Regulation of mucosal B cell immunoglobulin secretion by intestinal epithelial cell-derived cytokines

Intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) secrete a variety of cytokines and, because of their close proximity to B cells in the lamina propria, may affect local antibody production via these cytokines. However, studies have not yet addressed which and to what extent these IEC-derived cytokines may affect B cell antibody production. In this study, rat mesenteric lymph node B cells were cultured with culture supernatants from the rat IEC-6 intestinal epithelial cell line to determine their effect on immunoglobulin (Ig) secretion. Unstimulated IEC-6 cells were found to secrete sufficient levels of IL-6 to enhance IgA, IgG and IgM secretion by unstimulated B cells. However, culture of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated B cells with the unstimulated IEC-6 supernatant resulted in an enhancement of IgA secretion while IgM secretion was significantly suppressed. Depletion of the IEC-6 supernatant using cytokine specific antibodies revealed that both interleukin 6 (IL-6) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) were responsible for the enhanced IgA secretion while TGF-beta suppressed IgM secretion. More importantly, culture supernatants from LPS stimulated IEC-6 cells contained enhanced levels of IL-6 which enhanced both IgG and IgA production and partially overcame the suppressive effect of TGF-beta on IgM secretion. These results suggest that intestinal epithelial cells may secrete IL-6 and TGF-beta to regulate local B cell antibody secretion and their effect may be highly dependent upon the activation state of the epithelial cells.     

Regulation of RANKL promoter activity is associated with histone remodeling in murine bone stromal cells

Receptor activator of NFkappa-B ligand (RANKL) is essential for osteoclast formation, function, and survival. Although RANKL mRNA and protein levels are modulated by 1,25(OH)2D3 and other osteoactive factors, regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we show that 2 kb or 2 kb plus exon 1 of a RANKL promoter sequence conferred neither 1,25(OH)2D3 response nor tissue specificity. The histone deacetylase inhibitors trichostatin A (TSA) and sodium butyrate (SB), however, strongly increased RANKL promoter activity. A series of 5'-deleted RANKL promoter constructs from 2,020 to 110 bp showed fourfold increased activity after TSA treatment. TSA also dose dependently enhanced endogenous RANKL mRNA expression with 50 microM of TSA treatment causing equivalent RANKL expression to that seen with 1 nM 1,25(OH)2D3. Using a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay we showed that TSA significantly enhanced association of both acetylated histone H3 and H4 on the RANKL promoter, with H4 > H3. A similar increase in acetylated histone H4 on the RANKL gene locus was seen after 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment, but ChIP assay did not reveal localization of VDR/RXR heterodimers on the putative VDRE of the RANKL promoter. To explore the role of H4 acetylation of 1,25(OH)2D3 stimulated RANKL, we added both TSA and 1,25(OH)2D3 together. While the combination further increased acetylation of H4 on the RANKL locus, surprisingly, TSA inhibited 1,25(OH)2D3-induced RANKL mRNA expression by 70% at all doses of 1 ,25(OH)2D3 studied. These results suggest that TSA increases of endogenous expression of RANKL involve enhanced acetylation of histones on the proximal RANKL promoter. Preventing deacetylation, however, blocks 1,25(OH)2D3 action on this gene. Chromatin remodeling is therefore involved in RANKL expression.     

CCAAT/Enhancer binding protein delta (c/EBPdelta) regulation and expression in human mammary epithelial cells: I. "Loss of function" alterations in the c/EBPdelta growth inhibitory pathway in breast cancer cell lines

"Loss of function" alterations in growth inhibitory signal transduction pathways are common in cancer cells. In this study, we show that growth arrest (GA) treatments--serum and growth factor withdrawal and growth inhibitory IL-6 family cytokines (Interleukin-6 and Oncostatin M (OSM))--increase STAT3 phosphorylation (pSTAT3), increase CCAAT enhancer binding protein delta (C/EBPdelta) gene expression and induce GA of primary, finite-lifespan human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs), and immortalized breast cell lines (MCF-10A and MCF-12A). In contrast, serum and growth factor withdrawal from human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, SK-BR-3, T-47D, and MDA-MB-231) for up to 48 h induced a relatively modest increase in pSTAT3 levels and C/EBPdelta gene expression and resulted in varying levels of GA. In most breast cancer cell lines, IL-6 family cytokine treatment increased pSTAT3 levels and C/EBPdelta gene expression, however, growth inhibition was cell line dependent. In addition to "loss of function" alterations in growth inhibitory pathways, breast cancer cell lines also exhibit "gain of function" alterations in growth signaling pathways. The Akt growth/ survival pathway is constitutively activated in T-47D and MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The Akt inhibitor LY 294,002 significantly enhanced T-47D growth inhibition by serum and growth factor withdrawal or IL-6 family cytokine treatment. Finally, we show that activation of the pSTAT3/C/EBPdelta growth control pathway is independent of estrogen receptor status. These results demonstrate that "loss of function" alterations in the pSTAT3/C/EBPdelta growth inhibitory signal transduction pathway are relatively common in human breast cancer cell lines. Defective activation of the pSTAT3/ C/EBPdelta growth inhibitory signal transduction pathway, in conjunction with constitutive activation of the Akt growth stimulatory pathway, may play a synergistic role in the etiology or progression of breast cancer.     

肠粘膜上皮细胞在天然免疫中的作用

粘膜免疫是机体防御系统的主要成分。致病性细菌侵入机体后,首先遭遇到天然免疫的抵抗,随后产生获得性免疫,两共同执行机体的防御功能,消灭入侵细菌。最近的研究表明上皮细胞对细菌感染有重要的免疫调节作用,在天然免疫与获得性免疫防御机制中起重要作用。本重点介绍肠上皮细胞在天然免疫中的作用。     

Molecular and cellular studies on the absorption,function, and safety of food components in intestinal epithelial cells

The intestinal tract comes into direct contact with the external environment despite being inside the body. Intestinal epithelial cells, which line the inner face of the intestinal tract, have various important functions, including absorption of food substances, immune functions such as cytokine secretion, and barrier function against xenobiotics by means of detoxification enzymes. It is likely that the functions of intestinal epithelial cells are regulated or modulated by these components because they are frequently exposed to food components at high concentrations. This review summarizes our research on the interaction between intestinal epithelial cells and food components at cellular and molecular levels. The influence of xenobiotic contamination in foods on the cellular function of intestinal epithelial cells is also described in this review.     

Cotargeting histone deacetylases and oncogenic BRAF synergistically kills human melanoma cells by necrosis independently of RIPK1 and RIPK3

Past studies have shown that histone deacetylase (HDAC) and mutant BRAF (v-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1) inhibitors synergistically kill melanoma cells with activating mutations in BRAF. However, the mechanism(s) involved remains less understood. Here, we report that combinations of HDAC and BRAF inhibitors kill BRAF^V600E melanoma cells by induction of necrosis. Cotreatment with the HDAC inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) or panobinostat (LBH589) and the BRAF inhibitor PLX4720 activated the caspase cascade, but caspases appeared dispensable for killing, in that inhibition of caspases did not invariably block induction of cell death. The majority of dying cells acquired propidium iodide positivity instantly when they became positive for Annexin V, suggesting induction of necrosis. This was supported by caspase-independent release of high-mobility group protein B1, and further consolidated by rupture of the plasma membrane and loss of nuclear and cytoplasmic contents, as manifested by transmission electron microscopic analysis. Of note, neither the necrosis inhibitor necrostatin-1 nor the small interference RNA (siRNA) knockdown of receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) inhibited cell death, suggesting that RIPK1 and RIPK3 do not contribute to induction of necrosis by combinations of HDAC and BRAF inhibitors in BRAF^V600E melanoma cells. Significantly, SAHA and the clinically available BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib cooperatively inhibited BRAF^V600E melanoma xenograft growth in a mouse model even when caspase-3 was inhibited. Taken together, these results indicate that cotreatment with HDAC and BRAF inhibitors can bypass canonical cell death pathways to kill melanoma cells, which may be of therapeutic advantage in the treatment of melanoma.     

Regulation of the eicosanoid pathway by tumour necrosis factor alpha and leukotriene D4 in intestinal epithelial cells

In this study the mRNA and protein levels of the key enzymes involved in eicosanoid biosynthesis and the cysteinyl leukotriene receptors (CysLT₁R and CysLT₂R) have been analysed in non-transformed intestinal epithelial and colon cancer cell lines. Our results revealed that tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and leukotriene D₄ (LTD₄), which are inflammatory mediators implicated in carcinogenesis, stimulated an increase of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), in non-transformed epithelial cells, and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) in both non-transformed and cancer cell lines. Furthermore, these mediators also stimulated an up-regulation of LTC₄ synthase in cancer cells as well as non-transformed cells. We also observed an endogenous production of CysLTs in these cells. TNF-α and LTD₄, to a lesser extent, up-regulate the CysLT₁R levels. Interestingly, TNF-α also reduced CysLT₂R expression in cancer cells. Our results demonstrate that inflammatory mediators can cause intestinal epithelial cells to up-regulate the expression of enzymes needed for the biosynthesis of eicosanoids, including the cysteinyl leukotrienes, as well as the signal transducing proteins, the CysLT receptors, thus providing important mechanisms for both maintaining inflammation and for tumour progression.     

枯草芽孢杆菌刺激小鼠肠上皮细胞分泌的IL-33在活化树突状细胞中发挥重要作用

[目的]枯草芽孢杆菌能有效诱导肠道黏膜免疫应答,但活化黏膜下树突状细胞(DC)的具体机制不完全清楚.[方法]本研究首先用不同浓度枯草芽孢杆菌刺激小鼠肠上皮CMT93细胞,用荧光定量PCR和ELISA检测细胞因子表达水平,然后将枯草芽孢杆菌刺激细胞的培养上清与小鼠骨髓源树突状细胞(BMDC)进行共孵育,用流式细胞术检测B...     

Defective cholesterol traffic and neuronal differentiation in neural stem cells of Niemann-Pick type C disease improved by valproic acid, a histone deacetylase inhibitor

Niemann-Pick type C disease (NPC) is a neurodegenerative and lipid storage disorder for which no effective treatment is known. We previously reported that neural stem cells derived from NPC1 mice showed impaired self-renewal and differentiation. We examined whether valproic acid (VPA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, could enhance neuronal differentiation and recover defective cholesterol metabolism in neural stem cells (NSCs) from NPC1-deficient mice (NPC1(-/-)). VPA could induce neuronal differentiation and restore impaired astrocytes in NSCs from NPC1(-/-) mice. Importantly, an increasing level of cholesterol within NSCs from NPC1(-/-) mice could be reduced by VPA. Moreover, essential neurotrophic genes (TrkB, BDNF, MnSoD, and NeuroD) were up-regulated through the repression of the REST/NRSF and HDAC complex by the VPA treatment. Up-regulated neurotrophic genes were able to enhance neural differentiation and cholesterol homeostasis in neural stem cells from NPC1(-/-) mice. In this study, we suggested that, along with cholesterol homeostasis, impaired neuronal differentiation and abnormal morphology of astrocytes could be rescued by the inhibition of HDAC and REST/NRSF activity induced by VPA treatment.     

血管活性肠肽对支气管上皮细胞趋化迁移的影响及机制

为探讨肺内神经肽在气道损伤修复中的作用 ,采用blind wellBoydenchamber测定原代培养的支气管上皮细胞 (bronchialepithelialcells,BEC)趋化性 ,观察血管活性肠肽 (vasoactiveintestinalpeptide ,VIP)对BEC趋化迁移的影响及其机制 ,并测定经热应激后BEC分泌VIP及表达VIP受体 (vasoactiveintestinalpeptidereceptor,VIPR)的变化。结果显示 :(1)以胰岛素作为趋化因子所建立的BEC趋化性测定方法稳定 ,重现性好 (r =0 970 3,P <0 0 1) ;(2 )VIP (0 0 0 1～ 1μmol/L)均显示剂量依赖性地增强BEC的趋化迁移 ,其效应可被钙调蛋白阻断剂及蛋白激酶C阻断剂有效地抑制 (P <0 0 1) ;(3) 4 2℃、30min热应激后BEC分泌VIP (P <0 0 1)及表达VIPR明显增加 (P <0 0 5 )。实验表明 :肺内神经肽VIP可增强BEC的趋化迁移 ,其细胞内信号转导途径与钙调蛋白及蛋白激酶C有关。而热应激时VIP及VIPR的高表达进一步提示局部微环境的VIP可能是气道上皮损伤修复网络中的重要分子     

Involvement of protein kinase Cdelta in iron chelator-induced IL-8 production in human intestinal epithelial cells

We have shown that the bacterial iron chelator, deferoxamine (DFO), triggers inflammatory signals, including the production of CXC chemokine IL-8, in human intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) by activating ERK1/2 and p38 kinase pathways. In the present study, we show that PKCdelta, one of the novel protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms, involves in signal transduction pathways leading to DFO-induced IL-8 production. Pretreatment of human intestinal epithelial HT-29 cells with rottlerin showed remarkable inhibition of DFO-induced IL-8 production. In contrast, other PKC inhibitors such as G?6976, G?6983, GF109203X, and staurosporine revealed less or no inhibitory effects on DFO-induced IL-8 production, suggesting a potential role of PKCdelta. Accordingly, DFO caused phosphorylation of PKCdelta in the Thr505 and Ser643 residues in HT-29 cells. Transfection of dominant-negative PKCdelta vector inhibited DFO-induced PKCdelta phosphorylation as well as IL-8 promoter activity. In addition, suppression of endogenous PKCdelta by siRNA significantly reduced DFO-induced IL-8 production. Collectively, these results suggest that PKCdelta plays a pivotal role in signaling pathways leading to iron chelator-induced IL-8 production in human IECs.     

The epsilon isoform of protein kinase C is involved in regulation of the LTD(4)-induced calcium signal in human intestinal epithelial cells

We investigated the potential roles of specific isoforms of protein kinase C (PKC) in the regulation of leukotriene D(4)-induced Ca(2+) signaling in the intestinal epithelial cell line Int 407. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis revealed that these cells express the PKC isoforms alpha, betaII, delta, epsilon, zeta, and mu, but not betaI, gamma, eta, or theta;. The inflammatory mediator leukotriene D(4) (LTD(4)) caused the TPA-sensitive PKC isoforms alpha, delta, and epsilon, but not betaII, to rapidly translocate to a membrane-enriched fraction. The PKC inhibitor GF109203X at 30 microM but not 2 microM significantly impaired the LTD(4)-induced Ca(2+) signal, indicating that the response involves a novel PKC isoform, such as delta or epsilon, but not alpha. LTD(4)-induced Ca(2+) signaling was significantly suppressed in cells pretreated with TPA for 15 min and was abolished when the pretreatment was prolonged to 2 h. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the reduction in the LTD(4)-induced calcium signal coincided with a reduction in the cellular content of PKCepsilon and, to a limited extent, PKCdelta. LTD(4)-induced Ca(2+) signaling was also markedly suppressed by microinjection of antibodies against PKCepsilon but not PKCdelta. These data suggest that PKCepsilon plays a unique role in regulation of the LTD(4)-dependent Ca(2+) signal in intestinal epithelial cells.     

Inhibition of LPS‐induced C/EBPδ by trichostatin a has a positive effect on LPS‐induced cyclooxygenase 2 expression in RAW264.7 cells

Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX‐2) is an important inflammatory factor. Previous studies have indicated that COX‐2 is induced with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment. Here, we found that an inhibitor of histone deacetylase (HDAC), trichostatin A (TSA), cannot repress LPS‐induced COX‐2 but it increased the COX‐2 level in RAW264.7 cells. We found no significant difference in NF‐κB activation and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, but LPS‐induced C/EBPδ expression was completely abolished after TSA treatment of LPS‐treated cells. Interesting, reporter assay of C/EBPδ promoter revealed that Sp1‐binding site is important. Although there was no alteration in c‐Jun levels, but the phosphorylation of c‐Jun at its C‐terminus was increased dramatically. A DNA‐associated protein assay (DAPA) and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay (ChIP) indicated that c‐Jun was recruited via Sp1 to the promoter of C/EBPδ after LPS treatment; this recruitment of c‐Jun was repressed by TSA. C/EBPδ inhibition by TSA resulted in increased binding of C/EBPα and C/EBPβ to the COX‐2 promoter. Therefore, TSA has a positive effect on LPS‐induced COX‐2 since it decreases the C/EBPδ level by reducing c‐Jun recruitment by Sp1 to the C/EBPδ promoter, resulting in increased the recruitment of C/EBPα and C/EBPβ to the COX‐2 promoter. J. Cell. Biochem. 110: 1430–1438, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Synergistic effect of amino acids on production of lymphocyte proliferation-suppressing substances by rat intestinal epithelial cells

Conditioned culture medium of rat small intestinal epithelial cells suppressed proliferation of spleen lymphocytes stimulated with concanavalin A (approx. 10% of its control [³H]thymidine incorporation) whereas conditioned phosphate-buffered saline of the epithelial cells did not. On the other hand, conditioned saline of the epithelial cells exposed to a mixture of total 22 amino acids at their concentrations in the culture medium suppressed the proliferation (approx. 45% of its control [³H]thymidine incorporation). Neither conditioned saline of the epithelial cells exposed to other medium components nor lysates of freshly harvested epithelial cells suppressed the proliferation. Thus, amino acids synergistically stimulated intestinal epithelial cells to produce substances with the ability to suppress lymphocyte proliferation.     

Abrogation of histone deacetylases (HDACs) decreases survival of chronic myeloid leukemia cells: New insight into attenuating effects of the PI3K/c-Myc axis on panobinostat cytotoxicity

Although the identification of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has changed the treatment paradigm of many cancer types including chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), still adjustment of neoplastic cells to cytotoxic effects of anticancer drugs is a serious challenge. In the area of drug resistance, epigenetic alterations are at the center of attention and the present study aimed to evaluate whether blockage of epigenetics mechanisms using a pan-histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor induces cell death in CML-derived K562 cells. We found that the abrogation of HDACs using panobinostat resulted in a reduction in survival of the K562 cell line through p27-mediated cell cycle arrest. Noteworthy, the results of the synergistic experiments revealed that HDAC suppression could be recruited as a way to potentiate cytotoxicity of Imatinib and to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of CML. Here, we proposed for the first time that the inhibitory effect of panobinostat was overshadowed, at least partially, through the aberrant activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/c-Myc axis. Meanwhile, we found that upon blockage of autophagy and the proteasome pathway, as the main axis involved in the activation of autophagy, the anti-leukemic property of the HDAC inhibitor was potentiated. Taken together, our study suggests the beneficial application of HDAC inhibition in the treatment strategies of CML; however, further in vivo studies are needed to determine the efficacy of this inhibitor, either as a single agent or in combination with small molecule inhibitors of PI3K and/or c-Myc in this malignancy.