Publications by authors named "Philip W Askenase"

Article Synopsis
  • Poly(I:C) activates TLR3, promoting the activation of cytotoxic CD8(+) lymphocytes and NK cells, leading to strong T-cell responses and impact on hypersensitivity reactions.
  • The study investigates whether poly(I:C) can enhance NK cell response to hapten in mice, measuring effects through ear swelling and interferon gamma levels.
  • Findings show poly(I:C) boosts hapten reactivity and IFN-γ production in both immunocompetent and deficient mice, with liver NK cells playing a crucial role in this response, highlighting the immune implications during viral infections.
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Carrier effects of extracellular vesicles (EV) like exosomes refer to properties of the vesicles that contribute to the transferred biologic effects of their contents to targeted cells. This can pertain to ingested small amounts of xenogeneic plant miRNAs and oral administration of immunosuppressive exosomes. The exosomes contribute carrier effects on transfers of miRNAs by contributing both to the delivery and the subsequent functional intracellular outcomes.

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Intravenous (IV) infusion of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) stabilizes the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) and improves functional recovery in experimental models of spinal cord injury (SCI). Although IV delivered MSCs do not traffic to the injury site, IV delivered small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) derived from MSCs (MSC-sEVs) do and are taken up by a subset of M2 macrophages. To test whether sEVs released by MSCs are responsible for the therapeutic effects of MSCs, we tracked sEVs produced by IV delivered DiR-labelled MSCs (DiR-MSCs) after transplantation into SCI rats.

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Previously, we showed that mouse delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) can be antigen-specifically downregulated by suppressor T cell-derived miRNA-150 carried by extracellular vesicles (EVs) that target antigen-presenting macrophages. However, the exact mechanism of the suppressive action of miRNA-150-targeted macrophages on effector T cells remained unclear, and our current studies aimed to investigate it. By employing the DTH mouse model, we showed that effector T cells were inhibited by macrophage-released EVs in a miRNA-150-dependent manner.

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Extracellular vesicles (EV), such as exosomes, are emerging biologic entities that mediate important newly recognized functional effects. Exosomes are intracellular endosome-originating, cell-secreted, small nano-size EV. They can transfer cargo molecules like miRNAs to act intracellularly in targeted acceptor cells, to then mediate epigenetic functional alterations.

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Exosome extracellular vesicles as biologic therapy for COVID-19 are discussed for two areas. The first involves the growing use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) for the profound clinical cytokine storm and severe pneumonia in COVID-19 patients. Instead, it is recommended to treat alternatively with their MSC-released exosomes.

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We previously discovered suppressor T cell-derived, antigen (Ag)-specific exosomes inhibiting mouse hapten-induced contact sensitivity effector T cells by targeting antigen-presenting cells (APCs). These suppressive exosomes acted Ag-specifically due to a coating of antibody free light chains (FLC) from Ag-activated B1a cells. Current studies are aimed at determining if similar immune tolerance could be induced in cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to the protein Ag (ovalbumin, OVA).

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Background: At present, the role of autologous cells as antigen carriers inducing immune tolerance is appreciated. Accordingly, intravenous administration of haptenated syngeneic mouse red blood cells (sMRBC) leads to hapten-specific suppression of contact hypersensitivity (CHS) in mice, mediated by light chain-coated extracellular vesicles (EVs). Subsequent studies suggested that mice intravenously administered with sMRBC alone may also generate regulatory EVs, revealing the possible self-tolerogenic potential of autologous erythrocytes.

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Constantly increasing prevalence of allergic diseases determines the attempts to elaborate the therapeutic strategies activating immune tolerance to particular allergen. Our current research focuses on the antigen-specific action of CD8+ suppressor T (Ts) lymphocytes induced in mice by intravenous administration of a high dose of haptenated syngeneic erythrocytes. While the regulatory activity of Ts cells mediated by exosome-delivered miRNA-150 is well de ned, the mechanism of their induction remained unclear.

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In patients with non-IgE-mediated milk allergy, a cellular mechanism of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) is considered. Recent findings prove that cell-mediated reactions can be antigen-specifically inhibited by extracellular vesicles (EVs) carrying miRNA-150. We sought to establish a new mouse model of DTH to casein and test the possibility of antigen-specific suppression of the inflammatory reaction.

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Antibody light chains (LCs), formerly considered a waste product of immunoglobulin synthesis, are currently recognized as important players in the activation of the immune response. However, very little is known about the possible immune regulatory functions of LCs. Recently, we reported that hapten-specific LCs coat miRNA-150-carrying exosomes produced by CD8+ suppressor T cells downregulating the contact hypersensitivity (CHS) reaction in an antigen-specific manner, in mice tolerized by intravenous administration of a high dose of hapten-coupled syngeneic erythrocytes.

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In a previous report we showed that intravenous infusion of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) improved functional recovery after contusive spinal cord injury (SCI) in the non-immunosuppressed rat, although the MSCs themselves were not detected at the spinal cord injury (SCI) site [1]. Rather, the MSCs lodged transiently in the lungs for about two days post-infusion. Preliminary studies and a recent report [2] suggest that the effects of intravenous (IV) infusion of MSCs could be mimicked by IV infusion of exosomes isolated from conditioned media of MSC cultures (MSCexos).

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We have discovered that a small cationic molecule, GW4869, is cytotoxic to a subset of myeloma cell lines and primary myeloma plasma cells. Biochemical analysis revealed that GW4869 binds to anionic phospholipids such as phosphatidylserine - a lipid normally confined to the intracellular side of the cell membrane. However, interestingly, phosphatidylserine was expressed on the surface of all myeloma cell lines tested (n = 12) and 9/15 primary myeloma samples.

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Extracellular vesicles, such as exosomes, are newly recognized intercellular conveyors of functional molecular mechanisms. Notably, they transfer RNAs and proteins between different cells that can then participate in the complex pathogenesis of allergic and related hypersensitivity responses and disease mechanisms, as described herein. This review highlights this important new appreciation of the in vivo participation of such extracellular vesicles in the interactions between allergy-mediating cells.

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Background: Subcutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy is a standard route for the immunotherapy of allergic diseases. It modulates the course of allergy and can generate long-term remission. However, subcutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy can also induce anaphylaxis in some patients, and therefore additional routes of administration should be investigated to improve the safety and tolerability of immunotherapy.

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We describe a protective early acquired immune response to pneumococcal pneumonia that is mediated by a subset of B1a cells. Mice deficient in B1 cells (xid), or activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID(-/-) ), or invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells (Jα18(-/-) ), or interleukin-13 (IL-13(-/-) ) had impaired early clearance of pneumococci in the lung, compared with wild-type mice. In contrast, AID(-/-) mice adoptively transferred with AID(+/+) B1a cells, significantly cleared bacteria from the lungs as early as 3 days post infection.

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Lymph node and spleen cells of mice doubly immunized by epicutaneous and intravenous hapten application produce a suppressive component that inhibits the action of the effector T cells that mediate contact sensitivity reactions. We recently re-investigated this phenomenon in an immunological system. CD8+ T lymphocyte-derived exosomes transferred suppressive miR-150 to the effector T cells antigen-specifically due to exosome surface coat of antibody light chains made by B1a lymphocytes.

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Murine contact sensitivity (CS) reaction could be antigen-specifically regulated by T CD8(+) suppressor (Ts) lymphocytes releasing microRNA-150 in antibody light-chain-coated exosomes that were formerly suggested to suppress CS through action on macrophages (Mφ). The present studies investigated the role of Mφ in Ts cell-exosome-mediated antigen-specific suppression as well as modulation of Mφ antigen-presenting function in humoral and cellular immunity by suppressive exosomes. Mice depleted of Mφ by clodronate liposomes could not be tolerized and did not produce suppressive exosomes.

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Soon after the discovery of T suppressor cells by Gershon in 1970, it was demonstrated that one subpopulation of these lymphocytes induced by i.v. hapten injection suppresses contact sensitivity response mediated by effector CD4+ or CD8+ T cells in mice through the release of soluble T suppressor factor (TsF) that acts antigen specifically.

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A newly discovered cell-to-cell communication system involves small, membrane-enveloped nanovesicles, called exosomes. We describe here how these extracellular nanoparticles were discovered and how it became gradually apparent that they play fundamental roles in regulation of physiological functions and pathological processes. Exosomes enable intercellular communication by transporting genetic material, proteins and lipids to cells in their vicinity or at distant sites, and subsequently regulating functions of targeted cells.

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Background: Epicutaneous (EC) immunization is a potential new strategy of a needle-free and self-administrable immunization by using a topically applied patch to deliver vaccine. We have previously shown that EC immunization with various protein antigens inhibits both Th1- and Tc1-mediated contact hypersensitivity (CHS) in mice. Our further work showed that maneuver of EC immunization with an antigen and Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands prior to hapten sensitization reverses skin-induced suppression.

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Background: T-cell tolerance of allergic cutaneous contact sensitivity (CS) induced in mice by high doses of reactive hapten is mediated by suppressor cells that release antigen-specific suppressive nanovesicles.

Objective: We sought to determine the mechanism or mechanisms of immune suppression mediated by the nanovesicles.

Methods: T-cell tolerance was induced by means of intravenous injection of hapten conjugated to self-antigens of syngeneic erythrocytes and subsequent contact immunization with the same hapten.

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