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Källenius, G.

Publications and source records attributed to Källenius, G..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Antibody-Fab and -Fc features promote Mycobacterium tuberculosis restriction.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), is a leading cause of death by an infectious disease globally, with no efficacious vaccine. Antibodies are implicated in Mtb control, but the mechanisms of antibody action remain poorly understood. We assembled a library of TB monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and screened for the ability to restrict Mtb in mice, identifying protective antibodies targeting known and novel antigens. To dissect the mechanism of mAb-mediated Mtb restriction, we optimized a protective lipoarabinomannan-specific mAb through Fc-swapping. In vivo analysis of these Fc-variants revealed a critical role for Fc-effector function in Mtb restriction. Restrictive Fc-variants altered distribution of Mtb across innate immune cells. Single-cell transcriptomics highlighted distinctly activated molecular circuitry within innate immune cell subpopulations, highlighting early activation of neutrophils as a key signature of mAb-mediated Mtb restriction. Therefore, improved antibody-mediated restriction of Mtb is associated with reorganization of the tissue-level immune response to infection and depends on the collaboration of antibody Fab and Fc.

immunology↗

IMMUNOPHENOTYPING AND FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF NK CELL SUBSETS IN Mycobacterium tuberculosis-INFECTED INDIVIDUALS

Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains a global health challenge, with diverse clinical outcomes ranging from latent TB (LTB) infection to active TB disease (ATB). We conducted a comprehensive analysis of NK cell subsets and function in individuals with LTB, ATB, and healthy controls to elucidate their potential association with TB pathogenesis. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from Mtb-infected individuals and analyzed by mass cytometry and flow cytometry. We identified distinct NK cell subsets and evaluated their functional responses to stimulation. Our findings revealed comparable frequencies of total and NK cell subsets across LTB, ATB, and controls. Functional assays demonstrated similar degranulation, cytokine production, and proliferation capabilities among NK cell subsets across the three groups. This study provides insights into the heterogeneity of NK cell responses in TB and highlights the need for standardized methodologies with well-characterized cohorts controlling for donor background. Further investigations are warranted to delineate the specific roles of NK cells in TB immunity and pathogenesis.

immunology↗

Stimulation with mycobacterial glycolipids and PPD reveals different innate immune response profiles in active and latent TB

Upon infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) the host immune response might clear the bacteria, control its growth leading to latent tuberculosis (LTB), or fail to control its growth resulting in active TB (ATB). There is however no clear understanding of the features underlying a more or less effective response. Mtb glycolipids are abundant in the bacterial cell envelope and modulate the immune response to Mtb, but the patterns of response to glycolipids are still underexplored. To identify the CD45+ leukocyte activation landscape induced by Mtb glycolipids in peripheral blood of ATB and LTB, we performed a detailed assessment of the immune response of PBMCs to the Mtb glycolipids lipoarabinomannan (LAM) and its biosynthetic precursor phosphatidyl-inositol mannoside (PIM), and PPD. At 24 h and 5 days of stimulation, cell profiling and secretome analysis was done using mass cytometry and high-multiplex immunoassay. PIM mainly affected antigen-presenting cells to produce both proinflammatory (IL-2, IL-6, IL-17A, TNF- and GM-CSF), and IL-4 and IL-10 cytokines, but not IFN-{gamma}. LAM triggered a similar, albeit weaker, response. By contrast, PPD induced an increase in IFN-{gamma}-producing cells. Moreover, PPD also led to increased numbers of IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, TNF- and GrzB-producing cells. Treatment with an anti-TLR2 antibody led to partial inhibition of PIM-induced IL-6 production in myeloid cells, suggesting that PIM induces IL-6 production through TLR2. Expansion of monocyte subsets in response to PIM or LAM was reduced in both ATB and LTB as compared to healthy controls, suggesting a hyporesponsive/tolerance pattern in Mtb-infected individuals.

immunology↗