLR u otros agentes activantes, por ejemplo, el ligando TLR7 / 8 R848 (0,6 ml de medio, más 0,6 l de 10 mM de TLR7 / 8 ligando R848, concentración final 10 mM) a 37 ° C durante 10-60 minutos (Invivogen, CA) 9. </li></ol> 2. LaboratorioEling de las células <ol><li> Etiqueta de linaje celular y otros marcadores de superficie en las suspensiones de células vivas con fluorescencia utilizando anticuerpos conjugados. Etiqueta 3 x 10 6 PBMC durante 20 min a 4 ° C en 100 l de PBS / 2% de FBS en un tubo Eppendorf de 1,5 ml con un cóctel de anticuerpos específicos de superficie para los linajes de monocitos o DC (Tabla 2). Diluciones óptimas de anticuerpos se puede determinar en experimentos preliminares y las muestras deben ser procesados ​​en lotes para minimizar lote a lote variación. Para la acción vendedor anticuerpo de 0,1 mg / ml de usar 5 l de anticuerpo (1:20 dilución). Utilizar un tubo separado de las células marcadas con sólo un conjugado de un solo color para configurar los canales fluorescentes en el instrumento. </li><li> Después de etiquetado superficie, fijar las células en PFA 4% / PBS durante 10 min a temperatura ambiente. Para el almacenamiento hasta el momento del análisis, las células centrifugar a 500 xg, y volver a suspender las células en tampón de congelación (90% de FBS que contiene 10% de DMSO) a -80 ° C hasta que el día de ensayo. </li><li> Para la evaluación, el proceso de lotes of células no tratadas y estimulado de un grupo de donantes a fin de minimizar la variabilidad. En el día de análisis, las células descongelación rápida en 37 ° C baño de agua, se centrifuga a 500x g para eliminar tampón de congelación. </li><li> Para permeabilizar las células para la detección de citoquinas intracelulares u otros marcadores, suspensiones volver a suspender las células en 100 l BD Perm / Wash buffer (BD Biosciences, NJ). Etiqueta para los componentes intracelulares de señalización con, por ejemplo, una dilución de 1:20 de conejo anti-NF-kB (p65), anticuerpo (concentración final de 10 mg / ml, Santacruz Biotechnology, CA) durante 20 min a temperatura ambiente, se centrifuga a 500 xg, sobrenadante aspirado y Resuspender las células en 100 Perm BD l / tampón de lavado que contiene 1:250 dilución de cabra anti-IgG de conejo-Alexa647 (Invitrogen, CA) y se incuba durante 20 min a temperatura ambiente. </li><li> Inmediatamente antes de la formación de imágenes, contratinción núcleos con DAPI (0,2 g / ml, Invitrogen, CA) o yoduro de propidio (PI; 20 ng / ml, Invitrogen, CA). </li></ol> 3. Análisis IMAGESTREAM <ol><li>Llevar a cabo por la imagen IMAGESTREAM en muestras de lotes para reducir la variabilidad entre las muestras humanas. Ajuste del equipo para poder de los láseres fueron como sigue: 200 mW para 488 nm, 10 mW para 658 nm y 250 mW para 405 nm. </li><li> Para el análisis de archivos de datos (Fig. 1), en primer lugar, la puerta de eventos con la intensidad de PI normal y alta relación de aspecto de PI (ancho: relación altura) para distinguir células individuales (R1) de los desechos (de baja intensidad PI) o los eventos multi-celulares ( PI de alta intensidad y baja relación de aspecto). Los monocitos se encuentran dentro de una puerta para células CD14 positivas. mDCs se encuentran dentro de una puerta de las celdas que tienen un alto contenido de CD11c y bajo de CD4 (R2) y baja también por Lin-1 marcadores (R3). </li><li> Utilizar ideas de software (Amnis, WA) para proporcionar una medida eficaz cuantitativa del grado de activación de cada celda. Determinar la similitud (o co-localización) del factor de transcripción NF-kB citoplasmática con la energía nuclear tinte de PI para indicar la translocación en el núcleo (R4). Una alta correlación de NF-κB/PI localización se refleja en una puntuación de similitud elevada e indica el grado de activación 10. </li><li> Comparar los índices de similitud entre los diferentes grupos de tratamiento o poblaciones de pacientes para indicar la eficiencia relativa funcional de las células. Cuantificar los datos entre las muestras a través de la comparación estadística de los valores absolutos o las diferencias de plegado. Utilice el software de IDEAS para mostrar imágenes de las células de los principales segmentos de la población de histogramas (Fig. 2). </li></ol> 4. Los resultados representativos Hemos cuantificado vías de señalización en respuesta a un ligando modelo viral mediante la estimulación de PBMC con el ligando TLR7 / 8, R848 (fig. 1). Se recogieron las dos imágenes de localización de celulares y las estadísticas de población en los grupos de la muestra (Fig. 2). IMAGESTREAM nos permite subconjuntos de células de puerta directamente de CMSP y las respuestas de imágenes de células de las poblaciones de células cerradas, pero sin clasificar. Aquí hemos cuantificado el efecto de los TLR signaling en la localización nuclear de NF-kB (p65) en Lin1-, CD4 tenue, CD11c + DCs mieloides (mDCs). Al inicio del estudio, se observó un alto porcentaje de células no estimuladas con el factor de transcripción NF-kB (p65) en el citoplasma. Después de la estimulación, las células tratadas tienen una puntuación significativamente más alta similitud de NF-B (p65) con PI tinción nuclear, lo que indica que el NF-kB (p65) trasladadas en el núcleo después de la estimulación (mediana de las puntuaciones de similitud son 1,52 y 3,01, respectivamente, la figura. 2). Resultados similares se observan en TLR5 estimulados monocitos 9. <img alt="Figura 1" src="/files/ftp_upload/3741/3741fig1.jpg" /> Figura 1. Tinción y estrategia de apertura de puerta para cuantificar los efectos de la estimulación en mDCs humanos. El factor de transcripción NF-kB regula la expresión de numerosos genes del sistema inmunológico. Este estudio mide la localización nuclear de NF-kB (p65) en mDCs sujeto representativo de uno después de TLR7 / 8 liga<html> ª estimulación. En foco las células individuales fueron identificados por la compuerta de PI eventos positivos con altas proporciones de aspecto nucleares (R1). mDCs (Lin1, CD4dim, CD11c +) fueron cerrada en R3. Localización nuclear de NF-kB (p65) se representa en la R4. <a href="http://www.jove.com/files/ftp_upload/3741/3741fig1large.jpg" target="_blank">Haga clic aquí para ver más grande la figura</a> . <img alt="Figura 2" src="/files/ftp_upload/3741/3741fig2.jpg" /> Figura 2. . La translocación de NF-kB en mDCs después de la estimulación La translocación de NF-kB (p65) en el núcleo después de la estimulación (R4) se representa en las poblaciones de mDCs no tratados y estimulados, la puntuación de similitud promedio es de 1,52 en la muestra sin tratar y 3,01 en el la muestra estimulada (A). Las imágenes digitales recogidas de forma simultánea de las poblaciones de células no tratadas o R848 estimulados muestran células representativas y la intensidad de NF-B trasladadas en el núcleo de la célula (B)._upload/3741/3741fig2large.jpg &quot;target =&quot; _blank &quot;&gt; Haga clic aquí para ver más grande figura.

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	<li>Linton, P. J., Dorshkind, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Age-related+changes+in+lymphocyte+development+and+function.">Age-related changes in lymphocyte development and function.</a> Nat. Immunol. 5, 133-139 (2004).</li><li>Shaw, A. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Dysregulation+of+Human+Toll-like+Receptor+Function+in+Aging.">Dysregulation of Human Toll-like Receptor Function in Aging.</a> Ageing Research Reviews. 10, 346-353 (2011).</li><li>Medzhitov, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Toll-like+receptors+and+innate+immunity.">Toll-like receptors and innate immunity.</a> Nature Rev. Immunol. 1, 135-145 (2001).</li><li>van Duin, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Age-associated+Defect+in+Human+TLR1+Function+and+Expression.">Age-associated Defect in Human TLR1 Function and Expression.</a> J. Immunol. 178, 970-975 (2007).</li><li>Panda, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Age-associated+decrease+in+TLR+function+in+primary+human+dendritic+cells+predicts+influenza+vaccine+response.">Age-associated decrease in TLR function in primary human dendritic cells predicts influenza vaccine response.</a> J. Immunol. 184, 2518-2527 (2010).</li><li>Kong, K. -. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Dysregulation+of+TLR3+impairs+the+innate+immune+response+to+West+Nile+virus+in+the+elderly.">Dysregulation of TLR3 impairs the innate immune response to West Nile virus in the elderly.</a> J. Virol. 82, 7613-7623 (2008).</li><li>Qian, F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Impaired+interferon+signaling+in+dendritic+cells+from+older+donors+infected+in+vitro+with+West+Nile+virus.">Impaired interferon signaling in dendritic cells from older donors infected in vitro with West Nile virus.</a> J. Infect. Dis. 203, 1415-1424 (2011).</li><li>Hayden, M. S., Ghosh, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=NF-kappaB+in+immunobiology.">NF-kappaB in immunobiology.</a> Cell research. 21, 223-244 (2011).</li><li>Qian, F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Age-associated+elevation+in+TLR5+leads+to+increased+inflammatory+responses+in+the+elderly.">Age-associated elevation in TLR5 leads to increased inflammatory responses in the elderly.</a> Aging Cell. 11, 104-110 (2011).</li><li>George, T. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Quantitative+measurement+of+nuclear+translocation+events+using+similarity+analysis+of+multispectral+cellular+images+obtained+in+flow.">Quantitative measurement of nuclear translocation events using similarity analysis of multispectral cellular images obtained in flow.</a> Journal of immunological. 311, 117-129 (2006).</li></ol>

No hay conflictos de interés declarado.

Los pasos críticos en el uso de IMAGESTREAM para los estudios de traducción son la selección de los grupos de comparación relevantes y la optimización y validación de la especificidad del anticuerpo. Las diferencias entre los grupos de sujetos en el objetivo marcado será fácilmente evidente a través de histogramas y las imágenes de células. En combinación con un análisis exhaustivo de los cambios en los receptores relevantes y vías de señalización, estos datos proporcionan información valiosa sobre los ...

<table border="1"><tbody><tr><td> Nombre del reactivo </td><td> Empresa </td><td> Número de catálogo </td></tr><tr><td> Ficoll-Paque Plus </td><td> GE Healthcare </td><td> 17-1440-03 </td></tr><tr><td> R848 </td><td> Invivogen </td><td> tlrl-R848 </td></tr><tr><td> El paraformaldehído (16%) </td><td> Microscopía Electrónica de Ciencias </td><td> 15710 </td></tr><tr><td> BD Perm / Wash </td><td> BD Biosciences </td><td> 554723 </td></tr><tr><td> CD14-PE </td><td> eBioscience </td><td> 12-0149-41 </td></tr><tr><td> CD4-PacBlue </td><td> BD Pharmingen </td><td> 68436 </td></tr><tr><td> Cóctel de Lineage 1 (lin 1)-FITC </td><td> BD Biosciences </td><td> 340546 </td></tr><tr><td> CD11c-PE </td><td> BD Biosciences </td><td> 347637 </td></tr><tr><td> CD123-PE </td><td> BD Biosciences </td><td> 340545 </td></tr><tr><td> de conejo anti-NF-kB (p65) </td><td> SantaCruz </td><td> SC-372 </td></tr><tr><td> Alexa647 F (ab &#39;) 2 de cabra anti-IgG de conejo </td><td> Invitrogen </td><td> A21246 </td></tr><tr><td> DAPI </td><td> Invitrogen </td><td> D21490 </td></tr><tr><td> IMAGESTREAM X </td><td> Amnis </td><td></td></tr></tbody></table> Tabla 1. Reactivos específicos y equipos. <table border="1"><tbody><tr><td> Tipo de célula </td><td> FITC </td><td> PE </td><td> Alexa 647 </td><td> PacBlue </td></tr><tr><td> Monocitos </td><td></td><td> CD14 </td><td> NF-kB (p65) </td><td></td></tr><tr><td> MDC </td><td> Lin1 </td><td> CD11c </td><td> NF-kB (p65) </td><td> CD4 </td></tr><tr><td> pDC </td><td> Lin1</td><td> CD123 </td><td> NF-kB (p65) </td><td> CD4 </td></tr></tbody></table> Tabla 2. Panel de anticuerpos para la tinción de estirpe de células de las vías de señalización Monocitos: CD14 + MDC: Lin1, CD4dim, CD11c + PDC: Lin1, CD4dim, CD123 + Lin1 (linaje) incluye el marcador CD3, CD14, CD19, CD20, CD56 marcadores de monocitos, células NK, células T y B.

quantitative imaging of lineage-specific toll-like receptor-mediated signaling in monocytes and dendritic cells from small samples of human blood

Las variaciones individuales en el estado inmunológico determinar las respuestas a la infección y contribuyen a la severidad de la enfermedad y los resultados. El envejecimiento se asocia con una mayor susceptibilidad a las infecciones virales y bacterianas y la disminución de la capacidad de respuesta a las vacunas con una disminución bien documentada en la humoral, así como mediada por células respuesta inmune 1,2. Recientemente, hemos evaluado los efectos del envejecimiento sobre los receptores tipo Toll (TLR), los componentes clave del sistema inmune innato que detectan la infección microbiana y de disparo antimicrobianos respuestas de defensa del huésped 3. En una gran cohorte de donantes humanos sanos, mostró que los monocitos de sangre periférica de la tercera edad han disminuido expresión y función de los TLR ciertos 4 y similares niveles de reducción de TLR y respuestas de señalización en las células dendríticas (DC), células presentadoras de antígenos que son fundamentales en el el vínculo entre la inmunidad innata y adaptativa 5. Hemos demostrado la desregulación de TLR3 en los macrófagos unad menor producción de IFN por países en desarrollo procedentes de donantes de edad avanzada en respuesta a la infección con el virus del Nilo Occidental 6,7. De suma importancia para nuestra comprensión de la inmunosenescencia y para la intervención terapéutica es una comprensión detallada de determinados tipos de células que responden y el mecanismo (s) de la transducción de señales. Los estudios tradicionales de la respuesta inmune a través de imágenes de células primarias y de topografía marcadores celulares por citometría de flujo o inmunoblot han avanzado de manera significativa nuestra comprensión, sin embargo, estos estudios se limitan generalmente técnicamente por el pequeño volumen de muestra a disposición de los pacientes y la incapacidad para llevar a cabo complejas técnicas de laboratorio en múltiples muestras humanas. IMAGESTREAM combina con la citometría de flujo cuantitativa simultánea de imágenes de alta resolución digital y por lo tanto facilita la investigación en poblaciones de células múltiples simultáneamente para una captura eficiente de la susceptibilidad del paciente. Aquí se demuestra el uso de IMAGESTREAM en países en desarrollo para evaluar TLR7 / 8mediada por la activación de los aumentos en la fosforilación y translocación nuclear del factor de transcripción clave, NF-kB, que inicia la transcripción de numerosos genes que son críticos para la respuesta inmune 8. Utilizando esta tecnología, también hemos demostrado recientemente una alteración previamente desconocida de TLR5 y la vía de señalización de NF-kB en los monocitos de donantes mayores que pueden contribuir a la capacidad de respuesta inmune alterada en el envejecimiento 9.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Quantitative Imaging of Lineage-specific Toll-like Receptor-mediated Signaling in Monocytes and Dendritic Cells from Small Samples of Human Blood at JoVE.com

Quantitative Imaging of Lineage-specific Toll-like Receptor-mediated Signaling in Monocytes and Dendritic Cells from Small Samples of Human Blood

Se describe el uso de la tecnología IMAGESTREAM (<a href="http://www.amnis.com/" target="_blank"&gt; Www.amnis.com</a&gt;), Que combina la citometría de flujo cuantitativa simultánea con imágenes de alta resolución digital, para cuantificar los mecanismos celulares de las células inmunes primarias de cohortes de pacientes bien definidas. Nuestros estudios proporcionan un modelo para las investigaciones traslacionales para cuantificar las respuestas específicas de linaje celular en pequeñas muestras de cohortes de sujetos.

Imagen cuantitativa de linaje específico Toll-like receptor-mediada por la señalización en los monocitos y células dendríticas de pequeñas muestras de sangre humana

Individual variations in immune status determine responses to infection and contribute to disease severity and outcome.  Aging is associated with an ...

quantitative-imaging-lineage-specific-toll-like-receptor-mediated

Research

JoVE Journal

Immunology and Infection

35.0K vistas.  Yale University School of Medicine. Se describe el uso de la tecnología IMAGESTREAM ( Www.amnis.com), Que combina la citometría de flujo cuantitativa simultánea con imágenes de alta resolución digital, para cuantificar los mecanismos celulares de las células inmunes primarias de cohortes de pacientes bien definidas. Nuestros estudios proporcionan un modelo para las investigaciones traslacionales para cuantificar las respuestas específicas de l...

Video: Quantitative Imaging of Lineage-specific Toll-like Receptor-mediated Signaling in Monocytes and Dendritic Cells from Small Samples of Human Blood

Detection of  Neu1 Sialidase Activity in Regulating TOLL-like Receptor Activation

Mammalian Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of receptors that recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Not only are TLRs crucial sensors of microbial (e.g., viruses, bacteria and parasite) infections, they also play an important role in the pathophysiology of infectious diseases, inflammatory diseases, and possibly in autoimmune diseases. Thus, the intensity and duration of TLR responses against infectious diseases must be tightly controlled. It follows that understanding the structural integrity of sensor receptors, their ligand interactions and signaling components is essential for subsequent immunological protection. It would also provide important opportunities for disease modification through sensor manipulation. Although the signaling pathways of TLR sensors are well characterized, the parameters controlling interactions between the sensors and their ligands still remain poorly defined. We have recently identified a novel mechanism of TLR activation by its natural ligand, which has not been previously observed 1,2. It suggests that ligand-induced TLR activation is tightly controlled by Neu1 sialidase activation. We have also reported that Neu1 tightly regulates neurotrophin receptors like TrkA and TrkB 3, which involve Neu1 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) cross-talk in complex with the receptors 4. The sialidase assay has been initially use to find a novel ligand, thymoquinone, in the activation of Neu4 sialidase on the cell surface of macrophages, dendritic cells and fibroblast cells via GPCR G&alpha;i proteins and MMP-9 5. For TLR receptors, our data indicate that Neu1 sialidase is already in complex with TLR-2, -3 and -4 receptors, and is induced upon ligand binding to either receptor. Activated Neu1 sialidase hydrolyzes sialyl &alpha;-2,3-linked &beta;-galactosyl residues distant from ligand binding to remove steric hinderance to TLR-4 dimerization, MyD88/TLR4 complex recruitment, NFkB activation and pro-inflammatory cell responses. In a collaborative report, Neu1 sialidase has been shown to regulate phagocytosis in macrophage cells 6. Taken together, the sialidase assay has provided us with powerful insights to the molecular mechanisms of ligand-induced receptor activation. Although the precise relationship between Neu1 sialidase and the activation of TLR, Trk receptors has yet to be fully elucidated, it would represent a new or pioneering approach to cell regulation pathways.

The sialidase assay is a simple technical approach that will elucidate novel molecular mechanism(s) of TLR sensors of microbial infections and involvement in inflammatory diseases at the receptor level on the cell surface of live macrophages.

Detección de actividad sialidasa Neu1 en la regulación de Toll-like receptor de activación

Mammalian Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of receptors that recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Not only are TLRs crucial sensors of ...

Investigación

Inmunología e Infección

Isolation of Myeloid Dendritic Cells and Epithelial Cells from Human Thymus

In this protocol we provide a method to isolate dendritic cells (DC) and epithelial cells (TEC) from the human thymus. DC and TEC are the major antigen presenting cell (APC) types found in a normal thymus and it is well established that they play distinct roles during thymic selection. These cells are localized in distinct microenvironments in the thymus and each APC type makes up only a minor population of cells. To further understand the biology of these cell types, characterization of these cell populations is highly desirable but due to their low frequency, isolation of any of these cell types requires an efficient and reproducible procedure. This protocol details a method to obtain cells suitable for characterization of diverse cellular properties. Thymic tissue is mechanically disrupted and after different steps of enzymatic digestion, the resulting cell suspension is enriched using a Percoll density centrifugation step. For isolation of myeloid DC (CD11c+), cells from the low-density fraction (LDF) are immunoselected by magnetic cell sorting. Enrichment of TEC populations (mTEC, cTEC) is achieved by depletion of hematopoietic (CD45hi) cells from the low-density Percoll cell fraction allowing their subsequent isolation via fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) using specific cell markers. The isolated cells can be used for different downstream applications.

This protocol details a method to isolate antigen presenting cells from human thymus via different steps of enzymatic digestion of the tissue followed by density centrifugation of the single cell suspension and finally magnetic and/or FACS sorting of the cell populations of interest.

Aislamiento de células dendríticas mieloides y células epiteliales de timo humano

In this protocol we provide a method to isolate dendritic cells (DC) and epithelial cells (TEC) from the human thymus. DC and TEC are the major antigen ...

Generation of Human Alloantigen-specific T Cells from Peripheral Blood

The study of human T lymphocyte biology often involves examination of responses to activating ligands. T cells recognize and respond to processed peptide antigens presented by MHC (human ortholog HLA) molecules through the T cell receptor (TCR) in a highly sensitive and specific manner. While the primary function of T cells is to mediate protective immune responses to foreign antigens presented by self-MHC, T cells respond robustly to antigenic differences in allogeneic tissues. T cell responses to alloantigens can be described as either direct or indirect alloreactivity. In alloreactivity, the T cell responds through highly specific recognition of both the presented peptide and the MHC molecule. The robust oligoclonal response of T cells to allogeneic stimulation reflects the large number of potentially stimulatory alloantigens present in allogeneic tissues. While the breadth of alloreactive T cell responses is an important factor in initiating and mediating the pathology associated with biologically-relevant alloreactive responses such as graft versus host disease and allograft rejection, it can preclude analysis of T cell responses to allogeneic ligands. To this end, this protocol describes a method for generating alloreactive T cells from naive human peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) that respond to known peptide-MHC (pMHC) alloantigens. The protocol applies pMHC multimer labeling, magnetic bead enrichment and flow cytometry to single cell in vitro culture methods for the generation of alloantigen-specific T cell clones. This enables studies of the biochemistry and function of T cells responding to allogeneic stimulation.

This article describes a method for the generation and propagation of human T cell clones that specifically respond to a defined alloantigen. This protocol can be adapted for cloning human T cells specific for a variety of peptide-MHC ligands.

Generación de células T humanas aloantígeno-específicos de la sangre periférica

The study of human T lymphocyte biology often involves examination of responses to activating ligands. T cells recognize and respond to processed peptide ...

Isolation of Murine Peritoneal Macrophages to Carry Out Gene Expression Analysis Upon Toll-like Receptors Stimulation

During infection and inflammation, circulating monocytes leave the bloodstream and migrate into tissues, where they differentiate into macrophages. Macrophages express surface Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which recognize molecular patterns conserved through evolution in a wide range of microorganisms. TLRs play a central role in macrophage activation which is usually associated with gene expression alteration. Macrophages are critical in many diseases and have emerged as attractive targets for therapy. In the following protocol, we describe a procedure to isolate murine peritoneal macrophages using Brewer&#8217;s thioglycollate medium. The latter will boost monocyte migration into the peritoneum, accordingly this will raise macrophage yield by 10-fold. Several studies have been carried out using bone marrow, spleen or peritoneal derived macrophages. However, peritoneal macrophages were shown to be more mature upon isolation and are more stable in their functionality and phenotype. Thus, macrophages isolated from murine peritoneal cavity present an important cell population that can serve in different immunological and metabolic studies. Once isolated, macrophages were stimulated with different TLR ligands and consequently&#160;gene expression was evaluated.

We describe here a simple protocol to isolate murine peritoneal macrophages. This procedure is followed by RNA extraction to carry out gene expression analysis upon Toll-like receptors stimulation.

Aislamiento de macrófagos peritoneales murinos para llevar a cabo análisis de expresión génica Al Toll-like Receptores Estimulación

During infection and inflammation, circulating monocytes leave the bloodstream and migrate into tissues, where they differentiate into macrophages. ...

Generation of Human Monocyte-derived Dendritic Cells from Whole Blood

Dendritic cells (DCs) recognize foreign structures of different pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi, via a variety of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) expressed on their cell surface and thereby activate and regulate immunity. 
The major function of DCs is the induction of adaptive immunity in the lymph nodes by presenting antigens via MHC I and MHC II molecules to na&#239;ve T lymphocytes. Therefore, DCs have to migrate from the periphery to the lymph nodes after the recognition of pathogens at the sites of infection. For in vitro experiments or DC vaccination strategies, monocyte-derived DCs are routinely used. These cells show similarities in physiology, morphology, and function to conventional myeloid dendritic cells. They are generated by interleukin 4 (IL-4) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) stimulation of monocytes isolated from healthy donors. Here, we demonstrate how monocytes are isolated and stimulated from anti-coagulated human blood after peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) enrichment by density gradient centrifugation. Human monocytes are differentiated into immature DCs and are ready for experimental procedures in a non-clinical setting after 5 days of incubation.

Here, we demonstrate how monocytes are isolated by magnetic bead separation from peripheral blood mononuclear cells after density gradient centrifugation of human anti-coagulated blood. Following incubation for 5 days, human monocytes are differentiated into immature dendritic cells and are ready for experimental procedures in a non-clinical setting.

Generación de células dendríticas derivadas de monocitos humanos de sangre entera

Dendritic cells (DCs) recognize foreign structures of different pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi, via a variety of pattern recognition ...

Use of a Monocyte Monolayer Assay to Evaluate Fc&#947; Receptor-mediated Phagocytosis

Although originally developed for predicting transfusion outcomes of serologically incompatible blood, the monocyte monolayer assay (MMA) is a highly versatile in vitro assay that can be modified to examine different aspects of antibody and Fc&#947; receptor (Fc&#947;R)-mediated phagocytosis in both research and clinical settings. The assay utilizes adherent monocytes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from mammalian whole blood. MMA has been described for use in both human and murine investigations. These monocytes express Fc&#947;Rs (e.g., Fc&#947;RI, Fc&#947;RIIA, Fc&#947;RIIB, and Fc&#947;RIIIA) that are involved in immune responses. The MMA exploits the mechanism of Fc&#947;R-mediated interactions, phagocytosis in particular, where antibody-sensitized red blood cells (RBCs) adhere to and/or activate Fc&#947;Rs and are subsequently phagocytosed by the monocytes. In vivo, primarily tissue macrophages found in the spleen and liver carry out Fc&#947;R-mediated phagocytosis of antibody-opsonized RBCs, causing extravascular hemolysis. By evaluating the level of phagocytosis using the MMA, different aspects of the in vivo Fc&#947;R-mediated process can be investigated. Some applications of the MMA include predicting the clinical relevance of allo- or autoantibodies in a transfusion setting, assessing candidate drugs that promote or inhibit phagocytosis, and combining the assay with fluorescent microscopy or traditional Western immunoblotting to investigate the downstream signaling effects of Fc&#947;R-engaging drugs or antibodies. Some limitations include the laboriousness of this technique, which takes a full day from start to finish, and the requirement of research ethics approval in order to work with mammalian blood. However, with diligence and adequate training, the MMA results can be obtained within a 24-h turnover time.

Use of a Monocyte Monolayer Assay to Evaluate Fc&amp;#947; Receptor-mediated Phagocytosis

The monocyte monolayer assay (MMA) is an in vitro assay that utilizes isolated primary monocytes obtained from mammalian peripheral whole blood to evaluate Fc&#947; receptor (Fc&#947;R)-mediated phagocytosis.

El uso de una monocapa de monocitos Ensayo para evaluar la fagocitosis mediada por el receptor Fc gamma

Although originally developed for predicting transfusion outcomes of serologically incompatible blood, the monocyte monolayer assay (MMA) is a highly ...

Dextran Enhances the Lentiviral Transduction Efficiency of Murine and Human Primary NK Cells

The efficient transduction of specific genes into natural killer (NK) cells has been a major challenge. Successful transductions are critical to defining the role of the gene of interest in the development, differentiation, and function of NK cells. Recent advances related to chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) in cancer immunotherapy accentuate the need for an efficient method to deliver exogenous genes to effector lymphocytes. The efficiencies of lentiviral-mediated gene transductions into primary human or mouse NK cells remain significantly low, which is a major limiting factor. Recent advances using cationic polymers, such as polybrene, show an improved gene transduction efficiency in T cells. However, these products failed to improve the transduction efficiencies of NK cells. This work shows that dextran, a branched glucan polysaccharide, significantly improves the transduction efficiency of human and mouse primary NK cells. This highly reproducible transduction methodology provides a competent tool for transducing human primary NK cells, which can vastly improve clinical gene delivery applications and thus NK cell-based cancer immunotherapy.

The goal of this study was to formulate technologies that allow for successful gene transduction in primary natural killer (NK) cells. The dextran-mediated lentiviral transduction of human or mouse primary NK cells results in higher gene expression efficiencies. This method of gene transduction will vastly improve NK cell genetic manipulation.

Dextrano mejora la eficiencia de transducción lentivirales de las células NK primaria murinas y humanas

The efficient transduction of specific genes into natural killer (NK) cells has been a major challenge. Successful transductions are critical to defining ...

Live Imaging of Antifungal Activity by Human Primary Neutrophils and Monocytes in Response to A. fumigatus

Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic fungal pathogen causing invasive infections in immunocompromised hosts with a high case-fatality rate. Research investigating immunological responses against A. fumigatus has been limited by the lack of consistent and reliable assays for measuring the antifungal activity of specific immune cells in vitro. A new method is described to assess the antifungal activity of primary monocytes and neutrophils from human donors against A. fumigatus using FLuorescent Aspergillus REporter (FLARE) conidia. These conidia contain a genetically encoded dsRed reporter, which is constitutively expressed by live FLARE conidia, and are externally labeled with Alexa Fluor 633, which is resistant to degradation within the phagolysosome, thus allowing a distinction between live and dead A. fumigatus conidia. Video microscopy and flow cytometry are subsequently used to visualize the interaction between conidia and innate immune cells, assessing fungicidal activity whilst also providing a wealth of information on phagocyte migration, phagocytosis and the inhibition of fungal growth. This novel technique has already provided exciting new insights into the host-pathogen interaction of primary immune cells against A. fumigatus. It is important to note the laboratory setup required to perform this assay, including the necessary microscopy and flow cytometry facilities, and the capacity to work with human donor blood and genetically manipulated fungi. However, this assay is capable of generating large amounts of data and can reveal detailed insights into the antifungal response. This protocol has successfully been used to study the host-pathogen interaction of primary immune cells against A. fumigatus.
It is important to note the laboratory setup required to perform this assay, including the necessary microscopy and flow cytometry facilities, and the capacity to work with human donor blood and genetically manipulated fungi. However, this assay is capable of generating large amounts of data and can reveal detailed insights into the antifungal response. This protocol has successfully been used to study the host-pathogen interaction of primary immune cells against A. fumigatus.

Live Imaging of Antifungal Activity by Human Primary Neutrophils and Monocytes in Response to A. fumigatus

Here, we describe a protocol to assess antifungal activity of primary human immune cells in real-time using fluorescent Aspergillus reporter conidia in conjunction with live-cell video microscopy and flow cytometry. Generated data provide insight into host cell-Aspergillus interactions such as fungicidal activity, phagocytosis, cell migration and inhibition of fungal growth.

Imágenes en vivo de la actividad antifúngica por los neutrófilos humanos primarios y los monocitos en respuesta a las<em&gt; A. fumigatus</em

Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic fungal pathogen causing invasive infections in immunocompromised hosts with a high case-fatality rate. Research ...

Isolation of Dendritic Cells from the Human Female Reproductive Tract for Phenotypical and Functional Studies

The characterization of the human dendritic cells (DCs) resident in mucosal tissues is challenging due to the difficulty in obtaining samples, and the low numbers of DCs present per tissue. Yet, as the phenotype and function of DCs is modified by the tissue environment, it is necessary to analyze tissue resident DC populations, since blood derived DCs incompletely reflect the complexities of DCs in tissues. Here we present a protocol to isolate DCs from the human female reproductive tract (FRT) using hysterectomy specimens that allows both phenotypical and functional analyses. The protocol consists of tissue digestion to generate a single cell mixed cell suspension, followed by positive magnetic bead selection. Our tissue digestion protocol does not cleave surface markers, which allows phenotypical and functional analysis of DCs in the steady state, without overnight incubation or cell activation. This protocol can be adapted for the isolation of other immune cell types or isolation of DCs from other tissues.

We describe here a method to isolate and purify dendritic cells from different anatomical compartments in the human female reproductive tract for the evaluation of their phenotypical and functional characteristics. This method can be adapted to isolate other immune cells or dendritic cells from other mucosal tissues.

Aislamiento de las células dendríticas del tracto reproductivo femenino humano estudios fenotípica y funcional

The characterization of the human dendritic cells (DCs) resident in mucosal tissues is challenging due to the difficulty in obtaining samples, and the low ...

Development and Validation of an Ultrasensitive Single Molecule Array Digital Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay for Human Interferon-&#945;

The main aim of this protocol is to describe the development and validation of an interferon (IFN)-&#945; single molecule array digital Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) assay. This system enables the quantification of human IFN-&#945; protein with unprecedented sensitivity, and with no cross-reactivity for other species of IFN.
The first key step of the protocol is the choice of the antibody pair, followed by the conjugation of the capture antibody to paramagnetic beads, and biotinylation of the detection antibody. Following this step, different parameters such as assay configuration, detector antibody concentration, and buffer composition can be modified until optimum sensitivity is achieved. Finally, specificity and reproducibility of the method are assessed to ensure confidence in the results. Here, we developed an IFN-&#945; single molecule array assay with a limit of detection of 0.69 fg/mL using high-affinity autoantibodies isolated from patients with biallelic mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) protein causing autoimmune polyendocrinopathy syndrome type 1/autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APS1/APECED). Importantly, these antibodies enabled detection of all 13 IFN-&#945; subtypes.
This new methodology allows the detection and quantification of IFN-&#945; protein in human biological samples at attomolar concentrations for the first time. Such a tool will be highly useful in monitoring the levels of this cytokine in human health and disease states, most particularly infection, autoimmunity, and autoinflammation.

Development and Validation of an Ultrasensitive Single Molecule Array Digital Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay for Human Interferon-&amp;#945;

Here we present a protocol to describe the development and validation of a single molecule array digital ELISA assay, which enables the ultra-sensitive detection of all IFN-&#945; subtypes in human samples.

Desarrollo y validación de una sola molécula ultrasensible matriz Digital análisis de enzima-ligado del inmunosorbente para interferón-α humano

The main aim of this protocol is to describe the development and validation of an interferon (IFN)-&#945; single molecule array digital Enzyme-Linked ...