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Endothelial cells (ECs) are key players in inflammation and immune responses involved in numerous pathologies. Although attempts were experimentally undertaken to prevent and control EC activation, drug leads and probes still remain necessary. Natural products (NPs) from Clusiaceous and Calophyllaceous plants were previously reported as potential candidates to prevent endothelial dysfunction. The present study aimed to identify more precisely the molecular scaffolds that could limit EC activation. Here, 13 polyphenols belonging to 5 different chemical types of secondary metabolites (i.e., mammea coumarins, a biflavonoid, a pyranochromanone acid, a polyprenylated polycyclic acylphloroglucinol (PPAP) and two xanthones) were tested on resting and cytokine-activated EC cultures. Quantitative and qualitative changes in the expression of both adhesion molecules (VCAM-1, ICAM-1, E-selectin) and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules have been used to measure their pharmaceutical potential. As a result, we identified 3 mammea coumarins that efficiently reduce (up to >90% at 10 μM) both basal and cytokine-regulated levels of MHC class I, class II, MICA and HLA-E on EC surface. They also prevented VCAM-1 induction upon inflammation. From a structural point of view, our results associate the loss of the free prenyl group substituting mammea coumarins with a reduced cellular cytotoxicity but also an abrogation of their anti-inflammatory potential and a reduction of their immunosuppressive effects. A PPAP, guttiferone J, also triggers a strong immunomodulation but restricted to HLA-E and MHC class II molecules. In conclusion, mammea coumarins with a free prenyl group and the PPAP guttiferone J emerge as NPs able to drastically decrease both VCAM-1 and a set of MHC molecules and to potentially reduce the immunogenicity of the endothelium., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Hath1, a bHLH transcription factor negatively regulated by the γ-secretase-dependent Notch pathway, is required for intestinal secretory cell differentiation. Our aim was fourfold: 1) determine whether Hath1 is able to alter the phenotype of colon cancer cells that are committed to a differentiated phenotype, 2) determine whether the Hath1-dependent alteration of differentiation is coupled to a restriction of anchorage-dependent growth, 3) decipher the respective roles of three putative tumor suppressor genes Hath1, MUC2 and P27kip1 in this coupling and, 4) examine how our findings translate to primary tumors. Human colon carcinoma cell lines that differentiate along a mucin secreting (MUC2/MUC5AC) and/or enterocytic (DPPIV) lineages were maintained on inserts with or without a γ-secretase inhibitor (DBZ). Then the cells were detached and their ability to survive/proliferate in the absence of substratum was assessed. γ-secretase inhibition led to a Hath1-mediated preferential induction of MUC2 over MUC5AC, without DPPIV modification, in association with a decrease in anchorage-independent growth. While P27kip1 silencing relieved the cells from the Hath1-induced decrease of anchorage-independent growth, MUC2 silencing did not modify this parameter. Hath1 ectopic expression in the Hath1 negative enterocytic Caco2 cells led to a decreased anchorage-independent growth in a P27kip1-independent manner. In cultured primary human colon carcinomas, Hath1 was up-regulated in 7 out of 10 tumors upon DBZ treatment. Parallel MUC2 up-regulation occurred in 4 (4/7) and P27kip1 in only 2 (2/7) tumors. Interestingly, the response patterns of primary tumors to DBZ fitted with the hierarchical model of divergent signalling derived from our findings on cell lines.

Although association between CMV infection and allograft rejection is well admitted, the precise mechanisms involved remain uncertain. Here, we report the characterization of an alloreactive HLA-E-restricted CD8 T cell population that was detected in the PBL of a kidney transplant patient after its CMV conversion. This monoclonal CD8 T cell population represents a sizable fraction in the blood (3% of PBL) and is characterized by an effector-memory phenotype and the expression of multiple NK receptors. Interestingly, these unconventional T cells display HLA-E-dependent reactivity against peptides derived from the leader sequences of both various HCMV-UL40 and allogeneic classical HLA-I molecules. Consequently, while HLA-E-restricted CD8 T cells have potential to contribute to the control of CMV infection in vivo, they may also directly mediate graft rejection through recognition of peptides derived from allogeneic HLA-I molecules on graft cells. Therefore, as HLA-E expression in nonlymphoid organs is mainly restricted to endothelial cells, we investigated the reactivity of this HLA-E-restricted T cell population towards allogeneic endothelial cells. We clearly demonstrated that CMV-associated HLA-E-restricted T cells efficiently recognized and killed allogeneic endothelial cells in vitro. Moreover, our data indicate that this alloreactivity is tightly regulated by NK receptors, especially by inhibitory KIR2DL2 that strongly prevents TCR-induced activation through recognition of HLA-C molecules. Hence, a better evaluation of the role of CMV-associated HLA-E-restricted T cells in transplantation and of the impact of HLA-genotype, especially HLA-C, on their alloreactivity may determine whether they indeed represent a risk factor following organ transplantation.

Background: The state of operational tolerance has been detected sporadically in some renal transplanted patients that stopped immunosuppressive drugs, demonstrating that allograft tolerance might exist in humans. Several years ago, a study by Brouard et al. identified a molecular signature of several genes that were significantly differentially expressed in the blood of such patients compared with patients with other clinical situations. The aim of the present study is to analyze the role of one of these molecules over-expressed in the blood of operationally tolerant patients, SMILE or TMTC3, a protein whose function is still unknown., Methodology/principal Findings: We first confirmed that SMILE mRNA is differentially expressed in the blood of operationally tolerant patients with drug-free long term graft function compared to stable and rejecting patients. Using a yeast two-hybrid approach and a colocalization study by confocal microscopy we furthermore report an interaction of SMILE with PDIA3, a molecule resident in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In accordance with this observation, SMILE silencing in HeLa cells correlated with the modulation of several transcripts involved in proteolysis and a decrease in proteasome activity. Finally, SMILE silencing increased HeLa cell sensitivity to the proteasome inhibitor Bortezomib, a drug that induces ER stress via protein overload, and increased transcript expression of a stress response protein, XBP-1, in HeLa cells and keratinocytes., Conclusion/significance: In this study we showed that SMILE is involved in the endoplasmic reticulum stress response, by modulating proteasome activity and XBP-1 transcript expression. This function of SMILE may influence immune cell behavior in the context of transplantation, and the analysis of endoplasmic reticulum stress in transplantation may reveal new pathways of regulation in long-term graft acceptance thereby increasing our understanding of tolerance.

Background: Tumor-derived soluble factors, including soluble HLA molecules, can contribute to cancer immune escape and therefore impact on clinical course of malignant diseases. We previously reported that melanoma cells produce, in vitro, soluble forms of the non-classical MHC class I molecule HLA-E (sHLA-E). In order to investigate sHLA-E production by various tumors and to address its potential value as a tumor-associated marker, we developed a specific ELISA for the quantification of sHLA-E in biological fluids., Methodology/principal Findings: We developed a sHLA-E specific and sensitive ELISA and we showed that serum sHLA-E levels were significantly elevated (P<0.01) in melanoma patients (n = 127), compared with healthy donors (n = 94). sHLA-E was also detected in the culture supernatants of a wide variety of tumor cell lines (n = 98) including melanomas, kidney, colorectal and breast cancers. Cytokines regulation of sHLA-E production by tumor cells was also carried out. IFN-γ, IFN-α and TNF-α were found to upregulate sHLA-E production by tumor cells., Conclusions/significance: In view of the broad tumor tissue release of HLA-E and its up-regulation by inflammatory cytokines, sHLA-E should be studied for its involvement in immune responses against tumors. Interestingly, our results demonstrated a positive association between the presence of serum sHLA-E and melanoma. Therefore, the determination of sHLA-E levels, using ELISA approach, may be investigated as a clinical marker in cancer patients.

Although association between persistent viral infection and allograft rejection is well characterized, few examples of T-cell cross-reactivity between self-MHC/viral and allogeneic HLA molecules have been documented so far. We appraised in this study the alloreactivity of CD8 T cell lines specific for immunodominant epitopes from human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). CD8 T cell lines were generated after sorting with immunomagnetic beads coated with either pp65(495-503)/A*0201, BMLF1(259-267)/A*0201, or BZLF1(54-64)/B*3501 multimeric complexes. Alloreactivity of the CD8 T cell lines against allogeneic class I MHC alleles was assessed by screening of (i) TNF-alpha production against COS-7 cells transfected with as many as 39 individual HLA class I-encoding cDNA, and (ii) cytotoxicity activity toward a large panel of HLA-typed EBV-transformed B lymphoblastoid cell lines. We identified several cross-reactive pp65/A*0201-specific T cell lines toward allogeneic HLA-A*3001, A*3101, or A*3201. Moreover, we described here cross-recognition of HLA-Cw*0602 by BZLF1/B*3501-specific T cells. It is noteworthy that these alloreactive CD8 T cell lines showed efficient recognition of endothelial cells expressing the relevant HLA class I allele, with high level TNF-alpha production and cytotoxicity activity. Taken together, our data support the notion that herpes virus-specific T cells recognizing allo-HLA alleles may promote solid organ rejection.

Background: Notch signaling pathway controls key functions in vascular and endothelial cells (ECs) where Notch4 plays a major role. However, little is known about the contribution of other Notch receptors. This study investigated regulation of Notch2 and further examined its implication in EC dysfunction., Methodology/principal Findings: Here, we provide evidence for a novel link between Notch and TNF signaling, where Notch2 is upregulated and activated in response to TNF. Forced expression of Notch2 intracellular domain in cultured ECs promotes apoptosis and allows the significant downregulation of several cell-death-related transcripts in a dose-dependent manner. In particular, activation of Notch2 led to a rapid decrease in survivin mRNA and protein expression, while survivin upregulation was obtained by the selective knockdown of Notch2 in ECs, indicating that survivin expression is controlled at the Notch level. Moreover, Notch2 silencing and ectopic expression of survivin, but not XIAP or Bcl2, rescued ECs from TNF and Notch2-mediated apoptosis, respectively., Conclusions/significance: In conclusion, TNF signaling activates Notch2 that sensitizes ECs to apoptosis via modulation of the key apoptosis regulator survivin. Overall, our findings also indicate that specific Notch receptors control distinct functions in vascular cells and inflammatory cytokines contribute to this specificity.