Akkermansia Muciniphila
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Intestinal Immunity to the Commensal Bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila By Eduardo Ansaldo Gine A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular and Cell Biology in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Gregory Barton, Chair Professor Ellen Robey Professor Sarah Stanley Professor Michael Shapira Summer 2019 Abstract Intestinal Immunity to the Commensal Bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila By Eduardo Ansaldo Gine Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular and Cell Biology University of California, Berkeley Professor Gregory Barton, Chair Intestinal immunity plays critical roles in maintaining host health. Despite the abundance of foreign antigens and activated lymphocytes in the intestine, only a few commensal bacteria that induce cognate adaptive immune responses during homeostasis have been identified. In this dissertation, I reveal that Akkermansia muciniphila, an intestinal bacterium associated with beneficial effects on host metabolism and cancer immunotherapy, induces cognate T-dependent immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) and IgA antibody responses and antigen-specific T cell responses during homeostasis. In contrast to the select few examples of previously characterized mucosal responses to commensal bacteria, T cell responses to A. muciniphila are limited to T follicular helper cells in the Peyer’s patches in a gnotobiotic setting, without appreciable induction of other T helper fates or migration to the lamina propria. However, A. muciniphila-specific responses are context-dependent, and adopt other T helper fates in the setting of a conventional microbiota. These findings suggest that contextual signals influence T cell immunity to the microbiota and modulate host immune function during homeostasis. Interestingly, T cells specific to A. muciniphila expand dramatically in a novel (but still uncharacterized) genetic mouse model of intestinal inflammation, suggesting that this bacterium may become a major mucosal antigen when homeostasis is disrupted. If so, T cell immunity to A. muciniphila may play critical roles during infection and inflammatory bowel diseases. 1 This dissertation is dedicated to my mother, whose unrealized dream was to become a scientist, and to my father, who always supported me in pursuing my own interests. i Table of Contents Chapter 1: Immunity and the microbiota ...................................................................... 1 From model antigens to commensal bacteria .......................................................................................... 1 The immune system and the microbiota in the intestine ......................................................................... 2 B cell responses to the microbiota in the intestine .................................................................................. 4 T cell responses to the microbiota in the intestine ................................................................................... 5 Chapter 2: Commensal bacteria induce T-dependent IgG antibody responses during homeostasis ....................................................................................................... 9 Background: ............................................................................................................................................ 9 Results: .................................................................................................................................................. 11 Discussion: ............................................................................................................................................ 13 Methods: ................................................................................................................................................ 14 Figures: .................................................................................................................................................. 16 Chapter 3: A. muciniphila induces cognate IgG1 antibody responses in conventional and gnotobiotic mice ............................................................................ 21 Background: .......................................................................................................................................... 21 Results: .................................................................................................................................................. 23 Discussion: ............................................................................................................................................ 25 Methods: ................................................................................................................................................ 27 Figures: .................................................................................................................................................. 29 Chapter 4: A. muciniphila induces antigen-specific T cell responses during homeostasis.................................................................................................................. 33 Background: .......................................................................................................................................... 33 Results: .................................................................................................................................................. 35 Discussion: ............................................................................................................................................ 38 Methods: ................................................................................................................................................ 39 Figures: .................................................................................................................................................. 44 Chapter 5: Description of a novel mouse line that induces ectopic responses to the microbiota ............................................................................................................... 57 Background: .......................................................................................................................................... 57 Results: .................................................................................................................................................. 58 Discussion: ............................................................................................................................................ 62 Methods: ................................................................................................................................................ 64 Figures: .................................................................................................................................................. 66 Chapter 6: Concluding remarks .................................................................................. 74 References: ................................................................................................................... 77 ii List of Figures Figure 2.1. Mice generate anti-commensal IgG1 antibodies during homeostasis ....................... 16 Figure 2.2. Anti-commensal IgG1 antibodies, but not other isotypes, are T cell-dependent ....... 18 Figure 2.3. Supporting data for sorting and 16S rDNA sequencing of IgG1-bound and unbound bacteria ......................................................................................................................................... 19 Figure 2.4. Additional IgG1-Seq experiments confirm targeting of Akkermansia and Bacteroides S24-7 ............................................................................................................................................. 20 Figure 3.1 Akkermansia muciniphila is necessary and sufficient to induce cognate A. muciniphila-specific IgG1 antibody responses ............................................................................. 29 Figure 3.2 A. muciniphila induces antigen-specific IgG1 and IgA antibody responses in SPF and gnotobiotic mice ........................................................................................................................... 31 Figure 4.1. Generation of A. muciniphila-specific hybridomas, TCR transgenic mice, and I-Ab tetramers ...................................................................................................................................... 45 Figure 4.2. Generation of A. muciniphila-specific I-Ab tetramers and validation of T cell lines ... 46 Figure 4.3 Characterization of Amuc124 TCR Transgenic mice .................................................... 48 Figure 4.4. A. muciniphila induces antigen-specific T follicular helper cell responses during homeostasis .................................................................................................................................. 50 Figure 4.5. Amuc124 TCR transgenic Rag1+/+ and Rag1–/– cells expand similarly in ASF+Akk mice ...................................................................................................................................................... 51 Figure 4.6. Endogenous A. muciniphila-specific T cells localize to the Peyer’s patches and adopt TFH markers. .................................................................................................................................. 52 Figure 4.7. A. muciniphila-specific