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Immune enhancement is desirable in situations where decreased immunity results in increased morbidity. We investigated whether blocking the surface inhibitory receptor PD-1 and/or p38 MAP kinase could enhance the proliferation of the effector memory CD8+ T-cell subset that re-expresses CD45RA (EMRA) and exhibits characteristics of senescence, which include decreased proliferation and telomerase activity but increased expression of the DNA damage response related protein γH2AX. Blocking of both PD-1 and p38 MAPK signaling in these cells enhanced proliferation and the increase was additive when both pathways were inhibited simultaneously in both young and old human subjects. In contrast, telomerase activity in EMRA CD8+ T cells was only enhanced by blocking the p38 but not the PD-1 signaling pathway, further indicating that nonoverlapping signaling pathways were involved. Although blocking p38 MAPK inhibits TNF-α secretion in the EMRA population, this decrease was counteracted by the simultaneous inhibition of PD-1 signaling in these cells. Therefore, end-stage characteristics of EMRA CD8+ T cells are stringently controlled by distinct and reversible cell signaling events. In addition, the inhibition of PD-1 and p38 signaling pathways together may enable the enhancement of proliferation of EMRA CD8+ T cells without compromising their capacity for cytokine secretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antigen-specific multifunctional T cells that secrete interferon- γ, interleukin-2 and tumour necrosis factor- α simultaneously after activation are important for the control of many infections. It is unclear if these CD8+ T cells are at an early or late stage of differentiation and whether telomere erosion restricts their replicative capacity. We developed a multi-parameter flow cytometric method for investigating the relationship between differentiation (CD45RA and CD27 surface phenotype), function (cytokine production) and replicative capacity (telomere length) in individual cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. This involves surface and intracellular cell staining coupled to fluorescence in situ hybridization to detect telomeres (flow-FISH). The end-stage/senescent CD8+ CD45RA+ CD27− T-cell subset increases significantly during ageing and this is exaggerated in CMV immune-responsive subjects. However, these end-stage cells do not have the shortest telomeres, implicating additional non-telomere-related mechanisms in inducing their senescence. The telomere lengths in total and CMV (NLV)-specific CD8+ T cells in all four subsets defined by CD45RA and CD27 expression were significantly shorter in old compared with young individuals in both a Caucasian and an Asian cohort. Following stimulation by anti-CD3 or NLV peptide, similar proportions of triple-cytokine-producing cells are found in CD8+ T cells at all stages of differentiation in both age groups. Furthermore, these multi-functional cells had intermediate telomere lengths compared with cells producing only one or two cytokines after activation. Therefore, global and CMV (NLV)-specific CD8+ T cells that secrete interferon- γ, interleukin-2 and tumour necrosis factor- α are at an intermediate stage of differentiation and are not restricted by excessive telomere erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The short chain fatty acid (SCFA) propionate, produced through fermentation of dietary fibre by the gut microbiota, has been shown to alter hepatic metabolic processes that reduce lipid storage. We aimed to investigate the impact of raising colonic propionate production on hepatic steatosis in adults with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Eighteen adults were randomized to receive 20 g/d of an inulin-propionate ester (IPE), designed to deliver propionate to the colon, or an inulin control for 42 days in a parallel design. The change in intrahepatocellular lipid (IHCL) following the supplementation period was not different between the groups (P = 0.082), however, IHCL significantly increased within the inulin-control group (20.9% ± 2.9% to 26.8% ± 3.9%; P = 0.012; n = 9), which was not observed within the IPE group (22.6% ± 6.9% to 23.5% ± 6.8%; P = 0.635; n = 9). The predominant SCFA from colonic fermentation of inulin is acetate, which, in a background of NAFLD and a hepatic metabolic profile that promotes fat accretion, may provide surplus lipogenic substrate to the liver. The increased colonic delivery of propionate from IPE appears to attenuate this acetate-mediated increase in IHCL., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)