Interleukin-1α Activity in Necrotic Endothelial Cells Is Controlled by Caspase-1 Cleavage of Interleukin-1 Receptor-2: IMPLICATIONS FOR ALLOGRAFT REJECTION*

Inflammation is a key instigator of the immune responses that drive atherosclerosis and allograft rejection. IL-1α, a powerful cytokine that activates both innate and adaptive immunity, induces vessel inflammation after release from necrotic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Similarly, IL-1α released from endothelial cells (ECs) damaged during transplant drives allograft rejection. However, IL-1α requires cleavage for full cytokine activity, and what controls cleavage in necrotic ECs is currently unknown. We find that ECs have very low levels of IL-1α activity upon necrosis. However, TNFα or IL-1 induces significant levels of active IL-1α in EC necrotic lysates without alteration in protein levels. Increased activity requires cleavage of IL-1α by calpain to the more active mature form. Immunofluorescence and proximity ligation assays show that IL-1α associates with interleukin-1 receptor-2, and this association is decreased by TNFα or IL-1 and requires caspase activity. Thus, TNFα or IL-1 treatment of ECs leads to caspase proteolytic activity that cleaves interleukin-1 receptor-2, allowing IL-1α dissociation and subsequent processing by calpain. Importantly, ECs could be primed by IL-1α from adjacent damaged VSMCs, and necrotic ECs could activate neighboring normal ECs and VSMCs, causing them to release inflammatory cytokines and up-regulate adhesion molecules, thus amplifying inflammation. These data unravel the molecular mechanisms and interplay between damaged ECs and VSMCs that lead to activation of IL-1α and, thus, initiation of adaptive responses that cause graft rejection.     

IL-27增强TNF-α介导上调的炎症因子的表达

目的:动脉粥样硬化是慢性炎症疾病,免疫细胞及炎症因子在其发病过程中起重要调节作用。本研究在于探讨IL-27对血管内皮细胞的直接作用。方法:采用ELISA方法,研究IL-27和TNF-α对人冠状动脉内皮细胞产生炎症相关细胞因子和趋化因子的作用。结果:IL-27显著增强TNF-α介导上调的炎症相关细胞因子IL-6和趋化因子CCL5的表达。IL-6和CCL5的表达受特异性信号分子抑制剂显著抑制。结论:人冠状动脉内皮细胞诱导释放IL-6和CCL5可能受JNK,p38MAPK和NF-κB通路差异调控。这些结果为阐明IL-27与TNF-α在动脉粥样硬化血管炎症发生中的作用提供重要生物化学基础。     

全反式维甲酸对乙酰胆碱受体特异性淋巴细胞的免疫调控作用

目的:观察全反式维甲酸(ATRA)对乙酰胆碱受体(AChR)特异性淋巴细胞的体外调控作用,探讨其治疗重症肌无力(MG)的可能机制。方法:建立完全弗氏佐剂(CFA)对照组及实验性自身免疫性重症肌无力(EAMG)组大鼠,并获取淋巴结单个细胞悬液,以ACh R97-116多肽片段以及不同浓度的ATRA体外培养72 h,采用流式细胞仪法、CCK-8法、ELISA法分别检测活细胞比例、细胞凋亡和周期的改变以及Th亚群的格局和B细胞抗体分泌能力的变化。结果:ATRA显著降低活细胞比例(P0.001);不同浓度的ATRA均促进了特异性细胞群的凋亡(P0.001),且呈剂量依赖性,而ATRA未改变AChR特异性淋巴细胞的生长周期;ATRA处理后,CFA和EAMG组的淋巴细胞增殖均受到明显抑制,且ATRA对ACh R特异性的淋巴细胞的抑制明显(EAMG组,P0.01)于CFA组(P0.05);ATRA干预后,ACh R特异性CD4+T淋巴细胞的比例下降(P0.01),且ATRA促进了Th2、Treg细胞亚群百分比(P_(IL-4)0.001,P_(Foxp3)0.001),而抑制了促炎性的Th17、Th1细胞亚群百分比(P_(IL-17)0.05,P_(IFN-γ)0.001);ATRA能够降低ACh R特异性B细胞的抗体分泌能力(P0.01)。结论:ATRA不仅能抑制ACh R特异性T细胞功能,同时也能抑制ACh R特异性B细胞功能,其在MG的临床治疗中可能起治疗作用。     

NKG2D ligand RAE1ε induces generation and enhances the inhibitor function of myeloid‐derived suppressor cells in mice

Expression of surface NKG2D ligands on tumour cells, which activates nature killer (NK) cells and CD8⁺ T cells, is crucial in antitumour immunity. Some types of tumours have evolved mechanisms to suppress NKG2D‐mediated immune cell activation, such as tumour‐derived soluble NKG2D ligands or sustained NKG2D ligands produced by tumours down‐regulate the expression of NKG2D on NK cells and CD8⁺ T cells. Here, we report that surface NKG2D ligand RAE1ε on tumour cells induces CD11b⁺Gr‐1⁺ myeloid‐derived suppressor cell (MDSC) via NKG2D in vitro and in vivo. MDSCs induced by RAE1ε display a robust induction of IL‐10 and arginase, and these MDSCs show greater suppressive activity by inhibiting antigen‐non‐specific CD8⁺ T‐cell proliferation. Consistently, upon adoptive transfer, MDSCs induced by RAE1ε significantly promote CT26 tumour growth in IL‐10‐ and arginase‐dependent manners. RAE1ε moves cytokine balance towards Th2 but not Th1 in vivo. Furthermore, RAE1ε enhances inhibitory function of CT26‐derived MDSCs and promotes IL‐4 rather than IFN‐γ production from CT26‐derived MDSCs through NKG2D in vitro. Our study has demonstrated a novel mechanism for NKG2D ligand⁺ tumour cells escaping from immunosurveillance by facilitating the proliferation and the inhibitory function of MDSCs.     

Adiponectin promotes human jaw bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell chemotaxis via CXCL1 and CXCL8

Adiponectin (APN) is known to promote the osteogenic differentiation of human jaw bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (h‐JBMMSCs). However, the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Previously, we showed that APN could promote h‐JBMMSC osteogenesis via APPL1‐p38 by up‐regulating osteogenesis‐related genes. Here, we aimed to determine whether APN could promote h‐JBMMSC chemotaxis through CXCL1/CXCL8. The CCK‐8, wound healing and transwell assays were used to evaluate the proliferation, migration and chemotaxis of h‐JBMMSCs with or without APN treatment. Chemotaxis‐related genes were screened using RNA‐seq, and the results were validated using real‐time PCR and ELISA. We also performed Western blot using the AMPK inhibitor, WZ4003, and the p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580, to identify the signalling pathway involved. We found that APN could promote h‐JBMMSC chemotaxis in the co‐culture transwell system. CXCL1 and CXCL8 were screened and confirmed as the up‐regulated target genes. The APN‐induced CXCL1/8 up‐regulation to promote chemotaxis could be blocked by CXCR2 inhibitor SB225002. Western blot revealed that the phosphorylation of AMPK and p38 MAPK increased in a time‐dependent manner with APN treatment. Additionally, WZ4003 and SB203580 could suppress the APN‐induced overexpression of CXCL1 and CXCL8. The results of the transwell chemotaxis assay also supported the above results. Our data suggest that APN can promote h‐JBMMSC chemotaxis by up‐regulating CXCL1 and CXCL8.     

Multistep Photoluminescence Decay Reveals Dissociation of Geminate Charge Pairs in Organolead Trihalide Perovskites

Charge carrier dynamics in organolead iodide perovskites is analyzed by employing time‐resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy with several ps time resolution. The measurements performed by varying photoexcitation intensity over five orders of magnitude enable separation of photoluminescence components related to geminate and nongeminate charge carrier recombination and to address the dynamics of an isolated geminate electron–hole pair. Geminate recombination dominates at low excitation fluence and determines the initial photoluminescence decay. This decay component is remarkably independent of the material structure and experimental conditions. It is demonstrated that dependences of the geminate and nongeminate radiative recombination components on excitation intensity, repetition rate, and temperature, are hardly compatible with carrier trapping and exciton dissociation models. On the basis of semiclassical and quantum mechanical numerical calculation results, it is argued that the fast photoluminescence decay originates from gradual spatial separation of photogenerated weakly bound geminate charge pairs.     

Identification of cardiac stem cells within mature cardiac myocytes

Cardiac stem cells are described in a number of mammalian species including humans. Cardiac stem cell clusters consisting of both lineage-negative and partially committed cells are generally identified between contracting cardiac myocytes. In the present study, c-kit⁺, Sca⁺, and Isl1⁺ stem cells were revealed to be located inside the sarcoplasm of cardiac myocytes in myocardial cell cultures derived from newborn, 20-, and 40-day-old rats. Intracellularly localized cardiac stem cells had a coating or capsule with a few pores that opened into the host cell sarcoplasm. The similar structures were also identified in the suspension of freshly isolated myocardial cells (ex vivo) of 20- and 40-day-old rats. The results from this study provide direct evidence for the replicative division of encapsulated stem cells, followed by their partial cardiomyogenic differentiation. The latter is substantiated by the release of multiple transient amplifying cells following the capsule rupture. In conclusion, functional cardiac stem cells can reside not only exterior to but also within cardiomyocytes.     

The Effects of Mobile Phone Radiofrequency Radiation on Cochlear Stria Marginal Cells in Sprague–Dawley Rats

To investigate the possible mechanisms for biological effects of 1,800 MHz mobile radiofrequency radiation (RFR), the radiation-specific absorption rate was applied at 2 and 4 W/kg, and the exposure mode was 5 min on and 10 min off (conversation mode). Exposure time was 24 h short-term exposure. Following exposure, to detect cell DNA damage, cell apoptosis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, the Comet assay test, flow cytometry, DAPI (4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride) staining, and a fluorescent probe were used, respectively. Our experiments revealed that mobile phone RFR did not cause DNA damage in marginal cells, and the rate of cell apoptosis did not increase (P > 0.05). However, the production of ROS in the 4 W/kg exposure group was greater than that in the control group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, these results suggest that mobile phone energy was insufficient to cause cell DNA damage and cell apoptosis following short-term exposure, but the cumulative effect of mobile phone radiation still requires further confirmation. Activation of the ROS system plays a significant role in the biological effects of RFR. Bioelectromagnetics. © 2020 The Authors. Bioelectromagnetics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

培养人皮下脂肪干细胞纵向分化的实验研究

目的:建立人脂肪干细胞(adipose-derived stem cells,ADSCs)分离、培养的方法,观察其生物学特性,探讨其纵向分化的能力.方法:自皮下脂肪组织获得梭形细胞,观察细胞生物学特征,免疫组化鉴定波形蛋白和CD44.以含有胰岛素、地塞米松、1.甲基-3-异丁基-黄嘌呤的无血清混合培养基诱导其向脂肪细胞纵向分化,以细胞形态学变化.油红O染色和测定甘油磷酸脱氢酶活性判定分化是否成功.结果:人皮下脂肪中能够分离培养出生长旺盛的脂肪干细胞,诱导培养7d后细胞由梭形逐渐变圆,胞质内出现脂滴后逐渐增多融合为脂泡,并与甘油磷酸脱氢酶活性变化相吻合.油红O染色显示约(78.6±2.2)%细胞转变为脂肪细胞.结论:人皮下脂肪中分离的脂肪干细胞在体外诱导条件下能纵向分化为脂肪细胞,可能成为修复软组织缺损及整形美容的又一干细胞来源.