In this thesis the aim was to study immune cell interactions at the maternal-fetal interface to understand the role for immune cells during healthy pregnancy development an pregnancy complications.... Show moreIn this thesis the aim was to study immune cell interactions at the maternal-fetal interface to understand the role for immune cells during healthy pregnancy development an pregnancy complications. Specifically in cases of recurrent pregnancy loss and chronic histiocytic intervillositis. Show less
Botafogo, V.; Perez-Andres, M.; Jara-Acevedo, M.; Barcena, P.; Grigore, G.; Hernandez-Delgado, A.; ... ; EuroFlow PERISCOPE Consortia 2020
CD4+ T cells comprise multiple functionally distinct cell populations that play a key role in immunity. Despite blood monitoring of CD4+ T-cell subsets is of potential clinical utility, no... Show moreCD4+ T cells comprise multiple functionally distinct cell populations that play a key role in immunity. Despite blood monitoring of CD4+ T-cell subsets is of potential clinical utility, no standardized and validated approaches have been proposed so far. The aim of this study was to design and validate a single 14-color antibody combination for sensitive and reproducible flow cytometry monitoring of CD4+ T-cell populations in human blood to establish normal age-related reference values and evaluate the presence of potentially altered profiles in three distinct disease models-monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL), systemic mastocytosis (SM), and common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). Overall, 145 blood samples from healthy donors were used to design and validate a 14-color antibody combination based on extensive reagent testing in multiple cycles of design-testing-evaluation-redesign, combined with in vitro functional studies, gene expression profiling, and multicentric evaluation of manual vs. automated gating. Fifteen cord blood and 98 blood samples from healthy donors (aged 0-89 years) were used to establish reference values, and another 25 blood samples were evaluated for detecting potentially altered CD4 T-cell subset profiles in MBL (n = 8), SM (n = 7), and CVID (n = 10). The 14-color tube can identify >= 89 different CD4+ T-cell populations in blood, as validated with high multicenter reproducibility, particularly when software-guided automated (vs. manual expert-based) gating was used. Furthermore, age-related reference values were established, which reflect different kinetics for distinct subsets: progressive increase of naive T cells, T-helper (Th)1, Th17, follicular helper T (TFH) cells, and regulatory T cells (Tregs) from birth until 2 years, followed by a decrease of naive T cells, Th2, and Tregs in older children and a subsequent increase in multiple Th-cell subsets toward late adulthood. Altered and unique CD4+ T-cell subset profiles were detected in two of the three disease models evaluated (SM and CVID). In summary, the EuroFlow immune monitoring TCD4 tube allows fast, automated, and reproducible identification of >= 89 subsets of CD4+ blood T cells, with different kinetics throughout life. These results set the basis for in-depth T-cell monitoring in different disease and therapeutic conditions. Show less
Globally more than 200,000 people develop leprosy every year and 2-3 million people live with leprosy associated disabilities. Despite the availability of multi drug therapy, leprosy has continued... Show moreGlobally more than 200,000 people develop leprosy every year and 2-3 million people live with leprosy associated disabilities. Despite the availability of multi drug therapy, leprosy has continued affecting many individuals, including children because of the uninterrupted transmission in the population. Untreated multi bacillary cases as well as non-symptomatic M. leprae infected individuals in the population are believed to be the major sources of M. leprae infection and transmission. Leprosy reactions are also the major causes of disabilities. However, no tools are available to predict their occurrence. This thesis focuses on in vitro assessment of recombinant M. leprae proteins and synthetic peptides for their immunogenicity and specificity in populations with different genetic backgrounds by measuring cell mediated immunity and this has shown the presence of potential antigens. Further in depth analysis of the host immune responses against these unique antigens in leprosy patients, their household contacts and healthy endemic controls has led to identification of potential biomarkers with an immense importance in development of diagnostic tools for detection of M. leprae infection and early diagnosis of leprosy reactions. Currently, field friendly tests for early detection are developed at the LUMC using identified M. leprae antigens and host biomarkers with diagnostic potential. Show less
Santegoets, S.J.A.M.; Dijkgraaf, E.M.; Battaglia, A.; Beckhove, P.; Britten, C.M.; Gallimore, A.; ... ; Burg, S.H. van der 2015
This thesis provides novel insights into the role of IL-17 and Th17 cells in cervical cancer. While IL-17 was shown to be predominantly produced by innate myeloid cells such as neutrophils and... Show moreThis thesis provides novel insights into the role of IL-17 and Th17 cells in cervical cancer. While IL-17 was shown to be predominantly produced by innate myeloid cells such as neutrophils and correlated with poor survival, Th17 cells were generally a small cell population correlated with improved survival. Since IL-6 and IL-23 were also found to be strongly correlated with poor survival, we hypothesize that these cytokines may induce IL-17 production by myeloid cells. Th17 cells may counteract this pro-inflammatory response characterized by IL-6 and IL-17. The IL-6/IL-17 response was correlated with the absence of vaso-invasion. The immune responses described are tissue and context dependent, as indicated by the predominant correlation between Tregs and improved survival in cervical adenocarcinoma. In addition to innate and T lymphocytes responses, B lymphocytes may also play an important role in cervical cancer. Few studies have investigated this cell type. We found that B cells expressing TCL1A are strongly correlated with improved survival in squamous cervical cancer. These novel data will, together with the proposed future studies, provide a better understanding of the immune response in cervical cancer. This will advance our knowledge in cancer evolution, diagnostics, prognostics and therapeutics. Show less
In the last few decades, childhood allergy has alarmingly increased to epidemic levels in industrialized countries. Conversely, chronic helminth infections, which are highly prevalent in developing... Show moreIn the last few decades, childhood allergy has alarmingly increased to epidemic levels in industrialized countries. Conversely, chronic helminth infections, which are highly prevalent in developing countries, are negatively associated with allergic disorders. The work in this thesis revealed that, using B-cell IL-10-deficient mice, Schistosoma mansoni-mediated protection against experimental ovalbumin-induced allergic airway inflammation (AAI) was specifically dependent on splenic IL-10-producing CD1dhi regulatory B (Breg) cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that another B cell subset, located in the lungs, provided protection against AAI, by showing a reduced capacity to initiate Th2 cytokine responses. Markedly, we found a similarly elevated population of IL-10-producing CD1dhi B cells in peripheral blood of Schistosoma haematobium-infected Gabonese children compared to uninfected children. We observed that schistosome-induced Breg cells reduced effector T-cell cytokines and induced more Treg cells. What is interesting in this aspect, is that we found that the Breg cell compartment of patients with allergic asthma is impairment in number and activity. Therefore, the identification of the mechanisms that underlying Breg cell induction by helminths, and the identification the helminth-derived molecules involved, may open novel avenues for the treatment of allergic disease disorders by driving potent Breg cells Show less
Esch, E.M.G. van; Welters, M.J.P.; Jordanova, E.S.; Trimbos, J.B.M.Z.; Burg, S.H. van der; Poelgeest, M.I.E. van 2012
