Interleukin-10 inhibits neutrophil phagocytic and bactericidal activity

Abstract Effective host defense against bacterial invasion is characterized by the vigorous recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells, which is dependent upon the coordinated expression of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a recently described cytokine with potent anti-inflammatory properties in vivo and in vitro. In this study we investigated whether IL-10 could directly regulate the ability of neutrophils (PMN) to phagocytose and kill bacteria. Initial studies demonstrated that human recombinant IL-10 (hrIL-10) inhibited the ability of PMN to phagocytose Escherichia coli in vitro. Inhibition of phagocytosis occurred in the absence of changes in CR1 (C3b) or Fc receptor expression, as treatment of PMN with IL-10 failed to induce significant changes in FcγIIR, FcγIIIR or CR1 cell surface expression. However, incubation of PMN with IL-10 resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in CD11b (Mac-1) expression. In addition to effects on PMN phagocytosis, hrIL-10 significantly attenuated PMN microbicidal activity, as bactericidal assays revealed that co-incubation of PMN with hrIL-10 resulted in a marked decrease in killing of phagocytosed bacteria. Furthermore, IL-10 inhibited the production of superoxide from PMA-stimulated PMN, suggesting that the detrimental effects of IL-10 on PMN microbicidal activity were due, in part, to suppression of respiratory burst. In summary, our studies indicate that IL-10 inhibits PMN-dependent phagocytosis and killing of E. coli in vitro, and suggest that this cytokine may impair effective antibacterial host defense in vivo.     

Effect of valproic acid on the urinary metabolic profile of a patient with succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency

The metabolic changes in a patient with succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency were investigated following valproate administration using urease pretreatment and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A stable isotope dilution technique was used for quantification of urinary 4-hydroxybutyrate. Urinary levels of 4-hydroxybutyrate were 4-fold higher after 1-month valproate therapy. 4,5-Dihydrohexanoate, 2-deoxytetronate and 3-deoxytetronate were also 1.7-2.7-fold higher. The urinary excretions of 4-hydroxybutyrate in valproate non-medicated controls were age dependence and decreased with age. Relationships between 4-hydroxybutyrate excretion and 4-hydroxyvalproate or 5-hydroxyvalproate excretion were observed in valproate medicated controls. It seems that 4-hydroxyvalproate and 5-hydroxyvalproate as well as valproate are involved with increased excretion of 4-hydroxybutyrate following valproate administrations.     

Rapid screening procedures for identification of succinic acid producers

Succinic acid, an intermediate of tricarboxylic acid cycle, is produced and accumulated by anaerobic microorganisms. The long-standing interest in the production of this organic acid is because it is a key compound in producing more than 30 commercially important products. The detection of succinic acid is generally carried out by gas chromatography (GC), enzymatic assays, ion-exclusion chromatography (IEC) or by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). However, these methods are time consuming, require sophisticated instrumentation and are expensive. In the present investigation we are reporting two rapid, cost effective screening methods for the detection of this important organic acid. These methods can be utilized to screen a large number of microbes producing succinic acid in a very short span of time.     

Effects of redox potential control on succinic acid production by engineered Escherichia coli under anaerobic conditions

The effects of oxido-reduction potential (ORP) control on succinic acid production have been investigated in Escherichia coli LL016. In LL016, two CO₂ fixation pathways were achieved and NAD⁺ supply was enhanced by co-expression of heterologous pyruvate carboxylase (PYC) and nicotinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase (NAPRTase). During anaerobic fermentation, cell growth and metabolite distribution were changed with redox potential levels in the range of −200 to −400 mV. From the results, the ORP level of −400 mV was preferable, which resulted in the high succinic acid concentration (28.6 g/L) and high succinic acid productivity (0.33 g/L/h). Meanwhile, the yield of succinic acid at the ORP level of −400 mV was 39% higher than that at the ORP level of −200 mV. In addition, a higher NADH/NAD⁺ ratio and increased enzyme activities were also achieved by regulating the culture to a more reductive environment, which further enhanced the succinic acid production.     

Substrate and product inhibition kinetics in succinic acid production by Actinobacillus succinogenes

The inhibition of substrate and products on the growth of Actinobacillus succinogenes in fermentation using glucose as the major carbon source was studied. A. succinogenes tolerated up to 143 g/L glucose and cell growth was completely inhibited with glucose concentration over 158 g/L. Significant decrease in succinic acid yield and prolonged lag phase were observed with glucose concentration above 100 g/L. Among the end-products investigated, formate was found to have the most inhibitory effect on succinic acid fermentation. The critical concentrations of acetate, ethanol, formate, pyruvate and succinate were 46, 42, 16, 74, 104 g/L, respectively. A growth kinetic model considering both substrate and product inhibition is proposed, which adequately simulates batch fermentation kinetics using both semi-defined and wheat-derived media. The model accurately describes the inhibitory kinetics caused by both externally added chemicals and the same chemicals produced during fermentation. This paper provides key insights into the improvement of succinic acid production and the modelling of inhibition kinetics.     

The effect of glutamine supplementation and physical exercise on neutrophil function

Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid in the body. Its primary source is skeletal muscle, from where it is released into the bloodstream and transported to a variety of tissues. Several studies have shown that glutamine is important for rat and human neutrophil function and that these cells utilize glutamine at high rates. Physical exercise has also been shown to induce considerable changes in neutrophil metabolism and function. As neutrophils represent 50-60% of the total circulating leukocyte pool and play a key role in inflammation, both physical exercise and glutamine might be expected to regulate the inflammatory process. In this review, the changes in neutrophil function induced by physical exercise and glutamine supplementation are compared.     

Differential effects of bacterial lipopolysaccharides upon neutrophil function

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a potent inflammatory agent which augments neutrophil sensitivity to subsequent inflammatory stimuli. In this study, the effects of structurally different LPS types upon neutrophil effector functions were examined. Rough LPS types, which have lost the O-polysaccharide moiety, were found to act more rapidly than smooth LPS types in stimulating neutrophil β₂ integrin activity and fMLP-induced respiratory burst. These findings suggest an involvement of the O-polysaccharide region of LPS in regulating neutrophil responsiveness to different LPS chemotypes with important implications for the mechanisms underlying regulation of the inflammatory response in conditions associated with elevation of LPS in plasma, e.g. septic shock or acute respiratory distress syndrome.     

The effect of maximal exercise on the activity of neutrophil granulocytes in highly trained athletes in a moderate training period

Leucocyte cell counts and the phagocytic and chemotactic activities of neutrophil granulocytes were investigated in highly endurance-trained long-distance runners (n = 10) and triathletes (n = 10) during a moderate training period and compared with untrained subjects (n = 10) before and up to 24 h after a graded exercise to exhaustion on a treadmill. After exercise a leucocytosis was noted with a significant increase in lymphocyte (P < or = 0.01) and neutrophil (P < or = 0.01) counts in all groups. In neutrophils the number of ingested inert latex beads was significantly increased (P < or = 0.01) from 0.21 (SD 0.09) to 0.45 (SD 0.22) in controls, from 0.20 (SD 0.12) to 0.56 (SD 0.16) in long-distance runners and from 0.25 (SD 0.08) to 1.03 (SD 0.42) particles per cell in triathletes 24 h after exercise, compared with resting values. The capability of neutrophils to produce microbicidal reactive oxygen species fell (P < or = 0.05) immediately after exercise in all subjects and then increased by 36 (SD 8)%, 31 (SD 6)% and 19 (SD 9)% in controls, runners and triathletes respectively up to 24 h after exercise (P < or = 0.05) compared with pre-start values. With respect to the absolute number of neutrophils, ingestion capacity, production of superoxide anions and chemotactic activity, no significant differences were found between athletes and control subjects at rest and after exercise.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Augmenting effect of acetic acid for acidification on bactericidal activity of hypochlorite solution

AIMS: Bactericidal activity of chlorine solution is enhanced by weak acidification. We compared the effects of various acids on the bactericidal activity of hypochlorite solution to establish a method for safe and effective use of an acidic hypochlorite solution. METHODS AND RESULTS: The bactericidal activities of acidic hypochlorite solutions that had been adjusted to pH 5.0 with hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, formic acid, phosphoric acid or sulphuric acid against Bacillus subtilis spores were compared. The acidic solutions prepared with hydrochloric acid and acetic acid showed the highest bactericidal activity, and all of the spores (5 x 106 cfu ml(-1)) were killed within 10 min. On the other hand, the solutions prepared with citric acid and lactic acid showed no bactericidal activity against any bacterial strains tested in this study despite the low pH. The amount of chlorine gas produced by the preparation using acetic acid was sixfold less than that produced from the preparation using hydrochloric acid. CONCLUSIONS: Acetic acid is the most suitable and safe acid for the preparation of an acidic hypochlorite solution. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The results of this study provide useful information for establishing a method for safe and effective use of an acidic hypochlorite solution.     

Beneficial effect of succinic acid monoethyl ester on erythrocyte membrane bound enzymes and antioxidant status in streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced type 2 diabetes

Succinic acid monoethyl ester (EMS) was recently proposed as an insulinotropic agent for the treatment of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. In the present study the effect of EMS and metformin on erythrocyte membrane bound enzymes and antioxidants activity in plasma and erythrocytes of streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced type 2 diabeteic model was investigated. Succinic acid monoethyl ester was administered intraperitonially for 30 days to control and diabetic rats. The effect of EMS on glucose, insulin, hemoglobin, glycosylated hemoglobin, TBARS, hydroperoxide, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxide (Gpx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), vitamins C and E, reduced glutathione (GSH) and membrane bound enzymes were studied. The effect of EMS was compared with metformin, a reference drug. The levels of glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, TBARS, hyderoperoxide, and vitamin E were increased significantly whereas the level of insulin and hemoglobin, as well as antioxidants (SOD, CAT, Gpx, GST, vitamin C and GSH) membrane bound total ATPase, Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, Ca(2+)-ATPase and Mg(2+)-ATPase were decreased significantly in streptozotocin-nicotinamide diabetic rats. Administration of EMS to diabetic rats showed a decrease in the levels of glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, lipid peroxidation markers and vitamin E. In addition the levels of insulin, hemoglobin, enzymic antioxidants, vitamin C, and GSH and the activities of membrane bound enzymes also were increased in EMS and metformin treated diabetic rats. The present study indicates that the EMS possesses a significant beneficial effect on erythrocyte membrane bound enzymes and antioxidants defense system in addition to its antidiabetic effect.     

The effect of oxidant stress on diamide-treated human granulocytes

The role of sulfhydryls in the protection of human polymorphonuclear neutrophils against extracellular oxidant attack was investigated by simultaneously exposing polymorphonuclear neutrophils to the thiol-oxidizing agent diamide and the oxidant-generating system xanthine-xanthine oxidase. Neither diamide nor the oxidants generated by the xanthine-xanthine oxidase system alone impaired the burst in chemiluminescence, hexose monophosphate shunt activity or formate oxidation normally seen during polymorphonuclear neutrophil phagocytosis. Incubation of the polymorphonuclear neutrophils simultaneously with diamide and xanthine-xanthine oxidase markedly impaired polymorphonuclear neutrophil phagocytosis, hexose monophosphate shunt activity, chemiluminescence and formate oxidation. Although the polymorphonuclear neutrophils exposed to diamide and xanthine-xanthine oxidase did not respond to a variety of phagocytizable stimuli, trypan blue exclusion was normal and hexose monophosphate shunt activity could be stimulated by diamide. The damaging effect of the diamide xanthine-xanthine oxidase system could be blocked by the addition of superoxide dismutase or catalase, but not by hydroxyl radical or singlet oxygen scavengers. We hypothesize that an unidentified population of thiols may play a role in protecting the polymorphonuclear neutrophil from endogenously derived oxidants.     

Rapid and sensitive detection of urinary 4-hydroxybutyric acid and its related compounds by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in a patient with succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency

We describe the rapid and sensitive detection of 4-hydroxybutyric acid, which is a marker compound for succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) deficiency. Urinary 4-hydroxybutyric acid and 3,4-dihydroxybutyric acid were targeted, quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after simplified urease digestion in which lactone formation from gamma-hydroxy acids is minimized. The recovery of 4-hydroxybutyric acid using this method was over 93%. 2,2-Dimethylsuccinic acid was used as an internal standard. The detection limit of this method was 1 nmol ml(-1) for both 4-hydroxybutyric acid and 3,4-dihydroxybutyric acid. The urinary concentrations of 4-hydroxybutyric acid and of 3,4-dihydroxybutyric acid from the patient with an SSADH deficiency were 880-3628 mmol mol(-1) creatinine (control; 3.3+/-3.3 mmol mol(-1) creatinine) and 810-1366 mmol mol(-1) creatinine (control; 67.4+/-56.2 mmol mol(-1) creatinine), respectively. The simplified urease digestion of urine is very useful for quantifying 4-hydroxybutyric acid and its related compounds in patients with 4-hydroxybutyric aciduria.     

Batch and continuous fermentation of succinic acid from wood hydrolysate by Mannheimia succiniciproducens MBEL55E

Batch and continuous cultures of Mannheimia succiniciproducens MBEL55E were carried out in a complex medium containing a NaOH-treated wood hydrolysate for the production of succinic acid. The wood hydrolysate based medium was treated with NaOH before sterilization to reduce the formation of inhibitory compounds. M. succiniciproducens MBEL55E utilized xylose as well as glucose in the wood hydrolysate based medium as a carbon source for the succinic acid production. In batch cultures, the final succinic acid concentration of 11.73 g l⁻¹ was obtained from the pre-treated wood hydrolysate based medium, resulting in a succinic acid yield of 56% and a succinic acid productivity of 1.17 g l⁻¹ h⁻¹, while the corresponding continuous cultures gave the succinic acid yield and productivity of 55% and 3.19 g l⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively. These results suggest that succinic acid can be produced economically and efficiently by the fermentation of M. succiniciproducens MBEL55E from an inexpensive biomass-based wood hydrolysate.     

An engineering Escherichia coli mutant with high succinic acid production in the defined medium obtained by the atmospheric and room temperature plasma

Escherichia coli BA002, the ldhA and pflB deletion strain, cannot utilize glucose in nutrient-rich or minimal media anaerobically. Co-expression of heterologous pyruvate carboxylase and nicotinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase in BA002 resulted in a significant increase in cell mass and succinic acid production. Nevertheless, the resultant strain, BA016, still could not grow in a defined medium without tryptone and yeast extract. To solve the problem, a novel atmospheric and room temperature plasma mutation method was employed to generate mutants which can grow in the defined medium. A mutant designated as LL016 was observed to be the best strain that regained the capacity of cell growth and glucose utilization in a defined medium anaerobically. After 120 h of fermentation in the defined medium, 35.0 g/L of glucose was consumed to generate 25.2 g/L of succinic acid. Furthermore, with the highest glucose consumption rate in the dual-phase fermentation, the yield of succinic acid in LL016 reached 0.87 g/g, which was higher than that observed in other strains. From an industrial standpoint, the defined medium is much cheaper than LB medium, which shows a great potential usage for the economical production of succinic acid by LL016.     

The effect of Helicobacter pylori on neutrophil chemotaxis is independent of cagA

Sixteen Helicobacter pylori strains were studied in order to determine their neutrophil chemotactic activity and the association with the presence cagA gene. Neutrophil chemotactic activity was detected by a modified Boyden chamber method and the results were expressed in terms of chemotactic index (CI). The presence of cagA was determined by PCR. Of the 16 strains, eight were cagA+ and eight were cagA-. All of the isolated strains showed chemotactic activity. The mean value of CI of the patient group was significantly higher than the negative control (P < 0.01). The mean value of CI of zymosan-activated serum (P < 0.05) and the reference strain H. pylori NCTC 11637 (HP11637) (P < 0.01) was significantly higher than the patient group's mean value of CI. There were no statistical significance in the CI between cagA+ and cagA- strains (P > 0.05). It is concluded that H. pylori attracts neutrophils by chemotaxis, however, there is no association with cagA.     

A complete industrial system for economical succinic acid production by Actinobacillus succinogenes

An industrial fermentation system using lignocellulosic hydrolysate, waste yeast hydrolysate, and mixed alkali to achieve high-yield, economical succinic acid production by Actinobacillus succinogenes was developed. Lignocellulosic hydrolysate and waste yeast hydrolysate were used efficiently as carbon sources and nitrogen source instead of the expensive glucose and yeast extract. Moreover, as a novel method for regulating pH mixed alkalis (Mg(OH)₂ and NaOH) were first used to replace the expensive MgCO₃ for succinic acid production. Using the three aforementioned substitutions, the total fermentation cost decreased by 55.9%, and 56.4 g/L succinic acid with yield of 0.73 g/g was obtained, which are almost the same production level as fermentation with glucose, yeast extract and MgCO₃. Therefore, the cheap carbon and nitrogen sources, as well as the mixed alkaline neutralize could be efficiently used instead of expensive composition for industrial succinic acid production.     

Divergent effect of mometasone on human eosinophil and neutrophil apoptosis

Mometasone is a potent synthetic glucocorticoid, which is under development as an inhaled preparation for the treatment of asthma. Previous studies have suggested that glucocorticoids have direct effects on human eosinophil and neutrophil apoptosis. The present study was designed to characterize the effects of mometasone on constitutive apoptosis and cytokine-afforded survival in isolated human eosinophils and neutrophils. The isolated eosinophils or neutrophils were cultured in vitro, and apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometric analysis of relative DNA content, by annexin-V binding and morphological analysis. Mometasone enhanced constitutive human eosinophil apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. The maximal enhancement of eosinophil apoptosis was 2.1-fold with an EC(50) value of 5.63 +/- 2.33 nM. This enhancing effect was reversed by the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, mifepristone. In the presence of added cytokines, mometasone reversed tumor necrosis factor -alpha-induced eosinophil survival but not that afforded by interleukin -5. In contrast, mometasone inhibited human neutrophil apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. The maximal inhibition of neutrophil apoptosis was 50% with an EC(50) value of 0.17 +/- 0.03 nM. The inhibitory effect was partly reversed by mifepristone. In the presence of added cytokines, mometasone further enhanced neutrophil survival induced by the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and leukotriene B(4). The present data suggests that mometasone has opposite effects on apoptosis of human eosinophils and neutrophils at clinically relevant drug concentrations via an effect on glucocorticoid receptor.     

The role of lipopolysaccharides in the action of the bactericidal/permeability-increasing neutrophil protein on the bacterial envelope

The killing of gram-negative bacteria by the bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein ( BPI ) of neutrophils requires surface binding, and is accompanied by a discrete increase in outer membrane permeability to small hydrophobic substances. This outer membrane alteration appears to be related to perturbation of outer membrane lipopolysaccharides (LPS). BPI causes extracellular release of LPS, but only at supra-saturating doses. Nevertheless, because the organization of LPS in the outer membrane is altered by pretreatment of bacteria with saturating doses of BPI (producing maximal bactericidal and permeability-increasing effects), the amount of LPS released during Tris-EDTA treatment is reduced by 80%. BPI markedly (approximately 50%) and selectively stimulates biosynthesis of LPS, suggesting an attempt by BPI -killed bacteria to repair outer membrane damage. The removal of surface-bound BPI by 40 mM Mg2+ initiates time- and temperature-dependent repair of the outer membrane permeability barrier and a further increase (approximately 170% of control) in LPS synthesis, even though the bacteria are no longer viable. Mg2+-induced repair is blocked when: 1) a temperature-sensitive mutant (Salmonella typhimurium HD50 ) with a conditional defect in LPS synthesis is incubated at the nonpermissive temperature (42 degrees C); and 2) LPS synthesis is selectively inhibited by a diazaborine derivative (Sandoz drug No. 84474). In contrast, repair is normal by the mutant at permissive temperatures (30 degrees C) and by the parent strain (S. typhimurium AG701 ) at both 30 degrees C and 42 degrees C. Inhibition (greater than 85%) of protein synthesis by chloramphenicol has little or no effect on repair. These findings indicate that the repair of the permeability barrier after the removal of BPI from the surface requires newly made LPS, but apparently no biosynthesis of other outer membrane constituents, which strongly suggests that the effects of BPI on LPS are mainly responsible for the break-down of the outer membrane permeability barrier.