Arachidonic acid metabolism by murine peritoneal macrophages infected with Leishmania donovani: in vitro evidence for parasite-induced alterations in cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways

Leishmania donovani is an obligate intracellular protozoan that resides within mononuclear phagocytes of infected mammals. Affected human and rodent hosts commonly show abnormalities of T cell function, which may be related to altered macrophage physiology resulting from intracellular parasitism. To examine this possibility, we studied the metabolism of endogenous arachidonyl-phospholipids and [3H]-arachidonyl-phospholipids by murine peritoneal exudate macrophages infected with amastigotes of L. donovani. Our results indicated that infected cells synthesized increased amounts of both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase metabolites of arachidonic acid. Increased synthesis of immunoreactive prostaglandin (PG)E2 was evident as early as 1 to 4 hr after infection, was correlated with the fraction of cells infected, and was inhibited by sodium meclofenamate (0.2 and 20 microM) but not nordihydroguaiaretic acid (3 microM). As determined by thin-layer chromatography, infected cells also produced markedly increased amounts of prostaglandin F2 alpha (also inhibited by sodium meclofenamate) with insignificant increases in thromboxane B2 and the stable metabolite of prostacyclin, 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha. In contrast, stimulation of cells with opsonized zymosan resulted in significantly increased synthesis of all four eicosanoids. L. donovani infection was also found to induce marked increases in synthesis of lipoxygenase metabolites of arachidonic acid by infected cells. This was evidenced by increased amounts of [3H]-labeled material in cell extracts that co-migrated with authentic standards of 5 and 12/15-hydroxy-eicosate-traenoic acids in thin-layer chromatograms. Increased synthesis of these products was largely inhibited by both NDGA (3 microM) and sodium meclofenamate (20 and 0.2 microM). Additional evidence for augmentation of 5-lipoxygenase by Leishmania was provided by the demonstration of increased leukotriene-C4 in conditioned medium from infected cells. These results indicate that macrophages infected with L. donovani produce increased amounts of arachidonic acid metabolites with the potential for influencing cellular immune function and the inflammatory response to infection.     

Generation of activated killer (AK) cells by recombinant interleukin 2 (rIL 2) in collaboration with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)

Activation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by interleukin 2 (IL 2) and the role of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in the IL 2-induced activation were investigated. Activated killer (AK) cells against NK-resistant tumor cell lines were induced in the medium containing recombinant IL 2 (rIL 2) and autologous serum without any other stimulating agents. AK activity was induced by doses of rIL 2 as low as 3 U/ml, and reached a maximum at 10(3) U/ml. Incubation of PBMC with rIL 2 resulted in IFN-gamma production and augmented NK activity after 1 day of culture, and in induction of AK cells and proliferative response after 2 days of culture. These results suggested that endogenous IFN-gamma was required for rIL 2-induction of AK cells and proliferative response. To prove this, PBMC were cultured with rIL 2 and rIFN-gamma or were pretreated with rIFN-gamma before culture with rIL 2. Both rIFN-gamma treatments of PBMC augmented rIL 2-induced AK activity and proliferative response. rIL 2-induced IFN-gamma production was also enhanced by the rIFN-gamma pretreatment of PBMC. The addition of anti-IFN-gamma antibody to rIL 2 cultures abrogated the rIL 2-induced NK augmentation, AK generation, and proliferative response in proportion to the decreased amounts of endogenous IFN-gamma detectable in culture. rIFN-gamma and/or rIL 2 cultures of PBMC increased Tac antigen expression on cell surfaces as measured by flow cytometry. Enhanced Tac expression by rIL 2 was abrogated by adding anti-IFN-gamma antibody. These data indicate that: 1) AK generation and IFN-gamma production are mediated by IL 2, and 2) IFN-gamma production may be required for IL 2 induction of AK cells and proliferative response. These finding are consistent with the hypothesis that AK generation involves a collaboration between IL 2 and IFN-gamma, in which IL 2 stimulates PBMC to produce IFN-gamma, which in turn acts as a differentiation signal that may be involved in the IL 2-initiated AK generation and proliferative response.     

Decidual cell-specific surface antigen(s) recognized by monoclonal antibodies: tissue and species distribution

Decidual cells are direct descendants of endometrial stromal cells and the ultimate progeny of bone marrow-derived precursors. In view of their bone marrow genealogy and demonstrated immunoregulatory role during pregnancy, this study attempted to identify a lineage-specific differentiation marker(s) on murine decidual cells with the hope of tracing their developmental pathway and exploring their familial relationship to other lymphomyeloid cells. Two protein A-binding, IgG2b isotype monoclonal antibodies (secreted by clones 16F12 and 2G4F8) were raised by immunizing virgin CBA mice with syngeneic decidual cells. The presence and the density of the antigenic marker(s) recognized by these antibodies were examined by radioautography on various cell types in single cell suspensions of the decidua, placenta, and lymphomyeloid organs after a sandwich labeling with hybridoma supernatants followed by 125I-protein A. Both antibodies appeared to recognize antigen(s) unique for the decidual cell lineage in mice, humans, and rats. The incidence of antigen-bearing decidual cells increased with gestational age in CBA, C3H, and CD1 mice between days 8 and 14, and in humans between 6 and 10.5 wk; in rats, however, some decline was noted between days 8 and 14. The binding was always higher with 16F12 than with 2G4F8 supernatants. No significant binding of either antibody to trophoblast cells of the placenta or leukocytes within the decidua was noted in any of the above mouse strains or species. Little or no labeling of any cell type was seen on lymphomyeloid cells of the virgin or pregnant CBA mice, but a consistent labeling of a rare blast-type cell in the blood was observed with both antibodies, raising the possibility that this cell may represent the circulating precursor of the decidual cell lineage. It remains to be investigated whether these antibodies are recognizing the same or different differentiation antigen(s) on the decidual cells, and whether a conservation of this antigen(s) during speciation signifies its functional importance.     

CTL and serologically defined antigens of B2m,H-3 region

The antigens of the B2m,H-3 region of 13 chromosome 2 congenic strains and seven inbred strains have been studied by using CML and serologic techniques. Nine patterns of cross-reactivity have been defined by CML assays. These results are in agreement with an extend previously described cross-reactivity studies. The reactivities of three monoclonal antibodies previously thought to be reacting with B2M-B are shown to differ: Ly-m11 and J-5 react with cells of strain B10-pa,at and clone 23 does not. Two H-3 region loci are hypothesized on the basis of CML and serologic activity: B2m and H-3. The CTL responses to the B2M antigens are H-2K restricted; the CTL responses to H-3 antigens are H-2D restricted. The restriction of the response to the H-3 antigen requires effector-target identity of the H-2D molecule but not the B2M molecule of the class I antigen. These loci have been separated by recombination from H-42 in the production of the congenic strain B10.FS-a. A gene order of B2m, H-3, H-42 is suggested.     

Purification and partial characterization of a monoclonal "second order" suppressor factor specific for L-glutamic acid60-L-alanine30-L-tyrosine10

A GAT-specific "second order" suppressor T cell factor (TsF2) from the hybridoma 762 B3.7 has been purified and biochemically characterized. The protein has a m.w. of approximately 66,000, an isoelectric point of 6.8 to 6.9, and elutes from a reversed phase HPLC column in two peaks, one in 55% acetonitrile, the other in 70% propanol. Amino acid analysis of both forms gave similar molar ratios, suggesting that the two forms are closely related and may differ mainly in the degree of posttranslational modification. SDS-PAGE electrophoresis under reducing conditions gave two chains of the apparent m.w. of 42,000 and 35,000.     

Complement-mediated hemolytic activity of succinylated concanavalin A: preparation and activity of cell intermediates

Succinylated concanavalin A (SCon A) lyses sheep erythrocytes (E) in the presence of complement, whereas the native tetravalent lectin, Con A, is inactive. We have studied the ability of E-SCon A (ES) to interact with early acting guinea pig (gp) or human (hu) complement components (C1, C2, C4) and found that cell intermediates ESC1, ESC4, ESC14, and ESC142 can be generated that are analogous to intermediates conventionally prepared with E and rabbit IgM (pentameric) anti-Forssman antibody. Titration of gp or hu C1, C4, and C2, and quantification of the number of activated C1 molecules bound to ESC4 by the C1 fixation and transfer test showed in each case that an average of one effective site per cell was sufficient to cause cell lysis. Determination of tmax for optimal formation of ESC142 sites depended on the species combination of components used to make the intermediates, and the decay of ESC142 and EAC142 sites or sites generated with ESC4, EAC4, and trypsin-activated C2 were similar. The sugar alpha-D-methylglucopyranoside (alpha-MGP) inhibited binding of SCon A to E and eluted the lectin from ES, whereas galactose was nearly inactive, consistent with lectin sugar-binding selectivity. In contrast, both sugars were ineffective in eluting SCon A or C4hu from ESC4hu, indicating that C4hu blocked the interaction between lectin and alpha-MGP, perhaps by steric hindrance. SCon A is a divalent functional analogue of IgM anti-Forssman antibody that may be a uniquely suited reagent specific for cell membrane glycoconjugates for studying the mechanism of binding and activation of complement components.     

Coassimilation of dietary fat and benzo(a)pyrene in the small intestine: an absorption model using the killifish

Benzo(a)pyrene (BP) was dissolved in dietary fat and fed in a single dose to killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus). Fluorescence microscopic examinations of small intestinal content and frozen sections of whole small intestine revealed that during fat digestion BP was codispersed in liquid crystalline product phases produced during lipolysis (1979. Patton, J. S., and M. C. Carey, Science. 204: 145-148) and then coabsorbed with dietary lipid followed by its reappearance in intracellular fat droplets. During the time that the absorbed fat remained in the enterocytes, BP fluorescence was initially concentrated in the intracellular fat droplets and then spread throughout the cytosol of the enterocytes. Tissue analyses showed that BP was rapidly metabolized in the intestine and transported to the gallbladder. These studies show that separation of a dissolved hydrophobic carcinogen from dietary fat occurs primarily after the fat has been digested, dispersed, absorbed, and reassembled in the enterocyte. The inability of the enterocyte to discriminate between dietary fat and dissolved carcinogenic compounds may be a partial explanation of the observed link between high fat diets and the incidence of some cancers. In vertebrates, the intestine and not the liver, appears to be the major site of metabolism of dietary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).     

Organization of the actin multigene family of Dictyostelium discoideum and analysis of variability in the protein coding regions

There are 17 to 20 actin genes in the genome of the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum. Genomic clones of 15 of the genes have been isolated. Extensive nucleotide sequence within the protein-coding regions has been determined, including the complete nucleotide sequence of four genes representing the three distinct evolutionary groups of Dictyostelium actin genes. All are similar to mammalian cytoplasmic actins at diagnostic amino acid positions, and there is generally less variability among Dictyostelium actin genes than among Drosophila actin genes. Two genes, Actins 3-sub 1 and 3-sub 2 differ substantially from all the rest in terms of replacement amino acid substitutions and probably encode actin-related proteins rather than bona fide actins. Each contains several amino acid substitutions that should alter the secondary structure of the resulting proteins, and Actin 3-sub 2 encodes four additional amino acids at the C terminus. This gene is as divergent from other Dictyostelium actin genes as is the yeast or a soybean actin gene. At present, evidence suggests that all 15 genes examined are expressed, except the previously identified Actin 2-sub 2. We suggest that Dictyostelium might maintain a high number of functional actin genes for the purpose of regulating the level of actin synthesis within narrow limits, rather than because most genes perform different functions.     

Molecular evolution of the seed storage proteins of barley, rye and wheat

The major storage proteins (prolamins) of barley, rye and wheat are characterized by the presence of two or more unrelated structural domains, one of which contains repeated sequences. Because of this repetitive structure and their restricted distribution (only in grasses), it has been suggested that the prolamins are of recent origin. Contrary to this hypothesis, we show that parts of the non-repetitive domain of one group of prolamins are homologous with sequences present in a large group of seed proteins from monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants; including Bowman-Birk protease inhibitors, cereal inhibitors of alpha-amylase and trypsin, and 2 S globulin storage proteins of castor bean and oil seed rape. This implies an ancient origin for these non-repetitive domains. The origins of the repetitive domains are not known but may lie within the grasses.     

Arthrin: a new actin-like protein in insect flight muscle

There are one or more proteins of 50,000 to 60,000 Mr in the thin filaments of insect flight muscle. A protein of 55,000 Mr has been isolated from insect fibrillar flight muscle and called arthrin. Despite its higher molecular weight, arthrin is in many ways like actin. The amino acid composition of arthrin was similar to that of actin. There were similarities in the peptides produced by digesting the denatured proteins and mild digestion of polymerized proteins cleaved similar-sized fragments from arthrin and actin. Polymerized arthrin activated the Mg2+ ATPase of myosin to the same extent as actin and the ATPase was regulated by rabbit or Lethocerus troponin and tropomyosin. Arthrin did not itself act as troponin-T. Electron microscopy of negatively stained specimens showed that arthrin and actin filaments were similar in structure and that arthrin could be decorated by rabbit subfragment-1 to form normal-looking arrowheads. Arthrin formed paracrystals at an optimum concentration of MgCl2 (25 mM) that was somewhat lower than the optimum for actin paracrystals. Optical diffraction showed that the structure of the paracrystals was similar to those formed from actin. The mass of arthrin and actin filaments relative to phage fd was measured by scanning transmission electron microscopy; the relative mass of arthrin and actin was 1.33, in agreement with molecular weight estimations. Therefore arthrin has the properties of a heavy form of actin. The proportion of actin, arthrin and troponin-T in Lethocerus myofibrils was six moles of actin to one mole of arthrin and one mole of troponin-T. The function of arthrin is not known.