The role of the CD134-CD134 ligand costimulatory pathway in alloimmune responses in vivo

The CD134-CD134 ligand (CD134L) costimulatory pathway has been shown to be critical for both T and B cell activation; however, its role in regulating the alloimmune response remains unexplored. Furthermore, its interactions with other costimulatory pathways and immunosuppressive agents are unclear. We investigated the effect of CD134-CD134L pathway blockade on allograft rejection in fully MHC-mismatched rat cardiac and skin transplantation models. CD134L blockade alone did not prolong graft survival compared with that of untreated recipients, and in combination with donor-specific transfusion, cyclosporine, or rapamycin, was less effective than B7 blockade in prolonging allograft survival. However, in combination with B7 blockade, long-term allograft survival was achieved in all recipients (>200 days). Moreover, this was synergistic in reducing the frequency of IFN-gamma-producing alloreactive lymphocytes and inhibiting the generation of activated/effector lymphocytes. Most impressively, this combination prevented rejection in a presensitized model using adoptive transfer of primed lymphocytes into athymic heart transplant recipients. In comparison to untreated recipients (mean survival time (MST): 5.3 +/- 0.5 days), anti-CD134L mAb alone modestly prolonged allograft survival (MST: 14 +/- 2.8 days) as did CTLA4Ig (MST: 21.5 +/- 1.7 days), but all grafts were rejected within 24 days. Importantly, combined blockade further and significantly prolonged allograft survival (MST: 75.3 +/- 12.7 days) and prevented the expansion and/or persistence of primed/effector alloreactive T cells. Our data suggest that CD134-CD134L is a critical pathway in alloimmune responses, especially recall/primed responses, and is synergistic with CD28-B7 in mediating T cell effector responses during allograft rejection. Understanding the mechanisms of collaboration between these different pathways is important for the development of novel strategies to promote long-term allograft survival.     

Nerve growth factor protects against 6-hydroxydopamine-induced oxidative stress by increasing expression of heme oxygenase-1 in a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent manner

The survival signal elicited by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt1 pathway has been correlated with inactivation of pro-apoptotic proteins and attenuation of the general stress-induced increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the mechanisms by which this pathway regulates intracellular ROS levels remain largely unexplored. In this study, we demonstrate that nerve growth factor (NGF) prevents the accumulation of ROS in dopaminergic PC12 cells challenged with the Parkinson's disease-related neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) by a mechanism that involves PI3K/Akt-dependent induction of the stress response protein heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). The effect of NGF was mimicked by induction of HO-1 expression with CoCl(2); by treatment with bilirubin, an end product of heme catabolism; and by infection with a retroviral expression vector for human HO-1. The relevance of HO-1 in NGF-induced ROS reduction was further demonstrated by the evidence that cells treated with the HO-1 inhibitor tin-protoporphyrin or infected with a retroviral expression vector for antisense HO-1 exhibited enhanced ROS release in response to 6-OHDA, despite the presence of the neurotrophin. Inhibition of PI3K prevented NGF induction of HO-1 mRNA and protein and partially reversed its protective effect against 6-OHDA-induced ROS release. By contrast, cells transfected with a membrane-targeted active version of Akt1 exhibited increased HO-1 expression, even in the absence of NGF, and displayed a greatly attenuated production of ROS and apoptosis in response to 6-OHDA. These observations indicate that the PI3K/Akt pathway controls the intracellular levels of ROS by regulating the expression of the antioxidant enzyme HO-1.     

Linkage disequilibrium and founder effect analysis of the NF1 gene in French Canadians from the Quebec population

We genotyped 19 neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) families from French Canadians of the Quebec population with four intragenic microsatellites (IVS26-2.3, IVS27AC28.4, IVS27AC33.1, and IVS38GT53.0). Linkage analysis of the four microsatellite markers among the 19 NF1 families indicates that the four microsatellites are strongly linked with NF1 disease (LOD = 2.76-3.64). The four markers are associated (P = 0-0.077) except marker pair IVS26-2.3/IVS27AC33.1 (P = 0.18 or 0.17). However, perhaps due to the high mutation rate of the NF1 gene, no founder effect for NF1 was detected in the Quebec French Canadians.     

Physiological mechanisms of regulating alloimmunity: cytokines,CTLA-4, CD25+ cells,and the alloreactive T cell clone size

The mechanisms underlying physiological regulation of alloimmune responses remain poorly defined. We investigated the roles of cytokines, CTLA-4, CD25(+) T cells, and apoptosis in regulating alloimmune responses in vivo. Two murine cardiac transplant models were used, B10.D2 (minor mismatch) and C57BL/6 (major mismatch), into BALB/c recipients. Recipients were wild type, STAT4(-/-) (Th1 deficient), or STAT6(-/-) (Th2 deficient) mice. Minor mismatched allografts were accepted spontaneously in approximately 70% of wild type and STAT4(-/-) mice. By contrast, there was significantly shorter graft survival in minor mismatched STAT6(-/-) mice. Either the adoptive transfer of STAT4(-/-) splenocytes or the administration of IL-4Fc fusion protein into STAT6(-/-) mice resulted in long term graft survival. Blocking CTLA-4 signaling accelerated the rejection in all recipients, but was more pronounced in the minor combination. This was accompanied by an increased frequency of alloreactive T cells. Furthermore, CTLA-4 blockade regulated CD4(+) or CD8(+) as well as Th1 or Th2 alloreactive T cells. Finally, while anti-CD25 treatment prolonged graft survival in the major mismatched combination, the same treatment accelerated graft rejection in the minor mismatched group. The latter was associated with an increased frequency of alloreactive T cells and inhibition of T cell apoptosis. These data demonstrate that cytokine regulation, CTLA-4 negative signaling, and T cell apoptosis play critical roles in regulating alloimmunity, especially under conditions where the alloreactive T cell clone size is relatively small.     

Inflammatory markers and coronary heart disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Despite changes in lifestyle and the use of effective pharmacologic interventions to lower cholesterol levels, coronary heart disease remains the major cause of morbidity and mortality in the developed world. Cholesterol screening fails to identify almost 50% of those individuals who will present with acute coronary syndromes. Recent evidence from laboratory and prospective clinical studies demonstrates that atherosclerosis is not simply a disease of lipid deposition, but rather is an inflammatory process with highly specific cellular and molecular responses. The clinical utility of inflammatory markers has been examined in a variety of atherothrombotic diseases. Because C-reactive protein is highly stable in stored frozen samples, and automated and robust analytical systems for its measurement are available, it has become the most widely examined inflammatory marker. RECENT FINDINGS: C-reactive protein has consistently been shown to be a useful prognostic indicator in acute coronary syndromes and is a strong predictor of future coronary events in apparently healthy individuals. In addition, C-reactive protein can identify individuals with normal lipid levels who are at increased risk for future coronary events. Because drugs such as aspirin and statins reduce inflammatory risk, C-reactive protein has the potential to guide the use of these therapies in high-risk individuals for primary prevention. SUMMARY: C-reactive protein may have a role in global risk assessment for primary prevention and in targeting those patients who will benefit from anti-inflammatory therapies. In addition, it may also be a good prognostic indicator in patients with acute coronary syndromes.     

Multiplex Pyrosequencing

We describe here the development of a new and simple single-tube multiplex Pyrosequencing assay. Genomic DNA or cDNA was employed to PCR amplify region(s) using biotinylated and normal primer(s). Subsequent to capture of PCR products on streptavidin-coated beads, single-stranded DNA separation and hybridization of multiple sequencing primers, Pyrosequencing was performed. The obtained pyrogram resulted in a unique pattern in which the intensity of the signal determined the number of incorporated nucleotide(s). Here, we demonstrate the use of this multiplex Pyrosequencing for single nucleotide polymorphisms genotyping and microbial typing.     

Modulation of VE-cadherin and PECAM-1 mediated cell-cell adhesions by mitogen-activated protein kinases

Endothelial cell transition from a differentiated, quiescent phenotype to a migratory, proliferative phenotype is essential during angiogenesis. This transition is dependent on alterations in the balanced production of stimulatory and inhibitory factors, which normally keep angiogenesis in check. Activation of MAPK/ERKs is essential for endothelial cell migration and proliferation. However, its role in regulation of endothelial cell adhesive mechanisms requires further delineation. Here, we show that sustained activation of MAPK/ERKs results in disruption of cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion, down-regulation of PECAM-1 expression, and enhanced cell migration in microvascular endothelial cells. Expression of a constitutively active MEK-1 in mouse brain endothelial (bEND) cells resulted in down-regulation of VE-cadherin and catenins expression concomitant with down-regulation of PECAM-1 expression. In contrast, inhibition of MEK-1 restored parental morphology, cadherin/catenins expression and localization. These data are further supported by our observation that sustained activation of MAPK/ERKs in phorbol myristate acetate incubated HUVEC lead to disruption of cadherin-mediate cell-cell interactions and enhanced capillary formation on Matrigel. Thus, sustained activation of MAPK/ERKs plays an important role in disruption of cell-cell adhesion and migration of endothelial cells.     

Influence of heme and heme oxygenase-1 transfection of pulmonary microvascular endothelium on oxidant generation and cGMP

Heme is a co-factor required for the stimulation of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) by nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide, and sGC activation by these agents is inhibited by superoxide. Because heme promotes oxidant generation, we examined the influence of rat pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMECs) with a stable human heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) transfection and heme on oxidant generation and cGMP. Culture of PMEC with low serum heme decreased cGMP and the detection of peroxide with 10 microM 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate and increased HO-1 further decreased cGMP without altering the peroxide detection under these conditions. Under conditions where heme (30 microM) has been shown to stimulate cGMP production in PMECsby mechanisms involving NO and CO, heme increased the detection of peroxide in a PMEC-dependent manner and HO-1 transfection did not markedly alter the effects heme on peroxide detection. The addition of 1 microM catalase markedly inhibited the effects of heme on peroxide detection whereas increasing (0.1 mM ebselen) or decreasing (depleting glutathione with 7 mM diethylmaleate) rates of intracellular peroxide metabolism or inhibiting the biosynthesis of oxidants (with 10 microM diphenyliodonium or 0.1 mM nitro-L-arginine) had only modest effects. The detection of superoxide by 10 microM dihydroethidium from PMECs was not increased by exposure to heme. These actions of oxidant probes suggest that intracellular oxidants have a minimal influence on the response to heme. Thus, exposure of PMECs to heme causes a complex response involving an extracellular generation of peroxide-derived oxidant species, which do not appear to originate from increases in intracellular superoxide or peroxide. This enables heme and HO to regulate sGC through mechanisms involving NO and CO, which are normally inhibited by superoxide.     

Methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris as a host for production of ATP-diphosphohydrolase (apyrase) from potato tubers (Solanum tuberosum)

ATP-diphosphohydrolase (apyrase) catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphoanhydride bonds of nucleoside tri- and di-phosphates in the presence of divalent cations. This enzyme has broad substrate specificity for nucleotides, which makes it an ideal enzyme for different biotechnical applications, such as DNA sequencing and platelet-aggregation inhibition. The only commercially available apyrase is isolated from potato tubers. To avoid batch-to-batch variations in activity and quality, we decided to produce a recombinant enzyme. The methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris was chosen as an eukaryotic expression host. The coding sequence of potato apyrase, without the signal peptide, was cloned into the YpDC541 vector to create a fusion with the alpha-mating secretion signal of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The gene was placed under the control of the methanol-inducible alcohol oxidase promoter. The YpDC541-apyrase construct was integrated into P. pastoris strain SMD1168. Methanol induction resulted in secretion of apyrase to a level of 1mg/L. The biologically active recombinant apyrase was purified by hydrophobic interaction and ion exchange chromatography. According to SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis, the purified enzyme showed to be hyperglycosylated. By enzymatic removal of N-glycans, a single band corresponding to a molecular mass of 48kDa was detected. The recombinant apyrase was found to function well when it was used in combination with the Pyrosequencing technology.