Properties and purification of a colony-stimulating factor of granulocytes and macrophages produced by mouse spleen cells

Mouse splenocytes are induced by pokeweed mitogen to secrete a factor that stimulates mouse hemopoetic (spelling per Nomina Histologica in the Nomina Anatomica, 5th edition, 1983, Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore) progenitor cells to undergo proliferation and differentiation into granulocytes and macrophages in a semi-solid culture system. The granulocyte and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was purified with a four-step procedure that includes ultrafiltration, chromatography on DEAE-agarose, Sephacryl S-200, and chromatofocusing gel. The isoelectric point (pI) of 4.2 of the GM-CSF was determined by analytical isoelectrofocusing gel electrophoresis. The sensitivity of the biological activity of GM-CSF to digestion by trypsin and neuraminidase suggests that GM-CSF is a glycoprotein with its sugar moieties at the active site. The GM-CSF is also sensitive to heat denaturation at 60 degrees C or higher suggesting that a three-dimensional conformation is required for its biological activity. The molecular weight of GM-CSF is approximately 57,000 Daltons as determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate.     

NBxFO factor--a novel suppressor factor produced by fusion of neonatal spleen and a nonsecreting myeloma

Spleens from 1-day-old DBA/2J mice were fused to the nonsecreting myeloma, FO. Dialyzed supernates of these cells were found to suppress the antigen-specific proliferative response of cloned helper or alloreactive T cells at a final concentration of less than or equal to 5%. The same supernate-containing factor did not suppress the response to IL-2 of an IL-2-addicted T cell line. The factor was found not to suppress the production of either IL-2 or antibody, following stimulation of spleen cells with LPS. Absorption analysis revealed that the target of the factor was the accessory cell population. Further experiments indicated that the factor blocked the proliferation of thymocytes due to IL-1. Biochemical analysis revealed a molecular weight for the factor of about 90,000 and a pI of approximately 4.5.     

Suppressor activity in the spleen of neonatal mice.

Helper cells of T-cell origin are required for the in vitro proliferation of low numbers of adult mouse thymus cells in response to allogeneic spleen cells. These helper cells are present in the adult mouse spleen. We have demonstrated that neonatal mouse spleen cells lack the helper activity present in adult spleen cells. We have also shown that this lack of helper activity is the result of active suppression. The suppression is due to a suppressor cell which is present in high quantities in the neonatal spleen and can be eliminated by treatment with anti-θ serum and complement.     

Down-regulating effect on cellular immunity of the NSF17 factor produced by murine neonatal spleen cells fused with BW 5147 thymoma cells.

The non-specific factor NSF17 produced by mouse newborn splenocytes fused with BW 5147 thymoma cells was tested in vivo for its immunosuppressive activity. NSF17 administered i.p. in a single dose into adult mice significantly decreased the PHA-induced proliferative response of lymphocytes, regional graft-versus-host reaction, and delayed-type hypersensitivity.     

Antigen presentation by neonatal murine spleen cells

The ability of murine neonatal spleen cells to present soluble antigen to T-helper cells and to produce growth factors in response to subsequent cellular interactions was studied. The T-helper-cell line (D10-G4.1) (D10), which is specific for the soluble antigen conalbumin presented on H-2-matched (H-2k) antigen-presenting cells, was used as cooperating and indicator cells in these cellular interactions. The D10 cells are TH2 T-helper cells which secrete the autocrine growth factor IL-4 and can also respond to exogenous IL-2 (T. R. Mosmann and R. L. Coffmann, Immunol. Today 8, 223, 1987). D10 cells require exogenous IL-1 for their proliferation and secrete, in addition to IL-4, IL-1 inducer factor and GM-CSF. The ability of neonatal spleen cells to present antigen and to stimulate D10 cells to produce IL-4 and proliferate is low. During antigen presentation there is an augmentation of IL-1 and IL-2 production by the antigen-presenting spleen cell population. However, neonatal spleen cells do not respond to the same levels as do adult spleen cells. The addition of exogenous IL-1 cannot repair the antigen presentation by neonatal cells. Experiments in which the antigen processing and presentation steps were separated from those requiring growth factor induction and secretion demonstrate that neonatal spleen cells are impaired in their ability to perform adequate antigen processing and presentation. The neonatal spleen cells are as competent as adult cells to cooperate with T-helper cells and secrete growth factors, provided antigen processing and presentation is performed by fully competent adult spleen cells. Experiments in which neonatal and adult antigen-presenting spleen cell populations were mixed, and others in which plastic adherent and nonadherent cells were separated, could not detect any suppressor mechanisms responsible for the low antigen presentation of neonatal cells. Thus, neonatal spleen cells are impaired in the initial stages of antigen processing and presentation. This impairment which leads to low levels of growth factor production is the major determinant in the ineffectual stimulation of T-helper cells by neonatal spleen cells.     

Granulocyte/macrophage-, megakaryocyte-, eosinophil- and erythroid-colony-stimulating factors produced by mouse spleen cells

The formation of mature haemopoietic cells is controlled by hormones that specifically stimulate the progenitor cells of the granulocyte/macrophage, eosinophil, megakaryocyte and erythroid pathways. PWMSC medium (pokeweed-mitogen-stimulated spleen-cell-conditioned medium) is known to contain the biological activities that control the clonal proliferation of these four progenitor cells in vitro in semi-solid agar cultures. In this study the molecular properties of these biological activities were characterized, and all four colony-stimulating factors appear to be associated with glycoproteins. These factors were precipitated between 50 and 80%-satd. (NH₄)₂SO₄ and could be concentrated by ultrafiltration over a 10000-mol.wt.-cut-off hollow-fibre membrane. Megakaryocyte- and erythroid-colony-stimulating factors were lost when the conditioned medium was dialysed at low ionic strength (<0.03m). Neither asialo- nor sialo-erythropoietin was detectable in concentrated PWMSC medium or in the fractions purified from it by gel filtration on Sephadex G-150. The factors bound to concanavalin A–Sepharose were eluted with α-methyl-d-glucopyranoside (0.10m). Analysis by gel filtration on Sephadex G-150 indicated that the apparent molecular-weight distributions of all colony-stimulating factors were identical (37000). Treatment with neuraminidase did not alter the biological activities of any of these factors, but when the molecular weights were analysed, after neuraminidase treatment, on Sepharose CL-6B in the presence of guanidine hydrochloride (6m) all were eluted with a mol.wt. of 24000. Although the apparent molecular weights of the different factors were identical, charge differences were detectable by isoelectric focusing on thin-layer granulated gels. There appeared to be considerable charge heterogeneity associated with each factor, as all were focused over 2–4 pH units. The maximum activity of the granulocyte/macrophage-colony-stimulating factor on isoelectric focusing was at pH4.8, whereas the maximum activity for the eosinophil-colony-stimulating factor was at pH5.8. The erythroid- and megakaryocyte-colony-stimulating activities were detected in the pH ranges 4.8–5.8 and 4.6–7.1 respectively. Chromatographic differences between the granulocyte/macrophage- and eosinophil-colony-stimulating factors were also detected by hydrophobic chromatography at low ionic strength (0.15m-NaCl) on Cibacron Blue–Sepharose and at high ionic strength [2m-(NH₄)₂SO₄] on phenyl-Sepharose. Eosinophil-colony-stimulating factor bound more strongly than the other factors to both matrices. The megakaryocyte- and erythroid-colony-stimulating activities were always associated with those for granulocytes/macrophages and eosinophils. Preparations highly enriched for eosinophil-colony-stimulating factor were also obtained by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. An overall purification of 100-fold for all of the factors was achieved with the present techniques, and, although differences were observed, only granulocyte/macrophage-stimulating factors and a small proportion of the eosinophil-stimulating factors could be completely separated from the others. Our results are consistent with the existence of separable factors for granulocyte/macrophage and eosinophil stimulation, but the megakaryocyte- and erythroid-stimulating activities were always associated with the granulocyte/macrophage- and eosinophil-stimulating activities. Thus there may be one molecule that is able to stimulate all four colony types or four very similar molecules that are difficult to separate.     

Dendritic cell activating factor produced by mouse macrophage hybridoma

A mouse macrophage (M phi) hybridoma which produces a soluble factor responsible for the cooperation between M phi and spleen dendritic cells (DC) was constructed. The antigen-presenting activity and the stimulator cell activity in the allogeneic or syngeneic mixed leukocyte reaction of DC were significantly augmented when DC were incubated with the culture supernatant of the hybridoma treated with various stimulants including latex beads. The monokine present in the culture supernatant of the hybridoma, called dendritic cell-activating factor (DCAF), augmented the production of lymphocyte-activating factor by DC while Ia expression of DCAF-treated DC was not altered. DCAF had no effect on the antigen-presenting activity of peritoneal resident M phi or B cell blasts while the antigen-presenting activity of spleen M phi was enhanced, but the degree of the enhancement was much less than that of spleen DC. DCAF was found to have the following properties: its pI value is between pH 4 and 5; it is stable at pH 2 to 10; and it loses its activity on incubation at 75 C for 30 min. When the culture supernatant of the hybridoma stimulated with latex beads was subjected to gel filtration, the DCAF activity was detected in the 20 Kd to 25 Kd, 30 Kd to 40 Kd, and 50 Kd to 60 Kd molecular weight regions. The 30 Kd to 40 Kd fraction, which is the major peak fraction, was further purified by ion-exchange chromatography followed by gel-filtration chromatography. When each fraction was subjected to SDS-PAGE, a 30 Kd band corresponding to the DCAF activity was observed and DCAF was purified to about 90% purity.     

Selective accumulation of Th2-skewing immature erythroid cells in developing neonatal mouse spleen

Environmental factors likely regulate neonatal immunity and self-tolerance. However, evidence that the neonatal immune system is suppressed or deviated is varied depending on the antigen and the timing of antigen exposure relative to birth. These disparate findings may be related to the availability of the appropriate antigen presenting cells but also point to the possibility of homeostatic changes in non-lymphoid cells in the relevant lymphoid tissues. Here we show that, while leukocytes are the most abundant cell population present in spleen during the first 4-5 days after birth, a massive accumulation of nucleated immature erythroid population in the spleen takes places on day 6 after birth. Although the relative frequency of these immature erythorid cells slowly decreases during the development of neonates, they remain one of the most predominant populations up to three weeks of age. Importantly, we show that the immature erythroid cells from neonate spleen have the capacity to modulate the differentiation of CD4 T cells into effector cells and provide a bias towards a Th2 type instead of Th1 type. These nucleated erythroid cells can produce cytokines that participate in the Th2/Th1 balance, an important one being IL-6. Thus, the selective accumulation of immature erythroid cells in the spleen during a specific period of neonatal development may explain the apparent differences observed in the type(s) of immune responses generated in infants and neonates. These findings are potentially relevant to the better management of immune deficiency in and to the design of vaccination strategies for the young.     

Characterization of recombinant human granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor produced in mouse cells.

Mouse C127I cells were transformed with a chimeric plasmid consisting of bovine papillomavirus DNA and human granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) cDNA placed under the control of the SV40 early promoter. The transformed cells secreted constitutively a high level of human G-CSF, 10-20 micrograms/ml in a low-serum medium. The secreted G-CSF has been purified to homogeneity by a two-step procedure including gel filtration and hydrophobic column chromatography. The purified recombinant G-CSF runs as a single band with an apparent Mr of 19,000 on a polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. This value corresponds to that of the native human G-CSF purified from the medium conditioned by human carcinoma CHU-2 cells. The recombinant human G-CSF was as active as native G-CSF in vitro in supporting proliferation of mouse NFS-60 cells and stimulating colony formation from human as well as mouse bone marrow cells. When the recombinant human G-CSF was subcutaneously administrated into mice, a remarkable stimulation of granulopoiesis and splenomegaly was observed.     

Uptake of immune RNA by normal mouse spleen cells

Summary Normal mouse spleen cells take up in vitro radioactively labeled immune RNA. RNA taken up is present in nuclei, polysomes, membranes and cytoplasm. About 20–40% of immune RNA is nonspecifically associated with cell surface. 45% of RNA taken up is degraded and reutilized inside the cells within 2 hours.This work was supported by the Polish Academy of Sciences within the project 09.7.4.1.1.     

Interferon induced in mouse spleen cells by Staphylococcus aureus

Interferon was produced in suspensions of mouse spleen cells treated with Staphylococcus aureus preparations (killed bacteria, culture supernatants, or purified enterotoxin) under a variety of cell culture conditions. The lysate of S. aureus was found to induce high levels of interferon (10^3.1 to 10^4.3 RU/ml) within 72 hr. The crude interferon was concentrated and partially purified by either ammonium sulfate precipitation or adsorption to silicic acid and elution by ethylene glycol-containing buffer. Sequential precipitation with 50 to 80% saturated ammonium sulfate resulted in a three- to seven-fold purification with 60% recovery of activity. Adsorption to silicic acid resulted in a 25- to 80-fold purification with 77% recovery. This material was further analyzed by gel filtration. The antiviral activity induced by S. aureus-treated spleen cells was characterized as due to interferon. Furthermore, the inhibitor was acidlabile and not neutralizable by antiserum against NDV-induced L-cell interferon, thus exhibiting properties of immune (γ) interferon. The partially purified interferon was used to prepare an antiserum in rabbits. This antiserum was able to neutralize mouse interferon induced by several T-cell mitogens, by antigens, and by mixed lymphocyte cultures, while remaining inactive against interferons induced in vitro by viruses or in vivo by Brucella abortus.     

Prolongation of H--Y incompatible skin grafts in mice by neonatal spleen cells

Prolongation of H--Y incompatible skin graft survival can be achieved by the injection of adult female recipients with neonatal spleen cells. The suppressive effect depends mainly on the sex of neonatal syngeneic and allogeneic donors.     

Inhibition by Trypanosoma cruzi of interferon-gamma production by mitogen-stimulated mouse spleen cells

Infection by Trypanosoma cruzi is accompanied by severe immunosuppression during the acute period. As part of our studies, to define the alterations caused by Trypanosoma cruzi in lymphocyte function, we examined in this work the interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-producing capacity of mitogen-stimulated mouse spleen and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the presence or absence of blood forms of the parasite. Co-culture of phytohaemagglutinin- or concanavalin A-stimulated spleen cells from normal mice with T. cruzi significantly decreased the levels of IFN-gamma activity found in the supernatants at 48 or 72 h. In contrast, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, though suppressed by T. cruzi in their capacity to proliferate upon mitogenic stimulation, showed no significant decrease in IFN-gamma production. The addition of exogenous IFN-gamma did not reverse the suppressive effect of T. cruzi on either mouse or human cells. These results revealed, for the first time, the ability of T. cruzi to impair IFN-gamma production by activated mouse lymphocytes. The lack of restoration by exogenous IFN-gamma suggested that the reduced levels of this lymphokine were not, at least by themselves, the causative factor of reduced lymphoproliferation.     

The micronucleus test with mouse spleen cells

The results of this study show that the micronucleus test can be carried out with mouse spleen cells as well as with cells from bone marrow. Polychromatic erythrocytes occurred in the spleen at a frequency of about 9% of the whole spleen cells compared with about 13% in the bone marrow. 3 test compounds were used to compare the frequency of micronuclei in cells from the 2 tissues. Mitomycin C and cyclophosphamide induced micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes in both spleen and bone marrow. Fosfomycin, an antibiotic having a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activities, did not induce micronucleated erythrocytes in either organ.