Studies on the induction of tolerance to alloantigens. I. The abrogation of potentials for delayed-type-hypersensitivity response to alloantigens by portal venous inoculation with allogeneic cells

The present study investigates the effect of portal venous (p.v.) administration of allogeneic cells on the capacity of delayed-type-hypersensitivity (DTH) reactivity to alloantigens. BALB/c mice were inoculated with C3H/He spleen cells via intravenous (i.v.) or p.v. route. Intravenous injection of C3H/He spleen cells into BALB/c mice resulted in appreciable DTH responses to C3H/He alloantigens. In contrast, p.v. inoculation of the same number of C3H/He cells not only failed to induce any significant anti-C3H/He DTH responses but also abolished the capability of the animals to develop DTH responses as induced by subcutaneous (s.c.) immunization with C3H/He spleen cells. Such suppression was alloantigen-specific, since p.v. inoculation of C3H/He spleen cells resulted in selective inhibition of anti-C3H/He DTH potential without suppressing DTH responses to C57BL/6 alloantigens. This tolerance was rapidly inducible and long-lasting. When spleen cells from tolerant mice were transferred i.v. into 600 R X-irradiated syngeneic recipient mice alone or together with normal BALB/c spleen cells, these tolerant spleen cells themselves failed to induce DTH responses but did not exhibit any suppressive effect on the generation of DTH responses induced by normal spleen cells co-transferred. These results indicate that tolerance was not necessarily associated with the induction of suppressor cell activity but rather was associated with the elimination or functional impairment of clones specific for alloantigens. The results are discussed in the context of a) the role of the liver in immune responses, b) cellular mechanisms underlying the tolerance induction, and c) potential application of this approach to the future transplantation immunology.     

Generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in vitro. VII. Suppressive effect of irradiated MLC cells on CTL response.

Irradiated cells obtained from MLC at the peak of the CTL response caused profound suppression of generation of CTL when added in small numbers at the initiation of primary MLC prepared with normal spleen cells. The inhibitory activity of the MLC cells was not affected by irradiation (1000 rads) but was abolished by treatment with anti-theta serum and complement. The suppression was immunologically specific. The response of A (H-2a) spleen cells toward C3H (H-2k) alloantigens was suppressed by irradiated MLC cells obtained from MLC prepared with A spleen cells and irradiated C3H-stimulating cells, whereas the response of A spleen cells toward DBA/2 (H-2d) alloantigens was affected relatively little. However, if irradiated C3H X DBA/2 F1 hybrid spleen cells were used to stimulate A spleen cells in MLC, addition of irradiated MLC cells having cytotoxic activity toward C3H antigens abolished the response to both C3H and DBA/2 antigens. The response to DBA/2 antigens was much less affected when a mixture of irradiated C3H and DBA/2 spleen cells was used as stimulating cells. Thus, the presence of MLC cells having cytotoxic activity toward one alloantigen abolished the response to another non-cross reacting antigen only when both antigens were present on the same F1 hybrid-stimulating cells. This suppression of generation of CTL by irradiated MLC cells apparently involves inactivation of alloantigen-bearing stimulating cells as a result of residual cytotoxic activity of the irradiated MLC cells. This mechanism may be active during the decline in CTL activity noted in the normal immune response in vivo and in vitro.     

Lipopolysaccharide-induced suppression of antibody-directed cell-mediated cytotoxicity to chicken red blood cells

Prior treatment with commercially prepared and acetone-extracted lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was found to suppress the expression of antibody-directed, cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) to chicken red blood cells (CRBC) by spleen cells from C57/BL10, C3H, and BALB/c mice. The in vitro incubation with commercial LPS suppressed ADCC-CRBC activity of spleen cells from both C3H/HeJ and C3H/HeN mice. Only the C3H/HeN strain was suppressed when treated with purified LPS. ADCC-CRBC activity of neonatal spleen cells could be suppressed after a 3-hr in vivo incubation with LPS while adult spleen cells required a minimum of 15 hr preincubation.     

In vivo development of cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL) to hapten-altered self: MIs-disparate cells facilitate the response by neutralizing IL 2 inhibitor

Inability to develop CTL in vivo to hapten-altered self can be attributed in part to an inhibitor of interleukin 2 (IL 2) that is present in the serum of normal mice. We have shown earlier that hapten-specific CTL can be generated in C3H mice (H-2k, MIsc) provided CBA/J (H-2k MIsd) spleen cells are injected simultaneously with hapten-modified syngeneic spleen cells into the hind foot paws. In efforts to determine whether serum levels of the inhibitor of IL 2 are altered as a consequence of this successful immunization method, we have compared the activity of the inhibitor in serum at intervals after the injection of syngeneic spleen cells, CBA spleen cells, or TNP-C3H spleen cells alone or together with CBA spleen cells, by using a murine IL 2-dependent, cloned cytotoxic T cell line, CT-6. The results indicate that inhibitor was neutralized optimally 48 to 72 hr after injection of TNP-C3H spleen cells mixed with CBA/J spleen cells. The order in which neutralization occurred was as follows: TNP-C3H cells + CBA/J cells greater than CBA cells greater than TNP-C3H cells greater than normal C3H spleen cells. Furthermore, supernatants from cultures of C3H lymph node cells stimulated in vivo with CBA/J cells also contained IL 2 activity. Thus, injection of CBA/J cells with TNP-modified syngeneic spleen cells produces IL 2 in vivo in sufficient quantity to neutralize the activity of the inhibitor as well as to facilitate the maturation of pre-CTL into hapten-altered self-specific CTL.     

Growth and proliferation stimulating effect of extremely small doses of nitrosomethylurea

The increase to 30-50% of spleen weight of intact and with La leukemia C57Bl/6 mice after 5 days i.p. anticancer drug nitrosomethylurea (10(-3)-10(-8) g/kg) injection was observed. The reaction of intact spleen was more expressed than that of leukemic spleen. The growth-stimulating effect of nitrosomethylurea supersmall doses was accompanied with perturbation in 3H-thymidine cell incorporation, that assume a certain change in cell proliferation.     

姜黄素对过度训练致大鼠脾脏细胞凋亡的调控作用及其机制*

目的:研究姜黄素调控Keap1-Nrf2-ARE信号通路缓解大鼠过度训练所致脾脏氧化应激及细胞凋亡机制。方法:7周龄SPF级雄性Wistar大鼠分为对照组(C组,n=12)、过度训练组(OM组,n=11)、姜黄素+过度训练组(COM组,n=14)。C组不进行任何运动干预,OM组、COM组大鼠进行8周递增负荷游泳训练。训练期间,COM组以200 mg/(kg·d)、5 ml/kg姜黄素进行灌胃,其他组灌胃等体积0.5 %羧甲基纤维素纳助溶剂。末次训练后24 h,称重计算脾脏指数,光镜观察脾脏组织病理学改变,取血液、脾脏组织检测相关生化指标。结果:C组大鼠脾脏组织结构正常;OM组较C组脾脏指数极显著降低(P＜0.01),并出现明显病理学改变;COM组较OM组脾脏指数显著升高(P＜0.05),且组织形态学改变有所改善。与C组比较,OM组血清皮质酮(Cor)浓度和脾脏细胞凋亡水平、丙二醛(MDA)浓度均升高,促凋亡蛋白Bcl-2相关X蛋白(Bax)表达增强(P＜0.05或P＜0.01);体重、血清睾酮(T)水平及脾脏超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性降低,脾脏血红素氧合酶1(HO-1)、抗凋亡蛋白B淋巴细胞瘤因子-2(Bcl-2)表达减弱(P＜0.05或P＜0.01);脾脏核因子E2相关因子2(Nrf2)表达水平无显著变化(P＞0.05)。与OM组比较,COM组体重无显著变化(P＞0.05);血清T浓度升高,脾脏SOD活性升高,Bcl-2、Nrf2和HO-1表达增强(P＜0.05或P＜0.01);血清Cor浓度及脾脏MDA浓度、细胞凋亡水平、Bax表达均降低或减弱(P＜0.05或P＜0.01);组间T/Cor比值变化趋势与T变化相一致,Bcl-2/Bax比值变化趋势与Bcl-2变化相一致。结论:8周递增负荷过度游泳训练引发脾脏细胞凋亡加剧,脾脏组织发生病理改变及功能异常。姜黄素通过上调Nrf2、HO-1蛋白表达,在一定程度上缓解过度训练引发的氧化应激,增强抑凋亡蛋白Bcl-2表达,减弱促凋亡蛋白Bax表达,改善大鼠脾脏细胞过度凋亡,保护脾脏组织结构和功能正常。     

Different subsets of T cells in the adult mouse bone marrow and spleen induce or suppress acute graft-versus-host disease.

Fractionation of normal adult mouse spleen and bone marrow cells (C57BL/Ka) was performed by discontinuous Percoll density gradients. The fractionated low density (1.050-1.060 g/ml) C57BL/Ka spleen cells completely suppressed acute lethal graft vs host disease (GVHD) when coinjected with unfractionated C57BL/Ka spleen cells into sublethally irradiated (400 rad) BALB/c mice. In dose response experiments, as few as 0.5 x 10(6) low density cells from the spleen fractions suppressed acute GVHD induced by 2.5 x 10(6) unfractionated allogeneic spleen cells. Although the low density spleen fractions inhibited acute GVHD, the high density (1.075-1.090 g/ml) spleen fractions induced acute GVHD in sublethally irradiated BALB/c recipients. Fractionation of C57BL/Ka bone marrow cells showed that none of the high or low density fractions or unfractionated cells induced lethal GVHD. When these fractions were tested for their capacity to suppress GVHD by coinjection with C57BL/Ka unfractionated spleen cells, all fractions protected the BALB/c recipients. Unfractionated bone marrow cells showed modest protection. Evaluation of the dose response characteristics of the suppressive activity of the low and middle density (1.060-1.068 g/ml) bone marrow cell fraction showed that reproducible protection could be achieved at a 5:1 ratio of inducing to suppressing cells. The low density fractions of both bone marrow and spleen cells had a marked depletion of typical TCR(+)-alpha beta CD4+ or CD8+ T cells, and a predominant population of TCR(+)-alpha beta CD4- CD8- T cells. Purified populations of the latter cells suppressed GVHD. Recipients given unfractionated C57BL/Ka spleen cells and protected with low-density bone marrow or spleen cells were chimeras.     

Ah receptor in spleen of rodent and primate species: detection by binding of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

In many species systemic toxicity of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is manifested by a generalized wasting syndrome accompanied by a variety of specific organ changes including atrophy of the thymus and spleen. TCDD toxicity in most tissues is thought to be mediated by the Ah receptor. Although the spleen is a prime target for TCDD toxicity, the possible presence of Ah receptor in the spleen has not previously been investigated. Specific binding of [3H]TCDD to Ah receptor in spleen cytosols was assessed by velocity sedimentation on sucrose gradients. Ah receptor was detected in spleen cytosols from adult Rhesus monkeys (mean +/- SEM, 36 +/- 8 fmol/mg cytosol protein), fetal Rhesus monkeys (9 +/- 6), Sprague-Dawley rats (20 +/- 5), C57BL/6J mice (18 +/- 2), New Zealand white rabbits (19 +/- 2), and Hartley guinea pigs (15 +/- 2). Ah receptor was not detectable in spleen cytosol from genetically "nonresponsive" DBA/2J mice or from Golden Syrian hamsters, a species resistant to toxicity of TCDD. Molecular properties of Ah receptor from spleen were similar to those of the receptor from liver of the same species. The high Ah receptor content in spleen cytosols from those species that are most susceptible to TCDD toxicity is consistent with the view that the Ah receptor mediates TCDD toxicity in spleen as well as in other tissues.     

Correlation of spleen colony formation and changes in spleen weight during its recovery in irradiated mice

In experiments on (CBA X C57Bl)F1 and BALB/c mice it was shown that with the spleen mass increasing, due to exo- and endorepopulation, during the postirradiation regeneration of the spleen, the number of splenic colonies also increases to a certain level. When the spleen mass reaches 1/3 of that lost after irradiation the number of discrete colonies decreases. When the spleen mass is restored to about 1/2 solitary colonies do not form at all. The spleen mass can considerably exceed the normal level in conditions of intensive repopulation.     

Longitudinal assessment of immunologic abnormalities of mice with the autosomal recessive mutation, "wasted"

Mice homozygous for the autosomal recessive mutation wasted (wst/wst) undergo a progressive wasting beginning at the third week of postnatal life, when body weight declines in the mutants. The wst/wst mice do not survive past 30 days of age. The present report describes histologic and functional abnormalities in a longitudinal analysis (17 to 29 days postpartum) of wst/wst mice. In addition to a marked age-dependent decline in wst/wst body weight as well as spleen and thymus wet weight to body weight ratios, we have observed a significant decline in spleen and thymus cell number in these organs, compared with phenotypically normal (+/+ or +/wst) littermates. Histologic analysis of the wst/wst thymus revealed marked cortical pyknosis at 23 days of age and significant cortical depletion by 26 days postpartum. The wst/wst spleen at 23 days of age and later was characterized by a marked reduction in the content of red pulp. Lymphoproliferative responsiveness to Con A was markedly altered in the wst/wst thymus and spleen, in an age-dependent fashion, compared with normal littermates. The wst/wst spleen LPS responsiveness was also markedly altered in an age-dependent fashion. Hypotheses are presented concerning the possible site(s) of gene action in the wst/wst mutant which may mediate the observed morphologic and functional abnormalities.     

THE f NUMBER OF PRIMARY TRANSPLANTED SPLENIC COLONY-FORMING CELLS

The proportion of murine haemopoietic stem cells that settled in the spleen, after transplanting spleen cells into lethally-irradiated recipient mice, was found by comparing the number of spleen colonies obtained by transplanting a whole spleen with an estimate of the total number of colony-forming units (CFU) present in the intact spleen. the latter number was estimated assuming that endogenous spleen colonies were produced from surviving spleen-derived CFU which exhibited the same survival parameters as transplanted CFU.
Account was taken of the post-irradiation loss of CFU from the spleen in the endogenous assay, which was found to be a reasonably constant factor for doses higher than about 100 rad X-rays.
The total measured number of CFU/spleen from transplantation was less than the number calculated in the intact spleen by a factor, the primary f number, of 0.03 ± 0.02.     

Telocytes in the Spleen

Telocytes, a novel type of interstitial cells with very long and thin prolongations, have been identified in many organs in mammals. At present, the ultrastructural, immunocytochemical and electrophysiological properties of telocytes in multiple organs have been understood. However, telocytes in spleen, especially their roles in spleen have not been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the ultrastructure, distribution and immunophenotypes of splenic telocytes. Rat spleen was harvested for the ultrastructure analysis by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The primary culture of telocytes was performed after combined enzymatic digestion. The characteristic morphology was analyzed by a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was shown that telocytes displayed a piriform/spindle/triangular shape with long and slender telopods and extremely long prolongation contracting with surrounding cells in the spleen. Their dynamic profiles of cytoplasmic separation were recorded by the Live Cell Imaging System. The length of telopods was mostly distributing in 20–30 μm, in accordance with normal distribution. Most telocytes had three or two telopods (28.71% and 22.58% respectively). Immunostaining indicated that these cells were positive for vimentin, CD34, nanog and sca-1, but negative for c-kit. These data prove the existence of telocytes in the spleen, which may serve as the experimental base for exploring their roles in the spleen.     

The influence of dietary protein deficiency on haemopoietic cells in the mouse.

These experiments examined the effect of a diet limited only in protein (4% by weight) on haemopoietic stem cells in mice. This diet places severe restrictions on growth and cell proliferation and this was reflected in lower numbers of colony forming units (CFUs) and in vitro colony forming cells (CFCs). Differences were apparent in the response of different organs to this stress; for instance, the incidence of spleen CFUs fell sharply from around 40/mg spleen tissue to 1-4/mg spleen tissue after 3 weeks on a low protein diet. This selective loss did not occur in bone marrow where total CFUs remained proportional to cellular content. Yet a third pattern was shown by thymus CFUs--although the numbers were low these increased from 16/thymus in normal mice to 132/thymus in deprived mice. This was the only organ examined which showed an increase. The effects of a return to a high protein (18%) diet showed that the spleen was the most responsive organ. By day 5 after the return to 18% protein the spleen contained as many CFUs per million cells as the bone marrow. During this time the content of CFU in the spleen had increased some 50-fold whereas bone marrow CFUs only doubled. The spleen assumes the major reconstructive role during the refeeding process.     

Differential persistence, immunogenicity and protective capacity of temperature-sensitive mutants of Salmonella enteritidis after oral or intragastric administration to mice

Abstract The persistence of Salmonella enteritidis temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of different phenotypes in Peyer's patches (PP) and the spleen, and their immunogenicity after intragastric (i.g.) and peroral (p.o.) administration to mice was investigated. After p.o. administration the ts mutant C/2/2 colonized PP, but was not recovered from the spleen. After i.g. administration the ts mutant E/1/3 colonized both the spleen and PP. for at least 2 weeks. Mutant C/2/2 persisted in PP up to 8 days but was not found in the spleen. Mutant H/2/26, although it poorly colonized the PP, was recovered from the spleen up to day 15 after i.g. administration. Immunization with E/1/3 by either the i.g. or the p.o. routes protected mice from challenge with 100 LD₅₀ of the virulent wild-type (wt) strain. Immunization with either C/2/2 or H/2/26 did not confer protection. The three ts mutants induced the production of local IgA after i.g. administration regardless of their protective capacity.     

口服AdipoRon对2型糖尿病小鼠脾脏和胰腺功能的影响

目的:观察口服AdipoRon对2型糖尿病小鼠脾脏和胰腺功能的影响,为AdipoRon的临床应用提供基础资料。方法:将40只C57/BL6雄性小鼠随机分为正常对照组(NC,n=10)和造模组(n=30),并分别给予普通饲料和高脂高糖饲料喂养。4周后,造模组小鼠腹腔注射链脲佐菌素(STZ,40 mg/kg)以诱导建立2型糖尿病模型。造模成功后将糖尿病模型小鼠随机分为糖尿病模型组(DM)、高剂量AdipoRon(50 mg/kg)(DM+H)组、低剂量AdipoRon(20 mg/kg)(DM+L)组,每组10只。DM+L组和DM+H组灌胃相应浓度的AdipoRon(使用去离子水溶解AdipoRon),NC组和DM组灌胃等体积去离子水,每日灌胃1次,灌胃10 d。末次干预后禁食12 h,处死小鼠取血液、胰腺和脾脏。HE染色光镜下观察胰腺的病理改变; ELISA法检测小鼠胰腺和脾脏组织中胰岛素受体(INSR)、胰岛素受体底物1(IRS-1)和肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)蛋白质含量;小鼠脾脏系数; Western blot法检测胰腺组织中pIRS-1蛋白质水平;实时荧光定量PCR检测胰腺组织中insulin mRNA表达。结果:光镜下可见正常组小鼠胰腺组织排列紧密、饱满、胰岛体积大,DM组小鼠胰腺组织排列较为疏散、胰岛体积较小,口服AdipoRon组小鼠胰腺组织基本紧密、饱满、胰岛体积略小。与NC比较,DM组小鼠胰腺和脾脏TNF-α水平明显升高,INSR、IRS-1水平均降低,脾脏系数、胰腺p-IRS-1蛋白质水平和insulin mRNA表达均降低,均具有统计学意义(P<0.05);与DM组比较,口服AdipoRon组小鼠胰腺和脾脏TNF-α水平明显下降,INSR和IRS-1水平均升高,脾脏系数升高,DM+H组胰腺p-IRS-1蛋白质水平和insulin mRNA表达均升高(P<0.05);与DM+L组比较,DM+H组小鼠TNF-α水平明显下降,INSR和IRS-1水平均升高(P<0.05)。结论:口服AdipoRon可通过减弱糖尿病小鼠炎症反应,上调INSR表达、提高p-IRS-1水平,从而对糖尿病小鼠脾脏和胰腺组织有一定的保护作用。     

Modulation of Immune Response by Bacterial Lipopolysaccharide (LPS): Roles of Macrophages and T Cells in In Vitro Adjuvant Effect of LPS on Antibody Response to T Cell-Dependent and T Cell-Independent Antigens

The roles of macrophages and T cells in the adjuvant effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were studied. In vitro anti-trinitrophenyl (anti-TNP) antibody responses to TNP-Ficoll and TNP-keyhole limpet hemocyanine (TNP-KLH) in spleen cells of C57BL/6 mice showed the most enhancement, when LPS was added to cultures at 1 μg/ml 48 hr after culture was started. The responses to these antigens were enhanced markedly by LPS in whole and macrophage-depleted spleen cells. The enhancement was greater in the latter group than in the former. The adjuvant effect among whole, T cell-depleted, macrophage-depleted and both macrophage- and T cell-depleted spleen cells was compared. The response to TNP-Ficoll was enhanced markedly by LPS in all groups. The enhancement was greater in the latter two groups than in the first two groups. The response to TNP-KLH was enhanced by LPS strongly in macrophage-depleted spleen cells, moderately in whole and both macrophage- and T cell-depleted spleen cells, and only slightly in T cell-depleted spleen cells. Enhancement was restored to T cell-depleted spleen cells by adding T cells. The response to TNP-KLH of macrophage-depleted spleen cells of LPS-responsive C3H/HeN mice which was enhanced by LPS was suppressed by adding splenic macrophages of C3H/HeN mice, but not of LPS-nonresponsive C3H/HeJ mice. The response to TNP-KLH of macrophage-depleted spleen cells of C3H/HeJ mice was not enhanced by LPS, irrespective of the addition of macrophages of C3H/HeN mice. The results indicate that B cells are activated directly by LPS, and T cells enhance and macrophages suppress the adjuvant effect of LPS.     

In vivo elimination by specific effector cells of an established syngeneic rat moloney virus-induced sarcoma.

BN rats immunized subcutaneously with a viral induced tumor (MST) or with a chemical-induced fibrosarcoma (BC5) were donors of immune spleen cells. Samples of immune spleen cells were tested in vitro against MST and BC5 in a 51Cr release assay before culturing and after 7 days of culture with mitomycin C-treated MST and/or BC5 tumor cells (MSTMit, BC5Mit). These spleen cells were infused in vivo i.v. into x-rayed (400 R) and nonirradiated BN recipients that bore a vascularized and progressive (1 to 1.5 cm in diameter) subcutaneous MST or BC5. Spleen cells from untreated BN donor rats were also tested in vitro and in vivo as controls. Established MST were specifically eliminated by spleen cells immune to MST after culture with MSTMit, but not by spleen cells immune to MST without further culture nor by cultured or uncultured BC5 immune spleen cells and control spleen cells. Also, the growth of BC5 was not affected by MST immune spleen cells cultured for 7 days with MST and/or BC5. Elimination of Moloney sarcoma (MST) in vivo occurred in less than 35 days and was correlated with the generation of cytotoxicity in vitro since only MST immune spleen cells cultured with MSTMit were able to augment significantly their cytotoxic capability in vitro.     

Alternative induction of alpha/beta interferons and gamma interferon by listeria monocytogenes in mouse spleen cell cultures

Production of interferon (IFN) by Listeria monocytogenes (LM) in nonimmunized mouse spleen cell cultures was studied. IFN-gamma defined by virtue of its acid stability and antigenicity was produced in spleen cell cultures obtained from ddY mice, C57BL/6 mice, and BALB/c mice in response to heat-killed (HK) LM within 24 hr. On the other hand, production of IFN-alpha/beta was demonstrated in spleen cell cultures obtained from one of four nude mice (BALB/c, nu/nu). Therefore, it is important to know the reason why the spleen cells of mice other than nude mice did produce only IFN-gamma, but did not produce IFN-alpha/beta in response to HK-LM. Spleen cells obtained from ddY mice were fractionated, and the cellular source for IFN production of either IFN-alpha/beta or IFN-gamma induced by HK-LM was investigated. IFN-gamma was produced only by a mixture of T lymphocytes (nylon wool-nonadherent, Thy-1-positive cells) and macrophages by HK-LM. Neither T lymphocytes nor macrophages alone produced IFN by HK-LM. Macrophage-depleted spleen cells produced neither IFN-gamma nor IFN-alpha/beta, but these cells acquired the ability to produce IFN-alpha/beta, not IFN-gamma, only when they had been treated with IFN-alpha/beta. A possible mechanism of both IFN-gamma and IFN-alpha/beta induction by Listeria in mouse spleen cell cultures is discussed.     

In vitro and in vivo interferon production in NOD mice

The production of interferon-alpha/beta (INF-alpha/beta) and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) in NOD and ICR mice was studied in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro IFN-alpha/beta production in the spleen cells of NOD mice, which were stimulated with either Newcastle disease virus (NDV), Sendai virus, poly(I:C) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), was very similar to the IFN-alpha/beta production in the spleen cells of ICR mice. Contrastingly, the in vitro IFN-gamma production in the spleen cells of NOD mice, which were stimulated with either concanavalin A (Con A), phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or pokeweed mitogen (PWM), was greater than the IFN-gamma production in spleen cells of ICR mice. The in vivo IFN-alpha/beta production in NOD mice induced by NDV was also very similar to that in ICR mice, whereas the in vivo IFN-gamma production in the BCG-sensitized NOD mice, which was induced by purified protein derivative (PPD), was greater than that in the ICR mice. These results may indicate that NOD mice have abnormalities on the IFN-gamma production.     

Spleen Volume Variation in Patients with Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Receiving Platinum-Based Chemo-Radiotherapy

There is renewed interest in the immune regulatory role of the spleen in oncology. To date, very few studies have examined macroscopic variations of splenic volume in the setting of cancer, prior to or during therapy, especially in humans. Changes in splenic volume may be associated with changes in splenic function. The purpose of this study was to investigate variations in spleen volume in NSCLC patients during chemo-radiotherapy. Sixty patients with stage I-IIIB NSCLC underwent radiotherapy (60Gy/30 fractions) for six weeks with concomitant carboplatin/paclitaxel (Ca/P; n = 32) or cisplatin/etoposide (Ci/E; n = 28). A baseline PET/CT scan was performed within 2 weeks prior to treatment and during Weeks 2 and 4 of chemo-radiotherapy. Spleen volume was measured by contouring all CT slices. Significant macroscopic changes in splenic volume occurred early after the commencement of treatment. A significant decrease in spleen volume was observed for 66% of Ca/P and 79% of Ci/E patients between baseline and Week 2. Spleen volume was decreased by 14.2% for Ca/P (p<0.001) and 19.3% for Ci/E (p<0.001) patients. By Week 4, spleen volume was still significantly decreased for Ca/P patients compared to baseline, while for Ci/E patients, spleen volume returned to above baseline levels. This is the first report demonstrating macroscopic changes in the spleen in NSCLC patients undergoing radical chemo-radiotherapy that can be visualized by non-invasive imaging.