de Mesy Bentley, K. L. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2025

The Function of Efhd1+ Telocytes in the Synovial Lymphatic System and Inflammatory-Erosive Arthritis

Resting collecting lymphatic vessels (cLVs) sense edema in distal joints and initiate contractions via unknown mechanisms. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have lymphatic drainage deficiencies from affected joints, and defects in the synovial lymphatic system exacerbate inflammatory-erosive arthritis in animal models. To understand this, we generated Efhd1-CreERT2 and Myoc-CreERT2 mice for cell-specific genetic gain and loss of function studies. These mice were crossed with tdTomato reporter (Ai9) mice, and studies showed selective tamoxifen-induced transgene expression in CD31-/CD34+ telocyte-like cells in knee and ankle synovium, and in networks physically associated with mast cells proximal to popliteal lymphatic vessels (PLVs). Consistent with the known loss of CD31-/CD34+ telocyte in RA synovium, these cells were also decreased in TNF-tg knees and partially recovered by anti-TNF treatment. Ultrastructural and gene expression studies confirmed a distinct telocyte phenotype versus closely related fibroblasts. In vivo depletion studies in tamoxifen-treated Efhd1-CreERT2 and Myoc-CreERT2 mice crossed to diphtheria toxin alpha-floxed (DTAflox) mice demonstrated telocyte requirements for physiologic lymphatic drainage and resolution of joint inflammation and focal erosions from zymosan-induced arthritis in the knee. In vitro studies demonstrated increased sensitivity to osmotic shock and decreased motility versus fibroblasts, and telocyte potential to differentiate into myofibroblasts on stiff matrix. Collectively, these findings support a model of joint homeostasis in which osmotic pressure-sensing telocyte networks extend from the synovium into mast cells proximal to joint-draining cLVs, and telocyte loss is associated with defects in the synovial lymphatic system and increased susceptibility to joint inflammation and structural damage from arthritis. TeaserThis study discovered a unique cell type (telocytes) responsible for draining inflammation from arthritic joints.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Biphasic effects of IL-27 during Staphylococcus aureus implant-associated osteomyelitis in mice

Interleukin-27 is a pleiotropic cytokine whose reported functions during bacterial infections are debated as an area of active research. To address this, we investigated the role of IL-27 signaling during Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis. Clinically, we observed elevated serum IL-27 levels (20-fold higher, p<0.05) in patients with S. aureus osteomyelitis compared to uninfected patients undergoing elective total joint replacement. Remarkably, IL-27 serum levels immediately following septic death were 60-fold higher vs. uninfected patients (p<0.05), suggesting that IL-27 may be a biomarker of end-stage infection and/or cytokine storm. To test this, we hypothesized that IL-27 mediates bacterial clearance during the acute phase of S. aureus osteomyelitis, and subsequently suppresses inflammation to prevent cytokine storm and osteolysis during chronic infection. In mice, we observed that systemic IL-27 delivery by a recombinant adeno-associated viral vector (rAAV-IL-27) ameliorates surgical site soft tissue infection and peri-implant bone loss during the establishment of implant-associated S. aureus osteomyelitis. This effect was not observed in IL-27 receptor knock-out mice, suggesting a direct role of IL-27/IL-27R signaling on immune and bone cell functions. Examination of IL-27-mediated immune responses via transcriptome analyses of infected tibiae demonstrated that IL-27 is a biphasic cytokine with IL-27/IL-27R activating immunostimulatory responses including Th17, IL-2, TLR, and iNOS signaling early, and subsequently suppressing these pathways during chronic infection. Ex vivo confirmation using murine macrophages revealed that IL-27 co-stimulates TLR signaling to increase the production of nitric oxide, and immunomodulatory cytokines such as IL-10, IL-21, IL-31, and TNF-{beta}, but is not a chemokine. Author SummaryStaphylococcus aureus is the most common pathogen in orthopaedic infections, and hard-to-treat (MRSA) strains cause >50% of these infections. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop immunotherapies to treat these life-threatening S. aureus infections. Currently, the role of multifunctional IL-27 on S. aureus osteomyelitis is unknown. In a clinical study, we observed that IL-27 is an important biomarker for identifying S. aureus osteomyelitis patients, and that elevated serum IL-27 levels correlated with adverse clinical outcomes, such as septic death. In our efforts to uncover the underlying mechanisms, we reveal that IL-27 is a biphasic cytokine, activating proinflammatory immune pathways, including Th17 responses, early during acute S. aureus osteomyelitis, and subsequently repressing them during the chronic phase to prevent cytokine storm and bone damage. These results indicate that immune modulation of IL-27/IL-27R signaling could be a viable therapeutic strategy in mitigating S. aureus osteomyelitis.

immunology↗