Leptin induces CD40 expression through the activation of Akt in murine dendritic cells

Increasing evidence suggests a regulatory role for leptin, an adipocyte-derived hormone, in immunity. Although recent studies indicated an essential role of leptin signaling in dendritic cell (DC) maturation, the molecular mechanisms by which leptin modulates DC functional maturation remained unclear. In this study, we showed that leptin induced CD40 expression in murine DC and significantly up-regulated their immunostimulatory function in driving T cell proliferation. Moreover, leptin markedly enhanced lipopolysaccharide-mediated DC activation. Using pharmacological inhibitors for Akt, STAT-1alpha, or NF-kappaB and the dominant negative forms of Akt and IkappaB kinase alpha/beta/gamma, as well as small interfering RNA for STAT-1alpha, we showed that Akt, STAT-1alpha, and NF-kappaB were important for the leptinor lipopolysaccharide-induced CD40 expression. Coimmunoprecipitation analysis revealed that leptin promoted immune complex formation between Akt and the IkappaB kinase subunits as well as STAT-1alpha. Blocking the activity of Akt demonstrated a crucial role for Akt in translocation of STAT-1alpha and NF-kappaB to the nucleus and activation of the CD40 promoter. Further analysis with chromatin immunoprecipitation assay confirmed that leptin recruited STAT-1alpha, NF-kappaBp65, and RNA polymerase II to the CD40 promoter and enhanced histone 4 acetylation in a time-dependent manner. Thus, our results have elucidated the molecular mechanisms underlying leptin-induced CD40 expression and DC maturation.     

O-GlcNAc modulation at Akt1 Ser473 correlates with apoptosis of murine pancreatic beta cells

O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT)-mediated modification of protein Ser/Thr residues with O-GlcNAc influences protein activity, similar to the effects of phosphorylation. The anti-apoptotic Akt1 is both activated by phosphorylation and modified with O-GlcNAc. However, the nature and significance of the Akt1 O-GlcNAc modification is unknown. The relationship of O-GlcNAc modification and phosphorylation at Akt1 Ser473 was examined with respect to apoptosis of murine beta-pancreatic cells. Glucosamine treatment induced apoptosis, which correlated with enhanced O-GlcNAc modification of Akt1 and concomitant reduction in Ser473 phosphorylation. Pharmacological inhibition of OGT or O-GlcNAcase revealed an inverse correlation between O-GlcNAc modification and Ser473 phosphorylation of Akt1. MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry analysis of Akt1 immunoprecipitates from glucosamine-treated cells, but not untreated controls, showed a peptide containing S473/T479 that was presumably modified with O-GlcNAc. Furthermore, in vitro O-GlcNAc-modification analysis of wildtype and mutant Akt1 revealed that S473 was targeted by recombinant OGT. A S473A Akt1 mutant demonstrated reduced basal and glucosamine-induced Akt1 O-GlcNAc modification compared with wildtype Akt1. Furthermore, wildtype Akt1, but not the S473A mutant, appeared to be associated with OGT following glucosamine treatment. Together, these observations suggest that Akt1 Ser473 may undergo both phosphorylation and O-GlcNAc modification, and the balance between these may regulate murine beta-pancreatic cell fate.     

Neuromedin B induces angiogenesis via activation of ERK and Akt in endothelial cells

Neuromedin B (NMB) is one of the bombesin-like peptides in mammals. Recently, bombesin-like peptides have been characterized as growth factors in highly vascularized tumors. In this study, we report that NMB potently stimulates in vivo neovascularization in a mouse Matrigel plug and the sprouting of endothelial cells ex vivo in rat aortic rings. In addition, NMB increases the migration and tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Moreover, treatment of HUVECs with NMB activates the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK_1/2), Akt, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and increases the level of NO production in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, ERK activation and angiogenic sprouting in response to NMB are significantly blocked by the MEK inhibitor. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) suppresses the NMB-stimulated tubular formation of HUVECs, along with reduction in the phosphorylation of Akt and eNOS. Taken together, these results indicate that NMB is a novel angiogenic peptide, and its angiogenic activity is mediated by activating the MEK/ERK- and PI3K/Akt/eNOS-dependent pathways. This study suggests that NMB may play important roles in mediating a variety of pathophysiological angiogenesis.     

Metabolic fate of cell surface glycoproteins during immunoglobulin-induced internalization

Goat antibodies directed against a subset of the externally oriented plasma membrane glycoproteins of hepatoma tissue culture (HTC) cells were used to follow the metabolic fate of the membrane antigens and the specifically bound immunoglobulin molecules in this cell type in cultures. Analyses of the immunoprecipitates from cells labeled in situ with neuraminidase and galactose oxidase, followed by reduction with tritiated sodium borohydride, indicate that about 40% of the galactose-labeled plasma membrane glycoproteins are recognized by the antiserum. Fluorescent microscopic analyses of cells treated with fluorescein-conjugated immunoglobulins and analyses of trypsin accessibility indicate that probably all of the antibodies bound to the cell surface are patched and internalized within about 4 hr when the cells are subsequently cultured at 37 degrees C in the presence of rabbit anti-goat immunoglobulins. At the same time, the antigens are also interiorized. Analyses of the cellular localization of the interiorized antigens and antibodies by cell fractionation on Percoll gradients show that the immunoglobulins to the cell surface antigens and the antigens themselves migrate to the same region of the Percoll gradient as lysosomal hydrolases. Although the antibodies bind to the cell surface glycoproteins and bring about patching and interiorization, there is no effect on the degradation of the plasma membrane antigens labeled via the galactose oxidase/borohydride reduction method. Furthermore, the iodinated antibodies directed against these membrane glycoproteins behave in their turnover properties like membrane antigens; the cell-bound specific immunoglobulins have the same half-life as the membrane glycoproteins. When the cells that had been reacted with the goat antibodies to membrane glycoprotein were cultured in the presence of rabbit anti-goat immunoglobulins, degradation of the former antibodies was effectively decreased. Similar results were obtained with concanavalin A and antibodies directed against this plant lectin.     

Characterization of murine T cell activation signals produced by B lymphoma cells

The activation requirements of alloreactive and antigen reactive murine T cells were examined by stimulating class II restricted T cell clones with monoclonal B lymphoma cells. One B lymphoma cell line (T27A) was found to stimulate IL 2 release from some alloreactive T cell clones without stimulating any significant T cell proliferation response. The same B lymphoma cells are capable of stimulating IL 2 release and proliferative responses from other T cell clones. Evidence is presented suggesting that B lymphoma cell stimulation of these T cell clones is largely IL 1 independent and that at least some T cell clones may require activation signals other than Ia, antigen, and IL 1. The addition of exogenous, purified IL 1 to the T cell activation assays was found to have a wide range of stimulatory effects on the proliferative responses of different T cell clones. The absence of comparable IL 1-induced stimulation of IL 2 secretion suggests that IL 1 primarily enhances antigen specific T cell proliferation through mechanisms other than acting as a co-stimulant for IL 2 release.     

In vitro activation of murine antigen-specific memory B cells by a T-dependent antigen

A procedure that generates an enriched population (60 to 85%) of memory B cells specific for TNP (TNP-MABC) was employed. The activation requirements of TNP-MABC for the T-dependent antigen TNP-KLH and carrier-primed helper T (Th) cells were compared to those for TNP-binding cells from nonimmune mice (TNP-ABC). Proliferation and differentiation of TNP-MABC in response to cognate recognition of antigen requires less antigen and fewer carrier-primed Th cells than the activation of TNP-ABC. Furthermore, responses of the TNP-MABC were of a greater magnitude. Non-cognate activation induces a low level of proliferation of both TNP-ABC and TNP-MABC, but induces differentiation of TNP-MABC only. Percoll density fractionation of spleen cells prior to enrichment for TNP-MABC suggests that the small, dense cell population responds to cognate, but not to non-cognate activation. FACS separation of TNP-MABC by surface Ig isotype reveals that approximately 80% of the secondary IgG response is derived from cells expressing sIgG. Such cells constitute less than 10% of the total number of TNP-MABC. Limiting dilution studies with sorted TNP-MABC indicate that sIgG+ TNP-MABC are enriched for precursors that give rise to a large clone size. The in vitro results indicate the existence of three putative pathways for antigen-specific memory B cell activation by a T-dependent antigen: 1) sIgG+ cells differentiating into IgG-secreting cells; 2) sIgM+ cells differentiating into IgG-secreting cells; and 3) sIgM+ cells differentiating into IgM-secreting cells.     

Syk is required for the activation of Akt survival pathway in B cells exposed to oxidative stress

Syk has been demonstrated to play a crucial role in oxidative stress signaling in B cells. Here we report that Syk is required for the activation of the phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase-Akt survival pathway in B cells exposed to oxidative stress. Phosphorylation and activation of the serine-threonine kinase Akt were markedly increased in B cells treated with H(2)O(2). In Syk-deficient DT40 cells treated with low doses of H(2)O(2) (10-100 microm), Akt activation was considerably reduced. Pretreatment with wortmannin, a PI 3-kinase-specific inhibitor, completely blocked the Syk-dependent Akt activation. Following stimulation by low doses of H(2)O(2), a significant increase in PI 3-kinase activity was found in wild-type but not in Syk-deficient cells. These findings suggest that PI 3-kinase mediates Syk-dependent Akt activation pathway. Furthermore, viability of Syk-deficient cells, after exposure to H(2)O(2), was dramatically decreased and caspase-9 activity was greatly increased compared with that of the wild-type cells. These results suggest that Syk is essential for the Akt survival pathway in B cells and enhances cellular resistance to oxidative stress-induced apoptosis.     

Unravelling the activation mechanisms of protein kinase B/Akt

Over the past decade, protein kinase B (PKB, also termed Akt) has emerged as an important signaling mediator between extracellular cues and modulation of gene expression, metabolism, and cell survival. The enzyme is tightly controlled and consequences of its deregulation include loss of growth control and oncogenesis. Recent work has better characterized the mechanism of PKB activation, including upstream regulators and secondary binding partners. This minireview refreshes some old concepts with new twists and highlights current outstanding questions.     

Akt activation prevents Apop-1-induced death of cells

Apop-1 is a novel protein identified in cultured atherosclerotic smooth muscle cells of ApoE-deficient mice, and the expression of the Apop-1 protein induces the death of cultured cells. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a well-characterized survival factor for VSMC; however, the interaction between Apop-1 and survival factor IGF-1 in the mediation of cell death is poorly understood. In this report, we show that the IGF-1 signaling cascade protects VSMC against Apop-1-induced death. Furthermore, our data indicate that the inhibition of Apop-1-induced death by IGF-1 is mediated by the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.     

Characteristics of B cell proliferation and activation in murine AIDS

A syndrome characterized by lymphadenopathy, hypergammaglobulinemia, and immunodeficiency develops in C57BL/6 mice inoculated with LP-BM5 murine leukemia viruses. By studying the number and antigenic specificity of B cells activated in the course of this disease, we found that a series of reproducible changes in the humoral immune system were induced by retroviral infection. The rate of B cell proliferation and the proportion of B cells activated to secrete Ig increased by nearly 10-fold at 4 wk post inoculation. B cells producing antibodies reactive with a panel of three conventional Ag and five autoantigens were stimulated simultaneously and proportionally to secrete, demonstrating that such activation was polyclonal in nature. At 12 wk post infection, the number of Ig-secreting B cells continued to rise and significant hypergammaglobulinemia developed. At 16 wk post infection, immunostimulation gave way to immunosuppression, as evidenced by a slight decline in the number of Ig-secreting lymphocytes and a sharp reduction in the concentration of serum antibody. At this time, the B cell repertoires of infected mice diverged markedly from those of uninfected animals. These changes are comparable to those found in some patients infected with HIV, and provide a useful model to study the association between retroviral infection and regulatory abnormalities of the humoral immune system.     

Specific activation of murine B cells by low molecular weight polyamino-polycarboxylic acids (ampholytes).

Commercial preparations of ampholytes (AM), which consist of mixtures of large numbers of polyamino-polycarboxylic acids of molecular weight less than 1000 and whose chemical composition is otherwise not specified by the manufacturer, were found to induce blastogenesis in spleen cell cultures from various strains of mice. The blastogenic response of the spleen cells to the ampholytes was 2 to 12 times greater than that of the unstimulated cultures, and peak stimulatory activity occurred 2–4 days after stimulation. Preparations consisting of either acidic, neutral, or alkaline ampholytes were all found to be mitogenic, although the alkaline ampholytes generally induced the highest stimulation and were active over the widest concentration range (0.08–80 μg per culture). Studies using spleen cells from nu/nu mice, CBA/N mice, organ distribution studies, and the use of cytotoxic antisera and complement for the depletion of thymus-derived (T) cells or bone marrow-derived (B) cells suggested that ampholytes are mitogenic for murine B cells. These cells arise early in ontogeny, because the ampholytes were found to be as mitogenic for spleen cells from newborn as for adult mice. Further, in concordance with the characteristics of other B-cell mitogens, injection of mice with ampholytes induced polyclonal antibody synthesis. The possibility that blastogenic stimulation was due to a contaminant was ruled out by demonstrating that anti-lipid A-treated, ultrafiltered, and isoelectric-focused ampholytes retained stimulatory activity. The results of these investigations suggest that commercial ampholyte preparations contain an undetermined number of low molecular weight (< 1000) acidic, neutral, and alkaline polyamino-polycarboxylic acids which are specific mitogens for a primitive population of murine B cells.     

Bcl-2 attenuates anticancer agents-induced apoptosis by sustained activation of Akt/protein kinase B in U937 cells

Aberrant overexpression of antiapoptotic members of the Bcl-2 protein family contributes to resistance to anticancer therapeutic drugs. Thus, this protein represent attractive target for novel anticancer agents. In the present study, we determined the effect of the anti-apoptosis protein Bcl-2 on caspase-3 activation, PLC-γ1 degradation and Akt activation during the various anticancer agents-induced apoptosis. Treatment with chrysin for 12 h produced morphological features of apoptosis in U937 cells, which was associated with caspase-3 activation and PLC-γ1 degradation. Induction of apoptosis was also accompanied by down-regulation of XIAP and inactivation of Akt. Chrysin-induced caspase-3 activation, PLC-γ1 degradation and apoptosis were significantly attenuated in Bcl-2 overexpressing U937/Bcl-2 cells. Ectopic expression of Bcl-2 appeared to inhibit ceramide-, and Akt specific inhibitor (SH-6)-induced apoptosis by sustained Akt activation. Thus, our findings imply that some of the biological functions of Bcl-2 may be attributed to their ability to inhibit anticancer agents-induced apoptosis through the sustained Akt activation.     

Canstatin inhibits Akt activation and induces Fas-dependent apoptosis in endothelial cells

Canstatin, a 24-kDa peptide derived from the C-terminal globular non-collagenous (NC1) domain of the alpha2 chain of type IV collagen, was previously shown to induce apoptosis in cultured endothelial cells and to inhibit angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. In this report, we demonstrate that canstatin inhibits the phosphorylation of Akt, focal adhesion kinase, mammalian target of rapamycin, eukaryotic initiation factor-4E-binding protein-1, and ribosomal S6 kinase in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells. It also induces Fas ligand expression, activates procaspases 8 and 9 cleavage, reduces mitochondrial membrane potential, and increases cell death (as determined by propidium iodide staining). Canstatin-induced activation of procaspases 8 and 9 as well as the induced reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential and cell viability were attenuated by the forced expression of FLICE-inhibitory protein. Canstatin-induced procaspase 8 activation and cell death were also inhibited by a neutralizing anti-Fas antibody. Collectively, these data indicate that canstatin-induced apoptosis is associated with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt inhibition and is dependent upon signaling events transduced through membrane death receptors.     

Polyclonal activation of murine B lymphocytes by immune complexes

Murine splenic B lymphocytes are stimulated by homologous immune complexes to proliferate and secrete polyclonal antibody. The use of antibody from whole serum or monoclonal antibodies to form complexes resulted in the stimulation of mouse B lymphocytes. The ratio of antibody to antigen appears to be critical for the generation of the polyclonal antibody response. Because antigen and antibody are added independently at culture initiation, the exact nature of the complex is unknown, but optimal polyclonal antibody formation occurs in slight antigen excess. Immune complex-induced polyclonal antibody production requires the presence of both macrophages and T cells, whereas B cell proliferation requires only macrophages. The role of the macrophage appears to be to cleave a low m.w. (17,000) fragment from the complex, which is responsible for lymphocyte activation.     

CD27-mediated activation of murine NK cells

CD27, a member of the TNF receptor superfamily, has been implicated in T cell activation, T cell development, and T cell-dependent Ab production by B cells. In the present study we examined the expression and function of CD27 on murine NK cells. Murine NK cells constitutively expressed CD27 on their surface. Stimulation with immobilized anti-CD27 mAb or murine CD27 ligand (CD70) transfectans solely could induce proliferation and IFN-gamma production of freshly isolated NK cells and enhanced the proliferation and IFN-gamma production of anti-NK1.1-sutimulated NK cells. Although NK cell cytotoxicity was not triggered by anti-CD27 mAb or against CD70 transfectants, prestimulation via CD27 enhanced the cytotoxic activity of NK cells in an IFN-gamma-dependent manner. These results suggest that CD27-mediated activation may be involved in the NK cell-mediated innate immunity against virus-infected or transformed cells expressing CD70.     

Induction of phorbol ester responsiveness in conventional B cells after activation via surface Ig.

The signals required to induce S phase entry in murine splenic B cells were found to be altered by prolonged treatment with low doses of anti-Ig antibody. Whereas fresh splenic B cells are stimulated by the combination of a phorbol ester protein kinase C agonist plus a calcium ionophore, anti-Ig-treated splenic B cells were stimulated by phorbol ester alone, in the absence of a comitogen. The majority of these phorbol ester responsive B cells expressed CD5. The phorbol ester responses of anti-Ig-treated splenic B cells paralleled those previously reported for untreated peritoneal CD5+ B cells in a number of respects: responses were not idiosyncratic to phorbol esters but occurred with nonphorbol protein kinase C agonists; phorbol ester responses were enhanced by IL-4; and, phorbol ester responses occurred rapidly and were greater at 24 than at 48 h. However, the effect of agents that act to raise intracellular levels of cAMP distinguished between anti-Ig-treated splenic B cells and untreated peritoneal B cells in that the phorbol ester responses of the former were enhanced whereas the responses of the latter were inhibited. The present results add a functional dimension to the phenotypic similarity between splenic B cells treated with anti-Ig and resident peritoneal B cells that constitutively express CD5; however, some differences in behavior were noted.     

The surface phenotype and enzymatic cytochemical markers of B cells during pokeweed mitogen activation

Methods of monoclonal antibodies, cytochemistry and rosette formation have been used to study antigens, receptors and enzymatic activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes during pokeweed mitogen-stimulation. After 18-20 hours in mitogen-stimulated cultures there is a decrease in number of T-lymphocytes that express CD7, CD5, CD4, CD8 antigens and of E-receptors and cells with the local activities of acid phosphatase and acid non-specific esterase. The number of lymphocytes with E37-, FcM- and M-receptors and of cells with granular PAS-reaction increased. Blast cells were revealed after 40-48 hours. Approximately 50% blast cells forming E37-rosettes and expressing CD7, CD5, CD2 antigens were characterized by the local activities of the above enzymes. The blasts did not express FcG-, FcM-, C3- or M-receptors. Cells like those at the Hodgkin disease and the "hand mirror" type cells were established on days 3-4. The number of lymphocytes with plasmatization was seen to increase by day 7.     

The role of cell surface receptors in the activation of human B cells by phosphorothioate oligonucleotides

Phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides (sODN) containing the CpG motif or TCG repeats induce T cell-independent polyclonal activation of human B cells. To elucidate the mechanism of this response, the role of cell surface receptors was investigated. Sepharose beads coated with stimulatory but not nonstimulatory sODNs induced B cell proliferation comparably with soluble sODNs. The B cell stimulatory activity of Sepharose-bound sODN did not result from free sODN released from the beads since media incubated with coated beads were inactive. Using FITC-labeled sODNs as probes, binding to human B cells could be detected by flow cytometry. Binding was rapid, saturable, initially temperature independent, but with a rapid off-rate. Competition studies indicated that both stimulatory sODNs and minimally stimulatory sODNs bound to the same receptor. By contrast, phosphodiester oligonucleotides with the same nucleotide sequence as sODNs and bacterial DNA inhibited the binding of sODNs to B cells minimally. Charge appeared to contribute to the binding of sODNs to B cells since binding of sODNs was competitively inhibited by negatively charged molecules, including fucoidan, poly I, and polyvinyl sulfate. These data indicate that human B cells bind sODNs by a receptor-mediated mechanism that is necessary but not sufficient for polyclonal activation.     

Activity-dependent NMDA receptor-mediated activation of protein kinase B/Akt in cortical neuronal cultures

The serine/threonine protein kinase B (PKB)/Akt is a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) effector that is thought to play an important roll in a wide variety of cellular events. The present study examined whether PKB activation in cortical neuronal cultures is coupled with synaptic activity. A 1-h incubation of neuronal cultures with tetrodotoxin (TTX), the PI3K inhibitor wortmannin, the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 or removal of extracellular calcium significantly reduced basal levels of phospho(Ser473)-PKB, indicating that activity-dependent glutamate release maintains PKB activation through an NMDA receptor-PI3K pathway. A 5-min exposure to NMDA (50 micro m) in the presence of TTX increased phospho-PKB back to levels observed in the absence of TTX. NMDA stimulation of phospho-PKB was blocked by wortmannin, the CaMKII inhibitor KN-93, MK-801, and removal of extracellular calcium. We have previously shown that NMDA receptors can bi-directionally regulate activation of extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK), and NMDA receptor stimulation of PKB in the present study appeared to mirror activation of ERK. These results suggest that in cultured cortical neurons, PKB activity is dynamically regulated by synaptic activity and is coupled to NMDA receptor activation. In addition, NMDA receptor activation of ERK and PKB may occur through overlapping signaling pathways that bifurcate at the level of Ras.     

Differentiation of murine B cells induced by chondroitin sulfate B

A two-step culture system was used to investigate the role of chondroitin sulfate (CS) B, which is mitogenic to B cells, in differentiation of B cells. Mouse spleen B cells were incubated for 3 days with CSB in the presence of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5. After washing, the cells were replated at 10(5) viable cells/well and recultured without CSB in the presence of IL-4 and IL-5. CSB dose-dependently increased IgM production, the greatest enhancement being 450%. Dextran sulfate had a similar effect, whereas other glycosaminoglycans, CSA, CSC, heparin and hyaluronic acid, were marginally effective. Treatment of B cells with CSB resulted in increases in the number of IgM-secreting cells and numbers of CD138-positive cells and CD45R/B220-negative cells. CSB-induced IgM production was inhibited by the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor GF109203X but not by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin. These results demonstrated that CSB promoted differentiation of B cells in the presence of IL-4 and IL-5 and suggested that PKC but not PI3K is crucial for CSB-induced IgM production.