The metabolic program of inflammatory eosinophils accounts for chronic parasite-induced skin-disease

Barinberg, D.; Sebald, H.; Gold, T.; Rai, B.; Radtke, D.; Lerm, D.; Voehringer, D.; Jantsch, J.; Wirtz, S.; Antonova, A. U.; Colonna, M.; Bogdan, C.; Schleicher, U.

doi:10.1101/2025.02.28.640104

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2025.02.28.640104

The metabolic program of inflammatory eosinophils accounts for chronic parasite-induced skin-disease

Barinberg, D.·Sebald, H.·Gold, T.·Rai, B.·Radtke, D.·Lerm, D.·Voehringer, D.·Jantsch, J.·Wirtz, S.·Antonova, A. U.·Colonna, M.·Bogdan, C.·Schleicher, U.

View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Eosinophils exert antimicrobial, cytotoxic and immunoregulatory effects, but their function in cutaneous tissue still remains poorly understood. Here, we used a mouse model of chronic cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania (L.) mexicana to investigate the function and transcriptomic signature of eosinophils in the skin. In C57BL/6 wild-type mice, L. mexicana infection induced local and systemic eosinophilia that was dependent on type 2 innate lymphoid cells and interleukin-5. Genetic and pharmacological depletion of eosinophils led to complete clinical resolution of disease, which was accompanied by a more pronounced Th1 and M1-like macrophage response. Bioinformatic analyses revealed a novel inflammatory and tissue-specific transcriptional trajectory in skin-infiltrating eosinophils. Skin-imprinted eosinophils strongly expressed the high-affinity glucose transporter 3 (Slc2a3), deprived the environment of glucose and directly impeded the function of Th1 cells. Together, our results demonstrate that disease progression and chronicity of L. mexicana infection is caused by inflammatory eosinophils and linked to their metabolic program. Short SummaryThe authors describe that depletion of eosinophils prevents chronic cutaneous disease caused by Leishmania mexicana. They identify a novel, tissue-specific transcriptomic profile of inflammatory skin eosinophils and demonstrate that skin-imprinted eosinophils show strong glucose uptake and directly repress Th1 responses. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=173 SRC="FIGDIR/small/640104v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (36K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@3ecd3org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1b1283forg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1c941fdorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@b7c39_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG KEY POINTSO_LIEosinophil accumulation precedes the development of chronic cutaneous leishmaniasis C_LIO_LIEosinophil depletion or IL-5 neutralization lead to clinical cure of the disease C_LIO_LIL. mexicana infection elicits a unique transcriptomic signature of skin eosinophils C_LIO_LISkin eosinophils show a marked uptake of glucose and directly repress Th1 responses C_LI

Explore related subjects

immunology Preprint

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

Barinberg, D., Sebald, H., Gold, T., Rai, B., Radtke, D., Lerm, D., Voehringer, D., Jantsch, J., Wirtz, S., Antonova, A. U., Colonna, M., Bogdan, C., Schleicher, U.. 2025-03-01. The metabolic program of inflammatory eosinophils accounts for chronic parasite-induced skin-disease. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.02.28.640104

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related preprints

bioRxiv2026

Ksp37 is a rapidly mobilized NK cell secretory protein that engages FGF2

A key feature of natural killer (NK) cells is their preloaded arsenal of effector molecules, allowing them to rapidly respond upon activation. In this study, we characterized a previously unexplored secretory protein, termed killer-specific secretory protein of 37 kDa (Ksp37), which is highly abundant in differentiated CD56dim NK cells. Ksp37 is rapidly secreted in a dose-dependent and JAK-1 dependent manner upon low levels of cytokine stimulation, making it a sensitive readout for NK cell activation. Following secretion, intracellular levels were rapidly replenished, preserving responsiveness to subsequent cytokine stimulation. We found that Ksp37 is stored in polarized intracellular compartments distinct from those containing canonical cytotoxic effector molecules, including granzyme B and perforin, which require stronger stimulation for release. Lastly, we identified Ksp37 as a novel binding partner of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2). This opens new avenues of exploration for the role of NK cells in remodeling their extracellular environment by modulating the FGF2-FGFR1 axis, which plays a key role in tumor growth, angiogenesis and tissue repair.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2026

ACE-engineered human iPSC-derived neutrophils enhance host defense against multidrug-resistant bacterial infections

Severe neutropenia predisposes patients to life-threatening infections, while donor-dependent granulocyte transfusions are limited by availability and variable cell quality. Here, we engineered human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to constitutively or inducibly express angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and differentiated them into functional ACE-engineered neutrophils (ACE-iNeu). ACE expression enhanced granulocytic maturation, reactive oxygen species generation, inflammatory cytokine production, and antimicrobial signaling. ACE-iNeu exhibited enhanced bactericidal activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Following adoptive transfer into neutropenic mice, ACE-iNeu significantly reduced circulating and tissue bacterial burdens. Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed ACE-associated alterations in adenine nucleotide abundance and developmental and inflammatory pathways. Together, these findings establish ACE engineering as a strategy to enhance the production and antimicrobial function of human iPSC-derived neutrophils and support further preclinical development of engineered granulocyte therapies for severe drug-resistant infections.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2026

Tetravalent dengue mRNA vaccination orchestrates balanced four-serotype immunity with durable memory and protection in mice.

An effective dengue vaccine must establish durable immunity across four dengue virus (DENV) serotypes, evade antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), and overcome immune imprinting from prior exposure. Here, we developed TetprM-E mRNA-LNP, a tetravalent vaccine comprising LNP-formulated nucleoside-modified mRNAs encoding DENV1-4 precursor membrane-envelope (prM-E) antigens, and evaluated its immunogenicity, durability, protection and breath across serotype-specific immune backgrounds. Three immunization strategies elicited neutralizing titers greater than 1:1500 against each serotype. Passive transfer of immune sera conferred 100% survival and reduced viremia after lethal DENV2 challenge in immunocompromised mice. Vaccination induced DENV envelope (env)-specific CD8+T cells and CD4-dependent germinal-center responses. DENV env-binding antibodies persisted for 34 weeks alongside DENV env-specific memory B cells. Vaccine-elicited sera showed no measurable in vitro ADE. Although monovalent priming initially biased antibody responses, TetprM-E mRNA-LNP vaccination broadened neutralization across DENV1-4 regardless of priming serotype. Together, TetprM-E mRNA-LNP elicits broad, durable, and protective immunity despite serologic constraints from pre-existing immunity.

immunology↗