聚乙二醇作为乙型肝炎病毒DNA疫苗佐剂的体外试验

摘要：【目的】研究聚乙二醇作为佐剂是否能够增强HBV DNA疫苗体液和细胞免疫效果。【方法】我们将乙型肝炎病毒(HBV) DNA 疫苗（pVAX-S2）单独或PEG/pVAX-S2免疫C57BL/6小鼠,在最后一次免疫1 d检测抗-HBs IgG、T淋巴细胞增殖、细胞因子表达及体内细胞毒T淋巴细胞杀伤作用（CTL）等免疫学指标。【结果】结果表明,与仅免疫pVAX-S2比,PEG/ pVAX-S2能够增加免疫小鼠抗-HBs IgG水平; 混合免疫组的T淋巴细胞体外经乙肝表面抗原（HBsAg）刺激后,T淋巴细     

siRNA干扰MMP-9和FAK双基因抑制小鼠黑色素瘤生长和在体迁移

目的:观察干扰MMP-9和FAK双基因对恶性黑色素瘤高转移细胞B16F10体内转移的影响。方法:构建PGV102-MMP9-siRNA、PGV102-FAK-siRNA重组质粒载体,脂质体^TM2000介导转染小鼠黑色素瘤B16F10细胞,RT-PCR检测基因的干扰效果;建立C57BL/6小鼠皮下移植瘤模型观察细胞在体成瘤和肿瘤的生长情况,常规组织切片,H&E染色观察肿瘤组织病理学特征;经C57BL/6小鼠尾静脉注射细胞5×10⁵个/只,24天后计数小鼠肺转移结节数评价肿瘤细胞在体迁移能力。结果:RT-PCR结果表明,重组质粒转染细胞组的MMP-9和FAK的mRNA水平显著低于正常细胞组(P<0.01),转染细胞组C57BL/6小鼠皮下成瘤的肿瘤生长速率、黑色素瘤肺转移结节数明显低于正常细胞组(P<0.01)。结论:干扰B16F10细胞MMP-9和FAK双基因可明显抑制小鼠体内恶性肿瘤的生长和迁移。     

免疫共刺激分子OX40L对乙型肝炎核酸疫苗的免疫佐剂作用

[目的]为了进一步增强HBV DNA疫苗的免疫反应,本研究将共刺激分子OX40L 作为HBV DNA疫苗的分子佐剂免疫小鼠,旨在探讨共刺激分子OX40L对HBV DNA疫苗诱导体液和细胞免疫应答的影响.[方法]我们将HBV DNA疫苗(pcDS2)单独或联合共刺激分子质粒pOX40L免疫C57BL/6小鼠;分别在第0,2,4周进行免疫,在第6周检测抗-HBs IgG、IgG1和IgG2a,T淋巴细胞增殖指数,细胞因子表达水平和体内细胞毒性T淋巴细胞杀伤作用(CTL)等免疫学指标.[结果]pceDS2联合pOX40L免疫组小鼠的抗-HBs水平显著提高,抗-HBs IgG亚类以IgG2a占优;免疫小鼠的T淋巴细胞体外经乙型肝炎表面抗原(HBsAg)刺激后,联合免疫组刺激指数(SI)明显高于pcDS2组;联合免疫组CD4 + T淋巴细胞的IL-4和IFN-γ表达水平及CD8 + T淋巴细胞的IFN-γ表达水平显著升高;DNA疫苗免疫的各组小鼠,HBsAg特异性体内CTL高于对照组,其中联合免疫组小鼠的体内CTL杀伤作用最强.[结论]共刺激分子OX40L不仅能增强HBV DNA疫苗诱导特异性体液免疫应答,还能增强特异性细胞免疫反应,尤其增强体内CTL的杀伤活性,为HBV DNA疫苗的研究奠定了基础.     

人乳头瘤病毒16型治疗性疫苗联合免疫效果研究

目的:探索联合免疫策略对人乳头瘤病毒16型(HPV16)治疗疫苗 L2E7E6和 rAdE7E6的免疫效果的影响.方法:用 L2E7E6融合蛋白和重组腺病毒 rAd5E7E6以不同的联合免疫程序分别免疫 C57BL/6小鼠,通过检测其诱发的体液免疫和细胞免疫反应,以及观察其在 HPV16小鼠治疗模型中的抑瘤效果,比较分析联合免疫对小鼠免疫反应及治疗肿瘤效果的影响.结果:异性联合免疫组均可检测到较高水平的体液免疫,该2组针对 E6、E7特异性的 T 细胞免疫反应与同性联合免疫2组相比明显提高,并在小鼠肿瘤治疗模型中能抑制肿瘤生长.结论:异性联合免疫策略可明显提高 HPV16 L2E7E6及 rAd5E7E6疫苗的 T 细胞免疫反应,且有效治疗 HPV16相关肿瘤,为 HPV16 L2E7E6及 rAd5E7E6疫苗的应用提供了实验基础.     

CpG ODN增强rHBsAg疫苗对小鼠免疫应答影响的研究

通过CpG寡核苷酸(CpG ODN)与重组HBsAg蛋白疫苗(rHBsAg)联合免疫C57BL/6BL/6小鼠,观察CpG ODN对小鼠免疫状况的影响。试验分对照、乙肝疫苗以及用乙肝疫苗加CpG三组,MTT法分别进行HBsAg特异性刺激淋巴细胞转化试验、HBsAg特异性刺激细胞毒性T细胞杀伤试验、自然杀伤细胞非特异性杀伤试验,以及ConA刺激淋巴细胞转化试验;ELISA测定HBsAb、INF-γ、IL-12和IL-4结果中,疫苗加CpG组抗原特异性转化试验指数为4.05±0.31;疫苗加CpG组抗原特异性CTL率为82.27±22.64,在统计学上差异显著(P<0.05);而HBsAb、INF-γ、IL-12的结果分别为51.85±14.41、802.25±104.25和373.62±66.58,与对照组及疫苗组比较,差异显著(P<0.05)。CpG ODN能作为一种新的免疫佐剂更好地增强重组乙肝表面抗原蛋白疫苗诱导小鼠产生高效的体液和细胞免疫应答。     

汉滩病毒核蛋白CTL表位肽联合不同免疫佐剂的免疫学特性研究

目的:研究汉滩病毒(HTNV)核蛋白细胞毒性T淋巴细胞(CTL)表位肽联合不同免疫佐剂免疫C57BL/6小鼠后的免疫学特性,确立一种免疫效果良好的多肽免疫C57BL/6小鼠方案。方法:分别用氢氧化铝、弗氏佐剂和脂质体作为免疫佐剂与汉滩病毒核衣壳蛋白上的CTL表位肽段混合,经皮下注射免疫C57BL/6小鼠,共免疫3次,每次间隔2周;免疫结束后分离小鼠脾细胞,并分别采用ELISPOT和CTL杀伤试验进行检测。结果:HTNV核蛋白CTL表位肽联合弗氏佐剂加脂质体组小鼠脾细胞分泌IFN-γ能力和CTL杀伤能力优于其他各实验组(P0.01)。结论:HTNVCTL表位肽联合弗氏佐剂加脂质体免疫C57BL/6小鼠效果最佳,可为HTNV多肽疫苗的免疫策略提供参考。     

共表达O型口蹄疫病毒3C、P1-2A基因和猪白细胞介素18基因的重组鸡痘病毒免疫原性研究

目的 对本室已筛选到的一株共表达O型口蹄疫病毒3C基因、P1-2A基因和猪白细胞介素18基因的重组鸡痘病毒rFPV-3C-P1-2A-IL-18进行免疫原性研究。方法 分别用重组鸡痘病毒rFPV-3C-P1-2A-IL-18、rFPV-P1-2A-3C和对照组282E4株FPV、PBS对小鼠进行免疫接种,并检测各免疫组的T 淋巴细胞亚类数量、CTL杀伤活性及抗体效价。结果 重组鸡痘病毒疫苗组免疫小鼠T 淋巴细胞亚类数量,CTL杀伤活性和抗体效价均显著高于对照组,且重组鸡痘病毒rFPV-3C-P1-2A-IL-18的小鼠T 淋巴细胞亚类数量和CTL特异性杀伤活性与rFPV-P1-2A-3C相比,差异显著。结论 本实验为开发新型FMDV疫苗奠定了实验免疫基础。     

表达CRT/E7融合蛋白的人乳头瘤病毒DNA疫苗对肿瘤生长和血管生成抑制作用的研究

研究HPV6b E7/CRT DNA疫苗免疫保护,清除已有感染和相关肿瘤细胞及其血管生成抑制作用,分析CRT抗血管生成的功能片段,为筛选高效的HPV疫苗提供实验依据。用重组质粒pcDNA3.1( )-GFP-CRT120/HPV6bE7、pcDNA3.1( )-GFP-HPV6bE7、pcDNA3.1( )-GFP-CRT120、pcDNA3.1( )-GFP-CRT180/HPV6bE7、pcDNA3.1( )-GFP-CRT180通过肌内注射途径免疫C57BL/6小鼠。Matrigel法进行抗血管活性检测;B16/HPV6bE7细胞接种于C57BL/6雌性小鼠建立荷瘤模型,观察各组DNA疫苗对HPV6bE7基因的荷瘤组织的出瘤时间和肿瘤大小的影响。结果显示:重组DNA疫苗pcDNA3.1-CRT180/HPV6bE7和pcDNA3.1-CRT180在动物体内能对bFGF诱导的新生血管的生成有明显的抑制作用;CRT180/HPV6bE7和CRT180能显著抑制荷瘤的大小且CRT180/HPV6bE7免疫组较其他组能明显延缓荷瘤的形成时间、生长速率以及肿瘤重量。CRT180/HPV6bE7免疫组较其他组能诱导更强的血管抑制作用和部分抑制肿瘤生长,推测抑制血管的功能片段存在于CRT 120~180 aa片段上。     

Th1类细胞因子对pHCV—C重组体诱生免疫应答的增强作用

为了探索Th1类细胞因子IL 2和IL 12对含丙型肝炎病毒 (HCV)核心 (C)基因重组体诱生的免疫应答的增强作用 ,本文构建了包含HCVC基因片段的重组质粒pHCV C ,将其单独或与Th1类细胞因子表达质粒 pIL 2或pIL 12共免疫BALB/c小鼠 ,ELISA法检测免疫小鼠血清中的HCVC特异性抗体滴度 ;以pHCV C转染SP2 / 0细胞 ,经筛选稳定表达HCVC抗原者 (SP2 / 0 HCV C)为靶细胞 ,51Cr释放试验检测细胞毒T淋巴细胞 (CTLs)的体外特异性杀伤功能。结果发现 ,pIL 2能够增加 pHCV C诱导的抗体产生 ,对CTLs的杀伤作用增强却不明显 ;而 pIL 12对 pHCV C诱导的抗体和细胞免疫应答均有增强作用 (p <0 .0 5 )。由此推断 ,佐以Th1类细胞因子 ,不仅可以增强基因疫苗诱生的免疫应答强度 ,而且可能使机体对基因疫苗的免疫应答朝着有利于优先诱导CTLs免疫应答清除病原体的方向发展。     

嵌合NY-ESO-1 DNA疫苗诱导黑色素瘤小鼠模型抗肿瘤免疫的研究

NY-ESO-1作为一种肿瘤抗原,具有较强的免疫抗原性,并且已成为肿瘤候选疫苗之一。但由于目前大多应用NY-ESO-1多肽以及蛋白质疫苗,其临床试验效果欠佳,亟需更为有效的NY-ESO-1抗原设计的肿瘤免疫治疗出现。该研究的目的是探索将NY-ESO-1与具有增强免疫效应的五种因子分别重组成嵌合蛋白抗原,使其更有效地被加工、转运和呈递,以期找到最佳的基因佐剂,增强NY-ESO-1作为肿瘤治疗性DNA疫苗的免疫效果。采用电脉冲体内细胞高效转入的方法对C57BL/6小鼠进行DNA免疫,发现用编码NY-ESO-1或连接有HSP70的嵌合体质粒免疫可诱导强烈的NY-ESO-1特异性Ig G1反应。NY-ESO-1连接泛素的质粒免疫小鼠主要诱导NY-ESO-1特异性Ig G2a反应,表明此基因佐剂诱导强的Th1免疫反应。与其他嵌合NY-ESO-1质粒免疫相比,NYESO-1连接泛素的质粒免疫小鼠,有效地保护小鼠对有NY-ESO-1表达的B16F10黑色素瘤细胞系的挑战作用,证明强的Th1免疫反应对预防和治疗肿瘤具有重要作用。去除调节性T细胞(regulatory T cells,Treg)可进一步增强泛素-NY-ESO-1嵌合DNA疫苗治疗黑色素瘤的作用。此外,Ub-NY-ESO-1质粒结合编码异源黑素瘤抗原GP100和TRP-2的质粒免疫可诱导对抗含有NY-ESO-1表达的B16F10黑色素瘤的协同抗肿瘤免疫疗效。该研究结果表明,编码泛素-NY-ESO-1嵌合抗原的质粒DNA疫苗或与编码其他相关黑色素瘤抗原的质粒的联合可能是有效的治疗黑色素瘤的疫苗。     

Enalapril protects mice from pulmonary hypertension by inhibiting TNF-mediated activation of NF-kappaB and AP-1

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of treatment with the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor enalapril in a mouse model of pulmonary hypertension induced by bleomycin. Bleomycin-induced lung injury in mice is mediated by enhanced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) expression in the lung, which determines the murine strain sensitivity to bleomycin, and murine strains are sensitive (C57BL/6) or resistant (BALB/c). Bleomycin induced significant pulmonary hypertension in C57BL/6, but not in BALB/c, mice; average pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) was 26.4 +/- 2.5 mmHg (P < 0.05) vs. 15.2 +/- 3 mmHg, respectively. Bleomycin treatment induced activation of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB and activator protein (AP)-1 and enhanced collagen and TNF mRNA expression in the lung of C57BL/6 but not in BALB/c mice. Double TNF receptor-deficient mice (in a C57BL/6 background) that do not activate NF-kappaB or AP-1 in response to bleomycin did not develop bleomycin-induced pulmonary hypertension (PAP 14 +/- 3 mmHg). Treatment of C57BL/6 mice with enalapril significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited the development of pulmonary hypertension after bleomycin exposure. Enalapril treatment inhibited NF-kappaB and AP-1 activation, the enhanced TNF and collagen mRNA expression, and the deposition of collagen in bleomycin-exposed C57BL/6 mice. These results suggest that ACE inhibitor treatment decreases lung injury and the development of pulmonary hypertension in bleomycin-treated mice.     

Toxoplasma gondii: The severity of toxoplasmic encephalitis in C57BL/6 mice is associated with increased ALCAM and VCAM-1 expression in the central nervous system and higher blood-brain barrier permeability

In order to investigate the differential ALCAM, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 adhesion molecules mRNA expression and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice in Toxoplasma gondii infection, animals were infected with ME-49 strain. It was observed higher ALCAM on day 9 and VCAM-1 expression on days 9 and 14 of infection in the central nervous system (CNS) of C57BL/6 compared to BALB/c mice. The expression of ICAM-1 was high and similar in the CNS of both lineages of infected mice. In addition, C57BL/6 presented higher BBB permeability and higher IFN-γ and iNOS expression in the CNS compared to BALB/c mice. The CNS of C57BL/6 mice presented elevated tissue pathology and parasitism. In conclusion, our data suggest that the higher adhesion molecules expression and higher BBB permeability contributed to the major inflammatory cell infiltration into the CNS of C57BL/6 mice that was not efficient to control the parasite.     

以减毒沙门氏菌为载体的口服胞嘧啶脱氨酶基因治疗小鼠肿瘤

通过电转化法将真核表达载体EGFPN1和pLCDSN导入减毒鼠伤寒沙门氏菌SL3261中,经由胃管饲于C57BL／6和BALB／c小鼠。6周后接种Lewis和4T1肿瘤细胞,待种瘤增至直径为10mm左右,辅以‘腹腔注射5－氟胞嘧啶治疗。通过流式细胞仪、共聚焦显微镜和PCR等方法,在小鼠的肝脏、脾脏、小肠、肾脏、肿瘤等组织器官中均可检测到胞嘧啶脱氨酶基因的整合,绿色荧光蛋白在小鼠的脾脏和肿瘤中表达最强,其他组织表达甚弱,利用胞嘧啶脱氨酶／5－氟胞嘧啶系统进行治疗的小鼠肿瘤生长较其他组织显著受抑（P＜0.01),小鼠的生存期明显延长（P＜0.01),未观察到明显的毒副作用。     

Keap1 knockdown increases markers of metabolic syndrome after long-term high fat diet feeding

The nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)–Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) pathway upregulates antioxidant and biotransformation enzyme expression to counter cellular oxidative stress. The contributions of Nrf2 to other cellular functions, such as lipid homeostasis, are emerging. This study was conducted to determine how enhanced Nrf2 activity influences the progression of metabolic syndrome with long-term high-fat diet (HFD) feeding. C57BL/6 and Keap1-knockdown (Keap1-KD) mice, which exhibit enhanced Nrf2 activity, were fed a HFD for 24 weeks. Keap1-KD mice had higher body weight and white adipose tissue mass compared to C57BL/6 mice on HFD, along with increased inflammation and lipogenic gene expression. HFD feeding increased hepatic steatosis and inflammation to a greater extent in Keap1-KD mice compared to C57BL/6 mice, which was associated with increased liver Cd36, fatty acid-binding protein 4, and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 mRNA expression, as well as increased acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 and stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 protein expression. The HFD altered short-term glucose homeostasis to a greater degree in Keap-KD mice compared to C57BL/6 mice, which was accompanied by downregulation of insulin receptor substrate 1 mRNA expression in skeletal muscle. Together, the results indicate that Keap1 knockdown, on treatment with HFD, increases certain markers of metabolic syndrome.     

Transgene number-dependent, gene expression rate-independent rejection of Dd -, Kd-, or Dd Kd -transgened mouse skin or tumor cells from C57BL/6 Db Kb mice

Recipient cells migrating into the transplantation site of an allograft recognize histocompatibility antigens on the grafts and are cytotoxic against the grafts. Although the alloreactive immune response is predominantly directed at the major histocompatibility complex (major histocompatibility complex [MHC]; H-2 in mice) class I molecules, the basic mechanisms of allograft rejection (e.g., ligand-receptor interaction) remain unclear, because of the polymorphism and complexity of the MHC. To examine the role of MHC class I molecules in allograft rejection, D(d) , K(d) or D(d) K(d) -transgenic skin or tumor cells we established on a C57BL/6 (D(b) K(b) ) background and transplanted into C57BL/6 mice. Skin grafts from allogeneic (i.e., BALB/c, B10.D2, and BDF1) strains of mice were rejected from C57BL/6 mice on days 12-14 after grafting, whereas isografts were tolerated by these mice. Unexpectedly, skin grafts from D(d) -, K(d) -, and D(d) K(d) -transgenic C57BL/6 mice were rejected on days 12-14 in a transgene expression rate-independent manner from 9/19 (47%), 20/39 (51%), and 12/17 (71%) of C57BL/6 mice, respectively. Similarly, intradermally transplanted allogeneic (i.e., Meth A), but not syngeneic (i.e., EL-4), tumor cells were rejected from C57BL/6 mice; the growth of D(d) - or K(d) -transfected EL-4 cells was delayed by 10-13 days; and 4/10 (40%) of D(d) K(d) -transfected tumor cells were rejected from C57BL/6 mice. These results indicate that D(d) and K(d) genes are equivalent as allogeneic MHC class I genes and that C57BL/6 (D(b) K(b) ) mice reject D(d) -, K(d) -, or D(d) K(d) -transgened skin or tumor cells in a transgene number-dependent, gene expression rate-independent manner.     

Deficiency in indoleamine-2, 3-dioxygenase induces upregulation of guanylate binding protein 1 and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in the brain during cerebral infection with Toxoplasma gondii in genetically resistant BALB/c mice but not in genetically susceptible C57BL/6 mice

We examined the roles of indoleamine-2, 3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) in controlling cerebral Toxoplasma gondii infection in both genetically resistant and susceptible strains of mice. In susceptible C57BL/6 mice, IDO expression was immunohistochemically detected only in a minority (22.5%) of tachyzoite-infected cells in their brains during the later stage of infection. When C57BL-6-background IDO1-deficient (IDO1^?/?) mice were infected, their cerebral tachyzoite burden was equivalent to those of wild-type (WT) animals. In contrast, in resistant BALB/c mice, IDO expression was detected in a majority (84.0%) of tachyzoite-infected cerebral cells. However, tachyzoite burden in BALB/c-background IDO1^?/? mice remained as low as that of WT mice, which was 78 times less than those of C57BL/6 mice. Of interest, IDO1^?/? mice of only resistant BALB/c-background had markedly greater cerebral expressions of two other IFN-γ-mediated effector molecules, guanylate binding protein 1 (Gbp1) and nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2), than their WT mice. Therefore, it would be possible that IDO1 deficiency was effectively compensated by the upregulated expression of Gbp1 and NOS2 to control cerebral tachyzoite growth in genetically resistant BALB/c mice, whereas IDO1 did not significantly contribute to controlling cerebral tachyzoite growth in genetically susceptible C57BL/6 mice because of its suppressed expression in infected cells.     

C1q deficiency and autoimmunity: the effects of genetic background on disease expression

Gene-targeted C1q-deficient mice have been shown to develop a syndrome reminiscent of human systemic lupus erythematosus with antinuclear Abs and proliferative glomerulonephritis. Initial phenotypic analysis conducted in (129 x C57BL/6) hybrid mice showed that background genes were a significant factor for the full expression of the autoimmune disease. To assess the contribution of background genes in the expression of the autoimmune phenotype, the disrupted C1qa gene was backcrossed for seven generations onto C57BL/6 and MRL/Mp(+/+) strains. These were intercrossed with C57BL/6.lpr/lpr and MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr strains to generate C1q-deficient substrains. In C1q-deficient C57BL/6 mice, no evidence of an autoimmune phenotype was found, and C1q deficiency in both the C57BL/6.lpr/lpr and MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr strains did not modify the autoimmune phenotype observed in wild-type controls. However, in C1q-deficient MRL/Mp(+/+) animals an acceleration of both the onset and the severity of antinuclear Abs and glomerulonephritis was seen. Disease was particularly pronounced in females, which developed severe crescentic glomerulonephritis accompanied by heavy proteinuria. In addition, the C1q-deficient MRL/Mp(+/+) mice had an impairment in the phagocytic clearance of apoptotic cells in vivo. These data demonstrate that the expression of autoimmunity in C1q-deficient mice is strongly influenced by other background genes. The work also highlights the potential value of the C1q-deficient MRL/Mp(+/+) strain as a tool with which to dissect further the underlying mechanisms of the autoimmune syndrome associated with C1q deficiency.     

Leptin receptor signaling is required for vaccine-induced protection against Helicobacter pylori

Background:  A vaccine against Helicobacter pylori would be a desirable alternative to antibiotic therapy. Vaccination has been shown to be effective in animal models but the mechanism of protection is poorly understood. Previous studies investigating the gene expression in stomachs of vaccinated mice showed changes in adipokine expression correlated to a protective response. In this study, we investigate a well-characterized adipokine-leptin, and reveal an important role for leptin receptor signaling in vaccine-induced protection.
Materials and Methods:  Leptin receptor signaling-deficient (C57BL/Ks Lepr^db), wild-type C57BL/Ks m littermates and C57BL/6 mice were vaccinated, and then challenged with H. pylori . Levels of bacterial colonization, antibody levels, and gastric infiltrates were compared. The local gene expression pattern in the stomach of leptin receptor signaling-deficient and wild-type mice was also compared using microarrays.
Results:  Interestingly, while vaccinated wild-type lean C57BL/6 and C57BL/Ks m mice were able to significantly reduce colonization compared to controls, vaccinated obese C57BL/Ks Lepr^db were not. All mice responded to vaccination, i.e. developed infiltrates predominantly of T lymphocytes in the gastric mucosa, and made H. pylori -specific antibodies. A comparison of expression profiles in protected C57BL/6 and nonprotected C57BL/Ks Lepr^db mice revealed a subset of inflammation-related genes that were more strongly expressed in nonprotected mice.
Conclusions:  Our data suggest that functional leptin receptor signaling is required for mediating an effective protective response against H. pylori .     

Absence of the CD1 molecule up-regulates antitumor activity induced by CpG oligodeoxynucleotides in mice

The role of NKT cells on antitumor activity of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) was evaluated by peritumoral injections of CpG-ODNs in s.c. melanoma-bearing mice of strains differing in the number of NKT cells (athymic nude mice, recombination-activating gene(-/-)/transgenic V(alpha)14/Vbeta8.2 mice that generate NKT cells; J(alpha)281(-/-) mice and CD1(-/-) mice, which both have a strongly reduced number of NKT cells; and C57BL/6 wild-type mice). Tumor growth was significantly inhibited in strains enriched or depleted of NKT cells. The two murine strains having a reduced number of NKT cells differed significantly in the CpG-dependent tumor growth inhibition: in J(alpha)281(-/-) mice this inhibition was superimposable to that observed in C57BL/6 mice, while in CD1(-/-) mice the inhibition was dramatic. The increased tumor inhibition in CD1(-/-) correlated with a significantly higher ratio of IFN-gamma-IL-4 production in response to CpG as compared with C57BL/6 and J(alpha)281(-/-) mice. Experiments in which preparations of APCs and lymphocytes of the three strains were mixed showed that in the presence of APCs not expressing CD1, the production of CpG-ODN-induced type 1 cytokines was higher. Phenotype analysis of IFN-gamma- and IL-4-producing cells revealed that the differences between CD1(-/-) and C57BL/6 in the production of these two cytokines were mainly due to CD3(+) T lymphocytes. These data point to a regulatory role for the CD1 molecule in antitumor activity induced by danger signals, independently of V(alpha)14 NKT cells. The identification of a CD1-dependent suppressive subpopulation(s) might have important implications for the study of tolerance in the context of cancer, autoimmunity, and transplantation.     

Gene expression profiling reveals unique pathways associated with differential severity of lyme arthritis

The murine model of Lyme disease provides a unique opportunity to study the localized host response to similar stimulus, Borrelia burgdorferi, in the joints of mice destined to develop severe arthritis (C3H) or mild disease (C57BL/6). Pathways associated with the response to infection and the development of Lyme arthritis were identified by global gene expression patterns using oligonucleotide microarrays. A robust induction of IFN-responsive genes was observed in severely arthritic C3H mice at 1 wk of infection, which was absent from mildly arthritic C57BL/6 mice. In contrast, infected C57BL/6 mice displayed a novel expression profile characterized by genes involved in epidermal differentiation and wound repair, which were decreased in the joints of C3H mice. These expression patterns were associated with disease state rather than inherent differences between C3H and C57BL/6 mice, because C57BL/6-IL-10(-/-) mice infected with B. burgdorferi develop more severe arthritis than C57BL/6 mice and displayed an early gene expression profile similar to C3H mice. Gene expression profiles at 2 and 4 wk postinfection revealed a common response of all strains that was likely to be important for the host defense to B. burgdorferi and mediated by NF-kappaB-dependent signaling. The gene expression profiles identified in this study add to the current understanding of the host response to B. burgdorferi and identify two novel pathways that may be involved in regulating the severity of Lyme arthritis.