2024
The human CD47 checkpoint is targeted by an immunosuppressive Aedes aegypti salivary factor to enhance arboviral skin infectivity
Marin-Lopez A, Huck J, Esterly A, Azcutia V, Rosen C, Garcia-Milian R, Sefik E, Vidal-Pedrola G, Raduwan H, Chen T, Arora G, Halene S, Shaw A, Palm N, Flavell R, Parkos C, Thangamani S, Ring A, Fikrig E. The human CD47 checkpoint is targeted by an immunosuppressive Aedes aegypti salivary factor to enhance arboviral skin infectivity. Science Immunology 2024, 9: eadk9872. PMID: 39121194, DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adk9872.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSuppress antiviral responsesArthropod proteinsPathogen replicationAntiviral responseProtein AVertebrate hostsMosquito salivary proteinsUp-regulatedBlood feedingHuman macrophagesPleomorphic effectsSkin infectionsZika virus disseminationInhibit proinflammatory responsesSalivary proteinsProteinNatural ligandWhite blood cellsHuman skin explantsProinflammatory responseMosquito salivaVirus disseminationHuman CD47Salivary factorsArbovirus infection
2023
IL-6 trans-signaling in a humanized mouse model of scleroderma
Odell I, Agrawal K, Sefik E, Odell A, Caves E, Kirkiles-Smith N, Horsley V, Hinchcliff M, Pober J, Kluger Y, Flavell R. IL-6 trans-signaling in a humanized mouse model of scleroderma. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2023, 120: e2306965120. PMID: 37669366, PMCID: PMC10500188, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2306965120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBone marrow-derived immune cellsIL-6Human hematopoietic stem cellsImmune cellsT cellsScleroderma skinSoluble IL-6 receptorCD8 T cellsHumanized mouse modelPathogenesis of sclerodermaMesenchymal cellsFibroblast-derived IL-6IL-6 receptorIL-6 signalingT cell activationHuman IL-6Human T cellsExpression of collagenFibrosis improvementPansclerotic morpheaHuman endothelial cellsHumanized miceReduced markersSkin graftsHuman CD4Humanized mouse liver reveals endothelial control of essential hepatic metabolic functions
Kaffe E, Roulis M, Zhao J, Qu R, Sefik E, Mirza H, Zhou J, Zheng Y, Charkoftaki G, Vasiliou V, Vatner D, Mehal W, AlcHepNet, Kluger Y, Flavell R. Humanized mouse liver reveals endothelial control of essential hepatic metabolic functions. Cell 2023, 186: 3793-3809.e26. PMID: 37562401, PMCID: PMC10544749, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.07.017.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMetabolic functionsSpecies-specific interactionsKey metabolic functionsCell-autonomous mechanismsNon-alcoholic fatty liver diseaseMajor metabolic hubNon-parenchymal cellsMetabolic hubHuman hepatocytesMicroenvironmental regulationHuman diseasesHuman-specific aspectsHuman pathologiesHomeostatic processesSpecies mismatchCholesterol uptakeFatty liver diseaseParacrine mannerHuman immuneBile acid conjugationSinusoidal endothelial cellsHepatic metabolic functionMouse liverEndothelial cellsCellsAutologous humanized PDX modeling for immuno-oncology recapitulates features of the human tumor microenvironment
Chiorazzi M, Martinek J, Krasnick B, Zheng Y, Robbins K, Qu R, Kaufmann G, Skidmore Z, Juric M, Henze L, Brösecke F, Adonyi A, Zhao J, Shan L, Sefik E, Mudd J, Bi Y, Goedegebuure S, Griffith M, Griffith O, Oyedeji A, Fertuzinhos S, Garcia-Milian R, Boffa D, Detterbeck F, Dhanasopon A, Blasberg J, Judson B, Gettinger S, Politi K, Kluger Y, Palucka K, Fields R, Flavell R. Autologous humanized PDX modeling for immuno-oncology recapitulates features of the human tumor microenvironment. Journal For ImmunoTherapy Of Cancer 2023, 11: e006921. PMID: 37487666, PMCID: PMC10373695, DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-006921.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHuman tumor microenvironmentTumor microenvironmentTumor-immune interactionsSolid tumorsAdaptive immune activationAdaptive immune populationsIndividual tumor microenvironmentsPatient's hematopoietic systemPatient-derived xenograft tissuesVascular endothelial growth factorBone marrow hematopoietic stemBone marrow aspiratePreclinical drug testingEndothelial growth factorHematopoietic systemAutologous tumorPDX modelingPDX miceImmune activationImmune populationsMarrow aspiratesAutologous systemIndividual patientsLittermate controlsPreclinical predictionsIL-7R licenses a population of epigenetically poised memory CD8+ T cells with superior antitumor efficacy that are critical for melanoma memory
Micevic G, Daniels A, Flem-Karlsen K, Park K, Talty R, McGeary M, Mirza H, Blackburn H, Sefik E, Cheung J, Hornick N, Aizenbud L, Joshi N, Kluger H, Iwasaki A, Bosenberg M, Flavell R. IL-7R licenses a population of epigenetically poised memory CD8+ T cells with superior antitumor efficacy that are critical for melanoma memory. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2023, 120: e2304319120. PMID: 37459511, PMCID: PMC10372654, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2304319120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIL-7R expressionT cellsIL-7RAntitumor memorySuperior antitumor efficacyCell-based therapiesTumor-specific T cellsAntigen-specific T cellsAntitumor efficacyPowerful antitumor immune responseMarkers of exhaustionTumor-specific CD8Antitumor immune responseIndependent prognostic factorAntitumor immune memoryMemory T cellsMajor risk factorSuperior antitumor activityFunctional CD8Memory CD8Prognostic factorsSurgical resectionAdvanced melanomaLymph nodesNaive miceRegulatory T cells in the face of the intestinal microbiota
Ramanan D, Pratama A, Zhu Y, Venezia O, Sassone-Corsi M, Chowdhary K, Galván-Peña S, Sefik E, Brown C, Gélineau A, Mathis D, Benoist C. Regulatory T cells in the face of the intestinal microbiota. Nature Reviews Immunology 2023, 23: 749-762. PMID: 37316560, DOI: 10.1038/s41577-023-00890-w.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2022
Human neutrophil development and functionality are enabled in a humanized mouse model
Zheng Y, Sefik E, Astle J, Karatepe K, Öz HH, Solis AG, Jackson R, Luo HR, Bruscia EM, Halene S, Shan L, Flavell RA. Human neutrophil development and functionality are enabled in a humanized mouse model. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2022, 119: e2121077119. PMID: 36269862, PMCID: PMC9618085, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2121077119.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHumanized mouse modelMouse modelHuman immune systemHuman neutrophilsImmune systemFunctional human immune systemGranulocyte colony-stimulating factorUnique mouse modelColony-stimulating factorHuman G-CSFMISTRG miceG-CSF receptor geneBacterial burdenInfectious challengeG-CSFNeutrophilsMiceNeutrophil developmentReceptor geneDiseaseEBVerified TCRs and multiple sclerosis.
Sefik E, O'Connor KC. EBVerified TCRs and multiple sclerosis. Science Immunology 2022, 7: eadf0763. PMID: 36206354, DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adf0763.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchInflammasome activation in infected macrophages drives COVID-19 pathology
Sefik E, Qu R, Junqueira C, Kaffe E, Mirza H, Zhao J, Brewer JR, Han A, Steach HR, Israelow B, Blackburn HN, Velazquez SE, Chen YG, Halene S, Iwasaki A, Meffre E, Nussenzweig M, Lieberman J, Wilen CB, Kluger Y, Flavell RA. Inflammasome activation in infected macrophages drives COVID-19 pathology. Nature 2022, 606: 585-593. PMID: 35483404, PMCID: PMC9288243, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04802-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInflammasome activationLung inflammationInflammatory responseInfected macrophagesSARS-CoV-2 infectionHuman macrophagesChronic lung pathologyPersistent lung inflammationSevere COVID-19Immune inflammatory responseInflammatory cytokine productionHumanized mouse modelNLRP3 inflammasome pathwayCOVID-19 pathologyCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2Productive viral cycleHyperinflammatory stateChronic stageIL-18Cytokine productionInflammatory cytokinesLung pathologyInflammasome pathwayInterleukin-1
2021
A humanized mouse model of chronic COVID-19
Sefik E, Israelow B, Mirza H, Zhao J, Qu R, Kaffe E, Song E, Halene S, Meffre E, Kluger Y, Nussenzweig M, Wilen CB, Iwasaki A, Flavell RA. A humanized mouse model of chronic COVID-19. Nature Biotechnology 2021, 40: 906-920. PMID: 34921308, PMCID: PMC9203605, DOI: 10.1038/s41587-021-01155-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic COVID-19Humanized mouse modelImmune responseMouse modelAcute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infectionSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infectionSyndrome coronavirus 2 infectionCOVID-19Adaptive human immune responsesInterferon-stimulated gene signaturePersistent viral RNACoronavirus 2 infectionPatient-derived antibodiesT-cell lymphopeniaHuman immune responseHyperactive immune responseCoronavirus disease 2019Inflammatory macrophage responseImmunological injuryLung pathologyCell lymphopeniaDisease 2019Severe diseaseRodent modelsInflammatory macrophagesEditorial: Regulatory T Cell Heterogeneity: Canonical and Non-Canonical Functions
Sefik E, Hori S, Vasanthakumar A. Editorial: Regulatory T Cell Heterogeneity: Canonical and Non-Canonical Functions. Frontiers In Immunology 2021, 12: 722563. PMID: 34630397, PMCID: PMC8492903, DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.722563.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDetection of differentially abundant cell subpopulations in scRNA-seq data
Zhao J, Jaffe A, Li H, Lindenbaum O, Sefik E, Jackson R, Cheng X, Flavell RA, Kluger Y. Detection of differentially abundant cell subpopulations in scRNA-seq data. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2021, 118: e2100293118. PMID: 34001664, PMCID: PMC8179149, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2100293118.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAgingB-LymphocytesBrainCell LineageCOVID-19CytokinesDatasets as TopicDendritic CellsGene Expression ProfilingGene Expression RegulationHigh-Throughput Nucleotide SequencingHumansMelanomaMonocytesPhenotypeRNA, Small CytoplasmicSARS-CoV-2Severity of Illness IndexSingle-Cell AnalysisSkin NeoplasmsT-LymphocytesTranscriptomeConceptsDA subpopulationsIll COVID-19 patientsImmune checkpoint therapyCOVID-19 patientsSingle-cell RNA sequencing analysisCheckpoint therapyBrain tissueCell subpopulationsRNA sequencing analysisTime pointsSubpopulationsDiseased individualsDistinct phenotypesOriginal studyCell typesAbundant subpopulationSequencing analysisCellsDA measuresPhenotypeImportant differencesNonrespondersPatientsTherapy
2017
Mining the Human Gut Microbiota for Immunomodulatory Organisms
Geva-Zatorsky N, Sefik E, Kua L, Pasman L, Tan T, Ortiz-Lopez A, Yanortsang T, Yang L, Jupp R, Mathis D, Benoist C, Kasper D. Mining the Human Gut Microbiota for Immunomodulatory Organisms. Cell 2017, 168: 928-943.e11. PMID: 28215708, PMCID: PMC7774263, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.01.022.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGut microbiotaHuman gut microbesHuman gut microbiotaIndividual bacterial speciesGut microbesMicrobial phylogenyHuman gutDiverse microbesEpigenetic systemsMicrobial diversityBacterial speciesMicrobiota's abilityMicrobesMicrobiotaMonocolonized miceGutImmunological adaptationsHostImmune systemPhylogenyImmune parametersPhylogeneticallyImmunomodulatory effectsSpeciesDiversity
2016
Identifying species of symbiont bacteria from the human gut that, alone, can induce intestinal Th17 cells in mice
Tan T, Sefik E, Geva-Zatorsky N, Kua L, Naskar D, Teng F, Pasman L, Ortiz-Lopez A, Jupp R, Wu H, Kasper D, Benoist C, Mathis D. Identifying species of symbiont bacteria from the human gut that, alone, can induce intestinal Th17 cells in mice. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2016, 113: e8141-e8150. PMID: 27911839, PMCID: PMC5167147, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1617460113.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIntestinal Th17 cellsB. adolescentisTh17 cell accumulationTh17 cellsHuman gutBifidobacterium strainsBifidobacterium adolescentisBacterial speciesTranscriptional programsIdentified speciesSymbiont bacteriaCell accumulationProbiotic preparationGut epitheliumInduce Th17 cellsMurine intestineK/BxN mouse modelFunctional microbesInoculation of miceFilamentous bacteriaMicrobesAttending inflammationBacteriaGutAutoimmune arthritis
2015
Individual intestinal symbionts induce a distinct population of RORγ+ regulatory T cells
Sefik E, Geva-Zatorsky N, Oh S, Konnikova L, Zemmour D, McGuire AM, Burzyn D, Ortiz-Lopez A, Lobera M, Yang J, Ghosh S, Earl A, Snapper SB, Jupp R, Kasper D, Mathis D, Benoist C. Individual intestinal symbionts induce a distinct population of RORγ+ regulatory T cells. Science 2015, 349: 993-997. PMID: 26272906, PMCID: PMC4700932, DOI: 10.1126/science.aaa9420.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsBacteriaBacteroidetesColitis, UlcerativeColonForkhead Transcription FactorsHomeostasisHumansImmunity, MucosalIntestinal MucosaMice, Inbred C57BLMicrobiotaNuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3SymbiosisTh17 CellsT-Lymphocyte SubsetsT-Lymphocytes, RegulatoryTranscription, GeneticTranscriptomeConceptsRegulatory T cellsImmuno-inflammatory responseT helper 17 (Th17) cell differentiationTranscription factor Foxp3Important effector moleculeRegulatory cellsHuman gut microbiotaFactor Foxp3T cellsRelated cell typesGut microbiotaMouse colonRORγSymbiotic membersIntestinal symbiontsFoxp3Tissue homeostasisEffector moleculesCell differentiationCell typesDistinct populationsCellsDifferent outcomesInflammation