IL-2 induction of IL-1 beta mRNA expression in monocytes. Regulation by agents that block second messenger pathways

We have previously shown that in mixed cultures of PBL incubation with human rIL-2 induces the rapid expression of IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta mRNA. Because studies have demonstrated that IL-2R can be expressed on the surface of human peripheral blood monocytes, we chose to investigate whether IL-1 beta mRNA could be directly induced in purified human monocytes by treatment with Il-2 and, if so, to analyze the second messenger pathways by which it may be controlled. Human monocytes do not spontaneously express IL-1 beta mRNA, but can express the gene as soon as 1 h after treatment with IL-2. The level of IL-1 beta mRNA induced by IL-2 at 5 h in human monocytes was about one-fourth that induced by LPS. LPS induction of IL-1 beta mRNA in human monocytes can be blocked by either an inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKc) 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine or an inhibitor of calcium/calmodulin (CaM) kinase N-(6-aminohexyl) 5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide, suggesting that both PKc and CaM kinase are involved in transducing signals initiated by LPS. In contrast, IL-2 induction of IL-1 beta mRNA expression is blocked only by 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine, suggesting that PKc, and not CaM kinase, is activated by IL-2. These data suggest that overlapping but distinct second messenger pathways are involved in the transduction of signals initiated by IL-2 and LPS.     

Involvement of protein tyrosine kinase in Toll-like receptor 4-mediated NF-kappa B activation in human peripheral blood monocytes

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a powerful activator of the innate immune system. Exposure to LPS induces an inflammatory reaction in the lung mediated primarily by human blood monocytes and alveolar macrophages, which release an array of inflammatory chemokines and cytokines including IL-8, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6. The signaling mechanisms utilized by LPS to stimulate the release of cytokines and chemokines are still incompletely understood. Pretreatment with the protein tyrosine kinase-specific inhibitors genistein and herbimycin A effectively blocked LPS-induced NF-kappaB activation as well as IL-8 gene expression in human peripheral blood monocytes. However, when genistein was added 2 min after the addition of LPS, no inhibition was observed. Utilizing a coimmunoprecipitation assay, we further showed that LPS-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) may be involved in downstream signaling events induced by LPS. These findings provide evidence that LPS-induced NF-kappaB activation and IL-8 gene expression use a signaling pathway requiring protein tyrosine kinase and that such regulation may occur through tyrosine phosphorylation of TLR4.     

Adherence induces selective mRNA expression of monocyte mediators and proto-oncogenes

Adherence is an important regulatory signal for several monokines and the proto-oncogenes c-fms and c-fos in human peripheral blood monocytes. Although there is little if any constitutive expression of the IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha and CSF-1 genes in freshly isolated monocytes, adherence is sufficient to induce high steady-state levels of mRNA for TNF and c-fos and more slowly that of CSF-1. Expression of mRNA for the CSF-1R gene, c-fms, was transiently down-regulated by 4 h. In contrast, the induction of high levels of IL-1 beta mRNA were achieved independent of culture conditions. Although all of these genes could be induced by adherence, actual secretion of the mediators required the exposure to a second signal derived from LPS. Thus adherence rapidly primes monocytes for a variety of inflammatory responses, the magnitude of which depends on the nature of a second "activating" signal. It is likely that some of these products act locally as paracrine or autocrine factors to further regulate the phenotype of the differentiating macrophage.     

Suppressive activity of a macrolide antibiotic, roxithromycin, on pro-inflammatory cytokine production in vitro and in vivo

This study was designed to examine the influence of a macrolide antibiotic, roxithromycin (RXM), on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1beta and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. In the first experiments, we examined the effect of RXM on in vitro cytokine production from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human peripheral blood monocytes. The monocytes were cultured in the presence of various doses of the agent. After 24 h, the culture supernatants were obtained and assayed for IL-1beta and TNF-alpha contents by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RXM suppressed the in vitro production of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in response to LPS stimulation. This was dose dependent and first noted at a concentration of as little as 0.05 microg/ml, which is much lower than therapeutic blood levels. In the second part of the experiments, we examined the influence of RXM on the appearance of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in mouse lung extract induced by LPS inhalation. RXM was administered orally into BALB/c mice at a single dose of 2.5 mg/kg once a day for 5-12 weeks. These mice were then instilled with LPS into the trachea and examined for the presence of cytokines in aqueous lung extracts. Pretreatment of mice with RXM for 5 weeks did not influence of the appearance of both IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in aqueous lung extracts. However, pretreatment for more than 7 weeks dramatically suppressed the cytokine appearance in the extracts.     

Cytokine regulation of IL-1 beta gene expression in the human polymorphonuclear leukocyte

Although recently polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) have been identified as producers of IL-1 beta in response to LPS and granulocyte/monocyte colony stimulating factor, little is known regarding the ability of other cytokines to induce the production of IL-1 beta in the PMN. Inasmuch as IL-1 and TNF have been shown to be important priming agents, as well as agents that induce migration of PMN, we investigated their effect on IL-1 beta gene expression in human peripheral blood PMN. In the present study, we demonstrate that human peripheral blood PMN produce IL-1 beta in response to IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, and TNF-alpha. Control (unstimulated) human PMN had virtually undetectable levels of IL-1 beta mRNA. Either IL-1 beta or TNF, induced PMN to transiently express IL-1 beta mRNA with peak expression at 1 h, returning to untreated levels by 2 h. A dose response indicated that as little as 0.05 ng/ml of IL-1 beta or TNF resulted in IL-1 beta induction, with maximal effects at 1 ng/ml of IL-1 beta and 5 ng/ml of TNF. IL-1 alpha or IL-1 beta exhibited similar dose responses in IL-1 beta mRNA induction. Inasmuch as cytokines have been shown to have synergistic effects in cell function studies, we induced PMN with a combination of maximally effective doses of TNF plus IL-1 beta. They demonstrated a cooperative effect on IL-1 beta gene expression, in that mRNA levels were sustained for three hours. IL-1 beta Ag expression, as measured by ELISA, paralleled IL-1 beta mRNA expression with cell associated peak levels at 2 to 4 h. IL-1 beta Ag levels in PMN lysates and supernatants correlated with IL-1 beta mRNA levels, i.e., TNF + IL-1 greater than TNF greater than IL-1. Thus, these studies represent the first demonstration of IL-1 and TNF induction of IL-1 beta gene expression in the PMN. Furthermore, the time course of induction is unique to the PMN, with peak induction of mRNA at 1 h, which is consistent with the short lived nature of these cells in inflammatory lesions.     

Interleukin-1 and tumour necrosis factor production by human monocytoid cells: study on a single cell level.

Human IL-1 beta and TNF alpha production by normal and transformed monocytoid cells was studied using biological assays, cytokine specific ELISA and by immunocytochemical methods on a single cell level. Quiescent human blood monocytes and cultured in vitro transformed human monocytoid cell lines U-937, THP-1 and HL-60 did not contain IL-1 beta and TNF alpha in their cytoplasm. IL-1 beta synthesis and secretion was induced by LPS stimulation in nearly 90% monocytes, 15-20% U-937, 3-5% THP-1 and in no HL-60 cells. Normal human blood monocytes had a more rapid kinetics of IL-1 beta synthesis. IL-1 beta positive cells stained with antibodies to human IL-1 beta appeared at 1-2 hours after LPS application, while in monocytic cell lines only after 4-6 hours. Using immunoperoxidase staining of U-937 cells pulse labelled with 3H-thymidine, it was shown that proliferating cells did not synthetize IL-1 beta. Instead of IL-1 beta, TNF alpha could be induced by LPS in U-937 cells only after preliminary differentiation with PMA. Recombinant IL-1 beta induced a very low level of TNF alpha production in PMA-treated cells. Similarly recombinant TNF alpha alone induced IL-1 beta synthesis only in a few U-937 cells.     

Cytomegalovirus infection stimulates expression of monocyte-associated mediator genes

Monocytes and tissue macrophages play important roles in host defense against virus infections and, in the case of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and HIV, may also be the reservoir for latent disease. Because these cells can also rapidly respond to most infections by secretion of inflammatory mediators, we were interested in determining if HCMV infection could have a direct activating effect on macrophage cytokine production. To do this, we primarily investigated the influence of HCMV infection on IL-1 beta-mRNA expression in peripheral blood monocytes and the promyelocytic cell line, ML-3 as well as the inflammatory response genes TNF-alpha, MAD-9, MAD-6, and MAD-2 in the promyelocytic ML-3 cell line. Exposure of ML-3 cells to the virus prior to induction of differentiation had little influence on mediator gene expression. However, induction of the macrophage phenotype by pretreatment of ML-3 cells with the phorbol ester, PMA, followed by HCMV challenge, resulted in a greatly extended period of expression of IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, MAD-9, and CSF-1 but not MAD-6 and MAD-2. Constitutively expressed genes such as lysozyme and actin were not similarly modulated. Both RNA dot-blot and in situ hybridization studies demonstrated that infection of human peripheral blood monocytes with HCMV leads to sustained expression of IL-1 beta mRNA for up to 96 h, which contrasted markedly with mock-infected or LPS-stimulated monocytes. Flow cytometric analysis of the intracellular levels of IL-1 beta protein in ML-3 cells indicated that not only was there more protein produced in infected cells, but that the majority of the cells had responded. Enhanced levels of the intracellular form of IL-1 beta in monocytes was confirmed by Western blot analysis. Cotransfection experiments were performed using IL-1 beta-CAT chimeric plasmids together with plasmids encoding HCMV-immediate-early gene region products. Transactivation of the IL-1 beta gene by region 2 of the immediate-early gene was observed in ML-3 cells that had been induced to differentiate prior to transfection. No stimulation of IL-1 beta promoter activity was observed in ML-3 cells that were undifferentiated prior to transfection. In summary, HCMV infection, although not leading to productive infection, nonetheless may contribute to the pathology of the infection through enhancement of monocyte inflammatory mediator gene expression with subsequent stimulation of protein synthesis.     

Induction of interleukin-1 in human monocytes by the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin A requires the participation of T cells

Nanogram quantities of the bacterial superantigen Staphylococcal Enterotoxin A (SEA) induced significant amounts of extracellular IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Induction of maximal IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta levels by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) required microgram quantities. LPS induced detectable extracellular IL-1 content within 3-6 hr and maximal levels were detected already after 12 hr. Induction of IL-1 production by SEA showed a delayed release with peak values after 24-48 hr. IL-1 beta was the major species of IL-1 seen in both SEA- and LPS-stimulated culture supernatants. SEA was in general a relatively stronger inducer of extracellular IL-1 alpha than LPS. SEA-induced extracellular IL-1 production in human monocytes was entirely dependent on the presence of T cells, whereas addition of T cells to LPS-stimulated purified human monocytes only marginally enhanced the extracellular IL-1 production. The capacity to induce extracellular IL-1 production in monocytes in response to SEA was high in the CD4+ 45RO+ memory T cell subset, whereas CD4+ 45RA+ naive T cells and CD8+ T cells had lower IL-1-inducing capacity. The T cell help for IL-1 production could not be replaced by a panel of T cell-derived recombinant lymphokines added to SEA-stimulated monocytes, including IFN-gamma and TNF, indicating the participation of cell membrane-bound ligands or hitherto unidentified soluble mediators.     

Macrophage inflammatory protein-3 beta enhances IL-10 production by activated human peripheral blood monocytes and T cells.

We report that the addition of human macrophage inflammatory protein-3 beta (MIP-3 beta) to cultures of human PBMCs that have been activated with LPS or PHA results in a significant enhancement of IL-10 production. This effect was concentration-dependent, with optimal MIP-3 beta concentrations inducing more than a 5-fold induction of IL-10 from LPS-stimulated PBMCs and a 2- to 3-fold induction of IL-10 from PHA-stimulated PBMCs. In contrast, no significant effect on IL-10 production was observed when 6Ckine, the other reported ligand for human CCR7, or other CC chemokines such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, RANTES, MIP-1 alpha, and MIP-1 beta were added to LPS- or PHA-stimulated PBMCs. Similar results were observed using activated purified human peripheral blood monocytes or T cells. Addition of MIP-3 beta to nonactivated PBMCs had no effect on cytokine production. Enhancement of IL-10 production by MIP-3beta correlated with the inhibition of IL-12 p40 and TNF-alpha production by monocytes and with the impairment of IFN-gamma production by T cells, which was reversed by addition of anti-IL-10 Abs to the cultures. The ability of MIP-3 beta to augment IL-10 production correlated with CCR7 mRNA expression and stimulation of intracellular calcium mobilization in both monocytes and T cells. These data indicate that MIP-3 beta acts directly on human monocytes and T cells and suggest that this chemokine is unique among ligands binding to CC receptors due to its ability to modulate inflammatory activity via the enhanced production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10.     

Purification and characterization of the immunostimulatory properties of recombinant human interleukin-1 beta

In this study we have used a new method for human recombinant IL-1 beta (rIL-1 beta) purification and investigated its immunostimulatory biological activity. The IL-1 beta gene was cloned using a novel mRNA preparation from activated human blood monocytes. The purification protocol consists of extraction and two chromatographic steps using the new Soloza cation exchange resin. The purified protein was characterized electrophoretically, by amino acid analysis and reverse phase chromatography. The protein migrated on SDS-PAGE with a molecular weight of 18.200 but demonstrated the minor presence of aggregates (dimers and trimers). Specific activity of purified rIL-1 beta in comitogenic assay on mouse thymocytes was 10(8) U/mg protein. rIL-1 beta increased in a dose dependent manner proliferation of Con A-stimulated murine thymocytes, splenocytes, PHA-stimulated human peripheral blood lymphocytes and transformed B-cell lines. Comitogenic activity depended on the degree of lymphocyte preactivation and was similar to that of natural human IL-1 beta. rIL-1 beta enhanced IL-2 production by murine spleen cells and EL-4 cell line and IL-2 receptor expression by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. It induced PGE2 release from human blood monocytes but had no effect on human neutrophil chemotaxis, phagocytosis and respiratory burst.     

Regulation of neutrophil interleukin 8 gene expression and protein secretion by LPS,TNF-α, and IL-1β

Neutrophils are possibly involved in the pathogenesis of various lung diseases through the release of numerous mediators. In the present study, we studied the regulation of IL-8 gene induction and protein secretion in human blood neutrophils. Northern blot analysis revealed that LPS increased IL-8 mRNA levels in neutrophils, with a maximal fivefold increase by 2 h. IL-8 mRNA levels returned to baseline value within 12 h. In contrast, LPS-stimulated monocytes demonstrated a sustained increase of IL-8 mRNA levels for more than 24 h. TNF-α, IL-1β, and phorbol myristate acetate also increased IL-8 mRNA levels in neutrophils. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed that IL-8 was localized within stimulated neutrophils. IL-8 secretion by neutrophils and monocytes was quantified using a specific ELISA for IL-8. Resting neutrophils secreted minimal IL-8 activity. However when cells were stimualted with LPS, TNF-α, or IL-1bT, neutrophils secreted IL-8. IL-8 secretion was most marked during the first 2 h after stimulation and decreased thereafter. In contrast, monocytes maintained a high rate of IL-8 secretion over 12 h. Although a single monocyte secreted 70-fold more IL-8 than did a single neutrophil after 4 h of incubation, the high abundance of neutrophils in peripheral blood made the neutrophil-secreted IL-8 more significant. During the first 2 h, neutrophils secreted ～40% of the IL-8 released by monocytes in the same volume of blood. This ratio decreased to 9% after 12 h. Neutrophil-secreted IL-8 may play an autocrine or paracrine role during the initial stage of inflammation. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.