CD1 presentation of self glycolipids and lipopeptides to T cells T cells that recognize autoantigens play a central role in psoriasis, thyroiditis, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and other human autoimmune diseases. For many years all autoantigens for T cells were thought to be peptides bound to MHC proteins. However, new evidence shows that cellular lipids activated T cells when bound to CD1 proteins expressed on Langerhans cells and other dendritic cells. Recent studies show that CD1 and lipid autoreactive T cells occur frequently in individuals, such that they can now be considered a normal part of human immune responses. In particular, CD1a activates T cells that make IL-22, a cytokine that contributes to psoriasis. Whereas nearly all prior study of T cell autoantigens have focused on peptides, these findings considerably broaden the spectrum of autoantigens to include a variety of cellular lipids. Discovery of CD1 autoreactive T cells opens up a new and general pathway for discovering autoantigens that contribute to autoimmune disease and the use of lipids to treat autoimmune diseases. Whereas mouse models provide important information about in vivo function, tissue antigens and CD1-mediated T cell responses differ between mouse and human systems. Therefore, this proposal uses human tissues from normal donors and autoimmune disease patients to isolate new antigens and new T cell types. Specifically, experiments will use mass spectrometry to broadly measure the mass and chemical properties of lipids bound to human CD1a, CD1b and CD1c proteins. From this large pool of candidate autoantigens, lipids that lead to the strongest T cell activation will be identifed using T cell clones and polyclonal T cells from patients. After isolating antigenic compounds from tissues by liquid chromatography, their molecular structures will be solved by mass spectrometry. CD1 proteins and antigens will be used to measure T cell responses in normal donors and patients to test new general hypotheses about the role of CD1 and interleukin-22 in skin and thyroid autoimmunity.

Public Health Relevance

CD1 presentation of self glycolipids and lipopeptides to T cells. The particular molecules that function as antigens for autoreactive T cells that contribute to psoriasis, thyroiditis, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases are poorly understood. Whereas current studies focus on peptide autoantigens for T cells, new research shows that human T frequently recognize lipids bound to CD1 proteins. New knowledge of the molecular structures of lipid auotantigens that contribute to autoimmunity could be used to develop diagnostic tests or intervene with immunological therapy in autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01AR048632-11
Application #
8293995
Study Section
Hypersensitivity, Autoimmune, and Immune-mediated Diseases Study Section (HAI)
Program Officer
Cibotti, Ricardo
Project Start
2002-09-20
Project End
2017-04-30
Budget Start
2012-05-01
Budget End
2013-04-30
Support Year
11
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$368,420
Indirect Cost
$143,420
Name
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Department
Type
DUNS #
030811269
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02115
Cotton, Rachel N; Shahine, Adam; Rossjohn, Jamie et al. (2018) Lipids hide or step aside for CD1-autoreactive T cell receptors. Curr Opin Immunol 52:93-99
Wun, Kwok S; Reijneveld, Josephine F; Cheng, Tan-Yun et al. (2018) T cell autoreactivity directed toward CD1c itself rather than toward carried self lipids. Nat Immunol 19:397-406
Shahine, Adam; Van Rhijn, Ildiko; Cheng, Tan-Yun et al. (2017) A molecular basis of human T cell receptor autoreactivity toward self-phospholipids. Sci Immunol 2:
Brennan, Patrick J; Cheng, Tan-Yun; Pellicci, Daniel G et al. (2017) Structural determination of lipid antigens captured at the CD1d-T-cell receptor interface. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 114:8348-8353
Moody, D Branch; Cotton, Rachel N (2017) Four pathways of CD1 antigen presentation to T cells. Curr Opin Immunol 46:127-133
Huang, Shouxiong; Moody, D Branch (2016) Donor-unrestricted T cells in the human CD1 system. Immunogenetics 68:577-96
Roy, Sobhan; Ly, Dalam; Castro, Caitlin D et al. (2016) Molecular Analysis of Lipid-Reactive V?1 ?? T Cells Identified by CD1c Tetramers. J Immunol 196:1933-42
Kasprowicz, Victoria O; Cheng, Tan-Yun; Ndung'u, Thumbi et al. (2016) HIV Disrupts Human T Cells That Target Mycobacterial Glycolipids. J Infect Dis 213:628-33
Van Rhijn, Ildiko; Moody, D Branch (2015) CD1 and mycobacterial lipids activate human T cells. Immunol Rev 264:138-53
Godfrey, Dale I; Uldrich, Adam P; McCluskey, James et al. (2015) The burgeoning family of unconventional T cells. Nat Immunol 16:1114-23

Showing the most recent 10 out of 54 publications