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Aims/hypothesis Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are innate-like T lymphocytes expressing an αβ T cell antigen receptor that recognises the MHC-related 1 molecule. MAIT cells are altered in children at risk for and with type 1 diabetes, and mouse model studies have shown MAIT cell involvement in type 1 diabetes development. Since several studies support heterogeneity in type 1 diabetes physiopathology according to the age of individuals, we investigated whether MAIT cells were altered in adults with type 1 diabetes. Methods MAIT cell frequency, phenotype and function were analysed by flow cytometry, using fresh peripheral blood from 21 adults with recent-onset type 1 diabetes (2–14 days after disease onset) and 47 adults with long-term disease (>2 years after diagnosis) compared with 55 healthy blood donors. We also separately analysed 17 women with long-term type 1 diabetes and an associated autoimmune disease, compared with 30 healthy women and 27 women with long-term type 1 diabetes. Results MAIT cells from adults with recent-onset type 1 diabetes, compared with healthy adult donors, harboured a strongly activated phenotype indicated by an elevated CD25+ MAIT cell frequency. In adults with long-term type 1 diabetes, MAIT cells displayed an activated and exhausted phenotype characterised by high CD25 and programmed cell death 1 (PD1) expression and a decreased production of proinflammatory cytokines, IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF-α. Even though MAIT cells from these patients showed upregulated IL-17 and IL-4 production, the polyfunctionality of MAIT cells was decreased (median 4.8 vs 13.14% of MAIT cells, p

Mucosal Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells are evolutionary conserved innate-like T cells able to recognize bacterial and fungal ligands derived from vitamin B biosynthesis. These cells are particularly present in liver and blood but also populate mucosal sites including skin, oral, intestinal, respiratory, and urogenital tracts that are in contact with the environment and microbiota of their host. Growing evidence suggests important involvement of MAIT cells in safeguarding the mucosa against external microbial threats. Simultaneously, mucosal MAIT cells have been implicated in immune and inflammatory pathologies affecting these organs. Here, we review the specificities of mucosal MAIT cells, their functions in the protection and maintenance of mucosal barriers, and their interactions with other mucosal cells.

International audience; Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the selective destruction of pancreatic islet β-cells that produce insulin, in the context of an underlying multigenetic inheritance 1. When most of the β-cells are destroyed or non-functional, the ensuing lack of insulin results in hyperglycemia and requires lifelong insulin-replacement therapy 1. The physiopathology of T1D involves inappropriate activation of both the innate immune system and adaptive immune system, which induces loss of self-tolerance and islet destruction 2-5. T1D is characterized by the presence of anti-islet autoantibodies and auto-reactive T cells. Innate immune cells are involved at various stages of the disease and are particularly important for the initiation of the local immune response in the pancreas and the pancreatic lymph nodes (PLNs) 2,4. Published data have highlighted the role of the intestinal microbiota in T1D by transfer experiments in mice of the non-obese diabetic (NOD) strain 6-8 and gut microbiota differences in children that are associated with the development of T1D 9-11. Several studies have also described alterations to the gut mucosa in NOD mice and patients with T1D 12-16. Mucosal-associated invariant T cells (MAIT cells) are innate-like T cells that recognize bacterial metabolites derived from the synthesis of riboflavin and presented by the monomorphic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class-I-related protein MR1 (refs. 17-19). These non-conventional T cells express a conserved αβ T cell antigen receptor (TCR) that consists of an invariant TCR α-chain (α-chain variable region 7.2 and α-chain joining regions 33, 20 and12 (V α 7.2-J α 33,20,12) in humans and V α 19-J α 33 in mice) with a restricted set of TCR β-chains. MAIT cells produce various cytokines, such as TNF, IFN-γ, IL-17 and granzyme B (GzB), that participate in tissue inflammation and cell death 17,20-28. The nearly complete absence of MAIT cells in germ-free mice 17,29 and their physiological localization at mucosal sites, including the gut 17,21 , suggest a strong interaction with the microbiota. Here we found alterations in MAIT cells in patients with T1D and, through the use of NOD mice, revealed a protective role for MAIT cells directed against T1D. The localization and function of MAIT cells highlight their key role in the maintenance of gut integrity whereby they control the development of autoimmune responses to pancreatic β-cells. RESULTS Alterations in MAIT cells in children with recent-onset T1D We first began our investigation of MAIT cells in T1D by analyzing the frequency and phenotype of MAIT cells in fresh peripheral Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that results from the destruction of pancreatic b-cells by the immune system that involves innate and adaptive immune cells. Mucosal-associated invariant T cells (MAIT cells) are innate-like T-cells that recognize derivatives of precursors of bacterial riboflavin presented by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-related molecule MR1. Since T1D is associated with modification of the gut microbiota, we investigated MAIT cells in this pathology. In patients with T1D and mice of the non-obese diabetic (NOD) strain, we detected alterations in MAIT cells, including increased production of granzyme B, which occurred before the onset of diabetes. Analysis of NOD mice that were deficient in MR1, and therefore lacked MAIT cells, revealed a loss of gut integrity and increased anti-islet responses associated with exacerbated diabetes. Together our data highlight the role of MAIT cells in the maintenance of gut integrity and the control of anti-islet autoimmune responses. Monitoring of MAIT cells might represent a new biomarker of T1D, while manipulation of these cells might open new therapeutic strategies.

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are unique innate-like T cells that bridge innate and adaptive immunity. They are activated by conserved bacterial ligands derived from vitamin B biosynthesis and have important roles in defence against bacterial and viral infections. However, they can also have various deleterious and protective functions in autoimmune, inflammatory and metabolic diseases. MAIT cell involvement in a large spectrum of pathological conditions makes them attractive targets for potential therapeutic approaches. Mucosal-associated invariant T cells display innate, effector-like qualities and are involved, in various ways, in infectious and non-infectious diseases. Insights into their activation, tissue migration and function are revealing their beneficial and deleterious roles in disease.

International audience; Outcomes for follicular lymphoma (FL) have greatly improved, but most patients will ultimately relapse. High total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV), computed from baseline 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (PET), is associated with shorter progression-free survival (PFS), but circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) may also reflect tumor burden and be of prognostic value. The aim of our study was to correlate CTCs and cfDNA with TMTV in FL at diagnosis and to determine their prognostic values. We retrospectively analyzed 133 patients (with previously untreated FL and a baseline PET) from 2 cohorts with either a baseline plasma sample (n = 61) or a bcl2-JH-informative peripheral blood (PB) sample (n = 68). Quantification of circulating bcl2-JH+ cells and cfDNA was performed by droplet digital polymerase chain reaction. A significant correlation was found between TMTV and both CTCs (P < .0001) and cfDNA (P < .0001). With a median 48-month follow-up, 4-year PFS was lower in patients with TMTV > 510 cm3 (P = .0004), CTCs >0.0018 PB cells (P = .03), or cfDNA >2550 equivalent-genome/mL (P = .04). In comparison with TMTV alone, no additional prognostic information was obtained by measuring CTCs. In contrast, Cox multivariate analysis, including cfDNA and TMTV, showed that both cfDNA and TMTV remained predictive of outcome. In conclusion, CTCs and cfDNA correlate with TMTV in FL, and all 3 influence patient outcome. PFS was shorter for patients with high cfDNA and TMTV, suggesting that these parameters provide relevant information for tumor-tailored therapy.

Urinary protein electrophoresis analysis (UPE) is an essential investigation for the study of abnormal proteins in urines. The interpretation of this analysis must be comprehensive and relevant. Indeed, UPE is often requested by clinicians and may have an important impact in patient's management. This paper presents two cases with free light chains showing unexpected electrophoretic migration which can lead to the misinterpretation of results. This article helps biologists to keep in mind the interest of UPE among the several analyses useful in the laboratory.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from gradual alteration of insulin-secreting pancreatic β-cells. When most β-cells are destroyed and/or nonfunctional, patients are unable to regulate hyperglycemia and clinical signs appear (1). Although T cells play a key role in β-cell destruction, other immune cells are also involved in T1D physiopathology (2). Both Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells exert a major role in maintaining peripheral tolerance. iNKT cells are unconventional T lymphocytes expressing the semi-invariant T-cell receptor (Vα14-Jα18 in mice, Vα24-Jα18 in humans). They recognize glycolipid ligands, presented by the highly conserved CD1d molecule. iNKT cells are considered as “innate-like” T cells because they express a memory phenotype and rapidly respond upon activation. NOD mice, which spontaneously develop T1D, present abnormalities in iNKT cell frequency and function. Studies based on this mouse model have demonstrated the protective role of iNKT cells in T1D. Increasing iNKT cell frequency by adoptive transfer or Vα14-Jα18 transgenesis decreases T1D incidence (3,4). Conversely, CD1d-deficient NOD mice lacking iNKT cells present an acceleration of T1D development (5). Ligand-specific stimulation of iNKT cells suggests that the protective and regulatory role of these cells could be used as a therapeutic strategy in patients (6,7). Although numerous studies using mouse models have highlighted the regulatory role of iNKT cells in T1D, the regulatory role of iNKT cells in T1D patients remains unclear. In this issue, Usero et al. (8) show for the first time in vitro that iNKT cell suppression of T-cell response is …

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text, In the setting of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, changes in natural killer (NK) cells have been shown to reflect activation in response to virus stimulation. The contribution of individual natural cytotoxicity receptors to HCV infection remains to be clarified. NKp44 is the sole specific natural cytotoxicity receptor expressed only on activated NK cells. In this study, peripheral blood and liver NK-cell subsets were purified from 31 patients with chronic C hepatitis or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and then characterized by flow cytometry. Their polyfunctional activity was determined by expression of the CD107a degranulation marker, together with intracellular cytokine production. Unlike the patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, patients with chronic HCV infection had a higher frequency of NKp44+ NK cells in the liver than in their peripheral blood (P

In the version of this Article originally published, the asterisks indicating statistical significance were missing from Supplementary Figure 6; the file with the correct figure is now available.

OBJECTIVE HIV-infected immunological nonresponders (InRs) patients fail to show satisfactory CD4+ T-cell recovery despite virologically effective HAART. We propose that NKp44L, the cellular ligand of an activating natural killer (NK) receptor, expressed only on uninfected bystander CD4+ T cells from HIV-1 infected patients, could play a major role in this phenomenon by sensitizing these cells to NK killing. DESIGN Phenotype and multifunctional status of CD4+ T cells, especially the subsets expressing and not expressing NKp44L, were characterized for HIV-infected patients receiving HAART for at least 2 years, during which their viral load remained less than 40 copies/ml; 53 were InRs (CD4 cell count always

Beside the rare true leukemic forms of follicular lymphoma (FL), low levels of circulating tumor cells (CTC) are detected by PCR in the vast majority of FL patients at diagnosis. By a regular recirculating process, those CTC could reflect the total solid tumor mass. Alternatively, they could represent a subpopulation of tumor cells with distinct molecular profile including adhesion molecules and, as such, could add to the prognostic value of solid tumoral mass previously reported in FL (Dupuis, JCO 2013). In order to address these issues, we retrospectively selected FL patients treated in our institution between 2007 and 2014 who were simultaneously evaluated for both t(14;18) cells in peripheral blood (PB) and FDG-PET/CT tumor mass at diagnosis or at relapse. Absolute quantification of t(14;18) positive cells was performed using quantitative droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). Total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were calculated from FDG-PET/CT, and baseline clinical characteristics and outcomes were collected. One hundred fourteen patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Using a routine 10-4 sensitive biomed 2 t(14;18) PCR assay, 75 had a positive PCR, either in peripheral blood alone (n=37), in peripheral blood and tumor biopsy (n=27) or in tumor biopsy but not PB (n= 11). Absolute quantitative ddPCR was performed for the 56 t(14;18) MBR+ patients. Clinical characteristics are given in Table 1. Median CTC value (number of t(14;18) positive cells out of total peripheral blood nucleated cells) was 1.6 10-3 (range 0-0.96), with only 5 CTC (-) patients and 13 patients with >10% CTC . Median TMTV was 267 cm3 (range 4.61-1900) and median TLG was 1473 (range 10.24-5912). A positive correlation was found between number of CTC and TMTV (R2 = 0.49; P 6%, TMTV > 432 cm3 and TLG > 2717 tend to be associated with poorer OS (Fig. 2). The combined presence of > 6% CTC and TLG > 2717 allowed to identify a group of patients with 3-year OS of 71%, compared with 100% when both criteria were negative or dissociated (P= 0.01) (Fig. 2). In the subset of 42 patients with an untreated and untransformed FL, incremental prognostic value of circulating mass and metabolic tumor burden remained significant (P=0.03). Disclosures Dupuis: ABBVIE: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; ROCHE: Speakers Bureau.