Preparing the Reagents
<ol>
<li>Make a buffer containing PBS with BSA (0.5%), and 2 mM EDTA. Because air bubbles can block MACS separation columns, the buffer needs to be degassed and stored at 2-8&deg;C before use.</li>
<li>We use RPMI 1640 medium containing 5% mouse serum. The culture medium should not contain BSA or FCS, as these compounds will alter the specificity of cell stimulation.</li>
<li>The Mouse IL-17 Secretion Assay - Cell Enrichment and Detection Kit from Miltenyi-Biotec. The kit contains the following components: the IL-17 Catch Reagent, the IL-17 Detection Antibody (Biotin), the Anti-Biotin-PE, and the Anti-PE MicroBeads. </li>
</ol>
Stimulating the Splenocytes
<ol>
<li>This protocol is performed in the presence of a negative and positive control, such as unstimulated splenocytes and a counterstain for T cells. This protocol is carried out using sterile technique.</li>
<li>Prepare a single cell suspension of mouse splenocytes that were isolated using the gentleMACS&trade; Dissociator. The concentration of cells should be predetermined via cell counting. Pellet the cells at 200&times;g for 10 minutes at room temperature.</li>
<li>Following centrifugation, aspirate the supernatant off the pellet using a pipette. Do not decant the tube to avoid loss of the pellet.</li>
<li>Now, resuspend the cells in the culture medium and then add to a well. Add sufficient medium for a concentration of ten million cells per mL and five million cells per square cm.</li>
<li>To stimulate an immune response in our resuspended cells, we add ionomycin (1 &mu;g/mL) and PMA (10 ng/mL) to the sample and mix the solution by gently pipetting up and down. Then the wells are labeled accordingly.</li>
<li>Now, we will incubate our cells for 3 hours at 37 &deg;C with no mixing to start the stimulation period. Proceed to IL-17 analysis 3 hours from the onset of stimulation, so plan accordingly.</li>
<li>To stop secretion, cells are placed on ice and we collect the stimulated cells by gently pipetting up and down with cold buffer. Cells are then transferred from the well to a tube and are washed a second time.</li>
<li>To ensure that all cells are collected, it&rsquo;s a good idea to check your dish under a microscope. If cells still remain attached, you can collect the remaining cells by rinsing the dish with cold buffer. Any cell clumps in your cell suspension can be removed using the pre-separation filters. </li>
</ol>
Labeling the Cells with Catch Reagent
<ol>
<li>It is paramount to note, that this assay works optimally if less than 2% of IL-17- secreting cells are present.</li>
<li>If the concentration of IL-17 secreting cells is expected to be greater than 2% adjust volumes accordingly. <img src="/files/ftp_upload/old/1037_2008_12_8_6/figure8.png" alt="figure 8" width="500" height="162" />
</li>
<li>One potential pitfall of this procedure is cross contamination of the Catch Reagent, which can occur during labeling when the bi-specific antibody binds to a non-secreting T cell and traps IL-17 secreted from a neighboring lymphocyte, thereby generating false positives.</li>
<li>In order to circumvent this problem, it is critical to cool cells down prior to labeling and work with cold buffer to slow diffusion of IL-17 and avoid this cross contamination. In addition to keeping the cells cold, they must be kept at a defined concentration.</li>
<li>To begin the labeling procedure, we use ten million cells in a 15 ml closable tube. If higher cell numbers have to be used, simply scale up all volumes accordingly. Once the optimal cell concentration has been obtained, wash the cells by adding 10 ml of cold buffer.</li>
<li>Spin down the cells at 300&times;g for 10 minutes in a refrigerated centrifuge (2&ndash;8 &deg;C).</li>
<li>Following centrifugation, aspirate the supernatant completely using a pipette. Do not decant the supernatant as this will lead to cell loss and imprecise volumes. Repeat the washing step which consists of adding 10ml of cold buffer, centrifugation, and aspiration.</li>
<li>Now that we have a pellet of desired purity, resuspend the cells in 80 &mu;L of cold culture medium. To label them, we will now add 20 &mu;L of Mouse IL-17 Catch Reagent.</li>
<li>Incubate the cells for 5 minutes on ice.</li>
<li>After the 5 minute incubation period on ice, remove the tube and dilute the cells in 10 ml of 37&deg;C warm medium. Then secure the tube on the MACSmix Tube Rotator and incubate the tube at 37&deg;C for 45 min under continuous motion. Increasing the temperature to 37&deg;C will re-start cytokine secretion. </li>
</ol>
Labeling the Cells with IL-17 Detection Antibody (Biotin) and Anti-Biotin-PE
<ol>
<li>After the 45 minute secretion period at 37&deg;C, place the tube immediately on ice. This will stop cytokine secretion. From here on it is critical to keep cells on ice. Working with cold buffer will avoid cross contamination of the Catch Reagent.</li>
<li>Fill up the tube with cold buffer and centrifuge at 300xg at 2&ndash;8 &deg;C for 10 min. Aspirate the supernatant completely. Repeat the wash step one more time. </li>
<li>The cell pellet is resuspended in 80 &mu;L of cold buffer and the tube is placed on ice.</li>
<li>To avoid unspecific binding of the antibody, we recommend the addition of 10&micro;l FcR Blocking Reagent and incubate on ice for 5 min. Then we add 20 &mu;L of Mouse IL-17 Detection Antibody (Biotin) that is conjugated to biotin and incubate for 10 minutes on ice.</li>
<li>Once again, wash cells as we have done before by adding 10 mL of cold buffer and centrifuge at 300xg at 2&ndash;8 &deg;C for 10 min.</li>
<li>Now aspirate the supernatant and resuspend the cell pellet in 80 &micro;l of cold buffer.</li>
<li>Add 20 &mu;L of our secondary antibody, Anti-Biotin-PE.</li>
<li>Mix the cells and secondary antibody solution, and again incubate the tube for 10 minutes on ice.</li>
<li>Once this second incubation is complete, wash the cells with 10 mL cold buffer and centrifuge.</li>
<li>The pellet can now be resuspended in 500 &mu;L of cold buffer.</li>
<li>If the cells have to be separated for further downstream analysis, they can be magnetically labeled with Anti-PE-MicroBeads and separated manually or automated using MACS Columns and MACS Separators.</li>
<li>We have now completed the labeling of the splenocytes and are ready for analysis. </li>
</ol>
FACS Analysis
<ol>
<li>For our analysis, we will compare the stimulated and unstimulated splenocytes by flow cytometry.</li>
<li>Before flow cytometric analysis, cells are stained with propidium iodide at 0.5 &mu;g/mL to gate out dead cells. The MACSQuant&trade; Analyzer was loaded with 200,000 cells for each sample and we now are going to look at the scatter plots of relative antibody reactivity in the samples. Two important considerations for analysis of rare cells - like IL-17 positive cells - by flow cytometry are: 
<ul>
<li>setting a gate on lymphocytes in the forward scatter versus side scatter plot</li>
<li>and gating out dead cells (stained with propidium iodide) and B-cells (which may cause unspecific background staining) to further enhance the sensitivity of detection</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>We used CD4-APC antibody to detect T cells and the CD45R/B220-PerCP antibody to detect the B cells. We see the forward and side scatter properties of the samples and apply a gate on the lymphocyte population.</li>
<li>A second gate was applied to see the stained dead cells and stained B cells (Y axis). These cells are excluded from the T cell analysis.</li>
<li>In this example, which is essentially our negative control, we can see that there are very few IL-17 secreting CD4 positive T cells in unstimulated samples &ndash; approximately 0.003% (Figure 4). Looking at the stimulated T cell population, we can see a substantial number of CD4 positive T cells that secrete IL-17 &ndash; about 0.367% (Figure 5A) before separation and 60.76% after magnetic separation with MACS Technology (Figure 5B).</li>
</ol>

All protocols and data sheets are available at www.miltenyibiotec.com.

Warnings 
Reagents contain sodium azide. Under acidic conditions sodium azide yields hydrazoic acid, which is extremely toxic. Azide compounds should be diluted with running water before discarding. These precautions are recommended to avoid deposits in plumbing where explosive conditions may develop.

TH17 cells play an integral role in adaptive immunity and the inflammatory response and are a key component in driving autoimmune inflammation.
This video documents how to use Miltenyi&rsquo;s Mouse IL-17 Secretion Assay &ndash; Cell Enrichment and Detection Kit (PE). When doing this procedure it&rsquo;s important to have an estimation of the frequency of IL-17-secreting cells in your starting cell preparation. The appropriate cell concentration during the labeling and cytokine secretion period prevents cross-contamination by other cells in your suspension and assures reliable results.

<table><tbody><tr><td>Mouse IL-17 Secretion Assay Cell Enrichment and Detection Kit (PE) </td><td>Reagent</td><td>Miltenyi Biotec</td><td>130-094-213</td><td>&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_98_1005_Mouse_IL_17_Secretion_Assay_Cell_Enrichment_and_Detection_Kit.aspx&quot;&gt;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_98_1005_Mouse_IL_17_Secretion_Assay_Cell_Enrichment_and_Detection_Kit.aspx&lt;/a&gt;</td></tr><tr><td>RPMI 1640</td><td>Medium</td><td>Miltenyi Biotec</td><td>130-091-440</td><td>&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_243_293_RPMI_1640.aspx&quot;&gt;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_243_293_RPMI_1640.aspx&lt;/a&gt;</td></tr><tr><td>CD4-APC</td><td>Reagent</td><td>Miltenyi Biotec</td><td>130-091-611</td><td>&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_599_327_CD4.aspx&quot;&gt;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_599_327_CD4.aspx&lt;/a&gt;</td></tr><tr><td>CD8a-FITC</td><td>Reagent</td><td>Miltenyi Biotec</td><td>130-091-605</td><td>&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_599_328_CD8a.aspx&quot;&gt;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_599_328_CD8a.aspx&lt;/a&gt;</td></tr><tr><td>Propidium Iodide Solution</td><td>Reagent</td><td>Miltenyi Biotec</td><td>130-093-233</td><td>&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_337_744_Propidium_Iodide_Solution.aspx&quot;&gt;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_337_744_Propidium_Iodide_Solution.aspx&lt;/a&gt;</td></tr><tr><td>FcR Blocking reagent, mouse </td><td>Reagent</td><td>Miltenyi Biotec</td><td>130-092-575</td><td>&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_601_435_FcR_Blocking_Reagent_mouse_.aspx&quot;&gt;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_601_435_FcR_Blocking_Reagent_mouse_.aspx&lt;/a&gt;</td></tr><tr><td>Dead Cell Removal Kit </td><td>Reagent</td><td>Miltenyi Biotec</td><td>130-090-101</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>MACSmix Tube Rotator</td><td>Instrument</td><td>Miltenyi Biotec</td><td>130-090-753</td><td>&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_34_251_MACSmix_Tube_Rotator.aspx&quot;&gt;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_34_251_MACSmix_Tube_Rotator.aspx&lt;/a&gt;</td></tr><tr><td>gentleMACS&amp;#8482; Dissociator</td><td>Instrument</td><td>Miltenyi Biotec</td><td>130-093-235</td><td>&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_709_763_gentleMACS_Dissociator.aspx&quot;&gt;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_709_763_gentleMACS_Dissociator.aspx&lt;/a&gt;</td></tr><tr><td>autoMACS Pro Starting Kit</td><td>Instrument</td><td>Miltenyi Biotec</td><td>130-092-545</td><td>&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_651_679_autoMACS_Pro_Starting_Kit.aspx&quot;&gt;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/PG_651_679_autoMACS_Pro_Starting_Kit.aspx&lt;/a&gt;</td></tr><tr><td>MACS Columns</td><td>Tool</td><td>Miltenyi Biotec</td><td></td><td>&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/NN_115_Columns_at_a_glance.aspx&quot;&gt;http://www.miltenyibiotec.com/en/NN_115_Columns_at_a_glance.aspx&lt;/a&gt;</td></tr><tr><td>MACS Separator</td><td>Tool</td><td>Miltenyi Biotec</td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

detection and isolation of viable mouse il-17-secreting t cells

The MACS Cytokine Secretion Assay technology allows detection of secreted cytokines on the single cell level and sensitive isolation of viable cytokine-secreting cells. In order to label IL-17-secreting cells, a single cell suspension of mouse splenocytes is prepared and stimulated at 37&deg;C with PMA/ionomycin to induce cytokine secretion. To stop secretion cells are then placed on ice and are exposed to the IL-17 Catch Reagent   a bi-specific antibody that binds to CD45 on the cell surface of leukocytes and to IL-17 as it is secreted and caught near the cell surface. Secretion is then re-started by increasing the temperature to 37&deg;C and IL-17 is trapped by the Catch Reagent. Secretion is then stopped again, by placing cells on ice. To detect the trapped IL-17, cells are incubated with a second IL-17-specific antibody conjugated to biotin and an Anti-Biotin-PE antibody. Cells can now be directly analyzed by flow cytometry or prepared for isolation and enrichment by subsequent labeling with Anti-PE conjugated MicroBeads.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Detection and Isolation of Viable Mouse IL-17-Secreting T Cells at JoVE.com

Detection and Isolation of Viable Mouse IL-17-Secreting T Cells

This procedure describes the detection and isolation of mouse TH17 leukocytes that actively secrete IL-17 upon stimulation.

The MACS Cytokine Secretion Assay technology allows detection of secreted cytokines on the single cell level and sensitive isolation of viable ...

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detection-and-isolation-of-viable-mouse-il-17-secreting-t-cells

Nanyang Technological University

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

11.2K Views.  Miltenyi Biotec,GmbH.  ChineseVersion JapaneseVersion 

Video: Detection and Isolation of Viable Mouse IL-17-Secreting T Cells

Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Na&iuml;ve CD4 T Lymphocytes

Th17 cells are a distinct subset of T cells that have been found to produce interleukin 17 (IL-17), and differ in function from the other T cell subsets including Th1, Th2, and regulatory T cells. Th17 cells have emerged as a central culprit in overzealous inflammatory immune responses associated with many autoimmune disorders. In this method we purify T lymphocytes from the spleen and lymph nodes of C57BL/6 mice, and stimulate purified CD4+ T cells under control and Th17-inducing environments. The Th17-inducing environment includes stimulation in the presence of anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies, IL-6, and TGF-&#946;. After incubation for at least 72 hours and for up to five days at 37 &#176;C, cells are subsequently analyzed for the capability to produce IL-17 through flow cytometry, qPCR, and ELISAs. Th17 differentiated CD4+CD25- T cells can be utilized to further elucidate the role that Th17 cells play in the onset and progression of autoimmunity and host defense. Moreover, Th17 differentiation of CD4+CD25- lymphocytes from distinct murine knockout/disease models can contribute to our understanding of cell fate plasticity.

Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Na&#239;ve CD4 T Lymphocytes

With effector functions distinct from other T cell subsets, Th17 cells have been centrally implicated in inflammatory autoimmunity. This in vitro Th17 differentiation protocol provides a means to determine whether na&#239;ve CD4+ T lymphocytes can differentiate into Th17 cells, and to further examine their role in autoimmunity and host response.

Th17 cells are a distinct subset of T cells that have been found to produce interleukin 17 (IL-17), and differ in function from the other T cell subsets ...

Immunology and Infection

Detection of True IgE-expressing Mouse B Lineage Cells

B lymphocyte immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) class switch recombination (CSR) is a process wherein initially expressed IgM switches to other IgH isotypes, such as IgA, IgE and IgG. Measurement of IgH CSR in vitro is a key method for the study of a number of biologic processes ranging from DNA recombination and repair to aspects of molecular and cellular immunology. In vitro CSR assay involves the flow cytometric measurement surface Ig expression on activated B cells. While measurement of IgA and IgG subclasses is straightforward, measurement of IgE by this method is problematic due to soluble IgE binding to Fc&#949;RII/CD23 expressed on the surface of activated B cells. Here we describe a unique procedure for accurate measurement of IgE-producing mouse B cells that have undergone CSR in culture. The method is based on trypsin-mediated cleavage of IgE-CD23 complexes on cell surfaces, allowing for detection of IgE-producing B lineage cells by cytoplasmic staining. This procedure offers a convenient solution for flow cytometric analysis of CSR to IgE.

In vitro analysis of class switch recombination in mice is challenging due to cytophilic IgE molecules bound to Fc receptors on the surface of B cells. We describe a method for IgE detection using trypsin-mediated cleavage of surface-bound IgE prior to fixation and permeabilization for cytoplasmic fluorescence staining.

B lymphocyte immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) class switch recombination (CSR) is a process wherein initially expressed IgM switches to other IgH ...

An Efficient and High Yield Method for Isolation of Mouse Dendritic Cell Subsets

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells primarily responsible for acquiring, processing and presenting antigens on antigen presenting molecules to initiate T-cell-mediated immunity. Dendritic cells can be separated into several phenotypically and functionally heterogeneous subsets. Three important subsets of splenic dendritic cells are plasmacytoid, CD8&#945;Pos and CD8&#945;Neg cells. The plasmacytoid DCs are natural producers of type I interferon and are important for anti-viral T cell immunity. The CD8&#945;Neg DC subset is specialized for MHC class II antigen presentation and is centrally involved in priming CD4 T cells. The CD8&#945;Pos DCs are primarily responsible for cross-presentation of exogenous antigens and CD8 T cell priming. The CD8&#945;Pos DCs have been demonstrated to be most efficient at the presentation of glycolipid antigens by CD1d molecules to a specialized T cell population known as invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells. Administration of Flt-3 ligand increases the frequency of migration of dendritic cell progenitors from bone marrow, ultimately resulting in expansion of dendritic cells in peripheral lymphoid organs in murine models. We have adapted this model to purify large numbers of functional dendritic cells for use in cell transfer experiments to compare in vivo proficiency of different DC subsets.

Distinct dendritic cell subsets exist as rare populations in lymphoid organs, and therefore are challenging to isolate in sufficient numbers and purity for immunological experiments. Here we describe a high efficiency, high yield method for isolation of all of the currently known major subsets of mouse splenic dendritic cells.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells primarily responsible for acquiring, processing and presenting antigens on antigen ...

Phenotypic and Functional Analysis of Activated Regulatory T Cells Isolated from Chronic Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus-infected Mice

Regulatory T (Treg) cells, which express Foxp3 as a transcription factor, are subsets of CD4+ T cells. Treg cells play crucial roles in immune tolerance and homeostasis maintenance by regulating the immune response. The primary role of Treg cells is to suppress the proliferation of effector T (Teff) cells and the production of cytokines such as IFN-&#947;, TNF-&#945;, and IL-2. It has been demonstrated that Treg cells&#39; ability to inhibit the function of Teff cells is enhanced during persistent pathogen infection and cancer development. To clarify the function of Treg cells under resting or inflamed conditions, a variety of in vitro suppression assays using mouse or human Treg cells have been devised. The main aim of this study is to develop a method to compare the differences in phenotype and suppressive function between resting and activated Treg cells. To isolate activated Treg cells, mice were infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) clone 13 (CL13), a chronic strain of LCMV. Treg cells isolated from the spleen of LCMV CL13-infected mice exhibited both the activated phenotype and enhanced suppressive activity compared with resting Treg cells isolated from na&#239;ve mice. Here, we describe the basic protocol for ex vivo phenotype analysis to distinguish activated Treg cells from resting Treg cells. Furthermore, we describe a protocol for the measurement of the suppressive activity of fully activated Treg cells.

Here, we describe a protocol to analyze the phenotype of regulatory T (Treg) cells isolated from na&#239;ve and chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-infected mice. In addition, we provide a process to evaluate the suppressive activity of the Treg cells.

Regulatory T (Treg) cells, which express Foxp3 as a transcription factor, are subsets of CD4+ T cells. Treg cells play crucial roles in immune tolerance ...

Visualization of IL-22-expressing Lymphocytes Using Reporter Mice

Reporter mice have been widely used to observe the localization of expression of targeted genes. This protocol focuses on a strategy to establish a new transgenic reporter mouse model. We chose to visualize interleukin (IL) 22 gene expression because this cytokine has important activities in the intestine, where it contributes to repair tissues damaged by inflammation. Reporter systems offer considerable advantages over other methods of identifying products in vivo. In the case of IL-22, other studies had first isolated cells from tissues and then re-stimulated the cells in vitro. IL-22, which is normally secreted, was trapped inside cells using a drug, and intracellular staining was used to visualize it. This method identifies cells capable of producing IL-22, but it does not determine whether they were doing so in vivo. The reporter design includes inserting a gene for a fluorescent protein (tdTomato) into the IL-22 gene in such a way that the fluorescent protein cannot be secreted and therefore remains trapped inside the producing cells in vivo. Fluorescent producers can then be visualized in tissue sections or by ex vivo analysis through flow cytometry. The actual construction process for the reporter included recombineering a bacterial artificial chromosome that contained the IL-22 gene. This engineered chromosome was then introduced into the mouse genome. Homeostatic IL-22 reporter expression was observed in different mouse tissues, including the spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, Peyer&#39;s patch, and intestine, by flow cytometry analysis. Colitis was induced by T-cell (CD4+CD45RBhigh) transfer, and reporter expression was visualized. Positive T cells were first present in the mesenteric lymph nodes, and then they accumulated inside the lamina propria of the distal small intestine and colon tissues. The strategy using BACs gave good-fidelity reporter expression compared to IL-22 expression, and it is simpler than knock-in procedures.

We describe here a transgenic reporter mouse model to visualize the IL-22-producing cells inside different mouse tissues. This method can be used to track the location of other cytokines or secretary proteins in the mouse.

Reporter mice have been widely used to observe the localization of expression of targeted genes. This protocol focuses on a strategy to establish a new ...

Imaging of In Situ Interferon Gamma Production in the Mouse Spleen following Listeria monocytogenes Infection

Cytokines are small proteins secreted by cells, mediating cell-cell communications that are crucial for effective immune responses. One characteristic of cytokines is their pleiotropism, as they are produced by and can affect a multitude of cell types. As such, it is important to understand not only which cells are producing cytokines, but also in which environment they do so, in order to define more specific therapeutics. Here, we describe a method to visualize cytokine production in situ following bacterial infection. This technique relies on imaging cytokine-producing cells in their native environment by confocal microscopy. To do so, tissue sections are stained for markers of multiple cell types together with a cytokine stain. Key to this method, cytokine secretion is blocked directly in vivo before harvesting the tissue of interest, allowing for detection of the cytokine that accumulated inside the producing cells. The advantages of this method are multiple. First, the microenvironment in which cytokines are produced is preserved, which could ultimately inform on the signals required for cytokine production and the cells affected by those cytokines. In addition, this method gives an indication of the location of the cytokine production in vivo, as it does not rely on artificial in vitro re-stimulation of the producing cells. However, it is not possible to simultaneously analyze cytokine downstream signaling in cells that receive the cytokine. Similarly, the cytokine signals observed correspond&#160;only to the time-window during which cytokine secretion was blocked. While we describe the visualization of the cytokine Interferon (IFN) gamma in the spleen following mouse infection by the intracellular bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, this method could potentially be adapted to the visualization of any cytokine in most organs.

Imaging of In Situ Interferon Gamma Production in the Mouse Spleen following Listeria monocytogenes Infection

Here, we describe a simple confocal imaging method to visualize the in situ localization of cells secreting the cytokine Interferon gamma in murine secondary lymphoid organs. This protocol can be extended for the visualization of other cytokines in diverse tissues.

Cytokines are small proteins secreted by cells, mediating cell-cell communications that are crucial for effective immune responses. One characteristic of ...

Isolation of Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells from Mouse Nasal Mucosa to Detect the Expression of CD226

With abundant research on group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) published over the years, ILC2s are widely known to be implicated in regulating various pathological processes, including anti-helminth immunity, tissue repair, thermogenesis, and autoimmune diseases such as asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR). ILC2s permanently reside in peripheral tissues such as the skin, gut, lungs, and nasal cavity; however, there is limited information about their exact functions in nasal mucosal immunity. CD226 is an activating costimulatory molecule, mainly expressed on natural killer (NK) cells, T cells, and inflammatory monocytes. However, whether ILC2s express CD226 or play a role in the pathogenesis of ILC2s-related diseases remains unknown. Here, we established a method to isolate and identify ILC2s from the nasal mucosa and detected CD226 expression on ILC2s obtained from healthy and AR mice. Herein, we describe this protocol for the isolation and identification of ILC2s from mouse nasal mucosa, which will help explore the internal pathological mechanism of immunological disorders in nasal mucosal diseases.

Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), implicated in type 2 inflammation, mainly participate in response to helminth infection, allergic diseases, metabolic homeostasis, and tissue repair. In this study, a procedure to isolate ILC2s from murine nasal mucosa and detect the expression of CD226 is demonstrated.

With abundant research on group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) published over the years, ILC2s are widely known to be implicated in regulating various ...

Deciphering Early Follicular Helper T-Cell Commitment in Acute LCMV Infection

Accessing Early Differentiation of Virus-Specific Follicular Helper CD4+ T Cell in Acute LCMV-Infected Mice

Follicular Helper T (TFH) cells are perceived as an independent CD4+ T cell lineage that assists cognate B cells in producing high-affinity antibodies, thus establishing long-term humoral immunity. During acute viral infection, the fate commitment of virus-specific TFH cells is determined in the early infection phase, and investigations of the early-differentiated TFH cells are crucial in understanding T cell-dependent humoral immunity and optimizing vaccine design. In the study, using a mouse model of acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection and the TCR-transgenic SMARTA (SM) mouse with CD4+ T cells specifically recognizing LCMV glycoprotein epitope I-AbGP66-77, we described procedures to access the early fate commitment of virus-specific TFH cells based on flow cytometry stainings. Furthermore, by exploiting retroviral transduction of SM CD4+ T cells, methods to manipulate gene expression in early-differentiated virus-specific TFH cells are also provided. Hence, these methods will help in studies exploring the mechanism(s) underlying the early commitment of virus-specific TFH cells.

Author Spotlight: Elucidating the Pathways of TFH Cell Differentiation in Acute LCMV Challenges

The current study showcases protocols for assessing the early fate commitment of virus-specific TFH cells and manipulating gene expression in these cells.

Follicular Helper T (TFH) cells are perceived as an independent CD4+ T cell lineage that assists cognate B cells in producing high-affinity antibodies, ...

Isolation and Characterization of Antigen-Specific T Cells in Mouse Lungs

Identification of Rare Antigen-Specific T Cells from Mouse Lungs with Peptide:Major Histocompatibility Complex Tetramers

The identification and characterization of antigen-specific T cells during health and disease remains a key to improving our understanding of immune pathophysiology. The technical challenges of tracking antigen-specific T cell populations within the endogenous T cell repertoire have been greatly advanced by the development of peptide:MHC tetramer reagents. These fluorescently labeled soluble multimers of MHC class I or class II molecules complexed to antigenic peptide epitopes bind directly to T cells with corresponding T cell receptor (TCR) specificity and can, therefore, identify antigen-specific T cell populations in their native state without a requirement for a functional response induced by ex vivo stimulation. For exceedingly rare populations, tetramer-bound T cells can be magnetically enriched to increase the sensitivity and reliability of detection.
As the investigation of tissue-resident T cell immunity deepens, there is a pressing need to identify antigen-specific T cells that traffic to and reside in nonlymphoid tissues. In this protocol, we present a detailed set of instructions for the isolation and characterization of antigen-specific T cells present within mouse lungs. This involves the isolation of T cells from digested lung tissue followed by a general T cell magnetic enrichment step and tetramer staining for flow cytometry analysis and sorting. The steps highlighted in this protocol utilize common techniques and readily available reagents, making it accessible for nearly any researcher engaged in mouse T cell immunology, and are highly adaptable for a variety of downstream analyses of any low frequency antigen-specific T cell population residing within the lungs.

Author Spotlight: Optimized Protocol for Detecting Antigen-Specific T Cells in Mouse Lungs Using Tetramers

We provide a detailed protocol for isolating and identifying rare antigen-specific T cell populations in mouse lungs through magnetic bead-based T cell enrichment and peptide:major histocompatibility complex (MHC) tetramers.

The identification and characterization of antigen-specific T cells during health and disease remains a key to improving our understanding of immune ...

Th17 Cell Differentiation from Naive CD4+ T-Cells Using Flow Cytometry

In Vitro Differentiation of Naive CD4+ T Cells into Pathogenic Th17 Cells in Mouse

In vitro T cell differentiation techniques are essential for both functional and mechanistic investigations of CD4+ T cells. Pathogenic Th17 cells have been linked to a wide range of diseases in recent times, including multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis, and other autoimmune disorders. However, the currently known in vitro differentiation protocols have difficulty achieving high purity of pathogenic Th17 cells, with the induction efficiency often below 50%, which is a key challenge in in vitro experiments. In this protocol, we propose an enhanced in vitro culture and differentiation protocol for pathogenic Th17 cells, which is used to directly differentiate naive CD4+ T cells isolated from mouse spleens into pathogenic Th17 cells. This protocol provides detailed instructions on splenocyte isolation, purification of naive CD4+ T cells, and differentiation of pathogenic Th17 cells. Through this protocol, we can achieve a differentiation purity of approximately 90% for pathogenic Th17 cells, which meets the basic needs of many cellular experiments.

Author Spotlight: Achieving High-Purity In Vitro Differentiation of Th17 Cells Using Cytokine Concentration Modulation

This protocol describes the differentiation of na&#239;ve CD4+ T cells into pathogenic Th17 cells in vitro. Specifically, when combined with a multi-parameter flow cytometry-based approach, 90% purity of pathogenic Th17 cells can be obtained from na&#239;ve CD4+ T cells using this differentiation method.

In vitro T cell differentiation techniques are essential for both functional and mechanistic investigations of CD4+ T cells. Pathogenic Th17 cells have ...

Detection and Isolation of Viable Mouse IL-17-Secreting T Cells

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