Natural killer (NK) cells are effector lymphocytes of the innate immune system that control several types of tumors and microbial infections by limiting their spread and subsequent tissue damage. Recent research highlights the fact that NK cells are also regulatory cells engaged in reciprocal interactions with dendritic cells, macrophages, T cells and endothelial cells. NK cells can thus limit or exacerbate immune responses. Although NK cells might appear to be redundant in several conditions of immune challenge in humans, NK cell manipulation seems to hold promise in efforts to improve hematopoietic and solid organ transplantation, promote antitumor immunotherapy and control inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.

Functions of natural killer cells

More than any other cytokine family, the interleukin (IL)-1 family is closely linked to the innate immune response. This linkage became evident upon the discovery that the cytoplasmic domain of the IL-1 receptor type I is highly homologous to the cytoplasmic domains of all Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Thus, fundamental inflammatory responses such as the induction of cyclooxygenase type 2, increased expression of adhesion molecules, or synthesis of nitric oxide are indistinguishable responses of both IL-1 and TLR ligands. Both families nonspecifically affect antigen recognition and lymphocyte function. IL-1β is the most studied member of the IL-1 family because of its role in mediating autoinflammatory diseases. Although the TLR and IL-1 families evolved to assist in host defense against infection, unlike the TLR family, the IL-1 family also includes members that suppress inflammation, both specifically within the IL-1 family but also nonspecifically for TLR ligands and the innate immune response.

Immunological and Inflammatory Functions of the Interleukin-1 Family

Publisher Summary Studies of cytotoxicity by human lymphocytes revealed not only that both allogeneic and syngeneic tumor cells were lysed in a non-MHC-restricted fashion, but also that lymphocytes from normal donors were often cytotoxic. Lymphocytes from any healthy donor, as well as peripheral blood and spleen lymphocytes from several experimental animals, in the absence of known or deliberate sensitization, were found to be spontaneously cytotoxic in vitro for some normal fresh cells, most cultured cell lines, immature hematopoietic cells, and tumor cells. This type of nonadaptive, non-MHC-restricted cellmediated cytotoxicity was defined as “natural” cytotoxicity, and the effector cells mediating natural cytotoxicity were functionally defined as natural killer (NK) cells. The existence of NK cells has prompted a reinterpretation of both the studies of specific cytotoxicity against spontaneous human tumors and the theory of immune surveillance, at least in its most restrictive interpretation. Unlike cytotoxic T cells, NK cells cannot be demonstrated to have clonally distributed specificity, restriction for MHC products at the target cell surface, or immunological memory. NK cells cannot yet be formally assigned to a single lineage based on the definitive identification of a stem cell, a distinct anatomical location of maturation, or unique genotypic rearrangements.

Biology of natural killer cells.

Interleukin-1 and interleukin-1 antagonism.

The events leading to the inflammation and tissue damage associated with Alzheimer's disease are unclear. Golenbock and colleagues now show that amyloid-β activates the NALP3 inflammasome, which triggers the release of proinflammatory and neurotoxic factors. The fibrillar peptide amyloid-β (Aβ) has a chief function in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Interleukin 1β (IL-1β) is a key cytokine in the inflammatory response to Aβ. Insoluble materials such as crystals activate the inflammasome formed by the cytoplasmic receptor NALP3, which results in the release of IL-1β. Here we identify the NALP3 inflammasome as a sensor of Aβ in a process involving the phagocytosis of Aβ and subsequent lysosomal damage and release of cathepsin B. Furthermore, the IL-1β pathway was essential for the microglial synthesis of proinflammatory and neurotoxic factors, and the inflammasome, caspase-1 and IL-1β were critical for the recruitment of microglia to exogenous Aβ in the brain. Our findings suggest that activation of the NALP3 inflammasome is important for inflammation and tissue damage in Alzheimer's disease.

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The NALP3 inflammasome is involved in the innate immune response to amyloid-beta.

Multimer Formation and Ligand Recognition by the Long Pentraxin PTX3 SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES WITH THE SHORT PENTRAXINS C-REACTIVE PROTEIN AND SERUM AMYLOID P COMPONENT

Highly purified populations of lymphocytes were obtained from the murine intestinal mucosa using EDTA-collagenase isolation procedures in combination with discontinuous density centrifugation. Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) were separated from lamina propria lymphocytes (LPL) and, within these two populations, fractions enriched or depleted in gut granular lymphocytes (gGL) were obtained. Using these cells in cytotoxic assays, it was shown that both IEL and LPL possess natural killer (NK) activity, and this was associated with gGL. The major effector cells of gut NK activity appeared to be Thy-1.2+, Lyt-1.1-, and Lyt-2.1-. The susceptibility of gut NK cells to anti-Thy-1.2 plus complement (C) was significantly higher than that of splenic NK cells. In contrast, anti-asialo GM1 and anti-NK-1.2 plus C only slightly affected the gut NK activity. Thus, the phenotype of the gut NK cells appears to be different from the splenic one and provides further evidence for NK heterogeneity and establishes the compartmentalization of one NK subpopulation. Beige mice, deficient in splenic NK activity, also had very low gut NK activity. W/Wv mice, which lack mast cell precursors, had normal numbers of gGL and diminished, but still present, gut and splenic NK activity. This deficiency did not segregate with the genes responsible for the basic hemopoietic stem cell defect, and these results argue against a close ontogenetic relationship between IEL, gGL, and intestinal mucosal mast cells. The relevance of these observations to the cell lineage of the effector cell of gut NK activity is discussed.

https://rupress.org/jem/article-pdf/155/6/1785/1092634/1785.pdf

Characteristics of natural killer cells in the murine intestinal epithelium and lamina propria.

The interleukin-1 receptor family.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is currently the most alarming issue for human health. AMR already causes 700,000 deaths/year. It is estimated that 10 million deaths due to AMR will occur every year after 2050. This equals the number of people dying of cancer every year in present times. International institutions such as G20, World Bank, World Health Organization (WHO), UN General Assembly, European Union, and the UK and USA governments are calling for new antibiotics. To underline this emergency, a list of antibiotic-resistant "priority pathogens" has been published by WHO. It contains 12 families of bacteria that represent the greatest danger for human health. Resistance to multiple antibiotics is particularly relevant for the Gram-negative bacteria present in the list. The ability of these bacteria to develop mechanisms to resist treatment could be transmitted with genetic material, allowing other bacteria to become drug resistant. Although the search for new antimicrobial drugs remains a top priority, the pipeline for new antibiotics is not promising, and alternative solutions are needed. A possible answer to AMR is vaccination. In fact, while antibiotic resistance emerges rapidly, vaccines can lead to a much longer lasting control of infections. New technologies, such as the high-throughput cloning of human B cells from convalescent or vaccinated people, allow for finding new protective antigens (Ags) that could not be identified with conventional technologies. Antibodies produced by convalescent B cell clones can be screened for their ability to bind, block, and kill bacteria, using novel high-throughput microscopy platforms that rapidly capture digital images, or by conventional technologies such as bactericidal, opsono-phagocytosis and FACS assays. Selected antibodies expressed by recombinant DNA techniques can be used for passive immunization in animal models and tested for protection. Antibodies providing the best protection can be employed to identify new Ags and then used for generating highly specific recombinant Fab fragments. Co-crystallization of Ags bound to Fab fragments will allow us to determine the structure and characteristics of new Ags. This structure-based Ag design will bring to a new generation of vaccines able to target previously elusive infections, thereby offering an effective solution to the problem of AMR.

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Changing Priorities in Vaccinology: Antibiotic Resistance Moving to the Top.

Normal peritoneal M phi of C3H/HeN mice were able to suppress lymphocyte proliferation in a dose-dependent fashion when added to Con A-pulsed spleen cell cultures. However, M phi-suppressive activity could be partially or completely reduced by in vitro pre-exposure to nonimmune IFN-alpha or immune recombinant IFN-gamma. For both IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma, reduction of M phi suppression was marginal at 10(1) U/ml and became highly significant at 10(2) to 10(3)/ml. The ability of IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma to modulate M phi suppression appears to be related to distinct mechanisms. In fact, impairment of M phi suppression by IFN-alpha occurred in parallel to the decrease of M phi capacity to produce PGE2 and the oxygen intermediate O2-, two molecules responsible for M phi-suppressive activity. In contrast, M phi exposed to IFN-gamma showed only impairment of PGE2 production, whereas O2- release was not significantly affected. Furthermore, at variance with IFN-alpha, IFN-gamma directly stimulated M phi to synthesize and release IL 1, a monokine known to promote lymphocyte proliferation.

Aldo Tagliabue

Papers

Multimer Formation and Ligand Recognition by the Long Pentraxin PTX3 SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES WITH THE SHORT PENTRAXINS C-REACTIVE PROTEIN AND SERUM AMYLOID P COMPONENT

Characteristics of natural killer cells in the murine intestinal epithelium and lamina propria.

The interleukin-1 receptor family.

Changing Priorities in Vaccinology: Antibiotic Resistance Moving to the Top.

Interferon-gamma reduces macrophage-suppressive activity by inhibiting prostaglandin E2 release and inducing interleukin 1 production.