TLR7 controls myeloid-derived suppressor cells expansion and function in the lung of C57BL6 mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2022 Oct 24;16(10):e0010851. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010851. eCollection 2022 Oct.

Abstract

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in the induction of innate and adaptive immune responses against Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) infection. However, the role of Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) in the mouse lung during S. japonicum infection and the myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) affected by the absence of TLR7 are not clearly understood. In this study, the results indicated that the MDSCs were accumulated and the proportion and activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were decreased in the lung of mice at 6-7 weeks after S. japonicum infection. Then, the expression of TLR7 was detected in isolated pulmonary MDSCs and the results showed that the expression of TLR7 in MDSCs was increased after infection. Furthermore, TLR7 agonist R848 could down-regulate the induction effect of the soluble egg antigen (SEA) on pulmonary MDSCs in vitro. Meanwhile, TLR7 deficiency could promote the pulmonary MDSCs expansion and function by up-regulating the expression of PD-L1/2 and secreting of IL-10 in the mice infected with S. japonicum. Mechanistic studies revealed that S. japonicum infection and the antigen effects are mediated by NF-κB signaling. Moreover, TLR7 deficiency aggravates S. japonicum infection-induced damage in the lung, with more inflammatory cells infiltration, interstitial dilatation and granuloma in the tissue. In summary, this study indicated that TLR7 signaling inhibits the accumulation and function of MDSCs in S. japonicum infected mouse lung by down-regulating the expression of PD-L1/2 and secreting of IL-10, via NF-κB signaling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B7-H1 Antigen / metabolism
  • Interleukin-10 / metabolism
  • Lung
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells* / metabolism
  • NF-kappa B
  • Schistosoma japonicum / physiology
  • Schistosomiasis japonica* / immunology
  • Toll-Like Receptor 7* / metabolism

Substances

  • B7-H1 Antigen
  • Interleukin-10
  • NF-kappa B
  • Toll-Like Receptor 7
  • Tlr7 protein, mouse

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the following grants to QY: Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Project (202102080014), Youth project fund of state key laboratory of respiratory diseases (SKLRD-QN-201921), Students' Innovation Ability Enhancement Plan Project of Guangzhou Medical University (PX-66221466), Discipline Construction Fund of Guangzhou Medical University (JCXKJS2021C08), and Key Discipline of Guangzhou Education Bureau (Basic Medicine) (201851839). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.