Altered chromatin landscape in circulating T follicular helper and regulatory cells following grass pollen subcutaneous and sublingual immunotherapy
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Published version
Author(s)
Sharif, Hanisah
Acharya, Swati
Dhondalay, Gopal Krishna R
Varricchi, Gilda
Krasner-Macleod, Shoshanna
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is a disease-modifying treatment that induces long-term T cell tolerance. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of circulating CXCR5+PD-1+T follicular helper (cTFH) and T follicular regulatory (TFR) cells following grass pollen subcutaneous (SCIT) and sublingual (SLIT) immunotherapy and the accompanying changes in their chromatin landscape. METHODS: Phenotype and function of cTFH cells were initially evaluated in grass pollen-allergics (GPA, n= 28) and non-atopic controls (NAC, n=13) by mathematical algorithms developed to manage high-dimensional data and cell culture, respectively. cTFH and TFR cells were further enumerated in NAC (n=12), GPA (n=14), SCIT (n=10) and SLIT (n=8)-treated groups. Chromatin accessibility in cTFH and TFR cells was assessed by ATAC-seq to investigate epigenetic mechanisms underlying the differences between NAC, GPA, SCIT and SLIT. RESULTS: cTFH cells were shown to be distinct from TH2 and TH2A cell subsets, capable of secreting IL-4 and IL-21. Both cytokines synergistically promoted B cell class switching to IgE and plasma cell differentiation. Grass pollen allergen induced cTFH cell proliferation in GPA but not in NAC (P<.05). cTFH cells were higher in GPA compared to NAC and were lower in SCIT and SLIT (P<.01). Time-dependent induction of IL-4, IL-21 and IL-6 were observed in nasal mucosa following intranasal allergen challenge in GPA but not in SCIT and SLIT groups. TFR and IL-10+ cTFH cells were induced in SCIT and SLIT (all, P<.01). ATAC-seq analyses revealed differentially accessible chromatin regions in all groups. CONCLUSION: For the first time, we showed dysregulation of cTFH cells in GPA compared to NAC, SCIT and SLIT and induction of TFR and IL-10+ cTFH cells following SCIT and SLIT. Changes in the chromatin landscape were observed following AIT in cTFH and TFR cells.
Date Issued
2021-02-01
Date Acceptance
2020-10-28
Citation
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2021, 147 (2), pp.663-676
ISSN
0091-6749
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
663
End Page
676
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume
147
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. This pre-proof version is available open access under a CC-BY-NC-ND License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33160969
PII: S0091-6749(20)31561-X
Subjects
ATAC-seq
Allergy
T follicular helper cells
T follicular regulatory cells
allergen-specific immunotherapy
chromatin accessibility
seasonal allergic rhinitis
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
United States
Date Publish Online
2020-11-06