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Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) is a cell adhesion molecule that supports T cell activation, leukocyte migration, and (lymph)angiogenesis and has been shown to contribute to the pathology of various immune-mediated disorders, including asthma and corneal graft rejection. In contrast to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting ALCAM's T cell expressed binding partner CD6, no ALCAM-targeting mAbs have thus far entered clinical development. This is likely linked with the broad expression of ALCAM on many different cell types, which increases the risk of eliciting unwanted treatment-induced side effects upon systemic mAb application. Targeting ALCAM in surface-exposed tissues, such as the lungs or the cornea, by a topical application could circumvent this issue. Here, we report the development of various stability- and affinity-improved anti-ALCAM mAb fragments with cross-species reactivity towards mouse, rat, monkey, and human ALCAM. Fragments generated in either mono- or bivalent formats potently blocked ALCAM–CD6 interactions in a competition ELISA, but only bivalent fragments efficiently inhibited ALCAM–ALCAM interactions in a leukocyte transmigration assay. The different fragments displayed a clear size-dependence in their ability to penetrate the human corneal epithelium. Furthermore, intranasal delivery of anti-ALCAM fragments reduced leukocyte infiltration in a mouse model of asthma, confirming ALCAM as a target for topical application in the lungs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We previously identified the recombinant (r) macrophage (M) infectivity (I) potentiator (P) of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (Tc) (rTcMIP) as an immuno-stimulatory protein that induces the release of IFN-γ, CCL2 and CCL3 by human cord blood cells. These cytokines and chemokines are important to direct a type 1 adaptive immune response. rTcMIP also increased the Ab response and favored the production of the Th1-related isotype IgG2a in mouse models of neonatal vaccination, indicating that rTcMIP could be used as a vaccine adjuvant to enhance T and B cell responses. In the present study, we used cord and adult blood cells, and isolated NK cells and human monocytes to investigate the pathways and to decipher the mechanism of action of the recombinant rTcMIP. We found that rTcMIP engaged TLR1/2 and TLR4 independently of CD14 and activated the MyD88, but not the TRIF, pathway to induce IFN-γ production by IL-15-primed NK cells, and TNF-α secretion by monocytes and myeloid dendritic cells. Our results also indicated that TNF-α boosted IFN-γ expression. Though cord blood cells displayed lower responses than adult cells, our results allow to consider rTcMIP as a potential pro-type 1 adjuvant that might be associated to vaccines administered in early life or later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) blockade is an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other inflammatory diseases, but in patients, it is associated with reduced resistance to the infectious agents Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Listeria monocytogenes, among others. Our goal was to model infection and arthritis in mice and to compare etanercept, a currently used anti-TNF-α inhibitor, to an anti-TNF-α vaccine. We developed a murine surrogate of the TNF-α kinoid and produced an anti-murine TNF-α vaccine (TNFKi) composed of keyhole limpet hemocyanin conjugated to TNF-α, which resulted in anti-TNF-α antibody production in mice. We also used etanercept (a soluble receptor of TNF commonly used to treat RA) as a control of TNF neutralization. In a mouse model of collagen-induced arthritis, TNFKi protected against inflammation similar to etanercept. In a mouse model of acute L. monocytogenes infection, all TNFKi-treated mice showed cleared bacterial infection and survived, whereas etanercept- treated mice showed large liver granulomas and quickly died. Moreover, TNFKi mice infected with the virulent H37Rv M. tuberculosis showed resistance to infection, in contrast with etanercept-treated mice or controls. Depending on the TNF-α blockade strategy, treating arthritis with a TNF-α inhibitor could result in a different profile of infection suceptibility. Our TNFKi vaccine allowed for a better remaining host defense than did etanercept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IL-36 cytokines are members of the IL-1 family of cytokines that stimulate dendritic cells and T cells leading to enhanced T helper 1 responses in vitro and in vivo; however, their role in host defense has not been fully addressed thus far. The objective of this study was to examine the role of IL-36R signaling in the control of mycobacterial infection, using models of systemic attenuated M. bovis BCG infection and virulent aerogenic M. tuberculosis infection. IL-36γ expression was increased in the lung of M. bovis BCG infected mice. However, IL-36R deficient mice infected with M. bovis BCG showed similar survival and control of the infection as compared to wild-type mice, although their lung pathology and CXCL1 response were transiently different. While highly susceptible TNF-α deficient mice succumbed with overwhelming M. tuberculosis infection, and IL-1RI deficient mice showed intermediate susceptibility, IL-36R-deficient mice controlled the infection, with bacterial burden, lung inflammation and pathology, similar to wild-type controls. Therefore, IL-36R signaling has only limited influence in the control of mycobacterial infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibodies targeting IL-17A or its receptor IL-17RA show unprecedented efficacy in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis. These therapies, by neutralizing critical mediators of immunity, may increase susceptibility to infections. Here, we compared the effect of antibodies neutralizing IL-17A, IL-17F or TNFα on murine host responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection by evaluating lung transcriptomic, microbiological and histological analyses. Coinciding with a significant increase of mycobacterial burden and pathological changes following TNFα blockade, gene array analyses of infected lungs revealed major changes of inflammatory and immune gene expression signatures 4 weeks post-infection. Specifically, gene expression associated with host-pathogen interactions, macrophage recruitment, activation and polarization, host-antimycobacterial activities, immunomodulatory responses, as well as extracellular matrix metallopeptidases, were markedly modulated by TNFα blockade. IL-17A or IL-17F neutralization elicited only mild changes of few genes without impaired host resistance four weeks after M. tuberculosis infection. Further, the absence of both IL-17RA and IL-22 pathways in genetically deficient mice did not profoundly compromise host control of M. tuberculosis over a 6-months period, ruling out potential compensation between these two pathways, while TNFα-deficient mice succumbed rapidly. These data provide experimental confirmation of the low clinical risk of mycobacterial infection under anti-IL-17A therapy, in contrast to anti-TNFα treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]