Membrane perturbation of macrophages stimulated by bacterial lipopolysaccharide.

Macrophages recovered from regressing Moloney sarcomas lose their capacity to kill tumor cells when held 12–24 h in culture. Exposure of this population to low concentrations (ng/ml range) of bacterial lipopolysaccharide will cause a rapid resurgence of cytolytic activity, however. By using electron spin resonance techniques and either 5- or 12-doxyl stearate spin labels, we have shown that exposure of cultured tumor macrophages to lipopolysaccharide (100 ng/ml) is followed by plasma membrane perturbation. The change was most pronounced 3–4 h after stimulation, and had subsided within 5–6 h. The relationship of the described perturbation to the induction of killing cannot be determined from these studies; however, neither cytolytic activity nor the membrane change developed in other kinds of macrophages exposed to similar concentrations of lipopolysaccharide.     

Regulation of angiopoietin expression by bacterial lipopolysaccharide

Angiopoietins are ligands for Tie-2 receptors and play important roles in angiogenesis and inflammation. While angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) inhibits inflammatory responses, angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) promotes cytokine production and vascular leakage. In this study, we evaluated in vivo and in vitro effects of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharides (LPS) on angiopoietin expression. Wild-type C57/BL6 mice were injected with saline (control) or E. coli LPS (20 mg/ml ip) and killed 6, 12, and 24 h later. The diaphragm, lung, and liver were excised and assayed for mRNA and protein expression of Ang-1, Ang-2, and Tie-2 protein and tyrosine phosphorylation. LPS injection elicited a severalfold rise in Ang-2 mRNA and protein levels in the three organs. By comparison, both Ang-1 and Tie-2 levels in the diaphragm, liver, and lung were significantly attenuated by LPS administration. In addition, Tie-2 tyrosine phosphorylation in the lung was significantly reduced in response to LPS injection. In vitro exposure to E. coli LPS elicited cell-specific changes in Ang-1 expression, with significant induction in Ang-1 expression being observed in cultured human epithelial cells, whereas significant attenuation of Ang-1 expression was observed in response to E. coli LPS exposure in primary human skeletal myoblasts. In both cell types, E. coli LPS elicited substantial induction of Ang-2 mRNA, a response that was mediated in part through NF-kappaB. We conclude that in vivo endotoxemia triggers functional inhibition of the Ang-1/Tie-2 receptor pathway by reducing Ang-1 and Tie-2 expression and inducing Ang-2 levels and that this response may contribute to enhanced vascular leakage in sepsis.     

Follistatin-like protein 1 suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokines expression during neuroinflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide

Follistain-like protein 1 (FSTL1), has been recently demonstrated to be involved in the embryo development of nervous system and glioblastoma. However, the role of FSTL1 in neuroinflammation remains unexplored. In this study, the expression of FSTL1 in astrocytes was verified and its role was studied in neuroinflammation induced by in vivo intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or LPS treatment to astrocytes in vitro. FSTL1 was significantly induced after ICV LPS injection or LPS treatment. FSTL1 suppressed upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines in astrocytes after LPS treatment. Moreover, FSTL1 downregulated expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines through suppressing MAPK/p-ERK1/2 pathway in astrocytes. Our results suggest that FSTL1 may play an anti-inflammatory role in neuroinflammation mediated by astrocytes.     

Differential protein expression in alligator leukocytes in response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide injection

Blood was collected from three juvenile alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) before, and again 24 h after, injection with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The leukocytes were collected from both samples, and the proteins were extracted. Each group of proteins was labeled with a different fluorescent dye and the differences in protein expression were analyzed by two dimensional differential in-gel expressions (2D-DIGE). The proteins which appeared to be increased or decreased by treatment with LPS were selected and analyzed by MALDI-TOF to determine mass and LC–MS/MS to acquire the partial protein sequences. The peptide sequences were compared to the NCBI protein sequence database to determine homology with other sequences from other species. Several proteins of interest appeared to be increased upon LPS stimulation. Proteins with homology to human transgelin-2, fish glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, amphibian α-enolase, alligator lactate dehydrogenase, fish ubiquitin-activating enzyme, and fungal β-tubulin were also increased after LPS injection. Proteins with homology to fish vimentin 4, murine heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A3, and avian calreticulin were found to be decreased in response to LPS. In addition, five proteins, four of which were up-regulated (827, 560, 512, and 650%) and one that exhibited repressed expression (307%), did not show homology to any protein in the database, and thus may represent newly discovered proteins. We are using this biochemical approach to isolate and characterize alligator proteins with potential relevant immune function.     

IFN-gamma stimulates IgG2a secretion by murine B cells stimulated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide

rIFN-gamma strikingly enhances the secretion of IgG2a by murine splenic B cells stimulated with bacterial LPS in vitro and concomitantly suppresses the production of IgG3, IgG1, IgG2b, and IgE while sparing IgM secretion. IFN-gamma stimulates highly purified B cell populations to secrete IgG2a, strongly suggesting that it acts directly on B cells. It increases the frequency of precursors of IgG2a-expressing soft agar colonies and enhances the number of IgG2a+ cells in colonies indicating that it both increases the frequency of precursors of IgG2a+ cells and enhances the number of IgG2a+ daughter cells emerging from each precursor. IFN-gamma completes its action within the first 24 to 48 h of a 6-day culture with LPS and its addition cannot be delayed beyond the first 48 h. Preincubation of resting B cells in the presence of IFN-gamma leads to a time dependent increase, up to 42 h, in IgG2a secretion upon subsequent addition of LPS. IFN-gamma can exert this action on resting B cells that have been selected for absence of membrane IgG expression by cell sorting. The promotion of IgG2a secretion appears to be a specific property of IFN-gamma in that IFN-alpha, IFN-beta, IL-1, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, granulocyte-macrophage-CSF, granulocyte-CSF, and CSF-1 fail to enhance IgG2a secretion by LPS-stimulated B cells.     

Induction of asparagine synthetase during lymphocyte activation by phytohemagglutinin

Asparagine synthetase was increased in cultured mouse spleen lymphocytes after stimulation by phytohemagglutinin. After a lag period of about 24h, the enzyme activity level rose sharply by 48h, reached its maximum at 72h, and decreased thereafter. The time course of the change in the enzyme activity was similar to that of the change in the rate of DNA synthesis. From the results that there was no increase of the activity of asparagine synthetase at the time induction of ornithine decarboxylase would occur (6h), it seems unlikely that asparagine synthesized in the cells contributes to the enhancement of ornithine decarboxylase during the activation of lymphocytes. The increase of asparagine synthetase activity was inhibited by cycloheximide and somewhat by actinomycin D, suggesting de novo enzyme synthesis during the stimulation.     

Nonhistone chromatin proteins of B-lymphocytes stimulated by lipopolysaccharide Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis analysis of proteins synthesized and phoshorylated during the initiation of lymphocyte differentiation

Synthesis and phosphorylation of nonhistone chromatin and nucleoplasmic proteins during the first 24 h of activation of mouse B-lymphocytes by the B-cell mitogen lipopolysaccharide have been studied by two-dimensional gel electrophoretic analysis. Although little change occurs in the nucleoplasmic proteins, it has been shown that the incorporation of [³⁵S]methionine into nonhistone chromatin proteins is selectively stimulated. The degree of stimulation and the kinetics of synthesis are characteristic for each individual protein; some proteins exhibit increased incorporation only 4 h after addition of mitogen, while others are synthesized de novo between 8 and 24 h. After 72 h stimulation, the majority of nonhistone chromatin protein synthesis occurs in the highly differentiated lymphoblasts and plasma cells actively secreting IgM, very little synthesis taking place in the small lymphocytes. Analysis of nuclear proteins from lymphocytes stimulated for 2 h showed no selective stimulation of phosphorylation. These observations suggest that nonhistone chromatin proteins play an important role in the regulation of gene expression in B-lymphocytes.     

Induction of beta-defensin 3 in keratinocytes stimulated by bacterial lipopeptides through toll-like receptor 2

The epidermis, which covers the surface of all mammals, serves as a front line of defense against the invasion of pathogenic microbes and acts as a crucial site for innate immune responses. Various antimicrobial molecules are expressed not only on the surfaces of monocytes but also on epithelial cells. beta-Defensins, a family of antimicrobial peptides, are produced by several types of epithelial cells, including keratinocytes. However, the induction pathways for beta-defensins in keratinocytes are not fully understood. We hypothesized that bacterial components would trigger the expression of beta-defensins in keratinocytes through a toll-like receptor (TLR)-MyD88 signaling pathway that plays important roles in innate immunity. Production of TNF-alpha and IL-1 alpha following stimulation with lipopolysaccharide or bacterial lipopeptides was completely abolished in TLR2&TLR4-doubly deficient keratinocytes and in MyD88-deficient keratinocytes. Expression of murine beta-defensin was upregulated by bacterial lipopeptides in wild-type keratinocytes, while it was attenuated in TLR2-deficient keratinocytes. To evaluate the in vivo role of TLRs in keratinocytes, we inoculated Staphylococcus aureus into the tail skin from TLR2-deficient mice that had been grafted on the dorsal skin of syngeneic mice. The grafted skin from TLR2-deficient mice resulted in erosion. These studies strongly suggest that the TLR2-MyD88-dependent pathway in keratinocytes is essential for antimicrobial activity in vivo.     

Resolution of protein disulphide-isomerase and glutathione-insulin transhydrogenase activities by covalent chromatography.

1. Protein disulphide-isomerase (EC 5.3.4.1) and glutathione-insulin transhydrogenase (EC 1.8.4.2) were resolved by covalent chromatography. Both activities, in a partially purified preparation from bovine liver, bind covalently as mixed disulphides to activated thiopropyl-Sepharose 6B, in a new stepwise elution procedure protein disulphide-isomerase is displaced in mildly reducing conditions whereas glutathione-insulin transhydrogenase is only displaced by more extreme reducing conditions. 2. This together with evidence for partial resolution of the two activities by ion-exchange chromatography, conclusively establishes that the two activities are not alternative activities of a single bovine liver enzyme. 3. Protein disulphide-isomerase, partially purified by a published procedure, has now been further purified by covalent chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography. The final material is 560-fold purified relative to a bovine liver homogenate; it has barely detectable glutathione-insulin transhydrogenase activity. 4. The purified protein disulphide-isomerase shows a single major band on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis corresponding to a mol.wt. of 57000. 5. The purified protein disulphide-isomerase has Km values for 'scrambled' ribonuclease and dithiothreitol of 23 microgram/ml and 5.4 microM respectively and has a sharp pH optimum at 7.5. The enzyme has a broad thiol-specificity, and several monothiols, at 1mM, can replace dithiothreitol. 6. The purified protein disulphide-isomerase is completely inactivated after incubation with a 2-3 fold molar excess of iodoacetate. The enzyme is also significantly inhibited by low concentrations of Cd2+ ions. These findings strongly suggest the existence of a vicinal dithiol group essential for enzyme activity. 7. When a range of thiols were used as co-substrates for protein disulphide-isomerase activity, the activities were found to co-purify quantitatively, implying the presence of a single protein disulphide-isomerase of broad thiol-specificity. Glutathione-disulphide transhydrogenase activities, assayed with a range of disulphide compounds, did not co-purify quantitatively.     

B lymphocyte differentiation induced by lipopolysaccharide. III. Suppression of B cell maturation by anti-mouse immunoglobulin antibodies.

Lipopolysaccharide-(LPS) induced differentiation of mouse B lymphocytes to cells synthesizing large amounts of cytoplasmic IgM and IgG2 could be suppressed by antibodies to mu-chains. Maximal inhibition of LPS-induced differentiation was associated with increased cellular proliferation as measured by incorporation of 3H-thymidine, whereas treatment with anti-mu alone over a wide dosage range did not stimulate cellular proliferation. Spleen cells from newborn mice were suppressed by concentrations of anti-mu several hundred-fold lower than required for adult spleen cells; the adult pattern of susceptibility to suppression was acquired by 1 week of age. No significant differences in susceptibility to anti-mu were found in comparisons of adult spleen, lymph node, bone marrow, and Peyer's patch lymphocytes.     

Induction of human beta-defensin-2 expression in human astrocytes by lipopolysaccharide and cytokines

Defensins are cationic peptides with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. They are members of a supergene family consisting of alpha and beta subtypes and each subtype is comprised of a number of different isoforms. For example, human alpha-defensin (HAD) has six isoforms, which are expressed by polymorphonuclear leukocytes and Paneth cells. In contrast, human beta-defensin (HBD) has two isoforms that are expressed by epithelial cells of the skin, gut, respiratory and urogenital tracts. Recently, HBD-1 was detected in human brain biopsy tissue. However, little is known about the expression of HBD-1 or HBD-2 in the CNS and whether neural cells can secrete these peptides. For the present study, human astrocyte, microglial, meningeal fibroblast and neuronal cultures were probed for the expression of HBD-1 and HBD-2 mRNA and protein. Each cell type was either maintained in tissue culture medium alone or in medium containing lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 1 microgram/mL, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta) at 1-50 ng/mL, or tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) at the same concentrations. The expression of HBD-1 and HBD-2 mRNAs was monitored by RT-PCR. The cDNA products were sequenced to characterize the gene product. HBD-2 protein was detected by immunoblot, immunoprecipitation and immunocytochemistry. Results of these studies showed that HBD-1 mRNA was detected in all cell cultures except in those enriched for neurons. In contrast, HBD-2 mRNA was detected only in astrocyte cultures that were treated with LPS, IL-1beta or TNF-alpha. The detection of the respective proteins correlated positively with the mRNA results. As such, these data represent the first demonstration of HBD-2 expression by astrocytes and suggest that this peptide may play a role in host defense against bacterial CNS pathogenesis.     

Inhibitors of protein kinase C block activation of B lymphocytes by bacterial lipopolysaccharide

Activation of murine splenic B lymphocytes (B cells) by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was found to be markedly inhibited by 1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H-7) and N-[2-(methylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide (H-8), two potent inhibitors of protein kinases. The higher sensitivity of DNA synthesis, RNA synthesis and protein N-glycosylation activity to H-7, relative to H-8, strongly supports the proposal that protein kinase C plays a critical role in the activation of B cells. A kinetic study on the time of addition of H-7 indicated that protein kinase C promoted the activation process continuously after the addition of LPS.     

Formation of native insulin from the scrambled molecule by protein disulphide-isomerase.

The formation of native insulin either from scrambled insulin or from the separated A chain and B chain S-sulphonates by protein disulphide-isomerase was demonstrated with yields of 20-30% as measured by h.p.l.c. analysis, receptor binding and stimulation of lipogenesis. The h.p.l.c. profile of the reaction products shows that, among all the possible isomers containing both chains, the native hormone is by far the predominating product and consequently the most stable under certain conditions.