Changes in the Balance between Membrane-Bound and Soluble Forms of CD95 (Fas) during Selection of Tumor Cells in vivo

Studies concerning the expression of the receptor CD95 (Fas) by tumor cells and the role of this protein in apoptosis induced by the effector host cells that bear Fas-ligand are mainly focused on the membrane-bound form of Fas. There are only a few data about the production of the soluble form of Fas by the tumor cells, its role in the interaction with the effector host cells, and the possible changes in the synthesis of this protein during tumor progression. In the present work, three in vivo transformed parental cell lines of different origin and 24 of their variants isolated after a short cycle of natural selection in vivo were studied. It was demonstrated for the first time that: 1) production of the soluble Fas by all selected in vivo variant tumor cell lines increased significantly (2-10-fold) in comparison to the initial (parental) cell lines and did not depend on the origin of the parental lines. At the same time, the expression of the membrane bound form of Fas decreased considerably; 2) variations of the balance between membrane-bound and soluble forms of Fas in selected in vivo variant cells and the expression of the [H₂O₂ ^CA + PGE^S]-phenotype by these cells (this phenotype determines one of the essential mechanisms of the protection of a tumor cell in vivo) possibly represent independent secondary changes acquired during tumor progression in vivo.     

Tetraspanin CD9 Promotes the Invasive Phenotype of Human Fibrosarcoma Cells via Upregulation of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9

Tumor cell metastasis, a process which increases the morbidity and mortality of cancer patients, is highly dependent upon matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) production. Small molecule inhibitors of MMPs have proven unsuccessful at reducing tumor cell invasion in vivo. Therefore, finding an alternative approach to regulate MMP is an important endeavor. Tetraspanins, a family of cell surface organizers, play a major role in cell signaling events and have been implicated in regulating metastasis in numerous cancer cell lines. We stably expressed tetraspanin CD9 in an invasive and metastatic human fibrosarcoma cell line (CD9-HT1080) to investigate its role in regulating tumor cell invasiveness. CD9-HT1080 cells displayed a highly invasive phenotype as demonstrated by matrigel invasion assays. Statistically significant increases in MMP-9 production and activity were attributed to CD9 expression and were not due to any changes in other key tetraspanin complex members or MMP regulators. Increased invasion of CD9-HT1080 cells was reversed upon silencing of MMP-9 using a MMP-9 specific siRNA. Furthermore, we determined that the second extracellular loop of CD9 was responsible for the upregulation of MMP-9 production and subsequent cell invasion. We demonstrated for the first time that tetraspanin CD9 controls HT1080 cell invasion via upregulation of an integral member of the MMP family, MMP-9. Collectively, our studies provide mounting evidence that altered expression of CD9 may be a novel approach to regulate tumor cell progression.     

Release and intercellular transfer of cell surface CD81 via microparticles

The human tetraspan molecule CD81 is a coreceptor in B and T cell activation and a candidate receptor for hepatitis C virus infection. We examined the surface expression of CD81 on B and T lymphocytes by quantitative flow cytometry. Upon cellular activation, CD81 surface levels were rapidly reduced. This reduction occurred as early as 1 h after activation and was linked to the release of CD81-positive microparticles into the cell culture medium. CD81 mRNA levels were not affected early after activation, but the release of CD81-positive microparticles was rapidly enhanced. In addition, intercellular transfer of CD81 was observed upon coculture of CD81-positive donor cells (Jurkat T cell line) with CD81-negative acceptor cells (U937 promonocytic cell line). This transfer was rapidly increased upon T cell activation, coinciding with enhanced CD81 release from activated Jurkat cells. We propose that the release and intercellular trafficking of CD81-positive microparticles regulate the expression of CD81 surface receptors in lymphocytes and play a role in the immune response during infections.     

The role of the CD95, CD38 and TGFbeta1 during active human cytomegalovirus infection in liver transplantation

AIM: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has highly evolved mechanisms for avoiding detection by the host immune system. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression levels of TGFbeta1, soluble form of CD95, CD95 ligand (sCD95 and sCD95L, respectively) in plasma and CD95 expression on CD3(+) cells, CD38 expression on CD8(+) cells in liver transplanted recipients with active HCMV infection. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from 15 liver transplanted recipients with active HCMV infection and 15 recipients without HCMV infection. CD95 expression on CD3(+) cells and CD38 expression on CD8(+) cells were quantitatively detected with two-color fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis. Lymphocyte surface phenotypes of CD4 and CD8 were detected with FACS analysis. Plasma sCD95, sCD95L and TGFbeta1 levels were determined with enzyme linked-immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA). The results were compared with that from 15 healthy individuals. RESULTS: CD95 expression on CD3(+) T-cells and CD38 expression on CD8(+) cells were significantly increased in active HCMV infection group compared with that in stable group or healthy group (P<0.01). No significant difference was seen between stable group and healthy group (P>0.05). The percentages of CD4(+) T-cell and CD4/CD8 ratio in active HCMV infection group were significantly lower than the values in stable group and healthy group (P<0.05). Plasma levels of TGFbeta1 and sCD95 were significantly increased in active HCMV infection group compared to stable group and healthy group (P<0.05). In contrast, plasma levels of sCD95L in healthy group were not significantly different from that expressed in active HCMV infection group and stable group (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: HCMV suppress proliferation of activated T cells by apoptosis and by releasing immunosuppressive cytokine TGFbeta1. This may provide an important clue to a better understanding of the pathogenesis in liver transplanted recipients with active HCMV infection.     

Expression of CD147 on monocytes/macrophages in rheumatoid arthritis: its potential role in monocyte accumulation and matrix metalloproteinase production

Monocytes/macrophages play an important role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis. They can activate fibroblasts through many molecules, including IL-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, but there have been very few reports on the role of CD147 in RA. In our study, the results of flow cytometry reveal that the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of CD147 expression on CD14+ monocytes of peripheral blood from RA patients was higher than that in normal control and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients. The MFI of CD147 expression on the CD14+ monocytes in RA synovial fluid was higher than that in RA peripheral blood. Immunohistochemical staining shows that CD147 expression in RA synovium correlated with matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 expression. A double immunofluorescent assay shows that CD147 was expressed on CD68+ cells in RA synovium. The potential role of CD147 in cyclophilin A (CyPA)-mediated cell migration was studied using a chemotaxis assay in vitro and it was found that the addition of anti-CD147 antibody or a CD147 antagonistic peptide significantly decreased the chemotactic index of the mononuclear cells. The role of CD147 in MMP production and cell invasion in vitro were studied through the co-culture of human CD14+ monocytes or monocytic line THP-1 cells and human fibroblasts, as well as by gel zymography and an invasion assay. Significantly elevated release and activation of MMP-9 and/or MMP-2 were seen in the co-culture of human monocytes/THP-1 cells and fibroblasts compared with cultures of the cells alone. An increased number of cells invading through the filters in the invasion assays was also observed in the co-cultured cells. The addition of CD147 antagonistic peptide had some inhibitory effect, not only on MMP production but also on cell invasion in the co-culture. Our study demonstrates that the increased expression of CD147 on monocytes/macrophages in RA may be responsible for elevated MMP secretion, cell invasion and CyPA-mediated cell migration into the joints, all of which may contribute to the cartilage and bone destruction of RA. These findings, together with a better understanding of CD147, CyPA and RA, will help in the development of innovative therapeutic interventions for RA.     

Engagement of CD44 promotes Rac activation and CD44 cleavage during tumor cell migration

CD44 is a major cell surface adhesion molecule for hyaluronan, a component of the extracellular matrix, and is implicated in tumor metastasis and invasion. We reported previously that hyaluronan oligosaccharides induce CD44 cleavage from tumor cells. Here we show that engagement of CD44 promotes CD44 cleavage and tumor cell migration, both of which were suppressed by a metalloproteinase inhibitor KB-R7785 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) but not by TIMP-2. We also present evidence that blockade of metalloproteinase-disintegrin ADAM10 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10) by RNA interference suppresses CD44 cleavage induced by its ligation. Engagement of CD44 concurrently induced activation of the small GTPase Rac1 and led to drastic changes in cell morphology and actin cytoskeleton with redistribution of CD44 to newly generated membrane ruffling areas. A fluorescence resonance energy transfer approach to visualize GTP-bound Rac1 in living cells revealed the localization of the active Rac1 in the leading edge of the membrane ruffling areas upon ligation of CD44. Taken together, our results indicate that the cleavage of CD44 catalyzed by ADAM10 is augmented by the intracellular signaling elicited by engagement of CD44, through Rac-mediated cytoskeletal rearrangement, and suggest that CD44 cleavage contributes to the migration and invasion of tumor cells.     

Involvement of a metalloprotease in spontaneous and phorbol ester-induced release of natural killer cell-associated Fc gamma RIII (CD16-II).

Two genes encode the CD16 low affinity IgG FcR. CD16-I (Fc gamma RIII-1) is expressed on PMN as a phosphatidylinositol-glycan anchored glycoprotein. CD16-II (Fc gamma RIII-2) is expressed on NK cells and macrophages as a transmembrane glycoprotein associated with CD3 zeta or Fc epsilon RI-gamma. NK cells spontaneously release soluble CD16-II from the cell surface and this is enhanced by activation with phorbol ester. In this study, we demonstrate that a metalloprotease is involved in the spontaneous and PMA-induced release of CD16-II from NK cells. 1,10-phenanthroline, an inhibitor of Zn(2+)-dependent metalloproteases, efficiently inhibits CD16-II release. 1,7-phenanthroline, an inactive analogue that doesn't chelate Zn2+ or other divalent metal cations, and inhibitors of serine proteases do not affect spontaneous or PMA-induced release of CD16-II. Murine P815 mastocytoma cells transfected with human CD16-II cDNA shed membrane CD16, and 1,10-phenanthroline inhibits this process. P815 transfectants expressing CD16-II molecules with truncated cytoplasmic domains also release soluble receptors, indicating that the cytoplasmic segment of CD16-II is not required for interaction with the protease or the cytoskeleton. By contrast, 1,10-phenanthroline does not inhibit PMA-induced release of CD16-I glycoprotein from PMN, indicating a different mechanism of release for this phosphatidylinositol-glycan anchored molecule. Prior studies have demonstrated that NK cells are activated via the inositol phosphate pathway after engagement of CD16-II by immune complexes or Ig-coated tumor cell targets. A membrane metalloprotease with substrate specificity for CD16-II that is activated by PKC stimulation may provide a mechanism for releasing the immune complex or target from the effector cells and halting signal transduction.     

Surfactant protein-D regulates soluble CD14 through matrix metalloproteinase-12

Surfactant protein D (SP-D) and CD14 are important innate immune defense molecules that mediate clearance of pathogens and apoptotic cells from the lung. To test whether CD14 expression and function were influenced by SP-D, the surface expression of CD14 was assessed on alveolar macrophages from SP-D-/- mice. CD14 was reduced on alveolar macrophages from SP-D-/- mice and was associated with reduced uptake of LPS and decreased production of TNF-alpha after LPS stimulation. CD14 is proteolytically cleaved from the cell surface to form a soluble peptide. Soluble CD14 (sCD14) was increased in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from SP-D-/- mice. Because matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and -12 activities were increased in the lungs of SP-D-/- mice, the role of these metalloproteases in the production of sCD14 was assessed. sCD14 was decreased in both MMP(9-/-)/SP-D-/- and MMP12(-/-)/SP-D-/- mice demonstrating MMP-9 and MMP-12 contribute to proteolytic shedding of CD14. The increased sCD14 seen in SP-D-/- mice was dependent upon the activation of MMP-12 via an MMP-9-dependent mechanism. Supporting this observation, MMP-12 caused the release of sCD14 from RAW 264.7 cells in vitro. In conclusion, SP-D influences innate host defense, in part, by regulating sCD14 in a process mediated by MMP-9 and MMP-12.     

Lipoteichoic acid and muramic acid modulate the expression of CD80/CD86 on THP-1 cells and CD28/CD152 on Jurkat cells

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and muramic acid (MA) on costimulatory molecules CD80/CD86 on THP-1 cells and CD28/CD152 on Jurkat cells. The interactions between these molecules strongly influence the immune response through the regulation of cytokine release which, on its own, is able to regulate the immunological response by a feedback mechanism. Our results show that LTA and MA regulate expression of CD86 on macrophages while the expression of CD80 remains unmodified. LTA and MA increase the expression of CD86 on THP-1 cells, a macrophage cell line. MA increased Jurkat T cells CD152 expression.     

Neuropilin-1 Expression Is Induced on Tolerant Self-Reactive CD8+ T Cells but Is Dispensable for the Tolerant Phenotype

Establishing peripheral CD8⁺ T cell tolerance is vital to avoid immune mediated destruction of healthy self-tissues. However, it also poses a major impediment to tumor immunity since tumors are derived from self-tissue and often induce T cell tolerance and dysfunction. Thus, understanding the mechanisms that regulate T cell tolerance versus immunity has important implications for human health. Signals received from the tissue environment largely dictate whether responding T cells become activated or tolerant. For example, induced expression and subsequent ligation of negative regulatory receptors on the surface of self-reactive CD8⁺ T cells are integral in the induction of tolerance. We utilized a murine model of T cell tolerance to more completely define the molecules involved in this process. We discovered that, in addition to other known regulatory receptors, tolerant self-reactive CD8⁺ T cells distinctly expressed the surface receptor neuropilin-1 (Nrp1). Nrp1 was highly induced in response to self-antigen, but only modestly when the same antigen was encountered under immune conditions, suggesting a possible mechanistic link to T cell tolerance. We also observed a similar Nrp1 expression profile on human tumor infiltrating CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells. Despite high expression on tolerant CD8⁺ T cells, our studies revealed that Nrp1 had no detectable role in the tolerant phenotype. Specifically, Nrp1-deficient T cells displayed the same functional defects as wild-type self-reactive T cells, lacking in vivo cytolytic potential, IFNγ production, and antitumor responses. While reporting mostly negative data, our findings have therapeutic implications, as Nrp1 is now being targeted for human cancer therapy in clinical trials, but the precise molecular pathways and immune cells being engaged during treatment remain incompletely defined.     

Engagement of CD4 before TCR triggering regulates both Bax- and Fas (CD95)-mediated apoptosis

In the present study, we have aimed at clarifying the CD4-dependent molecular mechanisms that regulate human memory T cell susceptibility to both Fas (CD95)-dependent and Bcl-2-dependent apoptotic pathways following antigenic challenge. To address this issue, we used an experimental system of viral and alloantigen-specific T cell lines and clones and two ligands of CD4 molecules, Leu-3a mAb and HIV gp120. We demonstrate that CD4 engagement before TCR triggering suppresses the TCR-mediated neosynthesis of the Flice-like inhibitory protein and transforms memory T cells from a CD95-resistant to a CD95-susceptible phenotype. Moreover, evidence that the apoptotic programs were executed while Fas ligand mRNA expression was inhibited led us to analyze Bcl-2-dependent pathways. The data show that the engagement of CD4 separately from TCR influences the expression of the proapoptotic protein Bax independently of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, whereas Ag activation coordinately modulates both Bax and Bcl-2. The increased expression of Bax and the consequent dissipation of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (DeltaPsim) suggest a novel immunoregulatory function of CD4 and demonstrate that both passive cell death and activation-induced cell death are operative in CD4+ memory T cells. Furthermore, analysis of the mechanisms by which IL-2 and IL-4 cytokines exert their protective function on CD4+ T cells in the presence of soluble CD4 ligands shows that they were able to revert susceptibility to Bax-mediated but not to CD95-dependent apoptotic pathways.     

CD4+ Primary T Cells Expressing HCV-Core Protein Upregulate Foxp3 and IL-10, Suppressing CD4 and CD8 T Cells

Adaptive T cell responses are critical for controlling HCV infection. While there is clinical evidence of a relevant role for regulatory T cells in chronic HCV-infected patients, based on their increased number and function; mechanisms underlying such a phenomena are still poorly understood. Accumulating evidence suggests that proteins from Hepatitis C virus can suppress host immune responses. We and others have shown that HCV is present in CD4+ lymphocytes from chronically infected patients and that HCV-core protein induces a state of unresponsiveness in the CD4+ tumor cell line Jurkat. Here we show that CD4+ primary T cells lentivirally transduced with HCV-core, not only acquire an anergic phenotype but also inhibit IL-2 production and proliferation of bystander CD4+ or CD8+ T cells in response to anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 stimulation. Core-transduced CD4+ T cells show a phenotype characterized by an increased basal secretion of the regulatory cytokine IL-10, a decreased IFN-γ production upon stimulation, as well as expression of regulatory T cell markers, CTLA-4, and Foxp3. A significant induction of CD4+CD25+CD127^lowPD-1^highTIM-3^high regulatory T cells with an exhausted phenotype was also observed. Moreover, CCR7 expression decreased in HCV-core expressing CD4+ T cells explaining their sequestration in inflamed tissues such as the infected liver. This work provides a new perspective on de novo generation of regulatory CD4+ T cells in the periphery, induced by the expression of a single viral protein.     

Membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase cleaves CD44 and promotes cell migration

Migratory cells including invasive tumor cells frequently express CD44, a major receptor for hyaluronan and membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) that degrades extracellular matrix at the pericellular region. In this study, we demonstrate that MT1-MMP acts as a processing enzyme for CD44H, releasing it into the medium as a soluble 70-kD fragment. Furthermore, this processing event stimulates cell motility; however, expression of either CD44H or MT1-MMP alone did not stimulate cell motility. Coexpression of MT1-MMP and mutant CD44H lacking the MT1-MMP-processing site did not result in shedding and did not promote cell migration, suggesting that the processing of CD44H by MT1-MMP is critical in the migratory stimulation. Moreover, expression of the mutant CD44H inhibited the cell migration promoted by CD44H and MT1-MMP in a dominant-negative manner. The pancreatic tumor cell line, MIA PaCa-2, was found to shed the 70-kD CD44H fragment in a MT1-MMP-dependent manner. Expression of the mutant CD44H in the cells as well as MMP inhibitor treatment effectively inhibited the migration, suggesting that MIA PaCa-2 cells indeed use the CD44H and MT1-MMP as migratory devices. These findings revealed a novel interaction of the two molecules that have each been implicated in tumor cell migration and invasion.     

Apoptosis and release of CD44s in bleomycin-treated L132 cells

The anti-cancer drug bleomycin (BLM) induces lung injury and triggers apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells. In epithelia, among other functions, the adhesion protein CD44 promotes the contact to components of the extracellular matrix like hyaluronate. A functional link between apoptosis and the loss of CD44 has been observed in colon carcinoma cells and involvement of CD44 in apoptosis of lung cells has been reported in several studies. The present in vitro study examined the expression of CD44s (CD44 standard) in two human epithelial lung cell lines, L132 and A549, during BLM-induced apoptosis. A loss of CD44s by lung epithelial cells and an increase of the soluble form of this adhesion protein in culture supernatants upon exposure to BLM were observed. Apoptosis was characterized by an activation of caspase-3 as well as by release of cytochrome C into the cytosol as shown for L132 cells. Inhibition of apoptosis by the broad-range caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-fmk reduced CD44 release by both cell lines demonstrating that CD44 release is a result of apoptotic processes. Kinetic experiments failed to discriminate between the initiation of apoptosis and CD44 release. Blocking experiments using antagonistic anti-CD95 receptor antibodies revealed that BLM may cause apoptosis and CD44 release in a CD95-independent manner.     

CD147的研究进展

CD147分子是一种广泛表达于人体多种组织的跨膜糖蛋白,属于免疫球蛋白超家族。CD147在多种肿瘤细胞和组织中高表达,通过诱导基质金属蛋白酶(MMP)的分泌促进了肿瘤的浸润、转移。同时,CD147与炎症反应如类风湿性关节炎、动脉粥样硬化,以及细胞、组织的分化和发育等密切相关。简要综述了CD147参与的多种生理、病理过程。     

Increased Level of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells,Programmed Death Receptor Ligand 1/Programmed Death Receptor 1, and Soluble CD25 in Sokal High Risk Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Immunotherapy (eg interferon α) in combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors is currently in clinical trials for treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Cancer patients commonly have problems with so called immune escape mechanisms that may hamper immunotherapy. Hence, to study the function of the immune system in CML is of interest. In the present paper we have identified immune escape mechanisms in CML with focus on those that directly hamper T cells since these cells are important to control tumor progression. CML patient samples were investigated for the presence of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), expression of programmed death receptor ligand 1/programmed death receptor 1 (PD-L1/PD-1), arginase 1 and soluble CD25. MDSC levels were increased in samples from Sokal high risk patients (p<0,05) and the cells were present on both CD34 negative and CD34 positive cell populations. Furthermore, expression of the MDSC-associated molecule arginase 1, known to inhibit T cells, was increased in the patients (p = 0,0079). Myeloid cells upregulated PD-L1 (p<0,05) and the receptor PD-1 was present on T cells. However, PD-L1 blockade did not increase T cell proliferation but upregulated IL-2 secretion. Finally, soluble CD25 was increased in high risk patients (p<0,0001). In conclusion T cells in CML patients may be under the control of different immune escape mechanisms that could hamper the use of immunotherapy in these patients. These escape mechanisms should be monitored in trials to understand their importance and how to overcome the immune suppression.     

肿瘤患者CD8+T细胞中CD28表达的研究进展

CD28与B7结合形成的共刺激信号是T细胞激活的第二信号,肿瘤患者CD8^＋T细胞上CD28分子在肿瘤免疫中发挥着重要作用。人体抗肿瘤免疫主要由CD8^＋T细胞介导,根据CD28的表达与否可将CD8^＋T细胞分为细胞毒T细胞（CD8^＋CD28^＋,CTL）和抑制性T细胞（CD8^＋C28^-,Ts）。CTL是体内杀伤肿瘤细胞的主要功能性细胞之一,当该细胞与肿瘤接触时,通过共刺激信号而被激活,发挥其对肿瘤细胞的杀伤作用;Ts在机体的免疫耐受中发挥作用。现就肿瘤患者CD8^＋T细胞上CD28的表达作一综述。     

CD47 expression on T cell is a self-control negative regulator of type 1 immune response

The cytokine milieu and dendritic cells (DCs) direct Th1 development. Yet, the control of Th1 polarization by T cell surface molecules remains ill-defined. We here report that CD47 expression on T cells serves as a self-control mechanism to negatively regulate type 1 cellular and humoral immune responses in vivo. Th2-prone BALB/c mice that lack CD47 (CD47(-/-)) displayed a Th1-biased Ab profile at steady state and after immunization with soluble Ag. CD47(-/-) mice mounted a T cell-mediated exacerbated and sustained contact hypersensitivity (CHS) response. After their adoptive transfer to naive CD47-deficient hosts 1 day before immunization with soluble Ag, CD47(-/-) as compared with CD47(+/+)CD4(+) transgenic (Tg) T cells promoted the deviation of Ag-specific T cell responses toward Th1 that were characterized by a high IFN-gamma:IL-4 cytokine ratio. Although selective CD47 deficiency on DCs led to increased IL-12p70 production, CD47(-/-)Tg T cells produced more IFN-gamma and displayed higher T-bet expression than CD47(+/+) Tg T cells in response to OVA-loaded CD47(-/-) DCs. CD47 as part of the host environment has no major contribution to the Th1 polarization responses. We thus identify the CD47 molecule as a T cell-negative regulator of type 1 responses that may limit unwanted collateral damage to maximize protection and minimize host injury.