Xenopus laevis larval thymocytes do not express surface immunoglobulin

Xenopus laevis larval thymocytes and splenocytes were examined for the presence of Ig determinants by an indirect immunofluorescence technique, using rabbit antiserum to deglycosylated Xenopus immunoglobulins. Thymocytes had no detectable surface membrane Ig, while Ig determinants were identified on the surface of a large percentage of the lymphocytes from the spleen. The positive fluorescent staining that one obtains on the surface of thymocytes using antisera to intact Ig's is due to antibody molecules directed to the carbohydrate determinants of the Ig's which cross-react with thymocytes' surface carbohydrate determinants.     

Weak interaction induces an ON/OFF switch, whereas strong interaction causes gradual change: folding transition of a long duplex DNA chain by poly-L-lysine

A large-scale conformational change in genomic DNA is an essential feature of gene activation in living cells. Considerable effort has been applied to explain the mechanism in terms of key-lock interaction between sequence-specific regulatory proteins and DNA, in addition to the modification of DNA and histones such as methylation and acetylation. However, it is still unclear whether these mechanisms can explain the ON/OFF switching of a large number of genes that accompanies differentiation, carcinogenesis, etc. In this study, using single-molecule observation of DNA molecules by fluorescence microscopy with the addition of poly-L-lysine with different numbers of monomer units (n = 3, 5, 9, and 92), we found that an ON/OFF discrete transition in the higher-order structure of long duplex DNA is induced by short poly-L-lysine, whereas a continuous gradual change is induced by long poly-L-lysine. On the other hand, polycations with a lower positive charge have less potential to induce DNA compaction. Such a drastic difference in the conformational transition of a giant DNA between short and large oligomers is discussed in relation to the mechanisms of gene regulation in a living cell.     

Asymmetrical surface IgG on MOPC-21 plasmacytoma cells contains membrane heavy chain and one secretory heavy chain

Membrane proteins from the B lymphomas WEHI-231 and 2PK3 and from the plasmacytomas MPC-11 and MOPC-21 were radioiodinated in situ by the lactoperoxidase method and were subjected to two-dimensional (nonreduced, reduced) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Few heavily labeled membrane proteins were composed of disulfide-bonded subunits. One such protein (m.w. 200,000 intact and 116,000 reduced) shared some properties with the PC-1 alloantigen, although it was not conclusively identified. A second major disulfide-bonded protein (m.w. 200,000 intact and 95,000 reduced) has been identified previously as the receptor for transferrin. Membrane immunoglobulins of WEHI-231 (IgM) and 2PK3 (IgG2a) had the expected subunit structure, whereas membrane immunoglobulin was not detected on MPC-11. In contrast, surface IgG1 of MOPC-21 appeared to consist almost entirely of hybrid molecules containing one membrane gamma 1 chain and one secretory gamma 1 chain. This hybrid IgG molecule appeared to exist in both monomeric and dimeric forms. It is concluded that i) the synthetic and assembly mechanisms of secretory and membrane IgG1 are shared; ii) there are no special mechanisms to prevent pairing of membrane and secretory gamma 1 chains; iii) the presence of one hydrophobic tail is sufficient for membrane insertion of gamma 1 chains; and iv) the C-terminal extension cysteine residues of membrane gamma 1 chains in hybrid IgG molecules are either unpaired or may allow the formation of hybrid IgG dimers.     

Changes in the expression of the surface antigens of thymocytes during their cultivation with macrophages

The data on changes in expression of H-2 complex and Thy-1 antigens on cell surface of thymocytes resulting from their incubation with peritoneal macrophages has been presented. The process of joint cultivation of thymocytes with macrophages leads to significant decrease in number of cells with Thy-2-antigen and increase in that with H-2 complex antigens. An increase in H-2K+ cells in experimental thymocytes as compared to control ones was observed. No changes in H-2D expression was observed. A significant increase in Ia+ macrophages was observed after interaction with thymocytes as compared with intact mononuclear phagocytes.     

Antigen-specificity of oligoclonal abnormal protein bands in multiple myeloma after allogeneic stem cell transplantation

Myeloma patients may develop oligoclonal immunoglobulins, so-called abnormal protein bands (APB), after stem cell transplantation. APB do not correspond to the patient's paraprotein and confer a good prognosis. We set out to investigate whether such APB represent a humoral anti-myeloma immune response by screening immunoglobulins of 15 myeloma patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation and a control group of healthy donors for reactivity with myeloma protein extracts. While the immunoglobulins of healthy donors did not react with myeloma protein extracts, patient-derived immunoglobulins showed variable levels of interaction, depending on the presence of APB on immunofixation. Most commonly, we detected interactions with heat-shock proteins, followed by neutral alpha-glucosidase, alpha-enolase and vimentin, as well as proliferating cell nuclear antigen and MAGEA4. More than 80% of targets were upregulated in myeloma. Heat-shock protein 60 (HSP60) was subsequently evaluated as an exemplary antigen. We found that HSP60 was aberrantly displayed on the surface of primary myeloma cells. Indeed, patient-derived APB-containing immunoglobulins recognized surface HSP60 suggesting that this antigen becomes accessible to the immune system after aberrant membrane exposition. We conclude that immunoglobulin fractions with APB recognize recurrent myeloma antigens and that this humoral response may contribute to the more favorable prognosis in patients with APB.     

Functional differentiation of thymocytes induced by macrophages: cellular, humoral and genetic aspects

The cellular, humoral and genetical mechanisms of induction of T-effectors of the graft vs. host reaction (GHR) were studied in a double-cell culture of phagocytizing mononuclears with thymocytes. Experiments were carried out on mice of inbred and recombinant strains. The GHR intensity was estimated by the increase in the number of cells in the popliteal lymph node, regional with reference to the introduction of parental thymocytes into the F1 hybrid. For the induction of the GHR T-effectors from the immature population of thymocytes to be realized, a direct physical contact and identity by the H-2K locus of the major histocompatibility complex between the cooperating cells in culture are indispensable. An antiserum containing antibodies against the H-2K locus products prevents the induction. At the same time antibodies against antigens controlled by loci of I-region or the H-2D locus do not affect the accumulation of T-effectors. Contact interaction of phagocytizing mononuclears with thymocytes results in accumulation of a 65,000 D humoral factor in the culture medium. Incubation of the intact thymocytes with this factor ensures functional transformation of immature thymocytes to corresponding effector cells. For the humoral induction of T-effectors to be successfully realized, identity by the T-2K locus between the factor producents and intact thymocytes is indispensable, as well as in the conditions of direct intercellular interaction. It is suggested that H-2K specificity is incorporated into the factor structure.     

The fate of parental nucleosomes during SV40 DNA replication.

The fate of parental nucleosomes during the replication of chromatin templates was studied using a modification of the cell-free SV40 DNA replication system. Plasmid DNA molecules containing the SV40 origin were assembled into chromatin with purified core histones and fractionated assembly factors derived from HeLa cells. When these templates were replicated in vitro, the resulting progeny retained a nucleosomal organization. To determine whether the nucleosomes associated with the progeny molecules resulted from displacement of parental histones during replication followed by reassembly, the replication reactions were performed in the presence of control templates. It was observed that the progeny genomes resulting from the replication of chromatin templates retained a nucleosomal structure, whereas the progeny of the control DNA molecules were not assembled into chromatin. Additional experiments, involving direct addition of histones to the replication reaction mixtures, confirmed that the control templates were not sequestered in some form which made them unavailable for nucleosome assembly. Thus, our data demonstrate that parental nucleosomes remain associated with the replicating molecules and are transferred to the progeny molecules without displacement into solution. We propose a simple model in which nucleosomes ahead of the fork are transferred intact to the newly synthesized daughter duplexes.     

Inactivation of the colony forming cells in bone marrow by allogenic T-lymphocytes]

Bone marrow cells together with allogeneic cortisone-resistant thymocytes or the lymph node cells of intact mice treated with antilymphocytic T or O-antisera were transplanted to the lethally irradiated mice. The antisera eliminated the capacity of T lymphocytes to inactivate allogeneic stem cells. Cortisone-resistant thymocytes displayed a strong inactivating action. The principal role in the processes of inactivation of genetically foreign stem cells was played by T lymphocytes. B lymphocytes possessed no properties of killer cells. The presence of B lymphocytes in the population of killer cells apparently failed to serve as a determinant one for the development of inactivation processes.     

LIGHT (a cellular ligand for herpes virus entry mediator and lymphotoxin receptor)-mediated thymocyte deletion is dependent on the interaction between TCR and MHC/self-peptide

Negative selection serves as a major mechanism to maintain self-tolerance. We previously reported that LIGHT (a cellular ligand for herpes virus entry mediator and lymphotoxin receptor), a TNF family member, plays an important role in thymocyte development via promoting apoptosis of double-positive thymocytes. Here, we demonstrated that LIGHT-mediated deletion of thymocyte requires the strong interaction of TCR with MHC/self-peptide. Transgenic mice overexpressing LIGHT in thymocytes were bred with a transgenic mouse line expressing a TCR recognizing the H-Y male Ag in the context of H-2b class I MHC molecules. In male H-Y/LIGHT double-transgenic mice, more efficient negative selection of H-Y T cells occurred, and total thymocyte number was further reduced compared with H-Y/negative littermates. In contrast, the presence of LIGHT transgene had no evident impact on the thymocyte development of female H-Y/LIGHT double-transgenic mice. Taken together, LIGHT plays a role in negative selection of thymocytes via inducing the apoptosis of thymocytes bearing high affinity TCR during negative selection.     

Lateral diffusion and retrograde movements of individual cell surface components on single motile cells observed with Nanovid microscopy

A recently introduced extension of video-enhanced light microscopy, called Nanovid microscopy, documents the dynamic reorganization of individual cell surface components on living cells. 40-microns colloidal gold probes coupled to different types of poly-L-lysine label negative cell surface components of PTK2 cells. Evidence is provided that they bind to negative sialic acid residues of glycoproteins, probably through nonspecific electrostatic interactions. The gold probes, coupled to short poly-L-lysine molecules (4 kD) displayed Brownian motion, with a diffusion coefficient in the range 0.1-0.2 micron2/s. A diffusion coefficient in the 0.1 micron2/s range was also observed with 40-nm gold probes coupled to an antibody against the lipid-linked Thy-1 antigen on 3T3 fibroblasts. Diffusion of these probes is largely confined to apparent microdomains of 1-2 microns in size. On the other hand, the gold probes, coupled to long poly-L-lysine molecules (240 kD) molecules and bound to the leading lamella, were driven rearward, toward the boundary between lamelloplasm and perinuclear cytoplasm at a velocity of 0.5-1 micron/min by a directed ATP-dependent mechanism. This uniform motion was inhibited by cytochalasin, suggesting actin microfilament involvement. A similar behavior on MO cells was observed when the antibody-labeled gold served as a marker for the PGP-1 (GP-80) antigen. These results show that Nanovid microscopy, offering the possibility to observe the motion of individual specific cell surface components, provides a new and powerful tool to study the dynamic reorganization of the cell membrane during locomotion and in other biological contexts as well.     

Dissection of the role of macrophages in triggering T lymphocytes for interleukin 2 production by monoclonal antibody OKT3

Unfractionated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells produce a small amount of interleukin 2 (IL 2) by stimulation with a monoclonal anti-T3 antibody (OKT3) in vitro. The IL 2 production could be greatly augmented by the addition of a phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA). In the presence of TPA, the T cell enriched fraction deprived of macrophages did not produce IL 2, but the T cells pulse-incubated with OKT3 and reconstituted with macrophages efficiently produced IL 2 in subsequent culture in the presence of TPA as did T cells reconstituted with OKT3-pulse-incubated macrophages. The stimulating effect of OKT3 in the presence of macrophages was inhibited dose-dependently by the addition of immunoglobulins, particularly by mouse IgG2a which is the same isotype as that of the OKT3 antibody, showing that it inhibits by blocking the binding of OKT3 to Fc receptors on macrophages. The same extent of IL 2 production was induced in T cells when paraformaldehyde-fixed macrophages were substituted for intact macrophages. Remarkable IL 2 production was also induced by OKT3 when latex beads coated with rabbit anti-mouse IgG2a antibody and TPA were added to the culture. It was confirmed that the production induced by these stimulations was due to an increase of IL 2 mRNA. These results show that effective signals for IL 2 production are generated by efficient crosslinking of T3 molecules which results from multi-interaction of T3 molecules on the T cell membrane and anti-T3 antibody molecules on macrophage membrane or on the surface of the latex particle.     

T-T interaction during thymic selection.

During thymic development, immature thymocytes are selected through the interaction with self peptides loaded on self MHC molecules. Although there is a great deal of debates on how specifically thymocytes recognize self peptides during thymic selection, recent data suggest an important role of peptide diversity in selecting an adequate T-cell repertoire in the thymus. The findings that human T-cells, unlike mouse T-cells, express MHC class II molecules on their surfaces and can play as antigen presenting cells suggesting possible peripheral T-T interaction network has not been intensively studied so far. However, the facts that human thymocytes have surface expression of MHC class II molecules and thymocytes can be selected by thymocytes in in vitro re-aggregation culture system led us to propose a novel hypothesis - "T-T interaction during thymic selection". Our proposition is that peripheral T-T interaction through TCR-derived peptides might reflect the selection process in the thymus and that T-T interaction also plays an important role in thymic selection. This review deals with our thymic T-T interaction hypothesis and its implications on human T-cell development.     

Immunologic mechanisms in the pathogenesis of virus-induced leukemia. IV. Mechanism of target cell recognition by autoreactive thymocytes

Neonatal infection of mice with Moloney murine leukemia virus (MuLV-M) results in the establishment of a chronic virus-carrier state. Such MuLV-carrier mice exhibit several immunologic abnormalities including generalized immunosuppression and autoimmunity. Previously, we found thymocytes from MuLV-M-carrier mice to be cytotoxic for normal syngeneic and allogeneic fibroblasts but not for xenogeneic (hamster) target cells. However, when the same syngeneic or allogeneic target cells were infected with MuLV-M, they were "spared" from the autoreactivity, leading us to speculate that the MuLV receptor on the target cell membrane was involved in the autoreactivity. To address this question, we tested MuLV-carrier thymocytes for their ability to lyse hamster/mouse-hybrid target cells; some of which possessed chromosome 5 (which codes for the ecotropic MuLV receptor). Of the nine hybrid cell lines initially tested, only the five clones that carried chromosome 5 were killed by the autoreactive thymocytes. In additional experiments, we noted that the cytotoxic reaction was inhibited in the presence of a monoclonal antibody that reacts with an MuLV-M gp70 epitope. The results suggest that the autoreactive cytotoxicity is mediated, at least in part, through the formation of a "bridge" between MuLV budding from the membrane of the thymocytes and the ecotropic MuLV receptor on the target cells.     

Metabolic fate of cell surface glycoproteins during immunoglobulin-induced internalization

Goat antibodies directed against a subset of the externally oriented plasma membrane glycoproteins of hepatoma tissue culture (HTC) cells were used to follow the metabolic fate of the membrane antigens and the specifically bound immunoglobulin molecules in this cell type in cultures. Analyses of the immunoprecipitates from cells labeled in situ with neuraminidase and galactose oxidase, followed by reduction with tritiated sodium borohydride, indicate that about 40% of the galactose-labeled plasma membrane glycoproteins are recognized by the antiserum. Fluorescent microscopic analyses of cells treated with fluorescein-conjugated immunoglobulins and analyses of trypsin accessibility indicate that probably all of the antibodies bound to the cell surface are patched and internalized within about 4 hr when the cells are subsequently cultured at 37 degrees C in the presence of rabbit anti-goat immunoglobulins. At the same time, the antigens are also interiorized. Analyses of the cellular localization of the interiorized antigens and antibodies by cell fractionation on Percoll gradients show that the immunoglobulins to the cell surface antigens and the antigens themselves migrate to the same region of the Percoll gradient as lysosomal hydrolases. Although the antibodies bind to the cell surface glycoproteins and bring about patching and interiorization, there is no effect on the degradation of the plasma membrane antigens labeled via the galactose oxidase/borohydride reduction method. Furthermore, the iodinated antibodies directed against these membrane glycoproteins behave in their turnover properties like membrane antigens; the cell-bound specific immunoglobulins have the same half-life as the membrane glycoproteins. When the cells that had been reacted with the goat antibodies to membrane glycoprotein were cultured in the presence of rabbit anti-goat immunoglobulins, degradation of the former antibodies was effectively decreased. Similar results were obtained with concanavalin A and antibodies directed against this plant lectin.     

Membrane immunoglobulin is present on thymic and splenic lymphocytes of the trout Salmo gairdneri.

Three rabbit antisera raised to trout IgM showed positive immunofluorescent reactions with lymphocytes of trout spleen and thymus. These antisera showed no detectable cross-reactivity with keyhole limpet hemocyanin, as determined by direct radioimmune precipitation and adsorption, and did not appear to react significantly with carbohydrate moieties on trout IgM, as determined by the failure of proteolytic digests of trout IgM to inhibit in radioimmunoassay against intact trout IgM. Membrane immunoglobulin determinants were detectable on the membrane of both thymocytes and splenocytes with the lactoperoxidase-catalyzed iodination reaction. Radioimmunoassay of lysates of lymphocytes confirmed the association of immunoglobulin with trout thymocytes. By radioimmunoassay, lysates of thymic and splenic lymphocytes contained similar amounts of immunoglobulin, equivalent to approximately 8 X 10(4) molecules of IgM per cell (calculated as the monomer micro 2L2).     

Control by genes of the major histocompatibility complex of macrophage-thymocyte interaction during induction of T-effectors of graft versus host reaction. II. Analysis at the level of humoral factor activity

The data are presented on the genetic restriction of interaction between humoral factors and intact thymocytes during the formation of T-cell effectors GVH from thymus cells. The source of humoral factors was a cultural medium from combined cultivation of macrophages and syngeneic thymocytes during 18 h. The intensity of the local GVH reaction was evaluated by the index of the lymph nodes enlargement. Genes of the H-2 system control interaction of mediators with thymocytes during the formation of T-cell effectors. H-2 region genes identity of supernatant generative cells and intact thymocytes was necessary for the effective induction of T-effectors GVH. I and D region differences did not affect the formation of T-cells inducing GVH.     

Effect of sera against aggregated mouse immunoglobulins on a population of lymphoid and hematopoietic cells]

The in vitro treatment of the mouse spleen cells immunized by the ram erythrocytes with the rabbit and mouse sera against the thermoaggregated mouse immunoglobulins resulted in the inhibition of antigen binding receptors of rosette forming cells. The mouse serum, unlike the rabbit one, induced the inactivation of receptors in rosette forming lymphocytes both in the non-immune and immune mice on the 8th day after the antigenic stimulation. The treatment of bone marrow cells from the intact mice with these sera increased insignificantly the number of hemopoietic colonies in the spleens of lethally irradiated syngenic recipients and stimulated markedly the migration of spleen cells. This may be due both to the direct effect of these sera and to their mediated (through the humoral factor) influence. The inactivation of antigen binding receptors in the spleen rosette forming cells suggests the presence of immunoglobulins on the membrane of B-lymphocytes in the aggregated state or in the form of antigen--antibody complexes.     

Neutrophil extracellular traps directly induce epithelial and endothelial cell death: a predominant role of histones

Neutrophils play an important role in innate immunity by defending the host organism against invading microorganisms. Antimicrobial activity of neutrophils is mediated by release of antimicrobial peptides, phagocytosis as well as formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NET). These structures are composed of DNA, histones and granular proteins such as neutrophil elastase and myeloperoxidase. This study focused on the influence of NET on the host cell functions, particularly on human alveolar epithelial cells as the major cells responsible for gas exchange in the lung. Upon direct interaction with epithelial and endothelial cells, NET induced cytotoxic effects in a dose-dependent manner, and digestion of DNA in NET did not change NET-mediated cytotoxicity. Pre-incubation of NET with antibodies against histones, with polysialic acid or with myeloperoxidase inhibitor but not with elastase inhibitor reduced NET-mediated cytotoxicity, suggesting that histones and myeloperoxidase are responsible for NET-mediated cytotoxicity. Although activated protein C (APC) did decrease the histone-induced cytotoxicity in a purified system, it did not change NET-induced cytotoxicity, indicating that histone-dependent cytotoxicity of NET is protected against APC degradation. Moreover, in LPS-induced acute lung injury mouse model, NET formation was documented in the lung tissue as well as in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. These data reveal the important role of protein components in NET, particularly histones, which may lead to host cell cytotoxicity and may be involved in lung tissue destruction.     

Lysine residues of ABCA1 are required for the interaction with apoA-I

ATP-binding cassette protein A1 (ABCA1) plays a pivotal role in cholesterol homeostasis by generating high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), a lipid acceptor for ABCA1, reportedly interacts with ABCA1. However, it has also been proposed that apoA-I interacts with ABCA1-generated special domains on the plasma membrane, but apart from ABCA1, and solubilizes membrane lipids. To determine the importance of the apoA-I-ABCA1 interaction in HDL formation, the electrostatic interaction between apoA-I and ABCA1, which mediates the interaction between apoB100 in low-density lipoprotein particles (LDL) and LDL receptor, was analyzed. The apoA-I binding to ABCA1 and the cross-linking between them were inhibited by the highly charged molecules heparin and poly-L-lysine. Treating cells with membrane impermeable reagents that specifically react with primary amino groups abolished the interaction between apoA-I and ABCA1. However, these reagents did not affect the characteristic tight ATP binding to ABCA1. These results suggest that lysine residues in the extracellular domains of ABCA1 contribute to the interaction with apoA-I. The electrostatic interaction between ABCA1 and apoA-I is predicted to be the first step in HDL formation. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Advances in high density lipoprotein formation and metabolism: a tribute to John F. Oram (1945-2010).