Neurons upregulate PD-L1 via IFN/STAT1/IRF1 to alleviate damage by CD8⁺ T cells in cerebral malaria

Cerebral malaria (CM) is the most lethal complication of malaria, and survivors usually endure neurological sequelae. Notably, the cytotoxic effect of infiltrating Plasmodium-activated CD8⁺ T cells on cerebral microvasculature endothelial cells is a prominent feature of the experimental CM (ECM) model with blood-brain barrier disruption. However, the damage effect of CD8⁺ T cells infiltrating the brain parenchyma on neurons remains unclear. Based on the immunosuppressive effect of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway on T cells, our previous study demonstrated that the systemic upregulation of PD-L1 to inhibit CD8⁺ T cell function could effectively alleviate the symptoms of ECM mice. However, it has not been reported whether neurons can suppress the pathogenic effect of CD8⁺ T cells through the PD-1/PD-L1 negative immunomodulatory pathway. As the important inflammatory factor of CM, interferons can induce the expression of PD-L1 via different molecular mechanisms according to the neuro-immune microenvironment. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the direct interaction between CD8⁺ T cells and neurons, as well as the mechanism of neurons to alleviate the pathogenic effect of CD8⁺ T cells through up-regulating PD-L1 induced by IFNs.

Using the ECM model of C57BL/6J mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA), morphological observations were conducted in vivo by electron microscope and IF staining. The interaction between the ECM CD8⁺ T cells (immune magnetic bead sorting from spleen of ECM mice) and primary cultured cortical neurons in vitro was observed by IF staining and time-lapse photography. RNA-seq was performed to analyze the signaling pathway of PD-L1 upregulation in neurons induced by IFNβ or IFNγ, and verified through q-PCR, WB, IF staining, and flow cytometry both in vitro and in vivo using IFNAR or IFNGR gene knockout mice. The protective effect of adenovirus-mediated PD-L1 IgGFc fusion protein expression was verified in ECM mice with brain stereotaxic injection in vivo and in primary cultured neurons via viral infection in vitro.

In vivo, ECM mice showed infiltration of activated CD8⁺ T cells and neuronal injury in the brain parenchyma. In vitro, ECM CD8⁺ T cells were in direct contact with neurons and induced axonal damage, as an active behavior. The PD-L1 protein level was elevated in neurons of ECM mice and in primary cultured neurons induced by IFNβ, IFNγ, or ECM CD8⁺ T cells in vitro. Furthermore, the IFNβ or IFNγ induced neuronal expression of PD-L1 was mediated by increasing STAT1/IRF1 pathway via IFN receptors. The increase of PD-L1 expression in neurons during PbA infection was weakened after deleting the IFNAR or IFNGR. Increased PD-L1 expression by adenovirus partially protected neurons from CD8⁺ T cell-mediated damage both in vitro and in vivo.

Our study demonstrates that both type I and type II IFNs can induce neurons to upregulate PD-L1 via the STAT1/IRF1 pathway mediated by IFN receptors to protect against activated CD8⁺ T cell-mediated damage, providing a targeted pathway to alleviate neuroinflammation during ECM.