NADPH-oxidase activation in murine neutrophils via formyl peptide receptors

Neutrophils play a key role at inflammatory sites where, in addition to destroying infecting microorganisms, they may also have deleterious effects on host tissues. Both activities involve activation of the NADPH-oxidase that produces bactericidal and tissue-destructive reactive oxygen species (ROS). We activated the murine NADPH-oxidase using different types of neutrophil activators and characterized the oxidative responses with respect to magnitude, localization, and kinetics. We show that agonist-induced activation of murine neutrophils results exclusively in extracellular release of ROS and no intracellular production could be detected. We also show that the formylated peptide, formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLF), is a much less potent activator of the murine NADPH-oxidase than of the human analogue. Nevertheless, fMLF responses can be primed by pretreating the murine neutrophils with either cytochalasin B or bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Finally, we show that a synthetic hexapeptide, WKYMVM, is a more potent stimulus than fMLF for murine neutrophils and that these two agonists probably act via nonidentical high-affinity receptors.     

Phagocytic leukocytes and reactive oxygen species

Phagocytic leukocytes, when appropriately stimulated, display a respiratory burst in which they consume oxygen and produce superoxide anions. Superoxide is produced by the phagocyte NADPH-oxidase system which is a multiprotein complex that is dissociated in quiescent cells and is assembled into the functional oxidase following stimulation of these cells. Also associated with the respiratory burst is the generation of other reactive oxygen species. The identity of components of the NADPH-oxidase system and their interactions are known in considerable molecular detail. Understanding of the regulation of superoxide production is less well known. This review also points out the important role of microscopy in complementing biochemical studies to understand better the cell biology of the phagocyte respiratory burst. Presented at the 50th Anniversary Symposium of the Society for Histochemistry, Interlaken, Switzerland, October 1–4, 2008.     

Ginkgolide B stimulates signaling events in neutrophils and primes defense activities

Ginkgolide B (GKB) is a bioactive component of the standardized extract from the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree (EGb 761), which is used in Chinese and in occidental medicine. GKB is known as a platelet-activating factor receptor antagonist. Here, we provide evidence that GKB per se (0.25-5 microM) stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins, phospholipase D activation, calcium transients, and activation of p38 but not p44/42 Map kinases in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). These stimulatory effects remained relatively weak and primed PMN for subsequent stimulation of respiratory burst (RB) or directed locomotion by the chemoattractant fMet-Leu-Phe (fMLP) or complement-derived factor C5a. A similar RB priming was observed with rat exudate PMN after in vivo administration of EGb 761 (25 and 50 mg/kg) to rats before pleurisy induction. Thus, GKB primarily induces activation of intracellular signaling events and has the potential to prime cellular functions such as PMN defense activities.     

Macrophage phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils is compromised by matrix proteins modified by cigarette smoke and lipid peroxidation products

Clearance of apoptotic cells by phagocytosis plays an important role in the resolution of an inflammatory response. Macrophages interacting with extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins upregulate their phagocytic capacity. Cigarette smoke contains highly reactive carbonyls that modify proteins which directly/indirectly affects cellular function. We observed, in vitro, that human macrophages interacting with carbonyl or cigarette smoke modified ECM proteins dramatically down regulated their ability to phagocytose apoptotic neutrophils. We also show that this interaction with carbonyl-adduct modified ECM proteins led to increased macrophage adhesion in vitro. We hypothesise that changes in the ECM environment as a result of cigarette smoking affect the ability of macrophages to remove apoptotic cells. Moreover, we postulate that this decreased phagocytic activity was as a result of sequestration of receptors involved in the uptake of apoptotic cells towards that of recognition of carbonyl adducts on the modified ECM proteins leading to increased macrophage adhesion.     

Isolation and characterization of the potential receptor for wheat germ agglutinin from human neutrophils

Neutrophils participate in host protection and central to this process is the regulation of oxidative mechanisms. We purified by affinity chromatography the receptor for the GlcNAc-specific WGA from CD14+ CD16+ cell lysates (WGAr). The receptor is a 141 kDa glycoprotein constituted by two subunits of 78 and 63 kDa. It is mainly composed of Ser, Asx, and Gly, and, in a minor proportion, His, Cys, and Pro. Its glycan portion contains GlcNAc, Gal, and Man; NeuAc and GalNAc were identified in a minor proportion. The amino acid sequence of the WGA receptor was predicted from tryptic peptides by MALDI-TOF, both subunits showed homology with cytokeratin type II (26 and 29% for the 78 and 63 kDa subunits, respectively); the 78 kDa subunit showed also homology with the human transferrin receptor (24%). Antibodies against WGAr induce higher oxidative burst than WGA, determined by NBT reduction; however, this effect was inhibited (p < 0.05) with GlcNAc suggesting that WGAr participates as mediator in signal transduction in neutrophils.     

Activation of neutrophils by Chlamydia trachomatis-infected epithelial cells is modulated by the chlamydial plasmid

The obligate intracellular bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common bacterial agent of sexually transmitted disease world-wide. Chlamydia trachomatis primarily infects epithelial cells of the genital tract but the infection may be associated with ascending infection. Infection-associated inflammation can cause tissue damage resulting in female infertility and ectopic pregnancy. The precise mechanism of inflammatory tissue damage is unclear but earlier studies implicate the chlamydial cryptic plasmid as well as responding neutrophils. We here rebuilt the interaction of Chlamydia trachomatis-infected epithelial cells and neutrophils in-vitro. During infection of human (HeLa) or mouse (oviduct) epithelial cells with Chlamydia trachomatis, a soluble factor was produced that attracted neutrophils and prolonged neutrophil survival, independently of Toll-like receptor signaling but dependent on the chlamydial plasmid. A number of cytokines, but most strongly GM-CSF, were secreted at higher amounts from cells infected with plasmid-bearing, compared to plasmid-deficient, bacteria. Blocking GM-CSF removed the secreted pro-survival activity towards neutrophils. A second, neutrophil TNF-stimulatory activity was detected in supernatants, requiring MyD88 or TRIF independently of the plasmid. The results identify two pro-inflammatory activities generated during chlamydial infection of epithelial cells and suggest that the epithelial cell, partly through the chlamydial plasmid, can initiate a myeloid immune response and inflammation.     

Non-specific effects of 4-chloro-m-cresol may cause calcium flux and respiratory burst in human neutrophils

We examined the effects of 4-chloro-m-cresol (4-CmC, a potent and specific activator of ryanodine receptors) on Ca(2+)-release/influx and respiratory burst in freshly isolated human PMN as well as HL60 cells. 4-CmC induces Ca(2+) store-depletion in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations between 400muM and 3mM, however no dose-dependent effect on Ca(2+)-influx was found. 4-CmC depleted Ca(2+) stores that were shared with the GPC agonists such as fMLP and PAF, and therefore 4-CmC presumably depletes Ca(2+) from ER. Since the authentic ligand for RyR is cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR), we assessed the functional relevance of RyR in PMN by studying the presence and function of membrane-bound ADP-ribosyl cyclase (CD38) in PMN. First, expression of CD38 was confirmed by RT-PCR using cDNA from HL60 cells. Second, PMN from trauma patients showed significantly enhanced CD38 expression than those from healthy volunteers. In addition, although no chemotaxis effect was detected by 4-CmC, it stimulated respiratory burst in PMN in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings suggest that RyRs exist in human PMN and that RyR pathway may play an active role in inflammatory PMN calcium signaling. 8-Br-cADPR and cyclic 3-deaza-ADP did not have inhibitory effects either on 4-CmC-induced Ca(2+) store-depletion or on respiratory burst, on the other hand, PLC inhibitor, U73122, completely attenuated both 4-CmC-induced Ca(2+) store-depletion and respiratory burst. Although it has been used as a specific activator of RyR, 4-CmC has non-specific effects which cause Ca(2+) store-depletion and respiratory burst at least in human PMN.     

ASC,which is composed of a PYD and a CARD,is up-regulated by inflammation and apoptosis in human neutrophils

ASC is an adaptor protein that is composed of two protein-protein interaction domains, a PYRIN domain (PYD), and a caspase-recruitment domain (CARD). Recently, ASC was identified as a binding partner of pyrin, which is the product of MEFV, a gene causing familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). Mutations in MEFV result in defects in control of neutrophil-mediated inflammation. Thus we focused on the expression of ASC in neutrophils. Immunohistochemical study showed that ASC is increased in neutrophils in severe inflammatory sites of gangrenous appendicitis. We, then, tested whether proinflammatory mediators induce ASC using peripheral blood neutrophils in vitro. ASC expression was transiently up-regulated by IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IFN-alpha, IFN-gamma, TNFalpha, and LPS. ASC was also increased by incubation with either anti-Fas antibody or recombinant soluble Fas ligand. The Fas-mediated induction of ASC was inhibited by a general caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-fmk, and an immunocytochemical study showed that ASC was increased in neutrophils exhibiting characteristic phenotypes for apoptosis. These findings suggest that up-regulation of ASC is closely associated with inflammation and apoptosis in neutrophils.     

Stimulation of reactive oxidant production in neutrophils by soluble and insoluble immune complexes occurs via different receptors/signal transduction systems

Abstract Cell-free synovial fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis contains soluble and insoluble IgG-containing immune complexes which activate reactive oxidant production in human neutrophils. In this report we have measured the effects of inhibitors of signal transduction pathways on neutrophil activation by these complexes and also following activation by synthetic soluble and insoluble immune complexes made from human serum albumin (HSA) and anti-(HSA) antibodies. In all aspects studied, the soluble rheumatoid complexes and the soluble synthetic complexes were indistinguishable in the ways in which they activated neutrophils. Activation of reactive oxidant production in response to these soluble complexes was completely inhibited by pertussis toxin (indicating G-protein coupling of receptor occupancy), completely insensitive to staurosporine (indicating that oxidant production did not require protein kinase C activity), only marginally (<30%) inhibited by butanol (indicating that dependence upon activity of phospholipase D was minimal), and completely inhibited by chloracysine, an inhibitor of phospholipase A₂. In contrast, activation of reactive oxidant production in response to the insoluble rheumatoid or insoluble synthetic immune complexes was largely pertussis toxin insensitive, inhibited by >50% by staurosporine, inhibited by >50% by butanol, and completely inhibited by chloracysine. These results show that the receptor-mediated signal transduction systems activated by the soluble and insoluble immune complexes are different. Because the soluble complexes activate a transient burst of reactive oxidant secretion from primed neutrophils, the mechanisms regulating either the release or the intracellular production of oxidants within rheumatoid joints are distinct and hence may be pharmacologically modified independently of each other.     

Cannabinoid receptor-independent suppression of the superoxide generation of human neutrophils (PMN) by CP55 940, but not by anandamide

Cannabinoids have been shown to affect various immune functions. To date, almost no data exist on PMN, which provide the first line antimicrobial defense. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of the synthetic dibenzopyrane ligand CP55 940, the endogenous cannabinoid anandamide and methanandamide on the "respiratory burst" of isolated human PMN in vitro. After preincubation with high micromolar concentrations of CP55 940, fMLP-stimulated PMN showed a reduction in superoxide production, whereas the spontaneous burst activity of resting PMN remained unaffected. This inhibitory effect of CP55 940 was not CB-receptor-mediated. In contrast, anandamide and methanandamide did not alter the oxidative microbicidal PMN function.     

Respiratory stimulation and generation of superoxide radicals in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by fungal naphthoquinones

The mechanism of action of antimicrobial naphthoquinones from the fungus Fusarium was studied by using Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Bostricoidin, methyl ether fusarubin, and fusarubin stimulated the oxygen consumption of bacterial cells and induced cyanide-insensitive oxygen consumption. These activities of the tested compounds were also observed in bacterial membrane preparations in a dose-dependent manner. Naphthoquinones stimulated the generation of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide. The naphthoquinone effectively acted as the electron acceptors for bacterial diaphorase, which could explain the antibacterial activity of Fusarium naphthoquinones since electron acceptors lead to the stimulation of respiratory activity and the generation of oxygen radical species. Received: 12 July 1996 / Accepted: 31 October 1996     

Identification and quantitation of electron-transport components in human polymorphonuclear neutrophils

Using dithionite difference spectra we have detected cytochrome b in highly purified human neutrophils at a concentration of 0.08 nmol/mg protein. The presence of quinone was identified in lipid extracts at a concentration of approx. 0.06 nmol/mg protein. It was identified as ubiquinone-10 by mass spectrographic analysis. Simultaneous measurements of cytochrome oxidase indicated that these compounds could not be attributed to mitochondrial contamination. These results are compatible with the hypothesis that initiation of the respiratory burst in human neutrophils involves a multicomponent electron-transport system.     

Structural and functional relationship between the receptor recognition and neuraminidase activities of the Newcastle disease virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein: receptor recognition is dependent on neuraminidase activity

The terminal globular domain of the paramyxovirus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) glycoprotein spike has a number of conserved residues that are predicted to form its neuraminidase (NA) active site, by analogy to the influenza virus neuraminidase protein. We have performed a site-directed mutational analysis of the role of these residues in the functional activity of the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) HN protein. Substitutions for several of these residues result in a protein lacking both detectable NA and receptor recognition activity. Contribution of NA activity, either exogenously or by coexpression with another HN protein, partially rescues the receptor recognition activity of these proteins, indicating that the receptor recognition deficiencies of the mutated HN proteins result from their lack of detectable NA activity. In addition to providing support for the homology-based predictions for the structure of HN, these findings argue that (i) the HN residues that mediate its NA activity are not critical to its attachment function and (ii) NA activity is required for the protein to mediate binding to receptors.     

Intracellular production of reactive oxygen species in human neutrophils following activation by the soluble stimuli FMLP, dioctanoylglycerol and ionomycin.

The stimuli, sn-1, 2-dioctanoylglycerol; (DG8) the calcium specific ionophore, ionomycin, and the chemotactic peptide formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) can interact with normal human neutrophils and activate their superoxide/hydrogen peroxide generating NADPH-oxidase. In response to the peptide as well as DG8, the neutrophils produced both superoxide (O2-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Since interaction between the cells and ionomycin was not associated with any notable superoxide production and hydrogen peroxide was induced only in the presence of azide, a potent inhibitor of the hydrogen peroxide-consuming enzymes catalase and myeloperoxidase, we conclude that this stimulus can generate oxygen metabolites intracellularly. Since the DG8-induced production of hydrogen peroxide was increased in the presence of azide, whereas the FMLP-induced response was largely unaffected, we concluded that the three stimuli differ in their capacity to generate oxygen metabolites intracellularly. The use of sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol (DG10) as stimulating agent did not result in any detectable activation of the NADPH-oxidase. However, preincubation caused an increased (primed) response during stimulation with the chemotactic peptide FMLP. The response of primed neutrophils to FMLP proceeds with a time-course different from that seen in normal cells. From the results presented on FMLP-induced activity in the presence of azide, we conclude that FMLP causes normal cells to produce oxygen radicals which are released from the cells. However, the primed cells are also capable of generating oxygen metabolites that are retained inside the cells. In fact, measurement of the intracellularly generated metabolites discloses this to be the predominant part of the response.     

Expression and regulation of glycogen synthase kinase 3 in human neutrophils

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) is a serine/threonine kinase involved in the regulation of cellular processes ranging from glycogen metabolism to cell cycle regulation. Its two known isoforms, α and β, are differentially expressed in tissues throughout the body and exert distinct but often overlapping functions. GSK-3 is typically active in resting cells, inhibition by phosphorylation of Ser21 (GSK-3α) or Ser9 (GSK-3β) being the most common regulatory mechanism. GSK-3 activity has been linked recently with immune system function, yet little is known about the role of this enzyme in neutrophils, the most abundant leukocyte type. In the present study, we examined GSK-3 expression and regulation in human neutrophils. GSK-3α was found to be the predominant isoform, it was constitutively expressed and cell stimulation with different agonists did not alter its expression. Stimulation by fMLP, LPS, GM-CSF, Fcγ receptor engagement, or adenosine A_2A receptor engagement all resulted in phosphorylation of Ser21. The use of metabolic inhibitors revealed that combinations of Src kinase, PKC, PI3K/AKT, ERK/RSK and PKA signaling pathways could mediate phosphorylation, depending on the agonist. Neither PLC nor p38 were involved. We conclude that GSK-3α is the main isoform expressed in neutrophils and that many different pathways can converge to inhibit GSK-3α activity via Ser21-phosphorylation. GSK-3α thus might be a hub of cellular regulation.     

Induction of C3 expression in astrocytes is regulated by cytokines and Newcastle disease virus.

Synthesis of complement proteins and their regulation in resident cells of the central nervous system are important pathophysiologic factors that can affect the outcome of inflammatory central nervous system diseases. Primary cultures of rat astrocytes constitutively express C3 mRNA and produce C3 protein; both of them were enhanced by LPS or by a live as well as inactivated Newcastle disease virus, a neurotropic paramixovirus. TNF, IL-1 beta, and IL-8 also increased the levels of C3 mRNA and protein whereas IL-1 alpha and IL-6 had no effect, although all of these cytokines are inducible by LPS. LPS stimulation in the presence of cycloheximide decreased the LPS-mediated C3 mRNA induction by 60%. These data suggest that LPS effect on C3 regulation is mediated directly by LPS as well as by LPS-induced cytokines. Interestingly, C3 mRNA induced by Newcastle disease virus or inactivated Newcastle disease virus was inhibited by protein kinase inhibitors, H-7 and staurosporine, whereas these inhibitors had no effect on C3 induction mediated by LPS or cytokines, indicating the existence of different signal transduction pathways.     

Relationship between the binding of N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine and the respiratory responses in human neutrophils

The results presented in this paper demonstrate that the chemotactic peptide N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine (-Met-Leu-Phe) is rapidly inactivated by the products of the respiration of human neutrophils stimulated by the peptide itself. The process of inactivation is impeded by the addition of inhibitors of myeloperoxidase (KCN, NaN₃), of catalase, of methionine but not by the addition of superoxide dismutase, indicating that the mechanism of inactivation is the oxidation of methionine residue by myeloperoxidase-H₂O₂-halide system. The oxidation of the peptide causes the rapid cessation of the respiratory burst, since the sulfoxide derivative loses its ability to bind the specific receptors of neutrophil surface and, hence, its biological activity. The comparison between the time course of the binding of f-Met-Leu-[³H]Phe to the specific receptors and the rate of the respiratory response of neutrophils in the presence and in the absence of the process of peptide oxidation was used to investigate the mechanism of the activation of the respiratory burst by the peptide-receptor complexes. In conditions where the inactivation of the stimulatory agent takes place the stimulated respiration slows down and resumes the resting state shortly after the cessation of the binding, although a substantial amount of the peptide remains bound to the specific receptors. In conditions where the degradation of the peptide does not occur the binding of the peptide and the respiratory burst continue for a longer period of time, but the rate of the respiration, calculated in terms of the instantaneous velocity (V_ist), is not correlated to the amount of the ligand bound to the membrane receptors measured at various times, indicating that a summation of the effects ofthe ligand-receptor complexes does not occur as they form. These findings demonstrate, as far as the respiratory response is concerned, that the bioogical activity of the peptide-receptor complexes is short-lived and that continuous de-novo receptor occupancy is necessary for the maintenance of the activated respiration.     

呼吸道合胞病毒疫苗增强性疾病小鼠模型的建立与评价

呼吸道合胞病毒(respiratory syncytial virus,RSV)是导致婴幼儿严重下呼吸道感染的最重要病原体,但该病毒的灭活疫苗可引起RSV疫苗增强性疾病(RSV vaccine-enhanced disease,RVED),因此至今仍未研制出安全、有效的疫苗。RVED的发生机制目前仍不清楚。使用能有效模拟RVED的动物模型是探索RVED发生机制的主要手段,而本研究的目的就是建立能稳定模拟RVED表现的小鼠模型。将BALB/c小鼠分成3组,即甲醛灭活RSV疫苗接种组(FV组)、活RSV接种组(VV组)和对照组(BV组),并模拟自然感染对其攻毒。通过小鼠体重监测、肺组织苏木精-伊红染色、荧光定量聚合酶链反应(polymerase chain reaction,PCR)、流式细胞术等,观察FV组小鼠感染RSV后的病毒载量、肺部炎症和T细胞免疫状态。结果显示,与VV组和BV组相比,FV组小鼠RSV攻毒后的体重占初始体重百分比显著降低,肺部炎症最明显,且仅FV组出现支气管和毛细血管周围有大量淋巴细胞浸润及嗜酸性粒细胞浸润。荧光定量PCR显示,FV组小鼠的肺部RSV载量最低。流式细胞术显示,攻毒4d后FV组CD~(4+) T细胞数与其他两组相比显著增加,且CD~(4+) T细胞分泌的白细胞介素4(interleukin 4,IL-4)及IL-4/γ干扰素(interferonγ,IFN-γ)比值显著高于其他两组,而CD~(8+) T细胞分泌的肿瘤坏死因子α(tumor necrosis factorα,TNF-α)和IFN-γ低于VV组。结果提示,RVED小鼠呈现出Th2优势型免疫应答及CD~(8+) T细胞功能不足,模型初步建立成功,为RVED发生机制的探索和RSV疫苗的研发奠定了良好基础。     

Delayed apoptosis and modulation of phospholipase D activity by plasmid containing mammalian cDNA in human neutrophils

Phospholipase D (PLD) has been reported to have an anti-apoptotic role in neutrophils. This study examined the effects of plasmids containing the cDNA of PLD on the apoptosis of neutrophils. The apoptotic rate of neutrophils treated with the pCDNA3.1 plasmid was similar to that of the untreated cells after 24 h culture. However, the addition of pCDNA3.1 containing the cDNA of either human PLD1 (pCDNA3.1-PLD1) or -PLD2 (pCDNA3.1-PLD2) to the culture media with or without transfection reagent significantly decreased the rate of spontaneous apoptosis but not Fas-stimulated apoptosis and the decreased apoptosis was blocked by 1-butanol. pCDNA3.1-PLD blocked the cleavage of procaspase-3 and -8. The phorbol myristate acetate stimulated the PLD activities of pCDNA3.1-PLD-treated neutrophils but did not stimulate the activities of untreated or pCDNA3.1-treated neutrophils. The level of the PLD1 protein was higher in the cultured neutrophils with pCDNA3.1-PLD than with the media or pCDNA3.1. The spontaneous apoptosis of neutrophils was inhibited and the PLD1 expression level was increased by the linearized or promoterless forms of pCDNA3.1-PLD1 and the plasmids containing the cDNA of the enhanced green fluorescent protein (pEGFP) and EGFP-PLD1. These results suggest that the plasmids containing mammalian cDNA inhibit the spontaneous apoptosis of neutrophils and modulate PLD.     

Improved apoptosis detection in ovine neutrophils by annexin V and carboxyfluorescein diacetate staining

Neutrophil apoptosis is critical for final resolution of the inflammation in the tissues and for maintenance of neutrophil homeostasis under normal condition. An early hallmark of apoptotic cells is translocation of phosphatidylserine (PS) residues, normally located in the inner leaflet of cellular membrane, to the external cell surface; exposed PS is recognized by specific PS receptors on disposing cells. Here we report an improved procedure to detect neutrophil apoptosis by simultaneous staining for exposed PS with Cy3-labeled annexin V (Cy3) and for membrane integrity with the vital dye 6-carboxyfluorescein diacetate (6-CFDA) based on the APOAC apoptosis detection kit (Sigma). Spontaneous apoptosis was evaluated in ovine neutrophils cultured ex vivo for 18 h. We investigated the multiple parameters involved in the assay, i.e. the type of fixative (methanol, paraformaldehyde, or no fixation) and the type of slide (coated with Vectabond, polylysine or Parafilm^®). Results indicated that both the adhesion to the slide and the fixation can modify neutrophil functional status and morphology, which result in misleading apoptosis detection. In order to minimize these artifacts, we have developed an improved APOAC assay procedure, staining cells while in suspension and using Parafilm^® coated slides.