IFNγ, and to a Lesser Extent TNFα, Provokes a Sustained Endothelial Costimulatory Phenotype

BackgroundVascular endothelial cells (EC) are critical for regulation of local immune responses, through coordination of leukocyte recruitment from the blood and egress into the tissue. Growing evidence supports an additional role for endothelium in activation and costimulation of adaptive immune ce...

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Main Author: Nicole M. Valenzuela
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Immunology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.648946/full
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author Nicole M. Valenzuela
author_facet Nicole M. Valenzuela
author_sort Nicole M. Valenzuela
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundVascular endothelial cells (EC) are critical for regulation of local immune responses, through coordination of leukocyte recruitment from the blood and egress into the tissue. Growing evidence supports an additional role for endothelium in activation and costimulation of adaptive immune cells. However, this function remains somewhat controversial, and the full repertoire and durability of an enhanced endothelial costimulatory phenotype has not been wholly defined.MethodsHuman endothelium was stimulated with continuous TNFα or IFNγ for 1-48hr; or primed with TNFα or IFNγ for only 3hr, before withdrawal of stimulus for up to 45hr. Gene expression of cytokines, costimulatory molecules and antigen presentation molecules was measured by Nanostring, and publicly available datasets of EC stimulation with TNFα or IFNγ were leveraged to further corroborate the results. Cell surface protein expression was detected by flow cytometry, and secretion of cytokines was assessed by Luminex and ELISA. Key findings were confirmed in primary human endothelial cells from 4-6 different vascular beds.ResultsTNFα triggered mostly positive immune checkpoint molecule expression on endothelium, including CD40, 4-1BB, and ICOSLG but in the context of only HLA class I and immunoproteasome subunits. IFNγ promoted a more tolerogenic phenotype of high PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression with both HLA class I and class II molecules and antigen processing genes. Both cytokines elicited secretion of IL-15 and BAFF/BLyS, with TNFα stimulated EC additionally producing IL-6, TL1A and IL-1β. Moreover, endothelium primed for a short period (3hr) with TNFα mostly failed to alter the costimulatory phenotype 24-48hr later, with only somewhat augmented expression of HLA class I. In contrast, brief exposure to IFNγ was sufficient to cause late expression of antigen presentation, cytokines and costimulatory molecules. In particular HLA class I, PD-1 ligand and cytokine expression was markedly high on endothelium two days after IFNγ was last present.ConclusionsEndothelia from multiple vascular beds possess a wide range of other immune checkpoint molecules and cytokines that can shape the adaptive immune response. Our results further demonstrate that IFNγ elicits prolonged signaling that persists days after initiation and is sufficient to trigger substantial gene expression changes and immune phenotype in vascular endothelium.
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spelling doaj.art-9cae7464c549411499dc51d156d7df342022-12-21T20:20:20ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242021-04-011210.3389/fimmu.2021.648946648946IFNγ, and to a Lesser Extent TNFα, Provokes a Sustained Endothelial Costimulatory PhenotypeNicole M. ValenzuelaBackgroundVascular endothelial cells (EC) are critical for regulation of local immune responses, through coordination of leukocyte recruitment from the blood and egress into the tissue. Growing evidence supports an additional role for endothelium in activation and costimulation of adaptive immune cells. However, this function remains somewhat controversial, and the full repertoire and durability of an enhanced endothelial costimulatory phenotype has not been wholly defined.MethodsHuman endothelium was stimulated with continuous TNFα or IFNγ for 1-48hr; or primed with TNFα or IFNγ for only 3hr, before withdrawal of stimulus for up to 45hr. Gene expression of cytokines, costimulatory molecules and antigen presentation molecules was measured by Nanostring, and publicly available datasets of EC stimulation with TNFα or IFNγ were leveraged to further corroborate the results. Cell surface protein expression was detected by flow cytometry, and secretion of cytokines was assessed by Luminex and ELISA. Key findings were confirmed in primary human endothelial cells from 4-6 different vascular beds.ResultsTNFα triggered mostly positive immune checkpoint molecule expression on endothelium, including CD40, 4-1BB, and ICOSLG but in the context of only HLA class I and immunoproteasome subunits. IFNγ promoted a more tolerogenic phenotype of high PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression with both HLA class I and class II molecules and antigen processing genes. Both cytokines elicited secretion of IL-15 and BAFF/BLyS, with TNFα stimulated EC additionally producing IL-6, TL1A and IL-1β. Moreover, endothelium primed for a short period (3hr) with TNFα mostly failed to alter the costimulatory phenotype 24-48hr later, with only somewhat augmented expression of HLA class I. In contrast, brief exposure to IFNγ was sufficient to cause late expression of antigen presentation, cytokines and costimulatory molecules. In particular HLA class I, PD-1 ligand and cytokine expression was markedly high on endothelium two days after IFNγ was last present.ConclusionsEndothelia from multiple vascular beds possess a wide range of other immune checkpoint molecules and cytokines that can shape the adaptive immune response. Our results further demonstrate that IFNγ elicits prolonged signaling that persists days after initiation and is sufficient to trigger substantial gene expression changes and immune phenotype in vascular endothelium.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.648946/fullendothelial cell (EC)costimulatoryallogeneicantigen presentationvascular
spellingShingle Nicole M. Valenzuela
IFNγ, and to a Lesser Extent TNFα, Provokes a Sustained Endothelial Costimulatory Phenotype
Frontiers in Immunology
endothelial cell (EC)
costimulatory
allogeneic
antigen presentation
vascular
title IFNγ, and to a Lesser Extent TNFα, Provokes a Sustained Endothelial Costimulatory Phenotype
title_full IFNγ, and to a Lesser Extent TNFα, Provokes a Sustained Endothelial Costimulatory Phenotype
title_fullStr IFNγ, and to a Lesser Extent TNFα, Provokes a Sustained Endothelial Costimulatory Phenotype
title_full_unstemmed IFNγ, and to a Lesser Extent TNFα, Provokes a Sustained Endothelial Costimulatory Phenotype
title_short IFNγ, and to a Lesser Extent TNFα, Provokes a Sustained Endothelial Costimulatory Phenotype
title_sort ifnγ and to a lesser extent tnfα provokes a sustained endothelial costimulatory phenotype
topic endothelial cell (EC)
costimulatory
allogeneic
antigen presentation
vascular
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.648946/full
work_keys_str_mv AT nicolemvalenzuela ifngandtoalesserextenttnfaprovokesasustainedendothelialcostimulatoryphenotype