Queckenstedt's Test Affects More than Jugular Venous Congestion in Rat

Jugular venous compression by the Queckenstedt''s test (Q-test) increases the intracranial pressure, but the effects of isolated jugular venous congestion are not well known. Intraventricular pressure (IVP) was compared during direct obstruction of the common jugular veins (bilateral CJV clipping) and during external compression of bilateral CJV flows (Q-test) in a rat model. Intracerebroventricular catheters were inserted into the right lateral ventricle of nine male Sprague-Dawley rats (371.1±44.8 g, 82.2±12.0 days old). The initial mean IVP, arterial pressure (MAP), and pulse rate were 2.8±1.3 mmHg, 88.8±12.7 mmHg, and 348.3±69.1 beats/min, respectively. The mean IVP increment and MAP decrement were 6.5±2.5 and 13.5±5.7 mmHg, respectively, during the Q-test, compared to 2.3±1.5 and 7.3±3.8 mmHg, respectively, during bilateral CJV clipping (all p = 0.008). The IVP increment and MAP decrement were greater during the Q-test than during bilateral CJV clipping (p = 0.008 and p = 0.038). Although the Q-test and bilateral CJV clipping showed similar effects, the response with the Q-test was greater. Thus, the Q-test appears to obstruct other collateral cerebral veins in addition to bilateral CJV flows. Since this model revealed significant differences between the manual Q-test and bilateral CJV clipping, the finding should be taken into account in future studies on the Q-test in SD rats.     

PEG-IFN Alpha but Not Ribavirin Alters NK Cell Phenotype and Function in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C

Background

Ribavirin (RBV) remains part of several interferon-free treatment strategies even though its mechanisms of action are still not fully understood. One hypothesis is that RBV increases responsiveness to type I interferons. Pegylated Interferon alpha (PEG-IFNa) has recently been shown to alter natural killer (NK) cell function possibly contributing to control of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, the effects of ribavirin alone or in combination with IFNa on NK cells are unknown.

Methods

Extensive ex vivo phenotyping and functional analysis of NK cells from hepatitis C patients was performed during antiviral therapy. Patients were treated for 6 weeks with RBV monotherapy (n = 11), placebo (n = 13) or PEG-IFNa-2a alone (n = 6) followed by PEG-IFNa/RBV combination therapy. The effects of RBV and PEG-IFNa-2a on NK cells were also studied in vitro after co-culture with K562 or Huh7.5 cells.

Results

Ribavirin monotherapy had no obvious effects on NK cell phenotype or function, neither ex vivo in patients nor in vitro. In contrast, PEG-IFNa-2a therapy was associated with an increase of CD56^bright cells and distinct changes in expression profiles leading to an activated NK cell phenotype, increased functionality and decline of terminally differentiated NK cells. Ribavirin combination therapy reduced some of the IFN effects. An activated NK cell phenotype during therapy was inversely correlated with HCV viral load.

Conclusions

PEG-IFNa activates NK cells possibly contributing to virological responses independently of RBV. The role of NK cells during future IFN-free combination therapies including RBV remains to be determined.     

Carcass Type Affects Local Scavenger Guilds More than Habitat Connectivity

Scavengers and decomposers provide an important ecosystem service by removing carrion from the environment. Scavenging and decomposition are known to be temperature-dependent, but less is known about other factors that might affect carrion removal. We conducted an experiment in which we manipulated combinations of patch connectivity and carcass type, and measured responses by local scavenger guilds along with aspects of carcass depletion. We conducted twelve, 1-month trials in which five raccoon (Procyon lotor), Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), and domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus spp.) carcasses (180 trials total) were monitored using remote cameras in 21 forest patches in north-central Indiana, USA. Of 143 trials with complete data, we identified fifteen species of vertebrate scavengers divided evenly among mammalian (N = 8) and avian species (N = 7). Fourteen carcasses (9.8%) were completely consumed by invertebrates, vertebrates exhibited scavenging behavior at 125 carcasses (87.4%), and four carcasses (2.8%) remained unexploited. Among vertebrates, mammals scavenged 106 carcasses, birds scavenged 88 carcasses, and mammals and birds scavenged 69 carcasses. Contrary to our expectations, carcass type affected the assemblage of local scavenger guilds more than patch connectivity. However, neither carcass type nor connectivity explained variation in temporal measures of carcass removal. Interestingly, increasing richness of local vertebrate scavenger guilds contributed moderately to rates of carrion removal (≈6% per species increase in richness). We conclude that scavenger-specific differences in carrion utilization exist among carcass types and that reliable delivery of carrion removal as an ecosystem service may depend on robust vertebrate and invertebrate communities acting synergistically.     

Kinetics of miR-122 Expression in the Liver during Acute HCV Infection

The relationships among micro RNA-122 (miR-122) expression in the liver, hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication and hepatic damage were analyzed in three chimpanzees observed for 180 days after inoculation with HCV genotype 1a. Levels of miR-122 in the liver and serum were measured by real-time RT PCR in serial liver biopsies and serum samples. Hepatic miR-122 levels were normalized separately for each of three chimpanzees with small RNAs and microRNAs that are endogenous to the liver and are stably expressed. Two- to 4-fold rise in hepatic miR-122 levels was observed at the onset of HCV infection (the first 4 weeks) when HCV titers in the liver and serum increased rapidly in all three chimpanzees in concordance with in vitro data indicating the miR-122 significance for HCV replication. Between 10 to 14 weeks after inoculation, when hepatic and serum HCV RNA titers exceeded 3 logs and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity was elevated, hepatic miR-122 levels were in decline. Cumulative data derived from all three chimpanzees from 180 days of observation documented an inverse (negative) correlation between hepatic miR-122 and HCV RNA in the liver and serum and positive correlation between level of serum miR-122 and HCV replication. Subsequent rise of miR-122 level during HCV clearance and ALT normalization suggested a tri-phasic occurrence of the relationship among hepatic miR-122 expression, HCV replication and hepatic destruction, which was the most apparent in one chimpanzee but less evident in two other animals. In vivo kinetics of hepatic and serum miR-122, HCV replication and hepatic destruction reflects complexities of the virus-host interaction during the acute phase of HCV infection.     

Intrahepatic Infiltrating NK and CD8 T Cells Cause Liver Cell Death in Different Phases of Dengue Virus Infection

Elevated liver enzyme level is an outstanding feature in patients with dengue. However, the pathogenic mechanism of liver injury has not been clearly demonstrated. In this study, employing a mouse model we aimed to investigate the immunopathogenic mechanism of dengue liver injury. Immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice were infected intravenously with dengue virus strain 16681. Infected mice had transient viremia, detectable viral capsid gene and cleaved caspase 3 in the liver. In the mean time, NK cell and T cell infiltrations peaked at days 1 and 5, respectively. Neutralizing CXCL10 or depletion of Asialo GM1⁺ cells reduced cleaved caspase 3 and TUNEL⁺ cells in the liver at day 1 after infection. CD8⁺ T cells infiltrated into the liver at later time point and at which time intrahepatic leukocytes (IHL) exhibited cytotoxicity against DENV-infected targets. Cleaved caspase 3 and TUNEL⁺ cells were diminished in mice with TCRβ deficiency and in those depleted of CD8⁺ T cells, respectively, at day 5 after infection. Moreover, intrahepatic CD8⁺ T cells were like their splenic counterparts recognized DENV NS4B_99–107 peptide. Together, these results show that infiltrating NK and CD8⁺ T cells cause liver cell death. While NK cells were responsible for cell death at early time point of infection, CD8⁺ T cells were for later. CD8⁺ T cells that recognize NS4B_99–107 constitute at least one of the major intrahepatic cytotoxic CD8⁺ T cell populations.     

Compromised NK Cell-Mediated Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity in Chronic SIV/SHIV Infection

Increasing evidence indicates that antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) contributes to the control of HIV/SIV infection. However, little is known about the ADCC function of natural killer (NK) cells in non-human primate model. Here we demonstrated that ADCC function of NK cells was significantly compromised in chronic SIV/SHIV infection, correlating closely with the expression of FcγRIIIa receptor (CD16) on NK cells. CD32, another class of IgG Fc receptors, was identified on NK cells with higher expression in the infected macaques and the blockade of CD32 impacted the ability of NK cells to respond to antibody-coated target cells. The inhibition of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs), a group of enzymes normally involved in tissue/receptor remodeling, could restore NK cell-mediated ADCC with increased CD16 expression on macaque NK cells. These data offer a clearer understanding of NK cell-mediated ADCC in rhesus macaques, which will allow us to evaluate the ADCC repertoire arising from preclinical vaccination studies in non-human primates and inform us in the future design of effective HIV vaccination strategies.     

Cell adhesion: More than just glue (Review)

The ability of cells to interact with each other and their surroundings in a co-ordinated manner depends on multiple adhesive interactions between neighbouring cells and their extracellular environment. These adhesive interactions are mediated by a family of cell surface proteins, termed cell adhesion molecules. Fortunately these adhesion molecules fall into distinct families with adhesive interactions varying in strength from strong binding involved in the maintenance of tissue architecture to more transient, less avid, dynamic interactions observed in leukocyte biology. Adhesion molecules are extremely versatile cell surface receptors which not only stick cells together but provide biochemical and physical signals that regulate a range of diverse functions, such as cell proliferation, gene expression, differentiation, apoptosis and migration. In addition, like many other cell surface molecules, they have been usurped as portals of entry for pathogens, including prions. How the mechanical and chemical messages generated from adhesion molecules are integrated with other signalling pathways (such as receptor tyrosine kinases and phosphatases) and the role that aberrant cell adhesion plays in developmental defects and disease pathology are currently very active areas of research. This review focuses on the biochemical features that define whether a cell surface molecule can act as an adhesion molecule, and discusses five specific examples of how cell adhesion molecules function as more than just 'sticky’ receptors. The discussion is confined to the signalling events mediated by members of the integrin, cadherin and immunoglobulin gene superfamilies. It is suggested that, by controlling the membrane organization of signalling receptors, by imposing spatial organization, and by regulating the local concentration of cytosolic adapter proteins, intercellular and cell-matrix adhesion is more than just glue holding cells together. Rather dynamic ‘conversations’ and the formation of multi-protein complexes between adhesion molecules, growth factor receptors and matrix macromolecules can now provide a molecular explanation for the long-observed but poorly understood requirement for a number of seemingly distinct cell surface molecules to be engaged for efficient cell function to occur.     

Cell Cycle Regulatory Proteins in the Liver in Murine Trypanosoma cruzi Infection

The liver is an important target of Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Infection of CD-1 mice withT. cruzi (Brazil strain) resulted in parasitism of the liver, primarily in sinusoidal and Kupffercells. Immunoblot analysis revealed activation of extra cellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)during the acute and subacute period of infection, but p38 mitogen activated kinase (MAPK) andJNK were not activated. The activity of important cell cycle regulatory genes was also examinedin the liver following infection. There was increased expression of cyclin D1, cyclin E and cyclinA as well as proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) at 45, 60 and 215 days post infection. Inaddition, the expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p27KIP1, p21WAF1 and the tumorsuppressor p53 were increased in the liver obtained from infected mice. Quantitative PCRrevealed increased abundance of mRNA for cyclins A, D1 and E. Interestingly, cyclin A and Eare ordinarily not found in the adult liver. Thus infection caused a reversion to a fetal/neonatalphenotype. These data provide a molecular basis for cell proliferation in the liver following T.cruzi infection.     

HIV-1感染对细胞内宿主因子TSG101及与Alix表达的影响

探讨HIV-1感染宿主细胞后对其宿主蛋白肿瘤易感基因101蛋白(Tumor Susceptibility Gene 101,TSG101)及ALG-2相互作用蛋白X(ALG-2-interacting protein X,Alix)表达的影响。以HIV-1感染性克隆病毒pNL4-3感染TZM-bl PM1、Jurkat细胞株和人外周血单个核细胞(PBMCs),感染24h后收获细胞提取总RNA,逆转录PCR检测在RNA水平各因子的表达差异;感染48h后收获细胞提取总蛋白,Western-blot检测各因子在蛋白水平的表达差异。结果显示:HIV-1感染对原代PBMC与细胞系表达Alix与TSG101影响显著不同,细胞系主要表现为下调,而原代PBMC主要表现为TSG101上调;细胞系中的下调又细分为Jurkat细胞的Alix与TSG101的双下调、TZM-bl细胞的Alix单下调以及PM1细胞无影响三种情况。HIV-1感染对细胞宿主分子TSG101及Alix在RNA和蛋白水平的表达均有影响,这种影响因细胞的不同而有差异。HIV-1感染调节Alix与TSG101的机制生物学意义尚有待于进一步阐明。     

重度子痫前期患者外周血NK 细胞功能的研究*

目的:探讨重度子痫前期患者外周血中NK细胞数量、杀伤功能以及相关细胞因子的变化。方法:选择重度子痫前期患者25例(研究组)以及正常妊娠妇女25例(对照组),流式细胞术测定外周血中NK细胞数量,细胞毒实验测定NK细胞的杀伤活性,ELISA法测定血清IFN-γ及IL-2的浓度。结果:研究组患者外周血中NK细胞的数量以及杀伤活性显著高于对照组;研究组外周血中IFN-γ、IL-2的浓度也显著高于对照组。结论:重度子痫前期患者外周血NK细胞数量增多,杀伤活性增强,血清中NK细胞相关细胞因子也增加。这些改变可能参与重度子痫前期的发病机制。     

Extracellular HCV-Core Protein Induces an Immature Regulatory Phenotype in NK Cells: Implications for Outcome of Acute Infection

Background

Hepatitis C viral (HCV) proteins, including core, demonstrate immuno-modulatory properties; however, the effect of extracellular core on natural killer (NK) cells has not previously been investigated.

Aims

To characterise NKs in acute HCV infection over time, and, to examine the effect of exogenous HCV-core protein on NK cell phenotype and function.

Methods

Acute HCV patients (n = 22), including 10 subjects who spontaneously recovered, were prospectively studied. Flow-cytometry was used to measure natural cytotoxicity and to phenotype NKs directly ex vivo and after culture with HCV-core protein. Microarray analysis was used to identify pathways involved in the NK cell response to exogenous HCV-core.

Results

Direct ex vivo analysis demonstrated an increased frequency of immature/regulatory CD56^bright NKs early in acute HCV infection per se which normalized with viral clearance. Natural cytotoxicity was reduced and did not recover after viral clearance. There was a statistically significant correlation between the frequency of CD56^bright NKs and circulating serum levels of HCV core protein. In vitro culture of purified CD56^bright NK cells with HCV-core protein in the presence of IL-15 maintained a significant proportion of NKs in the CD56^bright state. The in vitro effect of core closely correlates with NK characteristics measured directly ex vivo in acute HCV infection. Pathway analysis suggests that HCV-core protein attenuates NK interferon type I responses.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that HCV-core protein alters NK cell maturation and may influence the outcome of acute infection.     

Increase of Th17 Cell Phenotype in Kidney Transplant Recipients with Chronic Allograft Dysfunction

This study was performed to determine the association of Th17 cell phenotype with chronic allograft dysfunction in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). We compared the expression of Th17 cell phenotype in KTRs with chronic allograft dysfunction group (CAD, n = 52) with four control groups (long-term stable KTRs (LTS, n = 67), early stable KTRs (ES, n = 28), end stage renal disease (ESRD, n = 45), and healthy control (HC, n = 26). We also performed in vitro study using human proximal renal tubular epithelial cell line (HPRTEpiC) to evaluate the effect of IL-17 on human renal tubular epithelial cells. The CAD group showed increased percentage of Th17 cells out of CD4⁺ T cells and also increased proportion of IL-17 producing cells out of effector memory T cells or out of CCR4⁺CCR6⁺/CD4⁺ T cells compared to the LTS group and other control groups. Also, the serum level of IL-17, IL-33, and RAGE, and the expression of IL-1beta, RAGE, and HMGB1 mRNA showed an increase in the CAD group compared to the LTS group. In vitro study revealed that IL-17 increased production of IL-6 and IL-8 and up-regulated profibrotic gene expression such as ACTA-2 and CTGF in HPRTEpiC in a dose-dependent manner, which suggests that IL-17 has a role in the development of renal tubular cell injury. The results of our study may suggest that increase of Th17 cell phenotype could be a marker for the chronic allograft injury; hence there is a need to develop diagnostic and therapeutic tools targeting the Th17 cells pathway.     

Chronic Opisthorchis viverrini Infection Changes the Liver Microbiome and Promotes Helicobacter Growth

Adults of Opisthorchis viverrini reside in the biliary system, inducing inflammation of bile ducts and cholangitis, leading to hepatobiliary disease (HBD) including cholangiocarcinoma. O. viverrini infection also has major implications for the bacterial community in bile ducts and liver. To investigate this in chronic O. viverrini infection (≥ 8 months p.i.), bacterial genomic DNA from livers of hamsters and from worms was investigated using culture techniques, PCR for Helicobacter spp. and high-throughput next-generation sequencing targeting the V3-V4 hypervariable regions of prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene. Of a total of 855,046 DNA sequence reads, 417,953 were useable after filtering. Metagenomic analyses assigned these to 93 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) consisting of 80 OTUs of bacteria, including 6 phyla and 42 genera. In the chronic O. viverrini-infected group, bacterial community composition and diversity were significantly increased compared to controls. Sequences of Fusobacterium spp. were the most common (13.81%), followed by Streptococcus luteciae (10.76%), Escherichia coli (10.18%), and Bifidobacterium spp. (0.58%). In addition, Helicobacter pylori (0.17% of sequences) was also identified in the liver of chronic O. viverrini infections, but not in normal liver. The presence of H. pylori was confirmed by PCR and by use of an antibody against bacterial antigen, supporting the metagenomics data. The identities of bacteria cultured for enrichment suggested that chronic O. viverrini infection changes the liver microbiome and promotes Helicobacter spp. growth. There may be synergy between O. viverrini and the liver microbiome in enhancing immune response-mediated hepatobiliary diseases.     

Increased B Cell and Cytotoxic NK Cell Proportions and Increased T Cell Responsiveness in Blood of Natalizumab-Treated Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Background

Changes in the blood lymphocyte composition probably both mediate and reflect the effects of natalizumab treatment in multiple sclerosis, with implications for treatment benefits and risks.

Methods

A broad panel of markers for lymphocyte populations, including states of activation and co-stimulation, as well as functional T cell responses to recall antigens and mitogens, were assessed by flow cytometry in 40 patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis before and after one-year natalizumab treatment.

Results

Absolute numbers of all major lymphocyte populations increased after treatment, most markedly for NK and B cells. The fraction of both memory and presumed regulatory B cell subsets increased, as did CD3^-CD56^dim cytotoxic NK cells, whereas CD3^-CD56^bright regulatory NK cells decreased. The increase in cell numbers was further associated with a restored T cell responsiveness to recall antigens and mitogens in functional assays.

Conclusions

Our data confirms that natalizumab treatment increases the number of lymphocytes in blood, likely mirroring the expression of VLA-4 being highest on NK and B cells. This finding supports reduction of lymphocyte extravasation as a main mode of action, although the differential effects on subpopulation composition suggests that cell-signalling may also be affected. The systemic increase in T cell responsiveness reflects the increase in numbers, and while augmenting anti-infectious responses systemically, localized responses may become correspondingly decreased.